Galda
Galda is the desert kingdom of the south. It harvests it’s water from the air and massive desalinization structures on the coast. The population primarily consists of humans, vishkanyas, and nagas. Though it’s not uncommon to find a Genie blood in someone’s ancestry. It is one of the remaining dragon ruled nations, though is often at odds with its draconic brethren do to its slave trade and blood magic policies.
History
To say that Galda's history is fraught and complicated is to make a grave understatement. Most of Galda's history has been lost beneath the dunes, and the scraps of its ancient past are already scarce for even the most heart of adventurer who attempt to traverse its many ruins. But at least this much is known: Galda was once green and verdant, a tropical paradise if there ever was one. It was blessed by a union of Elves and a Great Copper Dragon, who ruled its borders from the base of the Spine in the northwest, down to the lush coastlines, benevolently. There were cites in Galda that rivaled any power in the Seven Circles, and the line of High Elves, balanced by the its Copper Dragon, maintained the land with care. Unfortunately that is all the history to be found until The Drying. Around 3770, peoples all over Galda began to notice that it wasnt raining nearly as often. Odd, but rainfall isnt always predictable. But every subsequent year afterward, less rain fell. Whole swaths of the lush rainforests died out. Many people were displaced and had to move to spaces near the coast or the mountains that still had regukar rainfall. But even these places soon dried up. The last recorded rainfall in Galda for that time was in 3780. Many peoples continued to survive, as the mountains of the Spine bordering Gaz'roc still provided snowmelt that fed the rivers. But in time, even these dried up, the dry, hungry sand that replaced soil ate the water as soon as it left the mountains. For 100 years, not a drop of water came from the sky, or by the dry, cracked riverbeds. The forests all dried up and crumbled, and much of Galda was slowly swallowed by dust storms, sometimes miles in length. The people were forced out of their home, into the Voiceless wastes, or into Gaz'Roc. But many stayed, and new, more adaptible peoples moved in. Viskanyas and Naga's sailed in the south, beyond the unknown oceans and founded new cities on the ruins of the old. The High elves, who had long ago lost their benevolent Copper Dragon, developed a new magiech that would allow the saltwater to be made fresh. They had massive desalination plants built, often in tandem with the Naga and Viskyanka settlements. They asked only one thing in return for these: Control of the cities. Even the hardy snake people couldnt not argue with the bounty these plants provided. Though a hundred years is a long time. The power of the elves waned, and eventually they ceded control of their great cities to region figures. Corruption reigned, and so too did the need to keep the plants operating. The Galdan slave trade, for which it is still infamous was founded 60 years into the drought. As the scarce population of Galda dwindled, Galdan slavers made raiding parties into neighboring nations. It is the unfortunate truth that much of the diversity of Galda comes on the backs of the enslaved members of other nations. In 3880, there was a sudden change in the balance of power in Galda. An intrepid group of adventurers discovered a source of the drought in the great sea city of Cantra Vos, a city founded by the Naga, but now home to to the largest delsalination plants, and a giant blue faceted gem that seemed to be the source of the drought. The Gem was destroyed, resulting in state of perpetual rain in the city which lasted for a full year, turning the city into a lake. Eventually Canta Vos, Renamed 'The Drowned City' saw the water reduced to a point that it could be inhabited again. Even though the Drying Gem had been destroyed, Galda at large remained a desert(albeit with *occassional* rain in the ssouthwest), the Desalination plant was restarted, and the city continued on as a major hub for the region.Climate
As has been described, Galda was once verdant and gree, but is now a Desert. Though there are now bastions of water and Oases that have cropped up as the magic drought reduced in intensity.Culture
Vishkanya and The Naga
Vishkanya and Naga are two interrelated and intertwined cultures of Galda. Having Emigrated after The Drying.
Vishkanya are fully humanoid with significant snakelike features, while Naga are often fully snake from the waist down. These difference often reflect the Caste like nature of their culture, with Naga being large and intimdiating muscle, and Vishkanya often taking more upper class roles and strong intellectual pursuits, though exceptions to either rule are commonplace. There is a remarkable amount of social mobility in their dual culture.
The Wandering Free People
It is now a known and much shamed fact that the Desalination plants in many Galdan Cities were powered by sacrificing mages and magic users to it, and often run by the enslaved. When the Drowned city earned its name, many of the workers, who had grown to fear the *idea* of being magical itself. This was taken into the heart of their culture as they took to wandering the desert, moving nomadically, seeking out the natural well's that would crop up in the desert. After a century, their paranoia about magic has grown into a full on cultural taboo. They chase magic users out of their camps, and even exile or kill those of their own that display magical talent. Beyond their magical taboo, however, they are widely considered to be kind and hospitable. Many a weary traveler have been saved by their care. And though they quickly push them out, they will at least give a mage a waterskin before forcefully expelling them.
Desert Dwarves
When the Drought Happened, the dwarves did what they knew to do: Dig. The water table dropped significantly when the drought occurred, so they dug deeper, creating great cities way below the natural water line. Unfortunately when the water table rose up, many of their cities were flooded, forcing them out onto the surface, often taking up residence in abandoned ancient structures and cities.
Galdan Dwarves, while not fond of the heat, have managed to adapt to it in their characteristically pragmatic way. Their above ground settlements may look small, but usually what is seen above is a gateway to much larger cities underneath the sand. There are said to be great underground canals that move from city to city. When encountered above ground, Dwarves tend to wear sunshade hats, often of a metal allow that dissapates heat. While they still have beards in the ancient custom, they trim them very short to help keep cool.
Vishkanya and Naga are two interrelated and intertwined cultures of Galda. Having Emigrated after The Drying.
Vishkanya are fully humanoid with significant snakelike features, while Naga are often fully snake from the waist down. These difference often reflect the Caste like nature of their culture, with Naga being large and intimdiating muscle, and Vishkanya often taking more upper class roles and strong intellectual pursuits, though exceptions to either rule are commonplace. There is a remarkable amount of social mobility in their dual culture.
The Wandering Free People
It is now a known and much shamed fact that the Desalination plants in many Galdan Cities were powered by sacrificing mages and magic users to it, and often run by the enslaved. When the Drowned city earned its name, many of the workers, who had grown to fear the *idea* of being magical itself. This was taken into the heart of their culture as they took to wandering the desert, moving nomadically, seeking out the natural well's that would crop up in the desert. After a century, their paranoia about magic has grown into a full on cultural taboo. They chase magic users out of their camps, and even exile or kill those of their own that display magical talent. Beyond their magical taboo, however, they are widely considered to be kind and hospitable. Many a weary traveler have been saved by their care. And though they quickly push them out, they will at least give a mage a waterskin before forcefully expelling them.
Desert Dwarves
When the Drought Happened, the dwarves did what they knew to do: Dig. The water table dropped significantly when the drought occurred, so they dug deeper, creating great cities way below the natural water line. Unfortunately when the water table rose up, many of their cities were flooded, forcing them out onto the surface, often taking up residence in abandoned ancient structures and cities.
Galdan Dwarves, while not fond of the heat, have managed to adapt to it in their characteristically pragmatic way. Their above ground settlements may look small, but usually what is seen above is a gateway to much larger cities underneath the sand. There are said to be great underground canals that move from city to city. When encountered above ground, Dwarves tend to wear sunshade hats, often of a metal allow that dissapates heat. While they still have beards in the ancient custom, they trim them very short to help keep cool.
Trade & Transport
There is a saying: "Galda exports spices and wishes, but inports slaves and kisses." The slave trade is often what other nations think when they consider the desert nation. Galda is known for raiding other countries for "new supplies", where those who are captured have two fates as a slave: the desalutation fasilities or the brothels.
"Galda exports spices and wishes, but inports slaves and kisses."
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Neighboring Nations
Comments