Gralton
The inhabitants of Gralton consist almost entirely of people who have fled the ongoing revolution (some would say anarchy) in Galt. Many of those who have fled to Gralton are the old nobility of Galt. Deposed and fallen from grace, they desperately seek any means to regain what they have lost, be it by sponsoring counter-revolutionary activity, or sending parties of hapless adventurers back into Galt to search for family heirlooms left behind in the rush to escape the guillotine’s blade. As the desperation of the deposed nobility grew, Gralton began to attract con-artists and tricksters. These tried to hustle the desperate nobility by offering quick fixes and false hope.
The town has two notable temples: one to the drunken hero deity, Cayden Cailean, the other to the Vengeful Sting, Calistria. In fact, many suspect the people of Gralton to be possessed by some spirit of Calistria. So bent on vengeance against Galt are they, that many see divine intervention in their hate-filled eyes.
History
Death, carnage, and instability make the kingdom of Galt a dangerous and dolorous place to live as the continuing horror of the Red Revolution harvests the heads of the best and brightest— or simply those unfortunate enough to speak out against the mobs. Unwilling or unable to continue a Galtan life of suffering and fear, many Galtan citizens flee the kingdom to seek a new life outside its borders. Those that make their way to the River Kingdoms find a home in Gralton, a small nation of ex-Galtan nobility, exiles and refugees from the war. There, outside their bloodied homeland, they start anew, though few forget their past and what they left behind.
Gralton was carved out of the River Kingdoms by men and women who were no strangers to hardship, physical or emotional. Its founder, Obidas Nauzil, a wealthy bank owner from the Galtan city of Edme, fled Galt when his bank was forcibly taken over. He gathered with him as many friends and other misplaced noblemen as he could, and together they sought a new land to call their own, away from the madness of the Red Revolution. They found it in the River Kingdoms, a small piece of land bisected by the Sellen River. It was already occupied, but the men who lived there were weak and starving, having been attacked by brigands multiple times and had most of their supplies stolen. The occupants foolishly tried to fight off the newcomers but were quickly overpowered, and the land was reclaimed as Little Galt. Nauzil became the mayor of this new town, and he set to work expanding and defending it. As the city grew, things quickly fell out of Nauzil’s control, as he was not prepared to rule what was rapidly becoming a small “kingdom.” In response to the complaints, he appointed an advisory council, and they effectively ruled Gralton until Nauzil’s death 2 years later. The council appointed a new leader, an ambitious man named Hannan Gralt, who was the first to openly suggest that his people organize to reclaim their land in Galt. Under his rule, Little-Galt was renamed Gralton (mostly by ex-noblemen who found the name “Little-Galt” to be demeaning), and since then the governor and the council have shared somewhat equal rule over the city-state.
The most noteworthy event in Gralton’s history since its founding was a large-scale invasion of brigands from the north in 4687. They were repelled before reaching the river, but not before they had set fire to some of Gralton’s farmland, its city hall, and a few residences. Fifteen citizens died, among them Governor Gralt himself. Lord Marnius Cherlorne was appointed his successor, and he worked quickly to quell fears that the huge loss of resources—both from the fire and from the necessary rebuilding and recovery that resulted—would spell an end to Gralton. Now, while Gralton is not thriving, it is certainly surviving, and many Graltoners thank Governor Cherlorne for that.
Gralton is still growing as refugees continue to flee Galt, but it is a dangerous trek to Gralton. Forests thick with bandits and roads watched by thieves make up most of the journey. Some escape the bloodshed of the Revolution only to be robbed or killed on the path to relative safety. Those that make it find themselves in a new land with nothing of their own, no wealth or possessions beyond what they can carry. Many become depressed when the full reality of starting from scratch finally hits them. The majority of Gralton citizens were once nobility, unused to having to earn their food and shelter. The first few days in the kingdom are often painful, with newcomers feeling lost, overwhelmed, and defeated. Those few who hope to find a paradise in Gralton quickly lose their illusions and accept that this new life will not be easy, knowing anything is better than Galt in its current state. Those who don’t either perish or are driven out to try to find a place of their own somewhere else.
Regardless of previous expectations, each citizen of Gralton finds his own niche in society and works at it as best he can. Blacksmiths, tailors, merchants—many nobility who have never worked a day in their lives soon find themselves with trades of their own, often even working with their hands. They recognize that Gralton needs business to survive, and that without smithies and shops there will be no supplies. They also learn to rely on each other, as everyone is in the same boat. This does not mean, however, that everyone is friendly toward each other, and beneath their strained politeness there is bitterness and rivalry.
Gralton is not a pleasant place to make a home. The River Kingdoms are dangerous, and the citizens are desperate and unhappy, mourning the loss of land, wealth, power, possessions, and often friends and family they were forced to leave behind. Most do not intend to live in Gralton indefinitely, and come to the small kingdom looking only for a relatively safe place to plot and gather resources for their return to Galt to take back what they lost. This itself causes much tension, as there are many different plans for returning to Galt which often conflict or require the aid of fellow citizens who have plans of their own. As a result, there is much hostility between residents of Gralton.
However, Graltoners’ fear of another civil war is greater than their anger and frustration toward each other, and so they are cautious when arguing over politics and plans. Such discussion is often quiet, wary, and somewhat secret, and generally broken off if it is clear that the two discussing parties greatly disagree. Thus, like-minded people here tend to gravitate toward each other, forming large groups who meet in private to discuss their plans. These groups eventually become secret societies with elaborate schemes to reclaim what was lost in Galt. This way, open arguments and violence are avoided, but at the same time it breeds distrust against those outside these societies.
Some Graltoners choose not to follow the societies’ mandate of secrecy and are open about their plans and desires. Even those who are not privileged or interested enough to join a secret society are eager to see change, either in Gralton’s current state or back in Galt. Lord General Halidan Tarne, one of the few ex-nobles of Galt who can rightfully consider himself a noble of Gralton, has been gathering an army in Gralton for years to invade Galt by force and has erected strange, makeshift barracks that can hold 300 of his 500 soldiers. Most of these “soldiers” are not properly trained, despite the efforts of Gallar Porswan an ex-military officer of Galt thought long dead by those back home. What the Gralton soldiers lack in training they make up for in enthusiasm. Driven by dreams of reclaiming old glory and happiness, they would gladly raid Galt, Lord Tarne riding at their head, but travel logistics and lack of a clear target in the old homeland limit their ability to act, and the army is starting to lose soldiers to delays. Occasionally, a smaller group strikes out (led by Tarne or an officer) to hit Galtan towns, but their lack of discipline costs them and they return days later, bloodied and with fewer numbers.
Halidan’s cousin Casal Tarne does not agree with the idea of simply raiding Galt, believing that Halidan’s troops should wait to attack until they are more numerous, stronger, and better organized. He worked for years as Halidan’s unofficial advisor but found that his cousin never heeded any of his advice. After the two nearly came to blows, their shaky friendship ended, and now Casal is quietly waiting for Halidan to die in one of his foolish battles, at which point Casal will take over the army. In the meantime, Casal is currently acting as sheriff and heads the city guard.
Over the years, the desire to return to Galt has escalated into a kingdom-wide obsession. Secret societies are becoming even more secretive, and much of their scheming has been going in radical and bizarre directions, with plans becoming more and more ludicrous. More people are becoming vocal on the streets, urging their fellow Graltoners to take action with a frightening intensity. Those who stand up and openly try to build an army of their own are either assimilated or driven out by Tarne’s men. Similarly, many citizens are turning to religious fanaticism, hoping the gods will help them in their mission. Nearly two dozen temples to Calistria have been built in the last 4 years, crowding out and sometimes forcibly taking over temples of other gods. Adding a bit of confusion to the general hostility present is the fact that regardless of radically differing opinions on how to reclaim what was lost, the goals of most of the citizens are very nearly the same. Citizens must also rely on each other to keep Gralton alive, and many Graltoners owe their lives to their fellows due to frequent bandit attacks or similar near-tragedies.
Gralton is known to be a desperate place, and its reputation draws outsiders who hope to take advantage of such emotional people. Religious speakers, swindlers, and self-proclaimed miracle-workers flock to the small kingdom seeking followers or a fast fortune. Unscrupulous peddlers come from other parts of the River Kingdoms or more distant lands, bringing cheap medicines and good luck charms that are usually worthless, as well as maps and news of unreliable quality. False prophets foretell doom or peace, speaking of disappointed gods, necessary sacrifices, and great change. The people of Gralton welcome such visitors and eagerly supply them with business. When those visitors leave Gralton, they spread stories of its strange, distraught people, their odd behavior—a false politeness that can be chilling—and the locals’ obsession with some great return to Galt. As a result, rumors abound that Gralton is not normal, and that its people are possessed by vengeful spirits, or perhaps even by Calistria herself.