Garalta

Garalta has long opposed the influence of Hargroth. The ancient hero of Garalta, Elata Nepta, was a Mystic Wood Elf of great renown and power. The legends of his sacrifice persist to this day, and they are many and varied. The great hero is rumored to have fought the Wyrm of Hargroth to a standstill. With many allies and vassals, Elata stood against the wyrm and weathered the assault the foul creature beset upon him. The days turned to weeks, and the battle raged. Armies rose and fell, thousands of loyal soldiers laid down their lives in defense of freedom, and countless wolves were slain. The Garaltans fought on their own line, far away from the other defenders of the realm, though they knew that Stradyn and Ultus suffered their own losses. Alone on the continent they shared with Hargroth, Garalta bore the brunt of the assault. Many lives were lost, and still the hero stood. Weeks turned to months, and the line was held. Months turned into seasons, and the line… began to wane. Garalta was losing this war, and they knew it. They tried many tactics, explored all options, and they met only menial success for a spare moment in time. Having been savaged for months on end, the Garaltan people were spent and weak. It was all they could do to hold back the wolves and their minions, and the outlook was bleak. The rank and file soldier was sure that the line would fail at any time, and the hero knew this.

After many days of contemplation, a great sacrifice was made. The hero retreated to a circle of power with many trusted allies, family, friends, and servants. Within this circle a choice was made, and a price was paid. None but those that emerged from the circle knows the true story, but the world knows the result. After the ritual completed, the Shimmer rose. A great wall of energy sprung from deep in the ground, cleaving the bedrock on its ascension, the shimmer rose. The Shimmer mimicked the Garaltan line with near perfect accuracy, though lives were tragically lost, with rare Garaltan soldiers being trapped on the far side of the shimmer and brutally torn to pieces by the wolves and their monsters, in full view of their compatriots.

The Shimmer… saved us. The Shimmer keeps us safe, and keeps the wolves at bay. The least we can do is behave. Keep the rules, keep the Shimmer. Break the rules? We don’t want you to break the rules, we can’t afford it.

Garalta is a harsh land, under strict rule. The laws of Garalta are many fold, and the punishments are harsh. Garaltan crime is nearly non-existent, because the importance of these laws is manifest in everything they do. Corporal punishment is commonplace and simple offenses are met with harsh punishment.

• Littering: Lashing
• Spitting in public: Lashing
• Smoking outside a designated smoking area: Lashing
• Drinking to excess: Lashing
• Swearing in public: Lashing
• Assault: Capital Crime
• Arson: Capital crime
• Manslaughter: Capital Crime
• Necromancy: Obliteration
• Murder: Obliteration
• Fraud: Lashing
• Market Manipulation on goods: Lashing
• Uncouth habits (chewing tobacco, chewing gum, excessive tooth picking, etc): Lashing

Garalta is a police state, but they believe it keeps them safe. Garaltans do not transgress, they do not overreach, and they follow the rules, because they believe it keeps them free. All Garaltans enjoy free will, but must abide by the rules of the culture. Those that do not… They are not spoken of.

Important People

-Queen Lametista Nepta

The Queen of Garalta is a descendant of the ancient hero Elata Nepta. The heroes line is preserved by public decree and all descendants share his name. The line of the hero is much celebrated in Garalta and their people will never forget his sacrifice. The Queen is a firm believer in the Garaltan way of life and works to preserve the laws of the land. Very little revision takes place in the Garaltan code of law, and this is unlikely to change. Queen Lametista is firmly entrenched in her position and unlikely to yield to any compromise.

-Chief Inquisitor Stovras Rane

Stovras Rane is the lead investigator in the judicial branch of the Garaltan government. He pursues justice across the realm. He is a humorless and severe man, pursuing his duties with fervor. Inquisitor Rane takes his dedication to the laws of Garalta very seriously and permits no disrespect towards him or his country. Sitting on his traditional judicial bench, upholstered with leather made from the skins of former Garaltan judges convicted of corruption, he is the face of the rule of law. It is known that blatant disrespect to a government official can be considered a capital offense.

-The Fenix

A criminal of much renown. The Fenix is known as a smuggler and a thief, but also known to be a way out of Garalta for those that cannot abide the laws of the land. The citizens of Garalta are not allowed to expatriate, and only the most trusted citizens are allowed posts abroad. The Fenix smuggles citizens out of Garalta when they cannot abide the harsh social climate any longer. She (or he) has been reported slain by Garaltan officials many times, but never stays dead for long. If you want a way out of the country when the country doesn’t want you gone, The Fenix is the only one to call upon.

-The Bura-Bosh

They say if someone tells you they do not fear death, that person is either a liar, or they are Bura-Bosh. The Bura-Bosh are Garalta’s most feared fighting force. Bura-Bosh are consummate fighters, trained from birth, and hardened by strict punishments and grueling training regimen. Bura-Bosh are known to shrug off blows that would fell mortal men, to have minds like steel traps, and to be quicker and more adept than would seem possible for creatures of flesh and blood. The Bura-Bosh are few in number, but their presence on a battlefield strikes fear into the hearts of any who know their name. If you meet an unknown soldier on the battlefield, hope they are not Bura-Bosh.