Godfall

Godfall

Government
Democracy
Capital
Zâram-Tûm
Cities
Banak, Hizag, Wûra-Mor
Major Worship
Beory, Heironeous, Pholtus, Ulaa

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Climate
Windy, cold to moderate
Exports
Alchemical ingredients, gems, herbs, salt, wool
Imports
Building materials, cloth, spices, vegetables, woodcraft

The country is bordered by Otteun to the northwest, and Fir Lanear to the north. While not a direct neighbor, Kasar is not too far to the west.

The former dwarven realm of Baltur is now known as 'The Godfall'. During the Collapse the sky fell onto the land and created a depression thousands of miles across with the Haklur Desert at its center.

Ever since, the remaining dwarves have tried to reclaim their former glory. The change in climate has made life harsh, but these days dwarven cities are a marvel to behold once again.

Government

The nation is unique for the fact that every citizen over the age of sixteen has a vote in affairs on both a local and national level. It's not all that straightforward though; the large cities are quite independent and usually each large city is in charge of a province with the smaller cities having a prescribed area they are responsible for.

National politics are very limited; there isn't all that much foreign policy, mostly it's working out conflicts between provinces. Provincial politicians generally assemble only once a year for a national meeting, with mandates given to them through local referendums, if there is a need for them. Of late, there have been complaints that certain interests are indirectly buying votes.

The country doesn't have a standing army as such but every city and town has a Citizens Brigade that is like a town guard in other countries. Add to that the presence of Bruised But Not Broken and a populace with an above average skill at combat and magic; the country can call up quite some forces should the need ever arise.

Crime is low compared to most countries, probably a combination of pride and a willingness to help others. Taxes are on the low end with the large cities taxing quite a bit more than small communities.

Magic

The Godfall has a complicated relation ship with Abjura Dolana. While no one in the realm wants another Collapse, or so one would hope, not everyone is sure the abjurers should be the ones to police everyone else. Add to that a still present national pride in Balturian magic and a higher than average number of arcane spellcasters within the citizenry, and it becomes clear why a license is not needed in the country.

That said, what way any particular city leans is very much dependent on the current leader and the feeling of the populace. In some towns Abjura Dolana is seen as a necessary pressure valve, in others they are hardly tolerated.

To add to all this is the fact that Tipatshimun, the cult that wants the power of the gods, like the Magus of old, are, if not completely accepted, at least tolerated in most cities in the country. This makes for a difficult balancing act on how magic is perceived and every city has their own ideas.

Religion

The most popular deity in the country is Ulaa, the people here being industrious by necessity. Beory is gaining in popularity as agriculture is growing.

Both Heironeous and Pholtus have large followings; in some cities it's only one or the other but usually both are worshiped in the larger cities. Priests of these gods often serve as magistrates though any accused has the right to request a secular judge.

It may be surprising that in a country with so many spellcasters, Boccob is not worshipped much but this is because as the new god of magic after the Collapse, he took a very firm stand against anyone responsible for that disaster and anyone supporting their cause.

Geography

The Silvalhuese River is now considered the eastern border of the nation. It has created a strip of arable land around it that is the only source of staple crops for the Godfall. The Nâla river to the south unfortunately goes through a canyon for most of its course and hasn't created a floodplain.

The lands to the north of the Haklur Desert are mostly plains but not much lives there until you get to the border with Fir Lanear.

The rest of the country is mostly shrubland; heaths and moors. People have been able to grow only a few things out here. Be careful of any standing water, much of it is contaminated with all kinds of things, sometimes clearly indicated by the color of the water; bright yellow, pale blue, etc. Some of the local wildlife has adapted to be able to drink this.

One of the great dangers out in the Godfall is the ever present dust storms, called Felak. These can appear out of nothing, with a few minutes' warning at best. What makes them so dangerous is that ever so often ancient magics are stirred up and dust particles get loaded with eldritch energy.

Dugûl Felak

Discovered soon after the Collapse, this massive sinkhole far from civilization has become a destination for fortune hunters convinced something of great value can be found here. What it definitely has is great natural beauty. It is about 75 meters in diameter and the water surface is nearly 30 meters below ground level with the walls covered in different mosses and lichens. The slightly purplish water is quite deep, likely around 50 meters, no branching caverns have been found. Red catfish are abundant, they are apparently not very tasty and the water is hardly potable.

Ganad-Zudyl Mines

Old texts from the early days of Baltur speak of these mines as an endless source of precious metals and gems without ever revealing a location. For these, and other reasons, most sages consider the mines to be non-existent and just a literary conceit to describe the almost endless resources available to the then rulers. This has not stopped people from searching for the unimaginable wealth that must still be in the ground if the stories are true.

Ecology

Ever since the Collapse many creatures of old have not been able to survive here but new species were fast to claim their niche.

The most famous of the Godfall animals is the Imbar, the two-headed goat; said to have come from the pits of hell due to its piercing bleat. These dauntless creatures can be quite dangerous when provoked. They unfortunately don't get along well with sheep, which are the main source of meat for the country, not to mention the wool, which is a major export.

The only large animal that is seen in any number is the moor elk, which the Godfallers have tried to domesticate to middling success. Stoats and weasels are abundant and can be a pest when they infiltrate cities. Rabbits, hares, and grouse are also quite common though they are the favorite prey of coyotes, foxes, owls, and the larger snakes. There are quite a few reptiles, including some venomous lizards. In spring and summer large numbers of blue butterflies can been seen descending upon the gorse. Nightjars, whinchats, twites, and skylarks are the most common bird species seen around.

Monsters

Lizardfolk tribes were some of the first to arrive after the Collapse and have never left. They mostly keep to themselves though they have been known to raid some caravans, or at least been accused of doing such. Kobolds might be the most populous but they try and stay hidden, you could walk right by one of their camps and never realize it.

Stirges are ever present, Will-o'-Wisps are quite common and dangerous to the unwary, certain other fey creatures seem to be prevalent as well. Death Dog packs are fortunately not encountered often, in large numbers they can overwhelm anyone. There are many stories about a huge, dark dog called the Ci Annwn, whose outline can be seen standing on a hillock late at night. It is said its presence is an announcement of impending death. There are quite a number of Restless (undead) ever since the Collapse. Not just the common skeletons and zombies, but also wights, and much worse.

Really dangerous creatures like basilisks and trolls thrive as well, the pockets of civilization are further apart here than in most countries so they have large habitats. Hag covens are also thought to be quite common though this is hard to prove.

History

Much of the early history can be found in the articles on Baltur and the Collapse.

Shortly after the Collapse both the far eastern and far western turgs (provinces) claimed independence and mostly failed. Many of the smaller interior towns in the rest of the country were abandoned so the survivors could focus on rebuilding the larger cities. Unfortunately these were built with magic and materials that now no longer were available. At first they were nothing but shelter for a people living a hard scrabble existence.

In the decades after the Collapse the world was in flux and while quite a large group of the original dwarven populace fled, not much later, new groups started to come into the country. Upheaval in the nations that were in the process of becoming Otteun caused a large number of people to move away from where they felt oppressed, to start a new life in the Godfall. Another large contingent of the people that came, and eventually stayed, were the treasure seekers, hoping to find relics of Baltur and strike it rich.

Over the centuries the people now known as the Godfallers (never call them Godfallen!) managed to build up a proud civilization in a harsh world. Nowadays smaller cities have been built or rebuilt and some very large farms can be found along the trade ways.

Culture

While the majority of the population is dwarven, humans make up a large minority, with half-orcs, halflings, and gnomes all being a small minority of about the same size. This is reflected in the culture which is a mix of old Balturan traditions and newer customs.

Most buildings in the country are made of quite thick, stone walls, often reclaimed from the Balturan cities of old. This might have been out of fear for another cataclysmic event at first but it proved to be quite useful with the low temperatures and more and more frequent dust storms. These days, almost all Godfall cities of any size have a very high town wall for just this reason.

Games of all types are quite popular, the long winters mean that people are stuck indoors for long stretches at a time. Card games are ubiquitous, though care should be taken, the rules can vary from town to town. Turgok is a very popular board game where four players (it can also be played with two) try to conquer territory till only one is left. Ishmêk is a spectacular, and sometimes bloody, arena game played with two teams.

Foreign influence also brought an appreciation for theater. In ancient Baltur, literature and sculpting were the arts most appreciated but these days all towns have their own theater which is used by both professional and amateur alike.

Food

Apart from the eastern part of the country, not many crops can be grown in the Godfall. The most common staple is the kolth, a small potato. These can be grown in the arid earth that has been reclaimed from the heath but are quite labor intensive. Local chefs are able to do quite a bit with it though; they work well parboiled and then grilled, jacket fried, or mashed (often with Imbar cheese). Artichokes, rhubarb, and turnips are the other locally grown vegetables but are usually more of a side dish. With salt being easily available, fermented and pickled food are common though the choice of produce is slim; radish, rhubarb, squash, and turnips are most prevalent.

The vast majority of the meat dishes favor sheep, Imbar is only popular in a few cities, usually slow cooked for at least a day. Insects are rife in the Godfall and some popular snacks are deep fried gabil dragonfly on a stick, ogre beetle balls (not the testicles of said beetle, rather a ball made of their meat and then grilled), and maggot moss stew (flavored with either Imbar cheese, mushrooms, or berries).

Beer and wine were very popular in ancient Baltur but nowadays they need to be imported and are too expensive for the majority of the populace. Most alcohol is now distilled, either from the kolth or from juniper berries, and often flavored with cranberries or cloudberries. The common drink is khel, a light liquor made of kolth and flavored with salt.