Founding and Geography:

Gaolund has very diverse Geography in general. Its borders stretch from the Doribatt Mountains in the east to the Thamasan Ocean in the west. Part of the Thamasan Ocean, just south of The Gaolund Arm is the Castine Bay, by which the Castine Coastal region is one of the most populated regions of the nation. The Castine Coastal region was one of the last parts of Gaolund to be settled. The majority of the population was mostly centered up by the border with Mirland and small exploration teams moved south west to the unclaimed lands in that direction. Eventually on the Castine Bay was founded the city of Tarvovesta. Tarvovesta is the southernmost major port city on the continent of Ihlathi. The city of Tarvovesta was at first founded as a fishing village but eventually grew to be the largest and most important city in the region. The Castine coastal region is warm year round, and is known for its swampy geography and sprawling mashlands. This section of the Gaolund coast line was difficult to settle due to its lack of proper farmland and navigable harbors. Tarvovesta itself is situated on one of the few locations that can support a city of a larger size. The region’s population is mostly supported by a large scale fishing and hunting community and the import of grain from the Gaolund Heartland. The expansive swamp land harbors some of the nation's most dangerous creatures, some of which may be influenced by drifting banks of Spirit Fog. Because of the abundance of dangerous creatures, most of the locals avoid the swamps whenever possible and most travel to the city is limited to folks arriving by either sea or the one train line that used to go all the way to the small mountain village of Auburn. Due to the numerous sightings of dangerous swamp creatures, The Honorable Order of Misthunters, has a regional base of operations in Tarvovesta.

History and Culture

The first few expeditions to the region had travelers come to it from over land, either from The Gaolund Arm or from the Gaolund Heartland by the border with Mirland. Eventually when naval technology advanced and many in Gaolund became expert sailors, boats started to leave from small ports on The Gaolund Arm and they started to explore the Castine Bay in more detail. Eventually, the obvious need for a safe port in the bay became more and more obvious and the city of Tarvovesta was settled. Tarvovesta became one of Gaulund’s most important cities almost overnight. Not only did it serve as an administration center for the entire region, it was economically viable due to its location as a shipping hub and fishing port, but the Gaolund navy needed it for expanding its operational area. Large timber reserves in the area and eventually iron ore from mines in the Doribatt Mountains made Tarvovesta one of the best ship building cities in southern Ihlathi. Tarvovesta became known for its large modern ships and served as a launching point for any naval expeditions to points south of Gaulund. The citizens of the Castine Coastal Region are a hardy people, mostly the descendants of explorers, sailors, fishermen, luggers and ship builders. The harsh weather of the region has turned even the city’s upper class and elite into tough and rugged people who pride themselves on living at the edge of Ihlathi. The city is geographically isolated, and the population of the region is insular in this regard. The people of the region are either those that spend most of their time in the major city of Tarvovesta or the rural folks of the swamps or sea. There is often a minor cultural split between the city people and the rural people but since they all share a general distaste for people from outside of the region, they often use this animosity towards outsiders as a bonding experience. Because of its isolation, the region has a distinct accent that the rest of Ihlathi finds to be very annoying.

Related articles:

Doribatt Mountains - The largest mountain range on the Ihlanathian continent

Tarvovesta - The largest city in the Castine Coastal Region.

The Gaolund Arm - A large region of Gaolund and a center of Ihlanathian shipping

Castine Bay - A large bay in the Thamasan Ocean

Thamasan Ocean - one of the largest bodies of water in the known world.

Spirit Fog - A strange supernatural weather condition

Auburn - A remote abandoned village near Mount Corbreck

Honorable Order of Misthunters - A mercenary company dedicated to the hunting of monsters

Gaolund Heartland - The agricultural center of Gaolund

Real world inspiration:

The US state of Louisiana - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana

The Florida Everglades - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everglades