One of the countries in Ihlathi least affected by the creation of the Great Shimmer, Gaolund prides itself on its ancient heritage and continuity of history dating back over a millennium. Gaolund owes its political power and position to its control of the Windy Straits connecting the Sea of Ashera to the Thamasan Ocean, making it one of the gatekeepers of trade with southern territories that don’t wish to detour northwards around the island of Mysidia. Gaolund’s capital, fittingly, is the fortress-city of Zalo, which sits at the mouth of the Straits and whose Arcane Cannons range across the entire width at its narrowest point.

In recent decades, tensions have risen between Gaolund and Jardine, which now seeks to get a slice of the lucrative revenue and has begun levying its own tolls, creating a three-way dispute between Gaolund (and its historical ally Horlochen), Jardine and the merchant coalitions that run ships through the Straits. Although no official conflict has broken out between the two, accusations of espionage and sabotage have started being a common occurrence, and coastal cities live in growing concern of the potential other uses of shore batteries designed to control water traffic.