Ghelgo, Ecra, Iwi

On the southern island of Ecra, where the Noku Peaks split into the Collapsing Slopes and the Silvered Highlands, sits the mountain of Ghelgo and the ancient city built upon and deep within it. It is a city built in veneration to the gods, four in particular: The Brawler, The Lady of the Crossways, The Mother of Fortune, and The Archivist. A place that has been known by different names through the course of time, but has remained largely the same. Its inhabitants span a wide range of lineages: Orc, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Goliath, and Dwarf, chief among them. Ghelgo is a beacon of the divine or war-hungry barbarians, depending on who you ask, but one thing remains constant: conviction.

The city sits high on the mountainside. Great works of stone and earth shaped precisely to stand the test of the elements and time without mortar or costly upkeep. All public areas have decorative but functional embellishments: carved lions protecting the crops, hell hounds watching over the black market, crossbeams that appear as lightning bolts, and columns in libraries carved as stacks of books. The vast majority of the population lives above the low-laying clouds in small single dwellings or larger, multigenerational homes. Below the cloud layer are stacks of terraced farmlands, recirculating canals and waterways, and intricate irrigation systems. On the interior of the mountain are mines, military barracks, great halls, and more single and multigenerational living spaces. The top of the mountain has been worked and flattened for cyclical religious ceremonies. The slopes that are uninhabited are maintained as obstacle courses and arenas for wargames and tournaments. 

The culture in the mountain metropolis centers around 4 things: The Gods, perseverance, unbiased and unfiltered knowledge, and the military. The Gods inform the other three: The Brawler and The Mother of Fortune/Mistress of Famine have their domains in war, peace, nature, and the elements. The Archivist and the Lady of the Crossways/Dread Goddess of the Night have their domains in arcana, knowledge, and trickery. Together, the four make up the foundation of what the governing body of the city, The Thundershroud, uses to rule and teach: law based on the gods, not on the mortal world. Take what lessons one wishes from each god and live in harmony with one’s community. Of course, this doesn’t always work out, so there is an elite group formed under each god called The Reliquary, who are responsible for quelling unrest on either side of the table: the Thundershroud (council) and the populace. 

The Gods are part of everyday life in the city of Ghelgo. The Brawler represents the elements and war, while also representing peace and order. He speaks mostly to those in the military, the peacekeepers, and those who wield the powers of the elements. Physical strength and resilience are prized above all other attributes. The Lady of the Crossways/Dread Goddess of the Night represents the weave, knowledge, and trickery. She speaks mostly to those in the back alleys, seekers of secrets, and those who use deception as their primary weapon. Cunning and situational awareness are prized above all other attributes. The Mother of Fortune/Mistress of Famine represents the logistics of war and the mastery of nature. She speaks mostly to those in the fields, artisans, and diplomats. Reverence and thoughtfulness are attributes lauded the most. The Archivist also represents the weave and knowledge, but in a much broader sense. She speaks to those wanting to know histories, strategists, and educators. Innovation and an open mind are qualities revered most. Together with the combination of seemingly outlandish and overlapping qualities, the pantheon of Ghelgo has maintained the city for millennia.

The cloud city, though somewhat isolated, does have a small array of exports to trade with the outside world. While they choose not to participate in the perpetuation of mech warfare and technologies that would only serve to dull their sense of the world, such technologies still makes its way into the city. In the winding alleys and roads of the black market known as The Crossways, technologies unbecoming of the city are held and sold to outside allies along with aid. However, their greatest resource that they send out into the world is the Stones of the Archivist. Small precious gems and rare stones that are imbued with a small bit of the divine and arcane magic of the Archivist by her clerics and sages. Nearly all of the standing army of Ghelgo carries, at least, one such stone with them at all times. 

While the denizens of Ghelgo are serious about many things, one of the most important facets of life is the festivals. The Brawler’s Tournament of Grit sees a tactical and physical battle between varying groups up the sides of the mountain until only one is left standing. Several of the top teams are given positions in the Reliquary to relieve those at the end of their term. The Lady of the Crossways’ Festival of Fortunes occurs when the largest of the two moons in the sky reaches its new phase. Citizens create paper lanterns with hopes and prayers that are lit and float into the sky from the top of the mountain. They watch as they burn up in the sky, “crossing” into the divine realm. The Mother of Fortune’s Gathering is a city-wide harvest feast that takes place on the lower terraces. Crops are harvested, and the terraces are converted into large dining areas with small watercraft in the shape of chariots to carry revelers from terrace to terrace along the canals. The Archivist’s Tournament of Wit sees both a mental and physical test of knowledge and control. Scholars and Monks compete for positions of prestige within the Reliquary with their knowledge of history, mathematics, strategy, and physical control of the body. And in the high summer is the party to end all parties: Mirth. Together, once a year, the entire city congregates at the top of the mountain to sing a song created by the city’s founders and imbibe a very special drink that is made specifically for this celebration. It kicks off several days of parties and debauchery.

Notable people and places

• The Wayward – F Human
  • A merchant who mysteriously appears and disappears in the Crossways
  • Claims to be a servant of The Lady of the Crossways, but is rumored to be her avatar.
• Wrug – M Orc
  • General of the Brawler’s Hands (military unit)
  • Said to have dispatched a small unit of Elven Mechs in their most recent battle with Ryf Serin on his own.
• Fufs – F Goblin
  • Veteran enchanter of the Stones of the Archivist
  • Responsible for streamlining enchantment rituals to cut time and save resources during a time of war.
• Skazithra Kragshaper – F Dwarf
  • 15th generation stonesmith
  • Her family is responsible for carving the reliefs of Hell Hounds throughout the streets and alleys of the Crossways
• The Hanging Gardens
  • The Hanging Gardens cascade down the sunlit terraces just above the cloud line, where carved stone lions stand sentinel over tiered orchards and medicinal groves dedicated to the Mother of Fortune. Fed by intricate, gravity-driven canals cut directly into the mountain’s bones.
• The Distillery
  • The Distillery sits deep within the inner halls of the mountain. A monumental vaulted stone chamber of massive copper stills and rune-etched fermentation vats overseen by clerics of the Brawler and scholars of the Archivist.