Galik

X Worldbuilders:

GM James R Mike W. (u/n: maelforrest)

This article is about the metropolis in Amusa, for the domain where the city is located, see Galik (Domain)

"Welcome to Galik, the jewel city of Quelmar, also known as "The Entertainer's Paradise". An urban monument, Galik is so massive it could take you a week to walk from one end to the other. It is the epicenter of strange activity and the headquarters of more than a thousand guilds. Galik is indeed the city that never sleeps. As we approach, you'll see up ahead the brilliant lights of the many magical, scholarly, and defensive towers that dot the metropolis, like stars in the night." - Typical monologue given to approaching tourists in carts.

Galik

Monolithic structures tower over fields of houses and shops.

Type	Massive City
Government	Council
Location	Amusa
Inhabiting Race	All

Galik, also known as Entertainer's Paradise, is the largest city in Amusa, and home to a massively assorted set of citizens. The city also gives name to the domain it is located in, also called Galik

Galik was founded some time before 364 BR.

About

Galik was home to its own form of cant, known as Galik Street Slang.

Thanks to the great city watch of Galik, people who cause havoc or chaos can be easily influenced to get out of the city as places close their doors or raise their prices or stop providing services (free or otherwise). They become nobodies and the city passes them by, making them effectively become as notable or useful as the beggars. It is a stigma nobody risks, and as such, Galik is safe place to be during the day.

However, at night, when faces can be hidden or concealed in the shadows, the good humor of the city paves way for danger and subterfuge.

Etiquette is important in Galik, and if you aren't local, and aren't particularly popular or social, it's likely you will be avoiding the high circles and the social partying. The Burghesses of Galik don't tend to fraternize with the countless adventurers and oath-wielders who patrol the streets looking for adventure. Ultimately though, passing adventurers are still tourists, and to the locals, they won't attract the love and attention they might hope for, outside of a tavern of drunks.

Everyone in Galik has a place, and doing their job right lets them enjoy the fruits of everyone else's job. That's how a working city gets by.

A Rough Map of Galik's districts, indicated by color

City Information

Government

Galik is run by an Oligarchy of Leaders, called the Galik Council of Burghers led by a High Burgher or Burghess. The Council contains the following members:

• The High Burgher
• Maestro of the Arts
• Burgher of the Distillery
• Keeper of the City of the Dead
• Commisioner of the Docks
• Magistrate of the Great Speakers
• Head of Crafts
• Arch-herbalist of the Alchemical
• Keeper of the Bars
• Wrangler of the Stables
• Lord of Stoneworkers
• Lord of Woodworkers
• Lord of Metallurgists
• Archmage of the Wizards Guild
• Head Librarian of the Scribes
• Commander of the Lyregurad
• Madame of the Merciful Touch
• Lord Commander of the Free Defenders
• High Admiral of the Riverwatch
• The High Sheriff

The 13th High Burgher of Galik was James Tyler.

Military and Protections

Sheriff Centers dotted in each district contain a handful of brig cells for temporary housing and interrogation. Watchtowers are found all along the city's walls, and are managed and maintained by a group known as Bymeran's Walls, a large contracted group who also hires out wall watchers and towerguards to patrol the city borders.

Small citadel towers, such as the Citadel of the Griffon, were used to house more elite forces around the city, such as the Lyreguard (see below).

Crisis Imperatives

When major events in the city or realm impact the day-to-day life of Galik, the Lyreguard (see below) enact an imperative, which changes the laws of the city.

Lyreguard

The Lyreguard are the elite leaders of the Galik Military, who rode around on Griffons and later air skiffs. By the late 800s PR, Air Skiffs (smaller airships) could carry a full complement of troops as well as prisoners and resources. They would also offer respite for an injured Griffon in an emergency.

The city's first Lyreguard worked out of the first Citadel of the Griffon, which was a stable for griffons, who were considered the best mount as they were very versatile and could be well trained.

The Free Defenders

The Free Defenders are made up of volunteers, and typically had a membership of over 4000 defenders at any given time. They are less trained but far more numerous, as the number of benefits that comes with enrolling (including able to carry more weapons and heavier armor) makes them an enticing side-hustle. Many wanna-be adventurers and young adrenaline junkies join the ranks to get their foot in the door of adventure. The Free Defenders all report to a Lord Commander.

There are 300 free defenders at any given time at the city's citadel, and another 400 defenders at the city keep. The rest of the defenders are on patrol around the city, typically going about their own lives, only going into "Defender" mode if they witness a crime.

Free Defenders are also given free housing at barracks located over the cities, and meals in the mornings and evenings at communal meal bunkers.

River Watch

There are 600+ members of the Galik River Watch (GRW) who sail 40+ ships in and around the Galik harbor and naval yard. They keep all eyes out on the water to see any incoming fleets, and to ensure passage of trading and passenger vessels. They all report to the High Admiral.

Sheriffs

Sheriffs are a very specific type of soldier in Galik who has been trained in the city's extensive laws and can formally arrest and charge criminals. Often times a Free Defender will do a "Citzen's Arrest" by keeping a criminal in place until a Sheriff can arrive to evaluate the damages and formally arrest the criminal. Sheriffs have spent years of their lives in courts and law schools, and live in Sheriff Centers found in every district. A number of sheriffs can also be found at important buildings such as the city citadel. Sheriffs have silver badges in the shape of Harps, and ultimately all follow the lead of the High Sheriff (and the UnderSheriff).

Sheriffs also work as Investigators, and sometimes go by the title Investigator or Detective when working ongoing cases in the streets.

Constables

Sometimes called Port Authorities, Constables in Galik work under the Chief of Constables (who in turn reports to the High Sheriff) and deal mostly with licenses, warrants, and other small time crimes. They tend to be quick to escalate things to Sheriffs.

Notable Laws

• Only leather armor can be worn in public by non-militia
• Only one one-handed weapon can be visibly carried, and should be sheathed unless used in self defense. All other weapons must be wrapped and stowed, and polearms are not allowed at all.
• Outdoor spell casting is outlawed without a permit, spellcasting is allowed inside at the owner's discretion.
• Merchants always use "detect magic" potions when negotiating prices, to eliminate magical thievery or manipulation.

Galik Minor Crisis Imperative

In the event of a minor crisis in this district, the following actions have been taken by the LyreGuard, in cooperation with local forces and volunteer Defenders.  Your participation in the following laws, employed during high-risk situations, is appreciated.

1. Light armor may be worn publicly, but no heavier protections may be employed lest you be assessed a risk against the city.

2. Similarly, weapons should be wrapped, and stowed with the exception of (1) sheathed primary item.

3. Spellcasting, as well as use of magical items, is forbidden outside or in public-use spaces, including taverns, brothels, shops, and forums.

Citizens found breaking Minor Crisis restrictions may be held by force until the crisis is resolved.

A close up map of the North Ward, taken around the time of a city-wide blackout in 465 PR

Neighborhoods

• Acolyte Row, which took a particularly bad hit in The Naga's Glaik of Galik in 500 PR
• Temple Row, one block over, which similarly was hit, home to at least one temple of Lathander
• Mercantile Row

Guilds

• The Tempest Brothers Expeditionary Company
  • Founded in the 800s PR, resides in one of the smaller private shipyards. Two aged ships sit on moorings, older propeller engines off. A worn and rusty but serviceable two story hangar building, that can just fit either of the two ships in its single bay, stands on the street side of the yard. The freshly painted maroon and gold sign bearing the name of the company hanging over the front doorway.
• Scribes and Librarians Guild
  • Mostly Illumian, these libraries run the ArchCrystal Tower. The guild was founded in the 300s BR making it one of the oldest in the city. Duties include the detection of forgeries and transcription of legal procedures across the city and the realm. There is an oath of secrecy that scribes can never reveal that which is demeed a secret, and this is enforced by a number of geas spells cast by a member of the Wizards Guild.
  • Also operate teams of seers and soothsayers.
• The Beggar's Guild
  • A mostly secret organization for beggars who use their position to give information and spy for those who can pay. They go on the streets mostly unnoticed but have eyes and ears on lots of things.
  • Not all beggars are members of the guild, about 2 in 3 are just homeless citizens.
  • Guild members pay 1 cp per week plus a percentage of their begging income. In return they are given a fairly substantial fortune in food, beverages, and other other goods hidden in various caches around the city.
• Brewers Guild - The three big brewers (Lute Stout, High Note Red Ale, and Tenker's tap) are all members of the guild, and form an organization that approves or shuts down other various startups, while keeping the competition stifled...and also monopolize tavern drinks.
• Innkeepers Association - Anyone who runs an Inn or Tavern in Galik must join the Innkeepers guild, and pay a small percentage of the inn's yearly income.
  • However, many know that inns and taverns are terrible at accurately accounting all income, and so payments are impossible to gauge accurately. The most important part of the guild is that they loan out money to members who need repairs or other loans, but charge a steep 15% interest. Occasionally the guild has also been known to organize sabotage of taverns that don't follow guild rules or risk revealing damaging activity or shady business. The guild knows taverns are shady fronts a lot of the times, but they merely want to manage the public facing side. Do NOT mess with this balance.
• Stoneworkers Guild
  • Includes stonemasons, bricklayers
  • The most incorruptible group, prompt, timely, and professional.
  • Also includes the Underbuilders union which is a lot of dwarves and gnomes who do work under the city.
• Woodworkers Guild
  • Including Wheelwrights
• Docks Guild
  • Shipworkers and cargomen
  • Rivermen and water folk
  • Shipwrights
• Breeders Guild
  • Stables, horses, animals
• Harlots Guild
  • Called the Sisters of the Merciful Touch, but despite the name, there are also many men in their ranks as well.
  • Main goal is to keep guildmembers safe.
• Fraternal Brotherhood of Lawyers
  • Barristers, who do the intercourt work and set up all the judicial things
  • Solicitors, who work with the clients
  • These are all freelance, none of them are public defenders and if they become judges or public workers they must relinquish membership in the guild.
• The Dominion of the Arcane (Wizards Guild)
  • Aloof from the political
  • A number of towers across the city, towers come in three types: apprentice towers, adept towers, and a maximum of 1 mastery tower per district.
  • Limited positions, and positions only open up with a member dies or resigns.
  • The Guild maintains several branches of Galik Arcane University, with Apprentices and Adepts serving as Professors and finding new recruits among the ranks of students.

Societies

These societies are distinct from the Guilds of Galik as they do not recognize themselves as city-wide political unions, and fall under different laws and rules than formal guilds.

• Farseekers of Twilight
  • Anti-Human, Anti-Industrial, concerned with the safety of natural lands
• Order of the Protectors
  • Non-city endorsed group of battle clerics who are Helm enthusiasts and hope to make names for themselves as healers and protectors.
• Orphans of War
  • A group of those who seek to recognize and honor those lost in the Holy War, the Realm War, and more.
• LongHunters
  • Ranger enthusiasts
• Steelhelm Doorbargers
  • Dwarves who used to own and operate in the land formerly known as Galik who fight and lobby for Dwarven recognition, a Dwarfen district, and maybe even a rename of the city to Steelhelm City. They also outside of political movements gather to celebrate Dwarven ubiquity and party and sing the old songs and speak in dwarven codes.  Affectionally known as "The damn dwarf society".
• The Guild of The Scale Skinners
  • A group that trains itself on the most effective ways to fight dragons in case they ever come back. A lot of conspiracists.

Secret Societies

Besides being dense with trade and commerce, Galik is equally populated by illicit operations on all levels of treachery. Underground socities and guilds lurk in every district, and black markets in shadowy corners can ensure that ANYTHING is available in Galik if you know where to look. Much like the societies, except these groups don't operate under ANY rules or laws of the city, typically operating illegally in the shadows or out of the oversight of the city's councils...or purposefully outside of city council jurisdiction.

• Cults of Vecna, Bane, Tiamat, Orcus, the Raven Queen, and other evil entities.
• ShadowGuild - a Thieves' Guild that operates directly under the city in the sewer system. Mostly local scum, participating in smuggling of goods in and out of the city, including human and drug trafficking. One of Galik's largest and notorious criminal organizations.
• The Red Blades - Assassins Guild
• Slavers' Guild
  • Work with the ShadowGuild and the ShadowMasks Brotherhood. The Slaver's guild has secret connections in a handful of temples of Sharess
  • Founded by Half-Elf Wizard Makeesh. They Run The Exotic Gourmet Club, an eatery with meats you would not believe.
  • The founder of the Shinardi (Deng Lo) worked with them to export slaves across the eastern ocean to Troverth.
  • Works in sporadic ways, avoiding all patterns and has escaping notice.
• The Black Brotherhood
• The Shadow Masks
• The Boltward Syndicate
  • A loose confederation of Games Fixers and Bookies running both legitimate and corrupted games of chance and sports books. Accomplished at small scale money-laundering and active in loan-sharking.
• Grey Deacons
• Throne of Arms
  • Control of weapons, seizing and selling and trading of all sorts of weaponry and armors. Several vendors keep stock if you know the right way to ask.
• Knights of ScaleMail
  • A group of secret members from within various trades, nobilities, and shops, participate in sharing secrets and having drinks. Pass information up to friends that could be viable in their side of the city, but otherwise keep a low profile. Natural citizens of Galik only.

Publications/News

• The Galik Gazette was a publication run by Squagly the Story Squire, a kobold with numerous city connections. The Gazette was a bit of a tabloid, running with rumors and stories that other publications would not run without proper investigation. The Gazette was not widely read, but the small base of readers it did have devoured each and every weekly issue ravenously.
• Scarrl's Scrawl is a publication run by the retired red dragonborn adventurer, Firethorn, an eldritch knight with a missing eye. The publication is named after Scarrl, the man's familiar, who most often takes the form of a raven. Scarrl's Scrawl posts news about murders and other notable crimes in the city. While there are many who would not want these deeds publicized, Firethorn remains enough of a personality to protect himself, and he keeps his informants and reporters secret, only releasing articles under obvious pseudonyms.

Performance Venues

• The House of Balthazar Impresario, the first Opera House in the realm

Education

• Four Towers University, located just off of Galik Pond and the Temple of Lathander near Temple Row.
• The Bard's College of Galik - founded by Maestro Publius Teretinus, who also had a seat on the Council of Burghers.
  • Publius' famous quote: "I am a human, but in this great city nothing is more alien to me than humans"
  • The college itself is mostly hands off, more of a quality control network of the other various individuals and groups in the city that offer bardic lessons. They certify schools, but don't try to run them. They get the most involved when politics and theatrics intertwine, both for good and bad reasons.

Religion

Galik's Most Worshiped Deities (BR Era)

• The biggest church in the city is the "Auditorium of the Silver Harp" lead by Jared Strann and his priests, which doubles as a performance hall. The church worships Corellon and Oghma.
• The market district is known to be one of the only economic centers in the realm with a prominent church on the grounds, the "Favored Coin Temple" is a place for merchants to make prayers to Waukeen the goddess of prosperity and merchandise.
• "The Ossuarium of Nerull" is a simple subterranean worship center for the god of death. When not partaking in religious ceremonies, the crypt offers luxury funerary services for those who can afford them. In later years the Ossuarium would primarily serve The Raven Queen.

  

  Galik's Most Worshiped Deities (PR Era)

• "Temple of Skilled Hands", lead by Liserion, worships Tharmekhûl and Moradin, gods of smelting and smithing.
• "House of the Ever Vigilant Guard" lead by Elissa Perinor, worships Helm the god of guards.
• "The High Sanctum of the Scroll", a church originally built for Vecna worship but over time followed Ioun, Ye'Cind, and Hat.
• "The Exhalted Temple of Pelor", lead by Bofred the Just
• "The Shrine of the Uplifted Sword", lead by Barahil the Faitful and worshiping of the dragon god Bahamut.
• Followers of the old god Bane were known to have frequented Galik in secret, especially around the era of his son Iyachtu in the late 400s PR.
• Notable absent are places of worship to Mielikki or Obad-Hai, Quelmar's largest nature deities. Though separated by many dogmas, worshipers of both religious believe thoroughly the heart of the realm's largest city in no place for nature's praise.

  

Inns, Quarters, Pubs, Bars, Taverns

If you're looking for information on Galik Taverns, it's first important to know the staple Galik drinks. These drinks are served nearly anywhere (that can afford to serve them), more info on them can be found on the drinks page: Lute Stout, High Note Red Ale, Tenker's Tap, Hospitaler's Mead, Lusty Mermaid Ale, Sell Sword Pale Ale, and Utter Moron.

• The Felled Ogre, run by Durst Hammerhand

• The Bloody Board
• The Aleman's Guild (it's not a guild at all)
• The Hidden Lady (also an underground brothel rink)
• The Inn of the Twelve Candles, an inn for rich merchants and pampered adventurers
• The Wizard's Familiar, specializes in serving wizards and mages
• The Black Viper, known for its discretion and private booths.
• The Cloak and Stagger, appropriately shady.
• The Pillar and Post, known for being a "child-friendly" bar.
• The Edesian, a second location opened modeled after the first Edesian in Nestle.

Other Notable Locations

• The White Blotter, Galik's largest hospital, employing nearly 90 clerics of various faiths, as well as over 200 doctors and medical experts.
• The Office of Commerce and Trade provides licenses.
• The City's Mint is called  The Keep and is by far the most secured building in the city.
• The First Vault of Galik is a banking institution
• The Galik Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which would at some point after 500 PR merge with other institutes to form the GPI.
• Galik Polytechnical Institute - A center of for non-Arcane study made from the merger of four previous smaller Institutes
  • The Center for the Study of Amuran Culture
  • The Galik Geophysical Institute
  • Amuran Botanical and Zoological Institute
  • Pregosian School of Military and Civil Engineering

Shops and Economy

Galik Trades/Castle Wards (abstracted) as seen around 500 PR

Galik has its own local type of currency where Gold Pieces were Harps, Silver was Bards, and Copper was Horns. While the prices of things in the city were largely consistent, the actual price compared to the global economy was reflected in the exchange rate of GP->Harps.

Shops

• Bartholomew's Wand Pond, a magical shop watched over by a giant psionic owl and owned by the magical mystic Bart, who is one of the realms experts when it comes to synthesizing new spells.
• The Torn Page, a magical service shop offering potions, sometimes including potions of unusual spells (such as a potion of Teleport)
• Azureine's Rare Pages, a shop specializing in rare books, manuscripts and maps. Proprietors Otto and Martasa Azureine are 4th generation Dragonborn owners/proprietors and well known for hosting Poetry Readings, Literary Salons and finding rare materials. (Their grandson, Rhienhold Azurine is a member of the Tempest Company)

Prices

Spellcasting prices were typically fixed to a similar rate across the city thanks to most spellcasters being involved with the Wizards Guild of Galik (WGG). Typically the guild calculated prices based on an old mathmatical system of: (Spell Level Squared) times (Fifty) Plus (Consumed Material Costs Thrice) Plus one tenth cost of stuff not-consumed. Then Round up 'till the first two price digits are found in the sequence of Primes.

Using the formula, some spell costs included Cure Wounds at 53 Harps, Magic Mouth at 230 Harps, and Glyph of Warding at 1150 harps. Lazy or unintelligent shopkeeps would, however, defer to the lists below.

• Level 1: 100 Harps
• Level 2: 1.000 Harps
• Level 3: 3.000 Harps
• Level 4: 9.000 Harps
• Level 5: 100.000 Harps
• Level 6: 200.000 Harps
• Level 7: 500.000 Harps
• Level 8: 1.000.000 Harps
• Level 9: 10.000.000 Harps

Persons of Interest

Artists

"The Crown and Mule", sigil of the D'Regiolette house

D'Regiolette

The D'Regiolettes were a noble family of song writers, who produced operas, arias, and cantors for innumerous singers of Galik. The D'Regiolettes owned Rue Delour, a block of Galik which included a villa where they lived, as well as stables, and a set of housings for other artists which they sponsored at any given time. Rue Delour was the first structure to be nearly razed to the ground in the Galik Blackout of 465, at which time it housed the artist Radonis Calfenris (the latest heir to the Crown of Empyrosis) and another artist named Brontalo. Both artists became the first (of many) casualties in the Crown's rampage, setting off the blackout and other events that culminated in The Arctic Autumn.

Core

The Core (pronounced "Core-Ay") family was a famous bloodline of musicians and performers that landed in Galik early in the PR era. The Villa of Core was located just off of the Temple Row neighborhood, across the street from the similarly sized Temple of Targon, in the upper-class residential district.

History

Realm War I

A Map of the Galik Wards that were at least partially open again in the year 11 PR

During Realm War I, Galik was still in reconstruction. As a major hot battleground during the Holy War, much of Galik was still ashes and ruin going into the PR era. As seen in the map to the right, after the first decade of the era, many of Galik's wards were up and running again (primarily the port and trade adjacent areas) but by the second decade, Galik had reopened all of its districts and wards, finally repaired after the many wars.

The Arctic Autumn

The long chain of events that led to the realm-wide Arctic Autumn in 466 PR started with a magical blackout in the city the year prior. In late 465 PR, a dwarf named Thriskarn living in the villa of Rue Delour got their hands on The Crown of Empyrosis, which was revealed to have been lurking in Galik for possibly centuries. The Crown stole the city's fire, leading to a city-wide blackout.

As the lamplighters of the massive city set about their work. Lighting the torches, sconces, and lamps of the streets, they were surprised to find their tinderboxes failing. All around them, the torches began to extinguish. Attempts to strike the flint back again led to sparks but nothing more. Inside countless taverns, the roar of the fire was silenced, and as the sun finally set, the city was plunged into an unfamiliar darkness and icy chill. Immediately, the panic had set in, folks rushing out into the pitch-black would trample each other in invisible riots that crushed creatures, destroyed storefronts, and toppled trees. The scheming thieves and assassin of the city had stumbled upon their perfect night, preying now on a city engulfed in dark madness.

It was a merciless night no one would forget.

Then in the sudden calmness of sunrise, the city began to make sense of what had happened. As an attempt to control the city on this second night, the elite Lyreguard and volunteer Free Defenders have gone on their highest alert. Posters around the city went up yesterday, declaring a state of "Crisis", complete with several new rules to protect the masses.

The following night, most people stayed indoors. Mages, legally allowed to illuminate their own houses with fire-less light, provided a light in the darkness to those looking for safety. But unfortunately heat was still a concern. Fire of all kinds continued to extinguish itself. Most refused to go out into the windy night, bundling for warmth with friends and family. This in turn led to a mostly peaceful night---But everyone in the district could still hear the occasional rumble or flash of magic in the darkness, hints that mysterious events may still be happening in the city.

On the third night, the city guard had pieced together their intel, putting up Wanted" posters for an old looking Dwarf named Thriskarn. Thriskarn would go on to blow up the temples of Istishia and Aegir in the city, and ultimately set off a chain of events that led to the whole realm freezing over for several months in the Arctic Autumn.

The Rise of airships

By 892 PR, airships were a common presence in the skies over Galik. Large freighters come and go between ports all over Quelmar. Air docks were constructed over the water docks and a brisk import/export business on both air and water flows through the city.

Smaller skiffs bearing cargo, people or a combination of both, zip over the rooftops of the city with the Lyreguard patrolling their flight lanes and keeping traffic orderly. The pattern of travel mirrors the roads below.  Landing ports throughout the city on both street level and rooftops allow for embarking.

Larger ships, with a few notable exceptions, are restricted from travel over the city and are diverted around the perimeter. This rule gave rise to air ship ports being constructed encircling the city at various locations.

New Galik

Shortly after the Cyber Renaissance, the rebuilding of Galik was underway. This highly modern, reconstructed version of Galik would be deemed New Galik and build on the remains of what was left of the city. For more information on the city's history after this point, see New Galik.

Behind the Screen

• Though Galik's maps and districts resemble Waterdeep, sources for Galik's lore and history pull mostly from Ptolus and Bard's Gate