Gelene

The City of Gelene
Region Map
Politics
Controlled by the Realm of Everguard
Duchy	Gelene
Local Lord	Duke Hackem de Struct
Knights	Fallens Farlouche Hellion Kakashi Kanin Sigfreud United
Troop Centers	Gelene Outriders Gelene Shortbows
Region Information
Type of Region	City
Location	Midland (west)
Weather	North Shore
Population (Last Census)	9085
Gold Production	1889 Gold
Food Production	73 Bushels

Gelene (pronounced ge-LEEN) is an inland region of the realm of Everguard on the continent of Dwilight. It is by far the largest, wealthiest and most populated city in the kingdom, and currently serves as the unofficial capital city of the realm. The taking of the city marked the end of the first phase of Guardian expansion, and was celebrated with a massive festival to herald the dawning of a new day within the kingdom.

The city is famous for its great and beautiful design - its castle walls shine high on a hill overlooking the countryside, and it is deemed by military strategists as extremely difficult to assault. Once inside the city, one is struck by the auburn colored marble stone which most structures are made of, as well as the fantastic architecture used in the building of the city. The original inhabitants of Gelene are unknown to Guardians, but whoever they were clearly were a grand people with great knowledge.

The city is inland off the eastern coast of the realm, and experiences extremely hot and humid summers and temperate winters, moreso than regions on the coast or further north. Centrally located, the city of Gelene is a massively important hub for trade and commerce, and is unavoidable for anyone who is traveling north or south through the kingdom.

Climate

The fortified city of Gelene.

Gelene has a humid subtropical climate that is somewhat unique for the area it is in on Dwilight. Its climate is more typical of areas removed from bodies of water further south, toward the mid-oceanic areas of the continent.

Summer tends to be hot and humid with daily high temperatures in July and August averaging in the high 80s to low 90s. The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area, something the pagan peasantry of the city take as signs of displeasure from the gods (a trend that has begun to lesson as the peasants convert to Torenism. The combination of heat and humidity can also be reminiscent of a true tropical climate, even though the closest tropical zone is hundreds of miles away to the south.

Spring and fall are mild with high temperatures in April and October averaging in the high 60s to low 70s. Residents of Gelene collectively enjoy this time of year the most, because of the moderate temperatures, crisp air and stable weather patterns.

Winter brings sustained cool temperatures and occasional snowfall. Average highs tend to be in the low 40s, and lows in the mid 20s from mid-December to mid-February. Occasionally, Arctic air can lower nighttime lows into the teens, even in the city itself. The average annual snowfall is a little over 16 inches, though the outlying suburb of Gelene Outskirts receives upwards of six more inches of snowfall each year.

While tropical cyclones (or their remnants) occasionally track through the area in late summer and early fall, they have often weakened by the time they reach Gelene partly because of the city's inland location. Flooding, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and storm runoff, has been known to cause extensive property damage in the nearby town of Gelene Outskirts, but rarely touches Gelene itself - especially given its elevated location.

Native Plants and Animals

One of the famous red squirrels that populate Gelene.

The city of Gelene is one of the mostly highly urbanized areas of northern Dwilight, and as such much of its original plant and animal life has been wiped out in favor of buildings, clearings and other man made things. This has left much of the former biodiversity of the region depleted.

However, there is a great deal of native character still left in the city, due in large part by the efforts of the architects and craftsmen of Gelene to integrate the city with some of the original flora and fauna. The result has been the preservation of several unique trees, flowers, and plants - as well as the animals who's habitat that plantlife provides. The most noted native animal that remains inside the walls of Gelene is the stark Red Squirrel of Gelene, which is a smaller variety of the gray squirrels found on most of the rest of the continent, with bright red fur and quicker reflexes. These animals are found only in the inland area of the east coast in the northern part of Dwilight, and due to the human presence in the city, the red squirrels are mostly concentrated in Gelene.

Additionally a great number of birds make Gelene their home, perching on the tall spires of the castle walls and nesting in its many cracks and corners. Of special note is the species of eagle, known as the Western Crimson Eagle that can often be seen floating above the great city, peering down at its residents and hunting for food. Besides eagles, Gelene is home to many small birds such as orioles, chickadees, cardinals and dozens of other birds.

The needs of the growing kingdom may put pressure on the land inside the city, possibly destroying the remaining greeneries that are inside the city walls currently. Already, with the population growth in the city of Gelene since the rule of Everguard was imposed, there has been a great deal of depopulation of many animals, and a reduction in the plantlife. One can only guess if this trend will continue as the city grows, or if some efforts to maintain the green character of Gelene will be instituted.

Politics

Estate of Hackem de Struct

Unlike many of the regions Everguard conquered in its early phase of expansion, the city of Gelene was extremely receptive to its new masters, not resisting the imposition of Guardian rule. Since being converted to the kingdom, the peasantry have remained very loyal to the realm. Loyalty has been aided by the fact that there are rumors in the city that the High King plans to make Gelene the Emerald City of Everguard, the formal name for the capital of the nation.

Given the strength of the nation to which they belong, they are comfortable and secure in their homes, maximizing their production potential and keeping them in good spirits. They are totally devoted to Everguard, and are kept well in line by their Dukal lord. It remains one of the core regions of Everguard to this day.

The Duke of Gelene is Hackem de Struct. He maintains his estate on a sprawling estate that is in the heart of the city, just beyond the center of trade and commerce in the downtown region. He has become well known amongst the peasantry of the region as a fair minded, just lord who cares about his people and knows what is best for the administration of the city.

When Everguard is required to make war, the armies of the realm are able to draw upon renowned infantry and archers from Gelene. On several occasions in key battles, these soldiers of Gelene have proved to be essential to the armies of Everguard, helping turn the tide in battle. There are plans by Duke Hackem to begin construction on new recruitment and training centers to possibly draft recruits and train them as mounted soldiers or even deadly special forces, though no official announcement has been made.

Lords who have ruled Gelene

• Duke Hackem de Struct of Everguard - Ruled April 5, 2008 - Current

Influence of the City

Gelene is nestled in what is commonly referred to by Guardians as "the heart of the north". It is centrally located between the major cities of the east, west, and south - and any potential movement through Everguard in any direction inevitably brings one to Gelene. It is a massive city that is by far the economic capital of the kingdom, and though it is landlocked, it is a nearby center of culture for those who come and go by sea.

These characteristics make Gelene, and her suburban town of Gelene Outskirts a hugely important area to Dwilight culture and continental trade. Since it was taken, Gelene has become known as the crowning jewel of the Kingdom of Everguard, a title once held by the holy city of Valkyrja.