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Introduction The Drakshal Act of Benevolence toward our citizens, 900 years ago, rings with peace, love and generosity that exemplifies the highest ideals of Arimathica. Kerr's assault on our city left us with rubble, cinders, and unburied dead. With nowhere else to turn, our survivors made the long march to their Monastery. The Monks graciously tended to our wounded, fed our hungry, and housed our homeless. While this act seems exceptionally kind, the protection of an entire city's refugees is, by definition, the way of the Drakshal. We commemorate their benevolence, and reinforce our gratitude annually, because that is the way of Arimathica.
This sermon, however, wishes to stress a facet of the Drakshal Way that goes beyond their simple benevolence toward our then fledgling city. The remarkable kindness of the Drakshal cannot be seen in this act. This act, albeit exceptionally kind, might be expected. Drakshal are humans, much as Galencians are humans. As neighbors, we share the much of the same hardships in climate and monstrous enemies. What they did was a neighborly act, one of kindness, to those much like themselves. What sets the Drakshal apart, as shining examples of the Arimathican way, is that they would have, and still will, demonstrate similar benevolence toward any peoples, no matter how different, that might stumble helpless and homeless, upon their proverbial door step. If a contingent of Elynthi, complete with the fiendish allies, were to arrive at the monastery, bleeding and broken, the monks would feed, cloth, house, and heal them as well. They do not discriminate when it comes to aiding those in need. They assist the desperate, evil and good alike, as long as they are suffering. This indiscriminate kindness toward any needy soul outshines their simple assistance after the dragon's assault. They, like Arimathica, will heal any, even if those that they heal would not reciprocate the favor. We must remember this ideal, and hold it in our hearts. While we stare back into the annals of history, and remember a time of plagues, wars, and famine, we must remember that, like the Drakshal, any that are downtrodden deserve our full devotion and time. Please turn your hymnals to page 54 and join us in the celebration of Arimathica's warmth. -- Sermon on the 900th Anniversary of Drakshal Benevolence by Archcardinal Rembrant IV of the Arimathican Church, Mandirine the 11th, 443 AC History 
Galencian history begins in 945 BC, when human wanders made their way up His Lord's River, and settled at the western end of a tremendous lake. The leader of these wanders, Andaran Galen, sacrificed his own rations to keep children fed, and died of malnutrition during the first winter. By a general vote, the settlers named the lake Galen after the great leader, and the settlement named Geyla, after his daughter, who died in childbirth. The settlement grew quickly, and by 902 BC, the first walls were erected around the city. Relations opened with the Soulmeliti in 878 BC when a band of Kirsh'shaluush wandered into the settlement, on a goblin hunt. The Soulmeliti stayed for twenty years, teaching the Galencians (as they now called themselves) modern ideas concerning politics, language, and economics. With the advent of understanding centralized political power, and a rapid growth of the population, which made small community meetings impossible, the Galencians selected Han Markudar as their first King. Galencia continued to expand, and with its growing population, the steppes surrounding Lake Galen evolved in lush farmlands. Small settlements sprung up around the city, and towns begin to grow farther away from the city. By 704 BC, the towns of Stheth, and Natya were large enough to require their own governing bodies. Each town elected Counts, to rule themselves and the surrounding farms. The King, Raliph Markudar IV, made these titles hereditary. Galencians relations with the Soulmeliti Forests continued to remain cordial. By 650 BC many Galencians lived in New Solarin and may Soulmeliti made their homes in Geyla. The small town of Geran became a focal point in the ever-growing trade between the two nations, and expanded quickly. In 645 BC, the King Raliph Markudar VI decided to formalize relations with his distant neighbors. The King journeyed to the Drakshal Monastery where he met with Betriem Styvalhyme, the current Forestspeaker, and worked out a military and economic treaty. This treaty, known as the "Drakshal Accords," is oldest living treaty on Tarien today. Shortly thereafter, a Khadric trader brought mithril and mead to Geran, and trade between the two nations began immediately. The excellence of Khadric mead made it a high demand item, and the Galencians quickly ran up a great debt with the Underground Kingdom of Kharl. To pay off the debt, King Raliph Markudar VI had the town of Scoptin built and chartered the Royal Scoptin Mining Company. Khadric experts guided this, Galencia's first venture into mining. The mine, deep into the earth and rich in gold, became a great source of revenue for the Kingdom. Similar mines sprung up around iron, silver, and gold deposits in the regions. The most successful of these mines, north of Geyla, unearthed tons of iron which, after its sale to the Khadra, was smelted into steel. The town of Ironstone, built around this mine, grew in economic power and remains an essential point in the ongoing Galencian-Khadric trade. Tragedy struck in 543 BC when, for no apparent reason, the great dracolich Kerr descended upon the city of Geyla, destroying it with repeated blasts of fire and magic. The city, with no defenses against aerial assault, was reduced to rubble within minutes. Thousands died, and refugees filled the countryside, with over two thousand of them fleeing to the Drakshal Monastery. At the monastery, the Monks and surviving priests of Arimathica tended to the wounded. By 534 BC, the city was rebuilt and life began to return to normal in the Empire. A great castle, with several aerial oriented ballistas, was constructed across the River Prydith from Geyla. Due to their assistance with the refugees, the Arimathican Church became the primary faith in the religion. In an annual ceremony, the Arimathican Churches honors the Monks and Kingdom shuts down for the celebration of Drakshal Benevolence. In 377 BC, a scholar from Geran writes Singularity, a philosophical work that argues against the division of the body and soul seen in the Soulmeliti work, The Duality of Metaphysics, by Andra Moeynshiem. The book became extremely popular with the Khadric, who believed that the body is a physical manifestation of the soul. It becomes the first non-Khadric book printed on Khadric presses. Jan Crito's investigations into metaphysics led him to some strange conclusions. He published these conclusions, regarding the mortal need to invent immortal gods, in his book, The Atheist, in 372 BC. The book, Tarien's first novel, implied that the gods did not exist at all, and by the early weeks of 371 BC, Jan Crito had been excommunicated by nineteen separate churches in Galencia. He burned as a heretic by Anderi fundamentalists in early spring. Life progressed quietly in Galencia until 75 AC, when Dunkirk, an entreupening young man, smuggled the plans for the Khadric printing press into Geran. While this created a diplomatic incident, King Han Markudar X issues a formal apology, and pays the Khadric one million gold pieces, (in the form of 500 gold piece adamantine bars) in damages. In 50 AC Galencian merchants expanded their trade to the south. They travel to Mennith, bringing mithril and gold. The Mennithite church, however, disapproves of associating with such heathens, especially heathens who freely live with demi-human devils. Bypassing Mennith completely, Galencian merchants build a house on what is today the Grennig Peninsula, in 54 AC. They begin to construct docks and ship, to trade with the strange land to the south, that the Mennithites had called Eldoria. A group of pilgrims from the Empire settled on this peninsula with the merchants, and city of Grennig begins to grow. By 75 AC negotiations between Galencian and Eldorian diplomats result in Grennig becoming a formal part of the Eldorian Empire, with Galencia retaining extra-territorial rights to Castle Grennig, on the outskirts of the city. By 83 AC, traders between the two nations travel south, through the mountains to Grennig, not Mennith, before boarding ships bound for the Island of Eldoria. Another diplomatic incident, involving the Nerrid Secret Service, occurred in 92 AC. An agent, known only as agent gopher, was arrested for espionage when discovered behind the curtains in the Queen's dressing room. During his trial, the N.S.S. disavows any knowledge of his existence, even to the point that Agent Mountain Goat stared at his brethren and stated "I see no Nerrid, except for myself, in this room." Agent Gopher was put to death. A few days later, the master minter of the Galencian gold eagles noticed the word "gopher" imprinted on every coin. The error was corrected within a month. The Count of Geran's residence served as the meeting place for negations between Eldoria, Galencia, and Soulmeliti during the initial phases of construction for the Trans Rhuethengage Highway, in 243 AC. The highway's completion in 288 AC marks one of the greatest events in engineering and ingenuity in the history of Tarien. Galencia made good on the "Drakshal Accords" in 453 AC when they reinforced the Soulmeliti during the Great War. While Galencian soldiers fought hard, the citizens did not suffer from first hand ravages of war. Peace has covered the Kingdom since that time, and with trade prospering, the only loss to the Kingdom has been Castle Grennig, which became officially part of the Principality when it gained independence from Eldoria in 458 AC. Geography Galencia sits in the midst of the Rhuethengage Mountains, the tallest and wildest range in all of Tarien. At the center of the Kingdom is Lake Galen, a great expanse of blue, mountain water over a hundred miles long and 75 miles wide. The lake, reaching depths of over a thousand feet, houses a variety of fish, and even a mythical monster named Gara. The valley surrounding the lake is fertile, and the home to many farms. The mighty river Prydith leaves the lake to the west, and the River of Darkness flows from its eastern shores. The hills and mountains surround the valley are ripe with ore, and many small villages and mining towns. The weather here is temperate and dry, although a bit chilly in the fall and spring. Winter brings frost, and rarely snow. The majority of the rain falls in a cold and constant drizzle during the fall, and torrential downpours during the spring. Consequently, most farmers have dug reservoirs to irrigate their farmlands. Winds in the region are high, are kicking up to fifty miles an hour over the center of the lake. Society Galencian culture society consists mostly of farmers and miners, although tradesman and artisans make up a substantial portion of the population in Geyla and Geran. The people are generally cordial to all races, and simple in their tastes and pleasures. Few instances of decadence exist, mostly in well to do merchants. Even the Galencian nobility lives simple, although often less strenuous, lives. Galencians value life greatly, and remember the difficult times in their past. Therefore, most Galencians will always offer a stranger a meal and a place to spend the night. Galencians value their friends and families greatly, and will set aside their own success to help a relative get back on their feet, or a townsman trapped in a mine. This sharing attitude has lead to great efficiency in their mining and farming, and as a result, the standard of living for the poorest Galencian is far higher than the depraved of other nations. Religion Most religions are acknowledged in Galencia. Arimathica, due to her great assistance in the past, has become dominant. The Arimathican church has its center in the great temple at Geyla; a tremendous structure built by Drakshal, Galencians, and Khadric immediately after Kerr destroyed the city. It is the oldest building in the Kingdom and new Kings are ordained here. Anderi's church falls into a close second, and many Galencians pay tribute to Kharl, the Khadric god. Politics The Galencian political system is a hereditary monarchy. The King has absolute power, granted to him by people of the land over a thousand years ago. He makes all of the laws, and is the supreme commander of the military, which enforces them. In general, little crime is committed, and the mountainous terrain surrounding the Kingdom protects Galencia from invasion, so the military is small, consisting of an army and few ships on Lake Galen. The King has many advisors, chosen by him and allowed to serve at his discretion. He appoints the district judges, which number 15, and travel from town to town passing out sentence. A great judge, appointed by the King and serving at his discretion, resides in Geyla, where all crimes against the state are tried. The judge hears both sides of the story, listens to witnesses, decides guilt, and passes sentence. A Count, who is directly responsible to the King, governs each town. The position is hereditary, but the King reserves the right to remove the title from anyone and place any person in the position. Such a drastic action has not occurred for over three centuries. Economics Most Galencians farm, trading their potatoes, beans, wheats, and yams with city dwellers and with the Khadric, who have little agriculture of their own. Of those who do not farm, ninety percent of them mine. They mine gold, silver, mithril, and iron. Galencians trade these metals with the Khadra, with Grennig, with Soulmeliti, and even in some cases with Eldoria. Some Galencians work with these metals, and create excellent weapons and tools. Others fish, providing for the cities. A few sheep farms exist, as these animals are the only numerous livestock in the realm. Cities Geyla is large city of over thirty thousand people, built along the southern shores of the River Prydith, where it leaves Lake Galen. The city, built in concentric circles, can be confusing to visitors. It houses many artisans and overland trading companies. The city features the center of the Arimathican faith, the world's finest Zoological Gardens, and the best defenses against the air attacks in all of Tarien. Geran, a smaller city than Geyla, is sprawls out at random on the southeastern shore of Lake Galen. This city flourishes with great trade between both the Khadra and the Soulmeliti. In fact, the merchants of Geran have used Soulmeliti and Khadric animosity to their advantage. Some merchants simply act as middlemen, bringing Soulmeliti products across town to Khadric traders, and so on. International Relations
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Cephus swore he saw one of the lesser clergymen mouth the words 'My Lord Mennith!' A few seconds later, the roof of the temple caved in, sending clergy scattering like bits of broken glass from a fallen wine glass.