D&D Setting: Gallanburgh History Part 2

 "Esteemed Colleagues, I would like to raise a complaint about the inns within our fair city! Most of the bars here don't provide enough tables and chairs of appropriate height for Gnomes, Halflings, and Dwarves,  and it's a disgrace, I tell you!" Gnome Town Ward Father Rimple Fapplestamp

Welcome to the 2nd part of Gallanburgh's history, covering the city's growth in its second century, including the First Orc War, the Establishment of the Temple of Eznar, the God of Magic, and the rise of Tarrenmark. 

You can read the first part of this history here.

The Growth of Gallanburgh: The city continued to grow, attracting more scholars and a tribe of Gnomes to settle there. Gallanburgh's name became a watchword for quality instruction in the Arcane arts, and to draw attention. Keen to maintain peace and prosperity, the city made overtures to the villages of Fair Meadow, Little Marshton, and West Field to accommodate students and tutors, leading to a more decentralised campus. The farmers and fishermen in these villages were handsomely paid for food and drink as the scholars recognised they depended on them. As a result, many students found themselves assigned to help with farming and encouraged to research spells that might assist with crop yields. This eventually led to the creation of Gallanburgh Blue, a popular cheese, and the Red Dragon Inn's renowned Bright Scale Brandy. Furthermore, the research eventually led to the creation of the Galver Institute, dedicated to researching advanced and practical uses for magic. Spinning out of Mallister College and led by Arrandele Galver, the Institute became a key part of the city's economy. 

At the same time, with employment uppermost in their list of priorities for graduates, the Colleges created the Erylian Guild which still serves as a way to connect wizards to work. The Erylian receives requests from all along the Haggard Coast and from the interior of Pazone, be they from adventuring parties, merchant or guild houses, or even kingdoms. They were even willing to pay a great deal of Gold. 

These streams of prosperity began to make Gallanburgh very rich, and Mallister set about capitalising on the nascent city's success, not only within the world of magic but also in improving the city's amenities. Reasoning that wizards and sorcerers still met prejudice and rejection from people who didn't have their abilities, his scheme was to show that wizardry would benefit everyone, bringing prosperity. Consequently, he encouraged new artisans, artists, scholars, and other trades to set up in Gallanburgh and bring trade and life. "Lifting all boats would prove that wizards weren't a drain on society and nothing to fear. 

The First Orc War: This success soon attracted the wrong sort of attention. Bands of Orcs and Goblins from the nearby forest began to increase their attacks and raids. Already a danger to the farmers, these humanoids ventured deeper into Gallanburgh. Shops were attacked, stores were raided, and homes were set on fire. One band of particularly bold Orcs even attacked the College Library. They were defeated by its defences (most tellingly, this was the first use of Mallister's Living Mosaic, designed to temporarily summon the monster it depicted to fight intruders). 

Vanley and Mars, with Vanley's wolves

Attacks became more frequent and the Gallanburgh Council appealed for aid from adventuring parties willing to brave the forest. At the same time, the Wardens' Office began to arrange the city's defences, teaming with the guard to patrol the streets. The College's curfews were lifted and senior students were permitted to enlist, using cantrips to help defend their home. To be clear, this wasn't something the Colleges allowed willingly. Instead, it took a series of defiant acts from a group calling itself The Pals before Mallister acceded to student involvement. In time, he and Rosewater would come to be very proud of the Pals' leader, Sileria Mars and even award her with the first Medal of Wizarding Excellence for her part in the First Orc War. That recognition and Sileria's knowledge of the Colleges would return to haunt Gallanburgh later. 

A guerilla war, the First Orc War raged for 18 months before it came to an end with the Battle of the Oaks. Fought 5 miles into the forest, the humanoids formed a great alliance, bringing Bugbears, Goblins, and Orcs under the leadership of Grishnak Bloodcap. A group of heroes, organised by Mars and a Barbarian/Ranger called Sirron Vanley, staged an assault that gutted the raiders' army. 

Eznar: Three decades later, Gallanburgh attracted the attention of the devotees of the God of Magic, Eznar, who founded a temple within the city. Buying a large plot within what's now called Old Town, they also provided funds for a defensive wall. Led by Tomas Mosgodly, the new priests weren't content to build a temple and soon began to proselytise to the students and demand that Eznar's teachings be included in the curriculum. Mallister, by now an old man, resisted their interference, while Rosewater was more understanding of the faith's priorities. Mosgodly's powerful rhetoric led to petitions and demonstrations in the College Square, just outside Salladore College. 

The unrest began to affect the orderly running of the city. A group of young students, calling themselves the Black Hands began to disrupt the priests' gatherings, including their services. To this day, their membership remains a mystery, but they worked hard to be a thorn in the church's side. Perhaps their greatest moment was casting a Greater Illusion spell in the unfinished temple's nave, showing Eznar initially saying he wanted to move the temple somewhere else. For a moment it seemed like even Mosgodly was taken in and willing to obey, but the student casting the spell got too creative and when "Eznar" demanded fifty flagons of wine, seventy barrels of Fine Scale Brandy and the keys to the Silver Tower in Ballenmouth the priests became suspicious. 

A student finds a Black Hand mark

The church fought back through the Gallanburgh Council and the Board of Colleges, with Mosgodly insisting on addressing the Board and delivering a 2-hour lecture on the wickedness of magic that wasn't guided by Eznar's wisdom. There were also accusations of blasphemy and of dark magic being practised behind closed doors. Only the Church of Eznar could save the Colleges from the darkest of fates. As if to prove a point, a group of priests forced their way into the library and forcibly removed fifteen volumes of dark magic, using them as proof that the Colleges had lost their moral compass. 

Tarrenmark: As this internal clash happened, something else was happening. To the Northeast, a small kingdom called Tarrenmark was at war with Barbarian raiders from the north. Cattle rustling had escalated into full-blown raids and then into an attempt to occupy parts of the realm. The King, Farsight, struggled to motivate his subjects and direly needed assistance. Two of his advisers,  Sileria Mars and Sirran Vanley, suggested approaching Gallanburgh for aid, or if troops could be diverted, simply conquering the place and conscripting its wizards. King Farsight, who was not only poorly named, but a miser, was unwilling to pay money on "expensive fancy wizards" but the pair of counsellors eventually won him around to supporting the smallest of his armies - the so-called  Grey Wolves led by Vanley - south with a small group of Mars' adepts to take Gallanburgh.  Assured that the place had no army to speak of (why else would it rely on adventurers for defence?), the King thought this would be a cheaper option, and would also swell his coffers when Gallanburgh's treasury was added to his own. 

Hearing of the approaching army, the Gallanburgh Council employed a mercenary company known as the Black Griffin to defend the city, at the same time recreating the Pals group of student volunteers - this time under the name the College Irregulars. Organised by Nasera Brightpalm and Sister Winona of the Eznarian Temple, the Irregulars prepared as best they could. 

Eventually, the two forces met at Redd's Bridge, fifteen miles north of Gallanburgh. Battle ensued, Wolf fighting Griffin across the stone span, while the Adepts and Irregulars fought across the river. In the end, Mars' use of elemental magic, raising the river in a flash flood, won the day and forced the defenders back. 

A stylised version of the Grey Wolves standard,
created some centuries after the Army was disbanded.

The Black Hands switched their focus, beginning to harry the advancing army, but the Tarrenmark Adepts proved to be as wily, and the students' sabotage had little effect. Eventually however, the invaders were outside the city gates. Master Mallister, as the Colleges' leader demanded to speak with Mars and the two engaged in a tense conversation as he sought to discover why she'd betrayed Gallanburgh and why the kingdom hadn't simply asked for aid. Unable to give answers, Mars challenged Mallister to a duel, with the city's fate as the prize. Reluctantly, the old Enchanting Master agreed, uncertain of how else to keep Gallanburgh from being overrun. At the same time, the old man wondered what Mars had learned in the past decades that made her so confident of victory. 

The two marked out an area outside the unfinished wall and began to fight, casting spells at each other. Once the old man was committed, Vanley - who'd conspicuously remained apart from the wizards' conversation - ordered an attack, directing the Adepts to target the walls as the Wolves rushed into the city. Soon fighting spread through Gallanburgh's streets, every time Mallister broke off to try and aid his home, Mars pressed the attack forcing him to defend himself. Their personal battle raged for many hours, while Gallanburgh slowly succumbed to the Tarrenmark troops. By the end of that day, Mallister collapsed in exhaustion, and the city's flag was officially pulled down and burned before Tarrenmark's standard was raised to flutter over the city. 

In the aftermath, Rosewater was permitted to take Mallister home, but he never woke up again. The battle had been the last straw for a man who had already lived many years more than the average human. Rosewater was so saddened by this loss, she abandoned Gallanburgh and left the city on a long journey. She never returned. 

Sirran Vanley quickly established himself as the city's new ruler, on King Farsight's behalf. For the next century, Gallanburgh would be a part of the realm of Tarrenmark. The events that led to it leaving would be far bloodier than anyone could imagine. 

By this point in the city's history, Gallanburgh boasted:

 Salladore College: specialising in evocation magic and linked to military and adventuring groups. The majority of the College Irregulars are drawn from Salladore College even today.

Mallister College: specialising in enchanting and reaching out to other groups that would be able to provide employment for their alumni. The only College to offer placement years with guilds, because understanding trade is important to enchanting.

Golyaran College: specialising in conjuration magic and with a strong tradition of providing graduates to several employers ranging from shipping companies to the Thieves' Guild in Ballenmouth. This College has the most fraught relationship with the Church of Enzar owing to the nature of their art. 

The Library: Held within Jenna Rosewater's home during this period. It also housed the College administrators and admissions office. 

The Wardens' Office: operating out of part of the Library building, the Wardens' Office attempted to control the students' actions and police their behaviour. 

The Galver Institute: an advanced magical research organisation. 

The Erylian Guild: an employment agency for Gallanburgh graduates, and has contacts all over the place. 

Gnome Town: an area dedicated to Gnomes and Halflings and built to their size. "Bring plenty of diamonds because the restaurants are to die for, and there's always something happening" (source: Welcome to Gallanburgh: published by the Gallanburgh Council).

The Temple of Enzar: at this point unfinished (it would take fifty years to complete construction) the temple is dedicated to the god of magic and was led for the first century by Tomas Mosgodly, a human Cleric.

The College Irregulars: a student organisation that seeks to help protect the city. Still in existence to this day.

The Black Hands: a group of students who use their spells for mischief, sabotage, and guerilla tactics. The Hands have appeared at various points throughout Gallanburgh's history, usually in defiance of authority. University authorities have learned to fear (or at least be irritated by) the appearance of the Hand's calling card, a black handprint near whatever mischief they've been involved in. As time's passed, it's become a game for the Hand to put the mark in ever more obscure places that are still close to the scene of whatever they've done. 

The Black Griffin: a mercenary company briefly in the employ of Gallanburgh. Employed by Vanley after the city's defeat, the company would eventually move on, seeking employment elsewhere. A century later, they fought their last battle against the Feywild Armies of Queen Titania.

Extra World Building

Enzar as he appears to many of his devotees

Enzar: a god of magic from the desert lands that lie southeast of the Haggard Coast, Enzar's church began in a city called Sallandir. Appearing to several young priests there, Enzar made himself known roughly two thousand years before the founding of Gallanburgh. Initially, his worship was centred on Sallandir and the surrounding area because of that city's magical scholarship and the prejudices of the people in that area - nobody believed any magic worth a damn was being practised to the north who were seen as barbarians barely capable of casting a cantrip! Slowly, the faith spread as the precepts of Sallandir's own magical academics did and eventually the faith reached the Haggard Coast. 

Within his pantheon, Enzar is the wise counsellor, who's seldom wrong. A voice of sanity among passionate gods, Enzar values knowledge and peace above all else. His legends say he calmed the waters of creation and stopped the gods from fighting so the world could be born. It's prophecised his death will lead to the last war, where Chaos will ravage the land until there's only the restless, always-changing, sea. Part of his church spends its time trying to calculate when he will die, so they can prevent this. 

His connection to the land even gives him a connection to the Order Domain because there would be no land without his intervention. Parts of his church therefore devote their energy to preserving and cultivating land and supporting life. Unlike Druids, the church isn't interested in maintaining wild land but in growing crops and pasturing animals in an orderly way.

Enzar is depicted either as a precocious child or a wise older man. There tends to be a focus on both ingenuity and wisdom in his teachings. A Lawful Good god, Enzar is opposed to anything that will hurt people unnecessarily and he's opposed to all forms of necromancy or demonology. Clerics serving him gain access to the Knowledge Domain spells from the Players Handbook and the Order and Peace Domains from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. His holy symbols are a staff, a third eye, and a closed book.