Lor: History and Rumors

Attention! Attention! Places! Take your seats, thank you! Now, start with low on the first verse, low please. A little louder on the second, louder still on the third, good robust lungs on the last verse! Ro-BUST! The stanzas are like so - da DA-dat DA, da DA-dat DA, da DA-dat DA, DA DA-DAT! Have we got that? Good! Let's begin.

From Prantz they rode,
Brother, sister bold,
The south to behold,
The Galerights!
(Glasses, mugs, or cups in the air here, please.)

The south was sundered,
Our culture ran under,
Whole cities plundered,
The Galerights!
(Glasses, mugs, or cups in the air here, please.)

From our lands blighted,
They found and reunited,
Our ancestors benighted,
The Galerights!
(Glasses, mugs, or cups in the air here, please. Enthusiasm!)

Lor stands today,
Because they came our way,
We honor their memory,
(Hold this note, hold, hold, hold, holdddd….)

The Galerights!
 (Loud, please! Much enthusiasm, mugs high, then drink, very good! Dwarves, please do not slam your mugs on the table after each verse, percussion is not called for.)

- Maymie Von Dancern, leading a local group in a song she wrote honoring the Galeright twins, performed on the 1,070th Twin's Remembrance Day.

The first or last landmarks most people see in southern Dregar are the Twin Horsemen of Lor. These majestic marble statues are called Twin's Watch. Once in the center of town and recently moved to flank the main gates, are the statues of the twins Stephanie and Jeoffry; each mounted and riding forward with determination sculpted on their handsome faces. Built on the spot of a razed, abandoned city called Amiss, the story of how Lor was founded is well-known'from the placard in the town hall to the famous painting by Joseph Ventigo depicting the twins leaving Prantz with the rest of their doomed company:

In the early days of Rael, a company of soldiers rode into the wilds of the southern plains to check on the survivors of the massive dark elf invasion. This attack had drawn all of the north's attention and left the south, despite our population density and important towns, to fall into shadow. We, of the southern plains, were quickly overrun and either fled nearer to Seawatch or went missing. The glorious port town of Amiss was lost.

Once Prantz was settled, 50 horsemen left the gates to reclaim the south and clear the roads. Brigands were everywhere and elves were still hostile to humans. The roads had been left untended and wild animals both mundane and monstrous roamed freely. In the end, only two of that company of men and women made it to the southern tip of the continent: our founders, Jeoffry and Stephanie Galeright. Along our steamy southern coast, they found us, an impressive and resilient throng of Dregarians living in scattered communities under the constant threat of assault from thieves and pirates. Disorganized, pressed from all sides, and lacking the commodities of the north, but strong-willed, with fierce character.

The Galerights, impressed by our moxie, rallied our scattered settlements under the flag of Prantz and brought us to the ruined port outpost of Amiss. There, we rebuilt the town by hand, with whatever equipment we could find or build. The motivation and skill to withstand the swarms of orcs, bandits, and giants that crashed against our walls gave us the strength and perseverance to complete rebuilding in record time. With each assault of our swiftly rising city, the Galeright twins would mount the walls along with us, their new townsmen, and sweep aside the assailants. When those walls were completed, we looked to the twins to name our new home. Amiss was an era gone; both an unfortunate and unlucky name from the past. The twins named the city Lor, after their beloved father. Lor has stood since that day, a testament to both dreams and perseverance.
- Author Unknown

Rather than return to Prantz, the Galeright twins settled in Lor with friends and neighbors and a southern husband and wife, respectively. When Raklin Diamoniar took the throne as emperor, the now-aged twins brought the new emperor and empress to the expanding coastal city to witness the mighty will of the southerners. It was a glorious day in the history of Dregar, one that lives in the proud tales of Lorites and every year for Twin's Remembrance week. Shortly thereafter, the new capital of the continent redirected immense funds and manpower to Lor, sensing its strategic, economic, and political significance, as well as the sentimental unifying force it had for southern Dregarians.

Now, Lor is the busiest port on the continent, serving an average of 30 ships a day in and out of the docks. Always bustling with commerce and strange faces, the Lorites have not lost their moxie or their polite ways. Strangers to the ever-growing city can find advice on where to stay, directions to a pub, or just some friendly chat from most of the residents. Perhaps the only folk that would not feel welcome, are those from Point Dart; they have been in cut-throat competition with the Toe of Dregar to take the title of Dregar's busiest port. Lor has a long and close connection with Prantz and works hard to maintain their dominance in the shipping business of Dregar. Most of the merchants and associated industries find honor in honest and fair business dealings, and the city has become known throughout the realm as trustworthy.

But trustworthy is not the only thing the people of Lor are known for. They are proud of their city, very proud. In the spring of each year, there is a week-long celebration called Twin's Remembrance. This festival relives a long and cherished history, brings the city closer together, and reinforces the bonds of friendship. Parades, poetry and song contests, historical reenactments, and a much-anticipated Hit the Councilman with a Pie contest, join a list as long as a giant's leg of entertainment and social events. Perhaps, it's become an excuse for a good time over the centuries, and it has lost the more somber, distinguished tone of centuries past, but for the vibrant southerners, it's good enough.