Mendale is the hub of all trade in the kingdoms of Hailgalad. Many call it the Dock Den for the reason that over half the city’s surface are shipping docks and structures built over the water.
In contrast to its current state, this land was first settled by ancient fishermen tribes that had no interest in trade. They kept to themselves along the rocky shoreline of this beautiful natural bay they called Zuriedei in their tongue, which is translated to Calm Waters. It may also mean Abundant Waters based on the context.
These fishermen led quiet lives and were rarely contacted by outsiders. That all changed when a group of strange people came across the Great Eastern Sea. These folk came in force on longboats, and they raided the coastlands. This cycle of attacks lasted for a year and devastated these small settlements.
The fishermen tribes made the decision to send a few of their own to find aid. It was not long until these travelers found a tribe of Hailgaladrian people to protect them. This particular group was called the House of the Owl. While they were native to the lands of Hailgalad, this house was much different than other Hailgaladrians. They did not raise livestock like many of their neighbors. Instead, they logged and mined in the forests and rocky hills that bordered the grassy seas of Aeros. These were lines of work that led this particular house to become shrewd in trade and considerably wealthy.
The House of the Owl’s leader at the time, Greta, took an oath to protect the coastlands from any foreign invaders. While they constructed defenses and surveyed the land, Greta learned how lucrative the coast and Zuriedei were. There was an abundance of food and resources that made the fishermen tribes the targets of these raids. This opportunity gave Greta an idea.
She proposed a pact with the people of Zuriedei. In order to properly protect them, they needed money to hire soldiers and build defensive structures. In order to make money, they needed a hub for business and the House of Owl made just that.
Before long, a small town with hundreds of docks and ships were built. The bay became peppered with stone pillars and lighthouse watchtowers to control the flow of ships. Traders with goods from Hailgalad ran up and down the coast, and across the sea. The increased trade led to a spreading of wealth that quieted the unrest. During this time, Greta’s house quickly consolidated power into a shipping company. By then, nearly every crate in and out of those docks was branded with the owl sigil.
When the empire of Vaelor tightened its grip on the Hailgaladrian tribes, they identified the importance of maintaining the structure and wealth that Mendale provided. They brokered lucrative trade deals with Greta and her decedents. Their shipping and trade routes extended west on land and along every available waterway to Vaelor and other kingdoms. Mendale continued to grow into a truly impressive settlement.
After Hailgalad won its independence, the House of the Owl again shifted with the times. By this time, Greta’s descendants were some of the wealthiest people of the kingdom. Even the fishermen tribal leaders had made incredible livings from Mendale. In order to maintain this wealth, Hailgalad’s crown followed Vaelor’s example and named the head of the House of the Owl governor of the Mendale province. Besides a few exceptions, their house has held that seat and most of the power in Mendale.
In terms of the settlement’s organization, Mendale is split into two parts: the docks and the cliffs. The docks are a place that includes the docks themselves and the sprawling shacks and small businesses that line the coast. Many of the homes are in disrepair, but there are still pleasant areas in the docks where one can find a good meal and bed. Many of the people who call this district home are dock workers and fishermen, but being a port city, this area has its share of unsavory characters such as pirates and smugglers.
The cliffs are where the business owners live. The villas high up on the sheer rocky cliffs overlook the docks and the vast ocean. It is arguable the most beautiful place in all Hailgalad, depending on who you ask. Here, the House of the Owl stands strong in a mansion that rivals any Duke or Duchess in the city of Vaelora.
Harrison DeVries Writing 