The Gorzova region of Caelon is well known for many things that give it its reputation of charming, peaceful and quiet, but perhaps it best well known throughout the world for its excellent wines and vineyards. The city of Gorzova, from which the region derives its name, is not ruled by a single monarch, but is instead governed by a Torian bishop, appointed by the church in Torium, which lies directly across Lago Nero.
When the Torians fled the White Walled City, they scattered in several directions, but eventually sought out the already established port of Gorzova. Because the city, like many of the other cities in Caelon at the time, was an extension of the seat of power in the Holy City, this was a natural place for the Torians to retreat, prior to crossing and establishing a new capital on the landmass of Secessia. Unlike the other cities across Caelon which ultimately traded the religious governance for monarchies, Gorzova remained within Torian religious stewardship.
While the High Bishop of Gorzova is officially in control of the region, the bishop does not necessarily exercise the same amount of influence that kings in Caelon typically do. Primarily, the bishop’s two main responsibilities are to uphold the religious mandates of the Prime Consul in Torium, and to continue to collect taxes, especially from the wealthy land owners in the region, in exchange for protection.
Gorzova is the southernmost Torian controlled area on Caelon, protected from large-scale Warathi attacks by the formidable mountain range that forms the border between the two regions. Because Gorzova is a coastal town and such a strategic location to keep for the Torians, the town is heavily protected by a formidable navy.
While the official name of the navy is La Santa Marina de Gorzova, it is also known by many as the Blood Caskers, a reference to a battle in which several ships carrying Gorzovan wine were attacked by Warathi raiding vessels, causing several casks of wine to be spilled in the great sea. When the Torian navy successfully repelled the attack, one sailor claimed that the wine spilling out from the casks was akin to the blood of their enemies.
The city is somewhat known for its arts, although in comparison to other cultural hubs like Gelgadongo, it does not properly compare. One of the greatest examples of poetry produced in this region was the poem “Beast Brother”, a song about a man who claimed to be able to talk to animals, and allegedly had a great herd with him. A statue of the subject of the song, Juan Julian and his sheep, now resides in the garden square of the city of Gorzova.
Gorzova’s primary trading partners are Torium across the sea, and Becio to the north, but their wine export is well known throughout Caelon, Secessia and the Saibhrean Isles as well. Many people consider Gorzova the most beautiful natural landscape of the entire Caelon peninsula.
