Gårdø

Pronunciation: [GOAR-deuh]

Climate Overview
Gårdø exists within a taiga environment, where only the heartiest of vegetables can persist through the cold. The main part of the settlement is on a small island that resides in the middle of a river. There are additional farms and buildings on the banks of the river nearby, too.

Social Overview
Gårdø is a very friendly place- They often host festivals and invite people from all across the globe to participate. The population fluctuates from 8,000 to 12,000 with the waxing and waning of festival seasons.

The largest and most important festival is the Stigning af Pumpki, which celebrates the founder, Pumpki Vinben. Pumpkins are carved and sent to the borders of Orange to represent the plentiful age brought about by the cultivation of Pumpkins.

Cultural Overview
The largest industries in Gårdø are agriculture and culinary arts. Harvest seasons usually bring about festivals, where the main attraction is local recipes, which are often protected secrets of a bloodline. There are two main organizations within the city.

The Landbrugsgilde is the local board of farmers who pool their money to help pay for shipping services and land management for festivals. This is one of the main governing bodies in Gårdø.

The Kokkegilde is the local board of chefs who manage festival logistics.

This town does maintain a city guard, a judiciary, and the dreaded Madlugter - a small group of agents that make sure that all food created is of utmost quality.

Economic Overview
Gårdø as a whole goes through stages of recession and boom as the festival seasons come and go. Imports rise significantly as festivals end and fade into memory, as the land gets prepared to be cultivated again. There have been no significant periods of hardship. The proximity with the Salamandra region makes it easy to import food.