Elmshire

Rickety piers extend into the shallow, weedy waters along the shore of the Midbay. Blue, sweet smoke wafts upward from tiny chimneys jutting from the grassy ground beyond. And everywhere people are walking, riding ponies. run ning, and talking.

This pastoral settlement of halflings has grown to become a major center for the diminutive demihumans, no doubt be cause of its proximity to Greyhawk itself.

Halflings, as rule, enjoy the Free City for a time but grow tired of living there. Consequently, more than 5,000 of them have settled here, near the inlet of the Selintan River.

Wide banks of shallows have made the shores of Midbay inhospitable to large craft. Those vessels keep to the clearly indicated channel in the center of the wide waterway, following deep water all the way to the wharves of Greyhawk.

But the halflings, with their light canoes of leather and bark, found good fish ing in those shallows. They brought sheep to the lower slopes of the Cairn Hills, and found that their flocks flourished along the grassy lake shore.

And here, among a collection of low hills lying under the shade of a vast grove of elms, the halflings have settled. The solid wooden doors of their burrows dot the landscape, as do the shutters over their small windows and the often smoking chimneys above their hearths.

Elmshire is a city of good food and cheery folk. Many inns have raised door ways and ceilings, and at least one or two human-sized beds, for human visitors are not uncommon here. Indeed, its shore line often offers shelter to the barges of the Rhennee. In winter. the population of the town swells with the bargefolk who encamp here for the season.

At night Elmshire glows with thousands of candles, torches, and lanterns all flickering cheerily. If the air is clear, boat men following the deep channel into the Selintan can mark their progress by the sight of the bustling town along the shore.

The mayor of Elmshire, Windsor Greenshade, is an accomplished politician who retired some time ago from a life of adventure. He is a fighter/thief, level 5/6.

Windsor Greenshade, Halfling Mayor: AC 8/2 (ring of protection + 2, wears chain mail w/shield in combat situations MV 9; F5/T6 ; hp 33; THAC0 16; /IKf l; Dmg ld6 + 3 (short sword + 3)

Windsor puts on an air of the country hick for outsiders, but he is much shrewder than he looks. He is always looking for a way to make money, both personally and for Elmshire.

He is conscientJous to his people, and they respect him for his wisdom and courage. Under the years of his leader ship, Elmshire has nearly doubled in size. Thievery and violence have decreased dramatically, while trade wtth Greyhawk has improved.

The halflings can assemble a ragged militia of some 600 fighters in an emergency, under the command of their mayor. These fighters, levels 0 to 2, further divide into five companies of 120 troops. Each company is commanded by a 5th-level fighter.

All of the militia are armed with daggers. Three companies in addition use short bows, while the other two use short spears.

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Located on the shores of Midbay, this is the home of 3,800 halflings (GoF, p. 21, gives further detail). During 583 CY, an outbreak of a mysterious plague decimated this community and nearly a quarter of the population died. The reasons for this are wholly mysterious, but the wasting symptoms and catastrophic infectious phases of the plague appalled and terrified the halflings, who have become a more fearful folk since. Traditionally a city of good food and good cheer, Elmshire is now a rather gloomier place. Many of the survivors feel guilt at having outlived younger loved ones who died and the town as a whole now suffers terrible mental anguish.

The probability of the decline of Elmshire is a worry for the rulers of the Free City, since trade between the communities has been good and the food grown here is needed in Greyhawk. Further, Elmshire signed a treaty with the Free City in Patchwall CY 583 in which it agreed to accept taxation (at a low level) in return for Greyhawk‘s military protection. This is another reason for its decline worrying Nerof Gasgal and his fellow Directors; they need the money!