Free City of Roland
Roland is a Free City on the eastern coast of the former Great Kingdom, and is a founding member of the Solnor Compact.
Formerly part of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, the city and the land surrounding it split off when the Great Kingdom split into the North Kingdom and the United Kingdom of Ahlissa in 586 CY. They then joined with Rel Astra in the Solnor Compact just after the Greyhawk Wars.
The Free City of Roland is located off the coast of the Solnor Ocean, just south of the North Kingdom. The city is built far back from the natural harbor in the Bay of Gates, which means that anything brought in by sea has to be pulled down the smooth path between the city and the harbor. The harbor is a natural anomaly, being surrounded by cliffs ranging from 150 to 400 ft tall, yet still being deep enough for even the largest keeled ships to enter easily. The high cliffs combined with the city being set back means that it is virtually immune to maritime attacks.
The city of Roland is a split level city, given that there is both the upper city, built on top of the hills, and an extensive series of caves and tunnels spreading out beneath, which were excavated by the Gnomes and Dwarves living in the area before the city was built. The caves and catacombs are home to very few residents, being mostly used as a series of stores and military bunkers, with a handful of mummified bodies, belonging to a number of well to do residents from ages past who wanted to buck the tradition of having their bodies cremated and the ashes spread over the ocean. The area is well patrolled to prevent necromancers from messing with the bodies.
One of the major routes leading into Roland also has several underground sections. Known as Smuggler's Walk, the road is roughly three-quarters above ground, but small sections at irregular intervals pass through well excavated tunnels. Although said tunnels are clearly dwarven built, the local dwarves do not remember who built them or why. The largest such section is Coppercavern, which is a natural cavern that has been expanded and worked out. Coppercavern even contains a coaching stable, known as the Smuggler's Lament, run by an eccentric gnome, which, by all accounts, provides pleasant accommodations.
Roland, though it styles itself as a Free city, is closer in size to a town, and only has a population of 5,000 in the city proper, the vast majority of which are humans. There are an additional 70,000 people living in the land outside the city controlled by The Five.
The Gull Cliffs surrounding the city were once home to clans of Dwarves and Gnomes before the initial Oredian settlers founded the city, and despite attempts to kill them off before an uneasy truce was recognized, there remains a decent sized population in the city as of 585 CY. There are roughly 150 Dwarves and 200 Gnomes in the city proper, with an additional 250 Dwarves and 1,000 Gnomes living in small settlements in the Gull Cliffs outside the city proper.
Common is spoken in the city of Roland, but given that it is an isolated and parochial area, the local dialect is quite difficult for outsiders to understand, particularly combined with the thick accent common among the people of Roland.
The City is run by a council known only as The Five, who keep their identities a secret from the public to avoid assassination attempts. They meet in a windowless marble hall known as The Fortress at irregular intervals. The five are as follows:
Jireen- A high powered mage who was the natural leader among The Five, but has been suffering from delusions ever since Ivid brought him back as an animus.
Ramshalak- A 12th level priest of Pyremius
Vornekern-A 12th level thief who has been conspiring with Drax to have Jireen killed.
Lord Barbern- A 13th level warrior. She takes the title 'Lord' rather than 'Lady' because she thinks it has more gravitas.
Admiral Quaanser- A 10th level fighter who has the responsibility of the city's defenses.
The Free City of Roland's main economy is based on trade, mostly from the Sea Barons and the other Solnor Compact members.
Roland Merchants tend to print their own promissory notes for trade between themselves, while Imperial coinage is used for other transactions. Barter is also surprisingly common.
Comments