Nerof Gasgal, Lord Mayor of Greyhawk

Nerof Gasgal was the Lord Mayor of the Free City of Greyhawk, also known as Greyhawk City. He held this position from 570 CY. He was also the Assistant Guildmaster of Greyhawk's Guild of Thieves.

Nerof Gasgal was born in 540 CY in Greyhawk. At some point, he joined the Guild of Thieves, which was then under the leadership of Guildmaster Arentol. In 570 CY, Gasgal became Lord Mayor of Greyhawk (it is assumed that he was a member of the Directing Oligarchy prior to that). One of the youngest mayors in Greyhawk's history, Gasgal and his allies on the Directing Oligarchy (who include Org Nenshen, his best friend, former partner, and guildmaster of the Thieves Guild) brought great changes and dynamism to the city government, including reforming the city's currency.

Gasgal led Greyhawk for almost three decades, bringing the city to victory over its enemies, expanding its territory, and increasing its wealth. In fact, Gasgal was regarded as one of Greyhawk's greatest mayors, second only to Zagig Yragerne.

Gasgal was killed in 598 CY, apparently assassinated by Turin Deathstalker the former governor of Safeton.

Nerof Gasgal, Lord Mayor of Greyhawk

AC 5 (leather and Dex 17 MV 12; T10 ; hp 45; THAC0 16/14; #AT 1 ; Dmg 1d8 +2 (longsword +2) (proficient with sling, long- sword, or dagger Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 18, Cha 16; SA quadruple damage from backstab ; AL LN; SA quadruple damage from back-stab; SD high dexterity, thiefly skills

Thieving skills: PP 50, OL 60, FT 70, MS 30, HS 25, ON 65, CW 70, RL 50.

Magical items : long sword + 2 (and see text below).

Gasgal is 42 years old, 5' 9" tall, 157 lbs., with graying dark hair. Even as Lord Mayor, he dresses conservatively, but his clothes are of exceptional quality and tailoring. Note that Nerof has access to many magical items if he needs them (as the DM decides)-after all, he can call on Kieren for the aid of the Guild of Wizardry-but prefers not to rely on magical aid unless he has to. (For a fuller description of Nerof, see the GREYHAWK Adventures hardbound book, page 35 - now included).

Nerof Gasgal was born to desperately poor but proud parents in one of the most squalid districts of the city of Greyhawk. Despite his parents’ best efforts to dissuade him, Nerof idolized the Guild thieves. He admired their courage, their skills, and, most of all, their wealth. When his parents tragically starved to death in his tenth year, he decided to change his fate, and sponsored by a family friend who was a Guild official, he apprenticed himself to the Thieves Guild.

Once he was a full-fledged thief, Nerof advanced rapidly, becoming known for his meticulous planning of every last detail of operations. He believed in leaving absolutely nothing to chance, and would pore over plans and models of a targeted building until he could draw the entire floor plan from memory. His thoroughness and attention to detail endeared him to his superiors and peers, although he became the terror of apprentices and lower level thieves who were assigned to work under him. He did not tolerate slip-ups or errors.

Then, a traumatic experience caused Gasgal to change careers-and the direction of his life. While looting a mage’s long-abandoned castle, he tripped a magical trap and found himself falling down an airshaft. Luckily, the trap was an illusion, but his fellow thieves found him in a catatonic state and returned him to Greyhawk. Clerical help saved him, but he began to suffer severe bouts of vertigo and developed a fear of falling. That incident convinced Gasgal to give up the thieving life and enter politics.

Nerof was never known publicly as a thief; to the public, he was the proprietor of a gambling house catering to Greyhawk’s wealthy youngsters. Despite the fact that the odds on the games blatantly favored the house, Nerof was a popular figure among the newly wealthy. He had long been urged to follow a political career, assured of support by his customers, and when his disability forced him to quit thieving, he took up their offers of political support and was delighted by the opportunities he discovered.

Nerof is a talented politician-none too bright (but Nenshen 's superior Intelligence helps here), but very wise and cunning, and possessed of persuasive and manipulative skills (high Charisma). His goals are twofold: to be the best mayor of Greyhawk in history, and to be accepted as a member of the upper classes. He is very conscious of his social standing because as a child he lived in the Slum Quarter, and he has spent his life trying to transcend his humble beginnings. Despite the fact that he has attained a position of great power, he is still looked down upon by many members of the city's aristocracy.

As mayor, Nerof is popular and well-respected. His attention to detail makes it difficult for anyone not in his favor to cheat or oppress citizens. He is demanding of his staff, but does not spare himself, routinely working twelve-hour days. He takes bribes freely, but his theory is to “let both sides pay bribes, then judge the case on its merits.”

His goals as Mayor of Greyhawk are to make the city run as smoothly as possible and to be remembered as the best Mayor in the city’s history. His private goals are different: He wants to be a member of the aristocracy. However, the old rich don’t hold him in the same regard as the new rich, and he is snubbed as much as the upper classes dare due to his lower-class accent and the “vulgar” origins of his wealth (the gaming house).

Nerof Gasgal is an attractive, charming man, 5’9“ tall, with graying hair. He dresses in conservatively cut, but extremely expensive, clothing. He appears to be a trustworthy, able businessman who is in politics only for the good of his beloved city.

Nerofs office is equipped with many luxuries: heavy draperies (which conceal the fact that his office is several stories above ground), several attractive secretaries, and a large, elaborate safe in which he keeps all the city files and a wealth of information useful for blackmailing troublemakers against whom he doesn’t wish to use force.

His leather armor is of the finest quality. It was custom made for him by the head of the Leatherworkers Guild after he excused the leatherworkers from paying taxes during a severe shortage of leather. His weapons are also of the best possible quality, stolen especially for him by the Thieves Guild Master as a gift upon his election to office. He also owns a set of thieves’ tools, and still regularly practices all the thieves’ skills that do not involve climbing. He has access to many magical items, but does not keep many on hand unless he actually needs them. He feels that becoming dependent on a magical tool or weapon would make him too vulnerable. When Nerof does use magical items, he prefers those that facilitate theft without involving flying or climbing. There is a 20% chance of finding such items in his office or safe.

Outside of politics, Nerofs interests are limited to his gaming house (which he still owns) and the honing of his thieving skills; he has no other real interests. Although he is a social climber, he doesn’t find social gatherings very interesting-he attends them for information. He cultivates good relations with the Guildmasters of the city, as all mayors must, but the only one he socializes with is the Thieves Guild Master. They often spend evenings together, drinking wine and yarning about the “good old days” before they achieved their present ranks. Nerof is still a power in the Thieves Guild, and holds the title of Assistant Guildmaster.

Player characters might encounter Nerof Gasgal in several ways. They might be ambassadors from a neighboring land on business with the Lord Mayor of Greyhawk, or they could be lower level thieves seeking his expert advice. If any PC has information regarding an outside threat to Greyhawk, Nerof will pay very well for it. He is also interested in buying anything magical, especially items of use to thieves, like gauntlets of dexterity or chimes of opening.

If the PCs are enemies of Greyhawk, they will find Nerof to be a deadly enemy. He cultivates close relations with the Assassins Guild Master. There are several assassins on his private payroll, and he has been known to use them to quietly eliminate threats.

The nobility secretly sneer at him, but no one forgets what happened to one wealthy family so unwise as to shun him publicly: Thieves descended repeatedly upon their house; several family members died mysteriously; and their business competitors exhibited uncanny knowledge of their business plans. This did not stop until the whole family was reduced to beggary.

As Lord Mayor, Nerof has ruled wisely and capably. He has simplified the currency system, and reformed taxes so that the common folk hardly pay any taxes at all-thus keeping the masses happy with his rule. He has rebuffed advances to Greyhawk's growing economic power from many quarters, and kept a delicate balancing act going.

However, maintaining this balance is now becoming extremely tricky. Since the invasion and carving-up of the Shield Lands by the conniving forces of the Homed Society and the Bandit Kingdoms in 579-581 CY, Greyhawk's dominant trade position is under threat. This dominance depends wholly on the relative safety of the Nyr Dyv, and should the rapacious forces of the north decide to send a fleet of pirate vessels forth, Greyhawk could be slowly strangled. Thus, Nerof (against his will) has been forced, after discussions with Org Nenshen alone, to surreptitiously help Furyondy maintain an increased naval force on the Nyr Dyv, sailing out of Wtllip. The assistance of Glodreddi Bakkanin, the corrupt Inspector of Taxation, has also been needed to keep secret this bleeding of funds away from the city. This violation of Greyhawk's traditional neutrality and independence could have dangerous consequences.

Should Greyhawk's secret alliance with Furyondy become known, it could escalate the skirmishes on the Nyr Dyv into a full-scale invasion of Greyhawk by bandits or even the forces of the Horned Society, striking at the easiest target. Currently, the Homed Society benefits Crom trade with Greyhawk, and has not enough naval strength to mount a concerted attack, but it is building up its forces. At present, a war of nerves is being waged, and it is not surprising that Nerof appears agitated and ill at ease, but he has kept matters secret so far.

From Adventure Begins

Nerof Gasgal*, Lord Mayor and Assistant Guildmaster of Thieves [LN hm T12; hp 49; Dex 17, Wis 18, Cha 16; age 51; areas H14/T4/H3/ C2], Fronts as a concerned businessman but is widely known to be a thief; aims to keep the city running as smoothly as possible and to be remembered as the best mayor in the city’s history; is habitually devious, moderately corrupt, and often ruthless, but well-liked and hard-working; has superb judgment but is not especially bright; enjoys politics, gambling, a high-class life in moderation, and a bit of roguery; wants to be a member of the aristocracy but is snubbed for his vulgar birth, accent, and sources of wealth; close friend of Org Nenshen; dangerous to cross.