High Quarter
Nestled atop a low rise, the magnificent mansions of the High Quarter cast a long shadow over the Free City. To the poor of the Slum Quarter they are unattainable palaces, symbols of the uncaring elite. Others see the palaces and temples as goals. A High Quarter address makes one the social equal of lords and ambassadors in the cult of public opinion that holds sway in its ostentatious taverns, casinos, and theaters. The High Market at the heart of the district attracts customers from all over the city and the region, but the local constabulary and even several mercenary bands hired by locals keep an eye on strangers. Those who do not live here are not made to feel welcome once their market business has concluded.
The grand edifices of the Free City’s High Quarter are, in general, mansions that would be fit for the ruler of most political entities. In Greyhawk, however, such homes are the just rewards for successful merchants, important ambassadors, the city’s own Directors, and others of wealth and station.
Established first as a series of small noble manors set on the slopes beneath the protection of the Grand Citadel, the High Quarter remains home to Greyhawk’s elite. It is dominated by the richly adorned mansions of nobles and oligarchs, grand public buildings and embassies. Most of the manors and embassies lie in the western portion of the quarter. East of this stands a number of public buildings, including the City Guard barracks, the Courts of Justice and the Lord Mayor’s Palace. Above these towers the pyramid of the Wizard’s Guildhall, its smooth sides and pinnacle often lit by flickering mages fire.
The homes and monuments of the High Quarter span centuries in their influences, bringing an unpredictable nature to a stroll through its well-maintained streets. Beside a handsome home of wooden towers and garden mazes looms the mighty headquarters of the city’s Guild of Wizardry, a six-story stone ziggurat designed by Zagig from images he experienced in a dream. Elsewhere, the sprawling grounds of Lord Henway’s Menagerie contribute to the district’s visual and aural atmosphere.
The noble district is the best illuminated of the city’s quarters after dark, for each mansion maintains a lamp on the road before it, and the city maintains other lamps at frequent intervals along each thoroughfare. The noble’s massive aviary, looking for all the world like a giant barred birdcage, draws visitors of all social strata. The shrieking creatures within can, on a quiet night, be heard as far south as the Thieves’ Quarter. The Wharf Gate at the district’s edge opens directly to an outlander shanty town called Barge End, where the terminally poor share leaky hovels with disease victims, addicts, and fugitives from the law. Needless to say, the gate remains tightly shut throughout the day and night.
Though most of the district’s manors are protected from burglary, fearless independent thieves or opportunistic transients often find the High Quarter too alluring to ignore, getting themselves into a great deal of trouble. The constables of High Quarter pride themselves on their honesty and incorruptibility. Whereas an offer to bribe a watchman in other parts of the city often leads to success, here such discussion might land the would-be deal maker in a jail cell. In addition, the guard patrols of the city watch are diligent and common in the High Quarter.
Also, the private agents of the Nightwatchmen are employed throughout the High Quarter, sometimes to watch a single mansion, and other times to patrol a region of several estates When the Nightwatchmen form such roving patrols, they go in group· of five, accompanied by two great hounds (war dogs)
The status of an individual in the High Quarter can easily be determined by the mode of transport they use. Nobles and filthy rich burghers alike ride on horseback or in carriages, palanquins and sedan chairs. Only servants and common fold travel on foot and the Watch ensures that few of the latter linger long in the High Quarter unless they have legitimate business. The roads of the High Quarter bustle with crowds only on the occasions of parades and festivals The quarter receives a lot of traffic every Starday, attracted by the grand array of booths and stalls in the High Market.
Otherwise, the quarter is quiet, with only a few people moving about at any one time. These travelers are nobles in carriages, on horseback, and afoot, their servants (with or without their masters), craftsmen hired to work in the High Quarter on their way to and from the job, and many others. Travel is allowed to and from with no restrictions, but a visitor to the High Quarter who appears to be up to no good (loitering about, acting furtive, associating with known criminals, etc.) is quickly accosted by a guard patrol. If they can produce no good reason why they are in the High Quarter, they are escorted to the Garden Gate with orders not to return without a valid purpose.
Stores and shops are not found in the High Quarter; the residents can usually find everything they need at the city’s High Market. The only businesses in the quarter are those gambling houses, taverns, and clubs that cater to a wealthy clientele. There are no locations offering rented accommodation at any price in the High Quarter. If you don’t live there already, it’s likely you never will.
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