Greyhawk
Nestled in a river valley near the geographic center of the Flanaess, the City of Greyhawk is perfectly suited for trade coming from the Lake of Unknown Depths to the north and Woolly Bay to the south. Here the rich and the poor share the same outer walls, though their worlds are divided into separate cities, new and old. Coin from as far away as Blackmoor changes hands in the city’s markets, and the opulent mansions on the hill overlooking the city attest to the wealth generated by its markets. This wealth brings artisans, scholars, and laborers to Greyhawk. It also breeds a brand of thieves that has given Greyhawk a reputation for shadowed villainy that spans the continent.
Treasures plundered from ancient tombs in the nearby Cairn Hills first brought Greyhawk to prominence hundreds of years ago. Every decade or so, someone discovers the entrance to an unexplored cairn, and the hills crawl with swordsmen and wizards consulting ancient maps and bizarre historical riddles. The presence of Castle Greyhawk, the greatest treasure-laden tomb of all, ensures the interest of those who live by sword and spell, making adventurers an important part of the city’s social fabric.
Governance of the city falls to fifteen members of the Directing Oligarchy, a council of coequal members who represent various interests in the city. The Directorate, as it is sometimes called, elects one of its members to sit as Lord Mayor, with the current title held by Nerof Gasgal, an aging politician who is said to have strong ties to the Thieves’ Guild. Due to his influence and the presence of several of his guild fellows on the Directorate, many believe that the city is managed by thieves, an assumption not far from the truth.
In Old City, south of the grimy Black Wall, agents of the Thieves’ Guild are everywhere. In this long-shadowed area of leaning tenements and filthy streets, a man’s life is worth less than his shiny brass belt buckle. The penniless laborers who keep the city running dwell in squalid conditions here amid the wanton criminals and desperate beggars. Opportunity and wealth seem distant notions, zealously guarded privileges kept forever out of reach.
North of Black Gate, in the so-called New City, merchants, students, riverfolk, and adventurers flock to Grey hawk’s markets, to her influential universities, to her boisterous taverns. The city’s reputation for all these and more brings it fame across the continent. Even in the distant Gran March, a common clerk knows that anything can be bought for a price in Greyhawk, that the metropolis is an excellent place to disappear or to be seen. It is all things to all people.
Demographics
Humans 94%, Hin 2%, Rageborn 1%, Dwarves 1%, Gnomes 1/2%, Elves and Alfar 1/2%, others 1%
About 76% of Greyhawkers are native, 18% are immigrants, and 6% are transient.
Government
The City of Greyhawk and its domain are ruled by a Directing Oligarchy, a group of technically coequal members who head various major interests within the city. The number of Oligarchs (also known as Directors) usually varies between 12 and 18, depending on the political circumstances. Replacement of an Oligarch who dies or retires is not required. If a vacancy in the Oligarchy should be filled, the new Oligarch is chosen by vote of the current Directors. The Oligarchy meets every Starday during the year to cover business relevant to the City, the Domain, and themselves.
The Directing Oligarchy periodically elects a Lord Mayor among its members to lead them. The election of a mayor occurs whenever the old mayor dies, retires, resigns, or fails a no-confidence vote consisting of a two-thirds majority of the Directing Oligarchy. Since 570 CY, Nerof Gasgal has been the Lord Mayor. So far, he has been one of the best.
Members of the Directing Oligarchy
- Nerof Gasgal, Lord Mayor
- Derider Fanshen, City Constable
- Tigran Gellner, Captain-General of the Watch
- Org Nenshen
- Vesparian "Vesper" Lafanel
- Kieren Jalucian, Guildmaster to the Guild of Wizardry, Principal of the Greyhawk University of Magical Arts
- Torrentz Hebward, President of the Society of Magi
- Ravel Dasinder, Patriarch of Boccob
- Stakaster Villaine, Patriarch of Zilchus
- Eritai Kaan-Ipzirel, Matriarch of St. Cuthbert
- Jerome Kasinskaia, Patriarch of Rao
- Dernan Nathane, Guildmaster of the Union of Merchants and Traders
- Carmen Halmaster, Representative of the Union of Merchants and Traders
- Cariel Mansharn, Representative of the Union of Merchants and Traders
- Stimtrin Cannasay, Representative of the Union of Merchants and Traders
- Gerda Hollardel, Guildmaster of the Guild of Jewelers and Gemcutters
- Sir Anton Palmirian, Guildmaster of the Guild of Lawyers, Scribes and Accountants
- Gloreddi Bakkanin, Inspector of Taxes, Greyhawk Revenue Service
Defences
The sanctuary of the New City's high walls has thus far been tested only by the depredations of bandits and isolated bands of ruffians. Indeed, since its expansion the city has never faced a serious military threat.
Yet always its walls stand ready, and if pressed by an attacker, the City of Greyhawk can certainly muster a tenacious and effective defense.
The overall commander of the city defenders is Tigran Gellne, Captain-General of the Watch. This force can quickly become considerably larger than the standing force of men-at-arms serving the City Watch.
The standing garrison of the City Watch, a complement of some 800 men, is a steadfast and capable force, well trained in combat. It fights as two brigades of three companies each. One company fights with spear, another with long sword and shield, and a third with long bow and short sword.
In addition, a quick recruitment of mercenaries can add another 5-8 companies of veterans, up to two of them cavalry. Each company of foot has 110-200 men-at-arms. Cavalry companies average about half that size.
Finally, the city maintains several large arsenals, and a capability to call a levee from the masses of the population. The city can effectively mobilize and arm nearly 7,000 unskilled militia. Cumbersome to maneuver, shaky in morale, the militia nonetheless presents a daunting array of steel when it is lined along the city's parapets.
But the defenders of the city are not limited to the foot soldiers who stand upon the walls. The city, of course, is home to numerous colleges, universities, schools of magic, and temples. As such, it has a very high population of skilled inhabitants. From these inhabitants, the city demands only one thing (after taxes, of course): Should Greyhawk be plagued by some outside threat to the sanctity of its walls, all priests, mages, engineers, architects, and scholars must stand to her defense. Failure to do so (or sudden departure from the city in the face of attack) results in permanent banishment from Greyhawk and all its dominions.
In the face of a raiding band of enemies, the Watch and mercenary companies might be sent into the field, but only if a short, decisive campaign seems likely. Greyhawk is more likely to rely on the security of its neighboring states to keep such groups away.
If threatened by a truly powerful attacker, the defenders of the city retire to the walls of the New City. Most of the militia are then stationed along the perimeter of the wall. Each gate is held by a company of militia, reinforced by veterans. The bulk of the veterans, and any cavalry, is held in various places near the walls as reserves.
The wizards, in the meantime, are spread among the defenders. The more powerful wizards stand upon tower tops, or along the parapets. Apprentices and lesser mages form small companies, generally armed with magic missile spells.
The priests serve upon the walls as well, though their spells do not assault the foe except in crisis most dire. More often they tend to the wounded even as they fall, or bless the performance of a unit before battle. During siege, of course, the create food and cure disease abilities of this class prove invaluable.
The engineers and architects, meanwhile, construct and operate as many war machines as materials and time allow. With the exception of the Citadel, the city is not permanently protected by catapults, ballistae, and trebuchets. However, these military craftsmen can build up to four war machines a day, to a maximum of 50 + 1d20, prior to battle. Once combat begins the engineers stop building and start fighting.
Should the outer wall suffer a breach, Gellner then commands a defense of the city street by street, as much as possible. If this proves impractical, the defenders consolidate at two primary strong-points: the Old City and the Citadel. In addition, the great buildings of the colleges and temples, and the stone mansions of the nobility, are defended as long as possible.
The Citadel is the site of a last-ditch stand, if necessary. The best of the troops are gathered here, as well as the most powerful defenders of all classes. The city's richest citizens will doubtless try to buy their way-probably with considerable success - into the sanctuary of its walls. A maximum of perhaps 5.000 individuals might find shelter here.
Industry & Trade
The city has its roots, of course, as a riverbank trading post during the time when the lands of the Flanaess underwent the great influx of humanity. As the greal frontier lands of Furyondy, Umst, and Nyrond took hold and began to flourish, they quickly produced more food than they needed.
In addition, the arts of weaving and garment making began to flourish in all three lands, encouraged by the ready availability of pasture land for sheep, and the ability of cotton to grow in the warm summers.
Originally, the town was a wild frontier settlement. It served simply as a meeting place for traders from the lands south of the Lortmil Mountains, and along the coast of the Azure Sea to meet with the producers of Furyondy, Urnst, and Nyrond.
Gradually the town's central location and high standard of living led to the creation of great textile mills in what is now the Slum Quarter of the Old City. These in turn drew workers from the surrounding lands, and slowly the town became a city. A great meatpacking industry also began to flourish, aided by the ready access to salt from Woolly Bay.
But as the kingdoms grew more self-sufficient, as better roads began to cross the Flanaess, Grevhawk became a less important cog in the trading circle. For a long time its growth stagnated, its size delineated for us today by the walls of the Old City.
But as the standard of living rose throughout the continent, Oerik witnessed the development of the adventuring breed. With the discovery of great treasures in the Cairn Hills and, more recently, in Castle Greyhawk itself, these adventurers have flocked to the city in great numbers. Many have chosen to stay, and many more dispose of their treasure here. In a sense. it is the presence of these adventurers as much as any other factor that has given the city its current healthy economic status.
Now Greyhawk serves again as a trading center, as often for the trading of precious metals and gems as for food and clothing. But the city leaders have invested the earnings of this recent boom wisely, strengthening the city in all its aspects. Thus, when the nearby dungeons have been cleaned and the treasures dispersed, the city will have a solid financial base upon which to grow.
Districts
Located on the lands that were first settled as the Village of Greyhawk. The Old City grew from a village to a small city by itself. Zagig Yragerne (the Mad) built the walls of the Old City almost as soon as he gained control of the Council of Greyhawk and became Lord Mayor. The Black Gate originally looked north to a largely undeveloped land. Far to the north was the original motte-and-bailey castle which eventually became the Grand Citadel. Nobles and the wealthy began building their manors. The closer you got to the citadel, the more wealthy and important you were. Closer to the Black Gate, a large marketplace sprang up where traveling merchants and caravans set up to sell and trade their wares.
Zagyg eventually expanded the walls from the Old City to the Citadel, his own Castle Greyhawk miles to the northeast. The land around the marketplace became the mid-city, while the parks and manors near the citadel became the Noble Heights.
The Old City
- Thieves' Quarter. The eastern half of the Old City centered around the Old City Great Hall, haven of the Thieves' Guild
- Slum Quarter. The western half of the Old City, now crowded with the poor and destitute.
Mid-City
- Artisan's Quarter. The southeastern portion of mid-city. The location of most of the artisan guilds and the heart of the city's industry.
- Clerkburg. North of the Artisan's Quarter, the home of most of the colleges and universities of the Free City.
- River Quarter. West of Clerkburg and the location of the River Gate. The River Quarter is the center of the river trade and caters to those sailors, laborers, and merchants.
- Foreign Quarter. The southwestern portion of Mid-City. The Foreign quarter is where non-natives end up, not being able to buy property within the city. It is a conglomeration of racial and ethnic ghettos.
The Noble Heights
- Garden Quarter. Just north of the Garden Gate into Mid-City. The Garden Quarter is home to the wealthy and powerful, just not as much so as High Quarter residents. It is home to the High Market, where more expensive goods can be found.
- High Quarter. Closest to the Citadel. The most powerful and wealthy nobles live here. The High Quarter is the center of the domain's governance.
Other "Districts"
- Grand Citadel. Originally built as a motte-and-bailey castle. The Grand Citadel has grown into one of the most impregnable fortresses in the Flanaess.
- Greyhawk Wharves. Just outside the River Gate and sprawling along the Selintan River. The Wharves is where river vessels dock and load and unload cargo.
- Greyhawk City Outskirts. The lands around the city walls have developed into districts of their own. To the east, an ancient stand of menhirs, known as Stone Ring, stand near the city gates, and the Grey College has built an observatory to better understand the heavens. To the west is the Free City Graveyard, south of that is a large area where caravans and merchants stop to unload outside of the city gates.
- Shacktown and Barge End. The truly destitute live in Shacktown, northwest of the city walls. Shacktown is nothing more than a tent city, the shacks that are built there are never more than temporary. Mercenary companies set up in Shacktown. Barge End is across the Selintan and is inhabited by the river-folk known as the Rhennee.
Guilds and Factions
The guilds of Greyhawk are all designed to protect and further the social and economic interests of their membership. While not all of the Free City's Guilds have been granted or have been able to maintain a monopoly on the services and crafts they provide, they can nevertheless present a united front to any form of competition and have a recognized degree of political influence with the Directing Oligarchy.
On the first days of Fireseek, Planting, Reaping, and Patchwall, the Grand Council of Greyhawk Guilds meets at City Hall. All the city's Guildmasters are required to attend (and must send deputies should they be unable to do so). This meeting is used to discuss petitions and legislation before the Directing Oligarchy that may affect the trade or business of one or more of the Free City 's guilds, and allegedly serves the purpose of granting those city guilds not directly represented in the Directing Oligarchy a say in the city's government.
Type
Metropolis
Population
91,000
Included Locations
Owning Organization
