Why Diamond Lake?

To call Diamond Lake the armpit of the Free City of Greyhawk would be considered an insult to armpits everywhere. That begs the question.

Why are you in Diamond Lake?

The adventure opens in the small mining town of Diamond Lake, where desperate folk toil in lightless depths for a pittance while corrupt mine managers live in relative largesse, ruthlessly scheming to undermine one another and protect their piece of the action. Most of Diamond Lake can be categorized two groups: those with nowhere else to turn and those who have come to exploit them.
A garrison of sixty militia soldiers stands ready to defend the mines from bandits and rogue lizardfolk from the southern swamps. Rival cults share the same flock of potential converts only because timing is not yet right for outright warfare. They muster their forces for the coming battle. Things are not safe in Diamond Lake, and a right-thinking person would have every reason to want to get out of town as soon as possible.
Enter the player characters. In the adventures to come, all of the players begin play as residents of Diamond Lake who share one common goal - a better life once certain financial obligations have been met. This motivation brings the party together for their first all-important adventure, and the character of Diamond Lake, should resonate in the lives of the PCs throughout every stage of the campaign.

Any Character

Any character down on their luck could end up in Diamond Lake. Maybe you were driven out of a nearby community, or the Free City and are lying low. You could be working in the mines or for any of the local businesses. The Cairn Hills has a well-deserved reputation for undiscovered cairns filled with danger and treasures, are you looking for your big adventure?

Martial Classes

Martial characters could belong to the Greyhawk Militia, either full-time or working off a debt. Others could work as hired muscle for the mine managers, or a member of the town guard (which is at odds with the garrison commanders). Martial artists could belong to the Twilight Monastery a few miles out of town. Almost any martial character could be working as a bodyguard or agents for the various merchants who have business in Diamond Lake. Maybe you’re a bouncer at the Emporium or the Midnight Salute?

Divine Classes

The main faith in Diamond Lake is that of St. Cuthbert. The church's priest, Jierian Wierus parades his followers down the vein weekly in a show of self-flagellation, so that St. Cuthbert will forgive their sins. In the Diamond Lake Garrison, Valkus Dun leads the worship of Heironeous. Across the lake is the Cairn of the Green Lady, a small temple of Wee Jas, who patrol the graveyard in an endless pursuit to stop the undead. Farther out of town, the Bronzewood Lodge worships Obad-Hai, god of nature, and the Old Faith, while at the Twilight Monastery, one can find shrines to Zuoken and Xan Yae. Maybe you're a traveling cleric looking to spread your faith into Diamond Lake.

Arcane Classes

The mayor's brother Allustan is called the sage of Diamond Lake, and often, the smartest man in Diamond Lake. Arcane characters could be mentoring with Allustan, who is a wizard who has mastered at least fifth-order magics. Others could work at the Diamond Lake Smelting House for Benezal the Alchemist. Intelligent characters are welcome working for the town as record keepers, etc. In fact Allustan often has his apprentices work in town records. Maybe your just a performer at the Emporium, using your magic for a quick silver. There are quite a few people in Diamond Lake who would pay for the prestige of an arcane advisor/bodyguard.

Primal Classes

Many primal characters are part of the Bronzewood Lodge community. However, large, barbarian types make great bodyguards or enforcers. Maybe your character works as a scout for the garrison. Druids may be seeking a way to stem the pollution of Diamond Lake (the lake, not the town, maybe). The Cairn Hills are crawling with humanoid and undead threats that require characters skilled in wilderness survival.

Roguish Characters

Many of the ideas above could also be used for roguish characters, who make good muscle, agents, and scouts. Rogues could easily find employment with the mine managers. Rogues could be working at The Emporium, either running gaming tables or making money the old-fashioned way behind the Emporium's Velvet Curtain or at the Midnight Salute. Maybe they are lying low, having been caught in the Free City. Were they operating as a freelancer (very dangerous) or did the guild just want them out of the way for a while? Are they a member of the Free City Thieves' Guild?

Races in Diamond Lake

While the ideas above present a wide-range of options for characters in Diamond Lake, below are some racial tie-ins with the town.

Dwarves

Ragnolin Dourstone is a dwarven mine manager who prefers to hire dwarves when possible. A dwarf could also be working in the Greysmere Diamond Hall, which represents the dwarven community of Gresymere in the Abbor-Alz mountains. Dwarven miners are often promoted above the human miners fairly quickly. Dwarven mines litter the Abbor-Alz and the Cairn Hills, some known, others hidden from the humans.

Elves

Ellival Moonmeadow is an elven mine manager, whose inner circle only includes elves. He has no great love for alfar or the other races, seeing them as expendable muscle. Visiting elves are often outraged by Moonmeadow and his blatant disregard for most elven ideals. Mysteries remain around Moonmeadow. Everyone knows he was run out of the Kingdom of Celene, but no one knows why. Maybe if you're not working for him, you're here to work against him?

Hin

Diamond Lake is south of the hin settlement of Elmshire, and while most hin find the mining town dismal, smelly, and dirty, they also need ore and metals from the mining towns and often send merchants and representatives to negotiate deliveries. Other hin are employed as servants and caretakers of the wealthier homes. Some hin are drawn to performing at the Emporium, and their fast fingers make them excel at running gaming tables.

Gnomes

Many gnome enclaves are spread throughout the Cairn Hills, and the gnomes are known as the best miners in the region. You may have been hired by one of the mine managers to seek out new veins of ore. Tidwoad's is run by Tidwoad the jeweler, a gnome who buys most of is gems from gnomish mines. In fact, he prefers dealing with gnomes. He could have hired you as help, either gemcutting or jewelry making, maybe as a bodyguard or other employee. After all, the big folk aren't very trustworthy.

Alfar

Many claim the alfar take the best characteristics from both their elven and human ancestors. Many alfar are known for their diplomacy, their looks, and their charisma, and while there aren't a lot of alfar in Diamond Lake, many end up working for The Emporium or the Midnight Salute .

Rageborn

Large and brutish-looking, a rageborn bodyguard is just the thing to avoid complications. They also make great miners, bouncers, and enforcers.

Exotic Races

The more exotic races, and there are only a handful of them in Diamond Lake, often end up in the Emporium as part of the Zalamandra's freak show the "Gallery of Science". Although sometimes a gallery member gets invited up to the velvet corridor by an interested, and wealthy, client.

Side Note: Dragonchess

The game of Dragonchess is woven throughout the campaign. There are no Harry Potter style chess matches where players represent pieces and play by the chess rules, but in Diamond Lake, Lazare's House is a gaming parlor where Dragonchess is often played. In fact Lazare was a Dragonchess champion in the Free City some years ago and used those winnings to set up in Diamond Lake. Allusten is a Dragonchess player, as is the rival adventuring mage Khellek, and Dragonchess references pop up throughout the campaign.
Another game that is referenced is the card game, Three-Dragon Ante, though it doesn't get the attention in story that Dragonchess garners.