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Table of Content
- Introduction (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg323691#msg323691)
- Map of the Flanaess: (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg323692#msg323692)
- Pantheons of Greyhawk (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg323722#msg323722)
- History (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg323973#msg323973)
- History Continued (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg323974#msg323974)
- The Major Powers (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg324639#msg324639)
- Miscellaneous (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg325554#msg325554)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 1 - Baklunish West (former Baklunish Empire) (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336407#msg336407)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 2 - The Bitter North ("Old Blackmoor") (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336410#msg336410)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 3 - Western Nyr Dyv ("Old Ferrond") (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336413#msg336413)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 4 - Sheldomar Valley ("Old Keoland") (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336520#msg336520)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 5 - Sheldomar Valley ("Old Keoland") Continued (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336527#msg336527)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 6 - Empire of Iuz ("Northern Reaches") (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336532#msg336532)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 7 - Empire of Iuz ("Northern Reaches") Continued (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336540#msg336540)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 8 - Empire of Iuz ("Northern Reaches") Continued (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336544#msg336544)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 9 - Thillonrian Peninsula ("Barbarian North") (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336563#msg336563)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 10 - Old Aerdy West ("Old Nyrond") (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336565#msg336565)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 11 - Old Aerdy East (former Great Kingdom) (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336572#msg336572)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 12 - Old Aerdy East (former Great Kingdom) Continued (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336574#msg336574)
- Flanaess Overview pt. 13 - Tilvanot Peninsula and the Oljatt Sea (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg336575#msg336575)
- The Free City of Greyhawk pt. 1 (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337675#msg337675)
- The Free City of Greyhawk pt. 2 (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337676#msg337676)
- Roleplaying Characters from the Flanaess pt. 1 (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337743#msg337743)
- Roleplaying Characters from the Flanaess pt. 2 (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337752#msg337752)
- Hepmonaland (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337753#msg337753)
- The Amedio Region (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337754#msg337754)
- Zahind (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337756#msg337756)
- Shaofeng & the rest of Central Oerik (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337757#msg337757)
- Black Moon Chronicles (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337758#msg337758)
- Aquaria (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337760#msg337760)
- The Sundered Empire (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg337761#msg337761)
- Ravilla (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg338288#msg338288)
- Naresh (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg338289#msg338289)
- Other Sundered Empire Regions (https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=26536.msg338290#msg338290)
Introduction:
The Greyhawk campaign depicts a magical land at the crossroads of countless possibilities. The most fantastic of many worlds, Greyhawk's world of Oerth is a place where powerful creatures contest with humanity and other races, where good folk struggle against evil, and Law wrestles with Chaos. Oerth is a world of magic, mystery, and the imagination. Oerth has four continents, the largest of which is Oerik. Oerth has two moons, Celene and Luna, and there are about seven planets that wander the skies. The sun is often called simply "the sun," sol or Liga.
The gem of this world is the city of Greyhawk, a teeming metropolis that attracts heroes and villains alike. Warriors, merchants, wizards, beggars, clerics, sages, and thieves fill its streets in search of high adventures.
The Greyhawk campaign centers on the Flanaess, a multinational land emerging from a dark period of war. Its people face each new day with glowing optimism, but evil lurks in shadowed caverns and decadent courts. The final outcome of this intrigue is ever in question, and new heroes must always be found to keep their realms from destruction.
Races:
Six major human ethnic groups share the vast Flanaess with numerous nonhumans. Unmixed human ethnic groups exist in several enclaves, but for the most part the Suel, Flan, Oeridians, and Baklunish have mixed to form a variety of blended types. Ethnicity is given little importance by intelligent folk, particularly in the central lands, though some royal courts promote particular ethnicities, Each ethnic group appears to have developed ages ago in isolation from all others, with its own pantheon of deities, language, and culture. In practical matters of exploration, trade, adventure, and war, color and race have little meaning. The Olman and the Rhennee are the two other ethnic groups.
Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings are all found in substantial numbers throughout the Flanaess, though only the Elves have large nations to themselves: Celene, Sunndi, Highfolk, and the Lendore Isles. Major humanoid races include the orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, gnolls and kobolds.
Geography:
The world of Greyhawk encompasses the Flanaess, the easternmost portion of the vast continent of Oerik, on the planet Oerth. Oerik is the largest of Oerths four continents, and four oceans surround them all. Very little is known about the lands beyond the Flanaess.
The Flanaess can be divided into nine broadly defined geopolitical territories, most of which coincide with old national identities that once dominated those regions:
The Baklunish West
Survivors of the Invoked Devastation settled these temperate prairies, forests, and coastal lands about one thousand years ago. Largely separated from the rest of the Flanaess by the great Yatils, Barrier Peaks, and Crystalmist Mountains, these realms are a stronghold of Baklunish culture.
The Bitter North
The lands north of the Yatil Mountains, from the Dramidj coast to the Dulsi River, make up the Bitter North. The climate in this region of steppes and coniferous forests varies from cool to frigid, making this a sparsely settled area home mostly to nomads, orcs, and goblins, except in Perrenland.
The Western Nyr Dyv
The lands from the Nyr Dyv to the Yatils are an old stronghold of Good in the Flanaess. Humans of Oeridian and Flan descent, dwarves, and elves contribute to the vigor of these nations. The rich soil and the pleasant climate, combined with healthy trade relations with their neighbors to the east, south and west, make this a strong and wealthy region.
The Sheldomar Valley
The fertile Sheldomar Valley is almost completely enclosed by mountains until it reaches the Azure Sea. Two great rivers, the Sheldomar and the Javan, water these lands between the Crystalmists and the Lortmils. The climate here is warm and mild, and many
elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings live in peace alongside Suel, Oeridian, and Flan farmers and lords.
The Empire of Iuz
The evil demigod Iuz has expanded his territory from his original realm north of Lake Whyestil to include most of the land from the western edge of the Vesve Forest across the north-central Flanaess to the current war zone of Tenh. These lands are generally
wilderness dotted with ruined human towns and active orc lairs, with a cool to temperate climate.
The Thillonrian Peninsula
This isolated, mountainous region at the northeastern edge of the Flanaess is home to many barbarians. These northern Suel call their land Rhizia, which has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of high mountains, coniferous forests, and deep fjords. The climate is
subarctic, with rocky soil and a brief growing season.
Old Aerdy West
These lands between the eastern Nyr Dyv and the line marked by the southern Rakers are temperate and fertile. Folk of Oeridian, Suloise and Flan heritage dwell in relative harmony here. This area was once yeah, part of the Oeridian-dominated Great Kingdom, but it broke away to become the kingdom of Nyrond (now reduced in size).
Old Aerdy East
The lands south and east of the Rakers and north of the Vast Swamp, off to the Solnor coast, were once the heartland of Aerdy, the Great Kingdom. These lands are rich and their climate pleasant, though long years of civil war and oppression have damaged the
economy. Many orcs and goblinoid races live among the numerous, warlike Oeridians here.
Isolated Realms
These strange lands include the deadly Sea of Dust, the jungles of the Amedio and Hepmonaland, the Tilvanot Peninsula, and many islands along the eastern coast. These regions are little known to most inhabitants of the Flanaess. People of Suloise descent are found through out, particularly on the Tilvanot Peninsula, but other races of humanity are also present (for example, the dark Touv of Hepmonaland). Most of these southern regions are hot and suffer frequent storms. Hepmonaland is actually a minor continent, the smallest of the four on Oerth.
People & Culture:
(https://ghwiki.greyparticle.com/images/2/2c/Human01.jpg)
The Baklunish resemble Arabian, Turkish and Persian people, and inhabit the northwestern Flanaess. They once held a great empire that extended much further than their present lands, but centuries of warring with the Suel Imperium to the south sent their culture into decline. The Invoked Devastation ruined their empire, for which the Baklunish retaliated with the Rain of Colorless Fire, burning the Suel Imperium to ash. The Baklunish, unlike the Suloise, retained much of their culture after the fall of their empire. Honor, family, generosity and piety are fundamental virtues. Many skilled wizards are Baklunish, including experts in elemental magic, divination, and summoning/binding extraplanar beings.
The Flan are bronze-skinned and have a culture resembling a mixture of the Celts and Native Americans. They were the first known humans to live in eastern Oerik. The Flan had been a nomadic people for many centuries when they were displaced by the Suloise and Oeridian invaders. The Flan have always been strongly tied to the natural world, as they were nomadic hunter-gatherers for so long. They see nature as an entity to be respected by not controlled, and this is reflected in their myths, legends and culture. Flan wizards normally work in harmony with nature, avoiding destructive magic. Flan clerics are often druids, who are more accepting of agriculture than they once were.
Oeridians resemble the cultures of real-world Italy and Greece. They spent centuries as barbarian mercenaries before settling down and forming their own civilizations. The most powerful empire in the modern Flanaess was created by a conquering tribe of Oeridians, the Aerdi, who subjugated and assimilated all who opposed them. Ancient Oeridians were fierce warriors, yet they also were self-sacrificing and loyal. These traits are not as evident today, but many Oeridians do remain temperamental and prone to violence. They have a preference for strict social order, usually fitting themselves at the top, and their military traditions are strong. The Oeridian skill at warfare is unsurpassed, and many folk have a hard-learned respect for it.
The Olman have a culture that resembles the Aztecs and Mayans. They originated from Hepmonaland, a jungle-filled subcontinent to the Flanaess' southeast. Through centuries of warfare, they built an empire that spanned northern Hepmonaland and reached across the Densac Gulf to include the Amedio jungle, in the central South of the Flanaess. Internal strife, wars with the dark-skinned Touv humans of southern Hepmonaland, and the corruptive influence of Yuan-Ti caused them to abandon their old cities. Many Olman migrated to the Amedio, where they maintained their civilization for several more centuries. Ultimately, these cities also fell to the curses of civil war and supernatural upheaval, until most Olman reverted to barbarism. The Olman of today are now concentrated in the jungles of the south. Many are enslaved in the lands held by the evil Scarlet Brotherhood.
The Rhennee are a gypsy folk, who are masters of inland sailing and navigation. They camp on the shores of the Flanaess many large lakes, and travel back and forth between them on their riverboats. The Rhennee are not native to Oerth; rather, they are accidental travelers from another plane or world, citizens of a lost homeland they call "Rhop." Music and gambling are beloved amusements. Rhennee have a wide reputation as thieves, and most do learn rogue skills as children, practicing them primarily upon outsiders. Their secrecy and bad reputation cause most people to dislike the Rhennee, and the feeling is mutual. They survive by ferrying goods and passengers, fishing, hunting, selling crafts, theft and smuggling, though they put forth the least amount of work possible to accomplish their goals.
Suloise are a fair-skinned people, with a culture vaguely resembling Germanic and Scandinavian people of the real world. The Suel Imperium was located in what is now known as the Sea of Dust. Wicked and decadent, this empire was destroyed during a war with the Baklunish when the latter brought down the Rain of Colorless Fire. Suloise survivors fled in all directions and many fled into the Flanaess. Some evil Suel were forced into the extreme corners of the Flanaess by invading Oeridians. The Suel Imperium was governed by contesting noble houses, and the fleeing bands that entered the Flanaess were often led by nobles with their families and retainers. Modern Suel retain this affinity for family, although they often use a very narrow definition of the term to include only immediate family. The ancient Suel Imperium was exceedingly cruel. This trait surfaces in the modern day, for more than one Suel organization openly plots against the people of the Flanaess. Fortunately, most Suel have avoided this dark legacy, having inherited the relatively minor flaws of being opinionated, selfish, and blunt. They have a passion for study, especially in regards to magic.
The Touv are a dark-skinned people who resemble many real-world African cultures. They dwell on the southern half of Hepmonaland and rarely leave the subcontinent to interact with the rest of human society, mainly because the only other human groups they have contact with are their ancient Olman enemies and the evil Suloise of the Scarlett Brotherhood, and the ocean currents around southern Hepmonaland are too dangerous for most ships.
Magic:
Magic on Oerth is normal for standard D&D. It's accepted as a part of life, even if most people never see it in practice.
Religion:
Religion is important to the people of Oerth, though the deities rarely manifest themselves. No deity above demigod level may enter the Prime Material Plane of Oerth without the consensus of a majority of the gods of Oerth. A few exceptions to this are the deities Ehlonna, Fharlanghn, Obad-Hai, and Olidammara (all gods who claim the Prime Material as their native plane), Beory (who may actually be Oerth itself), and St. Cuthbert (who is allowed to come to Oerth to fight the evil demigod Iuz). Most deities have important festivals and holidays that people across the Flaness celebrate. Most people worship or pay tribute to more than one deity every day, often up to a dozen or more during the year, though a person might hold one particular god as a personal favorite.
Cosmology and the Afterlife:
Greyhawk uses the classic "Great Wheel" cosmology as defined in the Manual of the Planes and the Planescape setting. After death, the souls of the dead travel to the plane of their deity and become petitioners. The souls of those who die believing in no deity vanish from existence, although it is rumored that a dark power is secretly harvesting these souls for some awful purpose.
On-line Resources:
Canonfire! World of Greyhawk on the Web (http://www.canonfire.com/)
Greyhawk Wiki (http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page)
A Guide to the Free City of 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 ihe current title held by Nerof Gasgal, an aging politician who has 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 Greyhawk'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 any thing 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.
River Quarter
Greyhawk's wharves bring products and people from all corners of the Flanaess and beyond. Nowhere is this garish combination of cultures and influences more apparent than in the city's River Quarter, a boisterous district of taverns, brothels, and gambling dens just inside the Cargo Gate to the Wharf District. Here lifelong sailors, smugglers, and dockmen mix with river-gypsies, slumming nobles, brazen students, and adventurers to create a community of extremes, worldly i n knowledge and experience but poor in coin and character.
By day, the River Quarter swarms with laborers hauling cargo from distant markets to the artisans and bazaars of the Free City. Cargo Street, running roughly parallel to the Nobles' Wall, sees the greatest traffic in the district, and one must walk with care through the muddy streets to avoid being trampled by horse and wagon. Most of the structures along the city's west wall serve as warehouses for merchant houses and local market barons, and might hold any number of treasures. At night the life of the district flows to a notorious avenue of vice and delights called the Strip, where a wise man goes armed if at all.
Tales from a thousand foreign ports draw adventurers like rust monsters to a suit of mail, enhancing the unpredictable nature of the quarter. Each night brings a flurry of arrests for larceny, indecency, and fighting into an overtaxed system that constantly strains police from the wildest district north of the Black Gate to Old City.
Businesses: Armorers, bakers, bawdy houses, boarding houses, boats/nautical equipment, boot maker/leatherworker, butchers, eateries, expedition suppliers, shipper and haulers, tailors, taverns, warehouses, and weaponsmiths.
Notable River Quarter Locations:
The Green Dragon Inn is a favorite haunt of adventurers and of those seeking adventurers for various tasks. It offers relatively mundane fare, but in copious quantities. Its location on Blue Boar Street, just off of the Strip, insures that it stays a little quieter than most of the establishments in the quarter. Occasionally a bunch of students may be found here, or a Watch party hunting some criminal.
The Low Seas Tavern has a well-lighted porch and lively sounds of laughter coming from within. It is a favorite of the River Quarter, though its standards are a trifle higher than most of the inns in the district. Weapons longer than daggers, for example, must be checked at the door.
The River Rat is the central gathering place of the Rhennee in the Free City, when they leave their barges, that is. Located in the busiest part of the Strip, the River Rat never closes and never seems to want for rowdy customers.
The Barge Inn is another of the thriving taverns on the Strip, a favorite of dwarven visitors to Greyhawk. Generally about 50% of the clientele consists of these stocky demihumans, the rest being humans of the city, bargefolk, mercenaries, and sailors. The largest inn in the quarter, the Barge Inn occupies a commending curve on the Strip as well. Thus it is one of the busiest and rowdiest taverns in the city.
The Silver Garter is one of the most infamous social establishments in the Free City. While its exact nature is too delicate to be discussed in a scholarly study such as this, it must be stated that the name of the establishment pretty much sets the tone. But for all this the Garter is a friendly, convivial establishment. The invitations to handsome passers-by from the hardworking ladies perched on the house's second floor balcony are nothing if not sincere. And the welcome given one who steps through the door is even warmer. The proprietress is a battered old ogress known only as Rhina. She has a handful of musclemen discreetly available to help in times of disturbance.
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 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's massive aviary, looking for all the world like a giant barred birdcage, draws visitors of all social strata. The shrieking creatures within ran, 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 by pact from the depredations of the Thieves' Guild, fearless independent thieves or opportunistic transients often find the High Quarter too alluring to ignore, getting themselves into a great deal of trouble.
Garden Quarter
If the posh inhabitants of the High Quarter represent the influence of Greyhawk's oldest wealth, the folk of the Garden Quarter are the city's future. Their mansions aren't quite as ornate, their estates not quite as large, their statuary not quite as self-aggrandizing, but they make up a vibrant part of the city's social tapestry. Ennobled heroes, made-good prospectors, acclaimed artists and artisans, and retired adventurers combine to form a community open to new and challenging ideas, in part because many of them had to work for what they have made. Despite this subtle distinction, the folk of the Garden Quarter still fall firmly into the upper class, and just because they are willing to entertain the concept of respect for their social inferiors doesn't mean they necessarily subscribe to it themselves.
The district sprawls across a wide swath from wall to wall of the High Quarter, a collection of beautiful estates, placid ponds, manicured gardens, topiary displays, and private green spaces. By far the most fragrant of Greyhawk's neighborhoods, the Garden Quarter is a favored site for romantic strolls. Although visitors from south of the Nobles' Gate are tolerated, the City Watch and a host of private security teams keep a close eye on strangers.
Clerkberg
The north end of New City, east of the Processional, swarms with students from the dozens of colleges, universities, and academies that have made Greyhawk one of the foremost cities of learning on the continent, yet another improvement initiated during the reign of Zagig Yragerne. Called Clerkburg or simply The Halls, the neighborhood also houses the professors, administrators, and menials necessary to keep the schools running. The presence of scores of private libraries—as well as the Great Library of Greyhawk itself—ensures a healthy presence of scholars and sages in the neighborhood, many of them experts on the ancient cultures that once inhabited the region surrounding the Free City. The Street of Temples along the southeast corner of the district boasts edifices in honor of Celestian, Kord, Lendor, and Boccob.
Clerkburg maintains a laconic atmosphere that makes it popular with students, artisans, and laborers from other districts. Most of the quarter's small taverns and eateries have seating on the street or a veranda, resulting in a social atmosphere. Students walk and relax along the Millstream that bisects the district, which is second only to the Garden Quarter in its quantity of plant life and small parks. Some of Clerkburg's taverns erupt into violence now and again, and events at the popular Free City Arena occasionally get out of hand enough to attract City Watch patrols with truncheons to break up unruly crowds, but Clerkburg is, in the main, a sleepy community, and its streets are some of the safest in all of Greyhawk.
Businesses: Art Galleries, Bakeries, Boarding Houses, Book Binderies, Butchers, Inksellers, Launders, Leatherworkers, Locksmiths, Potters, Private Libraries, Scribeshops, Tailors, Taverns, Tiny Food Shops, Weaponsmiths, and Weavers.
Notable Clerkberg Locations:
Originally a small adjunct to Grey College, the Bardschool broke away nearly a century ago over a dispute in the curriculum. The college attempted to channel students into a specific area of expertise, whereas the Bardschool offered a much broader, more general program. As it happens, many of the Bardschool's graduates have gone on to become great bards of the harp, lute , or flute. Though small, with only 30-40 students at a time, the Bardschool features superb instructors in each of its fields. These are men and women motivated more by a desire to spread knowledge than to live well, for their skills could command high teaching fees.
The Black Dragon Inn is the largest inn in Clerkburg, offering 60 rooms for rent as well as good food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner---and all night long, for that matter. The Black Dragon Inn also has a large common sleeping room, where a traveler can rent a straw pallet, together with his supper and a pitcher of ale, for 2 sp. A good private room can be had for 5 sp, and the inn offers several comparatively luxurious suites for 1 to 2 gp. A small stable is located behind the inn, with stalls for a dozen steeds and a courtyard large enough to hold several carriages. The inn employs many young men and women, mostly students, during the full 24 hours of the day. At any one time there might be two stable hands, four cooks, three bartenders, 10 or 12 serving maids, four bouncers, and four housekeepers here.
The front of the Great Library, facing the Processional, is a grand sweep of granite walls and tall columns. Three wide stairs lead to a pair of massive front doors, suitable for a castle or fortress. The building beyond the facade is not so grand, but its true worth lies in the treasures kept within its wall. And indeed, the Great Library of Greyhawk is repository for more volumes than are gathered in one place anywhere else in the Flanaess. The library is unlocked during the hours of daylight, and all free citizens of the city as well as foreigners are welcome to enter the library and browse through its cool, musty halls. Silence is expected of all visitors, and weapons and armor are not permitted. Any visitor is welcome to peruse the volumes in the six public halls in the front of the buildings. Only those who are Contributing Members of the library board can remove these volumes, up to three at a time. Contributing Members must donate at least 100 gp annually to the library in order to maintain membership status.
The Free City Arena began as a joint effort between Grey College and Lord Mayor Zagig ( past mayor ), to be used for college assemblies and events as well as entertainment for the citizens of the city. It provided somewhat of a bust as the latter--apparently the citizens of Greyhawk had plenty of ways to entertain themselves without the grandiose spectacles hosted by Zagig. And indeed, the arena can seat but 18,000 souls, of they squeeze together, so the bulk of the city's population had to miss each event.
As a college focal point, however, the arena has been a grand success. It serves as a neutral ground for representatives of all the schools in Clerkburg, as well as self-proclaimed fraternities of students using individual tutors, to gather and face off in the endless series of games and contests these students use to amuse themselves. In addition to these contests, the arena is still used by the city for those occasions when a grand celebration is required. Many holidays are commemorated with a service here. Illusionist shows, offered once or twice a year, are extremely popular. And every few years a traveling circus comes to the Free City, remaining for two or three weeks. These festive occasions are cause for nightly crowds in Clerkburg, even though they occur over Midsummer when the colleges are not in session. Also, the men of the City Watch hold drills and mock battles here. Only twice a year are the mock battles performed before an audience, once in spring and once in autumn, but the troops often practice here during the day, or even under the light of a bright moon.
The boisterous Roc Oliphant Inn is a favorite of students, renowned for cheap drink and ample portions of tolerable food. It is busy at mealtimes, and during most evenings. Earthday evenings are the wildest, usually with music from some group of minstrels or bards. Since most colleges do not hold classes on Freeday, the carousing goes on until well past midnight.
The renowned Grey College has long produced many of the best-educated men and women in the civilized world. It has rigorous entrance requirements and offers scholarships to excellent students from distant lands or poor households.
The main buildings of the college are centered around University Street. But certain parts of the school are scattered throughout other small buildings in Clerkburg and even beyond, for the small observatory of the Astronomy School is located outside Garden Gate.
Tradition holds that the Millstream Bridge is the finest setting for romance in all the reaches of the Free City. During all hours of day and night, in weather fair and foul, one can always find a couple, or two, or occasionally three couples, engaged in quiet romantic conversation. Of course the bridge serves as a thoroughfare and carries a fairly significant amount of traffic each day. The Millstream separates Clerkburg into two parts, and the bridge is the only one in the district. Each of the mills has a dam, with a walkway across it, but this bridge is the only crossing that can carry a horse or coach across the Millstream during its entire course from Temple Row to the Processional. But travelers use the roadway, and lovers use the balconies set off the road at the highest point of the bridge. One of these balconies overlooks each side, and each has a small bench in it, large enough to hold only two. If a couple comes along, but there is already a pair on each balcony, if the time is right, the space will be there--or so go the stories.