Best of Greyhawk VI

Mord. However, there is a vocal population ofpractitioners living in Womtham, among them a fewdefecting sorcerers from Aerdi. These citizens havegravitated to locales of common interest and there istalk of an actual organized guild being created. Anytruth to this rumor is yet unfounded, and no guildconstitution has yet been submitted to the towngovernment.City Layout:The Gatehouses: Womtham has four manygates. These are: Layman's Gate (leads into theEveryman District) The White Gate (leading into theCommoners and Mercantile Districts) The DuntideGate (westernmost gate from the Port District) TheLastsun Gate (easternmost gate from the Port District)The Outer City: Thaxx Keep on the outskirts ofWomtham, even beyond the shanty towns, sits ThaxxKeep. It houses some small regiments of Nyrondesesoldiers, war strategists, and even a small contingent ofknights. Patrols can be seen riding out every morningto patrol the roads, plains, and waterways. In the earlyevenings, soldiers head into Womtham for a bit ofescapism. The war has been hard for most of thesepeople, and though the Treaty of Greyhawk has beensigned and sealed, the skirmishes from invaders fromthe east and south seem far from over. In truth, theWomtham post is a comfortable assignment, as it liessome distance from any of the imposed borders. Evenso, the warriors of the Citadel maintain a militantstance, quick to respond to any intrusion. The Citadelis helmed by the efforts of Captain Gregael Hoersmil.He is the commanding officer of the regiments there.Only the knightly order has rank equal to his. Theknights of Thaxx Keep are commanded by Sir CalburtRutherfal. The two commanding officers respect eachothers command, though they see very differently onmany issues. They are not so petty as not to realizethat they must work together for the good of Nyrondand King Archebold.The Port District: Built up in the gap ofshoreline along the Duntide river, the Seaport districtlies beyond the protection of the town walls. Thepopulation is made up mainly of fishermen, cargo shipcrews, and boatwrights. There is a great deal of trafficon the Duntide today, and this portion of the townprofits most from that. Womtham's port is seeinguntold growth and expansion, which keeps carpentersand laborers at work building docks, and the inn andtavern industry has likewise boomed to keep up withthe money these people are quick to spend on suchfrivolities. The buildings of the port district are mostlywooden, though a few stone founded constructions canbe found. The largest buildings here are theShipwrights and the Porters Guild Headquarters, whichare quickly becoming the most profitable companies inWomtham with the completion of the town walls.The Shanty Towns: However, though the warhas brought Womtham a rise in status and importance,it has brought the town its share of problems as well.With the fall of the Aerdi and the constant raids on theeastern fringes by humanoids from the Bone March,refugees and civilians have flocked to the protection ofits newly erected walls. There, they had hoped torebuild their lives, only to have these hopes crushedwhen Duke Boomgren closed the gates to thesenewcomers. As such, an immense sea of tents, shacks,and covered wagons have congregated around thesouthern and western gates. These shanty towns arerife with those who have lost everything, and havebecome a haven for thieves and other fringe elementsof Womtham. The nights are lighted by the greasysmoke from countless fires. With all the dangers theseshanty towns present, it is no wonder that so many stillwould prefer the dirty back alleys of the walledcommunity then their hovels, and with the constanttraffic of trade goods coming and going from thesegates, it is difficult to stem the trickle of these peoplewho make their way into the city. It is even said thatBenjamin's Hand, the local Aquisitioners Guild, hasmade a profitable business of bringing these peopleinto the town, whether by concealing them in carts orentering caravans, or by routes through the sewers,which empty out in reservoirs beyond the city walls.Duke Boomgren knows that the town economy cannotwithstand the population boom these poor soulsrepresent, and thus in an attempt to stop the trickle, hehas ordered the city watch posts to increase the shiftsand manpower at these gates to keep the newcomersout. This does little to stop Benjamin's business, andhas little effect on truly dedicated souls. In fact, it onlyenforces the hostilities between the townsfolk and theirnew neighbors, which is quickly turning Womthaminto a pressure-cooker of violence. To make mattersworse, the city guard is not sanctioned to enforce thelaw beyond the city gates. Benjamin has taken thisopportunity to heart, and his men are now the only lawthese shanty towns know. Through extortion and fear,the Aquisitioners Guild grows richer through the plightof these people. But all is not bleak. A few kindersouls have done much to ease the suffering of thenewcomers. A few makeshift churches and templeshave been constructed here and offer shelter and goodfood to the people. The lines for soup kitchens onFreeday and long and twisted. A few other merchantsfrom within the city have found it profitable to findlaborers from within the ranks of the newcomers.Since they are not citizens of Womtham, they are notsubject to Guild control. This leads to more hostilitybetween the civilians and the shanty town folk.

The Inner City: With the construction of thewalls, the inner city has become divided into fivedistinct areas.The Commoners District (Thieves' Haven):Located on the Northeastern end of Womtham, theCommoners district is made up of lower classresidentials and slums. It is wrought with street gangsand thieves, though one will not find many beggarshere. Most of the population are laborers who workeither beyond the city or sell small crafts and wares inthe Mercantile district. Many of the buildings here arein horrible shape, primarily those farthest from thegates to the innermost portions of the city. While thecity watch maintains a strong presence along the walls,they are rarely seem in the innermost parts of thisdistrict, earning it the name Thieves' Haven by most ofthe townsfolk. A problem that has begun to intensify isthe hostility between members of the AquisitionersGuild and a lowly, and yet unsanctioned, thievingcompany led by a shrewd man named Temmick.There are also the activities of the Red Cloth, alongtime street gang that has been linked with manydisappearances and violent acts, adding to the growingchaos of this place. Another problem brewing in thisdistrict are the rising population of refugees and shantytown folk, secreted in by Benjamin's people. There aredefinite hostilities and competition between them andthe citizenry which regularly leads to violence in theback alleys and dirty streets of Thieves' Haven.The Mercantile District: This is the sight ofthe majority of the business holdings of Womtham.Even in the earliest and latest hours, people from allwalks of life can be found here. Beggars and laborerswalk side by side with noble merchants and craftsmenwho work in this area. The City watch maintains agreat presence here; in these days perhaps greater thanany other part of the town. Nearly anything can bebought and sold in this district, and small stands andstreet performers litter the wider streets here. Many ofthe town's guilds maintain offices and warehouses inthis district. The temple of Zilchus is a gloriousbuilding which shines like a gold coin on the darknights in this district.The Everyman District: This district is largelycomposed of residences from the lower and middleclasses. Away from the busiest streets, this districtretains a quiet composure, though the folk do gather intaphouses in the evening to grumble about the shantytown folk and the iron hand of Duke Boomgren'smartial decree. These are not a vocal folk. They workhard for what they earn and strive to be more than theyare. The constant reminder of squalor lies just beyondthe Layman's Gate in the shanty town which has grownaround it. The city watch and militia maintain somepresence here, but most of their efforts lie along thegatehouse and battlements as they attempt to quell thetide of refugees building up against the walls. Thereare no guild offices in the Everyman District, but a fewof the lower officers of many guilds make their homeshere. There are also a few churches and temples whichare located here.The Town Proper: In this district can be foundmany of the guild headquarters and political buildingsupon which control of the city hinges. It is also thesite of some businesses. The city watch commands astrong presence here, but the militia is nearly absent.There are a few residences, but town building codesdiscourage the presence of such. Besides thegovernment buildings, the Town Proper is mostassociated with the large temples which are locatedhere. The majority of faiths worshipped in this regioncan be found here, and many compete with one anotherfor fellowship. Town codes prevent any temple orchurch from being located within two blocks ofanother, which does much to prevent any conflictsbetween faiths. Since the wars, most of the clergieskeep to themselves except on Freeday mornings, wherepriests of every color can be seen attracting theattention of potential followers. Some merchantscompare this practice to the frequent auctions held inthe Mercantile District.The High Quarter (Burghers' Way): This isthe aristocratic den of Womtham. It is home to manymiddle and upper class citizens, many of whom areguild officers, professional tradesmen, politicians, andvisiting nobility. There are a few inns here, and theyare the ritziest that Womtham has to offer. Businessesare few, and those that are here are highly specialized.This district has close ties to the Town Proper. It isclean and well patrolled by the City Watch. A few ofthe larger estates employ independent security forces,but these are the obvious minority. Most of the peopleof the High Quarter have gone to pains to isolatethemselves from the horrors of war torn Nyrond, andin the chaos of the wars, many lost their fortunes.Thus some estates are still vacant today.Important Locations:The Aquisitioners Guild (Benjamin's Hand), Location:Town Proper. The Aquisitioners Guild was founded innearly seventy-five years ago in the midst ofWomtham's infancy. It was originally conceived as afencing organization. This business proved quiteprofitable. Benjamin Ullber took the reigns of theorganization only a decade ago, and began anaggressive program of progression. Now theorganization is literally a den of thieves, though

sophisticated ones. They do not go out and pickpockets or perform petty crimes, but are ratherinvolved in larceny, blackmail, and public security.The latter aspect has found its niche in the shantytowns around the town gates. Benjamin Ullber hasbecome a very rich man, and enjoys a great amount ofloyalty from his men (something which sets theAquisitioners Guild apart from the standard thievesguild). He surrounds hims elf with his "palm," a bodyof six of his most trusted people. The rest are referredto as his hand, lending to the popular joke thatBenjamin has his fingers in everyone's' pie.Royal Mint, Location: Town Proper. This is only oneof the three royal mints of Nyrond. It is located byitself on a single city block in the town proper. Theentrance is marked with the monstrous seal of theArchebold family inset with gold. The building itselfis built of stone and marble, making it one ofWomtham's most noted buildings, next to the Duke'sown palace, of course. Shipments leave for Rel Mordin staggered intervals. Shipments are usually splitbetween water and ground shipping and are alwaysaccompanied by a contingent of armed guards.Mercenaries are never hired to guard thesetrains as the shipments are far too important to Nyrondthese days. Despite the heavy guard duty on theseshipments, they rarely go unaccousted in their journeyto Rel Mord. Now, with so people from the old banditkingdoms roaming the plains of Nyrond, travel hasbecome exceptionally hazardous. Duke Boomgren andhis cabinet support the use of decoy shipments to drawout these bandits in hopes of striking them down.Current Events, Martial Law:With the evergrowning discord surroundingthe outer shanty towns, Duke Boomgren imposedmartial law on Womtham. Curfews have beenimposed in all districts but the Mercantile, and themilitia has been called out to assist the city watch inenforcing the town codes. Most of the citizenry dislikethis control and mutter that, with the war over, theDuke has no one to battle but his own people. Mostalso blame the current state on the shanty town folk.Rats in the Sewers: There have always been wereratsin the sewers of Womtham, but these creatures havebecome increasingly bold in the months prior to thewar's end. It is said in some circles that they are beingled by a particularly vicious, red furred priest ofSquerrik who favors human sacrifice in rituals to thevile rat god. Even more speculation has arisen aboutthe relationship between Benjamin's Hand and thewererats. The Hand's use of the sewers to smugglerefugees is quite conspicuous considering the recentviciousness of its other denizens.Womtham NotesIn response to Sobhrach's questions:1) Duke Boomgren is one of the more loyal of theKing's men. He has little reason to be otherwise solong as business is good. However, he is frustratedabout the current situation which has, quite literally,popped up under his nose. Womtham doesn't have themoney or the real man power to deal with the surge ofrefugees and as much as the Duke would like, theredoesn't appear to be any aid coming from Rel Mordany time soon. So while Boomgren my be a loyalretainer, his loyalty is surely being taxed.2) There isn't an organized temple to either of thosegods. But now, with the current situations present inWomtham, one might just be erected. I would have tosay that if one was, it would have the following scores(Location: Mercantile, Size: 3, Acceptance: 6). As faras the church of Hextor goes, you have to rememberthe current climate in Nyrond. Hextor's clergy is notthe largest or most accepted in Womtham, but somefolk do frequent there to pray for the god'sappeasement. Also, there are some battle hungry folkthat pray to Hextor to bring their enemies down. Lotsof people in Nyrond have lost their lands, fortunes, andeven families over the course of the war, and there issome definite bitterness to be found among them.3) This branch of the Royal Mint has long been locatedin Womtham, most likely to take advantage of thenearby mines in the Flinty Hills. I seriously doubt theKing would have sanctioned the construction of a newmint during the wars. However, if you really want tofollow the tangent you started, consider that DukeBoomgren is part of the Archbold bloodline (not toofarfetched), say distant cousins. Boomgren's familyhas been in charge of Womtham for severalgenerations and it is not unlikely that this mint wasbuilt in Womtham as a sign of favor to the Boomgrenfamily, perhaps around 25 years ago (just a wildguess).4) The soldiers of Thaxx Keep have no connection tothe Duke other than their proximity. The higherofficers (Sir Rutherfal et al) don't wish to anger theDuke for fear that he would shut them out ofWomtham with the rest of the refugees, thus leading toserious moral problems with the soldiers (Friday nightand nothing to do....). It is very possible that either theKnight Commander on the Regiment captain couldharbor their own doubts about Archbold (however, theKnight would be less likely to act on such matters).This should be up to for the DM to decide, however.

5) Not really. Womtham is far enough away to bebeyond the concerns of Aerdi. In addition, the GreatKingdom is in such chaos now that it would bedangerous to risk communication efforts. However,were the High Priest of Zilchus's Aerdi chapter to visitWomtham, the clergy in the Mercantile district wouldwant to be the first to know.6) I know! It makes for a great alternative to thestandard dungeon crawl or the dreaded "stand-off atthe border" scenario which has cast such a darkshadow on FtA.Hope this answers your questions, Tom.Womtham ConclusionWell now that everyone is back andaccounted for, maybe we'll see some more action onthis board. Its been a bit slow with all you GenCongroupies out and about. At least QSam thought towrite us and let us know what a good time we missed.:P Oh well, maybe next year.omtham has proven a good adventure site.My players just completed an interesting jaunt in theFlinty Hills on a mission from Duke Boomgren to finda new home for the shanty town folk. They sought outthe gnome host of the Hold of Coldrock and latertraveled to the goblin infested halls of StonegrindTower. No, no goblin slaughtering for these guys -they had bigger fish to fry. The tormented assassin,Grael Allyster, serving his penance in isolation forkilling his beloved in a fit of rage after finding out thatsee and Benjamin (yes, that Benjamin) had laintogether, proved a fun not so villainous opponent. Butnow he is dead and the new community of Stonegrindis rising where he fell. Together with the humanrabble of Womtham and other neighboringcommunities, the dwarven people of that place havereturned to take it to new heights. Now the spirits ofthe old dezidens can rest and their spirits can leave themines beneath the tower.Just one more step on a long road torenaissance. Next stop: Verbobonc. Only Istus knowswhat fun we'll find there. Just thought I'd leteverybody know. :)

The town is located on a bend of the JavanRiver where the Crystal Run flows into the larger river.Outside the town is an extensive dock area, alwayscrammed with river traders. The town within isdivided into several sections, the largest of which is theCommercial Quarter on the west. Below that, andacross the Beggars Canal is the Thieves' Quarter.Redmont Canal separates the Commercial Quarterfrom the Old City, where will be found the Plaza ofJustice, the Temple of Pholtus, the Magic Quarter, andthe Mount of the Stars. Further east, across MollyCanal, is upper and lower Halfling Town. HalflingTown abuts the great Castle of the Count of Cryllor,which guards the town from the east. To the north,outside the town proper, is a slum area that is mostlyhome to vagabonds, lunatics, and diseased beggars.Next time, we'll go on a brief tour of theCommercial Quarter, touching Armory Square andArmory Row, the streets of the moneychangers, theTradeway, and Fharlanghn's Square. Then, insubsequent postings, we'll hit the Thieves' Quarter, theOld City, Halfling Town, and the outer town.Cryllor: Market SquareMountain Road Gate on the west opensdirectly onto the Grain Market. The Grain Market isheld in a roughly triangular courtyard with a number ofstreets running off of it. To the north are the towngranaries, while a large, abandoned tower known asthe Barbican looms to the south, beyond which can befound the temple of Tritherion in Armory Square,which opens the way to Smithy Lane, Gemners Row,and the famous Armory Way. Further south, followingthe path of the canal which separates the CommercialQuarter from the Thieves Quarter, is the Tradeway.Directly east of the Grain Market will befound the busy streets where the money changersconduct their businesses, located nearby the publicscales, the Barracks, and the Grand Temple of Zilchus.The streets then continue on through the heart of theFair districts and eventually over the canal into the OldTown.Market Square itself is always a bright andbusy place, filled with carts of fruit, vegetables, andgrains from local farmers. Astute reeves barter withsharp-tongued goodwives or the servants of local lordswho come to replenish supplies for their manors.Meanwhile, the wine criers work this section ofCryllor thoroughly, offering samples drawn from thevarious inns and taverns. There will also be beggarsseen crowding the gates, calling for alms but alsooccasionally selling information to those with therequisite silver to pay.The Square boasts at least three quality inns--the Black Horse, the Lion Rampant, and the Griffon'sRoost. The Lion Rampant is sometimes called theKing's Inn, since the sign displays the Keoish lion on ared field. Typically, the inns host merchants fromIstiven and Gorna, but currently the Griffon's Roost ishome to a band of mercenaries from Gran March, ledby one Qronos, looking for employment and, failingthat, trouble. They are being watched carefully by theGuard Captain Guilloches, who was apparently oncean associate of Qronos.The only other places of note in the Squareare the Barbican and the shop of Rus and Korbo theOutfitters. The Barbican, as has been noted, was oncea watchtower but is now largely a ruin, and onlyravens perch atop its crumbling walls. The folk ofCryllor avoid the place at night, as it is rumored to behaunted. The shop of Rus and Korbo is strategicallylocated so as to profit from the business of thosewishing to make a foray into the mountain regions.Maps are available, as well all sorts of supplies formountaineering, and even guides. As we leave MarketSquare on the little street leading south past theBarbican, we will come upon Armory Square.Cryllor: Armory SquareArmory Square is usually packed withmercenaries of all varieties--dwarves from the Jotensand the Crystalmists, gnomes from the Good Hills andStark Mounds, sturdy pikemen and archers fromGeoff, the taciturn knights of Sterich, and tall,mustachioed warriors from the Yeomanry.Dominating the scene is the temple ofTritherion; the dark blue and purple-clad priests of theSummoner will be found throughout this area, mixingwith the blacksmiths, armorers, and common soldiersthat are to be found in numbers here. There is sometension between the soldiers who hold Tritherion astheir patron and those who follow the ways ofKelanen. Members of the town guard have been toldto keep an eye on this area, but many of them arethemselves members of, or sympathetic to, theCoalition of the Summoner (as is His Grace, the Countof Cryllor himself).Directly across from the temple of Tritherionis the Hound and the Falcon, named after two ofTritherion's summoned beasts. Needless to say, it ispopular with the soldiers and smiths in the area.There are three streets leading off ArmorySquare; the westernmost street, which follows the lineof the outer wall, is home to the local blacksmiths, themiddle street is the famous Armory Way, which curvesalong until it intersects with the street of thegoldsmiths, and the last is Gemners Row, which windsalong for some way before it opens onto the Tradeway.The street of the Blacksmiths isunremarkable, save for a small shrine to Blereddlocated there. On Armory Way, the visitor willencounter many adventurers, knights, and soldiers who

have business with the shieldmakers, helmetmakers,swordsmiths, and armorers who pursue their craft onthis street. The most famous of the armorers is Hrolfthe Burly; Hrolf is said to have studied with thedwarves, from whom he has derived both his techniqueand his personality. He is fond of games and brew,and will often be seen drinking with 1-3 dwarves at theBlue Boar on Gemners Row, preferring that place tothe more nearby Green Griffon on Armory Way. TheGreen Griffon itself is popular with soldiers, which isthe current home of the half-elf Ikklarion, who hiresout as a guide to the mountain regions, Finn the Lucky,a bard from Geoff and sole survivor of an ill-fatedmission to one of the fallen dwarf holds in themountains, and the mercenary Claritta, a tough fighterfrom Hardby and her band of women mercenaries.Gemners Row, as noted, is the location of theBlue Boar tavern. Other places of note include theshop of Tubal the Gemner; Tubal is one of thewealthiest gemners in Cryllor, partly due to his closeassociation with the gnomes of Clan Gilgarney. Infact, his daughter Verene is now studying illusionmagic with Old X'ssi of Gilgarney, a masterfighter/illusionist and trainer of many other gnomishillusionists, including the infamous thief known asGnomenclature, who is wanted in Geoff, Sterich, theYeomanry, and Keoland, and is now believed to beliving somewhere on the Wild Coast. Gideon theMage also makes his home on Gemners Row; he is themost gregarious of Cryllor's mages, and most willingto employ a party of adventurers on some apparentlytrivial or whimsical errand which will later turn out tobe fraught with peril.Next time, we will proceed along theTradeway, and then back up to the streets of Cryllor'smoneychangers and, if time permits, Fharlanghn'sSquare.Cryllor: The TradewayWell, back to Cryllor at last. We havealready had a brief overview of the town, and a visit toArmory Square and Armory Way. Now, as weproceed on Armory Way, take a small detour ontoGoldcasters Lane, and turn left (east) onto the broadavenue that parallels the Lower Walk which followsRedmont Canal, we are on the Tradeway.As the name implies, the Tradeway is one ofthe most impressive streets of Cryllor during the Fairseason, at which time it is crowded with demi-humantraders and tinkers of all varieties. For that reason, it isalso a favorite training ground for apprentice thieves,and visiting adventurers must be wary of their purses.Some of the more celebrated inns of the Tradewayinclude the Dancing Devil, the Golden Sheaf, theJourneyman, and the Beaming Banshee. The DancingDevil is run by a burly giant of a man who goes by theun-Greyhawkian name of Halfdane and features exoticdancers and equally exotic fare. Halfdane also offersspecial customers the chance to wrestle with owlbears(he has two gigantic owlbears who guard the premisesat night) and can supposedly procure such beasts asunicorns and faerie dragons to those willing to pay theprice. All of this, of course, is strictly illegal, but sinceHalfdane is a personal friend of the guard captainGuilloches, nothing much is done about it.The Golden Sheaf caters to those halflingswho are not staying in Halfling Town; the owner, oneBirkby Glynwickham, maintains a staff of halflingcooks, servers, and stable hands. One human scullion,Jaspar, a sullen and resentful young thief, is actually amember of the Cult of Erythnul, reporting likelyprospects for robbery and murder to the brigand chiefHryk at the Crossed Daggers (in the Thieves Quarter).The Journeyman is run by Tolug Ruun, aretired adventurer from the Dreadwood region, and is afavorite among rangers, druids, and even elves fromthat area. Tolug has proclaimed every Freeday halflingnight at the Journeyman (an attempt to bring incustomers from the Golden Sheaf). Halflings and theirguests eat for free (although they must pay for theirown drinks).Finally, the Beaming Banshee is recognizableby the sign depicting a banshee with a mug of aleclasped in her hand and a bright smile on her face.The ale really is that good, thanks to the three gnomeswho brew the stuff for Torvald the Helm, theproprietor. Torvold is an ex-soldier from Sterich, andall four are accomplished thieves and bandits who firstmet in the Stark Mounds. Now they act as fences andadvisors for the rest of the group which preys on thoseusing the road between Cryllor and Flen.It is sometimes difficult for customers to getto the inns of the Tradeway without getting mobbed bythe numerous traders who crowd the street outside theinns during the Fair. There are very strict lawsprohibiting foreign merchants from thus assaultingpotential customers, but in the confusion of the Fair,these laws are often neglected. Among the otherpermanent residents are several wealthy merchants andmoney lenders. At the eastern end of the street is abridge leading across Bollo's Canal and into the lowersection of Old Town, where will be found the Keep,the Hall of Justice, and the villas of the pettyaristocrats.We won't be going over into Old Town justyet. Instead, we will head back up to the streets of themoneychangers, by way of Saddlers Row, crossing thestreet of the gemners on the way. On the way up, youwill see the most magnificent saddles displayedoutside the shops, as well as fine scabbards, belts, andpurses as well.

Cryllor: Money ChangersThese streets are often crowded withforeigners looking to trade their own currency for coinof the realm. One will find an abundance of dwarvesand gnomes, as well as humans from the states to thewest. The street is well-patrolled.Ubu is the most prominent of the localmoneychangers, a shrewd investor and a good man ofbusiness. Portly and jovial, Ubu appears slow andabsent-minded, but this is a front. There is actuallyprecious little in Cryllor or the larger realm that he hasnot heard about. It is not generally known that he is aservant of Circle of Eight, possibly of Mordenkainen.As a man of business, he is truly neutral, but he willalso act as an unseen sponsor of parties who are(wittingly or unwittingly) servants of the Balance.Another of Cryllor's wealthy moneychangersis Cobarro, a merchant formerly of Monmurg but nowin exile from his home in the Hold of the Sea Princesdue to his secret opposition to the slavers who operatethere. That story, widely known in Cryllor, is afabrication, of course. Cobarro is a spy for the Princeof Toli, one of the best. He stays in Cryllor to workagainst the Coalition of the Summoner. MostlyCobarro gathers information, but when direct action iscalled for, he generally employs the assassin Hryk,with whom he meets on *very* rare occasions at theCrossed Daggers. Normally, Cobarro frequents theGreen Griffon and the Griffon's Roost, and othertaverns favored by mercenaries, from whom he hopesto hear more about the movements of the devotees ofTrithereon.There are several inns around the area, as it iswidely known as a fairly safe place to stay. The best isthe Golden Orb, favored by the wealthiest visitingmerchants. Sometimes, the minstrel Jounie will befound here, with rumors and stories from the StarkMounds, the Oytwood, the Hornwood, and the LittleHills.Nearby these offices and inns are the guardquarters and the public scales. The mercenary captainGuilloches may be found here. Guilloches is also thelieutenant of the Fair, under the command of Cassius,and in the pocket of the Thieves Guild. Guilloches'former companion and hated rival Qronos would behappy to work with anyone to prove Guilloches'connection with the Guild (see the Griffon's Roost,detailed earlier).Finally, there is the impressive temple ofZilchus just to the south of the streets of themoneychangers. The temple is overseen by the HighPriestess Xithra and her six assistants. The blue-greenrobed priests of this deity will often be found mixingwith the important merchants of Cryllor.Next time, we will stroll up to the GrandWay, just north of these streets, and walk east in thedirection of Old Town. Before we cross Bollo's Canal,however, we will have a chance to jog northward upthe Crossway to the Square of Fharlanghn, after whichwe will head north along Canal Street and acrossBollo's Canal into the northern section of Old Town,up the Mount of Stars to pay homage to Fharlanghn'smystical brother Celestian.Until then, good journeys.

The Origin of St.Cuthbertby QSamanthaWell, well, well if it isn't that noted lurker Iquander,known for complaining about how others don't postvery often.;) Good thing for you that you knewenough to leave a trail of breadcrumbs and no littlebirds got you lost. You might have ended up inShadowdale!You asked about St. Cuthbert so here goes.The following account, in much expandedform, is contained in the Omnivall, the holy book ofthe Pholtic Church and reflects a Pholtic world view.However, this account should be given significantcredence because it is in substantial agreement with theCuoberiam, the Cuthbernian holy book.In the beginning, there was only light anddarkness, mingling without pattern. When the lightseparated from the darkness, the first deities came intobeing, Nerull, Bringer of Darkness and Pelor, theCreator. These gods were not those of the same nameswe know today, though they would become so in time.In the beginning, they were beings of such immensebut simple power that they were effectively nonsentient.In the act of defining their separateexistence's, Nerull and Pelor created the universe,drawing order from the primal chaos.Among the first deities created were thesisters Beory, the Oerth Mother, who oversaw thecreation of Oerth, and Istus, The Lady of Fate. Beorywas born of Pelor. Istus was born of Pelor and Nerull,becoming the Colorless and the AllColored to theirwhite and black. When Istus took form from Nerulland Pelor, she diminished them both and they becamethe gods we now know, attaining sentience for the firsttime, as their minds cleared, no longer overwhelmedby their own immensity.In time, Istus and Pelor the Lesser gave birthto Pholtus, Lord of Light and Law.In the early days of Oerth, when upstart manhad learned the use of fire to forge metal and workwood into wheeled conveyances, pulled by horses hehad tamed, Pholtus' avatar walked the land and taughtmen laws that they might govern themselves andmaintain the progress of their civilization. To aid himin his efforts, the Light Bearer chose from among hisfollowers those who most closely approached hisideals and raised them up as his saints. The first manraised up was named Cuthbert.Saint Cuthbert threw himself into his assignedtask with dedication and zeal. So great was theimpression that he made upon the mind of men withwhom he came in contact that many worshipped himas an intercessor with Pholtus, who was often moreinflexible than Saint Cuthbert. So long as SaintCuthbert remained an intercessor and not anindependent object of worship, Pholtus was content forhe grew in power for having saints subordinate to him.But all was not well within the Church. St.Cuthbert, try as he might, could not accept that Pholtusallowed all those of lawful alignment to worship him,even raising up lawful good, lawful neutral and lawfulevil saints. Unable to accept the creation of lawful evilsaints, St. Cuthbert rose up against his god.The Origin of St. Cuthbert 2Rallying those who worshipped Pholtusthrough him, St. Cuthbert denounced his maker and thefolly of evil. Law, St. Cuthbert preached, must serve agood end or it is better to have no law at all for evillaws use law as but an excuse to legitimate evil.Pholtus in his desire for law failed to see that he was infact championing evil.For his part, Pholtus grew furious that hewould be declared a champion of evil! He representedlaw and only law, in all its forms.Thus, was the doctrinal breach andconsequent enmity that still characterizes relationsbetween the Pholtic and Cuthbernian Churches born.When Pholtus sought to smite his waywardsaint, Rao, the God of Reason, interceded. Seeing thereason in St. Cuthbert's position that laws must begood and recognizing in St. Cuthbert a useful servantwho could act to preserve the peace, Rao raised St.Cuthbert up as an intermediate god of wisdom on a parwith Pholtus and charged him with service. Thus,Cuthbert remains a saint, though a god. Where oncehe was the first Pholtic saint, he has become the firstRaoan saint.Because of Rao's pacifism, he prefers to giveSaint Cuthbert free reign to conduct his own affairsand does not demand that Cuthbert act as anintercessor for him. The relationship between the twodeities is that of mentor and student, whereasCuthbert's relationship with Pholtus was always that ofthe master and servant.The rivalry between the Cuthbernian andPholtic Churches is easy enough to understand andmore intense feelings lay hidden just below thesurface. The rivalry is definitely not friendly.Both St. Cuthbert and Pholtus continue thepractice of raising up mortals to sainthood. Eachchurch has a substantial number of saints that areworshipped as intercessors. However, the powers ofthese saints are much less than that originally bestowedon Cuthbert by Pholtus, lest a saint rebel in the future.Only the original Pholtic saints, created at the sametime as St. Cuthbert are of a more powerful variety.

Cuthbert and the Sunderingby Chaos28Thanks for asking. Here goes... The VERYunofficial history of St. Cuthbert...It is written in the Book of Twelve Canticlesthat Cuthbert the man was made Beatus of the PholticChurch in the second decade of the Age of GreatSorrows. Cuthbert, by all accounts, was a priest ofPholtus and well-known for his avenging spirit and hislack of mercy when dealing with the unrepentant.Given his popular appeal, it seemed only fitting thatthe church should select him for Beatus, and thismotion was passed by the Council of Primates in whatis now known as the Theocracy of the Pale. Cuthbert'sicon was enshrined in towns and villages, and symbolsof his icon were carried by those who followed hisparticular brand of Pholtic faith. This was all well andgood... for a time.As is the case with all great men, however,Cuthbert was destined to suffer ignominies at thehands of petty, but powerful men. Such was the casewhen Cuthbert attacked and killed a fellow priest ofthe Pholtic Church for acquiescing to slavery, apractice which was even then falling out of favor withthe common folk. The Pholtic church had two optionsat this point: to elevate Cuthbert for his forthrightness,or to decry his insubordination and fratricidal behavior.As several of the High Primates were slave-ownersthemselves, the church chose the latter path. Cuthbertwas imprisoned for his deeds. He languished in prisonfor ten long years until he was freed by a writ from oneof the Primates who had followed his deeds andbelieved as Cuthbert did.Rather than become the right-hand man of hisliberator, as some thought he might, Cuthbert struckout for the west, fully intending to start his own Pholticorder in younger lands, where people might still besalvaged from the moral abuse of the Great Kingdom'staint. He landed in Furyondy, where he established asmall chapel which soon grew into a church, then intoa temple, then into a cathedral.The people of Furyondy were overawed bythis great orator and fiery priest, and his flock grewwith each passing year. So much so, in fact, that theCouncil of High Primates back in the Great Kingdomcould not help but take notice. Action was obviouslycalled for, and the church could not exactly mount awar just because a breakaway priest was becomingpopular in a foreign land. There were many thingsproposed, and what came out in the inner chambers,more than a decision regarding Beatus Cuthbert, was agrowing recognition of the gulf which separated theorders of the Pholtic Church. As the negotiations anddebates reached fever pitch, something terribleoccurred. One of the Pholtic priests was found slain inthe cloisters, a medallion of Beatus Cuthbert stilldangling from his strangled neck.The inner chambers of the Council of HighPrimates became a veritable war zone. Personalguards of one priest clashed with those of another,blood was spilled, and threats were made on families,congregations, and lands. Chaos ensued for severalnights. This became known as the "Schism ofHumours" in Pholtic parlance, the time when(according to Pholtic doctrine) Pholtus chose to revealto his priests the many faces of law. The scene in theinner chambers was not pretty, and some doubt thatPholtus the god had anything to do with whattranspired.The outcome was that the newly mintedWhite Priests of Pholtus immediately retired to theirfortresses and sanctuaries and declared themselves thecenter of the church. Shortly thereafter, the so-calledBlack Priests did the same, adding theexcommunication of the White Order to their agenda.All the while, Cuthbert's congregation grew, withbarely a glance east toward the Great Kingdom.Cuthbert and the Sundering 2After some time, a bull arrived in Furyondyfrom the headquarters of the White Order, informingBeatus Cuthbert that he had been elevated to livingsainthood for his courage and forthright upholding oflaw in the holy name of Pholtus. He was required togather his temple guard and make his way immediatelyto the fortress in what is now known as the Theocracyof the Pale.Cuthbert was enraged. He tore the bull to bitsand flung the pieces into the fire (but not before itscontents had been read by no less than a dozenawestruck temple staff). Consulting with sages andwizards, Cuthbert set out from his temple, leaving it inthe capable hands of his staff. What filtered back tothe temple concerning Cuthbert's mysterious missionwas that he had learned that he could become a god inhis own right, through personal effort.It should be noted that Cuthbert was never aman of religion, exactly. He was a faithful man, butoften out of his depth in council chambers and secretsessions. He was, it is said, easily confused by theguile of more powerful priests, and for this reason, hechose to avoid the politics of the church as much aspossible. This bull requiring him, in essence, to act asthe mascot of a political cause, however ecclesiasticaland righteous, was a tremendous slap in the face.Cuthbert vanished for many years, seeminglydisappearing from the face of Oerth.In his absence, his church grew terrifically inpower. Several prominent nobles and even royals

declared their faith in the newly minted Saint Cuthbert,and money flowed like water into the church coffers.The temple became a cathedral, which became thekernel of the great basilica it is today.It is not known for certain what happened tothe saint in his travels, although apocryphal stories tellof mighty battles, trips into the Hells themselves, anddeeds so subtle and good that they were hardlyremarked on for years. What IS known is thatCuthbert eventually returned to his temple, now a busycathedral. And he did not come meekly.The temple records, if they are to be trusted,tell of the expense of repairs necessitated by the Saint'sreappearance. He tore down the symbols, destroyedthe holy services, and flung the contents of the offeringbox out into the gutters. Priests were driven out of thetemple along with the faithful, and Cuthbert sat in hisruined temple and brooded for days. No one would gonear him. The people began to speak in hushedwhispers about the nimbus of light which surroundedhim.Then, one day, a golden light seemed to pourout of the temple, and the faithful cautiouslyapproached the welcoming sight, albeit with a touch ofterror. There were screams and gasps as the templedoors exploded outward, ripped off their hinges byCuthbert himself, who stood in the archway. Hisnimbus outshone the noonday sun."I am Saint Cuthbert," he said, and his voicecarried the length of the city, reaching into homes,taverns, and even the prisons. "I am your god. Allwho would approach me, enter my church, for it is thefirst of many. I ask only that you mend yourwickedness, pursue it as you would a terrible foe, withforthrightness and valor." And with this, he vanished.It has since been speculated that Cuthbertfound a source of godhood in his travels. Thechurches of Obad-Hai and Rao attribute his ascensionto their gods' intercession. Even the followers ofcertain sects of Heironeous claim that it was their godwho elevated the Saint to godhood. But the real truthremains the greatest mystery of the church.

The City of Hardby.....againby QSamanthaI know we've been down this road before butI want to revisit Hardby. I mean no offense to Aria'sgreat job on Hardby but I wanted to get rid of the Suelfor my own purposes and bring on the Temple ofJoramy. What follows should be read in light of myJoramy post. I also wanted to work Hardby in closerto Greyhawk, particularly my version of Greyhawkpost-FtA. To an extent my Dyvers is a guild/magecity. This version of Hardby is a cleric/warrior city.For me, this gives a nice contrast. Tell me what youthink.Early History of HardbyHardby was founded by a 21st Level priestessof Joramy, during the period of the Suel Migrations.However, it was not founded as a town or a Templebut as a Sanctum. Beneath the site on which the townof Hardby would grow are a series of geothermalcaverns. It was in these caverns that Drusila foundedher Sanctum to Joramy.The Sanctum grew at a steady pace, attractingother priestesses of Joramy, but the rise of Dyvers andGreyhawk to the north troubled Drusila. She fearedthe eventual loss or desecration of the Sanctum by themore numerous followers of the gods worshipped bythe men of the north. Thus it was that Drusila gave herpermission to Italane, a 16th Level Priestess of Joramyto founded both a town and a temple in on the site.The Temple was built directly over the only knownentrance to the cave systems.A small village grew up quickly to supportthe Temple. Because of the rich fishing grounds in thenearby waters of Wooly Bay, the village became atown in no time. The advantageous position of thisnew town of Hardby at the mouth of the Selitan Riverensured continuing growth linked to merchant trafficgoing to and from Greyhawk. It also ensured that theburghers of Greyhawk would look upon Hardby as aparasitic rival, suitable for annexation.Early on, Hardby offered a special attractionfor women. The priestesses of Joramy used theirinfluence to insure that Hardby's civic charter not onlyguaranteed women equal rights with men but providedfor a hereditary female ruler, known as the Despotrix,and an all female Council and Militia. Drawn by theopportunities Hardby offered, fighting women, femalemages and rogues flocked to the city. When femaleclerics hesitated to build temples in Hardby, fearingthe power of the Temple of Joramy, the civic charterwas amended to include a provision guaranteeingreligious freedom for all citizens. With this addition,Hardby became one of the most open cities in theFlaneass.The Greyhawk ConflictsAs Hardby continued to grow, so didGreyhawk's rivalry with Dyvers and the desire of thecity fathers to annex Hardby. The Despotrix'alternatingly agreed to political marriages, that unitedthe two city states in name only, and met theGreyhawkers in combat. The Legion of Hardby grewseasoned repelling Greyhawk's forces but it wasultimately to be a losing fight. Greyhawks resourceswere simply too much for Hardby to match. Worndown in a series of small wars, Hardby fell toGreyhawk.But the wars did not end. The Legion wentunderground within the city, allying with the all femalethieves guild to harass Hardby's conquerors. TheDespotrix was spirited away to the Abor-Alz, wherethe remaining cohorts of the Legion established aseries of well hidden camps from which they struck atGreyhawk's troops. The drain on Greyhawk's treasurybegan to tell. Negotiations were begun. In the end, itwas agreed that Hardby would enjoy palatinate status.The Despotrix would agree to lay down her arms andresume her throne. The Legion would be maintainedas Hardby's constabulary and the civic charter wouldbe restored. Though Hardby would be forced to paytribute to Greyhawk, it would otherwise be left to itsown devices.With the coming of the Greyhawk Wars, theburghers of Greyhawk began to place increasingdemands on Hardby. When the Despotrix hesitated inobeying their commands, the burghers once again senttroops south. Backed by the power of the Circle ofEight, Hardby was occupied without incident. TheDespotrix was placed under house arrest and theLegion scattered. Though the Legion regrouped in theAbor-Alz, with the Despotrix held hostage there wasbut little they dared do. As a final insult, the civiccharter was revoked and women were denied equalrights.The Temple of JoramyContent through the years to run their Templeand commune with Joramy in their undergroundSanctum, the priestesses could hardly ignore therevocation of the civic charter. Hardby had been builtby women, though not exclusively for women. Thesewomen formed the laity of the Temple and now soughtits aid. The priestesses determined to act, lest Drusila'sfears come to pass.Communing with their goddess deep withinthe Sanctum, the priestesses received Joramy'spermission to help. The tunnels running beneath theTemple became a sanctuary for rebels fighting the

oppressors from Greyhawk. Coordinating with thethieves guild, the guilds' and the Temple's undergroundnetwork of tunnels were expanded and connected,though the Sanctum remained isolated and inviolate.This allowed the rebels to conduct hit and run raids,then seemingly vanish.Among the more warlike priestesses a neworder was formed. The Knights of Joramy dedicatedthemselves to the preservation of Hardby as Joramy'scity. This marked a major change in the faith'straditional isolationist policies and was not withoutcontroversy that lasts to the present. Operating insecret, the Knights coordinated their attacks onGreyhawk's militia with the surviving Legionaries inthe Abor-Alz, turning up the pressure.Jallarzi SallavarianThe only female member of the Circle ofEight did not become a member easily. Mordenkainenopposed her membership in part because she was awomen. In the end, he would only accept her as aprobationary member. Only Tenser, Otiluke and Raryfully supported her membership. Then came theGreyhawk Wars.Tenser and Otiluke died. Rary fled to theBright Desert with Robilar. Jallarzi Sallavarian wasleft without allies in the Circle. Despite thecircumstances, Mordenkainen still refused heradmittance into the most secret deliberations of theCircle. When the Circle acted to secure Hardby forGreyhawk, in part as a bulwark against Rary, Jallarzihad enough.Seeking out the beleaguered forces loyal tothe Despotrix, Jallarzi offered them her assistance inreturn for sanctuary. Hardby had never had a greatpopulation of mages and Jallarzi's offer was acceptedwith enthusiasm. The tide began to turn againstGreyhawk. Jallarzi's magical might coupled with thelightning raids of the thieves guild and the militarymight of the Knights of Joramy and the regroupedLegion soon drove Greyhawk's occupying forces fromthe city.Aghast at what he regarded as still moretreachery, Mordenkainen rallied the remainingmembers of the Circle against Hardby. Alone Jallarzicould hardly hope to defeat Mordenkainen, let alonethe Circle. As the magical assault broke, aid camefrom an unexpected quarter. Rary fortified Jallarzi'sdefenses. So unexpected was his appearance andferocious his attack that the Circle was stalemated.Afterwards, Jallarzi and Rary spoke privately. Whatwas said is unknown but the mere prospect of analliance has made Mordenkainen much more cautious.Hardby TodayHardby is enjoying its freedom and the peaceand prosperity the Greyhawk Renaissance has brought.The Despotrix once again rules and the civic charter isrestored. The Knights of Joramy now openly augmentthe Legion in Hardby's defense, conspicuous in theirorange surcoats and golden tabards. The thieves guildhas been granted unprecedented leeway when dealingwith foreigners in gratitude for its service andcontinues to function as an adjunct to the Despotrix'sgovernment, operating as an intelligence service. WithJallarzi's presence as the Despotrix' court wizard,Hardby's magical defenses have never been stronger.Greyhawk, however, remains a threat. Thatcity opposed Hardby's admission into the GreyhawkLeague, though the Despotrix eventually chose toforego membership in any event. At present there islittle Greyhawk's burghers can do but glower butbehind the scenes they still plot Hardby's annexation.The Abor-Alz also remains troubling. TheDespotrix has claimed some of this mineral richterritory and has sent Legionaries to back up thatclaim. The Hillman, however, are universally hostile.Some believe that Rary and Jallarzi have agreed todeal with the Hillman together for those stubborntribesmen suffer Rary's forces no more easily than theDespotrix'.The Legion of HardbyThe Legion of Hardby is the all femalefighting force that is the backbone of Hardby's army.The Legion is a standing, professional force,augmented in time of troubles by the Militia. TheMilitia is open to both men and women on equal termsand drills regularly. Along with the Knights ofJoramy, these three forces comprise Hardby's militaryforce.Subdivided into Centuries, each led by aCenturion, the Legion is armed with spears andshields. Each Legionnaire also carries a long swordand hand ax. Most Legionaries are specialized in theuse of the spear and receive a -1 AC bonus on top ofthe normal shield bonus when fighting spear andshield. Some Legionaries acquire the running andendurance proficiencies and act as either messengersor scouts. Those also acquiring survival and trackingproficiencies as well as specialization in the longsword act as special troops sent to operate behindenemy lines. They often work independently or asguards for agents of the Despotic Order.The Despotic OrderThe Despotic Order is composed of thosethieves guild members who continue to work for theDespotrix as spies. Open only to women, the membersof the Order are trained poisoners. They are alsoskilled in various arts so that they may insinuate

themselves into others confidence more easily. Skilledin hand to hand combat, members of the Order gain +2to hit and damage when punching or wrestling.Specialization in the dagger is standard.The Knights of JoramyThe Knights of Joramy are the fighting arm ofthe Temple of Joramy in Hardby and serve as anadjunct to that city's armed forces. A distinct departurefrom the faith's typically isolationist tendencies, theKnights are looked upon with suspicion, though nothostility, by other clerics. For their part, the Knightstry to prove themselves no less clerics for their martialprowess.All Knights of Joramy are also clerics ofJoramy. Distinctive in orange surcoats with goldtabards, the Knights are divided into two branches,cavalry and foot. Cavalry Knights will possess theproficiency horsemanship and specialize in thelance.Knights of the Foot will have the running proficiencyand specialize in the longsword. It is not uncommonfor bothtypes of Knights to operate together. The footsability to quickly follow up a mounted charge makesfor a devastatingcombination.***** End of Best of Greyhawk #6 *****