Best of Greyhawk VI

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