Free City of Greyhawk
About a month after his first session, Gygax created the nearby city of Greyhawk, where the players' characters could sell their treasure and find a place to rest.
Rival guilds compete for power and influence, and dark conspiracies fester beneath the streets, while less-weighty adventures may arise from the lighter aspects of civilized personal and commercial rivalries.
[8]: 355 In 1985, just before Gary Gygax was forced out of TSR, he wrote the first two Gord the Rogue novels, which provide many interesting details of the city of Greyhawk and its seamy underworld.
Neither of these locales had much in common with the original locations created by Gygax and Kuntz almost 20 years prior, showing how Greyhawk continued to metamorphize and change — though James M. Ward and some of players of those early games did try to get the feel right.
The Campaign Book from the 1992 boxed set From the Ashes, focuses on the areas in and around the Free City of Greyhawk, which game designer Rick Swan described as "a virtuoso performance, with a flawless mix of exposition, atmosphere, and detail [...] painting a bleak picture of a struggling populace.
Refugees crowd the poorer districts, trade continues to decline, and Iuz, the fiendish ruler of a vast territory in the north central Flanaess, remains a constant threat.
"[8]: 330–331 The following represents a summary of information taken from the various published sources mentioned above that a player would be able to use: Greyhawk, named for the small grey hawks which populate the region, was originally a trading outpost on the Selintan River specializing in local wood and woven garments.
The nuptials formalized a political alliance that served as the basis for rule over the Lanstadt of Selintan, an area that eventually became known as the Domain of Greyhawk.
By the 3rd century CY, the Great Kingdom's influence over the city began to wane as the Overkings fell into evil ways and their hold on distant provinces became increasingly tenuous.
He instituted legal reform, developed a new currency, fortified the walls, founded the city's first university and embarked on a major building program.
[10] Although Zagig—later known as Zagyg—became increasingly erratic over time, his rule is generally considered to be the most effective in the Free City's history and brought widespread prosperity to the region.
In 498 CY, after decades of Zagig's absence, the Lanstadt was therefore abolished, the title of Lansgraf permanently retired, and the Free City's Directing Oligarchy assumed political authority.
The new Lord Mayor Paerinn officially proclaimed Greyhawk a free city, though it had been effectively independent of the Great Kingdom's rule for over a century.
However, since it was largely fear of Turrosh Mak's humanoid raiders from the Pomarj that prompted this move, a situation that has been resolved to some extent, the Despotrix and the Wild Coast cities are once again agitating for increased independence.
Greyhawk's finances are in the best shape they have been since Zagig's departure, but the city faces significant challenges arising from political instability and increasing criminal activity.
The Free City of Greyhawk hosts temples and shrines to many deities, including Beory, Boccob, Celestian, Corellon Larethian, Ehlonna, Fharlanghn, Garl Glittergold, Heironeous, Istus, Kord, Kurell, Lirr, Moradin, Norebo, Obad-Hai, Olidammara, Osprem, Pelor, Pholtus, Procan, Ralishaz, Rao, Saint Cuthbert, Trithereon, Ulaa, Wee Jas, Xerbo, Yondalla, and Zilchus.
Notable settlements include: Greyhawk's Directing Oligarchy elects one of its own to as Lord Mayor, who serves as the head of state in addition to his directorial duties.
One of these eight is chosen to serve as Chief judge of Greyhawk, a position currently held by Sir Anton Palmirian who also sits on the Directing Oligarchy and oversees the Guild of Lawyers and Scribes.
The city's coat of arms is blazoned thus: Sable, a castle triple-towered argent, in chief two chains each of four links chevronwise of the second, in base six bezants.
The Free City of Greyhawk controls most of the Cairn Hills, which provide the domain with great mineral wealth, such as iron, gems, and silver.
The Domain of Greyhawk's standard coinage consists of the platinum plate (pp), gold orb (gp), electrum lucky (ep), silver noble (sp), and copper common (cp).
It has coaching inns in Greyhawk City, Hardby, Diamond Lake, Blackstone, Elmshire, Steaming Springs, Narwell, Safeton, and Dyvers, among other locations.
