Player's Guide to Rel Mord

Forum for Urk's Greyhawk campaign
Locked
User avatar
Urk
Moderator
Posts:37
Player's Guide to Rel Mord

Post by Urk » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:23 am

Province: Justcrown
Ruler: King Lynwerd
Resources: Trade
Population: 50,500

Rel Mord is an old city, and is one of the greatest in the entire Flanaess. It was originally brought into the limelight during the Great Kingdom when it was the seat of the Viceroyalty of Nyrond, starting a century after the first Common Year. From Rel Mord the Viceroyalty of Nyrond spanned a region encompassing the modern areas of the Pale, Tenh, parts of the Bandit Kingdoms and the Dutchy and County of Urnst.

By the time Nyrond proclaimed independance from the Great Kingdom in 356CY it had spread haphazardly across both banks of the river. A capitol city project was begun to improve Rel Mord. However, the western city was finding the ground to be less stable than the eastern bedrock. It was decided to extend a curtain wall around the eastern city, connecting the fortlets into a unified military structure. The bridge connecting the western fortress and the eastern structures was also built at this time, and later came to be known as the Highbridge[4]. These structures have remained largely unchanged, until after Chathold fell in Almor. The military was concerned about a similar fate for Rel Mord, and a six year project was begun, with the joint efforts of the Arcane and Divine Legions as well as assistance from the University and the Wizards Guild, to magically enhance the strength of the curtain walls, protecting as well as hardening. What enchantments were actually laid has not been released.

The city of Rel Mord is ruled by King Lynwerd, but many of the day-to-day functions are handled by the Royal Seneschal Dihconwy Mthar.

Rel Mord enjoys a fairly metropolitan atmosphere. While the years before and immediately after Lynwerd took crown were tough on the entire nation, Rel Mord has managed to revive itself and prosper. The western city is the only area where open begging is allowed, but this hasn't kept the beggar's guild at bay very effectively.



The Royal University of Rel Mord is one of the largest intellectual establishments known on Oerth, and has come to influence much of the attitudes in Rel Mord. Many noble and well-to-do families across the Flanaess send their children to Rel Mord for schooling. This has caused an influx of dilettante behavior. Not only known for scholastic and artistic pursuits Rel Mord is fast becoming known for its culinary innovations. Restaurants and eateries are a common past-time of the idle rich who inhabit the city.



Places of Note
The City Gates:


The main gate to the city faces east towards the Old East Road. Here you see a pair of archers looking down into the entry courtyard. The building is the Guard Tower, the central post of the Sentinels (the city's militia). The Drunken Dryad is a fine inn with moderately priced rooms, but it's proximity to the gate makes finding a room there quite difficult.


The Old Village Square

While the council of lords have formally renamed this district the City Square the local residents of Rel Mord still refer to it by it's centuries old designation. If you have gold in your pockets the Old Village Square is the place to spend it. Merchants and artisans of every kind can be found here.

The public square is also located here. Although public gatherings are no longer forbidden by the crown under King Lynwerd, the people still remember the days of his father when any attempt by the people to control their own destinies in a public forum was treated as treason. Gatherings here are exceedingly rare except during festivals.

There are two inns of note in the market district. The Prince and the Pauper Inn is one of the finest lodging establishments in all of Faerun. The other, the Men O' Steel inn on the east side of the market gardens, is given a wide berth by the common folk of Rel Mord. While it is an inn according to the proprietor, those who enter it seeking lodging are more often than not removed manually by the inns burley patrons. The clientele of the Men O' Steel are fighters, and only fighters would seem to be welcome there.


The Temple District

The heart of the city, as least as far as the common folk are concerned, is the Temple District. The Hall of Judges is here, as are the Temples of three of Rel Mord's most important Deities.

The temple with the largest congregation is without doubt the Temple to Boccob. The Uncaring One commands a huge following in the city.

The most powerful clergy in the city belongs to the Temple of Pelor. It is said that this temple has no less than three high priests dispensing comfort to it's follower's. While there are fewer devotees to Pelor, the congregation tends to be of a higher stature than the followers of Boccob, and the Cathedral is actually much wealthier than the Temple of the Uncaring One.

Another temple of note in this district is the Order of Rao. This is the most powerful Paladin order in Rel Mord, and while they do not have a high priest of their own they have excellent relations with most of Rel Mord's most powerful temples (except, of course, Boccob's). The Order of Rao is actively involved with the justice system in Rel Mord. In fact, devotees of Rao who are accused of crimes are often held imprisoned here awaiting trial and sometimes even after their secular sentences have been satisfied.


Rel Mord Royal University

Rel Mord has perhaps the finest University in all of Faerun. The curriculum is long and difficult, but as a place of learning it is unrivaled and many of the worlds best sages are gathered in this small district.

The most famous building in this district is the Royal Library. Here anyone may read and study from one of the finest collections of texts in Rel Mord, although only those who have attended university for a few years can generally find what they're looking for.

There are 4 colleges: Theology, Law, Magic, and Anatomy. This is the standard throughout Faerun, but here the university setting is truly unique. For one thing, each college is situated in a seperate building in a single district. Traditionally "universities" are not places like they are in Rel Mord. They are conducted in meeting places scattered all over the city.

The most important, and most difficult, is the College of Theology.

The college of Law is the training ground for Nyrond's finest bureaucrats.

The college of Magic is of course, poorly attended. Only the finest minds can hope to master the Arcane, and the curriculum requires more than intelligence. Commitment and dedication are perhaps more important attributes.

The college of Anatomy is small, and there is little if no prestige in it's attendance. Healing is the realm of faith. Still the deans see value in the program and continue to provide space and funding to the anatomists.


The Docks

The Docks are a rough district, not to be explored by the casual traveler. There is an Inn, the Rudder Rat, but it's a sailor's tavern. Landlubbers often find themselves engaged in fisticuffs with ruffians when they try to waylay there for a hot meal and an ale. As the food is bad and the ale is watered Rel Mord's citizenry gives the Rudder Rat a wide berth, content to leave it to the transient sailors that frequent the district.

There is very little commerce here beyond the trafic into and out of the river-side warehouses.

The most notorious neighborhood in Rel Mord is in this district. The citizens of Rel Mord know to stay away from Old South Street.


The Slum District

Another district shunned by the gentler folk of Rel Mord is the Slum District. A small city onto itself the slums are home to a very large percentage of the population. There are a number of shops and even an open air marketplace here.

The local Inn is called the Rusty Scuffer and is a surprisingly nice establishment considering it's location. The food is good, the ale is dark and strong, and the barmaid is pretty.


The Haunted District

Hundreds of years ago this district burned to the ground killing many of it's residents. The district was rebuilt, but soon frightening stories began to circulate of ghost and phantoms prowling the houses at night. Eventually it became impossible to get anyone to buy the property, and the crown closed it.

Officially the district is abandoned. Unofficially lights can be seen burning at night, and smoke still swirls off of the rooftops. The haunted district has a few hundred residents, mostly the city's disenfranchised children. It is also said that there is a powerful wizard living there who is known to feed and care for these street urchins.



Justcrown Province
The Justcrown Province is the only region of Nyrond ruled directly by the Royal Family, and as such it also has a unique political situation. The Nyrondese Kings, fearing challenges to the crown's authority, have long discouraged and set laws on the books disallowing large settlements and cities near the capital. Because of this, Rel Mord is the only city in the Justcrown province, and no other large settlement is allowed. Instead, what has been created is a broad network of Thorps spread across the province's rolling hills, governed by a broad network of lesser nobles and knights who report directly to Rel Mord.

The Thorps are not allowed to grow beyond a certain size, which has created a unique degree of broad communities. This has also cultivated much traffic, giving rise to many small overnight travellers shacks and periodic Inns on the more frequented roads. At the heart of Justcrown is the fortress-like walled city of Rel Mord, capital of all Nyrond and a renouned center of learning and culture.

In the years following the Greyhawk Wars, as more and more citizens of Nyrond faced a bleak future of poverty and disease while King Archbold dined on plates of platinum, the term "As true as Justcrown" entered common parlance. In earlier times, however, Nyrond's central province carried with it a certain pride; Justcrown was the center of a great and good empire ruled by kings endorsed by the will of the gods.

Lynwerd tries desperately to regain this reputation, and in truth has done much to heal the wounds caused by his father. The people of Justcrown, while they grumble as much as elsewhere, know that, in Lynwerd, their lives will be better than before.


Nyrond
The Kingdom of Nyrond covers a large swath of land east of the Nyr Dyv. Most of Nyrond's population is made up by rural and farming communties (only 7% of its large population lives in any major city). Because of this it has often been a strong force to deal with both economically and militarily. Nyrond did suffer during the Greyhawk Wars, but was still standing at the end of the day. The Nyrond people are strong willed and willing to fight to protect their lands and well-being. Military duty is a requirement to become a full citizen of Nyrond.

Many roadways fell into disrepair under the earlier rule of King Archbold; and most are still in this condition, making travel difficult. The population of Nyrond has changed since before the Greyhawk war. The refugees from Ahlissa, Almor and other war torn countries now make up a significant minority. There also seems to be a greater number of women than men as the war also left vast numbers of widows and orphans.


The Flanaess

Very few people know much about the world outside their own kingdom. The common man's knowledge of international affairs is seen primarily through a the lense of recent series of conflicts known collectively as the Greyhawk Wars.

The Wars were triggered by the hated Iuz. Iuz is the demon King of an empire to the west of Nyrond. It began as a clever series of intrigues whereby Iuz tricked the Barbarians of the North into attacking it's neighbors. The conflict slowly escalated until all of the Flanaess was engulfed in war. The Empire of Iuz struck north seizing huge tracts of land while the barbarians moved south completely anhialating the nation of Tenh.

While the war raged to the west another threat awoke to the east. Ivid the Undying, the undead emporer of the decaying and evil Great Kingdom that once ruled Nyrond, struck with all his might in an attempt to retake his former province. Nyrond was staggered, but managed to hold off Iuz's combined army of men, orcs, skelatons, and zombies.

In addition, a new player appeared. A secret society of Assassins and Spies called the Scarlet Brotherhood began trying to influence world affairs with a highly successful campaign of assassination and blackmail.

The wars finally ended with the signing of a series of treaties in the free city of Greyhawk in 584. Iuz settle in to consolidate his new Empire, as did the Scarlet Brotherhood which managed to sieze control of many coastal and island areas in and around the Aerdi sea.

The Great Kingdom crumbled. Ivid's empire split into Aerdy to the north and Ahlissa to the south leaving him alone to rule the crumbling remains of his capitol.

That was 7 years ago...

Graphical Version
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7770 ... webuj4.jpg

User avatar
Urk
Moderator
Posts:37

Deities of Rel Mord

Post by Urk » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:24 am

We use Greyhawk deities. There is some crossover with FR, but not much.

Here's a good overview of deities/alignmnets:
http://www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/w ... ities.html

For detailed descriptions of individual deities use the Wikipedia index page here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Greyhawk_deities

(You'll have to copy and paste this URL. The forum is breaking it)

The predominant powers of your home city of Rel Mord are Pelor, Rao, Boccob, and Heironeous all though almost all the Suel, Flan, and Oeridian deities are at least represented by a shrine somewhere in the city.

The open worship of many gods (including all the evil ones) is illegal in Rel Mord. This does not mean that these religions do not exist, but they exist only in secret.

Locked