Free City of Dyvers
Introduction
Dyvers, situated at the mouth of the Velverdyva River, commands the western approach to the Nyr Dyv. Long a possession of Furyondy, Dyvers won her independence from that nation without incident and remains on deliberately good terms with her former liege. Above all, this is a city of tradesmen and women. Good relations with trading partners is essential.Dyvers, nicknamed the Western Gate, is just that. Goods travelling to or from Veluna and points west must pass through Dyvers. Even Furyondy, which controls the great naval base at Willip, sends it goods to market through Dyvers down the Att River, which joins the Velverdyva north of Verbobonc. Through the Viscounty of Verbobonc, goods from the gnomes of the Kron Hills, the dwarves of the Lortmil Mountains and even the elves of Celene make their way to Dyvers.
Though Greyhawk is a near rival, it is farther away, beyond the Midbay and leagues down the Selintan, than might be supposed. As Dyvers is the Western Gate, Greyhawk is the Eastern Gate, and Hardby the Southern Gate. But Hardby is too far away to raise many concerns in Dyvers. It is Greyhawk alone that draws the ire of the good folk of the Free City, for Greyhawk's expansionist trade policies are eternally at odds with Dyvers' own plans for hegemony of east/west trade. Each city would usurp the other's position and their trade wars know no peace nor even truce. The Dyverse are a unique people. The city was originally a Flan trading post and fishing village, taking advantage of both the Nyr Dyv and the Velverdyva. With the Oeridian migrations, the village was conquered and a town begun. A later migration of Bakluni also brought settlers to Dyvers, first as little more than cheap labor but eventually offering their own unique contribution to the growing metropolis. The citizenry is a mixture of these peoples. In physical appearance, the Dyverse closely resemble the Flan. They, tend to be somewhat stocky, with a rugged hardiness and a fatalistic bent. However, there are few more energetic people than the Dyverse. The Oeridian wanderlust is transformed in Dyvers into an almost manic preoccupation with hard work and civic pride. The stone walls of Dyvers, its cobbled streets and immense central Keep were not raised by magic but by the sweat of the brow of countless citizens determined to provide for themselves and their city. Much of the labor was freely given. With such a willingness to see a job through to the end, it is not surprising that the Dyverse take pride in their city and enjoy their time off. For all their sturdy determination, the citizenry is exotically flamboyant in a stolid sort of way. Civic display is everywhere, as the people of Dyvers enjoy decorating their city with sculpture, friezes and murals. This impulse is most evident during Dyvers' numerous civic holidays, when great pageants and fairs are held. Even celebrating life in their city, a good Dyverse will not pass up the opportunity to turn a profit.
Foreign Relations
The Oligarchs of Greyhawk have nothing against stopping piracy, or starting it so long as their ships go unmolested, but they look upon the Dyverse Naval Marine with nothing less than horror. The Greyhawkers see the Naval Marine as a potential first strike weapon that could pose severe strategic problems in any war with Dyvers. As trade rivals, relations between the two cities have never been good, even in the best of times. However, the specter of an arms race now looms. Beyond Greyhawk, Dyvers is on good terms with most states. Dyvers maintains trade missions in both of the Urnst states and Hardby, promoting trade and anti-Greyhawk sentiment. Full embassies exist in Furyondy, Veluna and Verbobonc. Dyvers' only real foreign relations problem, other than the rivalry with Greyhawk, is with the elves of the Gnarley Forest. Dyvers builds ships and needs wood to do so. The Gnarley is close at hand and has excellent timber. Indiscriminate logging by the Dyverse, however, has angered the elves of the Gnarley as well as the Gnarly Men, who would have this trade for themselves. Though open conflict has yet to break out, skirmishes are common and tensions continue to mount.Demographics
Religion
In Dyvers, money talks. Religion is seen as good business. The city taxes every faith but promotes itself as the best place to establish a temple because of all of the visitors trade brings through the city. Most faiths reluctantly agree. Dyvers is unique in that all faiths are free to establish temples so long as they do not otherwise violate the civil or mercantile law.The city fathers also see the profit in making Dyvers a pilgrimage site. To this end, they have hired adventurers to recover holy relics for the various faiths. These relics are then freely donated to the appropriate faith with the proviso that the relic cannot leave the city. This is yet another reason some faiths choose to locate here. All temples are confined to the religious ward. Businesses that cater to pilgrims or the needs of the temples locate here as a matter of course. Thus, it is possible to enter a tavern in this ward and find priests of Pholtus and St. Cuthbert sharing a table and arguing philosophy, or a follower of Nerull working out an agreement with a priest of Heironeous to sell some unused supplies. The Tricentury maintains heightened patrols just in case. The people of Dyvers are themselves joyously polytheistic. Patronizing more than one temple is common and religious intolerance is not only unheard of but illegal as an infringement of religious business activity. As a consequence, the temples put on festival after festival, hoping to secure sole possession of their parishioners' devotion, usually to not much affect but a good profit. The Dyverse also worship a number of minor nature gods, saints and local heroes. These are generally lumped together as the Civic Gods. There is a Civic Temple, but many of the prominent Civic Gods also have individual temples.
The Civic Temple is the only temple not located in the religious quarter. Instead, it is located on the central square surrounding the Keep, along with the Grand Guildhall. It is a jumble of small shrines and altars, choked in the smoke of countless votive candles left by the faithful. This confusion makes it a common site for clandestine rendezvous. The two most prominent faiths in Dyvers are the worship of the Oeridian gods Zilchus, God of Trade, and Procan, God of the Sea. The reason for their worship is obvious. Their temples have a quasi-official status that other faiths envy. Still, neither temple is an official religion, they merely perform ritual blessings at important civic functions.
Government
Dyvers is governed by an elected Mayor, also known as
The Magister. In point of fact, the twelve founding families
of Oeridian extraction form an oligarchy that truly governs
the city through control of the Dyverse and Sundry Senate.
The Senate proposes and passes legislation, while the
Mayor governs. Every ward of the city elects a Senator, as
does every guild. However, the so-called Sundries, villages
within some 20 miles of the city proper, are also allowed to
elect at large, or Sundry, Senators, as if they were city
wards. Senators are easily identifiable by the white shifts,
trimmed in scarlet, and simple filigreed headbands, which
they alone may wear. However, few Senators wear this
attire on an everyday basis.
The Courts The Court system of Dyvers is unique. The Guild Courts have jurisdiction over all matters mercantile, no matter how trivial or attenuated. Non-mercantile matters are governed by dwarven law. The Dyverse, not wishing to worry about the niceties of civil justice, and finding in dwarven temperament something akin to their own, have turned over their civil justice system to dwarven judges specially hired to provide this service. The dwarven judges are known collectively as the Anvil of Justice.
Defences
The Constabulary of Dyvers is similarly run on a contract
basis by dwarves. Three hundred dwarven constables,
turned out in all their finery, make up the city's police
force, known as the Tricentury. Along with the dwarven
judges, the Tricentury and all of their families reside in the
central Keep, which also houses all city offices, the city
armory, the city's emergency storehouses and granary and
the barracks of the Wall Guard. The Keep was built as a
visible demonstration of Dyvers independence from
Furyondy, which had long ruled the city. While the old
Furyondian Royal Palace still exists, it now houses the
Furyondian embassy, lording it over the other structures on
Embassy Row. Beneath the Keep, the dwarves have dug
numerous tunnels and are allowed a lucrative monopoly on
trade with the Underdark as part of their contract. This
trade, however, is the only variety in which a dwarven
merchant may legally engage. Nonetheless, the prominent
role dwarves play in Dyvers has endeared the city to
dwarves across the Flanaess and much dwarven trade flows
through the city
The Tricentury is only responsible for providing police protection within the city walls. It is the responsibility of the Wall Guard to secure the gates and man the city's battlements. This job has also been contracted out, to a force of Perrenland mercenaries. These Perrenlanders, 1000 strong, reside in the barracks in the Keep or may secure private lodgings if they wish. Many have done so, having married locals, and are considered full citizens rather than mere mercenaries. The Dyverse can afford the best and that means Perrenland mercenaries. While willing to contract with Shieldlanders or the men of Bissel for odd jobs, the Dyverse have less respect for these worthies. Perrenlanders are mercenaries by choice and have no aspirations connected with their homeland, save to uphold its standards of professionalism and integrity. This is not true of other mercenary forces. The Perranlanders also have an unblemished record of success that others can only envy.
Together, the dwarves and the Perrenlanders combine to provide Dyvers with a high degree of security. That both groups share a love of order has inspired not a little rivalry between the two, a rivalry born of, but one that never transcends the bounds of, professionalism. The Dyverse are comfortable with this situation, for the two groups check any untold ambitions any miscreant members of either group might harbor. However, the Dyverse trust more to their generousity and genuine offers of friendship and citizenship to ensure that all continues smoothly. Augmenting the Perrenlanders and the dwarven Constabulary is the Civic Legion. Dyvers' militia, the Civic Legion drills regularly with the usual single mindedness of the Dyverse and should be considered a veteran unit. The Legion can field as many as 3,500 fighters if necessary, most armed with pikes or halberds. The Legion is commanded by a mix of local, Dwarven and Perrenland commanders. Local commanders generally set policy and devise strategy, while tactics are left to the dwarves and Perrenlanders. To say that this makes for an unusual but extremely effective fighting force is an understatement. The most recent addition to Dyvers' standing forces have been the 1000 strong Naval Marine. Dyver's largest single industry is ship building. Ships are built for export but also for Dyver's own extensive merchant marine fleet. It is the dangers faced by Dyverse captains upon the Nyr Dyv that prompted the city fathers to organize the Naval Marine. Pirates operating out of the Bandit Kingdoms have always been a problem, but the increased tensions to the north instigated by Iuz have spilled over into the Nyr Dyv, forcing the Dyverse to respond. While no where near as large as Furyondy's Willip Fleet, the Dyverse Naval Marines are winning something of a reputation for their ferocity in defense of Dyverse shipping. The Naval Marines, in conjunction with hired adventurers acting as advance scouts, have even conducted punitive raids on pirate bases in the Bandit Kingdoms.
The Tricentury is only responsible for providing police protection within the city walls. It is the responsibility of the Wall Guard to secure the gates and man the city's battlements. This job has also been contracted out, to a force of Perrenland mercenaries. These Perrenlanders, 1000 strong, reside in the barracks in the Keep or may secure private lodgings if they wish. Many have done so, having married locals, and are considered full citizens rather than mere mercenaries. The Dyverse can afford the best and that means Perrenland mercenaries. While willing to contract with Shieldlanders or the men of Bissel for odd jobs, the Dyverse have less respect for these worthies. Perrenlanders are mercenaries by choice and have no aspirations connected with their homeland, save to uphold its standards of professionalism and integrity. This is not true of other mercenary forces. The Perranlanders also have an unblemished record of success that others can only envy.
Together, the dwarves and the Perrenlanders combine to provide Dyvers with a high degree of security. That both groups share a love of order has inspired not a little rivalry between the two, a rivalry born of, but one that never transcends the bounds of, professionalism. The Dyverse are comfortable with this situation, for the two groups check any untold ambitions any miscreant members of either group might harbor. However, the Dyverse trust more to their generousity and genuine offers of friendship and citizenship to ensure that all continues smoothly. Augmenting the Perrenlanders and the dwarven Constabulary is the Civic Legion. Dyvers' militia, the Civic Legion drills regularly with the usual single mindedness of the Dyverse and should be considered a veteran unit. The Legion can field as many as 3,500 fighters if necessary, most armed with pikes or halberds. The Legion is commanded by a mix of local, Dwarven and Perrenland commanders. Local commanders generally set policy and devise strategy, while tactics are left to the dwarves and Perrenlanders. To say that this makes for an unusual but extremely effective fighting force is an understatement. The most recent addition to Dyvers' standing forces have been the 1000 strong Naval Marine. Dyver's largest single industry is ship building. Ships are built for export but also for Dyver's own extensive merchant marine fleet. It is the dangers faced by Dyverse captains upon the Nyr Dyv that prompted the city fathers to organize the Naval Marine. Pirates operating out of the Bandit Kingdoms have always been a problem, but the increased tensions to the north instigated by Iuz have spilled over into the Nyr Dyv, forcing the Dyverse to respond. While no where near as large as Furyondy's Willip Fleet, the Dyverse Naval Marines are winning something of a reputation for their ferocity in defense of Dyverse shipping. The Naval Marines, in conjunction with hired adventurers acting as advance scouts, have even conducted punitive raids on pirate bases in the Bandit Kingdoms.
Industry & Trade
A city built on trade, Dyvers enjoys an enviable position.
Via the Velverdyva, goods from Highfolk, Veluna and
Verbobonc reach the city's markets. Via the Att, goods
from Littleberg and Furyondy find their way to Dyvers.
Thanks to the gnomes of the Kron Hills, the dwarves of the
Lortmils and the elves of Celene, Dyvers can boast the
largest market in demi-human goods in the Flanaess.
However, none of this can compare to Dyvers' trade
through the Thornward Pass. As the Fals river cuts through
the northern extent of the Lorridges, it opens the way into
Ket and the rich Baklunish lands to the west. Dyverse
caravans regularly make this trek, usually twice a year.
These caravans bring back goods impossible to find
anywhere else in the Flanaess. If there is a single secret to
Dyvers' success in keeping pace with the larger, wealthier
and more cosmopolitan Greyhawk, this is it.
Dyverse merchants band together to organize these caravans and spare no expense in hiring the best guards money can buy. Adventurers familiar with the terrain or of formidable reputation are all but certain to be approached by merchants from Dyvers seeking caravan escorts or scouts. Many a semi-retired adventurer makes a handsome living in this way, providing escort and maybe even doing a little trading of his own.
Of course, the caravans are tempting targets for bandits and marauding humanoids. Worse are the agents Greyhawk sends to raid the caravans, infiltrate them so as to ruin trade relations with the Kettites or Baklunish, or merely cause devastating rock slides in the Thornward Pass. Like most cities, Dyvers has a central market, but this market is reserved for itinerant peddlers, caravan merchants and non-domestic merchants. All domestic merchants must establish a shop in Dyvers if they wish to conduct business. By law, all businesses of a kind are located on certain streets and nowhere else, with the exception of inns and taverns. These so called Market Streets have the effect of turning almost all of Dyvers into a single huge market. While exceptions to this rule exist, they are exceedingly rare and there is always a tale to be told that explains the exception.
Because each street chiefly has a but single type of business, the guildhall of the guild for that type of business will always be close by. The Grand Guildhall is located on the central square that surrounds the Keep. This concentration also makes street traffic horrendous because if you need something you do not make, you will not find it on your street. If you are lucky, it will be only one or two streets away but there is no guarantee. That means Dyvers' streets are crowded with merchants, shoppers and business people of all stripe attempting to get needed items.
To accommodate this traffic, Dyvers' streets come in three sizes. Trunks are the largest streets, some 40 feet wide. There is really only one trunk that circumnavigates the city. It is called the Grand Trunk, though each of the four sides of the city name their extent of the trunk as well. These are the Port Road (north), Long Bow (west), Market Gate (south) and the Processional (east). Highstreets are 30 feet wide and generally run north to south, east to west. Ways are 20 feet wide and run at odd angles, while everything else is named an Alley and is usually no more than 5, at most 10, feet wide. The overall effect is one of organization, the Grand Trunk and the Highstreets, and unfathomable chaos, the Ways and Alleys. Luckily, the Carters and Cabbies Guild specializes in getting people and things where they need to go.
Dyverse merchants band together to organize these caravans and spare no expense in hiring the best guards money can buy. Adventurers familiar with the terrain or of formidable reputation are all but certain to be approached by merchants from Dyvers seeking caravan escorts or scouts. Many a semi-retired adventurer makes a handsome living in this way, providing escort and maybe even doing a little trading of his own.
Of course, the caravans are tempting targets for bandits and marauding humanoids. Worse are the agents Greyhawk sends to raid the caravans, infiltrate them so as to ruin trade relations with the Kettites or Baklunish, or merely cause devastating rock slides in the Thornward Pass. Like most cities, Dyvers has a central market, but this market is reserved for itinerant peddlers, caravan merchants and non-domestic merchants. All domestic merchants must establish a shop in Dyvers if they wish to conduct business. By law, all businesses of a kind are located on certain streets and nowhere else, with the exception of inns and taverns. These so called Market Streets have the effect of turning almost all of Dyvers into a single huge market. While exceptions to this rule exist, they are exceedingly rare and there is always a tale to be told that explains the exception.
Because each street chiefly has a but single type of business, the guildhall of the guild for that type of business will always be close by. The Grand Guildhall is located on the central square that surrounds the Keep. This concentration also makes street traffic horrendous because if you need something you do not make, you will not find it on your street. If you are lucky, it will be only one or two streets away but there is no guarantee. That means Dyvers' streets are crowded with merchants, shoppers and business people of all stripe attempting to get needed items.
To accommodate this traffic, Dyvers' streets come in three sizes. Trunks are the largest streets, some 40 feet wide. There is really only one trunk that circumnavigates the city. It is called the Grand Trunk, though each of the four sides of the city name their extent of the trunk as well. These are the Port Road (north), Long Bow (west), Market Gate (south) and the Processional (east). Highstreets are 30 feet wide and generally run north to south, east to west. Ways are 20 feet wide and run at odd angles, while everything else is named an Alley and is usually no more than 5, at most 10, feet wide. The overall effect is one of organization, the Grand Trunk and the Highstreets, and unfathomable chaos, the Ways and Alleys. Luckily, the Carters and Cabbies Guild specializes in getting people and things where they need to go.
Guilds and Factions
Every occupation in Dyvers has an associated guild.
Belonging to a guild is a fact of everyday life in Dyvers. It
is also the law: No business, including adventuring and
thievery, can be legally conducted without a guild license.
The first person to start a business new to Dyvers must file
guild incorporation papers and automatically becomes the
guildmaster. Each guild, it should be remembered elects a
Senator.
Guild Wars are common, usually between guilds that have something in common -- say the Gravediggers Guild and the Morticians Guild. However, these wars are not fought to absorb the other guild but to control it. Thus, if the Gravediggers win, they control the Morticians. This way, the Gravediggers now control two votes in the Dyverse and Sundry Senate. Guild Wars are usually wars of conquest, but are occasionally wars of independence -- say, should the League of Assassins resent taking orders from the Thieves Guild.
Guild Wars can also be competitive. One of the longest standing wars is that between the Thieves Guild and the Society of Courtesans for control of the Fences Guild. To protect their own independence, the Fences Guild attempts to play off the Courtesans against the Thieves. Aware of this, the Thieves, have more than once attempted to take over the Courtesans directly. It was in the middle of this fight that the League of Assassins made their successful bid for independence. They have now joined the fray, seeking to annex all of the other three guilds.
Dyvers, for all its industriousness, is a very beautiful city. Part of that beauty is a result of the patronage of the arts by wealthy citizens. Sculpture of all kinds is extremely common in Dyvers. Elaborate fountains, waterclocks and aqueducts also grace the city. All of these works are the products of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Sculptors and Mechanics.
The Sculptors and Mechanics Guild is perhaps the most prominent in Dyvers. Its sculptors produce not just sculpture, but numerous golems designed to serve many functions. Similarly, the mechanics produce complicated clockwork mechanisms that rival in function and surpass in flexibility, the sculptors' magic. It is not uncommon to meet with these marvels throughout the city. Greyhawk is justifiably proud of its notable wizards. Dyvers feels much the same about the Ancient and Honorable Order of Sculptors and Mechanics.
The height of the Mechanics' art is the Dyvers Homunculus. These are clockwork men and women that can perform programmed tasks that are determined upon manufacture. The more complicated or numerous the tasks, the more expensive the Homunculus. Generally susceptible to immediate identification, there are rumors of Homunculi so cunningly constructed as to be able to pass as human. Still, more fantastic are the stories of such creatures that can perform any task or exertion a human being can, more skillfully and with greater strength. Of course, the stories of such creatures that have even begun to think for themselves is utter nonsense.
Guild Wars are common, usually between guilds that have something in common -- say the Gravediggers Guild and the Morticians Guild. However, these wars are not fought to absorb the other guild but to control it. Thus, if the Gravediggers win, they control the Morticians. This way, the Gravediggers now control two votes in the Dyverse and Sundry Senate. Guild Wars are usually wars of conquest, but are occasionally wars of independence -- say, should the League of Assassins resent taking orders from the Thieves Guild.
Guild Wars can also be competitive. One of the longest standing wars is that between the Thieves Guild and the Society of Courtesans for control of the Fences Guild. To protect their own independence, the Fences Guild attempts to play off the Courtesans against the Thieves. Aware of this, the Thieves, have more than once attempted to take over the Courtesans directly. It was in the middle of this fight that the League of Assassins made their successful bid for independence. They have now joined the fray, seeking to annex all of the other three guilds.
Dyvers, for all its industriousness, is a very beautiful city. Part of that beauty is a result of the patronage of the arts by wealthy citizens. Sculpture of all kinds is extremely common in Dyvers. Elaborate fountains, waterclocks and aqueducts also grace the city. All of these works are the products of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Sculptors and Mechanics.
The Sculptors and Mechanics Guild is perhaps the most prominent in Dyvers. Its sculptors produce not just sculpture, but numerous golems designed to serve many functions. Similarly, the mechanics produce complicated clockwork mechanisms that rival in function and surpass in flexibility, the sculptors' magic. It is not uncommon to meet with these marvels throughout the city. Greyhawk is justifiably proud of its notable wizards. Dyvers feels much the same about the Ancient and Honorable Order of Sculptors and Mechanics.
The height of the Mechanics' art is the Dyvers Homunculus. These are clockwork men and women that can perform programmed tasks that are determined upon manufacture. The more complicated or numerous the tasks, the more expensive the Homunculus. Generally susceptible to immediate identification, there are rumors of Homunculi so cunningly constructed as to be able to pass as human. Still, more fantastic are the stories of such creatures that can perform any task or exertion a human being can, more skillfully and with greater strength. Of course, the stories of such creatures that have even begun to think for themselves is utter nonsense.
Refugees from the Pomarj following the Hateful Wars, the
dwarves who now serve the Free City were more than
willing to accept the generous offer of employment made
by the Dyverse. The Dyverse share much of the dwarven
outlook on life and offered position and friendship, as well
as merely a high paying job. But there was another reason
the dwarves chose to make the long trek from the Pomarj.
In the time before time, demi-humans alone lived in the
Flanaess. In this ancient epoch, the dwarves of Nomthandal
lived in sea cliffs near present day Dyvers. Long thought
lost to tidal waves and seaquakes with the sinking of the
Isles of Woe, legend has it that the dwarves of Nomthandal
found a way to preserve their home from inundation,
though not its descent into the Underdark. Whether this can
be true, and if so whether any of these dwarves of yore still
thrive, is a matter of much speculation. But the tales of
Nomthandal, it's glory and riches, still spark dwarven
imaginations, fanned by the skill of bards capable of
singing the ancient lays. Thus was the dwarves coming to
Dyvers a homecoming and a quest.
Type
City
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