History
A young graduate scholar enters the library of the Grey College in the city of Greyhawk. She searches for a book, a particular book that describes the region of the western shore of the Woolly Bay. Her search leads her to a heavy leatherbound book with on the first page, a single sentence: “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” She starts reading parts of the history chapter.
The Suel explorers who settled these lands some 2000 years ago were not the first to live on these shores. Before the coming of the first humans, elves populated these lands. Back then, a forest stretched from the Lortmill Mountains to the Woolly Bay shores. Some records speculate that, a millennia ago, the sea level used to be much lower and that completely intact elven settlements are still located off the coast, albeit somewhere between 100 – 300 feet deep.
The human migrations (starting in -459 CY), and the many wars fought, changed the lay of the land however and set in motion a catastrophic deforestation. It affected these shores as well and the elves retreated from the shores into the deep forest of what we now know as Celene, or what remains of the original great elven realm.
The area of this Coast evolved from ancient forest into being a fair but not particularly fertile rolling countryside. The forests still considered as being part of the region are: parts of the Gnarley Forest, Welkwood east of the Jewel River, and the Suss Forest.
This region we now call ‘The Wild Coast’ is given that name because neither the expanding Keoish empire nor the Aerdy monarchs of the Great Kingdom ever had full control over the region. The area has always managed to regain their freedom from their conquering neighbours, and although they are experts at rebellion, they are quite incapable of nationhood. There is no question that the Wild Coast, and its five independent city-states, is known throughout the Flanaess as a place of sanctuary for malcontents, dissidents, non-humans, outlaws, and the outcasts of other states.
Interestingly, the area gives rise to many outstanding people who were raised or fostered in this cutthroat atmosphere. Legendary natives of the Wild Coast include such persons as Mordenkainen, Robilar, and Tenser, to name but a few.
Woolly Bay
The Wild coast borders the well-known Woolly Bay, the relatively shallow western end of the Sea of Gearnat. It is well documented as merchants have sailed here for centuries. Currently, an enormous volume of traffic passes through here, coming from inland regions of the Flanaess as far up as the Shield Lands. Today in 585 CY, the waters are rife not only with pirates, but the current increase of orcish vessels are becoming a problem for the economy of many a country.
“The scholar pages through the book and stops at Chapter – Settlements.”
The free city of Elredd
When the elves retreating from Caras Alreth, their moated eventually fell into the hands of Suel mercenaries. They made it their base of operations and it was coveted by all. It was attacked time and again and when peace and stability finally returned, most of the elven buildings were destroyed. Many Suel flocked to the banner of the mercenary lord and the fort became a town – Elredd – and eventually grew to become a thriving city. A port of the same name was built a few miles east of the city. That area became a village itself as trade increased, and then became known as the Port of Elredd. Throughout its existence, Elredd has been a military city and continues to cater to mercenaries of all races.
Elredd remained a free city until in 584 CY, the Half-orc Warlord Turrosh Mak invaded the southern Wild Coast with his hordes of orcs, goblinoid and Gnolls. The resident mercenaries either answered the clarion cry of war to defend northern towns, who were willing to pay exorbitant prices for experienced warriors, or went south and sold their services to the invading armies of the Pomarj. This left Elredd poorly defended and, ironically, had to defend themselves against former citizens who were now part of the humanoid army sacking the city.
Elredd crumbled and when the dust settled, nothing but ruins remained.
Tribes of goblins, kobolds, orcs, and Gnolls have claimed the city, and its former citizens now serve their conquerors as slaves, living in primitive shelters, shackled together, growing crops or tending small herds in the hills for their ever-hungry masters. They also aid in the excavation and rebuilding of the city, though now in the image of the Orcish Empire. The slaves must survive on poor bread, slop, vermin, grains they scrounge from the animal fodder, and spring water found in the hills. The evil humanoids care little if the slaves live or die and as true carnivores, these taskmasters are happy to feast on dying slaves. Fear of this fate drives slaves to cling tenaciously to life, despite the odds being stacked against them. Slavery does not end there however, even amongst the humanoids near slavery is rampant. Goblins and kobolds are being oppressed, forced to labour at excavating the underground tunnels and fighting for whatever food is left. Fear of Turrosh Mak's wrath and attacks from the human, dwarven or Elven forces from the free lands is the only thing that binds these disparate tribes together.
The port town suffered a fate similar to that of the city. Although the port was picked clean of valuables, property damage was kept to a minimum by command of Turrosh Mak himself. Thus, unlike the city of Elredd, the port survived largely unscathed. Today, a few humanoid guardsmen lounge around, not particularly concerned about who enters or leaves. A powerful odour of salt and old fish blows up from the docks. Garbage and dead fish float on the surface of the harbour. The Port of Elredd is a dank and reeking place.
Following the capture of this port, Turrosh Mak commissioned the construction of a naval force. He wanted his forces to be able to prowl the waters of the Woolly Bay and pluck rich cargo from the fat merchant ships. He also wanted to build a defence to check the attacks of the Hardby Marines, who had denied him other ports during the war.
By 585 CY a navy was well under construction and the Port town of Eredd was fortified on land by strong walls, trebuchets, heavy catapults, and other war machines. By sea, 12 Orc pirate ships, under the command of the infamous Davis the Reaver, patrol the waters 30 miles to either direction from the city. From his commanding flagship, the Sea Drachon, the tough, bull-headed Captain shows off his power through deeds and stylish clothes and equally stylish beard. His crews are composed of a mix of fierce orc tribesmen and unscrupulous human sailors. Davis may be a fearsome warrior, he has proved himself to be an unimpressive strategist. This naval force has harried shipping in the Woolly Bay for the last six years (585-591), but so far has failed to become a substantial threat.
The defence by walls and ships is not the only defence, by air a crack force of dragonnel riders keep the ships of the Hardby Marines away. These dragonnels drop rocks and flaming pots from the air that smash completely through a ship's hull.
The Lands of BADWALL
A Flan settlement used to be located inland from Elredd. Scholars are unsure if Flan lived there when the forest still stretched to the sea. Someone or something destroyed the settlement however, leaving behind only remnants of their civilization. The most prominent feature is a low crumbled stacked stone wall. These ruins became a hideout for bandits, cutthroats, and thieves and as success grew, powerful leaders organized the ragtag bandits, a town of outcasts, ruffians, and slaves emerged. It received the name Badwall. The early days of Badwall are steeped in legend … and horror. There are tales of piracy, plundering, defilement, and murder so lascivious that it would make an executioner blush.
What it has evolved into is not much better, but the organized criminal groups that have emerged, keep a semblance of order. Badwall is essentially controlled by several organized gangs that have split the small town into territories each controlling a different economic aspect of the town. It does still allows the dark pleasures that pass for commerce here. But the town always has the feel of a tinder twig ready to ignite. There is an uneasy truce that exists between them and twice a year, the gang leaders all meet in the Tavern of the Black Blade to negotiate, haggle, and bring up grievances. Most of the time these are all settled diplomatically, other times, an all-out street war follows.
In 585 CY, the waves of orcs completely wiped out the town and have taken it as their own base of operations. Some bandits on the coast tell tall tales that the town has not been destroyed at all but that the Badwall Gangs pay the orcs in gold, information and precious goods. To know the truth is to venture out and see.
Current gangs in control of Badwall: Blood Axes, Redswords, Ladies of Venom, The Butchers, Triads
The State of Fax
The coastal city of Fax was a free and independent city that was doing quite well. It was surrounded by feax, "rough grass" that could be woven into products such as baskets. The river that runs from the Suss through Fax didn’t only make the city picturesque, it brought inland products as far as the forest to Fax’s markets. Merchant ships who regularly stopped in the safe Faxharbour bay could not resist Fax’s markets and the city prospered year-on-year.
This prosperity ended however when they were driven out in 584 CY by the evil humanoid armies and today, Fax is a broiling, boiling, oozing sore on the face of Flanaess. Not only is it occupied by orcs, goblins, bugbears, ogres, gnolls and the like, but its deepwater harbour is also a pirates’ den, for slavers, raiders, and smugglers. Hundreds of taverns and brothels cram the ill-conceived, ramshackle streets and alleys. There is no law or order to speak of and death is around every corner.
The bay is actually still a great place for merchants of strong stomach and stout heart to unload their goods, legal or illegal, because Fax has no organized system of taxation. Whenever the city needs something, a collection is taken from ruffians and pirates, or by raiding coastal towns.
The lands of Cantona
Cantona was originally a fishing village founded around 370 CY which grew into a trading station of nearly six hundred residents by the time a Suel mage named Valterra settled here in the year 495 CY. History notes that he was rather paranoid and bought several buildings in the middle of town, only to tear them down and rebuilt them to unique specifications. These buildings were asymmetrical, used strange angles, and were decorated with enchanted woods, ensorcelled paints, and magical mortars.
Tales go around that the buildings were immune to various invasive magics. Over the decades, this magic degraded, and when the mage died, the magic went totally awry and, in the end, affected the entire city and the surrounding lands. All magic used within the area today has a high chance to either failing, backfiring or changing effect. Since then, the town became a haven for those who hate magic, and they kept building the town into an important trade station. The piers were rebuilt into stone piers to better service merchant and fishing ships, and the log walls were fortified with large towers.
In 584 CY, the town's population of 1100 was besieged by humanoid armies of the Pomarj. This time, however, the anti-magical properties of Cantona worked against its citizens as the orcish advantage of numbers could not be countered by magic. The town quickly fell, and about half of the residents fled to Safeton. The others were killed or captured by the orcs.
The control over Cantona, now in ruins, is left to an orc named Gakurish Lemnak who ordered extensive tunnels to be dug beneath the city. He rebuilt some vital defensive towers and although three sunken ships block the town's piers, he ordered most of the wreckage to be removed to allow use of the outer portions of the north and south piers.
The thriving orc community lives both above and below ground, using slaves for menial labour, sport, and sacrifices. Though there is less to pillage following the conquest, his troops sometimes catch bandits and humans for sport. As the number of slaves declined, the orc leaders had to restrict the consuming of human flesh to their monthly celebrations and forced to look elsewhere for suitable meat.
Slavers use Cantona as a stopping point on their way down the Wild Coast to Elredd and drop off liquor, plus any slaves that won't survive the rest of the journey.
The Holdings of Safeton
“Carefully reading every paragraph and looking at every map, the scholar taps her finger on the words ‘Holdings of Safeton.”
About half a century after the Suel Imperium was burned to ash by the Rain of Colourless Fire, a large group Suel wanderers settled atop a low ridge overlooking this inlet of the Woolly Bay. Exiles and vagabonds all, they were determined to claim a new home for themselves and in some small way live up to the dimly remembered glories. Stone was abundant and the simple settlement quickly evolved into a fortified town solidifying their survival against the numerous bands of marauders that roamed the lands. The settlers were fierce in the defence of their new home, and it became known as “Safe Town” nowadays known as Safeton.
The loose alliance of families that came to form the town’s nobility ensured that it remained safe from attack from without. However, the haphazard attitude of the Old Families to law-making meant that walking the streets of Safeton could be anything but safe. ‘Might made Right’ here and the Old Families had might to spare. Fishing, trade, brigandage and, in later years piracy, filled Safeton’s coffers. Farming and quarrying have continued throughout and, like their forefathers, the Suel of Safeton still use slaves to work their quarries and fields.
Safeton’s climate is that of a typical coastal temperate with one notable exception. During the months of Goodmonth and Harvester, a powerful south-easterly wind blows in from the sea. The “Safeton Physic,” as the gale is known, begins to blow just after noon and continues until late in the night. It takes its name from the belief that the wind blows away disease and detritus from the poorer parts of the city. It makes piloting and sailing out of port somewhat more hazardous during that time.
Life in the city has changed considerably after the expanded Orc Empire marched within sight of the city walls. The 6000 or so inhabitants have become even more paranoid, and you can smell the fear in the streets. Safeton concluded pacts of association with Greyhawk in Coldeven of 584 CY to protect the holdings. Greyhawk offered to administer city law, extract tax and tribute in return of military help and stationing a garrison. Faced with onslaught from the Pomarj, the rulers felt they had no choice. Safeton became a frontier town and not in a good way, many of the native folk are hard of character and some of them are as brutal as any orc bandit pillaging and slaying farmsteads.
Safeton, and Narwell, both had significant humanoids among their population before the wars, but this changed during the infamous Night of Terror early in 584 CY. Every orc, half-orc, or hobgoblin in Narwell and Safeton was knifed, lynched, or burned alive.
The only thing keeping any sort of peace on the street are the 600 Greyhawk militiamen and three Hardby war galleys stationed here. They train Safeton men-at-arms in the hard military duties expected of them under the new conscription law. Nowadays, there are even night-time curfews outside the notorious Dock District (where the militia do not patrol).
A complete wooden stockade wall has been erected, and within that, a stone wall is being built with two massive entry gates. Greyhawk law does not allow slavery, but the slaves have been appropriated as workhouse-billeted people for this essential construction work. Others are given, virtually as slaves, to communities within the Wild Plains, where they serve as guards and border lookouts, although still shackled. Many die first whenever raiders attack the communities, but they’re considered expendable. Life in the ‘Penal Militias’ is often brutish and short, but the men within them are usually black-hearted brigands.
Buffer zone
From springtime of 585 CY onwards, a fluid border exists just South of Safeton, between the domain of Greyhawk and the Orcish empire. This zone is one in which Greyhawk militias make organized strikes with 50-80 strong squads, and where control is disputed between humanoids from the Pomarj, bandits, elves (on the edges of the Welkwood), and even a few determined local farm folk still hanging on to their homes. Because the buffer zone is so fluid, it is hard to give specific detail about it, but four locations illustrate vividly the kind of struggle that takes place in this area:
Castle Sulafrait
Castle Sulafrait used to be the home of a robber baron, the castle was looted and pillaged by orcs (584 CY), but its stone walls and keep remained mostly intact. Since that time, either humanoids, bandits or Hardby have been in control of it.
Leraizen
Leraizen is a stone keep atop a dungeon complex. The catacombs are rumoured to contain restless undead, and none dare come near it, especially after the reputed death of its long-time resident necromancer.
Stalkara Estates
The Stalkara Estates, of some 30 square miles, is still owned by the well-known wealthy bandit Stalkara family. They still live in the well-defended fortified manor house. They fight the “red eyed vermin” tooth and nail vowing not to yield an inch of property to the humanoids and using all kinds of traps to make their point.
Wyvernen
A fortified village of 165 folk, Wyvernen is a strange mix. It includes a few farmers, a few bandits, some raiders, a few peat-diggers in the unique sunken peat bogs north of the village, and a family of cutthroat gnomes who fled from Safeton.
Ruling the community with a rod of iron, forbidding anyone from fleeing, is Hendred Blerrid, a priest of Hextor who rides a trained wyvern and has an intense hatred of orcs. He constantly urges the village men to prepare for battle, and makes impassioned speeches luridly laced with images of orcish blood washing down the stone and wooden wall that now encircles Wyvernen. The locals have high morale and feeling of pride at the ease with which they fought off the orcs, and they sneer at refugees from less fortunate places.
Wyvernen still manages to earn a little money selling peat to Safeton for fuel, although Hendred refuses to allow Greyhawk militia into the area around the village.
The Territory of Narwell
The Territory of Narwell has a very different atmosphere to safeton and has more open spaces and bordering into farmlands. While Safeton is brute force and strength, Narwell is a subtler, wilier kind of city. It has evil folk aplenty, but they tend to be thieves and bandits rather than the brutish men of Safeton.
Walls are still under construction and that says a lot about the priorities of the city. Law here is not as strict as in Safeton; for example, there is conscription but no curfews. Rumour has it that Narwell bandits always manage to avoid the militia patrols and the Baron seems to be as affluent as ever he was (maybe due to kickbacks).
The militia who patrols the Gnarley Forest have three bases and the Garrison of Narwell is one of them. The militia here are tough but honourable, and they patrol the western and central areas of the Wild Plains as well as the upper eastern fringe of the Welkwood as far as Castle Mastryne. They train local militias in outlying farm communities and give help in constructing defences, also acquiring information and liaising with local landholders. The total garrison size is 350 men, excluding the about 50 Narwell Headhunters.
The famous Narwell Headhunters are a specialist division of the Narwell's militia. The Headhunters' specific brief is to actively track down and bring to justice bandits who commit acts of looting, pillaging, or violence against the communities of the Wild Plains or the allied cities.
More so than other areas on the Wild Coast, Narwell also suffers from what they call “Dirty Rain”, which is actually dust from the Bright Desert that has been blown west over the Bay.
The Wild plains
The plains near Narwell and Safeton are called The Wild Plains. The settlement pattern here is quite variable. Some lands are freeholdings-small groups of farmers who now band together for self-defence. Other lands are held by petty nobles, who often squabble with each other. Others still are bandit fiefs or fiercely independent guild run villages and small towns. Rulership changes frequently, as one bandit is killed off by another, or a minor noble dies in a tragic hunting accident and his lands are taken over by a greedy neighbour.