Here's a map of the City of Greyhawke, where the party will be based. Some of you know this city far better than others - some of you know nothing at all about it. I'll be sending you info individually regarding what your character knows - if you have any questions, just ask your DM!

Basic Info

Greyhawke is the largest city in the Known World (certainly the largest any of YOU have ever seen!). Think Rome, or perhaps Byzantium. It's the crossroads of the world, where East meets West, and people from all over can be found here. There are merchant caravans from far-away Tusmit and Zief, knights from Furyondy and Nyrond, pilgrims from Tenh, sailors from the Hold of the Sea Princes, barbarians from the North, and savages from the Amidio Jungle. Dwarven smiths from the Lortmil Mountains craft weapons & armour for the Lord Mayor in the great Citadel, and the Elven Embassy from Celene is one of the most beautifull structures in all the Garden Quarter. Pirates carouse in the riverside taverns, villains scheme in the dark and sprawling Thieves' Quarter, and the greatest adventurers in the land come for a pint and to swap stories at The Adventurer's Inn (best damn tavern in the whole damn world!!) in the rowdy Foreign Quarter.


The main part of the city is surrounded by a great fortified wall. In days of old, the city was a mighty fortress. Bastion Island to the east of the city is a reminder of those days (most of the Garrison of Greyhawke is still stationed here). The city walls themselves are now only minimally patrolled, but a well-armed watch stands ready at each of the city's numerous gates.

An inner wall within the city seperates the East End, where can be found the Slums, the Theives' Quarter, the Labor Quarter, the Beggar's Quarter, and the Brewer's Quarter. The Foreign Quarter, on the lower side of the East End, is further seperated by a wall of it's own. There is some joking that this is not to keep the foreigners in, but to keep the rest of the city OUT, for the Foreign Quarter has become by far the most cosmopolitan part of town.

Southgate is the main gate of the city. A fine series of parks travels north from the Gate, and along these parks are the city's busiest streets and shops, finally culminating in the great Plaza across from the Citadel. The Citadel is the mightiest structure in the city, it's tall spire said to command a view of hundreds of miles in all directions. The Lord Mayor is here, as are the courts, dungeons, smithies, and the rest of the Garrison.


The lands around Greyhawke are pastoral and well-tended. Small villages are scattered about, and the inhabitants tend to be open and friendly. The roads are quite safe for miles around, thanks in part to the Knights who frequent them from the Noble estates to the north of the city. City Watch patrols are somewhat lax and the butt of many jokes in the countryside, but the Knights are greatly respected. They will often stop and challenge any and all who look suspicious, particularly those visibly carrying weapons.


Most of the City Gates close after dark (inner gates included), and only citizens are permitted through thereafter. After midnight, though, even citizens can be stopped, searched, and denied passage ... usually unless a small bribe of some sort is offered.

The bridge in front of Southgate has a toll (only for those ENTERING the City) - 2 coppers for a citizen, 2 silvers for a horse or wagon, and 2 silvers for a foreigner. In cases where citizenship is in question, burden of proof lies with those wishing to cross.

All of the Outer Gates will tax wagons. There is a 10% duty fee on any and all goods brought into the City by wagon. Those on foot or on horseback who seem to be carrying an excessive amount of luggage can also be taxed.

A Word On Races

This section is about HUMAN races found in the World of Greyhawke; I would hope by now everyone knows what Elves, Dwarves, & Halflings are ...



Oeridian -- The most common race of Man in the World of Greyhawke (basically, your average European-type). They live predominantly in the central and eastern areas of the continent. Oeridian kingdoms include The Great Kingdom of Aerdy (largest Empire in the world), Nyrond, Furyondy, Veluna, & Perrenland.



Baklunish -- The Baklunish people will forever live in the shadows of the mystical powers of their ancestors - those who wrought the terror of the Rain of Colorless Fire. They are an ancient people, originating from the far West. If the Oeridians are like Europeans, then the Baklunes are alike to Arabic or Turkish cultures. Their great Empire clashed with the mysterious Sueloise Empire to their south, and the two cultures destroyed themsleves in a great Cataclysm that reshaped the world. Remnants of the Baklunish people fled east, into the lands that are now eastern Oerth (the World of Greyhawke). Unlike the Sueloise, the Baklunish had long sent explorers and traders across the mountains into Oerth. Though they would never rise again to the might of their Old Empire, the refugees & eastern colonies eventually prospered and created new kingdoms of their own - Zeif, Ekbir, Tusmit & Ket (these kingdoms do not appear on the maps above - if you're curious, please check out the Maps of Greyhawke page).

Historians disagree, but some believe the City of Greyhawke was originally built by the Baklunes and conquered later in ages past by the Oeridians. The City is an unmistakable mix of Oeridian and Baklunish architecture, though which came first none can say for certain.



Sueloise -- Whatever the Sueloise Empire was is lost now in antiquity. Unlike their enemies, the Suel never expanded nor explored much to the east - when the Cataclysm came, their culture was all but destroyed. Wandering bands of surviors passed over the Hell Furnaces into the lands beyond, and their tales all but disappear from history. Today, their descendents can be found in the far northeast, in the cold barbarian kingdoms. They are an extremely tall & hardy people, pale of skin, fair-haired and fair-eyed. Members of some of the Suel barbarian tribes are almost albinoid.

The Hold of Stonefist in the far north is one of the only recognized Suel "kingdoms." The more civilized Hold of the Sea Princes (not shown on the above map - check the Maps of Greyhawke page, to the southwest) was settled by Sueloise barbarian explorers some two hundred years ago - though somewhat mingled with their Oeridian & Flann neighbors, they still display distinct Sueloise characteristics.



The Flann -- The Flann are an indiginous people who have been much scattered, first by the Oeridians, then later by the invading Baklunish & Sueloise refugees. They are something of a mix between Native Americans and Gypsies. The Rovers of the Barrens and the Wolf Nomads are almost pure Flann, as are the people of the Duchy of Tenh - they are all fiercely proud of their race & culture.

The kingdoms of Geoff, Bissel, Sterich, and the great Kingdom of Keoland are all various mixes of Flann - Geoff & Bissel being part Baklunish, while Sterich & Keoland are part Oeridian (these kingdoms are all somewhat similar to Eastern Europe and Russia).



Hykranian -- The Hykranians are an exotic people from the far, far West. There are no Hykranian kingdoms as such in the World of Greyhawke, other than the Plains of the Paynims - open steppes of sometimes peacefull, sometimes fierce nomads (somewhat similar to the Mongols). It is rumoured, however, that vast Hykranian empires lie far beyond the Plains of the Paynims, with cities of diamond towers and gold streets.

Hykranians are extremely rare in the World of Greyhawke.



ALL of these races can be found in the City of Greyhawke, but Oeridians are the majority. The City also has a strong Baklunish heritage, stretching back to the very beginnings of its history.

Return to the Dungeon