An extremely old riverside metropolis. Stone walls, iron gates. Hustle and bustle inside; outside the gate, it’s like life stops and waits.
The city is currently turning people away due to capacity, and slums have grown up outside the walls. Restricting new entrants — various reasons given (infrastructure strain, security concerns, trade rebalancing), but no consistent explanation.
Geography
- Three river ways meet here.
- A canal enters from the east and splits into many diverging paths, plied by gondolas.
- Winding paths thread the inner city.
- Tall buildings, lights, and lively streets — sharp contrast with the slums outside the walls.
- Thick walls.
- The Collegium of Ordered Aether sits to the north, identifiable by the tallest tower.
Notable landmarks
- The barred entrance — main gate, currently the bottleneck. Long lines, dismissive guarded clerks flanked by city guards.
- The ledger office — Administrative Building #14, where Marbel Kest works.
- Three Weirs Tavern — on the lowbank in the slums, built right against the city wall.
- The Gilded Ledger — upscale tavern in the merchant quarter.
- Greywood Carpenters Brotherhood — Adrik’s base of operations.
- Collegium of Ordered Aether — arcane academy, the tallest tower to the north.
- A workman district with smithys, bowyers, etc.
- The docks — a Drogon-run mill / lumber operation guarded by the Gilded Watch.
Factions
- Civic Assembly — most visibly governing power. Holds the High Magistar and the Grand Ledger.
- River Compact — controls river shipping, dock security, taxes.
- Grey Wardens — the city guard.
- Gilded Watch — private guards employed by the River Compact and rich merchants. Seen as thugs.
- The Dragonborn Pursuers — a six-strong dragonborn bounty squad currently in town hunting Elijah and Fernie (visa-dwelling at the Gilded Watch).
Society
The city is sharply stratified — see Greyhaven Social Strata. Crime happens but is taken care of promptly. Adrik calls it the safest city he’s ever lived in.
Notable people
- Adrik — dwarf of some import, builder, party member as of Session 30.
- Marbel Kest — ledger office contact, recommended by Old Briar.
- Thrain — guildmaster of the Greywood Carpenters Brotherhood.
- Vaughn — Deputy Surveyor.
- Drogon — runs the dock mill; recently entered Thrain’s grudge book.
- Vaerix Thalos — leader of the dragonborn pursuers.
- Gregory — a traveling merchant the party met outside the gate.
- Dorian — doorman at The Gilded Ledger.
- Kevin — Ruasar’s old master at the Collegium of Ordered Aether.
- The Beggar — delusional ex-guard, encountered in the slums and again in the city.
In the campaign
- Set as the party’s destination in Session 29 after leaving Brackenford. A 5–10 day journey via boat/carriage.
- The party arrived in Session 29 and immediately began plotting how to get past the gate (forgery, sneaking in, posing as buyers).
- Got past the gate in Session 30 using Ruasar’s academy papers as the foundation, with the rest of the party added in as guards/companions backed by Lord Alric’s seal. Inside, met Marbel Kest at the ledger office, Adrik at The Gilded Ledger, and The Beggar again. Ruasar split off to study at the Collegium of Ordered Aether.
- In Session 31, the party absorbed Adrik’s city briefing on factions and social strata, ran into Vaerix Thalos and the dragonborn pursuers, and uncovered a lumber-tampering scheme at Drogon’s docks that earned Drogon Grudge in Thrain’s black book.
- Loosely tied to Lord Alric’s past — Lorien Painbearer reached inward for Alric’s memories and saw scenes of victorious soldiers under many banners, with Alric in regal armor among them. Dated, from another lifetime.