I've been thinking on the relations between the city of Greyhawk and the nations near it. What does each nation think of it? Dyvers clearly sees it as rival city; Hardby, as a looming conqueror, not a military one, but one it'll have to pay taxes anyway. What about Duchy of Urnst? Furyondy? Others? What would they think of it?
I've been thinking on the relations between the city of Greyhawk and the nations near it. What does each nation think of it? Dyvers clearly sees it as rival city; Hardby, as a looming conqueror, not a military one, but one it'll have to pay taxes anyway. What about Duchy of Urnst? Furyondy? Others? What would they think of it?
First I think the views would be different between the two eras. Gygax/pre-wars and Sargent/post-wars.
Gygax era, the City of Greyhawk seemed much more concerned with trade than direct military conquest. It is hard to imagine the city falling into a backwater but by 576cy its fortunes reversed and it was expanding its territory again. Hardby was already paying tribute if not taxes by 576cy. The feel of this era seems to be more militant trade over military conquest.
The various city states would no doubt be very concerned with Greyhawk's expansion including the smaller cities up and down the Wild Coast as well as the villages in and around the Gnarley Forest and the mining towns in the Cairn Hills. The Welkwood is too removed both in distance and culture to view Greyhawk's current expansion with much concern as well as its links to Celene, The Duchy of Urnst may have some trade concerns but both Duchy and County are under the arms of Nyrond. Verbobonc is linked far to closely with Veluna and Furondy and Greyyhawk would be a massive trading partner with Greyhawk for goods ship up and down the Velverdyva. Highport in the Pomarj should be concerned but highly doubtful those who control its broken remnants would consider their position.
For me, Greyhawk and Dyvers are allies in name only, as they are with the Duchy of Urnst. Both of these states are probably more enemies than allies, given their heated border and trade disputes. Furyondy is a valued ally, as Greyhawk sends money to support Furyondy's navy after the Wars. The Shield Landers are also very reluctant allies, since the Shield is a bulwark against the Bandit Kingdoms (before the Wars, at least). The cities of the Wild Coast obviously trade with Greyhawk, but they're always on edge at the hint of any annexation or conquest. The only master a Wild Coaster bows to is the one he sees in the mirror.
In my Greyhawk, it's become even more tense due to Greyhawk and Dyvers' plans to both undermine or even destroy one another. Both cities would be happy to set the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj on each other, and Nerof Gasgal is secretly courting the Horned Empire as another potential ally against Dyvers. Furyondy would be royally cheesed off if it found out about this, and the Horned Empire likely wouldn't be too pleased to hear about Greyhawk secretly funding Furyondy's naval efforts either.
Before the Wars, Greyhawk had little interest in the Wild Coast, which was the trash dump of the Flanaess, only reinforced by Narwell being a literal trash dump! Since Turrosh Mak's recent "housecleaning" of the Wild Coast, Greyhawk took Hardy, Narwell and Safeton, more to use as garrison towns than as economic expansion. Since Greyhawk's military is fourth-rate at best (the phrase "militarily secure city of Greyhawk" being a famous oxymoron) it's had to invest heavily in trying to improve its status. To that end the former Wild Coast towns are being rebuilt with a flood of new immigrants. Most of the old Wild Coast cultures have pretty much passed into the pages of history, but to be honest that's really not much of a loss.
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