Veriste

Greyhawk Settlement

Veriste
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The heraldry of Veriste, created by by PlagueBearer, 2024.
General information
Motto:	By Stone, Steel, and Ale
Realm:	Duchy of Urnst
Size:	Village/Fortification
Government
Authority:	"Bryn Everblood" (leader) Veriste is a free village in the Cairn Hills.
Government:	Autocracy
Alignment:	Neutral
Established:	513 CY, 558 CY (refounded)
Demographics
Population:	600+ (in 591 CY)
Races:	Human:  76% Half-Orc:  9.4% Halfling:  4.5% Dwarf:  3.4% Orc:  1.5% Goblin:  0.8% Elf:  0.6% Kobold:  0.6% Gnome:  0.3%
Languages:	Common, Halfling, Dwarven, Orcish
Groups
Religions:	Pelor

Description

Veriste considers itself a free city and is often overlooked by a majority of the Duchy especially as the hallow was located off major trade routes and was in constant threat of war between the various orc, goblin and kobolds clans in the region.

History

Before the Great War, Veriste was a very minor mining village within the domain of the Duchy of Urnst on the brink of being decimated by humanoid raiders. Stepping up as the defacto leader, Bryn Everblood, created a tenuous peace between the village and humanoids through sheer guile, some outright lies, and psychotropic ale, but it was enough to broker an uneasy peace and allowed the village to survive. After an incursion of giant insects led by a cultist of Bralm in 561 CY, some attention from noble houses from Seltaren, and an increase of farmers and miners in the region, Veriste moved as a village to the center of the hollow and surrounded the Garcairn Stronghold to maintain the region better, leaving the original village to be renamed as Olde Veriste.

Geography

Veriste is located within a large hollow in the Cairn Hills, inland from the shores of the Nyr Dyv, near the border with Domain of Greyhawk in the Cairn Hills March. There is a shallow river (no more than six feet deep) that runs to the Nyr Dyv from the Aalmarsh swamp, near to which Veriste lies.

People

The people of Veriste come from a variety of backgrounds, be it merchant, miner, farmer, or former adventurer. Additionally, given the relatively isolated nature of Veriste, neither Duchy's nor Greyhawk's law hold much sway within Veriste (and the surrounding hollow) as it would elsewhere. Veriste is a bit of a refuge for people who seek to escape their past, desire to find asylum, or quite simply who are running from the law. Bryn Everblood has a policy of offering amnesty to all that come to Veriste, forgiving them for past transgressions as long as they obey the laws moving forward.

Government

Every 3 years a customary election is held in which Bryn Everblood is re-elected as mayor. It is mostly a formality and a reason to have a very large party.

Languages

Common, Halfling, Dwarven, and Orcish are all commonly spoken in the village.

Religion

While worship of Pelor is the most prominent religion and the church boasts a large cathedral here, the Saint Korles Cathedral of Pelor, most of the residents of Veriste maintain ambivalence to religious practices. There is a small shrine to Berei to the south of Veriste. Priests and worshippers of Bralm will be looked upon with suspicion.

Races

There is a diverse mixture of cultures in Veriste and a strong presence of humanoids. There is an uneasy peace in place, but most of the orc, goblin, and kobold tribes nearby trade freely with Veriste for food and beer. It is not uncommon to see humanoids in the village.

Economy

Resources

The main resources of Veriste are mining, eel fishing, farming, and brewing. Veriste Ale is creating using psychotropic mushrooms and fauna from the region.

Veriste trades with other local settlements and the various humanoid tribes of orcs, goblins, and kobolds that live in the region.

Currency

Merchants in Veriste freely accept both the Duchy's and the Domain of Greyhawk's standard coinages.

• Duchy coinage—platinum sterling duke (pp), gold duke (gp), electrum bright (ep), silver shield (sp), and copper common (cp).
• Domain of Greyhawk—platinum plate (pp), gold orb (gp), electrum lucky (ep), silver noble (sp), and copper common (cp).

However, most transactions amongst citizens and merchants are conducted via a coinless tab system financed by Bryn Everblood through Saldy Peads, the local inn and townhall.

Merchant houses

• House Szabo maintains trade offices here managed by Lord Derwynt Szabo.
• Sendinsee Shipping in a small transportation and trade organization based in Seltaren.

Places of Note

• Bloodeye Brewery—Makers of Veriste Ale and other spirits
• Elvansham's Mercantile—General store owned by Evlar Elvansham
• The Gravel Pit—Debtors and prisoners go here to work off their debt to society
• Paragon of Beauty (Tower)—A wizard tower run by Üdul U'Morael
• Saldy Peads—The inn is run by Bryn Everblood and the only place in town where you can get Veriste Ale.  Used as a townhall and for emergency meetings.  The bouncers work as law enforcement in the village and the hallow.

Gallery

• Error creating thumbnail: File missing
  Environs map, by PlagueBearer (original author in LG)

References

Notes

The village of Veriste was a collaborative effort between members of the Upright Citizen's Coalition gaming club in Tacoma, WA. Some of the members included: Shay Rockman, Eric Larsen, Matt Denniston, Cornelius, Jon Krueger, Heath Philbert, Jeff Thomas, and Roy Thalman.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic	Type	Description	Product	Page/Card/Image