Windmarch
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The Windmarch is a yearly trade route that wound through the Great Kingdom for many years until it's fall. It was reestablished by Overking Xavener I around 590 CY. "The name comes from the old belief that the roads and paths used by anyone traveling from one fair to the next followed the prevailing wind, which usually comes from the west from late spring into late summer."[1]
Description
The route has always been defined by a series of fairs, each one held in a specific location when the trade caravans traveling the Windmarch came to town. Originally, the caravans traveled from Planting]] at the beginning of [[Calendar|low summer]] all the way to Patchwall.[1]<ref name=seasons>"... trade fairs which travel through Aerdy west to east from Planting right through to Patchwall.}} Later, it begins even earlier—in Coldeven during late spring and still goes to autumn (Patchwall).
Original Windmarch
The Windmarch is "an ages-old annual trade route that once ran from Chathold downriver to Nulbish and Pontylver, then upriver all the way to Eastfair. The Windmarch survived even during the mad and murderous reign of the Ivids of House Naelax, but with the latter stages of the Greyhawk Wars and the collapse of the Great Kingdom the Windmarch ended, as travel became too unsafe for the merchants involved."[2] Original Windmarch fair stops included:
| Location | Season or Month |
|---|---|
| Chathold | |
| Ralsand | |
| Rel Deven | |
| Kalstrand: | mid-Wealsun |
| King's Justice | third week of Harvester |
| Willend | Goodmonth |
| Orred | second week of Goodmonth |
| Eastfair | Brewfest |
Windmarch of Ahlissa
More contemporarily, Overking Xavener I decided to reinstate the Windmarch, though not traveling into the North Kingdom any longer.
"In 590 CY, Overking Xavener directed his kinsmen, assisted by the priesthood of Zilchus, to create a new path for the Windmarch.... The overking intends for the new “Windmarch of Ahlissa” to strengthen trade within his empire, as well as the infrastructure (roads, bridges, mail routes, river traffic), the tax base, internal political ties, and the Ahlissan army. The army, including units from the principalities, has been directed to secure the new Windmarch route from bandits, renegade orcs and military units, troublesome minor nobles, outside aggression, the Scarlet Brotherhood, etc. The Windmarch is not meant to improve external trade; holding the empire together is a higher priority.
The first new Windmarch [began] in Coldeven 591 CY in both Rel Deven and Hexpools, with merchants from both cities migrating to Kalstrand for Growfest, then on to Nulbish, Pardue, Sarndt, Torrich, Jalpa, Carnifand (during Brewfest), and Orred. From Orred, the merchants head for home in two groups, one going down river and the other heading overland. Merchants from Naerie and the Relmor coast must go to Rel Deven or Hexpools to join the great caravan, though some join the Windmarch elsewhere along the route. Much of the route lies along ancient, magical roads called the dirawein, built by the Aerdi and still functional."[4]
External links
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ a b Ivid the Undying (1995), p.13.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.24.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying (1995).
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.24-25.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean Reynolds and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000. Item code 11743.
- Sargent, Carl. Ivid the Undying. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995. Published online. PDF by William Allman with maps. Original RTF archived:Wizards.com. WGR7 or WGRx
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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windmarch | Calendar | Ivid the Undying | 13, 41, 46, 56, 120, 124, 138 | |
| Windmarch | Calendar | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 17, 24, 25 | |
| Windmarch | Calendar | Oerth Journal #17 | 8,12,14 | |
| Windmarch road system | Infrastructure | Road, | Reference | SEE Windmarch |