Vlekstaad
| Vlekstaad | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Realm: | Stonehold |
Vlekstaad is a city in Stonehold.
History
In 432 CY the Hold of Stonefist was founded. Vlek Col Vlekzed, later known as Stonefist was an exile from the Rovers of the Barrens for banditry and lying, leaving the lands of the Rovers he and his followers raided into the Bandit Kingdoms and Tenh before settling in the lands of the Coltens Feodality. With his followers ranks swollen by recruited bandits and slaves taken while raiding Vlek founded a settlement on the shores of Whitefang Bay where the fishing resources would provided plentiful food even though the bay froze during the cold winter months. With careful stockpiling through raiding and smoking of fish the town was able to survive the long winter months. When the Coltens came to investigate the new town forming on their lands Vlek lured them into false diplomatic talks and slaughtering the negotiators.[1][2]
Over the years the town grows in significance as the Stonefists absorb the population of the Coltens and well as any others willing to join their raiding lifestyle. Vlekstaad was always a very racially mixed society, race mattering less than which of the descendants of Vlek a person was sworn to support.
By 582 CY Vlekstaad had peaked in size to 2100 adults, which is large city given the harsh climate in which it was found. Of course many additional Stonefisters lived in farmsteads and smaller fishing villages nearby, making the town the true power in the Hold of Stonefist, and the site of the ruler, The Master of the Hold, Sevvord Redbeard's defensive hold. During the Greyhawk wars the ablebodies male population of the town dropped significantly as Sevvord Redbeard, under the influence of Iuz lead the Stonefist host to conquer Tenh, and to remain and attempt to control the land. Plunder came easy to the folk of Stonefist, but staying in the civilised lands and trying to pacify them was not to the warriors liking. In 587 CY Vlekstaad was still largely depopulated of warriors when the Rovers of the Barrens came to raid the town and surrounding area for horses to help in their resistance to Iuz. When the Rovers lost their leader as a casualty the horse raid turned into an orgy of destruction.
In 588 CY when Iuz's mental control of Sevvord Redbeard came to an end Sevvord lead the Stonefisters back out of Tenh to their homeland. Seeing the almost total destruction destruction of Vlekstaad, Sevvord ordered the town rebuilt, mostly as a glorified military camp, with few businesses, mostly to cater for the needs of the soldiers and the workers building longships. The few stone building of the town that remained usable were repaired as much as possible and put back in service. The burned remains of the other building have been left standing, a reminder that the people of Stonefist don't think the same way as southerners, and see no need to clean up what is no longer useful to them. The people of Stonefist are a cruel bloodthirsty bunch with little sense of honour or decency. They are arrogant, contemptuous bullies, always seeking new victims to rob, enslave and pillage.
Geography and climate
People
The people of Stonefist are a cruel bloodthirsty bunch with little sense of honour or decency. They are arrogant, contemptuous bullies, always seeking new victims to rob, enslave and pillage. They are a polyglot population, though primarily of Suel and Flan origin, they also include ne'er-do-wells from Ratik and the Bandit Kingdoms, and given that slave women and children are taken wherever the Stonefisters raid the population is now very mixed. The current leader of the Hold of Stonefist is Rhelt Sevvord Redbeard I. Sevvord bears a deep grudge against Iuz for the mental control Iuz held over him during the Greyhawk Wars. He now actively seeks out and destroys Iuz's agents in his lands.
Population
At its highest in CY582 the population of Vlekstaad was 2100 adults. After the destruction of the town by the Rovers of the Barrens in CY587 the population is now 700 adults. Most of these soldiers and shipbuilders. There are few free-women and few children over the age of 6, those born of slave women since the resettlement.
Languages
Government
There is little true government in Vlekstaad. There is no organized taxation. The Rhelt's income is generated by raiding, the Rhelt of course receiving the largest share, even when he does not himself participate in the raids.
There is no town guard to enforce law. Law is instead exerted by the notice of the Rhelt or his Ataman. If something is significant for them to notice, then their will is law. Crime is a way of life in the Hold of Stonefist, but still disputes are sometimes brought to the Rhelt or Ataman for a decision, though they are as likely to decide in favor of their followers as they are likely to be influenced by any sense of fairness. There is no prison other than a few small holding cells for those held for ransom in the Hold. Punishment in Vlekstaad is most likely to be some form of slavery, dismemberment, or execution.
Administrative Divisions
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
Heraldry
Economy
Vlekstaad now has little remaining industry.
Fishing when Whitefang Bay is not frozen. Smoking the fish for the winter months and fermenting the fish for a pungent local delicacy.
Building Longships for raiding against the Suel Barbarians to the East.
There are a number of blacksmiths who mostly make weapons of fitting for the longships. Probably the best of these is Reiger the Blacksmith whose smithy is at the north end of town and attracts those needing armor repairs from all over the Hold of Stonefist. Reiger is a recent convert to St Cuthbert but keeps this secret, other than with a small band of fellow converts who have begun to think raiding and taking from others might not be the best way of life. The only general merchant in town was Siggurd the Merchant but he was slain by Hedgend Olafson and some adventurers sent by the Drinkers of Midnight for colluding with Iuz's Marauders of the North. During this fight the general store caught fire and the locals rapidly emptied the building of goods rather than fight the fire. For now the locals are content because they have recently looted the store, but they are likely to suffer in the long run as nobody has yet stepped up to open a new store.
There are three taverns in town. All with warm bu very simple sleeping quarters. The best of these is Oulu Inn. The other two are the Sideways Table and the appropriately named Poor Tavern. The local drinks are mead and strong beer. There are also some fermented mares milk drinks traditional to the Rovers of the Barrens.
Resources
Currency
Transportation
Military
In Living Greyhawk
 | This section contains content from the Living Greyhawk organized-play campaign. |
Ataman Dolan Olaksma and Ataman Telgar Stonecrush lead the soldiers currently in the city. Telgar is one of the younger Stonefist Warlords and rose to his rank in the Greyhawk Wars and since, fighting against Iuzian 'Marauders of the North', the troops Iuz has been using in the lands of the Rovers of the Barrens in his attempt to completely destroy that people. Telgar is one of the few Stonefisters with any bureaucratic skills and is a staunch support of Sevvord's anti-Iuzian stance. One of Telgar's bodyguards is Hedgend Olafson, who is in fact secretly Wystan Rook, a Paladin of St Cuthbert and a spy for the anti-Iuzian cabal, the Drinkers of Midnight. [3]
People
Ataman Dolan Olaksma and Ataman Telgar Stonecrush lead the soldiers currently in the city. Telgar is one of the younger Stonefist Warlords and rose to his rank in the Greyhawk Wars and since, fighting against Iuzian 'Marauders of the North', the troops Iuz has been using in the lands of the Rovers of the Barrens in his attempt to completely destroy that people. Telgar is one of the few Stonefisters with any bureaucratic skills and is a staunch support of Sevvord's anti-Iuzian stance. One of Telgar's bodyguards is Hedgend Olafson, who is in fact secretly Wystan Rook, a Paladin of St Cuthbert and a spy for the anti-Iuzian cabal, the Drinkers of Midnight. [3].
Religion
Religion has never been a strong focus of the lives of Stonefisters. The fishermen of course worship the various Flan and Suel gods of the sea but this is mostly done privately. Recently a small group of followers of St Cuthbert has begun meeting clandestinely (though the religion is technically not illegal none of the followers things the general Stonefist population will take kindly to the new religion). This group is lead by Reiger the Blacksmith who is himself receiving teaching from Hedgend Olafson a guard in Rhelt Sevvord's employ, who is in fact secretly Wystan Rook, a Paladin of St Cuthbert and a spy for the anti-Iuzian cabal, the Drinkers of Midnight. [3]
Vlekstaad (Small Town): AL neutral evil; Population 910; Mixed (human 96%, orc 2%, dwarf 1%, other races 1%). Authority Figures: His Most Grim and Terrible Might, Rhelt Sevvord I, Master of Stonehold (CE male human Ftr20+), Ataman Dolan Olaksma (NE male human Ftr15).
"Stepping into the town you notice that much of the community is in ruins, burnt shells from a battle long since past. The buildings immediately adjacent to the road are well built and in good repair, but looking down the alleys and between the building as you continue into town you would guess that only a third of the town is functional, the rest ruins from a time when Vlestaad was much larger.
There is a fair bit of activity as you make your way further into the town, with burly Flannish men and women going about their business, adults of both sexes brandishing weapons at their sides regardless of whether they wear the trappings of soldier or fisherman. Even the children that run through the streets seem rugged; play fighting with wooden swords and shields, but carrying real daggers at their sides. The only ones unarmed are the slaves, going about their business rapidly and quietly seeking to draw as little attention as possible.
As you draw near the foreshore, where the sounds of shipbuilding can be heard and the playful shouts of the strong men at work on the longships fill the air, you reach a large building that stands alongside a huge plinth of stone. This is the Oulu Inn, probably the most decent establishment in town.[3]"
Horse breeding is gradually being reestablished after all the breeding stock were taken by the Rovers of the Barrens in CY 597.
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (1980), p.16.
- ↑ From the Ashes (1992), p.6.
- ↑ a b c d Walking in His Shoes, p.7.
Bibliography
- Gygax, Gary. The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980. Item code TSR9025.
- Little, Rob. Walking in HIs Shoes. WotC/RPGA. 2004.
- Sargent, Carl. From the Ashses. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992. Item code TSR1064.
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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | Dragon magazine #057 | 14 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 38 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | From the Ashes: References Card | #2 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | From the Ashes: References Card | #3 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 55, 95, 108, 109, 110 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | Living Greyhawk Journal #3 | 30 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | The Adventure Begins | 23 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) | 16 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 69 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | WGS1 Five Shall Be One | IBC, 27, 29 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | WGS2 Howl From the North | 30 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 36 |
| Vlekstaad, town of | Settlement | Stonehold, Capital, Settlement, (576 pop: 2100), (585 pop: 1950), (591 pop: 700), | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | IBC |