Hardby
Hardby remains a city of proud independence, strong maritime tradition, and a legacy of matriarchal rule. Though under Greyhawk’s shadow, its Gynarchy endures, its influence felt from the Wild Coast to Woolly Bay’s distant shores.
Hardby is a fiercely independent town of over 5,000 souls, though for nearly a decade, it has been under the protection and influence of Greyhawk. Nestled on the eastern shore of Woolly Bay, the town was originally founded in -278 CY by the Suel wizard Ena Norbe, who sought a secluded haven to pursue her magical studies. Her settlement, first named Norbe Harbor, soon faced devastating storms and a rampant plague, leading to its rechristening as Hard Bay—a name that would eventually evolve into Hardby.
Ena Norbe's legacy continued through her daughters, for she wed her captain of the guard, establishing a matriarchal line of rulers. Over the centuries, these Norbe women, all gifted in magic, solidified Hardby’s unique governance—the Gynarchy. One of the early Despotrixes decreed that only women could own land within the city, a law upheld by the arcane might of the Norbe bloodline. Despite this, men still flourished, granted land outside the city to fish, farm, hunt, and trade. Hardby’s maritime power soon enabled its merchants to strike favorable deals with both the Wild Coast settlements and the fledgling city of Greyhawk, then called Selintan.
Through a strategic marriage alliance, Hardby and Greyhawk forged a lasting bond, avoiding outright war despite their rivalrous trade relations. The town's prosperity continued as it purged pirate havens, briefly claiming ten leagues of Woolly Bay’s northern shore before ceding control once piracy waned.
Rise and Transformation
During the third century CY, Hardby, like many border towns, found itself occupied by Great Kingdom garrisons as Aerdy suffered the Turmoil Between Crowns. When these forces withdrew in the late 200s CY, Hardby quietly rejoiced, regaining autonomy. That same year saw the birth of Zagig Yragerne, a child of both the Norbe bloodline and Greyhawk nobility—a boy who would rise to become Greyhawk’s eccentric Lord Mayor, an archmage of unparalleled might, and possibly a demigod.
Over the next two centuries, Hardby’s political structure shifted. While the Despotrix remained, a powerful merchant alliance—backed by riverrunners and traders—gained influence. Though initially enforcing their will through force, they gradually codified their rule with well-crafted laws and a professional constabulary. Oddly, the Despotrix did not resist, likely because many of the council’s men were tied to Gynarchy women. Today, many believe she still holds ultimate power, merely steering the council from behind the scenes. As Hardby evolved, it agreed to pay tribute to Greyhawk in exchange for military protection.
Hardby at a Glance
Hardby’s economy revolves around the sea—trade, shipping, and services catering to sailors and dockworkers. Inns, taverns, brothels, and warehouses dominate the old city, while a wooden palisade protects the growing outer districts. Two lighthouses—which also serve as garrisons—stand on the city’s southern shore, with another pair guarding Hard Bay’s entrance.
A striking sight greets incoming vessels: two massive statues rising from the waters, depicting bearded men poised to box. Commissioned by a past Gynarch, they symbolize the petty squabbles of men and stand as a testament to Hardby’s feminine rule.
Key districts include:
- Dock District – Rowdy yet thriving, home to fishermen, sailors, and smugglers alike.
- Fish Town – A residential area with warehouses, meatpacking yards, and lower-class homes.
- North End – A militarized zone housing Hardby’s guard and Greyhawk’s forces.
- Trade Town – The heart of commerce, where merchants barter and ships unload exotic wares.
- Ebbfields – A sprawling residential area for artisans, minor nobles, and Greyhawk’s stationed troops.
- The Gynarch’s Estate – Situated inland, the ruling family’s ancestral home.
Hardby’s open-door policy welcomes travelers by foot, horse, or wagon, but foreign traders face a 10% tariff on all sales—unless they swear fealty and establish a shop. Given its proximity to the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj and the wild Abbor-Alz , weapon-carrying is legal, though unsheathing one in public incurs severe penalties.
Justice in Hardby is swift and magically enforced. The Gynarchy employs wizard advisors in all courts, using divination spells to ensure truthful testimony. Penalties range from fines and confiscation to militia service (1 day per 10 gp of debt). While brawls are common and often ignored, manslaughter is met with wergild (100 gp per level), indentured servitude, or execution.
Maritime law is even harsher—ship captains serve as judges and executioners, with the Hardby Pilot’s Office overseeing trade inspections and smuggling crackdowns. Though it lacks an organized thieves’ guild, Hardby harbors independent cutpurses and operatives of Greyhawk’s guild.
Government and Military
Hardby’s Trade Council consists of six merchants, six rivermen, and one judge. Elections occur every three years for trade representatives, while the judge is chosen by city guards every five years. Currently, all six rivermen hail from the Greyhawk Mountaineers or the Hardby Marines.
Although nominally independent, Hardby is firmly under Greyhawk’s influence. It lacks its own currency, using Greyhawk’s coinage. Trade thrives with the Abbor-Alz settlements and Wild Coast towns.
Hardby’s population is predominantly human, though 20-25% are orcs, long-integrated and loyal. The remainder—elves, gnomes, dwarves, and halflings—make up less than 1%. Its temples include those dedicated to Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Xerbo, Osprem, and Zilchus, with a small shrine to Wee Jas, favored by the Gynarchy.
The Hardby Marines
Hardby’s naval forces, the Hardby Marines, operate six war galleys:
- One based in Safeton.
- One docked in Hardby.
- Four patrolling Woolly Bay’s northern waters.
At least 80 Marines remain in Hardby at all times. These seasoned sailors wear leather armor, wielding cutlasses, clubs, knives, and light crossbows. Each crew includes a wizard and a cleric (typically of Pelor or St. Cuthbert), along with specialists trained in grappling, harpooning, and ship-mounted artillery.
The Marines’ leader, Commander Wilbrem Carister, is a towering, tattooed brute with a penchant for raiding Pomarj waters. His fierce pet parrot, Erule, is actually a polymorphed fomorian giant, cursed by a benevolent mage.
Beyond the Marines, Hardby maintains 150 infantry and 100 cavalry, often patrolling as far north as the Neen River.
A GUIDE TO HARDBY
The Dock District
The Dock District is a chaotic sprawl of wharves, docks, raucous taverns, flophouses, gambling halls, tattoo parlors, herbalists, and brothels, all catering to the rough-and-tumble world of sailors and dockhands. On the northern end stand three towering cranes, engineered by dwarves and enchanted by Gynarch sorcery. These marvels of magic and craftsmanship allow for the rapid transfer of heavy cargo—lumber, ore, and ingots—making them invaluable to merchants and captains alike.
The Hardby Militia patrols this district in groups of three, ever watchful for troublemakers. Those caught breaking the law find themselves locked away in the cramped cells beneath the lighthouse.
1. The Spotted Cow Inn
A well-known establishment in the Dock District, The Spotted Cow Inn bears an unusual name, signified only by a weathered cow-shaped sign hanging above its entrance. Despite its mundane appearance, the inn enjoys a constant stream of business, though no one, including its frequently changing proprietors, can quite explain why.
2. Sign of the Tarnished Idol
Run by the ill-tempered, foul-mouthed half-orc Rughra, this infamous watering hole is as dangerous as it is intriguing. Its namesake, a tarnished green idol set in a niche behind the bar, is rumored to have originated from Hepmonaland and to possess dark magic. At midnight, patrons are expected to pay homage to the idol—an eerie tradition that has become a hallmark of the establishment. Despite the superstition, the bar remains a favorite haunt for sailors, mercenaries, and the reckless.
3. Danigar’s Pen
A modest tattoo parlor operated by a wizard’s apprentice, Danigar’s Pen offers magical tattoo removal, a much-needed service in a district where drunken sailors frequently regret their ink.
Danigar’s assistant, Gormadoc the Halfling, harbors a dark secret—he is an agent of the Slavelords. Seemingly harmless, Gormadoc serves as a spy and contact for the local thieves' guild. His loyalty was bought with an unusual gift: a marble elephant figurine from Hepmonaland, a treasured possession he cherishes above all else. When the Slavelords need someone eliminated discreetly, Gormadoc ensures it happens in a Dock District brawl that leaves no trace of foul play.
4. Fish Town
A dense cluster of salting houses, fisheries, shipwright shops, and ropemakers, Fish Town is the beating heart of Hardby’s maritime industry. Its narrow streets reek of brine and fish, and anyone lingering too long will find their clothes permeated with the stench for a day or more.
The district is also home to a staggering number of stray cats and opportunistic seagulls, always on the prowl for an easy meal. Slippery alleys and stagnant puddles make footing treacherous, a constant hazard for the unwary.
5. Warehouses
Hardby’s warehouses store vast quantities of trade goods, though some shrewd owners have begun converting space into businesses, hoping to create artificial scarcity and drive up storage fees—a practice the city council opposes.
Among the warehouse workers lurks Diran Conoriel, an agent of the Scarlet Order. Disguised as a beggar known as “Ratter”, he is rarely seen without his pet rat. Though his orders are to observe, he occasionally indulges his own dark impulses by murdering drunks and vagrants, carefully ensuring that no one notices their disappearance.
6. North End (Highchapel)
The North End, also known as Highchapel, houses Hardby’s barracks, city watch station, and courts. Captain Kataran, the head of the city watch, is a stern enforcer of the law, though he is far friendlier when off duty.
A small menagerie sits in the shadow of the city walls, run by Lady Rotanna, a noblewoman fascinated with exotic creatures. Her collection includes bears, foxes, wolves, and even a talking parrot from Hepmonaland.
At Highchapel’s heart stands a temple dedicated to Pelor, where Mother Storanna, a revered high priestess, has ministered to the people for nearly 40 years.
Intrigue in Hardby
Beneath Hardby’s bustling exterior lurk hidden dangers. The Slavelords and the Scarlet Order have embedded agents throughout the city, each working to undermine Greyhawk’s influence and further their own dark agendas.
Judge Aleeta
The most dangerous of these infiltrators is Judge Aleeta, fourth in line for the office of Despotrix. At just 20 years old, she harbors a deep hatred for Greyhawk and its ruler, Nerof Gasgol . Contacted by the Slavelord Nadanru, Aleeta has begun using her influence, wealth, and charm magic to pass critical information on Hardby’s Marine patrols to the Slavers.
To maintain secrecy, Aleeta communicates via a bewitched journal. She writes in her study, and her messages appear in a crystal ball wielded by a black elf accomplice.
Roban, the Merchant and Spy
Operating in Trade Town, the merchant Roban masquerades as a gem dealer while working as a priestess of the Earth Dragon and a covert agent of the Slavelords. She hires adventurers under the guise of exploring the Cairn Hills and Abbor-Alz but subtly orchestrates their demise by alerting bandits, barbarians, or worse.
Gormadoc the Halfling Assassin
If the Slavelords require a particularly troublesome foe eliminated, they turn to Gormadoc, whose knack for arranging “accidents” ensures that few ever suspect foul play.
Known As: City of the Scorned
Ruler: Despotrix Ilena Norbelos
Government: Gynarchy
Resources: Foodstuffs, cloth, lumber, silver, fine wine and spirits
Population: Human (72%), half-orc 22%, halfling 2%, dwarf 1%, gnome 1%, half-elf 1%, elf 1%
Law: LN
Allies: Domain of Greyhawk
Enemies: Bright Desert nomads, Pomarj
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