The Twin Cities

A Strange Alliance

Historically, the cities of Rinloru and Winetha have not had the intimate intertwining which the now-used name "Twin Cities" implies. Winetha developed as a naval base and fishing town, and also a trade port for importing the goods the Sea Barons brought in from their isles and lands to the south. Rinloru developed rather later as a city set well back from the coast with an anchoring purpose. It supported and supplied the sea keeps north of Winetha, which defended the coast from barbarian raids between Atirr and the southern port. It also came to anchor a series of small garrisoned keeps which protected the inland farm hamlets and villages of the south. Thus, the two cities had complementary functions, but were not closely allied in any way.

Indeed, the noble houses owning the lands around the cities have traditionally had considerable enmity for each other. Rinloru has been in the keep of the House of Torquann for generations, as has Winetha been the fief of the House of Garasteth. Part of the feud between these Houses, indeed, concerns Garasteth claims to land south of Rinloru which that house asserts was obtained by banditry on the part of Torquann. Minor battles between hothead young princelings of these houses have been commonplace over the centuries, though serious large scale conflict was usually avoided.

The events of the Greyhawk Wars, and two exceptional rulers, have changed this. Now the cities and their lands are locked in an unholy embrace. Both rulers are appall ingly evil, but possessed of great magical strength, and rulers of adjoining lands do not dispute their land claims far beyond the Twin Cities even though only the remnants of disorganized armies are to be found beyond them. The fear of magical retribution is too strong, and the ghastly army of Rinloru in particular is one no one wishes to face on the plains of battle. United in evil, Delglath of Rinloru and Prince Lakaster of Winetha are nonetheless allies—of a sort. How this came to be is a strange tale indeed.