Torrich

Originally built as a castle stronghold on a hill, which now lies just north of the main city, it was natural that Torrich would soon support a growing population. Because the stronghold never fell to bandit, foreigner, or feuding Aerdy noble, Torrich gained a reputation as a secure, safe place. For this reason it has attracted more than its fair share of exiles during and after the Greyhawk Wars. Before the Wars it had a population of 19,000, including the shanty town which has sprung up east of the city. This figure now stands at 27,000. Prince Dilweg, landowner of much of the Darmen lands west of the Flanmi, is a young, charismatic, and combative man who has caught the mood of the population, including young Darmen nobles outside his own lands. Dilweg urges a strike on Rauxes. And there are many, especially among the exiles, who are hot-headed enough to receive this message enthusiastically. Dilweg is cunning; he knows that as time goes by, Xavener will grow in strength, and his only real hope of becoming overking lies in precipitate action. Death or glory; Dilweg's fate would more likely be death, but he doesn't care.

However, Dilweg is restrained by two factors. One is Princess Bersheba. The other is the unmasking in early Wealsun of a nest of four Scarlet Brotherhood spies posing as silk merchants in the city. Dilweg's watchful and perceptive Captain of the Watch, the half-elf Crenelland, intercepted messages and instructions being smuggled in silk bales to the spies and arrested and executed them. Now, Torrich's troops are very watchful and many ordinary people are subjected to random visits and searches of their homes and property. Dilweg and Crenelland haven't publicized the reason for this, and many folk are angered by these intrusions. Dilweg has only informed Harnnad among the other major princes, hoping to gain his support for Dilweg's ambitions. Thus Torrich is overcrowded, rather dirty and decrepit in parts, and has an atmosphere of suspicion and resentment. It also has an unpleasant Thieves' Quarter, mostly occupied by mercenaries in Dilweg's service (or ones who have come seeking his coin). Trouble flares up there fairly often, and in its darker corners half-orc faces can be glimpsed and even, it is said, a drow or two. If Dilweg has alliances with that race, he is a dangerous power player indeed.