Dyvers
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
roleplaying game, Dyvers, the "City of Sails," is a free city and political state in the central Flanaess
. The city itself is officially known as the Free and Independent City of Dyvers, while the political state is known as the Free Lands of Dyvers.
and the Theocracy of the Pale. Dyvers proclaimed itself a free city in 526 CY, alleging that it was uncomfortable with Furyondy allying with Veluna
, a state whose policies Dyvers found overly restrictive. This was probably just a pretext, but King Thrommel II of Furyondy allowed the secession to pass in return for Dyvers continuing to contribute taxes and levies to Furyondian coffers.
Internecine assaults and murders are not unusual. The constables of the Watch, famous for their ostentatious insignia and the flashy epaulettes of their officers, often have their work cut out maintaining peace.
is blazoned thus: Or, a castle triple-towered sable; on a chief party per bend gules and azure, dexter three crowns in bend of the first, sinister a decrescent argent.
, pike
, and a golden, carp
-like fish from the Nyr Dyv
. Dyvers also has an axebeak ranch.
, and Sterich).
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game, Dyvers, the "City of Sails," is a free city and political state in the central Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
. The city itself is officially known as the Free and Independent City of Dyvers, while the political state is known as the Free Lands of Dyvers.
History
Dyvers was originally the capital of Furyondy, an important trading center with the lake and river traffic from Bissel, Nyrond, the Urnst states, and even lands as far away as PerrenlandPerrenland
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Perrenland, properly known as the Concatenated Cantons of Perrenland, is a political state of the Flanaess.-Geography:...
and the Theocracy of the Pale. Dyvers proclaimed itself a free city in 526 CY, alleging that it was uncomfortable with Furyondy allying with Veluna
Veluna
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Veluna, properly known as the Archclericy of Veluna, is a theocratic political state of the Flanaess.-History:...
, a state whose policies Dyvers found overly restrictive. This was probably just a pretext, but King Thrommel II of Furyondy allowed the secession to pass in return for Dyvers continuing to contribute taxes and levies to Furyondian coffers.
Geography
Dyvers lays claim to some 2000 square miles (5,180 km²) of territory along the south bank of the Velverdyva to the Gnarley Forest. It also claims a number of small islands at the mouth of the great river, which are heavily wharfed and warehoused and form the center of the River Quarter of the city.Population
Dyvers' influx of refugees has been a mixed blessing. Many mercenaries come to the city seeking employment, and some skilled people have settled there. On the other hand, in the poorer quarters of the city, many Shield Landers (among others) have sought refuge, and overcrowding is now a major problem. Not unnaturally, Dyversians blame the incomers for an epidemic outbreak of a typhuslike illness which killed nearly a thousand folk shortly after the Shield Landers' mass influx from Admundfort.Internecine assaults and murders are not unusual. The constables of the Watch, famous for their ostentatious insignia and the flashy epaulettes of their officers, often have their work cut out maintaining peace.
Government
The rulers of Dyvers are drawn by meritocratic vote from mages, scholars, experienced warriors, and priests.Administrative divisions
The Free Lands of Dyvers consists of one major noble fief (City of Dyvers), and six lordships over two villages (Caltaran and Maraven) and the surrounding countryside.Executive branch
Executive power lies in the hands of the Magister of Dyvers, currently Larissa Hunter, who has held her office since 585 CY.Heraldry
The city's coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is blazoned thus: Or, a castle triple-towered sable; on a chief party per bend gules and azure, dexter three crowns in bend of the first, sinister a decrescent argent.
Economy
Dyvers has something of a rivalry with Greyhawk City, since their territories overlap to the east. Dyvers looks upon Greyhawk's expansion with some ill ease.Resources
Important resources of Dyvers include shipbuilding supplies, foodstuffs (fish, meat, cheeses, local ales), clothing. Dyvers has a somewhat declining income from trade, but its fishing vessels still capture good harvests of garGar
In American English the name gar is strictly applied to members of the Lepisosteidae, a family including seven living species of fish in two genera that inhabit fresh, brackish, and occasionally marine, waters of eastern North America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands.-Etymology:In...
, pike
Esox
Esox is a genus of freshwater fish, the only living genus in the family Esocidae — the esocids which were endemic to North America, Europe and Eurasia during the Paleogene through present.The type species is E. lucius, the northern pike...
, and a golden, carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
-like fish from the Nyr Dyv
Nyr Dyv
The Nyr Dyv, also known as the "Lake of Unknown Depths," is a fictional fresh water lake in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game...
. Dyvers also has an axebeak ranch.
Currency
Dyvers's coinage consists of the platinum citadel, gold wheatsheaf, electrum galley, silver wagon, and copper common.Military
Dyvers' army and militias have been strengthened by recruitment from the best of the Shield Landers, and a handful of good warriors have fled here from conquered lands of the west (Bissel, GeoffGeoff (Greyhawk)
Geoff is a fictional land that is part of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. Geoff was first described in 1983 in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting, where Geoff is properly known as the Grand Duchy of Geoff, and is a ducal political state of the fictional continent called the...
, and Sterich).