Waycrest

*"The first and last port of call"*

**Waycrest** is a coastal city-state in the Border Kingdoms.

It shares a border with the Cosarchian Kingdom.

## History

Founded around the year -2476 DR, Waycrest is an independent city-state governed by an elective council of five members.

It is known that in the past the city once paid tribute to the Skullfuckers Pirate Gang in order to have them move along and stop assaulting the city's ships.

On 9th Marpenoth 1487 DR the city was assaulted by the Skyswept Palace - a cloud giant floating fortress which cast down giant chains to anchor itself to the ground, killing many civilians. Aarakocra descended crying out in a strange language that it was time to bow before Alta Cirrus and Countess Sansuri. A special envoy of adventurers was able to defeat the occupants and bring the fortress down into the Shining Sea.

On the very same day Ruling Council member Carolyn Bearskin was revealed to have been working against the city's interests and to have actually been an oni in disguise. Whilst she was killed in battle, she killed a large number of innocent people including two fellow Ruling Council members.

### Historians

**Larid Prisgard** appears to be a man who takes convention from various sources and regurgitates it for his own. His sources vary but are widely undisputed as he tends to favour the most popular opinions of Waycrest, he seemed to know his market.

**Usher Wanwright** seems to favour the most flavourful tale, even if there is little to back up the claim. He has sometimes been slated as fabricating evidence to support his claim, he has rebuffed these by carefully cherry picking obscure details he can prove in order to support his narrative. It's largely considered you might find a diamond in his writings but more often than not it is fool's gold.

**Marketh Zondaris** seems the most balanced of the other two in that he not only finds the most commonly recounted tale, but thoroughly investigates and corroborates sources that contradict the accepted truth. As demonstrated by his compilation into the verified sale of artefacts to giant kin. His work is considered well researched, if somewhat dry and requiring a little more flare in his speculation.

## Government

Until 1487 DR one member was Carolyn Bearskin, who utilised her influence to further her own interests and those of giantkin, and two other members, Titus Quentin and Eberrus, were killed by Carolyn when her true nature was revealed.

Up to 9th Marpenoth 1487 DR the members were:

* **Chief Marshall Ingmar Neferen** - head of the city's defences
* **Carolyn Bearskin** - killed when she was revealed to be an oni working against the city
* **Titus Quentin** - killed by Carolyn Bearskin
* **Trisha Kelbrek** - representative of guilds and traders
* **Eberrus** - killed by Carolyn Bearskin

Following the death of three members of the Rulin Council on 9th Marpenoth new members were elected and the composition is now:

* **Chief Marshall Ingmar Neferen** - head of the city's defence
* **Trisha Kelbrek** - representative of guilds and traders
* **Neythan Quentin** - son of Titus Quentin, brother of Clerebold Quentin
* **Assam Sharukfal** - grandson of Calishite adventurer looking to expland the Guild Hall
* **Lafli Vineblower** - former Emerald Enclave member looking to increase city's wine production

## City Defence

The ultimate head of Waycrest's defence force is Chief Marshall Ingmar Neferen, a halfling sorcerer approaching 50 years of service. Ingmar presides over the three branches of the city-states defence force. The branches of the City Defence Force are answerable to one Commander who oversees three divisions each managed by a Captain, while each division comprises of three squadrons. A typical squadron consists of four guards and one sergeant, but daily formations and deployment can be amended at the discretion of the division captain.

### The City-Watch

The Commander of the City-Watch is Armand Lochstead, battle hardened human fighter of the noble family the Lochsteads. The City-Watch prioritises monitoring the peaceful coming and going of both residents and visitors to Waycrest. Managing population movement via the city's three gates, issuing punishments (fines or temporary imprisonment) and patrolling in the attempt to prevent crime are staple duties of the branch. Complex crimes are recorded to be handled by the judicial court or in rare terms of appeal brought before the Ruling Council of Waycrest. Minor civil court disputes typically only involve the City-Watch when requiring evidence to compensate damage to a individual's reputation or property.

The main base of operations for the City-Watch can be found at the barracks north of the Court Square. From there, captains typically fulfil administrative duties, such as issuing bounties, deploying their troops and securing warrants via the judicial court.

The standard troop deployment in a City-Watch squadron consists of two guards, two scouts and one sergeant, and will be tasked with patrolling, attending to calls for aid or managing one of Waycrest's three gates.

### The Sky-Guard

The Commander of the Sky-Guard is Deng Tukra, a Half-Orc former mercenary and Beast Master ranger. The Sky-Guard has been in turmoil over the past year due to the recent prohibition of Griffon mounts in Waycrest. The controversial decision from the ruling council has forced the Sky-Guard to rely on the smaller and more docile Hippogriff as its companion mount.

The Sky-Guard serves first and foremost as a reconnaissance and tracking team for the landscape surrounding Waycrest. Recent staff strikes and the requirement to train new mounts due to the dismantling of the Griffon flock has left Waycrest largely in the dark about the Goblinoid hoard that has amassed at Maygar's Hill.

The base of operations for the Sky-Guard is a large tower known as "The Roost", adjacent to the Crown Port.

Boasting only just over a dozen service ready Hippogriffs for deployment, the Sky-Guard operates primarily as a response team. Survey teams are most often dispatched in pairs, however response teams to raised alarms consist of squadron of four scouts and one sergeant to direct them.

Due to the disparity between the number of soldiers and available mounts. The Sky-Guard has earned the reputation of being the laziest branch of the City Defence Force.

### The Shore-Corp

The Commander of the Shore-Corp is Seldon 'Four-Eyes' Yulis, a commoner Dwarf buckaneer. Former first mate of 'Barnacle' Bob Freeman of the Freeman Family.

The Shore-Corp's main responsibility is the security and documentation of goods arriving or departing the city. They collect of tax for imports and focus on the prevention of smuggling prohibited items.

Relying on the natural barriers of atols just off the western coast of the mainland and large chain suspended between the lighthouse towers of the Merchant and Crown Ports, the Shore-Corp primarily utilise small and swift water vessels to board incoming vessels and direct them to their mooring.

## Geography

Waycrest is on the eastern coast of the Border Kingdoms, surrounded to the north, east, and south by the Cosarchian Kingdom, and to the west by the Shining Sea.

South of the city itself are the marshy Boglands, which are presently home to a group of unwelcome lizardfolk. Nearby is Maygar's Hill, which is the base of the mysterious Council of Cerberus and the Brotherhood of Free Goblins.

## Places of Interest

### City Hall

The seat of the city's government where the Ruling Council meets. Standing proudly outside the hall is the Knight Stone - a flawless statue of Maygar Wayfinder.

### Crown Port

The most prestigious port in the city. This is where the Great Trading Turtle docks.

### Frugal Florists

The Frugal Florists is ostensibly a flower shop in the Waterways District of Waycrest. The store was run by Pew the Pied, a disgraced bard, for whom a bounty had been in place for the charges of fraud, discrimination, kidnapping, illegal monstrosity trading, and extortion. On his person a note was found which stated that he was seeking the Three Relics of Feohorn and that all three heads of the Council of Cerberus were watching. Word was to be sent to Maygar's Hill if anything was found.

Davos Rorsh stated that Carolyn Bearskin is a patron of the Frugal Florists.

Whilst investigating the building, the party of Guard Captain Clerebold Quentin, Estrid Stormbringer, and Grugs were able to find much evidence of criminal activities, unusual gold pieces with rats imprinted on them, and the apparent source of the toxic waste known to pollute the cities waters.

### Guild Quarter

Home of a number of guilds in the city, including the Adventurer's Guild which gives lodgings to those passing through the city in search of quests. The Guild Quarter has its own port.

## Sayings, Customs and Myths

**Typical greetings -** "Well met.", "Happy tides", "Sun and moon guide you"

**Typical farewells -** "On the morrow.", "Fair winds to you.", "See you on the turn"

**Typical cheers -** "Peace guide your blade", "But your hand stay ready", "To the will of the small"

**Phrases and sayings:**

"Acting like an ankheg" - Burying your head to avoid the situation around you

"Do dragons like gold?" - An obvious statement of truth

"From the college of hill giants" - Someone who thinks they're smart but is actually dumb

"Talking stone to a dwarf" - Speaking of something in agreement or of interest to both parties

"Trying to Leon me" - Accusing someone of dishonest business custom

"We're not selling mirrors to orcs" - A pointless activity

"By the bones" - An expression to will good luck or prevent misfortune

**Waycrestian views on and terms for giant-kin**

**Hill giants** **-** "Big chat" or "Chattel" - Referring to the period after Maygar's liberation when noble families chained and forced labour upon this race as restitution for the crops, livestock and human life lost under the rule of Knothling the cloud giant.

**Stone giants -** "Mossers" or "Moss growers" - Rarely seen ever above ground, the people of Waycrest believe that the stagnant and 'lazy' stone giants feast on the moss that grows on their skin through years of inactivity.

**Frost giants -** "Bergs" or "Berg jumpers" - Known only through very rare raids on ships that have passed to and from Waycrest, these roving raiders are discussed as a people without home or knowledge of how to form civilisation. Hence their ever restless nature to move, fight and conquer.

**Fire giants -** "Forgers" or "Forge thieves" - Regarded marginally in more favourable light for their skill in metalwork and for their lack of raiding, this giant type is still criticised for their tendency to move into abandoned mines and claim dwarvish work for their own.

**Cloud giants -** "Sky Pirates", "Sun Baked" or "Windblown" - Largely despised in Waycrest given the fable of Maygar's triumph over Knothling. Despite being known in Faerûn as just as likely to be evil as good, these are all perceived as thieves and tyrants in this small city.

**Storm giants -** "Drowners" or "Sunken Ones" - While some Waycrestian scholars debate even the existence of this giant-kin, they are not viewed with love or disdain, more caution due to a lack of understanding. Many common folk consider it a blessing for sailors to have seen one. However mentioning any giant kin in Waycrest is to receive customary spit on the floor lest the free city ever pay homage to giants again.