Greymire
The Smuggler’s Haven
In Greymire, you can buy anything—stolen grain, a name that ain’t yours, a dagger meant for a friend’s back. Gold still changes hands, but silver? Silver’s worth more than life. You don’t spend it here, you guard it, ‘cause the moment someone sees silver in your purse, they’ll gut you just to melt it down for a blade.
Greymire clings toBefore the jaggedBlight coastlinecast ofits shadow over Faulmoor, Greymire was a bustling coastal town builtrenowned uponfor shiftingits sandsvibrant shipping industry and ever-changingstrategic tides.maritime Thoughsignificance. itNestled remains outsidealong the jagged coastline, the town's docks were alive with activity as merchant vessels from distant lands anchored to trade goods, culture, and news. The air was filled with the mingling scents of fresh sea breeze and exotic spices, while the streets echoed with the harmonious blend of diverse languages and lively commerce.
The town's architecture reflected its prosperity: well-maintained stone buildings lined the cobbled streets, and the harbor was fortified with sturdy piers and warehouses. Local businesses thrived, from shipwrights and fishmongers to artisans crafting wares for both locals and travelers. Greymire's markets were famous for offering a plethora of goods, including fine textiles, rare spices, and handcrafted jewelry. The town was not only a hub of economic activity but also a cultural melting pot, where festivals and maritime celebrations drew visitors from across the region.
However, the onset of the Blight brought profound and devastating changes. As the disease spread, fear and paranoia gripped the land. Trade routes were disrupted, and the once-thriving docks saw a sharp decline in legitimate commerce. The Baron’s quarantine edicts,edicts aimed at containing the Blight led to increased restrictions and isolation of affected areas. Greymire, though outside the official quarantine zones, found itself teetering on the edge of economic collapse.
In this vacuum, opportunism flourished. The town's strategic location and intricate knowledge of hidden coves made it isan ideal haven for smugglers and black-market traders. The once-respectable shipping town transformed into a placelawless enclave where the lawexchange holdsof littlecontraband power.became Here,the tradenorm. thrives not through honest labor, but through secrecy and deception. The docks are lined with salt-Salt-stained ships thatbegan arrivearriving under the cover of night,darkness, theirunloading cargoillicit carefullycargoes offloadedsuch intoas hidden coves and forgotten warehouses. Greymire's merchants deal in what cannot be legally obtained—contraband silver from Fenmire, alchemical elixirs falsely promising protection from the Blight, and relics scavenged from the ruins of quarantined towns.
The loyalties of Greymire’town's leadersleadership shiftbecame like the tides, ever-changing to alignfragmented, with theloyalties mostshifting profitablebetween orinfluential protectivehouses force.such Someas daysWilthorne theyand answerHarrowden, and occasional feigned obedience to House WilthorneValkenmar, onwhen otherstheir theypresence bowloomed. toThe Houseonce-celebrated Harrowden,festivals were replaced by secretive gatherings, and whenthe Valkenmar’sopen presencemarkets loomsgave too close, they feign obedienceway to the Baron’Bone Ledger, Greymire’s will.shadow Somemarket sailors,where ifanything theycould arebe bravebought—for ora desperateprice.
Despite the rightchaos, price,a acrosssemblance of order emerged through groups like the treacherousTideborn, watersa fledgling smuggling guild striving to establish dominance in the now lawless town. Greymire's transformation from a respectable shipping hub to a smuggling center exemplifies the town's resilience and adaptability in the face of theadversity. HollowIt Tides,stands boundas for Feldmoor—a distant landtestament to thehow northdesperation whisperedand toopportunism becan untouchedreshape bya thecommunity, Blight. Many do not return, either claimed by the violent sea or worse, but for those with nowhere else to turn,turning it remains a flickering beacon of hope.
Greymire is not a town of heroes. It isinto a place forwhere survivors,survival opportunists,hinges on secrecy, deception, and thosethe willingrelentless to sell their souls for another daypursuit of freedom.profit.
Detailed Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Faulmoor |
| Ruling House(s) | Nominally Valkenmar, but shifts between Wilthorne and Harrowden |
| Population (Before Blight) | 9,000 (Estimated) |
| Population (After Blight) | 5,500 (Estimated) (Many unregistered smugglers and drifters) |
| Major Industries | Smuggling, Black Market Trade, Fishing, Refugee Transport |
| Primary Exports | Contraband Silver, Stolen Goods, Illicit Alchemical Goods, Hidden Relics |
| Current Leadership | Various shifting leaders; no centralized authority |
| Government Type | Loose Anarchy; rule by profit and survival |
| Defenses | Hidden coves, armed smugglers, shifting alliances |
| Notable Features | A hub for illegal trade, home to the Tideborn smuggling guild, rumored to harbor the undead |
| Status | Lawless, unregulated, thriving on secrecy and deception |
The Tideborn
The Tideborn is a fledgling smuggling guild struggling to establish dominance in Greymire. Unlike the entrenched and well-funded operations in Ebonmoor and Fenmire, the Tideborn is a loose collection of sailors, outcasts, and opportunists trying to carve out a space in the town’s underworld. Their influence is tenuous, their resources limited, and they are constantly forced to adapt to the shifting allegiances of Greymire’s ruling factions. The group primarily deals in stolen goods, illicit shipments of silver, and ferrying desperate refugees away from Faulmoor’s cursed shores, though they often find themselves outmaneuvered by larger and more ruthless operations.
The guild is led by a self-proclaimed Captain Veylan Dorne, a former privateer turned smuggler, whose leadership is constantly tested by both internal strife and external pressure from rival smugglers. The Tideborn lack the iron grip of more powerful guilds, and their members live precariously, always watching for betrayals or hostile takeovers. Despite this, their daring raids and whispered secrets have earned them a place in Greymire’s underbelly, if only just. Whether they rise to power or are snuffed out by stronger forces remains to be seen.
Notable Establishments
The Rusted Keel – Tavern & Smuggler’s Haven
A decaying two-story tavern overlooking the docks, The Rusted Keel is as much a market for illicit deals as it is a place for drinking. Its warped wooden floors are permanently damp with seawater and spilled ale, and the low ceiling, thick with smoke, gives it a claustrophobic air. The tavern is owned by Murdren Varlo, a former corsair turned dockmaster, who allows transactions to occur under his roof so long as he gets a cut. It’s a common meeting place for smugglers, mercenaries, and those looking to offload contraband goods without attracting too much attention. Deals are often sealed over cups of spiced rum, and those who can’t pay their debts tend to vanish into the Greymere Sea before dawn.
The Bone Ledger – Greymire’s Shadow Market
Tucked behind a collapsing warehouse in the Saltmarked Quarter, The Bone Ledger is the beating heart of Greymire’s black market. It isn’t a single shop, but rather a network of sellers, fences, and information brokers, all operating under the eye of Garrik "Blackthumb" Stowe, a man with burned hands and a reputation for making debts disappear—along with those who refuse to pay them. Anything can be bought or sold here, except silver, which is always melted down immediately upon arrival. Need a forged seal, a rare alchemical tincture, or a smuggler to get you out of Faulmoor? The Bone Ledger will provide—for a steep price.