Does anyone have any additional info about Niole Dra beyond Gary Holian’s article and the RPGA Greyhawk modules appendices? I feel like I’m getting a sense of the city of 25,000.
According to Mr. Holian and the RPGA, the City of Niole Dra has more than a dozen quarters or districts, all separated by hanging gardens. Noted district names include (1) the Blind Quarter, (2) the Copper Quarter, (3) the Noble Quarter, (4) the Waterfront or Dock Quarter, (5) the Tankard District (which is adjacent to both the Dock Quarter and the Copper Quarter), the (7) Market Quarter, and the (8) Merchant District.
All of the temples are located on one street called Gods’ Way or Temple Row. Maybe this is a district?
This leaves a minimum of five unnamed districts. Whether they have ever been written down or not what districts would you add to the list? Any extra ideas or sources are welcome.
My goal is to write-up the city and design a map based on canon and near-canon materials. So far, the info I found is pretty thin. Even the Thieves’ Guild is unremarkable named the Thieves’ Guild. If Niole Dra is about one-third the population size of Greyhawk City, then the map area might be as well. Doesn’t seem all that impressive for Keoland’s Capital. Perhaps the buildings are further apart but there are no doubt fewer ones.
One last concern, one map I found on line has a river running thru the city, the river is named the Tavis River. Sounds good, but is there a Tavis River in Keoland?
This leaves a minimum of five unnamed districts. Whether they have ever been written down or not what districts would you add to the list? Any extra ideas or sources are welcome.
There should be a military district, a wizardly/sagely/bardic district, and a governing (bureaucratic) district. Maybe there is a foreign district where all non-citizens must stay until they are processed and cleared to mingle with the rest of the population. An adventuring district may be located at one of the gates into the city or near the military district. This is where all transient adventurers and mercenaries are required to quarter while residing within the city walls.
One last concern, one map I found on line has a river running thru the city, the river is named the Tavis River. Sounds good, but is there a Tavis River in Keoland?
I'm pretty sure the map you're talking about reads Tavish river, as in the name of four of Keoland's kings.
I'm not aware of any official source mentioning such a river. Living Greyhawk Journal #1 makes it clear that Niole Dra is on the west bank of the Sheldomar River. You could have a small tributary join the Sheldomar at that point if you wanted, but it's not official, and Anna's map doesn't include one. There could still be a smaller Uleki town on the other side of the Sheldomar, accessible by bridge.
If there's a Copper Quarter, a Gold, Silver, Platinum, and/or Electrum district might make sense, as well as perhaps Brass and Iron. Or perhaps districts could be named after other products, such as gems, silk, magic, and grain.
Being just across the river from the Duchy of Ulek, an Elf District makes some sense too.
Other possibilities: theater district, coliseum/arena district, university district.
If there's a Copper Quarter, a Gold, Silver, Platinum, and/or Electrum district might make sense, as well as perhaps Brass and Iron. Or perhaps districts could be named after other products, such as gems, silk, magic, and grain.
Being just across the river from the Duchy of Ulek, an Elf District makes some sense too.
Other possibilities: theater district, coliseum/arena district, university district.
Cities don't really form that way. Districts are so named not in any formal sense, but because that's what the locals call the area, eg Five Points in NYC is so called because five roads came together at one location, which was a central area for people living and doing business in the area. Chinatown in SF is much the same way; the people who lived there did so because racism and restrictive laws forced it, but Harlem in NYC though it became known as a black neighborhood the name dated all the way back to the colonial period when it was a Dutch colony.
It would have a much better flavor to name districts to reflect those kinds of conventions, rather than copy paste how districts were named based on the City of Greyhawk, which while larger is much younger than Niole Dra.
My thought would be to develop the districts in keeping with what we know about canon, and add in what's not covered in a way that reflects how real people name their communities.
What about a diplomatic district? Keoland's Imperial past means you've got Geoff, Sterich, the Yeomanry, Gran March, Bissel and the 3 Ulek States who would almost certainly maintain some form of embassy with Keoland. Plus it's likely Furyondy, Veluna, Greyhawk, Nyrond at least would maintain missions with Keoland.
Such a district would have the embassy buildings themselves as well as various diplomatic residences. Put it close to the high districts of the city and call it the Marcher Quarter (after the former Marchs of Keoland).
I'm sure Niole Dra has a Guild District, as the Guilds are very integral to the culture and society of Keoland. The arts also loom large in the capital of Keoland, especially as the politicians, the rich, and the hanger-ons and wannabes all strive for power and influence.
I have a map of Niole Dra we used in Living Greyhawk for an interactive we did while I was a Keoland Triad member., . If you'd like to see it, just message.
I'm sure Niole Dra has a Guild District, as the Guilds are very integral to the culture and society of Keoland. The arts also loom large in the capital of Keoland, especially as the politicians, the rich, and the hanger-ons and wannabes all strive for power and influence.
I have a map of Niole Dra we used in Living Greyhawk for an interactive we did while I was a Keoland Triad member., . If you'd like to see it, just message.
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