Population: 15,600
Capital City: Chendl
Standing Army: 850
Ruler: King Belvor IV

The Royal Capital of Furyondy, Chendl, lies within the Fairwain Province. Although Fairwain is very small, measuring only thirty square miles, it is said to be one of the most beautiful places in the Flanaess. Fairwain has been cultivated with exotic flora from all over the continent of Oerik.

The Royal Capital of Chendl is located at the center of Fairwain, and is the true gem of the province. Chendl is a most magnificent city, designed from ground up with architectural elegance and precision; and now, some years after the Wars and the siege that decimated the city, that elegance is returning. Chendl is strongly walled and has wide canals, hanging gardens, broad boulevards, elegant sculptures, and ample public parks. Continual flame lanterns shine brightly along the boulevards and the King’s magnificent magical garden floats some three hundred feet above the Royal Palace. Access to the King’s gardens is by two bridges of delicate white arches. These bridges are guarded by some of the King’s own House Regiment officers. Atop the magical garden at the highest point is a flagpole that flies the King’s personal standard when he is at his home. The Palace is a majestic building of gold-veined white marble with a central gleaming transparent dome filled with exotic plants and birds. The Palace grounds hold a temple to Heironeous, the god of valor. The noted bard Diambeth writes, “The City of Greyhawk may claim to the Gem of the Flanaess, but I name Chendl to be the Diadem."

Chendl was laid out by master architects and extensively planned. The city was designed to replace Dyvers as the capital of Old Ferrond. Even after the siege years, Chendl has no slums, nor any recognizable lower social class housing. Indeed it can cost a traveler a minimum of 50 to 100 pieces of gold per month to stay here. The current population is close to 15,600 individuals; anymore and the city would likely be crowded. Because of the limited available space, immigration is closely monitored. Anyone wishing to become a citizen of Chendl must prove his or her “verifiable worth” to the city government first. They must have skills or capital to start a business. Anyone who can pay for lodging is welcome as a visitor in the city.

The citizens of Chendl are very law abiding and good. A well-trained police force patrols the city. Chendl is a place to wine and dine, sniff the scented gardens, see the opera, and gamble at casinos and gaming houses. All casinos are safe to visit and mostly honest. Royal regulations forbid high-stakes gambling in most locations, but there are plenty of outrageously overpriced restaurants and expensive taverns to spend your gold in. Chendl’s social castes are always a concern to the locals. The “old blood” nobility and the Noble Council representatives are at the top of the list, Knights and lesser nobles second, skilled artisans and the very richest merchants third, other artisans and merchants next, and everyone else last.

Chendl has a sordid side to it, but not a very large one. The Thieves’ Guild here is struggling to survive given the vast numbers of militia and other soldiers. Only the most daring of rogues can make a profit in this city. The commoners and the nobility alike know that outside the city there are “secret” clubs that cater to high rollers, those outside the nobility, and deal in narcotics and houses of ill repute. It is also a known “secret” that these clubs are run by the Thieves’ and Assassins’ Guilds, and that their house percentages are considerably higher than legal casinos.

Heironeous is the major faith in Chendl, and High Cleric Garaeth Heldenster is a major ally of the King. Those outside of the noble class tend to favor St. Cuthbert, and that church’s leader, Overseer Redankin Desmart, supports the King’s policies. Other notable religions in Chendl include Rao, Trithereon, and Delleb, the Oeridian god of learning and intellect.

Chendl has garrison strength of 850 men, including some soldiers of Kalinstren and the King’s own personal forces. The King intends to increase these numbers in the next year. These troops, of course, can carry any weapons they need throughout the city, though any other heavily armed figures will likely be closely watched. Three trusted military commanders—Generals Gallantren, Bemedior, and Yemanien—stay within the King’s complex and command the troops in Chendl. They are technically subservient to Grand Marshal Jemian, but he does not spend much time in Chendl and commands little control over them.

There was considerable damage to Chendl and the Fairwain Province during the Greyhawk Wars. Almost all of this damage has been repaired, though there are still signs of destruction, mostly out in the rambling countryside of Fairwain. During an orcish siege in 583 CY, the city’s wall, and even the King’s Palace, suffered considerable structural damage. The King is planning to erect magical defenses to assure that Chendl never faces another siege like it during the Wars. The Eternal War with the Old One has taken its toll on the Fairwain, however. To make his Great Northern Crusade a reality, King Belvor needed the support of the Viscounty of the March. Unofficially, the King was forced to cede much of the Fairwain, land hereditarily controlled by the King, to Viscount Derwent. Rumors of this are still officially denied. Despite the loss of this land and despite the general war fervor so common in the rest of the nation, the province remains a calm, urbane seat of power.

Notable Religions: Due to the popularity of High Cleric Garaeth Heldenster and the support King Belvor IV provides his faith, the temple to Heironeous is the largest in the province. However, as the capital city, Chendl is an ideal place for the kingdom’s churches to curry favor from the king and nobles, and Pholtus, Pelor, Istus, Rao, Delleb, St. Cuthbert, Kord, Allitur, and Trithereon also have a significant presence in the city.

Roger Bert, Allan Fawcett, Brian Hudson, John du Bois, and Michelle Sharp. Living Greyhawk Furyondy Gazetteer v4.0, www.furyondy.com, May 2007.

Furyondy