Wyvernen

Popultion: 180
Wyvernen is a tiny village with less than two hundred people, but its circumstances are unusual enough to merit mentioning. Surrounded by a wall of stone and wood, Wyvernen is home to farmers, bandits, raiders, peat-diggers (a nearby gorge delivers excellent peat, which is
sold to Safeton as fuel), and a family of gnome cutthroats chased out of Safeton.
Wyvernen
Hendred Blerrid urging his citizens to prepare for battle

The town is ruled by Hendred Blerrid, priest of the god of war, mas­sacres, conflict, and tyranny. He rules the town with an iron hand, for­bidding anyone from fleeing the village, and rides a trained wyvern. His intense hatred for orcs has no known source, but causes him to urge the villagers to prepare for battle; his speeches usually include descriptions of ore blood running down the village walls.
Although orcs have tried to raid the village five times, each attack has been driven off with ease, with many casualties inflicted by spells from the riding priest and stones dropped from his pet’s claws.

Morale among the villagers continues to improve, and they maintain a feeling of security in the face of adversity. In fact, their many victories have given them a derisive attitude toward other towns that have suffered at the hands of the humanoids.

Even the evil gnomes have made themselves useful during this state of war. As in Cantona, extensive tunnels have been dug under the roads of Wyvernen, allowing the people to move about undetected if the orcs make it into the town or make surprise attacks from boltholes. They have also created a couple of gnome-sized “ventilation shafts” that lead to hidden spots outside the walls just in case the tide turns against the villagers and the priest refuses to evacuate.

Hendred refuses to allow the Greyhawk Mountaineers into the territory near Wyvernen, asserting that his is an independent village. The nearby towns know that Wyvernen will eventually fall, but it is impressive and heartening to see the orcs keep trying and failing.

Wyvernen

Post Greyhawk Wars: 585 CY Juan