Valoya - A Coastal City

Politics

Valoya is ruled by the King's youngest son, Prince Harrum Julien. Harrum is the 9th child of King Julien and is not well liked by the King and the other Princes. The Prince enforces (through the military and police force) the laws of the Kingdom. Prince Harrum has a court (not a judicial court). The court is fairly small and the members are mainly successful traders, merchants, and business owners. There is a judicial court run by three appointed judge's. The Prince appoints them. They levy fines and sentences to criminals.

While Valoya is important for the economy of the continent, the King rarely, if ever, intervenes in the inner politics of Valoya. Partly because of the kings relationship with King Harrum, but mainly because Valoya is not high on the King's priority list.

Religion

All deities of the Greyhawk are worshipped in this kingdom. However, due to the importance of nature and weather in and around Valoya, the only deity with a temple dedicated to them is Obad-Hai (N), the god of nature. Obad-Hai's symbol is an oak leaf and acorn which can be seen throughout the city. The Temple of Obad-Hai is located next to the market with a large statue depicting the god.

Obad-Hai rules nature and the wilderness, and he is a friend to all who live in harmony with the natural world. He expects his followers to live in harmony with nature in all its variety. Those who destroy or otherwise harm nature deserve swift vengeance in an appropriate manner, says Obad-Hai. Those who are one with nature, however, have little to fear, although the well-meaning but foolish are sometimes brought down by a danger they could not avoid or divert. Obad-Hai teaches that the wilds can sometimes be ugly, dangerous, or terrible, but that these things are a part of nature and should be respected as much as those that are beautiful, harmless, or wonderful, for these characterizations mark a newcomer's perspective.

Clerics of Obad-Hai have no hierarchy. They treat all those of their order as equals. They wear russet-colored clothing and maintain hidden woodland shrines that are usually located far from civilization. They keep to the wilderness and to themselves, rarely getting involved in society. A wide variety of peoples serve as Obad-Hai's clerics, including humans, gnomes, halflings, and sylvan fey. They serve as protectors of nature, acting as the agents of retribution when their protection is insufficient or too late. Temples to Obad-Hai can be located nearly anywhere but are usually located amid groves of oak trees.

(source: https://faerunian.fandom.com/wiki/Obad-Hai)

Military

Being a harbor city and the trade economy there is an above average sized police force. Prince Harrum employs between 100-125 Soldiers and Knights to maintain order and protect the outer areas. There is a small specialized unit of magic users and warriors to help support the military forces and maintain order.

Economics

This is a small, yet important, trading post for the eastern coast of the continent. It serves as a mid-point from the northern and southern most cities that provide most of the import and exports for the country. A lot of goods are brought in from the intercoastal cities to the docks for export.

Small criminal activity can be found at the docks and around the market. There is no shortage of small time thieves and adult workers.

The arts flourish in Valoya with many street performers working their way up to staged performances. As seen in the social section, the theatrical arts rivals many large cities. Several famous people have started on the streets of Valoya.

Social

There is a large transient population due to the shipping and trading. Many people come and go within days as their boats are restocked and they begin their travels.
There is a subtle but noticeable difference between people of different socioeconomic statuses. People of similar statuses typically maintain to their peers. Some people will try and increase their status by making friends with people of a higher tier and shunned people can fall from their status. Typically, it is easier to fall from a social circle than rise.

With the high transient population, Valoya is full of arts and theater. The theater scene is well known throughout the world, and even though Valoya is relatively small, it rivals many larger cities in arts and theater.