Editing Guldervale (section)

===Factions===

Now the city is still a major industrial power but its importance has grown even further as it is now a major religious centre as well. Many people also consider Guldervale to be responsible for ending the dark ages and as such the governor's voice has a lot of power in the Eretholier Council. The entire gamut of good gods from Pelor down to Estanna all have temples in the city as well as the celestial paragons who each have a following. Many of the neutral gods have homes in the city too, particularly the four present at the council which decided to save Guldervale. 

Ironically the city is also a beacon for evil cults and devil worship due to its connection to the infernal realms. The presence of the devils that were banished from Guldervale still lingers and many evil clerics and wizards find in it the power to summon and commune with evil fiends. A great conflict exists in the city between the crusaders of good and the secret sects and cults of evil. 

The governor of the city, currently a shrewd and insightful man named Yannick, has his hands full juggling the demands of the various factions in the city. The churches of good make many demands on him to stamp out crime and devil worship in the city and are frequently upset by what they see as his lack of commitment to the cause of good. In actual fact Yannick does what he feels is best for the growth of the city and the good of the people. There is a strong criminal element in the slums of Guldervale, mostly due to the ever-changing faces of prospectors and adventurers in the city and the Thieves' Guild flourishes in certain areas. Emissaries of the good churches also abound in these areas and the two frequently conflict. As long as Yannick keeps a firm hold on the situation however the situation rarely escalates into violence and riots. 

Something he is determined to clamp down on however is the devil-worshipping in the city. The blood of a celestial runs in his veins and he finds the practice abhorrent. To this end he keeps a hefty quota of secret police and crushes such activity swiftly and mercilessly. 

As if this wasn't enough some of the good churches take umbrage with each other or the neutral churches from time to time and the political alliances and enmities between religions are manifold and labyrinthine. Many of the noble houses harbour a distrust between each other as well as some are suspected of colluding with the devils back in the day. 
As the city is so reliant on tallite quarrying the unions of dockworkers and miners are also powerful forces. The river is vital for moving large quantities of tallite and the rare occasions where the dockworkers or miners union have taken action have caused a sharp decline in the city's profits. 

The orcs and goblins of the Thunderline Mountains also have a problem with the city. They still see the land and the wealth of the mountains as theirs and have recently been stepping up activity in the mountains and raiding quarries, forcing Yannick to step up security.