“When wasteful war shall statues overturn
And broils root out the work of masonry,
Nor Mars his sword, nor war’s quick fire, shall burn
The living record of your memory:
’Gainst death, and all oblivious enmity,
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.”
Shakespeare, Sonnet 55 (1609), Q 2&3
 |
| An End To War |
587 CY
All wars must end. Treaty Negotiations between Ket and Veluna, Gran March, and Bissel began, resulting in the Thornward Division. There was peace in the Bramblewood Gap, if one can call it that; in truth, tension rose, each side watchful, and a new type of war began, a Cold War.
All wars must end. Treaty Negotiations between Ket and Veluna, Gran March, and Bissel began, resulting in the Thornward Division. There was peace in the Bramblewood Gap, if one can call it that; in truth, tension rose, each side watchful, and a new type of war began, a Cold War.
Beygraf Zoltan's assassination in 587 CY and
the resulting change in Ket's government led to a new policy regarding Bissel.
Nadaid, Zoltan's state favored replacement, withdrew most of his troops from
Bissel to deal with chaos in Lopolla, then began peace negotiations with the
west, much to the frustration of battle-hungry Gran March war bands gathered at
Bissel's southern border.
Negotiations lasted
from 587-589 CY, resulting in the controversial Thornward Division, by which
Bissel's capital was lost and made a neutral city held and governed in common
by Ket, Veluna, Gran March, and Bissel. Ket completely withdrew its armies,
taking control of all Bisselite forts, towns, and lands north of the
Bramblewood Gap. [LGG - 33]
Beygraf Zoltan was
assassinated within four years of the first occupation of Bissel;
significantly, the judgment of the mullahs was to not attempt his
revivification. The political aftermath in Lopolla was considerable. As the
struggle for power unfolded, army forces were withdrawn from Bissel, and civil
war threatened Ket. A new beygraf took power by forming a coalition between
many military leaders and a significant minority of the clergy. With the
financial support of the Mouqollad, the coalition has stabilized Ket's
government and borders. Beygraf Nadaid's policies are those of a moderate, so
he has little respect among the clergy. The mullahs have demanded the right to
scrutinize his government, to assure that it remains in the faith. Nadaid has
little choice but to allow this; the outcome is in doubt. [LGG - 68]
Thornward is a
sprawling, heavily fortified city with a population of about six thousand,
surrounded by numerous army camps (limited in size by treaty), further boosting
its total population to about eleven thousand. The caravan and river traffic
through Thornward is of staggering size; items are often available here that
are found only in much larger cities. The atmosphere in the city is tense and
political intrigue is thick, but mercantile activity is nonstop; the city is
brightly lit all hours of the night to keep trade moving. [LGG - 32]
Tang the Horrific came to the Wegwiur after escaping
Iuz’s forces chasing him to the icy sea. The Wolves were wary at first. Who was
this wild man from the Paynims, they asked?
The one who will lead you to victory, he answered.
 |
| Tang the Horrific |
The Wolf Nomads were reportedly astonished at the audacity, courage,
and natural charisma of this fellow nomad. The council and the tarkhan himself
agreed to the attack immediately, perhaps sensing the importance of this moment
in history. In the late spring of 587 CY, the Wegwiur's Relentless Horde rode
from Eru-Tova and attacked the unsuspecting orcs of the Howling Hills, driving
than back in chaos from the Wegwiur Thralls caverns and surrounding area.
Shamans carefully removed the bodies of their forefathers and packed the caves'
many may treasures, while Tang and Tarkhan Bargru hounded the humanoids of this
miserable land. Two days later, a retreat was called and the cavalry force
returned home in triumph. By chance, this attack came just before the Shield
Lands assault began to the south, and Iuz's attention was thus diverted from
the important action at Critwall. Iuz lost no land in the fighting, but his
orcs suffered many casualties and a stupendous loss of face in the eyes of Iuz
and the Wegwiur, who thereafter raided the hordes more frequently. Tang and a
small force of cavalry were last seen riding into the Lands of Iuz, leading an
advancing orc army away from the retreating Wegwiur. [TAB - 22]
Tang continued to harry Iuz. He and the Wolves darted in and out of the Howling Hills and the Fellreev, leading those disorganized bands there on a merry chase.
Tang continued to harry Iuz. He and the Wolves darted in and out of the Howling Hills and the Fellreev, leading those disorganized bands there on a merry chase.
A former servant of Iuz and now the demigod's implacable foe, Tang had
escaped with a small band of cavalry after a daring raid into the Howling Hills
with the Wolf Nomads. Crossing the open plain to the Fellreev, Tang and his
mercenary band encountered small groups of Rovers, gathering them at the
village of Sable Watch. With their aid, together with Wardogs from the Forlorn
Forest and beyond, he successfully attacked Iuzite forces in the Barrens,
eventually capturing the fort of Hornduran. Most of the Rovers were still
without mounts, so Tang made a fateful decision to raid into Stonehold for
horses.
 |
| Tang's Raid |
The town of Vlekstaad was chosen as the target of the Rovers' nighttime
strike. With most Fists either in Tenh or fighting the Suel in eastern
Stonehold, Vlekstaad had almost no able soldiers in residence. Such defenses as
they had were quickly penetrated, thanks to the Wardogs' amazing stealth. The
stables of Vlekstaad provided a trove of horseflesh, but escaping with them
proved more difficult than Tang had anticipated. He and his companions were
trapped by a patrol of Fists and forced to battle for their lives. The
expedition might have been lost there had not a young Wardog, Nakanwa Daychaser
[…]), led his own band of warriors on Tang's trail. Trapped between the two
forces of Rovers, the Fists were slaughtered, but Tang was mortally wounded.
Nakanwa quickly assumed control of the surviving Rovers, ordering them to seize
everything of value in the town, including its citizens. The remains of the
town were set ablaze, becoming the funeral pyre of Tang the Horrific.
With the return of Nakanwa and the wealth of Vlekstaad to the Barrens,
new hope rose among the Rovers. Their warriors now had mounts and the people
had meat. Perhaps as importantly, the tribes had new members, for the captive
children were quickly adopted and the captive women quickly wed. Only time will
tell if the razing of Vlekstaad will result in the rebirth of the Rovers of the
Barrens. They still remain an elusive people, not revealing their new strength,
for they are wary of the vengeance of the Fists. Yet, for the first time since
Iuz brought evil into their land, they have real hope. [LGG - 95]
Lady Katarina and the Great Northern Crusade made great gains against Iuz, who had spent much of his strength in his earlier lightning strikes and headlong plunge into his enemy’s lands. However, Iuz was spent, at the limit of his reach, and with each day, the Crusade pushed and pushed, and Iuz retreated and fell back.
Lady Katarina and the Great Northern Crusade made great gains against Iuz, who had spent much of his strength in his earlier lightning strikes and headlong plunge into his enemy’s lands. However, Iuz was spent, at the limit of his reach, and with each day, the Crusade pushed and pushed, and Iuz retreated and fell back.
In 587 CY, under the leadership
of the newly installed Knight Commander Lady Katarina of Waiworth, the
expatriate Knights of Holy Shielding returned to their homeland in force. [LGG - 159]
Iuz was bent on retaining the Shield Lands. Indeed, he expected to possess it for quite some time to come. Forever, in fact. Thus, he named Adumdfort the regional capital of the Shield Lands, even though it is cut off from the rest of the Empire by naval blockade.
Iuz was bent on retaining the Shield Lands. Indeed, he expected to possess it for quite some time to come. Forever, in fact. Thus, he named Adumdfort the regional capital of the Shield Lands, even though it is cut off from the rest of the Empire by naval blockade.
In the Bandit Kingdoms, the towns of Hallorn, Riftcrag, Rookroost, and
Stoink are regional capitals. Hallorn rules the western Bandit Kingdoms,
Riftcrag the Rift and Rift Barrens, Rookroost the region between the Rift and
the Bluff Hills, and Stoink the southeastern Bandit Kingdoms. Admundfort was
designated the regional capital of the Shield Lands in 587, but the island is
almost completely cut off from the empire by a naval blockade. [LGG - 61]
(Formerly) twenty-three petty noble domains on the mainland, ruled from
Admundfort (the island was its own separate domain); (now) two free domains
(mainland area controlled from Critwall, and Scragholme Island), with the
remainder of the land overrun but badly controlled by Iuz's forces. [LGG - 102]
The Story of Rueven the Rhennee
To the Sorcerers Nexus of Rel Astra he traded his immortal soul for the ability to channel magic at will. [RPGA Fright at Tristor - 3]
588 CY
King Belvor sought vengeance. Iuz had raped his land and Iuz must be made to pay for that. Belvor struck with such rage as few knew him capable of, and his expeditionary force acquitted itself well in recapturing Grabford. But Belvor was not satisfied.
The Story of Rueven the Rhennee
To the Sorcerers Nexus of Rel Astra he traded his immortal soul for the ability to channel magic at will. [RPGA Fright at Tristor - 3]
588 CY
King Belvor sought vengeance. Iuz had raped his land and Iuz must be made to pay for that. Belvor struck with such rage as few knew him capable of, and his expeditionary force acquitted itself well in recapturing Grabford. But Belvor was not satisfied.
By 588 CY, with Critwall cleared of enemy forces, the government of the
Shield Lands was reestablished, albeit over a very small area. Katarina was
named Knight Commander of the region. Lady Katarina and her knights now look
east, planning surgical strikes against the enemy, confident that they will
reclaim their lost land. ("Perhaps not this year or the next," they
say.) Heironeous has shown them the path of righteousness, and it is long and
lined with great sacrifice and furious battle. Those shackled by the Lord of
Pain will be released, they cry. Those who fear the break of dawn will be
taught the art of war and the strength of courage. The lost lands will be
reclaimed, they promise. The Shield will rise again! [LGG - 105]
Furyondy's armies smashed northward in early Planting, bulwarked by the
Knights of the Hart and the archmage Bigby. Fighting continued for more than a
year, with few meaningful victories for either side. Finally, in 588 CY, the
Battle of Grabford provided Furyondy with a crucial victory that allowed it to
encircle Crockport, the base of Iuz's operations in the occupied lands. When
the city finally fell to the forces of weal, it was the site of uncontrolled
chaos and slaughter of the occupying forces. Crockport had been the goal of the
great Northern Crusade. Many fell victim to emotion in its recapture, and few
good men remember the event with any degree of pride.
If Crockport had been the initial goal of the Crusade, however, general
revenge, and the ultimate destruction of Iuz the Evil soon took its place.
Recaptured lands revealed the horrible truth of the occupation—entire villages
had been reanimated; Iuz's agents knew no pity, and reveled in destruction and
butchery. Exactly three years to the day of calling the original Crusade,
Belvor appeared in public in Chendl, proclaiming a "permanent and
unalterable state of war" between Furyondy and the Empire of Iuz. [LGG - 47]
Hope can be a rallying point. The liberation of even the least salient of a once conquered land can be the greatest victory in the eyes of the vanquished. Thus, Lady Katarina declared the New Shield Lands in defiance of Iuz’s vassal state.
Hope can be a rallying point. The liberation of even the least salient of a once conquered land can be the greatest victory in the eyes of the vanquished. Thus, Lady Katarina declared the New Shield Lands in defiance of Iuz’s vassal state.
 |
| No Quarter Asked or Given |
The current nation, often referred to as the "New Shield
Lands," encompasses only the 20-30 miles surrounding the city of Critwall
and Scragholme Island, at the mouth of the Veng-Ritensa River. A keep on
Scragholme Isle, Bright Sentry, guards a small bur growing port that bears the
same name and serves as the island domain's local capital. The current
government proclaims that the recapture of all lost lands is its primary goal,
though fighting has ground to a virtual standstill within the last year. [LGG - 103]
What became of Vecna and Iuz? Who can say? But where
Vecna could not be scryed, Iuz somehow remained upon Oerth. Iuz’s empire
remained intact. And his tyranny marched on, unabated.
But, all good things must come to an end. The fiends had fled and Iuz was stretched thin, tasked not only with administering his newly acquired empire, but beset with rebels and banditry and the persistent attacks of those who didn’t appreciate his desire to remake the whole of Flanaess in his own image.
Of Vecna and Iuz:
 |
| The Flight of Fiends |
But, all good things must come to an end. The fiends had fled and Iuz was stretched thin, tasked not only with administering his newly acquired empire, but beset with rebels and banditry and the persistent attacks of those who didn’t appreciate his desire to remake the whole of Flanaess in his own image.
The use of the Crook of Rao by Canon Hazen of Veluna, in 586 CY, had
dire repercussions for Iuz's armies. Bereft of their powerful masters, many
lesser nonhumans and ambitious human generals attempted to stage coups
throughout the occupied lands, even as rebel bandits and indigenous populations
took advantage of the Flight of Fiends to strike back at their oppressors. [LGG - 62]
It was inevitable that Iuz would lose control of Sevvord Redbeard of Hold of Stonefist. He cared not for that cold and distant land. It had little of value, except grist for the mill. And he knew that it would continue to slip into the state of chaos it has always courted. So, he turned his back on the Stonehold, so as to focus on the conflict that really mattered, Furyondy.
Sevvord flew into a rage when he awoke and realised that he’d been played a puppet to another’s schemes. He fumed! He raged! And all those within his gaze cowered from his anger. He gathered Fists from across Tenh, and killed every cleric of Iuz he could find, impaling them on posts and leaving them to rot in the wind. He and his slaughtered hundreds, if not thousands, of Tenha slaves when he could not find enough Iuzian clerics to sate his need. He wished to kill more, to line every road with the spiked corpses of an entire nation as a warning to any who might ever try to subjugate him again. However, he had not the time. He need return home. When he ran out of slaves, he left a rearguard to occupy Calbut and marched to drive the hated barbarians from his homeland. He would paint the Kelten Pass with their blood, he promised, and its flowing would thaw the Frozen River for all time.
It was inevitable that Iuz would lose control of Sevvord Redbeard of Hold of Stonefist. He cared not for that cold and distant land. It had little of value, except grist for the mill. And he knew that it would continue to slip into the state of chaos it has always courted. So, he turned his back on the Stonehold, so as to focus on the conflict that really mattered, Furyondy.
Sevvord flew into a rage when he awoke and realised that he’d been played a puppet to another’s schemes. He fumed! He raged! And all those within his gaze cowered from his anger. He gathered Fists from across Tenh, and killed every cleric of Iuz he could find, impaling them on posts and leaving them to rot in the wind. He and his slaughtered hundreds, if not thousands, of Tenha slaves when he could not find enough Iuzian clerics to sate his need. He wished to kill more, to line every road with the spiked corpses of an entire nation as a warning to any who might ever try to subjugate him again. However, he had not the time. He need return home. When he ran out of slaves, he left a rearguard to occupy Calbut and marched to drive the hated barbarians from his homeland. He would paint the Kelten Pass with their blood, he promised, and its flowing would thaw the Frozen River for all time.
For six years after the invasion,
the Stoneholders held the Tenha enslaved. The evil of Iuz was present
throughout the land as well, though never in plain sight. Perhaps this state of
affairs would have persisted indefinitely had not an unnatural rage come upon
the rhelt of Stonehold, during a meeting in the ruins of the duke's palace at
Nevond Nevnend. [LGG - 113,114]
By means not yet known, Iuz's
charm-like control of Sevvord Redbeard was broken in mid-588 CY. Enraged at the abuse he
suffered, Redbeard vowed revenge.
[TAB - 22]
 |
| The Massacre in Tenh |
In an astonishing turn of
loyalty, he gave the command to put the clerics and agents of Iuz to the sword,
also letting his warriors murder Tenha slaves out of hand. [LGG - 114]
Iuz priests, soldiers, and
advisors in the area were slaughtered on sight, and Tenh was plunged into
bloodshed once again. The Master then ordered a looting of Tenh and a retreat
to Nevond Nevnend and Calbut. Stonefist warriors meant to keep this area so as
to guard Thunder Pass (called Rockegg Pass by the Tenha), the route through the
Griff Mountains back to Stonefist. Reports were already filtering back to the
Stonefist troops that a force of Ice and Snow Barbarians was raiding and
burning its way across the Hold, and all wished to go home and do battle. [TAB - 22]
The Fists then withdrew from
all but the northernmost part of Tenh, which they still hold. Armies from the
Pale and forces loyal to the exiled duke quickly crossed the borders, battling
each other for possession of the southern and eastern regions of the duchy,
including the Phostwood. [LGG - 114]
There are 20,000 Stonefist
men in Tenh, with conflicting desires. On the one hand, rulership of this
fertile land is good, but on the other, their instincts are to pillage, maraud,
decimate, and then go home with all the loot they can carry. Instead, they stay
here as slave drivers. Spending days overseeing slave farmers is not exactly
what Fist men find exciting. The Stonefist nation is young, born in adversity
and constant marauding. Constant movement on attack and retreating to defensive
fortifications after that attack, not occupying their conquests, is what makes
the Stonefist men feel comfortable. There is another problem weighing on the
minds of the Fists. Since the sham of the "Great God Vatun” was exposed
and barbarian shamans and priests have begun to see that Iuz was behind it all,
the Fists face more hostility and raids from their traditional foes, the
eastern barbarians. No longer are these two uneasy allies. Having occupied
Calbut and secured Thunder Pass is useful to the Fists, but keeping men in Tenh
when they are needed to defend Stonefist against the barbarians is irksome.
Many seek to go home, putting Tenh through one last ordeal of slaughter and
pillage before they go. In the interim, many are restless and bored, prone to
drunkenness and mindless violence against the Tenhas. [ WGR5 Iuz the Evil - 67]
[A] many-sided war began in
Tenh, involving the mutually hostile forces of Iuz, Stonehold, the Pale, and
Tenha expatriates. The war goes on today. [LGG - 16]
589 CY
 |
| Reynard |
The wildly insane Earl
Aundurach, a new addition to the Lesser Boneheart, commands the surviving
Tangles folk harshly and ineffectively. He prominently displays a magical scepter
crafted from the bones of Reynard, the land's rebellious bandit chief, captured
and slain in 589 CY. The earl is supposed to control all activities in the
Bandit Lands to the north and west, but it is very doubtful that he does.
[LGG - 30]
Belvor’s crusade was successful. He and his armies succeeded in reconquering lost territory from Iuz. But as one might expect, his lords and his people began to lose their fervor and commitment to his cause the closer his armies came to Furyondy’s northern border. It is one thing to spend the lifeblood of Furyondy; it is quite another to spill Furyondian blood on Shield Land soil.
Was Iuz defeated? Certainly not. Was Iuz brought to the
brink of defeat? Only a fool would think so. Could Iuz still strike fear into
the hearts and minds of those who had opposed him? Most certainly.
Ice Barbarians: Royal hatred of the Scarlet Brotherhood grows, as does distrust of the Frost Barbarians. Stonehold accuses the Ice Barbarians of attacking Vlekstaad. There are secret parlays between the Snow and Ice Barbarians for raids against the Sea Barons and possibly the Lordship of the Isles. [LGG - 55]
The Sea Barons: The Sea Baron Fleet returned from expedition across the Solnor.
Ships from resource-hungry
lands of the eastern Flanaess are striking out in search of trading partners,
hoping to rebuild from the wars. The Sea Barons and the east coast city-states
of Rel Astra, Ountsy, and Roland are now exploring the mini-continent of
Hepmonaland, returning with fantastic tales and riches. (Many fall prey to
disease, pirates, monsters, and privateers from the Scarlet Brotherhood and
Lordship of the Isles, however.) Several major kingdoms full of new peoples are
said to lie in this tropical land, some rumored to be at war with the
slave-taking Brotherhood. [TAB - 38]
Did I not mention Vecna? How thoughtless of me. Last we
saw of him, he was imprisoned in the Shadowfell after an epic battle with Iuz
back in 581 CY. But, ever the paranoid soul, Vecna would never have lived as
long as he had were he not a cagy one. He knew that one day he might be
defeated. He knew that one day he might need a means of return. And he prepared
for such a day. And that day had come.
Belvor’s crusade was successful. He and his armies succeeded in reconquering lost territory from Iuz. But as one might expect, his lords and his people began to lose their fervor and commitment to his cause the closer his armies came to Furyondy’s northern border. It is one thing to spend the lifeblood of Furyondy; it is quite another to spill Furyondian blood on Shield Land soil.
By the end of 588 CY, the armies of Furyondy had restored the nation,
as well as Critwall and Scragholme Isle in the old Shield Lands. The
destruction and debauchery revealed as Iuz's agents fled sickened the
crusaders, King Belvor declared eternal war upon the Old One, pledging to
settle for nothing short of the complete destruction of Iuz himself. Raids against
Iuz from Furyondy and the Shield Lands continue to the present. [LGG - 16]
By the end of 588 CY, [Belvor] had succeeded [in reclaiming much of the
Furyondian lands conquered by Iuz], but the king nevertheless declared
permanent and unalterable war against Iuz. As part of the crusade, a small
potion of the Shield Lands had been reclaimed. [PGtG - 12]
Belvor’s armies may not have faltered, but the nations commitment certainly did. There was much posturing. Iuz must pay, was declared hotly. But who exactly would make him pay? The nation’s coffers were spent, the army weakened by such prolonged conflict, the prospect of defeating Iuz uncertain, at best. The borders were fortified, new castles built. A line had been drawn.
Belvor’s armies may not have faltered, but the nations commitment certainly did. There was much posturing. Iuz must pay, was declared hotly. But who exactly would make him pay? The nation’s coffers were spent, the army weakened by such prolonged conflict, the prospect of defeating Iuz uncertain, at best. The borders were fortified, new castles built. A line had been drawn.
Finally, in 588 CY, the Battle
of Grabford provided Furyondy with a crucial victory that allowed it to
encircle Crockport, the base of Iuz's operations in the occupied lands. When
the city finally fell to the forces of weal, it was the site of uncontrolled
chaos and slaughter of the occupying forces. Crockport had been the goal of the
great Northern Crusade. Many fell victim to emotion in its recapture, and few
good men remember the event with any degree of pride.
If Crockport had been the
initial goal of the Crusade, however, general revenge, and the ultimate
destruction of Iuz the Evil soon took its place. Recaptured lands revealed the
horrible truth of the occupation—entire villages had been reanimated; Iuz's
agents knew no pity, and reveled in destruction and butchery. [LGG - 47]
Despite the angry pronouncement, however, many army units were
disbanded in the spring of 589 CY, with only those units on border patrols and
involved in castle-building along the frontier being maintained at full
readiness. A full recovery from the war would take years. A few northern lords
have called King Belvor a coward for refusing to strike further into the the
Empire of Iuz, but the king has never had such plans; he wished only to recover
lands lost to his state, knowing that he would have little ability to hold any
territory gained in Iuz’s forsaken realm. [TAB]
The old guard had indeed grown old. They were tired. The War had cost them much. Thay had asked much from their people. And they continued to ask for much. But the young did not hear those venerable voices. They looked to those who had distinguished themselves in the field. These were the ones who saved us, those youth said.
The old guard had indeed grown old. They were tired. The War had cost them much. Thay had asked much from their people. And they continued to ask for much. But the young did not hear those venerable voices. They looked to those who had distinguished themselves in the field. These were the ones who saved us, those youth said.
The mayor of Highfolk,
twenty-eight-year-old Tavin Ersteader, was of low birth, coming from one of the
region's northern villages. Ersteader distinguished himself as a young man,
exploring several mysterious sites within the Yatils and Clatspurs and fighting
against the forces of Iuz in the Vesve. Said to be a one-time apprentice to
Melf Brightflame, Ersteader enjoys a warm relationship with the local elves,
and is a good friend of Loftin Graystand, the former mayor, who retired in 589
CY. Ersteader is a sworn enemy to Iuz, and sponsors far more reconnaissance and
attack missions against the Old One than did his predecessor. [LGG - 53]
 |
| Lady Xenia Sallavarian |
A terrible tragedy struck
Lynwerd and his kingdom in 589 CY. A long-planned marriage between King Lynwerd
and Lady Xenia Sallavarian, a distant cousin of Circle of Eight member Jallarzi
and Duke Karll of Urnst, was scheduled to take place during Richfest of that
year. In Wealsun, Lady Xenia was touring Rel Mord on foot when she collapsed of
heatstroke. [LGG - 78]
She could not be revived by
her attending priest, and it was learned later that her body was devoid of her
intellect and spirit, though she still breathed. Her body was taken back to
Nellix, where it is tended by her family. Divinations and questioning of those
present when the lady collapsed strongly hint that she was attacked by magical
means, but little more was learned. [TAB - 31]
She has not been seen since,
and many suspect the worst, detecting sorrow and a grim hardness in their king.
[LGG - 78,79]
590 CY
Ratik: Alain was not the only one to desire the
freedom of the Bone March. Lady Evaleigh wishes the same, for her father’s city
of Knurl is hard pressed and in need of succour. And in truth, war will continue
between the Bone March and Ratik, as it must, for each cannot rest while the
other exists. The Bone March shall never forgive Ratik or the Frost Barbarians
for their incursions into its territory.
In 590 CY, a full-scale
assault over the Blemu Hills into Knurl was also attempted, but failed. Thus
far, the defenses of the count have held firm, but he expects another wave of
attacks this year. [LGG - 37]
Humanoid tribes and bandit
gangs appear to be cooperating of late. Masked advisors were seen by spies in
the councils of the orcs and gnolls at Spinecastle. Treasure seekers have
entered the abandoned keep at Spinecastle, but few have returned alive. Without
aid from Ratik, Count Dunstan of Knurl might ally with Ahlissa or North Kingdom
to save his realm. [LGG - 37]
Ambassadors from the Scarlet
Brotherhood were spied in Djekul. Ratik wants to expand the alliance against
Bone March and North Kingdom to include the Snow Barbarians, but the Schnai
will negotiate only with Lexnol. Agents of the Sea Barons have approached
Evaleigh to gain access to Marner. A half-orc spy working for North Kingdom was
discovered in Ratikhill but escaped. [LGG - 91]
Fireland: The fleet from the Sea Barons had
set sail three long years earlier and had not yet returned. Had they found
Fireland? If they had, that is a tale for another day. But in truth, whether
they had found Fireland or not, Fireland found Ratik. One day, much to Marner’s
surprise, a longship from Fireland sailed into its port, its flanks scorched,
its sails torn and tattered.
In Marner, capital of Ratik,
a lone long ship sailed into port in late 590 CY. The pale barbarians aboard
the ship spoke a dialect of the Cold Tongue and claimed to be from a distant
northeastern island called Fireland. They came with four other ships in search
of help for an undisclosed problem facing their people; their other long ships
were sunk by sea monsters or Ice Barbarian raiders. The aged explorer Korund of
Ratik can supply maps and some information to anyone wishing to return to
Fireland with these barbarians, but he is too infirm to travel and is growing
senile as well. Frost Barbarians believe “Firelanders” are descended from
sailers from the Thillonrian Peninsula who settled there centuries ago; the
barbarians wish to establish contact with them. The glaciated land is called
Fireland for its volcanoes, visible for many miles at night as red fountains in
the sea. [TAB - 38]
Frost
Barbarians: Nobles from
Ratik have great influence at court but are not always trusted. Scarlet
Brotherhood agents are well received but bring strange news and promises.
Merchants from the Lordship of the Isles have a growing presence, offering
unusually generous trade deals that make some jarls suspicious. Hundgred's
court is growing isolated from other northern barbarian nations. [LGG - 45]
Snow
Barbarians: An intermittent
war smolders with Stonehold. King Ingemar generously feasts and rewards his
chaotic jarls to insure their loyalty. Frost Barbarian jarls also being feted
to gain their friendship and influence; this is viewed as blatant bribery, but
it works. The king receives Scarlet Brotherhood agents at court, but privately
says he does not trust them. [LGG]
Ice Barbarians: Royal hatred of the Scarlet Brotherhood grows, as does distrust of the Frost Barbarians. Stonehold accuses the Ice Barbarians of attacking Vlekstaad. There are secret parlays between the Snow and Ice Barbarians for raids against the Sea Barons and possibly the Lordship of the Isles. [LGG - 55]
Stonefist: Rhelt Sevvord is the absolute
master of these people, and his troops are expected to obey him without
question. The punishment for disobedience is slow death, though the rhelt
always rewards his loyal troops with plunder and captives. So far, Reword
Redbeard has maintained his personal authority and become the most important
figure in his nation's history since Stonefist himself. Still, many feel that
his time has passed, and wait for a leader who will be strong enough to
challenge him. [LGG - 109]
Revenge is widely sought
against the northern barbarians for the burning of Vlekstaad, but Iuz's forces
are hated even more. Conspiracies are suspected between Iuz and several war
band leaders to gain control of Stonehold. Murders of war band leaders (by
their fellows) are on the rise. [LGG - 110]
The Sea Barons: The Sea Baron Fleet returned from expedition across the Solnor.
 |
| Returned From Afar |
The Sea Barons do not desire
a permanent alliance with the Cities of the Solnor Compact, distrusting Drax's
motives, but they feign friendship. The Sea Barons fear assassination or worse
by the Scarlet Brotherhood, and treat with strangers in their lands harshly.
Expeditions launched to the mysterious south in the last few years have
returned with tales of fantastic wonders and riches. [LGG - 100]
Rovers of the
Barrens: The Rovers are a feeble folk
now, but they still mount small raids into neighbouring lands. They spend most
of their time hunting bear, wolf and northern deer. They fish the Icy Sea. They
harvest pine and fur from the Forlorn Forest. They hunt deer and bison. They
lay low. As they must. For they must rebuild their strength, as they did after
the Battle of Opicm River.
A secret alliance with the
Wolf Nomads is being negotiated. Scouts are searching for survivors from the
scattered war bands, including allied centaurs and elves. Horses are supplied
to tribes loyal to new war sachem, Nakanwa. All forces of Iuz that hunt Rovers
(including Grossfort) are closely watched, to be either avoided or destroyed. [LGG - 95]
The Pale: Theocrat Ogon Tillit leads Palish
forces (with Tenha converts) and recaptures eastern Tenh from Iuzian forces.
[With] an army at full
strength and an additional force including thousands of refugee converts from
the Tenh at the fore, Theocrat Ogon Tillit sponsored an invasion of the ruined
duchy, to both gain territory and throw back Iuz's forces, clearly perceived as
the number-one threat to the Pale's future existence. Eastern Tenh was taken
back, and both banks of the Yol are now under Palish control. [LGG - 82]
Unbeknownst to the populace,
Tillit was injured in 588 CY, when he personally led one of the early battles
in the Tenh. While he survived the attack, his wounds have not healed; in fact,
they have worsened during the last two years, and his attendants think he might
not survive till Puchfest. The Council of the Nine is aware of his condition,
and the clandestine politicking to replace Tillit on the Throne of the Sun has
already begun. [LGG - 82]
Nyrond: Lynwerd found his nation in disarray following the war. His roads had been marched to mash, his strongholds broken and razed, the walls riven. His people were in similar state.
[King Lynwerd] spent 590
overseeing the repair and strengthening of his kingdom’s roads, armies, cities,
and trade links. He finally managed to have weapons, clothing, food. and other
assistance sent to the gnome clans of the Flinty Hills, winning their approval
despite their grumbles over the tardiness of the aid. He approved trade with
the Lordship of the Isles and the United Kingdom of Ahlissa (the latter to the
shock and outrage of many in his court). [TAB - 31]
Nyrond lost nearly seventy
thousand soldiers in the Greyhawk Wars. Though her armies held off Aerdy's
siege, they did so at terrible cost. Archbold had expended the nation's entire
treasury, and had depleted much of his family's wealth. Hideously in debt to
the Urnst States, the king faced a future of mined fields and horrible food
shortages. Nearly half of his holdings were in tax rebellions. Many of the
nation's best mages, craftsmen, and nobles fled Nyrond for easier lives to the
west. Whether Nyrond would fall was never an issue. The question was simply
that of timing. [LGG - 78]
Bissel: With
Thornwood declared a neutral city, Pellak was chosen as the new capital for
Bissel.
Bissel’s new capital was
chosen in 590 CY to be Pellak, a trade and farming town at the country's
center. Bissel's own Knights of the Watch held a huge citadel called Oversight
near this town; the fortress never fell to the Kettites despite being besieged
for several years. [TAB - 36]
Bissel's four famed mercenary
Border Companies are being reorganized and retrained after their defeat and
disbanding during the Ketite occupation; they are not yet at their former
strength. Many scouts and rangers are being sought for active duty in the north
and west. A large castle-building project is underway along the southern banks
of the Fals (Bissel's new northern border) and along the neutral zone around
Thornward. Ket destroyed many forts, minor castles, barracks, signal towers,
and army bases when it invaded Bissel and later when it withdrew. These are being
rebuilt, but work is very slow due to lack of funds. The massive Castle
Oversight, at Pellak, has become the headquarters for Bissel's branch of the
Knights of the Watch. The influence of Gran March and the Watch is everywhere,
particularly in the new margrave's court. The eventual recovery of Thornward is
a core goal of the government. [LGG - 32]
Iuz: Iuz retains a precarious hold on the
East. The Bandit Kingdoms chaff under his rule. The remains of the Rovers of
the Barrens and the remnents of Tenh strain against his rule. Stonehold has no
love for Iuz, and he must resort to influence and stratagems to retain control
when that does not appeal to his paranoid and visious self, who’d rather rule
by bane magics and brute force.
Though some remain, the loss of the bulk of Iuz's fiends has resulted
in low morale, revolts, and disorganization within an already chaotic regime. [LGG - 63]
Now embroiled in what
Furyondy has termed a "permanent and unalterable state of. war,"
Iuz's attention has been drawn to his southwestern border, perhaps at the
expense of holding in Tenh, the Barrens, and the old Bandit Kingdoms. Though
bereft of the bulk of his demonic aid, Iuz's armies are far more numerous than
those of his enemies. They not only follow the Old One, but worship him, believing
that to fail their infernal master is not only to fail their liege, but their
god, as well. [LGG - 62,63]
 |
| Vecna |
He had been plotting. He had been scheming.
And he wanted revenge. Against Iuz.
And he wanted revenge. Against Iuz.
”No matter how powerful a
being is, there exists a secret that can destroy him. In every heart is a seed
of darkness hidden from all others; find that evil seed, and your enemies are
undone. Strength and power come if you know and control what others dare not
show. Never reveal all that you know, or your enemies will lake your seed,
too.” [LGG - 186]
Despite Vecna’s entrapment in
the Demiplane of Dread, long-laid plans have come to fruition. In Vecna’s quest
to achieve full and permanent godhood, he instigated several alternative
strategies in the millennia of his existence. Many of these designs have played
out with little to recommend them, but elements of more sinister schemes
continue to move unnoticed.
One such plan has promise at
this point. Sometime during the span of years before his imprisonment, Vecna
went to a lot of trouble secretly fabricating two tablets inscribed with a true
dweomer in the Language Primeval. Then he buried them in a plausible
archeological site. […]
Though any of a handful of
demipowers would have served Vecna’s purpose, the corpse king Iuz took the
bait. Having stolen the tablets from their original discoverers several years
ago, Iuz has slowly brought his considerable resources to bear on the tablets.
The more Iuz learned, the more the ancient formula seemed, to him and all his
divinatory means, an ancient dweomer of stupendous strength, whereby a
demipower might bootstrap itself to full ascension! […]
The tablets lie. [Die Vecna Die! - 2,3]
Iuz enacted the formula, and the formula drew the power from him, a conduit to Vecna, who then had the means to break free from the Shadowfell and emerge with the power of a greater god. Vecna then entered the city of Sigil, where he came perilously close to rearranging all existence to his whims. When Vecna was ejected from Sigil by a party of adventurers, Iuz was freed and Vecna returned to Oerth greatly reduced in power, though still a lesser god.
Going forward:
Mysteries abound. They always have, they always will. They are sometimes wondrous; sometimes chilling. They are almost always inexplicable. And despite the stranglehold Iuz has on his conquered lands, there are secrets which even he is unaware, patches where even he has no sway. Lake Aqal, for instance.
Iuz enacted the formula, and the formula drew the power from him, a conduit to Vecna, who then had the means to break free from the Shadowfell and emerge with the power of a greater god. Vecna then entered the city of Sigil, where he came perilously close to rearranging all existence to his whims. When Vecna was ejected from Sigil by a party of adventurers, Iuz was freed and Vecna returned to Oerth greatly reduced in power, though still a lesser god.
Going forward:
Mysteries abound. They always have, they always will. They are sometimes wondrous; sometimes chilling. They are almost always inexplicable. And despite the stranglehold Iuz has on his conquered lands, there are secrets which even he is unaware, patches where even he has no sway. Lake Aqal, for instance.
This very deep, island-filled lake, the source of the Artonsamay River,
is an enchanting place of otherworldly beauty and calm. Situated in the
northwest arm of the Fellreev Forest, this strange area is, however, given a
wide berth by woodland folk. Many creatures found here are 150% their normal
size and correspondingly more dangerous. Water nagas, strange dragons, and
greenhags are reportedly abundant in the unnaturally warm waters. The mutations
in animal life, extremely lush vegetation, and the lake water's warmth are
thought to result from a magical source that has nearly made this a tropical
swamp. In 590 CY, a child of a Reyhu bandit reemerged from the region after
being lost for two months, and given up for dead. The girl's tale of benign,
long-featured men who walked on air engendered much derision among the bandits,
though two parties entered the lake region within the week, seeking out new
allies. None returned. [LGG - 147]
The Story Reuven of the Rhennee
The Story Reuven of the Rhennee
 |
| Fright at Tristor |
Finally, in the bandit town of Stoink, Reuven spent his savings on a
trained circus bear, Tasptaddle, with which he planned to exact his revenge
against the cruel people of Tristor. He has been instructing the bear to kill
wildlife and farm animals to frighten the Tristor residents, a prelude to a
final act of villainy that will make his revenge complete. [Fright at
Tristor - 3]
Tristor also faces turmoil of a more personal nature over the course of
the last month, the surrounding area has been plagued by the gruesome
mutilations of wildlife and livestock. Local investigators, too frightened to
range far from the hamlet for fear of an orcish attack, have failed to turn up
meaningful leads. The town’s constable has made it known that the person or
persons responsible for finding the mutilator will be richly rewarded. The
village has become a haven for disreputable bounty hunters and vigilantes, all
hoping to solve the mystery. To date, nothing has come of their efforts, and
the townsfolk are agitated over the slaughter of their animals, afraid that
people will soon be victims themselves. [Fright at Tristor - 2]
“Their throats were cut, their innards opened to the world and spread
all about them. Our agent in the region cannot guess at the hands behind these fiendish
attacks, though he confirms that all live in fear that this demonic villain
will soon tire of play with animals, and will start in upon the humble folk
of Tristor.”—Portion of a letter from Field Agent Marim of the Blinding Path to
His Worshipful Mercy, Theocrat Ogon Tillit, Supreme Prelate of the Theocracy of
the Pale, Coldeven, 591 CY. [Fright at Tristor - 2]
The Art:
One must always give credit where credit is due. This History is made possible primarily by the Imaginings of Gary Gygax and his Old Guard, Lenard Lakofka among them, and the new old guards, Carl Sargant, James Ward, Roger E. Moore. And Erik Mona, Gary Holian, Sean Reynolds, Frederick Weining. The list is interminable. Thanks to Steven Wilson for his GREYCHRONDEX and to Keith Horsfield for his “Chronological History of Eastern Oerik.”
Special thanks to Jason Zavoda for his compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research tool.
The Art:
Though-My-Sails-Are-Tattered-My-Anchor-Still-Holds byvodoofantasy
Vecna by myles1972
Outsider by lostknightkg
Sources:
1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
1064 From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992
1068 Greyhawk Wars Boxed Set, 1991
2011A Dungeon Masters Guide, 1st Ed., 1979
9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
9253 WG8, Fate of Istus, 1989
9399 WGR 5, Iuz the Evil, 1993
9577 The Adventure Begins, 1998
9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998
11742 Gazetteer, 2000
11743 Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000
Fright at Tristor, 2001
Ivid the Undying, 1998
Dragon Magazine
OJ Oerth Journal, appearing on Greyhawk Online
LGJ et. al.
Greychrondex, Wilson, Steven B.
Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda
The map of Anna B. Meyer
Vecna by myles1972
Outsider by lostknightkg
Sources:
1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
1064 From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992
1068 Greyhawk Wars Boxed Set, 1991
2011A Dungeon Masters Guide, 1st Ed., 1979
9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
9253 WG8, Fate of Istus, 1989
9399 WGR 5, Iuz the Evil, 1993
9577 The Adventure Begins, 1998
9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998
11742 Gazetteer, 2000
11743 Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000
Fright at Tristor, 2001
Ivid the Undying, 1998
Dragon Magazine
OJ Oerth Journal, appearing on Greyhawk Online
LGJ et. al.
Greychrondex, Wilson, Steven B.
Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda
The map of Anna B. Meyer
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