History of the South, Part 2: Empires (-2150 to -1034 CY)

 

“Only he who has no use for the empire is fit to be entrusted with it.”

― Zhuangzi, The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu

The Flannae

The Flan escaped persecution. Or should I say that most Flan escaped the fate other cultures abut the emerging Suel Imperium would endure. A few were enslaved; but for the most part, the Flan had fled across the Hellfurnaces to a land of peace and prosperity, and were lucky to be embraced by the Olven state they discovered in that bucolic valley they spilled out upon.

-2150 CY

The Flan roamed the idyllic valley, never settling, always wary of the benevolence of the elves, wondering why these beings tolerated their presence, when they, in their power, could easily subjugate them, as the Suel had. Yet they did not; they remained ever welcoming, ever benign, ever patient; indeed, the elves taught the Flan reverence of the natural world, and how to live as one with her bounty.

A Reverence of the Natural World

The Flan listened to the elves instruction, and studied their ways; but it was nigh on 15 years before they saw fit to settle in a somewhat secluded, and defensible valley in what were to be called the Lortmils. Secluded? Defensible? Did they not trust the elves? They did. Nevertheless; they prepared for what they foresaw as the inevitable coming of the Suel.

The founding of the first Flan city in the Lortmils "Haradahagh." This is counted as (3365 SD/1 FT)

First year of Flannae Tracking system (1 FT). [OJ1]

With its founding, the Flan became more than a nomadic people and marked the occasion by starting their own calendar, abandoning that of the hated Suel. Although no written descriptions of the city of Haradaragh have survived, there are cryptic fragments of songs still sung among those of Geoff, Sterich and the County of Ulek who count themselves of Flan descent. These tell of the spectacular visions of sunrise in the high plateaus of the mountains, the great wide boulevards and plazas of the city, the many-stepped pyramids devoted to the Sun-God, the agricultural terraces of the slopes, the labyrinthine walls protecting the city, and the tremendous wealth brought from the mines below. The more tragic lyrics sing of the last days of the city, when the mines boiled forth with rampaging humanoids who slaughtered all who would stand against them. (3365 SD/1 FT) [OJ2]

-2064 CY

Haradaragh

The elves noted that the Flan had grown roots. It was good that the Flan had found a home. It was good that the Flan lived in accordance with their teachings. They were less pleased when they learned that the Flan had struck deep into the Lortmils. There was a reason why the elves had never settled the Lortmil’s valley’s, preferring to dwell in the valleys to either side. What dwelt under those mountains was best left undisturbed. But they were content in the knowledge that it was these humans who would be the vanguard against those creatures of evil who dwelt in those dark depths beneath the Lortmil’s pleasant façade, and not them.

The Flan of Haradaragh found that their presence in the Lortmils was left unchallenged by the elves for a simple reason—the existence of the orcs and goblins of the central peaks. The humans had nearly a century of relative peace in which to build their great capital. During this time, the human miner Bleredd led several explorations of the deep caverns below the mines, and on one such occasion, was ambushed by a goblin scouting party. Separated from his companions, and facing a howling band of goblins, he prepared for his death at their spears. He was amazed to discover that he was no longer fighting alone; a strong faced matron battled at his side with her hammer, slaying the goblins as easily as the most skilled warrior. When the battle was over, Bleredd turned to thank his rescuer and found he was alone again. He there swore an oath that he would find her and repay his debt, unto his dying days if need be. Long and far he traveled, and terrible were the hardships he endured to follow his oath -- all of which have been expounded upon elsewhere. [OJ2]

-1990 CY

Galap-Dreidel

Of all the tribes of the Flannae, there was one that had learned their lessons of power from the Suel magi, the Ur-Flan. They were but small in number, insignificant compared with their brethren tribes. Truly, they were the least of them. But they were the most curious, the most ambitious, sure there was more to the Arts than the druids taught, than the elves were willing to divulge; for had they not seen the Suel raise wonders, had they not seen the Suel defy the elves, and had the elves not slunk away when challenged?

The Ur-Flan began to spread out. They were not content to remain in the shadow of Haradaragh. They did not believe the Flan’s prevailing assumption that the gods had chose the elves to be the beneficiaries of these eastern lands. Had the elves not left most of it fallow? There is more than enough room for settlement on this oerth, they said. Before long, the Ur-Flan too claimed lands for their own, and built cities upon them, over which great towers soared.

The Flan wizard, Galap-Dreidel builds Inverness to protect his "Soul Gem." (3526 SD/161 FT) [OJ1]

Know you also that here was said to dwell the great wizard Galap-Dreidel at the height of his power and glory, and that he did lift the Castle Inverness from the very foundation of rock upon which it rested. [C2 – 2]

Galap-Dreidel's Ghost Tower

But Galap-Dreidel was not content that his treasures should be vulnerable to those who might covet them.

For the stone Galap-Dreidel raised up the great central tower and filled his castle with many horrible creatures and deadly traps and, using a great incantation, he did wrest the tower from the very fabric of time and set it apart so that those within would not be affected by the passage of years. [C2 – 2]

One wondered who might try to wrest what was his from his grasp. All knew him to be cruel, more horrible in fact than those monsters he had himself imprisoned within his tower.

Townsfolk whispered that Galap-Dreidel would, at times, set a prisoner free in the tower merely for the sport of his beasts. Some legends tell that his power was so great that he even taught the gem to protect itself from those who would take it from him. [C2 – 2]

-1932 CY

The Almeks

Other Flan followed, and before long, they found waters that spanned the whole of the oerth. And upon the shores of these waters, they would soon discover that there were more peoples upon this oerth than they had hitherto believed to be true.

The first reports of strange cities to the south worshipping strange gods are reported by the Flanae. These people (according to Flan sources) call themselves Almeks (Olmec in the Common tongue). (3584 SD/-1932 CY) [OJ1]

These Almek were not the AnaKerri, they discovered. Nor were they native to the Flaneass. They had sailed from a far-off land, a hot, jungled land, one they gestured to lay many days journey to the east. Although great effort was made, neither could make themselves understood, except in the most rudimentary way, as neither spoke the tongue of the other.

c –1900’s

These Almek were indeed from a far-off land. They were not alone there, either.

As in most places on Oerth, the first human occupants [of Hepmonoland] are lost to the mists of time. By two and a half thousand years ago, the tribes of Touv wandered the [savannah] and lower jungles of Hepmonaland, farming small plots and chasing herds of wild cattle. In the deeper jungles to the north, similarly uncivilized tribes of Olman warred with each other and built shrines to their gods, occasionally discovering or destroying a ruin their legends said had been built by a bat-like humanoid race that had left or been exterminated several hundred years before. [SB – 36]

c –1900 to –1500 CY

But where the Suel and the Flan had discovered the secret of bronze, and the fashioning of weapons with it, the Olman of Hepmonaland had not. But they had marvelled at the slim, shining stone that the Flan had carried; and they sought to divine the secret of it themselves. Its discovery changed them. Their weapons were no longer blunt wood and stone. They were sharp, and their keen edge allowed those tribes that wielded them to conquer the others.

Over the next 400 years, the Olman learned to work stone and bronze and built great cities in the heart of the jungle—clearing land around them for farming—and raising great temples to honor their deities. Four Olman city-states formed from the original tribes, and all delighted in warring on each other, claiming prisoners as live sacrifices. The northernmost nation, Xuxulieto, was broken by a combined effort of two of its neighbors, and the resources were divided up among the survivors; its capital was abandoned and soon overrun by humanoids. [SB – 36]

Cities in the Heart of the Jungle

c. -1700 CY

The empires of the lizardfolk were fading. So too their civilizations. They lost the Art of agriculture as their soil refused to bear the abundance required to feed their cities, and they foraged ever further into the jungles of the Amedio, so far in fact, that those who did never returned. Slowly, they dwindled, until no troglodytes dwelled within. They were all too soon replaced, as primordial bullywugs discovered their emptiness.

The empire of the troglodytes fell around -1700 CY. There is evidence that an amphibious race far larger than modern bullywugs lived in the jungle at this time, although any interactions they may have had with the troglodytes is unknown. Giant unintelligent reptiles also wandered the land, the descendants of which include the bonesnapper and several varieties of giant lizard. [SB – 62]

c. –1600 CY

The Suel tinkered. With magic. With flesh. In fact, they had been tinkering with the flesh for quite some time, ever since they had allied with the dark elves.

[Otto] and I, working with colleagues in Leukish, have strong evidence that skulks were deliberately created during the second millennium of the Suel Imperium, probably to serve their masters as House or Imperial assassins. You recall my investigation of the little-known Eight-House War of around 1100 SD, which could have sparked the inception of the skulks’ use within the empire. It is wholly reasonable that they could have gotten out of the control of their creators and spread throughout the empire thereafter, despite the best efforts of all to command or exterminate them.

—from a letter to Mordenkainen from the priestess Johanna, formerly of Almor, City of Greyhawk, Wealsun 20, 585 CY

 (1100 SD) [Dragon #241 – 47]

It was only a matter of time before their own slaves began to tinker, as well. And use those results against the Suel, themselves.

The actual history of the jermlaine is complex. Details are currently unknown to all residents of the Flanaess, except for certain high priests of Pyremius. It is generally believed that jermlaine are related to minor goblinoids like mites, snyads, and gremlins, but this is not the case.

Jermlaine were originally gnome slaves of a secret society of Suloise wizards who dwelled in caverns under the Hellfurnaces, which in the ancient days of the Suel Imperium were less volcanic and usually identified as part of the Crystalmists chain. This society of wizards, the Inheritors of the Red Gloom, was at constant odds with the Suel Imperium. The Inheritors closely followed the teachings of the Suloise deity Pyremius, who represented selfish personal achievement and the gaining of power at all costs. […] The Inheritors often worked in concert with the great red dragons of this region known as the Fiery Kings, against whom the Suel Imperium fought many wars. [see Dragon #230, 8-16]

Certain gnomes, corrupted by their masters, secretly wished to pursue the teachings of Pyremius themselves to achieve a greater command of magic. The Inheritors would have none of this, but the wicked gnomes managed to establish priests of Pyremius among their own kind through prayer and devotional acts. They eventually escaped their masters and took up residence in the mountains immediately next to what is now Jeklea Bay. There they conducted hideous experiments on captive Suloise citizens, some of them Inheritors who were kidnapped by the gnomes or their agents.

One result of these experiments was the creation of a slave race that served as spies and guards for the evil gnomes. This race, though minute in size, was extraordinarily clever and capable, combining features of the Suloise captives with flesh from the gnomes themselves. (It is said that the deity Pyremius served as the model for this race’s facial appearance.) The gnomes were themselves destroyed by spellcasters of the Suel Imperium about the year -1,600 C.Y., almost 2,400 years before the present day in the Flanaess. However, their servant race survived and scattered, spreading throughout the mountain tunnels and caverns. These creatures are today called jermlaine, which is Oeridian for “troublemaker [….] [Dragon #241 – 49]

-1600 CY

Where one fails, another finds opportunity. It has always bee that way in the Amedio. It is a harsh land, un unforgiving land. But there are always others, waiting in the wings, as it were. As the reptilians declined, the mammalians rose up to replace them. Th D-kana had lurked under the canopy, waiting for just that moment.

The power vacuum left by the fallen troglodyte empire allowed a race of intelligent gorillas to gain ascendancy around -1600 CY. Calling themselves d’kana, they built a peaceful civilization of tribal nations based on order and trust. The d’kana evidently developed spellcasting, since remains found in rare crypts or mausolea are often accompanied by unmistakable spell components. There is no evidence of a war during the time of the d’kana, so it is possible that their wizards and priest received troublesome omens and withdrew their people before the Olman came to the land in approximately -1200 CY.

Most modern Amedian and Olman tribes tell tales of “dakon-apes” in forested foothills of the Hellfurnaces, probably descendants of that once great empire. Explorers in that region have found modern tools, weapons and jewelry similar to items found in ancient d’kana interments, but locals claim that the “black-hands” do not like to be approached. [SB – 62]

They were not the only mammals to capitalize of the troglodytes’ and bullywugs’ misfortune.

Two other intelligent mammalian races emerged during the time of the d’kana. The evil kech actually predate the d’kana, and some mummified remains date back to the time of the troglodytes, but they did not thrive until the reptiles were gone.  The benign beastmen also multiplied rapidly while the d’kana were in power, aided by their camouflage ability. [SB – 62]

-1408 CY

Long had the Tuov wandered the savannah, tending their herds before they too settled, raising cities of their own, crowning their first king in Kundanol. Thus was the kingdom of Kunda born.

The start date for the Touv calendar is the crowning of the first Touv King in Kundanol; this date is year 1 to the Touv, […] or approximately 1408 years before 1 CY. Before the uniting of the Touv tribes, several families or priesthoods employed unique calendars, but these alternatives have fallen from usage and been forgotten in the intervening millennia. (4108 SD/ 3055 OC/ 1252 BH/ 743 FT) [SB – 38]

Onatal consolidated his power, and decreed those beneath him to increase those lands he deemed should be his. For was not his the strongest of the Tuov tribes? Before long, the whole of the savannah should be his, unto and into the jungles in the north, unto the sea. And beyond. Where he faced those who took umbrage to his claim.

When Onatal. First king of the Kunda, defeated his brother Onak for rulership of the Touv people, he sent his brother northward to start a new city. Onak found a fertile plain inhabited by wild cattle at the foot of the river Ake, and claimed it in the names of himself and his brother. The city he built prospered despite occasional attacks by sahuagin, and tribute flowed regularly back to Kundanol.  [SB – 50]

c. –1400 CY

Galap-Dreidel

Galap-Dreidel had passed into history. Or had he? The remnants of his tower still stood upon the shores of the Woolly Bay; but none had seen him in centuries, and were glad of it; for his rule had been cruel, and punishing.

But despite his great power there came a time that Galap-Dreidel did leave on a journey northwest, over the river Selintan, and did not return. At this time there came a great multitude of superstitious peoples from surrounding lands who laid siege to the castle and threw down the great tower. And it came to pass that despite this seeming victory over their feared former master the people did shun the area and it was said that on fog-shrouded nights the great central tower of the Fortress Inverness could stiII be seen. [C2 – 2]

Despite the fear that Galap-Dreidel might one day return, there were those brave and foolish souls that remained, if not within sight of, or within a day’s march of its foundation. The memory of Galap-Dreidel faded. And a new power began to rise.

Once, over 2,000 years ago, a Flannish kingdom called Sulm ruled the central portion of what is now called the Bright Desert. [WG3 Rary the Traitor – 15]

-1250 CY

Not all Tuov wished to live under the benevolent rule of the kings of Kunda. Few were allowed the luxury, but there were a few who proved the exception. (159 TC)

Iyapo was created as a private woodland retreat by Arakay, one of the rare Kunda wizards. When logging encroached on the retreat, the wizard moved on but left his fortifications behind, and the loggers moved in. Extensive logging eventually cleared the forest, but by that time it had become a well-developed city with many secondary businesses and farms, ranches and villages sprang up along the road to Kundaxa. Iyapo was declared an official city-state by the kingdom in -1250 CY. It still supports a disproportionate number of wizards. [SB – 50]

c. –1215 CY

Little Miners

The Suel liked to tinker. And had for more millennia than one likes to ponder. One wonders how many monstrosities they’ve set loose upon the surface of Oerik. They are believed responsible for the skulks, for instance; although those Suel with ancient tomes have never admitted to this. They are responsible for the Derro; there is no doubt about that. (4301 SD)

Approximately 1,800 years ago, after much debate, the Suloise Imperial Congress approved the creation of a new subject race of beings to serve as miners, delving into the earth in search of precious metals, gems, and magical compounds sought by the wealthy and politically powerful wizards of the empire. The race was bred from human and dwarven prisoners and slaves by means that do not bear description here. This new race was called the thurgamazar, Suloise for “little miners," but they became more popularly known as dwur-rohoi, “twisted dwarves,” a term used by a Flan slave of the Suloise who saw the new race at work. Dwur-rohoi was corrupted over the centuries to dwurroh, then to derro. [Dragon #241 – 40]

c. -1200 CY

The Amedio is a harsh mother. She culls her creations, willing only the strongest, the most robust, the most resilient to survive, let alone thrive. The D’kana, like the troglodytes and the bullywugs before them, proved inadequate to the task, and they too fell from her grace, slinking back into the canopy that incubated them.

There is no evidence of a war during the time of the d’kana, so it is possible that their wizards and priests received troublesome omens and withdrew their people before the violent Olman came to the land in approximately -1200 CY. Most modern Amedians and Olman tribes tell tales of “dakon-apes” in the forested foothills of the Hellfurnaces, probably near-civilized descendants of that once-great empire. Explorers in that region have found modern tools, weapons and jewelry similar to items found in ancient d’kana interments, but locals claim that the “black-hands” do not like to be approached. [SB – 62]

-1100 CY

There are some secrets that once forgotten, ought to remain buried.

The high priests of the Olman city-states of Alocotla and Xapatlapo make a pact with the god Tlaloc. The yuan-ti race is born.

The Yuan-ti are Born.

Approximately -1100 CY, a century before the great Olman migration into the Amedio jungle, the high priests of the city-states of Alocotla and Xapatlapo made a pact with the god Tlaloc. After a ceremonial sacrifice and the consumption of a thousand infants, all who partook of the grizzly feast were reshaped into snakelike forms, with those who consumed the largest portions most changed.  These changes bred true, and the ophidian priests continued to rule the two cities, passing the mantle of leadership to their direct descendants. The monsters of Alocotla spread into the countryside, diluting their tainted blood with the remaining humans, eventually drawing all of them into the cold embrace of the serpent-men. The human aspects of the yuan-ti of this nation have Olman traits, while their snake parts are predominately dark green with red or black patterns. [SB – 47]

c. -1034 CY

The Kingdom of Sulm rose in the shadow of Gaap-Dreidel’s tower.

Founding of the Flanae Kingdom of Sulm in the Bright Desert Region. (4482 SD/117 FT) [OJ1]

Utaa was once the thriving capital of Sulm. […]

The city is truly vast. It consists of over 100 square miles of homes, temples, castles, palaces, and every other imaginable type of structure. [WG3 – 29]

The city may also serve as an entrance to or exit from the Underdark, for many of the city's palaces and castles featured deep dungeons, and the people of Sulm delved into many forbidden subjects before their evil kingdom was finally destroyed. [WG3 – 29]

The People of Sulm

But there were those who remembered the tyranny of Galap-Dreidel. They believed that no good could come from those who ruled where he had, and so they took measures to remove these people of Sulm. They were right to worry, for Galap-Dreidel had gained far greater power as he drove the pilons of his empire deep and forged pacts with darker patrons and allies than any could imagine, and paid for it with the darkest of currencies, souls.

Stories say that the light of the [soul] gem dragged the souls of men screaming from their mortal flesh and trapped them within its many facets. Galap-Dreidel, it was said, harnessed this power and used it against those who opposed his will. They also say that he who controlled the gem could call forth the stolen souls of men and make them do his bidding. [C2 – 2]

Desert Nomads

Constant warfare with desert nomads and internal unrest led Sulm's rulers to delve into forbidden magic and the worship of evil gods. [WG3 – 15]

The centaurs once faithfully served the vanished kingdom of Sulm. but were sickened by the evil which eventually infected its rulers. [WGR1]

Those efforts drove Sulm to that which they sought to guard against.

[The] nobles of Sulm worshipped evil gods and engaged in dark rites. [WG3 – 44]

[Foul] Sulmish magic was performed here, and the few slabs of black marble that remain on the walls bear faint traces of mystic symbols and wicked runes. [WG3 – 44]

Dark Rites

“It is very hard for evil to take hold of the unconsenting soul.”

― Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

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:

Welenkin by gonzalokenny

Ancient-Painting by tugrulnohutcu

Neolithic-village-pattern by lordgood

Shaman by tavenerscholar

Ghost-Tower-of-Inverness by noahbradley

Vaa-a-Entrainement by nanasschevelu

Chocolate-Jungle by deivcalviz

Jermlaine, by Albie Fiore, from Fiend Folio, 1980

Jermlaine, from Monster Manual II_3e, 2002

Dakon, by Albie Fiore, from Fiend Folio, 1980

Shaman by kim-hee-kyoung

Derro by the-murdellicious

Yuan-ti by draggyness

Nomad by dlikt

Nomad-Warrior by n-deed

Lords-Of-Darkness by baphomet-2021

 

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

9038 C2 The Ghost Tower of Inverness, 1980

9386 WG3 Rary the Traitor, 1992

9577 The Adventure Begins, 1998

9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998

11374 The Scarlet Brotherhood, 1999

Dragon Magazine, 241

OJ Oerth Journal #1, #2, appearing on Greyhawk Online

LGJ et. al.

Greychrondex, Wilson, Steven B.

Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda

The map of Anna B. Meyer