Greyhawk Musings: The Lordship of the Isles Primer

“I hear much of people's calling out to punish the guilty, but very few are concerned to clear the innocent.”

― Daniel Defoe

Sulward

Paradise. Anyone, everyone, who sails the southern turquoise seas would describe the Duxchan archipelago so. The sea all but glows. White-tipped breakers lap ivory shores, their gentle caress so rhythmic as to lull the idle into deepest slumber. Palms sway to a languid breeze. A lush wall climbs cliffs into crowding, towering clouds.

Has there ever been a more beguiling jewel than the Duxchan Isles? Dangers lurk beneath its bucolic facade. Its atolls sting with jellies and man-o’-war. Sharks and schools of barracuda prowl reefs that narrow the narrowest of sounds. Currents rush, tides rip. And if those weren’t enough, a ragtag menagerie of buccaneers and freebooters infest its ports, ever watchful of what might be harvested upon the high seas. Indeed, there are as many devil-may-care swashbucklers in port as asea.

There’s truth in that. For if there ever was a plot upon Oerik where villainy has flourished more than most it would be in this supposed paradise. Pirates and privateers prowl the shallows and shoals and betwixt the isthmuses rise and fall with the tides. Hidden coves and high and rocky cliffs drape inlet caves in secreting shadow, keeping what may from prying eyes, safe from taxes, secure from censure.

It’s always been this way, the State claimed. Villains, every one of them, crying tyranny and suppression when they were little more that murderers, smugglers, and anarchists.

Villains, every one of them...

Murderers, smugglers, and anarchists? They were skilled sailors, traders, and explorers long before the Oerid arrived in their galleys and biremes. Olman outriggers had long since fanned out from shore to shore and shoal to shoal here, until there was nothing left to discover but an endless, trackless sea that gave birth to the sun; Flan fisherfolk had flourished here, lured by bountiful banks; and seaborne Suel had found harbour here, fleeing imperial dominion. Before the Aerdi Celestial Houses imposed order and the rule of law. Before the Order of the Scarlet Sign arrived to guide the Duxchans towards purity and salvation. Each in turn professed divine right. And, in time, each in turn would prove their worth: The Isles would be free to bow and obey, free to follow orders and toil asea, free in the knowledge that their liberators kept watch over their hearth and home, and their families safe and secure.

A Tropical Island Milieu

Those who wish to run a campaign in a tropical island milieu closest to a Caribbean setting during the Golden Age of Piracy will be well suited to placing their game in the Lordship of the Isles. Danger is everywhere, and there is no end to the possibility for adventure.

The Lordship of the Isles has always been besieged or occupied: first by the Kingdom of Aerdy, then by the Great Kingdom, and now by the Scarlet Brotherhood. They watch and wait, and calmly, silently, rebel. And go about their business as they always have. Quietly. Covertly. Their families depend on their caution, and their cunning. And patience. They know that the Red Robes will all too soon have to retreat back into their rocky, inhospitable peninsula. In time. They’ve overextended themselves. They had not the fleet to retain their gains. In fact, it’s all too apparent that the Fathers and Uncles are already losing their grip on these innumerable islands and cays, too many for any nation to truly control. It taxed them. It weakened them. It was only a matter of time before the Islanders were rid of yet another overlord. Until then, the fleets of the Lordship enjoy free passage over all the southern seas they had once had to too often “share” with lesser mariners than their selves. They’ve been at war with the Sea Barons to the north, and with the Sea Princes to the far west, for as long as any salt can remember. Indeed, the Duxchaners would have it no other way. The Barons and Princes are as piratical as they themselves are professed by others to be.

Inspiration can be found in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Nautical adventure might be inspired by the “Master and Commander” series by Patrick O’Brian; as well as “Treasure Island” and “Kidnapped” by Robert Lewis Stevenson; and Herman Melville’s novels. Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” and the film “Apocalypse Now” evoke tropical possibilities.

Further inspiration can be found in the “Golden Age of Piracy: A General History of Pyrates,” by Daniel Defoe; “Pirates: A Complete History from 1300 BC to the Present Day,” by Angus Konstrum; and “Pirates: A New History, from Vikings to Somali Raiders,” by Peter Lehr.

Country specific resources:

"Jungle of Lost Ships", World of Greyhawk Glossography, 1983

"Dwellers of the Forbidden City", Hepmonaland

"Freeport", 3^rd party supplement by Green Ronin

Other pertinent resources include:

Dragon #204 – A Strange Alliance

Dragon #206 – The Sea Barons

Both are excerpts from Ivid the Undying by Carl Sargent, available here.

Further details can be found in:

The Greyhawk Folio, The Greyhawk setting boxed set, Greyhawk Adventures, Greyhawk Wars, From the Ashes Boxed Set, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, and Dragon magazine #52,55,57,63

Dragon #116 – High Seas

To some extent you can adapt information on the Lendore Isles to the Lordship of the Isles.

L1 – Secret of Bone Hill

L2 – Assassin’s Knot

L4 & 5 The Lendore Companion, and Kroton Guide and Companion

Adventures in this country include:

World of Greyhawk Gazetteer (Gold Box), Jungle of Lost Ships

Greyhawk Adventures, Diver Down

Dragon #78 – Citadel by the Sea, Generic

Dungeon #3 – The Deadly Sea and A Desperate Rescue, Generic

Dungeon #4 – Kingdom in the Swamp, Generic, and Escape from the Tower of Midnight, Generic (Thieves)

Dungeon #6 – After the Storm, Generic

Dungeon #8 – For a Lady’s Honor, and Flowers of Flame, Generic (Thieves)

Dungeon #9 – The Ghostship Gambit, Generic

Dungeon #10 – They Also Serve, Generic (Thieves)

Dungeon #11 – Wards of Witching Ways, Generic

Dungeon #12 – Light of Lost Souls, and Intrigue in the Deeps, Generic

Dungeon #49 – The Dark Place, and North of Norabel

Dungeon #14 – Stranded on the Baron’s Island, Generic

Dungeon #15 – The Wreck of the Shining Star, Generic

Dungeon #16 – Vesicant, Generic

Dungeon #34 – The Lady Rose, Generic

Dungeon #39 – Last of the Iron House, Generic

Dungeon #49 – The Dark Place, and North of Norabel, Generic

Dungeon #50 – The Vaka’s Curse, Generic

Dungeon #62 – Rat Trap, Generic (Thieves)

Dungeon #66 – The Sunken Shadow, Generic

Dungeon #74 – The Scourge of Scalabar, Generic

Dungeon #87 – Glacier Seas

Dungeon #97 – Blind Man’s Bluff, Generic

Dungeon #107 – Dead Man’s Quest, Generic

Dungeon #116 – Death in Lashmire, Generic

Dungeon #125 – Seekers of the Forge, Generic

Dungeon #136 – Company of Thieves, Generic (Thieves)

Dungeon #156 – The Last Breath, Generic

Dungeon #107 – Dead Man’s Quest, Generic

- Sea adventures

- Serving aboard naval, merchant, and privateer vessels

- Fending off pirates and raiders

- Scarlet Brotherhood agents

- The Sinking Isles

- Sahuagin, Sea Elves, and Tritons

- Expeditions into the Solnor Ocean

- Faction wars. The three main cultures and many factions of the isles are constantly engaged against each other in both overt and subtle ways. Currently, the Suel Duxchaners have the upper hand as the Scarlet Brotherhood assisted in a campaign to depose the Oeridian lord in favor of their own puppet Prince. The Oeridians, often in alliance with the Olman, are engaged in a campaign against these new overlords.

- Safe transport. Ships seeking to make port both inside and outside the archipelago are always looking for skilled crew to defend their vessel against the many dangers that confront them, including pirates, sea monsters, and other factions.

- Exploring ruins. Numerous ruins dot the jungles of these lands, especially on Ganode and Ansabo. These places are often dedicated to dark and inscrutable gods and hide many treasures and magic unique to this realm.

- Monster hunt. The many creatures who inhabit these isles pose both a danger to the natives and are highly prized in the north. Parties of adventurers can make a good living going after these monsters, especially if they can take some of the specimens alive.

Adventures in nearby areas include:

World of Greyhawk Gazetteer (Gold Box) Werewolves of the Menowood

The Stolen Seal, World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, Ratik

The Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga

Forge of Fury, Bone March

I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City, Hepmonaland

Tomb of Annihilation 5e, Hepmonaland, Vast Swamp

I12 Egg of the Phoenix, Dullstrand (noted on Canonfire! It’s a bit of a stretch, but it you flip the map…)

S1 Tomb of Horrors, The Vast Swamp

L1 The Secret of Bone Hill, Spindrift Isles

L2 The Assassins Knot, Spindrift Isles

L4 Devilspawn, Spindrift Isles (available on Dragonsfoot)

L5 The Kroton Adventures, Spindrift Isles (available on Dragonsfoot)

Dungeon #4, Kingdom of the Swamp, Generic

Dungeon #37, The Mud Sorcerer's Tomb, Bone March

Dungeon #71, Priestly Secrets, Spindrift Isles

Dungeon #84, Armistice, Griff Mountains

Dungeon #87, The Sharm’s Dark Song

Dungeon #89, Wedding Bells, South Province/Ahlissa

Dungeon #91, Kambranex’s Mechinations, South Province/Ahlissa

Dungeon #95, The Witch of Serpent's Bridge, Schnai

Dungeon #121/Ghosts of Saltmarsh – The Styes, South Province/Ahlissa

Dungeon #123, The Salvage Operation, Tivenot Peninsula

Dungeon #148, In the Shadows of Spinecastle, Bone March

Although later retconned into the Yeomanry, B1 Into the Unknown (in the monochrome edition) was originally suggested as located in Ratik. That would make north Ratik an ideal location for B1 Keep on the Borderlands, as well.

The Scarlet Brotherhood

Thunder in the Earth, Hepmonaland
Fire of the Worlds Heart, Hepmonaland
Death on Black Wings, Hepmonaland
Sky of Mourning, Hepmonaland
Pray to a Different God, Hepmonaland
Shaman, Hepmonaland

CH2 The Tears that Forever Stain, casl Entertainment. 2021, Hepmonaland

FB1 While on the Road to Cavrik's Cove, casl Entertainment, 2021, Ratik

LF1 The 9, from casl Entertainment, 2021, Medegia

- Oeridian Ruins and the Betching Vortex of Leuk-O (see: Kambranex’s Machinations)

- Spy on the Dullstrand/Scarlet Brotherhood/Sea Barons/South Province

- Trade expeditions to Ratik, Sunndi, North Province, South Province

- Sea adventures upon the Solnor and the Aerdy Seas

- Adventuring in the Lendore/Spindrift Isles

- South of the isles, lies the great subcontinent known as Hepmonaland, which is dominated by tropical forests and innumerable ruins and adventuring opportunities.

- East of the isles lie two unique features, the reef known as Turucambi and the so-called Jungle of Lost Ships, a great sargasso where numerous vessels have gone lost over the centuries.

Lordship of the Isles

Lordship of the Isles: So [Dragon # 55 – 18]

[One must add a touch of Olman and Flan, considering later lore addition]

Lordship of the Isles: neutral, chaotic neutral; Oeridian, [Aerdian], Suloise, (Ferral). [Dragon # 52 – 20]

[Note that Duxchaners are not prone to evil]

Most of these geographically isolated areas were settled centuries ago by Suloise peoples fleeing the Oeridians [.] [TAB – 18]

Latmac Ranold
576 CY

(Principality) Member of the Iron League

His Exalted Highness Latmac Ranold, the Prince of Duxchan; Lord of the Isles; Scourge of the Waves (Fighter, 16th level)

Capital: Sulward (pop. 5,500)

Population: 80,000 +

Demi-humans: Few

Humanoids: Doubtful

Resources: rare woods, spices

[LGG – 71/WoGA – 28]

584 CY

Ruler: (in name) His Exalted Highness, Prince Frolmar Ingerskatti (Scarlet Brotherhood)

Capital: Sulward (pop. 5,000)

[FtAA – 30]

591 CY

Prince Frolmar Ingerskatti

Proper Name: The Lordship of the Isles

Ruler: His Exalted Highness, Prince Frolmar Ingerskatti of Duxchan, Lord of the Isles, Scourge of the Waves (N male human Ftr12)

Government: "Independent monarchy" (principality) that is actually a puppet state of the Scarlet Brotherhood, which manages most military, judicial, religious, and economic affairs; prince has real but limited powers, affecting the Brotherhood's rule only through force of his own charisma and cleverness.

Capital: Sulward

Major Towns: Duxchan (pop. 8,900), Sulward (pop. 7,200), Mahan (pop. 4,100)

Provinces: Seven islands, each its own noble province: duchy of Diren (capital: Sulward); duchy of Ansabo (capital: Duxchan); duchy of Ganode (capital: Mahan); county of Jehlum; county of Mirim; county of Luda; and barony of Temil

Resources: Rare woods, spices, shipbuilding supplies

Population: 266,000—Human 79% (Soz) [also Flan, see LGG pg. 70], Elf 9% (high), Halfling 5%, Dwarf 3%, Gnome 2%, Half-elf 1%, Half-orc 1%

Languages: Common, Ancient Suloise, Elven, Halfling

Alignments: N, CN, NE*, LE, CE [The Isles have become increasingly evil since 576, likely due to Brotherhood colonisation.

Religions: Osprem, Xerbo, Norebo, Syrul, Wee Jas, other Suloise gods

[LGG – 70]

“There was a sound in their voices which suggested rum.”

― Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

Fifteen men on the dead man's chest—

...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

Drink and the devil had done for the rest—

...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

― Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

One must always give credit where credit is due. This Primer 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.

Special thanks to Jason Zavoda for his compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research tool.

It has been expanded from the original postcard found in Canonfire’s “Touring the Flanaess” index, its author left undeclared, and some passages from that scholarly work reside with this piece.

The Art:

The-Harbor by refiend

Treasure-Island by hidetheinsanity

Dock by joshuathejames

Lordship of the Isles detail, by Darlene, from World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980

Dungeon #49 cover, by Paul Jaquays, 1994

I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City cover, by Erol Otus, 1981

L4 Devilspawn cover, by Brian Thomas, 2008

Lordship of the Isles heraldry, adapted from World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980

Pirate-Study-work by yumi-banana

Inkwell-Glimmer by neuronormal

Sources: