The See of Medegia Primer

 

“Civilization is a hopeless race to discover remedies for the evils it produces.”

― Rousseau

Medegia

Medegia was once the envy of the whole of the Great Kingdom. The sun rose upon gentle shores. Soothing showers dappled its fields. Crops swayed and seas of grass flowed to blissful breezes. Such a climate made Medegia rich, in the bounty of the sea, in foodstuffs; even its hills striated with glowing marbles. Medegia was truly blessed. It was also the heart and soul of the realm, its Holy Censor the conscience of the Overking. To be born in the See was, without doubt, a boon. One could go far if one hailed from there. How couldn’t one? The light radiating from Medegia, it could be said, charted the course of the realm.

Indeed, for long centuries, the Blinding Light of Pholtus guided the See, his gaze raising cornucopias of plenty, his vision the One true Way. Then, for long centuries afterwards, with Zichus’ thumb on the scales of commerce, its cities and ports could only be enriched as all trade found its way to its accommodating shores. Were that the tyranny of Hextor had not come to Medegia; were that its people hadn’t been instructed that the world was a dark and bloody place, where the strong ruled the weak, and power was the only reward.

Medegia played its power games, lest it be oppressed and destroyed, ironically only to be shattered, having done so, its cities razed, its fields set ablaze, and its once prosperous and cultured people scattered or driven mad.

Now, the gentle winds howl, dust and ash furrow in fallow fields, and orcs and bandits and armies of deserters gnash over what remains of the once opulent and envied carcass of war-torn Medegia.

If you stop and listen, you can still hear madness carried on the wind, the echo of the laughter of those fiends that gamboled across the greens, and the sullen, oppressive anguish left in its wake. And perhaps, if you listen very hard, you just might catch the stealthy footfall of what once was sneaking up on you, desperate for the few coins you carry in your purse, or the heel of loaf you’re saving for later.

One wonders: Who envies Medegia now?

Those who wish to set their campaign in a varied geography could not hope to find a more suitable place than the See of Medegia. In a relatively modest distance, it boasts access to the sea, tropical to semi-tropical coasts, rugged highlands, and dense forests. And depending on when you place your game, the See is either cultured or catastrophic, civilised or a haven of banditry.

Inspiration for Medegia’s earlier period can be found in all works Roman, especially Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”; in Ken Follett’s novel, “The Pillars of the Earth” and the miniseries adapted from it; and in Ellis Peters’ “Cadfael Chronicles” and the TV series adapted from it.

Further inspiration for Medegia’s latter banditry can be found in Daphne Du Maurier’s novel “Jamaica Inn”; in “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.

I imagine any work on any genocide might inspire the torment of the fiend infestation following Ivid’s decimation.

Country Specific Resources:

There are none specific to See of Medegia, but most pertinent information can be found in:

The Greyhawk Folio, The Greyhawk setting boxed set, Greyhawk Wars, From the Ashes Boxed Set, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, and Dragon magazine #55,57,63,65

For the History of the Great Kingdom, I cannot recommend enough the free online supplement in the unpublished Ivid the Undying by Carl Sargent, available here. There is a chapter within specifying Medegia’s “troubles” following the Greyhawk Wars.

Carlos Lising's The 9, will be an invaluable resource if you wish to place your campaign in or about the Living Greyhawk era.

Adventures in this country include:

LF1 The 9, from casl Entertainment, 2021, Medegia (Vanthrace)

Dragon #78 – Citadel by the Sea, Generic

Dungeon #1 – Grakhirt’s Lair, The Elven Home, and Guardians of the Tomb, Generic

Dungeon #3 – A Desperate Rescue, Generic

Dungeon #4 – Escape from the Tower of Midnight, Generic

Dungeon #5 – The Stolen Power, and The Eyes of Evil, Generic

Dungeon #6 – After the Storm, Generic

Dungeon #9 – The Ghostship Gambit, and The Lurkers in the Library, Generic

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

Dungeon #11 –The Deadly Sea, and Wards of Witching Ways, Generic

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

Dungeon #13 – The Treasure Vault of Kasil, Generic

Dungeon #14 – Master of Puppets, and Stranded on the Baron’s Island, Generic

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

Dungeon #16 – Vesicant, and The Dwarves of Warka, Generic

Dungeon #20 – Tomb It May Concern, Generic

Dungeon #26 – Nine-Tenths of the Law, Generic

Dungeon #28 – Night of Fear, Generic

Dungeon #34 – The Lady Rose, Generic

Dungeon #35 – Twilight’s Last Gleaming, Generic

Dungeon #39 – Last of the Iron House, Generic

Dungeon #41 – Hopeful Dawn, Generic

Dungeon #47 – Shades of Darkness, Generic

Dungeon #49 – The Dark Place, Generic

Dungeon #50 – The Vaka’s Curse, Generic

Dungeon #66 – The Sunken Shadow, Generic

Dungeon #67 – Witches Brew, Generic

Dungeon #74 – The Scourge of Scalabar, Generic

Dungeon #88 – The Seventh Arm, Generic

Dungeon #95 – Lust, Generic

Dungeon #97 – Demonblade, and Heart of the Iron God (Greyhawk), and Blind Man’s Bluff, Generic

Dungeon #99 – Fish Story, Generic

Dungeon #105 – The Stink, Generic

Dungeon #107 – Dead Man’s Quest, Generic

Dungeon #111 – Srike on the Rabid Dawn, Generic

Dungeon #116 – Death in Lashmire, Generic

Dungeon #125 – Seekers of the Forge, Generic

Dungeon #130 – Within the Circle, Generic

Dungeon #132 – Wingclipper’s revenge, Generic

Dungeon #156 – The Last Breath, Generic

Dungeon #127 – Trust No One, Making a Conspiracy

Dungeon #130 – Behind Bars, List of Prisoners

Dungeon #132 – Down at the Docks, Encounters

Dungeon #138 – Urban Decay, Generic

Dungeon #144 – Unusual Burials, Generic (Campaign Workbook)

- Ancient crypts of the Flan

- Sea adventures on or under the Aerdi Sea and Spindrift Sound, pirates, sahuagin

- Aquatic Elves have begun interfering with fishermen

- Smuggling arms into and aiding rebels in the Hestmark Highlands and Grandwood Forest

- Fighting banditry

- Clearing cities of fiends

- Scarlet Brotherhood/The Lordship of the Isles and the Sea Barons, spies in the city

- Sedition of Lendore Isles refugees

- Northern Barbarians raiding south

Adventures in nearby areas include:

Greyhawk Adventures, Diver Down

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

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

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

I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City, Hepmonaland

S1 Tomb of Horrors, The Vast Swamp

Return to the 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 #56 – The Land of Men with Tails, Generic

Dungeon #69 – Slave Vats of the Yuan-Ti, (Part 1), Hepmonaland, Generic

Dungeon #70 – Sscaly Thingss, (Part 2), Hepmonaland, Generic

Dungeon #71 – Dreadful Vestiges, (Part 3), Hepmonaland, Generic

Dungeon #56 – The Land of Men with Tails

Dungeon #71 – Priestly Secrets, Spindrift Isles

Dungeon #86 – Rana Mor, Generic

Dungeon #89 – Wedding Bells, South Province/Ahlissa

Dungeon #91 – Kambranex’s Machinations, South Province/Ahlissa

Dungeon #93 – Swamp Stomp, Generic

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

Dungeon #123 – The Salvage Operation, Tivenot Peninsula

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

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

- Trade caravans into Sunndi/South Province

Medegia, See of:

The Great Kingdom (Kingdom of Aerdy): chaotic evil, lawful evil;

Languages: Oeridian, [Aerdi], Suloise

[Dragon #52 – 20]

Alignments: N, NE, LE*, LN, CE, CN [adapted from Ahlissa – LGG – 21]

576 CY

MEDEGIA, SEE OF

His Equitable Nemesis, the Holy Censor of Medegia (Cleric, 15th level)

Medegia, See of: Spidasa, C 15 [WoGG – 17]

Capital: [Mentrey; the WORLD OF GREYHAWK™ Gazetteer erroneously labels Rel Astra, a semi-independent city, as the capital) [Dragon #63 – 16]

Population: 250,000

Demi-humans: Sylvan Elves (see GRANDWOOD FOREST)

Humanoids: Some

Resources: foodstuffs, cloth

[WoGA – 28]

585 CY

See of Medegia

Pop.: 60,000

Capital: None (previously Mentrey)

Major Towns: Barrish (700), Dornelan ( 850), Mentrey (3200), Montesser (600 orcs), Pontylver (aprox. 3000) [Ivid 104 – 106]

Population: Unknown – Humans (OSf), Sylvan Elves (Grandwood), Humanoids (many), Fiends (too many) [Inferred]

Ruler: None

Rulership: Absent

[Ivid – 104]

Medegia, See of: Just as Almor is no more, so has Medegia passed into history. […] [T]he Holy Censor made the desperate mistake of heading for Rauxes in exile. Ivid's judgment was swift; the Censor received the delights of the Endless Death (being perpetually tortured while wearing a ring of regeneration), which he still endures. […] the Overking ordered an orgy of brutality and destruction inflicted on it and its inhabitants. Rape, pillage, torture, and the suffering of every man and woman in Medegia were what Ivid ordered, and his army was pleased to obey. Medegia was utterly despoiled, and what remains of it is barren and underpopulated. Its few surviving inhabitants are bitter, twisted, and half-mad people tormented by fiends and petty despots. [FtAA – 27]

591 CY

Ahlissa Proper Name: United Kingdom of Ahlissa

Ruler: His Transcendent Imperial Majesty, Overking Xavener I, Grand Prince of Kalstrand, Crowned Head of House Darmen (NE male human Rog15)

Government: Feudal empire with hereditary rulership; principalities are loosely governed by monarch whose powers are limited by written agreements with major nobles

Capital: Kalstrand

Major Towns: Kalstrand (pop. 24,000), Naerie (pop. 6,300), Pardue (pop. 4,100), Torrich (pop. 27,500)

Population: 3,836,100—Human 79% (OSf), Halfling 9%, Elf 5% (sylvan 90%), Dwarf 2%, Gnome 2%, Half-elf 1%, Half-orc 1%, Orc 1%

Languages: Common, Old Oeridian, Orc, Halfling, Elven

[LGG – 21]

The major political subdivisions of the United Kingdom of Ahlissa follow, with their capitals, rulers, and ruling Houses.

[…]

Medegia, Marchland of

Nulbish (to be moved to Pontylver once it is cleared of undead and rebuilt)

Prince Gartrel (LE male human Ftr10), House Darmen

[LGG – 22]

Alignments: N, NE, LE*, LN, CE, CN [adapted from Ahlissa – LGG – 22]

Grandwood Forest, Marchland of the

Torrich

Princess Bersheba (CE female human Rog9), House Darmen [LGG – 22]

 “Societies in decline have no use for visionaries.”

― Anais Nin

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 exhaustive.

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

The Art:

Sunrise-over-the-Crete-Senesi by citizenfresh

Cover art detail, by Jeff Easley, from "From the Ashes" Boxed set, 1992

LF1 The 9 cover, art by Daviel Govar, 2021

Dungeon #144 Unusual Burials, by Kyle Hunter, 2007

S1 Tomb of Horrors cover, art by Jeff Dee, 1981

Dungeon Magazine #56 cover, by Stephen A Daniele, 1995

Medegia heraldry, by Anna B. Mayer

Ahlissa heraldry, by Anna B. Mayer, adapted from World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980

Sources:

9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1981

1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983

1064 From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992

9577 The Adventure Begins, 1998

9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998

11743 Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000

Dragon Magazine

Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda

Anna B. Meyer’s Greyhawk Map