“No class of man is altogether bad, but each has its
own faults and virtues.”
― Kidnapped
 |
| Quij |
I suppose that
if we are to pass judgment in that regard, we must define what a henchman is,
exactly.
According to the
Cambridge dictionary a henchman is: a person who is loyal to or works for
someone in a position of authority and is willing to help that person even by
hurting others or by committing crimes.
That works. We’ll
come back to this.
The most
applicable definition for our purpose is in the Players Handbook.
A henchman is a more or less devoted follower of a
character. In return for the use of his or her abilities and talents, the
henchman receives support, lodging, and a share of his or her master’s or
mistress’ earnings – in the form of stipends or as a shore of treasure taken.
Henchmen are always of a character race and character class, but are never
player characters. [PHB 1e – 39]
This definition would
appear to apply, but our exploration of Quij that follows will either prove or
disprove his qualifications as henchman proper, one way or the other.
Quij is, after
all, “only” an orc.
 |
| Orcs |
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 30-300
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 1 [that would be 1-8 hp, compare that to
a human’s 1-6 hp]
INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (6'+ tall) [somewhat larger than a human]
[MM 1e – 76]
That would
appear to eliminate Quij’s potential status as a henchman proper, from the
get-go, given that [h]enchmen are always of a character race and
character class [PHB 1e – 39], at least as far as 1st edition
AD&D is concerned.
Although it is not made implicit in 2nd
edition, the same rule would appear to be implied, in that they have the
nerve and ability to become powerful adventurers. [PHB revised 2e – 152]
3rd edition, however, appears to have
dispensed with this requirement.
There are no limitations on the class, race, or gender
of a character’s cohorts [.] [DMG 3.5 – 104]
Followers may be apprentices, admirers, henchmen,
students, or sidekicks. [PHB 3.5 – 168]
Followers are similar to cohorts, except they’re
generally low-level NPCs. […] Followers don’t earn experience and thus don’t
gain levels. [DMG 3.5 – 105]
The answer, then, is not so cut and dried.
So, can Quij be Robilar’s henchmen? I suppose that
depends on whether you, as DM, allow it.
If it weren’t
for Robilar, we might never have even heard of Quij at all.
540s CY
 |
| Robilar |
Robilar spent much of his earlier career adventuring
in Castle Greyhawk [.] [OJ#3 – 41]
[T]he first adventurers to explore the ruins of
Greyhawk Castle set forth. […]
Robilar and Terrik, Murlynd and Tenser, [and] a cleric
[…] slew a few rats, found stairs leading down, and entered the dungeon with
torches flaring. [Dragon#AN2 – 96]
543 CY
Quij is born
in the Pomarj [.] [TAB – 98]
POMARJ
(The)
Population:
20,000?
Demi-humans:
None
Humanoids: Orcs (15,000), Goblins (10,000), others
Resources: silver, electrum, gold, gems (I, II)
[Folio – 14]
Tribes of vicious humanoids have banded together and
rule […] the Pomarj. [Folio – 6]
[The humanoids are] masters of the whole peninsula. [Folio
– 14]
The humanoids have not often dared to cross into Ulek,
but their raiders cause much trouble in the Wild Coast. [Folio – 14]
These invaders work their way up from the Pomarj,
through the Suss and Welkwood. [Folio – 22]
The folk of the Wild Coast at one time made concerted
efforts to clear the Suss, and managed to drive Its verge back several leagues.
Due to the disappearance of timbering parties and the threat of marauding
humanoids, such operations are no longer conducted anywhere, however. The edges
of the Suss are watched closely by the petty nobles and lordlings of the Wild
Coast. [Folio – 26]
 |
| The Suss Forest |
Canon does not
pin the location down, specifically; but, judging by what follows, I suggest
the Suss Forest.
Suss Forest: Where the Welkwood
approaches the Jewel River near city of Courwood, the forest becomes the Suss.
The Suss is a dark and dreary wood filled with thorn trees, brambles, briars,
and thickets. Its massive trees are black with age, seeming to menace those who
pass under their boughs. The western end of the forest, where the wood grows
near the foothills of the Lortmil Mountains, is open and clean, but east of the
Jewel River it is a foreboding place. Many nonhumans, mostly orcs and goblins
tied to their brethren in the Pomarj, lair in this part of the Suss, along with
gibberlings, ettercaps, and stranger creatures. legends place a lost city of
Old Suloise in this forest, but few dare to confirm these rumors due to the
dangers of the wood. [LGG – 141,142]
550 CY
All too soon, the
torrent of riches Robilar had become accustomed to in the Mad Mage’s mage ebbed
to a trickle as it was increasingly crawling with more treasure seekers than monsters.
He went in search of far more fertile fields.
 |
| In the Suss Forest |
But however hard
he searched the lost city eluded him. Not so orcs. He found them everywhere.
And they took umbrage to his scouring their hard-claimed territories.
A year ago, you conquered a band of orcs
single-handedly, and one of the orcs, Quij, became your henchman. Quij seems to
be blossoming in your service, and except for a cowardly streak that comes out
you have no complaints about him. [COR1 – 00 – 3]
 |
| Young Quij |
Quij is not a bad sort, for an orc, that is.
[L]N orc-m HD[1];
Str 15, Con 15, Int 5 …. [TAB
– 98]
[TAB states that
Quij is CN, which reflects orc’s 3rd edition alignment shift from LE
to CE. {MM 3e – 146} I have changed it back as being Lawful reflects Quij’s
narrative.]
[Robert Wiese’s
2000 GenCon tournament Finger of the Wind declares that this occured in
560 CY, but I would suggest this earlier date. Why? Because:
Orcs are cruel and hate living things in general
{MM 1e – 76}
Being bullies, the stronger will always intimidate and
dominate the weaker. {MM 1e – 76}
They take slaves for work, food, and entertainment
{MM 1e – 76}
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil {MM 1e – 76}
The earlier Robilar subjugates Quij the better – or shall
I say “tamed,” instead? Quij’s innate hatred of humans would be more easily be
quelled at an earlier age, helped along by his understanding that the strong
shall always rule, and that he – being young and weak – must, by his very
nature, obey.]
One wonders why Robilar took on the boy? There must have
been others more suitable. Why Quij, then? Did the boy’s cowering appeal to Robilar? Or was the boy appear the most malleable?
TREASURE TYPE: Individuals L; C,O,Q (X 10), S in lair
[MM 1e – 76]
The orc whelp could have carried much. Indeed, Quij could have been little more than a nuisance, at first; and orcs being what they are, Robilar
likely had need to hobble the boy at night, until the boy was sufficiently
cowed to not slit his throat while he slept. So, why even spare him? Surely a great many fell before they submitted. Did Robilar
experience a moment of mercy? Or was it merely mastery? He must have.
Quij would have been terrified, carried away by the
monster who all but slaughtered his clan. He must also have wondered why Robilar
allowed him to continue live. Or why this fiend suddenly, inexplicably,
bestowed what “kindness” he did upon him, feeding him, clothing him.
It mattered not why, however. Robilar had the right to do
as he pleased with his slave.
Robilar’s continued “kindness” would have made its mark on
the boy. First his master, Robilar would have, in time, become his chief, and
then, surprisingly, his surrogate “father.”
Quij, then, may be more than a mere Follower; he may
actually worship Robilar.
Robilar's servant, the euroz Quij, [is] wholly
incorruptible (insofar as loyalty to his master was concerned) [.] [LGJ#0 –
10]
[This passage could be tabled as further proof that Quij
was taken under Robilar’s wing at a very early age, and is not a subdued adult.
As a subdued adult he would never exhibit such fanatical loyalty.]
Young as he is,
Quij would have been little more than a fetch-and-carry link-boy, to begin. His
duties increased with age, but not by much.
Quij wasn’t the
only creature collected by Robilar while in the Suss. He acquired a few green
dragons while there, too, it would seem.
The dragons were a small family, consisting of a
mother, father and baby. The creatures had no names, but Robilar spoke their
native language, so all was understood between them. Robilar trained all three
dragons as fighting steeds. [OJ#7 – 41]
Quij could only be timid around these beasts. Timid?
Perhaps terrified might be a more apt description.
But he bore it well. Robilar had them well in hand, and
that made them alright in Quij’s book. He would, however, keep a wary eye on
them when Robilar was not around.
Robilar, in Quij’s mind, could do anything, if he could
tame such powerful beasts as these!
551 CY
 |
| Mordenkainen |
[Robilar’s] adventures have taken [him] across the
Flanaess [.] One wizard, named Mordenkainen, approached
[him] a couple months back about joining an adventuring group he was forming.
He prattled on about Balance and working to prevent anyone from getting the
upper hand, but all that meant nothing. To [Robilar], the invitation looks like
a call to adventures that [he] cannot pass up. [COR1 – 00 – 3]
Within months, Mordenkainen had brought the renowned
warrior Robilar to his cause, as well as the cleric Riggby, and his zealous
assistant, Yrag. From the shores of the Nyr Dyv, Mordenkainen recruited the
righteous Tenser, who in turn introduced the dim-witted though well-meaning
Serten to the assembly. [LGJ#0 – 5]
They called themselves the Citadel of Eight, taking
the name from Mordenkainen’s renowned Obsidian Citadel, in the Yatil Mountains.
[LGJ#0 – 5]
Robilar began his career as an adventurer, seeking his
fortune in the company of such Greyhawk luminaries as Mordenkainen, Bigby,
Serten, and from time to time, Rary the Mage. [WGR3 Rary the Traitor –
11]
What did Robilar’s new adventuring companions think about
his euroz “henchman”?
Little is said about it. But despite Mordenkainen’s high
words about Balance, and despite Quij being mere orc, he appears a little
anxious.
Mordenkainen: Robilar has a henchman, Quij the
orc, who he left in your castle. You are a little nervous. [COR1 – 00 – 2]
Robilar appears to be amused by his concern and
discomfort.
You left Quij to take care of Mordenkainen’s castle,
and the thought of your servant there makes you chuckle. [COR1 – 00 – 4]
The others probably thought nothing of the obsequious, sycophantic
orc. They may even have made mention that so long as Robilar kept Quij on a
short leash nothing more would be said about him.
550s CY
 |
| Quij |
In the years that followed, their adventures focused
on Greyhawk and the Selintan valley, and the crags of the Cairn Hills and
depths of the Suss Forest were opened to their prying vision. [LGJ#0 – 5]
In his adventurous youth, he traveled throughout the
Flanaess and beyond and met Mordenkainen, Riggby, Merlynd (now the quasi-diety
Murlynd), Robilar, Bigby and other now-famous personages. [Rot8 – 58]
With his allies in the Citadel of Eight, Robilar
conquered the dungeons of Castle Roakire and the mirrored halls of the Forever
Cairn, meeting each new challenge with a fearless abandon and a lust for fresh
adventuring thrills. [EttRoG – 10]
One would
imagine that it was an exciting time in Quij’s life. But that would be
presuming much.
Quij found
himself at adventure’s door, minding the horses.
Robilar often
left his trusty orc hero Quij to guard the transport [.] [T1-4 –
28]
Times were good, regardless his low status. Indeed, Quij
could hardly complain, given the luxury he soon found himself amidst.
Robilar reached the pinnacle of his career when he was
named a Lord of Greyhawk [WGR3 – 11] when Robilar aided in bringing the villain behind the River of Blood mass
murder case to justice. [LGJ#2
– 8]
Not that Quij
gave a toss about those deaths: people lived, people died; only the strong
survived.
But catching
this Sir Bluto Sans Pite [S2 – 11 / White Plume Mountain
Revisited – 25] seemed to matter because in the aftermath, after Robilar
returned from city hall, his patron was a-plumb with ribbons and metals, and a
title!
And soon after, Robilar was building a grand keep!
Quij would have
thought they would never venture out again – what for? – what with the fine
food and servants who even bowed to him (they were ordered to).
But his lord
being who he was, Robilar was soon on the move again… without his faithful Quij,
it would seem, who was ordered to “hold down the fort,” whatever that meant – it
was not like all that stone was going to float away, was it?
Robilar fears nothing, and to prove that point, he
often adventures alone, even when the odds appear greatly stacked against him. [OJ#7
– 41]
Before long, Quij became aware that Robilar was often
venturing out without him, and that his “holding down the fort” appeared to be
his lot in life.
Quij was despondant. But Robilar knew best. He would do
as Robilar bid, as he always did.
557 CY
Before too long,
Quij wondered if would ever see the outside of those castle walls, ever again.
In the company of his apprentice Bigby, the fearless
Lord Robilar, and the willful cleric Riggby, the wizard [Mordenkainen]
relentlessly explored the ruins of Zagig’s castle, charting its secrets and
plundering its priceless treasures. [EttRoG – 4]
Indeed, he nary ever
saw a soul not employed within the keep. Not a bad thing, really; at least
those there did not flinch upon sight of him.
 |
| Mordenkainen Came a-Callin' |
He asked Quij
many curious questions, like did he know where Robilar went, what he was about,
and whether he, Quij, liked working for his master.
Quij did not
know what to make of it – indeed, he wondered if it were some sort of trap, a
way for them to be rid of the stupid orc, once and for all – so he said that he
liked his master very much and that he was always loyal.
Then
Mordenkainen left. But not before he commanded Quij that he ought to keep this
conversation between them, hinting that Robilar might not like others talking
about him behind his back.
Having found Robilar's servant, the euroz Quij, wholly
incorruptible (insofar as loyalty to his master was concerned), the Archmage of
Greyhawk [LGJ#0 – 10] went away.
Quij thought it best to never mention the visit. Because,
truth be told, it worried him, and because he suspected it might be a test of
his loyalty, but mostly because, in time, he forgot about it.
560 CY
 |
| Otto |
Robilar, Tenser and Teric [sic] were adventuring in
Castle Greyhawk when they encountered Otto in a room on the second dungeon
level. In the ensuing melee, Otto was subdued by Tenser. After a dispute
involving the two mages, he decided to work for Robilar. [OJ#7 – 44]
Was Quij jealous? He was. He was not afforded such finery
at this increasingly corpulent Otto was.
Otto the mage retained his laboratories/apartments on
the third floor of Robilar's Castle, near Robilar's training halls. [OJ#7 –
41]
Truth be told, Quij began to worry that Robilar would
have no further use of him, what with all the mages and sages, and dragons and
men-at-arms Quij was stumbling over in the keep, these days.
Robilar’s green
dragons would be:
Adult – 51 -100 years – 5 hit point per die; average
Young – 6-15 years – 2 hit point per die; small
[MM 1e – 29]
Early 560s CY
 |
| Terik |
Over the years, the Citadel played home to such
luminaries as Prince Melf Brightflame, of the Olvenfolk, the half-orc Quij,
Felnorith, Robilar's brother Terik, and even, at one point, the Quasi-Deity
Murlynd, in disguise. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Does this mean
that Quij eventually became a member of the Citadel of Eight? Not at all. They
were formidable warriors, luminous mages, and clerics par excellence. Quij was
but a cowardly HD4 [TAB – 98] orc in their company. Hardly a peer.
I doubt they
would have given him much though after their initial surprise at finding an orc
in their midst. But Robilar appeared to have him well in hand; so, I imagine
Quij would have soon become invisible to them – except when they required
someone to bake the biscuits and mind the horses, that is.
Hang on! HD4?
But orcs are but HD1. I suspect left alone at the dungeon door to guard the
horses was a far more perilous duty than we might expect.
561 CY
Perhaps their
vast skill could only have made an impression on the stupid and supposedly cowardly
orc in their midst.
He may have been
beneath their notice, but they were certainly not beneath his. In fact, he made
a great study of them: at practice, in combat; at study, in public, and at
table. He mimicked their moves, their speech, their manners.
 |
| Quij? I think not! |
Str 16, Int
9, Wis 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Cha 8 [Finger of the Wind, pg. 4]
Not that they
noticed any change in Quij; not even Robilar, who was forever ordering him to
fetch this and hold that, to get me this and lift that. He was lucky for what
hand-me-downs they might bestow upon him. But their hand-me-downs were not our
hand-me-downs; their hand-me-downs were the stuff a great many adventurers
dream about.
Those
hand-me-downs would eventually enable the supposedly cowardly Quij to accompany
their luminous selves into adventure proper, only to find that Robilar’s pet
orc could be surprisingly useful, when they might need an extra hand – you
know, carrying torches and loots, and standing betwixt them and those ogres
over there.
Indeed, they
were soon surprised that Quij had become very useful, indeed, one day, when he
found himself on an adventure that included:
- Mordenkainen the Mage (Wizard 10)
- Robilar (Fighter 8)
- Quij the Orc (Barbarian Rogue 4/4)
- Bigby the Mage (Wizard 7)
- Tenser (Wizard 7)
- Serten (Cleric 7)
- Riggby the Partriarch (Cleric 7)
- Yrag (Fighter 8)
[From the 7-round 2000 GenCon Tournament “Finger of
the Wind,” by Robert Weise.]
Quij is 18.
564 CY
 |
| Robilar |
For a group that so decisively defeated its enemies,
there remained several problems. Robilar never quite
bought into Mordenkainen’s philosophy, and he and Tenser often bickered over
matters of morality. [LGJ#0
– 5]
[B]y this time [Robilar] had begun to grow weary of
his old friends [.] Feeling that all the others had grown soft and weak as a
result of their prestigious positions, Robilar maintained friendly relations
only with Rary. [WGR3 – 11]
It made no
never-mind to Quij. He went where Robilar went; and if Robilar decided that his
former companions were a bunch of deluded do-gooders, that was good enough for
him.
569 CY
Not that Robilar
took Quij everywhere. He did not take Quij with him to see the City of the
Gods, an experience reserved for himself and Mordenkainen, alone.
After the dissolution of the Citadel, Mordenkainen
remained great friends with the organization’s most cunning fighter, Lord
Robilar, and together they traveled the length and breadth of the Flanaess,
from the City of the Gods in the northern wastelands of Blackmoor to the vine-choked
crumbling pyramids of the Amedio Jungle. [OJ#25 – 15]
No sooner had they returned, perhaps the greatest
confrontation in decades was about to unfold.
Battle of Emridy Meadows
A great battle was fought to the east, and when
villagers saw streams of ochre-robed men and humanoids fleeing south and west
through their community, there was great rejoicing, for they knew that the
murderous oppressors had been defeated and driven from the field in panic and
rout. [T1 The Village of Hommlet – 2]
Robilar took
interest in these maneuvers, exciting Quij.
After hearing of the happenings in the Hommlet area,
Robilar finally decided to investigate the Temple himself. [OJ#3 – 42]
Perhaps they
would be heading to this Emridy, he hoped!
They did! And,
after so many times he had been left “holding down the fort,” he found himself
speeding across the plains, and over forests, towards what would surely be the
event of his year!
Quij was
somewhat less excited when Otto climbed aboard, however.
Robilar traveled with his henchmen Quij and Otto the
Mage to the Temple of Elemental Evil. [OJ#3 – 42]
Then the worst happened! Not altogether unexpected, but
Quij was crestfallen when instructed to do what he had hoped himself above by
then.
 |
| The Temple of Elemental Evil |
Lord Robilar eventually
entered the Temple with a small party. [T1-4 – 28]
While other
adventurers raided the temple and then withdrew, Robilar entered the temple and
fought his way through it. [OJ#3 – 42]
While other adventurers had proceeded circumspectly,
Robilar bulled his way through. [T1-4 – 28]
Two days later, much of the Temple was sacked, bits
and pieces of monsters were spread about, and a certain personage was loosed.
But in the process, the minions of Good had been alerted, and they too arrived
in the area, in force. [T1-4 – 28]
Robilar's ravages were
followed by the army of enraged Good folk, led by Tenser and
associates—including Otis, Burne, Rufus, et al. [T1-4 – 28]
Robilar freed
the demoness Zuggtmoy, who was imprisoned beneath the temple complex. [OJ#7
– 42]
Why did
Robilar free Zuggtmoy? Robilar purposefully released the demoness, because too
much good was going on around the place. In a manner, to balance the
proceedings. [OJ#3 – 42]
Robilar left
with pursuit hot on his tail, Quij wearing a new poncho he'd made from
"master's flying rug" (two days being a long time to wait in the
cold)! [T1-4 – 28]
Quij had no clue
what had unfolded while he has been left shivering at the gate. Robilar did not
explain, either. All he said was they had to “hoof it” now that the carpet was
in tatters – a realisation that had left his patron livid! –, and that he had
better “hop to it”!
That they did,
with Robilar casting a great many worried glances behind them.
Robilar and
Otto fled back to his castle, with the Force of Good in hot pursuit. The druid
Jaroo, in falcon form, followed Robilar and Otto over 200 miles back to
Robilar's castle. After they were informed of his whereabouts, the good war
party eventually rallied outside of Robilar's castle. Robilar and Otto
abandoned the castle and it fell to the Forces of Good. [OJ#7 – 42]
Quij too, if you
are wondering his fate after the carpet incident.
Quij is 26.
570 CY
 |
| The Green Dragon Inn |
Eventually they
snuck back into Greyhawk, hoods up, keeping to the shadows, taking refuge in
some tavern in the River Quarter for a time.
Green
Dragon Inn
The Green
Dragon Inn is located in Greyhawk’s River Quarter, along a wide street crowded
with rivermen, cutthroats, and thieves. [EttRoG – 14]
Why there?
Robilar said he owned the place.
He owned the
place in secret, entrusting the day-to-day management to a former cohort, the
swordsman Ricard Damaris. [EttRoG – 10]
Before too long,
Robilar was slipping out in the night, usually with Otto, telling Quij to, once
again, “hold down the fort.”
Quij was upset.
Why should ever faithful he be left behind, in preference for that fat newcomer?
His uncontained façade must have betrayed him, because Robilar told him that he
could not go because he was too conspicuous – as if that coxcomb whale were not.
He had to be patient, Robilar cooed, something Quij was not too proficient
being.
Then, one night,
Robilar returned, looking all too pleased with himself! “This is really going
to save my bacon,” he said.
How, Quij wanted
to know.
“We got a job to
do,” Robilar said, “and when we do it, we’ll be back in the pink!” Whatever
that was supposed to mean.
Then, one night
soon, they – he too, much to Quij’s surprise – snuck out of the Green Dragon
into the night.
 |
| Cactle Greyhawk |
Tenser had learned of Robilar's plan, feared that
Riggby was being duped, and came post haste to prevent their action. [WGR5
– 5]
In 570 CY,
Lord Robilar, his orc henchman Quij and Riggby, Patriarch of Boccob, freed Iuz.
[PGtG – 24]
Just as
Robilar dispelled the barriers keeping Iuz at bay so that he might be slain,
the wizard Tenser appeared with Bigby and the warrior Neb Retnar at his back.
The trio had come to stop the dangerous gambit, but arrived too late. [EttRoG
– 4]
The archmages
Bigby and Tenser arrived, intending to kill him, but during Iuz's incarceration
the half-demon had transformed, and he emerged a demigod [.] [PGtG – 24]
Tenser and
his cohort began battling the freed, enraged demigod. Riggby at once aided the
assault. [WGR5 – 5]
Robilar and Quij considered flight and felt their
chances would be best if they made odds of four against one into six against
one. [WGR5 – 5]
Quij was with Robilar when Iuz was freed
and nearly slain in 570 CY [.] [TAB – 99]
The six adventurers were no match for the
enraged Iuz, who escaped certain death in the clutches of Bigby’s notorious
crushing hand by plane shifting to the Abyss. [EttRoG – 4]
He left behind him a backwash of chaotic
evil magic which altered the alignment of Retnar, left Riggby catatonic for
days, and caved in a large part of Castle Greyhawk's deepest dungeon complexes.
[WGR5 – 5]
That magical warp freed the additional
gods and caved in many of Castle Greyhawk’s deepest dungeon complexes.
[EttRoG – 4]
Quij only
survived by the skin of his teeth. He rose to his feet, brushed the dust and
grit off, and breathed a sigh of relief. He was out of his depth, he knew, and
was sure he would die just then. But he
hadn’t. Little did he know of the peril he was still in.
Since that fateful brush with extinction, Iuz has
schemed to destroy those six [Bigby, Quij, Rary, Riggby, Robilar, and Tenser].
[WGR5 – 5]
Not that anyone bothered to tell him.
All Robilar told him was that they had to
“hoof it” again.
After Lord
Robilar was exiled from the City of Greyhawk and the sacking of his lordly
lands the two split and despite an attempt to remain aloof from the
consequences of his actions, Mordenkainen was left bearing the responsibility
of his actions. [OJ#25 – 15]
Where did they
go? Here. There. Everywhere. Nowhere.
South. Ever
south. Towards the Pomarj.
Sometime over
one year ago, Robilar escaped and is now somewhere in the Pomarj region [.] [Dragon
#37 – 11]
Why? The Pomarj
would have been within easy striking distance. Besides, the denizens of the
Pomarj were far from discriminating.
Only corrupt
or adventurous humans and demihumans intentionally entered there. [Wars –
15]
There are
undoubtedly renegade humans helping these invaders, and mercenaries as well [.]
[Folio – 14]
Robilar would
not have been deterred. He had strength in numbers.
- Heavy Cavalry: 50 (Regulars)
- Medium Cavalry: 100 (Regulars)
- Light Cavalry: 50 (Regulars)
- Light Horse Crossbowmen: 50 (Regulars)
- Heavy Infantry: 100 (Elite Qrcish)
- Light Infantry: 100 (Levied)
- Heavy Archers: 50 (Elite Orcish)
- Light Crossbowmen: 50 (Regulars)
- Pole Armed Infantry: 100 (Regular Orcish)
Many of the
higher-level figures were slain during the taking of the castle, but Robilar
has Otto, a high-level magic-user, and Quij, an Orcish hero of high ability but
low intelligence, as well as some relatively low-leve1 cohorts. This force is
Lawful Evil but suspect by the minions of Hell due to chaotic actions.
[Dragon #37 – 11]
And 3 green dragons. Let’s not forget about
them.
It’s not as though the disparate tribes
could have prevented Robilar from finding a deserted castle and setting up
shop.
The orcs and
goblins carved up the realm into small territories ruled by individual tribes
and chieftains. [LGG – 88]
 |
| In the Drachensgrab Hills |
Robilar made
his way […] to the Drachensgrab Mountains and is believed to have joined his
forces located there. [OJ#7 – 43]
Drachensgrab
Hills: The low mountains of the same name found in the Pomarj are
surrounded by these hills. Rich in valuable minerals and gems, these hills have
always been the home of many terrible beasts and monsters which had to be
contended with by the humans dwelling along the lowland coasts. Now that the
area is in the hands of humanoid hordes, many of the monsters there will
undoubtedly be enlisted into their ranks. Legends say that these hills hide the
resting place of one or more powerful creatures who may someday return to life.
[Folio – 22]
 |
| Otto |
No sooner had
they settled, Otto betrayed him.
So it was
that Otto worked his way into Robilar's organization, and onto the path of
events that would see him as a founding member of the Circle of Eight.
[LGJ#0 – 10]
Quij knew they
could not trust that fat finger-wiggler! But Robilar would never listen to him.
Quij knew better than to say, I told you so; so, he kept his peace.
570s CY
Regardless their
initial strength, orcs are orcs. Evil, vicious, tenacious.
Kill your
father, eat your mother is an encouragement among the orcs of the Pomarj,
entreating the listener to evil and notable deeds. [FtAA – 16]
Robilar’s
presence and reputation would have only been a challenge. Night after night
they came on, probing, scaling the walls, ambushing patrols.
Quij wondered,
silently, as night after night, he was sent out on patrol, if he might just
slip away into the hills. What with their nightly losses, he suspected that
none would miss him. He did not, however. Loyalty kept him “holding down the
fort.”
580s CY
 |
| Turrosh Mak |
In the early
580s, a new leader emerged to unite the tribes, a rabble-rousing half-orc named
Turrosh Mak. [LGG – 88]
United under
a half-orc leader of greater strength than had been seen before, one Turrosh
Mak, they strove to reclaim the "birthright" their new tyrant
stressed to them: their old homes in the Lortmils. [FtAA – 7]
This Turrosh Mak
could not be reasoned with, it was said.
Turrosh Mak
sign[s] no peace treat[ies.] [FtAA – 21]
Indeed, Robilar
had to flee this new paradigm. He and Quij and those followers who had not already
slipped off into the night made a mad dash for the port of Blue and eventual
escape. One by one his follows were picked off, mile by mile, regardless that
his dragons wheeled overhead. Only he a Quij (and the dragons, of course) lived
to gain the relative safety of its gates.
582 to 584 CY
Where did Robilar flee to? To Greyhawk City.
[WGR3 – 7]
Back to the
Green Gragon Inn.
Robilar
secretly owns the Green Dragon Inn, in the City of Greyhawk. He uses the inn as
a meeting place and as a means of ferreting out information and keeping up with
the local happenings within the city. [OJ#7 – 41]
He owned the
place in secret, entrusting the day-to-day management to a former cohort, the
swordsman Ricard Damaris. [EttRoG – 10]
He could not,
however, walk the streets as himself. A disguise was in order, hence Robilar
became 
Captain Gallancz [,] a tall middle-aged man with bushy blond
hair and beard and a red military coat [, a veteran of] Emridy Meadows who
happens to be in town on business. [EttRoG – 16,17]
Quij was said to
be a half-orc – he could pass, apparently (even some of those who attended
Mordenkainen’s citadel called him the half-orc Quij [LGJ#0 – 5]), not that Quij could see
it; or that anyone argued the claim, not after eyeing either Robilar or Quij,
and wondering what the dispute might cost them – which was fine with him, if
that meant he could be out and about.
It was then that the half-orc named Ral [TAB
– 98] was born.
Captain
Gallancz began gathering followers. He was a captain, after all, and it
would be suspicious if he did not command a troop.
Robilar, if anyone, would know to be wary,
regardless his renewed strength. Indeed, because of it. He would be forever keeping
an eye and ear out for those he knew and might recognise him. Indeed, none
would have thought to look for him under their very noses. To one and all
(outside his followers) he was Captain Gallancz, and he meant to
keep it that way. For now.
As to Ral… so long
as he kept to the seedier districts, no one appeared to even take note of him.
Time passed. They kept their heads down.
It was not hard to remain unnoticed. The
world was distracted.
For two long
years (582 to 584 CY), the nations of the Flanaess had schemed, murdered, and
warred against each other until nearly all sides lay bloodied and beaten: war
had exhausted the land and the people. [Wars – 24]
Then, one day,
the war was over.
The proposed
truce, though simple in theory, proved an enormous undertaking, what with the
countless ambassadors present. [Wars – 24]
584 CY
One day, Quij caught Robilar looking
all too pleased with himself, muttering “this is really going to save my
bacon.”
How, Quij wanted
to know. Robilar spun on him, furious that he’d been overheard.
“Don’t you worry
about it,” he snapped. Then: “I’ve got a
job to do,” he said, “and when it’s done, I’ll be back in the pink, again!”
Quij did not
like the sound of that. He’d heard that before; but it had been “we” then, and
not “I.”
Rary finally
and irrevocably fell under evil's sway. Returning to Greyhawk, Rary enlisted
the aid of Lord Robilar, a powerful if somewhat unstable nobleman with a
substantial household guard, and together the two formulated a plan to put
themselves into a position of power in the Flanaess. [WGR3
– 7]
Quij had no idea
what his master was up to. Not that he ever really did. But this time he was
worried that whatever it might be, it would not come out well.
He was up to no
good, it turned out.
9 Goodmonth
The treaty to
end the war was to be ratified in the Grand Hall of Greyhawk, but brief moments
before the signing ceremony, an explosion destroyed the area [.] [Rot8 – 3]
A blazing
explosion destroyed a good part of the Grand Hall only minutes before the
ambassadors assembled for the day. A fierce magical battle immediately ensued,
spreading havoc through much of the old city. [Wars
– 24]
Often
considered soft-spoken, her demeanor has hardened noticeably since she was the
first to discover the devastation on the Day of Great Signing [.]. [LGJ#0 –
8]
When the fire
and dust cleared, constables discovered smoldering robes belonging to two
powerful members of the mysterious Circle of Eight—Otiluke and Tenser. The
murderer of these wizards, undeniably a powerful mage [.] [Wars
– 24]
A badly
wounded third, Bigby of Scant, claimed that their assailant had been their
one-time ally, Rary, member of the Circle of Eight. [LGG – 38]
Simultaneously,
Rary’s ally Robilar entered Tenser’s castle (four days’ travel away) and
initiated an attack. When the battle ended, Tenser’s forces were slain, his
castle was looted and all Tenser’s cloning materials were destroyed. [Rot8
– 3]
In the
ensuing confusion and shock, Lord Robilar's own troops struck, destroying every
one of the dead wizards' hidden clones, assuring the permanent death of both
Tenser and Otiluke. [WGR3 – 7]
Did Quij kill the clone? One wonders.
Indeed, one wonders which raid Robilar participated in. One imagines the one
against Tenser’s castle. And that it was Robilar’s dark blade that fell upon
Tenser’s hope for survival.
Sacking Tenser’s tower was not an easy task,
however. It wouldn’t be, would it.
Quij took part in the sacking of the castle
of the slain Archmage Tenser, but the orc became separated from his comrades
after the raid. [TAB – 98]
Quij was once
a henchman of the notorious Lord Robilar[.] [TAB – 98]
No more.
Robilar was
never to see Quij ever again. Did he look for his faithful servant? He did not.
He was busy, just then.
Quij found
himself alone.
[Quij]
escaped capture but eventually collapsed, sick and exhausted, before the
roadside shrine to Ralishaz, the deity of chance and ill-fortune. Quij gasped
out a plea for rescue and the shrine unexpectedly spoke to him. He must do two
things to survive, the statue told him: He must always wear a holy symbol of
Ralishaz around his neck, and he must live in the city where he is the greatest
danger. [TAB – 98]
Quij was
fortunate to have stumbled upon that very shrine. Or lucky. Maybe it was the
unlikelihood that he did that saved him.
 |
Ralishaz, The Unlooked For |
(The Unlooked For), CN (CE) intermediate god of
Chance, Ill Luck, Misfortune, and Insanity
Order does not exist, only randomness and chance, and
the odds are stacked against you. While you may have a good run against the
odds, eventually the universe will balance itself out against you. Randomness
and insanity go hand in hand, and sometimes those who are the most insane are
the ones who are closest to the true nature of the universe. Kindness and
prosperity are illusions, as misfortune comes to all sooner or later. [LGG
– 181]
What other god would have bothered to bless such an
ill-fated soul as Quij. None other, I would imagine.
Quij is 41 years
old.
585 CY
Quij did indeed
do as he was bid.
Quij
correctly guessed that he would have to live in Greyhawk – which currently
offers a substantial reward for him, alive or dead. [TAB – 98]
One would
imagine that living there would be a death sentence; but Ralishaz is merciful.
Or amused, at the very least. None noted Quij; but then again, none ever did,
he being eclipsed by Robilar’s shadow.
Greyhawk is
[…] frequently visited by the Circle of Eight, the revised Tenser, and many
other old enemies who would love to get hold of him, but no one looks for him
here. [TAB – 98,99]
It was not Quij,
after all, who lived in the midst of his enemies, it was half-orc named Ral
[.] [TAB – 98]
No one was
looking for Ral.
591 CY
It would appear
that Quij’s devotion to the god of Chance and Misfortune was well-placed.
He’s alive,
after all. Still.
Indeed, he is
very lucky to still be alive. Enemies abound.
[He fears]
Iuz might like to torture the orc a bit before eating him alive. [TAB – 99]
He may be
because he is loyal. And he can follow orders.
Quij has
never taken off the necklace he was instructed to make, and has never left
Greyhawk since he arrived. He is generally happy with his life now, and no
divination spell will detect him so long as he wears the necklace. (some
disguise make-up also helps.) [TAB – 99]
Where might we
find Quij? Nowhere.
But we might
find Ral where Quij was once taught to hide. In plain sight.
 |
| Ral, the Half-orc |
Waldorf is
harmless. Ral is not. “Ral” is actually a full orc [.] [H]is true name is Quij
[CN orc-m HD4; Str 15, Con 15, Int 5 …]. [TAB – 98]
[I do not edit
Ral’s CN alignment now, because it is fitting that he is indeed CN; he is
Ralishaz’s creature, after all; and he must look out for himself, and no other,
if he wishes to continue to survive.]
C14: Roc
and Oliphant Tavern.
A boisterous
and noisy tavern favored by athletes and party-goers [.] [TAB – 98]
Perhaps the
biggest draw here is the bartender, an elderly half-orc named Ral. Ral is as ugly
as they come, but he seems friendly and certainly knows how to mix drinks. He
wears a holy of Ralishaz around his neck “for good luck” (a worn string with
three small bones on it). He wears a colorful old poncho on cold nights. [TAB – 98]
He wears a
ruined flying carpet that once belonged to Robilar, telling students it is a
family heirloom. [TAB – 99]
It kind of is,
actually; for if Quij could ever claim a family, it might be Robilar, sad to
say.
Not that he ever
wishes to see his adoptive “father” again.
He fears that
someday Robilar will find him and think him a traitor, and also fears that
agents of Iuz might do the same [.] [TAB – 99]
Quij is 48.
“I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of
both; and I believe they both get paid in the end; but the fools first.”
― Kidnapped
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.
Special thanks
to Jason Zavoda for his compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research
tool.
The Art:
Orc, by Les Dorschied, from Monstrous Manual 2e Premium edition, 1989
Mordenkainen detail, by McLean Kendree, from Mordenkainen's Tome of Marvelous Magic II, 2020
The Suss Forest, from Anna B. Meyer's map
Map detail, by Darlene, from World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
Mordenkainen detail, by McLean Kendree, from Mordenkainen's Tome of Marvelous Magic II, 2020
Mordenkainen detail, by Dan Burr, from Dragon #185, 1992
Quij, from Finger of the Wind, 2000
The Temple of Elemental Evil, by Keith Parkinson, from T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
The Green Dragon Inn, by Grey Irons, from The Official AD&D Coloring Album, 1979
Castle Greyhawk, from Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk, 2007
Pomarj Peninsula, by Alan Froke
Otto, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000
Turrosh Mak detail, by Wayne A. Reynolds, from Slavers, 2000
Captain Gallancz, by T. Denmark and F. Hooper, from Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk, 2007
Tenser's Castle, by Sam Wood, from Return of the Eight, 1998
Ralishaz, The Unlooked For, by Jeff Easley, from Dragon #71, 1983
Sources:
1015
World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
1043 The City of Greyhawk
Boxed Set, 1989
1068
Greyhawk Wars Boxed Set, 1991
2009
Monster Manual 1e, 1977
2011 Players Handbook 1e,
1978
2011A Dungeon Masters Guide
1e, 1979
2140
Monstrous Manual, 1993
2159
Players Handbook Revised 2e, 1998
9025
World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
9026
T1 The Village of Hommlet, 1979,1981
9031
The Rogues Gallery 1e, 1980
9147
T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
9386
WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
9399
WGR5 Iuz the Evil, 1993
9576 Return of the Eight, 1998
9577
The Adventure Begins, 1998
9578
Players Guide to Greyhawk, 1998
11743
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000
Expedition
to the Ruins of Greyhawk, 2007
Monstrous
Manual Premium Edition 2e, 1985, 1995, 2013
11552
Monster Manual, 3e, 2000
Dungeon Masters Guide 3.5e,
2003
Players
Handbook 3.5, 2003
Monster
Manual 5e, 2014
LGJ
#0, 2
Oerth
Journal #3, 7, 25
COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs
Dragon Magazine #37, AN2
Dungeon
Magazine #221
The
Greyhawk Wiki
Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda
I enjoyed the tale of Quij! Good ol loyal Quij deserves his retirement into anonymity. I was also rather surprised that I didn't remember that reference in TAB about Quij. It goes to show authors like Moore and Sargent threw in little easter eggs all over their large works. Kudos again!
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