Empire of Iuz

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Greyhawk Realm
Empire of Iuz
EmpireIuz01.jpg
The arms of the Empire of Iuz, as depicted in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).
Ruler: The Lord of Pain, Iuz
Government: Imperial Theocratic Dictatorship
Capital: Dorakaa
Major towns: Delaquenn (pop. 3,000), Dorakaa (pop. 40,000), Greenreach (pop. 3,500), Grossfort (pop. 3,500), Ixworth (pop. 3,000), Izlen (pop. 2,500), Kindell (pop. 4,000), Molag (pop. 4,000, ruined).
Provinces: (general regions, not actual provinces) Land of Iuz, Horned Lands (ex-Horned Society), Shield Lands, Bandit Lands (ex-Bandit Kingdoms), Barren Lands (old Rover lands);
Resources: Furs, electrum, silver, foodstuffs; resources scarce, not exported
Coinage: Gold skull (gp), bright skull (ep), serpent (sp), common (cp), dullbone (bronze piece, 10 bzp = 1 cp), flat (iron piece, 10 ip = 1 bzp)
Population: 700,000
Races: Orc 45%, Human 25% (Ofsb), Hobgoblin 10%, Halfling 5%, Half-orc 3%, Gnome 2%, Other 10%
Languages: Orc, Common, Goblin, Halfling
Alignments: Chaotic Evil
Religions: Iuz*
Allies: None
Enemies: Furyondy, Highfolk, Stonefist, Tenh, others

The Empire of Iuz is a vast empire ruled by the demigod Iuz.

History[edit]

The Empire began as a small fiefdom in the Howling Hills which was nominally a tribute state to Furyondy but mostly independent. Iuz took over in 479 CY, upon the death of the then-ruler, having been claimed as the ruler's bastard son. He quickly began a spree of conquest, aided by magical support from Iggwilv. While Iggwilv fled the plane in 491 after her fight with the demon lord Graz'zt, the conquest continued, with Furyondy trying and failing to organize an effort to stop it.

Molag, a city near the modern border of Furyondy was named the "Summer Capital". in 500 CY. By that point Iuz had already completed the ritual elevating him to godhood.

Iuz was captured by Zagyg in the Godtrap beneath Castle Greyhawk, in 505 CY. The Empire partially was maintained by loyal clergy during his absence, becoming a theocracy to Iuz, called the Old One, at least in the area around Dorakaa, while in other parts of the Empire, splinter groups broke off under various petty warlords, many of whom were impersonating Iuz. The most notable of these groups was the Horned Society who took over Molag in 513 CY. Although Iuz returned and started taking down the imposters in 570, he did not recapture the southern part of his former empire that was controlled by the Horned Society until 583 CY.

During the Greyhawk Wars, Iuz took the opportunity to expand even more.

Geography[edit]

People[edit]

Government[edit]

The Empire of Iuz is classified by the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer as an "imperial theocratic dictatorship." Though Iuz holds all power, his rule is inconsistent. Iuz's priesthood and other spellcasters manage the affairs of the empire in his name. Iuz and his servants have more control over some regions of the empire than others.

The capital of the empire is the city of Dorakaa.

Administrative Divisions[edit]

The Empire of Iuz consists of five loosely-defined political regions, though they are not considered actual provinces.

Land of Iuz[edit]

Also called the Homeland of Iuz, this region lies mainly between the Dulsi and Opicim Rivers, south of the Cold Marshes, and north of Whyestil Lake.

Bandit Lands[edit]

This region lies west of the Zumker and Artonsamay Rivers, east of the Ritensa River, and is bounded in part by the Fellreev Forest and Bluff Hills. This region is made up of several warlord fiefs, and is also known as the Bandit Kingdoms.

Barren Lands[edit]

These grasslands south of the Icy Sea and the Barren Wastes are also known as the Barrens, the Barren Plains, or the Northern Barrens. North of the Bandit Lands, the Barrens' eastern border is formed by the Forlorn Forest, western Griff Mountains, and the Bluff Hills. Their western border is formed by the Cold Marshes and Opicim river. Once ruled by the nomadic Flan tribes known as the Rovers of the Barrens, these people are but a shadow of their former glory.

Horned Lands[edit]

This region is bound by Whyestil Lake, the Veng and Ritensa Rivers, and the Fellreev Forest. These lands were for a time ruled by the Horned Society, before Iuz once again took control during the Greyhawk Wars.

Shield Lands[edit]

Bordered by the Ritensa river, Nyr Dyv, and Rift Barrens, this land was ruled before the Greyhawk Wars by the chivalric order known as the Knights of Holy Shielding. Though a western portion of the Shield Lands were reclaimed in the Great Northern Crusade of 586-588, the majority of the area is still under Iuz's control.

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Citations[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Cook, David. "History of the Greyhawk Wars." Wars. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1991. Available Online: [1]
  • Gygax, Gary. The World of Greyhawk. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
———. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
———. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
———. Iuz the Evil. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
———. The Marklands. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Iuz, Ambassador of (City of Greyhawk) People Group Position, The Adventure Begins 109
Iuz, Cathedral of (Dorakaa) Building Cathedral, WGR5 Iuz the Evil 24, 26
Iuz, Cathedral of (Dorakaa) Building Cathedral, WGR6 City of Skulls IC, 5, 49
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), Dragon magazine #270 72
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), Dragon magazine #315 51, 53, 54
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 4, 11, 17, 25, 31, 32, 47, 54, 58, 66
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), Player's Guide to Greyhawk 4, 6, 7, 12, 21, 59, 61
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), The Adventure Begins 2, 5, 16, 17, 20-22, 30, 36, 62, 63, 79, 86, 108
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), The Scarlet Brotherhood 23
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), Dragon magazine #191 68
Iuz, Empire of Kingdom (591 pop: 700000), Dragon magazine #262 40, 43
Iuz, Faithful Quartermasters of People Group Position, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e 14, 19
Iuz, Hammer of Non-player character Reference SEE Obmi The Wily {Hammer of Iuz}
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook 9
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), Dragon magazine #052 20
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), Dragon magazine #204 55
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess 5, 9, 28, 35, 64
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), From the Ashes: References Card #2
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), From the Ashes: References Card #8
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), From the Ashes: References Card #9
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), From the Ashes: Slavers By Midnight All
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), Ivid the Undying 64
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 58, 59, 134, 145
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), Player's Guide to Greyhawk 4, 6, 8, 39
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), SJR6 Greyspace 8
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), Siege of the Citadel 17
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), The Adventure Begins 17, 22, 23, 79
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), 1993 TSR Trading Cards - Gold Set 454
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) 12
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), WGM1 Borderwatch IBC
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), WGR4 The Marklands 49, 50, 54
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), WGR5 Iuz the Evil 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 19-36, 43, 47, 53, 57, 61, 66, 73, 74, 76, 78, 79, 81
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) 27, 33, 55
Iuz, Land of Kingdom (576 pop: 30000), World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) 17
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 62
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, The Adventure Begins 62, 108, 121, 127
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, WGA1 Falcon's Revenge 1, 8, 12, 15, 35, 46
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, WGA2 Falconmaster 5, 7
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, WGA3 Flames of the Falcon 6, 9, 51
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, WGA4 Vecna Lives! 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 55, 74, 79
Iuz, Spurned Cult of People Group Cult, WGR2 Treasures of Greyhawk 8, 10, 11, 12
Iuz, Temple of (Greyhawk, Castle) Building Temple, WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins 14
Iuz, Temple of (Highport) Building Temple, Slavers, AD&D 2e 90, 95