Jason Zavoda

Happy Needfest and Merry New Year!

2025-10-16T19:03:43-04:00January 3rd, 2022|

While life has continued to wear me out (in particular my day job*), with the new year's turn, there's always a fresh bout of hope that seeps into my fingers and toes, so I'm dusting off the ol' blog once again.This post will summarize some news and updates, and help to kickstart the rest of the month's writing! News and UpdatesJason Zavoda - Greyhawk Fan and Friend - 1965-2021I have sad news to share that Jason Zavoda died on 22 December 2021. Jason was a long-time Greyhawk fan and member of its online communities dating back to AOL's late-2e heyday. Jason published his Hall of the Mountain King blog, wrote Greyhawk fan fiction, contributed articles to the Oerth Journal (and edited some issues during its Turmoil Between Editors phase), and, perhaps most importantly to Greyhawk fans, spearheaded his wondrous index of Greyhawk references in all published products. The index is an indispensable research tool, and began as a humble .TXT file that grew over the years, and was recently updated by Eric Johnson in the Greyhawk Resources Files on Facebook as a Microsoft Excel format to allow more filtering and sorting.Carlos Lising of casl Entertainment wrote a very nice Greyhawk-themed tribute to Jason in the Facebook Sages of Greyhawk group (you'll need to be a member of the group to access his story).Paul Stormberg (of The Collectors Trove and Legends of RolePlaying) and I have discussed putting together a compilation of Jason's many contributions to the Greyhawk fan community, to help ensure that they're preserved and available to the fans for years to come, and I've reached out to the GreyhawkOnline admin team on that front too. ... read more!

0

Ghost Riders of Geoff

2022-09-20T15:00:38-04:00June 25th, 2020|

http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=75200&sid=00c143114e4349c0351533c72b14bd6c#75200Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

Blackmoor Land of a Thousand Witches – The Crowned Beast of Stone

2022-09-20T15:00:39-04:00June 9th, 2020|

Backmoor Land of a Thousand Witches - The Crowned Beast of Stone The Crowned Beast of Stone At south-east of the Burneal Forest can be found a statue of some great beast crowned with a rusting ironband whose spiked ends, now snapped off into jagged spears, suggest gems or valuable crystals once ran astride the crown. The weed-choked creature now stares forlornly into the stream which begins life as spring whose waters pour from its open mouth and which rushes by its front paws before disappearing in the thick forest and eventually emptying into the great swamp and mire of the Cold Marshes to the south. Few know of this crowned beast of stone for its waters are sovereign and potent and the Sisterhood and centaur shaman strive to keep its existence and location a secret. To this end they have set traps and guards within the forest, druids charm creatures and enchant plants, illusionists hide the spring, centaurs set guards that neither sleep nor rest nor tell tales, as well as magicians and witches that cast dire spells to protect this source of so many of their potions, solutions and balms. The power of these waters is quickly diluted after it spills from the mouth of the crowned beast but within certain distances the waters have differing effects. The water at the mouth of the statue pours forth a deadly acid on one side and a supremely potent base from the other. As the water touches the earth it becomes useful for all manner of transmutation elixirs but a dozen feet further and it is sovereign remedy for curses and a foundation for healing potions, ... read more!

1

NPC – Redface – Chieftain Scalded Hand Orcs – Spinecastle

2022-09-20T15:00:39-04:00June 4th, 2020|

NPC - Redface - Chieftain Scalded Hand Orcs - Spinecastle The Scalded Hand orcs refuse to live inside the walls of Spinecastle and instead have a permanent camp on the Parlous Plain. They are perhaps the most dangerous of the humanoid forces on the Plain but camp toward its edge near a large barrow formed from a charnel pit used to bury Fruztii dead from the old Battle of Shamblefield. The orcs have dug into this barrow, which now houses a temple to Gruumsh, and the bones have been used to frame the tent-dwellings of the Scalded Hand. Only around 400 orcs dwell here, but that number changes continually as the Scalded Hand uses Spinecastle as a gathering places for their allied tribes to meet and plan before launching raids and attacks on humans, demi-humans and humanoids alike. They only go into Spinecastle to sell loot or visit the Pit, which is immensely popular and look down their noses at the Bloody Eye orcs who they feel have been tainted by the human city. Redface is an old Orc and participated in the Siege of Spinecastle. He shares the views of the Black Moon gnoll elders and would like to raze the city and finish the slaughter but is not in alliance with the gnolls. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

City – Verbobonc City Gates

2022-09-20T15:00:40-04:00June 2nd, 2020|

City - Verbobonc City Gates The city of Verbobonc has a well-maintained city wall with professional guardsmen who watch and patrol its length, but the city has not been attacked in a very long time and some laxity has crept into the prime realestate outside of the walls. In the city's recent history no giants, dragons, elementals or powerful spell-casters have attacked, nor the most recent developments in siege machinery been brought against them. The single wall is strong and well constructed, generally 40 feet high to its walkway with another 10 feet of merlons alternating with spaces for archers to fire at any attackers. No pit or moat helps to protect the wall. The city gates are constructed as small fortifications. Each gateway possess an inner and outer set of large and thick doorways separated by a 60 foot passageway whose roof is lined with murder holes where tar or burning oil can be poured down from specially constructed guard rooms above. A set of portcullis' can split the passage and two others can bar the front and inner gates from direct attack. Inside these gate fortifications is a 30 guard garrison who are responsible for wall patrols as well as watching over the gateways. At dark the gates are shut and opened only upon orders or at first light. The city collects a small toll at these gates for incoming non-residents and all merchandise. All weapons are peace-bonded except for daggers. Flags atop the gate-house signal any trouble and can draw a quick reaction force of cavalry who are stabled near to each gate house. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

The Ruined Tower of Zenopus Index

2022-09-20T15:00:40-04:00June 1st, 2020|

The Ruined Tower of Zenopus IndexAcolyte [CLS]12 Adventurer [CLS]4, 6, 13 Alchemist [CLS]7 Amev (Merchant) [NPC]15 Anders [NPC]17 Ape [MON]10-12 Arcane Lock [SPL]5, 6 Azure Sea [RVR]16 Bandit [CLS]4, 8, 13, 14 Bed [ITM]5 Belt [ITM]6 Belt, Jeweled [ITM]6 Bench [ITM]5 Bless [SPL]5Bone [ITM]6 Book [ITM]10 Bottle [ITM]4, 13 Brazen Head of Zenopus, The (Mask)[ITM]7, 16 Bruno the Battler [NPC]18 Cage, Iron [ITM]10, 12 Caravan [ORG]3, 13, 14 Catacomb [PLC]13 Cave [PLC]7, 8 Cave, Sea [PLC]3, 12, 13 Cemetary [PLC]3, 9, 15 Centipede, Giant [MON]4 Chair [ITM]10 Charm Person [SPL]6 Chemicals [ITM]10 Chest [ITM]5, 7, 8Clarissa [NPC]18 Cleaning Cube [MON]4, 6 Cliff, Sea [MT]3, 11, 13 Cloak [ITM]5 Coffin [ITM]9, 13, 15 Common [LNG]6, 7 Coronet [ITM]9 Crab, Giant [MON]4 Crab, Monstrous Sand [MON]8, 12 Crate [ITM]4 Cultist [CLS]4, 9, 12, 15 Cutlass [ITM]6 Dagger [ITM]6, 8 Dagger +1 [ITM]7 Dagger, Flying [ITM]9 Dagger, Silver [ITM]6 Desk [ITM]10 Drego the Thief [NPC]18 Dungeon [PLC]4, 5 Earring [ITM]4 Eliander Fireborn [NPC]16 Ethbran (Sage) [NPC]13 Fisher [CLS]13 Foxfire [ITM]8 Gas, Noxious [ITM]9 Gas, Sleep [ITM]5 Gellan Primewater [NPC]17 Gem [ITM]4, 9 Ghoul [MON]3, 4, 9, 12, 15 Goblin [LNG]6Goblin [MON]4, 5, 12, 14, 16, 17 Gozef [NPC]15 Graveyard [PLC]3 Green Dragon Inn (Portown) [INN]3, 13, 16 Guard [CLS]13, 14 Harbor [PLC]3, 13 Haunted House (Saltmarsh) [PLC]16 Hill [MT]3 Holy Water [ITM]5 Hoolwatch Tower [CTL]16 Idol [ITM]9 Jeweler [CLS]10 Keledek [NPC]12, 16, 17 Key [ITM]10 Knock [SPL]4, 5, 16 Kraddock [NPC]17 Lamp [ITM]10 Lemund (Lord) [NPC]13 Lemunda [NPC]8, 12, 13, 17 Levitate [SPL]6 Light [SPL]6 Longsword, Verminslayer [ITM]9 Mage Hand [SPL]6 Magic Missile [SPL]6Magician [CLS]13Malchor the Magic-User [NPC]18 Man-at-Arms [CLS]13, 14 Mask, Silver Skull [ITM]4, 9 Merchant [CLS]15 ... read more!

0

NPC – Huntmaster – Leader Howling Night Flinds – Spinecastle

2022-09-20T15:00:41-04:00May 29th, 2020|

NPC - Huntmaster - Leader Howling Night Flinds - Spinecastle Two hundred flinds. Anywhere but Spinecastle that might be a number to strike horror into the hearts of their enemies, but Spinecastle is a nexus of horror, a metropolis of evil, and the heart of a growing kingdom of humanoids not seen since the days of the Suel Imperium. That these flinds should be the driving hand behind a force of over a thousand gnolls should come as no surprise. To most outsiders, human, demi-huuman, or humanoid these flinds are lost among the Black Moon gnolls, though to other gnolls flinds stand out larger, stronger, statelier, with a commanding bearing. Huntmaster is larger and stronger than most flinds, instantly vicious with a consuming rage only his titanic will can keep in check. He is unfortunately not the smartest of flinds, and many of his tribe think he has been among the gnolls too long, or worse, that he is a throwback to their gnollish heritage. While he is not blamed for the gnolls loss of power after the famine of 576cy, that flind was deposed and eaten after the council of chiefs awarded leadership of Spinecastle back to the orcs, Huntmaster is near to losing control of the Howling Night. Under his leadership the gnolls have seen a faction of rebels appear in their ranks, the Young Blood gnolls, and they truly have only a small fraction of the aging warriors of the original Black Moon pack as loyal followers. The grandiose and impractical plans to seize power from Bloody Eye orcs become more untenable every moon while the day approaches when either Huntmaster's fellow flinds ... read more!

0

NPC – Oldbone – Chief Weeping Dark Goblins – Spinecastle

2022-09-20T15:00:41-04:00May 26th, 2020|

NPC - Oldbone - Chief Weeping Dark Goblins - Spinecastle The 300 or so goblins of the Weeping Dark are a small fraction of the thousands used as sword-fodder during the taking of the city. Since that time many have left the city and many have been eaten by their larger and stronger monstrous allies. Now they lair in the sewer system of the High Ward and act as servants to the Bloody Eye orcs. Oldbone was a goblin warrior when the city fell and now he is the oldest survivor of the vast clan of goblins who swarmed over the walls during the siege. His resentment of the gnolls and orcs knows no bounds and he is a willing ally of the hobgoblins who ruled the city during the first few years after its fall. He is aware of the many factions within the city, including the Young Blood gnolls but unknown to any he is in touch with several large goblin clans who dwell beneath the Rakers and seeks to raise another vast goblin army to betray all his masters and allies. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

NPC – Hoghead – Butcher — Spinecastle

2022-09-20T15:00:42-04:00May 23rd, 2020|

NPC - Hoghead - Butcher -- Spinecastle Even more active than The Pit where the gladiatorial games are run is The Slaughterhouse where the food is divided among the humanoid tribes of the city. All of the tribes in Spinecastle except the ogre's Thundering Club maintain groups of hunters who scour the surrounding land for food. After sixteen years these hunters go far afield and the food brought into the city by merchants has become critical. Food and hunger, it is an underlying force within Spinecastle. Almost it has forced an abandonment of the city when the tribes grew greater than could be fed. Certainly it caused much strife and a change of power from the flinds and gnolls whose over population nearly stripped the city bare three winter's past. Now the orcs run the city and through The Slaughterhouse keep a tight leash around the belly of the gnolls and other humanoids (except the ogres who are kept well-fed and happy or they just start eating anyone within reach). An old flind, Quer'enz, manages The Slaughterhouse, but Hoghead is the chief of butchers and handles the actually slaughtering, butchering and dividing of the meat. He is a vicious old orc from an ancient tribe said to have sailed to the Flanaess from some eastern island and plagued the coastal lands. Hoghead has plans to add Quer'enz to the stewpot one day and if approached with an offer to rid him of the old flind he is very amenable. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

On the Ratik That Was, Wasn’t, Then Was Again

2022-09-20T15:00:42-04:00May 23rd, 2020|

On the Ratik That Was, Wasn’t, Then Was Again"Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."― Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist A rumination on Ratik: Ratik is a small but prosperous nation located in the northeastern corner of the Flanaess. It is seated in a cultural crossroads between the otherwise civilized south of the former Aerdi Great Kingdom and the barbaric north of the Suel on the Thillonrian Peninsula. Ratik stretches between the Rakers and the Solnor Coast, where the modest city of Marner, the capital, is its only major port. Its southern border is marked by the fortified hills separating Ratik from Bone March. These extend east all the way out to the Loftwood, where the hearty woodsmen are allied with the archbarony. Ratik's northern border divides the Timberway between itself and the Frost Barbarians, a long-standing informal boundary that has been respected by both sides for centuries and only recently was acknowledged by formal treaty. While these barriers have profoundly isolated Ratik from the rest of the Flanaess, they also have served to protect it from invaders for centuries. [LGG] The last “civilized” land, clinging to a narrow patch of land between towering mountains and an “endless,” mysterious, deep blue sea? Barbarians to the north, hordes of orcs and gnolls to the south? What’s not to like? As to the Timberway being split between the Fruztii and Ratik, I pushed the border north, to the widest river in the region, the likely most defensible border. Canon? No, but the border ... read more!

1

NPC – Vassliss Priestess of Iuz – Spinecastle

2022-09-20T15:00:43-04:00May 22nd, 2020|

NPC - Vassliss Priestess of Iuz - Spinecastle During the Siege of Spinecastle a secret cabal worked against the cities defenders. Unbeknownst to the great and good within the city a cult of Iuz worshipers festered amid their ranks. What their ultimate plans had been none can say. Deep in the sub-basement of a manor in the High Ward the cult had its shrine and when the High Ward fell at last the manor had been destroyed and all within slain. Years later Vassliss, secret priestess of Iuz, entered Spinecastle with a powerful retinue disguised as merchants supplying the always voracious inhabitants with meat and slaves. Few of the Iuzian cultists had survived and those few were slaves to the Bloody Eye orcs. Vassliss purchased those she could and slew all those she could not to silence tongues possibly loosened in their bestial servitude. In the intervening years she has found the hidden shrine, reconsecrated in the service of her master, and reformed the cult. She has not found out who betrayed the cult, but she suspects the hand of another evil at odds with her own. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

An Unsung Death In Geoff Part 2

2022-09-20T15:00:44-04:00May 21st, 2020|

An Unsung Death In Geoff Part 2 The sun was setting as the small group, just three men on horseback, arrived at the Oytriver bridge. The evening was cold and a misty fog had settled down over the river and the surrounding land. The bridge, it was old, very old. Large and ancient stone blocks formed the arches which spanned the wide river. Mace, pick and monstrous talons had clawed these stones, scarred them, but only the surface. The heart of the stone, the strength of the bridge, survived. Ragnar gave a chuckle when he saw the bridge. This was Geoff, he thought, this worn and defaced stone bridge. Its conquerors had used it, tried to destroy it, but the heart remained, the strength, and what had been destroyed would be rebuilt. He saw it in Hochoch. Human-kind was returning to the Duchy, rebuilding, and repairing. These giants and the monsters which followed beside them, they destroyed and ravaged the land. That was their great weakness, this mindless destruction. At least in their homelands the giants built; halls of wood, caverns of ice and stone. When they couldn't get slaves to work for them they would work for themselves. But here in these conquered lands they had slaves aplenty. Here they did not work, hunted only for sport, became lazy and cruel even by the standards of their own kind. The giants belonged in the hills and the mountains, not these lowlands. "What?" Emiel asked, riding near on Ragnar's righthand side. "Nothing," Ragnar replied, "Just thinking. That is quite some bridge." "That old pile of stone?" asked Ted riding on his left. "I'm always surprised ... read more!

0

Spinecastle Encounters

2022-09-20T15:00:45-04:00May 20th, 2020|

Spinecastle Encounters 12 Encounters for the streets of Spinecastle 1. A pack of gnolls is 'patrolling' the street, but mainly looking for trouble. Before they get close a group of goblins comes around a corner right in front of them. Both parties pause only for a moment before a pitched battle to the death ensues. The losers will immediately be looted and devoured on the street by the winning side. 2. Five ogres are demolishing a ramshakle house. Suddenly the ghost of a small human child steps from the ruin. She is crying and reaches out her hands to the nearest ogre. The monster laughs and aims a kick at the translucent figure. The ghost lets loose a bonechilling scream, becomes the size of a giant with rotting skin and visible bones sticking through the unreal flesh and reaches again for the ogre. This time all five ogres recoil in terror and run down the street in panic. Mayhem ensues. 3. A merchant wagon loaded with barrels hits a deep rut and with a loud crack an axle breaks. The wagon lurches to one side, a rope snaps and a barrel smashes to the street. Inside is a disheveled human, stunned. The driver and assistant look wildly around to see if anyone has noticed. 4. A half-orc thief cuts a large pouch from an orcs belt but it comes open in his hands as he attempts to make off with it. Dozens of severed gnoll ears spill onto the street. 5. A long line of slaves bound for The Pits is being led down the street by red-cloaked orcs. One of the chained slaves looks familiar. 6. Two hill giants, Wlhelm ... read more!

0

NPC – Miklos Feltch of Tenh – Merchant – Spinecastle

2022-09-20T15:00:45-04:00May 19th, 2020|

NPC - Miklos Feltch of Tenh - Merchant - Spinecastle Miklos is a beast in human form. He buys and sells anything . His deity is coin and he is a devoted worshiper. He has been driven from Tenh and has settled in Spinecastle and has found the city very much to his liking. He is a prominent member of the Viridian guild and his shop is always bustling with trade. Next to his shop is a large pen for animals and slaves, Miklos does not differentiate between the two. A pen full of pigs can be found next to an overfull cage of halflings. Almost anything can be found in his shop or in the large warehouse around the back. Finer quality items are found on the second floor which is open only by invitation to select buyers. Miklos prefers to have half-orc guards who are connected to the Bloody Eye orcs and maintains about a dozen. He has many hirelings who clean and do work around the place, all human, but he keeps no slave servants for himself as he does not trust them. Goods and treasure brought to him will be haggled down in price but he is competitive with the other merchants and sellers can usual get a reasonable price. Buyers can find bargains as Miklos prefers to keep his goods in motion and not gather dust. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

0

An Unsung Death In Geoff Part 1

2022-09-20T15:00:46-04:00May 18th, 2020|

An Unsung Death In Geoff Ragnar Hellson drew the honing stone slowly back across the edge of his axeblade. There was a dull rasp as he worked out the notch a metal helm had put in the steel. Back and forth, back and forth, he worked the stone with care. He had the time to put a keen edge back on the blade."Time enough," he said aloud to himself.Behind him, down the overgrown road, lay the body of his horse, the bodies of his two companions, and the carcasses of a score of orcs. Among the slain were two large ogres, their bodies hacked, slashed, and partially dismembered. They had taken quite a bit of killing. The orcs had been little more than blood to bathe his axe in. It was the ogre pair that had slain his companions, his horse and nearly himself.Somewhere, a little ways down this track, a very angry giant would be hearing about all this, he thought to himself. At least a handful of the verminous little goblins had escaped and they would no doubt tell their master.The giant would probably just step on them for their trouble. "May their bones pierce its hairy feet," Ragnar cursed.He paused and looked at the blade. The notch was not deep and the stone had taken the rough edge off leaving only a small semi-circle bite from the sharpened steel. He stood then and hefted the axe, letting it swing once or twice, catching the light from the late morning sun. Ragnar 'hrumphed' in satisfaction with the feel and balance of the weapon and the fresh edge to the blade.Turning away from the ... read more!

0

Thank You for Visiting!

Thank you so much for spending time on GHO and enjoying our tradition since 2003 of supporting Greyhawk, and showcasing the best fan-created content for the World of Greyhawk!

Be sure to take part in the community, talk and share with other gamers all about Greyhawk, and learn more about the legends and lore of the setting.

About Greyhawk Online

Greyhawk Online began in 2003 and is known for the creative fan content it hosts and provides. In addition to Greyhawk-related articles and current news, GHO provides the “Great Library of Greyhawk” wiki, which is one of the most popular Greyhawk resources on the ‘net’.

GHO also publishes the “Oerth Journal”, a fan-related magazine of amazingly innovative and creative content.

Contact:
General: Admin@Greyhawkonline.com
Website: GHO@greyhawkonline.com
Oerth Journal: OJ@greyhawkonline.com

All rights reserved. greyhawkonline.com is a collective work © 2003-2026 Greyhawk Online™ and Kit Nolen and is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards.
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.