History of the Flanaess

Heart and Soul; Thrommel and Jolene

2026-01-31T08:50:24-05:00January 28th, 2026|

GreyhawkOnline brings you a look at the background events leading up to 577 CY, in the aftermath of the Battle of Emridy Meadows. Thrommel IV of Furyondy and Lady Jolene of Veluna's marriage has been put on hold, irrevocably after the disappearance of Thrommel. Here's a look at Greyhawk's star-crossed lovers—a brief explanation of why their union would matter so much. When darkness gathers, so must light. The Temple of Elemental Evil gathered a host of vile forces, and to meet it, the nations of Furyondy, Veluna, Verbobonc, and Celene formed an alliance. A brave heart in the form of Prince Thrommel IV of Furyondy, and Provost of Veluna gathered these forces to meet it head on at the battle of Emridy Meadows. However, if these forces were going to remain together a natural and pure soul such as Lady Jolene of Veluna was needed to meld it. Here is a brief overview of their stories, and attempted union: “And during that glorious fortnight, the Righteous Hosts of Prince Thrommel IV the Paladin-Prince smote the Temple of Elemental Evil at the Battle of Emridy Meadows.”—Minstrel of Thrommel- One of the most significant moments in Oerth’s history is the grand and gory Battle of Emridy Meadows where the combined forces of Veluna, Furyondy, Verbobonc, and Celene battled the gathering evil at the Temple of Elemental Evil. This decisive strike against evil in 569 CY resulted in most of the masterminds of the temple being routed, with some remnants of the cult of Tharizdun fleeing to pursue their nefarious deeds another day. Thrommel IV’s thunderous cavalry charge which trampled all opposition that stood in ... read more!

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Original World of Vecna

2026-01-06T18:19:12-05:00April 30th, 2022|

The Homeworld of Vecna A Primer on The Whispered One for Fans of Stranger Things by "NyaPlush" [Editor's Note: We'd like to thank the NyaPlush for preparing this for us! The popularity of Stranger Things has brought a lot of attention (and nostalgia) to D&D. Witness the Stranger Things boxed set, and the sheer volume of articles and posts about the reveal of Vecna at the end of the most recent trailer. Stranger Things A fan fervor is building in the Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons communities. A trailer for Season 4 released by Netflix on Tuesday, April 12th teased the next main monster, this time named after Vecna, The Whispered One, dark god of secrets and one of Dungeons & Dragons most enduring villains! What could this new foe borne from the Upside Down have in store for The Party from Hawkins? If this Vecna retains the personality or power of his namesake, they’re in for a spine-chilling war of minds that crosses the planes of reality. There are numerous Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings, though the cast of Stranger Things would only know its first published setting, Greyhawk. This is the game world created by D&D co-author Gary Gygax, who described a pair of artifacts known as the Hand and Eye of Vecna as the remnants of a long-destroyed undead mage of legend. The myth of the artifacts and the path of ruin they lead any user down was described in the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, an essential book outlining the game’s rules and lore, and expanded upon in each subsequent edition. Over ... read more!

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Theocracy of Dimre, A Brief History, Part 2

2022-03-03T16:54:14-05:00August 10th, 2020|

Theocracy of Dimre, A Brief History, Part 2 Again I'd like to thank Tom Harrison, Erik Mona, and many authors of the Living Greyhawk community for the inspiration for my articles on Dimre. Now a full-fledged theocracy, Dimre under the direction of Canon Sagmered went about strengthening itself internally and externally. The first order of business being the reorganizing of the Militias. Since it's founding as an Earldom Dimre has prided itself on its militias. The militias, situated in a chaotic land full of bandits, were initially formed to protect the silver mines in the Rift Canyon. As the then province grew and villages turned into towns and a few small cities, protection of the populace became an issue. With a large percentage of the growing population being followers of Pholtus, many of the troops that were recruited into the militias were used to a lifestyle of laws and order. Many of the visiting dignitaries from Rel Mord would often remark how orderly and disciplined the Militias were. With Dimre changing from being a province of a vast kingdom to an independent theocracy, there was some culling of the officer core. Fortunately, those officers stripped of their rank, and commissions were not the field commanders. A new code of ethics was introduced, and those that felt they could not adhere to the new standers could leave without incident. The regime change did not affect the rank and file much, which was vital in keeping out the bandits and later in its war against Iuz. As it became apparent that Nyrond had no intention of retaliating, Canon Sagmered shifted his focus to the kingdom's western ... read more!

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On the Age Before Ages, Part 1

2022-03-03T16:57:12-05:00August 8th, 2020|

On the Age Before Ages, Part 1 “The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” ― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe Where did Greyhawk come from? Gary Gygax created it, obviously. With a great deal of influence from Dave Arneson, Rob Kuntz, and Len Lakofka, I imagine. I also imagine that each and every one of Gary’s early players did, as well, in their own way. Not to mention those who wrote the modules and sourcebooks that followed. Few, if any, ever settled on a creation myth, or so they’ve said. I’ve heard interviews where those who had a hand in developing the setting expressed their desire to never actually nail down a creation myth, believing that DMs would wish to write such themselves. Did they? Some probably did; but I believe most never bothered, focusing instead on their own little corner of the world and the adventures within it, not caring whence it came from, knowing their players didn’t either. Despite their claims, those very same designers pushed the timeline back very far indeed, almost to the very hour, in some cases. Frank Mentzer did. And some of his creations were slipped into the pages of the sourcebooks that followed. Chris Pramas certainly started the clock very close to what might be called a beginning. What follows is a fairly esoteric collection TSR and WotC passages that over the decades dealt with just that: where did the multiverse come from? Were they successful in what they presented? I will leave ... read more!

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Theocracy of Dimre, A Brief History, Part 1

2022-03-03T17:02:36-05:00August 7th, 2020|

Theocracy of Dimre, A Brief History, Part 1 As I dive into one of my favorite places in the Bandit Kingdoms, and the Flanaess, I have to say that the history I put forth is one of my own devise. Much of what I have written here was influenced by the writings of Tom Harrison, Erik Mona, and many authors of the Living Greyhawk community. While I try to stay true to canon where I find it, I do alter some events slightly from the materials I find, most of which are not canon. I hope you enjoy this first installment as I take a look at The Theocracy of Dimre. Out of the chaos that would birth the kingdom of Nyrond, also came the formation of the Theocracy of Dimre. While other lands were in the throws of transition from the rule of the neglectful Great Kingdom to independence, Dimre emerged a small but strong nation. The seeds of what would become the Theocracy of Dimre were sown in the towns and villages of Wintershiven, Holdworthy, and Hawkburgh. In this area, the religion of Pholtus was growing and becoming more influential. Members of city governments and even lords were turning to this orderly faith. By 300 CY, tensions had been increasing for nearly a century, and the threat of a civil war was brewing. In response, the people who lived there turned to the ridged order of the religion of Pholtus for security. As the influence of the main sect of the cult of Pholtus, the Blinding Light, grew, the once overt repression of other minor sects turned into open religious persecution. Chief ... read more!

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The Cursed Invasion of the Bone March, The Humanoids Part 3

2022-03-03T17:14:47-05:00July 29th, 2020|

The Cursed Invasion of the Bone March, The Humanoids Part 3 Bone March by the end of 563 CY. By the end of 563 CY, the whole of the Bone March had settled into a new normal, one of humanoid dominance. All the human settlements had been conquered except for the County of Knurl, which was loosely allied with Breka and the Vile Rune Orcs. Those that could escape had already done so streaming into Ratik, Nyrond, and the Northern Province. Knurl itself saw its population more than double, with a sizable number of those feeling there being men at arms that Countess Salvie quickly Recruited into the county's army. The speed and ferocity of the Cursed Invasion caught all the March's neighbors by surprise. Ratik eventually tried to take advantage of later orcish infighting but wasn't mobilized to lend immediate assistance. The North Province of the Great Kingdom, under the leadership of Herzog Grenell, had higher ambitions and had no desire to assist. It's even been said that Grenell and Breka had worked out an understanding before the invasion. Nyrond had the troop strength to intervene and make a difference, but if they had done so, it would have given the Great Kingdom an excuse to start another war with them. Because of this, Nyrond's troops were never rallied to help, and the March was left to deal with the invasion on their own. While the invasion was quick, it was initially centered around two major hubs for the March, Spinecastle, and Johnsport. The bulk of the invading humanoids were in the area for over a month as they defeated the Bone March's ... read more!

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The Cursed Invasion of the Bone March, The Humanoids Part 2

2022-03-03T17:37:40-05:00July 24th, 2020|

The Cursed Invasion of the Bone March, The Humanoids Part 2 The Invasion Begins In 561 CY, the mountain orcs came down from the Rakers in force led by Gergash and the Death Moon tribe. Gergash led his horde north of Spinecastle, skirting the Loft Hills, where he was joined by Degtra, an ogre mage leading her clan of ogres and gnolls. In 558 CY Degtra had wrestled away the Loftwood Gnolls rule from their Pack-master and allied herself with Gorsh. With their new allies in tow, they headed straight to Johnsport to lay siege to the city. Gregash made sure the defenders of Spinecastle knew of his sizable force moving through the area to lure away troops from there, as per Gorsh's instructions. The trick worked, and a day later, Marquis Clement had mobilized Spinecastles heavy infantry and cavalry and sent them in pursuit of Gergash's horde. In addition to the regular military, nearly all of the Knight Protectors who survived the persecutions of Ivid I and fled to the Bone March back in 443 CY accompanied them. The army was under the Command of a Knight Protector named Arnald Stermorn. Two days after Sir Stermorn had departed Spinecastle, Breka, with his Vile Rune orcs and allies descended out of the Rakers. Breka sent several smaller orc tribes into the March to disrupt any rallying of forces from the March's other counties in response to Clement's call to arms. Then Breka left the siege of Spinecastle to his trusted ally, Warlord Kekvar, and his hobgoblins. At the same time, he took the Vile Rune tribe in pursuit of Sir Stermorn's forces. With Sir ... read more!

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History of the South East, Part 8: Total War

2022-03-03T17:42:58-05:00July 10th, 2020|

History of the South East, Part 8: Total War “…but there they lay, sprawled across the field, craved far more by the vultures than by wives.” Homer, The Iliad And thus the Great Kingdom fell. 448 CY Ivid I of House Naelax brought pressure on the southern princes to fall into line, but the outrages committed by the new herzog of South Province, which included seizing Lordship vessels anchored in Prymp Town, drove the lords of the isles to declare independence along with the other states. The prince of the Isles joined the Iron League in 448 CY, providing naval support and conveyance for traffic between Irongate, Onnwal, and their allies in Nyrond. In so doing, the lord of Diren was forced to deal more plainly with his fellow lords on the other islands, sharing additional power and ceding more local autonomy to them over the ensuing years. [LGG] The isles of the Sea Barons had always been given a degree of autonomy not enjoyed by the Baronies of the mainland. They had been tasked by Overking Manshen in 102 CY to pacify the seas, to contain the Barbarians in the north, and to stamp out piracy in the south. They required freedom to do so, they said. They could not accomplish these tasks were they to account for each and every action, they said, citing the impossibility of their fleets to communicate with their home ports when at sea for months at a time. Rauxes agreed, reluctantly; but the crown made it clear that the Barony’s continued autonomy was contingent on results. To which the Sea Barons agreed. They never truly succeeded in ... read more!

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On the Circle of Eight

2022-03-01T17:03:08-05:00July 2nd, 2020|

On the Circle of Eight “You see, we cannot draw lines and compartments and refuse to budge beyond them. Sometimes you have to use your failures as stepping-stones to success. You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair.' He paused, considering what he had just said. 'Yes', he repeated. 'In the end, it's all a question of balance.” ― Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance “To light a candle is to cast a shadow...” ― Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea The Obsidian Citadel The Circle of Eight is somewhat legendary in the annals of Greyhawk canon. But what is it, actually? Canon says that it’s the vanguard of Balance; but what in god’s green acre does that mean? I’ve no idea, really. It’s not like Iuz or the Scarlet Brotherhood ever petitioned Mordenkainen to intervene on their behalf, citing unfair treatment by fair Veluna or benevolent Nyrond. Help us! They are keeping us from greatness! I prefer its initial mandate, when it was a group of adventurers who sallied forth, smiting Evil where it had taken root. So, what changed? And did they ever? I think not; so, I don’t understand the Champions of Balance moniker. One might say that Balance has always meant the suppression of Evil, which always waxes, while the nations of the world remain blind to it as they bicker amongst themselves in deluded self-interest, oblivious to the true danger luring in the north, or the shadows, or the hearts of men. No matter, I’ve gathered a fair bit of what was written on the Circle, and I leave it up to you to make up ... read more!

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History of the South East, Part 4: From Sea to Sea to Sea

2020-05-02T08:54:00-04:00May 2nd, 2020|

History of the South East, Part 4: From Sea to Sea to Sea“Men are so quick to blame the gods: they saythat we devise their misery. But theythemselves- in their depravity- designgrief greater than the griefs that fate assigns.”― Homer, The Odyssey The Great Kingdom had swelled, spanning from sea to sea to sea. It declared peace and prosperity for all, and believed all nations were blessed that were protected by its benevolence. In truth, it only desired peace in the interest of its personal prosperity, and for its own pleasure. Not all nations wished their wealth to enrich the capital. Not all nations wished to be blessed by it, and cracks were forming, in the west, where it had begun, and in the north, where it was never welcome. Even within, where its corpulence and rot were only just then beginning to boil and fester. c. 100 CY The Great Kingdom had reached its greatest height, its widest expanse. It spanned from sea to sea to sea. And had grown to vast to be administered as one. It needed parceling, partitioning, governance from regional capitals. Thus, was “Dyvar” raised from town to port, its intent to oversee the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, itself founded from the amalgamation of Feryon, Voll, the Highfolk, the Quaglands, and the Shield Lands and the Northern Reaches. And then, the Great Kingdom, pleased with itself, turned away from their responsibilities there, and set the course for its eventual independence, for the Kingdom never again gave its west another thought, until it was to late to do so. In truth, the Kingdom had more pressing matters to deal with, closer to home, ... read more!

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History of the South-East, Part 3: A Consolidation of Power

2020-04-25T07:36:00-04:00April 25th, 2020|

History of the South-East, Part 3: A Consolidation of Power“Achilles glared at him and answered, "Fool, prate not to me about covenants. There can be no covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other out and out and through. Therefore there can be no understanding between you and me, nor may there be any covenants between us, till one or other shall fall.”― Homer, The Iliad The Flanaess had passed into the hands of the Oeridians, or should I say the Aerdi, for it was they who conquered the land, they who ruled it. And it would be their triumphs and tragedies that would set the stage for what would come. It is said that theirs' was a Good and Just empire, a shining beacon of what may be, but that history was written by the Aerdi; for in truth, empires are built upon the backs of the conquered, and that cruelty and suppression are their bricks and mortar. Building an empire is hard; retaining one is harder still. Luckily for the Aerdi, they had tools at their disposal. 1 CY With his Declaration of Universal Peace, the first Overking was crowned in Rauxes. The first Overking was Nasran from the House of Cranden. Proclaiming universal peace, Nasran saw defeated Suloise, Flan and rebellious humanoid rabbles of no consequence and no threat to the vast might of Aerdy. [Ivid] The first Overking was Nasran from the House of Cranden. Proclaiming universal peace, Nasran saw defeated Suloise, Flan and rebellious humanoid rabbles of no consequence and no threat to the vast might of Aerdy. [Folio] But ... read more!

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History of the South-East, Part 2: In the Shadow of Aerdy

2020-04-18T09:07:00-04:00April 18th, 2020|

History of the South-East, Part 2: In the Shadow of Aerdy“Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country's cause.” Homer, The Iliad It is uncertain what those first Suel expected when they crossed the Tilva Strait, landing on the shores of the land that would later bear the name of the scion of Schnai, Eri-hep-Mona, who led them there. Hepmonaland was densely jungled. Riches, likely. Room to breathe, surely. Did they expect that other civilizations thrived there? Not likely.They found the Olman, who they took to be southern Flan, dark of skin and straight of hair; then the Touv, darker still, almost ebony, yet blue of eye. Those peoples could not have been more different. Where the Olman fought among themselves, raiding and slaving and fighting among themselves, the Touv were organized and learned; and where the Suel found great temples to serpent gods amid abandoned Olman cities, they found the Touv joined in a great nation, The Kingdom of Kunda.Unsure of either, the Suel kept largely to themselves. Mostly. A few mixed with the Olman and Touv; had they not, those fair-skinned newcomers would not have survived this land of jungle and disease. They built their cities along the coast, then inland, and ever so slowly, they adapted to their new land and lost touch with their original culture and history.This not to say that they lived in peace. -252 CY The Touv had never been at peace with the Olman. The found the Olman worship of serpent gods repulsive, and their sacrificing humans to those gods repellant. For good reason, for they too had a ... read more!

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History of the South-East, Part 1: A New Home

2020-04-10T07:55:00-04:00April 10th, 2020|

History of the South-East, Part 1: A New Home“A man who has been through bitter experiences and travelled far enjoys even his sufferings after a time.” Homer, The Odyssey What can one say of the Suel? They were clever. They were ambitious. They desired to rise to heights and power hitherto only known to the Grey Elves. And they did, even as the elves tried to limit what power might be known to them. Why, the Suel had asked? Had they not shown aptitude for architecture, for theatre and music and art, and magic? They implored the Grey Elves to reconsider. In response, the Grey Elves removed themselves from the lands of the Suel. And the Suel grew angry. The Suel found new allies, dark cousins of those once friendly Greys. And when those dark allies betrayed them, they sought power over those lesser peoples that dwelt around them. Then then over those further still, until they had mastery over all they surveyed west of the Crystalmists, the Hellfurnaces, the Barrier Peaks, and the Yatils. Those lesser peoples, the Bakluni, the Oeridians, they rebelled. Then came the War that would undo all of their great works. Or would it?“The start of the Great War surprised no one. For longer than a year, raiders from both nations stormed across the Haut Range, pillaging and burning homes and farms on either side of the great mountains. In the spring of 5031 SD Emperor Ad-Zol sent nine thousand troops across the mountains to punish the black-haired northerners. They were met on the fields of Padyr by a comparable force sent by the Bakluni Padishah Ramif; after a pitched ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 11: The Never-ending Storm

2020-03-27T17:56:00-04:00March 27th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 11: The Never-ending Storm “When wasteful war shall statues overturn And broils root out the work of masonry, Nor Mars his sword, nor war’s quick fire, shall burn The living record of your memory: ’Gainst death, and all oblivious enmity, Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room Even in the eyes of all posterity That wear this world out to the ending doom.” Shakespeare, Sonnet 55 (1609), Q 2&3 War is wasteful. It brings strife, pestilence and death. And it brings uncertainty in its aftermath. And sometimes, it is difficult to know if it is over. Because there may be an end to A war, but never to War. 587 CY All wars must end. Treaty Negotiations between Ket and Veluna, Gran March, and Bissel began, resulting in the Thornward Division. There was peace in the Bramblewood Gap, if one can call it that; in truth, tension rose, each side watchful, and a new type of war began, a Cold War. Beygraf Zoltan's assassination in 587 CY and the resulting change in Ket's government led to a new policy regarding Bissel. Nadaid, Zoltan's state favored replacement, withdrew most of his troops from Bissel to deal with chaos in Lopolla, then began peace negotiations with the west, much to the frustration of battle-hungry Gran March war bands gathered at Bissel's southern border. Negotiations lasted from 587-589 CY, resulting in the controversial Thornward Division, by which Bissel's capital was lost and made a neutral city held and governed in common by Ket, Veluna, Gran March, and Bissel. Ket completely withdrew its armies, taking ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 10: The Diminishing Storm

2020-03-21T07:52:00-04:00March 21st, 2020|

History of the North, Part 10: The Diminishing Storm When the hurly-burly's done, When the battle's lost and won. Shakespeare, MacBeth (1605), Act I, sc.1, l.3. The nations have spilled their lifeblood into the soil and soul of the Flanaess. Exhausted, they entrench and catch breath. They watch. And wait. Iuz controls the North. But his lands are poor and produce little. He gathers his strength. He watches. And waits. The Scarlet Brotherhood, their gambit played and played out, have a stranglehold on the south. They issue forth yet more spies. They whisper. They watch. And wait. Ratik understood its peril, and it began an ambitious project, one that taxed its resources, but was deemed essential by Luxnol. What good would minding the nations finances do were they slaughtered by the orcs and gnolls to the south, and the Fists to the north. Castles and fortresses and redoubts sprang up along the Kelmar Pass and the Flinty Hills, and in the northern Timberway. More rose up within the Kelten Pass, for surely the Fists would come again. Ratik is developing an ambitious castle building program, constructing strong keeps along its southern margins not far from the foothills of the eastern spur of the Rakers. They are digging in for a long struggle against the humanoids of the Bone March. Ratik is seeking mercenaries to defend the builders during the coming spring and summer. [FtA] The last we saw Lord Holmer, of the Shield Lands, he was hauled away in chains for a prolonged residency in Dorakka, A favoured guest of the Old One, himself. Most thought him dead. But there were rumours otherwise. A daring ... read more!

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