History of the Flanaess

History of the North, Part 9: The Raging Storm

2020-03-14T08:55:00-04:00March 14th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 9: The Raging Storm"Our battle is more full of names than yours, Our men more perfect in the use of arms, Our armour as strong, our cause the best; Then reason will our hearts should be as good." Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II (1597-99), Act IV, sc.1, l.154. Iuz had rolled across the Far North. Tenh had fallen. Then the Horned Society fell. The Bandit Kingdoms fell or capitulated. The Shield Lands and Furyondy stood against the storm in the west. But not as one. And Nyrond stood vanguard against its raging in the east, enemies to the fore and aft. They gripped their swords and spears, and raised their shields against the coming evil. They did not have to wait for long.Furyondy looked to the north and saw doom as it never had. Fear prevailed among the populace, and faith in the Knights of the Hart, as well. However, faith can only gird the shield. Belvor needed nor than just fear and faith; he needed information, not rumours and hersay , if he were to defend against Iuz and his hordes; so he sent spies into Iuz’s empire. Iuz’s assumption of power and armament for war did not pass unnoticed. Furyondy’s spies headed back to King Belvor IV with word of the swelling humanoid armies. The news could well have been written in the spies’ blood, though, for most of the human agents were discovered and slain, virtually closing King Belvor’s eyes and ears. When the few spies did reach him, though, the Furyondy king heeded the fate of Tenh and immediately set to ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 8: The Storm to End All Storms

2020-03-06T18:05:00-05:00March 6th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 8: The Storm to End All Storms "Your breath first kindled the coal of warsAnd brought in matter that should feed this fire;And now 'tis far too huge to be blown outWith that same weak wind which enkindled it." Shakespeare, King John (1598) Act V, sc.2, l.83. Salvation can come from the most unexpected quarters. Iuz had saved the Flanaess — for his own purposes, to be sure; but save it, he did. At a cost. He and Vecna had been hurled into the nether planes, tearing at one another like rabid animals manic from the smell of blood. Were they gone forever? Only a fool would think so.582 CY ‘The mage sits down in front of the five Blades of Corusk and meditates for a minute. His hands move over the blades as he reads the magical writings. A frigid wind comes from the west, blowing the powdery snow in swirling whirlwinds. The words coming from his mouth sound like gibberish to you. As he reads the spell, a loud thunderclap sounds above you. As the echoes of the thunder die down, the swords shake and hum. Suddenly the swords disappear with an abrupt popping noise, and the snow turns to steam beneath them. You all hear a sharp “crack” behind you, and a sudden blast of wind pushes you for- ward. Surprised, the mage stops reading and spins around to see what happened. As you turn about, you see a barbarian giant standing before you. Appearing perfectly human, except for his 12-foot height, the man smiles down at you with a kind face. Two huge wolves stand on ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 7: The Eye of the Storm

2020-02-27T15:11:00-05:00February 27th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 7: The Eye of the Storm "All was lost,But that the heavens fought."Shakespeare, Cymbeline (1611), Act V, sc.3, l.3Blackness had blotted the North. Iuz pressed Perrenland and Furyondy. The Vesve was under siege. The Hierarchs had “allied” with the Bandits. The Fists were pounding Tehn.One would think that the nations of light would bind together and stand united, but lords of those supposedly noble and virtuous nations were but politicians, filled with dark thoughts and distrust. Such suspicion would haunt them later. 579 CY Ratik and the seat of Knurl were in dire need of allies. Raids from the ravening hordes of the Rakers had beset them since the Bone March fell, so it came to no surprise that they looked to one another for aid. They met, they parlayed, they negotiated, and while they did, Lady Evaleigh, caught Alain’s eye, and before too long Baron Lexnol’s heir, Alain IV, married Lady Evaleigh, the daughter of the count of Knurl. In 579 CY, Lexnol's only son, Alain IV, the heir to the throne of the archbarony, married Lady Evaleigh, the daughter of the count of Knurl. The county was the only surviving province of Bone March, and the union was arranged to improve the lot of both realms. [LGG] Alain acquired the dream of uniting Ratik and Bone March, but failed to convince the king of the Frost Barbarians of his plan to drive out the nonhuman tribes. Many whispered that Alain was encouraged in these ambitions by his step-family, particularly the count of Knurl, whose position between Bone March, North Province, and Nyrond was grossly precarious. In certain agreement ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 6: The Storm

2020-02-21T09:14:00-05:00February 21st, 2020|

History of the North, Part 6: The Storm "Now for the bare-pick'd bones of majesty Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest And snarleth in the gentle eyes of Peace." Shakespeare, King John (1589) Act IV, sc.3, l.148. Brutality swept across the North in the wake of The Great Kingdom’s retreat and collapse. The Hierarchs of the Horned Society proved a fitting heir to Iuz’s terror. They plotted and schemed, much as Iuz had, if more calculatingly than that infamous cambion had. They reaped what he had sown, and used the chaos of his passing to great advantage. His return had made little difference to them. But Iuz was patient, for all his flailing about in his rage after his release. 578 CY Despite his youth, King Ralff II of the Fruztii understood subjugation. His people had turned to their cousins to the east in their hour of need and found the duplicitous hand of the perfidious Schnai. The Schnai had lent their support. Yes, but that help came at a cost: suzerainty. The Fruztii had lost their governance. Indeed, they had lost their pride. Once, they were the terror of the Solnor Sea. Now, they were a subjugated people. The Shnai commanded them, calling their commands guidance. They had learned their lessons well from the diplomats of Shar, long ago. No more, he thought. He extended his hand to Ratik and they had taken it, and they had been true to their words. They had stood side by side with his people when the tribes of Schnai had not. Therefore, he turned to Ratik again: Train my people, he said, and when he sent ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 5: The Coming Storm

2020-02-15T08:58:00-05:00February 15th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 5: The Coming Storm "Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.' Shakespeare, Henry VIII (1613) Act 4, sc.2, l.45 The forces of weal and good had much to celebrate. Iuz was no more. Iggwilv’s tyranny had been vanquished. But more than even these great victories, they had stood against a great menace that had hitherto lurked in a quiet corner of the world. However, no reprieve lasts forever. Evil rises again and again, and all must be vigilant, for it rises in the most unexpected places. One might expect that it takes root in tangled forests and fetid swamps, but that is not true; it festers in the hearts of the lustful, the wrathful, in avarice and vanity, pride and vainglory. And in the soul of the defeated. Thus, the greatest Evil might rise up in the most unlikely places, a village, or a hamlet, unseen. c.550 CY A collection of hovels and their slovenly inhabitants formed the nucleus for the troubles which were to increase. A wicked cleric established a small chapel at this point. The folk of Hommlet tended to ignore Nulb, even though it was but six miles distant. [T1 The Village of Hommlet] The village of Nubb began to fester with all manner if evil folk, culminating with the founding of the soon infamous Temple of Elemental Evil. The troubles began soon thereafter. Local caravans, gnome clans and the neighboring village of Hommlet, became easy targets for bandits from that region. [The Battle of Emridy Meadows, by Mike Bridges] 568 CY News of this evil quickly spread to the Viscounty of ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 4: A Pause Before the Storm

2020-02-07T18:06:00-05:00February 7th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 4: A Pause Before the Storm Iuz had fallen, and Iggwilv’s tyranny had been short-lived. One would think that they had been working together, that each relied on the other’s success. The timing would suggest just that. Maybe they had. Each had leant an ear to Graz’zt’s whispers. Both had designed on the Vesve Forest. But thankfully, both had fallen short. And both were in chains, one beneath Castle Greyhawk, the other in the Abyss. This is not to say that the North was peaceful, because in truth, it was not and had never been. It is a harsh land, not given to pastoral pursuits. It has always been rife with raiding and banditry. New Evils were bound to rise up. And they did. 513 CY Despite Iuz’s absence, Evil still flourished everywhere in the North. A new name was whispered in the taverns and inns, in the courts and halls of those who held sway: The Horned Society. It was said that it was a foul haven of deviltry. And like Iuz before them, it had designs on the North. It did. First, it must gather its forces if it were to fester. Deprived of their lord [Iuz], the euroz and jebli armies massing on Furyondy's borders rapidly dissolved. The barbarous creatures fought the regents of Iuz and won for themselves the east and west shores of Whyestil Lake. East of the lake, savage chieftains and unscrupulous humans founded the Horned Society. [Folio] 515 CY The Horned Society were not the only ones to have designs on the North in Iuz’s absence; indeed, so did the petty despots that ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 3: The Rise of Iggwilv and Iuz

2020-02-01T08:25:00-05:00February 1st, 2020|

History of the North, Part 3: The Rise of Iggwilv and Iuz The North lay forgotten. The South was beset by turmoil. It was mired in petty wars. It had little interest in the goings-on of such remote regions; besides, what if banditry plagued it, what if petty kingdoms had sprung up across its breadth? If people lived there. It was too vast and too cold and too far away to be of any concern.Had they taken the time to concern themselves; because if they had, then maybe, just maybe, they would have been able to stem the tide of horror and misery that would eventually sweep across the whole of the Flanaess. But such is hindsight. 446 CY Far from the North, the South Province seceded from the Great Kingdom. This may seem a small thing to the North, and it was, but it having done so shifted the attention of the Great Kingdom eve further away from the North’s continued stability. After the withdrawal of Nyrond from the Great Kingdom, the slide became precipitous. Buffoons and incompetents sat upon the Malachite Throne, and their mismanagement split apart the Celestial Houses. This period of degeneration culminated in the Turmoil Between Crowns, when the last Rax heir, Nalif, died in 437 CY at the hands of assassins from House Naelax. The herzog (great prince) of North Province, Ivid I, then laid claim to the throne. The herzog of South Province, Galssonan of House Cranden, broke with Rauxes and joined a widespread rebellion in the south. Years of civil war ensued, and only the intercession of dispassionate houses such as Garasteth and Darmen brought about the ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 2: A Myth of Unity

2020-01-24T17:52:00-05:00January 24th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 2: A Myth of Unity All empires crumble. They begin with a single conquest, and before long, want and avarice overwhelm them. They grow fat on their power and plunders, and in time, they collapse under their own weight, as they must, for their grasp always exceeds their reach.They conquer, and then conquer again, further and further afield until the crown can no longer contemplate the vastness of its territories. They are too far-flung; the distances are too vast; they sprawl out to this horizon and that, and beyond those, again. Where is that again, it asks? Tenh? The Quaglands? The minutiae of the day-to-day governance of so vast a territory overwhelms it, and it must then rely on its governors, for who knows their lands better than they? So long as the taxes are collected, what of it?That’s all well and good until the governors take umbrage with sending the crown their gold, receiving naught in return. 300-350 CY Anarchy crept into the Great Kingdom, and more and more of its northern provinces became increasingly independent. Some became lawless. Many became lawless. Petty fiefs sprang up, their rulers declaring themselves kings and barons and dukes and such. Where ruffians seized power, banditry prevailed, and they became known for such. Such were the Bandit Kingdoms, which called themselves a confederacy—a fancy word for what they might have been; but in truth, they could never be, because they preyed upon one another even as they clung together to ward against those who would annex them. The Bandit Kingdoms are a collection of petty holdings. Each little kingdom is ruled by a ... read more!

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History of the North, Part 1, Arrivals

2020-01-18T09:28:00-05:00January 18th, 2020|

History of the North, Part 1, Arrivals Much had happened in the North, more than one might expect. It’s surprising how many peoples chose to settle in that unforgiving land. The Elves had prospered there, so had the Flan. There had been peace there for many years before the Ur-Flan had swept in and swept aside all who stood against them. Then they too prospered there. Some might think that they were lesser than those who came after them, because, were they all that powerful, surely they would still rule all of the Flanaess, surely they would have brushed aside the martial fury of the Oeridians. They would have had they been interested in worldly affairs. They were not. They were concerned with extending life. With immortality. They were concerned with attaining power not seen since eldritch times. Were the Ur-Flan wiped out? Those lesser ones, yes. But not all. No, not all. There were many who survived the coming of the Kingdom of Aedy. We should hope that we never draw their attention ever again. Keraptis Some two thousand years ago, the wizard Keraptis established himself as "protector" of Tostenhca--a grand mountainside city of wide streets and towering ziggurats. But the wizard, who had extended his lifespan far beyond that of most mortals in his search for immortality, became more and more corrupt with increasing age. Over four centuries, the cost of his protection grew ever more burdensome, until eventually Keraptis was taking a piece of everything that the people of Tostenhca grew, made, or sold. With the announcement of yet another levy—one-third of all newborn children—the people rose as one, ousting Keraptis and ... read more!

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History of the Oerth, Part 11, Of The Winds of War

2020-01-10T18:10:00-05:00January 10th, 2020|

History of the Oerth, Part 11, Of The Winds of War The Hold of the Stonefist War can come from the most unexpected places. Who would have thought that the first blow to fall in a war that would engulf the known world would land in the Hold of Stonefist? No one. But such was the case.579 CY ‘The mage sits down in front of the five Blades of Corusk and meditates for a minute. His hands move over the blades as he reads the magical writings. A frigid wind comes from the west, blowing the powdery snow in swirling whirlwinds. The words coming from his mouth sound like gibberish to you. As he reads the spell, a loud thunderclap sounds above you. As the echoes of the thunder die down, the swords shake and hum. Suddenly the swords disappear with an abrupt popping noise, and the snow turns to steam beneath them. You all hear a sharp “crack” behind you, and a sudden blast of wind pushes you for- ward. Surprised, the mage stops reading and spins around to see what happened. As you turn about, you see a barbarian giant standing before you. Appearing perfectly human, except for his 12-foot height, the man smiles down at you with a kind face. Two huge wolves stand on each side of him: these four beasts eye you with amber eyes. Meanwhile, the troops from the north and the south- west continue approaching. “Thank you, my children. You have awakened me from centuries of cursed sleep. In gratitude, I shall grant you your most intimate desires as long as they do not alter the path events ... read more!

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Historical – Dwarf versus Suel – The Death of Haladin Man-Slayer

2019-12-27T06:42:40-05:00December 27th, 2019|

The Death of Haladin Man-Slayer Haladin Man-Slayer is carried through the halls of the great mountain fortress of Daradim to be laid to rest in the tomb of his ancestors deep beneath the earth. In ancient times of the Flanaess' history nothing has proven as grim and costly as the wars between man and dwarf. Perhaps it was the expansion of the Suel into the mountains and valleys of the north-east or maybe it was the dwarven lust for gold and the slaughter of the human miners at Ten-River Gorge, the depredations and atrocities were many, but however it began seven years of grueling and merciless combat soon came to an end with the death of Haladin Man-Slayer, greatest of dwarven heroes in this by-gone age of the world. Haladin was a mighty warrior even though he was a little over a century old. Unlike many of his brethren he'd left the mountains and visited his cousins in the lowland kingdoms of the Flanaess and there he had earned his sobriquet. His contact with human-kind had not gone well to say the least. Hostile Flan tribesmen, arrogant Suel merchants and slavers, brigands of no fixed lineage. Haladin's first reaction was the axe and though these men were tall to a stout mountain dwarf they were cut down to size in these encounters and Haladin's dislike of humans grew. Many of the great dwarven mountain kingdoms had been lost and destroyed over the centuries to giants, dragons, even terrors from beneath the oerth and it seemed that the once powerful dwarves were on the wane while the quick breeding human and goblin-kind were appearing everywhere like ... read more!

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Required Readinng – Greyhawk Musings

2019-12-26T15:49:53-05:00December 26th, 2019|

https://davidleonard-greyhawkmusings.blogspot.com/ If you haven't read David Leonard's Greyhawk History-Timeline or joined his Greyhawk Musings blog you are missing out on a fantastic and enjoyable resource. I'm handing out copies to my 2020 players who are all 5e newbies to Greyhawk. I think anyone who enjoys my Greyhawk-centric blog would enjoy David's (link above under the picture) and I hope everyone will check it out.

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History of Oerth, Part 10: Of The Fog of War

2019-12-26T12:22:00-05:00December 26th, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 10: Of The Fog of War Iuz was loose upon the land. But he was not alone. The Horned Society had risen in his absence. Banditry had sprung up as prolific as spring flowers across the breadth of the north. The sun that had once shone across the Great Kingdom had set, and in its twilight, that once celestial nation lay in disarray, riven by schemes and betrayal. Orcs had sundered the Bone March. The high seas of the Solnor Coast were beset with conflict and piracy.And those east of the Rakers found themselves ever more isolated. 574 CY The Fruztii consulted with Ratik concerning what wonders may be hidden within their mountains, eager to see whether the lore of their skalds was to be found in the dusty tomes the southerners worshiped so. So, Ratik consulted the Library in Marner, and those sages and wizards employed there, and within those dusty tomes they exhumed references to lost cities of the Flan, to ancient relics of the dwerfolk, and to sunken cities of the Solnor Sea. And of course, they dug up references to dragons and the hordes they amassed. All these they brought to the attention of the Fruztii, and the Fruztii listened with great interest. And armed with this knowledge, the Fruztii and those of Ratik brave enough to accompany them, they climbed into the Griffs and the Corusks in search of such things. The History of The Ice-Shard Tome While searching for the lair of a white dragon, the barbarians chanced upon an illusion-cloaked dungeon entrance and ventured inside. There they fought evil, cold-dwelling creatures and passed through ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 9: Of A Rumour of War

2022-10-18T16:21:43-04:00December 20th, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 9: Of A Rumour of WarThe Great Kingdom has all but collapsed under the weight of its own wickedness. New powers have taken to the field in the wake of its collapse, each eager to snap up what is unclaimed. But in the absence of law and order, chaos has risen. Evil is sweeping the land.Two names will enter the fray: Iuz and Ivid, and the Flanaess will fall into such tyanny as it had not known since the name Vecna was whispered by those under the weal of his Occluded Empire.505 CY King Avras of Furyondy took note of the doings of Iuz, for what king wouldn’t be concerned about the rise of Evil on his border. The Vesve was already hard pressed by this Iuz, as orcs and hobgoblins bearing Iuz’s mark had penetrated their canopy and were laying waste to all they encountered. Avras mustered his troops and sent them north. But even as they engaged his vile forces, the armies of Iuz had already begun to break apart. For Iuz was not to be found. And it was his tyranny that had held them together.But neither Furyondy nor Vesve was directly involved in the banishment of Iuz, generally dated to 505 CY. [Iuz]St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel has been allowed to strike against Iuz, when his avatar assisted those imprisoning Iuz in 505 CY. That St. Cuthbert would wish to fight Iuz is not unexpected. Of the "martial" [...] Powers, Heironeous has his great struggle with his hated brother Hextor [....] But St. Cuthbert is a doughty, tough fighter, and he hates Iuz's [...] nature. That he ... read more!

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Historical – History of the Flan – The Princess of Death

2019-12-18T16:32:09-05:00December 18th, 2019|

Historical - History of the Flan - The Princess of Death In the ancient days before the Suel and Oeridians came there was among the western Flan a princess. Thalmera was well-loved by her parents and her people, so well loved that when she died suddenly and without warning it was too much for them to bear. Nerull would not hear the pleas of her people or her family, but her father, Nyael, was more than a king. Nyael was king, high priest and semi-divine himself and his daughter was touched with that divinity. As a supreme sacrifice Nyael and Daphane, the queen, ascended to the place of offering at the top of the holy hill Ur-Uisneach and the two slew each other with daggers at the rising of the sun. Their servants bathed their bodies in holy (and highly flammable oils), lay them on a platform of carved wooden beams, sprinkled them with rare and costly spices before setting their bodies on fire at the setting of the sun (they smelled delicious). At the setting of the sun Thalmera arose, thirsty for the blood of the living. And so the first Vampire was brought into the world. It is said among the Flan that Nerull himself chose her for his bride and that Thalmera lived with the Lord of Death during the day but when the sun has set she rose and drank. Her thirst was great but she resisted her need for the blood of the living as best she could. More than anything she desired the true death but although she could be brought down by weapons of power each night Nerull ... read more!

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