History of the Flanaess

Historical – The Origins of the Horned Society

2019-12-12T22:49:35-05:00December 12th, 2019|

Historical - The Origins of the Horned Society Toszar Khan is the name the Rovers of the Barrens give to a Shaman-Chieftain from their distant past. The people of the more civilized southlands know little of him. He united the tribes of the Rovers into a single warband that dominated the central-northern lands of the Flanaess. That the Rovers discovered a vast city of stone is undisputed. The broken towers and weed-choked streets were half-sunken in the marshy riverland on the banks of the Veng and it is here that the tale of the man Toszar Khan ends and the history of the Horned Society begins. Within that broken city Toszar Khan found a temple and a passage that lead to a weak point between this world and the Nine Hells. What entered that temple was a man, but that which came forth was no longer Toszar Khan. The horned helm that marked him as chief was now fused to his body and seemingly empty, though the darkness that could be seen through the eye-slits was filled with an evil malevolence. During the rule of the shaman-king the chieftains of the Rovers were dragged from their tents and adorned with the horned helms of Toszar Khan. These were his warleaders, his strongest guardians and the greatest shame of the Rovers who abandoned Toszar Khan and his city which became Molag the heart of the Horned Society. The fate of Toszar Khan is unknown. He descened into the temple at the heart of Molag and was never seen again, but three of these horn-helmed chieftains have survived the centuries and the disappearnce of the shaman-king. They ... read more!

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Historical – History of the Flan – Ehlissa The Nightingale – Part 1

2019-12-12T15:06:36-05:00December 12th, 2019|

Historical - History of the Flan - Ehlissa The Nightingale - Part 1 In ancient days within the Flanaess before the coming of the Suel and the Oeridians there was a great chieftain among the Flan in the east. He was called the Oak Lord though people of today might have called him the Over-King as he ruled over many tribes and chieftains. In those days kingdoms were not as we see them now with great stone castles in great stone cities with knights in armor and wizards in towers. The Oak-Lord's hall was wood and carved into every board, beam and branch were charms and tales of the Flan and a history of Oak-Lords and Ash-Queens past, now sadly lost to the fires of the heartless Suel and merciless Oeridians. The Oak-Lord's eldest child, destined to become Ash-Queen, was named Ehlissa and her grace, intelligence and beauty were renowned throughout the Flanaess. Her voice, though, could charm any who heard it and she was called the 'Nightingale'. Sulorak the Oak-Lord was a weak ruler. He neglected his warriors, ignored the warnings of his advisors and foolishly turned his back on his many rivals. In the west, in the lands that are now the Gran March, Geoff, the Stark Mounds, a great warchief had taken the Crown of Leaves and began to carve away at the Oak-Lords power. Meanwhile, in the north, the mysterious land of Blackmoor paid homage to the Oak-Lord and sent forth each year a powerful enchanter bearing offerings to the Flan and their greatest ruler. To the Hall of the Oak-Lord came Kempelen, wizard-inventor, gifted, powerful, cursed. Kempelen heard the voice ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 8: Of The Dissolution of the Great Kingdom

2019-12-12T12:28:00-05:00December 12th, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 8: Of The Dissolution of the Great Kingdom The Great Kingdom had waxed and waned, and it its waning, the western principalities declared their sovereignty, for in truth, they were already self-determining and self-governing. Others closer to its heart were soon to follow, for in its Turmoil Between Crowns the Great Kingdom’s reach was surely foreshortened. And the Houses of the Celestial Circle, knowing this to be true, were plotting and maneuvering, but then again, when were they not?Why had the Great Kingdom fallen so? Had depravity outweighed morality? Had personal gain outstripped duty? Had Evil bettered Good? Its Houses schemed against one another, dread Death Knights had risen, and with them, the much-celebrated Knights Protector had fallen. Raids and piracy plagued her seas. And lesser races, when not actually serving the Malachite Throne, were snapping at the hand that had once kept them at bay, for they could smell its death on the wind.To make matters worse, a madman was set to soon sit upon the Malachite Throne. The Houses used what tools were available to them in their intrigue. Rumours. Misdirection. Subterfuge. But there were other, more direct, means at their disposal, and they were not above or loathe to use them: the dirk and a dram of poison. Such crass deeds would always be hired out, of course. And only if they couldn’t be traced back to them. c. 300 CY The History of the Book of Darazell This spellbook has a dark and evil history—a legacy that mirrors the land from where it came, the blighted Kingdom of Aerdy. Its spells were first put to paper sometime ... read more!

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History of the Flan – Darkness be The Burier of the Dead

2019-12-07T16:22:19-05:00December 7th, 2019|

Darkness be The Burier of the Dead"Must we start our fightGroaning over corpses?Come what mayLet us enter the fordTo meet death before the hostsWith bloody spear-bladeOr the savage swordIf our time has come."Cuchulainn - from "The Tain"With the migration of the Oeridian people chaos spread among the Geoff lands and among all the Flan people as the struggle for who would inhabit the Flanaess raged on. Srubdaire the ruler of Geoff and the surrounding lands was dead. Four tribal leaders contested to sit beneath the blessed tree where the ruler would be enthroned and crowned with leaves of oak. Scathach and Uathach and Aif and the man called Son of Daman.Many times in the past had the division between Flan and Flan brought misery to the people and enemies down upon the Flanaess as they fought between each other. But the Old Faith had united clan to clan, tribe to tribe and the law of oak and stone prevailed over the foolishness of chiefs and leaders.The fight for the Crown of Leaves, as the title of Over-King was called among the Flan, was formalized and the combatants met with only a small company of bodyguards and followers to engage in combat at sacred fords where the waters washed away the blood spilled by Flan fighting Flan. Pugnacious and always ready for a fight every village headman and chieftain of a minor tribe set forth to do battle much to the dismay of the druids and wise men among the clans.It was on Bealltainn night that the witch-fire was firsts seen. The Druids had set the holy fire at Ur-Uisneach, the blessed hills, now called the ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 7: Of The Rise and Fall of The Great Kingdom

2019-12-06T10:18:00-05:00December 6th, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 7: Of The Rise and Fall of The Great Kingdom The Aerdy have migrated across the Flanaess and have gazed upon the Solnor Sea, scattering those Flan and Suel who would not submit to their dominion to the far reaches of the land. The Ur-Flan resisted the Oeridian tide, but they too fell, no match for the Aerdian ferocity. Their settlements grew with their waxing, and upon those foundations, their great cities rose: Rauxes, Rel Astra, Rel Deven, Rel Mord. Thus began the Pax Millennius, the peace that would last a thousand years. And thus began the Great Kingdom, for that is what they eventually named that vast land of theirs that stretched from the Solnor Sea in the east to the Yatels and Crystalmists in the west, and from the Barrens to the north and the Azure Sea to the south. From the heavens to sea to sea, as they said. I leave it to you to decide if it was truly great or not, for sometimes the best of intentions can be led astray, and the Great Kingdom was eventually led very far astray, indeed. 1 CY With his Declaration of Universal Peace, the first Overking was crowned in Rauxes. 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. [Ivid] But for all his well-meaning words, all power was to be his, and all Houses were to bend the knee to his magnificence. However, it quickly became clear to all the noble houses ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 6: Of The Great Migrations

2019-11-29T13:33:00-05:00November 29th, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 6: Of The Great Migrations The Peoples of the West had rejoined our Narrative. When we first left them, they become a people under singular Empire, had mastered great magics and used them to subjugate those around them. The Flan had fled, but the Suloise had not followed them, content with gathering up all the lands of the West; so they told themselves, neglecting to mention their fear of the dark elves in the mountains to the east. Their doings had been just as turbulent as those of the Ur-Flan. Their Great Houses were ever fighting over the Throne. And while they were occupied thus, the Bakluni freed themselves. Then the Oeridians. Needless to say, the Suel were not pleased; so, it was not long before they and the Bakluni came to blows. What began as small raids and minor skirmished escalated into widespread hostilities. War had swept the West. And, if that were not enough, Tharizdun had slipped back into Oerth through ever widening cracks. The Peoples of the West were on the move. And the Flanaess would never be the same. -457 CY Freed from their oppressors, Queen Johydee led her people, the Oeridian tribes, east from Ull, fighting north and eastward through the vast savage humanoid hordes employed as mercenaries by the Suel and Bakluni, taking with them those secrets of the Suel they knew or could steal, and what debris the Suel had left scattered about the fields in those days of conquest, for they knew not what may be useful in days to come. Some Suel fled their increasingly erratic empire, as well, and moved northward ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 5: Of The Peoples of the West

2019-11-22T17:22:00-05:00November 22nd, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 5: Of The Peoples of the West Let’s look way back shall we? The Suloise were a cruel and haughty people who aspired to the power they saw in the Grey Elves. They coveted that power, but as chance would have it, the Elves saw the wisdom of their having released their Magic into the world as folly, and closed their schools. The Suel were enraged. Their relations with the Elves suffered and in time, when the Grey Elves went to war against their dark brethren, they sided with the Drow and Giantkind against their former tutors. The Drow were victorious, but both they and their allies saw their forces all but wiped out. The Suloise did not venture East after that. The Drow were not as the Grey Elves were, and despite their having fought side by side with the Drow, they knew those dark elves were not their friends. So they looked to the North and West for conquest. They had learned much while at the knee of the Grey Elves. And they had learned far more since. They sought to know all and sent out missions in all directions to gather up what knowledge they could, some even as far north as the Barrier Peaks to spy upon their past allies, for they knew one must be prepared against the duplicity of the perfidious. They unearthed spells of great power, and they grew adept at artifice. Their foes were no match for them. Machine of Lum the Mad:Perhaps this strange device was built by gods long forgotten and survived the eons since their passing, for it is incredibly ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 3

2019-11-22T15:10:48-05:00November 22nd, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 3: Of Vecna And now, back to the history of the Ur-Flan. You can’t talk about the Ur-Flan without delving deeply into Vecna. -1746 to -1711 CY Vecna is said to have been born as a member of the Untouchable caste in the Flan city of Fleeth, in the Sheldomar Valley. He was initially trained by his mother, Mazell, in the arts of witchcraft before she was executed by the government of Fleeth for the crime of practicing unsanctioned magic, forbidden to the Untouchables. Vecna was devastated. He was enraged. He had nothing but the love of his mother and they had taken that away from him for harmless tinkering. Vowing revenge, Vecna eventually assumed a mastery of the dark arts achieved by no mortal before or since. Some say this achievement was due to direct tutelage by Mok'slyk the Serpent (I’m going on a limb and suggest that Mok’slyk might have been a Yuan-ti priest-magi), believed to be the personification of arcane magic itself. But I’m getting ahead of myself. He ran away. Or tried to. Young and inexperienced, he was easily apprehended. He was deemed harmless, but the government of Fleeth understood that young rage can become future vendetta, so they sold him to a caravan of settlers setting out for the North who needed hostages for the Glitter King. And he was used for just that. And Vecna was accepted as such, even though the Ur-Flan supposed deception of sending Untouchables in the place of their own was well known by the Grey Elven King Galitholian Glitterhelm. But Galithonian took no steps to let that be known; he ... read more!

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History of the Oerth, Part 2

2019-11-18T21:31:20-05:00November 18th, 2019|

Here we present the second part of an ongoing series from new Greyhawk Online contributor, David Leonard, of Greyhawk Musings. David takes a look at more ancient goings-on and the beginnings of the infamous Ur-Flan necromancers and dark wizards.Not only does he discuss the timeline of events, but, he also discusses individual realms and regions where we know things about the Ur-Flan. Read on, dear Greyhawkers, and learn more and more about the ancient history of Oerth! History of Oerth, Part 2: Of The Ur-Flan Kingdoms Where did we leave off? The Se-Ul had allied with the Drow against the Grey Elves. The Grey elves had quit the Hellfurnaces after a costly defeat in their war with the Drow and giantkind. The Drow may have been victorious, but their victory over the Grey Elves had all but wiped them out. They retreated into the depths of Oerth to recover, leaving the Crystalmists and Hellfurnaces to giantkind. The Suloise slinked back within their borders, their army all but destroyed. This is where the Flan join the narrative: -2269 CY The Flan originally dwelt where all humankind did in times of yore, in the western shadow of the Southern Crystalmists. They traded with the Suloise and prospered by that trade. But as the Suel grew cruel and powerful, so too did they subjugate the peoples around them, and soon the Flan found themselves in thrall within a vast Suloise Empire. The Secrets of Magic were forbidden to them. Their faith was surpassed, and then banned outright. The Suloise were the Flan’s first glimpse of power. They chaffed to be free of it. But they learned from it, ... read more!

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History of Oerth, Part 4: Of The Dark Age Of The Flan

2019-11-17T16:33:00-05:00November 17th, 2019|

History of Oerth, Part 4: Of The Dark Age Of The Flan Flan Warrior; by Lady Lolth The Ur-Flan were not idle as Vecna rose to power. They were a greedy and covetous lot, never satisfied to live under the rule of another, so they each sought to carve out their own realms while Vecna threw his forces against the shield of the Elven Kingdoms. They were not all so. Some sought refuge from the tyranny of their peers. Thus, Tostenhca was born. Those who sought the Wisdom of Pelor fled from their evil brethren into the high and frigid Griff Mountains, where, to their delight, they discovered a green plateau that was of temperate climate in those days. They came upon the Dwarves, who, wary at first for they knew of the Ur-Flan and their war with the Elves, were convinced of the honour and goodness of these people. And it was with the help of the Dwarves that they carved their city from the greenish-black rock of the mountain, and it was a wonder to behold. Ramps, broad avenues, and good roads of such quality were cut through the mountains that they’ve withstood the ravages of time and are still used today by the local dwarves. Their broad avenues were lined with tall statues, backed by the facades and courtyards of the noble estates that were hued into the rock is such a way as to be sky lit by tapestries of coloured glass. Murals adorned their walls. And gardens bloomed and spilled out over the dappled streets in a floral canopy. Enormous cisterns caught the rains and fed their statues and fountains ... read more!

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History of the Oerth: Part 1

2019-11-15T10:03:47-05:00November 15th, 2019|

Greetings, dear reader! Greyhawk Online is once again proud to bring you a new article series!! This month, we have a new author joining us on GHO. David Leonard has a blog called "Greyhawk Musings". David is a Canadian author who started playing D&D back in 1982. For him, this whole project started when he wanted to start researching a project, and it led to more and more information! He offers a particular PoV that is new and refreshing, without a lot of the baggage that often comes with a setting that's out of print. It's a fresh look at what makes Greyhawk so great. So, this is the beginning of an ongoing series by David, each part looking at the History of Greyhawk from a particular point of interest like the Elves, Suel, Flan, or a particular subject like Vecna! So, read on, dear Greyhawker, and enjoy a look at Greyhawk from fresh eyes and look forward to what comes next! (Once the next article in the series is posted, it will be linked at the bottom!) History of Oerth, Part 1: Of The Grey Elves and The Suloise Empire I thought I would be able to research the history of Ratik and its neighbours sequentially, beginning with the Greyhawk Folio, continuing on with the Gold Box, then to the Greyhawk Adventures hardcover, etc. That was incredibly naïve of me. The history of the Flanaess was not laid down in that manner; it evolved in leaps and bounds over decades, and not sequentially, either. Its lore grew in fractals, haphazardly through modules at first, then rather meticulously in sourcebooks. Let’s not forget the reams ... read more!

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Speculation On The Prehistory of Ratik and Its Environs

2019-11-08T10:57:17-05:00November 8th, 2019|

Greyhawk Online would like to take a moment to welcome contributor and author of "GreyhawkMusings" blog, David Leonard, to the site! David has shared his musings with us, and we are tremendously pleased to see what he's got to say!David is new to the "blogging scene", and has started his writing off with a bang, to be sure! He's got some interesting thoughts on various places from some of the classic sites in the North!Read on, loyal Greyhawkers, and you'll find a few things you hadn't considered before about classic GH!- GHO Editor I suppose there’s much speculation about events prior to the chronicled timeline. It’s a mystery to me, as yet. What do I know at present? Demi-humans ruled the Flanaess prior to the Flan entering the field. I’ve read passages about Elven and Dwarven civilizations, but little to nothing about what Gnomes or Halflings were up to before the Great Migrations. I expect more reading may expose clues to those centuries and eons past. But I’ve already come across a few cryptic hints in the Greyhawk Adventures [GA] hardcover (if you don’t have a copy, I highly recommend that you pick one up from DMs Guild): Regarding The Pinnacles of Azor’alq: The difficulty of the terrain, and the mists, numerous waterfalls, and thick vegetation at first conceal the fact that the Pinnacles are not natural formations, or even shaped ones, but are composed of titanic blocks. On rare occasions one encounters openings leading to the interior of these constructions. There is no report of what may be found if one ascends or descends the broad stairways leading away from these bat-haunted cave mouths, ... read more!

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OSR Guide for the Now-Less-Perplexed (or So We Hope…)

2022-12-26T15:58:02-05:00October 14th, 2018|

OSR Guide for the Now-Less-Perplexed (or So We Hope...) OSR logo by Stuart RobertsonI tweaked Zak's original questions a bit (see below if you want to reuse my wording):One article or blog entry that exemplifies the best of the Old School Renaissance for me: This one's a toss-up for me, since I love both 1) timrod's excellent and inter-related series of blog posts on the maps and environs for B2 Keep on the Borderlands, T1 Village of Hommlet, and the Sample Dungeon from the AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide, as well as 2) Zach "Zenopus Archives" Howard's page-by-page analysis of John Eric Holmes' original manuscript for the Holmes Basic set - Both of these exemplify close reading of texts in conjunction with creative approaches to leveraging that information in game play at the table!My favorite piece of OSR wisdom/advice: "Megadungeon Tactics: Mission-Based Adventuring" by Matt Finch, published in Knockspell #4 (Spring 2010) - This is an excellent resource for old-school dungeon-exploring players in general, and helps players to effectively deploy in play the concepts outlined in Matt's Old School Primer. Best OSR module/supplement: Scot "Kellri" Hoover's Classic Dungeon Designer's Netbook #4 - Old School Encounters Reference.pdf - Perhaps the best free OSR resource ever published!: an essential guide to adventure/encounter design, and while written with 1e AD&D/OSRIC in mind, it's very useful for anyone running any fantasy campaign, regardless of RPG and/or D&D edition.My favorite house rule (by someone else): I have no recollection who came up with this concept anymore (and if you remember, please let me know!), but I love the idea that when PCs sell gems, jewelry, magic items, and other loot, that their ... read more!

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grodog’s start in gaming – 1977: Cedar Avenue, Star Wars, and Holmes Basic

2022-12-26T15:58:17-05:00May 21st, 2018|

As with many who began to play D&D in the late 1970s, I started playing in 1977 (the summer of 1977, in my case), and began to play with what is now-known as the Holmes Basic Set. A the time, it was, of course, just The Basic Set, since it was the first one published by TSR:1977 Holmes Basic set, first printing (image from The Acaeum)What follows is text I wrote for the first few drafts of my introduction to Tales of Peril: The Complete Boinger and Zereth Stories of John Eric Holmes. I eventually rejected that draft and rewrote it because in the writing I focused too much on me (Allan) and not enough on JEH (Holmes), who is after-all the real author of Tales of Peril, and he and his works are why the book was being published in the first place.I still kept the text, though, because I liked parts of it, and it does tell the story of how I not only got into D&D, but part of why I continue to love Holmes' work so much. The summer of 1977 was a very good year in my life, for three wonderful reasons: 1) my youngest brother Brian was born in March, so in August we moved into a very cool Dutch Colonial home across town from our old house on Euclid Avenue---the new house featured a dumbwaiter in the kitchen, hidden compartments in benches, trapdoors in ceilings, an Alice-In-Wonderland-sized door in my bedroom, and a secret door between the dining room and the garage; 2) “Star Wars” was released and received with instant acclaim in our family; 3) and, sometime ... read more!

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Coliseum of Grrth’mar

2023-11-10T09:36:48-05:00October 13th, 2009|

Ancient colliseums hold the secrets of their Masters and of those who fought and trained there. There is one in particular which holds the secret of crossing time and place. Within those ruined walls trained a warrior who was forced to make a choice; choosing between his tribe fade into obscurity and die, or giving up his way of life and foregoing his memories and becoming one of the greatest mercenary leaders from the time of Caerdiralor, a Captain of the Nameless Legion. The Nameless Legion Lost to the annals of time are the records and histories of many mercenary companies that have fought alongside regular military units in every major confrontation throughout the history of war. There is one which only the most wizened sages and scholars know of. They are known among informed sages as "The Nameless Legion". [Mike Mearls, Mercenaries for Hire, p 23, Dragon Magazine #304, Feb 2003] A group of mercenaries from all the known planes of existence, the Legion is a conglomeration of monsters, humanoids, and bizarre creatures serving under the command of a mysterious group of arcanists known as the Paymasters. Their history has been rarely found in the Flanaess, but millennia ago, the Legion was active there, and they thrived in the wars that tore apart the Kingdom of Caerdiralor over 2,500 years ago. Grrth'mar One of the greatest military strategists of the Nameless Legion was known as Grrth’mar. He was a wemic of great strength and size. He grew as a young cub, in the tall grassy expanses of the Kabrevo Plains in the southern extremes of Hepmonaland. In this rough and unforgiving place, he came ... read more!

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