Legends and Lore Archives - Page 3 of 3

NPC – Rhaine Wildwood

2020-01-23T13:22:53-05:00January 23rd, 2020|

NPC - Rhaine Wildwood Rhaine Wildwood is a druid of the Old Faith who wanders the forests and mountains. He is encountered in the most unlikely places and often aids those in distress. While he promotes a balance in nature he has a preference for humankind and animals over humanoids and demi-humans. He hates monstrous creatures, giant and goblinkind. During the giant invasion of Geoff he was a prominant figure at first aiding those fleeing from the giants and then in the fight to drive the giants and their allies and servants back into the mountains. He possesses an enchanted spear called the Blood Tree. The blade is wooden but the enchantment makes it sharper than steel and it negates all non-magical armor treating opponents as if they were unarmored. The haft of the spear is a living limb from a Hornwood tree and once per day it can cause a Hornwood sapling to spring from the ground where it is rested. Such a tree will provide limbs that will make superior arrows, bows and spear hafts and the sapling will grow to maturity within a year. Rhaine also possesses an item called the Wind Horn which can cause a gust of wind or summon a smnall wind elemental to aid him. Originally published on the Hall of the Mountain King blog.

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The Hill Giant Chief – Nosnra’s Saga – 2020 – Part 9

2020-01-23T06:16:55-05:00January 23rd, 2020|

The Hill Giant Chief - Nosnra's Saga - Part 9 "Can you walk?" Gytha asked Jalal. The old man still lay on the floor with his back propped up against a wall. He breathed deeply and seemed asleep till Gytha spoke, but then his eyes opened, lively and bright. "I don't know," he said. "I will try." With a groan he shifted onto his side and got to his knees, Gytha reached out to help, but Ghibelline put his hand on her shoulder and drew her back. Jalal's bones creaked as he stood, and he used his hands braced against the stones so that he could straighten up, but when he faced them it was with his shoulders back and his pride in place. "We must go," said Telenstil. "I have a friend here..." Jalal began. "I am sorry, we have also lost companions, the one who was left here and another, but we cannot stay," Telenstil explained. "There are places we could hide, and the orcs, they are in rebellion, we could enlist their aid," said Jalal. "I am afraid that we have had a confrontation with the orcs. They will not help us," Telenstil told him and shook his head sadly. Jalal sagged a bit at the news, but caught himself and addressed Telenstil once more, "I cannot abandon my friend." "We may be able to return. I had not planned to leave entirely, but this foray, we have stayed much longer than I had thought to," said Telenstil. "Come with us now and we will try to help your friend and rescue our companion." "I will come. You promise to return?" Jalal ... read more!

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NPC – Kekszem Wegwiur Pack-Leader

2020-01-21T11:23:16-05:00January 21st, 2020|

NPC - Kekszem Wegwiur Pack-Leader The Wegwiur, or Wolf Nomad's as they are called, share their lives with their wolf companions so much so that the tribe and the pack are considered to be one. To kill a Wegwiur wolf is declare war upon all the tribes and is a fatal error made at times by foolish southerners come to trade with the nomads or attempting to cross the path of the tribes. The wolf-packs of the Wegwiur or numerous, more so than the humans of the tribes, and each man and woman is companion to a pack rather than just an individual wolf. The pack-leader does hold a special place both with their human companion and the tribe as a whole. Wegwiur wolves are larger and more intelligent than normal wolves. Since there are so many packs even within a small clan of tribesmen there are special ceremonial circumstances for the wolves to fight for pack dominance and leadership over other pack leaders. These fights are rarely to the death. The old or weak among the tribes both human and wolf will take the Ride North and a funeral feast will be given before they leave for the Land of Black Ice and whatever fate has in store for them never to rejoin the living tribe of Wegwiur or likely be seen or heard from again. Kekszem is a young wolf of extraordinary intelligence. He is a large wolf even for the Wegwiur and has faced all challenges to become the Voice of Wolves or pack-leader of pack-leaders at the council of Voices where the tribal leaders meet. His companion is a young warrior, ... read more!

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The Hill Giant Chief – Nosnra’s Saga – 2020 – Part 8

2020-01-19T17:49:27-05:00January 19th, 2020|

The Hill Giant Chief - Nosnra's Saga - Part 8 "Harold! Harold!" Ivo called. "Where is our thief?" he asked the others. "I saw him," said Gytha. "He was attacking that giant from behind. I saw him stab its legs." She pointed to the headless corpse, a vast body lying on its side, the ranger standing nearby leaning on his sword. The giant's head rolled several feet away, wedged beneath a kitchen storage shelf. "Harold," said the ranger, shaking himself, still recovering from the rage that had overcome him. "Where is Harold?" They all began to look about the room. It took only a few moments for Ivo to find the little thief, unconscious, a small crumpled form soaked in the giant's gore. Gytha ran to his side, and the ranger crowded in beside them. "Is he all right?" asked Harald with a worried voice. "All this blood, I don't see a wound but I can't tell if any of it is his own," said Gytha. "He does have a lump on his head." "Ow!' the body spoke. "Good, maybe he has had some sense knocked into him at last," Harald said relieved. "What was this the third or fourth giant you have attacked since we have come to the steading, and that ogre. I thought you were a thief not an assassin." "Shut-up," said Harold, "both of you. Gytha I don't mind seeing two of you but please tell that fat old human to get out of sight. I'm feeling sick enough already." "Seeing double eh," said Ivo. "That is quite some lump you have there." "Gracious Saint, this small one has your brave ... read more!

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Orbane Synod: OJ 31 Supplement

2020-01-02T23:50:05-05:00January 2nd, 2020|

The Orbane Synod An Extra Faction from Oerth Journal #31! by Dan Anderson, from BugbearBrothers Cover art by Shabazik From the Editor: Normally ... well, lately ( i.e. the most recent 4 issues), Greyhawk Online has published "extras" from the Oerth Journal as supplementary downloads. This time, however, we wanted to offer a very special article from the OJ as a page of it's own! Download your FREE copy of Oerth Journal #31 now!Dan Anderson is a new author with GreyhyawkOnline, having come to us through Instagram. Social Media is one of the things we've recently talked a good deal about in the "Letter from the Editor" in the last two issues of the Oerth Journal (Autumn and Winter 2019). Social Media allows us to connect with many more fans than Editors of the OJ ever have been able to before! We're really pleased with this Special Supplement to Oerth Journal #31. It offers a look at a faction (two of them, truth be told) which take a normal trope for wizards, and turn it on its head! Read on, Greyhawkers, and find out all about the Orbane Synod and the Blood Council! In the city of Dyvers, there is an ongoing feud between two competing schools of wizardry, the Orbane Synod, and the Blood Council. The Orbane Synod are known for their oral tradition and their peculiar practice of never recording spells on parchment but instead hiding it away in familiars and homunculi throughout Greyhawk. Before wizards are granted the title of alumni of the school, they are sent on a vision quest to capture their personal familiar and begin shaping the world under ... 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 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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TGL presents: FACTIONS – THE GUILD OF WIZARDRY

2019-07-10T17:29:57-04:00July 10th, 2019|

Welcome adventurer! Before we get into the article I want to be clear that everything I post is truth within the campaigns run by ‘The Grey League‘ but is not canon, per se. I try to stick close to canon but where Gary Gygax left it vague… well, that’s the beauty of Greyhawk isn’t it? The creative freedom. That is why I will start every article title with ‘TGL presents’ so you know it isn’t 100% canon. Hope you enjoy my work and Happy Gaming! Symbol: Three golden triangles, one over the other, the middle one thin and the outer one missing a part in the two upside lines. The outer and inner one symbolizes the two pyramids, the UMA and the Guild itself. Surrounding the triangles is a magical circular swirl and, in the centre, the golden, lightly glowing letters GW – Guild of Wizardry. Those of rank 1 have the same insignia but with the letters UMA, to show they are still learners at the University of magical arts. Overview: Founded as a free haven for all mages in 393 CY by the legendary ‘Mad’ Archmage Zagig Yragerne. While the Guild of Wizardry is interested in its own aggrandizement, it has no political agenda. The wizards are usually too busy with their own affairs to meddle too much in the politics of the city. Membership also does not require exclusive allegiance, and many hold another faction membership. Because of this, many magi across the Flanaess claim an affiliation with this guild. In many places, membership in the guild is a source of prestige, due to the guild’s international fame. Over the last decade ... read more!

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TGL presents: FACTIONS – THIEVES’ GUILD of GREYHAWK

2019-04-24T16:00:50-04:00April 24th, 2019|

Welcome adventurer! Before we get into the article I want to be clear that everything I post is truth within the campaigns run by 'The Grey League' but is not canon, per se. I try to stick close to canon but where Gary Gygax left it vague... well, that's the beauty of Greyhawk isn't it? The creative freedom. That is why I will start every article title with 'TGL presents' so you know it isn't 100% canon. Hope you enjoy my work and Happy Gaming! “Olidammara curse me! I’ve misplaced my coin purse! But…what is this paper doing in my pocket? A coin and key symbol? What is that supposed to mean?!” - an introduction to the thieves’ guild in Thieves’ Cant. Symbol: A coin attached to a key. The coin represents wealth and the key influence. Overview: There is little you can do within the city that won't be spotted by them and reported to their taskmasters. The Guild was once the very epitome of shrewdness and superiority but now it is but a shadow of its former self. More recently, the war precipitated by former Guildmaster Arentol against Theobald and his Beggars' Union both killed off or discouraged many low-level thieves and apprentices, reducing the guild's pool of roguish talent. Make no mistake though, the Guild is still very influential. Anything lost or missing is most often blamed on the Thieves' Guild and they are used by mothers as the boogie man: “If you keep this up, the thieves will come in the night and steal you away”. After the great War, the Guild enlarged their own territory to include the whole Domain ... read more!

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A Visit with Tenser

2019-03-31T21:16:56-04:00March 31st, 2019|

Just earlier this month, at the end of GaryCon XI, we got a chance to sit down and visit with Ernest "Ernie" Gary Gygax, jr, Gary Gygax's eldest son. He had invited us to come to his home, to photograph some of the interesting and amazing art he had … the most prominent of which was the artwork given to him, depicting Ernie as his character "Tenser"!! Come take a look and see A Portrait of Tenser!

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The Laughing Turtle -Ecology of a Rhenee “tavern”

2025-12-03T22:56:53-05:00January 23rd, 2019|

Made up of Rhennee barges that come and go seasonally, The Laughing Turtle is one of the more unique "taverns" in all of the Flanaess. Just as the fare changes along with the barges that make it up, one never knows what perfidy can be found when coins change hands at The Laughing Turtle. The Laughing Turtle Ahh!! So, gadjo! I see you've come to see your good and faithful friend Meritaelen, seeking information, eh?! As I always have, I shall answer your questions and share tales told by my people, the Rhennée. The Lake is our life. The waters give us all that we could ask of life. We are born, live, and die on our barges, and the umbilical cords of our children plunge into the Lake of Unknown Depths. They are not simply “the water” as so many gadje call them. The Waters give us life, they tell us of the future, and they guide us out of the past into the rest of our lives. Our people do not believe that we ever truly leave each other; we say our partings like anyone else, but there is no word for “goodbye” in our language. Many know that we congregate in communities with those of our own homeland; each one a brother, sister or cousin. We find each other whenever we can and always offer each other company and companionship… and the result is most often celebration. Among the places we most often find each other is the MidBay region of the Nyr Dyv. We gather here in small, out of the way coves and bays that dot the coastline of ... read more!

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