In my endless quest to make Greyhawk accessible to new Fifth Edition players thought I’d try my hand at a gazetteer style entry.  I think my ideal introductory 5e Greyhawk product would be a new guide of similar style and length 1983 Box Set that would give about the same level of detail, but tailor the information more towards what new players would find most useful in a contemporary game.  Heavier on adventure hooks and clear, usable concepts for playing in the setting and lighter on say, army composition, or stat blocks for gods.  So, I wrote this entry on Furyondy in 576.  Anything you think it needs added or could do without?

Furyondy

Greed and cruelty rise across the Flanaess, yet in the kingdom of Furyondy, the forces of good stand strong. Brave knights defend honest folk for a worthy king. Their vigilance is vital. From just across the northern border, fiendish forces attack. Adventurers seeking a righteous battle against true darkness will find it here.

Furyondy is a feudal kingdom of 350,000 led by a just and fearless Paladin. King Belvor IV rules from Chendl, a riverside city of 15,000. Powerful families sworn to his service govern their ancestral lands in his name. A small merchant class conducts trade from Chendl, Littleberg, and the freshwater port of Willip, but most of King Belvor’s subjects are peasants. They farm, fish, raise sheep, or mine gold on the land of nobles who tax them in exchange for protection. Fertile plains and bountiful lakes mean plenty of food for export. The kingdom’s excess wool and linen clothe the people of many nations.

Travel in Furyondy is relatively safe. The kingdom is well-protected. The king himself commands 2500 soldiers. The nobles’ private armies and the peasant militias they are empowered to conscript in wartime bring that number to 20,000. As this force is slow to muster, 200 Knights of the Hart and their armed retainers stand ready to strike while the main host is assembled. A sizable navy guards Whyestil Lake and the Nyr Dyv against pirates and the fleets of rival nations.

While the wicked and the selfish can be found among Belvor’s subjects, most are kind or at least lawful. They are loyal to king and country and follow the compassionate creeds of Heironeous, St, Cuthbert, Rao, Trithereon, and Rudd. They call on Zilchus for prosperity and Beory for the harvest and shun evil gods as a matter of principle. Recent events have put their faith to the test. Belvor’s plans for his people’s future are in ruins.

Centuries ago, this land was part of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, a dominion of the continent-spanning Great Kingdom of Aerdy. When Aerdy’s power began to wane, Ferrond was the first of its provinces to declare independence. The newly sovereign nation was twice its current size. It lost territory over the years until it occupied its current borders.

Several years ago, at the battle of Emridy Meadows, Furyondy and the Archclericy of Veluna routed the Horde of Elemental Evil. Impressed with their combined might, their rulers made plans to unite. Belvor’s son Prince Thrommel would marry Jolene of Veluna and two nations would become one. It was not to be. The young heirs were abducted by unknown assailants. They have not been seen since. The great alliance is on hold. Unease spreads through the populace. Some nobles think it is time to write off Thrommel as lost and select a new heir. Respect for the king keeps such speculation quiet, but it will grow louder the longer the Prince and his bride remain missing.

Creating Characters in Furyondy

Furyondy is ninety-five percent human. Most are a blend of three ethnicities. The native bronze-skinned Flan intermarried with the olive-skinned Oeridians who claimed Ferrond for the Great Kingdom and pale Suloise visitors. A small number are fully Oeridian in descent they receive no special status. As in most of the Flanaess, racial bigotry between humans is unknown.

The vast Vesve forest is home to a few thousand elves, gnomes, and halflings. Some of them live among humanity for a time. The gold mines draw a few hundred dwarves a year. The few half-orcs who live here are war orphans raised by humans. They endure suspicion from their neighbors whenever orcs raid the kingdom. Other races will be met with fear by all but the most enlightened.

The kingdom has few arcane spell casters. Consequently, their services are in great demand, though warlocks who serve fiendish patrons would be wise to keep that hidden. Barbarians are rare in pastoral Furyondy but across the Vesve Forest, the Wolf Nomads roam. A handful will travel south each season seeking the riches of civilization. Monks appear only in tales told of distant lands, though one or two may live solitary lives in the countryside.

Adventuring in Furyondy

Furyondy has need of brave souls. Bandits attack merchant wagons on the king’s roads. Pirates plunder the shipping lanes. The strong and the clever can find work protecting internal trade, but the kingdom’s greatest threats lie across the northern border.

To the northeast lies the domain of The Horned Society. This bleak realm is ruled by The Heirarchs, a secretive cabal of warlords, clerics of dark gods, and warlocks who serve Arch-Devils. Disturbed by Furyondy’s destruction of the Temple of Elemental Evil, the Heirarchs fear they are Belvor’s next target. Their scouting parties test the king’s fortifications, while their spies disrupt his government from within.

North of the Vesve forest is the land of the cambion demigod Iuz. He rules a wintry wasteland of chaos and evil. Emerging from the woods, his human followers, demonic servants, and humanoid soldiers pillage the pastures and farms of northwest Furyondy. Worse, some among Belvor’s subjects’ worship Iuz in secret. Their networks plot to deliver the kingdom to their Abyssal master.

The struggle against these enemies can provide plenty of action. Adventurers can fight off armed incursions, root out agents and traitors, or take the fight into enemy territory.

Hostile nations aren’t the only threat to Furyondy’s stability. The Prince and his bride are still missing. The most likely suspects are the surviving cultists of Elemental Evil. Adventurers may get involved in the search. A noble house might sponsor their rescue efforts to gain favor with Belvor. However, not all who wield power in Furyondy have the king’s interests at heart. Another noble house might not want the couple to be found at all, preferring a different heir to the throne. Some nobles may even be in thrall to Elemental Evil themselves. This kind of campaign is perfect for adventurers who prefer the morally grey world of political intrigue to a straightforward clash of good and evil. Charismatic or strategic souls might find opportunity in Belvor’s diplomatic efforts to revive the alliance with Veluna. Established interests in both countries may oppose them, fearing loss of influence in the new nation.

Characters who prefer exploration can search ruins from the era of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond. Magical wonders were common then. Some remain buried in centuries-old towers and crumbling keeps. They are defended by ancient horrors and mindless beasts and sought after by ruthless parties who will kill to obtain them. Any and all factions listed above might sponsor a hunt for such items. Even in virtuous Furyondy, everyone appreciates power.