I'm preparing to start a new campaign set in the Kingdom of Sunndi and I'm trying to get a better understanding of the political situation there. I don't recall the date, but at some point Sunndi turned against the Great Kingdom and joined the Iron League, but it remained a county for quite a while and only recently declared itself a kingdom. My question is does this have any meaning other than a symbolic one? It's not like they were receiving protection from the Great Kingdom while they were still a county. The complex political landscape of the Flanaess is one of the things I enjoy the most about Greyhawk, but when it comes to things like this, kingdoms & vassal states, etc. some of the fine details escape me.
Sunndi declaring itself a kingdom is entirely symbolic. In the ranks of peerage, the difference between a king and a duke is vast. While canon states nothing to the effect, I would like to think that it requires divine providence for someone to be declared a king - thus the huge significance of Sunndi becoming a kingdom.
Sunndi was originally settled by those Suloise from amongst the refugees making their way to Tilvanot Peninsula who decided not to follow their leader, Prince Zellif Ad-Zol into the Vast Swamp. They allied with the native GRey Elves of the land. That alliance was conquered by the Oeridians later and brought into the Great Kingdom where it eventually became a County under the overlordship of the Herzog of the South Province. Overtaxation and violence against of the fief's nonhuman inhabitants (Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings) resulted in the County joining the general uprising against the Herzog and breaking with the Great Kingdom in 455. The rebellion placed Grey Elven nobles in positions of leadership in the independent County. In the LGG it calls the elevation from county to kingdom in 589 "... a political act of no small importance." After that act the Aerdi descended noble houses that had remained in Sunndi following its break from the Great Kingdom over a century before were ordered to rename themselves. The Kingdom of Sunndi was reorganized into a collection of "many small counties", each ruled by a count from among the many noble human and nonhuman houses. They meet together as the Congress of Lords, though it doesn't say how often.
So the change did seem to bring about some changes in the political structure, possibly bringing closer together and cementing what up to that time had been more a looser affiliation of nobles under the former Count. The relationships between populations of humans and nonhumans in one political entity in the Flanaess is something I find really interesting. For me it's hard to see Elves and Dwarves submitting to human rule, but for some reason not so hard for humans to have a nonhuman overlord. Although I imagine in Sunndi at least this harkens back to the relationship that the early Suel settlers had with the Grey Elves which seems to be portrayed more as an alliance than a feudal structure, though not all alliances are equal. I also don't see Dwarves submitting well to an Elven ruler so I imagine the Dwarven counts might be given a little more leeway by King Hazen than the other counts might be given. But that's just my speculation.
Despite Pitchfield's location most of the population is probably in the Pawluck River valley so that area might have the highest number of counties. Halflings, Gnomes and Dwarves in the Hollow Highlands; hillmen, Gnomes and Dwarves in the Hestmarks, though some of the last group probably owe fealty to the Dwarven king of the Glorioles (mentioned below). Grey Elves and some woodsmen in the Rieuwood. My guess is mainly humans in the central plains and the Pawluck Valley.
There is also an independent Dwarven kingdom in the Glorioles that is allied with the Sunndi. The LGG says they don't care for the Elves but view Ahlissa as a bigger threat.
The following is just a shot on my part at political divisions within the Kingdom. I'd split the Rieuwood into about 3-4 militarized counties ruled by Grey Elf lords. In the Hollow Highlands two militarized Dwarven counties bordering southern Idee. A Halfling county in the northeastern Hollow Highlands. A Gnome county in the southeastern bordering the Menowood. About 5-6 human counties along most of the length of the Pawluck Valley; mixed Oeridian and Suloise. A western marchland (County of Westmark) south of these, along the border with the Vast Swamp. Another marchland (County of Eastmark) to the east of it, bordering the swamp. A County of Middlemark between them wouldn't hurt. The marches should be highly militarized. 4-5 large counties in the upper plains northeast of the valley up to the Hestmarks. The King's Lands around Pitchfield. Another gnomish county in the hills northeast of Pitchfield. Leave some of the hills to the south of the Glorioles as vassals of the Dwarf King. Split the rest of the Hestmarks up between about 8-15 small counties ruled by a mix of Gnome and human highland lords (These guys are probably touchy and feud alot. You know how them hill people are ). I could probably whip up a crude map pretty quickly for you if you'd like.
As far as population centers in Canon go, besides Pitchfield I could only find mention of the village of Molnar, just a few miles west of the capital, in Return to the Tomb of Horrors. So you're own your own as far as making up villages and towns.
Or you could just use all the material at the LG Kingdom of Sunndi site. They have a nice map of the political divisions and a rundown on the counties. Not how I would have done it, but I haven't done all the work either. There are some additional maps made by the maker of the LG maps at this site http://www.gryphonhill.com/greyhawk/sunndi/ showing details on one county though the kingdom maps don't have as many of the towns shown as on the LG map.
The political map here pretty much does just that, and with a much better execution that I would be able to give it in the short term. It also goes with the official number of counties, which is given in the LGG as 18. On this page is given a breakdown of the racial composition of the counties and their rulers, capitals, etc... The only further thing I would note is that the LGG says these are subdivided into viscounties and baronies. The only change I would make would be to put a significant Gnome population in the wooded and hilly areas of Deltrees and Stalward counties as a buffer between the Elves and other sylvan inhabitants of the Menowood and the human population. In Ralsond, Brennathar and Hestmarken I'd have populations of clannish hillmen who are grudgingly ruled by lowland lords. In the latter I'd have a population of Dwarves in Rocktop. There are probably considerable cultural differences between the hillmen and their lowland countrymen. The former I would guess are primarily of Suloise extraction and the latter, while still with significant Suloise blood are culturally Aerdi Oeridian, though as noted the most culturally Aerdi families have adopted "Sunndi" names since the official secession in 589. Esparathen and Lemrathen are notably Elven-dominated. The Hollow Highlands and the town of Newkeep have high Dwarven populations and Gnomes also, especially in the former. As I suggested for the southern marches, Stalward and Corul counties, make them highly militarized.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Canonfire! is a production of the Thursday Group in assocation with GREYtalk and Canonfire! Enterprises
). I could probably whip up a crude map pretty quickly for you if you'd like.