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Sat Sep 17, 2011 12:22 pm Exag - Independent city?

I was just glancing across the LGG map of the Flanaess and noticed that Exag, in Perrenland, is denoted by a black triangle. This is the same symbol used to denote the City of Greyhawk, Dyvers, Ountsy and other independent cities in the map legend.

I can find no reference mentioning Exag's status as an independent city in the text of the LGG. The only mention I find, in fact, is within the description of Perrenland wherein it notes that Exag is the northwestern terminus of a trade road.

The Greyhawk Wiki confirms its independent status with a single statement: "Exag is an autonomous city-state within Perrenland." That is absolutely all that it says. Sad

Is this a mistake on the map, or is there other reference that I am not aware of that separates Exag from the rest of Perrenland politically?

SirXaris

Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:14 pm

Yes, it's an independent city. Dungeon #145 has full details on Exag, although it's a little too demystified and mundane for my taste. The Dungeon article is based on an old forum post from Erik Mona that has been archived here: http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=222

IIRC, there was an interesting reference to Exag in one of the old Gord or maybe even Estes novels, but I have no idea where.

EDIT: I just did a forum search and it revealed a history of Exag threads all posted about two years apart. You might want to poke around.

Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:38 pm

Thanks for the Erik Mona article link, Vestcoat. That was helpful, though did not fully satisfy my curiousity.

I have googled many articles seeking some initial mention of Exag as a independent city only to come up short. The LGG and its accompanying map were printed in 2000, but the Mona article you linked above is dated in 2002. Dungeon Magazine #145 is from 2007. Every other reference I can find is later than 2000.

My question then, is whether there is an earlier work than the Living Greyhawk Gazatteer which canonizes Exag's independence from Perrenland. I note that Erik Mona is one of the authors of the LGG, so maybe Exag was listed in that reference as an independent city based upon ideas he had at the time or fan-created articles he'd written earlier. Can this be verified?

SirXaris

Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:06 pm

Gary Holian wrote this c. 1996 and was also one of the LLG authors:

Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:57 pm

Ha! Thanks Vestcoat! Happy

I'd have never thought to look in that article for such an obscure reference to Exag.

SirXaris

Sat Sep 17, 2011 3:15 pm

Rose Estes' novel The Price of Power took place largely in Exag. Estes' version of the city was very different from the Dungeon #145 version, but it was definitely an independent city-state there.

Not that Estes' novels are canon, but the idea of an independent Exag has a lengthy pedigree, and that's where Gary Holian got the idea.

Sat Sep 17, 2011 5:55 pm

Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:53 pm

Ahh! Don't you just love it when the threads of a good mystery come together, Sir Xaris? Shocked

Interesting stuff. Cool

_________________
Mystic's web page: http://melkot.com/mysticscholar/index.html
Mystic's blog page: http://mysticscholar.blogspot.com/

Sun Sep 18, 2011 12:10 am

Speaking of mysteries, check out Erik Mona's Mysteries of Exag.

Sun Sep 18, 2011 9:08 am

Dang nab it! I knew Rasgon was a 20th level Illusionist! Shocked

Always pulling another rabbit out of his hat! Evil Grin

Thanks for sharing, Rip! Cool

_________________
Mystic's web page: http://melkot.com/mysticscholar/index.html
Mystic's blog page: http://mysticscholar.blogspot.com/

Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:20 am

Heh. Vestcoat already linked to that Erik Mona article earlier in this thread, actually. I should have been paying more attention.

The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer did note in the description of the Mounds of Dawn (p. 146) that Exag was often cut off from the rest of Perrenland by monsters.

Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:43 pm

Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:47 pm

Fortunately, I have no shame.

Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:52 pm

Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:08 pm

Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:14 pm

Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:22 pm

Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:59 pm

Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:07 pm

Found this old WotC forum thread about the Demon Lord Pelor (note the stats Rip reposted): http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19558798/Pelor,_the_Burning_Hate?pg=1

Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:12 am

One thing that had never struck me before until I was reading the DNG article on Exag was how the inhabitants remind me a little of the Cynideceans from B4 - The Lost City.