Search found 132 matches

I think looking at the drow to help flesh out the elves is a great idea.

I recall in 3rd. ed., Dragon Magazine 315 had regional feats for Greyhawk, and one for Celene was "Companion Guard Style" ...

I've always kept the drow population low and rare. Not even coming up to raid the surface that often. The initial appearance was as a clue to an even greater plot at the end of giant series. To mai ...

Early, but not suspicious, deaths as well as peg legs, eye patches, and hooks for hands are indeed problematic in environments with healing magic.

In 3.rd ed., hiring a regenerate spell was so inex ...

Tharizdun. (Yeah, I know, "Why does it always have to be Tharizdun?")

Once upon a time I asked if there where overarching narratives for the whole Greyhawk setting. I posited that one such narra ...

As I have gone about rebooting T1-4 the biggest question for me has been: “What measurable advantage do the bad guys get from spending all these resources making the TEE, Orb of Golden Death, and the ...

Thanks for the replies, how about some homebrew?

Dirawaen Softgait
These palfreys were bred to take advantage of the arcane roads for which they are named. Softgait refers to the peculiar gait of ...

What are the noteworthy breeds of domesticated animals in the Flanaess that have been mentioned in published sources?

I am trying to flesh out mundane animals for a little more flavor to my campaig ...

In summary, I guess my technique in dealing with anomalies is to rename the object or thing if I can. That way I can fudge, and have the thing not perform just like its real-world counterpart – if I ...

Thanks to all involved.

In the better late than never department:

Thank you, that map is great!

Do we have any canonical description of what happens to the souls/spirits of those sacrificed, and what if any consequence this can have?

One of the notions has been that the soul of the sacrificed ...

Thank you for the replies, these are most helpful.

Who are the noteworthy alchemists, herbalists and apothecaries of the the Flanaess and Oerth? Are there any dedicated organizations?

I recall in the City of Greyhawk boxed set that the city has ...

Many thanks to all those that make the wiki and have restored it to glory!

If I read your variation correctly, Asmodeus wants the Torch because it incorporates the Vallis Crystal, and he wants the Vallis Crystal so he may corrupt the world held therein.

Might you want a ...

SPOILER ALERT!

The DM can kill the Circle of Eight as a matter of plot. It has already been done. See the 2nd ed adventure Vecna Lives.

When it comes to the creation of the Coat of Arnd, I keep thinking of meersalm (spelling?), the material related to invulnerability and Heironeous, having some sort of role.

Perhaps the potency o ...

Both are clearly ancient Oeridians. But Johydee is specifically identified as an Aerdi tribe member. For Arnd tribal affiliation seems to be unknown. If - big if - they are contemporaries, might Ar ...

A further elaboration about what was said regarding sled travel in winter. Frozen over rivers often become roads for the sleds, as the frozen surface is naturally level.

Also I think there was s ...

The executioner's mace is an exotic weapon associated with Kyuss, his worshipers, and by inference, the ancient Flan nation of Sulm, from which Kyuss was driven.

Nice! And the alignments of the members perhaps gives a tendency to chaotic and good which gives it a bit of distinction.

Emasstus Carcosa, Patriarch of Pholtus in Rauxes (Ivid the Undying, page 5, and a Dragon Magazine News From the Flanaess article)
Cleric of Pholtus (not the Pale branch) who pronounced heresy upon th ...

I am assuming you do not want a recitation of mortals who became divine. (Though I did see Daoud on the list, and he has been identified as a deity.) Otherwise, Joyhdee, Daern, Vecna, Kyuss and many ...

Star Trek, original series, season 2, Journey to Babel (just watched it last night):

Negotiations about which faction should have rights to mineral resources at a particular location are convened. ...

The Vesve was only briefly covered in Marklands and its nice to have a background narrative that connects the various groups and NPCs mentioned there. It is also a great explanation why the elves mig ...

For my purposes, Tharizdun is the end of the story - every possible story, that I or the players could tell. That is in some ways its dogma:

"The very threads of existence must be torn asunder, ...

The number of quasi- and hero-deities native and possibly still residing in the Flanaess seems to beg for some rationale for their restraint.

Maybe the next question is "What are the events and cir ...

Excellent work and major task to connect all those sources. Well done.

(I just wish Erenira hadn't been invented in 4th ed. Erelhei-Cinlu is a surface city plopped into an immense cavern - a cave ...

For major change I was thinking the Twin Cataclysms and the ramifications for the Suloise deities. So about once a millennium.

Lesser changes, such as you listed, and also perhaps the appearance ...

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

I think your distinction of the actively "True Neutral" and the neutrality of those who just don't really care is pretty accurate.

As you have pointed out, True Neutral could be rare - druids, the ...

Perhaps its the very presence of magic on Oerth that fuels, forms and maintains the prison in which Tharizdun is imprisoned. Perhaps the Oerth Stone in Castle Greyhawk serves as a conduit to the pris ...

CombatMedic

As my post indicated the Circle of Eight was used only as an example of a group of high level individuals who might get involved in a crises (for any number of reasons as you indicated ...

One last thought.

If you are using 3.x/Pathfinder rules, consider using the E6 or Epic 6 house rule. Simply put nobody advances beyond 6th level - they just get more feats as they gain experience. ...

For me, the challenge of high level NPCs is coming up with a consistent explanation about why such powerful people are leaving it to the PCs to solve the crises of the moment (i.e., the adventure).
...

By side trek, I take it to mean an incidental event that occurs while the party is pursuing its primary objective.

I mention that because just getting to the Suss can be a main adventure after the ...

As some have already mentioned, its enough to indicate to the player that the action taken and motivation behind it was evil. Because alignment is subjective and ultimately a matter of DM opinion and ...

The one feature of Garel Enkdal that stands out to me is the Blackwell. Expanding its role and significance to the faithful of Gruumsh could provide an explanation for the great size of that city. P ...

Bronn, the mercenary companion to Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones is, to me anyways, a more recent example of Chaotic Neutral. He seems to be an excellent chaotic neutral adventurer example.

M ...

In what has been published, it appears to me that he prioritizes law over good, perhaps just a bit. (I'm thinking references to the words on the doors or throne room at the Fortress of Nyr Dyv in Retu ...

Marriage and priests of Zilchus! I think there could be a lot of fun, and a decent adventure, arising out the negotiations and prenup agreement for a marriage involving a priest of Zilchus.

Your basic point is right on the mark. The labels for locations and objects can often carry too much real world baggage and restrict development of the fictional environment. But for many, Greyhawk ...

One more issue to consider is just how big of an impact the PC's will have, even before confronting Iuz?

If they are indeed powerful enough to confront a demi-god (who is stronger than the various ...

Related to your idea of sealing the party into the dungeon is whether or not the party should be able to summon others to aid them (summon spells, but more especially planar binding/planar ally). How ...

How much of a role would magic play in regards to sanitation? In 1st, 2nd and 3rd ed., the prestidigitation cantrip exists, and can resolve a great many issues, and is still low-powered magic.

M ...

You are correct in your observation that 3.x/Pathfinder decreases the special nature of magic items, bringing them down to the level of "magical gear." They are easy come - easy go, as the rules have ...

Thieves do choose easy marks, but also marks that are worth their time. The 16th level thief NPC (rogue or whatever his class) isn't going to waste time picking the pockets of the local blacksmith (u ...

1) Targeting the party for a theft (admittedly not very often) is not being "that DM." If it is, then may I ask how you get the players to take the threat of being targeted for larceny seriously in ...

I don't think its being "that DM" when 1) sunder is a creature's "thing" as indicated by the feats, size and strength score in its published description - giants being a perfect example 2) its the par ...

I offer the following as another possible solution.

My group took the opposite direction. After years of playing 3.5 as if it was 1st or 2nd ed., which we had all played, we started discovering 3. ...

rasgon,

Thank you for the answer to my question and reminding me of the spell level limitations linked to a deity's status - a notion I had completely forgotten about, but which can be a significan ...

Could not dedication to a philosophy be a sufficient devotion for a cleric in 1st ed? Did he need a patron deity to grant spells? I just can't remember 1st ed. rules on that.

Iuz certainly has ma ...

Correction - Erivatius is a demi-god of inertia, not entropy. So just tweek him accordingly.

You are welcome.

Its my recollection that in the Quicksilver Hourglass, Erivatius is from another epoch, unknown, and a blank slate. Have some fun. If you do link to Tharizdun - who is often used ...

This is Greyhawk, when in doubt, blame it all on Tharizdun, his aliases, and minions.

SPOILERS BELOW - A LOT!

You mentioned the Quicksilver Hourglass as an adventure to be used, and at suggeste ...

World of Soull: Located in the very midst of northern barbarian society. Feuding fellow barbarians, passes in the Corusk Mountains to hold, monsters of Grendep Bay, raiding the degenerates of a fall ...

Essentially yes,

Wind Dukes are natives of the elemental plane of Air, spyder-fiends (Queen of Chaos' principle servants) natives of the Abyss. They possibly make appearances (in the course of run ...

Anced Math,

If referring to my post, ruins could be those of either side of the Law-Chaos conflict. Indications from the Age of Worms sources suggest that the Wind Dukes had a multi-world empire. ...

rasgon,

Excellent. Great connection with the Earth Stone.

Which begs a question related to the great depths of Nyr Dyv?

Where those who settled the Isles of Woe initially motivated by a de ...

Perhaps the Battle of Pesh occurred on an even greater scale than thought. The various elemental forces were represented, especially if you utilize the Dungeon Magazine Age of Worms references (trace ...

Like it. The Hill Giants had their kennel of dire wolves, the Frost Giant Jarl had his polar bear, and now you have given Snurre a worthy pet of his own.

A little on the role of Ravagers of Erythnul:

Erythnul always struck me as perhaps a reaction to the significant presence of lawful deities among the Oeridians. In a tightly ruled society people w ...

Voted -

I have to say Anna's maps have been a huge help.

Kurell and Joramy, and their respective priesthoods, might be more than willing to meddle from the sidelines and aggravate any consequences of such an affair.

Have read the Basic pdf, yet not played it. It is "D&D" for me. Mostly because the magic system. Still looking it over, but I am encouraged.

The Caves of Chaos in Keep on the Borderlands has the cave with the evil priests and undead – forgot which lettered cave it is. This is the logical point for all the clues leading to Hommlet as well ...

Thank you for pointing out those thought provoking distinctions between those two pantheons.

Perhaps expand your second and fourth points regarding the Suel deities, and their familial relationship ...

Enjoyed it.

I've always had difficulty trying to figure out what to do with Titans. There are all manner of good sources on where demons, devils, archons, etc., fit in the multiverse, but not mu ...

If the Rain of Colorless Fire created the Sea of Dust, perhaps it is the actions of worms ("dust" worms, "sand" worms, etc.) that keeps it a Sea of Dust, preventing the return of plant life, etc. Thi ...

Just a question.

In the real world, full plate armors showed up in the fifteenth to sixteenth century AD, depending on what you mean by "full plate." Or about five thousand years after the beginnin ...

In 3rd ed., a silver piece was indicated to be the daily wage for unskilled labor. A silver piece is also the daily wage for the linkboy in the previous editions - a relatively unskilled occupation. ...

I agree with your observation that the depiction of political borders creates a false sense of a political entity's exclusive power or dominance in that region. (Its wonderful that Anna Meyer's maps ...

Perhaps a change of course, perhaps not.

Maybe the naming of the first three days is based upon the type of light they give, not the particular celestial body (why its not moonsday and starsday). ...

Do we necessarily have to equate the day of rest to the day of worship with respect to Greyhawk religions?

Perhaps Godsday is a very active, and productive day - just doing the work related to on ...

Perhaps "Moonday" was previous, and more formally might still be, called "Moonsday." The "s" having been dropped in the latter Common Tongue or in day to day conversation and use.

In keeping with ...

Richfest - two full moons, super lycanthropy day! For its annual role as an adventure hook.

(Though in real life I like the autumn - and a beer)

Despite using 3rd ed., I do like referring to the 1st ed. DMG for the random contraction of a disease.

When a class skill is immunity to disease, randomly letting disease occurs enhances the clas ...

I agree with SirXaris, in that 3.0/3.5/Pathfinder skills incorporate the bonuses of the abilities, and this shows up especially in the skills for social interactions. Also, the DM's application of bo ...

I am far more likely nowadays to let the dice decide things. My group enjoys the occasional consequences of opposing canon-fodder who get lucky, as well as the dreaded big-bad of the adventure having ...

A variation on the question under discussion, and more focused on rulings at the game table (regardless of edition):

At what point does a victim of lycanthropy, who would otherwise lead a goodly-al ...

Played them all, and I like 3rd the best, yet fondly remember features of 2nd ed.

Basic and 1st ed. were glorious. They are what got me to play in the first place. I do view 2nd and 3rd eds. as i ...

The real problem is the mix of alignments in the party. For your first campaign its probably a loosing proposition as others have mentioned.

CE is not a player character impossibility though. I t ...

If I recall correctly, and I don't have it in front of me at the moment, there is a gynosphinx in one of the adventures in Treasures of Greyhawk (named Gwendolyn if memory serves me correctly). The b ...

Here is one possible explanation of why any good cleric (from lawful to chaotic) as well as paladins may not use poison:

In Greyhawk all matter is made up of one of the four elements: air, earth, ...

Should a LN cleric utilize a poison?

My answer: Yes, but with a court order.

More seriously, I've had some thoughts similar to what has been posted. Why shouldn't a paladin use certain poisons ...

Last night was game night. I was DM. Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan - not in the mode of tournament, but as a ruin in part of larger expedition to the Amedio. Updated to 3.5. Party - mostly evil, one ...

***SPOILER ALERT!!!***

Copy-n-paste the text below and enlarge it to see the spoiler.

To prevent spoiling I have edited my answer to - too bad.

To respond to your follow-up questions:

1) I guess I definitely tie monks to a culture than a particular religion/philosophy. I certainly retain the monk in its basic form for NPCs from an "orient ...

1) I now use the 3.5 rules, and so the monks in my campaign follow those rules - with the flaws. However, my campaign started off in 1st ed., and used that class. For 2nd ed. I created the "Psimido ...

Seeing the fruit is really helpful. I just couldn't get any of them in my mind very well all these years. Thank you.

duplicate of previous post

duplicate of previous post - apparently got some glitch

a duplicate of my previous post - sorry for the duplication

Or maybe the flaw that you've argued repeatedly, ad nauseum, that Oerth's lifeforms are significantly different?

Yes, just about all Oerth's life forms that play a major role in the game are signif ...

rasgon,

I'll start at the end.

If the Barrens are as densely populated as the Yeomanry, then why are they called the Barrens?

The Barrens are definitely the Barrens to humans. Empty of other ...

rasgon,

I don't seem to have the hang of using multiple quotes. I hope I address all your questions.

Let me start by recalling what "population" I am addressing. I specifically referred to, an ...

Raise dead also doesn't work when certain important bits a creature can't live without are unattached/missing.

And determining just what part of the deceased was eaten by the monster is up to the D ...

Another little bit of information for those who are trying to populate the Oerth.

The U.S. Census once defined the "frontier" as those areas with a population density of 2 persons per square mile o ...

rasgon,

Actually, I tend to disagree. In a fantasy environment where there are creatures that favor living in or immediately next to pools of lava, I think it completely appropriate for a uniform ...

3. Choose a population density (I chose 9 per square mile). Instead of humans per square mile, this then becomes "Societal Creature Equivalents" per square mile. Now I have to explain what I me ...