Here is some information I found in the Oerth Journal #6:
Over nine hundred years ago, the Isles of Woe, as they are now known, were a small Aerdian kingdom encompassing several small islands of the Nyr Dyv and ruled by Yagrax the Wizard-Priest. The maritime kingdom, built atop the ruins of at least one previous empire, had been founded by the Oeridian tribe of Aerdi, whose descendants would later found the Kingdom of Aerdy, only a few decades before Yagrax came to power. Under the firm rule of the Wizard-Priest, the fledgling nation had quickly come to dominate the Lake of Unknown Depths and the surrounding shores. Obsessed with increasing his personal power, Yagrax observed the rapid influx of migrants into eastern Oerik and sought sufficient magical might to enslave them under his island throne. Toward that end, the Wizard-Priest sought out ancient sources of magic that pre-dated even the Flannae and the Olve.
In one fragmented account, Yagrax learned of an artifact of fell power known as the Codex of the Infinite Planes. After years of searching, he was able to acquire the malefic tome by means of a young amethyst dragon he had enslaved to serve as his mount. Nyrocathystus, as the relatively naive gem dragon was known at that time, agreed to travel to a water-filled layer of the Abyss on Yagrax's behalf and bargain with Dagon, a tanar'ri prince of great power, for the tome in exchange for his freedom and a priceless horde of amethysts.
While the young dragon succeeded in obtaining the Codex and received the promised payment, Yagrax effectively betrayed his draconic ambassador by not revealing the hidden cost of the young dragon's expedition. The pact struck between Yagrax and the Abyssal prince was sealed for all eternity with the energy of the Nyrocathystus' life force. The arcane binding effectively tied the dragon to the vicinity of the portal through which he had passed to the Abyss by progressively increasing the spiritual torment the wyrm felt the farther away he ventured from the magical gate.
As a result, the Woeful Wyrm has not flown farther than 200 miles from the center of his underwater demesne since his fateful expedition to the Abyss, and he seldom summons sufficient willpower to leave the immediate vicinity of the Abyssal portal located in Yagrax's sunken throne room.
Thereafter, the young amethyst dragon was known by the name Wanyrocathystus - the draconic prefix a testament to his sorrowful plight.
The Wizard-Priest failed in his attempt to conquer the central Flanaess after the Flannae tribes of the region rallied under Warlord Krovis, and, as a result, he had no choice but to betray the terms of his unholy pact with Dagon. The submerging of his island kingdom a decade later was but one manifestation of the penalties invoked by the pact.
Wanyrocathystus, as the despairing wyrm has taken to calling himself in recent centuries, believes that eventually the Isles of Woe will be drawn entirely into the Abyss. Before that event finally comes to pass, Wanyrocathystus seeks the long-lost Codex for which he and his former master paid so dearly. The Woeful Wyrm believes that he can avoid an eternity of torment in the Abyss by returning Yagrax's Tome to its previous possessor and thus break the unholy pact that binds his spirit in torment.
Yes, the IoW material is definitely one of my favorite contributions that Maldin has made to GH (along with his awesome maps, of course). _________________ Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/greyhawk.html
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