Lately I took it upon myself to re-read most of the Greyhawk printed realm materials (again lol) and noticed something that I had either overlooked or had forgotten in my approaching senility. And I thought, after a brief recovery of my mental faculties, this might be a good thread to re-immerge with from my long absence from active participations on the forum.
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In the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer several "Realms" are touched on in chapter 4 (p17 for those that have a copy) And it is this that leads me to the curious question?????? Were these "forgotten Realms of Greyhawk" ever expanded on????
I thought this would be non-edition specific, which makes it even fun for Lanthorn "Champion of 2E-ers":)
*Snipits from LGG 1>One notable minor realm is the underground "citystate" called Garel Enkdal, located in the westernmost arm of the Griff Mountains near Stonehold. Some explorers estimate the population here to be in excess of twenty-five thousand orcs, with significant numbers of ogres, orc-ogre crossbreeds, half-orcs, and other beings. Garel Enkdal is not well known outside the northeastern Flanaess, and the kingdom interacts little with the rest of the world except to attack hunters, trappers, scouts, and herders of Stonehold.
It could pose a major threat to Stonehold but apparently is content to keep to itself. Gruumsh is the major deity here.
2>legendary realms such as Esmerin (a mountainous land where halflings and giants are said to live together in peace)
3>those bizarre places known as Fading Lands, where other planes of existence intrude upon the material world.
4>Chaotic lands such as the Empire of Iuz doubtless hold many tiny holdings whose lords refuse fealty to all, such as the notorious, lich-ruled "Dahlvier's County" near the Fellreev.
5>Any political realms under the seas, which appear to be almost completely dominated by tribes of nomadic barbarian nonhumans—for example, mermen, aquatic elves, locathah, tritons, ixitxachitl, and merrow. Notable in this group is a long suspected sahuagin realm near the northernmost island of the Sea Barons; this realm is probably connected in some manner with the famous and haunting Aerdi tales of a "Sinking Isle" in the same location.
Some tiny morsels:
1>Seems like this one is mentioned in Module "Howl from the North"? Have not confirmed just off top of my head. Doing a quick search also produces (not surprisingly) an old ENworld thread between Eric Mona & Another CF Champion "Grodog", Foxwander & Ranes (don't recognize those avatar) although they don't discuss the details of the realm, they do relay the locale as Hex L2-59 (presumably Darlene Map) - http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?301593-Greyhawk-maps-from-Dungeon-magazine/page2
1. The module Five Shall Be One gives much information on Garel Enkdal, as it features in the adventure.
2. Esmerin is mentioned in the 1E Greyhawk Adventures. Rasgon certainly fleshed it out a bit in his article.
3. Your links are good on this, and will lead you to more information.
4. Dahlvier's County is given more detail in Iuz the Evil.
5. See Ivid the Undying for information on this area, though the wiki might already contain all of the pertinent bits (maybe not though). _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
Last edited by Cebrion on Sun Mar 22, 2015 3:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
@ Big C
Thanks for leading the pack!
1> You're spot on... I knew it was that series of modules just had the wrong one.. been awhile since I "stomped in that mud".
I recall one of the five can be recovered there (though don't remember which), And for those playing along.... There is a nice map of the orc city!
2>Personally, I'm at a loss on this one... never entered into this direction, though can see some interesting plot hooks via Rasgon's narrative.
3> The links do provide "some info", mostly just generality on the Fading Lands, but not really what manifests (Gods, Great wizards, etc) the effect nor detailing where those intersecting locations are or alternate planes they go to... Can see the Shadow plane insert here.
Unless one simply takes the Manual of the planes and decides what fits best for them... I would think Renown Wizards such as Tenser, Otiluke or Mordenkainen would have a vested interest. Can see a similar plot hook to Isle of the ape.... The PCs receive a mysterious summons to a dark out of the way traveling Inn. Upon arrival you are greeted by no other than Otiluke who says softly " I have a mission for you."
4>Again, for me this is one I haven't fleshed out.... Would be an interesting "enemy of my enemy is my ally" scenario for those coming from the Furyondy Razing Line just prior to the 586 Campaign King Belvor sets into motion to gain lost lands and Crockport back.
5> Your are correct. the Wiki seems to have gleaned most of the info (from Iuz ) though even that is around the Sinking Isle and not the "realm beneath the waves". Can see interesting possibilities, a secret alliance with the Brotherhood? or a shadow third party to the Slave Lords?
Esmerin is one of those places that, should PCs find themselves enter there, it will be like a certain type of Star Trek episode. The type it will be is one where the away team (the PCs) has beamed down to planet where the natives are all friendly and peaceful, but extremely isolationist, such that the away team will not be allowed to leave in the interest of protecting the community- the needs of the many (Esmerin) outweigh the needs of the few (the PCs). The PCs are not really in a position to challenge such a decree considering how many exceptional individuals (i.e. NPCs equivalent to PCs) are present in Esmerin, not to mention the 400 stone giants that nobody in their right mind would want to anger.
Assuming the PCs are of mostly good alignments, the challenge for the DM is to write up an adventure where the PCs have to find a way to convince the people of Esmerin that it is safe to let them leave. It is unlikely that even a single weapon will be swung in such an adventure (because the mostly good PCs will be following the Prime Directive...er...not want 400 stone giants to mash them to goo or be backstabbed by dozens of high level halfling thieves). Challenging adventure to write, such that it would be fun and interesting; especially for players who are used to hack n' slash.
Rasgon's use of the River Lethe is a clever take on why the land is not known of, or why people who stumble upon it do not leave. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
Last edited by Cebrion on Wed Nov 04, 2015 2:23 am; edited 1 time in total
We dealt with Dahlvier and his county in Living Greyhawk.
Any details? His castle is on the ruins of an elven city destroyed by the Oeridians approximately 900 years ago, so around -316 CY. That's well before the rise of the Kingdom of Aerdy, so was it the independent Kingdom of Ferrond that attacked the elves? Was Dahlvier the one who destroyed the city, or did he come later to inhabit the ruins? Given the early date, it could have been Baron Lum or perhaps a horde of migrants wielding an Orb of Dragonkind.
Britt was the Dahlvier expert, so I'll have to do some research. I know we tied Dahlvier in with our epic big bad, That Which Slept, Molaho Khem, Nerull's Bane, and the Horned Society. I think we also said he was Veth the Vampire's sire/mentor (Lady Xavendra's consort, Veth, I think, was an elf from the city before it was destroyed).
We dealt with Dahlvier and his county in Living Greyhawk.
Any details? His castle is on the ruins of an elven city destroyed by the Oeridians approximately 900 years ago, so around -316 CY. That's well before the rise of the Kingdom of Aerdy, so was it the independent Kingdom of Ferrond that attacked the elves? Was Dahlvier the one who destroyed the city, or did he come later to inhabit the ruins? Given the early date, it could have been Baron Lum or perhaps a horde of migrants wielding an Orb of Dragonkind.
That's near about the time the Aerdians threw the inhabitants of Veralos into a panic. Not to put all our Oeridians in one basket, but maybe the Aerdian destruction of the elven city that Dahlvier's castle would be built on was what made the Veralans(?) so nervous?
Britt was the Dahlvier expert, so I'll have to do some research. I know we tied Dahlvier in with our epic big bad, That Which Slept, Molaho Khem, Nerull's Bane, and the Horned Society. I think we also said he was Veth the Vampire's sire/mentor (Lady Xavendra's consort, Veth, I think, was an elf from the city before it was destroyed).
Thanks!
smillan_31 wrote:
That's near about the time the Aerdians threw the inhabitants of Veralos into a panic. Not to put all our Oeridians in one basket, but maybe the Aerdian destruction of the elven city that Dahlvier's castle would be built on was what made the Veralans(?) so nervous?
That's a smart thought.
I was looking through the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer and I'm reminded that there was no "independent Kingdom of Ferrond." The Viceroyalty of Ferrond was created by the Aerdi after their annexation of the independent nations of Furyon and Voll. I suppose it could have been Furyon that sacked the elven city, but it does seem likely that these were the Aerdi still on the way to the lands by the Solnor.
I'll also note this passage from Ivid the Undying:
Quote:
Though some mages trembled at dealing with such evils [tainted magical ores such as those from the Cauldron of Night], the combat mages of the Oeridians were only too ready to use any source of power if they felt they could contain and channel it. That the darker energies might only escape that control over a period of decades or longer was a long term possibility which mages in the service of aggressive generals did not bother too much about.
Perhaps the Oeridians excavated some sort of necrotic ore (Ivid the Undying also mentions meteorites) similar to the cursed meteorite in the Pits of Azak-Zil that ended up creating the ghouls and juju zombies that infest Dahlvier's County to this day?
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