Furyondy Reforged - A Brief History & Chronology
Date: Fri, July 29, 2005
Topic: Greyhawk Gazetteer


King Belvor is dead. Called "The Great," he was late known as "The Eternal Tyrant" after he quaffed a potion of longevity to unnaturally sustain his reign. That reign ended on the bloody fields of Free Borough, the climatic battle of the Furyondian Civil War. From the fires of that conflict arose Court Artur Jakartai, now King Artur. The fractious "Seven Families" have been put down and the Knightly Conclave now serves well and true as the council of the King. Long live King Artur! The year is 607 CY. Furyondy has been reforged.

Furyondy Reforged
By: Glenn Vincent Dammerung, aka GVDammerung
Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

Introduction

The Kingdom of Furyondy is the successor state to the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, established hundreds of years ago by the Overkings of the Great Kingdom as the cornerstone of their power in the western Flanaess. As the Great Kingdom declined, the Viceroyalty of Ferrond increasingly asserted its independence until it declared itself a sovereign state. This process gradually played out over a 250 year period.

Early History

The history of Furyondy proper begins in 100 CY. The Aerdi of the Great Kingdom, pushing their banners west, established the Viceroyalty of Ferrond in that year, with its seat in the city of Dyvers. While the Malachite Throne in Rauxes had for some years occupied the lands making up the Viceroyalty, because of the distance from the Aerdi capital, control of these provinces and the extraction of taxes was difficult at best. The purpose of the Viceroyalty was to provide a regional government that would see to the administration, control and stability of the Aerdi lands west of the Nyr Dyv.

Referred to as the jewel in the crown of Aerdi, the Viceroyalty of Ferrond encompassed the modern lands of Blackmoor, Dyvers, Furyondy, Perrenland, the Shield Lands, Veluna, and Verbobonc. From these lands, tribute annually flowed from Dyvers east to Rauxes. Each year in late Harvester, a Tribute Fleet would sail from the mouth of the Velverdyva River to Radigast City, where treasure caravans would then carry the wealth of Ferrond to the Overking of the Great Kingdom. In exchange for this tribute, the Great Kingdom provided protection and stability for the people and nascent nation states of the western Flanaess.

Established as an appointed, administrative post, the Viceroyalty grew into a hereditary office. In 159 CY, Viceroy Thosten I was succeeded by his son, Thosten II, who in turn arranged for the Viceroyalty to pass to his son, Thosten III in 170 CY. From this point forward, the Viceroyalty was more of a noble title than a administrative position. It became routine for the Overking to approve the succession from parent to child. Initially, the investiture took place in an elaborate ceremony held in the Aerdi capital in Rauxes. As the power of Aerdi wained, however, the Viceroyalty became increasing independent. The Viceroy Daryan in 202 CY was the last to travel to Rauxes to be invested as Viceroy. The succeeding Viceroys would receive their letters of rank via royal courier.

As the deteriorating situation in the Great Kingdom worsened, the Viceroyalty grew ever more independent, practically exercising sovereignty in all but name. When Aerdi support for the Viceroyalty eventually faltered, annual tribute was withheld in protest. With the death of the last Viceroy, Stinvri, in 254 CY, matters had come to a head. Stinvri’s son was crowned Thrommel I of the Kingdom of Furyondy in Dyvers. With this act, the Viceroyalty of Ferrond passed into history.

Furyondy is Born

With the establishment of the Kingdom of Furyondy in 254 CY, all tribute to the Great Kingdom stopped. While the Great Kingdom objected, practically, it was powerless to stop the founding of the Kingdom of Furyondy. The Overkings put little effort into attempting to retake their breakway outer dependencies and that fighting which occurred was short lived. Furyondy would remain independent.

Of course, the new Kingdom of Furyondy was itself a composite realm, made up of a diversity of feudal lands and peoples. It was hardly a unified state. In the years following the founding of the kingdom, Furyondy freely granted or recognized the independence of other parts of the old Viceroyalty that wanted or needed to go their own way. Blackmoor, Dyvers, Perrenland, the Shield Lands, Veluna, and Verbobonc, all once part of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond and then the Kingdom of Furyondy, each became independent of Furyondy without conflict. Furyondy fought no wars to retain territory belonging to the old Viceroyalty.

The character of Furyondy has always been one of weal. When Furyondy has gone to war, it has been in response to the aggressive acts of other states. Furyondy has never started a war. While it briefly controlled Veluna and Bissel in the 400's CY, in what is styled an expansionist phase, Furyondy was in fact responding to overweening Keosh aggression that saw the Kingdom of Keoland conquer much of Veluna and threaten it with permanent annexation. In Veluna, Bissel and the Shield Lands, Furyondy has fought wars of liberation. Furyondy’s well-earned reputation as a stalwart champion against the forces of woe is responsible for the strong, traditional alliance the country enjoys with Veluna and the demi-humans of Highfolk and the Vesve.

The Wars with Iuz

It is with these allies, that Furyondy has repeatedly confronted its greatest traditional enemy - Iuz. Practically since his appearance in 479 CY, Iuz has correctly seen Furyondy as the greatest impediment to his stated goal of ruling the Flanaess. Time and again, Furyondy has stood against the Old One, whose forces have learned well the bitter taste of defeat and Furyondian steel. Except for the brief period when Iuz was imprisoned, conflict with the cambion has been nearly constant. In the Greyhawk Wars of 582 -584 CY, Iuz enjoyed his greatest success against Furyondy, capturing much of north of the country. Subsequently, however, his gains have been largely erased. With the Flight of the Fiends in 586 CY, which deprived Iuz of his fiendish mercenaries, Furyondy set about the successful reconquest of her lost lands in the Great Northern Crusade. Since 588 CY, Furyondy, and most of the Vesve Forest have been cleared of Iuz’ foul stench.

The Furyondian People

The majority of the people of Furyondy are of Oeridian stock but all racial groups are represented in the makeup of the population. Suel. Flan. Baklunish. Demi-humans, though less common than in Veluna, are also frequently encountered. There is no racial tension of an organized sort in Furyondy. All men and women of every human and demi-human race and ethnicity are treated equally by the law. Even half-orcs are not immediately regarded as undesirables. Only humanoids, because of their long association with Iuz and the Horned Society, are actively persecuted.

In religious matters, Furyondy has traditionally revered Heironeous and Rao above all other deities. Since the Great Northern Crusade, Pelor has joined Heironeous and Rao as one of the most favored deities. The rise of the Pelorian faith has come about as a result of the role clerics of Pelor played in resolving the Furyondian Civil War that saw King Belvor, hero of the Great Northern Crusade, attempt to seize power from the restive great nobles of Furyondy.

The Furyondian Civil War - Belvor’s Rising

Until 595 CY, Furyondy was administered as a loose confederation of largely palatinate feudal holdings, dating from the old Viceroyalty of Ferrond. The so-called Seven Familes comprised the greater nobility of Furyondy and both retained and exercised the right to deny the King’s requests for feudal levies and revenues. These nobles too often placed their local interests above those of the Kingdom. Throughout the Greyhawk Wars and the Great Nothern Crusade that followed, King Belvor IV’s efforts to prosecute the war against Iuz were continually undercut by the refusal of the Seven Families to offer consistent support. In 595 CY, matters came to a head.

Using the liberation of Admundfort as a screen, Belvor raised a great host answerable only to the crown. In 594 CY, a great flotilla of ships carried these forces from Willip to the aid of the Shieldlanders. In short order, the orcs infesting Admundfort were routed and the city and island were returned to Shield Land sovereignty. With his men’s loyalty forged in battle, Belvor and his commanders returned to Willip in 595 CY and took the city from Xanthan, declaring the baron deposed. When the Baron refused to swear fealty to Belvor, giving up all his palatinate rights to the Crown, the Baron was executed and his family exiled.

Word of Belvor’s rising quickly spread, but not before Royalist forces has secured the Viscounty of the March at the Battle of Gorsend. Defeated, Baron Derwent swore fealty to Belvor on the field, adding his levies to the Royalist cause. While the southern nobles mobilized, Belvor advanced on the County of Crystal Reach to secure his rear. At the Battle of Terlisean Bridge, Royalists secured the only major crossing of the Crystal River. While the forces of Count Artur Jakartai prevented the Royalists from advancing further north, they were essentially contained in their provinces.

Driving east, Belvor advanced on the capital at Chendl, where all was chaos. Mustering his levies, Baron Kalinstren had invested city but in deference to the Knightly Conclave, which had hastily convened there, he had not fortified his position nor taken the city. This proved costly. Confronted by Belvor’s host, the Baron quickly understood his position to be untenable and sued for peace, agreeing to Belvor’s terms and swearing fealty. The Baron and his knights were ordered back to Crockport, while Belvor absorbed the Kalinstren militia into his army.

Belvor next, however, repeated the Baron of Kalinstren’s mistake. Appearing before the Knightly Conclave, Belvor declared his intention to rid Furyondy of the troublesome greater nobles and in an ostensible show of good will, declined to either force the Knightly Conclave to swear fealty or to take the city, leaving it rather to their administration. In presuming that the lesser nobility of the Conclave would support him, Belvor presumed to much.

As the Knightly Conclave heard Belvor, word arrived that the southern nobles had taken the field and were massing at Free Borough. Belvor decamped immediately to meet them. At Free Borough, Belvor sought a decisive engagement that would break the back of the Nobles.

The Furyondy Civil War - The Rights of Man

No sooner had Belvor departed, however, than the Knightly Conclave declared him deposed and summoned Count Artur Jakartai to lead the fight against him. Since holding the Royalist advance at Terlisean Bridge, Count Jakartai had not been idle. As he marched out from Grabford, the Count’s forces were fully drawn up into their orders of battle. Sending riders ahead, Count Jakartai called upon Baron Kalinstren to join him. Having given his oath, however, the Baron hesitated. Into this breach stepped Throzen, the Baron’s Chaplin and Priest of Pelor. It was Throzen who persuaded the Baron to join with the Count and rode out with him to Chendl.

In Chendl, chaos continued to rule in the wake of Belvor’s sudden departure, the Knightly Conclave had assembled so hurriedly that there was doubt that they had a quorum and further doubt that their declaration that Belvor be deposed was in any way legitimate. The Knightly Conclave had always served as a strictly advisory body to the King and the Kings of Furyondy had regularly ignored their advice as it suited them. Resort to the clerics of the Temple of Heironeous proved no help as they were split in their opinions. Belvor was of their number, as was Count Jakartai, who now presently himself in Chendl in opposition to Belvor. The clerics of Rao were of only slightly more help but continued to contemplate and discuss while time was pressing.

To the fore stepped Throzen. Addressing the assembled knights and clergy, Throzen delivered what has come to be known as The Rights of Man and the Justice of Kings Under the Gods speech, commonly referred to The Rights of Man. Throzen argued that all kings serve only so long as they obey the will of the gods and that it is the manifest will of the gods that kings and nobles rule over men justly for their protection and prosperity. When any king or noble rules otherwise, announced Throzen, the gods will turn away from them and they may be rightly deposed. To a collective gasp, Throzen declared that Belvor saw rightly that the great nobles abused their rights and should not be allowed to so continue in their high estates. But, Throzen continued, Belvor erred in seeking their violent overthrow. The Knightly Conclave most perfectly represented the will of Furyondy and it should fall to them, sitting with the nobles and the King to set matters aright. To cries of support from the assembled knights of the Conclave, Throzen drew to his conclusion. Matters having proceeded beyond such opportunity, Belvor must be put down and deposed as the Knightly Conclave had perceived. The gods had granted the Conclave wisdom! By acclamation, a new theory of government was endorsed. With a unity of purpose, Count Artur lead his forces, Baron Kalintren’s knights and the members of the Knightly Conclave in pursuit of Belvor and his Royalist forces.

The Furyondian Civil War - The Battle of Free Borough

For his part, it seemed the gods had indeed turned from Belvor, who made yet another error in judgment. To guard his right flank and rear from any crossing of the Att by Noble forces from the Barony of Littleberg, Belvor chose to march to Worlende and then close along the River Att. Unfortunately, in the high summer heat, the humidity and mosquitoes rising from the river fatigued his troops and fatefully slowed their march. Count Artur took a more direct line of march from Chendl, paralleling Belvor. Although starting out but days behind, he would catch Belvor at the Oxbow of the Att.

The Battle of Free Borough proceeded in three major actions. At Pantarn, elements of Belvor’s heavy infantry, supported by pikeman and a light screening force of cavalry crossed the Att and made to threaten a march on the Baronial seat of Littleberg. This feint served to initially draw off the Baron’s forces from Free Borough before the ruse was discovered. In the interim, Belvor attacked Free Borough, now only defended by the Gold forces of Countess Rhavelle of the Gold County and the Duke of the Reach’s legions. In a day long battle, Belvor’s superior heavy cavalry repeatedly charged the Gold lines, breaking up the Countess’ formations. In an act distinguished only by its predictable display of self-interest, Countess Rhavelle quite the field with her surviving troops to retreat to her lands, seeking to preserve the remainder of her forces. Left to fight on alone, Duke Tyneman could not hold and regrouped immediately to the west. Belvor entered the city.

So positioned, it was a rude surprise that awaited Baron Jermain of Littleberg. Already smarting from Belvor’s initial ruse, he was further confounded when, within sight of Free Borough, his forward elements were ambushed by Belvor’s archers and infantry, lying in wait. Ordering an immediate counterattack, the Littleberg cavalry appeared to drive the Royalists before them only to be met by seried ranks of pikemen rising up from the ground. Upon these pikes, the cavalry charge, and the Baron’s hopes for victory, floundered.

With the Noble forces scattered, isolated or in retreat, Belvor anticipated his victory. What greeted him instead were Count Jakartai’s advancing forces. Now, Belvor rightly perceived the need to act quickly lest the Count of Crystal Reach link up with the Duke of the Reach to the west of Free Borough. In such case, with the remaining infantry force of the Baron of Littleberg to the west, Belvor would find himself trapped in Free Borough. Committing his reserves, Belvor sallied to meet Artur north of Free Borough where the Att River bends in a great oxbow.

The last act of Belvor’s reign played out in the dying light of the day that had seen his generalship triumph over three armies. Belvor’s reserve was outnumbered once and again by the forces lead by Count Jakartai, but Belvor’s were elite troops and seasoned veterans. Belvor counted his odds even. So did Count Artur. As the battle ensued, Artur sought Belvor on the field. Once a page at Belvor’s court and later one of his squires, Artur was now the more puissant combatant. When they clashed, it is said the failing light flared to illuminate the two warriors. Finally, it was Artur who triumphed. Belvor, King of Furyondy, war leader during the Greyhawk Wars, victor in the Great Northern Crusade, liberator of Admundfort, lay dead.

The Free Borough Accords

In the aftermath of the Battle of Free Borough, Artur convened a great assemblage of the Knightly Conclave, the surviving greater nobility and the clerics of Heironeous and Rao, now joined by Throzen of Pelor. These worthies drafted and adopted The Free Borough Accords:

(1) Artur, Count of Crystal Reach, is to marry Calthene, ward of Belvor IV.

(2) Artur shall be crowned King of Furyondy with Calthene as his Queen.

(3) The County of Crystal Reach shall henceforth be a subsidiary title, tributary to the Crown.

(4) The Barony of Willip shall henceforth be a subsidiary title, tributary to the Crown and vested in the Dauphin, the crown heir, upon his or her 21st year

(5) The King shall be sovereign over the entirety of the Kingdom of Furyondy and may levy taxes and raise troops as he shall see fit from the entirety of the Kingdom.

(6) Littleberg, the Reach, Gold Country, the March and Kalinstren are henceforth declared each a Duchy. The Five Families shall retain all of their ancient and sovereign rights within their provinces.

(7) The Knightly Conclave shall hear petitions from any of the Duchies that would refuse a request of the King for troops or revenue. Their ruling shall be final.

(8) All Knights of Virtue shall hold seats in the Knightly Conclave.

(9) A Court of Chivalry shall sit in judgment of any Knight to decide if he or she be Virtuous. Such court shall consist of the King’s man, representative’s of the Five Duchys and prelates of each of the Temples of Heironeous, Rao, Pelor and Trithereon.

(10) All nobles and commoners shall be entitled to just and fair treatment. All Knights shall protect these rights or have their spurs cut off and suffer banishment into the West until they have completed a Quest of atonement as judged by a Court of Chivalry.

With the Free Borough Accords, the Civil War was over.

King Artur

It has been ten years since Artur became King of Furyondy. The year is 607 CY. In those ten years, Artur has proven an able king.

The Royal Navy has been restored. On Whyestil Lake, Iuz’ ships have been sent to the bottom and Furyondy control the lake has been firmly established. On the Nyr Dyv, Furyondy again enjoys naval superiority and protects shipping from Dyvers to the Urnst States.

The Royal Army is returned to full strength. The Shield Lands are expanded as Furyondy returns retaken lands to Countess Katarina. All preparation is now being made for a drive on Molag, what many believe may be the most critical event since the close of the Greyhawk Wars nearly a quarter of a century ago.

Beside him Artur has his Knights of Fury. Sir Lhandes. Sir Jermain. Lady Calthene. Sir Cyndarius. Lady Greyslaine. Sir Palameed And some two dozen others. Upon taking the throne, Artur proved himself a patron of the arts and of chivalry. Numerous orders of knighthood have taken up the King’s call to service. From among these orders, Artur raises up the best to ride beside him. These are the Knights of Fury.

But all is not as it seems.

Iuz is wounded but remains venomous and coiled to strike. Rumors of a renewed alliance with the Mother of Witches, Iggwilv, known to have escaped confinement in the Abyss, drift down from the Yatils and chill the hearts of Perrenlander and Furyondian alike.

As Iuz falters and attempts to stiffen, the Horned Society is resurgent. Nowhere and everywhere at the same time. The clucking of sages has proven true. The loss of their lands made the Horned Society more dangerous, not less. Each year their tendrils reach further into the hearts of men, most especially in the Duchy of Gold Country where avarice has always been held just good business.

Neither are the knightly orders are immune from a similar lusting after power and wealth. Whether it is by the actions of the Horned Society or some other dark agency is unknown. It is only known that knightly virtue is now the subject of widening suspicion as Courts of Chivalry are more frequently called.

Even among Knights of Fury, it is said, there is some dissension. The King is not old but he is worn beyond his years, if still vital. There is talk of a scandal among the Furious Knights that vexes the King. No details are known.

Furyondy has been reforged but the future is uncertain and opportunity for heroism and villainy abound.

Appendix I

The Roll of the Viceroys of Ferrond and the Kings of Furyondy

Viceroys of Ferrond

Montre of Eastfair - 100 -131 CY
Agrav of Delaric - 131- 147 CY
Thosten I of Ferrond - 147 - 159 CY (Viceroyalty becomes hereditary)
Thosten II - 159 - 170 CY
Thosten III - 170 - 187 CY
Belkan - 187 - 202 CY
Daryan - 202 - 225 CY
Daryana - 225 - 231 CY (Only female Viceroy takes office when there are no male heirs)
Stinvri - 231 - 254 CY

Kings and Queens of Furyondy

Thrommel I - 254 - 286 CY (First King of Furyondy)
Pharmon - 286 - 310 CY
Hugh I - 310 - 325 CY
Clotaire - 325 - 342 CY
Arvas I - 342 - 391 CY
Arvas II - 391 - 420 CY
Beldith I - 420 - 439 CY (First Queen of Furyondy to rule in her own right)
Hugh II - 439 - 457 CY
Belvor I - 457 - 465 CY
Hugh III - 465 - 479 CY
Belvor II - 479 - 483 CY (Believed assassinated by Iggwilv)
Owen - 483 - 486 CY (Believed assassinated by Iggwilv)
Arvas III - 486 - 490 CY (Believed assassinated by Iggwilv)
Beldith II - 490 - 501 CY (Second Furyondian Queen to rule)
Beldana - 501 - 525 CY (Third Furyondian Queen to rule)
Thrommel II - 525 - 534 CY
Belvor III - 534 - 537 CY
Belvor IV - 537 - 597 CY (Called “The Great”)
Artur - 596 - Date (607 CY)

Appendix II

Timeline of Furyondy History

100 CY Viceroyalty of Ferrond established. Included the March of Ferrond (modern Furyondy), the March of Voll (modern Veluna), the March of High Vale (modern Highfolk), the East March (modern Shield Lands), the March of the Northern Reaches (including the Quaglands, modern Perrenland) and Arch-Barony of Blackmoor.

119 CY Verbobonc incorporated into Viceroyalty of Ferrond as part of the March of Voll.

175 CY Stornawain Road completed between March of the Northern Reaches and Blackmoor.

254 CY Last Viceroy of Aerdi, Stinvri dies. Stinvri’s heir crowned in Dyvers as Thrommel I, King of Furyondy. Furyondy founded. Voll also declares independence. Veluna founded. Shield Lands gain independence from Furyondy, refusing to completely break with Aerdi.

254-260 CY The Aerdi War. Sporadic fighting against Aerdi forces seeking to reclaim Furyondy for the Malachite Throne.

288 CY Capital of Furyondy moved from Dyvers to Chendl.

320 CY Furyondy grants Blackmoor independence in the face of the advance of the Relentless Horde and the continued refusal of local nobles to maintain the viability of the Stornawain Road as a military asset necessary to funnel troops and supplies north.

345 CY Threat from the Relentless Horde abates.

350 -355 CY War of Keosh Aggression against Veluna. King Arvas I of Furyondy holds Furyondy neutral.

436 - 438 CY Short (Small) War. Furyondian forces liberate Veluna, driving the Keosh before them.

438 CY Conquest of Bissel

400 CY Perrenland independence recognized by Furyondy

446 CY Concordat of Eademer. Furyondy restores Velunese independence. Furyondy and Veluna pledge eternal friendship and alliance. Right of self-determination recognized in both Verbobonc and Highfolk.

477 CY King Hugh III of Furyondy grants Bissel independence.

479 CY Iuz appears in the North

481 - 491 CY Enslavement of Perrenland by Iggwilv

505 CY Iuz imprisoned

526 CY Dyvers declares independence. King Thrommel II allows Dyvers to secede.

537 CY Belvor IV crowned King of Furyondy

569 CY Battle of Emridy Meadows - Prince Thrommel IV of Furyondy leads Furyondian, Velunese and Verbobonc forces to victory over the Horde of Elemental Evil.

570 CY Iuz freed from imprisonment

573 CY Prince Thrommel vanishes

577 CY Expedition of Archmage Marinian of Willip goes missing in Blackmoor

579 - 583 CY Shield Lands fail

582 - 584 CY Greyhawk Wars

585 CY The Year of Peace

586 CY - Flight of the Fiends. Canon Hazen of Veluna uses Crook of Rao to banish fiends from the Flanaess

586 CY King Belvor IV of Furyondy declares Great Northern Crusade against Iuz

586 - 588 CY Great Norther Crusade successfully prosecuted against Iuz. All Furundian lands reclaimed from Iuz. Shield Lands restored in Critwall, and Scragholme Isle.

594 CY Admundfort Campaign liberates island which is returned to Shield Lands.

595 CY Furyondy Civil War.

596 CY Artur is crowned King of Furyondy

598 CY Knights of Fury founded.

607 CY The Present







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