Re: Landholders of Greyhawk

Wayfarers Guide to the Teckla Republic

Date: Fri, 31 Dec 1999 16:03:05 EST
From: Issak Haywood
Subject: Wayfarers Guide to the Teckla Republic

Hi all-
Well with the impending doom of the world I thought that I would email a few more of my Wayfarers Guides out.
Have a great weekend and new year - and celebrate the last year of the 20th century. Were still a year off from the MM!

The Wayfarers Guide to the Teckla Republic

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Location:Northern most portion of the Empire of Keoland. The eastern border is the Lort River, while the Margom River and the Rushmoor's are the northern border.
Area:

Languages:Keoish and Olvish being the most common.

Coinage:Gold Bar (10gp), Emperor (1pp), Gold Duke (1gp), Juzai (1ep), Teckla (5sp), Crown (1sp), Noble (5cp), Copper Common (1cp).

Government Type:Constitutinal Dukedom. The Duke holds most of the power, with elected officials of each of the territory cities. The elected representatives are elected by the people of the city, and represent them in all matters concerning the town in dealings with the Duke.

Industries:Agriculture, Fishing, Trade, Military, Herding, Textiles (fine cloth, wool, etc..)

Description:The Teckla Republic is one of the wealthiest territories in the Empire. The Teckla Plains, the Republics heartland, produces enough grain to feed the territory twice over. Fish are bountiful on both the Lort and Margom Rivers. Teckla merchants have traded profitably with other nations and territories, both near and far since the end of the First Imperialist Age of Keoland. The past Greyhawk Wars and the humanoid invasions of Geoff and Sterich had slightly beggared the territory by both the cost of the wars and the influx of people, however, with the Liberation of Sterich, that damage has since been cleared. During those days, the Republic had retained its power through trade and diplomacy.
The former Lord Duke of the Republic, now Emperor Adon E' Keirion, had proposed and instituted the annual athletic competition, the first was hosted by Dragaera City, and now is hosted by each of the cities every year.
The Republic is a founding member of the San-Giti Defense League, helping to discourage the invasions by the giants of Geoff, and in bringing those interested in re-taking the Lost Lands of Geoff.

Notable Sites:The Teckla Republic has several cities founded on trade.
Dragaera City (pop. 46,000??) is eastern most, on the Lort River, and is strongly garrisoned against any military threat. The People's Palace (pop.??), located in the center of the Republic, is a safe community with many grain silos and produces much of the Republic's agriculture. Erythane is a city and castle that was finished in Coldeven CY 583. It is in the western portion of the Republic and guards against possible attacks from the humanoids of Geoff and Sterich. Deppas Fang (pop. ??), is the center of caravan activities to the Duchy of Pohotha, Sandy Home County, Northwest Plains Territory and Korio County. Margom lies in the middle of the northwest portion of ht e territory, and maintains contact and trade with the nation of Gran March. Nenko is an impressive example of Keoish architecture. The castles splendor makes the rest of the city look shabby (a testimony to the beauty of the castle, as this is one of the most magnificent cities in the world), and even with a population of 12,000, the city boasts a sophisticated sewer system and is kept relatively clean. Many of the public buildings are made of stone and have graceful fluted columns. Although the city of Pepperfield (pop.2,000) is beautiful, many foreigners find it dull. The Pepperfieldians do not approve of drinking, gambling, or most other recreations of that sort. Mer Chang is veritable city of tents and campfires currently with an unknown population.
On the northwestern border of the Republic lies a vast and broad Rushmoor Swamp, a dangerous wetland where bandits and monsters thrive.

Flora & Fauna:The Teckla Republic has many different types of creatures and monsters. Visitors to the open country may find encounters with herds of cattle, horses, sheep, goats and even buffalo in the typical plains. The swamp is home to crocodiles, giant lizards, lizardmen, bandits, and possibly stranger creatures as well.
Populations in the Axewood include bears, boars, centaurs, and dryads, as well as ogres, orcs, and a group of Forest Gnomes. People have spotted wild pigs, deer, hares, swarms of insects and the occasional jaguar, displacer beasts and of course snakes.
Crocodiles, human colonists, hydras giant leeches, lizardmen, orcs, purple worms and giant snakes are just some of the things that can be found in the Rushmoor's, and don't forget about the infamous Looming Fortress.

Issak
Keoland@aol.com
http://members.xoom.com/wogkeoland
RPGA Member Theocracy of the Pale

Keoland's Climate & Geography

Subject: [GREYTALK] Keoland's Climate & Geography
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 07:16:36 +0900
From: Craig & Julie
Reply-To: The GREYtalk Discussion List

Hi curently developing Keoland for use in an upcoming caampaign (U1-3) and have ben working on the regions geography and climate. If anyone hs aany suggestions or feedback I'd love to hear from you. I'm also looking for information on Gradsul- ruler, maps, anything would be fine. Anyway here is my taake on Keoland's geography & climate...

Climate
Keoland enjoys a temperate, Mediterranean style climate. Summers tend to be long, hot, dry and dusty with the temperatures often reaching into the mid to high thirties (Celsius). Winters tend to be mild with the temperature seldom dipping below freezing, except in the northern provinces.

The climate is driest in the central and western regions; areas close to the two main river valleys, the Sheldomar and the Javan, use irrigation and canals to bring water to the crops during the driest months. Gradsul and the southern coast has the highest annual rainfall. In most areas precipitation occurs mainly during the spring months when the moisture heavy south-easterly winds sweep in from the Azure Sea bringing the rains which replenishes and nourishes the soils. Summer is dry often brings droughts especially to the inland regions. In both spring and autumn the
plains are often swept by fierce thunderstorms, cumuli-nimbus clouds tower up into the stratosphere, bringing heavy rains and sometimes even tornados.

Keoland's climate is due both to it's geographic location and the prevailing long term synoptic weather patterns in Greyhawk. In the winter months the prevailing winds in the Flanaess come from the north-east, sweeping down across the central kingdoms and into Keoland, bringing snow to many northern regions. These cold winds bring little or no rain or snow to Keoland but do deposit some snow on the Lortmil Mountains and bring frosts and cold temperatures to the northern provinces of the kingdom.

In spring the south east trade winds arrive, blowing in from the Solnor Ocean and Azure Sea and pushing the winter winds back northward. The south easterlies are warm and moisture laiden and as they meet the cold dry northerly winds they bring rainfall to the lands. These spring fronts bring heavy rains to Keoland and the other nations of the Sheldomar Valley for about a month during Planting but as quickly as they arrive the rains depart and the long hot summer begins.

As well as having heavier rainfall the coastal regions are also more humid than the central and northern provinces, due to the influence of the Azure Sea. Another feature of the climate of Keoland is the hot, dry Fohn wind, called the Dragon's Breathe by locals, that blows in from the Sea of Dust beyond the Crystalmist Mountains. This super dry wind dries the land as it sucks the last of the moisture out of the air as it blows down from the high mountain valleys. The Dragon's Breathe brings high winds, dust clouds and scorching temperatures to Keoland during summer.

Keoland's climate has a definite north-south and east to west gradient. The central and northern regions tend to be both hottest and driest during the summer months and the coolest during winter as they are furthest from the moderating influences of the Azure Sea as so have the greatest extremes in temperature. Summers tend to be coolest in the good Hills where the elevation affects the temperature and during winter these hills are sometimes blanketed in snow but such snow seldom remains for more than a day or two.

Geography
Keoland is a large kingdom in the South West portion of the Flanaess. The Rushmoors form the nominal western boundary of the kingdom while in Azure Sea, some 600 miles south of these marshes form the southern boundary. To the east the mighty Sheldomar River is the kingdoms eastern border while the Javan River bounds it to the west. In the far north western corner of the kingdom the most recent acquisition to the lands, the County of Javan lies on the western shore of the Javan and this province stretches as far west as the Stark Mounds.

Most of the kingdom lies within the Sheldomar River Basin and consists of a huge plain that stretches from Gradsul in the South to the Thornwood, the capital of Bissel far to the north, a distance of some 1,000 miles.

The country generally slopes from west to east slowly rising in elevation the further west one travels. The vast plains of Keoland barely rise more than 300' in height from the Sheldomar River to the foot hills of the Good Hills, some 250 miles further west. These highlands are the only hills of any note in Keoland, and reach a peak of some 1500 feet above sea level. They are named the Good Hills for they are both fertile and have a favourable climate for growing crops and for orchards as well. Apples, pears, apricots, peaches, olives and even some citrus fruits are all grown in the valleys and slopes of the Good Hills. Beyond the hills the land falls away sharply as the hills drop down the Javan River Valley.

The most fertile soils are found closest to the Javan and Sheldomar Rivers where the annual floods deposits alluvial material that supplies the sustenance for the regions cops. The further north and west one travels from the Sheldomar the drier and stonier the soils get and the less suitable they become for arable farming. Instead the northern and central areas tend to rely more upon the raising of livestock, especially sheep and goats, for their livelihood.

Because the richest soils tend to be located nearest the Sheldomar Valley it isn't surprising to find that the majority of the kingdom's population live near this vital waterway, in fact more than 60% of the population live within 100 miles of the Sheldomar river, in the three main provinces of Gradsul, Sheldomar and Middlemarch. Population density is lessens in the central and western areas of the these provinces. The least populated provinces are in the far northern borderland provinces of (Javan, Rushmoor and Northmarch as well as the Southern Marches which lie between Dreadwood and the Azure Sea. The cooler, more temperate climate of the Good Hills, with its fertile soils, is also a favourable place to live so this region
tends to be quite densely settled.

(Note I've divided the realm into 9 provinces & am intending to start a write up on each soon).

Hope you enjoyed this

Craig Courtis

Irongate

Subject: [GREYTALK] Irongate
Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 17:48:33 EST
From: "Rip Van Wormer>"
Reply-To: The GREYtalk Discussion List

The Fallengod Peninsula was in ancient days dominated by dwarves, working away in their halls on the exposed bones of the Oerth.

With the falling of the City of Summer Stars, elven refugees settled the peninsula's surface in scattered villages, vainly trying to rebuild their lore. Halflings, true to their peoples' plastic nature, lived among both races, adapting their appearance to resemble their host races. The Flan, by and large, avoided the region. Especially in the wake of Vecna's victory, they weren't wanted.

It wasn't until the peninsula was overrun first by the Suel fleeing the conquering Oeridians and then by the pursuing hosts of Aerdy themselves that the elder folk of the Fallengod had to contend with humanity living among them.

It was the dwarves who first built a port near the human village of Talian in order to take advantage of the growing human trade from the sea and the convenient natural sea-caves. Products were shipped from the dwarven smithies and foundries via dark underground rivers flowing out the caves into the harbor.

The deep natural harbor was widened by the dwurfolk, and the city of Irongate was born. Sailors from Idee, Onnwal, and even the isolated villages of the elves began stopping there for supplies and trading with the locals. In time, ships from across the Flanaess were going to Irongate to sell their wares, bringing such exotic creatures as kenku, bullywugs, and catfolk, as well as a number of adventurous gnomes attracted by the promise of gemstones and alcohol.

The SeaMaze, Irongate's most distinctive feature and the one most visible from the sea, was built in 447 CY, after independence from the Great Kingdom was proclaimed. The majority of citizens didn't emphasize with Aerdy at all anymore, and even the language had changed over time. The SeaMaze was an incredible feat of dwarven engineering, a labyrinth of stone and concrete protecting the city's seaside entrance (or did it protect the mouth of the harbor? Ideas?) The enormous pylons rising out of the bay have become synonymous in the minds of Oerth with the city's titular Gate.

Irongate is a complex, rich mix of Oerth's cultures. The city's first human
-- elf marriage took place in 202 CY, and the first legal coupling of human and dwarf took place not long after. Cobb Darg, the current mayor, is from an old merchant family with blood so mixed that it's hard to tell what species have gone into his physiology.

Holidays celebrated in the City of Iron include Ulhamir, the festival of creation, brok'org, the tyranny of souls, Good Luck Day, the kenku new year, the Night of Shadows, and the myriad festivals of Bralm.

Notable foods include specialty mixed drinks, seasoned turtle-egg omelets, etc. Foods are commonly heavily spiced, a combination of subterranean products and a great deal of fish. Zagyg Chaos Mead, famous around the Nyr Dyv, is actually based on a long tradition of mixed drinks begun in Irongate.

Prominent gods of the region include Bralm, Muamman Duathal, Xerbo, Fortubo, Vegadain, Abbathor, Corellon Larethian, Osprem, Zilchus, Procan, Velnius, Phaulkon, Atroa, Wenta, Sotillon, Wastri, and Telchur.

Entertainment: besides a wide selection of restaurants from seedy dockside dives to five star dinner theaters catering to wealthy merchants, Irongate is known for its gnomish operas. Gnomes will perform anything, from the saga of Johydee's Mask to the Mutilation of Gruumsh, the Courtship of Wee Jas to the Urvin Seasmith cycle of comic privateer yarns, all set to the rousing gnomish voice, amplified by that race's complex nasal passages until in a trained singer it reputably rivals the decibel level of a dragonne. Prostitution is kept low, but a determined solicitor can discover a whore for every taste imaginable. The Irongate thieves' guild regulates all such transactions and keeps them at a fair price.

Hardby: Ilshar Aki

Subject: [GREYTALK] Hardby: Ilshar Aki
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 00:44:27 EDT
From: ""
Reply-To: The GREYtalk Discussion List

This post is mostly inspired by Chris Jarvis' concept of Ra'al'tsvar, the keepers of the sacred bloodlines. I absolutely adore his work on ancient societies of Oerth. Basically, what I'm attempting to do here is use this concept in the context of Hardby as described in The Adventure Begins and Artifact of Evil, and the Suel language and culture from The Scarlet Brotherhood accessory. I am using tSB's Suel language, though in Jarvis' terms it should probably read Il'shar'aki, or perhaps Il'shar'tsvar. If I'm horribly misusing his ideas, I apologize.

Begin:
In the wake of the Rain of Colorless Fire, many heresies sprung up in an attempt to deal with the changes forced up on Suloise society. For a while, one of the most prevalent was allowing the belief in the sacred matrilinear bloodlines along which magical potency is passed to fill the vacuum left by the old hierarchies of power. For some, this reverence for bloodlines manifested itself as severe racial intolerance, a fear that purity was the highest and most holy goal remaining, some going so far as to create deliberate human breeding programs. For others, it meant that all of the remaining power went to the carriers of the blood -- the women (among the Cruskii and the Shnaii, it meant that women were actively repressed for fear of their potential influence, and the female thaumaturgii were forced to go underground as witches. The Fruztii remained egalitarian).

The tiny house of Norbe Nehelifon was of the matriarchal persuasion. Mob, the ancient matriarch, saw it as her holy duty to uphold the principle of Shar Aki -- Pure Womanhood -- and nearly destroyed her house warring against the barbarious Oeridians, who treated their guardians of purity like chattel. Her grandaughter Ena was wiser, and lead the survivors of the family (including such historical figures as Molly and Jaka Norbe) to the promisingly-named Wild Coast.

It was not to be. The Coast was too crowded already with crass bandits and desperados scarcely better than Oeridians, ruling each other by strength and force of arms, ignoring their ancient roots and connection to the subtle arts entirely. The Norbes moved on and settled in a deepwater port across the Wooly Bay, trading with and learning to survive from the matriarchal Flan tribes.

It was from the Flan that the new settlement -- called Il Shar Aki by the Norbes, and Harada (later vulgarized as Hard Bay, then Hardby) by the natives -- was to gain much of its culture. While still governed by the principles of its Suel founders, the daughters of Ilshar Aki found that the rather limited pantheon of Wee Jas, Xerbo and Osprem didn't serve them in their new home half so well as the goddesses of the Flan. A temple to Beory was concecrated in the first farms under instructions from the Flan as they taught the new settlements in agriculture, but the goddess that spoke loudest to the settlers was Ehlonna, the Horned Lady. Associated by the locals with moons, magic, the forest, and armed protection from those who would desecrate her, Ehlonna seemed to be the core of everything the Norbes were striving for. While Ena's name is included on the foundation stone of Ehlonna's first great church, and her body was laid to rest in the family tomb there, it isn't clear that the first Despotrix herself ever worshipped anyone but Wee Jas. Certainly, no invocations to the Horned Lady ever appeared in her tomb. Nevertheless, by the time of Ena Norbe's death, Ehlonna's reverence was
firmly entrenched.

Hardby today isn't the dominatrix paradise it is sometimes made out to be by prejudiced sailors and boastful townsfolk. It's a cosmopolitan port, and the casual visitor won't notice any marked differences from any of the other free ports in the domain of Greyhawk and the Wild Coast. Hardby depends on trade for its wealth, and it will do nothing to discourage visitors. Longtime and frequent residents know, however, that the city's balance of power is firmly in the hands of the women. Temples exist that cater to most of the Flanaess' gods and philosophies, but the biggest are the Jasidan, Ospremi, Beoric, and Istusian cathedrals, towering over the port town's skyline.

The philosophy of "Shar Aki" (still in the name inscribed in the city's record books) today refers less to the purity of fleshy blood (Hardby is now firmly multiethnic) than to the "flow" of the world and women's connection to it. The polis of Hardby believes that only women are fit to rule because only women are capable of truly understanding their place in Her greater scheme. This philosophy has also carried over to combat, and female knights are more common than male. Don't mistake this for some drippy New Age mantra; the female powers are old and fierce, and the Oerth's blood runs thick with hate as much as love. The original idea of the sacred bloodline still has currency among magical residents, though no racial stigma is attatched. Magical potential is searched for without regard to racial origin, as the existence of the half-gnomish illusionist Guma Norbe confirms.

Warrior guild

Date: Wed, 11 Aug 99 11:29AM PDT
From: Richard Diioia Add To Address Book Add To Junk Mail Blocker
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [GREYTALK] Warrior guild

Hi all,

One of the things that always set Greyhawk apart from the other settings was it's low magic content. The mages were balanced with the priests and the warriors. Yet, lately the mage societies have become very powerful. We have the Circle of Eight, the Chamber of Four, the Greater Boneheart (mages and priests), the Guild of Wizardry in Greyhawk, the Sagacious Society, etc. Where are the powerful warriors in all this? IMC, it is harder to become a mage than a warrior. This is reflected in the fact that there are at least 500 warriors per mage. At the higher levels this ratio is reduced, but there are still more high level warriors than mages. To reflect this fact I have created a guild of powerful warriors. Here is an omnipotent view I will present to my players this week concerning the guild.

Guild of Crex Tulkus:

A training yard in the castle complex known as the Citadel of Steel. A dozen men train with various weapons and different techniques. This training complex is the most intricate of any on Oerth and caters to the tastes of the greatest fighters in the world.

The Citadel is owned and ruled by the Guild of Crex Tulkus (Old Oeridian for Glorious Battle). The Grandmaster of Melee stands on a balcony overlooking the yard below. Silent thoughts of the history and purpose of the Citadel fill his mind.

The Citadel was create hundreds of years ago as a sanctuary for warriors from the capricious nature of mages. The guild was created as a gathering of powerful warriors to exchange stories and to teach new skills. Over the years the guild recruited many members from the different war torn regions of Flannae. Retired warriors came here for shelter from the world gone mad. Each century the reasons were different; fiends released, mages becoming power hungry, gods starting holy jyhads. It was all the same to these warriors, they lost many friends along their travels to the whims of the leaders who had no concept of what it meant to be in the front lines of battle. So they came here, to the Citadel. To heal, to rest and to renew their faith in themselves and others.

A little under two hundred years ago the Guild began to attract priests of warrior deities. At first they were refused, but a vote was held amongst the greatest warriors of the guild and a decision was made. If the priests could prove that they too had fought and bled in battle and that they had dedicated their life to fighting and stood by their brother warriors, they would be admitted. A trial period lasting 50 years was offered and many priests accepted the test. During that time, the priests showed there mettle. They lived and died alongside the warriors and gained the respect of their guild brothers.
When the final vote came, none stood against priests being accepted into the order.

For centuries it has been so, and now the Citadel attracts the brightest and most skilled warriors in the Flannae. It is considered a great honor to be approached with an offer of guildmanship. As the guild grew, so too did the size of the Citadel, so that now it is one of the largest military keeps in the Flannae. It can be argued that only Irongate rivals it for defensive power.
With this increase in size and population, the guild divided itself into cells.
Each cell representing a certain fighting style. Currently there are 5 Grandmasters who serve the Guildmaster. The Grandmasters are that of Melee, Ranged, Mounted, War, and Priesthoods. Although not all styles are represented by the Grandmasters, those that are not are given under the purvey of a Master who represents that style. The Grandmasters and Masters of each order is chosen as the undisputed best warrior in that combat style. The Grandmaster of Priesthoods is changed every five years in deference to the different priesthoods. It is the only order that is not solely based on combat skill.
Note that the Grandmaster of the Priesthoods must be the undisputed best warrior in his priesthood though. It has occurred on several occasions where the Grandmaster was not the best warrior in a style, but he was "undisputed".
This is a loop hole in the guild rules that is used often to promote a brilliant Grandmaster who may not be the best warrior. It also allows warriors who do not want to be Guildmasters to pass and still be unofficially the best in their style.

But now, there is tension in the wind. The seasoned warriors training below have an edge to them. Something is in the air, and the Guildmaster of Melee really wanted to know what could make such experienced warriors nervous.
Whatever it was, it was happening within the higher levels of the Guild, and he was not aware!

Richard Di Ioia
ricdii@yahoo.com

Gran March Religions Document part 5

Date: Thu, 20 Jan 00 20:39PM PST
From: Nick Perch Add To Address Book Add To Junk Mail Blocker To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [GREYTALK] Gran March Religions Document part 5 (last part)

I lied, I only split it into 5 parts. Parts 2 and 3 are somewhat large.

Nick Perch
Gran March Triad

-----Begin Part 5

The Harvest Church:
Overview:
The Harvest Church is dedicated to the worship of the Oeridian agricultural Powers. The church worships Merikka and Velnius as the primary agricultural Powers, and pays homage to Atroa, Sotillon and Wenta according to the season. (Wenta is honored in all seasons in his aspect as the god of brewing.) Telchur is not worshiped, but services to appease him, and seek a gentle winter are held every Sunsebb, and services thanking the Power for his mercy are held every Readying.

In addition to the above-mentioned Powers, the Harvest Church venerates Saint Gwen, patron saint of the land and planting. The honoring of this saint is unique to the Harvest Church of Gran March, however it seems clear that this veneration is not some misguided cult, as priests who claim to follow Saint Gwen have been observed to invoke miracles in his/her name.

The Harvest Church is broadly worshipped in Gran March, encompassing a greater number of worshippers than any other single faith. This is a church of the common man, and while less politically influential than the churches of Heironeous or even Zilchus, the leaders of the Harvest Church are still well heeded by those in seats of power.

The Harvest Church was established by a group of like-minded priests in the earliest days of the settlement of Gran March. Though the idea of a multi-Power church may seem odd to outsiders, it has been a part of the fabric of Gran March for so long that it is accepted as the normal order of things. In the days when the Knights of the Watch were bringing order to Gran March, they made a decision to support and defend the Harvest Church.

This decision was based on the view that the Church would be an influence likely to avoid the petty squabbles between followers of different agricultural traditions that might otherwise have plagued the land. That alliance continues to this day, to the benefit of both parties.

Centers of Worship:

Chapels of the Harvest Church are found throughout Gran March, in villages and hamlets and towns. They are typically simple wooden structures, but adorned with a wealth of trappings to reflect each of the Powers venerated by the church. Such chapels are almost always attended by a priest, and serve both the host community and the surrounding villages. The center of the Harvest Church is the Golden Temple in Barony Bullette. This temple, constructed of yellow stone imported from quarries in the Hellfurnaces, is home to the High Harvestmaster and a large congregation. The remains of Saint Gwen are also said to be interred here.

The Temple of Merikka in Orlane is unusual in the Harvest Church, in that it is primarily devoted to a single Power. It was brought into the Harvest Church only within the last 10 years or so, and retained the trappings of a dedicated temple of Merikka until very recently. In 589 CY, the temple suffered extensive damage during a raid from the Rushmoors. While the main structure is still intact, many of the trappings (particularly the gold statues that were the pride of the church) were carted off into the Rushmoors. The temple has been partly refurbished, and there are currently negotiations between the leaders of the Harvest Church and those of the Orlane temple regarding the inclusion of the trappings of other Powers when the temple in Orlane is fully restored.

Activities of the Priesthood:

While each priest receives spells from a single Power, they consider themselves to be priests of the Harvest Church, and perform the rituals of the Harvest Church rather than of any individual Power. The priests of the Harvest Church are charged to aid those who work the land of Gran March. To this end they heal the sick, use their magics to enhance crop growth and prevent crop failure, carry news or messages as they make their rounds from village to village, and spread the word of new agricultural advances.

The priests of the Harvest Church are valued counselors as well. As with the Zilcherans and Cuthbertians, the Harvestors are frequently called upon to mediate disputes. Their advice is frequently sought by those in authority on matters concerning the common folk of Gran March. Additionally, Harvestors are considered, as a group, to be diplomats second in skill only to the Zilcherans, and priests of the Harvest Church fill not a few ambassadorial posts. As with the Zilcherans, Harvestors are frequently paired with a more military minded deputy ambassador. Reyla Hyttaska (priest 12, Merikka), the current ambassador to Keoland is one such. She is paired with deputy ambassador Lieutenant Deskar Vaggarel, (0-level human) a retired army supply officer.

Demographics:

About 24% of the adult population are members of the Harvest Church. They do not follow any single Power. The nearly exclusive majority of the members of the church are farmers or those in related jobs (such as millers or brewers). All the human races of Gran March are represented in the congregation, though a majority of the followers have Oeridian blood.

Females out number males about 11 to 9. The congregation comprises all alignments common to Gran March, as well as a significant number of Chaotic Good and Neutral Good followers.

The priesthood of the Harvest Church comprises priests of each of the Powers venerated by that church. The distribution is roughly 40% priests of Merikka, 20% priests of Velnius, 15% priests of Wenta, 10% priests of Atroa, 10% priests of Sotillon, and 5% priests of Saint Gwen. There are no priests of Telchur in the Harvest Church. All told, there are about 970 priests of the Harvest Church, and they tend to follow similar distribution patterns as the congregation.

Church Leadership:

The church is led by a High Vestry made up of nine leading priests. The nine offices of the High Vestry are each selected by different methods, and for different terms. The office of the Youngest is held by the youngest full priest in the church at the time that the office becomes open. The Youngest serves for 5 years, at which point a new Youngest is automatically selected.

The office of the Eldest is fairly self-explanatory. The remaining 6 offices are undefined at this time. The office of the High Priest is held for 10 years at a time, and the office holder is selected during the Richfest celebrations every ten years by voting among all Harvest Church priests. The current High Priest, who began her second term in 590 CY is Gabriella Consannis (priest 14, Merikka). Gabriella is currently using her office to smooth the integration of refugees into Gran March society and the Harvest Church. She is well respected and heeded by those in authority, and her counsel is valued even by Magnus Vridanian, Commandant of the March and a priest of Heironeous. She splits her time between the Golden Temple attending to the business of the church, and Hookhill where she makes sure the concerns of the common folk are respected.

Relationships with other Faiths:

The Harvest Church gets along well with its fellow churches in Gran March. The Church has an extremely close relationship with the churches of Phyton and St. Cuthbert, and the priests of the Harvest Church will usually not hesitate to help a follower of Phyton or St. Cuthbert in need. This warmth is reciprocated, and the three churches enjoy an informal alliance to serve the needs of the people of Gran March.

The priests of the Harvest Church are on cordial but distant terms with the Zilcherans. They are suspicious of the Pholtites, whom they regard as slightly dangerous zealots, and because of the extremely strained relationships between the Pholtites and both the Cutbertians and the followers of Phyton. They are suspicious of the followers of the Shalm, but largely ignore them, and they have a rapidly cooling relationship with the Heironean church, as a result of the proselytizing currently in progress.

The Church has a friendly but distant relationship with the church of Fharlanghn.

-----End Part 5 - This is the last part. There is no part 6.

Gran March Request for Volunteers

Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 08:54:07 EST
From: Nick Perch
Subject: Gran March Request for Volunteers

Hi all,

We're building a country, and could use some help. If you're interested, let us know. Also, comments on the document itself welcomed. First part is information we've put together to date. Second part is a suggested format for further development.

Nick Perch
-Gran March (NC/SC, USA) Triad Member for Living World of Greyhawk

****************************************************************************=
Gran March has 10 Baronies and 2 Marches. They are briefly described in this document. Population for the regions refers to population other than that in towns or villages mentioned in the text. Possible industries are listed in approximate order of importance, but may be changed to suit the vision of
future developers.

The Dim March comprises the Dim Forest east of the Realstream. The seat of the Marcher Lord is a fort on the road from Buxton's Crossing to Hochoch, in the middle of the forest. Non-military population is about 1000 humans, plus about 8800 elves and 1500 humanoids.

The Rush March comprises the Rushmoors. The seat of the Marcher Lord is a fort about 45 miles south and 45 miles west of Shiboleth, near the border of the swamp. Population is about 1500 humans, mostly near the fort and in the regions of the swamp between Orlane and the Javan. There are also about 1500
humanoids in this area.

Barony Gorgon comprises the southern Lorridges. A line that runs due east from the point where the Realstream enters the northern reaches of the Dim Forest sets the northern border. The capital (pop 600) is on a road that winds from Hookhill to the capital of Barony Peryton to the east.
Pop: 13200, 600 dwarves.
Electors: 3
Possible industries: Shepherding, agriculture (winemaking), mining (copper, gems).

Barony Peryton comprises the Lortmills to the extent that they have been claimed. The northern border is the same as that for Barony Gorgon. A line that runs due north from the source of the Lort River sets the eastern border. The capital (pop 300) is in the southern part of the barony, on a road that runs in a loop from Hookhill to Buxton's Crossing.
Pop: 3500, 1200 dwarves, about 1000 humanoids.
Electors: 2
Possible industries: Mining, building stone, smelting, smithing.

Barony Owlbear comprises the lands between the Dim forest and Rushmoors, east of the Realstream. It includes a small strip of the Oytwood, north of the Javan, the town of Hochoch (pop 5500), and an area of about 5 miles radius about Hochoch. The capital is Orlane (see module N1), current population 300.
Pop: 12100.
Electors: 4
Possible Industries: Agriculture, timber, rushes.

Barony Basilisk is bounded on the west by the Rushmoors. The northern border is a line running due east from the northernmost point of the Rushmoors. The eastern border is a line running north-south 15 miles east of Shiboleth. The southern border is the Sheldomar, and a line straight west from the source of the Sheldomar to the Rushmoors. The capital is Shiboleth (pop 5900) which sits on the road from Niole Dra to Thornward, a major trade route.
Pop: 30800.
Electors: 10
Possible Industries: Trade, agriculture, cloth.

Barony Nereid is bounded by the Lort on the East, and the Sheldomar on the south. The northern border is the same as that for Barony Basilisk, while the western border is the eastern border of Barony Basilisk. This is a rich agricultural area, and prosperous from trade across the Lort and down the Sheldomar. The capital is Lortenford (pop 2000), which sits at the juncture of the Lort and Sheldomar rivers.
Pop: 42900.
Electors: 15
Possible Industries: Trade, agriculture, cloth (silk?).

Barony Manticore sits between Barony Peryton to the north and Barony Nereid to the south. The western border is an extension of the western border of Barony Peryton south until it intersects the northern border of Barony Nereid. The eastern border is the Lort, or a line running due north from the source of the Lort. The capital (pop 1000) sits near the source of the Lort River.
Pop: 31900.
Electors: 12
Possible Industries: Other than agriculture, we've given it no thought. But I'm sure all those folks do something productive. Make it up.

Barony Chimera is bounded on the north by Barony Gorgon, on the east by Barony Manticore, on the south by Baronies Basilisk and Nereid, and on the west by a line running due south from the southeasternmost point of the Lorridges. The capital sits on the road from Buxton's Crossing to the capital of Barony Peryton. The population of the capital is about 900. This is a rich farming area.
Pop: 29700
Electors: 10
Possible Industries: Agriculture, horses, cotton.

Barony Griffon is the richest largest in Gran March, in terms of population. It is bounded on the south by the Rushmoors and Barony Basilisk, on the north by a line running due west from the southeasternmost corner of the Lorridges, on the east by Barony Chimera, and on the west by a line running due north from the easternmost point of the Dim Forest. The capital is Buxton's Crossing (pop 3000), situated at the intersection of the road from Niole Dra to Thornward, and the road running from the capital of Barony Peryton to Hochoch and points west. This is the industrial heart of Gran March, and much of the military production (armor, weapons, clothing) takes place here. While the farmland is rich, and agriculture is potentially very profitable here, a large percentage of the population is involved in crafts.
Pop: 47300
Electors: 17
Possible Industries: Weaving, smithing, horses, agriculture, leatherworking, cattle ranching.

Barony Bullette is the largest barony in terms of area, with the Dim Forest as the western border, the same northern border as Barony Gorgon, and an eastern border corresponding to the western border of Barony Griffon extended north to the border with Bissel. This barony produces most of the horses and cattle for Gran March. The capital (pop 1100) is thirty miles due west of Hookhill.
Pop: 16500
Electors: 11
Possible Industries: Horses, cattle ranching, leatherworking, agriculture.

Barony Dragon is bounded by Baronies Bullette, Griffon, and Gorgon, and the northern border is the same as that for Barony Gorgon. This is the capital barony, and in addition to the Baron, the Commandant rules here. The capital of both the barony and the country is Hookhill (pop 7500) which sits astride the road from Niole Dra to Thornward. A smaller trade road runs west to the capital of Barony Bullette and east to the capital of Barony Gorgon.
Pop: 33000
Electors: 16
Possible Industries: Agriculture, trade, smithing, and horses.
****************************************************************************=
The following should serve as a guide to the type of information that should be developed. By no means, allow this to limit your creativity. Note in some cases that the information has been provided for you. Feel free to use this as a springboard. As your assigned editor, I will be available to answer any questions you may have and to review any information you have created. Once again, thanks for assisting us to make a great campaign.

Information Needed
General Information
Location
Population
Major Roads
General geography
Political information
Current Baron(ess)
Current Electors
Current Events

Economic Information
Major Industries
Natural Resources
Major Crops

Historical and Social Information
Major Historical Events
Local Holidays
Local Legends

Capital
Size and population
Architectural style
Major Temples
Fortifications
Troop contingents
Other Major Buildings
Major Organizations
Leadership

Other Places of Interest
Villages
Towns
Ruins
Castles
Major Landmarks

Major NPCs
Baron(ess)
Personality
Family History
Line of Succession
General Competence
Popularity
Enemies
Electors
Names
Seats
Any items of note
Any Other NPCs of note

Of course, feel free to develop beyond these guidelines. Thanks, I look forward to your submission.

Re: EuroChat summmary?

Date: Wed, 24 Nov 99 04:11AM PST
From: "Paul Redmond" Add To Address
To: scvolstagg@netscape.net
Subject: Re: EuroChat summary?

Here ya go - even edited and spell checked to remove the fluff.

>I thought someone was going to summarize our work and post it to the list?

Maybe once we actually do some work - I haven't contacted Stephane about doing naything yet - been a bit busy.

Anyway here's the log:

sander> A town is a way too big undertaking - a village?
Volstagg> We can start small.
Stephane> Sander) A thorp ?
Woesinger> a village of some sort sounds good
Woesinger> if so then where
sander> now if I knew what a thorp was...
Volstagg> A village in the Wild Coast, plagued by kobolds?
Volstagg> A thorp is a community smaller than a village.
Quij> a new village of Hommlet would be cool.
Stephane> We could also finish the session with some home work to be completed in the following week (s ?) before posting it to Greytalk.
Volstagg> Homework?? I'm not in school anymore..
Stephane> Vol) :-P
Stephane> The simple fact that you have to produce something for the rest of the group next week could help procrastinators like...me
sander> Now whose afraid of homework?
Olvenhero> It's a good idea to use a local on the Wild coast consumed by the Pomarj. It allows for humanocentric approach to the original material and the transition to humanoid occupation is easier to conceive. In all, it becomes of use and adventurous to both a pre- and post-Wars setting.
Quij> What do you guys think the Wild Coast political scene looks like? I've always thought of it as small villages mostly, with independent lords and a lot of freeman farmers.
Stephane> Again, let's start very small, exchange idea around a project and do some writing. not everybody has to write every week. We could use volunteers...
Olvenhero> More like diffuse city-states always on the verge of greater things.
Volstagg> Really, Quij? I thought it was controlled by city states...
Quij> I've never thought that the city states controlled more than their hex.
Volstagg> Okay, our village should be somewhere in the south...
sander> The small villages would dominate - there are only so many city-states, and they have got to get the food from somewhere...
Volstagg> Since when do farmers control city-states just because of they make the food?
sander> There would be quite a lot of fishing villages there... As well as elsewhere on the coasts of Flannaess
Woesinger> how about a village far enough away from a city state that it is semi independent?
Volstagg> Okay. A remote village. Inland?
sander> 'dominate' and 'dominate' as in - there are going to be lots and lots of more villages than city states
Woesinger> or it just give lip service and occasional tithes to the local city-state ruler?
Quij> Volstagg: the farmers don't control anything, imo (not like the Yeomanry at all), but each lord would maintain his own sovereignty.
Volstagg> Well, naturally there will be more villages than cities. That would be true anywhere.
Volstagg> Does our remote inland village have its own lord?
Olvenhero> Nearer to the forests would be good for this kind of semi-autonomy. The larger cities wouldn't want to over extend themselves, but might offer aid in exchange for food. The humanoids of the forests would provide adventure problems in any timeframe and the olvenfolk might be usable in a Mak-oriented situation.
sander> Why do people always when talking about feudalism/middle-ages put
the peasants in the situation they were in France in the beginning of 17th century?
sander> Not every village has a direct lord. Villages don't have lords, regions (no matter how small) do...
sander> But whatever it has one and to whom it pays taxes to is a very distant matter imho...
Volstagg> Okay, Sander, so is this in a lorded region, or a lordless region?
Olvenhero> San> But villages do often have lords at some level above them. But yes, villages more often have "protectors", reeves, or elders of some sort to "lead".
Stephane> We would choose next week project at the end of the chat or have
some one say that he will bring a starter to the next chat. this starter could be posted before the chat, so everybody would know the basics.
Quij> In the current orcish "empire" the people would have new masters: the orcs. They'd either be serfs or, probably, slaves. I wonder how the orcs maintain control as a minority, alien race? Could be the people don't care? (one set of masters is as good as another?)
sander> Or rather, neither the people nor the orcs really care? Why should they?
Olvenhero> How about semi-control under the authority of gnolls or flinds, who are very organised?
Volstagg> A flind landlord? Hmm...
Volstagg> Stephane, this is looking promising, so maybe we can try your scheme for next week.
sander> Well, I guess they just give their share of foodstuffs to whatever "lord" goesby and demands one
sander> And whom they don't feel like they can just boot away.
Volstagg> Is this a village of 400 humans? 500?
Stephane> Volstagg) Much smaller than that !
Stephane> About 150
sander> Too many. Rather, why not decide the number of families and work from there?
sander> So 10 families?
sander> 15 families?
Volstagg> How many in a family?
Quij> Maybe Turrosh Mak is an enlightened despot? Could be the Flanaess will see a renaissance of orcish culture...
sander> 10 people or more, usually
Stephane> 15 families fine with me, with about 4-5 people per family
Volstagg> That's a small family, Stephane...
Olvenhero> Quij> Please....
sander> 4-5 is way too few for a medieval or even close families
Volstagg> Who's going to work the fields with that few kids?
Stephane> Volstagg> A family for me being an homestead. Agreed though that,
in a rural setting, families would be bigger
Volstagg> 22 families, approx. 200 people?
Woesinger> Right how about this - the village is close to the limit of the effective control of a WC city state - out of the way but has a fertile hinterland. it bribes the city with food to keep their officials off their backs.
Woesinger> When the orcs invaded its sufficiently off the beaten track (or close to the Olves) that the orcs cannot maintain sufficient control
Quij> My current character comes from the wild coast, in a town I invented at the crossroads of Badwall, Fax, & Elredd. His family has about well over 20 people in it. (about 8 or 10 brothers and sisters, and their children, the parents, grandparents, and a few farmhands)
Volstagg> And how about 25 miles of Badwall as placement?
Woesinger> As to family sizes -8-10 including grandmothers etcetc
songe> don't you think ten people "alive" per families is too much
sander> Towards the sea?
Quij> Olvenhero: Don't like my idea of Turrosh Mak? hehe.
Volstagg> It just doesn't seem very remote to me if its by the sea...
sander> Family: 2+2+1-2+4 at the very minimum
songe> I mean in medieval time there is many death
Volstagg> Much death, and much...you know...going on.
Olvenhero> Quij> I think the record stands that Mac earned his title of "Despot".
sander> 2 - grandparents + 2 - husband & wife + 1-2 unmarried brothers/sisters + about 4 surviving children
Quij> songe: that begs the question: how common are priests? who are also spellcasters?
sander> not everybody married/had a family, largely not to divide the available land up too much
Volstagg> But even married children would often live in their family's home.
sander> right.
Volstagg> Well, at least in a slavic culture...
Quij> Volstagg: I agree.
Woesinger> Yeah - and remember no birth control (or very basic) ;)
sander> As for priests, about one I guess, imc no non-spellcasting priests, no magic-user
songe> quij> I always thing shaman to be both priest and mage but I play in first ed you know
Volstagg> I think we can assume no leveled people in a village that small.
sander> well, in a fantasy setting, there is no reason for no birth control.
Creighto2> birth control would be "natural"; a very high child mortality
Stephane> I'd say a first level priest and maybe a first level fighter
Woesinger> so how about 15 families - giving between 125 and 175 people?
Volstagg> 30 miles northwest of Elredd?
Olvenhero> Vol> Actually, depending on how close to the forests, there might be a couple woodsfolk who qualify as rudimentary rangers.
Quij> pre-industrial societies valued large families.
Volstagg> Someone was adamant about it being by the sea...
sander> industrial ones did as well, ;largely until after WWII
sander> Really?
Volstagg> 150 pop. sounds too small to me to bother with, but if everyone else thinks that's okay...
Stephane> Volstagg> Remember, we want to start small
Woesinger> any advance on 150?
Woesinger> 150 going once
Volstagg> I think that's too small to rationalise a 1st level cleric being there.
Quij> many religions have a "go forth and multiply" clause, too (at least the Romans did).
Stephane> I like 20 families and 200 people
Volstagg> At most it has a shrine to one god.
Woesinger> 200!
Woesinger> I hear 200!
songe> ok for 200 souls
Creighto2> and a militia of 20 max
sander> Well, doesn't Safeton number 5500?
sander> Errr...
Stephane> Volstagg) in rural Québec, until 1960, every village would have a church.
sander> 200 people would never accept feeding a militia of 20
Quij> I think that's just the people living within the town walls.
songe> I suppose you plan to build up a village
Volstagg> 200 souls, 20 militiamen, with 1 1st lvl leader?
Woesinger> 200 sounds reasonable for a hamlet to me
Olvenhero> I suppose we don't want to use the village from DUNGEON....
Creighto2> the militia would have other jobs they would be part-timers
Stephane> MIlitia is taken from the villagers, on a round basis.
sander> leave the 20 militiamen out
Volstagg> The militia might be forced on them!
Volstagg> A militia of humanoids?
sander> 20 is way too many - 10%
Stephane> Olvenhero) DUNGEON ??
Woesinger> if this is a semi independent place then they might not have a militia per se
Quij> GH population figures are much too small, imo. they should be increased by x5 to be reasonable.
Creighto2> not really if they all have other jobs and just soldier when needed
Woesinger> they might get the able-bodied folk to defend from any threats, but an organised militia ...I don't know
sander> Well, 20 humanoid soldiers + some non-soldiers sounds ok
songe> sander > hard to feed 20 unproductive in a way but may be they could
be timber ( bucheron) or hunter
sander> songe - agreed. the village would never have 20 militia
Volstagg> By the way, Stephane, those churches didn't have 1st lvl clerics!
Volstagg> 15 militiamen, then?
sander> a 1st level cleric is very probable
sander> 10
Quij> I think the "militia" would be part-time, maybe training every Godsday or something, but farmers, shepherds, etc. otherwise.
Stephane> I'd say 10-20 able bodied people who could take up village defence, maybe more . It make for one male per family.
Volstagg> I totally disagree about the cleric.
sander> Why, Vollstag?
Olvenhero> Stef> The Setting Sun, issue #73
songe> quij > it s the way I see it too
Volstagg> Are we assuming this is not a humanoid occupied village?
Woesinger> able bodied men would be about a third of the population?
sander> No. 1/6
Quij> Woe: I think 1/5th at the most.
Stephane> Every head of a family, plus at least the older son, would be "volunteer" in time of needs
Stephane> That make for about 20-30 people.
sander> I'm not sure about that...
Woesinger> that sounds good - and they'd have bow and spear, maybe a few swords and axes?
songe> stephane> that sound correct to me
Stephane> Volstagg> That is what I'm assuming. It is not worth any garrison
sander> Bows maybe, axes maybe, one or two swords (these are expensive),
some spears (hunting) also
Quij> spear, self bow, maybe pole arms. I don't think swords would be too popular with working class.
Woesinger> and they'd deal with local threats and the like
Woesinger> pikes? flails etc?
Creighto2> I would have thought few swords mainly spears, wood axes and a couple of bows bearing in mind a longbow costs around 75gp
sander> popular? It sounds as if sword had any special advantages as a weapon over axes or maces
Taras> Pole Arms are a must. A bunch of them were essentially agricultural tools (ie: bill hook), so they will be there.
Volstagg> Not me, Steph. Someone should have thought of that sooner..
sander> flails.
Volstagg> Though so far it sounds like it could be anywhere.
Quij> I firmly believe that every town would have some sort of local lord, a baronet or knight. (even if his seat is in another town)
Woesinger> there wouldn’t be a garrison partly because its too small and partly because they bribe the officials with food etc not to put one here (?)
Stephane> Quij) Not this small hamlet
sander> It is a small village. A knight would have several
Woesinger> and this is the Wild coast after all not an organised state (?)
sander> It needs several to buy a new sword or have his mail repaired once in a while
Quij> if the village didn't have a master, some war lord would come around and make himself one (I think)
songe> may be this small hamlet have a landlord who don't care about it
sander> Why would the officials want a garrison there?
Stephane> Maybe this village was under the rule of a lord before the orcs came. Now, they are just trying to survive
Woesinger> sander: to maintain control?
Creighto2> I assume this village is not occupied and therefore in the north
Quij> I could see that. The kingsmen went away, and didn't come back. But the hereditary title would pass along to someone. (nobles just don't give up claim to land)
Stephane> Creighton) It is conquered but not occupied
songe> so what are the natural resource of this hamlet?
Woesinger> perhaps the claim is disputed?
sander> woesinger: to maintain control you only need to be able to a) boot away anybody trying to take over b) make it clear to the peasants you can burn the village down any time you like
Woesinger> and has been for a long time..
Creighto2> if it were conquered who would it have a human militia wouldn’t the all be disarmed?
sander> Foodstuffs
Stephane> Songe> Forest being the obvious
Volstagg> Halfway between Fax and Elredd along the coast?
Woesinger> such that the locals have got used to the idea of being free to an extent and want to stay that way
sander> just like almost any other village
Quij> no need for a garrison. fear of the gibbet will keep most peasants in line.
sander> Not on the coast, if we don't want to tackle fishing
Stephane> Creighton> officially, they are...
songe> so they hunt could gather wood and farm
songe> a typical hamlet in a way
Woesinger> sander: fair enough - then they just keep a low profile and don't give anyone the excuse to come and do that
Creighto2> being caught with a bow or spear would be a death sentence
Volstagg> The '83 book says the Wild Coast produces no outstanding resources...
sander> ?????
Woesinger> sander: burn their village down
Olvenhero> Vol> I always read that as exportable resources.
Volstagg> So they only make what they need here.
Stephane> Creighton> I don't know. Since orcs are the conquerors, they probably don’t pay too much attention to a small hamlet of peasant
Creighto2> it will still produce enough grain etc to sustain life
sander> Well, being caught with a weapon being worth punishment depends largely on the location and time
Olvenhero> Or, "unknown".
songe> they produce no resource for exportation for sure, a small hamlet could barely do that
Volstagg> Are you thinking of feudal Japan, Creighton?
Woesinger> also on weapons it depends on who's enforcing law and order, which I think we've discussed is pretty non-existent
Creighto2> No I’m thinking if you had conquered somewhere you would not take kindly to someone running around with a powerful weapon like a bow
sander> Do they produce grain or rice or....?
songe> do they have herd?
Woesinger> right - we need to make a distinction between pre and post war...
sander> Or you would not care as everybody always does bear a weapon and you would punish those who are careless
Woesinger> initially we're detailing pre war (?)..
Quij> I think a small village like this would be a farming village (with a little left over to sell in the cities on market days) and mostly self sufficient.
Volstagg> The village is nominally lead by the 1st level fighter, a family head who had some war experience.
Woesinger> then moving on through to post war (?)
songe> cows ? sheep?
Stephane> Songe) No herd anymore, eaten by the orcs
Quij> turnips and sheep. :-)
sander> Vollstag - or who has the most riches?
Volstagg> Yes, they could still have sheep.
Volstagg> What riches? The one with the most sheep?
sander> The one with most land, animals and maybe a gold coin or two hidden somewhere
Woesinger> and the respect of the rest of the hamlet?
Olvenhero> Why not goats instead of sheep? If you are near the coastline, there's cliffs to negotiate, according to the several sources on the Wild Coast.
sander> Or if we are talking the coast, the one with two fishing boats instead of one
Woesinger> why not goats and sheep?
Quij> I hate to say it... but potatoes are a good crop. esp. in an area were there are a lot of soldiers roaming around trampling crops.
Stephane> Sander) No one would have land, per se. I think everything would be communal
Olvenhero> Or sheep plus goats?
songe> if they have sheep they have wool in a small amount at least plus leather from hunt and wood from woods:)
Volstagg> We keep wavering back and forth on if its a port village or not...
Volstagg> We need to make a decision before we can go farther.
sander> Stephane - the communal thing lasted for short time, it was largely communal + personal
Woesinger> right inland or on the coast?
Quij> goat milk and cheese
sander> port = coast.
Volstagg> Inland.
Olvenhero> Isn't it easier if it's inland some?
sander> I'd go for inland as well - it is way easier
Stephane> Inland
Volstagg> I originally wanted it tucked away by the Suss somewhere.
Olvenhero> Vol> That seems better to me.
Woesinger> so is that a majority for inland?
Quij> does the WC have very many natural harbours, or is it a "cliffy" kind of coast (or are there lots of reefs, shoals, etc. in the water). What about pirates?
Olvenhero> More cliffs as you go south, it seems.
Volstagg> What does Spain have?
Woesinger> vol: not assigned
Olvenhero> Quij> Yeah, them too. there are shelter coves to be had.
Volstagg> Actually, I meant, does Spain have beaches or cliffs?
Woesinger> vol: doh! ;)
Quij> Barcelona, and Port. has Lisbon. Two excellent port towns.
Woesinger> Spain has everything from beaches to cliffs
Woesinger> its a big place
Taras> So's the Wild Coast.
Woesinger> however am I right in saying the consensus is inland?
Stephane> OK. We have a small inland village, with about 20 families and 20 people, a first level leader and a first level cleric. it is located south of Badwall, was conquered by orcs but is not occupied right now since orcs don't bother with such a small hamlet. About 20 persons are able-bodied but they won’t resist orc's being largely outnumbered. they have crops.
Olvenhero> How about the occasional gnoll/flind tribesmen checking on the village, collecting food, etc.?
Woesinger> yeah the villagers might buy off the orcs/gnolls with food
sander> Well, the orcs/whoever would come by not so regularly and demand foodstuffs
Olvenhero> What I'm saying is, there needs to be the constant threat of "discovery" for anything going on.
Quij> An orcish governor in his villa?
sander> she meant rather 20 and able-bodied as in 'bearing weapons'
sander> Doubtful.
Olvenhero> The flinds/gnolls would be capable of sussing out any kind of complex plan, making the situation that much more tense.
sander> Orcs aren't the kind to put a lone governor somewhere
Quij> I was being silly.
Olvenhero> Sander> Which is the idea for Gnolls/Flind ::smile::.
Stephane> Taras) Sorry, 20
Stephane> Olvenhero) I like that (the threat of discovery)
songe> ok 20 first level fighter
sander> 20 leveled people in a village of 200?
Creighto2> 0 level fighters...
Quij> At this population level, you could detail everyone (at least age, sex, and maybe name) and just count heads to find who many able bodied males there are...
Olvenhero> Stef> It also opens up the olven potential, if there is at least one half-olven in the settlement. do we want this?
sander> 1 first level fighter, 1 first level cleric, 20 zero level fighters, 1 zero level cleric?
Stephane> Songe) No, 20 able-bodied people with only one 1st level fighter
sander> No. No half-elves
Olvenhero> Lay-person cleric?
Olvenhero> I did this once, it was a good idea.
Woesinger> a sort of village healer type?
songe> stephane> they are foodstuff for orcs :)
Quij> what about a druid?
sander> Ermm... 1 st level cleric most probably. It should be more likely for a village to have a 1st level cleric than a 1st level fighter
Woesinger> knows some herb lore and bone setting - also devoted to some god
Quij> the "old faith"?
Olvenhero> Priest would be what: Obad-Hai, Beory, or Ehlonna?
sander> obad-hai, beory, merikka
Stephane> Half-elven druid living not far in the Suss ?
Woesinger> Obad-Hai or Beory or maybe Pelor?
Olvenhero> What the hell is Merrika?
Woesinger> the Pelor priest would have to keep his head down
Stephane> I like Merrika !
sander> agriculture related demi/lesser goddess
Quij> maybe the local priest/druid told the people not to resist the orcs and because of that were saved?
Creighto2> of oeridian decent
Olvenhero> Not Ehlonna, then. she patron of half-elves and rangers, despite the screw up in _FtA_. I have the revisions from Carl, if anyone needs it...
songe> so in a way if they product food and pay a tribute to some humanoids they are protected by those ugly things
Olvenhero> songe> only in as far as they provide what is demanded -- whether in season or not. This offers more tension, as the "orcs" wouldn't care about growing seasons.
sander> Not protected - left in peace and living and the village not razed.
Olvenhero> Quij> About what?
Stephane> Songe) Kind of
Woesinger> yeah - but the orcs/flinds are a bit volatile - and have burned down some other villages in drunken fits?
sander> Well, the orcs probably would.
Quij> Olven: about what you meant by "druid" but not druidic priests.
songe> what happen if another band of humanoids try to raid the hamlet?
Quij> songe: they'd be sol
Stephane> Songe) The village is raided...
songe> ok thanks
sander> A conflict involving two bands of humanoids and the villagers?
Olvenhero> Woe> yes, but they occupied those villages. This one is too small to do that, except by a small force or single creature, like a gnoll/flind. Humanoid patrols might visit with varying frequency through the seasons.
Stephane> Songe, Of course, you could always play on intertribal conflict but no one would "care" about the village
Quij> heck, an ogre and his bully boys could take over this town...
songe> are you sure someone would like to live here ?
Stephane> Quij> Too big an opposition. I prefer the flind guy who come every other month or so for a tribute.
sander> Imho a very good idea 8-)
Woesinger> the flind sounds good
Stephane> Songe> They don’t have a choice...
songe> I mean why they don't left the hamlet and try to join a city
Woesinger> because things are worse in the city and beside they’re farmers they value the land that they "own"
songe> so they are 'enclose' in their land
Stephane> Songe> The nearest human-controlled city is more than 250 miles north...
sander> Why would they? They have no skills needed in a village. The most valuable thing they have is that the y work that piece of land
Creighto2> they would need a blacksmith
songe> ok I have not realised that they are directly in humanoids territory
Woesinger> yeah - that's probably true (blacksmith)
sander> Maybe. If there is a larger village not too far off, then no. But probably yes.
Olvenhero> Besides, even today most people don't travel more than 50-100 miles beyond home. It was so in elder times, too.
Creighto2> people lived a died in a 10 mile radius
Woesinger> so what have we got so far?
sander> Travelling in orc-ruled wild coast is probably not so good idea...
Olvenhero> What about the itinerant trader? Not everywhere had a forger/blacksmith but got goods in trade.
Woesinger> hmm...yeah - who hasn't shown up the last while....
sander> A village of 200, 20 who bear weapons, 1 fighter, 1 cleric, 1 blacksmith
Woesinger> or has, and has contacts with some sort of resistance?
Stephane> inland village, 20 family, 200 people, 20 able-bodied guys, one 1st level fighter, 1 st level cleric of Merrika or Obad'hai, a flind "superintendent"...
Olvenhero> Sounds cool....
sander> who visits once in a while
Olvenhero> I'll work on a name for our little village.
Olvenhero> How old is the village?
sander> There would probably be a family a bit more specialised in pottery
Quij> Why a flind? Why not an orc or 1/2 orc?
sander> and another more specialised in tanning
Creighto2> what about Darkwater as it is located near a deep river?
sander> and another more specialised in weaving
Stephane> Quij) Originality !
Quij> Oh. Okay. :)
Olvenhero> Orc would be incapable -- on the whole -- of the job.
Stephane> Creighton) River ?
Woesinger> flinds are more cunning - therefore more dangerous to any plans the villagers might have
sander> Not meaning that these are the only ones doing these or that the others don't do these but just that these are more specialised & practice it more
Olvenhero> Creighton> Well, I was thinking of something more integrated with cultural history.
Creighto2> just throwing something in all villages would be on or near rivers/streams etc IMC
Quij> Olvenhero: incapable? Orcs are as intelligent as humans, elves, dwarves, etc.
sander> Creighton2 - why?
Volstagg> Are you working on plot hooks yet?
Olvenhero> Quij>Not intelligence, ability to perform the office without destruction.
sander> There definitely have been and are lots of villages and towns that aren't.
Stephane> Ok, Dungeoncraft rule, we need a secret in this village. How about some indications to the lost city of the Suel in the Suss ? or the ruins of Nol-Daer, from DUNGEON
Woesinger> we've got the flind superintendent and possibly an itinerant trader who is in contact with a resistance movement?
Volstagg> It's true, the village needs a stream, well, or spring somewhere in walking distance..
sander> Oh no, not another lost city.;..
Olvenhero> How about a legacy from the Suel push out of the Sheldomar?
Volstagg> There already is a lost city in the Suss.
Creighto2> sander. to get water, transport, trade etc water travel was quicker/safer
sander> How about a demi-human the village people hide and guard?
Quij> Orcs are lawful evil (on average) aren't they? Not OGRE SMASH or something. ;-)
Olvenhero> I'll reoffer my half-elf?
sander> I'd offer rather a gnome...
Stephane> Volstagg) Yes, I just want to, maybe , tie these two things
sander> But half-elf is a possibility
Woesinger> or an olve from Celene?
Olvenhero> Quij> I don't recall, but they usually act more in groups.
Woesinger> injured on a scouting mission?
Volstagg> Well, I'll just leave the rest up to you lot. I need to get back to heating up my soup, and then back to my OWN town of Shargallen...
Olvenhero> Woe> whoah! The village is a listening post for Celene's reconquest of there land?
Stephane> He, I like the demi-human thing
Woesinger> are the Celeni planning a reconquest?
Woesinger> he might have some connections to the Knights of Luna (?)
Woesinger> perhaps the itinerant trader is trying to arrange to get this Olve back to Celene or to a place of safety

Fountainspring Newsletter #2

Date sent: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 03:35:02 -0500
Send reply to: manzabar@avalon.net
From: Manzabar manzabar@AVALON.NET
Organization: http://www.avalon.net/~manzabar
Subject: [GREYTALK] [FS] Fountainspring Newsletter #2
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU

TO ALL FS PROJECT MEMBERS (and other interested parties)!!!!!
When sending in ideas for discussion please send copies to all other members (and possibly even to the Greytalk list). My current list of interested people follows:

leckert@erols.com Lonny
manzabar@avalon.net Me
nemesis@magpage.com Jason Zavoda
tony@dirac.demon.co.uk Tony Nixon
silvio.marghitola@ubs.com Silvio Marghitola
stanguay@GLOBETROTTER.QC.CA Stephane Tanguay
eflison@blue.weeg.uiowa.ed dek aka Eric Filson
hzhryc@fle.gmpt.gmeds.com Kevin Murphy
orion_the_hunter”@juno.com Greg
akamp@avalon.net Adam


Anybody who thinks they still need some of the current FS files, please:

a) Visit the site As soon as anything it set/decided, I generally have it posted by the end of that week.
b) Let me know. I can and will e-mail any files that people need upon their request.


The Secret Location of Fountainspring??????

This was the last suggested location, and the most detailed. Any objections to making it our pfficail location?

-From Patrice Forno
Sometime ago, peoples here were asking about where Fountainspring could be. In AoE p 167, Fountainspring is said to be 1 day on horseback to the north of Littleberg. That is, IMO, around 40 miles north of Littleberg, so I would place Fountainspring in hex P4-87 of the Darlene Map.


Current projects:

The history of FS – Kevin Murphy
The guilds of FS – Kevin Murphy
Preisthoods of FS – Tony Nixon & dek
Current events – Stephane Tanguay

Current Discussions:

Fountainspring: Artiesan well, hot spring. Was it real or was it magic?
- Is the spring from which FS draws it’s name really some type of well, hot spring heated by magma flows, or a hot spring heated by some form of magic?
Magic: Well done, medium well, or rare?
- How much magic is there in FS, and how does the populace react to it?
Preisthoods: Is less really more?
- How many priesthoods does FS have? And what do you need to have, to be called a priesthood?

Questions still plaguing us:

How was Fountainspring founded? Who discovered the artiesan well? How did they find it? Why did they name the town after it?
What famous visitors has the town had? Why were they there? Were they recognized by any of the town’s inhabitants? Are they related to any of the town’s inhabitants? Do any personages of note have secret (or not so secret) homes in Fountainspring? None of the locations with in Fountainspring have really been detailed to any extent, so feel free to design some of the buildings, taverns, blacksmith shops, etc..

Till next, happy plotting!
-Mark McKibben manzabar@avalon.net
http://www.avalon.net/~manzabar

“Well, you just have to know these things, when you’re a king, you know.”

Re: Sander's comments on the Duchy of Ulek

Date: Fri, 12 Nov 99 03:13AM PST
From: sander Add To Address Book Add To Junk Mail
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: [GREYTALK] Sander's comments on the Duchy of Ulek

> Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 15:53:56 PST
> From: Immaculate Image
> Subject: Sander's comments on the Duchy of Ulek

> S: And the rest of the writeup continues to totally ignore both foodstuffs and cloth, even though these are listed as resources and should thus be important.
>
> II: Good point. I should address the role of those resources in the Culture section. Anybody want in on that?

ME! ME! ME!

I have a lot of info (mostly hardcopy paper form) on Uleks & foodstuffs. I'll start posting it.

> S:Is there an offical view of Grenowen or even a write-up?
>
> II: None that I know of. That was written by Steve, and our Triad will have to develop him. Perhaps I have painted him as an idyllic ruler, as that's my impression of him, but I'm sure we'll come up with some
> character quirks to make him unique.
>
> "The opening of neighboring Celene proved prosperous...."
>
> S: Now that the GHW are over and Celene is not so open, what about the trade? As such a trade would also bring additional wealth into not only the Duchy of Ulek but also Celene, the merchants and anybody
> connected to them are going to be grumbling if it has stopped entirely, and would probably create a fair bit of smuggling. If it continues but is limited by say requiring a special royal permit or somesuch, it would create some smuggling and quite a bit of intrigue.
>
> Which are IMHO excellent story leads.
>
> II: Good point. I think the relations between the Duchy and Celene are still very good, though straining. Trade between the two is limited I think, and although smuggling might exist, anybody doing such things in Yolande's turf is taking their life into their hands. This also depends
> on how easy and navigable the Lortmils are. I know it's not the Crystalmists and humanoids are few relative to the Pomarj, but it's not a trip to the store. Taras' point about Celene Pass also complicates
> this trade issue.

Oh, definately. I never implied it would be easy. The smugglers could easily have their own routes (some smuggling may have been going on for centuries, even when Celene was closed), the smugglers can make use of magic and use subterran passages, etc.

[snip]

> "..dwarven clan leaders are said to be as rich as princes, and are approached by emissaries from Furyondy and even Nyrond for aid.
> Dwarves are not, however, susceptible to such overtures."
>
> S: Hmm... Not listed above in resources.
>
> II: that's because the dwarves have the gold, not the Duchy :)

The unallied dwarves should be discussed separately. Under a big entry of Lortmils or somesuch. Similar forany others that live in there or nearby (gnomes of Kron Hills, inhabitants of the Lorridges, etc.)

There is bound to be quite a lot of 'vagabonds'.

> "Two ancient woodlands..."
>
> S: Somebody should work on those.
>
> II: In what regard? Like developing similar to the level of detail of the Gnarley Forest present in the Campaign Guide in FtA? More importantly, ARE YOU VOLUNTEERING?

I rather meant the fairy creatures than the whole forests.

> S: [snip - roads, got to check it out on a map]
>
> II: Don't bother because they're not there. Maybe some day they'll be canon. Until then, you'll just have to look at the Darlene Map and envision them.

That's what I meant.

[snip]

>"Although the Duchy is a relatively safe land, there are the odd encounters with dangerous life-forms...."
>
> S:Way too many humanoids imho, especially considering the population toll of none. Sounds a lot more like 'small numbers of just about any small humanoid race can be occasionally be found'.
>
> II: Those little races are like roaches. They just look for some nook and cranny. When it says no humanoids I think of the bigger and more organized races considering the context of the reference. Things like orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, trolls, ogres and giants.

Hmm... could well be. But such enclaves would have to be quite a bit more oriented towards hunting, gathering and agriculture than usually. Possibly also tending a bit more towards neutral.

> S: Brown bears are omnivores. Cougars would probably live in the lortmils (but seeing as bears and lions live in mountainous areas as well - consider their former populations in italy, greece and spain) I'm not sure if there would be a niche for cougars. And I would definately leave
> coyottes out.
>
> II: You don't see a role for Coyotes? I was hesitant in thinking whether the wildlife of the Duchy would be more like Africa. I mean Lions must be somewhere in the Sheldomar, given Keoland's (and Sterich's)coat of arms.

Consider the coat of arms of various european countries. Take for example the British lion and unicorn 8-)

Coyottes afaik also don't live in so warm climates (do they live in Florida?) and afaik usually not where there are wolves.

I would still propose medierannean rather than africa for most of the duchy.

> S: This all leaves out the various neutral and good dragons. Considering the whole galore of those that exist...
>
> II: Give me an example of any which might live in the Duchy. I took those (Metallic and Gem)into consideration, and with the exception of Golds perhaps, the terrain just isn't suitable.

Let's see - Amethyst and Mist are almost certain, there may be could dragons up there in the Lortmils (esp. as there already are the Avariel), the mercury dragons are also a possibility.

We know that there is a lot of rain (mostly) and possibly also snowfall in these parts of the Lortmils. We know because there are the Lort and Kewl Rivers. There would also be lots of small streams that eventually merge with these (or don't). In the highlands (and maybe also the Lortmils) there are bound to be many small lakes at the bottom of valleys from which barely all water that gets into it in the rainier seasons manages to escape. Consider that canyons are mentioned in the Lortmils and these come to be due to running water. There could easily also be plenty of waterfalls.

[snip]

> Crocodiles, weather and Florida.

The rivers and tributaries coming from the mountains would be somewhat cooler, also cold air would come from the mountains. And AFAIK there are alligators not crocodiles in Florida. The Duchy is not near the sea, so warm sea-air doesn't come into it.

[snip]

> S: Well, this is a clear case of size-chauvinism.
>
> II: Is that sarcasm? :)

Partially. Invariantly, teh big races find the little ones to be a nuissance, if not worse.

> S: Here is a contradiction. Shouldn't the elven be droped from in front of the nobility? Otherwise Waybury and the gnomes and halflings and humans would have no political influence.

> II: Ahh, but they really don't. Using Steve's writeup, one must be an elf or half elf to be a noble. This does not conflict with saying that Grenowen isn't wise enough to realize that there are valuable people of
> other races. It's a balancing act. Cater to the nobles' self-importance, but keep the "little people" happy. Waybury is a seat of human power because the elves don't have the same grip on it IMO, as they do in
> Tringlee.
>
> S: As here is just nobility, not specificly elven nobility the previous paragraphs should be corrected.
>
> II: In the context of the Duchy, nobility and elven nobility are interchangeable.

I din't notice it being explicitly decleared that being noble meant being elven. So I would really like to contest that part:
a) the gnomes would have their own nobles.
b) the human settlers would have their own nobles. The human tribes that settled there are very unlikely to have done so if they were forced to submit to the power of the elves upon doing so. The leaders would just have gone elsewhere.

There may not be all that many of them compared to the elven ones, but they would exist.

Yet again - if the representatives of the towns and non-elven nobles are not called they have no political influence - or very little of it.

> S: How is the succession of the Duke handled?
>
> II: oohhh..it's a great mystery, since it's never happened!

But it is bound to be agreed on.

> S:The Duchy has quite a lot of gnomes in it's lands. Why not expand and (peacefully) get the dwarves to join in? Indeed, how much are the dwarves concerned who considers the surface area their own?
>
> II: You think you can get those rich and greedy dwarves to submit to an elven Duke? Not likely. Since the surface area is mostly mountainous, it's not likely anybody's gonna build a city on the surface of the
> Lortmils any time soon. It's a matter of respecting each others boundaries, and mutual hate for the bozos to the SE.

It's not clear how much anybody in the Duchy is really submitting to the Duke. The dwarves would rather be invited to take part in the gatherings of the nobles 8-)

> S:Also a good reason to prod the Lortmils dwarves to join the Duchy.
> Especially as the Duchy is providing help to other dwarves and is clearly friendly to various races.
>
> II: The political structure of the Dwarves is a different matter. I'm still trying to get a hold of Sobhrach to use his Lortmils article, which I'd like to do some modifications to. The dwarves of the Lortmils
> most likely feel closest to Prince Corond of Ulek anyway.

But the Prince is relatively far away. Also, the Prince is bound to be a lot more greedy (see above for dwarves and greed) and have a lot more clearer view of what could be found in the coffers of the Dwarves.

[snip]

> S: So the immigrants are mostly settling in and around Waybury? And there are significant amounts of them? Why isn't immigration documented anywhere?
>
> II: Well the elven nobility would be damned if all those vagabonds settle in Tringlee. There are no where near the amounts that have
There is the possibility of having them petition the lords on whose local land they want to settle as farmers, etc. A lot of the refugees would be more suited to country life that city life, wouldn't they? There would be lots of problems if they all settled in Waybury.

> immigrated to Keoland and the Gran March, but there's quite a few IMO.
> And documented where? A canon resource?

In whatever writeup is finally produced?

> S:Python???
>
> II: AHAH! I have flushed you out! Phyton's a suel power of natural beauty...something the Duchy has a lot of (unlike our garbage infested swamp dwellers to the east.. a growing joke between me and the SE1 Triad.)

You got me there. I was thinking of another god.

Sander

There is no love, no good, no happiness and no future - these are all just illusions.

The Annotated Duchy of Ulek, Part 3

Date: Thu, 11 Nov 99 17:30PM PST
From: Gary Welsh Add To Address Book Add To Junk Mail Blocker
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [GREYTALK] The Annotated Duchy of Ulek, Part 3

MILITARY: The military of the Duchy is small but effective, and is noted for its many high elven fighter/mages. The most common activity performed by the army is patrolling the plains of the Duchy, and at most times some 25% of the total force is out on patrol. At any given time, the size of the army ranges from 1000 to 2000 strong. Perhaps half of this total is comprised of humans, another quarter high elves, and the other races of the Duchy make up the balance. About 30% of the total force are comprised of medium cavalry, and heavy and light cavalry make up an additional 15% each. The Duchy is renowned for its cavalry, and it serves the needs of the country quite well.

Another 30% of the total force comprises mixed infantry, who serve to defend cities and fixed positions, or hold ground allowing the cavalry to engage an enemy. Elven infantry tend to prefer the long sword and bow, while human troops tend to be crossbowmen and billmen. The halflings and gnomes troops use short swords and hand axes (although halfling troops also carry slings).

The final 10% are considered specialists, and include rangers and archers from the Axewood and Silverwood, as well as priests, mages, scouts and gnomish sappers. These forces do not include city guardsmen or personal guards of either the leadership or the nobility.

In addition to this, each elven noble house (of which there are quite a few) generally has a household force which may number from 30 to 100 men at arms.
These troops are armed by the whim or need of the elven lord or lady to whom they owe allegiance. In addition to this, it is possible for Duke to issue the call for the "Grand Host of Ulek". This includes all of the forces of the elven lords and an additional 25 to 50 civilian men or women from each noble's holding capable of bearing arms holding. This force may number up to 5,000 strong.

The Duchy is loath to spend money on mercenaries to train new troops, and instead recruits veterans from the military to spend one-year rotations in training camps as instructors. This saves the Duchy money as well as promoting trust and morale among the army. And rather than maintaining expensive (and unnecessary) fortresses throughout the Duchy, patrols normally billet with local city guards or form camps near smaller towns and villages. The primary training base of the Duchy's forces is known as The Crossroads. This fortified town is centrally located at the intersection of the Sheldomar Pike and the Duke's Road, and the wide open grasslands are excellent for training young horsemen and raising steeds to serve in the cavalry. The expansive plains of the eastern Sheldomar Valley also provide excellent opportunities to work on combined tactics and maneuvers, including battlefield magic. Most patrols originate from this base, and at any given time nearly half of the strength of the army is located here. When a particular formation or unit is preparing for a tour of the Pomarj border, they will frequently train in this area prior to deploying to the Principality of Ulek.

Since the Greyhawk Wars, there has been an additional military burden taken up by the Duchy: forwarding a force to assist in patrolling and maintaining the Principality of Ulek's border with the Pomarj. This force is typically about 200 members strong, and is comprised of the same percentage makeup as the rest of the army. This force typically rotates every six months and is self-supporting while in Corond's lands, though the Principality is responsible for any additional supplies or medical aid.

The elves of the Silverwood and the demihumans and woodsmen of the Axewood maintain their own patrols within the woodlands, but may request assistance from the army on rare occasions. Since the Greyhawk Wars more effort has been put forth in recruiting mages and priests to serve in the military, but this has met with limited success. Other than the elven fighter/mages, wizards have little interest in being subject to the whims of some knight on horseback. The predominant faiths within the borders of the Duchy don't exactly lend themselves to the war effort either, but this is changing, as a slow and steady influx of immigrants from the Gran March and the Lost Lands have brought their more militaristic clergy with them. Such faiths are slowly building a presence especially in and around Waybury.

RELIGION: In keeping with the Duchy's very cosmopolitan and multi-cultural setting, many deities are worshipped here. The Duchy is unique among lands of the Flanaess with respect to the collection of Powers venerated by humans. Few and far between are the worshippers of lawful or martial deities, as the Duchy has had a relatively trouble free existence since the end of the Short War. Nature deities such as Beory, Ehlonna, Phyton, and Velnius join the brothers Celestian and Fharlanghn among the powers venerated throughout the Duchy. Most of the deities favored by bards also suffer no shortage of worshippers in this fair land, as Lydia, Lirr, Myhriss, Olidammara, and even the elven demigod Ye'Cind have followers in the cities [23].

Of the elven gods, Corellon Larethian is the most favored by the High Elves, and Sehanine and Hanali Celanil are also widely worshipped. Among the Sylvan folk, Solonor Thelandira and the human Power Ehlonna [24] have many followers, and there are a few who venerate Erevan Ilesere and Rillifane Rallathil. The gnome's most favored deities are Garl Glittergold and Baervan Wildwanderer, although Baravar Cloakshadow and Segojan Earthcaller also enjoy some adherents. The halfling communities tend to worship all members of the Children of Yondalla equally.

The priests within the Duchy are all given respect due their social status as in other lands of the Flanaess, but unlike many other regions, the priests have little political power, and probably don't desire any. Political machinations and intrigues generally don't concern the clergy of the aforementioned powers.

CULTURE: The cosmopolitan culture of the Duchy of Ulek is a result of the mixture of the best of many races. The cities and towns reflect the fine elven architecture, and the more traditional "tree-cities" of the sylvan elves in the Silverwood are among the wonders of the region. Utility and beauty are balanced in most things produced in the Duchy, and the citizens are immensely proud of this. Each town, city, and stronghold is graced with fine parkland carefully tended by its inhabitants, and each of these parks or gardens has in its center one roanwood tree [25].

One branch of people who prosper here are the half-elven. Half-elves are perhaps more common here than in any other place in the Flanaess, because the Duchy of Ulek is one of the few places where the strengths of both humans and elves are appreciated [26]. The human and half-elven bards of Ulek are among the finest in all of the lands due to their close association with elven minstrels. Courts of other lands often seek these bards, and to have a bard who is from the Duchy is thought to be a great coup for rulers across the Flanaess [27].

The Duchy is also known for its fine gnome gem-cutters, whose works are considered to be extraordinarily beautiful. Both semi-precious and precious gems from the Lortmils adorn the work of jewelry crafters, and the work (especially when set against silver worked by the elves of Celene) is very sought after, even in cities as familiar with fine work as Greyhawk.

A note should be made about currency within the Duchy. The primary currency found within the Duchy is that of the Keoish variety, which is not surprising, given the political and geographic relationship between the Duchy and the Old Country. The only coins that are minted by the Duchy are large silver coins known as silveroans. Within the borders of the Duchy they are equivalent in value to a gold piece, as they are very beautiful and have a smattering of platinum in them. The front of the coin displays the shield of the Duchy, except that an effigy of the Duke holds the cluster of arrows high above his head. Around the perimeter of the coin it reads "His Noble Radiance, Grenowen". On the back of the coin is displayed an intricate roanwood tree and the inscription in elvish "One Tree, Many Branches". These coins are prized among collectors, as they are some of the most well minted coins in the Flanaess, not minted in great batches, and are often worth more as a piece of art than as a mere silver piece elsewhere. Another interesting coin to be found in various places within the Sheldomar Valley is the Jurnrese bronze piece, equivalent to a copper piece in value, and honored within the Duchy's borders. This coin, like the Jurnrese silver and gold piece, has a square hole in the center of the coin. The unicorn sigil of an old Suel noble house (also evident on the County's coat of arms) is repeated around the periphery of the coin five times, and the obverse bears the motto
"Peace in Strength" in ancient Suel [28].

_______________________________________

NOTES

[23] I am not sure why Ye'Cind was added to the list of deities (GH98). She does fit in with the musical theme of the Duchy of Ulek. I just don't know why the name was deified by the game designers.

[24] I think it is an error to refer to Ehlonna as a "human power." According to the Guide, p. 66, she is patroness of all good sylvan folk "elven, human, or otherwise" and she typically appears as either a human or elf.

[25] The author makes the Duchy of Ulek sound like a fantasy utopia… Is it too perfect? Too cloying? You can almost imagine the elves, half-elves, gnomes and halflings singing together, joining in an impromptu musical performance as they go about their daily tasks and welcome visitors. But this is always the problem with detailing good-aligned places. How do you make it interesting, without introducing discord and conflict of some sort? A fine example is Tolkien's Rivendell, which is a "good place" that is neither boring to read about nor disgusting in its goodness. Unfortunately, Tolkien's vision is so mimicked that it has become cliché in the fantasy field (what an understatement). But it is still closest to my view of places like the Duchy of Ulek and Highfolk. The single roanwood tree in the center of every town is a nice touch.

[26] Here is the important reference to the high numbers of half-elves and people with elven blood in the Duchy of Ulek. It might make for interesting reading to do an essay about the varied life spans of those with mixed-blood..
A wonderful, fresh treatment of half-elves, and fairy creatures in general, can be found in Jack Vance's Lyonesse trilogy. Such an unconventional vision might work wonders for this setting.

[27] I like the addition of the skill of Uleki minstrels (my new idea for a magic item: the Uleki ukulele). I would like to see more on song-based magic in the WORLD OF GREYHAWK. Who are the most powerful magic-wielding bards? The "Rhymers of the Blackfens" (from Dance of Demons, p. 26)? The idea of powerful music-related magic hearkens back to the Finnish and other Scandinavian mythological elements of fantasy. Notice the similarity in the names Mordenkainen and Vainamoinen, of Finnish myth.

[28] It is nice to see this Suel motto, considering the predominant human racial strain is Suel. According to the Guide, p. 14, the human strain is more Suel than anything else, then Flan, then Oeridian. And the humans are sublimated to the large demihuman population as well (human racial strain is given in parentheses).