https://post-greyhawk-wars-585-cy.obsid ... yhawk-wars
Greyhawk Wars Information
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hedgeknight
- Rider of Rohan
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Greyhawk Wars Information
I will add a few things, but this link offers a very thorough overview of the Greyhawk Wars:
https://post-greyhawk-wars-585-cy.obsid ... yhawk-wars
https://post-greyhawk-wars-585-cy.obsid ... yhawk-wars
Winter is coming...
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hedgeknight
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 8349
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 11:03 am
- Location: NC
Re: Greyhawk Wars Information
Greatwall is in peril - not from the military forces of Iuz, but from lack of goods and supplies. Caravans from Willip have ceased thanks to increased dangers on the Willip Critwall Grabford Trail. As the key fort positioned to contain the Iuzian flood, Greatwall is a strategic necessity. Its failure would mean a major incursion along the border.
Your characters are hired to escort a caravan from Greatwall to Willip; if its merchants are afraid to come to the fort, the fort will go to them. This should be a simple, cut and dried guard job. Right?
Of course not. There are many surprises in store for your little caravan, and your characters will need to keep their wits about them day and night in order to make it to the other end. Secret plans are afoot, conspiracies are brewing, and nothing is as it seems while on the Border Watch.
^^From the back cover of the module.
Your characters are hired to escort a caravan from Greatwall to Willip; if its merchants are afraid to come to the fort, the fort will go to them. This should be a simple, cut and dried guard job. Right?
Of course not. There are many surprises in store for your little caravan, and your characters will need to keep their wits about them day and night in order to make it to the other end. Secret plans are afoot, conspiracies are brewing, and nothing is as it seems while on the Border Watch.
^^From the back cover of the module.
Winter is coming...
-
hedgeknight
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 8349
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 11:03 am
- Location: NC
Re: Greyhawk Wars Information
Greyhawk > From the Ashes
Or maybe a better title would be "What The Hell Are We Going To Do Now?"
When Ivid V ascended the Malachite Throne (also known as the "Fiend-seeing Throne") around 550 CY, the Great Kingdom had already crumbled and lost much of its power and influence. Unbeknownst to Ivid V and the rulers of other regions, two other powerful forces were putting plans in motion which would shape the future of Greyhawk.
From the Howling Hills in the north came tales that would turn ones blood to water as an overlooked ruler called Iuz began to expand his domain. Refugees fleeing the lands told astonished Furyondians of Iuz's unbelievable evils: massacres; a road of skulls built from the Howling Hills to his new capital of Dorakaa; and watchtowers along the road with beacons fed on the fuel of human fat and flesh.
From the mysterious lands in the south came the discovery of a monastic sect called the Scarlet Brotherhood. In the isolated city of Kro Terlep, the Father of Obedience had been plotting for decades, installing red-robed agents in places of power, whispering in the ears of rulers, gaining trust and guidance. And when the time was right to strike, he did so with ruthless precision.
The Greyhawk Wars > 582-584 CY
"From the Hold of Stonefist" came the first cries of war as the organized barbarians, inflamed by the appearance of the "Vatun, the Great God of the North," swept into the Duchy of Tenh, conquering it swiftly. Iuz easily toppled the Heirarchs of the evil Horned Society with the help of powerful fiends, making the streets of Molag run red with blood. The Old One then struck into the Bandit Kingdoms and Shield Lands, taking Admundfort and Critwall.
Furyondy was able to hold its eastern border at the great Battle of Critwall Bridge in CY583. However, a huge humanoid force advanced on Chendl, the capital, and took Crockport. After suffering many losses, the capital was saved.
The Great Kingdom entered the war in late 583 CY, striking north into the Phostwood, south and southwest into the Iron League, and west through Almor and on toward Nyrond. The Aerdi forces fought into the winter, where reports of Scarlet Brotherhood activity in the Lordship of the Isles and among the Sea Barons became apparent as leaders were replaced with supporters of the Brotherhood.
In the Spring of CY584, Turrosh Mak and his humanoid armies burst out of the Pomarj, conquering the eastern half of the Principality of Ulek and the southern lands of the Wild Coast.
To the north, the horsemen of Ket raided and took Bissel, while "from the Crystalmist Mountains, great forces of giants and humanoids swept down into the Grand Duchy of Geoff, Sterich, and into the Yeomanry. In the latter, they were repulsed by peasant levies as worthy in battle as many seasoned veterans. Geoff and Sterich fell, the Keolandish armies too distant to oppose the invaders."
Many rumors abound regarding "the giant troubles" as they have come to be called. Some blame Iuz in league with evil Zuggtmoy (recently freed from her prison in the Temple of Elemental Evil), while others say Lolth and her drow schemed with the giants. Others naturally blame the Scarlet Brotherhood...but no one knows exactly why the giants invaded...just that they did.
There were some victories in CY583 as Iuz was prevented from fully conquering Furyondy and it's capital, and Veluna held off the Kettite incursions as best they could.
CY584 brought new assaults from Aerdy as Overking Ivid V took the field with his armies. He was completely routed at the battle of Innspa, and his response was to execute his battle leaders, his nobles, even servants, sages, and serfs. And then...using dark necromancy, Ivid raised them up as an animus, "an undead being possessing all the skills and talents of the former living person."
The nobles of the Great Kingdom schemed and plotted and had Ivid assassinated...but then priests of Hextor...revivified Ivid who rose as an animus monarch. Executions were no longer enough for Ivid. Now he instigated wholesale massacres and genocide.
Bolstered by humanoids from the Bone March, the North Province seceded from the Great Kingdom, and then the animus nobles withdrew all support and the remnants of their armies from the Overking. "The Great Kingdom was no more...so passes away the glory of the world."
As the war drew to an end, disturbing news Agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood had undermined the unity of the Iron League, and when the Great Kingdom fell apart, the Scarlet Brotherhood demanded the surrender of the Iron League states. When they refused, assassins slew nobles and rulers by the score. The Sea Princes, Onnwal, Idee > all fell to assassins and armies from Hepmonaland as the Brotherhood secured an iron grip on the Azure Sea.
However, not all of the Iron League was lost. Cobb Darg of Irongate either executed or exiled all of the Scarlet Brotherhood agents in his city. Sunndi still stood, its formidable natural defenses of hill, woodland, and swamp defying all attempts made against it.
So, what would become known as the Greyhawk Wars saw its end in the month of Harvester, 584 CY. In the Free City of Greyhawk, countless ambassadors assembled to inscribe their names on the treaty at the Day of the Great Signing. And even on this day, evil was afoot, as a fierce magical battle erupted in the Grand Hall and "spread havoc through the Old City. Afterwards, two members of the famed Circle of Eight, the great mages of Greyhawk lay dead; Otiluke and Tenser were no more."
The blame fell to another Circle member, Rary of Ket, who was last seen fleeing with Lord Robilar into the Bright Desert > had Rary turned traitor and slain his old friends? Well, that tale is still in the telling.
Despite all of this, the treaty was signed and the Greyhawk Wars drew to a close.
585 CY, the Current Year > What You Know
"Evil is dominant in the north and south of the Flanaess. To the north, the lands of Iuz now stretch from the eastern Vesve Forest as far east as the Hold of Stonefist, and the Shield Lands and Bandit Kingdoms have almost wholly fallen to his reign.
To the south, the Scarlet Brotherhood controls the Sea Princes, the Lorship of the Isles, Onnwall, Idee, Hepmonaland, and unknown stretches of the Amedio Jungle.
The Great Kingdom is sundered, but while Ivid V rules a nightmare of a realm, the nobles who have succeeded him in so many realms are little better...there are horrors here which would whiten the hair of a hero barely entered into his manhood.
The Bone March is strong, and still threatens Ratik; the Pomarj is greatly expanded and threatens Ulek and Greyhawk; the vermin of the Lost Lands (as Geoff and Sterich are now known) threaten many states to the west.
Ket has subjugated Bissel as a vassal state; many Bisselites have fled to Veluna or the Gran March. In the Bright Desert, Rary the Traitor and Robilar are said to be subduing the savages and raising a force which might yet beset the Free City of Greyhawk. The Queen of Celene still refuses to give the help her western neighbors in particular need so desperately."
"Is all lost? Not yet. Nyrond still stands a pillar of Good; it is exhausted, spent of men and funds, but there comes no threat from once-great Aerdy, and Urnst is still strong in its defense to the west. Furyondy is beleaguered, still politically divided at times, but brave Veluna is still a land of glory and righteousness and supports its western neighbor also. Keoland and Ulek stand strong; the Yeomanry is an inspiration to good and brave hearts everywhere. And the barbarians are a law unto themselves, still raiding Aerdi, still supporting the brave folk of Ratik, still deeply hostile to the poisoned words from Stonefist.
The Theocracy of the Pale is intolerant, harsh, a land of hard hearts and harder words, but is not lost to evil. Sunndi still repulses all invaders, and the brave Free City of Irongate stands as a shining beacon of freedom among a swath of fell, evil lands. No, all is not lost yet.
The Free City of Greyhawk still stands also...Verbobonc and Dyvers and the honorable Highfolk, are still places where evil does not reign, and where muscle and sinew are bent to the cause of good.
No; all is not yet lost."
Or maybe a better title would be "What The Hell Are We Going To Do Now?"
When Ivid V ascended the Malachite Throne (also known as the "Fiend-seeing Throne") around 550 CY, the Great Kingdom had already crumbled and lost much of its power and influence. Unbeknownst to Ivid V and the rulers of other regions, two other powerful forces were putting plans in motion which would shape the future of Greyhawk.
From the Howling Hills in the north came tales that would turn ones blood to water as an overlooked ruler called Iuz began to expand his domain. Refugees fleeing the lands told astonished Furyondians of Iuz's unbelievable evils: massacres; a road of skulls built from the Howling Hills to his new capital of Dorakaa; and watchtowers along the road with beacons fed on the fuel of human fat and flesh.
From the mysterious lands in the south came the discovery of a monastic sect called the Scarlet Brotherhood. In the isolated city of Kro Terlep, the Father of Obedience had been plotting for decades, installing red-robed agents in places of power, whispering in the ears of rulers, gaining trust and guidance. And when the time was right to strike, he did so with ruthless precision.
The Greyhawk Wars > 582-584 CY
"From the Hold of Stonefist" came the first cries of war as the organized barbarians, inflamed by the appearance of the "Vatun, the Great God of the North," swept into the Duchy of Tenh, conquering it swiftly. Iuz easily toppled the Heirarchs of the evil Horned Society with the help of powerful fiends, making the streets of Molag run red with blood. The Old One then struck into the Bandit Kingdoms and Shield Lands, taking Admundfort and Critwall.
Furyondy was able to hold its eastern border at the great Battle of Critwall Bridge in CY583. However, a huge humanoid force advanced on Chendl, the capital, and took Crockport. After suffering many losses, the capital was saved.
The Great Kingdom entered the war in late 583 CY, striking north into the Phostwood, south and southwest into the Iron League, and west through Almor and on toward Nyrond. The Aerdi forces fought into the winter, where reports of Scarlet Brotherhood activity in the Lordship of the Isles and among the Sea Barons became apparent as leaders were replaced with supporters of the Brotherhood.
In the Spring of CY584, Turrosh Mak and his humanoid armies burst out of the Pomarj, conquering the eastern half of the Principality of Ulek and the southern lands of the Wild Coast.
To the north, the horsemen of Ket raided and took Bissel, while "from the Crystalmist Mountains, great forces of giants and humanoids swept down into the Grand Duchy of Geoff, Sterich, and into the Yeomanry. In the latter, they were repulsed by peasant levies as worthy in battle as many seasoned veterans. Geoff and Sterich fell, the Keolandish armies too distant to oppose the invaders."
Many rumors abound regarding "the giant troubles" as they have come to be called. Some blame Iuz in league with evil Zuggtmoy (recently freed from her prison in the Temple of Elemental Evil), while others say Lolth and her drow schemed with the giants. Others naturally blame the Scarlet Brotherhood...but no one knows exactly why the giants invaded...just that they did.
There were some victories in CY583 as Iuz was prevented from fully conquering Furyondy and it's capital, and Veluna held off the Kettite incursions as best they could.
CY584 brought new assaults from Aerdy as Overking Ivid V took the field with his armies. He was completely routed at the battle of Innspa, and his response was to execute his battle leaders, his nobles, even servants, sages, and serfs. And then...using dark necromancy, Ivid raised them up as an animus, "an undead being possessing all the skills and talents of the former living person."
The nobles of the Great Kingdom schemed and plotted and had Ivid assassinated...but then priests of Hextor...revivified Ivid who rose as an animus monarch. Executions were no longer enough for Ivid. Now he instigated wholesale massacres and genocide.
Bolstered by humanoids from the Bone March, the North Province seceded from the Great Kingdom, and then the animus nobles withdrew all support and the remnants of their armies from the Overking. "The Great Kingdom was no more...so passes away the glory of the world."
As the war drew to an end, disturbing news Agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood had undermined the unity of the Iron League, and when the Great Kingdom fell apart, the Scarlet Brotherhood demanded the surrender of the Iron League states. When they refused, assassins slew nobles and rulers by the score. The Sea Princes, Onnwal, Idee > all fell to assassins and armies from Hepmonaland as the Brotherhood secured an iron grip on the Azure Sea.
However, not all of the Iron League was lost. Cobb Darg of Irongate either executed or exiled all of the Scarlet Brotherhood agents in his city. Sunndi still stood, its formidable natural defenses of hill, woodland, and swamp defying all attempts made against it.
So, what would become known as the Greyhawk Wars saw its end in the month of Harvester, 584 CY. In the Free City of Greyhawk, countless ambassadors assembled to inscribe their names on the treaty at the Day of the Great Signing. And even on this day, evil was afoot, as a fierce magical battle erupted in the Grand Hall and "spread havoc through the Old City. Afterwards, two members of the famed Circle of Eight, the great mages of Greyhawk lay dead; Otiluke and Tenser were no more."
The blame fell to another Circle member, Rary of Ket, who was last seen fleeing with Lord Robilar into the Bright Desert > had Rary turned traitor and slain his old friends? Well, that tale is still in the telling.
Despite all of this, the treaty was signed and the Greyhawk Wars drew to a close.
585 CY, the Current Year > What You Know
"Evil is dominant in the north and south of the Flanaess. To the north, the lands of Iuz now stretch from the eastern Vesve Forest as far east as the Hold of Stonefist, and the Shield Lands and Bandit Kingdoms have almost wholly fallen to his reign.
To the south, the Scarlet Brotherhood controls the Sea Princes, the Lorship of the Isles, Onnwall, Idee, Hepmonaland, and unknown stretches of the Amedio Jungle.
The Great Kingdom is sundered, but while Ivid V rules a nightmare of a realm, the nobles who have succeeded him in so many realms are little better...there are horrors here which would whiten the hair of a hero barely entered into his manhood.
The Bone March is strong, and still threatens Ratik; the Pomarj is greatly expanded and threatens Ulek and Greyhawk; the vermin of the Lost Lands (as Geoff and Sterich are now known) threaten many states to the west.
Ket has subjugated Bissel as a vassal state; many Bisselites have fled to Veluna or the Gran March. In the Bright Desert, Rary the Traitor and Robilar are said to be subduing the savages and raising a force which might yet beset the Free City of Greyhawk. The Queen of Celene still refuses to give the help her western neighbors in particular need so desperately."
"Is all lost? Not yet. Nyrond still stands a pillar of Good; it is exhausted, spent of men and funds, but there comes no threat from once-great Aerdy, and Urnst is still strong in its defense to the west. Furyondy is beleaguered, still politically divided at times, but brave Veluna is still a land of glory and righteousness and supports its western neighbor also. Keoland and Ulek stand strong; the Yeomanry is an inspiration to good and brave hearts everywhere. And the barbarians are a law unto themselves, still raiding Aerdi, still supporting the brave folk of Ratik, still deeply hostile to the poisoned words from Stonefist.
The Theocracy of the Pale is intolerant, harsh, a land of hard hearts and harder words, but is not lost to evil. Sunndi still repulses all invaders, and the brave Free City of Irongate stands as a shining beacon of freedom among a swath of fell, evil lands. No, all is not lost yet.
The Free City of Greyhawk still stands also...Verbobonc and Dyvers and the honorable Highfolk, are still places where evil does not reign, and where muscle and sinew are bent to the cause of good.
No; all is not yet lost."
Winter is coming...
-
hedgeknight
- Rider of Rohan
- Posts: 8349
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 11:03 am
- Location: NC
Re: Greyhawk Wars Information
This update to the Greyhawk Wars speaks to me! I've never liked how the Scarlet Brotherhood took over the Hold of the Sea Princes and assassinated nearly everyone without so much as an expectation of threat. There is a great article in Oerth Journal #32 by Michael Bridges, who gives an alternate view...one I am incorporating in this game.
What If...the Scarlet Brotherhood Never Took Over?
In previously published sources for the World of Greyhawk setting, one of the early events that culminated in the “Greyhawk Wars” was the emergence of the Scarlet Brotherhood as a conquering force in the Flanaess. The secretive Scarlet Brotherhood had been infiltrating courts in the Flanaess for a long time, waiting for the best time to strike. In 583 CY, their first gambit was to take the Hold of Sea Princes by surprise. In this plot, the Brotherhood ruthlessly assassinated 27 of the 30 ruling nobles, forcing the survivors to surrender the entire Hold without a fight. This same plot would later play out in the various lands of the Iron League to limited success. The Hold of the Sea Princes is a proud seafaring realm of buccaneers and pirates. How could an order of monks and assassins separated by a thousand miles of Azure Sea conquer the Hold so easily, where smaller, closer lands like Irongate prevailed? Quite simply it shouldn’t have worked.
The Hold was a land of scheming and politics well before the Scarlet Brotherhood arrived, yet any time an outside force threatened, the captains of their formidable fleets would rally together into arguably the finest navy in the Flanaess. By land or sea, the Hold has historically been a place that thrives on conflict; where even the mighty Kingdom of Keoland cannot control their smaller neighbor. The purpose of this article is to provide an alternate timeline for the unconquered Hold of the Sea Princes that allows your campaign to make full use of this regions’ rich pirate and exploration themes, without upending the story of the Greyhawk Wars entirely.
Hold of the Sea Princes (576-585 CY)
Ruler: His Royal Highness, Prince Jeon II of House Rhola; Ruler of the Azure Sea; Captain of all Fleets; etc.
Capital: Monmurg
Notable Towns: Hokar (pop. 21,000), Monmurg (pop. 15,000), Port Toli (pop. 11,000), Westkeep (pop. 9500), Port Torvin (pop. 4500), Fort Blackwell (pop. 1200), Sybar (pop. 800)
Provinces: 30 noble domains
Resources: Foodstuffs; Lumber, Rare Wood, Spices (via Amedio Jungle)
Coinage: highlord (pp), gold admiral (gp), bright ship (ep), silver (sp), common (cp)
Population: 420,000
Languages: Common, Olman, Amedi, Keolandish, Halfling
Major Religions: Osprem, Xerbo, Procan, Norebo, Kelanen, Olman pantheon
Unconquered Hold of the Sea Princes
Some events in this alternate timeline were originally developed for my home campaign while other events I've collected come from many credible sources found in both print and fan publication, such as the Dungeon Magazine Adventure Path: Savage Tide, and especially Samuel Weiss' epic three-part Grand Sheldomar Timeline hosted on the Greyhawk fan site Canonfire!
-422 CY - Suel refugees of the Rain of Colorless Fire seeking a safe and peaceful place to start over establish the Grand Duchy of Berghof next to Lake Spendlowe.
-368 to -348 CY - Bands of Suel mercenaries and slavers establish the town and realm of Port Toli.
-246 CY - Toli slavers sack and usurp control of the grand duchy’s only port on Jeklea Bay.
-245 to -146 CY - Toli sporadically wars with Berghof but cannot advance past Alderweg Pass into the grand duchy itself despite numerous attempts.
-154 to -148 CY - The Kingdom of Keoland’s exploration and expansion south of the Javan River is resisted by the warships of Toli.
-147 to -137 CY - King Sanduchar I of Keoland leads a fleet to explore the seas beyond the Densac Gulf. Much of the coasts of the Amedio and Hepmonaland are mapped.
-124 CY - Pilgrims led by Sasserine of Wee Jas found a remote town in his name on the Amedio coast.
-121 CY - The Siege of Port Toli: King Sanduchar is slain, but his Royal Navy breaks the Toli presence and brings a period of relative peace to the region.
30 CY - The Prosperous port of Sasserine repels its first raid, continues to grow and successfully holds off further assaults for the next four centuries.
43 CY - King Malv the Navigator of Keoland ends the threat of a reformed Toli nation and Berghof regains access to Jeklea Bay.
47 CY - King Malv III disappears on a voyage beyond the Densac Gulf.
118 CY - Kayar’s Rebellion: The brother of Grand Duke Sharzol II causes an uprising on the Jeklea coast, but fails to take Berghof before dying in Battle at Alderweg Keep.
291-300 CY - King Tavish the Great spreads Keoish control southward to wrest control of the lands still primarily held by their naval rivals in Port Toli.
301 CY - The port of Monmurg is founded to act as the seat of Keoish power in the region and to counter the naval might of Port Toli.
304 CY - Establishment of Westkeep by Tavish to protect his colonies from the dangers of the Hool Marshes.
306 CY - The last Toli war ends as Port Toli and the Grand Duchy of Berghof are absorbed by Keoland into the new Duchy of Monmurg.
350-434 CY - Renewal of widespread piracy on the Azure Sea as Keoish attention is focused on northward imperialism.
434-444 CY - Pirates gradually take control of the major isles of Flotsom, Jetsom and Fairwind then form the confederation of the Sea Princes, named after the flagship of a noble-blooded pirate captain.
445 CY - Port Toli is conquered by the Sea Princes.
446 CY - Monmurg is finally seized by the Sea Princes formally ending Keoish rule.
447-452 CY - Sea Princes expand inland and hold much of the land south of the Hool Marshes.
452 CY - King Tavish III of Keoland orders the eradication of the Sea Princes. The Princes answer with a challenge to battle by sea which is ignored by the monarch.
453 CY - The Siege of Westkeep: King Tavish III personally leads an army through the Hool Marshes to Westkeep where he is slain and his demoralized army routed by the readied Sea Princes.
464 CY - The Battle of Jetsom Island: Newly crowned King Tavish IV takes an armada to fight the fleet of the Sea Princes in their waters. The battle is a draw with both sides losing many warships, including the sinking of the legendary Sea Prince.
465 CY - Aging Sea Prince captains retire from active piracy to settle down and form a stable government centered on an elected Prince and a House of Peers.
466-486 CY - Younger captains begin to look toward legitimate trade and explore the Amedio coast, building forts and trading with natives for their abundant resources.
467 CY - Many disaffected pirate captains renounce their allegiance to the Sea Princes and sail south of the Densac Gulf to form the Crimson Fleet. The island haven of Scuttlecove quickly grows due to the fleets’ presence.
480 CY - The tyrannical rule of Lord Mayor Orren in Sasserine is broken by a fleet from the Sea Princes sent to aid the rebels. In the chaos that follows however the Hold instead supplants Orren’s rule.
487-517 CY - Shiploads of Olman and Amedian tribesmen are captured and brought back to the Hold to work on vast plantations, despite objections from the neighboring Yeomanry.
517-527 CY - The Hold further expands its territory to the edge of the Hellfurnaces peacefully absorbing the Duchy of Berghof.
547 CY - The island outpost of Narisban established to control trade through the Olman Isles.
563 CY - Colonists explore southward and start the town of Farshore on the distant Isle of Dread. (Savage Tide)
564 CY - Remembrance Day holiday enacted on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jetsom Island.
573 CY - Liberal-minded Prince Jeon II assumes the throne of Monmurg setting off a new round of intrigue within the House of Peers.
575 CY - Sasserine becomes a free city and signs a controversial treaty with Prince Jeon II which effectively divides the House of Peers.
576 CY - Rumors out of the Lordship of the Isles claim that the legendary Lost Treasure Fleet of the Sea Princes was sighted in a great sargasso within the Oljatt Sea. (Glossography)
577 CY - Prince Jeon II fails to abolish slavery throughout the Hold.
578 CY - Governor of Sybarate Isle offers reward to rescue his daughter from Propherio’s Garden. (Beyond the Crystal Cave)
579 CY - Deserted Sea Princes settlements in the Amedio are investigated. (Treasures of Greyhawk)
580 CY - Ancestral Sword of the Dragon recovered for Prince Jeon II. (Treasures of Greyhawk)
582 CY - Beginning of the Great War of the Flanaess. (Greyhawk Wars)
583 CY - The Lordship of the Isles and the Cousins of Tilva declare loyalty to the Scarlet Brotherhood. News of this spreads fast to the Hold, and the bloody Scarlet Sign Ultimatum is thwarted. As a result, the fleets rally to the defense of the Sea Princes.
584 CY - Battle of Gradsul: The combined armada of the Scarlet Brotherhood is defeated by allied Azure Sea fleets. The Pact of Greyhawk ends the “Greyhawk Wars.”
What If...the Scarlet Brotherhood Never Took Over?
In previously published sources for the World of Greyhawk setting, one of the early events that culminated in the “Greyhawk Wars” was the emergence of the Scarlet Brotherhood as a conquering force in the Flanaess. The secretive Scarlet Brotherhood had been infiltrating courts in the Flanaess for a long time, waiting for the best time to strike. In 583 CY, their first gambit was to take the Hold of Sea Princes by surprise. In this plot, the Brotherhood ruthlessly assassinated 27 of the 30 ruling nobles, forcing the survivors to surrender the entire Hold without a fight. This same plot would later play out in the various lands of the Iron League to limited success. The Hold of the Sea Princes is a proud seafaring realm of buccaneers and pirates. How could an order of monks and assassins separated by a thousand miles of Azure Sea conquer the Hold so easily, where smaller, closer lands like Irongate prevailed? Quite simply it shouldn’t have worked.
The Hold was a land of scheming and politics well before the Scarlet Brotherhood arrived, yet any time an outside force threatened, the captains of their formidable fleets would rally together into arguably the finest navy in the Flanaess. By land or sea, the Hold has historically been a place that thrives on conflict; where even the mighty Kingdom of Keoland cannot control their smaller neighbor. The purpose of this article is to provide an alternate timeline for the unconquered Hold of the Sea Princes that allows your campaign to make full use of this regions’ rich pirate and exploration themes, without upending the story of the Greyhawk Wars entirely.
Hold of the Sea Princes (576-585 CY)
Ruler: His Royal Highness, Prince Jeon II of House Rhola; Ruler of the Azure Sea; Captain of all Fleets; etc.
Capital: Monmurg
Notable Towns: Hokar (pop. 21,000), Monmurg (pop. 15,000), Port Toli (pop. 11,000), Westkeep (pop. 9500), Port Torvin (pop. 4500), Fort Blackwell (pop. 1200), Sybar (pop. 800)
Provinces: 30 noble domains
Resources: Foodstuffs; Lumber, Rare Wood, Spices (via Amedio Jungle)
Coinage: highlord (pp), gold admiral (gp), bright ship (ep), silver (sp), common (cp)
Population: 420,000
Languages: Common, Olman, Amedi, Keolandish, Halfling
Major Religions: Osprem, Xerbo, Procan, Norebo, Kelanen, Olman pantheon
Unconquered Hold of the Sea Princes
Some events in this alternate timeline were originally developed for my home campaign while other events I've collected come from many credible sources found in both print and fan publication, such as the Dungeon Magazine Adventure Path: Savage Tide, and especially Samuel Weiss' epic three-part Grand Sheldomar Timeline hosted on the Greyhawk fan site Canonfire!
-422 CY - Suel refugees of the Rain of Colorless Fire seeking a safe and peaceful place to start over establish the Grand Duchy of Berghof next to Lake Spendlowe.
-368 to -348 CY - Bands of Suel mercenaries and slavers establish the town and realm of Port Toli.
-246 CY - Toli slavers sack and usurp control of the grand duchy’s only port on Jeklea Bay.
-245 to -146 CY - Toli sporadically wars with Berghof but cannot advance past Alderweg Pass into the grand duchy itself despite numerous attempts.
-154 to -148 CY - The Kingdom of Keoland’s exploration and expansion south of the Javan River is resisted by the warships of Toli.
-147 to -137 CY - King Sanduchar I of Keoland leads a fleet to explore the seas beyond the Densac Gulf. Much of the coasts of the Amedio and Hepmonaland are mapped.
-124 CY - Pilgrims led by Sasserine of Wee Jas found a remote town in his name on the Amedio coast.
-121 CY - The Siege of Port Toli: King Sanduchar is slain, but his Royal Navy breaks the Toli presence and brings a period of relative peace to the region.
30 CY - The Prosperous port of Sasserine repels its first raid, continues to grow and successfully holds off further assaults for the next four centuries.
43 CY - King Malv the Navigator of Keoland ends the threat of a reformed Toli nation and Berghof regains access to Jeklea Bay.
47 CY - King Malv III disappears on a voyage beyond the Densac Gulf.
118 CY - Kayar’s Rebellion: The brother of Grand Duke Sharzol II causes an uprising on the Jeklea coast, but fails to take Berghof before dying in Battle at Alderweg Keep.
291-300 CY - King Tavish the Great spreads Keoish control southward to wrest control of the lands still primarily held by their naval rivals in Port Toli.
301 CY - The port of Monmurg is founded to act as the seat of Keoish power in the region and to counter the naval might of Port Toli.
304 CY - Establishment of Westkeep by Tavish to protect his colonies from the dangers of the Hool Marshes.
306 CY - The last Toli war ends as Port Toli and the Grand Duchy of Berghof are absorbed by Keoland into the new Duchy of Monmurg.
350-434 CY - Renewal of widespread piracy on the Azure Sea as Keoish attention is focused on northward imperialism.
434-444 CY - Pirates gradually take control of the major isles of Flotsom, Jetsom and Fairwind then form the confederation of the Sea Princes, named after the flagship of a noble-blooded pirate captain.
445 CY - Port Toli is conquered by the Sea Princes.
446 CY - Monmurg is finally seized by the Sea Princes formally ending Keoish rule.
447-452 CY - Sea Princes expand inland and hold much of the land south of the Hool Marshes.
452 CY - King Tavish III of Keoland orders the eradication of the Sea Princes. The Princes answer with a challenge to battle by sea which is ignored by the monarch.
453 CY - The Siege of Westkeep: King Tavish III personally leads an army through the Hool Marshes to Westkeep where he is slain and his demoralized army routed by the readied Sea Princes.
464 CY - The Battle of Jetsom Island: Newly crowned King Tavish IV takes an armada to fight the fleet of the Sea Princes in their waters. The battle is a draw with both sides losing many warships, including the sinking of the legendary Sea Prince.
465 CY - Aging Sea Prince captains retire from active piracy to settle down and form a stable government centered on an elected Prince and a House of Peers.
466-486 CY - Younger captains begin to look toward legitimate trade and explore the Amedio coast, building forts and trading with natives for their abundant resources.
467 CY - Many disaffected pirate captains renounce their allegiance to the Sea Princes and sail south of the Densac Gulf to form the Crimson Fleet. The island haven of Scuttlecove quickly grows due to the fleets’ presence.
480 CY - The tyrannical rule of Lord Mayor Orren in Sasserine is broken by a fleet from the Sea Princes sent to aid the rebels. In the chaos that follows however the Hold instead supplants Orren’s rule.
487-517 CY - Shiploads of Olman and Amedian tribesmen are captured and brought back to the Hold to work on vast plantations, despite objections from the neighboring Yeomanry.
517-527 CY - The Hold further expands its territory to the edge of the Hellfurnaces peacefully absorbing the Duchy of Berghof.
547 CY - The island outpost of Narisban established to control trade through the Olman Isles.
563 CY - Colonists explore southward and start the town of Farshore on the distant Isle of Dread. (Savage Tide)
564 CY - Remembrance Day holiday enacted on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jetsom Island.
573 CY - Liberal-minded Prince Jeon II assumes the throne of Monmurg setting off a new round of intrigue within the House of Peers.
575 CY - Sasserine becomes a free city and signs a controversial treaty with Prince Jeon II which effectively divides the House of Peers.
576 CY - Rumors out of the Lordship of the Isles claim that the legendary Lost Treasure Fleet of the Sea Princes was sighted in a great sargasso within the Oljatt Sea. (Glossography)
577 CY - Prince Jeon II fails to abolish slavery throughout the Hold.
578 CY - Governor of Sybarate Isle offers reward to rescue his daughter from Propherio’s Garden. (Beyond the Crystal Cave)
579 CY - Deserted Sea Princes settlements in the Amedio are investigated. (Treasures of Greyhawk)
580 CY - Ancestral Sword of the Dragon recovered for Prince Jeon II. (Treasures of Greyhawk)
582 CY - Beginning of the Great War of the Flanaess. (Greyhawk Wars)
583 CY - The Lordship of the Isles and the Cousins of Tilva declare loyalty to the Scarlet Brotherhood. News of this spreads fast to the Hold, and the bloody Scarlet Sign Ultimatum is thwarted. As a result, the fleets rally to the defense of the Sea Princes.
584 CY - Battle of Gradsul: The combined armada of the Scarlet Brotherhood is defeated by allied Azure Sea fleets. The Pact of Greyhawk ends the “Greyhawk Wars.”
Winter is coming...
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hedgeknight
- Rider of Rohan
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Re: Greyhawk Wars Information
Houses of the Sea Princes
The Hold of the Sea Princes is comprised of thirty domains, divided amongst a dozen noble houses. A few of these houses can trace their lineage back hundreds of years to the first Suel migrations, while most are merely fabricated hereditary titles of pirate captains who settled down a century ago. While the Hold is currently ruled by the Prince of Monmurg, the Prince of Port Toli has led the House of Peers for much of the Holds’ history. In political situations, the twelve houses are evenly divided between naval factions called the Princes’ Fleet and the Toli Armada. Those Sea Princes captains who choose to avoid house politics, nominally defer to a fleet named the Hold Flotilla in times of war.
House Rhola (Prince’s Fleet)
His Royal Highness, Prince Jeon II of Monmurg; Ruler of the Azure Sea; Captain of all the Fleets; etc.
His Mighty Nobility, Silas Oratero, Commodore of Jetsom Isle; Monitor of the Lion, Captain of the Rhola Prince.
His Solemn Lordship, Governor Jon Ellis of Port Calm.
His Noble Lordship, Luther Rhola III, Baron of Ensar.
House Arabast (Toli Armada)
His Lordly Grace, Oryn, Grandee of Westkeep; Shield of the Freehold.
His Dread Nobility, Mauro Arabast II, Plar of the Hool Marshes; Warden of the Hold.
His Handsome Nobility, Marten Vesco, Baron of Ardo.
His Lofty Lordship, Warrol Arabast, Baron of Brackenhall.
House Toli (Toli Armada)
His Exalted Highness, Prince Varek IV of Port Toli; Earl of Sasserine; Protector of Jeklea Bay; Lord of All the Jungles.
His Peerless Nobility, Adolphus Grayfin, Commodore of Flotsam Isle; Terror of the Densac Gulf, Captain of the Paragon.
His Valiant Lordship, Edrin Hollister, Commodore of Fairwind Isle; Vanguard of the Armada, Captain of the Sea Hammer.
His Indomitable Nobility, Gavin III, Archbaron of Galeside, Captain of the Courser.
House Harriven (Toli Armada)
His Magnificent Grace, Symeon IV, Marquis of Hokar; Treasurer of the Hold, Protector of the Crossroads.
His Esteemed Authority, Andros Harriven, Baron of Tower Hill.
Her Inimitable Beauty, Penelope Harriven, Lady of Harriven Point, Hostess of Fairwind Isle.
House Moretto (Toli Armada)
His Voluminous Grace, Robiga Moretto, Count of Poniard.
His Noble Presence, Llewen Moretto, Baron of Port Azure.
House Spendlowe (Prince’s Fleet)
His Royal Magnitude, Jurav VI, Grand Duke of Berghof; Lord of the Hellfurnaces; Sentinel of the West.
The Most Equitable, Lord Aron Kerest of Hallbridges.
His Studious Nobility, Allur Wright, Lord of Cliffhaven.
House Beckert (Prince’s Fleet)
His Noble Authority, Henri III, Earl of Tanport.
The Honorable Lord Emil Beckert, Adjudicator of the Prince.
House Insley (Prince’s Fleet)
His Fearless Nobility, Deran Insley, Baron of North Harbor; Master of the South Seas.
Her Noble Prominence, Margot Insley, Lady of Jetsom Isle.
House Wavecrest (Prince’s Fleet)
His Regal Eminence, Markos II Count of Sybarate Isle.
His Resolute Lordship, Kellen Imell, Governor of Sybar.
House Tydan (Prince’s Fleet)
His Noble Excellence, Erasmus Tydan, Count of Port Torvin, Captain of the Soiled Dove.
The Honorable Lord Kenton Key of Keyfield.
House Adderly (Toli Armada)
His Luminence, Lord Lorne Adderly of Port Elizabeth, Captain of the White Lance.
Her Capable Authority, Tania Terwall, Governess of Fort Blackwell.
House Cavano (Toli Armada)
Her Most Radiant Nobility, Luvinia Cavano, Marquess of White Cove; First Lady of the Bay.
The Most Reputable, Lord Harris Feathermore of White Cove, Captain of the Lyrical.
His Righteous Nobility, Aleus Cavano, Baron of Silver Shore.
The Hold of the Sea Princes is comprised of thirty domains, divided amongst a dozen noble houses. A few of these houses can trace their lineage back hundreds of years to the first Suel migrations, while most are merely fabricated hereditary titles of pirate captains who settled down a century ago. While the Hold is currently ruled by the Prince of Monmurg, the Prince of Port Toli has led the House of Peers for much of the Holds’ history. In political situations, the twelve houses are evenly divided between naval factions called the Princes’ Fleet and the Toli Armada. Those Sea Princes captains who choose to avoid house politics, nominally defer to a fleet named the Hold Flotilla in times of war.
House Rhola (Prince’s Fleet)
His Royal Highness, Prince Jeon II of Monmurg; Ruler of the Azure Sea; Captain of all the Fleets; etc.
His Mighty Nobility, Silas Oratero, Commodore of Jetsom Isle; Monitor of the Lion, Captain of the Rhola Prince.
His Solemn Lordship, Governor Jon Ellis of Port Calm.
His Noble Lordship, Luther Rhola III, Baron of Ensar.
House Arabast (Toli Armada)
His Lordly Grace, Oryn, Grandee of Westkeep; Shield of the Freehold.
His Dread Nobility, Mauro Arabast II, Plar of the Hool Marshes; Warden of the Hold.
His Handsome Nobility, Marten Vesco, Baron of Ardo.
His Lofty Lordship, Warrol Arabast, Baron of Brackenhall.
House Toli (Toli Armada)
His Exalted Highness, Prince Varek IV of Port Toli; Earl of Sasserine; Protector of Jeklea Bay; Lord of All the Jungles.
His Peerless Nobility, Adolphus Grayfin, Commodore of Flotsam Isle; Terror of the Densac Gulf, Captain of the Paragon.
His Valiant Lordship, Edrin Hollister, Commodore of Fairwind Isle; Vanguard of the Armada, Captain of the Sea Hammer.
His Indomitable Nobility, Gavin III, Archbaron of Galeside, Captain of the Courser.
House Harriven (Toli Armada)
His Magnificent Grace, Symeon IV, Marquis of Hokar; Treasurer of the Hold, Protector of the Crossroads.
His Esteemed Authority, Andros Harriven, Baron of Tower Hill.
Her Inimitable Beauty, Penelope Harriven, Lady of Harriven Point, Hostess of Fairwind Isle.
House Moretto (Toli Armada)
His Voluminous Grace, Robiga Moretto, Count of Poniard.
His Noble Presence, Llewen Moretto, Baron of Port Azure.
House Spendlowe (Prince’s Fleet)
His Royal Magnitude, Jurav VI, Grand Duke of Berghof; Lord of the Hellfurnaces; Sentinel of the West.
The Most Equitable, Lord Aron Kerest of Hallbridges.
His Studious Nobility, Allur Wright, Lord of Cliffhaven.
House Beckert (Prince’s Fleet)
His Noble Authority, Henri III, Earl of Tanport.
The Honorable Lord Emil Beckert, Adjudicator of the Prince.
House Insley (Prince’s Fleet)
His Fearless Nobility, Deran Insley, Baron of North Harbor; Master of the South Seas.
Her Noble Prominence, Margot Insley, Lady of Jetsom Isle.
House Wavecrest (Prince’s Fleet)
His Regal Eminence, Markos II Count of Sybarate Isle.
His Resolute Lordship, Kellen Imell, Governor of Sybar.
House Tydan (Prince’s Fleet)
His Noble Excellence, Erasmus Tydan, Count of Port Torvin, Captain of the Soiled Dove.
The Honorable Lord Kenton Key of Keyfield.
House Adderly (Toli Armada)
His Luminence, Lord Lorne Adderly of Port Elizabeth, Captain of the White Lance.
Her Capable Authority, Tania Terwall, Governess of Fort Blackwell.
House Cavano (Toli Armada)
Her Most Radiant Nobility, Luvinia Cavano, Marquess of White Cove; First Lady of the Bay.
The Most Reputable, Lord Harris Feathermore of White Cove, Captain of the Lyrical.
His Righteous Nobility, Aleus Cavano, Baron of Silver Shore.
Winter is coming...