|
I finished reading the Prince of Redhand adventure last night and realized that the AoWAP takes place before 583 CY. There are multiple references to the Bandit Kingdoms NOT being controlled by Iuz (as they are in the Living Greyhawk Campaign, now in 596 CY) and Iuz spying on Redhand "in case he decides to invade".
Am I correct in this?
If so, this might make an interesting REAL reason why Iuz kicked off what became the Greyhawk Wars - he saw the threat to his rule (and it's all about him) that Kyuss almost pulled off (assuming the PCs are successful in preventing the Age of Worms) and decided to make sure that did not happen again.
Everything else was a smokescreen or convenient, the true goal was to secure the Rift and forestall anyone from trying to bring about the Age of Worms ever again. Once it was in his possession he let his armies keep rolling to hide his true goal (plus, they needed the exercise). All the extra land and souls were a great bonus on top.
I know there are different canon reasons for the war (don't have them right now), but what if AoWAP is the secret truth?
According the the Greyhawk conversion annex in the Age of Worms Overload, Age of Worms is set in CY 595, ten years after the wars. But I think someone on these boards is running it pre-wars.
I seem to remember that as Iuz got distracted by the Veluna/Furyondy crusade, specifically after Hazen uses the staff of Rao to banish all of his flunkies (Flight of Fiends). In 'Iuz the Evil' its pretty clear that Iuz's control over the bandit kingdoms is getting tested. The bandits were happy to help him when it put money in their pockets, and took out their enemies in the shield lands etc... but I'm sure they didn't like it very much when he started hanging their leaders for their 'impertinence' along the Road of Skulls. Lots of them probably just disappeared for greener pastures.
More importantly Iuz just doesn't have the manpower in 595 cy to keep his boot on the bandit kingdoms. You pay your money and probably by then the Boneheart don't come a calling.
595 CY. The Bandit Kingdoms are still under Iuz's bootheel, but Iuz got overextended and is now focused on the permanent crusade Furyondy and allies are waging on his southern front. He's content to dominate the region from a few centers, where members of the Boneheart or other key minions have strongholds. Otherwise, he wants to keep supply lines open to his forces in Tenh, and keep an eye on everyone else in the Bandit Kingdoms, most of whom have declared nominal fealty to him. Zeech is among the latter, more or less a nominal vassal of Iuz, not trusted, but as long as he doesn't do anything to openly oppose Iuz, Iuz and his agents are to let him alone. This is the gist of the situation in the early 590s, as detailed in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, and we can assume that Iuz's power over the region has further waned, but not collapsed entirely, by 595, I think.
Peruhains summary puts it well.
But you might still keep Iuz in mind after the AP is over. If he is informed on the events around Kyuss, he sure wants to know more about it, and if there are heroes who thwarted Kyuss´ plans on becoming a god, Iuz will surely want to know if they can become a thread to him also.
IIRC, in Iuz the Evil there were some ideas that Iuz´ godhood is dependant in part on things/beings being kept in stasis somewhere within his realm, and thus making him vulnerable somewhat. Heroes within the lands he considers his, who successfully thwarted an aspiring god, are something he cannot ignore. Depending on the state of Iuz´ realm within your campaign, he either sends more spies, special agents, assassins or even opts for military action or both.
Going into open conflict with Iuz surely makes for epic play after the AP.
Stefan
Hi,
This text is directly taken from the regional page for the Bandits Kingdom from the Living Greyhawk RPGA pages. I believe it to be 995 CY text (could even be 996 CY).
"Recently, with Iuz distracted by evolving events, his restless minions are testing their leashes and boundaries. The Northern Alliances, The Western Reaches, the Stoink Confederacy, the Theocracy of Dimre, and the Iuzian Loyalists all vie for quick and crushing supremacy using fell magic, powerful manipulation, and dread forces.
(...)
Organized resistance groups form in the dark and vast Fellreev Forest, the deep Rift, and the mysterious Tangles Forest. By playing one faction off another, perhaps a new order can be created before the eye of Iuz returns..."
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/region/banditkingdoms
It seems to corroborate what has been said above. :-)
Bocklin
|
|
I'm not completely convinced, but I'll wait for the rest of the AP to be published.
I am particularly interested in seeing how a change in the ownership of Redhand will work while under Iuz's sway. I would think an invasion by an army of orcs and such would be much more likely, with Iuz wanting one of his direct minions being put in control (possibly one of the Bonehearts).
And don't kid yourself, Old Wicked is still keeping tabs on what is happening in his empire, even if he decides to not return every request for aid by his puppets. If minions can't fend for themselves occasionally, they're no use to him and will eventually be replaced by someone more competant.
|
I believe it to be 995 CY text (could even be 996 CY).
The current campaign year in Living Greyhawk is 596 Common Year.
One of the groups from The World Greyhawk that would have a keen interest in Iuz's demise are the former members of the Horned Society. They certainly have some high-level personalities (remember Warduke?) that would love to exert their influence on deposing the Old One. Would any of the characters in your campaign work with evil to fight against another evil?
Of course, they could also rise to prominence (again) once Iuz is gone, providing even further adventures in Greyhawk.
Just some random thoughts. Happy gaming.
Don Kenneth Brown
West Jordan, Utah
I believe it to be 995 CY text (could even be 996 CY).The current campaign year in Living Greyhawk is 596 Common Year.
Woops... That's what I meant! 595 or 596 CY.
Thanks for having corrected that.
The text I quoted is from December 2005, so late 595 CY. But they might have intended it as the baseline for the new campaign year.
Bocklin
|
Hi,
according to what I've read so far and what I know about the wars, Prince of Redhand is not a bandit lord. He used to run a small province from the former shield lands.
At the beginning of the wars back in 582 CY, prince of Redhand had became quite lazy and uninterested in the business of his country. He declared himself neutral (or kind of), and didn't call to arms in his province (that's why he lost all his paladin abilities). Most of the "good" churches were destroyed at that time (in 584-585).
He swore a kind of allegiance to Iuz's generals in that part of the Flanaess, and his small province was spared. His real power throughout these years has been quite small : the fact is that he doesn't rule much farther than a few miles around his city.
This is also the reason why his court and reign has become so decadent : he prefers to forget what happens outside and close his eyes to reality.
10 years have passed since the end of Greyhawk's wars.
It is indeed 595 CY.
******* MINOR SPOILER **************
the undead that can be found in the ruins of a good church (I can't remember his god, but I think it's St Cuthbert) died when his church was destroyed "10 years ago" as it is written.
(He became an undead for an odious act he committed in the basement of the church, since he was unable to flee because of the rubbles of his destroyed church).
Good game to you all.
To my knowledge Redhand has been part of the Bandit Kingdoms since the very first folio world of Greyhawk map was published. The whole point is that the region is controlled by many independent little states. I don't remember if there was a little bit of territory nestled between Nyrond and the Shield lands belonging to the bandit Kingdoms.
Note: Old timers like me may have in their possession a certain map from Dragon detailing the many kingdoms, their territories and their troop numbers.
|
|
To my knowledge Redhand has been part of the Bandit Kingdoms since the very first folio world of Greyhawk map was published. The whole point is that the region is controlled by many independent little states. I don't remember if there was a little bit of territory nestled between Nyrond and the Shield lands belonging to the bandit Kingdoms.
Note: Old timers like me may have in their possession a certain map from Dragon detailing the many kingdoms, their territories and their troop numbers.
Where can that map be found? I vaguely remember such a thing but cannot place it. Also, might you have an electronic version of it? Thanks ahead of time.
That map is very very very old and is pre-greyhawk wars, I think it was in one of the Dragon mags from the 1980s. At that point I was like 13 and for convenience I cut out all of the stuff in Dragon that I found useful and put it into a binder.
I also cut the covers off and made a huge mural on the wall of my bedroom, that was cool, but does anyone know how hard it is to look stuff up in those mags without the covers with the issue numbers?
20 years later all I have is bits and pieces of various dragons and some cut up issues.
That's Dragon #56. I have it as well, but no scanner to give you a copy, sorry. The article is a great resource on the earlier pre-Wars situation of the Bandit Kingdoms.#63 has a map which has appeared on the web in the past...
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
|
The Age of Worms and all Greyhawk-related adventures in Dungeon follow the same dating convention as Living Greyhawk, although they are not necessarily in the same continuity (that's pretty much up to the LG administration folks).
The convention is that the last number of the real world corresponds to the last number of the Greyhawk date.
That means that the Age of Worms takes place in 595 CY.
We don't include much mention of Iuz because he is completely tangential to the campaign, which is meant to work across lots of campaign settings (even though it fits pretty seamlessly with Greyhawk).
The references to Prince Zeech coming to power 20 years ago are meant to imply that Redhand broke from the Shield Lands in 575 CY, roughly a year before the events described in the original World of Greyhawk boxed set (576 CY).
Prior to the province becoming independent and joinging the Combination of Free Lords/Bandit Kingdoms, it was part of the Shield Lands.
--Erik Mona
All the PCs in my campaign are fugitives from Keoland.
What's happening there now?
Is there some kind of revolution?
I have the CDRom collection of Dragon.
I will look for the map.
|
|
That's Dragon #56. I have it as well, but no scanner to give you a copy, sorry. The article is a great resource on the earlier pre-Wars situation of the Bandit Kingdoms.#63 has a map which has appeared on the web in the past...
Rassin' frassin! I'm missing #55 and #56 from my collection! That explains why I don't remember it.
Luckily, I also have the CD's, so now I know which issue, I can find it.
Thank you for the offer to check yours Goth Guru.