New Maps: Pre-Wars Flanaess 576 CY

Merry Needfest Greyhawkers! I got one more present for everybody before the end of the year! I've been working on this map project for a few weeks now. There is a map of "Post-Was" Flanaess in the booklet with the Greyhawk Wars boxed set. I always enjoyed how it was a simple B&W map with dotted lines for borders that changed during the story line. I eventually photocopied that map and made additional changes for my campaign's progress into other wars. See Best of Greyhawkery for more on these 2E Greyhawk Wars Campaigns.

The Pre-Wars Flanaess map is the same map but cleaned up a bit and with additional content thrown in that I believe would exist during the start of the 576 CY game setting. This is retroactive canon like Sasserine from Savage Tide, or popular community additions like Melkotia from Maldin's Greyhawk. Lastly, I may have got carried away and did borders/labels for the individual Wild Coast towns, Bandit Kingdom lands, and the various principalities of the Great Kingdom. If this map is well received, I have pondered doing a first level breakdown of the other major kingdoms, but for now this map feels finished. I have thrown in an unlabeled version of the map as well in case someone wants to do a different info-map using these borders. If there are any glaring errors let me know but trust me, I tried my best to research from several different sources when laying this out. Until then, download and enjoy!

Ull: Land of a Thousand Villains - Granth the Old-One

Welcome back Greyhawkers! Today I have a new installment of my ongoing series of NPCs, Ull: Land of a Thousand Villains. To see previous NPCs, check out the Best of Greyhawkery here or at the top of the home page. This time I am featuring an orc NPC, but don't roll for initiative yet, like most villains in Ull this guy may be useful if they can stay on his good side. Enjoy!

“In the Flanaess, orcs are feared and mistrusted as irredeemably evil monsters. In the Baklunish West however, many orcs whose ancestors also fought in the Great Wars, have found their place in society. Sure, most of them still make a living off violence, but they are making progress.”

Granth “the Old-One” (orc, male, fighter 9)

Hailing from the foothills of the Ongusk Khanate, Granth is a rarity, an orc who has lived to old age. In Ull, he is known as “the Old One” a nickname that is not at all lost on visitors from the Flanaess. Granth may be advanced in age but besides a hunched back and a slight limp he is no less imposing than in his younger days. Over the last few decades, he has earned a reputation, especially among Ull’s warbands, as a reliable weapon dealer. Granth and his loyal cadre of followers travel throughout the plains and steppes of the Baklunish West, trading and acquiring armaments from an extensive network of contacts he has built over the years. When there is a demand for a type of weapon the Old One is assuredly the best source, and at times he has even created the market for certain weapons. It is likely the proliferation of polearms in the south of Ull is due in large part to Granth’s influence.

Granth can usually be found in Kester, though his caravan ranges from Antalotol in the north to Kanak in the Dry Steppes as well as the borderlands of Ket near the Bramblewood Forest. Few bandits or Paynim mercenaries dare mess with this well-guarded caravan, fearing the standard of the bloody scimitar. Granth is an intimidating yet fair negotiator who remarkably speaks several languages and dialects. He is respected by many in the Mouqollad Consortium, though the Worthy Elders consider him to be no more than a contemptible smuggler.

DM’s Campaign Notes: Granth is a former member of the Uruzary Corps from the Sultanate of Zeif. He never speaks about his past or why he left this vaunted military group, but he does indeed still have contact with his brethren as he routinely smuggles used Uruzary weapons out of Antalotol. Since Granth travels a lot, he constantly shuffles his stockpile of weapons between several caches throughout Ull and the surrounding highlands. These hidden stores are rarely guarded though they are often trapped and intentionally sealed by rockslides, later to be cleared by his ogre bodyguards. In addition to these half dozen ogres from the Ulsprues, Granth typically employs orcs, half-orcs, ogrillons, and halflings in his service. The latter are favored for their culinary prowess and an ability to move stealthily. Despite his age, Granth is still hardy and walks with a halberd at all times mainly for show and to help with his balance.

Granth makes a good low-medium level contact or rival for player characters. He is well-travelled and can be a font of information on Ull and the Dry Steppes. Granth of course is easily the best person in Ull for adventurers to quickly sell off weapons and armor in bulk, not being too picky about quality or origin of goods. He pays half price for any items sold by PCs and sells his items at a 150% mark-up. Granth does not deal in magic weapons considering them to be too risky to move and store. Heroes who run afoul of one of Granth’s deals may find that he is vindictive and resourceful as any villain they encounter.

Greyhawk Monsters: The Dry Ones

Well met Greyhawk denizens! Today I offer you another 5E monster design of my creation. If you haven't seen my previous entries, check out the Best of Greyhawkery section above. The Dry Ones are based off the quite popular "Drowned Ones" zombies from Greyhawk Adventures. Where they are created by Nerull, these bad boys have another unholy creator. Naturally, these creatures can appear in any arid land of your choosing, but I made them with the Dry Steppes and Ull in mind. Particularly because they are a favorite threat associated with the infamous necromancer-elementalist Abi-Dalzim. whose Horrid Wilting spell surely inspired this new undead. Beware and enjoy!

DESERT ZOMBIE (“DRY ONES”) (5E)

Legend has it the Dry Ones were created by Incabulos, god of droughts, to spread terror on the steppes and deserts where they roam at night. Desert zombies appear to be typical humanoid undead though instead of rotting bodies, they are gaunt and leathery, unnaturally preserved by the arid environment. In fact, a Dry One can often be mistaken for a normal creature either stumbling around in the dark or laying half-buried in sand during the daytime. Dry Ones are slow but silent and cunning for they are drawn to living creatures with an insatiable need to consume all liquids from their bodies. A creature slain by such unholy desiccation rises as a new Dry One the following night.

DESERT ZOMBIE (“DRY ONES”) (5E)
Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 15)
Speed 20 ft.

STR 14 (+2)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 16 (+3)
INT 5 (-3)
WIS 6 (-2)
CHA 5 (-3)

Saving Throws Wis +0
Damage Immunities poison
Damage Resistances cold
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Language understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.

Turning Defiance. The desert zombie has advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The zombie makes two attacks: one slam attack and one desiccating bite attack.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit. Reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

Desiccating Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit. Reach 5 ft., Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.