Greyhawk Map Definitions

Welcome back Greyhawkers! If you've spent as much time as I have staring at the Darlene map of the Flanaess then you'll understand that you start to question the meaning and origins of every damn label Gygax used for his geography and towns. Sure, we know a ton of them are anagrams or homages of family and friends, or are using French, German or Latin words, but the ones that are left over still sometimes need defined to fully understand them. Gygax after-all was a wordsmith who was fond of using archaic English vocabulary in his Greyhawk works (often for NPC names). Let's explore some words from the map, see which ones you know already, and if you have any clarifications, please put them in the comments. Enjoy! 

(Plains of the Paynims) paynim: (noun) "heathen; pagan" I always assumed this was a reference to nomads or something Arabic adjacent. What I failed to understand all these years is that paynim is a real-world derogatory name (albeit an archaic term). From the meta-perspective of the World of Greyhawk Guide's author, yes, the men of the plains would be heathens or pagans compared to the Flanaess' cultures. This term of course fits in on a pulpy map that also lists barbarians, nomads, and savages. I can now only assume the peoples of the Baklunish West would have a different name for this region! 

(Lake Quag, Quag Keep) quag(mire): (noun) "soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot; a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position." I always knew Quag was a root of quagmire. I think the first time I heard the word was in reference to a war you cannot get out of once started. I wonder if Gygax envisioned Lake Quag as some place that is dangerous then? It doesn't seem especially bad, like it may freeze over but that's far from what you'd expect in a quagmire situation.  

(town of Shiboleth) shibboleth: (noun) "a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning; a truism or platitude; a custom or usage regarded as distinguishing one group from others." I got to admit I've never seen this word used in general conversation only in writing, maybe it's one of these antiquated Gygaxian words. What is interesting though, is that the town of Shiboleth (one "b" less) is in Gran March, a (religious) militant state. So that choice of word is on the mark!  

(Spindrift Isles) spindrift: (noun) "sea spray; fine wind-borne snow or sand" This is a word I didn't know the definition of until I wrote this article and is what started me down this dictionary rabbit hole in the first place! Now I have never spent time on the sea, the desert or in the arctic, so it's new to me, but maybe this is a commonly used term? In any case, kudos to Gygax for naming an island chain with such an appropriately descriptor. It is amusing to me though, that he could have just as easily called the Bright Desert the Spindrift Desert and this entry would be unchanged!

(Gamboge Forest) gamboge (noun) "a strong yellow; an orange to brown gum resin from southeast Asian trees of the Saint-John's wort family that is used as a yellow pigment and cathartic." 

(Celadon Forest) celadon (noun) "a grayish-yellow green; a ceramic glaze originated in China that is greenish in color."

A two-for-one on this entry. I covered both these words in a previous article on Colorful Places of Greyhawk. Gygax uses A LOT of colors in his naming schemes. These two rare words however eluded my consciousness for many years before I started blogging. Celadon makes sense for a forest descriptor, whereas gamboge perhaps is referring to the forest's changing leaves during the autumn season.

(Woolly Bay) woolly (adjective) "consisting of wool; like the rough, vigorous atmosphere of the early West in America." This is one of my favorite choices of Gygax's. And I don't think this is about woolly mammoths or wool sweaters. Here we literally have "wild and woolly" labelled side by side on the map. Gary likely envisioned the Wild Coast and Woolly Bay as his medieval fantasy version of the Wild West. He even gave us the gunslinging paladin Murlynd after all (have gun will travel). 

(town of Knurl) knurl (noun) "a small protuberance or knob; one of a series of small ridges on a metal surface to aid in gripping." Coincidence or clever Gygaxian naming for this town? I don't know much lore about Knurl, but maybe the town is built on a hill? It is kinda at the tip of the Blemu Hills I think.

(Suss Forest) suss (verb) "to inspect or investigate so as to gain more knowledge." This one I knew about, but it's still weird to my ears, like yes, we do need to investigate this evil woodland more. No, what I think is actually happening in this case is Gygax used a root of the word of susurrus "a whispering or rustling sound." Now that sounds like a cooler reason to name an evil forest.

(Gnarley Forest) gnarly (adjective) "twisted with or as if with gnarls or knots; distasteful or distressing, gross." Everyone's favorite forest (an added "e" for variation) is an aptly described place that gives you an immediate mental image of being old, dense and twisted. If you grew up in the 80's however the latter definition certainly made this forest into a running joke. Good times.

(Welkwood) welk (verb) "to lose freshness or greenness, dry up; to become less." This one I'm not totally sure about but again, Gygax is known for using obsolete words in Greyhawk. Welk can be a synonym for fade, wilt or wane. This definition doesn't evoke the image of a lush sylvan forest though, unless it is already in decline from ancient times. Another thought with the benefit of hindsight, I'd speculate that the "Suss and Welk" forest names should be swapped. One other possibility, Gygax was a fan of Lawrence Welk? Shrug!

(Nutherwood) nuther (conjunction, pronoun or adjective) "not either; not the one or the other of two or more." This one is a stretch so bear with me. According to the internet, (which is always right) nuther is a dialectal variant of the word neither. So, taken in context of the Flanaess on the opposite side of the river is the ghostly Phostwood and the locals are calling this side "Neitherwood" meaning this is also not a place you should enter. My other suspicion is that "nuther" is a play on "nether" implying this woodland is some kind of otherworldly place of the dead. Now that seems more fitting for a fantasy setting! 

(Flotsom Isle) flotsam (noun) "floating wreckage or a ship or its cargo; a floating population (emigrants/castaways); miscellaneous or unimportant material."  

(Jetsom Isle) jetsam (noun) "the part of a ship, its equipment, or its cargo that is cast overboard to lighten the load in time of distress and that sinks or is washed ashore." 

I have another two for one entry. You know I gotta mention these two words because they're part of the Hold of the Sea Princes. Not kidding, I went many, many years before I knew the definition of flotsam and jetsam. Jetsam kinda sounds like jettison, which has to share the same root meaning. Also, I guess Gygax used a variation of the spelling, "flotsom and jetsom" cause fantasy world, right? Whatever the spelling or meaning, these islands are perfectly named for their location, a high seas haven for buccaneers.

(Griff Mountains) griff (noun) "a deep narrow glen or ravine; news or reliable information." I'm uncertain about this one as well. I see this word is a dialectal variant, or a slang English word. It's most likely just the shortened version of the mythical creature griffon (griffin) of course. This is D&D after all. Still, calling a mountain range griff because of its numerous glens and ravines doesn't seem all that implausible. 

 

(town of Glot) -glot (adjective combining form) "having knowledge of or using languages." This last word I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Polyglot is a word I've always known, and glottal and glottis refer to vocal cords. So here we have the capital of the Cruskii, did Gygax intend Glot to be monosyllabic because they are barbarians? Maybe it's a clever inference that the Ice Barbarians are multilingual, or good at war cries, I don't know! Or maybe I give Gygax too much credit in naming the Flanaess, and Glot is just four random letters. That's all I got for now! If anyone has a cool obscure map word definition, let me know! 

Expressions in the Land of Ull

Well met, Greyhawkers! One of my absolute favorite Greyhawk source books is Anne Brown's Players Guide to Greyhawk from the 2E era. Among the many useful tidbits of Greyhawk lore and info on how to make a character set in the Flanaess, there is a section on expressions and sayings. This kind of stuff is a delight because it adds spice to your roleplay, further adding to the immersion of the setting. By now most of you have heard gems like "I Spit on the Old One", "Cold Iron Avail You", or "May the Axe Grow Great." Well in this post I am going to attempt to add to this cultural exchange with some custom expressions from the frontier land of Ull. Keep in mind Grey-scholars, these sayings are translated from the original Ulagha dialect of Ancient Baklunish, so the actual wording may or may not be accurate. Until the Starbreak!

"Yoll, Yoll, Yoll!" This is an ancient battle cry used by Uli warriors, predating their occupation of the Oeridian lands. It was most famously yelled by the united forces of Ull when it turned back the invading Brazen Horde at the Battle of Ulakand in 308 CY. Over time however, this specific expression has fallen out of popular use by the many khanates of Ull who have developed their own local battle cries. Only the small warband called the Wild Men still cling to this expression as they harass travelers passing though Ohkir Khanate. Note: this expression originally comes from Gary Gygax's novel Sea of Death, where for copyright reasons the land of Ull was renamed Yoll.

"I'd sooner go to Kester." The derision felt between the traditional northern nomadic clans of Ull, and their corruptible southern kin is no more evident than in this familiar saying which has now spread across the neighboring plains and steppes. Kester's reputation for danger and depravity lends itself well to this forceful rejection of an obviously perilous request. Example: "You want to go in the Tomb of Horrors? I'd sooner go to Kester!"

"The arrow has been loosed." Variations of this idiom are found throughout Eastern Oerik. In Ull, it is commonly asserted that once an arrow is launched there is no changing its course. To put plainly, it refers to a decision that is made which cannot be taken back. Example: "I told the sheik we will not give in to his demands. The arrow has been loosed!"

"Ride fast, ride far." Many nomadic tribes in the north of Ull will travel vast distances in a shorter time than most riders due to the strength and resiliency of their horse breeds. This expression of parting is quite popular among the khanates and has even found use by their distant kin on the Plains of the Paynims. The saying is also the rallying cry of the annual Najaam Trials (during Richfest), a cross-country horse race that brings honor to a rider's family.

"Come down from your saddle." This expression is used to imply someone is being stubborn or unreasonable and needs to humble themselves. This usually includes a subtext of violence. For context, it is customary in Ull for negotiations to be conducted on foot, mainly in the event combat breaks out to decide the matter. Example: "Seventy gold pieces for that old bow? Come down from your saddle..."

"Blood is strength." Ull is a land of internal strife with warring raiders and contentious nomad families. When Uli have common foe however, the entire domain will rally together behind a strong leader. The phrase "blood is strength" is thus used by locals as a rousing means of setting aside differences to deal with a foreign problem.

Your god did not follow you here." While not outright hostile, this expression is often invoked as a way to rebuke clerics and missionaries foolish enough to come to Ull. Uli are distrustful of religions in general believing more in spirituality centered on their ancestors. They do believe the gods exist but only harmful ones like Incabulos or Ralishaz pay any mind to Ull. Example: "Keep your prayers and begone beggar, your god did not follow you here."

In Memory of Two Greyhawk Sages

Welcome back readers of Greyhawkery. Yes, this is my 1002nd post overall, and my second since going on hiatus last year. If you are new to the blog, well, thank you for joining in. You have a lot to catch up on! If you are reading this as it's posted, thank you for keeping on top of my activity in the Greyhawk community. I haven't gone anywhere, and I appreciate those who encourage me to get back to blogging. 

This post is special however, so no promises. As many in the Greyhawk community know, we lost two friends over December 2021. It took me a while to process the loss, to decide if I wanted to blog about them, or leave it at sharing kind words on Legends & Lore stream. Well folks, I'm finally in the frame of mind to do a post. 

Michael, or Leahcim the Learned, was a kind soul, witty and quick with a bit of Greyhawk lore. Michael was a fixture in the Greyhawk community and on streams. I remember first meeting him through the Greyhawk Channel, as he was quick to educate the new players in Greyhawk lore through the chat window, and later he got involved through Lord Gosumba channel and the community Discords. I was lucky enough to play some Greyhawk with Michael before he died, and I could tell he relished every session playing a Suel wizard. Michael was also a contributor to Canonfire, Oerth Journal, and I'm sure more if only he had more time. I wish I had got to know more about the man behind Leahcim, maybe at a convention, or guesting on a stream. Now he'll just have to remain a legend, along with the pantheon of other learned Greyhawk deities.

Jason Zavoda by contrast, needed no introduction in our community. Or if you didn't know him, one only had to point out his body of Greyhawk work. If I was to sum Jason up in on word I'd say "prolific". He is first and foremost known for his Zavoda Index a tool that has no equal in the D&D community. There is no one writing in fandom who hasn't used his index for reference. If that was all JZ did, he'd still be a legend to me. But no, he also started a blog Hall of the Mountain King which in his words, was inspired by Greyhawkery. That's an honor. Of course, Jason grew tired of Blogger. Yeah it's not the best, I agree. Well, he moved his posts to Canonfire Journal: Hall of the Mountain King where Jason had already been a long-time member of Canonfire. In fact, Jason used to post Greyhawk fiction there such as Nosnra's Saga

Speaking of fiction, I don't know anyone who loved Gary Gygax's Gord novels more than Jason Zavoda. Anytime Jason would guest on Legends & Lore or Gabbin' streams, he was ready to dispense sagely lore about these books. His love of these novels led him to another innovative idea: Jason Zavoda Presents: Reading and Annotating the Gord Novels, with Chris (Cthaeh). Audio readings of Greyhawk novels (or any D&D book for that matter), is an incredible idea, and with annotations makes it even more fun to experience. I hope Chris and someone else can take up where Jason left off and finish this project. And I think that's what drove Jason to be so prolific. We all knew his health wasn't the best (nor was Michael's) and he was posting blogs, reading books, and talking in streams and voice chats daily. He knew his time was limited and was making the most of it. Now, Jason can kick back and have a drink with Gygax, Arneson, and all the other legends of the game.

Let these two guys be your motivation to contribute your fan work with the Greyhawk community (or any D&D community). You may start small, but if you are consistent and your body of work grows, people will be inspired by you in turn, and that's a fitting reward for being a part of this community.  

Old Greyhawk Ads in Dragon

Greetings all and welcome back to Greyhawkery! As I write this post, we are going through another Virtual Gary Con 2021, and the gaming and streaming for the World of Greyhawk has never been more successful. While the community games into the future, I've been nostalgically looking back to the past to muse on how far this setting has come. My favorite source is the pages of Dragon where one can see the evolution and even launch of the products we all now take for granted. Sit back and read some clipped advertisements I found from this hallowed magazine. Enjoy!

I think it's safe to say Saga of Old City is Gygax's best and first novel set in Greyhawk. The Gord series held a lot of promise as it came out around the time D&D novels was red hot, especially the Dragonlance series. Because of this, Saga got a big push back in winter 1984/1985. This full page, color ad was evocative enough to grab readers.

In winter of 1986, Gygax put out his second novel in the Gord series with Artifact of Evil. It's too bad that he would have to finish the series post-TSR. Look at that retail price!

Here's an old school ad from Dragon #37. Again, Gary went all out with a full color ad in his usually all black & white magazine. To give us a taste of the Greyhawk Folio cover would've been a treatment back in 1980.

In contrast, this ad in Dragon #80 for the updated 1983 World of Greyhawk boxed set is disappointingly small, black and white and just has a nice blurb to hook you into buying it. I scoured the back issues for a full page color ad of this boxed set and couldn't find it. If anyone knows, let me know. I assume if one already had the Folio, this small ad would be enough to remind you. I had neither Dragon #80 nor the Folio. It is merely fate that I'm here today as a lifelong Greyhawk gamer.

This ad from Dragon #94 in 1985 is fun one. G1-2-3 Against the Giants is one of the first modules I ever owned, but damn if I had saw this ad, well I could've had that mod and even more if I just bought a hardback D&D book. I highly doubt a sale like this will happen again. 

This blurb is from the coming soon section of Dragon #112. What is shocking to me about this ad, is that the Queen of the Spiders was supposedly linked to the Temple of Elemental Evil and Slave Lords series?!? That's an adventure path on steroids. I cannot imagine running one PC group through 15 modules. I know there will some Greyhawk grognards who eschew this proposed storyline. Perhaps the ad department of TSR just wanted to push sales of the modules by tying them all together. D&D players are collectors and would have to get an entire story. Maybe they were right, because as we saw in 2E going forward, storylines were not as closely tied together so some inevitably ended up more popular than others. 

Speaking of the Temple of Elemental Evil, this last ad here is from Dragon#100 (coincidentally the issue that debuted Gord) and is for the compiled T1-4 TOEE super-module that is referenced above. Again, the ad is black & white, but it is well made and much more evocative. It takes hints of the gargoyles on Keith Parkinson's amazing cover and throws in some hype text to catch your attention. This would entice me to get the Temple since I never owned the original mods. I am curious that the blurb says this is the "conclusion" to the T-series. Does this Frank Mentzer supermod have story info Gygax's books doesn't? You'll have to get them all to find out I guess!

Greyhawk Books: James Ward & Rose Estes

Hail Greyhawkers! I love going back through old Dragon Magazine issues and reading stuff that I may have overlooked back then. I don't know about you, but my Dragon reading was sporadic if not targeted. If it wasn't the Comics section, Forum/Letters, a Greyhawk article like Suel deities by Len Lakofka or some new D&D content like spells by Ed Greenwood, then I was skimming by it. What did I miss in 1988's Dragon #135? Well, with the benefit of 33 years of hindsight I missed some quite interesting stuff. James Ward, Rose Estes, and R.A. Salvatore. Check this out:

The Game Wizards by James Ward

Readers speak out on GREYHAWK® Adventures 

"I asked for feedback in The Game Wizards column in DRAGON® issue #129. So, what happens when 511 letters come to my office, all filled with great and not-so great ideas on what should get into the GREYHAWK® Adventures hardbound book? I read every one of them. Let me tell you, most of the handwritten ones, especially the ones with horrible penmanship, were a real chore, but every one was read and some of them had ideas that are being put into the design of the book. Let me fill you in on the best of these."

Okay, gotta interrupt here. Anna Meyer and Jay Scott had James Ward on stream several months ago and his insights on the creation of Greyhawk Adventures were fun. I don't believe he mentioned Dragon Magazine feedback in the book's creation. 511 letters from fans? I don't think I've ever heard anyone in the community tell me "yeah I wrote a letter to TSR on what should go in GHA and my specific idea got picked!" It sounds like mostly generalizations here, but clearly some people got rewarded for their effort. Back to the article...

"Many people wanted zero-level PCs. Adventurers are not hatched ready to go; they undergo a bit of training in several areas before they find their niches. The rules on this character-creation system will cover experimenting with different classes and even keeping some powers from other classes (at a penalty of losing experience points on adventures).

A good many people wanted to know about some of the more unusual geographic features of the planet Oerth. There is now going to be an entire section in the book on this topic. Oerth has islands that float with the currents of the sea. Each of these places has become the lair of fierce monsters that need the islands traveling ability to enter new feeding grounds during the year. These monsters also have unusually large treasure hoards. Imagine, too, a strange magical pillar that greatly heightens the powers of any magic-user who touches it but the more spellcasters who touch the pillar, the less power the artifact gives to each. Naturally, one person seeks to have all the power; rivals must be eliminated!"

This I can believe. My favorite stuff in that book is the mysterious geographical locations. I'm having a hard time recalling what pillar he is referring to though, anyone else?

"I was very surprised to see that hundreds of you wanted adventures in the book. Several sections will now have adventures patterned after REF3 The Book of Lairs; these adventures range from zero-level, easy-looking things like loading a hay wagon to high-level adventures for only the toughest of heroes. Each one is designed to provide hours of fun for PCs and DMs alike. Some letters confirmed my suspicion that several sections scheduled to be put into the hardbound would indeed be popular. There was a clear majority in favor of putting in new monsters from the WORLD OF GREYHAWK fantasy setting; the same went for characters and spells. I would be in trouble, too, if I didn't put in magic items especially designed for the WORLD OF GREYHAWK setting."

I never owned the Book of Lairs. I'd like to compare this now. Monsters, spells and magic items of course are faves of the book today. James wraps it up...

"I'll close out this section by saying that I appreciated the thought and effort that went into all those letters from you, the readers. My eyes especially appreciated the typed letters that came in. Yes, I will send out free copies of the book to those whose ideas I liked and used. No, I don't need any more ideas on this project, but I will still read your letters not because I can use the ideas, but because I think your effort merits a little work on my part."

James had told us on stream, this book had a VERY fast product time. And there you have it, somewhere out there Greyhawk fans have free copies of GHA. Jealous! Let's move on now to another section of issue #135. This one blew my mind. I almost NEVER read the novel reviews and video game reviews. In this issue we are treated to a head-to-head review of a Greyhawk novel and a relatively new author's humble Forgotten Realms novel.

The Role of Books by John C. Bunnell

THE DEMON HAND (Rose Estes)

THE CRYSTAL SHARD (R.A. Salvatore) 

"Rose Estes' third GREYHAWK® Adventures novel and R.A. Salvatore's first tale of the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting share more than common ancestry in the worlds of gaming. Both focus on multiple rather than single protagonists, and comparing the two authors' craftsmanship offers practical insight into the process of developing successful characters."

I'm already cringing that they are being compared. No, like most Greyhawk fans, I'm not a fan of Estes' novels. It's scary to think she was on her third book before FR really got going. Back to the review...

"The Demon Hand is the third book in a trilogy about Mika, a Wolf Nomad drawn by accident into an intricate web of demonic intrigue. That's fine except that Mika is out of action for most of the book, caught in a snare he cannot bypass. Estes instead builds the body of her tale around his harpy daughter, Chewppa, and TamSen, the son of TamTur, Mika's wolf companion. (The mind boggles at the genetic possibilities for the next generation.) Unfortunately, none of these would-be heroes will win much sympathy from readers. Mika, as in earlier books, is too much a victim of fate to be heroic. Chewppa suffers from a comparatively small role in the plot and a serious language barrier. And TamSen, who is really the star of this book, must compete for center stage with Mika and Chewppa as well as with his twin sister, TamLis, who abruptly changes roles at the novel's close. Estes has written this tale with a strong narrative presence. Description generally prevails over dialogue, and the texture of the writing is that of a historian, not a poet. The result is a sense of distance between the story and the audience a real problem in the absence of a strong central figure."

Brutal. How about Mr. Salvatore?

"R.A. Salvatore takes a different approach with The Crystal Shard, a novel with an equally generous cast. His narration stays closer to the events it describes, rather than stepping backward to comment on larger contexts. More significantly, Salvatore deals with his characters in twos and threes rather than by themselves, so that dialogue and action, not description, convey the heroes' personalities. Though the barbarian Wulfgar is initially a reluctant captive in the relative civilization of Ten-Towns, hard work and maturation forge him into a warrior strong enough to slay a legendary dragon (in a nicely crafted scenario, at that) and restore his own tribe's honor. Regis the halfling owes more to the AD&D game than to Tolkien, but his slightly unsavory sense of larceny makes his eventual part in saving Ten-Towns all the more entertaining. And Drizzt, the exiled drow, is handled with uncommon finesse and care. (Salvatore may be the first novelist to find a practical use for the traditional AD&D game alignment system.) These are individuals that readers will enjoy meeting and getting to know."

Yup, I definitely want to read Crystal Shard more than Demon Hand now. Note the part about Salvatore being innovative with Drizzt and alignment. Yes indeed, readers will get to know Drizzt. Alot.

"One other comparison is worth making. Both novels rely on demons from the Abyss for much of their villainy, and in this regard, Salvatore's Errtu is a much deadlier adversary. Errtu is diabolical in action as well as origin, where the blustering Maelfesh of The Demon Hand is little more than a major-league killing machine. (It's also unsettling that Maelfesh is supposed to be several times more powerful than the semi-legendary Iuz, whom Estes casually swept aside a couple of books back.)"

GROAN! Why Rose? Why?

"The Crystal Shard occasionally has rough qualities typical of a first novel (which it is), notably where the shard itself is concerned. Salvatore's writing loses confidence as he tries to get inside his villains' minds, but it is more absorbing by far than Estes' latest work. Estes is capable of better writing (see DRAGON® issue #105 concerning her Children of the Dragon); the Mika trilogy suffers more from carelessness than from true lack of skill. As the AD&D game's original homeworld, the world of Greyhawk deserves more consideration."

Well said sir! If only R.A. Salvatore had been moved over to save the Greyhawk novel line. But no, Drizzt took off and 33 years later, he is still writing. I'll leave you all with this ad from the same issue #135 for Rose's next Greyhawk novel The Name of the Game. Cringe. Oh boy, I need to dig this book review up next! Until then, thanks for going down memory lane with me!

Beyond the Flanaess: Zihindian Lands

Merry Needfest Greyhawk explorers! I'm happy to promote a new article in a series by the legendary Greyhawk Grognard in which he expands on the Guide to the World of Greyhawk with his rendition of the previously unseen Volume IV A Catalogue of the Lands Beyond the Flanaess. Joe Bloch has previously done some amazing Darlenesque work in mapping the mega-continent of Oerik and his articles on nations, deities and events in the Baklunish Basin is unrivaled. His look in on the Lands of Zihindia builds on the dearth of previously published material we have from D&D and Gygax's Gord novels. Admittedly I never cared or even tried to explore this part of Oerik, though I knew it was always there on the far side of the Sea of Dust taunting me.  Download this article now and see how it stacks up with your vision of the southwest. In the meantime, here a is a few enticing takeaways I noticed from reading Zihindia that should get all my scholarly Greyhawk friends interested in this area. 

1. Zihindia is ancient! 576 CY is 9023 Z.C. That makes this area a few thousand years older than their former neighbors the Suloise Empire. 

2. Before the cataclysms, the Suel also migrated here and quickly slipped into Zihindian society. I can only wonder what the Scarlet Brotherhood would think of this place!

3. This land has some impressive armies. I know Joe likes his mass combat so he has kept with the spirit of Gygax's work and included each land's standing armies. And they are big for Flanaess standards. Jahind has 100k, Uttarayana has 120k (including 100 war elephants) and Mulwar can raise up to 180k! Never mind what else is going on in this land, I mainly want to see how these armies would battle it out!

4. The cities are large. Going along with the impressive armies, Zihindia has some big urban areas. Every capital clocks in at 38-44k population which is comparable to the Flanaess' best. For further comparison Greyhawk (boxed set) is 58,000 and Rel Astra is 63,900. What is Zihindia's largest city though? Pashod, the capital of Uttarayana Raj has 135,000 people. Now THAT is a medieval metropolis I'd like to see mapped out.

Stay tuned to Greyhawk Grognard because there is definitely more in store according to this issue: "Coming soon: our explorations of the mystical lands of Zihindia continue with new monsters found in those lands, new classes, spells, and magic items, complete details of the Zihindian pantheon, and more!"

Ring of Five Questions: Round 11

Greetings, Heroes of Greyhawk! If you've been following this blog in recent weeks, you'll know this is the eleventh round of my ongoing Return of the Ring of Five Questions column! If you happened upon this column for the first time, well put simply this is a community participation feature of Greyhawkery. Search back and read the previous installments then email me at mortellan@gmail.com with your own five responses. Remember, you can be as short or wordy as you like in these responses. Disclaimer: I will keep taking entries until the end of 2020 so hurry up and respond before Needfest is upon us!

Let's jump into another fiery Ring with two more readied participants! In this epic clash of Greyhawk enthusiasts we have in one corner, Michael Rooney and facing him in the other corner is Kevin "suprunown" Peden. Let's get it on!

Q1. What is your favorite realm or region in the World of Greyhawk setting?

Michael: After mulling it over to make sure, I must go with my first instinct: the SEA OF DUST.  It's the first thing I learned about the setting on opening the original gazetteer, with Erol Otus' dramatic drawing of the end of the Suel Imperium on the second full page of text. An absolutely perfect hook for the beginning of a book, straight from the pulps, full of mystery (what would a colorless fire look like?) and horror (it rained magical fire that reduced the HILLS THEMSELVES to ASH, goddamn!).  Yet the Suel capital (oddly located deep inland, near the mountainous frontier of the empire) was nearly intact!  Can you say LOST CITY DUNGEON EXPLORATION in the heart of a LIFELESS DESERT, my friends? Seven years of anticipation were rewarded by Gygax's sketch of the Ashen Desert in his third Gord novel, complete with slug-made tunnels, weird plant monsters, and degenerate Suel derro worthy of Shaver, Howard, or Beneath the Planet of the Apes. What of Uattho, indeed? 

Kevin: Tough question. My go to region for using when starting a campaign is usually the Duchy of Geoff, but the region that grabs my imagination the most is actually Zeif.

Wow! Where to start? Kevin goes with Geoff which after recently talking to members of the Living Greyhawk: Geoff Triad on stream, I have been really intrigued to play in this nook of the Flanaess. It's one of the few places left I haven't tried out. Zeif on the other hand is -always- on my mind as well, because they are always trying to exploit poor little Ull. Fools! Michael is no fool though, he crushes this answer with another good choice, the Sea of Dust. He shows some old school Gygax roots here with references to the Gord novels and evoking classic lit that surely inspired this post-apocalyptic region. Michael is right, this is the place that kicks off the boxed set. So yes, I have used the Sea of Dust, but never for long. Why? It has to remain mysterious and feared! One more thing before moving on, Erol Otus might be my favorite D&D illustrator (Trampier is a tie I think). 

Q2. If you could actually be one Greyhawk deity which one would it be?

Michael: Boccob's 26 Intelligence is very tempting, but the peaceable, reasonable nature of Rao sounds more pleasant.  Plus, I've always assumed that Rao is the same being as Krypton's supreme deity, and it'd be useful to have the respect of a species of Supermen.

Kevin: Boccob. Definitely Boccob. My longest surviving PC is a mage, and I love playing wizards.

Oh, snap! Kevin and Michael almost took the same form of Boccob! I suppose two avatars of Boccob could've made sense, he is his own best company. At any rate Michael changes last second into Rao, a rare choice being a peace deity, but then he ties Greyhawk into DC Comics? I've discussed the Rao connection before with my friend Jayson who loves Superman, but I've never mused about it on this blog. A superhuman move, sir! Kevin sticks with the 26 INT, ensuring that he is the ultimate mage in all of the multiverse. Comparing the two, Boccob has a staff, Rao a crook. Rao has the country of Veluna (Kryptonians in disguise) and Boccob has um, Zagyg? Like the honey badger, Boccob doesn't care! 

Q3. You have one wish. Which Greyhawk module or accessory would you do over or fix?

Michael: The obvious choice is replacing Greyhawk Ruins with Gygax's own Greyhawk Dungeon.  But while on the topic, I have a wish list: Gygax's City of Greyhawk, the Stoink supplement ("Wasps' Nest"), Skip and Gary's WG7: Shadowlands.  If you object that these are more unpublished vaporware rather than fixing published works, I will cede the point.  For just one "fix," then, I wish that WG4 The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun had been illustrated by the regular TSR staff artists (ideally Otus, Trampier, and Dee, or at least Easley and Holloway) rather than the artist who made the published module bizarrely uninspiring and utterly incongruous with any other TSR work.

Kevin: Oooooh...toughie. Do I actually try and fix some of the really broken modules, like Child's Play and Puppets? Or do something else? The obvious answer is, redo WG7 Castle Greyhawk to actually BE Castle Greyhawk, but the one thing that keeps jumping out at my and bugging me the most is the From The Ashes boxed set. I cannot STAND the idea that all those generals got turned into souped-up undead monstrosities...really tore the soul out of the game. Actually...pretty much anything they did from Fate of Istus on could probably stand redoing.

LOL both Ring guests had some strong feelings on this Q. Coincidentally, Kevin and Michael both mentioned Skip Williams who was a recent guest on Legends & Lore #73. Go check it out, if you want to hear about what happened with Shadowlands and some other TSR era developments. Good stuff. Anyhow, Castle Greyhawk seems to be the consensus on this part, a Holy Grail that many strive for, but will never be fully realized. I think Allan Grohe or Joseph Bloch are your best champions of this crusade. Kevin hates the animus from the Greyhawk Wars. Ditto. Do I dislike all developments since Fate if Istus? Heck no. FoI should've been reworked though. Michael finishes off this tough Q with his actual wish, classic D&D illustrators in FToT. Hell yes I can get behind that! What happened there?

Q4: You're putting together an all-star Greyhawk NPC group. Who is your number one pick?

Michael: Gravestone, from the later Gord novels, is about the toughest NPC villain who isn't an outright quasi-deity or better.  I remember writing up a version of his prismatic monster spell and I had to make it take up two ninth-level spell slots because it was so badass.

 Kevin: Hmmm.... well, I would love to have Murlynd leading the charge, but I would settle for one of the lesser members of the Circle of Eight, like maybe Otiluke or Bigby.

Michael picks Gravestone, who I must admit I know nothing about because I've never read (or own all) the later Gord books. Prismatic Monster? Two 9th level slots? WHUUUU? Okay sir, I'll defer to you, if he is that bad ass and not a quasi-deity. Well done! Speaking of quasi-deity, Kevin nearly took Murlynd on his team, but then modesty overcame him and he took Bigby or Otiluke (I'd have to favor Bigby on this one, what has Otiluke really done that is significant except die alot?) Question for Mr. Rooney, can a Bigby Hand Spell hold off a Prismatic Monster?

Q5. If you could possess one artifact or relic from Greyhawk lore, which would it be?

Michael: The Head of Vecna! Just kidding. Most artifacts and relics are extraordinarily dangerous.  About the only ones I'd be willing to risk keeping are the Cup and Talisman of Al-Akbar, whose malevolent powers only affect neutral or evil users.  I guess that would keep me Good!  The weekly curative magic (if I were a cleric, which I guess such an artifact would persuade me to be!) would be worth it.

Kevin: Actually, the only artifact I would want is the one my longest surviving PC owns (in my plane of gaming...) - Queen Ahlissa's Marvelous Nightingale.

Kevin closes out the Ring with a surprise choice that I haven't seen before, the Nightingale! Very nice! I have never used this item sadly. Artifacts are the best because they weave ancient history into the present timeline. Mr. Peden shows he has a sense of history by holding onto Queen Ahlissa's most treasured item for a long time. I would expect that from a guy who embodies Boccob and hangs out with the Circle of Eight. Michael finishes off this incredible round of the ring with a set of artifacts: The Cup and Talisman. This is one of the few sensible choices out there isn't it? He must be a really Good person if he is an avatar of Rao and uses those items. His right hand man is kinda sketchy though...

Alright folks, that ends this round. Thank you to Michael and Kevin on some thrilling answers. Stay tuned for some more Ring of Five Questions action!

Ring of Five Questions: Round 8

Hail Lords and Ladies of Greyhawk! If you've been following, yes indeed, this is already the eighth round of my ongoing Return of the Ring of Five Questions column! If you're seeing this column for the first time this is a community participation feature of Greyhawkery. Search back and read the previous installments then email me at mortellan@gmail.com with your own five responses. Remember, you can be as short or wordy as you like in these responses. Also, I will keep taking entries until the end of 2020 so hang in there, I will get your answers posted in a timely manner!

Let's go to the Ring for a triple-threat match! Please meet stalwart Greyhawk fans, Matt Mason, Erik Larson and the inestimable Michael "Zudrak" Gross. Now onto the questioning...enjoy!

Q1. What is your favorite realm or region in the World of Greyhawk setting?

Matt: I've started DMing Against the Slave Lords (starting with A0), so I've developed a strong fondness for the Pomarj.  Props to Furyondy for the coolest region name ever.

Erik: Verbobonc, particularly the little village an indeterminate number of miles away, where we kicked off our adventuring career. We were poorly mounted, badly equipped and had no large sums of cash...

Michael: My favorite region comprises the Gnarley Forest, the Welkwood, and Suss Forest; west to the Kron Hills (including the village of Hommlet, Verbobonc, and parts of Veluna) and Lortmil Mountains; south to the three Ulek states, the Pomarj, and the (Keep on the) Borderlands between them; north to The Wild Coast, Dyvers, and the Free City of Greyhawk; and east to the Cairn Hills and Abbor-Alz.

I'm jealous of Matt for running the entire Slave Lord series. I neve ran them, and parted out 2E Slavers then trounced the Pomarj in a series of wars. So, yeah I like the Pomarj too, I just misused it. Michael casts a wide net to include the dangerous Pomarj but also encapsulates the region for the Temple of Elemental Evil and the entire Greyhawk Domain of adventures. Can't disagree with that! Erik makes the first question somewhat unanimous by choosing Verbobonc which I know started many careers off in the World of Greyhawk. Let's move on, but first, I wanted to disagree on Furyondy being the coolest name, but damned if I can't think of a more original regional name on the map.

Q2. If you could actually be one Greyhawk deity which one would it be?

Matt: Boccob, so when someone says, "you think you know everything", I can say, "yes, yes I do".

Erik: I haven't really considered them all that much, to be honest, but since you ask, I'll go with Zilchus.

Michael: Heironeous. Lightning, a big axe, and fighting for Law and Good? Sign me up. :)

We got more variety on this one. Erik has no time for gods, but if he were one he better be rich and influential! Works for me. Matt goes for the top shelf as a deity. Being Boccob would be bad ass actually. Yes he knows everything, has every magic item and spell imaginable, and to all you lesser gods, too bad, he is the Uncaring. Michael however is heroic at heart going with Heironeous. He has alot of evil to vanquish and order to restore so who wouldn't like to have permanent iron-skin? By the way, I hated when 3E D&D changed Heironeous to using a sword, it was lame and generic. I guess players griped when their paladin couldn't find a Holy Avenger Axe?

Q3. You have one wish. Which Greyhawk module or accessory would you do over or fix?

Matt: WGS1 & 2.  All that hard work just to be told you started a continent-wide war.

Erik: The City of Greyhawk. I recently pulled that off the shelf after having read through the first few Gord the Rogue novels and thought: "It's not like this at all."

Michael: Tough question, because there are a few. Since I can only pick one, I choose The Temple of Elemental Evil.

Just when I think I'm done ranting about Five Shall Be One & Howl From the North, Matt brings them up again! I agree that these could be redone, except I think you were disappointed in the Greyhawk Wars that followed? I wanted that, but was mad the barbarians who started it off got left out of the main events! Erik meanwhile goes for the jugular and casts shade on a favorite of mine, the City boxed set. Really pal? Well, I must admit I didn't read the novels till way after I had the boxed set. Not sure how I avoided Gygax's novels for so long. I know the maps are a dividing line in fandom, but the content is something I've never seriously tried to compare. Moving on, Michael stays on track as this Heironean wishes to tweak the classic TOEE. I think as megadungeons go a DM can adjust it on the fly (especially a certain undead NPC). The outdoor stuff I would not change. And Return to the TOEE? Well, Monte Cook is great and all, but, pass.

Q4: You're putting together an all-star Greyhawk NPC group. Who is your number one pick?

Matt: See Q1 above. Gotta go with Turrosh Mak.

Erik: Lord Robilar, come on down.

Michael: Serten, since clerics are my favorite.

Let's keep the spotlight on Michael as this lawful good champion of the central Flanaess adds Serten to his NPC gang. That is on brand for him. Good cleric. One who fought at the Battle of Emridy Meadows as well! Erik, goes for another Gygax campaign classic in Robilar. Is there an NPC more divisive in fandom than him? I'll guess he likes the pre-Wars Robilar who was amoral adventurous not downright homicidal. I'd take him over most fighters in Greyhawk too. Matt finishes off number four with a call-back to question one, he loves him some Pomarj and no one unites those humanoids quite like Turrosh. Hm, I wonder who would win in a duel between Mak and Robilar?

Q5. If you could possess one artifact or relic from Greyhawk lore, which would it be?

Matt: Rod of Seven Parts.  Why settle for one when you can have seven!

Erik: The Mighty Servant of Leuk-O. I mean: what's not to like about a magi-tech mecha?

Michael: Johydee's Mask. As much as I like clerics, I enjoy sneaking and using powers of illusion to get past challenges.

Matt wisely takes the Rod of 7. As the Ring of Five Questions goes, this is like wishing for more wishes right? Matt shows he would make a good Boccob with that loop hole. Michael goes in a rare direction. So far no one has picked the Crook of Rao. I mean is there a more goody good item than that? I was sure, Michael the good aligned Heironeous and his pal Serten would go for that, but no he possesses Johydee's Mask? Sneaking and illusion he says. I guess that's okay since he said to get past challenges not create them (which is what my friends would do with it). Erik finishes off this epic Ring of Five round with the Mightiest relic of all, the Mighty Servant of Leuk-O. I agree, magi-tech mecha? This artifact is the most likely in all Greyhawk to actually be made IRL. My only gripe, is the MSoL large enough? Most illustrations I've seen make it large, but not mecha-large. I want something that can go toe to toe with the Doomgrinder - okay enough of that!

Thank you Matt, Erik and Michael. Good entries! Next round be ready for a curve ball. Stay tuned and see you again soon.

Greyhawk Novel: Siege of the Tower

Howdy Greyhawkers! It's a busy weekend and I don't have any new content to share, but I do have some new old content to show off, that I should've promoted a long while back. My good pal, Thomas Kelly at the blog Greyhawk Stories had an amazing interview back in July with Kem Antilles, author of the Greyhawk Adventures Endless Quest novel, Siege of the Tower. I was bowled over by this interview. Published in 1994, I had no idea there was a Greyhawk Endless Quest book.

Given the cover is the From the Ashes boxed set by Jeff Easley, this story is set during the war between Furyondy and Iuz. You play a 17-year old fighter named Corlen. As you would expect from a "choose your own" story, Corlen has some hard choices to make as forces of Iuz are coming to siege Dragon's Eye Tower (I wonder if its on Anna's map?). To make matters worse, Corlen, who I remind you is a fighter, was cursed by an evil wizard and now cannot touch metal without it causing pain. Needless to say, I somehow successfully led Corlen to victory in my first read-through of the book.

My main reflection on this book was how well it fit with Greyhawk published sources. This enjoyable story adds and does not detract from any RPG sources. It felt like a nice one-shot D&D session involving a couple players. The book has great interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, but lacks a map of any kind, sadly. Then again, the story does not technically need a map. It references Crockport, Whyestil Lake and the Dulsi River for instance, but all of this is just to set the scene. At any rate, Siege of the Tower made me feel young again. I really wish there had been more Greyhawk novels like this and less like Master Wolf or the Eyes Have It by Rose Estes who did indeed write Endless Quest books, I'm just not sure for Greyhawk specifically.

The other cool thing about this is the author signed my copy! Thanks Kem! Thank Thomas! I will forever cherish this little novel among my Greyhawk collection. Again, go read his interview with Kem Antilles if you haven't already! Until next time, enjoy!

New Greyhawk Stuff to See

Well met Greyhawkers! Fresh off our Virtual Gary Con seminar on Twitch, I have a few links to share for more creative stuff to read on the internet. Those who were present that day probably have already been to these sites, but I gotta keep plugging away. Let's get to it!

Joe Bloch over at Greyhawk Grognard does it again, this time he has a new must have download titled T5: Beneath the Temple of Elemental Evil. What is T5 all about? Joe writes:

"The first in my series of expansions/addenda/replacements for the classic T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil, and the GDQ Giants/Drow modules is finally here. 
Based on literally years of research and speculation here on the blog, this first module is an expansion to the Temple of Elemental Evil, detailing a (real) shrine to the Elder Elemental God far below the Temple dungeons..."

If you are a fan of the classic Temple you will have to see what Joe has in store with this publication and what surely is left to come. No one ponders and improves on the classics like Greyhawk Grognard!

Next up, as promised is the newest issue, Oerth Journal #32 now available for download over at Greyhawk Online. This issue the theme is "Infinite Oerths" and here is the line up of authors and articles:

•  Making Greyhawk Your Own by Amy G. Crittenden
•  Gord's Greyhawk by Cal Scrivener
•  Ravilla: the Sundered Dragon Empire by Kristoph Nolen
•  The Many Castles Greyhawk by Joe "Greyhawk Grognard" Bloch
•  Going to the Source by Jason Zavoda
•  If It Smells Like a Viking by Jason Zavoda
•  A Reign of Death by Gary Holian
•  A Decidedly Disastrous Day by David Leonard
•  The Howl From the North by William "Giantstomp" Dvorak
•  Unconquered Hold of the Sea Princes by Michael Bridges
•  Diadem of Zosiel by Thom "Oronir" Vandevenne
•  History of the Wild Coast by Aaron Froke
•  Legendary Axes of Varnifane by Jay L. "Lord Gosumba" Scott

Lastly, head over to Greyhawk Stories to read Thomas Kelly's incredible interview with Paul Kidd the author of a trilogy of Greyhawk novels starring his unique character, the Justicar. If anyone had a chance to get a Greyhawk novel line going post-Gygax it was Kidd. Go over and check this article out, you'll want go out and find a copy of White Plume Mountain or Queen of the Demonweb Pits! 

Kudos to Mr. Kelly on this coup of an interview!

So I Bought Some Greyhawk Novels

Greetings Greyhawk enthusiasts! It's a few weeks away from Gary Con 2020 and I just finished a piece for the upcoming Oerth Journal #32 which will be available in limited print for those who attend the convention this year! Never fear though, Greyhawk Online will have it ready for download as well, and I'm quite sure there will be a ton of extra download material that you won't see in the print version. Keep an eye on the OJ ink at Greyhawk Online for this newest publication!

Speaking of publication, I finally got tired of waiting for fate to intervene so I made a couple purchases. Yes, I am talking about old Gary Gygax novels. Lately I've been hearing people talk about the content in these novels, but I've always been a bit snobbish in only reading game publications. I certain did already own a couple books, Saga of Old City and Sea of Death come to mind. But now after hearing about Night Arrant and City of Hawks for the umpteenth time I just bought these two novels online.

This is significant because my goal has always been to try and find these novels in the wild and buy them, but I don't go to enough cons and book stores to make that life-quest feasible anymore. I got lucky. These are some used copies, in good condition and they didn't cost all that much which is nice. The cover art cracks me up. I've always been skeptical of pulp fiction and comic book covers not representing the story inside. Man do I hope there is a giant vulture getting shot with a lightning bolt! So now comes my next conundrum, what is the chronological reading order for these Gord books?

Can anyone help out?

Castle Greyhawk: Absolute Edition!

Hail Greyhawk legends! Today is a good day because I finally get to show off the result of years worth of hard work by Scott Casper and myself on the Castle Greyhawk comic which wrapped up a year ago. Even though my part was over, Scott diligently worked on publishing the collected works of this graphic novel and his short stories into the special hardback ABSOLUTE EDITION. Check out these pics of the covers.

For those who are new to this blog or our Castle Greyhawk comic, this was a story written by Scott "Scottenkainen" Casper based on Gary Gygax's original campaign. The story features iconic characters of D&D such as Tenser, Mordenkainen and Robilar.

The gorgeous Castle Greyhawk book I now hold was given out to our Patreon backers whose their loyal readership made the effort quite worthwhile. One backer is my good friend Allan Grohe who also supplied the foreword to the book. Thank you Allan for your sagely introduction.

Not only did Scott manage to self publish a 300+ page book of our work, he included extra commentary on each page. So far it's been a delight to just go back through and reminisce about the creation of this comic over the years. Truly breathtaking. I don't have enough words to express how satisfied I am now with this project. I've been published in Oerth Journal many times and collaborated with people in the Greyhawk community, but anytime you can have something tangible in your hands is extra special! My only wish is that I had contemplated this would be a print product at the end. I never look far past sharing stuff online when it comes to writing or art, so thank you Scott for being more ambitious than me.

Now that I've gushed about this book, I bet you're wondering how you can get your hands on one perhaps? Well, that is again out of my hands, so you'll need to ask Scott if there will be a second printing of the novel (I believe there was a less-expensive soft-cover variant for patrons). When I know more or hear about some interest in this book I will be sure to let him know. Until then, go and check out the Castle Greyhawk blog and read the story!

Update 06/27/2021: I've published a lot of articles, been in a few printed versions of Oerth Journal, but this book is still my proudest achievement. Scott as always deserves the credit for doing the writing, and leg work on this printed product.

Colorful Places of Greyhawk

Greetings Greyhawkers! Today I bring you another fun topic on Greyhawk geography. This one follows suit with the post I did on "Cold Places" in the Flanaess. This time let's look at the colorful places found in the World of Greyhawk. In our world there is plenty of colorfully named locations such as the Black Sea, Greenland or Yellowknife. Naming places with colors is catchy and evocative and that's why Gygax made ample use of it in his setting. Let's take a look...

BLACK
Land of Black Ice: This is the first place I think of when you mention the color black on the Darlene Flanaess map. Is the ice literally black or blue-black or transparent showing off stone below? Does it absorb heat or repel it? I have too many physics questions about this place. For more on the Land of Black Ice check out my most recent article on cold places mentioned above.

Blackmoor: Naturally next to the black ice is the grim-colored Blackmoor. While it might not be Dave Arneson's original Blackmoor, the Blackmoor we get in the World of Greyhawk is an homage that includes the same gloomy environment, the castle of Blackmoor, the mysterious City of the Gods and the even more mysterious villain Egg of Coot. Want to spice up your Blackmoor or heck play the Mystara version? Go to Havard's Blackmoor Blog.

BLUE
Azure Sea: The biggest and boldest blue on the map is naturally the Azure Sea. Azure according to Wikipedia is bright blue, like the color of the sky on a clear day. I'm no expert on physics, but perhaps this means the Azure Sea is more clear and calm than say the Solnor Ocean or the warmer Drawmij Ocean? I'd love to hear theories because I know on Earth, there is a difference in our oceans and seas.

Blue: No I'm not being facetious, there is a town called Blue on the east coast of the Pomarj. Why is it called Blue you ask? Good question. I really don't know at the moment. I do know it's been a fisherman and pirate haven for centuries and most recently it's now a port in control of the Slave Lords or Turrosh Mak's Orcish Empire or both? Whatever the case, Blue is a nice rough port to stop at for PCs who want to get in some roguish trouble.

YELLOW
Gold County: So gold is yellow of course, but where is the Gold County you may be asking? It's a southern part of Furyondy along the Velverdyva River bordering Verbobonc and Dyvers. In other words it's safe, quiet and wealthy while up north they are battling Iuz 24-7. Not only do the nobles love hiding out here, with their gold, there is also an abundance of sunflowers on the plains. Yellow indeed.

WHITE
White Fanged Bay: White immediately gives you the impression of cold. Set along the Icy Sea, this is a frozen coast noteworthy for its walruses and seals. Ivory and fur can be had by any enterprising barbarian willing to trek to White Fanged Bay. With that much food in a crowded area, what's the chances there's white dragons as well?

White Plume Mountain: Speaking of white in the north, there is one iconic location that is not cold, but rather a volcano. White Plume Mountain, the home of Keraptis the wizard, is the destination of many a treasure seeker wishing to recover the lost magic weapons that were stolen away to this dungeon. You can find a version of this module online for just about any edition of D&D imaginable. Good luck!



GRAY

City of Greyhawk: Naturally, the city that started it all would be named for a color. Growing up I would always spell the color gray, grey because I'm a D&D nerd. I definitely know Grayhawk would look weird to me. The City of Greyhawk may be nicknamed the Gem of the Flanaess but I believe the name of the town does indeed come from a species of hawk living in the area. I also suspect Gygax chose grey for the name of his famous campaign, because gray is a neutral color, much like the free city itself is neutral politically. It is also centrally located on the map, in a neutral position from all the law and chaos swirling around it. Perfection.

Grayflood River: A tributary of the Thelly River, this gray-sounding river is what forms the boundary between the South Province (Ahlissa) and the Iron League member state of Sunndi. One can imagine, in more peaceful times this was a decent river to cross and trade. Nowadays with the Great Kingdom ruled by mad-men and undead, the Grayflood sounds as dismal as its name.

Silverwood: This tiny forest within the Duchy of Ulek is just what you imagine it might be from the metallic sound of its name. It's a primeval wood, out of bounds for mere men and inhabited by sylvan elves, unicorns, treants and other fey creatures. Ironically there is no actual silver here, but the inhabitants value their trees more than silver!

Iron Hills: By now you're thinking, yeah the World of Grey-hawk has a lot of gray in it. The Iron Hills is yet one more, this one is though is known for its dwarven clans, indeed the place is actually the Kingdom of the Iron Hills. Given it's proximity to the city of Irongate and it being an ally of the Iron League, you can see a theme here.

Irongate: As mentioned before, there's also Irongate, another grayish metal themed place and what I imagine as Minas Tirith from Lord of the Rings, but on the coast. This city (ruled by a dragon some say) has never been conquered, not by a thousand Aerdian nobles, nor the sneak attacks of the Scarlet Brotherhood. Want a good aligned place to start a campaign, especially with dwarves and gnomes? Try Irongate!

Greysmere: Not enough dwarven lore for you? Okay one more. In the Abbor Alz Mountains is a clan of dwarves living in an underground town called Greysmere. If you'd like to know more about this place, grab a copy of the City of Greyhawk boxed set. I'm moving on...

RED
Scarlet Brotherhood: Another great example of a color capturing the mood of a name. This remote peninsula region isn't the name for a nation per se, but rather a semi-secret, evil organization led by dangerous Suel monks and assassins. Unlike the Red Wizards of Thay in Forgotten Realms, if they were called the Red Brotherhood, they wouldn't sound half as sinister would they? (hmm Red Monks of Ilshar?) The Scarlet Brotherhood source book is all you need to get in order to know all the inner workings of this power group. Highly recommended.

Redspan: This red-colored city is in the Duchy of Tenh. What I know about it is mainly from the book, Iuz the Evil. This fortified town used to protect the duchy from the Bandit Kingdoms, but it couldn't withstand Iuz's forces. DMs looking for a contentious city on the edge of war in all directions could give Redspan a look.

Redhand: One more red themed place for you is Redhand. This is the bandit principality that touches on the Nyr Dyv coast including the town of Alhaster. It might be heretical to the fine folks who worked on the Bandit Kingdoms for Living Greyhawk, but if you want easy accessed info on Redhand, check out 3.5 Edition Age of Worms AP by Paizo in the pages of Dungeon Magazine.

PURPLE
I seriously cannot find a purplish place in the Flanaess. Unless you want to count "Mauve" Castle which is ridiculous because that's a sorry misrepresentation of Maure Castle from the novel Saga of Old City.

GREEN
Greenreach: Well I'm quite stunned by how hard it is for me to find places named for shades of green in Greyhawk. Greenreach, an Iuz town near the Vesve Forest is one. As you can imagine, it's a staging area for the demigod's attacks to the west. Listen up heroes, someday you may very well have to raze Greenreach before tackling the big names in the Land of Iuz.

Celadon Forest: Celadon is a shade of green, kind of like jade color. The great Celadon Forest is in between the Duchy of Urnst and Nyrond. It's an old forest, home to sylvan creatures, elves, good woodsmen, rangers and so-forth. It's a wonderfully green base of operations for nature-oriented characters.

ORANGE
Copperstead: Yup, orange is just as hard as you'd think to find. Copper is an orangish metallic color though and coincidentally the village of Copperstead lies within the aforementioned Celadon Forest! This tiny hamlet is the HQ for the little-known Defender of Celadon.a group of woodland freedom fighters trying to repel a brutal local baron.

Gamboge Forest: Oh that sneaky Gygax, he almost got this shade of orange past me. Gamboge is a saffron like color like the robes used by Buddhist monks. The Gamboge Forest therefore must be orangish right? Well unfortunately, there is no mention of this, but maybe in the Fall the leaves here are very orange in color? Not surprisingly this a home to sylvan elves, halflings, gnomes and the like, caught between the political drama of Nyrond and the Pale. Sounds like a cool place to visit.


BROWN
Sepia Uplands: The shade of sepia is a (reddish) brown color of course. The Sepia Uplands sound like they must be as monochromatic as the sepia photos we remember from history. It's an hilly region along Lake Quag, mainly controlled by Perrenland, but also bordering the Wolf Nomads and extending into the Vesve. Quite picturesque!

Bronzeblood Haunt: Bronze is a brownish color right? Metallics are hard to judge. At any rate, this eerie ruined castle is found within the lawful and good Kingdom of Furyondy. Want a cool place to send players without the need for a long trip? Try this place. For more info, check out this article on Furyondy.

Sablewood: Sable is actually a very dark brown, going on black. I couldn't decide which entry to place it, so I made it last. The Sablewood is in the extreme NE of the Thillonrian Peninsula in Cruskii. The fir trees in this wood of course are valued for their deep (black) color when treated. The barbarians love sable wood so much they don't export it! According to the Trees of the Flanaess section in the boxed set (yes Gygax loved tree-lore, don't judge), sablewood branches make excellent arrow shafts. Now you know where the "black arrow" comes from.

Phew! That's it! I'm sure I missed some obscure color-coordinated place in Greyhawk. If I did chime in and let me know. Until next time!