Ring of Five Questions: Eric Menge

Huzzah! Oh yes Greyhawk fans, the time has finally come to bring out some new installments of my favorite column, the Ring of Five Questions! Last time I had finished off the trifecta of Living Greyhawk Onnwal authors with an interview of Stuart Kerrigan. That leads us right to our next vict- er, guest. This person is a familiar name in the former Living Greyhawk Campaign scene as both administrator and author. Among his works for the campaign was the creative one-sheet news tie-in, the Greyhawk Grumbler (co-written by Sam Weiss) and the core adventure finale Foundations. Today, he still finds time to freelance as a designer for game publishers including Wizards of the Coast, but in addition he is also the author of an amazing "colonial fantasy" webcomic called Snow by Night. Please welcome into the Ring, Eric Menge!

Q1. You should be familiar with the Darlene map. What would you say is your favorite area of the World of Greyhawk?

Eric: The Darlene map is incredible. It has that personal hand-drawn touch that makes it very special. I particularly like the calligraphy. Take a look at words "Solnor Ocean." Look at the scripting on the words. It's absolutely beautiful.

Out of all the areas, I have to say that I like the Domain of Greyhawk. This region has everything you needed for a diverse campaign. There are the plains along the Selintan River, the Cairn Hills, the Gnarley Woods, the Bright Desert, and the Mistmarsh. The only thing you didn't have was mountains, but the Lortmil Mountains weren't too far away. This region of the map was obviously designed by Gygax using his own recommendations from the 1e and 2e DMG. Every environmental type has a place and is available for use by players and DMs.

Q2. Greyhawk has tons of deities, but if you could become one of them which one would you choose?

Eric: There are a lot of good ones to choose from. I'm tempted by Zagyg, because then I could be completely whimsical bonkers and people would expect it. But I think I'll go with Obad-Hai. The Shalm is a wild and untamed god who is steeped in mysticism. He's an ancient god who has ancient concerns. Also, there is the perk of the love-hate relationship with Ehlonna. Oh, you know they have torrid affairs. He is the god of the hunt, after all.

Q3. You were heavily involved in bringing the Living Greyhawk Campaign to a close. Looking back, what was your favorite experience from those years?

Eric: Bringing LG to a close was a bitter-sweet affair. I loved that campaign. Creighton Broadhurst, Sam Weiss, and I were hitting on all cylinders toward the end. The core adventures were coming together to form a coherent story. We also started tying all those adventures together with the Greyhawk Grumbler, which I had a blast writing. I never wanted those times to end. My favorite experience would have to be working with some many incredibly talented Greyhawk writers -- Creighton, Sam, Shawn Merwin, Paul Looby, Pieter Sleijpen... the list of people involved was phenomenal. They made Living Greyhawk into something unique and special.

Q4. Today you continue to work with Wizards, for example on Forgotten Realms' Menzoberranzan sourcebook. With D&D Next in the near future do you see yourself or anyone else inside Wizards interested in reviving Greyhawk someday?

Eric: Yes, and yes.  As long as D&D exists, Greyhawk is never going away. For many of us, it is the original campaign world of D&D. Greyhawk is a perfect fit for the game because they were both designed at the same time, by the same person, with the same voice, tone, and feel. Greyhawk constantly seeps into the core rules of the game, whether it be through the names of the spells, the gods, or the magic items. Appendix N fiction influenced the World of Greyhawk as much as it did the rules of the game. Since D&D Next is seeking to gain inspiration from all the editions of D&D, the designers are looking back at the original rules, adventures, and setting. It would be entirely appropriate to take a fresh look at Greyhawk as part of this re-imagining of the game. Greyhawk is too rich a resource not to harvest.

Q5. You're a fiction writer as well. Imagine you've been hired to write an official Greyhawk novel. What story would you pitch?

Eric: Valent is a Knight's Protector of the Great Kingdom, and a pledged defender of the common weal of Aerdy. Betrayed by fallen members, outlawed by corrupt kings, the Knights Protector survived centuries of adversity and continued their noble deeds. Now, the very kingdom they served has crumbled into ruin. Without a throne to serve, Valent is adrift and the future of his order is uncertain. Will he find a new purpose or will the knights fade into history?

Castle Greyhawk: Arrival!

Finally back up to speed, it's time for page eighteen of the Castle Greyhawk graphic novel adaptation. If you're just finding this for the first time be sure to go back to the beginning and read Scott Casper's additional material over at the dedicated blog for Castle Greyhawk.
You can also view the latest episode HERE courtesy of Maldin's Greyhawk. Enjoy!

Artist's Commentary: Wow that was a doozy of a panel to draw. I have to admit I enjoy drawing nature slightly more than architecture mainly because things like trees and clouds don't have to be perfect. This castle was worth the trouble to illustrate though and might be among the best drawings I've ever done. Humorously, as I was sketching this castle, I was often reminded of Castle Greyskull for some reason. That's not the inspiration though. For those not informed the layout of this castle is possibly closer to what Gygax imagined for his Castle Greyhawk rather than the ruined turrets of Greyhawk Ruins in later editions. Now to find out what lurks behind those walls!

Update 05/07/2021: Had to remove a broken link to the defunct blog that talked about the castle. Sorry folks!

Article: The Iggwilv-Graz'zt Affair

It's been such a while since Wizards last put out a pseudo-Greyhawk article for their online Dragon Magazine, that I almost missed this one in issue #414. The Iggwilv-Graz'zt Affair by freelancer John Rossomangno is another article in the History Check series. John writes:

"Here we look at the entwined histories of Iggwilv, the Mother of Witches and author of the infamous Demonomicon, and her sometimes rival, sometimes lover, the demon prince Graz’zt."

As usual my friends, you'll need a D&DI subscription to download and read this article but I'll cover a few interesting points here since Iggwilv is one of my favorite villains.

 

“Iggwilv is known as the Mother of Witches and is the one whose hand penned the

Demonomicon. Her title, I dare say, is somewhat undeserved, for Iggwilv was the adopted daughter of Baba Yaga, the true Mother of All Witches. Now there is a name with which you are certainly familiar. But Iggwilv’s dark tutelage only began within the halls of the crone’s infamous hut. After a period of youthful rebellion, looting sealed vaults of arcane treasure meant to be kept from ill-intentioned mortals, Iggwilv turned her eyes to deeper, darker mysteries."

No matter how often I read this reference to her upbringing in Baba Yaga's Hut, the more I like it. Even though the author only rehashes much of Iggwilv's established, well publicized history in a narrative form, I do like some new subtleties added, such as Iggwilv raiding the Hut's vaults for arcane stuff even Baba Yaga didn't want to share! No wonder Iggwilv got thrown out of the house.

The narrator of the story goes on to detail her years with Zagig at Castle Greyhawk and in Perrenland at the foot of the Yatil Mountains. Along with the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and her son Iuz the work fortunately manages to make use of every essential Greyhawk reference for this topic. Graz'zt of course comes into Iggwilv's life. The article then insinuates the beginning of their romantic relationship:

"...the Dark Prince’s physical form was available to Iggwilv, and his handsome visage fell under her gaze daily. As she pried information from him to expand upon the

Tome of Zyx and thus develop the first entries of the Demonomicon, Iggwilv discovered that she could tolerate the presence of no one but Graz’zt. He alone was worthy of her attention."

Iggwilv is later dragged to the Abyss as Graz'zt's prisoner, and the Affair begins to focus on more of their relationship, further revealing that they have more children than previously known...

"Yet from these wretched acts a new understanding was born, along with other monstrous offspring. Iggwilv would often be seen in public with child, but such states were inhumanly brief, and Graz’zt took great pains to keep the identities and whereabouts of his offspring hidden from enemies."

“Graz’zt jealously set out to destroy any fiend that had trafficked with Iggwilv in the past. As demented as it sounds, he viciously attacked Fraz-Urb’luu solely because the demon prince of deception had also been Iggwilv’s prisoner and plaything at one time"

The article goes on more about the tumultuous affair of these villains and at the end also provides some adventure hooks to go with the historical material. My favorite hook should be of interest to any DM or player looking to tie their characters to this famous pair:

"The offspring of Graz’zt and Iggwilv are often unaware of their true heritage. A player character or nonplayer character who suspects that he or she might be the child of Graz’zt, Iggwilv, or both might seek answers that the Dark Prince or the Mother of Witches would prefer remain hidden. The party becomes embroiled in a plot to abduct the “wayward child.” The plot might be orchestrated by one of the parents . . . or one of their many enemies."

One last thing, I'd also like to give kudos to one of my favorite artists, Eva Widermann for the scandalous cover art of this article (shown above). Is that the Tunnel of Loathe?

Update 05/07/2021: I changed the link to issue #414 from Wizards to DMsGuild.

Castle Greyhawk: Keep Your Distance

Damn I must be slipping. It's been a while since Scott posted page seventeen of the Castle Greyhawk graphic novel adaptation, so I hope this late post will give the readership a bump. If you're just joining us, you can read additional material or the entire story from the beginning at the dedicated blog for Castle Greyhawk.
You can also view the latest episode HERE courtesy of Maldin's Greyhawk. Enjoy!

Artist's Commentary: I really dig the landscapes and architecture Scott has chosen to have these characters inhabit or visit. I don't think I've ever drawn a wooden hill fort before, but there it is! Next page should be a doozy. Stay tuned!

New Article: The Paternity of Heironeous and Hextor

Welcome Greyhakers. I've been slacking a bit this week but I'd be remiss if I forgot to point out the wonderful new article over at Canonfire by frequent contributor Smillan entitled, The Paternity of Heironeous and Hextor. This adapted tale brings a quite interesting light to the little known backstory of these two warring half-brothers and their mother Stern Alia. Smillan throws in some good obscure immortals into his work such as Bleredd and Velnius and even a notable one named Baba Yaga. It all makes for a delightful read and one that makes these godlings seem even more legendary as a result.

READ THE ARTICLE HERE

Greyhawk Needs Skaven

So yeah...Earlier this year I fell into the abyss that is Warhammer Fantasy Battles. In this table-top minis war game, I tend to like playing quirky, dirty, evil armies (like Orks in Warhammer 40k) so naturally I was a good fit to play the Skaven. Now for much longer than this new hobby, I've been involved in Games Workshop games for a long time, including their RPG and one thing has always struck me about Skaven that I've been reminded of since buying into this monstrous race: the Greyhawk setting would be an awesome fit for Skaven.

"The Skaven are a race of bipedal ratmen that are so rarely seen that many deny their very existence. The majority of the man-sized vermin are slight of build and, if they abandoned their slinking haunched gait, stand bewteen four to five feet in height...Skaven are covered in close fur, save for their ears, muzzle, hands, and fleshy, worm-like tails. The eyes of the ratmen gleam red in torchlight and their mouths are lined with wicked teeth..."

First point to get out of the way, it's my belief the "Old World" of Warhammer and the gritty World of Greyhawk of Gygax's creation have always been contemporary publications and so hold alot of similarities in theme and mood. Heck, it's probably the reason why GW's Carl Sargent was brought over to add his grim touch to Greyhawk in 2nd edition.

Second, you can argue that D&D and thus Greyhawk does have ratmen already in the form of wererats. Wererats have been around since the beginning along with more lycanthropes than I can count. These however don't count in my book because they don't go far enough to be true Skaven. Wererats are cursed humanoids whereas the Skaven are a race-born unto themselves. Also, in D&D wererats are also not portrayed as the shadowy horde in waiting that is the Skaven...

"Although not regularly seen by surface dwellers, the Skaven are arguably the most numerous of all races. With a population of titanic proportions, the Skaven remain hidden away underneath unsuspecting nations."

The Skaven are more than a nest of monsters lurking in Greyhawk City's sewers ready to steal your purse. Yes indeed they can do that, but there is more to the Skaven than surface dwellers realize! The Skaven practice a blend of sorcery and science, a mockery of their hated enemy the dwarves and also quite similar to D&D's Derro. Thus, you'll see strange, warpstone powered warmachines and many lesser contraptions built to bring ruin and slaughter to the surface world. Other clans specialize in the spreading of pestilent plagues or the alchemical manipulation of their own kind into frenzied killers and altered into monstrous brutes like rat-ogres. Just as numerous and easily more cunning than D&D kobolds, the fastest of the Skaven of course, are masters of stealth and assassination with their poisoned weapons.

How's this work good for Greyhawk? Well as stated before they are similar to both Derro and Kobolds which are staples in Greyhawk but neither of which have the gravitas to be a true threat on an epic scale (unless you count the module Doomgrinder, yes I went there). The Skaven could be the power behind common wererat sightings, and a precursor to a much worse infestation to come. Muse over these scenarios:

Opportunistic Incursion: The Greyhawk Wars have just winded down and all the nations of the Flanaess are tired and low on resources. Suddenly bursting from beneath the ground of several key nations comes the coordinated attacks of a well-armed and endless horde of Skaven...

Congratulations On Clearing Zagig's Ruins: The heroes have killed all the monsters, taken all the treasure and returned to the city to celebrate. A year later the Skaven fill the void, scavenge what magic is left behind and stage a surprise attack on all nearby civilizations, perhaps even tunneling all the way to Greyhawk City itself!

A New Nation To Deal With: Iuz has been the omnipresent threat in the Flanaess for generations so who would suspect a new evil arising from below? Without warning things begin crawling out from under an unlikely region (such as Ket or Riftcanyon) and the Skaven soon have a foothold in order to attack both good and evil lands alike.

Vault of the...Skaven? Here's a twist for your campaign. The heroes have braved many miles of caverns and corridors and soon anticipate a big throw down with the dreaded, yet popularly known Drow. Only, they were too late. The Skaven got to Erehli Cinlu first and now they are going to track the PCs back to where they came from!

New Greyhawk Fiction

This week I am pleased to offer two fiction pieces for you from prolific author Mystic Scholar. Last seen in 2011, Mystic's first offering is the long awaited eighth installment in his Greyhawk City based fiction series: That Infamous Key (based on the Dungeon adventure Mad God's Key). For those who need a recap or just tuned in, there are links to the previous episodes here at Canonfire! This episode features the namesakes of myself and my distinguished cartographic ally, Maldin.

READ THE EPISODE HERE

Next up is the first chapter in a new Greyhawkian saga by Mystic Scholar entitled, The Making of a Paladin. Follow the harrowing tale of Ivon the cleric and his relentless battle against the undead.

READ THE FIRST CHAPTER HERE