Dungeons & Dragons RP (Not Accepting)

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

[url=http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/t.95278707][img]http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/andyvc1991/d9e0eff8-914b-4647-8c13-36b077a31f78.jpg[/img][/url]

I. Introduction
II. Greyhawk's World
III. Races
IV. Classes
V. The Path of History
VI. Characters

The world of Greyhawk is a magical land at the crossroads of countless possibilities. The most fantastic of many worlds, Greyhawk’s world of Oerth is a place where powerful creatures contest with humanity and other races, where good folk struggle against evil, and Law wrestles with Chaos. Oerth is a world of magic, mystery, and the imagination.

The gem of this world is the city of Greyhawk, a teeming metropolis that attracts heroes and villains alike. Warriors, merchants, wizards, beggars, clerics, sages, and thieves fill its streets in search of high adventure.

The world of Greyhawk centers on the Flanaess, a multinational land where people face each new day with growing optimism, but evil lurks in shadowed caverns and decadent courts. The final outcome of this intrigue is ever in question, and new heroes must always be found to keep their realms from destruction.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

I. Introduction
II. Greyhawk's World
III. Races
IV. Classes
V. The Path of History
VI. Characters

Heavens and Oerth

The world of Greyhawk encompasses the Flanaess, the easternmost portion of the vast continent of Oerik, on the sphere of Oerth. Scholars from the Flanaess are certain that Oerik is the greatest of Oerth's four continents, and that four great oceans surround these lands, as do four layers of the heavens and four depths of the underworld. Yet, even in this benighted age, almost nothing is known of the lands beyond the Flanaess, and little is understood of the regions above and below. Such knowledge is of small importance, claim the high and the mighty, for clearly the lands around Greyhawk form the center of all enlightenment and civilization. Some folks question this assumption, and they yearn to explore their world and its challenges.

Oerth is but one world among many, separated either by the gulfs of space, the invisible ether, or the fragile veils of reality. The craft and persistence of magic defines the nature of Oerth. Throughout recorded history, magical conflict and restoration have shaped this world. Some of these magic-driven events touch upon the history of other worlds, and portals sometimes open between Oerth and alien spheres. Few other worlds boast the magical profundity of Oerth, and many strange beings are found there, drawn by the lure of the supernatural. The majority of such entities make their homes far from the sunlit skies of Oerth's surface, preferring to live secretly in lightless caverns below, where they may thrive and plot unseen.

If the paths of the underworld are hidden from view, the wise may still turn their attention to the heavens. All know that the sun travels once around Oerth every 364 days, visiting the Twelve Lairs of the Zodiac in an appointed round that never varies. The pale Great Moon, called Luna, waxes and wanes in fixed cycles of 28 days each, upon which the months are based. The aquamarine Lesser Moon, Celene, follows a path that reveals her full beauty but four times each year, thus showing the time for civilized festivals. Both Mistress and Handmaiden, as the greater and lesser moons of Oerth are also known, are held to be worlds in their own right, though few claim to have met any visitors from those lofty realms (or, for that matter, to have visited those alien worlds personally).

Climate and Seasons

The Flanaess is exceptionally blessed in regard to its weather. Outside of the northern latitudes, the winter temperatures seldom fall below freezing, except during the two winter months, and at night during early spring and late autumn. In the depths of winter come a few days when the temperature reaches the freezing point, then gradual warming begins. The northeast and north-central regions tend to be considerably colder, for the seas of those regions cause winter to linger about twice as long as it does in the heartland of the Flanaess. An important exception to this is the Dramidj Ocean, whose strange, warm currents moderate the climate of the lands that border it.

Autumn, winter, and spring are rather short seasons, but summer in the central Flanaess lasts five or more months. Prevailing winds are from the northeast in the winter and autumn, and the east and southeast at other times. Most areas of the Flanaess have sufficient rainfall to assure abundant crops.

Geographic Divisions

The focal point of the Greyhawk setting is the Flanaess, with the city of Greyhawk near its center. The Flanaess can be divided into nine broadly defined geopolitical territories, most of which coincide with old national identities that once dominated those regions. The exception here is the southern region of isolated lands, some of which are not part of the Flanaess proper (for example, Hepmonaland).

Baklunish West (former Baklunish Empire)

Survivors of the Invoked Devastation settled these temperate prairies, forests, and coastal lands about one thousand years ago. Largely separated from the rest of the Flanaess by the great Yatils, Barrier Peaks, and Crystalmist Mountains, these realms are a stronghold of Baklunish culture.

Bitter North (''Old Blackmoor'')

The lands north of the Yatil Mountains, from the Dramidj coast to the Dulsi River, make up the Bitter North. The climate in this region of steppes and coniferous forests varies from cool to frigid, making this a sparsely settled area home mostly to nomads, orcs, and goblins, except in Perrenland.

Western Nyr Dyv (''Old Ferrond'')

The lands from the Nyr Dyv to the Yatils are an old stronghold of Good in the Flanaess. Humans of Oeridian and Flan descent, dwarves, and elves contribute to the vigor of these nations. The rich soil and the pleasant climate, combined with healthy trade relations with their neighbors to the east, south and west, make this a strong and wealthy region.

Sheldomar Valley (''Old Keoland'')

The fertile Sheldomar Valley is almost completely enclosed by mountains until it reaches the Azure Sea. Two great rivers, the Sheldomar and the Javan, water these lands between the Crystalmists and the Lortmils. The climate here is warm and mild, and many elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings live in peace alongside Suel, Oeridian, and Flan farmers and lords.

Empire of Iuz (''Northern Reaches'')

The evil demigod Iuz has expanded his territory from his original realm north of Lake Whyestil to include most of the land from the western edge of the Vesve Forest across the north-central Flanaess to the current war zone of Tenh. These lands are generally wilderness dotted with ruined human towns and active orc lairs, with a cool to temperate climate.

Thillonrian Peninsula (''Barbarian North'')

This isolated, mountainous region at the northeastern edge of the Flanaess is home to many barbarians. These northern Suel call their land Rhizia, which has a ruggedly beautiful landscape of high mountains, coniferous forests, and deep fjords. The climate is subarctic, with rocky soil and a brief growing season.

Old Aerdy West (''Old Nyrond'')

These lands between the eastern Nyr Dyv and the line marked by the southern Rakers are temperate and fertile. Folk of Oeridian, Suloise and Flan heritage dwell in relative harmony here. This area was once part of the Oeridian-dominated Great Kingdom, but it broke away to become the kingdom of Nyrond (now reduced in size).

Old Aerdy East (former Great Kingdom)

The lands south and east of the Rakers and north of the Vast Swamp, off to the Solnor coast, were once the heartland of Aerdy, the Great Kingdom. These lands are rich and their climate pleasant, though long years of civil war and oppression have damaged the economy. Many orcs and goblinoid races live among the numerous, warlike Oeridians here.

Isolated Realms

These strange lands include the deadly Sea of Dust, the jungles of the Amedio and Hepmonaland, the Tilvanot Peninsula, and many islands along the eastern coast. These regions are little known to most inhabitants of the Flanaess. People of Suloise descent are found throughout, particularly on the Tilvanot Peninsula, but other races of humanity are also present (for example, the dark Touv of Hepmonaland). Most of these southern regions are hot and suffer frequent storms. Hepmonaland is actually a minor continent, the smallest of the four on Oerth.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

I. Introduction
II. Greyhawk's World
III. Races
IV. Classes
V. The Path of History
VI. Characters

Human

Humans are the youngest of the common races, late to arrive on the world scene and short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Perhaps it is because of their shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the elder races, and that's why they build their mighty empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the world of Greyhawk.

With their penchant for migration and conquest, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight); males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century.

Humans are the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common races. They have widely varying tastes, morals, and customs in the many different lands where they have settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single human's memory. They live fully in the present – making them well suited to the adventuring life – but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.

Where a single elf or dwarf might take on the responsibility of guarding a special location or a powerful secret, humans found sacred orders and institutions for such purposes. While dwarf clans and halfling elders pass on the ancient traditions to each new generation, human temples, governments, libraries, and codes of law fix their traditions in the bedrock of history. Humans dream of immortality, but (except for those few who seek undeath or divine ascension to escape death's clutches) they achieve it by ensuring that they will be remembered when they are gone.

Although some humans can be xenophobic, in general their societies are inclusive. Human lands welcome large numbers of nonhumans compared to the proportion of humans who live in nonhuman lands.

Six major races of humanity share the vast Flanaess with numerous nonhumans. Unmixed human races exist in several enclaves, but for the most part the Baklunish, Flan, Oeridians, Olman, Rhennee, and Suloise have mixed to form a variety of blended types.

Race is given little importance by intelligent folk, particularly in the central lands, though some royal courts promote particular racial types. Each race appears to have developed ages ago in isolation from all others, with its own pantheon of deities, language, and culture. In practical matters of exploration, trade, adventure, and war, color and race have little meaning.

Humans who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious race. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, wealth, and fame. More than other people, humans champion causes rather than territories or groups.

Elf

The elves (olve in Flan) are slight of stature (averaging 5 feet) and fair of complexion. Hair and eye color vary by kindred. High elves are usually dark-haired and green-eyed. The noble gray elves have either silvery hair and amber eyes, or pale golden hair and violet eyes (the second type commonly called faerie or fey elves). The hair color of wood elves ranges from yellow to coppery red, and eye color is a shade of hazel or green. Wild elves are the smallest of the elven folk, but otherwise resemble the wood elves. Finally, the valley elves appear to be taller versions (of nearly human height) of the gray elves.

Elves were present in the lands east of the Crystalmist Mountains for uncounted centuries prior to the rise of the first human kingdoms there. Slowly driven from open country to more secluded and better defended strongholds by the growing strength of both human and nonhuman folk, elves still held a number of forest and upland realms at the time of the Twin Cataclysms. The invading humans, orcs, and others pressed them further until some prominent elven realms made military and political alliances with dwarves, gnomes, and halflings, and even with certain major human tribes (usually Oeridian). Today, elves are dominant in Celene, Sunndi, Highfolk, the Vesve Forest, and the Lendore Isles.

Elves are concerned with life itself and spend long periods contemplating natural beauty. Long-lived and curious, they enjoy exploration and remember much. Their frolics are usually joyous events, though some gatherings have a melancholy tone. The fine arts are much appreciated. Elves measure kinship in terms of broad, ethnic divisions, though family bloodlines, particularly among the nobles, often cross these ethnic boundaries. Valley elves are unique in that they have no social relationship with other elves in the Flanaess, being hated by them for unknown reasons.

Elves normally attire themselves in pale forest hues, though they favor more intense colors in urban settings. Generally, males wear a blouselike shirt over close-fitting hose and soft boots or shoes, while females favor a frock with sash, or a blouse with an ankle-length skirt. Hunting garments are typically in neutral colors like shades of brown, tailored for silent and easy movement. Gray elves wear complex gowns and flowing robes of pure white, sun yellow, and silver and gold set off by polished leather of contrasting colors, accented by jewels. Wild elves usually wear kilts, boots, and rough shirts. All elves favor cloaks, especially when traveling, typically gray or gray-green.

Elves are fascinated by all types of magic, especially illusions and charms. They also produce superior and elegant magic garments, weapons, and armor.

Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

Dwarf

The dwarves, called the dwur by the Flan, have two main subdivisions. The more common hill dwarves have complexions of deep tan to light brown, with hair of brown, black or gray. Eyes are of any color save blue. They are solidly built, though seldom exceed 4 feet in height. Mountain dwarves are somewhat taller, with lighter coloration. All dwarves are bearded.

The dwarves do not speak of their origins to outsiders, so little of their ancient history is known. However, it is understood that they once had great underground halls in the northern Crystalmists that were destroyed by the Invoked Devastation. Their last High King perished in the aftermath, and the clans have ever since been sundered. Led by lords and princes of differing noble houses, the dwarf clans allied with elves and gnomes during the Suel and Oeridian migrations, and even joined humans of reliable disposition to defend their territories. In the present day, dwarves are found in rugged mountains and hills, particularly in the Lortmils, Glorioles, Crystalmists, Iron Hills, Principality of Ulek, and Ratik.

The dwur are perceived as materialistic, hard-working, and humorless. They tend to be dour and taciturn, keeping themselves separate from other folk, but they are also strong and brave. In wartime they are united and willing to see victory at any cost, but prone to avenge old slights and reject mercy. They jealously defend the honor of their clans and families, and greatly revere their ancestors, building elaborate monuments to them. Yet, their chief love is precious metal, particularly gold, which they work with great mastery. Some dwarves suffer from an affliction called gold-fever, when their desire for the substance becomes so overwhelming that it consumes their souls. The tradition of dwarven honor demands that leaders dispense treasure to their loyal followers, and the inability to do this is a sure sign of gold-fever. Dwarves also place great value on their long beards, often braiding them and twining them with jewels and gold wire. It is a terrible dishonor to be shorn.

The traditional garb of dwarves is woolen trousers and a belted linen tunic, with a hooded cloak or cape worn over all. Their boots are of heavy leather, with or without buckles. Colors are a mixture of earth tones and loud, check-patterned hues. They also favor leather accoutrements, fitted with as many jewels and precious metals as they can hold. Females and males usually dress identically, except on certain ceremonial occasions when females wear a tabard-like overgarment, while males don their best embroidered work aprons.

Dwarven elders hold the secrets of their race's magic, best exemplified by their magnificent armor, weapons and tools. They also oversee the construction of monuments and tombs, many of which have magical traps and curses of great cunning.

Dwarves who take up the adventuring life might be motivated by a desire for treasure – for its own sake, for a specific purpose, or even out of an altruistic desire to help others. Other dwarves are driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, a direct calling or simply a desire to bring glory to one of the dwarf gods. Clan and ancestry are also important motivators. A dwarf might seek to restore a clan's lost honor, avenge an ancient wrong the clan suffered, or earn a new place within the clan after having been exiled. Or a dwarf might search for the axe wielded by a mighty ancestor, lost on the field of battle centuries ago.

Halfling

Halflings, called hobniz by the Flan, have three distinct types. The primary group is the lightfoot, the typical halfling found in the Flanaess. Lightfoots average just over 3 feet tall and are ruddy-faced, with hair and eyes in various shades of brown. The next most common sort are the stouts, somewhat shorter than lightfoots and having broad features and coarse hair. Last are the tallfellows, who are taller, slimmer, and have fairer complexions than lightfoots. Most halflings have wavy or curly hair. Some, particularly stouts, also grow hair on their cheeks.

Halflings originally occupied small settlements in the river valleys of the west-central Flanaess. They spread slowly into other territories, so that by the time of the Suel and Oeridian migrations, few were north of the Gamboge Forest or east of the Harp River. They are common in much of the Sheldomar Valley, interacting freely with humans, dwarves, elves and gnomes. Historically, they prefer to dwell in stable nations ruled by stronger folk. Today, halflings are found in much of the Flanaess, but they still favor the central and western regions from the Urnst states to the three Uleks.

Halflings are clever and capable, whether they are hard-working farmers or tricky rogues. Most halflings are curious and daring, getting themselves into trouble as often as they get themselves out of it. They have great appetites for food, drink, and collecting things. They love fun, get along well with almost anyone who will at least tolerate them, and enjoy travel and opportunities for excitement.

Halflings prefer to wear knee-britches and tunics or shirts, often with vests. Males wear coats and high collared shirts on formal occasions, while females dress in a bodice-covered shift and long skirts. Shirts and britches are often striped in alternating bright and dark colors. They dress themselves in gnome style when hunting or at war, wearing clothing of mottled greens and browns.

The best-known halfling magic is culinary. Many halfling foods are made to retain their freshness for lengthy periods, and they use herbs with healing and other medicinal properties. However, most halfling spells are defensive and protective in nature.

Halflings usually set out on the adventurer's path to defend their communities, support their friends, or explore a wide and wonder-filled world. For them, adventuring is less a career than an opportunity or sometimes a necessity.

Half-Elf

Half-elves are the offspring of humans and elves. Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-elves combine what some say are the best qualities of their elf and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition tempered by the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of the elves. They are highly versatile but not always welcome in elven or human society. They are disproportionately represented among adventurers as a result.

To humans, half-elves look like elves, and to elves, they look human. In height, they're on par with both parents, though they're neither as slender as elves nor as broad as humans. They range from under 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 100 to 180 pounds, with men only slightly taller and heavier than women. Half-elf men do have facial hair, and sometimes grow beards to mask their elven ancestry. Half-elven coloration and features lie somewhere between their human and elf parents, and thus show a variety even more pronounced than that found among either race. They tend to have the eyes of their elven parents.

Half-elves have no lands of their own, though in large cities in regions where elves and humans interact often, half-elves are sometimes numerous enough to form small communities of their own. They enjoy the company of other half-elves, the only people who truly understand what it is to live between these two worlds.

In most parts of the world, though, half-elves are uncommon enough that one might live for years without meeting another. Some half-elves prefer to avoid company altogether, wandering the wilds as trappers, foresters, hunters, or adventurers and visiting civilization only rarely. Like elves, they are driven by the wanderlust that comes of their longevity. Others, in contrast, throw themselves into the thick of society, putting their charisma and social skills to great use in diplomatic roles or as swindlers.

Gnome

Gnomes (noniz in Flan) are solidly built and muscular despite their height. (Most gnomes stand just over 3 feet tall.) Two major groups of them exist: rock gnomes (the most commonly seen) and deep gnomes (who live far underground). Rock gnomes are brown-skinned and blue-eyed, and almost all adults have light hair with a tendency toward male baldness. Males are most often bearded, though not so much as their dwarven cousins. Their facial features are a bit exaggerated compared to human norms, with prominent noses and eyebrows and leathery skin. Deep gnomes are hairless and wiry in physique, with gray or gray-brown skin.

Rock gnomes of the Flanaess have their origins as trappers and herders in the remote wooded highlands of the north. Their southward expansion began only a few centuries before the Invoked Devastation, bringing them into lands populated by other races. Their lairds and chieftains recognized the authority of elven or dwarven sovereigns, but discouraged any mingling of peoples until the Suel and Oeridian migrations encouraged cooperation between races. Most gnomes inhabit great burrow communities in the Lortmils and Kron Hills, and east in the Flinty Hills.

The history of the deep gnomes is unknown to others, as they are so isolated and little seen. Their homeland is said to be a vast kingdom within a miles-deep cavern, where they are ruled by a wise and brooding monarch.

Gnomes are possessed of sly humor and earthy wisdom. Measuring the practical value of things as seen by the gnomes against the pretensions of other cultures, their wit is often revealed in inventive and embarrassing ways. Their creativity is not limited to practical jokes. They are fine craftsmen who appreciate precious stones and make beautiful jewelry, along with woodwork, stonework, and leatherwork of excellent quality; they invent and experiment often. Seldom avaricious, gnomes take equal pleasure in music and story, food and drink, nature and handmade things. Most gnomes are not prone to cruelty, though their lively jokes may sometimes make things appear otherwise.

Rock gnomes in the Flanaess tend to dress in dark colors, favoring earth tones but enjoying stripes and brightly dyed hats, belts, and boots. Males usually wear high-collared shirts or blouses with trousers and boots, and a double-breasted coat worn over all. Females wear high-necked blouses with aprons or ruffled skirts, often with a matching jacket. Their hunting garments are colored with mottled greens and browns intermixed. Deep gnomes are almost never seen unarmored, but are known to wear simple, dark tunics and aprons in their dwellings.

Famed primarily for their use of illusions, some gnome magicians are also master toymakers and artificers. Others are superb weavers, dyers, or tailors, who can create clothing that will improve the appearance of the wearer or even alter it completely.

Curious and impulsive, gnomes might take up adventuring as a way to see the world or for the love of exploring. As lovers of gems and other fine items, some gnomes take to adventuring as a quick, if dangerous, path to wealth. Regardless of what spurs them to adventure, gnomes who adopt this way of life eke as much enjoyment out of it as they do out of any other activity they undertake, sometimes to the great annoyance of their adventuring companions.

Half-Orc

Half-orcs (the children of orcs and humans) are usually born under unhappy circumstances in border areas between orc and human cultures. Dark of mood and nature, many half-orcs achieve renown despite their rejection by their parents' folk and many others. In this regard, they are similar to the much rarer half-ogres.

Half-orcs' grayish pigmentation, sloping foreheads, jutting jaws, prominent teeth, and towering builds make their orcish heritage plain for all to see. Half-orcs stand between 6 and 7 feet tall and usually weigh between 180 and 250 pounds.

Orcs regard battle scars as tokens of pride and ornamental scars as things of beauty. Other scars, though, mark an orc or half-orc as a former slave or a disgraced exile. Any half-orc who has lived among or near orcs has scars, whether they are marks of humiliation or of pride, recounting their past exploits and injuries. Such a half-orc living among humans might display these scars proudly or hide them in shame.

Half-orcs feel emotion powerfully. Rage doesn't just quicken their pulse, it makes their bodies burn. An insult stings like acid, and sadness saps their strength. But they laugh loudly and heartily, and simple bodily pleasures – feasting, drinking, wrestling, drumming, and wild dancing – fill their hearts with joy. They tend to be short-tempered and sometimes sullen, more inclined to action than contemplation and to fighting than arguing. The most accomplished half-orcs are those with enough self-control to get by in a civilized land.

Whether proving themselves among rough barbarian tribes or scrabbling to survive in the slums of larger cities, half-orcs get by on their physical might, their endurance, and the sheer determination they inherit from their human ancestry.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

I. Introduction
II. Greyhawk's World
III. Races
IV. Classes
V. The Path of History
VI. Characters

Fighter

Fighters are perhaps the most diverse class in the world of Greyhawk. Questing knights, conquering overlords, royal champions, elite foot soldiers, hardened mercenaries, and bandit kings – as fighters, they all share an unparalleled mastery with weapons and armor, and a thorough knowledge of the skills of combat. And they are well-acquainted with death, both meting it out and staring it defiantly in the face.

Fighters learn the basics of all combat styles. Every fighter can swing an axe, fence with a rapier, wield a longsword or a greatsword, use a bow, and even trap foes in a net with some degree of skill. Likewise, a fighter is adept with shields and every form of armor. Beyond that basic degree of familiarity, each fighter specializes in a certain style of combat. Some concentrate on archery, some on fighting with two weapons at once, and some on augmenting their martial skills with magic. This combination of broad general ability and extensive specialization makes fighters superior combatants on battlefields and in dungeons alike.

Not every member of the city watch, the village militia, or the queen's army is a fighter. Most of these troops are relatively untrained soldiers with only the most basic combat knowledge. Veteran soldiers, military officers, trained bodyguards, dedicated knights, and similar figures are fighters.

Some fighters feel drawn to use their training as adventurers. The dungeon delving, monster slaying, and other dangerous work common among adventurers is second nature for a fighter, not all that different from the life he or she left behind. There are greater risks, perhaps, but also much greater rewards – few fighters in the city watch have the opportunity to discover a magic flame tongue sword, for example.

Wizard

Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control. Their magic conjures monsters from other planes of existence, glimpses the future, or turns slain foes into zombies. Their mightiest spells change one substance into another, call meteors down from the sky, or open portals to other worlds.

Wild and enigmatic, varied in form and function, the power of magic draws students who seek to master its mysteries. Some aspire to become like the gods, shaping reality itself. Though the casting of a typical spell requires merely the utterance of a few strange words, fleeting gestures, and sometimes a pinch or clump of exotic materials, these surface components barely hint at the expertise attained after years of apprenticeship and countless hours of study.

Wizards live and die by their spells. Everything else is secondary. They learn new spells as they experiment and grow in experience. They can also learn them from other wizards, from ancient tomes or inscriptions, and from ancient creatures (such as the fey) that are steeped in magic.

Wizards' lives are seldom mundane. The closest a wizard is likely to come to an ordinary life is working as a sage or lecturer in a library or university, teaching others the secrets of the multiverse. Other wizards sell their services as diviners, serve in military forces, or pursue lives of crime or domination.

But the lure of knowledge and power calls even the most unadventurous wizards out of the safety of their libraries and laboratories and into crumbling ruins and lost cities. Most wizards believe that their counterparts in ancient civilizations knew secrets of magic that have been lost to the ages, and discovering those secrets could unlock the path to a power greater than any magic available in the present age.

Cleric

Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the gods they serve, clerics strive to embody the handiwork of their deities. No ordinary priest, a cleric is imbued with divine magic.

Divine magic, as the name suggests, is the power of the gods, flowing from them into the world. Clerics are conduits for that power, manifesting it as miraculous effects. The gods don't grant this power to everyone who seeks it, but only to those chosen to fulfill a high calling.

Harnessing divine magic doesn't rely on study or training. A cleric might learn formulaic prayers and ancient rites, but the ability to cast cleric spells relies on devotion and an intuitive sense of a deity's wishes.

Clerics combine the helpful magic of healing and inspiring their allies with spells that harm and hinder foes. They can provoke awe and dread, lay curses of plague or poison, and even call down flames from heaven to consume their enemies. For those evildoers who will benefit most from a mace to the head, clerics depend on their combat training to let them wade into melee with the power of the gods on their side.

Not every acolyte or officiant at a temple or shrine is a cleric. Some priests are called to a simple life of temple service, carrying out their gods' will through prayer and sacrifice, not by magic and strength of arms. In some cities, priesthood amounts to a political office, viewed as a stepping stone to higher positions of authority and involving no communion with a god at all. True clerics are rare in most hierarchies.

When a cleric takes up an adventuring life, it is usually because his or her god demands it. Pursuing the goals of the gods often involves braving dangers beyond the walls of civilization, smiting evil or seeking holy relics in ancient tombs. Many clerics are also expected to protect their deities' worshipers, which can mean fighting rampaging orcs, negotiating peace between warring nations, or sealing a portal that would allow a demon prince to enter the world.

Most adventuring clerics maintain some connection to established temples and orders of their faiths. A temple might ask for a cleric's aid, or a high priest might be in a position to demand it.

Rogue

Rogues rely on skill, stealth, and their foes' vulnerabilities to get the upper hand in any situation. They have a knack for finding the solution to just about any problem, demonstrating a resourcefulness and versatility that is the cornerstone of any successful adventuring party.

Rogues devote as much effort to mastering the use of a variety of skills as they do to perfecting their combat abilities, giving them a broad expertise that few other characters can match. Many rogues focus on stealth and deception, while others refine the skills that help them in a dungeon environment, such as climbing, finding and disarming traps, and opening locks.

When it comes to combat, rogues prioritize cunning over brute strength. A rogue would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where the attack will hurt the target most, than wear an opponent down with a barrage of attacks. Rogues have an almost supernatural knack for avoiding danger, and a few learn magical tricks to supplement their other abilities.

Every town and city has its share of rogues. Most of them live up to the worst stereotypes of the class, making a living as burglars, assassins, cutpurses, and con artists. Often, these scoundrels are organized into thieves' guilds or crime families. Plenty of rogues operate independently, but even they sometimes recruit apprentices to help them in their scams and heists. A few rogues make an honest living as locksmiths, investigators, or exterminators, which can be a dangerous job in a world where dire rats – and wererats – haunt the sewers.

As adventurers, rogues fall on both sides of the law. Some are hardened criminals who decide to seek their fortune in treasure hoards, while others take up a life of adventure to escape from the law. Some have learned and perfected their skills with the explicit purpose of infiltrating ancient ruins and hidden crypts in search of treasure.

Paladin

Whatever their origin and their mission, paladins are united by their oaths to stand against the forces of evil. Whether sworn before a god's altar and the witness of a priest, in a sacred glade before nature spirits and fey beings, or in a moment of desperation and grief with the dead as the only witness, a paladin's oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that turns a devout warrior into a blessed champion.

A paladin swears to uphold justice and righteousness, to stand with the good things of the world against the encroaching darkness, and to hunt the forces of evil wherever they lurk. Different paladins focus on various aspects of the cause of righteousness, but all are bound by the oaths that grant them power to do their sacred work. Although many paladins are devoted to gods of good, a paladin's power comes as much from a commitment to justice itself as it does from a god.

Paladins train for years to learn the skills of combat, mastering a variety of weapons and armor. Even so, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked and the undead, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for justice.

Almost by definition, the life of a paladin is an adventuring life. Unless a lasting injury has taken him or her away from adventuring for a time, every paladin lives on the front lines of the cosmic struggle against evil. Fighters are rare enough among the ranks of the militias and armies of the world, but even fewer people can claim the true calling of a paladin. When they do receive the call, these warriors turn from their former occupations and take up arms to fight evil. Sometimes their oaths lead them into the service of the crown as leaders of elite groups of knights, but even then their loyalty is first to the cause of righteousness, not to crown and country.

Adventuring paladins take their work seriously. A delve into an ancient ruin or dusty crypt can be a quest driven by a higher purpose than the acquisition of treasure. Evil lurks in dungeons and primeval forests, and even the smallest victory against it can tilt the cosmic balance away from oblivion.

Monk

Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does.

Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call ki. This energy is an element of the magic that suffuses the multiverse – specifically, the element that flows through living bodies. Monks harness this power within themselves to create magical effects and exceed their bodies' physical capabilities, and some of their special attacks can hinder the flow of ki in their opponents. Using this energy, monks channel uncanny speed and strength into their unarmed strikes. As they gain experience, their martial training and their mastery of ki gives them more power over their bodies and the bodies of their foes.

Small walled cloisters dot the landscapes of the world of Greyhawk, tiny refuges from the flow of ordinary life, where time seems to stand still. The monks who live there seek personal perfection through contemplation and rigorous training. Many entered the monastery as children, sent to live there when their parents died, when food couldn't be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monks had performed for their families.

Some monks live entirely apart from the surrounding population, secluded from anything that might impede their spiritual progress. Others are sworn to isolation, emerging only to serve as spies or assassins at the command of their leader, a noble patron, or some other mortal or divine power.

The majority of monks don't shun their neighbors, making frequent visits to nearby towns or villages and exchanging their service for food and other goods. As versatile warriors, monks often end up protecting their neighbors from monsters or tyrants.

For a monk, becoming an adventurer means leaving a structured, communal lifestyle to become a wanderer. This can be a harsh transition, and monks don't undertake it lightly. Those who leave their cloisters take their work seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering their treasure.

Druid

Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature's resilience, cunning, and fury. They claim no mastery over nature. Instead, they see themselves as extensions of nature's indomitable will.

Druids revere nature above all, gaining their spells and other magical powers either from the force of nature itself or from a nature deity. Many druids pursue a mystic spirituality of transcendent union with nature rather than devotion to a divine entity, while others serve gods of wild nature, animals, or elemental forces. The ancient druidic traditions are sometimes called the Old Faith, in contrast to the worship of gods in temples and shrines.

Druid spells are oriented toward nature and animals – the power of tooth and claw, of sun and moon, of fire and storm. Druids also gain the ability to take on animal forms, and some druids make a particular study of this practice, even to the point where they prefer animal form to their natural form.

For druids, nature exists in a precarious balance. The four elements that make up a world – air, earth, fire, and water – must remain in equilibrium. If one element were to gain power over the others, the world could be destroyed, drawn into one of the elemental planes and broken apart into its component elements. Thus, druids oppose cults of Elemental Evil and others who promote one element to the exclusion of others.

Druids are also concerned with the delicate ecological balance that sustains plant and animal life, and the need for civilized folk to live in harmony with nature, not in opposition to it. Druids accept that which is cruel in nature, and they hate that which is unnatural, including aberrations (such as beholders and mind flayers) and undead (such as zombies and vampires). Druids sometimes lead raids against such creatures, especially when the monsters encroach on the druids' territory.

Druids are often found guarding sacred sites or watching over regions of unspoiled nature. But when a significant danger arises, threatening nature's balance or the lands they protect, druids take on a more active role in combating the threat, as adventurers.

Ranger

Far from the bustle of cities and towns, past the hedges that shelter the most distant farms from the terrors of the wild, amid the dense-packed trees of trackless forests and across wide and empty plains, rangers keep their unending watch.

Warriors of the wilderness, rangers specialize in hunting the monsters that threaten the edges of civilization – humanoid raiders, rampaging beasts and monstrosities, terrible giants, and deadly dragons. They learn to track their quarry as a predator does, moving stealthily through the wilds and hiding themselves in brush and rubble. Rangers focus their combat training on techniques that are particularly useful against their specific favored foes.

Thanks to their familiarity with the wilds, rangers acquire the ability to cast spells that harness nature's power, much as a druid does. Their spells, like their combat abilities, emphasize speed, stealth, and the hunt. A ranger's talents and abilities are honed with deadly focus on the grim task of protecting the borderlands.

Though a ranger might make a living as a hunter, a guide, or a tracker, a ranger's true calling is to defend the outskirts of civilization from the ravages of monsters and humanoid hordes that press in from the wild. In some places, rangers gather in secretive orders or join forces with druidic circles. Many rangers, though, are independent almost to a fault, knowing that, when a dragon or a band of orcs attacks, a ranger might be the first – and possibly the last – line of defense.

This fierce independence makes rangers well suited to adventuring, since they are accustomed to life far from the comforts of a dry bed and a hot bath. Faced with city-bred adventurers who grouse and whine about the hardships of the wild, rangers respond with some mixture of amusement, frustration, and compassion. But they quickly learn that other adventurers who can carry their own weight in a fight against civilization's foes are worth any extra burden. Coddled city folk might not know how to feed themselves or find fresh water in the wild, but they make up for it in other ways.

Bard

Whether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard weaves magic through words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, manipulate minds, create illusions, and even heal wounds.

In the world of Greyhawk, words and music are not just vibrations of air, but vocalizations with power all their own. The bard is a master of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers.

The greatest strength of bards is their sheer versatility. Many bards prefer to stick to the sidelines in combat, using their magic to inspire their allies and hinder their foes from a distance. But bards are capable of defending themselves in melee if necessary, using their magic to bolster their swords and armor. Their spells lean toward charms and illusions rather than blatantly destructive spells. They have a wide-ranging knowledge of many subjects and a natural aptitude that lets them do almost anything well. Bards become masters of the talents they set their minds to perfecting, from musical performance to esoteric knowledge.

True bards are not common in the world. Not every minstrel singing in a tavern or jester cavorting in a royal court is a bard. Discovering the magic hidden in music requires hard study and some measure of natural talent that most troubadours and jongleurs lack. It can be hard to spot the difference between these performers and true bards, though. A bard's life is spent wandering across the land gathering lore, telling stories, and living on the gratitude of audiences, much like any other entertainer. But a depth of knowledge, a level of musical skill, and a touch of magic set bards apart from their fellows.

Only rarely do bards settle in one place for long, and their natural desire to travel – to find new tales to tell, new skills to learn, and new discoveries beyond the horizon – makes an adventuring career a natural calling. Every adventure is an opportunity to learn, practice a variety of skills, enter long-forgotten tombs, discover lost works of magic, decipher old tomes, travel to strange places, or encounter exotic creatures. Bards love to accompany heroes to witness their deeds firsthand. A bard who can tell an awe-inspiring story from personal experience earns renown among other bards. Indeed, after telling so many stories about heroes accomplishing mighty deeds, many bards take these themes to heart and assume heroic roles themselves.

Barbarian

Barbarians, different as they all might be, are defined by their rage: unbridled, unquenchable, and unthinking fury. More than a mere emotion, their anger is the ferocity of a cornered predator, the unrelenting assault of a storm, the churning turmoil of the sea.

For some, their rage springs from a communion with fierce animal spirits. Others draw from a roiling reservoir of anger at a world full of pain. For every barbarian, rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and feats of strength.

People of towns and cities take pride in how their civilized ways set them apart from animals, as if denying one's own nature was a mark of superiority. To a barbarian, though, civilization is no virtue, but a sign of weakness. The strong embrace their animal nature – keen instincts, primal physicality, and ferocious rage. Barbarians are uncomfortable when hedged in by walls and crowds. They thrive in the wilds of their homelands: the tundra, jungle, or grasslands where their tribes live and hunt.

Barbarians come alive in the chaos of combat. They can enter a berserk state where rage takes over, giving them superhuman strength and resilience. A barbarian can draw on this reservoir of fury only a few times without resting, but those few rages are usually sufficient to defeat whatever threats arise.

Not every member of the tribes deemed "barbarians" by scions of civilized society is part of the barbarian class. A true barbarian among these people is as uncommon as a skilled fighter in a town, and he or she plays a similar role as a protector of the people and a leader in times of war. Life in the wild places of the world is fraught with peril: rival tribes, deadly weather, and terrifying monsters. Barbarians charge headlong into that danger so that their people don't have to.

Their courage in the face of danger makes barbarians perfectly suited for adventuring. Wandering is often a way of life for their native tribes, and the rootless life of the adventurer is little hardship for a barbarian. Some barbarians miss the close-knit family structures of the tribe, but eventually find them replaced by the bonds formed among the members of their adventuring parties.

Sorcerer

Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces. One can't study sorcery as one learns a language, any more than one can learn to live a legendary life. No one chooses sorcery; the power chooses the sorcerer.

Magic is a part of every sorcerer, suffusing body, mind, and spirit with a latent power that waits to be tapped. Some sorcerers wield magic that springs from an ancient bloodline infused with the magic of dragons. Others carry a raw, uncontrolled magic within them, a chaotic storm that manifests in unexpected ways.

The appearance of sorcerous powers is wildly unpredictable. Some draconic bloodlines produce exactly one sorcerer in every generation, but in other lines of descent every individual is a sorcerer. Most of the time, the talents of sorcery appear as apparent flukes. Some sorcerers can't name the origin of their power, while others trace it to strange events in their own lives. The touch of a demon, the blessing of a dryad at a baby's birth, or a taste of the water from a mysterious spring might spark the gift of sorcery. So too might the gift of a deity of magic, exposure to the elemental forces of the Inner Planes or the maddening chaos of Limbo, or a glimpse into the inner workings of reality.

Sorcerers have no use for the spellbooks and ancient tomes of magic lore that wizards rely on, nor do they rely on a patron to grant their spells as warlocks do. By learning to harness and channel their own inborn magic, they can discover new and staggering ways to unleash that power.

Sorcerers are rare in the world, and it's unusual to find a sorcerer who is not involved in the adventuring life in some way. People with magical power seething in their veins soon discover that the power doesn't like to stay quiet. A sorcerer's magic wants to be wielded, and it has a tendency to spill out in unpredictable ways if it isn't called on.

Sorcerers often have obscure or quixotic motivations driving them to adventure. Some seek a greater understanding of the magical force that infuses them, or the answer to the mystery of its origin. Others hope to find a way to get rid of it, or to unleash its full potential. Whatever their goals, sorcerers are every bit as useful to an adventuring party as wizards, making up for a comparative lack of breadth in their magical knowledge with enormous flexibility in using the spells they know.

Warlock

Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.

A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an archdevil, or an utterly alien entity – beings not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron's behalf.

The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock's being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons.

Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well.

Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant but crazed student's mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.

Once a pact is made, a warlock's thirst for knowledge and power can't be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn't intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive warlocks toward adventure.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

I. Introduction
II. Greyhawk's World
III. Races
IV. Classes
V. The Path of History
VI. Characters

Before the Great Migrations

The commonly understood history of the Flanaess begins just over one thousand years ago, when the great conflict between the ancient Suloise and Baklunish empires forced massive migrations eastward across, around, and even under the western mountain ranges. This resulted in the mixture of races and cultures that defines the modern Flanaess.

Tales of the era before the migrations are fragmentary and poorly understood. Did monstrous creatures rule Oerik before the advent of humanity? Did the great races of humans, elves, dwarves, and the like arise by fiat of the gods or journey here from elsewhere? Did the elves raise humanity to civilization, or did humans achieve this on their own? Did the Flan once have their own empires and civilizations? Who built the oldest tombs in the Cairn Hills, the half-buried ruins in the Bright Desert, or the deserted stone cities in the Griff Mountains? Where were the fabled realms ruled by Johydee, the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, Vecna the Whispered One, the High Kings of the dwarves, or the elven King of Summer Stars? What became of the mysterious Isles of Woe, and who dwelled there? No one knows with any certainty.

Even histories of the early years of the migrations are unclear on many points. The Oeridian tribal realm of Thalland was so thoroughly absorbed by the kingdom of Aerdy that it survives only in name as the Thelly River. The ancient kingdom of Ahlissa, ruled by the Flan and easily conquered by Aerdy, is known today only for its founding wizard-queen, Ehlissa the Enchantress, and a magical nightingale she made. (The Flan here have almost vanished through intermarriage.) So it goes for much of recorded time.

Disaster and Migration

The root cause of the animosity between the Suel Imperium and the Baklunish Empire is lost in time, but the end result of their final war haunts even the modern day. After decades of conflict, the Suloise Mages of Power called down the Invoked Devastation upon the Baklunish, resulting in an apocalypse so complete that its true form remains unknown. Entire cities and countless people were purged from Oerth, leaving few signs of the great civilization that thrived from the Sulhaut Mountains to the Dramidj Ocean.

In retaliation, a cadre of Baklunish wizard-clerics, gathered in the great protective stone circles known as Tovag Baragu, brought the Rain of Colorless Fire upon their hated enemies. The skies above the Suel Imperium opened, and all beings and things beneath this shining rift in the heavens were burned into ash. So terribly did these attacks plague the world that they have come to be called the Twin Cataclysms, a term understood by nearly every resident of the Flanaess. The Dry Steppes and Sea of Dust are geographical reminders of this unbridled magical power, now lost to all people – perhaps for the better.

Thousands survived the early years of the Suel-Baklunish conflict by fleeing east over the Crystalmists. The Oeridians, a confederation of barbaric tribes in close proximity to the warring empires, took the wars (and attendant raids from orc and goblin mercenaries in the employ of both sides) as a sign to migrate eastward in search of their ultimate destiny. They were the first large group to enter the lands of the Flan, which they termed the Flanaess.

Suloise refugees soon followed, sometimes working with the Oeridians to pacify the land, but more often warring with them over which race would dominate it. For over two centuries, Suel and Oeridian fought for control of the region from the Crystalmists to the Solnor Coast. Many Suloise were debased and wicked, and they lost many of these battles and were pushed to the periphery of the Flanaess.

Though some Baklunish folk migrated eastward, many more fled north toward the Yatil Mountains, or to the shores of the Dramidj Ocean, where their ancient cultures flourish to this day. The very nonhuman mercenaries the Oeridians had sought to avoid found themselves swept up by these migrations. Many of the foul creatures that now plague the Flanaess arrived following the Oeridians and Suel. These renegade mercenaries trailed after human migrants in search of plunder, food, and slaves.

Keoland and Aerdy

The most successful union of Suel and Oeridian came in the Sheldomar Valley, where Keoland was founded eighty years after the Twin Cataclysms. The Suel Houses of Rhola and Neheli joined with Oeridian tribes on the banks of the Sheldomar and pledged themselves to mutual protection and dominion of the western Flanaess, an agreement that set the course of history for the region for the next nine centuries. Of all the new realms formed during those tumultuous days, only Keoland remains.

Farther east, the most powerful of all Oeridian tribes, the Aerdi, reached the Flanmi River. From there they spread outward again, conquering indigenous peoples and fellow migrants alike. In time, the kingdom of Aerdy ruled the whole of the eastern Flanaess and moved its borders westward. One hundred and ten years after the defeat of the last meaningful threat to Aerdi sovereignty, at the Battle of a Fortnight's Length, the leader of Aerdy was crowned as overking of the Great Kingdom. Overking Nasran also marked the birth of a new calendar, and with the Declaration of Universal Peace, the sun arose in the east on the first day of the first Common Year. The writ of imperial Aerdy eventually encompassed holdings as far west as the Yatils, controlling the southern Nyr Dyv with a small garrison at an insignificant trading post known as Greyhawk.

From 213 CY on, the Aerdi overkings grew lax, caring more for local prestige and wealth than for the affairs of their vassals in distant lands. This period was called the Age of Great Sorrow. As each sovereign passed, he was replaced with a more dimwitted and less competent successor, until the outer dependencies of Aerdy declared their independence. The viceroyalty of Ferrond led the way, becoming the kingdom of Furyondy. Other regions also broke away from the ineffectual government of the overking over time, creating their own governments after achieving success in their wars of rebellion.

By 356 CY, the ruling dynasty of Aerdy, the Celestial House of Rax, had grown especially decadent. In response, the western province of Nyrond declared itself free of the Great Kingdom and elected one of its nobles as king of an independent domain. Armies gathered from all loyal provinces of Aerdy to suppress this brazen act. At this time, however, barbarians from the Thillonrian Peninsula raided the Great Kingdom's North Province, forcing the overking to divert troops from the western front. Nyrond easily survived and thrived.

The Kingdom of Keoland awoke from a long slumber in the third century, expanding to dominate its neighbors. This short-lived Keoish empire lasted almost two centuries before far-flung wars and internal strife laid it low. The outer dependencies declared their autonomy, and Keoland resumed its peaceful isolation.

The Ivids and Iuz

The darkest chapter in the history of Aerdy began in 437 CY. In this year, the upstart House Naelax murdered the Rax overking, inaugurating a series of gruesome civil wars called the Turmoil Between Crowns. Within a decade, Ivid I of Naelax was recognized as the undisputed overking of all Aerdy. As Ivid was rumored to be in league with powerful evil Outsiders, the Malachite Throne of the Great Kingdom became known as the Fiend-Seeing Throne, and the once mighty and upright empire became a bastion of evil and cruelty.

The lands of the Flanaess became acquainted with an altogether less subtle form of evil with the rise of Iuz, in the Northern Reaches loosely aligned with Furyondy. In 479 CY, a minor despot in the Howling Hills left his domain to his "son," a being known as Iuz. Within a handful of years, Iuz had conquered his neighbors, setting up a small realm for himself. Tales told by refugees entering Furyondy spoke of unmitigated evil: Iuz was building a road of human skulls from the Howling Hills to his capital, Dorakaa. Worse, divinations and rumors marked Iuz as the offspring of an unholy union between necromancer and demon; he was seen to be a half-fiend towering 7 feet in height, driven by a thirst for blood, destruction, and conquest.

Political struggles within Furyondy prevented the king from acting decisively in this period, when the evil of Iuz might have been permanently checked. Instead, the cambion lord flourished until 505 CY, when he appeared to vanish from Oerth. In truth, Iuz was imprisoned beneath Castle Greyhawk by the Mad Archmage Zagig Yragerne, former lord mayor of Greyhawk. In Iuz's absence, orc tribes and disloyal former subjects squabbled for control of his lands, allowing the forces of weal to rest for a time. Part of Iuz's leaderless realm soon broke away to be ruled by a nearly equal evil, the Horned Society, keeping Furyondy and its allies from complacency.

The Temple of Elemental Evil

The Village of Hommlet – or merely 'Hommlet,' as it is commonly called – is situated in the central part of the Flanaess. The hamlet-sized village (local parlance having distinguished it with the greater term) is located some 30 leagues southeast of the town of Verbobonc, or thereabouts, on the fringe of the territory controlled by the noble Lord the Viscount of Verbobonc. It is at a crossroads.

To the north is the mighty Velverdyva River, along whose south bank runs the Lowroad. Many days' travel to the east, on the shores of the Lake of Unknown Depths (Nyr Dyv), is the great walled city of Dyvers. The village of Sobanwych lies about halfway along the route. Below that to the southeast and east are miles and miles of forest (the Gnarley), beyond which is the Wild Coast, Woolly Bay, and the Sea of Gearnat. The road south forks a league or so beyond the little community, one branch meandering off towards the Wild Coast, the other rolling through the lower Kron Hills to the village of Ostverk and then eventually turning southwards again into the elven kingdom of Celene. The western route leads into the very heart of the gnomish highlands, passing through Greenway Valley about a day's travel distant and going onwards to the Lortmil Mountains far beyond.

Hommlet grew from a farm or two, a rest house, and a smithy. The roads brought a sufficient number of travelers and merchant wagons to attract tradesmen and artisans to serve those passing through. The resthouse became a thriving inn, and a wheel and wainwright settled in the thorp. More farmers and herdsmen followed, for grain was needed for the passing animals, and meat was in demand for the innfolk.

Prosperity was great, for the lord of the district was mild and taxed but little. Trade was good, and the land was untroubled by war, outlaws, or ravaging beasts. The area was free, beautiful, and bountiful – too much so, in the eyes of some.

Whether the evil came west from Dyvers (as is claimed by one faction) or crept up out of the forestlands bordering the Wild Coast (as others assert), come it did, in 566 CY. At first it was only a few thieves and an odd group of bandits molesting the merchant caravans. Then came small bands of humanoids – kobolds or goblins – raiding the flocks and herds. Local militia and foresters of the Waldgraf of Ostverk apparently checked, but did not stop, the spread of outlawry and evil.

A collection of hovels and their slovenly inhabitants formed the nucleus for the troubles which were to increase. A wicked cleric established a small chapel at this point. The folk of Hommlet tended to ignore this place, Nulb, even though it was but 6 miles distant. But its out-of-the-way position was ideal for the fell purposes planned for this settlement, as was its position on a small river flowing into the Velverdyva. The thickets and marshes around Nulb became the lair and hiding place for bandits, brigands, and all sorts of evil men and monsters alike. The chapel grew into a stone temple as its faithful brought in their ill-gotten tithes. Good folk were robbed, pillaged, enslaved, and worse.

By 569 CY, a grim and forbidding fortress surrounded the evil place, and swarms of creatures worshipped and worked their wickedness therein. The servants of the Temple of Elemental Evil were the puppets of Zuggtmoy, Iuz's abyssal consort, who instructed them in bizarre teachings at the behest of her absent lover. The Horde of Elemental Evil made Hommlet and the lands for leagues around a mockery of freedom and beauty. Commerce ceased, crops withered; pestilence was abroad.

But the leaders of this cancer were full of hubris and, in their overweaning pride, sought to overthrow the good realms to the north, who were coming to the rescue of the land being crushed under the tyranny wrought by the evil temple. The Battle of Emridy Meadows was fought, where Prince Thrommel of Furyondy led forces from Furyondy, Veluna, Verbobonc, and other realms.

When the good people of Hommlet saw streams of ochre-robed men and humanoids fleeing south and west through their community, there was great rejoicing, for they knew that the murderous oppressors had been defeated and driven from the field in panic and rout. So great was the slaughter, so complete the victory of good, that the walled stronghold of the Temple of Elemental Evil fell within a fortnight, despite the aid of the terrible demoness Zuggtmoy. The place was ruined and sealed against a further return of such abominations by powerful blessings and magic.

By this time, the faithful orc and human servants of Iuz had become zealots dedicated to their absent lord. In time, the leaders of these cults devoted to Iuz displayed magical power, igniting Furyondy's worst fears. In 570 CY, a meddlesome warrior-adventurer named Lord Robilar freed Iuz from his imprisonment. Iuz returned to his lands more powerful and wicked than ever before, with an unholy priesthood leading his forces in his unholy name.

Several destabilizing forces came into play during this time, upsetting the balance of power in the Flanaess. The most insidious of these powers was the Scarlet Brotherhood, a secretive monastic order first reported in 573 CY, the same year in which Prince Thrommel of Furyondy, hero of Emridy Meadows, vanished from the world.

Life in Hommlet had quickly returned to a semblance of its former self, before the rise of the temple. By 574 CY, the village and the surrounding countryside had become richer and more prosperous than ever before. A monstrous troll which plagued the place for a time was hunted down by a party of passing adventurers. Carrying the ashes and a goodly fortune as well, the adventurers returned to the village. Before going elsewhere to seek their fortunes, the adventurers also returned a portion of the villagers' losses. Other adventurers, knowing of the evil that had once resided in the area, came to seek out similar caches, and several did find remote lairs and wealth – just as some never returned at all.

After a time, adventurers stopped coming to the area. It seemed that no monsters were left to slay, and no evil existed here to be stamped out. The villagers heaved a collective sigh – some pained at the loss of income, but others relieved by the return to a quiet, normal life – and Hommlet continued its quiet existence.

But then, in 578 CY, the bandits began to ride the roads again – not frequently, but to some effect. To the good folk of Hommlet, this seemed all too familiar, so they sent word to the Viscount that wicked forces might still lurk thereabouts.

The year is now 579 CY, and this information has been spread throughout the countryside, attracting outsiders to the village once again. Who and what these men are, no one can be quite sure. All claim to be bent on slaying monsters and bringing peace and security to Hommlet; but deeds speak more loudly than words, and lies cloak the true purposes of the malevolent.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

I. Introduction
II. Greyhawk's World
III. Races
IV. Classes
V. The Path of History
VI. Characters

To join this roleplay, send me a PM containing your character profile using the format provided, with the answer to the following question as the PM's Subject:

"What is the proper name of the planet commonly referred to as the world of Greyhawk?"

Since this entire roleplay is directly inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and its original campaign setting of Greyhawk, as well as the classic adventures set in that world, all characters in the story must also fit the setting, meaning that only the above 7 races and 12 classes are allowed. I will only allow up to five characters to take part in this story at any given time. It is encouraged, but not required, that all five characters be of a different class.

If you wish to quit the roleplay, please let me know so that I may seek out a replacement and retire your character. Please do not simply stop posting without any warning, or your character will be removed from the story if too much time passes without a post.

If you have any questions about the world of Greyhawk so that you may further flesh out your character's backstory, feel free to ask me for more in-depth details. Keep in mind that most adventurers, particularly those who come from an educated background, should already know most if not all of the information provided above about the world of Greyhawk, its history and races, and the different classes of adventurers.

Also keep in mind that all of your characters are meant to be beginning adventurers as this story begins, with only the most basic travel and combat experience and having only just left their homes to begin their lives as adventurers. Grossly overpowered characters will not be accepted. In gaming terms, everybody begins the story at "level 1". As the story begins, all characters should either already be in the common room of the Inn of the Welcome Wench, or arriving in Hommlet and immediately visiting the inn.

Most importantly, these rules should not discourage you from creating and roleplaying your character as you see fit. The rules are simply meant to create a more consistent world and story. Some of the most inspired writing often comes from having to create within the constraints of an established world, so the most important thing is to make sure to have fun with whatever character you decide to create!

[b]User: [/b]
[b]Name: [/b]
[b]Age: [/b]
[b]Gender: [/b]
[b]Race: [/b]
[b]Class: [/b]
[b]Backstory: [/b]
[b]Appearance: [/b]

User: Kuroihi Niseyami
Name: Kuroihi Niseyami
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Class: Wizard
Backstory: Kuroihi was born in 552 CY to wealthy parents in the Free City of Greyhawk, where he spent his entire upbringing. Having always been fascinated with magic, Kuroihi left his family upon reaching adulthood to attend the city's University of Magical Arts, finding that he had a natural talent for it. After years of study and learning about what the world outside of the Free City of Greyhawk was like, Kuroihi received word of the untimely death of his parents in a fire that left his family home burned to the ground, leaving him as the sole inheritor of what remained of his family's estate and making him the last of the Niseyami name. Spending his days in solitude and without any way to put his magical talents to good use, Kuroihi found himself lacking purpose in life. One day, by chance, Kuroihi began to hear rumors of bandits attacking travelers on the roads outside of a village known as Hommlet. Bringing with him only the bare essentials, Kuroihi left his worldly possessions behind and departed the Free City of Greyhawk to begin his life as an adventurer.
Appearance:

User: Akuma Ketsuaki
Name: Solana Daephine
Age: 213
Gender: Female
Race: Elf
Class: Fighter
Backstory: Solana is a gray elf who was born in Enstad, the capital of Celene, in 366 CY. Her golden hair and vibrant eyes make her known as a faerie to anyone knowledgeable. When Solana was 4, her parents disappeared on a trip to visit some friends in Furyondy. She was then raised by her wealthy grandparents. As a result of her upbringing, she is fairly xenophobic, only tolerating other races when forced to interact with them. She insisted on being taught how to fight will all forms of melee weapons with aspirations of becoming a member of Celene's infantry. Her weapon of choice is a pair of longswords forged by elven smiths, but she also carries a shield. At the age of 50 Solana became a self-proclaimed scout for the area around Enstad at night in hopes of finding her parents. This was in addition to continuing her work as a carpenter and bowyer. As she grew older, she began to travel further from her home in the search for answers to what really happened to her parents.
Appearance:

User: Kurai_Shinzo
Name: Ash Mukaankaal
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Race: Half-Orc
Class: Barbarian
Backstory: Ash's (pronounced 'Osh') mother and father, a human and an orc respectively, were a very strange couple. They loved each other very much and enjoyed each other's company. Because their relationship was so strange and unheard of, they had to leave civilized society and start their own lives where they could live free of hatred. They traveled far and finally made a home on the edge of Lake Udrukankar in the desert. Eventually they had a son. Ash's father wanted him to have a traditional orcish name but his mother wanted something more feminine for him, they settled on "Ash Mukaankaal" which translates to "One gentle sunlight". They raised him with love and care and once he was old enough, Ash's father trained him in the ways of the warrior. They lived for many years, happily. When Ash turned 20, his parents bade him farewell and sent him on his way to make a living for himself in the world. He misses them very much but is forbidden to speak of them. He wandered for years in search of adventure.
Appearance:

Username: Skorin
Name: Raven
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Race: Half-Elf
Class: Warlock
Backstory: Raven was born the second of two children in the year 553 CY, in the Free City of Greyhawk. With a father that had passed months before his birth, Raven grew up knowing only what his human mother could recount of his father's heritage. Despite this, he grew proud of both sides of his family. This ended though when his elder brother followed in their father's footsteps as an adventurer in the year 567 CY, only to seemingly vanish some months later. Thrown into depression, his mother eventually succumbed to illness, passing from this world. Left alone, the young half-elf was left with only hate for a brother that had abandoned their family. This hate twisted his view of the world, creating a deep distrust for others as time went on, and is what first caused his abilities as a warlock to begin awakening, a pact with a fiend having passed down through his mother's family. Struggling tooth and nail against the agenda of the fiend, Raven has taken to wandering to hunt down his brother. Rumors and false leads eventually came to lead him to the village of Hommlet.
Appearance:

User: Endrewahei Eekmei
Name: Karask-Que
Age: 117
Gender: Male
Race: Half-Elf
Class: Ranger
Backstory: Karask was born in 462 CY to a small village of high elves that lay north of Flameflower within the Vesve Forest. Fate was not kind, for less than a year after his birth a tribe of wild orcs lay waste to his entire village and family. The orcs took several survivors including his infant self with them as trophies, the reasoning for which is unknown. It was a five year march of secrecy that the orcs dragged him through to reach their final destination that was where the Griff and Corusk Mountains intersected. For the next fifty years he and his kin remained a closely guarded treasure to the orcs that stole them away. Karask learned little from the elders whom also survived, before they had their tongues and fingers removed respectively as they tried to teach him. With the passing generation of orcs who enslaved him, the next seemed to pay him little mind as there was an increasing flow of outsider orcs coming and going around the mountains. By 535 CY, when the others of his kind were dead either from illness or orc boredom, he finally made an attempt to escape. Whether or not the orcs cared for his life, they recaptured and tortured him. The orcs were the ones who gave him the name "Karask-Que" as means to insult him, for it means forgotten demon in elven. It took another ten years, on a night when the orc settlement was lightly inhabited, that Karask finally found freedom. He slayed what little orcs remained, and by chance came across a chamber that had not been entered since the last generation of orcs. In it, he found a pieces of armor and a sword the likes of which he had never seen an orc possess. Feeling a connection to them, he took them with him as he ran as fast as he could. Within a week, he found himself at the southernmost portion of the Spikey Forest. Exhausted and hungrier than he had grown accustomed to being, he fainted into the dirt thinking death would finally claim him. He was found by a human ranger who saved him and in turn, spent the remainder of his life training the orphaned half-elf primarily in the Fellreev Forest. Upon the human ranger's death in 565 CY, Karask took what supplies he needed to survive along with the ranger's most trusted longbow and began wandering the different forests of central Greyhawk. After fourteen years, Karask found himself past the Gnarley Forest in the quiet town of Hommlet to find rest from his years of wandering.
Appearance:

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

Kuroihi approached the Village of Hommlet, having traveled up from the lands of the Wild Coast after leaving his home in the Free City of Greyhawk.

The small community at the crossroads was a completely unknown quantity. What was there? Who would be encountered? Where should he go? Would outsiders be shunned? Were the reports true – was the whole community engaged in evil practices? Were the folk here bumpkins, easily duped? Did a curse lay upon those who dared to venture into the lands which were once the Temple's? All of these questions would soon be answered.

The dusty, rutted road was lined with closely-grown hedges of brambles and shrubs. Here and there it cut through a copse or crossed a rivulet. To either hand, forest and meadow had given way to field and orchard. A small herd of kine grazed nearby, and a distant hill was dotted with wand stone chimneys with thin plumes of blue smoke rising from them. A road angled west into the hill country, and to either side of the road ahead were barns and buildings – Hommlet at last!

As Kuroihi made his way into the village, he could see what looked to be a crossroads ahead of him, neighbored by a large structure, two stories tall, with light spilling warmly from many of its windows. The smoke from the vast building's several chimneys carried the unmistakable smell of fresh bread, smoked fowl, and savory seasonings of many types. Kuroihi strode forward through the open gate and into the yard. The glow of two lanterns flanking the door shone brightly upon a square wooden sign, which showed a buxom and smiling girl holding a flagon of beer. This had to be the Inn of the Welcome Wench, a place renowned for its good food and excellent drink! Passing merchants made a point of stopping, as did many other sorts of wayfarers, and it was said that the place was always filled with patrons.

Kuroihi stepped onto the porch and pulled the stout door open, letting both the dull buzz of conversation and the warm glow of lantern and fire light spill upon him as he entered. The large common room was bright and cheerful. It contained several rough-hewn tables and chairs, boards, and benches. Natural tree trunk pillars supported the ceiling overhead, all dark with smoke and age, and a motley group of people was present...

[Akuma Ketsuaki]

A lone figure traveled along a road, a dark forest green cloak fastened around its shoulders with the hood raised. A slight breeze pushed the cloak open long enough that, had anyone else been around, would have revealed the traveler to be female with a sheathed long sword hung on either hip. As the roofs of buildings became visible on the horizon to the north a pair of long-fingered hands reached up to lower the hood to reveal a youthful face framed by long golden blonde hair. The tips of her pointed ears poked through the hair to mark her as an elf.

An impatient sigh passed between parted lips as Solana drew closer to the village ahead. She had been traveling for several days with only brief breaks to rest, but the simple bedroll she had packed -as unnecessary as it truly was- had proven a poor replacement for her comfortable home in Enstad. The journey had made her weary, and while the prospect of a comfortable room would lift the spirits of most adventurers, the thought of spending even one second near outsiders was enough to sour her mood.

"Sin ná valda se," she muttered to remind herself of the purpose of her journey. Another five minutes of walking put her in Hommlet proper.

Ahead lay a crossroads and to one side a very welcoming building. It was this structure that Solana approached, ignoring the occasional staring person. Her distaste for the situation she had willingly walked into was evident from her expression and the way that she carried herself through the village. She passed through the gate of the building and paused only briefly to look at the sign as she approached the door to the establishment. The depiction on the wood meant little to her; humans tended to find amusement in trivial things. Instead of dwelling on the meaning, Solana opened the door and stepped through into the common room of the Inn of the Welcome Wench. Her bright violet eyes seemed to take on an ethereal glow in the lighting of the inn, causing her to stand out ever more as she sought a secluded table for herself.

To the gray elf's dismay, there was not a secluded table to be had. Yet another sigh escaped her lips as she sat at a table near the center of the room.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

Kuroihi stepped aside to let the traveler behind him pass by, and couldn't help but stare for a moment as he realized that it was a gray elf. It wasn't the sight of an elf that surprised him so much as the fact that there was one all the way out here in such a small human village, but once he thought about the reason why he was here, it began to make sense...

Crossing the room, Kuroihi approached the elf's table near the center of the common room, giving her a friendly smile. "I take it you've come here for the same reason I have? You've heard about the bandit trouble that this village has been having lately?"

[Akuma Ketsuaki]

Solana's eyes met with the human's for the briefest moment before she averted them. She waited a few seconds in hopes the man would wander away before reluctantly adressing his inquiry.

"I did not," she replied curtly.

It wasn't a lie, but the bandit trouble that the human spoke of caught her attention. After some internal struggling, curiosity won the human some small favor in the elf's graces.

"You said bandit troubles?" The question lacked the venom of her initial response.

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

Kuroihi had been about to politely take his leave before the elf questioned him further. "Yes, bandit troubles. Seeing as how you don't appear to be from around here, I thought you might have come to this village because you've heard the rumors that have been spreading about bandits attacking travelers in the surrounding countryside. I've only just arrived here myself for that very reason."

The wizard glanced down at one of the other chairs at the table, then back to the elf. "May I?"

[Kurai_Shinzo]

(( sausage fest ))

[Akuma Ketsuaki]

There was hesitation, then Solana gestured to the chairs. "You may." She shifted in her seat to sit upright. He detached the swords from her belt and plaved them aside, then spoke again, her voice a bit softer.

"I came here for another purpose, but it seems as though your cause and mine may be more similar than I thought."

[Kuroihi Niseyami]

Kuroihi nodded, pulling out a chair across from the elf and sitting down. "Well, then perhaps you and I can help each other," the wizard suggested.

[Kurai_Shinzo]

After spending many months training in the Lortmil mountains, Ash decided a little bit of company, other than his pet hyena, Mule, might be a nice change of pace.

Ash was tall for a man, but rather small for an orc. If it weren't for his pale greenish grey skin, it might seem like he wasn't an orc at all. But he didn't mind his bloodline, he quite liked his parents and loved learning about both the history of men and of orcs. He held no resentment for either race. And he had no resentment towards his parents either. Most half-orcs he heard about from his parents seemed to have a problem with not being pure of blood but Ash couldn't care about that, he thought everyone, no matter what they look like or where they came from, should be treated equally. Ashe was a very nice person. Although, sometimes his appearance could intimidate people into avoiding getting to know him well enough to see that. With his body covered in battle scars and his sharp nails and teeth, many people saw a warmongering orc and stayed away.

Ash knew better than to let people hurt his feelings. He had parents that loved him and a best friend that would never judge him. He gripped his weapon tightly and shifted his bag of goods on his shoulder as he looked towards the horizon. "Well, what do you think, girl? Hommlet or Osnabrolt?" The hyena bobbed her head up and down vigorously and laughed, then shook her head and made a low chuffling noise as she scratched the ground at Ash's feet. "Okay, Hommlet it is," he replied, petting Mule's mane. "And anyway, I think we might get flogged trying to visit any of the other villages around here. Kind of overstayed our welcome last time we came around these parts, wouldn't you say?" Again, Mule bobbed her head in excitement and laughed loudly. The half-orc smirked and ruffled his companions fur again.

The duo made their way out of the mountain rage and eventually arrived at the village of Hommlet.

"What do you say we get some grub before we sell our loot, huh?" Mule hopped up and down happily and followed her owner into the Inn of the Welcome Wench. "Let's just hope they don't have a problem with you. Or we'll give 'em one!" Ash bellowed, and Mule laughed along with him. Ash liked to show a tough exterior around strangers, he was used to having his kindness being taken advantage of and learned soon after being on his own, that being nice to everyone you meet would only land a person in trouble.

Finding a table in a corner near the door, Ash put his bag of goods on the floor and rested his large weapon made of bone against the wall. "You sit and stay and I'll get us some food. If you're a good girl you can have some mead." Mule's ears perked up and she seemed to turn into a statue, sitting straight up and becoming very silent. Mead was her favorite.

Ashe walked up to the bar and set down a small satchel of gold pieces, "Gimme two helpings of the finest meat you've got and," he looked back towards his table where the hyena sat like a stone, "And two flagons of mead." He leaned on the counter and waited.