NOTABLES
OF THE FLANAESS
Anfaren
Silverbrow
The
High Priest of the Spindrift (Lendore) Isles represents the elven gods
of the Flanaess and has nearly unimaginable spell casting powers.
By his orders, the resident elves
expelled nearly all non-elves a few years ago, and covered their islands
with illusions and magical fog.
Basmajian
Arras
The
Commander of the Sea Barons is a middle-aged copper-haired man, survivor
of decades of piracy, ship-to-ship battles and assassination
attempts. Arras kept the Sea Barons
out of the Greyhawk Wars and favours neutrality, though there are
concerns about
the Sea Barons' ability to stay neutral in the face of recent
shipbuilding efforts by the rear Kingdom of Northern Aerdy, which may
allow Aerdy to attack. He lives richly and well.
Belvor
IV
The
paladin King of Furyondy saw his nation lose land but survive against
the armies of Iuz during the Greyhawk Wars. In 586 CY, he
disregarded the Pact of Greyhawk
to drive back Iuz’s forces and reclaim the lost territory. He used
much of his family's wealth to finance this war, and even now struggles
to recover financially.
Cobb
Darg
The
Lord High Mayor of Irongate is a wily old man named Cobb Darg, A
political genius with an
unmatched grasp of intrigue, Cobb Darg was not fooled by the agents sent
into his realm by the Scarlet Brotherhood, and he had them all slain or
expelled. He
is a familiar figure to his loyal human and dwarf subjects, but almost
nothing is known of him personally. He has rejected the United Kingdom
of Ahlissa's proposal that Irongate become part of its empire.
Drax
the Invulnerable
The
Lord Protector of Rel Astra was once a noble wizard who opposed Ivid V.
Though evil, Drax was a popular and successful mayor, financially
conservative and eager to enhance the city's position as a major seaport
and trading centre. During the Greyhawk Wars, Rel Astra was attacked by
Ivid's troops, and Drax was slain and turned into an undead being by
Ivid V. He has made no official response to the call that his city joins
the United Kingdom of Ahlissa, though he is unlikely to do so.
Eclavdra
Eclavdra's
name is whispered wherever the deeds of the drow are discussed. An evil
priestess of the spider goddess Lolth, Eclavdra is nonetheless one of
the most diplomatic of the dark elves. She is involved in dozens of plots being hatched by
Lolth, all aimed at the eventual conquest of the Flanaess and the
enslavement of its people. Her home is a great drow city in a cavern
beneath the Hellfurnaces. She currently keeps an eye on Iuz, but her
plans are mysterious.
Grenell
When
the North Province declared itself to be the new Great Kingdom of
Northern Aerdy, its former Herzog became the new Overking. An evil high
priest of Hextor with little value for human life, Grenell is
nonetheless a master politician and survived the Greyhawk Wars and the
Great Kingdom's collapse without being captured, slain or turned into an
undead monster.
Hazen
The
Canon of Veluna is a priest of Rao, god of reason, with exceptional spellcasting
abilities. Hazen leads one the strongest realms remaining in the
Flanaess. In
586 CY, he worked with lesser priests and the archmage Bigby to drive
out most of the fiends from the Flanaess using the Crook
of Rao. He also supported Furyondy's
attack on Iuz’s lands. He seeks to
return balance to the Flanaess.
Hazendel
The
King of Sunndi is a multi talented gray elf. At once wizard, priest and
warrior, Hazendel is politically wise, listening to counsel from the
elves, gnomes, humans and dwarves who harmoniously populate his isolated
realm. Hazendel's worst enemies are the Scarlet Brotherhood (which has
tried without success to subvert the realm from within) and
the attentions of the
United Kingdom of Ahlissa (which seeks to incorporate Sunndi into its
new empire).
Iuz
the Old
The
child of the human female necromancer Iggwilv and the powerful demon
Grazz’t, Iuz gained control of a small realm in the
Howling Hills a little over a century ago, expanding its borders in
a campaign notable for its horrific massacres. For sixty-five years Iuz
was imprisoned beneath Castle Greyhawk by an alliance of adventurers
(including the Mad Archmage Zagig), possibly with the assistance of an
avatar of St. Cuthbert. In 570 CY, Lord Robilar, his orc henchman, Quij,
and Riggby, patriach of Boccob, freed Iuz. The archmages Bigby and
Tenser arrived, intending to kill him, but during Iuz’s incarceration
the half-demon had transformed, and he emerged a demigod and escaped. He
dreams of destroying the Free City of Greyhawk and those who nearly
killed him when he was released.
Ivid
V the Undying
Once
capital of the Great Kingdom, Rauxes was
a city held captive by the crazed, paranoid desires of the undead Overking Ivid V. Rumoured to traffic with
fiends and monsters to maintain and expand his decaying kingdom, Ivid V
was slain by his nobles ‑ but was "revived" by evil priests to become a
thousand times more powerful. It is currently unclear whether Ivid V
still exists, as no one can safely approach Rauxes and its
bizarre fields of magic.
Jaran
Krimeeah
Krimeeah
was raised in a life of privilege among the Naelax family of the Great
Kingdom, where he was tutored in the magical arts by the finest
teachers. His magical talent became a source of arrogance, and after
asking himself why his cousin, a lesser
wielder of magic, should rule the Great Kingdom Krimeeah attempted a
coup. When this failed, the wizard was exiled under orders never to
reveal his family roots, though some have guessed his secret. Paranoia
led Krimeeah to settle in the valley now known to all as the Vale of the
Mage. He will go to any length to acquire or practice magic, and he intends to cheat death, though not as a lich. The
wizard has not been seen or heard from in some time, and most speculate
that he is searching out new sources of
magic (some say on a distant plane), but his valley remains as dangerous
as ever.
Kimbertos
Skotti
The
King of Keoland is a woodsman ranger
who led many
expeditions against giants and humanoids in and around his kingdom
Skotti’s kingdom is old and rich, though it suffered during the
Greyhawk Wars, and has further depleted its resources in supporting
attempts to reclaim Sterich. This grizzled old
veteran is angry with himself for failing to act more quickly in the
wars; now the king is forced to listen to regents he regards as
inferiors, but he grits his teeth and heeds their words. His greatest
concern at the moment
is the Scarlet Brotherhood.
Korenth
Zan, Father of Obedience
Little
is known of the leader of the Scarlet Brotherhood, though he is probably
of Suloise ancestry. He is evil natured, which is clearly demonstrated
by the means used by his
organization
to gain control of pivotal nations in
the Flanaess This brilliant mystic master, perhaps a high priest, may
reside on the huge plateau at the Tilvanot Peninsula’s heart. His
plans for the Brotherhood remain a mystery.
Larissa
Hunter
The
Magister of Dyvers is the former captain of that cities Free Army. She
has ably guided her trade-driven city through die turmoil that followed
the Greyhawk Wars, including defusing a proposal by the Knights of the
Hart that the city become part of Furyondy. Hunter is aggressive in
dealing with Greyhawk.
Lexnol
The
blunt but popular Lord Baron of Ratik is a ranger: a woodsman, tracker,
warrior and scout who has fought for years against the Bone March
humanoids raiding his lands. Lexnol's cool, hilly realm is rich with
natural resources. He is on good terms with local gnomes and dwarves,
and he has made a treaty for mutual defense and trade with the Frost
Barbarians to the north.
Lynwerd
After
his father Archbold III's abdication, Lynwerd assumed the throne of
Nyrond in 586 CY. He strengthened his country by restructuring
the military, by encouraging births among his
people and by resisting a demand by representatives of the Theocracy of
the Pale to give up
the North Lands of Nyrond. Despite financial reverses and personal
tragedy, he has been able to expand and stabilize Nyronds eastern borders, and to repair and
strengthen his kingdom's
roads, armies, cities and trade links.
Lyzandred
Well
over a thousand years old, the legends of the evil lich Lyzandred make
him the equivalent of a bogeyman in many parts of the Flanaess. He is
even more frightening to those who know the truth – that Lyzandred was
once a living, breathing creature and that he lies in a self‑made
prison somewhere in the Abbor‑Alz Mountains. Lyzandred's tomb
holds a reputation as one of the most dangerous dungeons on the
continent. No matter how experienced, some adventurers shun the thought
of exploring the lost tomb.
Obmi
A
sociopathic assassin and expert warrior, Obmi is a black-bearded dwarf
with a magical throwing hammer. He kills, prisoners at the first sign of
disobedience, laughs at massacres and has unbearably foul personal
habits. It is said that his injuries heal in minutes, and he can come
back to life even if slain. Obmi was last known to be working for luz
the Old.
Olinstaad
Corond
The
Prince of Ulek is a fearless hill dwarf with a reputation as an orc‑fighter
and wilderness scout. An old but hale white-bearded fellow, Corond wears
armor even at court. Prince Corond is involved in an ongoing war with
the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj as he attempts to retake the eastern
lands Ulek lost in the Greyhawk Wars.
Ogon
Tillit
The
Supreme Prelate of the Pale is a grim, humourless high priest of the god
Pholtus. His Worshipful Mercy Tillit actually has little mercy,
regarding everyone outside of his theocracy as degenerate heretics or
worthless heathens. Tillit's army is very strong; in recent years, he
has invaded portions of Tenh and continues to war there.
Philidor,
The Blue Wizard
Philidor
is an enigma, a wizard of tremendous power who first appeared toward the
end of
the Greyhawk Wars. Regardless of how he otherwise changes his
appearance, his skin, hair,
eyes and clothing always remain shades of blue. He has been seen in many
places in the Flanaess, particularly in the Vesve Forest and the City of
Greyhawk, though not in recent years.
Prince
Brightflame
Melf, Prince Brightflame, is a cousin of Celene's queen, Yolande. Melf is a brilliant and knowledgeable elf,
a fighter/wizard like his cousin, but his better grasp of the dangers the Flanaess faces has led him to found
and declare himself the leader of the Knights of Luna, who seek to involve Celene in the larger world. He knows
many powerful rulers and wizards and he works to oppose evil everywhere. Currently he lives in exile, sometimes
in the City of Greyhawk.
Sevvord
Redbeard
The
grim, bloodthirsty Master of Stonehold is a
warlord with almost unparalleled experience. Ruthless and savage, he led
troops to conquer, loot and occupy Tenh, though he now fights Iuz’s
forces and the Theocracy of the Pale to retain his claimed territory.
Stonehold currently suffers from attacks by the Snow, Ice and
Frost Barbarians.
Lord
Robilar
A powerful but unstable warrior, Lord Robilar is treacherous, untrustworthy and a liar. He is responsible
for freeing the archfiend Zuggtmoy from imprisonment, and on a separate occasion, he was a member of the
entourage that set out to free and destroy Iuz from his prison beneath Castle Greyhawk-Iuz escaped, and it
is quite possible that Robilar's goal was not to kill Iuz, but to somehow enslave or ally with him. As a
result of the battle that almost killed him, Iuz has vowed revenge on Robilar. Robilar was Rary's accomplice
in the deaths of Tenser and Otiluke in 584 CY. He still serves Rary, using a wide variety of magical weapons
and devices such as an artificial silver horse.
Turrosh
Mak
The half-orc Despot of the Pomarj is a superb warrior who fought his way up the ranks to become the warlord
of many humanoid tribes. He united his armies and conquered part of the Wild Coast and the Principality of
Ulek, but he cannot afford to go farther without risk of seeing his command collapse from intertribal conflicts.
Xaene
the Accursed
Before the Greyhawk Wars, Xaene was the court wizard of Ivid V but was replaced at the mad Overking's whim.
Xaene went into, hiding and studied necromancy, but his misuse of an evil artifact caused him to be cursed
to become a two-headed lich of horrifying power. Xaene is rumoured to have aided the Overkings descent into
madness. He is believed to be destroyed.
Xavener
I
The
first Overking of the United Kingdom of Ahlissa is the head of House
Darmen, which has near-total control over mercantile activity in the
realm. The Royal Guild of Merchants of Aerdy was formed by this house to
manage its trade interests, and the guild today pours vast funds into
Xavener's treasury. Little is known about Xavener except what his court
tells others. He is a superb leader and very charismatic, but his
enemies do not seem to survive long in Ahlissa, and it is apparent that
some of his aides fear him very much.
Yolande
The
Queen of Celene is not currently popular with many of her elven subjects. She has taken
to heart her advisors' plans to keep Celene free of the power struggles
across the Flanaess, which has caused some of her subjects to secretly turn against her. Yolande
is a gray elf, both a skilled warrior and wizard of extraordinary age
and power but, sadly, limited
wisdom.
Other
Notables
Many other characters exist in this campaign, but their whereabouts and plans are known to no one. Some may
be dead, others may have fled to other worlds or planes; but one or more of these beings may return to the
Flanaess. The demigod Zagyg was once the human wizard Zagig Yragerne, the "Mad Archmage" who ruled the City
of Greyhawk for many decades and built Castle Greyhawk, now in ruins on the cities outskirts. Zagyg has a
twisted sense of humour, as those who have explored Castle Greyhawk (and returned alive and sane) can
testify. He was involved in the capture of Iuz many decades ago. Zagyg's allies over the years have
included a number of adventurers who achieved unimaginable levels of personal power. These fellows still
think of themselves as friends of Zagyg, though no one has the faintest idea where he is. Heward, inventor
of the Mystical Organ that produces wild magical effects with each note, is a retiring bard and wizard who
has visited many worlds beyond Oerth. Keoghtom is a devil-may-care hero fond of exploring the Outer Planes
and tormenting the evil lords there. Murlynd is perhaps the most unusual hero of them all, a holy warrior
and wizard who mixes technology and magic to defeat his foes; he dresses like a cowboy and even uses
firearms. These individuals are rarely seen in the Flanaess. Vecna is as well known as Zagyg, but his
dreaded name is not spoken aloud for fear of arousing him. Once the most powerful undead wizard of any
known world, Vecna was destroyed at the height of his power by his treacherous lieutenant Kas. Only Venca’s
withered hand and jeweled eye survived, possessing frightening powers than can corrupt even the purest soul.
Vecna attempted to return and conquer Oerth only a few years before the Greyhawk Wars and he nearly succeeded.
Before his defeat, a servant of his was briefly able to slay the entire Circle of Eight. A Vecna cult
survives, attempting to bring him back. Other notorious personalities include Iggwilv, the necromancer-witch
who gave birth to Iuz; Zuggtmoy, a female archfiend known as the “Queen of Fungi” who has tried to subvert
and conquer the Flanaess; Tharizdun, a ‘dead’ god whose revival, some say, would mean the destruction of the
world; Acererak, the demilich whose “Tomb of Horrors” has destroyed hundreds of adventurers; Keraptis, and
evil wizard whose volcanic home in White Plume Mountain houses powerful artifacts; The Falcon, a serpentine
monster who tried to take over the City of Greyhawk from below but is believed slain; and The Slave Lords,
the organized crime masters who once dominated the Pomarj and Wild Coast, and may rise again.