Future Timeline 1/1

Date sent: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 16:16:00 -0400
Send reply to: The GREYtalk Discussion List
From: Jay Simpson
Subject: [GREYTALK] Future Timeline 1/1
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU

This is the first post of several I intend. This is a tiny exerpt from a timeline I am working on. I thought I would start sending stuff to this list for your approval. Many of my ideas came from you folks on the list. As well as other NET resources. I have no intentions of claiming any kind of glory or any such, and this timelime has been written solely for the use as background information in my own campaign set in669 CY. Any of you may use any of this asyou wish.

Jay Simpson

585 The general's attempt to infiltrate Rel Deven is thwarted. Meural and the remains of the Almor-Medegian army reach Rel Deven. Carwen establishes the Council of the Crandens as a permanent body. The Patriarch of Hextor is poisoned in Rel Astra. At the same time, members of the Scarlet Brotherhood appear in the city. Ahlissa declares full independence. The second youngest son of the Duke of Chathold dies somewhere in the Great Kingdom. Szeffrin gathers great numbers of orcs for his army and conquers the citadel of Goldbolt, forcing the Cranden border southwards. Drax builds ships. In the autumn of this year Carwen becomes very ill.

Euroz and Vile Rune Orcs begin fighting for control of the Bone March. They are both ousted though when the Zhorez tribe and Rotted Skull tribes ally and form a third faction. The Euroz somehow manage to ally and take control of these two new tribes. Vile Rune, rather than face extinction, join under the Euroz banner as well. The leader of the four tribes, a self proclaimed king, is a powerful orc named Gruznor Bloodspiller.

586 In an aggressive campaign, King Tavish V of Keoland sends armies under command of his favorite General Begnell into Geoff and Sterich. General Bagnell marches first on Geoff and Geoff is liberated rather easily in a surprise attack at the Battle of Gorna, which catches the evil forces there quite unaware. Bagnell is able to sneak his main attack force through the Stark Mounds while sending a token diversionary force through the Oyt Wood. The two forces meet at Gorna and claim it within a fortnight. Once nested in Gorna, Bagnell is able to direct several successful attacks against humanoid forces held up in the Hornwood. These raids are very successful and Bagnell becomes a celebrated hero in the home courts of Niole Dra, where he rapidly becomes know for his aggressive and relentless methods. Before the grip of winter can settle in, General Bagnell returns to Niole Dra late this summer to summon more troops. He leaves a young General by the name of Drogan Hazifax in command of the troops of Gorna. General Halifax is widely known through Keoland as the youngest commanding General in the Royal Army. Many nobles think that it is a mistake for Bagnell to leave such a young and inexperienced General in command of such an important outpost. Bagnell ignores all of the nobles jibes. Brewfest of this year finds General Bagnell commanding a new host of soldiers stationed in the Good Hills just south of Flen. Bagnell fords the Javan and begins a forced march on Istivin. At the same time General Hazifax begins another aggressive march, called a Cleansing, into the Hornwood and eventually south across the Stark Mounds. Both forces eventually meet at Istivin, beginning a swift siege on the city. The token force of Giants evacuate the city and allow the duel Keoland armies to occupy the city. Two weeks later, however, a stronger force of Humanoids and Giants along with obvious Drow aid reclaim the City of Istivin. This counter offensive was expected by General Bagnell, and he like the Giants before him vacate the city. This time, however, the surprise comes from Keoland's prized General's mind. While Bagnell and his men evacuate the city, Hazifax and his men secretly hide within the city in secret tunnels and cellars rapidly dug throughout the city during their short time of occupation. This was possible due to Hazifax owning two magical items instrumental in rapid tunneling and earthen construction. When the Evil forces moved in to occupy the city, Bagnell turned 180 degrees and renewed his siege. As the Giant/Humanoid/Drow forces settled in, prepared for a lengthy siege, Hazifax and his troops attacked from within. The Evil forces were unprepared for this surprise and were slaughtered after a week long city wide purge. Most of Istivin was burnt during this offensive, and while Hazifax took his men back north to Gorna, Bagnell elects to winter over in Istivin, to aid in the reconstruction process.

Ratik attempts an invasion into the Bone March to stop Gruznor before he can gain too much power. The Ratik forces are beaten back mercilessly, and suffer many heavy losses. Gruznor begins to form and alliance with the Ogre and Gnoll tribes in the Rakers, and the Hobgobin tribes in the Flinty Hills. When news of this impending alliance reaches the courts of Nyrond it is laughed at. While those remaining in the North Province choose to ignore the growing threat, thinking it will die out soon.

587 The Drow/Giant Alliance renews it s attacks on Istivin and poisons the Davish River with the dead. Bagnell settles in and waits for the forthcoming siege. Hazifax sees renewed fighting near the Hornwood as well and is unable to send any troops to aid Bagnell.

Orc King Gruznor of the Bone March, seizes Ratikhill and takes control of the Loftwood in a fierce winter campaign. Refugees of Ratikhill report that the humanoid forces seem more prepared for the weather and conditions than in the past. Gruznor demands aid from the Herzog of the North Province, Grenell. This aid does not come, but Herzog Grenell does promise not to interfere with Gruznor s conquest of Ratik. Gruznor begins slashing the Loftwood in a swift ship building campaign.

588 Turrosh Mak launches a final offensive. This time his forces are better equipped and better armed. The combined armies of the Ulek States were no match for the massive horde of humanoids that swept up out of the Pomarj. The Pomarj armies sweep through the Ulek States in a matter of months, leaving nothing but carnage in their wake. Turrosh and his ravenous horde claim Gryrax, Havenhill, and Jurnre before Growfest arrives, and by the end of that same festival Tringle has fallen. His armies then press north, claiming all the lands east of the Sheldomar north to the Lort River near Waybury. Pomarj armies can be seen dancing on the shore across the Sheldomar late into the night, celebrating their new found territory. The survivors of the blitz run to Keoland, [some text missing?], but Keoland is unable to send aid. Tavish V had made a fatal error. Believing the Pomarj to no longer be threat and the rumors of Turrosh Mak s death to be true, Tavish had routed most of his forces to his western front so that Hazifax and Bagnell could better be supported in their efforts their. The Humanoids and Giants hadn t quite given up on there possibility of having a strong outpost in the Flanaess and both of the Generals were entrenched in their respective cities fighting a long drawn out Giant War. The refugees of the Ulek States eventually scatter, most of them migrating to Veluna, Furyondy, and Highfolk.

Rabid waves of Bone March humanoids fall on Bellport in the early spring months of this year. Gruznor was able to take Bellport so easy due to the orcs in Grenell s standing army already stationed there siding with Gruznor. Bellport s mines are captured, and a serious blow is dealt to the North Province. Meanwhile Gruznor sends many "expendable" troops towards Kaport Bay, Eastfair, Edge Field and Atirr. The orcs under command of the Herzog rebel against their North Province leaders and ally with the Bone March troops. While these troops number in the thousands, they are not meant to return home. These forces are sent in clusters of a few hundred each, and scatter themselves across the remains of the North Province. For the most part these clusters are missed by paranoid patrols, and none of the clusters begin causing problems until they are well within enemy territory.

589 Orc King Gruzno slowly begins expanding his borders south of Bellport. The thousands of Humanoids stationed there advance and claim about a mile a day. Meanwhile, Gruznor s troops based out of Ratikhill are slowly advancing towards Marner. Gruznor also secures his holdings in Knurl as well as fortifying himself in the Flinty Hills. To accomplish this last task, Gruznor grants "Lordships" to some of his most loyal "generals" and they in turn migrate with their various clans to the Flinty Hills. Gruznor also offers higher pay to those of his soldiers that can produce the most offspring. This results in a population explosion in the Bone March of Orcs. No retribution comes from any forces in the North Province as their wicked leaders still fail to consider Gruznor a threat. Nyrond, however, begins to take notice. Gruznor loyalists clash with a token Nyrondese border patrol in the Flinty Hills during the late fall of this year. While the Nyrondese troops prove the victors, they return home with only half their original number. Nyrond opts not to force a conflict with this new force in the Bone March, since it seems evident that Gruznor will take the North Province.

590 In a surprise rush, thousands of Orcs under Iuz s banner catch the Vesve folk unaware. The Orcan hordes attack from every direction, even from tunnels beneath the ground. Iuz is finally able to capture much of the Vesve Forest. In a decisive battle west of Crockport, where Iuz forces over run key positions throughout the Vesve, thousands of good aligned folk die horrible deaths at the hands of Iuz s demonic spawned troops and feral orcs. Using the Vesve Iuz is able to break through Furyondian lines in one concerted effort and begin laying siege to Chendl. Many more humans are seen fighting on Iuz s side, and rumors of artifact level magic on the Old One s side run rampant throughout the Flanaess. As the Peace of Greyhawk is obviously now broken, armies all across the land begin preparing for march. Alliances are doubted and shifty eyes are everywhere.

Even as Iuz is laying siege to Chendl, there is an uprising in Rookroost. Many revolutionary battles are fought but the token forces are severely dealt with by Iuz troops. Redspan becomes an influential and key position as does Rookroost itself. The Fall of this year sees troops from both the Pale and the County of Urnst crossing the Artonsomay. It is curious to note that nothing is heard from Nyrond in the early days of this, the Second Great War.

By High Summer, Gruznor has expanded the Bone March s borders as far as Kaport Bay, taking that very weakened city in under a month. Gruznor fortifies a line from Knurl to Kaport Bay, building orcan burrows and villages approximately every 10 miles or so. In these burrows the Orcs nest in and continue their rapid period of production. Gruznor follows through with his promise, and uses the spoils taken from Bellport and Kaport Bay to pay his troops for
[Page missing]
blatantly disagrees and takes Stoink as a safe measure, fortifying the city in the process.

Nyrond, unsure of where the next attack is going to come from, sits and waits. Fortifying already well established strongholds and building the army bigger.

596 The first evidence of a Pomarj Navy is discovered when Turrosh Mak and his forces Launch a two pronged attack on Gradsul. One head of Mak s army comes across the Sheldomar while two other waves attack from the sea. General Torocoan who is stationed at Gradsul at the time of the attack, is seen fighting amongst his men in a valiant effort to save the doomed city. He is last seen going down under a wave of orcan and goblinoid attackers. General Dovenmar and the rest of the struggling Keoland River fleet attempt to flee to the sea, but are quickly decimated by the more ocean worthy Pomarj Navy. Where, when, or how Turrosh managed to develop these sailing vessels is unknown. As the battle rages, the fires of Gradsul keep the night time sky lit as it were day. The remnants of the Keoland Ocean Navy arrive and take serious losses attempting to save Dovenmar and his men. They fall back to the Sheldomar, and it is here that the entire Keoland Fleet is destroyed. The Pomarj Fleet, aided by shore bound catapults and superior numbers, manage to sink every ship. Dovenmar and his ships make a heroic stand hoping for aid to arrive in time, but the aid never comes. Gradsul falls and Monmurg not long thereafter, as Turrosh puses his forces against Brotherhood controlled lands. Rather than fight what they know to be a losing battle, the Brotherhood gives Turrosh Mak Monmurg as well as several Islands as long as he agrees to make no further western expansion. Turrosh makes the agreement, then turns around and purchases several thousand slaves from the Brotherhood to use in his front lines. Turrosh Mak splits his empire and establishes a second capital on Jetsom Island. From here, his newly found navy is able to patrol all along the Azure Coast, effectively land locking the Keolanders.

The County of Urnst and the Duchy of Urnst unify into a single Kingdom. This is facilitated by the marriage of Duke Karl s eldest son to Countess Belissica s daughter. Duke Karl takes the title of King so that his son may inherit a kingdom. Countess Belissica insists that the capital of this new kingdom be Radigast city, and that all further heirs of the Kingdom of Urnst come from the house of Gellor. This basically means that the inherited title of King or Queen of Urnst is to be passed along the female lines of the family. Duke Karl s son, Kressen, takes the last name of his bride to show he fully supports this condition. As part of this new direction in Urnst s history, and in an attempt to aid the economically faltering Nyrond, the Kingdom of Urnst purchases many of Nyrond s northern lands, including those around Midmeadow. This reduces Nyrond s taxable borders to a northern extent of Borneven, while placing a considerable amount of gold in the King s coffers. This also serves to alleviate any immediate fears of Iuz coming against Nyrond, so that Nyrond is better able to deal with it s more easterly threats, namely the Bone March.

The Passage to Manhood - long

Date: Thu, 29 Jul 99 14:48PM PDT
From: "Brian A. Murphy" Add To Address Book Add To Junk Mail
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: [GREYTALK] The Passage to Manhood - long

When one of the players characters was killed in the Abyss by the HrathnirDemon, he started a new character from Maldev. The character's name was Feather and he was a barbarian from the mountains around Kandelspire. Given the nature of Maldev's plight, I thought it quite reasonable when the player wanted to play a CN character.

Once the party re-entered the Abyss after defeating Lolth's armies at Kandelspire, the character returned with the rest of the party to Oerth. The problem was, he was 8th level and still needed to be trained by someone. Talking with Jontash about the probable location of Barbarian tribes that would be compatible with him (CN) he was directed towards the east coast, where he encountered the Tribe of Strong Spirits.

This is one of the smaller tribes that had joined the rest of the barbarian hordes in decimating Ratik (IMC they don't get along and have been trying to take the more fertile, lower lands for centuries). When Feather came upon them, they had lands in and around the border of Ratik and the Bone March. There is a real hot-zone between old Ratik and the Bone March, mainly due to the Barbarians.

At any rate, he needed to become a member of the tribe in order to train, and I had to write up something to explain why (and how) they let him into the tribe.

The following then, is what I came up with to explain the tribal adoption.
=======================================
The Passage to Manhood
Excerpted from:
Observations on the Primitives in the Barbarian Reaches
Kynle Saru
Anthropological Humanologist
College of Greyhawk
=======================================
The Passage to Manhood within the Tribe of Strong Spirits consists of seven stages:

The first step, named by the tribe as the Learning of Honor (a rather blatant misnomer in my book), is a rather twisted period for the initiate wherein the Elders of the tribe attempt to humiliate and demean the applicant, confusing him with contradictory and unpredictable commands and edicts.

The novice is the runner, gopher, servant and slave to everyone with the coveted second name in the tribe. The prospect is addressed in various uncomplimentary ways, from "Scum-licker: to :Schmegma-breath" and is expected to not only acknowledge and even thank the elder for the accurate observation of character, but must perform whatever despicable service the Elder requires at the time. From ditch digging to hunting to -----shoveling, no task is too low for the manling.

It is expected that the apprentice gains some higher meaning from this abuse, although this researcher has been unable to determine what beneficial effect this has on the prospective warrior other than to perpetuate the unpredictability of the tribe.

The second stage of the Passage is the Testing of Honor. If the manling survives the Learning (many don't), there is a rigorous ceremony centered on the adolescent. He is placed in the center of the tribal circle and all Elders (male, of course) begin by imbuing him with "The Essence and Wisdom of the Elders" (they urinate all over him). Then, he is made to stomp around inside the circle and amongst the steaming coals of the tribal fire, that all present may be aware of his level of wisdom. Apparently, the more powerful the aroma, the more he has learned.

Drinking of the Blood of the Tribe (a strong concoction brewed by the Shaman), the novice's eyes are opened to the Spirit World. He is then instructed to go out across the Lands of Death and bring back his Adult Spirit.

The novice then, under the light of the full moon, leaves the circle and runs into the night. This begins the third stage, called the Search of the Spirit. Howling and screeching to terrify the spirits of the tribe's dead enemies, the apprentice sheds all coverings and tools, to show the Earth Mother that ne needs nothing other than the Wisdom of the Tribe to survive her torment. Then, prior to first light, he must track down a wild creature and bring it to the Shaman alive in his arms. (Given the extreme hallucinogenic and anesthetic effects of the Blood of the Tribe, I have been unable to judge the veracity of any tales told of the Search by the Elders. A common thread appears to be dangerous spirit enemies intent on enslaving and eating the hunter.)

It should be noted that many of those who survived the Learning fail the Search and never return to the tribe. Although tribal members take this to be a sign of unworthiness, the reality may be something else entirely. While the tribe claims much of the surrounding territory as its own, there are many wild areas nearby, in "claimed" lands. Many dangerous denizens inhabit the area including trolls, lamias, displacer beasts and the occasional owl bear. Despite tribal claims that "no creature would be stupid enough to challenge our might," it should be noted that the Testing is one of the few times that a tribal member travels in open lands alone.

When the apprentice returns, bleeding and broken into the circle, the Shaman takes the animal from the novice. At this point, the apprentice is draped to the Women's Circle for the Test of Vitality, the fourth stage of the Passage. (This researcher has not borne witness to this test, but, in seeing the preparations, I shudder to think of its' implications. Ropes, feathers, stones tied together and oddly shaped sticks of wood are all laid out amongst a large bed of leaves. Various oils and liniments are also present, their use unknown. It wasn't the items themselves that disturbed me so; it was the suggestive gestures and odd looks on the part of the women when they noticed me observing them that caused me to beat a hasty retreat...)

At first light on the following day, after the novice returns from the Women's Circle -- if he returns, I noted that some young men ran kicking and wailing back to the whelps' huts -- he begins the fifth stage, the Claiming of Title. Otherwise known as The Telling, this period in the ritual seems to center on braggery and exaggeration, as the tales told rarely resemble probable circumstances. The initiate tells of his exploits, in the Hunt, in Battle, and in any other endeavor he feels can
increase his appearance to the tribe. I have heard many detailed accounts of applicants' slaying gigantic monsters with nothing but grass blades, toe-nails and even belly-lint! Tales of novices overcoming their enemies with nothing but the wisdom of the tribe (they seem to have a thing for aromatic attacks) and even exploits with women which seem physically impossible.

Once complete, the novice is then blindfolded, gagged and bound. Placed in a hole, he is then buried near the tribal graveyard to await the sixth stage of the Passage, the Decision of the Elders. This too, is a difficult time for the initiate, as the Elders must decide the validity of the novice's claims. Many times I have seen a prospect reach this step only to fail, not because the Elders decided against him, but because their decision was too late in coming.

Usually, as long as the Elders do not forget about the novice they will eventually decide to name him. Finally, after the novice is dug up and revived, the Elders then bestow the Tribal Name on the new adult. This name, while ostensibly a result of The
Telling, sometimes is the result of the Elders latching onto one facet of the tale found most memorable and expounding upon it. It should be noted that this tends to be something the Elders by consensus find amusing and derogatory to the apprentice. The end result appears to depend on a multitude of factors: the entertainment value of the tale, how well the initiate is looked upon by the Elders, the probability that the novice could be telling the truth, the whispers of the womenfolk and (probably most importantly), the ratio of hung-over to still-intoxicated Elders still conscious at the naming.
===================================================

The Learning of Honor -- You hung in there and did whatever was asked!

The Search of the Spirit -- You returned with a wild boar.

The Testing of Vitality -- You awoke in the morning staked naked to the ground. The tribal women were all around you and seemed very pleased and strangely content?!?!?!?!

The Telling -- You described your tale of other worlds and Demon Queens, death and destruction, (completely true, who needs to embellish that wild of a story?) but they didn't buy it. In fact, they kept interrupting and cracking jokes, mostly centered on how well your skull "served" you (side note: The character had taken a goblin's skull and stuck it on one of his armor's shoulder spikes as kind of a warped second head. He was quite proud of it). You didn't get the joke, but they found it extremely amusing.

The Naming -- After waking up coughing dirt (and having strange dreams to boot), you are brought back to the center of the Elders. Bleary eyed and cringing in the light of the sun, the Chieftain and other look upon you and bestow your name:

Feather Skull-Humper

And you are accepted into the tribe!

You train and are at the next level, ready to return to Hillville.

Brian A. Murphy, MCP
Eikon Consulting Services
http://www.eikoncs.com