Showing posts with label Iggwilv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iggwilv. Show all posts

Monday, November 16, 2009

Re: "Of Iuz and the Northern Reaches"

Subject: Re: [GREYTALK] "Of Iuz and the Northern Reaches"
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 08:04:40 EDT
From: "Gary L. Holian"
Reply-To: The GREYtalk Discussion List

>On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Gary R Welsh wrote:
>
>> I tend to agree that a blunder was made with regards to Iuz and the date of his rise....though it was an easy one to make since it didn't appear to contradict any other historical facts. Clearly
>> the year 479 CY was meant to be the date in which he expanded his empire, not the year he came onto the scene in the first place.
>
>Yep. That's what I thought too. And of your scenarios for the dating of Iuz' realm, I think only (1) is possible. According to S4, Iggwilv began her campaign of conquest "nearly a century ago," and subjugated the Marches of Perrenland for a decade (S4, p. 2). That would mean she
>disappeared at 486 at the absolute earliest -- probably later -- in any case after 479. That rules out scenario (2).

Ah, well that depends on numerous assumptions which are not clear cut:
1) The dating of the module S4
2) The dating of the WoG Guide (83)
3) The vagaries of history, and terms such as "nearly a century".

A common misconception about the booklets of the 83 boxed set is that their contents are generally dated to the year 576 CY, the year they were completed by the Savant-Sage in the Free City of Greyhawk. However, its apparent that they are only current to the year 573 CY...and while the sage completed the seven volume set 3 years later, the material is not current to that date, but only to the year of the disappearance of the Prince of Furyondy and the emergence of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
This is not uncommon in histories, where there is a lag between what is current and when it is published.

S4 could have been set anytime in the 570's, realistically speaking, though we know it must have predated the events in Isle of the Ape which are generally dated somewhere between 576-579. Using all of this leeway, its possible to contruct a history whereby Iggwilv's empire fell and Iuz emerged in the north nearly simultaneously. However, I agree that scenario 1) is far more likely since we know that Iggwilv's magic was instrumental in Iuz's rise. It was probably the intention of Iggwilv and Iuz to expand their realm, and with the witch's magic, the cambion emerged from the Howling Hills a force and took Dorakaa. Apparently, they had some falling out and Graz'zt was loosed, forcing Iggwilv into a battle which reduced her powers dramatically, banished the Demon Lord for a century, and ended her
realm.

>> I think it is pretty obvious that his name is due in no small part to his decrepit
>> appearance whilst
Of course, people might call him old because he *looks* old. But I think that he really *is* old -- ancient even. I gave the reasons in an earlier post (i.e. the quotes from the Guide and AoE which clearly establish Iuz as "centuries old").

Well, we don't know how old...but we do know that he looks old, ancient even. I sympathize with your desire to restore Iuz to his original depiction, but I think if we're going to be Monatic* about things, we're stuck with the fact that he didn't rule in the north for centuries, whatever his true age...and quotes from the guide notwithstanding (the puffery of an old sage. ;-) Clearly, it was not known why Iuz pulled back in 505 CY and the fact that the land was ruled in his name by a proto-Bonehart is not distinguishable, his evil festered (indeed his Spurned Cult received power and spread across the Flanaess over the intervening decades.) There only appeared to be an ebb in the expansion of his empire, which resumed anew when the master was back in residence. To assert he only ruled 32 years would be a quibble without teeth, since his status wouldn't have been commonly known...roads were still being paved in skulls apace.

*Monaism asserts the primacy of canon and exhorts its practioners to find the most consistent and ingenious method to satisfy all sources. Not to be coonfused with "Hep Monatics", sufferers of a rare jungle disease involving burrowing insects.

-GLH

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Re: "Of Iuz and the Northern Reaches" (HSNR)

Subject: Re: [GREYTALK] "Of Iuz and the Northern Reaches" (HSNR)
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 12:28:07 -0400
From: Stéphane Tanguay
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU

Hi all !

-----Message d'origine-----
De : Gary L. Holian

What does (HSNR) stand for ?

>Two notable exceptions, are the portions which later came together as the cantons of Perrenland (in 400 CY), and the Archbarony of Blackmoor (which apparently was so cut-off from the rest of the
>Flanaess that when the revolutions sundered the Great Kingdom, it was largely forgotten.) Fred Weining (Psychlops) has an interesting aside in his Blackmoor piece in the Oerth Journal which comments how
>the land eventually disappeared from imperial maps.

Is it from Psychlops's work that you got the info that put Blackmoor under Dyvers "supervision" at a time or is there a canon source somewhere that I've missed? Others (Gary R. Welsh) have the Archbarony at odds with Iuz.

(snip)

>Remember that what is considered the Horned Society now, was simply a part of the loose collection of largely flannish bandit realms we now refer to as the Bandit Kingdoms, indistinguishable from the
>rest. Iuz swept threw those bandit kingdoms between the Veng and Ritensa (sometime between 479 and 505 CY) taking Molag (where the Heirarchs picked up the pieces during his absence.)

It is the second or third time that I see mentions of this invasion of the HS by Iuz at some point in the past but again, I can't find the canon source for this.

I always tought the Horned Society was a loose collection of largely humanoid territories that was organized by some bandits lords (Hierarchs) only after Iuz disappearance.

>1) Iuz made his move during his mother's reign to the southwest. This could have been part of a plan to strike in two parts of the "Northern Reaches", then unify the realm by decimating
> the Highfolk between them while Furyondy was distracted by events in the south. He would have had direct assisstance from her in pulling off his plan, which fell through when Graz'zt
> was loosed and he was on his own. Apparently, he also had some falling out with Iggwilv.

I would go with this option. It would be consistent with what can be found in Rot8. I kind of like seing Iuz and his mother "help" each other. I now just have to find a reason why Iuz appeared to have been adopted as an infant by a flan chieftain while there is many signs he should be older at that time (479 CY). Just a disguise ? Trying to hide his demonic features ? Was it a way to keep an eye on his lands while being away helping mom ?

For myself, I'd like to have Iuz being born around 213 CY, adventuring here and there for a while (notably in the Thillorian peninsula), acquiring some of his knowledge as a cleric and assassin (thanks to Gary R. Welsh for most of these ideas) then come back around Whyestyl Lake and start to build his own fief (circa 300 CY). For years, he battle against the northern nomads and other minor desposts, both Flans and Oeridians. Not able to accomplish much, he renew contact with his mother and agree to leave his fief for a while (circa 470 CY), to make himself forgotten. He help his mother in her research. In 475 CY, Iggwilv have him disguise his demonic features as an infant and be adopted by his "father". He is able to observe his future opponents while waiting for his mother to acquire sufficient powers to help him. This happens in 479 CY. Iuz's "father" is then put to death and Iuz reveal itself, with a lot of new powers.

Here's a rough timeline, based on many sources amongst which Gary R. Welsh and Paul Stormberg post have played an important role in shaping my ideas. I hae incorporated Drelzna and Graz'zt into it, as they are somewhat indissociable:

213 Iuz is born. Age of Great Sorrows begin.
230 Iuz start his adventuring career
300 Iuz start to build his own fief around the Howling Hills
460 Iggwilv consorts with several Perrenland Flan chieftans
462 Iggwilv found the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
465 Drelnza is born
466 Graz'zt is captured by Iggwilv
467 Iggwilv renew contact with her son and begin concocting a plan to conquer the Northen Reaches
470 Iuz "disappear" from his fief.
475 Iuz, disguised as an infant, is adopted by a Flan chieftain of the Howling Hills
479 Iuz's "father" died. With help from Iggwilv's magic, Iuz's might grow. Perrenland and Furyondy attention's are turned toward Iuz, failing to see Iggwilv preparations.
480 Iggwilv embark on her conquest of Perrenland. Drelnza serves as General of Iggwilv's forces.
481 Perrenland is conquered
491 Graz'zt tricks Drenlza into freeing him. In the ensuing battle, Drelnza is killed, Graz'zt is forced to flee to the Abyss for a century and Iggwilv is stricken. The empire of Iggwilv collapse. With her remaining power she hide her treasures in the Lost caverns. Drenlza is interred with these and Iggwilv, who had both pity and hatred for her, kept her from both death and life.

Also note:
591 Graz'zt is free to leave the Abyss

I really like Gary R. Welsh's suggestion of having Iuz be reared and adventuring in the northen barrens. It does explain how he acquire a lot of his knowledge, how later he was able to put up this Vatun construction, how he acquire his soul husks, etc. It also give us opportunities to have him meet with some others luminaries of Greyhawk. Such a background for Iuz seem quite greyhawkish to me.

>but by his disappearnce in 505 CY, he was already being treated as a god by his followers.

Did he ? I tought he became a demi-god while being kept captive under Greyhawk Castle (although how can this be possibly happening is beyond me).

Regards

Stéphane Tanguay
stanguay@francomm.com

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Zuggtmoy Free! (was Re: Greyhawk Trivia questions)

Date sent: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 10:09:17 -0700
Send reply to: The GREYtalk Discussion List GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
From: Jason Verbitsky JV@BC.SYMPATICO.CA
Subject: [GREYTALK] Zuggtmoy Free! (Was Re: Greyhawk Trivia questions)
To: GREYTALK@MITVMA.MIT.EDU

Joseph Barrios wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-09-10 08:19:09 EDT, you write:
>
> << From reading the atlas of From the Ashes, it appears to have been [year missing]
> CY, one year before Iuz was released from his imprisonment in Castle
> Greyhawk.
> Eric >>
>
> I do not believe this is correct. 569 CY was the year when the Battle of
> Emridy Meadows occurred…the year in which Zuggtmoy was imprisoned. The
> Prince of Veluna wasn't kidnapped until 573….and the Temple of Elemental
> Evil module has the PC's finding him in the Temple disguised as a dead
> vampire.
>
> For anyone who is tuning in just now, the question is: in what year was the
> Temple sacked and the demonness Zuggtmoy freed? (In other words, what year
> was the TOEE module set in?) I'm starting a Greyhawk campaign and want
> the module in the proper year.

The Mother of all Mushrooms was most probably freed c. CY 579-580 by Rob and/or Iggwilv. As Zuggtmoy had to be free to attack Anthraxus in the Hall of Dread in Molag in Artifact of Evil (p.234) and Iggwilv takes credit for freeing her (p.330) when these two 'lovely' ladies show up to see Iuz.

The tireless researches of the good Savant Iquander, based on the internal evidence in Gygax's Gord novels, has dated what I call the 'Catastrophe Krebalsthorp' where Nerull et. Al were 'banished' to Reaping CY 580, and the siege/fall of the Molag to Goodmonth (Summer) CY 580. As ol' Zugs assault upon Anthraxus occurred in between these two events it would be late Reaping 580. So as for her freedom, late 579 at the very earliest and mid 580 (summer Reaping) at the latest seem reasonable dates. At least that is what I'm going with (for now).

Again, though, as I asked in my previous message (“Zuggtmoy's Freedom: Robilar, Iggwilv, or Both? (Date?)”) :

Was it Robilar or Iggwilv (AoE 330) that was responsible for freeing Zuggtmoy from the Temple of Elemental Evil? Or were they somehow involved? What is the real story here? And what was the exact date of this historic event? Robilar? EGG? Anyone?

Which version is correct? Or are they both? Is Iggwilv taking credit for Robilar's work? Did Robilar throw the pillar at Iggwilv? What really happened? And when?

I'd like to know how this all came about. Did Iggwilv somehow manipulate (perhaps provoke would be a better word?) Robilar into throwing the pillar at the doors? Maybe the old projected image trick combined with a bit of suggestive taunting?

I've appended the relevant quotes to this message after my sig.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
His Dread and Awful Presence,
Jason Verbitsky
JV@bc.sympatico.ca
http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/JV/INDEX.HTM

The Robilar Side (taken from the Greyhawk Grimoire: Sage.txt):

<< On page 29, of the Temple of Elemental Evil (T1-4), middle of page, [number missing], there is mentioned a “sharp check dealt Lolth”. Since the Temple Series adventure is before the Giants, and Queen of Spiders, series – what sharp check is this? >>

#012 ANSWERS
...
Gary Gygax: Robilar inadvertantly freed Zuggtmoy by using his girdle of storm giant strength to toss a piller through the doors of her prison. She, in delight carried him off to the Abyss so he could be one her most trusted servants. Robilar blanched at this, and managed to get back to the PMP. That took some time, though, and when he got back to the temple area he found his faithful orc “hero” Quij, warm and snug, having made a poncho of Robilar's flying carpet. You got it right, though. When Zugg'y showed up again down there, Lolth's plans for greater grandure were generally squelched.

The Iggwilv Side (Gary Gygax's Artifact of Evil page 330):

Iggwilv, speaking to her son Iuz, says:

“You are wanting information. Well then, attend Me. It was a near thing, for those soft nd stupid ones who ooppose the true order of things came in their multitudes. Despite their mewling attempts, I found and freed Dear Lady Zuggtmoy.”