The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s and 2000s and continues to be the central focus of the campaign world. As well as being home to a number of demihuman and humanoid races, it is also inhabited by the Suel, Bakluni, Oerid, and Flan subraces of humanity.
The Flanaess can be broken down geographically as follows: the Baklunish Basin in the northwest, the Empire of Iuz in the north, the Thillonrian Peninsula in the northeast, the Sea of Dust in the far west, the Sheldomar Valley in the west, old Ferrond and its southern frontier (including the City of Greyhawk) at the center of the Flanaess, old Sulm and the Aerdy frontier to the east, the old Great Kingdom to the far east, and the Amedio Jungle to the southwest.
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Further information: Aerdy |
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Further information: Ahlissa |
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Further information: Amedio Jungle |
The Baklunish Basin is the northwestern portion of the Flanaess. Consisting chiefly of remnants of the ancient Baklunish Empire, the human peoples of these lands are known as the Baklunish. The most important parts of this region include the nations of Ekbir, Ket, Tusmit, Ull, and Zeif, as well as the Dry Steppes and the Plains of the Paynims. Though not technically part of the Baklunish Basin, the lands of the Tiger and Wolf Nomads are sometimes included, as they are populated by people of Baklunish stock.
The basin is bordered to the east by the Crystalmist Mountains, Yatil Mountains, and Barrier Peaks, and to the south by the Sulhaut Mountains. To the north, it's bordered by the Dramidj Ocean and to the west its limits are defined by the Tyurzi Mountains.
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Further information: Bandit Kingdoms |
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Further information: Blackmoor (Greyhawk) |
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Further information: Bone March |
the Bright Lands, properly known as the Empire of the Bright Lands, is a dictatorial political state of the Flanaess.
The boundaries of the Bright Lands are contained entirely within the bounds of the Bright Desert. The Abbor Alz form the northern and eastern borders, while the Woolly Bay and the Sea of Gearnat form natural boundaries to the country's west and south.
As of 591 CY, the population of the Bright Lands totaled 26,500 persons, the vast majority (almost 80%) being humans of mainly Flan descent. Dwarves account for the next largest group, with the remainder of the population (barely 1%) consisting of mostly centaurs.
There is no state sponsored religion within the country. Among the Flan tribesmen, worship of Beory, Obad-Hai, and Pelor is most common. Geshtai and Istus are most popular with the few Paynim in the region, while a few scattered goblin tribes worship Maglubiyet and other deities of the goblin pantheon.
The most widely-spoken languages in the Bright Lands are Flan and Ancient Suloise (by the native tribesmen), and various Baklunish dialects (by the Paynims).
The Empire of the Bright Lands is a dictatorship with Rary of Ket as the head of state. The realm functions as a minor city-state administered from Rary's tower in the Brass Hills. Rary maintains his power with the assistance of Robilar, a powerful warrior who serves as commander of Rary's forces in the Empire.
The state's coat of arms is blazoned thus: Gules, a gauntlet proper gripping a crescent or; on a chief azure three mullets argent.
The Bright Lands does not currently produce its own coinage.
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Further information: County of Ulek |
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Further information: Duchy of Urnst |
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Further information: Empire of Iuz |
Ferrond most often refers to the former Great Kingdom province known as the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, or the general region where its successor states now lie.
The Viceroyalty of Ferrond was a vassal state of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, ruled by a viceroy in the name of the Overking. The capitol of the Viceroyalty was the city of Dyvers.
The Viceroyalty of Ferrond consisted of the modern-day states of Furyondy (Furyon), Highfolk, Perrenland (the Quaglands), the Shield Lands, Veluna (Voll), and the hilly regions northeast of the Vesve Forest, known then as part of the Northern Reaches.
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Further information: Free City of Greyhawk |
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Further information: Frost Barbarians |
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Further information: Geoff (Greyhawk) |
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Further information: Great Kingdom |
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Further information: Highfolk |
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Further information: Ice Barbarians |
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Further information: Keoland |
The Land of Black Ice is an arctic wasteland located in the northwestern Flanaess, north of the Burneal Forest and Blackmoor, east of the Drawmidj Ocean, and west of the Icy Sea. The land gets its name from the vast sheet of blue-black ice that covers it as far as the eye can see.
The only humans living near the area are the Baklunish Guryik folk on the Drawmidj coast, and the Suloise Zeai, or Sea Barbarians, who dwell on a section of Icy Sea coastline known as the Tusking Strand. Within the Land of Black Ice proper are said to dwell all manner of horrid arctic monsters, so few humans enter the region. Tales are told of wights, frost men, evil spirits, black-skinned trolls, and blue-furred bugbears inhabiting the wasteland.
The fabled City of the Gods is said to lie just outside the Land of Black Ice, near Blackmoor. Those few who have entered the city and escaped alive, among them Mordenkainen and Sir Robilar, tell tales of an artificially warm city of tall iron buildings, powerful magic, and strange automatons.
Legends tell of another region beyond the ice, a land of lush jungles and an unmoving sun. Such legends give some reason to believe that the Oerth is hollow, containing another world within the inside of the globe, to which entry is gained via great openings in the poles.
Nyrond, or more properly the Kingdom of Nyrond, refers to one of the largest good-aligned states in the Flanaess.
In 356 CY, the opportunist junior branch of the Aerdy Celestial House of Rax-Nyrond declared independence from the Overking of the Great Kingdom. Weakened by warfare against the likes of Ferrond, Perrenland, and Tenh, the scions of House Rax nonetheless amassed a large retribution-minded army to teach the upstart "kingdom" a lesson. At this moment, a coalition of Fruztii, Schnai and mercenary barbarians invaded North Province, distracting the Overking's army and allowing Nyrond critical time to entrench and train its military to repulse Aerdy military actions. For the next two centuries relations between the two states varied from open war to preparing for war.
In 584 CY, during the Greyhawk Wars, Nyrond halted an invasion by the Great Kingdom after Ivid V's forces devastated Almor. Thereafter the Great Kingdom fell apart in magical disaster and civil war. Nyrond was in nearly as bad shape. After King Archbold III suffered a poison-induced stroke at the hands of his younger son in the fall of 585 CY, said son, Prince Sewarndt attempted to seize power. Sewarndt's coup was thwarted by his older brother, Crown Prince Lynwerd, who took the throne after Archbold abdicated in Fireseek of 586 CY, possibly the most popular decision of his time as ruler.
Under Lynwerd, Nyrond has been slowly recovering, though times are good only by comparison to Archbold times. Lynwerd did take over much of Almor in 586 CY as the Great Kingdom fell apart.
Nyrond lies between the Nesser River and Franz River to the west, the Harp River and Flinty Hills to the east, Relmor Bay to the south, and the Theocracy of the Pale to the north.
Nyrond is ruled by King Lynwerd, who appoints all lesser officials.
Nyrond's coat of arms is blazoned thus: Quarterly; 1st and 4th, ermine; 2nd and 3rd, gules, a sun radiated or.
In the Living Greyhawk campaign, the following events took place in Nyrond: In early 595 CY another major revolt was successfully led by Sewarndt. He captured the capital city with the assistance of supernatural allies, and in the course of the assault he committed patricide. In autumn 595 CY, several campaigns around the country, led by Lynwerd's supporters and loyal nobles, succeeded in recapturing nearly all major provinces and cities. The reconquest ended in Sewarndt's death at the hands of his brother at the very gates of the Royal Palace in Rel Mord.
Lynwerd is married to Queen Xenia Sallavarian of the Duchy of Urnst. Their daughter and heir was born in 595 CY.
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Further information: Pomarj |
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Further information: Rovers of the Barrens |
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Further information: Scarlet Brotherhood |
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Further information: Sheldomar Valley |
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Further information: Shield Lands |
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Further information: Snow Barbarians |
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Further information: Sterich |
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Further information: Sulm (Greyhawk) |
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Further information: Thillonrian Peninsula |
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Further information: Verbobonc |
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Further information: Wild Coast (Greyhawk) |
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Further information: Yeomanry (Greyhawk) |
Except in the far north, temperatures reach below zero only in the winter months of Sunsebb and Fireseek and sometimes at night in late autumn and early spring. Even then temperatures seldom dip far below 0. The northeast and central regions of the Flanaess are the coldest, with winters extending into Ready'reat and Readying. The warm currents of the Dramidj Ocean moderate the climate of the lands that border it. Summer typically lasts five or more months. Prevailing winds blow from the northeast in winter and autumn and from the southeast the rest of the year. Wintry northern winds are sometimes known as "Telchur's breath," while easterly winds are sometimes called "Atroa's laugh." Plentiful rainfall supports bountiful agriculture throughout most of the Flanaess.