Bandit Kingdoms
Ruled by various petty warlords and tyrants or Lesser Boneheart mages, all supposedly in service to Iuz
The lands of the Bandit Kings are arable but not especially fertile, being rocky and grossly overfarmed. Some scholars believe the rowdy disposition of the natives can be traced to these agricultural difficulties, since they discourage large settlements and set the stage for banditry by poor farmers against trade caravans moving from city to city. Despite being largely a land of flat, featureless horizons, the area is home to one of the most stunning geographical features of the continent: the foreboding Rift Canyon. Hundreds of tales and legends tell of how the great canyon came to be. Most know it as a den of foul creatures and strange magical conditions. Presently, it is infested with bandits fighting against the occupying forces of Iuz. Weather conditions here are generally temperate, though winters tend toward harsh storms and even blizzards throughout late Sunsebb and early Fireseek. In contrast, high summer often brings drought, threatening grain crops and cattle production. Prior to the Greyhawk Wars, the local lords frequently made war with one another. When the entire realm came under threat from exterior foes (usually the Shield Lands, Tenh, or the Horned Society), each lord sent a portion of his troops; bandit army counts often totaled as high as fifteen thousand troops.Structure
Abbarra: A wilderness of rugged plains situated between the Fellreev and Tangles, immediately west of the Midlands, Abbarra was long run by a syndicate of formidable assassins. In a land as chaotic and lawless as the Bandit Kingdoms, the blade of a trained killer is highly prized. Because of this, the Abbarrish have generally managed well as a people, despite the inferiority of their overfarmed land. Abbarra lost most of its able fighting men at Steelbone Meadows in northeastern Wormhall, the scene of a frightful massacre in Brewfest 584 CY brought on by a deranged cleric of Iuz. However, some assassins survived (perhaps organized by their former leader, the ruthless Kor (NE male human Asn12) and now prey on Iuz's rare patrols in this area. These "terrorists" strike from hidden bases and live off the land. Abbarra is technically governed from Hallorn, but it is generally ignored by the empire.
Artonsamay, Duchy of the: Located along the riverbanks north of the Great Northern Bend of the Artonsamay and the plains within 30-60 miles of the Rift Barrens' eastern end, the duchy was a curiosity in this land of criminals and murderers. Though a purse was as likely to go missing here as in any holding, Artonsamay had about it a certain honor lacking in most of its neighbors. Rumored to have been ruled by a puissant noble adventurer of Urnst's Gellor dynasty, Artonsamay was a favorite haunt of thrill-seekers and lawless folk lacking an evil or sadistic bent. None of this, however, served to aid the duchy when Iuz's forces invaded in 583; the realm's castle "capital" was destroyed, and most of the land's residents fled to the County of Urnst, Stoink, or the Rift. Great magic was employed in the battle, and Artonsamay is now mostly uninhabited wilderness (much of it barren) with poor hunting, governed from Stoink. Many, including Countess Belissica, believe that Duke Gellor (N male human Ftr12) is dead, though the folk of Stoink whisper that no less than Iuz's high priestess, Halga, was seen there, tracking a man bearing an all-too-familiar appearance.
Dimre, Grand Theocracy of: Dimre includes the far end of the Phostwood west of the Artonsamay, and the plains 60-75 miles west of that wooded bend in the river. A small, powerful state, Dimre once raided Tenh and Nyrond through the Phostwood and Nutherwood. Founded prior to the Great Council of Rel Mord by the charismatic canon of a heretical apostate cult of Pholtus, Dimre is greatly reviled in the Pale. Brave young templars are often sent by the Pale's theocrat to undermine the little realm. The appalling failure rate of such endeavors has led many to suggest (in private) that Dimre presents the Pale with a convenient means for disposing of challengers to the status quo. After several embarrassing defeats in the summer of 583 CY, even the armies of Iuz chose to let matters stand, signing a pact of nonaggression and alliance with Dimre. Dimre is technically governed from Stoink, though it is autonomous in reality. Dimre's clergy preaches that to understand the glory of Light, one must first walk hand-in-hand with Darkness. Its army keeps watch on all borders, allowing none but the faithful to pass into their sacred land.
Fellands: The western Bluff Hills, eastern Fellreev, and lands between were part of a warrior realm based in the town of Groucester. The Fellands were conquered by the forces of Tenh in the spring of 578 CY, and ceased raiding eastward for a time. This realm was absorbed by the Grosskopf clans in 581, following a marriage between their ruling families. The invasion of 583 brought with it new leadership in the guise of Xavendra (CE female human Clrl3 of Iuz) an oddly refined and graceful cleric of Iuz. Lacking the fiends that provided most of her security, the cleric has had to accept former bandits into her circle of leadership in Groucester, (She reports to the regional capital at Rookroost.) The bulk of the bandits working with her have turned to dark religion and evil debauchery. Xavendra has a well-known distaste for orcs, and some suspect she may make a play for independence (despite being a cleric of the demigod) should Iuz's full attention fall elsewhere.
Freehold, Mighty: The realm in the inner crook of the Fellreev Forest, south of the Artonsamay, was named for its sole fortified site, a huge walled keep, The Freehold allied itself with Iuz when the latter invaded in 583, but its forces were treacherously destroyed at Steelbone Meadows the following year. The land is patrolled by rogue orcs now, and surviving Freeholders are very few. Few troops from Hallorn check on it. The Freehold keep itself was altered in the early months of Iuz's occupation, becoming the grisly castle known as Fleichshriver. Remolded by fiendish hands, the citadel is an imposing reminder of the evil, otherworldly forces that once infested the local countryside. Though passers-by no longer need fear the claw and tooth of marauding demons, strange, haunting screams can still be heard from the seemingly abandoned keep; locals give it a wide berth. Iuz's archmage Null (CE male human Wiz19), of the Greater Boneheart, was known to come here in the past and might do so still.
Greenkeep, Defenders of the: The eastern Fellreev south of the Artonsamay River was a state dominated by humans but with significant numbers of renegade sylvan elves and half-elves. Merry followers of Olidammara, the Greenkeepers escaped the massacre at Steelbone Meadows and withdrew into their corner of the Fellreev. They suffered much from raids by wizards, clerics, and orcs under Iuz, but some hang on, helping and helped by the Reyhu-elf alliance across the river. They avoid the plains to the south.
Grosskopf, Grand Clans of: The eastern Bluff Hills and lands south to the Zumker were held by Grosskopf, long friendly with orcs and their kin, Grosskopf was invaded by Duke Ehyeh Ill's forces in 578 and forced to restrain its banditry. This warrior realm absorbed the Fellands in 581, following a marriage between their ruling families, and raids into Tenh began anew late that year. In 583, with the troops of Stonefist crowding Tenh and demon-led orc and hobgoblin armies rapidly approaching from the west, Grosskopf capitulated to Iuz. (Some men fled into the Bluff Hills, where they hold out yet.) Many Grosskopf raiders with cavalry skills elected to take Iuz's suggestion that they relocate to the Barrens to fight the Rovers, with whom Grosskopf had clashed for many decades. The raiders live now at the Barrens' regional capital, Grossfort, forming the basis of a sizable army known as the Marauders of the North. Other Grosskopf troops work with allied orcs and goblins at Senningford and Narleon, fighting Stonehold skirmishers and supplying Iuz's troops in Tenh. Grosskopf and Fellands are both now controlled from the regional capital at Rookroost.
Johrase, Kingdom of: One of the oldest holdings in the Combination of Free Lords, Johrase has long held the lands west of the Zumker-Artonsamay confluence, extending southwest from the town of Kinemeet (the capital) to the Rift Barrens and the Tangles. Formed in 324 CY by Andrellus, a debauched scion of Aerdy's Rax dynasty, Johrase represented a miniature Great Kingdom, replete with its own king and commoners (represented by local Flan plainsmen). Over time, the realm's society became increasingly dominated by the warrior instincts of the Flan, the throne being held by the most powerful warrior, regardless of race. Annual raids against Redspan ensured that the brutish influence of Johrase was known throughout the Flanaess. Nonetheless, Kinemeet became a neutral meeting ground for bandit chieftains and a marketplace for cattle and horses. Johrase allied with Dimre and fought Iuz's forces in 583, but it was routed and its men scattered to the east. Many have taken to the mercenary life in Tenh, fighting for the Tenha, the Pale, or whoever offers the most coin. All fly the black morning star emblem of Johrase in combat, and Johrase men never fight each other, regardless of professed allegiances. Johrase bandits hate orcs and goblins, and attack them on sight; they are proud but very bitter about their loss. Kinemeet is now primarily an orcish city, its forces charged with controlling the plains for 100 miles or more in all directions. The commander here, usually a gigantic orc or intelligent ogre warrior, reports to either Rookroost or Riftcrag, depending on whim. The commander is replaced about once a year, however, thanks to duels for leadership. The orcs here are warlike in the extreme but loyal to Iuz, despite the fact that they frequently use Johrase shields and flags along with those of the Old One.
Midlands, Stronghold of the: Once located between the Fellreev and the Tangles, this plains domain was ruled from a fortified Hextorian temple across the Artonsamay River from Rookroost. Throughout history, the bandits of Midlands acted in concert with and against the armies of Rookroost, depending upon fortune and agreements between the local graf and the plar of the region's capital. By 583, the Midlands and Rookroost were allied. Iuz's armies encountered staunch but ultimately pointless resistance on the Midlands fields. When the defenders fell, the route to the capital lay open, Most surviving forces were destroyed at Steelbone Meadows, and the temple has been razed. The region is now under the control of Kinemeet's orcs, who usually answer to Graf Demmel Tadurinal (CE male human Clr8 of Iuz), a toadying cleric stationed in Rookroost. The graf also handles patrols along the Artonsamay.
Redhand, Principality of: The Combination's only coastal "kingdom," Redhand holds a section of the north coast of the Nyr Dyv, from the old Shield Lands to the mouth of the Artonsamay. "Prince" Zeech (LE male human Ftr8/Clr4 of Hextor), an effete renegade Shield Lands lord who broke with his nation in 577, swiftly allied himself and his forces with Iuz in 583. The alliance saved his realm from destruction, though the old lords and soldiers of the realm chafed at taking orders from half-orcs and worse. Redhand's capital is at Alhaster, but Zeech must report to the clerics of Iuz at Balmund, which he hates. Deadly conflicts between "Reyhu" orcs in the north and Redhand humans in the south are becoming common. Now that most of the Old One's demonic officers are gone from the land, many believe Zeech and his men are set for a rebellion. Word of this surely has reached Dorakaa, and all eyes watch the debased prince with grotesque curiosity, guessing at his fate should he defy Iuz. Zeech would get no help elsewhere, as he is greatly hated in Urnst and Furyondy.
Reyhu, Great Lands of: Though the city of Rookroost commonly held the distinction of the "capital" of the old Bandit Kingdoms, the Allied Townships of Reyhu (Balmund and Sarresh) controlled the most fertile land, granting them much power in this land of arid plains and sickly woods. Sworn enemies of the Shield Lands, Reyhu men became skilled raiders and defenders by necessity; tales of the prowess of the Reyhu armies were told as far west as Lopolla. The rulers of Reyhu, a long line of self-named tyrants, curried favor in the County of Urnst, even coming to the aid of the count when Nyrondal cavalry crossed the county's eastern border following Nyrond's break from the Great Kingdom. Because of this, Urnst funnelled much unofficial (and often illegal) trade to Reyhu through Hardwyn, across the river from Sarresh. This went on despite the wicked nature of Reyhu's folk, many of them followers of Erythnul, as many family ties crossed the Artonsamay in this region. Though Reyhu men invaded the Shield Lands with other Bandit Kingdoms after 579 CY, they feared Iuz and fled from his huge, eastward-moving armies in 583 CY, heading north into the Rift Canyon or the Fellreev, or southeast into the County of Urnst. Reyhu men now raid their old homeland from bases in Urnst, or else hold out in the central Fellreev in alliance with sylvan elves there. The old Reyhu region is administered by a quartet of clerics of Iuz in Balmund, who in turn report to either Riftcrag or Stoink (their orders are often confused on this point). Their incompetence does not eliminate the fact that the countryside literally crawls with orcs and their allies, and hence is well defended, if only by the sheer number of defenders. Reyhu's celebrated fields lay fallow, its crucial resource completely ignored and turning into wilderness.
Rift, Men of the: Rift Canyon and nearly all the rough lands around it (the Rift Barrens) were ruled from the town of Riftcrag, which long had a notable nonhuman population of orcs, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and the like. The original bandit force here largely abandoned the city to Iuz's forces in 583, gathering in the deep recesses of the Rift and planning a dark revenge. These forces are augmented by many refugees from Iuz's attacks (notably Reyhu), and they are led by the charismatic self-proclaimed Plar of the Rift, Durand Grossman (NE male human Rog11). Native nonhumans and a few magically controlled monsters round out what is one of the three most active and well-defended resistance forces in the Bandit Kingdoms (the others being in the Fellreev). Rift folk are mostly as chaotic and evil as the nonhumans, but they are clever and skilled at mountaineering and trap-setting. Many thieves and berserkers are among the warriors here, and Erythnul worship is widespread. Iuz's agents inhabiting Riftcrag made it a regional capital in 584. They keep watch over the canyon from the city and from the Leering Keeps, five citadels perched on the northern edge and eastern end of the enormous chasm. Led by Cranzer (NE male human Wiz15), a powerful member of Iuz's Lesser Boneheart, these forces patrol the Rift, attempting to contain the plar's growing army while continuously assaulting the Tangles with axe and fire. The Rift holds mines that provide the region's best silver veins. Of late, Cranzer has made deals with the Rift bandits in order to make the regular silver shipments personally demanded by Iuz.
Rookroost, Free City of: The large walled city of Rookroost was founded in 329 CY by an Oeridian robber-baron named Latavius, who preyed on river and road traffic within many leagues of his base. The town grew rapidly; for most of this century, it has been the major state in the Bandit Kingdoms, controlling all land up to seventy-five miles north of the Artonsamay-Zumker confluence and pulling in much legitimate trade. Rookroost's rulers have traditionally been warriors who assassinate their predecessors, controlled all the while by the city's powerful gang of thieves, which also controls the local assassins. Oeridian humans are dominant, but a large orc and half-orc population is present, with many other nonhumans besides (including half-fiends after the Greyhawk Wars). A local legend says the city on the hill will never be conquered, so long as its huge raven population roosts in the city's central square. So far, the prophecy has held true. The city resisted a siege by Tenha forces in 578 CY but was forced by treaty to stop raiding western Tenh. It wisely offered to join Iuz in 583 when the demigod's armies laid waste to the Midlands realm to the south, and in 584 it became a regional capital. Rookroost now governs all plains, forests, and hills between Cold Run and the Zumker River, all Iuzite forces in Tenh, and the plains across the Artonsamay south to the Rift Barrens. The city's newest ruler, Lord Marshall Arus Mortoth (secretly: CE male half-fiend Ftr15/Asn4), murdered his predecessor, General Pernevi, following the loss in 586 of many of Pernevi's fiendish advisers. Mortoth has restructured the government, heavily favoring humans over other races, except for a brutal hill giant employed as chief constable. Some say thieves and their agents really control the city, though the current administration has not overtly tried to sour relations with Dorakaa. Lord Mortoth is rumored to be disenchanted with Iuz, but he has no known relationship with Rookroost's rogues, being a very self-centered dictator. It may be that the humans in his administration, which include very few priests of Iuz, feign their loyalty to him. Rookroost forces use their old heraldry with that of Iuz, and relations with Iuz's local clerics are strained.
Stoink, Free City-State of: The land within the two lower bends of the Artonsamay just west of the Nutherwood are controlled by Stoink, long known as the "Wasp Nest." One of the most powerful states among the bandits, walled Stoink had a major export business in weapons until the Greyhawk Wars began, trading with and raiding both Nyrond and the County of Urnst. It also commanded a great smuggling business by river and road, and its thieves and mercenaries were renown across the Flanaess for their superb skills and bad manners. Stoink declared for Iuz after witnessing the fate of Artonsamay and Johrase, and Iuz's "capture" of the city had little real effect on its daily life. Stoink was one of the first three regional capitals designated by Iuz in 584 CY. Currently ruled by the fearless and grossly overweight Boss Renfus the Mottled (N male human Rog15), Stoink sponsors brigand raids into northern Nyrond, and its forces loot the supply trains of the army of Tenha expatriates attempting to retake their homeland under Duke Ehyeh III. Cross-river raids between Stoink and the Urnst fortress Ventnor are increasing, but they have not yet invited an invasion by the County of Urnst north of the Artonsamay. The northern border with Dimre is stoutly defended to prevent raiding by overzealous minor priests.
Tangles, Earldom of the: Encompassing the entire Tangles, the far western Rift Barrens, and the clear plains bordering Warfields and the old Shield Lands, the Earldom of the Tangles suffered greatly from the incursion of Iuz's armies. Formed from an easygoing adventuring band devoted to Olidammara, the folk of Tangles had their jovial nature put to the test by hobgoblin raids and ultimately full occupation of all but the most inaccessible forest depths. Iuz rules this area from the small town of Hallorn, the earldom's former capital and now one of Iuz's regional capitals. Hallorn was once a grim place filled with little more than zombies, thanks to an insane priest of Iuz and his numerous demonic allies. After the Flight of Fiends and the priest's death, the town's current ruler restored some normalcy to the locale, albeit of a decidedly evil bent. The wildly insane Earl Aundurach (CE male human Clrl3 of Iuz), a new addition to the Lesser Boneheart, commands the surviving Tangles folk harshly and ineffectively. He prominently displays a magical scepter crafted from the bones of Reynard, the land's rebellious bandit chief, captured and slain in 589 CY. The earl is supposed to control all activities in the Bandit Lands to the north and west, but it is very doubtful that he does. A few hundred men and half-elves have withdrawn entirely into the small woods, and from 585 CY on have gained assistance from clerics of a Trithereon sect in Furyondy, with access to considerable magic. Attempts to destroy the Tangles from Hallorn and Riftcrag have always failed, as the forest seems to regrow damage very swiftly.
Warfields, Unified Bands of the: The original claimant to the lands along the eastern Kitensa River has been lost to history. Since well before the formation of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, Warfields has been a chaotic land wracked by nearly endless warfare. Situated at the crossroads of the Shield Lands, Horned Society, and the rest of the Bandit Kingdoms, Warfields hosted some of the most titanic battles in the region's long history. The "Unified Bands" of the Warfields were hardly unified at all, and were governed as a single entity simply because one ruler was usually powerful enough to either capture or coerce the leaders of rival bands. This overlord, known as the Guardian General, ruled through oppression. Generations of chaos and lawlessness left him little option. When Rovers of the Barrens overran the northern border of the Horned Society in 578 CY, the Guardian General of Warfields was among those bandit lords who pledged their support to the Hierarchs. Shortly thereafter, the duke of Tenh's troops crossed the Zumker and threatened Grosskopf. Warfields withdrew its support for the Horned Society, triggering a punitive invasion. The miniature kingdom was controlled by Molag until the Greyhawk Wars. In spring 579, Warfields and Wormhall, directed and aided by the Horned Society, attacked the western Shield Lands; they were joined after their initial successes by armies from Reyhu, Redhand, the Rift, and other minor kingdoms. The Shield Lands fell, and Warfields men looted their way to Critwall and Axeport. They withdrew in early 583, concerned about a sudden change of orders sent to Horned Society troops (caused by Iuz, who had slain most of the Hierarchs and seized control of that realm). Warfields' army joined Iuz's, but it suffered gross losses at Steelbone Meadows massacre and rebelled. Warfields was then invaded and destroyed by Iuz's hobgoblins. Warfields' soldiers and citizens are scattered to the winds. Warfields is much less a center of military activity these days, consisting mostly of wilderness and ruined towns. Administered from the regional capital at Hallorn, the land is rife with hobgoblins, and few humans remain. The hobgoblins send many of their number south to fight returning Shield Landers at Critwall. The former Guardian General, an imposing warrior called Hok (CN male human Ftr14), has not been heard from in over five years.
Wormhall, Barony of: Though Iuz the Evil dominates the bedtime monster stories and threats experienced by most children in this dreadful realm, the ghoulish edifice known as Wormhall, and the twisted land governed by those who dwell within it, provide more localized chills. A desolate and largely uninhabited wilderness in any era, the so-called Barony of Wormhall comprised most of the land north of Warfields, along the upper Ritensa River within 75-90 miles of the east bank. Wormhall fell to a Horned Society invasion in 578 CY, though it remained occupied for but three months. Reports that the dreaded Unnamable Hierarch himself visited Wormhall were never substantiated, but most believe that the grim lords of the land entered into some pact or bargain with the leaders of Molag, granting local autonomy. Wormhall men took part in the invasion of the Shield Lands (579 CY) and later joined Iuz's troops, but they were slaughtered at Steelbone Meadows. Surviving troops and citizens fled into the Fellreev. Iuz's invasion in 583 CY brought about a similar result. The Wormhall itself still stands, and its strange masters are said to dwell there, about 40 miles west of Steelbone Meadows. Iuz's orders to his troops in this land go first to the Wormhall, bypassing Hallorn, the regional capital. The common folk who have not fled the region have experienced few changes in their daily lives. Still, Wormhall is a part of the Empire of Iuz, a point lost on no one. After meeting with the lords of Wormhall for three full days, the Old One's representative had Baron Oltagg, the speaker for the lords, sent to public execution. His still-beating heart remains magically preserved in the central village of Obresthorp. No one knows the true faces of the lords of Wormhall. Rumors suggest they are ordinary humans, fiends, reanimated lords of old, or worse. The structure and province are named for the tenebrous worms that literally crawl on the walls of the Wormhall, a revolting feature that has led many to suggest magic created by the infamous arch-cleric Kyuss is somehow involved in the affairs of the land.
Artonsamay, Duchy of the: Located along the riverbanks north of the Great Northern Bend of the Artonsamay and the plains within 30-60 miles of the Rift Barrens' eastern end, the duchy was a curiosity in this land of criminals and murderers. Though a purse was as likely to go missing here as in any holding, Artonsamay had about it a certain honor lacking in most of its neighbors. Rumored to have been ruled by a puissant noble adventurer of Urnst's Gellor dynasty, Artonsamay was a favorite haunt of thrill-seekers and lawless folk lacking an evil or sadistic bent. None of this, however, served to aid the duchy when Iuz's forces invaded in 583; the realm's castle "capital" was destroyed, and most of the land's residents fled to the County of Urnst, Stoink, or the Rift. Great magic was employed in the battle, and Artonsamay is now mostly uninhabited wilderness (much of it barren) with poor hunting, governed from Stoink. Many, including Countess Belissica, believe that Duke Gellor (N male human Ftr12) is dead, though the folk of Stoink whisper that no less than Iuz's high priestess, Halga, was seen there, tracking a man bearing an all-too-familiar appearance.
Dimre, Grand Theocracy of: Dimre includes the far end of the Phostwood west of the Artonsamay, and the plains 60-75 miles west of that wooded bend in the river. A small, powerful state, Dimre once raided Tenh and Nyrond through the Phostwood and Nutherwood. Founded prior to the Great Council of Rel Mord by the charismatic canon of a heretical apostate cult of Pholtus, Dimre is greatly reviled in the Pale. Brave young templars are often sent by the Pale's theocrat to undermine the little realm. The appalling failure rate of such endeavors has led many to suggest (in private) that Dimre presents the Pale with a convenient means for disposing of challengers to the status quo. After several embarrassing defeats in the summer of 583 CY, even the armies of Iuz chose to let matters stand, signing a pact of nonaggression and alliance with Dimre. Dimre is technically governed from Stoink, though it is autonomous in reality. Dimre's clergy preaches that to understand the glory of Light, one must first walk hand-in-hand with Darkness. Its army keeps watch on all borders, allowing none but the faithful to pass into their sacred land.
Fellands: The western Bluff Hills, eastern Fellreev, and lands between were part of a warrior realm based in the town of Groucester. The Fellands were conquered by the forces of Tenh in the spring of 578 CY, and ceased raiding eastward for a time. This realm was absorbed by the Grosskopf clans in 581, following a marriage between their ruling families. The invasion of 583 brought with it new leadership in the guise of Xavendra (CE female human Clrl3 of Iuz) an oddly refined and graceful cleric of Iuz. Lacking the fiends that provided most of her security, the cleric has had to accept former bandits into her circle of leadership in Groucester, (She reports to the regional capital at Rookroost.) The bulk of the bandits working with her have turned to dark religion and evil debauchery. Xavendra has a well-known distaste for orcs, and some suspect she may make a play for independence (despite being a cleric of the demigod) should Iuz's full attention fall elsewhere.
Freehold, Mighty: The realm in the inner crook of the Fellreev Forest, south of the Artonsamay, was named for its sole fortified site, a huge walled keep, The Freehold allied itself with Iuz when the latter invaded in 583, but its forces were treacherously destroyed at Steelbone Meadows the following year. The land is patrolled by rogue orcs now, and surviving Freeholders are very few. Few troops from Hallorn check on it. The Freehold keep itself was altered in the early months of Iuz's occupation, becoming the grisly castle known as Fleichshriver. Remolded by fiendish hands, the citadel is an imposing reminder of the evil, otherworldly forces that once infested the local countryside. Though passers-by no longer need fear the claw and tooth of marauding demons, strange, haunting screams can still be heard from the seemingly abandoned keep; locals give it a wide berth. Iuz's archmage Null (CE male human Wiz19), of the Greater Boneheart, was known to come here in the past and might do so still.
Greenkeep, Defenders of the: The eastern Fellreev south of the Artonsamay River was a state dominated by humans but with significant numbers of renegade sylvan elves and half-elves. Merry followers of Olidammara, the Greenkeepers escaped the massacre at Steelbone Meadows and withdrew into their corner of the Fellreev. They suffered much from raids by wizards, clerics, and orcs under Iuz, but some hang on, helping and helped by the Reyhu-elf alliance across the river. They avoid the plains to the south.
Grosskopf, Grand Clans of: The eastern Bluff Hills and lands south to the Zumker were held by Grosskopf, long friendly with orcs and their kin, Grosskopf was invaded by Duke Ehyeh Ill's forces in 578 and forced to restrain its banditry. This warrior realm absorbed the Fellands in 581, following a marriage between their ruling families, and raids into Tenh began anew late that year. In 583, with the troops of Stonefist crowding Tenh and demon-led orc and hobgoblin armies rapidly approaching from the west, Grosskopf capitulated to Iuz. (Some men fled into the Bluff Hills, where they hold out yet.) Many Grosskopf raiders with cavalry skills elected to take Iuz's suggestion that they relocate to the Barrens to fight the Rovers, with whom Grosskopf had clashed for many decades. The raiders live now at the Barrens' regional capital, Grossfort, forming the basis of a sizable army known as the Marauders of the North. Other Grosskopf troops work with allied orcs and goblins at Senningford and Narleon, fighting Stonehold skirmishers and supplying Iuz's troops in Tenh. Grosskopf and Fellands are both now controlled from the regional capital at Rookroost.
Johrase, Kingdom of: One of the oldest holdings in the Combination of Free Lords, Johrase has long held the lands west of the Zumker-Artonsamay confluence, extending southwest from the town of Kinemeet (the capital) to the Rift Barrens and the Tangles. Formed in 324 CY by Andrellus, a debauched scion of Aerdy's Rax dynasty, Johrase represented a miniature Great Kingdom, replete with its own king and commoners (represented by local Flan plainsmen). Over time, the realm's society became increasingly dominated by the warrior instincts of the Flan, the throne being held by the most powerful warrior, regardless of race. Annual raids against Redspan ensured that the brutish influence of Johrase was known throughout the Flanaess. Nonetheless, Kinemeet became a neutral meeting ground for bandit chieftains and a marketplace for cattle and horses. Johrase allied with Dimre and fought Iuz's forces in 583, but it was routed and its men scattered to the east. Many have taken to the mercenary life in Tenh, fighting for the Tenha, the Pale, or whoever offers the most coin. All fly the black morning star emblem of Johrase in combat, and Johrase men never fight each other, regardless of professed allegiances. Johrase bandits hate orcs and goblins, and attack them on sight; they are proud but very bitter about their loss. Kinemeet is now primarily an orcish city, its forces charged with controlling the plains for 100 miles or more in all directions. The commander here, usually a gigantic orc or intelligent ogre warrior, reports to either Rookroost or Riftcrag, depending on whim. The commander is replaced about once a year, however, thanks to duels for leadership. The orcs here are warlike in the extreme but loyal to Iuz, despite the fact that they frequently use Johrase shields and flags along with those of the Old One.
Midlands, Stronghold of the: Once located between the Fellreev and the Tangles, this plains domain was ruled from a fortified Hextorian temple across the Artonsamay River from Rookroost. Throughout history, the bandits of Midlands acted in concert with and against the armies of Rookroost, depending upon fortune and agreements between the local graf and the plar of the region's capital. By 583, the Midlands and Rookroost were allied. Iuz's armies encountered staunch but ultimately pointless resistance on the Midlands fields. When the defenders fell, the route to the capital lay open, Most surviving forces were destroyed at Steelbone Meadows, and the temple has been razed. The region is now under the control of Kinemeet's orcs, who usually answer to Graf Demmel Tadurinal (CE male human Clr8 of Iuz), a toadying cleric stationed in Rookroost. The graf also handles patrols along the Artonsamay.
Redhand, Principality of: The Combination's only coastal "kingdom," Redhand holds a section of the north coast of the Nyr Dyv, from the old Shield Lands to the mouth of the Artonsamay. "Prince" Zeech (LE male human Ftr8/Clr4 of Hextor), an effete renegade Shield Lands lord who broke with his nation in 577, swiftly allied himself and his forces with Iuz in 583. The alliance saved his realm from destruction, though the old lords and soldiers of the realm chafed at taking orders from half-orcs and worse. Redhand's capital is at Alhaster, but Zeech must report to the clerics of Iuz at Balmund, which he hates. Deadly conflicts between "Reyhu" orcs in the north and Redhand humans in the south are becoming common. Now that most of the Old One's demonic officers are gone from the land, many believe Zeech and his men are set for a rebellion. Word of this surely has reached Dorakaa, and all eyes watch the debased prince with grotesque curiosity, guessing at his fate should he defy Iuz. Zeech would get no help elsewhere, as he is greatly hated in Urnst and Furyondy.
Reyhu, Great Lands of: Though the city of Rookroost commonly held the distinction of the "capital" of the old Bandit Kingdoms, the Allied Townships of Reyhu (Balmund and Sarresh) controlled the most fertile land, granting them much power in this land of arid plains and sickly woods. Sworn enemies of the Shield Lands, Reyhu men became skilled raiders and defenders by necessity; tales of the prowess of the Reyhu armies were told as far west as Lopolla. The rulers of Reyhu, a long line of self-named tyrants, curried favor in the County of Urnst, even coming to the aid of the count when Nyrondal cavalry crossed the county's eastern border following Nyrond's break from the Great Kingdom. Because of this, Urnst funnelled much unofficial (and often illegal) trade to Reyhu through Hardwyn, across the river from Sarresh. This went on despite the wicked nature of Reyhu's folk, many of them followers of Erythnul, as many family ties crossed the Artonsamay in this region. Though Reyhu men invaded the Shield Lands with other Bandit Kingdoms after 579 CY, they feared Iuz and fled from his huge, eastward-moving armies in 583 CY, heading north into the Rift Canyon or the Fellreev, or southeast into the County of Urnst. Reyhu men now raid their old homeland from bases in Urnst, or else hold out in the central Fellreev in alliance with sylvan elves there. The old Reyhu region is administered by a quartet of clerics of Iuz in Balmund, who in turn report to either Riftcrag or Stoink (their orders are often confused on this point). Their incompetence does not eliminate the fact that the countryside literally crawls with orcs and their allies, and hence is well defended, if only by the sheer number of defenders. Reyhu's celebrated fields lay fallow, its crucial resource completely ignored and turning into wilderness.
Rift, Men of the: Rift Canyon and nearly all the rough lands around it (the Rift Barrens) were ruled from the town of Riftcrag, which long had a notable nonhuman population of orcs, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, and the like. The original bandit force here largely abandoned the city to Iuz's forces in 583, gathering in the deep recesses of the Rift and planning a dark revenge. These forces are augmented by many refugees from Iuz's attacks (notably Reyhu), and they are led by the charismatic self-proclaimed Plar of the Rift, Durand Grossman (NE male human Rog11). Native nonhumans and a few magically controlled monsters round out what is one of the three most active and well-defended resistance forces in the Bandit Kingdoms (the others being in the Fellreev). Rift folk are mostly as chaotic and evil as the nonhumans, but they are clever and skilled at mountaineering and trap-setting. Many thieves and berserkers are among the warriors here, and Erythnul worship is widespread. Iuz's agents inhabiting Riftcrag made it a regional capital in 584. They keep watch over the canyon from the city and from the Leering Keeps, five citadels perched on the northern edge and eastern end of the enormous chasm. Led by Cranzer (NE male human Wiz15), a powerful member of Iuz's Lesser Boneheart, these forces patrol the Rift, attempting to contain the plar's growing army while continuously assaulting the Tangles with axe and fire. The Rift holds mines that provide the region's best silver veins. Of late, Cranzer has made deals with the Rift bandits in order to make the regular silver shipments personally demanded by Iuz.
Rookroost, Free City of: The large walled city of Rookroost was founded in 329 CY by an Oeridian robber-baron named Latavius, who preyed on river and road traffic within many leagues of his base. The town grew rapidly; for most of this century, it has been the major state in the Bandit Kingdoms, controlling all land up to seventy-five miles north of the Artonsamay-Zumker confluence and pulling in much legitimate trade. Rookroost's rulers have traditionally been warriors who assassinate their predecessors, controlled all the while by the city's powerful gang of thieves, which also controls the local assassins. Oeridian humans are dominant, but a large orc and half-orc population is present, with many other nonhumans besides (including half-fiends after the Greyhawk Wars). A local legend says the city on the hill will never be conquered, so long as its huge raven population roosts in the city's central square. So far, the prophecy has held true. The city resisted a siege by Tenha forces in 578 CY but was forced by treaty to stop raiding western Tenh. It wisely offered to join Iuz in 583 when the demigod's armies laid waste to the Midlands realm to the south, and in 584 it became a regional capital. Rookroost now governs all plains, forests, and hills between Cold Run and the Zumker River, all Iuzite forces in Tenh, and the plains across the Artonsamay south to the Rift Barrens. The city's newest ruler, Lord Marshall Arus Mortoth (secretly: CE male half-fiend Ftr15/Asn4), murdered his predecessor, General Pernevi, following the loss in 586 of many of Pernevi's fiendish advisers. Mortoth has restructured the government, heavily favoring humans over other races, except for a brutal hill giant employed as chief constable. Some say thieves and their agents really control the city, though the current administration has not overtly tried to sour relations with Dorakaa. Lord Mortoth is rumored to be disenchanted with Iuz, but he has no known relationship with Rookroost's rogues, being a very self-centered dictator. It may be that the humans in his administration, which include very few priests of Iuz, feign their loyalty to him. Rookroost forces use their old heraldry with that of Iuz, and relations with Iuz's local clerics are strained.
Stoink, Free City-State of: The land within the two lower bends of the Artonsamay just west of the Nutherwood are controlled by Stoink, long known as the "Wasp Nest." One of the most powerful states among the bandits, walled Stoink had a major export business in weapons until the Greyhawk Wars began, trading with and raiding both Nyrond and the County of Urnst. It also commanded a great smuggling business by river and road, and its thieves and mercenaries were renown across the Flanaess for their superb skills and bad manners. Stoink declared for Iuz after witnessing the fate of Artonsamay and Johrase, and Iuz's "capture" of the city had little real effect on its daily life. Stoink was one of the first three regional capitals designated by Iuz in 584 CY. Currently ruled by the fearless and grossly overweight Boss Renfus the Mottled (N male human Rog15), Stoink sponsors brigand raids into northern Nyrond, and its forces loot the supply trains of the army of Tenha expatriates attempting to retake their homeland under Duke Ehyeh III. Cross-river raids between Stoink and the Urnst fortress Ventnor are increasing, but they have not yet invited an invasion by the County of Urnst north of the Artonsamay. The northern border with Dimre is stoutly defended to prevent raiding by overzealous minor priests.
Tangles, Earldom of the: Encompassing the entire Tangles, the far western Rift Barrens, and the clear plains bordering Warfields and the old Shield Lands, the Earldom of the Tangles suffered greatly from the incursion of Iuz's armies. Formed from an easygoing adventuring band devoted to Olidammara, the folk of Tangles had their jovial nature put to the test by hobgoblin raids and ultimately full occupation of all but the most inaccessible forest depths. Iuz rules this area from the small town of Hallorn, the earldom's former capital and now one of Iuz's regional capitals. Hallorn was once a grim place filled with little more than zombies, thanks to an insane priest of Iuz and his numerous demonic allies. After the Flight of Fiends and the priest's death, the town's current ruler restored some normalcy to the locale, albeit of a decidedly evil bent. The wildly insane Earl Aundurach (CE male human Clrl3 of Iuz), a new addition to the Lesser Boneheart, commands the surviving Tangles folk harshly and ineffectively. He prominently displays a magical scepter crafted from the bones of Reynard, the land's rebellious bandit chief, captured and slain in 589 CY. The earl is supposed to control all activities in the Bandit Lands to the north and west, but it is very doubtful that he does. A few hundred men and half-elves have withdrawn entirely into the small woods, and from 585 CY on have gained assistance from clerics of a Trithereon sect in Furyondy, with access to considerable magic. Attempts to destroy the Tangles from Hallorn and Riftcrag have always failed, as the forest seems to regrow damage very swiftly.
Warfields, Unified Bands of the: The original claimant to the lands along the eastern Kitensa River has been lost to history. Since well before the formation of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, Warfields has been a chaotic land wracked by nearly endless warfare. Situated at the crossroads of the Shield Lands, Horned Society, and the rest of the Bandit Kingdoms, Warfields hosted some of the most titanic battles in the region's long history. The "Unified Bands" of the Warfields were hardly unified at all, and were governed as a single entity simply because one ruler was usually powerful enough to either capture or coerce the leaders of rival bands. This overlord, known as the Guardian General, ruled through oppression. Generations of chaos and lawlessness left him little option. When Rovers of the Barrens overran the northern border of the Horned Society in 578 CY, the Guardian General of Warfields was among those bandit lords who pledged their support to the Hierarchs. Shortly thereafter, the duke of Tenh's troops crossed the Zumker and threatened Grosskopf. Warfields withdrew its support for the Horned Society, triggering a punitive invasion. The miniature kingdom was controlled by Molag until the Greyhawk Wars. In spring 579, Warfields and Wormhall, directed and aided by the Horned Society, attacked the western Shield Lands; they were joined after their initial successes by armies from Reyhu, Redhand, the Rift, and other minor kingdoms. The Shield Lands fell, and Warfields men looted their way to Critwall and Axeport. They withdrew in early 583, concerned about a sudden change of orders sent to Horned Society troops (caused by Iuz, who had slain most of the Hierarchs and seized control of that realm). Warfields' army joined Iuz's, but it suffered gross losses at Steelbone Meadows massacre and rebelled. Warfields was then invaded and destroyed by Iuz's hobgoblins. Warfields' soldiers and citizens are scattered to the winds. Warfields is much less a center of military activity these days, consisting mostly of wilderness and ruined towns. Administered from the regional capital at Hallorn, the land is rife with hobgoblins, and few humans remain. The hobgoblins send many of their number south to fight returning Shield Landers at Critwall. The former Guardian General, an imposing warrior called Hok (CN male human Ftr14), has not been heard from in over five years.
Wormhall, Barony of: Though Iuz the Evil dominates the bedtime monster stories and threats experienced by most children in this dreadful realm, the ghoulish edifice known as Wormhall, and the twisted land governed by those who dwell within it, provide more localized chills. A desolate and largely uninhabited wilderness in any era, the so-called Barony of Wormhall comprised most of the land north of Warfields, along the upper Ritensa River within 75-90 miles of the east bank. Wormhall fell to a Horned Society invasion in 578 CY, though it remained occupied for but three months. Reports that the dreaded Unnamable Hierarch himself visited Wormhall were never substantiated, but most believe that the grim lords of the land entered into some pact or bargain with the leaders of Molag, granting local autonomy. Wormhall men took part in the invasion of the Shield Lands (579 CY) and later joined Iuz's troops, but they were slaughtered at Steelbone Meadows. Surviving troops and citizens fled into the Fellreev. Iuz's invasion in 583 CY brought about a similar result. The Wormhall itself still stands, and its strange masters are said to dwell there, about 40 miles west of Steelbone Meadows. Iuz's orders to his troops in this land go first to the Wormhall, bypassing Hallorn, the regional capital. The common folk who have not fled the region have experienced few changes in their daily lives. Still, Wormhall is a part of the Empire of Iuz, a point lost on no one. After meeting with the lords of Wormhall for three full days, the Old One's representative had Baron Oltagg, the speaker for the lords, sent to public execution. His still-beating heart remains magically preserved in the central village of Obresthorp. No one knows the true faces of the lords of Wormhall. Rumors suggest they are ordinary humans, fiends, reanimated lords of old, or worse. The structure and province are named for the tenebrous worms that literally crawl on the walls of the Wormhall, a revolting feature that has led many to suggest magic created by the infamous arch-cleric Kyuss is somehow involved in the affairs of the land.
History
As the migratory Oeridians ranged eastward in their search for a land that would support them, they passed through many regions of inhospitable climate, infertile land, and unfriendly local populations. Chief among these lands were the rugged plains north of the Nyr Dyv, which resisted meaningful human settlement for centuries, even as a strong Aerdi empire created the Viceroyalty of Ferrond to the west. Long held by ill-favored nobles, these "Middle Lands" fell to complete degeneracy when Furyondy cut relations with its progenitor and the courts of Rauxes became inept and mad.
In time, these petty barons established formal, independent domains, loosely aligning themselves as the Combination of Free Lords. This alliance served little purpose internally. The locals fell upon each other with zeal as each lord attempted to solidify his holdings while stealing those of his neighbors. When foreign states threatened the borders of the Combination, however, the lords reacted fiercely, banding together impressive armies to discourage meaningful invasions.
By the early 300s CY, the Bandit Kings had become such a threat that the lords of the Nyr Dyv's northern shore banded together in their own alliance, a bulwark against banditry and lawlessness forevermore known as the Shield Lands. For more than two centuries, northern and southern lords made war on each other with great regularity. Iuz conquered the far western Bandit Kingdoms between Whyestil Lake and the Ritensa River, which the Horned Society then took for its own in 513 CY.
Then came the successful invasion of the Shield Lands in 579, and the coming of Iuz's human, orc, and hobgoblin armies out of the Horned Society in early 583 CY, crossing into the Bandit Kingdoms before turning on and destroying the Shield Lands. Except for a few pockets of resistance (notably Dimre), most bandit armies buckled beneath the threat of invasion or else suffered resounding military defeat. Those lords who survived the invasion allied themselves with the Old One or else fled to the forests or Rift Canyon.
The war years saw much of the central Bandit Kingdoms become parade grounds for armies of orcs, ogres, and worse. Crucial supply lines to Tenh remained well guarded, as per the personal wishes of Iuz, but deep corners of the land, such as Stoink, Rookroost, and Redhand, encountered few changes under the new leadership. The appearance of a stray orc warband seemed preferable to the tales told of demons walking the streets of the towns of the heartlands.
In late 584 CY, news from Greyhawk declared an official end to the war, and many warriors gathered in northeast Wormhall to confer with their leaders regarding plans for next year's summer raiding season. After many nights of drunken Brewfest revelry, more than ten thousand bandit men from Abbarra, Freehold, Midlands, Warfields and Wormhall were attacked as they slept by a treacherous (and probably mad) cleric of Iuz, using magic, assassins, and demonic servants. About half of these men escaped, most badly wounded, and fled overland to refuge in Greenkeep, Tangles, or the Rift. All nurse a grim hatred for Iuz and his forces in their homeland.
The abandoned campsite, now known as Steelbone Meadows, is overgrown today, with rotting tents, rusted weapons, and scattered bones forming a grim, open graveyard. Though it is likely the massacre went against the wishes of Iuz (who had the mad cleric carried off to an unknown fate), it nonetheless offers a stern warning to those who wish to throw off the puppet rulers installed by the Old One.
With Iuz's supply lines badly damaged and his nonhuman armies restless, ill managed, and underfed, this region is riddled with political machinations on behalf of the old bandit lords and new ones yet to appear. Robbed of most of the fiends that made up the backbone of his presence here, Iuz is thought by many to have lost considerable influence in the area. Still, the Old One counts it among his holdings, and a resistance force of any size is likely to encounter frightening, impressive resistance (see Iuz, Empire of).
Government: Many loosely allied petty dictatorships, currently "administered" (often in name only) by occupying forces of Iuz
Capital: (formerly) The largest city in the strongest fiefdom, usually Rookroost; see "Provinces," below.
Major Towns: Alhaster (pop. 4,700), Balmund (1,300), Groucester (1,100), Hallorn (540), Kinemeet (2,300 humans, 5,000 orcs), Marsakeer (630), Narleon (2,400), Riftcrag (pop. 5,000), Rookroost (17,500), Sarresh (3,600), Senningford (1,200), Stoink (13,300)
Provinces: (Formerly) seventeen independent fiefdoms, number variable over time (now) various ill-defined territories governed from four "regional capitals" (Hallorn, Riftcrag, Rookroost, and Stoink entire region is itself part of the Empire of Iuz
Resources: Silver (in Rift Canyon)
Coinage: Various currencies produced by each fiefdom or stolen from sovereign nations
Population: 475,200—Human 79% (OFSb), Halforc 9%, Halfling 5%, Elf 3%, Gnome 2%, Dwarf 1%, Half-elf 1%
Languages: Common, Orc, Halfling
Alignments: CN, CE*, NE, N, LE, CG
Religions: Iuz (officially), but also Olidammara, Erythnul, Norebo, Hextor, orc pantheon, Nerull, Ralishaz, Kurell, Fharlanghn, Pholtus, Trithereon, Rudd, various goblinoid gods
Allies: None
Enemies: Shield Lands, Furyondy, Stonehold, Rovers, Tenh, County of Urnst, the Pale, Nyrond, Knights of Holy Shielding, Knights of the Hart, hostile factions within Iuz's command structure (sometimes)
Adventures set in the Bandit Kingdoms:
• Age of Worms: The Prince of Redhand
• Age of Worms: Kings of the Rift
• Swordquest
• White Plume Mountain
Capital: (formerly) The largest city in the strongest fiefdom, usually Rookroost; see "Provinces," below.
Major Towns: Alhaster (pop. 4,700), Balmund (1,300), Groucester (1,100), Hallorn (540), Kinemeet (2,300 humans, 5,000 orcs), Marsakeer (630), Narleon (2,400), Riftcrag (pop. 5,000), Rookroost (17,500), Sarresh (3,600), Senningford (1,200), Stoink (13,300)
Provinces: (Formerly) seventeen independent fiefdoms, number variable over time (now) various ill-defined territories governed from four "regional capitals" (Hallorn, Riftcrag, Rookroost, and Stoink entire region is itself part of the Empire of Iuz
Resources: Silver (in Rift Canyon)
Coinage: Various currencies produced by each fiefdom or stolen from sovereign nations
Population: 475,200—Human 79% (OFSb), Halforc 9%, Halfling 5%, Elf 3%, Gnome 2%, Dwarf 1%, Half-elf 1%
Languages: Common, Orc, Halfling
Alignments: CN, CE*, NE, N, LE, CG
Religions: Iuz (officially), but also Olidammara, Erythnul, Norebo, Hextor, orc pantheon, Nerull, Ralishaz, Kurell, Fharlanghn, Pholtus, Trithereon, Rudd, various goblinoid gods
Allies: None
Enemies: Shield Lands, Furyondy, Stonehold, Rovers, Tenh, County of Urnst, the Pale, Nyrond, Knights of Holy Shielding, Knights of the Hart, hostile factions within Iuz's command structure (sometimes)
Adventures set in the Bandit Kingdoms:
• Age of Worms: The Prince of Redhand
• Age of Worms: Kings of the Rift
• Swordquest
• White Plume Mountain
Location in the Flanaess
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