D&D (2024) WotC Invites You To Explore the World of Greyhawk

This week a new D&D Dungeon Master's Guide preview video was released. This one features the sample setting chapter in the book, which showcases the World of Greyhawk.

One of the earliest campaign settings, and created by D&D co-founder Gary Gygax, Greyhawk dates back to the early 1970s in Gygax's home games, receiving a short official setting book in 1980. Gyeyhawk was selected as the example setting because it is able to hit all the key notes of D&D while being concise and short. The setting has been largely absent from D&D--aside from a few shorter adventures--since 2008. Some key points from the video--

• Greyhawk deliberately leaves a lot for the DM to fill in, with a 30-page chapter.
• Greyhawk created many of the tropes of D&D, and feels very 'straight down the fairway' D&D.
• This is the world where many iconic D&D magic items, NPCs, etc. came from--Mordenkainen, Bigby, Tasha, Otiluke and so on.
• The DMG starts with the City of Greyhawk and its surroundings in some detail, and gets more vague as you get farther away.
• The city is an example of a 'campaign hub'.
• The sample adventures in Chapter 4 of the DMG are set there or nearby.
• The map is an updated version, mainly faithful to the original with some tweaks.
• The map has some added locations key to D&D's history--such as White Plume Mountain, the Tomb of Horrors, Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Ghost Tower of Inverness.
• There's a map of the city, descriptions of places characters might visit--magic item shop, library, 3 taverns, temples, etc.
• The setting takes 'a few liberties while remaining faithful to the spirit of the setting'--it has been contemporized to make it resonate in all D&D campaigns with a balance of NPCs who showcase the diversity of D&D worlds.
• The backgrounds in the Player's Handbook map to locations in the city.
• Most areas in the setting have a name and brief description.
• They focus on three 'iconic' D&D/Greyhawk conflicts such as the Elemental Evil, a classic faceless adversary; Iuz the evil cambion demigod; and dragons.
• There's a list of gods, rulers, and 'big bads'.

 

[Yaarel]

I mean, WotC won't be doing that.

Suel references many reallife cultures. It is important for WotC to handle its story well, and without the mistakes made in the last century.

 

[Parmandur]

Suel references many reallife cultures. It is important for WotC to handle its story well, and without the mistakes made in the last century.

I wasn't talking about WotC, though, I was just talking about how I would spread tieflings far and wide in the Settijg, in a way that marched the Setting and Tiefling lore.

 

[Yaarel]

I wasn't talking about WotC, though, I was just talking about how I would spread tieflings far and wide in the Settijg, in a way that marched the Setting and Tiefling lore.

Because the Tiefling come from the Astral Plane, they can show up in Greyhawk anywhere anytime. They dont need a civilization that is native to planet Oerth.

Indeed, they seem most likely to show up to assist individuals who are actively combating Fiends.

 

[Yaarel]

If I understand correctly, the Cambion Iuz is the magical offspring of Tasha and the Demon, Grazzt?

His realm originates in Flanaess, in the Howling Hills belonging to the indigenous Wegwuirs who he exiled. The realm is now mainly populated by Orcs, Hobgoblins, and Gnolls, possibly with Dwarf and Gnome slaves for mining.

A 2024 update should probably have the citizenry be worshipers from various species and cultures, including Evil Dwarf and Gnome individuals. The Orcs and Hobgoblins are Humanoids, thus those associating with Iuz voluntarily joined his religious Evil faction.

The 2024 Gnolls are still Fiends? If so, these Demon Gnolls of Iuz probably arrived when Tashs summoned the Demon Grazzt to Oerth.

Likewise, the Evil Tieflings who served Grazzt can have arrived with him from the Abyss to Oerth. Since the children of these Tieflings are Humanoids of free will and any alignment, some of them can have fled from Iuz, and the some of the Good ones may be actively opposing him. Hence the origin of (most) Tieflings in Flanaess.

 

[Parmandur]

Because the Tiefling come from the Astral Plane, they can show up in Greyhawk anywhere anytime. They dont need a civilization that is native to planet Oerth.

Indeed, they seem most likely to show up to assist individuals who are actively combating Fiends.

Well, no, Tieflings are from the Material Plance, they are just the result of historical interactions of the lower planes with the material realm...and the Suel Imperium is not the only bit of history that matches that, but theyvaree a good reason for wide Tiefling dispersement.

Likewise, the Evil Tieflings who served Grazzt can have arrived with him from the Abyss to Oerth. Since the children of these Tieflings are Humanoids of free will and any alignment, some of them can have fled from Iuz, and the some of the Good ones may be actively opposing him. Hence the origin of (most) Tieflings in Flanaess.

...this is much worse, because Iuz and his Empire are recent, really recent. That would, first, exclude Infernal and Cthonic Tieflings from the PHB, and second, imply a very recent actively evil origin for Tieflings.

Whereas the Suel Imperium is way, way back in the past, and there wouldn't be a strong 1-to-1 correlation between modern Tieflings spread around the Flannaes and anything their ancestors may or may have done or had done to them.

But again, I don't expect WotC to get into the weeds on this, as they shouldn't. I am merely providing a lore-baaed reason any of the new Spexies could be widespread without changing...basically anything.

 

[Yaarel]

Well, no, Tieflings are from the Material Plane, they are just the result of historical interactions of the lower planes with the material realm...

It depends on the setting, but the lore offered in the 2024 Players Handbook says, "Tieflings are either born in the Lower Planes, or have fiendish ancestors who originated there.

Since the Players Handbook lore seems officially true for both Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms, any Tieflings in Flanaess are Humanoids who originate from the Astral Plane.

(By the definition of "have fiendish ancestors", Iuz himself might be a Tiefling. The fiendish magic is bound to the "blood", thus transmits to offspring.)

and the Suel Imperium is not the only bit of history that matches that, but theyvaree a good reason for wide Tiefling dispersement.

I am unclear why there would be a "wide dispersement" of Tiefling?

There is a community of Tiefling in the city of Greyhawk. That would be a rare local phenomenon.

...this is much worse, because Iuz and his Empire are recent, really recent.

The recentness and rarity of the Tiefling is intentional, as it explains why earlier descriptions of Greyhawk dont mention it.

Earlier texts do mention Iuz is a "cambion". I am uncertain if in 2024 this means he is a Tiefling.

That would, first, exclude Infernal and Cthonic Tieflings from the PHB, and second, imply a very recent actively evil origin for Tieflings.

The demonic Tiefling is rare, but the devilish and lothic ones would be even rarer in Flanaess.

As they originate from the Astral Plane, they might arrive anywhere anytime.

Whereas the Suel Imperium is way, way back in the past, and there wouldn't be a strong 1-to-1 correlation between modern Tieflings spread around the Flannaes and anything their ancestors may or may have done or had done to them.

But again, I don't expect WotC to get into the weeds on this, as they shouldn't. I am merely providing a lore-baaed reason any of the new Spexies could be widespread without changing...basically anything.

I feel it is more helpful to have had a "faction" summon the demonic Tiefling, rather than demonize an entire culture.


In the case of Tasha, she herself is capable of summoning Tiefling along with Grazzt. Her magically born son Iuz would, with these Tieflings, found a faction that worships him, and presumably worship Grazzt as well.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

There's a wide gap between a tiefling and a cambion. Just like a Dragonborn isn't a half-dragon and a dhampir isn't a vampire spawn.

 

[Parmandur]

It depends on the setting, but the lore offered in the 2024 Players Handbook says, "Tieflings are either born in the Lower Planes, or have fiendish ancestors who originated there.

Since the Players Handbook lore seems officially true for both Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms, any Tieflings in Flanaess are Humanoids who originate from the Astral Plane.

I mean, sure, the Planescape origin is another possibility.

I am unclear why there would be a "wide dispersement" of Tiefling?

Why not? But less flippant, my goal for my game would be to "Say Yes" and allow any Tiefling Class and Background combo, which is easier if they are fairly widely dispersed.

There is a community of Tiefling in the city of Greyhawk. That would be a rare local phenomenon

Why?

The recentness and rarity of the Tiefling is intentional, as it explains why earlier descriptions of Greyhawk dont mention it.

Those don't matter, for my gaming purposes.

Earlier texts do mention Iuz is a "cambion". I am uncertain if in 2024 this means he is a Tiefling.

Cambion's are a totally different thing, like Aasamir and Empyreans are different. Cambions are powerful and dangerous Fiends, not Humanoids with some light lower planes traits.

The demonic Tiefling is rare

Why...?

but the devilish and lothic ones would be even rarer in Flanaess.

Why...?

 

[Demetrios1453]

In the recent Vecna book, Vecna was a Flan Emperor from Oerth, what are you talking about...?

And

Spoiler

if the party is successful, it specifically states he's banished in weakened form back to Oerth

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Why...?

Why...?

Wasn't like Frazurblu a demon lord imprisoned under Castle Greyhawk?

Demonic tiefling could be a noticeable presence in Greyhawk simply by exposition to a corrupting demon cyst.

Same with drow tieflings in Erelei Cinlu, with Lolth (and general demonic powers) worship is pretty common.

As for Chtonic tiefling, with all the warring kingdoms in Greyhawk, fiendish mercenaries might be more common than we think, making those tieflings prevalent in war-torn places or raided villages.