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]

@Parmandur

The planet Oerth intentionally draws inspiration from reallife cultures, with corresponding locations across the global map.

Baklun (Baklunish Basin) corresponds geographically to Siberia, and implies a strong presence of the shamanic cultures within Siberia and nearby, including the Evenki.

Note, there are also Siberian Cossacks who are Muslims. They arrived to Siberia in the 1500s alongside those who are mainly from Northwest Russia.

On the fantasy map of the Flanaess subcontinent, its western part, Baklun, includes placenames that imply inspiration from reallife Muslim cultures. Namely: Sultanate of Ekbir, Sultanate of Zeif, and Pashalik of Tusmit. Thus there is a small exclave of Islamesque cultures. More precisely, there are three cities Ekbir, Zeif, and in Tusmit Sefmur that have Islamesque rulers. Their presence doesnt necessarily mean that the surrounding indigenous populations are also Islamesque. Most of the area appears remote wildernesses where indigenous populations are moreorless autonomous with their own animistic traditions.

The term "sultan" derives from Arabic meaning something like "rulership, control", and came to refer to the leader of a Muslim monarchy but who lacks descent from a "kalif" emperor. Ethnically diverse Muslim governments use the term sultan. The term "pasha" of a "pashalik" is more specifically the Ottoman Empire, referring to a military leader or a governor.

In fantasy Flanaess, the "Pashalik of Tusmit" implies a farflung exclave of an Ottomanesque empire elsewhere on Oerth. Such an empire can reach great distances because of horseback cultures that can be part of it. It is possible Ekbir is the first Islamesque city, and the other two split away from it. The "pashalik" of Tusmit appears to have been conquered by an other Islamesque empire, the Ottomanesque one. Remote Sefmur in Tusmit maintains an uneasy alliance with Ekbir.

The populations are mainly Baklunish, and mainly animistic. However, there are Islamesque colonies that have taken root in these three cities of Ekbir, Zeif, and Tusmit. The cities of Lopolta in Ket and Ulakand in Ull appear to be examples of indiginous Baklunish who are Nonislamesque.

Note, the earlier Darlene map referred to the "Caliphate of Ekbir". However the term "kalif" is religiously sensitive in reallife, and the 2024 map instead has the "Sultanate of Ekbir".

 

[pemerton]

I don't recall tiger folk or Vulfen from my RM days. Then again, my RM days are 30 years past.

They're in Creatures and Treasures. We never saw either in play as a PC; but we did have a Sibbicai (a jackal-person; Monte Cook wrote them up in C&T II before he d20-fied them with Arcana Unearthed).

EDIT: I think my spelling is wrong - Sibeccai?

 

[Yaarel]

Chakyik and Wegwiur correspond to reallife Indigenous Canadians and require cultural sensitivity.

The Flan of Flanaess correspond to the Indigenous in the United States.

 

[pemerton]

@Parmandur

The planet Oerth intentionally draws inspiration from reallife cultures, with corresponding locations across the global map.

Baklun (Baklunish Basin) corresponds geographically to Siberia, and implies a strong presence of the shamanic cultures within Siberia and nearby, including the Evenki.

Note, there are also Siberian Cossacks who are Muslims. They arrived to Siberia in the 1500s alongside those who are mainly from Northwest Russia.

On the fantasy map of the Flanaess subcontinent, its western part, Baklun, includes placenames that imply inspiration from reallife Muslim cultures. Namely: Sultanate of Zeif, Sultanate of Ekbir, and Pashalik of Tusmit. Thus there is a small exclave of Islamesque cultures. More precisely, there are three cities Zeif, Ekbir, and Tusmit who have Islamesque rulers. Their presence doesnt necessarily mean that the surrounding indigenous populations are also Islamesque. Most the area appears remote wildernesses where indigenous populations are moreorless autonomous with their own animistic traditions.

The term "sultan" derives from Arabic meaning something like "rulership, control", and came to refer to the leader of a Muslim monarchy but who lacks descent from a "kalif" emperor. Ethnically diverse Muslim governments use the term sultan. The term "pasha" of a "pashalik" is more specifically the Ottoman Empire, referring to a military leader or a governor.

In fantasy Flanaess, the "Pashalik of Tusmit" implies a farflung exclave of an Ottomanesque empire elsewhere on Oerth. Such an empire can reach great distances because of horseback cultures that can be part of it. It is possible Ekbir is the first Islamesqe city, and the other two split away from it. The "pashalik" of Tusmit appears to have been conquered by an other Islamesque empire, the Ottomanesque one. Remote Tusmit maintains an uneasy alliance with Ekbir.

The populations are mainly Baklunish, and mainly animistic. However, there are Islamesque colonies that have taken root in these three cities of Ekbir, Zeif, and Tusmit. The cities of Lopolta in Ket and Ulakand in Ull appear to be examples of indiginous Baklunish who are Nonislamesque.

Note, the earlier Darlene map referred to the "Caliphate of Ekbir". However the term "kalif" is religiously sensitive in reallife, and the 2024 map instead has the "Sultanate of Ekbir".

Obviously anyone can do what they like. But Gygax's stuff makes it pretty clear that the Baklun cultures are meant to evoke the Islamic cultures of Western and Central Asia: the nomenclature for their rulers and structures of government; the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar ("This pair of holy relics were given by the gods of the Paynims to their most exalted high priest of lawful good alignment in the days following the Invoked Devastation" (DMG p 157)); the use of the term "Paynim" itself; the descriptions of minarets in the Baklun cities; the presence of "Dervishes" on the encounter tables; etc.

There is nothing in any GH material I'm aware of that connects the Baklun lands and peoples to Siberian traditions.

 

[pemerton]

Chakyik and Wegwiur correspond to reallife Indigenous Canadians and require cultural sensitivity.

The treatment of Islamic worship and traditions also requires sensitivity. The GH material tends to lean rather heavily into stereotype.

 

[Yaarel]

The treatment of Islamic worship and traditions also requires sensitivity. The GH material tends to lean rather heavily into stereotype.

Yeah. The fact that the "Sultanate of Ekbir" retcons from the original "Caliphate of Ekbir" seems part of a cultural sensitivity toward Islamic cultures.

Note, elsewhere on the supercontinent of Oerik, the area of "Erypt" includes regions for Egyptian and Arabian cultures.

I feel the 2024 Greyhawk setting needs to have monotheism, especially for the Islamesque populations. Generally, a D&D version of monotheism has God be utterly infinite and omnipresent. Thus there is no "god" in the Astral Plane to interact with. But there can be Celestial saints and angels who are in unity with the monotheistic divine. Meanwhile, the monotheistic cultures interpret the Plane of Positive Energy to be an "imminent" aspect of the divine. Humanoids are ethically responsible for using the gift of positivity to make the multiverse a better place.

 

[Yaarel]

Obviously anyone can do what they like. But Gygax's stuff makes it pretty clear that the Baklun cultures are meant to evoke the Islamic cultures of Western and Central Asia: the nomenclature for their rulers and structures of government; the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar ("This pair of holy relics were given by the gods of the Paynims to their most exalted high priest of lawful good alignment in the days following the Invoked Devastation" (DMG p 157)); the use of the term "Paynim" itself; the descriptions of minarets in the Baklun cities; the presence of "Dervishes" on the encounter tables; etc.

There is nothing in any GH material I'm aware of that connects the Baklun lands and peoples to Siberian traditions.

Actually only some areas of the Baklunish language speakers are Islamesque. Most of the Baklunish are Nonislamesque. Most clear is that the rulers of certain cities are Islamesque, but even their citizens might not be.

Heh, obviously using the term "Al(lah) Akbar" to refer to "gods" is highly culturally offensive. The 2024 Greyhawk setting needs to have a diversity of monotheistic cultures, including to represent the Islamesque populations.

Probably, 2024 Greyhawk should borrow an Eberron approach to religion, with its religious relativity and setting agnosticism. Despite the fact that powerful creatures objectively exist in the alignment planes, whether one chooses to "worship" them depends on ones cultural traditions. The Islamesque cultures dont worship them.

 

[Hussar]

@Yaarel - I have to admit, you have some very neat ideas. But, you REALLY need to stop passing off your head canon as actual setting canon. You keep referencing stuff that is so far beyond canon that it's passed out the other side.

Note, that in the 2024 version of Greyhawk, NOTHING is set outside of what's in the DMG. WotC has been really, really clear that any previous material might be used, or it might not be. That means all the Living Greyhawk stuff and, well, pretty anything published between about 1983 and now is, at best, rumour.

 

[Yaarel]

@Yaarel - I have to admit, you have some very neat ideas. But, you REALLY need to stop passing off your head canon as actual setting canon. You keep referencing stuff that is so far beyond canon that it's passed out the other side.

Note, that in the 2024 version of Greyhawk, NOTHING is set outside of what's in the DMG. WotC has been really, really clear that any previous material might be used, or it might not be. That means all the Living Greyhawk stuff and, well, pretty anything published between about 1983 and now is, at best, rumour.

D&D includes many traditions often happening in isolation from each other.

It is insufficient to simply refer to the 2024 DMs Guide. If a DM chooses to play in the Greyhawk setting, one also probably wants to reconcile and make sense of the very many stray references within the D&D traditions of earlier editions, that are often conflictive. Many things require clarification. Some things can conveniently both be true. Some things require modifications to fit together. Some things need to be left behind in the past because of todays priorities.

My "head canon" strives to reconcile many references about Greyhawk, as well as maintain the cultural sensitivity that today requires.

 

[pemerton]

elsewhere on the supercontinent of Oerik, the area of "Erypt" includes regions for Egyptian and Arabian cultures.

My "head canon" strives to reconcile many references about Greyhawk

The stuff you refer to outside of the material actually found in the core GH products - the folio, both boxed sets, the Adventure Begins, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer - really has no weight or significance: the maps are not well-developed, and indeed are not really consistent; and there is no substantive content for any of it. Anyone can make it whatever they want! My maps I drew up 38 years ago, that locate Kara-Tur eastward of the Great Kingdom with a land connection to Hepmonaland, is basically just as authoritative.