Greyhawk - tell me about the setting

[RangerWickett]

I don't know much about the Greyhawk setting, and I'm just curious. What are some of the major organizations? What are the power groups? I know the setting is meant to be less plot-heavy than Forgotten Realms, but what sorts of plot things have happened in its history?

 

[Bayushi Seikuro]

I never really minded Greyhawk.

The nations seem internally consistent, flowing from one to another, etc.

As far as the power groups -- been awhile since I've played -- but I've always been a big fan of the Scarlet Brotherhood. Monks, assassins, and (thieves, I think)? -- focused on their national purity... infilitrators, etc.

I rant

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Major organizations and power groups... Well, we have...

The slavelords
The Vault of the Drow
The Scarlet Brotherhood
The Horned Society
Circle of Eight
Knights of Holy Shielding
Knights of the Hart
Knights of the Watch
Knights of Luna
Old Faith
Old Lore
Rangers of the Gnarley Forest
Temple of Elemental Evil might be considered one... for a brief period they made a significant impact on the nations near it...

The demigod Iuz himself has an empire swallowing up a great portion of the middle of the Flanaess. He has had agents all around the continent doing his bidding.

The giants of the Crystalmist Mountains could be considered a power group, they have been manipulated by the Drow into invading human nations... they conquered a couple of them for a short time too.

 

[grodog]

I don't know much about the Greyhawk setting, and I'm just curious. What are some of the major organizations? What are the power groups? I know the setting is meant to be less plot-heavy than Forgotten Realms, but what sorts of plot things have happened in its history?

That's a pretty broad question, Ryan, since there are over 400 GH organizations according to Jason Zavoda's GH index.

If you're heading up to GenCon, I recommend that you ping Erik Mona over at Paizo's booth---he's a wealth of information on GH, and this information is probably more easily and succinctly expressed in person. That said, you can read through the info in the Living Greyhawk Gaz., which has a short chapter on about 8 power groups toward the end of the book. There have also been a few articles on individual organizations in the Living Greyhawk Journal (The Silent Ones, the Circle of Eight, the Death Knights of GH, etc.), and the Scarlet Brotherhood got it's own 2e book.

Anything in particular you're looking for?

 

[RangerWickett]

These giants, they are based on the "Against the Giants" series of adventures, right?

What about Elves? Do they have any power groups? Bladesinger-esque folks? Any Elf nations?

 

[Hand of Evil]

See http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/arch/lgpg it may have something useful.

 

[William Ronald]

These giants, they are based on the "Against the Giants" series of adventures, right?

What about Elves? Do they have any power groups? Bladesinger-esque folks? Any Elf nations?

RangerWickett, the elves do have the nation of Celene and one of the Ulek states. You might want to pick up the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer. (Or if you can do a search on these boards, try to find the prep threads for Serpenteyes 5th IR where I posted a summary of the history of the World of Greyhawk.)

The elves do not really have any large nations, but are in several key areas. The elves of the Vesve Forest are a potent force against Iuz. Celene has traditionally been isolationist, but may change. The Ulek states, which have a population of demihumans and humans , are small nations but are a force for good.

 

[Shadowslayer]

SOme good info here: http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/

Hope it helps.
Trev

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

These giants, they are based on the "Against the Giants" series of adventures, right?

Precisely.

What about Elves? Do they have any power groups? Bladesinger-esque folks? Any Elf nations?

The Knights of Luna are elf exclusive. The Knights of the Hart have three branches, one for the nation of Furyondy, one for the nation of Veluna, and another for the elves of the Vesve forest.

As mentioned, Celene an elf exclusive, exclusionary nation. Sunndi is a nation ruled by elves, but is multiracial. Highfolk is a human majority freetown but is allied with the elven clans of the Vesve forest. Most of the large forests across the continent have extensive elven clans, none of them fit the status of nation with precise borders like Celene does. It is the Duchy of Ulek that is ruled by elves and is elf majority.