Help Describe Greyhawk (seriously)

[Apok]

I don't see how Greyhawk is similar to the Forgotten Realms. Ugh.

You've gotta look at them objectively, without prejudice or a 'pet-setting' mentality.



That's not easy to do, especially for alot of gamers.

 

[Ron]

Um with all due respect, bad licensed fiction and DMs aside on the first point of course... That sounds similar to the Realms, not dissimilar.

That's not surprising, as TSR transfered several neat Greyhawk ideas, such as the Vault of Drow, to Forgotten Realms. As such, most of the uniqueness of Greyhawk was copied over to the Realms. Not surprisingly, many D&D veterans consider Forgotten Realms to be highly unoriginal.

However, most Greyhawk's powerful NPCs are not so easily aligned in the good-evil axis as their Realms counterparts. Also, except for the real evil ones, they act in a much indirect way, which leaves more opportunities to the players' characters to leave their mark. Finally, despite Greyhawk being a high magic setting, the Realms are far more magical, which makes the former more medieval like, whereas the second adjust better to the new anime looking D&D style.

 

[Ron]

Actually, there are many similarities between the Realms and Greyhawk. But whereas FR was specifically created to be a D&D fantasy world, GH started out as simply a setting for miniature wargaming and over time was adapted to the role-playing setting.
[...]
collin

Actually, Greenwood claims he created Forgotten Realms as a setting to his short stories. The gaming component came much later, whereas Gygax created Greyhawk simultaneously with D&D. Perhaps you're thinking of how Arneson created Blackmoor, as he actually adapted a minuature game to evolve in proto-D&D.

 

[Gentlegamer]

1. Greyhawk has armed, militant forces of Neutrality
2. Very medieval in feeling, with several orders of knights, theocracies, and widespread feudalism
3. Areas of advanced, high Middle Ages level societies and areas of barbarism: Cavaliers and Barbarians being in the same party make sense!
4. NPCs don't overshadow actions of PCs.
5. Active Lower Planes machinations by Demons, Devils, etc.
6. Humans are definitely the dominant "race."
7. Humans have actual nationalities and ethnicities (Nyrondese, Keoish, Oeridian, Flan, Bakluni, etc)
8. Most of the world is unexplored.

 

[Gentlegamer]

Actually, Greenwood claims he created Forgotten Realms as a setting to his short stories. The gaming component came much later, whereas Gygax created Greyhawk simultaneously with D&D. Perhaps you're thinking of how Arneson created Blackmoor, as he actually adapted a minuature game to evolve in proto-D&D.

IRMC, Gygax used the Lake Geneva Castle & Crusade Society's map of the "Great Kingdom" as the origin for his Greyhawk campaign. Arneson's area in the Society on the Great Kingdom map was Blackmoor, which became his roleplaying campaign setting, as well.

 

[DarrenGMiller]

1. Greyhawk has armed, militant forces of Neutrality
2. Very medieval in feeling, with several orders of knights, theocracies, and widespread feudalism
3. Areas of advanced, high Middle Ages level societies and areas of barbarism: Cavaliers and Barbarians being in the same party make sense!
4. NPCs don't overshadow actions of PCs.
5. Active Lower Planes machinations by Demons, Devils, etc.
6. Humans are definitely the dominant "race."
7. Humans have actual nationalities and ethnicities (Nyrondese, Keoish, Oeridian, Flan, Bakluni, etc)
8. Most of the world is unexplored.

This is pretty close to the style guides I have found, but MUCH more concise.

DM

 

[Ant]

Not quite what you're looking for, but here's my Short Introduction to the World of Greyhawk

Cheers!

That was an excellent article, MerricB. I enjoyed it so much I searched for all of the other Canonfire! articles you've submitted.

Colour me impressed!

 

[orangefruitbat]

I might add that in Greyhawk, much of the major events (metaplot, if you will) arises from conflict between nations - Furyondy vs Iuz, Great Kingdom (pre-dissolution) vs its neighbours. It's more political in a medieval (or even contemporary way).

Whereas in FR, nations play less of a role than the various societies (Cult of the Dragon, Zhemtarian), etc. When was the last time, Waterdeep sent out an army to occupy Neverwinter? Sure, Thay will invade someone, but it's more that the Red Wizards invade someone (subtle but distinct difference). Thus, the world is more ideological than political.

I'm sure people can come up with counter-examples. For instance, the Scarlet Brotherhood (Greyhawk) acts similar to the way the Zhentarian (FR) does. And the Cult of Tharizdun acts in a fashion not disimilar to the followers of Moander. But on the whole, this seems to be a key difference.

Another difference is that while it has a fair bit of wilderness, Greyhawk is covered by national maps. Keoland could, if it wanted to, go to war against Sterrich (I'm just going by memory, I don't remember if the two countries are adjacent). Whereas, FR has huge empty areas mysteriously dotted with city states. There no nations between Amn and Waterdeep, or in the big empty between Cormyr and the Sword Coast. I'm sure FR has explanations for this, but it limits things. Cormyr could invade Sembia or the Dalelands, but it doesn't. Seems the threats of liches, dragons, and cultists prevents good ol' fashion endemic warfare that we would expect from a medieveal setting.

1. Greyhawk has armed, militant forces of Neutrality
2. Very medieval in feeling, with several orders of knights, theocracies, and widespread feudalism
3. Areas of advanced, high Middle Ages level societies and areas of barbarism: Cavaliers and Barbarians being in the same party make sense!
4. NPCs don't overshadow actions of PCs.
5. Active Lower Planes machinations by Demons, Devils, etc.
6. Humans are definitely the dominant "race."
7. Humans have actual nationalities and ethnicities (Nyrondese, Keoish, Oeridian, Flan, Bakluni, etc)
8. Most of the world is unexplored.