(IR) Announcing a New Strategic Roleplaying Campaign of Epic Proportions!

[Rikandur Azebol]

I do agree there is a need for a factions list. I would like Serpenteye to answer a few questions as to how much time I should expect to devote to an IR, as I would like to play IF I can also do what else I need to do.

Join, join ! Serpenteye was claiming that he need about 20 players. And that IR pace will be slower than 3rd's.

As this is set 20 years after the current Greyhawk era of 594 Common Year, I imagine some nations have stabilized. I am tempted to take Nyrond, the Urnst States, the Theocracy of the Pale, and the Iron League. Or the Baklunish states perhaps.

Don't take Theocracy ... Paxus Asclepius and I are intending to invade the place ... raze it to the ground, take captives and animate slain as reinforcenment for my army. Slaves are good currency ...

I think Serpenteye needs to explain what benefits the Good and Neutral powers might have in this IR. So far, I suspect that most of those here believe that the evil factions will have an upper hand. So, how will balance be maintained. (In the 3rd IR, everyone had a chance to shine. The same should be true not just for online games, but every game. At least I think so.)

Reliablity, perchaps ? Trustworthiness, courage ? Bwa, Ha, Ha ! Iuz can manage as much and more with his reasonable allies, without such mindless rabble ! And why I took evil faction ? For fun, my friend.

Perhaps the person playing the City of Greyhawk should claim Zagyg, the former mayor of Greyhawk who had such demigods as Iuz and Wastri trapped in his castle ruins. Also, a neutral power might want to claim Kelanen the prince of Swords, while good powers might want to claim the quasi-deities Murlynd (who seems to hail from the Old West, or so his six-shooters hint), Keoghtom (probably associated with Keoland), and Heward (of the Mystical Organ fame, appropriate to anyone who likes bards.)

Iuz became deity in Zagyg's dungeons ! he entered as powerful cambion, emerged as invicible power. With what they were feeding him there ?!
Murlynd ... Keoghtom ... Heward ... Wastri ? Who is Wastri ?!?

The Forsaken One, I do not see a Pearl Sea on the map of the Flanaess from the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer. You mentioned jungles, and there is the Amedio Jungle west of the Azure Sea -- near the Hold of the Sea Princes -- and the jungles of Northern Hepmonaland. The latter are controlled by the Scarlet Brotherhood. (If anyone can find it, Sean K. Reynold's The Scarlet Brotherhood supplement from 2nd Edition was a great book about a creepy and racist power. The Scarlet Brotherhood, which champions Suel supremacy, is a great villain and major player in the World of Greyhawk.)

I wonder if Iuz's momma is of Suel orgin ? But yes, Scarlet Brotherhood might be dangerous "ally". Or bitter enemy. Chmm ... So much to kill, and so small amount of time.

Everyone, I suspect Serpenteye will need more time to organize this than he planned. So, let's try to get a few more people here. Also, if anyone wants to contact me, e-mail me at williamwronald@aol.com. I will try to help out with any questions until Serpenteye gets back.

Chmm, If You do offer Your head on the plate.
Where can I found some more about Iuz, his mom, his political stance and about his lands at the end of Greyhawk Wars ? And if it is possible his hitlist, with explaination how particular soul wronged him.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Hey there, all.

Serpenteye, if you are indeed sick, my best wishes for a speedy recovery, and a big welcome back when you return and can read this.

Cheers, Guilt Puppy! I've bookmarked that map. Looks REALLY good.

I believe the Pearl Sea is the sea around or just to the east of Nippon, on the really large scale maps.

- - -

William, remember the 1950s War of the Worlds film? The narrator in that film said: 'Minds cool and vast and unsympathetic looked down upon our world with envious eyes. It did not occur to mankind that a swift fate might be hanging over him.'

In our campaign, the Solistarim were much like the Martians: the analogy does fit. It wasn't racial hatred. Just cold, calculated, and pitiless greed.
The Solistarim looked down upon the rich, green Flanaess from their cold and forbidding mountains and Underdark caves with envious eyes. They looked upon the men, elves, dwarves, and others who populated that wealthy, warm, lush world south of them, and they made up their minds very quickly as to what was to be done with them.

 

[Creamsteak]

Those who know me well... well... they can perhaps anticipate my actions. The rest of you, bah! You will find out!

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(Again, if Serpenteye allows me to play the drow this is relevant, and if not it's not relevant)

Eclavdra makes a comment which is forwarded expeditiously to the illithid, and of course is heard openly by Iuz:

We know that the illithid detest the sun, would see the sun extinguished, and with their communal intellect work toward that end.
We the drow have historically chosen the enclosing granite strength of the Oerth over the lightscalded World Above.
Iuz the Magnificient and Omnipotent, in His endless and eternal wisdom, has ever whelmed and crushed His foes with darkness. And I might ask: what being that looks to the sunlight, could ever hope to understand and befriend the darkness?
In our common wisdom and intellect, our profound understandings, and always instructed and guided by Iuz the All Knowing, we transcend all who must look into the blinding glare of sunlight for their guidance.

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

This plotting of those under his domains slightly concerns the Wolf God. Not worries him, of course; that would be unthinkable. Still, perhaps it might be wise were he to extend an offer of alliance to the drow and illithids who seek to conspire with his ally Iuz. He can offer mundane strength unparalleled to these dark-dwellers, in return for assistance sorcerous, divine, and psionic. His people need not fear the dark; the fires of the earth can, if properly harnessed, provide the warmth needed to grow food, as they already provide the fires for his forges.

 

[James Heard]

If the Fraternity of the Brazen Blade mentioned in the LGG is any coin in that sort of favor I wouldn't mind Kelanen on the side of the Sea Princes if I'm allowed to run them. If I can't of course, then I suggest that his demigodhood run off and dunk his head in a bucket water repeatedly until he shakes off that horrible notion....After 20 years though, I'd hope that the Sea Princes had stabilized and rebuilt finally because otherwise I think running the Princes is going to need an escape route from itself more than anything else. Arg, me head.

 

[Creamsteak]

(Again, if Serpenteye allows me to play the drow this is relevant, and if not it's not relevant)

Eclavdra makes a comment which is forwarded expeditiously to the illithid, and of course is heard openly by Iuz:

We know that the illithid detest the sun, would see the sun extinguished, and with their communal intellect work toward that end.
We the drow have historically chosen the enclosing granite strength of the Oerth over the lightscalded World Above.
Iuz the Magnificient and Omnipotent, in His endless and eternal wisdom, has ever whelmed and crushed His foes with darkness. And I might ask: what being that looks to the sunlight, could ever hope to understand and befriend the darkness?
In our common wisdom and intellect, our profound understandings, and always instructed and guided by Iuz the All Knowing, we transcend all who must look into the blinding glare of sunlight for their guidance.

True, the light is not my friend. I hear that it bothers Ted and Amy in accounting too. I'll go with your plan, for now. But I'll wait till I see action before you can buy my loyalty. Plus, it would be nice to once and for all, excommunicate that stupid Pelor guy.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

I think Serpenteye needs to explain what benefits the Good and Neutral powers might have in this IR. So far, I suspect that most of those here believe that the evil factions will have an upper hand. So, how will balance be maintained. (In the 3rd IR, everyone had a chance to shine. The same should be true not just for online games, but every game. At least I think so.)

I was thinking much this myself- Edena had a good point when she said it will be rough playing good or neutral territories with all this evil about (although this is something of a self fufilling prophecy- if more people played good, this wouldn't be a problem, but since everyone's playing evil and Edena's logic holds true, they won't). Not all of her assumptions hold true about good and neutral powers, though; I'm pretty sure the Church of Tritherion will be an agressively pragmatical group, willing to ally with the lesser of two evils against the greater. Iuz, the mad demigod, is pretty damn great; The Sherperds in Darkness is small patatoes by comparison.

Also of note is the fact that it the evil seems to be allying with itself almost in totallity (the Dragon with Iuz with the Drow with the Pomarj), thus creating a monolithicly evil alliance right off the bat. Eek. In campaigns, generally speaking, such alliances dissolve into infighting or don't happen at all for various reasons (the Drow are racial supremacists, the Orcs are rash and violent, Iuz is meglomaniacal), but the fact we can have impartial and rational "players" at the head of each group means that this won't be happening until someone thinks they can benefit, which is unlikely to happen as long as there's good and neutral territory to be raped, pillaged and burned. Which, in totallity, is something of a bummer for those who aren't playing part of this massively evil alliance.

My initial thought, upon reading of the Sollistarim, was "OK, cool idea, but we already have half a dozen massively powerful evil factions." But on second thought, the fact that they are so xenophobic that they are likely to work against, say, Iuz and the rest, makes them seem like a balancing factor.

 

[Creamsteak]

Have you read the IR threads from the 3rd IR? There are a good 30 lessons to learn in there about "allies." I'd start at turn 1.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Eluvan:
"Greyhawk illuminatus" -Secret organization with Infiltrator trait, based in Greyhawk.

Knight Otu:
Cult of Ashardalon. The Great Kingdom: Northern Aerdy, United Kingdom of Ahlissa, Almor, Rel Astra, the Sea Barons.

Blue Genie:
Celene, or the Scarlet Brotherhood, or a Dwarven/Gnome Union. (Would you like the Lortmils? A major industrial power.)

Xael:
Circle of Eight, Highfolk, Vesve Forest and The Yatil Monutains.

Demon Atheist:
The Shadow Guild -Infiltrator trait.

Paxus Asclepius:
The Pomarj, Crystalmists, Jotens, Hellfurnaces, Griff Mountains, Raker Mountains, and the Dreadwoods.

Devilish:
Valley of the Mage, Acererak and the Tomb of Horrors, The Cold Marches and Blackmoor.

Gnomeworks: ?

Mr Draco: ?

Rikandur Azebol:
Iuz: Demigod. Empire of Iuz: Stonehold, The Empire of Iuz, Tenh, The Bandit Kingdoms.

Thomas Hobbes:
The Church of Tritherion.

This was the list as it was quite some time ago. I'm gonna run around the thread and see what other info (including contact info) I can find.