Need Greyhawk Information

[Cyronax]

In terms of geography, it's kinda flipped east/west (Barrier Peaks/Hellfurnaces/etc. are the Urals, proceed east from there). In terms of culture, most of the nations have evolved far beyond their analogues. Some are still obvious - for example, the Frost/Ice/Snow barbarians are vikings - but most are far enough from their roots that you can add in whatever flavour you like to spice 'em up for your campaign.

Of course, there are also a lot of non-European influences - the Flan are often depicted as something close to native Americans, the Scarlet Brotherhood are sort of pulp-oriental.

Spatially, the map flip of Europe vs. the Flanaess is somewhat accurate, the World of Greyhawk is ostensibly (does that word irk readers still?) 'Euro-flavored,' but its own beast.

That said, the Great Kingdom really does come across as a sort of crumbling Roman Empire (perhaps modeled on the century after Commodus/Aurelius until Diocletion). The Flan are without a doubt Celtic, though they do have the appearance of Native Americans in some ways. The Olmans and Touv, by the book rips of the Aztec/Mayans and Subsaharan Africans respectively. The Suel and the Scarlet Brotherhood are in essence a Caucasian mix of racial supremacy (I guess Nazis may have inspired this) and some Oriental despotism mixed together. The Suel, if memory serves, were also inspired by Moorcock's Melniboneans (sp?).l

The 'big nations of Good' namely Keoland, Nyrond and allies, and Furyondy/Veluna have always struck me at most as Western European tinged. They don't resemble specific nations IMO.

The Wild Coast and Greyhawk should be seen as a sort of Hanseatic League mixed with magic and chaos. That area was inspired by Old Chicago and the Great Lakes circa the meatpacking hey-day if memory serves.

For true Far Eastern flavor go no further than Kara Tur (aka the Sufang Kingdom). That was originally supposed to be on Oerth and not Faerun (damn TSR politics).

C.I.D.

 

[grodog]

The Wild Coast and Greyhawk should be seen as a sort of Hanseatic League mixed with magic and chaos. That area was inspired by Old Chicago and the Great Lakes circa the meatpacking hey-day if memory serves.

Ah, now if I could only dig up some good books on the Hanseatic League, I'd be a happy gamer....