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    Rhizia: a History of the Northeastern Flanaess
    Posted on Wed, June 28, 2006 by Dongul
    Hunter103 writes "The Thillonrian Peninsula and environs have a rich yet largely ignored history. This article covers the Cold Barbarian nations, Ratik, and Stonehold from prehistory to the present, and presents my take on the major events that shaped this corner of the Flanaess, with a few of my own thrown in to spice things up.

    Rhizia: a History of the Northeastern Flanaess
    By: Hunter103
    Posted with permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

    Pre-Migrations

    c. -1425 CY: Tostenhca
    Over two millennia ago, Flan nomads living in the lowlands around Grendep Bay banded together to create an advanced civilization in the Griff and Corusk Mountains. They were known as the tos-Tenha, and at their height held dominion over all the Thillonrian and much of the surrounding lands.

    After a thousand years of existence, the Ur-Flan mage Keraptis acquired great influence by providing protection for the people of the capitol, Tostenhca. At first, he asked for little in exchange for keeping the marauding humanoids at bay. As time wore on his demands increased, and so did the suffering of the tos-Tenha.

    c. -1025 CY: A Hero Appears
    The tos-Tenha could bear no more, but no one in the city dared take action. The call went out for a champion, and Qodenh Dalaarh, a young cleric of Pelor, answered. A native of the northern city of Kalidenh, Qodenh and his ranger cohorts assaulted Keraptis’s tower and cast the wizard out. Keraptis fled, broken but vengeful.

    c. -1024 CY: The Plague of Kalidenh
    Qodenh and friends returned home to a hero’s welcome. Their celebrations were short-lived, for Keraptis made contact with a cell of Incabulites within the city. On his command, they released a virulent plague, which felled the Kalidenha to the last.

    c. -725 CY: Vengeance of Keraptis
    After three hundred years of exile, Keraptis discovered a potent artifact deep in the heart of White Plume Mountain. After careful study, he found he could channel its power to fulfill his desires, which were by then dominated by an all-consuming rage against those he once ruled. He used this power to place a curse upon the currency of Tostenhca, which killed all who came into contact with it. The great city of Tostenhca disappeared from history, but so did Keraptis. Unable to fully understand or control the power he wielded, his body began to discorporate, and he was forced to forever flee Material Plane to preserve his existence.

    c. -600 CY: Dissolution and Migration
    Following the destruction of Tostenhca, the empire soon collapsed from infighting and increased humanoid and giant attacks. The tos-Tenha relied heavily on magical wards to survive in the inhospitable mountains, and these were undone with the fall of the capital. With nothing left for them in the mountains, the Flan dispersed. Most went south and settled the region that would become the Duchy of Tenh. Others returned to agrarian life in the lowlands around Grendep Bay. A third group moved west, joining the nomads around the Hraak region in establishing the Coltens Feodality.

    Arrival of Suloise

    c. -330 CY: Suloise Reach the Thillonrian
    After spending just over a century wandering the Flanaess, the Suel houses Cruski, Fruztii, and Schnai crossed the Griff Mountains and settled the lowlands around the Corusks, driving out most of the native Flan nomads.

    c. -300 CY: Formation of the Three Kingdoms
    In the grandest Suel tradition, the three houses soon fell to infighting, but were again unified by the menace of the Great Kraken of Grendep Bay. Legendary Schnai warrior Schoffmund the Strong organized a party of brave and hardy berzerkers to slay the beast, and the group set out in three longships to do battle. The kraken feasted on many valiant barbarians that day, but in the end Schoffmund felled the beast with a mighty strike through its eye. In recognition of this heroic deed, the Schnai jarls each pledged fealty to Schoffmund, and crowned him their first King. With victory came the understanding that despite their petty differences, the clans would have to band together against common foes to survive. Each house then claimed a portion of Rhizia to call their own.

    c. -140 CY: The Great Empire of the North
    In the oral tradition of the Cold Barbarians, the most enduring legends surround Vatun, the Great God of the North. Many years after guiding the Suel across the Flanaess, a group of brave and devoted warriors journeyed into the Icy Sea to slay the Serpent of the North. They fought valiantly, but all perished in the battle. Five of these warriors left behind wives and newborn children they would never see. Vatun saw this as a great injustice and manifested on Oerth. He visited each widow in turn, blessing the children with a piece of his divine essence, and vowing to watch over them. The children never knew of their surrogate father, but each became a renowned adventurer in their own right.

    The Children of Vatun participated in many great quests, and repeatedly honored Vatun in both word and deed. Vatun watched their progress, and manipulated events to bring them together. The five finally met high in the Corusk Mountains, where Vatun returned to Oerth once again. He revealed the secret of their heritage and presented them the Blades of Corusk - five swords plied from the heart of the Corusk Mountains and imbued with Vatun’s power. Together, the Children of Vatun set out into the Icy Sea and slew the Serpent of the North. They returned home and soon united the three kingdoms under the banner of the Great God. Grimkell the Cruski, bearer of Harmonizer, was chosen to be the first Divine Justicar of Vatun, Fasstal of all the Suelii.

    c. -110 CY: Death of the Empire
    The Great Empire of the North was not to last. Telchur, jealous of his rival’s newfound prominence, conspired with the archdevil Belial to trap Vatun in a magical prison. Vatun’s faithful were almost completely cut off from their patron, while Telchurite factions within the Empire created unrest and discord. The power of the Empire quickly waned, and upon the death of Grimkell, collapsed. The three kingdoms reformed and the Great Empire of the North passed into legend, though to the present day the office of fasstal remains with the king of Cruski, the Suel still hoping Vatun will someday return and restore his glorious empire.

    c. -50 CY: Fruztii Begin Raiding the Great Kingdom
    The Fruztii, then the most powerful of the Cold Barbarians, turned their attention away from their Suel brethren when they began raiding the Great Kingdom of Aerdy by sea. These early raids were so successful that the Cruskii offered to join them each season. This served both clans, bringing riches to the Cruskii while providing the Fruztii much needed support against the rapidly growing Aerdy defenses. The Schnai offered a token force, preferring in those days to explore the uncharted vastness of the Solnor Ocean.

    c. -30 CY: Schnai Discover Fireland
    Far to the east, across the treacherous Solnor Ocean, Schnai explorers discovered a chain of massive volcanic isles thrust out of the sea. The Schnai set about exploring these Isles of Fire and managed to erect several colonies. They returned with tales of fearsome monsters and fabulous treasures, but the actual riches being plucked from the Great Kingdom proved to be both safer and more plentiful.

    Clashes with the Great Kingdom

    108 CY: The Great Kingdom Strikes Back
    Due to the increasing frequency of Cold Barbarian raids, Overking Manshen sent the Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom along with legions of Aerdy’s best troops to the northern frontier to drive out the occupying Frost Barbarians. Striking forth from Knurl in the spring, they easily drove out the unsuspecting Fruztii. While encamped south of the Kalmar Pass, the Aerdi forces began laying the foundations of a great redoubt against the northern hordes: Spinecastle. The Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom did not tarry long. In late autumn, they sent a message to the Fruztii force stationed at the frontier town of Johnsport. It bluntly stated that the Aerdi forces were coming, and prepared to drive the northerners out. The Fruztii replied that they were prepared to do battle, and fight to the last man if necessary. The two forces met in the early morning fog, and it was the Aerdi forces that carried the day, slaughtering the Fruztii contingent and liberating the town. Word of the defeat spread quickly among the Frost Barbarian lands, and by midwinter thousands of Fruztii were headed south to avenge their kinsmen.

    109 CY: The Battle of Shamblefield
    The attack came as a complete surprise. The Fruztii forces traversed the Rakers and attacked the encampment at Spinecastle, outflanking the Aerdi and soon inflicting devastating losses. Victory seemed certain for the Fruztii, until Caldni Vir, Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom and commander of a large contingent of cavalry, defied orders to retreat and brought his forces out of the hills to break through the Fruztii battle lines. After hours of fierce fighting, the battle turned in Aerdy’s favor, and the surviving barbarians were pursued back to the safety of the Loftwood. For his heroism, Caldni Vir was named marquis of the newly conquered land, renamed the Bone March to honor the thousands who died in the great battle.

    122 CY: The Great Kingdom Pushes North
    The Great Kingdom realized in the decade following the Battle of Shamblefield that even with Spinecastle standing guard over the Kalmar Pass, a larger buffer was needed between Aerdy and the barbarian lands. To drive the Fruztii out of the northern hinterlands, the Overking turned to General Sir Pelgrave Ratik of Winetha. Ratik, a veteran of the Battle of Shamblefield, knew the Frost Barbarians would not expect an attack during the cold season, and led the Aerdi forces through the Kalmar Pass that winter.

    Ratik first turned his attention to the city of Bresht. Situated on a low hill overlooking the northern terminus of the Kalmar Pass, Bresht was the main staging area for Fruztii raids. The Aerdi forces besieged the city for two months. The Frost Barbarians held strong at first, but as food and timber supplies dwindled they became desperate. In the end, the bulk of the Fruztii forces broke through the Aerdi lines and fled north. Dogged by Ratik and his forces, the barbarians made for the Rakers. Ratik had anticipated this, and had used the siege as an opportunity to forge an alliance with the dwur clans in the mountains. The barbarians, met only by the axes of the dwarven defenders, made for the Timberway.

    Under the forest’s towering pines the Fruztii prepared a cunning snare. With General Ratik less than a day’s ride behind, the barbarians readied to draw the Aerdi forces into the forest and collapse upon them from both sides. Ratik was no fool, however. Sensing a deception, he stopped short of entering the forest and returned south to shore up the Aerdi defenses. To fortify the northern reaches of the hinterlands, General Ratik constructed a fort and town at the natural harbor of Onsager Point. He named both fort and town Marner, and it soon blossomed into the major trade outlet in the northern territories.

    128 CY: Barbarians Attack Marner
    Following the spring thaws, the Fruztii and Schnai banded together to attack Marner by sea. Amassing a force of nearly fifty longships, the barbarians swept towards the city under cover of night and fog. The armada emerged from the predawn mists, and had it not been for a lone lookout atop the watchtower, the Aerdi would have been caught completely unaware. The alarm was sounded, and General Ratik sprang into action. With the enemy ships breaching the port, the Aerdi flooded much of the harbor with alchemist’s fire and set it ablaze. The first wave of ships was incinerated, and the remaining force was forced into a narrow channel, putting them at the mercy of Fort Marner's catapults and ballistae. The few longships that survived the gauntlet were hemmed in by the Imperial Navy and sunk. Once again, Pelgrave Ratik had faced the full brunt of the Cold Barbarians and emerged victorious.

    130 CY: Ratik’s Reward
    For his years of service, Overking Toran I granted Pelgrave Ratik the title of Baron over the lands he helped secure. The area between the Timberway and Loftwood became known as Ratik in his honor, and the city of Bresht was renamed Ratikhill. Baron Ratik ruled his lands from the seat of government at Marner, as his descendents do to this day.

    c. 230-250 CY: The Blade Wars
    Around 230 CY, four of the Blades of Corusk – Greenswathe, Stalker, The Edge, and Dreamsinger - were found on the Isles of Fire and returned to the Thillonrian Peninsula. However, rather than uniting the three clans they soon fell upon each other for the Blades. The four swords changed hands several times over the next two decades as various factions of Frost, Ice, and Snow Barbarians fought for their possession. In the end, all four blades were lost. The shadow dragon Szeverin claimed Dreamsinger after slaying its bearer and took the sword far to the west. Two were stolen by hordes from the Dark Dwells, subterranean cities beneath the mountains inhabited by humanoids and monsters. A horde of orcs overran a cabal of Vatunites and took Stalker back to Garel Enkdal. The bearer of Greenswathe was ambushed and killed by medusae from the Dark Dwell known as Sytharinax, and The Edge disappeared along with several dozen Cruskii in the Hraak forest. The latter two eventually resurfaced, along with several impostors. Greenswathe was eventually recovered by adventurers and made its way to the western Barrens, while The Edge was found by the Hraak nomads and saw dozens of owners through the years.

    356 CY: Return of the Suelii
    Following their defeat at the battle of Marner, the Suelii abandoned the idea of reclaiming the lands that became the Barony of Ratik. For the following two centuries the three clans were content to resume their regular summer raids, and apart from the occasional foray they largely left Ratik alone. The sting of defeat still festered, however, and in the summer of 356 CY a massive horde of Fruztii and Schnai swept down out of the Timberway in an attempt to invade and overrun North Province. The armies of Ratik and the dwur provided initial resistance, but a breakthrough seemed inevitable. At the same time, Overking Portillan faced the prospect of losing Nyrond to secession and had amassed his armies to invade the rebellious province and restore order. Upon receiving word that Ratik was in dire peril, the Overking made the fateful decision to divert his troops to the north.

    When the armies of the Great Kingdom crossed the Kalmar Pass, they found the Ratikkan and dwur forces holed up within the walls of Ratikhill, besieged just as the Fruztii had been nearly 250 years earlier. The Aerdi onslaught caught the invaders by surprise and at the end of the day the barbarians were on the retreat, though at the cost of many lives. Not ready to give their foes any quarter, the Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom led the Aerdi forces in pursuit. For the next month, whenever the Suelii would tarry or attempt to rest and regroup the Aerdi would send waves of attackers to cut through their enemies. Only a fraction of the once massive horde survived to find safety in the Timberway. The Aerdi forces had won the day, but the price of victory was to come as the complete loss of Nyrond.

    c. 430 CY: The Stonefist Appears
    Vlek Col Vlekzed founded the Hold of Stonefist in the area formerly occupied by the Coltens Feodality. The Stonefist, as Vlek was known, was an exiled from the Rovers of the Barrens for murder and thievery, among other capital crimes. He was nevertheless possessed of great charisma, and managed to attract a small but devoted following. A later raid into Tenh and the Bandit Kingdoms attracted many others of ill repute and swelled his ranks. Upon his death, he decreed his successors be chosen from among his 351 children and their descendents in the Rite of Battle Fitness. The winner became chief of a Fist (a warband), and if so chose could challenge the Master of the Hold for that position. Surviving losers joined the lower ranks of the Fists.

    442 CY: Turmoil and Independence
    As the Great Kingdom suffered the aftermath of the Turmoil Between Crowns, both Ratik and Bone March earned semipalatine status, with Alain II taking title of Archbaron of Ratik. This resulted in the enrichment of both nations, as they were no longer required to pay tribute to the Malachite Throne, but also earned them the enmity of Aerdy. The young nations formed an alliance to combat anticipated threats from the Great Kingdom, and the very real menace from the Cold Barbarians.

    Recent Developments

    530 CY: The Scarlet Brotherhood Appears
    After centuries of isolation on the Tilvanot Peninsula, the Scarlet Brotherhood sent emissaries to make contact with their Suel brethren in the Thillonrian. The Brotherhood was well received by the Fruztii, but met with suspicion by the other clans. King Cralstag of Cruski took particular offense to their claims that the Cold Barbarians were once beholden to a magic-wielding emperor, and publicly castigated the delegation. The monks smiled, acknowledged Cralstag’s concerns, and withdrew from the king’s audience. Three days later, one of their assassins slipped a virulent poison into his goblet. Thus, Cralstag’s nephew, Lolgoff Bearhear, became king and fasstal. His first decree was for the red-robed emissaries to be brought before him, and it was done. The new king’s second decree was that the Brotherhood of Scarlet would find only death in the Kingdom of Cruski. Lolgoff delivered this edict as he slew each member of the delegation with his uncle’s sword. The Scarlet Brotherhood has not been seen in the Ice Barbarian lands since that day, though their presence in Krakenheim still concerns the Cruskii.

    c. 555 CY: Rise of the Schnai
    By the mid-6th century, the Schnai had become the dominant force in the Thillonrian. This was literally true for the Fruztii, who never recovered from their losses at the hands of the Aerdi, and were forced to swear fealty to the Schnai. The Schnai also made gains against the Cruskii, claiming the border region of Ustula and its gold mines as their own.

    560-63 CY: Fall of Bone March
    Humanoid tribes living in the Rakers had long posed a threat. Orcs, gnolls, and goblinoids had been a minor irritant for centuries. The 550s saw an increase in the frequency of humanoid attacks in Ratik and Bone March. In 560 CY these attacks became even more common, more ferocious, and resulted in many lives lost. Then in 561, a massive horde of savage humanoids swarmed into Bone March. City after city fell under the onslaught, culminating in 563, when the fortifications of Spinecastle were breached and the keep and city fell to the invaders. Save for the county of Knurl, Bone March was lost. Most of its citizens that weren’t enslaved or killed outright flooded into the neighboring lands. Ratik, which had been able to hold its ground against the humanoids, saw its population double over a short period.

    563 CY: Formation of the Northern Alliance
    After the fall of Bone March, Ratik was deprived of its only ally. Fearing that Spinecastle would be used to stage an attack across the Kalmar Pass, Archbaron Lexnol III himself traveled to Djekul in the hope of forging an alliance with the Fruztii. Lexnol was met with some stubbornness and derision. But the jarls were impressed by the Archbaron’s audacity, and they well remembered the bravery and ferocity of the Ratikkan army in 356. The two nations came to an accord, and the Northern Alliance was formed that day. Ratik had finally severed all ties to the Great Kingdom, and the Alliance would soon have to prove it could stand against outside threats.

    564 CY: The Invasion Comes
    In early spring, a horde of orcs flooded over Kalmar Pass into Ratik, intent on capturing Ratikhill. They didn’t plan on the combined forces of Ratik, the Frost Barbarians, and angry Bone March expatriates waiting for them. The humans easily routed the horde, and the Northern Alliance had established itself as a force in the north.

    565 CY: Fireland Rediscovered
    The existence of the Isles of Fire was well known to the Cold Barbarians, but outside the Thillonrian it was regarded as nothing more than a myth. Korund, famed Ratikkan explorer and adventurer, thought otherwise. He persuaded a group of Schnai to take him there, and he returned with the first relatively accurate map of the Isles. Korund’s discovery was popularized by Greyhawk cartographer Jawan Sumbar in An Inspection of the Nature of Oerth, an atlas of the unexplored lands beyond the Flanaess.

    577 CY: Cruskii Regain Ustula
    The seasonal raids of 577 proved to be especially fruitful for the Ice and Snow Clans. When it came to dividing the spoils, the Schnai agreed to return the region of Ustula to the Cruskii in exchange for a far larger share of their plunder. This worked to their mutual benefit as the Cruskii regained control of their southern harbors and gold mines, while the Schnai became fabulously wealthy.

    578 CY: Rebirth of the Fruztii
    During the summer of 577 CY, King Ralff diverted a large contingent of warriors to Ratik. Rather than have them join the yearly raids, these men were outfitted with quality arms and armor, and trained to fight like the Ratikkan forces. This elite group returned home in late summer to became the first unit in the newly formed Army of Fruztii. Beginning in early 578 CY, the Army swept the countryside, rooting out bandit camps and marauding humanoids. By the end of the year, the nation was at its most secure level in two centuries, and King Ralff had made a boldly demonstrated to the Schnai that the Fruztii could hold their own once again.

    578 CY: Discord in the Hold
    The forces of the Hold of Stonefist struck a blow against the Cruskii, invading and taking control of the Taival Tundra, but a simultaneous campaign against the forces of Tenh ended disastrously and led to discontent within the realm. The nomadic people of the northlands wished to restore the old Coltens Feodality, while the followers of Vlek Col Vlekzed preferred the Rite of Battle Fitness as the basis for leadership. Faced with a possible civil war, Sevvord Redbeard, Master of the Hold, proposed a reorganization of the nation’s political structure, which met with approval after much debate. The Hold of Stonefist was renamed Stonehold, and Sevvord Redbeard became Rhelt Sevvord I, hereditary ruler. Below him were installed four Atamans, also hereditary rulers, who governed from the cities of Bastro, Kelten, Purmill, and Vlekstaad. The plan also created four Great Chieftains of the nomads, each with the authority of an Ataman. This new structure did not sit well with many of Sevvord’s kin, and after a large number of them were felled by a mysterious malady, many more fled to the relative safety of the Griffs.

    578 CY: Battle of the Loftwood
    The summer of 578 CY saw a massive army of humanoids and human mercenaries led by the Vile Rune orc tribe march north through the Loftwood. The horde would have would have easily overrun southern Ratik, but luckily a detachment of Volunteer Borderers (a unit comprised of men and elves from the Timberway) intercepted several goblin scouts and raised the alarm. Thus, Ratik prepared a cunning ambush, which caught the horde completely by surprise. Upon reaching the northern edge of the wood, the humanoids encountered the full force of the Ratikkan army, supplemented by militiamen, Fruztii, Volunteer Borderers, elves, and gnomes.

    The fighting was fierce, but Ratik gained the upper hand, and thousands of humanoids were slaughtered. In addition to the spoils of battle, nearly a thousand human mercenaries agreed to take arms for the Archbaron. This proved critical to Ratik’s long-term interests. It was discovered that the free city of Dekspoint had been in league with the forces of Spinecastle, and had supplied many of the men and supplies used in the attempted invasion. When word spread that the mercenaries had found a new patron, thousands more abandoned their posts and joined their compatriots in service to Ratik, thus crippling Dekspoint’s military strength.

    579 CY: Marriage of Two Nations
    In an attempt to solidify relations between the beleaguered Bone March and Ratik, Alain IV, son of Lexnol III and heir to the Archbarony, married Lady Evaleigh, daughter of the Count of Knurl. While some saw it as purely a political move, by all accounts the couple actually adored one another.

    580 CY: The Stolen Seal
    The Seal of Marner, a prized document given to Ratik by the Frost Barbarians was stolen by double agents working for the humanoid conquerors of Bone March. The theft strained relations with the Fruztii, incensed that Ratik would allow such an important symbol of their union to fall into enemy hands. Fortunately, a group of adventurers managed to ambush the thieves in the Kalmar Pass and returned the Seal to Marner.

    582 CY: Prelude to War
    The legendary Blades of Corusk resurfaced around the north, and were reunited by a band of Fruztii adventurers. With the assistance of western mages, the band invoked the power of the Blades and released Vatun, the Great God of the North, from his magical confinement. At the same time, the forces of Stonehold and the Cold Barbarians were converging on that very spot. Vatun managed to unite the four nations under his banner, and promised to bring fabulous wealth and glory to the peoples of Rhizia.

    582 CY: Greyhawk Wars Begin
    In truth, the "Great God of the North" was none other than Iuz himself. He interrupted the invocation that would have released Vatun and scattered the Blades to the corners of the Flanaess. His scheme was to use his unwitting followers to bring death and destruction to his enemies and expand his evil empire. These actions precipitated the Flanaess-wide conflicts which would soon become known as the Greyhawk Wars.
    Iuz began his campaign of devastation by magically dominating Sevvord Redbeard. On his master’s command, the Rhelt led thousands of Fists over the Griffs into the Duchy of Tenh. The armies of the Hold quickly struck and overran the cities of Calbut and Nevond Nevnend, and soon took the rest of Tenh with little resistance. The Fists well remembered their defeat at the hands of the Tenha seven years earlier, and showed no quarter in slaughtering or enslaving everyone they encountered.

    583 CY: "Vatun" Unmasked
    The occupation of Tenh sent shockwaves across the Flanaess, but struck the Cold Barbarians as particularly unsettling. They had long been on good terms with the Duchy, and many Suelii became suspicious of the Great God’s intentions.
    Their suspicions were soon confirmed. Vatun’s next decree was a full-scale invasion of Ratik, Bone March, and the Great Kingdom. Fruztii King Ralff was openly hostile to any actions against his allies in Ratik, and he summoned Kings Lolgoff the Cruski and young Ingemar of Schnai to a secret meeting in Krakenheim. At the summit, he argued that this Vatun was not the deity that guided and cared for their ancestors, but an impostor. The old king’s words were convincing, and the regents elected to confront the deity and force him to leave Rhizia.

    The three kings assembled their most elite warriors and together with the army of Fruztii made for Vatun’s encampment near Djekul. They proclaimed their decision and demanded the deity leave their lands. It was then that Iuz revealed his true self. In a rage, the demigod summoned a legion of fiends from the lower planes to bolster his power. Many thousand Suelii died in the battle, including the valorous King Ralff, but Iuz was forced to flee back to Dorakaa, his influence over the northern barbarians broken.

    The Fruztii had suffered heavy losses. Hundgred, son of Ralff, took up his father’s mantle and vowed to rebuild the kingdom. Meanwhile, the Cruskii and Schnai banded together and struck deep into the heart of Stonehold. With Sevvord and most of his Fists still occupying Tenh, the barbarians were able to quickly strike and plunder Fist strongholds before retreating to the safety of the Griffs.

    584 CY: Aftermath
    Following the signing of the Treaty of Greyhawk, the nations of the Flanaess largely settled back into their old ways. Not everything remained the same in the north, however.

    Sevvord remained under Iuz’s domination, which rendered Stonehold vulnerable to the Cruskii and Schnai’s frequent hit-and-run assaults from the Griff Mountains. The Ice and Snow Clans, content with the current arrangement, continued to conduct these small joint raids for several seasons.

    Young King Hundgred of Fruztii was determined to see his people bounce back from the losses they had suffered during the Wars. In addition to replenishing his armies, Hundgred now openly proclaimed the Fruztii free of Schnai influence. This brazen act strained relations with both the Snow and Ice Clans, who had enjoyed several years of mutual cooperation.

    Postwar Ratik saw an immediate increase in the number and ferocity of humanoid incursions from Bone March. In particular were a series of skirmishes in the Loftwood over the course of the next year. Ratikkan patrols encountered their orc counterparts in the heart of the Loftwood. Skirmishes lasted up to three days, though each found Ratik victorious. The orc presence was particularly disturbing to the Northern Alliance, as the humanoids appeared to be searching the Loftwood for something unknown. To complicate matters, the orcs began burning the forest upon retreat. Further intelligence failed to discover what their objective was, and the question has caused trepidation within the Ratikkan leadership since.

    586 CY: Dark Times for Ratik
    Alain IV dreamed of one day leading his men in the glorious liberation of Spinecastle and restoring his beloved wife’s realm. For years he begged his father for the opportunity, and finally the old Archbaron relented. Lexnol III allowed Alain to lead a raiding party of army volunteers and dwarves from the Rakers across the hills. Sadly, the Ratikkans were betrayed, beset by gnolls, and the baron was killed. News of the tragedy was too much for Lexnol to bear. He suffered a stroke and could no longer perform his duties. Leadership of the realm fell to Lady Evaleigh, and the widow was crowned Archbaroness. This move displeased by many Ratikkan nobles, who saw her as an outsider, but Evaleigh continues to rule her adopted homeland with an even hand to the present day.

    587 CY: The Second Suel Offensive
    The Cruskii and Schnai launch another major incursion into Stonehold. In Sevvord’s continued absence the Barbarians poured over Hraak Pass and through the northern tundra. Fierce resistance by remaining Fists prevented the Suel from advancing past Kelten, but the Cruskii regained control of the disputed Taival Tundra. By the following summer their positions were well reinforced against further attacks from the Hold.

    587 CY: Rovers Raid Stonehold
    In order to help the Rovers of the Barrens combat the forces of Iuz, famed mercenary Tang the Horrific led a raid into Stonehold to acquire horses. With most the Hold’s fighters busy fighting the Cold Barbarians to the east or occupying Tenh, the Rovers chose to raid the western city of Vlekstaad under cover of darkness. The operation went well at first, but the few remaining Fists blocked the Rovers’ escape. The raiders would have been slaughtered if not for the appearance of a second wave of their compatriots. The Fists were overrun, but the great Tang was killed. Nakanwa Daychaser assumed command of the remaining Rovers, and ordered Vlekstaad burned to the ground. The nomads escaped, leaving no trace of their involvement.

    588 CY: The Rhelt Returns
    After six years, Iuz’s domination of Sevvord was broken. Able to think for himself again, he vented his rage on helpless Tenha and returned to Stonehold. After driving the Ice and Snow Barbarians out of Kelten and into the Griffs, Sevvord returned to Vlekstaad to find it a burned-out shell – with no survivors. He immediately blamed the barbarians for the carnage, and vowed to crush them for the deed.

    590 CY: Emissaries from Fireland
    A longship arrived in Marner harbor in midsummer. While the sight was commonplace since the foundation of the Northern Alliance, this ship carried a delegation from the Isles of Fire. The purpose for their journey was never publicly stated, but rumors still managed to leak out of the palace walls.
    The human settlements among the Isles of Fire are in dire peril. The delegation came west to seek the aid of those who founded their realm long ago. They set out in five longships, though storms, monsters, and a chance encounter with a Schnai raiding band reduced this total to one. The Archbaroness sent the party on to Krakenheim to consult with King Hundgred, but the outcome of this meeting is as yet unknown.

    592 CY (Present day): Death of the Fasstal
    Oroshar, a fierce red dragon laid waste to dozens of Cruskii settlements. Lolgoff Bearhear, king and fasstal, led a hunt for the beast. The king slew Oroshar, but died of a mortal wound himself. It is believed his shield-bearer Bowenwar will succeed him as king and fasstal. Relations with the Fruztii were already strained, and the Frost Barbarians may use this as an opportunity to attack their northern brethren.

    Sources:
    Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
    World of Greyhawk boxed set
    From the Ashes boxed set
    Greyhawk Adventures
    WGS1 Five Shall Be One
    WGS2 Howl From The North
    Greyhawk Wars oxed set
    Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins
    S2 White Plume Mountain

    Return to White Plume Mountain
    Dragon Magazine #57
    Dungeon Magazine #133

    Special thanks to GLH_PSmedger and ephealy for their help.

    "
     
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    Re: Rhizia: a History of the Northeastern Flanaess (Score: 1)
    by Wolfsire on Wed, June 28, 2006
    (User Info | Send a Message | Journal)
    Very nice.  I am very tempted to pick up WGS1 and 2 immediately.  (And I will eventually)  If only I were not behind on my reading.



    Re: Rhizia: a History of the Northeastern Flanaess (Score: 1)
    by mortellan on Thu, June 29, 2006
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    This is an excellent debut for you into Canonfire authorship, Hunter. A well researched timeline on an area that is vastly underused. I can't wait to see what comes next from your niche of Oerth




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