The Oerth Journal 14a, Podreczniki RPG, The Oerth Journal
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APRIL
22, 2002
ISSUE
14
Volume II, No. 3 Issue 14
1
l;aksjofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmv erkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;snvasdkfjskladfl;aksjf ofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmverkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azvxcvxdsggvzhjjhjuykjeroinvkldoia;klsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;sasdkfjskladfl;RonCarey2002
Ta b l e o f Co n te n ts
Volume II, No. 3 Issue 14
April 2002
Oerth Journal Staff:
Chris Anderson,
Russell Bird (the manic midwife),
Allan T Grohe Jr.,
Issak “The Pale” Haywood,
Andrew Seale
Editor-in-chief:
Marc Tizoc Gonzalez
Web-Master: Vashnaar
Layout: Ron Carey
Illustrations:
Ron Carey
Naomi Gonzalez
Logos:
Vashnaar
Ron Carey
Introduction
3
Erelhei-Cinlu
4
Erelhei-Cinlu areas of note
6
lave Tables
11
Encounter Tables
12
Drow Standard Equipment
15
15
The Organization
21
History
21
Today
22
Joining
23
23
Tenets
23
Knights Valorous Prestige Class
25
Northeastern Vesve Forest
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, DUNGEON MASTER, and GREYHAWK are registered trademarks
owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. LIVING GREYHAWK and the d20
System logo are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All Wizards’ characters, character
names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Maze of Zayene, Prisoners of the Maze, Dimensions of Flight, Tower Chaos, The Eight Kings, Hidden Realms of
Zayene, Dark Druids, Dark Quest,
and
Codex Germania
are trademarks of Robert J. Kuntz and are used
herein with permission. Robert J. Kuntz holds the copyright (2001) for
Prisoners of the Maze
and
Maze of
Zayene. Prisoners of the Maze
and
Maze of Zayene
are exclusively published and distributed by
Necromancer Games by specific license. Cover images of
Prisoners of the Maze
and
Maze of Zayene
are used
with Permission of the publisher.
Dark Druids
,
Dark Quest
, and
Codex Germania
are exclusively published
and distributed by Troll Lord Games by specific license.
Articles are fiction written by fans of the GREYHAWK setting. The use of the names of any
trademarked, servicemarked, or copywritten properties should not be taken as a challenge to the
recognized status of such works. Authors are not compensated monetarily for their articles and unless
otherwise noted, all individual contributions are copyrighted by their respective authors.
The
Oerth Journal
is produced by an informal organization of volunteers – fans of the GREYHAWK
setting. The
Oerth Journal
is produced seasonally and distributed free of charge. Please send inquiries to
<oj@canonfire.com>. Visit our website
Please note that the
Oerth Journal
neither uses the Open Gaming concept sponsored by the Open Gaming
Foundation nor the d20 license owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
35
Goblinoid Lands
36
Central Eastern Vesve Forest
37
Southeastern Vesve Forest
39
The Future of the Vesve
40
Heroes and Villains
40
New Creatures
45
Credits
45
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Volume II, No. 3 Issue 14
2
l;aksjofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmv erkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;snvasdkfjskladfl;aksjf ofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmverkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azvxcvxdsggvzhjjhjuykjeroinvkldoia;klsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;sasdkfjskladfl;RonCarey2002
A Scribe’s Chronicle:
As Celene Steadily Rises
Over a season has passed since the preview of this issue of the
Oerth Journal
was originally posted. In that short span of time,
three
Oerth Journal
volunteers have gave birth to sons and watched
the families have watched their newborns become infants. I
inform readers of the births of Ron Carey’s, Vashnaar’s, and Andy
Seale’s children to invite you to reflect on the subject of time and to
appreciate the change it brings. Beyond presenting one reason for
the months it took to produce this issue of the
Oerth Journal
, as
suggested by the title and my opening remarks, this editorial is
about the ephemerality of life.
The
Oerth Journal
is almost seven years old, and as might be
expected, the readers of the
Oerth Journal
today are different from
those that read the first issues. I don’t only
mean that new people now read the
Oerth
Journal
, for the passing years also have
affected the original authors, staff, and
readers of the
Oerth Journal
. Some
people have left behind Greyhawk for
a time while others now work for
Wizards of the Coast®.
Not only has the readership of the
Oerth Journal
changed, the online
Greyhawk community has evolved too. The
Canonfire!
website has almost 600 members and
was recently cited in the
Living Greyhawk Journal
in
Dragon
®. Three
issues of the
Living Greyhawk Journal
have already been published
in
Dragon
®, one day the final separate issue will be printed and
distributed. We live in a distinctive moment in the lifetime of the
online community of Greyhawk enthusiasts!
I chose Celene as the emblem for this editorial because Greyhawk
often seems perennial. The number of posts to listservs and on
message boards waxes and wanes, and the type of posts also
changes over time (I need not describe the changing fortunes of so-
called “canon” Greyhawk publications.). Despite this flux, the
World of Greyhawk continues to excite the imaginations of people
throughout Earth. Rather than lament or distrust the current
moment (and reminisce for times now past), I encourage
Greyhawk fans everywhere to embrace the momentary phase and
to “trust in Atroa.”
We must remember that like Celene, Greyhawk only appears to
change. The world setting itself remains always ready to inspire
and renew the imaginations of people throughout Earth.
This issue of the
Oerth Journal
features five excellent articles and
more than six pieces of original art. Russell Bird’s article on
Erelhei-Cinlu begins this issue of the
Oerth Journal
. Russell
describes the city and its inhabitants in exciting detail, and his
distinctive take on the city is amplified by the evocative
illustrations of Ron Carey and cartography of the city itself,
rendered by the sure hand of Morgan Olden. Issak Haywood
provides two related pieces from his ongoing project to detail the
Theocracy of the Pale. The first piece, a narrative vignette of an
infamous leader of the Church Militant, is
supplemented with ready to use game
statistics of the protagonist. The
second article describes the leadership
and politics of the Valorous League of
Blindness and presents a new prestige
class, the Knights Valorous. Allan T.
Grohe, Jr. conducts an interview with
the Green Dragon himself, but beyond
Lord Robilar, Allan provides information about Robert J.
Kuntz, a man responsible for many aspects of the World of
Greyhawk, and highlights some of Kuntz’s latest projects and
publications. Finally, Andy Seale bases his article on the works
of Carl Sargent. Andy describes recent developments throughout
the various regions of the Vesve Forest. Not only does the article
detail new organizations, enemies and allies; it also records how
Greyhawk has inspired one DM’s vision.
I trust that these articles will help DMs across the Earth to dream
new challenges for their PCs. The World of Greyhawk beckons.
What hero can resist its call?
‘Ware and were, friend,
Ma r c T i z o c Go n z a l e
Editor-in-Chief
Oerth Journal
l;aksjofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmv erkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;snvasdkfjskladfl;aksjf ofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmverkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azvxcvxdsggvzhjjhjuykjeroinvkldoia;klsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;sasdkfjskladfl;RonCarey2002
Volume II, No. 3 Issue 14
3
l;aksjofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmv erkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;snvasdkfjskladfl;aksjf ofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmverkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azvxcvxdsggvzhjjhjuykjeroinvkldoia;klsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;sasdkfjskladfl;RonCarey2002
Erelhei-Cinlu: The Drow
“City of Pleasure”
A campaign setting for experienced play.
The proliferation of the fungi throughout the Vault and in the city would
not be possible save for the existence of drow druids, and we have had the
misfortune to assume that many a drow fighter would be helpless in
combat if unarmed - a costly misassumption. The city is home to hundreds
(possibly thousands) of skilled drow thieves, and the savagery with which
the drow plot to undo their enemies is not unlike the creed of my ranger
colleagues. The drow are a deadly enemy. Should they ever become an
organised or disciplined force, I would fear greatly for the safety of the
surface lands that I have come to miss so dearly.
The city of Erelhei-Cinlu is very old, judging by the stonework. Our covert
investigations lead us to conclude that it sprung up around a fortified
raiding camp many hundreds, maybe thousands, of years ago. No doubt the
drow saw the amber mists as a blessing of their foul spider goddess, perhaps
as a tangible manifestation of the darkness that they seem to love. The city
walls are patrolled by able (if undisciplined) fighters and are warded
against powerful magic (I have seen those walls withstand the assault of a
fire elemental). There are many minor portals in the wall but each resists
lock picking and doing so summons nightmarish demons– as we painfully
discovered while searching for an exit.
Although the drow have some degree of freedom of movement within, the
streets of the city are ruthlessly policed and the dwellings are painfully
overcrowded. I have seen with my own eyes how the elite patrols in the city
are on the lookout for drow of ‘promise’. Woe to any drow with a rebellious
spirit, for they are dragged off to the great temple of the Spider Queen,
where they are said to undergo a great trial. Even now I shudder at the
thought of the consequences of failure. We know how the drow sacrifice
each other to their Queen…
Coming swiftly to the point, Erelhei-Cinlu is a drow city. It was built by
drow, for drow. We are unaware of exactly how old it is, and I doubt the age
of the city is of import to the willful and brutal drow inhabitants. We have
discovered that many other drow cities exist in the UnderOerth. Though I
know of no other by name, my colleagues and I have become aware of
conflict between the drow and a race known only as the aboleth, who reside
in a citadel on the banks of a place known as the Sunless Sea. Drow war
camps exist closer to that place, and serve as staging grounds of sorts (no
doubt also against other races such as the deep dwarves, the nameless fish
men, and the disgusting Mind Flayers).
For the wretched ‘lowlies’ of the city, they must fend for themselves (and
against each other) unless they are under the protection of drow merchants
or nobles. The drow nobles of the Vault enjoy the luxury of their own
company and conduct their petty wars and feuds against each other away
from the city, comfortable in the knowledge that the unworthy are
contained. Indeed, I believe that the nobles would not even acknowledge
the existence of the city save for the fact that they must periodically pass
through it on business. For these journeys, they are protected by spider
guards, and they travel through fortified pathways. Should any of the
nobles seek the pleasures within the city, they would likely do so in disguise.
The few nobles we have seen are richly-appointed, well-protected and
exclusively female. If any male nobles exist, they are kept busy in service to
their female masters.
All manner of people and monsters wander the streets – they are known as
“seekers”. We have seen a variety of evils that have caused our stalwart
by Russell Bird
Introduction
Based on material in “D3 Vault of the Drow” and
GDQ1-7 Queen of
the Spiders
(by Gary Gygax);
Dead Gods
(by Monte Cook);
ruminations by Roger E Moore; and “Arcane Lore, The Slime
Wizard” (by Lloyd Brown III –
Dragon
Annual 4). This work is
based on the 3rd edition Dungeons and Dragons rules, and
references are based on material appearing in the
Players Handbook,
Dungeon Masters Guide
and
Monster Manual
for that edition.
Optional material is inculuded that is based upon rules appearing
in
Sword and Fist
and
Defenders of the Faith
.
y colleagues and I have been trapped in the city of Erelhei-
Cinlu for two weeks now. We have not been able to escape, yet
we have learned much about the city and the ways of the
accursed drow. Should we ever make it back to the surface, I
shall see to it that no one ever ventures here, for this place is a depraved and
evil death-trap.
Erelhei-Cinlu stands within a large cavern, miles beneath the
Hellfurnaces Mountains. The cavern is known as “The Vault”. The Vault
is like something out of a fey dream (or perhaps a fey nightmare). The
warm climate supports many fields of fungi and crystalline structures.
Such sights are breathtaking, save for the constant presence of the evil drow
and their slaves.
An amber mist permeates the Vault. This mist has a curious effect on the
eyesight and distorts our view of color. The casting of a Color Spray spell
here needs to be seen to be believed! The effect turns out a radiant spectrum
of ambers, browns, mauves and silvers that is utterly dazzling!
Though it is beyond the ability of my eyesight to discern, some of the olves
in the party say that the view of that mist is beautiful, for they behold a
wondrous array of stars in the illusory night sky above. The best that I can
make out are a number of multi-faceted crystalline structures in the roof of
the cavern.
We have heard the mist termed “melkel’la”, and a few of the grey olves in
our party have likened it to a phenomenon known as “shadowstuff”,
though I confess to limited knowledge or interest in the subject. We have
heard it whispered that the Vault was once the home of cavern dwelling
dragonkind and my olven friends believe the dragons that once lived here
could well have been shadow or obsidian in nature (a variation on the
more common black dragon), the mists not being a coincidence. Knowing
the power of the drow as I do, I suspect that any dragon that lived here
would have met a swift death.
I would say that the drow are a significantly more powerful race than we
thought when we first encountered them beneath Snurre’s halls. It is
obvious that the drow encourage skill in clericy, spell craft and combat, yet
we now believe that the drow are able to excel in any field of endeavour.
l;aksjofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmv erkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;snvasdkfjskladfl;aksjf ofoejlaksasdjflasjffoiojffklasv;jvlzm,.dmfqasjdlkasmvnaqojkasvxmvfgjafoqirjlaksvl;akmverkl;uweiorjsadklfja;sdjflkajd;jdfslksdfldslksoeoeo;azvxcvxdsggvzhjjhjuykjeroinvkldoia;klsdjf;lajdfoealkdjfl;asjdfasjdfoweijfaoelksdc,mxznvboitoiqna;sasdkfjskladfl;RonCarey2002
Volume II, No. 3 Issue 14
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paladin to seethe in fury and demand that we slay them all – he is just one
of many problems that we now face. I have recognised demons, mind
flayers, trolls, ghouls and huge spiders - all of who walk openly, some as
slaves! We have seen other horrors that we do not recognise and dare not
move to challenge. Interestingly, we have seen fellow surface dwellers:
merchants from the west, swaggering pirates that would seem at home on
the Wild Coast and clerics that wear robes emblazoned with grinning
skulls. All who are from elsewhere wear the lime robes from the entrance
to the Vault, and they move about freely. Most seem to indulge in trade with
the drow, and despite the poverty of the city, I have no doubt that those in
power (the nobles) continue to prosper from the patronage of these visitors.
The presence of such people here epitomises the contradictions of the drow:
beautiful yet evil, graceful yet brutal, chaotic yet manipulative, proud yet
greedy and so on.
The city contains many features of interest. A turreted wall surrounds it,
and then there are fortified ways for the noble drow that cut a path through
the centre of the city. In the south of the city (if my directional bearings are
correct) is a small forest of fungi, known as ‘Sar-Sandarena’. This place
grows much of the food for the city, and my covert investigations have
revealed a secret that I am reluctant to share with the others: the drow are
somehow able to use the fungi as a source of poison … and pleasure. That
may account for the presence of some of the other surface visitors. Near the
forest park is the city prison, a dark place indeed. On the north side of the
city are the areas reserved for nobles and noble business. The city is ruled
from that region, and we have had little success in penetrating far in that
direction. The further north one travels, the less squalor one faces it seems.
Of course, the city temple complex is found in the north of the city, as well
as a great gate that leads to the lands of the noble drow.
The majority of the city is a slum. It was not a planned city, like Chendl,
and as the population grew, the city size has apparently remained stable. A
large portion to the central-east of the city is a dumping ground for refuse
that has grown up around several collapsed buildings. This may have been
the site of a great battle, but the sickening stench has kept us well clear. We
have learned only that it is known as Thes-slis. Poverty, disease, suffering
and death are everywhere - a horrific sight in an already horrific city, it
causes our heartbroken paladin to weep nightly as he prays and struggles
to restrain his rage.
Many streets, alleys and pathways snake through the city, but there are two
main strips. They have no name of which we are aware, but they are active
at all times. The two strips travel the length of the city and are the sites of
endless houses of ill-repute, dens of pleasure, bawdy drinking
establishments and pits of slavery and torture. We have avoided these
streets since coming here. We have learned that centres of magical learning
may be found in side streets off the strips, yet we dare not venture there.
This is as best I can chronicle tonight. Should the opportunity allow (that
is, if we should ever escape the city), I shall attempt a more detailed
recording of the horrors of the city. I must seek rest now, for tomorrow we
attempt to venture to the north to see if it is possible for us to escape through
the gate that may be found there. I pray to Garl Glittergold to bless me with
the stealth that we will so sorely need in the days ahead.
- From the unpublished journal of Keak Breedbate, gnome
explorer and giant-slayer, dated approx 572 CY.
“Your majesty, it is true that we owe these intrepid giant-slayers a debt of
gratitude. They have saved Sterich from the mysterious phenomenon
which still defies explanation and they have returned alive for the most
part. What is NOT true is their fabrication of the events. I remind you of
their allegations – that the giants were nothing more than the pawns of a
race of olves… EVIL olves mind you! They contend that these “drow” had
black skin and worshipped a foul demon goddess! They also ask us to
believe that these “drow” consort with spiders in a great cavern beneath the
very Oerth! Does this make any sense? No! Your majesty, I must
respectfully request that these adventurers be detained until I determine the
truth of the matter. I ask that you trust me and not them. There are
NO DARK OLVES! There are NO Drow! There is NO “City of Pleasure”
hidden beneath the Hellfurnaces Mountains! Of this I am certain!”
- Lashton of Grayhill, agent
of King Kimbertos Skotti,
magical councillor and
president of the Peoples
Investigative Committee of
Niole Dra, in his opening
address, late 572 CY-
…
Erelhei-Cinlu
Small City; Non-standard; AL:
NE-CE; GP Limit approx
100,000; Population 9000+
drow, 18,000 non-drow (more
recent estimates place the total
figure closer to 30,000)
“Erelhei-Cinlu: A noxious and
crowded pit of hardened
wickedness and depravity – filled
with creatures both wretched and
wondrous. It is a trading centre
for arcane items of antiquity at
outrageous prices. The harridan
drow are tempestuous and
shrewish in the extreme. I must
return there to continue my
research (though perhaps several
visits are warranted…)”
- From the private journal of
the Fiend-Sage of Rel Astra
Two citizens of Erelhei-Cinlu
Erelhei-Cinlu is a very old
drow city, one of many in the UnderOerth. This particular city has
achieved a sort of infamy and recognition for many reasons, not the
least of which is the actions of some of the drow who have lived in
or near the city. A group of giant slayers from the Sheldomar
reportedly penetrated the Vault and the city at least a decade prior
to the Greyhawk Wars, when the manipulations of a drow cleric
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