No way did I think it would take an entire month to get around to this, but here it is September 1 and I still haven't put that friggin' map together. So I'm moving on without it. That's right, we're skipping the map and going straight to Part III of the
Nortonian Greyhawk series:
The Quag Keep Companion, my heavily researched reference guide to the Land of Greyhawk as depicted in Andre Norton's groundbreaking novel
Quag Keep.
I intended to keep this thing a straight-up reference work, using only info gleaned from the book. But, alas, too many items were only mentioned by name with no further details given or inferences made, so I started applying a little of the ol' blogger's license. It made the thing a lot more fun to write though it'll be a bit more irritating for you to read.
Remind me to scan that friggin' map and I'll put it up soon.
Yours,
Yngrge
Quag Keep Companion: A Guide to Nortonian Greyhawk
A note
on abbreviations: I use two abbreviations prominently throughout this
guide
CoG
referring to the City of Greyhawk, and
LoG
referring to the Land of Greyhawk, which encompasses the entire
continent on which CoG resides.
And a note or five on page citation symbology:
- Page numbers are given in parentheses following statements which are lifted directly from the text or can be reasonably inferred from it.
- Page numbers coincide with the first Tor trade paperback edition: May 2006.
- Where a number sign (#) is given, the preceding statement is derived from the book, but the cataloger is just too damned lazy too look up the page number for you at the moment.
- Statements which are not followed immediately by a page citation are fabrications of the cataloger and should not be trusted.
- Statements followed by the word (Map) are inferences made based on the Olde Thyme Map of Greyhawk (Figure 1), not the Darlene maps published by TSR in 1980.
- Other symbols are just there to sow chaos.
eg. the first entry below indicates that the word Blackmoor appears on pages 28 and 47 of my trade paperback edition of Quag Keep, the bit about it's location is based on the map, and the rest is just made up stuff.
Blackmoor (28,47) A
barren land on the western shores of the Great Bay. (Map) Home to many
peculiar locales including the Pinnacle of the Toad and other
oddities.
Brethern A band of mercenary-adventurers responsible for armed
incursion into some of the most notorious regions of LoG in search of
legendary treasure hoards.
Castle of Kyark
Citadel of the great wizard Kyark, built in the outskirts of the City
of Greyhawk (CoG), the
place is believed to induce madness in those who visit. (71) First built centuries ago, it is believed to be so
enchanted that it has continued to build and reconfigure itself ever
since, an ever-growing labyrinth of constantly changing chambers and
corridors populated by an ongoing influx of monsters, tricks and
traps; all of which keep adventurers returning time and again.
Dom A
discipline of eldritch magic named after Dom, a mage of antiquity who
developed much of the body of knowledge upon which the school is
founded. It concerns itself primarily with the summoning and abjuring
of demons and other beings of Chaos.
Druids
Members of a “close knit, secretive fraternity” (p.23), often
aligned with the dark forces of chaos, who have some ability to use
magic. (#)
Dry Steppes
Vast, arid plains on the western extreme of the Land of Greyhawk
(LoG). What few watering places there are within the Steppes are
considered the hereditary property of the Nomads of Lar. (#) See also
Kalastro.
Elves
A race of humans who have mastery over communication with all animals
and birds (p. 21, 28). They are also possessed of Power Lore, a body
of insight into the machinations of the world about which most humans
are not capable of giving a damn. (51)
Faltforth the Sun Crown Deity of LoG mythology represented by the sun.(#)
 |
| Figure 1: Is this the map Gygax showed Norton? |
Fane of Wings
Ancient temple of unknown provenance. Noted for its unique
architecture, it predates all current civilizations in LoG. (88)
Faraaz
A land to the west of Greyhawk between Geofp and Verocunby. (Map) It is
comprised of loosely affiliated city states, each run by a “Holy
Lord.” Also known as “Holy Lords of Faraz” or “Land of the
Holy Lords.” They use copper coins in the shape of a cross, and
half moon silver coinage.(52)
Fon du Ling
One of the “Holy Lords” of Faraaz. An adventurer and collector of
rare and fabulous animal species. He is rumored to have found and
explored the secret Temple of Tung. (65)
Foreteeth of Gar
An epithet (#) referring to the prominent mandibles of a minor deity with
no small following in Narm. Also refers to two prominent peaks which
stand guard at the headwaters of the unnamed river that separates the
lands of Geofp and Narm.
Ganclang
Lesser deity of LoG, noted for his (or her) brazen voice. (192)
Gar A
deity heeded primarily by mountain tribes in Narm and Geofp. He
is seen as a protector of the mountain people and is noted for having
large tusks and for belching lightning from his mouth.
Gar-Eagle
A very large bird that resides in mountain regions, roc.(#)
Geofp Region
of Greyhawk in the foothills of the Western Mountains which separate
the Sea of Dust form the fertile eastern lands. The Grand Duke rules
the land as a stronghold of Chaos. And yes, there is a “p” on the
end. Obviously it's a typo, but they were diligent in repeating it
throughout the book, so it's now canon. (#)
Great Kingdom A
realm to the north of Urnst
along the southern shores of the Great Bay.
(Map) It comprises five legendary cities which pre-date current history. (88)
The lands of Blackmoor, Parth, and
the Wild Coast have
at times been considered a part of this realm, though citizens of
those lands rarely acknowledge the sovereign. (𝞯)
Greyhawk,
City of (CoG) A free city with no master where the
struggle between Law and Chaos often plays out its drama.(#)
Griff Cat
griffin (😼)
Han-gra-dan
A wizard of legend, the “mightiest of Northern Adepts” lived a millennium ago or more. His scholarship in arcane knowledge is
unsurpassed and artifacts of his creation are still highly sought
after by wizards and sages alike.(#)
Harrowing of Ironnose Bardic saga regaling the epic battle between Lichis the Golden and Ironnose. (#)
Harvel's
Axe, Sign of An inn of dubious reputation on the edge of the
Thieves Quarter in CoG frequented by wereboars and druids. (#)
Hither Hills Hilly
region to the north of Narm. (map) The tribesmen of these hills are known
to be adepts of some renown though it is often said that they are
descended from the intermixing of men and demons of chaos. (67)
Kalastro, Empire of
Land of legend located in the area that is now the Dry Steppe. (#) Kalastro was a vast and powerful empire that fell to decadence and
depravity before turning to Chaos entirely. In what has
become known as the Plague of Fire, Lichis the Golden lead a flight
of dragons over the land and scorched it to the barren waste that it
remains to this day. (🙊)
Keoland
The largely depopulated lands to the south and east of CoG. (71) Made up of dry plains in the south and
west. (#) Most of the remaining population of Keoland lives in a hilly region
to the east of Greyhawk which is sometimes referred to as Keo Major when differentiating it
from the dry plains to the southeast, aka Keo the Less. See Rieving of said land for more info.
Kyark
Legendary wizard who built a stronghold on the outskirts of CoG. It
is widely believed that any who enter his stronghold will succumb
to insanity or worse. (71) Nonetheless, adventurers flock to the stronghold in search
of treasure and glory.
Landron of the Inner
Light A deity who serves the
forces of Law. His disciples are known to carry nought but a knife to
defend themselves. (#)
Lar
Region of land on the fringes of the Dry Steppes inhabited by warlike
nomadic tribes who engage in raids on their neighbors for resources.
Noted for their steeds, see Steppe Mounts. (#)
Liche
A form of undead, much like a zombie but possessed of greater
quickness and intellect. If severed into pieces, its parts will
continue to fight on independently of each other.(#)
Lichis
Legendary golden dragon who supported the side of Law through
thousands of years of struggle with the forces of Chaos. Was the
adversary of Ironnose in the legendary battle that became the subject
of the “Harrowing of Ironnose.” Has retired form the world and no
longer interacts with humankind. Resides in the Southern
Moutains which divide the
fertile east from the arid west. (#)
Loice, Mirror of This artifact of the
great queen Loice is a flat stone of a shimmery, reflective rock that is
said to have mystical properties. As with the Standard of King Everon,
it is said to be lost in Troilan Swamp, though a group of mercenary
adventurers known as the Brethern claimed to have acquired it in recent
years.
Loice, Spectre of The ghostly embodiment
of Loice, legendary queen of Troilan who reigned over the land before
it sunk into a swamp, is said to rise from the mire and command its
denizens in defence of her soggy domain should it be threatened by
outsiders. (#)
Lyra Gems (65) Low quality gemstones
that are often crafted into cheap jewelry and hawked in shoddy
merchant stalls throughout the LoG.
Maritiz
An island nation noted for its coinage made of mother of pearl and
incised with the “fierce head of a sea serpent.”(52)
Narm
(61) Region to the north of Geofp in the area labelled "Neron March" on the map.
Never-fail Shield Shields of legend purported to have magical powers. (65) Vendors of dubious reputation are known to offer
counterfeits for sale to gullible adventurers. They originally were used by certain elite regiments of the lost Empire of Kalastro. They were round shields of light weight yet impregnable steel with a silver star in the center and could, in the hands
of a skilled soldier, be thrown as a weapon and would return to the
hand of the wielder.Very few of these are known to still exist. (♘)
Northern Bands
Matriarchal society that inhabits the land of the far north. Its
women are fierce warriors referred to alternately as amazons and Valkyrie. They are ruled by the High Horned Lady and fight under the
banner of the Unicorn. During a time of famine some years ago a
regiment of amazon warriors of the Northern Bands went south to offer
their services as Mercenaries in order to provide for their starving
families. In the employ of the Regor, Lord of Var, they were on hand for the Rieving of Keo the Less. Great numbers of these proud warriors were
not merely killed but tortured, defiled, and dismembered in unimaginable fashion.(#)
Om The
pattern which maps all human activity, no matter how insignificant
such activity may seem. The pattern is invisible to men and their "earth-tied" senses. (217)
Oszarmen
Desert nomads of indeterminate provenance. (209)
Outer
Dark source of mystical powers available to adepts aligned with
Chaos (23)
Parth
Seafaring nation (178) located on a peninsula at the mouth of the Great
Bay.
Paynim
Nation in the northwest of WoG. (map) Wine from this region is widely
regarded as among the best in LoG.
Plague of Fire A cataclysmic event that breathed forth from the from the Southern Mountains destroying the Kalastro Empire (192) in what is now the Dry Steppes (Map). Lichis the Golden lead a host of Dragons over
the decadent Empire, burning and laying waste to its
cities, which had turned to Chaos. (🎱)
Prim Lizard A
lizard that appears to be made of stone.
Regor of Var🎰oubles a generation ago. Their names were added to the death toll during the Rieving of Keo the Less. (74) It is not known whether it was he who was responsible for calling down the Rieving or if the opposition took that tragic step or another party entirely, but it is certain that everyone involved met a grievously horrible end.🎯
Rieving of Keo the Less Described as “a treachery so black that it blotted
the dark pages of Chaos's own accounting—death so hideous a man
might retch out his guts if he thought too long upon it.” (#) This horrifying event took place during the wars that wracked the lands of Keo a
generation ago. During the siege of Var, someone called upon a force so dark that the entire city was razed, everyone in the vicinity--including all inhabitants as well as the besieging army--was slaughtered, their tortured, twisted corpses were found in a fetid stinking heap. Sounds
bad, right? It effectively ended the uprising and left Keo as a derelict state. 🎳
Rockna the Brass
Dragon residing in the Sea of Dust. Possibly aligned with Chaos.
(207)
Salzak the Spirit Murderer A menacing demon who committed 96 sins, at least one of which was murdering souls. (35)
Sea of Dust A
fatal trackless wilderness of fine dust so shifty it is impossible to
walk on it without special equipment (49). Dunes of shifting dust
sweep across this land much as waves of the ocean. An ancient
civilization once plied these dunes on sailing vessels, the remains
of which—along with their valuable cargoes are said to litter the
“Sea.”(#)
Seven Swamps Homeland of the Lizardfolk and their reptilian steeds(#), this large Wetland complex lies between Faraaz and Geofp. See also Troilan Swamps.⚄
Sign of the Pea Stalk
An inn and provisioner located in the City of
Greyhawk. Noted for providing good value on merchandise to the
adventuring class. (#)
Song of Far Wings
Enchanted shanty which, when sung by a skillful bard, summons
gar-eagles and/or other winged critters to the aid of the songster. (139, 143)
Song of Herckon
Soul shredding tune played by expert bards which will temporarily reduce certain
spirit forces to pools of quiescent liquid. (137-8)
Southern
Mountains Mountain range which holds the Sea of Dust at bay from the LoG to the east. Inhabited by Lichis the Golden and other dragons.(#)
Standard of King Everon
Banner of the afore-named monarch, last king of Troilan. Under this banner, Everon led his people against an invasion but was overwhelmed and met his end on the field of battle. At
his death, the land of Troilan sank into a mire into which his banner
was lost. Just as the meadows of Troilan sank into a dismal swamp, its
people morphed into a lizardlike breed which holds drylanders with
contempt. This item was captured by a group known as the "Brethern"
[sic].
Stranger's
Tower A prison tower in the CoG primarily occupied by drunks and brawlers.(66)
Steppe Mounts These
light horses are bred by the Nomadic tribes of Lar on the fringes of
the Dry Steppes. They are known for their endurance. They are trained
to answer only to the call of one master. Strangers caught riding on
a Steppe Mount by Laric nomads are likely to face serious sanctions.
It is said that an elf or were-being can influence such steeds to
allow someone other than their trained master to ride them. (59-62)
Sword of Seven Spells
Enchanted sword (65) that reputedly allows the bearer to cast one of seven
spells. Such a sword may once have existed but those on sale in the
markets of Greyhawk are unexceptional frauds in every way.௹
Temple of the Frog
Sacred temple believed to be at the heart of Troilan Swamps from
whence malignant creatures are spawned. Few who have seen it have
survived to tell of it. No one is known to have entered it and
returned to pass on their tale. (221)
Temple of Tung
Legendary temple believed to be filled with treasures of great value. (65) It is thought to be located in the Hither Hills. Many adventurers
claim to have found it and made off with booty from its crypts. It is
believed that doing so bears a horrendous curse.🌝
Thera “The
Maned Lady” Lesser deity of the LoG, aligned against Chaos. The
tribes of Lar are known to pay heed to her. (61)
Toad, Pinnacle of the
Located in the northern reaches of LoG (107), perhaps in Blackmoor, the Pinnacle is an enormous, grotesque obelisk dedicated to the Toad God. It is said
to mark the “navel the world” and the gateway to the realm of the
greater beings. It is central to the worship of a malignant cult of
festering chaos called the Fellowship of the Toad.
Toad, Fellowship of the
A cult dedicated to the worship of the foul toad god. (107) Though their
agents are hidden throughout lawful society, their territory is
located in a fen on the northern fringe of Blackmoor. (𝞫)
Troilan Swamps
A forested wetland that is home to
several tribes of lizardfolk. (85) It lies between Geofp and Faraaz and is also known as the Seven Swamps.(Map)
Two Harpies A
tavern in CoG noted for its inexpensive and potent fortified wine. It is a favorite watering
hole of caravan guards (66), possibly due to its proximity to the municipal stables. The place is notorious for brawling. As such,
the furniture is quite stout and fixed to the floor to prevent its
use as weaponry. The cups, on the other hand, are cheap wooden affairs
that break quite easily, providing a satisfying spray of splintered
wood and cheap wine while causing relatively little damage. Patrons of this establishment often find overnight accommodations at the Strangers Tower.
Ulik
(#) A mage of great power who spawned a discipline of magic that bears
his name.
Urnst
Province to the north of the free city of Greyhawk. Currently ruled
by a Grand Duke. (47)
Var
(#) A devastated city located on the arid plains of Lesser Keoland. It was razed during the Rieving of Keo the Less and remains a cursed and ruined place to this day.
Vold A
river originating in the foothills of the Southern Mountains which
flows northward from the plains of Keoland, eventually becoming a
mighty river as tributaries feed into it. (77)
Wild Coast Coastal region over which Ironnose was at least partially harrowed by Lichis the Golden. (#)
Wine of Pardos Legendary tipple with healing properties. (192)
Yerocunby
Land to the west of CoG. Other possible spellings include Yerocundy,
Yerocanby, and Verocunby. (#)
Over on Canonfire I found this cool article An Alternative Linguistic History of the Flanaess written by someone identified only as Ullmaster [EDIT 12/21/16: Actually, Ullmaster is just the dude who uploaded the post, Joe Chevalier is the actual author of the piece.]. If you're a Greyhawk weirdo like me then you'll find that it's definitely worth your time. Here's a highlight:
