I continue my read-through of the Guide to the World of Greyhawk.
0:00 What’s today’s video about?
0:32 Hold of the Sea Princes
4:49 Shield Lands
8:34 Snow Barbarians
10:46 South Province
13:48 Spindrift Isles
18:49 Thanks
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My paladin/cleric character's principality is right next to the Sea Princes Hold.
He & his wifes' next move is to conquer the Hold.
At this time the Shield Lands are an ally of my characters.
An 8th level cleric miracle (Alter Reality) changed the Shield Lands fortunes.
Bone Hill was great. The module was a classic. I took the Elven Islands as a debaucle as well.
I love running games set in the Sea Princes because it is an absolute cesspit of scum and villainy. I try to portray the area like pre-revolution Haitte, with large plantations ruled over by a largely Suel nobility. The local Flan have all been worked to death in the mines and fields, so the Suel have brought in Olman from the Almedo. The Suel live in fear of an Olman uprising so they use increasingly brutal tactics to keep their workers in line. In response, the Olman have begun to fight back, but since they are lead by priests of some of the darker Olman gods, the resistance takes the form of incredibly brutal attacks usually involving the summoning of Lovecraftion horrors.
Odd, but despite how central the Shield Lands was I never run an campaign there. I guess I was never into the big war plotline. Sea Princes I ran one waterborne adventure out of the area which didn't go that far. It was the typical pirate themed adventure, but I did like the terrain and nations around it giving more meat for working in political factions, alliances, smuggling, etc. Spindrift I never ran a campaign there except for some early ones which continued after the various starter modules set there. Ultimately those modules were pretty self-contained by Greyhawk did give the ability run plots around it. This said, I was never fond of islands as starting locations simple as it tended to force waterborne adventures.
In the Sea Princes the module UK1 "Beyond the Crystal Cave" was always my favorite. Many a time I've had a Druid PC get "Transport via Plant"ed to the Sea Princes to head out to Sybrate Island. I don't usually take non Druid groups there though….since the danger of a complete party kill is too great. 😛
Loving these review videos. So very helpful and informative. Thank you
Keoland rules
My daughter did a tabaxi who was enslaved by the scarlet brotherhood/hold of the sea princes. After she got her freedom, she became a raider who adventures by land and sea against the Hold and brotherhood
Thanks for the video! You've always got some excellent insights on the Greyhawk material and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on it!
Great vid as always… Did you shit yourself at 12:48?
One should always leave out Tolkienesque stuff out of Greyhawk.
The Shieldlands always struck ne as the most culturally Paladin-like, moreso than Furyondy, the various orders of the Watch, the Great Kingdom, etc., and properly of the spirit of service and sacrifice, not the holier-than-thou steriotype. Perfect to stand up to yhe Horned Society.
I find the Greyhawk lands so varied it’s confusing at times. But always make sense of it. Since I have only the boxed set and a handful of modules from before the 90s . I have limited information on the later time periods.
I definitely appreciate these readings and look forward to them.
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I really enjoy these vids. Yes i could read it all but its great to hear your take on it
Years ago when I ran a campaign out of Keoland, I had the Sea Princes break up in civil wars with some (Monmurg and Toli) get aid from Keoland, and the Scarlet Brotherhood eventually brokering a peace to their advantage (I always played the brotherhood at least as lawful as they were evil-more Acheron than Ghenna).
Great video as always! I am curious, for wargaming in the setting around South Province, what system will you use? Also, do you use miniatures for it?
They need to release The Greyhawk Adventures book for POD!
So much info to be had!
Although the majority of the Shield Lands is certainly vulnerable to Iuz and the Bandit Kingdoms, I never understood why their island where their capitol is fell. The humanoids didn't have a navy when they came out of the north, but the Shield Lands certainly did to patrol the Nyr Dyv. At best they would have some river craft, a few captured vessels from Crittwall, and whatever they can cobble together (probably just rafts) from the forests along the lake. Anything's possible, but I think they done my boys dirty here.
I love setting adventures in the Shield Lands, I find it a place where the macro politics of the Gazetteer blends particularly well with the micro politics of player campaigns. The Earl of Walworth, of course, was Gygax’s title in the pre-D&D Castles and Crusades Society.
My players have always feared water adventures, but freeing the Shield Lands would be something they would enjoy.
Located over on Dragon what?