Kingmaker

This is the campaign page for the Kingmaker campaign set to the west of Lake Whyestil and east of the great Veseve Forest.

Background

In CY 586 the Iuz wars (part of the continent-spanning as the Greyhawk Wars) end as the Staff of Rao is used to create the Flight of Fiends, when most outsiders are banished from the Flanaess, including Iuz the Old himself. This banishment is to last for a hundred years and a day. A power vacuum appears in the north-central Flanaess.

In CY 629, the demon-tree of the Defiled Glades Vesve was defeated by the demi-godess Honeypot and the elven kingdom in the region reestablished.

In CY 646 the Medevian Crusade breaks the power of the demon lords that have usurped power in the Shield Lands and Rift Canyon. (Wrath of the Righteous) In a coordinated attack, the nobles of Furyondy launch an army along the western shore of Lake Whyestil, encoutering little organized resistance but a lot of friction from disorganized forces of humanoids and evil fey. About half of the army returned, the other parts having been lost or established dominions of their own in the area.

It is now CY 664 and a more focused attempt at colonizing and fortifying the area in preparation for Iuz possible return in CY 746 is about to be undertaken. This colonization effort is the result of diplomatic efforts by the Circle of Eight and the Pathfinder Society, and involves backing from a lot of power groups in the area.

Factions

The idea is for the heroes to become leaders for various factions and their interests in the area. This requires that player characters be well established with the various power groups. Here is a list of the major groups and their sub-groups, listed in order of importance and suitablily as a PC faction..

Feudal Faction

The Kingdom of Furyondy sent an army to pacify the area, and has a number of younger lords eager to establish fiefdoms in the area. Strong in cavalry, knights, and divine magic, the feudal faction is mainly a military power.

Kingdom of Furyondy Based in the court of nearby Chendl, the king is and has traditionally been a paladin devoted to Heironeous, and gathers enthusiastic young knights to its cause. It is closely allied to the church of Heironeous. The last king of the old dynasty ended his line. The present king, Artu, is considered by some to be an usurper, as he was selected by the priesthood of Hieroneous after a distinguished career in the war. Now aging, he is immensely popular with the soldiers and common people. He has numerous children by different mothers, making the succession disputed.

County of Crystalreach The north-west-most region of the Kingdom of Furyondy, Crystalreach was more or less destroyed by Iuz's armies and has been re-established by the combined efforts of Furyondy and Highfolk. This makes it a poor by dynamic region.

Barony of Kalinstren This northern barony of Furyondy bore the brunt of the Iuz invasion and stood firm, taking copious losses. A grim, militaristic land of many castles, the Kalinstreni are eager to get revenge against Iuz in any way they can.

Knights of the Hart - Furyondy The ancient knightly Order of the Hart has split into several independent chapters, but all focus on defending the lands of good and defeating Iuz. The Furyondy chapter is a combination of noble's club, paladin order, and war agitators. They like to face problems head-on.

Crusader Faction

The Order of Holy Shielding was more or less destroyed in fighting, first against the Horned Society and bandit Kingdoms, later against Iuz himself. Working hard to maintain its independence from Furyondy, the Shield Lands have always recruited from the lands of Urnst and Greyhawk, making the order more cosmopolitan than rural Furyondy. It was a great humiliation for the order to be re-instituted by Furyondy, but the appointed leader, Lady Katrina, has been a very lucky choice.

Knights of Holdy Shielding After the mendevian Crusade the Shield Lands have recovered almost all of their former territory, but the order itself has changed; there are still proud paladins riding divinely blessed steeds, but the core of the Shield Lands army are now hardened veterans that fight on foot.

Church of Mayaheine and St XXX A mark that has always differentiated the Shield Lands from Furyondy is religion; the shield lands revered Pelor and St Cuthbert, and later Mayaheine. After the crusade Mayaheines church has grown greatly in scope and power, almost top the point of becoming a state religion. This church advocates defense as the best offense and securing your own resources before attacking those of the enemy.

Orphans of War Half-orcs and half-ogres make up a not inconsiderable part of shield lands forces, generally conscripted to serve in their own companies. Not really a faction, the humanoid shield landers do show a preference for cooperating with of others outsiders like themselves.

Horned Society A land of masked infernalists that employ orcs and other humanoids in their armies, the Horned Society was an enemy of the Shield Lands and later destroyed by Iuz. The Horned Society is made up of thirteen leaders, called Hierarchs, including powerful fighters, clerics, and wizards. Reemerging after the wars, the society has stayed within its own borders and been a reliable ally in the war against Iuz, but an ally that always looks to its own interests first.

Highfolk Faction

An old elven city that has always kept its doors open to other races, Highfolk is today a city of humans, half-elves, elves, dwarfs, and gnomes, as well as a fair number of fairy creatures from the Vesve. The city is a melting pot, and it seems half-elves are the ones most comfortable in such a setting; they dominate city politics.

Council of the High Folk The city council of Highfolk is dominated by half-elves, but members of all the races in the city have representation. An oligarchy representing the guilds and merchants of the city, the council arbitrates conflicts between groups and is responsible for fortifications and defenses, which is mainly a militia. As is common among demi-humans, the will to defend themselves is strong and almost all able-bodied residents are part of the militia.

Rangers of the High Forest and Church of Ehlonna This force kept the peace and warned civilization of incursions of monsters from the Vesve. With improving conditions in the forest, they are now merry messagers and advocates between Highfolk and the creatures of the forest, but still ready to scout and ambush any hostile force.

Knights of the Hart of the High Forest A branch of the order of the Hart devoted to the defense of the Vesve. Cooperating with and supporting the Rangers of Highfolk, the knights act as heavy hitters against more powerful monsters. Never a large order, the knights are mainly elves and half-elves, often riding fairy mounts. They are skilled in forest skirmishing, spending their short time outside the forest as merchant lords in the High Vale, where they are justly hailed as heroes while they try to raise money for their cause.

Merchant Faction

Trade and economy is becoming more and more important, and even faraway cities have a vested interest in developing new markets. The potential exports of this area include furs, gold, timber, tar, and fish.

Greyhawk Distant but immensely rich, the City of Greyhawk is the leading trade port in the Flanaess. Engaged in a conflict with pirates on the Wholly Bay and in fierce competition with the City of Dyvers, Greyhawk's influence can procure anything from exotic drugs to cannon, but only for a price.

Dyvers The ruler of the river system, Dyvers is a lesser competitor to Greyhawk. This is their area of interest, however, so Dyvers is more likely to lend direct support than its competitor.

Highfolk Merchants Caught in a balance act between Perrenland, Dyvers, and Greyhawk, the merchants of Highfolk are in a very profitable but precarious position. Highfolk can offer great support in the short run, and the city is older than all its competitors, but can it maintain its independence in the long run?

Perrenland A transit area for trade with the bakluni and paynim and a source of mercenaries, Perrenland is infamous for remaining neutral in all conflicts. The democratic country does not have a foreign policy, but many perrens seek their individual fortune as traders or mercenaries and are famous for being expensive but staying loyal once their loyalty is bought.

Aspis Consortium A rival of the Pathfinder Society with much the same organization and area of interest, the Aspis have a sinister reputation and frequently employ coercion to achieve their ends.

Vesve Faction

Vesve, or the High Forest, has been a battleground between Iuz and his enemies for centuries.

Elven Court of the Glades With the purging of the Defiled Glades, the elven court of the are has been re-established and is organizing the good denizens of the forest in cleaning out the corruption. With a nobility of high elves and wood elven soldiers, the court is now a force to be reckoned with - when it can agree on what to do.

Church of Honeypot The demi-goddess Honeypot was instrumental in the cleaning of the Defiled Glades, and has many followers. Her faith cuts through all groups, having informal influence outside normal chain of command - as far as something like that exists in the Vesve.

Forest Peoples Gnomes, centaurs, fauns, blink dogs, and various fey live in small tribes throughout the forest. Nominally under the elven court of the glades, these folk often decide on their own without asking for sanction of the central court, but rely on the alliance for defense if they get in trouble.

Druids of the High Tree Centered in the northern Vesve, the druids have taken quite a beating in the war, and several of them have cooperated with the Old One, either in admiration of his power, sympathy for hsi Flan heritage, or as a part of a deal to protect nature. Little is know of how and if they have recovered.

Magic Faction

Mage Council of Fryondy The Mage Council, a kingdom-sponsored wizard’s school, is gaining greater acceptance and influence, and the military is training warmages to provide the kingdom with an arcane artillery. However, outside these groups, there is little to offer in terms of organized magic in Furyondy. Many prominent wizards operating in Furyondy have ties to the monastery of Boccob in Pantarn, and most have spent at least some time studying there.

The Conclave Arcanum of Dyvers: The long-lived magical organization of Dyvers is generally considered to be in decline, directly in proportion to the rise of the Greyhawk guild in it's fast growing and petulant sister city to the east. The Conclave is many centuries old and was perhaps the first modern guild to be established in the Flanaess. It currently occupies a series of low towers in the hills above the main districts of the City of Sails (these were constructed about two and a half centuries ago, just prior to the rise of Zagig Yragerne), though the guild still holds significant influence on the streets and wharves of Dyvers, itself. The Conclave also maintains an impressive meeting hall on one of the many islets in the Lake Quarter, linked only to the mainland by a single invisible bridge that is said to be highly unnerving to negotiate, keeping most save the initiated from paying unwelcome visits to the group.

Pathfinders Led by a secret council that only meet when masked in artifacts masks that completely conceal their identity, the pathfinder is not strictly a magical society; they are concerned with lore and magical items of all kinds. Generally a benevolent organization, the Pathfinders often come into conflict with other groups seeking to exploit the same resources.

The Guild of Wizardry of Greyhawk: Still the largest and broadest guild of mages in the whole of the Flanaess. It is also one of the least political, secretive, or closed guilds in existence. In fact, by most accounts almost any proven practitioner of magic is welcome, whether he or she is a mage, illusionist, bard, or an even more exotic spellcaster. It has no political agenda save perhaps its own continued existence and aggrandizement. In an unusual turn, the Guild does not require the exclusive allegiance of its membership. This means that many mages from all over the Flanaess claim affiliation; in fact, it has become a source of local prestige in many areas to be a member of the famous Guild of Wizardry of Greyhawk. Its official rolls over the last decade number nearly a thousand active mages, though perhaps half that many are in the city at any one time and a majority of those are dilettantes or virtually inactive.

Blue Brothers A mercantile consortium dealing in magic items, the Blue Brothers rarely take part in politics. focusing entirely on providing whatever magical items there is a demand for. Wizards are not so much members of the Blue Brothers as they are hired by the brotherhood to provide magical services, often for customers the mage will never know. While this brings great profit, it has also resulted in mages enchanting items that are later used against themselves.

Horned Society Signifiers The horned society is a military order, but has an active magical branch called the Signifiers. Even more than their military brethren, signifiers always go masked. These mix arcane and divine traditions in their efforts to master infernal forces, with a focus on maintaining the loyalty of the legion's morale.

Independent Factions

A number of lesser power groups can potentially have influence in the area.

Dwarf Dwarfs from the Lortmils, Yatils, the Gladspurs, and White Plume Mountain have a vested interest in the defeat of Iuz. While rarely fielding their own armies, they participate by providing various support functions, mainly crafts and enchanted items.

Hobs Numerous gnomes live in Highfolk and the Kron Hills, and small communities of halflings live in hidden locations throughout the area. Hobs are likely to act as individuals or representatives of other human factions rather than as a faction in themselves.

Rhenne Rhenne river traffic exists on the Whyestil, and some caravans pass through Furyondy, tough they are not very welcome there.

Flan Numerous small tribes of Flan are native to the area. While not usually a force to be reckoned with, a hero might bring the Flan together as participants in the new country.

Rules

Action - Abbe's homwbrew

External Links

Mummy's Mask Player's Guide free download @ Paizo
Pathfinder Factions and Pathfinder faction feats

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