Oerdian (Greyhawk Action)

Heroic Action Role-Play

Fantasy French with some Finnish-sounding names.

Attributes and Schticks

Body: 4-10
Mind: 4-10
Reflexes: 4-10
Move: 5

Hybrid Race

Inherent

Select one Race other than human. You are a hybrid of human and the selected race. The GM might not allow hybrids with all races, check before making your selection. Someone with this feat is often called a half-X, where the X stands for the selected race.

• You look like a hybrid between a human and your selected race and might be mistaken for either.
• You can purchase the racial schticks of the selected race.
• Note which attribute has the highest racial maximum for the selected race; you get to pick one if there is a tie. Your racial maximum for this attribute becomes 11.

Description

The ultimate in human pride, the Oerdians are lords among men, strong and confident to a fault. They build strong nations and dominate a wide stretch of the central Flaeness, from Nyrond to the Great Kingdom.

Appearance

Oerdians are tall and muscular, sometimes even hulking, with olive or ruddy complexion matched by brown or reddish hair.

Role

Accepting, Loyal, Warlike, Worldly, Practical. Oerdians lack the strong vices and virtues of other people; a worldly, earthy culture less concerned with high ideals. Good or evil, Oerdians generally look to results rather than ideals.

Politics

Because Oerdians are dominant in such a large part of the Flaeness, human politics are generally the same as Oerdian politics. The conflicts within the Oerdian culture is between good and evil, as exemplified in the conflict between Hieroneous and Hextor. The Oerdians are accepting of differences on the Law - Chaos axis; a community can have both lawful and chaotic members living in harmony.

Integration

Oerdians are accepting of other cultures and their gods, at least when they have the upper hand. The dominant race of the Flaness, the Oerdians are very accepting and open as a culture, which has let them assimilate large groups of Flan and Suel. As a result, there are today few "pure" Oerdians. Oerdian identity is cultural, not racial. But this is now maily in the past; today it is the Oerdians themselves who are being integrated into the expanding Common culture.

The Aerdie is the dominant tribe among Oerdians, and almost all Oerdian nobility is of Aerdie descent; it has come to the point that the Aerdie consider themselves the only true Oerdians, with ordinariy Oerdians seen as commoners, whose race is of no consequence. This has helped spread the Common culture, removing what could otherwise have been a barrier to integration.

Family

Monogamous and Patrilinear. Oerdians have large extended families based on heritage trough the male line. While independent, Oerdian women do not carry the family line and their status is based on ability or marriage, not inheritance. Prostitution, Sex outside the culture and extramartial liaisons are tolerated. Nudity and transvestism is not tolerated.

Powers

Pragmatic is the word; Oerdians see powers as tools. Most often used to create items for everyday use and to make day-to-day life easier. Magic users tend to focus on combat magic, each adopting a specialty of their own.

Pantheon

Oerdians are a pious people who easily fall for persuasive religions, which can be seen in their large and chaotic pantheon. Still, they are a practical bunch, and the gods they cherish tend to be rather down-to-earth and not concerned with philosophical speculation.

The Oerdian pantheon is obsessed with lineage, but the legends are often contradictory. Most of the gods appear to originally have been humans of divine heritage, and some have references to both human and divine parents at the same time. Oerdians get annoyed when such inconsistencies are pointed out, claiming there is more to descent than ordinary scholarship can represent.

Oedian Patriarch Gods

Procan is the father of the pantheon and the first lord of the world. But he is a wild, untamed god and not interested in governance - in many ways he represents the barbarian roots of the Oerdian people. His son Pholtus took over his mantle as god of nobility, but was usurped by today's pantheon. None of these ancient deities has a large following today.

Procan

Chaotic Neutral, First Generation

The original father and first ruler of the entire Oerdian pantheon, Procan lost interest in his children when they became civilized. He is a sea god, av avatar of Kord, and as mercurial as the sea. Procan is the progenitor of the Oerdian wind gods, lords of life and the common man. But Procan is barely a part of the pantheon anymore and holds no prominent place. Instead, it is lead by three brothers, Hextor, Hieroneous and Trithereon , all gods or nobility and valor, eternal rivals who usurped power from Pholtus, their father. These are all gods of nobility and of little concern to common folk.

Oerth

Neutral, First Generation

The last vestige of several unnamed female divinities, the mothers of both the winds gods and the patriarch trio, the name Oerth as the wife of Procan figures in some early legends. She is not worshiped today, tough her shadow remains in the cult of the Oerdian Wind Gods. Modern theologians identify all these unnamed goddesses with Beory.

Celestian

Lawful Neutral, First Generation

A distant god of stars and the paths between them, Celestian is rarely mentioned except by astrologers and mystics. He is an avatar of Istus.

Eruthnul

Chaotic Evil, First Generation

The Lord of Slaughter is not exactly a part of the pantheon, as he is not a descendant of Procan, but he figures in many important myths. He is the eternal enemy, the chaos beyond the border that constantly threatens all that is good. All Oerdian gods have fought him at one time or another, and his depredations can justify even Hextor's harsh rule. Because of his opposition to order, revolting peasants sometimes turn to him. He is a little-disguised avatar of Gruumsh.

Pholtus

Lawful Neutral, Second Generation

An unwavering god of law, both natural and human, Pholtus sees himself as the successor and inheritor of all other law-keeping gods, which makes him unpopular with them and their clergy. He is an exarch of Rao.

Oerdian Noble Gods

This is the official church of the nobility and realms of the Aerdy, led by a trio of third-generation patriarchal gods: Hieroneous (Justice), Hextor (Tyrrany), and Trithereon (freedom). These three usurped power from their uncle Velnius who refused to seek fame and build an empire. They are all gods of nobility and of little concern to common folk. Their cults do not coexist well; if one is dominant in an area, the other two tend to be repressed. There is also a fourth generation of divinities, most often with special interests and spheres of local importance.

Hieroneous

Lawful Good, Third Generation

Hieroneous is the just knight, lord of the land. It is both a duty and a right to rule, and he brooks no disrespect. He is an exarch of Bahamut.

Hextor

Lawful Evil, Third Generation

Hieroneous evil brother claims the right to rule based on strength and ability. He disdains Hieroneous tolerance for weakness. The weak exist only to serve the strong. He is an exarch of Tiamat.

Trithereon

Chaotic Good, Third Generation

The Summoner and the Lord of Freedom, Trithereon represents the continuation of the barbarian Oerdian's free spirit into a modern world. While he accepts nations and the protection they offer the weak, he sees them with suspicion, a necessary evil that the heroic knight and defender should not subjugate himself too. He is an avatar of Kord.

Oerdian Wind Gods

Besides the noble gods, there exists a separate hierarchy of peaceful Oerdian gods. Procan is their father but not counted as one of them. These rural gods are worshiped by commoners and play small roles in the affairs of state.

Velnius

Neutral Good, Second Generation.

The eldest and most respectable of Procan's children, leader of the wind gods and father of the three noble brothers. Deposed when he refused to become an empire-builder, he enjoys little respect from nobles but is loved among the common folk.

Atroa

Neutral Good, Second Generation.

The Sea Maiden is one of the Oerdian wind gods and also honored in noble circles, the daughter of Procan. She is the goddess of spring, romantic love, and innocence. As an Oerdian, she is also a capable warrior, tough her chief conquests are always hearts; in chivalry she is the patron of chaste romance and her clerics are diplomats and entertainers. She is an exarch of Ehlonna.

Sotillion

Neutral Good, Second Generation.

The Queen of Summer, lady of ease, wife to Zilchus, and one of the Oerdian wind gods. She is the most popular god among commoners in Oerdian lands. She is an exarch of Pelor.

Wenta

Chaotic Good, Second Generation.

The Oerdian wind goddess of autumn and west wind, Wenta watches over harvests and festivities. She is also the patron of winting and brewing. She is an exarch of Sehanine.

Telchur

Neutral Evil, Second Generation.

The god of winter and the most adverse of the Oerdian wind gods, Telchur can be a terror when the mood strikes him. He is a decently respectable avatar of Nerull.

Merikka

Lawful Good, Second Generation.

Is a quiet and orderly goddess of the calendar, and by extension science. Her task to keep the seasons in order is vital and she performs it dutifully, but she is a passive goddess and figures little in myths or cults. She is an exarch of Istus.

Oerdian Lesser Gods

Mostly of fourth or undefined later generation, these gods have practical portfolios and are popular among the common people.

Bleredd

Neutral Good, Fourth Genration

The Iron Mule is a fourth-generation Oerdian god, thoroughly civilized. He is the god of smiths and crafts, and is popular in wide areas. He is the maker of much of the war-gear of his militant pantheon. He is an exarch of Moradin.

Delleb

Lawful Good, Third Generation

The god of scribes and historians, Delleb is contentious but does not tolerate nonsense. He is an exarch of Rao.

Fharlanghn

Neutral good, Fourth Generation

The god of travel and the horizon, Fharlanghn has a lose cult and many shrines, but few temples. He is an exarch of Yondalla

Kurell

Neutral Evil, Fourth Generation

The brother of Zilchus. He was spurned in favor of his brother and in turn spurned Atroa, who loved him. This made hm the god of jealousy and envy, and by extension thievery. He is an exarch of Lolth.

Lirr

Chaotic Good, Fourth Generation

The daughter of Hieroneous and Oerdian goddess of art, Lirr is of minor power but important in many legends as a helper and inspiration. She is the patron of every art, from the barbaric skald to the stately illuminator. She is an exarch of Corellon.

Rudd

Chaotic Good, Fourth Generation

Goddess of skill and luck, Rudd is a happy-go-lucky adventuress, and as such is popular among mortal adventurers who seek to emulate her wild exploits. She is an exarch of Olidarma.

Ulaa

Neutral Ulaa is the only mother-wife goddess known by name and worshiped in the present day, the wife of Bleredd and goddess of hills and the riches they contain; metals and gems.

Zilchus

Lawful Neutral, Fourth Generation

The gods of guilds, trade, and wealth, Ziluchs is married to Sotillion and a very well-regarded and popular god. He is an exarch of Yondalla.