Greyhawk Wars
Encyclopedia
- This page refers to the fictional war, for the wargame based on these events, see: Greyhawk Wars (game)Greyhawk Wars (game)Greyhawk Wars is a fantasy board wargame published by TSR, Inc. in 1991. The game was designed by David Cook as a strategic simulation of the eponymous Greyhawk Wars on the fictional world of Oerth, the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.-Components:The...
In the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
World of Greyhawk campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
, the Greyhawk Wars raged across the whole of the Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
from 582-584 CY.
History
Initial hostilities were provoked by the evil demigod IuzIuz
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Iuz is the chaotic evil demigod of Deceit, Evil, Oppression, Pain, and Wickedness. Iuz is variously called "The Old One" and "Old Wicked," among other titles. Unlike most Greyhawk deities, Iuz makes his home on...
, but rapidly expanded to cover most of the Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
as opportunistic nations used the conflict to further their own ends. This conflict saw the unification and expansion of the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj
Pomarj
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Pomarj can refer either to a large peninsula located in the central Flanaess, or to the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj, located in the same region....
as well as a desperate attempt by the Great Kingdom
Great Kingdom
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Great Kingdom, or the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, refers to an empire that varied in size at various points in its history.-History:...
to reclaim its former glories.
The wars were ended in 584 when the final truce was brokered in the Free City of Greyhawk
Free City of Greyhawk
The Free City of Greyhawk, also known as Greyhawk City and the "Gem of the Flanaess," is a fictional city-state in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
, and the war has come to be named for the city as a result.
Publication
In the late 1980s, TSR, Inc.TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons, had been disappointed by declining sales of the Greyhawk product line. TSR therefore decided to make a significant change to the setting to re-invigorate customer interest and sales of Greyhawk-related materials. The Greyhawk Wars was the in-game catalyst used to allow TSR game developers, principally Carl Sargent
Carl Sargent
Carl L. Sargent is a British author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels.-Early career:...
, to take the setting in a new direction.
The storyline leading up to the Greyhawk Wars is presented in the 1991 adventure modules
Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
Five Shall Be One
Five Shall Be One
Five Shall Be One is an adventure module for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The module bears the code WGS1 and was published by TSR, Inc...
and Howl from the North
Howl from the North
Howl from the North is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The module bears the code WGS2 and was published by TSR, Inc...
(WGS1 and WGS2). These modules were intended to enable Dungeon Masters to involve their players in the events that precipitate the start of the Wars.
TSR published the history of the Wars themselves in the Greyhawk Wars Adventurer's Book, included as a component of David Cook's 1991 board game Greyhawk Wars
Greyhawk Wars (game)
Greyhawk Wars is a fantasy board wargame published by TSR, Inc. in 1991. The game was designed by David Cook as a strategic simulation of the eponymous Greyhawk Wars on the fictional world of Oerth, the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.-Components:The...
. The board game allowed participants to play the events of the Wars as a strategic simulation, controlling various political entities, military units and heroes of the World of Greyhawk in competition with other players.
Meanwhile, game developer Carl Sargent had been working on a significant update for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting as a whole. This was published in 1992 as a boxed set entitled From the Ashes
From the Ashes (Dungeons & Dragons)
From the Ashes is a supplement for Dungeons & Dragonss World of Greyhawk campaign setting. It was published in 1992 by TSR as a boxed set of materials...
. The boxed set detailed the situation on the Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
in the aftermath of the Greyhawk Wars. From the Ashes was followed in 1993 by a series of Sargent sourcebooks and modules providing additional information regarding the updated setting, including The Marklands
The Marklands
The Marklands is a sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game that describes the realms of Furyondy, Highfolk, Nyrond in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting...
, Iuz the Evil
Iuz the Evil
Iuz the Evil is a sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game that describes the realms of the evil demi-god Iuz in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting...
, and City of Skulls
City of Skulls
For the short story see The City of Skulls The City of Skulls is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, set in the game's World of Greyhawk campaign setting.-Plot summary:...
.
The tone of Sargent's post-Wars material was intentionally darker and more grim than pre-Wars TSR publications. These changes generated mixed reactions from fans of the setting, failed to sufficiently revive sales and led to TSR's cancellation of the product line in late 1993.