I know we are traditionally Baklunish, but with Eastern influences, and a trade route. I know that Ketite horses are prized.
Still, I'd like more detail about how much of the Ket culture has been decided upon recently by the Triad, and how much of it has a historical background in Greyhawk books.
Are there any good websites or books I should look for in particular for information on Ket, and its culture, traditions, and residents. Also, information on Al'Akbar, and especially the True Faith would be helpful as well.
Majoru Oakheart
1. The Canonfire search page
Just type in the key word and hit search. Ignore the other fields.
2. The Greytalk Archives
Allow the download. You'll be wading through stuff here for hours on end.
3. Wizards Forum Search
Be sure to set the forum search to search the Greyhawk foum ONLY. This applies mostly to Al'Akbar searches or you'll get a bunch of generic crap from people quoting the new PHB dieties and such. Greyhawk is fairly far down the list under the "Other Worlds" heading, ofcourse.
Good luck on finding what you're looking for. I believe if you use those 3 tools wisely, you'll be the most knowledgable person in your area (triad) pertaining to Ket.
Does Ket practice slavery? There doesn't appear to be an answer. Some people guess yes, because the Baklunish culture would be prone to doing so. Others say that the only form of "slavery" is voluntary indentured servitude, and forced labour from crimnals. Some say that due to Ket's status as being influenced by the east and the LN alignment of the culture, they would have abolished slavery.
What is the largest religion in Ket? The LGG pretty much says that Ket is dominated by The True Faith, which is a LN sect of Al'Akbar, whom the LGG says is the head of the Baklunish pantheon. However, at Greytalk, someone says that "The True Faith" is a religion that worships Istus, and some other gods (not including Al'Akbar) and that Istus is the head of the Baklunish pantheon and that Al'Akbar isn't that important.
The current status of Ket in LG is that Al'Akbar (The True Faith) is the dominant religion in Ket, since the Baklunish value piety so much, the Mullahs of the True Faith wield considerable power. The LGG insinuates that Mullahs of the True Faith should consider other religions Infidels, and considering the power they wield, there should be a large intolerance of other cultures and religions who might preach chaos, or ideals contrary to Al'Akbar.
However, it has been argued recently that Ket, being a large trade hub would be EXTREMELY tolerant of outsiders, and that they have integrated Eastern ways into their mostly Baklunish culture, which means they will be accepting of other ideas and cultures.
The way I see it is that it is more likely that Ketites will pretend to cater to other cultures and traditions as long as they are around outsiders, in order to facilitate trade and profit. They will be thinking the entire time though how they are so glad that they are not one of the uncultured barbarians from other countries.
Of course, I'd like to find more concrete evidence from old Greyhawk books/Gary quotes, etc to show how it was intended to be in the first place. No matter where I search though, these seem to be in short supply for Ket. Was not much written about it?
it is all made up and conjecture.
You're catching on quick.
the description in the world of greyhawk boxed set (1983) was short, discribing a predominently baklunish culture with traditions and trappings of other cultures tossed in.
From the Ashes says a little bit more (including the comment that Xan Yae and Istus are widley revered in ket)... but nothing substansial is added.
then we have the LGG entry which you have obviously read.
other then that there are only a few scattered mentions of Ket (in S4 for example you can run into a Ketish patrol while in the southern yatil mountain.)
Does Ket practice slavery? There doesn't appear to be an answer. Some people guess yes, because the Baklunish culture would be prone to doing so. Others say that the only form of "slavery" is voluntary indentured servitude, and forced labour from crimnals. Some say that due to Ket's status as being influenced by the east and the LN alignment of the culture, they would have abolished slavery.
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For what it's worth, Gary Gygax's post-TSR novels include a female dancer who was a Ketite slave. Slavery has always been a part of Ket in my games and in my thinking.
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What is the largest religion in Ket? The LGG pretty much says that Ket is dominated by The True Faith, which is a LN sect of Al'Akbar,
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With you so far.
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whom the LGG says is the head of the Baklunish pantheon.
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I'd be shocked if the LGG really said this. Do you have a reference? His worship is an extremely important in the regon, but he's not the head of the pantheon.
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However, at Greytalk, someone says that "The True Faith" is a religion that worships Istus, and some other gods (not including Al'Akbar) and that Istus is the head of the Baklunish pantheon and that Al'Akbar isn't that important.
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Al'Akbar was added to the setting during second edition, using as its genesis the description of the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar, a Greyhawk-friendly pair of artifacts that date to the game's earliest days. Some folks, naturally, wish to stick to material only from Greyhawk's earliest incarnation.
Unfortunately, that leave a "true faith" based upon a god that the '83 boxed set says "has relatively few faithful devotees." Also, this gem: "Because fate is so often cruel or unkind, only very cynical or unfeeling persons tend toward service of Istus."
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The current status of Ket in LG is that Al'Akbar (The True Faith) is the dominant religion in Ket, since the Baklunish value piety so much, the Mullahs of the True Faith wield considerable power. The LGG insinuates that Mullahs of the True Faith should consider other religions Infidels, and considering the power they wield, there should be a large intolerance of other cultures and religions who might preach chaos, or ideals contrary to Al'Akbar.
However, it has been argued recently that Ket, being a large trade hub would be EXTREMELY tolerant of outsiders, and that they have integrated Eastern ways into their mostly Baklunish culture, which means they will be accepting of other ideas and cultures.
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But not necessarily other religions. It seems to me that the existence of a "True Faith" suggests the presence of folks within the Baklunish lands who don't practice it. If Al'Akbar (or Istus) worship is the "True" faith, what's the "untrue" faith? Fred Wiening tried to answer this with a schism within the church of Al'Akbar, which I think is a pleasing solution.
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The way I see it is that it is more likely that Ketites will pretend to cater to other cultures and traditions as long as they are around outsiders, in order to facilitate trade and profit. They will be thinking the entire time though how they are so glad that they are not one of the uncultured barbarians from other countries.
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Yes, but I think many in the east (say, in Gran March) view the Ketites as uncultured barbarians. Plenty of different viewpoints in the World of Greyhawk.
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Of course, I'd like to find more concrete evidence from old Greyhawk books/Gary quotes, etc to show how it was intended to be in the first place. No matter where I search though, these seem to be in short supply for Ket. Was not much written about it?
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Not much was written about it, in fact. The best place to get Gygax's pure view of the location is the "Sea of Death" novel, in the section dealing with the "pearl of perfection" (the aforementioned slave dancer).
--Erik Mona