Oriental in Greyhawk - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Oriental in Greyhawk

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
bluebudda
Jun 28, 2004 8:12:59 Hi,

I was looking to develope an Oriental charcter in Greyhawk and was wondering if there is a region that has a similiar cutlure in Greyhawk or anywere else on the planet for that matter?
#2
zombiegleemax
Jun 28, 2004 19:35:47 Gary Gygax always had the intention that there was Cathay-type civilization to the west of the Flanaess beyond the Baklunish lands. In fact, what ultimately became the Kara-Tur setting in the Forgotten Realms was originally supposed to be in the Greyhawk setting but was given to FR instead when Greenwood became more popular than Gygax.

So you could use the general Oriental game materials that are out there to define such a character concept and bring them into the game. They would likely have come into the Flanaess through the Sultanate of Zeif, or one of the other Baklunish nations, which have regular merchant exchange by land and sea via the Drawmidj Ocean with the Oriental states in the far west. Since there's quite a bit of traffic coming down from the Baklunish states into the main Flanaess these days it would not be hard for an Oriental character looking to explore new lands to come down into Veluna or Furyondy and then continue on into the rest of the Flanaess.
#3
zombiegleemax
Jun 28, 2004 20:55:10 I use Kara Tur as described in the original Oriental Adventures as fae western Oerik. Always have, always will. Works great.
#4
bluebudda
Jun 30, 2004 15:28:03 Well looks like there is no official material, however oereth is very underdeveloped as a planet and there is plenty of room to create what you want. Thanks for the suggestions I'm cracking open my OA as we speak, I will definatley read up on the Baklunish nations to see things they would of been interested in trading for.
#5
zombiegleemax
Jun 30, 2004 19:43:16 The same things Middle Eastern nations traded with the Chinese for in the real world. Silk, spices, jade, artwork. Plus, in a magical world probably alchemical and magical items and lore. The only exception would be smokepowder, which doesn't work on Oerth.

You don't have to play in the Baklunish lands if you don't want to. An Oriental character could come on a merchant ship to Zeif or Ekbir and then make their way by land through Ket, into Perrenland and then down the Velverdyva River into Veluna/Furyondy and on into just about anywhere else.

Such a character would probably attract a lot of interest, especially from people curious about what lies beyond the Flanaess (like worshippers of Fharlanghan), merchants curious about possible trade with unknown empires and wizards and priests interested in the magic and gods of the West.

It is a pity this was never developed further, but as I said, the entire Kara Tur setting was stolen whole and hog to give to FR.
#6
mortellan
Jun 30, 2004 23:52:19 Stolen or not, Kara-Tur did little to enliven the FR, besides a brief novel storyline and that wasn't even Kara-Tur but the hordelands. If GH had been fully vested with Kara-Tur into its canon, would the setting be better off? I think there is a reluctance to go beyond the edges of the map and use what might be out there, as if it may detract from the focus of the campaign which is the Flanaess. This is why Fate of Istus is poorly received, the Baklunish lands get second billing, most of Scarlet Brotherhood is disliked and more. Maybe this time FR did us a favor.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bluebudda Jun 28, 2004 8:12:59	Hi, I was looking to develope an Oriental charcter in Greyhawk and was wondering if there is a region that has a similiar cutlure in Greyhawk or anywere else on the planet for that matter?
#2 zombiegleemax Jun 28, 2004 19:35:47	Gary Gygax always had the intention that there was Cathay-type civilization to the west of the Flanaess beyond the Baklunish lands. In fact, what ultimately became the Kara-Tur setting in the Forgotten Realms was originally supposed to be in the Greyhawk setting but was given to FR instead when Greenwood became more popular than Gygax. So you could use the general Oriental game materials that are out there to define such a character concept and bring them into the game. They would likely have come into the Flanaess through the Sultanate of Zeif, or one of the other Baklunish nations, which have regular merchant exchange by land and sea via the Drawmidj Ocean with the Oriental states in the far west. Since there's quite a bit of traffic coming down from the Baklunish states into the main Flanaess these days it would not be hard for an Oriental character looking to explore new lands to come down into Veluna or Furyondy and then continue on into the rest of the Flanaess.
#3 zombiegleemax Jun 28, 2004 20:55:10	I use Kara Tur as described in the original Oriental Adventures as fae western Oerik. Always have, always will. Works great.
#4 bluebudda Jun 30, 2004 15:28:03	Well looks like there is no official material, however oereth is very underdeveloped as a planet and there is plenty of room to create what you want. Thanks for the suggestions I'm cracking open my OA as we speak, I will definatley read up on the Baklunish nations to see things they would of been interested in trading for.
#5 zombiegleemax Jun 30, 2004 19:43:16	The same things Middle Eastern nations traded with the Chinese for in the real world. Silk, spices, jade, artwork. Plus, in a magical world probably alchemical and magical items and lore. The only exception would be smokepowder, which doesn't work on Oerth. You don't have to play in the Baklunish lands if you don't want to. An Oriental character could come on a merchant ship to Zeif or Ekbir and then make their way by land through Ket, into Perrenland and then down the Velverdyva River into Veluna/Furyondy and on into just about anywhere else. Such a character would probably attract a lot of interest, especially from people curious about what lies beyond the Flanaess (like worshippers of Fharlanghan), merchants curious about possible trade with unknown empires and wizards and priests interested in the magic and gods of the West. It is a pity this was never developed further, but as I said, the entire Kara Tur setting was stolen whole and hog to give to FR.
#6 mortellan Jun 30, 2004 23:52:19	Stolen or not, Kara-Tur did little to enliven the FR, besides a brief novel storyline and that wasn't even Kara-Tur but the hordelands. If GH had been fully vested with Kara-Tur into its canon, would the setting be better off? I think there is a reluctance to go beyond the edges of the map and use what might be out there, as if it may detract from the focus of the campaign which is the Flanaess. This is why Fate of Istus is poorly received, the Baklunish lands get second billing, most of Scarlet Brotherhood is disliked and more. Maybe this time FR did us a favor.