Has been a sad time for poor old animus called Ivid...
:raincloud :raincloud :raincloud
He lost the War and got basically locked in his former palace in Rauxes, frequently visited by some gangs of life - tired adventures he *literally* may have sent to hell...
However, world's favourite insane overking may have got a bit bored by now...
So what can we do about him?
It is clear, in my oppinion, that he can't stay where he is; sooner or later someone will succeed in butchering him AND THAT BE BAD!
What do you think? Should he...
Or do you have another idea you want to tell?
*BTW, yes, I know that Rauxes was supposed to be some kind of planar nexus, but I seriously don't think this is a satifying final sollution for such an epic setting as the High Kingdom we all know from the only free downloadable Greyhawk sourcebook, Ivid the Undying*
Has been a sad time for poor old animus called Ivid...
:raincloud :raincloud :raincloud
He lost the War and got basically locked in his former palace in Rauxes, frequently visited by some gangs of life - tired adventures he *literally* may have sent to hell...
However, world's favourite insane overking may have got a bit bored by now...
So what can we do about him?
It is clear, in my oppinion, that he can't stay where he is; sooner or later someone will succeed in butchering him AND THAT BE BAD!
What do you think? Should he...
Or do you have another idea you want to tell?
*BTW, yes, I know that Rauxes was supposed to be some kind of planar nexus, but I seriously don't think this is a satifying final sollution for such an epic setting as the High Kingdom we all know from the only free downloadable Greyhawk sourcebook, Ivid the Undying*
I kinda like the idea of Ivid getting a realm in Ravenloft but for my own campaign I see Rauxes becoming the City of the Dead. Ivid begins to turn all his most faithful into undead and then the change flows over the city. Slowly at first and then a week or so of terror where the scales are tipped and the undead slaughter or transform the remaining population.
yes, I know that Rauxes was supposed to be some kind of planar nexus, but I seriously don't think this is a satifying final sollution for such an epic setting as the High Kingdom we all know from the only free downloadable Greyhawk sourcebook, Ivid the Undying*
I actually found that end fitting for Rauxes. That city, once the center of the most powerful nation of the Flanaess since the Twin Cataclysm, had slowly become a sinkhole of evil (as per the RL definition).
Think about it, ..
Priests of powerful G and N deities slaughtered and their holy temples desecrated.
Innocents tortured.
Devils (and other fiends) invoked.
Major evil artifacts all kept within the same location for hundreds of years.
All these combined to make the place as unholy as it could get. I wouldn't be surprised if several gods had an interest is seeing it destroyed (or displaced to another dimension). Beory, Heironeous and Pholtus certainly.
Moreover, we know that Ivid - even though he had become an Animus - still suffered from the same wasting disease, and thus was fated to disappear sooner or later.
When the big showdown began, with fiends of all kinds and evil (not to say "Vile") magic unleashed by all sides, something was bound to happen.
Frankly, the creation of an interplanar nexus on the spot strikes me as logical.
Ivid is probably a slave somewhere in Hell, or a corpse elsewhere. Good riddance, I say. His dynasty was rotten to the core. It was time for new major evil figures to replace him in Aerdy.
And let's not forget that the deal struck with Baalzephon ended badly for the forces of Hell. Ivid had lost all political powers in the Great Kingdom, so helping him wasn't "profitable" anymore.
It may be my fault, but I am convinced that there is one problem:
As far as I understand, Rauxes is still there, its walls and buildings still standing in the heart of the old empire - on Oerth.
So, any major Greyhawk campaign to update the Aerdy setting would have to deal with the ghosts of Rauxes at first, and I wonder who (of the Greyhawk VIPS like Mordenkainen etc.) should do that.
So, not to *freeze* the setting for future, Ivid-less (that really sounds
bullsh :P )campaigns, what could happen? I personally thought of this:
Ivid and his closest companions flee the city, which falls down into black dust.
Their ghostwalk :P brings them through greeat parts of the Flanaess,where they leave nothing but destruction and dozens of undead, until they reach some port and are welcomed by a ghost ship that brings them to a place no living person has seen...
Rob Kuntz's Maze of Zayene series might help one design such an adventure. I don't know: I've neither read, nor played them.
It may be my fault, but I am convinced that there is one problem:
As far as I understand, Rauxes is still there, its walls and buildings still standing in the heart of the old empire - on Oerth.
So, any major Greyhawk campaign to update the Aerdy setting would have to deal with the ghosts of Rauxes at first, and I wonder who (of the Greyhawk VIPS like Mordenkainen etc.) should do that.
Given the RPGA "owns" WoG currently, and the "planar mess" has been posted on the RPGA board, methink it is as canon as can be.
Besides, I don't really see why the city (or Ivid) should be preserved at all cost. Oh, sure, it had some nice historic spots but nothing that would make people cry all night long if it went "poof!" (which it did :P )
And Ivid wasn't really a villain, more like a madman entrusted with too much power. Yes, he did terrible things, but when I think of him, I picture a spoiled kid throwing a temper tantrum whenever things didn't go his way. Of course, that "kid" had pretty powerful toys at his disposal, no argument there.
When I think "evil" in Aerdy, I think of Szeffrin, Delglath, Drax, or Nightsong.
Of course, your alternate story would make an interesting adventure. I would certainly consider it a fitting end if Ivid and his gang walked in some "mists" before disappearing... ;)
...I don't really see why the city (or Ivid) should be preserved at all cost. Oh, sure, it had some nice historic spots but nothing that would make people cry all night long if it went "poof!" (which it did :P )
This is what I don't quite understand: Don't the ruins of Rauxes remain on the Oerthian plane of existence, and whenever you enter the city, you're transported to a demiplane?
And Ivid wasn't really a villain, more like a madman entrusted with too much power. Yes, he did terrible things, but when I think of him, I picture a spoiled kid throwing a temper tantrum whenever things didn't go his way. Of course, that "kid" had pretty powerful toys at his disposal, no argument there.
And that's why I picked his name... 
I think I should use this a a future signature... :D ...Of course, your alternate story would make an interesting adventure. I would certainly consider it a fitting end if Ivid and his gang walked in some "mists" before disappearing... ;)
Thank you!
But does the circumstance that Rauxes is a planar nexus prohibit Ivid from leaving it?
This is what I don't quite understand: Don't the ruins of Rauxes remain on the Oerthian plane of existence, and whenever you enter the city, you're transported to a demiplane?
Well, at this point few people even know the final fate of the city. Perhaps the Splintered Sun triad members, perhaps not even them. There has been no hard proof that it even leads anywhere. For all we know, the place could have turned into a gigantic unstable Gate that sends you randomly to planes no sane being would wish to visit.
But does the circumstance that Rauxes is a planar nexus prohibit Ivid from leaving it?
For one thing, we don't even know if Ivid is still alive (or un-alive rather :P ). For another, from the testimony of Finnadrel we know it's possible to leave (albeit far from easy apparently). Add the fact that strange creatures have attacked soldiers patrolling nearby and it adds up to the fact that some people can leave. Who (or what) exactly has yet to be determined (maybe it's even a random process?)
If Ivid managed to leave, methink he would be a mess.
He can't use his clerical abilities since, apparently, Hextor is less than satisfied by his behavior.
His madness prevents him from using reliably his wizard abilities.
And a certain powerful devil is still ****** off at him for ruining what seemed like a good deal.
Certainly, his future doesn't look bright...
For one thing, we don't even know if Ivid is still alive (or un-alive rather :P ). For another, from the testimony of Finnadrel we know it's possible to leave (albeit far from easy apparently). Add the fact that strange creatures have attacked soldiers patrolling nearby and it adds up to the fact that some people can leave. Who (or what) exactly has yet to be determined (maybe it's even a random process?)
...
Certainly, his (Ivid's) future doesn't look bright...
In any case, I can't imagine a *playable and coherent* future of the Aerdy region with a giant evil nexus in its centre...
So Rauxes has to go...
Really, it's just my vision of the 2010 4th edition Greyhawk box to start with a campaign called *The Hunt for the Overking*.--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Could there be a connection between the portal at the Ardi Wood's heart and the portal of Rauxes? - This might lead us to some point. (Certainly, the plane of Shadows, I believe
)Could there be a connection between the portal at the Ardi Wood's heart and the portal of Rauxes? - This might lead us to some point. (Certainly, the plane of Shadows, I believe
Methink these are two separate things. The one at the heart of the Adri Forest is a Fading Land, probably linked to the Para-Elemental Plane of Ice. The Planar Nexus of Rauxes seems to lead to a place locked in perpetual battle. My guess is it has become the "flavor of the month" battleground for the Blood War, or that it benefits from a kind of "time loop" effect.
For now it will have to be an enigma. ;)
It's our intention to deal with Rauxes at some point (probably in a Core - as the fate of Rauxes is something that everyone in the Flanaess should be concerned with) - though I can tell you it probably won't be in 2005.
Paul Looby
LG Circle Rep for the Splintered Sun region.
Woesinger: Aaawww..... let it be meta-regional. We Europeans deserve some unique fun as well. Keep those pesky americans out of our turf, unless they actually travel here to play. After all, Keoland just killed off King Skotti* and we did not have anything to with it, or perhaps we did ;)
S.H, Naerie webslave
*I can hear purist sharpening their knives already..... :D
It's our intention to deal with Rauxes at some point (probably in a Core - as the fate of Rauxes is something that everyone in the Flanaess should be concerned with) - though I can tell you it probably won't be in 2005.
And how can we non-LG come to know the details?
Will there be a campaign summary in form of another LGG when the campaign is finally finished?
*King of Keoland dead... and tomorrow you tell me that a giant violet hamster from Hepmonaland has taken the crown of Iuz ...*
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Where the portal of Rauxes leads to, depends on the different interpretation of the material.
1. We assume that Rauxes is a gate to hell --> Blood War battleground
2. We assume it is a gate to the Plane of Shadows, like the ones in the Valley of the Mage --> Plane of Shadows ;)
3. We assume that it is a portal to an Oeridian alternate reality--> Fading
Lands/ time warp to some point in the Flan past
I favour the 2nd idea, as I believe the Crook of Rao might also have affected such portals, and, as we discussed earlier, it is possible to switch between the worlds; also, personally, I must say that I like the scenario of the PoS, as it can be played sometimeslike an (even darker) elseworld to WoG.
And how can we non-LG come to know the details?
Will there be a campaign summary in form of another LGG when the campaign is finally finished?
*King of Keoland dead... and tomorrow you tell me that a giant violet hamster from Hepmonaland has taken the crown of Iuz ...*
How to know the details? Why, do you consider LG to be canon material?
Why not kill the King of Keoland? Campaign would be pretty boring if something momentous didn't happen occasionally. Once again, LG is not eating away on anyones homegame so you want to keep Scotti alive, go ahead.
Never seen a violet hamster in LG, so no worries.
If you consider LG to be 'canon', then it's very easy to learn most of the major plotlines through core scenarios and you don't even have to leave your computer.
1. Take the herald level test and join RPGA if not already.
2. Order all core modules. Save them to your hard drive or print them out.
3. Cancel your 'events' where you had ordered those core modules.
4. Enjoy.
S.H, Naerie webslave
Problem is magic fields that occur naturally on Oerth are extremely rare elsewhere in the universe. These fields scramble technology, which must be specially shielded to operate reliably. The Rauxes colony must thus be carefully prepared.
A forceshield now completely encloses Rauxes, blocking all magical fields and much else. The extraterresterials are in the process of building a beanstalk so that orbital flights in and out of Oerth's atmosphere can be avoided as much as possible. This requires even more shielding. And the shielding is imperfect. It must be constantly modulated to account for fluxes in the local magical field density. Rauxes will remain quaranteened by the extraterrestrials until the beanstalk is fully functional and the city forceshield can be shaped (to conform to the city wall) to allow "normal" access to and from the city.
Once established, the Rauxes colony will begin developing trade contacts throughout the Flanaess for items unique to Oerth that can be sold as luxury goods or collectibles elsewhere. Potential mining sites will also be explored and perhaps developed. Extraterrestrial expansion beyond the Rauxes colony will depend on the success of the initial commercial and mining enterprizes and any success in more reliably and easily overcoming the magical interference that scrambles technology.
Ivid has been captured, cured of his insanity (so the extraterresterials think) and returned to a state of near humanity by a tailored retrovirus. He has been conditioned (brainwashed) to act as the extraterrestrials "face" on Oerth. The beanstalk will be his new "tower" from which he will rule. The extraterrestrials will only operate in a special quarter of the city and the adjacent beanstalk to "advise" Ivid. The average Oerther may not imagine that aliens are working among them. A secret center of technology and alien control will exist in the heart of the Great Kingdom, ruled by a "cured" Ivid who is "controlled" by aliens who think they know more about the Oerth "primatives" than they really do.
Rauxes problem solved. ;)
GVD :D
Problem is magic fields that occur naturally on Oerth are extremely rare elsewhere in the universe. These fields scramble technology, which must be specially shielded to operate reliably. The Rauxes colony must thus be carefully prepared.
A forceshield now completely encloses Rauxes, blocking all magical fields and much else. The extraterresterials are in the process of building a beanstalk so that orbital flights in and out of Oerth's atmosphere can be avoided as much as possible. This requires even more shielding. And the shielding is imperfect. It must be constantly modulated to account for fluxes in the local magical field density. Rauxes will remain quaranteened by the extraterrestrials until the beanstalk is fully functional and the city forceshield can be shaped (to conform to the city wall) to allow "normal" access to and from the city.
Once established, the Rauxes colony will begin developing trade contacts throughout the Flanaess for items unique to Oerth that can be sold as luxury goods or collectibles elsewhere. Potential mining sites will also be explored and perhaps developed. Extraterrestrial expansion beyond the Rauxes colony will depend on the success of the initial commercial and mining enterprizes and any success in more reliably and easily overcoming the magical interference that scrambles technology.
Ivid has been captured, cured of his insanity (so the extraterresterials think) and returned to a state of near humanity by a tailored retrovirus. He has been conditioned (brainwashed) to act as the extraterrestrials "face" on Oerth. The beanstalk will be his new "tower" from which he will rule. The extraterrestrials will only operate in a special quarter of the city and the adjacent beanstalk to "advise" Ivid. The average Oerther may not imagine that aliens are working among them. A secret center of technology and alien control will exist in the heart of the Great Kingdom, ruled by a "cured" Ivid who is "controlled" by aliens who think they know more about the Oerth "primatives" than they really do.
Rauxes problem solved. ;)
GVD :D
If you consider LG to be 'canon', then it's very easy to learn most of the major plotlines through core scenarios and you don't even have to leave your computer.
1. Take the herald level test and join RPGA if not already.
2. Order all core modules. Save them to your hard drive or print them out.
3. Cancel your 'events' where you had ordered those core modules.
4. Enjoy.
S.H, Naerie webslave
It's not that I exactly consider LG canon, but I follow it, as it's the only official sequel to the older modules at present.
Thank you for that hint how to get the modules; will try it out inmediately!
:D :D :D More GH stuff for me :D :D :D
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Ivid hijacked and brainwashed by ALIENS?!
:88E: :coolcthul
(Pick one of the pictures here for the alien race you would suggest.)
It's not that I exactly consider LG canon, but I follow it, as it's the only official sequel to the older modules at present.
Thank you for that hint how to get the modules; will try it out inmediately!
:D :D :D More GH stuff for me :D :D :D
Do note that RPGA takes out couple of weeks to set you up as DM once you take the test.
Also they might think of something if you have booked, let's say 20 modules over various events and then canceled them all, but don't say I didn't warn you ;)
S.H, Naerie webslave (who has only had to cancel two tables so far)
It's our intention to deal with Rauxes at some point (probably in a Core - as the fate of Rauxes is something that everyone in the Flanaess should be concerned with) - though I can tell you it probably won't be in 2005.
I have one thing to say against making it Core module. Rauxes is the 'Crown Jewel' of Splintered Suns meta-region. Therefore it should be a meta-regional module.
Example. Core modules do not give you possibility to infiltrate Molag or Dorakaa, but Iu'z Border State's meta-regionals do. It would be nice if I could (without traveling that is), but I understand it from meta-regional point of view and I accept it. Iuz is their crown jewel and they want to keep it to themselves or those who travel to their regions.
In same vein, we Europeans should not hand over our Crown Jewel just because it happens to be Rauxes. I don't believe when you say that 'everyone in Flanaess is interested in what happens to Rauxes'. No way, why would anyone in, let's say Geoff give a damn?
"Rauxes, oh yeah, a big town thousands of miles to the east. So what? I have to worry about five o'clock giant invasion. It always messes up my garden you know."
My 5 Euro Cents....
S.H, Principality of Naerie webslave
1. Take the herald level test and join RPGA if not already.
2. Order all core modules. Save them to your hard drive or print them out.
3. Cancel your 'events' where you had ordered those core modules.
4. Enjoy.
AUGH! I wish WoTC or RPGA would come out with a simple timeline of what LG says has happened each year (591+). I enjoyed the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer dispatches and have used them in my own campaign. Getting the info without resorting to dissembling would be nice.
Sorry -- off topic.
AUGH! I wish WoTC or RPGA would come out with a simple timeline of what LG says has happened each year (591+). I enjoyed the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer dispatches and have used them in my own campaign. Getting the info without resorting to dissembling would be nice.
Sorry -- off topic.
Off-topic, but right!
;)
If there will ever be the intention to continue Greyhawk someway as P&P RPG (for example, switching it to 3rd party developer), then you will have to rely on a fan community that is not divided in those who left Oerth when it changed into LG and those who continued then.
I think most of the Greyhawk players still active know about or own the LGG from 2000(?). A sequel of this, printed or in pdf, could connect the loose lines again and make WoG a viable setting also for those that don't want to invent their own campaigns but don't play LG.
I've started writing up some notes concerning a possible *Rauxes in the Mists*...
Anyone here who likes to join me in the effort?