The Lordship Isles are for DMs who wish to run a campaign in a tropical island milieu that is the closest thing in the World of Greyhawk to a Caribbean setting during the Golden Age of Piracy. The Lordship Isles are known for their maritime culture and their unique flora and fauna. The islands are famous for their exports, which include sugar, molasses, many exotic fruits and vegetables, liquors and rare woods.
Numerous tiny deserted islands dot the seas around them. The isles have a long and complex history, a melange of three dominant cultures, that have changed hands between numerous powers of the years. While legally the Lordship Isles have a single capital at Sulward, in reality the isles have three cultural capitals that dominate the three largest isles.
The first humans to settle the isles were the Olman natives of Hepmonaland more than a millennium ago. These lands became the northernmost outpost of their far flung empire. There are still many Olman people on these isles and the city of Mahan, in Ganode Bay on the largest isle, is the cultural capital of the Olman. The Isle of Ganode, dominated by steep mountains and dense jungles is home to many ruins that are often the subject of adventure.
The Suel were the second culture to settle here. They were skilled sailors, traders, and explorers who escaped from cataclysms in their former homeland. They took the name Duxchaners, after their great port city on the second largest isle of Ansabo. These raiders controlled the southern waters and access to the strategic Tilva Straight, the route to the Azure Sea. They established numerous plantations on the lowlands of the isles and sold their wares to the markets of the west and north. However, everyone knew that the true economic engine of the Duxchaners was piracy. Duxchan, built on this ill-gotten wealth, is now a city of soaring towers, where prosperous Suel lords dominate the culture of the low city framed by the Brazen Bay.
The final culture to settle the Lordship Isles were the doughty sailors and explorers of the Great Kingdom who conquered these isles over four hundred years ago. The Oeridians had grown tired of the grip of the Duxchaners in the south and after two years of naval battles, the final victory belonged to the Oeridians and the sway of the Suel captains was broken. They established their capital on the third largest and northernmost of the three great islands at Sulward (literally “guard against the Suel”). They brought a different culture to the islands, introducing castle-building, the common tongue, mercantile ventures with the cities of the north, and abolishing the worst excesses of the Suel slavers.
Country specific resources:
"Jungle of Lost Ships", World of Greyhawk Glossography, 1983
"Dwellers of the Forbidden City", Hepmonaland Module
"Freeport", 3rd party supplement by Green Ronin
Adventures in the realm include:
-Faction wars. The three main cultures and many factions of the isles are constantly engaged against each other in both overt and subtle ways. Currently, the Suel Duxchaners have the upper hand as the Scarlet Brotherhood assisted in a campaign to depose the Oeridian lord in favor of their own puppet Prince. The Oeridians, often in alliance with the Olman, are engaged in a campaign against these new overlords.
-Safe transport. Ships seeking to make port both inside and outside the archipelago are always looking for skilled crew to defend their vessel against the many dangers that confront them, including pirates, sea monsters, and other factions.
-Exploring ruins. Numerous ruins dot the jungles of these lands, especially on Ganode and Ansabo. These places are often dedicated to dark and inscrutable gods and hide many treasures and magic unique to this realm.
-Monster hunt. The many creatures who inhabit these isles pose both a danger to the natives and are highly prized in the north. Parties of adventurers can make a good living going after these monsters, especially if they can take some of the specimens alive.
Adventures in the nearby areas include:
-South of the isles, lies the great subcontinent known as Hepmonaland, which is dominated by tropical forests and innumerable ruins and adventuring opportunities.
-East of the isles lie two unique features, the reef known as Turucambi and the so-called Jungle of Lost Ships, a great sargasso where numerous vessels have gone lost over the centuries. _________________ Richard Di Ioia (aka Longetalos)
Last edited by Longetalos on Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:37 pm; edited 6 times in total
Chris Pramas mentioned that the City of Freeport from Green Ronin was supposed to be located in the Lordship of the Isles. _________________ Richard Di Ioia (aka Longetalos)
Chris Pramas mentioned that the City of Freeport from Green Ronin was supposed to be located in the Lordship of the Isles.
I can totally see that.
I have never done anything with either the Lordship or Freeport, but as I do own several Freeport modules, I wouldn't hesitate to have Freeport stand in for one of the Lordship's cities.
Postcard: Lordship of the Isles
A tropical archipelago, separates the Aerdy and Oljatt Seas. Buccaneers exacted tolls for passage through the Tilva Strait. However; the emergence of the Sea Barons, necessitated numerous naval engagements. Its suloise seafarers, lacked the resources marshaled by the Great Kingdom.
Frolmar Ingeskatti; abruptly deposed Latmac Ranold, acknowledged the Scarlet Brotherhood, as patron of the Isles. Oeridians; swiftly fled, as the red monks, ensured suloise supremacy. Its powerful fleet, proved pivotal in the initial subjugation of Idee, Onnwal and the Sea Princes. Elsewhere; Blockade of the Tilva Strait, severs the southern sea lanes, but the considerable riches of Hepmonaland, suffice as recompense. Soothed with the knowledge; that its regional maritime rivals have been humbled, and nations tremble throughout the southern waters...
Country specific resources:
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Ivid the Undying
Scarlet Brotherhood
Adventures in this country include:
- Mithril has been discovered on Ganode Island...
- Fruit becomes scarce, as the red monks, hoard the plantation harvests...
- Gossip about a failed expedition to the Lendore Isles aka Spindrift Isles...
- Sea stories about a black mermaid...
Adventures in nearby areas include:
- Dullstrand, welcomes trade with the Isles...
- Frolmar Ingeskatti, strives to win western ports, lest a coalition challenge him...
- Lendore Isles, elven wingships, have been sighted headed eastward beyond the horizon...
- Sea Baron Galleon, has entered the Azure Sea and claims to have circumvented Hepmonaland...
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