Bone March
| Bone March | |
|---|---|
 The arms of the Bone March, as depicted in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000). | |
| General information | |
| Region: | Old Aerdy East |
| Government | |
| Ruler: | Marquis Clement (presumed dead) |
| Government: | Formerly feudal marchland of the (former) Great Kingdom, now controlled by a conclave of nonhuman chiefs |
| Established: | 109 CY |
| Demographics | |
| Capital: | Spinecastle |
| Major towns: | Knurl, Spinecastle, Johnsport |
| Provinces: | (Formerly) three town-counties, nine outland-baronies and other minor fiefs; (now) a shifting patchwork of nonhuman territories |
| Population: | 310,000 |
| Races: | 37% Human (Oeridian, Flan, and some Suel), 20% Orc, 18% Halfling, 10% Gnome, 7% Elf, 4% Half-Orc, 3% Half-Elf, 1% Dwarf, uncounted Gnolls and Goblins |
| Languages: | Common, Old Oeridian, Orc, Halfling, Gnomish, Elven, Goblin, Gnoll |
| Groups | |
| Religions: | Hextor, the Oeridian agricultural gods, Erythnul, Kord, the orc pantheon, Beltar |
| Allies: | North Kingdom |
| Enemies: | Nyrond, Ratik, Frost/Ice/Snow Barbarians |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Resources: | Silver, gems |
| Coinage: | [Modified Aerdy] orb (pp), ivid (gp), noble (ep), penny (sp), common (cp) |
The Bone March is a political state of the Flanaess.
History
The Bone March made up the northern boundary of the Great Kingdom before the founding of Ratik.[1] However, both the Aerdy and the Fruztii Tribe Barbarians laid claim to this land.[2] Barbarians from the Thillonrian Peninsula emigrated to the land between the Rakers and Grendep Bay.[3] Besides emigration, the seasonal raids by the Suel Barbarians were growing exponentially.[1] As the centuries wore on, so did the tension and battles.[4] The incursions became increasingly bothersome for the Kingdom of Aerdy.[3]
Finally, the Aerdy determined to stamp out the barbarians.[5] Since the Aerdians were not good sailors, they launched an overland campaign. They sent armies north to drive the invaders back to their homeland. Several minor skirmishes eventually lead to a defeat of a large contingent of imperial troops.[3] Overking Manshen sought the aid of his experienced generals to defend the northern border since the herzog of the Northern Province proved to be incompetent. In 108 CY, Aerdi forces marched from Knurl towards the sea. After destroying most Fruztii encampments, the Aerdi laid the foundations of a stronghold. After liberating Johnsport, the Aerdi generals sought reinforcements from the North Province. A drawn-out war looked possible, and the generals were eager for a decisive victory.[6]
The loss of Johnsport enraged the Fruztii, who summoned their kin with the prospect of gold and glory on the battlefield.[3] As a result, the Suel Barbarians gathered a massive force of over 10,000 to attack the works underway at the new stronghold. The defenders were outflanked and surrounded. A Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom, Caldni Vir was commanding a large force of heavy cavalry. They had been patrolling the nearby hills when the barbarians attacked the new stronghold. Refusing orders to retreat, Vir led his knights into battle. The hundreds of heavy horses and lances that slammed into the Barbarians broke their lines. The Barbarians suffered a massive slaughter.[6] The battle has been called "The Battle of Shamblefield" or "Caldni Vir's Charge".[3] The new stronghold was named "Spinecastle" since the bodies were so numerous that only a fraction could be buried. The bleached bones of the barbarian corpses are still visible from the towers of Spinecastle .[4]
The Imperial forces were victorious, and the Overking made Vir the first marquis of the Bone March. The land was named "Bone March" for the high price paid for keeping it, as thousands of Imperial soldiers fell in its defence. Descendants of Caldni Vir governed the land peacefully on behalf of the overkings for several centuries.[6]
In the 550s CY, humanoids from the Rakers raided into the Bone March to pillage and slaughter.[6] Then in 560 CY, mountain trails swept hordes of orcs, gnolls, ogres, and others into the Bone March.[5] Within a year, the Bone March was engulfed by a full-scale invasion. Clement, the last marquis of the Bone March, was a good and effective ruler. However, during the invasion, his defences were directly undermined by Grace Grenell, herzog of the North Province, who sought to annex the Bone March himself.[6] Turmoil within the Great Kingdom prevented any forces from coming to the aid of the Bone March.[4] Finally, in 563 CY, orcs found secret ways into the capital. They suddenly and viciously captured Spinecastle and the defenders had no advanced warning.[6] The Bone March fell to the humanoids. Clement was killed, his armies slaughtered, and his people enslaved.[3]
Since its fall in 563 CY, a coalition of humanoid chiefs rule the Bone March. Any humans who are not enslaved are part of nomadic and petty bandit gangs.[1] The humanoids managing the Bone March have since launched raids into the Pale, Ratik, and even Nyrond.[3]
The raids into the Pale, Ratik, and even Nyrond continued even during the Greyhawk Wars. Grace Grenell, herzog of the North Province, made a desperate alliance with the humanoids to stay the Nyrondese approach into Almor and beyond in the Flinty Hills .[4] This alliance successfully forced a stalemate, and peace ensued.[7] The Bone March Orcs are still reliably under the Herzog Grace Grenell's control. [8] This control falters at times due to the poorly organized and quarrelsome nature of orcs.[4] Infighting has often broken out between several of the nonhuman tribes. Yet, occasional attempts to reclaim the Bone March tend to unite the squabbling tribes.[9]
The only surviving human realm in the Bone March is the small, autonomous County of Blemu. The County of Blemu, along with its capital Knurl, is ruled by Count Dunstan, the last noble of Bone March left in the region and an ally of Ratik.[1] Several attempts have been made to take Knurl, one of note in 590 CY. The defenses of the count, however remain firm.[9] Dunstan has spies throughout the Bone March and in Spinecaslte. These spies have often kept him one step ahead of the humanoid armies.[10] In addition to Knurl, the Gnomes held out against the humanoid troops in the Flinty Hills. Border warfare between the Bone March Humanoids and Knurl continues along the Teesar Torrent and Blemu Hills.[3]
Geography
The Bone March is located in the eastern portion of the Flanaess. It rests in the narrow strip of land bounded by the Rakers in the west and the Teesar Torrent in the east and curving around to encompass Johnsport on the coast of the Solnor Ocean.
The cool, rocky farmland of the Bone March is relatively poor and never supported a dense population or large cities. Its farmlands are now desolate wilderness.
People
Population
The population of Bone March totals 310,000 persons[1], though only a large minority are human (mainly Oeridian stock, but some Suel and Flan as well). About 20% of the population are orcs, and nearly the same number are halflings. gnomes, elves, half-orcs, half-elves, and dwarves make up decreasing numbers of the remaining citizens.
The most populous towns are Knurl (13,500), Spinecastle (pop. 6,300(?)), and Johnsport (pop. 3,500(?)).[1]
These totals do not take into account the substantial number of other uncounted goblins, gnolls, etc.
Religion
The most popular deities among Bone March's inhabitants are Hextor, the Velaeri, Erythnul, Kord, the orc pantheon, and Beltar.
Languages
The most widely spoken languages in Bone March include Common, Old Oeridian, Orcish, Halfling, Gnomish, and Elvish. Goblin, Gnoll, and other nonhuman languages are spoken as well, due to the large numbers of those races present in the land.
Government
The Bone March was formerly a feudal marchland of the Great Kingdom, and ruled by His Nobility, Clement, the Marquis of Bone March; since 563 CY, it has been controlled by a conclave of nonhuman chiefs. A fief in the Bone March is currently ruled by the death knight Monduiz Dephaar.
The national capital is Spinecastle.
Heraldry
Bone March's coat of arms is blazoned thus: Gules, three shin-bones, two in saltire, surmounted by one in pale, argent.
Economy
Resources
Bone March is noted for producing silver and low- to average-quality gems.
Currency
Bone March's coinage is based on Aerdy's standard, and consists of the platinum orb (pp), gold ivid (gp), electrum noble (ep), silver penny (sp), and copper common (cp).
Transportation
Military
See also
References
Citations
- ↑ a b c d e f Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.35.
- ↑ From the Ashes, p.23.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Folio, p.9.
- ↑ a b c d e From the Ashes, p.24.
- ↑ a b Guide, p.20.
- ↑ a b c d e f Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.36.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying, p.44.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying, p.10.
- ↑ a b Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.37.
- ↑ Dungeon #148, In the Shadows of Spinecastle, p.27.
Bibliography
- Gygax, Gary. The World of Greyhawk Gazetteer. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
- ———. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
- Holian, Gary. "Demogorgon's Champions: The Death Knights of Oerth, part 2." Dragon #291. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2002.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Greer, Stephen S. and Gary Holian. "In the Shadows of Spinecastle." Dungeon Magazine 21, no. 7 (July 2007):26-50. Bellevue, WA: Paizo.
- Moore, Roger E. The Adventure Begins. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
- Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- Sargent, Carl. Ivid the Undying. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | From the Ashes: References Card | #8 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Greyhawk Adventures | 76 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Greyhawk Wars: Adventurer's Book | 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 30 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Ivid the Undying | 10, 17, 19, 28, 44, 54, 55, 76, 77, 145, 146, 153, 160 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | IC, 11, 35, 36, 37, 44, 58, 72, 74, 75, 77, 81, 89, 90, 91, 105, 123, 141, 144, 145, 152, 153, 157, 158, 182 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Journal #0 | 3, 13 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Journal #1 | 4, 24, 30, 32 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Journal #2 | 30 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Journal #3 | 25, 28 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Journal #4 | 30 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Living Greyhawk Journal #5 | 30 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Player's Guide to Greyhawk | 7, 10, 25, 61 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Sword and Fist | 46 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Sagard the Barbarian #1 The Ice Dragon | 6 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Saga of Old City | 7, 227, 228, 242, 258 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | The Adventure Begins | 17-19, 23, 24, 31, 36, 125 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | The Scarlet Brotherhood | 5 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | War Captain's Companion Boxed Set: Book 1 | 38 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | WG8 Fate of Istus | 21, 69 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) | IC, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13-15, 22 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | WGR4 The Marklands | 2, 58, 59, 79, 82-84, 87 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 5, 67 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | WGS1 Five Shall Be One | IBC, 4, 23, 31, 34 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | WGS2 Howl From the North | 6, 32, 54, 58 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | IC, 9, 11, 12, 14, 20, 21, 23, 29, 32, 35, 49, 59 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 9, 17, 29, 30, 32 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions | 23, 75 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #052 | 20 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #055 | 18 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #057 | 13, 14, 15 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #059 | 24 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #191 | 66, 67, 68 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #208 | 56, 58 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #241 | 77 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #256 | 50 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #264 | 47 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #276 | 89 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #281 | 38 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #291 | 93 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #293 | 88, 89 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #306 | 95 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #315 | 51, 53, 54 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dragon magazine #AN3 | 20 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | Dungeon magazine #148 | 27, 28, 42, 43, 45, 46, 49, 50 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 6-8, 10, 13, 21, 23-28, 32, 34, 51-53, 55, 57, 58, 73, 87 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | From the Ashes: Campaign Book | 6, 12 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | From the Ashes: References Card | #1 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | From the Ashes: References Card | #11 |
| Bone March | Kingdom | (576 pop: 30000), (585 pop: 100000), (591 pop: 310000), | From the Ashes: References Card | #2 |
| Cadmil (Bone March) | Settlement | Ruins, Abandoned town, | Dungeon magazine #148 | 43 |
| Common coin - Copper piece (Bone March) | Item | Coin, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 35 |
| Ivid coin - Gold pieces (Bone March) | Item | Coin, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 35 |
| Noble coin - Electrum pieces (UKoAhlissa, Bone March, Greyhawk, North Kingdom, Sea Barons, Sunndi) | Item | Coin, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 21, 35, 51, 72, 99, 110 |
| Orb coin - Platinum pieces (Bone march, Ratik, Sea Barons) | Item | Coin, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 35, 89, 99 |
| Penny coin - Silver pieces (UKoAhlissa, Bone march, North kingdom, Ratik, Rel Astra, Sea Barons) | Item | Coin, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 21, 35, 72, 89, 91, 99 |