Free States
| Free States | |
|---|---|
 The Free States, as depicted in Chainmail Miniatures: Core Rulebook, | |
| General information | |
| Region: | Coastal Western Oerik |
| Government | |
| Ruler: | Various |
| Government: | Various |
| Established: | 586 CY |
| Demographics | |
| Capital: | Numerous |
| Major towns: | Few; Garrison |
| Provinces: | Ironfist, Fivestar, Cult of Return |
| Races: | Most common races |
| Languages: | Many |
| Groups | |
| Religions: | Stratis and others |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Resources: | Exporting mercenaries |
The Free States or Free Cities is an appellation given to the loose assembly of organizations, nations, city-states, and racial enclaves in the farthest reaches of Western Oerik which are small enough that they did not individually impact the Godwar.
Description
The Free States are a group of small political entities mostly located along the central western coast of Western Oerik. The names and borders of these states change frequently, since many of these states are only held together by the charisma of one powerful leader. When a leader such as this dies in battle or falls prey to an assassin, the work of years can be undone in an instant.[1]
History
Much of the history of the area now called the Free States is tied with Thalos. After Ravilla created the human puppet state of Govis, it later withdrew in response to attacks from Thalos creating a buffer zone between Ravilla and Thalos. The area of the Free States was initially quite large, and several warlords tried to set up kingdoms to rival Thalos. All of them failed.[1] After the God War began, many of these nations came and went, and there are only a handful which are commonly known (or kept track of) post-591 CY.
Since the Free States are a grouping of independent small nations, it is difficult to have a unified history. It is explicitly stated some of them have only recently become established and implied many of the territories and principalities in the area now known as the Free States may have not existed prior to 586 CY.
Geography
If the Free States are considered "small", it is only by comparison to the enormous regions ruled by the other factions involved in the Godwar.
The Free States are easily 1,000 miles long and have an area covering more than an estimated 750,000 square miles. That makes it about the size of Mexico or twice the size of Egypt. By comparison, however, the other nations or factions cover millions of square miles and are comparable in size to the former nations of the Great Kingdom, Suel Imperium, and Baklunish Empire. A kingdom the size of the "Empire" of Iuz, for example, could fit handily into a small corner of this region in the same way Medegia or Almor fit into the former Great Kingdom.
Members
The population of the Free States is as varied as the Free States themselves. There is a mix of all major demihuman races and even some humanoid ones.
Other cultural aspects like religion, social structure, languages, and customs are likewise just as varied.
Government
Within the Free States, there are various individuals, minor factions, and groups which rule small areas.
Many of them were founded around the beginning of the Godwar (or just before) and do not have any structure for a continuation of their government.
Though there are others, some of the longer lasting (and, thus, more stable) Free States include:
- Ironfist—a small benevolent dictatorship founded by a "particularly clever ogre mage named Gallo"[1]. He made money protecting human settlements and his influence and protection eventually spread. He was formally acknowledged as the Lord General and rules from a town called Garrison.[1] This is where the "Ogre Mercenary" of the Chainmail Miniatures Gameoriginates.
- Fivestar—a limited oligarchy created by an adventuring party who built a castle on an old elven site and protected nearby settlements. The original founders formed a council of five which rules by consensus. It is comprised of multiple castles and forts in the area. Fivestar is near the border with Drazen's Horde.[1]
- Cult of Return—a theocratic meritocracy dedicated to the belief that Stratis, the God of War, is not dead. They hold a series of monasteries in the mountains at the southern edge of the Free States. The Cult dedicate themselves to mental and physical perfection and practice a unique form of martial arts. It is their belief that Stratis will return and reward those faithful to him and eliminate all others.
- Empire of Lhynn—if this formerly massive empire or its capital still exists, it would be in this area. (See Rumors & Legends below.)
Heraldry
The Free States as a whole does not have a single, unified heraldry. But the Chainmail Miniatures Game used a general image (at right) to represent the Free States and mercenaries found there.
Economy
Resources
A substantial portion of the trade in the Free States involves the hiring of mercenary forces. Many of the Free States rely on their arrangements with various factions to bring in large sums of liquid assets to keep their economies viable and provide for their citizens.
Rumors and legends
When Lord Robilar ventured to the western shores of the continent, he went to the Empire of Lynn[2] This was a land originally created for and run in Gary Gygax's Greyhawk home campaign by Francois Froideval as well as Gygax. The precise year is unknown, but the Empire once spanned a large majority of the northwestern portion of Oerik.[3] Contemporarily, it seems to have fallen and become much, much smaller—considering the modern arrangement of factions, and according to Kuntz's account, it is now only "on the western shores of the continent".[2]
However, it is known that Robilar "traveled there, and consorted with the [Dragonmasters and Dragonpriests of Lynn], at which time they granted him an honorary status in their order due to his intimate knowledge of dragons." [4] The location given by Froideval in his later works would suggest the capital city of Lhynn being in the region of the Free States. Most of what remains of it would be in what Froideval called the "Lands of the Emperor". Its army would consist of approximately 10,000 troops[5], which would suggest it is small by the standards of the factions of Western Oerik (possibly the size of the Empire of Iuz) and would easily fit within the Free States. (See explanation under: Geography.)
Publishing History
The Free States appeared in the Chainmail Miniatures Game as part of the background setting called the "Sundered Empire", though few details were given in the game material. It was published from 2001 to 2003.
References
Notes
Citations
- ↑ a b c d e Pramas. Dragon magazine #293. p100.
- ↑ a b Robert Kuntz, Oerth Jounrnal #7, p41
- ↑ "Beyond the Flanaess". Dragon #A1 (Annual #1 1996), p.73. (map)
- ↑ Dungeon magazine #124, p85.
- ↑ Froideval, François. L'empire De La Négation. Chroniques de la Lune Noire. Vol. HC. Paris: Dargaud, 2013. p14-16.
Bibliography
- Kuntz, Robert J. Chamber of Antiquities. Dungeon Magazine #124. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast. 2005
- ---- Robilar Remembered: Lord Robilar and Co.. Oerth Journal issue #7. 1998 Available online
- Pramas, Chris. Chainmail: The Free States. Dragon magazine #293. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast. 2002
- Pramas, Chris, Rob Heinsoo, Bruce R. Cordell, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. Chainmail Minniatures: Core Rulebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast. 2002
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.
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