Knurl

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Greyhawk Settlement
Knurl
General information
Realm:Bone March
Size:Large city
Government
Authority:His Noble Grace Dunstan, Count of Blemu and Lord of Knurl (LN male human fighter)
Alignment:Lawful Neutral
Demographics
Population:13,500 (590 CY)
Races:Mixed (79% human, 9% halfling, 5% elf, 3% dwarf, 2% gnome, 1% half-elf, 1% half-orc
Languages:Common
Groups
Religions:Pelor, Hieroneous

Knurl is a large walled city atop a bluff overlooking the convergence of the Harp River and Teesar Torrent. It is the seat of the independent County of Blemu in the Bone March.

History

Knurl predates the Great Kingdom and was independent for much of its history but was vassal to both the Malachite Throne and Nyrond at various times before being part of the palatine Bone March.[citation needed]

The lord of Township of Knurl, Turalitan Zal'honan, from noble blood, died in 270 CY. He left the dominion of Knurl to his eldest son, Ranald Zal'honan. Ranald lived a dissipate and gluttonous lifestyle that claimed his life 13 years later in 283 CY. The last survivor of the Zal'honan line was Ranald's younger brother Firan Zal'honan. Firan swore fealty to the Overking in Rauxes and was made Lord of Knurl. He reversed the decline that Knurl suffered under his brother's reign. Since he had previously spent over 30 years studying magic, his subjects proclaimed him "Azal’Lan” — “Wizard-King,” in Old Oeridian. He ruled his dominion with an iron fist yet never broke his word and remained loyal to Knurl.[1]

In 327 CY, Firan’s own son, Irik was executed on his 19th birthday for being unfit to rule. Azal'Lan wielded the axe himself. Soon, Azal'Lan began to heed a shadow lord of darkness who spoke to him the night of Irik's funeral. These dark whispers guided Azal'Lan to shed his mortality and become a lich in 329 CY. The lich Azal'Lan ruled Knurl for another sixty years. By 372 CY, he expanded his reign of terror to include the Teesar valley, the Blemu Hills, the Flinty Hills, and the whole of the Adri Forest.[1]

Finally, in 391 CY, the Wizard-King went too far. Azal’Lan renounced his allegiance to the Great Kingdom, and marched upon the border town of Innspa. With the loss of Innspa, Nyrond was forced to respond. Nyrond hired a powerful band of mercenaries who lured Azal'lan out of his defenses. Azal'Lan could not defeat the mercenaries and was forced to flee from battle. After two days of evading the mercenaries, the lich went unheeding into a morning fog and entering into the Demiplane of Ravenloft.[1][note 1]

Knurl fell to the humanoids when the Bone March fell to the humanoids in 563 CY. [2] General Hooglish of the North Province would later boast of taking Knurl and sending the remainder of the orcs there back to the Rakers. However, this boast is highly suspicious since Hooglish had yet to see any major action when he made the boast. [3]. After the fall of the Bone March, the humanoids and their evil human associates used Knurl as a base to raid surrounding regions to the west, including Nyrond. [4][5] [6]

A joint Nyrond-Almor military force invaded the southern Bone March and captured the city of Knurl. [4] [7] The main motivation for this incursion was the income provided by mining the Flinty and Blemu Hills.[8] The last living noble left from the old regime was Dunstan of the noble family of Gellor.[9] Nyrond reinstated Dunstan as Count of Blemu and Lord of Knurl, restoring his hereditary lands, while Archbold III remained the leige Lord. [4] The North Province, sought both money and military aid from the Overking to stop the Nyrond-Almor incursion into the Bone March and retake Knurl. [7] [10] They had planned a two-pronged attack. However, Nyrond refortified the city of Knurl and was ready when the North Province came. [10] During this time, Dunstan was also able to expand his holdings north into the southern Blemu Hills with the aid of the Gnomes. [4]

During the Greyhawk Wars, Grenell of the North Province openly allied with the Bone March orcs to counter Nyrond's presence in the Bone March. [11] His support of the Bone March humanoids had been clandestine up until this point.[12] By the end of the wars, Nyrond was pushed out of the Bone March by the North Province's humanoid armies, including massive losses in the Flinty Hills. [8]

With Nyrond no longer able to hold onto the County of Blemu or most of the Flinty Hills, Knurl once again became independent. While the county's name is officially the County of Blemu, many simply refer to it as the county of Knurl.[13] [14] Count Dunstan's daughter, the Lady Evaleigh was once kidnapped in the Bandit Kingdoms until rescued by Gord and returned to Knurl.[citation needed] In 579 CY, Lady Evaleigh was married to Alain IV, the only son of Archbaron Lexnol III of Ratik. In 586 CY, Ratik launched an attempt to take Spinecastle and failed. Alain IV was killed and his wife, Evaleigh, daughter of Dunstan, become Archbaroness of Ratik. In 590 CY, Knurl was barely able to repel a massive assault on the city from over the Blemu Hills.[15] It is Dunstan's vast spy network which enables him to stay one step ahead.[16]

People

A mix of predominantly Oeridian with a mix of Suloise barbarian blood as well as native Flan, the people of Knurl also include a few dwarves and halflings from the Blemu Hills and even a few gnomes from the nearby Flinty Hills. As long as one is respectful of the law and the Count, peace is held. The population of the city is hopeful but always harbors a fear of what happened to Spinecastle and caution is the watchword. Emissaries from the Overking in Eastfair are not uncommon and Hextorians are watched with suspicion by the predominantly Hieronean and Pelorian citizens.[citation needed]

Government

Since the Greyhawk Wars, Knurl has been politically aligned more with their northern neighbor Ratik, than Nyrond. They are aligned in a common history and even more closely related in that their current ruler is none other than the Count's Daughter Evaleigh. The city itself has a council to make civic decisions, but they answer to the Count. [citation needed]

Economy

While the last bastion in a dilapidated realm, Knurl sits on an important northern trade route between Nyrond and the North Kingdom. While having a good relationship with Nyrond, yet a strained relationship with the North Kingdom, Knurl continues to trade with both. The city has enough strength the waylay bandits and humanoids. The city is fairly bustling with trade with minerals, lumber, and other goods.[citation needed]

Arms of Knurl as depicted by Anna B. Meyer. Based on the original in the County of Knurl Gazetteer Living Greyhawk campaign supplement, July 2004.

Military

Count Dunstan maintains a large guard force which defends the city and makes occasional raids into the Blemu Hills and surrounding countryside. It is large enough to repel humanoids, but not substantial enough to reclaim the entirety of the Bone March or retake the realm's capital at Spinecastle.[citation needed]

In Living Greyhawk

The Living Greyhawk volunteer triad created some new heraldry for significant places which previously had none. At right is the heraldry for the County of Knurl.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ These events are also recounted in the novel King of the Dead, by Gene DeWeese.

Citations

  1. ↑ a b c Bruce Nesmith, From the Shadows, page 61.
  2. ↑ Ivid the Undying, p.55.
  3. ↑ Dragon Magazine # 69, p.15-16.
  4. ↑ a b c d Saga of Old City, p.227.
  5. ↑ Dragon Magazine #57, p.15.
  6. ↑ The Marklands, p.59.
  7. ↑ a b World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), p.29, Guide.
  8. ↑ a b The Marklands, p.62.
  9. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.35.
  10. ↑ a b Dragon Magazine #59, p.24.
  11. ↑ Ivid the Undying, p.10.
  12. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.36.
  13. ↑ Saga of Old City, p.226-229.
  14. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.72.
  15. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.36-37, 91.
  16. ↑ Dungeon Magazine #148, p.28.

Bibliography

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

City Council (Knurl) People Group Council, Dungeon magazine #148 28
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Dragon magazine #057 15
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Dragon magazine #059 24
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Dragon magazine #063 15, 16
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Dragon magazine #208 48
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Dungeon magazine #148 28, 29, 43, 46
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Dungeon magazine #148 27, 28, 35, 42, 43, 49
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), From the Ashes: References Card #3
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 17, 35, 36, 37, 72, 89, 91, 143, 153
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Living Greyhawk Journal #0 3, 13
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Living Greyhawk Journal #1 4, 32
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Oerth Journal #06 17,32
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Oerth Journal #26 46
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Oerth Journal #33 5,6,31
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), Saga of Old City 7, 169, 199, 214, 221, 223, 227, 228, 234, 236, 241, 250, 259, 268 .278
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) 13, 22
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), WGS1 Five Shall Be One IBC
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) 29, 49
Knurl Settlement Bone march, Settlement, (591 pop: 13500), World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) IBC
Knurl (LVL4) Spell Spell (Druid), The Complete Druid's Handbook 93
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