Sea Princes

Greyhawk Realm

Hold of the Sea Princes
The arms of the Sea Princes, as depicted in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).
General information
Region:	Sheldomar Valley
Government
Ruler:	Elder Brother Hammandaturian controls the eastern isles and cities; various local warlords, tribal clerics, and foreign armies hold the remainder
Government:	Chaotic
Alignments:	CN*, CE, N, NE, LE
Established:	Circa 444 CY
Demographics
Capital:	Monmurg
Population:	420,000
Races:	Human 79% (Sofz), Halfling 8%, Elf 4%, Dwarf 3%, Gnome 2%, Half-elf 1%, Half-orc 1%, Other 2%
Languages:	Common, Olman, Amedi, Keolandish, Halfling
Groups
Religions:	Osprem, Xerbo, Procan, Norebo, Green Man, Kelanen, Kurell (native Holders); Syrul, Bralm, Tharizdun? (Scarlet Brotherhood); Olman pantheon, especially Chitza-Atlan (Olman)
Allies:	None
Enemies:	Amedio Jungle natives, Keoland, Yeomanry (minor)

The Hold of the Sea Princes is a realm south of Keoland.

History

The region that would become the Hold of the Sea Princes was heavily settled by Suel during the Great Migrations. Eventually it came under the control of the Kingdom of Keoland. In the mid-fifth century CY, a pirate captain of noble Keoish blood led a rebellion against the Throne of the Lion. Distracted as they were by their northern wars, the Keoish could do little to prevent them from conquering the isles off the coast. In 453 CY, King Tavish III of Keoland led an army through the hot, diseased Hool Marsh and to the city of Westkeep, where they lay siege. In the short conflict that followed, Tavish III died, and his legendary family sword, Vilharian, was lost.

After the pirates lost (somewhat indecisively) the Battle of Jetsom Island to Keoland in 464 CY, the pirate captains decided to settle down and be princes rather than brigands. The Hold of the Sea Princes began to flourish, with an economy based on vast plantations and the trade of slaves captured from the Amedio Jungle to the south.

More recently, however, Jeon II became the ruling prince of the land. Jeon II, along with the rulers of the Duchy of Berghof and Sybarate, began campaigning for slavery to be outlawed within the land. Perhaps their efforts would have met with some success if the Hold of the Sea Princes were not invaded by the Scarlet Brotherhood shortly thereafter.

An ambassador from the "Kingdom of Shar," resplendent in his red hooded robe, arrived at the court of Jeon II, demanding the Sea Princes submit to his government or be destroyed. When the assembled lords mocked him, he presented them with a list of 30 petty nobles, who were all (save three) assassinated before the following morning. Within a fortnight, the Hold of the Sea Princes belonged to the Great and Hidden Empire of the Scarlet Brotherhood.

Only recently has there been any kind of reversal in the Hold's fortunes. Some junior members of the Scarlet Brotherhood revealed themselves to be members of a Tharizdun-worshiping dissident sect known as the Black Brotherhood. They triggered a revolt in the name of the entropy they revered, and revolution spread throughout the land.

Today the Hold of the Sea Princes is in chaos, ruled by a number of petty warlords and savage tribal leaders drawn from the ranks of escaped slaves. The Scarlet Brotherhood still controls Monmurg, as well as the islands of Flotsom, Jetsom, and Fairwind.

Bibliography

• Browne, Dave J., Tom Kirby, and Graeme Morris. Beyond the Crystal Cave. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

• Cook, David. "History of the Greyhawk Wars." Wars. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1991. Available Online: [1]

• Gygax, Gary. The World of Greyhawk. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
• -----. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

• Holian, Gary. "Silent Sorcery." Living Greyhawk Journal #4. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.

• Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.

• Looby, Paul and Stuart Kerrigan. "The Duchy of Berghof." Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online: [2]

• Moore, Roger E. Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.

• Morris, Graeme. The Sentinel. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
• -----. The Gauntlet. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1984.

• Pickens, Jon, ed. Treasures of Greyhawk. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.

• Reynolds, Sean K. The Scarlet Brotherhood. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.

• Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.

External links

• "A Geographical and Historical Survey of the Duchy of Berghof": [3]

• The Fraternity of the Brazen Blade in the Canonfire! forums: [4]