Knurl: Difference between revisions
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{{Settlement | {{Settlement | ||
|image = [[Image:Knurl_County.jpg | 240px]] | |image = [[Image:Knurl_County.jpg | 240px]] | ||
|caption = Arms of Knurl | |caption = 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. | ||
|name = Knurl | |name = Knurl | ||
|realm = [[Bone March]] | |realm = [[Bone March]] | ||
Revision as of 13:03, 11 May 2022
| Knurl | |
|---|---|
 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. | |
| 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: | LN |
| Demographics | |
| Population: | 13,500 (CY 590) |
| 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 ruler of Knurl in 231 CY was Ranald Zal'honan. He lived a dissipate and gluttonous lifestyle and Knurl slipped into decline under his rule. When his lifestyle finally claimed his life, his younger brother Firan Zal'honan began to rule of Knurl. He reversed the decline that Knurl suffered under his brother's reign. His subjects proclaimed him “Azal’Lan” — “Wizard-King,” in Old Oeridian. In 283 CY, Azal’Lan swore fealty to the Overking in Rauxes and ruled his dominion with an iron fist for the next 30 to 40 years.
In 327 CY, Firan’s own son, Irik freed some of his father's own political prisoners. Azal'Lan sentenced his own son to be executed, and he wielded the axe himself. Soon, Azal'lan began to heed the dark whispers that he heard in his despair. These dark whispers guided Azal'Lan to shed his mortality and became a lich in 329 CY. The lich Azal'lan ruled Knurl for another sixty years, expanding his dominion. His reign of terror consumed the Blemu Hills, the Flinty Hills, and the whole of the Adri Forest.
Finally, in 391 CY, the Wizard-King went too far. After Azal’Lan captured the border town of Innspa, Nyrond was forced to march against him. Azal'Lan was finally lured out of his defenses by the promise of a new magical spell that could allow a mage to restore true life to a corpse. Blinded by his hopes for restoring his son, Azal'Lan went forth with a small retinue of guards, and was then ambushed by a group of mercenaries. Fleeing their pursuit, he was tricked into entering the Demiplane of Ravenloft.[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. Then, in 590 CY, the orcs launched a full-scale assault on Knurl over the Blemu Hills yet fail to take it.[15] It is Dunstan's vast spy network which enables him to stay one step ahead of the humanoid hordes.[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]
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]
References
Citations
- ↑ These events are recounted in the book King of the Dead, by Gene DeWeese.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying, p. 55.
- ↑ Dragon Magazine # 69, p. 15-16.
- ↑ a b c d Saga of Old City, p. 227.
- ↑ Dragon Magazine #57, p. 15.
- ↑ The Marklands, p. 59.
- ↑ a b A Guide to the World of Greyhawk, p. 29.
- ↑ a b The Marklands, p. 62.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p. 35.
- ↑ a b Dragon Magazine #59, p. 24.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying, p. 10.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p. 36.
- ↑ Saga of Old City, p. 226-229.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p. 72.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p. 36-37, 91.
- ↑ Dungeon Magazine #148, p. 28.
Bibliography
- Holian, Gary and Greer, Stephen S.. "In the Shadows of Spinecastle" Dungeon Magazine #148. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2007.
- DeWeese, Gene. King of the Dead. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1996.
- Gygax, Gary. Saga of Old City. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1985.
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 |