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There are two nearly-identical accounts of the Stratis' wording of the curse, when addressing [[Marin]]:   
There are two nearly-identical accounts of the Stratis' wording of the curse, when addressing [[Marin]]:   
{{quoted text|“You think your people will be free? You think you have escaped me? You mortals will have nothing but war, not a moment of peace until a new God of War rises to replace me.”<ref>Chainmail Miniatures Game: ''Core Rulebook'' (2002), p3</ref>}}
{{quoted text|“You think your people will be free? You think you have escaped me? You mortals will have nothing but war, not a moment of peace until a new God of War rises to replace me.”<ref>Chainmail Miniatures Game: ''Core Rulebook'' (2002), p3</ref>}}
{{quoted text|You think the young races will be free now, elf?" the god scorned. "You are wrong, and every mortal will pay for your mistake. Until a new God of War rises to replace me, the young races will not know even a moment of peace. Remember what you have wrought here this day - remember as the corpses pile their way toward the heavens!"{{csb|CMG|7|Rulebook}}}}
{{quoted text|You think the young races will be free now, elf?" the god scorned. "You are wrong, and every mortal will pay for your mistake. Until a new God of War rises to replace me, the young races will not know even a moment of peace. Remember what you have wrought here this day—remember as the corpses pile their way toward the heavens!"{{csb|CMG|7|Rulebook}}}}


These two accounts give the same basic facts, but phrases like "young races" and the "remember" clause give hints of more lore.  The "elder races" aren't all known, but, we do know [[equiceph]]s, [[giant]]s, and [[dragon]]s are amongst them.  It might be surmised that the races prominent at the time are ones like [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf|dwarves]], [[human]]s, and other PC races.  The "remember" clause seems to relate to the nature of the curse, and that mortals would continue to be unable to commit to typical traditional warfare and it would not simply fade over time.
These two accounts give the same basic facts, but phrases like "young races" and the "remember" clause give hints of more lore.  The "elder races" aren't all known, but, we do know [[equiceph]]s, [[giant]]s, and [[dragon]]s are amongst them.  It might be surmised that the races prominent at the time are ones like [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf|dwarves]], [[human]]s, and other PC races.  The "remember" clause seems to relate to the nature of the curse, and that mortals would continue to be unable to commit to typical traditional warfare and it would not simply fade over time.
Line 18: Line 18:
=== Factions of the War ===
=== Factions of the War ===
Those engaged in the Godwar included the following:  
Those engaged in the Godwar included the following:  
*'''[[Ahmut's Legion]]''' - A legion of undead terrors led by death cultists and [[Ahmut]], a fierce 3-century-old undead nomadic [[Baklien]] warlord bent on revenge against Ravilla who wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|spear of Stratis]].  
*'''[[Ahmut's Legion]]'''—A legion of undead terrors led by death cultists and [[Ahmut]], a fierce 3-century-old undead nomadic [[Baklien]] warlord bent on revenge against Ravilla who wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|spear of Stratis]].  
*'''[[Drazen's Horde]]''' - A land teeming with savage humanoids. [[Drazen]], a hobgoblin warlord, united the feuding tribes and became the leading chieftain and wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|axe of Stratis]].
*'''[[Drazen's Horde]]'''—A land teeming with savage humanoids. [[Drazen]], a hobgoblin warlord, united the feuding tribes and became the leading chieftain and wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|axe of Stratis]].
*'''[[Free States]]''' - A group of small political entities whose names and borders change frequently, since many of them are only held together by the charisma of one powerful leader.  Many who live there are known for becoming mercenaries.  None had a direct impact on the war individually, except by fighting for other factions.
*'''[[Free States]]'''—A group of small political entities whose names and borders change frequently, since many of them are only held together by the charisma of one powerful leader.  Many who live there are known for becoming mercenaries.  None had a direct impact on the war individually, except by fighting for other factions.
*'''[[Kilsek]]''' (Kalan-G'eld) - A Faction of Drow expelled from the [[underoerth]] city of Erelhei-Cinlu along with their troglodyte and displacer beast allies.  
*'''[[Kilsek]]''' (Kalan-G'eld)—A Faction of Drow expelled from the [[underoerth]] city of Erelhei-Cinlu along with their troglodyte and displacer beast allies.  
*'''[[Mordengard]]''' - Very non-traditional government is run by a "People's State"; dwarves here are very typical in some senses.  They use ingenious elemental weapons and are allied with creatures of the [[Inner Planes]].  
*'''[[Mordengard]]'''—Very non-traditional government is run by a "People's State"; dwarves here are very typical in some senses.  They use ingenious elemental weapons and are allied with creatures of the [[Inner Planes]].  
*'''[[Naresh]]''' - Under the patronage of [[Yeenoghu]], this nation of gnolls is bolstered by demonic forces and is led by a half-demon gnoll priest-king named [[Jangir]] who rules by right of destiny and wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|flail of Stratis]].   
*'''[[Naresh]]'''—Under the patronage of [[Yeenoghu]], this nation of gnolls is bolstered by demonic forces and is led by a half-demon gnoll priest-king named [[Jangir]] who rules by right of destiny and wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|flail of Stratis]].   
*'''[[Ravilla]]''' - the remaining City-States of the once great [[Dragon Empire]] which was destroyed during the [[Demon War]].  They protect the Abyssal Gateways to prevent the seals from being broken and demons returning. Led by a Council of Oligarchs. An elven hero named Tarquin who is thought to possibly become the next Emperor of Ravilla wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|longsword of Stratis]]
*'''[[Ravilla]]'''—the remaining City-States of the once great [[Dragon Empire]] which was destroyed during the [[Demon War]].  They protect the Abyssal Gateways to prevent the seals from being broken and demons returning. Led by a Council of Oligarchs. An elven hero named Tarquin who is thought to possibly become the next Emperor of Ravilla wields the [[Stratis#Panoply of Stratis|longsword of Stratis]]
*'''[[Thalos]]''' - This predominantly human nation repelled invasion from Ravilla, and are strongly allied with the gnomes of the region.  Led by Queen [[Almira]] XXI, and her paladin and angelic allies, their patron is [[Stern Alia]]. Also known for powerful war machines constructed by gnomes.
*'''[[Thalos]]'''—This predominantly human nation repelled invasion from Ravilla, and are strongly allied with the gnomes of the region.  Led by Queen [[Almira]] XXI, and her paladin and angelic allies, their patron is [[Stern Alia]]. Also known for powerful war machines constructed by gnomes.


[[File:Stratis03.gif|thumb|Stratis battling, bearing his panoply, art by Sam Wood, ''Core Rulebook'', p3 (2002).]]
[[File:Stratis03.gif|thumb|Stratis battling, bearing his panoply, art by Sam Wood, ''Core Rulebook'', p3 (2002).]]
Line 71: Line 71:
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game Starter Set: Model Description Book''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game Starter Set: Model Description Book''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: The Ghostwind Campaign''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: The Ghostwind Campaign''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Blood and Darkness - Set 2 Guidebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Blood and Darkness—Set 2 Guidebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Fire & Ice - Set 3 Guidebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.  
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Fire & Ice—Set 3 Guidebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.  
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Shadow of the Drow - Set 4 Guidebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.  
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Shadow of the Drow—Set 4 Guidebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.  
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game Core Rulebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
:———. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game Core Rulebook''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
*[[Chris Pramas|Pramas, Chris]]. "Ahmut's Legion." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #286. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
*[[Chris Pramas|Pramas, Chris]]. "Ahmut's Legion." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #286. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.

Latest revision as of 14:22, 26 March 2025

The Godwar occurred in Western Oerik, starting c.586 CY, resulting from the curse of Stratis, a god of war. (Not to be confused with the Godswar between Corellon and Gruumsh.)

Description

The Godwar was not the massive, pitched battle one might expect. It was a series of continent-wide skirmishes fought by seven different factions, each vying to retrieve the panoply of weapons cast across Western Oerik by Stratis as he was murdered. Mortals foolishly believed if there was no God of War, there would be no war. Stratis relished war and walked amongst mortals for the pleasute of their war, he also instigated war when he could find none.[1] The Godwar was a difficult and bloody war with thousands of small engagements.

The curse of Stratis

The Curse of Stratis can be noted in several parts: a.) the mortal races will not be free from war, b.) there will be no peace, and c.) the only way to end it was for a new god of war to take his place. In his absence, mortals would not know strategic battle and chaos would reign on the battlefield. All those affected by the curse were relegated to nothing but skirmish warfare.

There are two nearly-identical accounts of the Stratis' wording of the curse, when addressing Marin:

"“You think your people will be free? You think you have escaped me? You mortals will have nothing but war, not a moment of peace until a new God of War rises to replace me.”[2]"

"You think the young races will be free now, elf?" the god scorned. "You are wrong, and every mortal will pay for your mistake. Until a new God of War rises to replace me, the young races will not know even a moment of peace. Remember what you have wrought here this day—remember as the corpses pile their way toward the heavens!"[3]"

These two accounts give the same basic facts, but phrases like "young races" and the "remember" clause give hints of more lore. The "elder races" aren't all known, but, we do know equicephs, giants, and dragons are amongst them. It might be surmised that the races prominent at the time are ones like elves, dwarves, humans, and other PC races. The "remember" clause seems to relate to the nature of the curse, and that mortals would continue to be unable to commit to typical traditional warfare and it would not simply fade over time.

Effects of the curse

"The dead god’s promise of war unfettered [came] true. ...the supernatural chaos left in the wake of Stratis’s fall. This turmoil hinder[ed] armies of thousands from mustering, much less marching against enemies. Common soldiers no longer remember[ed] orders without their commanders’ constant presence; they [lost] themselves to the frenzy of war instead of its efficient execution. Decisive warfare [was] possible only with bands of elite combatants who [could] maintain their focus and cohesion. These same small bands spearhead[ed] the search for Stratis’s scattered panoply."[4]

Factions of the War

Those engaged in the Godwar included the following:

  • Ahmut's Legion—A legion of undead terrors led by death cultists and Ahmut, a fierce 3-century-old undead nomadic Baklien warlord bent on revenge against Ravilla who wields the spear of Stratis.
  • Drazen's Horde—A land teeming with savage humanoids. Drazen, a hobgoblin warlord, united the feuding tribes and became the leading chieftain and wields the axe of Stratis.
  • Free States—A group of small political entities whose names and borders change frequently, since many of them are only held together by the charisma of one powerful leader. Many who live there are known for becoming mercenaries. None had a direct impact on the war individually, except by fighting for other factions.
  • Kilsek (Kalan-G'eld)—A Faction of Drow expelled from the underoerth city of Erelhei-Cinlu along with their troglodyte and displacer beast allies.
  • Mordengard—Very non-traditional government is run by a "People's State"; dwarves here are very typical in some senses. They use ingenious elemental weapons and are allied with creatures of the Inner Planes.
  • Naresh—Under the patronage of Yeenoghu, this nation of gnolls is bolstered by demonic forces and is led by a half-demon gnoll priest-king named Jangir who rules by right of destiny and wields the flail of Stratis.
  • Ravilla—the remaining City-States of the once great Dragon Empire which was destroyed during the Demon War. They protect the Abyssal Gateways to prevent the seals from being broken and demons returning. Led by a Council of Oligarchs. An elven hero named Tarquin who is thought to possibly become the next Emperor of Ravilla wields the longsword of Stratis
  • Thalos—This predominantly human nation repelled invasion from Ravilla, and are strongly allied with the gnomes of the region. Led by Queen Almira XXI, and her paladin and angelic allies, their patron is Stern Alia. Also known for powerful war machines constructed by gnomes.
Stratis battling, bearing his panoply, art by Sam Wood, Core Rulebook, p3 (2002).

Goal of the War

Several factors preceded the Godwar, making it possible for the War to happen. Chief amongst them was that there was already strife and conflict amongst the several major empires in the region. The the Dragon EMpire rode rough-shod across those less powerful than them, and the other factions had begun to fight back.

The second part of the Curse of Stratis was that there would be no peace until a new God of War rose to replace him. The only known way to do so was to gather the deity's panoply, thereby gathering his divine essence. The Panoply of Stratis includes:

  • Bonebreak: The god's first weapon, a greatclub, is believed to lie somewhere on the Ghostwind Plateau.
  • The Ebon Glaive: Artifact weapon (glaive/polearm) once wielded by Stratis. Located in a place called Scalebane, once known as the Plain of Edora. This is a massive draconic graveyard, left behind after a war between good and evil dragons.
The Ebon Glaive is a +5 mithril dragonbane keen glaive of speed. The weapon is neutral, intelligent (Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 18, Ego 39; speech and telepathy), and its special purpose is the slaying of dragons.[5]
  • The Longsword of Stratis: In the possession of a young elf named Tarquin. He's enigmatic, and hails from an ancient and illustrious family. It is whispered that he may become the Emperor of Ravilla.
  • The Shield of Stratis: This artifact was a gift from the Shield Mother (Stern Alia) to her son and bears her likeness.
  • The Spear of Stratis: Stratis’ spear plunged to the forgotten grave of an ancient human warlord, Ahmut, who rose screaming for vengeance and the death of all living things.
  • The Axe of Stratis: This axe (which is depicted as either a battle axe or greataxe) was dropped amongst the savage tribes of the Southlands and was seized by a hobgoblin chieftain named Drazen.
  • The Flail of Stratis: Depicted as a heavy (or dire) flail, this weapon came by the hands of a child to the half-fiendish gnoll, Priest-King of Naresh, Jangir.

It is also known that there are other arms and armor included in the panoply.[6] Amongst them are: helm, breastplate, bracers, greaves, and thrown dart, but they have only ever been shown in illustrations, and there is little known about them.

History

The beginning of the Godwar has been deduced as 586 CY (the same year as the Flight of Fiends), based on various dates and references given in lore.

When mortals came up with the idea that there would be no war if Stratis weren't there to instigate it, an elf name Marinn gathered heroes from all the "young races", including an ogre named Grench and a human named Braddock.[1]. They gathered great artifacts and ambushed Stratis and murdered him.[1] After a day-long fight, all other heroes except Marinn and Braddock died.

The Godwar began the moment Stratis "his soul blasted upward" and "erupted toward heaven" spraying his panoply across the world.

Several places became noted battlegrounds of the Godwar. Among them were:

  • Ghostwind plateau
    • The Tower of Stratis
    • The Gates of Fallor
  • Scalebane
    • Plains of Edoira

There were many others, including some inside the borders of various factions. Mostly, the battles were in the "Disputed Regions".

There is no lore regarding the end of the War, nor a date given for when the end might have occurred. While it's possible it could have extended for eternity, it's more likely someone would have gained enough of Stratis' power to ascend to divinity, and lay claim to his portfolio. There is no lore, however, because the product line was ended.


References

Notes

Citations

  1. ↑ a b c Chainmail Miniatures Game Starter Set (2001), p.6-7, Rulebook.
  2. ↑ Chainmail Miniatures Game: Core Rulebook (2002), p3
  3. ↑ Chainmail Miniatures Game Starter Set (2001), p.7, Rulebook.
  4. ↑ Chainmail Miniatures Game: Core Rulebook (2002), p3
  5. ↑ Dragon #296 (Jun 2002), p.100-101.
  6. ↑ Chris Pramas, Special Chat, Wizards.com. " ... there are lots of pieces of Stratis' panoply, not just those ...", Nov, 2001. Accessed Feb 4th, 2020.

Bibliography

  • Tweet, Jonathan, Rob Heinsoo, and Chris Pramas. Chainmail Miniatures Game Starter Set: Official Rulebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
———. Chainmail Miniatures Game Starter Set: Model Description Book. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001
———. Chainmail Miniatures Game: The Ghostwind Campaign. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. Chainmail Miniatures Game: Blood and Darkness—Set 2 Guidebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. Chainmail Miniatures Game: Fire & Ice—Set 3 Guidebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. Chainmail Miniatures Game: Shadow of the Drow—Set 4 Guidebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
———. Chainmail Miniatures Game Core Rulebook. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003.
———. "The Empire of Ravilla." Dragon #285. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
———. "The Armies of Thalos." Dragon #287. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
———. "The Gnolls of Naresh." Dragon #289. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
———. "People's State of Mordengard." Dragon #291. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "Drazen's Horde." Dragon #292. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "The Free States." Dragon #293. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "Underground Scenarios." Dragon #294. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "The Children of Nassica." Dragon #295. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "The Ebon Glaive." Dragon #296. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "Exiles from the Vault." Dragon #298. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
———. "The Sundered Empire: Soldiers of the Last Order." Dragon #315. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, January 2004.

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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