Lynwerd

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Greyhawk Character
Lynwerd I
Lynwerd I, from Living Greyhawk Gazetteer
Names and titles
Nickname:The Reformer King
Title(s):His August Supremacy, Altmeister of All the Aerdi (from 586 CY), formerly Crown Prince
General info
Occupation:King of Nyrond
Home:Rel Mord, Nyrond
Alignment:Lawful Good
Gender:Male
Species:Human
Ethnicity:Oeridian
Class:Fighter
Dates
Age:45 (598 CY)
Birthdate:555 CY

Lynwerd is the king of Nyrond since 586 CY, the first of his name.

Description

In Spring 585 CY he had just turned 30 and was 6’2", strongly built and handsome, closely resembling his father, Archbold III, as a young man.[1]

Personality

He is strong and decisive[2], very active [3], and a careful, shrewd diplomat and politician.[4]

He is of Lawful Good alignment.[1]

Abilities

In Spring 585 CY he was a 13th-level fighter (second edition), with Str 18/97, Dex 17, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 16; hp 81.[1]

By the beginning of 591 CY Lynwerd was a 14th-level fighter (third edition).[5]

Possessions

In 585 CY he owned winged boots and a longsword of dancing, together with an ancient Oeridian crossbow of speed that could bless 2-12 bolts per day. He wore rings of invisibilty and regeneration. He had access to extensive other magical items given his role as Crown Prince of Nyrond.[1] He would have the same access or better as King.

Relationships

He was the oldest son of King Archbold III. His mother died in about 578 CY.[6]

Lynwerd was well aware there were many in Nyrond who saw him as King even before his unpopular father abdicated. Most wished Archbold would have stepped aside earlier, and some were even prepared to consider assassinating the king to get Lynwerd enthroned. Lynwerd was aware of his father's shortcomings, but was always loyal to and loved his father, and vehemently defended Archbold while wondering if she should still remain King. He tried giving good counsel to Archbold, while becoming angry when seeing him give into the Valorous League of Blindness or the ambassadors of the Urnst states. He could see the need for strong leadership Archbold could not then give.[2][2]

In 585 CY Lynwerd was strongly supported by then field generals Myariken and Hanshal who were of a similar age to Lynwerd.[7]

Prince Sewarndt was his younger brother. In Spring 585 CY he could see that his brother was a bad individual, and he had to secure succession for himself for Nyrond's sake.[8]

The marriage to Lady Xenia Sallavarian was believed convenient for both, but it was seen Lynwerd and Xenia were pleased in each other’s company. Lynwerd was depressed for weeks after she fell into a coma in 589 CY. In 591 CY he seemed joyless[9], and sorrowful and grimly joyless[10], which seemed linked to the absence of Lady Xenia.

His cousin, Lady Astra Callistor, disappeared in early 591 CY without a trace while leading an expedition into the eastern Abbor-Alz, after entering a valley dominated by ancient, abandoned towers.[11]

History

Lynwerd was born in early 555 CY (he had just turned 30 in Spring 585 CY).[2]

King Lynwerd was one of the few Nyrondese military commanders to have emerged with any credit from his battles on the northern front.[2]

Various young rebel nobles in 585 CY supported Lynwerd becoming king including Cunhal Blackmar (the son of Count Blackmar Huldane of Mowbrenn), and were holed up at Barren Keep.[12] Lynwerd were aware various people opposed his father and his becoming king, but he gave these people no encouragement.[13]

Even in Spring 585 CY he planned if he became king to take a calculated gamble by reducing forces against Szeffrin, reducing taxes and rebuilding morale, but not weakening defenses in the Kron Hills. He favored the people of the Adri Forest, and looked to magical means to increase the flow of communication and goods with them. He was also considering a dynastic marriage to a suitable noblewoman from the Duchy of Urnst.[14]

In the fall of 585 CY Archbold appeared to suffer a stroke. Clerics convened in Rel Mord and determined that he had been poisoned. Within hours of the discovery, Archbold's younger son Prince Sewarndt and a group of junior military officers attempted a coup. Only the intervention of the capital's entire clergy of Heironeous prevented it and rescued the king. Lynwerd was on an inspection tour in Mithat, and was notified by magical means within an hour of the coup. He immediately lead an army to his father's side, by which time Sewarndt and some supporters had fled while others were captured or killed.[15][16]

Sewarndt's treachery shattered Archbold, and he abdicated in favor of Lynwerd in Fireseek 586 CY. Archbold became deeply depressed, not even speaking to his own family, and went into retreat in his estate outside Rel Mord. [17][18]

In his first year on the throne, Lynwerd seized the western half of Almor, realigned the command structure of his military, and reduced taxes to prewar levels. While the tax reductions boosted morale, its economy remained in deficit and debt.[19] He also reduced the size of his armies, freeing many troops to go home and farm their lands again, and funded a bonus of 1 gold piece from his own family fortune to each Nyrondese family that celebrated a birth in 586 or 587 CY (while dogged by fraud, it had the desired effect of boosting postwar births to record levels).[20]

In 586 CY war flared again between Furyondy and Iuz, and Lynwerd appealed to nervous citizens in the County of Urnst to move away from Iuz's threat and settle in Nyrond’s western lands. Lynwerd also stood up to calls from representatives from the church of Pholtus and the Theocracy of the Pale to allow northern lands be joined to the Pale, resulting in anger towards him. However, the Pale was preoccupied with the war in Tenh and could do little but complain and sow dissent among Nyrondese peasants via the church of Pholtus.[21][22]

Lynwerd suffered a major setback in 586 CY when Baron Bastrayne of Woodwych disappeared without trace with much of the tax money he had been collecting for years and was revealed to have been despoiling parts of the Celadon Forest. The elves and woodsmen of the Celadon were in open rebellion, forcing Lynwerd to send troops to secure the forest’s perimeter. However, he kept the troops out of the Celdaon itself.[23]

The disappearance of Duke Szeffrin from Almor in 586 CY (confirmed by priests and wizards in Rel Mod), caused Lynwerd risk ordering troops on the eastern border to seize Almorian land up to the Harp River by late in the year after clearing out bandits and humanoids (ex-Great Kingdom forces) and undead. This caused many in the Flanaess to believe Nyrond was militarily strong again (which was more perception than reality). In Growfest 587 CY, he declared all of old Almor west of the Harp and Flessern Rivers a protectorate, leading him to be hailed a hero and savior by many in Nyrond (particularly Almorian expatriates who had fled there). This briefly caused the Urnst states to discontinue financial aid, believing Nyrond no longer needed it, before Lynwerd could renew it after many meetings.[24]

In 589 CY a long-planned marriage between Lynwerd and Lady Xenia Sallavarian was scheduled to take place in Richfest. In Wealsun, Lady Xenia collapsed while touring Rel Mord on foot, apparently of heatstroke, and remained in a coma for some years.[25] Her attending priest could not revive her, and while she still breathed it was subsequently found her body was devoid of intellect and spirit. Divinations and questioning of witnesses suggested a magical attack. She was taken to Nellix to be tended by her family. Lynwerd was in despair for weeks after, and Richfest and Brewfest celebrations were muted in Nyrond that year.[26]

Lynwerd spent 590 CY overseeing repairs and strengthening Nyrond's roads, cities, armies and trade links. He had aid (in the form of weapons, clothing and food) finally sent to the gnomes of the Flinty Hills, to their approval (albeit grumbling given its delay). Trade links with the Lordship of the Isles and the United Kingdom of Ahlissa were reopened, although those with Ahlisaa caused shock and outrage of many in court. The church of Zilchus was charged with quickly increasing trade into Nyrond to bolster tariff revenue, resulting in the Zilchans opening communications with their brethren in Ahlissa. The situation in the Celadon Forest remained unresolved and dangerous, despite a reward for Baron Bastrayne’s capture (dead or alive) which remained unclaimed. He attempted direct communications with the Circle of Eight but argued with Warnes Starcoat and obtained no aid or assistance.[27]

In 590 CY with starvation and sedition common, Lynwerd initiated radical reforms aimed to save Nyrond. He cut the size of his court, releasing from service some 397 "functionaries," three standing chamber orchestras, a 30-boy choir, several dozen clerics, eighteen archivists, and a well-known and extremely popular talking bird from the Amedio Jungle. The provincial administration of Nyrond's internal political boundaries followed, taking effect from Needfest 1, 591 CY[28], and Lynwerd earned the nickname the "Reformer King".[29]

In Spring 591 CY Lynwerd announced a Grand Celebration of the fifth year of coronation in Rel Mord to be held during Growfest.[30] Invitations were to be sent out by the newly expanded Royal Mail Service to all Nyrondese nobility and allied states.[31] At this gala Lynwerd was to make a declaration as to the final status of the former Almorian lands then under Nyrondal control with speculation at court divided on what it would be be. Many supported granting the area full status as a Royal Duchy, and others wishing it to be an independent nation.[32] This was then cancelled, with conflicting rumors Lynwerd saw the money better spent on the people or had run out of money, while infrastructure success suggested it was the former.[33]

Durinken, High Priest of Rao, announced in Spring 591 CY portents that the year's crop would be the largest in decades.[34]

Lynwerd was married to Xenia Sallavarian in 594 CY. In 595 CY Sewarndt again seized control of Rel Mord and other key cities in a short and rapid coup, but was deposed.[35]

Rumors and legends

In 591 CY there were rumors that an illegitimate son of Lynwerd's had surfaced among the witches of the Gnatmarsh.[36]

In Spring 591 CY rumors abounded that the head of the Alchemists' Guild, a gnome known for his treatment of disorders of body as well as spirit, had been called to visit Lady Xenia Sallavarian. The summons was much discussed among the guilds of Rel Mord, and gave further proof that her ailment was more significant than heatstroke.[37]

Living Greyhawk Campaign

Lynwerd was a major protagonist in the Living Greyhawk for the Nyrond region (NYR), featuring in multiple adventures and storylines.

See Also

See also: Rulers of Nyrond

Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ a b c d The Marklands, p.94
  2. ↑ a b c d e The Marklands, p.68
  3. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.31
  4. ↑ The Marklands, p.94
  5. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.74
  6. ↑ The Marklands, p.64
  7. ↑ The Marklands, p.64
  8. ↑ The Marklands, p.94
  9. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.31
  10. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.79
  11. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.79
  12. ↑ The Marklands, p.75&76
  13. ↑ The Marklands, p.94
  14. ↑ The Marklands, p.94
  15. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.78
  16. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.30
  17. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.78
  18. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.30
  19. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.79
  20. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.30
  21. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.30
  22. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.82
  23. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.30
  24. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.30
  25. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.79
  26. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.31
  27. ↑ The Adventure Begins, p.31
  28. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.75
  29. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.79
  30. ↑ Living Greyhawk Journal #1, p.29
  31. ↑ Living Greyhawk Journal #0, p.12
  32. ↑ Living Greyhawk Journal #3, p.28
  33. ↑ Living Greyhawk Journal #5, p.
  34. ↑ Living Greyhawk Journal #3, p.28
  35. ↑ Living Greyhawk Nyrond at Wizards of the Coast Archive
  36. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, p.79
  37. ↑ Living Greyhawk Journal #5, p.30

Bibliography

———. Living Greyhawk Journal #1. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, September 2000.
———. Living Greyhawk Journal #3. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, February 2001.
———. Living Greyhawk Journal #5. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, July 2001

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

Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Dragon magazine #271 77
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e 105
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 16, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 82, 145, 148
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Living Greyhawk Journal #0 9, 12
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Living Greyhawk Journal #1 29
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Living Greyhawk Journal #3 28
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Living Greyhawk Journal #5 30
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], Player's Guide to Greyhawk 12, 25
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], The Adventure Begins 27, 30, 31, 33, 62
Lynwerd I Non-player character [F13][3e F14], WGR4 The Marklands 64, 68, 76, 91, 94, 95
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