Battle of Steelbone Meadows
The Battle of Steelbone Meadows is a horrific slaughter which took place at Steelbone Meadows, in the Bandit Kingdoms, at the tail end of the Greyhawk Wars on 13 Ready'reat 584 CY.[note 1]
Description
The direct fighting of the Greyhawk Wars was ended in Harvester 584 CY by a great truce (even before the treaty was signed). Ten thousand bandits celebrated the truce, and had gathered expecting to hear plans for "after the winter."[3]
A cleric of Iuz from Hallorn, Bernel, was gripped by mad paranoia that the bandits intended to betray him. He set orc assassins, fiends and magic upon them, slaying more than half.[4][5] Men were lost from all over the different Bandit Kingdoms, but notably among them were Abbarra, Freehold, Defenders of the Greenkeep, Midlands, Warfields, and Wormhall who each suffered great losses.[6]
While this act condemned Bernel to an unpleasant existence in the dungeons of Dorakaa, the survivors of this massacre nursed a deep resentment for Iuz. Those who fell continue to walk the meadow as vengeful undead, unable to be controlled by Iuz's priests for the hatred they bear for the Old One.
Commemoration
Primarily in the Bandit Kingdoms (and among those affected by the battle), the Battle of Steelbone Meadows is commemorated annually on Ready'reat 13, and is called the Day of Treachery.[1]
References
Notes
- ↑ Though the date 13 Ready'reat is given for the battle in an earlier source (1999)[1] the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000) refers to the event occuring "after many nights of drunken Brewfest revelry,"[2] though it does not mention a specific date. Additionally, no explanation is given of why the bandits would be expecting to be "given instrustions" whilst drunk for Brewfest.
Citations
- ↑ a b "Campaign Holidays". Dragon #A1999 (Annual 1999), p.21.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.31.
- ↑ WGR4 The Marklands (1993), p.49.
- ↑ WGR4 The Marklands (1993), p.48-49.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.25-27.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.25-31.
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
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelbone Meadows | Place | Dragon magazine #AN4 | 21 | |
| Steelbone Meadows | Place | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 | |
| Steelbone Meadows | Place | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 48, 49, 59 | |
| Steelbone Meadows, battle of | Adventure | Dragon magazine #AN4 | 21 | |
| Steelbone Meadows, battle of | Adventure | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 | |
| Steelbone Meadows, battle of | Adventure | WGR5 Iuz the Evil | 48, 49, 59 |