Best of Greyhawk #3

Permenant National Army: 6,250Men at arms from Noble retinues: 121,979Men at arms from Clerical retinues: 35,957Knights: 5,837Fighters of various levels: 20,215Peasant Levy: 19,500Almost 3% of the rural population are under arms.*************************From:Date:Re:NiteScreed95-04-26 01:05:15 EDTKetKetThe land of Ket is the setting for my current campaign. Ket is interesting because it is a melting pot ofcultures. Located in the gap in the western mountains, it is a natural meeting ground for east and west and tradebetween the two. It is also a land of strategic as well for similar reasons.The people of Ket are both settled and nomadic and their divergent lifestyles are a source of friction. Thoseof Paynim ext raction form the bulk of the nomadic residents of Ket. The concept of owning land is a strange one tothem and the idea of borders is even stranger. The nomads follow their herds and have only reluctantly adapted to amore settled life as citizens of Ket. These nomads are known as the Payyam.The settled residents of Ket come from two distinct stocks. Baklunish peoples from Zeif, Ekbir and Tusmithave made Ket their home, recognizing its wealth of resources and favorable geographic position. Oeridian peoples,primarily from Perranland, Veluna, Bissel and the Gran March, have also settled here for the same reasons. Whileinitial relations between these two groups were often violent, over time, they have made common cause againstPaynim raiders, or invaders, occidental and oriental. Intermarriage has produced a mixed people who refer tothemselves as the Govan.Relations between the Payyam and the Govan have not gone well. Each group sees the other as slightlyinferior and even a bit daft. Intermarriage has been rare. At various points in Ketish history, the land has been ruledby Payyam and Govan.. Transitions between the two have been too often marked by violent civil unrest.At the time of the Greyhawk Wars, Ket was ruled by Payyam rulers, who with the assistance of their Paynimcousins, succeeded in annexing Bissel. Their failure to achieve further success left the way open for the Govan toreturn to the throne. This was the state of affairs, a time of civil unrest verging on anarchy, that existed when I beganmy current campaign.Baba YagaOne of the neglected figures of Greyhawk is Baba Yaga of Dancing Hut fame. She is my chief bad gal.Awakening from an enforced slumber, the Crone looked out over the Flaneass and saw the success of Iuz.Long a rival of the Old One, Baba Yaga plots to take his empire for her own. Her pawns will be the Paynim hordesand those of the Tiger and Wolf nomads. Standing in her way are the Baklunish states of the west and Ket. Once incontrol of these areas, she can unleash the Paynims on Iuz and all of the Flaneass. It will be easy enough toconvince desperate nations that the Paynims are their saviors from Iuz. Once Iuz is gone, the saviors will becomeconquerors. (Historically, think of how Christendom took the Mongols for the forces of Prester John). But first shemust secure the vital passes into the Flaneass.As my chief baddy, Baba Yaga moves quietly behind the scenes. Drawing attention to herself would onlyalert her enemies. To date the party has only met the Crone once, in the guise of a charming young woman. Havingtaken the PCs' measure, Baba Yaga retreated to lay further plans.Opposing Baba Yaga is the Baklunish moon goddess Hubay and Loviatar lifted from the Finnish mythos.Hubay does not yet recognize Baba Yaga's hand but is aware of a growing threat to Zief, Ekbir and Tusmit and herworshippers therein. Loviatar is worshipped in Blackmoor and has her own designs on the Tiger and Wolf nomads.4