# Adventure Introduction Oerth is the world that hosts the continent of Oerik and the fabled City of Greyhawk. ![[D&D 5E Greyhawk/_assets/_masters/gh-master-campaign.mov.hq.webp]] "As I gazed upon the sprawling expanse of the city of Greyhawk, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and trepidation. Known far and wide as the City of Thieves, this ancient metropolis stood as a testament to the relentless march of time and the enduring spirit of adventure. In the heart of Oerth, where the bustling streets teemed with rogues, merchants, and warriors of all kinds, I embarked on a journey that would shape my destiny." "The City of Greyhawk, with its labyrinthine alleys and towering spires, is a hub of commerce and a gateway to countless classic adventures. From the foreboding Temple of Elemental Evil, shrouded in mystery and darkness, to the haunted shores of Saltmarsh, where ghostly apparitions whispered secrets of the sea, our quest would take us through the annals of history and legend. In the City of Thieves, where fortunes were won and lost, alliances forged and betrayed, my companions and I would test our mettle, unravel ancient mysteries, and carve our names into the annals of Oerth's storied history. The journey ahead promised danger, excitement, and the chance to become legends in our own right." <iframe allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.easyzoom.com/embed/325836?roi=%5B17596%2C-20948%2C2%5D" width="100%" height="800"></iframe> All Greyhawk maps utilized in this campaign are by [Anna B. Meyer](https://www.annabmeyer.com) ## The World The campaign begins in 576 CY, a time before the terrible Greyhawk Wars. As is obvious, the continent of Oerik is the major civilized center of the world of Oerth, and for those who call the eastern portion of this continent home, a region known as the Flanaess, it is here one finds the center of enlightened civilization. Of course, the Baklunish, Suhfeng, and other western and southern Oerik cultures would likely debate that point. Oerth has four, possibly five, great continents, countless islands, four great oceans, and countless seas surrounding these bodies of land. For residents of the Flanaess, little is known about the lands of the western and southern portions of Oerik, less still about the primitive and wild inhabitants of the other continents, but such knowledge is, of course, of little use anyway and of no importance to humanity. Some say the gem of this world is the city of Greyhawk, a teeming metropolis that attracts heroes and villains alike. Warriors, merchants, wizards, beggars, clerics, sages, and thieves fill its streets searching for high adventure. ### Recent Facts The following points describe the biggest changes to the world of Oerth. This information will give you the basic background that most inhabitants currently know. 1. After two centuries of war, the olive-skinned Oeridians dominated much of the Flanness, allying with native Flannae and scattered demihuman enclaves against the Suloise and armies of rapacious humanoids, particularly orcs. The Aerdi tribe of Oeridians established the Kingdom of Aerdy in the far east, which grew until it controlled most of the Flanaess, from Sunndi in the southeast to Ratik and Tenh in the northeast, and westward as far as what is now Furyondy and Veluna. This vast empire, called the Great Kingdom, lasted for three centuries. 2. The first major crack in the Great Kingdom was the loss of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, which became the Kingdom of Furyondy in 254 CY. Ferrond eventually split into the states of Furyondy and Veluna; the City of Dyvers and other areas broke away later. In 356 CY, internal feuding ripped at the ruling Aerdi dynasty, the House of Rax. The junior branch, Nyrond, rebelled and declared its lands free of the Overking's rule. A barbarian invasion in North Province prevented the Overking from punishing this, and eventually, these lands became known as the Kingdom of Nyrond. Nyrond later went through an imperialistic phase, annexing and then losing the County of Urnst and the Pale. 3. In 446 CY, repression and excessive taxation led to a general rebellion in the southern Great Kingdom. The city of Irongate was the first to secede, joined by the Idee, Onnwal and (in 455 Cy) Sunndi. (Later, the Lordship of the Isles joined the Iron League.) Operating from South Province and the See of Medegia, the armies of the Overking tried without success to regain the lost territories for over a century. Greater disaster was on the way. The House of Rax became decadent and weak, and certain regions in the shrunken Great Kingdom were ruled by nobles of other houses as if they were minor independent kingdoms. In the first half of the fifth century, the House of Naclax destroyed the House of Rax in a conflict called the Turmoil Between Crowns, and Naelax took the Malachite Throne. A century later, the nobles of the House of Naelax are regarded as having been either insane or evil fiend-worshipers — or both. 4. Simultaneous to these events, the Kingdom of Keoland reached its zenith in the Sheldomar Valley far to the west. Founded by Oeridian and Suloise tribes less warlike and more tolerant than their fellows, Keoland grew rapidly until it ruled the entire region from the Pomarj to the Crystalmists. Its armies pressed into Ket and Veluna around 350-360 CY, but were later pushed out. Within a century, Keoland lost its frontier regions: the Ulek states, Celene, Bissel, and the Yeomanry, Keoland relinquished its imperial ambitions and stabilized, with the semi-independent lands of Gran March and Sterich supporting its army. While the Great Kingdom and Keoland grew and shrank, other parts of the Flanaess were taking shape. During the late third century, Baklunish horse barbarians claimed much of the northern steppes. A hundred years later, the Sea Princes and Bandit Kings looted and pillaged their way to political autonomy. About 375 CY, the Free City of Greyhawk reached its first period of greatness under the leadership of Zngig Yragerne. Some regions, such as Tenh and Geoff, remained relatively independent for many generations. 5. However, the humanoids, especially the ores, were on the rise. As demihuman and human armies drove humanoids from the Lorumil Mountains, the humanoids fell on the Pomarj Peninsula and destroyed the human states there, taking the land for themselves in 513 CY. In the north, the half-demon child of a human female necromancer, luz the Old seized his own kingdoms and brought humanoids into his armies. In 560 CY, the Great Kingdom's northernmost province Bone March was invaded by humanoids from the Rakers: it fell three years later and has been in a barbaric state since. In 573 CY, a secretive monastic group called the Scarlet Brotherhood was discovered on the Tilvanot Peninsula. Despite horrifying rumors of this group's aims — no less than control of the Flanaess by Suloise-descended peoples — and the forces it utilizes (monsters, assassins, thieves, and martial artists), the Brotherhood was virtually ignored for a decade. 6. For several generations, Keoland was a formidable military power. Its superior cavalry and bold knights pushed the kingdom’s borders outward to the north, west, and east. Each successful campaign increased both the crown’s wealth and power, and each one, in turn, drew the kingdom’s attention even farther north. The southern coastal regions of Keoland remained a backwater. Saltmarsh, remote though it might be from the center of power in Keoland, is entering a new phase of its life as it reacts to the king’s plans. The crown’s agents wanted to expand the village’s port and make it a prime location for trade with the world beyond. Naturally, not all of Saltmarsh’s residents feel the same way about the recent developments in and around their community, which is the key issue that affects their lives and livelihood. Although the recent changes stand to bring new prosperity to the area, many locals don’t want to see their home changed. At the same time, as an undercurrent through all the goings-on, agents of the secretive and mysterious Scarlet Brotherhood work to thwart Keoland’s ambitions while advancing their own. 7. Years ago, a quaint village known as Hommlet nearly fell prey to a great, neighboring evil. The nearby Temple of Elemental Evil, a grand edifice of wickedness, was defeated after a great battle and thrown into ruin forever … Or was it? Bandits have now started to ride the roads again, with other ominous signs afoot. It is whispered that the demonic evil at the heart of the temple was not truly conquered but merely imprisoned. ### Adventuring in the World One of the most important aspects of Greyhawk, is the sheer volume of great people who call Oerth home. There's nowhere you could travel and not hear their stories of adventure. Greyhawk is home to many of the most powerful and dangerous beings anywhere. The deities of the Flanaess demonstrate great strengths; some, such as Vecna, have affected other planes profoundly. Certain great mortals have ascended to become demigods or hero-gods, and their names ring across time and space: Zagyg, Keoghtom, Murlynd, Vecna. Still, other mortal wizards, villains, thieves, and heroes have had such an impact that in a hundred universes, great spells and magical devices bear their names: Mordenkainen, Iuz, Bigby, Drawmij, Heward, Iggwilv, Tenser, Acererak, Nystul, Tuerny, Ehlissa, Otiluke, Serten, Bucknard, Sustarre. These people made the Flanaess the greatest of legendary lands. **THE CIRCLE OF EIGHT** No living persons are more famous in the Flanaess than Mordenkainen and the Circle of Eight. These nine wizards serve as unofficial "watchdogs" on the continent, monitoring Oerik for trouble. Because most members are neutral in alignment, the group is concerned with maintaining balance in its world and not allowing any faction to become too powerful or overwhelming. In recent years, however, as evil forces have threatened to seize control of the land, the Circle of Eight has worked on the side of good to contain these ever-growing evils. In the early 580s, the Circle of Eight included Bigby, Drawmij, Jallarzi Sallavarian, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, Rary of Ket, and the archmage Tenser. ### Traveling in the World The continent of Oerik is not a cosmopolitan grid of trade routes. Great wars and the rise of evil have changed the landscape. But to the bold, venturing into the darkness between points of light remains an exciting and rewarding enterprise. Traveling cross-country is dangerous and often difficult—the following means of transportation are safer and easier. ***Roads.*** Some roads remain in good condition, requiring only sturdy boots or a hardy mount to make good, if slow, headway. ***Caravans.*** Trade caravans travel both on and off-road, and those wishing to travel long distances should consider signing on. Characters can be hired on as guards for the journey. ***Ships.*** Travel by water remains popular between cities with river or sea ports. **Planewalking.** The Shadowfell and the Feywild planes conform somewhat to Oerik's geography, allowing travelers to bypass something untoward in the world by moving into one of those other planes for a bit. Special rituals allow a planar shortcut for quicker travel. (Of course, the other planes have hazards of their own.) #### Regions of Oerik The lands of the Flanaess are isolated from the larger world or Oerth by geography, hostile nations, and monsters: to the east, the Solnor Ocean, filled with sea creatures of every sort; to the south, uncharted jungles and the mystic tyranny of the Scarlet Brotherhood; to the west, mountains and deserts scattered with the remnants of ruined empires; and to the north, bitterly cold seas and the Lands of Black Ice, as well as the empire of the demigod luz. The Flanaess is home to many nations and peoples. We examine it by dividing it into smaller regions, beginning with the City of Greyhawk and the surrounding lands and features, then circling through the Flanaess. If a location is mentioned but not explained, it will be described later. ##### Western Nyr Dyv ("Old Ferrond") *Furyondy, Velma, Verhobonc, Dyvers, Greyhawk, Hardby, Celene, Wild Coast, Highfolk.* At the center of the Flanaess and the eastern edge of this region is the Nyr Dyv, the Lake of Unknown Depths. This is the largest freshwater lake in the Flanaess, and despite its monsters and pirates it is a major avenue for commerce. The land around it was settled by Oeridians and Suel a millennium ago, but strong strains of Flan (and some Baklunish) occur in the population now, and Rhennee lives on the waterways here. The Nyr Dyv is bordered on the north by luz's lands and on the east by the two Urnst states. More of the Flanaess's richest independent kingdoms and cities are to the south and west, "free lands" bordered by water, forest, and mountain. Much of the area was once part of the Viceroyalty of Ferrond, a portion of the Great Kingdom that dominated the Flanaess for centuries. The major threat to this region is the Empire of luz to the north. South of the Nyr Dyv, The Free City of Greyhawk lies like a jewel at the heart of the Flanaess — a metropolis of mighty walls and dark alleys, alabaster spires, and fetid cellars. Greyhawk's bustling wharf area gives the city its primary claim to strategic significance, lying as it does along the river Selintan, the only water route between the Nyr Dyv to the north and Woolly Bay to the south. Originally a frontier settlement where traders from around the Flanaess met to exchange goods and buy local wool and woven garments, the town soon expanded and developed strong textile and meat-packing industries. The proximity of the Cairn Hills and other dangerous (but potentially profitable) locations brought adventurers to Greyhawk. Many died; others grew rich and settled here. Powerful wizards began great schools of magic, and now Greyhawk is a center of learning as great as any in the Flanaess. ##### Sheldomar Valley ("Old Keoland") *Keoland, Ulek states, Pomarj, Hold of the Sea Princes, Geoff, Sterich, Gram March, Bissel, Valley of the Mage.* The fertile Sheldomar Valley is almost completely enclosed by mountains, with the Azure Sea coast along the southeast border. Two great rivers, the Sheldomar, and the Javan, feed this vast land. The Pomari peninsula is counted as part of this area. The primary threat here comes from humanoid and giant marauders in the Crystalmist, Hellfurnaces, and Barrier Peaks to the west and the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj to the east; these forces have invaded several states. The Hold of the Sea Princes is in turmoil; the Scarlet Brotherhood controls parts in the south. After the wars that destroyed the Baklunish and Suloise Empires, demihumans and primitive Flan humans were joined here a millennium ago by Suloise and Oeridian humans. At the center of this valley is the Kingdom of Keoland, the first major nation established here. East of Keoland are three demihuman states: the Duchy of Ulek (populated by elves and humans), the County of Ulek (humans, halflings and gnomes), and the Principality of Ulek (dwarves and humans). These are currently battling ores and goblins from the Pomarj. To the north are the Gran March and Bissel, once part of Keoland's northern border. Gran March has attracted refugees from Bissel, Geoff, and Sterich and has a strong force of knights supported by a militant philosophy; in recent years, Ket conquered Bissel, but has won free. One unusual spot here is the Valley of the Mage (or Vale of the Mage) in the Barrier Peaks, controlled by the secretive, paranoid wizard Jaran Krimeeah. Gnomes and unusually tall elves live here, supporting the wizard and defending the valley against all visitors. In the east are Geoff and Sterich, once vassal states of Keoland, more recently overrun by giants and other hostile humanoids. While Sterich has been reclaimed, Geoff remains a "lost land," most of the population lives in exile in neighboring kingdoms, preparing for a war that will allow them to return home. South of Keoland is the Yeomanty, a democracy with longstanding military traditions. Almost everyone knows how to fight, which enabled it to ward off an invasion of giants and humanoids during the Greyhawk Wars. ##### Baklunish West *Ekbir, Zeif, Tusmit, Ket, Ull, Plains of the Paynims, Dry Steppes.* These temperate grasslands, forests, and coastal western lands were settled by survivors of the destruction of the Baklunish Empire a thousand years ago. Largely separated from the rest of the Flanaess by the Yarils, Barrier Peaks, and Crystalmists, they remain a traditional stronghold of the Baklunish people. The empire's core lands are a mix of prairie and scrub deserts called the Dry Steppes. Only horse-riding nomads ruled by Khans inhabit the Dry Steppes, though one tribe has settled to create UlI. The Steppes' northernmost extent, the Plains of the Paynims, is unoccupied during much of the hot summer; the nomadic residents are poorly armored but highly mobile and fierce. Baklunish nomads breed beautiful horses famed for speed and endurance. Just to the north are the four major Baklunish states: Ket, Tusmit, the Caliphate of Ekbir, and the Sultanate of Zeif. On the fringe of the Flanaess, they seem exotic to visitors from the east: buildings are lavishly ornamented with minarets and towers, and locals dress in turbans and layered robes. Sailors from Zeif and Ekbir explore the Dramidi Ocean to the west. Caravans pass through Ket, which is located in a gap in the mountains between the Flanaess and the rest of Oerik. No major external threat exists to this stable area. ##### Bitter North *Wolf and Tiger Nomads, Blackmoor, Perrenland, Land of Black Lie.* The Dramidj Ocean, the Yatils, Lake Quag, the Vesve Forest, and the lands of Iuz form the borders of the Bitter North, a cool region of steppes and conifers. The only organized state here is Perrenland, a mountainous neutral nation. Perrenlanders (also called Perrenders) were originally warlike Flannae who absorbed all invading peoples. Now democratic and wealthy, Petrenland is a major trading partner of Ket, Furyondy. Veluna and other states, and it is a source of mercenaries across the Flanaess. The Baklunish-descended Tiger and Wolf Nomads hold the steppes north of Perrenland, to the edge of the pine-and-fir Burneal Forest and the Cold Marshes. Fierce horsemen who frequently raid one another, these nomad hordes have banded together to fight luz's forces to the east, as the evil demigod is now their primary enemy. North of these tribes is the Land of Black Ice, a mysterious peninsula of snow and blue-black ice. Its inhabitants include remorhaz (insectoid monsters with furnacelike stomachs) and blue-furred bugbears. Here too, are the ruins and dungeons of Blackmoor, but despite legends of ancient treasure and magic, few people come to this frightening place. It is possible that in the long winter night the Land of Black Ice develops a wide ice bridge that leads to the polar continent of Telchuria. ##### Empire of Iuz *Lands of Iuz, Horned Society, Shield Lands (in part), Bandit Lands, Barrens, Tenh (in part).* Already ruler of a stretch of territory between the Cold Marshes and Whyestil Lake, in recent times, the demigod luz has forged an immense and cruel tyranny. His vast armies consist of orcs and hobgoblins, with other humanoids and many evil humans; Juz's lieutenants are nearly all evil spellcasters. The imperial capital is Dorakan. During and following the Greyhawk Wars, he expanded his empire to include the former lands of the Rovers of the Barrens, parts of the Duchy of Tenh, the Bandit Kingdoms, the Shield Lands, and the Horned Society, as well as the bizarre Rift Canyon and parts of the enormous Vesve and Fellreev Forests. The empire's civilized neighbors all currently follow a strict containment policy, building up massive defenses along their borders with luz. The major threat to this region is not external, despite raids along every border and a major conflict in Tenh. The empire is threatened by manpower and food shortages, poor distribution of what few resources exist, and a completely chaotic and paranoid chain of command in which high-level commanders hoard *material* for their private use while striving to undermine their peers. ##### Thillonrian Peninsula *Stonehold, Ice Barbarians (Cruski), Frost Barbarians Fruztii), Show Barbarians (Schnai).* The Thillonrian Peninsula to the far northeast is separated from the rest of the Flanaess by a string of mountain chains. The subarctic climate has brief growing seasons, poor soil, and conifer forests. There are reports of curious lights in the sky, like colorful ribbons, stripes, or flashes. The peninsula is claimed by the Ice, Snow, and Frost Barbarians, people almost entirely descended from Suloise migrants of a few centuries ago. Strong Flan and minor other elements are present in Stonehold (formerly the Hold of Stonefist). All these people live in relative barbarism, putting to sea in longships to raid the coasts of other realms (and one another) or attacking overland in wild hordes. Threats to this area are more often internal than external; currently, the Fists struggle to solidify their borders. ##### Old Aerdy West *Nyrond, Urnst states, Theocracy of the Pale, Tenh (in part).* The Old Aerdy region includes the vast temperate, fertile lands that were once a part of the Kingdom of Aerdy, established in the eastern Flanaess seven hundred years ago. As it expanded, evolved, and crowned its first Overking, the area was renamed the Great Kingdom. The western portion of this region is the Kingdom of Nyrond, founded by a branch of the Great Kingdom's royal dynasty just over two centuries ago. Nyrond has expanded eastward to annex the ruined and depopulated lands of Almor, destroyed by the Great Kingdom in the Greyhawk Wars. Long ago, a part of the Great Kingdom, the County of Urnst was governed briefly by Nyrond but became independent following the Council of Rel Mord over two hundred years ago. It is allied with but not subservient to the Duchy of Urnst. Both states have a mixed population of humans and demihumans. The Theocracy of the Pale is a religious state governed by priests of the lawful deity Pholtus. Once a subject state of Nyrond, the Theocracy has evolved into a harsh, humorless, intolerant realm with a strong paramilitary presence. Heretics are imprisoned or even slain, and outsiders are unwelcome at best. The Theocracy trades the silver and gems they mine for food from the Urnst states, as their farmland is poor. Currently, the border between Nyrond and the Pale is in dispute. The Duchy of Tenh is ravaged by war and claimed by luz, Stonehold, the Pale, and others. Oeridian and Suloise backgrounds dominate the human population in this region, with strong Flan influence in the Pale and Tenh. The area is threatened by Nyrond's internal weakness and instability, by the Empire of luz to the north, by humanoids from Bone March, by the war in Tenh, and possibly by raids from the Great Kingdom of Northern Aerdy. The United Kingdom of Ahlissa is viewed with grave suspicion. ##### Old Aerdy East *Great Kingdom of Northern Aerdy, Ratik, Bone March, United Kingdom of Ahlissa, Rel Astra, Rauxes, Onwal, Irongate, Kingdom of Sunndi.* Until recently, the Great Kingdom was the largest political entity in the Flanaess. When it collapsed, it gave birth to many nations, several of which now vie for the chance to build a new empire on the ashes of the old. The threats here are primarily internal; the Great Kingdom of Northern Aerdy has a lingering civil war involving the suppression of an undead wizard and his undead army, and the United Kingdom of Ahlissa is barely united at all, with many half-hidden rivalries and conflicts between its nobles. All surrounding states distrust or hate these two successor states of the Great Kingdom, with several being members of the Iron League that opposed the old imperial regime. The Scarlet Brotherhood is viewed as a background threat. Oeridian influence is dominant here, with minor elements of other human races. Other states that were part of the fallen Great Kingdom are tiny, independent Ratik on the northernmost border; magic-blasted, isolated Rauxes, the former capital of the Great Kingdom; the newly declared Kingdom of Sunndi; Rel Astra, ruled by the evil undead tyrant Drax the Invulnerable; the Free City of Irongate; humanoid Bone March; and Onnwal, partially subjugated by the Scarlet Brotherhood. ##### Isolated Realms *Tilvanot Peninsula (Scarlet Brotherhood), Lordship of the Isles, Sea Barons, Spindrift Isles, Hepmonaland, Amedio Jungle, Sea of Dust, Under-Oerth.* Most of these geographically isolated areas were settled centuries ago by Suloise peoples fleeing the Oeridians, though the Sea Barons also exhibit Oeridian and Flan influence. Separated from the southeastern Flanaess by rough hills and the Vast Swamp, the Tilvanot Peninsula is dominated by a plateau about sixty miles wide by two hundred and forty miles long and is home to the mysterious Scarlet Brotherhood. Numerous islands and a minor continent lie off the eastern and southeastern coasts of the Flanaess. The Asperdi Duxchan island chain includes the four major islands of the piratical Sea Barons, the Lordship of the Isles, and the Spindrift (also called the Lendore) Isles. These last have been taken over by powerful high and aquatic elves who are changing the island into a bizarre land of magical fogs and illusions. As they near the ends of their long lives, aging elves across the Flanaess are drawn to travel to these islands, but what happens there, no mortal can say? ### Magic in the World From the simplest cantrip to the mightiest workings of magic, from the blessings of healing mercy to the raising of mighty heroes from the dead, magic permeates the world. Any understanding of magic begins and ends with an understanding of the Weave. #### The Weave The Weave is an essential element of the universe, running through everything in unseen threads. Some creatures, objects, and locations have deep, intrinsic ties to the Weave and can perform extraordinary feats that come naturally to them (a beholder’s flight, a vampire’s charming gaze, a dragon’s breath weapon, and so forth). Creatures with the necessary talent and skill can also manipulate the Weave to perform magic by casting spells. The Weave isn’t normally visible or detectable, even through the use of spells. Detect magic doesn’t let you perceive the Weave, for instance. The Weave isn’t magic, precisely, any more than a collection of threads is a garment; it’s the raw material from which the tapestry of magic is woven. On Oerth, maintaining the Weave is handled by Boccob and, to a lesser extent, Wee Jas; both play an integral part. #### Supernatural Powers and Psionics The inborn magical abilities of certain creatures, the acquired supernatural powers of people such as monks, and psionic abilities are similar in that their users don’t manipulate the Weave in the customary way that spellcasters do. The user's mental state is vitally important: monks and some psionic users train long and hard to attain the right frame of mind, while creatures with supernatural powers have that mindset in their nature. How these abilities are related to the Weave remains a matter of debate; many students of the arcane believe that using the so-called Unseen Art is an aspect of magical talent that can’t be directly studied or taught. #### Weave-Affecting Magic Certain spells allow casters to perceive or manipulate the effects of the Weave in particular ways. The Weave itself also has irregularities that affect spells. **_Detect Magic._** Detect magic reveals threads of the Weave woven together through spellcasting, or the “knots” of the Weave in a magic item. A magic item appears enmeshed in the silvery-blue threads of the Weave, and the way the threads are arranged reveals what type of magic is used (necromancy, abjuration, and so on). Similarly, active spells and areas imbued with magic are limned in a silvery network of threads, which might twist and reknit themselves depending on the magic involved. ***Dispel Magic.*** Dispel magic unwinds and prematurely ends magic, unraveling whatever construct of the Weave was put in place. ***Antimagic.*** Antimagic effects can dispel existing spells and unravel any magic woven from the Weave. Permanent effects, such as those from magic items, are usually suppressed by antimagic: while the effect is within an area of antimagic, the construct of the Weave unravels, but the threads snap back into place once the magic is outside the area. ***Dead Magic.*** In rare areas of dead magic, the Weave is absent. Not only do spells and magic items cease to function, but even the supernatural abilities of creatures innately tied to the Weave might fail as the knot of the Weave they carry unravels. ***Wild Magic.*** In an area of wild magic, the Weave becomes “tangled,” spontaneously forming its own constructs and resulting magic. It also tends to twist the constructs of the Weave created by spellcasting, causing unexpected results. #### Magic Items Where a spell effect is brought to life by manipulating the threads of the Weave, creating a magic item ties some of those threads together in a specific way to produce the desired effect for as long as the item lasts. The Weave provides immediately available energy for spells and also enables those who know the craft to harness that energy inside an object until it is called forth by its user (who, of course, need not be a spellcaster). In some cases, the magic of an item must be tied to its wielder, representing an entwining of the threads of the Weave between the wielder and the object, known as attunement. As with all matters related to magic, the number of items to which a single being can be attuned is limited, but the benefits of such a relationship can be considerable. ## Coinage & Currency Coins come in various shapes, sizes, and materials, minted worldwide. Because such a variety of coins are in circulation, most people use whatever coinage passes by. A coin’s value is expressed in the weight of the precious metal of which it is made. The current standard is: * 10 Commons or copper pieces (cp) = 1 silver piece (sp) * 10 Silver Pennies or 100 coppers = 1 gold piece (gp) * 2 Nobles or electrum pieces (ep) = 1 gold piece (gp) * 10 Ivids or gold pieces = 1 Orb or platinum piece (pp)