Corum is an ancient realm, both rugged and unforgiving. Its landscape, a wild sprawl of treacherous geographical features, has resisted centuries of civilization. Steep mountains and hills cover most of the countryside, broken up only by dark forests, dank, unforgiving bogs, and windswept plains. From the jagged heights of the Thorcrist Mountains to the mysterious depths of the Aelderthorn, Corum’s untamed sites belong to an elder age, when powers both beneficent and malign walked the earth.

However, humans, humanoids, and other creatures refuse to relinquish their hold upon the land, and Corum’s inhabitants struggle constantly to build communities for themselves. After centuries of taming, though, the land still resists the influx of civilization. Humans have spread across much of the southern and eastern portions of the continent, and within the last two centuries they have even entrenched themselves along the wildest area of Corum—the Tarn Foothills.

The humans have organized themselves in many small and mid-sized principalities ruled by Lords. In contrast to the leaders of other highly feudal kingdoms, Corum’s Lords are little more than robber barons who have managed to hold on to their lands for an extended period. This is not to say that the Lords of Corum are without honor. In fact, many of them rule their principalities with wisdom and nobility. However, force of arms brought these men and women to power, and the folk of the various principalities still remember old wounds. Thus, the crown of leadership sits uneasily upon the heads of Corum’s Lords. Because of this, the leaders of Corum find themselves constantly engaged in a struggle for power—although they have recently agreed to meet in council every three years to decide matters of importance, including boundary disputes and trading issues.

Many other peoples also call the continent of Corum home—though gnolls, bugbears, goblins, and hobgoblins make up the majority of such communities. In addition, the mountainous regions of Corum are home to several clans of orcs. Unlike their more warlike cousins, these orcs possess a significant culture and a complex sense of honor. Several Lords currently have uneasy truces and trading agreements with these creatures. Nonetheless, the orcs represent the single most powerful threat to the humans of Corum. If the various clan were ever to unite, they would drive the humans before them like cattle.

Dwarves, elves, halflings, and even gnomes have smaller communities in the wild regions of Corum. Though much traffic between the human and other peoples occurs, most individual communities tend toward insularity and prefer to live within the bounds of their own holdfasts.

The local seat of power is Castle Dhunraven. It is a small but sturdy stone castle with a mid sized town surrounding it. Baron Khulvan rules his domain from this stark location. He is known as one of the more even-handed of the various lords of Corum.

Our story, however, is not yet concerned with barons, lords, or orc raiding parties. Our story begins in a small riverside fishing and farming village named Settenhowe. Situated along the Nolen River several days south of Castle Dhunraven it is about as sheltered as a small village can get in these wild lands. To most of the residents the threat of the orcs is something for fireside stories to frighten children. People are often much more concerned with the day to day struggles of getting enough food to eat and avoiding needless conflict with their neighbors.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:13, Wed 24 Mar 2021.

Orc Clans

The orcs of the Tarn Foothills possess a complex sense of honor and a rather established nomadic culture. Each of the tribes consist of several K’mal, or Swords, made up of at least ten orcs. These Swords travel about the tribe’s lands, hunting for food and patrolling the sacred areas. One orc takes up the mantle of leadership for the patrol, becoming the T’achmal, or Voice of the Sword. These T’achmal serve the needs of the Sword and carry out the orders of the U’Tekhum, or Great Wise Ones. These chieftains hold the power of life and death over all the members of a particular Clan and act as the earthly representatives of the orcs’ ancestors. Finally, certain Swords have a shaman or V’achmal (Eye of the Sword) who travels with them. The shaman guides the Swords’ members in rituals of purification, healing, and protection, offering the orcs another link with their Ancestors.

In general, the Clans are protective of their holy lands and distrustful of strangers. From an early age, young orcs are taught that no life exists outside the Clan, and they carry that teaching with them into adulthood. Their sense of honor is complex, and they are quick to register an affront to their person (and even quicker in dealing with it). However, once an Outsider earns their respect, he keeps it forever.

No one is sure exactly how many Clans live within the harsh countryside of the Tarn Foothills, but their ferocity in battle and legendary strength make them formidable enemies. Thankfully, several of Corum’s Lords including Khulvan—have signed peace accords with the orc Clans, facilitating trade and a certain amount of cultural exchange. Currently, the orcs export thick furs, crafted goods, and raw materials such as minerals, furs, and precious metal ores.

Despite their nomadic culture, the orcs possess a certain amount of technology, and they can craft exceptional weapons. In fact, every orc warrior receives a curved longsword and dagger crafted from a mysterious black metal when they become full-fledged members of a K’mal. Unfortunately, the Clans do not share this metal, which they call the Bone of the Great Dragon, with Outsiders, and an orc warrior will kill any non-orc who dares to carry a weapon made from this metal.

The Clans also breed and train the k’argach, fierce mounts that resemble a cross between a horse and a giant lizard. The k’argach are powerful in battle but totally devoted to the orcs. In fact, the creatures only respond to commands made in the orc tongue. Often the warriors of a Sword ride these mounts into the fiercest battles, relying on the k’argachs’ wicked claws and razor-sharp teeth to rend their opponents.

Gods and Goddesses

These lands are in an isolated area of Greyhawk. Not all of the deities from that pantheon are known to the people here. Those whose worship is more common are listed briefly below.

Bleredd is the Oeridian god of Metal, Mines, and Smiths. His holy symbol is an iron mule, as sturdy and patient as himself. Bleredd is the one who originally taught the Oeridians iron-working. He is a pragmatic sort, preferring work to idle talk. He created many of the artifacts used by his family, including his hammer of thunderbolts, Fury, and his wife's hammer Skull Ringer. In Bleredd's creed, the gifts of the earth exist to be taken and used to create practical works. Bleredd's followers are expected to be strong of body and will. Bleredd encourages the free flow of information; the knowledge of smithcraft should never be hoarded, but taught freely to anyone with a talent for it. Those who are miserly in sharing what they have learned ought to be punished.

Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the Oeridian god of Horizons, Distance, Travel, and Roads. He is a well-known deity on the world of Oerth. He wanders that world in person, his petitioners present in spirit form at crossroads and in mysterious oases. His symbol is a disk with a curved line representing the horizon, and an upturned crescent above that. He is the brother of Celestian, and is said to make his home on Oerth. Fharlanghn appears as an elderly man. His skin is wrinkled and weathered, but his green eyes sparkle with life. He wears unremarkable, travel-stained clothing of leather and unbleached linen. He carries the Oerth Disc, a magical version of his holy symbol. Fharlanghn insists that everyone travel in order to discover and learn new things. He urges people to look to the horizon for inspiration.

Heironeous is the Lawful Good Oeridian god of Chivalry, Justice, Honor, War, Daring, and Valor. His clerics' domains are usually Glory, Good, Inquisition, Law, and War. His holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often clutched in a fist.

Hextor is the Oeridian god of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, and tyranny. Hextor is often depicted as a hideous, gray skinned, six-armed humanoid bearing two large tusks jutting from its lower jaw wearing armor clad with skulls. He wields a weapon in each hand: a spiked flail, a battle axe, a battle pick, a longsword, a mace, and a falchion. His other form is that of an athletic young male, with dark hair and light skin.

Kuroth is the Oeridian god of Theft and Treasure-Finding. Kuroth's symbol is a gold coin bearing the image of a key or a quill. Kuroth appears as an Oeridian man with a fancy mustache and medium-length black hair. He is occasionally accompanied by a ferret. Kuroth was sponsored to godhood by Olidammara. Kuroth's priests prefer daggers and rapiers.

Obad-Hai is the god of Nature, Woodlands, Hunting, and Beasts, one of the most ancient known. He is often called the Shalm. He is also considered to be the god of summer by the Flan. Originally a Flan deity, Obad-Hai is most favored by Rangers, druids and other nature priests. His holy symbol is a mask of oak leaves and acorns.

Telchur is the Oeridian god of Winter, Cold, and the North Wind. His symbol is a leafless tree in a field of snow. Telchur is depicted as a dark-eyed, gaunt man with and a long beard of icicles. Bitter and brooding, the God of Winter strikes at his enemies from the back of a winged albino bull with his icy shortspear. He is also represented with Vexxin, an axe made of ice, as tall as he is; with a great club of bronzewood called Tla, or with a broadsword called Issai.

Wenta is the Oeridian goddess of Autumn, Brewing, Harvest, and the West Wind. Her symbol is a large mug of beer. Wenta always appears as a young, rosy-cheeked, buxom woman with straw in her hair and holding a large mug of beer. Wenta sends the cool winds of autumn as a signal that it is time to reap the harvest. She advocates staving off winter's chill with beer and ale, and instructs brewers to care for their product as they would a lover. Wenta rewards each day of hard work with pleasantly cool nights, boon companions, and plenty of good spirits to loosen the tongue and quicken the heart.

More gods can be found here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Greyhawk_deities
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:20, Tue 09 Mar 2021.

Settenhowe
Population: Less than 500 souls
Construction: Wooden houses with steeply peaked roofs, packed dirt floors, and central firepits. Wealthy families have more than one room in their homes. Livestock commonly shares the house with the family for warmth during the cold months of winter.
Industry: Farming and Fishing. Shallow drafted river boats sometimes stop here to replenish their foodstuffs while sailing up to or away from Castle Dhunraven to the North.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:28, Sun 28 Mar 2021.

Local Landmarks

The Black Forest: This is a thick forest of evergreen trees that stretches to the West and North of Settenhowe. It is a dark place most of the year and said to be home to wolves, bears, and bandits. The only known settlement within the forsest is Hrothbolt Monastery which is a small collection of buildings where monks dedicated to Obad-Hai go about their worship. Rumors persist that other settlements and farms used to exists within the Black Forest, but are all but ruins now thanks to the predations of nature, and the dark fae.

Dark Willow Bog: On the Eastern shore of the Nolen River there is a stretch of land with a fell reputation as a misty bog. Those few who venture there often return with unsettling tales of lights that move of their own volition, strange beasts that try to pull the unwary down into the mire, and a black robed figure that wordlessly searches for something. Some also speak of the dark twisted willow trees that somehow make their home here despite the climate. One of two even claim to have heard the trees talk to them.

Old Gale's Mill: This structure, little more now than a foundation and stone chimney, once marked the location of the village mill. Stories say that Old Gale built the place with her husband, but when she caught him with a younger woman her resulting rage caused the place to burn to the ground. Less than a mile from the village it is now a place where young lovers like to meet to steel kisses by moonlight.

The North Road: An ancient road built originally with overlapping logs and earth it leads from the warmer lands to the South up towards Castle Dhunraven. It mostly carves a path through the Black Wood but comes close enough to Settenhow that some travelers stop in the village for a meal or room for the night.

Blackrock Isle: This is a small island in the middle of the Nolen River that is covered in evergreen trees. There is said to be a strange circle of black rune-covered stones hidden somewhere on the island. Whispered tales around the fire tell of strange happenings and lights that can be seen upon the island during Winter and Summer Solstice.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:15, Wed 24 Mar 2021.