I was around when Greyhawk was written and released. Yes, I'm that old. I have NEVER heard such an in-depth review of the regions' geopolitical issues, possible futures, and trade possibilities. I would be amazing to watch you run this setting.

So the essence is that Gary was a genius at this stuff. He really was. Adventure design, and world building.

If you look through the Greyhawk portfolio or the box set, you also see how different migrations of peoples from outside the Flanaees affected Greyhawk. Gygax was a student of history and how migrations affected the political and cultural landscape of Europe.

I really enjoy this series and look forward to more. The scholarly format reminds me of the blog series Dungeonomics which, as the title suggests, attempts to analyze the real world economics of a fantasy setting (it's more interesting than it sounds, I swear)

This is amazing! I'm working on making a Greyhawk campaign currently, and I'm a complete noob to the setting, so this helps a lot!

This was brilliant. I’ve been DMing a 5e campaign based in the Yeomanry in 576 CY for the past few years. With the information you’ve provided here I have an even more solid reason for the Scarlet Brotherhood (still largely mysterious and seemingly benevolent to the rulers of the Sheldomar) to influence the economic plans of Keoland and her neighbors. Keeping trade flowing between Niole Dra and the See of Medegia is in their best interest! I’m looking forward to any additional Greyhawk content you might like to cover. If you haven’t seen her work, Anna B. Meyer has been making some amazing maps of the Flanaess, and did an interview on Lord Gosumba’s Twitch stream where she described the prehistory of the Flanaess and Oerik, touching on everything from Glacial Periods to ancient centers of civilization.

I watched this, then went back and watched your others. Amazing content all around. I have to pause every few minutes just to spend time contemplating how I can incorporate all of this into my own world building.

I love these Geopolitical breakdowns! One bit of feedback, maybe elucidate on how they applied to adventure modules or how a DM would use this information when developing a campaign. Thanks for all the hard work!

Great production. Doesn't waste my time. Gives me plenty of information. Great delivery. Perhaps a dash of comedy would be great and more applicability to our games at home but I'm happy just to consume this content even if I never use it. Thank you!

i can't express how much this video rules! I love it! it is so useful not only for understanding the Greyhawk setting, but also in world building! I also have to commend the editing, specifically when various regions on a map are highlighted and the rest is darkened. BTW, I would love it if this channel would cover unrealistic geographical features in fantasy maps.

This was really well done. And thanks ever so much for focusing on Greyhawk. We greyhawkistas desperately need more of this kind of content. I like how you're focusing on basins and riverine systems as grounding factors for geopolitical structures. For some time I've been developing descriptions of Greyhawk ecologies centred on normal (i.e. non-monstrous) flora and fauna. It began as an attempt to give each forest its own particular feel and form (specific arboreal species, distribution, soils, etc.), and prompted me to think on how different basins give rise to ecological niches and local productive systems. So I really loved that you say the Nyr Dyv region would naturally be populated by pastoralists, more than agriculturalists. That makes a huge difference - think of pastoralism as the anchor for medieval Iberia, while agriculture was the predominant system in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, and what that meant for how power was structured. All sorts of things are determined by these general environmental and geographical factors: what products characterize local and regional markets, and which ones become highly prized in faraway countries, hence giving rise to the relevance of certain trade routes along rivers and seas. I'm rambling now. Suffice to say your video stimulated my world-building juices. Keep up the good work!

I’ll echo the requests for more Greyhawk content (I’m running Greyhawk currently), but I’d also love to see content on other classics like Hârn, Tekumel, Wilderlands of High Fantasy, and Alusia (from SPI’s DragonQuest). Keep up the awesome work!

More Greyhawk, please! Awesome content!

Got sent this by a friend who knows I'm into worldbuilding. Great stuff, subscribed. Hope for more of this stuff in the future.

What a wonderful discussion!! Marvelous content and production value! Your video has kind of created a little buzz in the Greyhawk community! ... you're **so** spot on about so many things. It's fascinating to look at some of the nations and regions from this perspective. Hadn't *ever* considered some of the "reasons why" behind some evens in GH's "history". One caveat-obviously there's some lore reasons some of your theories are a bit off, but that's stuff one could only know if they really got deeper into the lore and such. Like Ekul on the Tilvanot Peninsula is populated by an evil organization intent on world domination and they'd never involve themselves with any of the other nations ... but, your point about the Tilva Strait still remains, though it's not so much "pirates" as it "Scarlet Brotherhood navy", but, still. Fantastic discussion! This will *absolutely* be a bookmarked video, and it'll come up in later research for articles and such on GreyhawkOnline and in the Oerth Journal! Kudos!

Great work, man! This might be my favorite one yet. When ever I try my hand at map making, proper geographical layout is always such a mystery to me. I know how big of an impact it can have on the world, but I feel like I'm just randomly throwing things out there. This video definitely helps clarify things for me.

I started playing AD&D sometime around 86, and was born in the World of Greyhawk. Born a fire-giant inside of a volcano, I was changed by magic into Oerth's most renowned, highest level master Thief - a 6'8" Human with the strength of a titan (25), and a Dexterity of 19. I failed my lock-picking attempt? How? Oh, never mind, I boot the door. Splinters every time. This video almost made me a bit misty-eyed and homesick. I miss my group.

This 'geopolitical analysis' series is great! I haven't heard this kind of discussion before, and the insights are both fascinating and inspiring...

So timely. While brewing my first custom world recently, I discovered these aspects of mapping are a glaring weakness of mine.

Hey man! Just wanted to let you know that I have been binging everything on your channel since yesterday evening, and you have quickly become one of, if not my favorite channel on youtube. Your content is incredibly underrated, excellent work!

I just found your channel and I have to say... I am loving these videos that do a geopolitical analysis of D&D maps. Hope there is a plan to take a geopolitical lens to the continent of Khorvaire of Eberron fame.

Damn, i thought i was the last living greyhawk fan. Nice to know its not dead👍 It also debunks the idea that Gygax didn’t know what he was doing.

Some more fascinating fantasy geopolitics! My favourite kind of geopolitics tbf.

One thing I would add is the extreme economic importance of the Nyr Dyv and the Selintan and Nesser Rivers that connect it to the rest of the world’s oceans. The cities of Greyhawk and others, economic powerhouses, sprung up on these and excluding the Bandit Kingdoms, the nations in the Nyr Dyv basin (Furyondy, Nyrond, Urnst, Shield Lands) are actually quite economically powerful due to this! Dyvers too at the mouth of the Velverdyva connects those trade routes to Veluna, Perrenland, and Highfolk. I would argue that the Nyr Dyv and her rivers are much more economically important to the continental trade system then the Azure Sea, especially considering the highly precarious political situation of the Tilva Strait compared to the relatively stable northern Azure Sea and Sea of Gearnat.

You've become one of my favorite youtubers in record time.

I just love your videos. These kind of videos are very helpful!

I very very much enjoy this type of content, and I am 100% here for every video like this. Sooooo many other channels are dedicated to how to make broken character builds or monster encounters, but very few actually speak on the climate/setting, and how the regional differences in topography can and should have a VERY real impact in your campaigns. Suffice to say, I've taken a good number of notes about the kinds of resources and regional interests there could/should be, and it's going to lend tremendously to the sense of realism and immersion in my DM'ing! Thank you so much for these vids!

Amazing, I'll never look at the Flanaess the same again! Man, I love how Greyhawk is making a comeback among players, lots of fresh eyes on a glorious old world.

Just discovered your channel and binged every video. Absolutly love the geopolitics videos and would love to see more fantasy maps and worlds anaylzed!

... And-21 months later-this video still continues to be relevant and discussed, and has been linked in at least one chat forum not less than three times in the last two months!

CONGRATS ON 10K!!! 🎉🎈🎉🎊🍻✈️

Well done. Was hoping for more by the end

You are my favourite rpg youtuber, great topics and exposition! I'd love to see a video about the impact of magic on social hierarchies. Keep it up, subscribed!

Gosh - this video could not have been better timed for me! Such an interesting, insightful, and informative way to look at the game worlds. Thank you! I'm just about to start a Greyhawk campaign with my brother - we haven't hung out there for at least 35 years and thought it was time for some nostalgic adventuring.

Thanks for the video! I really like Greyhawk for some reason, and am planning a campaign in Geoff, inspired by the happenings in Living Greyhawk. It really helps to have those things in perspective! If I may be so bold, however, I think it would be nice if you could, based on your analysis in this video, go more in depth into the History of these regions, see if they match with what you'd expect from this previous analysis, and go into the implications of this being a fantasy world (for example, Geoff and Sterich fell to giants that came in flying castles)! Anyways, keep up the great work!

Finding your channel has been a joy. Thanks.

Another fantastic video. An excellent explanation of the Greyhawk setting, and delivering an awesome method for DMs to deepen their world building using geopolitics. Such a refreshing take on how to improve games. Please keep up the good work! Would love to get your take on the Underdark setting.

Superb analysis! Highlights really help the viewer. Historical comparisons are priceless. I Just subscribed. I hope to see more of this. It would also be great to see a further breakdown, focusing on only one of the smaller areas of a given map, with lots of details on the cultural impacts. Great video!

Thanks, Baron, for visiting Frog God Games' Frog Chat tonight! I am commenting here because I didn't have any other way to contact you. This is my favorite video of yours because I've been a Greyhawk fan since 1983.

I wonder how the societies of dwarves and gnomes would influence in the geopolitical issues of the human civilizations. Since they control much of the ore trade and are (usually) great warriors and and have no small amount of magical priests, they could be the real group moving the threads on the continent.

Super important and awesome work! Thank you.

Awesome video, tons of inspiration here for my own worldbuilding and internal consistencies :)

Great series, and some very enlightening points on geography effecting geopolitics. This is what I love about worldbuilding: using our knowledge of the real world to better understand how created worlds would function. One minor suggestion: you said that the Comanche largely eliminated other tribes, but what really happened was more displacement, with the Apaches, for example, being pushed further West. Similar displacement happened with the Huns, Mongols, and other rising groups, leading to domino style invasions by displaced peoples. Another useful dynamic to consider, if you're interested :)

Loving it and sharing this awesome video with my DnD group. Well done!

Found you today and am binging your catalog! Excellent TTRPG content! Instant Sub!

A breath of fresh air in fantasy RPG commentary. I will say French "stability" in the medieval and early modern period is a bit of a misleading overview. The territories that made up France mostly consisted of numerous palatinate vassals whose loyalty to the French Crown was often in question. Consider the Hundred Years War as a broad example. The concept of the nation state is relatively new.

Where has this channel been all my life? Thank you for really punchy and quality vids :)

I love these videos wish there was more like this on the platform

This is such good stuff. Keep it going.

I often don't agree with your videos, but that's what I love you get straight to the point in an entraining format. So if I hate the vid, it will pass by quick. Great videos keep it up.

I only discovered this channel about two weeks ago and I've watched your viewership almost double in size since then. You're making great content, and people seem to be taking notice. Keep up the great work!

Exceptional video and discussion (and fun!).

As someone running a Greyhawk campaign for 5e using a converted 1e module, this is pretty accurate to the lore I've scrounged up. Keoland and The Great Kingdom are the two powerhouses on the continent (discounting the titular Free City of Greyhawk sitting in that southern peninsula in Nyr Dyv). Keoland expanded upwards, founding the Gran March from an order of knights known for its cavalry units. Gran March steadily began separating from them as a militaristic buffer state, but not so much that they lose Keoland's trade. In more recent history, Gran March more or less annexed and took Bissel as both a puppet state and buffer against northern aggression (mostly from Ket, Veluna is itself closer to an autonomous protectorate than a puppet). Following a war with giants as they invaded FROM the Barrier Peaks, the Duchy of Geoff similarly became beholden to Gran March as their military might was needed to fight them off, and they're stuck somewhere between a nation of refugees trying to rebuild getting razed by giants, while Gran March has them occupied "for security." They're slowly becoming the dominant power militarily, but Keoland still has stronger trade routes (even with their former territories becoming more independent), so it's hard to tell what will come of those two. The three Uleks are three countries each lead by a different race: elves, dwarves, and a mixture of humans and halflings, and are all quite friendly with each other and their bigger neighbors, but not enough to formally become Big Ulek. There is no reason given why they all chose the same name, either. The Wild Coast on the east side of the Lortmils are Elven lands, that as far as I know are content with their lands as elves are wont to do, being long-lived and sedentary, and are usually considered amicable to all except whatever dark creatures manage to pop up in the farther reaches of the woods, for which they're vigilant in either quashing themselves or seeking aid when deemed necessary. The Valley of the Mage, on the other hand, is extremely isolationist and distrusted by its neighbors. Mostly on account of being populated by peoples construed as evil (some truth to that, they have a magical archmage with a drow queen running a democratic dictatorship that kills sorcerer babies "for security"), but also due to its sheer defensive stature in the middle of a mountain range with a haunted Dim Forest between them and the outside world. Interesting you note the unified identity however. It's theorized that in the past, the empire of a little-known mage called Vecna encompassed darn near everything between The Hold of the Sea Princes and the Bramblewood Forest, stretching to the western coast of Nyr Dyv. That is of course, until the archlich was betrayed by his second-in-command, the two appeared to have offed each other in a climactic battle, and with both leaders gone the empire shattered. As for the Great Kingdom (which I've read much less about), after a time of strife known as the Greyhawk Wars, their country has similarly fallen apart, and is notorious for corrupt infighting between its noble families, in no small part due to many of those families having ties to cults to dark powers. Still powerful but in a state of decline, it's current issues are that it's desperately trying to cling to what alliances it has with its frontier territories now becoming nations in their own right, optimistically but unrealistically hoping it can re-exert its influence and become a unified country again. That peninsula with The Scarlet Brotherhood is also a massive thorn in their side, as they're despots that actively ally themselves with pirate slavers that have been running rampant in the Sea of Gearnat, severely gimping both Almor and Medgia's trade outside, and in a strange twist for an evil country are actually forcing those countries together.

I loved this. I actually have a character from the tilvanot peninsula. It’s currently controlled by the scarlet brotherhood. Before the brotherhood took over the Suel people were ruled by an emperor and a conventional monarchy. But then there was this revolution where this cult took over. Anyhow my man belongs to one of the noble families that survived the war and was eventually re-settled on the peninsula. In addition given some compensation and honorary titles. More like a cozy exile. He ended up being a political/ aristocratic agitator getting into sword fights and other trouble with his coterie of hangers on. Like any young noble you might see in a Shakespeare play set in a merchant city state lol.

This is terrific, I wildly desire more!

Loved it! Please do more!

0:15 I like how you chose the best beholder picture ever

I’m currently writing a campaign for this setting to run for 5e player’s who’ve never heard of Greyhawk and your video has given me a bit more confidence in giving me materials to build on in my writing.

This video was really well done. Considering that Greyhawk is an older setting, and perhaps not as popular as some other D&D campaign settings, I'm amazed that this video has achieved the traction that it has. Good work!

Another amazing video. What I want to see is a map of your campaign world and what your geopolitical thoughts were as you created it, and how the geopolitics influenced your worldbuilding and ultimately your campaigns run in your own world!

Subscribing, this is such a good thing to talk about for D&D! That said; I am a frequent dungeon master, but I have never used official WOTC campaign settings. They're still great to hear about, because they're popular and good example studies, but I'd also love to see other things. Matt Colville, for instance, is massively popular on D&D KZfaq, and is widely known for his world building. I'd love to see critiques of, or even collaborations with, people like him, or Mercer of course (I don't follow him, but many do), or others. For now though this is still very helpful for me as a DM, and I'll keep watching, thanks!

Also don't forget the population migration patterns that complicate this whole situation even more! The proposed Sheldomar relationship with Pomarj and Wild coast reminds me of the satellite state system of the USSR.

I’m looking at starting a Ghost of Salt Marsh campaign. This breakdown of the region does really help me get an understanding of the area. I’m not going to follow the book to the letter but a video like this helps me build more fleshed out threats.

Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed it!

Your video just raised the bar on future Greyhawk setting video content superb editing, and tempo it was like watching a historical documentary. Profound explanation of conflicts based on territory and not government powers. are you planning to make videos about regional powers in the Greyhawk setting? I'm genuinely interested in the Keoland Valley territories from Bissle to the Hold of the Sea Princes.

Really great analysis. It's always interesting to see how people are affected by places.

I love your geopolitics videos. You should totally do Tal'dorei and Theros

Awesome video :D It makes me want to learn smth more about greyhawk .

i’ve not watched the video yet, but i wanted to drop a comment on the most recent post to say that you are fast becoming far and away my favourite d&d-oriented youtube content creator :) keep up the good work buddy

This was really, really good. I didn't think I could like Greyhawk more, but now I do. Please do more on Greyhawk.

It's so sad how gygax's contribution to RPGs is underestimated by most. Do you plan on making more geopolitical videos? These are great!

This series of videos is so good

I've literally never seen a video of yours before, and I got to see this one before it hit 500 views. KZfaq algorithm is wacky, but I'm grateful for it landing this gem in my lap.

For those wondering how a warlord might have keep a bunch of plains herders in line, we know that the Mongols used relay stations that kept extra horses ready for messengers to carry their notes back to whatever region they had to go to. A single man would change horses 3-4 times in a single day as they went from one relay station to the next so that the horse wouldn't get too tired travelling one long distance. The riders would also wear a plethora of bells so that their presence would be heard from far away. The caretaker of the relay station could get the rider's next horse saddled before they even arrived.

The force that threatens to unite the Nyr Dyv region is Iuz, ruled by Iuz the son of Tasha and Grazzt. He is basically Greyhawk's answer to Sauron.

This was fascinating to watch. More Greyhawk! ... please :)

Greyhawk, is where it all started for me!!!

something I think you missed was deep water ports for trade thesilt from a river mouth can reduce the depth of the port near its mouth, this is why Hong Kong is a trading monolith and Macau located in approximately the same area has resorted to casino tourism to make a living

You have a great channel. Could you do the geopolitics of Eberron and Golarion? I´d love to hear your take on them.

Wow! I'm playing a Greyhawk campaign for a while and this is really intersting! Instant subscribe

Fascinating! Supposedly Grayhawk is also implied to be world after a huge Magic fueled Nuclear War. This could also mean that their is some semblance of "the times before" however of if history, Anthropology and archeology are any sources, human memory, without writing is pretty short.

yuuuup would love sum more greyhawk videos, thanks!

Good video! I am not very familiar with Greyhawks setting but I presume from the thumbnail that it is as generic medieval fantasy as it can be

Dude these Geopolitical videos are amazing! Could you do the Geopolitics of the campaign setting of Midgard, by Kobold Press?

I made a homebrew retrace of the Flanaess for my Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign. I then made the mistake to assume that the Flanaess was the entire planet(land) of Greyhawk and I wondered why the origfinal measurement was too small... So I multiplied it 4x... then discovered there was the rest of the world... then decided to make it canon that this world of mine is about 4x the size of Earth... which makes travelling a concern but oh well haha. Players are having fun so Im having fun!

This is fascinating stuff. I'm curious if you plan to cover the geopolitics of Eberron?

Greyhawk was and remains my favorite D&D setting. Such a masterpiece & so much gamability as well, whereas other settings drown you under tons and tons of lore

A question: Based on geography, that's what you would expect. Does the lore of the setting match this analysis? With a video title asking a question, I admit, I expected an answer to the question in the video. That said, I love the work you're doing. You've obviously done some homework. Quality is top-notch.

4:20 The Pomarj is an Orc kingdom or rather a collection of them at a near constant state of war with the dwarves of Ulek.

Pretty cool, something to consider, forests are a greater asset for these regions than in the real world for the presumable presence of elves. Elves' more advanced culture will be of great influence to other people in their regions.

Good video. Personally I don't think the Sheldomar would look to the Wild Coast and Pomarj for anything other than conflict given those areas are heavily populated by Orcs and other humanoids, as well as slavers. Luckily, Sheldomar has the various Ulek states between them and the coast; Ulek is populated by friendly demi humans ... dwarves, elves, halflings etc... and they are constantly vigilant against humanoid incursions from their eastern border.

This is an awesome video! Would you do a video on the geopolitics of the Mystara (Known World) setting?

Been anticipating

Greyhawk, dragonlance, dark sun, eberron are some of my most favorite settings. Geopolitical issues and cultural differences are my favorite topics to put into dnd it makes things so much more alive. It pisses off my players when they get stonewalled for being a elf or orc but it allows for interesting ways that makes them get creative or out right killing that npc

Fantastic on every level.

Utterly loved this and I only know anything about Greyhawk from the Temple of Elemental Evil crpg

I found this to be a very fascinating video. Is there some resource you're aware of which I could use to learn to look at a map this way?

I am not a map maker. Would you recommend any tools to help generate or make a good map with proper water and river systems, etc.? Something besides a geopolitical degree? 😀 Great content and video!

Oh man, an alternate history battle sim of Mongols vs Comanche warriors would be sweet.

Thanks for the video. Now did you only go from the map or did you read anything about these states? Because things were fitting for the Sheldomar but the Nyr Dyv region doesn't host any nomadic culltures, these would be further north (Wolf- Tigerbarbarians and Rovers of the Barrens)