Iuz

[Scott]

The other thread inspired me.
479 CY: Might of Iuz grows, humanoid invasions become common
499 CY: Iuz and Zuggtmoy hatch ToEE plan, Orb of Golden Death created
500 CY: Imprisoned in Greyhawk dungeons
570 CY: Freed from Greyhawk dungeons

Just to start.

[Scott]

Any thoughts on when Iuz achieved godhood?

[Scott]

Or any other important events?

[Falconer]

The novels don't call him a god or demi-god at all. Just a cambion. Of course, the novels don't call anyone a god. It seems to me like there doesn't have to be a point where he "ascended" to a new status. He just always has been what he is, half-demon and half-man (inheriting powers also from his human side from the witch Iggwilv, which is a non-scientific idea but well-grounded in mythology and fantasy literature).

I guess in that sense he became a god at the point that he began to demand his subjects worship him!

[Merkholz]

Well, he must have been of demi-god status before he was imprisoned at least! Don't listen to the Sargents agenda!

But I do agree that his divine status comes from being the child of a demon prince, in essence Iuz is an evil Hercules!

M

[GT]

I too subscribe to the "born into power" philosophy--I mean, the spawn of Graz'zt and Iggwilv... that's gotta give him an extra boost! As for the Flan derivation, I would chalk that up to Iggwilv, who is of indeterminate age (Gary intimated that she had several incarnations throughout the multiverse, including Louhi). I put his "empire building" between his birth (which I set at 70 CY) and the commencing of the Age of Great Sorrow, which marked the shrinking back of the Great Kingdoms western borders which had reached all of the way to Greyhawk City; thus, around 213 CY or after (Furyondy wasn't founded until 254 CY, so it's do-able!)

[GT]

Given that "the might of Iuz grows" around 479, he may have been sitting in a small holding consolidating his power until that time. As per our previous thread, I think 500 years is plenty old for the "Ancient One", as he apparently played no role in events til late in the game anyhow...

[GT]

Here's my newest timeline--the early stuff is debatable, since Gary never assigned specifics--change it to suit your tastes! But most of the later stuff is derived from the Greyhawk set and the modules...
Timeline
c. -2500 CY – Forced landing of the FSS Beagle in the Valley of the Ancients in Blackmoor. This becomes known as The City of the Gods.
c. -2070 CY – Isle of Woe sinks into the Nyr Dyv (possibly wrought by the use of the Codex of Infinite Planes).
c. -1305 CY – Acererak finishes his Tomb of Horrors.
c. -1250 CY – Rule of Queen Ehlissa begins.
c. -1150 CY – Demise of Vecna and Kas (both of Flan origin).
c. -825 CY ̶ Keraptis establishes stronghold in White Plume Mountain.
-485 CY – Beginning of Baklunish-Suloise Wars.
-466 CY – First employment of humanoid mercenaries.
-458 CY – Oerid migrations eastward at peak point.
-447 CY – Suloise migrations begin.
-445 CY – Kingdom of Keoland established.
-422 CY – Suloise use artifact to cause Invoked Devastation to Bakluni lands (widespread sterilizing of the soil and aging/sickening of animal life, accompanied by black skies and a howling wind), and the Bakluni deity Dorgha Torgu responds by sending the Rain of Colorless Fire to destroy the Suel Imperium. Axe of the Dwarvish Lords is lost.
-421 CY – Bakluni gods give holy Cup and Talisman to High Priest Al’Akbar of the Paynims to aid the recovery from the Invoked Devastation.
-280 CY – The arch-mage Tsojcanth and his forces imprison avatar of Tharizdun in his Temple in the eastern Yatils.
-217 CY – Founding of the Kingdom of Aerdy.
-123 CY – Mariners of Oerid/Flan stock sail eastward to Aquaria to found town of Garythane.
-110 CY – Battle Of A Fortnight’s Length.
1 CY – Overking crowned in Rauxes; Frontiers of Great Kingdom reach Greyhawk City.
13 CY – Revolution leads to appointment of John Asperman as King John I of human settlements in Aquaria.
70 CY – Birth of Iuz from union of the witch, Iggwilv and the demon prince, Graz’zt.
213 CY – Age of Great Sorrow commences, as power of the Great Kingdom wanes.
254 CY – Kingdom of Furyondy is independent from Great Kingdom.
300 – 350 CY – Founding of Bandit Kingdoms.
320 CY – Nomads appear in the North; outer dependencies of Aerdy gain sovereignty.
356 CY – Kingdom of Nyrond established; Kingdom of Keoland at its peak.
375 CY – Zagig Yragerne (Zagyg) begins rule of Greyhawk.
400 CY – Clans of Perrenland join together.
437 CY – Turmoil Between Crowns.
438 CY – The Short War (or, Small War) in which a Veluna-Furyondy alliance defeats the Keoland army. Bissel becomes tributary state to Furyondy.
446 CY – Bandit Kings sack Trigol; Rise of the Sea Princes.
447 CY ̶ Founding of the Iron League.
450 CY – Grand Duchy of Geoff fights conflict with Keoland. Approximate time of Basiliv establishing the Valley of the Mage.
453 CY – King Tavish III of Keoland slain by forces of the Sea Princes at the Siege of Westkeep.
461 CY – Demi-human realms of Ulek and Celene are independent of Keoish rule.
468 – 478 CY – Iggwilv subjugates Perrenland, until Graz’zt is accidentally freed.
479 CY- Might of Iuz grows; humanoid invasions become common; Last servant in Tharizdun’s Temple dies.
498 CY – Great Council of Rel Mord gives Theocracy of the Pale independence and County of Urnst becomes a Palatinate under the Duchy of Urnst; Greyhawk becomes a free city.
498 – 510 CY – Hateful Wars in which the Ulek states along with Veluna and demi-human forces drive humanoids out of the Lortmils.
500 CY – Iuz imprisoned in Castle Greyhawk by Zagyg.
513 CY – Rise of the Horned Society (taking lands formerly under the sway of Iuz); humanoids take Pomarj.
526 CY – Dyvers declares itself a free city.
563 CY – Bone March falls to humanoids.
569 CY – Battle of Emridy Meadows—Horde of Elemental Evil scattered and Zuggtmoy sealed within the Temple.
570 CY – Iuz freed from Castle Greyhawk (along with eight other deities) by actions of Robilar.
572 CY – Battle of Medegia, in which the Sea Barons sink four warships of the Lordship of the Isles.
573 CY – Scarlet Brotherhood first reported; Prince of Furyondy/Provost of Veluna Thrommel kidnapped (by Scarlet Brotherhood, at the commission of Iuz).
577 CY – Reports of Slave Lords (who serve the Scarlet Brotherhood) begin to surface.

[GT]

Interestingly, the might of Iuz began to grow directly after when Gary put Iggwilv's downfall in the S4 module (a century before)... maybe Iggwilv was what was restraining Iuz from his personal ambitions!

[Scott]

I've thought about that too, and Iggwilv makes the obvious solution. I'm thinking that she probably manipulated Iuz, ensuring that he was more of a tool for her, rather than an independent threat.

[GT]

It's rather sad that I, who never worked for TSR, was able to hammer out a more viable time-line and Greyhawk campaign than the majority of those who stayed on for 2E after Gary left. Now in Mythus, I had Gary (or sometimes Allan) to whack me with the newspaper of humility and temperance when I got out of line... ;D

[GT]

Rary the traitor, "member of the Citadel of the Eight" (along with Otto), in-friggin'-deed!!!!!!

[grodog]

May 14, 2009 14:56:14 GMT -5 Scott said:

I've thought about that too, and Iggwilv makes the obvious solution. I'm thinking that she probably manipulated Iuz, ensuring that he was more of a tool for her, rather than an independent threat.

It also seems likely to me that Iuz knew some of Iggwilv's secrets and looted her caches....

[Merkholz]

If Iuz knew about some of Iggwilv's caches of magic and, presumably, was impressed with the contents it seems unlikely that it would take a century for him and his cronies to find the major lair of the Mother of Witches.

IMO, much guidance of the relationship between Iuz and Iggwilv can be found in the Gord books. While Iuz clearly is less powerful than his mother he is not a lap-dog. Why wasn't Iuz at his mother side when she battled Graz'zt? Why wasn't Iuz affected by the loss of Perrenland but rather gained in might? He must have had his business on the side, trying to crawl away from Iggwilv's long-reaching shadow.

Another point regarding the age of Iuz and Iggwilv: If Tsojcanth was a great mage battling a released aspect/avatar of Tharizdun around the time of the cataclysms it seems unlikely that Iggwilv was around at the same time much less Iuz. Iggwilv found the lost caverns of Tsojcanth and for they to have been lost some time, at least, must have passed before she found them. I'd also say that Iggwilv probably couldn't have bound Graz'zt before finding Tsojcanth's hoard but it is possible that Iuz is the fruit of a union before Iggwilv captured the Demon Prince.

I suddenly see an abysmal child custody case. Iuz is born, Graz'zt takes the ugly baby back to the Abyss for a proper upbringing, Iggwilv tears her hair and learns new demon binding magic, summons and ensnares Graz'zt forcing him to return the baby!

M

[Scott]

I still see Iuz as a pre cataclysm presence.
It’s possible Iggwilv rose to prominence among the Flan that dwelt in the area that is now the Land of Iuz. She was a sorceress trysting with demons to increase her power. Her association with Graz’zt pre-dated her imprisonment of him. At this time, Iuz was conceived. I see Iggwilv and Iuz as Morgana and Mordred in the Excalibur movie. Iuz begins subjugating the Flan tribes in the area. The Oeridians show up and start messing things up, maybe the mortal Cuthbert is involved. A tug of war for dominance ensues and lasts hundreds of years. At some point, a little over 100 years ago, Iggwilv discovers the Caverns. The discovery increases her powers considerably. In the past, she may have been a follower of Graz’zt, but now she seeks to enslave him. She also develops a desire to establish her own realm. This may have caused some friction between Iggwilv and Iuz, which explains his lack of knowledge of the location of the Caverns. Her plans proceed initially, but then Graz’zt escapes and her realm collapses. It's possible that Iuz gained henchmen, troops, powerful magic items, etc. as a result, which explains the ‘might of Iuz grows’ entry. I'm sure Iuz knew some of Iggwilv’s secrets, but not all of them.
Iggwilv most likely had more than one stronghold; the Hall of Pentacles, for example, may be a dungeon in another lair.

[GT]

A case can be made to either side, but a note on Perrenland: Iuz's might is independant of that realm, as it refers to his building of his own realm (and, as we see from the Gord books, the territory that was claimed by the Horned Society after Zagyg imprisoned him!)

[GT]

Oh, and Iuz obviously didn't know about the Caverns of Tsojcanth, or he would've raided 'em by now! ^__^

[GT]

And Scott; Iuz at 500 is plenty ancient!

[Scott]

Maybe in a real life way, but not in a fantasy setting way where he's younger than some of the mountain dwarves to the west.
The two biggest points for me are:
1. He has the Flan origin, which to me indicates he came from a time when there was a Flan culture.
2. The text implies that he has always been there, at least from the POV of the culture that arose from the migrations.

[GT]

Well, as I see it from the map on pg. 10 of the WoG Catalogue and the racial descriptions on pg. 13, the Rovers of the Barrens pretty much are Flan, they fought the hosts of Iuz and the (newly formed) Horned Society at the Battle of Opicm River (pg. 33)--thus, they were probably the first of the folk of the Flanaess to have a real encounter with this demigod. Also, the only reference to Iuz's age is the word "centuries" (as opposed to " a few millenia" or "a millenium" [roughly the time of the Invoked Devastation & Rain of Colorless Fire] ), so I still contend it was more recent... ^__^