Region 6: South-West Flanaess, Sheldomar Valley,  Ulek States

ULEK, PRINCIPALITY OF

This nation, the only realm of the dwarfish people above-ground, is the bulwark and shield of the Ulek states, guarding the people of the County and Duchy from the evil humanoids of the Pomarj. Ruled and populated by dwarves, the Principality has a sizable number of humans, and few of other races.

The Principality was the Ulek state hit the hardest by the Greyhawk Wars, as both refugees from the Wild Coast and orcs from the Pomarj attacked head-on, even as Celene closed her borders and sealed herself off from the rest of the world. The dwarves fought brilliantly against their hated enemies, though the lack of aid from Celene infuriated the dwarves, and further justified their well-known dislike of elvenkind.

The Principality survived and continues to battle the orcs occupying their eastern provinces to this day, though the war has been costly. With only limited aid coming from his kin in the Lortmils, Prince Olinstaad Corond has opened trade to the Lordship of the Isles as a new source of revenue, to the shock of many in his court.

Society and Culture: The Principality is organized along a rigid social hierarchy, with the Prince at the top, followed by the dwarven nobles, then the human nobles, then the dwarven people, then the humans, and all others remain at the bottom. Laws are generally written for the good of all, though it is clear to everyone who visits the Principality that the dwarves are the dominant race. Except for the city of Gryrax, dwarves and halflings outnumber humans.

The Principality is a nation of laws-strict laws and codes. Things that may go unnoticed as trivial in another nation are often cause to demand restitution among the dwarves of Ulek. Rarely involving prison sentences, the dwarves prefer to levy heavy fines against an offender. Putting a dwarf in prison for a decade matters little, if he lives for 400 years; but causing him to pay five thousand forges in fines and indemnities will guarantee that the lawbreaker thinks twice about transgressing again!

Humans, and especially elves, often feel as if they are being patronized and looked down upon by some dwarves. This is not to say that such things are written into the law, but that the dwarves cannot seem to overcome their traditional aversion to elves, save those they recognize from the Duchy. The dwarves treat poorly with their kinfolk from those evil dwarf-holds, who betrayed their race in the Hateful Wars; these outcasts find little welcome anywhere but home.

Despite all this, the dwarves are honest folk, who can form very deep friendships with other races. Their word is their law; no dwarf of Ulek will give his word and then break it, on penalty of being shorn, branded and excommunicated from the dwarven race.

Military Structure: The dwarves of Ulek are blooded from the fierce fighting against the orcs, but they are still a formidable military machine. Battleaxe-wielding heavy dwarf infantry act as their elite forces, and strong forces of dwarves and gnomes for sapping and engineering. The Principality is also one of the few Flanaess armies to use slingers, in this form quick and agile halflings who are master scouts. The cavalry is mostly medium to light, wielding sword and lance, although they are not in great supply.

The royal navy at Gryrax is surprisingly well maintained, though hardly on par with the Lordship of the Isles or the Sea Barons. This is where most of the humans of the duchy serve, crewed by human nobles appointed by the prince himself. While the royal navy is able to deal with the pirates of the Pomarj and surrounding lands, those who fear the Lordship of the Isles worry about the fate of the Principality should the two states have to clash by sea.

Ruler: Prince Olinstaad Corond is tall and surprisingly thin for a dwarf, as he practices both the art of fighting and the art of thievery. His once jet-black hair has faded to pure white, and his beard is thinning out, yet he remains caustic, jolly, greedy, polite, rude, and businesslike as his needs and whims dictate. Very fond of strong mead, he has been known to drink almost half a gallon of the golden liquid when he has his liquid refreshments. Sometimes, this gets the dwarf into more trouble than is good for him, as his judgment slips while under the influence.

Prince Olinstaad is a rabid coin collector, having everything ranging from Great Kingdom Ivids to copper pennies from the old Viceroyalty of Ferrond. When excited on this subject, he has a tendency to ramble on about minting, then moving on metalwork, values, trade, and so forth. He does not like to be interrupted when warming to his subject, and will likely take great offense at anyone who does so. When angered, his wrath is terrible-more so if he is in his cups. While a good person, he can exhibit the same stubbornness and bad temper of any of his race!

Foreign Relations: Prince Corond has asked Keoland and Greyhawk for financial aid in the war effort against the Pomarj, which, by all accounts, is running into problems. With the limited donations given to him by certain dwarf kings from the Lortmils, he has had to open trade with the Lordship of the Isles, raising a hefty tariff to do so. The Lordship does not seem to mind at all, however, eagerly paying whatever fees the prince requires of them.

As the Lordship has been infiltrated by the Scarlet Brotherhood, people fear that they are making contact with the Suel humans of Gryrax, urging them to rise up against and overthrow the prince, or, perhaps, to gradually gain control of the realm themselves, to make the principality into a nation of the Sueloise, rather than a nation of the dwarves. People debate endlessly about which of the two goals the Brotherhood pursues, if it does at all.

Region 6: South-West Flanaess, Sheldomar Valley, South-Western Flanaess, Sheldomar Valley map, Ulek States