Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The Oeridians of Greyhawk.


From the Guide to the World of Greyhawk.

" The Oeridians have skin tones ranging from tan to olive. They have hair which runs the gamut of color from honey blonde to black, although brown and reddish brown are most common. Like-wise, eye coloration is highly variable, although brown and gray are frequently seen in individuals."

The top image is from Jeff Jones, I picked it because to me it looks like an oeridian fighter, maybe at a pause in his weapon practice. I imagine him to be a minor noble during the two hundred year period of expansion into the Flanaess, a time of constant war with the Suel.

The image is painterly, Jones conveys feeling and mood more than detail, but I do like the weapon shown. That is a no nonsense war sword, with a medallion pommel, plain cruciform hilt, a long enough grip for two hands if needed, and a straight double edged blade with a diamond crossection.
That's a killing tool, not some silly over sized fantasy weapon. It gives the picture a sense of realism that I like.

Edmund Dulac again, this is from an edition of Shakespeare's The Tempest that he illustrated. The wizard Prospero is the subject. I think this is a great image for an oeridian magic-user, dark brown beard, goldish olive skin. I may start printing and adding these to character sheets, they'd look much more inspiring than my standard stick figure waving a stick. Of course, then I'd get all mopey when they fell in a pit and died.


This is clipped from a larger image by Harry Clarke from an illustrated Edgar Allen Poe's collected works. I see these two as latter day nobility of the Aerdi, the Oeridian tribe that founded the Great Kingdom. Now as sophisticated and decadent as the Suel once were, and soon to sink into depravity and ruin.
Success has it's own costs.

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