Canonfire!

Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:48 am [OWDP] Mur

There are two thread in the "World of Greyhawk Discussion" forum that pertain to any discussion of Mur:
- The one where I put most of my original thoughts [LINK]
- Another entitled 'The Nation of Mur?' [LINK]

As with the Sharifate of Risay, I'll repost much of my thoughts in responses to this one.

REFERNCES
- Living Greyhawk Gazetteer; 2000
- "Places of Mystery," Living Greyhawk Journal 1; September 2000 *
- "The Rock of the West," Living Greyhawk Journal 5; July 2001
- Player's Guide to Zeif; 22 January 2006
- "The Coming Storm," Dungeon Magazine 136; July 2006

* incidental only

Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:49 am

Other than small references in the LGG, most of the information I can find on Mur is from the LG Player's Guide to Zeif. As far as I can tell:

The coastal [LGG 84] nation of Mur was originally settled (along with Risay and Komal) by Baklunish survivors of the Invoked Devastation. Under the despotic rule of Ghayar Khan, they made war with the indigenous peoples, nomadic horsemen whose descendents would one day be known as the Brazen Horde. [PGZ 8, 24]

Sultana Ismuyin of Zeif is known to have concluded a treaty with Mur [LGG 137], but the two contries never co-existed peacefully for any long period of time. Finally, the Sultanate established a khedivate in Mur (258 CY), though it eventually proved unprofitable and was granted autonomy (474 CY). It remains a rare destination for modern Zeifans, with most knowing little about it. [PGZ 8, 24]

The Player's Guide to Zeif goes into a little more detail regarding the establishment of the "First Khedivate in Mur" and "Mur's Khedivate Autonomous." However, there remains very little out there about Mur.

Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:51 am

Woesinger writes: "If there were indigenous horsemen, how could the Bakhoury Coast have been originally settled by Baklunish refugees?"

Mur is not on the Bakhoury Coast. It is across the gulf to the west. The only reference I had to place it was that the Brazen Horde is said to have come from "beyond" Mur. It is also said to come from "southern Komal." Since Mur and Komal are both coastal states on the western shores of the Gulf of Ghayar, I'm assuming that the latter must wrap around to the west of the Mur. At any rate, my reference to the horsemen was my assumption that there were nomadic peoples in the area before the Baklunish refugees pushed their way north.

My take on the Bakhoury Coast is that is was not originally settled by Baklunish refugees, but that the area was already settled (albeit sparsely) by baklunish peoples before the Invoked Devastation.

NOTE: See the '[OWDP] The Bakhoury Coast' thread for discussion of that region.

Sun Jun 24, 2007 9:54 am

I'll have to do some research about the Celestial Imperium, as well as the geography (political and otherwise) of western Oerik before the Twin Cats. To be honest, I am new to this section of the world. It doesn't help that there are so few "good" maps of the region. (I've asked Anondson to consider making one, but that is a shot in the dark.)

Anyway, I'll do some reading and get back on topic.

I've gotten a chance to read the thread on Mur and the info in Dungeon 136. Other than the semantics of using "jungle" or "forest," the question does seem to be what the character of the peoples of Mur have been over the years. With Dungeon 136 saying that contact with outsiders is pushed to the coast, it seems logical to assume that this would be where the original baklunish immigrants settled. It would also be a good place for Zeif's failed Khedivate.

It may also be semantics, but the background in Dungeon states that the Brazen Horde were Komali. This is not true - they were from southern Komal, but they were long-time enemies of the Komali.

In the end, the adventure background has raised many concerns, but I think it adds many wonderful ideas to the concept of Mur. I have no problem with the obahs, the multi-armed people, etc...