TEXT: This Fall, you are invited to walk the most dangerous corner of the Flanaess.   
   
  arved from the untamed wilds of the Rift Canyon, nestled beneath the shadow of White 
  Plume Mountain, is a place warlords call home.  Seventeen domains hide here and prey 
  upon themselves and their neighbors in a drive for power, wealth and independence.  
  Those who fight against them call the place the Bandit Lands.  Those who call it home know it as 
  the Combination of Free Lords.  It is a place seldom spoken of, save by criminals, highwaymen, 
  and other rogues.   
   
  Iuz's armies of orcs and horrors from the blackest nightmares of men, swept across these lands, 
  crushing old masters and enslaving all others.  However, a flame has begun to smolder and in the 
  hidden wilds of the Tangles, the uncharted depths of the Rift Canyon, behind the solemn walls of 
  Dimre, men who once were scoundrels and thieves, become heroes. 
   
   
  In the Fall of 2000, you have the opportunity to take up 
  arms against great evils, and discover the makings of a 
  hero inside you.  The bandit lands of old are no more. 
  Now there is a new face to oppose, a new tyranny darker 
  than any mortal could devise.  Old enemies become 
  brothers and new alliances are forged.  You are the 
  instrument of rebirth in these motherless domains. 
   
  Iuz is only one menace facing these petty nations.  
  Ancient horrors emerge, kingdoms lost for eternity are 
  rediscovered, and wars are fought in the back alleys of 
  hollow cities.  These forces are a small sampling of what 
  faces the populace as the people of the Bandit Kingdoms 
  exorcise their own demons. 
   
  In the Bandit Kingdoms, it is a rare man who stands 
  alone.  You discover you are only as powerful as your 
  friends.  You may choose to ally yourself with those who 
  retain the strength to fight.  Will you side with the 
  Tangles, where desperate groups of freeman fight from 
  the hidden depths of this forest to reclaim their homes?  
  Or the Defenders of Greenkeep, where the followers of 
  the Laughing Rogue marshal their forces to combat the 
  minions of Iuz and other, more eldritch dangers which 
  threaten to consume them?  Will you stand with the Men 
  of the Rift, where one warlord seeks the impossible? Or 
  will you can stand alone, a rogue mercenary in a land 
  where loyalty can be bought at a price? 
   
   
  The Bandit Kingdoms at a Glance… 
   
  Proper Name: Combination of Free Lords 
  Ruler: Various petty warlords and tyrants 
  Provinces: 17 independent fiefdoms 
  Major Towns: Alhaster, Balmund, Groucester, 
  Hallorn, Kinemeet, Marsakeer, Narleon, Riftcrag, 
  Rookroost, Sarresh, Senningford, Stoink 
  Alignments: CN, CE, NE, N, LE, CG  
  Allies: Other "Free Lords"  
  Enemies: Other "Free Lords," Shield Lands, 
  Rovers of the Barrens, Tenh, County of Urnst, 
  Theocracy of the Pale, Nyrond, Knights of 
  Holy Shielding, Knights of the Hart 
   
  
   
   
  Many allegiances are possible in the Bandit Kingdoms, 
  and countless organizations wait in the shadows for an 
  opportunity to rise and claim power.  Consider your 
  choices carefully as old grudges die hard.  Your 
  alliances will affect your hero.  They will buy favor 
  and hospitality in one town, only to leave you 
  marked for death in another.   
   
  Factions you may join at character creation, if you 
  so choose, include: 
   
  • 
  Defenders of the Greenkeep 
  • 
  Earl of the Tangles 
  • 
  Men of the Rift 
   
  And it doesn’t end with the adventure, through 
  Living 
  Greyhawk’s 
  Meta-Campaign 
  opportunities, you can manipulate your hero’s 
  successes beyond the dungeon delve or the burnt 
  crust of the city streets. 
   
   
  The bandit lands are home to men and woman of all 
  races.  All have the glimmer of heroism within, but 
  not all are welcome.  While you have the option of 
  playing nearly any class or race available to Living 
  Greyhawk players, Paladins will find acceptance 
  very unlikely in most corners of the Bandit 
  Kingdoms. 
   
  In 
  contrast, 
  these 
  lands 
  offer 
  opportunities 
  for 
  half-orcs 
  away 
  from 
  the 
  misconceptions and persecutions of neighboring 
  kingdoms.  These are not the realms of chivalry and 
  honor, but rather a place where the lawless and the 
  hard-hearted rise to heroic ends despite their past.  It 
  is a place of shadow, where a sly word and a dagger 
  will win you far more than a command and a holy 
  sword. 
   
  Beginning characters in the Bandit Kingdoms may 
  select any of the following for their homeland: 
   
  • 
  Bluff Hills: This ridge of rugged hills has become   
  shelter for bandits and rovers from Tenh who still claim 
  this region as their own. 
  • 
  Fellreev Forest: Ruled by a clan of reclusive Sylvan 
  Elves, who have allied with refugees from Rehyu.  
  • 
  Greenkeep: Shattered by the massacre of Steelbone 
  Meadow, the people of Greenkeep fight on from 
  hiding places in the western Fellreev. 
  • 
  Grand Clans of Grosskopf: Allied with Iuz, these 
  wild raiders strike against their traditional enemies, 
  the Rovers of the Barrens, at the demi-god’s whim. 
  • 
  Kingdom of Johrase: Dominated by a Flannish 
  warrior culture, it is one of the few provinces to 
  remain unconquered. 
  • 
  Phostwood: Refugees of this wood walk a fine line 
  between the fanatics of Dimre and the 
  savage elven tribes of the forest's heart. 
  • 
  Principality of Redhand: Old nobility 
  chafes beneath the cold hand of Iuz.  
  Defiance boils near the surface in this 
  region and others watch with morbid 
  curiosity for what the future may bring. 
  • 
  Great Lands of Rehyu: One of the most 
  famous provinces of the Bandit Lands, 
  now lost to Iuz.  Those who escaped have 
  allied with the Elves of the Fellreev and 
  hold the demi-god’s forces at the forest’s 
  edge. 
  • 
  Rift Canyon: A deep split in the earth, 
  dotted with miles of caverns.  Thousands 
  of men lay in hiding, awaiting the moment 
  to enact their revenge on the foes who 
  pushed them to depths of the earth. 
  • 
  Free City of Rookroost: The most 
  influential city of the Bandit Lands, 
  currently allied with Iuz. Humanoids have 
  become unwelcome of late, though the 
  current leader continues to support Iuz. 
  • 
  Tangles: Their homeland overrun by 
  undead and humanoids, a small cell of 
  freedom fighters strike out from this wild 
  forest with the aid of Trithereon's priests. 
   
  Alternately, a character may elect to be an 
  outsider, from anywhere they please, within 
  reason. Such a character will find the Bandit 
  Kingdoms a convenient place to find a new 
  beginning. 
   
   
   
  …at Armadillocon 22 in Austin, Texas.  Be 
  there as the Bandit Kingdoms are unveiled, 
  and the path to rebirth, even redemption, is laid before 
  you. Check www.bandit-kingdoms.com for up-to-date 
  information. 
   
  Interested in contributing?  Contact Clay Hinton at 
  chinton@texas.net) for more information. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Bandit Kingdoms/Bandit Kingdoms/Area Introduction - Bandit Kingdoms - RPGA Living Greyhawk.pdf