TEXT: The Royal Warders of the Vast Swamp 
  A meta-organization for LG Sunndi 
   
  1 
  The Royal Warders of the Vast Swamp 
  V 3.5, October 2003 
   
  The Warders of the Vast Swamp is a very old organisation of mostly woodsmen, rangers, druids and 
  the occasional fighter, warrior or barbarian with the right dedication. They are responsible for the task 
  of caring for the Vast Swamp and preventing it's less savoury inhabitants from running havoc into the 
  countryside. Their headquarters is in the capitol of the county Stalward. Under the influence of 
  Hazendel the Royal Wardens have tried to expand their area of influence. They have only succeeded 
  in forming a small group in Rieuwood, known as the Royal Warders of Rieuwood, and the Glorioles, 
  known as the Royal Warders of the Glorioles. 
  History 
  There is a famous epic ballad in which the foundation of the Warders are mentioned. This ballad is 
  known as “Azhardian
  1 and Norion”. According to this legend the famous general went into the Swamp 
  alone after a friend of his together with a complete unit of soldiers had disappeared in the Swamp. 
  After many hardships the general met a lone elf in simple clothing, supposedly the elf prince and 
  powerful druid Norion in disguise who had taken pity on the brave man. Not to mention that the vile 
  pale-skinned warlock that had captured Azhardian’s men also posed a threat to the natural world of 
  the Vast Swamp. After testing Azhardian for his sincerity and respect for the Swamp, Norion became 
  the guide of the general and he brought the general to his friend and the missing soldiers who had 
  been captured by an evil necromancer. Azhardian freed them with the help of Norion by slaying the 
  evil warlock. These men by then had learned to love the Vast Swamp and they opted to stay under the 
  guidance of Norion to protect the Swamp and the Great Kingdom against all evil. 
  As many ballads about Azhardian, this is most likely a myth with perhaps a hint of truth. More 
  likely the forming of the Warders was a slow process, which started with the arrival of the first humans 
  in Sunndi and their inhabitation of the Vast Swamp and nearby areas. Though elven druids most likely 
  did have a hand in it. Some of these people chose to live there. While others were forced by the rising 
  might of the Great Kingdom. Life in the Vast Swamp was hard and only the healthy and strong could 
  thrive in the hot humid circumstances. Some of these people learned how to live in harmony with the 
  natural creatures of the Swamp. These people became known as the Warders of the Vast Swamp, 
  since they protected it against outside threats. These people also protected the commoners living just 
  north of the Vast Swamp in return for things that they could not gain from the Swamp itself. Besides 
  helping people lost in the Swamp, their main help was against bandits and murderers that had fled to 
  the Vast Swamp. With the rise of the followers of Wastri and the appearance of the undead these also 
  became the enemies of the Warders. 
  With the increasing tyranny of the Great Kingdom in the early 3
  rd century CY the amount of 
  people actually being forced to live in the Great Swamp grew steadily. Since the Warders basically 
  were freedom-loving people with almost no ties to the rulers of the Great Kingdom they joined the 
  rebellion in 351 CY. From that year until 583 CY Sunndi knew no peace, though the Vast Swamp had 
  more rest in this regard then the north. In 474 CY real war again came to the Vast Swamp and for a 
  year a three-way war raged in the unhealthy swamps. Three armies fought each other: savages from 
  the south under the leadership of pale-skinned officers, Sunndian partisans and soldiers from the 
  Great Kingdom. Until these times the Warders were a loosely allied group of like-minded people 
  without any clear leader, rules or goal. It is in this year that the Warders were organized under one 
  leader. As happens many times during hardship a charismatic and intelligent leader arose to unite and 
  bring hope. In this case it was the grey elf Jalindal Moonflower who quickly gained the respect of all 
  the partisans. Slowly, without actively trying, she united the Warders and she became the first officially 
  recognized leader. When both the savages from the South and the invaders from the North were 
  defeated a year later, she was still in charge and she had made a cohesive close-knit group out of the 
  Warders. 
  During the Greyhawk Wars the group was again vital for the survival of the partisans and 
  when in 589 CY Hazendel becomes the king of Sunndi he officially recognized the group as the Royal 
  Warders of the Vast Swamp and he made them part of his army. Jalindal though did not live to see 
                                                     
  1 Azhardian was the famous general whose many conquests formed the foundation of the Great Kingdom. While 
  not a ruler himself, he could be compared to real life Alexander the Great as far as myths about his prowess as a 
  general and leader are concerned. According to elf lore, Norion did live around that time and this prince was a 
  powerful druid. Though he was not particular interested in the Vast Swamp. 
  
  The Royal Warders of the Vast Swamp 
  A meta-organization for LG Sunndi 
   
  2 
  this. She was killed by a strange occurrence of vampires in the Vast Swamp at the end of the 
  Greyhawk Wars in the year 583 CY. 
  Organisation 
  Unlike many military organisations, the Warders lack a strict chain of command. There are basically 
  three ranks within the organisation. The lowest rank consists of the simple soldiers without a real rank 
  or title. The commissioned officers of the Warders are known as the Keepers. The highest-ranking 
  officers are the Sheriffs, who just like regular sheriffs are responsible for a particular district. No matter 
  what rank, the Warders tend to travel through the Vast Swamp alert for possible threats to both the 
  Swamp and Sunndi. 
  The basic members tend to visit civilisation as little as possible. These members while officially 
  soldiers are outside the chain-of-command and they do not get a salary from the Crown. They eek a 
  living from the Swamp itself, helping the people of Sunndi out of a sense of duty either to the people of 
  Sunndi, the creatures of the Vast Swamp or both. They are well respected though and many 
  commoners will provide them with food and a resting place if that is what they need. If they wanted, 
  they probably also could demand a resting place at any barracks. 
   
  The Keepers though are much more involved with the actual army of Sunndi. They form the 
  officers of the Warders and besides their travels through the Swamp they can be found a lot among 
  the regular army. They are the liaisons between the more withdrawn members. Keepers are CO’s in 
  the army of Sunndi. Of course, when they and their unit of regular soldiers are acting under the 
  guidance of a more knowledgeable but lower ranked member, they will listen to that person as if he is 
  higher ranked. The Royal Warders are practical people who care little for official titles and ranks and 
  who value knowledge and experience much more. The Crown pays these people an actual salary, but 
  they lack the freedom of the lower ranked members. 
   
  A Sheriff is in charge of a particular district and most often they work closely together with the 
  counts of the counties bordering the Vast Swamp. A few of the Sheriffs are in charge of a particular 
  operation or long-term task -such as training, intelligence gathering, etc.- instead of a district. This is a 
  full-time job that leaves little to no time for adventuring. In fact, they have little time for roaming freely 
  through the Swamp and many of them lack the deep connection with the Swamp that the lower ranked 
  members have. They are more like regular officers with a reasonable knowledge on the Swamp. 
  Though occasionally an active member retires to a more quite job as a Sheriff. Active members still 
  respect these officers, because the sheriffs are willing to do a necessary job that they themselves 
  would never want to do. 
   
  The highest-ranking Warder is general Bendolar, a half-elf son of the famous Jalindal and one 
  of the most experienced rangers in Sunndi. Since the death of his mother he has formed an undying 
  hatred for undead and he is the driving force between a combined operations with the Solar Shields
  2. 
  His fanatic zeal has lead to some whispers that he is ignoring other threats from the Swamp, most 
  notably the various human outlaws and followers of Wastri.  
  There are rumours about a more spiritual leader of the Warders that have lead the group since the 
  beginning. These rumours hint that the general is nothing more then the public face of the group. Very 
  little is known about him, though rumours have at times exploded around him that give him near a 
  mythical status in local lore. There are many of outrageous claims of who this true leader would be, 
  most of which do not appear to have any connection with reality whatsoever. The most believable 
  claim would be that of a powerful elf druid, or perhaps the treant ruler of Menowood. Whatever the 
  truth, the only ones who actually know for sure if this leader is myth or truth are the more respected 
  Warders and perhaps a very small set of outsiders. Hazendel is rumoured to be one of the latter, 
  though the Olvenking himself won' t say. 
  Goals 
  The goals of the Royal Warders are very simple: to protect the Vast Swamp against external and 
  internal threats, to teach people to respect the Swamp and to protect those outside against the 
  unnatural threats that hail from the Swamp (or that use it as a means of passage) Their philosophies 
  are based on a druidic outlook on life, though due to the many external threats, such as from Scarlet 
  Brotherhood, the Warders have taken a more active stance. On its extremes there are two groups 
  within the Warders: those who almost never involve themselves with outsiders unless balance is 
  clearly disrupted and those who act like patriots to the Sunndian cause. In reality most members fall 
                                                     
  2 The Solar Shields are an organisation of like-minded people not too dissimilar from the Warders 
  sponsored by the Temple of Pelor that have made fighting undead their ultimate goal. 
  
  The Royal Warders of the Vast Swamp 
  A meta-organization for LG Sunndi 
   
  3 
  somewhere in the middle. They all respect nature and rarely help the people of Sunndi actually 
  destroy natural creatures of the Vast Swamp, though they rarely intervene against normal hunting.  
  No matter what philosophies the Warder uphold, they will all stick together against an outside 
  threat and both groups share a deep hatred for the undead and strangely enough the agents of the 
  Great Kingdom and followers of Hextor. The various outlaw bands and followers of Wastri can count 
  on a little bit more compassion, but only as long as they leave Sunndi and the Warders alone (which 
  somehow they rarely do). They all respect the lizard folk on the Vast Swamp and there are rumours 
  that some of them are actual members of the Warders. In the end all are known for their uncanny skill 
  to survive in one of the most dangerous swamps in known Flanness. 
  The Royal Warders police themselves and they act quickly and harshly to those who abuse 
  their name. It is illegal by the King’s Law
  3 to pose as a Warder when one is not. Though the king’s 
  men rarely actually punish offenders, because the Warders themselves tend to react much quicker 
  and harsher. A typical punishment would be to bring the offender to the middle of the Vast Swamp and 
  leave him there, depending on circumstances (and the one who captured the offender) either alone or 
  with a gruff guide and teacher, with or without his weapons or completely naked. 
  Members can be recognized by the brown-green cloaks they wear and the broche of a 
  crocodile in the reed ready to strike. 
  Royal Warders of Rieuwood and the Glorioles 
  The Royal Warders of Rieuwood and the Glorioles are branches of the same organization. Except for 
  a few noted differences, it does not matter whether somebody is a member of Vast Swamp, the 
  Rieuwood or Glorioles Branch. When a character joins the Warders, the character has to select the 
  branch at the start. He is not allowed to change the branch later on. 
  Note that warders of the Glorioles do not have any influence outside the mountain range, nor do they 
  wield any political power in Glorvardum. 
  Regular Members of the Royal Warders 
  Requirements  
  - 
  To become a member one should demonstrate one skill in survival and knowledge of the 
  appropriate wilderness areas. This is done through a series of tests. 
  For the warders of the Vast Swamp and the Rieuwood, this amounts to ranks in the following 
  skills: Knowledge [geography] 2, Knowledge [nature] 2, Swim 4 and Survival 5. 
  Prospective members of the Glorioles require ranks as follows: Knowledge [geography] 2, 
  Knowledge [nature] 2, Climb 4 and Survival 5. 
   
  Initial Costs 
  - 
  Once a person has succeeded in the tests, that person has to proof his dedication to the cause. 
  This dedication can either be proven by finding a sponsor (spending 1 influence point with an 
  existing respected member) or by serving directly under a member for 2 TU (in addition to the 
  required 5 TUs). 
   
  Permanent Costs 
  - 
  Members serve a minimum of 5 TUs a year in the Vast Swamp.  
  - 
  A member cannot refuse to help any other member unless there are other more pressing matters 
  that concern the Royal Warders or Sunndi 
   
  Benefits 
  - 
  +4 competence bonus on wilderness lore checks in the Vast Swamp, Rieuwood or the Glorioles 
  (dependent on the branch you selected when becoming a member). 
  - 
  Access to learning the following from the various class books: 
  o Masters of the Wild: Animal Control, Animal Defiance, Brachiation, Extra Favoured Enemy 
  (selected from human, humanoid (aquatic), humanoid (giant), humanoid (reptilian) and 
  undead)), Faster Healing, Improved Swimming, Resist Disease, Resist Poison, Shadow, 
  Supernatural Blow. 
  - 
  Access to taking levels in the following prestige classes: 
                                                     
  3 The King’s Law are the laws set down by the king that are the same no matter what county one is in, 
  see the web site for more details. 
  
  The Royal Warders of the Vast Swamp 
  A meta-organization for LG Sunndi 
   
  4 
  o Masters of the Wild: King/Queen of the Wild (marsh/forest/mountain - dependent on the 
  branch in which you serve) 
  - 
  Besides this prestige class the following core prestige classes from various class books are also 
  very appropriate:  
  o Sword and Fist: Ghostwalker 
  o Master of the Wild: Animal Lord, Bloodhound, Deepwood Sniper, Foe Hunter and Tamer 
  of Beasts. 
  - 
  You can buy the following normal items: 
  o Sword & Fist: harpoon, bola 
  o Song & Silence: waterproofing 
  - 
  You can buy the following magical items: 
  o DMG: Boots of Elvenkind, Cloak of Elvenkind 
  - 
  You can buy the following armor enhancement: 
  o Masters of the Wild: Swimming 
  Keepers of the Royal Warders 
   
  Requirements to become a Keeper 
  - 
  Knowledge [nature] 4, Profession [guide or soldier] 4, Swim 4 and Survival 6. 
  - 
  Citizen of Sunndi 
  - 
  Served the Warders at least 4 years or proven outstanding dedication (reduce the time by 1 year 
  for each influence point with the Warders to a minimum of 1 year). 
   
  Permanent Costs 
  - 
  Spend 10 TUs on the job per year 
  - 
  Chain of Command - As a soldier in the army of Sunndi they should follow the orders of any higher 
  ranked officer. 
   
  Benefits for a Keeper: 
  - 
  The same benefits as regular members 
  - 
  +2 competence bonus to reaction checks with all citizens of Sunndi. 
  - 
  Chain of Command - As officers they can order any lower ranked soldier. Remember that Warders 
  do not care much about hierarchy and abuse of this privilege can lead to reduction in rank or 
  dishonourable discharge (this benefit counts as 1 permanent influence point with the Wardens and 
  the Army of Sunndi). 
  - 
  200 gp/year salary. 
  - 
  You can buy the following weapon enhancements:  
  o Masters of the Wild: Hunting 
  o Sword & Fist: Seeking. 
  - 
  You can buy the following magical potions: 
  o Masters of the Wild: Animal Logic, Natural Clarity, Unerring Direction 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Sunndi/Living Greyhawk - Sunndi - The Royal Warders of the Vast Swamp.pdf