Here is a map of Greyhawk, also known by an earlier name, the Flanaess. I've traveled all of the civilized lands and have read or otherwise heard of those places that are less welcoming. In general, regions are characterized by their inhabitants (which are usually molded by the geographic features of the land) most of whom migrated to the area over a thousand years ago.

One of the oldest ethnic groups are the Suel. Originally establishing an empire in the southwestern portion of the continent (a region now known as the Sea of Dust) became environmental refugees when their homeland was reduced to glass and sand. Being a comparatively advanced civilization at the time, the ragged remains of the population rapidly swept across the land as a dominant force establishing pockets of Sueloise ruled communities of pre-existing natives throughout. The people themselves are very pale in complexion and eye and hair color. These stark characteristics remain as features of the general population of Greyhawk but only in isolated pure Suel communities do these physical traits remain together. Harsh lands like the Tilvanot Plateau on the peninsula of the same name, where the Scarlet Brotherhood was born and flourishes today, the jungles of Hepmonaland and the far northeastern mountainous regions of the Frost, Snow, and Ice Barbarians are all final Suel settlement areas where the blood remains untainted. The Sheldomar Valley wherein nestles the Keoish Empire was primarily Sueloise after the Rain of Colorless Fire but with the Oeridian migration survival required tolerance and acceptance of the newcomers. As many historians have suggested, their joining created an indomitable culture that has made the Keoish who they are today.

The Oeridian migration was the most significant cultural shift ever to occur across the continent. Not long after the destruction of the Suel Imperium, the Baklunish aggressors pushed another larger yet inferior group of people through the mountains and into the Flanaess. The Suel and Flannish inhabitants met them with swords or open arms. The Oeridian peoples melded into their circumstances and through supreme adaptability succeeded in becoming the prevalent race across the lands. At the same time, though, the Oerid no longer have a cultural identity having shed any they had previously to adapt to the regional standards. Thus many very different nations cannot be distinguished through racial variation. In fact, the greatest empire, Aerdy, at its furthest extent controlled over two thirds of the civilized continent speaking four major human languages and uncountable regional dialects. With the gradual dissolution of the empire cultural boundaries were drawn to define areas rather that racial lines. So in many places the variation of Oerdian traits, which are generally non-descript light to dark brown hair, medium skin tones and light to dark eyes, has mixed indelibly into the Flanaess bloodlines.

The peoples who lived on the continent proper, aside from the hard and soft peoples, prior to the major tribal migrations existed on the edges of the mountains, in the valleys, and in the bitterly cold north were the Flannish peoples. Relatively backwards compared to the grand Suel Imperium to the south, these natives stayed close to nature for as long as they could (some still do) before eventually adopting the world of cold steel offered by Suel traders and refugees. Where they formerly wore their smooth black hair in long braids and dressed in furs and deerskins most have adopted the languages and dress of the nations that have grown up around them. As their darker skin and very dark eyes reveal unmistakeably their true heritage, the Flan have melded their existing cultures with others without forgetting their own, such that Flannish art and design, music, and spirituality still thrive across the continent. The greatest concentrations of pure Flannish groups exist in the western edge of the Sheldomar Valley along the Crystalmist Mountains and far to the northeast as the Rovers of the Barrens and the independent nation of Tenh and of these only the Rovers still practice "the old ways". Though not as culturally bereft as the Oeridians, they have, for the most part, engaged in competitive civilization with the other nations on the world stage and so have remained free of the slaver's manacles.

Those who have not been as fortunate are the Olman people of the Amedio regions and Touv of the Hepmonaland regions. Living as isolated tribal groups in the dense jungles of the Amedio, the Olman population has only recently been discovered and integrated to the Greyhawk community through exploition by the Sea Princes. They appear very similar to the Flan, but generally have softer features, larger eyes and flatter profiles. Their civilization is essentially at its most advanced level of the bronze age, still using wood, stone, and shell primarily for armor and weapons but having the knowledge to craft items from bronze. They do not practice any form of arcana as their belief systems tend toward the theological rather than the technological and cleave to old world gods. These factors have allowed for their easy subdual and domination by the Hold of the Sea Princes, a pirate kingdom just north of the Amedio region. It is on the plantations and in the mansions of these cruel lords that the Olman have learned of the world apart from their jungle homes. It has been noted that recently resistance to the slave ships has become stiffer as the ships travel further south. The opposition is a unified population of Olman's organized by their old empire that still exists in a limited capacity. It is expected that the eventual meeting of the slave ships with the Olman society core will result in a halt to the harvesting of further slaves and possibly could cause a backlash against the Sea Princes and predation upon their ships. Keoland, who opposes slavery in all forms for humanitarian reasons, is concerned with this eventuality since they may find shipping lanes closed to Keoish colonies further to the south. As such, of late, it has been Keoland's goal to end the slave trade in the Hold entirely.

Because of the dangerous nature of the Tilvanot Peninsula and Hepmonaland itself, very little is known of the Touv people or the other inhabitants of the area. I must admit myself I have not been there as a person of my character or appearance likely would not survive long. I have heard that two sizable groups of the Suel migration have settled there, the first pushed across the straits and into the savage jungles of Hepmonaland to themselves become savage. The second remained on the peninsula and are quietly cloistered there doing whatever they do very secretly. It is said that they have not lost touch with their past and know the mysteries of their forebears. Their isolation, though, is total. Ships don't come from there; ships don't go there. Trade conducted with the east coast is done overland rather than around the dangerous southern tip of Tilvanot. In the jungles of Hepmonaland, I have heard and read, fighting the refugees of the Rain of Colorless Fire, are the natives of the hot, wet land. They are called Touv. Physically they have very dark skin and usually light eyes. They are short and thick and very skilled warriors. Not many Touv make it north of their beaches to join the peoples of Greyhawk. Tilvanot is an effective blockade.

To the west, along the coast and across the sea is a great horde of people referred to collectively as Baklunish. They reject the label because it inadequately puts certain groups together which they claim to be quite different in culture and origin. Most likely this is true, for I have seen many individuals with many different features called Baklunish. On the whole it could be said that they have a yellowish tinge to their skin and their eyes have a degree of almonding, but that's all they share. I expect it is characteristic demonizing by the people east of the Crystalmists as well as flagrant racism of some Suel sects. From the hot wastelands of Ull up to the frozen lands of the Tiger and Wolf Nomads there are about ten different nations and about as many cultures, pressed against the mountains on the west side agitating each other to a froth. If not for the mountain chain, the Flanaess would have been overrun long ago, but as it stands with the only access to the east through the valley pass that is Ket, the Baklunish remain quibbling and sniping at each other over land and trade opportunities, expending resources and making only half-hearted runs into Veluna. The fire they came with has left them. The riches found in the mountains and in lands to the south has made them unconcerned and listless (except the Tiger and Wolf tribes which have enough to deal with in their territory) and for merchants with a more international tolerance, there is much wealth to be had from trade with the Baklunish.

Within each of these human regions are separate nations and empires and between them the elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings not to mention those places claimed by the hard peoples, like myself. The nations of Ulek are primarily governed by a conglomeration of elves, dwarves, and other soft races while Celene, the cultural center for the gray elves, nearby guards its borders from all intrusion. Various dwarves and gnomes claim parcels of hilly and mountainous terrain while many elven communities inhabit forests throughout the realms without formal recognition as nations. As such the unrepresented and undercounted populations of these peoples is considerable.

Similarly, the population of the hard races remains more or less unknown. Several nations, usually under human organization, are largely composed of orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, gnolls and such. The Pomarj is a confederation of active races which constantly threatens the Ulek states and the Wild Coast. The Horned Society is a theocracy which uses hobgoblins as labor and military. Recently the Bone March, formerly a state under the jurisdiction of the Aerdi Empire, fell to a massive assault by orcs from the mountains and currently remains in their possession. In the east, the plains of Ull are patrolled by vicious tribes of ogres. Of course, there are countless tribes and individuals all across the land and under it. Almost everywhere orcs and goblins hide on the fringes of the "civilized" world, a part of nothing greater than the collective threat these interspersed groups pose.

On the whole, this is how the Flanaess have come to be what they are now. As with history, we don't really understand the entirety of it until we grasp the smaller parts, but here also we don't understand the parts out of context with their neighbors. The nations, cities and towns, the forests, mountains and marshes, each have their own culture and experience but they do not exist without impacting the surrounding lands, nearby cities and the cultures within. Basically, it's a snake that consumes itself. We cannot know the world without acknowledging its components, but we cannot understand the components without seeing the bigger picture. Since there is no obvious beginning, when learning geography just start anywhere in the middle. And most importantly--go there.