The 1980 "Folio" Edition
TSR intended to publish The World of Greyhawk early in 1979; the foreword by editor Allen Hammack was dated February 1979. Gygax himself assured Dragon readers in issue No. 37 that, barring catastrophe, the World of Greyhawk was ready for official release. However, Gygax's The World of Greyhawk (TSR 9025) did not hit store shelves until August 1980.
The World of Greyhawk consisted of a thirty-two page folio (this edition is often called the "World of Greyhawk folio" to distinguish it from later editions) and a 34" x 44" (86 cm x 112 cm) two-piece color map of the Flanaess, by Darlene Pekul. The book comes with a folder containing maps and a gazetteer describing every state and region on the maps. In addition to details of geography, history, and political states mentioned above, Gygax also included the following:
- names for the days of the week (Starday, Sunday, Moonday, Godsday, Waterday, Earthday, Freeday),
- names for the twelve 28-day months and the four 6-day festivals that made up the 360-day year (Needfest, Fireseek, Readying, Coldeven, Growfest, Planting, Flocktime, Wealsun, Richfest, Reaping, Goodmonth, Harvester, Brewfest, Patchwall, Ready'reat, and Sunsebb)
- notes on scale and movement, so the DM could keep track of how long it would take the players to move from region to region
- royal and noble precedence, so the DM could ensure the players addressed heads of state properly
- orders of knighthood, for players who desired to join one
- a glossary of runes and glyphs that the DM could use to create puzzling messages, mysterious omens and vaguely worded portents
The first edition covers less than a quarter of the landmass of Oerth, concentrating on the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, giving only the most basic descriptions of each state; DMs were expected to elaborate on these areas in order to make them an integral part of their own individual campaigns.
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