| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| EltonRobb |
Posted - 30 Nov 2016 : 01:41:11
I'm envisioning a cross between a deer and a man. Or a muskdeer and a man. Okay, I picked up Clan of the Deer from Eric Morton Presents a long time ago.
I was thinking of a place in the Western Realms and not the hordelands where they can be usually found. According to the text, they speak Sylvan. So I was wondering where to put them. Perhaps the High Forest or Cormanthor?
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| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 02 Dec 2016 : 01:46:23
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Whatever works in your world. In my completely homebrew (non-D&D) fantasy world, I have a saytr/brownie like creature I simply refer to as 'the forest folk'. Most humans regarded in much the same way people in SW look at Ewoks - small, backward (primitive) tribal creatures best ignored.
Then the 'Great War' happened, and the 'lesser races' broke free from the Yoke of the Mæladrin (Male-A-dreen). What started out as a small, seemingly innocuous incident involving a pitched battle at sea, snow-balled into a series of events the likes of which the world would never again behold, nor ever hoped to expect. The elves came out of hiding in their primal woodland realms, and the dwarves from their deep caverns, and even strange races from across the sea, like the beast-folk of Tangarû, and the horned sea-raiders of Tharklheim. The tide turned and re-turned many times during the final battle in the fabled city of necromancies, Krelthoon. But it was not until the forest folk showed up - their small, normally shy faces showing uncharacteristic determination - that the Mæladrin knew they had lost the day. Their dark magics failed, and the city itself was rent asunder. Human onlookers did not understand the last moments before the fall, but they knew it was a momentous occasion when the Elven king - the haughtiest of all the snobbish elves, a personage who would not even recognize the other races present as equals, or more than mere animals for that matter - got down off his mighty stagmount and approached the wee ones, and to everyone's utter astonishment, bowed on bended knee to them, forehead fully touching the ground! There were many remarkable things that were seen that day, some good, some terrible, but none that confused everyone more than the actions of the Elf Lord that day. Scholars will be scratching their heads for centuries to come over the meaning of it all.
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Yeah, it can definitely be worked that way. The hordelands version was just a monster with no real history listed. The Stag King version had some history but no monster entry that I know of (unless they did so in 4th edition). Essentially, the Stag King version were all elven descendants corrupted by the blood of a dark fey lord, such that their descendants took on the form of "stag headed" folk. The Shatjan are protectors of nature and reindeer.
Well, at the time The Horde material was released, their were no elves in the east, and damn few in the wastes. Thats changed over the years thanks to various bits of lore, and now there are several different groups (kingdoms?) of elves east of Thay. The novel Frostfell focuses on Lythari tribes in the Endless Wastes - further proof of elves-that-take-the-form-of-animals in that vicinity. Between the very 'earthy' magic of the rashemi, the history of Raumathari (from Frostfell), and all the Elves in the UE, the Hordlands, and even K-T (including the very elf-like spiritfolk). I think a deer-headed 'forest protector' (of eleven decent) is very much in-line with everything else going on there.
Heck, I'd even throw in some Beornings. 
Yeah, definitely in Rashemen... I could definitely see some berserkers that change shape into bears. In fact, I think there are some.... or maybe that was canon in Ruathym. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 01 Dec 2016 : 23:46:33
Whatever works in your world. In my completely homebrew (non-D&D) fantasy world, I have a saytr/brownie like creature I simply refer to as 'the forest folk'. Most humans regarded in much the same way people in SW look at Ewoks - small, backward (primitive) tribal creatures best ignored.
Then the 'Great War' happened, and the 'lesser races' broke free from the Yoke of the Mæladrin (Male-A-dreen). What started out as a small, seemingly innocuous incident involving a pitched battle at sea, snow-balled into a series of events the likes of which the world would never again behold, nor ever hoped to expect. The elves came out of hiding in their primal woodland realms, and the dwarves from their deep caverns, and even strange races from across the sea, like the beast-folk of Tangarû, and the horned sea-raiders of Tharklheim. The tide turned and re-turned many times during the final battle in the fabled city of necromancies, Krelthoon. But it was not until the forest folk showed up - their small, normally shy faces showing uncharacteristic determination - that the Mæladrin knew they had lost the day. Their dark magics failed, and the city itself was rent asunder. Human onlookers did not understand the last moments before the fall, but they knew it was a momentous occasion when the Elven king - the haughtiest of all the snobbish elves, a personage who would not even recognize the other races present as equals, or more than mere animals for that matter - got down off his mighty stagmount and approached the wee ones, and to everyone's utter astonishment, bowed on bended knee to them, forehead fully touching the ground! There were many remarkable things that were seen that day, some good, some terrible, but none that confused everyone more than the actions of the Elf Lord that day. Scholars will be scratching their heads for centuries to come over the meaning of it all.
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Yeah, it can definitely be worked that way. The hordelands version was just a monster with no real history listed. The Stag King version had some history but no monster entry that I know of (unless they did so in 4th edition). Essentially, the Stag King version were all elven descendants corrupted by the blood of a dark fey lord, such that their descendants took on the form of "stag headed" folk. The Shatjan are protectors of nature and reindeer.
Well, at the time The Horde material was released, their were no elves in the east, and damn few in the wastes. Thats changed over the years thanks to various bits of lore, and now there are several different groups (kingdoms?) of elves east of Thay. The novel Frostfell focuses on Lythari tribes in the Endless Wastes - further proof of elves-that-take-the-form-of-animals in that vicinity. Between the very 'earthy' magic of the rashemi, the history of Raumathari (from Frostfell), and all the Elves in the UE, the Hordlands, and even K-T (including the very elf-like spiritfolk). I think a deer-headed 'forest protector' (of eleven decent) is very much in-line with everything else going on there.
Heck, I'd even throw in some Beornings. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 01 Dec 2016 : 21:26:25
quote:
Originally posted by EltonRobb
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I would hazard to guess its the same creature (Shatjan) that AuldDragon is referring to - the regional proximity and all. You'll note that the Unapproachable East 3e book got the 'Spiritfolk' from The Horde box, so there's definitely a lot of 'migration' going on there (I would even go out on a limb and say that since the Tuigan invasion, the Endless wastes ARE part of the UE).
No wonder Krash and I see eye-to-eye on so many things - we both make our 'home' on the borders of the UE. 
I thought this scroll would be ignored but all of these suggestions do work. I'm still thinking of the High Forest though. Maybe even Chondalwood, to replace those Satyrs. I have Amazon(ish) elves there already. It might be better to replace the sex-loving satyrs with the reclusive deerfolk.
Not saying don't do that.... but why not just add them. A couple tribes of these deer folk won't threaten anything. If the original source of the Shatjan's was the Stag King mating with elven women, it would easily fit that he may have also mated with elven women in other areas of the realms (i.e. Chondath and the High Forest). It especially would work for the High Forest where reindeer would be found since Shatjan are noted for being in snowy areas.
It also wouldn't hurt to throw in Hybsil as another race that may have links to the Stag King OR shatjan. I could see both races getting along well, with maybe Hybsil being the more spellcaster oriented (druid / nature priest / bard / fighter (eldritch knight), fey warlock / rogue (arcane trickster), sorcerer, wizard) and Shatjan being more barbarian/ranger/paladin of the oath of the ancients. I wouldn't make those hard lines of course, but more tendencies of course. It could even be something like the wychlaran and their protectors, where hybsil "shamans" have shatjan "protectors". |
| EltonRobb |
Posted - 01 Dec 2016 : 01:44:15
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I would hazard to guess its the same creature (Shatjan) that AuldDragon is referring to - the regional proximity and all. You'll note that the Unapproachable East 3e book got the 'Spiritfolk' from The Horde box, so there's definitely a lot of 'migration' going on there (I would even go out on a limb and say that since the Tuigan invasion, the Endless wastes ARE part of the UE).
No wonder Krash and I see eye-to-eye on so many things - we both make our 'home' on the borders of the UE.
I thought this scroll would be ignored but all of these suggestions do work. I'm still thinking of the High Forest though. Maybe even Chondalwood, to replace those Satyrs. I have Amazon(ish) elves there already. It might be better to replace the sex-loving satyrs with the reclusive deerfolk. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 30 Nov 2016 : 18:48:15
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I would hazard to guess its the same creature (Shatjan) that AuldDragon is referring to - the regional proximity and all. You'll note that the Unapproachable East 3e book got the 'Spiritfolk' from The Horde box, so there's definitely a lot of 'migration' going on there (I would even go out on a limb and say that since the Tuigan invasion, the Endless wastes ARE part of the UE).
No wonder Krash and I see eye-to-eye on so many things - we both make our 'home' on the borders of the UE.
Yeah, it can definitely be worked that way. The hordelands version was just a monster with no real history listed. The Stag King version had some history but no monster entry that I know of (unless they did so in 4th edition). Essentially, the Stag King version were all elven descendants corrupted by the blood of a dark fey lord, such that their descendants took on the form of "stag headed" folk. The Shatjan are protectors of nature and reindeer. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 30 Nov 2016 : 15:23:34
I would hazard to guess its the same creature (Shatjan) that AuldDragon is referring to - the regional proximity and all. You'll note that the Unapproachable East 3e book got the 'Spiritfolk' from The Horde box, so there's definitely a lot of 'migration' going on there (I would even go out on a limb and say that since the Tuigan invasion, the Endless wastes ARE part of the UE).
No wonder Krash and I see eye-to-eye on so many things - we both make our 'home' on the borders of the UE.
quote:
Originally posted by AuldDragon
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
The Mystara setting (OD&D) has a creature called an Actaeon. I thought FR had something similar, but I may have been thinking of the Hybsil.
You're probably thinking of the Shatjan, from The Horde boxed set. They are solitary wilderness protectors of the northern lands, with the bodies of humans and the heads of reindeer.
Jeff
How the heck did I forget about something in a region I consider 'my stomping ground'? 
Thanks for the heads-up - that probably was the one! |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 30 Nov 2016 : 13:55:04
Just to note, there's also some stag headed folk in the Masked Witches by Richard Lee Beyers, in addition to the ones already mentioned. They work for the Stag King
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Stag_King |
| AuldDragon |
Posted - 30 Nov 2016 : 07:59:44
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
The Mystara setting (OD&D) has a creature called an Actaeon. I thought FR had something similar, but I may have been thinking of the Hybsil.
You're probably thinking of the Shatjan, from The Horde boxed set. They are solitary wilderness protectors of the northern lands, with the bodies of humans and the heads of reindeer.
Jeff |
| Markustay |
Posted - 30 Nov 2016 : 03:50:58
The Mystara setting (OD&D) has a creature called an Actaeon. I thought FR had something similar, but I may have been thinking of the Hybsil. |
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