| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| bitter thorn |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 17:25:46
I'm having a difficult time finding information about barbarians and such in the Western Heartlands. FRCS says they are common in the WH, but I haven't found any specifics.
Thanks! |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 02 Aug 2015 : 22:11:53
The North and the Savage Frontier were definitely rugged, sparsely-populated, uncivilized areas at the inception of 2E. But by the latter days of the 2E era it had been developed and detailed extensively - and aside from the few barbarian peoples WotC put on the map (such as the Uthgardt and Northmen of the Moonshaes) there really aren't any "uncivilized" peoples (or orc hordes or monsters) or places for them to live anymore. It seems you can hardly ride more than one day in any direction before encountering somebody's keep or castle or town, and all-too-many pockets of civilization are interconnected (by magical communication and transport) into a grand semi-Medieval Realms civilization.
3E revived barbarians via Rashemen Berserks and such, but the Conan-inspired Gygax barbarian concept seems to have become largely extinct. What if a player wants to play a barbarian character but is disinterested in being an Uthgardt? And how barbaric could he (and his entire clan or tribe) really be when there's a prosperous village or trading post in the next valley, a fortified citadel over the next hill (and a more fortified dwarven citadel underneath it), major cities like Waterdeep and Silverymoon less than a tenday's ride distant? People may be proud and stubbornly self-reliant and a bit aggressive and even technologically backward, but that doesn't mean they're going to be stupid and stay that way generation after generation. The Realms seems to have little room left for barbarians, aside from curiously ill-fitted anachronisms. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 02 Aug 2015 : 21:36:10
I have no idea - I certainly hope so!
As great as that product was/is - an update of the old Illefarn adventure with TONS of lore tacked on - the second one regarding The High Forest took all of that to another level. The history alone (and I mean HISTORY, going ALL the way back) would make it worth the purchase price... if it ever sees the light of day.
Ah, Jergal... you sly old... ummm... whatever you are.  |
| Rymac |
Posted - 02 Aug 2015 : 21:22:02
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I wanted to include the High Moor in some of the stuff Eric Boyd and I were working on, and he tapped Steven Schend on HIS thoughts, and it was decided that although a huge chunk of it fell-out on both maps I did for Eric, the region deserved its own sourcebook, because the lore was so extensive and touched on so many other regions (and cultures).
Just curious, is any of the Under Illefarn Anew material going to end up in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide that is slated for November? If you're allowed to comment, of course! |
| Markustay |
Posted - 02 Aug 2015 : 20:10:05
Nope.
I wanted to include the High Moor in some of the stuff Eric Boyd and I were working on, and he tapped Steven Schend on HIS thoughts, and it was decided that although a huge chunk of it fell-out on both maps I did for Eric, the region deserved its own sourcebook, because the lore was so extensive and touched on so many other regions (and cultures).
Two things we did work-out: Dragospear was originally one of the (Dwarven) Moorsedge Keeps (it falls in a perfect line with them and is equidistant), and it was destroyed and then later rebuilt (so basically, just the foundations and the dungeons beneath are 'original').
The second thing was that the 'Fire Marshes' from the EE product were in reality bits of 'elemental chaos' that has seeped into this world, so all four elements are involved (all four were involved anyway, when you think about the name). We also updated the name to 'Hellwrought Lands', to indicate how miserable those regions really are. Assume its like a localized bit of the elemental maelstrom, with pockets of BOTH wild magic & dead magic (2e), and as of 4e, 'Plaguelands', so truly, they are anathema to anything living.
Barbarains (descendents of 'Fallen Orogoth') still manage to make the Moor their home, as well as all sorts of Goblinkin - most especially hobgoblins, who compete with the humans for resources. The scalyfolk have a large presence along the eastern edge, there are several dragons, and other large predators on the surface, and drow (and worse!) beneath the surface. The Sharnlands dip way into the Moors as well. The place really is a craphole no nation in its right mind would ever want to claim.
As of the end of 3e, a LOT has changed, which is why we'd probably need to do a whole separate project on the place. There are now several new lakes, and a few 'fertile' regions... which would be in a 'nature battle' with the Hellwrought Lands to take over the rest. I would assume a large presence of druids (along with the new elven settlers) trying to alleviate some of the damage this 'nature run amok' is causing.
And thats it in a nutshell. Not a whole lot of info on those barabarians themselves, aside from what little is in Elminster's Ecologies. |
| Duneth Despana |
Posted - 02 Aug 2015 : 18:43:27
Has anyone stumbled upon more info on the moor barbarians in the last six years? |
| bitter thorn |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 22:47:18
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Good call on the High Moor, though that's generally more Savage North than Western Heartlands.
IIRC, the human inhabitants are "barbarian" in that they don't build cities or have advanced culture. They're more nomadic cattle/sheep herders. I don't think they plant many crops or use many horses, but I'm afb and can't confirm that. They aren't, however, your "typical" barbarian, as stereotyped by the Uthgardt. Different gods, and different culture.
Another place to look for info on them would be one of the Appedices (I forget which one) to Elminster's Ecologies. One of them has a section on the High Moor.
She's probably going to make her PC's tribe a semi nomadic one from the Skull Gorge area.
She wasn't really looking for a mounted barbarian, so we leaned away from Narfell, the Ride and Tun.
She didn't want to be too Norse, so we also ruled out Reghed and Uthgart.
We will probably generate a modest home brew tribe in that area. |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 20:52:42
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Good call on the High Moor, though that's generally more Savage North than Western Heartlands.
IIRC, the human inhabitants are "barbarian" in that they don't build cities or have advanced culture. They're more nomadic cattle/sheep herders. I don't think they plant many crops or use many horses, but I'm afb and can't confirm that. They aren't, however, your "typical" barbarian, as stereotyped by the Uthgardt. Different gods, and different culture.
Another place to look for info on them would be one of the Appedices (I forget which one) to Elminster's Ecologies. One of them has a section on the High Moor.
I don't know, the southern parts of the High Moor borders to what I would call the Western Heartlands. As for teh Elminster Eucology, I think it was the first one. Isn't that a free download from Wizards page?
I agree that it wouldn't be the Uthgard style barbarians (which were not original realmsian anyway and to me always felt a bit out of place), but they fit with the groups of the old class.
I found the 1ed. book:
Horse barbarians: North of the Moonsea and the Ride.
Moor Barbarians: Found in the High Moor. They make their living without large beasts. Typical weapons are spears, two-handed swords and bows.
Hill and Mountain barbarians: More or less cavemen. Found in the Far Hills and Earthrust Mountains(?).
Desert barbarians: Dervish-like. Found near Desert's Edge.
Forest barbarians: Border Forest, the woods north of the Troll Hills.
Island barbarians: Small Islands in the Sea of Swords and the Sea of Fallen Stars.
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| Hoondatha |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 20:28:31
Good call on the High Moor, though that's generally more Savage North than Western Heartlands.
IIRC, the human inhabitants are "barbarian" in that they don't build cities or have advanced culture. They're more nomadic cattle/sheep herders. I don't think they plant many crops or use many horses, but I'm afb and can't confirm that. They aren't, however, your "typical" barbarian, as stereotyped by the Uthgardt. Different gods, and different culture.
Another place to look for info on them would be one of the Appedices (I forget which one) to Elminster's Ecologies. One of them has a section on the High Moor. |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 19:41:48
I think the 1ed. Campaign setting would be the place to look. In the encyclopaedia under Barbarian. I seem to rememberer the High Moors having a barbarian culture. The Marsember is also near with bandits descendants of "barbarians". of course other sources have contradicted much of this early version of the Realms.
I will have to take a look at my books later. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 19:10:00
The only other barbarians anywhere close to the Heartlands would be the horsemen of the Ride, but that's Eastern Hearlands, not Western. I could sort of see a couple of tribes up and moving west to get away from the harassment of the Moonsea cities. The Western Heartlands is caravan country, so it would be good grazing for horses and cattle, with plenty of raiding opportunities. That would be possible, probably in the emptyness north of Soubar and south of the Marsh of Chelimber. But that's just extrapolation, they aren't actually there unless you make the change in your own Realms. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 18:41:05
I'll second that, I've never heard tell of heartlands barbarians. A barbarian invasion, on the other hand, could come from all kinds of places! |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 17 Nov 2009 : 17:58:16
I think the FRCS is dreaming. I've been reading a bunch of 2e stuff (which tends to be better thought out) on the Western Heartlands, since I'm running a game here at the Keep set there, and "barbarian" isn't close to the description for it. I'd say it's a lot closer to "rural western America rugged pioneer," at least in mindset. It's been settled for well over a thousand years, been on the fringes of various empires (ranging from Cormyr to the Shoon), and is now a bunch of city states and various small towns. The only barbarians would be those wandering down from the Savage North, their usual habitat. |
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