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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
 Posted - 13 May 2010 : 20:55:06
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Well met my follow scribes...
I dont know if this have been asked before, but I wantet to know about the 7 Imaskacana. In got knowledge about the first, third, forth, fifth, and seventh.
Does anyone know anything about the second and sixth imaskacana?
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 21:03:15
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| There have been several threads on this topic. The search function is your friend. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 21:05:45
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*cracks knuckles* No idea bro. From what little I've learn on it, they're suppose to be DM's creations. Sorry I'm not much help.
I've read that Darkvision novel implied that LeShay (Immortal Elves from Epic Handbook) had a hand in creating them.
There is a fake imaskacana in GHoTR, (also in a Dragon Magazine).
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I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 23:01:38
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| NDA is most of what you will find |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 23:17:29
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quote:
Originally posted by sfdragon
NDA is most of what you will find
Why on earth would there be an NDA on this? Its not like its a new item? |
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 23:18:17
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| Likely cause Greenwood doesn't want people to know :). |
I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 23:32:09
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| Again with the why??? |
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2010 : 23:38:22
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| You could always ask him yourself. Some things are meant to be kept secret, to keep people buying Forgotten Realms stuff in a vain hope that it might have a clue as to something unknown. Maybe he doesn't like too many things to be defined, and wants players to make it up for their game. Or maybe he just working on a super adventure where it would be discovered? There could be a million reasons why. Or maybe what it is, is so stupid that no-one will like it. Or it could be one of those off camera deals, like what was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction for example, or what Calvin and Hobbes noodle incident really is. |
I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 00:05:46
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quote:
Originally posted by dracons
Likely cause Greenwood doesn't want people to know :).
Ed would not have the power to enforce or even place an NDA. He's a freelancer. WotC -- and TSR before them -- is the source of Realms-related NDAs.
Ed simply likes to leave mystery and wonder in things, by leaving them at least partially undefined. This also increases possibilities for DMs.  |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 00:44:07
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| well if you looked hard enough there was an imaskarcana in nwn2 |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 01:25:25
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And the First and Fifth Imaskarcana have been referenced in Lost Empires of Faerűn, and the Third is in Underdark. The others haven't been properly detailed as yet.
However, here's a little of what Steven Schend has said about the Seven Imaskarcana:-
"[Mention of the Imaskarcana on the old WotC FR frontpage is] throwaway stuff to add flavor and depth to the setting, as we can't possibly detail everything of importance across all times in the Realms. After all, we can't easily name every piece of regalia for the crown of England across 933 years thanks to Cromwell's melting down of much of it; now why should we be able to identify and catalogue every important item across hundreds of realms, all long since fallen? Anyway, that's the rationale for dropping in legendary items - they are sometimes among the few tidbits we've got on various people and places.
As for who/what the Seven Imaskarcana were/are, here are my theories and obfuscations:
While their contents and forms are much disputed, the Seven Imaskarcana are inarguably seven great stores of knowledge about magic, thus the name.
Some contend that the arcana collectively contain the knowledge of the Imaskari/Raurinese sorcerer-kings (or whatever their title may be, for each sage coins titles anew with each writing).
Many have theorized that the Seven Imaskarcana provide total understanding and much lost lore on each school of magic save Necromancy. While this supposes the existence of an eighth or further Imaskarcana, the few who entered the Plains of Purple Dust to prove this theory have never returned to add to the lore.
Many others have supposed that they each held the history of an age of Raurin, and the end of the Seventh Imaskari Age led to its destruction and the birth of the Old Empires.
Still others suppose that each of the Seven holds innumerable secrets of magic, though they correspond to the humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, dragons, and a seemingly lost race of aquatic creatures.
All of these theories above suggest that the Imaskarcana were massive great-tomes bound in slate covers lined with blue dragon's skin, though the makeup of the pages was said to be vellum, the skin of humans or elves or even tanar'ri, or even crystal that was given the flexibility of paper without the weaknesses. Only a few sages think of these artifacts otherwise, though there are an isolated few from Thay who so dare.
The strangest suggestion, made by one Thamaultadh of Tyraturos, implies that the Seven Imaskarcana are not items or storehouses of lore so much as they are great menhirs of stone embedded with great magics and now lost in the Great Desert of Raurin. His theories, contained only in his notebooks (now safely ensconsed in Candlekeep after 480 years), suggest that the Imaskarcana projected a magical barrier around the Imaskari lands, protecting it from invasion by magical forces. He further supposed this was why the genies of Calim and Memnon settled Calimshan rather than the Inner Sea. The Seven lay in the western sands of the desert and were all that remained of a series of 28 menhirs that bordered the Imaskari's claimed lands.
Thamaultadh's own apprentice and seventh son refuted his father's strange theory with one equally bizarre: The Seven Imaskarcana are neither books nor menhirs, though they could conceivably be both stores of knowledge and magical defenses of the Imaskar lands. Synnaros of the Twelve Tomes proposed that the Seven Imaskarcana were, in fact, seven massive but identical statues placed in various places now buried within the borders of the Raurin Desert. These golem-like statues appeared as sages sitting with an open tome upon their laps. Should folk uncover or find one of the Imaskarcana, they could ask questions of it, and it would provide any knowledge that it held.
Elminster's surprisingly close-mouthed about the truth of the matter, so he either doesn't know the answer or simply enjoys dribbling enough lore to whet the appetite without fully sating it. He did smirk about Synnaros' theory, and said
"I have seen one of these giant stone sages of Imaskar, aye. Whether it be one of Seven or an Imaskarcana at all is for someone of more rarified interest than mine own. Of course, ye can only get answers out of it if ye know the tongue of the Imaskari, for it only recognizes that tongue. There be only one Faerunian living or dead who might teach it to ye, and he's hardly one to welcome ye for a lesson while he wanders about the Underhalls......"
Is that sufficient for peoples' curiosities on these stray references? We'll probably never know more officially until we turn our attentions to that corner of Faerun again.....sometime in the distant future......
Steven Schend
Senior Designer, Role-Playing R&D
Who knows better than to give away too much about the Great Staff of the Blackcloak or the Sable Gauntlet of the Black Lord.......... "
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The Seventh Imaskarcana is partially alluded to in the LEoF web enhancement -
"... the Seventh Imaskarcana—a fabled artifact of ancient Imaskar that resembles a large, golden key—is an appropriate choice. The Seventh Imaskarcana holds the entire body of Imaskari knowledge about creating permanent extradimensional spaces, and it also has additional powers that are left to your discretion." |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 01:26:46
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quote:
Originally posted by dracons
There is a fake imaskacana in GHoTR, (also in a Dragon Magazine).
The False Imaskarcana described in the Grand History entry under -2487 DR is indeed one of the 'Faces of Madness' described in DRAGON #281. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 14 May 2010 01:27:48 |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 02:51:01
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by dracons
There is a fake imaskacana in GHoTR, (also in a Dragon Magazine).
The False Imaskarcana described in the Grand History entry under -2487 DR is indeed one of the 'Faces of Madness' described in DRAGON #281.
Is there any lore regarding the other six False Imaskarcana anywhere? Apparently there are seven of them...  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 02:56:39
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Also... while I'm revisiting this scroll... does anyone have a compilation of sources for what is known about the Imaskarcana? I'd happily re-read all the lore and create one myself, but I'm without access to anything pre-3E except for a few PDFs ATM...  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1093 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 02:57:50
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Here's what I've been able to find:
The First Imaskarcana
Crafted by an ancient Lord Artificer of Inupras more than five thousand years ago, the First Imaskarcana is a crudely wrought, crenellated crown forged from a strange, lavender-tinted metal. Though it was created for humans to wear, it also fits snugly when placed on the heads of other Medium humanoids. A blue-black star sapphire about 3 inches in diameter rests squarely at the front of the crown.
The First Imaskarcana quickly became a symbol of the supreme authority wielded by the Imaskari emperors. Lord Artificer Yuvaraj was wearing it when he perished in battle against the manifested god Horus. The artifact is believed to lie deep under the sands in the ruins of Inupras, not far from the imperial palace.
Anyone who wears the First Imaskarcana gains spell resistance 30 and is protected by a spell turning effect that can turn 10 levels of divine magic in a 24-hour period. Once it has reached its capacity, the First Imaskarcana cannot turn spells again for 24 hours.
The First Imaskarcana also holds the collected knowledge of the empire's lord artificers and can answer many questions concerning Imaskari customs, politics, and magic. It does not engage in conversation, however, and offers only the briefest answers to direct questions (+20 bonus on Knowledge [history] checks regarding Imaskar only).
In addition, any wearer of the crown can use the following spell-like abilities: 3/day -- antimagic aura [Mag], improved blink [Una], legend lore (Imaskari items only), greater teleport, true seeing; 1/day -- gate. Caster level 18th.
The crown's spell resistance and spell turning abilities are always active, except as noted above. Any other power must be commanded to function as a standard action. The crown responds only to commands spoken in Roushoum, the ancient language of Imaskar. If a command is issued in any other language, the wearer instantly becomes the target of a feeblemind effect (Will DC 20 negates).
Overwhelming varies; CL 18th; Weight 3 lb.
The Third Imaskarcana
Is a massive great-tome bound in slate covers lined with blue dragon skin. It's pages vary in composistion and apperance - some are raggedly cut vellum, others are the skin of humans, elves, or even tanar'ri, and still others are made of crystal that magically possesses the flexibility of paper without it's weaknesses.
Anyone who carries the Third Imaskarcana gains spell resistance 27. Any other power of the tome must be commanded, as a standard action, to function. The Third Imaskarcana can't be read like a standard tome. Instead questions or commands must be posted to it in Roushoum, since it only recognizes that language. If a question or command is directed at the tome in any other language, the questioner is immediately sucked into the tome, where she becomes a fine new vellum page. (A creature so destroyed can only be returned to life by a miracle or wish spell)
Anyone who successfully communicates with the tome can use the following powers as spell-like abilities (caster lvl 18th), each once per day: dominate monster, imprisonment, meteor swarm (DC 23), and time stop. Additionaly the Third Imaskarcana can answer questions once per day, as through via commune spell.
The Fourth Imaskarcana: are rumored to be lying somewhere beneath the ruins of Raudor, all though how it looks and what its powers are, is still a mystery.
The Fifth Imaskarcana: is a pitted, battered-looking scepter about 2 feet long and 2 inches in diameter. A crudely cut amethyst the size of a human fist crowns its bronze shaft. The F ifth Imaskarcana contains the entire military history of Imaskar from –7500 DR and onward. It telepathically answers any question posed about that subject to the best of its ability [+20 bonus knowledge (history) checks regarding Imaskar's military history. Anyone who wields the F ifth Imaskarcana gains spell resistance 26 and can use the following spell-like abilities: 3/day – charm person, crushing despair, confusion, daze monster, mind fog ; 1/ day – b inding, demand, geas, mass hold monster, power word stun . Caster level 18 th .
The scepters spell resistance is always active. Any other power must be commandet to function as a standard action. Like the First Imaskarcana, the scepter responds only to commands spoken in Roushoum, the ancient language of Imaskar. If a command is issued in any other language, the wielder instantly becomes the target of a disintegrate effect. ( Fort DC 19 partial; self only; items carried are unaffected).
Overwhelming enchantment; CL 18 th ; weith 4 lb.
The Seventh Imaskarcana: is an artifact that resembles a large golden key, according to rumors anyhow. The Seventh Imaskarcana holds the entire body of Imaskari knowledge about creating permanent extradimensional spaces, what other powers it holds is not known. The information about this artifact is fleeting at best and nothing that is ”set in stone” can be found about it so it might all be false information.
So... As you can se I have not been able to find out anything about the second or sixth!
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 03:13:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by dracons
There is a fake imaskacana in GHoTR, (also in a Dragon Magazine).
The False Imaskarcana described in the Grand History entry under -2487 DR is indeed one of the 'Faces of Madness' described in DRAGON #281.
Is there any lore regarding the other six False Imaskarcana anywhere? Apparently there are seven of them...
The aforementioned DRAGON issue has an article entitled "Imaskarcana: Faces of Magic" which describes seven arcane masks known as the 'Faces of Madness,' which were once thought to be the seven Imaskarcana.
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Also... while I'm revisiting this scroll... does anyone have a compilation of sources for what is known about the Imaskarcana? I'd happily re-read all the lore and create one myself, but I'm without access to anything pre-3E except for a few PDFs ATM...
There isn't much in the pre-3e Realmslore regarding the various Imaskarcana. Those sources I already mentioned above, along with that tidbit from Steven Schend are largely, "it." |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 03:14:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Nicolai Withander
So... As you can se I have not been able to find out anything about the second or sixth!
As I said above, in my lengthy reply earlier, there's virtually nothing more that's been written about the the remaining undetailed Imaskarcana. You'd probably find it easier to craft something on your own, like I did for my FR campaigns. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 05:29:06
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Okay... so the seven False Imaskarcana are all masks... I seem to remember bits of that Dragon article now... 
Sage... do you have the entirety of Steven Schend's comments... or a link thereto? You said that was "a little" of what he had to say... 
It's interesting to me that the only Imaskarcana we know anything "definitive" about (quotes used for good reason) are the odd-numbered ones... 
Edit:  Post #1234! |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 14 May 2010 05:30:58 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 06:18:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Sage... do you have the entirety of Steven Schend's comments... or a link thereto? You said that was "a little" of what he had to say...
I think there *might* be a few further replies. I'll have to check my archives.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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The Imaskacana
