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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Jul 2013 : 15:54:20
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I came across Verraketh the Shadowking of Ebenfar in the GHotR (year DR 34, 90, 140, 323, 1364). What is known about him? Besides the confusion of his namesake Larloch, who is also called the Shadowking but for differing reasons, Verraketh (very cool name BTW) is an interesting figure, that founded the talfiric kingdom of Ebenfar, deep inland along the river Chiontar near Baldurs Gate.
Verraketh Talember was supposedly the first bard to learn shadowmagic, and he did so because the atrtifact known as the Shadowstar. He is mentioned as having an army of shadowspinners. What are they? Anyone have suggestions for a stat block for both Verraketh and/or a PrC for shadowspinners?
Ebenfar's talfiric forces, led by the Shadowking and his shadowspinners battled furiously with the then dominant serpent kingdoms of Najara in the High Moor. Ebenfar maintained control of the moor untill its collapse in 323 DR, the Year of the Miscast Shadow, when Verraketh was imprisoned.
I was hoping someone who had read the Harper series dealing with the Shadowking can shed some light on certain questions...
Is the shadowstar still at large in the realms? What was its last known location? Was Verraketh an unwitting pawn of Shar? Why did Shar want the realm of Najarra kept low? Who imprisoned Verraketh?
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2013 : 16:07:23
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Its actually one of the last few Realms novels I read (having picked it up along with many others in a box at a Gencon auction).
I can't remember the precise details of the ending, but several locales did make it onto my maps.
I am not sure how canon this info is (I got it through 'official' types, but not sure how much of it made it into a published product... YET). The Border keeps mentions in Dwarves Deep were built by Ebenfar, which existed primarily on the High Moor (a rather odd place to build a kingdom, but also easy to defend, since no-one else really wants it). Some of those Border Keeps were used by other cultures later on, and at least one of them was rebuilt and gained much notoriety.
Some speculation, by me and others, over the years: There two major cultural groups in northern Faerūn in 'the early days' - the Netherese (Gur), who apparently came from the north and east (presumably migrating across the Moonsea region... which may have not even been there at the time), and the Talfir, who came from the SW. The two finally met and clashed when the Netherese took down Thaeravel (the Land of Alabaster Towers). The assumption here is that Ebenfar is actually a successer-state of Thaeraval (despite the huge gulf in time), or rather, both groups were part of the Talfir ethnic group (who dabbled in shadow magic). The original Thaeravlites got absorbed into the Netherese Empire, and became part of the 'low Netherese'. Many of them may have fled south and west (and wound-up as primitive tribes on The High Moor). After the fall of Netherel, the portion of Anauroch that was still habitable for some time was the very same lands that had once belonged to Thaeravel. As the desert spread - and goblinoids moved into the southern regions (probably being pushed there by the now-expanding new nation of Cormyr) - the surviving people of mostly Talfiric blood would have fled south and west, back into their ancient ancestral lands... and into the High Moor as well.
Thus, the fall of Netheril lead to the eventual rise of Ebenfar, and the Talfir; an ancient people with proud magical traditions of their own. Many 'shadowy' artifacts and locales (dungeons) were left behind during the Talfiric exodus out of the destroyed Netherese Empire lands. As for 'Shadowking' - there have been others beside Larloch. My thoughts on the matter is that it is a title, very similar to Mystra's 'Magister'. 
Mostly conjecture, based on the few available facts. I have to also wonder if the Shades not only embraced the stolen Thaeravelan magics, but had Talfiric blood themselves, since in Netheril, magical power meant more then bloodlines, and more then a few Archmages were not of Netherese (Seventon/Gur) blood.
I'll try to look up the outcome of the story for you... |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 04 Jul 2013 16:29:08 |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2013 : 17:15:13
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Ah, thanks for mentioning the Border keeps. Excellent venues for my future campaign arc's end. What do they look like?
The Shadowstar mentioned 'fell like a shooting star into the High Moor', so its an extra-torillian object (probably infernal or celestial in origin). I think the shadowstar could very likely be linked to Shar (because it come from the 'shadows between the stars') and her Shadow Weave.
Perhaps Larloch is now known as the Shadowking because he holds (or once held) the Shadowstar in his impressive collection of artifects? |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2013 : 17:45:40
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I haven't checked yet, but lets not forget about what that witch (Marchayn) said which lead to much 4e speculation: "Dove! Dove! Smashed the black star... Dove!"
Could be related......
EDIT: Spoilers...The Nightstone Shattered when Caledan played the final note of the Shadow Song, which was centered in the chest of the Shadowking (who had just respawned in solid form), thus destroying him. HOWEVER, we have seen numerous examples in Realmslore of powerful artifacts - especially crystals - reforming over time, so its quite easy to use it again. Artifacts not only 'fix' themselves, they also tend to reappear far from wherever they were destroyed (but not always). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 04 Jul 2013 18:01:57 |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2013 : 22:01:58
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Thanks, MT. But now I am wont to track down all these 'star-crystals' on Faerun.
Nightmare Spinners (Complete Mage) are probably good candidates for the elite forces of Verraketh. BTW. So if we go with that, the Thaeravel culture would have had extensive contact with shadow magic that is infused with fear inducing (necromantic) magic. It's basicly aboth a relic and the origin of the Shade enclaves expertise with shadowmagic. Add to this the prophesies of Dove detroying a black star... All very interesting! |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Ebenfar, last realm of the Shadowking
