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Sylrae
Learned Scribe
Canada
313 Posts |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11699 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Jan 2017 : 12:48:44
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| Just wondering, is this the snowy kingdom where they supposedly brought the tree too? As far as I know, nothing much was ever detailed. Given some recent reviews of old information.... the Poscadar Elves of Anchorome, its said they came from somewhere that was full of snow. I automatically assumed based on their appearance that they were snow elves which moved out of the mountains. Given the closeness of Evermeet to Anchorome.... I wonder if that elven colony was actually in Anchorome.... and did it transfer to Abeir? |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2017 : 18:33:20
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There is an entry in GHotR, which 'fixes' the apparent duplication of the Tree of Life (because it was also used in Rich Baker's novels).
Somewhere toward the end of the GHotR, it names the settlement... and then nukes it. Its gone, and no-one knows what happened there*. The Tree was saved and later brought to Myth Drannor...
Although, now with Myth Drannor re-nuked, who the in the nine Hells knows. 
*EDIT:
First entry names the city - Auserial (GHotR, 1371 DR, pg.151)
Second entry (entries, really) says it was destroyed by a family of white Dragons (stupid elves, thinking they just 'own the place') and that was in 1373 DR (pg.154), and Lamruil returns to Auserial (its in ruins) and vows to rebuild the place (but he abandoned his wife when he left, and he is still looking for her... a hundred years later... he should've checked a pile of dragon poop).
At some point the Tree (that the lore says can only be planted once) gets replanted in Myth Drannor (but I didn't read that series, because i greatly dislike elves). |
"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 13 Jan 2017 18:44:23 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2017 : 18:52:19
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Just wondering, is this the snowy kingdom where they supposedly brought the tree too? As far as I know, nothing much was ever detailed. Given some recent reviews of old information.... the Poscadar Elves of Anchorome, its said they came from somewhere that was full of snow. I automatically assumed based on their appearance that they were snow elves which moved out of the mountains. Given the closeness of Evermeet to Anchorome.... I wonder if that elven colony was actually in Anchorome.... and did it transfer to Abeir?
Prince Lamruil's wife, Maura Silverhand, stayed behind to fight the dragons in a 'rear action' (there's a joke in there somewhere), and when Lamruil returned (after changing his pissy pants, apparently), everyone was gone, and he is still looking for her.
Now, they could have all gotten gobbled up by dragons, orrrrrrr.... they could have traveled across the frozen wastes into Anchoromé, because the top of the world is (sometimes, according to some answers I got from Ed) covered with a massive glacier, connecting everything up there. However, the existance of the Poscador elves predates these events, so those elves are probably part of the more fey-like wild/wood elves that were on Toril before the arrival of the gold & silver elves from Tintageer, so pre-(Elven)Sundering... which reached into the past, so even though it happened at a MUCH later date then The Sundering (1.0), it managed to alter THAT event, giving us the sundering we know (1.5?), wherein Evermeet was created... which is also covered in Elaine's excellent Evermeet: Island of Elves novel (just a paragraph or two with sweeping descriptions of the catastrophe that caused).
There was one, Pangea-like proto-continent (AFAIK) that broke apart during THE Sundering, which was when Ao split the world asunder (and created abeir). When the elves did their High magic ritual (centuries later), they altered those events to create Evermeet (which, presumably, caused the destruction of Tintageer - its all about 'balance'). I am of a mind that that is when the Poscador elves wound up on that other continent (although there were thousands of years in-between where that could have happened as well). I recall writing a little something about them in my theoretical 'Brown Elves' piece for the Elven Netbook project (Elves of Faerūn). Brown Elves would simply be a nomadic offshoot of the wood/Sylvan group.
EDIT:
After re-reading what you posted, I now realize I misunderstood you. You never said you thought the Poscador elves were the 'refugees' from Auserial . My bad. 
There WAS a time when much more of the 'top of the world' was covered with that glacier (probably thanks to the events of the Twilight Giants) - thats when that pic I posted above would have been more accurate (all of this I discussed with Ed, in exchanges over the years). That means groups of people (and critters) could have migrated across the icecap to other regions. This is how the Ulutiuns got to the Great Glacier (Pelvuria) - I had theorized that they were a group of Kara-Turans that had done so, and the GHotR also says as much in one entry (whether that was based upon my ponderings, or arrived at independently, I am not sure).
Right now, Toril is going through a 'warm phase' (with many of its glaciers melting/reducing), which may or may not be entirely natural (my personal thoughts on this is that its just 'righting itself' from all the magical thingumery that's been done to the weather and geography over the milenia). So, those 'ways' are probably cut-off now (although there is also evidence it's cyclic, just like here on Earth, so it does 'reconnect' at times - think 'Northwest Passage' here on Earth). Ed told me (in his thread) that the Great Ice Sea (Yal Tengri) does connect to the Sea of Floating Ice, from time to time (like during the 3e era - you'll note Vassa has only recently {on a planetary scale} 'been released from the ice'). |
"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 13 Jan 2017 19:27:41 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2017 : 19:55:05
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The above post is already TOO long, so...
I had also wrote an entry about the mythical 'Snow elves' in Elves of Faerūn - there is a story in there about Lamruil's journey to found a new Elven realm (and I've been told its one of my best pieces), and my assumption there is that it was on that ice Sheet above Evermeet, whether connected to Anchoromé, Faerūn, or both, is left up to you.
As for the Fonstad Atlas map (depicting the polar ice cap), I have decided that was an 'in game' map, probably from Candlekeep, that was made by explorers (Elves?) hundreds of years earlier, and isn't entirely accurate anymore ('anymore' also being a rather undefined time period, considering we now have people playing across 150 year swath of time in the Realms). It would have be wrong in 3e, and it was probably made at least a century before 1e. As for 4e, well, that era is a confusing mess. In 5e, it may or may not have refrozen across (how much of a 'reset' did Ao do? If it was a TOTAL reset, shouldn't all the deserts be fertile again? Shouldn't all the missing islands and penninsulas be back again? Shouldn't Vassa be back under the ice again?) Apparently, Ao simply rolled everything back before Shar began her pogrom of making the prophesy of the Black Chronology come to pass, so the geography hasn't been reset to 'original', but rather, to pre-godly (pre-ToT/1e) direct intervention. |
"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 13 Jan 2017 19:59:31 |
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Sylrae
Learned Scribe
Canada
313 Posts |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2017 : 23:16:01
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Poscador Elves are mentioned in some of the Maztica material, and mostly in the City of Gold module, IIRC. They seem to be presented as somethig very close to American West 'Plains Indians' (native Americans), so if you look at some of the Dragonlance art, you'd be fairly close. Horse-riding, 'savage', and xenophobic (so YES, very much like Wild Elves, except without their forests).
As for 'not liking Elves', i think its more of a 'they've beaten that dead horse way too often'. Its just such an over-used fantasy trope that I've grown really tired of them. Especially in FR, where just about every human (and even some elven) genocide in history was caused by 'ebil elves', and yet, everyone still thinks they're 'cute & cuddly'. To me, hugging an elf would be akin to hugging a half-starved lion.
To quote Ed Greenwood from the notes in his Annotated Elminster - "Elves ARE monsters."
Now Dwarves... they're cute & cuddly.  |
"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 13 Jan 2017 23:18:44 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11699 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2017 : 01:18:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Just wondering, is this the snowy kingdom where they supposedly brought the tree too? As far as I know, nothing much was ever detailed. Given some recent reviews of old information.... the Poscadar Elves of Anchorome, its said they came from somewhere that was full of snow. I automatically assumed based on their appearance that they were snow elves which moved out of the mountains. Given the closeness of Evermeet to Anchorome.... I wonder if that elven colony was actually in Anchorome.... and did it transfer to Abeir?
Prince Lamruil's wife, Maura Silverhand, stayed behind to fight the dragons in a 'rear action' (there's a joke in there somewhere), and when Lamruil returned (after changing his pissy pants, apparently), everyone was gone, and he is still looking for her.
Now, they could have all gotten gobbled up by dragons, orrrrrrr.... they could have traveled across the frozen wastes into Anchoromé, because the top of the world is (sometimes, according to some answers I got from Ed) covered with a massive glacier, connecting everything up there. However, the existance of the Poscador elves predates these events, so those elves are probably part of the more fey-like wild/wood elves that were on Toril before the arrival of the gold & silver elves from Tintageer, so pre-(Elven)Sundering... which reached into the past, so even though it happened at a MUCH later date then The Sundering (1.0), it managed to alter THAT event, giving us the sundering we know (1.5?), wherein Evermeet was created... which is also covered in Elaine's excellent Evermeet: Island of Elves novel (just a paragraph or two with sweeping descriptions of the catastrophe that caused).
There was one, Pangea-like proto-continent (AFAIK) that broke apart during THE Sundering, which was when Ao split the world asunder (and created abeir). When the elves did their High magic ritual (centuries later), they altered those events to create Evermeet (which, presumably, caused the destruction of Tintageer - its all about 'balance'). I am of a mind that that is when the Poscador elves wound up on that other continent (although there were thousands of years in-between where that could have happened as well). I recall writing a little something about them in my theoretical 'Brown Elves' piece for the Elven Netbook project (Elves of Faerūn). Brown Elves would simply be a nomadic offshoot of the wood/Sylvan group.
EDIT:
After re-reading what you posted, I now realize I misunderstood you. You never said you thought the Poscador elves were the 'refugees' from Auserial . My bad.
There WAS a time when much more of the 'top of the world' was covered with that glacier (probably thanks to the events of the Twilight Giants) - thats when that pic I posted above would have been more accurate (all of this I discussed with Ed, in exchanges over the years). That means groups of people (and critters) could have migrated across the icecap to other regions. This is how the Ulutiuns got to the Great Glacier (Pelvuria) - I had theorized that they were a group of Kara-Turans that had done so, and the GHotR also says as much in one entry (whether that was based upon my ponderings, or arrived at independently, I am not sure).
Right now, Toril is going through a 'warm phase' (with many of its glaciers melting/reducing), which may or may not be entirely natural (my personal thoughts on this is that its just 'righting itself' from all the magical thingumery that's been done to the weather and geography over the milenia). So, those 'ways' are probably cut-off now (although there is also evidence it's cyclic, just like here on Earth, so it does 'reconnect' at times - think 'Northwest Passage' here on Earth). Ed told me (in his thread) that the Great Ice Sea (Yal Tengri) does connect to the Sea of Floating Ice, from time to time (like during the 3e era - you'll note Vassa has only recently {on a planetary scale} 'been released from the ice').
NOTE: Poscadar elves are like wild elves, BUT they are much taller than other elves.
Yeah, you're hitting around the same idea I was thinking. That stretch at the top of Anchorome that is almost to the island nation Tuern.... it probably starts turning into frozen glaciers... possibly the Poscadar elves migrated south from there millennia prior. The elves of Evermeet actually begin interacting with the Poscadar elves around this time in aiding Fort Flame (1366 DR), so maybe in the interaction with them they learned of the Poscadar elves old homeland. They then set out in search of it in 1371?
Hmmm, I had not realized that a daughter of the Seven Sisters was involved in all this and had disappeared.... that in and of itself could prove interesting.
From 1366 DR in GHotR
After two years, the Flaming Fist [1364] mercenary company receives
reinforcements at the embattled Fort Flame. The fledgling garrison and colony grows to about three hundred. Newly arrived elves in the group hope to negotiate peace with local wild elves. (these local wild elves are the Poscadar elves)
From City of Gold on Poscadar elves
Poscadar Elves
The plateau north of the Pasocada River and Long Canyon is home to the Poscadar Elves;a tall, bronze skinned tribe of demi-humans who lead a nomadic existence hunting bison and other great game across the grassy plains. Poscadar lore says the elves came from the north, generations ago, where they were first created by the gods in a land of perpetual ice and snow. A wise shaman led them south, where the sun shone warm in the summer, and the great wild herds assured health and plenty year round. Here they met humans #151;ancestors of the Azuposi#151;who befriended them and traded grains for hides and meat from the elves. For all remembered generations, even to the present day, the Poscadari and the Azuposi have been at peace. (Note, the Azuposi are humans who appear to be of Kara-Turan/ Wu-Haltai descent, but living like Pueblo Indians)
And from Lands of Intrigue
Through the effort of the Flaming Fists, Fort Flame, the sole settlement of Balduran, survives despite frequent attacks by the wild elves in these northern jungles. The fort's inhabitants have few resources to spare for trade, but their plan to gain "Calishite fire"; (a nonmagical, alchemical incendiary) should allow them to burn away the surrounding jungle, giving them both agricultural land and a buffer zone against the elves. Strangely, elves who arrive here from Faerūn cannot communicate with the wild elves of this land , who show no willingness to talk with anyone. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 14 Jan 2017 01:25:06 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11699 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2017 : 01:33:34
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| Another thing to note, I always found it interesting that the Elves of Evermeet were so close to Anchorome, yet they had no contact with these elves. Since they didn't share a language, a part of me half wondered if these elves didn't actually come from Abeir. Also, as I read even more, I really like the idea of Laerakond going northwest of Evermeet. Putting it between Evermeet and its northwesterly satellite city could prove interesting. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2017 : 04:51:25
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Those Elves probably worship something closer to the Yuir Totems (old fey deities), and are unfamiliar with the Elven Pantheon (who I think are all just ascended elves/Fey themselves).
The elves of Athas - who would be very similar to the 'plains elves' of Anchoromé - are also much taller than normal (non-DS) elves and even humans. I think that means both groups are much closer to their Fey heritage than the elves we are familiar with (traditional elves in folklore were original taller/grander than humans, before 'the dwindling', although most of the tales about them say they can also change size at will... much like Spriggan (fey gnomes), Duergar (fey dwarves), and Firbolgs (fey giants).
So, if like Duergar they can alter their size at will, then perhaps their tall stature might be just how they prefer outsiders to see them.
There is also RW legends of 'giant humans' living in North America way back when, which the authors may have been thinking about. The RW ones may be related to the Bigfoot legends, or (and more likely), be descendants of Norse that had landed and settled in the Americas (because they would have appeared very large and hairy {bestial} to the Native Americans, who do not grow facial hair normally). I believe Bryan James may have also gone in that direction with his original GHotR - he had a tribe of ancient humans (the Azuposi) that had gotten separated from the rest when the Pangean continent broke apart. |
"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 14 Jan 2017 04:52:33 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11699 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2017 : 15:43:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Those Elves probably worship something closer to the Yuir Totems (old fey deities), and are unfamiliar with the Elven Pantheon (who I think are all just ascended elves/Fey themselves).
The elves of Athas - who would be very similar to the 'plains elves' of Anchoromé - are also much taller than normal (non-DS) elves and even humans. I think that means both groups are much closer to their Fey heritage than the elves we are familiar with (traditional elves in folklore were original taller/grander than humans, before 'the dwindling', although most of the tales about them say they can also change size at will... much like Spriggan (fey gnomes), Duergar (fey dwarves), and Firbolgs (fey giants).
So, if like Duergar they can alter their size at will, then perhaps their tall stature might be just how they prefer outsiders to see them.
There is also RW legends of 'giant humans' living in North America way back when, which the authors may have been thinking about. The RW ones may be related to the Bigfoot legends, or (and more likely), be descendants of Norse that had landed and settled in the Americas (because they would have appeared very large and hairy {bestial} to the Native Americans, who do not grow facial hair normally). I believe Bryan James may have also gone in that direction with his original GHotR - he had a tribe of ancient humans (the Azuposi) that had gotten separated from the rest when the Pangean continent broke apart.
Yeah, the elves of Birthright, on the world of Aebrynis on the continent of Cerilia, are also taller than humans. They're also xenophobes. The big thing I note between them and the Poscadar is that the Poscadar are actually friendly with humans, so long as the humans are also low tech and living such that they "use all of the buffalo", etc...
On the various descendants of humans in the City of Gold area, just because I find it interesting to talk of, the Metahel appear to be descendants of Northmen. I get the feeling that they were originally called "Metal Helms", and the name was corrupted over time.
From City of Gold on the Metahel
"They are extraordinary fishermen and, on the ocean coast, whalers. They emigrated to this region from the northwest several centuries ago. Their language is, quite different from the other local tribes#146;. When they first arrived, the Metahel fought with the Azuposi
<snip>
In their distant ancestral homeland, the Metahel built long lodges out of trees. Here mud and stone are more plentiful building materials."
The Azuposi appear to be descendants of Wu-Haltai of Kara-Tur (this is noted in city of gold).
The Nahopaca and Dog People... there's not enough lore to get an idea if they're immigrants or true natives, but PERSONALLY I get the idea that the Nahopaca are a mixed breed. It specifically states that the two groups are related, but the Nahopaca seem to be more elevated. The Nahopaca are/were intensely afraid of Esh Alakar, so I suspect that their people may have been slaves to the ancient evil that once controlled that city. They may have also picked up their streak of meanness from their time of enslavement as well. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2017 : 16:51:45
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I completely forgot about the Metahel! 
Good catch - its been years since I've been through the Maztica stuff.
Now that I think about it, Iroquois had 'longhouses' VERY similar to that of the Norse, and they populated the NE of the Americas. Hmmmmm...
Also, there are two canon instances that mention large groups of people emigrating from Kara-Tur to Maztica/Anchormé. One was in Once Around the Realms, and they used a 'shortcut' through the 'Realm of Death'. That was 2e, so one might assume they were mistaken for the Shadowfell (all sorts of 'wraith-like' thingies were flitting about). The God Monkey guided them. The other says they traveled underground, but I forget where that reference is located. I think Monkey may have also been involved in that one. I also think maybe Monkey might be the same god as Coyote in Amerind mythos (which would be appropriate for that region). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11699 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2017 : 03:00:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I completely forgot about the Metahel!
Good catch - its been years since I've been through the Maztica stuff.
Now that I think about it, Iroquois had 'longhouses' VERY similar to that of the Norse, and they populated the NE of the Americas. Hmmmmm...
Also, there are two canon instances that mention large groups of people emigrating from Kara-Tur to Maztica/Anchormé. One was in Once Around the Realms, and they used a 'shortcut' through the 'Realm of Death'. That was 2e, so one might assume they were mistaken for the Shadowfell (all sorts of 'wraith-like' thingies were flitting about). The God Monkey guided them. The other says they traveled underground, but I forget where that reference is located. I think Monkey may have also been involved in that one. I also think maybe Monkey might be the same god as Coyote in Amerind mythos (which would be appropriate for that region).
Never read "Ance around the realms" (I heard its a rough read), but the story of the Azuposi says they came from beneath the earth and were led to the surface by "Skeleton Man"/Masauwu.... who is their patron spirit of life, death, and fertility and who introduced them to fire. So, the idea that they came from the underground but were led to the surface by some kind of death spirit matches up with both of the things you mention above (nothing to do with monkey or coyote though). That being said, nothing says where the other races currently in Maztica came from, and the Mazticans in particular seemed to have migrated from these northlands of Anchorome, and their deity Nula could easily be monkey since said goddess typically appears as a monkey. Now, what might have caused a tribe of humans to traverse the underdark from Kara-Tur and come to Maztica? Same could be said for those dark elves, dwarves, and halflings that apparently came from Faerun.
Hell, for all we know...... Abeir is in the center of Toril in a hollowed out world with some kind of "steelsky" that prevents them realizing that they're on the inner side of a sphere. Basically the same kind of Hollow World concept as Mystara.
Hmmmm... on the Kara-Tur migration...
page 93 of the Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms Boxed Set... which is the section on the Northern Wastes where the Wu-Haltai are mentioned. Honestly, I never knew much about Kara-Tur prior to this, but this is interesting.
After battling a bakemono horde at the Hill of Namaskar, Queen Triala of the Tayamulchi decided that her homeland was no longer safe. Guided by a divinely-inspired vision, or so she claimed, her people would leave in search of a new land. It would be a rich land where the reindeer would thrive, where the streams are almost choked with salmon, where the winters are mild and in summer the forest overflows
with nourishment.
The clans elected to follow her vision; it provided more hope than what was promised by the wolfish tribes that surrounded them in the Ama Basin. Therefore they journeyed north, vengefully razing some
humanoid territory on the way, into the Land of Snow Demons.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 15 Jan 2017 03:50:01 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2017 : 06:50:10
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I believe there is a reference somewhere in the GHotR as well, but I might be mistaken.
Not sure where the monkey/Underdark reference is from - it definitely sounds more like something that may have been in the Maztica material, rather than the K-T material (since Maztica didn't even exist when 95% of the K-T material was written). The only K-T source it could have come from is Ronin Challenge, which was the 2e update for K-T (and IIRC, there was indeed a write-up for monkey in there, as well as the Black Panther (another deity that makes a great fit for Maz.). Its one of my favorite K-T sources.
As for Once around the Realms, YES, it is a pretty rough read, especially if you don't get all the references to 60's/70's/early 80's TV shows, but if you can stand the non-stop stupidity, there are tons of little nuggets of lore spread throughout them. It is literally a trip around the WORLD, which means stuff on every continent, and there are some pretty cool details in there (like how the Amnians have plantations where they use the small, dusky halflings as servants over in Maztica). The only lore I truly hated was the stuff that happened in the Endeless Wastes (there was a 'Khan Artist'... no... REALLY). |
"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 15 Jan 2017 06:51:45 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11699 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2017 : 14:27:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I believe there is a reference somewhere in the GHotR as well, but I might be mistaken.
Not sure where the monkey/Underdark reference is from - it definitely sounds more like something that may have been in the Maztica material, rather than the K-T material (since Maztica didn't even exist when 95% of the K-T material was written). The only K-T source it could have come from is Ronin Challenge, which was the 2e update for K-T (and IIRC, there was indeed a write-up for monkey in there, as well as the Black Panther (another deity that makes a great fit for Maz.). Its one of my favorite K-T sources.
As for Once around the Realms, YES, it is a pretty rough read, especially if you don't get all the references to 60's/70's/early 80's TV shows, but if you can stand the non-stop stupidity, there are tons of little nuggets of lore spread throughout them. It is literally a trip around the WORLD, which means stuff on every continent, and there are some pretty cool details in there (like how the Amnians have plantations where they use the small, dusky halflings as servants over in Maztica). The only lore I truly hated was the stuff that happened in the Endeless Wastes (there was a 'Khan Artist'... no... REALLY).
The halflings as servants is exactly how I'm using them up in the Pasocada basin area. There's this rich area in the hills with several small rivers inhabited by "the short ones". Just next door to them is the city of Esh Alakar, which is a empty city of ancient evil that I setup my red wizards in (they enslaved the undead and used magic to usurp control of the golems). Originally, they were toiling in the fields, but the red wizards have actually begun capturing other individuals for that kind of heavy work (or using skeletal servants that don't tire). Now many of these former halfling slaves live on their old land, using simple magical trinkets that allow them to control a single skeleton (humanoid or animal, with only specific commands) to work their fields. Others have left the fields entirely to work indoors as servants doing simple work (some are even educated for reading, math, etc.. though this is more so they can act as simple foremen, carpenters, etc... not "Mulan" work).
Thanks for the heads up on Ronin's Challenge. I thought it was just an adventure. I may take a look. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2017 : 22:44:56
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When I say 'update'. I'm talking mostly rules here, and some clarifications about confusing K-T stuff (like there's a chart in Ronin Challege that tells you how all the maps in the Kara-Tur boxed set go together), and also some nice lore about the racial sub-groups in K-T, and languages.
Most of it is an adventure that also details a large region (the Larang Valleys) that was never detailed in any other products, so its more like a modern AP then most of the stuff back then was. Throughout it, though, you get bits of the greater K-T history, especially when you get to the Library of Perpustakaan (the Candlekeep of the east).
It also muddies the waters quite a bit concerning the history of Tan Chin and Shou Lung, because there is another named character in there with some history in-common, and there is even clay statues (golems) that can be reanimated into an army... just like they did in another K-T locale in the Horde adventure series (its like the same lore was re-applied to a different person and area... weird). I've personally reconciled all of that by saying that was another 'body' Tan Chin possessed for a time. I recall pulling my hair out trying to build a cohesive timeline of the East.
On the other hand, you can easily just ignore the adventure, because its really secondary to all the wonderful lore you get, and I highly recommend it. |
"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 15 Jan 2017 22:46:45 |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2017 : 17:30:54
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| Very nice, Markus, I've never read the adventures with proper care. There is also some fine lore on the Nine Immortals. Of course, it can be considered myth... |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2017 : 02:04:06
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We used GHotR to try and fix the issue of Auseriel and the Tree of Souls that arose out of Rich Baker's "Last Mythal" novel trilogy where he forgot that the Tree of Souls was given to Lamruil to plant in his own realm. I came up with the idea that he took the tree there but didn't actually plant it before coming under attack from white dragons. That way Rich Baker got to plant it in Myth Drannor. The relevant entries are in GHotR at pgs.151 an 154. We also came up with the juicy "missing Maura" sub-plot that remains ... well, a mystery.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Prince Lamruil's Hidden Elven Nation?
