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Phantom_Lord
Seeker
Pakistan
92 Posts |
 Posted - 08 May 2004 : 20:25:32
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Hello all.
Anyone have some info, background, personality description, or even stats to this NPC?
I'm running a Dalelands campaign this weekend and would like to get as much info together as possible.
Mucho Gracias & Kudos.
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Ponka! Kaddu! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2004 : 22:12:43
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I can't recall where I found it, but I did find this tidbit somewhere:
Given the controversy surrounding Lashan's fate, I inquired of the Sage of Shadowdale himself, and got the following reply.
Lashan's in stasis, entombed in rock, deep beneath the Underdark. He's also in larva (as in the Lower Planar creature) form, and rendered forever mindless...thus, as Lashan, he was "destroyed." (Heeeheee! You should have seen the faces of the my players when their persistent enquiries led them to THAT calmly-related information!)
P.S. Now is as good a time as any to remind folks on the list that TSR editors often change our wording...I never wrote "destroyed" re. Lashan, because in my original, some of his men were still wandering around the School, blades out, to bump into PCs at exactly the wrong times...(heh-heh)...
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2004 : 02:30:58
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If you have access to the old FR grey boxset it tells of Lashans fate in one of the Modules (the one with the Mage School)
The short version of the story is, after the surrounding nations banned together and Crushed his army, Lashan along with his most loyal followers fled to Myth Drannor with the intent of pillaging the Elven city of Magic items which he would used tostart another war. Unfortunately for Lashan they entered an school of Wizardry where a Lich had set up residence, Lashan upset the Lich so the Lich cast an Imprisionment spell on him. |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Phantom_Lord
Seeker
Pakistan
92 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2004 : 08:39:22
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Hmm. Any stats available anywhere? I posted for a request on the WOTC board but as yet to receive a reply.
Also I do ahve the old grey boxed set and most of the modules and sets that you guys are mentioning. Was he ever mentioned in some novels? I do know that he has a daughter that is stirring some strange brew in Scardale again.
Anyways, thanks for the help guys :)
Do you think I should post it in another section of this forum? |
Ponka! Kaddu! |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2004 : 09:00:52
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| Other than asking Ed himself, I don't think there's much else you can do, no. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2004 : 09:13:46
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Select tidbits from the Questions for Ed Greenwood scroll -
quote:
Despite his claims at the time of his attempted conquest, Lashan isn’t seen by many in the Dales to have been the “rightful” ruler of anywhere except by brute force -- and there haven’t exactly been a shortage of brute-force rulers in the Dragonreach lands over the last few centuries.
Here's another -
quote:
However, my play notes indicate that Lashan did openly pray to Bane on one occasion in his battles around Essembra, if that helps.
Oh, here's a little more although this comes from Dargoth -
quote:
The Scardale entry in the grey boxset says Lashan Aumersair inherited the dale from his father Uluf which I assume means it was a monarchy. If thats true and Scyllua is Lashans daughter then she would have a "legitimate" claim to Scardale.
I do believe I've found some more -
quote:
The public view of Lashan in the Dales is the same in Scardale as elsewhere: he brought death and strife and lawlessness and loss to us all by his cruel, grasping ambition . . . so now you want to give us MORE of same?
Last bit -
quote:
Not all of the supporters of Lashan died in the collapse of Lashan’s dreams. Many of them fled across the Reach, to join agents of Lashan already resident in Tantras
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2004 : 15:59:11
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Stats, schmats.
Lashan has the usual scattering of references, including perhaps some in Spellfire and the Shadow of the Avatar novels. |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2004 : 19:07:00
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Man! I'm glad I stumbled into this thread, though I am late for the weekend game, unfortunatly.
If you couldn't guess, Lashan has been an "iconic" NPC that has intrigued me to no end. I picked up the handle when I ran a game set up during Lashan's War and figured it was appropriate to use the handle as I researched stuff on the WOTC boards.
OK...what do you want to know? A lot of what I have read, I might not be able to tell you exactly where I read it. So, if that is the case, I apologize.
Scardale has been the only Dale that has a hereditary ruler, which some weight to the attempts of Sculla Darkhope to claim to be Lashan's daughter. Of course, it is standard procedure for the Black Network to attempt to install a proxy of neighboring lands. I believe that this was listed in the Dalelands book.
The earliest reference to Scardale and Lashan that I recall was in an early Dragon magazine that had the Ecology of the Otgun or neo-otgyun, or one of those slime beasts. It had a begining story of the old advisor to Lashan's father tell the story about how Lashan's father had a midden pit right outside the diplomatic negotiation room. The reason was that if things got rough, he could toss someone down into the midden and "disappear" the corpse. I am not sure which issue this was, but it was between issues #50-90. Quite a list, but it is between them.
There is also the first printing of the Myth Drannor module listed in a Dragon magazine. It is the same module as the one listed in the boxed set, except it is an PRGA competition module with standard characters to play. Same range of #50-90 on that one.
Listed in the Polyhedreon series of "Treasures of the Vast", which was also reprinted in the Raven's Bluff supplement, it says that Lashan and some retainers adventured in the mountains east and south of Kurth and managed to win a large amount of cash. This money helped finance his war.
Argh! I got a meeting to go to. More to come later.
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2004 : 20:00:30
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What else is there to say?
Lashan relied heavily on magic items and mercenaries in his war of conquest. Lashan was able to breeze through Featherdale. Most inhabitants mearly hid their daughters and valuables and waited out the occupation (Volo's Guide to Dalelands). Essembra was assaulted and it's walls were breached. The leader of Battledale was able to flee and live to fight another day. The war was taken to the outskirts of Deepingdale. Some cavalry was sent towards Mistledale, but Shadowdale helped rebuff this advance. The whole campaign concluded with the combined forces of Harrowdale, Shadowdale, Deepingdale, Mistledale, Sembia, Cormyr, and Zhentil Keep banded together to soundly defeat Lashan's forces before the winter came.
During the whole war, the elven nation of Cormanthyr vanished through portals to Evermeet.
Lashan, with about 20 henchmen, went to the recently unguarded ruins of Myth Drannor. He had a map that showed were the ancient School of Magic was. In the ruins, most of Lashan's henchmen succumbed to critters and defences. Lashan met with an insane lich who thought the school was still operational. Lashan physically attacked the lich. The lich cast feeblemind, polymorph (larva), and entombment on Lashan.
There was never any stats or even a description of Lashan in any supplement, because all this was considered history by the time the first supplement came out. The original grey box had a monthly posting of the past year or two, which included Lashan's War, but that was the most that was listed.
The Iron Throne started business during this war.
What else do you want to know? |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6651 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2004 : 09:21:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Lashan
The earliest reference to Scardale and Lashan that I recall was in an early Dragon magazine that had the Ecology of the Otgun or neo-otgyun, or one of those slime beasts. It had a begining story of the old advisor to Lashan's father tell the story about how Lashan's father had a midden pit right outside the diplomatic negotiation room. The reason was that if things got rough, he could toss someone down into the midden and "disappear" the corpse. I am not sure which issue this was, but it was between issues #50-90. Quite a list, but it is between them.
Actually this DRAGON article dealt with Harrowdale and remains one of the few remaining (after Steven and Eric's assiduous 'fixing' of FR conundrums in 2E) outlying bits of lore that don't fit the published Realms. Oh well, we'll get to it one day ....
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2004 : 11:44:36
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Curses! It's been years since I read that article, but I always remembered it to be Scardale. Oh, well. I should be happy that I even remembered it.
So, Krashos, you remember any bits about Lashan that I forgot? |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6651 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2004 : 15:02:04
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I'm pretty sure you got all the 'true' FR lore re Lashan. I recall that Ed has planted lots of rumours/clack re Lashan in various products that are patently untrue and are written as such - in other words, Lashan was/is a type of "boogie man" for many realmsfolk of the Dales and Inner Sea, and deeds are attributed to him that he couldn't possibly have undertaken himself. A bit like Gondegal. "City of Raven's Bluff" which I was re-reading last night seems to have more than its fair share of Lashan references, including the Kurth one.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2004 : 16:05:14
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I will have to re-read that product to review what few other references there are for Lashan. Heh...it was funny, b/c as you were describing the "boogy man", I was thinking of Gondegal.
There is one more thing that I recall I got out of Mr. Greenwood in another thread. It has more to do with Lashan's agents in Tantras (which there seemed to be a lot of). The True and Loyal House (temple to Torm) would ship items created in the major temple to be sent across Faerun for sale to improve the coffers of the faith. Well, when a shipment was being loaded onto some ships in harbor, agents of Lashan attacked the shipment. These fellows did this after Lashan disappeared, but were trying to secure their retirment after the war. Well, Brandon Battlemaster (a merc general) was with his top commanders in a nearby pub and heard the commotion. They came out to defend the shipment, and paid with their lives. They were raised and treated as heros. In fact, that is why there is a statue of Brandon in the south-western portion of the city. |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2004 : 21:28:03
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I just got a response from Ed Greenwood in another thread. He did respond to questions about Lashan.
quote:
I’m afraid any more direct revelations about your namesake, Lashan Aumersair, must remain unanswered for now, because I don’t want to get in the way of still-unfolding, still-secret Realms projects.
Which actually gives me hope. I still like to think that Lashan can come back. It has been a campaign dream of mine to one day require the players to go into Myth Drannor and try to convince the lich there that Lashan needs to be released from the entombment spell to fix Scardale. I'm assuming that a much humbler Lashan would emerge for this. |
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Phantom_Lord
Seeker
Pakistan
92 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2004 : 07:01:30
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Hey Lashan,
Thanks very much for the info, it really really does help tremendously.
I am about to run a d20 game based on the Lashan Wars, it will basically have Lashan rise up from Scardale just about the time he gains power after the death of his father. Then all the iconic PCs from my campaigns, Cormyr, Zhent, Sembian, and Hillsfar, will join to form a party that will be assigned to go after him as a special ops team.
This is gonna help tremendously.
Thanks again, Lashan.
Phantom_Lord |
Ponka! Kaddu! |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2004 : 07:38:48
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The LAshans fall module does say anything about Azimer polymorphing Lashan into a Larva
Azmimer Stunned Lashan with a Powerword stun spell, Paralysed him with the lichs touch, he then used ESP to read Lashans thoughts then after that cast an Imprisionment spell on him.
If you want to let Lashan out, use the time of troubles, remember magic went wild all over the Faerun, Lashans imprisonment spell may have failed and released him |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Sarelle
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
508 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2004 : 20:56:15
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If you wanted to be a bit evil (like I was to my players), you can have them work for Lashan and not know his plans. I had the players be up and coming heros who found employment under the ambitious Lord of Scardale. The players found and retreived magic items from all over the area in return for cash and prizes. Lashan asked for increasingly more morally ambiguous assingments until the point that they were outright evil. I tested the players' resolve to say NO to the DM and to their NPC boss. When the players finally realized that Lashan was an evil bastard who was out to cause a war in the Dalelands, it was too late. Oh, and all those great magic items they helped him get gave him a great edge in the war.
Of course, I had to plan the whole thing so that they were around the correct level to go through that module at the end. The whole campaign was a great success and my players still think about it from time to time. I had a whole slew of other plots going on at the time, as well.
Hope you had as much fun as I did in my game! |
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Lashan of Scardale
