| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kaeso |
Posted - 09 Aug 2006 : 19:12:33
I do not know a great deal about the history of Faerun, but at first glance it seems to me that most of the "movers and shakers" of Faerun are all humans, elves, or part elves. Where are the dwarves, halflings and gnomes? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ardashir |
Posted - 11 Aug 2006 : 17:30:18
quote:
Gnomish barbarian tribes? Or liches maybe?
"Blood for Urdlen!" I always thought a group of savagely evil gnomish Urdlen worshippers would make for a memorable encounter. Especially if the PCs are foolish enough not to take them seriously! |
| Ardashir |
Posted - 11 Aug 2006 : 17:26:18
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of MoradinFor the dwarves, we are still waiting for an author-hero of the dwarven people, that will give us a good sourcebook.
Dwarves of Faerûn.... sounds good 
I'd love to see that myself. Up the dwarves! (Er, in a good way.)
But until then, Races of Faerun and Lost Empires of Faerun give a lot of info on the little guys. And I for one would love to see someone do something with the current war between the gold dwarves and the duergar over the ruins of High Shanatar. I like that they're both trying to 'reclaim' something that originally belonged to the shield dwarves... |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 11 Aug 2006 : 10:46:03
oo i like your idea of a Svir Assassin or Shadow Mage, it adds new dimensions to ur typical deep gnome races XD |
| FridayThe13th |
Posted - 11 Aug 2006 : 01:19:24
quote:
Originally posted by Torkael
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by FridayThe13th
Yeah, you could always go with the Greyhawk bard gnome, but the idea of a gnomish bard just seems, weird, to me. Maybe its just because I have read too much DL and seen to much tinker gnomes to even consiter gnomes as anything else.
Uhh, gnomes need not be bards, either...
Try to use your imagination a little.
Gnomish barbarian tribes? Or liches maybe?
A gnomish lich? Sweet idea. "Imagines short, little liches with rocker launchers and AK-47s". Now that would scare the crap out of any adventuring party |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 20:26:47
I don't know, I fell in love with forest gnomes in the Marco Volo adventures with the spider wranglers in Spiderhaunt Woods |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 20:24:11
Nah, people!
Thief/Shadow Mage (or Illusionist) Svirfneblin all the way.
Or assassin Svirf, as my friend liked to play. :) |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 20:16:11
quote:
Originally posted by Reefy
I've been very taken with the forest gnomes, if the little blighters weren't so shy I'd consider using them more.
I have used them, mostly in 2nd Ed. they made excellent thieves...I imagine a ranger/rogue forest gnome in 3rd Ed. could be potent |
| Reefy |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 20:14:15
I've been very taken with the forest gnomes, if the little blighters weren't so shy I'd consider using them more. |
| Kaladorm |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 16:17:07
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by FridayThe13th
The gnomes... I would prefer to stay isolated. We don't need no Tinkers in the Realms.
Though Faerûnian gnomes do have a tendency towards mechanical aptitude, they are not the tinker gnomes of Krynn. To think of them as such is to do them a disservice.
If only they were. Those little guys are so much fun :) |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 15:30:40
Yep too many rules = well World Politics :D
Who says D&D is just a game anyways ;P |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 15:19:05
Lore's easier than rules... any kind of rules |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:55:11
Haha this is coming from someone who studies History, Literature and Economics (subjects which involve massive amounts of reading and memorisation) but totally GAVE UP when it came to the massive amount of D&D lore. . .Well i did try but yeah i kinda noticed when i thought i saw smoke rising outta my head. . . or was that just the burned toast
Nah it was both :P |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:53:21
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
The tinker-like aspect of the gnomes were the result of TSR bringing the concept of the tinker gnomes into the Realms, and also largely because Gond appeared (in the form of a gnome) on the island during the Time of Troubles.
I forgot about ToT fact...and that Gond subsumed the Nebulan (sp?)demigod/hero that was in the Monster Mythology book... |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:49:33
quote:
Originally posted by Aes Tryl
I think that tends to happen when someone tries to read and memorise all the D&D sourcebooks that ever came out. For those people who seem to be like Elminster and Khelben, you suck :P.
In a nice, friendly way of course XD
Damn...I'm caught...  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:48:53
The tinker-like aspect of the gnomes were the result of TSR bringing the concept of the tinker gnomes into the Realms, and also largely because Gond appeared (in the form of a gnome) on the island during the Time of Troubles.
|
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:40:24
quote:
Originally posted by Mace Hammerhand
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
Realm’s “tinker” gnomes
Tinker gnomes are DL territory.
But yes, the reclamation of a real dwarven realm would be cool. Mithral Hall and Felbarr are comparatively small compared to...uh...whatsitsname..the place for the Wyrmskull throne...
the "official" Tinker gnomes are dragonlance (the gnomoi/minoi) but in the late 2nd there started a big push to turn the rock gnome into a smarter/wiser/less annoying tinker gnome...thus their sudden affiliation to Gond, their "inventiveness", the gunsmith from the demihuman kits book, etc.
thus the "Realms tinker gnome" or Gondish Gnome I guess...I'v considered making the "gondish gnome" a new subrace..like the Lueren/Strongheart halfling |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:37:59
I think that tends to happen when someone tries to read and memorise all the D&D sourcebooks that ever came out. For those people who seem to be like Elminster and Khelben, you suck :P.
In a nice, friendly way of course XD |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:33:13
Aye...thanks...sometimes my brain is like a leaking waterbucket. |
| Aes Tryl |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:31:31
Hmm I believe you are refering to Shanatar and its eight cities right? |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:26:19
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
Realm’s “tinker” gnomes
Tinker gnomes are DL territory.
But yes, the reclamation of a real dwarven realm would be cool. Mithral Hall and Felbarr are comparatively small compared to...uh...whatsitsname..the place for the Wyrmskull throne... |
| Kiaransalyn |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:24:28
I'd forgotten about the appalling Dwarven names, like Dagnabbit and Tred McKnuckles.  And the gnomes have names like Nanfoodle as well.
Oh dear!  |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 14:09:39
ok, I can't quote it directly (yet) but in Dwarves Deep it says the ancient dwarves had rune magic that equaled elven high magic in strength and power...and if you took the continental map of Faerun and included the Hordelands and Kara-Tur you would see in the last 10,000 years that the dwarves controlled over 3/4 of the Upper Underdark with some surface holdings...their ruins are everywhere
And the dwarves with the "funny" names are usually otherwise quintessential dwarven warriors...like Dagnabbit...and I mark up those names not as “goofy” but as “ironic”...a lot of the old western outlaws had silly names but were really criminals and murderers
I always thought the 2nd Ed. Complete Book of Halflings and Gnomes did an excellent job on describing both races, even explaining rationally the “wanderer” hobbit and the Realm’s “tinker” gnomes
|
| Conlon |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 13:47:25
Ha! Funny link!
I would agree that the dwarves, halflings and gnomes have not been given their due in Realms literature. However, in terms of gaming, I still have players wanting to play archetypal racial characters like dwarven priests and halfling rogues, but as well as some less conventional ones (e.g halfling monk).
I read most FR novels that come out, including RAS' stuff. I must say that although his stories are not too bad, I don't really like the way he portrays many members of the dwarven race. To me, they just seem a little cartoony. However, he did a good job with that gnome, who's name I can't recall just now...
|
| Kiaransalyn |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 12:39:03
quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
The dwarves has been the circus characters of the realms to long, and a more culturally typical dwarf could perhaps correct this a little bit.
As an Englishman, it doesn't help that most dwarves seem to speak as though they come from Yorkshire. "Ken tha Genesis in t'Yorkshire tork? It be reet grand."
I do think the Realms needs a decent dwarven hero. One for who family and kin is important. With the Thunder Blessing you could make the hero a twin, why not a male and female?
I'll even offer to write it if there's demand. 
Or
I'll rite th'bugger me sen if yer like.  |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 11:46:29
quote:
Majority? I think it's safe to use 'all'
Most wise of you. ;) |
| Torkael |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 11:14:20
quote:
Originally posted by GothicDan
That's some imagination you have there. ;)
A gnomish lich? That's a cool idea.
Thanks. You should see our tabletop NPCs
quote:
Originally posted by GothicDan
(the majority of 3E Elf novels seem to focus on abnormal Elves rather than 'normal' ones).
Majority? I think it's safe to use 'all' |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 09:05:29
I agree with that, Jorkens.
Even the more proliferate races are coming under the same aegis of ambigious cultural delineation (the majority of 3E Elf novels seem to focus on abnormal Elves rather than 'normal' ones).
I have spoken with Rino about this a few times. ;) |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 09:04:03
I would want an eventual novel hero of the short races to go in exact the opposite direction. I want to see a typical gnome, hafling or Faerunian dwarf. Gnomes and hin have so little coverage that showing an exception would create a new standard (Drizzt any one?) instead of giving us a clearer picture of culture and thinking among these races. The dwarves has been the circus characters of the realms to long, and a more culturally typical dwarf could perhaps correct this a little bit. |
| GothicDan |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 06:55:58
That's some imagination you have there. ;)
A gnomish lich? That's a cool idea. |
| Torkael |
Posted - 10 Aug 2006 : 05:38:23
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by FridayThe13th
Yeah, you could always go with the Greyhawk bard gnome, but the idea of a gnomish bard just seems, weird, to me. Maybe its just because I have read too much DL and seen to much tinker gnomes to even consiter gnomes as anything else.
Uhh, gnomes need not be bards, either...
Try to use your imagination a little.
Gnomish barbarian tribes? Or liches maybe? |
