| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 14 Jun 2010 : 20:46:25
Evening folks!
A question for you all: How much do we know about Abeir?
- It was ruled by the Primordials.
- The dragons that they rode into battle (F'ing Metal) against the Estelar overthrew them at some point.
- Laerakond got slurped off the planet and stuck to Toril during The Plague.
- There's another continent there going by the name of Shyr with lots of Genasi.
- Karshimis, another Primordial with a cool house does/did live there.
Anyone else got any official tidbits? anyone fancy dreaming up some homebrew goods?
Also, the image created in my head by vast legions of proto-deities clashing with equally vast hordes of dragon riding primordials all across the infant cosmos is dead cool. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 17 May 2011 : 20:00:04
Thumping great over-engineered clocks have now become a standard fixture in dwarven cities my PCs visit! |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 17 May 2011 : 18:38:09
-Off hand, asides for Narbondel (the rock in Menzoberranzan), I can't tell you other modes of keeping track of date/time in the Underdark. Given, though, that there's plenty of sentient races, in various cities, there would certainly numerous different ways to do so.
-Water dripping into a pool at a controlled pace could be one way. Generic sand timers, like we have, could be another. Dwarves could have actual clocks. The possibilities are really broad. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 17 May 2011 : 16:55:12
I know there's that glowy rock pillar thingy in Menzoberranzanmanamnam (sp?) for time keeping, what other underdark time keeping methods are there? As for the segmentation of Abeir, the Returned bit of it is certainly pretty broken up; small kingdoms and city states separated by sizeable no-go areas, all just recently out from under dodgy dragon rule. the rest of planet Abeir is almost totally unknown, so how typical this state of affairs is is unknown (all the above deliborately, I suspect). |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 17 May 2011 : 07:54:41
-Modes of dating, telling time, etc. exist in the Underdark, so there wouldn't necessarily have to be fluctuations in the Steelsky (or whatever the proper term is for what you're referencing) for there to be calendars, methods of telling time, and all that other stuff. But, yeah, there'd be ways to do that above stuff, and there'd probably be many different "accepted" means of doing so, if the place is or was highly segmented. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 15:38:02
unless Ed says otherwise, I'd imagine Abeir wouldn't have a single dominant calendar; don't have my books handy, but I think they just recently came out from under generations of tyrannical dragon rule (a dragon-flavoured calendar?), and no large scale civilising powers are (or were recently) about. Perhapse each each former dragon fiefdom had it's own callendar that changed according to the whims/deeds/successions of their respective rulers? Perhapse regular-ish fluctuations in the Steelsky (or whatever the vault Abeir was under is called) were charted by some clever chap/chapette and a calendar developed off the back of that? |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 15:13:17
quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
One idea I had was that if the absence of gods from Abeir (returned or otherwise) means an absence of divinely inspired spallcasting, etc, it doesn't necessarily mean that poeple don't worship and that you don't get priestly types wafting about.
I quite like the idea of having cults or even entire religions lead by warlocks/wizards/sorcerers dedicated to single primordials or even pantheons of the beasties. Somehow it has a rather Conan the Barbarian feel to me, and perhapse, after the fall of most of hte primordials, their former dragon servants might have taken their place, acting as avatars of or messengers from their toppled masters.
Also, without quite so many crusading clerics and paladins/blackguards running around, druids, shamans and other such nature/primal spirit worshippers might get a better look in. similarly, without god-botherers arrayed against them, demon/devil/angel(?) cults might get bigger and braver.
Finally, in the aftermath of the Dawn War (or whatever you fancy), when Big Daddy stepped in to sort out the naughty children and separated Abeir and Toril, some gods might have been trapped on Abeir much like some primordials appear to have been trapped on Faerun. Much reduced proto-deities from the dawn of time out in hiding and trapped in mortal-ish form could be fun.
I also thought about divine classes as being rare or non-existent (see one of my earlier posts in this scroll). I really like the idea about the proto-deities! 
EDIT: I almost forgot, I asked Ed if the Abeirrans (sp?) have a calendar of their own. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 14:21:35
One idea I had was that if the absence of gods from Abeir (returned or otherwise) means an absence of divinely inspired spallcasting, etc, it doesn't necessarily mean that poeple don't worship and that you don't get priestly types wafting about.
I quite like the idea of having cults or even entire religions lead by warlocks/wizards/sorcerers dedicated to single primordials or even pantheons of the beasties. Somehow it has a rather Conan the Barbarian feel to me, and perhapse, after the fall of most of hte primordials, their former dragon servants might have taken their place, acting as avatars of or messengers from their toppled masters.
Also, without quite so many crusading clerics and paladins/blackguards running around, druids, shamans and other such nature/primal spirit worshippers might get a better look in. similarly, without god-botherers arrayed against them, demon/devil/angel(?) cults might get bigger and braver.
Finally, in the aftermath of the Dawn War (or whatever you fancy), when Big Daddy stepped in to sort out the naughty children and separated Abeir and Toril, some gods might have been trapped on Abeir much like some primordials appear to have been trapped on Faerun. Much reduced proto-deities from the dawn of time out in hiding and trapped in mortal-ish form could be fun. |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 15 May 2011 : 20:55:24
quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
I'll definitely try to pitch in. Got any particular areas of lore you want to focus on?
Not in particular, I'm currently brainstorming on the area south of the Dusk Ports.
I'll post some stuff when I've properly fleshed things out.
I'm curious about what you can come up with, so feel free to share your work . |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 15 May 2011 : 19:50:32
I'll definitely try to pitch in. Got any particular areas of lore you want to focus on? |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 15 May 2011 : 01:20:08
Time for some scroll necromancy...
I was thinking of making a guide to Returned Abeir and to fill in the blanks and try to incorporate some the races and classes from the Player's Handbook 2 and 3.
If anyone is willing to share their homebrew RA lore it would be a fine addition. |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 11:52:54
quote:
Originally posted by Kyrene
quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
Seeing as Abeir (that is, the material plane Laerakond, AKA Returned Abeir, came from) has virtually zero lore, it'd be a pretty good place for some homebrew shenanigans. I might try and do up a bit on Shyr, Karshimis and the Genasi therein, etc...
That is a falacy. "Laerakond" and Returned Abeir is not the same thing. In the "Questions for Ed Greenwood (2008)" (page 64), Ed says this:quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
If using it as part of a new, non-Faerûnian setting, I’d call it “Laerakond” [pronounced “L-AIR-ah-KON-d”].
I settled on the ‘sounds’ of that coined name because they are different from the softer, more Celtic-green-and-pleasant-fantasy-Sherwood ‘feel’ of much of the most loved areas of Faerûn; if you’d prefer to echo that look and feel, call it something like “Tarathdeon,” instead.
I've seen a lot of scribes use the two terms interchangeably, but it is clearly not correct, and "Laerakond" is not a part of the canonical Realms.
You're right, the name Laerakond isn't official but I like to think the people native to (Returned) Abeir call it Laerakond and the people of Faerûn call it Returned Abeir. |
| Kyrene |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 08:21:06
quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
Seeing as Abeir (that is, the material plane Laerakond, AKA Returned Abeir, came from) has virtually zero lore, it'd be a pretty good place for some homebrew shenanigans. I might try and do up a bit on Shyr, Karshimis and the Genasi therein, etc...
That is a falacy. "Laerakond" and Returned Abeir is not the same thing. In the "Questions for Ed Greenwood (2008)" (page 64), Ed says this:quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
If using it as part of a new, non-Faerûnian setting, I’d call it “Laerakond” [pronounced “L-AIR-ah-KON-d”].
I settled on the ‘sounds’ of that coined name because they are different from the softer, more Celtic-green-and-pleasant-fantasy-Sherwood ‘feel’ of much of the most loved areas of Faerûn; if you’d prefer to echo that look and feel, call it something like “Tarathdeon,” instead.
I've seen a lot of scribes use the two terms interchangeably, but it is clearly not correct, and "Laerakond" is not a part of the canonical Realms. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 24 Jun 2010 : 03:08:32
I'm still interested. Lore about Abeir is stimulating because it is an entire world, an entire setting onto itself. |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 23 Jun 2010 : 21:00:13
quote:
Originally posted by Arioch
Have I killed this thread?
Of course not, I've just been a little preoccupied with RL (and possibly other scribes as well). |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 23 Jun 2010 : 17:27:15
quote:
Originally posted by Arioch
Have I killed this thread?
No! That's good stuff, and very much what I'd like to collect in this scroll. I've just not been in attendance of late, as I've been busy with stuff outside the Realms, but I'll try to get some goods out in the near future.
Seeing as Abeir (that is, the material plane Laerakond, AKA Returned Abeir, came from) has virtually zero lore, it'd be a pretty good place for some homebrew shenanigans. I might try and do up a bit on Shyr, Karshimis and the Genasi therein, etc... |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 23 Jun 2010 : 15:21:04
No, Arioch. You'll find that some threads on lore will have a flurry of activity, then go silent as scribes put their heads down and churn out some lore (or move it off to the side for new lore), then come back to it later. |
| Arioch |
Posted - 23 Jun 2010 : 15:11:45
Have I killed this thread? |
| Arioch |
Posted - 17 Jun 2010 : 16:41:04
[Home Brewed Stuff]
As I analyzed in this thread http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13272 in my campaign the SpellPlague was connected with Pandorym and its Imaskari prison.
The entity's mind and body were kept separated by the Imaskari. I supposed that the body of the entity was put somewere on Abeir, while the mind resided on a plane more directly connected with Toril. The overlap between the two worlds happened when the two parts, at least temporarly, were freed simultaneusly by Cyric's doing.
Hope this is in line with what you asked, Cleric. [:-)]
[/Home Brewed Stuff]
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| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 17 Jun 2010 : 13:37:18
Good stuff. I especially like the Genasi creation story. The generic racial background for the Shardminds, if I recall correctly, is that they're vomited into existence as a sort of cosmic immunological response to the growing influence of the Far Realm. Perhaps the planes call down bits of the shattered gate in similar response to various stimuli?
I've also gone and given Torilian and Abeirian Genasi different aesthetics. The Torilian ones have the webbed toes, grass for hair, or whatever as per the 3e illustrations, whereas the Abeirian ones have the glowing seams of elemental energy and what not. The inter-lineage politics should be interesting to explore; one lot with races of elemental magic in their veins, the other ones 'blessed' and under the thrall of a Primordial... |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 17 Jun 2010 : 13:19:50
I've been thinking about some of the races that inhabit Abeir.
Genasi: Most genasi live on Abeir’s eastern continent Shyr and are ruled by a primordial called Karshimis. The origin of the genasi is long forgotten, but some scholars believe genasi native to Abeir were created after the Dawn War (the war between the Estelar and Dawn Titans). They were once humans who worshipped the primordials, who bestowed them with the power to command the elements as easily most humans eat or breathe.
Shardminds: Shardsminds are remnants of the Living Gate, that was destroyed during the Dawn War. A few of the Gate’s shards fell to Abeir but most of them were scattered across the planes. The destruction of the gate might have allowed creatures from the Far Realm to enter Realmspace, such as mindflayers and aboleths. Shardminds are a rare sight and have no settlements or cities of their own. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 15 Jun 2010 : 16:34:46
I believe there is an NDA regarding possible novels taking place in Abeir. I am hoping we get some juicy lore from these, which will come for sure. I actually hope we get some Dragonborn stories in it. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 15 Jun 2010 : 00:32:49
Who survived? The deities? Most likely, given that Zehir somehow made it over. If we go with the theory that Abeir is within Realmspace, hidden from view all this time (which seems likely, considering Ao has no power OUTSIDE OF REALMSPACE), then there shouldn't really be much of a problem with divine migration.
If you were talking about the populations... Why the hell not? Seems like all the Abeirans made it to Toril just fine.
As for races like Elves and Dwarves - I'm thinking that the stereotypical versions aren't there, but perhaps some other races that were similar - like Raptorans or Killoren - took their place, or even evolved from them (30+ thousand years is a LONG time).
As for canon info on the place - at one time I think Lord Karsus had a thread going over at WotC, but that hasn't been updated since the first year 4eFR came out. |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 15 Jun 2010 : 00:04:07
Because of what's known about Laerakond we can asume that:
- Fey such as elves, eladrin, and maybe gnomes don't inhabit Abeir, or are a rare sight.
- Abeir was ruled by primordials, because of that organized religion doesn't exist. This would mean divine classes wouldn't exist. Maybe primordials grant powers via warlock pacts. Another possibility is that primordials grant powers the same way gods do, like the ones worshipped in Faerûn (Akadi, Kossuth, ect.) and divine classes are as common as any other class.
- Maztica, Mulhorand (sp?) and Unther could be placed somewhere on Abeir. They might have introduced their deities to Abeir. Could they have survived?
That's all for now, hope this helps. |
| Cleric Generic |
Posted - 14 Jun 2010 : 22:09:30
Awesome.
-31'000DR is after the giants and dragons started getting all hissy with each other, right? That would make sense given the assumed association between giants and primordials... |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 14 Jun 2010 : 21:50:25
The split between Abeir and Toril happened around -31.000 DR (FRCG p. 41)
I'll have to dig through my Realms archive for possibly more official Abeir lore. I have some vague ideas about Abeir and I'll try to post some this week. |
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