| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Shadowsoul |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 13:50:22
In the early history of Toril, it was ruled by giants and dragons. Are there any ruins left of their once great kingdoms? |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 22:30:53
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
LOL - FR has no shortage of 'long abandoned' keeps. 
and that goes without saying.... because some of them are long ago enough that they qualify as forgotten or lost.
Could you imagine having an module that has you looking for this one long lost forgotten keep, that you start in the family keep that has been in the family for 250 years, and you end up where you began after piecing the clues together finding out that the ruined keep of Shining thunder is in fact the keep that has been in the family for 250 years........ |
| Markustay |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 20:00:59
LOL - FR has no shortage of 'long abandoned' keeps. |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 18:45:21
or was it Blackarrow keep..... the one listed in the 3e silvermarches book |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 18:13:07
Actually, I think sfdragon was thinking of Darkhold, which WAS built by giants. At least according to its initial write-up in the Castles set, it was built more than a 1000 years before the present, though its origins are shrouded in mystery.
Which is somewhat foolish, since there were all manner of people living in that area a thousand years ago (not to mention elves and/or humans over the mountains to the east that became Cormyr). Plenty of folks to see and take notice. So it's more likely that Darkhold is what Castles suggests: simply a fortress of giant bandits, rather than a ruin from the long-fallen empires.
Though it could easily be a bandit fort built on the ruins of an earlier giant edifice. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 17:20:21
Dark Arrow Keep - now Citadel Felbarr - was dwarf-built.
I think you are thinking of The Citadel of the Raven, and in that case, maybe, maybe not. There is evidence it was built by human-sized beings, but there is also evidence it may have been an even older site created by someone else (as in, before the humans became advanced enough to build such a thing).
On the other hand, there was a short story that unfortunately depicted 'modern' humans (physically) in VERY ancient times, as part of the dragon kingdoms, so who's to say? I had a theory once that it was the Citadel built by the elf that escaped in that story - the one that created the Dracorage Mythal. Since that time, I have learned more lore trumped that theory (the location of that was better-defined in another story, so it couldn't have been the same place, sadly).
There are also giant-sized ruins all throughout the isles of the Sea of Fallen Stars, and along the southern coast of Faerūn (in/near Halruaa). There is an ancient giant kingdom - Fuirgar - in the Giant's Belt Mountains, down near the Shining Lands (near Raurin). No details, and since they are still there, perhaps not as 'ruinous' as you might be looking for (although if a kingdom 'in decline', then the ones that are left would indeed be living within their own ancient ruins). There is also a series of articles about the Portals of the Frozen Wastes that have some giantish ruins.
I know there are lots of others - those are just a few off the top of my head. |
| sfdragon |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 16:09:23
wasnt dark arrow keep built by giants????? |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 15:00:05
In the fire giant nation of Helligheim there was the fortress that today is known as Ironfang Keep |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 10 Jan 2014 : 14:13:00
Well this is a topic that might get you in trouble.
Giant lore in Faerun is very badly done and very inconsistent.
If you mean early early faerun (-30,000 DR onwards) then the giants had the kingdom of ostoria that spread from Vassa to the Sea of Fallen Stars and maybe even the Shaar.
Then that got smashed by the dragons and possibly fractured into many sub kingdoms that spread across faerun.
There were several giant realms around the Netheril area that were either destroyed by the Netherese, or dragons, or maybe even the Phaerimm magics.
There was the nation of stone giants (i think called Nedeheim) around the lands of intrigue i think that has become Cairnheim in the Underdark).
There was a giant presence around the moonsea that may have been fire giants.
Then of course there is the debacle of Hartsvale, but its probably best if you class that place not as a giant realm but more of a retreat. Like a winter palace or something, a place where the royalty of the various giant rulers of Ostoria would congregate to relax and get together etc.
Basically they are all over the place. If i were to put ruins anywhere, the most intact ruins would be buried inside the great glacier and in the mountains north of Vaasa.
The stonelands and the plain of standing stones in Anauroch may contain plenty of giant artefacts but the ruins themselves have been blasted to pieces and are the cause of some of the stones that give those lands their names (not the only cause though). |
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