| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Azar |
Posted - 04 Nov 2022 : 06:26:45
Evening, all.
Currently, I am strongly considering having The Great Ruins of Shoonach make an appearance as an extended above-ground "dungeon". Any halfway-respectable dungeon is abundant with all manner of magical items and the seat of the Shoon Imperium is no exception. The thing is, though, I want any native treasures found to feel distinct...ancient and at least slightly exotic (especially to characters hailing from Faerun's heartlands).
To that end, I wish to know if there are any official descriptions of specific materials (e.g. woods, metals, gemstones...), colors, craft styles, et cetera, that are representative of Shoonish - Shoonien? Shoonaki? Shoony? Shoonite? - goods. Assuming there isn't such a resource, what would you recommend? What do you imagine? My off-the-cuff opinion is that their wares were likely a peculiar hybrid of olden Calishite aesthetics and a few Tethyrian aesthetics that trickled in over the centuries. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 08 Nov 2022 : 05:17:42
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Do you have Empires of the Shining Sea and Lands of Intrigue and Calimport? That would be where to start.
Indeed, start with what is known. While keeping in mind that the empire of Shoons was much larger than Calimshan of 13xx DR and included what became Tethyr and Amn.
So, during the Sixth Age of Calimshan shoonrings (twisted bands of two different metals twined together, with specific metals being picked for desired functions) were the common design for magical rings. Conversely, Janyra's Rings (caved single gem) are said to be "unlike any others seen in the Pasha's Lands since the Era of Skyfire".
For stationary enchantments, consider Savilar's mosaics as a base.
Since common items tend to be the shell of choice when available - turbans, embroidery of precious metals on clothes.
Harness/baldric instead of bracers, because it's hot down there. Slippers, for the same reason.
The described Calishite cloaks are not mentioned as unusual. Of the two named, one was made of silk and embroidered, the other made of simple white linen.
Speaking of which, unusual extradimensional interfaces were made, but Calishites apparently did not create enough of safeholds to turn the continuum into Swiss Waterdhavian cheese, seeing how known side effects of this specific mess are not included among the numerous local problems.
quote:
nearly all of the defenders of the Pasha's Sabban (whether the amlakkar on the walls, the Farisan directly guarding the buildings and grounds, or the Qysaghanni guarding the syl-pasha and his family) are supplied with magical weapons while in the direct service of the ruler of Calimshan. Standard magical weapons are scimitars +1 and spears +2 for the rank-and-file warriors, while officers wield weapons of no less than +2 enchantments. Wands, while scarcer by far, are wielded by qysaghanni officers in addition to their spells.
- Calimport p.50
quote:
(Eraré Sabban)
The magical armories tend to have six to eight magical weapons such as scimitars +1, longbows +1, or wands of some type - wands of paralyzation or wands of lightning are the most common for the amlakkar. There are remote possibilities of having greater magic on hand, but only if the commander is a wizard himself.
- Calimport p.72
quote:
Originally posted by LordofBones
Go full ham: gemmed turbans and mitres, curved swords, snake staves, opulent robes, flowing vestments, pointed shoes.
Jafar, basically.
That's not ham, that's Disney. Not everything that comes out of the same beast is equally wholesome.  |
| LordofBones |
Posted - 06 Nov 2022 : 08:10:14
Go full ham: gemmed turbans and mitres, curved swords, snake staves, opulent robes, flowing vestments, pointed shoes.
Jafar, basically. |
| Azar |
Posted - 06 Nov 2022 : 04:09:45
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Do you have Empires of the Shining Sea and Lands of Intrigue and Calimport? That would be where to start.
I do own Lands of Intrigue. Hm...perhaps it is finally time to pick up Empires of the Shining Sea.
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
silk
A Cloak of Protection is likely to be made of thick reddish silk that features intricate stitching, for instance?
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
red gems
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
serpent/snake motifs.
A Shoonite Ring of Human Influence could be a coiled golden cobra with ruby eyes...gripping a tiny sphere of onyx in its fangs (because, you know, cobras were once reputed to possess the power of hypnosis). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 05 Nov 2022 : 01:13:46
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
The Shoonite "look" would resemble a general Middle Eastern motif although I would encourage you to not copy that slavishly and add some different elements. Mosaics are mentioned in the sources as being prevalent as are serpent/snake motifs. Steven Schend modelled the early noble families of Tethyr on the Scottish Highland clans and I've always wanted tartan to be a thing in Tethyr. Not in terms of kilts, but cloaks and scarves and with an oscillating pattern rather than straight lines (if that makes any sense).
-- George Krashos
I recently read that the thing of each family having its own tartan is a relatively recent invention, something from the last few centuries. I learned this when researching my clan tartan (I'm more Irish than Scottish, but the family originated in Scotland before settling in Ireland.) |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 05 Nov 2022 : 00:59:13
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
The Shoonite "look" would resemble a general Middle Eastern motif although I would encourage you to not copy that slavishly and add some different elements. Mosaics are mentioned in the sources as being prevalent as are serpent/snake motifs. Steven Schend modelled the early noble families of Tethyr on the Scottish Highland clans and I've always wanted tartan to be a thing in Tethyr. Not in terms of kilts, but cloaks and scarves and with an oscillating pattern rather than straight lines (if that makes any sense).
-- George Krashos
I don't know if I've ever had a good reason for this, but I always thought the Shoon were a parallel to the Umayyad. Military expansionists that conquered the region, introduced patrilineal rulership, and eventually fell apart only to be replaced by smaller, regional dyanasties.
The Tethyr dynasties would then go along the lines of the Turks / Ottomans... |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 04 Nov 2022 : 21:30:37
The Shoonite "look" would resemble a general Middle Eastern motif although I would encourage you to not copy that slavishly and add some different elements. Mosaics are mentioned in the sources as being prevalent as are serpent/snake motifs. Steven Schend modelled the early noble families of Tethyr on the Scottish Highland clans and I've always wanted tartan to be a thing in Tethyr. Not in terms of kilts, but cloaks and scarves and with an oscillating pattern rather than straight lines (if that makes any sense).
-- George Krashos |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 04 Nov 2022 : 16:32:08
I know of no lists of materials, but I picture Calishite item designs as being half-human and either half-djinn or half-efreet. Perhaps there is stuff out there about the Air or Fire elemental planes that talk about what stuff there looks like. Materials would be silk, brass (it's gotta be named the City of Brass for a reason, right), clear gems, red gems, and the like. Clouds and fire motifs would abound.
For Shoonite stuff, I would go with mostly human with just a touch of Calishite. A sword with a brass hilt or quillons. A dagger with a pommel shaped like a cloud. A wand with vaguely fire-like carvings. I really don't know enough about the plane of Fire or Air to be able to really go beyond that. |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 04 Nov 2022 : 10:13:38
Do you have Empires of the Shining Sea and Lands of Intrigue and Calimport? That would be where to start. |
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