| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 12 Oct 2006 : 04:20:52
I was going to post a topic about Dragon 349 in general, but this article definately warrented a topic on its own. While I am going to go through it in a bit more depth later, just doing a quick skim through of the article I have to say that the authors really understood the problem that arose from some of the "Earth-like" 2nd edition areas and addressed it.
How?
Its not that the region isn't still influenced by real-world Mongolian and other Eastern cultures, but its all in how its added into the region. Siremun, Songfarla, the Thayan, and Imaskari influence in the region is all stressed enough that you do feel that this area is part of the Realms, even if it is remote.
The Realms elements are presented first, tied to the rest of the Realms, tied to D&D elements in general (gnomish and dwarven kingdoms, wizards, etc), then the "psuedo-Eastern" flavor is added in to give the region some unique character. I really like it, and in a lot of ways this is the order that they should look at any region that people used to say "its the X (X=Real World Culture) of the Forgotten Realms" in 2nd edition.
Plus, we got a 3.5 version of the Dzalmus . . . I love those guys. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 11 Nov 2006 : 04:32:30
I'm a bit behind on reading Dragon, so I just started reading this article... But I was quite amused by the fact that in the Lake of Mists, there exists an "elusive pod of plesiosaurs".    |
| edbonny |
Posted - 28 Oct 2006 : 01:38:37
quote:
Originally posted by ShadowJack
Blast!!! Paizo still has not got me my issues of Dragon that I ordered! I really want that Hordeland article and the article on Impiltur in Dragon #346. Where are they? That proposed article on OldDeeping sounds great! Any idea when it may be released? Or is that NDA?
No NDA, just in the pitch stage. |
| edbonny |
Posted - 28 Oct 2006 : 01:37:56
quote:
Originally posted by Skeptic
Is there anything elsewhere about the "last imaskari" described in this article ? (I don't have my game books currently).
Yaravindar was written exclusively for this article, and has never appeared elsewhere. |
| Skeptic |
Posted - 28 Oct 2006 : 01:33:18
Is there anything elsewhere about the "last imaskari" described in this article ? (I don't have my game books currently). |
| Kuje |
Posted - 27 Oct 2006 : 23:21:35
Surprised that no one commented about this article bringing the current in game date to 1375, since most of the sourcebooks/novels are still being written for 1372 to 1374. |
| ShadowJack |
Posted - 26 Oct 2006 : 19:41:59
Blast!!! Paizo still has not got me my issues of Dragon that I ordered! I really want that Hordeland article and the article on Impiltur in Dragon #346. Where are they? That proposed article on OldDeeping sounds great! Any idea when it may be released? Or is that NDA? |
| Dart Ambermoon |
Posted - 26 Oct 2006 : 17:12:05
So do I...this sounds like extremely interesting stuff. Loving what I´ve been able to read of the work on the Hordlands so far. Loving it a lot, indeed... |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 26 Oct 2006 : 16:53:14
quote:
Originally posted by edbonny
Actually the oldest dwarven community in the Realms was written up for this article... and alas cut for space. The original article covered the entire Hordelands but had to be trimmed back to focus on the northwestern part of the region. You see, there was the first dwarven city settled in Faerun that came to be called Olddeeping... and all was good for millennia until the Nar-Raumathar war... and then things got horrible.
More to come, I hope, in Dragon.
Holy Crap! I really hope that can be published sometimes soon! |
| edbonny |
Posted - 26 Oct 2006 : 16:26:42
quote:
Originally posted by Kalin Agrivar
quote:
Originally posted by VonRaventheDaring
I would love to see more on Siremun, those dwarves really intrigue me and i have to note that any realms that will accept gray dwarves back into their ranks is a step in the right direction.
In the web enhancement, I was pleasantly surprised that someone actually remembered those "off-shoot" dwarven communities in the Hordelands, let alone calling them gold dwarves (whom the shield dwarves evolved from)...those communities may be the eldest dwarven holds in the realms...
Actually the oldest dwarven community in the Realms was written up for this article... and alas cut for space. The original article covered the entire Hordelands but had to be trimmed back to focus on the northwestern part of the region. You see, there was the first dwarven city settled in Faerun that came to be called Olddeeping... and all was good for millennia until the Nar-Raumathar war... and then things got horrible.
More to come, I hope, in Dragon. |
| VonRaventheDaring |
Posted - 25 Oct 2006 : 22:08:40
I agree Koushiro and i hope that this hordelands article is just the begining of good realms articles, and information on the region. |
| Koushiro |
Posted - 25 Oct 2006 : 21:25:55
I just got this month's issue yesterday, and I must say the horde article was quite well done, I just hope that WoTC and Dragon doese not take this to mean they can cross the hordelands off their list. I would love it if they continued to expand on this region. |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 25 Oct 2006 : 16:50:59
quote:
Originally posted by VonRaventheDaring
I would love to see more on Siremun, those dwarves really intrigue me and i have to note that any realms that will accept gray dwarves back into their ranks is a step in the right direction.
In the web enhancement, I was pleasantly surprised that someone actually remembered those "off-shoot" dwarven communities in the Hordelands, let alone calling them gold dwarves (whom the shield dwarves evolved from)...those communities may be the eldest dwarven holds in the realms... |
| ShadowJack |
Posted - 25 Oct 2006 : 16:46:22
Indeed, I am still waiting on my issues from Paizo, but the free download they had was a great read! Good info! I can not wait to get my hands on George's article also. I am re-reading the Rage of Dragons and Impiltur has once again captured my imagination. |
| VonRaventheDaring |
Posted - 25 Oct 2006 : 15:55:39
okay i have to say I love this Horde Article yes i had to drive an hour out of my way to get it, but it was worth it! :D I have to say i like the wonderful update and overview look for this previously forgotten region. I would love to see more on Siremun, those dwarves really intrigue me and i have to note that any realms that will accept gray dwarves back into their ranks is a step in the right direction. I would really love to see an update on Kara-Tur for kinda a after the horde update on events.
On a side note i must say the more Krash please, in scale mail amused me quite a bit. I feel the same way but was supprised someone actually wrote in, i guess i should do that myself more often to express my desire to Dragon. After all its true what they say if you don't participate you can't complain. (actually its Vote you can't complain but eh its generally right) |
| Jorkens |
Posted - 19 Oct 2006 : 13:24:08
Seeing this Web enhancement makes me consider buying my first Dragon magazine for years. This really looks good. |
| Archwizard |
Posted - 19 Oct 2006 : 00:46:55
My back issue hasn't arrived yet, this serves as a good sneak peak, and a good look it is. Paizo stayed on top of their web enhancements better than WotC. |
| Dargoth |
Posted - 19 Oct 2006 : 00:17:51
Pazio have a stuck a Pdf containing stuff cut from the Horde article here
http://paizo.com/dragon/resources |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 18 Oct 2006 : 23:18:26
quote:
Originally posted by Lady Kazandra
I like the yak men (one of my favorite monster entries in MMII), and I love that article.
It was issue #241 BTW -- "Campaign Classics: The Roof of the World" (Wolfgang Baur). They're called the yikaria.
Well met
Ahh, Yak men, wonderful beings and appealed to me straight away as soon as I clapped eyes on them  Remind me a little of Beasts of Chaos too  |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 18 Oct 2006 : 21:25:31
>>I like the yak men (one of my favorite monster entries in MMII), and I love that article.
>>It was issue #241 BTW -- "Campaign Classics: The Roof of the World" (Wolfgang Baur). >>They're called the yikaria.
Yeah, that was it. It was a very well done article, but then I think I've liked everything "setting-wise" that I've seen Wolfgang right (and he wrote some great modules for dungeon).
I did like the focus on the dwarves using sky stone in the article. I can't recall if that was canon before the article or if its something new they made up, but I'd love to see a little on it (i.e. is it a harder stone for construction (or does it crumble easier than say granite), cost estimates per square foot, cost for various colors of dye, etc...). Nothing major mind you, but if someone were to want to make a wizard's tower out of it, it might be good to note. |
| Lady Kazandra |
Posted - 16 Oct 2006 : 15:47:50
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
I don't remember the mention that yak men being in the Hordelands but I did love that article (it isn't an Annual, can't rememebr the #)
I like the yak men (one of my favorite monster entries in MMII), and I love that article.
It was issue #241 BTW -- "Campaign Classics: The Roof of the World" (Wolfgang Baur). They're called the yikaria.
|
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 16 Oct 2006 : 14:07:03
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Kalin, the Golden Way also receives some "recent" (minor) attention in the novel The Yellow Silk.
Thanks Sage, that is one of the few novels I haven't gotten to yet
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Just wondering, in Zakhara there were the yak men, but there was an article in dragon on the yak men a few years ago (I think a dragon annual), that hinted that there was another "tribe" of yak men in the endless waste. Given their ties to the elemental dao and the somewhat predominance of the elemental lords in this area, it fits well with me. Was there by chance any expansion on this?
I don't remember the mention that yak men being in the Hordelands but I did love that article (it isn't an Annual, can't rememebr the #)
I played in an adventure once a Yak Man invasion into Durpar and Var  |
| Xysma |
Posted - 14 Oct 2006 : 03:30:22
A bit off topic, but did anyone notice the letter praising Krashos' article on Impiltur? Great praise for great work, perhaps we'll see more from Krashos in the future... |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 21:48:02
Just wondering, in Zakhara there were the yak men, but there was an article in dragon on the yak men a few years ago (I think a dragon annual), that hinted that there was another "tribe" of yak men in the endless waste. Given their ties to the elemental dao and the somewhat predominance of the elemental lords in this area, it fits well with me. Was there by chance any expansion on this?
Also, as to this being Faerun or Shou territory, I've always felt that just like Unther was contested territory between pantheons, so is the endless waste. However, I put it as contested between the Mulhorandi, Faerunian, and Shou pantheons.... but the battle isn't very heavily fought since there's not much to gain. |
| edbonny |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 02:49:15
quote:
Originally posted by EvilKnight
Hello Ed,
Any idea when they will post the overload for the article on paizo.com?
EvilKnight
Brian at Paizo said hopefully early next week. |
| EvilKnight |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 01:51:37
Hello Ed,
Any idea when they will post the overload for the article on paizo.com?
EvilKnight |
| The Sage |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 01:28:30
quote:
Originally posted by edbonny
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
one last question...was there any touching upon trade routes like the Silk Road in the article?
The Golden Way has a brief entry, and it appears along with the Spice Road on the map. Because of space limitations and the sheer voluminous size of the Hordelands, this article focused on the northern part of the Hordelands, which meant leaving out the southerly Silk Road.
Kalin, the Golden Way also receives some "recent" (minor) attention in the novel The Yellow Silk.
|
| MerrikCale |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 00:57:49
quote:
Originally posted by edbonny
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
I never got that impression...from the Forgotten Realms Atlas, the Trail maps and even the FRCS 3.0 book I thought Faerun ended eastword at that jagged line running north-south through the Sunrise mountains and to the east side of the Raurin Mountains
I think each designer may have had a different take on just where the Hordelands stood: Part of Faerun? A no-man's land linking Faerun to Kara Tur? An independent continent? A discarded part of Kara Tur? The Horde boxset claims that the entire Hordelands are Faerunian. We tried to carry that idea throughout this entire article.
As far as the FRCS, I think the write up of the Endless Waste was done primarily that way because the entire Hordelands did not feel very Faerunian. If it were not for the presence of the Raumvirans in the area, the Hordelands might have conceivably been given even less space. To dedicate too large a chunk of space to the Horde as a Mongolian-based land would have been to detract from the careful and deliberate Faerunian feel that SKR worked so hard to put into the FRCS. Perhaps now the Hordelands will have a bigger part in the next FRCS book (whenever that is).
Thats an interesting take. But I feel the Hordelands are faerunian in their way. |
| edbonny |
Posted - 12 Oct 2006 : 19:46:06
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
one last question...was there any touching upon trade routes like the Silk Road in the article?
The Golden Way has a brief entry, and it appears along with the Spice Road on the map. Because of space limitations and the sheer voluminous size of the Hordelands, this article focused on the northern part of the Hordelands, which meant leaving out the southerly Silk Road. |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 12 Oct 2006 : 19:40:16
quote:
Originally posted by edbonny
I think each designer may have had a different take on just where the Hordelands stood: Part of Faerun? A no-man's land linking Faerun to Kara Tur? An independent continent? A discarded part of Kara Tur? The Horde boxset claims that the entire Hordelands are Faerunian. We tried to carry that idea throughout this entire article.
As far as the FRCS, I think the write up of the Endless Waste was done primarily that way because the entire Hordelands did not feel very Faerunian. If it were not for the presence of the Raumvirans in the area, the Hordelands might have conceivably been given even less space. To dedicate too large a chunk of space to the Horde as a Mongolian-based land would have been to detract from the careful and deliberate Faerunian feel that SKR worked so hard to put into the FRCS. Perhaps now the Hordelands will have a bigger part in the next FRCS book (whenever that is).
thanks Alot Ed...I now have to wait patiently for my copy 
one last question...was there any touching upon trade routes like the Silk Road in the article? |
| edbonny |
Posted - 12 Oct 2006 : 19:19:01
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
I never got that impression...from the Forgotten Realms Atlas, the Trail maps and even the FRCS 3.0 book I thought Faerun ended eastword at that jagged line running north-south through the Sunrise mountains and to the east side of the Raurin Mountains
I think each designer may have had a different take on just where the Hordelands stood: Part of Faerun? A no-man's land linking Faerun to Kara Tur? An independent continent? A discarded part of Kara Tur? The Horde boxset claims that the entire Hordelands are Faerunian. We tried to carry that idea throughout this entire article.
As far as the FRCS, I think the write up of the Endless Waste was done primarily that way because the entire Hordelands did not feel very Faerunian. If it were not for the presence of the Raumvirans in the area, the Hordelands might have conceivably been given even less space. To dedicate too large a chunk of space to the Horde as a Mongolian-based land would have been to detract from the careful and deliberate Faerunian feel that SKR worked so hard to put into the FRCS. Perhaps now the Hordelands will have a bigger part in the next FRCS book (whenever that is).
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