| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Brian R. James |
Posted - 30 Dec 2011 : 17:46:35
Alright folks, here’s the deal. I’ve been contracted to write a Backdrop article for the nation of Rashemen, and I want to solicit suggestions from the Realms community.
This is your chance to have a direct impact on Realmslore. Understand, however, that by participating in this thread you’re voluntarily giving up your ownership of any ideas presented. This is simply your opportunity to influence my writing.
This article will be roughly five-thousand words and will be patterned after other Backdrop articles I’ve written for the Forgotten Realms (Cormyr, Sarifal, Vaasa, Chessenta).
The article will also be accompanied by a detailed map of Rashemen, so if you have any suggestions for new locations or want to point out obscure locations from older sourcebooks, that would be fantastic.
This article is set in 1480 DR, so I’m particularly interested in suggestions that help smooth the nation’s transition into the present time period.
I view this as an experiment. Not all ideas presented here will make it into the final product, but I firmly believe that the article will benefit greatly by direct input from Realms fans.
Thanks in advance! |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dennis |
Posted - 08 Mar 2012 : 04:16:57
I like that as well. |
| Bakra |
Posted - 07 Mar 2012 : 14:56:19
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Symbol: A mask inside a triangle. The mask represents the true rulers of the land, the witches. And the triangle, their Three (patron deities).
I suggest a mask split into three parts. Each part color coded in the patron deities favorite color. From a distance a person would see a whole mask if the symbol was displayed on a banner. Or instead of a color the three parts could be a figure of the deities favored animal that sits inside the piece of mask. The animal could have dual meaning, not only representing the deity but the spirits of the land. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 07 Mar 2012 : 01:25:40
The durthans seemed to be too united in their cause. I want to see a detailed telling of their arguments, disagreements, and 'fights' which Anilya (a durthan from James P. Davis's Shield of Weeping Ghosts) hinted at. |
| Zireael |
Posted - 06 Mar 2012 : 09:01:28
Love the idea of the symbol and the telthor-infused equipment. Brilliant! |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 05 Mar 2012 : 20:55:23
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Might be getting a little too heavy into theology for an update article though, but thought it might be worth trying to explain why their place magic works and how it might be tied to the telthors of the land.
Telthors are all types of creatures, except humans. The departed humans join their Three patrons, while animals and other beings may stay in Rashemen as spirit-familiars of the hathrans, or protectors of the land.
The people of Rashemen do stay behind as spirits to protect the land. Telthors can be humanoids, and the whole template states that its for people who died defending their homeland. Fyodor is one such example. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 15:47:09
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Might be getting a little too heavy into theology for an update article though, but thought it might be worth trying to explain why their place magic works and how it might be tied to the telthors of the land.
Telthors are all types of creatures, except humans. The departed humans join their Three patrons, while animals and other beings may stay in Rashemen as spirit-familiars of the hathrans, or protectors of the land. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 15:42:39
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Symbol: A mask inside a triangle. The mask represents the true rulers of the land, the witches. And the triangle, their Three (patron deities).
Is that a suggestion, or a reference from a sourcebook Dennis? I'm having no luck finding this reference.
It's a suggestion. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 15:35:15
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by doctorbadwolf
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by doctorbadwolf
Had an idea that I think feels right for Rashemen.
Living swords, with the souls of Rashemeni(?brain fart, is that right?) heroes inside them.
So, basically, Lichdom Thay tried to invade Rashemen at some point by raising Rashemen's dead heroes, but through the efforts of the Hathran the ritual was subverted, allowing the heroic dead to return briefly under their own will. Obviously, said heroic dead proceed to kick some Thayan butt, but when it's done, the Thayan ritual is revealed to have had a secondary effect.
Not all of the dead can return to the afterlife. Being all heroic, they agree to live on as weapons of power. As swords (someone else can think of a cool name for the swords, and other weapons, I suppose), they can communicate with their wielder, and to some extent choose who will wield them next. Sometimes it's even a non Rashemeni.
The swords could either be normal weapons, but with flavour based persona's based on Rashemeni heroes, or be unique weapons that are brutal against undead and other affronts to nature (aberrations, spellchanged, etc.)
The Telthor Blades would make a good name (or something similar). I've always like the idea of an intelligent animated shield too containing the soul of a weapons master who likes to train young warriors to defend themselves.
Ooo. Shields, too! I guess that process would make them Telthor, too. I hadn't thought of that, for some reason.
I'd love a bow with the soul of a heroic ranger in it. Or a sword with Fyodor inside.
Also, would the Telthor be primal spirits? Because when I read about primal spirits the first time, I immediately thought of the Telthor.
Telthors are spirit animals or people native to Rashemen, particularly those who died defending the land. Incorporeal and ghostly, they are still formidable opponents. Also, especial to note is that they are not undead. They are fey. So, is there something in Rashemen that so ties the souls of the dead to the "land" that negative energy does not infuse the spirit, but rather energy from the feywild / faerie?
Also, the above just made me think about some old theories. Are the witches actually serving up the "spirits" of their people to fey beings? Is that how said beings maintain their immortality? When they test all young children, do they also secretly (and possibly unknowingly) perform a ritual that ties their spirit to the land and the land is tied to the feywild / faerie?
Of course, another option to view it as is that there are only 3 gods in Rashemen. Two are nature deities (one agricultural the other the more wild side of nature) and the other is the magic goddess. So, were the spirits of dead Rashemi somehow being absorbed by "the land" and the land is filled with "ley lines" tied to the weave and the feywild. Are the spirits being absorbed and not going onto a regular afterlife as a result (i.e. are they not going to the place where the dead wait to be picked up by their deity)? What are the feelings for resurrection type magics in Rashemen?
Might be getting a little too heavy into theology for an update article though, but thought it might be worth trying to explain why their place magic works and how it might be tied to the telthors of the land. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 15:10:22
quote:
Originally posted by doctorbadwolf
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by doctorbadwolf
Had an idea that I think feels right for Rashemen.
Living swords, with the souls of Rashemeni(?brain fart, is that right?) heroes inside them.
So, basically, Lichdom Thay tried to invade Rashemen at some point by raising Rashemen's dead heroes, but through the efforts of the Hathran the ritual was subverted, allowing the heroic dead to return briefly under their own will. Obviously, said heroic dead proceed to kick some Thayan butt, but when it's done, the Thayan ritual is revealed to have had a secondary effect.
Not all of the dead can return to the afterlife. Being all heroic, they agree to live on as weapons of power. As swords (someone else can think of a cool name for the swords, and other weapons, I suppose), they can communicate with their wielder, and to some extent choose who will wield them next. Sometimes it's even a non Rashemeni.
The swords could either be normal weapons, but with flavour based persona's based on Rashemeni heroes, or be unique weapons that are brutal against undead and other affronts to nature (aberrations, spellchanged, etc.)
The Telthor Blades would make a good name (or something similar). I've always like the idea of an intelligent animated shield too containing the soul of a weapons master who likes to train young warriors to defend themselves.
Ooo. Shields, too! I guess that process would make them Telthor, too. I hadn't thought of that, for some reason.
I'd love a bow with the soul of a heroic ranger in it. Or a sword with Fyodor inside.
Also, would the Telthor be primal spirits? Because when I read about primal spirits the first time, I immediately thought of the Telthor.
Telthors are spirit animals or people native to Rashemen, particularly those who died defending the land. Incorporeal and ghostly, they are still formidable opponents. Also, especial to note is that they are not undead. They are fey. So, is there something in Rashemen that so ties the souls of the dead to the "land" that negative energy does not infuse the spirit, but rather energy from the feywild / faerie? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 09:55:18
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Symbol: A mask inside a triangle. The mask represents the true rulers of the land, the witches. And the triangle, their Three (patron deities).
Is that a suggestion, or a reference from a sourcebook Dennis? I'm having no luck finding this reference.
I don't think it's canon, as I set myself the task of searching for most of the heraldic devices for eastern Realms political locations about eight months ago, and came up with very little, officially, for Rashemen's symbol/flag.
I will note, however, that this searching did not include the most recent Realms novels to feature Rashemen in any particular degree, as I've yet to read them. So if the reference Dennis mentioned above has come from one of those sources, then I'm inclined to assume that it is indeed canon. |
| doctorbadwolf |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 08:04:20
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by doctorbadwolf
Had an idea that I think feels right for Rashemen.
Living swords, with the souls of Rashemeni(?brain fart, is that right?) heroes inside them.
So, basically, Lichdom Thay tried to invade Rashemen at some point by raising Rashemen's dead heroes, but through the efforts of the Hathran the ritual was subverted, allowing the heroic dead to return briefly under their own will. Obviously, said heroic dead proceed to kick some Thayan butt, but when it's done, the Thayan ritual is revealed to have had a secondary effect.
Not all of the dead can return to the afterlife. Being all heroic, they agree to live on as weapons of power. As swords (someone else can think of a cool name for the swords, and other weapons, I suppose), they can communicate with their wielder, and to some extent choose who will wield them next. Sometimes it's even a non Rashemeni.
The swords could either be normal weapons, but with flavour based persona's based on Rashemeni heroes, or be unique weapons that are brutal against undead and other affronts to nature (aberrations, spellchanged, etc.)
The Telthor Blades would make a good name (or something similar). I've always like the idea of an intelligent animated shield too containing the soul of a weapons master who likes to train young warriors to defend themselves.
Ooo. Shields, too! I guess that process would make them Telthor, too. I hadn't thought of that, for some reason.
I'd love a bow with the soul of a heroic ranger in it. Or a sword with Fyodor inside.
Also, would the Telthor be primal spirits? Because when I read about primal spirits the first time, I immediately thought of the Telthor. |
| Brian R. James |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 07:51:24
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Symbol: A mask inside a triangle. The mask represents the true rulers of the land, the witches. And the triangle, their Three (patron deities).
Is that a suggestion, or a reference from a sourcebook Dennis? I'm having no luck finding this reference. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 06:02:21
Symbol: A mask inside a triangle. The mask represents the true rulers of the land, the witches. And the triangle, their Three (patron deities). |
| Brian R. James |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 05:42:07
Is anyone aware of any lore describing a national flag, symbol, heraldic device for the nation of Rashemen? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 03 Mar 2012 : 01:27:04
quote:
Originally posted by Bakra
Ruperts Run:
This trail from Wood’s Edge to the second unnamed village in the hills is named after a mad caravan runner. He believed in ‘traveling at break neck speed’. His wagons wouldn’t stop for anyone or anything in the middle of the trail. He came to his end while transporting a few kegs of magical smokepowder. This also lead to the only known watering hole on the path known has Rupert’s Pond.
I like the fact that you've worked my own suggestion of Wood's Edge into your own working, Bakra.
We've got our own Candlekeep-brewed lore, right here.  |
| Dennis |
Posted - 02 Mar 2012 : 23:51:48
Tears of Shadows:
A small area in Rashemen where the mortal world overlaps with the Shadowfell in a regular basis, specifically once in every hour. Anyone from Rashemen that comes near it is drawn and transported to the Shadowfell, and anybody/anything from the said plane of existence that comes close to it is pulled and thrown into the mortal world. The brighter the moons are, the lesser is the pull. The hathrans placed a series of wards around it to prevent 'innocent' Rashemi from blundering into it, and to contain any creatures from Shadowfell that the rift in reality might bleed with. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 02 Mar 2012 : 20:30:28
Just another thought, and it would need a little research, but I don't have my GHotR available right now (prepping to move in a month, so its boxed). Where were the LeShay that interacted with Imaskar located? Just thinking the Urling Wood might maybe have ties to them (that particular group of LeShay, and maybe their spirits are somehow leeched by the witches.... adding a little nefariousness to the witches. I state this because the Raumathari weren't especially known to be "nature lovers" like the witches are often portrayed as. So, it comes down to where did all these fey secrets of the witches come from? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 02 Mar 2012 : 18:11:34
quote:
Originally posted by Bakra
Ruperts Run:
This trail from Wood’s Edge to the second unnamed village in the hills is named after a mad caravan runner. He believed in ‘traveling at break neck speed’. His wagons wouldn’t stop for anyone or anything in the middle of the trail. He came to his end while transporting a few kegs of magical smokepowder. This also lead to the only known watering hole on the path known has Rupert’s Pond.
I'm Wooly Rupert, and I heartily endorse this message.   |
| Bakra |
Posted - 02 Mar 2012 : 15:22:42
Ruperts Run:
This trail from Wood’s Edge to the second unnamed village in the hills is named after a mad caravan runner. He believed in ‘traveling at break neck speed’. His wagons wouldn’t stop for anyone or anything in the middle of the trail. He came to his end while transporting a few kegs of magical smokepowder. This also lead to the only known watering hole on the path known has Rupert’s Pond. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 01 Mar 2012 : 20:36:12
quote:
Originally posted by doctorbadwolf
Had an idea that I think feels right for Rashemen.
Living swords, with the souls of Rashemeni(?brain fart, is that right?) heroes inside them.
So, basically, Lichdom Thay tried to invade Rashemen at some point by raising Rashemen's dead heroes, but through the efforts of the Hathran the ritual was subverted, allowing the heroic dead to return briefly under their own will. Obviously, said heroic dead proceed to kick some Thayan butt, but when it's done, the Thayan ritual is revealed to have had a secondary effect.
Not all of the dead can return to the afterlife. Being all heroic, they agree to live on as weapons of power. As swords (someone else can think of a cool name for the swords, and other weapons, I suppose), they can communicate with their wielder, and to some extent choose who will wield them next. Sometimes it's even a non Rashemeni.
The swords could either be normal weapons, but with flavour based persona's based on Rashemeni heroes, or be unique weapons that are brutal against undead and other affronts to nature (aberrations, spellchanged, etc.)
The Telthor Blades would make a good name (or something similar). I've always like the idea of an intelligent animated shield too containing the soul of a weapons master who likes to train young warriors to defend themselves. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 01 Mar 2012 : 20:32:34
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
Yes indeed. Village names and anything else anyone would like to share. A second unexpected project bumped the Rashemen deadline out a few weeks, so there is still time.
The Citadel of the Iron Magi - ancient citadel that served to train Raumathari Battlemages. Since fallen into disrepair, but its library was created using Imaskari lore for extradimensional spaces, and thus has been hidden for centuries. Rumors of powerful constructs protecting the library. |
| doctorbadwolf |
Posted - 01 Mar 2012 : 05:12:37
Had an idea that I think feels right for Rashemen.
Living swords, with the souls of Rashemeni(?brain fart, is that right?) heroes inside them.
So, basically, Lichdom Thay tried to invade Rashemen at some point by raising Rashemen's dead heroes, but through the efforts of the Hathran the ritual was subverted, allowing the heroic dead to return briefly under their own will. Obviously, said heroic dead proceed to kick some Thayan butt, but when it's done, the Thayan ritual is revealed to have had a secondary effect.
Not all of the dead can return to the afterlife. Being all heroic, they agree to live on as weapons of power. As swords (someone else can think of a cool name for the swords, and other weapons, I suppose), they can communicate with their wielder, and to some extent choose who will wield them next. Sometimes it's even a non Rashemeni.
The swords could either be normal weapons, but with flavour based persona's based on Rashemeni heroes, or be unique weapons that are brutal against undead and other affronts to nature (aberrations, spellchanged, etc.) |
| Brian R. James |
Posted - 01 Mar 2012 : 02:44:25
Yes indeed. Village names and anything else anyone would like to share. A second unexpected project bumped the Rashemen deadline out a few weeks, so there is still time. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 01 Mar 2012 : 00:32:03
This is Brian...
Do you still have time to accept new village names? Because I found another old notebook last night that has some homebrew Rashemen lore that's also bound to have a few locales I've named/detailed, and that you could probably find some use for on your map. |
| Jakk |
Posted - 29 Feb 2012 : 23:16:03
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
I love the village names folks. Please keep them coming.
Sage, I'm inclined to change Mystra's Grace to Hidden One's Grace to reflect what Rashemaar call her locally.
Regarding Urlingwood, I'm leaning towards saying that the forest itself moves every few years. It disappears into feywild for a short time and appears somewhere else in Rashemen. Explains the map discrepancies and adds a nice bit of flavor.
If you're interested in seeing the map design in progress check out http://yfrog.com/kija9ap This is, of course, just a reference map. Mike Schley will work his magic for the final map.
That's a very good idea. I like it better than my own. I don't know if this would work or not, but I'm just throwing it out there... could there maybe need to be some ritual to "draw" the urlingwood back? Just something to think about.. maybe it sparks something, maybe it doesn't.
That's very interesting, Sleyvas... definitely a lot of potential for adventure hooks there; someone important gets caught in the Urlingwood's shift, and the PCs have to discover the ritual to call the forest back to rescue the important person (whoever it is)... or something along those lines; perhaps an object of importance (powerful magical item, symbol of rulership, etc.)... |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 29 Feb 2012 : 21:13:15
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
I love the village names folks. Please keep them coming.
Sage, I'm inclined to change Mystra's Grace to Hidden One's Grace to reflect what Rashemaar call her locally.
Regarding Urlingwood, I'm leaning towards saying that the forest itself moves every few years. It disappears into feywild for a short time and appears somewhere else in Rashemen. Explains the map discrepancies and adds a nice bit of flavor.
If you're interested in seeing the map design in progress check out http://yfrog.com/kija9ap This is, of course, just a reference map. Mike Schley will work his magic for the final map.
That's a very good idea. I like it better than my own. I don't know if this would work or not, but I'm just throwing it out there... could there maybe need to be some ritual to "draw" the urlingwood back? Just something to think about.. maybe it sparks something, maybe it doesn't. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 28 Feb 2012 : 01:22:36
Snow Tiger's Rest could be one of the unnamed locales near the Icerim Mountains. It's a community grown up around a Snow Tiger berserker lodge.
Imsha-Tamlith is a small shrine-community and point of pilgrimage for Witches seeking advice from the spirits of the two Witches said to be tied to the presence of the Red Tree in the Immil Vale.
Tirulagsdt is the name of a small fishing village looking to profit and expand on the trout and crayfish being caught in the Lake Tirulag. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 28 Feb 2012 : 01:14:05
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
Sage, I'm inclined to change Mystra's Grace to Hidden One's Grace to reflect what Rashemaar call her locally.
That works for me. I'd originally called the locale Lady's Grace, to reflect the Lady of Mysteries aspect and the special properties of the Vale. But I don't ever recall seeing a reference to the Lady of Mysteries being used by Rashemaar.
quote:
Regarding Urlingwood, I'm leaning towards saying that the forest itself moves every few years. It disappears into feywild for a short time and appears somewhere else in Rashemen. Explains the map discrepancies and adds a nice bit of flavor.
Cool. My idea could still work here. It's not so much that the Sembian mapmakers are in error. It's that every time they draft their maps, the Urlingwood might be in one position, only to move elsewhere during the period between the drafting of one map to the next. 
|
| Dennis |
Posted - 28 Feb 2012 : 01:13:09
Eye of Yula. Peak of Sorrows. Bane of Wolves. Shadowtops. Fig of the Moon. |
| doctorbadwolf |
Posted - 28 Feb 2012 : 00:30:12
Sleyvas: ritual magic can fill those needs, I think. |
|
|
