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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1162 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jan 2025 : 23:24:29
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I’d like to tap the creative and brilliant minds here were I ever to try to run my PCs through an ancient aearee ruin. I’m sure answers might be in part based on what exactly the ruin is of. A temple to Remnis? A town or entire city? Maybe even just an ancient dwelling of a for a few families?
And what do we call what? Is an aerie a family dwelling and a rookery a town?
Personally, all I’ve ever thought of is the prodigious use of glassteel everywhere, stained in different colors to diffuse light in artistic patterns throughout a city.
Edit: Had a thought that almost nothing nonmagical would remain. 20000 or 30000 years would certainly have some I’ll effects on mundane items.
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Edited by - Seethyr on 07 Jan 2025 23:44:21
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 01:54:16
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yeah, lots of the ruins will be ruined. But we both went to similar places with glassteel surviving. But rather than developing something fully... let's just throw out ideas and see what works?
Petrified eggs found in a hidden hatchery, victims of a gorgon which was transported into the area
Keeping books is a heavy thing, and the aeaeree were not into heavy because they flew. So, they kept illusory books that were in the form of a glassteel pad (black glass) and you swiped across it to make the page move (in many ways similar to a tablet nowadays)
Wingtip blades used by aeaeree warriors to perform glideby attacks
Of the books, there could be several kinds... records of wars again batrachi and sarrukh, records of experimental creations involving bird like creatures and the methods to perform such, religious texts that provide secret links revealing that aeaeree gods may be current day human gods/great spirits (example, Sunfather the great spirit was known as the Dawncock), a story of Bazim-Gorag and how he stole the fire of a phoenix, etc....
Undead guardians that are essentially spirits/ghosts at this point who were given to protect some grave secret or who would only return after centuries to deal with issues.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1162 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 02:44:03
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Great stuff! I like the tablet idea. The world must have been so different back then, I mean were books even invented? This is before just about everything. Another consideration might be scrolls.
Gray Richardson’s old posts have a treasure trove of material as well, which I’ll link when I find again and get a chance.
Here’s some other thoughts.
- How do bird folk sleep? What are their “bedrooms” like? Is it like my old parakeet with just a wooden bar?
- Do birdfolk treat their living quarters more as a 3 dimensional space than land walkers do? If they have some kind of furniture or desk (I’m talking even for the aarakocra of today), why couldn’t it be halfway up a wall in room with a 40 foot ceiling?
Here’s what I’m really getting at…just how much of a bird-human’s lifestyle going to be bird and how much of it is human. I wish the earlier editions had something on them like they did for sahuagins in the Sea Devils book. I am having a lot of trouble visualizing aeree/aarakocra lifestyle. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36819 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 12:15:24
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| There's another fantasy series I've read that has a race of avian humanoids, and we see their city in it... The main thing I recall is that each individual dwelling was basically a series of linked caves, carved into the wall of a cliff. Because those avians flew all over the place, there were no stairs or other means of getting betwixt these dwellings -- you flew or you scaled the cliff. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 12:46:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
There's another fantasy series I've read that has a race of avian humanoids, and we see their city in it... The main thing I recall is that each individual dwelling was basically a series of linked caves, carved into the wall of a cliff. Because those avians flew all over the place, there were no stairs or other means of getting betwixt these dwellings -- you flew or you scaled the cliff.
To this.... YES... good addition. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 13:29:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Great stuff! I like the tablet idea. The world must have been so different back then, I mean were books even invented? This is before just about everything. Another consideration might be scrolls.
Gray Richardson’s old posts have a treasure trove of material as well, which I’ll link when I find again and get a chance.
Here’s some other thoughts.
- How do bird folk sleep? What are their “bedrooms” like? Is it like my old parakeet with just a wooden bar?
- Do birdfolk treat their living quarters more as a 3 dimensional space than land walkers do? If they have some kind of furniture or desk (I’m talking even for the aarakocra of today), why couldn’t it be halfway up a wall in room with a 40 foot ceiling?
Here’s what I’m really getting at…just how much of a bird-human’s lifestyle going to be bird and how much of it is human. I wish the earlier editions had something on them like they did for sahuagins in the Sea Devils book. I am having a lot of trouble visualizing aeree/aarakocra lifestyle.
Hmmm, I can see it being a mixed thing. I can't see them having caves in the floors, because people could pour things in. But having the opening going straight into the ceiling has issues of people doing things like hurling an area effect into it. So, maybe a lot of them had holes in the ceiling that went up, turned, and then went down into their dwellings. Then that tunnel going up might have been highly defensible with something that could close off the bottom once someone entered and hot oil pour onto them from just before the turn at the top. There might also be glyphs lining this upstream tunnel that release various effects.
Once in their "rooms", I only see the poorest person sleeping on a big bar. They probably had a big bar.... as the equivalent of a sofa for us.... and a smallish glassteel "wall window" that was magical and placed on the wall. See they had these special glassteel lenses, and when light was shined through them, they "relayed" whatever was lit up back to the <make up a name here>. All these glassteel "wall windows" would then have a reflection of what was seen from the active lens. Now, the personal "wall windows" ... those were for the relatively rich Aeaeree. For the less affluent, there were gathering rooms with a very large glassteel window set in the middle of the room, such that it could be viewed from either side. Then there were dangling seating bars for people to roost upon and watch what was being displayed.
Now, what were they showing through these lenses? Well, at certain times of the day they would display different things, but there would be some lenses that were focused almost entirely on the news of the day (weather prognostications, reports from the ministry of the aviary, notes for upcoming festivities), while others might be entirely focused on a few different stages where actors put on a show aimed at different ages of Aeaeree. Still there might be others which were focused on different individuals offering training sessions for various things (whether to teach basics of math, language, arcanery, etc.. or shows on how to properly harvest, prepare, and use lumber, ore, fish, various crops, and/or how to repair things that have been broken)
Now, where would they sleep? Well, I see it being in a shelf at the top of the room where some sort of nest/bed would be setup. I only see an actual nest for the poorest of Aeaeree, and in those instances it would probably be a room setup like a barracks for multiple individuals. But for most, it would probably be akin to a giant pillow "bowl", since they probably slept sitting up, but they could lay back on the pillows.
There might also be an "escape room" right above this nesting area that they can retreat through and then lock behind them. From this room, they might have something like a teleportation feather (akin to a Qaal's feather token kind of ) crafted using something akin to artifice/plumaweave magic that they can use to escape. They might also have something like an extradimensional space in this retreat area that they use.
Perhaps they decorated their homes with tapestries and perhaps "weaving" was something of a favored pasttime, including making their own thread and/or yarn that they have dyed in particular colors. Similarly, perhaps they kept their own feathers to use similar to paint brushes, trimming them, etc .... and then making paper for practice paintings (professional paintings would be on thin glassteel, which would then be covered by a clear glassteel pane, and the two panes held together by a wooden or metal "frame"), and sometimes illusory effects would be added onto this outer pane to make it look like there was something going on "in" the painting.
This is fun... keep throwing out ideas and we can keep spinning each others views. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 08 Jan 2025 13:34:59 |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2442 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 15:38:22
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| Where would be Aearee ruins the closest to the known regions of Faerun? Star Mounts and Highpeak (on Moonshae)? |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1162 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 22:16:39
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
Where would be Aearee ruins the closest to the known regions of Faerun? Star Mounts and Highpeak (on Moonshae)?
I’d certainly include those two, and would believe just about anywhere aarakocra are known to reside. According to the FR Wiki, that has the two you mentioned in addition to the Storm Horns in Cormyr, the Cloven Mountains in the Vilhon Reach, the Mistcliffs in Chult, the Adder Hills in Chessenta and the monastery Kir Sabal in Chult.
However, if you want to go back to a time that it really was all about the aearee and not the aarakocra you have the following info, also from the FR Wiki. Note that it’s probably going to be obvious why I personally am so interested in the subject.
quote:
From the FR Wiki
Following the fall of their empires to the first Flight of Dragons around -30,000 DR, the surviving members of the avian creator race known as the aearee (primarily the subgroup known as the Aearee-Krocaa) fled to Anchorome, where their further exploits went largely undocumented by Faerûnian historians. The only thing known was that at some point after their arrival there, the aearee either created or devolved into the aarakocra, who then move south into Maztica.
In 418 DR, following generations of travel between Maztica and the islands of the Trackless Sea, the first aarakocra colonists successfully crossed to northern Faerûn.
On another note, I am curious about relative power levels of what a modern, surviving aearee might be like. Relative to its edition, the sarrukh statistics in 3.5e’s Serpent Kingdoms was pretty much god-mode (well, that’s a slight exaggeration). Relative to aarakocra and their ilk, do you think a surviving aearee would have to be high CR in 5e speak? |
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Edited by - Seethyr on 08 Jan 2025 22:26:09 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31796 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2025 : 23:01:29
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| I gotta dig out my old “Planes of Conflict” boxed set. There was a neato Aearee locale detailed inside… I seem to recall it was atop some monstrously massive stone obelisk and that it reached above the clouds to help hide away the community that had grown up there. |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1162 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2025 : 00:30:48
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I gotta dig out my old “Planes of Conflict” boxed set. There was a neato Aearee locale detailed inside… I seem to recall it was atop some monstrously massive stone obelisk and that it reached above the clouds to help hide away the community that had grown up there.
Oh wow. I had no idea the aearee were even mentioned anywhere but the few FR sources. Now I have to go through boxes of Planescape stuff to find this myself.
Makes me think too, the aarakocra in modern lore are strongly connected to the wind dukes of Aaqa. We have confirmation from Salvatore that one of their greatest, Qadeej, has manifested in the distant cold north. I wonder if we’d have aearee up there at all. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2442 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2025 : 12:22:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
I�d certainly include those two, and would believe just about anywhere aarakocra are known to reside.
They used to reside all over the place, the question is, how much even something that amounts to "ruins" remained? They went down in a war with the dragons, after all.
After that...
Karsus Folly was -339 DR, the first Netherese enclave was made in what, -2954 DR?
The elves caught Calim and Memnon around in -6100 DR.
The Dracorage mythal was created around -25000 DR.
The defeat of Aearee was around -30000 DR.
How old are the oldest recognizable ruins in our world, again?
So the summary of filters: things left as (or within) ruins is the stuff that...
1. Was not evacuated by the fleeing Aearee or destroyed by the dragons back then.
2. Was able to keep in a shape better than a pile of rot or rust after over 30 millennia, and
3. Was not stolen or destroyed in all this time.
Beside stonework (which was presumably not the Aearee preference), things most eligible for passing (2) are gems, inert (also known as precious) metals and enchanted materials, and generally speaking all of these are the least eligible for passing (3). |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1162 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2025 : 12:40:59
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
I�d certainly include those two, and would believe just about anywhere aarakocra are known to reside.
They used to reside all over the place, the question is, how much even something that amounts to "ruins" remained? They went down in a war with the dragons, after all.
After that...
Karsus Folly was -339 DR, the first Netherese enclave was made in what, -2954 DR?
The elves caught Calim and Memnon around in -6100 DR.
The Dracorage mythal was created around -25000 DR.
The defeat of Aearee was around -30000 DR.
How old are the oldest recognizable ruins in our world, again?
So the summary of filters: things left as (or within) ruins is the stuff that...
1. Was not evacuated by the fleeing Aearee or destroyed by the dragons back then.
2. Was able to keep in a shape better than a pile of rot or rust after over 30 millennia, and
3. Was not stolen or destroyed in all this time.
Beside stonework (which was presumably not the Aearee preference), things most eligible for passing (2) are gems, inert (also known as precious) metals and enchanted materials, and generally speaking all of these are the least eligible for passing (3).
This is all true but we have to take magic into account - and early magic for that matter which may not be as restricted as it is today. Also, the sarrukh empires are even older and there are circumstances where remnants of their societies exist. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2025 : 13:21:49
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
Where would be Aearee ruins the closest to the known regions of Faerun? Star Mounts and Highpeak (on Moonshae)?
GHotR
In the southeast, the Aearee-Quor carve out the domain of Shara
from their rookery in the Orsraun Mountains.
The Orsraun mountains are near Turmish. From the name, it makes one think its down in the Shaar, but its a little further north.
To note, right next to these mountains are some mountains called "The Deepwing Mountains" ..... somewhat odd name. Some notes on the Deepwing Mountains from the FR Wiki.
The mountains were populated with a number of large, flying monsters, including manticores, griffons and hippogriffs, red dragons, and wyverns.
I propose that the Deepwing Mountains hold ruins of the Aeaeree .... and some of them are in the underdark with the "raven folk" known as dire corbies. Dire Corbies are released for 5e by WotC on DM's guild with the "MORDENKAINEN’S FIENDISH FOLIO VOLUME 1"
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2025 : 13:27:29
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| Oh, and I propose that Nagpa (5e in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes) ARE survivor forms of SOME Aeaeree. I also propose that there are a lot more of them, possibly spread across multiple worlds. I also propose that SOME Aeaeree and/or Nagpa live on Coliar (the "planet" that consists of earth islands/earthmotes and water islands spinning around). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2025 : 13:35:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
I�d certainly include those two, and would believe just about anywhere aarakocra are known to reside.
They used to reside all over the place, the question is, how much even something that amounts to "ruins" remained? They went down in a war with the dragons, after all.
After that...
Karsus Folly was -339 DR, the first Netherese enclave was made in what, -2954 DR?
The elves caught Calim and Memnon around in -6100 DR.
The Dracorage mythal was created around -25000 DR.
The defeat of Aearee was around -30000 DR.
How old are the oldest recognizable ruins in our world, again?
So the summary of filters: things left as (or within) ruins is the stuff that...
1. Was not evacuated by the fleeing Aearee or destroyed by the dragons back then.
2. Was able to keep in a shape better than a pile of rot or rust after over 30 millennia, and
3. Was not stolen or destroyed in all this time.
Beside stonework (which was presumably not the Aearee preference), things most eligible for passing (2) are gems, inert (also known as precious) metals and enchanted materials, and generally speaking all of these are the least eligible for passing (3).
This is all true but we have to take magic into account - and early magic for that matter which may not be as restricted as it is today. Also, the sarrukh empires are even older and there are circumstances where remnants of their societies exist.
Yep, and things like stasis fields (possibly used to keep food viable for years rather than letting it rot?), illusions which don't age but may fail with time, and extradimensional spaces which may not be affected by the ravages of time like our own worlds. They may have kept eggs in a stasis field that's protected somehow as a means to quickly rebuild their society after some destructive incident, and maybe they're still in this stasis field in some ruins. This in addition to the petrified eggs idea I mentioned above (which they may have petrified their own eggs for this same purpose if it didn't actually kill the young).
So, it may be that a "ruin" may have an extradimensional entry point that opens into a huge castle sized rookery.... or egg hatchery...
Also, guardians may exist in these ruins that are long lived, and also powerful enough that noone has actually survived to tell of finding them or the ruins. I think having some of these guardians being the "undocumented" "feathered dragons of Coliar" that exist here now but don't get involved with the rest of the dragons of the world. THAT could make an interesting article, with there being feathered dragons of various different sorts (not just the mirage dragons that came out in 5e). We could have various sorts, such as a fire related one that resulted from a gold dragon/phoenix OR red dragon/phoenix mating (so possibly two different variations of "fiery feathered dragons". There could be shadowy ones, ones which replace their tales with numerous tales that somewhat resemble peacock feathers...but are still tales, the insubstantial ones that we know as "air dragons" from realmspace might be reworked as feathered dragons that enact some method to fly through space.
I further propose that Abeir may have held a lot of feathered dragons as well, as when the Aeaeree civilization rose to prominence it was just before the first Sundering. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 09 Jan 2025 13:53:53 |
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What Would You Find in an Aearee Ruin?
