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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Oct 2004 : 05:14:34
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Well met!
I'm curious to know if there is any mention in canon sources of particulary great artists, works of art or architecture, or wonders en pare with the Great Wonders of our own world?
If not, does anyone have any ideas of their own of a great example of art or what have you? Certainly, at least one of the great cathedrals of Gond are impressive works of architecture? I could see some Sistine Chapel like painting, the "Dawning of Creation" or something to that effect, on one of Lathander's temples ...
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Bakra
Senior Scribe
628 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2004 : 19:38:29
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| From what I understand the Cathedral that Cadderly built could be considered a Wonder or a really cool piece of architecture. |
I hope Candlekeep continues to be the friendly forum of fellow Realms-lovers that it has always been, as we all go through this together. If you don’t want to move to the “new” Realms, that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with either you or the “old” Realms. Goodness knows Candlekeep, and the hearts of its scribes, are both big enough to accommodate both. If we want them to be.
(Strikes dramatic pose, raises sword to gleam in the sunset, and hopes breeches won’t fall down.)
Enough for now. The Realms lives! I have spoken! Ale and light wines half price, served by a smiling Storm Silverhand fetchingly clad in thigh-high boots and naught else! Ahem . .
So saith Ed. <snip>
love to all,
THO
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2004 : 16:32:45
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I imagine a piece based upon the Apollo of the Belvedere called the Lathander of the Dawning West. It is a copy of a famous Chessentan sculpture, which expresses that side of the Chessentan Lathander that exemplifies human form. The sculpture is regarded as an expression of the idealized masculine form. It is currently kept (on display) at the Dawn Tower in Ordulin.
I further imagine a (particular strain of) tradition of the arts that has it's roots in Chessenta and runs from there to Chondath to Sembia, where the majority of patrons and (the best) modern day artists are found ... along with all of the requisite money, freedom, and vanity.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 10 Oct 2004 : 20:42:58
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Fendro Da Veenio was a Chondathan artist of great renown who lived from 1077 - 1154 DR. He studied under the patronage of Arrabar's famous Hondrosus family and is well known for having produced "the Hero", a series of paintings that depict scenes drawn from the personal journals of the famous Chondathan explorer Marcellus Hondrosus.
While still in his early 20's, Fendro travelled to Marsember and there studied the various Cormyrean styles under the tutelage of Vintoire of Marsember. With his new teacher he assisted in the design and construction of a number of buildings in both Suzail and Marsember.
After nearly a decade in Cormyr, with a couple of years spent in Waterdeep, Fendro was offered a teaching position at the Hallowed House of Higher Achievement in Selgaunt. Accepting, he spent the rest of his life in association with Hallowed House, be it as a teacher or a simple member of their artisan guild.
He was commissioned by numerous patrons throughout Sembia, and while he is perhaps best known for his painting the Birth of Sune and his renovation of the House of Firehair in Daerlun, his handiwork can be seen throughout the city of Ordulin.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2004 : 20:14:10
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Here are some thoughts regarding some broad and sweep categories of art and archeticture ...
The history of art for the Inner Sea peoples, and indeed for those of the Moonsea, the Dalelands, and the Unapproachable East as well, all trace their origin back to the great empire of Jhaamdath. This empire had it's origins amongst a number of human clans living north of the Chondalwood which were united by the great hero Jhaam of the Dath Clan in c. -5,800 DR. Over the vast course of it's existence, Jhaamdath grew to encompass all of modern day Chondath, Sespech, and the Akanal, and went on to extend it's reach south across the Naga Plains and west across the northern shores of the Lake of Steam, where it met and checked the expanding Calimshan Empire. It at last fell in the year -255 DR when a great tidal wave raised by offended elves washed down the Vilhon Reach and destroyed the heart of the ancient Empire.
Within the time of it's vast existence Jhammdath developed a number of styles of art and architecture peculiar to itself and rivalled by none. The traditions of Jhaamdath, while the basis for all the aforementioned cultures, are most clearly seen in the Chondath culture that emerged out of the wreckage the Empire and founded Chondath in 144 DR. Unfortunately, even as these folk corrupted the ancient name Jhaamdath into Chondath, the true glory of this great tradition has been slowly faltering and fading since the end of the Rotting War in 900 DR. And while Chondath continues to produce talented artists, few remain in their homeland to practise their art.
This is not so however in the older cities of Sembia, where the Chondath traditions are alive and well. Other examples of the anceint style of Jhaamdath can be seen throughout the Akanals and in the city-state of Ankhapur on the Lake of Steam.
Emerging out of the old Jhaamdath traditions we have, first, the traditions and styles of Westgate, called the Saldrinarian tradition after their first great patron. It is less Jhaamdathan then it is Netherese with a strong Jhaamdathan influence.
Following the emergence of the Saldrinarian tradition we have the Old Impilturan, which is itself much more a child of Jhaamdath, though it is betrayed by a strong eastern influence coming in from Old Narfell. This eastern influence is heavily accentuated in Thesk.
Within the cultural borders of Cormyr we have the predominant Suzailian tradition that is distinctly Impilturan tempered by Saldrinarian, while Marsemberian appears to be disctinctly Jhaamdathan with downplayed elements of Saldrinarian.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 20 Oct 2004 22:49:29 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2004 : 17:35:26
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Here is a fitting Chondathan noble family, patrons of the arts, taken from Ed Greenwood's "unoffical" write up of Chondath, "An Overview of Chondath" found in the Bard's Rumours section of Candlekeep.
"The Elphaendim name is as old as that of Darowdryn, but has always been tainted with the 'weakness' of an avid interest in book learning, music, acting, and dancing. Elphaendims have spent vast sums bringing various theatrical spectacles to life-to the fascination of Chondathans, who fall over each other in the rush to attend the performances and then fall all over each other being scornful of the 'scandalous foolishness' they've witnessed, only to rush just as avidly to see the next 'Elph folly.' Bards dream of being discovered by one of the reclusive, given-to-traveling-in-disguise Elphaendim, because if an Elph falls in love with something, they do so wholeheartedly, and the favored bard will see his or her tunes presented grandly in printed form and before good audiences in splendid venues, with no expense spared for musicians, costume, and refreshments. Most of the Elph don't care if they drain every last copper from the family vaults, so long as they give the Realms something artistic that folk will remember fondly for years to come. Thankfully for the state of those vaults, there have always been some Elph, of every generation, capable of deft and even ruthless business dealings-which have netted them ownership of many buildings in Waterdeep, Suzail, Ordulin, and Telflamm, whose rents pour into Elphaendim hands in a neverending stream.
The Elph have often taken mates from among the talented artists they cultivate, which has given rise to a fine-boned, handsome family who vary widely in looks and coloration, but always surround themselves with things of beauty, from ornaments in their dwellings to the clothes on their bodies.
There is elven blood in the family, but all of its present-day members are fully human-albeit with the delicate features and graceful movements that many associate with half-elven or elves.
Among the most famous Elphaendim is Daurvara 'Flamehair,' a dancer and singer whose performances, more than a century ago, aroused many a man to either tears or to lust, depending on her intent. Her beauty and character were such that many men could not forget her, and there are still hundreds of spell-crafted (to be perfect likenesses) palm-sized pictures of her scattered across the Realms, crafted by an Elph mage for sale to smitten fans. Some fans believe Daurvara's spirit persists beyond death, and can see and speak out of her pictures.
There are currently sixty or seventy Elph (perhaps half of whom dwell in Arrabar, though they often ride south into the woods in several-day-long hunts-one of the few noble families to still cling to this increasingly dangerous pastime), of whom the most famous is probably Brastynbold 'Oldhelm ' Elphaendim (a burly, brawling CG hm F15 whose adventuring exploits are matched only by his prowess-at-arms; he recently-despite having downed flagons of fiery wine all night-hurled a broadsword the length of a courtyard to strike down a thief fleeing over the top of a castle wall). He' s very fond of his niece, Cauvra, the bold young heiress of the family (and a CG hf W6 who's hungry to get out and about in Faerzn and taste adventures of her own, but who's being kept at home now in her fourteenth year because her parents want her to learn more of "what's what" in Chondath first, and because she's such a magical prodigy that they're afraid she'll get herself swiftly slain on her travels, or enslaved by an older mage who wants to chain and use her powers).
The Elph are nominally led by the wise scholar Thalammose Elphaendim (a quiet, rather timid LG hm W9, insultingly called 'the Old Elf' by rival Arrabaran nobles), but in truth family strategies are governed by the far more worldly Brastynbold and by his older brother, the bent, aging accountant and veteran intriguer Sarvon (LN hm T4), whose eyes, it's said, miss not the smallest occurrence in Arrabar.
The Elph seem to be most active in recent years in property investments all around the shores of the Vilhon, as if anticipating real trouble in Chondath, and in dealing art objects (primarily paintings, some of them enchanted so as to emit tunes at a touch) all around the Sea of Fallen Stars. In this, they've reached a quiet agreement with certain pirates, to insure that their ships are never sunk, seized, or delayed.
The Elphaendim arms are a blue scimitar, diagonal with hilt at lower sinister and point at upper dexter, and a red-pupiled, white eyeball, falling (and trailing a 'tail' of red blood in doing so, to the lower dexter of the scimitar), on a field of silver. The eyeball commemorates a famous, long-ago Elphaendim defeat of a beholder when young adventuring family members escaped almost certain death by their valor-and good luck."
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2004 : 17:30:46
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While the lands of fabled Halruaa might be considered a wonder on whole, and while the Shining South falls outside of the boundaries of Faerun proper, I could hardly resist the inclusion of this wonder ...
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ssouth_gallery/84390.jpg
The Stone Heads of Chasolné
A bizarre remnant of a civilization that predates the arrival of the Netherese, Chasolné lies on the coast of the Great Sea at the southern tip of the East Wall, close to the Bay of Pirates and Yaulazna. Two stone heads with exaggerated features have been carved out of the cliffs that border the ocean here, rising more than 500 feet above the water. Almost caricatures of human heads, these images stare out toward the ocean, flanking an open space in which a winding, narrow staircase leads up the side of the cliff from a narrow strip of sandy beach. Cut directly into the rock, the stairs ascend for more than a quarter-mile above sea level to a well-hidden outcropping that also faces the sea.
Atop this rocky ledge are some crumbled and tumbling ruins, plus a large stone table -- possibly an altar -- carved with bizarre sea life and odd-looking ocean vessels. Flanking this table are two wide, shallow, stone bowls, their interiors blackened from oil fires. Set back into the cliff face to the rear of the outcropping are two sets of columns that flank the mouth of a tunnel, which opens into a large, high-domed chamber with no other apparent exits. More than a few adventurers have visited this site in hopes of discovering more about the area and finding any hidden treasures that might lie inside.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 19 Oct 2004 : 17:35:51
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I recently took the time to ask Ed some questions about the art and architecture of the realms. Here are some of his answers courtesy of the Hooded One ...
On wonderous works of architecture ...
"there are a LOT of stunningly impressive (and sometimes beautiful; they’re not always the same thing) buildings in the Realms, some of them really being carved-out and sculpted mountain crags, but because of the wide divergence of races and faiths, no one has ever thought of assembling a “Seven Wonders” list or anything of the kind."
On the use of magic in paintings ...
"Illusions and magic are mistrusted by most common folk, so the most they’re used in dramatic arts are wizards using illusions to provide animated ‘you are there’ scenes of important battles and events to audiences at feasts and formal gatherings (with forewarning, to avoid upset or violence), or the illusions of spell effects at dramatic moments in a play.
The wealthiest nobles sometimes purchase paintings that have minor illusions cast on them suggesting motion (hair of person stirring occasionally in unseen winds, a smile that comes and goes, the gaze of the depicted person moving about, small gestures), but again, most people regard these as “creepy” and want nothing to do with them. Most nobles commission these to impress (and hint that the paintings harbour more formidable defensive magics, so would-be thieves and other intruders had best beware)."
On paintings ...
"Most folk buy paintings as portraits of places they’d visited, such as Waterdeep (yes, as “I’ve been there” souvenirs!), remembrances of realms they had to leave behind (usually birthplaces); portraits of monarchs they revere; holy events (usually mortals receiving divine aid or rapture rather than actual depictions of deities) of faiths they follow; or people they know (parents, more remote ancestors, loved ones, or selves). Pictures of people are sometimes painted as plaques (palm-sized slate or wood carry-arounds, either carried wrapped or fitted with little ‘doors’ like many a modern real-world dartboard), but are usually life-sized, shoulders-up pictures hung on walls in the best rooms of domiciles or guild offices. Most curio shops in Waterdeep have an assortment of ‘portraits of dead nobodies’ hung up for sale, and yes, there’s a brisk trade in portraits of scantily-clad female beauties, often mounted ‘on the back’ of a family portrait so the thing can be hastily turned around when Aunt Oskaula comes to call."
On guild badges and paintings ...
Most guild offices have the symbol of the guild (guild, coster, and family badges and full heraldic displays are the most popular ‘expensive art,’ by the way) hung up on the wall as a painted wooden carving, a portrait or portraits of the founder(s) of the guild, prominent past (long dead and famous in their field) guild members, and present and past guildmasters. A few guilds have begun to demonstrate their wealth in a way increasingly adopted by ‘wannabe-noble’ rich merchants (but thus far, sneeringly dismissed by ‘real’ nobles, at least in Waterdeep): they’ve purchased ‘waiting-room’ paintings, usually of guild-related elements (smiths would have anvils, forgehammers, tongs, and so on), that are ‘everchanging’ or ‘living.’ These terms are, of course, misnomers: what such paintings (typically large dark square pieces) really do is to display the same sequence of painted elements over and over.
To use the smiths’ example: a fire kindles and seems to ‘grow’ out of the painting, tongs and a bar of metal can be seen thrusting into it, and then the flames fade to reveal an anvil looming up. As it ‘drifts’ forward dramatically, the now-glowing bar is lowered onto it, a forgehammer smashes down on it twice, the scattering sparks wash away anvil and bar to leave just the mighty hammer (backlit by forge-glow). We see it slowly rise and fall, emphasizing the force with which it is wielded, and then it fades to reveal a tiny tumbling object that comes ‘out of the distance’ towards us, growing rapidly in size. We see that it’s a horseshoe, and then it dwindles again, back into flames that become the kindling fire (and the cycle repeats from there).
Such pictures are the latest fad, although some of them (like paintings of fires blazing in hearths) have actually been available for years. They’re very expensive, and it remains to be seen if they’ll really catch on outside of Waterdeep, Athkatla, and the largest cities of Sembia."
On the ceilngs (and roofs!  ) of Lathanderite temples ...
" ... the roofs of Lathanderite temples are usually rose-red tile (covered by bird droppings), and the soaring inner ceilings are usually rose-red stucco or painted plaster (dark red around the lower edges, lightening to a glorious orange-rose at the uppermost domes) ..."
On Gondite halls of worship ...
"Cathedrals of Gond are seldom seen on the mainland, where shrines are the rule. These are typically dominated by extremely complicated, large ‘perpetual motion’-like machines, wherein small pushes by priests and by faithful worshippers are magnified by flywheels, gears, counterweights, and so on into impressive and long-lasting symphonies of movement that seldom do anything useful, but sometimes serve to drill things, grind things, and so on.
Ed's defintions of various types of religious buildings ...
"A "cathedral" is a temple (usually very large, prosperous, and ornate, presided over by a very high-ranking priest (the equivalent of a real-world Roman Catholic bishop, or higher).
A "temple" is a permanently, at-all-hours staffed (by ordained clergy) house of worship to a Faerunian deity or deities. Usually priests capable of raising the dead dwell and worship there. A temple always has a consecrated altar to the deity, the staff wear holy vestments and make use of consecrated items in their rituals, and regular rituals (usually several times daily) are held. Lay worshippers (the general public) are usually admitted to rituals and for religious advice, aid, or discipline. Priests are often sent forth from a temple to minister to outlying faithful and to further church business (including actual commercial businesses).
A “monastery” (“nunnery” if the clergy are female only; if mixed, the term “monastery” is usually used, the exceptions being for female deities whose clergy is predominantly female, such as Sune and Sharess) is a religious community, often walled and usually in a remote rural location, with a temple (and usually a farm or other means of self-supporting food source, like mushroom-growing caverns, alpine sheep pastures, etc., plus often a business [mill, tannery, etc.] for generating income from the sale of goods). Priests (“monks”) always dwell on site, often lifelong or for years at a time, under a strict regimen or ‘rule’ of regular rituals, prayer, and work for the deity (which often really means work to advance the wealth and influence of the priesthood, from pursuing intrigues to making medicines and liqueurs for sale).
A “shrine” is a small, simple site for worship of a deity or deities. It is usually identifiable by the symbol of the god, and its altar may be either consecrated or improvised. It may or may not have a staff; many shrines are maintained by reclusive hermits or local lay worshippers, and only visited by traveling priests for cleansing, renewal, and collection of any offerings that may have been left there.
Shrines to some deities (depending on the deity) may have caches of healing potions, holy water (or unholy water), or items consecrated to the god (holy symbols, weapons blessed by the priests of Tempus in a shrine to Tempus, dice blessed by the priests of Tymora in a shrine of Tymora, etc.).
Shrines don’t usually have resident (staff) priests, but some faiths ‘man’ them with month-long shifts of clergy dwelling onsite.
A “chapel” is a small shrine or temple attached to a larger structure, or enclosed within its walls (e.g. a stone building within or built against the inside of a castle). In royal castles, ruling courts, or the keeps of the nobility, it’s quite often a room or rooms within the larger structure. Sometimes, chapels are reserved exclusively for the use of a royal or noble family, and their existence may even be kept secret from the wider world."
to be continued in following post .... |
"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 19 Oct 2004 : 17:51:29
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Ed on sculptures ...
"As with paintings, abstract sculptures are almost unknown in human art (elven art often employs sweeping curves that suggest ocean waves but that incorporate elements that might be spreading branches, or straining wings). Statuettes, particularly small pieces no taller than the length of a human forearm, are quite common. Most are crude depictions of human heads, ‘severed’ orc heads (often with comical ‘bumpkin’ expressions rather than trying to look horrific), or full-body human figures (nude female dancers are popular, of course), and many are placed as finials atop fence-posts, gate-spires, and the like. In at least one place, Tharsult, statuettes have been used as money.
Many dwarves and gnomes dwelling in human cities spend their lives carving small stone statues for sale to folk desiring to ‘dress up’ their gardens or homes with either dramatic warriors (often passed off as ancestors) or, again, feminine beauty in various forms. Halflings more often carve in wood, and elf artisans work in blown glass -- but increasingly (as the years pass and everyone tries everything), these are stereotypes rather than accurate summations of racial habits.
Larger statues are less common and are quite expensive. Rulers raise monuments to themselves or to commemorate battles (usually just those they consider glorious victories), and temples often feature statues (either three-dimensional holy symbols or non-human divine servant creatures, the equivalent of Christian ‘angels’). Statues of the deity are usually large and dramatic, and unless they’re part of the shape of the temple building, tend to be inside the building, dominating the main area of worship (usually towering over the altar).
Single figures (or a single figure with smaller ‘supplicants’ twined about its legs, or bodies of fallen around its feet, are far more common than tableaux of multiple figures, though there are occasional exceptions (usually scenes of princes or kings fighting monsters -- yes, the ‘Azoun battling the Devil Dragon’ (or at least its head, curving ‘up and over’ from behind to loom down from above the valiant king, jaws agape) pieces are starting to appear).
On Sunite art ...
"... temples of Sune often have beautiful life-sized and smaller statues and statuettes of beautiful women, usually at least partially unclad and usually depicted dancing, sometimes depicted with expressions of rapture, but otherwise expressions of eager happiness. Not always, and not always of Sune herself; often these are remembrances of faithful (now dead) priestesses of the goddess."
and again ...
" ... there are lot of exquisitely beautiful depictions of Lady Firehair, some of them enspelled so as to seem to be flesh, and to have hair that’s literally on fire. Some of these statues are provocative, and some are VERY provocative (some are located in the very private chapels of wealthy worshippers, and their poses leave no doubt as to the uses to which they’re put). There are also temple statues exaggerated in physical features in various ways -- and, like the beauty of real living females, personal preferences have a lot to do with what individual worshippers deem the ‘best.’
However, it’s GENERALLY thought among the faithful (the clergy themselves officially have no preferences, always stating something along the lines of ‘personal mind-contact with the Goddess so eclipses everything else that these feeble reminders can be to us no more than that’) that the forty-foot-tall altar-statue of Sune at the House of Rapture temple in Nyth (presided over by High Ladyhostess Loumrae Darszuauntra, a CG female human Clr14 of Sune) is the best.
Known as ‘the Lady Rapturous,’ it depicts the goddess with her right hand raised to her own lips, its fingers in her mouth, and her left hand just rising from her thighs (the bottom of the piece, which is legless). Her torso is twisted, emphasizing the shape of her breasts, her arms are long, graceful, and posed as if captured in a moment of moving with great force, and her head is thrown back, her eyes half-closed, and her hair clinging to her “like the clawing hands of a hundred feverish lechers,” as one pilgrim (Asgrum of Iriaebor, writing a decade ago) put it.
It is undeniably striking, and its beauty is superb. It looks incredibly lifelike (if, that is, Sune was a giant-sized, legless human woman), and the illusion is only enhanced by a spell placed on the statue by priestesses of the House of Rapture, that causes the Rapturous to emit deep, rich, edge-of-moan gasps. This latter magic has been termed “ludicrous” by some visitors to the temple, but is undeniably effective in moving most lay worshippers to the edge of rapture themselves.
There’s apparently an ongoing struggle among senior clergy of Sune to have the statue moved to the House of Firehair in Daerlun or the Temple of Beauty in Waterdeep (or to various other temples as they’re built or enlarged), but thus far the Rapturous remains where ‘she’ was erected.
The Rapturous was sculpted over six years by the irascible, four-foot-tall bearded orgy- and melon pie-loving artisan Ruldan of Westgate (a pompous, hot-tempered and arrogant little schemer who tries to seduce every woman he sees, and who long ago was forced to abruptly relocate from Westgate to Athkatla when an outraged mother came after him with some VERY sharp knives). Ruldan directed a team of five local dwarves, and many folk are of the opinion that their skills are what made the statue so beautiful, not Ruldan’s tirades and tantrum-embroidered opinions and ‘deep vision.’
This is borne out, some say, by the ‘sameness’ of Ruldan’s work since (he trained a crew of young women and gnomes to work under his direction, churning out statues in just a few poses for the walls, gardens, and interiors of various grand Athkatlan houses; only the faces of the statues vary, to match the requests of patrons).
Ruldan personally carved just one other statue of Sune, which can be seen at the Bower of the Lady roadside shrine north of Ordulin, in Sembia. Much smaller (nine feet in height), cruder, and darker (it’s of crimson-hued stone), it nevertheless conveys a sense of lush, lust-inducing beauty, depicting a magnificently-bosomed Sune reaching out to worshippers as if to draw them to her. An enchantment placed on the eyes and mouth of the statue, that makes it seem like tiny fires stir and flicker there, reportedly infuriated Ruldan, who’s refused to have anything to do with “meddling priests” since."
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 19 Oct 2004 18:04:14 |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5695 Posts |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 21 Oct 2004 : 03:33:21
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Moving west of the Sunset Mountains, we begin to encounter three distinct cultures (Calishite, Illuskan, Tethyrian), and their numerous sub-groups, each with it's own distinct stye of art and architecture.
Of course, for the oldest human culture and works of architecture in the west we must look to Calimsham, whose modern day borders encompass a tradition of art and architecture that span well over 6,000 years.
The short, slender, dark-skinned folk who founded this culture were once the servants of powerful djinni who came to the region via gates or portals. They ruled the lands of modern day Calimshan from c.-7,800 DR to -6,060 DR and were the first to build on, and name, the future sites of such noteable cities as Calimshan and Memnon. While little survives of this nonhuman culture, the Calishites most certainly based their own culture upon it.
The most impressive momuments of this nonhuman age live on in modern day Memnon in the form of it's indestructible black wall and it's wondrous Theater of All Faiths. There is also the Altar of Air in the ruins of Dashadjen, and perhaps even the Steps of Istishia in Keltar.
The developement of early Calishite art and architecture is however, generally deemed (by outsiders) to have begun with the founding of the Calimshan Empire in -5,000 DR, and is generally categorized into three "Kingdoms" that encompass five "Ages" and twenty-two "dynasties".
The Old Kingdom ran from -5,000 DR to -900 DR, encompassed the First through Third Ages of Calimsham, and saw the rule of 12 different dynasties.
The First Age ran from -5,000 DR to -3,200 DR. While this age began promising, with new freedoms and ideas inpsiring the artists of Calimshan, along with the acquisition of new lands and their associate wealth and manpower, it averaged roughly 2 plagues per century in its last millenia, and this severely curtailed it's artistic expression even as it began to be realized. It's last dynasty was the Mahrek Dynasty.
The Second Age ran from -3,200 DR to -1,900 DR and it was during this period that the Calishite art and architecture at last flowered. This was facilited by the Dynasties of Erehnir and Vahlen, both of which supported the arts with great vigour and built numerous temples, statues and monuments ... over 200 between the two.
In stark contrast to the previous age, which either ignored or debased the image of the djinni, the Erehnir Dynasty restored a lasting respect for genies within the realm of art and architecture. The strong prescence of genie imagery was carried on in the art and architecutre of Erehnir's predecessor, the Vahlen Dynasty, who blended it with strong solar imagery and sun-/sky-god motifs.
Unfortunately, the best works of these quasi-religious dynasties can only be seen within the great desert of Calim itself, close to the spirit of Calim the Djinni, who inpsire the works. One marked exception is the Palace of Murabis in Calimport, which is the single best surviving example of Second Age architecture. It is a high walled estate of four 3 storied domed buildings set at cardinal compass points, and with main entrances on each facing east. The Forest House of the palaces ground floor is filled with arched pillars that have been carved, glazed and inlaid so as to look like trees and foliage growing up out of the palace floor and upholding the lofty ceiling.
There is also the Eight Erehnir's which were carved in honour of the Fifth ruler of the Erehnir Dynasty, Pasha Nakkar IV. The Eight Erehnir's were shaped from the sheer cliffs flanking the road on the way into Volothamp. Each stands some 30' tall and depicts the Pasha in numerous forms; warrior, priest, ruler, marid, djinni, efreeti, dao, and as a fiery sun-god.
The Third Age ran -1,900 DR to -900 DR, and opened with the destruction of the Roar Dynasty at the hands of a great red wyrm.
It ruled Calimshan for the next 200 years, inspired many works of flattery/vanity art (most of which has been destroyed), and which continued to endure in the terrible draconic imagery of the Cajaan Dynasty (-1708 to -1428 DR). The Cajaan Dynasty is also marked by a return to the strong solar imagery of the Vahlen Dynasty, while their predecessors, the Drakhon Dynasty's, popularized the custom of integrating genie images into major architectural features such as fountains and pillars and guardians. Some of these show genies and dragons locked in battle, harkening back to ancient Calishite legendry. It is also with the Drakhon Dynasty that we begin to see a increase in the quality of art en pare with the Second Age, as well as the subtle introduction of new Faerunian influences and religious imagery.
While not a work of Calishite, or even human architecture, it is from the latter days of the Third age that we get the terrible wonder of the Eye Tyrant Cliffs of Mount Kahdas and Mount Phevos. These are carvings hundreds of feet high that depict beholders blasting away at droves of fleeing humans. They are visible for miles upon miles, but the full detail does not come through until one gets up close, where one is struck by the immensity of 100' beholders and the detailed disfigurements and sufferings shown on the Calishites they assail. Human wizards can also be seen, depicted in flight on Phevos. While Calishites of the Fifth and Eighth Ages attempt to destroy this monument, it endures to this day.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 21 Oct 2004 03:41:40 |
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2004 : 15:49:07
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First, I´d like to thank Beowulf for this scroll. Faerunian art is a topic that should have been covered long ago! Here is an article I want to contribute to this (hopefully further growing) collection of lore.
As usual I was happy to find new realmslore from El (see "sources" at the postings end), and likewise as usual it immediately got me thinking...
In one of my campaigns there´s a friendly Beholder living next door to the newly built headquater of the PC´s. I finally could cajole myself into doing a write-up, and included one plot hook (“The Aesthetics Network “) that builds on Ed´s statement:
quote:
The Realms simply lack the easy travel and flows of information that our modern-day real world enjoys. Not only are tastes broken up by races and faiths, few sages have seen non-mobile art in more than their own immediate area, and have the time and coin to magically peer at more distant areas in an organized, ‘miss nothing’ manner.
Faerun is riddled with portals, so why not introducing another small network with limited access to only a selected group of users?
Okulus Okularius, sculptor most famous
In 1338 DR a new artist was given to the Realms: On their way through Calmishan, the Company of Noble Hearts (a six-headed group of young and bored Waterdhavian nobles) stumbled across the lair of a beholder during one of their “lets- see- what- adventure- we- can- find- in- the- wilderness”- trips. They immedietely returned to Myratma were they spent weeks discussing strategies in the rented house that served as their luxurious headquater and browsed the libraries of a dozen well-paid (from their parents coffers, of course) resident sages.
After they had devised a satisfying plan (read: after they had again enough of urban life) they went off to “Get us an Eye- Tyrant!”. The plan went wrong of course, and the battle cost one of their comrades their live so that the Company of Noble hearts counted only four heads, for the dead was Illymar Hawkwinter, a spoiled son of House Hawkwinter who already died once during a Deepdelver- raid in Undermountain and was reincarnated into the body of a human- sized Ettin, much to the shame of his family – and the desperation of the family´s barber.
The “victory” was theirs nontheless: they were able to dupe the Beholder into putting on a magic ring the dead Illymar had in his pocket. A ring for which they had found no use so far. A ring of opposite alignment.
In a wink, the beholder went from annihilating monster to appalled culprit, as the evils he did in his live assailed him. Still in thrall of his “sins”, and aghast of his past crimes (and the very last one that lay under him in the shape of dead Illymar), he offered his live to the bemazed adventurers. The four nobles stood there, swords still a-dripping with blood from the Tyrants servants (a small tribe of Hobgoblins), they decided to spare it and let it live. The Beholder asked them to take as much treasure from his hoard as they deem necessary to get their poor two-headed comrade resurrected. He also asked them to find a way for him to live in the city as he did not want to live here anymore- surrounded by things that would constantly remind him of the appalling things he had done. Reluctantly, the still astonished four agreed.
They returned to the city and brought Illymar to a Temple. Their money was accepted, but the priest said after the ritual that he was not able to bring the soul of their friend back to this life. He assured them that Illymar thanked them for their friendship and asked them to deliver the message of his death home to his family in a gentle way.
The four, who had matured in that “adventure” a good deal, took it with mixed feelings. With a heavy heart, they spend the rest of the beholders treasure, bought an old manor and returned to its lair. They found it very much changed: no more lurking traps, no more servant Hobgoblins. The “landlord” welcomed them and took the news of Illymars failed ressurection with a sadness that bordered on despair. The four spend the next tenday consoling themselves- and a depressed Beholder. He (they no more called him “it”…) showed them his home, told them tales behind this piece of self-carved architecture and that particular swinging- flagstone- trap, and asked them another favour. There were dozens- no- hundreds of statues adorning his home: humans, dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes, various lizardmen, animals of all kind. All were once living, breathing beings before he charmed and petrified them. There must be a way to return them to flesh!
The former Company of Noble Hearts promised to find a cleric that would turn the stones back to flesh, and Alarica Cassalanther, founding member and a bard by vocation, added with a grin that it would be a pity to loose all that fine pieces of decoration. It was that comment that gave the Realms a new artist: the Beholder did not catch the joke and returned matter- of- factly that he could anytime create new statues with his eyepower of disintegration. In fact, some statues and virtually all architecture in his lair were created that way. There was a minute- long silence among the four nobles, who were thinking all along the same lines (of course), while the Eye Tyrant hovered among them, continuing to point out this or that lair- feature and how he created it (failing to notice that his audience was not paying attention). Finally Alarica asked him to demonstrate his abilities to stone- carve. One hour later the four stood flabbergasted before a two- headed bust of Illymar, carved in marble.
To cut a long story short, the four returned to Myratma, a polymorphed Beholder in tow. They presented him his “new home” and set off to find a cleric who would be willing to free the unfortunate petrified creatures. They were able to convince Olovhar XXX, an ardent follower of the Morninglord, to help them. He was invited to the company´s rented home, where he (after much careful preliminary talk) met his first nonagressive Eye Tyrant. He agreed to help them but demanded in return that after that the Beholder accompanied him back to his home temple, The House of Holy Dawn in Calimport, where he should “atone for his sins by sculpting fine pieces of art to spread the glory of Lathander”. Olovhar promised that nobody would harm him, and that he was free to leave whenever he wanted (being a very good judge of character, he had immediately recognized that the Beholder was an artist by heart and would probably not leave the temple for a long time).
The deal was made and all creatures were freed, which wasn’t always an easy task as many of them were eager to seek revenge. Some particular aggressive ones had to be slain, but after the first unexpected fight (who would expect a freed creature to attack their liberators?), every depetrification was done with ample precautions. The lions share of the Beholders hoard was used to compensate the liberated, and after several tendays the group returned to civilization.
The Beholder was accomodated in the House of Holy Dawn, were he was presented a magic ring that would allow him to shapechange in human form. He adopted the pseudonym “Okulus Okularius” (a not too subtle choice, but one that amused all in the know to no end) and began to sculpt works of art that were nothing but peerless in the city. Soon commissions from rich merchants started to flow, and after three years (and thanks to an enterprising captain of a ship bound to Waterdeep) Okulus´ fame had spread beyond Calimshan. More and more commission came in and the artist who had “grown” over the time an unruly mane of oiled brown curls was in the comfortable situation of being able to chose the requests that pleased him most.
The only thing causing him increasing trouble was his quickly diminishing privacy, as more and more wanted a piece of art from the famous Okulus Okularius. Those “customers”, as he derisively called them, were not really interested in art but just wanted to own something from the prestigious sculptor. The Beholder had to spend more and more precious time and resources on securing his newly bought villa against “customers” and, increasingly, thieves.
After several years and four burglaries (two of the thieves were caught in the act, petrified and used as statues in the garden of the Beholder who was enraged that someone dared to steal - and thereby risked to damage- his art) he decided to relocate again. Beginning in 1359, he started to quietly ship his most precious pieces to the City of Splendours where he had through intermediaries bought a manor in the Sea Ward and then “mysteriously dissapeared”- not before he completed a series of statues portaying gods of art that Dellarth Nightblade had commissioned, founding member of the Firehand Trading Coster, dear friend of Okulus and one of the few beings who knew his true identity.
The “Divine Eleven of Okularius” are considered the artists masterwork. The statues depicted in typical posture Lathander, Sune, Oghma, Deneir, Gond, Corellon, the lesser known Meriadar (God of Mongrelmen, patience, meditation, tolerance, arts and crafts, whose profile was boosted by including him in the series), Milil, Lliira, Eilistraee and Sharess. The inclusion of the latter two was highly disputed among connoisseurs: the exhibition in Waterdeep caused some of the guests to leave the House rented by Dellarth in what he later described with a grin as “the epitome of noble dignified outrage”. Despite the public warnings that the Exhibition was guarded by traps and magic, only five days after its opening the first thief tried his luck- and found a silently floating Beholder inside the Manor. He thought it was an illusion (because Okulus did seemingly not react to the sneaking gnome and continued to float around), but was petrified from behind when he tried to pry lose the sample he was commissioned to steal.
The exhibition later moved up and down the Sword Coast and later the larger cities of the Heartlands, travelling with caravans of the Firehands Trading Group. After only five years Okulus decided to move again, this time to Arabel in Cormyr. Dellarth Nightblade had procured a nice Villa in the city and both agreed that the Beholder should live there in anonymity, working on whatever project he wanted and accepting rare commissions that were arranged by Dellarth, who worked as his agent. The artist found the city to his liking and became regular guest in the “World Serpent Inn”, a secret tavern that existed on multiple planes simultaneously. Okulus described his nights there as “…very inspiring! It´s a welcomed change being able to show my true form without causing a panic. And the conversations one can have there! Ah, there´s nothing like discussing art with a guest from Mount Celestia and later that day talking about the darker aspects with someone from… well, you catch my meaning, don´t you?”
But alas, good things don´t last long. The artists was “discovered” in 1368 by a travelling bard, who was too fast for Okulus or Dellarth to stop him working the news into the not- subtle- at- all- “Ballad of the hiding sculptor”. After four nights of singing it in Arabel´s taverns, the first “customers” arrived at the Beholders doorstep. They were turned away of course, but the privacy Okulus holds so dear was over. He put a good face on the matter, accepted a few commissions (not all Cormyreans had a bad taste, after all) and asked Dellarth to find another new home for him. This time a city was out of the question: “Find me a quiet little place where I can live in peace and do what I love to do.”
Dellarth found such a place in 1370 in western Mistledale, where a wealthy landlord had lost several farms due to a tribe of Goblins in the “Patchwortk Hills”, as the area was known: The tribes shaman had found a “faulty” magic ring that “leaked” water by weakening the planar boundaries between the Prime and the Plane of Water, as a group of local adventurers found out. More than half of the farms had to be abandoned because the fields were becoming marshy. Dellarth heard that the problem had been solved and decided that a farm would be the ideal hiding place for his friend. He bought one of farmyards and had it elaborately rebuilt, converting it into a home fit for... well, an artist, of course.
Okulus was sad having to leave Arabel soon. He knew he would miss the regular visits in the World Serpent, so he contacted a friend he got to know during his “inspirational planar pup crawls”: Jhaurmael Riversedge, the Master of Portals. The elf and the Beholder had become close friends, each one an artist of his own. Okulus frequently helped the sorcerer with carving elaborate components for his portals, and the elf was more than happy to supply the sculptor with rare stones from distant lands (or planes) for his statues in return. Jhaurmael created a pair of portals: One several hours outside of Arabel, in a remote wood and surrounded by a thicket of trees and brambles, the other in a small cave in the steep face of the “Featherfalls”, an odd-colored cliff in the woods of Mistledale, visited only by a tribe of aarakocra who use it once in a while as campground.
Today, Okulus lives in rural Mistledale. He is happy to sculpt statues day in and out, visiting Arabel for a planar pup crawl every tenday or so. The abandoned farms in his neighbourhood are one after the other rebuilt, and the artist is afraid that his peace would be over all too soon. The farm in his direct neighbourship was acquired and rebuilt by two adventuring mages who belong to the group that discovered the goblins and solved the watery problem without bloodshed by resettling them northward into the Thunderpeaks. A few miles to the south, a small community of halflings settled down in the heart of the Patchwork Hills and survived their first winter in the newly built burrows (the majority of them are Blickish, a subspecies of halflings. See “Mythic Races”). An eighteen year old girl from Tilverton (member of Tilvertons thieves guild and likewise part of the aforementioned group of adventurers) had bought another farm for her family, which is the current gossip among the local farmers.
Plot hooks:
The twelfth statue
Rumors are spreading through Cormyr and Sembia that the “Divine Eleven of Okularius” have been complemented by a twelfth statue: the one of Finder, God of growth, rot and rebirth, change, renewal in music and art. Up to now no one has seen his statue- or the eleven others for that, as the wandering exhibition has stopped travelling around. Some say it was ambushed by a Zhentarim from Darkhold, but Dellarth only shrugs (and sometimes smiles) when asked about it.
The Aesthetics Network
Okulus has decided to ask Jhaurmael another favour. He envisions a series of portals that link sites of great art together, so that all interested but without sufficient coin are able to see that wonders with their own eyes, instead of hearing bards singing or telling about them. The portal network should be accessible only for those with primary interest in art, refusing passage to those who try to use it for other objectives like trade, espionage or criminal activities. Most places are temples of gods of art, but Candlekeep is on the Beholders list as well as several famous ruins throughout Faerûn. Dellarth knows of the Beholders plans and tries to convince him of excepting the Firehands or at least himself (or anyone who wears a specific key) from the restriction. Jhaurmaels opinion about the plan is unknown. On the one hand, Okulus and he are very close friends but on the other hand he is busy with a number of other projects at the moment.
Ressources:
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Edited by - tauster on 24 Oct 2004 15:50:18 |
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Gale604
Acolyte
Canada
7 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2005 : 02:50:17
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Kudos on starting this topic, Beowulf. A little bit of culture always livens up a campaign.
For some visuals of "ancient" Realms architecture, check out the Karsus Enclave map included in "Netheril-Empire of Magic" (Free on WOTC website). Assuming that Netheril had a massive impact on Human cultures of Toril, I use the architectural detail sketches as a starting point for desiging grand buildings in my "modern" FR campaign (minus the flying cities, of course). |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2005 : 03:41:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Gale604
Assuming that Netheril had a massive impact on Human cultures of Toril,
Heh, Netheril had an impact, alright.    |
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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oldskool
Acolyte
USA
31 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jan 2005 : 10:17:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Gale604
Assuming that Netheril had a massive impact on Human cultures of Toril,
Heh, Netheril had an impact, alright.
Hehehe, sort of like the 'impact' the Yucatan asteroid strike had on the dinosaurs.
oldskool |
DM: "You see a gazebo ahead of you."
Player: "What is it doing? I draw my weapon and charge!"
DM: "It's not doing anything. It's a gazebo."
Player: "Oh.. um. Then I'll cast a fireball at it!" |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2005 : 02:19:17
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Ed's 'Ecology of the Basilisk' (Dragon#85?) or 'Ecology of the Cockatrice' (Dragon#97?) articles mention a "sculptor" in Waterdeep who drugged humans and unleashed his pets on them, creating statues. There was also Vendes Baenre of Menzoberranzan who transformed creatures into ebony statues (see the Menzo boxed set and DDGttU). Given the magical nature of Faerun, the vistas for art in particular are limitless. Oh yeah, see also one of Ed's 'Volo' articles in Dragon called the Falling Stair - it talks about Netherese crystal hangings or somesuch.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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