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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11613 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Jan 2014 : 14:59:10
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| good catch on the Elaine entries. I definitely wouldn't have caught that, and I especially like the idea that the crown can basically draft all available mercenaries and adventurers in the country during time of war. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jan 2014 : 16:00:21
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Glad you liked it. I picked up the Elaine Cunningham short story reference because she got in touch with me back in the day to ask how Impiltur would react to a drow walking around among the general population. I helped her tweak some of her prose before the anthology came out. Those were the good old days when there were a few projects on the go and writers/designers would ask for research help and proof reading. I've always got a kick out of someone mentioning that they really liked this or that element of the Realms when that one was 'mine'. Every time I play "Lords of Waterdeep" on my phone, I smile when I play the Artor Morlin quest considering I'm the one who gave him a name many, many years ago.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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mikemax
Acolyte
14 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2014 : 14:41:39
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| Thanks for the info George. That was exactly what I was hoping for. I'm sure that I will have some more specific questions once I've fully digested all the details. |
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Lukas Kain
Seeker
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2014 : 02:49:00
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I had skipped over your material on the military of Impiltur, and now having read through it I am amazed at just how thoroughly it answers so very many of my questions. Terrific stuff, truly.
I was curious if you had information pertaining to Ancient Narfell, more specifically any remaining structures or uh...Interesting goodies left behind in Impiltur. Obviously I know of Dun-Orthass (Citadel of Conjurer's), the Barrowlands, and the rest of the published stuff, I just wondered if there was anything else you had.
Also, though less important, I was wondering how the command structure of Ancient Narfell went. Nentyarch was on top of course, and I remember reading about a Jesthren Darakh who was an ayarch, but what were some of the others?
Thanks in advance, George  |
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JPDeed
Acolyte
Australia
15 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2014 : 01:56:17
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Hi GK,
I am looking for a way to culturally implement the production/use of metamagic rods. Would you see these items as "ancient secrets from past empires" or a relatively modern invention? Would you consider them to be a specialised branch of magic item invention by particular cultures or would their production be generalised and widespread?
Cheers, JpDeed. |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2014 : 18:52:22
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Hi George!
I wanted to thank youagain for the detailed answers on my previous qestions.
Now, As you have said, the clash between "your" hobgoblins in Impilur and surrounding lands has mainly been caused by the great glacier and the therefore changed circumstances in their ancestral tribal hunting grounds.
Now, I have repeatedly red that the whole mountain range of the Galena mountains is crowded with "hundreds of thousands of goblinoids". I do not know how much you are involved there, but is this also been caused by the presence of the glacier, and have some of the Hobgoblins moved there?
And if you could share some knowledge about what specific races of "goblinoids" are ment there ( i.e. I know in many, esecially older, sourcebooks, orcs etc. are also considered goblinoids ) I would highly appreciate it. |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2014 : 10:33:00
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quote:
Originally posted by JPDeed
Hi GK,
I am looking for a way to culturally implement the production/use of metamagic rods. Would you see these items as "ancient secrets from past empires" or a relatively modern invention? Would you consider them to be a specialised branch of magic item invention by particular cultures or would their production be generalised and widespread?
Cheers, JpDeed.
Right off the bat, I have to tell you that mass-produced magic is one of my pet hates, so I'm not a fan of any magic item being produced such that it could be described as generalised and widespread.
Metamagic is a wide and varied field as you know. I don't think that any realm or society would create metamagic rods across the broad range of that sub-strata of magic. So in answer to your question, I'd adopt both historical and modern means of accessing such items. For example, rods that provide the quicken spell bonus might be the preserve of the Cabal of the Crimson Cloak, active in the Vilhon Reach in the 800s DR until their power and many-spired fortress near Arrabar was laid waste by an attack from below by drow and their spell-charmed servitors. Their rods used charges but the secret of their making is lost to modern day mages. The archmage Drugath of Hlondeth has recently rediscovered a partial process to create these rods, but his are a less flexible version, operating only twice a day.
I like the idea that if a PC wizard wants such a rod he has to travel to the Vilhon and uncover its secrets (or pay Drugath a fortune to teach them how to do it - if they can bribe/convince him to do so). That's one rod. The others are similarly varied and diverse. If you wanted a particular rod to be more accessible that shouldn't mean that it is then easy to make. Everyone knows that the drunkard wizard Bruth "the Lost" Hornwind in Scornubel will tell you the key reagents and components to make a rod of silent spell, but knowing that you need an echo shroom doesn't help much when you learn that no one has seen one in decades and they are thought to be found somewhere in the High Forest, at a location known as Tapann's Leap - which no one knows how to locate.
No magic item should be easy to make. I take Ed's approach set out in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" re how difficult it is to create magic items as my bible in this regard. So sorry if this hasn't helped you or answered your question, but I'm answering you from my perspective on what makes a 'good' and 'balanced' game. YMMV.
If you want the easy option, choose one of the Red Wizard enclaves and make such items their specialty. Again, they shouldn't be easy to procure, but at least your PCs will have a ready source. As always though, the Red Wizards will get their pound of flesh.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2014 : 01:55:03
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Hi George,
I was curious as to what your take on how shield dwarf politics would affect a hold with several clans in it. Do you see clan feuds leading to private wars or knife-work in tunnels? Clans manipulating to get members of theirs married into the royal family etc? Most of the dwarven life I've seen have been the Battlehammers from the various Salvatore novels and they seem to have a pretty unified front where there doesn't seem to be much strife. I definitely like that regarding dwarves, it's always been one of their draws for me.
But if a person wanted to introduce some villains into a dwarf hold, how would you approach that? Having some priests of Abbathor selling weapons to the Zhentarim is one thing, but dwarves attempting to kill say the heirs of the king is where the believability starts breaking down for me. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you. :) |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2014 : 04:52:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakuta Khan
Now, I have repeatedly read that the whole mountain range of the Galena mountains is crowded with "hundreds of thousands of goblinoids". I do not know how much you are involved there, but is this also been caused by the presence of the glacier, and have some of the Hobgoblins moved there?
And if you could share some knowledge about what specific races of "goblinoids" are meant there (i.e. I know in many, especially older, sourcebooks, orcs etc. are also considered goblinoids ) I would highly appreciate it.
Well, if we go back to first principles, the "Cyclopedia of the Realms" at p.46 notes that the "goblin races" includes all creatures such as kobolds, goblins, orcs and hobgoblins. Some sages extend the definition to ogres, bugbears, trolls and half-orcs.
I've always gone with the view that all references, in general terms, to 'goblins' means the gamut of humanoids in the Realms, as set out above. The Bloodstone Lands are no different to other regions in this regard.
FR9 represents our best canon source on the area and at p.33 the Galenas provide that "hundreds and thousands of goblinoids and giants, and countless other monsters" quote you allude to. In my opinion, the number given is hyperbole, a bit like the reference to 80,000 drow living in the Forest of Mir in the old FR3 sourcebook. If there were more than 20,000 humanoids in the Galenas, I'd be very surprised. In my Realms, the Galenas are dominated by the hobgoblins and goblins. There are orcs there, but not in numbers to ever generate a horde. The orcs tend to congregate in the region north of Bloodstone Pass. The dwarves of Hillsafar Hall basically lie in between the orcs and the hobgoblins/goblins who are concentrated in, around and north of the Glacier of the White Worm, closer to the Earthspurs. These mountains were originally dominated by the orcs, but with the fall of Vastar and the destruction of orc numbers in the fall of Roldilar, the hobgoblins took the opportunity to move in and now dominate the Earthspurs and southern Galenas. Orcish strength was effectively sliced in half, with their main areas of strength becoming the Earthfast Mountains and the Galenas north of the Pass.
The relegation of the goblin races to wild and unnattractive geography such as mountains, moors and swamps is simply explained by the ability of humans, dwarves and elves to unify in common purpose for defence and offence and displace them from prime land fit for agriculture and habitation. With the retreat of the Great Glacier, the Bloodstone Lands saw a huge influx of humans from the lands of the Vilhon, looking to make their fortunes. They established trade ties with existing dwarven and gnomish clans and also more direct access to Sossal, and as such, the goblinoids were actively targeted and eradicated when they too sought to profit from the wealth passing them by on a daily basis.
It is known that wealthy trade concerns brought in at least three large mercenary groups from the Vilhon to hunt down goblinoids in the Galenas and the Giantspire Mountains in the twenty winters after 1045 DR or so, as well as bringing the horse tribes of Narfell to heel also - greatly reducing their raiding efforts. Many of those mercenaries stayed on, becoming settlers in these new frontier lands and providing a foundation for the successful establishment of Damara and Vaasa as realms in their own right.
Hope this helps.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2014 : 14:25:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Lukas Kain
Also, though less important, I was wondering how the command structure of Ancient Narfell went. Nentyarch was on top of course, and I remember reading about a Jesthren Darakh who was an ayarch, but what were some of the others?
As you note the Nentyarch was the ruler of Narfell. The ruling strata beneath him involved a group of advisers, 5 in number, who were all given the title Ayarch. Often, the ruling Nentyarch's heir would be one of these individuals. Each Ayarch was in turn served by 3 Renyarchs. These individuals were akin to regional governors and located in various cities/settlements of note in the Narfelli Empire.
History has passed down a few names for us - see the sidebar in GHotR (p.55) - but on the whole little is known of these individuals. Rheligaun, the last Nentyarch of Narfell had two sons, neither of whom were Ayarchs, and both died during the last days of the Great Conflagration.
Your post states that Jesthren (yes, it is JeSthren not Jethren as written in GHotR) was of the Darakh family and an Ayarch. That's not actually the case. He was from the Aragnor family, known throughout the realm for its mastery of sorcery. The demon binders of Aragnor were pre-eminent in Narfell and numbered the most 'innardrith' (literally masters of demons) of all the leading families. Each innardrith was entitled to form his or her own summoning cabal (known as a dromon) and the Aragnors fielded over a dozen dromon in the final war against Raumathar. History mentions two items of power associated with the Aragnor. One is known only by name - the Malathor of Nilkar (thought to be a spell book) and the other by a modern descriptor: the Corona of Doom. This latter item is noted in an ancient tome known as the Codex Infernalia written by the elven sage Irhaal Echorn in the earliest days of Myth Drannor. It is described as a crown of 'pure darkness' that shrouds the worker's face with a veil of shadow, provides benefits in relation to spells dealing with darkness and, according to Irhaal, has the power to release a beam of 'black oblivion' that acts like a sphere of annihilation against any matter it touches.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2014 : 12:34:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
Hi George,
I was curious as to what your take on how shield dwarf politics would affect a hold with several clans in it. Do you see clan feuds leading to private wars or knife-work in tunnels? Clans manipulating to get members of theirs married into the royal family etc? Most of the dwarven life I've seen have been the Battlehammers from the various Salvatore novels and they seem to have a pretty unified front where there doesn't seem to be much strife. I definitely like that regarding dwarves, it's always been one of their draws for me.
But if a person wanted to introduce some villains into a dwarf hold, how would you approach that? Having some priests of Abbathor selling weapons to the Zhentarim is one thing, but dwarves attempting to kill say the heirs of the king is where the believability starts breaking down for me. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you. :)
I agree that the depiction of dwarves in Realms fiction to date has been overwhelmingly "white bread" in terms of how their communities/society function. That said I think that FR11 provides an insight into how dwarves can go 'bad' without being evil. The gold dwarves and their arrogance and pride are likely the prime example in this regard, and I can see how pride would lead to some more neutral-leaning dwarves to assert their superiority over fellow dwarves. No doubt this would have a cultural orientation to it. In other words, you would try and challenge the performance of rival dwarves in terms of the staples of dwarven life: industry and battle.
This is the interesting part: you don't have to be evil to go before Clan Elder Dhurri Worldthrone to tell him how Helmaer Deepaxe hung back in the attack on the Ten Tusk orc tribe or how Gornim Stoneshield spent the last ten day playing dice rather than at the forge. Dwarven sense of duty can be twisted to bad and negative ends just like in any society.
Personal rivalries would no doubt be amplified along familial and clan lines. From the dwarves of Clan Arnskull who take offence when not given the place of honour in the line of battle (for dwarves that is the centre of the line) when fighting against the Bloody Eye orc tribe and so refuse to participate as their 'honour' has been impugned, to the dwarves of the Darkfell clan who will not trade or work with dwarves of Clan Trueforger because they refused the clan heir's offer of marriage, etc. etc.
So in simple terms, my dwarven villains would be Lawful Proud, arrogant and insufferable. They would use honour, status and tradition to shield their own ambitions and explain away their actions - which on the alignment spectrum would be labelled as Lawful Neutral at best and Lawful Neutral (Evil) at worst.
The thing I've always liked about the Realms is that Ed has always built in and encouraged nuance. Shades of gray and complexity of interactions is a watchword of FR. Game designers and novelists take note.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 16 Mar 2014 12:36:17 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6339 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 21 Mar 2014 : 03:35:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Lukas Kain
I was curious if you had information pertaining to ancient Narfell, more specifically any remaining structures or uh ... interesting goodies left behind in Impiltur. Obviously I know of Dun-Orthass (Citadel of Conjurers), the Barrowlands, and the rest of the published stuff, I just wondered if there was anything else you had.
Goodies left behind in Impiltur? Well, unfortunately there were way too many. Places, items, spell effects ... you name it.
Here are a few of the more interesting ones. A place, an item and a spell effect.
Aragath's Hive: Discovered only relatively recently in 1346 DR, Aragath's Hive is located in the sea cliffs that run either side of Dilpur, about two days leisurely riding, near a fishing village named Redshore. A sea cave entrance, accessible at only low tide, leads one to a cavern network of narrow tunnels, the majority of them existing on a vertical rather than horizontal axis. Deeper within the cavern network, inquisitive fisherfolk found a series of worked stone caverns, clearly a living space, but now damp and deserted.
They reported their innocuous find to the authorities who dismissed it as an abandoned smuggler refuge. Of course, brave adventurers in the form of the Company of the Scarlet Sashes soon heard of the place and came to explore. Encouraged by their leader, the warrior Aragath Glimshield, their diligent and painstaking search discovered a series of secret doors which led to the inner sanctum of the worked stone complex. What occurred next comes from the mouth of the party's mage Imbrithil, the sole survivor of the company. A tomb was found - empty as they discovered - and below that a large wooden and metal chest, flickering with a golden radiance. Cautious but undeterred, they sought to open it and succeeded with magic, discovering a chest full of ancient gold pieces (coins of Narfell - a thumb-sized horn shape of reddish gold with a hole at the base, with the symbol of the realm on one side and the name of the issuing Nentyarch on the other) and magic items of various types. As they went about emptying the chest, the party became aware of a droning noise, becoming louder and louder. Scouting outside the inner area, they found that chasme were seemingly crawling out of the stone walls and ceiling throughout the tomb complex. One by one the company were hunted down and slain until Imbrithil used a desperate teleport to fling himself away from the complex.
What came next was was terror indeed. No less than two dozen chasme found their way out of the cavern network and fell upon Redshore and the surrounding area. It took the better part of three rides for authorities to clear out the infestation and hunt down all the chasme they could find. After that there were periodic outbreaks of demonic attacks as stashed carrion humans that had been used as incubation hosts by the chasme spouted forth their deadly cargo. The entrance to Aragath's Hive is now warded from entry although it is thought that there must be other areas of access and egress. It's treasure remains for the brave and foolhardy to obtain. It also serves as a warning however that the legacy of Narfell is an unwanted, constant deadly gift to Impiltur.
First heard of in the reign of Erynd the Penitent and given many names over the years including the Cursed Sallet, Harasyll's Doom and the Helm of Fangs, this nondescript steel helmet acts as a ring of protection +3 and a ring of spell-turning, but is actually non-magical. It is possessed as per Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss, p.25-26 by a demon of unknown type that names itself Relashar and purports to be the spirit of the famed paladin of the same name who died in the Triad Crusade. Relashar is a very intelligent demon, seeking to corrupt its wearers not through overt evil deeds but by encouraging pride and arrogance such that the wearer will most commonly take on an evil foe that overmatches it, leading to the death of the wearer and a blow to the forces of good. Some tales say that Relashar played a major role in the fate of King Imbrar of Impiltur, being worn by one of his most trusted knights and advisers. Relashar has the power to teleport the helm away from a wearer (usually occurring when attempts are made to vanquish Relashar from his home after his nature has been discovered) and to also change the helm's appearance (but not form - the Cursed Sallet is always a helm of some type).
It is known that the Crown of Impiltur has a standing reward of 20,000 gp for anyone who can obtain the Cursed Sallet and deliver it to a Lord of Imphras II.
Finally, I reveal to you the Pall of Barthorn, named for the sage who first studied it and attempted to reveal its secrets. Also known as the Veil of Despair and Rheligaun's Breath, this gray misty cloud has a 20 foot radius and is 20 feet high when it materialises. Its creator and purpose is unknown but it appears to be drawn to areas or circumstances where there is a prevalence of magic with the healing or light descriptor. Within its area all such spells and effects operate with minimum possible effect where such effects are variable (i.e. a cure critical wounds spell cast within the Pall of Barthorn will heal someone for 4 points of damage plus 1 point per caster level) and if they have no variables attached to them, then all spell durations are halved. In addition, any individual casting a spell with the healing or light descriptor within the Pall of Barthorn is affected as per the Bane spell (PHB, p.203) with no saving throw. Any further attempt to cast a spell with the healing or light descriptor within the Pall of Barthorn causes that individual to be affected by a Fear spell (PHB, p.229) (they do get a saving throw vs. this effect).
The Pall of Barthorn appears only in the region of the Easting Coast and the churches of the Triad have long sought a means to destroy it without success. The only spell that appears to effect it is Miracle which simply causes it to dissipate only to reform at some later time and place. Wind and air effects do nothing to the Pall of Barthorn. Sages speculate that the Pall might be a type of living spell or a sentient, moving quasi-ward or mythal but none truly known much about it other than its documented effects. It is known that over the years it has been located most commonly near a wooded copse outside the town of Drubmill, north of Lyrabar, long a hub for mining trade and many forges and smiths. Just why that is the case has never yet been adequately explained.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 06 Oct 2015 13:17:58 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11613 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2014 : 09:21:07
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
quote:
Originally posted by JPDeed
Hi GK,
I am looking for a way to culturally implement the production/use of metamagic rods. Would you see these items as "ancient secrets from past empires" or a relatively modern invention? Would you consider them to be a specialised branch of magic item invention by particular cultures or would their production be generalised and widespread?
Cheers, JpDeed.
Right off the bat, I have to tell you that mass-produced magic is one of my pet hates, so I'm not a fan of any magic item being produced such that it could be described as generalised and widespread.
Metamagic is a wide and varied field as you know. I don't think that any realm or society would create metamagic rods across the broad range of that sub-strata of magic. So in answer to your question, I'd adopt both historical and modern means of accessing such items. For example, rods that provide the quicken spell bonus might be the preserve of the Cabal of the Crimson Cloak, active in the Vilhon Reach in the 800s DR until their power and many-spired fortress near Arrabar was laid waste by an attack from below by drow and their spell-charmed servitors. Their rods used charges but the secret of their making is lost to modern day mages. The archmage Drugath of Hlondeth has recently rediscovered a partial process to create these rods, but his are a less flexible version, operating only twice a day.
I like the idea that if a PC wizard wants such a rod he has to travel to the Vilhon and uncover its secrets (or pay Drugath a fortune to teach them how to do it - if they can bribe/convince him to do so). That's one rod. The others are similarly varied and diverse. If you wanted a particular rod to be more accessible that shouldn't mean that it is then easy to make. Everyone knows that the drunkard wizard Bruth "the Lost" Hornwind in Scornubel will tell you the key reagents and components to make a rod of silent spell, but knowing that you need an echo shroom doesn't help much when you learn that no one has seen one in decades and they are thought to be found somewhere in the High Forest, at a location known as Tapann's Leap - which no one knows how to locate.
No magic item should be easy to make. I take Ed's approach set out in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" re how difficult it is to create magic items as my bible in this regard. So sorry if this hasn't helped you or answered your question, but I'm answering you from my perspective on what makes a 'good' and 'balanced' game. YMMV.
If you want the easy option, choose one of the Red Wizard enclaves and make such items their specialty. Again, they shouldn't be easy to procure, but at least your PCs will have a ready source. As always though, the Red Wizards will get their pound of flesh.
-- George Krashos
Just a thought, if I had to pick a culture (existing or dead) or lone individual to have developed a metamagic rod of persistent spells (given that the best such documented rod only does 4 levels of free boost, and this item having to do 6 would make it probably near unique except for maybe lesser versions), I think I'd make it the Raumathari, as this seems to fit my idea of a battlemage. The Netherese were "more" interested in hung/contingent spells with their mantles (oooo, and a metamagic device that increases one's ability to manually trigger their own <in terms of causing multiple triggers to happen quickly>..... OR SOMEONE ELSE'S hung/contingent spells would definitely fit Netheril/Halruaa.... of course, only if they know how to perform such an act already being a requirement.... think I just got a new idea for my arcane transformist NPC). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2014 : 10:46:30
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Following on from what Ed has said in the past, the Raumathari weren't significant magic item makers. More magic item magpies. This changed toward the end of the empire, but only in relation to construct magic. Elemental spell casting remained the backbone of their magic-using traditions, so I'd be loathe to have them a player in the metamagic magic item firmament.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Lukas Kain
Seeker
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2014 : 05:19:48
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I've been away for a time, and just checked back to find just tremendous answers. Thank you George. Your lore and background information has been very appreciated 
I'm sure I'll be back with more if you're up for it; my group is very inquisitive. |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2014 : 16:51:29
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
Hi George,
I was curious as to what your take on how shield dwarf politics would affect a hold with several clans in it. Do you see clan feuds leading to private wars or knife-work in tunnels? Clans manipulating to get members of theirs married into the royal family etc? Most of the dwarven life I've seen have been the Battlehammers from the various Salvatore novels and they seem to have a pretty unified front where there doesn't seem to be much strife. I definitely like that regarding dwarves, it's always been one of their draws for me.
But if a person wanted to introduce some villains into a dwarf hold, how would you approach that? Having some priests of Abbathor selling weapons to the Zhentarim is one thing, but dwarves attempting to kill say the heirs of the king is where the believability starts breaking down for me. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you. :)
I agree that the depiction of dwarves in Realms fiction to date has been overwhelmingly "white bread" in terms of how their communities/society function. That said I think that FR11 provides an insight into how dwarves can go 'bad' without being evil. The gold dwarves and their arrogance and pride are likely the prime example in this regard, and I can see how pride would lead to some more neutral-leaning dwarves to assert their superiority over fellow dwarves. No doubt this would have a cultural orientation to it. In other words, you would try and challenge the performance of rival dwarves in terms of the staples of dwarven life: industry and battle.
This is the interesting part: you don't have to be evil to go before Clan Elder Dhurri Worldthrone to tell him how Helmaer Deepaxe hung back in the attack on the Ten Tusk orc tribe or how Gornim Stoneshield spent the last ten day playing dice rather than at the forge. Dwarven sense of duty can be twisted to bad and negative ends just like in any society.
Personal rivalries would no doubt be amplified along familial and clan lines. From the dwarves of Clan Arnskull who take offence when not given the place of honour in the line of battle (for dwarves that is the centre of the line) when fighting against the Bloody Eye orc tribe and so refuse to participate as their 'honour' has been impugned, to the dwarves of the Darkfell clan who will not trade or work with dwarves of Clan Trueforger because they refused the clan heir's offer of marriage, etc. etc.
So in simple terms, my dwarven villains would be Lawful Proud, arrogant and insufferable. They would use honour, status and tradition to shield their own ambitions and explain away their actions - which on the alignment spectrum would be labelled as Lawful Neutral at best and Lawful Neutral (Evil) at worst.
The thing I've always liked about the Realms is that Ed has always built in and encouraged nuance. Shades of gray and complexity of interactions is a watchword of FR. Game designers and novelists take note.
-- George Krashos
Thanks George, this is great! Definitely something I'll be using and exploring! |
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Demzer
Senior Scribe
866 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2014 : 16:46:17
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Mr. Krashos,
evil things are stirring in Impiltur in my home campaign (in early 1374 DR) and i would like some pointers about how to shake the political situation and how to make it interesting for my players.
From what i understood from Champions of Valor, Champions of Ruin and your great article in Dragon 346 things are about to get interesting around the day of Imbrar II coming of age (i think it's the 24th of Marpenoth 1374 in canon) because both the Regent and the Lords of Imphras II are about to lose political power and the first question that came to my mind reading the various sources is, what exactly are the powers of the Regent?
I ask because the way things have gone (regarding royal succession) in the past 36 years give me the idea that Sambryl doesn't want to relinquish her seat or, more likely, that someone wants to lead the people of Impiltur into thinking that she doesn't want to leave the political scene, but i'm at a loss as to what exactly she does right now that people may see as "ruling" (and thus be annoyed/angry about if she keeps at it).
Next in line is the Council of Lords, your article makes it clear that the unity of the Council is quickly disappearing due to Helimbraun zealotry and the almost unavoidable clashes this would cause with the other faiths of the Kingdom. Here i started to wonder who are the highest ranking members of the clergies of the Triad churches (the heads of the Impilturan faith) and what dealings they may have with the Lords of Imphras II (and the knightly order they guide), so, anything you feel free to share?
At last we get to Soneillon and her machinations: going over the roster of the Council of Lords some ideas came to my mind about how she may be the one messing things up with Helimbraun and other subtle and slighty cliché ways in which she can shake the council and cause trouble in Impiltur but i'm stuck at evaluating the methods with which she can get what she wants.
I haven't checked the numbers regarding all her various possession and mind-influencing abilities but i think she could probably possess and dominate/charme/suggetionate/whatever various Lords, yet this seems kind of a brute forcing method way too much risky for her to use (one slip and the Lords may become aware she's still around and scheming). Given that she's been in the business for a long time i see her using more subtle and indirect methods to sway things her way, like chain possessing items and/or people to get near the acolytes and priests that have more contacts with Helimbraun and dominate/charme/suggestionate/whatever these lowly individuals to whisper in the hear of the Lord that the Lords of Imphras II were the best thing to happen to the Kingdom in centuries or that those dissolute Lliirans are having yet another useless revel in which the youths of the Kingdom lose themselves and so on and so forth. This way she can slowly build up the same effect she would get with her more direct abilities but with a lot less risks of being discovered or thwarted. Am i on the right track?
She would even have the help of the sparse Eltab cultists and any and all disaffectionate and unloyal noble, merchants (any lore on members/families of these two groups that could be used as conspirators is appreciated) and criminals.
Also, if i've read the history you provided in the dragon article right, the last big hobgoblin troubles were in 1127 so isn't it horde-o'clock already?
Re-reading what i just wrote i realized that sistematically killing the would-be kings is the perfect way to both end the Heltharn dinasty and open up the bucket full of poo that would be the succession of one of the Lords to the throne (the original ones are all blood related to the royal family so if they cut enough branches some of the Lords may become so close to the throne that it may fancy them to rule as kings). This prompts two more questions: did the Lords swear/sign anything regarding their ruling rights as blood relatives to the royals? If not, do royal succession laws bar them from seating on the throne if something happens to Sambryl and Imbrar II? If not, are they all at the same distance from the throne or is someone among them closer to it?
Thanks for anything you'll be willing to share. |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2014 : 02:38:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Demzer
Mr. Krashos,
evil things are stirring in Impiltur in my home campaign (in early 1374 DR) and i would like some pointers about how to shake the political situation and how to make it interesting for my players.
From what i understood from Champions of Valor, Champions of Ruin and your great article in Dragon 346 things are about to get interesting around the day of Imbrar II coming of age (i think it's the 24th of Marpenoth 1374 in canon) because both the Regent and the Lords of Imphras II are about to lose political power and the first question that came to my mind reading the various sources is, what exactly are the powers of the Regent?
I ask because the way things have gone (regarding royal succession) in the past 36 years give me the idea that Sambryl doesn't want to relinquish her seat or, more likely, that someone wants to lead the people of Impiltur into thinking that she doesn't want to leave the political scene, but i'm at a loss as to what exactly she does right now that people may see as "ruling" (and thus be annoyed/angry about if she keeps at it).
Queen-Regent Sambryl is the ruling monarch of the realm. She is queen because she married her traitorous cousin Imphras IV (who was king in name only and due to the circumstances of his demise only so for a titular moment in time), and regent because she was forced into the role when Imphras IV died and there were no male Heltharns in the succession who were 16 years of age and could rule in their own right.
When Rilimbrar and Imphras IV died at the same time, it was thought by the Lords, the Mage Royal and the most senior and trusted nobles that Sambryl had to stay on as Regent for continuity, given the love held for her father by the people of the realm. It was originally intended that she would be freed from her burden of duty when Imphras IV died and a new Heltharn scion placed on the throne, but it didn't quite pan out that way.
I should note that Impiltur has a rather unique system in that it doesn't allow child monarchs; well, not in the classic sense of the word. To rule you need to be 16. That's when you have your formal coronation and are declared king (or more rarely queen). Before that, if you are not of age, you are marked for kingship by a ceremony known as the Forecrowning (and if you don't get to 16 years of age are marked down as rightful king and placed in the lineage on a retroactive basis) but you have no power at all and do not wear the Crown of Narfell, even on full ceremonial occasions. Instead they wear the Crown of Tears, created at the request of King Erynd for his son Nord in 787 DR.
You are both right and wrong about Sambryl. She does indeed want to relinquish her regency - she never wanted the job in the first place - but she has been the target of an extremely subtle and concerted campaign of subversion and manipulation by Soneillon, which has messed around with her mind a bit. Depending on what power Soneillon can bring to bear at the time Imbrar comes to the throne, it may turn Sambryl into an unwitting tool of the demonic forces she has battled for so long to keep at bay.
quote:
Next in line is the Council of Lords, your article makes it clear that the unity of the Council is quickly disappearing due to Helimbraun zealotry and the almost unavoidable clashes this would cause with the other faiths of the Kingdom. Here i started to wonder who are the highest ranking members of the clergies of the Triad churches (the heads of the Impilturan faith) and what dealings they may have with the Lords of Imphras II (and the knightly order they guide), so, anything you feel free to share?
I wouldn't describe it as quickly disappearing, but there are more and more points of conflict between the Lords now than there were at the time of their inception. The original group were tasked with solemn and holy oaths of service by Rilimbrar himself, and knew full well the burden and importance of their task. As members have died, their replacements, whilst taking the same holy oaths, have approached the role with a more pragmatic, business-like function, which has caused friction with the old timers. This is because the newer Lords have sought to create an environment where their service won't end with the accession of Imbrar but they will still retain and wield power in the king's name. The old Lords are ready to relinquish power as soon as the regency ends and a true king of Impiltur is on the throne.
That situation coupled with the fact that Soneillon has "done her thing" with a few of the Lords (I'll leave it to you to choose - gives you more flexibility for your campaign), means that cordial relationships and a sense of common purpose are now no longer the case for the Lords as a collective. They all agree on their big picture place and role, but there are significant divisions on how they see their positions, both now and in the future, playing out in real terms. The devil (or in this case the demon) is in the detail.
The heads of the Triad faith in the early part of 1372 DR are as follows:
Ilmater: Revered Mother Elmaera Dornmane (a rotund, serious individual of calm mien, iron self-control and concise speech. She has a club foot and walks with an obvious limp. A lover of nature, she often leaves Lyrabar to fast and pray at the Moss Columns, an area of the Earthfasts bordering the Grey Forest, where there is a small, Ilmatari temple retreat. She is a good friend of Sambryl's, but concerned of late as to how the toll of her burden has affected her longtime friend.)
Tyr: Defender of Justice Merlthaun Fornal (a tall, grim-visaged man with a short crop of white hair and a right-sided scar running from temple to chin - giving him his nickname of "the scarred inquisitor" to those who are less than fond of his inflexible legal viewpoints. He has a deep, booming voice but speaks seldom, and in the last few years has developed signs of the 'dread shakes' (in modern terms: Parkinson's Disease) which magical healing spells have had no effect on. He is now looking to appoint a successor, but give the impending accession of Imbrar is torn as to when this should occur.)
Torm: High Priest Velimbrar Starsunder (a cheerful, eager, 'high-energy' type who instantly becomes vey focused in times of danger or conflict. He is very intelligent, remembers everything and is always observing and scanning the people and places around him. He is blonde-haired, well-muscled and reputed to have iron endurance. Much younger than the heads of his fellow faiths - appointed only in 1369 DR - he is known to have the ear of Imbrar, having given him some paladin instruction, as the young king is a Torm follower.)
The heads of the Triad faith get on well with the Lords and the Knights of Imphras II, but wield no direct power. Their influence is significant, but often on a "back channel" basis, and never in a manner that might undermine the established, jury-rigged power structures of the realm. It is known that Merlthaun wields the most clout with the Lords, and in times past he was often called the "Hidden Lord" by conniving nobles, but he has taken a less active place in the affairs of the kingdom of late given his personal issues. Elmaera works through Sambryl and exerts influence over the Lords that way. When the regency dissolves, it is likely that the Ilmatari Church will lose influence in the realm. Finally, Velimbrar has the best day to day dealings with the Lords, especially those of a more warlike bent such as Haelimbrar. The fact that Imbrar is known to favour him, makes all the Lords curry his good regard - whether out of real friendship or due to political expediency.
quote:
At last we get to Soneillon and her machinations: going over the roster of the Council of Lords some ideas came to my mind about how she may be the one messing things up with Helimbraun and other subtle and slighty cliché ways in which she can shake the council and cause trouble in Impiltur but i'm stuck at evaluating the methods with which she can get what she wants.
<SNIP>
Yep, you've hit the target perfectly. Soneillon works through a myriad of small items, spell effects and 'transient' charmed individuals to manipulate and subtly control individuals in Impiltur. Her method can best be described as seeking to control emotions and responses, rather than creating puppets enslaved to her will. Whilst the latter brute force method works with the hobgoblins and tribes of Narfell, experience has taught her that lasting results in Impiltur can only be achieved by creating a web of manipulation and control that relies on guiding and predicting responses and emotions.
The term "transient' charmed above denotes her knowledge and mastery of spells that control or manipulate others in very specific ways. The charms in question trigger similarly to effects such as the 'magic mouth' spell, and more importantly do not 'show' on individuals until triggered (i.e. a person affected by one of these 'hung and waiting to be triggered' charm effects does not radiate magic or register to any divination spell seeking to ascertain magic control. Nothing short of a 'wish' will reveal that someone is under the effect of these types of spells.
Her immediate plans revolve around slaying both Sambryl and Imbrar at the same time, hoping that she can influence and manipulate events in the short term to put one of her puppets on the throne. Imbrar is the last male in the Velimbrar line. Should he die, then the patriarchal lineage reverts to the line of Fylraun, the last of the sons of Imphras II and the source of the current Lords. Fylraun had two daughters and only one son, Elphras (named for his older brother who died childless). The line of Elphras has no direct patriarchal line, as he had three daughters (known to all as the "Dowager Aunts"). It is these three daughters who are the mothers of the original Lords of Imphras II.
So in the current succession, the next in line for the throne is actually Lord Engarth of the Council of Lords. He has therefore been a target of Soneillon and she is seeking out ways of bringing him under her web of control.
quote:
She would even have the help of the sparse Eltab cultists and any and all disaffectionate and unloyal noble, merchants (any lore on members/families of these two groups that could be used as conspirators is appreciated) and criminals.
Also, if i've read the history you provided in the dragon article right, the last big hobgoblin troubles were in 1127 so isn't it horde-o'clock already?
Yep, it is indeed horde-o'clock. It's just a matter of timing for maximum effect though.
Hope this has been useful.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 23 Feb 2019 05:51:07 |
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Demzer
Senior Scribe
866 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2014 : 11:31:28
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Great lore (as always), extremely useful and doesn't actually clashes with anything i have planned so far. Many thanks!
Some additional questions:
- Who are the 5 newly appointed Lords? Going with your dragon article i would guess the 3 listed as younger (Silaunbrar, Engarth and Delimbrar) and the 2 female ones (Rilaunyr and Idriane) but since Delimbrar is in the royal family tree i'm now thinking he may have been in the original 12 and just be a tad younger than the other originals or maybe just "young at heart" (or both).
- What can you share about the history and personality of the two non Triad worshiping Lords (Oriseus of Helm and Rilaunyr of Sune)?
- While reviewing the threats in the region the promixity of the Giantspires with the Rawlinswood, the involvement of Soneillon with the Rotting War and her mastery of plagues and the fact that Talona's Rotting Man is an half-demon all clicked into place making me wonder what the connection between the scheming succubus and the half-fiend Chosen of Talona is, if there is any. Anything you feel free to share? |
Edited by - Demzer on 16 Apr 2014 17:44:45 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6339 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6339 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2014 : 04:37:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Demzer
Some additional questions:
- Who are the 5 newly appointed Lords? Going with your dragon article i would guess the 3 listed as younger (Silaunbrar, Engarth and Delimbrar) and the 2 female ones (Rilaunyr and Idriane) but since Delimbrar is in the royal family tree i'm now thinking he may have been in the original 12 and just be a tad younger than the other originals or maybe just "young at heart" (or both).
I'm not sure if this made it past the final editorial cut in my Dragon article but I originally had the following:
With the passing of the years, there have been five new appointments to the council due to death caused by old age or misadventure. Seven out of the original twelve children of the Dowager Aunts remain on the Council. Of their cousins who once sat with them, Kyrlraun died of heartstop in 1370 DR and was succeeded by his son Rangrim. Lord Rangrim’s recent demise at the hands of the Cult of the Dragon in the Year of Rogue Dragons (1373 DR) (see The Rage by Richard Lee Byers) has seen him replaced by his younger brother Delimbrar. Of the others, Lord Imbra fell to orc raiders in 1359 DR and was replaced with his brother-in-law Oriseus of Ilmwatch, Lord Lashilaun died unexpectedly of heartstop in 1364 DR and was succeeded by his daughter Idriane, Lord Sambrar retired from the Council due to ill-health and was succeeded by his son Helimbraun and Lord Imbraun died of the terrible wasting sickness that slew the heir to the throne Imphras V in 1363 DR, and was succeeded by his son Engarth.
quote:
- What can you share about the history and personality of the two non Triad worshiping Lords (Oriseus of Helm and Rilaunyr of Sune)?
I have to confess that I originally envisaged that all the members of the Council worshipped the Triad. As my article was being written, Richard Lee Byers wrote "The Rage" and decided that paladins of different faiths existed on there. I had no choice but to go with it. As such, it's not a topic I've thought on at all - mainly because I've struggled conceptually to deal with it.
Oriseus and Rilaunyr get a bit of dialogue in the book. Extrapolate from there. You could ask RLB but I suspect that there won't be much to give.
quote:
- While reviewing the threats in the region the promixity of the Giantspires with the Rawlinswood, the involvement of Soneillon with the Rotting War and her mastery of plagues and the fact that Talona's Rotting Man is an half-demon all clicked into place making me wonder what the connection between the scheming succubus and the half-fiend Chosen of Talona is, if there is any. Anything you feel free to share?
Plagues and the hand of Talona are definitely a prominent feature of the Impilturian landscape, but I'm yet to come up with the kicker that beds down her involvement in the region. I don't think that there is any connection between the Rotting Man and The Queen of Whispers. Soneillon doesn't like to share.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 01 Nov 2014 03:06:12 |
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Demzer
Senior Scribe
866 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2014 : 09:35:00
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Thanks for the added info!
No biggie about Oriseus and Rilaunyr, their affiliation to other churches at first confused me but it let me twist them a bit to suit my needs (so Oriseus turned LN and is the best friend of the zealot persona of Helimbraun and Rilaunyr turned CG and embodies a nice chunk of the "moral depravity [feasts, revels and such]" Helimbraun is getting intollerant to) and spice up the LG environment of the Council of Lords.
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Soneillon doesn't like to share.
Understood. But i guess if she fails in her present schemes she would probably try to get her whispers inside the Rotting Man's head exploiting her considerable plague knowledge and thus getting another ready to go pawn with the added benefit he already has an impressive army. |
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mikemax
Acolyte
14 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2014 : 16:24:43
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Hey George, do you have any info on how Soargar managed to banish Soneillon? Champions of Ruin has a line that states that he crafted a spell to banish her from the lands that Impiltur claims but I'm not really sure what that means. Seems that there would have to be some limit on it otherwise, all the kingdom needs to do is say "Hey, we own the Giantspires now" and she'd be removed from her power base quite neatly.
Her ultimate goal in my mind is really about defeating the ward Soargar set up. I'd think that her motivation is more about the fact that some mere human had the ability to keep her from going where ever she damn well pleases than wanting revenge on Impiltur. Not that making them pay isn't important to her of course. Claiming Impiltur as her own would just be a nice bonus and would be ever so much easier if the ward was broken.
That being said, knowing more about how the spell functions would be really helpful. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6339 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6609 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2014 : 17:47:02
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Soargar was the first Mage Royal of the kingdom of Impiltur since the time of the Durlarven Dynasty. Born and raised in Ascalhorn, Soargar was a student of the archmage Jaluster and met and befriended King Beldred I in 858 DR when that monarch was conducting a tour of the cities of Silverymoon, Ascalhorn and Myth Glaurach. Beldred offered him the vacant position of Mage Royal which he accepted, travelling back to Impiltur with its oft-absent king.
With him, Soargar took copies of at least three tomes on magic that had been penned by his former master, Jaluster. Chief of these was a book titled "On Mythals and the Creation of Wards Perilous". This book remains one of the rarest and most valuable treasures of the kingdom, for there are only two other copies remaining in all Faerun - in the Herald's Holdfast and Candlekeep respectively, the original having been lost in the fall of Ascalhorn. The book provides a detailed examination on the crafting of the mythal at Myth Glaurach, now a forgotten ruin in the upper reaches of the Delimbiyr Vale. Of note was that mythal's power to bar the entrance of any being that had knowingly and deliberately consumed elven, human or dwarven flesh at any time in the past, from entering its environs.
With the death of Princess Aliia in 926 DR, Soneillon commenced a campaign of manipulation to cause chaos and disunity in the realm so as to enable her to reclaim "her" throne. Her efforts eventually came to the attention of Soargar, at the time a de-facto adviser to the Heltharns in Lyrabar and respected throughout the fractured kingdom for his previous office and wise counsel. Her machinations had seen the city-states of Sarshel and Dilpur ally and commence open hostilities with Hlammach, who in turn sought aid from Lyrabar. At the same time, a large, Soneillon-fostered bandit army was laying waste to the Uplands. This conflict had Soneillon waiting in the wings to take the throne of the realms as "Princess Aliia returned from the seas", with a suitable story of how she had survived the shipwreck, been rescued by a passing ship and for many years having lost all memory of who she was until "prayers to the Triad brought her salvation".
Soargar discovered Soneillon's hand in the troubles erupting throughout the region and drawing on lore from the teachings of Jaluster he cast an epic spell specific to her and her alone, barring her from the lands of Impiltur as they currently exist. In this he was helped by the fact that he had in his possession a vial of her blood, a holdover from the time she had briefly been "queen" during the Fiend Wars, and believed to have been collected by Ndulu as a means of controlling her if required. Soargar placed a drop of her blood in over one hundred silver vessels that were strategically placed along the borders of the kingdom and act as the foci for the spell that bars her entry to the realm. These vessels are protected by many-layered wards themselves, are buried underground or hidden in plain sight (the one located in Lyrabar is one of fifty identical such vessels that line a pediment in the Blessed Tritower, the main temple to the Triad in Impiltur) and linked to a series of "warning spells" if they are touched by any creature.
The spell itself is an epic spell that acts as an effective magical barrier to Soneillon attempting to enter the boundaries of the realm. The magical barrier is as effective as a wall of force in barring her physical entry and attempts to magically teleport or in any way translocate into the spell's area of effect cause Soneilllon to take 3d6 points of damage when she "arrives" and then be randomly teleported some 100 miles from the kingdom's borders in a random direction.
The nature of this spell and the spell foci that allow it to function are one of the most closely guarded secrets of the realm. In Impiltur today, only Queen-Regent Sambryl and the Mage Royal Selarbrin are aware that the spell exists, and it was secret discovered only in the reign of King Rilimbar when a lore cache of Soargar's was discovered by the previous Mage Royal Calabrin. No member of the Council of Lords is aware of the spell, although they are aware of Soneillon and the danger she has presented to the realm in historical terms. The unlooked for detriment brought about by the spell is that anyone within its confines is unable to scry Soneillon. Any attempts to do so fail automatically. Given this, the rulers of the kingdom are entirely unaware of Soneillon's relative proximity to the kingdom and ongoing machinations against it.
Hope this has been helpful.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 24 Apr 2014 17:52:02 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6339 Posts |
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mikemax
Acolyte
14 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2014 : 21:02:52
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Thanks George. That is very helpful as the vast majority of your stuff usually is. If I was only half as imaginative, the stories I could create.
A couple of additional questions for you:
1. Can the vessels be moved to extend or contract the wards?
2. Who does the spell warn if the vessels are touched? I'd assume that they'd need to be keyed to either the Royal line or to the progeny of Soargar himself or something like that since Soargar probably realized that he couldn't outlive a demon.
Dazzlerdal- I think you are referring to this snippet from George's article in Dragon 346:
The senior Warwand Ilbrar has been found slain in his tower in Hlammach, his headless body torn and mutilated by the claws of some fearsome beast. Ilbrar was known to have been working on a powerful spellward he called the "Fiendmantle," building upon the work and teachings of the legendary archmage Soargar of Lyrabar. The library located within his residence was totally empty. Following the discovery of his body, authorities posted a reward for any information that leads them to his murderers, while privately voicing concerns that the Cult of Eltab rises once again.
I'm planning to weave that into my Impiltur campaign somehow but the details are still sketchy in my head. I was planning to use that event to introduce the party to the possibility that Soneillon was still around and actively trying to break Soargar's wards. Maybe Ilbrar has located some more of those lost notes of Soargar's and talked about it with a colleague in the Warwand that has been subverted by Soneillon and she sent a goon squad to grab Ilbrar and his library for herself. It's up the the party to uncover the traitor and track down the notes. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6339 Posts |
Posted - 25 Apr 2014 : 12:12:09
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Right then George, i've been looking at Damara's past and there isnt much and i was hoping you might have a thought or two.
I have 1075 DR the founding of Heliogabalus by Feldrin Bloodfeathers, a sembian noble.
I have Ravensburg as the home of Feldrin Bloodfeathers.
The Castle at Trailsend was created shortly after the founding of Damara by associates of Feldrin.
And thats pretty much all there is on the history of Damara up until Zhengyi kills Virdin Bloodfeathers in 1358.
So i have found a few events in the rest of Faerun that may have an impact upon Damara.
1 - 991 DR the kingdom of Sossal is rocked by earthquakes that release demons trapped in Demon Cysts. I figure this could also affect Vaasa (although it is still under the glacier at this time)
2 - 1074 DR The Zulkirs crush all opposition to their rule. Zhengyi was a former red wizard so i would like to link him to this event and have him flee to Damara.
3 - 1095 DR Impiltur destroys a horde of hobgoblins from Naratyr. This should involve the fledgling Damara since the hobgoblins would have to travel through Damaran territory.
4 - 1122 DR Ilmara found Ilmwatch
5 - 1127 DR Imbrar marches on Naratyr accompanied only by his royal guard.
So i figure Feldrin is an exiled Sembian noble who fled to family holdings in Ravensburg about 1064 DR (why else would he go to what is the a*se end of the world with nothing in it, im thinking he was accused of piracy). He is killed in 1095 DR and the next king is a bit suspicious of Impiltur as a result and becomes paranoid with age (and fell influence) and actually threatens impiltur with war if its army should pass through Damaran territory hence why Imbrar travels with only his Royal Procession to fight Soneillon.
After that other than a witch advising the monarchy that is Zhengyi in disguise throughout the history of Damara i run out of steam. I had an idea for a 150 year old plus king that was basically a mind slave of Zhengyi kept alive with magic and when he is killed Virdin inherits.
I was wondering if you had any thoughts on cross links for Impiltur and Damara (or had already come up with cross links already). I figure Damara is probably not all that friendly with Narfell so the only real neighbour to affect it in anyway is Impiltur. Have you got any lore nuggets stashed away linking nobility or royalty in Damara that i could use? In fact anything at all on Damara would be helpful.
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