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Shodanicron
Acolyte
Ireland
6 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Jan 2009 : 18:35:28
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Hi all
I have been searching the net over the last few days trying to find a description of the style of armor of the netherese.
What material, style, real world equivalents in design etc did they use or favour.
also if anyone has anything similar on their weaponry that would be cool. its a bit obscure but as someone who like to Draw out with pen and paper interesting features armors and weapons for my players some general guidance would be of help.
thanks for your time
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Ghost King
Learned Scribe
USA
253 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2009 : 22:35:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Shodanicron
Hi all
I have been searching the net over the last few days trying to find a description of the style of armor of the netherese.
What material, style, real world equivalents in design etc did they use or favour.
also if anyone has anything similar on their weaponry that would be cool. its a bit obscure but as someone who like to Draw out with pen and paper interesting features armors and weapons for my players some general guidance would be of help.
thanks for your time
Good question. Netherese armor was/is at the time of 1372 archaic looking to the time line when they arrive. Since they were isolated for a great deal of time their armor and clothing styles would all be similiar to when they left to join the Plane of Shadow. Since the Bedine were effectively brought under their rule and Sembia by the year 1479 (if you are using 4E Realms timeline) I'm sure the Shades/Netherese would start to assemble practical changes to their armor and weapons over the course of one-hundred years.
Likewise, being that they are the rulers of those cultures their traditions and styles of armor, weapons and clothing would start to filter through the occupied lands. Suffice to say their armor while it may look something ancient would still be up-to-date to steel armor and weapons. Also due to the fact of their high magical reserves they can hold their own and craft just about anything.
Sorry I can't supply any pictures save for if you have an old FRCS for 3rd which has a picture of what a Shade would wear for armor and what they're weapon designs might be like.
From what I can tell they would favor breast-plate or lighter armor for mobility and freedom of movement. Since it is an empire of wizards they probably have a soldiers that use reach, heavy and light blades, and/or ranged weapons. Reason for this so they may maximize thier ability to keep opponents at bay long enough to cast spells and to move about freely without fear of being pinned down.
They may have a standard heavy soldier army but it would be small and only used for direct confrontations as their center and backbone of thier lines. They would still favor mobile units for hit-and-runs to pick at enemy forces and use guerrilla tactics to defeat them as well as their extensive knowledge in magic against their opposition.
But for all intended purposes that is the idea of what I have gotten from the sources on them from 3rd as well as 4th edition.
Hope that helps you out.
~Ghost King~
Edit to note: I always imagined the Netheril Empire to be Roman-like in design and armor. Or possibly Greek but similiar to ancient Mediterranean cultures in armor, weapon and clothing design. Just like Mulhorand/Thay have a Eygptian style look to them.
But you could choose another culture from Mesopotamia that might fit the ticket. That would be my suggestions for real world examples to go by. |
Edited by - Ghost King on 02 Jan 2009 22:44:30 |
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Shodanicron
Acolyte
Ireland
6 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2009 : 22:47:37
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Excellent stuff thanks ghost king.
I have done some more searching and using the links given to me to the 2e editions or free pdf's on wizards i found that ancient netherese had not developed the heavier or complex armaments of modern day realms ie full or gothic plate.
Its a fair point that technically wise they will be modern ie steel etc, and their tactics will reflect their long absence from traditional warefare or even from groundbased battles. i like your ideas on the whole thing
however as you say the actually styls or aesthetic preferences or motifs are what interest me most and pictures ive found do not seem accurate so far or representative.
thanks again
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Ghost King
Learned Scribe
USA
253 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2009 : 22:55:58
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| No problem, glad I could help. :) |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
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dwarvenranger
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2009 : 04:10:55
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| I'd imagine that the Twilight special ability and the resultant appearance would be popular among the Shades. |
If I waited till I knew what I was doing, I'd never get anything done.
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2009 : 19:00:12
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| There are brief descriptions of the armor in Paul S. Kemp's Twilight War trilogy. I don't have the specifics on hand, however. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Shodanicron
Acolyte
Ireland
6 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2009 : 23:18:47
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thanks for the books reference alas i too do not have access to it.
anyone that can give a gist would be cool. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2009 : 06:16:43
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| If I'm not mistaken, the Mark Zug art on the front and back covers of the Lords of Darkness tome shows Shadovar armor - much as I pictured it, and with the black & gold (yellow) motif. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 10 Jan 2009 06:17:10 |
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Shodanicron
Acolyte
Ireland
6 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2009 : 15:23:46
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| Thanks for the infor both here and on Wotc Markustay |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jan 2009 : 22:08:09
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The Netheril: Empire of Magic boxed set (available as a download) gives a timeline for Netherese technology, and the description of the Time Conduit spell, as I recall, explicitly states that plate armor cannot be taken back to Netheril because they hadn't invented it and its presence would be (what would elsewhere be called) a paradox.
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2009 : 21:12:35
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| That brings me to a realization - we don't know how much technological (non magical) advances the Netherese made while in the Shadow Plane. When they returned, they seemed right on track with the advance of oh, say, Silverymoon (which I think represents a more widespread, 'cleaner', post-DaVinci era or thereabouts)...but how? |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2009 : 00:53:46
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| My guess would be that they had groups of scouts out watching for passing adventurers. They'd be coming to the Demiplane from all over the planes, so you grab them and get all sorts of interesting magic and knowledge. It would make sense for the wizards to give all the technological stuff, including armor, to their own equivalents to experiment with. And, considering the fact that Shade was locked in a war with the Malaugrym for centuries would give them the Darwinian incentive to keep trying new stuff in search of better stuff. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Ayunken-vanzan
Senior Scribe
Germany
657 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2009 : 05:40:23
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| It is clear from the novels that the Shades had scouts in Faerun prior to their return. Melegaunt Tanthul was one of them, and from Realms of Shadow we see that he was active in Faerun decades before the events of centering around Galaeron Nihmedu. Of course he would try to gather information about any noticable development in Faerun and report it home. |
"What mattered our lives now? When our world had been torn from us? Folk wept, or drank, or stood staring out over the land, wondering what new horror each dawn would bring."
Elender Stormfall of Suzail
"Anyone can kill deities, cause plagues, or destroy organizations. It takes real skill to make them live on."
Varl
FR/D&D-Links • 2ed Downloads |
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Netherese Armor
