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4uk4ata
Acolyte
Bulgaria
16 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 10:10:46
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Hi, I'm preparing a campaign that starts in the Western Heartlands (3.5 timeline, Pathfinder Beta rules), and I'd like some help with detailing the NPCs and the overall setting there. We may start in the vicinity of Iriaebor; I am thinking of running an adventure module that involves a small town near a mountain, so the Sunset mountains should be ok... and the town may be invented for the purpose or adapted.'m currently reading Volo's guide on the Sword Coast and while it's quite good for getting ideas about settlements, shops and so on, it doesn't seem to offer quite a lot about the actual people in the Heartlands.
Is there anything you can tell me about the culture of the Heartlands, the political map, and the mores of the region? Thanks in advance.
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Edited by - 4uk4ata on 24 Feb 2009 10:11:05
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ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 18:01:56
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Ohhhh... MAPSessess... my preciousssssssss...
Mind if I place Arylon on my maps?
And whats Tempus' Tears?  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 18:22:27
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Arylon doesn't belong to me, but the whole purpose of the project was to create something for the fans to use. I think the other project members would be delighted to see the city being kept alive and finding its way onto maps of the Realms.
Tempus's Tears is found on p. 118 of VGttSC. It's a delve of dwarves and gnomes hidden beneath the ruins of an ancient city.
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Erskine Fincher
http://forgotten-realms.wandering-dwarf.com/index.php |
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BlackAce
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 18:27:45
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Ah ha! I've run a campaign in the Heartlands for over a decade now, so can tell you plenty. 
Well the primary ethnicity of the WH is Talfiric, though these days that means little in terms of culture as successive waves of immigrants have just about overwhelmed any distinct elements of Talfiric society, (beyond Tempus who was originally the Talfir god of war.)
Just like the faerunian pantheon most Heartlanders are a mis mash of Illuskans and Netherese from the North, Chondathans and Turami from the East and Tethyrians and a few Calishites from the south. All the cultural trapping you'd expect to accompany those cultures is present to one degree or another in the Western Heartlands. One could expect to find groups of Moon Elven travellers in the Sunset mountains also as the settlements there lie along the overland path between the elven enclaves in the Graycloak Hills and the Snowflake Mountains to the south.
As for society, one could well picture the northwest United States at the time settlers started to move into and over the plains in the latter half of the 19th century. Most of the Heartlands are open and rolling prarie.
Trolls dominate both the High Moor and the adjacent lands along the Sword Coast. The eastern lands and the Sunset Mountains have large numbers of Cloud or Hill Giants and Goblins, for that reason the church of Helm is pretty dominant. Orcs are pretty rare, so a Half-orc character might not encounter the sort of prejudice you'd expect north of the Delimbyir River.
Travellers tend to (by nesscessity) use horses for any kind of overland travel and prefer to do so in caravans or wagon trains. Along the rivers, many use small sail boats to travel between settlements.
Most of the Chionthar Valley between Baldurs Gate and Iriaebor is fertile land, though ranches and villages of Drovers and Herders are much more common than arable crop growers and Large Stretches are uninhabited open range.
The three most prominent political groups in the area are the Yuan-Ti of the Serpent Hills, the Zhents of Darkhold and of course, the Harpers of Twilight Hall. It's worth noting that Twilight Hall in particular, tends to be suspicious of any Northern Harpers, who they suspect may be (or were) allied with Kelben or associated with him while he was alive.
Smaller but worthwhile power groups worth mentioning would, be the Church of Helm, The Shadow Thieves, and the Thayan Enclave in Corm Orp. Even the Twisted Rune has a few agents hereabouts.
It might be worth looking over Silver Marches if you have it as the character of the area has a similar frontier vibe, even if the landscape is more grassy hills than snowy mountains.
For an idea, I've always used Pale Rider and True Grit as inspirations. I've just thrown in mailed Knights instead of cowboys.
HTH |
Edited by - BlackAce on 24 Feb 2009 18:42:26 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 22:46:57
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Placed.
Congratualtions - I haven't been interested in working on any maps in awhile, and now I'm back to mapping The North. 
Edit: Anyone know anything about 'Goldspires' - its on the map north of Athkatla, but I can't seem to locate any info on it. |
"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 27 Feb 2009 01:25:44 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2009 : 00:11:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Edit: Anyomne know anything about 'Goldspires' - its on the map north of Athkatla, but I can't seem to locate any info on it.
See the "Amn" booklet in the Lands of Intrigue boxed set. There's a couple of tidbits about the Goldspires in Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II as well, and on pg. 179 of Faiths & Avatars. Oh, and in the For Duty and Deity module also.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2009 : 01:21:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Congratualtions - I haven't been interested in working on any maps in awhile, and now I'm back to mapping The North.
*Bows to the other forum members*
You're welcome. 
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Erskine Fincher
http://forgotten-realms.wandering-dwarf.com/index.php |
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4uk4ata
Acolyte
Bulgaria
16 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 22:04:36
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Wow, thanks to everyone. I appreciate the help :)
I am thinking of starting the adventure in Hluthvar, with the party exploring a dungeon placed near it (I'll be running a premade adventure module, Forge of Fury, first - then depending on which way the party goes I may concoct something else). Can you tell me more about the immediate region? Hluthvar struck me as a bit more militant than the town I had in mind for the PCs base, but I guess I could adapt a little.
On the other hand, the orcs (which the adventure involves, at least at first) could be a new development which the town did not expect, so they may be more willing to use outsiders to investigate... hmm... I imagine that everyone would be thinking "Zhents," which could go both ways. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 01:29:41
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
[See the "Amn" booklet in the Lands of Intrigue boxed set. There's a couple of tidbits about the Goldspires in Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II as well, and on pg. 179 of Faiths & Avatars. Oh, and in the For Duty and Deity module also.
Hmmmmm... it was the Baldur's Gate II thingy I was looking through...
I don't think it has it's own entry...
Anyway, back to having fun again deciphering these 'Volo's Guides'; there appears to be some sort of bizarre code to them I haven't figured out yet. For instance, the one entitled "Baldur's Gate" has nothing at all to do with Baldur's Gate, and the one about the Sword Coast has more about 'The North', and the one about the North has more about the Sword Coast....
Who named these things?  |
"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 27 Feb 2009 01:39:40 |
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ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 03:44:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
For instance, the one entitled "Baldur's Gate" has nothing at all to do with Baldur's Gate, and the one about the Sword Coast has more about 'The North', and the one about the North has more about the Sword Coast....
And the one on the right was on the left, and the one in the middle was on the right, and the on the left was in the middle, and the guy in the reeeaaaar... was an accountant.*  |
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Erskine Fincher
http://forgotten-realms.wandering-dwarf.com/index.php |
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Culture and People of the Western Heartlands
