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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
 Posted - 09 May 2009 : 18:13:32
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So I remember reading a reference to a weathered statue somewhere (the Great Waste?) of an Imaskari artificer leading 4 chained fey who were bearing a huge tome. I have 2 questions here: 1) Does anyone know what source it's mentioned in? I know I read it, and have pored back over my books, but I cannot find it anywhere. and 2) Does anyone know anything more about the significance of this statue?
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How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2009 : 18:20:54
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Darkvision, a novel, pg.51.
It was not a a statue, but rather a weathered base-relief depicting such a scene, which is why we can now assume the Fey helped the Imaskar in some way create the Imaskarcana. |
"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 May 2009 04:02:21 |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 02:11:12
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I've always thought "Imaskarcana" was such a stupid word.
That comment adds a lot to this topic, I know. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 02:40:57
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| Thanks, MT: I was going a little crazy trying to find it, wondering if I had made it up. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 04:03:31
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No big - your welcome. 
I happen to be using that bit in some of the Hordelands material I am working on, so the book - with the page marked - was inches from me. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 07:45:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I've always thought "Imaskarcana" was such a stupid word.
That comment adds a lot to this topic, I know.
I've always thought that the Imaskari didn't call them 'the Imaskarcana'- rather that it was a name used by later generations to describe them... and to be honest, I always thought it was kind of a cool-looking word. Admittedly, it doesn't exactly trip off the tongue, but in writing, I think it has a certain cachet. |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 07:46:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Darkvision, a novel, pg.51.
It was not a a statue, but rather a weathered base-relief depicting such a scene, which is why we can now assume the Fey helped the Imaskar in some way create the Imaskarcana.
On thinking on this some more- why is it inferred that the fey are linked to the Imaskarcana, specifically, rather than to Imaskari magic, as a whole? Just curious for your take, MT (or any others, naturally) |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
Edited by - Knight of the Gate on 10 May 2009 07:57:06 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 12:19:42
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Because that passage on pg.51 says as much. 
However, I feel that the Imaskarcana were the 'culmination' of the Imaskari's magical knowledge. That part of the novel says that they were tomes, but also took other forms (similar to many of the 'Holy Books' described by Ed in Prayers from the Faithful).
It also says they managed many of their incredible breakthroughs with "extraplaner help", and their was a second base-relief of them dealing with Demons (ergo, one may surmise that they trafficked with various outsiders, and their magical knowledge derived from several).
Those Fey were not chained, BTW - they were Le'Shay, and were depicted each carrying a tome - seven in all - for Emperor Omanond. This could also mean that they merely assisted in the creation of the Imaskarcana artifacts, and does not neccessarily mean they contributed to it's contents (although that, to me, doesn't make as much sense).
As for the why of it - the other three creator races were responsible for the Nether Scrolls, which was a collection of 'strange magical traditions' that the Sarrukh, Batrachi, and Aeriee had observed. Just whom were they observing? Primimitive humans and their shamanistic magics? Draconic arcana, or Giantish Rune magic? Or maybe they were watching and recording the Fey?
Or it could have been all of them. Regardless, I see a certain symmetry in the fourth creator race (and greatest, IMHO) assisting the Imaskari, since the others had 'helped' (although indirectly) the Netherease.
Also, the Fey lend themselves easilly to magics that transcend time and space, and the Imaskari were known for their translocation magics. The Fey are also just about THE most invasive extraplaner race in the universe - nearly every world and plane has some sort of Fey on it. If the Imaskari - known Planeswalkers - felt a need to deal with anyone, it would have been the Fey. And by the same token, the Fey may have looked upon the Imaskari as 'kindred spirits', and gave them assistance.
Another thing to consider - although this is more based in folklore then D&D - is that Fey have an aversion to gods. Priests in particular raise their ire. Now we know the Imaskari had at some point decided they no longer had any need for gods, and this attitude may have come from the Fey. This last assumption may be a bit of a leap on my part, but if you met a race as powerful as the Le'Shay, who mocked the gods, and you learned from them and may have even become as powerful as them, don't you think that arrogance would have rubbed-off as well?
Most of this is conjecture, but you asked for my opinion on the matter, and since Bruce Cordell has made the Le'Shay involvment with the Imaskari canon, I am merely 'connecting the dots' that I see.
Hope that was of some help. |
"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 11 May 2009 00:39:10 |
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Draezen
Acolyte
25 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2009 : 14:32:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Most of this is conjecture, but you asked for my opinion on the matter, and since Bruce Cordell has made the Le'Shay involvment with the Imaskari canon, I am merely 'connecting the dots' that I see.
The alliance between them is further elaborated in this article. Well, it's just one sentence, but at least it's mentioned. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 00:52:01
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Hmph.
In the short story The First Moonwell, the Pack is the second of the Earthmother's 'minions' to make an appearance. Not that this is a retcon or anything - more of a 'new lore' thing (because it is never really established weather the Unicorn existed before the wolves existed to hunt her).
-4000 DR?
Hmph.
I read that when it first came out, but I hadn't recalled that bit about the Imaskari. I would have assumed the Le'Shay left Toril long before that.
Thanks for pointing that out. |
"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 11 May 2009 00:52:43 |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 02:25:03
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It makes sense to me: if the LeShay were gonna be anywhere, it would have been somewhere overlooked just like Synnoria.
BTW, thanks for your thoughts, MT- I was thinking alog the same lines, but it hadn't occurred to me that the Golden Skins of the World Serpent had a fey-magic component to them. I'd always thought of it as being both the collected lore of the Sarrukh/Batrachi/Aeree and their servitor creatures plus observations of the shamanic practices of 'primitive' cultures.
As you pointed out, the fey-Imaskari connection makes sense, giving the spatial magics involved. I just wonder what was in it for the Le'Shay... |
How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Ifthir
Learned Scribe
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 04:30:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Or it could have been all of them. Regardless, I see a certain symmetry in the fourth creator race (and greatest, IMHO) assisting the Imaskari, since the others had 'helped' (although indirectly) the Netherease.
I thought that in Darkvision, the name inscribed below Omanond and the seven fey was 'Le-Shay'? |
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Knight of the Gate
Senior Scribe
USA
624 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 06:13:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Ifthir
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Or it could have been all of them. Regardless, I see a certain symmetry in the fourth creator race (and greatest, IMHO) assisting the Imaskari, since the others had 'helped' (although indirectly) the Netherease.
I thought that in Darkvision, the name inscribed below Omanond and the seven fey was 'Le-Shay'?
It does say that: the Le'Shay are a primordial and ridiculously powerful race of fey that are thought to have been one of the 'Creator Races' in the Days of Thunder.
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How can life be so bountiful, providing such sublime rewards for mediocrity? -Umberto Ecco |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2009 : 15:57:49
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Correct.
The 'Le'Shay' is the group assumed to have been the 'original fey'. They were not simply dubbed 'The Fey' by designers because that would be confusing them with all the Fey belonging to the 'Fey Type'. Just like the Sarrukh are considered the Sauroid Creator Race, and the Aeriee are considerd the Avian Creator Race, etc...
One is a name, and the other is a descriptor.
quote:
Originally posted by Knight of the Gate
It makes sense to me: if the LeShay were gonna be anywhere, it would have been somewhere overlooked just like Synnoria.
BTW, thanks for your thoughts, MT- I was thinking alog the same lines, but it hadn't occurred to me that the Golden Skins of the World Serpent had a fey-magic component to them. I'd always thought of it as being both the collected lore of the Sarrukh/Batrachi/Aeree and their servitor creatures plus observations of the shamanic practices of 'primitive' cultures.
As you pointed out, the fey-Imaskari connection makes sense, giving the spatial magics involved. I just wonder what was in it for the Le'Shay...
For more on my musings about the connections between the Nether scrolls and the Fey (who did NOT participate in their creation), see This Thread, and read my rather long-winded first post.
Fey are naturally magical beings - it makes some sense that the other Creator races would want to study them. |
"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 11 May 2009 16:00:34 |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2009 : 15:42:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Knight of the Gate
I've always thought that the Imaskari didn't call them 'the Imaskarcana'- rather that it was a name used by later generations to describe them...
That might be true*, but I still think it's a stupid word.
*Ususi is Deep Imaskari and uses the term, IIRC. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Looking for Imaskar Reference
