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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 03:17:21
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I'm interested in people posting concepts they have for areas that were left mostly undeveloped. For example, Selunnara or whatever.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36875 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 04:28:33
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| Selunarra should have been brought back... They made a point of having it potentially be brought back by the PCs, but then didn't run with it. I know that 3E had way too many Returns, but I think there is much potential for intrigue and adventure with having Selunarra back and acting in opposition to Shade. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 09:13:33
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| What/who is Selūnarra? I cant remember ever hearing the name before; but with my memory that's no surprise. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36875 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 12:21:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
What/who is Selūnarra? I cant remember ever hearing the name before; but with my memory that's no surprise.
Lost Empires of Faerūn re-intro'ed Selūnarra as a potential plot hook.
Basically, when Netheril fell, five enclaves survived: Shade, by being in Shadow, the three that Mystra caught, and Opus, an enclave of Selūne worshippers that the goddess saved. This is all 2E lore.
Lost Empires of Faerūn presented a plot hook that involved bringing Selūnarra back into the Realms. As I said, I favor this idea very much, because I think there's much potential in having another group of Netherese descendants around, and having another group around that's opposed to Shade -- though Selūnarra, unlike most of Shade's enemies, would be focused just on Shade. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 14:22:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
What/who is Selūnarra? I cant remember ever hearing the name before; but with my memory that's no surprise.
Lost Empires of Faerūn re-intro'ed Selūnarra as a potential plot hook.
Basically, when Netheril fell, five enclaves survived: Shade, by being in Shadow, the three that Mystra caught, and Opus, an enclave of Selūne worshippers that the goddess saved. This is all 2E lore.
Lost Empires of Faerūn presented a plot hook that involved bringing Selūnarra back into the Realms. As I said, I favor this idea very much, because I think there's much potential in having another group of Netherese descendants around, and having another group around that's opposed to Shade -- though Selūnarra, unlike most of Shade's enemies, would be focused just on Shade.
Check out the Netheril: Empire of Magic book set too, for the original reference for Opus/Selūnarra. 'Tis available as a free download at WotC:- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2009 : 21:40:30
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I didn't mean just Selunnara. But, whatever you might have thought of. That was just an example. Also I was hoping people might post write ups they have for things such as:
Opus/Selunnara
Population: 15,000 (85% aasimar, 1% half-celestial, 10% human, 1% elf, 3% other)
Alignment: LG (10%), NG (35%), CG (38%), LN (1%), N (5%), CN (10%),
Government: Representational Democracy
Religion: Selune, Deneir, Milil, Sune, Lliira, Savras, Torm, and Finder Wyvernspur.
The names Opus and Selunarra are used interchangeably by the populace of the city. When the city resode in the Gates of the Moon most of the population became aasimar over time, as well as taking in some planar immigrants. They still use the same criteria to determine who may or may not immigrate into the city. They must be of non-evil alignment and have a skill to contribute to the city. Like Deep Imaskar they utilize large numbers of permanent invisible servants to accomplish most labor with the city, the average person owns at least one of these. Before its return to Faerun it was home to many celestials but they were unable to pass over into Faerun during the transfer, any being with more than half its bloodline celestial remained in Selunes plane Gates of the Moon.
Government: Opus is governed by the University Synod of Opus and a Syndod of Chosen Leaders. The University Synod of Opus is a council made up of appointed members of various institutions in the city such as the various colleges, temples, guilds, and organizations. They then appoint a Grand Academician, Grand Mediator, Arch-Bard, Grand Theologian, Arch-Sorceror, and Archwizard of each gender as authority figures of the city.
The Synod of Chosen Leaders is a council of elected leaders elected out of two pools. First the is subdivided into areas and each area has a councilor of each gender, a first-past-the-post electoral system.
The second group is of the most voted for people in the city as a whole, a proportional representational system. The two are elected separately and in each election every member of the city has a vote for a person of each gender. From these they select who they believe would best govern in certain key areas as Ministers and a Prime Minister to select this person. In addition to this the Solar Soma, who governed the city in the Gates of the Moon and is still technically the head of government, is summoned at each full moon to give advice to the assembled councilors of both governmental houses and the University.
Military: The city has erected several outposts across the northern part of Anauroch which is their sphere of influence, in contrast to the City of Shades influence in . The former stronghold of Talonas faith Castle Trinity has been reconstructed as a stronghold with the same name but the trinity being Selunnara, Luruar, ______ (The Lords Alliance?)
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2009 : 00:51:39
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Well, there's Katashaka too. Which was featured in one of Brian James' articles for the Candlekeep Compendium. You'll find some lore about this dark continent located southwest of Faerūn. [Katashaka was later canonised in Grand History of the Realms]
And Tom Costa suggests using the NYAMBE setting, published by Atlas games, as an alternative continent somewhere in the Realms:-
quote:
"I know several folks (myself included) who transplanted Atlas Games' excellent Nyambe (with some tweaks), which also built off many of the old 2E articles in Dragon on African gaming, to the large undefined continent southwest of Nimbral and southeast of Maztica (see the FR Atlas CD-ROM). It also makes sense with the Anaconda refernce you mention, but I doubt we'll see an official African-esque setting as most non-European-esque setting don't seem to sell too well from what we've been told.
So pick up Nyambe and watch the Shaka Zulu miniseries from the 80s and you'll be dying to play an African-based setting. I really can't say enough good things about how well conceived Nyambe is. Hey even Monte Cook gave it top grades."
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Edited by - The Sage on 16 Oct 2009 00:52:42 |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2009 : 09:28:13
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
What/who is Selūnarra? I cant remember ever hearing the name before; but with my memory that's no surprise.
Lost Empires of Faerūn re-intro'ed Selūnarra as a potential plot hook.
Basically, when Netheril fell, five enclaves survived: Shade, by being in Shadow, the three that Mystra caught, and Opus, an enclave of Selūne worshippers that the goddess saved. This is all 2E lore.
Lost Empires of Faerūn presented a plot hook that involved bringing Selūnarra back into the Realms. As I said, I favor this idea very much, because I think there's much potential in having another group of Netherese descendants around, and having another group around that's opposed to Shade -- though Selūnarra, unlike most of Shade's enemies, would be focused just on Shade.
Check out the Netheril: Empire of Magic book set too, for the original reference for Opus/Selūnarra. 'Tis available as a free download at WotC:- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads
Thanks both of you. I have a tendency to forget the information from the Netheril box. Or at least I try to. I remmember that I read through it a couple of times when it came out, but ended up being more and more annoyed. I seem to remember having ranted about those original villages a few times? Since then I have more or less ignored any official Netheril information.
As for the returning Netheril-enclaves. I never liked the idea in the first place, not even the Shadow version. I prefer there to be mysterious stories about surviving individuals or enclaves tied to Netheril. |
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Sandro
Learned Scribe
New Zealand
266 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2009 : 10:40:57
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| Out of curiosity, Jorkens, what was it that irked you so much about the Netheril box-set? |
"Gods, little fishes, and spells to turn the one to the other," Mordenkainen sighed. "It's started already..." |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 19 Oct 2009 : 06:43:01
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| Why is no one posting anything related to the topic? ...... |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 20 Oct 2009 : 00:53:04
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quote:
Originally posted by MrHedgehog
Why is no one posting anything related to the topic? ......
Is your request only for "True Canon" published by TSR/WotC; or are you looking for anything made concerning the Realms?
What I mean by this is do you want material that only ties in with established lore by the publishers, or are you willing to accept material that may be totally apart from any established lore and yet set in the Forgotten Realms?
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 20 Oct 2009 00:54:30 |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 21 Oct 2009 : 03:38:59
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Oh. I'm confused, I thought I was asking specifically for NOT canonical. Sorry for not being clear. I'm interested in reading what things people have thought up themselves or have fleshed out... characters, places, objects, etc. like the example I posted.
unrelated to lore is fine.
I've just already read all the Forgotten Realms books I can get access and want to read amateur/unpublished stuff. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 21 Oct 2009 : 05:26:32
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Well, Candlekeep Compendium (I have no link, but I'm sure someone can supply it) has TONS of such material.
In my own signature is a thread on Ixinos (located in the Vilhoun Reach near Turmish, etc) and there are lots of other threads devoted to this very topic.
I would dig around for you, but I'm notoriously lazy and something of a ne'er-do-well to boot.
As things come to me though, I'll be glad to post them here. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36875 Posts |
Posted - 21 Oct 2009 : 06:05:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Well, Candlekeep Compendium (I have no link, but I'm sure someone can supply it) has TONS of such material.
Both Sage and I have the links in our sigs.  |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 21 Oct 2009 : 06:11:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Well, Candlekeep Compendium (I have no link, but I'm sure someone can supply it) has TONS of such material.
In my own signature is a thread on Ixinos (located in the Vilhoun Reach near Turmish, etc) and there are lots of other threads devoted to this very topic.
I would dig around for you, but I'm notoriously lazy and something of a ne'er-do-well to boot.
As things come to me though, I'll be glad to post them here.
I'd also recommend a search of the WotC boards too. There's almost always threads popping up about what DMs may do with some of the more undeveloped/underutilised regions of Toril. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 21 Oct 2009 06:12:30 |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2009 : 20:29:31
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quote:
Originally posted by MrHedgehog
Why is no one posting anything related to the topic? ......
I wouldn't know where to start, most areas outside of the Heartlands (imo) are ''undeveloped''.
We played in Selunarra, I'm glad they didn't bring the city back to the Prime, that would be ''needless symmetry''. In our version the inhabitants of Opus were unconcerned about Toril, with a mindset alien to the affairs of Faerun. It's a place of art and freedom, no Selunite zealots dedicated to holy wars against the Sharrans, only a rare few have martyring tendencies to leave heaven, acting as planewalker agents and Indepts, But I changed the Gates of the Moon somewhat, Opus is incapable of flight and is on a gravitational-orbital path around Noctos (the cosmic moon, moved from the Beastlands, it is a ''white hole'' that delivers light to the multiverse).
Also the population wasn't just aasimars, but lillendi, shards, slivers, feelenstials, kholiathras, eladrins (old), asuras, bariaurs, sinds, lythari, firestars, flickers, asrai, moon dogs etc. |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2009 : 02:27:27
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Whether Selunnara being back or not is not should have happened isn't really what I'm interested in. I wanted to see how other people envisioned it if it did happen.
For my concept I thought it would be unbalanced to have a city full of celestials. So I thought they'd have been left behind in the return to the Prime material plane. But leaving a legacy of Aasimar and Half-Celestials.
Also I was unclear if the population was ENTIRELY Aasimar, or if just the majority. Is this an effect of being inthe Gates of the Moon or interbreeding with lillendi, devas, guardinals, eladrins, etc.? How many immigrants would have arrived in the city such as Githzerai, elves, bariaurs... Once they returned to the realms who might immigrate there? I was thinking Bedine and Gur (the Children of Selune who are like gypsies or whatever) would. What proportion of the population
Also from the description of the Gates of the Moon it didn't sound completely heavenly to me (In a Planescape book...I forget which one. Planes of Chaos, possibly?) More wild and bipolar seeming.
I imagined the society having been raised knowing they'd one day return to Faerun...like it was their destiny. Its Selune's decision, not their's, after all. A good society consisting largely of Aasimars would have a sense of responsibility, however, so I don't think people would have protested...
What are sinds, feelenstials, kholiathras ? When I google them it links back to this page! haha. |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2009 : 08:22:26
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I think they're in Bestiary of the Realms vol.1 or 2. and kholiathras also in Elves of Evermeet. The aasimar population seems to originate from the influence/mutations of the plane, not from interbreeding that much. Just speculating, lillendi and eladrins, would be about 1 percent, tough they aren't the type to settle in. Bariaurs, several dozens of them, githzerai just a few scholarly types. Doubt there'd be many elves.
I don't think the Bedine/Gur would be capable of such travels, maybe a few great shamans in a thousand years. Planes of Chaos poorly describes the place, just Argentil and Mahogany, not much about the life there, from what I remember. Don't forget to use the Infinite Staircase btw. |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2009 : 20:05:15
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| Such travels? If Selunnara returned to the Realms it would be in Bedine territory. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36875 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2009 : 21:58:10
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quote:
Originally posted by MrHedgehog
Such travels? If Selunnara returned to the Realms it would be in Bedine territory.
Not necessarily. Depending on the nature of their return, they could target their entry point. |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2009 : 15:52:44
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well I meant while the city is still in the Selune's domain, the return would sure make things easier
I don't like the Bedine, probably they would accept the protection of Opus if offered facing extinction. |
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MrHedgehog
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2009 : 05:50:58
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| Um...I think Opus would consider the Bedine like the same people as them since they are all Netherese. Why do you hate them...? |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2009 : 17:38:01
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| They belong elsewhere, in Zakhara, from where they came through a portal. Anauroch needed a more Realmsian culture, beside all other deserts on Toril, it gets redundant. |
Edited by - Quale on 28 Oct 2009 17:39:15 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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Cleric Generic
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
565 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2009 : 18:30:50
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Inspired by the awesome maps of Markustay, I've recently been thinking up stuff to do with Yaimmunahar (sp?), the Hordelands and stuff generally east of Thay.
Note, I'm pretty ignorant of whatever lore there is regarding the wodge of land between Faerun and Shou Lung, so hopefully I haven't inadvertently bulldozed anything.
What I'm doing is removing some of the 'Mongol Horde' vibe I get (rightly or wrongly) from the Tuigan Horde and associated tribes of the region and supplanting it with an intricate caste/bloodline/clan system, etc. I also have this idea in my head about a radically different system of religion to the Faeruninan pantheons and sub-pantheons; what I want to give them is a bunch of demigods encarnate of all shapes ond sizes, instead of a few all powerful 'proper' deities.
These cheeky chappies all do their thing west of the Kora Shan / Spiderhaunt corridor leading to the Quoya Desert (see the Markus Maps). That corridor, with it's wealth of volcanoes and mystery blank bits, along with Quoya, is probably going to turn into a Mordor-esque volcanic hellscape wherein an as yet undefined Primordial (yes, 4e, egads!) has crash landed following the destruction of the rest of wherever Returned Abeir came from. It is less than amused by it's current predicament (I'm also considering dumping Mr. Primordial in the radioactive crater that once was Halruaa, but I'm just as likely to resurrect it with the help of Selunarra, the Halruans had Netherese blood, after all)...
That's my vague ponderings, so far |
Cedric! The Cleric Generic and Master of Disguise!
ALL HAIL LORD KARSUS!!!
Vast Realmslore Archive: Get in here and download everything! http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archfr/rl
2e Realms book PDFs; grab em! - http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/07/working-around-purge.html |
Edited by - Cleric Generic on 06 Nov 2009 18:32:55 |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2009 : 21:04:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
I'm also considering dumping Mr. Primordial in the radioactive crater that once was Halruaa, but I'm just as likely to resurrect it with the help of Selunarra, the Halruans had Netherese blood, after all
Maybe instead of a primodrial there could be some plaguechanged critter that controls the area and has to be killed in order to restore Halruaa. I imagine some gigantic bloated and disfigured monster lurking in the centre of what was once Halruaa.  |
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Cleric Generic
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
565 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2009 : 10:52:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Tyranthraxus
quote:
Originally posted by Cleric Generic
I'm also considering dumping Mr. Primordial in the radioactive crater that once was Halruaa, but I'm just as likely to resurrect it with the help of Selunarra, the Halruans had Netherese blood, after all
Maybe instead of a primodrial there could be some plaguechanged critter that controls the area and has to be killed in order to restore Halruaa. I imagine some gigantic bloated and disfigured monster lurking in the centre of what was once Halruaa.
Yeah baby, now you're playin' my song!
What kinda big bad beasty can we use? A thumping great dracolich? A dragon ghost or wraith?
What about more humanoid and alive things?
Other undeveloped bits I'd love to see more of are all points north of the usual map, specifically Hartsvale.
EDIT: sorry, got a bit carried away and went OT. |
Cedric! The Cleric Generic and Master of Disguise!
ALL HAIL LORD KARSUS!!!
Vast Realmslore Archive: Get in here and download everything! http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archfr/rl
2e Realms book PDFs; grab em! - http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/07/working-around-purge.html |
Edited by - Cleric Generic on 07 Nov 2009 11:32:55 |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 10 Nov 2009 : 09:45:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Quale
They belong elsewhere, in Zakhara, from where they came through a portal. Anauroch needed a more Realmsian culture, beside all other deserts on Toril, it gets redundant.
I am a bit rusty here. If I remmember correctly Zakhara was published a couple of years after the Bedine were introduced. Was there any mention of their background in the earliest sources. I have never read the first novel of the Harper series and its been a while since I read the Anauroch book (something to do tonight I think) so the Bedine are not exactly my speciality. |
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Quale
Master of Realmslore
1757 Posts |
Posted - 10 Nov 2009 : 17:41:35
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| Yea, Zakhara was released a year after Anauroch and Parched Sea. I think the Bedine were invented by Troy Denning, earlier sources like Savage Frontier just mention the nomad population. It's not which desert got that type of culture first, personally the Bedine are like putting Celts into Kara-Tur. |
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Undeveloped areas
