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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Apr 2012 : 01:54:27
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The only place I have found any information on Maos is in the original Moonsea supplement. However, the map gallery for Mysteries of the Moonsea includes a map of the island and the tunnels underneath. I combed the supplement/adventure for any reference to Maos and neither the map nor any info is included.
The map is not at all what I imagined. It produces the island as quite small with very few buildings and very simple tunnels beneath.
Is there any information further, anywhere? At all? :)
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2012 : 11:58:57
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Maos is described in AD&D 2E (circa 1367DR) The Moonsea (box set); p61-62 in the Reference Guide and p26-27 (plus location on the p30 map) in the Player's Guide. I couldn't find any mention (or maps) of Maos in D&D 3.5E Mysteries of the Moonsea.
The island of Maos is a perfect circle, exactly 240 feet in diameter - this immediately suggests that it's a disk (or sphere) of land artificially delineated through magic. The most prominent structure on the island is the temple, which suggests to me that only this temple was spared whatever watery destruction consumed some entire city, or that this temple was instead cursed and torn from the heart of a city to be hurled into the sea. The great "Curse of Godly Silence" permeating the island seems to negate all clerical magic - but perhaps it's just that no clerics of the correct lost faith and deity have yet visited.
The island is said to be from an ancient city of learning, from a human kingdom which predated the elves, at least 2000 years before Dalereckoning. To me this must be ancient Netheril, circa -2000DR/1859NY being early in the Golden Age of Netheril. An event in -1657DR/2202NY named "The First Falling" describes the floating enclave of Sunrest being spectacularly destroyed in an experiment with the catastrophically powerful Sunrest sunshock spell. The spire and observatory on Maos are clearly significant parts of the temple structure; careful tracking of the sun, moon, and stars suggests worship of Amaunator, Selūne, and possibly Mystryl - any one of these powers might have intervened to "rescue" their most sacred temple from Sunrest. How much more interesting if this sacred site was corrupted, stolen/claimed, and hidden away by Shar, Kozah (then the ocean god), or Jergal? And even more interesting still if the secrets of Maos are now unknown to the current incarnations of all deities involved.
The tales of fabulous wealth, ancient libraries containing long-forgotten spells, and storehouses of ancient artifacts and sentient swords just scream ancient Netheril or another Myth Elfspamdor or whatever. But these sorts of tall tales surround all decent adventuring hooks, and they are related through Mendryll the narrator who is not always entirely credible.
Maos rises from the waves only on Shieldmeet, after moonrise at dusk, and it sinks after moonset at dawn. This symbolically suggests possible correlations between Amaunator, Selūne, Shar, and perhaps Mystryl. Since Shieldmeet is the extra leapyear day counted outside normal years this regular reemergence might be some kind of technical loophole for breaking a curse keeping Maos (and an imprisoned or dormant god?) "drowned in the depths, banished from sunlight, from dawn to dusk and dusk to dawn every day of every year" (or whatever, I just made that up).
The Arylselmalyn calendar (named after the ancient and fallen Aryselmalyr aquatic elven nation), also emphasizes Shieldmeet: it names this day as Cinnaelos'Cor ("the Day of Corellon's Peace"), important for magical rituals, religious ceremonies, signing contracts, stuff like that. It's quite possible that this Moonsea outpost/monastery was constructed by Deep Netheril (circa -1660DR/2199NY) or by the Aryselmalyn/Serōsians but has changed hands any number of times. It is of course currently occupied by evil lacedons, kuo-toa, merrow, scrags, etc.
Maos could be the last remnant of a lost religion, some local or minor Moonsea deity. It might also be the site of an underwater gate or one of "Selūne's" magical pools which functions as a portal to another place, world, plane, or time. It might have been subjugated and repurposed by Bane or Moander (like so many other pools and sacred sites throughout the Moonsea region). A "curse" similar to that of Sokol Keep in FRC1: Ruins of Adventure (Pool of Radiance) might explain the animated bodies of past victims who guard Maos ... as could an undead spellcaster (like some sort of quasi-Eldath Water Elemental priest-lich).
All sorts of possibilities ... imagine Maos as a Moonsea-local demipower or aspect akin to Tyche the way the Moonshae Earthmother is to Chauntea. Tyche isn't around anymore, so now the dormant divine essence of Maos is locked within this sunken island-temple, jealously claimed by Beshaba and guarded by Istishia, briefly accessible to adventurers only through Tymora's appeals to Selūne (again, whatever, just making it up).
Finally, take note of a common mariner's superstition in the Realms:
"No ships set sail on Shieldmeet. Those that do are cursed to drift for years, destined not to reach port until the next Shieldmeet, or they are lost forever." |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 22 Apr 2012 13:52:03 |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2012 : 18:18:59
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I couldn't find anything else on the internet related to that image or link. A piece of miscast never-used errata? A mini-module which never made the cut? Alas, I don't think any of the contributors named on the credit pages are still at Wizbro. This sort of web material seems like WotC's junkpile, no matter how utterly unrecognizable or useless these scraps might be they're intellectual property to be hoarded by the legal packrats forevermore.
Maos was obviously written to serve as an adventure-launching feature, perhaps just one of those unfinished ghost tales to fire up DM imaginations (and to even reserve some stage space for a future product). But perhaps it was something based off Ed's notes, and if so, then it's equally possible for Ed's version to be an offhanded mention in a single sentence about something else ... or a masterfully encyclopedic and exhaustive documentary mini-series locked behind ancient NDA wards. Asking Ed is the only way to be sure.  |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 23 Apr 2012 18:30:31 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2012 : 04:01:07
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Was there a web-enhancement?
If not, I know one was at least planned (I forget which product) that never saw the light of day, so that might have come from that.
The WE's are constructed from 'unused bits' that got cut for space, and that map was probably from a part that was cut. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36797 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2012 : 10:45:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Was there a web-enhancement?
If not, I know one was at least planned (I forget which product) that never saw the light of day, so that might have come from that.
The WE's are constructed from 'unused bits' that got cut for space, and that map was probably from a part that was cut.
There's the now-legendary web enhancement for Mysteries of the Moonsea, that covered Phlan... |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2012 : 14:27:22
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That makes sense that Maos would have been included in that. The MAP is from Mysteries of the Moonsea. Ed said it's all John Terra's work. I've heard it referred to before and it does make sense to me that it's a little Cthulhu-esque.
So, this returns me to my question, though - the map's too small for the description in the Moonsea, right? |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2012 : 14:44:11
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Given a diameter of exactly 240', the scale of the map overview in the upper left corner would be 30' per square.
The scale on the main/central map is noted as 5' per square and only covers a rectangular area of about 130' x 190' situated between the center and the lower right quadrant of the entire island map. Yes, it only details about 49% of island's total flat surface area, those catacomb passages on all the edges could lead to anything. I personally envision the island as an inverted hemisphere riddled with catacomb tunnels in all three dimensions.
[Edit]
"Chthulhu-esque" could mean the involvement of Moander, aboleths, or aquatic illithids. (Assuming illithids could use "host" bodies of aquatic humanoids.)
The "island" could actually be the shell of ancient undead dragon-turtle, although that's getting a bit silly.
A temple observatory which only surfaces during a particular night once every leapyear suggests some sort of ritual time lock ... perhaps some mechanism examines the alignment of the stars and objects in the sky, and when conditions are correct (at some calculated date) something interesting will happen or be released ... |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 24 Apr 2012 15:17:23 |
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Thieran
Learned Scribe
Germany
293 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2012 : 18:10:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Was there a web-enhancement?
If not, I know one was at least planned (I forget which product) that never saw the light of day, so that might have come from that.
The WE's are constructed from 'unused bits' that got cut for space, and that map was probably from a part that was cut.
On this topic, see that scroll: http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9605 |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 15:41:16
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| So in true Call of Cthulhu style, it's easy to reconcile this by saying the map represents only the observatory complex, with more of the city beneath the water (maybe 50-100 feet down, with this structure having been much taller than any other building. You get a Bell of the Deeps sort of feel to the lower buildings, but any adventure would be confined to the basics of the map. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2012 : 16:06:09
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| A question is what else might be found at the bottom where Maos normally sits? Is there a larger sunken city, do the "dead end" catacomb paths continue beyond the island's limits? |
[/Ayrik] |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2012 : 03:15:05
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| I'm liking it for some sort of undersea worshippers of Moander. Helps explain his barely, but tangible ability to hang on after the "last cell" of Moanderites is killed ... like half a dozen times. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2012 : 18:22:00
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Say some Jermlain found a small idol (life-size to them) and began worshiping it in some remote, smelly cave.
EDIT:
Same could apply to undersea critters - there could have been an old, secret (for obvious reasons) cult of Moander in a sea-cave, and after the cultists were wiped-out, some Kua-Toa (or Sahuagin, or Locathah/whatever) discovered it and began to worship 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 03 May 2012 18:26:40 |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2012 : 02:51:09
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| So, this takes it a bit off topic, but R'lyeh is "geometrically wrong" in Lovecraft's text. If I were to make Maos like that, what would I do? |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36797 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2012 : 04:54:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Rhewtani
So, this takes it a bit off topic, but R'lyeh is "geometrically wrong" in Lovecraft's text. If I were to make Maos like that, what would I do?
...Pray that your players don't ask you to draw it?
You might look at MC Escher, for inspiration. It's not the same type of geometrically wrong (at least, from what I recall of my one foray into Lovecraft), but it'd be a starting point. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31722 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2012 : 06:17:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Rhewtani
So, this takes it a bit off topic, but R'lyeh is "geometrically wrong" in Lovecraft's text. If I were to make Maos like that, what would I do?
...Pray that your players don't ask you to draw it?
You might look at MC Escher, for inspiration. It's not the same type of geometrically wrong (at least, from what I recall of my one foray into Lovecraft), but it'd be a starting point.
I'd also recommend you read Lovecraft's 'The Nameless City' for further inspiration. |
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 |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2012 : 15:37:24
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Mountains of Madness was interesting too.
Weird, but interesting. |
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Maos?
