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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 16:44:14
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TIMELINE
- -31000 DR: The Tearfall. Dragon eggs fall from the sky called by the batrachi in their fight against the giants. A meteorite fall in the midst of the giant kingdoms (present day Vaasa). The crater is miles deep and at its centre deep underground in a tiny fissure is a single metallic egg.
Over the millenia the egg hatches and grows into the metallic primordial Telos, what was meant to be the destroyer of giant civilisation on Faerun. He slowly leeches magical power from the giant kingdoms above.
- - c25000 DR: The Great Glacier forms covering Telos before he has a chance to activate.
- 1038 DR Year of Spreading Spring: The Great Glacier retreats from the lands of Damara, Vaasa, and upper Narfell. Many folk from Impiltur and Thesk migrate north to the newly uncovered lands.
- c1347 DR Year of the Bright Blade: Zhengyi the red wizard lich who studied the Black Star artefact for years arrives in Vaasa directed by Orcus to locate Telos and use the primordial's power to perform powerful magical rituals. His first test is raising Castle Perilous using this new source of power.
- 1348 DR Year of the Spur: The black dragon Urshula is awoken by Zhengyi's rise to power in Vaasa. Zhengyi invades Damara, skirmishing with the forces of Damara for 10 years.
- 1357 DR Year of the Prince - The Time of Troubles: Zhengyi conquers Damara. Telos is awakened by the disruption in magic with the death of Mystra and also because Zhengyi has been tapping him for power.
- The forces of Vaasa slay king Virdin of Damara. Zhengyi now controls both Vaasa and Damara through his puppets installed as rulers of the duchies and baronies of Damara.
- 1359 DR Year of the Serpent: Zhengy is slain, the flow on the power tap with Telos reverses and Zhengyi's soul is drawn into the primordial instead of his phylactery. Castle Perilous crumbles into ruin and is occupied by an avatar of Tiamat.
- 1360 DR Year of the Turret: Sylvia and Dimian Ree marry, uniting the duchies of Ostel and Morov. Within months a son is born named Feldrin Ree.
- An attempt is made on Christine Dragonsbane’s life by Cat One-Eye. The assassination attempt fails but Cat One Eye escapes.
- The Red Wizards dispatch another diplomatic envoy to their former member, unfortunately when they arrive in Vaasa they find Zhengyi the Witch-King has been slain.
- 1361 DR Year of Maidens: The Gates of Bloodstone Pass are finished, adventurers begin to venture into Vaasa thanks to Damara's bounty on monstrous humanoids.
- The Gates of Bloodstone Pass are finished, adventurers begin to venture into Vaasa thanks to Damara's bounty on monstrous humanoids.
- Cat One-Eye is located by the Spysong organisation in Heliogabalus at Dimian Ree’s palace. She escapes but Dimian Ree is killed in the confrontation with Spysong forces.
- Duchess Sylvia becomes acting Duke of Morov until Feldrin Ree comes of age.
- Helmont 15th Duke of Carmathen formally allies himself with Duchess Sylvia of Ostel and Morov, the people of Carmathen no longer object now that Dimian Ree is dead.
- Red Wizards research teams are sent to Vaasa to find out what Zhengyi was doing there. One of their number includes a tiefling with an uncanny resemblance to Zhengyi himself which the Red Wizards hope to use to their advantage.
- 1362 DR Year of the Helm: Duchess Sylvia declares her intention to press the claim of her son Feldrin Ree to be proclaimed King of Damara. Gareth Dragonsbane counters this claim with his own. With the duchies of Morov, Ostel, Carmarthen and Polten on one side and Bloodstone, Arcata, Brandiar, and Soravia on the other, the country of Damara prepares for civil war.
- The Red Wizards locate a tome of creation belonging to Zhengyi and use it to create a new Castle Perilous north-east of Palischuk. They also learn about the presence of Telos beneath the Clefts of Razack and what Zhengyi’s plans for him were.
- 1363 DR Year of the Wyvern: The armies of Damara meet at the ford of Goliad and a stalemate ensues, some lives are lost by low level skirmishing, but the people of Damara have no real stomach for another war.
- Tarkos Ree, leader of the Tightpurse thieves guild in Heliogabalus exposes Sylvia’s duplicity in revenge for her arranging the death of his brother. Sylvia orchestrated the assassination attempt of Christine Dragonsbane using her new husband’s connections to the citadel of assassins. She then arranged a second assassination on Dimian Ree and deliberately informed Spysong of the meeting. Then she could press her son’s claims on the kingdom of Damara with the richest duchies behind her.
- Gareth Dragonsbane quickly declares Sylvia a traitor and all the duchies of Damara (except Ostel and Morov) declare Gareth Dragonsbane king.
- The armies of Damara besiege Heliogabalus palace; they are unopposed by the merchants and their mercenaries. Sylvia is captured and imprisoned. The child duke Feldrin Ree remains duke of Ostel.
- King Dragonsbane is crowned in Heliogabalus which he names as capital of Damara. He quickly cracks down on the Tightpurse thieves guild in Damara because of it’s links to the citadel of assassins.
- The Red Wizards create a mining settlement atop the Clefts of Razack by the Beaumaris River. They intend to plumb the depths of the clefts in order to find Telos the primordial. The settlement itself is a real mining settlement with locals recruited to mine a strange dull metal that is ice cold to the touch. This metal is dubbed Shadesteel for it’s unique properties and how it seems to absorb light nearby.
- 1365 DR Year of the Sword: Following falling returns from the Tightpurse thieves guild after the crowning of King Dragonsbane, Banak strikes against Timoshenko the Grandfather of Assassins whose popularity has begun to wane. Timoshenko is slain and animated as an undead creature that serves Banak without question. Banak and Knellicht now rule the Bandit Army jointly in an uneasy truce with neither one able to easily defeat the other.
- A group of Red Wizards enter the Clefts of Razack and encounter Telos; not realising he is awake. The Red Wizards are slain instantly; all except one, this last remaining Red Wizard becomes The Voice of Telos.
- 1368 DR Year of the Banner - Fall of Zhentil Keep: In the last three days of the year, Fzoul Chembryl [1263, 1369] reads aloud from the True Life of Cyric, revealing the dark god’s betrayal of his faithful at Zhentil Keep. Xeno Mirrormane, High Priest of Cyric, is struck by powerful divine fire from Mask. The flames devour Xeno, then proceeded to do likewise to the temple of Cyric. Fzoul flees the falling city to Teshwave as Cyric-summoned giants, dragons, and other monsters sack much of Zhentil Keep.
- 1369 DR Year of the Gauntlet: Khelben and Fzoul meet in Voonlar, as a result Fzoul agrees not to expend Zhentarim influence any further west than the Thunder Peaks
- The Manshoon Wars: Fzoul Chembryl [1369, 1374] slays Manshoon and purges the Zhentarim of Manshoon’s supporters, giving him control over most of the organization. Several clones of Manshoon awake at the same time and create havoc throughout Faerûn. Fzoul forges the Scepter of the Tyrant’s Eye.
- 1371 DR Year of the Unstrung Harp: Zhentarim forces arrive in Vaasa through Garumn’s Climb with the aid of magic. They quickly set about securing the pass from giants, orcs, goblinoids and other monsters before creating settlements in the plains of Haatar Baen, which they tame by using divine magic from Banite priests to remove the corruption of Telos from the topsoil allowing crops to be grown by slaves that arrive daily.
- Orcs from Thesk still loyal to the Zhentarim begin migrating towards Vaasa.
- 1372 DR Year of Wild Magic: Banite forces seize the important trade towns of Maur Eturo and Avang in southern Vaasa and begin taxing what few caravans travel through the area. On the positive side they also bring more security to the wilderness by using their vast resources to tame the land and its monsters.
- Orc migrants begin to reach Vaasa and are integrated into small settlements in the north east of Vaasa, particularly Palischuk, which welcomes orc brothers that are willing to embrace civilisation.
- 1373 DR Year of Rogue Dragons: The Rage of Dragons causes the flight of dragons around Castle Perilous to destroy itself. The avatar of Tiamat is dismissed by Tiamat herself as she seeks to consolidate her power to combat the returned Bahamut. The flight of dragons tears apart giant strongholds in the Galena mountains, and devastates the tribe of the white worm. They also cause considerable damage to the settlements in the north-west of Vaasa around the Bottomless Bogs. However the settlements protected by the Zhentarim and the Warlock Knights are spared much of the destruction thanks to the resources of those organisations.
Palischuk is spared from any damage thanks to the magic of Banite priests and the orc migrants from Thesk.
- 1374 DR Year of Lightning Storms: Warlock Knights are voted into ruling councils in settlements across Vaasa - even non human settlements- thanks to the warlock knights open recruitment policies and their efforts in combating the Rage of Dragons. The warlock knight rulers of Palischuk soon meet with fatal accidents orchestrated by the Banites.
- 1375 DR Year of Risen Elf Kin: The Warlock Knights declare open rule in Vaasa from the Ironfell Council in Telos. Zhengyi the Voice of Telos once again rules Vaasa (even if he is not in control this time). The Warlock Knights immediately begin cracking down on all forms of deviant behaviour - not worshipping Telos being the primary deviance. Thousands of people are thrown into the Clefts of Razack and sacrificed to Telos.
- Gareth Dragonsbane watching events unfold in Vaasa and decides to seal the Vaasan Gate isolating Vaasa from the rest of the Bloodstone Lands.
- The Warlock knights control central Vaasa, the Cinnabar Wastes, and the Bottomless Bogs, all settlements in those areas remain tightly under Telosian control.
Palischuk in the east remains independent in name only, it is secretly ruled by the Banites.
The Plains of Haatar Baen are openly loyal to the Zhentarim and the church of Bane.
Darmshall remains independent as well but it is unknown how long it can last against the forces of Telos and Bane.
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Edited by - Gary Dallison on 12 Nov 2013 09:11:10
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 16:46:49
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ORGANISATIONS
The Bandit Armyr - Cult of Orcus
1363 DR, Gareth Dragonsbane is crowned King of Damara. One of his first acts is to declare Heliogabalus the capital of Damara and the seat of his power. He creates a city guard to counter the private mercenary armies owned by the wealthy merchants and to police the city to ensure it becomes the crowning jewel of Damara and a beacon of law and light in the Bloodstone Lands.
This city guard make life difficult for the Tight Purse thieves guild. Income begins to drop as illicit activities are stopped and thieves are arrested.
Because of their close ties with the Tight Purse thieves guild, the Bandit Army begins to see less and less of a return on its investment of wealth, man power, and skills.
By 1365 DR Timoshenko’s popularity begins to wane among his employees. Banak uses this moment to strike against his former ally. After feigning weakness and insanity for so long; Banak reveals himself to have lost none of his power or cunning and quickly slays the former Grandfather of Assassins.
Using the power of his undead master Orcus, he animates Timoshenko’s corpse as a subservient undead creature, and uses him as the figurehead of the organisation. Timoshenko looks alive and healthy; if a little slow of speech and movement, but should anyone see his torso uncovered they will notice the absence of skin and internal organs which give away his undead nature.
Skull Lord Banak and Knellicht now jointly rule the Bandit Army in an uneasy truce, with neither one confident of an easy victory over the other should they strike first.
Banak implements strict regimented discipline amongst the Bandit Army, any form of disobedience or failure is met with death and undeath. The ranks of the Banak’s undead battalion are quickly replenished. Banak also begins recruiting more followers from the poor and downtrodden in the realm of Vaasa. His cultists have little success at first, and some are slain by the followers of Kiaransalee, but following the rise of the Warlock Knights they gain many worshippers in the settlements belonging to Telos and Bane.
The Cult of Orcus at one point ruled Vaasa through it’s ruler Zhengyi the Witch-King, and even gained inroads into Damara through Zhengyi’s not so secret rule of Damara’s divided duchies.
Following the death of Zhengyi, the priests if Orcus and their goblin worshippers fled into the Black Holes of Sunderland. There they were slaughtered over a period of several years by the Church of Kiaransalee.
Now the only organised remnant of the Cult of Orcus remaining in Vaasa is the Citadel of Assassins. Banak, Knellicht, and Timoshenko all venerate Orcus as their primary deity and they have converted many of their bandit followers to his worship. They have also been sending cultists in secret to the land of Damara and set up smaller sects in the major cities.
By 1365 Skull Lord Banak is firmly in charge of the Bandit Army and busy converting its members to the worship of Orcus, those that do not comply are quickly eliminated and converted to undead soldiers.
The main targets of the Cult of Orcus are the Church of Tiamat that now occupies the ruins of Castle Perilous. Skull Lord Banak is in possession of a tome of creation and wishes to use it to restore the ruined castle; from which he would then control Vaasa.
His undead legions are sent across the wastes of Vaasa to kill anything in their path; and make more bodies for Banak’s army. The first obstacle in their path is the fortress of Palischuk. The half orcs are stubbornly resistant to the teachings of Orcus and when the orcs from Thesk arrive the Banites within their midst help bolster Palischuk’s defence against undead.
Church of Kiaransalee
Firmly devoted to exterminating every last remnant of the Cult of Orcus. The worshippers of Kiaransalee are centred around the Vault of Gnashing Teeth deep below the surface of Vaasa. Using connections to the Black Holes of Sunderland, the drow of Kiaransalee exterminated every last humanoid worshipper of Orcus that fled into those mountain holds.
The only remnant of Orcus' worship that exists in Vaasa is the Citadel of Assassins.
Church of Tiamat
Tiamat desires revenge against Gareth Dragonsbane because he killed her avatar and seriously set back her plans. The first step on her path to revenge was to send an avatar of herself to Vaasa in 1359 DR. This was in response to the pleas of a member of the Cult of the Dragon – he called upon the essence of all dracoliches – and so Tiamat has sent the Undying Queen, a multiheaded dracolich.
This avatar currently resides in the dungeons under Castle Perilous and will help Tiamat convert members of the Cult of the Dragon; whom she has also targeted (for conversion).
Aboveground the grounds of Castle Perilous are nought but ruins, lairing amongst these ruins are dragons of all colours. The situation aboveground is tense at best and could be better described as almost apocalyptic. The various flights of dragons do not cooperate at all even among their own kind. Their presence is only held together by the will of Tiamat; in the form of the Undying Queen below. Without her presence the dragons would likely destroy each other and much of Vaasa in the process.
While construction begins below the flight of dragons are sent on raids into Damaran territory on a weekly basis.
Beneath the ruins of Castle Perilous the Cult of Tiamat are busy creating a massive temple complex in honour of their god. A massive cavern houses the cathedral itself called “The Wings of the Queen Reborn” and this is where the Undying Queen frequents.
The temple is manned by Hesthera Draketalons (LE female Vaasan human cleric 14) who is recruiting as many cultists as she can. These cultists are expanding the temple cavern complex to house the army Hesthera hopes to recruit, as well as make rooms for the creation of the dragonspawn that the Undying Queen is instructing them on how to make. These dragonspawn are then released into the wilds of Vaasa or kept to bolster the defences of Castle Perilous.
Finally the cultists are sending out agents into the surrounding wilderness, particularly the Galena’s to steal dragon eggs for the Undying Queen to consume, this will allow her to grow in power and size.
Hesthera Draketalons and the Undying Queen are aware of the Cult of the Dragons movements against them and have turned the temple complex into a deathtrap for any would be adventurers and Harper Agents. The Church of Tiamat are closing monitoring the Cult of the Dragon from within (using their dragonkin spies in the Wyrmsmoke Cell) and slowly recruiting and converting them.
The Undying Queen and Hesthera Draketalons are also seeking to create a permanent portal to Avernus, through which they will summon armies of Abishai. Once these goals are met the army of Abishai, dragonspawn, and cultists will conquer all of Vaasa and then Damara will be next.
1373 DR the Rage of Dragons strikes Faerûn. The flight of dragons above Castle Perilous quickly destroys itself in moments of escalating madness. The Wings of the Queen Reborn in the temple complex below is unharmed and any dragonspawn that succumb to the madness are released into the Vaasan wilderness above.
Following the Rage of Dragons the Church of Tiamat is much more vulnerable and is still only in control of Castle Perilous and it’s immediate environs. It no longer has the flight of dragons or the Undying Queen to protect it, however it has a large number of cultists and dragonspawn and the portal to Avernus is almost finished, however the greatest defence of the Church is it’s secrecy; the general populace still has no idea about the existence of a temple to Tiamat below the ruins of Castle Perilous and only the Harpers and Cult of the Dragon know it exists.
Cult of the Dragon
The Cult of the Dragon have had a presence in Vaasa since shortly after it was uncovered by the receding of the Great Glacier. Dragons have always laired in the Galena’s in vast numbers, the Cult of the Dragon has used this large population to recruit potential dracoliches with some success.
When Wyrmsmoke Keep was uncovered from the ice sheet the Cult of the Dragon were the first to arrive and clear it of monsters. The Wyrmsmoke Cell was then created and centred in this ancient, floating, abandoned, giant keep so that they could operate in the Moonsea area without being discovered.
The Wyrmsmoke Cell was primarily concerned with the Moonsea Region and most of it’s resources are spent disrupting trade and stealing from the mercantile powers in that area. However with the arrival of the flight of dragons above the ruins of Castle Perilous, the Cult of the Dragon thought it necessary to devote at least some of it’s attention to converting these dragons to its cause and combating the avatar of Tiamat; the Undying Queen.
The Cult have a new leader who is responsible for the Cult’s actions in Vaasa; Dalgar “Blood of Iyrauroth”, he is leaking evidence of Tiamat’s presence to adventuring groups at the Vaasan Gate of Bloodstone (through agents) and he is also planting evidence for Harpers to discover in the hopes that at least one group will find and destroy the Undying Queen.
Dalgar has also recruited local tribes of dragonkin to defend Wyrmsmoke Keep, unfortunately for him, these dragon spawn also count worshippers of Tiamat among their number and so she is now aware of the Cult’s plans for her.
The Cult of the Dragon is also involved in the narcotics trade in Vaasa. After having learned of the purple coneflower’s painkilling properties from local trappers, the Cult have begun harvesting and are attempting to farm the plant around the Bottomless Bogs (and in other more accessible places using magic to control the environment). These plants produce a powerful hallucinogen that is very addictive. The Cult then sell this processed drug through their agents and friendly caravans in Vaasa.
By 1373 DR the Cult of the Dragon are firmly in secret control of the towns of Moortown and Modurt in the Bottomless Bogs and Cult agents do much to protect those settlements from dragon attacks using their knowledge and expertise with dragons to direct them towards other targets.
When the Warlock Knights seize overt control of the town the Cult continues it’s activities supplying drugs to the inhabitants and forcing them to harvest purple coneflowers.
Thanks to some addicted Warlock Knights, the Cult of the Dragon also gains a foothold in other settlements that the Warlock Knights control. The purple coneflower has a curious side effect in that it slows Telos’ life drain, and so Warlock Knights that find out about the drug are all to happy to remain addicted to the substance if it prolongs their life.
In this way the Cult of the Dragon creates a number of small illicit cells in Warlock Knight settlements that perform narcotic activities and provide a black market for the local populace in the same way they do in more goodly settlements elsewhere in Faerun.
Cult of Eltab
The Cult of Eltab in Vaasa consists of separate sects in the Galena mountains, each one centred around a demoncyst with a demon trapped inside. The demon speaks to the cultists giving them advice and orders (sometimes in accordance with Eltab’s wishes, sometimes orders that further their own goals).
These cultists carry out the orders to the best of their abilities, sabotaging the plans of the Red Wizard and combating the Cult of Orcus wherever they can. The cultists also engage in kidnapping and sacrifice their victims and their magic to the demons trapped in the cysts in the hopes that they can free the demon from its prison.
Harpers
The Harpers begin making forays into Vaasa from 1360 onwards thanks to tip offs from friends (double agents secretly working for the Cult of the Dragon) about a huge multi headed dracolich beneath the ruins of Castle Perilous.
Many adventuring bands are chartered to investigate the ruins and bring back any information relating to the rumours. Not a single adventuring band returns.
The Red Wizards of Thay
The Red Wizards of Thay have long had an interest in Vaasa. They first heard of it after an ex-member of their order – Zhengyi the Witch King – became king of Vaasa and ruler of Damara as well.
Their research showed Vaasa had abundant mineral wealth, a vast supply of goblinoid troops in their wars against Aglarond, and many magical legacies from long forgotten kingdoms such as Sarphil and Ostoria.
Their initial forays into Vaasa were not successful. Zhengyi slew every diplomatic entourage sent to his realm, often dozens at a time.
The Cult of Eltab dogs their current efforts to enter Vaasa. The cultists impersonate Red Wizard members and commit crimes that are then attributed to Thay and it’s wizard rulers.
In 1360 DR, the Red Wizards send another bunch of disposable wizards of low level to Zhengyi in the hopes of returning him back to their organisation (all the other groups were slaughtered mercilessly). These diplomatic envoy finds Vaasa much changed, Zhengyi is dead and Damara is about to become a kingdom once again ruled by Gareth Dragonsbane.
The following year is spent organising an expedition to Vaasa with the aims of creating a secret cell of Red Wizards that can investigate what Zhengyi was doing in Vaasa. They select as the head of this expedition a competent but expendable Tiefling wizard who bears an uncanny resemblance to paintings of Zhengyi when he was a member of the Red Wizards. Unbeknownst to the Red Wizards this Zhengyi imposter is actually distantly related to the Witch King himself.
The Red Wizard expedition scour the settlements of Vaasa looking for clues, artefacts, diaries, anything relating to Zhengyi and his purpose in Vaasa. Eventually in the northern wastelands they find a tome of creation penned by Zhengyi himself. This tome was intended to serve as the phylactery of a dracolich that Zhengyi hoped to tempt into serving him by granting the creature immortality. The tome also details a ritual that can be performed which will create an exact replica of Castle Perilous. The Red Wizards perform the ritual north-east of Palischuk and use the Castle Perilous Reborn as their new base of operations to research Zhengyi and Vaasa.
Zhengyi’s descendant sets himself up as Zhengyi the Witch-King Reborn, risen from the dead, come back to reclaim Vaasa. He begins attempting to recruit the orc and goblinoid tribes in the mountains, he has more luck with the goblin tribes that were only feigning devotion to Skoraeus and the stone giants for protection. Vast numbers of goblins come to dwell in Castle Perilous Reborn.
After pouring over the tome of creation for many months the Red Wizards discover references to a slumbering primordial of vast power called Telos who came crashing down to Toril in the distant past. He now lies deep beneath the surface of Vaasa centred on the Clefts of Razack.
In the year 1363 DR, the Red Wizards begin persuading and funding miners explorations of the Clefts of Razack, they also purchased any quantities of the strange ore known as Shadesteel found in it’s depths at generous prices. After a few months a small settlement begins to emerge around the clefts as more and more miners are attracted to the area, the settlement is unnamed but rather curiously the name Telos becomes attached to the settlement anyway after a suggestion from one of the miners that is quickly accepted by the others.
In 1365 DR rumours circulate around the settlement of Telos that some kind of massive metallic wormlike monster is lairing in the depths of the Clefts of Razack. The Red Wizards quickly abandon all purchasing of Shadesteel and the mining contracts dry up, Telos becomes a ghost town almost over night.
The Red Wizards then begin plumbing the depths of the Cleft’s themselves. At the very bottom of the mine they do indeed locate a massive creature formed of the same shadesteel as found elsewhere in the Clefts. However before they have a chance to investigate every one of them is drained of life and turned into small piles of dust. All except for one, this being becomes the Voice of Telos and is sent wandering the wildlands of Vaasa to convert people to the will of Telos.
The Zhentarim
The forces of Zhentil Keep (later the church of Bane as a whole) have a historical interest in Vaasa. They have long been searching for the “Lost Ways” of the now lost kingdom of Sarphil beneath the Galena mountains in the hopes of finding vast quantities of treasure and magic rumoured according to the ballads to lie in these tunnels awaiting discovery.
Another foray into Vaasa was in search of the Tear of Selune, which was located at the Shrine of the Tear in the West Galena mountains. The recovery of this artefact may have eventually led to the destruction of Zhentil Keep.
Finally the vast mineral wealth, lack of government, and abundant goblinoid tribes as well as its easily defended position makes it an enticing place to occupy. However Melvaunt and Mulmaster also have an interest in the mineral wealth of Vaasa and these city states have limited Zhentil Keep’s access to the mountain pass known as Garumn’s Climb (also known as Gramble’s Climb), forcing the forces of Zhentil Keep to travel the long way round through The Ride and use Dead Man’s Pass.
The destruction of Zhentil Keep refocused the Zhentarim’s efforts internally to securing their own power base. With Bane now firmly in charge of Zhentil Keep and the Zhentarim, and following Fzoul Chembryl’s agreement with Khelben Arunsun not to expand any further west, the Zhentarim’s sights are set on lands to the east, and Vaasa makes a tempting target.
The Cult of the Dragon also have a presence in Vaasa and the Wyrmsmoke Cell targets Zhentil Keep caravans disrupting their passage through the West Galena mountains.
From 1368 to 1369 DR the Zhentarim suffer a number of catastrophic setbacks that nearly destroy the organisation. After the death of Bane Cyric ruled the Zhentarim and Zhentil Keep, but the god descended into madness and attempted to purge his own clergy.
Zhentil Keep was attacked in 1368 and ruined by dragons, giants, orcs and worse. In the following year Manshoon, the head of the Zhentarim was slain and a number of his clones all woke at the same time. These clones driven by an insane desire to be the only Manshoon in existence rampaged across the ruins of Zhentil Keep and the rest of Faerûn.
With Fzoul and the Zhentarim’s weakened position, aid came from an unlikely source. Fzoul was given the sceptre of the sorcerer kings by Khelben Arunsun. In return Fzoul agreed not to expand the Zhentarim any further West than it’s current boundaries.
This forced Fzoul and the Zhentarim to set it’s sights eastward and at Vaasa.
Thanks to a secret alliance with Mulmaster in 1368, Zhentil Keep has easy access to Garumn’s Climb in the Galena mountains. Melvaunt alone now opposes Zhentil Keep in it’s mining of the Galena’s but it is too weak to accomplish anything of note.
In 1371 DR, an army of Zhentil troops accompanied by orc soldiers and Banite priests marches into Vaasa using Garumn’s Climb. What little resistance is present comes from the mining camps of Melvaunt (the Mulmaster camps are mysteriously empty as the army approaches), and a few dragon strikes organised by the Wyrmsmoke Cell of the Cult of the Dragon.
Small supply outposts and stockpiles are created and manned along the Galena mountain range and in the plains of Haatar Baen around Garumn's Climb. These are then used to supply more troop columns that march through the Galena mountains and into Vaasa.
In 1372 DR the Zhentarim are ready and begin seizing settlements in southern Vaasa. The important trade towns of Maur Eturo and Avang are occupied by Zhent forces who quickly put down what little opposition exists in these towns. A sizeable portion of the population at least pay lip service to Bane and other dark gods and so do not mind the forces of Zhentil Keep bringing some much needed security to the wildlands of Vaasa. Those that do object simply disappear into the wastes and move to other settlements.
Thanks to some prudent planning by Fzoul and the upper echelons of the Zhentarim, Palischuk also falls to Zhentarim forces, but in a much more devious fashion. After setting their sights on Vaasa for conquest the Zhentarim decide to recall what orc forces remain loyal to them in Thesk. These orcs begin a long migration to Vaasa and pass through the Bloodstone Gate and on to Palischuk, here they are welcomed by the half orc inhabitants and in this manner the Zhentarim gain a sizeable number of agents in Palischuk.
In 1373 DR the Rage of Dragons strikes and the flight of dragons around Castle Perilous descends into madness. The dragons go wild and attack everything and anything they can find. Several dragons target Palischuk and are rebuffed by its defences with significant magical aid from the Warlock Knights and the priests of Bane.
In 1374 the Warlock Knights consolidate their rule of northern Vaasa and declare themselves openly as the rulers of the nation of Vaasa. In truth they only control the northern half of Vaasa and Palischuk remains secretly in Zhentarim hands after the Zhents assassinate every member of the Warlock Knights in town.
From 1374 the Zhentarim begin reinforcing all settlements south of the Beaumaris River, giving them stone fortifications and siege weapons of war as well as reinforcements from Zhentil Keep.
War is coming to Vaasa
The Warlock Knights
The Warlock Knights begin in 1365 when Telos creates The Voice of Telos from the body of a Red Wizard that discovers his physical form. This being is really the soul of Zhengyi forced into the body and entirely dominated by Telos into doing his bidding.
The Voice of Telos wanders Vaasa for many years performing miracles for the general population of Vaasa; miracles of healing, purging the corruption in the Vaasan soil for farmers, defending settlements from monsters. These acts gain converts to the worship of Telos and these worshippers are brought to Telos the settlement to be inducted into the ranks.
Each potential Warlock Knight is trained as a warlock and taught to tap the power of Telos himself to power abilities. Those that fail are immediately consumed by Telos, those that succeed in the training are sent out into Vaasa to gain more converts.
The centre of Telos’ is located on Telos the settlement itself. By 1368 DR a small town of several thousand people has sprung up around the Clefts of Razack. At it’s centre stands a massive cathedral like fortress composed entirely of the dull metal known as shadesteel.
Telos stops draining life from the surrounding lands around the Clefts of Razack (temporarily) to allow the settlement and his number of worshippers to grow.
All Warlock Knights are required to wear the shadesteel mined from the depths of the Clefts of Razack, most wear only a simple metal ring, however others have weapons and armour forged of the strange metal.
Telos exacts a price for his worship that many worshippers are not even aware of. Every member of the Warlock Knights is slowly drained of life by the link they share with Telos. As they can draw on his power to create powerful magics, he draws on their life force to feed himself. The drain is slow but enough to end a man’s life by the age of 40; apart from the very highest ranking Warlock Knights, few live beyond 45.
Those in the upper echelons of power realised a long time ago about this cost for their power but they also found a way to reduce the life drain they suffer. Those worshippers who convert the greatest number of people to Telos and the Warlock Knights are rewarded with the higher ranks in the organisation and a temporary reprieve from the life drain.
Those in lower positions within the Warlock Knights that are aware their life is being drained away have also found a means to slow the drain thanks to the purple coneflower drug produced by the Cult of the Dragon.
Every person in Telos the settlement is a Warlock Knight and worshipper of Telos, from the lowly miner, to the rulers of Telos itself.
Within their ranks, the Knights follow a peerage hierarchy. From junior to senior the ranks are as follows: Jack, Lancer, Halberdier, Bombardier, Executor, Myrmidon, Brigadier, Fellthane, Vindicator, Councillor. All Warlock Knights wear a simple loop of dark, crystalline iron as a symbol of their station and power. Higher-ranking knights adorn their ironfell rings with jewels imbued with eldritch might.
As common foot soldiers, Jacks have little privileges and have not yet earned the right to wear the ceremonial armour of a Warlock Knight. Despite forced conscription, most Jacks come to prefer life as a soldier over the backbreaking drudgery of serfdom.
Beginning with the second rank, the Knight designation is added to the title (for example, Knight-Lancer, Knight-Bombardier, and so on). As landed knights, Fellthanes have absolute power over their holdings and maintain private armies.
By 1373 there are Warlock Knight recruitment centres/temples to Telos in almost every settlement in Vaasa. Here the Warlock Knights organise the conversions of the local populace and also keep a significant staff of soldiers and munitions.
When the Rage of Dragons strikes the Warlock Knights are the first into the fray and save many lives and properties at the cost of many of their own. This increases public opinion of the Warlock Knights dramatically. No longer are they seen as a weird religious cult, now they are the saviours of Vaasa and protectors of its people.
By 1374 the Warlock Knights are in positions of power in almost every settlement in Vaasa, with the exception of those south of the Beaumaris River (which are run by the Zhentarim, or Hillsafar Hall, or Darmshall) all of which still remain sceptical of the Warlock Knights. In the summer months of 1374; when the weather is changing and everyone acts impulsively, votes are called, candidates sabotage, opposition bribed or assassinated and the end result is that the Warlock Knights officially rule over half of the settlements of Vaasa.
Only Palischuk in the north remains independent of the Warlock Knights (thanks to the accidental deaths of every Warlock Knight in Palischuk courtesy of the Zhentarim) and the territories south of the Beaumaris River.
The Warlock Knights become tyrannical overnight. Whereas before certain vocal citizens in settlements with a Warlock Knight presence would occasionally go missing or suffer an accident, now all deviant behaviour is punished, usually with being worked to death in the mines or forges and then being thrown into the Clefts of Razack. Anyone not submitting to worship Telos is likewise punished in a similar manner.
The Warlock Knights roam the wastes of Vaasa which are becoming decidedly less corrupted and waste-like by the day wearing their now infamous armour and weapons. Shadesteel golems also begin to appear, menacing monsters of metal under total control by the Warlock Knights.
The Tribe of the White Worm
The tribe of the white worm are beginning to mellow by the 1370s, no longer do they attack intruders on sight, they leave the wastes of Vaasa to the Vaasans, and the tribe of the white worm sticks to the Great Glacier; their home.
In 1373 DR the Rage of Dragons strikes and the flight of dragons around Castle Perilous descends into madness. The remnants of the flight of white dragons which took so long in arriving, returns to its home in the Great Glacier. En route they devastate the tribe of the white worm, killing over half of the tribe.
The dying Ulk uses his last breath to call upon the spirits to grant them vengeance against the strangers in their land. The remainder of the tribe are all imbued with power akin to the spirit hunter and begin waging war against any they find in the land of Vaasa.
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Edited by - Gary Dallison on 12 Nov 2013 09:17:26 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 16:49:48
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IMPORTANT NPCS
Banak
For years Banak feigned weakness and ever encroaching madness waiting for his time to strike. When King Dragonsbane was crowned and his crusade against the Tightpurse thieves guild began this began to squeeze the profits the Citadel of Assassins received from its investments there.
Once popular opinion turned against Timoshenko and Knellicht; Banak struck suddenly and without mercy. Using all the powers at his disposal he turned Timoshenko into a lifeless corpse and animated him as his servant and figurehead at the Citadel of Assassins.
This left Banak free to reinvigorate the Cult of Orcus and spread it’s tendrils further into Vaasa and Damara.
Knellict
Once Banak kills Timoshenko and resumes control over the Bandit Army and the Cult of Orcus, Knellict retreats to his tower in the Citadel of Assassins and concentrates on pouring over Zhengyian artefacts he has been collecting.
His main area of research centres around the phylacteries of Zhengyi which appear to be magic dead (thanks to Zhengyi’s soul being captured by Telos). Should Zhengyi the Voice of Telos be killed then there is a chance his soul will return to the phylacteries and then Knellict will either become master of Zhengyi or his next host body.
Telos
Telos the primordial was born during the War of Light and Darkness. When Selune hurled portions of herself at Shar she tore away some of Shar’s essence in the process and weakened them both.
The being known as Mystryl and the weave were born in this moment from equal parts Selune and Shar. Another creature was also born in that instance, more Shar than Selune this tiny microscopic embryo of life was hurled into the darkness of space until it collided with an asteroid around the planet Toril.
This asteroid contained a unique star metal that had become infused with Shar’s darkness. Today it would be known as shadesteel. The embryo bonded with this shadesteel, absorbing it’s properties and changing its entire structure to match that of the metal.
Now in the heart of the asteroid was a tiny metallic egg no bigger than the width of a human hair. It orbited Toril for many millennia, dormant, waiting.
In -31,000 DR, a being of immense power known as Asgoroth hurled an ice moon at Toril in an attempt to destroy the giants that were warring with the batrachi. Astrogoth also hurled his progeny, scores of draconic eggs that would eventually evolve into the dragons known today.
Asgoroth also encountered the asteroid that housed Telos’ form. Telos sensed the massive amounts of power and life energy nearby and immediately began draining it. In doing so he took on the form of Asgoroth and changed shape into that of a landwyrm that quickly grew to the size of a large animal from absorbing the energy.
Reviled and pained Asgoroth also hurled Telos and the asteroid at Toril, it landed in what is now known as Vaasa in the giant kingdom of Ostoria. Immediately Telos began draining the land of all it’s life and energy.
However before reaching maturity Telos was covered by the growth of the Great Glacier and starved of energy again began to sink into a deep slumber, slowly diminishing over time.
Telos was awoken by two events in quick succession. First was the time of trouble and the death of Mystra which disturbed his rest. The second was the death of Zhengyi and the destruction of his false wand of orcus which was tapping Telos’ power.
Telos then grasped at his stolen power and pulled back Zhengyi’s soul with it. Telos bound Zhengyi to his will before releasing him into the body of a Red Wizard. Zhengyi the Voice of Telos was then tasked with converting as many people to the worship of Telos as possible.
Telos takes the form of a massive landwyrm. He is colossal in proportions, extending from beneath the Clefts of Razack at his head, to the Bottomless Bogs at his tail.
He is nearly reaching full maturity, and will then rampage across the surface of Toril draining it of all life and magic in the process.
He is expending large amounts of energy in providing abilities and magic to the Warlock Knights, some of which he gets back by slowly draining them of life force. Should a protracted war break out between the Warlock Knights and the Zhentarim or the Kingdom of Damara then Telos will expend even more energy and it will delay the maturation process for years maybe even decades.
On the other hand, if he obtains more energy through sacrifices, or magical artefacts then he may well mature by the year 1380 DR and all Toril will be in danger.
Zhengyi Reborn
Zhengyi Reborn began life as a tiefling in Thay with some magical ability. He was viewed as an oddity and an experiment by the Red Wizards and one of their number decided to take him on as a student to see how far his potential would develop.
After many years of steady progress but no displays of excellence the Red Wizard grew bored and ordered his other students to terminate the tiefling and thereby complete their training. The tiefling shocked his master by quickly destroying every single student in a masterful display of magic.
The tiefling was graduated immediately and officially joined the ranks of the Red Wizards. However not wanting to admit a non human could be more powerful than a native Mulan, the Red Wizards packed him off on a research expedition to far away Vaasa to investigate what a former Red Wizard had been doing there.
The tiefling realised he was essentially being exiled and it would not be safe for him to return even if he was successful and so upon his arrival began searching for a secure base of operations as well as performing the research he was tasked with.
After months of exploring wild and dangerous Vaasa the expedition located a tome of creation detailing rituals that would allow them to create a Castle in a single day. The tome also contained a number of ciphers that when decoded revealed insights into power taps and the presence of a creature of enormous power hidden beneath the Clefts of Razack.
The tiefling created his Castle and new base of operations and named it in imitation of the original Castle Perilous whose former ruler he had come to admire; little realising Zhengyi was a distant relation.
In order to attract humanoids to their cause and reduce the risk of attacks the tiefling took the name Zhengyi Reborn; again in homage to the lich he admired.
Goblinoids flocked to the banner of Zhengyi Reborn and the Red Wizards position in Vaasa was secured. Zhengyi Reborn dispatched his Red Wizard entourage with a large portion of their funds to the Vaasan Gate in Bloodstone Pass. There they chartered miners to come and dig in the Clefts.
Soon a mining settlement sprang up around the Clefts and a dull ice cold metal was constantly dug out of the mines. This metal was bought at a generous price by the Red Wizard sponsors.
Finally Telos’ form was discovered deep in the Clefts and the Red Wizards went to investigate immediately. They were all slain except for one who became The Voice of Telos.
Zhengyi Reborn is now the sole Red Wizard in Vaasa. He remains loyal to his organisation and would answer a call should one be sent, but he realised long ago that this was a suicide mission and so no one will ever bother him again as long as he keeps sending reports back to his superiors.
Zhengyi Reborn is using this time to develop his skills in the art and hopefully achieve lichdom. In the meantime his goblinoid servants raid the countryside to bring him wealth and guard his castle to keep him safe.
Zhengyi The Voice of Telos
Zhengyi the Voice of Telos was created when Telos forced his soul into the empty body of a Red Wizard.
Zhengyi was then dispatched to walk the lands of Vaasa gaining converts for the worship of Telos. Zhengyi went into the wilderness and performed miracles of power and magic, healing the sick, cleansing the land, defending the weak.
All these acts gained converts for Telos who were brought to the Clefts of Razack and made into the first Warlock Knights.
As time passed the settlement of Telos sprang up around the Clefts of Razack and a great cathedral was built to honour and worship Telos.
From 1370 DR onwards, the Voice of Telos remains in the cathedral, communicating with Telos and instructing the Warlock Knights in their quest to conquer Vaasa.
Zhengyi The Witch King
Zhengyi the Witch-King was born in the land of Thay to a doting Mulan mother and a demonic father; Orcus, before Thay even existed as a nation independent of Mulhorandi rule. A middling wizard of some ability Zhengyi spent many years studying the Black Star artefact in neighbouring Thalazar and how it’s rulers were able to tap it for collective power.
Thay achieved independence in 922 DR and Zhengyi played a minor role like many other Red Wizards, his name was not sung in the annals of history for his participation which was neither great nor inspired. Zhengyi did however supply one very important piece of information to the conjuror Jormacdon, and that was the location of his father’s hated for; Eltab, in a demoncyst far below Thaymount.
By 960 DR Zhengyi had achieved lichdom and immortality and so was free of mortal desires and time constraints leaving Zhengyi free to further research stealing power from objects and individuals.
By 1030 DR the Red Wizards of Thay were a formal institution with rules and leaders; the Zulkirs, and they ruled Thay with an iron fist. Zhengyi was not welcome in his homeland of Thay thanks to his parentage.
Zhengyi left Thay and travelled Faerûn seeking magical teachings and artefacts of Narfell and Imaskar at the whispered directions of his father and master; Orcus.
Zhengyi’s wanderings led him to many strange lands and he learned of many powerful magics that allowed him to steal power and life force from many things. For 300 years he travelled; searching for ever more powerful beings with which to experiment upon; angels, demons, devils, and then he learned of the primordials.
Exploring the glaciers of the north, Zhengyi learned of a time long ago when the giants came. Powerful creatures roamed Toril of immense size and strength. These beings fought the gods for the right to rule Toril and were banished at the end of that war. Some remain and one such name was written – Telos – a being that could drain the life of all it touched that came crashing to Toril long ago in a meteor that struck the newly uncovered lands of Vaasa.
Zhengyi travelled to Vaasa and found Telos deep in the Clefts of Razack far beneath the surface. Using all his power and skills Zhengyi performed a magic ritual that would link himself and Telos and allow him to steal Telos’ power for himself.
To make the power tap permanent, Zhengyi created an artefact and stylised in the form of the wand of Orcus in honour of his father.
Using his new found limitless power Zhengyi created Castle Perilous in a single day and summoned all manner of fiends from the lower planes to do his bidding. Using this army he ruled Vaasa with an iron fist and made war with neighbouring Damara.
At the point of victory Zhengyi was defeated by Gareth Dragonsbane and his adventuring band who destroyed the power tap artefact.
The Time of Troubles had begun a year earlier and the death of Mystra disturbed Telos’ slumber enough for him to become aware of the destruction of Zhengyi’s power tap artefact.
Telos attempted to pull all his stolen power back to him and in doing so pulled Zhengyi’s soul with it. Zhengyi ceased to exist as an independent being and was now bound to the will of Telos.
However the story of Zhengyi the Witch-King did not end there. Telos was again disturbed by a party of Red Wizards that had discovered his existence from Zhengyi’s writings. Telos drained them all except for one. He burned that wizard’s soul away leaving an empty husk, and then forced Zhengyi’s soul into the body and sent him out into the world.
He was no longer Zhengyi the Witch-King, he was now Zhengyi the Voice of Telos.
There remains a small hope for Zhengyi. Should he ever be killed in the presence of his phylactery, or a tome of creation, or his descendent; Zhengyi Reborn, then his soul will escape Telos’ grip and he will be free to pursue his own goals again.
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Edited by - Gary Dallison on 12 Nov 2013 12:30:27 |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 18:29:17
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| Isn't there also a lot of canon stuff on Zhengyi, Castle Perilous, Vaasa and such in the RAS "Road of the Patriarch" novels? |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 19:19:08
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I haven't given a lot of thought to MY version of Vassa, so I will be watching this. All I have for now is a mash-up of different eras (and even regions/settings).
quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
Isn't there also a lot of canon stuff on Zhengyi, Castle Perilous, Vaasa and such in the RAS "Road of the Patriarch" novels?
Sort-of...
Until RAS grew bored of the story THEY wanted him to write, and just decided to end the story abruptly (jarringly so) and send the characters elsewhere... so he can tell the story he wanted to write.
I swear, I feel as if I was hijacked when I read the last novel in that 'series' (not even sure it should even be called that - there was no real common theme running through them - it was just sort of a mess centered around Jaraaxle and Entreri that went nowhere). |
"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 20 Sep 2013 19:23:00 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 21:30:28
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Spring, 1348 - Winter, late 1358 DR: The black dragon Urshula is disturbed from his slumber by magical emanations given off from Zhengyi's rise to power in Vaasa, but is not interested in joining Zhengyi's army or the promise of lichdom; a decade later, Knights of Bloodstone slay Urshula, and Zhengyi is only too happy to convert Urshula into a dracolich; but ultimately, Zhengyi knows that his campaign is going poorly, and is likely doomed to fail ("If Ever They Happened Upon My Lair").
Early autumn, 1367 DR: Jarlaxle and Entreri read a posting at a tavern advertising a job as bounty hunters in Vaasa, and set forth to travel there (Servant of the Shard, Epi.).
Mid-autumn, 1367 DR: Jarlaxle and Entreri meet the shade Rorli in Heliogabalus, who announces that the Netherese are soon to return, and who will be seeking out their old property, like the sword that Entreri currently possesses; they end up battling, and Entreri absorbs some of the essence of shade from Rorli through his vampiric dagger ("That Curious Sword").
Winter, 1367-1368 DR: Jarlaxle and Entreri slum it as highwaymen somewhere in the Bloodstone Lands, just for the fun of it ("Empty Joys").
Spring, 1368 DR: In Heliogabalus, Jarlaxle and Entreri are drawn into the intrigue between two feuding, artifact-collecting sisters, who turn out to be disguised copper dragons; the mercs end up with a magical flute that when played allows the player to see true beauty--or rather, the beauty of truth ("Wickless in the Nether").
Summer - Autumn, 1368 DR: Numerous Zhengyian artifacts turn up all over the Bloodstone Lands, serving as phylacteries and/or tomes of creation for new constructs; Jarlaxle and Entreri begin their bounty hunting job looking for goblinoid ears in Vaasa, but are soon drawn into an old-fashioned dungeon crawl adventure to explore a re-risen Castle Perilous; the mercs are victorious in defeating the castle and its newest undead inhabitant, the dracolich Urshula; and Jarlaxle and Entreri are recruited by the Citadel of Assassins (Promise of the Witch-King).
Autumn, 1368 - Winter, early 1369 DR: Jarlaxle and Entreri feel the squeeze between the inconvenient paladinesque goodliness of King Gareth and the overbearing manipulation of the Citadel of Assassins, so Jarlaxle decides to set Entreri up as would-be independent King of Vaasa in the ruins of Castle Perilous, which ends disastrously; Idalia's flute opens Entreri's eyes to the root of his hatefulness and mistrust of authority figures and religion, and he decides to do something bloody about it in Memnon; angered with Jarlaxle at tricking him into playing the flute and unlocking painful truths about the past, Entreri parts ways with the drow (Road of the Patriarch). |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 21:41:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
Isn't there also a lot of canon stuff on Zhengyi, Castle Perilous, Vaasa and such in the RAS "Road of the Patriarch" novels?
Sort-of...
Until RAS grew bored of the story THEY wanted him to write, and just decided to end the story abruptly (jarringly so) and send the characters elsewhere... so he can tell the story he wanted to write.
I swear, I feel as if I was hijacked when I read the last novel in that 'series' (not even sure it should even be called that - there was no real common theme running through them - it was just sort of a mess centered around Jaraaxle and Entreri that went nowhere).
That's not really accurate, MT. The series was entitled "The Sellswords", so it was supposed to be about those two characters and their relationship. It was not ever supposed to be about the Bloodstone Lands. Just look at the fact that the first book in the series, Servant of the Shard, took place mostly in Calimport and Carradoon. The series was not about any particular place, but rather about particular people.
And that is what RAS wrote about in all of the stories of the series, both novels and short stories. He wrote about the relationship between those two guys. There's your common thread.
The abrupt ending that you thought had nothing to do with the rest of the series actually had a great deal to do with the rest of the series. ROTP's detour to Memnon carried out the consequences of Entreri's playing of the magical flute, which had been orchestrated by Jarlaxle ostensibly for Entreri's benefit, but ultimately ended up hurting Entreri's feelings so much that it broke up the band.
(And this angst between the two is revisited and developed further in "The Neverwinter Saga".) |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1847 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 22:01:40
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In FR9 Bloodstone Lands it is written that Zhengyi controlled Vaasa/Damara for 10 years before the events that culminated in his destruction (so his invasion took place much earlier than 1357, it should be 1347). He did not send armies all the way to the southern borders, but he did invade the northern provinces and effectively took control of the rest of Damara by having the majority of the realm's nobility assassinated.
If GHotR contradicts this then something is amiss...at the very least, Zhengyi governed Damara through fear/intimidation after assassinating its best/brightest nobles (he had puppet leaders appointed). He also, at the least, invaded the province of Soravia (in addition to Bloodstone Pass) because FR9 states they were subject to constant skirmishes for "10 of the 12 (years)" of Zhegnyi's rule.
I can look up and cite the references in FR9 if you need me to. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 22:39:14
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Right. Zhengyi erected Castle Perilous and began amassing his monstrous army in Vaasa in 1347 DR, and then in spring of 1348 DR, he attacked Damara. The short story "If Ever They Happened Upon My Lair" begins after Zhengyi has risen to power, but just before he launches in attack. (There is a party of dwarves adventuring in Vaasa who are completely unaware of Zhengyi, any of his monsters, or the dragon Urshula, who most likely would not be out there in that wilderness if Zhengyi's army had already come south.)
1357 DR is when the old Bloodstone modules begin. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2013 : 22:51:02
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There was some 'retro-fitting' where the timeline was concerned, to cover-up past inconsistencies, so I wouldn't be surprised if the dates in that didn't precisely match those in an early FR product.
@BEAST - Okay, fair enough - suffice it to say it was the very first RAS novel I didn't enjoy. That doesn't mean I can't pick all of them apart, but even so, I enjoyed them as 'good reads' up until that one. I just felt the main storyline - the one surrounding Damara - was rushed. It just wasn't a smooth transition for me.
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2013 : 13:38:03
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Castle Perilous was obviously a cousin of Crenshinibon, and RAS is obviously running out of ideas...
I noticed the similarity between the two (fortresses that rebuild themselves) and just assumed they were both artifacts from some "ancient magical civilization" - perhaps even a Creator-Race one.
I dimly recall something about self-maintaining structures in Imaskari lore... maybe it was Solon in the Hordelands/Taan region. If the Imaskari were known for this (and why wouldn't they be? 'maintainance bots' are right up their ally), then I would blame both artifacts on the Imaskari.
And once again, one or both of them may have even been a disguised Imaskarkana (since we know little about them, why couldn't at least a few of them build keeps around themselves?)*
Even Superman got his hands on one when he built his fortress. 
*EDIT:
And given that we know the Imaskari got at least some of their magical knowledge from the Fey - a race known for 'castles that appear and disappear' - is another clue that these may have originated there. |
"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 21 Sep 2013 13:40:50 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2013 : 20:45:25
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Telos may have been there pre-4e - at least three sources point to a 'recent' (past few centuries) Tearfall in the northern Vassa region. It could simply be that his power hadn't 'awakened' until Toril came into conjunction with Abeir.
We also have Melegaunt building the Granite Tower there, in order to create his Darkswords. Obviously, there is some sort of substance there that was useful to dark magics. |
"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 21 Sep 2013 20:48:26 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2013 : 21:14:58
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IMPORTANT SITES AND GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
Purple Coneflowers
In the areas around the Bottomless Bogs grow the purple coneflower that is found in greater abundance in the Tortured Lands. These coneflowers resemble purple pine cones that have fallen onto the ground. They grow in certain areas of the Bottomless Bogs thanks to the magical hot springs that exist in the area. These magic springs have enhanced the natural pain killing effects of the plant and have turned it into a powerful hallucinogen.
Since very few people venture into the Bottomless Bogs only isolated hunters and trappers in the area know of its properties and they are often mistaken for mad-men; thanks to the plant’s effects. The Cult of the Dragon however, ever on the lookout for new drugs to further it’s criminal income have begun harvesting the purple coneflower in earnest.
The purple coneflower gains its properties from the magical hot springs in the Bottomless Bogs that are rumoured to bestow healing power on those that drink from or bathe in them. These springs themselves are formed by Telos purely by accident.
As Telos drains life and magic from the land, all the positive energy he consumes has to be processed and the waste removed; excreted from his body. Telos’ back end is located in the Bottomless Bogs and these positive energy excretions are manifested on the surface in the hot springs that appear in the area. This abundance of positive energy is absorbed by the purple coneflowers and causes hallucinations and addiction to the positive energy they provide as well as slowing down Telos’ life drain.
The purple coneflower in Vaasa also has a rather beneficial side effect for Warlock Knights in that it slows the life drain effect that Telos uses to slowly accumulate power from his servants.
The Pit
The Pit is a nasty phenomenon often attributed to Zhengyi the Witch-King, but in fact is a manifestation of the primordial Telos.
This trap is a hidden maw that swallows and consumes those that walk into it. Anyone caught in it is quickly delivered to Telos and consumed utterly as he drains the life out of the individual.
The Pit can appear anywhere in Vaasa at random but most often in the wilderness around the central plains and the Bottomless Bogs. No one has ever escaped The Pit once caught.
Castle Perilous
The surface structure of Castle Perilous is a ruin filled with dragons of all colours that nest in its stone ramparts and fly amidst its towers.
Beneath the surface lies a vast cavern complex housing the cathedral "The Wings of the Queen Reborn". This cathedral is the centre of the church of Tiamat in Vaasa, and is home to the highpriest Hesthera Draketalons and Tiamat's avatar The Undying Queen - a multiheaded undead dragon.
In the cavern complex the cultists of Tiamat breed dragonspawn and make preparations for the creation of a portal to the Plane of Avernus on Baator.
Following the Rage of Dragons the Undying Queen is dismissed by Tiamat herself and the flight of dragons on the surface has torn itself apart, but Hesthera Draketalons still has a formidable army of cultists and dragonspawn and is nearing completion of the portal to Avernus.
Castle Perilous Reborn
This castle is an exact replica of the original Castle Perilous, located north-east of Palischuk.
It is filled with traps and goblinoid creatures of various races that form a savage army in imitation of the original Zhengyi the Witch-King.
The goblinoids answer to the new Witch-King; Zhengyi Reborn, who is a Red Wizard of Thay imitating his ancestor while he continues his research and amasses power and wealth before attempting to conquer Vaasa for himself.
Avang
Located in the Western Galenas, this small village occupies and important point on Dead Mans Walk as it guards the entrance to Dead Mans Pass through the mountains.
This village is quickly secured and fortified by the Zhentarim and becomes an important trade stop for caravans along Dead Mans Walk.
Wyrmsmoke Keep
This abandoned cloud giant citadel floats high above the Galenas shrouded in mists.
It is home to the Wyrmsmoke Cell of the Cult of the Dragon and is the base of operations for all Cult activity in the Moonsea and Vaasa.
Most of the Cult is focused on the Moonsea region, but Dalgar; Wearer of Purple, is responsible for all activites in Vaasa. It was his idea to use the purple coneflower to spread addiction among the settlements of Vaasa to secure positions of influence.
It was also his idea to recruit allies among the local dragonkin tribes that lair nearby. This last act may be his undoing as some of the dragonkin are secretly worshippers of Tiamat and report to their superiors in Castle Perilous.
Darmshall
Darmshall is a fortress village hard by the south Galena peaks, and contains hidden underground granaries full of weapons and armour to outfit the entire settlement.
A juvenile steel dragon named Steelheart dwells in Darmshall and has been monitoring the situation for several years. When the Voice of Telos and the Warlock Knights appeared, Steelheart quickly warned Gelgar Talonguard about them and as a consequence no more than one Warlock Knight has been allowed in the fortress at a time, and even then only temporarily and under constant guard.
By 1374 DR, Darmshall is the only independent settlement remaining and the last bastion of safety in Vaasa, but against the might of the Zhentarim and the Warlock Knight who knows for how long.
Palischuk
Palischuk remains overtly unchanged during the changing political landscape of Vaasa. The half-orcs rule the heavily defended fortress well and maintain good trade relations with their dwarven and Damaran neighbours.
However, after 1370, a slow but steady stream of orcs and half orc migrants begin to arrive from Thesk, a number of these migrants are loyal Zhentarim and contain Banite priests. They integrate themselves into Palischuk society making themselves useful, slowly working their way into positions of power.
When the Rage of Dragons occurs the Theskian orcs are integral to the defence of Palischuk along with the Warlock Knights. However the Zhentarim were detailing who the Warlock Knights were and their abilities. So when in 1374 the Warlock Knights attempted to seize power, the Zhentarim struck first and killed every representative of the Warlock Knights in the settlement.
Now through threats, bribes, blackmail, and assassination, the Zhentarim are firmly in control of the running of Palischuk. They keep the façade that Palischuk is independent so they can continue trading with Damara through the High Road.
Inside the town however the population is aware that things are changing, laws are enforced very harshly, people are enslaved as routine and disappearances are common.
People are beginning to turn to other darker forces such as the Cult of Orcus to combat the Zhentarim influence.
Citadel of Assassins
Once Timoshenko is slain the Citadel of Assassins changes. No longer is it a haven for the Bandit Army. Those that do not worship Orcus are quickly disposed of and reanimated for Banak’s undead legion.
Shrines and sacrificial chambers spring up all over the citadel. Goat’s Head symbols and bloodied pentagrams are daubed across every wall. The citadel begins to resemble a mausoleum.
Cultists dressed in robes chant as they move through the halls and captive creatures are often dragged screaming down the corridors to be sacrificed to Orcus.
The training rooms that once filled the citadel for the assassins to learn their trade are now a deadly menagerie of traps almost impassable to the living, and the only obvious way into the citadel core.
Telos the Settlement
In the year 1363 DR, the Red Wizards begin persuading and funding miners explorations of the Clefts of Razack, they also purchased any quantities of the strange ore known as Shadesteel found in it’s depths at generous prices. After a few months a small settlement begins to emerge around the clefts as more and more miners are attracted to the area, the settlement is unnamed but rather curiously the name Telos becomes attached to the settlement anyway after a suggestion from one of the miners that is quickly accepted by the others.
Strangely the miners seem to suffer a lot of cases of people dying of old age (even as young as 40), but the promises of wealth (supplied by the Red Wizards) is too great to ignore.
In 1365 DR rumours circulate around the settlement of Telos that some kind of massive metallic wormlike monster is lairing in the depths of the Clefts of Razack. The Red Wizards quickly abandon all purchasing of Shadesteel and the mining contracts dry up, Telos becomes a ghost town almost over night.
As the Voice of Telos wanders Vaasa performing little miracles for the general populace, he attracts more and more followers. These potential worshippers of Telos are brought to Telos the settlement and inducted into the ranks of the Warlock Knights, they are then sent out into Vaasa to gain their own converts.
By 1368 DR, Telos the settlement has become Telos the town. Its population numbers several thousand people of all races (including orcs, goblins, and giants) anyone that worships Telos is welcome in Telos. At it’s centre stands a massive cathedral like fortress composed entirely of shadesteel.
By 1373 DR, Telos is a city. The sprawling settlement of 15,000 people is full of small houses made of shadesteel, surrounding the even larger fortress cathedral made of shadesteels. A vast weapons and armour smithing industry exists here where shadesteel is turned into weapons of war and stockpiled in the cathedral of Telos.
The lands surrounding Telos have become fertile farmland to support its ever increasing population (thanks to the magic of Telos and his willingness to cease his life draining effect in the area as his worship grows).
Moortown
The Cult of the Dragon have a small but significant presence in this town. A single apothecary and his assistant are agents for the Cult and are responsible for collecting purple coneflowers from the Bottomless Bogs. Thanks to the high level of addiction in the town, the Cult practically runs this settlement and organises the local townsfolk to venture into the Bogs and retrieve the coneflowers they need.
The Cult have also begun seeding the coneflowers in town in artificially heated areas but these coneflowers are more like their cousins in the Tortured Lands and do not have any hallucinogenic qualities; the Cult are unaware that it is Telos’s corruption and the taint of the hot springs that gives the purple coneflower its addictive nature.
Thankfully the coneflower grows in abundance in the Bogs and the Cult of the Dragon are unlikely to run out of supplies any time soon, it just costs many townsfolk their lives in retrieving the coneflowers.
Modurt
This town is also under the control of the Cult of the Dragon. The chieftain and his shaman along with a number of barghests are all addicted to the drug made by the Cult of the Dragon from the purple coneflower and the entire tribe help gather the coneflower for the apothecary in Moortown. |
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Edited by - Gary Dallison on 12 Nov 2013 14:11:18 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 04:08:15
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
1347 - Zhengyi rises to power in Vaasa. He creates castle perilous in a single day.
1357 - Zhengyi invades Damara
1347 DR
Again, the 1347 DR date is right for the rise of Zhengyi and Castle Perilous (FRCS {2E}, FRCS {3E}, TGHOTR).
It should be noted that this event was originally set in 1137 DR (FRCS {1E}), but this was explained away by use of the retcon dating system of "FR" instead of "DR" (FR1137 in FR9 The Bloodstone Lands).
But you've got the invasion date incorrect. Zhengyi only spent one winter ("Wolf Winter") preparing to invade Damara. He actually invaded the very next year, which would be . . .
1348 DR
During the Wolf Winter of "1337" [FR, or 1347 DR], Zhengyi planned on invading Damara. The armies of the Witch-King struck, and the kingdoms fought for 10 long years [1348 through 1357 DR] (H2 The Mines of Bloodstone, H3 The Bloodstone Wars, H4 The Throne of Bloodstone).
Zhengyi arose in 1137 FR [1147 DR], and then there was Wolf Winter (FR9 The Bloodstone Lands). The Witch-King's armies invaded Damara the very next year [1348 DR] (FR9), and the war lasted 10 years (FR9).
1357 DR
This is the year that the war finally ended, when Vaasan forces killed King Virdin of Damara in the summer of 1347 [FR, or 1357 DR] (H2, H3, H4, FR9). (H1 says this happened "recently", and the present time is late summer, just before the fall harvest, so this is consistent with the summer setting for Virdin's demise.)
Now, because we know that Zhengyi invaded Damara in 1348 DR, and that the war lasted over 10 years, and that the war ended in the summer of 1357 DR, then that tells us that Zhengyi must have invaded no later than early summer of 1348 DR.
The dragon Urshula rises due to being disturbed by magical emanations from Castle Perilous, and we're told that he actually comes to the surface through a vernal pool in Vaasa, which forms as a result of the spring melt off the Great Glacier, which is indicative of the spring season. This would appear to be the spring of 1348 DR. In addition, there is a dwarven party camped out in Vaasa at the time who unfortunately run into the dragon; there is no indication of them being aware of a monstrous army, a castle, an invasion, or a war, or they probably would not have been out there with such a small group; so this would indicate that Zhengyi probably had not invaded Damara by that point. This means that Zhengyi probably invaded Damara in late spring, 1348 DR. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
Edited by - BEAST on 22 Sep 2013 04:12:03 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 04:23:34
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
1368 - Urshula the black dragon is slain by the knights of bloodstone and returns as a dracolich.
Spring, 1348
Urshula rises due to magical emanations from Castle Perilous disturbing him. He eats some dwarves and then returns to his lair ("If Ever They Happened Upon My Lair").
Presumably, he must venture forth occasionally to eat some more, and 'twould appear that he might have even killed some Knights of Bloodstone in the process in the same year of 1348 DR (Promise of the Witch-King is dated in 1368 DR, and says that Urshula killed those skeletons, who were formerly Knights of Bloodstone, two decades before, which would've been 1348 DR).
Spring, 1358 DR
After having won many battles, and sensing that the war would soon come to an end, Zhengyi approaches Urshula about joining his army and possibly becoming a lich, but Urshula refuses ("IETHUML").
Summer, 1358 DR
Urshula is slain by Knights of Bloodstone in Vaasa, but also takes out the Knights with the help of Zhengyi, and then Zhengyi changes him into a dracolich ("IETHUML").
Autumn, 1368 DR
Urshula is encountered once again as a dracolich by an adventure party including Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle inside the re-risen Castle Perilous, and once again slain (POTWK). |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 04:33:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
@BEAST - Okay, fair enough - suffice it to say it was the very first RAS novel I didn't enjoy. That doesn't mean I can't pick all of them apart, but even so, I enjoyed them as 'good reads' up until that one. I just felt the main storyline - the one surrounding Damara - was rushed. It just wasn't a smooth transition for me.
Oh, I agree with you that the detour to Memnon was jarring. The trip to the Bloodstone Lands was so interesting that it inspired me to go find the old modules on the place. Entreri and Jarlaxle were getting all up in Gareth's and Kane's grill. It was great fun! But then, all of a sudden, the dynamic duo (thrilling threesome, if you count Arthrogate the rhyming dwarf) up and left. Wha?! Bummer, dude!
It wasn't the first RAS novel that I disliked, though. I hated both The Halfling's Gem and Sojourn because they were the third books of their respective trilogies, and at the time I read them, they made me feel like everything was coming to a dire end. But I didn't want them to, so I resented them for that. (Little did I know that RAS would never let them die, and would keep churning out stories with those characters for decades.)
It's hard to say whether RAS, himself, rushed that transition from Bloodstone to Memnon, or if his editor cut too much out of the book that was originally in there. Writers regularly blame jarring transitions on their editors, claiming that there was loads more good stuff in the rough draft. I know for a fact that this is true after working with Brian on the latest Menzo book, so I can believe it. But I don't know if that was the actual case here, or not. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 05:12:56
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BEAST,
I knew you'd wander in here and provide a proper canon timeline and event background.
Well done old chap! Great summary.
I too loved those old H1-H4 Bloodstone modules. They launched the 2E Battlesystem if I recall properly. Good set piece fights and entertaining classic showdowns!
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Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
Edited by - Kris the Grey on 22 Sep 2013 05:15:35 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 05:42:22
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
I have a couple of issues with the canon information from the various novels.
Mainly castle perilous was obviously built solely by Zhengyi in a single day and its ruins then inhabited by an avatar of Tiamat following his defeat.
How in 1368 did the dracolich Urshula rebuild the castle and at the same time evict the avatar of Tiamat.
But this avatar of Tiamat was put there as a monster specifically for PCs to kill/defeat in the H4 The Throne of Bloodstone module. The FR9 The Bloodstone Lands lorebook establishes as canon that Tiamat's avatar was defeated by Sir Gareth Dragonsbane and his band.
So the avatar was long gone when Urshula's dracolich reappeared in 1368 DR.
quote:
How in 1368 did the dracolich Urshula rebuild the castle[...]?
Actually, Zhengyi left many artifacts behind all over the Bloodstone Lands, including both phylacteries and tomes of creation, triggering the appearance of various constructs across the land, just to cause ongoing problems for the people of Damara. One such tome of creation was brought to the attention of a young half-orc mage in training named Arrayan, who inadvertently activated the magic that unleashed an exact replica of Castle Perilous, all anew.
Urshula's phylactery gem was hidden inside the book, so when Arrayan triggered it, she set the ball in motion for the dracolich to become active again.
quote:
Also going forward into what 4th edition info I collected from dragon and dungeon, it made no mention of castle perilous being rebuilt a second time when it was suddenly rebuilt as an impregnable black stone fortress that was hidden under the crumbled ruins of the first one (the ruins sloughed off like a second skin to reveal the new fortress). Did none of the staff at wotc talk to each other when writing the novels and the vaasa backdrop.
I don't know.
But if they didn't, it wouldn't be the first time. There was a huge disconnect between the books and the games departments back at the end of 2E/beginning of 3E. The early development by the games division of the Alliance of Silverymoon/Luruar and the goings-on of Bruenor Battlehammer and Mithral Hall were a big fubar mess, considering that RAS was no longer associated with the Realms at the time, and when he had left the property, he had actually made Bruenor rescind the throne and head back to Icewind Dale, which totally contradicted what the games department had cooked up, separately. When RAS later rejoined Realms fiction and was asked to write about Bruenor and the orc King Obould clashing together near Mithral Hall, RAS had to make sense of all this confusion.
Don't get me started on the sacking of Blingdenstone and the genocide of the deep gnomes . . .
I'm thinking that this second Castle Perilous was not built on the same site as the original. Arrayan supposedly traveled on foot northeast from the half-orc town of Palishchuk toward the foot of the Great Glacier (POTWK). This was in the opposite direction of the ruins of the original Castle Perilous, which was located southwest of Palishchuk (FR9).
quote:
However saying that I like that I now know of a dracolich named Urshula and will add that into the lore.
Cool beans. Just realize that he was apparently slain again by Jarlaxle and Entreri in POTWK.
quote:
Also a new king of Vaasa is not a bad idea and I will try and figure that in (although I wouldn't make it jarlaxle/entreri).
Entreri was a slacker of a king, anyway! He didn't last in power more than a day or two. Gareth wouldn't have it. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 06:02:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
BEAST,
I knew you'd wander in here and provide a proper canon timeline and event background.
Well done old chap! Great summary.
Thanks, man.
(And please know that discussing this stuff is a lot easier and faster than reading through new material for me. So that's kinda why I'm still not done with your own story, yet.) |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2013 : 17:08:08
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BEAST,
No worries! The praise was genuine, not an attempt at inciting you to reading. Lol.
I do happen to have a near perfect fix to that genocide problem you lament though...but you'd need to ending chapters to get to that bit (and you've not got those yet)!
Isn't there also some action on the "Zhengyi" front during the Rage of Dragons in 1373? |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2013 : 12:52:25
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Since the events in Vaasa also connect slightly with Damara i decided to work on a little timeline for Damara as i dont believe i have ever come across a date when Gareth Dragonsbane became king, or indeed how he managed to get enough support to become king.
So here is a quick timeline of events using some of the plot hooks in the Bloodstone Lands sourcebook.
1360 DR: Sylvia and Dimian Ree marry, uniting the duchies of Ostel and Morov. Within months a son is born named Feldrin Ree.
- An attempt is made on Christine Dragonsbane’s life by Cat One-Eye. The assassination fails but Cat One Eye escapes.
1361 DR Year of Maidens: The Gates of Bloodstone Pass are finished, adventurers begin to venture into Vaasa thanks to Damara's bounty on monstrous humanoids.
- Cat One-Eye is located by the Spysong organisation in Heliogabalus at Dimian Ree’s palace. She escapes but Dimian Ree is killed in the confrontation with Spysong forces.
- Duchess Sylvia becomes acting Duke of Morov until Feldrin Ree comes of age.
- Helmont 15th Duke of Carmathen formally allies himself with Duchess Sylvia of Ostel and Morov, the people of Carmathen no longer object now that Dimian Ree is dead.
1362 DR: Duchess Sylvia declares her intention to press the claim of her son Feldrin Ree to be proclaimed King of Damara. Gareth Dragonsbane counters this claim with his own. With the duchies of Morov, Ostel, Carmarthen and Polten on one side and Bloodstone, Arcata, Brandiar, and Soravia on the other, the country of Damara prepares for civil war.
1363 DR: The armies of Damara meet at the ford of Goliad and a stalemate ensues, some lives are lost by low level skirmishing, but the people of Damara have no real stomach for another war.
- Tarkos Ree, leader of the Tightpurse thieves guild in Heliogabalus exposes Sylvia’s duplicity in revenge for her arranging the death of his brother. Sylvia orchestrated the assassination attempt of Christine Dragonsbane using her new husband’s connections to the citadel of assassins. She then arranged a second assassination on Dimian Ree and deliberately informed Spysong of the meeting. Then she could press her son’s claims on the kingdom of Damara with the richest duchies behind her.
- Gareth Dragonsbane quickly declares Sylvia a traitor and all the duchies of Damara (except Ostel and Morov) declare Gareth Dragonsbane king.
- The armies of Damara besiege Heliogabalus palace; they are unopposed by the merchants and their mercenaries. Sylvia is captured and imprisoned. The child duke Feldrin Ree remains duke of Ostel.
- King Dragonsbane is crowned in Heliogabalus which he names as capital of Damara. He quickly cracks down on the Tightpurse thieves guild in Damara because of it’s links to the citadel of assassins.
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1073 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2013 : 21:45:50
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Just some comments based on what you said in George's thread about adventuring ideas:
I was involved in a fairly long running game based around the Zhentarim (more specifically the Church of Bane) rooting out and destroying the Cult of Orcus who were encamped in something called Rappan Athuk errr, Castle Perilous......
This side campaign to the higher level and longer running campaign (that we had generally retired our 15 year real time characters from) came about as a result of the agreement between Khelben and Fzoul limiting the westward expansion of the Zhents past Cormyr (as outlined in the Cloak and Dagger supplement - a must buy for any edition of D&D). Obviously Fzoul looked eastward instead and sent his thugs to fight against chaos and spread some lovely lawful tyranny instead.
So Vaasa became our battleground with the dungeons of Castle Perilous being Rappan Athuk and a less than happy alliance of law formed from the Church of Bane from the Moonsea and the Paladins of Bloodstone. It made certain ethical questions in game very interesting and at times led to impassioned debate between the players! (even though we were all on the same side  )
All in all though a cracking mini-campaign that was set around specific goals within the mega-dungeon of RA, specifically to eliminate the temples of Orcus rather than random wandering around and fighting whatever was in there and this focus on those goals kept the game fresh and interesting.
Cheers
Damian |
So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6362 Posts |
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Lord Bane
Senior Scribe
Germany
479 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2013 : 09:58:34
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Crazed, what was the body count of Rappan Athuk... er i mean Castle Perilous? 
Have the Zhents reactivate some of the orcs who settled in Thesek, move them towards Vaasa and Damara and have them bring the local golbinoid population in line with the church of Bane.
Personally, get ridd of the priomordial and warlock knight symbiosis. Have the knights be followers of Bane, fits their tyrannical agenda. The primordial feels too alien for the region. |
The driving force in the multiverse is evil, for it forces good to act. |
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Vaasa 1370's Version 2.0
