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 Cardinal Directions in the Realms
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1272 Posts

Posted - 04 Nov 2015 :  14:10:30  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I was wondering if there was any Realms-specific term for the Cardinal Compass points in the Realms (North, South, East, West?) I've checked the Elven Dictionary here at the keep, as well as flipped through the 2e Campaign Setting, but I'm not sure where else to look.

The reason I ask is I want to make some form of token for each of the compass points to denote which edge of my game table is North, South, etc. That way, I can place them around the map wherever I need to as a visual reminder of which way is which, or remove them altogether if the players are in an environment where they aren't sure of their direction.

I'd like to use Thorass runes for each letter; N,S,E,W, or their equivalent letter if the words start with different characters, for just a tiny bit more immersion, and color the edge of each token with the associated color for that compass point.

Any pointers, suggestions, etc, would be helpful and appreciated. And if you've addressed this in homebrew material, I'm more than interested to hear what you came up with and how you arrived at your conclusion.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36844 Posts

Posted - 04 Nov 2015 :  18:07:09  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I don't recall any Realms-specific terms, off the top of my head... But alternate words for directions were provided in the Castlemourn Campaign Setting, also by Ed.

From page 180 of that tome:

North - Sarrind
Northeast - Anarrlith
East - Aerho
Southeast - Uddursea
South - Sekhovynd
Southwest - Broethsea
West - Luthsurl
Northwest - Straeklith

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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1272 Posts

Posted - 04 Nov 2015 :  18:13:15  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

I don't recall any Realms-specific terms, off the top of my head... But alternate words for directions were provided in the Castlemourn Campaign Setting, also by Ed.

From page 180 of that tome:

North - Sarrind
Northeast - Anarrlith
East - Aerho
Southeast - Uddursea
South - Sekhovynd
Southwest - Broethsea
West - Luthsurl
Northwest - Straeklith


Thanks, Wooly! I may use that, just to give the tokens a more exotic look and feel to them.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader

USA
3131 Posts

Posted - 04 Nov 2015 :  19:54:45  Show Profile Send Artemas Entreri a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm looking forward to this year's Sekhovynd by Broethsea concerts.

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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36844 Posts

Posted - 04 Nov 2015 :  20:55:43  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I hear that the notorious noted bard Kanye Luthsurl will be there.

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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 04 Nov 2015 20:56:49
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1272 Posts

Posted - 04 Nov 2015 :  21:09:39  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

I hear that the notorious noted bard Kanye Luthsurl will be there.


I'm so making NPCs out of this...

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus
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Calmar
Acolyte

49 Posts

Posted - 10 Nov 2015 :  15:18:41  Show Profile Send Calmar a Private Message  Reply with Quote
How about using significant landmarks synonymous with the cardinal directions? Those would change with the point of view, of course. E.g. a person in the Dale Lands might use Moon[sea] for North, Anauroch/Desert/Waste(!) for West, Seawards for South, Vast for East.
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore

Netherlands
1280 Posts

Posted - 10 Nov 2015 :  17:07:20  Show Profile Send Bladewind a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Bahamut is also known as the Lord of the North Wind. Perhaps some iconography on maps have a silver metallic dragon in flight as a sign alongside or as the symbol for 'north' on a compass.

Lots of entities like gods bear names with wind in them. For example Shaundakuls title of Rider of the Winds, seemingly suggests he has travelled all directions the winds on Toril blow. High echelon clergymembers are also known as respectively 'riders of the west, south, east and north winds'.

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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1272 Posts

Posted - 11 Nov 2015 :  02:37:47  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I like these ideas. I have some small round wooden coins from the craft store. I could write the Cardinal Direction in English at the top, Thorass letters at the bottom, and then use the symbols (like a Silver Dragon) as the central image of the coin. Kind of like a US coin has lettering around the edge and a president's disembodied head as the center.

Edit: After reading a little further in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, I decided to hide another cookie in the coins in the form of the colored border I originally mentioned. SCAG pg 98 talks about the Overwizards of the Host Tower in Luskan, each having a color and cardinal Direction associated with them.
Instead of using the Slavic colors I linked to in the OP, I'll use those.
White: West
Blue: South
Gray: East
Black: North

Not a bright bunch of colors, and for someone raised in the American South, putting Blue with the South almost seems heretical, but hey, this isn't the real world. It's the Realms.

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus

Edited by - Delwa on 12 Nov 2015 02:23:26
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