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macloud
Acolyte
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Jan 2021 : 15:33:10
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I was reading the original grey box edition of the realms when i came across the entry for the anaurioch - an saw this section.
[ref:forgotten realms encyclopedia of the realms, page 22]
quote:
The Great Desert was not always so huge, and hasgrown remarkably in the recent millennia,driving wild men, goblins, and other evil creatures further south into the lands of men.
Many human and elvish kingdoms were swallowed by the wastes, and their ruins remain buried beneath the sands.
was this a mistake by TSR? did Ed intend there to be elvish and human civilsations to occupy the area, only for netheril to be retconned in their place later?
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2021 : 06:06:56
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When you look at the map of Year of Oaths Forsaken, to the east of Netheril there is a large forest called Rystall Wood. To me it looks like the Border Forest is the remnant of the Rystall Wood. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2421 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2021 : 16:18:04
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quote:
Originally posted by macloud
I was reading the original grey box edition of the realms when i came across the entry for the anaurioch - an saw this section.
[ref:forgotten realms encyclopedia of the realms, page 22]
quote:
Many human and elvish kingdoms were swallowed by the wastes, and their ruins remain buri - Empire of Magic:ed beneath the sands.
was this a mistake by TSR? did Ed intend there to be elvish and human civilsations to occupy the area, only for netheril to be retconned in their place later?
1. Netheril was changed from Ed's original.
2. This point was not a mistake: per Arcane Age set, ancestors of the Netherese had very good relations with the Earlanni elves centuries before the Nether Scrolls ("battle brothers" vs. goblinoids), retained much of good will even when they began to think of themselves as apprentices who outdid the masters, and this only somewhat soured even in the era of all those mythallars buzzing overhead.
quote:
Netheril - Empire of Magic:
p.5:
Fourteen years after the formation of Netheril, the Earlanni elves approached the loosely tied villages.
[...] Netheril bowed its head in awe to these “messengers of the earth spirits” and venerated them.
[...]
For the next century, trade continued with the elves, and magic use in this small nation grew in leaps and bounds.
Unlike many other cultures, magic use was considered essential
[...]
As the orcs cut a 20-mile-wide swath of death and carnage across the Rengarth ancestral lands and swooped south and west
toward the elves, the Eaerlanni and Illefarni nations prepared for war. With aid from Netheril (a token—but sincere—gesture
compared to the might of the elves [...])
The elves of Eaerlann were the greatest threat to the orc invasion, and their warriors and arcanists fought with such fervor that
the Netherese were in awe. Behind Netheril, the Illefarn elves battled the orcs. It was believed Illefarn had importance in only two
battles, their presence elsewhere barren of results.
p.16:
Eaerlanni Elves
The Earlanni were the most-battered survivors from the Crown Wars thousands of years ago. While still a major force in Netheril,
their presence was mostly ignored by the other elves, since their civilization never recovered from the wars that reduced their
population. Until 882 DR, when Ascalhorn fell, the Earlanni held on to the few holdings that remained. Most of the Earlanni were
of moon elf stock, although gold elves and a precious few wild elves were also present.
So the combined picture is:
Eaerlann was badly battered compared to its former greatness, and never recovered.
Illefarn was a land of green (probably barely organized beyond local village/clan level) elves, with some gold elves (perhaps still not allowed much power and very careful) and wasn't as militarily strong realm as Eaerlann.
But even compared to them, Seventon alliance (nascent Netheril) was at best a minor player.
Thus: before the Scrolls the place was sparsely populated, and mostly by the elves.
Also, to the East of Netheril, it was the Great Forest all the way to Elven Court and beyond. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2021 : 21:11:47
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I don't agree that either Eaerlann was weak. Eaerlann was relatively strong up til 882 DR. Illefarn was strong up until -206 DR.
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2421 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2021 : 19:20:12
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quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
I don't agree that either Eaerlann was weak. Eaerlann was relatively strong up til 882 DR. Illefarn was strong up until -206 DR.
Well, since the humans are not that versed in the history of Crown Wars it seems to be an Elven view (compared to "when the world was young and we fought dragons barehanded moon in and moon out"  ).
If we put the parts together, the book says they were the greatest military power in the region at the time... just not as good as before the last Crown War.
So they still could fight off all those orcs mostly on their own, but not make it look easy. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
Edited by - TBeholder on 20 Feb 2021 17:30:48 |
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lost ELVEN cities of the Anauroch?
