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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jul 2004 : 18:14:24
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Well met!
Virtually nothing is known of this ancient tome outside of the private histories of a handful of individuals and power groups.
The Necronomicon is an ancient tome that is bound in unicorn skin, and written upon the dried flesh of several virgins and in the blood of new born children. It was compiled by a mage of old remembered only as "the Lost" over a span of 300 years; from the fall of the Raurin Empire (-2488 DR) through the westward migrations of it's intensely religious slave class and to the foundation of the ancient Untheric city of Uruk (-2188 DR). It contains the personal journal of the Lost, detailing the mages first meeting with "the Namless Fiend" and the contract struck between them during the fall of Raurin, his westward wanderings amidst the refugees of the civil wars, the numerous atrocities he committed for the sake of power, and ultimately of his lapse of conscience and his fear of imminent death at the hands of the Fiend and it's minions.
It also contains numerous spells and research pertaining to necromancy and demonology; including numerous references to a class of lower planar beings called the "Elders".
In the year -800 DR both the ruins of the Lost and the Necronomicon were discovered by the Church of Tiamat, but the tome was held fast by a pedastal within the ruin and could not be removed. Nevertheless, the worshippers of the Chaos Queen managed to use the books might to conjure their goddess into the world. She ultimately waged a terrible battle against the Untheric god-king Enlil in which he was "immortally wounded" and both the city of Uruk and it's surrounding region laid waste (Plain of Black Ash). However, having dismissed the contract made with the tome's guardian, Tiamat was ultimately destroyed by Enlil's son Gilgeam, and the power of her Church broken.
And so the Necronomicon vanished from history, still hidden in the Ruins of the Lost, until it was at last rediscovered by an exile from the fractitious nomad tribes of the Eastern Shaar in the year 190 DR. Gaining power through the conjurations contained within the tome, the Shaarite united the eastern tribes and launched a massive attack on southern Unther and Mulhorand. Not unlike those before him however, the exile sought to betray the contract he had made, and was thus dragged off to the nether realm while the united tribes were crushed and the few survivors scattered.
Finally, in the year 920 DR the warrior Tchazzar of Chessenta managed to wrest the tome from the ruin and carry it to his homeland; where he used it's power to unite the lands warring city-states and throw off the yoke of Unther. Like those who came before him however, the Tchazzar sought to betray the contract, and thus mysteriously disappeared in the year 1018 DR. With his death, "civil war" once again broke out in Chessenta, and the Necronomicon was never heard from again.
Of the power of the tome, even less is known, but it is known to be great. It is said to enable the mass animation of the dead, and to have vast powers of conjuration accessible even to the Artless. It is said one need not even intend to perform this magic, only read certain passages from within the tome.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2004 : 21:31:21
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Um, wasn't Tchazzar a polymorphed red dragon who intentionally disappeared from the public life of ruler of Chessenta so that he might garner worship as a messiah? He simply returned to his hoard and watched events unfold until 1358 when he became the new avatar of Tiamat after her destruction at the hands of Gilgeam.
Sarta |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2004 : 22:26:45
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Well met!
quote:
Originally posted by Sarta
Um, wasn't Tchazzar a polymorphed red dragon who intentionally disappeared from the public life of ruler of Chessenta so that he might garner worship as a messiah? He simply returned to his hoard and watched events unfold until 1358 when he became the new avatar of Tiamat after her destruction at the hands of Gilgeam.
Sarta
I suppose he was .... unless you ask me or anyone else who paid their hard earned money for a product, rightly milked a product for what it was worth, and then rightly decided to depart from it as they saw fit. In that case, Tchazzar is whomever any given patron of Reams products decides he is. In the case of my tiny little campaign he was a great hero and king of the Chessentans who helped his folk throw off the yoke of Unther.
Friend of the Danes
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Capn Charlie
Senior Scribe
USA
418 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2004 : 23:47:13
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| And that is why I think ther should be a box to click ot have a disclaimer on a post for "Alternate Homebrew Realms Timeline" for posts made. |
Shadows of War: Tales of a Mercenary
My first stab at realms fiction, here at candlekeep. Stop on by and tell me what you think. |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2004 : 00:29:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Capn Charlie
And that is why I think ther should be a box to click ot have a disclaimer on a post for "Alternate Homebrew Realms Timeline" for posts made.
Indeed. I can see how that could be useful. Doesn't Candlekeep have an entire section of it's forums devoted to canon and canon only?
Friend of the Tivar |
"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Capn Charlie
Senior Scribe
USA
418 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2004 : 00:34:28
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They do, but since the base assumption of most visitors to Candlekeep is that the lore scrolls being tossed about are at least mostly compatible with the official timeline, it can often be misleading for many coming here seeking lore.
I know I for one would greatly appreciate knowing that the character I was about to spend three weeks wwriting background for was based around something that the average DM would not have in his game. It tends to detract from the inherent handiness of a large shared campaign setting. |
Shadows of War: Tales of a Mercenary
My first stab at realms fiction, here at candlekeep. Stop on by and tell me what you think. |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2004 : 00:57:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Capn Charlie
They do, but since the base assumption of most visitors to Candlekeep is that the lore scrolls being tossed about are at least mostly compatible with the official timeline, it can often be misleading for many coming here seeking lore.
I know I for one would greatly appreciate knowing that the character I was about to spend three weeks wwriting background for was based around something that the average DM would not have in his game. It tends to detract from the inherent handiness of a large shared campaign setting.
Well, I would say that this scroll of mine on the Necronomicon agrees with the canon Realms timeline in enough ways to be adopted (or not) into someone's campaign with a minimal amount of work. It could be fleshed out, cut back, but there is the gist of it.
I tend to write about stuff from my campaign, not stuff that is already in publication. I figure most folk can buy published stuff just like I did, or download it for free just like I did, and get canon lore from a canon source.
In my opinion, they should then feel free to use that canon lore to fire their imagine and bring life to their own world ... their own version of the realms. If folk are sitting out there waiting for the next novel or next sourcebook before moving ahead, just for fear of creating ... of creating something "wrong", thats truly sad.
I think that the idea of a shared world is primarily the first concern of those employed to write novels and sourcebooks.
Incidently, I don't know if I get to moderate my own subjects or not, but this is straying way of topic and getting somewhat uncomfortable in this context. So, if you wish to continue this discussion, perhaps we could do it under it's own heading?
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2004 : 09:30:34
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I like the general concept behind what you're attempting to do with this idea, Beowulf. I'll comment further when I have more time, but let me finish now by asking you...
Where are the Deep Ones?...
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Lady Kazandra
Senior Scribe
Australia
921 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jul 2004 : 14:22:03
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Why would there be Deep Ones? Those slaadi-like creatures dwell in the deepest seas. Perhaps the Mi-Go would be more relevant to this concept that Beowulf is developing.
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"Once upon a time the plural of 'wizard' was 'war'." -- The Last Continent, by Terry Pratchett |
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Of the Necronomicon ...
