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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 11 Aug 2005 :  23:28:41  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So I think the best thing to do about the PRC I posted after looking at some things like Arcane Strike, which this should be better than and quicken power I think that quicken power should replace psionic weapon as a prereq and that the Channel Power should be switched to-

Channel Power I- Twice per day the Jhaamdathan PsiKnight can use their sword focus to provide focus for a quickened power. The power Quickened must have a range of touch, ray or personal, and the PsiKnight must hit the opponent in melee with their sword focus in order to channel the power into the opponent. This attack is made at a bonus of +1 per 2ppts spent on the quickened power.

Channel Power 2- The Jhaamdathan PsiKnight may now use his quicken sword focus ability four times per day

channel power 3, 5 times per day

channel power 4, 6 times per day.

There is no maximum limit on the number of ppts the PsiKnight may spend other than the normal limits provided by their manifester level.

I would get rid of the Psionic Focus/PsiCrystal abilities of the sword.

Leave the +1 manifester level and +1 to Saves versus channeled powers. and count the +1 manifester level in regarding the to hit bonus.

In doing so I would add +1 manifester level to their progression.

Seem fair??
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 12 Aug 2005 :  15:15:22  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth

Hey Ed

Next year where apparently going to see a Complete Psionic source book, assuming its not "feature locked" why not see if you can slip a PrC for Auppenser into the book?

I know Complete Psionic will be generic not an FR source book but the last 2 Complete books had "how to use this material in the Forgotten Realms or Eberron"



Definitely a good idea. I recommend everyone interested send along an email to Wizards.
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 12 Aug 2005 :  15:17:14  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Looks very good to me. Hail the Jhaamdathan PsiKnight! :)

quote:
Originally posted by Octa

So I think the best thing to do about the PRC I posted after looking at some things like Arcane Strike, which this should be better than and quicken power I think that quicken power should replace psionic weapon as a prereq and that the Channel Power should be switched to-

Channel Power I- Twice per day the Jhaamdathan PsiKnight can use their sword focus to provide focus for a quickened power. The power Quickened must have a range of touch, ray or personal, and the PsiKnight must hit the opponent in melee with their sword focus in order to channel the power into the opponent. This attack is made at a bonus of +1 per 2ppts spent on the quickened power.

Channel Power 2- The Jhaamdathan PsiKnight may now use his quicken sword focus ability four times per day

channel power 3, 5 times per day

channel power 4, 6 times per day.

There is no maximum limit on the number of ppts the PsiKnight may spend other than the normal limits provided by their manifester level.

I would get rid of the Psionic Focus/PsiCrystal abilities of the sword.

Leave the +1 manifester level and +1 to Saves versus channeled powers. and count the +1 manifester level in regarding the to hit bonus.

In doing so I would add +1 manifester level to their progression.

Seem fair??

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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 15 Sep 2005 :  15:31:11  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ed- I just had a brainstorm, I've been ruminating on how to include the incursion-Githyanki involvement short of outright invasion into the FR.

I had remembered in either the incursion dragon, or dungeon-100, polyhedron article that the former god of the Gith involved in freeing them from the mind flayers was a god of contemplation. Well to me this along with the antislavery stand of auppenser makes him a perfect candidate. Suppose then that the Jhaamdathan's are planar interlopers like the Mulhorandi. They are a seperate branch of the humans that eventually become both Gith races. When they are freed from the mind-flayers some of the humans follow Gith finding that they don't want to give up the violoent ways that freed them, and other psionically active humans continue to worship auppenser.

In my campaign (basically so I don't have to do a million conversions) the Gith give up on their psionic nature as tainted and pursue magic, hence using the non-psionic version. All of the Vlaakalith's know the true history of the Gith peoples but supress it in their quest for god hood. The current capital of Tunnurath was established just 1500 years ago on the body of the sleeping auppenser, and in fact the remnants of auppensers divinity remain trapped deep inside. Vlaakalith is in fact trying to siphon off this divinity to make herself the new god of the Gith. Even though they could find the seed of auppensers divinity it is only recently that they have found many of the planes of existence where he was worshipped.

In order to complete the ritual and become divine Vlaakalith needs to get her hands on one of the Udoxia, and use it as a siphon on Auppensers divine power. So suddently in FR the Gith start sneaking in and doing research on Jhaamdath looking for the Udoxia. With all of the powerfull spellcasters on Faerun Vlaakalith dare not go herself.

Vlaakalith is of course playing a dangerous game because she can't let her lackeys know why she is trying to get the udoxia or what the connections between Auppenser and the Gith really is because it might cause rebellion. Needless to say the Githezerai are very interested in what the Githyanki are doing on faerun. Also it is Vlaakalith that has declared that psionics are tainted and forced the Gith to use magic instead, they have almost forgotten their psionic nature altogether, and might feel pretty betrayed.

This of course is where the PCs come in.

The split between the races was so long ago that the Jhaamdathan's did not realize the connection, but there are some common words and sayings that are common to both. Also Auppenser knew that the discovery of the Jhaamdathans by the Gith might spell their doom and so shielded them from prying Githyanki eyes, however that protection ended with the fall of Jhaamdath and Auppenser.

So the PC should come in just in time to run the dungeon 100 adventure which is one of my favorites to kill Vlaakalith and free auppenser, returning him to Godly status on Faerun.
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 15 Sep 2005 :  15:53:35  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Oh yeah the slow awakening of Auppenser is causing an awakening of forbidden psionics use amongst the Githyanki, and even the emergence of some clerics of auppenser threatening civil war. And on this formulation the Githzerai are much more likely to hear this call, all in all a huge crisis for Vlaakalith to manage.
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 21 Sep 2005 :  19:44:21  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Octa

Oh yeah the slow awakening of Auppenser is causing an awakening of forbidden psionics use amongst the Githyanki, and even the emergence of some clerics of auppenser threatening civil war. And on this formulation the Githzerai are much more likely to hear this call, all in all a huge crisis for Vlaakalith to manage.



Octa,

These are really good ideas - and a great way of tying the Realms' psionic god to that very awesome adventure series. Bring back Auppenser in a big way (which might trouble some other deities when they find out - i.e. Could psionics be considered the "third weave" by some Faerunians?)

- Ed

Edited by - edbonny on 21 Sep 2005 21:52:56
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Chosen of Moradin
Master of Realmslore

Brazil
1120 Posts

Posted - 21 Sep 2005 :  21:08:29  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Moradin's Homepage Send Chosen of Moradin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey, Ed.

I just want to say that you made a superb job in Lost Empires of Faerūn! I stay really very impressed with the amount of good lore that you bring to light in that book .
We will see another tome penned by you soon? You can talk about your current projects?

Thanks,

Chosen of Moradin

Dwarf, DM, husband, and proud of this! :P

twitter: @yuripeixoto
Facebook: yuri.peixoto
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 22 Sep 2005 :  22:45:36  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thanks, Ed its great to bounce some ideas off of you.

That adventure (Dungeon 100) is one of the best dungeon adventures ever published to my mind. I had been wracking my brain trying to tie it in with the FR, and your Jhaamdath info was just what I was looking for. I think for my homebrew, I am going to go with all of the realms being non-psionic from the death of auppenser on. As he awakens Psionics use starts to happen again in many many creatures from Mind Flayers to Humans. Including my PCs who get to be the first Psionic characters on Faerun for the last 1500 years.

All sorts of changes are afoot, Gem Dragons awakening from their thousands year slumbers, a 'new' breed of mind flayers appearing, and the Gith races rediscovering their psionic roots. The Vilhon reach will be a focal point for these changes with the Githzerai, Auppenser worshipping Psionic Githyanki and eventually the Lich Queen's troops fighting it out for the legacy of Jhaamdath. the Githzerai and Psion Githyanki to use the might of the udoxias against their enemies and the Lich Queen to get a Udoxia to put a final spike into the slumbering Auppenser and achieve her divinity.

Plus, don't forget a certain Cabal of Elan (not powerful enough to challenge the Lich Queen but full of history), possibly recently awakened worshippers of Auppenser to guide the PCs into securing Auppensers return.

I think one of the Udoxias will be hiddent in the Vilhon, and the Elan can't get to it, i.e. only humans can enter or one has to be a human of Jhaamdathan blood to get in, so they need the PCs to get it for them.
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 22 Sep 2005 :  22:47:46  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
So one quick question- I know you said one Udoxia is in Hlondeth, what is the fate of the other 11?
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daarkknight
Seeker

USA
66 Posts

Posted - 27 Sep 2005 :  01:05:34  Show Profile Send daarkknight a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ed,

I have another question for you, though this one isn't rules related. I just finished up reading Thomas M. Reid's latest tome "The Emerald Scepter." I was wondering if you collaborated with him on the history listed in the book.


TIA

Daarkknight

"That's it!"
Quote attributed to Talor Stormhammer, paladin of Helm, when fighting a frost giant.
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 27 Sep 2005 :  14:42:59  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Octa

So one quick question- I know you said one Udoxia is in Hlondeth, what is the fate of the other 11?



That was left open for the DM! ;) I would say that at least 9 lay on the bottom of the bay - some intact, some broken or decaying and leaking psionic energy. Jhaamdath's last emperor removed a udoxias or two from 'rebellious' folk and could conceivably have safeguarded them in an area that as luck would have it avoided the tidal wave.
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 27 Sep 2005 :  14:45:28  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Moradin

Hey, Ed.

I just want to say that you made a superb job in Lost Empires of Faerūn! I stay really very impressed with the amount of good lore that you bring to light in that book .
We will see another tome penned by you soon? You can talk about your current projects?

Thanks,

Chosen of Moradin



Hey CoM!

Thank you for the kind words. That means a lot to me. I am glad there is still much to enjoy there! :)

I am finishing up an FR article for Dragon that I hope to send in next week. It has a few minor connections to the Imaskari. :)

There is nothing big currently in the pipeline (i.e. freelancing for a Wizards FR book) but I am pushing forward with other things like that Dragon article. More to come as I learn more!

- Ed
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 27 Sep 2005 :  14:47:49  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by daarkknight

Ed,

I have another question for you, though this one isn't rules related. I just finished up reading Thomas M. Reid's latest tome "The Emerald Scepter." I was wondering if you collaborated with him on the history listed in the book.

TIA

Daarkknight



Hey Daarkknight!

Alas no, I did not work with the esteemed Mr. Reid on The Emerald Scepter. I have not gotten to reading that one yet but it is on my list. May I ask what's in there that prompted you to ask the question? :)

- Ed
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Dargoth
Great Reader

Australia
4607 Posts

Posted - 27 Sep 2005 :  23:38:58  Show Profile  Visit Dargoth's Homepage Send Dargoth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by edbonny


Hey Daarkknight!

Alas no, I did not work with the esteemed Mr. Reid on The Emerald Scepter. I have not gotten to reading that one yet but it is on my list. May I ask what's in there that prompted you to ask the question? :)

- Ed



Thomas included part of one of Jhaamdaths sunken cities in the book

“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”

Emperor Sigismund

"Its good to be the King!"

Mel Brooks
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khorne
Master of Realmslore

Finland
1073 Posts

Posted - 28 Sep 2005 :  08:02:20  Show Profile  Visit khorne's Homepage Send khorne a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth

quote:
Originally posted by edbonny


Hey Daarkknight!

Alas no, I did not work with the esteemed Mr. Reid on The Emerald Scepter. I have not gotten to reading that one yet but it is on my list. May I ask what's in there that prompted you to ask the question? :)

- Ed



Thomas included part of one of Jhaamdaths sunken cities in the book

He didn`t mention anywhere that it was a psionic realm though.

If I were a ranger, I would pick NDA for my favorite enemy
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Dargoth
Great Reader

Australia
4607 Posts

Posted - 28 Sep 2005 :  08:13:28  Show Profile  Visit Dargoth's Homepage Send Dargoth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I guess it depends on whether the LEOF guys "Shared the love" with Thomas, he may not have known what the LEOF guys where planning

“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”

Emperor Sigismund

"Its good to be the King!"

Mel Brooks
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 28 Sep 2005 :  22:12:35  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Dang, now I gotta pick that one up. I didn't like the Ruby Guardian very much so was thinking of not getting it, but now well, you know.....
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Dargoth
Great Reader

Australia
4607 Posts

Posted - 29 Sep 2005 :  04:44:50  Show Profile  Visit Dargoth's Homepage Send Dargoth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Octa

Dang, now I gotta pick that one up. I didn't like the Ruby Guardian very much so was thinking of not getting it, but now well, you know.....



Do I get commision for that one Mr Reid?

“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”

Emperor Sigismund

"Its good to be the King!"

Mel Brooks
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souldragon_420
Acolyte

4 Posts

Posted - 29 Sep 2005 :  23:18:59  Show Profile  Visit souldragon_420's Homepage Send souldragon_420 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Not really a question just want to put up how we've tied the Auppenser into our game and see what you guys and ed think of it.

When the tidal wave hit Jammdath mystra took action to help keep Auppenser from dying so Psionics wouldnt be lost from the realms. So she used her powers to channel the consciousness of alot of their most powerful Psions into a chamber deep in the Aphrunn Mountains were formed into 3 large psionic and sentient crystals. Once they adjusted to their new form they set out to make them some new servants to continue the worship of thier god. These are the Naruu(a homebrew race can post if you guys are interested) they are grown in crystals and are therefore asexual. They over the next 1000 years and they have built up an extensive city in the caverns under the mountains and mastered the arts of psionics and magic(in honor of the gods savior mystra). Now with the stiring of auppenser they have began sending out ambassadors to spread the word of Auppenser to speed his awakening and to recover lost artifacts.

My character larloon a 22lvl mage/telepath cerebremancer is the 1st of these.
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 30 Sep 2005 :  15:13:52  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I like it, thanks,

Here is how I am tying it in-

When the first Udoxia was made in Dhinnilith, the epic power used imbued part of the divine spark of Auppenser (lead there by the same deity) within the Udoxia. The Udoxia of Dhinnilith was a kind of master udoxia and all of the other Udoxia in Jhaamdath were unbeknownst to anyone but the highest ranking priests of Auppenser (who aided in the creation of all of the Udoxia) linked to this master Udoxia. The reasoning behind this was that if any of them were ever stolen, by say the Ithilids, it could be turned off, also it enabled some powers to be used over the whole of Jhaamdath and not just in the cities.

When the evil metamind came to be emperor, He used the master Udoxia to aid in his conquest of any rebellious cities. However in time Auppenser became directly aware of (or maybe knew all along) this misuse of his power and so manipulated the Emperor to hide the Udoxia and then Turn all of the Udoxia off. IT is this weakening of the Jhaamdathans that allowed the elves to destroy them with their Tidal wave.

This also explains the quissence of the udoxia for all of these years.

Enter one of My PC's, his mother is another extraplanar Elan, his father is a descendent of the evil emperor, when the emperor hid the master Udoxia he keyed its hiding place to himself, and his progeny, of which my PC's psion character is one. So the mother and her Elan cabal set things up so the PC would eventually be able to get to the Udoxia.

This fits right in with Vlaakalith trying to get the master Udoxia, because it contains part of Auppensers divinity which can either be used to awaken him, or destroy him and steal his divinity.

So lots of people want this psion, boy that should be fun.
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souldragon_420
Acolyte

4 Posts

Posted - 02 Oct 2005 :  01:58:46  Show Profile  Visit souldragon_420's Homepage Send souldragon_420 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
sounds cool i like it.
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 06 Oct 2005 :  16:08:48  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, I finally got my Party set-

A human with an Elan Template, the template is ECL+1 and gives all of the normal Elan abilities, i.e. damage reduction etc, +4 to saves, a +2 to Int, and no -2 to cha, while leaving the human abilities intact. This char is unique in that his mother is a Elan, his father a human, and is considered to be the perfection of the Elan ideal because he retains his humanity, he and his father are descendents of the Evil Metamind, and around level 2fighter/8 Psion he should discover how to be a Jhaamdathan PsiKnight, in the Ruins of one of the Jhaamdathan cities.

The second is a half giant ranger who will take on the Warmind PRC at around the same time.

The third is a human PsychicTheurge, Psion(kinect)/Cleric of Auppenser who is the spiritual leader of the group and who receives visions from Auppenser. Currently she is not aware of exactly where she is getting her powers from and is formerly a Priest of Lathander (The God of Renewal and New Ventures wants to see Auppenser return to Faerun) Since her spells are still being granted by Lathander, she hasn't had to take the servant of the fallen feat, and won't have to until around level 10 where she qualifies for the Monastic Servant PRC of Ed's.

I am starting them all off in Loudwater, which is where they will eventually try and bring one of the Udoxia (I have been Waffling on this cause there are lots of good choices, the other best choice is one of the cities of Tethyr)

One of the other Elan of the Cabal (i.e. interplanar travelers, lost tribe of the humans the Gith are descended from, and desirous of bringing back Auppenser, but incapable of doing so themselves) has set up a small school of 'wizardry' which trained characters 1 and 3.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36804 Posts

Posted - 20 Jan 2006 :  03:50:31  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I just found this stray "Question about the 6th city" floating about the ethers...

quote:
Originally posted by VonRaventheDaring

Hello Ed,
First let me say i love the work you have done on the lost empire of Jhaamdath, and the god of psionics Auppenser. I hope that someday Wizards will publish this information officially, and that they will have you work on some more psionic prestige classes. That said i do have a question the 6th city of Jhaamdath which is the only one to have survived the distruction of the empire, what was the udoxias dicipline that the city used? I ask because i was wondering if this information for any of the cities was placed anywhere. Lirremar having a temple but not housing the udoxias i am assuming it was of a more militarily bent nature than say the seer dicipline. I also wonder if the defiling of the Auppenser's decreess by the inappropriate founding of the city was one of the reasons for Auppenser's lack of followers. By this i mean that in protest of the way the city was being ran/raised against the direction of their god they the priests of Auppenser decided to not have as much to do with the city. So that when disaster struck they were not as numburous as they normally would have been in a city. Kind of like the city was a place to send those who were displeasing to their superiors in the church, or something of that nature. I am curious to know what you think of this.

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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 23 Jan 2006 :  16:56:56  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

I just found this stray "Question about the 6th city" floating about the ethers... <snip>


In keeping with the sound philosophy that no stray questions should go unanswered, here are some answers...

The udoxias of the 6th city, Lirremar, was aligned to psychometabolism. It should be noted that Lirremar did not actually survive the tidal wave that destroyed Jhaamdath. Much of the city was scoured by the wave, and its population wiped-out. The little that did survive (a few stone plazas, underground vaults, paved streets) served as the foundation for Hlondath. The udoxias in its vault in the keep also survived. It is unknown whether the yuan-ti have recovered the psionic artifact or even know of its existence. Given the wide area of a udoxias, it seems likely that someone psionic at some time in the history of Hlondath sensed its presence and/or investigated why their psionic abilities were boosted while they were in the city.

Given its militant origins, it is likely that Lirremar was the least religious of Jhaamdathan cities. The fact that Lirremar was the only city at the time whose temple did not have a udoxias could only be taken as a terrible "blow" to the church's prestige. No doubt most of Auppenser's faithful saw it the as a terrible sign of greater imbalances to come and the beginning of Jhaamdath's doom.

The church of Auppenser would not have given up Lirremar because of this. Determined to keep Auppenser in all parts of Jhaamdathan life, they would have dedicated a goodly number of highly devoted, wise, and capable followers there to ensure that Auppenser's message was properly and consistently delivered. To abandon Lirremar would have been an act that created further imbalance, something untenable to most of Auppenser's faithful of the day.

I am sure the more pragmatically minded followers of Auppenser considered Lirremar a mostly lost cause. Such men and woman in positions of power within the church prefered to direct their worthwhile / favored people into the other 5 cities, while dispatching those who showed little promise or those who had fallen out of favor to Lirremar.

In any event, Lirremar would have been a mix of Auppenser's fervent with Auppenser's trouble-makers (rabid abolitionists and anti-expansionists). There would have been very few of those with middle-of-the-road attitudes --- making Lirremar an excellent enviroment for a vibrant church community albeit one with few success stories.

As the centuries passed up until Dharien's coup, I imagine the church Lirremar waned more than it waxed. By the time the tidal wave struck, the church likely maintained a minimal presence in the city.

- Ed
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VonRaventheDaring
Learned Scribe

USA
197 Posts

Posted - 26 Jan 2006 :  09:08:33  Show Profile  Visit VonRaventheDaring's Homepage Send VonRaventheDaring a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I have to thank you Ed for the wonderful and quick reply to my question. I was wondering what the other original 5 cities that were part of the empire of Jhaamdath, what were their udoxias? I am guessing that Dhinnilith was the udoxias of telepathy, as per your wonderful timeline for Jhaamdath.
Also would a enclave or two of the Jhaamdath empire have settled, fleed to the Lake of Steam/border kingdoms? And what about the Alamir Mountains colonies of the Jhaamdath empire? Also what was Auppenser's relationship with the other gods, i understand that he was aloof but who where his allies, and more importantly his enemies? If he returns would his support of mystra, and his magical area of expertise help swing the battle between mystra and shar in mystra's favor? Just some ideas, but mostly questions.

"Develop the latent abilities within you for that is your power alone. Psionics is the ultimate art of magic and you are its practitioner. Through lifelong dedication, strive to unite your will with your physical form to become one. Only through the unrestrained union of oneā€™s mind and body can the magic of psionics truly be mastered. Throw off the yoke of any who would impose tyranny upon you. Likewise, do not ever force another to submit to your will. Free your mind, free yourself and you have only just begun the path to true psionic mastery. Free others, open their minds to the Invisible Art, and you will show them way to Auppenser."
---Dogma of the Church of Auppenser
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 01 Feb 2006 :  16:59:31  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by VonRaventheDaring

I have to thank you Ed for the wonderful and quick reply to my question. I was wondering what the other original 5 cities that were part of the empire of Jhaamdath, what were their udoxias? I am guessing that Dhinnilith was the udoxias of telepathy, as per your wonderful timeline for Jhaamdath.
Also would a enclave or two of the Jhaamdath empire have settled, fleed to the Lake of Steam/border kingdoms? And what about the Alamir Mountains colonies of the Jhaamdath empire? Also what was Auppenser's relationship with the other gods, i understand that he was aloof but who where his allies, and more importantly his enemies? If he returns would his support of mystra, and his magical area of expertise help swing the battle between mystra and shar in mystra's favor? Just some ideas, but mostly questions.




Hi VonRaven,

Here are a few more answers...

Dhinnilith's udoxias was aligned to telepathy. The others were left deliberately ambiguous to allow for DM play in their own campaigns. Perhaps if there is a call for it an updated article about each udoxias will be necessary?

As far as the expanding Jhaamdathan empire, I imagine that regions outside of the realm's borders were always being looked at for settlement if not actually settled. Expansion was a powerful force within Jhaamdath, sort of an evil twin to the balanced psionic side. The psiocracy would likely not have considered these "voluntary relocations" as colonies. Likewise, the psiarchs would probably not have offered the emigrants much protection nor would they have demanded loyalty from the emigrants.

Auppenser's closest divine friend would have been the deity of magic at the time (Mystryl and then Mystra). Outwardly it appeared to be a subserviant relationship with Auppenser being the follower of the deity of magic (much like Azuth to Mystra). I imagine Auppenser to be a pleasant even jovial deity, friendly with those who have given him no reason to think otherwise, but a committed enemy once his friendship (or his ideals) were trampled upon.

Other deities he was most friendly with were Chauntea and Silvanus. His enemies were the foes of freedom, destroyers of peace, and all those who opposed a life lived openly and harmoniously - namely Bane, Shar, Bhaal and Myrkul whose portfolios sought to undermine everything Auppenser stood for. He opposed shadow magic then, and still would oppose it today seeing such magic as an imbalanced, corrupting force forever rooted in evil.

Were Auppenser to awaken in the Realms of today, I imagine he would bristle upon learning of Tyr's appearance after Jhaamdath's fall, and the order Tyr attempted to impose following the chaos of Jhaamdath's undoing. Auppenser was not a rash god, and so would carefully reclaim his place in the "heavens" and on "earth" only after he assessed the world Faerun has become since his sleeping. Cyric would be one of the first Auppenser would identify as a new enemy.

- Ed

Edited by - edbonny on 01 Feb 2006 17:04:09
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore

Finland
1564 Posts

Posted - 01 Feb 2006 :  23:48:37  Show Profile  Visit Asgetrion's Homepage Send Asgetrion a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hi Ed!

You being an expert on ancient and lost ruins, I would like to ask for your opinion on the following questions/subjects:

1) I was wondering if you could share your thoughts and possible ideas on the ancient "ruins of glass" (perhaps "ruins of glassteel"?) in the Farsea Marshes?

2) There was an ancient kingdom of Orva in the Vast Swamp (detailed in the 'Four from Cormyr'-module). Apparently the residents tampered with portals, and managed to open one into Minauros - flooding their kingdom and thus creating the Vast Swamp. Where did they originally come from? Perhaps they were Jhaamdathan exiles/settlers who managed to find (and misinterpret ;) some lost Imaskari (Portal Lord-related?) lore? Or were they originally Netherese? Maybe they were survivors/descendants of Thaeraevel - the land of sorcerers? What do you think?

3) Is it possible, in your opinion, that there were other (maybe elven) kingdoms in the area of the Vast Swamp, prior to Orva, and Thauglor's reign?

Thank you, Ed, in advance! Hopefully WoTC has the sense to employ your creative mind on some future projects

Hey, why wouldn't you suggest that WoTC would publish all those "Lost Empires Chapter-related" adventures as a collection? I would be more than willing to spend my hard-earned money on some quality Forgotten Realms adventures

"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm
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Octa
Learned Scribe

USA
138 Posts

Posted - 02 Feb 2006 :  16:52:33  Show Profile  Visit Octa's Homepage Send Octa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ed- Hey, I was just looking at empires of the shining sea and saw that of the cities on the Lake of Steam, Ankhapur was originally founded by Jhaamdathans, perhaps after the fall of Jhaamdath.

Your point about Chauntea and Mielikki makes me think that the survivors of Jhaamdath might have some connection to the Emerald Enclave.

Also, I can only imagine that Jhaamdath must have fallen into a horrible state indeed for the Elves to convince themselves that it needed to be destroyed, and that in that horrible state Auppenser had already withdrawn most of his aid from the people of Jhaamdath and his Church was in ruins. But hey I guess thats what you have been telling us.

Maybe there are some demographic causes as well, like a rise in imigration to Jhaamdath and a rise in the population of non-Auppenser worshippers over time.
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VonRaventheDaring
Learned Scribe

USA
197 Posts

Posted - 03 Feb 2006 :  02:02:34  Show Profile  Visit VonRaventheDaring's Homepage Send VonRaventheDaring a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thank you ed ye art a true and wise scholar of all things concerning Auppenser, and the realm of Jhaamdath. I want to thank you for all of the helpful information you have worked so dilagently on for us concerning the Realms. I would like to know though what type of culture do you think Jhaamdath would have possesed? I mean like roman, egyptian, babalyon, or such. I mean the Netherness seem very Greek/Roman to me although they were more focused on magic than any type of gods per say. I would love to hear what you have to say on this matter, as well as any other information you have on Jhaamdath. I would love to see you write a book, or novel concerning the empire of Jhaamdath and psionics in the realms or the return of Auppenser.

"Develop the latent abilities within you for that is your power alone. Psionics is the ultimate art of magic and you are its practitioner. Through lifelong dedication, strive to unite your will with your physical form to become one. Only through the unrestrained union of oneā€™s mind and body can the magic of psionics truly be mastered. Throw off the yoke of any who would impose tyranny upon you. Likewise, do not ever force another to submit to your will. Free your mind, free yourself and you have only just begun the path to true psionic mastery. Free others, open their minds to the Invisible Art, and you will show them way to Auppenser."
---Dogma of the Church of Auppenser
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edbonny
Forgotten Realms Designer

USA
157 Posts

Posted - 03 Feb 2006 :  15:13:43  Show Profile  Visit edbonny's Homepage Send edbonny a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey Asgetrion!

Thanks for the kind words. Here's my take on the Realms mysteries you bring up:

1) I was wondering if you could share your thoughts and possible ideas on the ancient "ruins of glass" (perhaps "ruins of glassteel"?) in the Farsea Marshes?

Glassteel for those ruins is very much a possibility although you'd need one dedicated high level wizard to churn out that much glassteel! There is also the possibility of the transparent blue tinted stone known as skystone which is mined by the Siremun dwarves of the Firepeaks (the Horde boxset). The Semphari city of Dhazantar has many such glassy spires made of this stone. It is not a stretch that skystone exists in mountains near the Farsea Marshes.

2) There was an ancient kingdom of Orva in the Vast Swamp (detailed in the 'Four from Cormyr'-module). Apparently the residents tampered with portals, and managed to open one into Minauros - flooding their kingdom and thus creating the Vast Swamp. Where did they originally come from? Perhaps they were Jhaamdathan exiles/settlers who managed to find (and misinterpret ;) some lost Imaskari (Portal Lord-related?) lore? Or were they originally Netherese? Maybe they were survivors/descendants of Thaeraevel - the land of sorcerers? What do you think?

As for who settled the area (or more precisely who were the Orvans), it could be Jhaamdathan survivors. I would be more inclined to think it was Netherese survivors as they were more magically apt than the psionic-oriented Jhaamdathans. Among the Netherese survivors was a large number arcane spellcasters who would have been better equipped to build the portal. 4 from Cormyr tells us to go back 2,000 years which is close to the time Netheril fell. It was a possibility that the design for the portal may have been stolen from distant Imaskari ruins.

3) Is it possible, in your opinion, that there were other (maybe elven) kingdoms in the area of the Vast Swamp, prior to Orva, and Thauglor's reign?

Given all the published lore on elves in that part of Faerun, I'd be inclined to say there were no other elven kingdoms. That is not to say an enclave or two did not dwell there for a time.

Hey, why wouldn't you suggest that WoTC would publish all those "Lost Empires Chapter-related" adventures as a collection? I would be more than willing to spend my hard-earned money on some quality Forgotten Realms adventures.

They may show up on the Wizards website one day. Other than that, who knows. Of the ones I wrote up that were not published, there was a fey'ri occupied keep in the ruined elf city of Sunspires in the western High Forest. There was also a Shoon Age underground lab where necromantic experiments were performed on good fey, celestials, and metallic dragons. Adventurers uncovering the site would come across potions of healing and other beneficial potions -- all of which were created by Shoon wizards experimenting on beings of pure good (i.e. removing a unicorn horn for a potion, skinning a gold wyrmling for another potion, etc.). Travis wrote up a Netherese outpost filled with arcane secrets on the Astral Plane.

- Ed

Edited by - edbonny on 03 Feb 2006 15:30:15
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