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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Apr 2007 : 04:25:22
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Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on Cannon Golems and where they might fit in from a Realms point of view. As a "war golem" they might have fit in as Raumathari, but a "cannon" its seems a bit out of place in an ancient empire (though I realize that what seems like advancement doesn't have to always move forward linearly).
I figure they might be fun as the creation of a Giff Wizard's crowing achievement, and as such they could show up from time to time in the Realms. Thayans have used cannons on a limited basis, but these almost seem too crude for them, but I could be wrong.
And yes, I'm trying to steer clear of the "its a gnomish invention" route here . . .
Just as a fun lark, anyone have any thoughts on these guys?
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2007 : 05:13:06
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Lessee,
Cannon Golems = Gondsmen in my opinion. Since that (and Gnomes) are probably what you don't want to think about I'll give a couple of idears.
Pirates. Think about the cannons used on ships (if any, I don't honestly know in this area of Faerun). Why wouldn't one want a mobile firing platform to use on the ship? I think that this option is actually the least viable.
Lapaliiya may have access to the proper technologies via trade routes, and they would certainly make use of any type of magical contraption such as this. The far firing guardians might be an excellent tool in the wars with the yuan-ti as well.
even.
I can even see Nimbral employing a few of them (although there is obviously no mention of them in the current source material, so it may be a "recent development").
There's my Idears,
/d
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"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2007 : 05:24:29
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I can think of a certain Helmite that might not mind one hanging out at his temple, but that's neither here nor there . . .
I thought of pirates having them on board a ship as well as a fun encounter . . . pirates that might have an oddball wizard or sorcerer with them, perhaps a renegade or outlaw from Thay or Halruua, sailing with them.
I seem to remember some comments about the Pirate Isles and bombards, but I don't have all of my resources available at the moment. |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2007 : 05:30:56
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See, IF a pirate were to have a cannon golem on board, I would expect that the golem had a third leg or a tail. The primary reason is that the golem itself is a crazy expensive thing for a ship's captain to purchase. And having the multithousand gold piece golem fall off the deck might just anger a captain AND his crew.
Now, for those "landlocked" places plagued by pirates, and the Pirate Isles themselves, I can see many of these out and about.
I think that Helmite has lots of reasons to NOT want such things in his temple, although with the recent Dales timeline I might think otherwise.
/d |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
Edited by - Darkmeer on 15 Apr 2007 05:33:11 |
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Sanishiver
Senior Scribe
USA
476 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2007 : 08:33:43
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The Imaskari were said to be great artificers. Maybe they stumbled upon something like this qutie by accident and never went further with it due to wars and other concerns?
Then suppose some Thayan comes along, finds a half-burried Canon Golem and maybe that's where the whole Thayan Bombard technology arose from? (I remember Ed saying something about Thayans and their Bombards, just can't remember when).
Just some random thoughts.
J. Grenemyer |
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Never, ever read the game books too literally, or make such assumptions that what is omitted cannot be. Bad DM form, that.
And no matter how compelling a picture string theory paints, if it does not accurately describe our universe, it will be no more relevant than an elaborate game of Dungeons and Dragons. --paragraph 1, chapter 9, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31796 Posts |
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Grandmaster Kane
Seeker
64 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2007 : 20:40:46
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| the preist of gond allready have cannons but there called smokepowder guns |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31796 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2007 : 00:59:56
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'Twas noted in both Forgotten Realms Adventures and Pirates of the Fallen Stars -- about the 'smokepowder bombards'.
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Edited by - The Sage on 16 Apr 2007 02:03:23 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2007 : 03:21:33
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| I thought it was in PoTFS, but I wasn't sure. I'll take a peek at that to job my memory. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11882 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2007 : 14:22:12
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| I like your idea of Raumathar using them. Perhaps they (or maybe the Imaskari as another mentions, since the Raumathari built a lot on old Imaskari lore) discovered smokepowder originally. I can see them being unable to develop handguns, but artillery is another matter (after all, some countries even used cannons made from hollowed logs with metal strapping for reinforcement <or so mythbusters proclaimed and proved as viable>). Maybe the secret of smokepowder preparation was a state secret only revealed to certain alchemists, and thus when Raumathar fell the secret was lost with them, only to be rediscovered by Thayans a thousand years later who experiment with the technology... but tend to continue to rely on magic, as they see this as a leveling technology that could possibly unseat them. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Korginard
Learned Scribe
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2007 : 17:50:23
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I like the idea of the ancient Raumathar having come up with advanced technology like this only to have it lost and rediscovered ages later. Recent shows on the History Channel have shown that many old civilizations had technology we never dreamed they might have had. Plumbing, running water, the chinese had gunpowder years before it was known in Europe or elsewhere.
The Thay connection also makes sense. They are in the same general region and I'm sure the ruins of Raumathar are under constant investigation by untold numbers of Red Wizards.
As for Pirates having such an item, don't assume they paid to have it made for them. They DO tend to steal things after all!
An entire series of adventures could involve some government on the Sea of Fallen Stars trying franticly to retrieve such an item after it was lost in a Pirate Raid. Perhaps the builder and controller is being held hostage and will be sold off by the pirates to the highest bidder. It might be interesting to see what the nations arround the Sea of Fallen Stars and beyond do. The Zhentarim and Harpers would deffinately get involved, it could lead to a very interesting set of adventures full of danger and intrique. One way to get the party involved is have them hired to protect one of the negotiators attending the pirates auction. Is thier charge truely a Sembian merchant as he seems, or is he secretly something more sinister, a Zhent agent, a Thayvian lacky, or perhaps most dangerous of all, a Harper intent on stirring up trouble! |
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Canon Golems (Dragon Magazine 355)
