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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Jul 2007 : 20:11:08
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I was doing some research, and came across this -
Dragon Magazine, #163: "A Hoard for the Horde" (David "Zeb" Cook): The gatefold insert includes four monsters that had to be dropped from the <Horde> boxed set for space reasons: the dzalmaus dragon, manni (avian race), morin (scavenger/predator), and sand cat.
I went through my back-copies of DM, and I have 162 and 164 (along with all the rest), but no #163! 
I don't know why this would be, because I had a subscription back then. The only thing I can think of is that I changed adresses around then. I looked it up at Paizo, and the cover does not look even remotely familiar to me, so I doubt I ever got it. It's also unavailable for download as well (although it says these MC sheets were part of an insert, so I don't even know if they would have been included).
Does anyone know anything about these four creatures?
Also, how canon is Desert of Desolation? I would assume 100%, but there are a couple of ambiguities. It also seems to parralel the events in Calimshan quite a bit, with a powewrful Djinni bound in a gem.
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 08 Jul 2007 00:17:44
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2007 : 08:11:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I was doing some research, and came across this -
Dragon Magazine, #163: "A Hoard for the Horde" (David "Zeb" Cook): The gatefold insert includes four monsters that had to be dropped from the <Horde> boxed set for space reasons: the dzalmaus dragon, manni (avian race), morin (scavenger/predator), and sand cat.
I went through my back-copies of DM, and I have 262 and 264 (along with all the rest), but no #263!
The creatures are listed, not in #263, but in #163  . #163 is included on the Dragon Magazine Archive CD-ROMs. Perhaps you have the hard copy or the archive?
Anyway - the Dzalmaus is a three-headed, particularly antisocial dragon, with no innate spell abilities or magic skills. Its breath weapon temporarily drains a hit die from the affected targets, and (equally temporarily) adds a hit die to the dzalmaus's hit dice (leading to increases in hit points, attack rolls, and saving throws).
The Manni are a race of crow-like flying humanoids. Scavengers, chaotic evil.
The orpsu is a small, oblong-shaped, beaked land-based predator. When they are sufficiently numerous, they can "swarm", i.e., no need to make attack rolls - they just rush a victim, and inflict damage equal to 2 hp for every orpsu in the swarm.
The sand cat is a small feline predator. A bit lynx-like in general shape, but nothing magical.
quote:
Also, how canon is Desert of Desolation? I would assume 100%, but there are a couple of ambiguities. It also seems to parralel the events in Calimshan quite a bit, with a powewrful Djinni bound in a gem.
Strictly speaking, I guess, since the module I3-5 Desert of Desolation may have had a Forgotten Realms Logo slapped on it, it should be considered as canon. The only links to FR are in the introduction, which was created specifically for the compilation (the original modules, I3 - Pharaoh, I4-Oasis of the White Palm, and I5-Lost Tomb of Martek did not have the introduction (the introduction I3-Pharaoh was the Special Encounter B "Bums' Rush", featured on page 15 of Desert of Desolation. The adventures themselves were not rewritten to fit with FR. Hence the temples to non-FR gods (Dunatis, Untamo).
The maps of Desert of Desolation were (at least in 2nd edition) never included in any supplement of adventure, but they were included in the Interactive Atlas. The features of Raurin, as mentioned in the introduction (the existence of a Pharaoh, and not the Mulhorand one) in the lands close to Durpar, a river stretching across Raurin to Semphar and Mulhorand, etc., are not in line with the usual depiction of the Raurin Desert.
However, up until the advent of 3rd edition, nothing was put in place that directly contradicted or overruled the FR lore in Desert of Desolation. There was nothing Back in the days, I DM'ed the module as such, with it starting point in Durpar. I only changed the history a little bit (changing Amun-Re to a Durpar leader, and picking FR deities for the temples). It worked fine.
I noticed that the compilation module was published in 1987, when the Grey Box also came out. I suspect that the compilation was planned anyway, and when the Gray Box was to be published, someone at TSR had hit on the idea of plugging the compilation into the Forgotten Realms.
Hmmm... Come to think of it, the background on how Desert of Desolation came to be put in the Forgotten Realms might be a nice question to ask Ed. |
Edited by - Thauramarth on 07 Jul 2007 08:16:29 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2007 : 00:35:35
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So basically we have a primitive Kenku who hasn't lost his flight ability, a desert Lynx, a Dharzi Hunting Dog ( ), and King Ghidra, correct?
I'm adding the reference points into my Hordelands Map (3.0 coming soon!) along with info gleened from Dragon #349, and am also creating a map of the Imaskar empire which will resolve some of said issues (Imaskar may have been the empire, but it was composed of several smaller kingdoms  ).
Thanks for the info.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 08 Jul 2007 00:36:18 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2007 : 03:06:11
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You may want to wait for the release of the Grand History before completing your map of Imaskar. Then again, you're maps are always fantastic, so I'll just say that you should avoid the Middle Kingdoms period as it's already been done. quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
and am also creating a map of the Imaskar empire which will resolve some of said issues (Imaskar may have been the empire, but it was composed of several smaller kingdoms ).
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Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2007 : 08:35:53
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I was going to wait until your book came out before starting it - right now I'm just taking tons of notes.
If the map's been done, it will save me the trouble.
Is there a COMPLETE list of every single 'fallen kingdom' in Faerūn/Toril? Almost every night I come across a new one, and occasionally they even overlap!
It looks to me that you can't walk three feet in the Realms without tripping over some ruins. 
EDIT: I just got a copy of issue #349 of Dragon today, and the Dzalmaus was written up! |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 10 Jul 2007 07:38:37 |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2007 : 16:01:07
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Bingo! That's exactly how it should be; that's the feel Ed has striven for, from the beginning of the Realms. Even in bustling Waterdeep, go down into some shop or house cellars, and you can see the roots of earlier buildings, and elder streets . . .
love,
THO |
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Endless wastes questions
