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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 03:56:38
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Races of the Wild In Faerun
The sourcebook Races of the Wild has many new options for player character races, and many of these can be adapted to fit in a Realms campaign fairly easily. Some races are new, such as raptorans and killoren. Others are races that have an established presence in the Realms, such as centaurs and gnolls.
As with the other “Races” books, there are some specific details on elven and halfling cultures, as well as their pantheons, that do not mesh with the Realms versions of these races. Sources such as Races of Faerun and Faiths and Pantheons are much more useful for the details of elven and halfling culture and religion than the details in Races of the Wild.
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 03:57:26
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Raptorans In Faerun
Raptorans are a fairly rare race of avian humanoids that tend to dwell in cliff faces. They are very religious, although they are not always focused on one particular god or pantheon. Due to their preferred living conditions, raptorans are often not seen by other races in Faerun. Not only that, but many raptoran sightings confuse the beings with aaracocra, the even rarer (but better known) avariels, or even angels (especially given their penchant for divine magic).
While the raptorans are rarely seen in Faerun, they are not newcomers to the world. They were first summoned to Faerun sometime around -30000 DR by the Aearee to help defend the city of Viakoo from the dragons that were seeking to destroy that bastion of the avian creator race.
The Aearee summoned a powerful air elemental noble to aid them, and the air elemental brought with him his retinue of warriors, raptorans that had pledged themselves to serve the air elementals. These raptorans had a strong sense of duty, and gladly followed the air elemental nobles wherever they might lead, for the raptorans had forged a pact with the elemental lords.
When the Aearee city of Viakoo was destroyed, the elemental released his warriors from their bond (though this did not release them fully from their pledge to serve the air elementals, but did alleviate them of their duty to defend the Aearee and fight the dragons in this new world). The raptorans chose to stay in this new world and explore it.
While they no longer needed to war upon the dragons of Faerun, many of the dragon masters of this new era of Faerun's history would brook no other creatures of the air. However, like many other races, some raptorans managed to be fairly well regarded by the less malevolent draconic rulers, and these raptorans did their best to blunt the more brutal traits of the dragons. Eventually, the raptorans could no longer even work within the draconic realms, and they retreated to the hidden corners of Faerun to avoid the wrath of the dragons.
During this time raptorans fled far across Faerun, and it is believed that the raptorans that now live in the lands near Kara-Tur and Maztica first began migrating outwards during this time. This migration was accelerated by the changes wrought by the Sundering in -17600 DR.
While raptorans are culturally advanced, they don't often keep detailed histories. Much of the above is not known to most settlements of raptorans. Individual raptoran communities will have various histories of their settlements, but until the Time of Troubles there was little shared information about events that might have affected the raptorans as a whole.
During the Time of Troubles, just like every other gods, the Fearunian aspects of the raptoran gods fell in avatar form, but unlike other gods, the raptorans have the unhappy knowledge that their gods fell in bloody battle against Garyx and Task. This knowledge has caused profound changes in raptoran culture in the last few years of their history.
Known cliff dwellings of the raptorans include dwellings on the cliffs facing the Sea of Fallen Stars in the Earthfast, Dragonjaw, and Aphrunn Mountains, as well as a few small settlements on islands in the Pirate Isles as well. Several cliff dwellings have also been seen in Maztica, as well as at least one dwelling to the north of the Winterflow River, in the Glittering Spires overlooking the Great Ice Sea.
While most raptorans are generally open minded, free thinking, and benevolently inclined, the Glittering Spire raptorans are especially vicious and ill disposed to others, and the tenants of their religion are such that they hire themselves out as assassins and raiders to those that learn of them or are willing to brave the mountain paths to find them.
Finally, there is a settlement of raptorans in the Wyrmbones, the mountains in the southern Shaar, and this community is an essentially a raptoral temple complex to Akadi. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 03:58:11
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Raptoran Religion: Raptorans have, until the Time of Troubles, worshiped their own pantheon of gods, brought with them from the unknown other world that the first raptoran champions came from in the earliest days of Toril. While raptorans are a very spiritual people, even the clerics of the raptoran pantheon have never condemned the worship of other gods, and Akadi especially has been a popular deity to the raptorans.
After the death of the raptoran pantheon, many raptorans were shattered. One of the most powerful of all raptoran clerics, Naullarin Beurilla, Windlord of Tuilviel, took this as a sign that the raptorans had been too long from their home world. The leader of one of the few settlements to have a historical record dating back far enough to have at least references to the earliest days of the raptorans in Faerun, Naullarin was also a well traveled cleric that had learned of the theory that different aspects of a deity might remain separate to different worlds.
Naullarin posited that the raptoran gods, while dead on Toril, might still live elsewhere, and that their death in Toril might be a sign that the raptorans no longer have a place in Toril. While many raptorans found Naullarin's words wise and comforting, many did not wish to leave the home they had known for thousands of years. Naullarin's followers created a massive portal to the Elemental Plane of Air, and from there the pilgrims hoped to find a guide that might guide them to portals or paths to other worlds.
The massive portal still stands, guarded, as part of the new temple complex to Akadi in the Wyrmbones. Akadi was always well regarded by the raptorans, and she has become the most revered of the deities worshiped by the remaining raptorans. Still, many find Akadi too aloof and removed from their lives, and have taken to worshiping Chan, the Archoelemental Prince of Good. Even these tend to hold Akadi in reverence, however.
Some of the raptorans have taken more deities such as Sune and Selune as their patron goddesses, and the raptorans that dwell in the the Pirate Isles of the Inner Sea have also taken to worshiping Valkur, and have made a crusade of raiding the pirate ships of the isles (the local pirates often mistake the raptorans for harpies).
The raptorans that are native to Maztica have adopted that land's gods as their own, most often worshiping the gods Qotal, Kiltzi, Eha, and Nula. The raptorans often times still worshiped the raptoran pantheon as well, until the Time of Troubles. Shortly thereafter, Qotal's return marked the upswing in raptoran devotion to the native Maztican gods, although various members of the community always worshiped them to a degree.
There are rumors of two raptoran sects that are far more disturbing than the others listed above. One is known to live in the Glittering Spires in the Hordelands, and these raptorans worship Yan-C-Bin, Air Archoelemental of Evil. These raptorans act as assassins, spies, and raiders for those brave enough to call upon them, and are often mistaken for tengu by eastern travelers beset by them.
Finally, while it has no set home, the cult of the demon lord Pazuzu has a subversive hold on some bands of raptorans. Agents of the demon lord often hide their affiliation and work to subvert the decisions and cultural structure of the raptoran communities, and often preach racial intolerance for those that cannot feel the wind's embrace, as well as hatred and jealousy of those that contend with the raptoran's wide open skies, and while the avariels are not a common race, this races is often a favored sacrifice of the Pazuzu worshipers. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 03:58:49
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A Note on Catfolk in the Realms
Catfolk are known in several places in the Realms, the most common being the Chultan region as well as Maztica. While Catfolk are known, they have often been called Tabaxi, though there is some confusion between this name as it is often applied to the dominant human tribe in the Chult region. In recent years many sages have begun to refer to the creatures formerly known as Tabaxi as catfolk, so as to help avoid confusion. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 03:59:19
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Killoren in the Realms
Killoren are a relatively young race in Faerun. Not unlike the Kir-Lanan, the Killoren are a product of the Time of Troubles, albeit a far less malevolent (on the whole) product of that event. The god Silvanus had, as many gods have over time, portions of his power stored in many different vessels, from humans, to fey, to animals, and even in some plants. When Silvanus was first cast down to Toril during the Time of Troubles, he attempted to consolidate some of his stored power from some of the plants that he imbued with his essence, but the attempt was unsuccessful.
In effect, Silvanus awoke enough of his divine power in the plant vessels that he had created to awaken the species that would eventually be known as Killoren. Killoren now have begun to reproduce with one another naturally, so that there are further generations of these beings in Toril. At least one Killoren awoke in every substantial forest in Faerun during the Time of Troubles, though they may have traveled far from their original point of awakening. The largest concentration of these beings have been in the High Forest, though a significant number have been seen in Cormanthyr as well.
Killoren naturally gravitate toward the worship of Silvanus and the practice of druidism, however, some more benevolent Killoren have taken to the worship of Meilikki as well. A few Killoren have been noted as vengeful and unforgiving of transgressions against nature, and these Killoren have taken to the worship of Talos the Destroyer. |
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Daviot
Senior Scribe
USA
372 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 04:40:50
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Another KEJR Races lore entry! Huzzahs are in order!
Great work, once again. And I do agree with your vision of the Raptorians; upon reading RotW, Raptorians immediately made me think that they'd be creations of the Aearee Creator Race. |
One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV. |
Edited by - Daviot on 02 Oct 2007 04:41:54 |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 16:20:52
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Another excellent piece KEJT. Well done. I have a couple of questions though. First of all, I'm not familiar with either Garyx or Task. Where do they orginaly appear and what are they gods of?
Secondly, do the raptorians have any knowledge/relationship to the saurials? I was tentitivly thinking about linking the raptorians to the other off-planet dinosaur race in the realms, and I'd really appreciate your opinion of the idea. Thanks. |
"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied,
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Allen Poe - 1849 |
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sirreus
Learned Scribe
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 17:17:17
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great job. all are fleshed out in great detail(gotta love the ocd),
especially the killoren. |
"The measure of an undisciplined mind, is that the intellect allows emotion to challenge the observed truth" Richard Baker |
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Chosen of Moradin
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1120 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 19:52:23
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| Good job, Knight! The raptoras stay excellent. |
Dwarf, DM, husband, and proud of this! :P
twitter: @yuripeixoto
Facebook: yuri.peixoto |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 23:00:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Halidan
Another excellent piece KEJT. Well done. I have a couple of questions though. First of all, I'm not familiar with either Garyx or Task. Where do they orginaly appear and what are they gods of?
Garyx is the dragon god of destructive flame, and Task is the dragon god of greed. Both of them had an axe to grind from thousands of years ago because the raptoran gods allowed their followers to interfere in the affairs of dragons (even if they were unsuccessful).
The 2nd Edition Draconomicon has information on these gods, as does the 2nd Edition Cult of the Dragon Sourcebook, the latter of which is available on WOTC's site under its free downloads.
quote:
Secondly, do the raptorians have any knowledge/relationship to the saurials? I was tentitivly thinking about linking the raptorians to the other off-planet dinosaur race in the realms, and I'd really appreciate your opinion of the idea. Thanks.
Well, raptorans are more bird humans than saurian, but it does make me think of something. What if the original raptoran homeworld was the same world that the saurials were from? Perhaps over time the raptorans became extinct there, and the saurials became the dominant species.
When Naullarin finds the raptoran homeworld, he might be surprised to find that his kind no longer live there at all, and perhaps the world still has some vestige of Moander's form left there from when it appeared to kidnap the saurials. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36965 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2007 : 23:48:16
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
The 2nd Edition Draconomicon has information on these gods, as does the 2nd Edition Cult of the Dragon Sourcebook, the latter of which is available on WOTC's site under its free downloads.
And those free downloads are, of course, found on the Wizards downloads page. 
Man, I don't know how long it's been since I last posted that link!  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 05:30:21
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Brother knight: can you set all your entries, from all your various "[insert book] in Faerun" posts, into one document (Word format if possible).
I'm thinking to use all your entries as canon in my Realms, and would like them all under one handy document on my hard drive. As you progress your work in future threads, for other book perhaps, you could even update this Word doc and email me updates as you go!!
(I hope I didn't sound too much like a Jedi waving his hand "asking" or "suggesting" something here... ) |
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Ayunken-vanzan
Senior Scribe
Germany
657 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 07:53:44
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| Even the 3ed Draconomicon has informations on Garyx and Task (but not Realms specific), and so has Races of Dragons. |
"What mattered our lives now? When our world had been torn from us? Folk wept, or drank, or stood staring out over the land, wondering what new horror each dawn would bring."
Elender Stormfall of Suzail
"Anyone can kill deities, cause plagues, or destroy organizations. It takes real skill to make them live on."
Varl
FR/D&D-Links • 2ed Downloads |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5699 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 09:16:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Purple Dragon Knight
Brother knight: can you set all your entries, from all your various "[insert book] in Faerun" posts, into one document (Word format if possible).
I'm thinking to use all your entries as canon in my Realms, and would like them all under one handy document on my hard drive. As you progress your work in future threads, for other book perhaps, you could even update this Word doc and email me updates as you go!!
(I hope I didn't sound too much like a Jedi waving his hand "asking" or "suggesting" something here... )
Well met
KnightErrantJR's works have been collated into PDF and will be available at Candlekeep shortly  |
Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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Bladedancer
Learned Scribe
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 15:14:48
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KEJR I am again amazed with your work. I still can't believe WOTC hasn't started to pay you fo r the stuff we (luckily) get for free.
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Solarr Bladedancer
Mercenary For Hire
Master of the Ginsu Knives
They Slice They Dice They Will Cut through A Tin Can |
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Halidan
Senior Scribe
USA
470 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 15:44:32
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
Garyx is the dragon god of destructive flame, and Task is the dragon god of greed. Both of them had an axe to grind from thousands of years ago because the raptoran gods allowed their followers to interfere in the affairs of dragons (even if they were unsuccessful).
The 2nd Edition Draconomicon has information on these gods, as does the 2nd Edition Cult of the Dragon Sourcebook, the latter of which is available on WOTC's site under its free downloads.
Thanks KEJR. I have both of those sources in my library. I'll do a bit of reading up on them now that I know where to look. I just couldn't place the names off the top of my very bald head. |
"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied,
"If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Allen Poe - 1849 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2009 : 19:40:09
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Sorry for bringing back a dead topic, but I only got a hard-copy of this tome recently. For some reason I just don't get as much out of a pdf (perhaps because I read specific sections as needed, and not do it cover-to-cover).
Anyhow, While I like most of this book, I found it had a few problems. First thing I noticed is that several illustrations were just plain wrong (The Killoren don't look as described, and the Channel Plant ability cannot be used with the spell shown). Thats minor, though, and par for the course.
I found the Raptorans interesting in that they almost seem like they are what someone wants Avariels to be. Note that their language is based on Elven, including the written form, and their main god is the Queen of Air and Night, which sounds a lot like the Fey deity The Queen of Air and Darkness. The two deities are represented as having completly different temperments, of course, but the names are so similar I can't help but wonder (and I can think of several canon examples of gods thought of as 'evil' by one group, and 'good' by another). Also, there is their strong bow-usage (an Elven thing), their four gods revolve around the four seasons (which I find pretty cool), and they consider Lolth a racial enemy!
In fact, they are said to have been born from the blood of their goddess during a battle with Lolth, as drops fell to earth (how much does that sound like the Corellon/Elven myth?)
I almost get the impression that the Avariels are being replaced - is there any mention of them in 4e? 
Anyhow, I like them on the whole, and KEJr did a bang-up job here with them. I would have liked to see them connected to the Wind Dukes of Aaqa - the fluff for them practically begs for it.
I find the Killoren confusing - it seems like an early attempt to make Fey interesting encounters (which lead to the 4e Lady Deathstrike-like Dryads).
Most other races in the book are redundant with SS or UE.
The Halflings are most certainly the 4e version (aside from size). Another reason why I think this tome was another that was a 'test-bed' for 4e lore. I find Dallah Thaun confusing as well. Not only did they 'break' a D&D trope (Yondalla), but she is completely redundent with Bildobaris (and Urogalen, as well). I like the whole concept - don't get me wrong - but I just don't see the point. I certainly wouldn't use both of those gods in one setting.
The Elves were well-written, but I don't care for Elves much anyway. These appear to be the generic Wood Elves, and not the High Elves that have mutated into Eladrin. I wish they would have stuck with Ed's Elvish language (and the one that has been added to by many FR writers), but I suppose it is kinda cool to have differet languages for High Elves and Sylvan Elves (especially considering that they are now different races).
I like the deities added to the Seldarine. Alobel Lorfiril is cool, and seems to be the Elven version of Sharess (in 4e, he probably is). Elebrin Liothiel seems a little redundant with Khalreshaar (Mielikki), but this new one is more like Chauntea (and I would even say it is an Elven aspect of the Earthmother, despite being male). Vandria Gilmadrith is also pretty cool, but seems too mcuh like a 'Red Knight' knock-off to me. I would probably just say she was the human goddess as well (under an Elven Alias). I don't really see the need for a seperate war diety from Corellon, but whatever. I also find it strange that many of these Races of... books created several new gods, and then just a few years later they decided D&D had too many gods - especially when one considers this book was published a full year into 4e's development.
I haven't really gone through the rest of the book with a fine tooth-comb, but the Arcane Hierophant looks like a power-gamer's wetdream, and the Luckstealer is just padding (seriously - it's interesting, but who would actually play THAT?).
This is typical of most 3e splats - they filled half the book with broken and useless feats and classes <sigh>. Still, I thougt it was worth the $12 I paid for it new. 
Sorry if this didn't seem the appropriate place for this, KEJr, but I did a search and this was the only thread with the book-name in the title.
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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 02 May 2009 23:28:02 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2009 : 20:30:15
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| Feel free . . . It helps remind me of the bygone days when I actually had a bit more of a creative spark, even if it was more or less recycled fluff that's slightly turned to one side. |
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Races of the Wild In the Forgotten Realms
