| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 20 Dec 2023 : 14:35:51
I'm pulling this thread from the thread where we're tracking the mountainload of Ed twitter responses, because even though I knew I wrote it, I had problems finding it last night. I watched the complete video and tried to make some basic notes about continents and such. I then made an EXTREMELY rough map... something like just trying to put an "order" east to west (and maybe some north/south) of the places he mentions. Maybe one of the takeaways this thread might be able to help would be to aid getting some basic entries in the FR wiki about Abeir's locations. I will add as well.... Ed's descriptions describes a world that is more humanocentric than I had been thinking it might be (less reptilian/amphibian cultures mentioned than I would have put).... and it also definitely reduces the concept of how many genasi are there, etc...
quote:
Originally posted by questing gm
On most comprehensive look at Abeir
https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1730363666573165028
Dec 1, 2023
@TheEdVerse
After years of requests, I've finally done it!
Please enjoy this video, my most comprehensive look at Abeir, as told by a halfling adventurer to the "Old Mage," Elminster of Shadowdale!
#realmslore #dnd #forgottenrealms #baldursgate3
LINK: https://youtu.be/XBeeDMJFnzo
<https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1730363666573165028/photo/1>
My hat off to the sage. Though it may (or may not) conflict with some of what I had been doing with the region, I have to give the man props for not glossing here. He did try and throw a decent amount of regional names, individual names, etc... in this. By chance has anyone got a transcript of this to read rather than listen to? I'd be intrigued to see if anyone has tried to lay this out in some form of map.
Some takeaway notes that I quickly noted
Dark elves are in this world in the "Nardark" and are called the Narren Drow ... their term for underdark. Yet elves supposedly are NOT. To note as well, the worlds separated supposedly prior to the arrival of Fey in Faerun. Some of these dark elves are also said to "worship the Queen of Chaos"... which hints to god worship on Abeir despite us being told otherwise (or perhaps it might be better said "demon lord worship").
Secondarily... one thing we had wondered is if this world might not be anything like Toril ... in that it might be a world primarily inhabited by reptilian/draconic/amphibian humanoids. But most of what he seems to be describing would fit with most other worlds (i.e. humans, dwarves, halflings, limited numbers of genasi, etc...). He does say its a world of no elves, but at the same time, he mentions a group of drow in the world... so....
Some notes on "regions" that I'm making
information is thirdhand from a halfling Dhalk Marrowsar, and this information seems to be post spellplague... but possibly pre second sundering (i.e. I don't know if Dhalk came to Toril as a part of second sundering)
Four continents since Laerokand came to Toril. The boiling sea replaced Laerokand, but isn't hot.. its turbulent with whirlpools and strong currents.
Marranth
Largest continent. Mountainous masses and huge sea cliffs. Roughly diamond shaped "twisted into a curve from due south around to northeast". Seems to have 13 "lines" of mountains (or 12 valleys) that seem to cross the continent like a somewhat parallel set of stripes. Dragons hunt herd beasts in the valleys and endlessly compete, plot, etc....
Irronther
East of Marranth "across the arserpent sea"
long narrow north-south continent of rolling lands with fewer mountains, the main mountains being on the coast facing Marrath. Its southern two thirds is jungle and filled "with what we deem monsters", including tentacled things and snakes and "more than snakes" and beholders. Some rare genasi and some dragonborn who "live close to the land" are here as well. The northern third of Irronther, north of Vast Lake Yaeranche which is roughly kidney / bean shaped north-south, is temperate and largely forests. Forests slowing getting cleared by the halflings and humans living there ruled by various petty "wizards and armored bullies". NOTE: WIZARDS .... doesn't have the weave, but has wizards... of course.. perhaps Torilian imports? Perhaps doing magic in a different way?
Dwarves are the strongest force in this northern territory. Staundoun is the main dwarven realm ruled by it Iron Council. Ahezurt in the extreme northeast is a splinter realm and ruled by two outcast clans (Hezmur and Nornhammer). Hezmur was kicked out because it believed in a meritocracy versus "elders" ruling, and Nornhammer because they pushed for a turn to agriculture versus forging. Boldaunth is a second splinter realm to the southeast are splinter realms which broke away because they wanted to explore the world and trade versus forging and hoarding.
Below the dwarves in the "Nardark" are the "Wild Deeps" in which reside monsters and drow (called the Narren drow). Sidenote: given that they are called "Narren Drow" ... I would really like to connect these dark elves to Narathmault/Dun Tharos.... which existed prior to the dark elven forced descent to note.
Lake Yaeranche has human dominated villages along its coast, but still apparently a diverse population that is open to new ideas/new innovations (including spell experimentation). This region is often known as the Cauldron for its brewing of new ideas.
Kannath - off east coast of Irronther, archipelago range of large and small islands, filled with various races... not detailed what the races are. The seas surrounding it are the Dun Seas and are muddy in color.
East of Kannath is where Laerakond used to be and the "Cold Straits"... but now its the "boiling sea"... a dangerous area of whirlpools and currents. Few sail this region, and north of it is the "Ice Run"... a series of rocky islets that are often plagued by dangerous whales and squids that attack ships
Shyr
second largest land mass... east of where Laerakond had been... which was the boiling sea during the spellplague... so in theory where Faerun is kind of.
Karshimis ruled SOME of this continent (Karshaunt now... eastern most portion of Shyr). He ruled from "Soaring Mount Vore", which in theory would be where his Citadel of Burning Ice was located. Human and dragonborn inhabited. Used to be called the "Lands of the Rising Dragons" because young dragons would come here seeking to make a name for themselves. After spellplague, much of it became "The Mistlands" and were areas of hot springs, volcanos, and flowing lava.
Two thirds of the continent (the central heart of it) is "The Dragon Realms" where dragons rule over humans, dwarves, halflings, and a few dragonborn. Dragons have internally warred to great scale apparently in the past with the 1st, 2nd, and third Wyrmstrife.
Western of the dragon realms are two regions
the "Sarcoast Lands"... a swampy place where halflings live in the southern portion and "tentacled things of monstrous size" rule tiny realms over the rest of this region. The halfling section is called Narragult . The sarcoast lands are twice as wide as its northerly neibhbor of Carngor, but both are equally "long" in the north/south perspective.
Carngor is also on the other side of the dragon realms and is human ruled lands in hilly territory, with a lord loosely ruling from Harhult the Hollow Mountain. Lots of baronies. It would seem to be to the north of the Sarcoast lands, but west of the dragon realms... since the sarcoast is mentioned as bordering the Tarsark mountains... but at the same time an earlier reference to Narragult mention it as east of that land... so perhaps its "northeast" of the sarcoast lands and perhaps the sarcoast area is more trapezoid in shape... fatter at the bottom
Between the Sarcoast and Dragon realms is a "knife edged" mountain range called the Tarsark Mountains, named after a primordial who supposedly was torn apart there... and the reason that this region is inhabited by numerous "ghostlike or varied undead". Above one of the peaks is the city of Xxiphu (from the abolithic sovereignty... whom they refer to as "The Qua"). More monstrous creatures have appeared in teh Tarsark mountains of recent. Safe passes thru these mountains are Glander Pass, the Wideway, and High Vaerult. These passes link the westernmost dragon realms with the long slender hill realm of Carngor.
The southwest portion of the continent of Shyr must be Thultyl, a seacoast plateau in a higher altitude than the sarcoast lands to the east... filled with dragonborn who feud nigh endlessly, paying at least lip service to an overking named Vraelyn. The region is divided into regions ruled by local lords at ports or "High Holds" (regions farther up and off of the seacoast). They drop their feuds to hunt any dragon dumb enough to enter their territory from the Dragon Realms. Its said that Thultyl... like the Fens and Carngor .. stretch a long way north and south.
Thultyl supposedly shelters the fens/Sarcoast Lands from the "ever more frequent storms blowing off the boiling sea".
Lhoraun
"Far to the East" ...Across the Oshlar Sea, beyond Karshaunt... or not so far west of Marranth, across the Andol Sea. Some say it stretches into the Frozen seas of the North Pole. They provide little information about this land, but it would seem to possibly have people from Toril. Also, not visited by the halfling, so all he has are unconfirmed rumors.
So, that's the words from this halfling... its possible that there were only 4 continents... but he may not have known everything that "swapped" during the spellplague. Lhoraun would seem to be the perfect place to drop in Anchorome, Maztica, Lopango, Katashaka. For all we know, Lhoraun is actually the largest "continent", because everything is skewed by what this halfling "knows" to be true. He may also be working from old data as well. If we dropped those continents in there, then the nearest other continent is Marranth.. which seems to primarily be mountains and valley hunting grounds for youngish dragons that internally feud. These dragons, if not as organized to have realms, might have been easier to turn away than say the ones in Shyr.
Hmmm, also... not sure if Ed produced anything like a map... but I threw together this to get a ROUGH... I mean ROUGH ... MAY BE WAY OFF... idea of the layout based on his conversation.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11QLKpd1DdUI2ctAwrNNJMbCfdWsAaEHz/view?usp=sharing |
| 21 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Zeromaru X |
Posted - 17 May 2024 : 02:38:20
Just to add stuff about magic, dragonborn sorcerers were a thing in old Tymanchebar, as dragonborn warriors known as "dragonfoes" used their innate magic powers to protect Tymanchebar from dragon attacks (they were a multiclass of barbarian+sorcerers; see the Dragonfoe Ragespell paragon path in "Adventurers of the Realms: Displaced Lands and Dire Frontiers", Dragon 379), meaning that sorcerers (or at least, draconic sorcerers) are a thing in Abeir. Likewise, the Anarchs of Shyr are an order of swordmages (eldritch knights, in 5e parlance) that operates out of Shyr (see the Anarch of Shyr paragon path in the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, p.47), and in the past an specific order of shamans mixed their "primal" (druidic) magic with the practices of the swordmages to create an order of "spiritblades" (see the Shyran Spiritblade paragon path in "Adventurers of the Realms: Displaced Lands and Dire Frontiers", Dragon 379).
Likewise, there is this mysterious blessing in the Steelsky of Abeir that gives people divine-like spells if they are fighting against dragons or elementals (see the Steelksky Liberator paragon path in the Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, p.65). It's possible this blessing may be the origin of Halagothra's powers (she is an old woman who lives in Tarmalune, and has the ability to cast healing spells even if she is not a cleric. She is mentioned in the Tarmalune section of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide). Halagothra's existence implies there is people in Abeir able to cast healing spells, even if such individuals are rare.
Psionic powers are also a thing in Abeir, according to the Realmslore about psionics in the Psionic Power sourcebook (4e). The exact origins of psionic powers on Abeir are a mystery, and that section mentions many theories about this.
Also, there is a mention to "living spells" in Rhaurok (in Laerakond), in the section about Skelkor in the FRCG. I don't know exactly what "living spells" are in the context of the Forgotten Realms, as I only know the Eberron ones, but I guess they are a thing in Abeir as well. |
| NyluenathaStareyes |
Posted - 17 May 2024 : 01:08:05
Ok and also these are two things I also forgot -
Drow - worshippers of the Queen of Chaos in Abeir (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Queen_of_Chaos) rather than the Queen of Spiders. How'd they get there if there aren't any elves? We've got the Tearfall happening around -31,000 DR , then the high magic of the elves tearing the world asunder in -17.600 DR, but the descent of the drow isn't until the high magic ritual around -10,000 DR or so right? So, they either went over at some point after that and somehow the Queen of Chaos either used the same move as Wendonai to corrupt a bunch of Ilithyyri so she had her own little pet drow in the deeps of Abeir...
Shalarin + Ocean Portals - I coulda sworn I saw something somewhere about there being a connection between the shalarin + portals to Abeir (probably this thread - http://candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22079). Since shalarin living in the Sea of Corynactis were buddies with Dagon, ANOTHER demon lord, it stands to reason that they might be active in Abeir and Toril both, knowing that the lords of the Abyss have access to Abeir in ways that deities do not.
|
| NyluenathaStareyes |
Posted - 17 May 2024 : 00:37:45
I've been pondering on some of the lore as it pertains to this topic while perusing the forums for some snippets and was thinking about the Sundering and what bits of Toril got displaced to Abeir and how that information might give us more insight into some of the other areas in Abeir. There are a few places that instantly spring to mind that have been touched upon. Areas to consider -
Mulhorand - some areas of this part of the realms may have been chucked onto the continent of Shyr alongside Unther (find the DMs Guild sourcebook here - https://www.dmsguild.com/product/458929/Mulhorand-Campaign-Guide) where it notes some of the people of Mulhorand lived in Abeir. The Devil You Know specifically outlines the relationship of Mulhorandi slavery to the Shyran forces.
Unther - the being known as the Son of Victory / King of Dust led the Untheric people of Abeir in revolt against the 'tyrants of Shyr' before being transported back to Toril through the machinations of Graz'zt (as per the books Ashes of the Tyrant and The Devil You Know by Erin M. Evans and a great synopsis found here - http://candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21817 which I see you've been in on sleyvas!) during the Second Sundering. They were transported back when attacking a "walled city of genasi slavers," and Farideh does note that the area she is shown where three relics in Abeir but not OF Abeir - one of which is the Staff of Azuth. We also get introduced the Mash-en-li, a tribe of stone giants from Abeir that wield strange dream magics based off of runic tattos/carvings into their flesh. We also learn of draumrting's, amulets that echo magical abilities.
Maztica - we know that Maztica disappeared from Toril, but it did not reappear in the same area of the planet based on the latest information we have on Abeir (or at least was undiscovered if so!)
Plaguewrought Lands - it is suggested that the plaguelands could hold portals to Abeir.
Halruaa - we know from Ed that Halruaa was sent to Abeir, most of its magics broken and shattered during the Sundering. The intense breakdown in their society from reliance on magics created a new Halruaan mindset that relied far less on their magics in the new world of Abeir and it's Weave-less state.
A couple of hypothesizing notes/ramblings -
Magic - we know that magic DOES work on Abeir, it's just not accessible through the conduit of the Weave. Dream magic, magical items, elemental + innate magics etc. There is also the area of Lhoraun mentioned with some wizard buddies flying around.
Deities - while we were initially led to believe that gods did NOT exist there, that may not be entirely true. They certainly aren't mucking around like they have been in Toril, but Ed did refute the idea that gods do not have any influence in Abeir.
Demons + Devils - seems like demons have access to Abeir, but not devils? Graz'zt's bargain with Gilgeam + the maurezhi sent to assassinate the Vanquisher before their return to Toril would indicate ole G-Six-Fingers had known the Second Sundering was coming.
Just a couple of things I was chewing on, wanted to put them out as food for thought. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 16 May 2024 : 21:50:51
quote:
Originally posted by questing gm
https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1089624714606186496Mimuay Tavai, a lesser avatar of Velsharoon on Abeir
Wait.... what the heck??? I never saw this and its about what I created for the United Tharchs. You just made me recreate my twitter account so that I could read this.
Hmmm, just in case I have to come back later, I'm drilling in and copying the whole conversation here
Holy cow .... I LOVE THIS .... Ed just basically enabled my concepts that I was working on, and I didn't even know it for the last 4 years.
Matthew Dawkins - RPG Developer
And I'm not done with you yet! I was always a big fan of Lynn Abbey's treatment of Thay and Aglarond in The Simbul's Gift. She particularly added excellent detail to the characters of the Simbul and Lauzoril. The Simbul granted Lauzoril the ability to call out her true name to request aid at any point. As the timeline has now moved on and I suspect we shan't see Lauzoril or his family again, could you shed some light on when / if Lauzoril ever called in this favour prior to his assumed demise at the hands of Szass Tam and a very steep drop? It would provide closure to a plot line set up in the mid '90s and a character I really enjoyed reading about. Additionally, anything you have to say on Lauzoril's family, his daughter, etc. and if they made it out of Thay would be excellent.
Ed Greenwood
I, too, loved what Lynn did in THE SIMBUL’S GIFT. Certain things are still NDA’d, despite (as you rightly point out) the timeline having moved on, so I have to tongue-tread carefully here, but let’s just say that Lauzoril had… …ALREADY called in this favour before the events you allude to. I can go so far as to say esteemed Realms scholar sleyvas is right: Lauzoril did not perish then, but escaped magically, thanks to prior preparations, and got……and got his family out of Thay and into ongoing hiding (that’s where the use of his favour from The Simbul comes in).
As for any question as to why Lauzoril or his fellow Zulkirs didn’t call on The Simbul to humble Szass Tam……or wreck his schemes, they would not have wanted to seem weak, and Mystra would have forbidden it because of the Athora (see TYRANTS IN SCARLET by George Krashos, available at the DM’s Guild).
Moreover, both Lauzoril and both……of his daughters are still alive today (in the 1400s DR).
How?
I buy sleyvas’s idea that Lauzoril’s daughter Mimuay Tavai became a mage-priestess of Velsharoon, and later the lesser avatar of Velsharoon on Abeir (as he proposed……in a thread in the Candlekeep forums familiar to you). At her request, the deity awakened Lauzoril’s clone.
Lauzoril’s other daughter, Nyasia, had her own means of longevity.
What are they all up to, these days? Ah, for that we’ll have to wait and see…
|
| NyluenathaStareyes |
Posted - 16 May 2024 : 18:10:13
the organization on these treasures is *chefs kiss* questing_gm! Thanks for adding these into the think tank. Also Harkaum?? Sent me into a little tailspin of delight looking into that one. I do love how Ed just casually drops lorebombs like "oh yes, whole planet of Larloch servitor liches nbd!"
Love to see some more Abeir goodness coming together! Now about that indiscriminate list... |
| questing gm |
Posted - 16 May 2024 : 12:15:25
On Abeir's Common
Gustavo Tortato — 09/15/2023 9:45 AM
Hey Ed!
Do people over at Abeir have something close to Toril's common?
Is Aklave used widely by everyone there, or only the draconic races?
Ed Greenwood — 09/16/2023 11:15 AM
Folk of Abeir speak Thorass (Old Common) due to previous contacts with Toril, and Aklave is used widely among most Abeirans, as well. (Also: more lore on Abeir is on the way...) |
| questing gm |
Posted - 16 May 2024 : 12:11:26
On continuing Abeir's timeline post Second Sundering
Gustavo Tortato — 02/15/2023 10:09 PM
Hey @Ed Greenwood, I know this may be under infinite NDAs or maybe just a subject better left forgotten, but is there any intention from you to continue the timeline of the Realms over at Abeir after the Second Sundering?
Being that in the form of soucebooks or even novels?
Ed Greenwood — 02/16/2023 10:22 AM
Intentions, oh yes. However, there ARE NDAs that must be navigated, and I have less than no time these days (and Abeir lends itself to being "compartmentalized" and set aside for a bit), so it may be a while. |
| questing gm |
Posted - 16 May 2024 : 12:09:21
On Larloch liches in Abeir
RPGMatch — 02/11/2023 11:37 PM
@Ed Greenwood what three worlds would that be that Larloch has liches working for him in?
Ed Greenwood — 02/12/2023 1:00 AM
Abeir, Oerth, and Harkaum. |
| questing gm |
Posted - 16 May 2024 : 11:58:28
I was initially thinking of vetting through these to determine what is relevant lore or not, but since this scroll is for that, I decided to throw the whole kitchen sink, and let the collective sages here decide.
I have sort them into relative broad categories, so that you can hone in on particular areas of interest as you build your own knowledge base.
This post will only cover #realmslore tweets from Ed (those from the Discord will get their own respective posts). This will just be a compilation of links to tweets and their relative titles. I will, however, not include tweets that mentions Abeir in passing, and/or not the main context/answer/lore of the tweet, but you can contact me if you want an indiscriminate list.
Geography
Culture
Magic
Toril connections/Sundering
Misc
NDAs
|
| sleyvas |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 21:53:14
Rereading through what Ed said as far as changes and what I responded with... I was wrong... this Ranthram chain would seem to be a lot further south.
1. in the sea just viewer's right of the central meridian (between the lowest latitude mark-like and the one above it), an arc like a flattened "C" of islands, with a few scattered either side of it, and three big islands along the center of the arc = The Ranthram chain
So, if we were looking at that prior drawing and looked on the BOTTOM half of the world beneath Lhoraun and southwest of Marranth.. That should be where this Ranthram Chain of islands is located. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 20:15:33
quote:
Originally posted by varyar
All is not lost, my friends:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240101105608if_/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1072136642162343986/1190098651834495067/Abeir-2.png
Thank you man. I saved off the image locally and I may take a stab at making something a little more detailed with more of Ed's notes added in the future (that's if Ed himself doesn't eventually have someone make a map). |
| NyluenathaStareyes |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 17:04:43
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Thank you much, this is exactly where I was hoping things might lead. Maybe this thread become a focal point for "links" that get dropped, and then the FR Wiki get updated with the more detailed information. I see you added what appears to be a transcription of what he said in the video.
If Questing GM can find the more references and post them here, maybe we can get a decent movement on updating this section of the FR Wiki.
Love that idea, Abeir has always fascinated me (one of the best things to come out of the Spellplague, IMO) so I love getting these tidbits from El. I pulled the information I got from the Patreon doc that is the transcript for the video -
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XBeeDMJFnzo
I did my best to re-word a bit so as to not just copy paste, but keep the original intent without adding overmuch of my own ideas. Will update once I’ve added in information on the few regions we got some details on!
I follow the Discord, will see if I can mine any interesting nuggets of lore from there too. questing_gm any lorefinding you can do will be greatly appreciated! |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 16:44:11
quote:
Originally posted by NyluenathaStareyes
Saw this post and got inspired to add the new information to the FR Wiki to flesh out a bit more about Abeir and its lands. Which leads me to the fact now I should probably add in wiki pages for all the new locations! More forthcoming there. Did a quick jaunt through Ed’s Twitter to garner some more tidbits too.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Abeir
Thank you much, this is exactly where I was hoping things might lead. Maybe this thread become a focal point for "links" that get dropped, and then the FR Wiki get updated with the more detailed information. I see you added what appears to be a transcription of what he said in the video.
If Questing GM can find the more references and post them here, maybe we can get a decent movement on updating this section of the FR Wiki. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 16:34:29
quote:
Originally posted by questing gm
I can easily search and compile all related tweets and answers in the Discord from Ed regarding Abeir if that's what you are looking for, or are you searching for particular snippets of lore on particular subjects?
Missed this part when I replied earlier. This might be a good idea. I mean, I'm betting Ed's making a lot of this up as he goes, but he's also been good in the past about trying to maintain continuity (stress trying, which is always hard when you don't have a concrete beginning). It could be a very fun project to try and "build" Abeir from bits and pieces with sages applying their own ideas to things. |
| NyluenathaStareyes |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 15:07:41
Saw this post and got inspired to add the new information to the FR Wiki to flesh out a bit more about Abeir and its lands. Which leads me to the fact now I should probably add in wiki pages for all the new locations! More forthcoming there. Did a quick jaunt through Ed’s Twitter to garner some more tidbits too.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Abeir |
| varyar |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 14:56:21
All is not lost, my friends:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240101105608if_/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1072136642162343986/1190098651834495067/Abeir-2.png |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 14:53:52
quote:
Originally posted by questing gm
I can easily search and compile all related tweets and answers in the Discord from Ed regarding Abeir if that's what you are looking for, or are you searching for particular snippets of lore on particular subjects?
As for the unavailable link of the map, it currently works here: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1072136642162343986/1190098651834495067/Abeir-2.png?ex=6644b37d&is=664361fd&hm=7a8731f2925ec4601e9a0698cabc53be315039dfa5f8ed49d8cb176cf19b537c
I much rather if the forum has a way for me to insert the images directly, so that I won't have to update the link as it changes ever so often.
Damn, even that one's gone. I knew I should have grabbed a screenshot (I mean I know it was non canon, had little detail, had some pretty obvious scale issues that I pointed out above, but it was at least somewhat approved and gave something of an idea of placement and rough general shape of some continents... at least it was better than the junk map I made). If someone finds it again, please save off the image and put it up somewhere. I don't want to use it directly, but I'd like to get an idea of rough shapes that aren't coming from memory. |
| ElfBane |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 09:42:36
quote:
I much rather if the forum has a way for me to insert the images directly, so that I won't have to update the link as it changes ever so often.
The ability to put images directly into Candelkeep Forums is something that has been desired for a while now. It's not gonna happen with this old forum software. And it might not happen even if the site is upgraded. Allowing direct image insertion will GREATLY increase the data stored here, and almost certainly greatly increase the COST of maintaining it. Perhaps Alaundo will notice this post, and grace us with some Forum update news. |
| questing gm |
Posted - 15 May 2024 : 05:45:34
I can easily search and compile all related tweets and answers in the Discord from Ed regarding Abeir if that's what you are looking for, or are you searching for particular snippets of lore on particular subjects?
As for the unavailable link of the map, it currently works here: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1072136642162343986/1190098651834495067/Abeir-2.png?ex=6644b37d&is=664361fd&hm=7a8731f2925ec4601e9a0698cabc53be315039dfa5f8ed49d8cb176cf19b537c
I much rather if the forum has a way for me to insert the images directly, so that I won't have to update the link as it changes ever so often. |
| Zeromaru X |
Posted - 14 May 2024 : 18:11:59
The content of the link is no longer available. But, if it is the map I think it is, the map is fanmade, not Ed's.
But yes, there are a few contradictions between this new info and the older info. For instance, Ed barely mentioned the genasi on his video, while older products (such as the FRCG or "The Devil You Know", by Erin Evans, put the genasi as the dominant race on Shyr). |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 13 May 2024 : 17:22:48
So, we got a BIT of an update in a quote in Greenwood's Grotto Thread maybe a week after I started this thread, but I'm just seeing this update in our forums, so just noting it myself. Trying to consolidate things here for future research. I will note that one thing that's very odd is that if we look at the SCALE for the documented size of Laerakond from the 4e FRCG, it is ROUGHLY the same size AND shape as the Maztica subcontinent (i.e. minus what TSR was calling Anchorome above it and Lopango below it). So, in theory, Laerakond is relatively small in relation to the rest of the world. But if you look at THIS from the below thread (and making the link easier to click below)
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1072136642162343986/1190098651834495067/Abeir-2.png?ex=6642b93d&is=664167bd&hm=e57c0e0d7fc70d61d4025fc832bee0267ba17dd1977b1390220df850e02037e8&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1277&height=668
This shows Laerakond on this map where the "Boiling Sea / Cold Strait" would be ... so this is a "before the spellplague" map as I'd understand it.... and we don't know if Laerakond has gone BACK to abeir (prefer it not, just because). It also shows Laerakond as HUGE in comparison (I would almost say 20 times bigger at a guess), so either this drawing should show it smaller (which its not official, so I'd be inclined towards that)... OR.... the official map of Laerakond has all of its scales off for sizing. To note, the second option may make Laerakond make more SENSE mind you, since it has sections of icy land near adjacent to jungles. But when magic is about... "things" can happen that environmentally seem insane.
This would seem to be a good question to ask of Ed for clarification, and I may do that later given time.
Also, just to note, reading what Ed writes and turning it into a visual in your mind can be pretty hard, and I bet its also hard for him to try and MAKE that text to clarify. So, I'd like to make a bit of my own thoughts here on what he said. So, Marranth in the other guys drawing should have a big old bump coming off the west coast about halfway down.
Then the first note would have a "C" shaped collection of islands just west of the aforementioned "bump" with three larger islands near the center that he's calling the "Ranthram Chain"... something new. I'd almost bet that this collection of islands is meant to somewhat "encircle" the "bump" he mentioned above... almost like those islands are either breakaways from the mainland OR "newly" forming islands as volcanic activity shifted west.
He's also recommending a long line of islands for the ice run.
It does give a rough placement of Lhoraun as well which would have it much more decidely north than I would have predicted. I probably would expand it further south a bit so that its less frozen given some of the things that were said of it. I know he said its rumored to extend into the frozen north, but this would seem to make it primarily the frozen north. I'd probably also move it a bit further west so as to allow for that long line of ice run islands (i.e. so that Lhoraun isn't RIGHT next to Marranth).
Finally, this other person's map shows a "faded" section that says F. Maztica .... which is the ROUGH size and shape of what TSR referred to as Anchorome/Maztica/Lopango.... but its HUGELY smaller in scale. Combine this with the above over enlargement of Laerakond and I'd have to wonder a lot about the scale of those two in particular.
quote:
Originally posted by questing gm
On an Abeir map
Gustavo Tortato — 12/29/2023 9:07 AM
Hello @Ed Greenwood! We've had this awesome map done by @Kalontas based on your description of Abeir in a recent video.
Would you say it's accurate? Any major improvements that would need to be done?
<https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1072136642162343986/1190098651834495067/Abeir-2.png?ex=6642b93d&is=664167bd&hm=e57c0e0d7fc70d61d4025fc832bee0267ba17dd1977b1390220df850e02037e8&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1277&height=668>
Ed Greenwood — 12/31/2023 12:53 PM
I like this map very much. To make it "perfect" (ha) I would make the following changes: 1. in the sea just viewer's right of the central meridian (between the lowest latitude mark-like and the one above it), an arc like a flattened "C" of islands, with a few scattered either side of it, and three big islands along the center of the arc = The Ranthram chain/2. The Ice Run needs more islands to the uppermost right (i.e. thicken the line of islands into a belt)/ and lastly, 3. Marranth needs to look SLIGHTLY less like a drooping pizza slice, by "bumping it out" westwards in a bulge shaped a little like Senegal and Guinea and the coastal countries (The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, and Liberia) of real-world Africa, located along the west coast of Marranth from the second red squiggly line south of the legend "Marranth" down to the fourth squiggly line south of that word. Then I'd be REALLY happy with the map. :}
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