| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Sep 2022 : 02:37:39
|
Hi there.
What unique feature(s) of Aglarond make it worth exploring in a campaign? If - for example - Cormyr is close as you can get to a traditional quasi-medieval fantasy demesne in The Realms, what differentiates The Simbul's stomping ground from that standard? My understanding is that this nation is a bit rougher/rustic in spite of its overall greater emphasis on magic (confidently so) and it is of course infused with substantial fey flavor. To the extent that Aglarond is mentioned in a typical Forgotten Realms story, I've observed that it's used as a semi-exotic background for characters that can't or won't originate from truly outré lands such as Maztica/Kara-Tur/Zakhara/et cetera.
|
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
|
|
Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
890 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2022 : 04:01:09
|
| Aglarond is appealing because it is next to Thay which desperately wants to conquer all adjacent lands. Not to mention the mysteries of the Yuirwood. |
 |
|
|
sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2022 : 20:36:01
|
| Aglarond is also much less civilized than places like Impiltur, Cormyr, etc.... Its probably closer to the dalelands in its nature. The looming threat of Thay could be mirrored by the looming threat of Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar for instance. The "fey influence" could be comparable to the elven woods of the dalelands. But, Aglarond, for all its similarities is probably still more rural in many ways than even the dalelands, because it doesn't have nearby neighbors that it can quickly rely on for support like the dalelands can expect from Cormyr and/or Sembia. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
|
|
|
Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7969 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2022 : 21:33:54
|
| I'd replace "rural" with "self-reliant". Which makes me imagine the place is sort of a Fantasy Wild West - just replace guns with wands. Half-lawless, tenacious, resourceful, redneck. Locals tend to police themselves and take care of their own problems, but they also tend to be a little hostile towards strangers. Along with total lawlesslness outside the local reach of the law. Travellers are always armed. |
[/Ayrik] |
|
|
|
sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2022 : 18:06:58
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
I'd replace "rural" with "self-reliant". Which makes me imagine the place is sort of a Fantasy Wild West - just replace guns with wands. Half-lawless, tenacious, resourceful, redneck. Locals tend to police themselves and take care of their own problems, but they also tend to be a little hostile towards strangers. Along with total lawlesslness outside the local reach of the law. Travellers are always armed.
Yeah, that's probably a better phrasing. With the native americans to a degree being the fey in the woods as the "unclaimed lands nearby".... and the people of Aglarond don't have the upper hand on them. Then there are bandits in the form of merchant-pirates living in Altumbel nearby who probably don't raid here... but probably show up here to fence goods. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
|
|
|
Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 11 Oct 2022 : 05:05:46
|
A) Is the region "castle friendly"?
B) Is it possible to have "sub-forests" within a greater wood? I'm not a dendrologist nor am I forester, so I beg forgiveness if this is one of those "duh" questions. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
|
|
|
TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2022 : 18:58:42
|
Depends on the style of adventuring, of course.
Aside of the old "shore humans vs. forest half-elves" problem, Aglarond has the whole "Simbul and her followers vs. Red Wizards" problem. Of course, she does not just vaporize all suspected Thayan spies... summarily... anymore... but suspicious activity around there still sounds like an unhealthy idea. 
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
A) Is the region "castle friendly"?
What do you mean?
Can some adventurers with decent "resume" just pledge allegiance to Simbul and go build a baronial keep near the border, along with developing nearby land for their logistical needs? Probably not, or a lot of them would already do this.
quote:
B) Is it possible to have "sub-forests" within a greater wood? I'm not a dendrologist nor am I forester, so I beg forgiveness if this is one of those "duh" questions.
Well, obviously it's not a perfectly blended homogeneous expanse. 
On the geology/hydrology side you necessarily have variation in elevation and soil due to bedrock, basins of different waters and different levels of moisture. Salt spray from the sea makes its own belt of plants that aren't too picky. Then there are sub-biomes, whether due to effects of soil and moisture or areas more or less affected by invasive species at some time.
And in Yuir, there are traces of old wars, various heavy duty wards (deeper in) and side effects of Thayan incursions (closer to the borders), and who knows what.
See also Elminsters Ecologies series. Speaking of which: "A sea of fire could be a sea of fire that belongs." It's not as rough in Yuir as on High Moor, of course, but... |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
Edited by - TBeholder on 13 Oct 2022 19:08:55 |
|
|
|
Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7969 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2022 : 18:17:36
|
Some forests are fairly uniform, the same ecology, the same collection of species everywhere you look. But I think these are always artificially cultivated and maintained.
Nature left on its own is fierce and wild. Even the most majestic trees and the most pretty songbirds must struggle and compete every day to stay alive.
So if the entire nation-spanning forest is a fairly uniform thing then I blame those meddling elves and druids. Nature is supposed to be a feral war, not a garden. |
[/Ayrik] |
|
|
|
Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2022 : 04:56:35
|
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
A) Is the region "castle friendly"?
What do you mean?
Can some adventurers with decent "resume" just pledge allegiance to Simbul and go build a baronial keep near the border, along with developing nearby land for their logistical needs? Probably not, or a lot of them would already do this.
Oops. I was wondering if it is already littered with vacated castles and/or if the land is inimical to the founding of comparable massive fortified structures. There could be an abundance of monsters or "wild magic" (not the same as canon "Wild Magic") that make such enterprises unfeasible. Hell, maybe The Simbul - in all her chaotic glory - comes along and upsets monarchies that don't align with her sensibilities.
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
B) Is it possible to have "sub-forests" within a greater wood? I'm not a dendrologist nor am I forester, so I beg forgiveness if this is one of those "duh" questions.
Well, obviously it's not a perfectly blended homogeneous expanse.
On the geology/hydrology side you necessarily have variation in elevation and soil due to bedrock, basins of different waters and different levels of moisture. Salt spray from the sea makes its own belt of plants that aren't too picky. Then there are sub-biomes, whether due to effects of soil and moisture or areas more or less affected by invasive species at some time.
And in Yuir, there are traces of old wars, various heavy duty wards (deeper in) and side effects of Thayan incursions (closer to the borders), and who knows what.
See also Elminsters Ecologies series. Speaking of which: "A sea of fire could be a sea of fire that belongs." It's not as rough in Yuir as on High Moor, of course, but...
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Some forests are fairly uniform, the same ecology, the same collection of species everywhere you look. But I think these are always artificially cultivated and maintained.
Nature left on its own is fierce and wild. Even the most majestic trees and the most pretty songbirds must struggle and compete every day to stay alive.
So if the entire nation-spanning forest is a fairly uniform thing then I blame those meddling elves and druids. Nature is supposed to be a feral war, not a garden.
Terrific. Fantastic. Awesome.
Within the Yuirwood, I want to have this stretch of terrain called "The Thunderscar Forest"; whether it has tenuous connections with the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Lightning, is merely charged with an abundance of magical energies or - in a Fisher King (Fisher Queen?) twist - it is a reflection of Simbul's tempestuous nature is unknown, but, as the name indicates, safely traveling across this greenwood is a tricky endeavor even during ideal conditions. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
|
|
|
Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1265 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2022 : 23:49:27
|
| The Yuirwood is pretty unique; magic doesn't work properly in it and scrying is also very difficult in it. The Simbul's Gift has a lot of info for any Yuirwood adventure. I think the Old Man of the Woods (or whatever he is called) that is some primordial wood god as powerful as the Simbul is kind of a very neat concept. I got a lot of Blair Witch vibes from the Yuirwood |
|
|
|
TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2022 : 06:29:45
|
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
Oops. I was wondering if it is already littered with vacated castles and/or if the land is inimical to the founding of comparable massive fortified structures. There could be an abundance of monsters or "wild magic" (not the same as canon "Wild Magic") that make such enterprises unfeasible. Hell, maybe The Simbul - in all her chaotic glory - comes along and upsets monarchies that don't align with her sensibilities.
That's another part of it, yes.
Even in Cormyr feudal encapsulation is rather superficial, if mainly due to the War Wizards in particular and balance of power in general. But they still try to expand into Stoneland via added fiefs.
In Aglarond it's just not going to work. Between internal politics, dangerous neighbors and impossibly strong central power.
They presumably need some border fortifications to have stable border, but this means they already have all they need. And there's nowhere to expand except inward, which obviously is not going to happen either.
Back to the original question:
The sparsity of settlements must create a demand for adventurers, if only to go check on something. More so considering that while scrying on thing is an option trivially available for every apprentice of Simbul, it cannot replace actual reconnaissance due to interference from either Yuir warding or possibly Red Wizards if they are involved. And then, of course, whoever goes to check should at very least not make things worse. At which point being competent enough to troubleshoot many problems without contacting the superiors is well within reach.
And yes, from what we know about mythals and remnants of Cormanthan spell-fields, any combination of prehistoric elven wards and various more recent environmental and magical disturbances must create many anomalies, especially at the edges. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
|
|
|
Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2022 : 04:40:20
|
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
Oops. I was wondering if it is already littered with vacated castles and/or if the land is inimical to the founding of comparable massive fortified structures. There could be an abundance of monsters or "wild magic" (not the same as canon "Wild Magic") that make such enterprises unfeasible. Hell, maybe The Simbul - in all her chaotic glory - comes along and upsets monarchies that don't align with her sensibilities.
That's another part of it, yes.
Even in Cormyr feudal encapsulation is rather superficial, if mainly due to the War Wizards in particular and balance of power in general. But they still try to expand into Stoneland via added fiefs.
In Aglarond it's just not going to work. Between internal politics, dangerous neighbors and impossibly strong central power.
They presumably need some border fortifications to have stable border, but this means they already have all they need. And there's nowhere to expand except inward, which obviously is not going to happen either.
...
And yes, from what we know about mythals and remnants of Cormanthan spell-fields, any combination of prehistoric elven wards and various more recent environmental and magical disturbances must create many anomalies, especially at the edges.
...then I shall feel no guilt whatsoever over plopping a juicy abandoned castle somewhere in those topsy-turvy woods . |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
|
|
|
TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2022 : 05:04:06
|
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
...then I shall feel no guilt whatsoever over plopping a juicy abandoned castle somewhere in those topsy-turvy woods .
A castle needs history. But "a keep of the late Velprin era" would do IMHO.
It would make sense if they tried to build minor fortifications on their border during clashes with half-elves in 1030s-1060s, or forward bases for expansion not long before that.
All of those should be abandoned after the war, since Velprin expansion was stopped and half-elves had no use for forts within their territory.
The only exceptions obvious for me (however unlikely) would be if they for some reason wanted to keep a town ("remove barracks... leave the smithy") or garrison (perhaps due to persistent monster problems?) in a given place, or agreed to let some wizard settle there. Those would be either abandoned a little later, or still in use. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
|
|
|
Outlaw Pope
Acolyte
43 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2022 : 15:10:29
|
| Werthead's maps of the region mark down some of its mentioned fortifications and its history. I honestly think its possible there might be some destroyed or old forts on its border with Thay, not to mention, the sort of-kind-of-separate realm of Altumbel. |
|
|
|
Azar
Master of Realmslore
1287 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2022 : 16:02:40
|
| Recently arrived in Aglarond is a contingent of Lathanderites on a pilgrimage to visit The Sunglade. Why, one might ask? Simple: the name speaks for itself. Furthermore, among Lathander's favored animals happens to be the butterfly. This journey - protection duty, you could call it - would allow the PCs to get a good look at the Yuirwood. |
Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
Earth names in the Realms are more common than you may think. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Aglarond's awesome adventuring appeal?
