Races in Magnamund.

[Nagisawa]

So, I was reading on the various kingdoms and it mentions that the Sommerlending and Ulnar weren't native to the continent. Well that got me thinking, obviously, they are two separate lines of humanity. And so, what would be the difference in appearance among them?

What makes an Ulnar, an Ulnar and Sommerlunder, a Sommerlunder?

 

[beowuuf]

If you read the magnamund companion on Project Aon it shows the migration of the various peoples, and what races they are. I think it even mentions characteristics of appearance in some cases.

 

[Nagisawa]

Really? Thanks!

 

[The Wolf]

The Sommerlund book might help you there

 

[Smiling Fox]

When it comes to appearance of various groups of humans it's not really mentioned and sometimes it even feels contradictory. Although Lone Wolf seems to easily recognize what makes a Sommlending a Sommlending.

Languages are also another matter that is a bit peculiar. In the gamebooks Lone Wolf have no problem in making himself understood, except in Vassagonia where he has to learn the language. Although he uses his Camouflage and Invisibility skills to mimic people of other countries, it's not really clear if they are using languages of their own or have different accents.

On the other hand it's clear that groups like the Elder Magi have languages of their own (although Joe Ever obvioulsy used the same words. I mentioned this on the old Tower of the Sun fora once. There was a thread of discussion on the subject).

 

[Random Code]

I always got the impression/feel that the Sommerlending travelled from another world to Magnamund. Something along the lines of an expeditionary force travelling out into the seas beyond misty isles to the end of their world. Travelling through these mists transported them somehow to Magnamund where they colonised the area now known as Sommerlund. Perhaps the gods of good chose them as there champions from one world so that they could save another.

I can't remember how I got to the above. It may have been something that I read in one of the old gamebooks or companion books or even when the fan club was running in the early days.

 

[Zager Krahl]

That whole part about the Sommlending coming from the 'Northern Void' always gave me the idea that somewhere to the north of Kalte, there was another continent of some kind - Hyperborea, Leng, whatever - that has more life on it. Plus, looking at the Companion and the way it shows how the various races arrived on N. Magnamund - am I the only one that thinks it looks like a giant arena, with combatants filtering in from the sides to have a little shin-dig sk*t-kick in the middle?

 

[Random Code]

That's why I interpreted it as from another world, plus the fact that its said Naar brought the Darklords from another world so its not a leap to suggest some forces for good came from 'elsewhere'. Also, I'm sure I've read that Magnamund is the last battleground in the universe of good vs. evil. It'd make sense that champions on both sides came from other planets. I like the idea of it... It lends itself to a bigger picture beyond the mundane and greater opportunities for adventure.

 

[Smiling Fox]

Well, I've always had the notion that the people where created and then put into the void and arriving. Like suddenly there are a fleet of ships of Sommlendings created. But it wouldn't be unplausable to have the Sommlendings arriving from another planet in Aon, a world that was conquered by the forces of good. The Drakkarim came from another world didn't they?

 

[Random Code]

Well, I've always had the notion that the people where created and then put into the void and arriving. Like suddenly there are a fleet of ships of Sommlendings created. But it wouldn't be unplausable to have the Sommlendings arriving from another planet in Aon, a world that was conquered by the forces of good. The Drakkarim came from another world didn't they?

Yeah, that was the idea.

I thought Magnamund was the final battleground in the universe so the forces of good and evil sent their top scrappers to the Fight Club, sorry, world. :wink:

 

[Smiling Fox]

Also many things are not known as well. I mean take the Sommerswerd, when was it created and where? On the Plane of Light? Or on some of the other planets of Aon? Think we can speculate on these matters how much we want, but we won't get any answers on many of these questions since Magnamund seems to have been expanded as Joe wrote the gamebooks. I mean in the early books the gods are not even mentioned by name. I think the first time I read about them was in the Magnamund Companion.

 

[The Wolf]

It doesn't mean you won't get the answers, especially with the amount of expanded info in Sommerlund for example.

 

[beowuuf]

Does no one read the newsletters on PA? The Naomi created the Sommerswerd on the Plane of Light.

And given Joe had a D&D campaign world created before the gamebooks, I think many of the things existed, just you don't want to deluge your audience right off the bat.

 

[Smiling Fox]

There's newsletters on PA? Have to check them out then

 

[Zager Krahl]

Here is the article from the MC, as available on PA:

Lone Wolf Club Newsletter New Year’s Special 1987:
To the east and west of the two great continents of Northern and Southern Magnamund are huge expanses of sea. In the northern hemisphere this sea is called ‘The Northern Void’; in the southern hemisphere it is called ‘The Southern Void’. There are thousands of uncharted islands, which collectively are called the ‘Kayunis’—a Vassagonian word which means ‘the stones of the void’. The Sommlending people were originally from an archipelago in The Northern Void. The God Kai compelled them to leave their islands and voyage to The Lastlands, and it was during this great voyage that he imbued many of the warriors with special powers. These warriors were destined to become the Kai Lords of Sommerlund.