Rasta said:
I've found a few maps online for Balazar of the Third Age, I was wondering if anyone knows about a detailed Second Age map of Balazar, or alternatively, a good source to find out how the Third and Second Age differ.
The best Third Age map is the one from the RQ2 Griffin Mountain - it's the same scale as the ones from Dragon Pass/Nomad Gods and is fairly detailed.
Rasta said:
I've read the description of Balazar in the Second Age book, which is pretty good, but I am wanting to understand who lives where. It seems obvious that the Elves live in the woods surrounding the Elf Sea, and that the Dwarves live in Greatway in the Rockwood Mountains. Also, I know the some Orlanthi live in the South Wood forest.
The Elder Races are strong in Second Age Votankiland (as Rurik points out it only becomes Balazar at the end of the EWF).
The Book of Drastic Resolutions (Darkness) has a lot of material on the trolls of the Elder Wilds, much of which could still apply to the Second Age.
Dragonewts roam the Elder Wilds with nests carried on dinosaur back.
Elves live in some of the woods. The Great Tree may, or may not, still be alive in the Elder Wilds, I can't remember. Certainly some of the plains would still be forested as they were burned in the Second Age. The Elf Sea might still have elves on floating logs.
Dwarves live in Greatway and Dwarf Hat, but whether they would be of use to people in Votankiland I don't know.
Griffin Mountain would have Griffins and Festering Island would have broos.
Rasta said:
This would make me infer that the Votanki would occupy the hills and or plains. Though, looking at the map, there are several forts and towers detailed. Who built these? Are they Votanki or someone else?
The Citadels were built in Balazar's time, so they wouldn't exist yet. The forts were built during the Third Age, but may have been built on the remains of older forts. Just off map, at the end of the Rockwoods, is the castle of Orathorn, inhabited by sorcerers.
Rasta said:
So reading the timeline, it would seem that many of the forts (Eloki, Dykene, Trilus) would have probably been built by Balazar when he established himself as the leader, since it would seem unlikely that the Vontaki would build them, and I have not seen any refrences to other humans that live there.
The Votanki were quite active at this time. They raided the EWF as well as raiding the Elder races. They also tricked the other races into fighting each other, breaking their earlier harmony. They had the Clan Hearths, though, so they would be based at the hearths. I think the Citadels were built on the top of existing hearths.
The EWF had made inroads into Votankiland, so there would be a heavy EWF presence. Dara Happans might have some influence there as well, especially as Votank's father is the Pelorian lion-headed god .
Rurik said:
First off it shouldn't be called Balazar, as Balazar is a Hero who arrives in the area a few hundred years after the MRQ material is set. It is the Elder Wilds and Vontakiland (suggesting your inference is right).
Balazar arrived in Votankiland after the Dara Happans threw off the EWF. He led the resurgent Yelmalio cult into Votankiland and united the tribes there, building the citadels and starting a small kingdom. However, he joined the Dragonkill and disppeared from history.
I always though that would be a really good campaign to run.
Rurik said:
There is an article on the Elder Wilds in Signs and Portents 50. Unfortunately it seems keyed to a map that is not included. The article has details on the Elves in the region, and is the most detailed Second Age material on the region.
Rurik said:
There is also a good history in the Griffin Mountain book.
