A
Anonymous
Guest
August,
As a long-time Lone Wolf geek, I had some questions based on my re-readings of the books, including Grey Star, and the history provided in the LW:RPG sourcebook, since you had access to Joe's notes.
1) What do the various races correspond to in our world? The Sommlending are pretty easy and I always viewed the Durenese as being close to the Numenoreans of Tolkien's world. But what are the differences, besides language between Vaderish and ALuvian and Nael? Is one like Mediterranean and the others Slavic or Celtic?
Another that confuses me is the background of the Tianese--are they supposed to be Asiatic in appearance, and if so, why do so many in the Grey Star books appear to be of nearly every type? Are those later immigrants to the Empire? Are the Mythenish Asian too? I don't really get these two groups, and I assume the Masbate are their own category altogether(along with the Telchos.)
2) where do the human races come from? the Drakkarim are apparently from a different world, but what about the Ulnarians, Vaderish, etc? There's a reference to a "Sommer Isles" in the history you wrote, is that on the other side of the planet? Do those lost lands still exist?
3) In the Deathlord of Ixia, we're told that he was a Lieutenant of Agarash, but we are also told in the gazeteer that he drew energies from beyond the Daziarn and that it cursed his entire kingdom to undeath. Did he become affiiliated with the Darkness before or after this act? And he appears much different than the other Ixians, I assume he's not of the same race, and that the Ixians were not themselves evil(as their 15,000 year old ships do not break down when he is slain.)
4) Taklakot is apparently the realm of undead, as well, but that is not the impression given by Grey Star:Forbidden City. They are consistently referred to as "wretches" and "madmen" almost as if they are alive and merely go through bizarre motions of life, but they DO consume flesh. I just assumed they got that food from other "wretches." Undeath seems to lend a particular appearance to the undead. The Mad King of Gyanima definitely had eyes(described by you as rotted out) when Grey Star encounters them, they're just the eyes of a psychotic madman(red-rimmed.) I guess my impression was that these were cursed and ghoulish but ALIVE humans who were either trapped in the city trying to explore and were "lost" to the poison of Taklakot or were born and died there as part of a bizarre line of cannibalistic madmen.
I mean, Hugi even hands the reigns over of a pretend horse to the Guardsman who then believes the ruse because the entire populace of the city is insane--not undead.
Also, the Sunstone seemed to let loose some sort of blast, which blew a huge valley into existence. That seemed to be missing from the description, though that point is less important as it was in the books.
5)Any info on the Kazin ?
6) I think the Freedom Guild of Karnali is misdescribed. You describe it as "an oppresive place ironically naming itself the Freedom Guild" but in the second book(just reread it) it seems clear that the Freedom Guild is an underground organization dedicated to slowly bleeding the Shadakine Empire until the time is right for rebellion. The Warward Kiro rules the city as head of the military garrison--the Freedom Guild is his enemy. It is during Grey Star's visit that they throw off the shackles of Shasarak's rule.
As a long-time Lone Wolf geek, I had some questions based on my re-readings of the books, including Grey Star, and the history provided in the LW:RPG sourcebook, since you had access to Joe's notes.
1) What do the various races correspond to in our world? The Sommlending are pretty easy and I always viewed the Durenese as being close to the Numenoreans of Tolkien's world. But what are the differences, besides language between Vaderish and ALuvian and Nael? Is one like Mediterranean and the others Slavic or Celtic?
Another that confuses me is the background of the Tianese--are they supposed to be Asiatic in appearance, and if so, why do so many in the Grey Star books appear to be of nearly every type? Are those later immigrants to the Empire? Are the Mythenish Asian too? I don't really get these two groups, and I assume the Masbate are their own category altogether(along with the Telchos.)
2) where do the human races come from? the Drakkarim are apparently from a different world, but what about the Ulnarians, Vaderish, etc? There's a reference to a "Sommer Isles" in the history you wrote, is that on the other side of the planet? Do those lost lands still exist?
3) In the Deathlord of Ixia, we're told that he was a Lieutenant of Agarash, but we are also told in the gazeteer that he drew energies from beyond the Daziarn and that it cursed his entire kingdom to undeath. Did he become affiiliated with the Darkness before or after this act? And he appears much different than the other Ixians, I assume he's not of the same race, and that the Ixians were not themselves evil(as their 15,000 year old ships do not break down when he is slain.)
4) Taklakot is apparently the realm of undead, as well, but that is not the impression given by Grey Star:Forbidden City. They are consistently referred to as "wretches" and "madmen" almost as if they are alive and merely go through bizarre motions of life, but they DO consume flesh. I just assumed they got that food from other "wretches." Undeath seems to lend a particular appearance to the undead. The Mad King of Gyanima definitely had eyes(described by you as rotted out) when Grey Star encounters them, they're just the eyes of a psychotic madman(red-rimmed.) I guess my impression was that these were cursed and ghoulish but ALIVE humans who were either trapped in the city trying to explore and were "lost" to the poison of Taklakot or were born and died there as part of a bizarre line of cannibalistic madmen.
I mean, Hugi even hands the reigns over of a pretend horse to the Guardsman who then believes the ruse because the entire populace of the city is insane--not undead.
Also, the Sunstone seemed to let loose some sort of blast, which blew a huge valley into existence. That seemed to be missing from the description, though that point is less important as it was in the books.
5)Any info on the Kazin ?
6) I think the Freedom Guild of Karnali is misdescribed. You describe it as "an oppresive place ironically naming itself the Freedom Guild" but in the second book(just reread it) it seems clear that the Freedom Guild is an underground organization dedicated to slowly bleeding the Shadakine Empire until the time is right for rebellion. The Warward Kiro rules the city as head of the military garrison--the Freedom Guild is his enemy. It is during Grey Star's visit that they throw off the shackles of Shasarak's rule.
