Eberron at the Movies part 2: National Treasure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Eberron at the Movies part 2: National Treasure [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
technodemon
12-08-04, 08:47 PM Well I think it's time for something fun. I got to go see the movie National Treasure on opening weekand and when the Dragonshard for Gnomes was released, I go to thinking. Could the gnomes of Zilargo and possiblely the The Trust be similar to the Freemasons? With the Freemasons being a secert organization, have enjoyed a reputation as influential politicians, scientists, and artists whose works and charities have enhanced the world.

What do you think?
Bluebrush
12-08-04, 09:03 PM The freemasons are more like the Aurnum, whose name I have undoubtedly misspelled.

The Aurnum are a group of rich people with a common interest in history who share similar ideals and goals, and help each other out.

The Trust is probably an enemy, since they may work against Zilargo's interests.
scaryfroman
12-08-04, 11:20 PM I'd probably agree with the Aurum (think gold.. in fact, very cheesy as it is latin for gold), rather than the Trust. There are people everywhere in the Aurum, but the Trust is pretty much all in ZIlargo
nyysjan
12-09-04, 02:25 AM Where there are gnomes there is the Trust
And most likely Aurum has been compromised by the Trust
But the Trust shall not intervene unless Aurum goes against the interests if Zilargo
Bluebrush
12-09-04, 05:48 AM the Trust is pretty much all in ZIlargo

Nyjsan is right. The trust works outside Zilargo to make sure nothing will threaten the land of the wise and also to gather information for their allies.
nyysjan
12-09-04, 05:59 AM I would also think it likely that the Trust has nongnome operatives that have very little information of the organization and who's only work would be sending reports what is happening

there are places where even the Zil-Gnomes would have trouble going in a regular basis without beeing noticed

Assassinations then again would be childs play :D
Alexius D'Cannith
12-09-04, 07:26 PM the Aurum is pretty much the freemasons, its a club for the rich and powerful everyone has heard of it but noone knows if the public image is all there is or if they are up to 'dodgy stuff' as only members and not all of them would know about that,

The Trust is more like the Illuminati, they go out of their way to make sure noone knows they exist and persue their private agenda in secret and to hell with anyone in the way
Bluebrush
12-09-04, 07:41 PM The Trust is more like the Illuminati, they go out of their way to make sure noone knows they exist and persue their private agenda in secret and to hell with anyone in the way

The Trust is way more public than that. Every Zilargo citizen knows about them, and they even have public agents out in the street. (Presumably someone you can run to in order to inform them of a crime in progress.)
Erix d'Pheer
12-09-04, 07:49 PM The Trust is nothing like the Illuminati. The Trust, if I had to pick a real-world parallel, would be the KGB. To pick another fictional group, they're the Thought Police. The Aurum is the Illuminati; they seem much too sinister to be the Freemasons. The Freemasons, it seems to me, have little in common with the Aurum; membership in the Masons had to do with importance and intelligence, not money. The Illuminati is a nearly perfect parallel for the Aurum - a shady group of the rich and powerful seeking to increase their own power by any means necessary. Make the Aurum hate the Church of the Silver Flame and it'd be absolutely perfect.
Alexius D'Cannith
12-10-04, 09:58 AM except a conspiracy theorist would tell you that your vision of the masons is what they want you to believe etc etc, there are some fun conspiracy sites like the one that talks about how the freemason who designed Washington DC built in a large number of occult symbols to do with bringing forth the power of the antichrist channeling it to the freemasons building etc etc,

and the aurum cant be the illuminati as the illuminati are supposed to be an organisation that dosnt exist, noone knows about it
Naudachu
12-10-04, 03:01 PM I think the Aurum most closely parallels the Freemasons, with the upper platinum circle probably infiltrated by a group like the Illuminati (Lords of Dust? Dreaming Dark?).

The Aurum is publically known, if not widespread, and easy to pick out of a crowd if you know them (a silver, gold, platinum ring on each finger). Even though we (as DMs and players, but hopefully not players) know about the Lords of Dust and Dreaming Dark, very few in Eberron do.

I haven't seen National Treasure, but I think I'll skip it and wait for the Da Vinci Code movie...coming out next year?
Brastan
12-10-04, 03:29 PM But thats an "secrete" sign of the Aurum. Your not supposed to know that is the connection to them. ;) Yes the Aurum are you secret large scale organization to place in something like National Treasure. As with any large group there is always different views and agendas. These could even change from leadership to leadership. Hence a hidden treasure that they now want to find. Its a simple change in how that movie progressed.

This is good (although not a particularly good movie, funny though) the Aurum need to see some more use in the setting. So far we've had a healthy helping of the Emerald Claw and Vol but nothing with the Aurum.

The best way to hide an persons membership to the Aurum is to have the person ware lots of jewelry in addition to the rings.
DolArrah
12-10-04, 04:08 PM I don't think any of them would work. . . the Aurum are obsessed with increasing their personal wealth, not about hiding away a treasure so no one gets gready. The trust will do anything to help the gnomes, so they would take the treasure and use it to further the government of Zilargo. I think it would be devout Silver Flame worshipers, who found gold in Sarlona, then brought it to Thrane, and hid it. . . I would say beneath the Silver Flame Citadel. What do you think?

Peace,
Dol Arrah
Alexius D'Cannith
12-10-04, 05:40 PM ahem the common aurum are interested in personal wealth, kyber only knows what the secret cabinet are up to
DwarvinJedi
12-12-04, 06:50 PM I just saw the movie, and being a history buff myself, loved it. I think that we could just invent a new organization for the Freemasons, because the Masons were big into symbology, which I would picture a spinter group of the Silver Flame or clerics/paldins/experts/adepts/warriors of the Sovereign Host in most likely Breland to be a good area to place it, or have some connection to Xen'Drik or Sarlona.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
technodemon 12-08-04, 08:47 PM	Well I think it's time for something fun. I got to go see the movie National Treasure on opening weekand and when the Dragonshard for Gnomes was released, I go to thinking. Could the gnomes of Zilargo and possiblely the The Trust be similar to the Freemasons? With the Freemasons being a secert organization, have enjoyed a reputation as influential politicians, scientists, and artists whose works and charities have enhanced the world. What do you think?
Bluebrush 12-08-04, 09:03 PM	The freemasons are more like the Aurnum, whose name I have undoubtedly misspelled. The Aurnum are a group of rich people with a common interest in history who share similar ideals and goals, and help each other out. The Trust is probably an enemy, since they may work against Zilargo's interests.
scaryfroman 12-08-04, 11:20 PM	I'd probably agree with the Aurum (think gold.. in fact, very cheesy as it is latin for gold), rather than the Trust. There are people everywhere in the Aurum, but the Trust is pretty much all in ZIlargo
nyysjan 12-09-04, 02:25 AM	Where there are gnomes there is the Trust And most likely Aurum has been compromised by the Trust But the Trust shall not intervene unless Aurum goes against the interests if Zilargo
Bluebrush 12-09-04, 05:48 AM	the Trust is pretty much all in ZIlargo Nyjsan is right. The trust works outside Zilargo to make sure nothing will threaten the land of the wise and also to gather information for their allies.
nyysjan 12-09-04, 05:59 AM	I would also think it likely that the Trust has nongnome operatives that have very little information of the organization and who's only work would be sending reports what is happening there are places where even the Zil-Gnomes would have trouble going in a regular basis without beeing noticed Assassinations then again would be childs play :D
Alexius D'Cannith 12-09-04, 07:26 PM	the Aurum is pretty much the freemasons, its a club for the rich and powerful everyone has heard of it but noone knows if the public image is all there is or if they are up to 'dodgy stuff' as only members and not all of them would know about that, The Trust is more like the Illuminati, they go out of their way to make sure noone knows they exist and persue their private agenda in secret and to hell with anyone in the way
Bluebrush 12-09-04, 07:41 PM	The Trust is more like the Illuminati, they go out of their way to make sure noone knows they exist and persue their private agenda in secret and to hell with anyone in the way The Trust is way more public than that. Every Zilargo citizen knows about them, and they even have public agents out in the street. (Presumably someone you can run to in order to inform them of a crime in progress.)
Erix d'Pheer 12-09-04, 07:49 PM	The Trust is nothing like the Illuminati. The Trust, if I had to pick a real-world parallel, would be the KGB. To pick another fictional group, they're the Thought Police. The Aurum is the Illuminati; they seem much too sinister to be the Freemasons. The Freemasons, it seems to me, have little in common with the Aurum; membership in the Masons had to do with importance and intelligence, not money. The Illuminati is a nearly perfect parallel for the Aurum - a shady group of the rich and powerful seeking to increase their own power by any means necessary. Make the Aurum hate the Church of the Silver Flame and it'd be absolutely perfect.
Alexius D'Cannith 12-10-04, 09:58 AM	except a conspiracy theorist would tell you that your vision of the masons is what they want you to believe etc etc, there are some fun conspiracy sites like the one that talks about how the freemason who designed Washington DC built in a large number of occult symbols to do with bringing forth the power of the antichrist channeling it to the freemasons building etc etc, and the aurum cant be the illuminati as the illuminati are supposed to be an organisation that dosnt exist, noone knows about it
Naudachu 12-10-04, 03:01 PM	I think the Aurum most closely parallels the Freemasons, with the upper platinum circle probably infiltrated by a group like the Illuminati (Lords of Dust? Dreaming Dark?). The Aurum is publically known, if not widespread, and easy to pick out of a crowd if you know them (a silver, gold, platinum ring on each finger). Even though we (as DMs and players, but hopefully not players) know about the Lords of Dust and Dreaming Dark, very few in Eberron do. I haven't seen National Treasure, but I think I'll skip it and wait for the Da Vinci Code movie...coming out next year?
Brastan 12-10-04, 03:29 PM	But thats an "secrete" sign of the Aurum. Your not supposed to know that is the connection to them. ;) Yes the Aurum are you secret large scale organization to place in something like National Treasure. As with any large group there is always different views and agendas. These could even change from leadership to leadership. Hence a hidden treasure that they now want to find. Its a simple change in how that movie progressed. This is good (although not a particularly good movie, funny though) the Aurum need to see some more use in the setting. So far we've had a healthy helping of the Emerald Claw and Vol but nothing with the Aurum. The best way to hide an persons membership to the Aurum is to have the person ware lots of jewelry in addition to the rings.
DolArrah 12-10-04, 04:08 PM	I don't think any of them would work. . . the Aurum are obsessed with increasing their personal wealth, not about hiding away a treasure so no one gets gready. The trust will do anything to help the gnomes, so they would take the treasure and use it to further the government of Zilargo. I think it would be devout Silver Flame worshipers, who found gold in Sarlona, then brought it to Thrane, and hid it. . . I would say beneath the Silver Flame Citadel. What do you think? Peace, Dol Arrah
Alexius D'Cannith 12-10-04, 05:40 PM	ahem the common aurum are interested in personal wealth, kyber only knows what the secret cabinet are up to
DwarvinJedi 12-12-04, 06:50 PM	I just saw the movie, and being a history buff myself, loved it. I think that we could just invent a new organization for the Freemasons, because the Masons were big into symbology, which I would picture a spinter group of the Silver Flame or clerics/paldins/experts/adepts/warriors of the Sovereign Host in most likely Breland to be a good area to place it, or have some connection to Xen'Drik or Sarlona.