Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tavish 01-23-08, 03:11 PM	Here is a link for some more fluffy material about Valenar: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080118
Alas 01-23-08, 03:24 PM	I like the bit about the ethnically Khunan humans in the area; it supports my campaign plans to have little pockets of non-Galifaran culture all over the place.
Alex_ 01-23-08, 07:58 PM	Here is a link for some more fluffy material about Valenar: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080118 Yay! More info on the Humans and Half-Elves!
Just another user 01-26-08, 08:58 AM	aah, this is like a sip of fresh water in the desert of 4e previews, no offense intended to Rich, but I still think they got the wrong Baker working for 4e.
mhacdebhandia 01-29-08, 08:55 PM	Part two: The Walls of Taer Valaestas (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080129).
eehamburg 01-30-08, 01:01 PM	I like the idea of non-traditional city walls. The Bronzewood Wall of Thorns was a really interesting take that can be used quite effectively.
Hellcow 01-30-08, 01:11 PM	Yay! More info on the Humans and Half-Elves! And more to come, for what it's worth. There's more to Valenar than elves, and while it's something I'd like to explore in even more detail, I think that there's lots of interesting hooks for a Valenar human PCs.
AvonRekaes 01-30-08, 04:53 PM	And more to come, for what it's worth. There's more to Valenar than elves, and while it's something I'd like to explore in even more detail, I think that there's lots of interesting hooks for a Valenar human PCs. One of my favorite examples of a Valenar human was Cutter from one of the Inquisitive books. He was a prisoner of war that was taken as a slave by a Valenar warband, lead by an elf who's patron ancestor was said to have had a vast slave workforce. Cutter was given the name "cutter" because it was his sole purpose in life to cut firewood for the elven warriors. Eventually he had enough and decided the death was better than slavery, so he challenged the warband's leader, insinuated that if he didn't accept the challenge than he was an insult to his ancestor, and then killed him in the ensuing duel. He expected the rest of the warband to descend upon him and execute him for killing their leader, but they accepted him as one of their own for honorably winning his freedom. He traveled with them for a few years before returning to Sharn.
Hellcow 01-30-08, 05:03 PM	And there's a lot of good points in that. There's a tremendous range between the values and beliefs of the Valenar ancestral spirits, including many we wouldn't think of as heroes. The elf doesn't choose the spirit, the spirit chooses the elf, and then it's the elf's duty to do his best to follow in the footsteps. So first you have the fact that just because one elf thought slavery was appropriate doesn't mean the other members of his band agreed... but in this example, they'd also recognize that he'd been set upon the path of the slaver, and it wasn't their place to take him off of it... but just as their own ancestors rebeled against slavery, it's logical for many of them to also respect Cutter for doing the same, and for besting his oppressor. Personally, as Valenar hooks go, I also like the idea of the character whose ancestor is renowned for acts the PC finds repugnant - the slaver, the murderer, the madman. Presumably this person had some redeeming traits to be honored among the ancestors; he may have killed his brother, but he was also one of the mightiest warriors of the age. Yet if the elf is to truly embody the ancestor, he should emulate him in all ways. Can he come to terms with that? Or will he resist, somehow trying to change his destiny and break his tie to the patron spirit?
mhacdebhandia 01-30-08, 06:31 PM	By the way, Keith, I thought that this passage really clearly stated how Tairnadal elven "faith" works: Every Valenar warrior wears a brooch called the zaelshin, which bears the emblem of his sanctified ancestor. By covering his face, the elf ensures that the glory of the victory will pass to his patron champion. Simple, but effective. I love the idea of dedicating your actions to your ancestor, so, kudos!
Hellcow 01-30-08, 07:00 PM	Actually, the zaelshin is first mentioned in the Valenar entry of the Player's Guide to Eberron... though I wrote that, too, so thanks!