Flags? [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Flags? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
MarkusTay63
12-26-06, 03:10 AM Anyone know where I can find some of the flags of Faerun, In particular Cormyr? I remember one of the things I loved about the original Greyhawlk setting was all the flags on the covers of the books, it made the world feel more 'real'.

have they ever done any flags for FR? :confused:
Rell
12-26-06, 09:06 AM While Cormyr has several heraldic and traditional symbols - the wyrm, the stag and the unicorn - and probably one or several official coats of arms (including probably one for the kingdom itself, one for the Obarskyr family, one for the Steel Regent, one for the Purple Dragons etc.) I think I remember that having a national flag is a pretty recent invention. According to Wikipedia :

During the Middle Ages, flags were used mainly during battles to identify individual leaders: in Europe the knights, in Japan the samurai, and in China the generals under the imperial army.

From the time of Christopher Columbus onwards, it has been customary (and later a legal requirement) for ships to carry flags designating their nationality;[verification needed] these flags eventually evolved into the national flags and maritime flags of today.[verification needed] Flags also became the preferred means of communications at sea, resulting in various systems of flag signals; see International maritime signal flags.

As European knights were replaced by centralized armies, flags became the means to identify not just nationalities but also individual military units. Flags became much more elaborate,[verification needed] and were seen as objects to be captured or defended. Eventually these flags posed too much danger to those carrying them, and by World War I these were withdrawn from the battlefields, and have since been used only at ceremonial occasions.

So I'm not sure a flag is really needed... But you can still, of course, make your own flags.
MarkusTay63
12-26-06, 12:38 PM Not exactly what I was looking for, but thank you for the answer. In Greyhawk, even the Evil nations had flags; I guess that was a bit of an anachronism.

In both PotFS and SoFS, it mentions "ships flying the flags of Cormyr and Sembia", so I would assume there was at least a maritime flag designating nationality.
Faraer
12-26-06, 02:26 PM Cormyr's symbol is the purple dragon, Sembia's the raven and silver. Each has lots of variations (and therefore possible flags) rather than one standardized design.
primemover003
12-26-06, 09:03 PM The greyhawk line tended to be more Kingdom oriented than the Realms which have more independant city/states than full fledged kingdoms, especially in the more popular adventuring locales like the North.
MarkusTay63
12-27-06, 12:13 PM But the frontiers are all disappearing, just like RL. :(
primemover003
12-27-06, 04:25 PM I'd hardly say the frontiers are disappearing. The North and Savage frontier are still as dangerous as they ever were. The Silver Marches are one orc horde away from being one more broken kingdom in a long line of kingdoms.

The Western Heartlands are too vast to be controlled by any one power, just look at the map... ever seen more places named after Trolls? Let's not even mention the Forest of Wyrms and the Snake Hills. Even a new elven realm can't change the face of the Heartlands overnight.

Amn is still embroiled in a monstrous war. Cormyr is fragile and it's borders have never been secure. The Zhents have claimed the Moonsea, but Thar is still a wild untamed frontier. The Shaar is open, the Old Empires are in turmoil and revolt, Chult and Tashelar are wild jungle.

Lots of open spaces for PC's to battle in!!!
MarkusTay63
12-28-06, 03:34 AM Ummm... errrr.... I filled most of those with new places.

I don't even have a shaar anymore. :(

maybe thats why I have no more frontiers?

;)
Dark Wizard
12-28-06, 08:24 PM You only have yourself to blame. ;)

If you need more space, try an "Unsundering," to reverse the high magic that elves used to splinter off Evermeet.
MarkusTay63
12-29-06, 02:54 AM Cool! Then all them little Elvsies will drownsies.

Sorry, I'm in a gollum mood.
ClobberinTime
12-29-06, 12:07 PM Almost every city and state in faerun has some kind of heraldic crest. You can find alot of them in Eds answers at Candlekeep, but I don't know of any central place that lists all of them, :(

I agree with you about the red greyhawk cover, I still think about that from time to time, I would just pour over them for hours thinking about what kind of country would have x as a flag. I agree it really gave things that very fantasy feel, allah George Martin...
MarkusTay63
12-29-06, 07:00 PM A kindred spirit then. :D

I just think about the wonder I felt looking at them, it was almost as if all of those nations were real (to me, they were).

Faerun doesn't have an Iuz. There are plenty of mini-evils, but no super-powerful Sauron-types who even the good guys are deathly afraid of. I miss that sometimes.

Ah well.... FR is my new home now, and I've grown to love it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
MarkusTay63 12-26-06, 03:10 AM	Anyone know where I can find some of the flags of Faerun, In particular Cormyr? I remember one of the things I loved about the original Greyhawlk setting was all the flags on the covers of the books, it made the world feel more 'real'. have they ever done any flags for FR? :confused:
Rell 12-26-06, 09:06 AM	While Cormyr has several heraldic and traditional symbols - the wyrm, the stag and the unicorn - and probably one or several official coats of arms (including probably one for the kingdom itself, one for the Obarskyr family, one for the Steel Regent, one for the Purple Dragons etc.) I think I remember that having a national flag is a pretty recent invention. According to Wikipedia : During the Middle Ages, flags were used mainly during battles to identify individual leaders: in Europe the knights, in Japan the samurai, and in China the generals under the imperial army. From the time of Christopher Columbus onwards, it has been customary (and later a legal requirement) for ships to carry flags designating their nationality;[verification needed] these flags eventually evolved into the national flags and maritime flags of today.[verification needed] Flags also became the preferred means of communications at sea, resulting in various systems of flag signals; see International maritime signal flags. As European knights were replaced by centralized armies, flags became the means to identify not just nationalities but also individual military units. Flags became much more elaborate,[verification needed] and were seen as objects to be captured or defended. Eventually these flags posed too much danger to those carrying them, and by World War I these were withdrawn from the battlefields, and have since been used only at ceremonial occasions. So I'm not sure a flag is really needed... But you can still, of course, make your own flags.
MarkusTay63 12-26-06, 12:38 PM	Not exactly what I was looking for, but thank you for the answer. In Greyhawk, even the Evil nations had flags; I guess that was a bit of an anachronism. In both PotFS and SoFS, it mentions "ships flying the flags of Cormyr and Sembia", so I would assume there was at least a maritime flag designating nationality.
Faraer 12-26-06, 02:26 PM	Cormyr's symbol is the purple dragon, Sembia's the raven and silver. Each has lots of variations (and therefore possible flags) rather than one standardized design.
primemover003 12-26-06, 09:03 PM	The greyhawk line tended to be more Kingdom oriented than the Realms which have more independant city/states than full fledged kingdoms, especially in the more popular adventuring locales like the North.
MarkusTay63 12-27-06, 12:13 PM	But the frontiers are all disappearing, just like RL. :(
primemover003 12-27-06, 04:25 PM	I'd hardly say the frontiers are disappearing. The North and Savage frontier are still as dangerous as they ever were. The Silver Marches are one orc horde away from being one more broken kingdom in a long line of kingdoms. The Western Heartlands are too vast to be controlled by any one power, just look at the map... ever seen more places named after Trolls? Let's not even mention the Forest of Wyrms and the Snake Hills. Even a new elven realm can't change the face of the Heartlands overnight. Amn is still embroiled in a monstrous war. Cormyr is fragile and it's borders have never been secure. The Zhents have claimed the Moonsea, but Thar is still a wild untamed frontier. The Shaar is open, the Old Empires are in turmoil and revolt, Chult and Tashelar are wild jungle. Lots of open spaces for PC's to battle in!!!
MarkusTay63 12-28-06, 03:34 AM	Ummm... errrr.... I filled most of those with new places. I don't even have a shaar anymore. :( maybe thats why I have no more frontiers? ;)
Dark Wizard 12-28-06, 08:24 PM	You only have yourself to blame. ;) If you need more space, try an "Unsundering," to reverse the high magic that elves used to splinter off Evermeet.
MarkusTay63 12-29-06, 02:54 AM	Cool! Then all them little Elvsies will drownsies. Sorry, I'm in a gollum mood.
ClobberinTime 12-29-06, 12:07 PM	Almost every city and state in faerun has some kind of heraldic crest. You can find alot of them in Eds answers at Candlekeep, but I don't know of any central place that lists all of them, :( I agree with you about the red greyhawk cover, I still think about that from time to time, I would just pour over them for hours thinking about what kind of country would have x as a flag. I agree it really gave things that very fantasy feel, allah George Martin...
MarkusTay63 12-29-06, 07:00 PM	A kindred spirit then. :D I just think about the wonder I felt looking at them, it was almost as if all of those nations were real (to me, they were). Faerun doesn't have an Iuz. There are plenty of mini-evils, but no super-powerful Sauron-types who even the good guys are deathly afraid of. I miss that sometimes. Ah well.... FR is my new home now, and I've grown to love it.