Imaskar - all information [Archive] - Wizards Community

Imaskar - all information [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Meldread
07-27-07, 02:18 PM I've scanned my source books, Google, various wiki's and really haven't turned up much information on Imaskar at all. Are there any survivors? Halastar is rumored to be a survivor, but what about others? Much of the magical focus seems to be on Netheril, when really it seems that the Imaskari outshined them in several areas.

For example, where can more information be found on Lord Artificer Omanond and Lord Artificer Yuvaraj? I'd like to have more detailed information on Imaskari beliefs, not only of the elite and powerful wizards but also of the common people.
Fabius Maximus
07-27-07, 06:53 PM Yes, there are survivors. A whole city full, called Deep Imaskar. Read the accessory Underdark and the novel Darkvision.

Also, Ed Bonny, created the Imaskar Portal Lord PrC: http://candlekeep.com/library/articles/leof_ipl.htm
Meldread
07-27-07, 07:29 PM Yeah I know about the Deep Imaskar and the Portal Lord PrC. What I'm looking for is more details on Imaskari beliefs, customs, and general way of life before the collapse of their Empire.
Old Sage
07-27-07, 08:25 PM See both The Horde boxed set, available as a free PDF download (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads) here at WotC, and the 'God-Kings of the East' chapter in Lost Empires of Faerūn.
Delendir
07-27-07, 08:36 PM It is unlikely you will find much. I have looked myself, but there is incredibly little material on the imaskari. The best bits are what's in the FRCS, Underdark, and the Lost Empires of Faerūn. The rest is conjecture and small tidbits, garnered from seeing tiny references to the imaskari, such as that Halaster apparently was an imaskari.

The notable features of Imaskar, was that they were a high magical nation, like the Netheril and that they seem to have despised deities. Seeing them more like rivals then their superiors. Their cities were built from purple stone (still today found on the Raurin Desert) and their architecture defied both logic and the laws of physics. They have also been said to possess strange technologies, which would seem to indicate that they were very capable engineers.

In our campaign, me and my DM have largely built upon these concepts and just created what has been missing; things like their form of government, culture, day-to-day life, etc.
Meldread
07-27-07, 08:56 PM Thanks guys. Is it true that before Ao decided to get involved by aiding the interloper deities, that the Imaskari suffered a horrible plague that wiped out a good chunk of their empire?
BadCatMan
07-27-07, 09:33 PM Yep, a 'suspicious plague decimates Imaskari cities' in -4370 DR.

This was only four years before they opened portals to another world to abduct people to become their slave race (the Mulan).

I suppose that after the plague wiped out their population, they needed a massive new influx of people. The old surviving Imaskari would have become the masters in this new society, not unlike pure-blooded Spartans and their helot slaves.

Check out the city of Solon in LEoF, the Horde CS and Horde adventure series. It used be an Imaskari city. Despite occupation by numerous nations, it still retains some Imaskari construction (but there's not much to find in these books about culture and stuff).

Also see Bakar in the the Desert Of Desolation adventure series. DoD was attached to the FR setting, and the Horde CS made Bakar an Imaskari survivor state.

And Ulgarth and Durpar were originally settled by Imaskari, in Shining South (both editions).

Most of these references probably won't give a lot of direct information, but if you go deep and compare things, you might find some indirect cultural links.
Gray Richardson
07-27-07, 10:37 PM According to James Jacobs in the latest Dragon Magazine, the Kaorti are actually Imaskari wizards that traveled to the Far Realms and were transformed by Zurgoth (inadvertently) into the pseudonatural terrors they are today.

Not sure if they are the same wizards or their descendants. The article was more about the Kaorti rather than the Imaskari, but it was an awfully nifty article, and well worth a read.

:coolcthul
Iakhovas
07-27-07, 10:42 PM You'll read a bit more about Imaskar in the upcoming Grand History of the Realms, including a map of the empire during the Middle Kingdoms period (c.–6422 to –4370 DR)
MarkusTay63
07-27-07, 10:49 PM :drool: Mmmmmmapsssss
Bonzai
07-28-07, 10:52 AM Also the novel, Dark Vision, has a bit about the Imaskari.
Meldread
07-28-07, 10:16 PM Oh well. I wish Wizard's would put out a book that detailed Imaskar like they did Netheril. Seeing as how I don't think they have any plans on doing that anytime in the near future, I guess I'll just have to use bits of lore already floating around and craft something suitable. If I like how it starts to turn out I'll post it on the forums for feedback.
Delendir
07-31-07, 02:26 AM The thing is, WotC seems to put most of their energy into detailing the primarily area of Faerūn, which they use; the Heartland, the Sword Coast, and the North. Aside from rare products, like the Shining South and the Unapprouchable East, they focus very little on other geographic areas. If you look at Chessenta, Vilhon Reach, and the rest of the Old Empires area, almost nothing has been published.

The reason might be apparent. At least, personally, I've noticed that when you're developing a world, there's a lot of attention that you need to give to a single region to really bring it alive. I think this is a major reason why so much of Faerūn is still, essentially, "uncharted".

But I'm with you. I hope they would focus, especially into the regions of the south and the Old Empires at some point. I'd love to have a supplement about Unther and Mulhorand, not to mention an ancient empires type of supplement about Imaskar.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Meldread 07-27-07, 02:18 PM	I've scanned my source books, Google, various wiki's and really haven't turned up much information on Imaskar at all. Are there any survivors? Halastar is rumored to be a survivor, but what about others? Much of the magical focus seems to be on Netheril, when really it seems that the Imaskari outshined them in several areas. For example, where can more information be found on Lord Artificer Omanond and Lord Artificer Yuvaraj? I'd like to have more detailed information on Imaskari beliefs, not only of the elite and powerful wizards but also of the common people.
Fabius Maximus 07-27-07, 06:53 PM	Yes, there are survivors. A whole city full, called Deep Imaskar. Read the accessory Underdark and the novel Darkvision. Also, Ed Bonny, created the Imaskar Portal Lord PrC: http://candlekeep.com/library/articles/leof_ipl.htm
Meldread 07-27-07, 07:29 PM	Yeah I know about the Deep Imaskar and the Portal Lord PrC. What I'm looking for is more details on Imaskari beliefs, customs, and general way of life before the collapse of their Empire.
Old Sage 07-27-07, 08:25 PM	See both The Horde boxed set, available as a free PDF download (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads) here at WotC, and the 'God-Kings of the East' chapter in Lost Empires of Faerūn.
Delendir 07-27-07, 08:36 PM	It is unlikely you will find much. I have looked myself, but there is incredibly little material on the imaskari. The best bits are what's in the FRCS, Underdark, and the Lost Empires of Faerūn. The rest is conjecture and small tidbits, garnered from seeing tiny references to the imaskari, such as that Halaster apparently was an imaskari. The notable features of Imaskar, was that they were a high magical nation, like the Netheril and that they seem to have despised deities. Seeing them more like rivals then their superiors. Their cities were built from purple stone (still today found on the Raurin Desert) and their architecture defied both logic and the laws of physics. They have also been said to possess strange technologies, which would seem to indicate that they were very capable engineers. In our campaign, me and my DM have largely built upon these concepts and just created what has been missing; things like their form of government, culture, day-to-day life, etc.
Meldread 07-27-07, 08:56 PM	Thanks guys. Is it true that before Ao decided to get involved by aiding the interloper deities, that the Imaskari suffered a horrible plague that wiped out a good chunk of their empire?
BadCatMan 07-27-07, 09:33 PM	Yep, a 'suspicious plague decimates Imaskari cities' in -4370 DR. This was only four years before they opened portals to another world to abduct people to become their slave race (the Mulan). I suppose that after the plague wiped out their population, they needed a massive new influx of people. The old surviving Imaskari would have become the masters in this new society, not unlike pure-blooded Spartans and their helot slaves. Check out the city of Solon in LEoF, the Horde CS and Horde adventure series. It used be an Imaskari city. Despite occupation by numerous nations, it still retains some Imaskari construction (but there's not much to find in these books about culture and stuff). Also see Bakar in the the Desert Of Desolation adventure series. DoD was attached to the FR setting, and the Horde CS made Bakar an Imaskari survivor state. And Ulgarth and Durpar were originally settled by Imaskari, in Shining South (both editions). Most of these references probably won't give a lot of direct information, but if you go deep and compare things, you might find some indirect cultural links.
Gray Richardson 07-27-07, 10:37 PM	According to James Jacobs in the latest Dragon Magazine, the Kaorti are actually Imaskari wizards that traveled to the Far Realms and were transformed by Zurgoth (inadvertently) into the pseudonatural terrors they are today. Not sure if they are the same wizards or their descendants. The article was more about the Kaorti rather than the Imaskari, but it was an awfully nifty article, and well worth a read. :coolcthul
Iakhovas 07-27-07, 10:42 PM	You'll read a bit more about Imaskar in the upcoming Grand History of the Realms, including a map of the empire during the Middle Kingdoms period (c.–6422 to –4370 DR)
MarkusTay63 07-27-07, 10:49 PM	:drool: Mmmmmmapsssss
Bonzai 07-28-07, 10:52 AM	Also the novel, Dark Vision, has a bit about the Imaskari.
Meldread 07-28-07, 10:16 PM	Oh well. I wish Wizard's would put out a book that detailed Imaskar like they did Netheril. Seeing as how I don't think they have any plans on doing that anytime in the near future, I guess I'll just have to use bits of lore already floating around and craft something suitable. If I like how it starts to turn out I'll post it on the forums for feedback.
Delendir 07-31-07, 02:26 AM	The thing is, WotC seems to put most of their energy into detailing the primarily area of Faerūn, which they use; the Heartland, the Sword Coast, and the North. Aside from rare products, like the Shining South and the Unapprouchable East, they focus very little on other geographic areas. If you look at Chessenta, Vilhon Reach, and the rest of the Old Empires area, almost nothing has been published. The reason might be apparent. At least, personally, I've noticed that when you're developing a world, there's a lot of attention that you need to give to a single region to really bring it alive. I think this is a major reason why so much of Faerūn is still, essentially, "uncharted". But I'm with you. I hope they would focus, especially into the regions of the south and the Old Empires at some point. I'd love to have a supplement about Unther and Mulhorand, not to mention an ancient empires type of supplement about Imaskar.