Visualizing Djerad Thymar - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Visualizing Djerad Thymar

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Jokke
Nov 19, 2009 21:51:36 Hello every one

I have run into a bit of a snag in my current Forgotten Realms campaign, you see the basic concept of my game is the classic world spanning treasure hunt I picked this particular concept to allow my players to sample as many of Faerun's different cultures as possible.

Next stop is Tymanther, and it's citadel-city of Djerad Thymar which is my problem for I'm having a devilishly hard time visualizing this dragonborn city / fortress.

A big slap of rock (200 ft. high) with pillars on top, with a pyramid on top of the pillars... The campaign guide talk about it in details, but I still have trouble visualizing it, or even deduct why this design would be good to repel dragon attack.

Does any pictures exist of Djerad Thymar?
Have any of you used this (seemingly pretty interesting and unique) city in your own campaigns?

Any and all advise will be appreciated, thanks.
#2
The_Silversword
Nov 20, 2009 4:59:24 Nope theres no pictures or maps of it that i know of. Its a relatively new region, having just popped in during the spellplague, so theres not alot of info on it, they might of givin it more detail in a LFR adventure set in the area i dont know.
My best advice to you would be to just wing it.
#3
Lord_Toast
Nov 20, 2009 7:11:26
When I first read about the city I immediately visualized the pyramids in Mesoamerica. Later I started to imagine a mixture of the Mayan & Egyptian pyramids sprinkled with some Roman marble columns. The design by itself doesn’t appear to be much good versus dragons. I think it is more of a combination of the architecture, the will of the defenders to protect their loved ones, superior tactics, and the heavy weapons they have at their disposable. The LFR adventure TYMA 1-6: Troubled Roads allows the players to pay a visit to the city. But it doesn’t contain a map of the city or a drawing of it. I would have to reread the FRCG entry then compare it to the adventure to see if there is any useful information in it.
#4
Jokke
Nov 20, 2009 9:59:30 Okay so it sounds like there isn't a lot of material on the city to draw on yet, but I suppose that isn't necessarily an all bad thing as it forces me to get my own creative juices flowing.

Thanks The_Silversword and Lord_Toast.
#5
18DELTA
Nov 20, 2009 22:03:19
Yabba-Dabba-Dooo....

I see a Ziggeraut with colums on top, with a smaller Zig on top of the colums.
#6
marius4
Nov 23, 2009 4:56:28 The massiveness of the citadel is probably a good defense in itself. It has no silly towers and walls to crumble or climb about on; it's just a giant, angled pyramid. (Okay, so we're ignoring stonewalking coppers here, if they still do that in 4e.) The fact that most of the population resides (effectively) in mid-air probably allows the dragonborn to take advantage of their greater mobility (mounted on their giant bats, etc.) in the air vs. a large, relatively (i.e., relative to a giant bat) unwieldy dragon-bulk. They can swarm a dragon from all sides in three dimensions, and from such a height they can remain "ever watchful for approaching wings on the horizon" (FRCG 187). The open space in the middle (i.e., above the Market Floor) could be a good place for battling or even trapping dragons, or it might provide some sort of vantage and cover for dragonborn defenders during lower-altitude aerial dragon assaults. One might even think of the internal gallery of balconies as a weakpoint, but again any dragon in there can be attacked from all sides. Perhaps that's one of the dragonborns' tactics.

I haven't seen any pictures of Djerad Thymar that I know of. I like the name a lot as well as the FRCG description; it is admittedly brief, but piqued my curiosity as it seems to have yours. I also like the imagery Lord_Toast mentions...a blend of Classical Greco-Roman architecture and Meso-American/Egyptian pyramidal architecture. In my mind I saw a huge, smooth, Egyptian-like pyramid shape with its Great Ramp, but with pale white/grey stone (think Classical ruins) and the flattened middle and top platforms (like in the jungles of South America). The columns of the Market Floor and City-Bastion gallery are Greco-Roman (i.e., doric, ionic, corinthian), but most carvings, friezes, & decorative elements are Meso-American-ish. The Catacombs of the foundation block are similar to Egyptian burial tombs rather than, say, the minotaur's labyrinth, and any steps (where ramps are not used) are reminiscent of Mayan/Aztec pyramids with a steep grade and opening onto a platform or other defined space.

I guess that's just how I visualized it momentarily when I read the description. Pretty vivid and curious, to my mind. Maybe some of that will help you visualize/conceptualize Djerad Thymar in a way you like as well. ; )
#7
Jokke
Nov 23, 2009 5:14:13 It absolutely will, I had totally missed that the city had an airborne defense force, thanks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Jokke Nov 19, 2009 21:51:36	Hello every one I have run into a bit of a snag in my current Forgotten Realms campaign, you see the basic concept of my game is the classic world spanning treasure hunt I picked this particular concept to allow my players to sample as many of Faerun's different cultures as possible. Next stop is Tymanther, and it's citadel-city of Djerad Thymar which is my problem for I'm having a devilishly hard time visualizing this dragonborn city / fortress. A big slap of rock (200 ft. high) with pillars on top, with a pyramid on top of the pillars... The campaign guide talk about it in details, but I still have trouble visualizing it, or even deduct why this design would be good to repel dragon attack. Does any pictures exist of Djerad Thymar? Have any of you used this (seemingly pretty interesting and unique) city in your own campaigns? Any and all advise will be appreciated, thanks.
#2 The_Silversword Nov 20, 2009 4:59:24	Nope theres no pictures or maps of it that i know of. Its a relatively new region, having just popped in during the spellplague, so theres not alot of info on it, they might of givin it more detail in a LFR adventure set in the area i dont know. My best advice to you would be to just wing it.
#3 Lord_Toast Nov 20, 2009 7:11:26	When I first read about the city I immediately visualized the pyramids in Mesoamerica. Later I started to imagine a mixture of the Mayan & Egyptian pyramids sprinkled with some Roman marble columns. The design by itself doesn’t appear to be much good versus dragons. I think it is more of a combination of the architecture, the will of the defenders to protect their loved ones, superior tactics, and the heavy weapons they have at their disposable. The LFR adventure TYMA 1-6: Troubled Roads allows the players to pay a visit to the city. But it doesn’t contain a map of the city or a drawing of it. I would have to reread the FRCG entry then compare it to the adventure to see if there is any useful information in it.
#4 Jokke Nov 20, 2009 9:59:30	Okay so it sounds like there isn't a lot of material on the city to draw on yet, but I suppose that isn't necessarily an all bad thing as it forces me to get my own creative juices flowing. Thanks The_Silversword and Lord_Toast.
#5 18DELTA Nov 20, 2009 22:03:19	Yabba-Dabba-Dooo.... I see a Ziggeraut with colums on top, with a smaller Zig on top of the colums.
#6 marius4 Nov 23, 2009 4:56:28	The massiveness of the citadel is probably a good defense in itself. It has no silly towers and walls to crumble or climb about on; it's just a giant, angled pyramid. (Okay, so we're ignoring stonewalking coppers here, if they still do that in 4e.) The fact that most of the population resides (effectively) in mid-air probably allows the dragonborn to take advantage of their greater mobility (mounted on their giant bats, etc.) in the air vs. a large, relatively (i.e., relative to a giant bat) unwieldy dragon-bulk. They can swarm a dragon from all sides in three dimensions, and from such a height they can remain "ever watchful for approaching wings on the horizon" (FRCG 187). The open space in the middle (i.e., above the Market Floor) could be a good place for battling or even trapping dragons, or it might provide some sort of vantage and cover for dragonborn defenders during lower-altitude aerial dragon assaults. One might even think of the internal gallery of balconies as a weakpoint, but again any dragon in there can be attacked from all sides. Perhaps that's one of the dragonborns' tactics. I haven't seen any pictures of Djerad Thymar that I know of. I like the name a lot as well as the FRCG description; it is admittedly brief, but piqued my curiosity as it seems to have yours. I also like the imagery Lord_Toast mentions...a blend of Classical Greco-Roman architecture and Meso-American/Egyptian pyramidal architecture. In my mind I saw a huge, smooth, Egyptian-like pyramid shape with its Great Ramp, but with pale white/grey stone (think Classical ruins) and the flattened middle and top platforms (like in the jungles of South America). The columns of the Market Floor and City-Bastion gallery are Greco-Roman (i.e., doric, ionic, corinthian), but most carvings, friezes, & decorative elements are Meso-American-ish. The Catacombs of the foundation block are similar to Egyptian burial tombs rather than, say, the minotaur's labyrinth, and any steps (where ramps are not used) are reminiscent of Mayan/Aztec pyramids with a steep grade and opening onto a platform or other defined space. I guess that's just how I visualized it momentarily when I read the description. Pretty vivid and curious, to my mind. Maybe some of that will help you visualize/conceptualize Djerad Thymar in a way you like as well. ; )
#7 Jokke Nov 23, 2009 5:14:13	It absolutely will, I had totally missed that the city had an airborne defense force, thanks.