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City of Brass

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
18DELTA
Dec 01, 2008 13:50:10 -So how can we Realms this up? I love the city map it has. After seeing this preview I will buy this book.

-So what do you guys/gals say, do you think another Realms DM Exercise in order for the City of Brass?

18DELTA (Chosen of Cyric)
#2
lord_karsus
Dec 01, 2008 17:56:50 -The City of Brass has plenty of information on it. There's THIS one, and THIS one.

-That said, the City of Brass is a Planescape locale primarily, and not a Forgotten Realms locale.
#3
18DELTA
Dec 01, 2008 18:03:29 -That was then and this is now. :P

18DELTA (Chosen of Cyric) ;)
#4
lord_karsus
Dec 01, 2008 18:06:38 :: Checks. ::

-No, the City of Brass is still located not on the Material Plane.
#5
rinonalyrna_fathomlin
Dec 01, 2008 18:38:35 Yup, it's in the Elemental Chaos. It's a "core" locale that can just be plopped down in anyone's game.
#6
lord_karsus
Dec 01, 2008 18:55:05 -I have always been fond of the City of Brass. It married Sigil and Arabianesque themes, both of which appeal to me, and a marriage of the two simply magnify the appeal either had on their own with me.
#7
old_sage
Dec 01, 2008 21:23:09 Well, in terms of adding some Realms flavor, I distinctly recall Eric Boyd once stating that the Archyre of the Mage-King may possibly lie in the "steaming vaults" of the City of Brass.

The AL-QADIM Secrets of the Lamp boxed set will likely also prove useful in terms of relating "limited" Realms-based-lore to the City of Brass.
#8
Scererar
Dec 01, 2008 22:19:07 While it may be a "core" location, the City if brass is detailed a bit in at least one realms novel. The Gossamer Plain.
#9
gray_richardson
Dec 01, 2008 22:58:21
The AL-QADIM Secrets of the Lamp boxed set will likely also prove useful in terms of relating "limited" Realms-based-lore to the City of Brass.

Secrets of the Lamp is a wonderful, wonderful sourcebook! It has the most comprehensive lore about the City of Brass of any D&D sourcebook, among many excellent features which I shall mention below:

It is written by Wolfgang Baur, an extremely talented writer/designer, one of Planescape's best writers back in the heyday, and coiner of the word "tiefling".

It includes a giant poster map of the City of Brass, with a map key that details over 90 numbered locations in the city.

It has approx. 8 pages of source material about the City of Brass

Then an additional 20 page adventure set in the City of Brass that details numerous locations around the city.

Plus extra reference cards with an area map of the area of the plane around the city, and a picture of the Charcoal Palace, and two extra pages of brief encounters for the City of Brass.

Add to that massive lore concerning the Djinn, Dao, Efreeti and Marids, their rulers, their courts, Genie magic, Genie summoning and binding, Genie trade, Genie warfare, Genie notable personages, Genie related monsters, and details concerning Genies in Zakhara.

All in all Secrets of the Lamp is one of my very favorite D&D books, one I have tapped heavily for use in running some of my planar adventures, including a memorable diversion through the Great Dismal Delve, and also through the City of Brass itself.

And the beauty of this supplement is that it is tied to Zakhara, so it is grounded firmly within the world of Toril and the Realms (though not exactly Faerûn itself).

Personally, I think Secrets of the Lamp is slightly better than the Planescape Guide to the Inner Planes, although they complement each other nicely. If I could only have one, I would choose Secrets of the Lamp before the Inner Planes Guide (though they are both very good).
#10
Mr_Miscellany
Dec 02, 2008 2:33:44 From my PoV Planescape is really an after the fact thing.

The City of Brass -like the Realms- came well before Planescape (something like twenty years prior, in the mid/late 1970’s via the 1st Edition D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, with an Efreet on the cover and a view of the City of Brass on the back cover, as well as being mentioned in the 1st Edition Monster Manual in the Efreet entry) and so has always been a fabled, but known presence "in the cosmos" of the Realms.

Looking past the real world history/origins, I think the City of Brass could serve as a place of focused resurgence by the Primordials and their scions.

The whole primordial concept opens the door for conflict with the established divine pantheons of the Realms. I think the City of Brass could be a rallying point for the cause, especially to move mortal worship away from the gods, by the Efreet focusing attention back on Calimshan, Amn and possibly Zhakara.

Perhaps this would allow the Efreets to further solidify their city’s existence by substituting the prayers of mortal worship for the Efreet’s own task of continually willing their city to exist (lest the Elemental Chaos wipe it away).

Or maybe Bashamgurda (Lord of Efreets) desires a new legion of slaves, so he decides to send forth some of the 500,000 Efreets to the Realms to lay claim to lost lands and capture/grow a new population to increase their slave numbers. He could do this by issuing a decree claiming all mortals of Calimshan have broken the rightful laws set down for them by the Efreet in the past (hells I can’t remember if it was Efreet or Djinn that ruled Calimshan, but whatever) so their ancestors must serve a term of slavery as punishment.

Or maybe the Efreets try to do all these things, so they can build yet another city. :eek

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 18DELTA Dec 01, 2008 13:50:10	-So how can we Realms this up? I love the city map it has. After seeing this preview I will buy this book. -So what do you guys/gals say, do you think another Realms DM Exercise in order for the City of Brass? 18DELTA (Chosen of Cyric)
#2 lord_karsus Dec 01, 2008 17:56:50	-The City of Brass has plenty of information on it. There's THIS one, and THIS one. -That said, the City of Brass is a Planescape locale primarily, and not a Forgotten Realms locale.
#3 18DELTA Dec 01, 2008 18:03:29	-That was then and this is now. :P 18DELTA (Chosen of Cyric) ;)
#4 lord_karsus Dec 01, 2008 18:06:38	:: Checks. :: -No, the City of Brass is still located not on the Material Plane.
#5 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Dec 01, 2008 18:38:35	Yup, it's in the Elemental Chaos. It's a "core" locale that can just be plopped down in anyone's game.
#6 lord_karsus Dec 01, 2008 18:55:05	-I have always been fond of the City of Brass. It married Sigil and Arabianesque themes, both of which appeal to me, and a marriage of the two simply magnify the appeal either had on their own with me.
#7 old_sage Dec 01, 2008 21:23:09	Well, in terms of adding some Realms flavor, I distinctly recall Eric Boyd once stating that the Archyre of the Mage-King may possibly lie in the "steaming vaults" of the City of Brass. The AL-QADIM Secrets of the Lamp boxed set will likely also prove useful in terms of relating "limited" Realms-based-lore to the City of Brass.
#8 Scererar Dec 01, 2008 22:19:07	While it may be a "core" location, the City if brass is detailed a bit in at least one realms novel. The Gossamer Plain.
#9 gray_richardson Dec 01, 2008 22:58:21	The AL-QADIM *Secrets of the Lamp* boxed set will likely also prove useful in terms of relating "limited" Realms-based-lore to the City of Brass. *Secrets of the Lamp* is a wonderful, wonderful sourcebook! It has the most comprehensive lore about the City of Brass of any D&D sourcebook, among many excellent features which I shall mention below: It is written by Wolfgang Baur, an extremely talented writer/designer, one of Planescape's best writers back in the heyday, and coiner of the word "tiefling". It includes a giant poster map of the City of Brass, with a map key that details over 90 numbered locations in the city. It has approx. 8 pages of source material about the City of Brass Then an additional 20 page adventure set in the City of Brass that details numerous locations around the city. Plus extra reference cards with an area map of the area of the plane around the city, and a picture of the Charcoal Palace, and two extra pages of brief encounters for the City of Brass. Add to that massive lore concerning the Djinn, Dao, Efreeti and Marids, their rulers, their courts, Genie magic, Genie summoning and binding, Genie trade, Genie warfare, Genie notable personages, Genie related monsters, and details concerning Genies in Zakhara. All in all *Secrets of the Lamp* is one of my very favorite D&D books, one I have tapped heavily for use in running some of my planar adventures, including a memorable diversion through the Great Dismal Delve, and also through the City of Brass itself. And the beauty of this supplement is that it is tied to Zakhara, so it is grounded firmly within the world of Toril and the Realms (though not exactly Faerûn itself). Personally, I think *Secrets of the Lamp* is slightly better than the *Planescape Guide to the Inner Planes, although they complement each other nicely. If I could only have one, I would choose Secrets of the Lamp* before the Inner Planes Guide (though they are both very good).
#10 Mr_Miscellany Dec 02, 2008 2:33:44	From my PoV Planescape is really an after the fact thing. The City of Brass -like the Realms- came well before Planescape (something like twenty years prior, in the mid/late 1970’s via the 1st Edition D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, with an Efreet on the cover and a view of the City of Brass on the back cover, as well as being mentioned in the 1st Edition Monster Manual in the Efreet entry) and so has always been a fabled, but known presence "in the cosmos" of the Realms. Looking past the real world history/origins, I think the City of Brass could serve as a place of focused resurgence by the Primordials and their scions. The whole primordial concept opens the door for conflict with the established divine pantheons of the Realms. I think the City of Brass could be a rallying point for the cause, especially to move mortal worship away from the gods, by the Efreet focusing attention back on Calimshan, Amn and possibly Zhakara. Perhaps this would allow the Efreets to further solidify their city’s existence by substituting the prayers of mortal worship for the Efreet’s own task of continually willing their city to exist (lest the Elemental Chaos wipe it away). Or maybe Bashamgurda (Lord of Efreets) desires a new legion of slaves, so he decides to send forth some of the 500,000 Efreets to the Realms to lay claim to lost lands and capture/grow a new population to increase their slave numbers. He could do this by issuing a decree claiming all mortals of Calimshan have broken the rightful laws set down for them by the Efreet in the past (hells I can’t remember if it was Efreet or Djinn that ruled Calimshan, but whatever) so their ancestors must serve a term of slavery as punishment. Or maybe the Efreets try to do all these things, so they can build yet another city. :eek