AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic

Hm... that may not be a bad idea.

But why? I mean, what happens if we just let this one lie? The threads can grow in infinitely , right?

Easier to have all the lore question stuff in one spot, instead of two.

No, the suggestion is for a subforum for lore questions.

I think it would be a good thing... though it would be more threads for DMs to read since every lore question would be an individual thread

TormakSaber wrote:

No, the suggestion is for a subforum for lore questions.

Then i want a subforum for build advice, too!

No thanks.

A lore sub forum sounds like a useful place to highlight the lore's importance and makes it easier to dig out previous lore querries.

Maias227 wrote:

A lore sub forum sounds like a useful place to highlight the lore's importance and makes it easier to dig out previous lore querries.

And to save links to other parts of the forum where other sources of lore exist! Like, winya, barak etc.
Perhaps even the factions themselves may provide some inside lore... Dumdumdumduuum!

Lizzie wrote:

I think we'd be well served by a whole separate Lore Advice folder, where separate questions could be addressed in separate threads. Stuff does tend to get a little bit lost in this current format.

I like that idea. ::nod nod::

Very_Svensk wrote:

And to save links to other parts of the forum where other sources of lore exist! Like, winya, barak etc.
Perhaps even the factions themselves may provide some inside lore... Dumdumdumduuum!

A good thought also! A sticky at the top of the folder with links to ongoing race- or or area- or faction-specific lore threads would be super useful, says I.

TormakSaber wrote:

..the suggestion is for a subforum for lore questions.

I like the idea. Finding results via search in a single thread is harder than a folder with threads for various lore related topics.

Just a quick one, Amia specific, Kobolds speak pure Draconic correct? Just something that came up in party chat today.

Um, 'pure' Draconic? As opposed to...

A Draconic based language Kobolds speak in certain settings.

They speak draconic.

As I thought, ta for the quick answer.

TormakSaber wrote:

They speak draconic.

Is this draconic that they speak on this server restricted in anyway just to kobolds, i.e. that kobolds and only kobolds can speak it or is it plausable for non-kobolds to have learned it at some point in their adventuring career or backstory prior to arriving in amia?

Nat

There is no "Kobold draconic." There is Draconic. That's the language. That's it. Draconic spoken by Kobolds is the same draconic spoken by true Dragons, is the same draconic spoken by mages.

It's like Spanish in Spain vs Mexico. There may be some subtle variances in pronunciation, maybe even, but it's the same language.

Dark Immolation wrote:

There is no "Kobold draconic." There is Draconic. That's the language. That's it. Draconic spoken by Kobolds is the same draconic spoken by true Dragons, is the same draconic spoken by mages.

It's like Spanish in Spain vs Mexico. There may be some subtle variances in pronunciation, maybe even, but it's the same language.

And so is it or is it not a restricted language, avaliable only to kobolds/dragons (all all crossbreeds thereof) ?

Nat

Draconic is open to most folks. I believe it is open to arcane spellcasters and anything with the Draconic subtype.

Factoid: While capable of carving it with their claws, Dragons seldom write Draconic while in their true form. Commonly, Kobolds are thought to be the first to assign symbols to the words and hence created written Draconic.

It's not restricted. To my knowledge, no language is restricted, with the possible exception of Druidic. Amia as a server is fairly cavalier about languages, there's no ruleset governing what languages you can learn or have learned; it's all very honor system.

Edit: Dammit! Ninja'd again!

nataliawinters wrote:

TormakSaber wrote:

They speak draconic.

Is this draconic that they speak on this server restricted in anyway just to kobolds, i.e. that kobolds and only kobolds can speak it or is it plausable for non-kobolds to have learned it at some point in their adventuring career or backstory prior to arriving in amia?

Nat

Of course not, like I've said before, any language is plausible to learn by anyone (except Drow Sign by anyone but a drow)

dayfer wrote:

nataliawinters wrote:

TormakSaber wrote:

They speak draconic.

Is this draconic that they speak on this server restricted in anyway just to kobolds, i.e. that kobolds and only kobolds can speak it or is it plausable for non-kobolds to have learned it at some point in their adventuring career or backstory prior to arriving in amia?

Nat

Of course not, like I've said before, any language is plausible to learn by anyone (except Drow Sign by anyone but a drow)

Just clarifying that there is nothing wrong with non-kobolds/dragons speaking draconic in the amia setting and I have done so to my satisfaction.

Fire Genasi don't generally appoint the 'Good' alignment, do they?

Most genasi, at least to my knowledge, tend more towards the law or chaos axis than the moral axis. Fire genasi tending more towards chaos, as earth tends more to law.

Yes, I know about the Law/Chaos axis and how it affects Genasi, But that's not my question =)
Let me elaborate

Would a being with higher intelligence, (Such as a fire genasi with their extra +2) understand the profit and benefit of befriending, helping and supporting other creatures/humanoids rather than taking what he/she want from person/Creature X without much consideration?
I wish to argue that highly intelligent creatures should, theoretically , lean towards the good side of the spectrum considering the benefits they reap from actively assisting others, such as; Returned favours, Good standing, Goodwill, Friends, etcetc

But at the same time i shoot myself in the foot with my argument when we have prime examples like, Illithids, Beholders, Dark elves, Etcetcetc

Ah, I don't believe that fire genasi would tend more towards good due to their intelligence. After all, that +2 int can also go a long way towards improving your ability to fleece people with a well-planned scam, or help you figure out that helping others is a waste, as most others are inherently inferior due to stupidity, etc. Traditionally, moral decisions/compass in D&D have been governed more by WIS than INT anyway.

Really?
Well, that's quite interesting. I've never put wisdom as the connection between good/Evil really.

But i suppose it all boils down to character, History, parenting, race and environment when it comes down to it, right? Or could we argue that a character with high wisdom is more likely to turn to the good side?

We don't argue anything. A character with a High Wisdom may understand that his ethical morality says no to murdering the child, but he murders the child anyway which is why the character is evil.

WIS isn't really the connection so much as it'd relate to strength of belief, IMO. You can be good or evil with high WIS and WIS-based powers (both celestials and devils cast as WIS-based, I believe, where demons cast as INT-based for the most part.)

Anywho, yeah, I'd say that with genasi, their surroundings, upbringing, etc. would have as large an impact on their moral outlook as it does for regular humans.

So, uh, Scribe Scroll. You just cast the spell on the scroll and it should work, right?

I tried it today with a Resurrection spell and it said the target was invalid for the action.... but NWNWiki says you can definitely make Resurrection scrolls. It is different on Amia?

I believe we disabled scribing for several specific spells, Ressurection and Timestop amongst them.

Gers wrote:

I believe we disabled scribing for several specific spells, Ressurection and Timestop amongst them.

Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Ah well, if we can confirm that, though, it'd be great

(Taking this to the IA forum for less clutter in this thread)

Gers wrote:

I believe we disabled scribing for several specific spells, Ressurection and Timestop amongst them.

Time Stop works.

Gers wrote:

I believe we disabled scribing for several specific spells, Ressurection and Timestop amongst them.

Um, we did? I believe you are wrong....

Naivatkal wrote:

So, uh, Scribe Scroll. You just cast the spell on the scroll and it should work, right?

I tried it today with a Resurrection spell and it said the target was invalid for the action.... but NWNWiki says you can definitely make Resurrection scrolls. It is different on Amia?

Did you have the feat scribe scroll? Its not a usual cleric feat to take.

Yup, Salema is my RP cleric build. Took it for such reasons

Anyways, I put it in the bug thread last night. I don't want to clog the Lore thread with it lol

TormakSaber wrote:

Gers wrote:

I believe we disabled scribing for several specific spells, Ressurection and Timestop amongst them.

Um, we did? I believe you are wrong....

I know we discussed doing it. I thought it had been implemented.

Nope, doesn't seem it has!

Sent here by Selvec.

Do the Quagmire Kobold warrens have an All watcher? (Kobold Leader)

Two questions! First, are potions addictive? I mean especially heal potions, mindblank, bubbly, and the like.

Secondly... what language is spoken when people chant the verbal components of spells?

Thank you!

1. Potions aren't intrinsically addictive. But there's nothing stopping you from RPing a PC that is addicted to them. More than a few people RP an addiction to a certain spell, myself included.

2. Whatever language the caster wishes or is trained to use, though it is alluded to that the most common is Draconic or Elven for mages on Faerun. Realize, magic is a force utilized and experimented with across nations, across continents, and even other planes of existence. There's no reason to think that an Archon and a Yaun-Ti broodmother speak the same language and phrase when they cast their respective Light spells.

Thank you very much for the replies! So I should disregard the actual audio that is heard when people cast magic in nwn? For some reason I expected that there was some universal language that calls out language, perhaps draconic.

Pretty much. It's just a soundbite. 2 for males, 2 for females. Nothing special or specifically indicative about them.

Magic was around for a good many, many years before Dragons ever showed up, a la Creator Races. Although it's never made clear when dragonkind for sure came of Toril(not too long before the Time of Dragons I'd assume), there was a good 5000 years or so of the Sarrukh being the dominant force in the world. During which reign they had already created arguably the most powerful magic of any and all time, the Nether Scrolls.

Magic is no single race's monopoly. At least not in the "modern" times of 1380+.

Thanks very much!

got a question about languages on amia, and how they may be used etc.

first if all i am sure we follow the languages learned=base int mod? plus any racial languages.

mainly want to know ideas/suggestions/insight how people may have used or currently use thieves cant as a language. i see it many ways and have seen it used many ways and the way i figure it works best is simple gestures and subtle hand motions to communicate simple sentences. this is the way i've been using it anyways. i dislike seeing it used as a highly communicated language thats used to speak in full elaborate speech. any dm insight as to a ruling would be cool too. and typically how many rogue would one need to have to understand it? not too worried about me, but when using it with others.

I have a few questions, that will probably grow into more questions. Namely: Drow.

I have a rough grounding already on many aspects of their culture, but not read any actual story fluff, so it is all.. 'theoretical'. Basically, I would like to start playing a lowish-ranking member of a house to learn a lot of things from the inside (and avoid dabbling in the politics until I know more about how it works). So the character and I learn how things work at the same time. Maybe a freed mind-slave to simulate the lack of specific knowledge, or one recovering from some other event that almost wiped his memory?

First, how rigid is the caste system within houses - is a persons role, and therefore training and ultimate future - predetermined by the house? I am thinking a Drow barbarian could be fun (a rage from his tortured past?) or maybe a ranger.. But if he would be directed right into some rank and file military organisation, then he should be a fighter.

Second, Drow and bows. Do they use them? I'm not asking if it is banned, they obviously have the physical ability to use them, but in the underdark where both range and visibility is limited I'm not sure if a Drow archer wouldn't be just too strange..

Third, any good books or short stories you can point me at would be appreciated.

weales wrote:

got a question about languages on amia, and how they may be used etc.

first if all i am sure we follow the languages learned=base int mod? plus any racial languages.

mainly want to know ideas/suggestions/insight how people may have used or currently use thieves cant as a language. i see it many ways and have seen it used many ways and the way i figure it works best is simple gestures and subtle hand motions to communicate simple sentences. this is the way i've been using it anyways. i dislike seeing it used as a highly communicated language thats used to speak in full elaborate speech. any dm insight as to a ruling would be cool too. and typically how many rogue would one need to have to understand it? not too worried about me, but when using it with others.

The rule I have been told, and practice, is a PC has 1 common(Common or Undercommon) and 1 Racial/Regional at base and can learn up to + 1 per INT Mod or +1 per 5 ranks of Lore. The reason I stress "up to" is because the rule of thumb doesn't necessarily mean a Wizard with 18 base INT starts off knowing 4 additional languages to his 2 base, but he could learn up to that many at that point. And should he increase his INT or Lore score down the road, then his capacity to learn more languages goes up, but he still actually has to learn it somehow, whether it be through active RP or something in his backstory.

But language isn't heavily regulated at all. Most of the time you're left to your own reasoning. And most of the time, DM's won't give you much of any hassle as long as you're not a 6 Int, non-bard mook-orc claiming to know 3 languages that have absolutely no relation to your race or known background.

Thieves' Cant is a very tricky business. Firstly, there really isn't a language called "Thieves' Cant", it's more or less a general term applied to the heavily slanged dialect used by criminals that differs from city to city. That is to say, there is most likely a colloquial Thieves Cant for bandits in Waterdeep and it may sound significantly different than the Thieves Cant of Luskan. But that's not the real problem with it. The problem is that it uses Common words. So again, it's not so much a language, as it is slang. Think like the "Jive Speak" people from the movie Airplane. It's English, but unless you know the slang, you're absolutely amiss.

Most of the time, when I use it on my character who speaks a version of it, I just speak regular common, with some medival slang thrown in. So it looks exactly like common, it just only makes sense to people who know what he's talking about. None of this [Thieve's Cant] mess, that's misleading and lazy. But I'd dare to say you could understand it with 1 or no Rogue levels. Why? Because not all criminals are "Rogues." Just like all Knights aren't paladins or fighters. As long as your PC was in a situation where they could have learned it, it's as legit as any other language, I want to say. Except...again... it's not really a language all unto itself.

Quote:

First, how rigid is the caste system within houses - is a persons role, and therefore training and ultimate future - predetermined by the house? I am thinking a Drow barbarian could be fun (a rage from his tortured past?) or maybe a ranger.. But if he would be directed right into some rank and file military organisation, then he should be a fighter.

Second, Drow and bows. Do they use them? I'm not asking if it is banned, they obviously have the physical ability to use them, but in the underdark where both range and visibility is limited I'm not sure if a Drow archer wouldn't be just too strange..

Third, any good books or short stories you can point me at would be appreciated.

now that I have some coffee in me ill expand on this a bit more...

The drow house system for a true lolthian house is very rigid to the point of unmoving *if you are a male*... the female clerics rule the house and everyone else is just out of luck... it should not and does not stop everyone else from trying to put themselves in a position of power though... it really depends on the house and the city though... some houses are secretly ran by males *see Selvetarm or worse yet Vhaerun* though the later would most likely make you a heretic and fearing for your life is caught.

Do not think that every drow city is a matriarchy based around the cult of the spiderqueen though... many drow cities are actually ran by a circle of mages *usually male* and it is common enough that forgotten realms even coined a term for it though it escapes me *tormak most likely knows it since it is identical to how the red wizards run their cities*

Drow use bows yes... they are technically still "elves" and get the racial weapons of elves though the elves would never admit to that... and the debate about drow arcane archers was settled on this server by the DMs stating that solonor gives arcane archery to surface elves.. and Selvetarm gives it to drow.

novels on drow plenty of them... ever hear of Drizzit?

if want want more indepth information on drow send me a pm I can give you quite a few pdfs on the subject

Rangers/Barbarians (and Fighters) make good Selvetargtlin if nothing else - followers of the drow god of war, Selvetarm. He and his followers are *technically* subservient to Lolth's rule, but they ocassionally take some liberties. His orders are loosely-organised warbands attached to the church of Lolth, and his teachings emphasise wild and fierce battle over actual military tactics. So, you can do quite well as a barbarian of Selvetarm. You won't necessarily be expected to go rank-and-file though, drow are a chaotic race and even their military can allow for the sort of irregulars that a barb/ranger might represent. In a House you probably will be expected to protect the females at all costs though, follow their orders and whatnot.

On the topic of drow wielding bows. "Weapon Proficiency: A drow is automatically proficient with the hand crossbow, the rapier, and the short sword. This trait replaces the high elf’s weapon proficiency." From the SRD. I'm pretty sure the idea of "racial weapons" is a cultural thing, elves aren't born knowing how to use them. So culturally drow prefer their own weapons (though we don't have hand crossbows so light I guess!) I think mechanically they just get elf weapons though, so yeah...

That said, it's a martial weapon so any warrior type can use one. You might get some guff for using a bow as it's known to be a dirty surface elf thing and realistically, underground = cramped conditions (need more room to use a bow vs crossbow) and limited visibility making a crossbow more effective... but, the mechanics favour bows. I can't speak for anyone else but at worst my drowsies will give you suspicious looks.

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