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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
Posts: 2788
From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:41 am
Thillonrian Magic?
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Just thought I share this news item regarding Viking "Sunstones." I remember reading about them once before, but I don't think it was quite this interesting:
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/03/10/first-evidence-viking-sunstone-found/?intcmp=features
I could see this easily fitting in as a form of little understood "Barbarian" magic from the far north. I am definitely going to find a place for this in my Greyhawk.
Or has such an item already found its way into "Canon?" 
Your thoughts?
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
Posts: 2470
From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:50 am
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Science and mysticism blending together. Very cool. When I taught earth science, I showed my students the property they were explaining about calcite called "double refraction." It is something fairly unique to this crystalline matrix. Neat find, Mystic. Thanks for sharing.
Lanthorn
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Jul 10, 2003
Posts: 1234
From: New Jersey
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:10 pm
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It could also be used as a means to locate the prison of Vatun.
I doubt the barbarian people of the Thillonrian, would have completely stopped looking to free their god. (Main deity anyway its not like they are monotheistic). The sunstones will reveal the prison and the blades of Corusk will release Vatun. The sunstones could also be used for travel like opening gates to the realms of the gods.
Just some ideas.
Later
Argon
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GreySage
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
Posts: 2701
From: LG Dyvers
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:27 pm
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That's pretty cool, Mystic. I read a similar article a few days ago, but can't remember where and can't find it now.
From the original Unearthed Arcana, the barbarian culture is generally suspicious of arcane magic. They are not opposed to divine magic, however (hence the Barbarian Cleric class in a following Dragon Magazine). So, it would be easy for seafaring Thillonrian barbarians to make use of a magical sunstone as long as they believed it was a gift from their god(s). It would be fun to have their origin be an ancient invention of arcane spellcasters from their culture's past, but the legend around them has developed into them being of divine origin in order to fit with the changing culture's distrust of arcane magic.
SirXaris
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Adept Greytalker
Joined: Sep 20, 2004
Posts: 580
From: British Isles
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:38 pm
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Fascinating article. I'm surprised I hadn't heard about this before as I'm from the Channel Islands where they found the sunstone.
Definitely sounds apt for the Suelii
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GreySage
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
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From: South-Central Pennsylvania
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Sun Mar 10, 2013 2:20 pm
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| SirXaris wrote: |
| So, it would be easy for seafaring Thillonrian barbarians to make use of a magical sunstone as long as they believed it was a gift from their god(s). |
Perhaps from Osprem, a fitting candidate, considering their long Ocean voyages. Korund's journey to Fire-land comes to mind, not to mention their numerous raids to the south. 
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Adept Greytalker
Joined: Sep 20, 2004
Posts: 580
From: British Isles
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Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:17 am
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Or Lydia - lady of knowledge and light. I've always felt that Lydia was neglected by writers with regards to the Suelii. They are supposed to honour bards and skalds and Lydia is the goddess of music, she seems a good fit for them.
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Master Greytalker
Joined: Nov 01, 2007
Posts: 699
From: On a Cape on the East Coast
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Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:15 pm
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Absolutely fascinating article. Hm. To think that crystals form according to magnetic/geographic alignment!
| Argon wrote: |
| It could also be used as a means to locate the prison of Vatun. ... I doubt the barbarian people of the Thillonrian, would have completely stopped looking to free their god. (Main deity anyway its not like they are monotheistic). The sunstones will reveal the prison and the blades of Corusk will release Vatun. The sunstones could also be used for travel like opening gates to the realms of the gods. |
I rather like those ideas, Argon. Though in 3rd Edition/Pathfinder, there's no difference to mortals how strong their Divine Source is ... so they get full access to spells - not the 3rd or 4th level limited access they used to get. But, nevertheless, story-wise, I think that they certainly still should be interested in releasing Vatun from his prison. Although, I must admit that I think on a meta-game level, I like having Vatun imprisoned. It makes for a nice story.
But, I *do* think that the Icelandic Spar-thing would make an interesting story or legend or whatever ... there's bound to be dozens of tales and lore about how he's to be released and when. Hmm. Since the Blades are once again lost, this tpe of crystal might be an interesting tie-in on how they are found again!
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