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    Canonfire :: View topic - Are there amazons in the Flanaess?
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    Are there amazons in the Flanaess?
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    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:27 pm  
    Are there amazons in the Flanaess?

    I started a new campaign last night (3.5) and one of the players wants to run a female cleric of Kord, loosely based on an amazon concept. It'd be nice if I could advise the player of a home country but I don't recall a specifically Amazonian culture, and since I'm basing it on The Adventure Begins I don't think Hardby will fit the bill. (Actually, I don't think H. would fit the bill anyway.) Funnily enough, the player's not keen on a barbarian nation.

    Can anybody help me out?
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
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    Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:57 pm  

    This blog entry is relevant. There were actually four different blister packs of miniatures featuring Amazons from Hardby. There were a lot of choices in those miniatures that might seem eccentric today, like the evil halflings of Iuz.

    An Amedi Suel or maybe Olman Amazon group would make sense (though if she worships Kord, she's more likely Suel), but if it absolutely has to be a group that's:

    1. Civilized
    2. Not from Hardby

    ...then my first choice would be Tenh. Just say that the Flan culture of Tenh has a tradition of female warriors. It works for me, anyway. Tenh is a little different, culturally, from the Oerid-Suel culture that dominates much of the Flanaess.

    Although, of course, they probably don't worship Kord in Tenh. Can't have everything, I suppose.

    Really, you could do that for anywhere, though. Celene has a female ruler, as does Sterich circa 591 CY. I had the idea of an order of female Raven Knights named after an ancient Keoish queen.

    Perhaps the Hradikar warriors who once served Queen Ehlissa of the Nightingale were female, and their tradition continues to this day in some form (again, they probably wouldn't worship Kord, but still).

    If it has to be a female-dominated society and not just a group of female warriors, you might have to make some adjustments to canon (which is fine). Just pick a nation that's convenient for your campaign and declare its people amazons. Maybe Sunndi, or one of the Bandit Kingdoms, or Geoff, or the Valley of the Mage. Maybe the island of Sybarate or Berghof in the Sea Princes (both from the UK modules). Maybe they could be associated with the Ladies of Crede in the Sea Barons. Probably some place relatively isolated from the rest of the Flanaess, since if being an Amazon is mainstream then they wouldn't be special enough to have a name.


    Last edited by rasgon on Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
    Adept Greytalker

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    From: Dantredun, MN

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    Wed Aug 27, 2014 2:26 pm  

    I'd say Hemponaland is the best candidate as it fits the tropical stereotype and there are already several city-states ruled by princesses that could be further developed.

    If the tropics and northern barbarians states are off-limits, the Tree People of the Vale of the Mage could be easily modified to fit the mold. Most of WG12 was a wash anyway and the Tree People were one of the few intriguing features of that product. Just remove the sentence that says their society is dominated by men and say their priesthood of Lirr is all-female.

    Closer to home are the Rhennee. While by no means a matriarchy, they do present an opportunity for female PC's from an exotic culture with unusual gender roles and mysticism.

    The Glossography tables list many locations with tribesmen and cavemen throughout the Flanaess. There's no reason some of the tribes in the Abbor Alz or Welkwood couldn't be led by charismatic priestesses of Ehlonna, Ulaa, or even Joramy.
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
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    Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:00 pm  

    Lots of great suggestions so far. Here are a few of my own.

    Geoff: Though this nation is traditionally a Flan nation, its culture was deemed to be Celtic/Welsh by its Living Greyhawk Triad. It would be very apropos to have warrior women from such a culture advance in class as Amazons. (Think Kiera Knightly's Guinevere from King Arthur.) Also, Geoff, being part of the Sheldomar Valley, is heavily influenced by the Suel/Oeridians of Keoland. Thus, the worship of a Suel god like Kord is reasonable in such a land.

    The Yeomanry: In this nation, everyone is trained to fight. Women would be fierce warriors - working twice as hard to not be seen as weaker than their male counterparts. The worship of Kord would be reasonable here also because of the influence of the nearby Keoland.

    Ratik: This land is heavily influenced by the Suel barbarians of the Thillonrian peninsula, but is a more civilized land. Kord is widely worshipped in all three barbarian nations, so his worship is likely popular in their ally, Ratik.

    Hope that helps. Smile

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    Black Hand of Oblivion

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    Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:17 pm  

    I would go with a Thilonnrian barbarian maiden. The harsh land breeds tough people. Worshiping Kord, there are many angles one could go with so far as the warrior persona is concerned:

    1. Strong, yet tough and agile (Str, Con, Dex)- Brienne of Tarth (definitely downplay the "agile" for Brienne, and up-play the tough Laughing)
    2. Strong, yet agile and tough (Str, Dex, Con)- Zula (Conan the Destroyer)
    3. Tough, yet strong and agile (Con, Str, Dex)- Lady Sif
    4. Tough, yet agile and strong (Con, Dex, Str)- Sarah Connor
    5. Agile, yet strong and tough (Dex, Str, Con)- Red Sonja, Zula
    6. Agile, yet tough and strong (Dex, Con, Str)- Black Widow

    Whatever route one goes, it wouldn't hurt to have some brawling or wraslin' skills built into the character (depending on what rules set you are using).

    If it is an Amazon culture you are looking for, Greyhawk doesn't really have one. Well, it doesn't doesn't have one that is documented, but you can always make one up. However, you can have a dominant female warrior of Kord come out of any society really (excepting maybe a Bbaklunish one; a Suel bloodline of some sort would be the most suitable). It very well could be that, for this character's background, it is not so much about the culture of origin as it is about the deity she worships. Kord is a god of physicality. This character may be all about physicality, and looks down on those who do not exemplify it; especially men who are weaker than her, but really anyone who needs to rely on others to defend them. You don't specifically need to have a character be from an Amazonian culture to represent this sort of attitude.

    I would definitely make her a a Warrior-Priestess type of character. We have one in my 3.5E campaign, affectionately referred to as "The Warbitch" by her fellow PCs. She is currently a a fighter 2/Cleric 4 of Tritherion (she hasn't been played in four years though). She is much like a not so homely Brienne of Tarth, and as a cleric of a god of retribution, well, not many who get on her bad side come to a good end. Evil Grin Everybody enjoyed the character.
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    Last edited by Cebrion on Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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    Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:14 pm  

    See, I knew I'd get some great ideas from you good people. I just didn't expect them to be so quick. Shocked

    Thanks for all the ideas. You've given me plenty to think about.

    The player has chosen Kord to maximize attack potential, I think. (He's definitely more interested in mechanics and numbers than roleplay, and certainly interested in dealing out the damage!)

    Cebrion, she's got a +7 to grapple at first level (D&D 3.5). The player tells me proudly, "that should smash most people".

    I'm not really sure why not a barbarian, so I might check that with him. I'm keen to give him as much setting immersion as I can get away with. Wink And you have all helped me to do that, so I thank you.

    I'll let you know what I decide.
    Black Hand of Oblivion

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    Fri Aug 29, 2014 12:21 am  

    The mechanics of a character can influence role-play simply because of what the character is capable of. I think there is really only one viable way to go so far as a Warrior-Priest of Kord is concerned. Our player went with two levels of Fighter, which gives more of an attack bonus, a few more hit points, access to a wider array of weapons, additional Feats, and access to additional class skills. The downside, and it very much isn't a minor thing, is slowing both Turn Undead and spell progression. If there is only one cleric in the group, lower power in these areas can be a big deal, so proceed with caution. Our player picked up one level of Fighter for every two Cleric levels gained (2 Fighter levels gave the effect he wanted), and then chose to focus solely on Cleric levels. If there is no other Cleric in the party then two levels of Fighter is probably where I would stop too, as at higher levels the Cleric abilities will become very desirable, or even necessary.

    A solid class identity that suits the character/background can easily be locked in by 6th level, which is about the time that the Warpriest prestige class will become available. Your player might consider that option too, if you allow it, and if it suits the type of character they want to play. They'll be giving up even more spell progression if they do so, but they might see that downside as being more than made up for by gaining a Fighter's BAB and hit points, various other powers, and the bonus Glory domain. Why the Glory domain was set as the bonus domain and not left open to be deity specific is a mystery to me. The Glory domain doesn't suit Kord at all though, so what you may wish to do is still grant the bonus domain, but have it be one of Kord's listed domains that the player didn't originally choose for their character (note the new domains in Complete Divine). That way you'll achieve something more fully "in character".
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    Last edited by Cebrion on Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:15 am; edited 1 time in total
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Tue Sep 02, 2014 9:11 pm  

    From the Greyhawk Wiki:
    Some 2500 Yeomanry mercenaries are still employed by Keoland and the Freeholder wants them recalled, a move to which Keoland strongly objects.

    Rivka's parents are mercenaries currently employed in Keoland. That means the first level character doesn't have quite so far to travel to get to Greyhawk (where the rest of the party resides), and that there are two good links with other arenas of play for later levels.

    No doubt the player is keener on the Kord aspect than the amazon aspect, so I'm going to suggest that she's an out-there woman who definitely knows how to take it to the enemy. I think he'll be happy to run with that, and just develop her character as he wishes.

    Thanks again for all the help. Smile
    CF Admin

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    Fri Sep 12, 2014 7:33 pm  

    Don't forget that an Amazonian-themed Fading Land could reasonably exist anywhere you want, as well.
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    GreySage

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    Sat Sep 13, 2014 3:19 am  

    Or for that matter, there could be a portal to ancient Earth north of the Black Sea, where literal mythological Amazons could be found. Perhaps the portal to the centaur canyon in the Caverns of Tsojcanth leads there.
    CF Admin

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    Sat Sep 13, 2014 4:32 am  

    rasgon wrote:
    Or for that matter, there could be a portal to ancient Earth north of the Black Sea, where literal mythological Amazons could be found. Perhaps the portal to the centaur canyon in the Caverns of Tsojcanth leads there.


    I was just thinking of appending that to my comment above this morning, Rip---all bow before your Greyhawk omniscience :)
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    Tue Sep 16, 2014 6:00 pm  

    Try Dungeon 109, The Gynarchy of Hardby
    Apprentice Greytalker

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    Mon Sep 22, 2014 12:56 pm  

    Not sure if its too late to chime in but the Tigar Nomads have such an amazonian culture. Yet they are barbaric & Baklunish, so the worship of Kord in unlikely, as they seem to worship old cults.
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