Edena_of_Neith
First Post
When people think of the Forgotten Realms, they think of Elminster, Drizzt, the Computer Game Baldur's Gate, and a lot of other things.
Here's something to think about: Dambrath.
Dambrath is mentioned only in brief in the 3rd Edition Player's Handbook. I am presuming space limitations made it's inclusion in a later supplement a necessity.
You can find detailed information on Dambrath from the 2nd edition supplement FR12 The Shining South.
What is so special about Dambrath it should even be mentioned here or anywhere else?
One, the Church of Loviatar is the State Religion there, and the Church of Lolth coexists with the State Religion in peace and unity.
Two, Dambrath is ruled by half-elves and half-drow working in unison.
These two things make Dambrath a symbol of things better left unseen in Faerun.
- - -
Evermeet advocates strict segregation between elves and non-elves.
Certainly, most elves believe in segregation between themselves and drow. The drow return the sentiment.
This is not the case in Dambrath.
Half-elves are, by definition, the result of elves inbreeding with humans (or, rarely in Faerun and not the case here, other races.)
Half-elves are considered by Evermeet and by Queen Amlaruil to be a threat to the very existence of elves and their culture (as stated in the sequel to the book Elfshadow.)
Half-drow are the product of the union between drow and non-drow. Elves and drow alike consider these abominations, to be destroyed on sight.
Most certainly, half-elves and half-drow should not be cooperating in peace. For although they are only half elven/drow, the part of each being that is elven or drow should recognize the enemy in the part of the other that is elven or drow.
Or perhaps, just perhaps, the people of Dambrath have something going for them?
A new kind of thinking? A kind of thinking that makes them stronger, better, more powerful than their northern brethren?
Perhaps they recognize a fundamental truth that the elves and drow of Faerun do not recognize, and in this recognition have obtained insight and understanding beyond their kin?
Because these half elves and half drow ARE the rulers in Dambrath, and the other half of the populace, the human peoples of that country, reverently (and fearfully) serve them, and serve them well.
They rule in peace. They rule in prosperity. They rule in power (the fact their country stands strong against neighboring Halruaa is a mute testament to their strength.)
If I were an elf or a drow of Faerun, I would be very afraid of them.
Afraid they were out to extinguish my civilization, and replace it with theirs. Afraid they might come to enslave me and make me do their bidding.
The rulers of Dambrath, intend to do just those things ... but all in good time. The dreams of ambition must not wreck the pleasures of life.
- - -
In Dambrath, Loviatar is the state religion, and the worship of Lolth is a second religion working hand in hand with the main religion.
What I have just said is not possible, of course, or at least most Faerunians would say it was impossible.
The lawful evil religion of Loviatar should not be able to tolerate the chaotic evil religion of Lolth, much less work with it as an ally and friend.
The chaotic Lolth is said to have told her clerics to destroy all those of other religions.
For that matter, there aren't supposed to be clerics who worship both Loviatar and Lolth. Isn't that an enigma, since one is lawful and one is chaotic, and both preach intolerance?
Furthermore, evil religions aren't supposed to work together harmoniously as one. They should be vying for supremacy, shouldn't they?
Furthermore, the clergy of Loviatar in Dambrath understand that pain is more than a weapon of terror: the conquest of pain is the key to supreme power.
Most people recognize that pain is a normal part of life, and attempt to harden themselves against that pain as much as they can. They employ self-discipline and mental fortitude to shrug off pain, or at least to endure it, as they strive for accomplishment and gain in a hard world.
The clergy of Loviatar, however, do something far more sinister, and far more dangerous.
The clergy of Loviatar, choose to embrace pain rather than endure it, and by embracing it, transcend it. In the neverending process of transcension, they gain a kind of self-discipline and mental fortitude that far exceeds anything normal people can hope to accomplish, or hope to achieve.
Thus, where normal people are terrified or intimidated, the clergy and worshippers of Loviatar are immune to terror or fright.
Where men and women lie screaming in pain on the battlefield, the followers of Loviatar scream in relish, and rush to the onslaught. Where pain whelms the mind of normal people, the followers of Loviatar exist in a cold clarity of thought beyond the reach of pain.
Where warriors and wizards reach the end of their endurance, and cannot pursue their studies further, the followers of Loviatar sociopathically pursue their goals to the ultimate end, and no barrier of stamina or frustration can stand against them.
Thus, in Dambrath, the people of that land can and do reach levels far in excess of what is possible elsewhere.
The mad obsession with Loviatar and the grim darwinism of Lolth drive them to dwelve farther and deeper, to last longer, to push harder, than anyone else on the continent.
- - -
Of course, the peril is overlooked.
The bickering peoples of Faerun watch each other, and do not see the danger to their south.
Faced with dopplegangers, drow, phaerimm, Zhentarim, Red Wizards, dragons, orcs, Shadowmasters, Shades, their own internal feuding, and many other threats, nobody bothers to look at this particular one.
Yet it is there, this thread.
It represents a kind of thinking that is simply not found elsewhere in Faerun.
It represents a kind of thinking that is extremely perilous to everyone, for it takes the best of many worlds and combines them into a new and diabolical combination.
When (it is a matter of when, not if) Halruaa falls to Dambrath, and the Lords and Ladies of Dambrath obtain the awesome secrets of the Netherese, Faerun may just learn the hard way just how great the unlooked for peril is.
Here's something to think about: Dambrath.
Dambrath is mentioned only in brief in the 3rd Edition Player's Handbook. I am presuming space limitations made it's inclusion in a later supplement a necessity.
You can find detailed information on Dambrath from the 2nd edition supplement FR12 The Shining South.
What is so special about Dambrath it should even be mentioned here or anywhere else?
One, the Church of Loviatar is the State Religion there, and the Church of Lolth coexists with the State Religion in peace and unity.
Two, Dambrath is ruled by half-elves and half-drow working in unison.
These two things make Dambrath a symbol of things better left unseen in Faerun.
- - -
Evermeet advocates strict segregation between elves and non-elves.
Certainly, most elves believe in segregation between themselves and drow. The drow return the sentiment.
This is not the case in Dambrath.
Half-elves are, by definition, the result of elves inbreeding with humans (or, rarely in Faerun and not the case here, other races.)
Half-elves are considered by Evermeet and by Queen Amlaruil to be a threat to the very existence of elves and their culture (as stated in the sequel to the book Elfshadow.)
Half-drow are the product of the union between drow and non-drow. Elves and drow alike consider these abominations, to be destroyed on sight.
Most certainly, half-elves and half-drow should not be cooperating in peace. For although they are only half elven/drow, the part of each being that is elven or drow should recognize the enemy in the part of the other that is elven or drow.
Or perhaps, just perhaps, the people of Dambrath have something going for them?
A new kind of thinking? A kind of thinking that makes them stronger, better, more powerful than their northern brethren?
Perhaps they recognize a fundamental truth that the elves and drow of Faerun do not recognize, and in this recognition have obtained insight and understanding beyond their kin?
Because these half elves and half drow ARE the rulers in Dambrath, and the other half of the populace, the human peoples of that country, reverently (and fearfully) serve them, and serve them well.
They rule in peace. They rule in prosperity. They rule in power (the fact their country stands strong against neighboring Halruaa is a mute testament to their strength.)
If I were an elf or a drow of Faerun, I would be very afraid of them.
Afraid they were out to extinguish my civilization, and replace it with theirs. Afraid they might come to enslave me and make me do their bidding.
The rulers of Dambrath, intend to do just those things ... but all in good time. The dreams of ambition must not wreck the pleasures of life.
- - -
In Dambrath, Loviatar is the state religion, and the worship of Lolth is a second religion working hand in hand with the main religion.
What I have just said is not possible, of course, or at least most Faerunians would say it was impossible.
The lawful evil religion of Loviatar should not be able to tolerate the chaotic evil religion of Lolth, much less work with it as an ally and friend.
The chaotic Lolth is said to have told her clerics to destroy all those of other religions.
For that matter, there aren't supposed to be clerics who worship both Loviatar and Lolth. Isn't that an enigma, since one is lawful and one is chaotic, and both preach intolerance?
Furthermore, evil religions aren't supposed to work together harmoniously as one. They should be vying for supremacy, shouldn't they?
Furthermore, the clergy of Loviatar in Dambrath understand that pain is more than a weapon of terror: the conquest of pain is the key to supreme power.
Most people recognize that pain is a normal part of life, and attempt to harden themselves against that pain as much as they can. They employ self-discipline and mental fortitude to shrug off pain, or at least to endure it, as they strive for accomplishment and gain in a hard world.
The clergy of Loviatar, however, do something far more sinister, and far more dangerous.
The clergy of Loviatar, choose to embrace pain rather than endure it, and by embracing it, transcend it. In the neverending process of transcension, they gain a kind of self-discipline and mental fortitude that far exceeds anything normal people can hope to accomplish, or hope to achieve.
Thus, where normal people are terrified or intimidated, the clergy and worshippers of Loviatar are immune to terror or fright.
Where men and women lie screaming in pain on the battlefield, the followers of Loviatar scream in relish, and rush to the onslaught. Where pain whelms the mind of normal people, the followers of Loviatar exist in a cold clarity of thought beyond the reach of pain.
Where warriors and wizards reach the end of their endurance, and cannot pursue their studies further, the followers of Loviatar sociopathically pursue their goals to the ultimate end, and no barrier of stamina or frustration can stand against them.
Thus, in Dambrath, the people of that land can and do reach levels far in excess of what is possible elsewhere.
The mad obsession with Loviatar and the grim darwinism of Lolth drive them to dwelve farther and deeper, to last longer, to push harder, than anyone else on the continent.
- - -
Of course, the peril is overlooked.
The bickering peoples of Faerun watch each other, and do not see the danger to their south.
Faced with dopplegangers, drow, phaerimm, Zhentarim, Red Wizards, dragons, orcs, Shadowmasters, Shades, their own internal feuding, and many other threats, nobody bothers to look at this particular one.
Yet it is there, this thread.
It represents a kind of thinking that is simply not found elsewhere in Faerun.
It represents a kind of thinking that is extremely perilous to everyone, for it takes the best of many worlds and combines them into a new and diabolical combination.
When (it is a matter of when, not if) Halruaa falls to Dambrath, and the Lords and Ladies of Dambrath obtain the awesome secrets of the Netherese, Faerun may just learn the hard way just how great the unlooked for peril is.
