That’s irrelevant, Istar is very clearly meant to invoke medieval Catholicism complete with crusading orders, ominous Latin chanting, cathedrals and libraries of forbidden books.Tharquish is Rome.
The link between Babylon = "beast" = Pope is a different (unfortunate) archetype.
You keep asserting without evidence and what does Tharquish have to do with this at all?Tharquish = Rome (Italy)
Ishtar = Babylon (Iraq)
But Ishtar sailors = Phoenicians (Lebanon)
Yaarel, you have really cool ideas -- I love the maps of Oerik you sent me. And I aim to look at your suggestions closer to see what I can glean for my chart.Istar (≈ Babylonian goddess Ishtar) is mainly Iraq Mesopotamia. However, Istar (≈ related Canaanite goddess Ashtarte) is Lebanon fertile crescent.
In this sense, the Istar "mariners" are prominently the coastal Phoenicians, today Lebanon. The Phoenicians have sailor port towns all around the Mediterranean, even as far as Spain, and Carthage in Africa is a famous example, today Tunisia.
The French comic, "Black Moon", has quasiofficial status, in that it had official permission from TSR to use Oerth as the setting of the comic. Meanwhile, the map confirms the names and cultures that the comic portrays.W
You keep asserting without evidence and what does Tharquish have to do with this at all?
It's not irrelevant. Both are relevant. It's relevant that the Hickman & Weiss chose to use a name from Akkadian mythology. The biblical theme of the "Fall of Babylon" is about, well, "Babylon" after all.That’s irrelevant, Istar is very clearly meant to invoke medieval Catholicism complete with crusading orders, ominous Latin chanting, cathedrals and libraries of forbidden books.
I saw a few pictures of Tarquish -- it looked more Classical Greek to me. Do you have any links to more images?The French comic, "Black Moon", has quasiofficial status, in that it had official permission from TSR to use Oerth as the setting of the comic. Meanwhile, the map confirms the names and cultures that the comic portrays.
Tarquish is explicitly Roman-esque (Roman architecture, Roman soldiers with Roman armor and weapons), albeit renaissance and medieval Italy infuses the culture too.
Here's the revised entry for Krynn, from the African section of the OP:Sure, in the 2e book Tales of the Lance: World Book of Ansalon, pg 55-56. I just had another read, the sea barbarians are listed as descendants of mariners from Istar. I've copied the relevant sections below for the sea barbarians. Lifestyle looks like it has some info on where they maintain some more permanent settlements. I always thought of them as the archetype for the mariner warrior class, probably helped along by the art used in the book.
Appearance
Sea barbarians have richer skin tones than other barbarians. Their skin ranges from light brown to glowing black. They wear their tightly curled black hair closely cropped to their heads. Their eyes flash with emotion—joy one moment and wrath the next—much like the volatile sea. Sea barbarians enjoy flamboyant and gaudy garb of sailcloth, homespun, or burlap. Life among the roaring billows and pitching waves makes these folk boisterous and courageous. Even so, they are the most civilized of the barbaric races.
Personality
Sea barbarians differ greatly from their barbarian brothers. On the outside, these loud, friendly people brim with good cheer. Underneath, though, sea barbarians harbor a haughty pride that keeps them distant from other races. Even so, sea barbarians deal fairly with those they meet and, given time, develop friendships that can weather any storm.
History
The sea barbarians have an entirely different history. They arose as mariners of once-mighty Istar. The Cataclysm destroyed the heart-city of their shipping business and dispersed the mariners throughout the world. Since the Zero Hour, mariners have led a somewhat nomadic existence. They never settle permanently: the urge to travel fills their blood.
Lifestyle
The sea barbarians live differently. Although they spend most of their time at sea, they do dock occasionally. Descendants of city dwellers, these barbarians maintain port cities where they can rest and sell their cargos. The city of Sea Reach on the island of Saifhum is one such bedroom town for sea barbarians. They forbid foreign traffic into Sea Reach, wishing to keep the foul folk of Ansalon at arm's reach.