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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
Posts: 1846
From: Mt. Smolderac
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Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:38 am
Which came first...
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Azor'alq or Al'akbar?
My impression was that Azor'alq was one of the leaders of the Baklunish who led them on the Hegira from the far west BEFORE the Empire, and that Al'akbar lived during/after the Twin Cats. But I've seen some materials saying that Azor'alq was sponsored by Al'akbar. I know the latter is canon but is there a canon version of Azor'alq's history?
Also, just for fun and debate what do people think was the deal with the Valley Elves nicking the Cup and Talisman of Al'akbar? 
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GreySage
Joined: Aug 03, 2001
Posts: 3310
From: Michigan
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Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:51 am
Re: Which came first...
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According to LGJ#3, Azor'alq was the hero who protected the royal Baklunish family during the Hegira after the Baklunish War of Light and Darkness. Al'Akbar was 3000 years later, just after the Twin Cataclysms - Pelor (as the Baklunish Al'Asran) granted him the Cup and Talisman to help heal the woes of those afflicted by the Invoked Devastation.
I'm not aware of any canon that connects the two. Probably the confusion is that in the Oerth Journal, prior to 1998, Al'Akbar was used as an alias of Pelor. Roger Moore made Al'Akbar a seperate demigod, so Gary Holian substituted the name "Al'Asran" in his Paladins of Greyhawk article. Read "Al'Asran" wherever it says Al'Akbar in previous unofficial materials; it was likely Al'Asran who sponsored Azor'alq's apotheosis.
Valley elves were probably procuring the Cup and Talisman for their master to experiment on/use as a bargaining tool with otherworldly powers.
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
Posts: 1846
From: Mt. Smolderac
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Mon Jul 24, 2006 1:33 pm
Re: Which came first...
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Thanks. I think it was that OJ article that confused me.
| rasgon wrote: |
| Valley elves were probably procuring the Cup and Talisman for their master to experiment on/use as a bargaining tool with otherworldly powers. |
I assumed the same thing too, but the theft was in 219 CY (LGG p.43) and the coming of Jason Krimeah was after the Valley Elf King left which was in the early 500's (LGG p. 127). Unless you meant the Valley Elf King? Who knows? The Valley Elves are pretty mysterious.
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CF Admin
Joined: Jul 28, 2001
Posts: 652
From: on the way to Bellport
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Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:33 pm
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Rip can clarify what he meant, but other GH fans disfavor the Black One so much that they omit him completely and instead use Gygax's demiurge Basiliv.
IIRC, the LGG not only mentioned Al'Akbar's relics but also the Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty being stolen out of Civilized Bakluna and later appearing somewhere in Keoland. These mentions intrigued me and made me wonder about old vendettas.
Perhaps the vale olves served as mercenaries for another power, perhaps one in Keoland? The Silent Ones need not have been involved, but reviewing the kingdom's chronology might suggest that they were indeed pulling strings
Also, I think that Sargent planted the seeds for the reported theft of the Jacinth. I forget if the LGG named Passing Shadow or instead merely described her with an artifact suspiciously similar to that great lost jewel?
Stretching my memory, I dimly recall past conversations on this subject that also braided the reputed olven-make of Azor'Alq's legendary sword...
Perhaps the master of the vale olves desired to deny the rebirth of the Baklunish Empire?
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
Posts: 1846
From: Mt. Smolderac
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Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:58 pm
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| mtg wrote: |
| Perhaps the master of the vale olves desired to deny the rebirth of the Baklunish Empire? |
Or maybe the Cup and Talisman were originally elven artifacts and the valley elves were just stealing back what had been taken from them by the gods of the Paynims and given to Al-akbar centuries before?
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Jan 19, 2004
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Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:46 am
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Does anyone know of any good sources for Valley Elves background information besides "Valley of the Mage", and the LGG? (I already have these.) My main question is why did the Valley Elves break off from the others?
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GreySage
Joined: Aug 03, 2001
Posts: 3310
From: Michigan
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Sat Jul 29, 2006 4:16 pm
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| tulkas wrote: |
| Does anyone know of any good sources for Valley Elves background information besides "Valley of the Mage", and the LGG? (I already have these.) My main question is why did the Valley Elves break off from the others? |
Samwise gives his theory in his Pre-Cataclysmic History of the Sheldomar.
The other theory, from Dragon #155, is that the valley elves split from the rest of olvenkind at the same time as the snow elves did, after the wars with the drow, as they refused to take sides in that conflict.
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