In response to a question over in Surviving in DragonRealms - Elanthia, I dug around a bit and the end result was some lore and language info that I wanted to share here as well. Some of it is old but I don't believe previously released, some of it is an expansion and clarification on my part. Enjoy!
Morawen is the Gamgweth word for 'harness'. When used in an item name, it is referring to a specific style of weapon harness of Human origin. Traditionally, a morawen has a double cross-body design, and allows for two weapons to be held on it near the wearer's hips via a system of angled leather loops or attached metal frogs. The weapons remain clearly visible, and both are able to be drawn from the morawen at the same time.
Styles of morawen that allow for the storage of up to eight weapons are thought to have been popular in portions of the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star during its latter years, though literature from the time seems to associate these with a cultural fad wherein decorative weapons were displayed to indicate wealth, more than any practical purpose.
Similarly, raekhlo is the Gamgweth word for 'scabbard'. When used in an item name, it is referring to a specific type of weapon belt of Human origin that has only the frog portion of a scabbard attached to it, sometimes in multiples so as to allow several weapons to be secured to it at once. A raekhlo at its most simple is a wide leather belt with a metal frog attached so that the stored weapon will be held just to the back of the wearer's hip and the blade angled slightly backward.
It is thought that, historically, raekhlo was the early Gamgweth word for all types of belt-like or belt-attached weapon holding items which allowed for ease of access to the wielder, and that the meaning and popular usage morphed significantly over time as styles of battle and fashion changed. In modern times, these 'scabbards' are sometimes very similar in function to a morawen despite their cosmetic differences, in that they are frequently made to allow for two weapons to be drawn at once.
-Persida
DR-PERSIDA
TEVESHSZAT
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/07/2014 10:12 AM CDT
>>Styles of morawen that allow for the storage of up to eight weapons are thought to have been popular in portions of the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star during its latter years, though literature from the time seems to associate these with a cultural fad wherein decorative weapons were displayed to indicate wealth, more than any practical purpose.
When asked about the possibility of being able to draw eight weapons at once, the Imperial Healer's Guild muttered "No comment!" and slammed the door.
Uzmam! The Chairman will NOT be pleased to know you're trying to build outside of approved zones. I'd hate for you to be charged the taxes needed to have this place re-zoned. Head for the manor if you're feeling creative.
When asked about the possibility of being able to draw eight weapons at once, the Imperial Healer's Guild muttered "No comment!" and slammed the door.
Uzmam! The Chairman will NOT be pleased to know you're trying to build outside of approved zones. I'd hate for you to be charged the taxes needed to have this place re-zoned. Head for the manor if you're feeling creative.
STELLARMAGUS
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/07/2014 12:11 PM CDT
Er, sorry. Should have responded here.
Any chance we could get information like that added to the RECALL verb?
Any chance we could get information like that added to the RECALL verb?
KROONERMANREVENGE
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/07/2014 12:50 PM CDT
>When asked about the possibility of being able to draw eight weapons at once, the Imperial Healer's Guild muttered "No comment!" and slammed the door.
Meditate octopus.
Form Squid (yes, I know, 6 not 8, that's why it's a form).
I'm a badger, I be badgerin'
Meditate octopus.
Form Squid (yes, I know, 6 not 8, that's why it's a form).
I'm a badger, I be badgerin'
VAGELO
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/07/2014 12:53 PM CDT
SHADOW7988
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/07/2014 01:26 PM CDT
>Styles of morawen that allow for the storage of up to eight weapons are thought to have been popular in portions of the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star during its latter years, though literature from the time seems to associate these with a cultural fad wherein decorative weapons were displayed to indicate wealth, more than any practical purpose.
Showing off eight weapons, ahh where are these types of morawens? Might they be released....
Wall of text, perhaps problematic, but might be cool if it somehow functioned with different verbs to grab two different sets...
---
"I think anything that forces you to do something no sane adventurer would do just in order to train is ridiculous."
DR-SOCHARIS
---
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
Showing off eight weapons, ahh where are these types of morawens? Might they be released....
Wall of text, perhaps problematic, but might be cool if it somehow functioned with different verbs to grab two different sets...
---
"I think anything that forces you to do something no sane adventurer would do just in order to train is ridiculous."
DR-SOCHARIS
---
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
DR-PERSIDA
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/07/2014 01:54 PM CDT
>>Any chance we could get information like that added to the RECALL verb?
Mechanically, the information for an item recall is connected to the 'physical' item itself, so no, not unless every GM who makes one of these items chooses to add a recall to them and puts this information on them, I'm afraid that isn't really possible.
>>Showing off eight weapons, ahh where are these types of morawens? Might they be released...
While I won't say no to this outright, I will say that I find it probably pretty unlikely precisely for the wall-of-text issue. Who knows though? If I think of a particularly elegant way to make it happen, I'm not opposed to doing so.
-Persida
Mechanically, the information for an item recall is connected to the 'physical' item itself, so no, not unless every GM who makes one of these items chooses to add a recall to them and puts this information on them, I'm afraid that isn't really possible.
>>Showing off eight weapons, ahh where are these types of morawens? Might they be released...
While I won't say no to this outright, I will say that I find it probably pretty unlikely precisely for the wall-of-text issue. Who knows though? If I think of a particularly elegant way to make it happen, I'm not opposed to doing so.
-Persida
ABSOLON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 04:00 AM CDT
<<>>Any chance we could get information like that added to the RECALL verb?
<<Mechanically, the information for an item recall is connected to the 'physical' item itself, so no, not unless every GM who makes one of these items chooses to add a recall to them and puts this information on them, I'm afraid that isn't really possible.
Instruments do this. Every single instrument, even the simplest store bought one, has a basic description of what it looks like and how it's played when analyzed. Even instruments that existed prior to this being a thing were retroactively updated to include it. I'm not sure why the same couldn't happen to other items with weird nouns. E.g.:
> tap lyre
You tap a lyre that you are holding.
> recall lyre
You search your mind for what you know of the lyre...
The simply constructed lyre consists of a U-shaped body connected at the top with a slender crossbar. The four strings run from the crossbar to the bottom of the body across an open hand hole. It is played with one hand in front to strum the strings, and the other in the back to dampen the notes.
Roundtime: 2 sec.
Even if it is not possible to retroactively update already existing items, then perhaps there should be a basic RECALL on all items created going forward. Or barring that, at least on any item that doesn't have a standard noun that would be recognizable to your average person. I'm sure there exists a checklist of things that an item has to have before it gets released to the public, so it shouldn't be too hard to add this requirement to that checklist. All it would need is to be written once for each noun and then just copied over for any new iterations of that noun.
<<Mechanically, the information for an item recall is connected to the 'physical' item itself, so no, not unless every GM who makes one of these items chooses to add a recall to them and puts this information on them, I'm afraid that isn't really possible.
Instruments do this. Every single instrument, even the simplest store bought one, has a basic description of what it looks like and how it's played when analyzed. Even instruments that existed prior to this being a thing were retroactively updated to include it. I'm not sure why the same couldn't happen to other items with weird nouns. E.g.:
> tap lyre
You tap a lyre that you are holding.
> recall lyre
You search your mind for what you know of the lyre...
The simply constructed lyre consists of a U-shaped body connected at the top with a slender crossbar. The four strings run from the crossbar to the bottom of the body across an open hand hole. It is played with one hand in front to strum the strings, and the other in the back to dampen the notes.
Roundtime: 2 sec.
Even if it is not possible to retroactively update already existing items, then perhaps there should be a basic RECALL on all items created going forward. Or barring that, at least on any item that doesn't have a standard noun that would be recognizable to your average person. I'm sure there exists a checklist of things that an item has to have before it gets released to the public, so it shouldn't be too hard to add this requirement to that checklist. All it would need is to be written once for each noun and then just copied over for any new iterations of that noun.
DR-RAESH
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 04:16 AM CDT
>>Instruments do this.
All instruments have the same script on them. That's what makes them instruments.
>>Or barring that, at least on any item that doesn't have a standard noun that would be recognizable to your average person. I'm sure there exists a checklist of things that an item has to have before it gets released to the public, so it shouldn't be too hard to add this requirement to that checklist. All it would need is to be written once for each noun and then just copied over for any new iterations of that noun.
This is a rabbit hole so deep it isn't even funny. The whole "Naming items with IG words" is an incredibly controversial and complex argument for both Staff and Players, and you can see the different approaches in development eras.
-Raesh
"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
All instruments have the same script on them. That's what makes them instruments.
>>Or barring that, at least on any item that doesn't have a standard noun that would be recognizable to your average person. I'm sure there exists a checklist of things that an item has to have before it gets released to the public, so it shouldn't be too hard to add this requirement to that checklist. All it would need is to be written once for each noun and then just copied over for any new iterations of that noun.
This is a rabbit hole so deep it isn't even funny. The whole "Naming items with IG words" is an incredibly controversial and complex argument for both Staff and Players, and you can see the different approaches in development eras.
-Raesh
"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
ABSOLON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 04:53 AM CDT
<<All instruments have the same script on them. That's what makes them instruments.
But they don't all have the same RECALL. The recall is specific to each noun, not the fact that they're instruments. They were also retroactively updated, which was more the point. If all lyres, ocarinas, fiddles, and naqqara's can be retroactively updated with RECALLs then why can't all morawens, raekhlos, and etc.?
<<This is a rabbit hole so deep it isn't even funny. The whole "Naming items with IG words" is an incredibly controversial and complex argument for both Staff and Players, and you can see the different approaches in development eras.
This has nothing to do with the decision to name something with a word we know vs and IG word. I don't see what is so hard or controversial about requiring any future item (especially one with an elanthian noun) to be created with a basic description in a RECALL. E.g.:
> recall morawen
You search your mind for what you know of the morawen...
This harness has a double cross-body design, and allows for two weapons to be held on it near the wearer's hips via a system of angled leather loops or attached metal frogs.
But they don't all have the same RECALL. The recall is specific to each noun, not the fact that they're instruments. They were also retroactively updated, which was more the point. If all lyres, ocarinas, fiddles, and naqqara's can be retroactively updated with RECALLs then why can't all morawens, raekhlos, and etc.?
<<This is a rabbit hole so deep it isn't even funny. The whole "Naming items with IG words" is an incredibly controversial and complex argument for both Staff and Players, and you can see the different approaches in development eras.
This has nothing to do with the decision to name something with a word we know vs and IG word. I don't see what is so hard or controversial about requiring any future item (especially one with an elanthian noun) to be created with a basic description in a RECALL. E.g.:
> recall morawen
You search your mind for what you know of the morawen...
This harness has a double cross-body design, and allows for two weapons to be held on it near the wearer's hips via a system of angled leather loops or attached metal frogs.
DR-PERSIDA
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 06:05 AM CDT
Folks, this is one of the things that sounds easy on the player end, but absolutely is not so on the actual mechanics end.
As Raesh (the current keeper of all things RECALL related), stated, instruments work the way they do because of very specific changes made to the script that is on every single instrument. That script handles the RECALL along with the other instrument functions, even though different RECALLS show up for different instrument nouns and different instruments do different things. It's a system script. It is big and complex and intended to be that way precisely because it is a system script. It does lots of different things. Adding a new functionality to all instruments is a whole lot easier (in a sense, anyway, but it comes with its own sets of issues) because there only needs to be one script changed, the instrument system script, and then that change is automatically applied to all instruments, because they all have that script.
So then why don't we make a 'racial items' system script, wouldn't that fix everything? Unfortunately no, not necessarily, and would require every racial item to be under the same sort of extremely strict rules as instruments are as far as adding new nouns, getting altered, constraints to their functionality, and a host of other stuff. This is before we get into the other actual coding nightmares that would crop up when trying to universalize things that are extremely diverse in function and never intended to be grouped on the code-side.
I had several paragraphs here full of technical reasons and explanations as to why the above and other possible ways to address this request range from extremely impractical to nearly impossible, but it ran up on (and maybe over) the edge of my NDA, not to mention was probably a lot more than most anyone wants to read through anyway. So I'll end with this instead:
TLDR, While the desire is very much understood, the practicality of it all is roughly on par with going through the process of getting elected as President because then the Secret Service will always be around to make sure you don't misplace your car keys anymore.
-Persida
PS -- We should also probably get this thread back on the topic of Humans and Human-related things before we invoke the wrath of the board mods. If you want to continue this discussion about the RECALL system as related to racial items, please take it to General Discussions - Races.
As Raesh (the current keeper of all things RECALL related), stated, instruments work the way they do because of very specific changes made to the script that is on every single instrument. That script handles the RECALL along with the other instrument functions, even though different RECALLS show up for different instrument nouns and different instruments do different things. It's a system script. It is big and complex and intended to be that way precisely because it is a system script. It does lots of different things. Adding a new functionality to all instruments is a whole lot easier (in a sense, anyway, but it comes with its own sets of issues) because there only needs to be one script changed, the instrument system script, and then that change is automatically applied to all instruments, because they all have that script.
So then why don't we make a 'racial items' system script, wouldn't that fix everything? Unfortunately no, not necessarily, and would require every racial item to be under the same sort of extremely strict rules as instruments are as far as adding new nouns, getting altered, constraints to their functionality, and a host of other stuff. This is before we get into the other actual coding nightmares that would crop up when trying to universalize things that are extremely diverse in function and never intended to be grouped on the code-side.
I had several paragraphs here full of technical reasons and explanations as to why the above and other possible ways to address this request range from extremely impractical to nearly impossible, but it ran up on (and maybe over) the edge of my NDA, not to mention was probably a lot more than most anyone wants to read through anyway. So I'll end with this instead:
TLDR, While the desire is very much understood, the practicality of it all is roughly on par with going through the process of getting elected as President because then the Secret Service will always be around to make sure you don't misplace your car keys anymore.
-Persida
PS -- We should also probably get this thread back on the topic of Humans and Human-related things before we invoke the wrath of the board mods. If you want to continue this discussion about the RECALL system as related to racial items, please take it to General Discussions - Races.
ABSOLON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 06:30 AM CDT
That makes much more sense than just 'they're instruments.' Thanks for the explanation.
Which brings me to the suggestion... if a noun is not a standard english one, could the LOOK at least be required to be something useful instead of just "You see nothing unusual." That phrase is especially ironic given that I am indeed looking at something unusual to me the player. Even if it's just a requirement to pass QA for newly created items in the future. Surely there's no system consideration that precludes this like with RECALL?
Which brings me to the suggestion... if a noun is not a standard english one, could the LOOK at least be required to be something useful instead of just "You see nothing unusual." That phrase is especially ironic given that I am indeed looking at something unusual to me the player. Even if it's just a requirement to pass QA for newly created items in the future. Surely there's no system consideration that precludes this like with RECALL?
DR-RAESH
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 06:37 AM CDT
>>But they don't all have the same RECALL. The recall is specific to each noun, not the fact that they're instruments.
Given that I'm the one with the access to the code (And wrote large swaths of it) you're going to have to trust me that it doesn't work the way you seem to think it does.
-Raesh
"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
Given that I'm the one with the access to the code (And wrote large swaths of it) you're going to have to trust me that it doesn't work the way you seem to think it does.
-Raesh
"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
ABSOLON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 06:41 AM CDT
Thanks for the additional reply, but Persida already clarified.
ELFTOON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 07:30 AM CDT
Persida - wow that is so much more than I was hoping to get from my post. Thank you for the detailed response.
No I will not rehash the RECALL thing.... but, is there a Gamgweth public refrence anywhere? I am not sure if something already exits on Pedia, etc...
-Mort
No I will not rehash the RECALL thing.... but, is there a Gamgweth public refrence anywhere? I am not sure if something already exits on Pedia, etc...
-Mort
APATHETICSMILE
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 07:36 AM CDT
>>is there a Gamgweth public refrence anywhere? I am not sure if something already exits on Pedia, etc...
When the site is working I generally use this:
https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Gamgweth_Lexicon
When the site is working I generally use this:
https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Gamgweth_Lexicon
CARAAMON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 12:32 PM CDT
>When the site is working
Ouch.
Weapons for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/User:Caraamon#Wares
Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
Ouch.
Weapons for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/User:Caraamon#Wares
Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
DR-PERSIDA
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 01:12 PM CDT
>>... but, is there a Gamgweth public refrence anywhere? I am not sure if something already exits on Pedia, etc...
There are actually a couple different IG books on the Gamgweth language, both located in the Asemath Academy Library in the Crossing! They're both also archived on Elanthipedia, along with that searchable lexicon previously posted, and easily found by just doing a search there for Gamgweth. One of the books covers grammar, so that's especially handy if you run across phrases or are looking to conjugate verbs.
-Persida
There are actually a couple different IG books on the Gamgweth language, both located in the Asemath Academy Library in the Crossing! They're both also archived on Elanthipedia, along with that searchable lexicon previously posted, and easily found by just doing a search there for Gamgweth. One of the books covers grammar, so that's especially handy if you run across phrases or are looking to conjugate verbs.
-Persida
APATHETICSMILE
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 01:13 PM CDT
>>>When the site is working
>>Ouch.
Hah, I didn't mean it as a it's down all the time kind of dig; More of an it was ironically down this morning right when I wanted to post the link.
>>Ouch.
Hah, I didn't mean it as a it's down all the time kind of dig; More of an it was ironically down this morning right when I wanted to post the link.
SHADOW7988
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 09:51 PM CDT
Is there a type of recollect verb, that wouldn't be tied to any item, and could be used for a definition type thing.
Define Morawen
System responds with a definition, or possibly if nothing is there?
This way you wouldn't have to modify every Morawen, you could just have something that exists with or without the item?
Or was this already explained as no, bad idea. Sorry touch tired, but still trying to catch up on posts.
---
"I think anything that forces you to do something no sane adventurer would do just in order to train is ridiculous."
DR-SOCHARIS
---
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
Define Morawen
System responds with a definition, or possibly if nothing is there?
This way you wouldn't have to modify every Morawen, you could just have something that exists with or without the item?
Or was this already explained as no, bad idea. Sorry touch tired, but still trying to catch up on posts.
---
"I think anything that forces you to do something no sane adventurer would do just in order to train is ridiculous."
DR-SOCHARIS
---
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
KROONERMANREVENGE
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 10:27 PM CDT
>Is there a type of recollect verb, that wouldn't be tied to any item, and could be used for a definition type thing.
Recall does this, but has to be touched on every item. Apparently the only items with behind-the-scenes scripts which apply a recall to every instance automagically are instruments. Was explained up thread.
I'm a badger, I be badgerin'
Recall does this, but has to be touched on every item. Apparently the only items with behind-the-scenes scripts which apply a recall to every instance automagically are instruments. Was explained up thread.
I'm a badger, I be badgerin'
DR-RAESH
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/08/2014 11:24 PM CDT
>>Is there a type of recollect verb, that wouldn't be tied to any item, and could be used for a definition type thing.
GS4 has something like this, I think they call it "vocab" and it's largely player contributions. I'm a fan.
>>Apparently the only items with behind-the-scenes scripts which apply a recall to every instance automagically are instruments.
Not only. Prior to the updates I made to the system about two years or so every time that had a recall was handled that way, just most of the scripts were more specialized than the sprawling instrument one. Divination tools do something similar to what instruments do these days (Though less complex).
Not that the distinction matters that much to anyone who isn't directly building something with the system I suppose.
-Raesh
"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
GS4 has something like this, I think they call it "vocab" and it's largely player contributions. I'm a fan.
>>Apparently the only items with behind-the-scenes scripts which apply a recall to every instance automagically are instruments.
Not only. Prior to the updates I made to the system about two years or so every time that had a recall was handled that way, just most of the scripts were more specialized than the sprawling instrument one. Divination tools do something similar to what instruments do these days (Though less complex).
Not that the distinction matters that much to anyone who isn't directly building something with the system I suppose.
-Raesh
"Ever notice that B.A.'s flavor text swells in direct proportion to how much one of our characters is getting screwed?" - Brian Van Hoose
ALEPH-ONE
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/09/2014 12:45 AM CDT
>>Is there a type of recollect verb, that wouldn't be tied to any item, and could be used for a definition type thing.
Well, you could always do a quick elanthipedia search. I basically have a browser macro for this.
-- Player of Eyuve
Well, you could always do a quick elanthipedia search. I basically have a browser macro for this.
-- Player of Eyuve
CARAAMON
Re: morawen and raekhlo
07/09/2014 03:43 AM CDT
>Is there a type of recollect verb, that wouldn't be tied to any item, and could be used for a definition type thing.
I've tried to add as many definitions and descriptions to Elanthipedia as possible. If you see something missing, please feel free to update it yourself or let one of our staff know.
Now me, if I were feeling snazzy and had the power, I'd add a function to SF which you could highlight a word, and then right click and hit something like "Define word" where it would jump to an Elanthipedia search for the term.
Weapons for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/User:Caraamon#Wares
Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
I've tried to add as many definitions and descriptions to Elanthipedia as possible. If you see something missing, please feel free to update it yourself or let one of our staff know.
Now me, if I were feeling snazzy and had the power, I'd add a function to SF which you could highlight a word, and then right click and hit something like "Define word" where it would jump to an Elanthipedia search for the term.
Weapons for Sale:
http://www.elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/User:Caraamon#Wares
Hunta Talna Kortok, built by Gor'Togs, for Gor'Togs
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/caraamon/home.html
DR-PERSIDA
Re: morawen and raekhlo **nudge**
07/09/2014 07:06 AM CDT
Hi! Can we please move general discussion about recalls, racially named items, and other things into the appropriate folders for that, so that discussion regarding things specifically Human can not get buried in it?
Thank you!
-Persida
Thank you!
-Persida
