The Peshwa

[Havard]

I see them as the kind of Arabian horsemasters that I've always enjoyed from such movies as Lawrence of Arabia and The Wind and the Lion. Unarmoured, lightning fast, honourable and led by a master tactician.

Good input Riz. I definately see some Arabic/Lawrence of Arabia influences here. As I mentioned, I also draw on the Fremen of Dune, for the Peshwa, which in turn are based on Arabic Nomads.

It might be useful to divide the influences into categories. I see the Peshwa as:

Ethnicity/Physical: East European, Bulgarian, Gypsy
Culture: Arabic Nomads/Sarmatians/Scythians
Beliefs: Native Americans
Technology: European/Middle Eastern medieval (13th C)


-Havard

[Rafael]

I'd still argue they are more like either the historical Persians, or maybe the Riders of Rohan.

Basically, of the same ethnicity as the Thonians, just with a different culture.

I am not sure if I made this up for the BM timeline, or if this was earlier lore, but I think the first settlers of Thonia were described as rider nomads.

- So it makes sense that part of them settled, and part didn't.

[aldarron]

Ethnicity/Physical: East European, Bulgarian, Gypsy
Culture: Arabic Nomads/Sarmatians/Scythians
Beliefs: Native Americans
Technology: European/Middle Eastern medieval (13th C)


-Havard

Ethnically, I think they must be distinctive in both appearance and language, judging by thier names and the general sense I get from RJK's story and the FFC. I'm thinking tan skin and brown/black hair but I wouldn't necessatily pin them any more specifically to any real popuations than that.

Culture - not seeing much relevance of arabs here, though I do get the Dune connections in Blackmoor generally. Nobody has mentioned the Mongols or Huns, surely horse and warrior centered cultures. Ostrogoths, the inspiration for the Rohirrim deserve a mention too.

Belief- Plains Indian? Okay, good as any.

Tech - Early medieval "Hun" level seems reasonable and portable, but high medieval "Knightly" level tech seems like it would be impractical and unnatractive to horse nomads. OTOH they could likely get anything through trade.

In general the Huns might be a rich model to draw on as elemets of scythians, Mongol, and Germanic peoples are mixed in there.

[Havard]

Ethnically, I think they must be distinctive in both appearance and language, judging by thier names and the general sense I get from RJK's story and the FFC. I'm thinking tan skin and brown/black hair but I wouldn't necessatily pin them any more specifically to any real popuations than that.

This is pretty similar to my ideas.

Culture - not seeing much relevance of arabs here, though I do get the Dune connections in Blackmoor generally. Nobody has mentioned the Mongols or Huns, surely horse and warrior centered cultures. Ostrogoths, the inspiration for the Rohirrim deserve a mention too.

I'm up for stealing from any kind of nomadic culture here.

Belief- Plains Indian? Okay, good as any.

Well, at least in general I see them as having a sort of Animist world view. They do have a number of gods that they worship though.

Tech - Early medieval "Hun" level seems reasonable and portable, but high medieval "Knightly" level tech seems like it would be impractical and unnatractive to horse nomads. OTOH they could likely get anything through trade.

Well, itis true that they might not have the skills to manufacture too much advanced equipment, but I see them as using swords and metal armor and weapons.

Havard

[Havard]

The DAB Sourcebook describes the Peshwa as having brown eyes and tanned brown skin, but I like the idea of the Peshwa and the Thonians originally having common ancestors.

Or at least have a similar story as with the Etruscans and the founding of Rome...

Havard

[aldarron]

The DAB Sourcebook describes the Peshwa as having brown eyes and tanned brown skin, but I like the idea of the Peshwa and the Thonians originally having common ancestors.

Or at least have a similar story as with the Etruscans and the founding of Rome...

Havard

Well, not being especialy interested in the "Thonia" idea of the "great kingdom" to the south of Blackmoor idea, I don't know the answer to the question I'm posing here, but are Thonians given a description of thier appearance? What I mean is, perhaps the typical Thonian could also be Brown eyed and tanned skinned.

[Havard]

Well, not being especialy interested in the "Thonia" idea of the "great kingdom" to the south of Blackmoor idea, I don't know the answer to the question I'm posing here, but are Thonians given a description of thier appearance? What I mean is, perhaps the typical Thonian could also be Brown eyed and tanned skinned.

DAB Sourcebook divides between High Thonians (Nobles) and Common Thonians. Common Thonians are actually quite similar to Peshwa, although the Peshwa are stockier and darker of skin color. The High Thonians OTOH have fair skin and are often blonde. Suggesting a Skandaharian origin perhaps?

Havard

[Rafael]

Nope. I think they took that from Michael Moorcock/there is no mention of that in any of the classic sources.

[Havard]

Nope. I think they took that from Michael Moorcock/there is no mention of that in any of the classic sources.

Of course there was no mention of it. That kind of descriptions would never feature in products from the 70s.

It could be from Moorcock, but I think it came by way of Greyhawk with the Scarlet Brotherhood being the inspiration for the High Thonians. Ofcourse, Gary (or whoever) probably got that from Moorcock again.

Havard

[Rafael]

Yeah, that's quite obvious as an inspiration - the SB and much of Greyhawk's south stem from Len Lakofka's campaign, BTW.

I think he has no relation to DA whatsoever, though.