General Danshavlas of Grumya & Sacred Dagger

[Erol of Backford]

In the WoD I found an article from 2005:

Who was General Danshavlas, where was he from, the west I assume and what is this magnificent treasure, the the sacred dagger of the King of the Savage Plateau!?

I still love bastard swords and so it may change into that weapon YGMV of course.

Is the Savage Plateau the Heortland Plateau? When was the letter written in Gloranthian time?

Who might guess what the daggers abilities are? The beauty and skill it has is impossible for these savages to do, and so this was either truly what they said-a thing made by the gods of old; or perhaps it is something imported from the Golden Empire, past the dragon lands. A gold and silver knife decorated in the style of the Golden Empire.

Is the Golden Empire past the dragon lands something made in the far east, possibly a dragon weapon? (exciting stuff) Maybe our Kralorelan PC finds an old document and quests to the west to find the long lost dagger/sword/whatever.

(I love this stuff as it makes epic quest lines!)

Myth of the Month: Three Documents, One Event (2005)

Edited January 15, 2023 by Scotty
replaced text with link

[Joerg]

Danshavalas is mentioned in tne Durengard Scroll: (history of the Heortling Peoples p.62)

Quote

 Lord Danshavlas founded Leskos during the reign of Emperor Svagad. His fortress still stands and is the only reason the Esvularings were not chased off by the Hendrikings following the fall of Zistorela

Svagad ruled from 789 to 805 and confirmed the Archduchy of Slontos. The Slontans then invaded the Choralinthor Bay from the sea.

HotHP p.74 mentions Danshavalas and the Hendriki king Oranvil and his Trickster, putting that document above into perspective. 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Joerg

[soltakss]

1 hour ago, Erol of Backford said:

Is the Savage Plateau the Heortland Plateau?

It looks like it.

1 hour ago, Erol of Backford said:

When was the letter written in Gloranthian time?

Oranvil the Clever ruled 795-820, according to the History of the Heortling Peoples p74.

 

 

[Manunancy]

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Who might guess what the daggers abilities are? The beauty and skill it has is impossible for these savages to do, and so this was either truly what they said-a thing made by the gods of old; or perhaps it is something imported from the Golden Empire, past the dragon lands. A gold and silver knife decorated in the style of the Golden Empire.

Is the Golden Empire past the dragon lands something made in the far east, possibly a dragon weapon? (exciting stuff) Maybe our Kralorelan PC finds an old document and quests to the west to find the long lost dagger/sword/whatever.

 

I'd think it is more likely to from Peloria, brought south through Dragon pass rather than from Kralorela (Dara Happa may very well qualify for a 'golden empire' title)

[Erol of Backford]

5 minutes ago, Manunancy said:

something imported from the Golden Empire, past the dragon lands

You could very well be right but I don't like Dara Happa!

[jajagappa]

7 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Is the Savage Plateau the Heortland Plateau?

Yes, it was covered by the Savage Forest at that point in time (i.e. most of the plateau was forested aside from Creek-Stream/Marzeel valley in the north and the Esvular plateau at the very southern end).

The river valleys also effectively cut off any north-south trade.  The bridge across the Bullflood at Durengard was built by God Learner magic to facilitate movement north.

[jajagappa]

7 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

the Golden Empire, past the dragon lands.

The Dara Happan Empire (now part of the EWF under the rule of the Sun Dragon).

[Erol of Backford]

I will need to make the dagger from the Far East to fit better for the Kralorelan PC, YGWV. 

What powers could the dagger posses or was the dagger itself possessed, it kills the Duke via mind control or something from far away lands? Is it like a killing dagger some fancy-pants wizard in the rubble has, who guides the dagger with damage boost and or venom on it with extended range. Maybe Danshavlas or Malmakan should have done a Mystic Vison or something of the sorts to see what sort of magic the dagger held or was cast on it?

Excerpt from the Nobility of Emperors - Duke Malmakan the Tamer of Beasts was killed while alone in his treasure chamber, by an assassin who was not there, but who wielded a gold and silver knife decorated in the style of the Golden Empire. The mystery of this was solved decades later when a scholar was combing his records and came upon the famous letter now called the “Danshavlas’ Link,” translated above.

Where is the dagger now and what are its powers if any as maybe it was just sorcery and the dagger is just finely crafter of gold and silver?

[Joerg]

3 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

I will need to make the dagger from the Far East to fit better for the Kralorelan PC, YGWV. 

The exact origin of the dagger is of little importance - it was a prop of Stevalis's great prank. IMO the "sole survivor of the troll attack" was another trickster in disguise, delivering the dagger to the Archduke, then using invisibilty and possibly Guided Teleport to the "mobile temple" dagger to assassinate the culprit behind the invasion.

 

3 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

What powers could the dagger posses or was the dagger itself possessed, it kills the Duke via mind control or something from far away lands? Is it like a killing dagger some fancy-pants wizard in the rubble has, who guides the dagger with damage boost and or venom on it with extended range. Maybe Danshavlas or Malmakan should have done a Mystic Vison or something of the sorts to see what sort of magic the dagger held or was cast on it?

Making it a mobile temple to Orlanth could allow the Guided Teleport ploy for an avenger. Such an item would of course be highly magical, and require study by the wizards back home. 

 

3 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Excerpt from the Nobility of Emperors - Duke Malmakan the Tamer of Beasts was killed while alone in his treasure chamber, by an assassin who was not there, but who wielded a gold and silver knife decorated in the style of the Golden Empire. The mystery of this was solved decades later when a scholar was combing his records and came upon the famous letter now called the “Danshavlas’ Link,” translated above.

Where is the dagger now and what are its powers if any as maybe it was just sorcery and the dagger is just finely crafter of gold and silver?

The assassin would have escaped the same way he arrived, probably taking the dagger back. It would subsequently have been used in the wars ending the Second Age, and it it still was around, in the Adjustment Wars that followed. It may have ended up anywhere in those conflicts, or it might have become some clan or tribal regalia in Sartar when many Hendreiki clans left Heortland, from where it may have returned to the Lunar Empire as booty by the Imperial College of Magic. It could be on the Red Moon.