Rilmani -- Outlands Site -- The Great Scales - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Rilmani -- Outlands Site -- The Great Scales

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jul 15, 2004 23:34:38 The Great Scales of Balance

Somewhere, deep in the Central Outlands, the rilmani constructed a magnificent city. Only a rumor outside the metal-skinned race, the city is said to be one of the sacred meeting places for the Concordanach, the meeting the rilmani hold to determine the future of the Balance. Nobody except the rilmani has reported actually seeing this city.

The city is well-hidden and well-protected by the exemplars who call it home. The chant says that this city holds an artifact of balance that the rilmani use to aid in their analysis of the multiverse and their direction of the Balance itself. Those who have heard of this artifact call it the Great Scales of Balance.

The Great Scales are said to be a massive construction, reaching almost two hundred feet in the air and spanning over two hundred yards. As the name suggests, it resembles a giant scale, but it has eight weighing bowls rather than the standard two. While each bowl is, to the normal observer, always empty, the bowls often tip as if weights had been placed inside. Anyone who even remotely comprehends the rilmani and their purpose would understand what the Scales represent. Each of the eight weighing bowls represents one of the extremes in alignment, running the gamut from chaotic to lawful, good to evil.

It is said that the Scales are made of metal, mostly of gold, but certain components are forged of silver, lead, copper, iron, and even solidified mercury. How the rilmani are able to capture and maintain mercury in solid form so close to the Spire remains a mystery to anyone who has ever heard of the site. The base of the Scales is hollow. Inside, a set of golden and silver stairs wind their way up to the apex of the base, the crux where suspensions of the weighing bowls joins. There is a grand chamber where the rilmani are said to sometimes hold their Concordanach. The chamber offers a clear view of each weighing bowl as it tips and rises in favor or against each alignment.

Argenach and aurumach philosophers and observers continually record the movements of the Scales, tracking the tilt of the Balance as it changes. Some believe that these recorders and observers are able to interpret the Scales’ tilt and determine the best courses of action by the simple rise and fall of the weighing bowls. The aurumach leaders receive the counsel of these observers at Concordanach, and then decide which means are the most appropriate to correct the flaws in the Balance.

How the Scales were built and attuned to the alignments remains a mystery to those who have heard of this marvelous structure. Some say that it contains the souls of deceased rilmani, essences so in tune with the Balance that they are sensitive to the changes in the Balance’s movements. Some claim that rather than rilmani souls, the rilmani used the souls of exemplars of each alignment when creating the weighing bowls. As the Balance shifts toward one extreme, the soul of that alignment becomes heavier and tilts the Scales toward it. Some believe that the Scales are given this mysterious ability simply as a natural function of the Outlands. Most proponents of this theory believe that the Scales were actually carved from a great rock or mountain – or perhaps from pieces of the Spire itself – and converted into a scale by plumach architects. All of this is mere conjecture, though, as no one who isn’t rilmani has ever been able to (honestly) claim to have seen these Scales.
#2
sildatorak
Jul 16, 2004 1:08:29 Cool idea, but there is one problem

Originally posted by Center of All
Only a rumor outside the metal-skinned race

don't you mean "mishaped blobby flesh creature race"?
#3
zombiegleemax
Jul 16, 2004 1:33:26 *peers* I should kill you and that artist.
#4
ohtar_turinson
Jul 16, 2004 6:51:12 I like that idea. I think I might use it in my campaign... I intend that the party first clash with and later be aided by the Rilmani. This actually brings up a question for you, Center-of-All: how forgiving are the Rilmani when someone kills some of them earlier (because they were a source of imbalance, defending themselves) but are later trying to correct a far more grevious imbalance? Would the Rilmani help them anyway, under 'normal' circumstances (recognizing that the Rilmani don't have normal circumstances)?
#5
zombiegleemax
Jul 16, 2004 9:25:33 The thing about the rilmani is they keep no loyalties to anything outside their own race. If someone proves to be a threat to the Balance, then we will seek to eliminate him, if that becomes the necessary method of correction. However, if we fail to kill him and our analysis later proves that a greater imbalance would be caused by allowing others to kill him, then we will defend him if that is deemed necessary by the Concordanach. In the end, we still hold no loyalty to anyone but ourselves. The Balance is a very delicate thing, and our actions must be taken carefully.

"[The rilmani] are sworn to...aid and abet good, evil, law, and chaos alike in order to maintain the Balance, regardless of costs or repercussions."

That's from one of my signature quotes. But to answer your question, I'd like you to pay special attention to the part about "regardless of costs or repercussions." Grudges are not something we can afford to maintain as we work toward our goals. If someone kills a numbrer of us, but later must be protected, then his previous m urders become irrelevant. We must let our actions be dictated by the rise and fall of the Balance.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jul 15, 2004 23:34:38	The Great Scales of Balance Somewhere, deep in the Central Outlands, the rilmani constructed a magnificent city. Only a rumor outside the metal-skinned race, the city is said to be one of the sacred meeting places for the Concordanach, the meeting the rilmani hold to determine the future of the Balance. Nobody except the rilmani has reported actually seeing this city. The city is well-hidden and well-protected by the exemplars who call it home. The chant says that this city holds an artifact of balance that the rilmani use to aid in their analysis of the multiverse and their direction of the Balance itself. Those who have heard of this artifact call it the Great Scales of Balance. The Great Scales are said to be a massive construction, reaching almost two hundred feet in the air and spanning over two hundred yards. As the name suggests, it resembles a giant scale, but it has eight weighing bowls rather than the standard two. While each bowl is, to the normal observer, always empty, the bowls often tip as if weights had been placed inside. Anyone who even remotely comprehends the rilmani and their purpose would understand what the Scales represent. Each of the eight weighing bowls represents one of the extremes in alignment, running the gamut from chaotic to lawful, good to evil. It is said that the Scales are made of metal, mostly of gold, but certain components are forged of silver, lead, copper, iron, and even solidified mercury. How the rilmani are able to capture and maintain mercury in solid form so close to the Spire remains a mystery to anyone who has ever heard of the site. The base of the Scales is hollow. Inside, a set of golden and silver stairs wind their way up to the apex of the base, the crux where suspensions of the weighing bowls joins. There is a grand chamber where the rilmani are said to sometimes hold their Concordanach. The chamber offers a clear view of each weighing bowl as it tips and rises in favor or against each alignment. Argenach and aurumach philosophers and observers continually record the movements of the Scales, tracking the tilt of the Balance as it changes. Some believe that these recorders and observers are able to interpret the Scales’ tilt and determine the best courses of action by the simple rise and fall of the weighing bowls. The aurumach leaders receive the counsel of these observers at Concordanach, and then decide which means are the most appropriate to correct the flaws in the Balance. How the Scales were built and attuned to the alignments remains a mystery to those who have heard of this marvelous structure. Some say that it contains the souls of deceased rilmani, essences so in tune with the Balance that they are sensitive to the changes in the Balance’s movements. Some claim that rather than rilmani souls, the rilmani used the souls of exemplars of each alignment when creating the weighing bowls. As the Balance shifts toward one extreme, the soul of that alignment becomes heavier and tilts the Scales toward it. Some believe that the Scales are given this mysterious ability simply as a natural function of the Outlands. Most proponents of this theory believe that the Scales were actually carved from a great rock or mountain – or perhaps from pieces of the Spire itself – and converted into a scale by plumach architects. All of this is mere conjecture, though, as no one who isn’t rilmani has ever been able to (honestly) claim to have seen these Scales.
#2 sildatorak Jul 16, 2004 1:08:29	Cool idea, but there is one problem Originally posted by Center of All Only a rumor outside the metal-skinned race don't you mean "mishaped blobby flesh creature race"?
#3 zombiegleemax Jul 16, 2004 1:33:26	peers I should kill you and that artist.
#4 ohtar_turinson Jul 16, 2004 6:51:12	I like that idea. I think I might use it in my campaign... I intend that the party first clash with and later be aided by the Rilmani. This actually brings up a question for you, Center-of-All: how forgiving are the Rilmani when someone kills some of them earlier (because they were a source of imbalance, defending themselves) but are later trying to correct a far more grevious imbalance? Would the Rilmani help them anyway, under 'normal' circumstances (recognizing that the Rilmani don't have normal circumstances)?
#5 zombiegleemax Jul 16, 2004 9:25:33	The thing about the rilmani is they keep no loyalties to anything outside their own race. If someone proves to be a threat to the Balance, then we will seek to eliminate him, if that becomes the necessary method of correction. However, if we fail to kill him and our analysis later proves that a greater imbalance would be caused by allowing others to kill him, then we will defend him if that is deemed necessary by the Concordanach. In the end, we still hold no loyalty to anyone but ourselves. The Balance is a very delicate thing, and our actions must be taken carefully. "[The rilmani] are sworn to...aid and abet good, evil, law, and chaos alike in order to maintain the Balance, regardless of costs or repercussions." That's from one of my signature quotes. But to answer your question, I'd like you to pay special attention to the part about "regardless of costs or repercussions." Grudges are not something we can afford to maintain as we work toward our goals. If someone kills a numbrer of us, but later must be protected, then his previous m urders become irrelevant. We must let our actions be dictated by the rise and fall of the Balance.