The Vahlen Dynasty was the fourth of six dynasties of the Second Age of Calimshan.[1]
Organization[]
Bakkals, or high priests, led the Vahlen Dynasty, as in the dynasties before them.[1]
Base of Operations[]
The bakkal's palace was located in the city of Calimport.[2]
Activities[]
The Vahlens did not greatly expand the extent of the Calishite empire, but they maintained and broadened the territories taken by the earlier Tavihrs.[1]
Like the Erehnir Dynasty before them, the Vahlens included genies among the numerous deities that they worshiped, and the architecture and art that they commissioned reflected this with its frequent genie imagery.[1][3] Indeed, the two dynasties collectively built over 200 temples and shrines. Many such temples were located in the Calim Desert near some of the battles between humans and genies long ago. It was believed that being at such sites would increase the chances of their prayers being heard. Many of the monuments of the Vahlen Dynasty survived well into the late 14th century DR, though the majority of them were buried under the desert sands.[1]
Included in their many deities was the worship of the One Sun as the leader of their pantheon. The sun was seen as a god of war, knowledge, the arts, health, and—not surprisingly—light. (Some scholars believed that the Vahlens did not actually consider the sun a single deity in his own right but rather used it as a term embodying many separate deities under one name.)[1]
History[]
This dynasty followed the Erehnir Dynasty and ran from −2100 DR to −1994 DR. Two other dynasties followed it before the Second Age came to an end, but the names of these dynasties are forgotten to history.[1]
Trivia[]
Vahlen Sabban in Grand Ward of Calimport was named for this dynasty. The sabban was famous for its restaurants, leading to the phrase "dining Vahlen" as a means of implying that someone was experiencing a luxurious life.[4]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 15–16. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 108. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 54. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.