Forgotten Realms Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Forgotten Realms Wiki

The Gurs, also known as Selûne's Children or the people of the highway, were a nomadic human people.[5][6][1][3][2][7]

Your friend has just heard the rumors of my people. That we steal chickens, curse your crops, seduce your daughters... I wish I had half the power settled folk think my people possess. Alas, I am a simple wanderer.
— Gandrel, Gur monster hunter[8]

Description[]

Like their Rashemi kin,[1][4][2] Gurs were typically a stout, strong, and sturdy people, with thick black hair, dark eyes, and dusky skin.[3][2]

Society & Culture[]

The Gur know about lords like him—always persecuting our kind, blaming us for their crimes.
— Therin[9]

By the 14th century DR, the Gurs were divided into two distinct cultures: those who traveled throughout the Western Heartlands of Faerûn and those living in the Endless Wastes and Kara-Tur.[10] The eastern Gur lived around the Iceroot Forest in the shadow of the Hagga Shan and on the far western Plain of Horses to the south. Their lands lay between those of the Fankiang and Zamogedi tribes.[11][12] A few of the western Gur also settled in some of the poorer sections of cities such as Baldur's Gate, Elturel, and Iriaebor.[1][3]

The Gurs of the Western Heartlands were arranged by large extended families. A nomadic people, they traveled from settlement to settlement in assorted caravans, picking up random jobs and selling or trading any unwanted goods. Some found work as soothsayers and diviners. Those few who settled in cities struggled to survive in their poorer quarters.[1] They had a knack for finding their way in and out of such cities, and were always ready to leave in short order.[13] Gur culture placed a high value on honor,[1][7] but they suffered long-standing prejudices from other folk.[1][14] "Moon-man" was a particularly offensive slur to a Gur.[15] For fighting, these Gur favored the skene, long, slender type of dirk.[7]

Hordelands tribal map

A map of Hordelands tribal territories, showing that of the eastern Gur.

Circa 1359 DR, the Gur of the Endless Wastes were on peaceful terms with the Oigur, Zamogedi, and Tuigan tribes and were in a conflict with the Fankiang tribe.[16] The Gur were among the tribes mistakenly called "Tuigan" by outsiders following the Horde Wars.[6]

Religion & Magic[]

The Gurs of the Heartlands mainly followed Selûne the Moonmaiden, goddess of wanderers and navigation. They thought of themselves as "children of Selûne".[1][2] However, some Gurs of prophetic bent were also known to worship Savras, Lord of Divination, with a faith secretive to outsiders. This likely explained the survival of his faith during his long period of imprisonment. Thus, Gurs were often gifted oracles and known for their talent in divining, soothsaying,[1] and fortune telling. Some Gur matriarchs adopted the title 'Maiden' after the legend of their origin.[8]

Like their Rashemi kin, some Gurs possessed "the Sight", an unreliable gift for glimpses of the past and snatches of history[1] or even of the future. This was thought to be a lingering trait of their heritage among the Wychlaran, the Witches of Rashemen, though they retained no other practice of their witchcraft.[8]

Languages[]

Within their own tribes, the Gurs of the Heartlands spoke Gurri, a patois or creole tongue with roots in the Imaskari languages, but with influence from many other tongues, many thought long-dead—in particular, Halardrim, an ancient dialect of the Rashemi language.[1][17] The Gurs used the Thorass alphabet. They were also proficient in Chondathan, which they used when communicating with those outside their culture.[1]

Rech té i hathran roost.
Frey vald isk durovna.
Frey vald isk ablast.
Im orak ne tay.
Krasin ne trah!
— Gur funeral rites[8]

Typical names for these Gurs included:[2]

Masculine
Boriv, Gardar, Madevik, Vlad[2]
Feminine
Varra, Ulmarra, Imza, Navarra, Yuldra[2]
Family
Chergoba, Drazlad, Tazyara, Vargoba, Stayankina[2]

The Gurs of the Hordelands continued to speak a related dialect of the Imaskari language.[17][18]

Population[]

Gurs made up only about 1% of the human population of the Western Heartlands,[19] but this was perhaps their greatest population in Faerûn.[1]

History[]

The western Gurs were believed by scholars to be mainly of Rashemi descent, owing to their strong similarity with the natives of Rashemen. They were also likely to have acquired ancestry among other ethnicities on their travels. Fragments of lore originating from the period around the 1st century DR could be found that described the Gurs as a group of nomads. What was known of the early Gurs suggested that they were refugees fleeing the long-ago war between Raumathar and Narfell.[1] According to a Gur legend, recounted in The Approachable East vol. 3, two young maidens of the Wychlaran disobeyed their elders and so were punished by being transformed into songbirds and trapped within a golden cage, and were told that if they wouldn't learn then they could still make music. Somehow, the young witches escaped and winged their way across Faerûn until they grew too tired and finally stopped in a garden. The garden's owner, a cleric of Selûne, blessed them in the name of the Moonmaiden and restored them to human form. Thereafter, they became "Selûne's children" and all the Gur claimed descent from them.[8]

In the Year of Daystars, 1268 DR, a group of Gurs attacked the high elf magistrate Astarion Ancunín, though he was rescued by Cazador Szarr.[8]

In the Hordelands, when Yamun Khahan rose to power in the 1340s and 1350s DR, the Gurs there joined with his Grand Army of the Tuigan in hopes of improving their standing amongst the tribes of the Endless Wastes. They became loyal followers of Yamun and aided in his campaign against the Zamogedi. Because the Oigur were afraid of the anger of Yamun Khahan, they allied themselves with the Gur in supporting the Tuigan.[16]

The Gurs were well known in the Western Heartlands of Faerûn in the 14th century[1] and late 15th century DR.[2]

In the late 1400s DR, a large Gur community made ruined Harpshield Castle their winter meeting place. They constructed new wooden structures and a palisade, but departed the place circa 1475 DR and did not return.[20]

Circa 1490 DR, a Gur family, the Rasias—Hricu, Kehkim, Ozzcar, Rilynin, and Sybil—stayed at the Crossing Inn outside Phlan. Initially well-behaved and well-liked, they later committed a series of thefts and druggings, angering many. But this was in an effort to seek powerful allies in the form of Jeny Greenteeth and others for protection before Sybil, the boy Quiver Plumm, and some adventurers were spirited into the Domains of Dread.[21]

In the early 1490s DR, vampire spawn in the service of Cazador Szarr, a vampire lord in Baldur's Gate, were attacking a local Gur community, killing their adults and kidnapping their children to turn into vampires. The Gur monster hunter Gandrel sought out the vampires, and in the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR, the Gur woman Ulma enlisted the aid of adventurers.[8]

Notable Gurs[]

Gods' pizzle on the heads of the ungrateful!
— An old Gur curse.[22]

Appendix[]

Background[]

Described as "gypsylike",[23][26] the Gurs are said to be similar to the Roma people during Europe's Middle Ages when they were called Gypsies,[17] which is a contraction of "Egyptian".[27] However, this application is now considered by some to be derogatory, though it and other meanings remain common in the English language and in popular culture.

It appears to originally be a coincidence that the Hordelands Gur mentioned in The Horde and the Heartlands Gur introduced in King Pinch share a name, despite both books being written by David Cook, as there is nothing to suggest a link. They were first connected linguistically in "Speaking in Tongues" in Dragon Magazine Annual 1999; author Thomas M. Costa later confirmed they were intended to be related.[10] Nevertheless, the connection between the two remains unknown and speculative.

Appearances[]

Adventures

Novels & Short Stories

Referenced only
Horselords

Video Games

Organized Play & Licensed Adventures

Referenced only
The Marionette • The Darklord

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 111. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  5. David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 9. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Edward Bonny, Brian Cortijo, Laszlo Koller (November 2006). “The Horde: Barbarians of the Endless Waste”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #349 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 48.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 David Cook (May 1995). King Pinch. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 2, p. 36. ISBN 0-7869-0127-6.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Larian Studios (October 2020). Designed by Swen Vincke, et al. Baldur's Gate III. Larian Studios.
  9. David Cook (May 1995). King Pinch. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 16, p. 244. ISBN 0-7869-0127-6.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Thomas M. Costa (2016-11-22). Questions for Eric L. Boyd. Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2017-04-02.
  11. Map of the Horde included in David Cook (August 1990). The Horde. Edited by Steve Winter. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  12. Curtis M. Scott (1991). Horde Campaign. (TSR, Inc), p. 5. ISBN 1-56076-130-X.
  13. David Cook (May 1995). King Pinch. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 2, p. 39. ISBN 0-7869-0127-6.
  14. Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall (2016-03-15). Suits of the Mists (DDEX04-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Curse of Strahd (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 5, 6.
  15. David Cook (May 1995). King Pinch. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 2, pp. 37–38. ISBN 0-7869-0127-6.
  16. 16.0 16.1 David Cook (August 1990). “Tribal Alliance Chart”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Thomas M. Costa (1999). “Speaking in Tongues”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #4 (TSR, Inc) (4)., p. 29.
  18. David Cook (August 1990). “Volume I”. In Steve Winter ed. The Horde (TSR, Inc.), p. 17. ISBN 0-88038-868-4.
  19. Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
  20. Tito Leati, Matthew Sernett and Chris Sims (February 2014). Scourge of the Sword Coast. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 37, 39.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall (2016-03-15). Suits of the Mists (DDEX04-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Curse of Strahd (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 1–44.
  22. David Cook (May 1995). King Pinch. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 5, p. 91. ISBN 0-7869-0127-6.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 60. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
  24. Robert Alaniz (April 5, 2016). The Marionette (DDAL4-04) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Curse of Strahd (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 12, 35.
  25. Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall (July 5, 2016). The Darklord (DDEX04-14) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Curse of Strahd (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11.
  26. David Cook (May 1995). King Pinch. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3, p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-0127-6.
  27. A. D. Rogan (March 1982). “Gypsies: A curse or a blessing”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #59 (TSR, Inc.), p. 16.

Connections[]

Advertisement