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I never quite understood the SoA insignia, (mirror images)

lnstructor_lnstructor_ Member Posts: 76
edited April 2017 in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
Was it Shar and Salune?
Was it Amelyssan in her transition?
Is it the duality of the player's paths?

Is it anything specific or only symbolic?

Comments

  • bleusteelbleusteel Member Posts: 523
    I always thought it was elves and drow.
  • ChidojuanChidojuan Member Posts: 211
    Great question @instructor , we actually discussed this a while ago, maybe we can add some insight. https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/42879/shadows-of-amn-logo#latest
  • lnstructor_lnstructor_ Member Posts: 76
    Geez 18 months ago and still remains a mystery. It seems like I am the only one that suggested Amelyssan, the headgear looks very similar to me, but not the same.



  • lroumenlroumen Member Posts: 2,538
    I still think it refers to surface elves (above) and drow (below). They even added a clear reference to the light (sun) and the darkness (moon). And you can extend the symbolism to the internal bhaalspawn struggle of light vs dark because frankly in hell there is no neutral outcome.

    Who they are is not relevant.
  • lunarlunar Member Posts: 3,460
    edited April 2017
    I agree with it being Ellesime/Irenicus.
    The upper, lighter figure has elven ear and the frilly fluffy headgear of Ellesime.
    Melissan's headgear looks alike on a basic level but she is a character exclusively in ToB. Therefore it makes little sense to have her in SoA's logo. I doubt if the devs even had Melissan's design in mind when developing SoA. And ToB's logo is basic enough, an epic represantation of Bhaal's symbol.
  • lnstructor_lnstructor_ Member Posts: 76
    @elminster What is your sage opinion?
  • LoremasterLoremaster Member Posts: 212
    I believe it is a representation of the protagonist’s double nature with a divine and none-divine soul.

    It could be an elaboration of the above, representing the protagonist’s choice of embracing his/her inheritance as a child of Bhaal; whether letting the essence of Bhaal flow or resisting it… or something. This elaboration fits better with ToB than SoA though, as your Bhaal essence is stolen in SoA.
  • DrakeICNDrakeICN Member Posts: 623
    It could be all three things; Ellesime / Irenicus, Elf / Drow, Good / Bad Bhaalspawn. Especially since the lower picture is darkskinned - drow - but Irenicus is gold elf.

    I dunno much about picture design, but a good writing is eloquent; the less text you use to (succesfully) describe something, the less room for misinterpretation you create. And for storytelling and the like, you will also want to be sufficiently vague, so that your eloquent text can be descriptive in more than one way. An obvious example, the three little pigs actually have social remarks built into the story, on top of being an (at least for kids) entertaining story.

    The media of symbols is different from that of stories, sure, but the basic principles should be equally valid for good writing and good symbol design. Do we have any artists here that can confirm/deny?
  • islandkingislandking Member Posts: 426
    Or maybe it's vampire in below?
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I like the touch that the ears are hidden on the bottom figure, so it could be dark elves/evil bhaalspawn/ Irenicus post de-elfining.
  • filcat88filcat88 Member Posts: 115
    Melyssan was never part of SoA.

    I vote for Irenicus when he was an elf (there is a pointed ear in the face at the top) and post-de-elfing Irenicus at the bottom.
  • RawgrimRawgrim Member Posts: 621
    It is Waukeen. Patron deity of Amn. She is the godess of trade and coin. Athkatla is the city of coin, and Amn is in the game-title.

    http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/a/a0/Waukeen_symbol.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20060321172434 Her symbol from the FR campaign setting book.
  • Papa_LouPapa_Lou Member Posts: 263
    I've always looked at it as an elf on the upper half, and a drow on the lower half, although the Ellesime/Irenicus idea seems pretty legit too. Interesting to see everyone's interpretations of it.
  • KrugosKrugos Member Posts: 30
    Rawgrim said:

    It is Waukeen. Patron deity of Amn. She is the godess of trade and coin. Athkatla is the city of coin, and Amn is in the game-title.

    But she's missing the elf ears. And if it was Waukeen, who would the dark one represent?
  • PaulGreystokePaulGreystoke Member Posts: 63
    Krugos said:

    Rawgrim said:

    It is Waukeen. Patron deity of Amn. She is the godess of trade and coin. Athkatla is the city of coin, and Amn is in the game-title.

    But she's missing the elf ears. And if it was Waukeen, who would the dark one represent?
    Perhaps the dark one represents the fact that Waukeen is dead in the FR at this time? ;)

  • tbone1tbone1 Member Posts: 1,985
    Krugos said:

    Rawgrim said:

    It is Waukeen. Patron deity of Amn. She is the godess of trade and coin. Athkatla is the city of coin, and Amn is in the game-title.

    But she's missing the elf ears. And if it was Waukeen, who would the dark one represent?
    The person who knew about The Thatcher Effect when they made the insignia. Seriously, I knew about this, but until I saw the darker face upside down I never realized what a sourpuss it was.
  • DrakeICNDrakeICN Member Posts: 623
    Krugos said:

    Rawgrim said:

    It is Waukeen. Patron deity of Amn. She is the godess of trade and coin. Athkatla is the city of coin, and Amn is in the game-title.

    But she's missing the elf ears. And if it was Waukeen, who would the dark one represent?
    The shadow... of Amn?
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