| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 07 Sep 2013 : 17:04:40
Whatever happened to Flamsterd? He was a powerful mage (level 21 I think) and one of the few wizards allowed to live on the Moonshaes. In FR2 Moonshae it's stated that he sunk a large portion of his island and lived beneath the waves. And if memory serves, he made an appearance in the Halls of the High King supplement/adventure. After that he just sort of disappeared.
Any new lore on him? Or, baring that, anyone have any interesting homebrew info on him? My thinking is that he was killed during the Spellplague...but we will likely never receive a canon answer to this question. |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Demzer |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 11:09:51
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I have a prediction.... the lass he's been watching.... Lady Yhelbruna the wychlaran of Rashemen. He's intrigued by her attempts to have magic work with nature.... and the fact that he can't see under her mask.
Isn't this Yhelbruna by chance the same Elminster Daughter that dies in "The Many Murders of Manshoon" (1385) while "playing" Hesperdan?
There may be a lot of Yhelbrunas around but giving the reputation of the Old Sage any higly skilled in the Art female of any race is suspect of being one of his Daughters. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 09 Sep 2013 : 22:12:09
I have a prediction.... the lass he's been watching.... Lady Yhelbruna the wychlaran of Rashemen. He's intrigued by her attempts to have magic work with nature.... and the fact that he can't see under her mask. |
| Kris the Grey |
Posted - 09 Sep 2013 : 16:06:50
I've always loved FR2 Halls of the High King (it was one of my favorite 2E modules, I ran it at least twice), so I'm glad to see old Flamsterd getting some lore and attention! |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 09 Sep 2013 : 04:33:32
quote:
Originally posted by Alenis
Great piece of lore on him, Wooly! That's probably the best I've seen yet that has cleared up what type of epic wizard he is (well, at least touched the outer edges). By chance, do you know whether he's protected by heaps of NDA?
Not a clue, but given TSR/WotC's love of slapping an NDA on anything remotely interesting, it's likely. |
| Alenis |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 21:53:34
Great piece of lore on him, Wooly! That's probably the best I've seen yet that has cleared up what type of epic wizard he is (well, at least touched the outer edges). By chance, do you know whether he's protected by heaps of NDA? |
| Arcanus |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 21:29:04
Interesting, maybe it's because of Flamsterd's meddling that Larloch has been unable to gain complete mastery of Torils portals. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 17:25:54
Wow thanks for looking up that lore Wooley. It was obvious that he was a 'studious recluse' but I hadn't yet figured out what his personal goals would be...save to serve the gods and protect the Moonshaes. With this glimpse into his personal character I'm even more convinced that the general direction I wanted to map out for him is in tune with his beliefs (though I doubt Ed would add the druid levels). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 14:44:17
Oh, and here is some Edlore on Flamsterd, offered several years back:
quote:
Think of him as a (neatly-trimmed beard, cultured Oxonian accent, slender silver-mounted and always unlit and empty pipe in hand or mouth [largely used for gesturing, when speaking, the converse always quiet], expensively dressed in quiet good taste) bookish, retiring, sophisticated 'please just leave me be' wizard. He went to the Moonshaes to escape the bustle and intrigue of mainland Faerūn at the time, and although he recognizes the need to defend his newfound home against both internal strife and external attacks, he most seeks the peace and quiet to research and think deeply. Flamsterd is interested in natural processes of Faerūn, and naturally powerful beings of all sorts (many long forgotten, fallen, hidden from, or misunderstood by, mortals). What is the true nature of godhood? Does power cycle, truly, or flow to and from inbalances? Can it be harnessed or gathered without causing harm elsewhere? Do gates and mythals and wards and other lasting magical constructs cause lasting harm? Or, if not harmful, what effects on natural processes and the natural ongoing transformations of power do they have? Who is meddling with power/natural energies right now? How? Can human lore even record or perceive the true cycles or nature of power, or has power been so meddled with or controlled (all the while humanity was rising to any sort of awareness of it) that there's nothing left of what's "natural" for human lore TO recognize? And out of all this, what power can I as an ethical wizard gather and use? What uses should I be making of it? What beings should I attempt to thwart, to preserve the Moonshaes or the wider Realms that I'm familiar with?
These are the same questions that Khelben, Elminster, and others have grappled with (including all who "came to service" as Chosen, but not those who were born into it, as the Seven were -- because, rebel or not, they've always had Mystra's direct guidance available), but Flamsterd is one of many who went off alone to consider how to grapple with them. Manshoon of the Zhentarim was another, and took a very different road. So, too, were Sammaster, and Malchor Harpell, and Larloch, and scores of others.
Flamsterd has, in short, retreated to his underwater abode to further isolate and defend himself (witness his stated actions in FR2), while he makes forays into various planes and locates various gates (ahem, portals) so as to deepen his understanding of the shadowy power groups at work in the Realms. He has decided that he doesn't like Larloch's growing web of liches, or some of the schemes afoot among some of the most magically powerful elves, either -- nor yet certain Red Wizards or particular Halruaan elders. So he's been trying to figure out how to subtly control power flows so as to limit and confound such meddlers, without himself being noticed by them.
He can't, of course, manage this swiftly -- and can't manage it at all without being noticed by Mystra, who's set Azuth the task of oh-so-subtly guiding Flamsterd (so Flamsterd won't in turn be aware that he's being manipulated). Azuth is still in the process of testing the unwitting Flamsterd to see if Flamsterd's mind and morals are sufficient to allow him to acquire the abilities he craves, to limit the powers of others.
Thus far, I can reveal that Flamsterd has passed with flying colours. Time alone will tell what the final judgement on him is. Oh, yes, one thing more: after deciding to avoid women and romance and all of the trouble and potential weakness that accompanies romantic relationships, Flamsterd has started to notice a particular lass. He hasn't quite realized yet that he's smitten with her, but he is, and Azuth is watching this, too, with interest.
And I haven't reached the point in my own writings yet that I can reveal her identity (no, it's not a Realms character you've already seen) to you. For one thing, I don't "control" the Realms, and haven't for years. This is a glimpse of my own ongoing "what this character has been up to" notes, and for obvious reasons (given how many writers are at work in the Realms) I can't go merrily along passing you my notes for character after character, or we'll have MORE inconsistencies to argue over on this list! :}
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| The Sage |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 07:06:29
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
When I was writing the Sarifal article for D&D Insider I also designed a timeline of Moonshae related events. Sadly, around that time, WotC decided against filling in the gaps in the official timeline. Anyway, you might be interested in one of the timeline events which involved Flamsterd:
quote:
1376 DR (Year of the Bent Blade): The High One charges his pupil Flamsterd with retrieving Halaster's soul-shards, scattered throughout Toril and beyond
Did you have any more than that, friend Brian, on either Flammy or Hally's soul shards?
Indeed. Even if it's just speculatory ideas Brian may have come up with re: Flamsterd's efforts in finding anything of Halaster's soul-shards? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 06:19:41
quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
When I was writing the Sarifal article for D&D Insider I also designed a timeline of Moonshae related events. Sadly, around that time, WotC decided against filling in the gaps in the official timeline. Anyway, you might be interested in one of the timeline events which involved Flamsterd:
quote:
1376 DR (Year of the Bent Blade): The High One charges his pupil Flamsterd with retrieving Halaster's soul-shards, scattered throughout Toril and beyond
Did you have any more than that, friend Brian, on either Flammy or Hally's soul shards? |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 05:06:18
My original idea for him was to make him Flamsterd the 'Thrice-Chosen' (of Mystra, Chauntea/Earthmother, and Angharradh-to represent the elves still present in the Moonshaes). He would still be a level 21 mage (maybe 2-3 levels higher) but would now also be a high level druid of about 14-15 levels. I was thinking of a resurgence of Kazgorath/Malar's power with Flamsterd being empowered to stop him. Now that I know of Flam's task of recovering Hal's soul-shards, perhaps I can work Kaz's presence to include having found a number of them and somehow siphoning power from them. Thus, Flam is granted great power to combat Kaz (including the ability to call on the Children of the Earthmother). |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 07 Sep 2013 : 20:45:31
be really easy to integrate him, have him show up looking for a shard, and turns out to be a dud. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 07 Sep 2013 : 20:32:37
Oh wow, that's a good bit of lore there. I was planning on integrating Flamsterd into some a campaign idea I had for the Moonshaes, now I need to rethink my use (or perhaps lack there-of) of him. I'm also intrigued by the notion of his being a 'pupil' of Azuth. Thank you Mr. James.
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| Brian R. James |
Posted - 07 Sep 2013 : 18:51:26
When I was writing the Sarifal article for D&D Insider I also designed a timeline of Moonshae related events. Sadly, around that time, WotC decided against filling in the gaps in the official timeline. Anyway, you might be interested in one of the timeline events which involved Flamsterd:
quote:
1376 DR (Year of the Bent Blade): The High One charges his pupil Flamsterd with retrieving Halaster's soul-shards, scattered throughout Toril and beyond
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