| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| darkelf15962 |
Posted - 09 Feb 2010 : 16:55:36
Anyone know how many years passed between the moment Ao created the multiverse and the start of the Days of Thunder? |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Feb 2010 : 15:11:42
We should bear in mind, also, that "[D]ivine affairs are beyond the understanding of mortals, and are best left that way." Cosmic mysteries, therefore, like the Creation Event, don't have pat answers, but you'd understand better about this sort of thinking by reading through Ed's commentaries here at Candlekeep.
[See the "So Saith Ed" archive in my sig] |
| darkelf15962 |
Posted - 12 Feb 2010 : 11:58:53
Also the magical creation theory is a lot more fun and interesting. |
| Gray Richardson |
Posted - 12 Feb 2010 : 06:08:59
It was Ed himself who said in his thread on November 1st 2006 that "As for the geological age of Toril, we don’t know for sure. However, I can say that the eldest elves and dragons who’ve considered the matter, and the best-informed human sages ditto, all tend to hold opinions that suggest Toril is twice as old as the Age of Thunder . . . or perhaps a LITTLE less."
Since the Age of Thunder began approximately 36,372 years prior to the current setting year at the time Ed offered that lore, we might conclude that the eldest beings of Toril and best-informed human sages tend to believe that Toril is about 70,000 years old, give or take.
Now, the best-informed sages of Toril are usually pretty astute about the planes and matters of cosmology. If we assume Toril was created by gods (or Ao) then there's every reason to assume that Toril's sages are in the ballpark about the creation date.
However, Ed has allowed for wiggle room to conclude that Toril's sages are wrong and may have an entirely different origin, including a natural one, involving accretion, and plate techtonics that occured over billions of years.
But for my own two cents, we know that Toril's physics is different than in Earth's universe. We know that gods and magic are "real" there. We know from the Realmspace supplement what Toril's solar system is like, the crystal sphere that surrounds it and something of the celestial mechanics that empower spaceflight in that universe. The physics are definitely not Newtonian. I therefore am disinclined to believe that Toril formed from a dust cloud that accreted around a stellar mass, in the same manner as our own solar system did. Stars in Realmspace are bright shiny points along the inner surface of the crystal sphere that may be portals to the elemental plane of radiance. I find the magical creation theory much more fitting for the setting than a mundane, earth-like creation. And I have got to give deference to Toril's best-informed sages, who know way more about such matters than I. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 15:15:05
quote:
Originally posted by darkelf15962
Yeah, but what i meant was the creation of the Forgotten Realms(Ao's individual Crystal Sphere), although i suppose the same arguments apply to that.
Again, no definitive info. |
| swifty |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 11:34:23
somethings are better left to mystery. |
| darkelf15962 |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 09:39:41
Yeah, but what i meant was the creation of the Forgotten Realms(Ao's individual Crystal Sphere), although i suppose the same arguments apply to that. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 05:52:44
quote:
Originally posted by Knight of the Gate
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Knight of the Gate
Also, I don't think that it's been categorically stated that Ao was the one responsible for the Creation- Or was there a reference that I missed?
That would likely be the result of what Faiths & Avatars describes Ao's superior -- "A Luminous Being." 
Who would (we can assume) be the one that he prays to @ the end of the Avatar Trilogy, no?
Pretty much, yes. |
| Knight of the Gate |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 05:14:43
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Knight of the Gate
Also, I don't think that it's been categorically stated that Ao was the one responsible for the Creation- Or was there a reference that I missed?
That would likely be the result of what Faiths & Avatars describes Ao's superior -- "A Luminous Being."
Who would (we can assume) be the one that he prays to @ the end of the Avatar Trilogy, no? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 04:42:18
quote:
Originally posted by Knight of the Gate
Also, I don't think that it's been categorically stated that Ao was the one responsible for the Creation- Or was there a reference that I missed?
That would likely be the result of what Faiths & Avatars describes Ao's superior -- "A Luminous Being."
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| Brimstone |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 03:45:32
A really long time!   |
| Knight of the Gate |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 02:25:00
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
You're talking about the Creation Event to the Days of Thunder?
If so, I don't think that's ever been properly detailed in the Realmslore. Much like our own reality, it can really only be something of an informed "guess" at most, based on the relevant celestial information and whatever their various astronomical disciplines tell them it is.
Thus, anything from hundreds of thousands, to millions, or even billions of years, I think, would be appropriate.
Also, I don't think that it's been categorically stated that Ao was the one responsible for the Creation- Or was there a reference that I missed? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 10 Feb 2010 : 00:01:33
You're talking about the Creation Event to the Days of Thunder?
If so, I don't think that's ever been properly detailed in the Realmslore. Much like our own reality, it can really only be something of an informed "guess" at most, based on the relevant celestial information and whatever their various astronomical disciplines tell them it is.
Thus, anything from hundreds of thousands, to millions, or even billions of years, I think, would be appropriate. |
| Asharak |
Posted - 09 Feb 2010 : 18:39:14
c. -70000 DR I believe, but I don't remember where I read this... and if it's corrcet... |
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