| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 12 Mar 2022 : 21:46:12
One of the things Ed Greenwood stresses inside his "Ed Greenwood Presents" book was the fact no Realms is alike because he wanted everyone to bring something of their own ideas into it. So this is a thread where you can share your wacky ideas both great and small about how the people of Abeir-Toril function. They can be serious theories you have about lore or interesting quirks you have canon NPCs possess or just a bit of local color.
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| 29 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Renin |
Posted - 27 Mar 2022 : 14:28:46
Nice Lathanadar campaign there!
Also,
Charles, I dug the Talos focus of that planning too.
My realms stopped a lot of what most of us agree ruined, or caused Realms publishing to go downhill
-No Return of the Shade. I didn't need this big bad returned
-No Spellplague
-No Sundering
Before Bane had been brought back (yup been playing since then), my friend had a campaign involving a Necromancer assembling the Vecna pieces (which can just travel through the planes, or whatever we decided), and had this Necro ascend into Godhood as a deity to undeath and evil. (we hated how the best evil gods in Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul were removed from the table, and Cyric just didn't feel...deserving of Most evil god in the Realms, so a rather horrible evil presence was created to fill that hole).
-Our timeline is just now only after Azoun's death. Helped to remove a near-King Arthur figure, and make Cormyr a bit more unstable for us
-Still brought Bane back anyways, because Bane is great! And for a campaign in a region we hadn't played before, I had it that Waukeen appeared in the Vilhon Reach during the Time of Troubles, and since knowing where she appeared, it's an area of great magic and a thinness between the planes, that an artifact like the Hand of Bane, which was recovered from when the avatar fought Torm in Tantras. This physical piece of Bane was used as a conduit that tried to bring Bane fully into the Realms...and a rpg campaign ensued. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 23 Mar 2022 : 21:07:31
Fascinating Lathander story.
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| EricMinde |
Posted - 23 Mar 2022 : 20:13:41
Lathander is bringing the Second Dawn in an attempt to make things right in his view. Another cataclysmic event that will return several gods to life (Tyche, Murdane, Amaunator, Auppenser) and remove many of the gods of darkness.
He'd love to remove all of them but feels that if he tries to establish a better balance AO wouldn't be too upset(and he's right).
Using his trapped chosen to hide the Dawnstone and Rod of Law(thander?) in an asylum built on the body of Auppenser in the Astral plane, Lathander has been working on the exact same rituals as before without interference from outside forces and preparations are almost complete.
Lathander and AO arrived in what we know as Realmspace at the same time, together as brothers and at the same overgod power level. (there are others around the same power level that arrived as well)
The Dawnstone is much more than what's been reported historically. It's original name was the Heart of Creation and was used at the direction of AO to create Realmspace. It also houses Sardior who has hidden there since time immemorial. The knowledge for all it's uses and most of it's abilities has been lost to time although several gods do remember it exists. Only Lathander knows where it is and it's complete compliment of powers.
The events involving Lathander absorbing Amaunator with the Dawnstone are fact. During the final enactment of the Rite of the Heart. When Lathander attempted to force two unknowing divine beings back into the original singular being, his paramour, Tyche. The spell seemed to fail explosively and Amaunator, who was weakened from lack of devotion, saved Lathander from the resulting magical detonation. In sorrow from his failure and moved by Amaunators sacrifice, Lathander used the Dawnstone to absorb Amaunator and took over the deities portfolios. Vowing to make things right and continued to grants Amaunators clergy spells, never revealing that Amaunator is dead.
Tyche is still alive and well on Olympus but has no memory of her time with Lathander.
Auppenser is floating, asleep, on the Astral plane. The hold that imprisons Lathanders chosen is built on Auppensers body. The chosen has been contacting powerful beings lately trying to get home and now Auppenser starting to stir.
Lathander has been collecting portfolios since before the fall of Netheril and splitting his power between all the various religions he's subsumed to enable the continued, uninterrupted worship of Amaunator and Auppensor/Sardior(rumors fly around on how many gods are actually Lathander). This is why the domains of Time and Law were added to Lathanders portfolio.
If AO is the 'owner' of Realmspace and everything it contains, Lathander is the Co-Owner and Manager with boots on the ground so to speak. Which is why AO doesn't 'usually' directly interfere with Lathanders machinations. Shar did want to interfere with Lathanders plans insofar as to want a chance to take the magic portfolio from Mystral when the magiks killed her and that fool mortal Karsus exploded himself. So Lathander suspected correctly, however it was AO that prevented the original Dawn Cataclysm from completing because Lathander was not considering the balance at the time.
In consideration of the heavy losses of the godswar and weighing Helms demand for Lathanders head, It was agreed that as a punishment for all to witness, Lathander was to be stripped from the history and made to start over. Once stripped of all power, Lathander was taught a lesson of balance. Helm was left unsatisfied and to this day, dislikes Lathander. AO could only keep balance. Doing any more would tip the already delicate scales. This was more of a show by AO for the other gods as it had zero lasting effect on Lathander which AO knew would be the case.
After the trial, Lathander was made divine again through the latent abilities of Aumonitor and Sardior, both now residing inside the Dawnstone. His rocket recovery to Greater Deity status was legendary as no one knew.
The full history of Lathander has yet to be established due to a publication ban by AO. This however hasn't stopped a few determined faithful.
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| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 18 Mar 2022 : 15:09:51
Local Lore
A story that is still told in the inns and taverns of Iriaebor about the Iriaeben shop The Well-Dressed Wizard:
The Tailor and The Turtle
Not long after The Well-Dressed Wizard opened, an incident happened that still comes up over cups in Iriaebor’s taverns and inns. The tale has come to be known as “The Tailor and The Turtle”.
The story goes that a powerful wizard came to town and, for whatever reason, decided to attack the owner of The Well-Dressed Wizard. Witnesses reported that this wizard cast one of his most powerful spells: a spell that had balls of fire with sparks streaming behind them. Later identified by mages in the know as something called “a meteor swarm”, this spell went off inside the shop and bathed everything including the tailor in magical fire.
Witnesses said that that they feared the worst for the poor shopkeeper. However, to their relief and surprise, the fire immediately died down and the tailor and his shop was completely unharmed! It was then that dozens of strings of glowing beads shot from the tailor’s hand and wrapped around the attacking mage, stopping him from completing his next magical assault. These same glowing strings yanked the wizard into the shop with the doors slamming shut right behind him.
Soon afterwards, The Shield arrived to investigate the ruckus. Based on what witnesses said, they knew that the poor shopkeeper was just defending himself. When the constable asked the tailor about his attacker, the tailor thanked him for his concern. The Constable was given a turtle and told that the threat had been taken care of.
This constable, being a smart man, immediately took the turtle to one of Chauntea’s priests so that they could question the turtle about what happened. The priest used magic and while the turtle was being interrogated, the transformed wizard’s mind finally became that of a turtle. None of the priest’s magic could reverse what the tailor did so rumor has it that the turtle is still living out its life in that halfling’s haunted garden at the far west end of The Tor.
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| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 17 Mar 2022 : 04:33:18
Demon worshipers and their patrons
Demons, nature spirits, and devils are able to finagle something similar to a god. They aren't able to grant power like gods to clerics but they've figured out how to do SOMETHING similar. Why? Because magic that comes from demons is as old as fairy tales.
So there's demons who patronize warlorcks, antipaladins, and clerics in lieu of more traditional gods.
In my campaign, these "lesser patrons" are acting as middle men for gods who don't care too much about direct worship. All devils can draw on the power of Asmodeus (who gets a cut of all the prayer) to supply their spells, all demons can draw on the Elder Elemental Evil (who doesn't even notice), and so on. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 21:31:11
quote:
I absolutely love this. What a great mood and set of themes to underpin a campaign.
Yeah, it occurs to me a lot of fantasy worlds are essentially stuck in a form of Medieval stasis without any form of progression and it occurred to me that the "dying days of the adventurer" might be an interesting theme to pursue after at least a couple of hundred years of people looting dungeons and slaying monsters. It's not a big sign of progress but it is a sign of progress and the Realms getting less "wild" that reflects how modules and storytelling has changed.
That and I love Red Dead Redemption 1 and 2. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 20:09:18
Yep, I have FOR2 Drow of the Underdark. I wouldn't think a boxed set would refer to Dragon, but it was the only reference I could find that listed ongoing poison damage with an X. And I want to say they were BX era rules. I had always wondered if there wasn't an accidental rule set crossover/typo and should have been edited out like you say or something that was meant to be expanded upon and explained. That they were originally based upon tentacle rods makes modifying them simple enough though.
As far as I know, the bound imps in reference to Quenthel's whip were the first mention of such. Elaine's novel Daughter of the Drow mentions vipers being used to magically bind the priestess to the altar for the rite of atonement. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 18:54:16
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
One fun note: I've never completely understood how the Whip of Fangs were supposed to be implemented. Look at the Menzoberranzan boxed set for Triel Baenre and Matron Mez'Barris Armgo.
Under Triel's statblock in the Noble Houses booklet we have:
NO. OF ATTACKS: 5 (Whip of Fangs)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2d4 X 5(QX)
SPECIAL ATTACK: Weakness (Whip)
None of this has ever been explained as far as I know. I would guess that Q is the poison type and X might denote ongoing damage until a save is made if I remember old dragon articles right.
Uh, it was not given because Whip of Fangs (and Tentacle Rods, for that matter) are in FOR2 Drow of the Underdark.
(QX) is enigmatic, may be typo. But do you really consider it possible that a boxed set would implicitly refer to Dragon? And in DMG poison types go to (P).
In a standard whip, each head is AC 8, HD 2, regeneration 2 hp/day (unless killed all the way), THAC0 14, damage 2d4 + debilitating pain (usually). Cannot find what exactly effect the bite inflicts, but it's magic, not poison. So there can be resistance, but no immunity.
Also, it was stated in Dissolution that captured imps are bound in these things, but was this a new bit, or did this appear somewhere before? |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 17:42:19
The Buried Realms:
With the strength of the Phaerimm shattered after the war with Shade, I can see this area as a prime adventuring area with rich treasure.
The Moonsea:
The ruins of Zhentil Keep and the Citadel of the Raven are probably rich with treasure too. Volo's Guide to the Dalelands mentions there is much magic there, though this was in reference to the first time it was destroyed in the 1360's. The Citadel had so many mages and beholders in the Spellfire books, I would think it'd hold even greater wealth. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 17:06:43
In the context of "creating the drow", I think RAS is referencing Menzoberranzan society as to what he created. That was more or less the first look at the society in the Realms.
One fun note: I've never completely understood how the Whip of Fangs were supposed to be implemented. Look at the Menzoberranzan boxed set for Triel Baenre and Matron Mez'Barris Armgo.
Under Triel's statblock in the Noble Houses booklet we have:
NO. OF ATTACKS: 5 (Whip of Fangs)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2d4 X 5(QX)
SPECIAL ATTACK: Weakness (Whip)
None of this has ever been explained as far as I know. I would guess that Q is the poison type and X might denote ongoing damage until a save is made if I remember old dragon articles right. Weakness was another one, I think it drops STR to 3 if I refer to say the Roper in the MM.
But back to drow creation, in one of RAS's interviews, he does state he took inspiration from Vault of the Drow and expanded upon the work. One of the references was that the Whip of Fangs was his version of the tentacle rods of the drow from there. Which is great, because it gives me an answer to a question I've had for a decade or two and a base to work from.
I can't see RAS trying to take credit away from previous designers of D&D, his statement is just missing context in relation to creation of the drow. |
| Cyrano |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 12:45:52
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
+ Since the Sundering, there are few "wild" places and dungeons left unplundered. The "dying days of the adventurer" is now something akin to the Old West, reflecting dungeon delving being replaced by long complicated plots.
I absolutely love this. What a great mood and set of themes to underpin a campaign. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 16 Mar 2022 : 03:26:51
This is just flat out contradicting canon but I choose to believe that all of the video game "Good" endings are canon:
* The Bhaalspawn is a hero and lived a happy life with his companions or ascended.
* Aribeth was redeemed.
And so on and so on. |
| HighOne |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 19:32:51
I stand corrected. I just perused The Vault of the Drow, and I see that it does indeed contain a lot of lore that I thought had been invented by RAS. I'd be very curious now to see what, exactly, RAS is laying claim to. If it's just the names, characters, and other trappings of a typical FR novel, then I agree that his claim is overblown, because every FR author invents such things in the process of writing a novel. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 18:49:19
quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Drow are in the OGB, and that predates The Crystal Shard by a year.
Sure, but what lore existed for the FR drow before RAS came along? He was handed a blank canvas, and he painted a work of art on it. So who owns the results? RAS or the person who handed him the blank canvas?
It doesn't matter. To use your analogy, he's claiming to have painted something that didn't exist before, ignoring the art that was already there. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 17:18:32
quote:
It was not a blank canvas. Gygax (and others) had already presented a fair amount of lore on the Drow. Take a look at the old 1e adventure Vault of the Drow (that came out 9 years before the OGB). Gygax had described a Drow city in a fair amount of detail. RAS just expanded on that for how the Drow are in the Realms.
For those who haven't read VAULT OF THE DROW, Gary Gygax described the Drow as a decadent race ruled by feuding noble houses constantly jockeying for power that lived in underground cities of stalagtites as well as stalagmites illuminated by fairy fire. They were also a theocracy dedicated to the Spider-Queen but were being undermined by the Elemental God of Evil's heresy. |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 17:15:51
quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Drow are in the OGB, and that predates The Crystal Shard by a year.
Sure, but what lore existed for the FR drow before RAS came along? He was handed a blank canvas, and he painted a work of art on it. So who owns the results? RAS or the person who handed him the blank canvas?
It was not a blank canvas. Gygax (and others) had already presented a fair amount of lore on the Drow. Take a look at the old 1e adventure Vault of the Drow (that came out 9 years before the OGB). Gygax had described a Drow city in a fair amount of detail. RAS just expanded on that for how the Drow are in the Realms. |
| HighOne |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 16:50:05
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Drow are in the OGB, and that predates The Crystal Shard by a year.
Sure, but what lore existed for the FR drow before RAS came along? He was handed a blank canvas, and he painted a work of art on it. So who owns the results? RAS or the person who handed him the blank canvas? |
| Eldacar |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 15:48:23
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
+ Most marriages are Chauntean or Sunite.
This actually makes me idly wonder: what would the most common marriage be? I know Ed has written about marriages on Twitter and on Candlekeep, but I can't recall him discussing which faith does the most marriages overall. I would imagine that Chauntea and Sune are up there. Possibly Tymora as well. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 15:23:02
Drow are in the OGB, and that predates The Crystal Shard by a year.
RAS most certainly put drow on the map, and so far as I know, he created Menzoberranzan and all its inhabitants -- but Realmsian drow predated his involvement with the setting and thus were not created by him.
I stopped reading RAS stuff after the Thousand Orcs, but nothing up until then backs up this different take on drow. Obviously, I can't speak to anything more recent than that series -- I did read the WotSQ books, which I thoroughly disliked, and because of them avoided the LP books, of which I've heard nothing positive. |
| Elven Avenger |
Posted - 15 Mar 2022 : 13:28:58
“I didn’t create the drow, but I created the drow in the Realms. And the vision I’ve always had for them is where the Wizards Franchise Team is taking them now,” Bob tells Dragon+. “I don’t believe we’re retrofitting. Menzoberranzan isn’t changing, we’re simply putting it in context.”
Wow, just wow. Is there anything that backs up that statement? |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 14 Mar 2022 : 18:49:20
Outer Planes
+ Arch-Deva exist that serve in the same capacity as the Archdemons and Demon princes of Hell. Why have we not heard about them? Generally, they're much-much better at keeping their heads down than their infernal counterparts.
+ Demons and Devils work for gods, same as Deva. It's a job and some can actually end up working for the same deity. Planescape's deconstruction of the whole mythology of the gods is MOSTLY true in Sigil but not wrong elsewhere.
+ People afraid the Blood War ending will result in Demons or Devils overwhelming creation miss that both sides are infinite (as are the opposition) so the Blood War doesn't reduce their resources at all. It's just a thing they do because Hell and the Abyss.
+ Lolth being a goddess and a Demon Prince is still pretty rare and she could destroy the Demogorgon if she wanted. It's just, well, she'd just be another god in the Abyss. Not much point in that.
+ There's still 666 planes of the Abyss. Mind you, that really depends on how you're counting.
+ The Wall of the Faithless is slightly less horrifying as those crushed by it reincarnate back on the Prime Material Plane. It was also finally gotten rid of after Vecna unmade the Prime Material Plane.
+ The price for unmaking the Wall of the Faithless was Myrkul being allowed to take Velsharoon's place as Lord of Necromancy, the Undead, and Black Magic.
+ Myrkul has no interest in overthrowing Kelemvor and loves being a "bad" god with almost zero responsibilities.
Religions
+ Realmsians are polytheistic and thus a "patron god" is actually fairly rare for all of them. As such, Kelemvor sends you to the plane of your alignment or lets you enjoy his own Elysium, Tartarus, or Fugue Plane.
+ Generalist clerics are a thing in the Realms. No god particularly likes them but they draw from a "generic pool" of faith.
+ Almost all temples have an alcove with a few dozen tiny statues of every god.
+ Most marriages are Chauntean or Sunite. You can do ceremonies by any god and they all have a variant ceremony but most just do a sort of generic, "blessed by the gods" that comes with every book.
+ A generic book of ceremonies is available like the Guttenberg Bible for 50 GP (a small fortune for most people) at any respectable printer. It basically reads like a religious almanac and every reputable mayor has a copy.
+ Heresies are a very common thing in the Realms with Asmodeus and rival deities providing spells because ****ing with other gods is a national pasttime. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 13 Mar 2022 : 16:14:39
Drow
+ There's a rather tragic and unheroic story about how the Sun Elves destroyed the civilization of the Native Elves of Toril.. The Native Elves lived in Chult and surrounding islands before the survivors turned to demon worship to survive.
+ See above The story about Drow being cursed by Corellon Lantheon to look like drow is, in simple terms, complete dragonshit.
+ There actually are some surviving non-demon worshiping Dark Elves in an undiscovered continent in the Western Hemphisphere above Maztica as well as in pocket dimensions they created to survive.
+ The classic D&D module "The Isle of Dread" is actually full of these Chaotic Good dark elves and their island was displaced by Evermeet.
+ There's also a fairly large number of Zhakaran Dark Elves who are indistinguishable from their Light Elven brethren in culture or diet. They have long since learned not to go to the bigoted insane North.
+ In addition to black, Dark Elves come in blue, purple, and deep gray.
World Building
* Faerun is the monster-filled hellhole it is due to the fact Netheril constantly was magically experimenting on animals and creatures as well as bringing other races in from other realities to serve as curiosities or slaves.
+ The Realms are a lot more interconnected than people realize with established trade routes, messenger services, and portal networks used by merchants.
+ Since the Sundering, there are few "wild" places and dungeons left unplundered. The "dying days of the adventurer" is now something akin to the Old West, reflecting dungeon delving being replaced by long complicated plots. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 13 Mar 2022 : 16:06:42
I love the bit about river dragons and fruit.
Also, the halfling bits. |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 13 Mar 2022 : 15:51:45
Local lore
+The north fork of the Chionthar River is relatively clear. The south fork brings in a vast majority of the silt load so that from the confluence out to the Sword Coast, it is relatively opaque.
+River Dragons live in the Chionthar. They are dragonets that are the source species for the degenerate geyser dragons (also a dragonet).
+Because of the aforementioned River Dragons, most barges on the Chionthar carry a bag of fruit. When they anchor at night (in the middle of the river), they will toss a few pieces overboard so that the river dragons of the area will help protect them from attack during the night.
+Tornados occur in the fall in the southern Vale and the plains south of Iriaebor. Because of this, farm buildings will tend to be more dug into the ground and have a lower profile. Town structures will be of heavy stone block construction with iron bound storm shutters (also helps with defense). This is also why you will find small shrines to Talos scattered around the area.
+Because of the northern Sunset Mountains, Corm Orp is in a protected location and does not get natural tornados.
+To deal with flooding for the many streams and small rivers of the Corm Orp area, the halflings (with assistance from the giants living in the Darkhold at the time) dug a bunch of retention ponds centuries ago. The ponds have been nicknamed "Giant's Baths" and are useful to blunt the lack of water for drought years (each has a windmill-powered pump that can move the water back into the stream bed for irrigation of farms downstream). |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 13 Mar 2022 : 09:25:57
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Lara Croft inspired many young men and women to adventure, lol.
But what really saddens me is the lack of Dora the Explorer.
I feel young girls wandering around dungeons will not be a happy story, though it could possibly end like Undertale. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 13 Mar 2022 : 08:36:01
quote:
Originally posted by Eldacar
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
+ "Adventurer" is not actually a real profession and its a catch all term for mercenaries, bounty hunters, assassins by another name,, treasure hunters,
archaeologists (all of them are Indiana Jones), and grave-robbers who are a thoroughly disreputable sort.
The lack of Lara Croft saddens me.
Lara Croft inspired many young men and women to adventure, lol.
But what really saddens me is the lack of Dora the Explorer. |
| Eldacar |
Posted - 13 Mar 2022 : 00:30:04
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps
+ "Adventurer" is not actually a real profession and its a catch all term for mercenaries, bounty hunters, assassins by another name,, treasure hunters,
archaeologists (all of them are Indiana Jones), and grave-robbers who are a thoroughly disreputable sort.
The lack of Lara Croft saddens me. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 12 Mar 2022 : 22:49:42
Heroes
+ Elminster actually looks a great deal like Sean Connery in Highlander and is younger and fitter than people give him credit for. He often uses first level illusions and cantrips to appear older than he is.
+ Elminster actually prefers to play evil powers against one another rather than actively destroy them unlike most adventurers. A lot of his associates don't like this but it is something he and Khelben agree on.
+ Lathander and Sune are actually just the human faces of Corelleon Lantheon and Hanelli. They're a great deal more tolerant and accepting than the majority of elves.
+ After the Spellplague, the traditional "humans and demihumans vs. monsters" divide pretty much ended. You can now adventure as an orc, a gnoll, or a bugbear and people will only give you a minimum of sideeye.
+ Saurials are CONSTANTLY confused for Dragonborn and most will simply go with it.
+ "Adventurer" is not actually a real profession and its a catch all term for mercenaries, bounty hunters, assassins by another name,, treasure hunters,
archaeologists (all of them are Indiana Jones), and grave-robbers who are a thoroughly disreputable sort.
Almost all of them have "off" season professions.
+ Alusiar and Caladnei are consorts but have other lovers (because it's the Realms). Their relationship sadly is forbidden and unofficial--because Caladnei is the court wizard.
(wa wa)
+ Artemis Entreri and Drizzt aren't even in the top twenty best swordsmen in the Realm. They are, however, so good they never have encountered the REAL best. |
| Charles Phipps |
Posted - 12 Mar 2022 : 21:48:36
Some ones I've accumulated over the years:
Villains
+ The adventures of Die Vecna Die happened in the Forgotten Realms canon universe but starred Larlouch with the help of Asmodeus and Shar. They were the reason that everything seemed utterly doomed to oblivion for a time.
+ Velsharoon was killed by Larloch using Karsus' Folly using the Shadow Weave for his ascension. Lacloch. While Laloch impersonated Velsharoon for awhile, Talos actually picked up on it insantly. He just didn't care because Velsharoon was such a disappointment.
+ Fzoul Chembyrl and Manshoon are consorts and there is nothing weird or strange about this in the Realms, though Fzoul is also known to indulge with female cultists of Bane.
+ Cyric was never opposed by Lathander and the others during his madness because the Gods of Good really liked how he was tearing everything down.
+ Bhaal is not resurrected, he remains dead but Cyric has finally mastered impersonating him because he realized its a losing game fighting Bane and Myrkul.
+ There's a very good argument Bane didn't resurrect so much as Xvim became so much like his father that it was pointless to compare the two.
+ You can find priests of evil gods in every major town, city, and settlement without any harm expected from them or recrimination for them. As a polytheistic setting, people pray to Talos and other gods to keep their wrath at bay. The majority of "villain" cultists are outliers among their faith. Even if, yes, they are evil and favored by their gods.
+ The exception to this is Demon and Devil worship. You can casually chat up a priest of Tiamat or Bane in Baldur's Gate but people get to witch-burning if they find out about infernalism. The gods of evil support this because they do not want the competition or employees "embezzling." This includes Asmodeus who is otherwise identical to a god.
+ Szass Tam and the Red Wizards of Thay in my realms worship Mystra just fine and have never had an issue with her. They continued worshiping Myrkul, though, well after Kelemvor ascended because his anti-undead policies were stupid and Velsharoon worship was forbidden because you don't have Steve Jobs allowing the worship of Wozinak.
+ Shar worship never caught on in Thay because they are well aware her philosophy wants the end of everything.
+ The Zhentarim, Thayan Enclaves, and Iron Throne are places that Good Aligned adventurers regularly shop at. This includes the Harpers. The irony is not lost on either party. Simply put, few other places trade in the kind of weaponry and magic that they all work in.
+ Talos is actually Umberlee and Auril's father as well as Tempus. Who the mothers of these individuals are is anyone's guess.
+ The Kendrick Family has a centuries-long quest to get back the soul of Diedrick Kendrick from Talos and this is a blood feud that means the Talos family is NOT welcome on the Moonshaes, however much that leads to his primal disfavor.
+ Talos keeps the soul in a special vault because he covets her but knows in a free-willed state she hates him and Kelemvor would rejudge her to go to the Earthmother's realm. |
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