| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| WalkerNinja |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 13:40:19
...Possible Spoilers...
over the years some of us have voiced approval for the Orders of High Sorcery as they appeared in Dragonlance.
I'm beginning to wonder if we are beginning to develop an Order of High Sorcerty Analog with the increasing emphasis upon Shar and the Shadow Weave.
I think that many of us are at least a little confused at Mystra's present NG alignment (especially considering the Neutral alignment of her predecessors). Shar seems to be forgetting her rivalry with Selune and growing a new one with Mystra over magic.
I wonder if we'll see a Light Weave tended to by Selune, Mystra's return to neutrality and an impartial care-taker of the Weave, and Shar's accepted patronage of the Shadow Weave.
I will note that we allready know of a Netherese earth-burg city that is dedicated to Selune and that is awaiting "re-entry," a seeming counter-balance to the City of Shade.
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| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Purple Dragon Knight |
Posted - 27 Mar 2007 : 05:21:10
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I don't think there can be a Light Weave... The existing Weave can be used for both good or evil. And actually, if it wasn't for Shar, the Shadow Weave could be used for either side, as well. It's not that the Shadow Weave is inherently evil, it is simply what it is called -- a shadow of the existing Weave.
And Wooly, I will further reinforce your theory on the "non-evil" nature of the Shadow Weave by two examples:
1) The hero of the Archwizards trilogy (that moon elf which I have thankfully already forgotten in name at least...) did not worship Shar, yet tapped the Shadow Weave; (novel example) and
2) If you read the Shadow Weave Magic feat carefully (i.e. the new, revised version as seen in the Player's Guide to Faerun), you will notice that in order to tap the Shadow Weave, you need to either: a) worship Shar; or b) have a Wisdom score of 15.
I play a non-evil rock gnome bard who taps the Shadow Weave in my friend's campaign, and I am having quite a ball breaking the mold!  |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 27 Mar 2007 : 01:12:18
quote:
Originally posted by WalkerNinja
thoughts on the city of Selunarra?
I kind of like the idea, but at the same time I dislike the seemingly compulsive need for design symmetry that it seems to represent ("there's an evil floating city from Netheril that's just come back to the Realms...so now there should be a GOOD city to counterbalance it!"). My thoughts on this are similar to those expressed by Wooly and KEJR. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 20:31:49
And I'd argue that the "organic" balance in Forgotten Realms has worked out better in the long term than the "rigid" balance in DragonLance. One of the things that gets lost sometimes in the "rigid" balance system is that, for example, a neutral character might be neutral in alignment but honestly want to fight for "good."
For example, from a godly point of view, Helm, and from a more mortal point of view, Khelben. Both of these examples wants society to thrive and grow and be free from the spectre of evil, but at the same time, they are less concerned about the "collateral damage" that might result in opposing evil or setting up a master plan for the ultimate good.
As far as Selunarra, I'm not sure that they will set up a "good" order or not if they return. But the above comments reminds me of something else regarding FR's "organic" balance . . . the first thing the Shadovar of Thultanthar were worried about upon returning wasn't wiping out good or subjugating this or that nation . . . it was dealing with the Phaerimm, ostensibly a "good" thing to have taken care off (even if it was primarily for self preservation/revenge). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 17:29:40
quote:
Originally posted by WalkerNinja
I think that many of us are at least a little confused at Mystra's present NG alignment (especially considering the Neutral alignment of her predecessors).
Mystra 2.0 is NG because that was her human alignment... However, she is neutral in regards to her administration of the Weave. She did, for a brief amount of time, favor the good guys, but she was slapped down for that and no longer favors either side. Thus, her NG alignment is a moot point.
quote:
Originally posted by WalkerNinja
Shar seems to be forgetting her rivalry with Selune and growing a new one with Mystra over magic.
I don't think Shar is forgetting her rivalry with Selūne as much as she is focusing on the bigger picture... Shar wants the end of everything. That takes power, since most any sane sentient creature -- mortal or divine -- would oppose such a goal. Shar's playing with the Shadow Weave is more about giving her another weapon than anything else. She's not forgetting her rivalry, she's working on gaining another edge in both that and her overall goal.
quote:
Originally posted by WalkerNinja
I wonder if we'll see a Light Weave tended to by Selune, Mystra's return to neutrality and an impartial care-taker of the Weave, and Shar's accepted patronage of the Shadow Weave.
I don't think there can be a Light Weave... The existing Weave can be used for both good or evil. And actually, if it wasn't for Shar, the Shadow Weave could be used for either side, as well. It's not that the Shadow Weave is inherently evil, it is simply what it is called -- a shadow of the existing Weave.
As for Mystra's impartiality, as I said, she is impartial now. And, in fact, her favoring the good guys was only in one novel -- the same one she got slapped down in, and was forced to go impartial. There's a large number of people that seem to forget that...
Though we do know Ao wants to have balance in the Realms, it's not the same as Dragginglance. In DL, everything is balanced by having an opposite. I prefer the looser balance of the Realms, where instead of rigidly defined diametric opposites, you have many different force/entities moving in seperate directions, all at once, and maintaining a rough balance by doing so. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 16:57:46
I'm not quite sure how a "light weave" would work, except to say that if this occured, at least it would help to illustrate that the Shadow Weave isn't equal and opposite to the Weave. If the Shadow Weave is the empty spaces in the Weave, would the Light Weave be the radiance at the edges?
I'll ponder some more on this when I have the time . . . unfortuantely work is beconing me back. |
| WalkerNinja |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 14:20:11
thoughts on the city of Selunarra? |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 14:06:15
I think Shar has always had a rivalry with Mystra. She is just as upset that her "daughter" is defiant with her control of magic as she is that her "sister" is opposed to her darkness. I actually think that until recently Shar's potential as a major force of evil has been overlooked quite a bit. She is every bit as evil and nasty as Bane has ever been, and quite a bit older to boot. I think we are just in a "phase," in Realmlore where Shar is more active than she was before. |
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