| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 26 Jan 2005 : 23:16:47
Well met
This being a collective scroll of any questions the Scribes and visitors of Candlekeep wish to put to a renowned game designer of the Realms, namely - Eric L Boyd. Eric has been a game designer for TSR\WotC for many years, with a vast array of products to his name, including Champions of Ruin, Champions of Valor, City of Splendors: Waterdeep, Faiths & Pantheons, Lost Empires of Faerūn, Serpent Kingdoms, Races of Faerūn and the upcoming Power of Faerūn, to name but a few.
Present your questions herein and check back to see what news may also come forth from the quill of this Realms master. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Returnip |
Posted - 24 Aug 2024 : 20:47:38
Hey, Eric. I have a question for you.
In the "trail of tears" article series there are words of wisdom from Tempus "echoing in the mind of anyone passing through the portal". Are those words supposed to echo in the mind after they arrive at a new scene as a sort of hint of what is to come or are they supposed to echo in the mind as people pass through the next portal leading to the next scene as a sort of conclusion of what they experienced at the last scene? Each can work equally fine I guess. I'm just curious as to what you intended.
And one additional question.
In 3.x City of Splendors - Waterdeep, in the sewers encounter tables, when you roll "thief" it refers to the text for explanation, but there is no explaining text for the thief entry. Was it supposed to be a reference to the previously mentioned "solitary rogues" that could be encountered there, basically just "rogue with 1dX levels" or did you have something more elaborate in mind for that, such as important rogue NPCs or teams of rogues from one of the thieves' guilds? |
| kysus |
Posted - 10 Apr 2024 : 00:32:22
Oh thats really cool, that name Teshyll the aged seems familiar are they in your write up for the myth glaurach online article, was there anymore information on who Teshyll the aged was, were they any elf noble of some sought or a really powerful human caster that was respected by the elves? Im also curious about what Teshyll and Arun's son thoughts were on the fate of that city. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 08 Apr 2024 : 21:59:25
quote:
Originally posted by kysus
Hey Eric i had a question for you i was just thinking about, do you think there could still be some secrets left behind undiscovered in myth glaurach that were never found by the elves during the last mythal series? and would you have any examples of some if there is any secrets still left?
Of course there are secrets!
For example, there is a lost folio penned by Teshyll the Aged recording his notes from speaking with Arun's Son about the fate of the lost city of Myth Adofhaer.
--Eric |
| kysus |
Posted - 08 Apr 2024 : 21:38:24
Hey Eric i had a question for you i was just thinking about, do you think there could still be some secrets left behind undiscovered in myth glaurach that were never found by the elves during the last mythal series? and would you have any examples of some if there is any secrets still left? |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 08 Mar 2024 : 23:19:07
Great example. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Mar 2024 : 22:40:04
I had an NPC that became an elf-friend and was welcome to Evermeet because he was part of a group (the others were elves) that found a legendary magic staff and returned it to Evermeet. The staff allowed High Magic to be cast without penalty outside of Evermeet. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 27 Feb 2024 : 01:46:38
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
My guess is probably about as interested as the Fair Folk are in having non-elves visit Evermeet.
By that I mean, very resistant, with the exception of certain elf-friends like Mirt, the Seven Sisters, Elminster, and senior Harpers.
--Eric
Essentially, Player Characters will need to perform a rather substantial favor for Corellon's children before they are granted the privilege? Much appreciated.
Exactly. And "substantial" is probably on par with rescue a small kingdom of elves. |
| Azar |
Posted - 27 Feb 2024 : 00:28:53
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
My guess is probably about as interested as the Fair Folk are in having non-elves visit Evermeet.
By that I mean, very resistant, with the exception of certain elf-friends like Mirt, the Seven Sisters, Elminster, and senior Harpers.
--Eric
Essentially, Player Characters will need to perform a rather substantial favor for Corellon's children before they are granted the privilege? Much appreciated. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 17 Feb 2024 : 10:57:12
My guess is probably about as interested as the Fair Folk are in having non-elves visit Evermeet.
By that I mean, very resistant, with the exception of certain elf-friends like Mirt, the Seven Sisters, Elminster, and senior Harpers.
--Eric |
| Azar |
Posted - 17 Feb 2024 : 09:25:30
Mr. Boyd, I have a question pertaining to Demihuman Deities. Generally speaking, with the exceptions of Fenmarel Mestarine (the loner) and Shevarash (the avenger), how open are the various Elven religions to the possibility of outsiders witnessing their ceremonies? |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 03 Jan 2024 : 22:20:54
My intent was to go with the 1325 DR birth year for Baelam the Bold.
While the general rule is that you go with the newer source, when it's Ed writing it and when they copied 1e material verbatim into a 2e source without updating it, my rule of thumb is to go with the older source.
Given such confusion, I now avoid writing ages and always write birth years. Keeps it much simpler for the DM who might be running the campaign in any given year.
--Eric |
| Italian Archmage Karsus |
Posted - 28 Nov 2023 : 23:30:41
Hey, I was going over Baelam the Bold (City of Splendors, Waterdeep: p. 120-121). In an earlier book, Campaign Guide to Myth Drannor inside the Ruins of Myth Drannor boxed set, he's stated to be 31 years old in the apparent year of 1356. However, the default date of 2e was 1368 DR, and he was also present in Dragon 172. While a later source overrules a previous source, CGtMD is not explicitly set in 1356.
If he is taken to be 31 years old by 1368 DR, that makes him out to be 5 years old in 1342 DR, when he slays his master's assassins. I think it's more reasonable to say he's 31 years old in 1356, so he'd be 17 years old by 1342, which is in line with many a player character's age. It seems like a foregone conclusion to me, but just to stay on the safe side, I thought I should check in. Was that bit in City of Splendors written under the consideration he was 31 years old in 1356, rather than in 1368? |
| Azar |
Posted - 26 Sep 2023 : 08:05:30
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
There are solid reasons as to "why" that perception persists. In most D&D core rulebooks, Elves are listed as Chaotic Good; there hasn't been a single Forgotten Realms campaign setting book or box set that has gone out of its way to blatantly refute this moral/ethical description as it applies to Corellon's offspring in The Realms.
You might want to read "Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves" a bit more closely.
-- George Krashos
I have*, but most players - hell, most DMs - don't get in that deep. By "campaign setting book or box set", I was referring to the primers which cover The Realms as a whole...touching on multiple regions (such as the 3e FRCS hardcover). That aside, I'm not sure where or even if we ought to continue this conversation; I dislike hijacking a thread with a broader purpose.
*Once through, from cover to cover. It is occasionally revisited for inspiration, however. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 25 Sep 2023 : 14:43:54
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
There are solid reasons as to "why" that perception persists. In most D&D core rulebooks, Elves are listed as Chaotic Good; there hasn't been a single Forgotten Realms campaign setting book or box set that has gone out of its way to blatantly refute this moral/ethical description as it applies to Corellon's offspring in The Realms.
You might want to read "Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves" a bit more closely.
-- George Krashos |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 25 Sep 2023 : 14:21:29
As much as I love Roger Moore's original work, I think settings such as GH and FR would have greatly benefited if the racial pantheons for the demihuman races had been more varied in alignment. This would have reflected the diversity of alignments found in such races, rather than portraying them as monocultures. |
| Azar |
Posted - 19 Sep 2023 : 21:36:22
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
I love how we all lapse into looking at elves through a Tolkien-esque LoTR lens. Good and noble, helping humans and dwarves and hobbits, etc. etc. The elves of Faerūn are the elves of the Silmarillion: some good, some bad, some in between, some welcoming, some xenophobic ... just like long-lived humans, really. In real terms, elves were pretty much the apex predator of the Realms at the height of their civilisation and very comfortably enjoyed their superiority in magic, tech and resources. They did things for themselves, and didn't care too much about the other races. It was only when their power dwindled that you saw them entering into alliances with dwarves and humans. Pride cometh and all that.
-- George Krashos
There are solid reasons as to "why" that perception persists. In most D&D core rulebooks, Elves are listed as Chaotic Good; there hasn't been a single Forgotten Realms campaign setting book or box set that has gone out of its way to blatantly refute this moral/ethical description as it applies to Corellon's offspring in The Realms. Hell, a good chunk of Elf NPCs in many Forgotten Realms supplements - throughout the various editions - are "Chaotic Good" and lands primarily inhabited by Elves tend to receive an area Alignment of "Chaotic Good". Furthermore, a general Alignment helps to differentiate a fantasy race from Humans...the wild card of the bunch (otherwise, you end up with pointy-eared Humans sporting a really good health insurance plan). Lest we forget, this hobby is chiefly about escapism and what's more escapist than featuring classic good guys and bad guys?
Personally, I am happy to have evil Elves (Drow aside, natch) remain an exception while leaving the main body mercurial and oftentimes inscrutable, yes, but essentially benevolent. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 19 Sep 2023 : 19:33:08
quote:
Originally posted by kysus
Another question if i may on your underillfarn anew write up you mention an elven realm where the mere of dead men is called Faeveryal and i was wondering if you had anymore information on that realm like what happened to cause their downfall and what clans made up that realm?
Faeveryal is a new creation of myself and George Krashos. I haven't written much up about it yet, but the intent is that it was an isolationist realm of gold elves dominated by the Church of Labelas Enoreth. It largely eschewed relations with its neighbors and did not join the reformed Illefarn.
--Eric |
| kysus |
Posted - 04 Sep 2023 : 07:14:46
Thank you for the response Eric, I have both of those adventures, the writers left what happened to chomylla open as well. I think if memory serves they just added that she was a highmage of that realm.
Another question if i may on your underillfarn anew write up you mention an elven realm where the mere of dead men is called Faeveryal and i was wondering if you had anymore information on that realm like what happened to cause their downfall and what clans made up that realm? |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 10 Aug 2023 : 13:05:12
quote:
Originally posted by kysus
Eric i have a question if i may on the The Diamond Scepter of Chomylla, i cant remember where but in one of the books it is stated that chomylla gave the scepter to the coronal for safe keeping and then left to try to find what was left of her people. And i was wondering whatever became of Chomylla, did she ever return to myth drannor or did she have something tragic happen to her thereafter?
My original write-up was in FOR11 - Cult of the Dragon (2e).
My revised write-up was in Dragons of Faerun (3.5e).
I haven't read them, but apparently the diamond staff appeared in "Vault of the Dracolich" an "Search for the Diamond Staff" (both 4e).
I'm unaware of anyone detailing what actually happened to Chomylla beyond those sources. I left it as a plot hook for the DM and haven't yet picked it back up for my own campaign.
--Eric |
| kysus |
Posted - 06 Aug 2023 : 04:12:16
Eric i have a question if i may on the The Diamond Scepter of Chomylla, i cant remember where but in one of the books it is stated that chomylla gave the scepter to the coronal for safe keeping and then left to try to find what was left of her people. And i was wondering whatever became of Chomylla, did she ever return to myth drannor or did she have something tragic happen to her thereafter? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 25 Jun 2023 : 15:54:42
I asked Ed that myself, prompted by that same tourmaline discussion. He's not answered, yet. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 25 Jun 2023 : 04:48:24
Note that the Gem section of VGtATM largely comes from a Dragon article on gems by Ed. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 25 Jun 2023 : 04:33:06
quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus
Hey, unrelatedly, were the gemstones from Volo's Guide to All Things Magical supposed to always have those properties, or do they require special cuts, minimum sizes, or unique magical treatments to awaken those properties? Could one grab a tourmaline off a mine wall, and just turn it into three lightning bolts, or does that require cutting, magicking, treatment, a special size or grade of gemstone?
I'm not Eric Boyd, and heck who would want to be, but my take is that some of the properties (like the one associated with Orl) are naturally occurring and don't require anything more. Some of the others IMHO however require a magical process, treatment or the casting of a particular spell on the gem to "awaken" the property. Otherwise, every person on Faerūn would carry around a bag full of Ulvaen gems for healing, and a black sapphire to prevent being affected by stasis effects, etc.
I actually have the basics of an article dealing just with this topic and showcasing one means of "waking" gems to provide magical effects ... one day it might even see the light of day.
But that's my 2cp.
-- George Krashos |
| Italian Archmage Karsus |
Posted - 24 Jun 2023 : 19:37:57
Hey, unrelatedly, were the gemstones from Volo's Guide to All Things Magical supposed to always have those properties, or do they require special cuts, minimum sizes, or unique magical treatments to awaken those properties? Could one grab a tourmaline off a mine wall, and just turn it into three lightning bolts, or does that require cutting, magicking, treatment, a special size or grade of gemstone? |
| Italian Archmage Karsus |
Posted - 23 Jun 2023 : 03:09:05
I see. Thank you for your patience and flexibility. Sorry that this was so irregular, and please keep up the good work. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 23 Jun 2023 : 02:53:04
So, in general I haven't read Snowsblood's work, as I try not to inadvertently steal the ideas of others.
Generally I always go with Eds statements, as anyone should. But in this particular case its unclear what is Eds and what is fan work.
From what you copied out, I don't think there's much in the way of contradiction on Illefarn. The only thing I note is that the southern border is clearly incorrect (maybe not in Ed's original Realms, but given what was published in Cormanthyr and later sources).
--Eric
quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus
Hello, this one is a bit tougher, so I'll get it if you prefer to sit this one out:
while sifting for Loremaster stuff, I saw that one of our "cited" answers is to Ed Greenwood's answers on Illefarn. I was then made aware of your publication, Under Illefarn Anew. I wanted to know if you were using any lore from Ed Greenwood, and if so, if any of that lore you were using (or decided not to use) was in direct contradiction of what we were able to glean from a cite out of Loremaster dot org.
What little we were able to recover, I've placed at http://candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24709 . Without telling us any secrets or chancing any NDAs, are you in possession of anything that refutes the cited content, Y/N?
|
| Italian Archmage Karsus |
Posted - 23 Jun 2023 : 00:21:00
Hello, this one is a bit tougher, so I'll get it if you prefer to sit this one out:
while sifting for Loremaster stuff, I saw that one of our "cited" answers is to Ed Greenwood's answers on Illefarn. I was then made aware of your publication, Under Illefarn Anew. I wanted to know if you were using any lore from Ed Greenwood, and if so, if any of that lore you were using (or decided not to use) was in direct contradiction of what we were able to glean from a cite out of Loremaster dot org.
What little we were able to recover, I've placed at http://candlekeep.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24709 . Without telling us any secrets or chancing any NDAs, are you in possession of anything that refutes the cited content, Y/N? |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 14 Jun 2023 : 14:14:27
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Fair enough.
This makes me wonder, now, if Maaril had to make some arrangements with Khelben and/or the Lords, to keep possession of the staff. I'm not saying he'd hand it over willingly, but I think if there was a perceived threat there, Khelben would have taken steps to claim the staff. Maybe not open spellbattle, but sending in thieves and adventurers, and/or finding some way to pressure Maaril into giving it up. Or even trading for it.
I'm very sure Khelben and Maaril had an understanding. See Chapter 24 of Blackstaff for additional context.
--Eric |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 14 Jun 2023 : 14:02:25
Fair enough.
This makes me wonder, now, if Maaril had to make some arrangements with Khelben and/or the Lords, to keep possession of the staff. I'm not saying he'd hand it over willingly, but I think if there was a perceived threat there, Khelben would have taken steps to claim the staff. Maybe not open spellbattle, but sending in thieves and adventurers, and/or finding some way to pressure Maaril into giving it up. Or even trading for it. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 14 Jun 2023 : 04:27:22
It's not about a lack of backup. It's a focus for the spell. There was one foci.
--Eric
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
My intent was the staff was the keystone. However, you could do whatever works best for the campaign.
--Eric
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Heya, Eric!
Pinging you here on a topic we were discussing on Ed's Discord; not sure if you get messages when you're pinged there...
In short, I was wondering if Ahghairon built any other controlling mechanisms into the dragonward. We know of the dragonstaff, of course, and Maaril's possession of it. The thing that occurs to me, though, is that if some bad guy wants to harm Waterdeep and gets a hold of that staff... With the information we currently have, this could be bad.
So I'm just wondering if there's some additional controlling mechanism, even if it's just a "purge all dragons NOW!" thing, that Ahghairon added to his dragonward.
So there was no backup?
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