| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 25 Aug 2005 : 23:43:45
Well met
This being a collective scroll of any questions the Scribes and visitors of Candlekeep wish to put to a reknowned author of the Realms, namely - Jess Lebow, author of the upcoming novel for the new Fighters Series - Master of Chains. In addition, Jess has also written "The Topaz Dragon" for the Realms of the Dragons anthology and "Assassin's Shadow" from Realms of Shadow (which was also featured in The Best of the Realms, book 1 anthology
Present your questions herein and check back to see what news may also come forth from the quill of this author. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 08:48:55
quote:
Originally posted by Jess Lebow
quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
-Jess I finished Reading Obsidian Ridge GOOD BOOK,GREAT READ. I have a couple of questions for ya about the Cellar. #1 is it your creation. #2 where in Erlkazar is it at. #3 Who built or created it. #4 What type of monsters(besides Clusterfang and the Helmed Horrors) are in it? The reason I ask is I would like to eventually use the Idea in A Realms Campaign. Thanks.
Brimstone
Hi,
I hope you went ahead and used the Cellar in your campaign already, and that my tardiness didn't slow you down.
The Cellar was in fact my creation. I always envisioned it existing in a pocket dimension, sort of stuck between planes of existence.
I'm not sure who originally built it. I sort of thought that its beginnings were a mystery. By the time it appears in my story it has transformed several times. The first known inhabitant of the Cellar was a very rich man, who lived peacefully, secluded, within its confines for more than half of his life. After his death, the gateway into the Cellar changed hands many times, and eventually it became a sort of labyrinth, meant to protect tremendous treasure through the use of traps and monsters.
As far as monsters for your campaign, I think the sky is the limit. If you can envision the creature living underground, you can probably find it in the cellar. Though, it would have to be pretty tough to survive in such a place.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the answer Jess!
Actually I haven't played D&D in around 2 years.
But when I do, I know that the 'Cellar' is an extra-dimensional contruct, I can place doorways to it anywhere now. Thanks! |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:28:33
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Guess Jess doesn't come around here anymore - maybe he heard 'we bite'. LOL 
I was also curious about 'the Cellar' - would that be a cellar within the ruins of Dajaan, or is this located elsewhere?
Yeah, sorry about leaving you guys hanging for so long--literally years.
I've since moved to China, Shanghai to be precise. I'm currently working for Ubisoft, and last year a published a book on beer (Called the Beer Devotional, if anyone is thirsty).
I'm not working on anything for Wizards at the moment, but I am dabbling with a book about my time in China.
Happy New Year :) |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:26:18
quote:
Originally posted by shoonvii
Indeed, I'd like to know what those monsters were that comprised Xeries' legions. Some sort of demon or devil? Abishai maybe?
Hi,
I made up Xeries creatures. I imagined that a guy with that kind of time on his hands would dabble in genetic/magical manipulation--especially given his history with magical research and the transformation he himself went through. Since I had used so many other creatures from the MM for the Cellar and other parts of the book, I really wanted to add something new. And since Xeries was sort of otherworldly, his unique circumstance gave me the opportunity to make up a new beast without upsetting the balance of creatures already in the game.
I don't think anyone ever did any stats for them. Could be fun to see what a designer would do with a creature like that. |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:21:52
quote:
Originally posted by Kyrene
Jess, whatever happened to your short story Moonstone Mask since the Neverwinter Nights novel never saw the light of day?
It was never printed. I still have it somewhere. There really wasn't anything I could do with it when the book was shelved. It was too much of an FR story to really try to make it work in another world. So I just archived it. |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:19:33
quote:
Originally posted by Zanan
Reading the Obsidian Ridge right now and couldn't help but think of Ultima Underworld - The Stygian Abyss when the Cellar appeared.
BTW, who selected the cross at the beginning of each chapter?
BTW II ... nay not BTW, NB it should be: great novel!
I'm not sure who selected the cross. Probably the novels art director. I just handed over the text, and I got a pretty book back :) |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:18:18
quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
-Jess I finished Reading Obsidian Ridge GOOD BOOK,GREAT READ. I have a couple of questions for ya about the Cellar. #1 is it your creation. #2 where in Erlkazar is it at. #3 Who built or created it. #4 What type of monsters(besides Clusterfang and the Helmed Horrors) are in it? The reason I ask is I would like to eventually use the Idea in A Realms Campaign. Thanks.
Brimstone
Hi,
I hope you went ahead and used the Cellar in your campaign already, and that my tardiness didn't slow you down.
The Cellar was in fact my creation. I always envisioned it existing in a pocket dimension, sort of stuck between planes of existence.
I'm not sure who originally built it. I sort of thought that its beginnings were a mystery. By the time it appears in my story it has transformed several times. The first known inhabitant of the Cellar was a very rich man, who lived peacefully, secluded, within its confines for more than half of his life. After his death, the gateway into the Cellar changed hands many times, and eventually it became a sort of labyrinth, meant to protect tremendous treasure through the use of traps and monsters.
As far as monsters for your campaign, I think the sky is the limit. If you can envision the creature living underground, you can probably find it in the cellar. Though, it would have to be pretty tough to survive in such a place.
Hope that helps. |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:11:02
quote:
Originally posted by Zanan
Hello Mr. Lebow!
While reading & reviewing Realms of War, I noted "Elestam's Crusaders" in your short story The Siege of Zerith Hold. Are those crusaders your invention or have they been mentioned in a sourcebook before?
Thanks for that great story,
Zanan!
Hello,
If my memory serves me correctly, there was only a couple of lines written about the Crusaders in an old box set. It was really just background info that helped tie Erlkazar together. I believe our esteemed Mr. Schend was the creator of this elite group. |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 27 Dec 2010 : 06:08:16
quote:
Originally posted by Ethriel
Out of curiosity, JEss, has any luck come across for writing a followup to MoC? It's such a great cliffhanger
Hi,
Okay, so this reply is almost 4 years late, but . . .
No luck so far, and I suspect with the change in the FR timeline there is very little chance of it happening in the future. I have always wanted to continue that story. Maybe if there is some retrospective fiction line set up in FR. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 17 Dec 2010 : 23:47:59
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Guess Jess doesn't come around here anymore - maybe he heard 'we bite'. LOL
I was also curious about 'the Cellar' - would that be a cellar within the ruins of Dajaan, or is this located elsewhere?
You may find it more effective tracking Jess down elsewhere. He hasn't been active here at Candlekeep since May '08. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 17 Dec 2010 : 20:40:22
Guess Jess doesn't come around here anymore - maybe he heard 'we bite'. LOL
I was also curious about 'the Cellar' - would that be a cellar within the ruins of Dajaan, or is this located elsewhere? |
| shoonvii |
Posted - 12 Dec 2008 : 07:45:09
Indeed, I'd like to know what those monsters were that comprised Xeries' legions. Some sort of demon or devil? Abishai maybe? |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 07 Nov 2008 : 05:41:53
quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
-Jess I finished Reading Obsidian Ridge GOOD BOOK,GREAT READ. I have a couple of questions for ya about the Cellar. #1 is it your creation. #2 where in Erlkazar is it at. #3 Who built or created it. #4 What type of monsters(besides Clusterfang and the Helmed Horrors) are in it? The reason I ask is I would like to eventually use the Idea in A Realms Campaign. Thanks.
Brimstone
-I would like to bump these questions. 
BRIMSTONE  |
| Kyrene |
Posted - 16 Oct 2008 : 10:08:23
Jess, whatever happened to your short story Moonstone Mask since the Neverwinter Nights novel never saw the light of day? |
| Zanan |
Posted - 09 May 2008 : 22:15:17
Reading the Obsidian Ridge right now and couldn't help but think of Ultima Underworld - The Stygian Abyss when the Cellar appeared.
BTW, who selected the cross at the beginning of each chapter?
BTW II ... nay not BTW, NB it should be: great novel! |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 07 May 2008 : 22:30:44
-Jess I finished Reading Obsidian Ridge GOOD BOOK,GREAT READ. I have a couple of questions for ya about the Cellar. #1 is it your creation. #2 where in Erlkazar is it at. #3 Who built or created it. #4 What type of monsters(besides Clusterfang and the Helmed Horrors) are in it? The reason I ask is I would like to eventually use the Idea in A Realms Campaign. Thanks.
Brimstone |
| Zanan |
Posted - 23 Mar 2008 : 09:33:18
Hello Mr. Lebow!
While reading & reviewing Realms of War, I noted "Elestam's Crusaders" in your short story The Siege of Zerith Hold. Are those crusaders your invention or have they been mentioned in a sourcebook before?
Thanks for that great story,
Zanan! |
| Renzokuken |
Posted - 23 May 2007 : 01:48:45
Hey Jess. What is this I hear about "Obsidian Citadel"? Do tell! |
| Ethriel |
Posted - 02 Jan 2007 : 20:04:46
Out of curiosity, JEss, has any luck come across for writing a followup to MoC? It's such a great cliffhanger |
| EytanBernstein |
Posted - 05 Jun 2006 : 01:51:09
I'll be at Gen Con as well, so I'll have to say hello to you all at some point. |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 04 Jun 2006 : 22:14:55
Then we best invite Ed! |
| Steven Schend |
Posted - 04 Jun 2006 : 18:50:35
quote:
Originally posted by Jess Lebow
You can count on it. An ale in each hand, we will while the night away. :)
If there's two-fisted drinking to be had, we'd best invite Ed along as well to train us in its proper Realmsian methods (and drinking songs). 
SES |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 04 Jun 2006 : 18:31:47
You can count on it. An ale in each hand, we will while the night away. :) |
| Steven Schend |
Posted - 04 Jun 2006 : 16:38:15
quote:
Originally posted by Jess Lebow
On another note...
I just found out yesterday that I will be attending GenCon this year.
You should all come. We'll make a party out of it.
-Jess
Ye owe me a beer, Jess, if only for setting up half your back characters in Erlkazar. Nah--but we will have to toast the land of 5 barons with some ale, indeed.
Steven |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 03 Jun 2006 : 21:53:34
On another note...
I just found out yesterday that I will be attending GenCon this year.
I'll be demoing the Pirate of the Burning Seas MMO (I'm now the lead writer and content designer for this cool new game), and I'm going to try to get some time to sign books.
If any of you are going to make it to the con, I would love to meet you and get a chance to chat in person.
You should all come. We'll make a party out of it.
-Jess |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 03 Jun 2006 : 21:49:11
Hey, gang,
Sorry I've been absent. I've got a new job, and I've been swamped.
Octa, I stayed as close as I could to the details in LoI. My understanding was that Erlkazar was originally developed with fewer details than many of the other regions--as a way to allow DMs with extensive campaigns to fit them into the Realms without causing too many continuity hassles. This was good for me because it gave me a lot of room to work, but I also wanted to be respectful of the original intent. With that in mind, I tried very hard to stay true to the original content while at the same time shedding light on some of the more minute details.
The book does not include a map. There was one commissioned, but it didn't make it into the book. I don't remember the reason why at the moment. And I'm sorry, but I never used the Dragon map, so I can't speak to how much detail it has for the region.
I'm sure the illustrious Mr. Schend can shed more light on the region as a whole than I can, since he was the original creator.
-Jess |
| The Sage |
Posted - 22 Mar 2006 : 16:07:27
quote:
Originally posted by Octa
...and Duhlnorn (didn't spell that right)...
Duhlnarim .
|
| Octa |
Posted - 22 Mar 2006 : 15:51:22
The major geographical change is that the land south of the river flowing into the deepwash used to be a pretty natural south eastern border for Erlkazar, and that now the Cloven mountains don't run up to the lake, it opens up alot of territory in the southeast. Specifically one of the major cities would probably have ended up on said river, and another one on the wintercloak. For my purposes I just moved Llorbauth south to be on the river and Duhlnorn (didn't spell that right) south to the wintercloak.
Basically I took away all of the Erlkazar lands south of the mountains, and place Five Spears in the hills, and made it a coastal country strteched along the southern Deepwash. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 22 Mar 2006 : 00:40:08
I'm not Jess, but I can answer some of these questions...
quote:
...but was wondering if you used said kingdom as is from Lands of Intrigue, or if you added or took off anything.
Pretty much. The historical tidbits and references to regions and places in Erlkazar match mostly with what Steven canonised in LoI.
quote:
Also does the book have a map in it, of the locations with the new 3.0 map.
No map. Though the geographical descriptions in the novel match with what we know now about Erlkazar and from the details presented in LoI.
quote:
Also am I right in thinking that this is one of the few areas populated by Tethyrians where they might have lived without being taken over by Calimishan, that and some lands to the west and on Cape Velen.
The Erlkazar entry in LoI provides some insights into this. I would recommend you read through the section also. As well, I would also ask Steven for his take on this...
|
| Octa |
Posted - 21 Mar 2006 : 23:27:21
Jess, I have been thinking alot about Erlkazar, and haven't had a chance to read Master of Chains yet (I will don't worry), but was wondering if you used said kingdom as is from Lands of Intrigue, or if you added or took off anything.
Also does the book have a map in it, of the locations with the new 3.0 map.
One other thing because maybe you will know, does the four part map that was in dragon include Erlkazar as well. I'm thinking about buying those back issues.
Is there alot of tension between the Kingdom and the Lizard Folk? Or the Hobgoblins and goblins of the Deepwing Mts?
Also am I right in thinking that this is one of the few areas populated by Tethyrians where they might have lived without being taken over by Calimishan, that and some lands to the west and on Cape Velen.
Anyways, I'm not sure how much the region came into focus for you while writing the book and any information you could share would be great since its been a while since anyone has used this territory. |
| Jess Lebow |
Posted - 13 Dec 2005 : 00:17:23
Hey there,
Wooly-- You've basically got it right, the editor is VERY important to the process, but you'd be surprised how few eyes there are on a manuscript. Those "comittees" you speak of are getting smaller every day. ;)
Fireblazer—Thanks for the praise.
I would be happy to answer your questions.
1) The actual writing took about 5 months, but I had almost a year to think about the story before I began typing. It took me almost 2 full months of planning before I was actually happy with the main conflict.
2) Before I started writing novels, I was a fiction editor. I've seen hundreds of manuscripts come in from hundreds of different authors. And I can tell you without a doubt that when it comes to page length on a word processor, each one is different. This is why publishers write book contracts based on word count. It's the only thing that can be used effectively as a measure of how long a book really is. Paperback books in the Forgotten Realms are generally between 85,000 and 100,000 words each. As a rule, they shoot for a 320 page finished book. Some are longer, of course, but this is a good estimate of the average book. The first draft of Master of Chains was about 87,500 words. The final draft was just over 90,000. I don't remember exactly, but I want to say that my Word document was around 400 pages (that's using 12 point Times New Roman font and no extra leading).
3) I have an editor at Wizards of the Coast who is effectively my boss when it comes to writing Forgotten Realms novels. She reads the outline, first draft, and final draft and each time she gives me notes on what she thinks needs to change, be improved, or cut out entirely. Editors are essential to the process. Without them, we would have a lot of really crummy books on our shelves. I personally get too close to the story to be able to see if I'm covering all the right points or if I've left something out. It may only take a few hours or days to read a book, but when you live with the 5+ months of writing a book, you tend to lose track of just exactly what is really in those 100,000 words.
After the revision stage (meaning, when I have a final draft), my editor gives it a developmental/copyedit, which is done with more of an eye toward story and continuity. Then someone else will do a proofread, which focuses on the grammar and spelling. Finally, I will go over the book one last time to make sure everything makes sense, and my editor will input any changes I make, potentially vetoing them (though that doesn't happen very often).
I couldn't live without my editor, nor would I want to.
I hope I've adequately answered your questions.
-Jess
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