| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sirreus |
Posted - 06 Mar 2008 : 20:46:58
the other thread dealt with the imaskari, but i just finished it. i wish i would have read this before the 'return of the archwizards'. i liked the scenes in the shadow realm, but i was a little confused how the stone was vortexing the weave without major players(elminster, simbul, blackstaff) getting involved. still it was a great read. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 02 Feb 2025 : 17:20:59
Its been so long, I forget what was happening with this novel, but I'll agree that yeah, these were some pretty nasty effects changing the weave locally. Thanks to the FR wiki, relooking over what happened. So, Madryoch and Hilather (aka Halaster) fought long ago in the fortress of Metos in the Methwood, and that's where Hilather sent Madryoch to the demiplane of Imprisonment. Madryoch was NOT in Toril in the novel. He was possessing a mortal body. Personally, yeah, I'd have the chosen involved, via Halaster being a mad chosen of Mystra .... and I'd have them doing unseen things in the fortress of Metos that lessen the power of Madryoch in the body of Oriseus and possibly removing "wards" protecting the shadow stone by destroying "stuff" in the lost city of Metos.
I'd also have Halaster having now "filled" the lost city of Metos with all kind of nastiness after millenia of sitting empty, all meant to prevent anyone accessing "insert special artifact that can free Madryoch from the Demiplane of Imprisonment.... artifact that is very hard to destroy and thus must be protected". I would FURTHER have the shadovar learning of this fortress after the fall of Thultanthar and being highly interested in finding it. |
| Athreeren |
Posted - 01 Feb 2025 : 21:36:03
I normally agree, but this was an attack on the Weave itself. The fact that a major region of Toril was about to be cast into the plane of shadow seems like it would be enough reason to intervene (whereas having a tyrant taking over said region would not justify more that sending Harpers), but an attack on the Weave to the point that normal spells cannot be cast, especially not knowing how far the effect could spread, it seems like this should prompt some action from their part.
In other words, my problem with this novel is that the threat was far too powerful to justify it remaining a local thing. Apart from the Avatar series, I can't think of any Forgotten Realms novel where the threat is this major. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 01 Feb 2025 : 13:03:45
The Chosen of Mystra are not really there to solve all problems, and they are usually busy dealing with really big problems.
They may have helped in ways behind the scenes, ensuring unlooked for allies arrived in a timely manner, that crucial items were placed where they could be found by those seeking to resolve the problems, by using subtle magic to provide a boost to the hero etc (lets face it, a lot of what they do in the novels is beyond normal and they rarely suffer any consequences in combat, etc almost like they are super lucky). |
| Athreeren |
Posted - 01 Feb 2025 : 10:57:55
quote:
Originally posted by Ranak
I think the Simbul and others would have become involved once the Shadowstone's influence started to expand outside of Chessenta.
I was wondering how long it would take for the Chosen of Mystra to notice the disturbance in the Weave, but I thought that maybe it was too localised to notice this early on, and they would have started to act on the next day. But then I came across this in The Code of the Harper (1367 DR):
"Harper watchfulness detected attempts by Thay to promote their own agent as a fitting occupant of the New Throne [of a reunited Chesenta]. There were also moves by the Cult of the Dragon to establish a Cult kingdom, supported by the Great Bone Wyrm of Dragonback Mountain (the northernmost peak of the Riders to the Sky range). That great dracolich is gathering young dragons to its lair there, in an open bid for power. Into the midst of all this, of course, the Harpers are determined to put their own candidate on the throne. Their first task is to find a half-dozen or so willing and suitable would-be Overkings. Their second is to keep at least one of them alive long enough to seize the New Throne. The third is to keep the new Overking free from corruption."
The events of The Shadow Stone (about 1359 DR to 1369 DR) are not explicitly incompatible with what was said in The Code of the Harpers, for instance Chessenta is not fully united by the end of the novel. But you'd expect the Harpers involved in the succession to check out the background of the main contender (an imaskari corrupted by the plane of shadows and possessing mages, isn't that basically a Malaugrym?), and to do something when he keeps corrupting all the mages in the area with unknowable magic and fully destroying the balance in nature and in the hearts of men. It's not as if his plan had unfurled quickly, or if its effects had been subtle. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 16 Mar 2008 : 20:37:29
I enjoyed this novel, surprisingly. It wasn't perfect, but it read to me like a classic coming-of-age tale (in a good way!), and I liked how there was no forced romance in it, either (Aeron was attracted to Melissanda--I think that was her name--but she told him she didn't feel the same way, and that was that). |
| Ranak |
Posted - 15 Mar 2008 : 08:13:29
I really enjoyed that book, although at times it felt like high jinx at Hogwarts, right here in the Realms (I am aware that Shadow Stone came out ten years ago, but I read it after the Harry Potter books).
Shar could have been involved behind the scenes, it is unclear. This book takes a lot flack because Mr. Baker started writing it for the Birthright game that was later adopted to a Realms novel.
I think the Simbul and others would have become involved once the Shadowstone's influence started to expand outside of Chessenta.
quote:
Originally posted by sirreus
the other thread dealt with the imaskari, but i just finished it. i wish i would have read this before the 'return of the archwizards'. i liked the scenes in the shadow realm, but i was a little confused how the stone was vortexing the weave without major players(elminster, simbul, blackstaff) getting involved. still it was a great read.
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