| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 02 Feb 2011 : 00:36:12
Each of the sixteen chapters (and the Epilogue) of Sandstorm opens with an epigraph, usually a quote from some tome or another important in the history of Calimshan. I thought I would share those with my fellow scribes here at Candlekeep--one every couple of days--in the weeks leading up to the novel's release. This post actually has the first two, since Chapter One's was already revealed in the sample chapter.
Chapter One
In the name of the most holy Great Scrivener, I declare my tales to be true.
--Mualak yn Dulah yn Abbas
Scribe to Qysar Amahl Shoon IV
Chapter Two
"Yes, my arms are thin. It's my wits I'll use to best you!"
--"Clever Janna and the Fire Giant"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
Printed and Bound at Calimport
The Year of the Broken Blade (1260 DR)
Cheers,
Christopher
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| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 04 Mar 2011 : 15:30:28
Didn't really want to open up a whole new scroll for this.
First, the book's out, yay.
Second, for those interested learning more about what the book is about, and how I came to write a Realms novel in the first place (and some other stuff), there's an interview with me at the main wizards site today. |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 28 Feb 2011 : 13:40:20
Epilogue
And he shall come from a great house of pain with hair of spun gold and eyes of the sea. He shall break the bonds that hold him, light the end of Oppression's Road for many, and free the tortured peoples from the evil grip of bondage.
—The Nar'ysr
Augury 22
The Phoenix Prophecies
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| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 28 Feb 2011 : 13:38:19
Chapter Sixteen
Now open this book again. Now begin anew. There is more yet in these pages.
—"Epigraph" and "Epilogue"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
Printed and Bound at Calimport
The Year of the Broken Blade (1260 DR)
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| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 28 Feb 2011 : 13:36:46
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
Chapter seven epigraph is interesting, nice work
Thanks, that's one of my favorites.
And since the book comes out tomorrow I'm going to go ahead and wrap this up today with the last two headings. Thanks, everyone, for reading. |
| Quale |
Posted - 28 Feb 2011 : 12:58:42
Chapter seven epigraph is interesting, nice work |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 27 Feb 2011 : 16:21:18
Chapter Fifteen
Alas, the only person who could grant her redemption was herself, and herself she never thought to ask.
—"When Janna Grew Old"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
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| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 25 Feb 2011 : 16:11:24
Chapter Fourteen
O Calimport! City of Glory!
I weep to know you fell!
O Calimport! City of Slaves!
I weep to know you ever stood.
—"The Southsong of Runted T'Emma"
(undated)
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| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 23 Feb 2011 : 20:02:46
Janna's kind of a recurring figure in the Book of Founding Stories as I've envisioned it, so she's part of the cultural apparatus of Calimshan in general. I guess the short answer is yes, but it's more complicated than that. Steven Schend invented her with his work on the Founding Stories in the Empires of the Shining Sea boxed set. |
| Tyrant |
Posted - 23 Feb 2011 : 19:53:45
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
Chapter Twelve
The Spider That Waits has eight thousand eyes,
The Spider That Waits sees through Janna's disguise,
The Spider That Waits spins a web out lies,
Janna gets caught there, and there Janna dies.
—Calishite children’s song
Collected at Volothamp
The Year of the Blazing Brand (1334 DR)
Is this Janna the clever Janna mentioned in some of the other chapter headings? |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 23 Feb 2011 : 18:25:25
Chapter Thirteen
The efreeti have flesh like a man, and blood like a man. But their minds are fire, and they have no souls at all.
—Janessar proverb
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| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 21 Feb 2011 : 12:51:42
Chapter Twelve
The Spider That Waits has eight thousand eyes,
The Spider That Waits sees through Janna's disguise,
The Spider That Waits spins a web out lies,
Janna gets caught there, and there Janna dies.
—Calishite children’s song
Collected at Volothamp
The Year of the Blazing Brand (1334 DR)
|
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 15:54:49
Chapter Eleven
The Pasha who would be numbered among the elect demands the loyalty of the strong, and holds it only for himself. Likewise, it is only to himself that the Pasha tenders loyalty.
—Erlo Elraedan
The Blood-drenched Throne
Printed and bound at Calimport
The Year of Ocean's Wrath (1212 DR)
|
| Tyrant |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 19:04:52
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
quote:
Originally posted by Tyrant
I like these, particularly chapters 4 and 9.
You mentioned trying to gather existing lore for this novel. I was wondering what other sources of inspiration were used? For instance on the D&D front, did the 3.5 book Sandstorm serve any type of inspiration? Or anything from Dark Sun for examples of desert world flavor?
Thanks!
Do you know, I only recently became aware of the existence of the 3.5 book Sandstorm? So no on that one.
Other than Forgotten Realms material, which formed the vast bulk of my material, I looked at some Al-Qadim stuff and a lot of real world material about the 1,001 Nights stories, about gladiators, and about slavery.
I remembered that there was a desert centric 3.5 book but it wasn't until I pulled it off the shelf and saw the title that I realized it had the same title as your book. |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 16:11:23
quote:
Originally posted by Tyrant
I like these, particularly chapters 4 and 9.
You mentioned trying to gather existing lore for this novel. I was wondering what other sources of inspiration were used? For instance on the D&D front, did the 3.5 book Sandstorm serve any type of inspiration? Or anything from Dark Sun for examples of desert world flavor?
Thanks!
Do you know, I only recently became aware of the existence of the 3.5 book Sandstorm? So no on that one.
Other than Forgotten Realms material, which formed the vast bulk of my material, I looked at some Al-Qadim stuff and a lot of real world material about the 1,001 Nights stories, about gladiators, and about slavery.
|
| Dennis |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 07:56:42
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
Chapter Four
"You are wise to realize you must trust me. You are wise to find this terrifying."
—"The Marid's Bargain"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
I used that first sentence more than once when talking to my boss. |
| Tyrant |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 04:39:40
I like these, particularly chapters 4 and 9.
You mentioned trying to gather existing lore for this novel. I was wondering what other sources of inspiration were used? For instance on the D&D front, did the 3.5 book Sandstorm serve any type of inspiration? Or anything from Dark Sun for examples of desert world flavor? |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 17 Feb 2011 : 17:07:31
Chapter Ten
If this room is all you have seen of the world, how did you measure its width?
—"The Mapmaker's Slave"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
|
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 15 Feb 2011 : 16:12:49
Chapter Nine
The sha'ir who does not seek the origin of magic is a coward. The sha'ir who believes there is one is a fool.
—"Clever Janna and the Third Sha'ir"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
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| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 13 Feb 2011 : 17:22:35
Chapter Eight
There is a path running only one direction, through a gate that never closes.
—The Nar'ysr's Last Prophecy
(apocryphal)
|
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 11 Feb 2011 : 14:56:08
Chapter Seven
Among the Djen slave races Calim brought through the Airy Gate were the hubryn, who mingled with the native humans and became our ancestors. There, too, were the hin, who founded the divers nations of the halflings. And Calim also brought the horned yikaria, who feed their children blood.
—Akabar ibn Hrellam
Empires of the Shining Sands, vol. ii
|
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 14:13:26
Chapter Six
Peace is never a simple choice.
—"Helpful Janna Seeks a Husband"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
|
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 07 Feb 2011 : 13:58:12
Chapter Five
Knowledge of the sword is useless without knowledge of the world.
—"The First Trader's Unsalable Wares,"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
|
| Dennis |
Posted - 05 Feb 2011 : 22:22:48
Not to me. I loathe them. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 05 Feb 2011 : 18:07:24
quote:
Dennis — Are there elves in your book?
This was genuinely funny. |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 05 Feb 2011 : 16:42:11
Chapter Four
"You are wise to realize you must trust me. You are wise to find this terrifying."
—"The Marid's Bargain"
The Founding Stories of Calimshan
|
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Feb 2011 : 14:20:55
I'm glad. I usually avoid them. |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 03 Feb 2011 : 14:14:52
quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Are there elves in your book?
Just passing mentions that they exist, but no, no elves as characters.
|
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Feb 2011 : 14:11:46
Are there elves in your book? |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 03 Feb 2011 : 13:43:43
Chapter Three
The claims of the elven sages may be disregarded as they are born of vanity and fancy. The dwarves depend on legends, not scholarship. History is clear. The djinn invented war.
—Akabar ibn Hrellam
Empires of the Shining Sands, vol. iv
Printed and Bound at Keltar
-960 DR
|
| Dennis |
Posted - 03 Feb 2011 : 00:36:30
Ed's novels always have them. I often find them interesting, and at times funny. |
