| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Markustay |
Posted - 28 Sep 2008 : 17:37:31
I came across these in the novel Sentinelspire, which turn out to be a pretty good read (I picked it up to gleen whatever Taan info I could from it).
Anyhow, they function like magical flashlights (also giving off a small amount of warmth), and I was wondering if there is any prior mention of these in Realmslore?
I don't think they are peculiar to the Taan (Hordelands), because they are used by a Druid (Ranger?) of Silvanus who was trained in the Yuirwood. However, nothing so far indicates that they are peculiar to Aglarond either. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 10 Oct 2008 : 22:15:18
-For what it's worth, I completed the article, and added it to the index of Elves of Faerûn. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 08 Oct 2008 : 22:36:13
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Divergent question: is Sentinelspire a 3e or 4e book?
-It takes place in Tarsakh of 1,374 DR. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 08 Oct 2008 : 22:34:30
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Perhaps he himself is an Imskari Archmage Interloper, trying to find Elminster's stash of 1st-edition magical items hidden in Ed's basement? 
-Perhaps. I am thinking, however, that he is a creature from the Far Realms that the Imaskari summoned. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 08 Oct 2008 : 22:31:42
Most definately 3e. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 08 Oct 2008 : 21:01:16
Divergent question: is Sentinelspire a 3e or 4e book? |
| Markustay |
Posted - 08 Oct 2008 : 05:07:38
Perhaps he himself is an Imskari Archmage Interloper, trying to find Elminster's stash of 1st-edition magical items hidden in Ed's basement? |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 07 Oct 2008 : 19:52:01
-Bruce seems to be very Imaskari-ish, so perhaps it had something to do with Imaskari influence. |
| Kyrene |
Posted - 04 Oct 2008 : 09:02:35
quote:
Originally posted by Dagnirion
-Well, the Nilshai "eating" the Sildëyuir was introduced in Unapproachable East, written by Rich Baker, Matt Forbeck, and Sean Reynolds. Darkvision was written by Bruce Cordell, but Sentinelspire, was written by Mark Sehestedt.
Although, Bruce R. Cordell was consulted—or used in some other way—for that sourcebook.
quote:
Unapproachable East
SPECIAL THANKS———[BRUCE R. CORDELL
AND JD WIKER
|
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Oct 2008 : 05:09:26
Bruce Cordell wrote both Darkvision and Stardeep - one about the Celestial Nadir, and one about Sildëyuir; two different demiplanes that were in the processing of breaking-down after a vast millenia of existance, and both of which were 're-connecting' to the Realms after being cut-off for so long.
And both of them leaving some sort of apparent 'residue' lying around. 
Although this thread was about something I read in Sentinelspire, my comparison on the lore of the two planes was based on two of Bruce's works.
So we got Nadir (Datharathi) Crystal from one, and Starstones (in your version) from the other. I just happen to appreciate the symetry in that. 
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I don't think regular planes (even pocket planes) would leak, but I can see pocket planes created by magic starting to leak and break down, after a sufficient length of time.
Exactly my point - naturally occurring planes, or even ones created by 'divine' powers, wouldn't breakdown (unless some sort of cosmic catastrophe occurred), but artificially created ones, made by mortal archmages, most likely would, since it is an established fact in Realmslore that 'old magic' does indeed break-down over time. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 04 Oct 2008 : 04:22:06
quote:
Originally posted by Dagnirion
Two unrelated things, that we married because of coincidence. But, in a good way, I think.
"You got chocolate in my peanut butter!"
"You got peanut butter in my chocolate!"
I don't think regular planes (even pocket planes) would leak, but I can see pocket planes created by magic starting to leak and break down, after a sufficient length of time. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 04 Oct 2008 : 02:55:36
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
EXACTLY what I was thinking!
-That happens about as often as we see the same thing in completely different ways? 
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I guess the fact that both 'pocket planes' were elaborated on by Bruce Cordell could have something to do with it, but the idea that planes start to 'leak' when they become ancient is a very interesting concept (both for game purposes, and just for general speculation).
-Well, the Nilshai "eating" the Sildëyuir was introduced in Unapproachable East, written by Rich Baker, Matt Forbeck, and Sean Reynolds. Darkvision was written by Bruce Cordell, but Sentinelspire, was written by Mark Sehestedt. Two different authors. The idea of demiplanes "leaking", I just mused on before. I don't think there's anything in any official products that say that demiplanes "leak". Two unrelated things, that we married because of coincidence. But, in a good way, I think. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Oct 2008 : 02:47:05
EXACTLY what I was thinking!
I guess the fact that both 'pocket planes' were elaborated on by Bruce Cordell could have something to do with it, but the idea that planes start to 'leak' when they become ancient is a very interesting concept (both for game purposes, and just for general speculation).
Magical leakage has always been a staple of fantasy, so it works nicely here. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 23:40:58
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I like the Sildëyuir leakage, BTW.
-By my reckoning, anything I can get to expand upon the information about the Star Elves (or lack thereof) is positive. In further considering the matter, we can either tie them to 'magical leakage' from the Sildëyuir being destroyed from the inside by the Nilshai, or from when the Star Elves first built the extraplanar realm. We know that...Vel-the name escapes me, is a purple crystal-like substance that was the byproduct of an Imaskari demiplane, as per Darkvision. Likewise, using the same laws of physics, Starstones can be similar biproducts of the Sildëyuir existing in overlap with the Prime Material Plane. |
| Chosen of Moradin |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 17:31:28
Wooly, I send a link to an image of a brazilian keyboard to your mail...
Now, on the topic: I don´t like too much of things like sunrods (I don´t see this starstones, yet).
Like Christopher, I think that this stole a part of the mood that I intend for a dungeon. I don´t send players to dark and forbidden places, for them turn the place in a football stadium. ... well, they do this anyway... but this is another problem... |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 17:05:13
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Moradin
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
On a Mac you just type OPTION-U then the letter. So, ü, ë, ï, and so on. I think it's the same keyboard shortcut for PCs, isn't it?
PCs don't have an Option key. If you use the Character Map, though, you can either copy the letter or find the Alt keycode to make it work. Alternatively, set your keyboard for US-International. That allows you to do all sorts of funky (by US standards) characters, but since it relies on key combinations, it means you'll often type some of these things by accident.
ë is Alt+0235 (hold down the Alt key and then hit the numbers 0,2,3,5; when you release the Alt key, the character then appears).
û is Alt+0251. Essential for typing out the word "Faerûn".
 Now I´m happy with my complicated idiom, that have things like ë or û natives in the keyboard... 
Heh... I'm curious as to what your keyboard looks like. I know on my recent trip to Ireland, the keyboards were throwing me off, because they were just different enough... The biggest difference was that the @ wasn't above the 2, like it is on a regular US keyboard. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 17:03:47
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
I'm not usually all that in to Mac v. PC stuff (I've bought Macs exclusively for over 20 years, but I've got a Dell laptop because one of my clients wrote the use of Microsoft Publisher(!) right into the contract), but, I must say...
I'm very happy that I can type this, "Oh no, an îòüñ stoné!" while remaining blissfully ignorant of whatever it is y'all are talking about with the alts and the numbers.
I do it without the alt-combos, too, at least at home -- I just changed my keyboard settings. On other computers, I at least need to know how to do the û for replying here. |
| Chosen of Moradin |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 16:35:02
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
On a Mac you just type OPTION-U then the letter. So, ü, ë, ï, and so on. I think it's the same keyboard shortcut for PCs, isn't it?
PCs don't have an Option key. If you use the Character Map, though, you can either copy the letter or find the Alt keycode to make it work. Alternatively, set your keyboard for US-International. That allows you to do all sorts of funky (by US standards) characters, but since it relies on key combinations, it means you'll often type some of these things by accident.
ë is Alt+0235 (hold down the Alt key and then hit the numbers 0,2,3,5; when you release the Alt key, the character then appears).
û is Alt+0251. Essential for typing out the word "Faerûn".
Now I´m happy with my complicated idiom, that have things like ë or û natives in the keyboard... |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 16:30:40
I'm not usually all that in to Mac v. PC stuff (I've bought Macs exclusively for over 20 years, but I've got a Dell laptop because one of my clients wrote the use of Microsoft Publisher(!) right into the contract), but, I must say...
I'm very happy that I can type this, "Oh no, an îòüñ stoné!" while remaining blissfully ignorant of whatever it is y'all are talking about with the alts and the numbers. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 16:16:00
-The only one I have memorized is 'û', and even then, I couldn't tell you what keys I am pressing. By virtue of having typed it so often, it's simply placement instinct. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 06:23:04
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
On a Mac you just type OPTION-U then the letter. So, ü, ë, ï, and so on. I think it's the same keyboard shortcut for PCs, isn't it?
PCs don't have an Option key. If you use the Character Map, though, you can either copy the letter or find the Alt keycode to make it work. Alternatively, set your keyboard for US-International. That allows you to do all sorts of funky (by US standards) characters, but since it relies on key combinations, it means you'll often type some of these things by accident.
ë is Alt+0235 (hold down the Alt key and then hit the numbers 0,2,3,5; when you release the Alt key, the character then appears).
û is Alt+0251. Essential for typing out the word "Faerûn".
|
| Markustay |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 06:00:19
Sildëyuir...
I just pasted it from the RealmsWiki.
But for what it's worth, it's <alt> + 0235.
I like the Sildëyuir leakage, BTW.
|
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 02:23:51
On a Mac you just type OPTION-U then the letter. So, ü, ë, ï, and so on. I think it's the same keyboard shortcut for PCs, isn't it? |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 01:19:31
-For what it's worth, I've theorized that they are "mined" in and around the Yuirwood, and were created by "magical leakage" from the extraplanar realm of the Star Elves that I am not going to misspell, not knowing the CRTL Code to make the 'E' with the dots. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 03 Oct 2008 : 00:47:30
quote:
Originally posted by HawkinstheDM
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Not sure, but I think sunrods predate 4E.
I know for certain that sunrods were used quite a bit in 3e. They are described on page 128 of the 3.5 PH and their use in underdark exploration is described on page 106 of Underdark.
Thanks for confirming that. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 02 Oct 2008 : 19:28:46
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Not sure, but I think sunrods predate 4E.
I know for certain that sunrods were used quite a bit in 3e. They are described on page 128 of the 3.5 PH and their use in underdark exploration is described on page 106 of Underdark. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 02 Oct 2008 : 19:26:03
Thanks for your responses.
I guess Starstones are just naturally-occurring (I assume) versions of sunrods, albeit slightly less powerful.
The comparison of Sunrods is hilarious! Do they 'flicker' when their magical ballast starts going bad? |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 02 Oct 2008 : 14:45:53
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe
They're almost like the new "sunrods" (new to me, anyway) in the Player's Handbook, except cooler.
Not sure, but I think sunrods predate 4E.
quote:
I've found that in actual play the sunrods are a bit too "powerful" for the kind of mood I like to set in a dungeon--hard to do creepy, shadowy, and dank when the players can throw a couple of unbreakable 40 watt flourescent tubes in to the corners.
 |
| Christopher_Rowe |
Posted - 02 Oct 2008 : 14:27:29
They're almost like the new "sunrods" (new to me, anyway) in the Player's Handbook, except cooler. I've found that in actual play the sunrods are a bit too "powerful" for the kind of mood I like to set in a dungeon--hard to do creepy, shadowy, and dank when the players can throw a couple of unbreakable 40 watt flourescent tubes in to the corners.
What they really remind me of is back-in-the-day tricks like casting improved light on a coin that you keep in your pouch until you need it.
It's starstones that are providing the light source in the very first scene in the book, which features one of the scariest lines (in context) ever delivered by a druid. "We have much the same rule."
|
| The Sage |
Posted - 02 Oct 2008 : 08:53:08
Sorry Markus, I missed this scroll earlier.
Anyways, I don't immediately recall any previous reference to these "starstones." I suppose you could try asking Mark Sehestedt himself, right here at Candlekeep.
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| Markustay |
Posted - 02 Oct 2008 : 06:21:45
I guess these are new to Realmslore then?  |
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