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Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Interesting that Ed didn't mention starflight as part of a night time ceremony. I wonder if that means it was no longer practiced after the Spellplague/Second Sundering?

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Naitomea @Naitomea215
Replying to @TheEdVerse
Was this written lore than you had to find and type out or did you quite literally make this up?

Ed Greenwood @TheEdVerse
Replying to @Naitomea215
Heh. I make it all up.
I can't find the scanty notes I made years ago, after my players asked about Mystran weddings and I told them my thoughts, but my overstuffed old head reminded me, so I started writing (as it was one of the outstanding Realmslore queries).

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Originally posted by the Questions for Ed Greenwood, 2005 thread

Sharess, as you might expect, doesn’t mind WHO gets married (in other words, beings of the same gender, beings of different races, beings already married to others, beings very closely blood-related to each other - - all sorts of unions are okay, as well as the more traditional ‘male and female of the same race’ pairings). All that Sharess insists is that love and passion (demonstrated physically, through lovemaking) exist within the union, and that both partners of the union be ‘unjealous’ enough that both partners in the union will be free to flirt (includes at least kissing and caressing) with other beings not part of the union.

The actual ritual is as follows:

Only two beings can be wed at a time (although both can engage in later rituals, immediately after a wedding is concluded, if they desire to end up in a marriage bond of more than two individuals).
Clergy of Sharess prepare each partner, in private, for the ceremony, bathing them, anointing them with oils, applying cosmetics to them, and even (if they desire and pay for such) augmenting their natural appearance with minor illusions. As the being about to be wed is being prepared, skilled clergy talk to them of their love for the being they are about to marry, encouraging them to describe the charms and graces of their partner-to-be, and bring them to a state of excitement.
The beings about to be wed are clad only in open mesh cloaks (scraps of fishing nets are often used), and led out of doors (regardless of the weather, climate, or terrain, the wedding itself must be performed outdoors, usually in a temple garden) in some place where a feast can be held and the two partners can be led towards each other in a procession.
Each partner-to-be (who are called “the Offered” by the clergy of Sharess) cradles a trained temple cat in their arms, and they walk with clergy of Sharess (almost always priestesses) who sing and chant soft, low-voiced songs to the goddess.
At the ‘right’ time, while still out of sight of each other, the priestesses simultaneously command the partner they’re with to kiss the cat passionately, and then let go of it.
The cats usually kiss and lick the partner, and may or may not scratch them (this is to be borne stoically if they do), and then ‘climbs down’ the net-like garment, and runs off through the garden in search of the other partner-to-be. The trained cats typically run straight to where the other partner-to-be is, climb up their net-like garment, and deliver the kiss from their fellow Offered (again, licks and scratches must be accepted along with it). [There have been cases where cats have been prevented from completing this ritual, or even killed my mischance; the clergy who walk with the Offered are ready to spell-transform themselves into cat form and ‘step in’ to perform this vital part of the ritual, if necessary.]
The moment both Offered have received the kiss, a spell cast by the presiding priestess takes effect, and the partners-to-be are momentarily mind-bonded, able to see through each other’s eyes. (This ‘seeing and feeling’ some small part of the mind of the other sometimes causes them to fall right out of love with each other in a hurry.)
By means of this seeing, they can usually swiftly find each other (despite the ‘weird’ feeling of seeing through the other’s eyes), and (through love and rising passion, aided by Sharessan spells) rush together, to consummate the wedding on the spot. Yes, that means the happy couple physically engage in lovemaking, side by side with their two messenger-cats, and all of the attending Sharessan clergy (plus any guests). The temple has previously prepared a feast of mead, light wines, and what we would call ‘finger food,’ and hedonistic lovemaking continues for some time. The favoured time for a Sharessan wedding is just before dusk, so the orgy can continue throughout the night. If it’s winter or storming (NOT viewed as a bad omen, by the way), the initial consummation is ‘on the spot’ and usually outdoors, sometimes in a bower heated by a ring of small fires, but the ongoing frolic moves indoors.
During the fun, Sharessan clergy will insist that each Offered publicly disclose one of their personal faults to the other (“I snore loudly” or “My feet smell” or “I can’t resist skirt-chasing every dark-haired Calishite I see”). This must be honest, though it can be frivolous, and the clergy forewarn and even coach the partners-to-be, beforehand (i.e. the request to disclose doesn’t come as a surprise). All previous weddings and child-bearing unions (no matter how unofficial or illegal) either Offered has previously been involved in MUST be disclosed to the clergy and the other Offered, or the ritual ends right there.
The ritual isn’t actually complete until the orgy ends and both of the Offered have slept (usually together, and if not, always in the physical company of Sharessan clergy) and awakened again - - at which time both are solemnly (and seperately) asked (by Sharessan clergy) if they desire to be united to the being they Offered themselves to, and whose Offer they in turn enjoyed. In other words, they are given a last chance to back out. Sharessan clergy freely offer private counsel (advice for wedded life ahead, or how to deal with specific flaws or tendencies of the partner chosen) at this time, and will even , if one Offered desires it, bring the two Offered together to continue counselling with both, face to face. If both Offered accept the other, they are henceforth known as Accepted, their names are entered in temple rolls, and they are magically translocated (by teleport spells, usually, though portals can be used) to a place of their mutual choice, if they want to go somewhere (Yes, a honeymoon! Or an escape from smothering parents, creditors, or even the authorities!), and the clergy keep the chosen destination secret from everyone for at least a year (longer unless family of the Accepted plead for disclosure because they fear something bad has befallen the Accepted).
It’s customary for either the partners-to-be or their families to make donations to the hosting temple or shrine of Sharess (to cover the cost of the wedding feast), and in some cities priestesses quietly offer drugged wines (usually to induce wild passion) for those who pay extra (in other words, the father of the bride might try to stir the ardour of his long-uninterested wife by discreetly arranging with the clergy to ‘add a little something’ to her wine or to everyone’s).


Lliiran weddings, it won’t surprise you to learn, are dancing affairs. Like the clergy of Sharess, the church of Lliira will join together beings of all races, genders, and blood relationships, but NOT if any of the parents of either Joyous (as the bride and groom to be are both called) objects, and not if either Joyous is already married to another, still-living being.

The ritual unfolds thus: in a secluded bower or walled garden or inside a temple to Lliira (these three venues listed in descending order of desirability), all wedding participants gather. Anything that is, purports to be, or could reasonably be used as a weapon must not be brought to the gathering (and Joybringers will whisk such items away by magic if they are present, detecting them by means of spells if hidden). Participants are encouraged to wear the wildest costumes they want to, and join in the dancing.
The music, musicians, and refreshments are as chosen by the wedding participants, and continue until the two Joyous want the actual wedding to take place (i.e. everyone they want to be there has arrived and everyone’s warmed up). Then the Lliiran clergy cast certain spells, and the Twelve Dances begin. Some of the spells enable all the people present to fly (within a very limited spherical field), others generate the soaring music of the Dances, and still others put the movements of each dance into the minds of the participants, so people who’ve never been to a Joyfasting (Lliiran wedding) before know the moves without thinking, FEELING the moves of the unfolding dances (note that this means the maimed, infirm, and non-dancers can enjoy being swept along in the dances, up into the air and moving freely along with everyone else). Most of the music of these dances is heard inside the heads of the participants (and in places of danger or hostility, can be rendered silent to all outsiders by choice of the presiding clergy), but the swelling tunes are stirring and uplifting, each dance of the Twelve arousing and emotionally moving everyone involved. Most dancers will sing wordlessly along to the rising tunes, and by the time the Twelfth dance ends on a peak of arousal and high notes, everyone is whirling swiftly, well aloft, around the feet of the two Joyous, who are swept together in consummation of their union above everyone’s heads, shedding their costumes as they go (it’s considered a mark of the favour to touch - - not keep - - any part of a costume as it falls, whirled around and around among the dancers by the magic rather than plummeting to the ground). Everyone but the Joyous then sinks gently to back to the ground, and the two Joyous make love high in the air, ‘kept up there’ by the Lliiran clergy.
The ritual ends with the presiding Joybringer asking the two Joyous if they’re content to be Fasted together (married), and Lliiran magic brings their replies to the ears of all participants - - whereupon the two Joyous vanish in a burst of spectacular fireworks (magical illusions rather than actual fireworks), and the Joybringers put on a music and light show (again, except in hostile or dangerous surroundings) to entertain the wedding guests whilst the two Joyous are whisked magically away to a previously-selected spot (usually a bedchamber far from all the revelry, but sometimes an escape to a secret destination far across the Realms).
It’s customary for the presiding Joybringers to gift a potion to each of the Joyous (usually one of Cat’s Grace and one of some sort of healing, but it can be anything not directly harmful or hostile to the imbiber). The potions will be labelled, not mysterious to the Joyous receiving them.

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Originally posted by questing gm

On Arvyn Umbryl of the Smiling Satyr near Loudwater, circa 1370

https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1574922691009810439

Sep 28, 2022

@smparlin

Again, good sir! Could you shed some light on what one Arvyn Umbryl of the Smiling Satyr near Loudwater looked like, circa 1370?

@TheEdVerse

Arvyn has a gravelly voice and in affable manner. He’s of middling height, burly build, fair-haired but going white, hair worn shoulder length but is clean-shaven, has ice-blue eyes, a hooked nose, and a developing paunch.

No tattoos, but an old sword-scar diagonally across left forearm. Tends to wear heavy, sturdy boots, leather breeches, and an open-front cotton “swash” or pirate shirt, with a leather apron over it. Always armed with a belt knife and a dagger sheathed down the inside of either boot.

He has a rarely-seen wife, Marra (she keeps to the kitchens), but three capable, strong, taller than him, energetic daughters who run errands for him, serve patrons, and even see to horses (eldest to youngest: Dauntra, Shammarra, and Lantrue, who’s the most impish/humorous). They’re a happy family.

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Originally posted by questing gm

On Elminster's stunt double

https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1577513450955218945

Oct 5, 2022

@RpgMatch

It's live! Here's the link to purchase:

https://edgreenwood.net/product/unsupervised-wizard-mug/

@TheEdVerse

That mage mugging on the mug is definitely NOT Elminster. The Old Mage just dropped by to gloweringly tell me so.

(It's his stunt double.)

Oh.

NO, it's not!

(He heard me and spoke IN MY HEAD to tell me so. Very unnerving.)

And then he muttered something about me getting him one.

Just realized now...by the way he chided me, the Old Sage has just CONFIRMED that he has a stunt double.

That explains so much...

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Originally posted by TheIriaeban

That really doesn't surprise me. Statistically speaking (using 2e rules), only 45% of average level 5 mages would survive their first encounter with an average fireball or lightning bolt spell cast by someone of the same level. The average mage would need to be level 8 to be able to survive the average fireball or lightning bolt spell from a level 5 caster. Using the same averages, it would only take 4 level 5 mages to be able to kill the average level 20 mage (that is assuming the level 20 mage made all his saving throws vs spell).

Edit: Fixed saving throw error.

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