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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Nov 2009 : 02:55:54
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Hi again, all. I'm back with more Realmslore and a clarification. That clarification first: I was astonished to learn that one of my work colleagues is a Realms fan, and has been quietly reading this thread for years. She put a question to me whose answer I will share with you all, regarding the Earl of Downshield: he only had one sister, and has outlived her, and so (as of the situation and time as Ed described it to us, in his reply to Blueblade) is the "last of his line." He is the only living Downshield noble.
Right. Now the Realmslore. Marco Volo, Damian (crazedventurers) posted in response to your Haunted Halls questions: "I have always assumed this was in a secret hard to find and beholder guarded sub-level rather than part of the second level, similar to how Whispers Crypt is?" and Ed replies:
Yes, indeed, Damian. Spot on. There is a room on the second level that several other rooms open out of. One of these entrance is a huge, tall, grand-looking pair of tall metal doors that are a trap: they aren't attached to their frames at all, which are overlapping lips on the inside, that prevent them being pushed inwards. If pulled (by their visible pull-rings) outward to open them, they topple onto the pullers, filling all of the floor space except those facing the areas of wall on either side of their frames.
Those frames are set into a stone wall that's six feet thick, and one of the frames is itself a secret, hidden door opening into a passage inside the thickness of that six-foot-thick wall, that leads down a flight of stone steps into the very beholder-guarded sub-level you speak of (there are other ways in and out, too).
I'd love to just hand over the keyed map and let you all enjoy, but I'm treading VERY carefully here to stay legal and avoid trouble for myself and Candlekeep. I'll reveal more when and if I get permission to do so.
So saith Ed. Who's back hard at work on the Realms.
love to all,
THO |
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Marco Volo
Learned Scribe
France
204 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2009 : 09:20:54
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That's great informations !
Thanks you so much Ed and THO !!
Good work and Love from Volo |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3287 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2009 : 09:32:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Heh. It's a good thing you usually attend GenCon incognito, THO, else you'd have quite the devoted pack following you around!
Thats the truth! |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1073 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2009 : 13:06:54
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
he thickness of that six-foot-thick wall, that leads down a flight of stone steps into the very beholder-guarded sub-level you speak of (there are other ways in and out, too).
Thank you Ed for your reply. As ever one question answered leads to a few more
Question for Lady Lord THO first:
Did the Knights discover this beholder guarded sub-level? if so can you briefly described what happened?
Questions for Ed:
purely speculating regarding the beholders, it would seem that they would be enthralled to be there as gate guardians given their intelligence and ferocity. Could you speculate on who might have placed them there and why? (to stop things going through from the Halls, or to keep things from coming through INTO the Halls perhaps?). Unless of course the beholders have chosen to guard the gate?
Were Riviors Keep and the Haunted Halls built in the same time period? Can you share any lore on the dwarves that constructed them? (Clan name would be fine). Are the Dwarfs survivors of the Oghran kingdom?
World building question: We see lots of mini dungeons/self contained sub-levels throughout the Realms, as a DM do you prefer them to larger more sprawling dungeons that were the 'norm' when D&D first came out? Am wondering the how/why/when's of choice of dungeon design and their playing style? Do they suit your DM'ing style and your players more?
Thanks Ed for taking the time to share with us all.
Best wishes
Damian
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So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005 |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2009 : 18:31:44
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quote:
Originally posted by crazedventurers
<chop>
World building question: We see lots of mini dungeons/self contained sub-levels throughout the Realms, as a DM do you prefer them to larger more sprawling dungeons that were the 'norm' when D&D first came out? Am wondering the how/why/when's of choice of dungeon design and their playing style? Do they suit your DM'ing style and your players more?
Thanks Ed for taking the time to share with us all.
Best wishes
Damian
Damian, I'm not Ed, but I'd venture to say that the proliferation of smaller self-contained dungeons relative to sprawling complexes like Undermountain is a simple matter of statistics and consistency in world-building; you will find many more small complexes simply because they're easier to construct, and therefore many more interested builders have the time for them. It's like community sizes; you only see the big cities on large-scale maps, but there are many more villages and hamlets than cities; they just don't show up on the big maps.
Sending this back to Ed for the right answer... and Ed's preferences as a DM, which interest me as well. 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Addendum: A further dungeon-related question, also inspired by Damian (as recently re-posted in the "All About Cormyr" scroll):
Is there any chance of the complete Haunted Halls ever seeing publication? This is a publication I would pay money for, even as a PDF with 4E mechanics, as long as the entire module outside of game mechanics is either left as-is or handled by an Ed-friendly editor. Note that I would pay money for this particular publication; WotC should know that releasing this through DDi will not motivate me to sign up, nor will any financial consideration short of six figures (this is WotC paying me now, not the other way around). Given what we've heard about the Spellplague and the magical inscription cut from the original module, I think it would make a great "introduction to the Spellplague" mini-campaign. Also, what I said about being willing to pay for a downloadable PDF separate from DDi also goes for the Cormyr lineage as well. Maybe the smell of money will get Wizbro moving on this... |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 08 Nov 2009 19:00:13 |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 02:13:55
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Menelvagor, from years of conversations with Ed, I'd say that if El and the Seven can ever be said to have a single common desire, it is this (from about the 1350s onwards): to have successors they can trust to take over safeguarding the Realms, so they can retire and die. Literally "rest in peace."
Of course, this is MY guess. Off to Ed for confirmation/comment...
love,
THO
Heh. That's the opener for all kinds of cans of worms labelled clearly by the Spellplague (or, perhaps, with that word itself) after so many other high-profile NPCs have passed on... anyway, I have a question regarding wyrms, not worms...
Is there a name for the draconic pantheon of the Realms, in the way that the elven pantheon is the Seldarine and the dwarven pantheon is the Morndinsamman? I ask partly out of curiosity, and partly out of a desire to have a proper draconic name for the pantheon's home plane in the Realms cosmology; having a proper dwarven name for the home plane of the Morndinsamman would be nice too, but I may just use Nidavellir; I am, after all, integrating the Realmsian Great Tree with the Norse Nine Worlds in my redevelopment of the Northmen. Yes, I know it's derivative, but I'm compensating for it by eliminating the canonical Mulhorand as well as Unther in my Realms; I suspect they will be crushed by a ruthlessly expansionist Thay in the aftermath of the Spellplague (my version) in which the Mulhorandi deities are slain by a long-dormant Imaskari retributive contingency that was intended to be triggered by the dissolution of the Imaskari barrier, but experienced a "hang-fire" of sorts until the Spellplague came along.
Thanks again, Ed and THO! |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 09 Nov 2009 02:16:17 |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 20:11:23
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| Thankee for the fast reply lady hooded. That had everything i needed on that particular subject :) |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 21:01:48
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A pleasure, Elfinblade!
Jakk, I know that Draxius was someone else's brilliant idea (not Ed's), but that he wasn't handled the way he was because of published lore conflicts...it was just that the idea was too good NOT to use.
I'll leave it to Ed to say more, if he can.
love,
THO |
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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2009 : 22:09:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
1) Draxius: Was his lifespan and reign extended after the fact to account for chronological difficulties in previously published lore, or had he lived for so long from the time of his creation?
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Jakk, I know that Draxius was someone else's brilliant idea (not Ed's), but that he wasn't handled the way he was because of published lore conflicts...it was just that the idea was too good NOT to use.
I'll leave it to Ed to say more, if he can.
I can elaborate a very little bit, if I may.
THO is, of course, correct; in fact, by the time I got my hot little hands on the Royal Lineage of Cormyr, Draxius' life (and his predecessors') had already beeen established. Although some royals have been created in order to make the Cormyr lore 'fit' into the established timeline, the actual crowned heads have been pretty well set for several years. Their reigns were tweaked very slightly to match published Realmslore, but a lot of work went into getting those dates right long before I ever even knew there even was a Lineage, and any tweaks to the final roll of kings (as it appears in GHotR) were done with great care. |
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 10 Nov 2009 : 23:16:00
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Dear Ed and THO,
I presume apothecaries in the Realms make their own "pills" (or powders, or drinks). Do they share raw ingredients, though? As in, buy and sell stuff from herbalists and alchemists? Or do they have to almost exclusively gather their own or hire others (e.g. adventurers) to gather/harvest/hunt down stuff for them?
Thanks!
BB |
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Malcolm
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 00:55:09
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Hmmm. That question spurs me to ask another of my own: in the Hitchiker books, we hear of famous/infamous mixed drinks like the Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster.
Are there notorious drinks in the Realms? Either mixed or "house brew" beers/wines/spirits widely known to have strange or potent or fierce effects or side-effects?
Thanks! |
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Baleful Avatar
Learned Scribe
Canada
161 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 00:57:29
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Dear Ed,
Is there one of the Seven Sisters that you'd love to write more about? If so, why?
(I'm not asking you to give away secrets about forthcoming Realms fiction by you or anyone; I'm really asking about which character you feel has been most neglected, and why that "relative neglect" needs, or might need, redressing...
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gomez
Learned Scribe
Netherlands
254 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 12:57:43
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Baleful Avatar, I believe Ed recently commented that Alustriel, followed by Storm, would be his choice at this point in time.
The actual answer be several pages back in this thread.
By the way for those who are interested, Eye on the Realms is at:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.aspx?x=dnd/duad/20091111
Amreth Gaunt trades a lot in Sembia, Cormyr, and more to the west, but it seems not much in the Dalelands or the east.
Very useful as a NPC if you wish to work with some Cormyr-Sembia friction (not my terrain at the moment, sadly).
Here is hoping for more lore that is closer to my work area ;)
At any rate, it is good to see these type of articles surface after the avalanche of crunchy-lore-lacking two-page power/feat/PP Dragon articles.
Gomez
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Edited by - gomez on 11 Nov 2009 13:07:11 |
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Malcolm
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 15:53:06
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Dear Ed and THO,
In the time before the return of Shade, was any foreign power trying to control Sembia or succeeding in any measure in doing so? (Obviously no one was publicly trying, because there's no hint in published Realmslore of successul manipulation or coercion, but I think I've detected some hints in the way in which both of you have answered questions in this thread, over the years. Am I right?)
Thanks. I'll understand if this is NDA. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 18:23:11
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Hi! You're right, Malcolm, but I don't know if I've just been reflecting what pertains in Ed's home campaign, or if this is strongly NDA, so I've sent your post on to Ed and won't say anything more, only await his reply.
love,
THO |
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Longtime Lurker
Seeker
51 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 18:27:33
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Dear Ed and THO,
A Waterdeep question, if I may.
In Castle Ward and in North Ward, how many "odd substances" get washed down the street sewers (as opposed to privy-chutes and outlets from inside buildings)? If a vividly-coloured liquid (or a lot of blood) showed up to temporarily change the hue of water draining from a particular street, court, or alley, how likely would it be for someone to notice it and spur the authorities to investigate?
Thanks! |
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Broken Helm
Learned Scribe
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2009 : 18:47:35
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Dear Ed and THO,
If I am in Arabel and need a harp re-strung AND repaired, how easy is to find craftworkers who do that? Is there competition (i.e. several equally or roughly-equally skilled persons I can go to?) Are they/he/she/it (all) backlogged, or can I get the work done quickly? (Or can I jump queues by paying extra for "emergency" repairs?) Any names of crafters, just-pre-Spellplague?
Thanks! |
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Sage of Stars
Seeker
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2009 : 16:11:06
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Dear Ed and THO,
"The Project" looks to be ready for your input. Contact me here or through Paramount, okay? |
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NyluenathaStareyes
Acolyte
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2009 : 16:24:39
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Hey Ed, I was wondering if you could tell me what year it was that Djerad Kusold, the Swallowed City of Melebrauth was well...swallowed hah. I'm doing some campaign work in Laerakond and was hoping to get that date as it impacts a few NPCs I'm working up. I'm happy to use a date of my own choosing, but just wanted to see if there was any official word.
Thanks for your time! |
Realms fan for life! |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2009 : 19:02:09
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Hi again, all. Another raft of posts off to Ed, who is tearingly busy right now but loves the questions, so keep 'em coming. Regarding your Arabel harp request, Broken Helm, I know there's more than one place/person you can go to, but the only one I remember right now is in the southwestern part of the city, in a modest upper-floor living quarters/workshop, and is an aging, gnarled human woman named Harsratha Taree.
So saith me (from Ed, of course; this comes from playing in Ed's campaign).
love,
THO |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 03:04:04
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Hi again, all. It’s my proud task to bring some new Realmslore replies from Ed of the Greenwood, this time in response to Baleful Avatar, who asked (back on page 105 of this thread): “Is anyone in Waterdeep allowed to be a member of multiple guilds? If so, are there any restrictions on their voting/rights/activities?”
Ed replies:
Usually a particular individual can’t be a member of multiple guilds, but I say “usually” because the truth is that all guilds have their own rules, that differ in specifics from other guilds. It is VERY rare for someone to be allowed to simultaneously be a full voting member of more than one guild; more often someone who has dual or multiple memberships would only be allowed to vote or hold “full” (as opposed to “apprentice”) membership in one guild. There have been, of course, a rare handful of individuals who have managed to belong to more than one guild by establishing several identities (attaining multiple memberships through deception). So, yes, there would be all sorts of restrictions in the rare instances of membership in more than one guild being held.
. . . And more recently (on page 111) Baleful Avatar asked: “Are there any half-orcs known and tolerated as members of the royal household (servants, courtiers) in Cormyr? Are there any half-orcs known and tolerated as long-established inhabitants of Suzail? Thanks! P.S. As of just pre-Spellplague. Sorry, should have specified.”
Ed replies:
In the royal household, just pre-Spellplague: not to my knowledge. Of course, half-orcs who don’t LOOK like half-orcs might be servants, courtiers, or guards in the royal household - - and of course, by all means create some if you’d like to, for your campaign. Yes, there are about sixty half-orc longtime Suzailans, mainly dockhands (ship loaders and unloaders and warehouse “cargo handlers”) who dwell in the poorer western regions of the city. They mainly adopt an amiable “surly but placid” persona so as to fit in, and have earned tolerance among their neighbours, though not always from visitors to the city or the more xenophobic nobles.
So saith Ed. Spinning Realmslore day after day, year after year, decade after decade, for us all.
Regarding matters large and small.
More soon, he promises.
love to all,
THO
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 03:08:53
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Dear Ed and THO,
The above answer from Ed leads me to wonder: would a half-orc (who presumably is going to get mind-reamed thoroughly to check on his loyalty, possible ties to Cormyr's foes, and so on) who is deeply loyal to the Dragon Throne and who is magically talented be accepted into the War Wizards under Vangerdahast? What about Caladnei?
Would a loyal but not magically-gifted half-orc ever be made a Highknight, during the same time period?
Thanks!
BB |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 03:19:05
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Hi again, all. Ed promised more Realmslore, and here it is. Just a smidgen, but it’s lore nonetheless. Back on page 106 of this thread, Kyrene posted: “Ed and/or THO and/or others,
Running through my notes on notable NPCs in Neverwinter, I came across this little throwaway comment concerning Alasturan Malatheer:
“Elminster refuses to do more than smilingly muse about what a formidable foe a song dragon wizard who retained his magecraft in gold dragon form would be—and then adds enigmatically that Mystra would almost have to take a personal interest in such an individual.”
Is/was he a Chosen of Mystra, or have I just run into an NDA wall at high speed?”
I warned Kyrene that there was indeed an NDA wall, and that it hadn’t “budged an inch,” to which Kyrene responded: “I'll take that as a "Yes, maybe" rather than a "No, definitely not" then. Is there anything Ed can tell us about Alasturan Malatheer that has not already been published and would not be behind that wall? Yes, I'm keeping it purposely vague, and so can be whatever Ed can reply with. A single word of lore is still 'more lore' after all.”
Ed now replies:
No, Alasturan isn’t a Chosen, but Mystra has many other (lesser) allies and servants (see SECRETS OF THE MAGISTER for some “types” of these). Hint, hint.
As for other lore about Alasturan, my notes contain these tidbits:
Alasturan has amassed a collection of maps and charts (apparently as a hobby, enjoying examining them even when he knows their details are fanciful, incorrect, or outdated), plays chess and some other complex board games (for fun, and often alone, not to gamble over or “smash opponents”), has done extensive experimentation and development of new spells involving runes and glyphs . . . and loves going out onto coastal headlands in fierce storms and enjoying the lashing weather firsthand.
Not much, but more facets of character. Have fun!
So saith Ed. Who is hard at work on more Realmslore for us all.
love,
THO
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Kyrene
Senior Scribe
South Africa
757 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 08:11:05
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Not much, but more facets of character. Have fun!
So saith Ed. Who is hard at work on more Realmslore for us all.
love,
THO
THO,
You may tell Ed that I think he is as modest as he is gracious. That little "Not much" lore is more than I could have hoped for. In plain Afrikaans I thus say, Verskriklik baie dankie!*
*Translates roughly as "Terribly lots of thanks!" |
Lost for words? Find them in the Glossary of Phrases, Sayings & Words of the Realms
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freyar
Learned Scribe
Canada
220 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 13:18:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Sage of Stars
Dear Ed and THO,
"The Project" looks to be ready for your input. Contact me here or through Paramount, okay?
Now this is just teasing!
Anything at all the rest of us plebes can know about this Project? |
My DnD Links and Creations |
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 21:01:58
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Well, obviously it's something to do with movies, and is hush-hush. I'm guessing it's the Hobbit movies, but that's just my guess.
BB |
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Baleful Avatar
Learned Scribe
Canada
161 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 21:31:07
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Dear Ed and THO,
Thanks for the lore answers! I have, of course, another question.
Or three, but I'll just ask one right now. Can anyone enter the Royal Gardens on normal, everyday times? (i.e. daylight hours, nothing special going on). I'd assume the gates are guarded and anyone in the Gardens is going to either watched or escorted or both, but are they actually off limits? And does being a noble or a courtier or a member of the Palace staff make a difference?
Thanks! |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2009 : 04:37:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
1) Draxius: Was his lifespan and reign extended after the fact to account for chronological difficulties in previously published lore, or had he lived for so long from the time of his creation?
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Jakk, I know that Draxius was someone else's brilliant idea (not Ed's), but that he wasn't handled the way he was because of published lore conflicts...it was just that the idea was too good NOT to use.
I'll leave it to Ed to say more, if he can.
I can elaborate a very little bit, if I may.
THO is, of course, correct; in fact, by the time I got my hot little hands on the Royal Lineage of Cormyr, Draxius' life (and his predecessors') had already beeen established. Although some royals have been created in order to make the Cormyr lore 'fit' into the established timeline, the actual crowned heads have been pretty well set for several years. Their reigns were tweaked very slightly to match published Realmslore, but a lot of work went into getting those dates right long before I ever even knew there even was a Lineage, and any tweaks to the final roll of kings (as it appears in GHotR) were done with great care.
Many thanks to Ed, THO, and Garen for the info; here's hoping we can all peruse the Lineage ourselves one day soon... but I'll keep my expectations at a safely abysmal level for the time being.  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2009 : 17:40:44
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Hi again, all! Back in mid-October (page 107), Blueblade asked: “Dear Ed and THO, A campaign question: on the main trade roads through Cormyr, there must be many bridges carrying those roads over all the streams that wander in and out of the King's Forest, through it, and so on.
Are those bridges large and high enough to hide a large armed band under? Take shelter under, in a blizzard or torrential downpour?
And do Purple Dragon patrols habitually check under them, at every pass, to see if fugitives or monsters or anyone else, or contraband or other items, are there?
Thanks!” and Asgetrion then posted: “Ooh, I'm definitely seconding this one! Let me also add a quick additional question: which of the "major" roads in Cormyr (i.e. those depicted on the maps) are actually cobbled?”
whereupon I responded: “As far as I can remember, Asgetrion, cobbled streets are restricted to the cities of Cormyr, High Horn, and the "main drags" of larger places like Wheloon. Everywhere else is hard-packed fine gravel atop dirt, with stones and moss on the flanks to slow washouts (and repaired constantly; the Purple Dragon road-patrols inspect and report constantly). With logs under the dirt in swampy spots.
Of course, I'll pass your query on to Ed, in case anything's changed.”
Ed now replies:
THO is entirely correct about the cobbles, except that cobbles are also found on every bridge that isn’t a small, simple “flat planks covered with gravel affair,” and on some stretches of the main coastal trade-road linking Cormyr with Sembia (where on-its-way-down-to-the-sea drainage dictates that cobbles are better than more-readily-washed-away fine gravel).
The main trade roads tend to have tile culverts (filled in all around with VERY broad stone-rubble shoulders) for some forty or so small rivulets and drainage ditches, but wherever a watercourse is larger and “running” year-round, they do have large and robust bridges that, indeed, a “large armed band” could hide under or take shelter under.” And yes, Purple Dragon patrols do have standing orders to check under them at every pass, by the following method: shuttered lanterns lowered on poles so their illumination shines only on one side (toward the underside of the bridge and away from the Dragon observers “behind” the lanterns), while Dragons from the patrol armed with ready crossbows peer in under the bridge from some distance away “behind” the lanterns. Or to explain it more clearly: patrolmen get bows wound and ready, then go to prepared vantage-points thirty yards or more away from the bridge on either side, then signal their readiness. Lit lanterns are then lowered, with their dark sides kept towards the observers and their light-emitting sides toward the underside of the bridge. A third and fourth lanterns are already lit and ready, but kept completely shuttered. If there’s nothing under the bridge, the observers return. If this is occurring in dark or dim conditions, all four lanterns are aimed at the surroundings while other Dragons (that is, not the returning observers) watch. The patrol reforms, the crossbows are unloaded and uncocked, the patrol crosses the bridge, the lanterns are extinguished, and the patrol moves on. Those third and fourth lanterns can serve as replacements for the two lowered lanterns if they are broken, but a fifth and sixth will then be lit to replace THEM.
This procedure sounds more cumbersome than it is, because it’s all smooth habit to the patrols.
So saith Ed. Founding Creator of Cormyr and of course the Realms around it.
love,
THO
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 14 Nov 2009 : 20:20:37
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An explanatory followup from Ed, just received: he meant to say that:
The small, simple “flat planks covered with gravel affair” (uncobbled) bridges would only be those over the small tile culverts. In other words, such a bridge is twelve feet long or less, and largely covered by gravel (i.e. not necessarily recognizable as a bridge to travellers on the road), the buried planks being a means to stop heavy wagons crushing the tile culvert, which will almost always be a single "pipe" of about a foot across - - but in rare instances two or even three parallel pipes. Newer culverts are cylindrical sections of fired clay, and older ones are a flat plate of fired clay with an upside-down "U" of fired clay resting atop it.
So saith Ed. Seeing to even the smallest details.
love,
THO |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2009)
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