| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 15:02:41
|
I don't know if it had the name since the beginning (I don't even have those books anynore), but I know it had it long before Thousand Orcs.
quote:
Originally posted by SolinariO
Such a cool character. I haven't read much about Drow mages but I know they're awesome because of Gromph :)
I have a feeling he'll come up again sometime soon
I concur - Gromph is probably one of the few realistic 'bad guys', IMHO. Most of the FR villains I can see belting-out a chessy 'Mwah Ha Ha Ha ', rubbing their hands together, and monologuing to the good guys about their 'plans'.
Gromph's not one of those - He's not evil because he likes it, he's evil because of who and what he is. He is NOT satisfied with his lot in life, nor Drow society, but it is what it is and he makes the best of it. He's not the kind of bad guy that kills someone just to watch them die - if he does kill someone, its because they poised a threat to him, personally. Its made evident in the WotSQ that he is well aware of the Vhaeraun worshippers in Menzo, and while he doesn't join them, he also doesn't 'turn them in'. He is an opportunist, but not so much so that he is willing to just waste lives. He has no problem doing so, but he always ways the cost against the benefits.
He really is my ideal of a powerful male Drow (not Drizzt, who is an aberration). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
Edited by - Markustay on 03 Mar 2009 15:13:49 |
 |
|
|
Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 16:11:04
|
| Funny cause I recall reading those books and kept conscious of the fact that Icingdeath was never called by name before The Thousand Orcs (or maybe Sea of Swords)...I remember waiting and waiting and waiting and eventually being frustrated that it never came. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
|
|
|
Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 16:36:02
|
| Did they also fix the parts where it says "week(s)" and changed it to "tenday(s)"??? |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
|
|
|
Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 18:09:49
|
The tomes were translated into English by Ed - in the original 'common' version, it had said 'Tendays'. 
You didn't think RAS wrote any of those, did you? He merely translates the manuscripts given to him by Ed (who gets them from Elminster... and sometimes Volo, according to the comic).
Of course, you could just assume that English is the same as common, and those are 'errors', but I don't roll that way. 
Anyhow, I looked-up Drizzt's entry in the Heroes Lorebook (I can't seem to locate the earlier 1e source ATM), and it lists Twinkle as the name of the other one, but not Iceingdeath. Considering it's more powerful, it is strange that it didn't also have a name.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
|
Edited by - Markustay on 03 Mar 2009 18:10:46 |
|
|
|
Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 18:59:04
|
| Isn't it statted as being weaker though (back in 2E at least) because Twinkle was a +5 Defender in 2E and only a +2 in 3E and Icingdeath in 2E was +3 right??? (i'm going off weak memory banks here though lol) |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
|
|
|
BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2009 : 20:12:15
|
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
Isn't there also no mention of Icingdeath (the sword) being named Icingdeath before The Thousand Orcs (other than Bruenor saying its a fine weapon, it should have a name, after it saved his life)?????
The first formal mention was at the beginning of The Silent Blade, in the "Paths of Darkness" series (1998):
quote:
Drizzt [...] went in hard and fast, skidding down low and slashing wildly with both his scimitars, Twinkle and the newly named Icingdeath. (bold added; TSB, P1:C2)
[EDIT: Actually, I have found an even earlier instance where the blade was named Icingdeath in writing, back in 1993:
quote:
Drizzt wears mithril chain mail +4, a gift of King Bruenor. He wields two magical scimitars simultaneously. These scimitars are Icingdeath, a frostbrand +3, and Twinkle, a defender +5, which glows when enemies are near. (bold added; Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2E, Running the Realms: Select NPCs: p.33: "Drizzt Do'Urden")
Interesting...]
1999's game accessory The Accursed Tower and 2001's FRCS 3E embraced the official name of the frosty scimitar.
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
Did they also fix the parts where it says "week(s)" and changed it to "tenday(s)"???
Yeah, they did. And again, it appears that someone was a little too quick with the "Find and Replace" feature on the word processor. For the most part, the words are interchangeable, but in at least one instance, simply replacing the words posed a bit of a problem.
In the 1E of Exile, the Zin-carla spell preparation was said happen "for ten weeks, for seventy cycles of Narbondel" (70 days; Exi., P1:C5).
When the "tendays" word was substituted in the "TLOD" editions, that became "for ten weeks tendays, for seventy cycles of Narbondel". But that should apparently read either 100 cycles, or 7 tendays, now. The number needed to be updated, too, and not just the word. 
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
Isn't it statted as being weaker though (back in 2E at least) because Twinkle was a +5 Defender in 2E and only a +2 in 3E and Icingdeath in 2E was +3 right??? (i'm going off weak memory banks here though lol)
In 2E, Twinkle was given stronger stats (T+5, I+3).
In 3E, Icingdeath was (FRCS; T+2, I+3). I like this set-up, better, too. If you can whack demons with the thing, it sure would seem that this blade would be the more powerful of the two, to me. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
Edited by - BEAST on 28 Mar 2009 23:46:33 |
|
|
|
Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2009 : 12:04:53
|
| Wow. Thanks for the extremely detailed answer BEAST...yeah, Silent Blade makes more sense...I knew it had been a while, but wasn't sure. Good on ya getting the quote even. Thanks! |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
|
|
|
BlackAce
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2009 : 20:16:38
|
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
I mean, the different ways of spelling Guenhwyvar alone . . .
I remember freshman french class I asked our teacher (the über-vixen Ms T, whom any excuse to talk to was heaven!) who also liked to research old European dialects, how to pronounce that name, after after awhile just shrugged her shoulders and said " Mon Diue! What English is this, I cannot say!"
Not English at all, actually. 
Guenhwyvar comes from Gwenhwyfar, which is the Welsh for Guinevere, the queen of King Arthur.
I know there's some post out there somewhere about how Bob pronounces it, but I guess I've always done it "gwen-ivar." Pretty sure that's not accurate.
(Incidentally, awesome story. Brings back memories!)
And . . . back on topic:
As for "Gomph," well, I got nuthin.
Cheers
Ahh brings back a few memories of my own. I briefly dated a girl from the borders.. well, she was North Welsh but had grown up in Herefordshire. Had an neutral english accent with just a soft Welsh purr.... Had to sit with my legs crossed wenever Liv Tyler started speaking in elvish in watching LotR, because of the memories it stired... especially while sat in that particular cinema. 
Anyway, the point I meant to make in bringing her up was that I once asked her about this, as I've always wondered why Bob plummed for the Welsh spelling of Guinevere. According to her, when spoken in Welsh, it's pronounced pretty much; "goin'-heave-ear" which is not all that different to how it's pronounced it in English. The welsh "Hyw" tends to throw people but it's just pronounced as you say "Oui" in french. Which leaves me wondering what was the point?
As for "Gomph", well, when you have characters called "Tred" and "Stumpet" what can you say...? |
Edited by - BlackAce on 06 Mar 2009 20:36:40 |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|
"Gomph" Baenre
