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Longtime Lurker
Seeker
51 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 03:48:11
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Dear Ed and THO,
A friend of mine wants to start a new Realms campaign set in Tarmalune Great Port. He has the online piece you wrote, and the FRCG entry, but would like to know two things: a handful of "everyday common first names" for humans in that city circa 1479 DR, and: how much do "average stay-at-home Tarmalunian citizens" of the shopkeeper and laborer class know of the surrounding lands (not legends of the past or wide geopolitics about who rules and brewing wars, but routes to reach places, what the trees and topography look like, where food crops come from, and that sort of everyday lore)? Do they believe any tale a visiting outlander merchant tells, or have most of them been outside the city and/or have kin "in the hills" (or the next city-state or even country)?
Thanks!
LL |
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Joran Nobleheart
Senior Scribe
USA
495 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 03:49:22
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Hello again.  I was just wondering if any characters Mr. Greenwood has played in past games under others might have appeared in the Realms as NPCs we might know and love. I don't believe this has ever been asked before, and if so, I apologize. Also, if so, could he tells us a little about the character, and if they differ from their counterpart in the Realms? Thanks! |
Paladinic Ethos
Saint Joran Nobleheart |
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Malcolm
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 04:01:41
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Hmm. THO has in the past told us that Ed as DM played the PCs of players not present at a play session, plus of course as DM he would roleplay all the NPCs of the Realms that he created, that the PCs might encounter (e.g. Elaith Craulnober, Szass Tam, Manshoon and Fzoul of the Zhentarim, Khelben Blackstaff, Piergeiron of Waterdeep, Vangerdahast and Laspeera and the Obarskyr royal family members, and so on and on . . .). Ed also wrote up a dozen player characters that he's used over and over again in various adventures he's run at conventions, and I remember a GenCon in Milwaukee where someone won a charity prize to DM an adventure with Ed and TSR staffers as the players, and one of those Ed adventures was used, with Ed and Jim Ward and other designers and editors playing Ed's "tried and true veteran PC" characters.
Oh, and there was once a joke GenCon event called "Will the real Volo please stand up?" in which Ed and a few TSR staffers and RPGA veterans all roleplayed Volo, or false Volos, in a Realms adventure DM'd by someone else.
So there's all of those, but of course there could be more . . . |
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Broken Helm
Learned Scribe
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 04:04:44
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| I remember hearing about that Volo event! Didn't they get Milwaukee's mayor or fire chief or someone like that to be the "real Volo"? |
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Sage of Stars
Seeker
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 04:07:08
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And didn't a certain Lady Hooded (pre-adoption of that pseudonym and for that matter these author threads at Candlekeep) play in that event? And, er, "flash some flesh" at one point, much to the delight of certain players?  |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 04:11:01
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Good sir, it was a wardrobe malfunction.
Or at least that's the story I'll stick to, until I know a certain member of Milwaukee's Finest is LONG retired.
Ahem.
(So yes, if anyone else here remembers that event, they'll know who I am. And what I looked like back then, in the bloom of my younger, wilder days. Yes, I once sat on Gary Gygax's knee. Provocatively. No, nothing happened beyond him chuckling; he was a perfect gentleman. At a GenCon years before the Volo event, back at Parkside.)
love,
THO |
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 16:10:59
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Wardrobe malfunction. heh-heh. Gotta love 'em. Of COURSE it was, Great Lady!
I have a Realms question for Ed, pertaining to one of those very same con adventures with the veteran characters (the Baron's Blades) mentioned above.
On my treasured, carefully-stored character sheet for Delthrar Dawnstorm, whom I played in an Ed-run event, I scrawled: "Talk to Sabron/He's the true master" which is obviously something picked up from an NPC in play, that we never followed up on.
Ed, can you please tell me who Sabron is, and what he's the "true master" of? I understand you won't want to ruin an adventure you could run again, but tell me what you can. After all these years, I'm suddenly DYING to know.
Thanks!
BB
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Baleful Avatar
Learned Scribe
Canada
161 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 16:23:52
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Dear Ed and THO,
I have an odd question pertaining to the Realms campaign I'm playing in, right now: lamps as bombs. Obviously a small portable oil lamp can be hurled as a missile weapon, but: will most of them go out when thrown? Shatter readily if they hit a person (as opposed to harder armor, furniture, or walls)? Explode, or just gout flames that could start/spread a fire? Are there any other sort of widely-used, readily-purchased lamps, in the Realms circa 1370s, that could serve as better "bombs"?
Thank you in advance.
BA |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 16:35:42
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Baleful,
I'd think Greek Oil would cost a lot less and work much better. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Baleful Avatar
Learned Scribe
Canada
161 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 19:05:35
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Well, yes, of course, but my question was asked because I want to know if shopkeepers can have such weapons WITHOUT openly purchasing something deemed a weapon.
In other words, if many merchants could have these in their shops without the authorities or "protection racket" thieves or rivals necessarily knowing they were prepared for trouble.
(Naturally purpose-built bombs and incendiary missiles will be better than everyday objects used for the same purposes in desperation.)
BA |
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Longtime Lurker
Seeker
51 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 19:11:45
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Dear Ed and THO,
A Tarmalune followup, if I may: are there any popular-with-citizens-as-spectators team sports played locally, on a league or frequent challenge basis? (And if so, where are they played, and are games/contests/matches often wagered on?)
Thanks!
LL |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 19:12:49
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Idle Curiosity:
I tried to find an answer on the site, but I couldn't (which doesn't mean there wasn't one - it just means I couldn't find it), so apologies in advance if this has been answered before.
Why was the name of Zirta changed?
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 19:42:29
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Hi, Markustay!
Zirta was absorbed by Scornubel. The name is still used locally (as a neighbourhood), just not for the now much larger city.
love,
THO |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 20:58:46
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So it wasn't changed? There were actually two smaller settlements that became one? Not near sources, sorry, so if any of this is covered in one of them, again my apologies.
Thanks for the super-fast response THO. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 22:12:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Baleful Avatar
Well, yes, of course, but my question was asked because I want to know if shopkeepers can have such weapons WITHOUT openly purchasing something deemed a weapon.
In other words, if many merchants could have these in their shops without the authorities or "protection racket" thieves or rivals necessarily knowing they were prepared for trouble.
(Naturally purpose-built bombs and incendiary missiles will be better than everyday objects used for the same purposes in desperation.)
BA
I understand your reasoning... But I'm thinking that most merchants wouldn't respond to trouble by throwing flaming objects around in their shops. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 22:48:00
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Shopkeeps can always keep large chunks of wood (clubs, staves) nearby, or use flaming torches if they must, or perhaps carry knives or even short swords. It seems far more likely they'd hire a big thug to carry such stuff around instead. Part of the cost of doing business is paying a little extra for "insurance" or "protection" fees to the guilds (yours and even the thieves guild, if there is one), or a local street gang, or as bribes to a few members of the city guard. Just as in real life, merchants will ensure that anything worth large sums of money is well secured.
Many merchants will happily lie, cheat, and steal - but very few indeed would dare assault, murder, and arson ... especially not in their own shop! |
[/Ayrik] |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 00:54:16
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi, Markustay!
Zirta was absorbed by Scornubel. The name is still used locally (as a neighbourhood), just not for the now much larger city.
love,
THO
And as the Lady Hooded One told us some time ago re: Zirta in the Realms:- "... it's now part of Scornubel (they "grew together" over time)."
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Baleful Avatar
Learned Scribe
Canada
161 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 03:57:37
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Not to be rude, Arik and Wooly, but re. flaming lamps or other bombs in your own shop: d'uh! Who (among sane and non-desperate folk) WOULD throw flaming stuff around their own shop or home?
I was thinking response to bullying or vandalism or snatch-thefts or a THREAT of "protection" blackmail: thug threatens small, aging shopkeeper, goes away to return for surrender of the demanded funds...and shopkeeper sends their grandchildren/nieces/nephews, that night, to toss some firebombs into the abode of the thugs (the idea being that there'll be no provable connection between the thug and one particular shopkeeper out of the many threatened by the thug.
Arik, you seem to be thinking of wealthy, successful shopkeepers (the "hire thugs" bit). I'm thinking more of the struggling majority of shopkeepers, who are just "hanging on" financially, and don't have spare coin to hire thugs, buy special weapons, or anything else; hence my question: are there everyday lamps they would have or could buy, that could serve as effective weapons, if need be?
I said nothing at all about hurling flaming ANYTHING around their own shops!
(This was a "backgrounder, to determine feasibility" query to Ed and THO, re. tactics and intrigue in an urban campaign, not open battle.)
BA |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 04:07:42
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Hi again, all.
Baleful Avatar, as far as I can recall from play, oil lamps are of three main types: cheap, small clay table-lamps (open flames), more elegant brass or other cast metal table-lamps (also open flames) and metal lanterns, with shutters and sometimes internal cages (the sturdy "adventurers' lanterns" of various styles).
Those lanterns can be dropped or hurled without breakage, and can splash or spill and get VERY hot, but will seldom spew flaming oil, and never explode unless they come into contact with dust or violently combustible fuel (i.e. a big vat of flammable oil) or a gunpowder equivalent (remember, the Realms needs "special" powder, "smokepowder") or something enchanted to explode.
Both sorts of table-lamps can often splash flaming oil, but the metal ones (unless they strike sparks against something) usually go out when hurled, and so splash oil, not flaming oil.
Clay lamps can readily shatter when they hit a wall, but most of those Ed has described in play are pretty sturdy (thick clay construction), so they usually crack and leak, and less often shatter. In either case, they spill oil, and it may or may not be flaming. However, Torm of the Knights specialized in "doctoring" clay lamps with readily available perfumes, furniture finishes, and wines that were very high in alcohol, so they would explode when shattered (small stoppered glass vial of the high-alcohol "rush" put into the lamp oil, and breaks into it when the lamp strikes something hard and immobile, like a wall). We Knights first learned such tactics the hard way, when flaming lamps were used on us.
I hope that helps!
love,
THO |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 04:17:13
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| Flaming perfume bottles? |
[/Ayrik] |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 16:25:30
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Heh. No, no flaming perfume bottles.
I'm talking tiny, thin-walled glass vials (fit in a lady's palm, and remember the Realmsian ones are handblown and hence usually have "thin" areas) full of high-alcohol scent, put inside a clay oil lamp full of oil. Lamp is lit, thrown and shattered, causing the tiny vial to break inside the clay lamp, flooding the flaming oil with a rush of flammable alcohol: the "whoosh" effect. Torm used it to ignite tapestries, draperies, rugs, bedding, cushions, and the like - - not explosions, but jets of burning fuel that splashed widely and got fires going that couldn't be ignored (in other words, whoever the Knights were fighting couldn't just "chase and fight the Knights, and deal with the flames afterwards," because the flames were spreading FAST, and the smoke even faster (leading those nearby to think the fire was worse than it really was, and react appropriately).
Not that this was Torm's favourite tactic. He wasn't usually interested in destroying goods that could be confiscated and resold to his own advantage. He much preferred "glass beads and marbles flooded underfoot" fun.
love,
THO |
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Malcolm
Learned Scribe
242 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 17:59:44
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Which spurs a new question: how easy to get are marbles and/or glass beads, in Suzail in the 1370s DR? Lots of shops, or just a few? Generally expensive, or generally "everyday" in pricing? Or is there, like gemstones, a great variance in size and quality, and getting superb matched ones hard and pricey, but just getting a handful of mismatched beads cheap?
For that matter, what are the most popular marbles games (in Suzail)? Or are they usually used as counters (of wealth, or points, or as a "man" moving along a game track, as in cribbage?)?
Thanks! |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 18:19:45
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Hi again, all.
I bring the first part of Ed's reply to Longtime Lurker about matters Tarmalunan: the common first names for human males and females of that city.
In these lists, a name after a comma is a frequent/popular variant, and a name in parentheses is a usual short-form that is now often bestowed as a proper name, rather than its longer root name.
MALES:
Blayn
Devur
Fornsel (Fors)
Galasz (Gask)
Jalark (Jark)
Loran (Lorn)
Maerac, Jaerac
Nyndar (Nyn)
Ontur (Ond)
Rornsar (Rorn)
Tamarl (Tarl)
Vaemdar (Vaem, Vaen)
Vornyn (Vorn)
FEMALES:
Asmure, Asmura
Dacenele (Dace)
Evoene (Evoe)
Glara (in elder days: Torglara, but the longer form is NEVER bestowed in this generation)
Indrue
Jalassa (Jassa)
Lalyra (Lyra)
Mindele
Rorelle (Relle)
Sarande (Sande)
Tlusteema (Teema)
Velvaele (Vaele)
Yarindra (Yindra)
So saith Ed. Who promises more when he can spare the time, and says that there ARE team/league sports that are wagered upon, that Tarmalune is always teeming with rumors (very like Waterdeep), but that most citizens know or can readily find out from neighbors a lot about the lands around, and so won't be very ignorant/gullible about them.
That's all for now . . .
love,
THO
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2010 : 10:39:02
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And my thoughts keep going back to "Cormyr:A Novel", which is my favourite after the dark elves.
So here goes a question to Mr. Greenwood: Could he reveal something more about Gwennath of Tymora and Dauneth Marliir? I hope there are no NDAs covering them, since Gwennath appears to have died heroically in "Death of the Dragon".
Edit: And maybe something about Khelben Arunsun the Younger, including his planar travels. Would it be possible to meet him in Sigil? What would his levels be? Circa 15? 20? |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
Edited by - Zireael on 25 Oct 2010 11:00:51 |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2010 : 17:03:19
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Hi, Zireael. Off your post goes to Ed for his reply, but I have to warn you right up front: Khelben the Younger is NDA. Steven Schend would be the one to tell you anything about him, IF Steven wants to spill any beans at all. Which he very well may not: the NDA is in place because of some future plans, and revealing anything might ruin them. Sorry.
love,
THO |
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Sandstorm
Seeker
Canada
80 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 04:06:08
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Mmmm... Gary Gygax's knee ;) haha!
Random question just for fun here THO. Do you happen to have an inkling as to what Gygax' actual DnD life was like? Did he DM, prefer to play... ever role with Greenwood and the likes?
Gather Info Roll: 16+4+2=22 |
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1073 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 16:34:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Sandstorm
Random question just for fun here THO. Do you happen to have an inkling as to what Gary
Plenty of info on Dragonsfoot, they have a whole thread devoted to EGG
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=50&sid=03c68dd5da2536fcecb74f59bc2f7745
Cheers
Damian |
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 |
Edited by - crazedventurers on 26 Oct 2010 16:34:54 |
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althen artren
Senior Scribe
USA
780 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 21:47:34
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| Future plans about Khelben the Younger, sounds interesting to me. |
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Joran Nobleheart
Senior Scribe
USA
495 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 01:06:10
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Oh, forgot I asked a question here.  Thank you for letting me know, and I apologize for asking something that has already been asked.  |
Paladinic Ethos
Saint Joran Nobleheart |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 02:37:36
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Hi again, all. I bring Ed of the Greenwood's swift reply to Blueblade, about a note from playing with Ed as DM scrawled on a Delthrar Dawnstorm chracter sheet, from one of Ed's Baron's Blades tournament FR adventures: "Talk to Sabron/He's the true master" . . . Ed's response is as follows:
Hi, Blueblade. Sabron is the local (northeastern border mountains and hilly farm country of Amn) old and respected "master" of old lore about who farmed and cleared what land, who made this road or trail and when, who dug that well and when, and so on. The "he's the true master" is a comment made by an old woman (the NPC Sharselle Tarmitrar, who spends her days weaving sacks for the miller, at Hardobrand's Mill). Folk near the Mill consider her the local font of remembrances, but she was telling you that the particular features you were asking about (sites in the adventure) are older than her memories, so she knows only old tales and rumors - - but the harpmaker Sabron, the "hermit of Gulk Cave," is old enough to know more than she does.
Interesting guy, Sabron. His tales' never really been told . . .
So saith Ed. Dispelling gnawing needs to know about the Realms, everywhere.
love,
THO |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2010)
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