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jordanz
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556 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  13:58:35  Show Profile  Visit jordanz's Homepage Send jordanz a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm guessing Crenshinibon put Ertuu on par with a typical Demon Lord....
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Eldacar
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438 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  14:16:37  Show Profile Send Eldacar a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Arik

I suppose this Dragon article was just part of the 3E craze to dump templates and stat blocks onto everything a PC might theoretically try chopping into.

It was the brainchild of Erik Mona, and likely also released (Dragon #359 had the Apocrypha that included the template, so it was right when 3.5e was actually winding up to make way for the next edition) as an accompaniment to the Savage Tide adventure path in Dragon Magazine.

Centering around Demogorgon attempting to launch the Savage Tide to eliminate his twin personality problem and ascend to godhood (or even something more), it featured many demons, demon lords, and at its conclusion one of the PCs could even become the new Prince of Demons (though it's difficult, since various others are also vying for the position), gaining lordship over the 88th Layer of the Abyss as a result.

"The Wild Mages I have met exhibit a startling disregard for common sense, and are often meddling with powers far beyond their own control." ~Volo
"Not unlike a certain travelogue author with whom I am unfortunately acquainted." ~Elminster
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  15:31:06  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jordanz

I'm guessing Crenshinibon put Ertuu on par with a typical Demon Lord....


Not likely. Crenshinibon was a powerful artifact, but not enough to mak Errtu quite that powerful. Most of the actual demon lords also possess powerful artifacts and items.
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore

USA
1714 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  22:39:43  Show Profile  Visit BEAST's Homepage Send BEAST a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by jordanz

Is he now permanently dead or just his material form? If the latter, is he now able to comeback since 100 years has elapsed since his defeat t the hands of Drizzt and friends.

Errtu has only been described as being vanquished on the Prime Material Plane (in 1355 DR, in The Crystal Shard; and in 1364 DR, Passage to Dawn), so in all likelihood his banishment only concerned his material form. There's no reason to think that he's really, most sincerely dead--he's only merely dead.

Since the latest Drizzt novel, Gauntlgrym, concludes in 1462 DR, technically Errtu's century-long banishment is not over yet. That won't be until 1464 DR.

The Prologue to The Orc King is vaguely set about a century after the signing of the Treaty of Garumn's Gorge, which took place in 1372 DR. My guess is that by that time, Errtu would be free to be summoned out of the Abyss, once again.

We should remember, though, that Errtu has been summoned by various persons over the millenia, and he could be in demand by anyone upon release from his banishment. The Menzoberranyr drow, for one, could want his services again. While he may become free to leave the Abyss, that does not necessarily mean that he will be free to torment Drizzt and friends, any time soon.

quote:
P.S. Drizzt banished him twice? How was Ertuu able to come back the 2nd time before the 100 year limit?

In 1364 DR, in the book Passage to Dawn, Drizzt met with the cleric Cadderly Bonaduce. A mysterious entity had revealed to Drizzt that a loved one from his past was being imprisoned and tortured, and Drizzt wanted assistance with this problem. Cadderly summoned his favorite imp Druzil first, who confirmed that the mysterious entity concerned was Errtu. Cadderly urged Drizzt to let him commune with the balor tanar'ri, and promised Drizzt that a circle of power would hold the demon, so Drizzt consented. But when Cadderly summoned Errtu, the demon was able to touch the Prime Material Plane via the portal, and since Drizzt had consented, this apparently constituted a willing end to Errtu's banishment. Errtu was then free to be re-summoned.

And so he was, by a wizard named Dosemen of Sundabar. The wizard had summoned a glabrezu for some trivial information, and the glabrezu told the mage that the balor would be better suited to answer his questions, so the wizard promptly summoned the balor instead. But Errtu brought with him a coffer containing a stone of antimagic left over from the Time of Troubles; and with that, he dispelled the mage's circle of power, thereby releasing himself to kill the wizard and carry on with his own personal mission on the Prime Material.

The Companions of the Hall later whacked Errtu and re-banished him, all over again.

The really wonky thing about all this is that even though Cadderly told Drizzt that his circle of power would contain the demon, the priest actually suspected that it wouldn't really do so, and that summoning the demon at all could effectively release the balor from his previous banishment--but he didn't tell anybody beforehand. When Catti-brie called him on it, and in a bit of some of RAS's least-inspired writing, the priest mumbled some half-arse rationalization, but I call phooey on that! The cleric had just committed a very glaring act of deception by omission. So basically, you could say that Cadderly is the one who tricked Drizzt into summoning Errtu back to the Material Plane!

Therefore, as you can see, Cadderly is not my favorite Realmsian--at all.

"'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">
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  22:42:20  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Problem is Errtu never got ahold of the shard while ruling a layer of the abyss; he searched for it for thousands of years and when he finally got his claws on it, he left the abyss to assault the mortal realm.

It is my understanding that at certain points he served Lolth while she was still based out of the abyss; it's possible she kept his layer a secret in exchange for service. That she didn't take it over herself does kind of reinforce my theory that he lucked upon a backwater layer than no one else wanted to waste resources taking, though.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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BEAST
Master of Realmslore

USA
1714 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  22:42:24  Show Profile  Visit BEAST's Homepage Send BEAST a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Arik

I don't recall Ertuu being mentioned as a demon lord, though of course he would probably make such a grandoise claim while intimidating people, and of course my memory (especially of things Drizzt) is not perfect.

Here's what we've been told in RAS's stories:
quote:
Errtu, a major demon of catastrophic proportions, faintly heard its named being uttered on the faraway plane. [...]

"Errtu!" the young man [an unnamed wizard's apprentice] called, the words forced from him by the demands of the spell. The name hadn't been completely identified in his master's notes, but he saw clearly that it belonged to a mighty demon, a monster ranking just below the demon lords in the hierarchy of the Abyss. (italics added; TCSh, P2:C10)

quote:
And then he saw the distant forms, a half-dozen trolls marching in a tight rank, and in their midst, towering over them, was a huge monster of the Abyss. No minor mane or midge, Drizzt knew at once, but a major demon. Kessell must be mighty indeed if he held this formidable monster under his control! (italics added; TCSh, P3:C24)

quote:
Dosemen paled at the mention of the great beast. He was no minor wizard, practiced at summoning and confident of his magic circle. But a balor! Never had Dosemen tried to bring in such a beast. Balors, and by all accounts there were only a score or so, were the highest level of tanar'ri, the greatest of the terrors of the Abyss. (italics added; PTD, P4:C21)

Though I am reluctant to cite it as a source, A Reader's Guide to RAS's The Legend of Drizzt says that Errtu seeks total domination of a layer of the Abyss, but it does not say that he ever actually achieved this. And in TCSh, Errtu contemplated rising over a layer of the Abyss (Pre.), but I do not recall ever reading that he actually did so.

"'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">
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  22:54:45  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I could have sworn in his first appearance in Icewind Dale had him sitting on a throne made of fungus noting that it was in the layer of the abyss tha the ruled. Been about a year since I last read the book(borrowed from a library now hundreds of miles away, my local one lacks a copy).

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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BEAST
Master of Realmslore

USA
1714 Posts

Posted - 26 Mar 2011 :  23:41:34  Show Profile  Visit BEAST's Homepage Send BEAST a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus

I could have sworn in his first appearance in Icewind Dale had him sitting on a throne made of fungus noting that it was in the layer of the abyss tha the ruled. Been about a year since I last read the book(borrowed from a library now hundreds of miles away, my local one lacks a copy).

Aye to the throne of fungus in the sludge, and the minor demon Telshazz refers to him as "my master" and "my lord".

But it appears that your theory about him being only a warlord bully on that layer, or just in that region of the layer, may be closer to the truth.

"'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">
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  00:04:53  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus

Problem is Errtu never got ahold of the shard while ruling a layer of the abyss; he searched for it for thousands of years and when he finally got his claws on it, he left the abyss to assault the mortal realm.

It is my understanding that at certain points he served Lolth while she was still based out of the abyss; it's possible she kept his layer a secret in exchange for service. That she didn't take it over herself does kind of reinforce my theory that he lucked upon a backwater layer than no one else wanted to waste resources taking, though.


Other than the encounter shown in Siege of Darkness, I do not recall him serving lolth personally being mentioned. Drizzt once mentioned that this particular fiend was known to him, as Errtu had served his people in Menzo for many years.

This seems to hold true to Errtu's stat bio from the Villains lorebook, which holds to the idea that Balors above all are interested in winning the blood war above all else, and that they understand the importance of the Prime in the blood war and try to make pacts with mortals to achieve power in the prime, thus strengthening their positions in the blood war. He served the drow, but it never said anything about serving lolth before her need of him in SOD.

But I agree, he probably only shared a weak layer in the abyss. Otherwise the demon lords and Demon princes would have taken it from him. It is constantly described as a sludge hole. But since there are an infinite amount of layers anyways, I suppose had it been of value it would have been claimed.

quote:
I could have sworn in his first appearance in Icewind Dale had him sitting on a throne made of fungus noting that it was in the layer of the abyss tha the ruled. Been about a year since I last read the book(borrowed from a library now hundreds of miles away, my local one lacks a copy).

It never mentioned it being a layer he ruled.

The line started "The demon sat on a throne he carved from the stem of a giant mushroom. Sludge slurped and rolled around the rock island , the eternal oozing and shifting that marked this layer of the abyss.

In SOD when lolth visits him, she went to the Mushroom area which housed many the most powerful of that area, and then went to find Errtu, the strongest in that area. But it never said he was lord of that layer. I suppose he could be, but most acounts rank him just below a true demon lord.

Even so, someone mentioned Crenshinbon as being able to elevate his position in the abyss, but I do not see how. An artifact that drew its power from sunlight would be only useful on layers that had sunlight.
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Alystra Illianniis
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USA
3750 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  02:20:09  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Maybe he wanted to rule a better layer? Do any layers of the Abyss even have sunlight? Seems unlikely.

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469

My stories:
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Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  02:37:45  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis

Maybe he wanted to rule a better layer? Do any layers of the Abyss even have sunlight? Seems unlikely.



The first Layer definitely does. Although it is a bloated Red sun, and the layer is ruled by Pazuzu(one of the oldest Demon princes), who among his bodyguards are 6 very powerful Balors lol.

Since in theory, the abyss has infinite layers, there are infinite possibilities. Barren burning Deserts, Layers of cold wastelands, acid pools. Demogorgon's layer has a harsh tropical jungle, etc
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Brimstone
Great Reader

USA
3287 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  02:44:52  Show Profile Send Brimstone a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thanks Beast!

"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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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader

USA
3750 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  02:45:19  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hmm, if that's the case, Errtu might be one of the six that serves Pazuzu- and might be looking for a promotion......

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469

My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188

Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  03:08:29  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis

Hmm, if that's the case, Errtu might be one of the six that serves Pazuzu- and might be looking for a promotion......


Heh. He would need to get many many times more powerful before thinking of going at Pazuzu. That fellow rules the skies of every layer of the abyss as well as many layers on the ground:)

Truth is, amongst the Demons of the Abyss, Errtu is not all that notable when compared to the demon lord princes.

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Alystra Illianniis
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USA
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Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  03:21:00  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, of course- but it seems like getting his hands on the Shard might be a step towards that. Who knows how far-ranging his plans might be? Balors are generals of the Blood War for a reason, after all....

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469

My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188

Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u
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Dalor Darden
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USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  04:36:21  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ertuu has a much more simple motive regarding the artifact: souls.

Larvae are currency...and if he can use an artifact on the Prime to gain more currency he will do so...and with LARVAE he can gain more power in the Abyss.

That is the way I consider it.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  04:45:58  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, by the 4e measure of things several layers of the abyss have sunlight; some are full spherical planets, others are bowl worlds. Whether or not Errtu's sludgepit did or didn't, couldn't say.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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jordanz
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556 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  04:49:51  Show Profile  Visit jordanz's Homepage Send jordanz a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Is suped up Balor really that far beneath a weaker demon lord? Add a powerful artifact nd I see no reason why Ertuu - at least from a physical standpoint- couldn't go toe to toe with a low end to middling demonlord.

Heck look what the same artifact did for the Ghost King..
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  04:59:59  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Would have to be very low on the demon lord scale. Most would rip him into pieces.

The fact that Drizzt lasted more than half a second against him speaks of one of two things; his weakness or his stupidity. Either way, he poses no threat to the demon lords, who are both powerful and cunning in measures far beyond him.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  05:07:08  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I wouldn't place the likes of Yeenoghu far above him in cunning or intelligence.

Many Demon Lords are only lords because of physical power...Devils tend to have more brains by my way of seeing things.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  05:22:00  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Debatable but I'll give it to you that Yeenoghu isn't far above him in intellect. Considerably above him in power, though.

Most demon lords tend to be fairly intelligent; perhaps not as brilliant as their archdevil counterparts, but the only one that I know of that relies solely on brute force is Kostchtchie, who's only a puppet for a more cunning and devious force.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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Dalor Darden
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USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  06:16:03  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus

Debatable but I'll give it to you that Yeenoghu isn't far above him in intellect. Considerably above him in power, though.

Most demon lords tend to be fairly intelligent; perhaps not as brilliant as their archdevil counterparts, but the only one that I know of that relies solely on brute force is Kostchtchie, who's only a puppet for a more cunning and devious force.



Depends on what edition of the game you are playing. In 1e Yeenoghu is a punk...just saying.

As a matter of fact, looking at his stats and those of a Type VI, I'd even wager that Ertuu, having an artifact like the Crystal Shard might give Ertuu the advantage!

What most people don't realize when they are reading novels...especially early Novels like the Crystal Shard...that the game being used then had VASTLY different mechanics and statistics.

Ertuu in 1e would have only had 72 HP maximum! I mean, that isn't a mind-blowing amount of physical durability.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader

USA
3750 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  07:15:50  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'll agree to that, which is one reason why I think Errtu might have a chance against a higher Demon Lord- The stats back then were not all THAT different- another hit die or two, a couple of added abilities, and- meh.

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469

My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188

Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u
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Ayrik
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Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  07:22:45  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Dalor Darden

What most people don't realize when they are reading novels...especially early Novels like the Crystal Shard...that the game being used then had VASTLY different mechanics and statistics.
Quite true.

I do think it's a little odd that Abyssal lords would be so largely affected by little things like (so-called) "cosmos-spanning" events (Spellplague, currently trendy Abyssal Plague, etc) ... these things are only of great concern to feeble mortals and would be little more than annoying speedbumps to infinite immortal fiends and their aeons-old Blood War. Some goddess of magic got killed? Again? Some dark goddess has moved her little army out of the shadows? So what? Demons and demon lords and gods are born, killed, and shuffled around quite often (it's a constant threat), it's likely happened a forgotten number of times since the dawn of creation. That's just my opinion; I'm trying to maintain a more objective long view of planar things, not a parochial one centered on some single puny world or incremental game edition. The Blood War is nearly eternal, and so are the fiends ... so why should the rules they live by change overnight?

Though yes, of course we do have these changes. The best "in game" explanation I can offer is that the fiends are expressions of incomprehensible immortal evil, but the forms and powers they assume are constrained by "physical laws" of any world (such as Oerth or Toril) they might visit, ie: it is not the fiends themselves who are changed, just the "avatars" they can manifest at different times and places, their vessels must conform to whatever changes are imposed upon these worlds.

[/Ayrik]

Edited by - Ayrik on 27 Mar 2011 07:30:37
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  07:53:15  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thing is, I don't care about first edition. I don't care about second edition. I don't care about third edition. I have only a passing interest in 3.5 and indeed, the mechanics of 4th edition. I care considerably less about the mechanics of any gaming system than I do about the story being told. Errtu's one of the least threatening villains I've ever read. That's really one of the weak points of Salvatore's early work with Drizzt; the villains were almost never threatening. At best you'd have a somewhat threatening wild card in the mix(Jarlaxle, Artemis), but the villains themselves were easily dealt with.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  08:23:35  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I agree with you CoA ... the "rules" the villains and heroes play by are secondary to the telling of a good story. More power to RAS if he needs to take a few liberties and reshape Drizzt or Ertuu into characters appropriate to his fiction.

I agree, Ertuu (in The Crystal Shard, etc) seemed a bit underpowered and incompetent for a demon of his presumed station. The fault does not lie within 1E game rules, nor in how subsequent editions have changed them ... it rests squarely upon the reader (me) or upon how the story is constructed by the author (RAS). In all fairness, Drizzt and his sidekicks were a bit wimpier in those early days as well so RAS couldn't just paste them with some über opponent. These novels were still very good and sold quite well (as evidenced by decades of Drizzt-mania), regardless of how disappointing Ertuu may have been.

[/Ayrik]
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Chosen of Asmodeus
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Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  10:01:49  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The sum total of Errtu's actions in the Crystal Shard include being blasted to the abyss with a single word from an angelic like being- the nature of which is never elaborated on - bowing in defference to possibly the most incompotent mage ever to live in hopes of aquiring an admittedly powerful artifact, and getting stabbed by a sword which is apparently made of his kryptonite, and giving out some threats as he melts. He's neither cool or sympathetic enough for us to have a sneaky fondness of him as a character, nor does he do anything blatantly evil enough for us to truly despise him(in this book, anyway). All of this could have been forgiven(and the cool part rectified) if he were at least shown to be a threat, but he never does anything truly threatening, either. We're told he's threatening, told repeatedly, but the most important rule of fiction is "show, don't tell". This is something RAS fails at repeatedly; notably when pitting his heroes up against cannon fodder.(to be continued)

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  10:05:08  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Alright then. RAS will repeatedly say the situation is hopeless based on numbers alone, that eventually they'll be overwhelmed, but we're never given any real indication this'll be the case, what with how effortlessly the heroes will swat aside the mass of whatever given enemy is throwing themselves on their swords to the point where it's less like reading a battle and more like reading about puppies running into a woodchipper. RAS loves his heroes to the detriment of his villains, both big and small. He is getting slightly better at this; the pit fiend in Gaunt was surprisingly threatening. Wasn't given much in the way of character, but certainly more menacing than Errtu.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  10:38:13  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
(I've been chided before for linking to tvtropes, but this time I just cannot resist.)

The classic and terribly cheesy "You Dare?" and "It cannot be!" tropes are played straight by Ertuu. To my mind this sort of arrogant monologue is ideal for supervillains and melodramatic BBEGs (and half of my nasty NPCs) but completely unfit for novels. Nonetheless, Ertuu's (complete lack of) badness was not enough to drown these novels; I know I enjoyed them. I suspect that fantasy audiences and fantasy writers have become more sophisticated and discerning over the years, RAS would probably write the novel (and Ertuu) very differently today than he did 23 years ago.

[/Ayrik]

Edited by - Ayrik on 27 Mar 2011 10:43:29
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Chosen of Asmodeus
Master of Realmslore

1221 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  10:53:24  Show Profile  Visit Chosen of Asmodeus's Homepage Send Chosen of Asmodeus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I am probably being unfair to RAS because I don't know how much of this was his direct imput and how much was the company maintaining its policy against villains coming out on top. I'll also admit that while I can't call myself a fan, the Icewind Dale trilogy was enjoyable and did have its moments. At times it was overly cheesy, and I often didn't buy into some of the character motivations, but I can't call the books "bad" and I didn't hate them. Errtu, though, was a complete disappointment.

"Then I saw there was a way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven"
- John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress

Fatum Iustum Stultorum. Righteous is the destiny of fools.

The Roleplayer's Gazebo;
http://theroleplayersgazebo.yuku.com/directory#.Ub4hvvlJOAY
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