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Foxhelm
Senior Scribe
Canada
592 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 15:42:18
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On the show Decoding the Ancients/Secrets of Christianity (Hosted by controversal Simcha Jacobovici) talked about how the slaves of Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius may have advance Christianity more then most evangelists at the time. One point he was pointing out graphifti which pointed at christian slaves in brothel converting the Romans who visited them.
Which is making me ask have slaves in the realms ever attempted or succeeded in converting their master to their religion?
Have feasthall men and/or women ever succeeded in converting their patron to their gods?
Even if it's just as an additional god to worship. Also in the above, have any of them succeeded in converting their master/patron to take their god as a patron? |
Ed Greenwood! The Solution... and Cause of all the Realms Problems! |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 16:17:02
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Hi again, all.
CorellonsDevout, I'm sorry, but the answer to your Sundering dating/unfinished current events queries must, for now, be NDA.
Ed adds: "A LOT of planning and discussion has gone into, and is continuing to go into, the Sundering Saga. See the movie about our first planning summit that was shown as part of the GenCon Keynote address. So, yes, we ARE thinking about such matters."
So saith Ed. And I'm afraid that's all you're likely to get right now.
love,
THO |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 16:29:55
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Hi again, everyone. Re. these, from Foxhelm: "Which is making me ask have slaves in the realms ever attempted or succeeded in converting their master to their religion?
Have feasthall men and/or women ever succeeded in converting their patron to their gods?
Even if it's just as an additional god to worship. Also in the above, have any of them succeeded in converting their master/patron to take their god as a patron?"
Ed replies:
I suppose it's inevitable that many folks will continue to "see" the Realms in terms of real-world competing montheistic religions. To reiterate: in the Realms, everyone (with rare exceptions who are seen as less than sane) "believes in" (and worships) ALL the gods. A small handful of the populace (less than five percent) dedicates themselves to one god above all others. (Because the game has clerics/priests and paladins as character classes, and healing is a power of such individuals and is incredibly useful, and because organized faiths have wide social effects in the Realms, we pay more attention to zealots/one-deity-above-all persons than we otherwise would.)
So there's not really such a thing as "conversion" in the Realms, as we speak and think of it in the real world. No one has to be convinced of the existence, "rightness," or viability of any deity. There is much debate and differing belief over precedence (in portfolio overlaps) and who's more powerful, and so on, but that debate extends to the gods themselves, and the truths behind such debate and conjecture changes over time (the gods shift in power, portfolio, and even presence).
It is NORMAL for a given individual to shift in their interest, veneration, and dedication to every deity as their lives unfold. Many folks discuss the gods with others - - and others regard faith as a private, personal thing NOT to be discussed outside family or guild (or in some cases, with anyone else).
So saith Ed. Whom I know has watched Simcha's various programs with interest.
love,
THO |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 16:34:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Foxhelm
Have feasthall men and/or women ever succeeded in converting their patron to their gods?
Considering the amount of Sharess-worshiping feasthall workers I'd say it's probably a rather high count. 
Edit:  I did could not see that post above mine from The Hooded One when I made this. And trust me, it took a lot less than five minutes to write the original version of this post. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
Edited by - Kajehase on 06 Sep 2012 19:40:26 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 17:59:34
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I have a question related to this religious open-mindedness: how easy would it be for new faiths to get established in the Realms given how "everyone believes in all the gods?"
I'm thinking specifically of Spelljammer, and how priests from other spheres can only gain spells above 2nd level if their god has a substancial (I think more than 100 people, but I could be misremembering) group of worshippers in the sphere. Given the Realms' inclusiveness, it would seem to me that any faith that wanted to establish itself in Realmspace would be sending clerics to the Realms to take advantage.
Does this work out in practice? Do the gods, or their clergies, take action against interlopers? Do the gods just grant spells to priests of similar ethoi to short-circuit lots of similar competing faiths popping up? Something else?
I'm curious how this "divine inclusiveness" works when you put the Realms in its proper place amongst the many worlds of the phlogiston. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 19:37:36
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[quote]Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again, all.
CorellonsDevout, I'm sorry, but the answer to your Sundering dating/unfinished current events queries must, for now, be NDA.
Ed adds: "A LOT of planning and discussion has gone into, and is continuing to go into, the Sundering Saga. See the movie about our first planning summit that was shown as part of the GenCon Keynote address. So, yes, we ARE thinking about such matters."
So saith Ed. And I'm afraid that's all you're likely to get right now.
love,
THO
[/quote
All right, I understand, but I thought I'd ask :) |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 19:43:46
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again, everyone. Re. these, from Foxhelm: "Which is making me ask have slaves in the realms ever attempted or succeeded in converting their master to their religion?
Have feasthall men and/or women ever succeeded in converting their patron to their gods?
Even if it's just as an additional god to worship. Also in the above, have any of them succeeded in converting their master/patron to take their god as a patron?"
Ed replies:
I suppose it's inevitable that many folks will continue to "see" the Realms in terms of real-world competing montheistic religions. To reiterate: in the Realms, everyone (with rare exceptions who are seen as less than sane) "believes in" (and worships) ALL the gods. A small handful of the populace (less than five percent) dedicates themselves to one god above all others. (Because the game has clerics/priests and paladins as character classes, and healing is a power of such individuals and is incredibly useful, and because organized faiths have wide social effects in the Realms, we pay more attention to zealots/one-deity-above-all persons than we otherwise would.)
So there's not really such a thing as "conversion" in the Realms, as we speak and think of it in the real world. No one has to be convinced of the existence, "rightness," or viability of any deity. There is much debate and differing belief over precedence (in portfolio overlaps) and who's more powerful, and so on, but that debate extends to the gods themselves, and the truths behind such debate and conjecture changes over time (the gods shift in power, portfolio, and even presence).
It is NORMAL for a given individual to shift in their interest, veneration, and dedication to every deity as their lives unfold. Many folks discuss the gods with others - - and others regard faith as a private, personal thing NOT to be discussed outside family or guild (or in some cases, with anyone else).
So saith Ed. Whom I know has watched Simcha's various programs with interest.
love,
THO
That's good to know, actually. I've wondered about that myself sometimes, since some characters do not pay homage to one particularly deity, but maybe several, or none in particular, but will say things like "by the gods!" How does this relate to the wall of the Faithless and the False? Is that reserved for those who don't acknowledge the gods at all or? |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2012 : 20:08:36
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Lady THO,
is there a possibility for Ed to inquire with the folk at WotC whether this site/forum can publish the Candlekeep Compendium as they have previous to the Fan Site policy and the GSL?
It seems there's a deadlock and no information coming forward from the side of WotC (to-date) despite e-mails sent requesting clarification on the situation. We have a bunch of scribes eager to ad more fan-lore to the game setting we love most.
Thanks,
JP
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Tyrant
Senior Scribe
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2012 : 00:09:43
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I have a few questions relating to Illithid in the Realms. Are there any examples of an Illithid (or more than one I suppose) forsaking the ways of it's people (if that's even possible) as far as their preferred diet and generally believing thmeselves better than everything around them? Or barring that any examples of some that at least aren't being "evil" (from a human/demihuman standpoint)?
Some of the RPG material related to Illithids talks about what happens when they implant non humanoid species. Are there any particularly bizarre/odd/powerful combinations in the Realms, past or present?
Finally, related to that last question, have any of the Realms based Illithid ever implanted a dragon of any type? If so, what were the results (aside from possibly looking like Cthulu)? If not, any particular reason why not?
Thanks in advance and apologies if these questions have been asked or if they are specifically covered in an RPG source I don't have (I am mainly a novel reader). |
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
-The Sith Code
Teenage Sith zombies, Tulkh thought-how in the moons of Bogden had it all started? Every so often, the universe must just get bored and decide to really cut loose. -Star Wars: Red Harvest |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2012 : 01:21:59
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Is there anything like the 'Iron Chefs' competition in the Realms? Are there any holidays that are used as 'food fairs' where cooked items could be judged? Do nobles (thinking mostly Suzail ATM) go to great lengths to 'steal' amazing cooks from one another? Do some nobles willingly lend out their servants for events? Are their any non-human races that have the reputation as 'great chefs', and are in-demand?
And now, thanks to other posters, I Have the image in my head of an "Ao's Witness" knocking on doors and bothering folk. 
quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout
That's good to know, actually. I've wondered about that myself sometimes, since some characters do not pay homage to one particularly deity, but maybe several, or none in particular, but will say things like "by the gods!" How does this relate to the wall of the Faithless and the False? Is that reserved for those who don't acknowledge the gods at all or?
Going by realms canon, the only way the 'wall of the faithless' makes any sense is if they were all insane (by Realms standards). On a world where gods manifest all the time, to not believe in them is like not believing in Waterdeep, or the sky.
P.S. - in 5e, please, PLEASE make the 'wall of the faithless' go away. FR has the lower planes - no need for redundant punishments. However, please explain it before getting rid of it (no hand-waves).
*Grammatical edits |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 07 Sep 2012 21:06:52 |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2012 : 06:55:22
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| Ah, okay, thank you for the clarification :) |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2012 : 07:07:54
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| Question for Ed: Being new to this site, I have not learned all the ropes yet, but in the GenCon youtube videos and Erik Scott de Bie's site, it was said that WotC would like to hear from campaigners about what happens in the game, to know what fans like. Being as I mostly read the novels, I don't really have game events to submit, so I was wondering if I could perhaps submit short stories that take place in the Realms, either here or another site where WotC would see, or if I should simply continue to share my opinions here. I'm glad I discovered this site, btw :) |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2012 : 13:55:51
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Ed and Lady Herald:
We have recently been told that "everything realms goes across Ed's desk". I don't think we can appreciate what that means to Ed's time invested here...it is staggering....which leads to my question,
Does this mean Ed had influence or control of what is written about and by who? Or who is added in the future as a realms novelist? Does he get a vote?
This question is very selfish....I want to see our own Brian Cortijo (Garen Thal) get to write about what he loves. I(and most scribes here I think) know he can do it justice. I just hope he gets the chance(soon  ). So I guess I am selfishly hoping the answer is yes on some level.
Thanks for indulging this totally biased query! |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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dravenloft
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2012 : 21:36:23
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| As a premise of the Realms seems to be (have been? i'll admit all my stuff but a few novels are pre-3rd edition) that there are portals scattered hither and yon that might lead one out of or into Faerûn from another plane, and certainly some of our own Earthly gods do a bit of duty on that side of creation already. So, have the Knights ever met someone fresh from a radically different world? Our own for example? Or, pehaps, found themselves transported to such a bizzare and distant elsewhere? |
Space Opera, Planetary Romance, Speculative Fiction and similar by me.
check it out at http://universal-nexus.com |
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Merrith
Learned Scribe
135 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 01:13:55
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THO and Ed, having read Elminster Enraged now, I had a question regarding a revelation in the book. Since it just came out, I won't spoil anything directly if I can word this properly.
Given certain knowledge/revelation regarding the black dragon Alorglauvenemaus in the book, and the earlier events in the short story The Many Murders of Manshoon, I have to ask if certain relatives of Elminster received even more permissions to assume particular identities than they revealed in the short story originally. I hope that makes sense I didn't want to directly spoil anything.
Also regarding, ah, Alorglauvenemaus...will we ever get to hear more about alliances and treacheries that were alluded to in the story? |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 06:25:11
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Hi Ed and THO,
Just finished reading Elminster Enraged and WOW! This has been a great ride over the last couple of years following the Sage of Shadowdale. I can't wait to see what the future holds and when your next novel is released. I did have one question: Will we see how the events of this book interact with Lolth's attempt to create the Demonweave?
Definitely looking forward to snagging Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms next month too!
Thank you. :) |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 17:41:13
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Hello again, all. Ed is at his desk this morning (with the wind and rain lashing down outside), so here’s the first of a string of Realmslore responses from him, this one to Markustay re. this: “Did Mystryl have any Chosen, and if so, could you name any (or at least, where they were from)? Did any of them ever ascend to godhood? (this ties into my previous question).”
Ed replies:
George quite rightly pointed out that NDAs trammel what I can say on this topic right now. So I’ll just give you a teaser. Yes, Mystryl had Chosen.
Full stop, listen for the crickets…
Maniacal booming laughter, turn to next reply on the ceiling-high heap of queries . . .
Sorry, Mark. I’d LOVE to say more, but . . . not yet.
So saith Ed. Who really would, I know the identities of at least two of those Chosen, but you’ll have to whip them out of me. Ahem.
love,
THO
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3287 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 17:57:15
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I just finished Elminster Enraged. All that I can say is WOW!! |
"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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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 18:08:47
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Heh. I must admit, I emitted a "Wow!" of my own when I got to the end of that one. The wheel turns, time marches on, and I lament all the tales of Mirt and the Seven and so on that we might have seen, if fiction publishing matters hadn't taken other courses . . .
Ahem.
Hi again, fellow scribes! This time I bring you Ed of the Greenwood’s response to these linked queries from Hoondatha: “I have a question related to this religious open-mindedness: how easy would it be for new faiths to get established in the Realms given how "everyone believes in all the gods?"
I'm thinking specifically of Spelljammer, and how priests from other spheres can only gain spells above 2nd level if their god has a substantial (I think more than 100 people, but I could be misremembering) group of worshippers in the sphere. Given the Realms' inclusiveness, it would seem to me that any faith that wanted to establish itself in Realmspace would be sending clerics to the Realms to take advantage.
Does this work out in practice? Do the gods, or their clergies, take action against interlopers? Do the gods just grant spells to priests of similar ethoi to short-circuit lots of similar competing faiths popping up? Something else?
I'm curious how this "divine inclusiveness" works when you put the Realms in its proper place amongst the many worlds of the phlogiston.”
Ed replies:
Hi, Hoondatha! Yes, it does work out in practice; faiths do indeed send clerics into Faerûn to found worship of this or that deity in the Realms.
Ao has made it clear that gods aren’t supposed to take direct action against mortal clergy of other faiths (though exceptions are ignored when the particular mortal has been despoiling their altars, murdering their clergy, and so on), but rather to work through their own mortal clergy and lay worshippers (and by manipulating the unwitting). So they do take indirect action against interlopers, and do “grant spells to priests of similar ethoi to short-circuit lots of similar competing faiths popping up.”
What usually happens is that established clergy pass of news of a “new” deity as an aspect of an established god, or a heresy/misunderstanding of the deeds of a servitor or exarch, and things get confused as all rumors and spreading news do, and it’s rare that new faiths soar into general popularity and widespread recognition. Rather, new faiths remain small and localized and sometimes “underground”/secretive (giving a DM lots of leeway in creating “secret societies” and “local cults,” or reinterpreting such things as the Beast Cults).
None of which means any DM has to feel any constraint on what they do with the gods in their own Realms campaign. About the only thing I’d label as “wrong” is someone saying, “No one has ever heard of Tempus or Chauntea or Bane in my Realms.” (That doesn’t mean Tempus, Chauntea, or Bane has to be onstage in their Realms, or have the relative power and portfolios they’re presented with in the canon Realms).
So saith Ed, who moonlights as Ao when certain wizards hailing from a coast aren’t wearing that particular set of mask, tights, and cape.
love,
THO
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 19:56:48
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| This is all good information to know :) |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 20:30:52
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Hi again, all!
Ed’s still firing replies my way, so here’s the latest.
To CorellonsDevout, Ed says:
By all means, keep right on asking about anything and everything. Sometimes my replies reveal more than I can say directly.
And to CorellonsDevout’s question: “That's good to know, actually. I've wondered about that myself sometimes, since some characters do not pay homage to one particular deity, but maybe several, or none in particular, but will say things like "by the gods!" How does this relate to the wall of the Faithless and the False? Is that reserved for those who don't acknowledge the gods at all or?”
Ed replies:
The Wall of the Faithless and the False are for those who repudiate some or all of the gods, or seek to defy “the system” (usually because they have become insane) by denying that the gods and faith have any usefulness or validity at all - - or who assert that EVERYTHING mortals know about the gods is utterly wrong because the gods deceive mortals habitually, all the time, about all matters. It is more of a threat to living mortals than a popular, heavily-populated destination, and in the past the ranks of the tortured entities there have been raided by deities and mighty-in-magic individuals (such as certain archwizards, dragons, and others) for “raw materials” (sentiences) to empower new creature creations. Which is a topic I shouldn’t elaborate more on, just now.
So saith Ed. Revealer of long-slumbering secrets today, I see.
love to all,
THO
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 20:53:59
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And Hello AGAIN, everyone.
This time Ed answers Mumadar Ibn Huzal, re. this: “Lady THO,
is there a possibility for Ed to inquire with the folk at WotC whether this site/forum can publish the Candlekeep Compendium as they have previous to the Fan Site policy and the GSL?
It seems there's a deadlock and no information coming forward from the side of WotC (to-date) despite e-mails sent requesting clarification on the situation. We have a bunch of scribes eager to ad more fan-lore to the game setting we love most.
Thanks,
JP”
The words of Ed:
I’ll certainly ask. I have found the Compendium enjoyable, worthy, and useful, though obviously any publishing company must regard something they don’t edit/control as unofficial. I don’t know why “unofficial” would also mean “unavailable,” so I’ll inquire (and, since GenCon, I THINK I know whom I should ask, though I won’t share that in case I’m wrong). My hunch, however, is that a swift reply may not be forthcoming.
So saith Ed. So as usual, time will unfold, and (eventually) we’ll see . . .
love,
THO |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 21:59:13
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Thank you, Ed & THO for that unexpected answer* to my Mystryl question, and also for the other lore answers you've given.
*"Unexpected" in that it was answered at all, not in the answer itself. |
"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 - 08 Sep 2012 : 22:19:20
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Hi again, everyone!
Markustay, you're very welcome, and ED says the same (and adds: "And I just wish I could say more!")
I bring to the Keep another lore reply from Ed, this time to Tyrant’s queries: “I have a few questions relating to Illithid in the Realms. Are there any examples of an Illithid (or more than one I suppose) forsaking the ways of its people (if that's even possible) as far as their preferred diet and generally believing themselves better than everything around them? Or barring that any examples of some that at least aren't being "evil" (from a human/demihuman standpoint)?
Some of the RPG material related to Illithids talks about what happens when they implant non humanoid species. Are there any particularly bizarre/odd/powerful combinations in the Realms, past or present?
Finally, related to that last question, have any of the Realms based Illithid ever implanted a dragon of any type? If so, what were the results (aside from possibly looking like Cthulhu)? If not, any particular reason why not?
Thanks in advance and apologies if these questions have been asked or if they are specifically covered in an RPG source I don't have (I am mainly a novel reader).”
Ed replies:
Yes, many illithids over the years have forsaken eating human brains in favour of other diets, and working with human thoughts and memories in other ways. As it happens, I wrote about one such example of this VERY recently, but NDAs prevent me from sharing. Yet.
A few illithids have gained enough experience and been mentally flexible enough (as opposed to iron-hard and unwavering, which also means unlikely to shift world-views and see things differently) to come to view the position of themselves and their race in the Realms differently from the view held by most mind flayers (that other beings are lesser cattle, to be “used” at will).
A few alhoon (illithiliches) come to such a mind-shift after attaining lichdom, as the inevitable chemical shifts in their brains bring about mental changes - - but more alhoon simply go insane, rather than achieving a new world-view.
Yes, there are some benevolent illithids, though these tend to be reclusive and well-hidden, or magically disguised into other shapes they “wear” almost all the time, just to avoid constant attacks or hostility from others who see their mind flayer bodies and react accordingly. At least one longterm-in-print “human” NPC of the Realms is actually one of these disguised illithids.
Yes, illithids have taken over the minds of (and in some cases shared the bodies of, having lost or abandoned their own) all sorts of creatures, from the comical wingless wonder and flumph to the mightiest dragons, but I’m going to be coy about just which ones are favourites/repeatedly popular, or work best, other than to say: mind flayers take pleasure in defeating and dominating strong minds (it’s a challenge, whereas controlling a sheep is so easy that there’s almost no satisfaction in doing so), but strong-minded creatures seldom make the best long-term thralls, because the illithid must either “break” such a mind to conquer it, or continually battle it, risking it rebelling whenever the illithid is busy with other matters. Many illithids instigate or take over breeding programs among other races (including humans) to manipulate the affairs and society of those other races, and to provide themselves with ample future stock for thralls.
Details? Ah, not yet. There are some tales to tell, first.
So saith Ed. Hinting menacingly at the end, there. Of course, that’s the delight and frustration of the Realms: there are always more stories waiting to be told than the publisher has time and resources to devote to.
May it be ever thus.
love,
THO
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2012 : 23:48:32
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Hi again, everyone. Ed seems to be energetically working his way through the most recent questions posted in this thread, more or less in order. This time I bring you his response to Markustay, re. this: “Is there anything like the 'Iron Chefs' competition in the Realms? Are there any holidays that are used as 'food fairs' where cooked items could be judged? Do nobles (thinking mostly Suzail ATM) go to great lengths to 'steal' amazing cooks from one another? Do some nobles willingly lend out their servants for events? Are their any non-human races that have the reputation as 'great chefs', and are in-demand?
And now, thanks to other posters, I Have the image in my head of an "Ao's Witness" knocking on doors and bothering folk.
P.S. - in 5e, please, PLEASE make the 'wall of the faithless' go away. FR has the lower planes - no need for redundant punishments. However, please explain it before getting rid of it (no hand-waves).”
Ed replies:
Hoo boy. In order: yes, there are competitions like the American version of Iron Chef from time to time in the Realms, usually when a ruler (or sufficiently wealthy noble) wants to replace a cook. By which I mean, a timed challenge competition of various dishes prepared using key common ingredients, not a television show with public judging. :}
The Realmsian competitions are more like this: the judging of dishes is done initially by a hired spellcaster or other “taster” to guard against poisonings, then samples handed to the patron putting on the competition/doing the hiring for their delectation and decision, then what’s left is served to the household/favoured guests of the patron, for their enjoyment.
Most of the festivals around the year are occasions for feasting, and some of them, particularly when they coincide with local market days, are used as a pretext for local cooking competitions, with judging and sometimes prizes (the REAL rewards are orders from customers or local rulers/authorities for supplies of whatever the foodstuff is; savory pies and sausages have long been favourite sorts of “food bought in bulk from an outside supplier” for inns, eateries, “high households,” and barracks/fortresses).
Yes, nobles in Suzail, Waterdeep, and Amn, and self-styled or wannabe “nobles” of Sembia, from time to time engage in heated bidding wars/underhanded feuds/brinksmanship to try to “hire away” or keep outstanding cooks. This sort of thing waxes and wanes with the wealth and enthusiasm of the nobles involved, because being “foremost in food” is a fashion, whereas good cooks are plentiful in Cormyr, and “solid, good, FRESH food from one’s own land or hunt” is usually prized over “the latest exotic foodstuff from far.” A FEW nobles lend out their cooks for events, but this “few” becomes “most” when their royalty requests such loans. It’s a way of showing off and looking good/generous/benevolent, and many nobles don’t want to miss a chance to improve their reputations.
Halflings, kenku, and loxo tend to be thought of as “good cooks” in the human mind in most areas of the Realms, but this is a generalization as accurate as all stereotypes, just as halflings, gnomes, and dwarves are thought of as great brewers and distillers and prodigious drinkers - - but this image may break down when applied to specific individuals.
Heh. Don’t wait up at the door for any Ao’s Witnesses. :}
As for the Wall of the Faithless: you overestimate my powers. Being consulted on most Realms-related stuff doesn’t mean I have the authority to approve or deny the Wall or anything; the Realms is a shared world and the business of presenting it to us all is a shared one, in which the company’s paid staff do the lion’s share of the daily work and of necessity make the lion’s share of unfolding decisions. Yet, don’t stop telling me about what irks you, and why. Scribes who state preferences and back them up with reasons and reasonable arguments get listened to by me and by the folks at Wizards, and we do discuss such things back and forth, and any revamping of the Realms is a good time to tinker with things. The key essential in such tinkerings is that we “get it right” so you don’t feel the result “isn’t the Realms,” or that we’ve left you behind by changing something in the Realms that for you stood at the heart of why you love the setting and what makes you think the Realms is the Realms.
So with all of THAT said, your desire regarding the Wall is heard. I don’t know yet if it will be retained, specifically swept away, or just never mentioned again. A lot of stuff may just never be mentioned again because we only have so much time, space, and wordcount, and the stuff we want to highlight of necessity gets the spotlight. (Yes, I know and daily use the argument about website and PDFs taking away the wordcount problem, but it still takes time to write, design, review, edit, code, and so on.)
Yet, on the other hand (maintaining my moonlighting career as some sort of many-handed octopus), I agree that everything should be explained (however cryptically), that even if gamers and readers don’t get bald explanations of every little change or development, we should know the hows and whys behind the scenes so everything is consistent and so later revelations can be accurate. So if the Wall goes away, you should know why. (“Phlogiston stew AGAIN? Ever since that darned Wall went away, it’s been phlogiston, phlogiston, and more phlogiston! Why can’t we have boiled slugs, like we always used to? At least I had something chewy to hate, then!”) :}
So saith Ed. Still chained to the keyboard, still hammering away late into the night on our common behalf . . .
love to all,
THO
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2012 : 00:15:01
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Wow - only that first paragraph was meant as questions. I truly did not expect any sort of response to those last bits. (the 'Wall' has been an on-going point of contention in many threads over the years, which is the only reason why I would suggest ever 'getting rid of' any part of FR lore).
Anyhow, thanks for the answers to my food questions - I hadn't even considered contests held calling for "all cooks throughout the land", etc. Loxo and Kenku? Now THAT is interesting. I also never thought of Sembians as 'foodies'. Good stuff.
Thanks for all the answers, Ed & THO |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2012 : 00:42:23
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Hello THO and Ed,
I have some questions for you regarding the Eye on the Realms article The Haunted Battlement in Dragon #415:
1) The word Naeth: is this from the Alzhedo language? Is it correct to interpret this word as meaning “the first level below the ground floor of a dwelling?” Or does the word mean something like “cellar” or “dungeon”?
2) The tower called the Eiyaerat at the Phelhelra: is that tower name also a word in Alzhedo or Common (or another language)? If yes, what does it mean?
3) The word “durthdra” (dumbwater): is that Alzhedo?
4) The blades found by adventurers within the Phelhelra that are capable of vaporizing creatures of elemental nature: can you tell us if the adventurers have given a name to these blades or if they’ve since been examined by wizards or sages? Also, can you tell us anything about those adventurers (adventuring company name, personal names, interests, enemies, fates)?
5) The article mentions a place called Karamhond, which is now part of Athkatla. I take it this was a nearby town that Athkatla grew and overtook? If yes, is Karamhond still known as a neighborhood in Athkatla?
I enjoyed this article, particularly the information about elralenth stone and its use as a coating for metal armor.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer all these questions. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2012 : 00:45:54
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Hi again, fellow scribes. Ed’s blizzard of lore replies continues, this time with a reply to CorellonsDevout re. this question: “Being new to this site, I have not learned all the ropes yet, but in the GenCon Youtube videos and Erik Scott de Bie's site, it was said that WotC would like to hear from campaigners about what happens in the game, to know what fans like. Being as I mostly read the novels, I don't really have game events to submit, so I was wondering if I could perhaps submit short stories that take place in the Realms, either here or another site where WotC would see, or if I should simply continue to share my opinions here. I'm glad I discovered this site, btw :)”
Ed replies:
I’m glad you discovered it, too! :}
I regard Candlekeep as a great place for Realms fans to hang out, gripe, suggest things, share lore and suggestions with each other, and generally heal their souls and feel good about the Realms and their love of it. Please continue to share your opinions here, and feel free to stick to them despite other views vociferously voiced. That’s the great part of freedom.
Submitting short stories (though I personally LOVE to read new Realms short stories, and wish they arrived daily without my ever having to write one, even though I ache to write scores of short stories about ideas that occur to me every few minutes of my life) is a no-no, because TSR (and through them, Wizards of the Coast) owns the copyright for the Realms and to protect it, fanfic of all sorts must remain unofficial and discouraged. (I cringe at the thought of reading, say, a rewrite of Fifty Shades of Grey that has Drizzt or any other signature Realms character put into it.)
However, I don’t think anyone is going to kick at scribes discussing characters and situations and relationships and suggesting probable character reactions and even snatches of dialogue while doing so (as an example, “I highly doubt King Azoun would have taken any such suggestion pleasantly. I see him as telling Vangerdahast to go and sit hard on the nearest lancetip, without delay”).
I see that as fair play. Interacting with characters you care about.
Writing paragraphs of finished prose about said characters, though, is over the line. I say this regretfully, wishing very much it were otherwise, but I can’t change the real world to make it “otherwise.”
With that said, there’s nothing at all to stop you writing polished fantasy fiction set in your own world, with all of your own names and places and ideas, hosting it on your own website or better yet getting it published in print form, and just saying later on, “If wishes were horses, Character X would be Elminster and Castle Y would be Waterdeep. But wishes aren’t horses, so they’re not. See how that scene there seems different if they were, though.”
That sort of homage (and sometimes parody) has always gone on in literary circles. However, I expect you’ll find that more you write about your own characters, the more you’ll see them as your own, not copies of characters in the Realms, and want to tell their own stories.
But by all means take your opinions out and ride them hard through the halls of the Keep whenever you feel the need. That’s why these halls are here.
(And thank Alaundo, The Sage, and Wooly Rupert and all the scribes who visit that they are!)
So saith Ed. Who has read a LOT of Realms fiction, published and otherwise.
love,
THO
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2012 : 02:38:51
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Hi again, fellow scribes! I bring you Ed’s response to this post, from The Red Walker: “Ed and Lady Herald,
We have recently been told that "everything Realms goes across Ed's desk". I don't think we can appreciate what that means to Ed's time invested here...it is staggering....which leads to my question,
Does this mean Ed has influence or control of what is written about and by who? Or who is added in the future as a realms novelist? Does he get a vote?
This question is very selfish....I want to see our own Brian Cortijo (Garen Thal) get to write about what he loves. I (and most scribes here I think) know he can do it justice. I just hope he gets the chance (soon). So I guess I am selfishly hoping the answer is yes on some level.
Thanks for indulging this totally biased query!”
Ed replies:
Right now I am a paid consultant of Wizards of the Coast (working from home, thousands of miles away from Renton), and in these last few months have been very heavily involved in all sorts of things Realms related (NDAs prevent me from sharing details, of course). You’re right in thinking I don’t have much spare time, these days. :} However, I'm loving every moment of it, because I get to work on the Realms! Wheeee!
I hope I have some influence over what gets written about, but I certainly don’t have control - - nor would I want it; any one person trying to wield such control inevitably becomes a creative bottleneck. I trust the very capable art director of Wizards to create or source and guide better art than I could, the hard rules designers to design better hard rules than I can, and so on.
With that said, I certainly don’t control who gets to write Realms novels, or the content of those books. Sometimes I get sneak peeks beforehand when an author requests lore help, or in the case of collaborative projects like the Sundering, but I don’t get votes or vetoes.
If I did, Brian would have gotten a trilogy of Cormyr novels (just to start) a decade ago! And, yes, I hope he gets the chance, and soon. I have edited and published Brian when the superb editrix Gabrielle Harbowy and I co-edited WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME, I regard him as THE expert on Cormyr, and I’d love to see him have a long and illustrious literary career (because I’m greedy: I like to read lots of good books, and like them even more when they’re written by friends). I’d be tickled pink if that career took place mostly in the Realms - - and if it can’t, I’ll expect to see Brian’s byline on books doing well that many will love to read (but that I’ll mourn aren’t Realms novels). But then, I also want to see more Realms books by Erik Scott de Bie, and Jaleigh Johnson, and Rosemary Jones, and Jeff and Kate, and - -and - -
So saith Ed. Who very much wants to see Brian-penned Cormyr novels, but truly has no idea how may book slots may be available over the next few years.
Six for the Sundering,
Mighty and major.
Heralding a thousand stories
Riding on into the Realms anew
Everchanging yet changeless,
Brightly ever onward,
Into the mists of the future,
That fall away behind, into
thought so, and told you so . . .
(Hey, I’m an editor, not a poet.) 
love to all,
THO
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Edited by - The Hooded One on 09 Sep 2012 02:40:45 |
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Tyrant
Senior Scribe
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2012 : 02:52:45
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Thank you Ed and THO. I know Ed had stressed repeatedly that no race is monolithic in it's outlook/habits/culture but it seemed to me the Illithid faced a particularly difficult situation when it came to their diet if they desired to be unlike their kin. The comments about the Alhoon are particularly interesting and I have a follow up of sorts for that when Ed has the time.
I was buying some Realms RPG books off of Ebay about a year and a half ago and the seller also had some other D&D odds and ends that I picked up to check out. One was an older Monster Manual (though it wasn't called a Monster Manual and I don't have it handy to see what it was actually called). This book featured a Psionic Lich, which I had not heard of up to that point. So, given the psionic nature of the Illithid, do any of them pursue Psionic lichdom over Arcane lichdom? If so, are they still referred to as Alhoon (or Illithilich)or would there be a different title? And finally, is there any advantage/disadvantage/noticeable difference between the two types? |
Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
-The Sith Code
Teenage Sith zombies, Tulkh thought-how in the moons of Bogden had it all started? Every so often, the universe must just get bored and decide to really cut loose. -Star Wars: Red Harvest |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2012)
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