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Killashandra
Acolyte
South Africa
24 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Nov 2005 : 10:06:37
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Oooooo, Elaith story.....now how can we put enough pressure on our friends at WotC to convince them to commision it from Elaine?
Having just finished Dreamspheres, this would be an awesome time to let me know there's more coming!! |
He's not evil, he's just...alternativly aligned.
A Kiwi fruit: Take a hamster, shave it's hair so that only stubble remains, cut off it's head and feet and there you go! |
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Starblade
Acolyte
5 Posts |
Posted - 10 Nov 2005 : 08:05:00
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Hi I'm new around and I just found this post on one of my favorite authors. After reading though all the post I decided to post some of my thoughts and ask a few questions.
I really enjoy all of EC's books but I really love the character of Danilo Than. He's such a great creation. I really enjoy his interactions with the serious characters like Khelben and Elaith. The scenes with Elaith using the Danilo's sword singing bawdry bar songs and Danilo defending Elaith’s innocence in Realms of Mystery story are just some of the scenes that have made me laugh out loud which is very rare. The only other authors that have managed it are Dave Barry, Lois McMaster Bujold and Jim Butcher. It's a shame that there isn't going to be any books following him around or any of your other FR creations. Oh well on to some questions.
1) For the Elaith proposals I'd want to see would be Elaith's return to his lands and/or Elaith finding out about his son. Does the urge to write about your characters happen often or was this a once in a blue moon thing? Have you written other stuff for some other characters that isn't published?
2)According to your thoughts on the moonblades were you setting up Elaith's daughter to die if she tried to claim the moonblade. Would Arylin's moonblade reject her if it was truly healed or is half elf heritage different? I don't know if this is rpg rule thing or not since I only read the fiction side of Forgotten Realms.
3) What's with Tor and "Shadow in Darkness" series. I recently bought it but I knew nothing about it until I found your website. The Tor website doesn’t even have it on it's publishing schedule which is out of date. I enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the next one yet it seemed shorter than your usual books. Were you under a page limit or was it your decision?
4) I saw a lot of urban Fantasy writers on your current list of favorites and was wondering if you have read Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" or William Mark Simmon's "One Foot in the Grave" series?
It's so cool that you answer fan's questions. Thanks for any reply.
Your fan and currently waiting for any of your books to come out.
Mehul |
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Killashandra
Acolyte
South Africa
24 Posts |
Posted - 11 Nov 2005 : 05:52:04
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| I've got one question to tack onto that list. Given what happenend in Dreamspheres, would you see Elaith as still more of a sometimes-does-the-right-thing-villain or a very-very-extremely-dark-hero? Not that you can really box Elaith up like that, but which of the two would you say he is closer to now? |
He's not evil, he's just...alternativly aligned.
A Kiwi fruit: Take a hamster, shave it's hair so that only stubble remains, cut off it's head and feet and there you go! |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2005 : 20:16:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Starblade
Hi I'm new around and I just found this post on one of my favorite authors. After reading though all the posts I decided to post some of my thoughts and ask a few questions.
Welcome to Candlekeep, Starblade! You really read through ALL the posts? All 43 pages of them? Egad. That's got to be some sort of record. :)
quote:
1) For the Elaith proposals I'd want to see would be Elaith's return to his lands and/or Elaith finding out about his son. Does the urge to write about your characters happen often or was this a once in a blue moon thing? Have you written other stuff for some other characters that isn't published?
The urge to write about established characters comes and goes. Sometimes it's fairly complicated. Take Elaith, for example. I've been in an Elaith mood recently because he was a secondary character in City of Splendors, and the focus of a short story in a recent Dragon Magazine (Issue #335). Also, he's the closest thing to an "iconic character" in my books, and I suspect that a book focusing on Elaith would be of interest to readers. There's a strong trend toward dark characters these days, and it's my feeling that Elaith's time has come. But sometimes the urge to return to a character is triggered by a small thing--the seed of a story idea, a perfect title, a "screen short" from a scene. Sometimes a plot twist pops into my head and suddenly I'm dying to work it work. Recently I had a truly ironic notion that would take Liriel's story in a whole new direction. When such things happen, I open up my folder marked "Ideas," create a new file, and put the idea on "paper." Sometimes I get to come back to them, sometimes not. And yes, there are things written about some of my characters that haven't been published.
quote:
2)According to your thoughts on the moonblades were you setting up Elaith's daughter to die if she tried to claim the moonblade. Would Arylin's moonblade reject her if it was truly healed or is half elf heritage different? I don't know if this is rpg rule thing or not since I only read the fiction side of Forgotten Realms.
Stay tuned--I hope to answer this question in more detail in the near future.
quote:
3) What's with Tor and "Shadow in Darkness" series. I recently bought it but I knew nothing about it until I found your website. The Tor website doesn’t even have it on it's publishing schedule which is out of date. I enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the next one yet it seemed shorter than your usual books. Were you under a page limit or was it your decision?
About the Tor website: From your lips to the webmaster's ears. A few months ago I pointed this out to a Tor editor, who told me that the website is in need of an update. Also Shadows in the Darkness is something of a departure for me. It's a mainstream book, but it has fantasy elements and is pretty close to some of the paranormal fantasy/romance crossovers. For some reason this book fell between the cracks and wasn't listed ANYWHERE on the website. As for page length, this was dictated by the book packager, The Literary Guild, who came up with the basic idea for Gwen Gellman and hired me to write her story. The tone, the names of the main characters, and the opening incident were also specified by LG. The rest you can blame on me. :)
quote:
4) I saw a lot of urban Fantasy writers on your current list of favorites and was wondering if you have read Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" or William Mark Simmon's "One Foot in the Grave" series?
Not yet, but I plan to. There's a LOT of urban fantasy out there, and I'm still fairly new to this sub-genre. I recently started reading Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackpole books, and those are fun. I'm thinking about starting another modern fantasy series, one that's entirely my own (the Gwen books have a shared copyright.) But that's probably enough said about my non-FR stuff, lest we draw down the wrath of the all-seeing moderator. :) If you have any other questions that are off-topic for this board, feel free to drop me an email.
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Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 13 Nov 2005 20:18:33 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2005 : 20:20:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Killashandra
I've got one question to tack onto that list. Given what happenend in Dreamspheres, would you see Elaith as still more of a sometimes-does-the-right-thing-villain or a very-very-extremely-dark-hero? Not that you can really box Elaith up like that, but which of the two would you say he is closer to now?
Hmmm. I'd say it's probably six of one, half dozen of the other.  |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2005 : 17:15:00
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Well met Elaine.
I just popped in to give ye some praise :)
I just finished Evermeet:Island of elves (a bit overdue i know) and i was (nearly) blown away by this massive work of art.
I am an active roleplayer, and has been since early 90`s. As the players in our ongoing campaign is both moon elves, we`ve used your exquisite novel as our look-up bible for things unknown about elves, elven society and relations for the last month.
This book serves us in the same way Cormyr a novel did for us in its day.
I just have to say; Great job! It is truly satisfying to see artists like you get into the works so profoundly. And it makes it a hell of a lot easier for a DM to explain all things elven to eager roleplayers.
You are hereby promoted to my GA (Godlike-author) list among several of the finest the realms have seen, like bob salvatore, james lowder, paul kemp and richard baker.
Keep up the good work Elaine.. and dish out a Elaith book soon!
respect -Stig- |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2005 : 23:58:49
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Hi, Elfinblade. Glad to hear that you enjoyed EVERMEET.
I'm still hopeful about the prospects of an Elaith book, and promise to leap on the first opportunity with all four feet.
Err... Oh, never mind...
ec |
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Ethriel
Learned Scribe
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 20 Nov 2005 : 17:59:47
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Well, Elaine, I'm thrilled you've got some new stories in the works. My questions for you are: Will we see the plots between Bronwyn and Dag Zorreth wrapped up?
And: Will we finally see the conclusion of the plots with the Thione women, Hhune and a possible reappearance from your most wicked villain Kymil himself? (I've been wanting him to get his for ages now, I hope he'll make some kind of appearance in Songs and Swords)
Thanks a lot for returning to this, Elaine. any plot or character details you can reveal? |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 20 Nov 2005 : 18:35:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Ethriel
My questions for you are: Will we see the plots between Bronwyn and Dag Zorreth wrapped up?
And: Will we finally see the conclusion of the plots with the Thione women, Hhune and a possible reappearance from your most wicked villain Kymil himself? (I've been wanting him to get his for ages now, I hope he'll make some kind of appearance in Songs and Swords)
Thanks a lot for returning to this, Elaine. any plot or character details you can reveal?
While I'd love to answer all these questions in detail, I really can't give much info on either the upcoming novel or short story. All of these story threads are very much on my mind, and I hope to address them all in one way or another, sooner or later.
I really hate being so vague, but at this point, the story is still in development. |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 20 Nov 2005 : 21:20:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Ethriel
Well, Elaine, I'm thrilled you've got some new stories in the works. My questions for you are: Will we see the plots between Bronwyn and Dag Zorreth wrapped up?
And: Will we finally see the conclusion of the plots with the Thione women, Hhune and a possible reappearance from your most wicked villain Kymil himself? (I've been wanting him to get his for ages now, I hope he'll make some kind of appearance in Songs and Swords)
Thanks a lot for returning to this, Elaine. any plot or character details you can reveal?
I dont envy Elaines job of tying up all the loose ends
Theres the Thione family to be dealt with (both mother and Daughter)
Theres the child Elaith had with Arilyns mother (This actually makes Elaiths Moonblade very Dangerous for his daughter, due to the short story in Dragon we know that his daughter (a sun elf) wants
to claim it. Elaith may well decide that she can bUT only after he dies (This means that the worse that could happan is she ends up with a dead moonblade because she would be the last of her family) however with the other child out there........
Then of cause theres whats going to happan with Arilyn when she finds out Blackstaff and Danilio have been holding out on her half brother (and just how many of Blackstaff apprentices it will take to break Arilyns grip on Blackstaffs throat!). I dont imagine Elaiths will have to much love for Danilo or the Blackstaff either when he finds out!
Dag/Maligor/Gareth Cormaeril vs Brownwyn plot needs resolving (it will be interesting to see what happans to Algorind)
Elaine I think you may need to hit the book department up for Evermeet length book! 
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“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 20 Nov 2005 : 22:27:16
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| We can always hope that what happened to Katherine Kerr recently happens to Elaine - after a lot of though her editors call up and tell her, "Um...I don't think we can fit all this into one book, you'll have to write two." (Not exact quote, but the effect is the same.) |
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 |
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Killashandra
Acolyte
South Africa
24 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2005 : 08:03:16
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| You that kid of Elaith's is also a royal heir and could potentially claim the Moonflower blade. For that matter, he could claim Arilyn's blade. Interesting thought isn't it? Elaith's son on Evermeet's throne... |
He's not evil, he's just...alternativly aligned.
A Kiwi fruit: Take a hamster, shave it's hair so that only stubble remains, cut off it's head and feet and there you go! |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2005 : 15:55:19
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| Well, as long as he wasn't raised by Elaith, chances are he shouldn't be too bad if Amlaruil ever decides to start aging again. |
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 |
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Killashandra
Acolyte
South Africa
24 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2005 : 07:41:06
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Well, if I remember correctly, ...Arilyn's mother, not trusting myself with the spelling...wanted to have him raised away from court but available should he be needed. At least, that's the impression I got from the conversation between her and her brother (still not trusting myself with spelling).
Elaine? Am I interpreting that conversation correctly? |
He's not evil, he's just...alternativly aligned.
A Kiwi fruit: Take a hamster, shave it's hair so that only stubble remains, cut off it's head and feet and there you go! |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2005 : 11:05:23
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quote:
Dag/Maligor/Gareth Cormaeril vs Brownwyn plot needs resolving (it will be interesting to see what happans to Algorind)
Algorind was one of my favourite characters in that book. it will indeed be interesting to see if Elaine can meld him into a story sometime :) |
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Naeryndam
Learned Scribe
USA
115 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2005 : 22:48:36
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Mrs. Cunningham-
Can you tell me what King Zalathorm's surname is? I don't remeber seeing it in the novels and I was wondering if you had come up with one or if you could now? |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31716 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2005 : 00:07:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Naeryndam
Mrs. Cunningham-
Can you tell me what King Zalathorm's surname is? I don't remeber seeing it in the novels and I was wondering if you had come up with one or if you could now?
As I recall, Zalathorm's (first name? -- Zalathorm was perhaps his last name) hasn't been specified in either the novels or sourcebooks.
Elaine will likely have more...
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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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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2005 : 12:17:18
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Naeryndam
Mrs. Cunningham-
Can you tell me what King Zalathorm's surname is? I don't remeber seeing it in the novels and I was wondering if you had come up with one or if you could now?
As I recall, Zalathorm's (first name? -- Zalathorm was perhaps his last name) hasn't been specified in either the novels or sourcebooks.
Elaine will likely have more...
The only name given in the lore is Zalathorm, and I since I did add to the official lore when I had the chance, I'd better refrain from doing so now. :) Perhaps the next person to write about Halruaa will shed some light on this.
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Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 26 Nov 2005 16:36:09 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31716 Posts |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2005 : 16:38:27
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hey Elaine, you quoted mine and Naer's posts, but you didn't leave a reply of your own?
Oops.
I wrote a response, tried to post it, got a "you're not signed in" message, hit back space, signed in, reposted. Didn't realize that this process removed the new part of the message.
Live and learn, and other songs from the same album.
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2005 : 17:44:49
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Naeryndam
Mrs. Cunningham-
Can you tell me what King Zalathorm's surname is? I don't remeber seeing it in the novels and I was wondering if you had come up with one or if you could now?
As I recall, Zalathorm's (first name? -- Zalathorm was perhaps his last name) hasn't been specified in either the novels or sourcebooks.
Elaine will likely have more...
The only name given in the lore is Zalathorm, and I since I did add to the official lore when I had the chance, I'd better refrain from doing so now. :) Perhaps the next person to write about Halruaa will shed some light on this.
Wizards don't need surnames once they've gotten good enough at what they do. And the same goes for kings, but without the bit about being good at what they do being necessary. And seeing as Zalathorm is both... |
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 |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2005 : 21:00:23
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Well met, Elaine and all scholars!
What follows is the beginning of a series of questions I asked in the Sages of Realmslore chamber (not to be confused with the Chamber of Sages!):
quote:
I'm slowly working my through Evermeet: Island of Elves and I am wondering where in Faerun "Atorrnash" was located (vis-a-vis "modern" landmarks)? I didn't see it on the map of realms in Lost Empires, but that may be because it was primordial by even the standards of Elven realms.
I have many questions about early Elven cities and their ruins, but this scroll seems an appropriate place to duplicate the question which triggered my latest line of research. I shall post the answer to it (if one is forthcoming!) on the other scroll, which is a more appropriate location for the far more general questions I asked than this on Atorrnash.
(As an aside, how is "Atorrnash" pronounced. In Evermeet I saw it divided Ato-rrnash" for a line break, which threw me for a bit of a loop; I thought the syllable break came between the two r's. If the published break is correct and not just a typo, is the "double r" rolled? If the latter, were rolled r's common in early Elvish speech on Faerun, at least among the proto-Drow?)
The kind assistance of the sages is sought, please. Do please help to enlighten me in my intellectual darkness! |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6662 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 05:54:29
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As I understand it, Atorrnash was destroyed in the Sundering, when the elves created Evermeet. The map in LEoF is set in -626 DR - way after that event. Elaine no doubt will give us more. Yay, Elaine!
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36793 Posts |
Posted - 04 Dec 2005 : 07:20:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
(As an aside, how is "Atorrnash" pronounced. In Evermeet I saw it divided Ato-rrnash" for a line break, which threw me for a bit of a loop; I thought the syllable break came between the two r's. If the published break is correct and not just a typo, is the "double r" rolled? If the latter, were rolled r's common in early Elvish speech on Faerun, at least among the proto-Drow?)
I, personally, wouldn't make any pronunciation decisions based on where a word was broken for a line break. Too many times, I've seen a word broken at the wrong place for a line break. Just the other day, I saw I line break that dropped the s off of a pluralized word onto the next line!  |
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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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2005 : 13:19:35
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As George observed, Attornash fell many years before the LEof Map. It's difficult to describe its location in terms of present-day Faerun; in fact, I envisoned its setting as being in the southern area that's usually "off the map" in terms of game lore.
The rule of pronunciation Ed Greenwood usually offers is that every letter in Realmsian words is pronounced; therefore, I would assume that a double r indicates a rolled r, similar to Spanish or Italian. Ignore the syllable break; mostly likely the typesetting program didn't recognize the word (and why should it?) and had a slight hiccough.
As for the Sundering and Evermeet, keep in mind tht much of the ancient lore in the book Evermeet might owe more to myth than history. This is not to say that it isn't "true"--after all, mythology is all about truth--but it might not be historical "fact," and--even more important to many Realms fans--might not be "canon." The Sundering is a Creation Myth, and should be regarded as such. |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2005 : 01:05:05
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
As George observed, Attornash fell many years before the LEof Map. It's difficult to describe its location in terms of present-day Faerun; in fact, I envisoned its setting as being in the southern area that's usually "off the map" in terms of game lore.
The rule of pronunciation Ed Greenwood usually offers is that every letter in Realmsian words is pronounced; therefore, I would assume that a double r indicates a rolled r, similar to Spanish or Italian. Ignore the syllable break; mostly likely the typesetting program didn't recognize the word (and why should it?) and had a slight hiccough.
As for the Sundering and Evermeet, keep in mind tht much of the ancient lore in the book Evermeet might owe more to myth than history. This is not to say that it isn't "true"--after all, mythology is all about truth--but it might not be historical "fact," and--even more important to many Realms fans--might not be "canon." The Sundering is a Creation Myth, and should be regarded as such.
Thanks, Elaine.
When I read the story of the Sundering I thought of what was done to Jhamadaath and I was just appalled. It seems like the interloper Elves care nothing at all for "not People;" as if we're animals or little better than animals. Elven rascism seems far worse than the ancient Hellenic distinction between Hellenes and "barbarians" (Greek speakers and those who couldn't speak Greek, whose speech sounded like the "bah-bah" of sheep).
Apropos of creation myths, I remember reading a story of yours (I think) about the creation of Sahaugin. Which was that and in what book is it? |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2005 : 04:20:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
Apropos of creation myths, I remember reading a story of yours (I think) about the creation of Sahaugin. Which was that and in what book is it?
That would be in the anthology Realms of the Arcane. |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2005 : 01:33:44
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
Apropos of creation myths, I remember reading a story of yours (I think) about the creation of Sahaugin. Which was that and in what book is it?
That would be in the anthology Realms of the Arcane.
Mercy buckets! I was about to buy the wrong book. |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2006 : 01:35:38
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Hi, folks.
I'm in the process of rebuilding from the computer meltdown of a few months back, and repenting the folly of keeping a mailing list on Outlook Express. The mailing list for my email newsletter went away, so I'm rebuilding it from scratch.
I keep the newsletter simple: just a emal announcing new and upcoming projects, additions to my website, and the occasional bit of market info. There is no set newletter schedule: they will go out every two or three months, or whenever there's something to report.
If you'd be interested in receiving these, please drop me an email at elainecunningham@cox.net.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31716 Posts |
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Questions for Elaine Cunningham
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