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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2007 : 15:52:30
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Interesting.
Would it be possible for you to share with us a brief listing of some of Danilo's "bawdy/silly/serious" works that perhaps haven't been mentioned in any of your novels?
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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 - 18 Jun 2007 : 16:38:06
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quote: Originally posted by The Sage Would it be possible for you to share with us a brief listing of some of Danilo's "bawdy/silly/serious" works that perhaps haven't been mentioned in any of your novels?
Off the top of my head? Here's the stuff that's mentioned in the novels.
Bawdy/silly:
Elminster's Jest Eulogy for a Paladin Sune and the Satyr Elfsong (the ballad sung in the last chapter of novel by that name)
Serious:
The Ghostmist Maiden
Then there's the conversationally-inclined singing sword in Windwalker, which is a product of Dan's spellcasting.
Songs that haven't been listed in the novels... Hmmm. It has been nearly fifteen years since I wrote Elfsong, which was when I was most active with Realms-related songs. I played around with a lot of ideas, but nothing that became finished songs.
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2007 : 16:36:20
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Hi, folks.
I'm going to be mostly offline while I finish up some projects and rethink my online activities. I can still be reached by email, but I've put my LJ blog on hold, bowed out of the shared-authors-writing-as-their-paranormal-character blog "Magical Minxes," and I'd like to request that the mod or admin lock this thread.
Wishing you sweet water and light laughter, ec |
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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2007 : 17:13:55
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Best of luck with your literary endeavors, Mrs. Cunningham. I am sure that I speak for everyone here at Candlekeep when I say that we look forward to your return to these halls.
Respectfully, Penknight |
Telethian Phoenix Pathfinder Reference Document |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2007 : 18:02:25
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quote: Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Hi, folks.
I'm going to be mostly offline while I finish up some projects and rethink my online activities. I can still be reached by email, but I've put my LJ blog on hold, bowed out of the shared-authors-writing-as-their-paranormal-character blog "Magical Minxes," and I'd like to request that the mod or admin lock this thread.
Wishing you sweet water and light laughter, ec
Locked. We hope to see you come back soon! |
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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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2008 : 15:04:34
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Per a request from Elaine, this thread is now once more open! I'm sure I'm not the only one happy to see this. |
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 - 04 Jan 2008 : 15:16:51
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Hello again!
First off, I should probably admit that I'm opening this thread with some misgivings. One of the reasons I had it closed six months ago was my reluctance to say over and over, “Sorry, but I can’t answer that.” So before going any further, it might be a good idea to set some parameters as to what I can and can't address.
- I cannot and will not answer questions about stories than have not yet been published. NDA restrictions apply.
- Ed Greenwood can add new lore and fill in blanks, but I am not able to speculate on matters not yet covered by published material. For one thing, I tend toward a conservative interpretation of the NDA clauses on my contracts; for another, I am not as fast or prolific a writer as Ed. There is no possible way I could answer such questions as, “How has the faith of Eilistraee changed over the past 4000 years, where have the main enclaves of Eilistraee followers been located, and how did the locals respond to these enclaves?” That’s a book, not a message board post.
- I will not comment on 4e, mostly because what isn’t covered by NDA is shrouded by my own ignorance. I’m a freelance writer, not a WotC insider, and I'm definitely on the outside of this issue. Which is fine. Since the events of RECLAMATION took place before the timeframe leading up to 4e, I haven’t needed to know much about it.
Finally, just because this is a Q&A thread, it doesn’t follow that all posts have to be questions. I'm open to a discussion of related ideas and themes, as long as it's relevant to the Realms.
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Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 04 Jan 2008 15:27:51 |
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2008 : 15:37:35
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Elaine Cunningham - A warm and friendly welcome back!
I have not read a single novel of yours yet, therefore discussing them won't be my part. I will return once I have done so. After all, I have two books of yours on my shelf, ready and waiting to be read. However, I am glad you returned anyhow and greet you with kind words.
May the Lady of the Forest guide your steps around these halls as she has done before, I am sure of that. And may the great Lord of Knowledge an d Binder of what is known grant you his blessing as long as you stroll through the Keep and beyond.
And while I am at it: Congratulations to your 1000+ posts! Reflects your dedication to this community as does your return.
'Sweet water and light laughter til we meet again.' (sounds familiar, aye...?)
Ergdusch
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"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
Edited by - Ergdusch on 04 Jan 2008 15:43:40 |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2008 : 15:59:45
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Thanks for your kind words, Ergdusch.
I rather hope that the books on your shelf are NOT the German translations of the Counselors & Kings books, for I hear that these are not particularly stellar. On the other hand, they might be just fine. I have no basis on which to evaluate, since I don't read German well enough to judge their merits for myself. Sad, but true.
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2008 : 17:13:19
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quote: Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Thanks for your kind words, Ergdusch.
I rather hope that the books on your shelf are NOT the German translations of the Counselors & Kings books, for I hear that these are not particularly stellar. On the other hand, they might be just fine. I have no basis on which to evaluate, since I don't read German well enough to judge their merits for myself. Sad, but true.
Oh, my dear! No no - never would I even bother looking for translations of your books. I have Elfsong and Elfshadow in line of reading. But you are right, I have been warned by others of the Councelors & kings translations too. However, this might hold true for other FR novels as well, e.g. the Avatar trilogy. The german translations of most FR books seems to be are done rather poorly. A fact I truely hold against the publisher 'Feder & Schwert'. But than again I have not read that many and this might not hold true for all.... |
"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
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Vangelor
Learned Scribe
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 19:04:18
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Welcome back, Elaine!
I understand you cannot discuss stories not yet published, but I would like to ask one about the writing process.
I am sure we are all very excited by the upcoming release of Reclamation and won't pester you for spoilers.
What I would like to know is, did you have this novel more-or-less written beforehand, or did you write it once you got the contract?
Given the span of time since your previous Song & Shadow novels, have you found your attitude toward the characters has changed?
How did it feel to come back to this storyline? Do you feel you had a good chance to wrap it up, or given your druthers, is there more to tell? |
"Who cannot draw upon three thousand years is living from hand to mouth." - Goethe |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jan 2008 : 00:13:17
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Hi, Vangelor.
quote: Originally posted by Vangelor What I would like to know is, did you have this novel more-or-less written beforehand, or did you write it once you got the contract?
Well, yes and no. I started writing this book as soon as I turned in the final revision of THE DREAM SPHERES. Then time passed. And more time. I pitched the sequel several times, but no nibbles. After several years of this, I came to the conclusion that this was not to be and I deleted the file. And then more time passed, enough of it that I forget that I deleted the file. Then I got the contract to write this book, and started from scratch. Then I started from scratch at least twice more. This has been a long, bumpy road.
quote: Given the span of time since your previous Song & Shadow novels, have you found your attitude toward the characters has changed?
John Truby, a well known writing instructor and screen writers, advises writers to go with their best characters. Over time, I've realized that Elaith Craulnober is probably the most compelling character in the Songs & Swords series. And I've come to the conclusion that Danilo, who has long been my favorite character, is at his best when playing a supporting role.
quote: How did it feel to come back to this storyline? Do you feel you had a good chance to wrap it up, or given your druthers, is there more to tell?
The story I started writing is NOT a story that wraps things up. I rewrote this story several times before I felt it dealt with moonblade continuity AND wrapped up the story in a manner I considered satisfying.
Thanks for asking.
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 13:20:39
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Today is the street date for REALMS OF WAR, the latest Forgotten Realms anthology. You should be able to find it in your local bookstore; if you cannot, rather than ordering online, please consider asking your bookseller to stock it.
Booksellers are happy to order a book for you, and often a show of interest will prompt them to order additional copies for the store. I was reminded of this the other day when I asked the bookseller in the local indy to order a copy of Carrie Vaughn's latest Kitty Norville book for me. He looked up the book and discovered that it was available in the warehouse and shipping a lot of copies. He decided to order for the store, as well.
There's no guarantee that a book that gets to a bookstore will find its way into a reader's hands, but the likelihood is far greater than if the book stays in the warehouse. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 13:41:16
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You deleted the file? Oh, my... Though I've been making a serious effort to get away from my former packrat mentality (it's amazing how a fire can help with that! ), I've not gotten so far as to extend that trend to data. Thank Lurue for high capacity hard drives -- I've got one partition dedicated to just holding stuff I'm not quite ready to delete (admittedly, if I ever took the time to go thru it, I'm sure I could shave off several gigs of space).
Ever since I got into writing, I've not destroyed anything that I hadn't made a copy of. The fire did claim some of the stuff I'd not transferred to computer, and that really draws vacuum, but that was a bit beyond my control. I've kept everything else because you never know when some part of a paragraph or some idea may suddenly spawn something quite new and interesting. |
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 - 08 Jan 2008 : 13:52:46
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That's a good practice, Wooly. I'm not always as good at backing up and storing material as I should be. At one point, I had a tremendous amount of material on the history of the elves in the Realms, the result of research done for Evermeet. I'd gathered every scrap of info I could find, from books and game supplements and comic books and the volumous email correspondence between me and several Sages of the Realms. All of that disappeared. Alas. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36805 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jan 2008 : 14:43:32
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I'd been meaning to get into some sort of archiving system, but it was only with the fire (and the loss of a computer, in said fire) that I got serious about it. I bought an external hard drive that I keep at work*. Periodically, I take it home, sync up all the files, and then take it back to work.
There's a lot of archiving methods out there. Mine is just simple and cheap.
*This is in addition to the external hard drive that resides at work -- it holds copies of most of my MP3s, various files (including a lot of D&D stuff!), and, after a recent server crash, backups of my user drive and my installs folder from the network. |
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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Vangelor
Learned Scribe
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 01:29:25
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quote: Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Today is the street date for REALMS OF WAR, the latest Forgotten Realms anthology. You should be able to find it in your local bookstore; if you cannot, rather than ordering online, please consider asking your bookseller to stock it.
There's no guarantee that a book that gets to a bookstore will find its way into a reader's hands, but the likelihood is far greater than if the book stays in the warehouse.
Indeed! Although my local bookstore does seem to stock FR titles from a variety of authors. I have only just now picked up Realms of the Elves, however, so I have plenty of catching up to do. But I will look for this, and order it from them if need be.
quote: ...I got the contract to write this book, and started from scratch. Then I started from scratch at least twice more. This has been a long, bumpy road.
Oh, yes, it sounds like it.
quote: Over time, I've realized that Elaith Craulnober is probably the most compelling character in the Songs & Swords series. And I've come to the conclusion that Danilo, who has long been my favorite character, is at his best when playing a supporting role.
Yes, Elaith is very interesting. And unpredictable, which I am sure has been a part of his business success. I still am enamored of the idea of an Elaith caper novel. And I was about to say, if I were Kymil Nimersin, I would be very afraid, until I realized that if I were Kymeril, I would be unable to admit to myself that Elaith could be a threat. But Kymil should be afraid. ;)
Elfsong worked for me because it paired Danilo with Elaith, while Silver Shadows worked regardless of Danilo's absence for most of it, so I think I have to agree that he is better as a foil to other characters than as a standalone, though I think he'd be a good friend to have IRL, whereas Elaith would be a frightening friend, and Arilyn perhaps a frustrating one.
quote: Thanks for asking.
Thank you for answering. And moreover, thank you for writing, even through the bumpy bits, and taking the trouble to get it right. More questions as they occur to me. I have just succeeded in getting my sister to start with Elfsong, so discussing the books with her may bring up things I hadn't considered before. And yes, she makes bookstores order things for her, too. |
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Dalmar Amad
Seeker
Germany
56 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 02:52:06
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quote: Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
Thanks for your kind words, Ergdusch.
I rather hope that the books on your shelf are NOT the German translations of the Counselors & Kings books, for I hear that these are not particularly stellar.
Hello Elaine Cunningham and a happy new year,
Unfortunately I have to tell you, that the german translations of the Counselors & Kings books are really awful. Never seen more spelling mistakes in published books so far.
I think this was the fault of the company 'Feder & Schwert', because the few other FR novels that I also read in german(eg. Drizzt, Elminster) are quite good.
I wouldn't have bought the translations, but they were a gift so I read them nonetheless. I truly enjoyed your other FR novels (in english)I've read so far. Especially Evermeet!
Praise Deneir and Gond that fewer and fewer novels get translated to german these days. Although many people I know would love to read more stories of the realms but lack the knowledge of the english language.
Hope to read more of Elaith and Arilyn soon. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 03:50:32
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quote: Originally posted by Dalmar Amad
Unfortunately I have to tell you, that the german translations of the Counselors & Kings books are really awful. Never seen more spelling mistakes in published books so far.
I think this was the fault of the company 'Feder & Schwert', because the few other FR novels that I also read in german(eg. Drizzt, Elminster) are quite good.
Interesting. I've often wondered why the Counselors & Kings books were the only ones translated into German. This would go a long way toward explaining it.
When I was in Germany a few years back (to attend Fantasy Spielfest in Braunsfel), the young woman who acted as my translater (and babysitter) had applied to Feder & Schwert to translate the trilogy. She was a PhD candidate in linguistics, and spoke English so idiomatically that I thought she was a British student studying in Germany. Lovely gal, lots of fun. Furthermore, she was a gamer who knew and loved the Realms. Translating a book well requires not only linguistic skills, but writing ability, and if memory serves, she also wrote fiction of her own. Too bad she didn't get the job--I would have liked very much to see what she could have done with the books.
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Edited by - ElaineCunningham on 09 Jan 2008 14:00:11 |
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Dalmar Amad
Seeker
Germany
56 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 10:43:01
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It really needs someone who knows and loves the realms to translate a FR novel. IIRC whoever translated the War of the Spiderqueen series made a man(!) out of Menzoberra the kinless. And I only read the first few chapters of the translation to get a feeling of how good it was done. |
Edited by - Dalmar Amad on 09 Jan 2008 11:12:34 |
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Zanan
Senior Scribe
Germany
942 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2008 : 14:14:00
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quote: Originally posted by Dalmar Amad
It really needs someone who knows and loves the realms to translate a FR novel. IIRC whoever translated the War of the Spiderqueen series made a man(!) out of Menzoberra the kinless. And I only read the first few chapters of the translation to get a feeling of how good it was done.
Well, there were quite a number of mistakes made during various translations, be them lorebooks or novels. It's not that we did not have older (and more often than not quite precise) material, such as the German version of the Menzoberranzan boxed-set or people (like me ) who know quite a bit about the darkskins. But anyone who ever tried to get a foothold in the publisher's translation department will know that they are quite a reclusive and introverted lot, hardly ever going to accept newcomers or even free help. At least over here. No insult intended of course, just telling of my experiences. |
Cave quid dicis, quando et cui!
Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel!
In memory of Alura Durshavin.
Visit my "Homepage" to find A Guide to the Drow NPCs of Faerûn, Drow and non-Drow PrC and much more. |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3743 Posts |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2008 : 12:03:31
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quote: Originally posted by Dagnirion
-Ah, Elaine! You're back! I have a reason to come back to Candlekeep now.
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jan 2008 : 17:26:51
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Hi, folks.
I believe that private emails should not be publically posted, but recently I've fielded a few questions on an issue that pertains to the discussion here on Candlekeep, so I'm posting a paraphrase of the question, followed by my response.
QUESTION:
Have you stopped writing in the Realms because of the recent "Realms-shaking Events?"
RESPONSE:
Thanks for your note. For the record, I'm still writing stories set in the Forgotten Realms. There's a short story in REALMS OF WAR, the anthology that just came out last week. I'm finishing up RECLAMATION, the sixth and final book in the Songs & Swords series. This is scheduled for publication in November 2008. I'm also working with Dale Donovan on the script for a graphic novel adaptation of one of my Forgotten Realms stories.
I can see why people assume I’m leaving the Realms. I haven’t been around much--my last book came out in 2005--and I haven’t been talking about 4E. In all candor, I don’t KNOW much about 4E, mostly because I’m a freelance writer and not part of the design process, and also because I’ve been mostly keeping my head down and working on writing one thing or another.
I've been writing in the Realms for over seventeen years and through three (soon to be four) versions of the D&D rules. I've seen more than one Realms-shaking event. These are not deal-breakers for me. While it's true that I've been spending more time on other projects and less in the Realms, it's mostly because there are a lot of stories I'd like to tell, and not all of them fit into the Realms. For that matter, not all of these stories fit into the fantasy genre.
After I finish RECLAMATION, I’ll be concentrating on finishing up a historical novel I’ve been working on for several years. I’ve got a couple of urban fantasy projects going on, as well as a fantasy novel in a newly created world, and I’m starting the world-building process on a new project that will be written with a co-writer—a thriller somewhat similar to Michael Creighton in tone and topic.
If I’m asked to contribute a short story to the next Realms anthology, I’ll happily do so. And it’s possible that once 4E comes out and I get a better idea of what’s happening in the Realms, I may be struck by a story idea so compelling that I just HAVE to run a proposal past the WotC editors. Maybe they’ll be interested, maybe they won’t. Time will tell.
This might not be as definitive an answer as you were seeking, but it’s the best one I have at present.
Thanks again for taking time to write.
Best regards, Elaine Cunningham
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2008 : 16:18:47
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No question - just a "welcome back Elaine, you've been missed." . |
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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Pierre-Luc
Acolyte
Canada
13 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2008 : 21:04:48
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Dear Mrs. Cunningham, I've read Evermeet: Island of the Elves, and enjoyed it a lot. Currently, I'm preparing an epic D&D game with Kiaransalee as the main villain. I'd like to know what kind of undead creatures are the undead warriors that Kethryllia Amarillis faces in the Abyss ? And does this event take place during Kiaransalee's reign on the 133th layer, Thanatos ? Thank you very much. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jan 2008 : 22:03:57
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quote: Originally posted by Pierre-Luc
Dear Mrs. Cunningham, I've read Evermeet: Island of the Elves, and enjoyed it a lot. Currently, I'm preparing an epic D&D game with Kiaransalee as the main villain. I'd like to know what kind of undead creatures are the undead warriors that Kethryllia Amarillis faces in the Abyss ? And does this event take place during Kiaransalee's reign on the 133th layer, Thanatos ? Thank you very much.
Hi, Pierre-Luc. Welcom to Candlekeep.
If memory serves, the undead creatures Kethryllia fought are not found in any of the monster manuals or other game materials. From time to time, I prefer to bring home-grown creatures into the story. The advantage? Without gaming stats playing through the back of the reader's mind, the passage is less likely to read like a Random Encounter. Of course, this is also the disadvantage. Feel free to assign any name, history, stats, and abilities to these monsters that would best suit your campaign.
I'm not sure how Kiaransalee's reign corresponds to the Role of Years, but it seems logical to assume that this event occurred on Thanatos. |
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Mazrim_Taim
Learned Scribe
341 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2008 : 03:53:26
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Hi Elaine, I wanted to ask this here as to not clutter up the Anthologies' topic. But in that you mentioned that Arilyn was to be featured in a graphic novel from Wizards. I was just inquiring on your level of involvement in this project? If you have time. |
And if the PCs DO win their ways through all the liches to Larloch, “he” will almost certainly be just another lich (loaded with explosive spells) set up as a decoy, with dozens of hidden liches waiting to pounce on any surviving PCs who ‘celebrate’ after they take Larloch down. As the REAL Larloch watches (magical scrying) from afar. Myself, as DM, I’d be wondering: “Such a glorious game, so many opportunities laid out before your PCs to devote your time to, and THIS fixation is the best you can come up with? Are you SURE you’re adventurers?” -Ed Greenwood
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2008 : 09:00:14
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I was just about to ask that myself Mazrim. While we're asking about it, do you know which month we hope to see Arilyn's story because the PREVIEW write ups for issue 1 and 2 focus on Drizzt and Raistlin. |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act." The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jan 2008 : 13:51:00
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Hi, Mazrim and SirUrza.
Jim Lowder has asked that we not reveal specific information until a bit nearer the release date. As soon as I receive the go-ahead, I'll post more info.
Mazrim, I'm very pleased to be working on the script with Dale Donovan, a very talented writer and game designer. I am new to the world of graphic novels and lack the time to get up to speed, so working with a collaborator is really the only way to go. Dale wrote the outline, but once we start writing for the individual frames, I'll be more involved in the process. |
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