| Author |
 Topic  |
|
SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Apr 2004 : 16:48:05
|
quote:
Originally posted by Prince Forge of Avalon
Ok now when do I get to read the second one hehe!
Thanks PFoA
January if I recall correctly. Shattering the Realms takes time does it not?  |
 |
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2004 : 17:20:28
|
The Rite does indeed come out in January, 2005.
Realms of the Dragons comes out the preceding month, and readers who enjoyed The Rage will probably want to check out my story therein. It links The Rage and The Rite. You don't HAVE to read it to appreciate the rest of the trilogy, but it may enhance your enjoyment if you do.
Plus, I think it's a pretty decent tale in its own right, and although I haven't read their stories yet, I'm confident the other FR authors have contributed some great stuff. |
|
|
|
SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2004 : 17:34:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Realms of the Dragons comes out the preceding month, and readers who enjoyed The Rage will probably want to check out my story therein. It links The Rage and The Rite.
Will your story in the anthology feature Taegan? Dorn and crew? |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2004 : 23:05:57
|
Argh! You know how I hate giving away ANYTHING about an unpublished story, Sirius. I've got a complex acout it, and probably should seek professional help.
But okay, you've wormed it out of me. The story stars Pavel and Will. |
|
|
|
SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2004 : 00:04:12
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Argh! You know how I hate giving away ANYTHING about an unpublished story, Sirius. I've got a complex acout it, and probably should seek professional help.
But okay, you've wormed it out of me. The story stars Pavel and Will.
Thank you for not making me whine and thereby keeping some dignity. Pavel and Will...that should be a tale filled with some cutting commentary. |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2004 : 20:21:50
|
Hello, Mr. Byers. I finished The Rage only a few days ago, and very much liked it.
quote:
Alas, I don't know of any plans to publish gaming writeups of the heroes from the trilogy in either Dragon or Dungeon. I wonder if there are other folks besides you who'd like to see this.
I for one would like to see the stat blocks. But could please you give us right now, say, the classes and levels of the protagonists, FRCS-style? Even if I don't get to see stat blocks, I always love to know the classes and levels. Heck, I try to guess at characters' classes and levels while I'm reading FR novels. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2004 : 20:57:07
|
Hi, Krafus. Delighted to hear you enjoyed The Rage.
To tell you the truth, I haven't figured out all the classes and levels of the guys in the novel. I find that I don't need to do that to write FR fiction, and in my opinion, the rules represent a simplification and abstraction of a far more complex and fluid FR "reality." This simplification is necessary to give us a playable game system, but I see no reason to observe every aspect of it religiously when I write a story. Anyway, if I do work everybody up, it will be solely for the purpose of peddling an article to Dragon.
I can give you a little bit of the info that you're after, though. Maybe should do it after a
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
W
A
R
N
I
N
G.
Raryn is an accomplished ranger. The other hunters (Dorn, Pavel, and Will) should probably all have a level or two in ranger based on what they've learned plying their trade, and what Raryn's taught them.
Mainly, Dorn's an accomplished fighter, and probably has some levels in the dragon slayer prestige class, also.
Pavel has around eight levels in cleric, enough mojo to throw fourth-level spells, but not fifth. He may have levels in sage, also, considering all the knowledge he's acquired in the course of his studies.
Will has levels in thief and in the warsling sniper prestige class.
Taegan is possibly the toughest character to write up according to strict D&D rules. Probably he should have levels in swashbuckler, maybe duelist, and, obviously, bladesinger (the Races of Faerūn kind of bladesinger.) He has enough rank as a bladesinger to throw the occasional fourth-level spell from their list. To conform with the rules, he also needs a level in wizard. Otherwise, he couldn't qualify for bladesinger. He probably also should have at least one level in ranger to represent the skills he learned as a youth out in the woods with his tribe.
The tricky thing about tranferring these characters into gaming terms is that to meet the requirements of the rules, some of them tend to wind up with a whole heap of levels, which is not quite how I imagine them. I see them as quite formidable, but not invincible juggernauts. But that's just an artifact of the way the game works that you cope with as best you can. |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2004 : 21:31:28
|
Thanks for the prompt reply.
I understand your reasons for not having assigned classes and levels.
What I do when reading is try to determine the characters classes and levels (in a very general way) from the powers and abilities they display in the story. For example, Vambran in The Sapphire Crescent seems to be a low-level character (say, 3rd to 6th level). He doesn't have a lot of personal power, and in fact is defeated on several occasions. On the opposite side of the scale are the characters from the War of the Spider Queen - all of whom I figure to be major butt-kickers with 16 or more levels.
I figure most of the characters of The Rage to be in the 10th to 15th level range - strong enough to take care of most foes, but not powerhouses like the WotSQ characters. Taegan struck me as perhaps the most poweful of the protagonists (excepting Kara, but, well, she's a special case). |
|
|
|
Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 15 Apr 2004 : 22:04:18
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Hi, Krafus. Delighted to hear you enjoyed The Rage.
To tell you the truth, I haven't figured out all the classes and levels of the guys in the novel. I find that I don't need to do that to write FR fiction...
Glad to hear it, Richard  Heres to the fluff, not the crunch!
I cant wait to lay my hands on The Rage, it wasnt around last weekend but im hoping it will be in the stores tomorrow....else therell be hell to pay!  |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
|
|
|
|
SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2004 : 05:49:28
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
To tell you the truth, I haven't figured out all the classes and levels of the guys in the novel. I find that I don't need to do that to write FR fiction, and in my opinion, the rules represent a simplification and abstraction of a far more complex and fluid FR "reality." This simplification is necessary to give us a playable game system, but I see no reason to observe every aspect of it religiously when I write a story.
Please do me a favor here Richard Lee Byers. Don't ever change those feelings. They are so refreshing and nice to hear in this day and age for the FR. I just replied to a poster the other day on another message board where he was being critical of Elaine Cunningham's novel, Evermeet: Island of Elves. His big gripe? The deities limited powers were not properly shown in the novel. I know that there are game stats for deities. But, am I the only one that finds it weird to have a reader talk about gods being limited? I know I'm in the wrong forum when I encounter people reading with a novel in one hand and a rulebook in the other going, "I can't believe that God/Goddess cast two lightning bolts this round. Everyone knows a minor god can only cast one per round." 
<shudder> Please just give me a good, well written tale, with three-dimensional characters and I'll gladly continue paying for the works. The Rage and your other novels have that. Thank you for such work.  |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2004 : 14:10:27
|
*looks at previous two posts and feels somewhat ashamed*
Err... I also love fluff... Please forgive me for enjoying a bit of crunch now and then. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2004 : 16:47:20
|
Sirius: You're more than welcome. Thank you for taking a chance on my stuff, and for giving me your feedback.
Krafus: Nothing to feel ashamed about. There's a place for fluff and crunch both. I too find it interesting to see how fictional characters stat out, when somebody's gone to the trouble to do it. I just don't find the exercise useful in terms of my own personal wriitng process, for the reasons I alluded to before. But that certainly doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. |
|
|
|
Proc
Acolyte
Canada
32 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2004 : 21:16:45
|
I had a small question for Mr. Byers,
MINOR SPOILER WARNING....
I just started to read The Rage, and I've enjoyed it greatly so far. But what I wanted to know was, what made you decide to depict a Black Dragon flicking it's forked tongue in and out of it's mouth? (During the attack on Ylraphon) I had never thought of any dragon having a forked tongue, nor needing to "taste" the air in order to smell...
In any event, it's a very minor point, and it's been a great read so far. |
"May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house."
- George Carlin |
|
|
|
BobROE
Learned Scribe
Canada
106 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 00:17:45
|
quote:
Originally posted by Proc
I had a small question for Mr. Byers,
MINOR SPOILER WARNING....
I just started to read The Rage, and I've enjoyed it greatly so far. But what I wanted to know was, what made you decide to depict a Black Dragon flicking it's forked tongue in and out of it's mouth? (During the attack on Ylraphon) I had never thought of any dragon having a forked tongue, nor needing to "taste" the air in order to smell...
In any event, it's a very minor point, and it's been a great read so far.
Well I can't comment on the tasteing of the air. But in the Draconomicon Black Dragons have forked tongues. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 02:48:34
|
| Proc: Glad you're enjoying the book so far. As Bob notes (thanks for backing me up, Bob), black dragons do have forked tongues according to the source material. As far as the tongue being involved with the dragon's sense of smell, unless I'm mistaken (gee, I hope I'm not), this is true of some real-world reptiles, so it made sense to me to extrapolate that it could be true of dragons as well. |
|
|
|
Shadowlord
Master of Realmslore
USA
1298 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 02:56:24
|
Spoiler for The Rage: Please Highlight Area Below
I finished the Rage quite a while ago, but just found time to post on your thread. I find it interesting that the elves laid a mythal causing all dragons to Rage. What was your initial thought on including this in your novel? If High Elven Magic is able to accomplish so much, could it not be possible that there are other such mythals that exist, changing other races on Faerūn? If a group of elves were spiteful towards humans, could such a group (and yes, many elves still have this view about humans) create a mythal that subtly changed humans? Lastly, if such a mythal was created on Evermeet, could it possibly be as powerful, or maybe even more so?
End of Spoiler
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Rich (or Mr. Byers, or Richard, whatever you prefer ). |
The Chosen of Vhaeraun
"Nature is governed by certain immutable rules. By virtue of claw and fang, the lion will always triumph over the goat.Given time, the pounding of the sea will wear away the stone. And when dark elves mingle with the lighter races, the offspring invariably take after the dark parent. It is all much the same. That which is greater shall prevail. Our numbers increase steadily, both through birth and conquest. The dark elves are the dominant race, so ordained by the gods." Ka'Narlist of the Ilythiiri. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 04:52:38
|
Hi, Shadowlord. "Richard" is good. Now to address your questions after a
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
W
A
R
N
I
N
G
My initial thoughts concerning the enchantment that produced the Rage? Well (and I hope this is what you're asking about, because it's the only way I know to answer), they were involved with resolving plot issues. The story had to explain the Rage, and the explanation had to justify the idea that Sammaster could seize control of the phenomenon. The blame-the-ancient-elves explanation that I came up with (with help from some of the WotC folks) met the requirements, and is also (I hope) interesting.
If the ancient elves could put the whammy on all dragon-kind, could have they hexed other races? Logic would suggest that it's possible. But it didn't happen as far as we know, and, of course, WotC would have to okay the idea for it to be "revealed" in any future products, be they fiction or sourcebooks.
Me, I'd rather think that the creation of the Rage was a truly unique event, but that's just my preference.
|
|
|
|
Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 05:08:35
|
| Well if the elves could seal away the two genies in Calimshan and also seal away Moander, I can buy that they could have done that to the Dragons. :) Now if it came out of the blue it would have shattered my suspension of belief, but there are examples of the power High Magic once had. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 18 Apr 2004 05:09:26 |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 15:58:38
|
I've come up with two more questions...
1) Will we learn how Sammaster was brought back to unlife? His phylactery wasn't found after his defeat in 1285, which explains how he could return, but even so I'd like to know just how it happened this time around.
2) Is Cylla Morieth kin to Aeron Morieth, the half-elf shadow mage (N male half-elf Wiz13/Sha3 - see p. 183 of FRCS)? |
|
|
|
Shadowlord
Master of Realmslore
USA
1298 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 16:35:58
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Hi, Shadowlord. "Richard" is good.
Right then. Richard it is. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, though it does sadden me to know that the "Rage Mythal" is a one of a kind. It could have held some very interesting campaign opportunities...  |
The Chosen of Vhaeraun
"Nature is governed by certain immutable rules. By virtue of claw and fang, the lion will always triumph over the goat.Given time, the pounding of the sea will wear away the stone. And when dark elves mingle with the lighter races, the offspring invariably take after the dark parent. It is all much the same. That which is greater shall prevail. Our numbers increase steadily, both through birth and conquest. The dark elves are the dominant race, so ordained by the gods." Ka'Narlist of the Ilythiiri. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 19:14:12
|
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
W
A
R
N
I
N
G
Krafus: At present, I have no specific plans to explain Sammaster's return from death anymore than I have already. (Maybe I'm too much of a comic-book fan; in comics, when a villain returns from seeming death, sometimes the writers don't bother to explain how he cheated the reaper, and I guess you could say I'm likely to follow that example.) If, in the course of writing the rest of the trilogy, I reach a point where such an explanation would enhance the story as opposed to breaking the flow, I might toss it in. If not, well, you know who Sam is, what a lich is, and what a phylactery is. I'll bet you can imagine half a dozen scenarios that would account for his return.
Are Cyll and Aeron Morieth kin? Not as far as I know.
Shadowlord: Please, don't let me cramp your style. If you want there to be other mythals comparable to the one responsible for the Rage, then you shouldn't have any qualms about including them in your game. In your campaign (if you're the DM), you decide what's true, right? |
|
|
|
Shadowlord
Master of Realmslore
USA
1298 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2004 : 19:19:32
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Shadowlord: Please, don't let me cramp your style. If you want there to be other mythals comparable to the one responsible for the Rage, then you shouldn't have any qualms about including them in your game. In your campaign (if you're the DM), you decide what's true, right?
Ah, yes, but I wasn't actually thinking of creating one. I was merely asking if another such mythal existed, and whether or not their location is known. You are not in any way "cramping my style", Richard, so don't worry about it.  |
The Chosen of Vhaeraun
"Nature is governed by certain immutable rules. By virtue of claw and fang, the lion will always triumph over the goat.Given time, the pounding of the sea will wear away the stone. And when dark elves mingle with the lighter races, the offspring invariably take after the dark parent. It is all much the same. That which is greater shall prevail. Our numbers increase steadily, both through birth and conquest. The dark elves are the dominant race, so ordained by the gods." Ka'Narlist of the Ilythiiri. |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 14:02:08
|
| Was rereading Lords of Darkness and came up with a question for you... Will we see the Well of Dragons and Naergoth Bladelord somewhere in the series? A Naergoth vs. Dorn fight would be awesome. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 14:33:07
|
| Krafus: Sorry, but I'm going to take the Fifth. I'm trying hard not to give away the plots of the books before they come out. |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 16:22:33
|
| I don't understand the Fifth reference, but I do understand why you don't want to spill the beans too early. |
|
|
|
Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 16:47:59
|
Krafus: "Take the Fifth" as in, invoke my Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate myself. In this context, a colloquialism meaning, simply, I'm not going to answer.
Has that expression fallen out of common usage? Man, I feel old sometimes. |
|
|
|
Shadowlord
Master of Realmslore
USA
1298 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 17:38:52
|
| No, I understood what you meant. As a scribe, I am well-versed in forgotten lore. Seriously though, my family sometimes does use the expression. |
The Chosen of Vhaeraun
"Nature is governed by certain immutable rules. By virtue of claw and fang, the lion will always triumph over the goat.Given time, the pounding of the sea will wear away the stone. And when dark elves mingle with the lighter races, the offspring invariably take after the dark parent. It is all much the same. That which is greater shall prevail. Our numbers increase steadily, both through birth and conquest. The dark elves are the dominant race, so ordained by the gods." Ka'Narlist of the Ilythiiri. |
|
|
|
Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 18:19:05
|
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Krafus: "Take the Fifth" as in, invoke my Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate myself. In this context, a colloquialism meaning, simply, I'm not going to answer.
Has that expression fallen out of common usage? Man, I feel old sometimes.
Nah, I knew what you meant as well. But then maybe those outside of the States haven't heard that before. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
|
|
|
Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 21 Apr 2004 : 18:31:20
|
quote:
Has that expression fallen out of common usage? Man, I feel old sometimes.
No need for you to feel old. Kuje has the correct explanation: I'm not from the US (I'm Canadian, to be exact). |
|
|
|
Maskanodel
Acolyte
Canada
18 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2004 : 01:16:37
|
Richard
Just how much do you rely on sourcebooks when you're writing? I've read some authors works where it seems like they tok monsters sraight from the Monster Manuals and inserted them into their novels. Do you find yourself doing this or do you try to steer away from it?? And finally, did the Draconomicon play a big role in writing The Year of Rogue Dragons?
Thanks
Maskanodel |
Ill Met On The River Of Dreams... |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Questions for Richard Lee Byers
