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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Jun 2004 : 17:32:21
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quote:
Originally posted by rumblebelly
you're right
if Triel was a strong matron as her mother
there would be no such rivalry between Gromph and Quenthel
over the decisions of the throne
Oh, I disagree. Having a strong leader does not mean that everyone will agree with said leader. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2004 : 17:49:27
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| Triel as she was portrayed in Daughter of the Drow would seemingly form a link between the two versions, also. |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2004 : 20:55:37
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| That's correct, Sirius. Bob is consulting editor on the entire series. (That's what makes it "R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen." |
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rumblebelly
Acolyte
Turkey
25 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2004 : 21:12:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
That's correct, Sirius. Bob is consulting editor on the entire series. (That's what makes it "R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen."
which is both proper and commercial at the same time
btw wooly rupert, it's not important to have everyones approval with the said leader, it's important to make everyone obey (and late Matron Baenre was way to succesful in this) |
this is the end of the world news: sponsored by god |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2004 : 22:01:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
That's correct, Sirius. Bob is consulting editor on the entire series. (That's what makes it "R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen."
Thank you for confirming that. I only knew of his work via the original committee before the series started. |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2004 : 14:29:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Dargoth: In my opinion, the Rage is not compaable to a permanent Confusion spell, because a Confusion spell could make a dragon do things (run away from a foe, attack a dragon ally in preference to human prey) that the Rage would never do. And vice versa.
hmmm
Sounds like a good topic for a Web Enhancement or Dragon article.......
*Starts poking Rich with a stick* |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2004 : 19:11:23
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I dunno, Dargoth. I appreciate your interest, but it seems to me that the thrust of such an article would have to be to define the Rage in terms of game mechanics. And frankly, I don't know that that's doable. Even if it is, I don't know that I myself could do it.
It also seems to me that as far as explaining the Rage apart from game mechanics, I'm already covering that in the fiction. At least I sure hope I am. |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 13:13:01
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| Rich will you be uncovering the true origin of Dracolichs in your series? (Eric and George have pointed out that there where Dracolichs before Sammaster started creating them) |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 14:08:32
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Dargoth: As explained in The Rage, Sammaster invented the process for turning living dragons into dracoliches.
Now, that doesn't mean he was the only guy ever to invent it, or the first guy to invent it (although that's what he believes.) But if there were other discoverers, their stories aren't relevant to the events of the Year of Rogue Dragons, and so I won't be getting into them. |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2004 : 14:13:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Dargoth: As explained in The Rage, Sammaster invented the process for turning living dragons into dracoliches.
Now, that doesn't mean he was the only guy ever to invent it, or the first guy to invent it (although that's what he believes.) But if there were other discoverers, their stories aren't relevant to the events of the Year of Rogue Dragons, and so I won't be getting into them.
Hmmm ok
Where discussing it in this thread
http://www.candlekeep.com./forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2383
if your intersted in contributing  |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Monsoon28
Acolyte
Canada
16 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2004 : 19:54:41
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Hi Richard,
Want to start off stating that i've really enjoyed your writing in the past, and 'The Rage' is no exception.
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I loved the mix of character races (artic dwarf, avariel, half-golem, song dragon, and a vampiric smoke drake!) As well the short story was a great insight into Taegan's background.
One (or two) questions I have is in the upcoming anthology, I understand it as each writer will be covering a different type of dragon, will any gem dragons make the cut, and will one feature either Lareth or Nexus? I just love Gem dragons and always hope for a story about them...maybe a emerald dragon?! 
To a earlier post, I believe a avariel was featured in the Azure Bonds novels, but she had had her wings cut off, so no one was aware she was anything other than a elf. Of course its been a long time since I've read the series so I might be thinking of the wrong one.
Thanks again,
P.S. I'm a Canadian and I 'got' your taking the fifth reference.
but that's just me! |
'The only thing I know is that I know nothing' -Socrates |
Edited by - Monsoon28 on 17 Jun 2004 23:35:17 |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2004 : 20:01:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Monsoon28
To a earlier post, I believe a avriel was featured in the Azure Bonds novels, but she had had her wings cut off, so no one was aware she was anything other than a elf. Of course its been a long time since I've read the series so I might be thinking of the wrong one.
Some other works featuring Avariel are discussed here. Perhaps some posters within that thread can recall an avariel in the novel you mentioned. |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2004 : 22:10:55
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Hi, Monsoon28. Thanks for the kind words. It's great to hear you're enjoying my stuff.
I wish I could give you a bunch of information about the anthologies, but as it happens, I'm not the guy who edited them. Phil Athans did. In most cases, I don't know what the various contributors wrote about.
But I can confirm that we each focused on a different kind of dragon, so it's likely that some gem dragons wound up in the mix, and at least conceivable that somebody worked with Lareth or Nexus. |
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Monsoon28
Acolyte
Canada
16 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2004 : 23:33:51
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
Some other works featuring Avariel are discussed here. Perhaps some posters within that thread can recall an avariel in the novel you mentioned.
Ack! Sorry the Avariel I was thinking about was from, Baldur's Gate2,
gets hard sometimes to keep track! 
Richard, thanks for the direction anyway, now I have to hunt down Athans.
@no-one in particular: Btw does Athans do all the Editing for FR novels, it seems like his name is always coming up? |
'The only thing I know is that I know nothing' -Socrates |
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Krafus
Learned Scribe
246 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2004 : 00:29:18
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Hello, Richard.
I've begun reading The Rage for the third time, and a question leapt at me:
***spoilers***
Why did Kara pick Dorn instead of Pavel to get closer to? I mean, Pavel is physically handsome and, according to Will, made overtures toward Kara. On the other hand, Dorn was rather gruff toward Kara and didn't seem at all interested in her. |
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Kameron M. Franklin
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
228 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2004 : 00:46:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Monsoon28
@no-one in particular: Btw does Athans do all the Editing for FR novels, it seems like his name is always coming up?
Phil Athans is the Managing Editor for the FR line. Whether that means he personally edits each book, I don't know. I do know WotC has a pool of freelance copy editors, so I doubt Phil goes through each manuscript line by line. Or maybe he does . . . |
"You keep saying that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." --Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride |
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Sarta
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2004 : 00:50:08
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I got the impression that Pavel would have hit on anything vaguely female as a reflex, not so much that he was really into her. Besides, we all know that chicks dig big, strong, silent guys carrying around a lot of baggage. They're fixer-uppers who will worship the woman who manages to penetrate their outwardly gruff shell of self-loathing. 
Sarta |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jun 2004 : 03:46:20
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Monsoon28: I think Phil edits every FR novel. I'm not absolutely positive about it, though. I do know he edited every one of mine except the first. Lizz Baldwin was my editor on that one, but she's no longer with the company.
Krafus: Despite Dorn's gruff and sour dispostion, he, and not Pavel, is simply the one that Kara felt drawn to. It happens that way sometimes even in real life. I've seen it. Ain't love mysterious?
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Ordin_Solandar
Acolyte
Canada
40 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2004 : 20:40:09
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Greetings Mr Byers I thoroughly enjoyed "Dissolution" from WOTSQ, its tied with "Insurrection" as the best book in the series thus far. I was asking Mr Reid about the character Valas Hune and a descrepency I found between the first and second book:
 How is it that Valas Hune could levitate while fighting the hill giant during the uprising in menzo. Yet in the other books they make a specific point in regards to Valas's inability to levitate?
I surmised a technical flaw in the drow makeup: Drizzt in Sojourn levitates to ski down a hill of gold while felling Hapestus the dragon. At that point in time he didn't have a house insignia; a situation similar to Valas's acrobatics on the Giants shoulder. RAS seems to have made a bit of an inequality apparently all drow can levitate for certain periods of time. Its just that they can't get more then a few centimeters for any duration of time without ability modifing insignia.
So if I could have your opinion or view on the matter it would go along way to clarify?
Keep on writeing, really enjoy your deep characters, especially your interpretation of Pharaun! |
Its easy not to care what people think, it harder to try! |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2004 : 21:02:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Ordin_Solandar
I surmised a technical flaw in the drow makeup: Drizzt in Sojourn levitates to ski down a hill of gold while felling Hapestus the dragon. At that point in time he didn't have a house insignia; a situation similar to Valas's acrobatics on the Giants shoulder. RAS seems to have made a bit of an inequality apparently all drow can levitate for certain periods of time. Its just that they can't get more then a few centimeters for any duration of time without ability modifing insignia.
I'm not Mr Byers, but you are looking at this through 3E's version of the drow. See in 1e and 2e drow DIDN'T need an insignia to levitate. It was in innate power of a drow, but 3e removed those powers from the base drow so they had to come up with an in game reason. Hence the insignia's. So RAS continues to write from the 1e and 2e rules since he doesn't want to change his drow character after 12+ books. |
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 |
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Ordin_Solandar
Acolyte
Canada
40 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2004 : 00:08:16
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| Yes but Valas levitated in the first book, that wasn't RAS's book. Considering he didn't have a house insignia and couldn't levitate in any of the following books. The authors were really harping on this, why is it that he could suspend his weight while fighting that mountain giant? |
Its easy not to care what people think, it harder to try! |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2004 : 04:23:28
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Hi, Ordin. Thanks for the kind words. Glad to hear you're enjoying my stuff.
I'm not sure I can give you a satisfactory answer to your question about Valas levitating in Dissolution, and not afterward. You may have to settle for an honest one. When I wrote the first draft of Dissolution, I was working on the basis of the 2nd edition concept of the drow. It was the only info I had to work with. So, as far as I knew, there was no problem with Valas levitating. All dark elves levitate, right?
But during the months I was busily typing away, WotC decided that 3rd edition drow would be different. So, suddenly, the drow lore in the first draft of my book was no longer kosher in every respect. Now, in an ideal world, my editors and I, working together, would have fixed all the glitches in the final draft, but in the real world, sometimes stuff gets past you.
If I caught the bit about Valas levitating (and at this late date, I honestly don't remember), I must not have thought it was a problem. I must have figured, drow need a magic doodad to levitate? Fine. Valas has got one in his pocket.
But apparently the other writers on the series decided that he didn't, and therefore, he doesn't levitate. Fair enough. I did so little with Valas in the first book that I feel he really belongs much more to the writers who did so much more to develop him. But if there's a glitch, it is too bad we didn't get it fixed. Although I do think that with six writers working, most of them composing their books without the benefit of a final draft of the previous volume to refer to, we did a pretty good job of minimizing continuity errors. |
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Ordin_Solandar
Acolyte
Canada
40 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2004 : 15:38:27
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Oh I agree most definanlty!
You the authors of WOTSQ wrote the books at a torrid pace and I understand that you didn't have the complete how too manual nor another WOTSQ book to base Valas on. Remarkably all the books so far have been of a high quality with only a few blips on the radar.
Anyhow in regards to Valas I wouldn't be surprised if he had a levitation gadget from one of his many kills stashed away in his piwwaffid! Hopeing he has one and makes use of it after he knifes Jeggred, alas that is only supposition.
Thank you kindly for your reply, I shall try to keep up to date with your work. Deep round quirky characters are a commodity which you consistenly deliver! |
Its easy not to care what people think, it harder to try! |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 16:32:54
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Well met!
I recently picked up a copy of your book the Rage. As I began reading my heart began to sink as I was introduced to one odd and fanatastic character after another. I dunno, maybe my spirit is Sembian or Hillsfarian or something, but I like flesh and blood humans ... and here I was reading a book with a halfling, a half-golem, an artic dwarf, a weredragon, and a winged elf. Nevertheless, the prologue (and my 10 dollars Canadian) convinced me to read on, and when all was said and done I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did I find your book to be a easy read, with an inviting use of words, but I actually got to like some of those not-humans, even Dorn.
I suppose one of the reasons I enjoyed the story so much is because it parallels my own campaign in which it has been revealed that Tiamat is the mother of Sammaster, who was born to prophecize a return to the Time of Dragons with Tiamat as the ultimate sovereign. Naturally, Sammaster is back in my alternate world as well, where he has taken over the Darkhold and is currently showing Cormyr and Sunrise Vale whose boss.
Anyway, I do have one criticism ... I'm not sure how constructive but ...
** SPOILER **
** SPOILER **
** SPOILER **
** SPOILER **
Rhetorically, WHY are elves responsible for the Rage?!?!?!? I tell you, I very much look forward to reading your next books in this series, but I just don't get it. I don't get the logic of it ... you know, that maybe a few will commit infanticide or suicide in their insanity, but lets forget about the veritable flocks that will rage across the face of the world of elf and man and lay it waste?!?!? I don't get it ....
With that said however, I will say once again that I can't wait for your the book in the series. Nice work!!!
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 20:22:53
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Hi, Beowulf. Glad you enjoyed the book. I'll respond to your question after a
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
Why did the ancient elven spellcasters create the Rage? Well, at the time they lived, dragons were the unquestioned lords of Faerűn, ruling kingdoms, commanding great armies of vassals, etc. The trilogy postulates that the only strategy the elves could come up with to break the dragons' iron grip on their world was to infect them with insanity. We can assume they did it knowing full well that in the short term, a lot of innocents might suffer when the wyrms went on the rampage, but they thought that ultimately, it would be worth it.
I guess you either buy into my reasoning on the subject, or you don't. Obviously, it made sense to me (and to the folks at WotC who had to sign off on the idea for the trilogy.) |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 22:04:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
Obviously, it made sense to me (and to the folks at WotC who had to sign off on the idea for the trilogy.)
It made sense to this reader as well. I found it a very intriguing explanation. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 23:04:02
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
SPOILER WARNING
Obviously, it made sense to me (and to the folks at WotC who had to sign off on the idea for the trilogy.)
It made sense to this reader as well. I found it a very intriguing explanation.
Ditto that. I don't know if that's how I'd go about it, but it made sense. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2004 : 07:08:06
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WARNING THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM ELMINSTERS DAUGHTER AND RAGE
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Hey Rich you know how all the good Dragons and going to put themselves to Sleep for as long as the Rage lasts?, they wouldnt have got that spell from a certain wizard who lives in Cormyr would they? |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2004 : 16:08:48
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Dargoth: In the book, it's Nexus who comes up with the spell in question. The implication is that he devised it himself. But if you prefer to imagine that he's really just using a spell a certain other important personage invented, or that he turned to said personage for help in creating the magic, there's nothing in the text that actually says you're wrong.
Everybody: Hope to see a bunch of you at GenCon later this week! |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2004 : 23:02:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Dargoth: In the book, it's Nexus who comes up with the spell in question. The implication is that he devised it himself. But if you prefer to imagine that he's really just using a spell a certain other important personage invented, or that he turned to said personage for help in creating the magic, there's nothing in the text that actually says you're wrong.
Everybody: Hope to see a bunch of you at GenCon later this week!
Or Given that circumstances of the conclusion of ED, Nexus may well BE "the certain important person" |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Questions for Richard Lee Byers
