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ShadezofDis
Senior Scribe
402 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Mar 2008 : 15:37:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I think the death of Bane, and the fact that the baneliches weren't effected, is a good precedent, even if the death of Mystra 1.0 during the ToT isn't.
Well, are you talking of Bane dying in the ToT? Because that's totally different from Mystra's assassination. Since Bane was killed by Torm while in psuedo-mortal form I can see more than enough differences to make the comparison shakey at best.
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Oh, I'll agree that there is a difference betwixt silver fire and mythals. But both are, in a sense, serious concentrations of magic -- which wards away the Sellplague.
Well, mythals, as far as I understand, use the weave (which sorta makes me wonder how they survived the collapse of the weave...)
But I'll not really consider that at the moment since my Mythal knowledge is a bit sparse.
Anyhow, here's another idea on why the Chosen would be particularly messed up by Mystra's death.
Mystra is the Weave, the Weave is Mystra.
Thus, Mystra's essence is the Weave.
When Mystra died the Weave almost totally collapsed, it didn't totally collapse because of the Chosen (since they are, partially, the weave). However, this wasn't very helpful because the instant the Weave fell upon the Chosen they were mostly crushed by the Weave. Perhaps Azuth stepped in to rescue some of them (take Mystra's essence from them in order to save their lives) but he couldn't save them all.
It's shoddy, but that's just the result of thinking about this for a couple of days and going off memory.
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly RupertSeriously, the warding away is what strains credibility for me. We have worlds merging, gods lost to the Astral, planes shifting around, and a whole mess of other changes due to the Sellplague. Most of this stuff is far beyond what any deity could do. And yet, strong concentrations of mortal magic ward away the Sellplague...
I understand, I mean, I'm ok with the Spellplague "dodging" strong concentrations of mortal magic but what I find pretty impossible to believe is that the concentrations would even be there. The Weave dropped and that would imply to me that enchantments sustained by the Weave would drop. Unless the "Chosen as pillars of the Weave" theory could be played with enough to be believable. But I'm not even sure I can monkey around with it enough to make sense. 
Yes, I'm a monkey business expert. |
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Kheris
Seeker
USA
50 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2008 : 18:00:52
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Well, unless I'm mistaken, Elminster is badly wounded (nearly killed) when Sharran agents break into his tower looking for an artifact during the Cormyr/Shadowdale/Anauroch adventure path. If memory serves, he was contingencied into a demiplane/pocket dimension/whathaveyou. This may be the sole reason he survives the Spellplague, as he may not be around for it (in fairness I've never fully read the books, so for all I know he's back by the end of the 3rd book, rendering this moot).
As far as Mythals are concerned, one explanation may be that the enchantments are so tightly and carefully crafted that the chaos of the Spellplague (the mutating effects mentioned in articles, and a certain novel, hint at this being akin to the Warhammer Fantasy "Winds of Chaos" with corrupting/mutating effects) simply can't disrupt them in any noticeable or meaningful way. We also lack any detail on the condition of the various Mythals, or Evermeet, for that matter. For all we know, the Mythal-warded areas may appear unharmed because the Mythals largely burned out by countering or dampening the effects of the Spellplague. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2008 : 18:45:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Kheris
Well, unless I'm mistaken, Elminster is badly wounded (nearly killed) when Sharran agents break into his tower looking for an artifact during the Cormyr/Shadowdale/Anauroch adventure path. If memory serves, he was contingencied into a demiplane/pocket dimension/whathaveyou. This may be the sole reason he survives the Spellplague, as he may not be around for it (in fairness I've never fully read the books, so for all I know he's back by the end of the 3rd book, rendering this moot).
As far as Mythals are concerned, one explanation may be that the enchantments are so tightly and carefully crafted that the chaos of the Spellplague (the mutating effects mentioned in articles, and a certain novel, hint at this being akin to the Warhammer Fantasy "Winds of Chaos" with corrupting/mutating effects) simply can't disrupt them in any noticeable or meaningful way. We also lack any detail on the condition of the various Mythals, or Evermeet, for that matter. For all we know, the Mythal-warded areas may appear unharmed because the Mythals largely burned out by countering or dampening the effects of the Spellplague.
It's flat-out stated that the Sellplague flowed around those areas. "Places guarded by powerful, persistent magical wards were largely unharmed; the Spellplague flowed around mythals and other such mighty enchantments." http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080111a
And either way, we still have a magical effect that does things the gods couldn't do, and yet it is affected by mortal magic. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Kheris
Seeker
USA
50 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2008 : 18:57:58
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Hmm... Forgot about that line of text, I'm glad you pointed it out so I can alter the course of my brainstorming/theorizing. 
New theory:
Must've been platypi. Only something with a pouch, duckbill, and venomous barbs could alter or abate the Spellplague. 
PS: Mr. Baker, if you could drop a tiny hint we would appreciate it  |
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ShadezofDis
Senior Scribe
402 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2008 : 20:05:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly RupertAnd either way, we still have a magical effect that does things the gods couldn't do, and yet it is affected by mortal magic.
Which, if it's (said mortal magic) dependent upon the weave, shouldn't actually be there, unless I'm missing something. |
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krocha
Acolyte
4 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2008 : 22:54:27
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Hey Mr. Baker,
Any word on if the Fey'ri will make it into 4e and if so will they be PC playable (at least at some level, possibly like a Monster Manual PC playable race?)
Thanks... |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2008 : 05:54:44
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Hey Rich,
Can you give us any additional information related to your "Tribes of Thar" article and the map included concerning:
Bone Tower
Rosestone Abbey
Wailing Tower
Thanks for your time! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2008 : 04:30:29
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| did malkazid kick the bucker permanently when that place collapsed ? |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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BARDOBARBAROS
Senior Scribe
Greece
581 Posts |
Posted - 07 May 2008 : 19:27:17
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| The release of Swordmage in Hardcover version is a very positive thing !!! I hope Wizards will continue publishing in Hardcover all the upcoming novels of R.baker!! |
BARDOBARBAROS DOES NOT KILL.
HE DECAPITATES!!!
"The city changes, but the fools within it remain always the same" (Edwin Odesseiron- Baldur's gate 2) |
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
129 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2008 : 20:15:39
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Sorry for the long delay, haven't been by in a while!
I expect there are still a few fey'ri skulking about in the world, but I don't think we've gotten to a monster description for them yet (and I know we haven't done a PC-playable version). So, not yet, but we haven't deliberately excised them from the setting. We just haven't talked about them yet.
quote:
Originally posted by krocha
Hey Mr. Baker,
Any word on if the Fey'ri will make it into 4e and if so will they be PC playable (at least at some level, possibly like a Monster Manual PC playable race?)
Thanks...
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Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
129 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2008 : 20:22:23
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One of the things I did for my Blades of the Moonsea series is fill in a lot of pretty blank history for some of the northern shore cities--Thentia, Hulburg, and Sulasspryn. I also revisited some of the lore from the old 2e Moonsea product and decided to give it a little bit of a fresh take. For example, I came up with the idea that the lich Aesperus was not a defender of Hulburg entombed under the town, as previously reported, but was instead a would-be tyrant who forged his own little kingdom in the area back around 1050 DR or so. This kingdom was known as Thentur (capital Thentia). Aesperus held the area as an ever-nastier necromancer king until the clerics of Lathander organized a rebellion against his tyrannical rule and led the people of the kingdom in deposing him. Rosestone Abbey is an old Lathanderite temple dating back to those days, now home to a small order of Amaunatorian friars. The Wailing Tower was Aesperus's final fortress, a small castle in the foothills of the Galena Mountains northeast of Hulburg.
How's that? There's more to the story in my novel Swordmage!
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Hey Rich,
Can you give us any additional information related to your "Tribes of Thar" article and the map included concerning:
Bone Tower
Rosestone Abbey
Wailing Tower
Thanks for your time!
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Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
129 Posts |
Posted - 08 May 2008 : 20:24:27
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I don't think so, but I think he was very badly wounded and thrown into a dimensional vortex that he might not escape for centuries. In other words, I don't have any plans to write about him again, but if someone else wanted to, I wouldn't say no...
quote:
Originally posted by sfdragon
did malkazid kick the bucker permanently when that place collapsed ?
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Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2008 : 01:21:09
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Excellent! Look forward to the book.
quote:
Originally posted by RichardBaker
One of the things I did for my Blades of the Moonsea series is fill in a lot of pretty blank history for some of the northern shore cities--Thentia, Hulburg, and Sulasspryn. I also revisited some of the lore from the old 2e Moonsea product and decided to give it a little bit of a fresh take. For example, I came up with the idea that the lich Aesperus was not a defender of Hulburg entombed under the town, as previously reported, but was instead a would-be tyrant who forged his own little kingdom in the area back around 1050 DR or so. This kingdom was known as Thentur (capital Thentia). Aesperus held the area as an ever-nastier necromancer king until the clerics of Lathander organized a rebellion against his tyrannical rule and led the people of the kingdom in deposing him. Rosestone Abbey is an old Lathanderite temple dating back to those days, now home to a small order of Amaunatorian friars. The Wailing Tower was Aesperus's final fortress, a small castle in the foothills of the Galena Mountains northeast of Hulburg.
How's that? There's more to the story in my novel Swordmage!
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Hey Rich,
Can you give us any additional information related to your "Tribes of Thar" article and the map included concerning:
Bone Tower
Rosestone Abbey
Wailing Tower
Thanks for your time!
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
Edited by - Dalor Darden on 09 May 2008 01:33:53 |
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Afetbinttuzani
Senior Scribe
Canada
434 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2008 : 14:58:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It's flat-out stated that the Sellplague flowed around those areas.
I think you may have serendipitously happened upon what truly ails Realms these days.
Afet |
Afet bint Tuzanķ
"As the good Archmage often admonishes me, I ought not to let my mind wander, as it's too small to go off by itself."
- Danilo Thann in Elfsong by Elaine Cunningham |
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Karzak
Learned Scribe
196 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2008 : 15:32:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Afetbinttuzani
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It's flat-out stated that the Sellplague flowed around those areas.
I think you may have serendipitously happened upon what truly ails Realms these days.
Afet
That? Wooly intentionally spells it that way, I'm pretty sure. |
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Afetbinttuzani
Senior Scribe
Canada
434 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2008 : 16:06:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Karzak
quote:
Originally posted by Afetbinttuzani
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It's flat-out stated that the Sellplague flowed around those areas.
I think you may have serendipitously happened upon what truly ails Realms these days.
Afet
That? Wooly intentionally spells it that way, I'm pretty sure.
Perhaps your right, and he does sell it that way on purpose. But if he does spell the word sell that way intentionally, his spelling the word sell is inconsistent, so that it does not appear to be an intentional selling of the word spell.
Afet |
Afet bint Tuzanķ
"As the good Archmage often admonishes me, I ought not to let my mind wander, as it's too small to go off by itself."
- Danilo Thann in Elfsong by Elaine Cunningham |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2008 : 21:53:43
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| He does spell it that way on purpose. It's become something of an in-joke here. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
Edited by - Rinonalyrna Fathomlin on 10 May 2008 21:55:06 |
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GS
Acolyte
14 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2008 : 23:41:02
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Ricardo, you fiend!
Great book, I enjoyed it 'muchly'. The annoying thing about reading these books is the wait for the next one. I am very curious as to how and where you are taking the characters/plot next. Swordmage is in many ways a "stand alone" book, which is also interesting. Very "whole", even if it does leave much to be explored.
Great Read
- GS |
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Fillow
Master of Realmslore
France
1608 Posts |
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dracon
Acolyte
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2008 : 04:36:05
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| Just wanted to say that I picked up Swordmage yesterday, and after few chapters I can't put it down. It's really top notch. I love the characters and the setting. Very recently ran a campaign in Hulburg so I was delighted to see you flesh out the city. I'll certainly be looking forward to the rest of the 'Blades of the Moonsea' series. |
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Trailstalker
Acolyte
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2008 : 18:42:07
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Rich
Just a quick line to let you know that I thought Swordmage was outstanding, and I'm really looking forward to more. It was also nice to see an old friend in the beginning, if only for a moment!
Keep up with the great work! |
Dash Trailstalker
Halfling Ranger |
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althen artren
Senior Scribe
USA
780 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2008 : 17:14:29
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Spells Stilled, Rich:
I am constructing an essay on Myth Drannor. I am making
a list of Powers exuded by the Tree of Souls in 1380DR, and would
an expert guess on the caster level of spell effects given off
by the Tree. I am guessing around 45.
Also, what is the construction material for the Starsoul Shrine?
Simple granite, marble, materials created through the one
High Magic Ritual, pertified wood?
Also, would Telshurr have the aryvandaar ritual that construct the blue crystal in their towers, or was that more of a Level 4-9 spell? |
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Foxhelm
Senior Scribe
Canada
592 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2008 : 01:27:02
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This question was missed on the Wiz site, so I decided to post it.
Okay in the switch from 3 ed to 4 ed many gods were eliminated. Yet in 2 ed and 3 ed it was possible to resurrect dead gods, is this still possible for 4 ed?
Could I create a super-awesome-cool adventure were I bring back Helm or my favourite Finder (I can see why Finder might have not made it and how you didn't have the final draft when you answer my questions on him, but it stilled hurt to hear he's gone after you said he was an Exarch)?
(And would a donation to the Game Designers Retirement Fund help to make it cannon? Or would just a two story keg of beer be needed to do that?) |
Ed Greenwood! The Solution... and Cause of all the Realms Problems! |
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Razz
Senior Scribe
USA
749 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2009 : 16:29:19
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Ok, big question. Are the new elven deities in Dragon Magazine #251 official elven deities in the Realms? I assume their worship was strong during the time the elves ruled Faerun, but have increasingly been forgotten over time. Or is this one of those things (like the Double Diamond novels) that isn't seen as official FR canon?
Thanks. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2009 : 18:16:04
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| It may be a good idea to take questions to Rich over to his WotC thread. He's not visited this site in a few months, and it's been even longer since he posted here. |
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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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2009 : 23:44:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It may be a good idea to take questions to Rich over to his WotC thread. He's not visited this site in a few months, and it's been even longer since he posted here.
Agreed. I actually forgot to state that in my reply to Razz earlier.
'Tis probably best, since Rich has said that he wouldn't be as focused on answering questions here anymore. Instead, preferring to focus just on answering questions about the Realms on the Wizards boards.
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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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Penknight
Senior Scribe
USA
538 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2009 : 00:24:50
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| I have a couple of questions about your short story in Realms of the Elves. The ice spell that Daried's friend casts at the enemy and the spell that allowed Daried to reflect an enemy's spell at another foe... what were they? |
Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document |
Edited by - Penknight on 11 Mar 2009 22:11:54 |
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Sebastrd
Acolyte
28 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2009 : 19:50:01
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I just have a quick question regarding Lorosfyr.
What do you imagine is the source of madness lurking at the bottom of that terrifying place?
I've been reading a lot of H. P. Lovecraft and Lords of Madness, and I ran across the reference in Underdark while reading up on aberration settlements. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2009 : 22:55:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Sebastrd
What do you imagine is the source of madness lurking at the bottom of that terrifying place?
It's a never-ending concert of every boyband and novelty act that's ever existed, with that accursed Titanic tune played every three songs -- as it was when the movie was in theaters.  |
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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Afetbinttuzani
Senior Scribe
Canada
434 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2009 : 19:31:05
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Hi, Richard.
I have a question about something mentioned in the 4E FRPG. In the "Deities of Toril" section, under the description of Selūne, it says that her followers:
"Seek out creatures who bear the curse of lycan-thropy, curing those who hope to end their affliction and destroying those who have suc-cumbed to the beast within" (p. 152).
This implies that lycanthropy is a curable affliction, whereas the 4E Monster Manual indicates that it is "hereditary" and cannot be contracted by infection. Do priestesses of Selūne have some extraordinary means of removing lycanthropy?
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Afet bint Tuzanķ
"As the good Archmage often admonishes me, I ought not to let my mind wander, as it's too small to go off by itself."
- Danilo Thann in Elfsong by Elaine Cunningham |
Edited by - Afetbinttuzani on 17 Mar 2009 19:44:27 |
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Questions for Richard Baker
