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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1288 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jun 2015 : 04:05:19
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| ARgh, it's my grandmother's 85th birthday party outside of Toronto at 5:30 on Saturday night, but I really want to go see Ed on the 27th! Might have to make this happen! :) If I get any secrets from his lips I'll pass on what I'm allowed to the scribes here. |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jun 2015 : 06:48:42
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quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
Actually you didn't GK, even the chapbook lists it simply as Y' Where did you get the proper name from?
 I could tell you but then I'd have to put the Eldreth Veluuthra onto you.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Bruce Donohue
Learned Scribe
Canada
131 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jun 2015 : 11:57:32
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Hello All,
The book signing at Bakka Phoenix in Toronto went very well. It was a small and intimate group and setting. Lots of laughs and fun interaction. Ed was gracious, mischievous, and interactive as always in a style like only he can do. In terms of secrets or little tidbits that came up during the two hour chat, well to be honest it didn't come up. Most of us there, including myself, know which topics and subjects are NDA therefore, that was a road not travelled.
Two of Ed's original players were at hand, and it was fun to see their interactions with Ed and the familiarity like only they know. It was great to find out how their contributions in play and insistence of wanting a live world helped Ed mold Forgotten Realms into the gem that it is today.
Personally for myself, it was nice to get reacquainted. The experience brought fun memories of playing with many a time at the game table with Ed, as well various conservations over the years. How it is always more about the story, the interactions, and the living and shaping your character with him and how the mechanics of game rules are only truly there as a tool to shape those desires. In my opinion that is how the game should be fully experienced. How it is all about personal and social interactions and connections. After all, it is part of human experience.
George, Ed says hello back
Bruce :)
Oops I almost forgot... The gentleman who's character is Florin Falconhand, (sorry folk no names) had Ed confirm and promise to commit to someday soon (can't say when) to truly sit down and take a full year to write one novel project. If you all don't already know, that is a big undertaking since Ed churns things out as part of his process at ludicrous speeds. example: Ed wrote Elminster Enraged in 8 weekend writing sessions. Those present, including myself, could only gleefully smile.
See you all in the Realms folks :)
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Edited by - Bruce Donohue on 28 Jun 2015 12:06:09 |
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Bruce Donohue
Learned Scribe
Canada
131 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jun 2015 : 23:56:08
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| Happy Canada Day to all fellow Canucks on July 1st |
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Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
746 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2015 : 01:35:13
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Hello THO, glad to hear that the book signing went well. Wish I could meet you all someday. I've been reading through Faiths and Pantheons and wondering for quite some time now: Has anyone ever discussed the potential for druids of Selune? I've searched the forums and found some very good druid discussion, but I see Selune is never discussed as a "nature" deity, though we all know many things in the natural order are dependent on the moon.
Is it a portfolio thing? An alignment thing? Has anyone used druids of Selune in their game? thanks. |
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Xnella Moonblade-Thann
Learned Scribe
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2015 : 02:04:22
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| To THO and Ed: As Canada has their National Holiday (Canada Day, July 1st) and the United States has their National Holiday (Independence Day, July 4th), are there any similar national holidays in The Realms? Like when is Waterdeep's/Cormyr's/Sembia's/Tethyr's/etc. equivalent of an Independence/Founding Day? |
"Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet." - traditional elven farewell
Please forgive any spelling and grammer errors, as my android touch-screen phone has no spellchecker. If I do make a grammer mistake, please let me know and I'll try to fix it.
New laptop, still trying to sort my "scrolls" on its shelves...and when will this cursed thing stop doing things I tell it not to?  |
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Bruce Donohue
Learned Scribe
Canada
131 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2015 : 12:26:50
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Hello THO, how are you my dear?
I have a few specific questions for Ed...
Question 1: In Miyeritar, Iriador Citadel (guessing in Tor Iriador), I am wondering if you know the names of any possible Baelnorn that would still be in existence for the Sisters of Shadow and possibly a little bit of history on them?
Question 2: Would it be possible to give a definition to what exactly is a Temporal Portal Nexus and in particular the one located in the Sorrow Wood of former Sharrven and can it still be found?
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2015 : 19:52:36
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Working on a new (old) map and I noticed something...
Are there any roads in Halruaa? 
I can't find one map (going all the way back to that TSR Newsletter) that shows any. What do they use? A portal network?
Or should I add some?  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Bruce Donohue
Learned Scribe
Canada
131 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 09:57:46
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| Would it be possible to get more of description on the Hall of the Kaliesh'erai? What it looks like and where in Evereska it is located since it doesn't seem located on any maps of Evereska that I could find. |
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Duneth Despana
Learned Scribe
Belgium
273 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jul 2015 : 15:08:17
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| Can you tell us more about Braceldaur? |
« There is no overriding « epic » in the Realms, but rather a large number of stories, adventures, and encounters going on all the time. [...]. Each creative mind adds to the base, creating, defining, and making their contribution to the rich diversity of the Realms. [...]. But Ed built the stage upon which all the plays are presented. Thanks Ed. » -FR Comic no.1
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2015 : 00:37:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Duneth Despana
Can you tell us more about Braceldaur?
Ed first mentioned Braceldaur in his "Dawntree" series of articles in the "Realmslore" WotC web-column. Gievn my current interest in the Moonsea and the Dales, I'd love to know if there is anything more on this place too.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2015 : 23:31:32
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Hi again, all. Sorry for the long silence; dratted WORK hath kept me from these hallowed halls.
I'm popping up to ferry your recent questions to Ed, and to answer the one I can handle off the top of my aging and pointy head:
Markustay, long ago we Knights asked Ed that very same thing about Halruaa, and he informed us that Halruaa has no main arterial roads, but is crisscrossed by a titanic webwork of unsignposted, meandering cart-track lanes, all of them with wide grass verges (and usually drainage ditches), except at the foothills of the mountains in the northern parts of the country, where Halruaa is truly "trackless" (open meadows, everyone rides or leads their pack animals or guides their wagon or cart wherever they please, fording the many small (and also unmarked, on maps) rills (tiny, shallow streams).
So, yes, Halruaa has no roads. Drives visitors (especially spies and would-be invaders) nuts.
love,
THO |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2015 : 09:52:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Working on a new (old) map and I noticed something...
Are there any roads in Halruaa?
I can't find one map (going all the way back to that TSR Newsletter) that shows any. What do they use? A portal network?
Or should I add some?
All of the novels about Halruaa mention roads - both within and outside of cities - but I do not know of any that name these roads. In Murder one road is described as gemstone, others as cobblestone. The Wizardwar books describe roads as paved.
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Edited by - The Masked Mage on 14 Jul 2015 09:57:34 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2015 : 16:30:44
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Thanks for that response, THO. Now I can finish that map up.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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JPDeed
Acolyte
Australia
15 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2015 : 15:07:48
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Hello there,
Question about Thayan weapons of war. What kind of weaponry would a Thayan grunt warrior (assuming not undead, gnoll, orc or foreign merc) wield? Do they have distinct cultural roots? From Mulhorand for example? Also, thinking back to the Red Wizard enclaves selling basic magic weaponry and potions - did the enclaves have some kind of stamp of identification so people knew they were "Made In Thay"? |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 18:54:23
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Hello THO and Ed. I hope the summer is treating both of you well. I have a question about Shadowdale. Or what's under it, more specifically.
It's been asked here before (possibly by me) about the kinds of mineral deposits, and other things dwarves might like to mine, lie in the general vicinity of Shadowdale town and the wider dale. The answer came back that it was NDA'ed. That was several years ago, so first I wanted to check and see if the NDA had been lifted.
If not, I have a more targeted question, which might run into the same wall. I was rereading Beneath the Twisted Tower again the other day and was struck by a couple of things. First, that there's a sizable lake inside the Old Skull. Clearly there's a fair amount of subterranean water in the area, since the lake gives birth to a river that eventually leads to (presumably) Szith Morcane and eventually Maerimydra.
But the second was that in the same complex there was an active hot springs as well as deep rifts described in the adventure text as "an immensely deep crevice in the floor, from which rises a dull red glow and a ghastly sulfuric smell."
Is there active vulcanism beneath Shadowdale? If so, how long as it been going on, and has it had any effect on the surface or the nearby Underdark? Have the Knights ever been down that far? Why isn't that lake hotter than it is? What is going on here?
And finally, in keeping with the general theme, do you have any more special metals of the Realms you can share in general, like the wonderful stuff in Volo's Guide to All Things Magical? 2e or edition neutral stuff that I can add to the weird and wonderful materials that can show up in dwarven forges my players might encounter?
Many thanks, as always. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 18:36:50
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Hello again, all.
JPDeed, Ed saith:
Belt dagger, second dagger (sometimes paralyzing-venom-poisoned) sheathed in tops of greaves (even the lowliest Thayan soldiery wear boots and metal greaves). Double-ended spear (javelin), on which are carried furled signal flags (sewn in sleeves around spearshaft). Officers wear gauntlets, right gauntlet has knuckle-dagger-blades, sheathed on forearm-flare-cuff of gauntlet, that can be slid into back-of-hand sockets and locked into place. Some soldiery wear small round shields, strapped to arms, that have dagger-sheaths on their inner surfaces, and some have sharpened edges and can get hurled in battle like Frisbees.
Hoondatha, Ed saith:
Metals coming, when I can find the right notes. ;} NDAs still in place, but yes, the Knights have been down that far, and yes, the Old Skull (the big rocky knob that juts up in the center of Shadowdale) is volcanic in origin. The underground lake also feeds the River Ashaba, by means of a tiny stream that rises to the surface elsewhere in Shadowdale. As for "What is going on here?" = NDA'd. Sorry. Will see what slyly skating revelations I can make without offending against it...
And that's it from Ed, for now. More to come, he promises, when he can.
love,
THO |
Edited by - The Hooded One on 22 Jul 2015 18:38:14 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 19:13:39
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| Wonderful, thanks THO and Ed. It's too bad there are still so many NDA's making life difficult, but I will gladly take whatever dribbles Ed can manage to unleash. And I eagerly await any new metals or processes he can dig out of the archives. That whole Raw Materials section of All Things Magical is one of my favorite bits of Realmslore ever published. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Azuth
Senior Scribe
USA
404 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 20:03:17
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Dearest THO and Ed:
Having just re-read The Herald for the third time, and failing to divine any answers, I was wondering if I could get a few sentences describing the current state of Candlekeep after the events of the books there. I have players who want to venture there, but it's not really clear to me whether Candlekeep is currently even accepting new petitioners. My players have their own opinions on things, and while I could make something up, it never hurts to ask the Realms Master himself for the general state of Candlekeep in 1486 - the current year in 5E, I believe.
Many thanks! |
Azuth, the First Magister
Lord of All Spells
The greatest expression of creativity is through Art.
Offense can never be given, only taken. |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3806 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 21:52:10
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Hello Ed and THO.
Since we'll be soon getting a ''Sword Coast Campaign Setting'', with updated lore on the post-Sundering Realms, would it be possible to know if Ed has been involved in its making?
Thanks for your time. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 03:20:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
Hello Ed and THO.
Since we'll be soon getting a ''Sword Coast Campaign Setting'', with updated lore on the post-Sundering Realms, would it be possible to know if Ed has been involved in its making?
Thanks for your time.
Steve Kenson from Green Ronin was just asked if he had worked with Ed on this project and replied "Not on my end of things".
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3806 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 03:26:30
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
Hello Ed and THO.
Since we'll be soon getting a ''Sword Coast Campaign Setting'', with updated lore on the post-Sundering Realms, would it be possible to know if Ed has been involved in its making?
Thanks for your time.
Steve Kenson from Green Ronin was just asked if he had worked with Ed on this project and replied "Not on my end of things".
-- George Krashos
Thanks for the info, but may I know where this has been asked? Also, It would be very disappointing if Ed didn't have a hand in the book that is supposed to answer (according to their blurb) a lot of questions about the new Realms. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 23 Jul 2015 03:26:52 |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 05:20:13
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He posted about the book on his FB page and was asked in the comments.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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JPDeed
Acolyte
Australia
15 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2015 : 06:32:58
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Thanks THO,
Now that I have 1 answer - on to my next if you please :).
1)I am developing the ecology of Tabath hills south of Delimbiyr Vale. Are there notable individual monsters in the area and a dominant humanoid faction there? Are their ruins linked to Athalantar to be found? Rumours of magic and treasure to be found there? DMing a game pre-spellplague...
Cheers! |
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Duneth Despana
Learned Scribe
Belgium
273 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2015 : 21:28:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Ed hinted a little about the Vyshaan in his 2012 thread. He said on August 12:
"Yes, there are survivors of House Vyshaan. However, lore about them and about Aryvandaar is firmly NDA right now, so I can’t say much more. I’ll be checking at GenCon and after with certain folks to see what I can reveal, though . . . so stay tuned. Let me say this much: there are gold elves of the line of Vyshaan alive in the Realms today who know their heritage - - and there are gold elves of the line of Vyshaan alive in the Realms today who do not."
You might want to ping Ed in his scroll to see if those NDA's have loosened in the past three years.
ping! |
« There is no overriding « epic » in the Realms, but rather a large number of stories, adventures, and encounters going on all the time. [...]. Each creative mind adds to the base, creating, defining, and making their contribution to the rich diversity of the Realms. [...]. But Ed built the stage upon which all the plays are presented. Thanks Ed. » -FR Comic no.1
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Rivenhelm
Acolyte
32 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2015 : 03:57:57
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Hi THO and Ed,
Firstly, I hope Jenny is feeling better. I thought I heard that she was not in the best of health lately and that Ed would not make the trek to Gen Con. All the best to her and Ed.
Secondly, a question for the bearded sagely wonder - that'd be Ed btw. I'm running our group in Eveningstar, and I was caught totally unprepared when my nephew (Murtag the thief) decided to take a tour of the House of Morning. Wishing I had the time to research the temple and daily doings of the clergy - I recall there being some in the Myth Drannor boxed set, but really wanted to flesh it out - I found myself in full "wing it" mode. When Murtag mounted the stairs to ascend to level two, I realized sadly I had no map of the upper floors. I hastily had a group of priests approach the top of the stairway and begin to descend. That seemed to dissuade Murtag for the time being. Our session ended shortly after that. So my question to Ed would be, would he be willing to give a "thief's-eye" view of what might Murtag had seen had he ascended those stairs? Be it general or intriguingly specific, depending on how daring the "thief" narrator to be. What I'd like is to get enough of a feel to sketch out a map to use in our next session. I would love any flavor about the temple, and possible rituals and daily life that could help bring life to the Morning House. Any memories from the Lady Hooded's time there would be most appreciated as well - age appropriate for my nephew of course. :-) Thanks in advance and Best Well Wishes!!!
R... |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2015 : 17:20:46
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Hello, all.
Rivenhelm, thanks for your good wishes for Jenny!
I can give you a "starter answer" and hand your question on to Ed for a deeper followup.
First of all: the clergy of the temple leave tending sheep and goats to the citizen farmers of Eveningstar, and confine themselves to growing herbs and vegetables, making "physics" and "cordials" (medicines), and doctoring. They make steady amounts by the sale of bulk vegetables (including wares stored under straw in shallow caves they've dug in the cliff face to the west of the stream valley) to passing caravan merchants (the locals, of course, grow their own), and make the main temple income from the selling of bottled sauces and jarred preserved herbs, plus some of the aforementioned medicinal cordials (they blow their own glass bottles, BTW).
The temple maintains "offices" of prayer (somewhat akin to a real-world Benedictine monastery) around the clock, and much of the daily work of the temple is farming, by hand, in the fields, and by visiting the people of Eveningstar and wayfarers stopping at local inns (in the Knights' time, the Lonesome Tankard). These visitations are to help, advise, and encourage new ventures, inventions, and innovations both large and small among the general populace.
The basement of the temple consists of low-ceiling cellars full of kegs of ale (the main drink of the clergy; this is watered-down ale, more "treated water" than "stuff to get drunk on"), hanging meat (the clergy have their own smokehouse on the west side of the mouth of the stream gorge), and stored root vegetables, plus the "underkitchens" where pickling occurs, vegetables are chopped and boiled, and so on (spit roasting occurs outdoors, even in severe winter weather).
The upstairs of the temple consists of several "cells" (quiet rooms) for solitary prayer and contemplation (farthest from those stairs), three large dormitory rooms (two-decker bunk beds for the clergy to sleep in), a row of garderobes and a bathroom (meaning: room with copper sit-baths; water is pumped by hand from cisterns), several meeting rooms, and then, closest to the stair you had the priests descend, a robing room (cloakroom, with outerwear boots, sandals, cloaks, hoods, and wintercloaks all stored, with benches for getting dressed and undressed), plus a toolroom and workshop.
As for memories...hoo boy; much consultation and doctoring of wounded Knights, an adventuresome interlude involving Torm trying to find a private spot for some hanky-panky with a willing lass but being continually interrupted by oh-so-genuinely-helpful priests, and at least one instance in which the clergy hid a runaway outlaw from Purple Dragons searching for him, because they disagreed with the policing methods. Oh, and Lord Tessaril stood up for them doing so, when it finally got found out. Tessaril and Charisbonde were staunch friends, and worked together covertly quite a bit. (And there is - - correctly - - rumored to be vast wealth hidden in or around the temple, but the individual priests of today haven't the faintest where it is or how to access it, no matter how much they get enchanted or tortured by someone wanting to find it.) The temple coffers are banked in Suzail; they can buy and sell all of Eveningstar several times over, and are rumored (again, correctly, though they won't admit which ones) to have part ownership in several trading costers.
There. Hope this is of help!
love,
THO |
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Rivenhelm
Acolyte
32 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2015 : 21:29:41
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Thank you very much!!! Good solid bits there. A good picture is starting to form. Sounds like the upper floors were more "employee only" areas, no real guest quartering - other than Torm's visits? Murtag and company are currently quartered in the first floor guest apartments, most likely where the Knights stayed I'm guessing. I noted the kitchen on the first level, but no dining hall. I'm assuming it's a "take to your quarters" or "eat in the glory of the outdoors" kind of thing, or use one of the meeting rooms upstairs, you mentioned, for a group meal. Not that it'll have a bearing on Ed's answer, but our group is in the 1350's era; 1350DR to be exact, so I don't think we'll be running into Torm since, in the published Realms, it's after your time there. Although, I'm guessing in the "home" Realms it's a little before your time. But it's just a guess of course :-)
Thanks again for the great response! Looking forward to what Ed has to add. Hope all is well with you as well! Keep us posted on Jen & Ed.
R... |
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Gareth Yaztromo
Acolyte
Australia
37 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2015 : 12:12:18
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Hello, The Hooded One and Ed!
My question is in regards to the mountain range The Spine of the World. I have noticed that Robert Jordan also used that name for one of his mountain ranges in The Wheel of Time series. Is this coincidence? Collective consciousness, even? Since you came up with the Forgotten Realms in the mid 60s, it appears to pre-date Jordan's first TWOT book, which was published in 1990.
Oh... and what about Cormyr and Caemlyn? Though, I have read, Camelot is the inspiration for Caemlyn.
Either way, I'm a big fan of both of your worlds; and I enjoy those, perhaps, unconscious similarities! :)
P.S. Elmindreda isn't the female version of Elminster. :p |
"Gereth Yaztromo is arguably the most famous wizard of Allansia due to his part in a number of the most well known sagas of that region from the third century AC. He is also known as one of the three Star Pupils of the Grand Wizard of Yore.." |
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Bruce Donohue
Learned Scribe
Canada
131 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2015 : 11:42:06
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| I was wondering, Waterdeep used to once be the city of Aelinthaldaar and it used to have a Mythal. Does any of it still have lingering effects such as when an elf enters reverie they can gain access to collective family memories, just as if they were wearing a tel’kirra gem. This ability allowed them to commune with their ancestors in Arvandor, or elsewhere if they desire, but they gain no control over what they see or hear and is that still the case today? What ever happen during the Wyrmkiss and what effects if any still linger today? |
Edited by - Bruce Donohue on 01 Aug 2015 11:43:12 |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2015)
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