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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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_Jarlaxle_
Senior Scribe
Germany
584 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 09:51:59
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Well unfortunatly for you, I think the novel Evermeet has the best info on moonblades. Because it covers how they get created and passed on, so it's basically a must read for info on them.
IMHO it's also a must read in general.
Personally I find the idea of the moonblades being a plot to weaken the elves very hard to sell, considering that their pantheon was behind creating evermeet and the swords.
So if you want to do something like this it might be more believable if only one or two swords get twisted.
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Edited by - _Jarlaxle_ on 10 Dec 2015 09:52:20 |
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perlmugp
Seeker
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 10:26:11
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| You could try the sourcebook Cormanthyr, it has quite a few references to moonblades. Magic of Farrun also has some info on how they are passed down on page 170. |
--Zoomable Map of Faerun-- |
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Dewaint
Learned Scribe
Germany
148 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 10:34:41
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| If memory don't fails me, there is an history section for Starym moonblade in "VGtaTM", and probably some more lore in "the Harpers"(2e)accessory for Arilyn's Moonblade. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 16:46:42
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| Elves of Evermeet might have some info. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 23:02:25
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Found this bit from Brian R James that is actually headed in the same direction as my own thoughts
quote:
I have a somewhat divergent take on the Descent of the Drow. I think it's much more interesting to frame this story of this as a religious struggle, rather than a racial conflict.
In ancient times only one sub-species of elf existed, the green elves. Like their faerie kin, the green elves lived in the Feywild. The pantheon of gods known as the Seldarine were unknown to the fey, who instead venerated the archfey of the Seelie Court.
In the aftermath of the Dawn War between the gods and the primordials, a growing number of green elves began to worship an ascendant archfey turned god, Corellon Larethian. Fueled by this powerful influx of faith, Corellon blessed his flock by changing them into sun elves. Later, another group of green elves would share a similar blessing, changing into moon elves at the behest of Sehanine Moonbow.
Back on Toril, the end of the Days of Thunder heralded the rise of dragon empires across the world. The leShay, last of the enigmatic creator races, opened gates between between the Feywild and Toril, summoning several tribes of green elves to the mortal world. With their primal powers, the green elves succeeded in limiting the dominion of the dragons and giants alike. By the time the eldarin (sun elves and moon elves) found their way to Faerûn the Age of Dragons was already in its twilight.
As the elven nations began to spread across the Faerûn, it became increasingly important to the faithful of the Seldarine to proselytize their beliefs and convert the heathen green elves to the true faith. In many cases they were quite successful, with many green elves adopting the faiths of Rillifane, Solonor, or others.
One tribe of green elves, however, the Ilythiiri, were staunch in their rejection of the Seldarine. “Where was saintly Corellon Larethian and his priests, when their kind were being slaughtered en masse by the dragon overlords of the south?” Desperate in their struggle, these southern elves turned to other, darker, powers to aid them in their fight against the dragons (Ghaunadaur among others).
Millennia later, the coronal of the eladrin nation of Aryvandaar sought to spread the faith of the Seldarine to their “primitive” neighbor Miyeritar. To the coronal’s thinking (goaded on by the fallen angel Malkizid) any elf which rejected the ‘true faith’ of the Seldarine was branded a ‘dark-elf’ traitor and must be forcibly brought into the faith. The green elves of Miyeritar resisted and Aryvandaar invaded, thus beginning the Crown Wars.
When Miyeritar was scoured by killing storms, the Ilythiiri were outraged. By this time the Ilythiiri (not all ‘dark elves’) were largely corrupted by their dark gods. Using vile magic, the ilythiiri marched and burned their way across the south. Reports of these atrocities just further reinforced the belief in the eladrin that Corellon’s teachings were the only ‘right and true’ path.
In time the eladrin (and Seldarin worshiping green elves) came together to cast the mighty ritual which would finally force the dark-elves to embrace the light of the Seldarine. But something went awry in the casting. Instead of bringing the heathens into the fold, the high magic bleached the hair and darkened the bodies of the non-believers to onyx (all non-believers mind you, the majority being green elves but a score or more eladrin as well).
Thus were the drow of Faerûn born. Their striking similarity in appearance to the children of Kiaransalee leading some to believe that the dark goddess may have had a hand in corrupting the high magic ritual leading to the Descent of the Drow.
Evermeet was created to link Faerun to the home plane of the Seldarine (although I'm not entirely sure the Seldarine were gods at this point as evidenced by Brian James' quote above and a few other pointers which lead me to believe the archfey that would be the Seldarine actually lived in Arcorar at the site of the Elven Court until the Descent of the Drow when they finally ascended).
The purpose of this place was supposedly to provide the elves with a home away from home but it actually served as a beacon, calling to elves and urging them to withdraw (the urge becoming stronger as they get older) thus weakening the elven presence on Faerun by taking elves and usually older more powerful and more experienced elves away from Faerun.
Evermeet also served to prolong the lives of inhabiting elves indefinitely and was almost a piece of paradise on Toril thus preventing anyone from wanting to leave.
The Vyshaan are known to have colonised it around -9800 DR and apart from some wild elves that already lived there they were probably the first race to do so en masse and establish a nation there rather than the elven nursing home it probably was up until that point.
So according to Brian R James Evermeet was a plot by Malkizid and presumably one designed to weaken the elves (of whom he was not a fan).
Now I do not know when the moonblades were created but presumably it was some time between -17600 DR and -10000 DR. In fact it could have been at -10000 DR which is when elves are summoned to the site of the Elven Court and up until that point Arcorar has no mention of any elven nations (despite being one of the largest forests that was completely untouched by the crown wars, almost as though it was holy ground), and at least 100 of the 300 moonblades were crafted in the forest of northern Arcorar (according to Cormanthor Empire of Elves).
The moonblades had a secret magic weaved into them that was used to choose the ruler of the island of Evermeet and this was done by a single high mage quote:
An aged elf, the Grand Mage Ethlando at Elven Court
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Evermeet was created by Malkizid's manipulations and Ethlando was an aged high mage so perhaps he was over 8000 years old and linked to Malkizid and fooled everyone (including the archfey Corellon and his archfey family).
The moonblades themselves seemed to do nothing but sow conflict among the elves. They claimed the lives of all but the goodliest of elves (a brilliant ruse) and so often killed the eldest and most powerful (who would also be the most likely to have committed acts of cowardice and succumbed to emotions deemed evil by the sword). They set the elven sub races against one another (killing the majority of gold elves and thus gaining the name moonblade) and also became objects of power and thus a target for the squabbling noble houses.
I think even the appointment of a ruler of Evermeet was something Malkizid controlled and he did so to attract the last remaining elves to Evermeet so he could claim the Elven Court for himself and whatever power remained hidden there (if Corellon once lived there then it must have something of him lingering there). It cannot be a coincidence that 2 years after the elves left the Elven Court (in 1344 DR) Malkizid was summoned there (in 1346 DR) although he was banished he returned again in a few decades.
In short the moonblades, evermeet, the descent of the drow, all plans by Malkizid to destroy the elves in revenge for Corellon orchestrating his fall from the heavens.
At least that's where I'm thinking of going with it. The only snag in my mind is why Evermeet was created and linked to Aryvandaar when I'm not even certain that Corellon was a deity at that time (although the elves - particularly Vyshaan elves - could have worshipped other beings that did and Corellon and his family might have even been a favoured servant of those beings) |
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_Jarlaxle_
Senior Scribe
Germany
584 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2015 : 10:44:30
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Interesting way of going these events and of course you are free to do it this way in your campaign. I just thought because you posted in the canon section that you wanted to stick with canon lore  |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2015 : 11:09:41
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| FOR5 - Elves of Evermeet has a table for generating Moonblades under 2nd Edition Rules. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2015 : 17:23:20
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The best sources for canon info on moonblades AFAIK are the sourcebook Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves and the novel Evermeet: Island of Elves. The novel, of course, has more detail on the process of their creation, and on the Seldarine and Ethlando's roles.
EDIT: There are moonblades' entries in 2e in the Elves of Evermeet and in the Heroes' Lorebook (basically, a write-up from the EoE entry). They are also mentioned in the 3e Magic of Faerûn, and I think there is an entry in the 5e DM's Guide. Not sure about 4e, though, but I can look for more info if you wish.
In time, the "elfshadow" power in EoE and HL is not updated with the powers revealed in the later Song and Sword novels. Then again, this property of the sword is very powerful, in a way that would greatly affect gameplay, so you shoud consider Arilyn's blade as an artifact.
Besides, the creator of the moonblades, Mrs. Elaine Cunningham, says that each moonblade has unique powers, and because of that was always against the creation of tables to determine its powers - in fact, eac power has a reason, based on important events of the lives or on the character or background of its previous owners. |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
Edited by - Barastir on 21 Dec 2015 17:44:38 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2015 : 22:52:04
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| Actually, in canon each power is magically added to a moonblade when it gets a new owner. Not necessarily at the very moment the blade accepts the owner, but usually later. One novel example is of a moonblade giving its owner resistance to fire at a crucial moment of his or her career just when he or she was about to be killed by dragonbreath. Other is of an owner that traveled alone which received a dreamwarning power which helped the adventurer to survive. |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2016 : 12:41:03
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In my opinion, of all the magic items described in the FR, Moonblades are the most interesting and most under-utilized magical item. This is for good reason, of course, because they are hereditary magical artifacts with the potential for game-breaking power. Still, I always wished some of the powers of the various moonblades would have been detailed for us. We know of many from novels or brief mentions in the works others noted above, but the only 2 ever detailed were Arlyn's and the corrupted Starym blade.
I once wrote up a family history/blade description of for a clan of magic wielders / defenders of Cormanthyr and as I went through the generations it quickly became one of the most powerful magical items I ever wrote up... I'm not sure if anywhere says exactly when they were created but it was some time between the Crown Wars and the Fall of Netheril, so they are anywhere from 1.5 to 10 thousand years old. Think of all the wielders a Moonblade could pass to in that much time, especially if they are actively engaged in the defense of the elves and constantly in mortal danger.
As for where to look, start by reading all the books with Arlyn in them in order so you can see how the idea of the Moonblades developed over time. Then read Evermeet for the reasons mentioned above. Several moonblades and moonfighters are mentioned in that book alone.
Once you've done that you can read the game descriptions (all those sources mentioned above). If no one mentioned Volos Guide To all Things Magical yet, that is where the Starym blade is described. Elaine says she hates the Starym blade twist on her moonblades... I for one actually liked the idea of a Moonblade getting corrupted. What I did not like at all (like most things about the book) was when dormant moonblades were used by Khelben, basically as spell components for a high magic ritual that wham-bam-thank-you-maam turned them all into alternate magical swords. TERRIBLE.
Also read the Chapters Elaine recently posted from Reclamation, as they are all about moonblades as well.
Finally, I recommend the 3rd Edition work called "Weapons of Legacy" While there is not one word in it about Moonblades, what we have seen of Arlyn's blade throughout her story suggests that they (or at least some of them) act very much like legacy items which reveal their powers only in certain circumstances or when earned in some way by the wielder. This adds a layer of roleplaying to Moonblades for players that otherwise would not be possible.
As far as canon on the original powers of the blades when first created they were +1 to +4 with 1 magical power. (From Elves of Evermeet) I'd agree however that given the hubris of noble elves its is perhaps possible that some were created mightier from the get go (can you imagine the Durothil's constraining themselves to the lesser enchantments of "more common" clans?).
Finally, I also agree that just grabbing powers from a table is a pretty lame way to design a moonblade, or any artifact for that matter. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2016 : 17:04:10
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Inspired by this discussion, I recently came up with my own moonblade... I did start with the table, but I expanded out from there, and gave the blade some unique abilities.
I don't really have a use for the blade, though... It's more of a MacGuffin. A short story I've wanted to write for a while involves a moon elf searching for his family's lost moonblade. The blade itself really isn't important to the story, it's just the item being sought.
As for some of the other comments here... I, too, love the idea of the Starym moonblade. But I did like what happened with the dormant moonblades in Blackstaff - while I understand why a moonblade would go dormant, it also seems a bit of a waste to have a formerly very powerful magical item suddenly become a useless hunk of metal. Repurposing the blades, in a way that still served elfkind, seems a good idea to me. |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2016 : 13:15:25
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
(...) but the only 2 ever detailed were Arlyn's and the corrupted Starym blade.
Actually, Mrs. Cunningham also mentioned - vaguely - some powers of the Craulnober blade in her author thread. 
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
(...)I'm not sure if anywhere says exactly when they were created but it was some time between the Crown Wars and the Fall of Netheril, so they are anywhere from 1.5 to 10 thousand years old. Think of all the wielders a Moonblade could pass to in that much time, especially if they are actively engaged in the defense of the elves and constantly in mortal danger.
According to Evermeet: Island of the Elves and Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves the blades were created and enchanted around -10,000 DR.
EDIT: However, although the blades are very ancient, they didn't have many wielders because the more powerful a moonblade gets more difficult it is to control its powers, and because sometimes it takes generations for a blade to accept a new wielder. |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
Edited by - Barastir on 04 Jan 2016 15:01:03 |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 01:07:55
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| Did the book ever give the actual date? I know Cormanthyr did not. It just has a section after the crown wars in the history. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2427 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 02:43:25
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
In my opinion, of all the magic items described in the FR, Moonblades are the most interesting and most under-utilized magical item. This is for good reason, of course, because they are hereditary magical artifacts with the potential for game-breaking power.
Which is why "underused artifact" in general is something of an oxymoron. 
quote:
Think of all the wielders a Moonblade could pass to in that much time, especially if they are actively engaged in the defense of the elves and constantly in mortal danger.
One of the greatest dangers being the moonblade itself - what's with blade-rite failure being terminally fatal.
quote:
Then read Evermeet for the reasons mentioned above. Several moonblades and moonfighters are mentioned in that book alone.
Mainly because it was a focus of the author's (in-universe) attention. Generally they don't pop up often, and when do, elves take them too seriously to shake at every stick.
To think of it, much like with the House kiira. Knowing the background, you can figure out scenes where one or more of those is likely to be present. But it's not mentioned because it's not worn openly, and it's not shown because those deserving to wear one usually don't flaunt it.
quote:
Elaine says she hates the Starym blade twist on her moonblades... I for one actually liked the idea of a Moonblade getting corrupted.
IMHO, such event should be regarded as possible (given that Moander was sneaky enough to get Tyche), but should be treated as a "scary story". In that most interested parties don't quite believe such rumours, but don't dare to completely dismiss either.
quote:
Finally, I recommend the 3rd Edition work called "Weapons of Legacy"
I'm on the hedge about this one.
Mechanics (from what, Earthdawn?) isn't bad. But too much of, well, freeform theatrics where it doesn't really fit.
And specifically Realms-wise, what's with "Bow of the Black Archer"? There's an old category for such things: relics. Use it, it fits better. But no-o, nead moar drama. Let's mess around and make another grimderp for the sake of grimderp.
quote:
This adds a layer of roleplaying to Moonblades for players that otherwise would not be possible.
Leaving aside both mechanical and roleplaying issues with players lugging around such things...
How it would not be possible?
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People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 07:37:34
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| Not possible if you take the Moonblade description from Elves of Evermeet, which is where you get a table with 20 powers, which are very simplistic... it acts like this or that ring, another +1, etc. The complexity of legacy items and the way their powers grow and reflect the user very accurately reflects what we know of Arlyn's blade's powers. The ability to call a magical double evolved over the books to the wielder's being soul-tied to the blade for eternity (very cool, by the way - AND I think the best reason to hate the modification of moonblades into some other item... what if there are now hundreds of moonfighter souls lost in Limbo for eternity because some jumped up "less than half" wannabe high-mage decided moonblades were not good enough as is.) :) |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 08:07:09
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Did the book ever give the actual date? I know Cormanthyr did not. It just has a section after the crown wars in the history.
I went back and referred to Elaine's book. Chapter 15 is entitled "The Moonblades (-9000 DR)" so there you have it, there are almost 11,000 years old. Assuming an average of 350 years per wielder, that stacks up to more than 30 generations and one could easily see how moonfighters would die more often than that. One can also see how a blade might go for generations either lost or unclaimed...
Another idea I once had was that Tahlshara (which is the 3rd great treasure of Evermeet that is described in Elves of Evermeet sourcebook right after the description of moonblades) might in fact be the King Sword (the moonblade wielded by Zoar that seemed to also bond with Amlaruil in this little scene and so she could have become its default owner after his assassination):
"The slender fingers that by all rights should have been blackened by a blast of killing magic were as smooth and white as the winter snow.
For some reason, this shook Zaor almost as deeply as the thought that the girl had come to harm through his carelessness."
Nothing about its description in either the novel or sourcebook precludes this pairing and I can't personally think of any sword the elves would value more than the moonblade that selected their sovereign except perhaps the one that Corellon himself caries. |
Edited by - The Masked Mage on 05 Jan 2016 08:15:30 |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 11:40:42
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Another idea I once had was that Tahlshara (which is the 3rd great treasure of Evermeet that is described in Elves of Evermeet sourcebook right after the description of moonblades) might in fact be the King Sword (the moonblade wielded by Zoar that seemed to also bond with Amlaruil in this little scene and so she could have become its default owner after his assassination)
Some references say that the moonblades are all longswords. If so, Tahlshara would not be the king sword, for it is a two-handed blade. Besides, the king sword powers (which are briefly mentioned in the novel) don't seem to fit with the treasure of Evermeet - although maybe they are manifestations of the sword's High Magic.
Besides, Tahlshara has a name, and Mrs. Cunningham stated clearly that moonblades originally had no name - they were named after the family/clan they represented. But Elves of Evermeet named the Silverspear blade Thoerl. Finally, I think I've seen somewhere a reference saying directly that Tahlshara is not a moonblade, but I can't remember the source, and I think it was somewhere here in Candlekeep.
EDIT: typos |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
Edited by - Barastir on 05 Jan 2016 13:33:08 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 11:47:11
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
(very cool, by the way - AND I think the best reason to hate the modification of moonblades into some other item... what if there are now hundreds of moonfighter souls lost in Limbo for eternity because some jumped up "less than half" wannabe high-mage decided moonblades were not good enough as is.) :)
When the blade goes dormant, the souls go to Arvandor. There is no evidence that changing the blades to something else recalled those souls... And even if that did happen, it would have happened with the blessing of the Seldarine. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 12:09:56
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Interesting. If the blades go dormant and the souls go to arvandor and evermeet is a piece of arvandor on toril then I wonder what malkizids plan might have been for these moon blades.
Perhaps the ultimate revenge on the elves for whatever reason and he is trapping the most powerful elven souls in evermeet and denying them an afterlife (I expect a few responses about how the elven gods would stop it but for me the deities are not all powerful or all knowing and in fact don't really like mortals all that much and use then only as tools in their schemes).
Still can't explain why the seldarine moved to arvandor from the elven court/faerie, but it might be an intended or unintended consequence of malkizids scheme.
I personally am thinking that the most powerful noble houses paid for the best enchanters and and so their blades were more powerful to begin with and the unlocking of additional magic is a natural evolution for magic items (some items become spontaneously magical in novels after significant events or continued use and the legacy rules show how additional powers can be unlocked). It's just that the process is so slow it rarely occurs in human lifetimes, the moon blades are 10000 years old or more so they show this evolution occurring more often in them and people have mistaken it to be part of the moon blade enchantment.
As for selecting their own powers, that comes from a magic item gaining intelligence which again is a natural evolution for magic items but is even rarer and occurs most often in more powerful items.
Or at least that's how I'm spinning it. Malkizid masterminded the creation of evermeet and the moon blades to divide and weaken the elves and they fell for it big time. The moonblade powers and mythology is just a lot of scholars and historians with over large egos inflating events and confusing them with the natural evolution of magic items which should always be more complicated and intricate than most could understand. |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 13:33:54
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Just found the very reference that I myself mentioned in another thread stating that Tahlshara cannot be a moonblade:
"All the moonblades were enchanted in a distant past to choose the royal lineage of Evermeet, forged by different craftsmen and enchanted in a High Magic ritual by the sage Ethlando. Tahlshara was forged and enchanted by the elven armorer Kythaela Durothil, and is considered her life's work." |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 15:27:37
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
I don't see how that excludes the blade from being a moonblade.
Moonblades were longswords, only made at Ethlando's ritual, for one specific purpose and in one huge High Magic ritual. Tahlshara is a two-handed sword and was forged and enchanted by Kythaela Durothil in a process that lasted 150 years. At least according to canon sources.  |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2427 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 19:55:42
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quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Not possible if you take the Moonblade description from Elves of Evermeet, which is where you get a table with 20 powers, which are very simplistic... it acts like this or that ring, another +1, etc.
Shortcomings of EoE table has nothing to do with WoL. False dichotomy?
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
I don't see how that excludes the blade from being a moonblade.
Ethlando worked the ritual that affected all moonblades but he was based in the elven court. We know moonblades were made in many other realms as only 100 or so were made in arcorar according to some sources.
It's likely that ethlando made knowledge of his ritual available to other kingdoms (either through royal houses or through high mages) so that any noble house could add their blade to the ritual.
Preliminary making of the Moonblades (before they were bound together for one purpose by Ethlando) was done in many places, yes.
But that's exactly the difference: "proto-moonblades" are something that was mass produced. It's "only" a good sword with given "template" enchantment thrown on it. It would become a fully functional artifact only in the final ritual, when bound as a part of the set. And given any unique powers later still, after binding to the first wielder.
Tahlshara is described as a finished item and a masterwork of enchantment as well as weaponsmithing.
Being a tool of High Magic sets it closer to the Ruler's Blade of Cormanthor - but apart from known Moonblades.
Also, Tahlshara insta-kills non-elves and drow, rather than non-Moon Elves, and not said to have any conditions to harm any "proper" elves, i.e. it's described as protection from "thieving lesser beings", not as a blade-rite aptitude test. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
Edited by - TBeholder on 05 Jan 2016 21:06:40 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2016 : 20:19:25
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Well its still not unsalvageable with a little bit of poetic licence.
Moonblades are only known as such because they mostly accepted moon elves not because they exclusively accepted moon elves.
The elves don't strike me as a people that would mass produce anything especially something as personal and valuable as a magical item that could potentially select the ruler of the elven people. As a result if it were me as an elven elder I would ensure the moonblade for my clan were the very best manufacture and enchantment I could afford that best represented my family and their interests. In other words each blade should be personal and unique.
The blades selecting powers should not be the only thing that makes the blades unique especially in terms of magic. Even a human ruler would not have a mass produced blade crafted to protect his future heirs he would want something as unique and as powerful as possible to protect himself now and his heirs in the future rather than wait for a few to die before it becomes of any use.
So if the blades were produced in other places why not have the blades enchanted in other places. The elves are known for crafting magic that extends around the world (Evermeet, the dracorage mythal). In this case it encompasses only the blades attuned to the ritual but they are spread across Faerun and probably in specific and sacred places where high mages from each nation joined in the final ritual. So Ethlando would be in the Elven Court beginning the final part of the ritual to craft the moonblades the other high mages from their nations are in Illefarn, Nikerymath etc they join the ritual to bind the moonblades as part of it but the blades themselves should already be enchanted and possibly already family heirlooms with a long history.
The alternative is that every nation got 25 longswords brought them all to the elven court and had Ethlando enchant them in a high magic ritual which seems much less impressive to me.
But then again maybe people like the existing interpretation.
I wonder did Zaor Moonflower come from Evermeet by any chance? Where did Amlauril his wife come from was it perhaps Cormanthor and do we know what her clan name was? |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jan 2016 : 11:09:30
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
(...) it's unlikely one high Mage or even a group of high mages could enchant them all at once across such distances.
That's exactly what the canon sources say... But then again, this is the elven legend about the swords, if your intent is to pervert them, so just make it not be truth in your game...
EDIT: In fact, Ethlando headed a ritual in which there was one High Mage for each moonblade. It was a huge circle magic, with 300 High mages working together, and Ethlando sacrificing himself to give the blades their first power (its owner's selection). |
"Goodness is not a natural state, but must be
fought for to be attained and maintained.
Lead by example.
Let your deeds speak your intentions.
Goodness radiated from the heart."
The Paladin's Virtues, excerpt from the "Quentin's Monograph"
(by Ed Greenwood) |
Edited by - Barastir on 06 Jan 2016 12:46:46 |
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Moon blades
