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Zeromaru X
Great Reader
Colombia
2476 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Feb 2019 : 23:00:43
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| I guess that a great example of "evil god wrecking good people and good gods doing nothing" in canon is Tymanther, where Gilgeam is trying to destroy and/or enslave the dragonborn and humans and others of the Old Empires, and no good god is doing anything about it. On the other hand, the dragonborn are so baddass that perhaps they may not need any divine help to deal with Gilgeam... |
Instead of seeking change, you prefer a void, merciless abyss of a world... |
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SABERinBLUE
Acolyte
30 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2019 : 05:22:11
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| THO, I am extremely excited to see this list of Avowed; I've had to make up a bunch of names for my home game, as seen in one of those other threads. The specific numbers of the Avowed are especially interesting. That's a smaller body of people than I was expecting. It would blow my mind apart if some of the names I found their way into that list. Especially since my character, Elegy Overleaf, was promoted to Master Reader during our campaign. |
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Goldeagle
Acolyte
Australia
8 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 02:49:24
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hello again, all!
After too long a radio silence (work, you understand), I bring the first part of a lore answer from Ed regarding the current roster of folk dwelling in Candlekeep (as a scribe alerted him on Twitter to the two threads here on the matter).
So here are the latest words of Ed:
AN INTRODUCTION TO CANDLEKEEP, written by me and posted at the Candlekeep site, concerns Candlekeep pre-Spellplague.
As of 1490 DR, after my novel THE HERALD, here’s the roster at Candlekeep:
.........
...And there you have it. Ed tells me the second part will be the names of the current Avowed and Acolytes, the moment he can thrust aside real-world obligations long enough to find all of his notes (he did comment that almost no one seen in published Realmslore has survived until "now" in the Realms, with 1500s DR only a few years off).
Love,
THO
Hi THO
There are a few of us trying to record this in detail
I have updated my post with the information you have provided here.
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22685
It would be great if you were able to take a look and confirm what we have collected in conjunction with yours (and Ed G).
Thanks |
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MoonlightDreamer
Acolyte
1 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2019 : 11:58:24
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Hello Ed and THO, longtime fan here. I hope both of you are doing well.
If I may be so bold as to ask, do the moon elves of Silverymoon have an elven name for the 'blueshine' or 'moonflower' that is often worn for special occasions in Silverymoon? For reference, the one mentioned on pg.3 of Questions for Ed Greenwood (2008).
Also, what would be fashionable for young moon elven noblemen to wear in Silverymoon?
I'd be very grateful for any answers you can provide! |
Edited by - MoonlightDreamer on 21 Feb 2019 05:21:58 |
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Barastir
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1600 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2019 : 13:43:55
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I've seen that Ed has answered about how big dragons can grow in Twitter with this mention:
"Klauth is just one of the larger dragons seen in the Sword Coast region. There are wyrms far to the east (...) that are far larger.
(...)
They include a gargantuan gray great wyrm, Ralauthoarindulglaw “the Mountain,” so large its wings can’t lift it off the ground, and whose hide has been adorned down the years with fused-on sheets of rock and boulders, so that when lying at rest, it resembles a rocky ridge or mountain spur. Elminster says Ralauthoarindulglaw is about a quarter of a mile long, and about sixty feet tall at its foreshoulders, when on all fours.
(...)
So Ralauthoarindulglaw may in fact fall far short of being “the largest living dragon.”
Considering this dragon is more than a thousand feet long and only 60 feet tall at its shoulders, it must be almost serpentine, no? Besides, is anywhere a description of a gray dragon, or is this mention only for describing its color, and is it unique? |
"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 25 Feb 2019 13:46:39 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2019 : 20:12:19
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A thousand feet long but 60 feet at the shoulder... It's a dragon/Corgi crossbreed!  |
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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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2019 : 18:25:11
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Ed, or anyone in the know:
The adventuring band mentioned in the Old Grey Box called "the Hunt"...were they actual players or more lore cooked up by Ed and never used again?
Anything you have would be of great help! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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AJA
Senior Scribe
USA
770 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2019 : 04:43:17
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Listening to one of the recent "Mages and Sages" podcasts, and about halfway in one of the questions Ed was asked was about the Market of Waterdeep; as it was of particular interest to me, I did a rough transcription and thought I would post it here for anyone similarly interested; I encourage everyone to listen to it (and Eric L. Boyd's after-thoughts), directly in the podcast as well (link following at bottom)
quote:
There is not much in print, as far as I know, because that part of the notes, that part and the Walking Statues got really left out because of that 64-page limit in Waterdeep and the North. So, here we go, here's my basics, okay?
If you look at the old Waterdeep maps, around the edge of the Market, there are some buildings drawn. Those are the only permanent buildings. No more permanent shops and stalls are allowed, they're just forbidden. All of the vendors in the Market have to get a city permit – and yes, this has become a source of revenue, like any real-world city – but it was really instituted to prevent overcrowding (and if you don't issue too many daily permits, things can't get overcrowded, that's the intent). And on top of that, they pay a daily trading fee to the city and they have to locate where the City Watch, who are on duty at the time they're setting up, tell them to locate ("in here, this lot here," and it's chalked out). And the reason that is in place, they had to put in that rule to stop somebody boxing in somebody else's stall, or blocking off access to another stall, OR coming along and saying "oh, there's no spaces left; this laneway that they've left so people can get to other people's stalls, I'll just put my stall in it, and block everybody because hey, I'm important." So to stop that happening you have to locate where the Watch tells you to.
When you think of the stalls, they have to be non-permanent. A few of them are put up with the sort of slotted-wooden-panels-put-together thing, but almost all of them are carts, or wagons; and by cart I mean a hand-cart, something less than a wagon, so you can push by yourself, and these things have awnings added to them. And any beasts that haul the wagons to the site get unhitched and taken away from the Market; they're temporarily housed elsewhere, to the west right near Mount Waterdeep.
The actual layout, beyond those fringe buildings that are on the map, that are marked on the published maps, changes constantly; like if you don't show up, at your usual time, the little chalked area that you usually occupy, the City Watch will probably give it to someone else and then you get put somewhere else. So the actual layout changes all the time. Many shopkeepers elsewhere in the city, in the shops that you own the building or rent a building and you pay taxes on, if they're running out of stuff because people are shopping them dry, they run to the Market, buy stuff from the stalls, and top up their own stock in the shop. And they also dump stuff at the Market, they sell at hugely reduced prices overstock from their shops, stuff they can't move, to the Market vendors. The Market vendors may decide that they will willingly buy this because many of them travel to other towns and cities and say, "yeah well, I can probably dump that, or I can probably sell that, in Amn or in Tethyr." Now, these Market vendors cannot be members of any Waterdhavian guilds; they are supposed to be visiting outlanders, they're not supposed to be citizens of Waterdeep who are too cheap to buy or rent shops elsewhere in the city.
So that's my basic notes from way back when, when I was telling Jeff Grubb what the Market was, so that's the rock-bottom basics.
[ Source: Ed Greenwood, Mages and Sages Podcast, Episode 8: Interview with the Old Mage with Special Guest Eric Boyd <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJTWmDLH0wI> (roughly to 34:00 37:40) ]
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AJA
YAFRP
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Edited by - AJA on 04 Apr 2019 04:43:33 |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1847 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2019 : 15:24:00
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| "Thumbs Up" AJA, thanks for the post. I hadn't really been interested in the podcast because there's so much NDA and Ed so often gets asked the same questions (from what I've seen in the past anyway) that I convinced myself it wouldn't be worth it. But bits of information like this are the bread-and-butter of immersive gaming. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2019 : 15:48:51
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quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
"Thumbs Up" AJA, thanks for the post. I hadn't really been interested in the podcast because there's so much NDA and Ed so often gets asked the same questions (from what I've seen in the past anyway) that I convinced myself it wouldn't be worth it. But bits of information like this are the bread-and-butter of immersive gaming.
George and I are not under NDA. |
--
http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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muir
Acolyte
Canada
41 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2019 : 05:07:06
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| Ed, what currencies might be in use in the markets of Dhaztanar around 1360 DR? |
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JEThetford
Acolyte
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2019 : 22:11:18
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Muir, your question will be asked at tonights Mages and Sages interview in which we continue with our special guest Eric Boyd.
quote:
Originally posted by muir
Ed, what currencies might be in use in the markets of Dhaztanar around 1360 DR?
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The only good Drow, is a dead Drow.
Aaomas Balkrim, Drow Hunter
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JEThetford
Acolyte
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2019 : 22:12:58
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quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
"Thumbs Up" AJA, thanks for the post. I hadn't really been interested in the podcast because there's so much NDA and Ed so often gets asked the same questions (from what I've seen in the past anyway) that I convinced myself it wouldn't be worth it. But bits of information like this are the bread-and-butter of immersive gaming.
George and I are not under NDA.
...which is great so when Ed says "NDA" I can toss it to you and George to run with. Now, don't be shy if you are able to at least give a little bit of info!
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The only good Drow, is a dead Drow.
Aaomas Balkrim, Drow Hunter
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1847 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2019 : 03:28:59
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| I think he's trying to encourage us to ask questions of them...not just limit them to Ed. And he's right, both ELB and GK have put out amazing work on the Realms and continue to do so. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jun 2019 : 18:37:11
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Hi Ed. I've been listening my way through the "Interviews with the Old Mage" on Youtube, which have been fun, and wanted to ask a follow-up to one of the things you were discussing. In one episode you talked about how elves, when trading amongst themselves, tended to use either seeds or saplings as currency. I think that's a fascinating form of exchange, and since my players are going to be heading to Myth Drannor in the near future, it's something I might be able to bring into play.
My question is can you give some specifics about what kinds of plants and seeds were used? What made them valuable? The only Earth analogue I can think of was the Dutch tulip bubble, but that isn't of much help. I'm sure "rare and pretty flower" would be valuable to elves, but a lot of the tulips' value came from the rampant speculation. The elven version seems much more stable.
Would you be able to give an example or two from various elven realms on the old 2e gem scale? (10 gp, 50 gp, 100 gp, 500 gp, 1000 gp, 5000 gp value) That would be their original value, of course, not the "priceless" version of modern survivors. I've been thinking about this for a couple of days and I'm kind of drawing a blank.
Thanks, as ever. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Qilintha
Seeker
76 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2019 : 02:17:15
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Greetings all, I was just reading the Questions to the almighty Ed from previous years and they triggered a question for Ed myself
In 2012's topic he mentions a beautiful piece of lore about the "Ghost Dragon" Araunthroun
Link here:http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15988&whichpage=38
This almost 3000 years old dragon, according to Ed, lived in the Fallen Lands and got help from some wizards to achieve immortality by draining magic from magic items ( So I'd say Shadow Weave wizards since it's a very much improved version of what a shadowslain undead creature can do). And then I noticed how also in the Fallen Lands lies Stormkeep , an huge tower accessible only through Portal or by flying...
Could it be the place where those wizards back then conceived such a ritual on the dragon...and...also the place where Araunthroun studies a way to gain back a tangible powerful body.
According to the forgotten wiki Stormkeep is often visited by dragons for healing ( that could have been always the same...as from what Ed says Araunthroun changes size when regaining form and its translucency might , from a distance fool on the scale colour during different moments of the day...or actually Araunthroun changing his shape in order to hide such a location as one of his lairs ( He was called Shapechanger after all). Also inside the Keep several vats holding limbs( human or not) in translucent oils with incredible healing powers...so it's clearly a lab of some sort...
Can Ed or THO tell me (if not stopped by NDA obviously) if my theories have at least a piece of truth or if I am totally wrong? Thanks in advance
Stormkeep link here : https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Stormkeep
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Asharak
Learned Scribe
France
270 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2019 : 10:13:58
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Hi Ed,
As suggested in another post, I have a question for you about the Old Grey Box :
Is there something more about Tuirlagh "Foehammer" Nundass than :
"he slain a strange and fearsome draconian beast, which resembled a winged serpent of ivory-yellow color, that made this region its home several hundred years ago"
or about the creature who give his name to the Yellow Snake Pass ?
Or the only thing known is that Tuirlagh came from Silverymonn ? |
"Soyez réalistes : demandez l'impossible"
Sorry for my English... it's not my native tongue. |
Edited by - Asharak on 12 Aug 2019 10:14:28 |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3287 Posts |
Posted - 14 Sep 2019 : 04:15:41
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| Wishing Ed a speedy recovery from the Open Heart surgery he had this week! |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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jamesewelch
Learned Scribe
106 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2019 : 14:52:20
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Has the Printing Press made any progress in the last 100 years (since 3.5 edition) to present day (1490s)? Is it still rather crude and experimental or has the last century given everyone enough time to figure it out for mass production?
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Printing_press
I think in the new Waterdeep Dragon Heist and Tomb of Annihilation adventure's Volo is selling and signing copies of his books, so that sounds like they've figure out how to do mass production (at least as of 1490s).
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Edited by - jamesewelch on 16 Sep 2019 14:56:26 |
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Aureus
Learned Scribe
Luxembourg
125 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2019 : 22:22:18
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Dear Lady The Hooded one,
which of his works does Ed think would transition best into an animation movie?
(Just to be clear, that is NOT the same as which of his works he love the most to be made into an animation movie, though he may answer that question as well^^)
And which of his works dost thou think would best translate into animation?
PS: It has been years since I last posted, just wanted to check if my favourite people at Candlekeep are still going strong^^ |
That is not the weirdest thing that happened to me |
Edited by - Aureus on 19 Sep 2019 07:42:14 |
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MrVoid
Acolyte
China
3 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2019 : 03:20:31
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Dear Mr.Greenwood, THO, or anyone who may answer my question:
I'm a chinese fan of the Realms. As is known to all, the official idea of PRChina is atheism. Thus, many, if not all, of us chinese fans don't really understand the difference between "believe", "worship" and "faith".
Mr.Greenwood said herehttps://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/04/24/does-a-paladin-need-to-serve-a-god-deity/ that "atheists" will be judged as the Faithless, so as an "atheist" I do worry about my (character's) soul.
My first question is, what's "the difference between faith and belief"?
And#65292;there are a series of scenarios below, will this be judged as "worship" a god?
1) Someone joined a celebration of a holiday of a god he doesn't care.
2) Someone don't like Tempus but being a great general, or someone never praise Mystra but being a powerful spellcaster,
3) Someone donate a few coins to a temple of Tyr, but he don't like Tyr's teaching,
4) Someone respect the teaching of a god, but will not entrust his life and soul to the god.
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question. |
Edited by - MrVoid on 29 Sep 2019 03:23:16 |
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Aureus
Learned Scribe
Luxembourg
125 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2019 : 13:27:35
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quote:
Originally posted by MrVoid
Dear Mr.Greenwood, THO, or anyone who may answer my question:
I'm a chinese fan of the Realms. As is known to all, the official idea of PRChina is atheism. Thus, many, if not all, of us chinese fans don't really understand the difference between "believe", "worship" and "faith".
Mr.Greenwood said herehttps://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/04/24/does-a-paladin-need-to-serve-a-god-deity/ that "atheists" will be judged as the Faithless, so as an "atheist" I do worry about my (character's) soul.
My first question is, what's "the difference between faith and belief"?
And#65292;there are a series of scenarios below, will this be judged as "worship" a god?
1) Someone joined a celebration of a holiday of a god he doesn't care.
2) Someone don't like Tempus but being a great general, or someone never praise Mystra but being a powerful spellcaster,
3) Someone donate a few coins to a temple of Tyr, but he don't like Tyr's teaching,
4) Someone respect the teaching of a god, but will not entrust his life and soul to the god.
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question.
The difference between faith and belief is not just one limited to the world of Faerun^^
Here is a link to someone that explains it better than I dohttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-faith-and-belief-5
I hope that helps.
Now to worship, worship is essentially living out your faith and beliefs through acts of devotion.
Worshiping without belief makes a character a false https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/The_False
I will point out that only a select few characters, typically clerics and similar people who gain actual magical power directly from their diety, have faith in only one god as most people in Faerun pray to different for different things.
The regular people's souls thus go to the afterlife/god that comes closest to them at their core.
To be an atheist is to reject all faith and belief in the gods.
Having doubts does not make you faithless, it only means you have doubts and faith untested or undoubted is a dangerous thing that leads down very dangerous paths.
Note that the gods are practically omnipresent on Faerun and a person practically cannot go through life there without being touched by who the gods are or what the gods stand for without identifying somewhat with a few of them. Simply put, most people have at least a little bit of faith in a few of them in some form or manner.
And why wouldn't they, the gods are there and practically begging to be called upon.
It also helps that Kelemvor, current God of the Dead and the one making the ultimate decision where a soul goes, is pretty forgiving when it comes to these things.
To answer on the great mage and never worshiping Mystra thing, it makes the person a Faithless and thus his/her soul get's stuck in the Wall of Faithless. That is, if said person didn't have faith in another deity.
Note that you can be the most powerful mage in existence and still hold another god (say Tyr, God of Justice) closest to your heart.
The greatest general to ever have lived may not had faith in Tempus, God of War, but in Eldath, Goddess of Peace.
PS: The first expansion for PC game "Neverwinter Nights 2" called "Mask of the Betrayer", deals a lot with such things. It is also a very very good story overall. The standard game is fun too, enjoy^^ |
That is not the weirdest thing that happened to me |
Edited by - Aureus on 29 Sep 2019 13:31:57 |
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MrVoid
Acolyte
China
3 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2019 : 03:49:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Aureus
quote:
Originally posted by MrVoid
Dear Mr.Greenwood, THO, or anyone who may answer my question:
I'm a chinese fan of the Realms. As is known to all, the official idea of PRChina is atheism. Thus, many, if not all, of us chinese fans don't really understand the difference between "believe", "worship" and "faith".
Mr.Greenwood said herehttps://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/04/24/does-a-paladin-need-to-serve-a-god-deity/ that "atheists" will be judged as the Faithless, so as an "atheist" I do worry about my (character's) soul.
My first question is, what's "the difference between faith and belief"?
And#65292;there are a series of scenarios below, will this be judged as "worship" a god?
1) Someone joined a celebration of a holiday of a god he doesn't care.
2) Someone don't like Tempus but being a great general, or someone never praise Mystra but being a powerful spellcaster,
3) Someone donate a few coins to a temple of Tyr, but he don't like Tyr's teaching,
4) Someone respect the teaching of a god, but will not entrust his life and soul to the god.
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question.
The difference between faith and belief is not just one limited to the world of Faerun^^
Here is a link to someone that explains it better than I dohttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-faith-and-belief-5
I hope that helps.
Now to worship, worship is essentially living out your faith and beliefs through acts of devotion.
Worshiping without belief makes a character a false https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/The_False
I will point out that only a select few characters, typically clerics and similar people who gain actual magical power directly from their diety, have faith in only one god as most people in Faerun pray to different for different things.
The regular people's souls thus go to the afterlife/god that comes closest to them at their core.
To be an atheist is to reject all faith and belief in the gods.
Having doubts does not make you faithless, it only means you have doubts and faith untested or undoubted is a dangerous thing that leads down very dangerous paths.
Note that the gods are practically omnipresent on Faerun and a person practically cannot go through life there without being touched by who the gods are or what the gods stand for without identifying somewhat with a few of them. Simply put, most people have at least a little bit of faith in a few of them in some form or manner.
And why wouldn't they, the gods are there and practically begging to be called upon.
It also helps that Kelemvor, current God of the Dead and the one making the ultimate decision where a soul goes, is pretty forgiving when it comes to these things.
To answer on the great mage and never worshiping Mystra thing, it makes the person a Faithless and thus his/her soul get's stuck in the Wall of Faithless. That is, if said person didn't have faith in another deity.
Note that you can be the most powerful mage in existence and still hold another god (say Tyr, God of Justice) closest to your heart.
The greatest general to ever have lived may not had faith in Tempus, God of War, but in Eldath, Goddess of Peace.
PS: The first expansion for PC game "Neverwinter Nights 2" called "Mask of the Betrayer", deals a lot with such things. It is also a very very good story overall. The standard game is fun too, enjoy^^
Thanks a lot for your reply |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2019 : 04:15:47
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Ed has also replied, via the Twitter:
@coolguy73360922
questions from my friend.
I'm a chinese fan of the Realms. As is known to all, the official idea of PRChina is atheism. Thus, many, if not all, of us chinese fans don't really understand the difference between "believe", "worship" and "faith".
If the "atheist" will be judged as the Faithless, so as an "atheist" I do worry about my (character's) soul.
My first question is, what's "the difference between faith and belief"?
And there are a series of scenarios below, will this be judged as "worship" a god? (
1) Someone joined a celebration of a holiday of a god he doesn't care.
2) Someone don't like Tempus but being a great general, or someone never praise Mystra but being a powerful spellcaster.
3) Someone donate a few coins to a temple of Tyr, but he don't like Tyr's teaching (
4) Someone respect the teaching of a god, but will not entrust his life and soul to the god.
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question.
@TheEdVerse
Hi!
In the Realms, all sane sentient beings “believe” in the gods (= know they exist and affect the world), because they have seen avatars or divine servitor beings (e.g. aasimars, celestials) and/or see signs and spells from the gods and/or been shown dramatic evidence of past manifestations of divine power (e.g. a god blasting apart a mountain with magic “from the sky”) and/or seen priests work real, lasting magic through prayer to their deities.
So everyone in the Realms “believes” (they KNOW the gods are real). “Faith” has two real-world meanings: the collective one of “everyone who believes in this god or this pantheon or this creed” (clergy and lay worshippers), and “believing in a deity without hard proof” and therefore taking the existence of the deity “on faith.” In the Realms, the first meaning is widely used and understood, the second is not (why? See above).
“Worship” means doing as the god wants you to (or the god’s clergy tell you to), working to advance the aims of the god (which might even mean fighting on behalf of the god), and making offerings to the church (coins or items), and taking part in rituals and prayers.
In the Realms, everyone ‘believes in’ ALL of the gods, and although a lot of humans (priests, paladins, and lay worshippers) ‘specialize’ in one god (worshipping that one deity more than others), most sentient beings do at least a little worshipping of many deities: a merchant wanting business success would pray and give offerings to Waukeen, and if that merchant is shipping goods aboard on a ship, would also pray and give offerings to Umberlee to NOT sink the ship, and if that same merchant was trying to use new technology to make their goods faster or better or both, he or she would also pray and give offerings to Gond, and so on.
So you can see that there’s a lot of ‘lip-service’ worship of deities by people who otherwise don’t care overmuch about that god or their faith. The gods want obedience AND worship because they gain power the more they are worshipped and have influence in the mortal world, so YES, they would count someone participating in celebration of one of their holy days as worship.
In the Realms, deities have portfolios, and Tempus is the god of war and warcraft, just as Mystra is the goddess of (arcane) magic. A mortal can be a great general or a powerful spellcaster without actively worshipping Tempus or Mystra, respectively. The deity will manipulate that mortal, and exploit that mortal’s achievements, to increase their divine influence. So, yes, they would still count the deeds of that mortal as worship—but they would also constantly send clergy AND dream-visions to that mortal to try to entice the mortal to “embrace” (openly worship) them.
Mortals aren’t required to like the creed or world-view of a deity (though the deity would prefer that they love the deity and the deity’s ways) so much as the deity wants them to obey (behave in certain ways), and donating coins to a temple is definitely worship.
And there are many mortals who respect the clergy, teachings, and deeds of a particular god, but don’t entrust their lives to the god, or formally dedicate their souls to that god or any god. Deities always want souls and lives dedicated to them if possible, but they’ll unhesitatingly take respect and the above-mentioned lip-service worship (including donating a few coins from time to time) as worship, even from a mortal who refuses to dedicate themselves. They will also tirelessly try to persuade that mortal to accept them more fully.
Hope this is of help!
#Realmslore
I should add that the “dream visions” sent by gods to sleeping mortals often include the deity appearing to the mortal directly in their dreams, speaking to them (advice, commands, cryptic hints), and that all deities employ “manifestations” (glows or visible-to-all temporary images moving in the air, smells, and visitations by birds or creatures associated with the deity, etc.) of their favour or disfavour or interest, that awake people can see. These usually appear above altars during prayers, or at a spot where someone has just made or is making a sacrifice to the god (including sacrificing their mortal lives), but can also appear elsewhere, to convince or reassure non-believers or mortals who doubt what the right thing to do is.
#Realmslore |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2019 : 04:20:17
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quote:
Originally posted by MrVoid
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question.
And don't worry about your English. A lot of my fellow Americans only speak English, and can't even speak it all that well!
I think it's great to have a fan here from China! How much Forgotten Realms material has made it over there, and is it censored by the authorities? I'm far from being an expert on the PRC, but I have read about the extensive efforts the authorities use to monitor and control communications and information from beyond China. I'm kinda surprised that any RPG material would make it past them. |
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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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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2019 : 04:43:38
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quote:
Originally posted by MrVoid
Dear Mr.Greenwood, THO, or anyone who may answer my question:
I'm a chinese fan of the Realms. As is known to all, the official idea of PRChina is atheism. Thus, many, if not all, of us chinese fans don't really understand the difference between "believe", "worship" and "faith".
Mr.Greenwood said herehttps://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/04/24/does-a-paladin-need-to-serve-a-god-deity/ that "atheists" will be judged as the Faithless, so as an "atheist" I do worry about my (character's) soul.
My first question is, what's "the difference between faith and belief"?
And#65292;there are a series of scenarios below, will this be judged as "worship" a god?
1) Someone joined a celebration of a holiday of a god he doesn't care.
2) Someone don't like Tempus but being a great general, or someone never praise Mystra but being a powerful spellcaster,
3) Someone donate a few coins to a temple of Tyr, but he don't like Tyr's teaching,
4) Someone respect the teaching of a god, but will not entrust his life and soul to the god.
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question.
It was explained above pretty well, but I just want to add a bit. In the Realms, the gods are very real and active, so our real world beliefs (or lack of beliefs) cannot always be applied. This should be taken into account with any setting that has established deities
Because of this, atheism in the Realms isn't the same in as it is in our world--or at least, it is very rare, as it would be rather foolish not to believe in something that was pretty much in your face. The afterlife and deities of the Realms are entirely real, and very few would actually deny their existence. Those who never pray or show any form of worship may be deemed Faithless or False (the False are usually those who purposefully betray or renounce their god), but most Faerunians pray to at least one deity.
The majority of Faerunians are polytheistic, and will pray to various gods throughout their lifetime, but may pay homage to one slightly above the others. And there are those who have a defined patron deity. When the person dies, the soul (also known as a petitioner), goes to the Fugue Plane, and is picked up either by their patron god, or if they don't have one, the god best aligned with their ethical and moral outlook. Most demihumans (elves, dwarves, halflings, etc), have their racial pantheons, and will go to the realm of that pantheon (elves go to Arvandor, the home of the elven pantheon, for example), unless they specifically worship a deity outside that pantheon.
For example, a soldier may choose to worship Chauntea instead of Helm because he loves nature and gardening. He may be a soldier, but his heart is with Chauntea's doctrine. Therefore, his soul will be taken in by Chauntea. A spellcaster who does not worship Mystra or any of the other deities of magic will go whichever deity he does lean toward. Maybe he is also a seeker of knowledge and follows Oghma.
The fate of souls whose faith and morals are a little more ambiguous are judged by Kelemvor, who, as was said above, is a fair judge. I think those who are actually deemed Faithless or False is pretty rare.
Gods and the fate of the souls in the Realms is one of my areas of interest, so I hope that helps |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2019 : 04:46:27
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| I was typing when Wooly posted, so excuse the repetition. I wasn't aware someone else had already responded. |
Sweet water and light laughter |
Edited by - CorellonsDevout on 30 Sep 2019 04:47:04 |
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MrVoid
Acolyte
China
3 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2019 : 06:29:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by MrVoid
Sorry for my poor English, and many thanks to those answering my question.
And don't worry about your English. A lot of my fellow Americans only speak English, and can't even speak it all that well!
I think it's great to have a fan here from China! How much Forgotten Realms material has made it over there, and is it censored by the authorities? I'm far from being an expert on the PRC, but I have read about the extensive efforts the authorities use to monitor and control communications and information from beyond China. I'm kinda surprised that any RPG material would make it past them.
Well, our authorities did block some websites that publicly reject government requirements#65288;i.e. Google, Twitter) ,but not everything. DMsGuild is available, for example, so is the Candlekeep. In fact they don't really prohibit you from browsing normal foreign websites. They just prohibit you from publicly opposing the government policies and regulations. But you can do it privately, and it's an open secret among chinese netizens. But don't overdo it too much.
For the Realms materials, I don't think there is a legal distribution in China. Maybe the Drizzt novels is an exception, I'm sure I've heard something about an official Chinese translation. As mentioned above, we do have access to the DMsGuild, DnD Beyond and Kindle, so we can buy the electronic version of English FR materials. No censor, of course |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1847 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2019 : 15:02:19
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Moving this from the original thread I created in the hopes that Ed/THO can shed some light. Will also post it in the podcast thread. Here goes:
Making a lore request for the Thelaeneum, the order of 'mage-philosophers' first mentioned in the Ruins of Myth Drannor boxed set. As far as I can tell, this is the only place they've been mentioned. I can't find anything here or on the interwebz about it. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Doc Filth
Seeker
55 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2019 : 11:36:55
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Hi Ed,
What's the correct spelling for the name of the owner of Highmoon Trading Coster? The Old Grey Box and PG2 have it as "Guldeph Maremmon", Power of Faerun has "Guldelph" with the extra L, and FRWiki seems to have spun it out of nothing as "Duldelph". Is this just a case of the chinese whispers effect on fantasy names? |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2017, 2018 and 2019)
Topic Locked
