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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
 Posted - 22 May 2022 : 22:03:01
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| Maybe it is like the silver cord in astral travel. A "cord" is created by a gate between two locations and they are able to detect that cord and interact with it. Since there are several "cords" coming out of the tower, he isn't exactly sure which one is which so he warns 'em they may not end up where they want. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2022 : 15:04:12
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Cloak of Shadows (1358 DR)
Ed Greenwood
Malaugrym
Shapeshifters and sorcerers of ancient power [prologue]
Long feared to challenge Elminster, for he slew them whenever they ventured into lands he held dear [prologue]
Milhvar, a malaugrym, his brother was slain by Elminster. Has a runeblade. Resides in the Castle of Shadows. Slew a priest of Mystra on 29th Mirtul 1358 DR with his runeblade to enchant a cloak of shadows. Used magic to steal information from Bane while he visited Faerun [1]
Castle of Shadows (on the Plane of Shadows????) [1]
Clan Malaugrym ruled by Dhalgrave in 1358 DR. At this time none of the Malaugrym even date set foot on Faerun thanks to Elminster and the Chosen [1]
The Great Hall of the Throne, room in the Castle of Shadows [2]
Halastra, Malaugrym, niece of Dhalgrave [2]
Thalart, Malaugrym, get of Galartyn and Chasra. Plotted to kill Dhalgrave and was sent to kill Elminster as punishment, slain by Elminster Shalantyr Itharr and Belkram [2]
The Shadow Throne, a vast spindle pulsing with amethyst magic and amber bloodfire. Sits in the Great Hall of the Throne [2]
Sixty plus Malaugrym in Clan Malaugrym [2]
Dhalgrave, head of Clan Malaugrym. Has the title of Shadowmaster. Human form is a naked, sexless, ivory body with a long delicate tail and lion pads for feet, his flesh swarms with fanged mouths. He won through vicious kin-strife down the ages to become head of the clan. Possesses and uses the Shadowcrown and Doomstars. Holds the title of Shadowmaster High or Shadowmaster Supreme. A powerful caster, able to redirect the seeking eye of the Great Portal about Faerun, levitate the Shadow Throne about the Great Hall, speak to errant Malaugrym, bring his own shape out of invisibility, change the Great Portal’s size and location and override its spell defences and do all at once. Very few Malaugrym are powerful enough to do these things [2,8]
Malaug took the title Shadowmaster during the strife of dawn (early???) human kingdoms), he then conquered the demiplane of Shadow and created the vast and everchanging Castle of Shadows [2]
The Shadowcrown (otherwise known as the Crown of Malaug), created by Malaug when he became Shadowmaster. Pulses and winks with darkness, allows him to read the minds of anyone with the blood of Malaug. Also acts as the centre of a web of spells and counterspells set to defend him or be unleashed on his death. The Shadowcrown also holds other powers that are rumoured but little known. Augments the wearer’s voice, commands of the wearer can magically compel or rebuke the listeners. The spirit of past wearers are pulled into the Shadowcrown upon their death, they can whisper to the new Shadowmaster that wears the crown, the crown is filled with the spirits of many elders. [2]
The Doomstars (otherwise known as the Stars of Malaug), four spherical stones of pale blue radiance (ioun stones) that orbit a bracer (also crafted by Malaug). Can emit a dozen rays of light that can hold a shapeshifter paralysed, force him to shift into any form desired (from worm to mushroom) and then trap him in that form forever by permanently stripping away all shapeshifting powers. The Doomstars have been used effectively to end a kin-strife between Clan Malaugrym. The secrets of the Doomstar Bracer was lost with Malaug [2]
The Malaugrym dream of greater power in Faerun and the Etherimm (what is this place????) [2]
The fabled Cloak of Shadows, Malaug’s lost secret, it is said the wearer will lead Clan Malaug to true greatness [2]
Malaug disappeared one day, it is rumoured he died by Elminster’s hand, but no Malaug remember his death, only the many rumours surrounding his disappearance. [2]
The Great Hall of the Throne houses a large scrying portal used to spy on Faerun. Houses a bell which tolls to summon the Malaugrym. The bell tolls to announce the death of the Shadowmaster High. The Great Portal can have its scrying destination changed, and its size and location can change [2,3,5,8]
Neleyd, younger Malaugrym [2]
Bheloris, elder Malaugrym. Has seen 60+ Malaugrym slain over the years. [3,5]
Huerbara, younger female Malaugrym, has a real temper, nearly a Shadowmaster. Daughter of Ahorga, student of Milhvarr [3,11,17]
Malaugrym may shape their body into any part animal (lion, scorpion) part inanimate object (sword, spike) or any combination of the two [2,3]
Malaugrym must have children with human or elven maids (and men presumably) [3,5]
Kostil, elder Malaugrym, older than Bheloris, has seen more Malaugrym slain [3,5]
Taernil, younger Malaugrym, son of Oracla. 15 Kythorn 1358 DR at Irythkeep tried to kill Elminster and failed (but was saved by Kostil’s magic and whisked back to the Castle of Shadows). Lean, dangerous, and knows it. Huerbara’s partner [3,4,12]
Issaran, younger Malaugrym, powerful in magic, moreso than many elder Malaugrym would believe. Paid Milhvar to open a portal so he could attack Elminster. [3]
Use spellstones (what are they????) as payment. [3]
Yabrant, elder Malaugrym, cares about Eldargh [4,7]
Eldargh, elder Malaugrym, slain by the Simbul while attacking Elminster at Irythkeep [4,7]
Elder Malaugrym earn the title of Shadowmaster. In years past (when the Malaugrym were more rash and more numerous, they used to earn the title by attacking Elminster and surviving) [4]
The Shaft of Many Stairs, (a stairway or a portal nexus????) in the Castle of Shadows [5]
Castle of Shadows has many scrying portals, before Dhalgrave’s time many of them were trapped and slew other Malaugrym. [5]
Before Dhalgrave’s time, the Malaugrym were concerned with ruling other planes and viewed Toril as a place only to steal breeding stock (elf and human maids) from [5]
Rahorga the Brawler, an elder Malaugrym from before Dhalgrave’s time as Shadowmaster. Slain long ago by a manyjaws while closely viewing a scrying portal that showed a scene of nude mermaids [5]
Malaugrym are ordered to view Faerun as a garden to be nurtured, wanton destruction is not to be tolerated except against Elminster [5]
The Malaugrym seek to replace the rulers of powerful lands in Faerun [5]
Malaugrym often bring people from Faerun to the Castle of Shadows (for breeding) or as pawns and servants [5]
Olorn, elder Malaugrym, plans to steal spells from Zhentarim. Desires to be the next Shadowmaster Supreme. Forms factions and groups with weak witted individuals. His secret allies are Iyritar and Argast, younger Malaugrym [16] [5]
Malator, elder Malaugrym, serves as Dhalgrave’s champion and bodyguard, very large Malaugrym [5]
Dlagim, elder Malaugrym, brother of Malator [5]
Night-worms in the demiplane of Shadows, Malator often wrestles the marauding night worms [5]
Last time Elminster entered the Castle of Shadows, he ordered the Malaugrym to stop their machinations in Faerun. The Malaugrym attacked Elminster and he slew over 40 of them and burned away most of Dlagrim [5]
Amdrammar, elder Malaugrym, desires to be the next Shadowmaster High, loner [5]
Dralarca, young sorceress of the Malaugrym [7]
Albarat, slain by a soulcage long ago [7]
In the past Elminster was trapped by 6 elder Malaugrym at Shimmerglade (a place in Damara or Impiltur), however all were slain in spell battle [7]
On Kythorn 16 1358 DR, the Malaugrym name the Simbul a Great Foe [7]
The Castle of Shadows has a huge sapphire glowing blue with inner fire, floating above a dark pool (whose thick black waters had been used for many potions). This is a spell library of ancient Netheril which holds many powerful spells. The Shadowmaster High can instruct the gem to slay any that touch it 
Malaugrym can call upon the power of the spell library (like a spell pool????)
Malaugrym are relatively unaffected by poisons, heart attacks, diseases, organ failure. They decline slowly, losing their shapeshifting ability and their memories until they are slain.
Centuries ago the Malaugrym stole spells and magic items from all over Faerun, competing with each other. They often killed wizards to have a free hand in plundering their magic. When they tried to do so to Elminster he slew that Malaugrym and warned the others to stop. That made the Malaugrym determined to eliminate him. [10]
Elminster believes there are 70+ Malaugrym of any note (that was before the Simbul killed lots of them [10]
Malaugrym are hardy, but vulnerable in the shape they have taken form (what will kill a horse will kill a Malaugrym that looks like a horse), but they often moved their vital organs out of the way and into unexpected places. [10]
Malaugrym like to take human form. Among their own kind they are suspicious and constantly change shape and have multiple heads and bodies etc. [10]
Silver is corrosive to a Malaugrym and any tissue it touches [10]
Kuervyn and Andraut, younger Malaugrym of no consequence, fond of visiting Faerun’s brothels and leaving without paying [11]
Balatar, younger Malaugrym, wild, dangerous, loves cruelty and killing, dislikes taking orders. Son of Alcarga [12,13]
Jarthree, younger Malaugrym, female, cold calculating, but all style and no substance (yet) [12]
Malaugrym are able to intercept gates linking other places [12]
Elminster killed so many Malaugrym that Dhalgrave kept them out of Faerun for centuries [13]
Shadowhome is the name of the demiplane ruled by the Malaugrym. It transforms humans into Malaugrym (Itharr and Belkram grew tentacles and claws when they arrived. The mists and shadows of Shadowhome are alive and mutate the bodies of living beings [13,14]
There is a ritual involving slithering and chanting, forbidden by Shadowmaster High for some centuries (did Dhalgrave forbid it????)
Phenanjar, Malaugrym, slain by Sharantyr [15]
Amdramnar, son of Chasra, hates Phenajar and Olorn [15,16]
Alja, Malaugrym [15]
The Well of Shadows, also known as the Deep Well. A room in the Castle of Shadows, it doesn’t hold water, but the shadows are thickest here. Some say It is the heart of Shadowhome [15]
The shadows are alive in Shadowhome [16]
The Castle of Shadows is made of Shadow, as are many of the furnishings. They change over time but Malaugrym can mould them into shapes. The shadows of Shadowhome alter the bodies of the Malaugrym and the Malaugrym can learn to control it, but underneath it all they are still human [16]
Red Wizards of Thay and Zhentil Keep have both hunted Malaugrym for the powers they possess [16]
Female Malaugrym are barren [16]
Malaugrym duel to settle insults [16]
Shadowslugs inhabit Shadowhome, they are used as food by the Malaugrym [16]
Iyritar and Argast, Shadowmasters but younger, secret allies of Olorn, very good mages [16]
Tombwoms, live in the castle foundations in Shadowhome, taste like roasted almonds [17]
Netherbird brains and shadowdark wine, delicacies in Shadowhome [17]
Ahorga, Malaugrym, father of Huerbara, Shadowmaster elder for centuries [17,19]
The Malaugrym used to sit in a council of elders (Shadowmasters) in the Red Chamber) until Dhalgrave dissolved it [19]
Glyorgh's Chamber, room in the Castle of Shadows. Glyorgh was the closest friend of Malaug, a sorcerer of Faerun and the first to embrace the way of shadows. Rests in magical stasis in the Chamber of Glyorgh since before people dwelt in the Dragon Reach lands [19]
The Lute Gallery, room in the Castle of Shadows. Enchantments play soothing music all the time, Malaugrym come here to relax [19]
Hall of Stars, a gaming room in the Castle of Shadows where Malaugrym mages practice spell hurling [20]
Cortar, elder Malaugrym [20]
Indyl and Thaune, Malaugrym, allies of Milhvar [20]
Drelorr, Malaugrym [20]
Library in the Castle of Shadows [20]
Raurin
Mirtul 29 1358 DR, a mist shrouded battlefield where snarling beings hack at each other with bloodied swords. This battlefield caught the attention of Bane [1]
Savage Frontier Backlands (Fallen Lands????)
A throne deep in the ruins of a fallen city of Netheril (enclave?????). Bane likes to visit and sit in the throne [1]
Cloak of Shadows
Milhvar discovered the real Cloak of Shadows (formerly owned by Malaug) it shifts its shape with Milhvar perfectly. MIlhvar hopes the cloak is able to foil the magic of any follower of Mystra including the Chosen and even Azuth himself (uses shadow weave magic????). Able to hide Malaugrym from the spells of the Chosen [1,11]
Can roll itself into a ball with a command [1]
Made using the soul of a priest of Mystra [1]
Milhvar can use to make a cloak of spells that will emulate some of its abilities and can be bestowed upon others but its power is link to the Cloak of Shadows and can be removed at will [18]
Shadowdale
14th Kythorn 1358 DR Sharantyr, Belkram, Itharr in the Old Skull Inn after saving Highdale from Zhents. [1]
Sharantyr knows a linking spell known to some elves and elf friends that sends a vision to the linked recipients of the last 9 breaths of the caster. Her vision was of a friend, Flambarra (a Harper) being slain by a brigands arrows [1]
Flambarra was found by Elion of Talltrees and lives again [1]
A good harvest of potatoes and barley in Shadowdale and other good harvests across the Dragonreach this year [1]
Elminster is always protected by an ironguard spell [1]
Elminster, Sharantyr, Belkram, Itharr slay the Malaugrym Thalart (get of Galartyn and Chasra in the Old Skull Inn on 14th Kythorn 1358 DR. [2]
Sylune, the Silent Sister [2]
The Simbul, her name is Nethreen [2]
Brion, guardsman in Shadowdale [3]
Belkram Hardeth of Everlund, Harper. Travelled the seas of the Sword Coast as a hiresword. Journeyed to Athkatla and got into a fight with a merchant and his six bodyguards (he slew them all). Has been slain twice and brought back by spells [6]
Itharr Jathram, Harper, burly, normally quiet, but has an uncontrollable rage when roused, forces him to brutally slay people on occasion [6]
Sylune can manifest anywhere the stones of her house are. If a stone is placed within a body, Sylune can animate that body and cast spells through it and activate magic items [5,6,7,8]
A flowshaft in the cellar in Elminster’s Tower leads straight up to Elminster’s bedchamber [12]
Other Lore
Salt wine of Tashluta [1]
Elminster has had many names since Athalantar [2]
Elminster and Lady Saharel are the only beings alive today (other than the Malaugrym) that know how to wield the Shadowcrown and Doomstars [2]
Summer 1357 DR, the Simbul sent one of her very pretty agents into Thay (not for any reason, just to have the Thayans fight over her). She then sent slaying spells after anyone that sought to kill the agent, she discovered they slew two Malaugrym [2]
Kythorn – mists often cloak the Dragonreach lands before dawn [3]
Kythorn 15 – gods fall to Toril. A falling star lands south and east of Daggerdale (in the Vast perhaps) [4]
Ten years ago a Zhentarim caravan swindled several crooked Elturel merchants. The Master of Twilight Hall let it happen and attacked the Zhentarim after (Belkram was involved in the attack) [6]
Kythorn 16 1358 DR, Elminster battles a horde of orcs in the halls of Dragonspear Castle. The orcs are wearing ancient spired and fluted army from the dawn days of Netheril or maybe Nimbral
In ancient Netheril, powerful spell libraries were huge sapphires (as big as a person’s head). There are spell libraries like this hidden away in vaults since the fall of Netheril
Zzar has a distinctive almond scent
18 Kythorn 1358 DR, Elminster convinces a few frightened archpriests in Baldur’s Gate not to start a religious war (he terrified them by collapsing the temples) [9]
18 Kythorn 1358 DR, Elminster cowed rival factions of mind flayers in a city deep in the heart of Raurin (to stop them eventually hurting innocents around them). The mind flayers are sitting on enough battle spells (of Imaskar????) to flatten half the eastern realms. Elminster collapsed the vaults filled with battle spells that would take the mind flayers a century or more to dig out (so they cannot use them on anyone else) [9]
Elminster believes a lot of folk from Westgate will be fleeing to Hawkgauntlet from Flamerule 1358 DR onwards (why????) [10]
Elminster spent several hundred years trying to forge treaties and handshakes across Faerun, most rulers only stuck to the agreement for a year or two. Elminster then started telling people the price for breaking the treaties (and slaying those that did break them). It allowed humans to grow and spread across Faerun, while the elves and dwarves grew few and hunted. Then humans went to war with themselves. [10]
Leapknights, a game played on a board (like chess?????) [11]
Elminster raised Sylune as a babe, but not in Shadowdale [12]
Elminster’s Safehold, well out of reach of the avatars during the Time of Troubles. Has 2 doors, one into the wood with leaves tinged blue leads to Evermeet, and one in the stone passage that leads to a cellar in Elminster’s Tower [12]
Pelmurt’s Diaries, volumes about the wizard Pelmurt. The books currently reside in Blackstaff Tower. The diary details an account of the 8th magefair [13]
Pelmurt opened the Door Obler Had Forgotten – which leads to the Lost Library of Funderdelve (where Eltaran Earthshaker and 6 other powerful mages of Netheril had stored their spells [13]
Bluturt, an ancient Sword Coast obscenity [13]
Bloodcowls, a derisive name for Red Wizards of They [14]
Rain of Fire, a spell last used 3 magefairs ago [14]
Commentaries of Iyrauthor, a collection of related records, rumours, legends and testimonials about the Mad Sage Alaundo’s ramblings. The copy owned by Candlekeep was annotated by First Reader Taltro about 600 years ago (most of them nonsense). This copy is currently held by Elminster (without Candlekeep knowing) [15]
Esserae, young and beautiful woman from Myth Drannor, knew Elminster, had blue-green glossy hair. Mystra forbid Elminster to bring her back to life [15]
Lansharra, woman of Myth Drannor, Elminster gave her a necklace with a king’s tear on it. He retrieved the necklace after her death [15]
Glorym and Pike, half orc brigands somewhere in Faerun, slain by Elminster [17]
Mielikki referred to Eldath as Datha [17]
Harper Lore
"A Harper needs no roof nor servants, but is happy to sleep under the stars, where the air is fresh, the living earth is closer, and the body has no chance to become pampered and weak." From the Code of the Harpers (this passage was written by Elminster) [3]
Some of the Code of the Harpers was written by Elminster [3]
Madcap Harpers (those that challenge orders and don’t do as they are told) are sent to Storm and Elminster for training [6]
Itharr once uncovered a brothel full of doppelgangers (the mistress in charge was unaware) [15]
Daggerdale Lore
Irythkeep, an old ruin in Daggerdale. Once a grand keep, toppled by a besieging orc horde led by a Zhentarim mage (who conjured a fire spitting hydra within its walls). All that is left is a stone ring outlining the outer wall, a few overgrown outbuildings and stables next to fingerlike towers. The ruins of Irythkeep are all but destroyed by the fight between Elminster and the Malaugrym [3,6]
Arashta Tharbrow, Zhentarim sorceress. Apprentice to Thundyl. Sent to Daggerdal by Thundyl to slay Randal Morn as punishment (for a failure, or for sleeping with someone she shouldn’t have????). Young woman, green eyes [5,7]
Brammur, warrior serving with Randal Morn, grey eyes and grey moustache [6]
Thearn, head archer serving Randal Morn, cautious, grim [6]
A Harper Cache hidden between the two largest exposed roots of the third shadowtop tree south of Dagger Rock. Orc bones are buried above the cache. The cache holds healing potions, equipment, a cave big enough to hold six. Only those with a Harper Pin can safely access the cache
An old manor, about the same age as Irythkeep [9]
An old bridge off the road to the manor, has a one way gate to the Castle of Shadows nearby (why, who put it there – Elminster perhaps????) [12,14]
Zhentarim Lore
Raglar and Morgil, Master of Magelings (do they train or oversee Zhentarim magelings). Owns a nearly spent wand [5]
Tunland Lore
Roarald, old priest of Tempus. Known to Elminster as too good a man to lose but stubborn as an old post [9]
Symon, old warrior [9]
Symon, Roarald and other armsmen were battling goblinoids (orcs and goblins) on the High Road south of Tunland near Hawkgentle on 18 Kythorn 1358 DR. Roarald was fatally wounded, Elminster impersonated Tempus and healed Roarald. He bid the priests to travel to Luskan and battle dark wizards (the Hosttower Arcane????) that were attempting to magically dominate the Uthgardt with potions and spells and march them on Neverwinter and other cities of the north [9]
Mider and Albrar, caravan companions or guards travelling through Hawkgauntlet. Slain by a pair of dopplegangers. Elminster paralysed the dopplegangers mid change and left them to be discovered (and slain) [9]
Hawkgauntlet, a small hamlet north and west of Ilipur and two small to appear on a map. Has a tavern known as the Hawkgauntlet Arms – has a privy bench far away from the caravan camp – run by Galdus. [9]
Galdus, runs the Hawkgauntlet Arms. Long ago (over 40 years) he met Elminster at a mage fair when a mage named Almanthus tried to make the mountain fly. 40 years ago Galdus was caught between two warring priests in Sembia whose temples had grown in size and splendour. Galdus was permanently stripped of all but one spell and his health permanently damaged (he hated the gods ever since). Has a wife and two daughters and hires another girl to help with the Hawkgauntlet Arms [9]
Baerlus leads a small group of bandits in the Tunland around Hawkgauntlet [9]
Sharantyr
Was captured by drow, was to be bred with a spider to create intelligent, commandable spiders to be used in a war with a rival drow city. They used glowing oozes to clean her wounds and heal her (and drain her energy). She escaped by fleeing through a tomb in the underdark [11]
Sharantyr meets Mystra near Myth Drannor in the form of a will-o-wisp (a form Mystra inherited - Midnight is now Mystra so she must have inherited it from Mystra - and that she cannot wear well and will wear no longer). She gave Sharantyr a sword that can slay Malaugrym, locate gates / portals, and act as a portal key for many gates (is the sword from Myth Drannor????) [11]
Sharantyr’s sword can blaze bright blue fire at will [12]
Sharantyr’s sword stops her body from mutating in the shadows of Shadowhome [14]
Sharantyr’s sword can purify food and drink [15]
The Malaugrym recognize the sword so must have encountered it before [15]
Sharantyr’s sword can break magical effects wherever it strikes [20]
Sharantyr’s sword can reflect magic back at the caster [21]
The Chamber of the Veils, the last antechamber before the Great Hall of the Throne [21]
Silverymoon
Shantra the Underdresser, a maid in Alustriel’s court (slain by Huerbara of the Malaugrym), beloved of Haerarn [11]
Silder, guard in Silverymoon palace [11]
Haerarn, guard in Silverymoon palace, beloved of Shantra [11]
Mistress Iraeyna, Chief Dresser of the Ladies’ Wardrobe, double chinned lady with an enormous bosom, wears a black silk corset with Harper pin beneath her dress. Harper agent. Carries a silver sword, knows about Malaugrym [11]
Guards in Silverymoon are bound by the decree of High Lady Alustriel to follow the orders of any Harper [11]
Lady Amathree, resident at Silverymoon Palace, possible Harper Agent [11]
Swords of the Guard, how the palace guardsmen in Silverymoon Palace are known [11]
Blackstaff Tower
Always quiet in Blackstaff Tower due to shielding magics [13]
A gate links Blackstaff Tower and Evermeet. At least 3 other gates link Blackstaff Tower to other places in Faerun [12]
19 Kythorn 1358 DR, Khelben is in Elturel sitting in spell-court at a long running dispute between two arch mages [13]
Tath, senior apprentice in Blackstaff Tower, shy, nervous, cautious, OCD about checking things [13]
Baerista, impulsive, reckless, with occasional flashes of brilliance [13]
Ushard of Athkatla, apprentice in Blackstaff Tower, lazy idiot (slain by Taernil) [13]
Rylard of Neverwinter, wizard in the Alliance [13]
Wizards of the Alliance often visit Blackstaff Tower (what Alliance????) [13]
Spectral doomguard watches over the gates into Blackstaff Tower [13]
Detection fields and screening spells guard the entrances (including gates) into Blackstaff Tower [13]
An apprentice is always on guard using a scrying orb that alerts to any visitors (via gates or door). Apprentice is able to easily trigger magical alarms [13]
Thay
Szass Tam has an elusive goal – the destruction of Rashemen [14]
The Masked One, a Red Wizard who desires to change the School of Necromancy in Thay and remove Szass Tam. He is bitter and pretends his powers are failing. Secretly he can magically dissolve people and absorb their powers. He spends years secretly removing those that come to kill him and growing in power until he can manifest a dark giant. The Masked One intends to use the giant during the Time of Troubles to kill the avatar of Hoar [14]
The Masked One’s giant can ensnare mages and cast multiple fireballs, freezing spheres, lightning bolts, delayed fireballs, meteor swarm, prismatic ray, petrification. Anything the giant kills sends its spells and memories to the Masked One [14]
The Masked One’s giant is powered and controlled by a sceptre at the heart of the clouds of darkness that form the giant [14]
The Masked One is slain by Szass Tam and Lauzoril [14]
Thar
Tribe of the Nose Bone – hobgoblins [17]
Tribe of the Splintered Sword – hobgoblins [17]
Askarr and Battlegar – titles among the hobgoblin tribes of Thar [17]
Misty Forest
Ramtharage Druin, Keeper of the Fastness [18]
The Fastness, formerly known as Eldath’s Waters (over a century ago), a pool in the Misty Forest sacred to Eldath and protected by Ramtharage and his fellow priests [18]
19 Kythorn 1358 DR the Fastness was struck by a falling star and damaged [18]
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2022 : 15:50:53
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The "Alliance of Mages" may well be The Starflame. Ed mentions this on page 288 of So Sayeth Ed (2010-2016):
The Starflame, a "court of conduct" for independent mages that meets in Scornubel at least once a year (but more often if crises arise) to debate laws and treatment of independent arcane spellcasters by various rulers (and priesthoods, and costers, and guilds). This cabal (as most non-members refer to it) has fallen silent, or retired into secrecy, several times over four centuries or so, but risen to public prominence time and again. Famous/infamous members have briefly included the Blackstaff (Khelben Arunsun), Sememmon of the Zhentarim, and Lauraud, one of the Sceptanars (city rulers in Chessenta). |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2022 : 19:26:50
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The starflame sounds right, might be worth asking Ed himself, but I dont do twitter.
As for the novel itself, I really like Ed's novels, more lore than anything else and that's what I'm in it for.
I dont care that elminster is a dirty old letch. I'm 40 and I still behave like I'm 18 and I'm sure when I'm 90 or 1000 years old I will still behave like the dirty minded pervert I really am.
I love all the lore about the malaugrym, you get a real sense for their history. Yes they are evil vicious deviant with insatiable lusts, but they are still people and sometimes they just want to chat about cooking.
The lost library of funderdelve, I want to know more about that, and who built the one way gate in Daggerdale that leads to shadow home (elminster I reckon), and who made the sword sharantyr uses (elminster again i reckon), and whether shadowhome is separate from the plane of shadow (it sure sounds like it).
Lots of lore and names and people and places. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 23 May 2022 : 23:51:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
The starflame sounds right, might be worth asking Ed himself, but I dont do twitter.
I got Twitter specifically to ask Ed a couple questions. Either he is ignoring me or I ain't working it right. It is almost certainly the later since it doesn't show that I have sent out any tweets even thought I thought I did. I have decided that I don't like social media enough to really learn how to work it. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Edited by - TheIriaeban on 24 May 2022 00:49:01 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2022 : 02:11:18
|
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
The starflame sounds right, might be worth asking Ed himself, but I dont do twitter.
I got Twitter specifically to ask Ed a couple questions. Either he is ignoring me or I ain't working it right. It is almost certainly the later since it doesn't show that I have sent out any tweets even thought I thought I did. I have decided that I don't like social media enough to really learn how to work it.
Keep in mind that Ed is a busy guy, and he doesn't always have the answers right at his fingertips... And that's assuming that NDAs aren't coming into play. |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2022 : 04:36:43
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
The starflame sounds right, might be worth asking Ed himself, but I dont do twitter.
I got Twitter specifically to ask Ed a couple questions. Either he is ignoring me or I ain't working it right. It is almost certainly the later since it doesn't show that I have sent out any tweets even thought I thought I did. I have decided that I don't like social media enough to really learn how to work it.
Keep in mind that Ed is a busy guy, and he doesn't always have the answers right at his fingertips... And that's assuming that NDAs aren't coming into play.
I am sure it is that I am doing something wrong. Like I said, it SHOULD have a record of some sort of what I have sent and it is blank. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2022 : 15:30:14
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Masquerades (1368 DR)
Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb
Saurial
Rose and honeysuckle – means a love sick sigh [1]
The saurial wizard Grypht arranged for Dragonbait and Alias to exchange a magic staff with Mintassan the Sage (of Westgate) for a scrying device to help protect the saurial tribe [1]
Magic staff, ornate staff of ash adorned with orange feathers and mouse skulls. Netherese in origin, a staff of the undead. Discovered by saurial patrol that found it on the decaying bodies of a Zhent patrol [1,3]
Clicks, the saurial version of grumbling [1]
Shen sight allows dragonbait to perceive good and evil [1]
Brimstone and violets – means confusion [1]
Baked bread and ham – means fear [1]
Fishy smell – means insulted [3]
Dragonbait does not believe saurials and dragons are related [3]
Lemons and roses – means happy and sad [6]
Vanilla – means amusement [7]
Chickens – means impatience [13]
Ham – means anxiety [13]
Baked bread – means fury or anger [17]
Westgate
Further into the city the quarters become more tightly packed, the alleyways narrower and strewn with the debris of civilisation [1]
Alleyways made of hard packed earth [1]
Silverpiece Way, north of the market. Travels east to west until it crosses the River Thunn at River Bridge [1,15]
Naga Way, connected to Southgate Market Street [1]
Fishman’s old place was on Southgate Market Street before the fire (red dragon crashing into Westgate????) [1]
Greenish sewage flows down alleyways and lanes, walls blackened by decades of grime and graffiti [1]
Fountains installed in poor areas to bring water to commoners [1]
The Night Masks do not like it when people resist muggings etc. They have watchers monitoring their street gangs and reprisal squads (with poison daggers) nearby to deal out punishment for those who resist. They leave a domino mask on the corpse to remind people the Night Masks really rule Westgate [1]
Poor areas the houses are made of wood and the streets are poorly cobbled with uneven or vandalised stone. Richer areas are nicely paved with stone houses [3]
The Empty Fish, tavern in Westgate in the richer area [3]
The explosion of Moander and the red dragon took out a piece of the city wall, the Dhostar warehouses and a lot of the northwestern slums. Caused chaos in the city as the nobles thought a new Flight of Dragons was attacking, they tried to save themselves and their assets. Ssentar Urdo of Family Urdo called in a favour with a Thayan necromancer to protect its docks, the necromancer was drunk and teleported the squad of skeletons into the ground of the docks, animated arms and legs trying to claw their way out the muck [3]
MIntassan wanted the skull of the red dragon Mist, but someone else got hold of it first. The Facelss has the skull of Mist in the Night Masks Treasury [3,4]
Blais House, an inn, but does not advertise, they serve exclusive clientele through recommendations only. Mintassan is an exclusive member and can recommend others. Lavish furnishings. Mercy is a 12 year old serving girl that delivers messages and food trays to rooms. According to Mintassan, Blais House has “protections” (presumably magical????) [5,9]
Lord Luer Dhostar, Croamarkh of Westgate [5]
Croamarkh is the elected leader of the city council of nobles and wealthy merchants [5]
Westgate is ruled by a council of representatives of all the major trading families along with a cluster of minor houses. Most of the council’s power is invested in the Croamarkh. [5]
Luer Dhostar was Cromarkh for 3 terms. Lansdal Ssemm was Croamarkh for a term but during his term interfamily feuding and Night Mask violence was worse than ever so Luer Dhostar was returned to office to sort out the problems [5]
House Dhostar has a mercantile empire of 12 ships, 24 stockyards and warehouses, 9 caravans, 50 representatives in cities across the Heartlands, 75 businesses and craftsmen under direct control, 150 business and craftsmen controlled in all but name, a castle, a host of servants, 10 Zakharan horses, 3 carriages [5]
Kimbel, servant and messenger for House Dhostar, sadistic and cruel. Slender, spidery man with greying blonde receding hair pulled into a bun at the nape of his neck. Gentile and polite. Once was an adventurer/assassin hired by the Night Masks to kill Croamarkh Luer Dhostar, he killed 8 guards but didn’t know enough about the Night Masks to betray them. Kimbel is under a magical geas to serve House Dhostar (he cannot harm any member of the House) until he has served the consecutive terms of the 8 guards he killed [5,6]
The Watch Docks, the Harbour Watch perform customs inspections of goods. Has a warehouse adjacent [5]
House Dhostar trading badge is a wagon wheel topped by three stars (supposed to be tawny coloured but Luer likes it gilded) [5]
Westgate Law requires expensive and limited permits to load and unload wagons on the streets (to keep them clear). Porters are instead paid to carry crates of goods to their destination [5]
The Market Triangle, has an unobstructed view of the bay and harbour to the north as it slopes gently down to the sea [5]
House Dhostar has their own docks [5]
The Night Masks have been a thorn in Westgate’s side for 15 years at least [5]
The Night Masks first demanded House Dhostar pay protection money about 14 years ago (during Luer Dhostar’s first term). Luer Dhostar responded by threatening to torch the city and slaughter them wholesale. The Night Masks have stayed away from House Dhostar ever since. [5]
Lady Nettel of House Thalavar doesn’t deal with the Night Masks because she employs her own halfling army (who bedevil the Night Masks)[5]
House Urdo and House Ssemm are heavily involved with the Night Masks, might even be Night Masters [5]
Most nobles and rich merchants of Westgate use the Night Masks to get things done that they don’t want to sully themselves with [5]
Croamarkh Luer Dhostar, a large, solidly muscled man with stonily impassive face. Wears the chain of office about his neck. Snow white hair swept back and kept in place with a gold headband. Every finger wears a ring with a large precious stone [5]
House Urdo is smuggling smokepowder into Westgate [5]
Croamarkh Luer Dhostar ignored the Night Masks during his first 3 terms. During the term of Lansdal Ssemm as Croamarkh the Night Masks became much more aggressive and a much bigger problem. Now they threaten the profitability of all merchants in Westgate, even House Dhostar [5]
Victor Dhostar, Luer Dhostar’s son. 30 years old [5]
Luer Dhostar was re-elected Croamarkh in spring 1368 DR [5]
House Thalavar livery is green, trading badge is a green feather [5,8]
Brunner, servant for House Dhostar, works in shipping [5]
House Dhostar livery is black with a tawny coloured insignia [5]
Night Masks refuse to allow halflings in the guild. Lady Nettel does a lot of business with halflings of the Shining South and hires them because she refuses to pay the Night Masks protection money so her assets get targeted a lot and the halflings help protect it [6]
Lady Nettel has a granddaughter who is learning music (from Olive Ruskettle) [6]
Drew, halfling male, Thalavar shipping clerk [6]
The Harbour Tower, has a good view of the city. Lighthouse, it marks the entrance to the harbour. An ancient conical tower built of mortared stone with an external staircase up the side. Called the Westlight by sailors. The light is a marble sphere with a continual light spell cast upon it. A bronze frame allows coloured screens to be held up to send coded messages to ships at sea (fire, plague, help) [6]
River Thunn. At high tide the waters of the river slam into the rising waters of the sea, creating a surging wave that runs the width of the river just downstream from the River Bridge, at low tide the river water and sea collide at the mouth of the bay as a rill on the waters surface. At low tide the river level drops several feet as far up as the River Bridge, revealing muddy sandbanks on either side [6,15]
Between the River Thunn’s east bank and the city wall is Castle Malavan [6]
Across the River Thunn from Castle Malavan is Castle Vhammos, it used to be the royal castle [6]
Castles Guldar, Athagdal, Thorsar, and Urdo are south of the Harbour Tower, all built at the same time by rival architects from different nations [6]
The Tower, a building in the centre of the market, serves as city registry and headquarters for the watch. An unspecified number of undergroun levels serve as jails and dungeons beneath the Tower. The Tower also houses the city counting house and treasury, offices and meeting rooms for nobles, and a barracks and armoury for the Watch. The entrance to the Tower is a stone oval with an iron portcullis and heavy gates. The gates and portcullis of the Tower hadn’t been necessary for decades (why????). Only nobles are allowed to pass through unchallenged, everyone else must register [6,10]
Castle Ssemm is against the city’s western wall [6]
Castle Thalavar is south of Castle Ssemm [6]
Temple to Talos in the northeast corner of the city [6]
Temple to Mask west of the Tower [6]
Temple of Loviatar and Temple of Gond at the base of the harbour’s arm [6]
Temple of Ilmater west of the Temples of Loviatar and Gond. Has a very tall spire [6,15]
Castle Dhostar isn’t located in Westgate, it is west outside the city walls. It was only built 3 generations (60 years) after House Dhostar moved to Westgate. Luer Dhostar ordered the castle to be built (he must be 50-60 years old as he has a 30 year old son, so House Dhostar moved to Westgate between 70 and 90 years ago and Castle Dhostar built between 30 and 20 years ago????) . Castle Dhostar is little more than a very large manor house. Kane, the butler at Castle Dhostar. In the Library is a stuffed displacer beast (Luer or one of his ancestors was a good hunter) [6,16]
About 120 years ago Westgate was a monarchy ruled by an incompetent tyrant King Verovan. He nearly bankrupted the city with his excesses and destroyed it with his intrigues. Verovan passed a grain tax to pay for a windjammer with blood red sails crewed by Turmishmen so he could race the rulers of other cities. On the day of the race the crew aimed the ship for a rocky shoal and teleported away (many believe the crew were secretly Red Wizards of Thay, avenging themselves for his intrigues against their nation). The city’s leading merchants led a revolt before Verovan’s son could be crowned. A mob stripped the castle bare. House Vhammos occupied the royal castle and the other houses took charge of governing the city. [6]
Tales of The Lost Treasure of Verovan, liches that live in the sewer or the sea serpent that lives in its harbour [6]
An invisible bridge leading away from one of the royal castle’s towers. On the other side of the bridge is an invisible portal that leads to Verovan’s lost treasure. The treasure should be real, the value of things recovered when the castle was occupied do not add up to the amount of wealth stolen by Verovan and spent on magic items and fancy things. The Lost Treasure is guarded by a portion of Verovan’s own soul and a key is required to access the portal (the key is Lady Nettel’s copper feather brooch). Only a being of Verovan’s bloodline can open the portal to the lost treasure [6,20,23]
Market Street, leads to the market [7]
House of the Wheel, Temple of Gond, on Market Street, has a plaza out front [7]
House Guldar, symbol is a black hawk. Patriarch is Lord Dathguld who has bloodshot eyes [7]
Merchant Family Thorsar, trading badge is a blue hand festooned with corn cobs [7]
House Urdo, a noble merchant house, trading badge is a cyclops head with a yellow eye. Patriarch is Lord Ssentar Urdo, a short but powerfully built man with a scarred face, dresses all in gold and black, has a large black opal set in a medallion [7,10]
The Watch wear long black leather tunics and polished steel helms, carry short swords and short clubs [7]
Sergeant Rodney of the city Watch [7]
Licence required to stage theatrical performances on the street, costs 50 gold pieces to buy a licence. Performing without a licence is a disturbance of the peace. Licences must be bought before the performance starts and do not allow daytime performances on any street leading to the market [7]
Lots of laws in Westgate are made to stop things from blocking up roads leading to the market [7]
Durgar the Just of Tyr, judge and head of the Watch in Westgate. Priest of Tyr. Broad shouldered, close cropped white hair, heavy silver moustache, steely grey eyes. Durgar founded the watch 14 years ago. Durgar used to adventure with a band known as the Invisible Hand, they ran into trouble with the Night Masks, only Durgar survived. Durgar remained in Westgate and convinced the nobles to charter the Watch. [7]
House Athagdal, patriarch is Lord Urlyvl [7]
Westgate has a rich history of employed mercenaries, but they never stayed for long [7]
Westgate does not have a temple of Tyr [7]
Westgate law against carrying poison, punishment is hard labour and banishment from the city
Fritz, old dock worker
Big Edna, runs a tavern (a plank on two barrels). Business has declined over the last 14 years due to Night Mask protection payments
One year there were summer brushfires in Westgate, not enough corn to meet demand that year, but enough for House Urdo to make a killing [9]
7 years ago a Branded One, former Night Master came to Jamal and revealed lots of information about the Night Masks in return for safe passage out of the city. He said the original Faceless (who refounded the guild 14 years ago) was slain by a newcomer. When the Branded One challenged the new Faceless for position he was branded as punishment. That same year the Faceless increased the Night Mask task (the guild fee all thieves must pay as their cut of thefts, it was doubled for guild members and tripled for free lancers, anyone not paying was Branded) [9]
Shortly after the Time of Troubles the Temple of Leira was burned and looted, a magical chain helm with platinum coins and the sigil of Leira on it went missing [9]
House Thalavar bought 120 barrels of Old Empires Fire Wine to ship west to Waterdeep. If successful it will make them a fortune, if not it will cost them lots [9]
Thalavar sheds (warehouses????) located in a shallow vale between Castle Thalavar and Castle Ssemm (inside city walls). Thalavar stockyards located outside the city walls, in a horse pen in the stock yard next to the city wall is a secret tunnel leading into the Thalavar sheds inside the city walls. Thalavar warehouses are a fortress of solid stone walls with a clay tile roof and one door large enough for a wagon with a smaller door for people (both bolted from the inside). The roof has 5 ventilation skylights covered with hinged doors and bolted from the inside. The warehouses have a loft [9]
Halfling – human relations are sometimes strained in Westgate, but it is regarded that only a coward would kill a halfling [10]
Maxwell Berrybuck, halfling in the employ of Lady Nettel Thalavar, married with 2 girls, slain by Night Masks in a raid on Thalavar warehouse [10]
Fanciful tales about their wares are a common merchants trick in southern realms (Vilhon Reach onwards) [10]
Rizzi, guard in the Watch [10]
Lord Ssentar Urdo is a long time ally of Luer Dhostar [10]
Smokepowder shipments are becoming more common in Westgate, if the Night Masks were to get enough they could destabilise Westgate (by easily assassinating individuals) [10]
The Croamarkh needs the support of the noble merchant houses to rule Westgate. A croamarkh has ruled Westgate since Verovan’s death 120 years ago [10]
The Shore, wedged between the cliff and the walls and the sea, the slums outside the city’s western walls. Full of transients (drovers, day workers, and adventurers that cant afford to stay in the city overnight) who don’t like to get involved with the Watch. The Watch do not regularly patrol the Shore. The Night Masks strike at people in the Shore with impunity. The Shore offers flophouses and food stores of low quality and prices, most inhabitants rely on the sea for survival. Buildings cobbled together from broken carts, driftwood, and shipwrecks [10,11]
The city wall makes a half circle around Westgate, but a steep cliff in the northwest forces it to turn sharply inward sharply running along the top of the cliff until the cliff reaches the shoreline. The Water Gate opens onto the cliff with a steep staircase and path leading down to the Shore. [11]
The Outside, the district of Westgate surrounding the city wall, predominantly for grazing herd animals, also home to the stockyards of the leading merchant families nestled against the wall [11]
Twig, a local tough for the Night Masks in the Shore that extorts a copper from newcomers and existing residents [11]
Lilda’s a festhall west of Westgate outside the city walls, near thick woods, has a reputation for tolerating rowdy customers. Has recently been damaged by fire (perhaps set by the Night Masks relating to insurance payments) [11]
Mulsantir’s Gate on the south or western edge of the city walls [11]
The Rotten Root, a tavern next to the Ssemm warehouses. Serves as a collecting house for Night Mask collectors to deliver their money [11]
Lady Gleason Dhostar, Luer Dhostar’s late wife and Victor Dhostar’s mother. Died when Victor was young [11,13]
Lady Nettel Thalavar, third cousin (two generations removed) of King Verovan. Outlived 3 husbands and rebuilt her family’s fortune to what it was during King Verovan’s time. Old woman but not frail. As tall as Alias. At least 60 years old. Used to have good shoulders (like Alias) in her youth [12,16]
Thistle Thalavar, nicknamed Dervish as a child, pretty teenager, blonde hair, granddaughter and heir of Lady Nettel Thalavar. Wears a diamond necklace to parties (a family heirloom) [12]
House Dhostar sends its carracks to the Easting Reach [1ser2]
House Thorsar and House Athagdal have a long standing feud fuelled by jealousy [12]
Quelzarn (a giant sea serpent) rumoured to live in the harbour and eat all the garbage. It actually lives in the sewers and hangs around the Faceless’ Treasury. Can paralyse people by looking at them [12,15]
Mardon Urdo, Lord Ssentar Urdo’s eldest son. Married [12]
Melman, a wealthy vintner, owns a big manor house on the south edge of the city (inside the city wall). He bought the house 10 years ago after the former occupant died – blasted by Cassana’s staff of power. Melman’s manor house is the same place Cassana used with the secret basement to keep Finder hidden. Melman’s manor house is used as a transfer place for One-Eye and her collections money. The secret passage in Melman’s manor house leads to the eastern end of the Ssemm stockyards outside the city [11,13]
Lord Orgule Ssemm, patriarch of House Ssemm [14]
Melman arranged the theft of a duck statue from Family Ordo for later ransom [14]
River Bridge, (also known as Thunn Bridge) crosses the River Thunn, the entrance to the Lair of the Night Masters is beneath it. Supported by 5 stone arches. Wide enough for 2 large wagons and several pedestrians to cross it. Became a dumping ground for gargoyles looted from the former royal castle when Verovan died. Curling sea serpents make up the bridges railings. Statues of ancient historical figures line the centre of the bridge dividing it into two lanes. [14,15]
The Rosebud, an outdoor ale garden [16]
Regatta Masquerade Ball, a major social event for Westgate nobility. In King Verovan’s day it was known as the Naval Ball [16]
Dawn, female, an elven dressmaker in Westgate, knows Jamal. Has been in Westgate at least 40 years [16]
Lord Luer Dhostar slain by Victor Dhostar. Victor wanted to be Croamarkh, tried to become Croamarkh 7 years ago but Luer would not support him so Victor took control of the Night Masks and came up with a plan to supplant Lord Luer as Croamarkh. Then Victor planned to become King and make Westgate a monarchy once again [17]
Victor Dhostar set up two gigantic portal mirrors in the hall of the Tower. He then set his 6 dragon headed iron golems to ambush the nobility during the Regatta Masquerade Ball. Many were slaughtered [18]
Haztor Urdo, Lady Nettel Thalavar slain by the iron golems. Most of the noble patriarchs and heirs were slain. Noble houses will end up run by second or third cousins. House Ssemm, Guldar, Thalavar, Urdo and Vhammos lost their patriarch. House Ssemm, Urdo and Vhammos lost their heirs [18,19,20]
Lady Nettel Thalavar gave Thistle her pin and brooch before she died (family heirloom, magical????) [20]
Black Eye Tavern, has an open patio and an excellent view of the market and the Tower [20]
Three days after the funeral is the official period of mourning for a ruler or noble in Westgate [20]
Maergyrm Thorsar, patriarch of House Thorsar [21]
Kretschmer, a halfling guard in House Thalavar [21]
Lady Nettel Thalavar (and now Thistle Thalavar) knew the location of Verovan’s lost treasure all along [21]
Temple of Gond has a ceremony to initiate new apprentices into various trades [21]
King Verovan was so obsessed with hanging onto his treasure that he exchanged a piece of his soul with an abyssal lord to create a planar pocket to hold his treasure. When Verovan died, the abyssal lord gave his minions Verovan’s soul in a piece of amber so they could open the pocket and loot his treasure [23]
Lady Nettel Thalavar’s grandfather – Gen Thalavar, was King Verovan’s third cousin. He was an adventurer and happened to be in Westgate on the night Verovan died. While the tanar’ri looted the pocket plane, Gen battled the key holder outside on the castle battlements and slew it. He then smashed the amber, releasing Verovan’s soul (which flew towards the treasure it loved so dearly in the pocket plane) and closed the portal with Verovan’s soul and the tanar’ri inside. Gen had a brooch fashioned from the amber pieces into the trading badge of house Thalavar [23]
The Night Masters and Night Masks were captured or slain by the watch in Castle Vhammos. [23]
The pocket plane of Verovan’s Lost Treasure is filled with manes (and possibly worse), waiting for a means to escape [24]
Victor Dhostar was slain by Alias [24]
Durgar refuses to let the city of Westgate know that Victor Dhostar was the Faceless [25]
Other Lore
Delicate Turmish paper sculpture [1]
Dwarvish tongue of the south (a regional tongue for gold dwarves????) [1]
Chondath Dark Ale [1]
Sembian style town house – the first floor is half underground, its door at the bottom of a narrow descending stairway surrounded by a brick retaining wall. The second floor is raised several feet with its door atop a broad stone stairway. Lower quarters usually reserved for servants [3]
Spell keys and other darks – planar slang for magical components and mysteries [3]
Amnite sugar cubes, Maztican influence, previously only available to nobles but last year House Dhostar bought a huge consignment and lowered the price enough for merchants and craftsmen to afford [3]
The Zhentarim have resorted to tomb robbing (in Anauroch especially) since Zhentil Keep was ruined [3]
Cogs from Aglarond and Thesk [5]
Red cedar galleys from Thay [5]
Caravels from Ravens Bluff and Vilhon Reach [5]
Carracks from Cormyr and Sembia. Multi sailed round ships. Useful for hauling large shipments of cargo but not very fast, and depends upon the wind for manoeuvrability [5,12]
Galleons, favoured by merchants on the sword coast, larger versions of carracks [12]
Galleys, favoured by merchants in the inner sea. Large enough to carry large cargoes but manoeuvrable and quick enough to outrun pirates [12]
Eastern style of puppeteering – the puppeteers where white garb and hoods and remain on stage with the puppets [7]
Mechanised water clocks made in Neverwinter [7]
Blue and purple robes, loosely tied with a white sash, a white glove on his left hand, a black glove on his right hand. The ceremonial garb of a priest of Tyr. Most priests wear a gauze blindfold to symbolise the blinding of Tyr [7]
Old Empires Fire Wine - dark, strong, spicy, expensive but worth a fortune in Waterdeeep [9]
Moonshae chestnuts in syrup [9]
Mushrooms from Brost [9]
Golden raisins from Berdusk [9]
Skronk (name for a pig????) [11]
Sembia starting to build galleas, larger and more heavily armed galleys [12]
Pirates lair in the Pirate Isles and along the coasts of Thay and Mulhorand (who do not bother to root them out quickly) [12]
Neverwinter manufacture ballistae, the mechanisms are superior to elsewhere [12]
Vilhon Blanc, cheese [12]
Turmish Brick, cheese [12]
Evermead, a sweet wine made only in Evermeet [12]
Evermeet is 2,900 miles away from Westgate [12]
Greengrocer, an adventurer term for merchant [12]
Selgaunt marble [16]
The Westgate Procession, a simple repetitive dance, the same as the Shadowdale Reel [18]
Dragon’s Bite, a highly potent southern drink [20]
The Greyclaws, thieves guild in Tantras. Murder is slightly more common there because of the dead magic zone. Every few years the guildmaster is murdered and chaos erupts as factions vie for control of the guild. This is known as the red weather in Tantras [21]
Manes without anything to eat turn misty / ethereal / incorporeal to conserve energy (they formed a mist around Verovan’s soul which hardened into a pearl case). Once food becomes available they will become manes again [24]
Jamal
Jamal, rented a room from a clothing shop owner in Westgate (the clothing shop was burned down by Night Masks when she refused their protection insurance, the shop owner was stabbed to death). [1,4]
Shop used to be owned by Old Mendle, Alias lived in the apartments upstairs as a child (in her false memories). The Swanmays then stayed in the shop when Alias was older.[2]
Jamal is an older woman with curly hair, a former thespian / playwright that made a rude play about Cassana, believes Cassana wants to kill her [3]
Finder implanted false memories in Alias about Jamal being Alias’ mother [3]
Owns Jamal’s Street Theatre, four performances daily. Specialises in the everyday hero (known as cheap hero) [3]
Jamal and Mintassan are old friends [5]
Had a daughter who was murdered in the Year of the Prince when she was 12 by a vampire (the vampire was a noble daughter and was shielded from Durgar and the watch). Jamal hired an adventuring band that killed the vampire and gave the body to Durgar (who nearly quit when he realised the nobles had hid the vampire from him). Finder Wyvernspur spent two weeks with Jamal cheering her up [11]
Jamal is a Harper Agent. She was “pinned” by Finder during his two week escape in Westgate. The Harpers do not necessarily know she exists [20,25]
Mintassan
Mintassan the Sage, Mintassan the Magnificent, Mintassan the Mad [3]
Mintassan’s Mysteries – Curios From Faraway Places. Mintassan’s shop in the lower floor of a Sembian style townhouse in the richer part of Westgate. [3]
Mintassans’ sigil is the Beastlands sign topped by a waxing crescent moon and surrounded by a circle [3]
Tall, broad shouldered, somewhat overweight. Wears gold rimmed spectacles with very thin lenses, baggy white pants and brightly coloured vest with his sigil on the lapels [3]
Knew Grypht when he was younger (Mintassan must be a planeswalker????) [3]
Mintassan discovered the secret location of Verovan’s Lost Treasure and the key required to open it about 8 years ago [25]
Night Masks
The Lair of the Night Masters, a secret room hidden deep beneath the streets of Westgate, well protected by layers of spells, its builders all slain, and its entrances regularly moved. [4]
Ruled by the Night Masters, chosen from respectable shop keepers, craftsmen, and lesser merchants. Never chosen from drunkards or nervous people or unreliable sorts. Each Night Master wears a domino mask (before entering the Lair of the Night Masters) with a unique golden glyph painted on the head [4]
The Faceless is lord of the Night Masters [4]
Night Masters and the Faceless meet in the Lair of the Night Masters [4]
The number of Night Masters has varied over history. Currently there are 10 Night Masters. 3 general managers (Enforcement, Finance, Noble Relations), and 7 regional managers (External Revenue, Harbourside, Thunnside, Gateside, Parkside, Central, Outside. [4]
Lair of the Night Masters has a table hewn from a single block of obsidian veined with gold. The Throne of the Faceless is made of the same black and gold obsidian [4,15]
The Faceless Mask is a helmet of mesh chain covered in platinum coins struck with the glyph of Leira. The chain mask magically obfuscates the vision of anyone trying to discern the face underneath. It also alters the wearers voice to grating and metallic [4] The Night Masks have been burning festhalls in the Outside District. This has caused festhalls in the Gateside District to pay more of their quota of “insurance” [4]
Supplies from the Family Ssemm have been acquired (stolen????) and moved to Elturel where they will be purchased by Family Vhammos through a company called Free Traders [4]
The Night Masters are trying to indoctrinate Haztor Urdo into the Night Masks, he doesn’t realise the Night Masters know his identity (is he trying to infiltrate them secrety????) [4]
Lady Nettel is employing lots of halflings, causing trouble with the Night Masks (the halflings also “borrow” lots from Night Mask agents) [4]
The Night Masters are unwilling to directly confront Mintassan the Sage at this moment [4]
The Night Masks have magical scrying capabilities to locate people [4]
Standard procedure for Night Masks is to always have an extra pair of eyes watching a job to confirm its completion. Some lazy Night Masters just wait for watch reports to confirm success or failure, but they get in trouble if caught out by failure [4]
The Faceless has a secret exit / entrance into the Lair of the Night Masters (a secret door accessible through the back of his throne) that leads to the sewers. [4]
The Night Masks treasury is hidden in the sewers of Westgate, filled with riches and weapons [4]
The Faceless owns a small ivory ball intricately carved with a twisting sea serpent with a gleaming ruby eye (magic, what does it do????) [4]
Mists skull is hidden in the Night Masks secret treasury, his soul is bound to it to serve the Faceless and answer his questions [4]
The Night Masters cannot be detected by magical divination (Durgar has tried for 14 years) [7]
Timmy the Ghast, thief in the Night Masks, known as a midden man because he burgles places by climbing up the midden / toilet. Never washes, smells worse than a ghast
Slick Jack, a lookout in the Night Masks, works with Timmy the Ghast
Bandilegs, Jojo, Sal (female), youths, muggers in the employ of the Night Masks. Operate one of the most successful “import” gangs in Westgate.
Littleboy and his toughs collect insurance from businesses
Night Mask problems with the halflings goes back to a blood feud when the Night Masks first started in this town (presumably 14 years ago but could be earlier????) [9]
Branded Ones, those who displease the Faceless have a domino mask burned into their face that cannot be healed by magic (evil magic prevents healing) and if done for long enough leaves a permanent scar (this exposes them as Night Mask members and they are forced to flee the city). The Faceless has a magic item (a ring) that burns this brand into their face (presumably it links with each domino mask and can activate any of them when desired [9]
The original Faceless (from 14 years ago) had a face like a lump of clay and may have been a doppelganger [9]
Estimates at 2000 members in the Night Masks [9]
The Faceless’ treasury is believed to contain a magical artefact discovered by the first Faceless which protects the identity of the Faceless and the Night Masters. A tree rack hung with porcelain masks sits in the Faceless’ Treasury. It was created by the Temple of Leira, stolen by priests of Mask, and then stolen by a doppelganger that imitated the Shadowlord of the Temple of Mask. The doppelganger used it to build the Night Masks guild. Masks must be hung there for a day, when worn for one hour or more it protects the wearer from magical detection and divination for 4 days. [9,16]
Lord Ssentar Urdo youngest son Haztor Urdo is a Night Mask agent and took part in the raid on the Thalavar warehouse [9,10]
Knost and Marcus, Night Mask thugs that work at the Rotten Root tavern / collecting house [11]
One-Eye, female, Night Mask leader of collectors at the Rotten Root tavern [11]
Kel, teenage boy, collector for the Night Masks. His father was a collector for the Night Masks until he took a dagger in the back [11]
Melman is a Night Master (Gateside) [14]
The Night Masters and the Faceless meet every other evening [14]
Entrance to the Lair of the Night Masters is on the western bank of the River Thunn beneath the River Bridge. The entrance is covered at high tide and protected by magic, requires a key to see through the illusion and unlock the door (look through the circle grip end of the key) [14]
The Faceless has some magical item that can control the quelzarn [15]
The Faceless had a magical portal mirror in his treasury to allow him to check out his lair from afar and then teleport to it (it must have a linking mirror elsewhere). Legend has it there were many of these portal mirrors in the royal castle during King Verovan’s time [16]
The Faceless Treasury had a number of dragon headed iron golems in it (at least 6), but they cannot breath poison gas (cheap Thayan variety [16,25]
Since the new Faceless had taken over 7 years ago, he had eliminated the three most powerful Night Masters that had the skill or power to question his authority [17]
The Faceless wears an amulet of misdirection [18]
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2022 : 15:46:18
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Loved this book, one of the best so far. Awesome amount of lore, lots of realms related details.
Just a few minor details that irked me slightly.
First is Victor Dhostar tried to become Croamarkh 7 years ago but his father wouldnt support him. So it sounds like he just decided to become the Faceless and killed the current Faceless. However, i suspect that Victor was already one of the Night Masters at that point in time, how else would he be able to get close to the Faceless (who had all the resources that Victor has with the added bonus of being a doppelganger).
The doppelganger Faceless re-established the Night Masks 14 years ago. Luer Dhostar became Croamarkh of Westgate for the first time 14 years ago, coincidence????
During the Time of Troubles the doppelganger stole the tree rack that contained the domino masks that allowed him to conceal the identities of the Night Masters from magical identification. This even however happened in 1358 DR and the Faceless first re-established the Night Masks in 1354 DR, so they were vulnerable for 4 years. Presumably there were problems for the Night Masks and their leaders in the first 4 years or they were too small to be noticed.
Also one of the Night Masters said the original Faceless had a face like a lump of clay, guessing he was a doppelganger, that means the Faceless did not always have the chain mask with coins on (an artefact of Leira), so presumably the doppelganger Faceless also stole the artefact when he stole the tree rack and domino masks.
Then there is Finder meeting Jamal and spending two weeks with her. My understanding was that he was released from his planar imprisoned and then placed under house arrest by CAssana in Westgate. So he must have escaped somehow, but rather than running away, he just wandered around Westgate and spent some time with a grieving widow. Not exactly out of character (since he couldnt go to the Harpers for help), but a little bit odd, even for Finder.
Apart from those minor niggles, it was an excellent read.
I do wonder what abyssal lord Verovan made a deal with. My gut instinct says Iyachtu Xvim given his association with Westgate. Not exactly an abyssal lord but he has a link to both, and he wasnt a god at that point in time. I suspect there were more than just manes imprisoned in the pocket plane (i dont think nearly mindless manes as an evil so overwhelming Dragonbait couldnt bear to look into the pocket plane). Also plenty of things to wonder about what happened to Verovan's soul or indeed Victor's at the end (his soul turning back into his body at the end doesnt quite work for me, especially since he essentially turned into a loumara type being).
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 28 May 2022 : 17:17:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Then there is Finder meeting Jamal and spending two weeks with her. My understanding was that he was released from his planar imprisoned and then placed under house arrest by CAssana in Westgate. So he must have escaped somehow, but rather than running away, he just wandered around Westgate and spent some time with a grieving widow. Not exactly out of character (since he couldnt go to the Harpers for help), but a little bit odd, even for Finder.
I don't see it as odd, at all. If you have a captive, inside a walled city, and that captive escapes, the first thing you're going to do is cover the escape routes: the gates and the port. If a few days pass and you've not found your former captive, the logical assumption is that the captive either got out before you covered the exits, or they somehow eluded your hunters.
So going to ground and waiting for the hunters to give up is a good strategy. Once they decide you're gone and stop watching the exits, then you can simply stroll out at leisure. |
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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 28 May 2022 17:18:17 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2022 : 17:41:15
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Reading daughter of the drow at the moment.
I've read a lot about how people dislike the depiction of menzoberranzan because it's all evil and scheming and murder and chaos.
Elaine's depiction is nothing like that. She describes the nobles as evil and scheming and grasping, where status and power are the only things that matter. I'm fine with that, it's not unlike every society with its social elite in the real world.
The common folk however, they go about their normal lives, enjoying as much pleasure and passion as they can find in their lives, with a bit of intrigue.
I think I kind of get where she is going with this. For the drow it's all about status and power. The nobility have the chance to scheme to acquire more of this and they are consumed by it, they murder, double cross, and intrigue all day long. But the common folk will likely never advance their station or their power, so they arent consumed by it. Sure there will be the odd bit of trying to get one over their neighbour, perhaps even the opportunity for some to become a consort for a time, but by and large they are stuck as commoners and they behave similarly to commoners everywhere, they do their job, they love their family, Nd they do what they have to to survive.
I much prefer this version of menzoberranzan to the all evil all the time version that many imagine it to be. Commoners will always be commoners, and social elite will always be lying, murdering, thieving scumbags
Also noted that the Sight (seeing images of the last or future or present) is a gift among the rashemmi (albeit unreliable). I wonder what happened to give a number of them this gift.
Not far into the novel but it's a good one for the sheer amount of lore in it already.
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2022 : 21:20:29
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| Baba Yaga was depicted as a witch so maybe she is an errant Rashemi witch? Perhaps Stara Baba is Baba Yaga's daughter (instead of doing Babason as a last name, it is just Baba)? |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Baltas
Senior Scribe
Poland
955 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2022 : 21:40:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I was thinking Stara might mean something in Rashemmi to show a link to Baba Yaga. I vaguely recall that Baba Yaga is one of the mages that fled the fall of Myth Drannor (or just prior) but i cant remember where i got that from.
"Stara" is a feminine adjective that means "old" in Serbian, Serbo-Croatian and Polish. Stara Baba would mean literally "Old Baba", or "old woman", possibly "very old woman", and it might be derogatory (though I don't think it's the case in Rashemmi). It indeed might be another name for Baba Yaga, or one of her students and/or daughters (maybe even Iggwilv, seeing her having many aliases).
And very interesting stuff on Baba Yaga being tied to Myth Drannor - please share more about it, if you find the source. |
Edited by - Baltas on 08 Jun 2022 21:45:14 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2022 : 21:48:36
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Random thought, as faerzress has just been mentioned, which has been a bone of contention over the editions.
Faerzress has at times been linked to the drow weapons and the source of their innate abilities. It is only found in the Underdark, and it is sporadic in coverage.
Now some drow are weakened by being on the surface and some of their weapons are not always destroyed by being on the surface.
In 4e there is mention of the demon weave which Lolth tried to create as a rival to the Weave.
We know the Weave is emitted and stabilised by Weave Anchors. What if Faerzress is / was the precursor to this Demon Weave.
Faerzress is highly prized as a resource by the drow, it is one possible source for the highly magical items wielded by the drow (often they were +3 to +5 in 2e supplements), but these items appear to rapidly lose their magical capabilities when away from the Underdark and even crumble into dust in sunlight - this is not unlike mythallar items of Netheril (losing power when away from a mythallar not necessarily crumbling to dust). The patchy nature of faerzress is also a bit like the mythallar of Netheril.
So what if these Faerzress Nodes are mini weave anchors but not for The Weave (i've often thought about Shadow Weave Anchors, why not Demon Weave Anchors) but they are not numerous enough or powerful enough to form a full continent or planet encompassing Weave so they act like beacons of power not unlike the mythallar. In 4e Lolth tries to form this Demon Weave using these Faerzress Nodes.
Now not all drow have to use this Demon Weave / Faerzress Node magic, some can use the Weave or both, not unlike how Shadow Weave users can use either or both (but the more they attune to the Shadow Weave the weaker their use of the Weave becomes), so some drow magic items can work on the surface because they are attuned to both Weave and Faerzress, or are just Weave items.
Just a random thought, trying to help explain oddities in lore |
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Baltas
Senior Scribe
Poland
955 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2022 : 18:27:25
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^ Great observation Gary, and it does make sense Faerzress is an offshoot of the Weave and precursor/early form of the Demon Weave.
It was even implied in canon ie "Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark":
quote:
The Weave has undoubtedly played a crucial role in the Deepearth, for vast cavern networks suddenly appear from time to time, leaving pockets of Underdark radiation, known to the drow as faerzress, in their wake.
Later sources suggested High Magic that transformed Dark Elves into Drow created Faerzress, but also suggesting it just tapped into it, and tied drow to Faerzress.
Also, with Baba Yaga, I found she was noted in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" to be present in Rashemen, so Stara Baba might be her.
[EDIT]
Elaine Cunningham did indeed confirm that Stara Baba is meant to be Baba Yaga:
http://www.forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7040#136851
quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
"Stara Baba" is "old woman" in Polish--and a few other Slavic languages, I'm told. It does indeed refer to Baba Yaga.
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Edited by - Baltas on 09 Jun 2022 19:26:26 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2022 : 18:21:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
While it think about it. Corellon is the god of elven magic, but he has been around on toril since before humans even learned how to write, let alone cast spells.
I wonder if the elven god of magic once controlled the weave the way mystra does now. It would then make sense for lolth to have tried making her own demon weave ages ago and the descent of the drow crushed that attempt but left the drow tied to the mini weave energies the faerzress nodes emit.
Just another thought or two
Canon is that Mystryl was the third deity present in the Realms. First Shar and Selûne, then Mystryl. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2022 : 19:54:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Are you sure that is not a legend sidebar.
Technically, yes, it is myth and legend. But in the Realms, myths and legends are often factual.
Also, page 4 of Magic of Faerûn makes it clear that Corellon never had anything to do with the Weave:
quote:
The birth of the being then known as Mystryl did more than just balance the war between the sisters of light and darkness. Her very existence changed the reality of the universe by creating the Weave, the conduit that allows creatures to use magic. Suddenly, rather than magic being restricted to just the deities, any creature with the talent or training could draw upon the power of magic through the Weave. When sentient creatures appeared on Toril, some of them learned to use the Weave while shamans and clerics drew their magic directly from deities. Acknowledgement of her gift led to worship, and Mystryl drew power from that, becoming one of the more powerful deities.
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jun 2022 : 01:56:53
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Just because gods lie sometimes doesn't mean they lie all the time.
And either way, the part I quoted from Magic of Faerûn isn't legend or myth. Mystryl may or may not have been the third deity of the Realms, but she was one of the first and she was there when mortals arrived. |
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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 11 Jun 2022 01:59:49 |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2428 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jun 2022 : 02:35:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
While it think about it. Corellon is the god of elven magic, but he has been around on toril since before humans even learned how to write, let alone cast spells.
The elves were newcomers.
Dragons came earlier, and they had some human minions. Most humans perhaps remained savages for a while longer. But servants of the dragons could be taught.
Before that, there were Creator Races and a few others, some magic-using (aboleths, lammasu). |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jun 2022 : 09:12:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
So the Windwalker amulet allowed Liriel to take her innate drow powers and her drow wizardry to the surface.
The fact that the drow powers are supposedly denied on the surface makes little sense given that the Weave is present everywhere, unless the drow are tied to a different Weave.
I remember it being mentioned in Homeland that drow spells didn't work as well on the surface, although some theorise that it was just propaganda to justify the failure of some surface raids. But in any case, it seems to be the norm for spells to work to some extent (or maybe drow would also lose their powers over time, as is the case with their levitation?), rather than being a binary thing of working perfectly / spell fizzling out. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Novel Lore
