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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Jul 2022 : 19:11:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I wonder if anyone has actually plotted out all the events from the Time of Troubles around Mystra and Elminster because this could get really complicated.
My approach to reading the Realms is chronological, so I looked for such a timeline when I started reading the fiction written around the Time of Troubles. As far as I can tell, it goes: Shadow of Doom, beginning of Siege of Darkness, Cloak of Shadows, Shadowdale, the relevant comics, All Shadows Fled, Tantras, Waterdeep, the rest of Siege of Darkness, and Song of the Saurials occurring a few months after the Time of Troubles. I am currently in the middle of Cloak of Shadows, and I am having difficulties following what’s happening. I hope the sages in this thread will be able to help me!
When Mystra urgently contacts Elminster at the beginning of Shadows of Doom, I assumed this corresponded to the Prologue of Shadowdale: Mystra realises that Ao is about to cast all the gods to the Prime Material, and she barely has time to sends some of her power to Elminster for safekeeping. But the dates in Cloak of Shadows indicate that the main events of the second novel start on Kythorn 14, the day before the start of the Time of Troubles according to the Forgotten Realms Atlas.
In other words, when Elminster goes to the Flame Void (a place I can’t find any reference to by the way) at the end of Shadows of Doom and meets Mystra, the fall of the gods is still at least a few days away. So if I understand correctly, at the beginning of Shadows of Doom, Mystra urgently contacts Elminster and demands of him to carry a large part of her power; he does so for a few days, then goes to a place “where Lady Mystra often leaves messages, or things for him” and returns the power to her. Mystra is then cast away from the Outer Planes and all the power Elminster got through all that trouble to safeguard is now lost: I don’t see what Mystra achieved by lending her power to Elminster. But maybe I misunderstood and Mystra didn’t get her power back at the end of the book, maybe she simply left it in the Flame Void. But in any case, why couldn’t she do so herself from the beginning?
In Crown of Fire, Mirt mentions Alaundo’s prophecy about some ‘chaos of Art’ and the gods walking the world. It seems “chaos of Art” is understood by most sages to be a portent of the Time of the Avatar. So maybe it’s because magic starts failing that Mystra decides to put away some of her power for safekeeping (otherwise I don’t see why she would wait until the week before to do so, considering Alaundo had made his prophecy over a millennium earlier. Nor do I see why she would do so in such a roundabout way). Or maybe it’s the opposite, and it’s because Mystra is momentarily weak that magic starts failing (in fact, magic seems more reliable in Shadows of Doom than in the Avatar trilogy, which makes sense now that I know that there actually was still a goddess at the helm at that point). In fact, the first mention of the 'Time of Troubles' is by Elminster: “The Time of Troubles has ravaged Faerun and is still doing so”; this is on Kythorn 14, just before the proper start of the Time of Troubles. Which means that at this point, “Time of Trouble” means the time when magic is going wild, and the expression was later reappropriated to designate the days when the gods walked Toril. But before that point, the wild magic appears to be the main effect, and Elminster doesn’t seem to link it with anything Mystra did.
So my questions are:
- Why did Mystra give so much of her power to Elminster, and why at that time?
- At what time did Mystra realise something major was about to happen? Did she mark Midnight at about the same time as she contacted Elminster at the start of Shadow of Doom?
- What happened in the Flame Void?
- What caused magic to become wild before Mystra was sent to Toril? |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jul 2022 : 22:02:03
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i'm always trying to think of ways to explain the Time of Troubles without involving the gods, and the magic going awry was always a big problem.
I personally dont treat Mystra as a god, she is a special case. She has all the power of a god, and the Weave acts like a connector between the gods and their worshippers (to provide belief power in one direction and spell power in the other), and so she can use it the same for her worshippers, but ultimately to me Mystra is the Weave itself and so is the combined sentience of all entities within the Weave (of which there are many) in much the same way as Legion from Red Dwarf. Thats why she turns up so often, because she is not bound to the Outer Planes.
Now what caused magic to go awry prior to the Time of Troubles. My explanation is Pasha Abon Duum, he vanished in 1357 DR (it could be late 1357 DR), rumours are that he tried to steal the power of the gods. What if he tried to steal Mystra's power much like Karsus. If he had access to a Weave Anchor and he tried to drain power from it then that could disrupt the Weave (my personal theory is that Karsus' Avatar spell did not take power from a god, instead he targeted one of the Nether Scrolls or other Weave Anchor in his possession and literally drained the entire Weave into himself - or tried to). Its all semantics, Mystra is the Weave, the Weave is Mystra, but i dont view Mystra as a god, just an entity with the power of a god that humans cannot fathom and so call a god.
So yeah, Pasha Abon Duum partially replicates Karsus' failure via another method without realising what the hell he is doing. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jul 2022 : 00:22:27
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| We know Pasha Abon Duum was not after Mystra's power. It's unlikely he did much of anything after he was left powerless and in Tyr's presence. |
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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 - 07 Jul 2022 : 21:42:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I'm not sure if the comics are considered canon or not, but all we have from GHoTR is that he disappeared.
The original, DC/TSR comics were considered canon, and in fact, events and characters from the comics have appeared in multiple other sources. One even became a Lord of Waterdeep and a Blackstaff. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2022 : 10:55:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Also there is mention of father pellet turning lots of undead, so Baastet could have been Zulkir of necromancy (unlikely since we know that Szass Tam is Zulkir), or that he used them as servitors or was allowed with Szass Tam
From Cloak of Shadows (and thus, 1358 DR):
"Consider, then, the plight of a man who feels he must accomplish such an end, and is neither Zulkir nor has much chance of gaining the support of the incumbent-centuries-old Szass Tam, Zulkir of the School of Necromancy-or unseating that infamous and awesomely powerful lich, archmage, and master of undead."
So there is no ambiguity: Szass Tam is indeed the zulkir of necromancy in 1358 DR. The previous paragraph also takes care to mention that it has to be a final death, so it's unlikely that somebody would have become zulkir of necromancy for a couple of years while Szass Tam would have been indisposed for some reason:
"It is hard to become a Zulkir of Thay. Someone always holds such a title already and must be willing to give it up voluntarily-or be made to die. A final death, that is, admitting of no resurrections, clones, or death-cheating contingencies. As most of the present Zulkirs enjoy the powers their titles bring (if not always the responsibilities) and have honed their magical powersand accumulated allies and magical safeguards, traps, and useful items-for centuries, bringing final doom to one is no easy task."
It would technically be possible to charm him (but really, charming Szass Tam??), but we have to assume that this mage's research either escaped Szass Tam, or that it had his blessing. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2022 : 21:13:13
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War in Tethyr (1366 – 1367 DR)
Victor Milan
Tethyr
Secret pass through the Snowflake Mountains used by some caravans. Little more than two ruts left by generations of wagon wheels that follows a sluggish creek until it meets the Shining Stream. Leads into County Morninggold [1]
Zazesspur, a city of fabled wealth and intrigue. The troubled years had little scratched its wealth and done nothing to diminish its intrigues [1]
Ithmong was ruled by the tyrant Gallowglass until recently (he was removed????). Prosperity has increased and paranoia decreased since his removal [2,5]
Banditry is on the rise; roads are not safe [2]
Everywhere halflings are thieving [2]
Bands of darklings (fell creatures that spring out of nowhere to spread terror and dismay) ravage the streets by night. Darkling is another name for orcs, goblinoids, duergar, etc. The darklings supposedly come up from out of the ground (Underdark, catacombs under Zazesspur????) [2,10]
Baron Faneuil Hardisty is believed by many to be the man to unite Zazesspur and all Tethyr. Was a captain in the Tuigan War, a good man, brave, but trusted too much to bravery and luck. Baron Hardisty refuses to take a seat on the council, keeping himself apart from the politics and intrigue rife in the city. a. His face was long and heavily handsome, shaven clean and just be-ginning to show the marks of weathering, age, and care, particularly in the lines around the mouth and the intense brown eyes. His square-cut hair was dark brown, heavily salted with gray. Hardisty and Armenides want to rebuild Zazesspur so all buildings are mini temples to Ao and everyone worships Ao and the priests of Ao can watch over everyone [2,11,15]
Baron Pundar, Baron of Pundaria, claims County Morninggold by ancient right and writ from Zazesspur, sends his armsmen out to “collect taxes” (raid local farms etc) [4]
Togrev the Magnificent, serves as lord high commander of the Barony of Pundaria. 8 ft tall, carries a double bitted battle axe with a 6 ft helve. Half ogre. Evil (Crackletongue emits blue sparks). Slain by Zaranda [4]
Banditry means less road traffic, so most settlements only had access to what they make themselves. The rare armed caravan’s (like Zaranda’s) that arrive draw visitors from miles around [5]
Tethyrian plains are sparsely forested [5]
Tethyrians tend to prize craftmanship above all things [5]
Argolio, tethyrian bravo near Ithmong [5]
Zazesspur Gulder, gold coin of Tethyr [5,14]
Baron Faneuil is hiring men to join the Civic Guard [5]
The land east of County Morninggold is flatter, as it nears the sea it becomes more green and rolling [5]
Zazesspur, one of two major east-west routes in Tethyr, well maintained, relatively easy faring. Attracts a lot of attention from bandits [5]
Pecan tree [5]
Tethyrians (urban or rural) love their gardens [10]
The great merchant caravans no longer ply the Trade Way from Amn to Calimshan [15]
Wyancott, leader of a band of foresters in northern Tethyr that have banded together to form a caravan and trade goods across the Starspire Mountains to Zazesspur [16]
Fleebo, bandit, slain by Zaranda [16]
Zaranda forms the Star Company, Protective Services Extraordinaire [16]
Baron Lutwill, known as Lootwell, a bandit lord but powerful one, with a hundred men-at-arms to serve him, secure be-hind stone walls in a castle whose keep throws its foul shadow across Masamont. [19]
Tintoram's Select, a blackberry brandy made by the halflings of the Purple Hills of the coast between Zazesspur and Myratma, famed through-out Faerun for its flavor and potency [22]
Zaranda Star
Has a horse known as Golden Dawn (Goldie), that can talk, it calls her Randi. It gambles and cheats [1,2]
Planning to pay off her debts and then retire [1]
Currently a merchant with an armed caravan, knows about the secret route through the Snowflake Mountains [1]
Taller than most human me, muscly, dark brown (almost black) hair except for a blaze of white over her right brow that stands up. Handsome face, broken nose [1]
Countess Morninggold [1]
Had been to Thay not so long ago and faced off against ghouls and skeletons and spectres. This was the journey that preceded her most recent one. Zaranda was led to Thay bywhispers of a brazen head of immeasurable antiquity and knowledge, whose most recent possessors had been unable to wring any sense from it. Exasperated, they had left it on a shelf a hundred years or so and forgot about it. It had thus become available to anyone with sufficient enterprise, not to mention foolhardy courage. They won many magic items, including some weapons (all cursed)[1,2,3,5]
Travelled most recently through the Vilhon Reach to reach County Morninggold. This expedition went to Urmlaspyr in Sembia. She recovered a magical talking brazen bronze head, made by a mage that died long before Elminster was born. The head was acerbly handsome, had a scholar’s brow, an ascetic’s narrow face. Served its previous masters for millennia (the Red Wizards of Thay, more specifically the Zulkir Baastat). The head is a pervert, knows secrets of magic, tries to tempt Zaranda. Father Pelletyr has divined that it is not evil but he can learn nothing more. [2,3,14]
She bought County Morninggold after the Tuigan invasion (and is still paying off the debt in instalments). She has no vassals, only freeholders that buy their land from her in instalments. [2]
She had a very successful campaign against the Tuigan (as a mercenary????) and the booty she recovered went towards the first instalment on Country Morninggold [2]
Has study magic, can light a fire with magic (a cantrip????) [2]
Father Pelletyr, priest of Ilmater, excellent with healing magics, rides a mule that stinks (as a form of penance). Fat, wears a threadbare grey robe, has a florid face, prominent nose, and white hair sticking out in big tufts around his bald spot. Wears a skullcap and a golden pendant of the bound hands of Ilmater on a ring of thumb thick duskwood beads. Hired by Zaranda for her caravan because of his healing skills. Faced off against ghouls, skeletons, and spectres without hesitation, but scared of the living. A priest of the Cormyrean Synod. Has taken a vow of poverty and never to shed blood. Has a heart attack and dies in Zazesspur. Member of the Order of Ilmater Brothers [1,9]
Vander Stilhawk, ranger companion of Zaranda. Has a yew longbow given to him by the elves of the Elven Woods (Cormanthor). His tongue was cut out by orcs when he was young. He was raised by the elves of the Elven Woods. Knows sign language (thieves cant????). Rode with Zaranda during the Tuigan invasion. From the Dalelands. Uncomfortable in urban settings. Craves action and stays by Zaranda because trouble follows her. Brown eyes [1,2,4,7,13]
Farlorn Half Elven “the Handsom”, bard companion of Zaranda. Slightly above average height, slim, supple, black wavy hair, looks beautiful to humans and elves (women). A rare hybrid, half human, half wild elf. Wields a rapier. Once long ago he had been Zaranda’s lover, they parted ways and he did not see her again until Urmlaspyr where she bumped into him in an open air market on her journey to Thay. Mother was elven. His mother was from Tethir forest, raped by a human. Farlorn fled the Forest of Tethir and turned to Talos, seeking the destruction of all humans. He heard the voice of the One Below and allied himself with Armenides. Slain by Shield of Innocence [1,2,7,13,27]
Balmeric, sergeant of guards in Zaranda’s caravan. [3]
Eogast, dwarf, drover in chief in Zaranda’s caravan. Has lived several centuries [3,7]
Owns a sabre named; Crackletongue, that burns with blue witchfire along its blade, imbued with lightning. The sword emits a shower of blue sparks and snarls when it comes into contact with creatures consecrated to evil [3,4]
Former Captain during the Tuigan invasion [10]
Has smoke grey eyes [13]
Her old mentor and tutor in magic was Alshayn, gentle but exacting [13]
County Morninggold
Manor of Morninggold, fortified house, no surrounding wall or moat. Large rambling structure with 2 sometimes 3 stories. The walls stoutly made of dressed granite from the Snowflake Mountains. The roof pitched and covered in half cylindrical red tiles. Outbuildings clustered around the main structure. The dining hall has a pair of battle axes hung below an ancient shield mounted on the wall, and a boar spear over the fireplace. [2]
Gold Keep, a tall, round keep at the back of the manor house made of tawny fieldstone (that looks golden in the sun), the keep was built long before the manor house. Zaranda’s bedroom lies on the top story of Gold Keep [2,3]
Gisbertus, bugbear, chief steward of the Manor of Morninggold [2]
The cook left a fortnight ago to become a brigand [2]
Other Lore
The Cormyrean Synod (a sect or self-governing entity????) of Ilmater are celibate [2]
Ilmater mildly disapproved of astrology [2]
Intelligent octopi rumoured to haunt the rocks off the coast of Lantan (they fight with multiple whirling blades) [5]
Wild Elvish language is strange even to elven ears, although all can understand it with effort. Wild Elvish is closest to music pure [5]
Amnian felucca (boat) [5]
Amnian racing dromond (boat) 
Orog, otherwise known as a great orc [9]
Pipeweed is native to Faerun. Tobacco is new and comes from Maztica [11]
Still, to most of the folk of the Heartlands and farther north, all fine rugs from the South were Calimshite, and that was that, just as Amn and Tethyr were called Empires of the Sands, in spite of not having any sand to speak of. [12]
Orcs are allergic to the sun (get sunburn very easily????) [13]
Orcs refer to the sun as the Burning Face (of what or who????) [13]
Calimshan cockroach, always run away [18]
A constellation known as the Hourglass in the south (Calimshan, Tethyr, Amn), the Huntsman in the North, the Horse Bowman to the Tuigan [22]
The Hare, the Falcon, the Yataghan, other constellation names of the Tuigan, most others are named after horses [22]
Dead Magic areas cause headaches in many, especially magic sensitive individuals [23]
Chandos, blue planet closer to the sun, visible with the naked eye [25]
Anadia, first planet in the solar system, faintly visible to the naked eye [25]
Gond prefers steel to silver or gold (because of its utility) [25]
Gnomes prefer to live within the law whenever possible but when the law becomes intolerable they find ways around it [25]
The Council of Wyrms has been debating for at least 1000 years about whether to exterminate humans or not [29]
Dragons cry gemstones (is it just gem dragons or all dragons????) [Epilogue]
Shield of Innocence
Orog, wields two scimitars (called Justice and Mercy). A breastplate enamelled in white with the sign of Torm worked on it in gold. [6,9]
Clear blue eyes [6]
Bandy legs [6]
Not very bright [6]
Was reborn by Torm???? [6]
Torm has told him to serve Zaranda. Torm also told him he would die in Zazesspur [6,7]
Stupid but dogged in his willingness to learn, always asks questions until he understands [19]
Formerly of the Thigh-bone Splitter tribe of orcs [25]
Slain by Armenides [27]
Zazesspur
Dung Gate, there is an old breach in the wall near this gate, down a brushy defile where the wall is 20 ft high [7]
Street of Seamstresses, runs along or near the city wall by the breach near the Dung Gate, once a wealthy residential district long ago (and then outside the city walls), then renamed to the Street of Seamstresses when the wall was built. Then the seamstresses left and the fine structures became brothels. Now the street lies abandoned and crumbling after a water main burst during the Troubles (Black Days of Eleint), cutting off water to the district and so it was abandoned. [7]
Prostitution is legal. Prostitutes are called “notch-tooth”, in honour of when they plied their trade on old Thread Biters Lane [7]
Zazesspur the Wicked, something of a misnomer (likely spread by the lords wishing to increase trade) [7]
Zazesspur Civic Guard, dressed in blue sleeves and pantaloons, and bronze cuirass and morions, armed with halberd and crossbow [7]
Cangaro, captain of the Zazesspur Civic Guard. Has a scar running from his right brow to his jaw line and a dead right eye. Scarlet egret plume nods from his morion. Armed with a rapier. [7]
City council edict makes it illegal to import unlicenced magic artifacts into Zazesspur. Punishment is seizure of all goods
Palace of Governance in the middle of the city, still under construction
The Smiling Centaur, tavern, of average fittings and fare. Owned and run by Berdak a centaur (small for a centaur). Attracts a lot of non humans.
Valides, mercenary and adventurer, knows Zaranda from her mercenary days, served alongside her on several occasions. Not a native of Tethyr. Generally aggressive and intolerant
Zazesspur is generally a tolerant town (of races and faiths), that may be changing slightly (for the worse), but even in Zazesspur an orog or orc is unwelcome
Wainwright District [9]
Earl Ravenak’s followers have vowed never to cut their hair until all foreign elements (demihumans????) are driven from Zazesspur [9]
Rumours of Zhentarim ships (known as black galleys) visiting the harbour at night (putting in at docks down in the catacombs beneath the city) to carry kidnapped children away into slavery [9]
Alvo, in his 30s or 40s, supposedly fell into the catacombs and say the black galleys (maybe telling tall tales????) [9]
The Old Market, home to many stalls [9]
Orcs, hobgoblins, a duergar and a moon elf (6 weeks ago an elf fitting her description vanished from Tethir Forest) accost a woman and her child to slay them at night. The elf says “traitors die” in elven to Farlorn (was she an eldreth veluthra????) [9,13]
Notch Tooth District, derelict, presumably where Thread Biters Lane is located???? [9]
The Order of Ilmater Brothers. Members of the order foreswear resurrection. Chapter house in Zazesspur [9]
The Winsome Repose, an inn of good quality, owned and run by Quarlo a small dark haired man [9]
Artalos, armourer, owns a smithy yard in Anvil Road. Lost a right hand and two fingers off his left hand in the Tuigan invasion. Now has a variety of hand attachments for his right hand. Old comrade of Zaranda. Executed by Armenides [10,25]
The Social Justice League, led by Tobiworth (Toby) Hedgeblossom and Putomas (Poot) Hedgeblossom. Incites people to turn against the wealthy (including craftsmen and artisans), not preaching outright murder yet. [10]
Earl Ravenak is expelling all non humans from his land (Zazesspur) by force. Incites mobs to target demihumans, preaching murder (which his followers practice) [2,9,10]
Earl Ravenak’s racist mob known as Hairheads [10]
The guildmasters of Zazesspur (known as syndics) are treating their members like chattel. [10]
Armourers and swordsmiths tend to be veteran warriors [10]
Armourers and swordsmiths guild, weavers and soapmakers guild [10]
Ruled by a City Council of elected members [10]
City Council is considering making it illegal to wield a weapon larger than a dagger within the city walls (unless you are a member of the Civic Guard or a councilmans personal bravo) [10]
Nyadnar the Sorceress, a powerful magic user, her symbol the dragons eye - a stylized eye in black with a brow slanting to meet it from above and two lines descending from it below, and a sapphire pupil. Lives in her house on Love Street. A few fingers shorter than Zaranda, slender, raven black hair. Impatient, wealthy, very old (but not in appearance). Has dwelt in Zazesspur off an on for centuries. Nyadnar sent Zaranda to acquire the talking bronze head from Thay. Nyadnar is an amethyst dragon, she has been watching humans for at least 1000 years, she decided to intervene in the growing conflict between dragons and humans by transforming into a human and birthing a dragon as a human. Chenowyn is her daughter [10,14,29, Epilogue]
Love Street [10]
Anvil Road, crosses Tinsmith Way [10]
Pickpockets are common in Zazesspur [10]
Tinsmith Way leads towards the Exotic Quarter [10]
Street of Misfortune Tellers [10]
Poor peasants wear white linen smocks belted at the waist with rope [10]
The All-Friends of Ao the Universal are the lay worshippers of Ao in Zazesspur. Drawn largely from the children of Zazesspur’s first families (top nobility). It is a front, many are secret priests of Cyric, including Armenides [11,26]
White Eyebrow, a gnome, used to have black hair and one white eyebrow (caused by a brush with magic), but now all his hair is white. Owns and runs the Curiosity Shop, which stocks items from other planes and planets (but avoids all magic items). Has many contacts with those who travel the dimensions in spelljamming ships. Old friend of Zaranda. Slain by the Hairheads [11,25]
Armenides the Compassionate, or the Pure. Arrived 12 months ago, is the spiritual advisor to Baron Hardisty. Leads Ao’s faithful in Zazesspur, Ao has supposedly now imbued some of his faithful with priestly powers. a spry elderly man with mar-moset tufts of white hair surrounding a gleaming dome of head, a beak of a nose, bright blue eyes nestled among laughter lines above apple cheeks. A plain white robe hung on a spare frame. His true form was that of a fiend with the body of a scorpion and the head of a bull, standing eight feet tall, has black blood that smokes [11,15,27]
Simonne Soiltender, gnome (young), daughter of White Eyebrow, priestess of Gond, part of a new sect of the church that hopes to improve the world by gaining knowledge about it. [11]
Nightmares and troubled sleep plague many in Zazesspur, some believe there is an evil behind it, many blame demihumans (driven by Earl Ravenak) [11]
Fredaro and Gonsalvo, thugs that follow Earl Ravenak and harass demihumans [11]
Hostler Alley, narrow alley in a district given over to middle and lower grade hostelries [12]
Players’ Quarter, home to theatres [12]
Bayside, the waterfront district, home to riff raff and the lowest ranks of entertainment [12]
Tourists are rare in Zazesspur these days. The harbour traffic was the only thing keeping the city alive. Currently it is a buyers’ market for short term accommodation [12]
Hostlers & Stablehands Guild, Zoltan young member [12]
Taverners, Innkeepers, & Provisioners Guild, Luko young member [12]
Chenowyn, known as Scab, dirty, unkempt, manifests magic uncontrollably when scared or angry, orphan, sleeps in a stable, becomes Zaranda’s apprentice. Secret daughter of Nyadnar. Chenowyn is a unique being, a ruby dragon, that is both human and dragon at the same time. She was born to Nyadnar (in human form) and given to the Sunite orphanage when she was old enough to survive [12,29]
Bus-tamante's Excellent Hostelry [12]
Carpet Mart, a broad plaza flagged in yellow sandstone worn to a shiny and treacherous polish by generations of feet, was dotted with the rug merchants' kiosks, hung like flags with their colourful wares [12]
Despite the troubles, buyers still flocked to Zazesspur from the north of Faerun to purchase excel-lent Tethyrian wool carpets, as they did to buy the finely finished furniture and cabinetry for which Zaz it-self was famous. Myratma was better known for other textiles; but Zazesspur was the place for rugs [12]
The Civic Guard are notorious for overlooking the activities of Earl Ravenak’s Hairheads, unless bribed by local merchants or others [12]
Anakul the Just, council member in Zazesspur, was something of an oddity: a professed devotee of evil who, though he wore the silver wrist-chains of Cyric, used as his personal symbol the black hand on red field of dead Bane. Even for Zazesspur in the years after the monarchy's overthrow, it might seem a little much to have a man who was openly nostalgic for Bane on the ruling council, but so obsessive was Anakul in his zeal for order and the rule of law that he was widely known as one of the most honest men in the city. It was said that he only cheated you if he had the full force of law on his side, justifying his only half-sardonic nickname. Of course, not even his passion for order prevented him from employing a robust corps of head-knockers. That was sheer survival. Anakul's livery was the black and red of Bane worn by his men [12]
Jinjivar the Sorcerer, council member in Zazesspur, didn't hire head-knockers, as far as anyone knew, though he paid claques to spread rumours in the streets about his magic prowess. The son of a Calim Desert chieftain and—again, he claimed—the pasha's daughter by a concubine, Jinjivar had grown to adulthood among the nomads. He still maintained many contacts in his homeland, and though Tethyrians tended to disdain handiwork other than their own, had grown rich selling them magical and fanciful doodads for which their neighbours to the south were known, such as sand-clocks that turned themselves and brooms that swept of their own accord. His men wore blue and purple while. [12]
Gargoyles on the roofs of buildings are not out of place [13]
Duke Hembreon, the most powerful member of the city council. In his day the duke had been a puissant warrior. But age had caught him up. His once-powerful frame was shrunken and stooped, his hair and immaculately trimmed beard were white as a gull's wing, and his blue eyes were red-rimmed and prone to prolonged bouts of blinking. His men wear a blue and white livery [14]
Duke Hembreon’s palace was of modest size, showing four blank whitewashed walls to the world, though a pitched roof of gray slates saved it from being as slablike as the much larger Palace of Governance. Located not far east of the Palace of Governance. Has a garden with a fountain [14]
Strakes, footman of Duke Hembreon. Thinning black hair in a comb over, long features, a button nose [14]
Tatrina, daughter of Duke Hembreon, one of the All Friends of Ao, tries to steal from her father to give money to the poor. Later serving as attendant to Baron Hardisty [14,22]
Shaveli the Sword Master, captain of the Civic Guard. A man of middle height or a shade beneath, whose expensive doublet—purple velvet slashed to display gold satin lining—and orange pan-taloons augmented rather than concealed a bandy-legged, ungraceful figure. His face and voice were well suited to sneering, the former being dominated by a large nose with a wart prominent on the side of it, and a ginger-colored goatee surrounding full lips below. A brutal man and professional duellist before he was offered a position in the Civic Guard by the reformers. Uses his position to indulge his dark tastes [14]
A secret detail of the Civic Guard known as the Specials. Well feared by those in Zazesspur. A commander in this unit is a contact of Zaranda’s [14]
Jesters, Fools, & Harlequins Guild [15]
Malhalvadon Stringfellow, the only halfling on the city council [22]
Baron Zam. He was tall, astringent, bloodless, with a wisp of iron-gray hair surrounding the dome of his skull. His slit eyes, narrow nose, and pinched mouth were situated on a face that came to a severe point at the chin. Sits on the City Council. Has a son in the All Friends of Ao and isn’t entirely happy about it [22]
Korun, only woman on the City Council, hair blonde and short, her eyes green, and her pert-nosed face handsome. Has a son in the All Friends of Ao and isn’t entirely happy about it [22]
The City Council of Zazesspur are tasking bandits to steal from rural settlements, and provide a portion of those stealings to the City Councillors (to help fund the restoration of Tethyr) [22]
The great council hall of Zazesspur was a vast cathedral space, with a black and white parquetry floor, a pointed vault high overhead, and windows running clerestory beneath it down either side of the chamber. Beneath the windows, even above the two large doors of beaten bronze that gave onto the hall, ran rows of benches to seat such onlookers as the council saw fit to admit. [24]
Lords Faunce and Inselm Hhune, former councillors [24]
the twelve members of the council: Deymos, Hafzul Gorbon, and Marquis Enzo; Anakul, serenely smiling in his robes of black and red and his black silken cowl fitted close to his round head and drawn to a peak between his brows; Malhalvadon Stringfellow, a-fidget in his chair like a barely continent child; Strombolio, in red and yellow; Jinjivar the Sorcerer—tall, gaunt, and splendid in a pale-blue and purple turban so extravagantly round as to make him resemble an attenuated mushroom; Torvid, Naumos, and Lady Korun; Baron Zam, looking sour; Duke Hembreon. Their seating was controlled by a rigid and deliberately arcane rotation schedule. At the table's right end stood Baron Faneuil Hardisty. He was simply dressed in green, gold, and brown; his closest approach to ostentation was the silver chaplet he wore around prematurely greying temples, significant of his recent acclamation as lord of the city. Like the late kings of Tethyr, he had no right to sit at the council table, and his very presence was of questionable legality. At the table's left end the crier stood forward. He wore a tabard sporting the traditional device of lion, gules, rampant on field of gold. No one knew why this was traditional, in as much as Zazesspur's emblem was a blue cockatrice on a light-green field. No one knew where that came from, either, cockatrices being exceedingly rare in Tethyr, even since the monarchy's collapse. Some savants theorized that was the reason for the symbol's adoption, that the appearance of such a rarity as a cocka-trice in Zazesspur might have been deemed worthy of commemoration. Actually, nobody cared anymore. [24]
As Zazesspur's emblem was a blue cockatrice on a light-green field [24]
Hafzul Gorbon, City Council member. Burly, black-bearded [24]
Nikdemane Birdsong, hafling thief and smuggler [26]
In the sewers is a subterranean lagoon that feeds into the Sulduskoon and thence to the sea. There's an ancient stone pier where we used to smuggle goods whose makers didn't care to purchase guild stamps or ask a syndic's leave to do business. [26]
The All Friends slew many of the noble parents, Deymos, Baron Zam, and the Lady Korun are known dead at their offsprings' hands; Hafzul Gorbon stove in his only daughter's head with a mace as she stood over her mother's corpse with dripping blade, then lay down beside his wife and slit his own throat. [26]
Baron Hardisty declared himself king and has taken Tatrina Hembreon as his consort [26]
Darklings poured from the sewers slaying indiscriminately. The Civic Guard were given orders not to fight them. The Hairheads of Earl Ravenak rampage against non humans. Artisans are fighting the guilds and syndics [26]
Zazesspur, with its wealth of innovative and assiduous artisans, had enjoyed running water and indoor plumbing longer even than most great cities of Faerun; it was a simple enough technic, involving no magic [27]
Lava deep in the catacombs beneath Zazesspur (is it recent or old????) [28]
A slimy, formless, tentacled thing laired in a large chamber with lava on a mound of treasure. It spawned orcs, duergar, drow, humans (the darklings). A deepspawn????. It consumed Faneuil [28]
Sunite orphanage [28]
Temple of Sune [Epilogue]
Lord Inselm Hhune, a very distinguished gentleman with a neat grey moustache, once slew a red dragon [Epilogue]
Lord Faunce, shorter and rounder than Hhune [Epilogue]
For some time Lord Faunce and Inselm Hhune have belonged to a movement (Knights of the Shield????) dedicated to restoring monarchy to the land of Tethyr, they had to keep their activities discreet until very recently [Epilogue}
Constable Watrous, wears black armour, member of a secret police unit [Epilogue}
Tweyar
A very small, very poor village near the Sulduskoon River where it bows away from the eastern end of the Starspire Mountains and the Forest of Tethyr towards Ithmong. Beset by bandits that have stolen everything [17]
Zaranda and the Star Company offer to arm the inhabitants and train them how to use them to defend themselves [17]
Osbard, farmer, lives in Tweyar, village hetman (leader)[17]
Bord, millers son, lives in Tweyar, trained to fight by the Star Company. He was a young man of middle height in brown chemise and holed tan hose, whose width of chest and shoulders would have been considered huge on a tall man; likewise his belly. His legs by contrast seemed almost comically short and thin. His hair was brown and lank, and a beard fringed his broad jaw. [17]
Ernico, village lad in the same village as Osbard, trained to fight by the Star Company [17]
Golba, old man, toothless, lives in Tweyar, trained by the Star Company [17]
Fiora—a young woman, Osbard’s eldest daughter, brown hair bobbed short in the fashion affected by the female volunteers, and who was fortunate enough to have in-herited neither looks nor disposition from either parent. Slain at Castle Lutwill [18,21]
Hugh, lives in Tweyar, trained by the Star Company. Skilled at hunting and reasonably stealthy [18]
Rudigar, lives in Tweyar, trained by the Star Company, friends with Ernico [18]
Storric, a stout, bearded man. Owner and operator of Tweyar's water-powered mil. Father to Bord [18]
Moofar, an elder, a wizened old bird with a wen on his beaklike nose [19]
Pansemil
A village upriver of Tweyar [18]
Have an ongoing feud with the inhabitants of Tweyar, both view the other villagers as weird and different [19]
Dunod
Village two leagues inland from Tweyar [19]
Janafar, woman, trained by the Star Company, small of stature and trim, but broad shouldered and muscular. Her honey-colored hair was restrained by a red bandanna. She was quickly becoming adept with spear and short sword, and displayed a positive genius for small-unit tactics. [19]
Masamont
The biggest and most prosperous settlement in Baron Lutwill’s lands [19]
Byador, dark, shaggy head. His long frame was already rangily powerful, though still gawky with adolescence. He had grown up shooting a short bow, and under Stillhawk's tutelage was learning to handle—and hit targets with—a powerful longbow brought from the forest of Tethir by a Star-escorted caravan. [19]
A collection of a hundred buildings or more, the largest and most central of which were built of stone, with peaked red tile roofs like the coastal towns. Like most of inland Tethyr, the surrounding countryside was flat. Fields green with the long summer's second crops, beginning to fill out, broke up the landscape, interspersed with lines of shade from windbreak trees planted along irrigation ditches and neat orchards of half-ripened fruit [20]
Castle Lutwill
The prominence from which the castle rose, three furlongs away, was too symmetrical to be nature's work. Zaranda guessed it was an artificial mound, a motte, built at some unguessable remove in Tethyr's lengthy past to provide better outlook and tactical advantage for what-ever fortification was first raised upon it. The manor itself was a bailey, pitched rooftops peeking over a twelve-foot dressed-stone wall, and a stone keep perhaps four stories tall sticking up from the centre of it. It lacked flanking towers or crenelations, the dry ditch surrounding it was half-filled with trash. A fixed wooden bridge led to the gate, hinting that the baron's mechanics were not up to the task of keeping a drawbridge in repair. [20]
Whimberton, chamberlain of Castle Lutwill. A slight middle-aged man in a black robe. He had receding dark hair, white-touched at the temples, and a wisp of moustache. Mage, has a magic sphere that allows him to conjure lightning and can be recharged by striking it with lightning (putting it on a weather vane in a lightning storm [20,21]
Baron Lutwill claims the lands of Tweyar and Pansemil and Dunod and Masamont (and doubled the taxes) [19]
Baron Lutwill, taller than Zaranda, quick and horribly strong [21]
Bronze Head
The bronze head once owned by Zaranda, is now in the hands of Armenides, compelled to allow L'yafv-Afvonn to speak through him over long distances [22]
Can communicate over distances of many miles [22]
Formerly held by Zulkir Baastat [14]
L'yafv-Afvonn
The One Below, The Whisperer In Darkness [27]
A deepspawn hidden in the Underdark in a lava chamber beneath the catacombs of Zazesspur [28]
Able to magically compel and control those nearby [28]
Can send nightmare visions to all that sleep in Zazesspur. [22]
Destroyed by Chenowyn, he fled to another dimension to avoid dissolution. One from which he cannot return, should he even desire to, for a time longer than the span of your lives, and a dozen generations of your descendants. [29]
Ithmong
Zaranda Star Protective Services helped bring a caravan from Myratma to Ithmong. Ithmong then gave Zaranda its support [22]
Ith-Side Inn, courtyard was surrounded by an eight-foot wall topped with broken glass [22]
Ithal Bridge, crosses the River Ith [22]
Ernest Gallowglass brought in tolls on the Ithal Bridge. Zaranda asked the tolls be cancelled to increase trade [22]
Ithmong had always had a respectably sized and reasonably professional town guard, which Gallowglass's administration had only strengthened [22]
Thieves, however, were as intrinsic to urban Tethyrian life as houseflies, and found the river a convenient avenue [22]
Ithmong produced several service-able beers, but their vineyards couldn't hold a candle to Zazesspur's. [22]
Ithmongs were known for being unsubtle by Tethyrian standards [23]
Ithmong didn't distrust Zazesspur as sorely as it did Myratma, but would never happily see its rival rule all Tethyr. [23]
Star Protective Services
Formed by Zaranda to help rural Tethyr protect itself. Quickly grew to 200 warriors gathered from the villages they protect. [22]
The company removed Zaranda over a dispute about the direction the company was taking. They then rehired Zaranda and Balmeric was bought out and left for Myratma and then potentially on to Waterdeep [22]
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2022 : 21:35:29
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Well War in Tethyr is not my favourite realms novel, but its definitely not one of the bad ones.
The tone and languages is ever so slightly out of place with too many real world sayings, but the story was interesting enough and the pacing was good and there was actually quite a lot of lore about Zazesspur and a bit of Tethyr, far more than i would expect for an author that is not Ed Greenwood or Elaine Cunningham or Jeff Grub.
Some interesting lore interspersed in this novel.
We have the Cormyrean Synod, a sect of the Church of Ilmater, great if you do not believe in unified churches spanning the entire continent and would like some religious strife and intrigue within a religion.
First mention of a Council of Wyrms, and it has been debating what to do about humans for about 1,000 years (and almost deciding to try and eradicate them several times). Is this a gem dragon only council or do some dragons meet regularly under a flag of truce to debate certain issues.
The big baddie in this is said to be a deepspawn, buuut it has some unusual powers, like being able to send nightmares to everyone within a few miles radius. More importantly upon its death it was said to have moved to another dimension to prevent dissolution (whatever that means) and it cannot return for many generations, which sounds more outer planar fiendish than anything else. It also knew Nyadnar and that suggests it has been around for a long time.
I suspect this "deepspawn" is a unique creature left over from some horrible magical accident or twisted experiment, etc. Is it one of the original deepspawn created by the dwarves of Shanatar during the Spawn Wars, is it some horrific drow creation or summoned fiend lord used in the Crown Wars and abandoned beneath some lost elven ruin.
We have Armenides, who is posing as a human but in reality is some kind of huge scorpion creature with the head of a bull. I'm imagining a tlincalli but with a minotaur like head. The timing kind of works for it to be a tlincalli as well, the novel is set in 1366 - 1367 DR. Armenides appeared 12 months before that, so sometime in 1365 DR, and the tlincalli first appeared in Faerun in 1365 DR. Just a thought.
Then we have the bronze head, no idea on its history or its origin, or even its powers, but it seems to be an artefact created long ago before Elminster was born (given that its bronze i'm thinking Mulhorandi or Untheric), that ended up in the hands of Zulkir Baastat.
And last of all is the most interesting piece of lore.
Chenowyn is a ruby dragon. A unique being (Sardior being the only other known Ruby Dragon and likewise said to be unique), that was created by an amethyst dragon that birthed her in human form. Now dragons can birth in human form anytime, the result is human, and that i guess is how half dragons occur, but this is different, so what if she mated with another dragon in human form and birthed her in human form.
Which poses the question, is the ruby dragon a unique human and dragon hybrid (but not a half of either, a full dragon and full human at the same time). My brain is trying to link this to Sardior / Auppenser and explain how the humans of Jhaamdath acquired psionic abilities.
Oh, and dragons can cry and those tears are gemstones. Unclear if this is gem dragons only, but those gemstones have got to make good magic components and should have at least one unique story about it.
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2022 : 22:02:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
First mention of a Council of Wyrms, and it has been debating what to do about humans for about 1,000 years (and almost deciding to try and eradicate them several times). Is this a gem dragon only council or do some dragons meet regularly under a flag of truce to debate certain issues.
The Dragonreach Saga of the Forgotten Realms comics has a dragons' congress. Those are not common, but there is a sacred site that exists specifically for this purpose. That time, metallic and chromatic dragons gathered, but strangely enough, no gem dragons. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2022 : 17:28:55
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JUst started Realms of Magic, and it begins with an RAS story - Guenhwyvar. Thankfully it was mercifully short.
As always totally out of place with the rest of the forgotten realms. Drizzt, i mean Josidiah, acting totally unlike an elf, and as always very angsty and opinionated.
There is a mage called Anders Beltgarden who supposedly lives just outside Cormanthor (in reference to a city), but few of the elves know he or his tower exist, which i find very hard to believe unless Anders is not who he appears.
The name Anders kicked off my brain and i vaguely recall a mage called Ander, short for Mharrander, who is supposedly one of the most powerful mages in Faerun. Now if he lived in Cormanthor i'm sure his magic could hide him from even the elves of Cormanthor.
Then we have GUenhwyvar, a panther much larger than normal, intelligent, and at the moment of saying the word Guenhwyvar, it seemingly spontaneously transformed into a figurine of wondrous power, without a spell being cast, and not a normal figurine (both animal and figurine can exist at the same time rather than one replacing the other).
I wonder if Guenhwyvar was not some kind of semi divine or paragon creature, and guenhwyvar was its true name. |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
953 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2022 : 21:32:27
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| Wasn't Anders a former ranged turned wizard in that story? I chickle at the idea of Gwenhwyvar's true name being "Whiskers" instead of "Shadow". You have to read the story to get the joke. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2022 : 22:46:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
The big baddie in this is said to be a deepspawn, buuut it has some unusual powers, like being able to send nightmares to everyone within a few miles radius. More importantly upon its death it was said to have moved to another dimension to prevent dissolution (whatever that means) and it cannot return for many generations, which sounds more outer planar fiendish than anything else. It also knew Nyadnar and that suggests it has been around for a long time.
I suspect this "deepspawn" is a unique creature left over from some horrible magical accident or twisted experiment, etc. Is it one of the original deepspawn created by the dwarves of Shanatar during the Spawn Wars, is it some horrific drow creation or summoned fiend lord used in the Crown Wars and abandoned beneath some lost elven ruin.
Idea: Deepspawn are able to replicate anything they eat. That includes basic knowledge so that has to mean they absorb something of the being's mind. How about a Deepspawn that ate a Night Hag? The Hag's personality either merged with the 'spawn or perhaps it even took it over. Upon death, it could go to The Grey Wastes and it could have gained the Night Hag's ability to implant nightmares in people. It would basically be the first of a new species: a Nightspawn. |
"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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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2022 : 23:52:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
He was supposed to be a ranger turned wizard yes. It could be a complete lie.
I guess I missed the joke, I tend to skim the RAS novels as I cant tolerate the writing style very well.
The story around Anders doesnt fit. He has a tower that most elves cannot find and if he wanted to he could hide it from everyone. He can make a figurine of wondrous power but is uncertain about what happened at the end. His spell repertoire seems extremely limited despite him supposedly being of awesome power. It's a lot of contradictions. Which makes me think it works better as a lie.
Plus more horrible RAS names that I just cant abide, so Anders Beltgarden should not exist. Marrander Dokhol (or whatever his name is) fits much better.
The forest of Cormanthor was opened up to N'Tel'Quess in 220 DR, 41 years before the raising of the mythal at Myth Drannor. This story is set during the Year of the Somber Smiles (253 DR).
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
144 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2022 : 16:07:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Plus more horrible RAS names that I just cant abide, so Anders Beltgarden should not exist. Marrander Dokhol (or whatever his name is) fits much better.
Guenhwyvar is still the worst offender in this story. Gwen means "white" or "bright" in Welsh (the full name can be translated as "the white fay"), so having this Welsh name actually mean "shadow" in high elvish is deeply weird. I would have been less bothered by Whiskers. And is RAS really joking about characters getting stupid names? After all, why would Whiskers be less dignified than a proud Dwarven name like Muffinhead? Please someone give RAS a dictionary of names... |
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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 - 14 Jul 2022 : 17:56:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Also wasnt there a halruaa order or anti mages. Could they steal power from wizards?
I assume you're asking "wasn't there a Halruaan order of anti-mages?"
If that's the question, you're presumably speaking of the Jordaini. And they didn't steal power; they were innately resistant to magic and able to counter-spell arcane casters. |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2022 : 17:56:17
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No where else has anything ever been mentioned about a rune of magic being required to be a mage. I would look at that more being a magic tattoo similar to what the Red Wizards get from the Create Magic Tattoo spell.
As for losing the ability to cast spells like that, I am not convinced. The only other way I know of for permanently losing access to magic is to cast a Mordenkainen's Disjuntion on an artifact. That is one of the most powerful spells ever created trying to dispel the magic on one of the most powerful magic items in existence. I can see that kind of blowback but having someone come up and just shake your hand and you lose access to casting spells, nope. Having all you memorized spells taken, I can see that causing headaches and confusion. But even that would take a very high level spell, too. |
"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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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2022 : 18:01:30
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| There is a spell in the Seven Sisters book that doesn't permanently strip away spellcasting ability directly, but it can, depending on the actions of the recipient, strip away their casting levels. It's basically a curse from Mystra, and if the caster casts spells while under it, they lose levels and spellcasting becomes more difficult, to the point of being impossible. However, once the effect ends, the side-effects of gnarled hands and damaged vocal cords disappear. If the spellcaster refrained from casting spells, everything is back as it was. If they cast spells and lost levels, they have to regain those levels. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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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 - 15 Jul 2022 : 21:40:08
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So, the First Moonwell describes the Earthmother as the literal Moonshae Islands themselves, the literal above and undersea formation of land. Not a god at all, but the land given intelligence of a sort.
Now in the Titan of Twilight it made Othea out to be more humanoid and capable of movement (it says she travelled to the palace where Lanaxis poisoned her). It also describes how Lanaxis and his brothers were born from her "birthing caves".
To my mind Othea and the Earthmother are kindred creatures. Portions of the land imbued with life that than "give birth" to other lifeforms. Othea created the sons of Annam and then the giants, the Earthmother created the Children and that may have given rise to the lesser animals.
Now there are other creatures that have an origin story where they are literally created out of the ground (although this is attributed to divine help), but what if these myths are more literal than we might think.
I vaguely recall the gnomes and dwarves are born out of the ground itself. The dwarves first appear in the Yehimals, through a portal i believe, but the creation myth is that Moradin forged them from rocks and gems. What if the dwarves emerged from one of these birthing caves in the Yehimals, we have a potential name for this living land being as Bhalla is worshipped in the Hordelands and represents Chauntea.
Gnomes have a similar myth with Garl Glittergold creating gnomes from gemstones, the kobolds stole some gemstones and Garl collapsed the mountain creating the Hidden Lake. What if this mountain was another of the living land beings like Othea and the Earthmother. As this was located in the netheril basin it seems like Jannath would be a good name for the mountain.
Weirdly it seems that all these life spawners are being destroyed. Othea poisoned by giants. The Earthmother shattered by the Sundering. Jannath destroyed by kobolds (although i think it is supposed to be the gods of the kobolds and if that is the case then it could be that dragons caused its destruction). I assume Bhalla is likewise dead or damaged.
I also wonder if there is not another being like this in Kara Tur and Zakhara and on every other continent.
Just a thought or two. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
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Posted - 20 Jul 2022 : 21:27:19
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Realms of Magic
Guenhwyvar (253 DR)
By R A Salvatore
Berenguils’ Peak, a flat topped mountain or hill in or around Cormanthor
Josidiah Starym, 150 years old
Felicity, niece of Coronal Eltargim (is Felicity supposed to be Irithyl????)
Anders Beltgarden, human ranger turned wizard. Lives in Cormanthor, friend of Josidiah Starym for 40 years. Lives in a tower called Beltgarden Home in Cormanthor. It is so shrouded in wards and illusion that few elves known it even exists. Anders has leathery, wrinkled face and his wild grey beard. One of Anders's eyes had been ruined in a fight, and it appeared quite dead now, a grey film over the lustrous green it had once held. Appears and claims to be about 70 years old. Beltgarden Home is bigger on the inside than the outside, has an alchemy lab.
All references to Cormanthor seem to refer to a city (maybe Myth Drannor????)
To make a figurine of wondrous power the animal in question must be killed so its life force can be drawn into the figurine
Anders Beltgarden will create Guenhwyvar from a prime black panther female, much larger than normal size and in perfect condition.
Anders has a three fingered right hand from a goblin bite.
Anders and his mentor fled a goblin horde 1000 strong using an owl figurine of wondrous power
Guenhwyvar, means shadow in high elvish language
Smoke Powder and Mirrors (Unknown)
By Jeff Grubb
Jehan Wands, a youth with dark hair gathered in a ponytail behind a golden earring (the latter worn only when he was away from his magical master-his granduncle, Maskar Wands). Apprentice wizard to Maskar Wands. Frequents the Grinning Lion
The Grinning Lion, a tavern in the northern well monied area of Waterdeep. Clean, softly lit tavern frequented by locals and the latest generation of noble families
The Bloody Fist, and Selune’s Smile, more boisterous taverns for non nobles
Anton, a russet-headed youth, friend of Jehan Wands, apprentice wizard, frequents the Grinning Lion
Gerald, a gangly blond boy with short hair and a scowling demeanour. Friends with Anton, apprentice wizard to Khelben Blackstaff. Jehan only met him a few times. Frequents the Grinning Lion.
Khelben calls Maskar wands the Old Relic.
Maskar Wands calls Khelben the Old Spider
Khelben dislikes smoke powder
Ladislau the giff, smuggles smokepowder into Waterdeep on spelljammers
Khanos, merchant in Waterdeep, supplying smokepowder to assassins to take out mages
Smokepowder is illegal in Waterdeep and to be destroyed
Gerald was a false identity used by Khelben to lure out smokepowder smugglers.
Smokepowder explosion destroyed a warehouse in the Trade Ward
Jehan becomes Khelben’s apprentice
The Magic Thief (Unknown)
By Mark Anthony
Morhion Gen'dahar, greatest wizard in Iriaebor. Tall and regal, clad in garb of pearl grey. His handsome face was unlined, and his eyes gleamed like blue ice. A long mane of golden hair tumbled about his shoulders. The man looked far younger than his true years.
Morhion’s Tower on a path off the Street of Runes, a twisting street. His left hand bears an old puckered scar, the Rune of Magic which brands him as a wizard
Crow's Nest. It was a rough tavern on the riverfront, a dangerous place. The ramshackle tavern stood on an old quay thrust out into the turgid waters of the Chionthar River. Its clientele were murderers, pirates, and thieves.
Zeth. His thin face was sharply lined though not unhandsome, and grey flecked his dark hair. Drab clothes hung loosely upon his lean frame. Zeth's hand has an intricate knot formed of angular lines. The reticulated knot had been a common motif in the art and magic of Netheril. Zeth had stumbled on the teachings of the gor-kethal and had used it to steal Morhion’s magic
The gor-kethal, the thieves of magic. They had been the scourge of Netheril. In that empire, the nobility had ruled by right of magic, and all feared the gor-kethal, who could usurp a sorcerer's power-and rule-with a touch. The sign of the gor-kethal was a reticulated knot. The stolen magic is permanently lost by the next turn of the moon.
There are those few who are utterly dead to the touch of magic-what some mages cruelly called geldings. Their kind was rare, but had been known for centuries. Occasionally, masters encountered students who, no matter their intelligence or effort, could not learn even the simplest of spells. For reason unknown, they could neither sense nor channel the forces of magic. Most geldings gave up their arcane studies and turned to other pursuits, leading normal lives.
In Iriaebor, by law, the gate between Old City and New City was locked and shut at midnight and would not open again until dawn (the nobles like to keep the commoners out of their area of the city).
Morhion makes gunpowder using brimstone, charcoal and niter. The Red Wizards claimed smokepowder was made with magic but that is a lie, it is made with alchemy.
Zeth steals Morhion’s magic. Morhion steals it back. Zeth falls to his death
The Quiet Place (Unknown)
By Christie Golden
Jander Sunstar, born a gold elf in Evermeet. Now a vampire. Lurking around Mistledale, preying upon the worst of criminals
An oak grove sacred to Silvanus, a natural circle of oak trees surrounding a spring fed pool. Jander was cleansed of much of his vampiric strengths and weaknesses (except sunlight), but only while he remains within the grove and the blessing is only granted once (if he leaves he cannot regain the blessing when he enters). The grove is protected by a warding that pains evil to enter.
Oakbrother Endris, of Oakengrove Abbey, a young man, clad in robes of earth-tones and forest green. His hair was as red as that of Sune Firehair, and freckles dotted his open, friendly face. Comes to the grove of Silvanus to collect water for Oakengrove Abbey.
Oakfather Raylen of Oakengrove Abbey, a tall, thin man with white hair
Oakengrove Abbey is a short walk away from the grove of Silvanus, over a small green hill.
Jander can transform into a gold wolf
Oakleaf-shaped armour that was traditional among priests of Silvanus
Jander’s original destination was Waterdeep, he may continue travelling there.
The Eye of the Dragon (Unknown)
By Ed Greenwood
Hawkwinter House, the Hall of Clouds is a room Hawkwinter House, Teshla’s Tower also part of Hawkwinter House. Hawkwinter House has extensive gardens
Ambreene Hawkwinter, magic user
Dowager Lady Teshla Hawkwinter, grandmother of Ambreene, has three elderly chambermaids. She is dying. She dabbled in dark and daring magic in her younger days (according to rumours). Has been able to see places in her magical driftglobe (acts as a scrying orb)
Lady Teshla Hawkwinger owned the Eye of the Dragon, a necklace with a delicate silvery dragon’s head profile on it, its single eye was a huge dark glossy gem of unknown type. It is magically powerful, only a sorceress can truly wield it, but it steals memories (and can leave the victim an empty husk)
The seneschal of Hawkwinter House is an old warrior
In her youth, Teshla was beautiful but used men to get what she wanted. She loved only one man, a mage named Endairn, but when she kissed him the Eye of the Dragon drained all his memories and magic into her (she chained him up in a cellar). She used her new found magic to beguile and marry Horthran Hawkwinter (a rich merchant). She drained his knowledge of commerce and left him confused and confined to his bed (visiting him only to conceive children (two). Teshla neglected her children and eventually brought Horthran and Endairn together and goaded them to kill one another.
Teshla grew to dominate House Hawkwinter but one day Khelben came and took all her magic (except the Eye of the Dragon). So Teshla used her coin to rebuild her spells and magic.
Eremos Hawkwinter, son and heir to Teshla, became a man of wisdom and justice. One day Eremos brought home his paramour, the sorceress Merilylee Caranthor of Athkatla (Ambreene’s mother).
Merilylee Caranthor, after birthing Ambreene sought protection from the Eye of the Dragon and turned to Khelben. Using his protection she then attacked Teshla and tried to steal her magic. The sorcerous duel raised the upper floors of Hawkwinter House, slew half the servants and left no trace of Merilylee Caranthor. Teshla’s spells shielded Ambreene in her nursery during the duel. Eremoes always thought the attack was the work of a rival house.
Hawkwinter hospitality was legendary.
Lord Eremoes Hawkwinter, patriarch of House Hawkwinter
Lord Embroes is a Harper friend, performed some service for Laeral and the Harpers
Elminster created the Eye of the Dragon in Myth Drannor, and knows how to use it to give certain memories and not drain them.
Maruel the Shadowsil once murdered a lover with a sword she could compel to return to her hand.
The first foresight spell was created by a woman in Myth Drannor. It allows the caster only to see the future of others.
Berentha Manthar, a shy noble maid of an age with Ambreene Hawkwinter. heiress of House Manthar since the hunting death of her brother Carn. Fiancée (since a few months after the death of Teshla Hawkwinter) of Ferentar from Amn, a devastatingly handsome man, Ferentar wanted to be Lord Manthar and doesn’t care for Berentha at all.
Every Dog His Day (Unknown)
By Dave Gross
Set in Ravens Bluff
The Barley Bowl, a tavern on Wicker Street
Ambassador Carrague, very old man with a long white beard.
Jame, sister is Dauna. His father is rich and is returning from Sembia with silks and wine for sale. They are rich and someone has kidnapped Dauna. Their family doesn’t have a livery
King, an old terrier, known to Ambassador Carrague. City building inspector. Wizard. Declared dead in the local paper. His office is in the Ministry of Art. Used to be a man, an adventurer, he offended a witch who killed his companions and turned him into a dog, he fled to Ravens Bluff. Carrague transforms him to his original form and he is now an old man, although not as old as Carrague (must have been changed many years ago). After rescuing Dauna, King had Carrague change him back into a dog.
The Trumpeter, local paper
Chesley, steward for Jame and Dauna and their father. Chesley organised the kidnapping of Dauna to get money out of their father. Chesley ends up on trial
Betha, cook for Jame, Dauna, and their father
The Ministry of Art - the home of the city's most powerful wizards - stands well down the road from the mayor's palace
Pixwhistle’s cap of invisibility, makes the wearer invisible
James father owns (or rents) a warehouse. In it he stores shou silk, mulhorandi carvings (of the gods), spices etc.
Siward, local thug in Ravens Bluff. Chesley hired him as a handy man last month.
Lonny, local thug, associate of Siward
The Common Spell (Unknown)
By Kate Novak-Grubb
Kith Lias, teacher, met Alias in Serpentsford
Marl, large boy, admired by his fellow class mates, outspoken. Cooper’s son. Wants to become a caravan guard and then an adventurer.
Lisaka, tavernkeepers daughter
Swordling, means novice sell sword
Mageling, novice mage
Serpentsford, village in Featherdale, plagued by a penanggalan until Alias slew it
A penanggalan is undead, and it does drink the blood of the living, but there the similarity ends. A penanggalan appears as an ordinary woman in the daylight, and the sun's rays do not destroy it. But at night its head twists away from its body, trailing a black 'tail', which is all that remains of its stomach and guts. The body lies motionless while the head flies off and hunts for its victims. It prefers the blood of women and girls.
The adventuring party known as the Swanmays. Their members included two swordswomen, Belinda and Myrtle; a pair of rogues, Niom and Shadow; a cleric, Pasil; and a mageling, Kasilith. In the Year of the Worm, the Swanmays wintered in the city of Westgate. Kasilith became friends with an apprentice weaver named Stelly who was slain by the penanggalan, Stelly turned into a penanggalan and Kasilith travelled with it to Serpentsford looking after it because she felt she deserved to serve it for letting Stelly die. Alias and Dragonbait killed the penanggalan and convinced Kasilith to become a teacher of reading and writing in Westgate (she changed her name to Kith Lias)
Stealing an apprentice is a crime in Westgate.
Year of the Worm, that winter a penanggalan began to prey on the women of Westgate. In life, the monster had been a noblewoman and her family and their power helped to hide her.
The First Moonwell (Unknown)
By Douglas Niles
The Earthmother is literally the Moonshae Isles, an eternal being, formed of stone and silt and fire, her body blanketed by the depths of a vast and trackless sea.
She was a living thing, and thus she grew. Her being expanded, rising slowly from the depths of the ocean, over millennia spilling along trench and seabed, pressing deliberately, forcefully upward. Over the course of ages, her skin, the floor of the sea, pushed through the realm of black and indigo and blue, toward shimmering reaches of aquamarine and a warmth that was very different from the hot pulse of lava that measured her own steady heartbeat
A male stag, described as a forest monarch. Drank from the waters of the moonwell and slain by a gang of wolves that became the Pack.
The Luck of LLewellyn The Loquacious (Unknown)
By Alien C. Kupfer
River Ghalagar
Llewellyn hired a band of halfling adventurers to search for a silver key in the Swamp of Akhlaur so he could search their camp and find the Amulet of Zalathorn
Zalathorn said Llewellyn could keep the Amulet of Zalathorn if he wanted to
Indio the Black, halfling, portly belly, wispy beard, leader of Black Indio’s Band
Piranha in the Swamp of Akhlaur
Zoundar, settlement in Halrua. Llewellyn told Black Indio and his halflings that the silver key opens a chest of wealth located just west of Zoundar.
Steadfast Order of Shortfellow Swashbucklers, better known throughout the Shining South as the Buckleswashers, a band of halfling adventurers from Waterdeep with a gnome. Led by Talltankard. They had been in the mountains north of the West Wall searching for an ancient treasure (the chest in a cave west of Zoundar) but hadn’t located the key yet. Osco the halfling, Bungobar Talltankard, Dimvel Stoutkeg, Carthax Nayusiyim the gnome. Lyratha Talltankard wife of Bungobar. Six members in total (two of them female).
The silver key (located in the Swamp of Akhlaur) needed three jade gemstones. Black Indio found one in the Swamp of Akhlaur, Llewellyn found another (Zalathorn magically probed Llewellyn and told him where to acquire the key, the stones, and the treasure), and the Buckleswashers had the third.
Ckleef Vann, halfling in Black Indio’s band
Terrence of the Hill, halfling in Black Indio’s band.
Halar Hills, near Zoundar.
The silver key, and Zalathorn’s amulet (along with the jade stones placed in the amulet) will carry the possessor to their place of birth (why????)
Zalathorn’s Amulet was originally in the treasure located west of Zoundar.
Llewellyn the Loquacious was born in Klint
Too Familiar (1367 DR)
By David Cook
King Pinch, the Lich Slayer
Brown Maeve the Royal Magister of Ankhapur
Fiddlenose, the brownie, lives in a fern next to Uesto’s Granary. Former house brownie driven out of Uesto’s house by his tom-cat
Uesto’s Granary near Woodrock, a settlement a weeks journey west of Ankhapur
Will o Horse Shank, brownie, lives in the meanest ward of Ankhapur
Honourable Lord of the Watch Sir Sprite Heels the Clever. Blinded a year ago.
Corlis’ Wineshop, has rooms for rent where he Corlis doesn’t care what happens in them as long as golden nobles (coin) was paid in advance.
Bronzewood table carved in Chult
Ankhapur’s waterfront, the lowest of the quarters, despised by honest folk who creep there to visit taverns, flop houses, and festhalls.
Maeve has a fake familiar in Will o Horse Shank, who agreed to play the part of familiar.
Brownies have an innate understand of things mystical.
Red Ambition (Unknown)
By Jean Rabe
Szass Tam, his mortal life had ended centuries ago on a Thayan battlefield a hundred miles north of his comfortable keep.
Frodyne, Szass Tam’s apprentice. A Red Wizard. Szass Tam is considering turning her into a lich. Her clean-shaven head was decorated with red and blue tattoos, fashionable for Thay, and her wide, midnight-black eyes. Szass Tarn had taken her as an apprentice several years ago. An amazingly quick study, Frodyne never hid her hunger for spells and knowledge, and she dutifully hung on his every word. The lich thought her loyal, or as loyal as anyone in Thay could be. He recently confided in her that he was undead, showed her his true, rotting visage, and when she did not shrink from it, he shared with her his plans for dominating Thay.
A tattoo: an odd-looking triangle filled with gray swirls. Symbolises a worshipper of Leira
Szass Tam has an army of skeletons wandering near Delhumide.
There is a ruin in that dead city that a few worshipers of Leira are particularly interested in. The priest believed that deep inside a crumbling temple rests a powerful relic. The Goddess of Liars has guardians and great magic protecting her prize. The relic is a crown, and a great energy is harnessed within the gems.
Szass Tam can command his undead generals with a thought from many miles away.
Few in Thay knew Szass Tam was one of the dead. Outside the confines of his keep he assumed the image of a living man.
The ghostly inhabitants of Leira’s temple in Delhumide were the last of the priests that lived in the temple when the city fell to Mulhorand. Their wills banded together into one form so they could serve Leira forever (as a ghostly spirit)
The guardian of the temple of Leira was not undead, but it was certainly not living, and stood at least 30 ft tall. It had the torso of a man and the head of a goat. Its chest bore the symbol of a triangle filled with swirling mists. The thing possessed four eyes that were evenly spaced above the thick bridge of its metallic nose, and its mouth gaped open, exposing pointed teeth made of steel. Four arms as thick as tree trunks waved menacingly at the sides of its body and ended in six-fingered iron claws. Every inch of the creature was grey. The thing's massive legs ended in cloven hooves that created sparks when they stomped on the ground and rocked the cavern. The guardian cannot be killed, it will continue to repair itself until the end of time.
Szass Tam used an ancient scroll that would continually return Frodyne to life (or unlife) only for the Guardian to slay her again and again forever.
The crown of Leira sits atop a mound of coins and gems. It is dotted with rubies. It will grant eternal life to anyone that wears it, and bring unbearable pain to any undead that touch it.
A priest of Leira told Frodyne about the relic to lure Szass Tam into trying to take the relic (which he can never touch). Szass’ skeleton army in Delhumide was destroyed (by Frodyne) and then Szass Tam sacrificed Frodyne and a powerful spell to reach the relic (why????).
Thieves’ Reward (1367 DR)
By Mary H Herbert
Teza cannot swim
No one has measured the depth of Lake Ashane, the Lake of Tears
A year ago, Teza stole away from Immilmar with an aughisky that she bound to her using a spell of binding with a hippomane. Now she lives in the wild lands around Lake Ashane.
Rafbit, friend of Teza, lives in Immilmar. Shaggy, slightly disheveled half-elf wove his way through the crowd toward her. Slender as a willow branch and sinuous as a weasel, delicately etched features and blue-black hair, were inherited from his moon-elf mother. His voice was bequeathed solely by his father, a Rashemi berserker of prodigious skill and temper. Rafbit was an old friend, not a close one and not one she would willingly trust with her life, but still a friend. Her problem was she could never entirely trust his motives. A streak of self-serving maliciousness ran through his character, and it sometimes landed other people in serious trouble. Rafbit lives in the warehouse district
Fair Street Horse Market in Immilmar
sjorl cheese in Rashemen
Warehouse district by the busy docks in Immilmar
Thieves guilds don’t last long in Immilmar. The Huhrong does not tolerate organised crime. Rafbit wants to start and exclusive thieves guild, he has the backing of a patron. A judicial authority with a penchant for collecting rare gems. In exchange for any 'collectibles' we might find, he will be our ears and eyes in the Iron Lord's court.
In the wealthier section of Immilmar the houses are larger and surrounded by their own ornate walls.
Lord Duronh, his residence has a dock and boathouse, although the lord had gone one step further. He had dug a cavern into the high bank below his house and built a dock for his crafts, where they were protected from all but the most frigid weather.
Teza has an old shack that she uses as a bolt hole on the edge of Immilmar.
Teza cannot read
The Red Wizard Ashroth transformed his lover Kanlara into a living book (the book had red hair and was bound in human skin). The book was stolen 30 years ago and ended up in the library of Lord Duronh (how????). Ashroth wants it back and pays Rafbit to get Teza to steal it.
Teza freed Kanlara by stabbing the book with a dagger. Kanlara cast a spell and vanished.
The witch-ships that roamed the vast Lake of Tears were pilotless boats created by the powerful sisterhood of witches to protect Rashemen from predation from Thay. The witch-ships could unleash monstrous beasts, poisonous gases, or any number of defensive spells, and were extremely difficult to evade.
Kanlara knew one Witch of Rashemen that still lived in Immilmar and asked her to rescue Teza from Ashroth.
Kanlara and Teza go on a dajemma.
Six of Swords (Unknown)
By William W Connors
The Six of Swords, an adventuring band in the Western Heartlands around 15 years ago. They made enemies and friends in those days.
Jaybel, member of the Six of Swords, an expert at picking locks, disarming traps and eliminating enemies. Married to Gwynn
Gwynn, acolyte, priest, member of the Six of Swords, married to Jaybel
Shandt, dwarf, warrior, member of the Six of Swords, had an enchanted battle axe, slain by a hobgoblin tribe in the Underdark, the Six of Swords disbanded after.
Jaybel and Gwynn moved to Waterdeep, using their adventuring loot they opened a chapel and locksmith shop.
Jaybel and Gwynn are slain.
Orlando, warrior (former farmer), member of the Six of Swords, becomes a blacksmith in Ravens Bluff. Orlando owned a number of mementos from his adventuring days: Talon, the curved sword that he had recovered from a dark labyrinth beneath the sands men called the Battle of the Bones. This arcane blade proved almost unstoppable when turned against the living dead. A bronze breastplate. Countless attackers had learned that it had the uncanny ability to turn aside even the most deadly missiles. Arrows, quarrels, and even bullets had all proven impotent against the charms of the bronze armour. A small silver amulet, a good luck charm, crossed battle-axes that were the icon of the dwarven god Clanggedin Silverbeard. There was no magic in this simple pendant, but it had been a present from Shandt. Since it had been given to him not five hours before the noble dwarf had met his fate somewhere in the Underdark,
Lelandra, magic user, member of the Six of Swords, her face, crowned with hair the colour of smouldering coals and set with emerald eyes, a shocking contrast between her external beauty and her malevolent soul within. She'd had little use for the individual members of the Six of Swords^ To her, they were bodyguards, scouts, and healers, who enabled her to explore the mysteries of magic, recover rare spell components, and otherwise practice her arcane art. Was the daughter of a merchant prince in Waterdeep, being tutored in magic. Her mentor (an old woman on the edge of Waterdeep) was slain by thieves-assassins in service of a dark priest. Lelandra swore vengeance and never returned to Waterdeep.
Jolind, druid, member of the Six of Swords, now has an estate and a tower surrounded by a forest (land that was previously poisonous to everything until Jolind found it). Originally the ruined tower (built centuries before the Six of Swords were born) was home to a black dragon that had poisoned the land around it. The Six of Swords found the tower 6 months before Shandt’s death and Jolind led the attack and was instrumental in slaying the dragon. Jolind returned a year after Shandt’s death to restore the land (but not the tower). Jolind was now dead, slain by the mysterious attacker that slew Jaybel and Gwynn. Jolind and Orlando had been lovers for a year before parting ways.
The Six of Swords once tracked down a vampire near Dragonspear Castle in an ancient crypt. Lelandra found the mysterious shroud of shadows in the vampire’s coffin.
The shroud of shadows makes Lelandra fade into the shadows (planeshift sort of to the Plane of Shadows????). Makes he voice seem spectral and deathly while wearing it. It augments the magical energies of death and darkness when worn.
Kesmarex is the dwarven name of Shandt’s silver bladed battle axe. It means Vengeance of the King (although its not a perfect translation). The axe is intelligent and blamed the Six of Swords for abandoning Shandt. It recognises or obeys the wearer of the silver amulet of Clangeddin that Shandt wore
The Wild Bunch (Unknown)
By Tom Dupree
Schamedar
Ale and Hearty tavern in Schamedar
Tuka Phardeen, a swarthy little cut-purse with a wide, gap-toothed grin
Wiglaf Evertongue, wizard, tall, if slim, human build, with an overly erect bearing, carrying only a small pack and walking staff
Sasha, a muscular, tanned goddess whose brilliant blonde hair cascaded past a necklace made of animal fangs to reach the hilt of a well-nicked broadsword. Comrade of Tuka
Evertongue family of bakers in Calimport
Fenzig, rogue, filthily dressed man with unkempt hair and poor manners. Comrade of Tuka.
Tuka and his group recently lost a mage, left him to be slain by a monster.
Wiglaf’s master has a painting of a forest glade that shifts through all four seasons in a moment. A hand mirror that reflects back an ancient image of the bearer. A wand swirled with coiled mist down its length that pulsates in his fingers. The robe into his hands. It flowed through his fingers like fine-grained sand, an immensely pleasurable sensation. It was surprisingly light, considering that it appeared to be several sizes too large for him, and wonderfully soft. He lifted it closer to his face to inspect the signs and sigils that covered its surface. Some were simple, childlike scrawls; others, intricate forms that may have had meaning in some exotic language. One he even recognized: the seven stars in a crescent around a wisp of mist, familiar even to a beginner, the symbol of Mystra herself. This was truly powerful magic, a robe of wild magic.
Fenzigis a disguised magic user that knows Wiglaf’s former master, Sasha and Tuka are his friends. They all agreed to try and teach Wiglaf a lesson in patience (by using the robe of wild magic) so set up situations where he would have to cast magic. The robe of wild magic belonged to Fenzig.
A huge red dragon attacked Schamedar (was it drawn by the robe of wild magic????)
The robe of wild magic is unique, Fenzig has no idea who made it (how did he acquire it), the robe tends to help those who really need it (by making their spells useful), but otherwise all spells go weird.
Wiglaf studied under Fenzig and eventually got a student of his own. Still worked with Sasha (and presumably Tuka and Fenzig????)
A Worm Too Soft (Unknown)
By J. Robert King
Olivia Verdlar, green eyes, dark hair, slim figure, owner of the Stranded Tern, a pleasure house. Really Tarith disguised by the illusion magic of the Dragon’s Pearl
Stranded Tern, a mountain fortress with an ivory tower, impregnable outer walls, and cut stone inner vault. Its construction was clearly magical. Consists of 17 onion shaped domes. Stairs made of ice. Rooms that are shaped like internal organs. Has a huge garden and sandy lagoon inside the curtain wall. The Stranded Tern is nothing but a goblin settlement built around Xantrithicus’ cave (in which lies his corpse). The Dragon’s Pearl powers powerful magic that cloaks everything in powerful illusions to make the settlement appear like a pleasure palace and the inhabitants look like rich nobles (when in reality they are goblins and monsters). Unfortunately the magic of the Dragon’s Pearl is failing (perhaps because the inhabitants are using their own magic or because of the storms or because too much of the Dragon’s Pearl’s magic was used).
Bolton Quaid, 6 ft 3 inches tall, dark brown eyes. Hired to defend the Dragon’s Pearl using traps etc. Lives in Waterdeep’s Dock Ward
The Dragon’s Pearl, an emerald as big as an ogres head and perfectly spherical and smooth (not cut). Largest of a hundred gems polished in the stomach of Xantrithicus the Greedy (he didn’t trust his hoard left in a cave so he swallowed it). Said to be 2000 years old when Xantrithicus swallowed it. The gem absorbed lots of magic from Xantrithicus. Tarith had Xantrithicus killed so she could get her hands on the Dragon’s Pearl, she gutted the corpse to obtain it.
Xantrithicus the Greedy, great green dragon. Mate of Tarith the Green (green dragon). Slain by a mage, who was in turn slain by a bandit (each carried the Dragon’s Pearl), until agents of Olivia retrieved the Dragon’s Pearl.
Tarith the Green, great green female dragon. Slain at the end by Filson who stabbed the dragon in the mouth and when she assumed human form it pierced her brain. Her body then exploded when it returned to dragon size while inside a small room.
Filson Crybot, otherwise known as Bosh, scamp, greasy black hair, which he continually finger-combed back from his brown eyes, a ruddy, freckled face bore a scowl that revealed less-than-healthy teeth. Works for Olivia Verdlar
Gunne Runner (Unknown)
By Roger E Moore
Greathog Snorrish, known as the Yellow Mage, collects smokepowder guns, apprenticed late in life, has only been known as the Yellow Mage since arriving in Waterdeep (he doesn’t want people to know his real name). Lives in North Ward of Waterdeep. Blue eyes, sloppy dresser, not much of a wizard, but a good cook and story teller. Wears a bright topaz ring on his middle finger. Came to Waterdeep 5 years ago from Lantan. Member of the Watchful Order of Magists. Was secretly working for the city watch, helping as an undercover spy on gun traders. Slain by Gulner
Saerdoun Street
Dryad’s Promise, brown wine bottle
Guardpost at Saerdoun and Whaelgond (presumably the crossroads or corner of two streets)
Greathog Snorrish owns a one story, cramped house on Saerdoun Street.
Civilar Ardrum. A halfling (tall for a halfling). Watchcaptain in the city watch. A wild talent sensitive to the emotional impressions left behind when someone touches something (he cannot control it so wears gloves all the time). Possesses a Priceless Circlet of Healthful Regeneration
Formathio of Riven Street. Friend of Snorri the Yellow Mage. Wizard. Was a member of the City Guard a decade ago. Now gives talks to the watch and city guard on spotting and using magic in their job, self-employed in a security counselling business advising clients about how to make their homes better protected against crimes. Met Snorri 5 years ago when he did a security check on his Snorri’s house, they used to get together and gossip about the Watchful Order of Magists. Member of the Watchful Order of Magists. Was a thief in his youth, joined the watch / guard 10 years ago. When he left he trained in the college of illusion (where???), and finally finished and setup his security counselling business. Skilled enough to create his own spells, one allows him to summon and question a shadow, another is an improved version of phantasmal killer
Unfailing Missile Deflector from Turmish, a small bold ring that deflects incoming missiles.
No wizard leaves their door unlocked in Waterdeep
The word "gunne" may be a recent corruption of the name of Gond,
Gunnesmithing was a holy thing in Lantan. Thanks to novelty dealers and preaching Gondsmen doubling as religious merchants, gunnes were now showing up everywhere in civilized Faerun.
Gulner, gun trader at the market, operating out of the abandoned Full Sails on Traders Way.
Someone is improving the gunnes of Lantan and smuggling them into Waterdeep, he might have a workshop nearby.
Traders Way, has lots of booths in the market here.
The Singing Sword on Traders Way, a tavern????
The Full Sails on Traders Way opposite the Singing Sword. The bare mast of a pinnace mounted on the flat roof of the two-story building. Fine liquors were once sold in bulk there to caravans, ship crews, and adventurers who wanted something, and plenty of it, to warm them on their voyages. Some of the liquor went bad and blinded its drinkers, and the owner had fled Waterdeep. The pinnace is a spelljammer
Priceless Circlet of Healthful Regeneration from Turmish, heals all wounds.
The gun traders in the Full Sails are led by a half orc ringleader (disguised to look human), possibly Gulner (he might be a half scro). Smuggling guns and smokepowder into Waterdeep from Lantan. Also selling guns to humanoid tribes in the Savage Frontier. They have special guns from other planets like repeating guns.
The spelljammer atop the Fine Sails crashes two miles outside Waterdeep. Gulner and his gang are slain.
Remnants of a scro fleet may be in orbit around Toril (from the second Unhuman War) supplying guns.
The Direct Approach (1361 DR)
By Elaine Cunningham
Skullport
Guts and Garters, a rather rough-and-tumble tavern renowned for its dwarf-brewed ale and its bawdy floor show.
Vasha the Red of the Rus, daughter of Hanigard, queen of the ice water raiders, captain of the Hrothgarian guard, and hired sword arm of the Red Bear Clan. taller than the elven girl by more than a foot and was at least twice as broad. Fat braids of flame-colored hair erupted from beneath a horn-bedizened bronze helm and disappeared into the thick reddish bearskin draped over her shoulders. Apart from these garments and a pair of knee-high, shaggy-furred boots, the warrior was virtually naked. Leather thongs bound weapons to her person and held in place a few strategically placed scraps of metal-studded leather. The woman's skin was pale, her muscles taut, and her curves of the sort usually encountered only in the fantasies of untried youths and libidinous artists. Has a magic sword that can deflect or absorb magic passed down to her upon the death of Hanigard queen of the ice water raiders. Time travelled from 2000 years ago to find a renegade runecaster and murdered of King Hrothgar. Vasha exhibits a battle lust (not quite a rage????)
King Hrothgar of the Rus, slain by a renegade runecaster in the twelfth year of his reign in the dark of the hunter’s moon.
"I tell you, Liriel, daughter of Sosdrielle, daughter of Maleficent, the runecaster is near," insisted Vasha. The vile Toth, son of Alfgar, misbegotten upon Helda, the goddess of boars, whilst she was in human form - or so Alfgar claims - is in this very city." (Sosdrielle and Alfgar may be heroes or villains of the Rus, Helda and Maleficent may be godlike beings to the Rus????).
The Red Bear Clan of the Rus despise magic.
Toth possesses a time-coin, with it he can travel across time at will. Hrothgar censured Toth for his excesses with the time-coin (and presumably Toth slew Hrothgar because of that censure????)
Judgement Hall of the Red Bear Clan.
Toth’s Keep in modern Faerun (1361 DR)
The Burning Troll. It was a pricey tavern, but the food was good, the halfling servants were prompt, and the patrons could be reasonably sure of an entertaining brawl.
Large scale fights in Skullport usually end up with the participants being punished with a night in Skullport’s dungeons
Vasha carries Toth’s spellbook which details how to cast spells to travel in time
The time-coin is one of a pair and each can be broken into pieces, each pieces allows time travel separately. Pressing pieces of the coin to each other cause them to meld and flow into one.
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2022 : 00:42:21
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Given Morhion's listed level in Hall of Heroes, what he says in the story, and the other sources for Iriaeben lore, I would say that "The Magic Thief" happened in 1366. That is also roughly the same time of some of the other stories in the book. Additionally, the story mentions the sun setting on the last day of Autumn. So, I have it over the Winter Solstice of 1366 (Nightal 19-20, 1366). The timing could also play into the ability to steal magic only being able to happen on the solstices or perhaps only on the Winter Solstice.
Edit: Corrected the year (had to double check my notes). The story starts on the 19th and completes before sunrise on the 20th. |
"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 21 Jul 2022 01:02:45 |
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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 Jul 2022 : 04:38:21
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I was looking for something else when I found this on page 61 of GHotR:
61 DR Year of the Branded Mage
Qysar Shoon I decrees the establishment of the Wizards’ Consortiums of all
the cities of his realm, at which attendance is mandatory for all wizards. Those
who resist are slain, and soon Shoon I knows of nearly every mage within his
domain, which allows him better control over such forces.
Now, if Shoon was requiring a branding of each mage (as implied by the name of the year) to mark them as members of the Wizard's Consortium, perhaps that is where Morhion's brand came from. Maybe that Wizard's Consortium survived through the centuries and Morhion is/was a member. |
"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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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2022 : 16:14:06
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quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
I was looking for something else when I found this on page 61 of GHotR:
61 DR Year of the Branded Mage
Qysar Shoon I decrees the establishment of the Wizards’ Consortiums of all
the cities of his realm, at which attendance is mandatory for all wizards. Those
who resist are slain, and soon Shoon I knows of nearly every mage within his
domain, which allows him better control over such forces.
Now, if Shoon was requiring a branding of each mage (as implied by the name of the year) to mark them as members of the Wizard's Consortium, perhaps that is where Morhion's brand came from. Maybe that Wizard's Consortium survived through the centuries and Morhion is/was a member.
I would think it more likely someone learned of the Consortium and decided to do the same thing with the branding. |
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2427 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2022 : 18:22:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Realms of Magic
Guenhwyvar (253 DR)
By R A Salvatore...
Felicity, niece of Coronal Eltargim (is Felicity supposed to be Irithyl????)
...
Salvatore...
quote:
The Common Spell (Unknown)
By Kate Novak-Grubb
Kith Lias, teacher, met Alias in Serpentsford
...
The adventuring party known as the Swanmays. Their members included
Alias was given memories from one of them. That's how her fake memories were discovered back in Azure Bonds: she ran into someone who knew she wasn't one of them.
quote:
Stealing an apprentice is a crime in Westgate.
They count as an investment. See also adventures of Huck Finn, IIRC.
quote:
The silver key, and Zalathorn�s amulet (along with the jade stones placed in the amulet) will carry the possessor to their place of birth (why????)
Who knows. But if "place of birth" was a suitable emergency teleport destination for the intended user, why not? Consider the advantages:
- Feeding the destination to teleport from some reliable and unambiguous divination is a good way to prevent teleport errors.
- If the divination results are different for other people, it will not become a security hole in case the amulet is in the wrong hands.
quote:
"I tell you, Liriel, daughter of Sosdrielle, daughter of Maleficent, the runecaster is near," insisted Vasha. The vile Toth, son of Alfgar, misbegotten upon Helda, the goddess of boars, whilst she was in human form - or so Alfgar claims - is in this very city." (Sosdrielle and Alfgar may be heroes or villains of the Rus, Helda and Maleficent may be godlike beings to the Rus????).
Did you consider a simpler hypothesis? That Sosdrielle here is Sosdrielle Vandree (mother of Liriel, and late mistress of Gromph). |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
Edited by - TBeholder on 25 Jul 2022 18:26:31 |
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Novel Lore
