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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Oct 2022 : 11:21:21
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The Mage in the Iron Mask (1368 DR)
By Brian Thomsen
Donal Loomis
Donal Loomis was a dwarfish gnome of a man, which is not to say that he claimed any blood lineage to either the dwarves or the gnomes but rather that his overall appearance, unfortunately, seemed to emulate the least favourable attributes of both races. With his bulbous features, stunted stature, and obese waistline, he was easily considered an unsightly wart on the face of humankind. The jagged facial scars that decorated his hairless head, unsightly reminders of the painful removal of tell-tale tattoos, did not help the ugliness of his physical appearance. [Prologue]
Member of the Retreat [Prologue]
when one finds oneself on the wrong side of a revolution, and Szass Tam was one lich who definitely didn't forgive and forget. Donal had had his telltale tattoos painfully burnt off his facial skin, and had applied for sanctuary at the Retreat [Prologue]
Nathor, a fellow conspirator from that ill-fated revolution (against Szass Tam) had also turned up at the steps of the Retreat. Nathor disappeared after three days, and was never heard from again. [Prologue]
Elder of the Retreat [Prologue]
80+ years old [Prologue]
Slain by shadowriders (mercenaries from Thay) in the employ of the Tharchioness when she discovered he rebelled against Szass Tam [Prologue]
First Donal betrayed the Retreat and offered to sell Rassendyll to Dmitra Flas (she offered him amnesty for his crimes against Szass Tam), then he betrayed Dmitra and offered to sell Rassendyll to Selfaril for money. [2]
The Retreat
The Retreat, as the members called it, was originally a place of study, refuge, and retirement for those who wished to devote their lives to the study of mage-craft and other magical arts. Scholarship alone, however, ceased to be enough of a reason for being or means of survival in the dour political climes of the Moonsea region, and the elder wizards who founded the Retreat many years ago decided that it had become necessary to widen their membership to certain other members of society who might help to subsidize their institution through financial endowments, political protection (whether by favours, military aid, or just good old-fashioned blackmail), or diplomatic influence. As a result, the institute of learning and refuge also became a place of sanctuary for political outcasts whose assets or knowledge could benefit their foundation, spies from the south or the west en route to the east or vice versa (Harpers were usually particularly welcome temporary guests whose incurred debts were always paid in a timely and generous manner); or just a convenient and permanent hiding place for offspring born on the wrong side of the blanket by royals or soon to be royals whose legitimate heirs had reason to worry about potential rivals. [Prologue]
As long as the accounts were met, no questions were asked, nor information given out. As a result, numerous members of the peculiar institution who had come to accept their lives of study had no knowledge of their parentage or lineage, and possessed memories solely of their lives within the monastic walls, nor did they desire such information nor opportunities for adventure. Loyola Ignato, one of the Retreat's founders and, according to legend, a mage of some note, had prided himself on his abilities to indoctrinate the young and inexperienced into the ways of life in the monastery. He was known to boast that if you gave him a youth between the ages of two and twenty, the Retreat would have him for life, and many nobles were more than willing to accommodate him. Without exception the Retreat had never lost an initiate to temporal temptations that lie beyond the monastic walls. [Prologue]
Only elders were allowed to venture from the Retreat a half-day journey into Mulmaster to deliver the monthly tithe, as the more youthful interns were prone to distractions that might persuade them to forsake the life of scholarly pursuits [Prologue]
Members stand watch on guard duty (on rotation????) [Prologue]
Elders given title of magister [Prologue]
Inner hall [Prologue]
The shadowriders have orders to kill everyone at the Retreat. Rassendyll is taken prisoner [Prologue]
The Thayan mercenaries captured Donal and slew him with a crystal wand (of Thayan design). Then the Hawks went to the Retreat to pretend to help them against the Thayan mercenaries (whom they had already killed) and slew everyone left at the Retreat, leaving behind the crystal wand to implicate the Thayans [2]
Was under Mulmaster’s protection [5]
Damon of Runyon, elder of the Retreat [6]
Other Lore
Have you gazed upon the Runes of Chaos, beheld the thing which sits upon Thakorsil's Seat, held the Death Moon Orb in your trembling hands, wielded Nyskar's Nightblades, entered the Devouring Portal and walked the Paths of the Doomed, or sat at the left hand of Szass Tam during the Ritual of Twin Burning? [Prologue]
The lark is one of Faerun's most common birds of the morn [Prologue]
Passepout, former sponsored actor and artist of the House of Bernd of Cormyr. Passepout used to be a thief [1,8]
House Bernd, heir is Curtis. Curtis is marrying Shurleen. Maid is Marissa [1]
It is a very serious crime in Cormyr to interfere with the reproductive capabilities of a feline [1]
Ward T.James, resident of Phlan, tours with a group called the S.S.I.-Stupendous Stagecraft Incorporated. They are most famous for their Pools series of plays that set the great classics of Faerun in a mud pit. High drama and mud wrestling all rolled into one. [1]
Rumors of non-Mulan spies in Thay were rampant, and precautions had to be taken.
magically-empowered images of phoenixes in flight, a tattoo of a political appointee in Thay (whose sign is phoenixes in flight, who does he serve????) [2]
Arabellan Brandy [2]
Bowl-headed Greenwood, a bird indigenous to Shadowdale [3]
The call of a bowl headed greenwood bird is used as a signal by Harpers (from the Shadowdale branch????) [3]
Tanyaherst, Sembian merchant vessel, purchases slaves from pressgangs to act as cheap labour. Mulmaster has a spy on board [7]
Seau Raisis, friend of Passepout in Cormyr (is he an actor????), has a dry, flaky, skin problem. Beheaded (was he a traitor????) 
Oleigh, cleric in Cormyr
The master traveller, in his research for Volo's Guide to All Things Magical, recalled reading about such masks. If memory served him, he seemed to remember that they usually did more than just hide one's face, but also dampened one's ability to perform magic. Legend had it that in olden days such masks had been used on imprisoned wizards to render them vulnerable to torture and interrogation. [10]
Halruaan ale [10]
On the Road with Crossbow, Hope, and Lamour, a book about a man with a crossbow looking for the meaning of life but instead found love and friends [14]
Knight of the Order of the Hard Day, a warrior order that Honor Fullstaff served with and trains their students from time to time [14]
Ward's Folly, also known as The Pool of Blood, a play in Cormyr with lots of killing [18]
Mulmaster
Also known as the City of Danger [1]
numerous connubial festivals that was celebrated by the thrice-yearly reunion of the High Blade and his bride from the Far East [Prologue]
Sir Melker Rickman, commander/captain of the Hawks. Had an elder brother Jeremy (first born and received all the privileges) who is now dead. Sir Melker was forced to enter the military or the priesthood. When Melker’s father died, Jeremy inherited the estate, Melker (then a sergeant) had Jeremy imprisoned on high treason and executed a week later. Melker was quickly promoted and inherited the estate. Eyepatch. Executed for treason [Prologue,2,3,Epilogue]
The Hawks are the High Blade's own storm troopers. Rumour has it that he regularly dispatches them to do his dirty work throughout the Realms. [Prologue,1]
the prison known as Southroad Keep [1]
Traveler's Cloak Inn, expensive. Dela the barmaid and owner [1]
A permit is required to act. Those buying the permit must pay the theatre tax [1]
Tower of Arcane Might, the guild hall for the Brotherhood of the Cloak. Any mage in the city of fourth level or higher is immediately recruited to their ranks, or else. [1]
Senior Cloak Thurndan Tallwand, succeeded Rathbone after his death [1]
strict rules on magic use [1]
Mason McKern, old and sour faced mage. Same age as Honor Fullstaff. Retired senior member of the Cloaks almost as long as Honor Fullstaff had been blind, living at the Retreat. Friends with Honor Fullstaff despite never having served together. Has a brother mage in Mulmaster who is blind and specialised metallurgy magic, he made the helmet that Rassendyll wears and lives in the dungeons of Southroad Keep in case his skills are needed. Mason served under High Blade Merch, does not like Selfaril much although he is still bound to protect him (he just doesn’t do his dirty work). Younger brother of Loyola Ignato McKern [1,7,9,10,11]
Mulmaster was founded-by various influential merchant groups-in the Year of Fell Wizardry, as a trading fortress way station between the Moonsea, the River Lis, and the Dragon Reach. It managed to not only survive, but thrive during the years of unrest, and eventually, in the Year of Thunder, made a bid for complete domination of the Moonsea, only to be put back in its place by the combined forces of Sembia, Hillsfar, Phlan, Melvaunt, and Zhentil Keep. There was much finger pointing after their failed attempt at expansionism, and out of the anarchy arose the formation of a single seat of power, to rule over the others. This leader was to be called the High Blade, who was to work in conjunction with the other ranking nobles who from that time on were known as the Blades. The first High Blade took power in the Year of the Wandering Wyrm, and quickly assassinated any of the Blades who didn't agree with his way of doing things. From that point on the Blades were nothing more than a puppet ruling council. [1]
High Blade's Study in the Tower of the Wyvern, a private study, a room secret to all but his closest advisors (which did not include his wife, the Tharchioness). Only the Hawk commander and the High Blade know how to use the secret door to access the High Blade’s Study [2]
Slater, valet of the High Blade [2]
Tharchioness's Boudoir in the Tower of the Wyvern [2]
Reid Room in the Tower of the Wyvern, receiving room [2]
Wave and Wink (nicknamed the W&W) and the Smashed Plate, very popular local hotspots [3]
Thayan wizards in service to the Tharchioness are exempt from normal controls by the cloaks [3]
Wattrous (older weasel-like) and Jembahb (younger and taller), members of the Hawks, not known for their discretion. Jembahb was executed for incompetence and Wattrous fled Mulmaster and has a price on his head [3,5,6]
Smagler, easily bribed guard in Southroad Keep [3]
Blough, Hawk [3]
Lieutenant Boston of the City Watch [3]
City Watch man the gates and register those coming in and going out. Also round up drunkards of a night (and throw them in jail presumably????) [3]
Office of the High Blade in the Tower of the Blades [4]
Courtyard between the Tower of the Blades and the Tower of the Wyvern [5]
The harbour has been filled with ships as of late. Several of them are from our allies who have agreed to assist us in the rebuilding of our navy, while others are from certain other interests whose press gangs we have allowed to harvest our detritus in exchange for certain considerations. [6]
Honor Fullstaff, blind former gladiator, 6 ft tall. Lives in a villa along the road between Mulmaster and the Retreat. Has two servants, Hal and Poins. Now works as a swordmaster and tutor. Over 60 years old and still well muscled. His cook is a dwarf named Hotspur. Began his illustrious career in the gladiatorial arenas of Hillsfar where coming in second leaves one with a very short career. No idea who his parents were (they may have died in the arena). Led a slave revolt, instigating the escape of over half of Hillsfar’s gladiators. Hillsfar offered Honor and his gladiators a contract as mercenaries. Eventually the mercenary broke up through attrition etc. Honor then joined the Hawks in Mulmaster and swiftly rose through the ranks to become Captain of the Hawks and the City Watch and Merch’s right hand man. Merch and Honor were closer than brothers. Honor was blinded by Rathbone the leader of the Cloaks at the time. His students have included kings and thieves, and their tuition has varied from debts of gratitude to villas in Cormyr [6,7]
Mischa Tam (relative of Szass Tam????), female advisor to Dmitra Flas. Half sister of Dmitra Flas due to an assignation on her mother’s part. She was neither as potent a magic-wielder or as popular a politician as the First Princess, and she was reminded of it every day of her life, and accepted her fate of never being more than the one who was referred to behind her back as the Second Half-Princess, and the sister of the Tharchioness. Secretly hates Dmitra Flas and is waiting for Szass Tam to choose a new favourite (preferably Mischa) [6,7]
Minister Konoch and Minister Molloch, male advisors to Dmitra Flas [6,7]
Gate of Good Fortune, temple of Tymora [6]
Year of the Bow, Mulmaster’s fleet was destroyed by Zhentil Keep, along with many of the Hawks [7]
Lieutenant Danovich, Hawk, originally trained as an actor. Reposted somewhere far from Mulmaster with very low survival chances [7]
Roche, personal servant (batman) to Captain Rickman [7]
Rathbone was leader of the Cloaks during Merch’s rule as High Blade. He disliked Honor Fullstaff and envied his position as Merch’s right hand man. He arranged an explosion while Honor was supervising the forging and tempering of his own weapon, the explosion blinded Honor (no one was killed). After Honor was blinded the Cloaks became responsible for the High Blade’s security. Rathbone committed suicide (hung himself in the Tower of Arcane Might) after Merch’s death (or was he killed????) [7]
The Villa of Honor Fullstaff is about a quarter days journey (on foot) from Mulmaster). Bardulph, works as a messenger [9,13]
Stiles, an assassin in service to Captain Rickman, one of the best assassins he has at his disposal. Has been contracted to eliminate Wattrous [10]
James, bandit operating outside Mulmaster near the Retreat. Tortured by the Hawks [10]
Warrior’s Arena tavern, favoured haunt of Captain Rickman [11,13]
Lendel, servant in the Thayan embassy, secretly a spy for Captain Rickman. Slain by Captain Rickman [12]
The Company of the Blind, a Cloak Society of old blind men that broker information. Honor Fullstaff uses them [13]
Elijakuk, Chancellor in the Thayan embassy [14]
There are secret tunnels and passages throughout the city, several of which lead directly to the High Blade's private study. Secret tunnels also extend under Southroad Keep [14,16]
Gomar Nabors, guard in the Hawks at the Tower of the Wyvern [15]
Greenstrit, Thayan minister [18]
Necking Tree, a tree with drooping branches to seclude those within [Epilogue]
Merch Voumdolphin
Merch, former High Blade and Selfaril’s father. Merch himself was far from an angel, and the fact that Selfaril was his son was looked upon as just a slight deviation from the normal rules of ascendancy. Patricide wasn't the first time, and probably won't be the last (has a High Blade been murdered by his son before????) [7]
Merch Voumdolphin began life as a gladiator in the Hillsfar arena with Honor. He planned the slave revolt that Honor led. While Honor formed the mercenary band, Merch romanced a certain Mulman aristocrat's daughter. In no time they were married, and Merch had safely slept his way up the ladder of Mulman high society. There was only one small problem: unbeknownst to him, he had already fathered two sons from a slave girl he had lain with during off hours at the arena, and these offspring were still imprisoned back in Hillsfar.Honor first found out about these two infants that had just been born on the wrong side of the blanket, and he hastened to Mulmaster to alert Merch. Needless to say, he was horrified, torn by his duty to his newly-acquired wife-who was already pregnant-and the illegitimate spawn of his loins. Mason McKern and his brother had pledged their service to the head of the family (which Merch had married into) in return for money to be given to Loyola Ignato (Loyola Ignato McKern) so he could establish the Retreat [11]
Merch’s wife asked the two mage McKern brothers to forge an enchanted weapon that would imbue its bearer with great facility and lethal mastery of the bladed arts. The brothers complied, forging a weapon whose blade was combined from the melted-down blades of several of Mulmaster's veteran swordsmen, including that of the bride's father, whose title of Blade bespoke more of his own experience with one than such a title conveys today. When Merch took the blade in hand, he became a swordmaster the likes of which Mulmaster had never seen. Together with his old comrade-in-arms, Honor Fullstaff, he returned to Hillsfar, raided the slave compound, and rescued his infant sons, who at the time were still less than two months old. Triumphantly, he and his comrade returned with the babes in hand to a prearranged spot where they could meet up with his bride and her trusted confidant. [11]
Merch’s wife miscarried so they chose one of his illegitimate sons to replace his newly dead so. The other illegitimate son went to the Retreat but the man carrying Rassendyll was slain and Rassendyll was believed taken by bandits (Loyola intended to keep Rassendyll as secret to use as leverage later but died without anyone knowing about his secret ward) [11]
Rassendyll
Young mage in training at the Retreat. Kidnapped by mercenaries and delivered to Mulmaster where he was forged into a head case that suppresses magic use [Prologue]
Dmitra Flas
Dmitra Flas also known as the First Princess of Thay, and the Tharchioness of Eltabbar, or just the Tharchioness for short. It was a major diplomatic coup for both Mulmaster and Thay. She spends most of her time back in Eltabbar, and he's been known to continue to play the rogue with the wandering eye despite their matrimonial vows. She visits here three times a year. I believe she just arrived yesterday for her most recent visit. Both sides claim that they were wedded due to their mutual respect and love for each other, but I wonder. [1]
devastating earthquake in Eltabbar a few months back. Dmitra Flas was overseeing the rebuilding when she received word from Donal Loomis about Rassendyll. Her ambassador suggested she could use Rassendyll to escape from her marriage to Selpharil [2]
Ambassador Vitriole of Thay (in service to Dmitra Flass and remained in Mulmaster) executed by Dmitra Flas for failing her and losing Donal [2]
Szass Tam had explained the necessity of her courtship and marriage to the foul westerner as the first step toward an active Thayan presence in the Moonsea area. The powerful lich lord would then be able to extend his influence farther southward to the Dalelands, while exerting further pressures on the other tharches toward an ultimate goal of the unification of all of Thay under his eternal rule. She had been more than willing to assist him in this ultimate goal, even if it meant subjecting herself to the bondage of matrimony. Unfortunately, both of them had underestimated the equally acquisitive ambitions of the High Blade, who saw Mulmaster's Tower of the Wyvern as the jumping-off point for his own expansion of power and authority both south and eastward, power which he had no intention of sharing with his bride, or the real power behind her throne. [2]
Dmitra Flas was legendary in her cruelty, and the execution of Vitriole was only the most recent of her acts of intolerance toward what she considered to be traitorous incompetence. Anything that hindered Szass Tam's ultimate plans was considered to be treasonous within the tharch of Eltabbar, and treason was always punishable by death. [2]
Szass Tam wanted an alliance between Eltabbar and Mulmaster (why????). Dmitra Flas suggested that the seduction was metamorphosed into a diplomatic liaison cum marriage that would form an alliance between Eltabbar and Mulmaster. Szass Tam agreed it was felt that such an official alliance would be more advantageous.
Joechairo Lawre, replacement ambassador for Vitriole. Only took the position to get away from the politics in Thay. Executed for attacking the High Blade (he actually killed Selfaril) [Epilogue]
Southroad Keep
Hoffman, an old dwarf with a long white beard, from the Seventh Dwarven Abbey. Been in the dungeons a long time (before 1357 DR). Senior abbot and protector of the legendary Seal of Robert. The Seventh Dwarven Abbey was attacked by Zhent agents, and I alone survived. Once I had ascertained the safety of the Seal, I came to Mulmaster in search of help. The powers that be claimed I was a spy, threw me in the dungeon, and forgot about me. [2,3]
When a person dies in the keep, their body is placed in a sack with a weight and dropped down the same drain that the garbage goes. It leads to an underground canal that eventually empties out into the Moonsea. The dead are bagged and weighted before the dinner service, and then collected on the same trip they retrieve the plates. I've seen it happen many times over, and it runs like clockwork. You can tell when it happens. The guards ring a bell to signal that someone has to bring down a sack and a weight. [4]
Kupfer, former resident of Southroad Keep, a firbolg. Tortured to death by a bored guard [4]
Office of the Captain of the Hawks in Southroad Keep [7]
Dwight Wrenfield, custodian of Southroad Keep [15]
Chesslyn Onaubra
Chesslyn Onaubra, Harper. [4]
Has a longsword that can be thrown 50 feet (magic????) [4]
Posing as a guard at the Gate of Good Fortune [6]
Has been operating as a Harper Agent in Mulmaster for quite some time. Has an amulet of non-detection to avoid the Cloaks magics [6]
Only the elders of the Retreat were allowed to come to Mulmaster, and then only on a rotating basis as the need arose. One of the elders, Damon of Runyon, would stop by the temple on his visit and leave a series of bets with very specific instructions. When his winnings reached a certain point, it was my place to bring a portion of the kitty to him, and, for a tidy fee, to bring out new betting instructions. He was pretty lucky, at least up until now. [6]
Taught by Honor Fullstaff [7]
Selfaril
The current High Blade is a fellow by the name of Selfaril Voumdolphin, who succeeded his father into the job after assassinating him. That was back in the Year of the Spear. He did recently marry though, to an equally powerful young lady by the name of Dmitra Flas. [1]
Dressed in silken robes with fur trim, and around his neck was a pendant of a blood-encrusted dagger. The blood was made up of red gemstones. [4]
Slain by Thayan ambassador. His body was disposed of secretly [18]
Moonsea
Lighthouse along the shore near Mulmaster with a nearby barracks housing 36 soldiers [7]
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2382 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2022 : 04:22:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
So the question is, did they all have a geas placed upon them. I find it unlikely that 4 separate individuals all felt the need to devote centuries of life to the same task, obeying the same rules.
Is it possible to inherit a geas, or did each wizard inflict a geas upon their descendant knowing the life they would have, was passing on the geas part of their geas, was it passed on through an item perhaps?
There were speculations on High Magic meddling with Baerauble and/or Obarskyr line.
IIRC, it was vaguely not-quite-confirmed.
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
The Mage in the Iron Mask (1368 DR)
By Brian Thomsen
...
Loyola Ignato
And the usual quality of editing strikes again. But also, here we see the problem with Salvatore: standards for 2nd-3rd tier writers dropped to this level, back then. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Demzer
Senior Scribe
873 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2022 : 14:02:23
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
The Mage in the Iron Mask (1368 DR)
By Brian Thomsen
...
Loyola Ignato
And the usual quality of editing strikes again. But also, here we see the problem with Salvatore: standards for 2nd-3rd tier writers dropped to this level, back then.
Ah, so it's the Jesuits he has a beef with |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2022 : 15:09:24
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The naming conventions in Murder in Halruaa is only marginally better.
As for the magical effect connecting Thauglor, the elf, and the kings.
I'm not sure that magic comes with an easy interface where you can easily spot that magic is occurring on individuals, especially beings like dragons and elves which are inherently magical.
So to pick apart such magic as was working on thauglor and iliphar would first require that you know it exists, and then possess the skill to manipulate or recreate something without the original instructions (which is a good way to get your head blown off I think).
It seems unlikely that iliphar told baerauble about such a thing, it also seems unlikely that baerauble (as good as he was) could recreate something iliphar did.
So, I still maintain that iliphar possessed an item that kept him alive and in good health for so long, and that item was passed onto the obarskyrs. The only missing part of the link is how that comments to thauglor but I think I've figured that out.
Still not sure about the geas. The book says there isnt a geas, but the behaviour of multiple different beings all behaving in the same manner suggests the opposite (what are the chances of having 5 individuals separated by many generations and upbringing and yet all possess the same intractable devotion to a throne they had no connection to before becoming royal mage - the odds are astronomically against it).
So perhaps the mage royal that killed salember lied about the geas, or perhaps he was merely stating the truth that there is no geas to protect the king, omitting the fact that there is a geas to protect the realm / throne even if that means protecting it against the king.
Or we have a situation where there is a magic that is like a geas (but is not a geas) that moulds the behaviour of the afflicted, and can be passed from one incumbent to the next (the cat allowing the passing of the magic from the one that blew up - or supposedly blew up, I dont recall a body) |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2022 : 00:07:10
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Murder in Halruaa (1367 DR)
By Richard Meyers
Pryce Covington
Ex-business partner of Gamor Turkal (Gamor quit to find a job with more leisure time) [1]
His father deserted his family [1]
he was born, in the tiny city of Merrickarta in the basin surrounded by the northern mountain ranges [1]
At the age of eight, he tried his hand at acting, and he was fairly good at it, but he hated having an audience. They were always analysing his performance rather than accepting his character. [1]
at the age of fifteen he had slopped out his share of pigpens-both human and animal-but soon all manner of creatures were calling upon him for all manner of tasks. Whenever anyone needed two extra hands to move a shipment, two extra feet to run an errand, or extra eyes to witness a transaction, an extra nose to sniff out information, and extra ears to objectively consider a problem that had become too subjective, Pryce Covington was there. Soon he needed more arms, legs, eyes, ears, and an extra nose, which was where his tavern mate Gamor Turkal had come in. Gamor was lazy, but he had a spectacular memory. He was a bit too cagey for his own good, but always looking for an edge had its upside as well. He was perfect for some jobs Pryce wished to avoid and dreadful for assignments Pryce specialized in-in other words, the very definition of a perfect partner: a person with mutually inclusive neuroses who would always make you look good and never threaten your position. but things started to get out of hand when they stumbled upon a new form of highly lucrative assignment. It consisted of running to see if magically transmitted messages sent by mages had arrived without interference from outside sorcerers. [1]
The cloak itself was a dusky blend of dark colours, like the sky just after sunset. Pryce could distinguish some blue, some black, and even some purple, interwoven with flecks that could be compared to stars just coming to life as daylight fled. Around the edges, it seemed to turn grey, like the promise of a new world just over the horizon. The circular clasp, which could not have been more than two and a half inches around at most, was one of the most ornate metalworking jobs Pryce had ever seen. Glimpsed superficially, it looked like a standard circular clasp with some sort of vine design, but upon closer examination, it looked like a cross-section of dense forest… like looking deep into a briar patch. As fingers circle the clasp it springs open. The cloak warms the wearer (magically????). Belonged to Darlington Blade. The cloak absorbs all magic lesser than Geerling’s [1,3,6]
His mother died [1]
Has had some experience with jackalwere [4]
Halruaa
ruins that lined the east side of Lallor Strait [1]
Skie, Halruaan coin [1]
light grey tunic, woven from the sturdy silk of worms found only in the dying leaves of fallen trees at the base of Mount Alue [1]
dark red vest, made of cloth from the famed dye works of Achelar [1]
finest Maerbian wine [1]
seaport of Githim in the south (of Lallor) [2]
Bandit Wastes hundreds of miles to the north (of Lallor) [2]
suspicion of outsiders was commonplace in Halruaa. It was a rich nation and quite exclusive. Having faced invasions on a regular basis from jealous outsiders, Halruans had become cautious by nature. [2]
Merrickarta, travel hundreds of miles down the Nath, past Lake Maeru, over the River Maeru, to the dangerous Lallor Pass. It was a tiny strip of serviceable land wedged between the undead-riddled ruins of the Zalasuu-Assundath Swamp, the monster-infested mountains of the Zhal Strip, and the bandit-filled desert of the Lower Swagdar outlaw wastes. [2]
Akhluar Swamp known for sinkholes [2]
Tathtar known for magic [2]
stevlyman tree. The botanical wizard Usherwood Stevlyman had developed this particular species of tree many years ago, along with the much-beloved, multi-coloured flowering pollandry plant. The tree was cherished for its rich brown colour and its elegant shape. [2]
Fall Festival [2]
Halagard Prime and Halarahh Golden, expensive wines [3]
Impersonating a mage is punishable by death [4]
Council of Elders are intractable in their laws [4]
Jackalwere in the north of Halruaa. Constantly on the move, preying on unsuspecting travellers. Like all ambush artists, jackalweres prefer finding unprepared victims rather than prepared adversaries. Magical gaze puts victims to sleep. Children are full blooded jackals, born of a jackal mother and jackalwere father, with no human consciousness whatsoever. Jackalwere are cursed to have human consciousness, they feel their hunger but also empathy and pity [4,9]
Halruaa had nine schools of magic, and the disciples of Mystra had erected a castle for the study and even worship of each one. The tenth castle was on Mount Talath and honored them all. Pryce already knew of the locations of several of them-Enchantment, Alteration, Summoning, and Necromancy. [6]
Inquisitrix Castle in Lallor is the school of illusion in Halruaa [6]
the navy at Zalasuu [6]
Halruaa is ruled by a Council of Elders, of which Geerling Ambersong is but one. Of course, there are four hundred elders, but you know only thirty-nine are needed to achieve a quorum. [6]
Zalathorm has predicted every attack on Halruaa for the last half century. The finest diviners on Mount Talath fear that one of the greatest threats to our country and people is yet to come… from within [6]
Zalathorm rules a hundred and forty miles away from Talath, in the city of Halarahh [6]
Only a person with a clear heart and good intentions (towards Halruaa????) is allowed to enter a Castle of Mystra without fear of punishment [6]
Shipgrave Isle buccaneers, Outlaw Waste barbarians [6]
they looked everywhere but directly at him, practically outlining his form with their gaze if they happened to turn their heads in his direction. It was a universally accepted courtesy for the incredibly famous. [7]
Mount Alue to Achelar [7]
Darlington Blade, the most famous adventurer in the Shining South. [7]
Pollandry, plant with colourful blooms [all]
Zzuntal, known for being hot
Broken ones were once human, but they had been used as living subjects of sorcerous experiments that were disapproved of at best, or openly forbidden at worst. The rumour that many were the result of reincarnation spells seemed validated by Devolawk's strange heredity.
Mongrelmen were known for their skills in pickpocketing, mimicry, camouflage, and all the variations thereof.
aromatic Toussaintie brew (tea????) [9]
Marriss insect secretions, used to sweeten things (like Toussaintie brew) [9]
Eckhearts, a game [9]
Ambersong skyship, Geerling had plans to have one [9,11]
Githim (settlement or location????) [11]
Great Mystran Skyship Verity made of the finest stevlyman wood. Polished plates along the hull that mimicked the appearance of a dragon turtle. The hum of the central silver shaft of levitation and the two golden cylinders of control, one at each end of the ship. The power source had to be recharged once a year by council members. Captain Renwick Scottpeter. On the bow of the great ship was a beautiful figurehead, shaped by Minsha Tyrpanninq, Talathgard's finest sculptor. It was an interpretation of Mystra in flight, created entirely of electrum. The goddess's serene, smiling face looked up at the clouds, and her gown-swathed figure seemed to draw the ship irrevocably up toward the heavens. [12]
fiery Haerlu wine, one of the things Halruaa is famous for (after skyships) [12]
the Halruan Salute"-a nod of the head while pointing at the brain with the forefinger. [12]
Mount Talath, home of the Central Temple of Mystra, where Priestess Greila Sontoin lives. Greila Sontoin is said to possess unearthly wisdom and rumoured to be over 125 years old. The Order of Mystra is located here, they learn the wisdom of the ages [12,14]
Minsha Tyrpanninq, Talathgard's finest sculptor [12]
River Ghalagar [13]
white bevittle trees. [14]
Mycontril's Last Resort, destroy everything in a thirty-foot radius, using the power of all the remaining spells in a caster's memory, required diamond dust worth five thousand gold pieces, a pure platinum ring… and the finger bone of an archmage. [14]
a Halabar dancer [15]
Lallor, the Jewel of Halruaa
Halruaa's most exclusive, least-explored city. [1]
an impressive twenty-foot-high wall that surrounded the city of Lallor. The wall seemed to be made of shimmering boulders that appeared to be wet. the boulders interlocked cleverly. Unless someone stood on the very top of the wall, Pryce and his grim companions were totally out of any city dweller's sight. [1]
Mark of the Question. Not far from the wall stood a most extraordinary tree, a magnificent mass of barkless, smooth, almost shiny wood, rooted in a grassy incline that led up to the wall's base. Somehow, perhaps with human assistance, the tree had grown into the bent form of a giant question mark [1]
Lallor Gate. Even from this distance, the gate was obviously a magnificent construction. The woodworking was exquisite and seemed to shine in places, as if the logs were mortared with silver and gold. Suddenly, incredibly, a large eye opened at the very top of the gate, The Eye of the Inquisitrix, No one enters without being recorded. It had to be twenty feet across, stretching from one side of the gate opening to the other. The pupil was as black as darkest night, the white as milky as the stars in the sky. But between the two was an oval that changed colour from brown to blue to green in rapid succession. [1,2]
The line outside Lallor Gate was actually two lines: one very short, along a beautifully paved rock roadway; and one very long, in a muddy pathway that looked more like a narrow ditch, created by decades of hopeful immigrants desperate for an opportunity to prove their worth to the founding fathers of this bay-side retreat. The two roads ran parallel, nestled between a cunningly constructed landscape, obviously designed for both beauty and security (it watches newcomers and intruders). [2]
The Lallor inquisitrixes prided themselves on their security. Only the finest law-enforcing inquisitrixes could work in Lallor, and that was only after many years of service and extensive biyearly tests. Naturally they would want to secure their jobs by being as efficient as humanly possible. That meant letting no missing person remain missing for long. [2]
access to Lallor came only after a thorough explanation of who you were and a complete examination of what you could be. An admissions clerk in a thick, elegant, hooded vestment sat behind a floating slab of marble, upon which rested a pile of parchment. Standing slightly behind this clearly disapproving character was a stone golem. Nine and a half feet tall, at least two thousand pounds, and chiselled to look like a cross between a gigantic headstone and a huge tree trunk [2]
Matthaunin Witterstaet, admissions clerk at Lallor. Informal job title is a Greeter. Friend of Gheevy Wotfirr, has a cottage in the northeast shadow of the Lallor Wall. Cleric, gate guard, immigration officer, one of the most respected members of Lallor. Geerling Ambersong gave him his choice of posts and he chose gate guard for the fresh air. One of the most respected seers of magical presence in Halruaa [2,9,11]
Both the city and the wall had been built very cunningly and very well. The wall encircled three quarters of the municipality and nestled on the highest elevation of the city. Beyond the wall, the city sloped lazily down to the shoreline of Lallor Bay. As Pryce had discovered earlier, only the very tops of the city's highest castles could be seen from outside the wall. The slope also kept everyone who waited in line to take the entrance examination from seeing too much of the glory that was Lallor. only Halruaa's best and brightest would dare live amidst such splendour. The buildings were of various widths and sizes, but they all seemed to grow out from the lush green vegetation that surrounded them, interspersed with refreshing splashes of riotous colour from rare pollandry plants. Some buildings were classic mansions of tan and dark brown plaster, while others were extensive cottages of precious stone. All were veritable palaces of the most amazing design and construction. Others appeared like huge bulbs of both organic material and opaque glass. The bulbs were not only of many dusky colours but also of many shapes, some more pointed and some more round, but all large enough to comfortably house extended families. the more familiar castles that befit the great wizards of any Halruan city. These low, wide constructions almost formed an inner wall of their own, which stretched from one end of the city wall to the other. [2]
Berridge Lymwich, Mystran Inquisitrix of the first rank, stood about five feet, three inches tall-the top of her sandy-coloured hair came to his sternum-and she must have weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet. small feet wedged into skin-tight boots, bandy but well-shaped legs in dark hide pants, small but powerful torso within the U-necked, blood-red tunic with the white-and-gold-dotted black epaulets, deep-purple cowled cape that swept off her shoulders. Big, dark blue eyes, a snout of a nose, high, prominent cheekbones, and thin, thin, thin lips. Make that lip, the top one was merely a straight gash a few centimetres above her sharp chin. Her sandy hair was pulled back in a tight, short pigtail. her incisors were a bit sharper than normal. [2]
Grand Mage Geerling Ambersong. The primary mage in the realm's most exclusive community, master of Darlington Blade. Well over seventy. Disappeared recently. Geerling Ambersong wanted Darlington Blade's identity to be kept a strict secret until he personally presented him to the Lallor citizenry at the Fall Festival. He presented the cloak publicly last Fall Festival. He wanted Darlington’s identity secret so he wouldn’t be sullied by politics or favours. Geerling forbade his daughter to learn magic, he even told the council that she must never learn spellcasting. Geerling probably sired Dearlyn at the age of 80 [2,3,4,5,6]
Mystran Inquisitorium, they monitor all arrivals at Lallor through the Eye of the Inquisitor. Headquarters in Lallor the Mystran Inquisitrix Castle [2,3]
Schreders At Your Service, an exclusive restaurant and bar located in the oldest part of Lallor located on the waterfront. Owned by Azzoparde Schreders, a full-bearded, ruddy-faced man in a white shirt, black pants, and brown apron stood before him, arms spread wide. His head was as round as the moon, and his thick black hair came down from an equally round bald spot. His arms, torso, and legs were round, thick, and sturdy, and his expression, like his restaurant and bar, was open and inviting. Beautiful blonde serving maid. Everyone knows that if you need refreshment or information, Azzoparde Schreders is at your service. [2]
Darlington Blade. Even lowly messengers in far-off Merrickarta had heard of Blade. The legendary adventurer-wizard who studied with an exalted but eccentric mage, who was the primary mage in the realm's most exclusive community (Lallor), which was the vacation spot for many of the nation's most prominent wizards and other important citizens. [2,3]
Sheyrhen Karkober, serving maid at Schreders. Tall, with a thick mane of yellow hair. Shapely, with a wonderfully curved body contained in a flowing off-white dress, held amazingly close to her by a laced-up bodice of brown leather. Blue eyes. [3]
Dearlyn Ambersong, daughter of Geerling Ambersong. Her neck was long and fine. Her hair was even longer and shone from across the tavern like the dark red and black embers of a deep fire. Her hair was bound by brown leather laces, as was her light brown bodice. Her shirt was the same colour as his, although hers was open at the neck in a deep, narrow V. Her full, loosely gathered skirt was a deep maroon and appeared neither summer-light nor winter-heavy. Her boots were also brown, with a copper and silver flash at the heel and toes. Spitting image of her mother, named by her father. Inherited her mother’s temper. Believes her father should have spent time teaching her magic rather than Darlington Blade. [3]
Lynn Amberson, Dearlyn’s mother, died in childbirth. [3]
Teddington Fullmer, a short, round man-stout, befitting his product-with a magnificent moustache and goatee and a prominent widow's peak. He wore a dark-coloured coat over an ornate vest, a ruffled shirt, and copper breeches under shin-high boots of expensive leather. A successful trader of Luiren stout and Ulgarthian coffee, for whom Covington had worked when the businessman was investigating the exportation of Nathian ore deposits. He had ultimately decided to stay with liquid assets [3]
Gheevy Wotfirr, winemaster at Schreders. Halfling, curly salt-and-pepper hair and a moustache less beard that mixed almost every known colour. He had an open, friendly face, marred only by an obviously big mouth. Used to deliver ale and grog to a preselected position outside Lallor’s city walls (the Mark of the Question) for Geerling Ambersong, he accidentally saw the real Darlington Blade on one of these deliveries. His family knows of certain healing ways. Has a halfling burrow in the hill between Azzo's restaurant and the Ambersong residence. Secretly Darlington Blade, also secretly a half derro halfling, Geerling Ambersong wanted to believe if he taught magic and enlightenment to a murderous derro the creature would be redeemed and no longer need to kill, Geerling was wrong [3,4,14]
Asche Hartov, a tall, thin, almost cadaverous Nath mine owner, with whom both Pryce Covington and Fullmer had had less than straightforward dealings. In order to maintain the secret of Fullmer's interest in Hartov's ore deposits, Pryce Covington had told Hartov that his name was Cost Privington. Fullmer pulled a secret big for Merrickartan ore that Asche was selling at the very last minute [3]
Gamor Turkal wasn't exactly well liked around Lallor. No one could understand why Mage Ambersong insisted that he be treated with such deference and respect. Turkal certainly didn't treat anyone else that way [4]
Inquisitrix Castle. The windows looked like huge gemstones of different colours. They bulged out as if someone had catapulted red, green, and blue jewels the size of boulders into the walls, and they had stuck halfway through. There was no classic gate. This castle's "gate" was a simple, unadorned wooden door with a plain copper doorknob. The entire Mystran Inquisitrix Castle rested on top of a single, simple door, which in turn seemed to float a paper's thickness above the water of Lallor Bay, which in turn hovered over a solid concrete shelf, covered by only a single inch of placid, crystal-clear bay water, known as the The Lalloreef Strait. Only an Inquisitrix or a guest of an Inquisitrix has ever been known to move it (the concrete shelf). Even children consider it off limits [5]
To our east, the Azhal Mountains, crawling with thieves. Farther east, Kethio, the Great Swamp, teeming with beasts of all kinds, both natural and supernatural. Beyond that, Dambrath. If the malicious Dambraii ever tried to invade us again, Lallor could well be the first city they attacked. To the north, the Bandit Wastes. I don't imagine I have to tell the likes of you the sort who populate that forsaken area. The Bay of Azuth, which lay just beyond Lallor Bay. Go south and you won't have to travel far to be within reach of the Ship-grave Isles and the Stormtails, where many a ship is beset by Dambrathian raiders, monster whirlpools, South Shining Sea pirates and dragon turtles. [6]
Geerling Ambersong is respected like a king in Lallor, he has watched over Lallor for 75 years and kept it safe and free [6]
Geerling Ambersong can't choose his successor without the approval of the council of Elders [6]
Geerling Ambersong has a secret workshop – Berridge Lymwich is looking for it (along with every other mage in Lallor [6]
The Mystran castle of Illusion appears different to each person who visits it, even repeat visits are different. The exterior remains relatively constant, but the interior is always changing. Its image is influenced by the eyes that perceive it, and it alters its appearance accordingly, depending upon the strength, will, ability, and mood of the individuals within at any given moment. [6]
A series of tunnels lies beneath the city
A jackalwere named Cunningham and his children lair outside Lallor. Cunningham knows the tunnels beneath the city quite well [4,8]
Devolawk, a 5 ft tall Broken One (monster) made up of the mixing of a hawk, vole, and a resuscitated man (giving him his name). Associate of Cunningham, lives in the tunnels beneath Lallor
Gurrahh, a 7 ft tall mongrelman. Associate of Cunningham, lives in the tunnels beneath Lallor
Devolawk was created by Gheevy to test his magic on. Gheevy then ensnared Cunningham in this as well. Gurrahh was ensnared by Cunningham break into the workshop of Geerling Ambersong [8,14]
Geerling Ambersong’s workshop located in the tunnels beneath Lallor. It was a room dug out of the very earth beyond the cave wall, a section of which served as the door. All the furniture was made of stone, the chairs made comfortable with thick, comfortable-looking, ornately decorated pillows. There were stone tables and stone shelves, some attached to the wall and supported by stone legs and braces, while others seemed to float of their own accord. There was a modicum of solid and liquid refreshment-even some barrels from Schreders-but mostly every surface was covered with spellbooks and magical items. It was what Dearlyn Ambersong had dreamt of all her life. She looked as if she were about to faint. Large roughly bound volumes featured the engraved A of the Ambersong family on their covers. They were all crammed with different-coloured parchment, detailing spells and conjuring not yet imagined. There were models of an Ambersong skyship, hovering in the air near the stone ceiling like heavenly stars. There was even a girdle of priestly might, glowing with unknown power, standing of its own accord on a rock shelf. There were beakers, bottles and tubes of every colour, shape, size, and consistency-some made of glass, some of gems, some of wood, and some of steel. Inside were powders, liquids, beads, and flakes of every imaginable magical necessity. It was all so amazing and impressive that it took several seconds before the three explorers noticed something incongruous on the floor. [9]
Lallor militia units in specially designed uniforms with short swords specially designed for indoor use [11]
Inquisitrixes, in their own uniforms of black and gold [11]
a few elves and half-elves whose interest in illusion was so great that they were allowed to study in the city. [12]
Mystra Superior Wendchrix Turzihubbard, direct superior of Berridge Lymwich and the principal authority at the Lallor Mystran Inquisitrix Castle.
Teddington Fulmer, Asche Hartov, Gamor Turkal all plotted to steal Geerling Ambersong’s workshop of artifacts out from under Gheevy’s nose (doublecrossing him). Gheevy / Darlington killed Gamor Turkal and Geerling Ambersong and tried to implicate Pryce and Dearlyn. [14]
Merrickarta
Tiny city in the basin surrounded by the northern mountain ranges [1]
Chomp 'n' Choke Tavern [1]
Victoria and Rebecca Benetarian, twins, pretty [1]
Petarius, wizard, uses the services of Pryce Covington. Has two apprentices (male) [1]
Near the river Nath [1]
Other Lore
Luiren stout [3]
Ulgarthian coffee [3]
The skin of wizards was said to be the most succulent of all [4]
Why. According to the great Netheril philosopher Priest Sante, author of these texts, it is the letter, and question, that should lie at the heart of every decision-but especially on the lips of every future enforcer of that decision. For things may ever change, but the letter, and the question, should remain constant. [7]
finest of Cormyrian spirits, which aged better with body heat liberally applied to one side, and one side only, for as long as possible during its lifetime ripening process. [7]
A haunt. The restless spirit of a person who died leaving some vital task unfinished. A haunt can't take over a body of the dead. a haunt must remain within sixty yards of where its body lies [10,11]
The girdle of priestly might only appeared after the Time of Troubles. Priests of Mystra took it as a sign that the goddess had regained her power. Geerling Ambersong created his own version that gave him greater strength and protection [11]
extremely rare bottle of Jhynissian wine [14]
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
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Posted - 22 Oct 2022 : 19:01:02
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Stormlight (1365 DR)
By Ed Greenwood
Firefall Vale
Young Lord Athlan Summerstar, Patriarch of House Summerstar. Loved Firefall Vale. The great Storm Silverhand had shown him a lot of things when she trained him. Knight of the Realm, Harper (friend or agent????). Slain in the Haunted Tower, burned his insides out [prologue]
Firefall Vale, tucked away in the angle where the marching trees of the Hullack Forest met the western slopes of the Thunder Peaks. Dismissed as backwater by major nobility in Suzail [prologue]
the Summerstars of Firefall Keep [prologue]
the Haunted Tower of Firefall Keep, oldest tower in the keep. it does have some phantoms, plus the usual rats and bats, and is used-to meet with young Shayna Summerstar. Home to a book that floated in the glowfield in the hidden room at the heart of the Haunted Tower. The book was almost as tall as he, open to two fascinating pages of runes that crawled and writhed under his scrutiny. The tome fairly crack-led with magic. It must have been floating there in its hiding place at the heart of the oldest tower of Firefall Keep since the death of his eldest uncle, Orm Hlannan Summerstar-or perhaps it had been a treasure brought back from dragon hoards in far lands by Athlan's father, Lord Pyramus. [prologue,1]
Orm Hlannan Summerstar, Athlan’s eldest uncle [prologue]
Lord Pyramus Summerstar, Athlan’s father. Warm, strong voice, now dead [prologue]
Old Renglar Baerest, scarred old seneschal of Firefall Keep had ridden with his father for years. Shoulder to shoulder, they wet their blades in battles for king and country. Had been a Purple Dragon for years before agreeing to serve the House of Summerstar. Slain, his insides dug out and his skull burned empty. Knew almost every passage in Firefall Keep and the ways of the Vale beyond. [prologue,4,6]
Athlan Summerstar murdered on Flamerule 4 1365 DR [prologue[
Dowager Lady Pheirauze Summerstar. Now matriarch of House Summerstar after Athlan’s death. Grandmother of Athlan Summerstar. 60+ years old, tall and slender and a great beauty, haughty. Vengeful and vindictive. Lady Pheirauze has never remarried but persistent rumors have linked her to no less than three generations of the Illance noble line. I'd not speak disparagingly of that family-nor allude to any closeness between it and herself-if I were you. Slain by the murderer [1,4,9]
Shayna Summerstar, younger sister of Athlan. Heir to House Summerstar. Her stunning beauty had built to a peak, and her wilfulness was making her dalliances with every second or third young and handsome Purple Dragon armsman in the vale increasingly difficult to hide. Dominated by the murderer (after he killed Lady Pheirauze) and ordered to kill a guard and Ilgreth [1,9]
Cremated ashes had been placed on the traditional saddle bowl and the dead lord's horse had been whipped into a gallop to strew them wide and far over the vale. the priest of Chauntea on the solemn march down to the family crypt to inter the traditional lone handful of still-smoking ashes in Athlan's upturned helm. When it was all over-after the crypt doors had' boomed shut and been sealed with a final benediction and the priest had scuttled away with the traditional gold goblet full of gold lions as payment. [1]
Janrath, rider / messenger in service to the Summerstars [1]
Lady Zarova Summerstar, nominal head of House Summerstar. Mother of Shayna Summerstar, and daughter in law of Pheirauze Summerstar. Originally born Zarova Battlestar. known as a woman of serene silence in court gossip. Lady Zarova has tried to take her own life more than once, when her mother-in-law was particularly… difficult. Before wedding Pyramus, she was of the noble house of Battlestar, who dwell on the West Shore, not far outside Suzail. She'll be intensely uncomfortable if you ask her anything front of Pheirauze or Erlandar. [2,4]
the bodies of Athlan and Arkyn can't be raised, spoken with, or magically read in any way. They seem burned out from within, and utterly dead and lost to magic-worse than stones, which can at least be made to tell us something [2]
Uncle Erlandar Summerstar, curly bearded and suave. His large emerald earrings. Erlandar; be warned that he likes to crush women or bed them, and will not rest, now, until he's served you with one fate or the other. Uncle Erlandar, reportedly thrice the rogue in his day than Thalance will ever be [4,11]
two maiden aunts, Margort and Nalanna Summerstar. [4]
Thalance Summerstar (son of Erlandar????), cousin of Shayna and Athlan. Likes to visit loose women and taverns [4]
Firefall Keep named for the vale it stands in-but the vale got its name centuries ago, when House Summerstar was founded. A nest of red dragons laired high in the nearby peaks- wyrms so fierce and hungry that elves dared not dwell in the vale, despite whatever bargain had been struck between the old Purple Dragon and the elven Lord of Scepters. Dragons that suffered no elf to stride uneaten in the vale welcomed men even less-or perhaps, welcomed them into their gullets even more. When the founder of House Summerstar, Glothgam Summersstar, led his men into the vale, he won past repeated swooping attacks. In time the dragons retreated to their caves high in Mount Glendaborr-caves you can still see today, if you don't mind facing the ghosts of dragons! There, they worked a mighty magic. Then, as now Turnwyrm Brook flowed down the heart of the vale to join the Immerflow, and Glothgam was camped beside it. As he and his men were watering their horses and bathing, the brook's flowing waters became a roaring river of flame! Many died screaming in this Firefall, but Glothgam did not quail. The wyrms swept down from on high to see what death they'd wrought-and he called on the powers of the enchanted blade he bore the Sword of the Summer Winds, and soared aloft to meet them, slaying three before the others fled. [4]
Turnwyrm Brook in Firefall Vale, joins the Immerflow [4]
An old song about Firefall Vale. The song centres on the sword, not on Glothgam. and speaks of the greatness the blade could bring Cormyr. Years after minstrels first sang the song, rebels borrowed its words so they could recognize each other at midnight meetings. When the rebellion failed, the king of the time outlawed the ballad-and the Summerstars of the day were only too happy: they'd grown very tired of visiting thieves tearing down every third panel and tapestry in the keep looking for the lost sword. [4]
the last great royal hunt. It had left from the vale to try to reach Mount Glendaborr. En route, many monsters had been slain. The true nature of the 'ghost dragons' that drifted half-seen around the nearby mountains was obviously a matter of hot local controversy [4]
Ilgreth Drimmer, elderly steward of Firefall Keep, black beard and moustache. Served with Renglar Baerest in the Purple Dragons [4]
There have always been deaths in the keep. Mainly among us-the servants, and always in the Haunted Tower. Warnings to us, to keep out. Once it was a chambermaid and a hostler who'd gone there together, if you take my meaning. They were found by the daily guard patrol, lying in each other's arms-headless. They never found the heads [4]
Lady Maerla's Room, a room in Firefall Keep. Maerla had been a Harper and a quiet, strong-willed woman who'd dabbled in magic, the family history said. She was an adventuress who'd married a Summerstar out of love. It was also said in the family that Maerla's room was haunted-more strongly than the entire Haunted Tower, if folk Maerla disapproved of tried to sleep in her bed. [4]
Summerstar crypt, In a dank and deserted lower level of Firefall Keep [5]
Summerstar nobles were interred in the crypt with enchanted daggers [6]
A Summerstar was at King Galaghard's side when he went in to see the Last Elf, on the eve of the battle where he broke the power of the Witch-Lords [7]
Twilight Turret, a tower in Firefall Keep [7]
Lord Pyramus Summerstar secretly wedded Princess Sulesta, Rhigaerd's daughter [7]
Lord Pyramus was Storm Silverhand’s lover (once or twice) [7]
The dragon of the keep, watching over me [7]
There is a griffon stabled in Firefall Vale
Narlargus, old servant and personal dresser of Lady Pheirauze, she whips him and brands him with candle wax during love making sessions. Slain by the murderer because he knew too much about Lady Pheirauze and her secrets [9]
pitifully few enchanted items of consequence the Summerstars owned. A few light globes, a healing hand that Athlan had hidden away somewhere, a brazier that needed no fuel… little that could readily serve in a battle. [11]
Hall of Honor-full of portraits of stuffy-looking Summerstars glaring down out of frames [1]
Gargoyle Stair, at the end of the Hall of Honour [11]
the great vaulted hall at the heart of the Haunted Tower. a high-backed seat that still bore the stains where one Summerstar had killed another on it, a century ago. [11]
Mathom Drear, cellarer of the ewer, stooped with age, carries water all day [11]
Thurdal, understeward, serves dinner. Slain by the murderer [12]
Athlan discovered the notes of Glondar of Hilp, once a war wizard of Cormyr, who determined a means to steal the knowledge and abilities of others by killing them. Glondar came upon it in notes left by men he came to believe were avatars of two gods: Gargauth and… Bane. [12]
The dragoneye scepter, metallic and sticklike, with a single great eye as its head. Hidden in Firefall Keep [14,15]
Lady Zarova's coronet, magically enchanted (it might allow the wearer to persuade or command people, but only if worn by a Battlestar????). Can fire a ruby ray of light that burns what it touches [14,15]
Redgarth Hall [15]
The murderer reduced much of Firefall Keep to a rubble choked shell [17]
Cormyr
Whenever warriors of Cormyr came across any magical thing that had even a whiff of secrecy about it, they had a disconcerting habit of running to the same war wizards they grumbled so much about. [prologue]
A falling star plunged to earth in the sky over the Stonelands on the day of Athlan Summerstar’s funeral [1]
Murders of nobility might be hushed up, but never the sudden deaths of heirs or of any noble in a border hold. These days, Sembia was looking westward with ever-hungrier eyes. [1]
The deceased are burned by holy handfire to banish any harmful magic (custom or does it really banish harmful magic????) [1]
War Wizards called privately “the Happy Dancing Mages” by Purple Dragons [1]
Ergluth Rowanmantle was growing stout. There were white hairs in his side whiskers, but the veined and corded hands that swung his mace of office were still strong. He wore a heavy broadsword in a plain battle scabbard at his belt, not the glittering rapier favoured by his fawning counterparts who dwelt closer to Suzail. The boldshield of the district of Northtrees March was a sensible man and a veteran warrior, risen to his present rank out of competence and not gentle birth. There was not a man within a hundred miles that Renglar Baerest respected more. Knew Shaerl Rowanmantle, describes her as fun. His kin (the Rowanmantles) are full of pompous court bootlickers. Reports directly to Baron Thomdor. hairy, muscular arms, carries a mace of office and a heavy broadsword [1,2,5]
Arabellan Dry (wine) [1]
To you, and to Azoun," – traditional toast among the Purple Dragons. "May one of us find his grave before the other” – traditional reply [1]
the security of the realm demands that the death of any noble be investigated-and the violent death of any heir brings wizards of war to the scene. [2]
Six Harpists concert in Suzail????) [2]
House Wolfwinter [2]
House Battlestar, dwell on the West Shore not far outside Suzail [2,4]
Muskrin’s Well, a well just above a pool (the gate from Daggerdale emerges into the pool). Phernald (man, is he local????) likes to “entertain” maids by the well [3]
brittle tart, nobles serve it with dry wine at the end of most high meals [4]
Weather magic has always been a temptation, but the teachings of Baerauble-if any of his own words have survived-should tell you why it must be avoided. Weather magic affects more than one's own land. Things can quickly escalate into wars that ruin realms and break the power of both combatants. [4]
“Soldier's Farewell”, a mournful cry to fallen soldiers [4]
I know of over two hundred Harpers who've perished in Cormyr in the past decade (how many more that Ergluth doesn’t know of????) [5]
Concealing who the victim was is the only reason I know besides disease banishment to set fire to a man's face [5]
a Purple Dragon ring, scarcely more than a dozen such items in all Faerun. It allows the wearer to command any lord, officer, official, or common citizen of Cormyr, in the king’s name. It compels you to obey me as if I were the king [7]
stonemountain cheese, a sharp cheese (from the Thunder Peaks????) [7]
The shieldstone was a Rowanmantle family secret (is it a spell or a magic item, Ergluth Rowanmantle can use it so I suspect it’s a magic item????) [9]
Azoun’s eyes – a dish of Oysters in spiced ales [12]
Old coins – a dish of Egg, cheese, and marrow pies [12]
Marsemban tarts - Pastries topped with parsley and potato, containing diced salmon and crab in a sauce of almond milk, wine, leeks, and persimmons [12]
a manor-house he'd once seen after two wizards had dueled each other to death in it: a rubble-choked shell. [17]
Some overclever Sembians were stirring up trouble in Marsember again [18]
a map of eastern Cormyr, and ran a finger along the trails north and east of the Wyvernwater. There was the hold of Hawkhar, seat of House Indesm; Galdyn’s Gorge, home to the Yellanders; and Firefall Vale, home to the Summerstars [18]
Dragons didn't fly about Faerun as ghosts… they just didn't. Something about their magical nature, he supposed. Wherefore this phantom dragon must be magically compelled, or shaped, or created [18]
War Wizards
Broglan Sarmyn, leader of the Sevensash investigation team of the War Wizards. He was of average height and build. His hair was the hue of mud and going thin on top. It turned grizzled grey in his large but carefully trimmed sideburns, the man's only touch of visible personal style. Permanent worry lines creased a high forehead, and a touch of grimness hovered about the mouth. His robes were a year or two behind high fashion. A man uneasy in court society but decisive behind closed doors and out among the common folk. A good teacher who adopted the pose of the gruff, growling bear favoured by so many swordcaptains of the Purple Dragons. A good man-principled, and with a love of the realm. Has a spell reflection amulet (should work against one spell) given to him by Vangerdahast. Knows a spell that can return things to their previous shape [2,3,5]
Lhansig Dlaerlin member of the Sevensash team. A short, burly man with a broad face and an easy smile sketched a flippant, one-handed salute, his eyes mocking. Slain, his insides burned out [2,3]
Hundarr of the Wolfwinter noble house. Member of the Sevensash team. Tall, sharp-featured mage whose elegantly cut black hair was shot through with streaks of white. Slain by the murderer, his head burned out [2,7]
Sevensash investigation team (not named because it has 7 members, although it does have 7 members) sent to investigate the death of Athlan Summerstar in Firefall Keep. The team is currently 1 member short, the 7th member is currently giving birth (she is a woman). [2]
Chalantra, 7th member of the Sevensash investigation team, currently giving birth. Described as a cold bitch by other members of the team [2]
Corathar Abaddarh. Member of the Sevensash team. This mage was young, thinlipped, and wintry-eyed, so eager to impress that he practically quivered, like a dog leaping to be let off the leash. Slain by the murderer [2,14]
Insprin Turnstone, recently transferred to the Sevensash team from Vangerdahast's personal Enforcers. An older wizard, his face was weather-beaten, his eyes were the colour of dull steel, and his black hair-what little he still had -had almost all gone grey. [2]
Murndal Claeron. He was a darkly handsome man with a close-trimmed moustache and the sort of beard that puts two little corners to the chin before slicing up to join the sideburns. He had glistening brown eyes and a half-smile. Trouble. As ambitious as a hungry snake, and probably possessed of the same tactics. Member of the Sevensash team. Slain by the murder, his eyes burned out [2,6]
The Enforcers (Vangerdahast’s personal team within the War Wizards????) [2]
Mother Laspeera Inthre, called herself Laspeera Naerinth, before she married her mysterious man. He keeps to her quarters all the time-and I do mean all the time-cloaked and masked. The mask, they say, changes his features constantly, so that none know what he truly looks like. He can cast spells but wears a blade. Married to Aundable Inthre [2,18]
Broglan Sarmyn armed members of the Sevensash with Spellblades in case they needed to kill Storm. [5]
Spellblades, powerful weapons, using them comes with a price. If used incorrectly they can cause a magical backlash that could kill dozens in a radius. Looks like it is made of blue flickering light. Does something if spells are used by the victim [5]
I gave you the only cloak of concealment I brought, to keep the spellblade hidden until you were ready to use it,” the leader of the war wizards explained. “It’s bonded to you now.” (does this mean that War Wizard items are only useable by who they are bonded to????) [6]
Vangerdahast is wont to say: “not quite so fast”, Sir Broglan. [7]
Vangerdahast and Elminster did not part on the best of terms, now Vangerdahast avoids Shadowdale. Elminster forgave Vangerdahast (what did he do????) that same night, but Vangerdahast has not forgiven Elminster [7]
Broglan has a spellstone, an obsidian orb that allows him to communicate directly with Vangerdahast [7]
Only war wizards can enspell other war wizards, and then only for certain specific things-else the Dragon Throne would've faced attacks from hostile mages long since. Vangerdahast never breaks that rule unless the very safety of Cormyr is at stake [7]
Laspeera has just completed a survey of all magic users and magic items in Cormyr. Some of the noble houses were clever enough to reveal a few to Laspeera in hopes that she’d not think they had others [18]
Aundable Inthre, married to Laspeera. a peerless master of strategy and foresight lurked in this back room of the palace, keeping watch over the realm [18]
Shadowdale
Sylune has a body now, she just doesn’t use it much [2]
Daggerdale
A hill in an uninhabited corner of south eastern Daggerdale. The little bowl that dimpled the hilltop wasn't visible from below-nor the small ring of standing stones that filled it. The ancient, moss-covered sentinels of craggy, fissured dark rock reached to the sky like the fingers of some long-forgotten, half-buried god. They stood in a tight circle, enclosing nothing. Contains a one-way gate that will take you to Muskrin’s Well on the western side of the Thunder Peaks. Used by Storm on occasion [3]
Thunder Peaks
A trail leads through the mountains from east to west. Starts at Farlight Stones to Muskrin's Well. A one-way gate in Daggerdale leads to Muskrin’s Well. [3]
Harpers
Arkyn Hornblade, Harper Agent, working in or near Firefall Vale around the time of Athlan Summerstar’s death. Murdered (beheaded) by people unknown. Knew almost as much about Firefall Keep and Firefall Vale as Renglar Baergast, plus a few extra secret ways [1,6]
Vrespon Flarnsharn, sent to Shadowdale from Hillmarch in Cormyr. Lives in Hillmarch. He is to deliver a message from the sorceress Aldaneth of Hillmarch. [2]
Laspeera of the War Wizards spoke to Aldaneth asking that Storm Silverhand go to Firefall Keep and investigate the death of Athlan and Arkyn Hornblade. [2]
Inspiring the young is part of the Way of the Harp [3]
Orling the Bold, newly made Harper Agent, pinned by High Lady Dragonbreast an hour ago [7]
celebratory revel for the new-honoured Harpers would begin, and Twilight Hall would be plunged into dancing and drinking and dalliance. [7]
silently glowing glass display case in Twilight Hall that rose proudly on its plinth in the center of this little antechamber. Within was a ring. It had always floated there, turning slowly. It winked at him as some curve of its sculpted dragon caught the light. Something from Cormyr, wasn't it. Silver gold and electrum ring, a Purple Dragon ring (given to Storm by Azoun), the gold band: a tiny sculpted dragon of electrum, heat-tinted to a delicate mauve and surrounded by a disk of silver. This belongs to Storm Silverhand and she can call it to her at will over any distance [7]
Storm Silverhand
Has recurring nightmares about Maxan Maxer and his death years ago, which she failed to prevent [2]
Is named in Athlan Summerstar’s will – much to the displeasure of the elder Summerstars [2]
Of the Seven Sisters, Storm outstripped only Dove in her mastery of magic. [3]
Storm Silverhand couldn't call on Mystra directly to find out things; that had always been one of the Forbidden Things. Moreover, since the ascension of the young mortal Midnight to the Mantle of Mystra, the Lady of Mysteries really didn't know much more than her Chosen. [3]
Maxan Maxer was his name, a good and law-abiding man from Turmish. He was quick with a blade, and one of the most thoughtful beings I've ever met. He was always anticipating, thinking ahead, and arranging things to flow easily. We lived and laughed and adventured together for years, until he fell… in the Year of the Bright Blade. I saw him die. We were in a ruined city north of Escalant, fighting tanar'ri. Cambions and dretches had been scouring the countryside, seizing farm folk and bearing them off to an old temple there. All of the foul ones served a marilith who sought more power. She believed-perhaps rightly-that the ritual she'd discovered or devised would yield to her the life-forces of sacrificed humans so that she could grow far more powerful than others of her kind… and come to dominate them. We fought our way into the temple and disrupted her ritual. Disrupting the ritual caused spellstorms that made southern Thay perilous. It bad been going for a long time, and the energies burst out in waves of enchanted fire and wild magic. The temple roof fell. Many humans and tanar'ri alike died. My beloved hewed his way almost to the marilith, striking ahead where I could not reach, being engaged with too many foes. A tanar'ri drew six blades and fenced with him. I heard her hiss in glee: 'A worthy opponent to slay!' Maxer proved a worthier opponent than she'd thought, lopping off several of her arms. As I cut my way free of the last cambions around me, I heard her shriek with rage, and saw her writhing, racked with pain. She stopped toying with my beloved. She ran her snakelike tail up around his neck from behind.. and tore his head off I saw his body jerk and spray out lifeblood… I saw his head roll across the temple. Before I could avenge my love, the marilith fled in spell-smokes, still clutching his body. When all was done, I could find no trace of his head, either. [7]
Storm is Marchioness Immerdusk-of Cormyr, a title given me by the king Baerovus of Cormyr. Storm adopted the king's bastard son, Casplar Hundyl Immerdusk, as her own. She reared him, versed in the principles of law and loyalty. By ennobling me, Baerovus was able to give his unacknowledged son a senior rank at court. Casplar became the first lord chancellor of Cormyr, scribe of the laws-and so the noble house of Immerdusk was founded. [7]
Knows Vangerdahast well, he likes his back scratched a particular way [7]
Storm went to see Othorion, on the eve of the battle where he broke the power of the Witch-Lords, [7]
Knows Galkyn's bolt spell
Storm can use silver fire to heal herself, to destroy magic, and to encase the entirety of Firefall Keep in an invisible sphere of silverfall (she willed the silverfire out of her body, into the earth and all over the keep to cover it completely – it was very draining on her ). Once the keep was sealed, the silver fire would bring her no instant energy-she'd need to eat, drink, and sleep again. It would shield her from no more spells, and bring her no more new ones once those in her mind were cast and gone. She'd already lost the means to farspeak the other Chosen, and to hear folk around Faerun speaking her name or the Rune of the Seven. If she was hurt, healing would come very slowly. So long as the silver fire thrummed and flowed around Firefall Keep, trapping her foe in it with her, she’d be little more than an ordinary mortal.
spent years in the South as a tavern-dancer and pleasure slave because of her impish streak of behaviour (wilful defiance????) [12]
Has a necklace (in the same design as Queen Filfaeril’s necklace) that protects the wearer with an ironguard spell and protection against missiles [12]
There was a power learned by-thankfully-few archmages since the days of Netheril, the ability to "hang" spells so that they waited, cast and ready to take instant effect in an unseen, undetectable limbo. [17]
a spell of deeper slumber crafted by Azuth himself [17]
Cannot be harmed by meteor swarm, instead it heals and renews her [17]
Immune to lightning bolts and chain lightning [18]
a ward-away, a manyjaws, and a blood lightning. All spells known to Storm [18]
fire trance, slowly coming back from, well, a sword's edge away from death. [19]
Storm Silverhand fighting at Maxer’s shoulder, laughing in battle as their sword sang in unison; Storm dancing with her sisters on air, their bare feet well above the waters of a moonlit pool; Storm comforting a stricken Harper and giving of her own life-force to keep him alive; Storm playing with a child orphaned in battle, comforting the young girl as she deftly purged the worst horror from the infant mind and replaced it with the faces of kindly Harpers to be her new parents; Storm leaping in front of a young Harper in battle to take the sword-thrust that was meant to slay him [20]
Maxan Maxer was cleansed of Bane’s touch and restored to himself again [Epilogue]
Murderer
Burns the insides out of people (skull, body)
People slain by the murderer cannot be raised or communicated with (souls consumed????) [4]
Drains magic from items and people – when he uses the fire on people he gains their spells and abilities, also the occasional memory [6]
Memories include being a man shivering on his first battlefield, side torn open, as the wolves came trotting nearer, then a woman shrieking under the brutish cruelty of her lord, in a room where the rippling blaze of candles brought no warmth nor comfort; and then a man again, watching from the battlements on a day of chill fog, as a falcon came streaking down to tear a dove from the air in a flurry of bloody feathers [6]
Can recall the taste of divinity and longed for it again (was he a god previously????) [6]
Can change shape to take on the forms of people (anyone, not just people he has slain) [6,8]
Chosen of Mystra don't need to sleep, but someone seemed to have forgotten to tell Storm's body that. She'd been wounded before, and swung a sword for hours in battle with her own blood raining down around her in tongues of silver flame… but she'd been younger then [6]
Something with talons had shredded the enchanted cloak (can the murderer assume the form of a bird????) [7]
Knows a spell to teleport the dead (magic unknown to Storm) [7]
Can assume the form of Maxan Maxer (did he slay Maxer or burn out his head????) [7]
His victims must be dying before he can absorb them
Acquired the ability to fly from a griffon
Acquired the ability to dominate others with his mind from Lady Pheirauze [9]
Can send mists and floating skulls to warn others away [9]
Eater of All, Slayer of Mages [11]
Can partially burn out a victim leaving it a mindless husk (not dead), he can then imbue it with memories and spells and abilities and give it a purpose [11]
Is gradually losing control as he acquires more memories and abilities (is he doing it too quickly????) [14]
Will not allow himself to depend on anyone for too long in case they betray him [14]
The man-thing who once might have been a small, twisted part of the god Bane. The man who had once, perhaps, been a part of Bane roared in fresh pain. [15]
You are no true god," Storm said, knowing she spoke truth, "but the twisted remnant of some unfortunate Bane took as an avatar-and abandoned later, leaving behind in a mortal body some dark shadow of himself as he went on to possess another. Shapeshifter… sorcerer… all powers stolen from victims, under the goad of Bane's madness. Who were you, at first? Who will you be, again? [20]
a few of the memories of Bane she'd gone seeking. The first was the spicy taste of his satisfaction as he entered the body of the marilith and possessed her mind, crushing her will forever. He feasted on her memories, and found among them that one of her greatest triumphs was her recent rebuilding of the ravaged body of the mortal Maxer, to be her pleasure-slave. Bane passed into Maxer, and saw what sustained and drove the risen man: his vivid memories of his beloved Storm Silverhand and her powers. Storm, a Chosen of Mystra! Bane exulted, slaughtering hapless creatures at random in a wild orgy of death as he celebrated glee. Storm would be for him a road to wounding Mystra and prying away some of her great power! The Dark God decided that Maxer must be his new mortal form, to protect it fully. He used subsumption to drain the powers of the marilith into this new body. He became Maxer-or rather, Maxer became Bane, mortal awareness dwindling as the god seized his form. A triumphant Bane set about scheming how to get at Mystra through Storm… and how to corrupt the Harpers to his will, whatever else befell. Then came the disaster of the Fall of the Gods, and madness. Only the burning goal of regaining godhood kept this abandoned remnant of Bane from utter and irreversible insanity. Still, he was trapped in a mortal shell, with little more than the power of subsumption and the ability to see magic and living things in darkness and slumber. Though firmly in thrall to the wandering mind of Bane, Maxer remembered Storm and yearned to be with her again. The twisted intellect that had once been a part of Bane, perceiving her powers, wanted to possess her… and so began the long journey and clumsy scheming that had led to Athlan Summerstar's murder in Firefall Keep. [20]
The mortal who had become Bane, so long ago, had come from… somewhere else, and still had secrets that he was fighting wildly to keep from her, secrets that he would keep hidden at all costs. At all costs… there was a sudden red roiling of disgusting, elongated internal human organs, bloated and wriggling, as the foe mentally turned himself inside out-and burned. He was slaying himself, to keep from yielding to her. He was dying utterly at last. He was… gone, a drifting wisp of smoke in the heart of the leaping silver fire. [20]
Other Lore
The Old Wandering Knight, a mournful song [6]
First Prophet of Azuth [7]
I doubt he can be restored, short of direct divine intercession… Mystra doesn't tend to do such things even for great mages [7]
silent watch spell. Allow the caster to see out of the eyes of anyone they cast it on, for about a twelve-count, when they call the casters name aloud. Once only, and only if they call desiring to summon me, not if they merely say the name in normal converse. (magic known to Storm) [7]
“Sweet reason oft in short supply”, a quote from a famous Cormyrean poem [7]
Mystra’s Kiss (a saying of something good, is her kiss a boon????)
Rune of the Seven
Watchful eye spell. Like a magic mouth spell, it is triggered by certain conditions-in this case, by any attack in this room that unleashes fire or draws blood, or by entry into this room through any way but the doors I know of. I’ll write down the word of activation for you; don't speak it aloud until you really need to. The spell creates sound and moving images of what befell in its area of effect when it was triggered-hopefully showing us just what was said and done after an attack occurred. (Magic known to Storm) [10]
Many elven men can be transported to the heights of passion by stroking the tips of their ears [12]
Mystra's Way to let us all forge our own paths in life; we know only what we can learn ourselves [12]
Calishite olive oil [13]
I Walk Carefree In the Moonlight., ballad [15]
Old Rubytbroat, exotic liqueur [18]
amberfire wine [18]
fingerblade spell, allows it to use its finger like any sword it has touched [18]
Dragoneye Sceptre
Home to Dendeirmerdammarar, LORD OF THE THUNDER PEAKS. MOST MIGHTY OF THE OFFSPRING OF ARNFALAMME REDWING [16]
Amedahast the Accursed One bound Dendeirmerdammarar into the Dragoneye Sceptre [16]
The Dragoneye Sceptre was drained by the murderer and he absorbed the dragon. At some point the dragon was released as a ghostly phantom which flew to attack Suzail. Vangerdahast turned the phantom back into the dragoneye gem using Amedahast’s magic [16,18]
Royal Palace of Cormyr
Salantrin's Hall. Tavilar Tapestry, said to have been given to his long-ago predecessor Amedahast, for her (unspecified) services to the elves, the hanging stretched along the entire north wall of the chamber. It was a glowingly vivid deep woodland scene whose lighting kept pace with the day outside, from bright morning through each day to the deepest gloom of night-though in the tapestry it was always summer, and never rained. The magic of the tapestry often made birds and animals move through the scene, and from time to time, stags would bound through the trees, and a splendid elven hunt would ride soundlessly after them. It was a rare treat to see the shining white moment when a lone unicorn would appear and pause briefly to look out into the room. [18]
Lionsrest Hall. A secret door (magically concealed with multiple traps and false openings and illusions) leads to a storeroom containing a slim dark staff and 7 crystal scrying orbs (all connected that allow Vangerdahast to scry far away[18]
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2022 : 19:17:40
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I like Stormlight, it shows what happens when powerful magic users just throw spells about, everything gets destroyed.
Some things bother me though.
First is this creature is supposedly Bane, but there is nothing definitive that says it was. The creature became an avatar of Bane at some point before the Time of Troubles, although i think a more accurate description would be that it became an Aspect of Bane.
As an Aspect it would be imbued with Bane's power but remain free willed and essentially independent of Bane. You could view it as a Chosen of Bane but to be honest i think there are other ways to imbue yourself with a gods power and not all of them have to be at the behest of the god. So when the Time of Troubles hit this Aspect was unaffected much like the Chosen of Mystra and the Baneliches.
What bothers me is that this thing tried to lure Storm to it so it could reclaim divinity. But it did so by murdering Athlan Summerstar, who for some reason had invited Storm to Firefall Keep in his will, the question is why would Athlan invite Storm to Firefall Keep in his will, that is never revealed.
The Bane Aspect was a mortal with secrets of its own, presumably so terrible that it chose to destroy itself rather than let Storm find them. And then there are its abilities. It absorbed a marilith in its past (presumably gaining its teleport / blink ability. It takes the form of a sharn so i'm guessing it was one in the past or absorbed one (making it really powerful).
Then there is the notes of the war wizards GLondar of Hilp who discovered a process that allowed one to steal the abilities of others. Athlan was researching these abilities for some reason before the Bane Aspect killed him. Why would Athlan even know about them unless he had encountered the Bane Aspect and knew it was after him.
The book in the Haunted Tower, which was actually the Bane Aspect, supposedly held secret magic, i'm guessing Athlan was searching for it for some reason or using it to learn magic.
We also have the magical blade of the Summerstars, the Sword of Summer Winds, which is never revealed and presumably is no longer in the keep (otherwise the Bane aspect would have found it when he utterly demolished the keep).
We have a red dragon imprisoned in a gem, presumably from the same region as the red dragons that Glothgam Summerstar slew. I wonder if perhaps the battle was just a feint to draw out this big red dragon so that Amedahast could trap it, i'm guessing the big fight happened at Firefall Keep (why else would the sceptre be there).
Lots going on that i'm struggling to connect. Loved the story, full or lore and spells and items and history and insight into famous characters. |
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Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 1
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2022 : 04:57:36
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I'd forgotten that lore tidbit about Sulesta. She died young, only 29 years of age, so the Lady Zarova must have been his second marriage. Intrigued as to why it was a secret marriage. Will have to ask Ed.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1265 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2022 : 23:31:31
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Sorry went back a few pages and I notice you're in the Nobles series - have you gotten to The Simbul's Gift yet?
This is probably my fave Realms novel ever, and the amount of lore is staggering in it. Can't wait for you to read it. |
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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2022 : 08:51:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Seravin
Sorry went back a few pages and I notice you're in the Nobles series - have you gotten to The Simbul's Gift yet?
This is probably my fave Realms novel ever, and the amount of lore is staggering in it. Can't wait for you to read it.
Nope, the most recent Nobles novel was Mage in the Iron Mask, so two more to go to Simbul's Gift I believe. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1265 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2022 : 22:03:47
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| No worries, everyone needs a break now and again but I hope you'll return to this amazing thread soon. I'm re-reading Simbul's Gift now so will have it fresh in memory when you get to it (well..fresher than it was) |
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
129 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2022 : 10:13:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
cataloguing all the lore from computer games.
Where are you doing that? I've done a few games, but those take far longer than books, and I'd like to complement my research with your own! |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
129 Posts |
Posted - 17 Nov 2022 : 12:54:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Just on word documents.
I took all the item descriptions of magic items from the baldurs gate and icewind dale games. Not done conversation though.
I then started work on gateway to the savage frontier and tried to arrange all the event descriptions and journal entries and magic items into a single place. That took a few weeks. It's not perfect but it includes most of the important stuff from a lore point of view.
Happy to share and collaborate if you are doing something similar. We can compare methods.
The magical items are interesting, because they can come from anywhere in Faerûn, and thus give us much more diverse lore than the characters and events in the games. I tend to focus on the areas that are relevant to my games (between Daggerford and Tethyr), as well as the information that might be relevant to the characters. Gathering all the lore from the games like you do for the books would take forever (and I haven't yet found a good way to organise the information). The main difficulty is that some text can be difficult to access, for instance when a particular combination of choices and characters must be selected to reveal the option, so the games need to be replayed many times to learn everything. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2022 : 06:00:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
cataloguing all the lore from computer games.
Do you mean like the books that are available in the BG games? I found a website that lists all the text inside each of the books, if that helps.
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2022 : 23:37:24
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That makes sense - I had forgotten that a number of the magic items had a background to them.
This is the page that has the text of all the BG books, but not Icewind Dale - https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Books |
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maransreth
Learned Scribe
Australia
157 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2022 : 14:34:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Back to reading again.
Found an interesting bit in Dangerous Games.
Sunbright asked Candlemas about the source of magic and Candlemas admitted that no one knows its sources. They know that Mystryl is in control of a large portion of the Weave (not all) but she did not create the Weave.
So, looks like the Netherese knew all along that Mystryl did not create the Weave and the stories about Shar and Selune may be nothing more than church propaganda.
Or they don't know as much as they think they know, since they're a highly arrogant bunch and don't really pay attention to the gods. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2023 : 13:40:31
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Dangerous Games (c-700 DR)
By Clayton Emery
Sunbright
Harvester of Blood was Sunbright's weapon, his father's sword, forged in some unknown southern land. The shank of the sword was as wide as three fingers, but the tip swelled to a curved and brutal edge where the backside was cut away to a deep hook. A good blade for slaughter and mayhem: wide-pointed for stabbing and driving home damage, heavy-nosed for lopping and slashing, back-barbed for sinking into an enemy's vitals, then causing terrible damage twisting and ripping out. [1]
Wears iron ringed moosehide as armour [1]
Up close, the wild man was frightening. Although his hair was bright blond-thus naming him-Sunbright wore only a topknot and horsetail, with his temples shaved close. He bore no facial hair, but made up for it with myriad scars: enough scars to stitch a tapestry, though he was not much over twenty years old. He was strapped with ropy muscle, tough as an oak tree and as hard to kill, for he'd been to hell and beyond and survived, killed more monsters than Candlemas could imagine. Blood-spattered and scraped, with his bulky clothes in rags making him look even wider and taller, Sunbright was a frightening sight. Candlemas knew he could handle this young wildling-most of the time-but there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. [1]
his mother, Owldark his enemy, Thornwing, Blinddrum [4]
Rengarth
Sunbright Steelshanks of the Raven Clan of the Rengarth Barbarians, and my tribesmen bow to no one, including each other. [1]
the women of his tribe, who were mostly northern blonde like himself. [2]
If you shoot a deer or an elk, you must lay it on its side gently, slit the belly to release its spirit, then stuff its mouth with lichens to feed the beast on its way to the other world. Otherwise it's offended, and won't be reborn to be killed again next year to feed your family. And then there'd be no more elk, and the people and timber wolves would starve, and so all. [2]
I've seen the old ones with their bent backs, their very hearts and livers shrunk beyond endurance from practicing the ways of the shaman, from healing the sick and tasting the wind, warning of storms and tracking the seals under the ice. No one twists magic to his will. Magic twists the twister until it ties you in knots. No one takes up magic unless he's willing to sacrifice their all for the good of the tribe. Yet you would have me believe that a wizard can reach out a finger and turn magic on and off like a spit-gut!" [2]
Castle Delia float over the southlands (for a tundra dweller, everything below the Barren Mountains was south [2]
His people told legends of heroes who traveled from Now to the Elder Days, and met heroes of ages past [4]
the second-worst crime a barbarian knew. He'd left an enemy alive. [5]
sixty years old was ancient. [12]
The Sled, Cappi's Cat, constellations known to the Rengarth [12]
jolt of joy at feeling the earth-the real Earthmother-under his feet [14]
Gray flint will do to start. It's easier to flake. White or yellow is better, but I doubt we'll find any this high. We need a streambed for that. Moss is for wounds, to keep down infection, and to disguise the smell. [14]
The taiga and the high sierra, those are the places my tribe visits on our yearly round. [14]
The porcupine I knocked down with a stick and clubbed. They're so easy to catch my tribe considers it unsporting. But they're good eating when you need it, and we can use the quills later. [14]
There are fish in a stream farther down we can gig, or else drop snakeroot in the water to bring them to the surface. [14]
His people had many legends about death, all contradictory. That a spirit entered a nearby being just born, a musk ox, or a bluebell flower, or a baby; so the living, especially children, must be polite to any living thing, for it might be an ancestor. Or that one's spirit traveled to a distant mountaintop and joined the wind, blown around the world eternally to observe and occasionally visit, which explained ghosts. Or that one's spirit simply went to a spirit world to stalk spirit elk and spear spirit salmon. [16]
Candlemas
Knows a wormhole spell, requires “Amaunator” as a verbal component, creates a grey tornado that sucks up anything it touches and deposits the materials elsewhere (places unknown to Candlemas) [1]
Most of his spells are subtle, designed to turn away foes and instil fear [1]
Netheril
Using the same spell in a battle is considered amateurish [1]
Lady Mystryl, Controller of the Weave [Prologue]
Kozah, the Storm Lord [1]
You can't bathe on your own! A lord is never alone, or at least not often! A gentleman is tended by underlings! [1]
blight-which is beginning to spread to barley crops and apple orchards-before nine-tenths of the empire's peasants starve to death [1]
Everyone in Netheril can work magic, milord. At least, everyone born and raised in the empire. It's… part of our being. [2]
Jewels of Jannath (a saying) [2]
Nobles who hunt men for sport?" the barbarian sneered. "Nobles who starve entire cities without conscience? Nobles who dump garbage on sacred groves [2]
The Neth (people of High Netheril????) [2]
Wizards have sought the source of magic for centuries. Though the goddess Mystryl is certainly in control of a great deal of what comprises the weave, no one believes she controls it all. Certainly she didn't create the weave [2]
Castle Delia float over the southlands (for a tundra dweller, everything below the Barren Mountains was south [2]
village? It's very small, at the headwaters of the Ger, but in sight of Patrician Peak. Frosttop, we call it, not that it needs a name. Not many come our way. [2]
High in the sky, slicing the night in an arc, was a shooting star. Even as he watched, it completed its journey from the heavens to the earth. The glare illuminated distant tall trees like twigs in a campfire-for just a second, then the light was snuffed out. Karsus took the shooting star into the future using magic (3520 NY) [3,4]
The pudgy mage was an Inventive, he'd explained, one of the empire's leading experts at creating and destroying artifacts, and so a favored employee of Lady Polaris. Secondly Candlemas was a Variator, but the barbarian hadn't grasped that word's meaning. There were more flavors of magic in this society than colors to the forest, and everyone from the mightiest archwizard to the dumbest stable hand practiced magic. [3]
Lady Polaris was one of the supreme archwizards of the empire, but not the uppermost: merely the tenth or twelfth. Archwizards spent most of the time scrambling to one-up their rivals, to step upon their enemies while climbing the ladder. [3]
Amaunator, Keeper of the Sun [3]
a single black P with a white star in the loop. (sign of Lady Polaris) [6]
Shar Nightsinger, goddess of perverse winds and ill luck and petty revenge [11]
Mystryl, Lady of Mysteries, Mother of All Magic. Mystryl was the goddess of lovers, and the poor, and those in dire strife. [15]
By Jergal's Quill (saying) [16]
There's a small keep, leagues off, in the hills near the lakes. I know it from my stewardship. It's abandoned. Probably Lady Polaris…" He paused at the mention of her name, then continued, "Probably Lady Polaris doesn't even know she owns it. [21]
Spells
General Matick’s Shields [1]
Aksa’s Shatter [1]
Ptack’s Brittleness [1]
Veridon's Chiller (chill touch), requires invoking Kozah’s name [1]
Brightfinger's stonebind (melds stone together) [6]
Yong's imprisonment [6]
A worldweave spell that distorted all sizes and distances, until Candlemas looked like a mouse standing alongside Karsus's dirty foot. [6]
Stoca's feign [10]
Smolyn's seer [10]
Zahn's location [10]
Proctiv's dig [10]
Volhm's drain [10]
Aksa's disintegrate [16]
Proctiv's rock-mud transmution [16]
Lucke's Love [19]
Valdick's spheresail [20]
Shatter barrier [20]
Trebbe's invulnerability [20]
Stoca's wings [20]
One of Xanad's power words [20]
Yturn's feather fall [20]
Delia Enclave
The chief assistant arcanist, a green-robed woman named Kalle [1]
Kalle's assistant, a older man in red robes named Gibor [1]
Maids wore plain black-and-white gowns, aprons and caps, the house colors of Lady Polaris. [1]
Candlemas ordered experiments made on these fleas. He'd had a vague hope they carried germs in their guts that could counteract the "wheat rust" that was threatening famine, since they fed on the cows that prospered eating blighted wheat. The arcanist was getting desperate, for every other experiment had failed. [1]
Hamuda, maid [1]
he was steward of all the lands visible from the castle, right now he didn't care what happened to them. They belonged to Lady Polaris after all, not him. Very little really belonged to him except his knowledge and studies [2]
Polaris had snow-white hair cascading around her face and shoulders. Her face was calm as a queen's, only far more lovely. She was the most beautiful woman in the empire, and grew more beautiful every year, a beauty that bespoke enchantment, though no one knew her secret. Her mysteries were manifold and unfathomable. Her stunning beauty made her master of any scene, and rendered men all but dumb, even filtered by the smoky glass of the palantir. Even the page boy was awestruck. [2]
fashion a device to move bones without my moving or blinking or having to chant. In the shape of a brooch, perhaps, but nothing that will attract attention. [2]
The side of the castle dropped sheer for many stories, a dozen at least, all pierced by square or round windows. Far down showed the footings of solid granite. [2]
Walk in the gardens! We have nine of them [3]
The mage's realm was mostly this tower on one corner of the floating mountain that supported Delia. The tower was a dozen stories high, big enough inside for a chariot race on any floor. Candlemas's workshop occupied the topmost floor, a room bigger than Sunbright's village. Tables and screens and partition walls split the chamber into smaller areas, but always the high windows loomed in all four walls. The floors below, Sunbright had seen, contained more rooms and workshops where some thirty lesser mages worked at dirty, complicated, and arcane tasks per Candlemas's orders. [3]
And this single tower was only a tiny fraction of the castle, for Candlemas's other realm of responsibility was steward, overseer of the holdings of Lady Polaris. Below and far out of sight were farms and orchards, plantations and ponds, mills and mines that belonged to Lady Polaris [3]
Castle Delia was almost a square league in area, and the mansions, outbuildings, and battlements on it ran for acre upon acre, stacked six and seven stories high in places. Two hundred and sixty rooms made up the main house, a maid had breathed. Or so it was rumoured: no one knew for sure. Over two thousand servants kept it tidy under the all-seeing eye of Umeko, Acting Chamberlain (the former chamberlain, Sysquemalyn, had vanished) for those few occasions when Lady Polaris actually visited. For it stunned Sunbright to learn that this vast castle was only one of seven such keeps owned and maintained by Lady Polaris, in addition to her mansions in many of the larger floating cities, including one in the capital city of Ioulaum. [3]
Damita from the stables [3]
Other Lore
Magic is collected from the thousands of tiny sources that make up the weave. [2]
Mirrors are the best thing I know for seeing to other worlds and planes. Telescopes sometimes, or kaleidoscopes. Glass eggs, too. There are probably six of each in these trunks, and more downstairs. And enchanted doors: there are five in the cellar, stacked against the wall. [3]
the warhammer of Dorlas, son of Drigor, a weapon he'd inherited and promised to someday return to the Sons of Baltar in the far Iron Mountains. [3]
Phaerimm
the Phaerimm, unknown to men, seldom seen, and even then invariably mistaken for dust devils. Usually they destroyed the observer, champed his bones and muscles to bits, leaving only scraps and stains in the wilderness. [3]
Look how our drain spell sucks the nourishment from their food. Soon they will have naught to eat. [3]
If we give them magic enough to choke.
The humans are foolish to use magic so freely. Don't they see it hastens their demise?
They see nothing, know nothing. They will burn out and cease to be.
This new magic we've pulled from the sky will add more dweomer than ever before. Mountains of magic!
For an orgy-a holocaust of magical energy!
But it will take time. Many revolutions of the sun. [3]
Candlemas
Plying magic, Candlemas had in fact lived three times the span of a normal life, but he didn't like to be reminded of it. [2]
The pudgy mage was an Inventive, he'd explained, one of the empire's leading experts at creating and destroying artifacts, and so a favored employee of Lady Polaris. Secondly Candlemas was a Variator, but the barbarian hadn't grasped that word's meaning. There were more flavors of magic in this society than colors to the forest, and everyone from the mightiest archwizard to the dumbest stable hand practiced magic. [3]
I work on whatever problem or question she hurls at me today, then drop it for tomorrow's emergency. Most I can fob off to underlings, but sometimes I must work nonstop to glean the workings of some piece of arcane junk. I once spent three weeks analyzing a jeweled poker-sort-of-thing. Polaris-excuse me-Lady Polaris insisted it would harden quicksilver to silver. Do you know what it did? It curled one's hair! [3]
-339 DR
Karsus
a skinny young man of average height, with tousled brown hair, grizzled beard, and sparkling golden eyes [4]
The young wizard wore an expensive but rumpled and frayed robe embroidered in green-blue and white lace. By contrast, his hair was a rat's nest, his fingernails cracked, gnawed, and filthy, his chin stubbly, his bare feet black with grime. And he needed a bath. Yet his eyes were golden, like melted gold swirling in a vat, and arresting. [4]
purple robe was so heavily embroidered that no original material showed, only gold, silver, and purple threads interweaving in a dizzying array (the colour of Karsus’ wizard apprentices and servants????). [4]
the most powerful archwizard in the empire. The most powerful ever. The enclave is named after him [4]
Seda, blonde, female, human, apprentice to Karsus, one green eye, one brown eye [4]
Radman his father [4]
Karsus, Arcanist Supreme, the greatest Inventive/Variator [4]
Karsus has been experimenting with a new form of magic called 'heavy magic.' He's had some success, but needed a final ingredient to, ah, cement the process. And we've found it with this fallen star, because it's so monstrously heavy. So when we, uh, uncovered it, Karsus brought it here to him. He brought us, too, so we could explain where it came from. [4]
Karsus enclave. Actually, it's named after my father, Radman. Mother wanted it that way. Of course, I've sold a lot of it, I think, so other people can live here. People never call it Radman, though. [4]
He's got five hundred mages working under him, in this part of the city alone! He's the most powerful arcanist the empire has ever seen. [4]
K sigil for Karsus was everywhere [4]
A tin triangle that shattered steel with its ping. A pair of mirrors that reflected one's image into infinity, but also showed one's age from infancy to old age, or in one mage's case, no image at all beyond age forty. [6]
Karsus has many friends, for everyone loves him. But he always has just one 'special friend' at a time. Sometimes for a month, sometimes for only a day. [6]
Karsus has nine hundred apprentices [9]
Karsus brought us here with a chronoma-a time travel spell. I'd heard stories about the concept, everyone had, but never seen or read of it done. Yet he seemed to do it on a whim [12]
Netheril
Karsus Transported the falling star to 3520 NY (-339 DR), which is 358 years in the future from Candlemas’ time (making that -697 DR), assuming Karsus was telling the truth [4]
Castle Delia itself was sold, Karsus assures me. Lady Polaris doesn't own it anymore, if she's even alive. He's not sure she is. [4]
Food riots [6]
a new form of assassination going around. They hire desperate people to sacrifice an arm, then fashion a simulacrum concealing poison until they can close with the victim [6]
Baron Onan. He was disemboweled and strangled with his own guts. Hung from the bedpost. [6]
Among the histories he'd read, he'd seen the name Polaris once or twice, marking how she'd made fabulous wagers, and often lost. Fifty years ago, she'd lost Castle Delia wagering on a yacht race. It was Castle Bello now, a hunting lodge for some other noble. [6]
While there had always been a huge gap between noble and peasant, lately it had grown insurmountable. A tiny cadre of wealthy and decadent archwizards brutalized the starving poor. Food riots were crushed with clubs. Down on the ground, unchecked blight, excessive taxation, and mismanaged and stolen funds had forced even prosperous folk to abandon farms and wander. In the wake of the blight came famine. Mills and mines crumbled, fields reverted to briars and weeds, and as the human populace suffered, they blamed outsiders. Dwarves, gnomes, and half-elves were persecuted atrociously, or killed outright. Yet despite losing the source of their wealth, the Neth had grown even more callous and barbaric. They'd increased the Hunt, slaughtering whole villages and roads full of destitute pilgrims. Any sane voice of reason within the nobility had been silenced by assassination or banishment. The once proud Netherese had only three preoccupations: gambling, garnering status and wealth, and avoiding assassination, which was commonplace and ghastly. [6]
There's no work," she laughed. "Only for friends of the nobles. This city is about played out, ready to collapse under the weight of the nobility. They've eaten away their foundations, you see, let termites bore through their homes. The nobles're greedy. They've always been so, but as time goes by, their appetites increase and they want more. They take it from the commoners. Eventually they take too much, the commoners starve, and then the nobles do too. But they never see it comin' and never try to stop it. How much of the city have you seen? How many shops closed? How many people out of work? The workin' class has been taxed-robbed-out of existence. Leather workers and milliners and blacksmiths couldn't pay their taxes, so their shops're taken and they're thrown out of work. They starve a while, then choose: die or steal. The ones caught are executed or thrown into labor camps and worked to death. Anyone who complains about the oppression, bards singing or printers selling broadsides, or minor officials who know the poor're also silenced, banished, or killed outright. The city guard are nothin' but murderous thugs, out to collect graft and kill anyone who raises his eyes to a noble. Their watchword is 'Mind your betters.' And down on the ground, they tell me-I've never been there-it's better, and worse. Worse," she continued, "because farmers're thrown off their land and made to wander. But here, we're like fish in a pool, all fightin' for crumbs. Folks can't work, so families split up to find food. Children are abandoned… look at these lost souls Knucklebones has taken in. And the high-and-mighty archwizards don't care, they only demand the guards grind down harder, punish more terribly.
Food is for nobles only," Mother sighed, shaking her head. "Their cooks and chamberlains're the only ones permitted in the market once it's open. Any commoners comin' near would be beaten to death by silver. Oh, there are some folks still makin' things. The archwizards have private workshops and hired artisans. They have cooks to prepare fabulous food for their endless parties, I'm told, and craftsmen to manufacture toys. Certainly they make flyin' disks for the Hunt, so the nobles can kill peasants on the ground. They lark and game like blind children. But the nobles skate on thin ice that's bein' licked away from underneath by a changing tide. They can prop the empire with brutality, with magic, with money-but it can't hold up forever.
Children of mixed blood are shunned in the empire. Elves hated. [10]
He understood the classes of spells, or arcs, how deep into the weave one must go to access them, whether they drew dweomer from the winds or the spheres or artifacts or each other. Necromancy drew magic from dead souls. Planar magic tapped weird beings men could barely comprehend, and never control. The gods made their own magic and sometimes shared it. Mystryl maintained the weave, the balance and interconnection of all things. There was sea magic and mountain magic and forest magic, and so on. Magic everywhere [10]
the sages of Mystryl or the Keeper of the Eternal Sun, prophets [10]
Karsus, once before, cast a Volhm's drain on a barrel of heavy magic. He sucked all the power from the mythallars and almost dropped the city out of the sky. The city of Sunrest had a mage competing with Karsus. We guess he tried the same thing, because the whole city of Sunrest dropped and shattered [10]
There have always been prophecies, of course, especially when donations are slack. The story about the fountains of blood that will precede the fall of the empire is one. Skulls will rain like hail is another. But this one… several sages have dreamt of a woman with starry eyes who blots out the sun just before the city falls. [10]
The white storks are the blessing of the empire, you know. 'The Eyes of She Who Shapes All. [10]
The, uh, nobility was somewhat… shortsighted in its goals," he continued, "and misjudged the amounts needed to feed everyone. Now with war here and on the ground, the supply of food has stopped completely, and there are no reserves. So the poor riot in hopes of… I don't know what. Justice, I suppose. [19]
Mystryl, Lady of Love [19]
a stray explosion on the underside of Ioulaum opened a forgotten cavern. Bones and skulls had gushed in a stream like snowmelt, and only then had people recalled that Ioulaum had cut his enclave from the Rampant Peaks, either Bone Hill or Thunder Peak, where tens of thousands of orcs had been exterminated in a war lasting sixteen months. [19]
Dire Woods
Karsus levitated the heavy magic and sent a Tolodine's gust of wind to blow it off the city. It fell, and the city came upright, saved, but after that Huntsmen warned that a reach of High Forest had been struck by the magic. It rolled downhill, scattered all over, and poisoned the place. They called it the Dire Woods after that. Wulgreth, a renegade wizard living there, was turned undead because the magic… did something. I don't know what." "It severed his link to life," Sunbright judged. "These mages extend their lives unnaturally with magic. A dash of corrupt magic like that could remove the life, yet leave the body living-undead. I've never seen or heard of a four-eared rabbit. And beetles are the harbingers of the earth. They're so common, any corruption suggests dangers or sickness hereabouts. [14]
a badger hiding in the underbrush. The poor animal was both balding and tufted with coarse gray feathers. Sunbright saw more corruption: mushrooms big as dinner plates and blood red, a frog with four eyes, a purple flower that drooled saliva, and an oak tree whose branches had broken from fifty-pound acorns. So these must be the Dire Woods, where Karsus's twisted magic had landed and wrought havoc with trees and flowers and animals. Even the presence of raptors argued skewed magic too, for the old lizard beasts had been dying out for generations, almost prisoners of deep swamps and bogs. Yet here they thrived. And people? Sunbright hadn't noticed much in the battle by torchlight, but in the dying daylight he noticed the savage rider ahead also sported deformities. The back of his square head had a bald spot like a scar. His elbows bore painful-looking bone spurs that stretched the skin. And his bare feet had only three toes. He must have been born in these cursed woods. So a whole tribe of savages must inhabit this diseased forest. [15]
Wulgreth. The man was a full head taller than the captive barbarian, as broad across the shoulders as a wagon, with hands as big as snowshoes. A massive, shaggy head was covered in coarse, red-brown hair. He was brimming with energy, but curiously lifeless, for his skin was a ghastly white, his muscles knotted but grainy. He wore almost a full raptor skin. The white scaled breast hid his own and the warty hide covered his back, hanging to his knees as if he'd hollowed the animal out and climbed inside. A necklace of raptor teeth like white fishhooks clattered around his neck. Once a mighty wizard who'd lived too long by infusing himself with magic, until the day Karsus's corrupted heavy magic blanketed these woods and erased his life, leaving him animated, but not alive. Undead. Leads the tribe of people in the Dire Woods [15]
Every place had its own magic: forest magic, sea magic, sky magic, mountain magic. Candlemas had argued that all magic was the same, a simple force like fire that could be used for good or evil, or just its pure self, as fire could torture a man, or cook his food, or forge his tools. This healthy forest had possessed its own magic, long ago, before corrupt heavy magic rained from the sky like black snow. But the forest magic hadn't vanished, or been consumed. It had simply been crushed deep into the soil by the heavier magic. Hence this faint green ocean, like an underground reservoir. It had collected here and drawn more nature magic to itself, as streams ran to the ocean and became one. [16]
Ioulaum, Karsus's sister city, had drifted up from the west until its buildings could be plainly seen. Candlemas was surprised at how small it was. He'd seen it once, over three hundred years ago, and it had seemed huge. It was, in fact, scarcely a tenth the size of the city of Karsus. It was the first floating enclave, created and ruled by Ioulaum, one of the oldest known wizards. At this range, his high-turreted castle resembled a king's crown. It looked strange sitting atop an inverted mountain, nothing more than a cone of rock hanging in the sky [17]
The city of Ioulaum favored eagles as their mascots, it was said, and eagles preyed on white storks, the beloved symbol of their "homeland," Karsus. An old border dispute had been dusted off. Foolishness about an abandoned valley that belonged to Karsus's grandparents but that Ioulaum had "usurped" to mine for silver. [17]
The Netherese Empire hadn't been built on dreams, after all, but by plying effective tools such as hard trained, capably led, and well rewarded soldiers. [17]
the empire's last thrusts had occurred decades ago. [17]
Lady Polaris was assassinated last night (heavy magic injected into dates turned to cyanide) [18]
I think-I'm sure the nature magic only needed a conduit, someone to care for it, ask its help. It's hard to explain, but from this spot, I believe the nature magic will begin to heal the land, until the corrupt magic of Karsus has leeched away and the forest is balanced again. [18]
On a surprisingly peaceful mountainside, miles away from the falling Empire of Netheril, sat a star-eyed girl named Mystra. A smile crept across her face, a tingle ran through her body, and a soft voice-a cloud's voice-whispered in her ear, "Soon. [21]
Karsus Enclave
Magda, woman citizen [5]
Jules, male citizen [5]
city guards wore polished lobster-tail helmets, blue-green tabards, and metal breastplates adorned with the fancy K sigil. They carried short swords on their belts and silver-tipped clubs in their hands. Nor did he miss the braided red cords tucked into their belts (they hold garottes. The guards take bribes from rich citizens and is not above murdering witnesses [5]
Hurodon," snapped the lad, "son of Angeni of the House of Dreng in the Street of the Golden Willows. [5]
Seda, from the House of Zee. She works in Karsus’ close circle [5]
The city guard don't want no one stuffin' folks down the garbage chutes. So we take 'em to a locked stoneroom and slide 'em down there. The magic eats 'em up, makes more magic. Nothing left. [5]
Mandisa, cleanup crew [5]
nineteen cleanup crews in total, pick up corpses [5]
Street of Lilacs [5]
Below this high hill, where Castle Karsus was sprinkled like a handful of cocked dice, lay the enclave, or city, of Karsus. Candlemas knew he was atop an inverted, floating mountain, and in the far distance saw other mountains, yet he was hard put to discern the drop-off. Karsus was more like a floating mountain range. And the buildings! Towers fine as pencils, elongated tubes that arched to meet high overhead, delicate traceries like crystal spiderwebs that spun in all directions, dozens of onion-shaped minarets in a row, each more fantastic than the last. The streets were uniformly paved with even cobblestones, gasglobes stood poised to light every corner, and parks and gardens interspersed the high walls around gorgeous mansions. Public fixtures were just as beautiful, from a shimmering fountain a hundred feet tall to bridges that looked like silver jewellery. [6]
Lady Polaris now lives in a mansion on Karsus’ enclave, Massively, obscenely fat. The formerly beautiful face was lost in rolls of suet. Jowls suited to a hog framed deep-rooted, pouchy eyes and protruding lips. Her frost-blue eyes were lost under triple lids. Her hair looked dry enough to break, like frosted grass. Her body sprawled on the cushions, propped in a dozen places by flat pillows. From under her black gown stuck an ankle like a ham. "Candlemas!" Even her voice dripped with fat, curdled and choked, unlike her cool tones of centuries gone by. Her skin, Candlemas saw as his eyes adjusted, was blotchy and veined from years of debauchery and gout, too much wine and fatty food [6]
Behira, dark skinned girl, new steward of Lady Polaris [6]
House of Danett (noble????) [6]
Women, men, children flooded the marketplace and snatched at anything resembling food. Clad in cast-off nobles' clothes or the scantiest, most colourless rags, they outraced one another and the city guards and the market sellers, who swept their goods into sacks or wagons while grabbing for short swords, meat cleavers, or long, weighted clubs. Sunbright saw that the poor had planned this raid well, for each wore one or two sacks strapped to his chest or back, so their hands might be free to grab and stuff and grab again. Grimy hands scrabbled like flailing octopuses, like demented weasels in a henhouse, in a frenzy of bloodlust. Yet for all their mad rush, they were marvellously organized. [7]
Lady Aquesita, she was no beauty. Plain, round face, dimpled mouth, with brown hair piled on her head, she had a figure blocky as a barrel, and pudgy hands. But her smile seemed genuine, and she was not slathered in makeup as were most women and men in this place, nor were her eyes two different colors; the latest fashion, he'd been told. And her clothes were rich but severe. Lives in a rose coloured mansion in Karsus’ enclave. her eyes: a soft golden brown. cousin to Karsus. His only living relation. [7]
eyes two different colors; the latest fashion (just the enclave or the whole of Netheril????) [7]
The poor live in the sewers inside tunnels in Karsus’ enclave [7]
Lothar, the yellow-haired man, poor, lives in the sewers [7]
Knucklebones, part elven female thief lives in the sewer, lover of Martel
Martel, warrior, lives in the sewers, paid by noble brats to attack Sunbright and got killed
Ox, once a wrestler, until his eyes were gouged out by city guards. His tiny daughter was Corah. Their wife and mother was rumored to be dead, spirited off the streets one night in one of the guards' many random sweeps. Aba and Zykta, foundlings, were the topknotted twins. A skinny boy was Rolon. a sunken-chested man named Hute who coughed whenever he talked. Others came and went, Mother explained, and Knucklebones commanded them all. Their rules were simple: defend and share. They stole when they could, avoided the guards daily, fought when necessary, and occasionally brawled with other gangs under the city, but not often. Life was tenuous, yet the poor showed one another mercy. No one else did, not the noble archwizards, and not the gods. [8,9]
Which archwizard families ruled the city. How they all deferred to crazy Karsus, and curried his favor for magical trinkets and new spells. Where the guards bunked and how they patrolled. How the thieves managed to avoid capture and death. How they could trip traps and time the guards' rounds. How to penetrate a building sealed against the weather. Even how the fish was frozen. Out in the ocean were weirs, floating fish traps that funnelled fish inside. When an edible fish entered, it was instantly shifted hundreds of miles to a huge room spelled with a Veridon's chiller, then separated out and sold.
Karsus controlled the top of a low hill called Mystryl's Mound by some. There had originally been two mansions atop it and a half dozen smaller ones encircling it. As his importance grew, Karsus had bought or been given all of them, and the city had erected an encircling wall and called the entire complex Castle Karsus. The eccentric magician had then, as if to put his own stamp on it, had the buildings linked and modified and added to, with some torn down or turned at a crazy angle, until the whole sprawl was brain wrenching to look at. The most disturbing aspects for Candlemas were the doors that opened from third floors into midair, or the winding staircases that just stopped. [9]
Lady Aquesita, between corresponding, managing the rest of Karry's estates, and encouraging artists at the guild (guild of artists????). I try to steer Karsus toward creative, helpful magic projects, not frivolous and destructive ones. (is she influencing / controlling him????) [9]
Nibaw, one of Karsus’ apprentices, uses magic to keep herself looking young [10]
Blackwater Bog, located in the sewers in Karsus’ enclave [11]
The Mile Hole, an ancient inverted bear cave that was present when the mountain was sheared off. The sewers lead to the hole that drops off to the ground. [11]
sledges stacked high with bizarre tools of mass destruction. These contraptions had lain dormant in warehouses, or under barracks, and a few were dragged from caves under Karsus's own mansions. Why Karsus wanted to resurrect war machines when there was no immediate threat to the empire was not explained. A ballista, a giant crossbow shooting spears twice as tall as a man, had been hauled by soldiers and oxen onto an outside balcony. Normally its great arrows were just sharpened logs. But Karsus had coppersmiths and armorers fashion an arrowhead of copper sheets that measured three feet across. And was hollow. The mad mage himself oversaw the fitting of the great arrowhead to the log and, from a dozen blueware crocks, poured into the hollow point a startling quantity of super heavy magic tinged a fiery red. He explained that, previously, heavy magic would dissipate if catapulted through the air, but this heavier stuff should cling together. I can increase the power of exploding runes a thousandfold. Invisible arrows that couldn't be shielded. create tornadoes, once they're spinning, shift heavy magic into them and increase their power, until they can split a mountain! Or better, power sinks to draw off my foes' magic and turn it against them. [11]
Emperor's Park [11]
Super heavy magic appears to augment any magic it comes into contact with. [11]
get us down to earth. We can't use a transgate, whatever that is, according to Knucklebones [12]
Sleeping Gunn, friend of the poor in the sewers. Sleeping Gunn uses a warren of false lofts between warehouses at the docks to hide Knucklebones and her gang. Sleeping Gunn, he lives over the warehouses at the docks because he's a smuggler. Since I've disappeared and there's been war here, he'll have ferried the children to a stronghold on the ground [12,13,20]
Rushworth and Pericles's crowd, rival gangs to Knucklebones, they use a special soap to remove their scent (easily smelled by non-humans) [12]
Academy of Mentalist Study. A college. It's always open [12]
Bonebreakers, a gang of thieves and rival to Knucklebones [12]
Pandem's Pardon! (a saying, is he a god, is it the name of a spell, is it a famous event or hero????) [13]
they've done this in the past, used everything they have in one or two days to sweep the sewers and tunnels. The city council orders it, though they're beholden to Karsus [13]
Karsus's mansions were so huge no one knew them entirely, and there were constant rumors of secret rooms harboring a harem of elven women, a treasure trove including the emperor's crown, a dragon skeleton complete even to its teeth, and blue platforms that could transport one to other worlds. [13]
In a room like a boathouse, wide and airy, there hung from the rafters gliders like giant butterflies. They were fashioned from welded tubes of some mystery metal he couldn't identify. For once, there was little ornate about them, only the mildest curves and filigree imparted to the pipes and joints. Each glider had three sets of wings: one forward of where a person could sit, another high over the seat, and the third in the rear. The seats were baskets of woven cane. Two seats, usually, though one model sported nine seats with the pilot in front. Flitters, people called them, or gliders, or wind-riders. There had been a craze for soaring years ago, he'd been told, and every household had boasted one or two down at the docks. But careless, drunken flying sent too many crashing a mile to the ground, shields and levitation spells notwithstanding. And the thrill crazy Netherese grew bored quickly. The only flying they did now was on gold plated dragons, enchanted discs, and giant birds, to hunt humans to death. [13]
The whole enclave is warded against casual magic. You think they'd let people just shift in and shift out when everyone's terrified of assassination? You'd have to go through a transgate, and that's not possible [13]
Mages are working now to learn the limits of this super heavy magic, but there doesn't seem to be any. The larger the container and the longer the magic steeps, the heavier it becomes. [15]
Mystra. I was named after the goddess. She resembled a young Lady Polaris: white-haired, slim, beautiful in a perfect, porcelain way. But this woman, girl really, had none of Polaris's cold aloofness. Rather, she seemed to cast a warm glow despite her cool looks. Lives on Karsus’ enclave and is enquiring about his research. She was able to make Candlemas forget her with a kiss and Aquesita could not detect any magic on her [15]
Krikor, one of Karsus’ young apprentices [16]
The city council has agreed to a war. I asked them if we might use these war machines on the borders, but we're at peace with everyone, drat it, and our neighbors would take offense if we attacked. Soooo, we're going to stage a war between cities! "Ioulaum has agreed to partake, and one other, as yet to be named. It shall be a battle between the first and greatest. The first city, that's Ioulaum, since he was the first to float one, and Karsus, which is the greatest city because it's named after me! [16]
a tall, black tower, the Shadow Consortium [21]
Phaerimm
The super heavy magic works its will. The one named Karsus will blow himself and all the others to destruction soon. Good. He alone among the humans can sense us. And the humans think him mad because he rails against us. All the better.
The Phaerimm had hatched their plot over many generations of humans, leading Karsus to the star-metal and a new application of heavy magic. In all that time, some of these ancient beings hadn't even stirred from the black cavern.
But who is this star-eyed woman with her warnings? A deity, one of theirs. Not one of ours. Can she warn them in time? We'll see she doesn't. I wonder, can this new super heavy magic penetrate even to our domain? Best we not find out. [11]
I say, men with fire can burn down a forest. Men with star magic can burn a world. (the falling star is star magic????) [20]
To act would require us to go above ground, shift fully into the humans' dimension! That causes us to explode! That is why we gave the humans magic indirectly! (the phaerimm only manifest in the material plane as conical monsters????) [20]
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2023 : 13:58:52
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Surprisingly i really enjoyed that novel.
It was different from the history we know but i'm fine with that, because that version does not exist anymore.
I loved the depiction of the empire collapsing, how their focus entirely on magic meant that everything else was ignored and slowly collapsed around the.
Karsus and his toadies were the purest example of conservative stupidity and elitism i've ever seen.
The phaerimm actually exist on another plane and it is only their manifestations into the material plane that we can see. They cannot exist on the material plane entirely or they die.
Candlemas states at one point that the weave is made up of thousands of sources (Weave Nodes?).
It also posed some interesting questions. Forest magic, mountain magic, river magic, weather magic, even star magic. The novel implies that everything has magic inherent within it (raw magic), and the weave kind of masks or blankets that. Heavy magic corrupts it (it must be some kind of weave magic changed into raw magic form). Furthermore, Life Drain as Magic Drain actually makes more sense this way, gradually weakening life, causing the plant life to wither and die, then everything slowly turns to dust.
Interestingly enough, the phaerimm brought the meteor to Toril to give the Netherese Empire a huge magic boost and speed their destruction (ironically exactly the same plan the sarrukh used with the Weave in the first place).
Now presumably Karsus stole the meteor from the past because in this particular future, the meteor and its magic were all used u to get the empire to that particular point (otherwise why not just take it from his current time). He needed its power and so stole it from the past and by doing so he created this branch reality which Candlemas and Sunbright visited but it can never now exist. Given that the meteor crashed the year before Karsus was born and Karsus was magically unique i would hazard a guess that the magic of the meteor actually led to Karsus' birth and power (a year or 9 months, it doesnt give an exact length of time difference so his conception and the falling star could be very close).
If you view time as a straight line, then because Karsus stole the meteor from the past he prevented his future from ever existing because the meteor could never be used to get Netheril to the point in magic where he could then steal it from the past.
If you view time as cyclical, then because Karsus stole the meteor into the future and drained it to become a god, he then could never use its power to become a god again.
Either way, the events of that particular timeline no longer exists and so its events are null and void. So its fine that they were different from the canon history we know.
So in our current timeline, Karsus uses the gizzard of an ancient gold dragon and a piece of a tarrasque and a bunch of other unique reagents to fuel his Karsus' Avatar spell, and i suspect he also wanted to use the Nether Scrolls (a single piece would be just as useful as a whole set since they are linked as a Weave Node at that time - not a Weave Node anymore though).
Regardless, the fall of Netheril is a fixed event in time and he was doomed to fail. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2023 : 06:50:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Oh, and Sunbright references the Earthmother several times in this novel.
I would postulate that the Rengarth (who worship nature and spirit ancestors) are the original inspiration for Jannath, but they called her the Earthmother. The Neth mingling with the Rengarth to form the Low Netherese come up with Jannath.
The Fall of Netheril led to a diaspora into the western heartlands, eventually displacing much of the native talfir. But this mingling likely introduced the concept of the Earthmother to the talfir.
When the Talfir fled to the Moonshae Isles, they gave the name Earthmother to the primordial being there.
Meanwhile Jannath on the mainland became corrupted into Chauntea the Great Mother as Netherese, and Tethyrian languages and ideals merged, and then Illuskan was added into the mix.
Just a thought or two.
That doesn't quite work except in nomenclature terms. The Earthmother pre-existed the arrival of the Talfir by millennia. But I agree, they may have given that deific entity her first human name.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6351 Posts |
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Novel Lore
