| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
 Posted - 20 May 2004 : 15:09:32
|
|
How useful would a list be of Realms characters who would be handy NPCs but who are hard to reference because they appear briefly in sourcebooks or novels but aren't mentioned in the geographical sourcebooks? It would have subsections such as Harpers and residents of Shadowdale, and have columns for the character's brief (10-word) description), AL/race-sex/class-level, place of residence or wandering, and source...
|
|
|
The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2004 : 15:26:22
|
I could see some limited use in such a listing. It's not something that I would use regularly though, as I usually create my own FR NPCs...and I rather fond of my own creations anyway  .
|
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
 |
|
|
hammer of Moradin
Senior Scribe
USA
758 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2004 : 23:23:18
|
| It would be interesting, but "unofficial". Kind of like the old Rogues Gallery. Some quick NPC's to drop in wherever and whenever. It would be hard to pin them down to a certain area, however. Everyone has their own Realms that they play. My Realms don't include your characters unless we were to collaborate or game together. Although stats on some of the secondary characters would be nice just for looking at after reading about them. Aren't there some articles out there for this somewhere already? |
"Hurling himself upon his enemies, he terrified them with slaughter!"
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium
Candlekeep proverb: If a thing is said often enough, fools aplenty will believe it to be true. |
|
|
|
Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2004 : 21:17:49
|
I've always dreamed of a spreadsheet (or some other database program) that had a list of NPC's, their locations, and their affiliations. You could do a search on an area (Dragon Reach area), or by affiliation (Cult of the Dragon). That way, you could easily pull up NPCs on the fly for the area you were in. Also, you could then pull up a short description of the NPC, including stats.
|
|
|
|
Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2004 : 21:27:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by Lashan
I've always dreamed of a spreadsheet (or some other database program) that had a list of NPC's, their locations, and their affiliations. You could do a search on an area (Dragon Reach area), or by affiliation (Cult of the Dragon). That way, you could easily pull up NPCs on the fly for the area you were in. Also, you could then pull up a short description of the NPC, including stats.
I've been working on this type of thing actually. It'll take me a long time to finish it though since there are TONS of named NPC's in over 120 sourcebooks, plus Dragon articles, etc..... |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
|
|
|
Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2004 : 21:44:38
|
And don't forget the home brewed NPC's, as well. It's a tough job!
Of course, even catagorizing people is a rough thing. Do you have two columns for location? One for immediate one (Calaunt) and another for general region (Dragon Reach)? This way, you can do a search for all Cult of the Dragon agents in the Dragon Reach area, yet find out exactly where they are located, if in one location at all. Also, some people are independant, or fall under several catagories. What to do about these people? It's a tough project. If you do finish it, though, I would like it if you shared it. |
|
|
|
Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2004 : 23:19:04
|
quote:
Originally posted by Lashan
And don't forget the home brewed NPC's, as well. It's a tough job!
Of course, even catagorizing people is a rough thing. Do you have two columns for location? One for immediate one (Calaunt) and another for general region (Dragon Reach)? This way, you can do a search for all Cult of the Dragon agents in the Dragon Reach area, yet find out exactly where they are located, if in one location at all. Also, some people are independant, or fall under several catagories. What to do about these people? It's a tough project. If you do finish it, though, I would like it if you shared it.
Well I wouldn't put homebrew NPC's on it. I'm only going through the official canon FR material. Right now it's broken down by class and each NPC, from each sourcebook, is then listed alphabetically and then there is a space between each sourcebook or sourcebooks if it's from a box set. For example, Gromph is listed twice because he's listed in Menzoberrazan book one, and then also in Menzoberrazan book two (where I just noticed he gained a level in the same box set!), etc. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
|
|
|
Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2004 : 14:43:23
|
I have one in the works; didn't take long to get a fair few people down, but getting most of them would take a while. Its use is obvious to me -- 'we're in Hillmarch, is there a Harper agent here?' (Aldaneth) and 'we're in the Sword Coast North, need an adventurer' (Steeleye, or Daern Claundon, or...). Otherwise all those great unsung characters go to waste.
Absolutely every NPC would be in the region of 10,000, this thing would be a lot less. |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2004 : 15:54:04
|
| Such a list would be enormous... I had a hard enough time trying to complete a list of all the named Lords of Waterdeep! |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
|
|
|
Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2004 : 19:42:01
|
| I know what you mean Wooly, I've been trying to put together a list for the North and that's a pretty big undertaking as it is. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
|
|
|
SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2004 : 20:45:28
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Such a list would be enormous... I had a hard enough time trying to complete a list of all the named Lords of Waterdeep!
I imagine that did take a good feat of detective work. |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2004 : 21:14:49
|
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Such a list would be enormous... I had a hard enough time trying to complete a list of all the named Lords of Waterdeep!
I imagine that did take a good feat of detective work.
Nah, it was more of just finding all the references. There's the ones in the City of Splendors boxed set and Waterdeep and the North, of course. Those were the easy ones. The rest were scattered around in other places. Two were named in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comic, though one was killed before his status as a Lord of Waterdeep was revealed. Another was named in the Return of the Archwizards trilogy, and in one of the Realms of books, Ed named Asper (Mirt's lady) as another Lord of Waterdeep.
So it wasn't detective work, it was just digging up small bits here and there.
The reason I did all this is because I suddenly decided to name a few more Lords. We know there's 20 Lords. The boxed set named 12 of them, but 2 have since retired from their Lordship, leaving 10. From the other sources, I found 3 more Lords (4 if you count the dead guy).
I decided that Kyriani, from the comics, should be a Lord. I also added a thief that I'd played, because he was one of my favorite characters. And then I made up 4 new folks to be Lords.
So, if I ever get to DM, I've got 19 of the 20 Lords picked out (I'll not do all 20). Of course, I doubt I'd ever be able to use them all in a campaign, but hey, who cares? The project has been a pleasant way to keep me brain cells active.
I just hope that when the Waterdeep sourcebook comes out, they don't invalidate the non-boxed set sources... |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
|
|
|
SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2004 : 21:26:01
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I just hope that when the Waterdeep sourcebook comes out, they don't invalidate the non-boxed set sources...
Didn't you hear about the new Prestige Class, Waterdeep Lord? |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 30 May 2004 : 22:31:35
|
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I just hope that when the Waterdeep sourcebook comes out, they don't invalidate the non-boxed set sources...
Didn't you hear about the new Prestige Class, Waterdeep Lord?
 Let's not encourage the crunch-meisters of WotC like that, Sirius! |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
|
|
|
Sarelle
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
508 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2004 : 11:37:54
|
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Nah, it was more of just finding all the references. There's the ones in the City of Splendors boxed set and Waterdeep and the North, of course. Those were the easy ones. The rest were scattered around in other places. Two were named in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comic, though one was killed before his status as a Lord of Waterdeep was revealed. Another was named in the Return of the Archwizards trilogy, and in one of the Realms of books, Ed named Asper (Mirt's lady) as another Lord of Waterdeep.
So it wasn't detective work, it was just digging up small bits here and there.
The reason I did all this is because I suddenly decided to name a few more Lords. We know there's 20 Lords. The boxed set named 12 of them, but 2 have since retired from their Lordship, leaving 10. From the other sources, I found 3 more Lords (4 if you count the dead guy).
I decided that Kyriani, from the comics, should be a Lord. I also added a thief that I'd played, because he was one of my favorite characters. And then I made up 4 new folks to be Lords.
So, if I ever get to DM, I've got 19 of the 20 Lords picked out (I'll not do all 20). Of course, I doubt I'd ever be able to use them all in a campaign, but hey, who cares? The project has been a pleasant way to keep me brain cells active.
I just hope that when the Waterdeep sourcebook comes out, they don't invalidate the non-boxed set sources...
*Rubs hands together greedily.*
You couldn't post the list on Candlekeep, or on this board could you? I'd be very interested in seeing it. |
Chair of the The Rightful Return of Monster Deities to FR Society (RRMDFRS)
My character, drawn by Liodain: Sarelle / Sarelle (smaller) |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2004 : 18:30:07
|
quote:
Originally posted by Sarelle
*Rubs hands together greedily.*
You couldn't post the list on Candlekeep, or on this board could you? I'd be very interested in seeing it.
Well... I'm still working out all the details on the Lords I created, so I'll not list those. But I'll give the other info I found.
From the City of Splendors boxed set:
Brian the Swordmaster
NG hm F13
Caladorn
NG hm F12
Durnan
NG hm F18
Nindil Jalbuck
LN halfm T6/F2
Mirt the Moneylender
CG hm F11/T7
Larissa Neathal
NG hf F6
Peirgeiron the Paladinson
LG hm Pal16
“Kitten” Nymara Scheiron
NG hf T11
Sammareza Sulphontis
(no info in CoS set)
Texter
LG hm Pal19
Danilo Thann and Khelben Arunsun were also listed, but they've both given up their positions as Lords since then.
When Danilo retired, he asked Peirgeiron to replace him with someone who would champion the needs of Waterdeep’s elven People. Keep that in mind when making your own Lords.
Sammareza has never been statted out -- he's not even received the little stat blurb the others got. He has been known to traffic in slaves, though, and he has a habit of traveling widely in a very short period of time.
So I'd say that at best, he’s CN. Could be LN, I suppose, except for the minor fact that slavery is illegal in Waterdeep. He could also be N, either with Evil tendencies, or even NE – though the last seems unlikely. He's likely a high level wizard with high Charisma.
From other sources:
Asper
CG hf F7
Brianne
? hf W?
Deliah the White
? hf W?
A short story in Realms of the Underdark listed Asper as a Lord. As I recall, her stat blurb comes from the Force Grey listing in the boxed set.
Deliah the White is mentioned as a Lord a couple of times in The Siege, the second book of the Return of the Archwizards trilogy.
Brianne was one of the two mentioned in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comic. Her husband Carril was another, but he was evil, and was murdered right before that story arc started.
Brianne appears in comics 27-30 of AD&D. She was seen to cast these spells (2nd edition level in parentheses): some version of summon monster, stinking cloud (2), shield (1), gust of wind (3), telekinesis (5), flaming sphere (2), lightning bolt (3), either some illusion or polymorph, and detect magic (1).
With no stats at all, looking at the spells she's cast is the best way to try to determine her level. She's obviously at least 9th level as an arcane spellcaster. I stuck with her being a wizard since this was back in the days of 2nd edition.
Brianne was prolly at least in her thirties or forties, but still looked quite attractive. She has blue eyes and dark eyebrows, but her hair was never seen, so we don't know the color.
That's 13 of the 20. Boxed sets and novels are obviously canon sources, and I consider the comics to be canon, as well. Events from the comics have appeared in canon sources, the characters were all detailed in Dragon, and several of the characters have popped up in other canon sources -- including all of the people still around at the end of the AD&D comic. (Thanks to Steven Schend for a lot of that!  )
I added one character from the comics to the list, as well, even though she's never been listed as a Lord. Kyriani is a personal friend of Selűne, owns a tavern in the Dock Ward, and has worked with Khelben on many occasions -- most notably when two Manshoons started battling it out in Peirgeiron's Palace. If anyone is a likely candidate for Lordship, it's the lovely Kyri.
I've gathered all the info I could find on Kyri, and it's a lot. I've got her write-up from the comics, her later write-up in Dragon, and her other appearances. I also notated all of her spells, as well. But that's all too much to post here, thinks I.
Anyway, that's what I've got. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
|
|
|
Sarelle
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
508 Posts |
Posted - 31 May 2004 : 20:58:01
|
| Wow! Thank you very much Wooly. You sure have done your research! And keep me posted on those Lords you are to create. |
Chair of the The Rightful Return of Monster Deities to FR Society (RRMDFRS)
My character, drawn by Liodain: Sarelle / Sarelle (smaller) |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
List of notable non-obvious NPCs
