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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5695 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Jan 2005 : 11:26:50
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Well met
This being a continued collection of scrolls of any questions the Scribes and visitors of Candlekeep wish to put to a master who needs no introduction, namely - Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms.
Ed's works include many FR sourcebooks and numerous novels, such as Cormyr: A Novel, Spellfire, Silverfall, The Shadows of the Avatar Trilogy and The Elminster Series, to name but a few.
Present your questions herein and check back to see what news may also come forth from the quill of this author.
For previous entries of the many, many writings of lore by Ed, please see this collection of scrolls. 'ware, this runs into over 80 pages, ye may be reading for some time 
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Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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Edited by - The Sage on 30 Dec 2006 02:21:06
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2005 : 15:28:55
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Thank you for the kind words, Alaundo. It gives me great pleasure to charge right ahead into 2005 with . . .
Hello again, scribes. Herewith, Ed begins to present the islands of the Reach, for Jerryd and us all:
Arthoum is about a mile north to south and three miles long, a tortured landscape of largely-bare rock tunneled with seacaves and ‘blowholes’ that geyser-like plumes of water burst up out of, during onshore storms. It has the least vegetation of the seven islands, a rocky beach on its southern shore suitable for keelhauling large ships, a few tiny caves sailors have sheltered in from time to time, and not much else of note except seabirds and various lurking predatory sea creatures. It has no sheltered anchorages or proper harbours.
Nairn’s Tomb is named for an adventurer entombed in an old dwarf-delve that comes to the surface at the summit of this steep-sided, rocky, heavily-forested island (which is a mile wide, east-west, at its largest point, and a trifle over two miles in length, north-south). The tomb was plundered long ago, and is said to be haunted by phantoms and worse; seabirds avoid the entire island for some reason. There’s a sheltered anchorage halfway along the eastern shore of the island, but no beaches or proper harbours.
The entire heart of Nairn’s Tomb is honeycombed with dwarf-high tunnels and chambers, that descend into unknown depths (many tales say tunnels connect to the mainland, or descend right into the Underdark [and Elminster confirms that both those beliefs are true, noting that if one can get past a certain guardian dragon - - see my Wyrms of the North columns - - one can travel between Nairn’s Tomb and Candlekeep itself, underground]), and many of these chambers have been used by various smugglers and pirates over the years to imprison captives, store treasure and goods, and as temporary dwellings. Monsters do prowl the lower ‘ways,’ and from time to time wander up to the surface, seeking prey.
Askalet is roughly diamond-kite-shaped (with the ‘short triangle’ to the northwest, base-mated to a ‘long triangle’ pointing southeast), with the mainland two-and-a-half (north end of Askalet) to three-and-a-half (south end of Askalet) miles away across the Racewind Passage, an aptly-named strait through which winds blow briskly north to south during most sunlit hours (calms are common at dawn, dusk, and throughout most nights, but of course tend to be accompanied by thick [read: cold, wet, and clinging] fogs). Askalet has a snug two-vessel harbour midway along its southern shore, a tiny wooded valley around a spring-fed freshwater pond at its heart (easily reachable from the harbour), and half a dozen springs welling up to cascade down its rocky sides into the sea in various falls that freeze spectacularly in winter. The eastern side of the island is three-and-a-half miles long, its northern and western shores are both about two miles long, and a longer (curving) southern shore completes the diamond.
Aside from the valley, all of Askalet is a labyrinth of rocky, wooded ridges (home to many deer and an owlbear or two), there are fish in the lake, diligent searchers can find about a dozen small fissure-caves (used by the owlbears and in the past by more than a few smugglers and pirates), and the island holds at least three ruins: an overgrown, roofless cottage or hall nestled in a dell on the westernmost heights of the island; an overgrown stone manor house in the valley (long-abandoned and said to hide pirate treasure, guarded by traps), and a ruined castle at the southern end of its easternmost cliffs (said to be both a former pirate-baron’s hold [false] and a onetime wizard’s tower [true, and Elminster believes the name of the isle is a corruption of the name of this long-ago mage, Askalath]). All of these ruins have been searched and temporarily used for shelter countless times, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they hold nothing in the way of treasure. Askalath’s tower has a cellar carved out of solid rock that sports a well-like shaft descending down seemingly forever (well into the Underdark, and far beyond the reach of any known rope). If Askalath ever drew water up out of the shaft, he used magic rather than buckets on ropes - - and [true] tales say there are short cellar complexes opening off the inside walls of the shaft, “well down” its descent.
Thelve is home to no less than three castles: one on its eastern shore, atop the cliff facing Candlekeep, one at the western end of its southern shore, frowning straight across the waters at Nairn’s Tomb, and one atop a rocky inland pinnacle, about two miles due southeast of the northwesternmost point of the island. All three of these castles are large, soaringly tall, impressive stone strongholds, built atop stony heights and possessing extensive stone cellars (those belonging to the eastern one extend into tunnels running several miles, to come out on the surface of the island in a valley at its center). All of these castles are home to liches and a variety of prowling monsters commanded or coerced by the liches. These liches (in life one human male, two human females) were the wizards who in life had the castles built for them. When alive, these wizards were once friends, and although relations between them became strained over the years (particularly as they prepared for lichdom), they never actively fought each other or sought to dominate the island they shared. (Elminster says the three are thought by many mages to now be under the sway of Larloch.) Their names are forgotten - - or rather, tales now offer so many wildly different names for the three that the true and proper names have been lost among the spurious inventions. “Thelve” is thought to be the remnant of a gnome or dwarven name, from before the coming of the three mages.
The island was once home to a tribe of gnomes, who were enslaved and finally exterminated by the three powerful human wizards through cruel overwork, as they were forced to build and endlessly expand the castles.
Though there’s no evidence that a collective term for these three liches existed when they were alive, bards have since dubbed them “the Twilight Three.” They are mighty in arcane spell rosters and collected magic items, and are said to be more cunning than insane, largely keeping hidden from intruders and letting their traps, spells (at least one of them is said to be a master of wards and barrier magics), and guardian monsters slay visitors. On the rare occasions when they are seen, they’ve reportedly worn crowns, filigreed ‘show armor’ and other finery, and to have swept along their passages in disdainful silence.
Their magics have proven too puissant for anyone to yet destroy them - - and their presence is obviously the reason the nameless ruins of three large gnome villages, in the interior of the island, remain abandoned and overgrown. Many sailors’ tales warn that the liches “send forth” prowling undead and other beasts to attack anyone who tries to stay the night on Thelve.
Thelve has good three good harbours, and six sheltered anchorages along its southern shore. The harbours are Mresker’s Hide, in the half-moon bay in the southern half of the eastern shore of the island, and nameless harbours at the southern end of Thelve’s western shore and in the inlet due west of Candlekeep, just north of “the Gaunt” (the local nickname for the lich-castle that faces Candlekeep). Onshore winds and swift currents make anchoring anywhere along the northern shore of Thelve hazardous - - and the western end of the north shore is where a large freshwater swamp, Taglan’s Bones (named for a pirate captain slain by his crew somewhere nigh its quicksand heart, after an argument over hiding treasure there) empties into the briny ‘Cauldron of the Reach’ (a cartographer’s term used by sages, scribes of Candlekeep, and bards, never by sailors familiar with the area).
So saith Ed. I’ll post the second half of the island descriptions tomorrow.
Your happily Hooded One
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2005 : 15:58:47
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Did anyone else notice the odd coincidence with the 2004 Ask Ed scroll? It ended with 2004 posts!  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2005 : 17:22:30
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 Sharp eyes on that hamster! |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 01:52:56
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Hello, all. Ed finishes up the last three islands for Jerryd and us all:
Sklorn is a misshapen equilateral triangle, with its west and south sides vertical and horizontal (and its roughly-nine-mile-long northeastern shore diagonal). Its south shore is approximately eight miles long, and sports two good anchorages flanking a central harbour (called “Sklorn’s Rest” by some sailors, though some writings kept at Candlekeep suggest that Sklorn wasn’t a sailor but rather a clan of humans or even half-orcs who once dwelt on the island). The other good harbour on Sklorn is at about the midpoint of its western shore; both harbours are washed clean by freshwater streams flowing down from the island’s rocky interior.
Much as The Hooded One posted to you earlier, Sklorn is one of the two islands aptly described as follows: much used by pirates, and so littered with the wrecks of beached, scuttled, and half-burned ships. Sklorn is usually inhabited by a few monsters and castaways - - and is always home to uncounted thousands of squawking seabirds (mainly “gray coasters,” large (and gray-fledged but with white underbellies) seabirds that can have eight-foot wingspans, and are something between a pelican, a cormorant, and an albatross: unpleasantly oily, but fat, stupid, and edible). Small colonies of seals lair along its the southern shore.
Unglur is the other pirate-littered island of the Reach. Like Sklorn, it has no visible ruins, and only a few seacaves for shelter. Unlike Sklorn, it has no freshwater springs (and very few seals, monsters, or castaways), and (thanks to the gray coasters and rock gulls), its trees and shrubs are visibly thinner. Otherwise, it, too, sports many wrecks of beached, scuttled, and half-burned ships. It is also said to be haunted by the long-clawed spirit of Unglur [note: if you have the MONSTER MANUAL III, use a boneclaw in place of the unique undead I crafted rather carelessly back in 1983] a bloodthirsty berserker among pirates in his day.
Unglur is the shape of a capital letter “P” with no hole in the middle, its upright ‘back’ running five miles northwest-southeast, its bottom stem being a mile across and running back northwest up its eastern side for about a mile before bulging out two miles north to begin the ‘curve’ of the ‘P.’ Unglur has no harbours, but does have an anchorage midway along its western shore, and a place where boats of all sizes can readily be beached where the stem and the bulge of the ‘P’ meet, on its eastern shore (prevalent winds make beaching easy, but getting a boat off again a matter of magic or much muscle on the part of parties of strong men on lines, or rowers on vessels offshore).
Raerest is the largest and outermost of the seven islands, being about the size of Thelve but with the addition of a three-mile-long-and-wide ‘tail’ jutting southeast off it (the longest straightline distance one can travel on Raerest is just under seventeen miles, north to south, and in general Raerest is about ten miles across, from east to west).
To some extent Raerest shelters the other six islands from the prevailing local winds, and is called ‘the Prow’ by some Sword Coast sailors for this reason. The eastern shore of this island offers almost a dozen good anchorages, but the winds and currents rake its other shores.
Raerest is dominated by ‘the Shield,’ a huge spine of high rock that curves along its westernmost edge. From end to end of Raerest several different sorts of rock can be seen, not just the uniform granite of the other islands, and the upthrust rocks of the Shield hold much soft, easily-gleaned copper; in many places a man with a sharp tool can carry off a basketful of very pure ore in a day, and many small embrasures and hollowed-out holes scarcely larger than the insides of coffins betray the minings of the past.
At the heart of Raerest are a line of three tiny, spring-fed lakes (paralleling the eastern flank of the Shield. At the northern end of this chain of lakes is a large, nameless freshwater swamp inhabited by lizardfolk, who regard Raerest as their own and hunt across it, hurling nets to take seabirds, setting out tidal weir-nets to reap fish from the sea, and maintaining clam beds in the swamp-mouth sands. They will hide from intruders until what they see as the right moment to attack.
At the southern end of the chain of lakes, in a bay on Raerest’s southeastern shore, is a splendid natural harbour. Its shores are covered with in the overgrown ruins of Roaringcrest, a onetime pirate stronghold that was destroyed in an afternoon by one of the Twilight Three, unleashing deadly spells that left the port a place of wild and unreliable magic, where a crimson death and a darktentacles are known to lurk, and deadly automatons stalk. Sword Coast pirates tell lurid tales of the treasure that lies scattered for the taking in the collapsed and riven homes and sheds of Roaringcrest—treasure still largely unclaimed, in the face of its waiting perils.
And that’s all I have on these seven islands. Not much, but certainly enough to get in the way of some campaign plans. Jerry, if it’s the tabula rasa sort of terra incognito you need for your campaign, most of the Pirate Isles off the Sword Coast are entirely undetailed, and NDAs still cover the offshore islets near Baldur’s Gate.
These particular so-close-offshore islands received this level of detail because I intended them as a campaign setting if the mages in the Company of Crazed Venturers relocated to Candlekeep (one of my players had expressed an interest in “conquering Candlekeep from within and becoming its defenders,” so as to have what he saw as the PERFECT base for an adventuring company: access to all the spells he could think of, and a huge staff of servants/defenders. The idea never got off the ground, thankfully, though I did use the Raetheless for one of my limited-duration “library campaigns” in 1989.
I hope this lore is of help, and didn’t collide with your campaign plans TOO harshly.
So saith Ed. And there you have it; another superb little corner of the Realms for a campaign. Right on the doorstep of Candlekeep, too!
love to all,
THO
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4688 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 02:31:52
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From last year THO did so post "the lands along the Rauvin between Silverymoon and Everlund are FAIRLY safe, being under the patrolled protection of both places. In this area are a number of small, private fortified manor houses that serve as rather exclusive inns"
I am interested in learning more about these.
While it would be nice to know how many, I suspect that answer is not available as they may come and go.
I would ask more of the political and economics of such manor houses. Are they independent, self supporting or do they have a duty to Silverymoon and/or Everlund? By self supporting I mean not relaying on funds to maintain the manon house by members of the house adventuring to pay bills. An Inn by its nature certainly can and does take coin from visitors, however that is trade and many holdings derive income from trade. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 15:39:02
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Fear not, Kentinal: Ed tells me he has already penned a reply for you. The moment I’ve posted his holidays and festivals reply to Capn Charlie (which is older and MUST come first, now, because one of the days Ed mentions falls VERY soon), Ed will send me his answer to you.
Hang in there, as they say - - and so should many other scribes, still waiting for responses from the latter half (!) of the 2004 thread. Ye shall none of ye be forgotten!
love,
THO
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 15:46:07
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These three posts look like plenty of detail to me. As Ed implied, a campaign startup setting, and certainly enough for a WotC author to use as a novel setting. How many of these library mini-campaigns did Ed run?
I remember from a GenCon seminar that they were limited (set number of sessions) library programs, and always or almost always a chartered band of adventurers, so the charter gave them a goal they had to strive for.
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 15:54:01
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Blueblade, Ed ran thirteen library mini-campaigns, I believe, all for the North York Public Library (where he worked for thirty-some years) at either the Don Mills branch or the Brookbanks branch. I may be a trifle short on the number.
All of them were set in the Realms, all of them had, yes, charters designed to force the adventurers into trying to do SOMEthing, and they were set pretty well everywhere in the Realms that has a street map in the 2nd Edition Realms box (plus a few more locations). At least two were in Waterdeep.
I’ll pass your post on to Ed, to see if he volunteers more information, in the fullness of time.
love,
THO
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4688 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 15:56:03
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Fear not, Kentinal: Ed tells me he has already penned a reply for you. The moment I’ve posted his holidays and festivals reply to Capn Charlie (which is older and MUST come first, now, because one of the days Ed mentions falls VERY soon), Ed will send me his answer to you.
Hang in there, as they say - - and so should many other scribes, still waiting for responses from the latter half (!) of the 2004 thread. Ye shall none of ye be forgotten!
love,
THO
Thank you my Lady for your reply. It is good to know i was not been forgotten, though was starting to feel so.
I certainly do understand that those whom have asked a question before I did do indeed deserve a reply before I recieve one. I shall wait and bide the time in other ways. |
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2005 : 17:51:44
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Since the original boxed set there have been some great and interesting people in place in the Realms - some more detailed then others, yet all of them frequently popping up in references - notable examples are Elminster, Khelben, the Seven Sisters, but also the likes of Mirt the Moneylender and even lesser known 'notorious' Realmsians like Bran Skorlsun.
With the years (Real World years) time has passed as well in the Realms, and some of these folk have aged. Beloved (or hated depending on point of view) Azoun recently passed away, but most of the 'original' Realms personalities are still alive and approaching advanced age.
For instance, while I was browsing through some Harper related items, I noticed that several of the senior Harpers would be approaching retirement, yet none of the current products or novels seems to address this.
Is there already new blood out there to inherit the positions some of these Realmsians occupy, or will we see further use of life-span enhancing magics (which IMO is pushing the limits of a realism)? |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2005 : 01:56:40
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Hello, all.
Mumadar, your question has been discussed by Ed and various Wizards staffers, but he informs me that NDAs firmly prevent him discussing this topic here at this time (which should suggest an answer of sorts to you, yes?).
However, I do bring the first part of Ed’s regretful reply to Capn Charlie:
I’m sorry for both the lateness and paltry nature of this response, but I couldn’t even begin to provide any exhaustive list of festivals and events. Not only do I run into NDA trouble right away, but every single day in the calendar features something or several somethings (if one includes both purely local traditions and all religious ceremonies, and covers all three of those countries).
What I will provide, though, are a handful or two of ‘around the year’ observances from Turmish that have hitherto not been published anywhere (to be added to the ‘big holidays’ noted in the Calendar of Harptos, and any temple holidays celebrated by faiths you want to make locally prominent in your campaign). I hope this will prove useful to you and all Realms DMs. If details I’ve given here don’t fit your needs or likes, just change them: I see these sort of ‘common festivals’ as varying widely in local details, across the Heartlands.
Hammer 4 Wintershield
A day off work, whereon folk sip prepared, warmed ciders and broths (often laced with herbs for health and to bring on visions), stay inside and warm (huddling together or taking to a communal bed with many blankets and cloaks), and tell tales of what interested them or was important in the year just done, and what they intend to do or should deal with, or that everyone ‘should keep an eye on,’ in the year ahead. Such discussions inevitably lead into discussions of politics and wars and the intentions of rulers, and maps and far-farers are usually consulted. It’s considered lucky to possess and examine a map on Wintershield, and sales of such things (however inaccurate, irrelevant, or sketchy) tend to be brisk in the tenday preceding this day. Some folk, particularly in Amn, Waterdeep, Sembia, and Chessenta, believe that this ‘favour of the gods’ comes not from hauling out old maps to consult, but by purchasing a new map every year and examining both it and older ones.
Few folk trade or try to travel on Wintershield, and those who dare to do so are often considered mad, evil, desperate, or defiant of the gods.
Alturiak 10 Sarkhuld
On this day, centuries ago, someone called Sark (or something similar) defeated many monsters (some tales say orc chieftans, others relate a varied sequence of beasts that always include a peryton, a leucrotta, and a manticore) and made his land or town or hamlet or farm safe from such perils for many years. To keep Turmish strong, monsters (ideally, an orc, peryton, and so on) must be hunted and slain on this day - - and someone, somewhere in Turmish, must cook and eat a portion of such a beast.
To guard against the downfall of the kingdom and specific locales and family fortunes in particular, folk of Turmish purchase (often from traveling peddlers, who are carefully policed by priests in the land to make absolutely certain they are selling genuine substances) vials of orc (or pertyon, or etc.) blood, and everyone in a dwelling must dab at least a drop on their tongues, another on their foreheads, and let a third fall into a flame or hot fire-hearth.
It’s not known what orcs, perytons, leucrottas, and manticores do on Sarkhuld, aside from keeping very well hidden or away from Turmish - - but deaths down the years hint that orcs dwelling in the Orsraun Mountains try to slay at least one human each on this day; some “monster hunts” in Turmish are closer to pitched battles.
Ches 17 Spellfall
On this date, centuries ago, a beautiful sorceress was slain by a wizard in a duel wherein both shapechanged, much land was traversed and divers trees set afire, and the struggle ended when the dying woman (back in her own shape) fell from the sky, blazing like a bonfire.
Her name, that of her slayer, and the reason for their dispute are all forgotten, but the place where her body (that collapsed into ash, on the spot) landed (claimed by literally thousands of folk to be this or that patch of their own gardens or meadows) sprouted a rich profusion of flowers in a few days.
To keep the land strong, beautiful women with sorcerous powers volunteer to be set afire by means of a spell when aloft (taken there either by their own magic or by a spell cast by another), and fall to the ground, where local priests of ALL faiths resident in Turmish (regardless of portfolio) agree to heal (and if necessary raise to life) the women. These volunteers are known as “Sarathsa,” but this name is known to be that of a sorceress who was transformed by a deity (there’s sharp disagreement over which one) upon landing during a Spellfall observance some four centuries back, into a servant of that deity - - rather than being the name of the original sorceress.
It’s crucial that a Sarathsa willingly put herself forward to enact this ritual, and that she suffer pain during the fall - - but there’s no need for her to make the landing unprotected, or be burned without any protection, and spells are usually cast to minimize both sorts of damage. It’s considered unlucky if any town, marketplace, or larger settlement in Turmish doesn’t enact this ritual (and those who dwell elsewhere will send at least one representative from every hamlet to go and see a ritual enacted elsewhere, to ward off ill fortune from their own locale), and angry folk of Turmish are likely to drive out any priest who refuses to take part, or tear down their abode, shrine, or temple. (This doesn’t mean that every last priest in a temple must get out and be seen casting spells to aid a Sarathsa, just that every temple or shrine should have a holy representative who does take part.)
After the ritual is done, and watchers celebrate by drinking, the Sarathsa should be whole - - that is, free of all disformities, sickness, and physical damage. The various priests must do whatever is necessary to make her that way, and so some diseased women choose to become Sarathsas so they’ll get wholly healed, for free and without obligation.
So saith Ed. I’ll post the next part of his reply tomorrow, beginning with the festival of Walkskull.
love to all,
THO
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Edited by - The Hooded One on 03 Jan 2005 01:58:13 |
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Melfius
Senior Scribe
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2005 : 03:06:24
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I have a quick question about 2nd Edition for Ed:
In the book Secrets of the Magister, the spell Mantle says:
"A mantle can withstand nine or more attempts to magically alter, smash, or dispel it."
Does this include Mordenkainen's Disjunction and Eye of Mystra? |
Melfius, Pixie-Priest of Puck - Head Chef, The Faerie Kitchen, Candlekeep Inn
"What's in his pockets, besides me?"
Read a tale of my earlier days! - Happiness Comes in Small Packages |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2005 : 06:33:12
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Greetings and a happy new year oh Lady Hooded One and Ed.
I looking through the 2nd edition product "the Dalelands" the other day when a thought struck me. How would the people of the Dales react if Aencar somehow returned? Whether it'd be the real Aencar or not was not part of my initial thought, but let's say either the real one, or a good enough copy to fool even the odd elf or other longlived person who might have memories of the Mantled King during his heydays. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2005 : 08:47:36
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Mumadar, your question has been discussed by Ed and various Wizards staffers, but he informs me that NDAs firmly prevent him discussing this topic here at this time (which should suggest an answer of sorts to you, yes?).
Thanks Lady. I indeed expected an answer like this, but it is a good answer nonetheless, since continuation is what makes the Realms a living and breathing world for most. I'll be looking out for these changes to come - given the advances made in the timeline, we ought to see some this year... |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2005 : 15:03:49
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Dear Mr. Greenwood.
I have but a few questions for you today.
1. The return of Bane. The only things mentioned about this crucial event in Faerûnian history is the 1\4 of a page in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting book. How can this be? Is this all the coverage of the return of the biggest meanest god we`re gonna get? I virtually know nothing about this, except the few lines in FRCS.
Am i totally off track here? Wouldnt this be an excellent novel? The return of bane as the 6th book in the avatar series, with lowder as author of course 
2. Halaster after the Elminster in hell book. Hhat happens to him? has he regained his sanity, and\or what are the consequences of this? Will there be any novels covering this also(IMO) crucial event?
3. The waterdeep novel which Mr.Greenwood is supposedly writing.
What issues will this novel deal with? Are you introducing new characters? How are the collaboration with mrs.Cunningham going?
Is this a free standing novel, or part of a series?
Sorry if some of these issues has been dealt with earlier, but i would appreciate some feedback nonetheless.
by the way, happy new year to all of you, and may 2005 be a kind year to everyone. |
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Verghityax
Learned Scribe
131 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jan 2005 : 22:07:30
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Dear Ed of Greenwood,
This time I've got a question concerning Ulgoth's Beard:
1) Has Ulgoth's Beard got any heraldic symbol or something of this kind? If yes, how does it look exactly?
2) I would like to draw Ulgoth's Beard map. How many and what kind of buildings I would have to draw and how should I place them? I know this might be really stupid question, yet it's quite of importance to me :) |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 01:59:18
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Hello, all. Ed’s reply to Capn Charlie, relating festivals celebrated in Turmish (and elsewhere, too) continues through the year:
Tarsakh 24 Walkskull
The tail-end of winter always brings the hungriest days to Turmish, regardless of how bountiful the harvests of the preceding fall were. “Hungriest” is a relative term, of course: few folk in this verdant land are likely to starve, and far fewer (even in the mountains) will freeze while out on dangerous, desperate hunting forays to try to get something to eat than will perish in more northerly climes.
Nevertheless, larders tend to be rather empty, and folk sick of salted, pickled, dried, and long-cellared food. Fresh fruit may still be months away, but on this day elders in every village take skins of fruit liqueurs out on their backs, walking with escorts of their kin and fellow elders who carry human skulls in their hands in token of how near to us all death may be, and offer mouthfuls of the drink to anyone they see, to impart the hope of bounty to come.
On the night of Walkskull, most villagers gather at a tavern and get loudly, boisterously drunk together, with much dancing, laughter, tale-telling, and trysting for pleasure (out on the land, with blankets and daring) afterwards. Many shops open late or not at all, on the morning after Walkskull, and workers fail to appear - - and by custom and decree, this is tolerated without penalty or punishment. Wherefore “the morning after Walkskull” has become a Turmish expression for workers sitting around and talking rather than working, when customers are few or nonexistent.
Mirtul 6,7,8,9 The Running
Four days in which most shops are closed and markets cancelled, and apprentices and other workers visit parents, kin, or friends (they can reach, and return from, within the four day period), taking with them food or drink so informal “family feasting” can occur when they get together. This is a time for catching up on family news and local gossip, showing children to grandparents, making deals and taking home payments or gifts, and so on; temples in Turmish take part in this, allowing all novices and priests who desire to ‘time off’ from prayers and temple duties to go and see family; birth patterns tell all that many children are conceived each year at this time.
The roads and trails are crowded with travelers during The Running, and brigandage is always a problem, but folk in Turmish help each other along the way without payment (innkeepers, tavernmasters, and wagon-repairers excepted).
Kythorn 14 Guildhall
A day of trade fairs in all cities and towns of Turmish, in which shops are closed and usual daily work suspended. During Guildhall, traders from afar and almost all guilds and trade cabals of Turmish display new products, innovations, fashions, and the extent and quality of their services and wares. This is usually done by means of glittering displays, but sometimes also through small plays, or hired-by-the-guilds entertainments (jugglers, “magic shows” put on by hedge-wizards, and minstrelry) at which prizes or free samples are distributed.
So saith Ed. More to come, of course, on the morrow.
love to all,
THO
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Jerryd
Acolyte
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 02:49:41
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THO:
Please relay to Ed my thanks for the lore on those islands! That's really a lot more than I had expected for such relatively small islands! I will say that you were right in what you said a couple weeks ago about the Interactive Atlas not being fully accurate once you're off the continental heartlands. The description of the shapes and relative distances of the islands bear very little resemblance to what is drawn in the FRIA. In fact, even the number of islands is off! The FRIA depicts only six islands, not seven! I don't have the Old Gray Box, but I do have the 2nd Ed. box set having mapsheet 1085XXX0703. I dug that out and that seems to be very close to what Ed described.
Ed hoped his lore didn't collide with the needs of the campaign I'm in, and actually it didn't. What I needed was a cliffside on which I could put a portal at sea level, a large one which a ship could go through. The other end of the portal is in Cormyr where the Storm Horns meet the very western edge of the Dragonmere. This portal provides a way for ships to travel between the Inner Sea and the Sea of Swords. I needed a mostly uninhabited island for that, and that's what Ed provided! Ed doesn't specifically mention cliffs on the island of Raerest, but his description of 'the Shield' on the western side of the island is quite consistent with west-facing cliffs. The campaign is centered in Cormyr, and the existence of such a portal has been implicit for some time (ships have made their way between Waterdeep and Suzail "off-screen"), although last month was the time that was forced to be explicit because the primary PC's had to use it at the beginning of a very long ocean voyage into unexplored waters at the bequest of the Cormyrean King. (Not the 'canon' one — our campaign started in 1357 DR, history started diverging dramatically from canon in 1358, and our current campaign year is 1382.)
Jerry Davis.
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Jerryd
Acolyte
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 04:09:53
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A very simple and quick question for Ed, only requiring an (a) or (b) answer and involving the creation or typing of no additional realmslore, and I think very unlikely to involve any NDA's. I need to know this for my forthcoming War Wizards article.
Is Vangerdahast's title the (a) "Chairman Emperius" or (b) "Chairman Emeritus" of the College of War Wizards? I can find cites in source for both, including Ed's own works.
The 2nd Ed. Cormyr accessory by Eric Haddock gives both: Emperius on p.11 and Emeritus on p.59. Volo's Guide to Cormyr (written by Ed) gives Emperius on p.22 but Cormyr: A Novel (also written by Ed) gives Emeritus on p.80 (paperback version). The novel Crusade by James Lowder gives Emperius on p.2. So which is Vangey's true title?
Before asking here, I've searched the Candlekeep archives, the REALMS-L list archive, and the WotC boards archive and got no satisfaction.
Thanks much!
Jerry Davis
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Lameth
Learned Scribe
Germany
196 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 10:49:54
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Hello an a happy new year to all of you.
My question is if there are more informations about the Island Gundarlun (north in the sword coast)
Some time ago there was a computer game, don`t know the name, and there where some informations about Gundarlun. We took these informations and build a modul with the Neverwinter Nights Modul.
We need more Informations about Gundarlun and mybe the Turn island.
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Will the Waterdeep novel include Dragons like in the shortstory THE KEEPER OF SECRETS? |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 15:20:24
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As it happens, Jerryd, I can handle this one without awakening Ed in his lair.
What follows quotes heavily from Ed’s “secret notes” on Cormyr, given to his players (including me) after we investigated such things, in-game:
Vangerdahast is BOTH "Chairman Emperius of the College of War Wizards" AND "Chairman Emeritus of the College of War Wizards." The first version is the title he gave himself (after a suggestion by Elminster, with whom he was then still on friendly terms) when he re-organized the College of the War Wizards (the organization, housed in a few spell-trapped rooms of the Royal Court in Suzail, with “mirror” records hidden somewhere else rural) that confers formal membership in the War Wizards, keeps rolls of members (genealogies, truenames, identifying marks, oaths of membership, reports by them and about them, heraldry [personal sigils and runes], notes of spells they’ve created, and so on).
Vangey officially became “Chairman Emeritus” when he got too busy to personally direct the daily operations of this College, and turned it over to a quartet of senior (and aging) War Wizards (yes, as “reward jobs”for their declining years).
However (being the crafty power-monger that Vangey, above all, is) he never resigned his formal title, and indeed still draws pay from the Royal Treasury under it (he gets no salary as Royal Magician, though as Court Wizard he controls a very large budget that isn’t supposed to be spent on himself beyond replacing his robes). This also keeps his four replacements reporting to him almost daily, as opposed to filing written reports once a month (or more often, upon demand) to the Court Wizard.
So the two titles both get used now, almost interchangeably. The mangled real-world Latin of both comes from Elminster, of course, who seems to enjoy these personal little jokes.
I’m sure Garen Thal, George Krashos, Grant Christie, Tom Costa, and other sages of things Cormyrean will want to read this, too. And yes, Jerry, the Shield on Raerest IS a set of towering cliffs on the western (seaward) side, with the beginnings of a few seacaves sl-l-o-o-wly being carved out of their VERY hard rock by the tireless Sea of Swords.
Yours in Realmslore,
love,
THO
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Mystery_Man
Senior Scribe
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 17:38:33
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Hello Mr. Greenwood.
I have a question regarding dead gods. Forgive me if this has been asked before.
What's the current body count?
Are they dead, dead? Or just dead, ready to be revived thru some epic act or worship dead? Where does thier remaining (if any) essence reside, some demiplane, other?
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TheHermit
Seeker
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 18:15:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Elf_Friend
Are they dead, dead? Or just dead, ready to be revived thru some epic act or worship dead?
'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
Er... sorry. |
- "Glitz & Klax's Potions & Elixirs"/"The Sandmen", Inside Ravens Bluff, The Living City; 1990; TSR, Inc.
- "The Far Guardians' Traveler's Mission", Port of Ravens Bluff; 1991, TSR, Inc.
- "Signs Painted", Polyhedron #70; April, 1992; TSR, Inc.
- Communications Director, Coliseum of Comics, Orlando, FL - http://coliseumofcomics.com/ |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 23:09:53
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quote:
Originally posted by TheHermit
quote:
Originally posted by Elf_Friend
Are they dead, dead? Or just dead, ready to be revived thru some epic act or worship dead?
'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
Er... sorry.
I love that one! |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jan 2005 : 23:42:48
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Vangerdahast is BOTH "Chairman Emperius of the College of War Wizards" AND "Chairman Emeritus of the College of War Wizards." The first version is the title he gave himself (after a suggestion by Elminster, with whom he was then still on friendly terms) when he re-organized the College of the War Wizards (the organization, housed in a few spell-trapped rooms of the Royal Court in Suzail, with “mirror” records hidden somewhere else rural) that confers formal membership in the War Wizards, keeps rolls of members (genealogies, truenames, identifying marks, oaths of membership, reports by them and about them, heraldry [personal sigils and runes], notes of spells they’ve created, and so on).
Vangey officially became “Chairman Emeritus” when he got too busy to personally direct the daily operations of this College, and turned it over to a quartet of senior (and aging) War Wizards (yes, as “reward jobs”for their declining years).
However (being the crafty power-monger that Vangey, above all, is) he never resigned his formal title, and indeed still draws pay from the Royal Treasury under it (he gets no salary as Royal Magician, though as Court Wizard he controls a very large budget that isn’t supposed to be spent on himself beyond replacing his robes). This also keeps his four replacements reporting to him almost daily, as opposed to filing written reports once a month (or more often, upon demand) to the Court Wizard.
So the two titles both get used now, almost interchangeably. The mangled real-world Latin of both comes from Elminster, of course, who seems to enjoy these personal little jokes.
So one assumes, going by the above, that Caladnei is simply Mage Royal of Cormyr and NOT head of the War Wizards per se. Interesting ...
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 00:24:34
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Whistling innocently and staring at the ceiling, Garen winked. When Krashos the Sage finished his speculation, he turned on his heels, threw his hands up, and fled.
One could see Garen's sleeves rolling down to his elbows as he ran, cackling madly, down one of the halls of Candlekeep and disappeared. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 01:11:33
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Hello, all.
Krash, Ed tells me he’ll be sending an “elder runes” reply for you soon.
As for the matter of who’s head of the War Wizards: Caladnei certainly is (post-ELMINSTER’S DAUGHTER). Chairing “The College of” the War Wizards is a different thing than leading them. To put it in Australian (and Canadian) terms, it’s like having a Governor-General and a Prime Minister. The first has the formal, heraldic, empty power, and the latter runs the country (or pretends to).
Ed’s unfolding reply to Capn Charlie continues, as our march through a year reaches the hot months:
Flamerule 9 Fists
This is a day of jousting in Cormyr and Sembia and unarmed wrestling in Aglarond, Thay, Turmish and the Vilhon Reach in general, Westgate, the Dales, and among forest-dwellers across the Heartlands (yes, Wild Elves, too). In Thay, slave ‘champions’ are used in contests.
Much betting takes place, and there are usually some matches (‘frolics’) that involve unclad wrestlers of both genders, and/or oiled bodies to make everyone slippery, and/or wrestling in food (often the last mouldy ‘larder jellies’ [sugared fruit concoctions] left from the previous winter). Formally this was a day when real scores would be settled, sometimes to the death, under cover of these mock combats, but in almost all places this has been outlawed, and fierce punishments are enacted on those who try to harm foes or cause ‘accidents’ to befall rivals or enemies.
No real work takes place during Fists, except in taverns and among food-sellers at the various combat venues. In Cormyr, two days before Fists and four days after Fists are allowed ‘off work’ for traveling to and from events, and recovery from participation in them. A lot of games of skill (which are gambled upon enthusiastically) with cards, dice, thrown darts, and the like now take place on Fists, so the unathletic can participate by some means other than howling support and placing bets. Local wealthy merchants, officials, and rulers often ‘put up’ prizes for such contests, and for exhibitions of martial skill such as archery and ‘down-the-horse’ (wherein strongfolk strive to knock a full-sized horse off its hooves faster than rivals).
Eleasias 22 Misrule
Formerly a day when children could give their parents orders, apprentices could do the same to their masters, underpriests instruct and command their superiors, and so on, this “celebration” has been marred by much violence and repercussions down the years, and has evolved into a day when the apprentices of rival guilds clash in street brawls (in cities) for the title of “King of the Streets’ (usually trying to bring an actual high-backed wooden seat or ‘Throne’ to a central spot, and keep it there, whilst preventing other bands of brawlers from installing their thrones).
In rural areas, rather than battling over thrones, large mobs of youths gather for violent, landscape-spanning games of ‘Claim the Crown’ that last until sunset (when local rulers or temples provide meals and much drink, the latter usually laced with sleep-inducing substances to quell trouble).
Claim the Crown is a sport akin to Capture the Flag, involving two teams trying to outscore each other. A point is scored by bringing the Crown (who is usually a beautiful woman clad in polished-bright chainmail who must not be harmed, and who can choose to hide, flee, or cooperate), to established ‘goal’ spots, one for each team.
The Crown can be physically restrained (and is usually carried) by participants, but must not be rendered unconscious, bound, or confined within anything (in some local variants, the Crown is carried in an open coffin, or seeks to remove her armour and toss it away whilst the team possessing her seeks to prevent this; if she’s wearing less than half the pieces when she reaches the scoring spot, no point can be scored until she’s clad again).
Sometimes several Crowns take part in a Misrule match, one succeeding another as each becomes weary or overly battered. Local clergy and wizards heal participants, officiate the scoring, and magically teleport the Crown to various (usually random) spots so play can resume after each ‘claim.’ Claim the Crown is usually played in terrain affording cover, often rolling pastureland, woodlots, and forest - - but the scoring spots are usually hills or other easily-seen places.
Eleint 28 Brightswords
A day when guards and soldiers parade in glittering array, give demonstrations of martial skill (archery and bombardment are popular) or stage mock battles, and persons desiring to join their ranks are given chances to demonstrate their prowess (usually with wooden practise weapons, in contests against veteran soldiers). Weaponmakers and vendors sell their wares openly in the markets, experts who can hurl or juggle weapons show off their skills, and there are horse races open to all (including wagon races, and archery-from-the-saddle races). Wealthy merchants, local officials, and rulers give prizes (usually a trophy full of coins) to the winners of such contests - - and spies employed by most governments watch for promising recruits, known villains sneaking in to steal or purchase weapons, and sources of good weapons or well-trained mounts.
So saith Ed. Yes, there’ll be more to come tomorrow.
love to all,
THO
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
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Jerryd
Acolyte
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 02:30:52
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Sigh... ask for a simple (a) or (b) answer, and get (c) Both, plus further lore muddying the issue!
Then Scribe Krash spake thusly...
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
So one assumes, going by the above, that Caladnei is simply Mage Royal of Cormyr and NOT head of the War Wizards per se. Interesting ...
Then Ed replied...
quote:
Originally posted by Ed via THO
As for the matter of who’s head of the War Wizards: Caladnei certainly is (post-ELMINSTER’S DAUGHTER). Chairing “The College of” the War Wizards is a different thing than leading them. To put it in Australian (and Canadian) terms, it’s like having a Governor-General and a Prime Minister. The first has the formal, heraldic, empty power, and the latter runs the country (or pretends to).
So the title "Chairman Emperius" is a figurehead title and has no necessary connection to the person who actually leads the War Wizards.
The very title "chairman" implies to me that there is some "board" or "assembly" of a small number of leading war wizards for the "chairman" to be a chairman of. It seems a little odd to call someone a "chairman" of an entire institution of a thousand-plus war wizards; the title doesn't really fit any grouping larger than could be comfortably seated around a table together.
This "board" may or may not be the quartet of senior (and aging) War Wizards that Vangerdahast turned the daily operations over to upon becoming "Chairman Emeritus". THO's words (from Ed's notes, as follows)
quote:
Originally posted by THO
Vangey officially became “Chairman Emeritus” when he got too busy to personally direct the daily operations of this College, and turned it over to a quartet of senior (and aging) War Wizards (yes, as “reward jobs”for their declining years).
can be interpreted two ways that I can see. Either (a) this quartet is the "board" that Vangey was chairman of before he assumed the Emeritus title and simply handed daily control to them, or (b) this quartet was assembled and given power when Vangey took the Emeritus title and not before and there is a separate body that is the "board". The way THO worded that as the quartet being "reward jobs" for declining years, my own inclination is that option (b) is the more likely of the two.
So, what do we know?
Well, we know that Vangerdahast really led the War wizards and also had the titles Chairman Emperius and Chairman Emeritus, but the former (real leadership) and latter (official titles) aren't inherently connected.
We know that Caladnei really leads the War Wizards and has the "Mage Royal" or "Royal Magician" titles (which seem to be anonymous and interchangeable), but as far as I've seen possesses neither Chairman title.
We know (at least I think we know) that Court Wizard is a title that is distinct from both "Royal Magician" and either type of Chairman, but I'm not clear at all about how it's distinct.
We know that Laspeera was the "second-in-command" to Vangey and is still the "second-in-command" to Caladnei, but as far as I've seen there are no formal job titles that accrue to the "second-in-command". It appears to be an appointed position of real authority but no formal recognition or title.
We know that there is at least one "board" (this quartet if nothing else) and perhaps two.
What we don't know from Canon is whether anyone at all in the current Caladnei era has the Chairman title, or whether there is currently any "board". Ed, THO, in muddying the waters like this you know that you only prompt further questions!
Putting this together with what I've come up with so far in my War Wizard chapter, right now I'm leaning towards two: an "executive" board (this quartet) that oversees day-to-day operations, and an "administrative or advisory board" (pre-existing the Emeritus title) of senior wizards each responsible for a different function or aspect of War Wizard operations (Purple Dragon attachments, Imperial Navy attachments, investigative teams, border outpost assignments, etc.)
Ed, for the sake of this scribe's sanity, can you provide any clarification?
As Scribe Garen flees cackling madly, Scribe Jerry senses the impending thunderhead of a significant and time-consuming rewrite coming on (pushing delivery date back yet again), and utters a brief primal scream as his cranium distorts and warps into a transdimensional shape reminiscent of what's known on Earth as a Klein bottle...
Edit: Oh, and another question... if the Chairman title is in itself a figurehead title, is there a title for the person who really runs the War Wizards? |
Edited by - Jerryd on 05 Jan 2005 02:37:03 |
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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2005 : 03:09:23
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To very briefly explain the various roles possessed by Vangerdahast (inherited by Caladnei), I'll detail how things work, to the best of my knowledge, understanding, and conversations with Ed:
There is Mage Royal, who is simply and only the Royal Magician, Lord High Wizard, and other divers titles that acts as personal wizard to the king.
Second there is the Court Wizard, who chairs meetings of the Council of Mages, approves new members to that body, and delivers its recommendations to the Crown.
Next, there is the commander of the War Wizards, who serves as the ultimate authority and top of the hierarchy in the field. Earlier in Cormyr's history, this post was known as High Castellan, but since the treachery of Luthax (see Cormyr: A Novel), the commander of the War Wizards has also and only been the Mage Royal.
Last, there is the Chairman of the College of War Wizards. The College of War Wizards is not a school or "college" in the modern sense, but the group of senior War Wizards--and, yes, a few alarphons--that confers membership in that organization; the college is the "board" of which Vangerdahast was chair. The College of War Wizards is extremely secretive (even more than the larger War Wizards group), and their membership is not entirely public. They are part admissions board, part internal affairs, and part something else entirely. The Chairman directs meetings of the College, and reports any decisions it makes to the commander of the War Wizards (who would then report anything important to the Royal Magician; conveniently, all are one in the same).
The muddling of all these posts is part of why Vangey grew so tired so quickly: he created a massive, multi-branched bureaucray, with himself as the key link between them. Thus, Laspeera took over some of the duties of Court Wizard from time to time (one assumes she continues to do so), and Caladnei may indeed be searching for a permanent official to fill one or more of these roles. Time alone will tell. |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2005)
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