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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Oct 2008 : 15:05:00
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I think it's from the same people that brought you such other great rumors as:
"Elminster's my baby's daddy!" (voted most likely to be true)
"The Simbul's secretly plotting with the Red Wizards to take over the world."
"Drizzt is a diva."
And, my personal favorite:
"Azoun's not dead! He's been kidnapped by aliens!" |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2008 : 15:59:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
I don't know. I mean, it depends if you believe the whole mess about 'Khelben messed with Laeral's brain - she doesn't really love him - she hates him'. If this is true, the names would probably be one-sided - that is, chosen by only parent. If they aren't, the names are two -sided (agreed upon by both Laeral and Khelben).
Where'd this theory of Khelben-mind-messing come from, Menelvagor? I know I've heard bits and pieces of similar ideas in the past, but wondered where folks got that idea....
Steven
who's a firm believer that these two truly loved each other for centuries... but then, he's a romantic at heart (with no patience for modern romances)
Are you trying to say Mind altering can't be romantic? |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Menelvagor
Senior Scribe
Israel
352 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2008 : 18:06:11
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I read it in a description of her on the FR Wikia.
Here is the link: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Laeral_Silverhand
Where did they get this from, I have no idea. |
"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.
How much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation in the dust, are crushed before the moth?" - Eliphaz the Temanite, Job IV, 17-19.
"Yea, though he live a thousand years twice, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?" - Ecclesiastes VI, 6.
"There are no stupid questions just a bunch of inquisitive idiots."
"Let's not call it 'hijacking'. Let's call it 'Thread Drift'." |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2008 : 18:29:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
I read it in a description of her on the FR Wikia.
Here is the link: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Laeral_Silverhand
Where did they get this from, I have no idea.
Off the top of my hat - one of the 2nd Ed write-ups of Laeral mentioned that there was speculation that when Khelben released Laeral from the Crown of Horns, he did not so much release her as take over control from the Crown. It was noted that Laeral and/or Khelben occasionally played up the rumor, in order to lure potential enemies into the open by having them contact Laeral with a proposal to break the hold (I believe, but am not certain, that it was in The Seven Sisters. Maybe the rumor has taken on a life of its own in real life? |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2008 : 18:38:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Thauramarth
quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
I read it in a description of her on the FR Wikia.
Here is the link: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Laeral_Silverhand
Where did they get this from, I have no idea.
Off the top of my hat - one of the 2nd Ed write-ups of Laeral mentioned that there was speculation that when Khelben released Laeral from the Crown of Horns, he did not so much release her as take over control from the Crown. It was noted that Laeral and/or Khelben occasionally played up the rumor, in order to lure potential enemies into the open by having them contact Laeral with a proposal to break the hold (I believe, but am not certain, that it was in The Seven Sisters. Maybe the rumor has taken on a life of its own in real life?
Now I remember. It was tossed out there (by Ed in Seven Sisters) as one potential rumor folk natter about and K&L let them believe, regardless of the truth of the matter.
Thanks, all. It's been a few years since I've reread that great sourcebook....
SES |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Kamuraki
Seeker
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2008 : 21:02:58
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| Hey Steve, I just reread Blackstaff Tower, and noticed you also reside in Grand Rapids, as well as teach here. Is that at college or grade school level? Also, we're supposed to get snow on Sunday and Monday. I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to it. :( |
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
- Douglas Adams |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2008 : 18:54:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Kamuraki
Hey Steve, I just reread Blackstaff Tower, and noticed you also reside in Grand Rapids, as well as teach here. Is that at college or grade school level? Also, we're supposed to get snow on Sunday and Monday. I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to it. :(
I've been teaching game writing and world building workshops at Grand LAN downtown on Division and Fountain. I'm planning to advertise and see if enough students are intereted in a class in early 2009.
As for the snow, I don't mind it as I'm working at home and don't have to commute in it. Also, I don't tend to be irritated or down on snow until about late January, really. I'm one of those people who'll take the dog on extra-long walks while it's snowing.
Steven |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Kamuraki
Seeker
USA
78 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2008 : 21:00:00
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| I should swing over and have you sign my copy of Blackstaff Tower. :P |
"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."
- Douglas Adams |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2008 : 19:22:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Kamuraki
I should swing over and have you sign my copy of Blackstaff Tower. :P
That could be arranged; check your PMs.
SES
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For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2008 : 22:11:37
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A question about Rhymanthiin: Is Kraanfhaor's Door included in the restored area? I've found hints in other posts that suggest that it may be, but nothing conclusive. I did, however, find this little snippet:
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
<chop>... Dunno if it's mentioned, but I suspect that people can find Kraanfhaor's Door lies open, and an empty chamber lies beyond it after about 1377....
Second question: Does this mean that (a) the Srinshee was behind Kraanfhaor's Door (and (b) therefore, possibly, that it was a sealed portal to Arvandor)?
Third and final question, unrelated (to my knowledge) to the previous two: What was the ritual Halaster was trying to perform before his (far too untimely) demise? Anything like Szass Tam's Twin Burnings or Karsus' Avatar?
Edit: One more question: How many children did Khelben father before his (also untimely, but far more publicly noble) demise? I expect that this may be NDA...  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 08 Nov 2008 22:14:29 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2008 : 22:46:27
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Well, there's this info, gathered from prior comments:
quote:
Khelben's Marriages/Loves
Dates: 714 - 748
Name: Khelben I
Marital Status: Single
Children: 1 daughter (½elf)
Dates: c.748 - c.808
Name: "Hauliyr"
Marital Status: Married
Childrne: 2 daughters (½ elves) (Saheen Silverbrow)
Dates: 844 - 956
Name: "Halver Gehrin" [Khelben II (privately only)]
Marital Status: Married (½e)
Children: 2 daughters (one ½elf, one human)
Dates: 1100 - 1256
Name: Khelben III "the Elder"
Marital Status: Married (human) Children: 1 son, 1 daughter (twin h)
Married (human) Children: 2 daughters; 1 son(Zelphar)
Dates: 1302 - now
Name: Khelben IV "the Blackstaff"
Marital Status: Single
Children: Unknown (no children? Maura?)
Marriage/Love: 750 - 774
Wife/Lover: Mariel Silverbrow
Details: Half-elf wife; as human son of half-elf, his kids can be half-elves. Raised his half-elf daughters (751, 755) until 770, and they leave. training Syluné from 775 - 808 w/death; Saheen returns to finish Syluné's training.
Marriage/Love: 808-816
Wife/Lover: (Laeral)
Details: Realizes his truelove in Laeral, though circumstances don't allow the match to happen; Khelben's identity dies, leaving Laeral to grieve.
Marriage/Love: 830s?
Wife/Lover: (Laeral)
Details: Second missed opportunity; this time, it is Khelben who holds Laeral off
Marriage/Love: 866ish
Wife/Lover: (Laeral)
Details: Third missed opportunity, since Khelben is married in his alias as Halver. Don't see each other after sealing of Hellgate Keep for more than 200 years.
Marriage/Love: 862 - 879
Wife/Lover: (half-elf)
Details: Wife dies in childbirth after years of trying for kids, bearing twin daughters nearly identical save that one is half-elf and the other human.
Marriage/Love: 1080s?
Wife/Lover: (Laeral)
Details: She's married this time and he's tied up with Harperstuff
.. Go nearly 300 years apart
Marriage/Love: 1109 - 1146
Wife/Lover: ? (human)
Details: Human wife in area near Yartar? Children grown & gone by 1130 (b. 1112); wife dies & K finally goes to Waterdeep as Khelben (later known as "the Elder")
Marriage/Love: 1238 - 1251?
Wife/Lover: Cassandra ?
Details: Human wife bears three kids in 1240, 1244, and 1249; 2-yr-old daughter dies in attack by Kerrigan the Traitor Lord in 1246. Disappears in 1251 after death of wife to deal with Harper business; Zelphar raised by cousins in Neverwinter and visited intermittently by Khelben (whose official death is set c.1280). Returns later as Ducat Eattel, his family gone from Waterdeep.
Marriage/Love: 1329 - present
Wife/Lover: Laeral
Details: Khelben entrenched in Waterdeep as the Blackstaff by 1322; pursues Laeral across the North at times, though she is part of the Nine now and is reluctant to finally consummate 500 years of missed opportunities and unrequited passion. Khelben continues, saving her from the Crown of Horns in 1357. By 1360, the pair is finally together & inseparable.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2008 : 23:14:37
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Thanks Wooly!  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2008 : 23:32:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
A question about Rhymanthiin: Is Kraanfhaor's Door included in the restored area? I've found hints in other posts that suggest that it may be, but nothing conclusive. I did, however, find this little snippet:
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
<chop>... Dunno if it's mentioned, but I suspect that people can find Kraanfhaor's Door lies open, and an empty chamber lies beyond it after about 1377....
No, Kraanfhaor's Door is most decidedly not within the restored area (at least as the map in my head tells me so).
quote:
Second question: Does this mean that (a) the Srinshee was behind Kraanfhaor's Door (and (b) therefore, possibly, that it was a sealed portal to Arvandor)?
a) Nope; she had nothing to do with that site or realm so far as I know/remember (but if another designer or writer put her there, so be it...I just know what lies behind the door in my mind).
b) Possibly, sure, but most likely nope again; it really is/was a protected storehouse of lore. No portals, no gates, nothing other than knowledge and magic in there. (Again, as far as I was concerned when I scribbled down the nuggets on the doors...)
Granted, if you want either option to be true and it works best for your campaign, go right ahead. I was just stating that these weren't part of what I'd conceived when I wrote it.
quote:
Third and final question, unrelated (to my knowledge) to the previous two: What was the ritual Halaster was trying to perform before his (far too untimely) demise? Anything like Szass Tam's Twin Burnings or Karsus' Avatar?
Beats the heck out of me; I'm not the guy who last wrote Halaster, so you'd have to ask that writer, methinks. I still haven't read the details of what happened to the old coot other than his apparent demise. From what I'd heard, it might have had to be a magic working of that scale level to have had the destructive potential it did....but I seriously doubt it was the latter.
quote:
Edit: One more question: How many children did Khelben father before his (also untimely, but far more publicly noble) demise? I expect that this may be NDA...
It is and isn't an NDA--it's not like Khelben's around any more, so it doesn't impact the IP directly. What it does indirectly is litter the campaign world with children tied directly to the older characters, and that's something that WotC wants to get away from. Thus, officially, I'll say NDA.
Unofficially (since Wooly has provided older lore out there already...and it has to be adjusted slightly due to the two novels...), I'll say eleven, adding the twins Krehlan and [his sister] born in 1375 DR.
And I can't say (officially or unofficially) which of his kids are still alive, animate, or sapient. Just know that deaths are noted for a few of them in that timeline (including Sarael the Trollscourge, whose tomb plays a part in Blackstaff Tower).
Steven
who does know quite a bit about Khelben's bloodline and relatives but can't say too much, as what'd be the fun in that?  |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2008 : 01:40:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
A question about Rhymanthiin: Is Kraanfhaor's Door included in the restored area? I've found hints in other posts that suggest that it may be, but nothing conclusive. I did, however, find this little snippet:
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
<chop>... Dunno if it's mentioned, but I suspect that people can find Kraanfhaor's Door lies open, and an empty chamber lies beyond it after about 1377....
<snip>
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Second question: Does this mean that (a) the Srinshee was behind Kraanfhaor's Door (and (b) therefore, possibly, that it was a sealed portal to Arvandor)?
a) Nope; she had nothing to do with that site or realm so far as I know/remember (but if another designer or writer put her there, so be it...I just know what lies behind the door in my mind).
b) Possibly, sure, but most likely nope again; it really is/was a protected storehouse of lore. No portals, no gates, nothing other than knowledge and magic in there. (Again, as far as I was concerned when I scribbled down the nuggets on the doors...)
Granted, if you want either option to be true and it works best for your campaign, go right ahead. I was just stating that these weren't part of what I'd conceived when I wrote it.
Okay... so, now that you've told me what it's not, can you say anything about what was behind the door? (he asks, expecting three little letters...)
<snip>
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
quote:
Edit: One more question: How many children did Khelben father before his (also untimely, but far more publicly noble) demise? I expect that this may be NDA...
It is and isn't an NDA--it's not like Khelben's around any more, so it doesn't impact the IP directly. What it does indirectly is litter the campaign world with children tied directly to the older characters, and that's something that WotC wants to get away from. Thus, officially, I'll say NDA.
Unofficially (since Wooly has provided older lore out there already...and it has to be adjusted slightly due to the two novels...), I'll say eleven, adding the twins Krehlan and [his sister] born in 1375 DR.
And I can't say (officially or unofficially) which of his kids are still alive, animate, or sapient. Just know that deaths are noted for a few of them in that timeline (including Sarael the Trollscourge, whose tomb plays a part in Blackstaff Tower).
Steven
who does know quite a bit about Khelben's bloodline and relatives but can't say too much, as what'd be the fun in that?
Thanks for those little bits of lore... can you say anything about the earlier generations (Arun's ancestors and siblings, for instance)? Old lore is good too...  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 09 Nov 2008 01:41:39 |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 10 Nov 2008 : 18:42:18
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There's a hint about Arun's half brother in the prologue to Blackstaff, but I'll have to go dig up very old notes to find out more about the family tree BEFORE Khelben. I'm afraid most of my work/notes flows from him, not to him.
Steven |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2008 : 08:10:38
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Whatever you can find that isn't suppressed, I'm grateful for. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why the Cormyr lineage document is still NDA, much to the chagrin of Brian ("Garen Thal") and Ed, as most of the nagging questions I have are concerned with that mythical document known as the Cormyr Lineage. I fail to see the continued post-Spellplague-timeline-jump relevance of the NDA, but I'm trying to accept the fact that some lore was written simply to be locked away and never seen.  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2008 : 16:35:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Whatever you can find that isn't suppressed, I'm grateful for. I'm still trying to wrap my head around why the Cormyr lineage document is still NDA, much to the chagrin of Brian ("Garen Thal") and Ed, as most of the nagging questions I have are concerned with that mythical document known as the Cormyr Lineage. I fail to see the continued post-Spellplague-timeline-jump relevance of the NDA, but I'm trying to accept the fact that some lore was written simply to be locked away and never seen.
One of the larger purposes of Non-Disclosure Agreements is less a legal implication and more a professional kindness--If there's something even distantly related to what the folks at WotC (and their authors, wherever they may be) have an interest in publishing, it stays under NDA. To have directly-competing lore out there does no one any good, especially if it might give away some important plot points.
In short, NDAs keep a lot of us from stepping on each other's toes and squashing many a story because other lore came out and shifted the direction of a character or place or whatnot.
While I always made sure to check with Ed before I went off on a wild tear in the Realms (back when I was a designer, and now when it's just an excuse to call up a friend), I'm certain I inadvertently stepped on his and others' toes more than once because of certain choices I made as a designer or author. To do that for a canonical professional product is one thing (and we authors learn to roll with the punches); to do it outside the control of the people who own the trademarks is quite another. (And remember that in order for WotC to retain the trademark, they have to show that they police its use--yet another legal reason to keep all lore only as published.)
I'm not saying it's not frustrating or that we don't feel your pain. We do--and in some ways it's worse if you know what's behind the curtain and you can't throw it back to reveal it. Did you know it took me about 15 years to publish that story about the sharn (in Blackstaff and I only could really share it with a few fellow authors until then? Sometimes it's not the right time to tell the story/lore...until it is.
Nothing's written for the Realms with the purpose of locking it up and hiding it. If it's in Ed's (or my or anyone else's) power, he'll share it gleefully, merrily, and sometimes ecstatically. But if there's a chance that a character or story or locale or thingummy factors into a current plan for publishing, the NDA cloak remains. And since there's no telling exactly where they're going with the online material, a lot's remaining hidden to be on the safe side.
I keep coming back to this thought re: NDAs and 105 years of unspanned history--I created Rhymanthiin and I have an image of it in my head. I've also crafted a lot of lore on the Blackstaff, the tower, etc. That said, unless I pitch an article to Chris Youngs for an article on the City of Hope or more on Blackstaff Tower and it gets accepted and commissioned or purchased, what's in my head should not impede a staff writer or someone else from crafting lore on them.
As for Khelben's family, the trick there with the toe-stepping I mentioned? I could cobble together the family tree and reveal every single person across the Realms who might possibly be related by blood to the old Nameless One...and people would perhaps like it. But what if someone has a great story in them predicated on the idea that they're a long-hidden descendant of Khelben and one of his previous wives? I'd hate to be the guy who got in the way of that...cuz I want to read any story that's good.
That said, the hint in the novel? Sarael was Arun's elder half-brother, a great sorcerer and crafter of items in Myth Drannor, and one of the few Maerdryms who actually liked and talked with the young boy (who'd later be Khelben). That's why one of Khelben's few sons was given his treasured uncle's name.
As for Sarael Arunsun the Trollscourge, that's a story for another time...and it's mine to tell, since I put that statue of him in the City of the Dead....
Steven
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For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 13 Nov 2008 : 17:16:58
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Thank you very much for the enlightenment, on both the NDAs and Sarael. Any ideas as to when we can expect that story from you?
Second ( ) edit: I understand the stated purpose of the NDAs, in terms of keeping designers from stepping on each other's toes in product development; what I don't understand is why existing "framework" lore (like the Cormyr Lineage) can't be released, with the caveat that "this isn't all there is". It's easy enough to slip a forgotten sibling or descendant in somewhere, if someone needs a new character to fill a role in a story, and it provides the lore-hungry DMs (like myself) with the information they need to craft their campaigns. The fact that the stories about these individuals haven't been told should in no way impede the existence of said individuals for the gaming community. I've commented elsewhere (I'll see if I can track down the scroll) on the difficulty of using the same world for gaming products and novels, which is largely what has led us down the path of ever-growing Hollywood-esque Really Silly Explosions. I've played all editions of the Realms, but my experience as a DM has been entirely in the last 19 years (onset of 2E and later), and I'm looking now at resetting my Realms to pre-ToT and re-developing the following 30 years from the beginning, cherry-picking from events and in particular ignoring the ToT, the Return of the Archwizards, and the Spellplague (at least as described in canon). Maybe by then, I'll be ready to retire (I'm 36 now) and some of these current NDAs will be retired as well.
Edit: My primary frustration over the NDAs comes from the Cormyr lineage and the Thronestrife in particular. I have the entire line (as published) mapped out, but there is no direct (parent-child) connection in the succession during the Thronestrife, so I have two massive chunks of genealogy sitting next to each other with no cement to hold the blocks in place. The story of the Thronestrife, preferably told by someone like Ed or yourself, is the story I'm really waiting for, but if Wizards isn't going to be looking at the pre-Spellplague era now, that's a story that isn't going to get told, and that seems... well... "wrong" isn't strong enough a word for it. |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 13 Nov 2008 17:39:06 |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3741 Posts |
Posted - 18 Nov 2008 : 04:27:37
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| -Sage Schend, I've got it on good information that you'd be able to hook me up, here. To make a long story short, (which you can read in this thread, http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11872), I'm trying to piece together some events that don't have officially published dates concerning Buiyrandyn, but, more specifically, the date in which Qilue assaulted the Pit of Ghaunadaur. Kuje mentioned that you penned a lot of the Qilue section, so if anyone would be able to shed some illumination on the issue, it'd be you. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 16:35:43
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Well, I first mentioned it here:
http://brainstormfront.livejournal.com/136484.html
The Sage and Wooly helped me iron out a few details, but it's now live.
Come visit my new website at http://www.steveneschend.com and see the bits and pieces come together on a number of fictional worlds at once.
It's not a place for me to discuss the Realms--that's what this board/forum is for--or my work-for-hire with someone else's company. This is where I'll natter with all and any about the stuff I've been writing the past few years that I own.
There's links to all my writing (including my FR novels) on the main page's sidebar, as are links to many and sundry places and peoples of interest.
At www.stevenechend.com/forums, there's message boards to ask questions and discuss all the random and sundry stuff that gets posted and blogged about. You're welcome to post comments on the blogs, but the in-depth discussions will be on the forums.
If you're a fan of fantasy or comics or pulps or meta-fictions, this may be just the thing you've been looking for. If you're just wondering what I'm working on or writing next, this will give you many hints (and I may just say outright in the forums).
If you've ever wondered if an author knows what's in the books his characters are reading within his writing, this site will tell you--I do. In fact, I can give you the publishing history of characters, authors, and any spin-off media that tie to that story or book or graphic novel.
I really hope my fans here come join us over at my site as well; you're all welcome and I hope the material there either inspires some of you in your own writing or moves you to try out my other works beyond the Realms.
Steven |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Edited by - Steven Schend on 19 Nov 2008 16:38:11 |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 19:32:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Dagnirion
-Sage Schend, I've got it on good information that you'd be able to hook me up, here. To make a long story short, (which you can read in this thread, http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11872), I'm trying to piece together some events that don't have officially published dates concerning Buiyrandyn, but, more specifically, the date in which Qilue assaulted the Pit of Ghaunadaur. Kuje mentioned that you penned a lot of the Qilue section, so if anyone would be able to shed some illumination on the issue, it'd be you.
Without doing more hard research on this topic, I'm going on the discussion from that other thread (and I'll post this there too).
I can't give you an absolute, definitive answer on this (i.e. "It was a Tuesday. Rained that day. The dog caught a mole in the yard."), or rather I won't. Simple reason--it's too easy to trip up and set a date and then have to walk it back for one reason or other (as George Krashos and Eric Boyd will tell you, having cleaned up my manuscripts before).
That said, I think the span between 837 and 1055 DR is a very good benchmark for when this happened; if you need an absolutely solid date, just set it at 837 (when Qilue is a fresh 60 year old drow, long before she builds the Promenade) and it still matches with other references.
Now, as for the "demihumans age at the same rate" issue, it's a non-starter as far as my opinion goes. You can state that "this is how it is now" and claim that "it's always been like this;" that's fine from a game rule POV, but as for the lore already established, it can't be dismissed so readily. Thus, within the game, yes, demihumans age the same rate. However, as a matter of story and narrative and lore, there's differences that won't affect your game at all (such as when an elf reaches puberty or whatnot) that can be left alone.
That's my suggestion--honor the older lore, rather than force a lot of unnecessary changes retroactively because of a decision made for the game side of things.
Steven |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Edited by - Steven Schend on 19 Nov 2008 19:34:16 |
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althen artren
Senior Scribe
USA
780 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 21:29:04
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Greetings Friend Steven:
I was wondering, do you have the names of the 4 other High Mages
at the Claiming Chaos in FoMD? |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3741 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2008 : 17:18:48
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-I don't want to sound like a noodge, but...()
-Steve, do you have any extra information floating around anywhere about the training and combat tactics/style of the Akh'Velahr, similar in vein to the information that Mr. De Bie provided in his response in his thread? I'm just looking to collect info about various Elven fighting styles, and being the Cormanthyr guy, I figured there'd be a lot of potential there. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
Edited by - Lord Karsus on 01 Dec 2008 17:19:11 |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2008 : 09:40:51
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got to look at the receipt the other day..
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
the book came back yesterday.
thankyou Steven |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2008 : 11:15:28
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Hi Steven, some questions about Amn's city of Eshpurta:
To refresh your memory, a brief synopsis of the city's history:
In 491 DR Esphurta was founded by the kingdom of Cortyrn (then Amn's eastern neighbor) as its northernmost city and as a fishing center. The realm was founded by Tethyrian and Calishite nobles who wished to resurrect the former glory of the Shoon dynasty. In 731 DR Cortryn was conquered by a beholder cult. The beholder cult was in turn vanquished by the elves of Shilmista following a 26 year war. Evidently the forest elves had no interest in the surrounding land outside their forest. In 760 DR Amn assumed ownership of the realm formerly known as Cortyrn, including Eshpurta.
The questions:
1) The mention of Eshpurta being a fishing center is interesting. Cortryn included the former halfling realm of Meiritin, which had established settlements on the eastern shores of Lake Esmel, and would therefore have been a plentiful source of fish. Still, Eshpurta is located at the confluence of Trifin Creek and the Rimril River to form the source of the Amstel River. Did this location offer exceptionally good fishing?
And what is the source for Trifin Creek and the Rimril River? Natural springs? It doesn't appear to be runnoff from the Troll mountains, since those two rivers don't run through Snakewood.
2) Was Amn's conquest of Cortryn basically an uncontested annexation? One would think the kingdom of Cortryn must have been ravaged by such a lengthy war, and had little fight left in it. Or did Amn have to wrest control of Cortryn from whatever was left of its people? One would think Cortryn's inhabitants would likely have welcomed Amnian rule after a generation of enslavement by Beholders--though there could understandably been resentment toward Amn given that it apparently didn't lift a finger to help liberate them.
There's no mention of Tethyr attempting to claim Cortryn after its collapse.
3) Eshpurta specializes in the production of armor and weapons due to nickel and iron deposits from the nearby Troll Mountains. Miners make their homes there. And Eshpurta became a kind of Amnian military headquarters, stationing a large contingent of soldiers. (Sounds much like the mountain fortresses Citadels Amnur and Rashturl except located citadel within a city.)
The city is therefore also the unlikely location of an artists colony. Could the artists' colony be a surviving feature of Cortyrn? |
Edited by - Lemernis on 14 Dec 2008 12:06:46 |
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ravennight
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2008 : 08:27:17
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Thank you so much for all the info from Blackstaff Tower, I've been working my way through notes of my own on Waterdeep in 1479.
I have two questions:
1) I was hoping you could tell us what has happened to the Seven Sisters. I know from the 4th edition campaign guide that the Simbul is hiding away in Shadowdale and Alustriel has passed away. What happened to Laeral, she is gone by the time of the novel but I can't remember if there is a specific reference to how/when she died. Also, what happened to Storm, since she doesn't seem to be living at her farm anymore? The others I'm not quite as curious about.
2) I was hoping to submit fiction a proposal for fiction revolving around the return of Azuth. What is the status of Azuth in the current canon work? Are there plans on the boards to bring him back already? Hoping you can give me some insight, I'd love to submit the novel I'm working on. |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2008 : 14:00:00
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quote:
Originally posted by ravennight
Thank you so much for all the info from Blackstaff Tower, I've been working my way through notes of my own on Waterdeep in 1479.
I have two questions:
1) I was hoping you could tell us what has happened to the Seven Sisters. I know from the 4th edition campaign guide that the Simbul is hiding away in Shadowdale and Alustriel has passed away. What happened to Laeral, she is gone by the time of the novel but I can't remember if there is a specific reference to how/when she died. Also, what happened to Storm, since she doesn't seem to be living at her farm anymore? The others I'm not quite as curious about.
I know that Qilue was killed in the last batch of Lolth novels and Sylune passed over in the Shadowdale adventure book. It's been generally assumed that Storm, Laeral, Alustriel and Dove have not survived the Spellplague, leaving only the Symbul.
I'd love to get some details on the 'girls' as well, though, even though I'm not following canon in my game anymore.
quote:
Originally posted by ravennight
2) I was hoping to submit fiction a proposal for fiction revolving around the return of Azuth. What is the status of Azuth in the current canon work? Are there plans on the boards to bring him back already? Hoping you can give me some insight, I'd love to submit the novel I'm working on.
Azuth wound up down in Asmodeus' realm after Mystra's death and his divinity was taken by the devil. I'm assuming that means he's dead and gone, but, as Steven points out numerous times, if there's no body... |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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ravennight
Acolyte
3 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2008 : 16:45:28
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Thanks for the reference on Azuth, Ashe, I found the passage in the 4th edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book for Asmodeus that talks about his having killed Azuth and subsumed his divine essence. Since Azuth was a mortal to begin with, however, I wonder how that would effect his 'death' especially since dead gods float in the Astral Sea as corpses/remnants. I also wonder what it means for the artifacts he was tied to in the Realms, and whether a portion of his essence could survive in one of those, just as Myrkul survived in the Crown of Horns.
Just shooting out a couple ideas. |
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Zanan
Senior Scribe
Germany
942 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2009 : 16:45:27
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Hello Mr. Schend and a good year!
Right now I read The Fractured Sky by Thomas M. Reid and double-checked on the background of Kaanyr Vhok in the adventure Hellgate Keep. In there I spotted the name of Vhok's mother, the marilith Mulvassyss the Sceptered. For some reason I seem to remember that he gained his scepter by killing her, but cannot find that piece of information. Hence my question whether this is some bit of info that does not relate to Vhok and whether Mulvassyss (to your knowledge) would still be alive?
Thanks in advance,
Zanan!
*NB: No, I'm not ravennight in disguise (or vice versa). |
Cave quid dicis, quando et cui!
Gęš a wyrd swa hio scel!
In memory of Alura Durshavin.
Visit my "Homepage" to find A Guide to the Drow NPCs of Faerūn, Drow and non-Drow PrC and much more. |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3287 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2009 : 23:03:51
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-Asmodeus had Azuth with some Fava Beans and Red Wine ala Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs.
BRIMSTONE  |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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Questions for Steven Schend
