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Falldim
Acolyte

Poland
2 Posts

Posted - 11 Aug 2022 :  18:57:48  Show Profile  Visit Falldim's Homepage Send Falldim a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Good day, mr Schend I hope you're having a great day.

I have recently fell in love with one beatiful 27 year-old - Blood Wars CCG. I even managed to get one friend excited and willing to play it with me. We both adore Planescape and somehow this has gotten under our radar for years and it is fantastic.

We studied our rulebook meticulously and managed to catch the drift of the game quite easily, but there is one major thing that keeps us up at night. We scoured the Internet for various guides to perhaps resolve it and it really did not help. I believe that you might be the ultimate answer. So here it is.


When the challenger fails to conquer the Battlefield during an Intrigue challenge, it is discarded - it clearly says it in the rules.
The Combat challenge however does not specify in the slightest what to do with the Battlefield. Additionally, we stumbled into this one card that sends Legions to the conquered Battlefield that they won, which seems to serve no purpose?

So far, we stumbled into various theories how this all fits together (post-Combat Battlefield is discarded too/hangs out on the table waiting for another challenge/you can challenge for Battlefields in the Victory Pools and that's when the attached Legions make a difference), but they all slightly contradict one another, especially that the rulebook only says that during the Challenge, the acting players plays the Battlefield from their hand...

So please, Master Schend, tell us how it is
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1705 Posts

Posted - 05 Sep 2022 :  03:38:49  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Falldim

Good day, mr Schend I hope you're having a great day.

I have recently fell in love with one beatiful 27 year-old - Blood Wars CCG. I even managed to get one friend excited and willing to play it with me. We both adore Planescape and somehow this has gotten under our radar for years and it is fantastic.

We studied our rulebook meticulously and managed to catch the drift of the game quite easily, but there is one major thing that keeps us up at night. We scoured the Internet for various guides to perhaps resolve it and it really did not help. I believe that you might be the ultimate answer. So here it is.


When the challenger fails to conquer the Battlefield during an Intrigue challenge, it is discarded - it clearly says it in the rules.
The Combat challenge however does not specify in the slightest what to do with the Battlefield. Additionally, we stumbled into this one card that sends Legions to the conquered Battlefield that they won, which seems to serve no purpose?

So far, we stumbled into various theories how this all fits together (post-Combat Battlefield is discarded too/hangs out on the table waiting for another challenge/you can challenge for Battlefields in the Victory Pools and that's when the attached Legions make a difference), but they all slightly contradict one another, especially that the rulebook only says that during the Challenge, the acting players plays the Battlefield from their hand...

So please, Master Schend, tell us how it is



Sorry I can't answer this question without some research and longthink, but I'll try and get back to you soon with the answer. My immediate off-the-cuff answer is that the battlefield could remain on the table with those legions and the first action to take a battlefield could attempt to conquer that one rather than one from one's hand. Still, lemme do more research and check the guides before we settle on a solid answer.

Glad to hear/see that folks are still discovering and enjoying a card game thrown together very quickly nearly 30 years ago; anyone wanting more history on the development of it can hear more here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwgXJer46cg

I did an interview earlier this year with CCGHistory's Booster Pack podcast on Blood Wars and its development.

For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Falldim
Acolyte

Poland
2 Posts

Posted - 05 Sep 2022 :  06:23:29  Show Profile  Visit Falldim's Homepage Send Falldim a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
the battlefield could remain on the table with those legions and the first action to take a battlefield could attempt to conquer that one rather than one from one's hand. Still, lemme do more research and check the guides before we settle on a solid answer.



That would seem like a disadvantage then, if my conquered battlefield would have been safe otherwise but by adding Ocuupying Forces I made it available for being in play still? The Card:

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/cardguide/images/e/e1/Occupyingforces.jpg

It clearly says that you add these to your Victory Pool.

We did get our hands on the expanded guide and that explains that unconquered battlefiled do go to discard, but that one card still does not fit into it.

I am waiting eagerly for your further response!

quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
Glad to hear/see that folks are still discovering and enjoying a card game thrown together very quickly nearly 30 years ago; anyone wanting more history on the development of it can hear more here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwgXJer46cg

I did an interview earlier this year with CCGHistory's Booster Pack podcast on Blood Wars and its development.



Yes! I watched all of that and hence knew to find you here :D

Thank you so much for the response
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Italian Archmage Karsus
Learned Scribe

116 Posts

Posted - 01 Oct 2022 :  00:14:35  Show Profile Send Italian Archmage Karsus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey, Mr. Schend, if I may be curious... I was looking at the timeline for Trailstone, and I couldn't quite fit it. I've got that...

Empires of the Sands-p13: Completely different timeline, suggesting the inn was built on Chardath Spulzeer's command in 1349-ish.
Lands of Intrigue-Amn-p52: the Spellseer first built the inn in 1316.
Lands of Intrigue-Amn-p10: the Vinson family retreated to Trailstone at some point after 1342.
Castle Spulzeer-p7: Spellseer Inn built in 1316.
Castle Spulzeer-p36: Trailstone was established in 1348 by Rafe Spulzeer, who did not add a tavern so that another would be built close by. He's at the New Spulzeer Inn, the OG Spulzeer Inn is now the Dragon Turtle Inn. The New Spulzeer Inn is also there for almost 20 years in 1367.
Secrets of the Magister-p74: Maldiglas Turntower built a Refuge close to Trailstone, before 1328 (year he dies).

I've a hard time figuring out why someone would build a Refuge close to a city that wasn't built until at least 20 years later, but followers of Mystra have done stranger things. The Vinson family's holdings also suggest the earlier date, but the latter date is the one in the latest source: I'm not super certain of which date is correct for the founding of the town or the inn.

I have some suppositions as to what got mixed up in translation: my assumption would be the date of the New Spulzeer Inn's construction got mixed up with that of the OG inn, so OG inn was built in 1316 and New Spulzeer in 1348. But FR3's info, I can't seem to square with that; I suspect it was superseded by later, more specific lore; would you happen to recall anything on the subject? I remember you wrote the Lands of Intrigue book, figured you'd be the one to ask.

Thanks for decades of dreams!
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6641 Posts

Posted - 02 Oct 2022 :  00:29:04  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus

Hey, Mr. Schend, if I may be curious... I was looking at the timeline for Trailstone, and I couldn't quite fit it. I've got that...

Empires of the Sands-p13: Completely different timeline, suggesting the inn was built on Chardath Spulzeer's command in 1349-ish.
Lands of Intrigue-Amn-p52: the Spellseer first built the inn in 1316.
Lands of Intrigue-Amn-p10: the Vinson family retreated to Trailstone at some point after 1342.
Castle Spulzeer-p7: Spellseer Inn built in 1316.
Castle Spulzeer-p36: Trailstone was established in 1348 by Rafe Spulzeer, who did not add a tavern so that another would be built close by. He's at the New Spulzeer Inn, the OG Spulzeer Inn is now the Dragon Turtle Inn. The New Spulzeer Inn is also there for almost 20 years in 1367.
Secrets of the Magister-p74: Maldiglas Turntower built a Refuge close to Trailstone, before 1328 (year he dies).

I've a hard time figuring out why someone would build a Refuge close to a city that wasn't built until at least 20 years later, but followers of Mystra have done stranger things. The Vinson family's holdings also suggest the earlier date, but the latter date is the one in the latest source: I'm not super certain of which date is correct for the founding of the town or the inn.

I have some suppositions as to what got mixed up in translation: my assumption would be the date of the New Spulzeer Inn's construction got mixed up with that of the OG inn, so OG inn was built in 1316 and New Spulzeer in 1348. But FR3's info, I can't seem to square with that; I suspect it was superseded by later, more specific lore; would you happen to recall anything on the subject? I remember you wrote the Lands of Intrigue book, figured you'd be the one to ask.

Thanks for decades of dreams!



The reference to Maldiglas is descriptive, not historic. It describes where the refuge is, not that Trailstone existed when the refuge was created.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6641 Posts

Posted - 02 Oct 2022 :  01:17:54  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus

Hey, Mr. Schend, if I may be curious... I was looking at the timeline for Trailstone, and I couldn't quite fit it. I've got that...

Empires of the Sands-p13: Completely different timeline, suggesting the inn was built on Chardath Spulzeer's command in 1349-ish.
Lands of Intrigue-Amn-p52: the Spellseer first built the inn in 1316.
Lands of Intrigue-Amn-p10: the Vinson family retreated to Trailstone at some point after 1342.
Castle Spulzeer-p7: Spellseer Inn built in 1316.
Castle Spulzeer-p36: Trailstone was established in 1348 by Rafe Spulzeer, who did not add a tavern so that another would be built close by. He's at the New Spulzeer Inn, the OG Spulzeer Inn is now the Dragon Turtle Inn. The New Spulzeer Inn is also there for almost 20 years in 1367.
Secrets of the Magister-p74: Maldiglas Turntower built a Refuge close to Trailstone, before 1328 (year he dies).

I've a hard time figuring out why someone would build a Refuge close to a city that wasn't built until at least 20 years later, but followers of Mystra have done stranger things. The Vinson family's holdings also suggest the earlier date, but the latter date is the one in the latest source: I'm not super certain of which date is correct for the founding of the town or the inn.

I have some suppositions as to what got mixed up in translation: my assumption would be the date of the New Spulzeer Inn's construction got mixed up with that of the OG inn, so OG inn was built in 1316 and New Spulzeer in 1348. But FR3's info, I can't seem to square with that; I suspect it was superseded by later, more specific lore; would you happen to recall anything on the subject? I remember you wrote the Lands of Intrigue book, figured you'd be the one to ask.

Thanks for decades of dreams!



And having had a look at this, it appears that there a slight problems with the "Castle Spulzeer" adventure timeline, simply because they have omitted the word "new".

I see the timeline as this:

1316 DR - The Spulzeer family suffers its split and the Spulzeer Inn is built along the tradeway, leading to the establishment of the settlement of Trailstone (as per Lands of Intrigue - Amn).

1326 DR - Spulzeer Inn is badly damaged in a fire and abandoned by the Spulzeers who build a new inn nearby (unnamed, but likely the Trail's End Inn).

1348 DR - Kartak takes over Chardath. At the same time, to boost trade, the other branch of the family in Rafe Spulzeer builds the New Spulzeer Inn in Trailstone. [There appear to be two family branches happening, one in the Castle and one twelve miles away in Trailstone.]

Sometime after 1348 DR (let's go with 1350), the old Spulzeer Inn is rebuilt as the Dragon Turtle Inn.

The problem in the "Castle Spulzeer" adventure is that the reference to Rafe Spulzeer and him building an inn, should have had a "New" in front of it. Lands of Intrigue makes it clear that Trailstone exists before 1348 DR, as does FR3 and even Castle Spulzeer itself, to an extent.

Anyway, that's my take on it.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1705 Posts

Posted - 02 Oct 2022 :  05:06:28  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message  Reply with Quote
George has the right of it here, Karsus. All it takes to muddle some lore is to edit out the word "new" and confusion reigns!

Of course, it could have easily been a rushed deadline and a lack of editing double-check too; while I respect and love the folks who did the Castle Spulzeer adventure, I didn't have much of a direct hand in that one other than to provide them the lore and prayed they held to it. ;)

Steven
who's always grateful that George is more worried about my timelines being correct than I have been

For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Italian Archmage Karsus
Learned Scribe

116 Posts

Posted - 04 Oct 2022 :  02:15:08  Show Profile Send Italian Archmage Karsus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thank you both for this information!
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kysus
Learned Scribe

USA
104 Posts

Posted - 24 Dec 2022 :  01:20:45  Show Profile  Visit kysus's Homepage Send kysus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
hi steven schend, merry christmas and a happy new years to you! I also wanted to ask a quick question of you before the new years starts that i thought you might know. when reading your cormanthyr book i was reading the part on the elven dragonriders and how those were among the last riders or at least gave the impression that they were becoming extremely rare. out of curiousity what was the cause of them becoming more and more rare or to put it another way what made it so hard to train new riders? was it something that took centuries to train or some unique form of pairing rider with mount?
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DoveArrow
Seeker

96 Posts

Posted - 16 Mar 2023 :  15:55:23  Show Profile Send DoveArrow a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hello Mr. Schend,

First of all, I wanted to thank you for all the work you've done over the years. I have been reading the Second Edition books on the Lands of Intrigue for several adventures I've been writing and am just enamored with the region and the work that you put into those publications. Thank you.

I wanted to ask about the 4e history of Erlkazar. Were you consulted on any of it? Whose idea was it to make Saestra and the Night Barony the primary villains of the region?
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1705 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2023 :  02:10:03  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by DoveArrow

Hello Mr. Schend,

First of all, I wanted to thank you for all the work you've done over the years. I have been reading the Second Edition books on the Lands of Intrigue for several adventures I've been writing and am just enamored with the region and the work that you put into those publications. Thank you.

I wanted to ask about the 4e history of Erlkazar. Were you consulted on any of it? Whose idea was it to make Saestra and the Night Barony the primary villains of the region?



No, I wasn't consulted re the 4E changes to Erlkazar at all, nor did I expect to; I was long gone from WotC at that point and my opinion wasn't sought after too often by some even when I was on staff. (shrug)

No idea whose ideas spawned the changes to the Night Barony and the Twisted Rune et al, though it might have been anyone whose name was on the 4E FR book (though not Ed, as he'd have given me a call to talk about such, being a gentleman).

For some reason, I thought Jess Lebow's novel MASTER OF CHAINS took place in Erlkazar or in similar environs, but I doubt that'd have had anything to do with bumping Shyressa out of the way for their sliding in ANOTHER lissome female vampire into Erlkazar…

Wish I had more info to share, and apologies it took me so long to get back to Candlekeep to post this answer…

Steven

For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1705 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2023 :  02:24:57  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by kysus

hi steven schend, merry christmas and a happy new years to you! I also wanted to ask a quick question of you before the new years starts that i thought you might know. when reading your cormanthyr book i was reading the part on the elven dragonriders and how those were among the last riders or at least gave the impression that they were becoming extremely rare. out of curiousity what was the cause of them becoming more and more rare or to put it another way what made it so hard to train new riders? was it something that took centuries to train or some unique form of pairing rider with mount?



Bear in mind this is all my opinion and I've not delved back into any deep hidden lore to answer your queries, so mistakes are all my own.

Answering your questions in reverse order (because whimsy, that's why!):

Dragonriders and their mounts build rapport over decades if not scores of years before it becomes easy for them to ride/fly into battle together.

Part of why I decided those were among the last dragonriders around Myth Drannor was that it'd make it doubly hard for the Army of Darkness to take out elven forces with that kind of firepower at the ready.

The other reason was that having dragonriders around made it look far too much like Dragonlance/Krynn, so we waved them offstage for clarity of intellectual property.

Again, wish I had deeper or better answers for you, but these are all that my tired brain can spew forth today.

Steven

For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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kysus
Learned Scribe

USA
104 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2023 :  05:33:47  Show Profile  Visit kysus's Homepage Send kysus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Steven Schend those answers are good enough for me!!
If i may ask a follow up question to that, say for example if a dragon lost its rider like say for instance one of those dragons from myth drannor that had a rider and the rider passed away from old age or battle how likely would it be that they take on another rider, or is that something that is more up to the personality of the dragon in question?
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Italian Archmage Karsus
Learned Scribe

116 Posts

Posted - 24 Jul 2023 :  23:11:17  Show Profile Send Italian Archmage Karsus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Mr. Schend, hey. Someone asked me if the realm of Shantel Othreier had any other titles - like Aryvandaar was the Golden Kingdom. She can't find it anywhere, and neither could I. So, I was wondering, are you aware of any other official names for Shantel Othreier?
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6641 Posts

Posted - 25 Jul 2023 :  14:16:38  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus

Mr. Schend, hey. Someone asked me if the realm of Shantel Othreier had any other titles - like Aryvandaar was the Golden Kingdom. She can't find it anywhere, and neither could I. So, I was wondering, are you aware of any other official names for Shantel Othreier?



For what it's worth, Eric Boyd and I have named Shantel Othreier the "Realm of Golden Boughs".

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1705 Posts

Posted - 06 Aug 2023 :  05:06:04  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos

quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus

Mr. Schend, hey. Someone asked me if the realm of Shantel Othreier had any other titles - like Aryvandaar was the Golden Kingdom. She can't find it anywhere, and neither could I. So, I was wondering, are you aware of any other official names for Shantel Othreier?



For what it's worth, Eric Boyd and I have named Shantel Othreier the "Realm of Golden Boughs".

-- George Krashos

That works for me so make it so.


For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2285 Posts

Posted - 29 Aug 2023 :  20:43:45  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend

quote:
Originally posted by Jeiroth

Hello Mr. Schend,

I had posed this question to the Hooded one in an earlier topic, but after looking at Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves I noticed that you were the glorious author of that magnanimous pice of work.

Therefore I was wondering if you could possibly answer my question, which is:

The family crests/symbols of the Vyshaan and the Irythil. You astutely included ones for most of the rest of the elven noble families (thank you!) but unfortunately my campaign is also centering around Vyshaan, and Irythil. I wanted to make them somewhat authentic adventures, as such I wanted to get an explanation for their crests and include those on shields, doorways etc.

Thank you,



If this conflicts with any previous and/or published lore, know that that should take precedence over a late afternoon brainstorm, okay?

Vyshaan seal/shield/family mark: Round black shield bordered in gold band with six red ovals surrounding a white diamond at the center. This can also be placed on a kite-shaped shield, but the blazon is smaller with more black, obviously.

Irithyl seal/shield/family mark: Blue and black shield rimmed in silver, a diagonal line running top right to lower left puts black in upper left and blue in lower right fields. The emblem itself is a white wolfhound with black eyes rearing up with claws extended to the left (Can't remember for certain, but this might technically be Wolfhound Volant Sinister....but don't quote me on that.)

Hope those work as symbols/family marks for you.

Steven


Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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Italian Archmage Karsus
Learned Scribe

116 Posts

Posted - 04 Sep 2023 :  19:18:02  Show Profile Send Italian Archmage Karsus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Sage, if I may ask, there's a "Mythanthor's Orb" in Dungeon Crawl: Hellgate Keep. I was wondering, was that intended to refer to the mage Mythanthar, from the Cormanthyr that was later known as Myth Drannor? Mythanthar's name, we've found sometimes styled as Mythanthor, including in works of yours. Just checking- is it intended to be read as the same Mythanthor/Mythanthar?
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1705 Posts

Posted - 20 Nov 2023 :  01:17:14  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Italian Archmage Karsus

Sage, if I may ask, there's a "Mythanthor's Orb" in Dungeon Crawl: Hellgate Keep. I was wondering, was that intended to refer to the mage Mythanthar, from the Cormanthyr that was later known as Myth Drannor? Mythanthar's name, we've found sometimes styled as Mythanthor, including in works of yours. Just checking- is it intended to be read as the same Mythanthor/Mythanthar?



All auguries point to yes, the self-same Mythanthar who helped build Cormanthyr's mythal(s) also penned Mythanthar's Folio, the collected scrolls from which Khelben & Elminster gleaned the ways to build the Mythanthar's Orb given to the PCs by Alustriel.

Is it directly tied to that famed elf? Only by his knowledge and lore, not by his physical touch or creation.

For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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