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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Oct 2006 : 13:49:45
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Does any one know where the Bandolier of Power ended up after its loss at the Battle of Honorsgate? Does any one even know what it does? 
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Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 08:33:59
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I am starting to feel a little left behind when it comes to Realmslore, so I have to ask. What is the Bandolier of Power and where/ when/ what is the battle of Honorsgate?
Sorry I cant be of help, but you got me curious. |
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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 12:33:48
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Jorkens, my reply is the best I can give you so far.  In the Fall of Myth Drannor 2nd edition product it is mentioned in the Eternal Srinnala section. Shyael Ildacer was the wearer of the Bandolier of Power and in one of the later battles of the Weeping War, The Battle of Honorsgate to be exact, Shyael fell to the forces of the Army of Darkness. This was the last engagement that the Eternal Srinnala was to participate in as an organization with strong cohesion. (I hope I am correct in that last assumption.) The leader or Telessrin Shyael Ildacer is not mentioned as having given the Bandolier to any one before she fell in the battle. Also the nature of the Bandolier is somewhat a mystery to me as there is no write up in The Fall of Myth Drannor concerning its powers. I will be sifting through Cormanthyr Empire of Elves today, and I will report any findings that I may have by the end of the day.  |
Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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At your Behest
Acolyte
Germany
46 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 12:35:21
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The Honorsgate was a(n) (inner-city) gate in Myth Drannor [exactly Kerradunath] leading to the Forest of Mir.
It was formed magically to look like a pair of scimitars and is made of silver.
There was a brief battle at the gate during the siege on Myth Drannor where a spellcasting group, the Eternal Srinalla, made a last stand to save hundreds of lives and destroyed the gate so that the army of darkness could not pursue the retreating/fleeing people.
Sources: Fall of Myth Drannor,Cormanthyr E.o.E. [available as free download;) ]
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads |
Beware the beast man, for he is the Devil's pawn.
Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. Yeah, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land.
Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him, for he is the harbinger of death. |
Edited by - At your Behest on 03 Oct 2006 13:02:05 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12194 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 15:49:46
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>>The Eternal Srinnala spent its entire existence attempting to duplicate many of the >>Srinshee#146;s feats and accomplishments. While they unofficially helped the armathors keep >>the peace in Myth Drannor, they sought out historians to collate a wellrounded history of >>Myth Drannor from all the races#146; perspectives. They managed to acquire a healthy number of >>magical items, even creating a few whose secrets never were revealed, except to those who >>wielded them. Sages of the modern world would give their lives for the secrets of such >>items of legend as the Diamond Band of the Blind Archer, the animal figurines called the >>Constant Companions of Reocet the Hunter, or the most-fabled Bandolier of Power, allegedly >>worn by Telessrin Shyael at the time of her death and disappearance at the Honorsgate >>Battle.
Hmmm, Bandolier of Power. Bandolier implies something that you "draw from quickly and hurl". Power usually implies spellcasting. It would sound like an item which allows you to store and cast spells. If you don't find any official description of what it does, I have two ideas in mind.
First, perhaps this is a feat or class ability. I can see a feat or class ability that lets you combine on the ideas behind a spell mantle (from Lost Empires of Faerun, a feat that lets you use a standard action to trigger the magical items known as contingent spells). My initial thought was a feat that lets you release a spell as a free action (like the old sash of spells spell from VGtatM, which hopefully doesn't get recreated), but that would be very drastic. However, perhaps something that lets the creator use an immediate action to release a spell from the spell mantle as a counterspell for any spell which targets the spell mantle bearer (how's that for using the word spell multiple times in a single sentence <g>). However, in this instance, the bandolier may have a visual representation, but its a secret.. not a physical item.
Next idea, Bandolier of Power. Bandolier.. a sash that you put across your chest for holding things... usually daggers and similar throwing instruments. However, wizards use bandoliers to hold scrolls. There's a very interesting Mystran spell called spell phylactery that lets you make a scroll contingent (see Players Guide to Faerun). A strong limitation to this is that it takes up either a forearm or headband item slot (i.e. no wearing your headband of intellect or bracers of armor). However, there is no "bandolier" slot. Perhaps this bandolier allows the person who wears it to cast spell phylactery on any scroll placed within it, and at the same time doesn't require the use of an item slot. Being a bandolier, it could hold multiple scrolls, so the person may be able to do this multiple times. This would indeed be a powerful item for a person who doesn't have the contingent spell feat but has scribe scroll (and its more flexible than contingent spell for its triggers).
Phillip aka Sleyvas
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2006 : 16:28:12
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Once again Sleyvas your help is greatly appreciated. My thoughts on the Bandolier were greatly influenced by reading about the Eternal Srinnala in FoMD. Shyael Ildacer is a former High Court Mage and this strongly suggests a magic-user-like utility purpose for the Bandolier. The "of Power" might suggest a staff of power-like set of abilities. Such as: Magic missile, Ray of enfeeblement (heightened to 5th level), Continual flame, Levitate, Lightning bolt (heightened to 5th level), Fireball (heightened to 5th level), Cone of cold, Hold monster, Wall of force (in a 10-ft.-diameter hemisphere around the caster only), Globe of invulnerability, The wielder of a staff of power gains a +2 luck bonus to AC and saving throws. The staff is also a +2 quarterstaff, and its wielder may use it to smite opponents. If 1 charge is expended (as a free action), the staff causes double damage (×3 on a critical hit) for 1 round.
However, were are talking about a Bandolier. I might point out that Steve Schend tends to think outside of the box. This might mean that the Bandolier is like the Staff of Power but somewhat different in that it is not a staff (It might turn into one like the Cloak of Battle). Sleyvas's spell mantle suggestion might work for 3.5 but this is a 2nd edition magical item (which I'm sure he knows :) ) Shyael would already have a Spell Mantle going without the use of the Bandolier.
Finally I think that the best served purpose of the Bandolier is to maximize the spell capacity of the wizard that wears the bandolier. I would guess that the Bandolier adds maybe 1 to 2 extra spell slots for each level of spells up to 6 or something, and that it adds an AC bonus as well. Your thoughts Sleyvas? :) |
Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12194 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 17:14:26
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>>I think that the best served purpose of the Bandolier is to maximize the spell capacity of >>the wizard that wears the bandolier. I would guess that the Bandolier adds maybe 1 to 2 >>extra spell slots for each level of spells up to 6 or something, and that it adds an AC >>bonus as well. Your thoughts Sleyvas? :)
That's another pretty valid use, but it reminds me of sash of spells. It also doesn't fit exceptionally as a "bandolier" (admittedly, the first version I had didn't either). Perhaps something similar though. Perhaps it works like a pearl of power, with a paper slot corresponding to 1st through 9th lvl. Once a day, a caster could copy a spell from his mind to the paper as a standard action, and then pull the new "scroll" and cast it the following round. The scroll would only be usable say within 1 round per level of the caster, after which it reverts to blank, and it should only be usable by the person who "scribed" it. This makes it not necessarily a great battlefield item, but in desperate straits it could be. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 21:51:09
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| Hmmm... Sleyvas I think we have reached the point when we realize this is one of those DM's choice items. :) Let me know what you decide what you are going to make for its abilities. Thanks for the help friend. |
Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 22:26:48
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| Personally, I'd go for a kind of sash that either provided a bonus to the spellcaster (like improved DC checks, or a better chance to get past magic resistance), and/or allowed the spellcaster to spontaneously apply metamagic feats to spells as they were being cast. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12194 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 19:09:52
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>>Hmmm... Sleyvas I think we have reached the point when we realize this is one of those DM's >>choice items. :) Let me know what you decide what you are going to make for its abilities. >>Thanks for the help friend.
NP, it was a neat discussion topic. I don't think I'll introduce the full bandolier, but the base concept would work nice as an item for my players (i.e. doing the "like a pearl of power" thing, but only for 1st-3rd lvl spells). If they like it, I may drop some hints into its design (i.e. some bard sees it and gushes about its history to them) to have them hunt down the real deal (they're around Cormanthor now anyway). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1732 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 15:15:04
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
>>Hmmm... Sleyvas I think we have reached the point when we realize this is one of those DM's >>choice items. :) Let me know what you decide what you are going to make for its abilities. >>Thanks for the help friend.
NP, it was a neat discussion topic. I don't think I'll introduce the full bandolier, but the base concept would work nice as an item for my players (i.e. doing the "like a pearl of power" thing, but only for 1st-3rd lvl spells). If they like it, I may drop some hints into its design (i.e. some bard sees it and gushes about its history to them) to have them hunt down the real deal (they're around Cormanthor now anyway).
It was definitely intended to be a DM's choice item, but it's also supposed to fill the need of "questing items"--things for which heroes can go a-hunting centuries after they've been lost.
After all, how many movies were borne of one guy looking for one artifact out of the Bible? 
In any case, it's up to you individual DMs to determine both the powers and the location of many of the items noted in ... well, nearly anything I've written. Most of them are just tossed out there to give you all something to go look for (i.e. all those items in HELLGATE KEEP that could either be in the ruins, in the hands of the things therein, or they could have been scattered across the general vicinity and the High Forest by the explosion that took out the Keep itself.
Steven
who has some ideas of his own and wonders if he should play with the Bandolier and the hidden histories of Tethyr and the Forest of Mir, its hidden circle of druids, and their ties to Tethyrian nobility and a certain archmage of note.... |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12194 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 16:06:29
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>>Steven
>>who has some ideas of his own and wonders if he should play with the Bandolier and the >>hidden histories of Tethyr and the Forest of Mir, its hidden circle of druids, and their >>ties to Tethyrian nobility and a certain archmage of note....
Well, we know the answer to that... of course, you should! History is what the realms is all about. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Where did it go? The Bandolier of Power.
