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Delzounblood
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
578 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 11:37:11
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ED & THO
I have been thinking of asking this question for a while and I have even posted it on the boards for the other scribes to coment on.
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For the past 5 years I have been off and on studying Ancient History and Lesser Known Theories of Mankind. (I know big subject!) I have been re-reading one of my favorite Non-fiction Books on this subject, and with a couple of points raised I wondered if anything simular had happened in the realms?
The book is Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock.
In the section I was reading the book discusses ancient Andean and Incan civilisations and their step up from Un-civilised Barbarians to the earliest know civilised cultures.
This seems to be the work of One man if you follow Andean legend or a group of men from the same culture.
In most places they named him Ticci Viracocha though he had many other names including Huaracocha, Con, Con Ticci or Kon Tiki, Thunupa etc.
This man or men came and taught the barbaric tribes Math, Writing, Agriculture and gave them all the skills needed for a cultured civilised life!
Then left and went forth into the sea....
The main questions
Has there been any canon or anything hinted at that would reflect or in some way mirror the Andean Legend of this Foam of the Sea, Master of Science & Magic (as he is known) in early Toril history?
Did the races of Faerun have divine influence that could incorprate this legend in any way?
I am thinking more of the Old Empires or maybe the Maztican Empire etc:
I know FR is not a reflection of Real World, but I always find some mirror of a legend able to fit and adapt into game terms.
Maybe a manifestation / avatar of one God or another shaping their favored race?
Or as per the book hinted but an unknown super advanced race which for reasons unknown traveled around Toril on a civilising mission?
Your thoughts and any canon please.
Thanks Delz |
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Foxhelm
Senior Scribe
Canada
592 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 11:40:29
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I have a question, but I believe that it's NDA, but I still have to ask it.
Is Storm Silverhand truely barren or is it that Mystra is holding back a miracle birth of a powerful child that could change the Realms if born? Or something like that?
Just curious... |
Ed Greenwood! The Solution... and Cause of all the Realms Problems! |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 12:14:20
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Many thanks once again, Ed and Lady THO, for your marvelous answers!
I have to pester you once more now that the brand-new Cormyr-adventure is out, and I hope that some of the questions in my head are now not covered by a NDA.
First of all, is there anything else you can share with us about Monksblade, the small village east of Wheloon. It is described in Volo's Guide to Cormyr, but I'd like to know if the village has any rough "generalized" shape (i.e. like the "axe-head" form of Myth Drannor). The monastery to Umberlee apparently had extensive wings and outbuildings, but how far from the "center" ("seemingly for miles", as written in VGtC) do these actually reach/extend?
My next batch of questions are about the Towers of War (monastery to Tempus) and the Firedagger Inn... is the inn built inside the walls, and are these (curtain?) walls still encircling the former monastery grounds? Is it (the inn) built upon the ruins of a building/keep, or is it a former monastery building that was just fixed? What were the Towers like, in the "olden days" (built upon a hill/hillock/ridge? How many towers, etc.) and how far are the Towers from "the village center"?
I am very eagerly waiting for the Swords of Dragonfire :)
p.s. I know that we've already voted for the upcoming Realms online articles, but is there any room on the list for a "whirlwind tour" of the major/important Cormyte villages? (Wormtower comes to mind as an intriguing possibility ;) |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 19:00:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Delzounblood
ED & THO
(snip)
The book is Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock.
(snip)
Has there been any canon or anything hinted at that would reflect or in some way mirror the Andean Legend of this Foam of the Sea, Master of Science & Magic (as he is known) in early Toril history?
Did the races of Faerun have divine influence that could incorprate this legend in any way?
I am thinking more of the Old Empires or maybe the Maztican Empire etc:
I know FR is not a reflection of Real World, but I always find some mirror of a legend able to fit and adapt into game terms.
Maybe a manifestation / avatar of one God or another shaping their favored race?
Or as per the book hinted but an unknown super advanced race which for reasons unknown traveled around Toril on a civilising mission?
Your thoughts and any canon please.
Thanks Delz
Leaving aside questions of authenticity and the racism implicit in supposing that "savages" in the Americas could not have built imposing structures, but "barbarians" in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Punjab could (and it took the Mesopotamians more than 2,000 years after the invention of agriculture to invent the wheel, btw, so so much for their presumed cultural superiority!) ...
Serpent Kingdoms spoiler follows! ...
...
The races of Toril lie through their teeth about their own superiority. The elves claim to have been the creators of The Nether Scrolls and to have taught magic to the Netherese, but The Nether Scrolls were written by the Sarrukh tens of thousands of years before the gold and moon elves came to Toril.
As for Maztica, a look at the Maztica boxed set (which may be a free download from Wizards now) will show their culture legends.
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2007 : 00:35:59
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Hi again, all. This time Ed tackles this, from createvmind: “Are there any little hovels, hamlets and such on road between Asbravn and Hluthvarr, with the mountains so near I assume nothing that managed to last too long, year is Flamerule/1372 just in case you had conjured up something of note during that year.”
Asgetrion then posted: “There might be some inns and wayhamlets (some of them around these inns) as Ed has said that in civilized lands (along major roads) there should be at least one inn per day's travel...”
createvmind responded: “That I am aware of, I am wondering if the proximity of such hostile regions with Far Hills and Sunset Mountains to East and Plains to the West. That as well as increased Zhent activity resulting in such Hamlets having to pay for protection or being taken over outright, I can go with the latter.
As part of the same question, in our world the myth is that diamonds in particular and some other precious stones are rare thus reason for cost. Do mine owners and/or merchants practice similar strategies in Faerun to make buyers think they are getting rare stones, what stones are truly rare or hard to come by in Faerun?”
Ed replies:
As it happens, Asgetrion is correct. On the road between Asbravn and Hluthvarr, there are eight or nine fortified inns, all having this same general configuration:
A large inn plus stables plus a row of rental stalls (typically occupied by smiths who shoe horses and make repairs, makers of wagon wheels, tack and harness makers and repairers, saddlers, carpenters specializing in making and selling strongchests and coffers), plus several covered-by-locked-wellhouses wells, plus granary cellars, plus a shrine to a deity whose clerics readily heal for coin, often also plus a brothel, plus lookout towers, all inside a rough oval of stone crenellated walls, with what we might call “airlock” entries for wagons, with inner and outer doors, both sets readily brace-able and sheathed in overlapping iron plates. The “long” side of the oval lies along the road, so archers and catapult and ballistae crews on the walls can command a good stretch of the road adjacent to the inn. The walls aren’t much more than thirty feet high, and the fortified complexes aren’t all that large or impressive. What they are is: battered.
These places (which have names such as Mickle Ryll, Orstantor, Erebolden, and Torn Shield [often named after their long-dead founders, a nearby battle, or a corruption of the name of a steading or inn that once stood on the same site], and are interspersed with the ruins of inns (overgrown, fragmentary stone walls) that have been breached and thrown down, often by besiegers seeking to evict outlaws, large hobgoblin or other monster bands, or Zhent forces) exist because Iriaebor wants them to, to preserve the trade-road that helps to enrich it. (Translation: Iriaebor will send mounted patrols along the road, that use these inns as way-bases, will break any sieges on these places and resupply them in fierce weather or when attacks from the mountains are particularly bad, and will seize and govern any of these places that shows signs of “going brigand.”)
Mineral wealth has come down from the mountains and been shipped to wider Faerûn along this road before there were Zhentarim, and will probably do so after there are no more Zhentarim (and there are many locals who fervently wish that the latter state of affairs would come about soon).
And yes, gem-merchants in large cities far from mines often try to spread rumors about orc tribes recently having occupied or destroyed gem-mines, (so there’s a scarcity, so pay more). They tend to scoff at caravan merchants who try the exact same fib on THEM. However, this dodge works less well in busy ports (such as Waterdeep) and other “crossroads” trading cities, because there’s more competition (and always someone around who will undercut any artificially high price in order to make a sale). The comments in the FORGOTTEN REALMS ADVENTURES (2nd Edition) sourcebook as to scarcity and difficulty of working gemstones remain accurate; to repeat all that here would take pages!
So saith Ed, painting in another fascinating little corner of the Realms to adventure in.
love to all,
THO
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2007 : 16:40:41
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Another request related to my previous one (Trielta hills), I would like to know how Ed would describe a trek trough the Pelleor prairies; because we don't know much about this huge area (I read what is in El's ecologies A-II). |
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boddynock
Learned Scribe
Belgium
258 Posts |
Posted - 24 Mar 2007 : 21:38:09
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Hello Ed & THO,
I just started reading the novel "Elminster in Hell" (I really enjoy reading it) and in that novel is the following sentence:
"He gave Lucifer and Batna the final doom for having that child", Nergal added excitedly. Executing them as Baalzebul, fiercest of Lucifer's foes, watched" ....
My question now goes about the figure Lucifer (and in lesser extend Batna). During their execution it was clear that Lucifer was a prince of hell. But was he always the lesser of Asmodeus or was he the former lord of Baator? In Fiendish Codex 2 they told that Asmodeus was the first and only ruler of hell and Baator was an empty wasteland. In a second edition sourcebook (blood war boxed set) I read about an older race called Baatorians who lived in Baator before Asmodeus came, and if my memory doesn't play tricks with me they told that it was possible that there was an older ruler of hell, before Asmodeus arrival.
Thanks for your time,
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2007 : 11:08:38
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Hell in the Realms and Hell in the Core don't have to be one and the same thing. If I was running a FR campaign, they most certainly would not be.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2007 : 16:14:26
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Hello, all.
Well said, George. boddynock, you've stumbled on a topic that's been covered many a time before down the years since Ed's classic Nine Hells articles in issues 75, 75, and 91 of DRAGON. Ed will give you a proper reply in the fullness of time, but the crux of what's causing the confusion here is: Ed wants "in game" Realmslore to stand unchanged, as history (we can paint in explanations and new details, as Marvel and DC comics writers have done for years), but when something happens, it happens; whereas different editions of the D&D game just "change things" and contradict what was written before. To understand this particular case, you have to go back to issue 17 of DRAGON, and the "Politics of Hell" article by Ed's longtime friend, Alex von Thorn, and build back from there through the 1st edition MONSTER MANUAL to Ed's Hell articles. Nergal and the other "outcast" devils exist because they defied the rule of Asmodeus, sometimes because of their very existence: they are unique or "arch"devils, and that's a threat to the status quo in the Nine Hells (so it follows that BIRTHING archedevils is a crime). For the rest, you'll have to wait for Ed's definitive words, I'm afraid.
As for Realmslore from Ed, this time, I present Ed's response to Delzounblood’s post: “If Ed would like? I have part of a novel written he can read, where the main character is a Fallen Angel! A Paladin gone BAD! which I am working on. I would like to hear his (and yours THO) views on it so far!”
Ed replies:
I would love to read your novel-in-progress, BUT: I have seventeen major projects of my own to do before the end of 2007, about twice that many little ones, probably about a dozen new, not-yet-released books to read and blurb (write those little quotations on the covers that say things like “Best book I read this morning!”) and there’s this little matter of World Fantasy judging, which could very well mean I have to read about 5,000 (yes, five thousand!) fantasy poems, short stories, scripts, novellas, novels, etc. between now and late October.
So you’d probably be better off continuing to work on the novel, because there’s no way I’m going to be able to get to it before mid-November (and, eyeballing my schedule and seeing the usual three-novel traffic jam at that time of year, probably not even then). This year, it took me until yesterday to work my way out of the jam, so you should be well onto your NEXT novel by the time I’ll have any opportunity to look at this one.
So saith Ed, who’s not kidding, Delz. You got to him about two decades too late to find him with time enough to easily stop and read something unexpected.  Sorry. Ed’s wife is constantly complaining that if she reads something and then passes it to him to read, so they can discuss it, she’s forgotten all about the particular book by the time he gets around to reading it.
It ain’t easy, being Ed.
love to all,
THO
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createvmind
Senior Scribe
490 Posts |
Posted - 25 Mar 2007 : 18:25:12
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Thank you Ed and Lady,
They've chosen to cut across the plains to avoid zhents and thinking to cut travel time by going what they hope is route to the road from Hluthvarr and Scornubel. I'll use this info on that road when they finally reach it.
Still wondering on if the trolls in the Trollbark region have amassed considerable wealth over the centuries and how if at all they "move/convert" it to things they may seek?
Thanks again
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 01:49:29
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Hello again, scribes. This time Ed answers Blueblade, re. this: “Suzail is a wealthy and bustling port and a capitol city, but how many of its citizens are poor/underclass/struggling labourers? (As opposed to stable-employment, well-fed but underpaid shopkeepers assistants, etc.?) Thanks!”
Ed replies:
Suzail has lots of poor folks living near the docks at its western end; many of them make livings as dockhands (casual day-laborers, loading and unloading cargoes), repairers and makers of simple household goods, or through illicit trade (forgery, drugs and other smuggled goods), or prostitution. Around 20 percent of citizens, in all.
If you factor in all the maids (and other non-live-in houseservants) to middle- and upper-class homes, who clean and cook and fetch and act decorative (they may or may not be well-fed or well-treated, but they are underpaid and are NOT stable-employment; the more stupid and poorly educated a “master” or “lady master,” the more apt they are to mistreat - - and fire on the spot - - a servant when they are angry), plus shop assistants (who restock goods, fetch and carry, sweep up, etc.) add another forty-five percent of citizens.
There’s about another 8 percent who are skilled casual laborers (governesses, really superb cooks, excellent seamstresses, etc.) and therefore highly-sought-after, so they have VERY stable employment.
Which leaves not much over 25 percent of citizens to be middle-class landlords (and investors, crafters, and shippers), shopkeepers, courtiers, and nobility (Purple Dragons and Blue Dragons in barracks are NOT considered citizens, and not counted in these percentages). Even with a concentration of nobility in Suzail, they don’t quite make up 2 percent of all citizenry, but courtiers are more numerous than in many cities, and shopkeepers are the most numerous middle-class folk (whereas in some cities, crafters outnumber shopkeepers).
Suzail is a wealthier and more open small trading city than most cities of its size, but (aside from the variances note above) these percentages aren’t far off for most Faerûnian Heartlands cities.
So saith Ed. Master worldbuilder (and not a bad sorter of household garbage, recycling, and compost, too).
love to all,
THO
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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
575 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 14:09:03
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Ed,
I've got a party of 6 characters. They found 6 rather simple crowns buried in the tombs of orcish kings at Xul Jarak (the Sons of Gruumsh Module). So far, they rather enjoy wearing them, and found it fortuitous that they had 6 members and 6 crowns (maybe its fate!) Honestly, I think its pretty cool.
I've got three questions about crowns and crown wearing.
What would ceremonial burial crowns of the ancient orcish Thar dynasty look like? (each crown is valued at 200gp in the module, but is otherwise undescribed).
These adventurers will be headed to Cormyr soon. Are there any laws against the wearing of crowns by non-royal/noble persons in Cormyr?
These companions have a badge, but no sanctioned heraldric device. Would the heralds have issues with crown wearing by non-royal/noble persons? |
*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
Edited by - WalkerNinja on 26 Mar 2007 14:11:02 |
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AlorinDawn
Learned Scribe
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2007 : 19:19:38
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Ed & THO,
Do you have any idea whatever happened to the artist Valerie Velusek? She did a ton of work for TSR back in the day and then poofed. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2007 : 02:34:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Foxhelm
I have a question, but I believe that it's NDA, but I still have to ask it.
Is Storm Silverhand truely barren or is it that Mystra is holding back a miracle birth of a powerful child that could change the Realms if born? Or something like that?
Just curious...
Obviously I don't have an answer, but I want to mention that I like the idea of Storm being barren. Storm has often been described as "motherly" towards other people--it says a lot of positive things about her that she can be so motherly when she's never had children (and perhaps partly because she has no children of her own?).
That said, I think she could conceive if Mystra wanted her too, but if she already has a maternal role towards the people in her community, then maybe that in itself is fulfilling for her? Plenty of people in real life are infertile, and having someone like Storm being infertile brings a sense of realism to the Realms that I do like. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2007 : 03:07:41
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Seven Sisters tells us that Storm is indeed barren -- confirmed by the fact that she was unable to conceive with Maxam, much like during her other earlier dalliances. Whether Mystra has had any direct hand in this, is likely something Ed knows more about. 'Tis also likely that despite Storm's unique case, Mystra may indeed have the final say on whether she can get with child, just as with the other Chosen. We should remember also, that Mystra alone decides whether any of the offspring her Chosen are indeed "allowed" to cause, will display any aptitude for magic or become Chosen themselves. This particular aspect of Mystra's influence could have special meaning in Storm's case.
And while it is interesting to speculate on whether or not Mystra has a hand in preventing Storm from having children [for fears about some potentially powerful Nate Grey-styled offspring being born] consider, rather, that a child from Khelben and Laeral is a child of TWO Chosen, not one and another human/oid. That is a very unique situation and, as I see it, could potentially lead to some rather eyebrow-raising circumstances.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 27 Mar 2007 06:02:24 |
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createvmind
Senior Scribe
490 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 00:32:53
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| Are there Tar pits in Faerun above or below ground? |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 01:19:55
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The Pits of Mystra, in the Helmlands, are above ground.
And, as I recall, the tar pit featured in the "Moonshae" trilogy was above ground as well.
Ed will likely have more.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 03:37:16
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Hello again, scribes of the Candles By the Sea, I bring you Ed of the Greenwood’s response to RodOdom, re. this: “We know that there are human merchants who venture into the bazaars of the Underdark. Are there merchants who dare to trade with goblins and other savage communities on the surface world?
And a separate question: have there ever been instances where ordinary humans have tried to offer mundane services to wealthy dragons? For example, house-keeping, scale-cleaning, vermin-control.”
Ed replies:
Yes. And yes.
Thanks for the questions. :}
Ahem, seriously: there are many merchants who dare to trade with goblins and other fierce, evil creatures. A lot of them get killed every year, but that doesn’t stop others from trying. The thirst to dicker, trade, and make coin is very strong, especially among the poor--so there’s never a shortage of travelling merchants willing to risk their necks. The surprising thing is how many goblins are smart enough not to break, chop off, or bite such necks (seeing the usefulness of such traders).
As for your second question: there have been humans before the Cult of the Dragon who venerated dragons and served them willingly. There have also been adventurers who formed alliances, pacts, and trade agreements with dragons. (If you include dragons who can take human form, but only count instances where humans KNOWINGLY [knowing they were dealing with a dragon, that is] tried to offer services to such dragons, the number of instances still shoots right up to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of cases. The question then becomes: Do you still judge such people “ordinary humans”? Or are they crazies, cultists, or intrepidly daring adventurers? There are many instances of dragons protecting human villages in the remote valleys where they lair, in return for the villages working against all arriving dragon-hunters (guiding them astray or into traps, poisoning or otherwise slaying them, sabotaging their equipment, etc.). They are many instances of humans worshipping dragons and willingly becoming their slaves (and in some cases, even lovers - - and becoming either slaves and lovers when they knew it would mean their eventual deaths). There are fewer (but still many) occurrences of human/dragon mercantile trade, of services as well as goods. So I would answer this question with a firm “yes.”
So saith Ed. Who will never have enough opportunities to explore and give examples of all the intricacies of the Realms - - but sure keeps trying.
love to all,
THO
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Kazzaroth
Learned Scribe
Finland
104 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 16:51:47
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Hi, I have got some old questions (which I reask) along whit new questions (just keep pile of questions for easy referance for myself and Ed to read :P). If my old questions got answered somepoint can someone friendly give link to correct page? I looked all pages from 2006 thread and I did not find answers in there and readed trough the 19 pages in this thread. Also I do not want sound inpatient (I know Ed is busy whti his projects and he has been very generous even keeping up reply others questions :)). I just posted the old and new questions as reminder for myself and to be easy to find for referance.
Old questions;
I am still intrested hear what Talfirian culture was alike before it disappeared (no clues about it according lore what I seeked) and intrested how it disappeared (know some migrated among to Tethyrians and managed rub some traditions onto them, including Talfirian Shadowsong region feat would hint that in among bardic culture some traditions live) and why the landspot where Talfirians culture resided is not occupied by any nation (according map). Also some information about Shadow King; Who he was? How he becomed shadow king and what 'shadow king' as title meanted for Talfirians (asuming it's true that shadow king remained as Talfirians ruler/guardian).
Also I heard from friend, who had read some old sources (likely 1st or 2 edition, not sure) but he said he read somewhere that shadow king was being powered by the weave (no idea what that actually means besides being Mystra's chosen or as ghost) and one theory says that when weave ceased to exchist when Karsus attempted become god Shadow King, as being empowered purely by weave turned to alternative source of power to avoid disappearing; shadow weave. After that accident Shadow King would have been being of shadow weave. So I wonder is this true? If so is Shadow Kign still 'exchisting around' somewhere as Shar's puppet or as independant shadow weave spirit in present realms?
Anycase now for new questions;
How wizards/sorcerror's in generall in realms view powerfull bards who can cast fairly powerfull bardic spells? How commoners think about bard who can literally crumble a castle whit high vocaled singing or create powerfull mind affecting spells/abilities? Would the bard still viewed as 'entertaining minstrel' or would their repute as casters (note; not as performers but as casters) scare potential performer patrons off?
Also is possible for bard, or group of bards, succeed get divine miracles in the forgotten realms by justdoing enough impressing bardic performance to please a deity (examply tribal shamas whit musical skill try appease Talos to bring storm after long dry season to get rain)? How common are 'religion based' bards which learned bardic craft only learn to please a deity whit their musings (and would they work as converters of their faith)?
If there are religion based bardic traditions, which gods/goddesses have them and is there any well known 'bardic orders' among some faiths (I am sure Sune and few other gods/goddesses who appreciate bards and arts ahve them but how about others like Selune)? |
Edited by - Kazzaroth on 28 Mar 2007 16:56:22 |
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RodOdom
Senior Scribe
USA
509 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 17:48:11
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Yes. And yes.
Thanks for the questions. :}
LOL. But even a three word reply would be a great honor and privilege for me. Thank you. |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 22:18:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Kazzaroth
Also I do not want sound inpatient (I know Ed is busy whti his projects and he has been very generous even keeping up reply others questions :)). I just posted the old and new questions as reminder for myself and to be easy to find for referance.
Kazzaroth, it is a bit impolite to post your old questions again. Our very own Lady Herald has already delivered your questions to Ed, and she has reminded us time and time again that Ed is (and will be) very busy with a number of various projects.
Please be patient, even if you had to wait a bit longer than others - Ed has a pretty big basement, which is, apparently, filled with boxes of his old notes. He may have to "dig deep" into that treasure trove to find the exact notes to answer your questions properly. |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2007 : 22:28:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Asgetrion
quote:
Originally posted by Kazzaroth
Also I do not want sound inpatient (I know Ed is busy whti his projects and he has been very generous even keeping up reply others questions :)). I just posted the old and new questions as reminder for myself and to be easy to find for referance.
Kazzaroth, it is a bit impolite to post your old questions again. Our very own Lady Herald has already delivered your questions to Ed, and she has reminded us time and time again that Ed is (and will be) very busy with a number of various projects.
Please be patient, even if you had to wait a bit longer than others - Ed has a pretty big basement, which is, apparently, filled with boxes of his old notes. He may have to "dig deep" into that treasure trove to find the exact notes to answer your questions properly.
I just want to follow up on this by saying, some of us have been waiting two or more years for Ed to answer us. He WILL get around to answering them, when he can. People, he is a busy person and so you will just have to learn to have patience. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 00:38:00
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I was going to touch on this myself last night, until I noticed that Kazzaroth did mention that he was only reposting his earlier questions for 'easy reference' along with his new questions. I don't think it has as much to do with impatience, as it does making it easier for Ed to respond to Kaz's entire selection of questions.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Kazzaroth
Learned Scribe
Finland
104 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 12:31:35
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Aye, I reposted my old questions so Ed can pick my old and new questions from one post. I could had 'quoted' them but I did not bother roll all 75 pages trough find them :P. Anycase I clarify that my first new questions means more 'how full career arcane casters view bard as arcane spell caster if bard is experienced and powerfull enough cast powerfull bard spells'.
Also I have wondered is bard's singing (basically bardic music feature use) somehow related to weave? Meaning that does weave 'sing' to the bards and does weave have somesort voice or musical element (which can be heard only by those who are deeply attuned to the weave, perhaps including experienced/powerfull bards) what bards are exploiting when they cast bard spells?
I have read that times when spellfire or high magic rituals (or other sort powerfull spellcasting near by) have been used, some fellow arcane casters and chosen of Mystra have sensed disturbance in the weave and it had sometimes descriped like someone is playing harp off tune or someone is playing harp well. I wonder is that metaphor or do chosen of mystra really 'hear' the disturbance/weave. |
Edited by - Kazzaroth on 29 Mar 2007 12:33:34 |
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Hawkfeather
Seeker
Brazil
64 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 12:57:59
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Hello Ed! In the next couple of weeks I'm going to start a new campaing located in the Vast. In the PGtF's errata is described a new shield dwarf region called Underdark (Earthroot). The brief description says: "deep beneath the Earthspur Montains lies the remnants of the shield dwarf kingdom called Earthfast."
Could you please give us a more accurate and deep description of this dwarf realm? It's history, society, rulers, cities, enemies, allies; anything you could share will be of great value. One of my players wants to play a dwarf from Earthfast and he wants to know more about it.
Thanks in advance!!! |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 13:05:19
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| You might want to check out Ed's Dwarves Deep book from the 2ed. Hawkfeather; it is still the main source of dwarven lore and it has a section on Earthfast. |
Edited by - Jorkens on 29 Mar 2007 13:08:45 |
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Hawkfeather
Seeker
Brazil
64 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 14:40:58
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| Thanks for the information, Jorkens. I will try get my hands on this book, but here in Brazil it will be very difficult to find a copy. |
Edited by - Hawkfeather on 29 Mar 2007 14:45:24 |
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Zandilar
Learned Scribe
Australia
313 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 14:44:56
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Heya,
Ed, it's just been brought to my attention (via browsing other forums) that you finally answered my question regarding male clerics of Eilistraee.
I had kind of lost hope of ever seeing a reply, my wanderings had taken me away from this forum to other places... It's funny how the world turns. I went to the WotC forums to ask for suggestions about how Spellscales (from Races of the Dragon - sort of like draconic equivelants to tieflings and aasimar) would fit into the Forgotten Realms, and spotted several threads about Eilistraee. One of those linked to an Eilistraee specific forum, upon which I found your replies relayed there by a poster... Which lead me to here to give you my heartfelt thanks!
Thank you! It was quite a fascinating reply.  |
Zandilar
~amor vincit omnia~
~audaces fortuna iuvat~
As the spell ends, you look up into the sky to see the sun blazing overhead like noon in a desert. Then something else in the sky catches your attention. Turning your gaze, you see a tawny furred kitten bounding across the sky towards the new sun. Her eyes glint a mischevious green as she pounces on it as if it were nothing but a colossal ball of golden yarn. With quick strokes of her paws, it is batted across the sky, back and forth. Then with a wink the kitten and the sun disappear, leaving the citizens of Elversult gazing up with amazed expressions that quickly turn into chortles and mirth.
The Sunlord left Elversult the same day in humilitation, and was never heard from again. |
Edited by - Zandilar on 29 Mar 2007 14:46:15 |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 15:27:24
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Hello again, all. This time Ed answers AlorinDawn, re. this: “Ed, I have a question about what locales the following creatures (from Dragon #89 Creature Catalog) can be found in the Realms in their greatest numbers: Bohun Tree, Calygraunt, Cantobele, and the Flailtail. I'm just trying to get an idea of where you placed these creatures in your home campaign, if you have used them, and a few places you envision their larger populations living.
THO, If you can, please tell us of any encounters you Knights had with these creatures if it doesn't fall in the dreaded NDA territory.
Thanks” and this, too: “Ed & THO, Yet another question for the stacks about Ed's creatures from Dragon #89's Creature Catalog article. Can you tell us about the Sind populations in the Realms and where they are found? Can you provide any additional information on Sindar? I vaguely remember yyyyyyears ago finding out the hard way about the Sind's imprisonment ability. Thanks”
Ed replies:
None of these beasties are particularly numerous in the “known” Realms (that is, the continental areas described and detailed in published products thus far) any longer. Many of them are flourishing far better on offshore islands than they are anywhere on the mainland, and some of them (the Bohun Tree in particular) seem to be evolving in their outward forms.
Here you go; a roster of the “locales in which most numerous,” as requested:
Bohun Tree: Sharawood, Shaarwood (in the Heartlands: a few in the wooded, lower north slopes of the mountains bordering Amn on the north)
Calygraunt: Chondalwood (in the Heartlands: the western High Forest)
Cantobele: Bandit Kingdoms (in the Heartlands: mountain foothills around Tunland)
Flailtail: Vast Swamp, Marsh of Chelimber
Sind: Lhespenbog
Sindar communities tend to be tiny and well-hidden, existing in many swamplands and keeping to themselves. They retreat when possible rather than fighting foes, but almost always arrange alarm systems (intruding creature trips or upsets something that makes a loud noise, often a falling box full of salvaged scrap metal, such as rusting armor gleaned from intruders) and even wounding traps (sharpened stake pits under water, along trails or in likely “crossing areas.” Sindar are more numerous in warmer, more southerly swampy areas, such as those found in Veldorn and Luiren (note that most small swamplands don’t appear on the published maps). Sind in general want to be left alone, aren’t interested in travel or trade with and in the wider Realms, and so aren’t very “deployable” in adventures.
So saith Ed. We Knights have encountered all of these critters, but only the Sind and Flailtails more than once. We learned how to respectfully treat the Sind (ranger and druid among us, remember) and so don’t encounter any problems with them; flailtails have proven to be recurring pests that Torm always complains loudly about (getting muddy and wet AGAIN, and they’re not even good eating) as Ed gleefully makes sure he gets whapped good and solidly by those pesky tails. Nothing really memorable to share, AlorinDawn; sorry. The adventures worth relating tend to be encounters where we have to negotiate, or tackle a mystery, and so on.
love to all,
THO
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2007)
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