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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore

5056 Posts

Posted - 02 Jan 2007 :  23:52:26  Show Profile  Visit The Hooded One's Homepage Send The Hooded One a Private Message
Correct. Jeff did create and name Waukeen, and did name "the planet" Abeir-Toril.
The name "Faerûn" (which means "home" in a long-ago, forgotten language) refers to the main continent of the published Realms. Ed's thinking was that "everyone" knew about the land they lived in, and its boundary seas, but not every culture "of today," Realmstime, knew it was on a spherical planet. There are various names among the Netherese, modern Halruaans, elves, etc, for the planet, but there was no one commonly-accepted one.
TSR needed an "official" label. Jeff was the handler, traffic cop, and "TSR end" of the Realms, and provided one. As with everything, he checked with Ed, and Ed said: fine. Sure. Go ahead.
love,
THO
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 02 Jan 2007 :  23:56:24  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
Indeed. The "claim" Kentinal posted above comes from Ed... frm his "Origins of the Forgotten Realms" -

"Jeff contributed the name of the planet (Toril, to which he added the prefix Abeir to shift the world entry to the front of the alphabetical listings in the Old Grey Box) from his campaign. I had no world name because the folks in Faerun knew they lived on something that curved, but considered it all one land. Jeff also added a god (Waukeen), and reshaped everything into official rules format. (The gods from Jeff's own campaign had already been used in the Dragonlance setting, I believe.) Jeff and I became very close friends, and he managed the hard task of turning all the Realmslore I sent in to TSR every week (until they yelled at me to stop) into a coherent setting with both wit and humor. I can't thank him enough."

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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore

5056 Posts

Posted - 04 Jan 2007 :  00:00:57  Show Profile  Visit The Hooded One's Homepage Send The Hooded One a Private Message
Hello again, scribes. This time, Ed deals with a recent query (because he can do so swiftly and easily, and is VERY busy right now but trying not to fall silent here at the Keep) from Mythrainer, to whit: “Wanted to ask Ed or anyone else who might have the answers to a couple of questions about Lone Rock in the Sea of Fallen Stars.
Did Ed put it there or was it added by someone else.
And, secondly, did Ed have anything specific in mind when/if he created it (i.e. what/who lives there, if anything? how big is it? is it habitable or is it just some huge craggy rock jutting up from the water? is it dangerous to approach by ship due to underwater rocks or freak storms/currents, etc?)
thanks, Mythrainer”
Ed replies:



Hi. Yes, I put it there. :}
Lone Rock is a bare rock, so no one lives there except seabirds and the organisms that can live in their plentiful droppings. It’s about half a mile long (oriented NE-SW) and about a third of a mile across for most of its length, and rises at one end to a ‘horn’ or pinnacle that rarely gets swept by waves (though the rest of Lone Rock does). That pinnacle is carpeted in seabird nests atop old nests. Sorry, no monsters of note are known to lurk in the vicinity.
Lone Rock is named for the aid to navigation its presence gives. It’s only dangerous if sailors run right into it and smash their ships; it’s the top of a submerged mountain, and rises almost sheer out of the deeps, with no dangerous surrounding rocks. It causes turbulence in the “swells” (long, sweeping open-water sea waves) by its very presence, of course, but doesn’t cause any dangerous storms. In lightning storms it gets hit by lightning a lot because of its height, but there’s nothing “freak” about that.
Boats can “drag anchor” (put out a sea anchor rather than actually anchoring) in the lee of Lone Rock, and a pirate punishment of old (usually enacted upon murderers or thieves among crews) was to maroon someone on the rock without food or water, and just sail away. In olden days, many mages practicing teleportation would take ship to Lone Rock, to make it a “known location” they could use as a temporary stopping-place, to drink healing potions or sleep or study spells where very few folk could find them (obviously, this is a fair-weather option only). A few of them sporadically used the Rock as a prison, by bringing captives with them as they teleported in, and then teleporting away and leaving the victim behind.
There’s rumored to be a vein of rich gems somewhere in the many, many cracks and clefts that crisscross Lone Rock, crystals that can be dug out with a knife, but tales disagree as to just what sort of gems these are.



So saith Ed. Creator of Lone Rock, the Sea of Fallen Stars, and a lot of pirates, too.
love to all,
THO
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Rollo Ruttikin
Acolyte

USA
26 Posts

Posted - 04 Jan 2007 :  01:13:03  Show Profile  Visit Rollo Ruttikin's Homepage Send Rollo Ruttikin a Private Message
Well met Hooded One!
I have always wondered about the various Volo's Guides and the assorted recipes for different things like Dragon Stew.
Aside from some of the FR ingredients, are these recipes real or imaginary? Are they inspired by true dishes that one could possibly concoct if one had the time and talent to do so? Of course I realize that certain ingredients would need to be subsituted. Whatever the case may be, Ed sounds like he would be an amazing chef!
This is important to me because I am fat.
Thanks!!

Edited by - Rollo Ruttikin on 04 Jan 2007 01:14:46
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Mkhaiwati
Learned Scribe

USA
252 Posts

Posted - 04 Jan 2007 :  01:44:23  Show Profile  Visit Mkhaiwati's Homepage Send Mkhaiwati a Private Message
quote:
Mkhaiwati, Ed has an upstairs room joining the (new) master bedroom to the older part of his house, that's known as "the gallery" because it's where a lot of fantasy art (prints, not originals; Ed's never made much money from his writing) is on the walls - - and a HUGE print of God Speed (accompanied by a smaller version of the companion painting, wherein a queen is dubbing a kneeling knight) is hanging in pride of place!
love,
THO


I think it is "The Accolade", also by Leighton. We have a print of it hanging in our dining room.

"Behold the work of the old... let your heritage not be lost but bequeath it as a memory, treasure and blessing... Gather the lost and the hidden and preserve it for thy children."

"not nale. not-nale. thog help nail not-nale, not nale. and thog knot not-nale while nale nail not-nale. nale, not not-nale, now nail not-nale by leaving not-nale, not nale, in jail." OotS #367
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Foxhelm
Senior Scribe

Canada
592 Posts

Posted - 04 Jan 2007 :  22:11:41  Show Profile Send Foxhelm a Private Message
Well, here's something I would like to see in the new year.

Has Ed read Eric L. Boyd's article in Dragon 350 (Legacies of Ancient Empires: Planetouched of Faerun)? If so, could he spin some lore about the planetouched that lie within, with my interests being with Azerblood and the Celadrins in particulaur?

Also what do the Seven Sister and the other choosen of Mystra react to the news of the ending of "Blackstaff"? Do they even know? And what is their opinion of Khelben now?

Now a couple of humourous question...

Does Elminster have groupies? Like with sexy wizardresses who are turned on by skillful hands or warrior women that hunger for a man with the ability to become very dangerous? And what would the Simbul think of that?

Also a who would win question: The Simbul... or Granny Weatherwax from Discworld?

These are all of the questions I have for the moment. Thanks and good health.

Foxhelm, who still wonders if the Realms word for Librarian is Ed?

Ed Greenwood! The Solution... and Cause of all the Realms Problems!
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36804 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  00:23:34  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message
O Lovely Lady Hooded One, I just sent another emailed query to you. It's not related to the previous round of questions, but it is related to the next volume of the Compendium. Thanks!

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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore

5056 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  01:16:56  Show Profile  Visit The Hooded One's Homepage Send The Hooded One a Private Message
Ahhhh, a PRIVATE communication from my favourite hamster (purrrr) . . . * [ Ahem]
Oh. Heh-heh. Hello again, scribes. This time Ed responds very swiftly (because he had the lore right at hand) to Uzzy’s query: “Does Alusair Obarskyr have a name for her own, personal sword?”
Ed replies:



She uses several, but was presented with a beautiful +2 keen longsword by her father upon her twenty-second birthday, that she calls “Royal Kiss.” It has an everbright silvered blade and bears her name and the Purple Dragon of Cormyr on both sides, just below the hilt. There is also a rune on the pommel placed there by Vangerdahast, that alerts the Royal Magician of Cormyr (Caladnei, now) of the precise location of the blade whenever any living creature other than Alusair touches it.
Alusair customarily leaves Royal Kiss hanging in her bedchamber wardrobe (a walk-in room), or under her bed (hidden by its skirts) or atop its canopy (where about a dozen healing potions, in unlabelled stainless steel vials, also live), and uses a far more utilitarian (and battered) +1 mighty cleaving longsword that she privately refers to as “Wartusk” or “Old Tusk.” It does not bear this name or any engraving at all.
As Steel Regent, she can, of course, use any of the thousands of swords in the royal vaults and Obarskyr family armory (including many magical blades), but it’s rare for her to do so. She DOES keep two swords scabbarded and ready, with matching sheathed daggers, one hidden in the Palace and one in the Royal Court (hung where she can easily reach them, on wall-pegs behind hangings in particular passages).



So saith Ed, Master Armourer of the Realms.
love to all,
THO
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Uzzy
Senior Scribe

United Kingdom
618 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  02:05:58  Show Profile  Visit Uzzy's Homepage Send Uzzy a Private Message
Royal Kiss sounds like a very nice name, and a very nice sword. I had been thinking about the one listed in the FRCS (the +3 Vorpal Longsword. Note to self, be clearer next time!) but I suppose that falls under the thousands of swords in the vaults and armoury.

As always, many thanks for the Lore!
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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore

USA
1105 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  03:28:07  Show Profile  Visit Garen Thal's Homepage Send Garen Thal a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Uzzy

Royal Kiss sounds like a very nice name, and a very nice sword. I had been thinking about the one listed in the FRCS (the +3 Vorpal Longsword. Note to self, be clearer next time!) but I suppose that falls under the thousands of swords in the vaults and armoury.
Actually, the +3 vorpal longsword did not originally belong to Alusair; it was a favorite blade of her father's (along with a +4 defending longsword, both mentioned in his writeup in FR7 and Heroes' Lorebook). On becoming Steel Regent, Alusair took up both her father's blade and his shield, possibly as a sign of continuity and stability between her father's reign and her regency.

The vorpal blade should be assumed to be her "dress" or "court" blade, worn at times when she's on inspection, in full dress armor, bearing the sword she knows that loyal Purple Dragons and nobles will recognize as her father's.
quote:
It has an everbright silvered blade and bears her name and the Purple Dragon of Cormyr on both sides, just below the hilt. There is also a rune on the pommel placed there by Vangerdahast, that alerts the Royal Magician of Cormyr (Caladnei, now) of the precise location of the blade whenever any living creature other than Alusair touches it.
We should probably all keep in mind that "touch" here probably means "draws from its scabbard or grasps by the hilt." Any of Alusair's weapons eventually "touches" quite a few living beings--goblins and orcs, most often--and if Royal Kiss sent a signal to Vangey or Caladnei every time she struck a blow in combat, the serving Mage Royal would end up with quite the awful headache.
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Uzzy
Senior Scribe

United Kingdom
618 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  04:17:15  Show Profile  Visit Uzzy's Homepage Send Uzzy a Private Message
Ooh, learn new things everyday. Thanks Garen Thal!
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore

1425 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  21:15:03  Show Profile  Visit Charles Phipps's Homepage Send Charles Phipps a Private Message
This is a question about Necromancers in the Realms for Ed.

Now, there's several powers of Necromancy in the Realms. I'm curious about who is the most worshiped gods of necromancy in the Realms and where they tend to be worshiped.

Now Kiaransalee is obviously only worshiped by Drow so she's removed from the equation. All Drow magicians who lean towards necromancy would probably pick her anyway.

The god Velsharoon is only a demigod but he's listed as the Patron of Necromancy under Mystra. One would presume that Necromancers that worship the Weave would pay him homage in addition to Mystra.

HOWEVER, Orcus is listed as an Intermediate god and worshiped by Necromancers and the Undead. This puts him well above Velsharoon and ranks him well above any Mystran veneration doesn't it? Is his cult actually that large?

I imagine Shar gets a fair portion of Necromancers as well. However, the Red Wizards of Thay under Ssass Tam presumably worship Kossuth or Bane don't they? That really seems to restrict the worship there.

Plus, we know that Myrkul's Cult is still out there. Is it still powerful in your opinion despite his entrapment in the Crown of Horns?

And while I'm sure you don't like questions of speculation but should Myrkul regain his status (perhaps by absorbing Velsharoon) would many of the Necromancers under the above deities flock to him or not?

My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore

1425 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  21:44:41  Show Profile  Visit Charles Phipps's Homepage Send Charles Phipps a Private Message
Oh and one more thing...

Ed, what exactly got left on the cutting room floor for City of Splendors? It's been indicated that a lot was lost.

My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  23:46:30  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps

Oh and one more thing...

Ed, what exactly got left on the cutting room floor for City of Splendors? It's been indicated that a lot was lost.


While Ed will have more, I'll note that both Ed and Elaine have already discussed some elements of what was taken out from CoS when I asked them back in '05/early '06. See their compiled replies also.

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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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-- 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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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore

1425 Posts

Posted - 05 Jan 2007 :  23:55:57  Show Profile  Visit Charles Phipps's Homepage Send Charles Phipps a Private Message
Noted, I'll check that out Sage.

My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore

5056 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  01:52:30  Show Profile  Visit The Hooded One's Homepage Send The Hooded One a Private Message
Hi again, scribes of the Realms. This time Ed tackles a recent question from Rinonalyrna Fathomlin: “Hello again Ed! My latest query comes as a result of browsing the forums related to the new Neverwinter Nights 2 CRPG. Basically, there is an argument going on that attracted my interest about whether or not Lord Nasher of Neverwinter (as depicted in the official campaign) is a bad person/ruler, and one subject that was brought up in that thread is the use of trial-by-combat as a last resort when the player character is accused in court of having burned a Luskan village and slaughtering its inhabitants. Apparently, even if the player character successfully "wins" the trial, the prosecutor from Luskan will make a last ditch effort to appeal the case, and calls for Trial by Combat, which turns out to be mandatory. Also brought up was the subject of whether or not a good person in the Realms could believe that people are "guilty until proven innocent". This scenario, and the various arguments brought up by people in that thread, had me wondering about three things:
1) How prevalent (if at all) would trial by combat be in an official criminal court of a major city (like Neverwinter) presided over by the likes of Lord Nasher? I am wondering if the game gets its Realmslore right, here. Do many cities really have "obsure old laws" that allow someone to fight to prove someone's guilty or lack thereof?
2) There were arguments about the morality of trial by combat as is relevant to the social mores of a setting. I've known for a long time that social mores in the Realms are not identical to those of medieval Europe, but some put forth the argument that in such a setting trial by combat would be a common and/or legitimate way of determining if a person is guilty of commiting a crime. Is this the case? As I understand it, the whole idea is that the gods make sure the innocent person wins...but this seems strange to me, because as I understand it most cities in the Realms run by moral governments seem to have court systems much like our own which make use of actual evidence and facts to determine the outcome of a case, not fighting.
3) Is it really a common belief amongst moral people in the Realms--who are educated about the law, and very concerned about justice--that only a bad person would be accused of a crime and it's up to them to prove their innocence, and not vice versa (the modern notion that someone is innocent until proven guilty)? Again, some people were positing this idea, even though personally I find that very hard to believe, based on what I know of the Realms setting. For example, do followers of Tyr prefer to assume that a person is innocent until they are proven guilty, rather than risk doing harm to an innocent person "just in case" they really DID commit the crime? My gut feeling says yes, they would, but I'll defer to your thoughts on this.
I know this is a complex question and a bit of a tall order, but as someone who is both interested in the Realms and laws/justice in general (I work in the legal field), I am most interested in hearing your own thoughts and opinions.
Thank you,
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin”
Ed replies:



Hi! Good queries; okay, here we go . . .
1. No; any such claim is a distortion of true Realmslore; “obscure old traditions,” yes, but “obscure old laws,” no. However, this is not necessarily a lore mistake by the game’s creators; please note that the prosecutor character in the game may very well fudge “tradition” into “law” to try to press his claim (successfully, obviously; in Luskan, the truth has never been very highly valued; getting one’s own way is always the goal in any situation). In other words, he lies and the authorities go along with him because it’s much easier to trade with a Luskan that believes you respect its belligerence as opposed to a Luskan that believes you belittled and dismissed its claims.
Many places in the Sword Coast North and in Calimshan have VERY old traditions of trial by combat, dating from times when (and locales where) there was no functioning temple system, policing, or legal system, and thus very little way of investigating crimes and “proving” guilt.
In Neverwinter, today, only among the nobles would trial by combat be a custom (i.e. one noble settling a dispute with another). Even then, it is restricted to both combatants being adults, strict rules for the duel (seconds, witnesses drawn from all local walks of life [guilded merchant, unguilded shopkeeper, noble, city watch, a local herald, one envoy of a foreign city or realm, etc.], priests standing by to give aid and enforce rules as to how the duel shall end [to stop good fighters or cheaters using duels to murder foes], etc.).
Outlanders MIGHT be allowed standing under this tradition IF they claimed noble status and no local could refute it, but Neverwinter itself barely has a surviving nobility, and there’s certainly no widespread right-now-Realmstime acceptance of trial by combat, ESPECIALLY when either side can employ champions not directly concerned with the crime (i.e. accused fighting victim or victim’s spouse might be thought “just” by the average citizen; accused fighting a trained, court-appointed warrior would NOT).

2. You are correct. The Realms is not medieval Europe, and most intelligent and civilized folk in the Realms would believe that “the gods determining guilt or innocence” would be a matter of the god DIRECTLY signalling guilt or innocence by manifesting (e.g. Lathander’s rosy glow surrounds accused) or speaking (voice from altar or avatar, NOT from mortal priest), or sending dream-visions to any judge, jury, executioner, prosecutor, and all witnesses, defendants, etc. of what really happened or what the god wants done now - - and in the case of an imminent sentence (i.e. hanging, hand about to be chopped off), the visions would be immediate, waking ones, not visions sent later when every surviving concerned individual falls asleep.
Certain secular governments in the Realms (such as olden-days Thay and some of the Chessentan cities) had trial by combat, but no one ever advanced the fiction that this had anything at all to do with the gods other than it being a practice they didn’t frown on.

3. No, there’s no such “common belief.” Faiths embrace the presumption of guilt (and, occasionally, the notion of trial by combat) differently, and their positions change from time to time, but there’s no general, overall belief at all. This is a case of some gamers projecting “their take” on the Realms (perfectly legitimate, of course; we all bring our own experience and therefore understanding to every game we try, and roleplaying games leave far more leeway in that than do, say, the rules of checkers) into “what the Realms should be and is, for all, because I say so.” Even * I * don’t get to do that, untrammeled, and I created the beast. :}



So saith Ed. Who hopes that helps, Rinonalyrna (and who agrees with you, BTW, that in the race to trim down SWORDS OF EVENINGSTAR, the grieving over Martess, Agannor, and Bey got short shrift).
love to all,
THO
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Ethriel
Learned Scribe

USA
272 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  04:45:02  Show Profile  Visit Ethriel's Homepage Send Ethriel a Private Message
Here's a question: Is every las soul that doesn't have a faith simply doomed no matter what? Including children that die before they can embrace a deity? In one short story, a mother commits suicide to save her child on the Fugure Plane, is the kid done for anyways? Later on, another kid dies and finds himself on the Fugue Plane without God's guidance, ending with him walking off with the kid...are we to expect a 'and they burned in hell' coda?

Also, how about Zaknafein in the Drizzt books, since he's apparently at peace in a 'better place?'

Is there light that can be shed?
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Rolindin
Acolyte

USA
46 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  05:58:56  Show Profile  Visit Rolindin's Homepage Send Rolindin a Private Message
First Mr. Greenwood I would like to say I enjoy reading your writtings on the FR page.
The question I have for you; have you though about writting a part three to the Coinkind.

Edited by - Rolindin on 06 Jan 2007 06:00:58
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Penknight
Senior Scribe

USA
538 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  08:22:55  Show Profile Send Penknight a Private Message
Hail to thee, Hooded Lady. It is I, the Knight of the Pen with more queries for the Crafter of Worlds and Spinner of Legends.

I have recently been reading my copy of The Fall of Myth Drannor and came across the death of Aravae Irithyl and her armathor guardians on the night of Shieldmeet. I read about the clues that were left behind (the splashes of black mud on her bed and on the wall), as well as the black bruises of elven hands around their throats. Then I read over Lost Empires of Faerun and found that the identity of her murderer was Illitrin Starym, the wielder of Darkmoon, I believe. I was wondering if it was Mr. Greenwood that came up with the identity of the murderer back in 2nd Edition or if that was something that designers of the book (LEoF) came up with for 3e. Also, was the Starym moonblade used in some way to assist in their murder? And finally... the black mud. I think that Moander was the one that twisted the magics living inside the Starym blade, but I'm not 100% sure. Was the black mud tied in some way to Moander? I was thinking it might have been a spell that those tied directly to him might have access to, but wasn't sure. Thank you so much for your time, my lady. It is greatly appreciated.

Also, in closing, a friend of mine gave me an almost-new boxed set of The Ruins of Myth Drannor for Christmas, and I wanted to thank Mr. Greenwood for all of the hard work that he put into making such a wonderful boxed set. It was hearing an old DM of mine back in 1999 that got me into D&D, specifically Forgotten Realms. If it hadn't been for such a wonderful tale on both my DM's part as well as Mr. Greenwood's, I may never have gotten into D&D. So again, my thanks.

Telethian Phoenix
Pathfinder Reference Document
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36804 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  16:05:11  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Penknight

I think that Moander was the one that twisted the magics living inside the Starym blade, but I'm not 100% sure.


You are correct. This is described in Volo's Guide to All Things Magical (formerly a suppressed work ), which is available as a free download from the Wizards downloads page.

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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
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Kaysae
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  17:48:36  Show Profile  Visit Kaysae's Homepage Send Kaysae a Private Message
Greetings, Ed!

Thank you for answering my query about the Stonelands and the barony thereof, I greatly enjoyed it! I now have a new question, and I hope you have an answer!

I bought the Menzoberranzan box set (an excellent product by the way) in PDF format several years ago, and there is just one thing that has always nagged me. I finally noticed your name on the cover (I'm slow), and decided to ask.

What is the requirement to make the rank of High Priestess? I notice in the Houses section of the book that the females a separated by Priestess and High Priestess. And in some of the entries of the Matron Mothers it takes about how only X number of daughters were destined for greatness (which happenes to be the number of high priestesses in the house).

I assume it is more than level based, though I could be wrong. Please enlighten me!

Edited by - Kaysae on 06 Jan 2007 17:52:42
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  21:50:10  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One

So saith Ed. Who hopes that helps, Rinonalyrna (and who agrees with you, BTW, that in the race to trim down SWORDS OF EVENINGSTAR, the grieving over Martess, Agannor, and Bey got short shrift).
love to all,
THO




Oh yes, definitely! That was most interesting and informative, and I'm also glad to hear that there was supposed to be more grieving in SoE than what appeared in the final copy.

Take care,

Rinonalyrna

"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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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 06 Jan 2007 :  21:52:55  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Ethriel

Here's a question: Is every las soul that doesn't have a faith simply doomed no matter what? Including children that die before they can embrace a deity? In one short story, a mother commits suicide to save her child on the Fugure Plane, is the kid done for anyways? Later on, another kid dies and finds himself on the Fugue Plane without God's guidance, ending with him walking off with the kid...are we to expect a 'and they burned in hell' coda?

Also, how about Zaknafein in the Drizzt books, since he's apparently at peace in a 'better place?'

Is there light that can be shed?



I just want to comment that this subject greatly interests me as well...and comes very close to certain real-world beliefs about what happens when innocent children die before being inducted into a particular religious faith.

"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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Rollo Ruttikin
Acolyte

USA
26 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  02:05:34  Show Profile  Visit Rollo Ruttikin's Homepage Send Rollo Ruttikin a Private Message
Greetings all! I am curious if Ed still finds time to run a campaign in the FR or if he is a retired Dungeonmaster.
Also, if he is running a campaign, does he use the WotC system or is he still fond of the musty old Gygax tomes?
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Kuje
Great Reader

USA
7915 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  03:33:21  Show Profile Send Kuje a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Rollo Ruttikin

Also, if he is running a campaign, does he use the WotC system or is he still fond of the musty old Gygax tomes?



THO and Ed and their group, according to those two, still use the 1e/2e rules because that's what they as a group decided on using.

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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RodOdom
Senior Scribe

USA
509 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  04:38:54  Show Profile  Visit RodOdom's Homepage Send RodOdom a Private Message
Dear Ed and Lady THO,

Two (hopefully) quick questions:

Do Halruuans show up at Magefairs?

What percentage of all Faerunian wizards (as in the wizard class) are Halruuan?
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AlorinDawn
Learned Scribe

USA
313 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  04:56:04  Show Profile  Visit AlorinDawn's Homepage Send AlorinDawn a Private Message
Ed and THO,

To add to RodOdon's Halruua inquiry, how would the Halruuan government react to one of it's mages deciding to leave the country to live elsewhere? I ask because Halruua seems overly protective of their spells and magic and wondered if the leaving mage would be looked at as a security leak if she took her spell books with her?

Thanks
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Daviot
Senior Scribe

USA
372 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  07:24:33  Show Profile  Visit Daviot's Homepage Send Daviot a Private Message
Dear Ed and his Lovely Hooded Lady of Answers,
I tripped over Candlekeep a month or so ago, and have a love for the minutiae and wit (Such as Volo's wry observations in the intros to the Best of the Realms II stories) that make the Realms a living, breathing world.

That being said, after perusing through the venerable Volo's Guide to the Dales, the 3rd edition Campaign settings, and most of the 2004-2006 archived responses (quite a read by any means), I was wondering with the 'revision' and such...What do you suppose happened to Shaunil Tharm (Rhauntides' apprentice) and her unspecified mysterious quest? Was she merely written off to provide a home for the Old Order monks or was she gobbled by a great and ferocious NDA? If so, I'm thinking that still leaves the Dale of Trees without any major arcane might to speak of, and as such, would Theremin Ulath be in the market to take any trustworthy, powerful mage or hometown hero to fill to the position?

Thanks much,
Alex Putnam

One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV.
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore

Germany
1720 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  11:41:53  Show Profile Send Ergdusch a Private Message
Hello Ed & THO! Good start into the new year to both of you.

My question concerns the short story Ed wrote for 'Realms of the Elves'. I wonder how the story might be related (if at all) to the KoMD trilogy and where it can/should be set on the timeline.

Thanks in advance. Ergdusch

"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht."
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 07 Jan 2007 :  12:11:28  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Daviot

Dear Ed and his Lovely Hooded Lady of Answers,
I tripped over Candlekeep a month or so ago, and have a love for the minutiae and wit (Such as Volo's wry observations in the intros to the Best of the Realms II stories) that make the Realms a living, breathing world.

That being said, after perusing through the venerable Volo's Guide to the Dales, the 3rd edition Campaign settings, and most of the 2004-2006 archived responses (quite a read by any means), I was wondering with the 'revision' and such...What do you suppose happened to Shaunil Tharm (Rhauntides' apprentice) and her unspecified mysterious quest? Was she merely written off to provide a home for the Old Order monks or was she gobbled by a great and ferocious NDA? If so, I'm thinking that still leaves the Dale of Trees without any major arcane might to speak of, and as such, would Theremin Ulath be in the market to take any trustworthy, powerful mage or hometown hero to fill to the position?

Thanks much,
Alex Putnam

I asked Ed back in August '05. Shaunil is currently under an NDA.

George Krashos tinkered with the description in Highmoon regarding Shaunil Tharm when the FRCS was in development. Originally, Rhauntides died in 1371 DR and Shaunil wasn't even mentioned. Though George did conceptualise an adventure which deals with just what Shaunil Tharm is up to. We just haven't learned anymore as yet...

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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

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