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SiCK_Boy
Acolyte
Canada
40 Posts |
 Posted - 13 May 2007 : 06:06:54
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I'm currently into chapter 8 of Hand of fire, after reading the second edition of spellfire and crown of fire (the latest release with black cover, not the original versions).
I've also browsed this forum and read most of the posts regarding this trilogy.
However, a few questions still puzzle me.
Mostly:
- Teleportation: I think it's already been asked, but why didn't Elminster simply teleport Shandril to Silverymoon so she could meet Alustriel? Or, why didn't Alustriel teleport herself to meet Shandril? I know she's busy and all, but still... couldn't she take a mere hour or two to meet the gal and try to help her? Also, I've read elsewhere that there was something about spellfire that prevented teleportation: specificaly, that a spellfire user would be simply destroyed by the weave if he were to be the recipient of a teleport spell. But then, if that is the case, how come Tessaril could teleport Shandril in the heart of the Citadel of the Raven? And what about gates? Are those that different from teleportation magic?
- Shandril's Baby: Shandril was clearly pregnant at the end of Crown of Fire. Why doesn't she seems to be anymore in Hand of Fire? I mean, she'd already lost one baby, and it seemed like something major for her, but now, the second pregnency just doesn't matter anymore. It's as if it never happened.
- Malaugryms: How do those guy manage to be everywhere like they do? I thought the Malaugryms were a rather small group, keen on staying hidden and kept in check by Elminster and other powerful realms personnality. But then they seem to pop up everywhere, way too easily (I'm thinking about the multiple ones in the Hidden House in Crown of Fire, and the one passing for King Azoun at the beginning of Hand of Fire). Also, the one passing for a little kid near Elminster's pond: what did he expect? To surprise the old mage? I mean, he just shows up and start talking big, but what was he hoping to accomplish? Anyway, if someone could give me more detail to understand what makes those creatures so special and how they manage to be everywhere and still get their ass kicked like they do, I'd appreciate.
- Dracolich at the end of Spellfire: what was the point of the last dracolich attack in spellfire. Specifically, why did it have to be "the most powerful dracolich in the world", and have it be such an easy fight? I've read multiple times that spellfire was victim of bad editorial decisions, but I'd like to know if that last fight was part of this process or if it was a scene willingly made that way by Ed Greenwood. And in both cases, what was the point of it, except to allow Delg to catch up with Shandril and help her.
- Company of the Bright Spear's Morale Senses: Speaking of Delg... how comes the Company of the Bright Spear accept Shandril so easily amongst their group? The group's thief gets killed attempting to pick pocket a mage: this event indicates that the band isn't much of a "good" or "lawful" group in my opinion, or at least that the thief wasn't. If that is so, what was Delg, a harper and member of a very famous dwarven clan, doing with them? Undercover espionnage? And how come the rest of the band just replace him with Shandril? He must have been a real asshole that they choose to pick the kitchen maid as his replacement instead of killing her for that stunt she performed stealing all their stuff...
- Timeline: Finaly, a last precision. How much time is supposed to have gone by between Crown of Fire and Hand of Fire?
Anway, I don't want to start a post arguing if the books are a good read or no. I've been through most of the debate between THO and Winterfox in another scroll... but I'd like to get precision on those questions and what I think are some major hole in the story...
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2007 : 07:14:06
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As I am lousy with details I am not the best one to answer this, but: The last Dracolich was, I seem to remember, not Ed's decision it was an editorial choice. With the word count already hindering the story that was originally meant to be told the battle would have to be as short as possible.
As for the thief thing, well Shandrill had shown that she was at least somewhat capable and they needed a thief. As this seems to be a group pulled together more by chance and circumstance the emotional ties within would not be to strong. Other factors could also have come into play. For practical reasons they need a thief, and she was the only one available at the time. If something goes wrong they would be able to handle any treachery Shandrill came up with. In addition to the common adventurers flaw of depending on chance and luck in addition to an overestimation of own abilities.
That's about the most useful answers I can give you, sorry, but I am sure there are others that can give better and more detailed answers. |
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Chosen of Bane
Senior Scribe
USA
552 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2007 : 15:53:13
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I asked the same question about teleportation and was answered by the Hooded One, which is a pretty credible source. The asnwer can be found here...
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4036
As for your other questions I can't help you much. I think they threw the insanely powerful dracolich at her to show just how powerful Spellfire was. Probably not needed, but I think that was their reasoning. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2007 : 16:31:57
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| Many of these Ed has answered, look through the archieves in my sig and use the search/find feature in the Indexes/TOCs to find the entries in the files. |
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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Shandril's Saga questions (Spoiler)
