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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Jun 2009 : 02:04:11
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| Yes, my apologies. I ran up against a deadline just as my original batch of timeline events ran out. Now I have to come up with new ones. Hmmmm. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Aysen
Learned Scribe
115 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jun 2009 : 04:04:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
Yes, my apologies. I ran up against a deadline just as my original batch of timeline events ran out. Now I have to come up with new ones. Hmmmm.
Are you open to suggestions about where to direct your chronological quill? (crosses fingers)
I wouldn't mind a few enlightening tidbits about the Post-Blue Fire years in Rashemen and Aglarond...cough..Velsharoon...cough...cough.. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 18:09:11
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@Brian: I heard a rumor you were joining us up here in the rainy northwest. Eh?
@Realmslore: If you're ever interested in doing anything related to my novels, let me know, and we could cook up some rockin' stuff. 
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1073 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 18:55:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
@Brian: I heard a rumor you were joining us up here in the rainy northwest. Eh?
Too early to say
HURRAH
Congrats Brian
Damian |
So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 20:45:30
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Dang Erik, there goes my plan to pop in on you unannounced!
Yes indeed, my family and I will be arriving in Seattle this Thursday. I'd prefer to fall into blisful slumber upon arrival but our furniture won't arrive until several days later! Oh well, I guess that will force me out of the house to explore the surrounding area.
We should definitely hook up on an article or something Erik, and I'm totally down for joining a new campaign.
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Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
Edited by - Brian R. James on 13 Jul 2009 20:46:23 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 20:50:17
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quote:
Originally posted by crazedventurers
HURRAH
Congrats Brian
Hehe, I'm not working for WotC or anything like that so no congratulations necessary. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 22:20:52
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Heck yes, congratulations are in order--you're moving to such a cool city, after all. (Me = Seattle-lover)
I can give lots of suggestions of things to do, places to see, people to go, etc., but you might be well-served to pick yourself up a Seattle guidebook at a bookstore (I recommend the Rough Guide series). Which part of the Greater Seattle area are you moving to?
You picked an interesting month to move to the city, what with part of I-90 being basically closed until July 20 (for non-Seattleites, I-90 is one of the two big "over the lake" bridges that connects Seattle proper with East Side: Bellevue [where Paizo is], Redmond [Microsoft], and Issaquah). Don't judge the traffic based on what you're about to experience--it's only that bad about 75% of the time, rather than ALL the time.
And of course, at some point you'll have to come hang out with Rosemary and I for coffee/tea/etc. :)
Cheers
P.S. I would be quite delighted to write something with you. Drop me an email at erikscottdebie AT yahoo.com sometime and we'll chat more! |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1073 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2009 : 09:38:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
Hehe, I'm not working for WotC or anything like that so no congratulations necessary.
bah..... you and Geroge and Brian et al should all be employed by WoTC so we all get lots of great FR products.....
It is a dream I have.....
Damian |
So saith Ed. I've never said he was sane, have I?
Gods, all this writing and he's running a constant fantasy version of Coronation Street in his head, too. .
shudder,
love to all,
THO
Candlekeep Forum 7 May 2005 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2009 : 03:43:56
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I'm heading out in the morning to attend Gen Con 2009 and I look forward to meeting many of you there.
For those that are unable to attend, I'll try to post here on all the latest D&D announcements and FR news. But if you're interested in more "real time" updates and pictures I encourage folks to checkout my Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/brianrjames (Or better yet, use www.tweet3.com. It's WAAY better!) I've already posted a sneak peak of the city map of Phlan, part of the Dungeon adventure we're playtesting at Gen Con. 
The big Forgotten Realms seminar is on Friday at 4pm (Eastern) so I suspect the majority of the news will come thereafter. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2009 : 07:31:15
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Hrm... no post-GenCon news for your own scroll, Brian?  That's rather suspect...
Anyway, looking forward to more timeline updates, at least the ones I can access without DDI... |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2009 : 21:00:48
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Brian means no offense, but he is extremely slow in his responses. I write him direct e-mails as his brother and I'll get lucky from time to time and get a response.
>_>
;) |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2009 : 02:45:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
Brian means no offense, but he is extremely slow in his responses. I write him direct e-mails as his brother and I'll get lucky from time to time and get a response.
>_>
;)
Heh. No worries... this is my first lengthy visit to the 'Keep in a month and a half, thanks mostly to my Realmslore project involving Anchorome and the Northmen... I did a vast amount of genealogical research that branched into multiple projects, including my own Icelandic ancestry and a separate massive genealogy of the Northmen of Anchorome (which is not what they call it; I haven't done much "lore" work yet thanks to the genealogy taking on a hydra-like life of its own).  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2010 : 17:10:03
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Woah, sorry for the huge delay Jakk. I'd *love* to do more timeline updates for the Realms. In fact I sent a query out today to see if that would be a possibility in 2010, so fingers crossed.
This past weekend I submitted a new Realmslore article for D&DInsider covering the nation of Vaasa. You can preview my sketch map here: http://tinyurl.com/yz6hhzd |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Neil Bishop
Learned Scribe
Singapore
100 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 06:09:52
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Brian,
When is it likely that your Vaasa article will be published? |
Regards
NXB |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 04:41:50
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I believe the Vaasa article will be published in March.
My next article, Dieites & Demigods: Torog should see print next month to coincide with the release of the new Underdark sourcebook, which I contributed to. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Neil Bishop
Learned Scribe
Singapore
100 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 04:45:26
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That's great news. I'm really looking forward to that article (and Torog should be interesting, too). I am particularly looking forward to the map of Vaasa especially if it matches the Moonsea North map in quality!
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Regards
NXB |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2010 : 15:03:55
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Brian, I just read your article on Ironfang Keep from 2007.
Could you give a little bit more background on the three humans, where they came from, their motives and why they never came back after all they did? |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2010 : 17:41:37
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Hello Skychrome,
Ah yes, that was a veiled reference to the Dark Three—the gods Bhaal (shadowy assassin), Myrkul (brooding necromancer), and Bane (dour warlord) during their time as mortals. At that time, the nefarious human trio was on a “quest” to slay or bind to their will the Seven Lost Gods.
The Ironfang Keep article briefly describes the Dark Three’s confrontation with Haask, Voice of Hargut. Two of their other encounters with Lost Gods also exist in Realmslore:
The first, their slaying of Borem of the Lake of Boiling Mud, is published in the Grand History of the Realms within the vignette on page 46.
The other reference, describing the Dark Three’s encounter with Maram of the Great Spear, may be found in the Dungeon Magazine adventure “Monument of the Ancients”: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/duad/20090925
Journal Entry 10 in the adventure also reveals Myrkul’s mortal name and ancestry for the first time.
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Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2010 : 19:51:39
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| Great, thank you very much Brian! It also called my attention that you wrote, that the three left in direction towards the Great Glacier. Did you have a specific idea/quest/place in mind why they would leave in that direction? |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jan 2010 : 23:15:55
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Hi Bri,
I've been scratching my head about some Drizzt timeline stuff. Many folks 'round here have alluded to mucho conflict between RAS's "The Hunter's Blades Trilogy" and the 3E FRCS & Silver Marches sourcebooks (usually as a rant against RAS  ). Of course I've noticed some glitches here and there, but I've never read anyone explain exactly what the big fuss was really about.
Chronologically speaking, I wonder how WOTC decided that "THBT" began in 1370 DR, and then extended into 1371 DR.
Was it the intention to depict Obould's warpath against Mithral Hall as a prelude to the League of Silver Marches, signed in 1371 DR? Is that it?
Several probs with that, as I see it. The time clues within the books of "THBT" all show that their events were supposed to take place within one single year: The Thousand Orcs in spring, The Lone Drow in summer, and The Two Swords in the autumn & winter.
In TLD, the elf Tarathiel mentions the Silver Marches as already being in existence. And the Silver Marches are mentioned about a half a dozen times in TTS. Since the League was not formally signed and announced until 1371 DR, that would seem to mean that TLD and TTS would both have to take place in 1371 DR.
And since TTO's events occur just a matter of months or even tendays before those in TLD, it seems like it should be drug along into 1371, as well. That goes for the short story "Bones and Stones", too, since it's events seem to take place concurrently with the end of TLD or beginning of TTS.
Because the novel Sea of Swords immediately precedes TTO, that would appear to bring SOSw up to the year 1370 DR, extending into the beginning of 1371.
The Orc King is officially dated within the text in the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR. And The Pirate King begins four years later, in 1376 DR. TPK also says that Bruenor and Co. last visited Mirabar, as described in TTO, five years before. This would seem to support my idea that TTO (and TLD & TTS) should all be dated in 1371 DR.
If Obould's warpath was thought to be necessary as a precursor to the signing of the Silver Marches pact, I'm not sure why. The lorebooks from late-2E and 3E all make it clear that Obould's orcs were stirring up lots of trouble ever since they were evicted from the Citadel of Many-Arrows in 1367 DR. The Silver Marches pact could just as easily have been signed as a result of that general unrest. I don't see why the 1371 DR Silver Marches has to be preceded by outright war (especially since Tarathiel mentions the Silver Marches as already being in existence after the war has begun).
One bump in the road that I see is that it doesn't look like Bruenor could've been involved in the negotiating and signing of the Silver Marches pact (as the 2E & 3E lorebooks indicate), since he was still in Icewind Dale and adventuring along the Sword Coast (in the "Paths of Darkness" novel mini-series) during the time period in which Alustriel was drumming up support for the new nation. Bruenor begins leading his troops from Icewind Dale back to Mithral Hall in the book TTO, but he is knocked into a coma and never arrives back at the Hall before the end of the novel. He remains unconscious for most of TLD, as well, even though Tarathiel speaks of the Marches as already being in effect. This makes me think that perhaps it would've had to have been Bruenor's predecessor Gandalug Battlehammer who was involved in the negotiations and signing of the Silver Marches pact, rather than Bruenor. It could've been Gandalug's last hurrah before his death in the spring of 1371 DR, which motivated Bruenor's return to the Hall.
Now, this is entirely based on the time clues within RAS's novels and only a peremptory skimming of the sourcebooks. I am wondering if there are still some sort of time clues out there that kinda necessitate the first two books of "THBT" to be dated in 1370 DR, anyway. Sorry if this is old news, but I've been asking around here on the 'Keep, and no one seems to want to re-open this can o' worms. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2010 : 17:51:26
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quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
Great, thank you very much Brian! It also called my attention that you wrote, that the three left in direction towards the Great Glacier. Did you have a specific idea/quest/place in mind why they would leave in that direction?
Note that the three headed in the direction of the 'Glacier of the White Wyrm', which is a small glacier southeast of the Moonsea in the Giantspine Mountains. By this point in the chronology, the Dark Three have already subverted Borem, Haask, Hargut, Maram, and possibly Tyranthraxus (though the details of that entity's subjugation haven't seen print yet). I'd surmise that Camnod the Unseen is their next target and something hidden in the Glacier will aid them in their quest. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2010 : 18:15:58
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Sorry Beast, I don’t want to touch that can of worms either! 
Needless to say, lack of communication between the novel department and the gaming department at WotC led to all sorts of needless confusion and continuity issues. The chronology of events, as listed in the Grand History of the Realms, was an attempt to smooth over the discrepancies and establish a “true” version of the events. So unfortunately in this case, looking at the time clues in the novels and trying to compare them to dates in the gaming sourcebooks is just an exercise in frustration. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2010 : 22:53:41
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Grrr...not even in PMs? I'm not looking to stir up trouble. But I would like to understand the conflict a little better.
Late to the party again, as usual, I guess. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2010 : 14:52:03
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| Thanks again Brian! That's why I love the realms: this level of detail is just great! |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jan 2010 : 17:49:57
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| For those of you who may be interested, I'm running a contest for a free autographed copy of the new Underdark sourcebook I contributed to. To enter the drawing, examine the map at http://www.twitpic.com/10iykj and PM me (through Twitter) with the name of the Forgotten Realms region. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jan 2010 : 21:47:22
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I'd be interested... but not to good on my lore fu right now.....and unemployed and going to dog grooming school...
'gott learm how to groom kooshies |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2010 : 07:20:59
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Brian,
I've been helping HandsomeRob track down locations for his Toril map, and in doing so I got myself involved in something I've called "Project Isle"... the primary focus of the project is a description of the continent known as Osse, and its secondary focus is providing geography for the smaller islands scattered around Toril that have no geography detailed in canon sources. See this scroll for more information.
I'm posting in your scroll because The Sage suggested that you might be someone to ask about the geography of said smaller islands, in particular the islands to the north and the west of Anchorome. The topographical map done by CK scribe Patrakis is amazing, and I was wondering how closely the topography of said islands in his map matches what you had envisioned (if anything) on the matter.
Thanks!
Edit: Any plans for a sequel to "Monument of the Ancients"? My DM is a subscriber, and recently ran us through the adventure (adapted to a non-Spellplagued Toril) and I was just wondering (in part because of your earlier post mentioning Camnod the Unseen) if you and Matt had any plans to tell that tale as well... |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
Edited by - Jakk on 17 May 2010 07:29:08 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2010 : 06:50:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Brian R. James
quote:
Originally posted by skychrome
Great, thank you very much Brian! It also called my attention that you wrote, that the three left in direction towards the Great Glacier. Did you have a specific idea/quest/place in mind why they would leave in that direction?
Note that the three headed in the direction of the 'Glacier of the White Wyrm', which is a small glacier southeast of the Moonsea in the Giantspine Mountains. By this point in the chronology, the Dark Three have already subverted Borem, Haask, Hargut, Maram, and possibly Tyranthraxus (though the details of that entity's subjugation haven't seen print yet). I'd surmise that Camnod the Unseen is their next target and something hidden in the Glacier will aid them in their quest.
Hey Brian,
You and Matt did an awesome job on the "Monument of the Ancients"...but it just made me hungry for a few pieces of information!
It seems from your statement above that something about Camnod is upcoming...and a place called "Camnod's Cairn" has now been noted on a map (in your "Monument..." adventure). So, I'm thinking more information about "The Ride" may be up and coming.
I have a few questions about the area:
Can you tell me all the tribes of The Ride that you currently have in use?
Is the Varm the same as The Ride? I can't wrap around that one.
Even beyond those two...would you care to take a creative ride down the road here and tell us what you know/think about The Ride?
I'd be happy to hear from you or Matt on this! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2010 : 16:56:19
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| I think the Varm are a tribe now... |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Questions for Brian R. James
