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khorne
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1073 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Feb 2009 : 15:48:50
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| While we're on the topic of orcs, could Ed maybe give us some examples of battles/wars where humans, elves or dwarves were soundly defeated because they underestimated their tusked opponents as "foolish brutes"? Seeing high-nosed people get hoist by their own petard because of arrogance is a bit of a hobby for me, and I've never been able to stand the tendency in the novels of the so-called "good" races to look down on the orcs, giants and goblin-kind. |
If I were a ranger, I would pick NDA for my favorite enemy |
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gomez
Learned Scribe
Netherlands
254 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2009 : 21:13:09
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I understand Ed being careful when dealing with 4th ed lore - I am not really happy with policies currently in place, but I am familiar with the need to stimmy one's own enthusiasm.
In the meantime, I will plunder this forum for the lore given and extrapolate to get what I need (well, you know I am doing that already...).
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Menelvagor
Senior Scribe
Israel
352 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 00:34:18
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| Maybe this has been asked already, but in 'Best of the Realms', Ed says in the Introduction to 'So High a Price' that Mystra was 'reputed' to have murmured when she died "All debts must be paid". Is this rue? And if so, to what Debts was she referring? |
"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.
How much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation in the dust, are crushed before the moth?" - Eliphaz the Temanite, Job IV, 17-19.
"Yea, though he live a thousand years twice, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?" - Ecclesiastes VI, 6.
"There are no stupid questions – just a bunch of inquisitive idiots."
"Let's not call it 'hijacking'. Let's call it 'Thread Drift'." |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 03:07:14
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Aha. This is one * I * can answer, by accessing Ed-lore given to me directly as a player in the home Realms campaign.
Menelvagor, hearken to these notes from Ed:
Mystra WAS the Weave (a way of accessing the vast network of Toril's natural forces such as gravity, the force of tides and flowing water, winds, convection currents, magnetic forces, sunlight, heat, cold, and so on, and harnessing these forces to work specific effects, or "magic").
When Mystra says "All debts must be paid," she is really saying: "There is a cost for everything," or "There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch." She SEES this, constantly (all actions provoke reactions, or have effects; you cannot make the action and avoid the effects, whether you admit this or even know about the effects, or not), and therefore warns her faithful (from servitors and Chosen to the youngest lay worshipper) to live accordingly. In other words, their code to live by includes not acting unless they are prepared to deal with the consequences.
There. So saith Ed. I'll still send your query along to him to see if he has anything to add, of course.
love,
THO |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 03:09:06
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Hello again, all. Ed of course has sent me some new Realmslore, too, so here’s the latest from Ed. It’s one of those swift and easy replies he alluded to, that he can interrupt the more substantial lore replies to give quickly, and this particular one is Markustay’s recent question: “Is there a Realms term for female care-givers, like how on Earth nurses have the nickname 'Florence Nightingales'?”
Ed replies:
The Realms has many different equivalent terms, varying by region and race, for “mothering” (including caring for ailing kin), but specifically to describe someone who nurses non-kin, as a good act but not specifically as holy duty (i.e. for non-clergy rendering care to the sick or injured), the most popular term, in Common, is “those who warm the blood” or “bloodwarmers.” (This term is used even if the actual care given has nothing to do with actual bleeding, or necessarily keeping someone warm or sheltered.)
A less popular but closer Realms equivalent to “Florence Nightingale” (as in, echoing the name of a specific real being who acted as a nurse, and was revered for doing so) is “Mondaera the Gentle,” and the Faerűnian phrase would be he or she is “a proper Mondaera” with the collective term being “dedicated gentlers.” Mondaera the Gentle is a long-ago wandering woman of the Tethyr and Amnian coastal areas, who never married or had children, but traveled the coastal roads tending all she met who needed it. She accepted payment if it was offered, but never demanded it, and was a kindly but very homely woman of great girth, strength, and “blacksmith’s build.”
So saith Ed. Tirelessly painting in details of the Realms for us all. Myself, I think he’s more than a little like Mondaera. (Happy sigh.)
love to all,
THO
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Zandilar
Learned Scribe
Australia
313 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 05:25:56
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Heya,
Brilliant lore, as usual. 
I have been reading The Sword Never Sleeps recently, and wondered where the term "Holynose" came from. Is it a term specific to Cormyr, or does it come from elsewhere? Who coined it, and why? |
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. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 15:24:35
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Hello again, all.
Menelvagor, Ed has (as I suspected he would) added something to the passages I quoted:
THO has, of course, done just fine by way of an answer. I'd just like to amplify that reply with this postscript:
The RESULT of Mystra's "teaching" that debts must be paid is that she expects her Chosen to keep their word, honour their promises, and be true to their bargains - - or the price of NOT doing so will haunt them . . . and all of Toril.
So saith Ed. Who will return with more Realmslore this evening (for us) and early tomorrow (Candlekeep time), he promises.
love to all,
THO |
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createvmind
Senior Scribe
490 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 15:30:22
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Hello All,
Ed did flying Aboleths exist prior to the Spellplague, any creatures of note in your notes, campaigns?
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3563 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2009 : 21:12:45
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Finished Dark Lord very late last night.
First things first, I may need THO to help smooth out things here at home due to Ed's writing. Seems I was so intently reading, that I was participating in a conversation with my wife using a series of head nods, uh huhs, yes dears and sounds like a great idea honeys. Apparantly I agreed to re-staind our 800 feet of wood fencing Sunday , even though it is 25 degrees, among other things she said to try and gain my atention! Luckily she isn't holding me to it, but she did mutter the following to me verbatum: "It must be the god-damned-est, most interesting effing manuscript since the kama-sutra".
Loved the book and I loved the Falcon Kingdoms. How much, well I always vote with my wallet , so before penning this I went to amazon and got Archwizard in hardback winging it's way to be, along with a hardback Dark Lord a vendor had for $5!
Anyone who enjoys Ed will enjoy Dark Lord , it shares much with Ed's other works. Especially the characters.....too many to list, but Garfist and his lady Vipersides, were .most appreciated.
Thanks for writing it and I cannot wait to devour Archwizard! |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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createvmind
Senior Scribe
490 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 00:06:51
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Hello All,
Regardless of alignment I assume that an intelligent demon would beg for its life if at risk of true death, would begging and pleading be going to far? |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 02:00:19
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Thanks, Red Walker. Your post brought a smile to my face, and to Ed's, too, when I passed it along to him. He wants you to know that Garfist and Iskarra continue their, er, "careers" in both ARCH WIZARD and FALCONFAR (and, yes, Ed originally called the second book "Archwizard," but the editor at Solaris entered it into the catalogue as "Arch Wizard," probably to match "Dark Lord," so "Arch Wizard" it now is).
createvmind, Ed says begging and pleading isn't going too far - - but your average demon wouldn't hesitate for an instant if they got the chance to lash out at someone who was fooled by their begging and pleading enough to let their guard down.
Oh, and a dollop of new Realmslore from Ed, coming soon . . .
love,
THO |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 02:04:16
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Hi again, scribes. Herewith, details of Ed’s second hukrym, straight from the creator of the Realms himself:
Glorundoun is that rarest of things; a shrewd schemer, a truly foresighted orc who plans years ahead, spreading rumors and founding alliances and sending the orcs he commands (a rogue band of outcasts and misfits from many tribes, including “misshapen” orcs visibly different from the norm [such as having three left arms but only one right arm, or long, prehensile tails], plus a few humans, half-orcs, and others - - who at his firm and sometimes violent insistence are treated as “full orcs” by the rest) on missions to accomplish specific tasks that will shape the opinions, deeds, and settlement locations of others.
Active in the Vast, Impiltur, and the Moonsea North, and moving about often, Glorundoun has been behind much of the “orc dangers” that imperil human mining and travel away from the Inner Sea shores; he wants to keep humans from settling, taming, and then spreading over all of the region (so as to prevent all “monsters” [such as himself] ever being crowded right out of non-frozen areas where they can forage).
Glorundoun has no interest in ruling any orc tribe or disputing with tribes, but expects other orcs to cooperate with him once they know what he’s busy doing; if they don’t, he customarily ignores chieftans and warband leaders and speaks directly to the orcs being led by them. If any orc defies him or hampers his schemes, he won’t hesitate to destroy them - - but won’t engage in open confrontation he’ll likely lose, calmly withdrawing to strike at them later.
Glorundoun enjoys eating, drinking, and sex (with partners of all races), but will never let pursuit of such enjoyments lull him into being exposed to the attacks of foes, or distracted from what’s afoot right now.
Glorundoun uses the non-orc members of his band in deceptions, so as to deal with humans and others without them (initially, at least) realizing they’re “treating with orcs,” and seizes and caches items such as weapons and tools, coins and gems, and other useful goods whenever he can, for use later. Over years of successful exploits, he’s established dozens of hidden caches that each hold enough wealth to purchase buildings in many human-dominated cities outright, as well as scores of smaller caches (if buying a building, ship, or caravan will help a scheme succeed, he’ll boldly do so).
Glorundoun himself is gigantic, standing 14 feet tall at his shoulders (which are fully six feet across), and having a flattened, “toad-like” hairless head twice as large as most orcs. His left front tusk is broken off and yellowed with decay, and several wide white scars wander across his features.
So saith Ed, creator of literally scores of interesting and campaign-useful NPCs down the years . . . not to mention a world or three for them to frolic in.
love to all,
THO
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createvmind
Senior Scribe
490 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 02:22:21
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Hello all,
Thanks THO, so I assume that a demon is incapable of being genuine in its pleading to agree to whatever terms are made to spare its life? Is that something inherent in being a demon, perhaps the fact that it was forced into such a predicament and must find a way to vent its frustration?
Is self-preservation never the stronger desire than vengance? |
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Menelvagor
Senior Scribe
Israel
352 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 02:55:05
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Rereading Elminster In Hell, I noticed this:
On page 30, El has a memory where he bows over an elven woman who's deathly wounded. Silver Fire springs around her. What is interresting, however, is that it comes from her, not El Who is this elf? The only female Elf Chosen I know of is Syrumstar Auglamyr. So is this a throwback to Elminster in Myth Drannor? When she becomes a Chosen? Or is this some other time? Or is this someone else entirely? |
"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.
How much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation in the dust, are crushed before the moth?" - Eliphaz the Temanite, Job IV, 17-19.
"Yea, though he live a thousand years twice, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?" - Ecclesiastes VI, 6.
"There are no stupid questions – just a bunch of inquisitive idiots."
"Let's not call it 'hijacking'. Let's call it 'Thread Drift'." |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 03:20:38
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Hello again, all.
createvmind, I've checked with Ed, and no, he didn't mean to imply that a demon is incapable of sincerity, especially when pleading for its life - - he meant it will always be alert for some way out, or of turning the tables, or of escape, or of treachery or twisting the terms of an agreement. It could be VERY sincere, and even keep its word, if those it is pleading with are well-prepared and careful.
Menelvagor, Ed tells me that the dying elf woman in question is, to borrow your words, "someone else entirely." Unfortunately, she's also NDA. So we have a battlefield (in the past, Ed hints at least a few centuries, and we have a dying elf female known to El and dear to him, and yes, she certainly seems to be a Chosen . . .
Ed wishes very much he could say more. 
love to all,
THO |
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Menelvagor
Senior Scribe
Israel
352 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 03:37:59
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Oooh, thanks for the prompt reply! Which deserves, of course a question I forgot, as always.
How many (estimated) (known and unknown) daughters and sons of Elminster are there, besides Narnra, Laspeera, and Fee?And could we have information on the known live ones? And have they ever tried to gather a convention? If not, will they gather a convention? If they did or will, will we get to see it in a story? |
"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.
How much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation in the dust, are crushed before the moth?" - Eliphaz the Temanite, Job IV, 17-19.
"Yea, though he live a thousand years twice, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?" - Ecclesiastes VI, 6.
"There are no stupid questions – just a bunch of inquisitive idiots."
"Let's not call it 'hijacking'. Let's call it 'Thread Drift'." |
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createvmind
Senior Scribe
490 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 04:13:12
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| Thank you much |
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Zandilar
Learned Scribe
Australia
313 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 07:39:39
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Heya,
quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
Oooh, thanks for the prompt reply! Which deserves, of course a question I forgot, as always.
How many (estimated) (known and unknown) daughters and sons of Elminster are there, besides Narnra, Laspeera, and Fee?And could we have information on the known live ones? And have they ever tried to gather a convention? If not, will they gather a convention? If they did or will, will we get to see it in a story?
I seem to recall that Ed mentioned (in reply to a question I asked on the same topic a year or two ago) that neither Filfaeril or Laspeera were actually Elminster's daughters, but that they are descended from sons or daughters of his... Effectively they're more like great^x (where x is unknown, since Ed never clarified just how many generations removed they were) grandchildren of Elminster's.
They said they were his daughters to give Narnra some comfort (I can't remember Ed's exact words, unfortunately). |
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. |
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PaulBestwick
Seeker
United Kingdom
83 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 09:24:11
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| Ed the talk of Elven Chosen earlier in the thread got me thinking, most Chosen appear to be of human origin with some elven bloodline thrown in. Are there examples of Chosen from the other good races? I would not expect to any Dwarvern Chosen due to the earlier rules over dwarvern arcane magic users. I would be suprised not to see an Aasimar in the mix somewhere, the other races I am not to sure about or am I completely wrong with my assumptions? |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3563 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 13:49:07
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Thanks, Red Walker. Your post brought a smile to my face, and to Ed's, too, when I passed it along to him. He wants you to know that Garfist and Iskarra continue their, er, "careers" in both ARCH WIZARD and FALCONFAR (and, yes, Ed originally called the second book "Archwizard," but the editor at Solaris entered it into the catalogue as "Arch Wizard," probably to match "Dark Lord," so "Arch Wizard" it now is).
createvmind, Ed says begging and pleading isn't going too far - - but your average demon wouldn't hesitate for an instant if they got the chance to lash out at someone who was fooled by their begging and pleading enough to let their guard down.
Oh, and a dollop of new Realmslore from Ed, coming soon . . .
love,
THO
Thanks for the reply. It nice to know those two will be around for all 3 novels. They are quite the scene stealers!
Is Ed planning or have the option to write more of the Falcon Kingdoms after this trilogy? |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Edited by - The Red Walker on 23 Feb 2009 14:35:09 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 17:49:31
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You know, I've got so many questions in the queue right now that I don't even know how many there are, much less what all of them are! And yet, here I am with more... 
Randulaith of Mirabar. He works in Undermountain and Skullport for the Eye, and has long wanted to be a Lord of Waterdeep. This is described as being a personal desire, and not as something he's doing to help out his round and eyeful employer. As of City of Splendors: Waterdeep, he's quite close to that goal. This brings up some questions.
What kind of Lord do you imagine Randulaith being? Would he be more loyal to the City, or would his loyalty to the Eye outweigh his assumed duties as a Lord? If he does care more about the City, would he cut off relations with the Eye, or continue working with it, as long as the interests of the City weren't compromised?
Are there any precautions in place to make sure prospective Lords truly have the best interest of the City at heart? I know the Lords watch and test, but I'm wondering if that's all they do, or if they do more, like the War Wizards and their mindreaming.
If the other Lords believed that a person truly had the best interests of the City at heart, would they offer a Lordship to someone they knew was evil? Randulaith could be a good example for this one, and I know some people like the idea of Elaith Craulnober eventually becoming a Lord (I'm undecided on that one, myself)...
I prolly should have asked at least a couple of these questions before I wrote my Lords of Waterdeep articles, I guess.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 18:09:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I prolly should have asked at least a couple of these questions before I wrote my Lords of Waterdeep articles, I guess.
That you should have Wooly - shame on you |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Menelvagor
Senior Scribe
Israel
352 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 23:00:35
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Oh another question which rises in the course of re-reading Elminster In Hell:
We see a bit of Alustriel's childhood. We know what happened to Dove, Storm and Laeral - they were raised as sisters by El. And Alasarra was given to the witches of Rashemen. But what of Qilue, Sylune and Alustriel? How was it decided who were they given to? How was the childhood of them and The Simbul? When did they first meet (in years)? Were they aware before their meeting that they were sisters? Is their a written description of their meeting somewhere? And how did they know or find out they were sisters? |
"Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.
How much less them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation in the dust, are crushed before the moth?" - Eliphaz the Temanite, Job IV, 17-19.
"Yea, though he live a thousand years twice, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?" - Ecclesiastes VI, 6.
"There are no stupid questions – just a bunch of inquisitive idiots."
"Let's not call it 'hijacking'. Let's call it 'Thread Drift'." |
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Zandilar
Learned Scribe
Australia
313 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 23:10:38
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Heya,
quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
Oh another question which rises in the course of re-reading Elminster In Hell:
We see a bit of Alustriel's childhood. We know what happened to Dove, Storm and Laeral - they were raised as sisters by El. And Alasarra was given to the witches of Rashemen. But what of Qilue, Sylune and Alustriel? How was it decided who were they given to? How was the childhood of them and The Simbul? When did they first meet (in years)? Were they aware before their meeting that they were sisters? Is their a written description of their meeting somewhere? And how did they know or find out they were sisters?
I know I'm not Ed, but as Qilue has a completely different birth mother to the other six, I'd say that her mother raised her amongst other Eilistraeean Drow. There's mention of her and other young drow companions (children?) finding the Promenade in the Underdark under Waterdeep (and Skullport).
Would be nice to hear more details on her early life, though. She does seem to be one of the more neglected of the Chosen as far as lore. (You might want to get your hands on a copy of the 2nd Edition supplement Seven Sisters if you don't already have it, which has a lot of lore and information on the Seven.) |
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. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 23:20:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
Oh another question which rises in the course of re-reading Elminster In Hell:
We see a bit of Alustriel's childhood. We know what happened to Dove, Storm and Laeral - they were raised as sisters by El. And Alasarra was given to the witches of Rashemen. But what of Qilue, Sylune and Alustriel? How was it decided who were they given to? How was the childhood of them and The Simbul? When did they first meet (in years)? Were they aware before their meeting that they were sisters? Is their a written description of their meeting somewhere? And how did they know or find out they were sisters?
Ed's The Seven Sisters tome does provide some tidbits for the types of questions you're asking Menelvagor. You might want to check it out while waiting for a response from Ed.
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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 23 Feb 2009 23:21:39 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2009 : 23:21:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Zandilar
Heya,
quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
Oh another question which rises in the course of re-reading Elminster In Hell:
We see a bit of Alustriel's childhood. We know what happened to Dove, Storm and Laeral - they were raised as sisters by El. And Alasarra was given to the witches of Rashemen. But what of Qilue, Sylune and Alustriel? How was it decided who were they given to? How was the childhood of them and The Simbul? When did they first meet (in years)? Were they aware before their meeting that they were sisters? Is their a written description of their meeting somewhere? And how did they know or find out they were sisters?
I know I'm not Ed, but as Qilue has a completely different birth mother to the other six, I'd say that her mother raised her amongst other Eilistraeean Drow. There's mention of her and other young drow companions (children?) finding the Promenade in the Underdark under Waterdeep (and Skullport).
Would be nice to hear more details on her early life, though. She does seem to be one of the more neglected of the Chosen as far as lore. (You might want to get your hands on a copy of the 2nd Edition supplement Seven Sisters if you don't already have it, which has a lot of lore and information on the Seven.)
Qilue was born to a drow female and prominent worshipper of Eilistraee. Elue Shundar, the mortal host of Mystra, died before Mystra/Shundar could carry the seventh child, Qilue, to full term. And so, a new mother had to be found before Mystra's own power consumed the child. Mystra set about looking for another suitable womb for the unborn Qilue, and found Iliryztara Veladorn. Veladorn was also pregnant but her adventuring ways had resulted in the death of her own unborn child -- she was not aware of this however -- and as a result, her own life was threatened because of it. Mystra decided to replace Iliryztara's dead unborn child with Qilue, thus saving both Qilue's and Iliryztara's lives.
However, Eilistraee had plans for Iliryztara and her unborn child. Mystra, thus, sought permission from Eilistraee about whether the Goddess of Mysteries could intervene in Veladorn's life. Eilistraee agreed and Qilue was placed in Iliryztara's womb. When Qilue was born, she was born a drow and servant of both Mystra and Eilistraee.
This is explained fully in The Seven Sisters.
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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
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Aysen
Learned Scribe
115 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 03:11:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Menelvagor
Oh another question which rises in the course of re-reading Elminster In Hell:
We see a bit of Alustriel's childhood. We know what happened to Dove, Storm and Laeral - they were raised as sisters by El. And Alasarra was given to the witches of Rashemen. But what of Qilue, Sylune and Alustriel? How was it decided who were they given to? How was the childhood of them and The Simbul? When did they first meet (in years)? Were they aware before their meeting that they were sisters? Is their a written description of their meeting somewhere? And how did they know or find out they were sisters?
IIRC, Mystra took the young Sylune and Alustriel to a retired Harper to be raised with him, as he had lost most of his kin. He wanted them trained as rangers, but they pursued the Art. The Seven Sisters sourcebook, as mentioned above, would fill out the names and details.
Also, I believe Ed recently wrote a short story about Alustriel as a young maiden, and how incredibly difficult it was for her to learn magic. It was a nice tale emphasizing the skillful use of magic over raw power. I'm blanking on the source, but I'm sure LHO or your fellow scribes can come up with it in my stead |
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Aysen
Learned Scribe
115 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 03:38:20
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Hi LHO and fellow scribes,
I have a couple non-lore questions this time, and they may have been asked and answered previously:
1.) Has Ed's 2008 and 2007 "Spin a Yarn" stories been posted anywhere, here or on WOTC's website? The last one I can recall is 2005 really.
2.) I have trouble keeping the bare handful of lore requests that I've asked Ed organized in my memory, so how does THO and Ed himself manage to organize the many lore questions we respectfully pile on the both of them? In the case of THO, I imagine a floor-length gown made entirely of our Post-It note questions, that Ed gets to peel off randomly (or not so randomly).  And Ed, being the good sport that he is, has a matching gown that THO gets to tackle.  |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 03:43:24
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http://ww2.wizards.com/Books/Wizards/Bios/default.aspx?doc=EdGreenwood
That link has them all up to 2008, which probably won't be posted till around Summer/August. It usually comes out just before, or after, in some years, Gencon.
quote:
Originally posted by Aysen
Hi LHO and fellow scribes,
I have a couple non-lore questions this time, and they may have been asked and answered previously:
1.) Has Ed's 2008 and 2007 "Spin a Yarn" stories been posted anywhere, here or on WOTC's website? The last one I can recall is 2005 really.
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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 Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2009 : 03:53:06
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Hello again, all. This time Ed turns again to the Thunderstone area of eastern Cormyr, and two more of the questions posed by crazedventurers: “I would presume that hunting is a popular pastime given the location, so do people ride about the countryside chasing deer and foxes? If so are hounds used, are they locally bred, by whom?
Are there any local laws regarding hunting? (right of way, game in/out of season, etc.)”
Ed replies:
In the Thunderstone area, deer, mountain goats, moose, hares, and rabbits are hunted for food, their pelts, and to protect crops, and foxes and worse beasts are hunted primarily to protect livestock and people (and secondarily for pelts and/or for food), but such hunts are usually conducted by crossbow, or spears hurled from horseback, or bows (crossbows and longbows) loosed from the saddle. Young lads and lasses sometimes hunt with slings (weasels, foxes, birds, rabbits, and small “wurren” [= varmints]), and visiting nobles hunt with falcons. If a wolf pack, coyote pack, wild dog pack, bears, owlbears, perytons, or other “marauding” animals are seen, neighbours may well gather in large bands to ride and hunt together, but there’s no local equivalent to a real-world English foxhunt with rules, a pack of hounds, uniforms, and the like (though warhorns ARE used to signal, during hunts and fugitive chases).
The reasons for this are damage to crops and stock from running packs of dogs, were-creatures infecting farmers’ dogs in the past, and dogs running off (to live and breed) with wild dogs or coyotes (English hunting dogs are TRAINED, and there’s nothing approximating that training in the Thunderstone region [[full disclosure: in my youth, thanks to being a close personal friend of a young member of a prominent Canadian “horsey” family, I rode in “drag hunts” with the Aurora Hunt Club on two occasions; no real foxes, ever, just chasing across country, on a vast horse farm, on magnificent steeds, risking broken necks]]).
The Cormyrean laws regarding hunting are as follows:
1. There’s no right of way over any tilled or planted field, EVER, unless a state of war has been declared (and if the Crown forces win, eventual compensation for any trampled or foraged crops or stock is expected).
2. The local lord declares and sets rules for any “varmint hunt” (“monster scouring,” including non-Purple-Dragon reactions to raiding bands of orcs or the like) or “run hunt” (rare events corresponding to a “run of elk” or other movement of many wild beasts through the Thunderstone farmlands and ranches; this I often correctly taken to mean some sort of monster - - that will soon have to be dealt with - - has arrived in the Hullack and is causing other beasts to flee), including horn-calls, boundaries and when a hunt will end.
By not declaring hunts, the local lord has the right to set “seasons.” Those who disobey (except local Purple Dragons obeying their commander, who can ignore the local lord’s dictates unless bound by identical orders given from above in the military hierarchy, which in practice usually means relayed by a War Wizard) are forbidden to participate in future hunts until they seek permission to do so and are granted it (usually in return for specific promises and/or payment of a fine). This means they cannot take up weapons and be “out and about” during a hunt; they must be working off their own lands, or on their own lands.
3. ANYONE can hunt at any time on their own lands (usually to protect their crops), unless specifically forbidden to do so, or specifically enjoined not to hunt a particular creature or species (such prohibitions, made by the local lord, are exceedingly rare). Intelligent creatures, such as human fugitives or orcs, cannot be hunted (that is, “sought out”) and slain except by permission of local authorities such as the local lord or herald, or Purple Dragons, except when chase is being given to recover family members, livestock, or “valuable goods” taken by such quarry. However, such creatures can ALWAYS be fought to protect self, family, kin, or home (that is, in and around one’s own house, stables, barns, wells, and outbuildings).
In other words, hunting for sport is largely unknown in the Thunderstone lands, except in the Hullack and “up in the mountains” (which is where those seeking sport hunting go). So packs of hounds and riders racing across the open country aren’t a local feature. Fishing, by the way, is open to all; unlike real-world English practice, there are no “fishing rights” bought and sold that restrict who can try to get fish out of any watercourse (and there also aren’t any catch limits, regulations about HOW one gets fish, and so on; if locals prefer spearing fish to hook and line, or drag-nets or buckets to either, that’s fine; the law is silent on such matters).
So saith Ed. Doing his usual thorough job on lore-queries about the Realms. More to come in the fullness of time, Damian, but I think he’s turning back to describing another orc of note, next.
Oh, and Aysen? LOVE that Post-Its gown. You don't think lick-n-stick would be better? (Bats eyelashes.) Or will it make me look fat?
love to all,
THO
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2009)
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