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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Feb 2009 : 18:03:37
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Okay, another thread got me intersted in mapping again, which is great because it starts making me feel positive again.
Going through the wonderful Prayers from the Faithful yet again (and find even more locales I missed), I have a question about the Lash of Loviatar entry.
This is actually more of a clarification: You mention the "Great Rising of the Orcgates" in 955 DR, which conflicts with the date for the Orcgate Wars in -1075. There is also a discrepency as to what they actually did - these Gates are said to have brought-in Orcs from "the Mountains of the North" (Green Orcs native to Faerûn). However, the text goes on to say "some say Thayan archmages experimenting with dangerous spells" - accent, mine. I would think that the less-powerful versions were the pre-cursor to the more powerful ritual used later on, but the dates have it the other way around. 
This leads me to believe these later gates were an attempt to re-discover the mighty magics used earlier (which probably required an Artifact), as a more-direct and focused use for "Orc Gates' requiring less expenditure of time and energy. That sound about right?
I had a second question about the Lash, but I found the answer upon re-reading - you're a sneaky one. 
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again.
Aysen, a "gorcraw" is a large, rapacious, aggressive but slow and lazy raptor AND carrion bird, a cross between a large and noisy black crow (hence the name) and a buzzard/turkey vulture. <snip>
So slapping the 'Dire' template onto a crow would probably gives us a decent set of stats, no? |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 25 Feb 2009 18:10:10 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2009 : 23:20:56
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
This last one (for now) is to The Sage, re. TALES OF ZOBECK. It's out now (copyright date 2008), is a handsome "shiny cover" hardback that's actually double-sided (one front cover and an interior 41 pages [plus "front matter" pages] is a ZOBECK GAZETTEER written by Wolfgang Baur, and the other front cover - - flip the book over and upside down - - is the TALES FROM ZOBECK section, written by divers hands, of 105 pages-plus-front-matter; Ed's bit is in this larger section, is a tiny local dockside neighborhod to use in other adventures, and is 9 pages long).
The publisher is Open Design, it's OGL, and no ISBN is to be found anywhere on the danged thing. Wolf, Wolf, it's a real book; give it an ISBN so folks can order it!
Black and white interior art (not much) and maps, with lots of fun content (new monsters, new spells, lots of adventures). For those not familiar with Zobeck, Wolf created a fantasy city on a river, dominated by kobold miners and clockwork innovations. It looks like a lot of fun.
love,
THO
Oh, it's out already? Heh. I haven't seen it anywhere at my NSFAHLGS. Interesting. Maybe I'll have to ask about it.
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
.......Oh, and ARCH WIZARD, his second Falconfar novel, is out in hardcover. Stay tuned, as they say, for more . . .
love to all,
THO
Woot! Now all I need to do is start and finish the first book. 
And Sage.....what are you waiting for good man? Read it already!
I will. I've got some other books to finish [along with those "programming books" {Arrgghhh!}] before I get to it though.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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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 - 25 Feb 2009 : 23:27:46
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Hello again, fellow scribes. A few more swift comments from me whilst we all await ed's next sending of Realmslore.
Menelvagor, re. this: "What year does Silverfall happen in? Its obviously after 1357, as Laeral is with Khelben, and definitely before 1374, as Khelben passes on then.
Also, is the touch of Shar Mystra frees Halaster from in Elminster In Hell happen in Silverfall? That was my impression, at least."
Yes to your second question, and Ed dated Silverfall specifically, but I'm afraid I can't get to my copies or lore-notes at the moment, to check. Expect an answer tomorrow (I hope).
And of course you're very welcome. Yes, picked that Israeli analogy just for you.
Markustay, you're quite right on both matters: the Orcgate rising Ed refers to is much later than the Orcgate Wars, and the dire template on a crow should indeed give a pretty close approximation of a gorcraw.
Red Walker, Ed is a marvellous actor; you just have to "tune out" the beard and obvious male build when he's doing female characters. Also, both the players of killed off or unconscious PCs get to "step in" to play NPCs during a session, and "guests" sitting in on a session, often to learn what D&D is, got to play NPCs for short periods, too. Not to embark on your list of favourite NPCs, but I should mention at least one (aside from Dove as a party member, of course): Jhaele Silvermane, proprietress of The Old Skull Inn.
And yes, Ed can be wonderfully sneaky. Ask me someday about the . . . well, no, perhaps you'd better not. Candlekeep may want to cling to a "somewhat family friendly" designation. 
love to all,
THO |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 25 Feb 2009 : 23:43:53
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
And yes, Ed can be wonderfully sneaky. Ask me someday about the . . . well, no, perhaps you'd better not. Candlekeep may want to cling to a "somewhat family friendly" designation.
love to all,
THO
That's why we have personal chambers, my lady. Such discussion is always welcome there.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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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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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3563 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 00:32:19
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hello again, fellow scribes. A few more swift comments from me whilst we all await ed's next sending of Realmslore.....
Red Walker, Ed is a marvellous actor; you just have to "tune out" the beard and obvious male build when he's doing female characters. Also, both the players of killed off or unconscious PCs get to "step in" to play NPCs during a session, and "guests" sitting in on a session, often to learn what D&D is, got to play NPCs for short periods, too. Not to embark on your list of favourite NPCs, but I should mention at least one (aside from Dove as a party member, of course): Jhaele Silvermane, proprietress of The Old Skull Inn.
And yes, Ed can be wonderfully sneaky. Ask me someday about the . . . well, no, perhaps you'd better not. Candlekeep may want to cling to a "somewhat family friendly" designation.
love to all,
THO
I wont ask lady, but my PM inbox is always open and I would cherish any tidbits you would ever share!
And I was lucky nough to get a limpse of Ed's acting abilities at GenCon 08! He kmakes a good cast of a Gilbert and sullivan all by himself! |
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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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 03:02:57
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Hello again, all. Ed has answered yet another question I wasn’t expecting him to tackle yet, this time from dearest Wooly Rupert: “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)...”
Ed replies:
As for the fate of Randulaith (or for that matter Elaith, and including their possible careers as Lords of Waterdeep), I’m afraid firm NDAs apply.
However, your wording (“do you imagine”) gives me more than ample wiggle room to answer this query as a personal opinion. So there we go . . . :}
Yes, given the opportunity to assume a Lordship, Randulaith would immediately be more loyal to the City than to his eye tyrant employer (but of course would try to conceal this from the Eye as long as possible, and would try to continue working with the Eye, “stickhandling” [to use an apt hockey term] as deftly as he could to protect the city’s interests and not betray the Eye.
The Hidden Lords don’t have any official way of screening new candidates to join their ranks, but unofficially Khelben and Laeral mindscry everyone, FAR more subtly than the War Wizards go about it (Laeral in particular takes pride in the person being examined having no inkling that she’s done any probing). Nor does this thought reading end when someone is accepted as a Lord; Khelben was suspicious enough to eavesdrop on the Lords fairly often - - though he and Laeral had several arguments about this; she didn’t mind him prying and knowing, but she wanted him to keep back and “Let the Lords be lords and do their own ruling, fall into their own corruption, and make their own mistakes. You can’t be ‘fixing’ everyone’s deeds and making up their minds for them in everything, Blackstaff mine!”
Most of the Lords have no idea that Khelben and Laeral do this (rumors in plenty abound in the city all the time about the Lords being the puppets of Khelben or this noble lord or that crime boss, but even the Lords have no hard evidence of their thoughts being monitored often). A few suspect it darkly (and firmly), and Piergeiron “knows” he can call on Khelben to probe someone he himself is very unsure of - - but he believes Khelben does this only reluctantly (because Laeral has badgered Khelben into acting reluctant), when the Open Lord insists on it.
Piergeiron has his own trusted mages he more often uses to pry into the affairs of Lords (though he does so with true reluctance, and as rarely as possible), and certain secret agreements with the Watchful Order (e.g. “If a Lord is murdered, and I confirm to you that the victim was a Lord, you will covertly use spells to spy on, and try to read the thoughts of, certain persons I will then name to you, and report all results back to me in confidence, or in the event of my death will report to the Lord or Lady Mage of Waterdeep”) to cast spells in the event of certain occurrences.
And, yes, if the Lords believe a person truly has the best interests of the City at heart, they would indeed offer a Lordship to someone they knew was evil. Of course, that person would be constantly spied upon, magically and otherwise, by the means I’ve already described and by others (hired guilds and private adventurers who would not be told the person was a Lord, but who would be asked to look for evidence of specific meetings, activities, etc.), from the moment they “took the mask.” Randulaith would of course be one such, if chosen, and Elaith would be another.
Now, as to whether or not the Lords would ever agree to Elaith: the Lords as of 1359 DR would definitely reject him (as would the Lords for at least three decades prior to that). As for after 1359, the decision of the Lords would depend on their changing roster (behind the masks) and upon the prevailing conditions at the time his becoming a Lord was suggested. It would also depend on WHO suggested he become a Lord (if Elaith suggested it, the suggestion would come with much suspicion; if Khelben suggested it, the suggestion would be hard to refuse but would be met with some suspicion; if Laeral or Piergeiron suggested it, the suggestion would likely be adopted but amid some misgivings and much astonishment . . . and so on).
Being evil doesn’t disqualify someone from becoming a Lord of Waterdeep, but it certainly makes that someone a closely-watched Lord, if they do take the mask. And Lords who turn evil have been swiftly and quietly murdered many a time before . . .
So saith Ed. Who certainly knows how to end on a sinister, antennae-raising note.
love to all,
THO
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 03:05:41
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Ed and Lady THO,
Apropos of that reply, I seem to recall Ed once mentioning a murder mystery he ran during Realmsplay, about one of the Masked Lords being killed, and the PCs blundering about trying to find out who did it and why. Were these the Crazed Venturers or the Knights?
Thanks!
BB |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 03:08:19
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Neither. That was the Company of the Urdragon, one of Ed's 13-episode library campaigns. We Knights heard about the aftermath during play, however, on one of our jaunts through Waterdeep (it's amazing how many gates [in 3e, portals] link the City of Splendors with various spots in Cormyr and the Dales).
love,
THO |
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Aysen
Learned Scribe
115 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 03:45:54
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again.
Aysen, a "gorcraw" is a large, rapacious, aggressive but slow and lazy raptor AND carrion bird, a cross between a large and noisy black crow (hence the name) and a buzzard/turkey vulture. It can hunt as viciously as a shrike when desperately hungry, but is so large, and such a lousy flyer, that a lot of prey can easily avoid it, take refuge in places it can't reach, or (in the case of small children on the ground) easily swat it out of the air, even bare-handed, and jump on it to break its wings (most gorcraws won't even fly within reach of a farm labourer with spade or fork, because they know they'll be hurt or killed with ease). They're not geniuses, but they're not stupid. They ARE impatient, and won't patiently wait for weak prey to collapse or sleep - - they'll fly away to seek something else.
This all comes from Ed's notes; he will, of course, address your other query as soon as he can get to it.
love,
THO
Thank you LHO, for this tidbit, I can cross it off my list. I look forward to reading the others sometime in the future. |
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gomez
Learned Scribe
Netherlands
254 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 07:25:34
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
And yes, Ed can be wonderfully sneaky. Ask me someday about the . . . well, no, perhaps you'd better not. Candlekeep may want to cling to a "somewhat family friendly" designation.
That's what PM's are for, love ;)
quote:
it's amazing how many gates [in 3e, portals] link the City of Splendors with various spots in Cormyr and the Dales).
Oh, that reminds me: are there any portals from Tarmalune to the Dalelands region? Say, into the Fall of Stars?
Gomez,
who hopes to one day have an opportunity to play one of his female PCs with Ed
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 08:09:03
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Good stuff! That really makes me like the idea of Randulaith becoming a Lord, now -- before I really wasn't keen on it. Much potential, there.
As always, thank you for your answers, and thanks too for the unexpected promptness of your reply! |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 13:04:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Good stuff! That really makes me like the idea of Randulaith becoming a Lord, now -- before I really wasn't keen on it. Much potential, there.
Agreed. I'm actually thinking of ways to introduce Randulaith in my campaigns now, based on Ed's recent reply.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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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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Broken Helm
Learned Scribe
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 17:39:56
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Hi. Ed or THO,
I've just been paging through A READER'S GUIDE TO R.A. SALVATORE'S DRIZZT etc. (the large guidebook written by Phil Athans and published this last GenCon, full of all the gorgeous art), and found myself wondering: how many of the characters in it are Ed's originals? Most are RAS creations, I know, but I was just curious . . .
Thanks. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 17:59:23
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Thank you for that quick response - it helps with the always-changing super-timeline I'm trying to build.
On a personal note, THO, I had a GM years ago that sounds VERY much like Ed, and I would say both you and I were 'blessed' to be in the presence of 'DM Greatness'. He did everything that you say there, and managed a group of about 20 of us every weekend - and some actually preferred to play NPCs! 
Once you've played with someone like that, you realize that D&D is so much more then just a game.
Anyhow, Rusty, if you're out there, I still think about those adventures you ran us through every single day. There were times in my life where those games were all I had to look forward to. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 26 Feb 2009 18:00:15 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 18:13:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Broken Helm
Hi. Ed or THO,
I've just been paging through A READER'S GUIDE TO R.A. SALVATORE'S DRIZZT etc. (the large guidebook written by Phil Athans and published this last GenCon, full of all the gorgeous art), and found myself wondering: how many of the characters in it are Ed's originals? Most are RAS creations, I know, but I was just curious . . .
Thanks.
Off the top of my head, I think that only three people appearing in RAS novels were creations of Ed: Malchor Harpell, Khelben Arunsun, and Alustriel. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3563 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 18:15:52
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| Arch Wizard just arrived at my door, and first thing I noticed is to cover art. Just gorgeous!!(Dark Lord is nice as well, but I have the paperback so it is a bit condensed) Did Ed have a prior relationship with the artist and/or have any input on which scene was chosen? His work seems to fit the tone of Falconfar so well it would be hard to believe they were told to "do a hero with a sword against a dragon", and have it fit the work so well. |
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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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 18:40:41
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Hi again, all. To answer Broken Helm . . . not counting gods and groups (monster species, families, power groups, etc.) that get specific entries in that Reader's Guide, I notice these Ed creations:
Alustriel
Dendybar the Mottled
Dove Falconhand
King Harbromm
Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun
Malchor Harpell
And to Red Walker: no, Ed has never met the artist, and deals only with the editor of the books, Christian Dunn (who asks for suggested cover scenes, and then discusses the "draft" or prototype cover art with Ed; I believe the Dark Lord cover first had the hero hooded and a dagger in his hand, rather than the hood pushed back and a magical glow in the hand). So, yes, Ed does have input.
Ed LOVES the covers, mind you. He wishes everyone could really see the Dark Lord cover close up, without the overlying words: among the "bottom front edge" of the monster-head Rod and Taeauna are together on, where it's sprawled along the crumbling wall, are some little hidden jokes like hand calculators and the like (the art on the covers is too small, cropped off too high, too dark, and with lettering laid over top, for you to properly see all that's going on even on the hardcover, but Ed was e-sent a jpeg of the prototype art [which of course for copyright reasons he can't share with anyone] that delighted him with these small details.
(I'd check out on the Net to see if the artist has posted the original anywhere on a website, and hope you can scale up what's posted enough to see some of it.)
For fun, Red Walker, see how many small figures you can see, or see parts of, at the lower left of the ARCH WIZARD cover art. As far as I can I recall what Ed told me, there are four, five, or six in the original, but the scene has been cropped to fit the cover.
This is not a slam at Solaris, by the way; in order to make sure the art "bleeds" out beyond the visible cover, a scene is typically painted "a little too big," and then the publisher scales it up to make the critical elements (in this case, Rod facing a greatfangs) as large as possible and in the best spots on the cover for composition (balance), then adds the lettering that has to be there (title, author, any series attribution and cover blurb "sell copy").
Ed can't wait to see the art for the third cover. Me, I'm really enjoying this trilogy, and can't wait for the last book (Sequels beyond the three tomes? Who knows? Sales will determine).
love to all,
THO
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Edited by - The Hooded One on 26 Feb 2009 18:43:52 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 19:03:08
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again, all. To answer Broken Helm . . . not counting gods and groups (monster species, families, power groups, etc.) that get specific entries in that Reader's Guide, I notice these Ed creations:
Alustriel
Dendybar the Mottled
Dove Falconhand
King Harbromm
Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun
Malchor Harpell
I forgot Dove was in that one book... I didn't know that Harbromm and Dendybar were Ed creations. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 19:24:45
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Yes, they are indeed. Now, I'll grant you that Bob Salvatore has brought them to life in published Realmslore, from brief Ed descriptions (I recall, back in the days when Ed was reading the original manuscript of THE CRYSTAL SHARD to review and approve it, Ed asked Bob to use Dendybar rather than Grimwald, who was already a standing joke among we Knights [e.g. "Grimwald did it!" or a Knight picks up a rusty, jagged-blade dagger and announces, "Grimwald's toothbrush!" or we come across copious vomit outside a tavern door and another Knight comments, "Another Grimwald art masterpiece, I see!"] and so on; Ed wanted to keep Grimwald for our collective immature enjoyment (and his own future sly plans as DM - - boy, we did we later get a surprise from Grimwald!).
But then, from the extensive (FR5 THE SAVAGE FRONTIER, and the three linked Daggerdale modules) to just small lore advice and aid, Ed is behind, or involved in, a LOT of Realms fiction and game lore that bears the names of other writers. He has been known to bury writers and designers who ask for the aid in large files of "gotta know this" Realmslore. Just another of the reasons he's so beloved, by so many.
love,
THO |
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 19:29:12
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Aha! That explains something I've wondered about for years!
At a GenCon, long ago, one of Ed's players (a guy with a mustache, named Jim) was apparently in the audience at an Ed seminar, and he and Ed were looking at a tournament round schedule or some such together for a moment, and one of them said to the other, "Well, real Grimwald organization THAT is!"
I always thought they were referring to a real person, a TSR employee or a GenCon staffer, who was either named Grimwald or whom they called by the nickname of Grimwald.
Does Ed have any juicy Grimwald anecdotes he wants to share, in the Realms or in the real world, like this one?
Please?
BB |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 19:44:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Off the top of my head, I think that only three people appearing in RAS novels were creations of Ed: Malchor Harpell, Khelben Arunsun, and Alustriel.
I'd have to agree - RAS is known for creating his own characters, even if there already was a pre-made FR one around that fit the bill.
He kinda has his own little 'private sandbox', which isn't neccessarily a bad thing. At least he avoids a lot of continuity problems that way.
I think Elminster is actually mentioned by Drizzt in one (in one of those italic maudlin 'musings' he does), but I don't recall El ever making an actual appearance.
I was going to mention Danilo Thann, but then I remembered it was actually Liriel, NOT Drizzt, he had some interaction with. He's probably Elaine's character as well, anyway... |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 26 Feb 2009 19:46:12 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 23:07:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Broken Helm
Hi. Ed or THO,
I've just been paging through A READER'S GUIDE TO R.A. SALVATORE'S DRIZZT etc. (the large guidebook written by Phil Athans and published this last GenCon, full of all the gorgeous art), and found myself wondering: how many of the characters in it are Ed's originals? Most are RAS creations, I know, but I was just curious . . .
Thanks.
Off the top of my head, I think that only three people appearing in RAS novels were creations of Ed: Malchor Harpell, Khelben Arunsun, and Alustriel.
Actually, I know there's more than that.
Edit: Ah, I see the Lady Hooded One's already tackled that. The next page of replies didn't register for me apparently. 
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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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 |
Edited by - The Sage on 26 Feb 2009 23:08:44 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 26 Feb 2009 : 23:10:52
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And while I'm hesitant to add "Yet Another Forgotten Realms Question" to my ever-growing pile, some recent replies have intrigued me. Namely:-
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again, all. To answer Broken Helm . . . not counting gods and groups (monster species, families, power groups, etc.) that get specific entries in that Reader's Guide, I notice these Ed creations:
Alustriel
Dendybar the Mottled
Dove Falconhand
King Harbromm
Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun
Malchor Harpell
Ed, or my lovely Lady, I wouldn't mind hearing how RAS's interpretations of these characters may have deviated somewhat, if at all, from your original conceptions for them? |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Hawkfeather
Seeker
Brazil
64 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 00:17:50
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Hello, Ed!
Currently I'm dming a campaing situated in the Vast (in 1372). I decided to use the plot hook "Shadow over Scardale" described in the Vast section, about a mercenary captain organizing an army to invade and conquer Scardale Town. The plot hook doesn't make it clear who could be sponsonring the mercenary captain, suggesting merchants in Tantras or Calaunt as the most likely candidates. After a little brain storm, I figured out that the true leader behind this attack could be Lashan himself, since no one ever get proof of his death. The problem is: I know next to nothing about him. How he looks like, his qualities (and flaws), capabilities, personality, etc... Where he could be hidden all this years and how he could have raised a fortune to hire an army... And most important: how the people of Scardale (and the other Dales and factions in Scardale) would view an eventually Lashan's back to power. Is it possible that he could regret his old ways and be just trying to clean the mess he left in his homeland? Or is he "just plain evil"? Any information and suggestions you can spare on this matter will be of great value.
Thanks in advance!
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 03:58:58
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Hi, all. Blueblade, Ed has responded to your request for "juicy Grimwald anecdotes" with just one, for now. A real-world one, mind you:
With THO's (obtained) permission, allow me to briefly tell Candlekeep about the Adventure of the Nude Maiden.
Years and years ago, several Canadians (including yours truly and THO, but none of the other regular Realms players; instead, there were three other guys along who were fellow fantasy and sf fans) stayed at a hotel to attend an sf convention in the U.S. Midwest. Though she was completely unconcerned about sharing a room with several guys, myself included, this was years back, and the hotel (once they discovered she wasn't married to any of us) would not hear of it. She had to have her own room, and all four guys had to squeeze into another - - which the hotel pointedly located on another floor, at the far end of the hotel from hers.
Being Canadians unused to having strangers decide our morals for us, and the rooms having connecting phones, we decided to get together for an evening of games, snacks, and chat. At the end of it (at about three in the morning), THO strolled back to her room stark naked, silent and jaunty.
Well, I exaggerate. She was in fact wearing shoes, her watch, and a smile, and carrying a paperback book and the nightgown she'd worn down to the room, over her arm.
She got spotted, of course, and darned if the hotel didn't call the police.
And direct them to OUR room rather than hers, because of course the guys MUST be responsible because a "young and therefore vulnerable, naive, weak-minded woman" (in their words and their way of thinking, though we were all at the time in our twenties) must be "in the charge of" one of us.
We told the police, who had arrived with the notion in their heads that she HAD to be a prostitute, that her behaviour was the result of being hypnotized by Grimwald the Great, a notoriously lecherous stage magician and longtime enemy of ours whom we'd encountered in a local restaurant earlier in the evening, and who had entered the hotel and confronted her outside our room - - and they must on no account awaken her because permanent mental damage could result.
They bought the story, and took pages and pages of notes (in those days, policemen carried around notepads and wrote, wrote, wrote every last thing they did on shift), asking us all sorts of questions and pressing us to promise them that if we ever saw this Grimwald again, we would promptly report his whereabouts and doings to them.
We gave our promises, and accepted a mailing address and a police officer's name and telephone number. They never did go to her room.
I'm afraid that once we were safely back across the border, THO mailed the poor (?) guy a photo of herself, lying on a table unclad except for some "runes" drawn all over in lipstick, surrounded by lit candles, with a dagger point-down held in her mouth and another driven into the table somewhere, ahem, lower, staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling.
On the back of it she wrote, in angular masculine printing, "Regards From Grimwald The Great."
I suppose it's still pinned up on a police office corkboard somewhere.
So saith Ed. Who in this case has toned down a tale that in some ways was rather steamier.
Ah, such a gallant, defending the reputation of a hooded lady . . .
Or not.
love to all,
THO |
Edited by - The Hooded One on 27 Feb 2009 04:01:47 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 04:11:31
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Very Cool.
And here I thought I was the only 'streaker' left around. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3286 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 04:15:02
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi, all. Blueblade, Ed has responded to your request for "juicy Grimwald anecdotes" with just one, for now. A real-world one, mind you:
With THO's (obtained) permission, allow me to briefly tell Candlekeep about the Adventure of the Nude Maiden.
Years and years ago, several Canadians (including yours truly and THO, but none of the other regular Realms players; instead, there were three other guys along who were fellow fantasy and sf fans) stayed at a hotel to attend an sf convention in the U.S. Midwest. Though she was completely unconcerned about sharing a room with several guys, myself included, this was years back, and the hotel (once they discovered she wasn't married to any of us) would not hear of it. She had to have her own room, and all four guys had to squeeze into another - - which the hotel pointedly located on another floor, at the far end of the hotel from hers.
Being Canadians unused to having strangers decide our morals for us, and the rooms having connecting phones, we decided to get together for an evening of games, snacks, and chat. At the end of it (at about three in the morning), THO strolled back to her room stark naked, silent and jaunty.
Well, I exaggerate. She was in fact wearing shoes, her watch, and a smile, and carrying a paperback book and the nightgown she'd worn down to the room, over her arm.
She got spotted, of course, and darned if the hotel didn't call the police.
And direct them to OUR room rather than hers, because of course the guys MUST be responsible because a "young and therefore vulnerable, naive, weak-minded woman" (in their words and their way of thinking, though we were all at the time in our twenties) must be "in the charge of" one of us.
We told the police, who had arrived with the notion in their heads that she HAD to be a prostitute, that her behaviour was the result of being hypnotized by Grimwald the Great, a notoriously lecherous stage magician and longtime enemy of ours whom we'd encountered in a local restaurant earlier in the evening, and who had entered the hotel and confronted her outside our room - - and they must on no account awaken her because permanent mental damage could result.
They bought the story, and took pages and pages of notes (in those days, policemen carried around notepads and wrote, wrote, wrote every last thing they did on shift), asking us all sorts of questions and pressing us to promise them that if we ever saw this Grimwald again, we would promptly report his whereabouts and doings to them.
We gave our promises, and accepted a mailing address and a police officer's name and telephone number. They never did go to her room.
I'm afraid that once we were safely back across the border, THO mailed the poor (?) guy a photo of herself, lying on a table unclad except for some "runes" drawn all over in lipstick, surrounded by lit candles, with a dagger point-down held in her mouth and another driven into the table somewhere, ahem, lower, staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling.
On the back of it she wrote, in angular masculine printing, "Regards From Grimwald The Great."
I suppose it's still pinned up on a police office corkboard somewhere.
So saith Ed. Who in this case has toned down a tale that in some ways was rather steamier.
Ah, such a gallant, defending the reputation of a hooded lady . . .
Or not.
love to all,
THO
-
BRIMSTONE |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
Edited by - Brimstone on 27 Feb 2009 04:16:04 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 04:17:10
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
So saith Ed. Who in this case has toned down a tale that in some ways was rather steamier.
Ah, such a gallant, defending the reputation of a hooded lady . . .
Or not.
love to all,
THO
Any chance you can send me [via ethereal mail] the "steamier" version my lady? I just thought of a rather humorous encounter I can run for my PCs in the next stage of my campaign, based on this. But I'd like to read Ed's full take on it first.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3286 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 04:17:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Very Cool.
And here I thought I was the only 'streaker' left around.
-  
BRIMSTONE |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3286 Posts |
Posted - 27 Feb 2009 : 04:19:06
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
So saith Ed. Who in this case has toned down a tale that in some ways was rather steamier.
Ah, such a gallant, defending the reputation of a hooded lady . . .
Or not.
love to all,
THO
Any chance you can send me [via ethereal mail] the "steamier" version my lady? I just thought of a rather humorous encounter I can run for my PCs in the next stage of my campaign, based on this. But I'd like to read Ed's full take on it first.
-Yeah, right Sage!
BRIMSTONE |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2009)
Topic Locked
