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 Nether Scrolls Ars Factum (3.5)
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KaizokuVizard
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 13 Sep 2010 :  01:58:53  Show Profile  Visit KaizokuVizard's Homepage Send KaizokuVizard a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Has anyone ever thought of where the key to this is/was? I've been considering making a game where the key is found, and used, by one of the PCs, who's goal is to resurrect Netheril, and build her own Flying Cities.

(I know this is out there, but it's going to be a very high powered Epic game)

Naturally, to get this, it'd have to be incredibly hard to get. Possibly from Larloch, but I hesitate to include him, seeing as he is, well, Larloch, after all!

"It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. THat is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. THere is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." - Richard
"The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisevely, resolutely. Cut into his strength. FLow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.

Ikki
Seeker

Finland
57 Posts

Posted - 13 Sep 2010 :  14:08:36  Show Profile  Visit Ikki's Homepage Send Ikki a Private Message  Reply with Quote
mythallars were more like minor artifacts. Ars factum is for the major ones..
Now the key would have to have something to do with the reader, as noone could even understand the text

Belief in the divine perhaps?
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KaizokuVizard
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 13 Sep 2010 :  18:40:57  Show Profile  Visit KaizokuVizard's Homepage Send KaizokuVizard a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I wouldn't think it could possibly be belief in the divine, what with the whole Netherese belief that the Gods were just mortals who had found the "Ultimate magic" All LEoF Says is "An additional Key of some kind is needed to unlock this set of scrolls and the spellcasters of Windsong Tower never discovered it"

Makes me wonder if they were like, physically locked, or if it was like a translation thing. Or perhaps a magical item needed to be in your possession to read it. (The Orb to read the Mrin Codex from the Rivan King series, anyone?)

"It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. THat is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. THere is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." - Richard
"The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisevely, resolutely. Cut into his strength. FLow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore

Denmark
1093 Posts

Posted - 13 Sep 2010 :  21:43:18  Show Profile Send Nicolai Withander a Private Message  Reply with Quote
could someone please tell me what "key" we are talking about!

Thx!
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KaizokuVizard
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 13 Sep 2010 :  22:12:57  Show Profile  Visit KaizokuVizard's Homepage Send KaizokuVizard a Private Message  Reply with Quote
In LEoF it says that in order to open the fifth set of the Nether Scrolls, the Ars Factum, which is supposedly what taught the Netherese how to create Artifacts, an additional key was required and the casters of Windsong tower never found it.

That's what we're discussing here, what it could be, where it could be.

"It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. THat is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. THere is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." - Richard
"The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisevely, resolutely. Cut into his strength. FLow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  00:53:08  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'd imagine it's some spell, cipher, or bit of knowledge. A physical key seems too simplistic for such a thing.

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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 14 Sep 2010 00:53:19
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31701 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  01:38:02  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Consider both the source and length of time that has passed for this. It's likely that whatever the key is/was, has long been forgotten.

Or, alternatively, it was left vague so the DM could determine what works in his/her campaign.

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Edited by - The Sage on 14 Sep 2010 01:39:09
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KaizokuVizard
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  01:47:30  Show Profile  Visit KaizokuVizard's Homepage Send KaizokuVizard a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I actually assumed it was vague for that reason. I'm asking other peoples opinions on what they've thought of / used / would use. I myself, would assume it requires something like a spell to read it, possibly a 10th level spell or better. Or maybe a specific second artifact (I.e. The Orb of the Rivan King, from the Belgariad, as I stated earlier) Or perhaps a Ritual. I imagine any quest to find this key, would require some form of communication with Larloch, or Ioulam (sp?) Possibly Candlekeep, but I don't believe the information would be there.
Or, finally (obviously) Oreme.

"It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. THat is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. THere is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." - Richard
"The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisevely, resolutely. Cut into his strength. FLow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.
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wintermute27
Learned Scribe

USA
179 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  05:35:36  Show Profile  Visit wintermute27's Homepage Send wintermute27 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I've always thought that Mystra, after the fall of Netheril intentionally obfuscated the Ars Factum as a part of limiting magic in general. In my games the "key" is just a myth, created by ancient mages who felt that "there has to be some way to make this work", when in fact there wasn't. In a way, you could have Mystra grant a character the ability to understand the writings of the Ars Factum (the "key" if you will) in return for services rendered.

My Current Campaign: The Adventures of the Stonelanders
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Quale
Master of Realmslore

1757 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  09:01:06  Show Profile Send Quale a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I don't think there ever was an actual key, it's metaphorical. For every race, and then every person, beside the standard effects, reading of the scrolls is an unique experience. The scrolls are not an outdated version of magic written thirty thousand years ago, they evolve all the time. ''The key'' would be an extremely arcanely talented person who would see it ''all'' behind the lines.
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore

Poland
1190 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  11:56:33  Show Profile  Visit Zireael's Homepage Send Zireael a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Quale

I don't think there ever was an actual key, it's metaphorical. For every race, and then every person, beside the standard effects, reading of the scrolls is an unique experience. The scrolls are not an outdated version of magic written thirty thousand years ago, they evolve all the time. ''The key'' would be an extremely arcanely talented person who would see it ''all'' behind the lines.



I thought that too. Hey, any guesses to who can/could have done that?
Mine are: Srinshee, Alea Dahast, Elminster/Khelben/Seven Sisters.

SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!

http://zireael07.wordpress.com/
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Nicolai Withander
Master of Realmslore

Denmark
1093 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  17:53:58  Show Profile Send Nicolai Withander a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well I think its simply that when one have read and understood enough, one will "see the light" so to speak, and only then can one grasp the knowledge of the last chapter! IMO!
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KaizokuVizard
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  18:32:07  Show Profile  Visit KaizokuVizard's Homepage Send KaizokuVizard a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I don't know, the casters of Windsong Tower were fairly powerful, right? So if they couldn't understand/open/unlock the Ars Factum, that doesn't really make sense to me.

"It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. THat is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. THere is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." - Richard
"The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisevely, resolutely. Cut into his strength. FLow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  18:58:13  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
But the 'key' may have been some 'spark' unique to humans - something to do with their ability to strive and learn faster then others (given their shorter life-spans).

And as for why it would be keyed to humans - the Sarrukh and other creator races merely transcribed various 'magical traditions' they noted throughout the world - they did not create most of them, although they probably could duplicate many of them. Not saying there were 'true humans' around back then either, but the magic spells involved in creating the Mythalars may have been 'keyed' to another race similar to humans, or perhaps some race that were the progenitors of modern humans (Going a bit 'Larry Niven' here with that one).

Elven minds may simply lack that final, intuitive 'leap' to understand them.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone

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KaizokuVizard
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  19:23:49  Show Profile  Visit KaizokuVizard's Homepage Send KaizokuVizard a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hmm, that's a good point. The Sarrukh did transcribe them specifically for the Netherese...perhaps they are keyed to humans in that regard. Mayhaps humans are the "key" themselves.

"It means only one thing, and everything: Cut. Once committed to fight, cut. Everything else is secondary. Cut. THat is your duty, your purpose, your hunger. THere is no rule more important, no commitment that overrides that one. Cut." - Richard
"The lines are a portrayal of the dance. Cut from the void, not from bewilderment. Cut the enemy as quickly and directly as possible. Cut with certainty. Cut decisevely, resolutely. Cut into his strength. FLow through the gaps in his guard. Cut him. Cut him down utterly. Don't allow him a breath. Crush him. Cut him without mercy to the depths of his spirit.
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Quale
Master of Realmslore

1757 Posts

Posted - 14 Sep 2010 :  20:09:31  Show Profile Send Quale a Private Message  Reply with Quote
yea, humans are not called ''the race of destiny'' for nothing, elves are slow

quote:
Originally posted by Zireael

I thought that too. Hey, any guesses to who can/could have done that?
Mine are: Srinshee, Alea Dahast, Elminster/Khelben/Seven Sisters.



I think higher, most of them are nuts, can't handle such power well, which was given by Mystra directly.

Possibly Mystryl before succeeding Lurue, then Savras, he has ''the Eye'' for such things, maybe that's why he was attacked by Azuth, Mystra feared for her position. Ioulaum, but he's still processing the information, he needed an exotic ''computer''. And a career-ending PC about to ascend.
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