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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
 Posted - 26 May 2013 : 08:27:50
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A couple of recent finds among the adventuring groups in the 1e campaign setting reminded me of a few others I've found in the past. Here's a short list of seven women of the Realms who deliberately and habitually appear to be male.
- Coril is a young mage and Harper agent in Waterdeep; pretends to be male; she reports to Shalar Simgulphin
- Ellifain Tuuserail disguises herself as a male and takes the name Le'lorinel Tel'e'brenequiette while training to kill Drizzt - thanks Hashimashadoo
- Illara purports to be Illar Zund; member of The Hunt
- Shalar Simgulphin is a bard and Harper in Waterdeep; she also pretends to be male
- Shambarin Shadowcloak, a wizard of Berdusk, was once the thief Silkhips Silmar of Amn.
- Tracker is actually Alisheen Starnshield; a ranger and Harper who lives in an abandoned village south of Ascore; pretends to be male on the probably-rare occasions when she encounters other people
- Zhuirentel Laughingwater purports to be Zeldar; member of The Knights of the North
Jemuril doesn't really count because she doesn't go out of her way to look male... she just happens to be mistaken for a man by most humans who aren't accustomed to bearded women, and plays along. 
Any others?
Any men who pretend to be women?
Silkhips' reasons are obvious; she's still wanted in Amn for a bunch of caravan thefts. What are the reasons for the others?
The point here is not to scandalize anyone... just idle curiosity.
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Edited by - xaeyruudh on 02 Jun 2013 22:30:55
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2013 : 17:46:04
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Elminster disguised himself as a woman (named Elmara) in one of the old Elminster novels (the first one, I believe: The Making of a Mage).
The Simbul probably has done a lot of male disguises (and likely more to amuse herself than carry out official tasks). |
Every beginning has an end. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11701 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2013 : 20:03:49
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| Does that knight when Vangey told Storm he could drink her under the table and lost a bet count? |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2013 : 22:27:59
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Oddly, I'd forgotten about Elminster. My understanding is that Elmara was actually female; not a disguise... but maybe I'm remembering wrong. I would imagine that he (and the Simbul, and other spellcasters) have adopted many temporary (though perhaps recurring) disguises of the opposite gender, over the years. I was thinking more of NPCs whose real identities are semipermanently hidden; those who live as the opposite gender all day every day.
I don't remember the story about Vangey and Storm, though it reminds me that Azoun IV and Alusair both lived in disguise for extended periods. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 27 May 2013 : 01:15:06
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Your understanding is correct. It wasn't a disguise, it was a change of gender "done to" Elminster by Mystra, to make him better understand the female POV and life experience - - because she wanted him to be the most durable, versatile tool she could forge. Her Chosen were burning out or going seriously rogue or even traitor or getting themselves killed (hence Mystra later taking a direct hand in producing Chosen = the Seven), and Elminster seemed a strong, built-to-last individual.
So as he was experiencing what it was like to serve Mystra directly, as one of her clergy, El also got to experience what it was to be a woman.
Which often aided him, down the centuries after that, in acting like a woman, to make a female disguise more convincing. And gave him no hesitation or awkwardness at all in assuming such a guise.
(The above, of course, comes directly from discussions with Ed, down the years. As a member of the female persuasion, I found Ed's understanding of femininity and his presentation of many strong female NPCs in the Realms to be both unusual and laudable, and was and am interested in his motives, views, and aims . . .
love,
THO |
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 27 May 2013 : 05:05:00
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THO: I so enjoy it when you drop in.  |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1150 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jun 2013 : 15:07:56
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| Ellifain Tuuserail, the elf girl who caused so much strife for Drizzt Do'Urden, appeared as a male named Le'lorinel Tel'e'brenequiette while she was training to fight. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
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Captain Grafalcon
Learned Scribe
Brazil
129 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2013 : 02:20:56
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| It appears this kind of tactic is not so uncommon in the Realms... reading Elminsterīs daughter right now,and Lady Noumea, a character that acts like some sort of information broker, enters Candlekeep as a male named Roablar of Lantan. It appears she isntīthe first to appeal to this method. |
"Surely you recognize that armies carrying banners are almost always thievesuntil they win."
Jarlaxle, mercenary leader of Bregan D'aerthe. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2013 : 16:08:17
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It happens all the time in my FR games (PCs and NPCs both), and one of the female characters in my novels (Fayne, a fey'ri warlock/illusionist) routinely takes both male and female forms to suit her purposes.
Not a lot of instances of men posing as women for one reason or another. Though I suspect that drow do it on occasion, which is both potentially very useful and extremely dangerous.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Emma Drake
Learned Scribe
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2013 : 19:19:16
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Ed discusses male worshipers of Eilistraee undergoing the Changedance to take female form for short and long durations in this scroll:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5812&whichpage=67
In Elminster in Hell, in one of his flashbacks Elminster poses as a beautiful (scantily clad) young woman at a party in Suzail. (Chapter 14) |
"I am always here, all about you. You are never truly alone. I flow wherever life flows, wherever winds blow and water runs and the sun and moon chase each other, for there is magic in all things."
- Mystra (Ed Greenwood, Silverfall) |
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Emma Drake
Learned Scribe
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jun 2013 : 20:17:37
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| Did Narm (from the Spellfire novels) also pose as a female at some point? It is teasing the edge of my memory that when he and Shandril fled in disguise that they were both disguised as old women. I don't have time to double check right now though. |
"I am always here, all about you. You are never truly alone. I flow wherever life flows, wherever winds blow and water runs and the sun and moon chase each other, for there is magic in all things."
- Mystra (Ed Greenwood, Silverfall) |
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Women who pose as men, vice versa
