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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1266 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 16:17:50
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Hi all,
On the FR facebook group someone asked about the tallest man-made building in the Realms. I said I knew Valjevo Castle in Phlan is usually listed as "among the tallest", and if we specify that man-made does not include magical means (Spirit Soaring for instance, or a flying City); you Sages probably are the best to know.
Darkhold was made by giants (or something like that)...I think it is certainly among the taller buildings.
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 16:43:51
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| Good question. I'm curious to see what the other sages have to say. |
Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 21:05:18
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Could be something the mulan build. In my realms I have a huge multilevel combined pyramid of Horus-Re in Geldaneth as the tallest mulan building.
But some of Lathanders cathedrals will probably be in an ongoing race of who can catch the morningsuns rays the first and will or have already shattered the mulan record with a spiral tower built on the foundation of a high cathedral that splits the sky with clever masonry and glass-steel engineering.
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1150 Posts |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:04:41
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| The Moonshaes are part of the Realms but I get your point. Let's see if someone else finds another source. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
Edited by - The Arcanamach on 02 Oct 2015 00:05:44 |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:06:45
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Oh one clarification might be needed. Man made on Earth clearly means humans. The Realms have many races. The OP even refers to "Darkhold was made by giants".
It thus appears any and all humanoids are available for tallest structure, possible even other creatures that build structures. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:10:22
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| Yeah I'm kinda reading 'without the use of magic' into the meaning here. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:54:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
Could be something the mulan build. In my realms I have a huge multilevel combined pyramid of Horus-Re in Geldaneth as the tallest mulan building.
But some of Lathanders cathedrals will probably be in an ongoing race of who can catch the morningsuns rays the first and will or have already shattered the mulan record with a spiral tower built on the foundation of a high cathedral that splits the sky with clever masonry and glass-steel engineering.
Using Glass-steel engineering counts as magic, no? |
Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin
Amazon "KindleUnlimited" Free Trial: http://amzn.to/2AJ4yD2
Try Audible and Get 2 Free Audio Books! https://amzn.to/2IgBede |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 01:30:04
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| I asked the guy on FB for clarification. He means ANY structure with or without the use of magic and by any race. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Rymac
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 03:53:17
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| Any info on the Wailing Dwarf's height? Would that count? And if it's a question of altitude over relative height, High Horn in Cormyr would be awfully hard to surpass. |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 17:40:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Artemas Entreri
Using Glass-steel engineering counts as magic, no?
If you count alchemy as magic, aye.
Glassteel blowing is a sun-elven and avariel alchemical invention, involving both glass blowing and metallurgy. Nimbral engineering includes glassteel materials, so I think it could have seen more use in the 15th century realms if the knowledge survived to the mainlands of Faerun. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 19:13:42
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The 100 feet wide Stonebridge stretches over the Dessarin riverbank for over two miles and has four pylon-like dwarven statues at the granite bridge's both ends that reach 500ft above the riverbanks.
But those are dwarfed by the Wailing Dwarfs whopping 4000 feet height, though this structure is technically not a building but a sculpture. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
Edited by - Bladewind on 02 Oct 2015 19:14:25 |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 20:09:04
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| My first thought was Darkhold, then the bridge without rails (!) across the Dessarin. But what about Undermountain, if you count from the lowest level and up? |
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Rymac
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 20:11:09
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High Horn (Hold) is 1000 feet high, according to the Forgotten Realms wiki. Its entry says 1000 feet elevation, which I'm assuming is its height, not its altitude.
Edit: Nevermind, it's High Horn Mountain that has an elevation of 1000 feet. Looking at what details are provided in The Forgotten Realms Atlas, High Horn Keep looks to be 200 to 250 feet high. I doubt that's a record breaker. |
Edited by - Rymac on 02 Oct 2015 20:44:42 |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 20:34:52
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| I'm afraid its so high because of its altitude though. High Horn is detailed in Power of Faerun, but its elevation is due to it being built on top of the cliff next to High Horn Pass, its 1000 ft top flattened by hired dwarven engineers. It does have a 7 storied central castle tower (so perhaps 140 ft in height if a single story is 20 ft high). |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Rymac
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 21:37:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Seravin
Hi all,
On the FR facebook group someone asked about the tallest man-made building in the Realms. I said I knew Valjevo Castle in Phlan is usually listed as "among the tallest", and if we specify that man-made does not include magical means (Spirit Soaring for instance, or a flying City); you Sages probably are the best to know.
Darkhold was made by giants (or something like that)...I think it is certainly among the taller buildings.
Incidentally, while I was looking at info for High Horn in The Forgotten Realms Atlas, I looked up Valjevo Castle. According to what is in the atlas, Valjevo Castle is only around 300 feet at the top of the minarets.
The official source material for Darkhold would be the Castles boxed set. Darkhold's tallest part is the tower, which is five stories high.
quote:
Because Darkhold was originally constructed by giants, its dimensions are incredibly large by human standards. Corridors up to 30 feet wide are common. On average, each story or ceiling is 30 feet high. This height varies slightly from building to building, so that the fifth story of Sememmon's tower actually looks down upon the fifth level of the Pereghosts' tower.
Depending upon what the range is between the smallest to largest ceiling heights, Darkhold's tallest point is probably between 200 to 300 feet. The different heights between levels is explainable as different buildings inside Darkhold were built by different races. Sememmon's is built by giants whereas the Pereghosts' tower is built by humans or human-sized creatures.
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Edited by - Rymac on 02 Oct 2015 21:38:30 |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2015 : 07:58:24
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| The question posed by the OP on FB was for buildings but I will pass along the info on the bridge. Also, Castle Cormanthor's highest point is 300ft. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2015 : 17:08:17
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A good read from the mouth of our Highlord of the Greenwood are his articles on the Rural Realms Architecture found in most of Faerun. It tells that man-made buildings found in most non city grounds are made of refurbished and re-used fieldstone, and very rarely made with storied levels. Those that are, are built with military or religious purposes, and professional masons capable of building such are most often found under clergy employ.
A fun little fact, given the height of the Wailing Dwarf and the assumption that Toril has about the same radius as Earth, it can be seen from a distance of about 125 km or 80 miles away. The 500 ft pylon statues of Stonebridge would be cresting the horizon at 28 miles away.
From the description of Beregost's temple to Lathander, the Song of the Morning, its spires can be seen for miles before the town proper is entered. If one could start to see its spires rise above the hills from about 15 miles away, its spires should have about the height of 165 feet (33 5ft squares!).
Other Lathandarite temples that I think might be contenders;
The Dawn Belltowers (Calimport)
The Dawn Tower (Ordulin)
The Dome of Rose (Athkatla)
The Glory of the Morning (Archenbridge)
The Morning Watchtower (Deadsnows)
The Rose-Crowned Tower (Suldolphor)
The Song of the Morning (Beregost)
The Spires of the Morning (Waterdeep)
The Tower of the Morn (Elversult)
The Tower of the Morning (Telpir)
A mulan Grand Pyramid I'd guess to be about 450 feet high, its apex limestone top is visible to grounded hawkeyed persons from 25 miles away. So my home games multi-tiered pyramid in Geldaneth is visible from about 35 miles away with its whopping 650 feet high balcony-roof of the temple of Horus-Re. It does cheat a little by using magic to hoist granite and wooden support beams to further strengthen the limestone center of the pyramid at the places where it is strained beyond its natural limits. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Gyor
Master of Realmslore
1621 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2015 : 18:07:39
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| The tallest building in the realms, to my knowledge has never been stated, but if I had to guess, I'd assume a dwarf hold. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2015 : 01:07:06
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Does anyone know how tall The Candelabra The Host Tower of the Arcane is?
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
Glassteel blowing is a sun-elven and avariel alchemical invention, involving both glass blowing and metallurgy.
...and that's how Gold Elves created Sun and Moon! 
quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
A mulan Grand Pyramid I'd guess to be about 450 feet high
Which reminds me. Do we count buildings only on Faerūn, or overseas (Maztica and Land of Fate) too? |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2015 : 02:59:08
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The guy on FB was looking for any stucture, made by any race and with or without magic. He simply wanted to know the tallest building ever built. I'm not sure an actual dwarfhold would count as they are typically built inside mountains (a natural feature) with multiple levels carved throughout. Likewise, the Wailing Dwarf, even if rooms were cut into it, wouldn't apply as it was sculpted rather than 'built.'
TBeholder: I think he would count any structure on the planet, maybe even anywhere in Realmspace. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2015 : 03:43:11
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quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
Does anyone know how tall The Candelabra The Host Tower of the Arcane is?
Magic was used to create the Hosttower. |
Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin
Amazon "KindleUnlimited" Free Trial: http://amzn.to/2AJ4yD2
Try Audible and Get 2 Free Audio Books! https://amzn.to/2IgBede |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2015 : 19:41:43
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So from the reply of Ed I found that Lothen, the City of Silver Spires has towers of only 90ft high.
The Skyclave built in High Imaskar seems of unfathomable height, with a population of 18 000 folk living in a hollow spire that seems to be about 360 ft high at least. |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Tallest man-made buildings in the Realms
