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Renin
Learned Scribe

USA
290 Posts

Posted - 22 Apr 2016 :  02:52:49  Show Profile Send Renin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I was honestly hoping at the end of the book that Drizzt was going to stay on as Weapon Master for House Baenre in his weird fugue 'what is life?' attitude and live in Menzoberranzen for a time. Oh, but I could dream for a bit....
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author

2395 Posts

Posted - 22 Apr 2016 :  19:43:29  Show Profile  Visit ElaineCunningham's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

Shakti being Shakti, I think that she abandoned Vhaeraun after he was ''killed'' (or trapped in that dream in the Weave, as Ed said), but yeah... since she's Elaine's character, acknowledging her story would have been nice.



I have no problems with this. A novel needs to tell the story it needs to tell, and it can't accomplish this if it's always running down side streets to explore the story of secondary and tertiary characters. :)

It's gratifying to know that Shakti is doing well within her chosen sphere. That she has a few secrets and maybe a couple of tricks up her sleeve is to be expected. She is, after all, a drow.
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 22 Apr 2016 :  20:07:14  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If you're ok with that, then I have little reason to complain. But some acknowledgment would have been appreciated, especially since WotC isn't putting out novels (or sourcebooks, or even short stories/articles) where other characters can be explored.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe

Ireland
705 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2016 :  17:14:57  Show Profile Send Shadowsoul a Private Message  Reply with Quote
*sighs*

I liked it better when just Drizzt was the exception to the rule and most other drow were just evil. I just don't like how things have turned out. Having uniqueness pop up too many times kind of defeats the purpose of "unique".

“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien

*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*.
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader

USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2016 :  17:26:59  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
V and E have been around for a long time, though, so Drizzt can hardly be the only exception. He is just the most popular and well known.

Sweet water and light laughter
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe

Ireland
705 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2016 :  17:37:32  Show Profile Send Shadowsoul a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout

V and E have been around for a long time, though, so Drizzt can hardly be the only exception. He is just the most popular and well known.



Yes but now that Drizzt is out all those he seems to interact with somehow seem to go against their nature. There is way too much inconsistency going on for the sake of "story".

“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien

*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*.
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2016 :  17:47:50  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Shadowsoul

*sighs*

I liked it better when just Drizzt was the exception to the rule and most other drow were just evil. I just don't like how things have turned out. Having uniqueness pop up too many times kind of defeats the purpose of "unique".



With all due respect for your opinion (which you are obviously 100% entitled to) it's not a matter of uniqueness. Given what the drow are in the Realms, and their history, it just doesn't make sense that in over 10k years, there has been only one exception. The drow are intellignet beings forced to being basically slaves to Lolth, they are brainwashed and live in total submission to her. They have to renounce to so much stuff that isn't even funny, they have withered because of her, and the vast majority of them (the commoners) get absolutely no benefit from her random crap. Is it so far fetched to think that over so much time whole groups of drow might have thought ''why do we have to deal with this?''. I think that it is far fetched to think that over 10k years only a handful have ever done that (or worse, just Drizzt).

Besides, before they were exiled by the Seldarine, the dark elves had a lot of variety, just like their fair kin. They worshiped different deities, including Eilistraee, who had a vast follower base in Miyeritar (the dark elves there worshiped the Seldarine as well), and even had followers in Ilythiir. Lolth's cult started to gain some tangible influence in Ilythiir only shortly before the curse (well, during the 2nd Crown War), and became predominant after the curse.
However the reason of her ''success'' and why most drow have turned to the evil deities in their pantheon, is also to be found in Eilistraee's faith being almost destroyed by the Aryvandaari, and in the Sledarine's shunning all of them, regardless of innocence (instead of trying to eradicate Lolth's cult, once the war had been won). In fact, we know that the nobles of Ilythiir (starting with the ruling Sethomir) had made pacts with Lolth and Wendonai, but what about the vast majority of the people. Do you really expect farmers and workers to be all corrupted fanatics? They had absolutely no reason to worship Lolth as her followers do now, and they likely worshiped their evil deities like the humans normally worship evil deities in the current Realms.

This is to say that drow that aren't followers of Lolth have always existed in Faerun's history.

Besides, the history of the Dark Seldarine, and especially Eilistraee and Vhaeraun, is deeply interwined with that of the drow, they have a strong connection with their people, they are not just there because they have been tacked on. They are there with a specific role, that actually makes the FR drow unique and not just a copy of those from GH. Given that Ed created Eilistraee, and I guess Vhaeraun too, for his own world, before their publishing, they definitely deserve their place in the setting.

Honestly, this is far more interesting, and adds much more depth and possibilities for stories than ''all the drow are Lolth's slaves, with only one super dude being the exception, with no explanation why he is the only one, and no one else has ever chosen to leave such a hideous lifestyle behind''.

Even setting that aside, as I've commented in the other thread, a character's uniqueness shouldn't be defined by a reverse stereotype, because--frankly--there's little depth in that.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 25 Apr 2016 18:04:48
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe

Ireland
705 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2016 :  19:06:59  Show Profile Send Shadowsoul a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

quote:
Originally posted by Shadowsoul

*sighs*

I liked it better when just Drizzt was the exception to the rule and most other drow were just evil. I just don't like how things have turned out. Having uniqueness pop up too many times kind of defeats the purpose of "unique".



With all due respect for your opinion (which you are obviously 100% entitled to) it's not a matter of uniqueness. Given what the drow are in the Realms, and their history, it just doesn't make sense that in over 10k years, there has been only one exception. The drow are intellignet beings forced to being basically slaves to Lolth, they are brainwashed and live in total submission to her. They have to renounce to so much stuff that isn't even funny, they have withered because of her, and the vast majority of them (the commoners) get absolutely no benefit from her random crap. Is it so far fetched to think that over so much time whole groups of drow might have thought ''why do we have to deal with this?''. I think that it is far fetched to think that over 10k years only a handful have ever done that (or worse, just Drizzt).

Besides, before they were exiled by the Seldarine, the dark elves had a lot of variety, just like their fair kin. They worshiped different deities, including Eilistraee, who had a vast follower base in Miyeritar (the dark elves there worshiped the Seldarine as well), and even had followers in Ilythiir. Lolth's cult started to gain some tangible influence in Ilythiir only shortly before the curse (well, during the 2nd Crown War), and became predominant after the curse.
However the reason of her ''success'' and why most drow have turned to the evil deities in their pantheon, is also to be found in Eilistraee's faith being almost destroyed by the Aryvandaari, and in the Sledarine's shunning all of them, regardless of innocence (instead of trying to eradicate Lolth's cult, once the war had been won). In fact, we know that the nobles of Ilythiir (starting with the ruling Sethomir) had made pacts with Lolth and Wendonai, but what about the vast majority of the people. Do you really expect farmers and workers to be all corrupted fanatics? They had absolutely no reason to worship Lolth as her followers do now, and they likely worshiped their evil deities like the humans normally worship evil deities in the current Realms.

This is to say that drow that aren't followers of Lolth have always existed in Faerun's history.

Besides, the history of the Dark Seldarine, and especially Eilistraee and Vhaeraun, is deeply interwined with that of the drow, they have a strong connection with their people, they are not just there because they have been tacked on. They are there with a specific role, that actually makes the FR drow unique and not just a copy of those from GH. Given that Ed created Eilistraee, and I guess Vhaeraun too, for his own world, before their publishing, they definitely deserve their place in the setting.

Honestly, this is far more interesting, and adds much more depth and possibilities for stories than ''all the drow are Lolth's slaves, with only one super dude being the exception, with no explanation why he is the only one, and no one else has ever chosen to leave such a hideous lifestyle behind''.

Even setting that aside, as I've commented in the other thread, a character's uniqueness shouldn't be defined by a reverse stereotype, because--frankly--there's little depth in that.



That is what makes RAS's story so ridiculous and prone to favouring inconsistency for the sake of story. I happen to like the children of Lolth being slaves to her will while the males end up with the worst end of the stick. RAS has decided to take others on the Drizzt roller coaster for the sake of keeping the novels going which in turn is for money. 10,000 years is nothing at the end of the day for a long lived race like dark elves. It's also not just the Lolth dominated elves of Menzoberranzan, I like dark elves to remain evil in general but RAS seems to have Drizzt walk around with an almost virus that infects other drow and makes them other go against their nature or become thick. Good drow are supposed to be a rare thing and I like to keep it that way because it's consistent.

“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien

*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*.
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 25 Apr 2016 :  19:24:50  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
10k years are *a lot* even for the elves. Lets say that an elf lives up to, say 1k years, and that's 10 damn generations. To say that almost all drow are slaves to Lolth and that nothing happened, no change, no progress, no idea, ever, especially over such a long time, is--frankly--''ridiculous for the sake of the story''. It just doesn't make sense.

That part of the history of the FR has nothing to do with RAS (in fact he does tends to do quite the contrary of what you say). That's Ed's and other author's work. Good drow are indeed rare, just not impossibly rare (which again, wouldn't make sense for the reasons that I've already stated). Eilistraee's followers (who are not even necessarily good) are about 20% of the drow. That's a narrow minority, compared to the whole race. And just because the drow are 100% Lolth's playthings in GH, it doesn't mean that they should be the same in the FR. Different settings, different drow (and if you still don't believe that Eilistraee and Vhaeraun are Ed's creation, for his own setting, and that therefore deserve their place in the FR just like other deities do, here's one link where he says that: https://disqus.com/home/discussion/edverse/hello_internet/?utm_source=reply&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read_more#comment-1534073727)

It wouldn't make sense for the drow to ''return'' to evil, really, because of their history, and because Eilistraee has just returned.
Now, if you want them to be like that in your game, you are 100% free to ignore Eilistraee, Drizzt or whoever (and it is always easier to ignore something that you don't like, than for someone else who likes that thing to see it--and any chance for anything to be written about it--destroyed, because some people don't like it), but to say that Eilistraee or the good drow don't have a place in the Realms is flat out wrong.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 25 Apr 2016 19:27:24
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CTrunks
Acolyte

Canada
20 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  08:36:30  Show Profile Send CTrunks a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

I don't think that Drizzt could have been a worshiper of Eilistraee right when he was created, because--while Eilistraee was created by Ed for his own world--she only became official in 1990 (or 91, I'm not sure) when TSR asked Ed for more drow deities, and he catched the opportunity to make her official.

But interaction between Drizzt and the followers of Eilistraee (and other drow who chose their own path) would be cool. If he was to find Eilistraee, she would at least solve all his moral dilemma about natural/nurtured/irredeemable evil, acceptance, tolerance and so on. She is also known to appear to her people, in various forms, when they need comfort/support, so that would help him as well. She would also be way closer to the ideals in his heart (because that's what he sees in gods, AFAIK) than Mielikki (who is about embracing and protecting nature, and pacifiacally coexisting with it).

That doesn't mean that Drizzt should start to worship the Dark Dancer (he isn't really religious and doesn't even actually worshio Mielikki), but he could simply interact with the followers of the Dark Dancer, feel her and be comforted by her, and that would perfectly fit her modus operandi.



Oh, I don't think Drizzt should actually start to worship Eilistraee! Honestly, if anything, I'd want it to be exactly like it is with Mielikki; heck, keep Catti-Brie as a cleric of hers, complete with Iruladoon being the work of Mielikki, as part of an alliance with the Dark Dancer, and have their viewpoints about goblinoids be a minor relationship conflict between them. I was just stating that it feels like the past couple of arcs he's been through - from Gauntlgrym until now, really - would have worked a lot better if he had always been a 'follower' (for lack of a better word) of Eilistraee.

And honestly? Maybe that's intentional. If Bob really doesn't like E's existence, then that feeling could be done intentionally.
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  13:55:47  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I see your point (and the funny thing is that Mielikki and Eilistraee are already friends), and yes, Eilistraee and her ideals would surely be a much better fit than Mielikki.

You mean Drizzt's dilemma about innate and nurtured evil/good/whatever? If so, I personally find that kind of stuff really hollow, from a narrative and world building PoV, unrelatedly to Eilistraee, Drizzt and the others. Unless you use it to define certain creatures (outsiders), it's just not interesting. It's a tool to either make some intelligent creatures killable w/o feeling bad for killing them, or to make certain characters super special--with the irony being that those characters wouldn't even be special anymore: they dind't ''conquer'' their non-evilness, they just were born with it. And evil creatures are in truth not ''evil'', just dangerous victims of their nature, that must be deleted because they are dangerous. Choices and character development lose value, when what they will be in life is decided by their birth. To me, it also breaks suspension of disbelief.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 28 Apr 2016 13:56:47
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader

USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  15:59:10  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I like Drizzt as a follower of Mielikki (well, by his own admission Mielikki is the name he gave what was in his heart). If Drizzt wants nothing to do with Eilistraee, fine, but the other drow? Half the book was about the city of Menzo. A brief mention of the siblings and their struggles wouldn't have interrupted the flow of the story.

Sweet water and light laughter
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  16:01:44  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout

I like Drizzt as a follower of Mielikki (well, by his own admission Mielikki is the name he gave what was in his heart).



Which is funny, given that Mielikki is all about protecting nature and peacefully coexisting with it. Drizzt doesn't really seem to be focused on that :/

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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sno4wy
Senior Scribe

USA
466 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  16:14:51  Show Profile Send sno4wy a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan

quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout

I like Drizzt as a follower of Mielikki (well, by his own admission Mielikki is the name he gave what was in his heart).



Which is funny, given that Mielikki is all about protecting nature and peacefully coexisting with it. Drizzt doesn't really seem to be focused on that :/



He's also not really much of a ranger and more of a fighter. >_>
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  16:22:32  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
True, but at least that is a purely mechanical difference (since there are spell-less versions of the ranger). Saying that Mielikki embodies what lies in Drizzt's heart is rather weird from a story perspective.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader

USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  16:24:15  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I was going to say it probably hadoesn't to do more with his ranger aspects, but yeah, he is more of a fighter. I think, in the beginning, when he first took Mielikki as his goddess, he was more of a ranger, and it was Montello who taught him of the forest goddess. But over time, his style changed, though I think he retains his ranger skills.

Sweet water and light laughter
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sno4wy
Senior Scribe

USA
466 Posts

Posted - 28 Apr 2016 :  16:38:55  Show Profile Send sno4wy a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yet he's still going on about how Mielikki embodies what's in his heart. >:(
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Pazuzu
Seeker

Germany
61 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2016 :  19:42:05  Show Profile Send Pazuzu a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I just finished "Maestro" and I am really puzzled... what has the title to do with the content (besides some very obvious sentences)? What is the actual plot? Why to let a demon lord free within 3 pages and destroy him again within 3 pages? Isn't that more than just a bit inflationary handling of end game bosses? What will be released next? I am really afraid... Why cannot just Paul Kemp start writing on DMG? Or let RAS just do his thing w/o interference from WotC... I am so sad right now...

May your dice obey your will. - Gary Gygax (*1938 - †2008)
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Portuguese D. Ace
Seeker

Italy
82 Posts

Posted - 31 May 2016 :  00:01:06  Show Profile Send Portuguese D. Ace a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Pazuzu

I just finished "Maestro" and I am really puzzled... what has the title to do with the content (besides some very obvious sentences)? What is the actual plot? Why to let a demon lord free within 3 pages and destroy him again within 3 pages? Isn't that more than just a bit inflationary handling of end game bosses? What will be released next? I am really afraid... Why cannot just Paul Kemp start writing on DMG? Or let RAS just do his thing w/o interference from WotC... I am so sad right now...



this. just this.

Please, bring back the Realms. I'm really fed up with the Sword Coast.


===== Since English is not my first language, I pre-emptively apologize for any (grammar) mistake that has been made in my post. In order to help me improve my English, please, point out those mistakes (If you could do it politely, it would be even better!). Thanks! =====
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ywhtptgtfo
Seeker

89 Posts

Posted - 15 Jun 2016 :  04:48:54  Show Profile  Visit ywhtptgtfo's Homepage Send ywhtptgtfo a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It's been long since I've last visited this forum. I got Archmage and Maestro on Kindle and finished them on a binge.

In overall, I find the book to be a mildly entertaining read _mostly_because_ we get to see a lot of old characters again. Aside from that, I find the execution of the novel to be terrible.

The return of dead characters and the dead House Do'Urden makes an absolute shit show. It is as if the RAS gave up and resorted to splattering the canvass with a bunch of random stuff.

Above all, the character of Yvonnel is ridiculous. She is far more powerful and shrewd than the old Matron Baenre. Her omniscience puts even Elminister and Telemont to shame. There are no other characters in FR who are portrayed as supremely powerful as her.

The return of K'yorl is also unnecessary. Her character is wholly unrecognizable on a personality standpoint and she exists to be a psionic device. Methil could've served that purpose without torturing a readers with yet another resurrected character.

A couple of plot points also don't really make sense:
1. It is repeatedly hinted that Yvonnel resented K'yorl but yet the book also stated that she had no genuine desire to be cruel to her. That's unbelievable
2. House Hunzrin and Melarn invading House Do'Urden is a very bold move and the failure of a house invading another is complete annihilation. In the book, neither house was punished.

Finally, I agree with others that the narrative on Drizzt is confusing towards the end. It's not confusing in the sense that the ideas are complex but rather things twist back and forth repeatedly and unnecessarily.

Score: C+

Edited by - ywhtptgtfo on 15 Jun 2016 04:53:15
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Petra_W
Acolyte

Germany
30 Posts

Posted - 08 Aug 2016 :  00:38:07  Show Profile Send Petra_W a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Today I finally finished the book and am a little disappointed.

First there is this little fact. The SC Adventuerer Guide tells, that the arcane host tower somehow reconstructed itself and so the arcane brotherhood is active again in luskan. Now salvatore tell a different story. I like it, when the novels and the official lore are the same. Fist I liked salvatores idea more. Finally all this allies are of use. Take this colerfull group of characters and fractions to rebuild the tower. And I can watch them doing this. Now this never going to happen, because they need just the primordial. No magic, no dwarfen enginneers, no anchient knowledge. They dont really need this groupof different characters, because this uber flame monster alone can manage it.



And im relly disappointed about drizzt not going mad. I was looking for this in the first novel and hoped that it would happen now. Drizzt not only turning in the hunter, but totally insane under the influence of demogorgon. Maybe it happens now. But i wanted it in the underdark and not on the surface. As servant of demogorgon, as drow prince, as drow-killer. Whatever. But of course our shining paladin got the job done, banned the demon prince back to the abyss and got back to the surface without lost any important characters on the way. They even got dalia back.


Just "cool characters" cant save a boring story. In this case I enjoy more to read "little teenage girls problems"-Novels by evans, where the big story is not the same old stuff.
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader

USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 08 Aug 2016 :  00:54:10  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Drizzt was still mad by the end of the book. Even when he was allowed to return to the surface, he was still questioning reality.

Sweet water and light laughter
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Petra_W
Acolyte

Germany
30 Posts

Posted - 08 Aug 2016 :  08:40:42  Show Profile Send Petra_W a Private Message  Reply with Quote
"Questioning" is not the kind of madness, demogorgon spreads. He was confused/doubtful.

The drow said, it was the faerzess, that affected him. (Not the presence of a demon lord of madness.)


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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader

USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 08 Aug 2016 :  16:58:00  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
True. Demogorgan may have had something to do with it, but we'll just have to guess.

Sweet water and light laughter
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CylverSaber
Seeker

95 Posts

Posted - 17 Aug 2016 :  03:23:53  Show Profile  Visit CylverSaber's Homepage Send CylverSaber a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I thought the ending made it clear Drizzt's madness is just beginning. That will surely be the focus of the next book. Personally, I really want to learn more about Jarlaxle and Zaknafein's relationship.
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CylverSaber
Seeker

95 Posts

Posted - 17 Aug 2016 :  03:35:15  Show Profile  Visit CylverSaber's Homepage Send CylverSaber a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Also, I think the reason Drizzt is inspirational to drow in Menzoberranzan in a way that Eilistraee's followers are not, is the same reason why someone who grows up in a bad neighborhood but goes on to become successful is an inspiration to his community. It's not just about showing there's another way, it's about overcoming adversity. As far as Drizzt not having become a worshipper of Eilistraee, I'd always assumed it was just because he was introduced to Mielikki first. I'd imagine knowledge of Eilistraee is suppressed in Menzoberranzan, so he probably hadn't even heard of her until after he was well established in Mielikki's faith.
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader

USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 17 Aug 2016 :  03:44:32  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I have no problems with Drizzt being seen as a hero. He escaped Menzo, and so him being a beacon of hope is fine. Drizzt is a great guy. It's him being seen as the -only- beacon, when Eilistraeens, and even Vhaeraunites, have been working to bring hope, that bothered me. There wasn't even a mention of them, and there was plenty of opportunity.


Sweet water and light laughter

Edited by - CorellonsDevout on 17 Aug 2016 03:49:58
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3802 Posts

Posted - 17 Aug 2016 :  04:12:03  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yes, Drizzt is and should be the ''main'' hero of Menzoberranzan, but he's not the only one. And he def. isn't the only one who had to overcome adversity. Even setting aside the fact that all drow who escape to the surface find adversity, in Champions of Valors it is said that in some drow cities (and they point at Menzo as one of them) there are secret followers of Eilistraee who pose as Lolthites, either trying to find an opportunity to flee with their families, or to help other drow to do that. One example is one of the two first daughters of House Horlbar, Jhelnae, who secretly was a priestess of Eilistraee, helping the drow of Menzo how she could. And she is quite known, since when her true allegiance was uncovered (and she had to flee), her house was attacked and almost destroyed. Then, they formed new House Melarn by fusing with their allies (Kenafin), and dedicated all their efforts to hunting heretics, to make up for Jhelnae being a secret moondancer. And that's not even counting people like Liriel, who should be at least mentioned IMO.

Vhaeraunites have a presence in many drow cities, including Menzo, and--tbh--Vhaeraun should be one of the main inspirations for male drow. That's because, while Drizzt is well known, he is known as something that most drow wouldn't like or strive to be. Generally, drow aren't going to admire someone who is selfless, they wouldn't want to follow his path. They would appreciate Drizzt's strength in breaking free, but they would also seek a more self-serving life. So, I frankly see someone like Jarlaxle as a better ''hero of Menzo'' than Drizzt.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 17 Aug 2016 04:15:43
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Lamora
Seeker

USA
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Posted - 18 Aug 2016 :  01:54:29  Show Profile Send Lamora a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Plus there is Salvatore's seeming actual disdain for Eilistraee and Vhaeraun. For the foremost writer of Dark Elves in Faerun to hate the other gods of the Drow besides Lolth is just awful for lore reasons. He ignores any mention of a god besides Lolth in his novels, and he ignores any of the good drow that come from Eilistraee's faith. It works in his books, but it does not work very well in a shared universe like Faerun.
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CorellonsDevout
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USA
2708 Posts

Posted - 18 Aug 2016 :  02:40:53  Show Profile Send CorellonsDevout a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah, there is that, too.

Sweet water and light laughter
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