| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 08:42:58
|
As mentioned on another thread I'm constructing a Forgotten Realms fan fiction, at least when my flighty imagination and all the pesky anoyances (read "college papers") allow. First, though, I need a little info on the Time of Troubles, as it takes place during that time. First, just how long did it last? And second, how were magical items (i.e., enchanted objects working on a passive level like a ring of protection, or on an active level like a wand of fire) affected?
-------------------------
2002/02/22
I'm just letting people know that I'm likely to ask other questions soon. Thanks. 
|
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
Edited by - Bookwyrm on 05 Mar 2003 21:55:33
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 15:33:36
|
Well, i don't really remember... but when i'll come back home i'll search in my scrolls. If you read this before tonight, i suggest that you read the adventure modules "shadowdale" "Tantras" and "Waterdeep".
Anyway, my players will soon arrive in 1358DR, so we'll be able to share what we discover... and maybe your story could give me some ideas |
 |
|
|
Ranaghar Tsaran
Learned Scribe
Poland
133 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 17:30:12
|
| I've sent you an e-mail containing some information abput Time of Troubles. I hope they will help you. |
"Do not be afraid of greatness. Some achieve greatness, some are born great, and some have greatness thrust upon them..." |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2003 : 22:43:27
|
Thanks for the email, Ranaghar. Very interesting stuff on the avatars. (I didn't know smokepowder was a result of the Time of Troubles.) However, it didn't answer either of my questions, as I plan to have my story interact very little with the avatars. It takes place in Undermountain, you see. I suppose I could have my characters run into a derro avatar or somesuch, but that would be the far extent.
What I wanted to know was how well did enchanted items work during this time (would enchanted armor still work, or a moonblade?), as well as how long it lasted (a month, a year?).
And Zemd, I a) don't own those moduals and b) don't want to buy them just for a fanfic. I'm not DMing here -- I don't even know how to play. Heck, I'm not even sure I know how to READ moduals -- all these codes are screwing me up as I read the Undermountain info on this site.  |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
kahonen
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2003 : 02:55:29
|
quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
It takes place in Undermountain, you see.
One thing you do need to be careful of is the state Undermountain was in during the Time of Troubles. I'm not too sure of the timescales here, but Undermountain was "created" largely by Halaster (Black Cloak?) and you really need to find out when he was there. If you are going as far back as the Time of Troubles, was this before, after or during Halaster's life. If it was before, it was largely a bunch of empty caverns. |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2003 : 04:39:48
|
| Really? Thanks for the tip. I'll see about finding out about that. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2003 : 17:03:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by kahonen
One thing you do need to be careful of is the state Undermountain was in during the Time of Troubles. I'm not too sure of the timescales here, but Undermountain was "created" largely by Halaster (Black Cloak?) and you really need to find out when he was there. If you are going as far back as the Time of Troubles, was this before, after or during Halaster's life. If it was before, it was largely a bunch of empty caverns.
Halaster Blackcloak has been around in Undermountain a LONNNNG time and AFAIK, he was around before, during and after the Time of Troubles. Im not sure how long Undermountain has been more "civilised" in the way of cut passageways and rooms etc. but Id take a guess that it was long before.
I guess I should get my Ruins of Undermountain box set out and check the facts before spouting all this information
|
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
|
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2003 : 17:06:11
|
| IIRC Halaster was around during the infant days of Waterdeep (when it already had become a human dominated town/city), though his labyrinth wasn't immediately as extensive as it is today. |
|
|
|
Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2003 : 17:40:02
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mumadar Ibn Huzal
IIRC Halaster was around during the infant days of Waterdeep (when it already had become a human dominated town/city), though his labyrinth wasn't immediately as extensive as it is today.
Indeed, youre correct Mumadar.
Lets carry on over here. Im currently working on an Undermountain project so will likely use this new topic for aid from my fellow scribes. |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
|
Edited by - Lord Rad on 04 Feb 2003 17:40:40 |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2003 : 23:48:47
|
| Ranaghar, could you send me by email this infos? |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2003 : 06:11:33
|
After reading the post from Kahonen I went searching for a history of Undermountain. As others have remarked here, Halaster dates from well before the Time of Troubles.
(Going off on a tangent here, did you know that "the Time of Troubles" refers to a span of Russian history? Just something I found while using search engines to answer my questions. Sorry, going back.  )
Halaster actually created the Undermountain of present-day FR as a lure for the unwary; seems he got a kick out of it. Some say he still is. It was originally a construct of the dwarves, and he expanded on it with demon servants and the like. Seems he also used drow slaves too, after he mutated them.
So, going back to my original topic: anyone who has the moduals that can answer my questions, could you please tell me? I've said this story is non-cannon, but that's only in two parts. (Mind you, they're huge departures from established rules, but it's still only two.) I don't want to mess up on the non-deliberate areas of my story. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Ranaghar Tsaran
Learned Scribe
Poland
133 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2003 : 10:15:36
|
quote:
Originally posted by zemd
Ranaghar, could you send me by email this infos?
Well of course, my lady... |
"Do not be afraid of greatness. Some achieve greatness, some are born great, and some have greatness thrust upon them..." |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2003 : 07:17:49
|
| What, can no one answer my questions? In all of Candlekeep, there isn't a single sage or scribe to tell me what I want to know? |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2003 : 09:25:55
|
[stops cackling before trying to answer]
Any magic, whether spells, spell-like effects or items duplicating magical effects were affected by the ToT as far as I can remember. It would make sense, since there is still some connection to the weave even in magical items. And with the weave seriously disrupted...
Somewhat incongruously, the ToT didn't last very long (somehow major events never seem to last long in the Realms...) basically only in the Year of Shadows (IIRC) 1358 DR. There is some carry-over in later years as more or less described in the Crucible novel.
|
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2003 : 09:40:26
|
Well FINALLY!!!!
Thanks for the artifacts info; I wasn't sure if they were directly connected to the Weave or if they had magic "stored" inside or something.
But my time question wasn't answered far enough, I'm afraid. I knew it was under a year, from a few timelines I read while trying to answer this myself. I need the idea more in the matter of how many months it was. Does anyone know that? |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2003 : 09:47:21
|
I answer most questions from the knowledge stored in the gray matter called 'brain', unfortunately it doesn't contain that level of detail... (yet?)
A suggestion: give a look at some of the published Realms-timelines (I'm sure there is one around here in Candlekeep), it might contain some of the detail you're looking for. |
Edited by - Mumadar Ibn Huzal on 07 Feb 2003 09:48:06 |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2003 : 10:01:16
|
I did. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2003 : 18:18:21
|
Au les coeurs Boolwyrm!
I've got the answer
The tables of fate were stolen on 1358 Kythorn 14th
And the battle a waterdeep was in 1358 Marpenoth 15th |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2003 : 18:20:01
|
| And i you need more infos on the time of Troubles, I found a lot. And for every nvel, i've got the dates |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 09:38:27
|
| Kythorn? Marpenoth? Sorry, I can't seem to find my Dale-Reckoning/Gregorian conversion calander . . . . I have no idea how long a period of time that was. |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 10:50:36
|
<chuckles softly at the discomfort of a fellow 'sage'>
Calendar of Harptos:
Hammer (Deepwinter) = January
- Midwinter
Alturiak (The Claw of Winter) = February
Ches (The Claw of Sunsets) = March
Tarsakh (The Claw of Storms) = April
- Greengrass
Mirtul (The Melting) = May
Kythorn (The Time of Flowers) = June
Flamerule (Summertide) = July
- Midsummer
- Shieldmeet (once every four years, 1372 has Shieldmeet)
Eleasis (Highsun) = August
Eleint (The Fading) = September
- Highharvestide
Marpenoth (Leaffall) = October
Uktar (The Rotting) = November
- Feast of the Moon
Nightal (The Drawing Down) = December
|
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 13:04:53
|
What're you saying 'sage' for?  Leave out the finger-quotes! I AM a sage. A very good sage. I'm just not as much a sage on some points as I am on others, or I wouldn't have started this whole thread. So there.
Now, at the risk of making things worse on the above point -- THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was afraid I'd have to change some things in the story, because it HAS to start with a miscast spell fueled by wild magic. But now, thanks to the efforts of my fellow Candlekeepers (although rather belated), I now have exactly what I was asking for.
And so my first thread comes to a close . . . hmm, I've got this after-Christmas feel now . . . . |
Edited by - Alaundo on 10 Feb 2003 23:23:39 |
|
|
|
Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 13:13:22
|
You're very welcome fellow sage. Looking forward to your creation.
(see, without the 'quotes') |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 16:18:19
|
| And did you know that the Time of Troubles began with a HUGE storm that killed and injured a lot of people? It could be a good introduction. I don't remember if it was described in a novel before |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 19:43:40
|
Really? No, I didn't know that. My only experience with the Time of Troubles was with the Avatar Trilogy, and (while I only read it once, and long ago) I got the impression that it was a surprise to the characters when magic just started going weird. Like when Midnight tried to cast the illusion of a small dragon in the begining, and it turned out to have non-illusionary fire. I don't remember any storm . . . but like I said, it's been a while.
Anyway, while I thought I was done with this thread, I do have another question, one that you DMs might know. What happened to things like bags of holding? Did they explode and dump all items inside when the magic supporting it went wild? Or was dimensional magic more stable? |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Echon
Senior Scribe
Denmark
422 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 20:10:00
|
If I recall correctly, the Avatar trilogy begins with a storm in which most of the temples of the various deities are destroyed. At the same time it is described how some of the gods choose their mortal avatars.
-Echon |
"If others had not been foolish, we should be so."
-William Blake |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 22:04:59
|
First the Storm
"One morn, no sunrise comes. There
is only darkness, and an icy chill.
Dust blows on the wind, which
grows quickly to a gale. It is no normal
storm, but a howling, lashing
battle of winds that come from every
quarter, and crash together, wrestling
over the land. Branches, birds,
plants and all are whirled helplessly
through the air.
Rain begins, and hail, and snow, all
falling impossibly together as lightning
crashes and tornadoes form
and tear over the land. The ground
shakes, and rocks are borne aloft to
fall as a killing rain out of the darkness.
Folk in the open are crushed
against rocks or buildings; roofs fall
in or are whittled away. Horses are
tumbled helplessly along the
ground. Trees topple.
All day long the fury of the storm
rages unabated, until nightfall. Night
does fall, this dayówith a great crash
that shakes the earth, throwing all
creatures helplessly to their knees.
There is a sudden silent calm thereafter
as, overhead, the stars come out." |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 22:11:37
|
Now the use of magic items
From the moment the storm
ends, magic is unreliable in the
Realms. Everyone, including
the avatars of the gods and
powerful wizards such as Elminster,
is affected by the chaos. Magic
items without charges (a ring of
protection, for example) suffer
Magical Chaos only once every
week, but items with charges or
otherwise limited uses risk chaos
every time they are used. Clerics
cannot gain spells of third level
or greater through prayer from
the moment the storm begins.
And this is the table used to determine the effects
01-19 Spell rebounds on caster, with full effects
(if impossible due to nature of spell, re- roll).
20-23 Pit opens instantly beneath the caster
(depth varies at DMís option); there is no other spell effect.
24-27 Target of spell (or caster, if spell has no target) is instantly pelted with fiery red flower
blossoms that materialize and vanish again 1 round later. Blossoms do no damage, but
prohibit accurate aiming of wands or missile weapons, and prevent reading of books,
scrolls, inscriptions, and the like.
28-31 Spell affects random creature or area (DMís option) rather than the intended target area.
32-35 Spell functions normally, but any material components are not consumed, and spell
knowledge is retained by the caster or the charge is retained by the item.
36-39 Spell functions normally, but magical energy is released around the caster, healing any
injuries of any beings within 1" of the caster (includes fatigue, feeblemindedness, etc.).
40-43 Total darkness and silence occur in a 3î radius about the caster, and last 2-8 rounds.
44-47 Reverse gravity (cf. spell) effect occurs in a 3í sphere about the caster, lasting 1 round;
caster included in the effect.
48-51 Shimmering colors dance and play in a nimbus around the caster, blinding caster and all
creatures within 2î for 1-4 rounds.
52-59 Nothing happens; no spell effect occurs.
60-71 Nothing occurs; no spell effect, but spell knowledge or charge is not lost.
72-98 Spell functions normally.
99-00 + Spell functions with maximum possible effects, full damage, maximum duration.
And a special effect table
With any result on the above table, the DM can add to play excitement by adding one or more of the following
ìspecial effectsî: (roll 1d12)
01: Earth tremor underfoot (minor, with rolling echoes).
02: Sun dims and then brightens again or a star falls.
03: Violent roaring or screaming sound.
04: Intense wave of heat (no damage) felt in the vicinity.
05: Non-harmful, oily green slime forms on everything within 12".
06: Maniacal, echoing laughter is heard. Flowers fall from the sky.
07: Old, brittle bones (3-60) rain down for 2 rounds, in a 2î radius.
08: Caster and everything within 6î lose all hair; plants grow hair.
09: Harmless yellow-green and purple smoke rises from the ground.
10: Boulders rise, swirling in mid-air like leaves (2-24 impact damage).
11: Nearby tree is uprooted (indoors, rock or furniture moves by itself).
12: Whispering voice is heard, murmuring a random characterís nameóandóa prediction about that
characterís future (the DM can make it as specific as he wants; given the PCsí circumstances, portents
of danger and doom would probably not be too far off . . .) |
|
|
|
zemd
Master of Realmslore
France
1103 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2003 : 22:17:16
|
It's the only infos i managed to gather.
So, i suggest that you create your own effects on the bags of holding (maybe they could draw items from other bags of holding, it could lead to funny situations  ) |
|
|
|
Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2003 : 01:38:56
|
quote:
Originally posted by zemd
maybe they could draw items from other bags of holding, it could lead to funny situations )
Heh. Good idea -- mixed-up dimensional pockets. Yes, that could be . . . interesting.
PS - Alaundo, why did you edit an earlier post of mine? I didn't see anything wrong with it . . . . |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more. |
|
|
|
Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5692 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2003 : 11:18:45
|
Well Met
quote:
Originally posted by Bookwyrm
PS - Alaundo, why did you edit an earlier post of mine? I didn't see anything wrong with it . . . .
::light-hearted chuckle:: No, worry ye not Bookwyrm, I merely removed a few of the "THANKYOU" and exclamation marks from your post as the line was so long that it caused posts to scroll too far to the right of the page |
Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Realms of Questions
