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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Mar 2006 : 00:59:38
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Hello again, fellow scribes of the Realms!
Why, Neriandal Freit, how right you are. 6969yessss!
Wooly, your "John Doe" question has several replies. By coincidence, one of Ed's soon-upcoming replies will answer it (regionally).
To Purple Dragon Knight, The Sage, Kajehase, and everyone else who has posted thanks and expressed enjoyment for POWER OF FAERUN and the (serialized) Border Kingdoms web enhancement, Ed tenders his thanks and hopes you go on enjoying it for years. Both of them have been large parts of why he’s been so busy these last few months, but he warns that he’s still just as busy (read: you all have loads more FR goodies in your future).
Now, in the spirit of answering all Realmslore requests in the fullness of time, we go back to May of last year, and several Cormyr-related posts by Zandilar, which I’ve compiled hereafter:
What I'm trying to say is that the perception of the clawing, biting, hair pulling cat fight is an illusion perpertrated by daytime soap operas, and when pushed we women are more than capable of defending ourselves. The only times I've been involved in fights with girls, they've always used their fists. I have always been perplexed by the perception that women are so "whimpy" that they only scratch and bite and pull hair in a fight.
You also seem to imply here that Alusair is truely an exception. That women are raised to be weak and fragile and know that their place is in the home having children. Cry otherwise if you like, but I'm on to Cormyr! As much as I love the country, it's a patriarchal nation! Where are the women warriors? Where are the noble females who fight for King and Country? Alusair can't be the only noble female of her age that is a warrior, surely?
quote [Ed G’s words]: “Tanalasta, when both she and Alusair were young, was a perfect example of the scratch and bite school, and Alusair knows full well that most females she’d dare show this side of herself to have been raised to do little else.”
It's a matter of how you are raised and how you are trained, each to differing degress depending on who the person is. Tanalasta, in Death of the Dragon, had a couple of really strong fight scenes if I recall correctly - and I don't think she scratched and bit and hair pulled in them.
[Ed G’s words]: “The attitude towards Alusair (the wanton slut) as opposed to Azoun IV (our rampant king, chuckle chuckle wink wink) is indeed holding the royal house to a different standard to the ‘decadent’ nobles (“wallowing in it, and each other” is a common Cormyrean saying, regarding the raffish behaviour, or at least reputation, of the nobility in general), but it’s not a negative attitude towards bastards (children born out of wedlock), or even towards females (Alusair can rut all she wants before becoming Regent and after Azoun V is on the throne, or if he dies and she becomes Queen, after she marries and produces ‘an heir and a spare’). The “good folk of Cormyr” (i.e. general public opinion) just doesn’t think a female who sleeps around is the right sort of person to be a good Regent.”
I am not sure where this double standard might come from, because you've basically eliminated all the reasons why that might be. They don't have a problem with "bastards" (which is the major issue with a female who sleeps with lots of men - but it's not as if Alusair has even proven herself fertile... I am sure the general populace has been asking questions about her seeming lack of fertility by now - after all, no form of contraception is 100%... though this is the Realms we're talking about, so it might be foolproof), and they don't have a problem with Alusair because she's female, and finally they don't have a problem with a male in the same position being randy. So why else might this be? I'm scratching my head here, because try as I might I cannot see a good reason (aside from the two already eliminated)... Ah well, time to think about it a bit - maybe I'll think of something on my own that is just not obvious to me at the moment.
But this reminds me of something else. In all my recent readings of Cormyr, I found and re-read the Dragon Annual magazine article "After the Dragon"... In it, it basically says that Azoun at two points in his life vowed not to philander... I must admit that this took me by surprise, because it was not my impression that he "toned down" his wanderings in the least. The first time was after his marriage to Filfaeril in 1329 DR, and then again when he came to the throne in 1336 DR. So maybe the common people do have problems with a randy male in a position of authority...
[Ed G’s words]: “Of course, her blades and the Purple Dragons she’s fought alongside judge her very differently, and already have as much or more personal loyalty towards her than they ever had towards her father. In my opinion, if Alusair produced two healthy children, in ‘untainted’ married circumstances, I think her strong sexual appetites would be accepted even if she then remained unmarried. However, we’ll have to see.”
I must admit that this paragraph is confusing. Are you saying she marries, has children, then the children's father dies or she divorces him and then she remains unmarried? Or are you saying she has children out of wedlock people are not likely as much as blink about it?
Though I also find this very interesting in light of what you say a bit later about the fertility or lack of polymorph and similar spells. You mention that basically only divine magic has the power to make such a change a fertile one. Are you implying here that it takes a less divinely guided hand to meddle and make someone infertile? So a wizard or a sorcerer with the ability to alter their form could do so in such a way as to render themselves infertile?
The Hooded One said these words by Garen Thal were correct: “Speaking of Alusair, all of this is why there is so much pressure on her to be married. Azoun is still young, and there is no telling what kind of man he will grow up to be. Alusair is approaching the end of child-bearing years, and it is vital that she be able to produce a member of the royal house before that occurs. Azoun needs at least one royal cousin (in the mode of Bhereu and Thomdor), as an aide, advisor, means of grounding himself, and as a backup heir.”
Not only is she approaching the end of her childbearing years, but she's also barren (so it's not like she has child bearing years in her anyway!). So I don't see how her getting married might make a difference to that, unless getting married is the condition which triggers the removal of Vangerdahast's "magically enforced barrenness"... And wouldn't that be a surprise for Alusair? Though it has been implied that she somehow suspects something (I think it was in a recent Ed via THO post to this forum, but danged if I can find it!)... But still, I can't see she would be too pleased.
So saith Zandilar. Ed now makes reply:
Yes, she’s not too pleased, but it’s been “the way things are” since she’s been old enough to be told about (ages four through six, as the explanation was gently expanded and deepened; all folk in the Realms know the ‘mechanics’ of sex a lot better and earlier than we real-world moderns, and the Obarskyr princesses were raised from knowing what words meant onwards with continual “this is what it means to be a princess of the Dragon Throne” lectures), but think of it this way: if Alusair WANTS to “have fun,” sexually, she needn’t fear unwanted pregnancy, and so can trust in Vangey’s magic - - until now, of course, when his ‘retirement’ leaves her wondering if he’s undone any enchantments, or if they’ve failed or started to fade. I believe Vangey (or Laspeera, or Caladnei) would have to magically ‘do something specific’ to end the spell, which will survive Vangerdahast’s death - - but yes, I believe his intention was to remove it on her wedding night, and I believe enough hints have been handed her over the years that she ‘knows’ that.
Such magical meddling, by the way, is why the general populace aren’t speculating as to Alusair’s fertility; they generally assume that the royal family, like most of the nobles, hire spellcasters to make sure they have children just when they want to (because, as [usually] hard-working but coin-poor commoners, that’s what THEY’D do: have childbirth when they’re financially ready for it).
[[And before divers scribes start energetically posting “but that’s contraception! Or abortion!” objections, let me answer firmly: NO. To ‘go there’ is to completely misunderstand the Realms, and blindly apply real-world mores. Use of such magics is part of what many churches in Faerûn do as a matter of course, and debates about life are avoided because lay worshippers are NEVER told if the spells are making wombs barren, blocking access to the wombs, or permitting conception but putting development into “stasis;” it’s all considered “the will of the gods,” and the priests you pay to cast the spells are “putting in a good word with the god on your behalf” regarding either having a child right now, or delaying having a child, NOT deciding things (the deity does that).]]
As for the hair-pulling, clawing, and biting: it’s wrong to think of Cormyr as patriarchal because that’s the general perception of how women fight, because it isn’t, and it isn’t. :}
The “clawing biting scratching thing” is the country-wide perception of how NOBLE WOMEN fight, raised to spit and slap faces and deliver barbed insults and pull hair, scratch, and bite when they either lose their tempers or are being beaten or raped. It is NOT how most of Cormyr sees common-born women as behaving. Alusair is unusual because she’s noble and female and still wants to “ride to war with the boys” (in other words, behave in an “unladylike” manner).
You questioned the meaning of these words of mine: “Of course, her blades and the Purple Dragons she’s fought alongside judge her very differently, and already have as much or more personal loyalty towards her than they ever had towards her father. In my opinion, if Alusair produced two healthy children, in ‘untainted’ married circumstances, I think her strong sexual appetites would be accepted even if she then remained unmarried. However, we’ll have to see.”
Yep, confusing. I certainly could have said it better. I did mean the hypothetical case of Alusair marrying, having children, and then outliving the father and deciding not to remarry (ever). Children out of wedlock aren’t as much a social stigma as they ever were in our real world, but they are a serious problem to the succession, and would be seen as “regrettable” lapses in judgement on the part of either Obarskyr princess, and therefore colour public attitude towards said princess (in Cormyr).
Yes, I did say that only divine magic has the power to make a change in shape result in a “new” body or form that is reliably fertile. Most shapechanging magics are cast by individuals who haven’t “lived” in the form they’re taking before, and so only have a vague idea of the creature’s innards and workings. They often end up changing shape to a form that turns out to be infertile, without even knowing it. If skillful enough, a wizard or a sorcerer with the ability to alter their form could certainly do so in such a way as to deliberately render themselves infertile. However, if they lack the necessary knowledge (gained through dissection, mind-melding with beasts, or shapechanging and living among beasts, or casting the right “peek and probe” spells and using them properly) to do so, shapechanges are always going to be “possibly fertile but then again, possibly not.”
So saith Ed. Who can peek and probe me ANYtime. Er, ahem.
love to all,
THO
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 26 Mar 2006 : 14:55:21
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Another for Ed, this time from a poster at WotC who sent me a PM request regarding translation of FR novels into another language -
quote:
Hello Old Sage,
Thanks for the reply.
I believe you know how to reach Ed Greenwood, so I just need a little bit of infortation as follow
1 - I have a company in Brazil, and we are interested to translate to portuguese the novels from Ed, and in the future from others like Troy, Elaine and Salvatore.
2 - We have a good team ready to start the translations and publish the books, and we just have to know what is needed. I believe that Ed will be happy to know that someone is requesting to translate his books to portuguese.
I will appreciate if you forward this message to Ed because we are very interested to start this kind of business in Brazil.
My best regards,
Marcelo
I'm not entirely sure how much info you can share Ed... I've already provided the poster with relevant WotC contact details and other particulars concerning translation projects like this. If you can add anything further though... I'll send it with the details I've already put together.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 02:24:57
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Hi again, all!
Kajehase recently posted: “Incidentally, two new words in Chondathan to invent if you'd like: Border, and Kingdom(s).”
Ed makes reply:
In Chondathan, border or boundary is “auba” (fences or barriers have their own words), and kingdoms are “oerlar” [singular: “oerl”]. Lands, by the way, are “luth” [singular and plural are both the same]. However, to utter “auba oerlar” would be to say “kingdoms along a border” and would lead most hearers to think you meant either the string of lands along the edge of the northern ice or a large desert (depending on where you were, when you were speaking), or that you meant the lands where Faerûn ends, and other places start (“Karatur whence the caravans come” or the unknown-to-most southern lands). If you wanted to refer to THE Border Kingdoms, you’d say “Daerlardul Taertaer”
from “daysur” (folly or foolishness or a doomed striving, process or construction) plus “oerlar” plus “dul” (of the, or belong to, or pertaining to) plus “taertaer” (beasts or persons who are crazed, mad, or berserk)
In other words, you’re saying: “Folly-realms of the Madmen.”
As good a place to hail from as any, I suppose. :}
So saith Ed. Who’s hard at work on ANOTHER surprise for you all, in time to come.
love to all,
THO
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 02:58:02
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
In other words, you’re saying: “Folly-realms of the Madmen.”
As good a place to hail from as any, I suppose. :}
Hmm, sounds like a good description for where most of the more 'intense' FR fans would hail from, yours truly included. 
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Zandilar
Learned Scribe
Australia
313 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 03:00:53
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Heya,
Ooh this came as a complete surprise... A happy one, of course!
quote:
So saith Zandilar. Ed now makes reply:
Yes, she’s not too pleased, but it’s been “the way things are” since she’s been old enough to be told about (ages four through six, as the explanation was gently expanded and deepened; all folk in the Realms know the ‘mechanics’ of sex a lot better and earlier than we real-world moderns, and the Obarskyr princesses were raised from knowing what words meant onwards with continual “this is what it means to be a princess of the Dragon Throne” lectures), but think of it this way: if Alusair WANTS to “have fun,” sexually, she needn’t fear unwanted pregnancy, and so can trust in Vangey’s magic - - until now, of course, when his ‘retirement’ leaves her wondering if he’s undone any enchantments, or if they’ve failed or started to fade. I believe Vangey (or Laspeera, or Caladnei) would have to magically ‘do something specific’ to end the spell, which will survive Vangerdahast’s death - - but yes, I believe his intention was to remove it on her wedding night, and I believe enough hints have been handed her over the years that she ‘knows’ that.
Ah, that makes things much clearer. So basically Alusair knows nearly everything, and has probably guessed at the rest. *nods* Why, then, hasn't she asked any questions to ascertain whether or not the spell(s) has faded/failed/been removed? That would seem logical, especially if she's not yet ready to stop being promiscuous (and I don't mean anything negative with that word).
quote:
Such magical meddling, by the way, is why the general populace aren’t speculating as to Alusair’s fertility; they generally assume that the royal family, like most of the nobles, hire spellcasters to make sure they have children just when they want to (because, as [usually] hard-working but coin-poor commoners, that’s what THEY’D do: have childbirth when they’re financially ready for it).
Ah more clarity! Lovely stuff clarity!
quote:
[[And before divers scribes start energetically posting “but that’s contraception! Or abortion!” objections, let me answer firmly: NO. To ‘go there’ is to completely misunderstand the Realms, and blindly apply real-world mores. Use of such magics is part of what many churches in Faerûn do as a matter of course, and debates about life are avoided because lay worshippers are NEVER told if the spells are making wombs barren, blocking access to the wombs, or permitting conception but putting development into “stasis;” it’s all considered “the will of the gods,” and the priests you pay to cast the spells are “putting in a good word with the god on your behalf” regarding either having a child right now, or delaying having a child, NOT deciding things (the deity does that).]]
Oh! Two thumbs up to that. That's pretty much how I'd thought of things, but then again I'm not against contraception or abortion. Other people do seem to have a much harder time distinguishing between Real World (tm) social mores, and Realms social mores - so it's an imporant piece of information for people to digest.
quote:
As for the hair-pulling, clawing, and biting: it’s wrong to think of Cormyr as patriarchal because that’s the general perception of how women fight, because it isn’t, and it isn’t. :}
There are lots of reasons why I think Cormyr is a patriarchy... Mostly to do with it being a patrilineally emphasised primogeniture (hence why Alusair having a bastard child is less acceptable than Azoun, since you KNOW the mother, but not the father - and KNOWING the father seem MORE important than KNOWING the mother!). Inheritance definitely favours males in Cormyr. That's why I see Cormyr, particularly the nobility, as patriarchal.
quote:
The “clawing biting scratching thing” is the country-wide perception of how NOBLE WOMEN fight, raised to spit and slap faces and deliver barbed insults and pull hair, scratch, and bite when they either lose their tempers or are being beaten or raped. It is NOT how most of Cormyr sees common-born women as behaving. Alusair is unusual because she’s noble and female and still wants to “ride to war with the boys” (in other words, behave in an “unladylike” manner).
If I were a noble father (and I'd have to change gender for that!), I would want my daughter to know how to defend herself properly... And clawing and biting when being beaten or raped just doesn't cut it for me. If someone is threatening my daughter that much, I'd want her to be in a position to eliminate that threat (ie: to disable their attacker, at the least able to severely injure, if not kill them). So maybe I'm just a little more aggressive than most women, because I feel that women should be in a position to defend themselves properly. (Can you tell I'm a feminist yet? *laughs*)
But it seems that not all noble fathers think that way in Cormyr. A shame, really. Just re-emphasises the patriarchal nature of the nobility of Cormyr. Noble boys can learn to fight, noble girls never (well, hardly ever!), it's not ladylike!
quote:
Yep, confusing. I certainly could have said it better. I did mean the hypothetical case of Alusair marrying, having children, and then outliving the father and deciding not to remarry (ever). Children out of wedlock aren’t as much a social stigma as they ever were in our real world, but they are a serious problem to the succession, and would be seen as “regrettable” lapses in judgement on the part of either Obarskyr princess, and therefore colour public attitude towards said princess (in Cormyr).
Quick question to start with: Is there divorce in Cormyr? Or are two people, especially nobles, who find themselves not in love anymore (or in the case of an arranged marriage - in a situation untenable to both) expected to stay together once married? I was under the impression that marriage was variable from "one night only" to "one year and a day" to "as long as love lasts" to "while this vase remains whole" to "forever".
And to respond to the quote: Yes, they are a serious problem to succession, if it mattered who the father was (which is only the case when the male is the sole determining factor of the royal bloodline, which it's not in Cormyr - otherwise the first female Orbarskyran ruler of Cormyr would have been the last Orbarskyran ruler of Cormyr, since the throne would have shifted to her husband's line! This, of course, is an exception to the male favoring inheritance rules of Cormyr's nobility). In the case of Alusair, it would be blindingly obvious that the child was hers (and she'd be the one carrying/passing on the line in this case), simply because the physiological changes a female body undergoes throughout the process of pregnancy are hard to hide! (It could be done magically, but why?) Simply put, the child would obviously be an Orbarskyr.
Likewise, it's easy to accuse a male of being a child's father... But there's no proof. A blue eyed male who was about the right age could be presented as a Son of Azoun IV, without it actually being true. That is the why bastards present a threat, because there will always be pretenders to the throne... Except, of course, that this is a magical world, and there are magical ways to prove or disprove the parentage. So pretenders would be less common (though probably more common than the circumstances would make us think, since there's also countermagic and the like).
If it *really* mattered who the father was, why wasn't Azoun IV's eldest male bastard even in the running against Azoun V? Or why wasn't Alusair the more legitimate heir?
To expand on that: Tanalasta's marriage to Rowan was only witnessed by Chauntea herself - what proof is there to everyone else that the child is not a bastard? Certainly the Chaunteans would say he was legitimate (since their divinations could prove it for themselves), but some nobles would point to the Chaunteans "political aspirations" (imagined or supposed from Tanalasta's public (but refused) gift of Chauntean priests to her father) and say that they had an agenda (maybe to make Chauntea the state religion) in saying that Azoun V was a legitimate son. Also, surely people who hated (or even just mildly disliked) the Cormaerils would have protested Tanalasta's son becoming the next king! And oooh I can only imagine the backlash/outcry if Rowan was ever revealed as a Ghazneth! An elder bastard son might be the perfect thing to hold up as an alternative (except, of course, people would laugh because Azoun IV had so many of them!)... And surely some would have (or are still) pressed (pressing) Alusair herself as an alternative to the "bastard son of a Cormaeril"?
I suppose some of these things are "behind the scenes" things... Things that have been happening off the page, so to speak. I suppose not all gamers are as interested in the intricate intrigues that surely plague the Throne of the Purple Dragon. To me, what's in print seems to be "Oh, Tanalasta had a son, he's the heir, and that's that!"
quote:
Yes, I did say that only divine magic has the power to make a change in shape result in a “new” body or form that is reliably fertile. Most shapechanging magics are cast by individuals who haven’t “lived” in the form they’re taking before, and so only have a vague idea of the creature’s innards and workings. They often end up changing shape to a form that turns out to be infertile, without even knowing it. If skillful enough, a wizard or a sorcerer with the ability to alter their form could certainly do so in such a way as to deliberately render themselves infertile. However, if they lack the necessary knowledge (gained through dissection, mind-melding with beasts, or shapechanging and living among beasts, or casting the right “peek and probe” spells and using them properly) to do so, shapechanges are always going to be “possibly fertile but then again, possibly not.”
Oh now, that would make a lovely plot twist... Definitely playing dice with the gods kind of fare! |
Zandilar
~amor vincit omnia~
~audaces fortuna iuvat~
As the spell ends, you look up into the sky to see the sun blazing overhead like noon in a desert. Then something else in the sky catches your attention. Turning your gaze, you see a tawny furred kitten bounding across the sky towards the new sun. Her eyes glint a mischevious green as she pounces on it as if it were nothing but a colossal ball of golden yarn. With quick strokes of her paws, it is batted across the sky, back and forth. Then with a wink the kitten and the sun disappear, leaving the citizens of Elversult gazing up with amazed expressions that quickly turn into chortles and mirth.
The Sunlord left Elversult the same day in humilitation, and was never heard from again. |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 07:14:58
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Hi again, all!
Kajehase recently posted: “Incidentally, two new words in Chondathan to invent if you'd like: Border, and Kingdom(s).”
Ed makes reply:
...
So saith Ed. Who’s hard at work on ANOTHER surprise for you all, in time to come.
love to all,
THO
Lots of thanks to both Ed and Our Lady of the Hood for the quick reply. And some words I hadn't even asked for (well not explicitly at least). You spoil us Ed |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 10:36:41
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Well met again, Milady and Ed!
Could Ed provide us with the elven words for 'realm'/'kingdom', 'falcon', and 'city'/'citystate' (one without a mythal). I know '-ar/-aar' means a great realm, but is '-reier' (as in Shantel Othreier) also another word for a realm/kingdom?
p.s. Would it be possible for Ed to write "additional" (as in "more words that have not yet been published in any sourcebook" :) elven and dwarven vocabularies for the WoTC 'Realmslore'-column? I mean, when the Bearded Master only (if ever, considering all his projects ;) had the time to do it.
p.p.s. I absolutely love the Power of Faerun and the Border Kingdoms =) I think we may be up for some of the juiciest Realmslore ever published, and I am yearning to know even more about the 'Folly-realms of the Madmen' ;D |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 18:31:33
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Hiya Ed,
You know, I wonder how many questions I've asked that haven't been answered yet? Anyhow, here's another.
I was pondering the Unseen as I'm coding the cleric file for Alaundo and I'm wondering this: Does Selune know that Acolyte Respen Moongleam is "dead" and that his form has been taken over by a doppleganger? Why does she continue to grant spells to him then, if she does know. It seems a bit odd to me that she'd grant spells to a doppleganger that killed her worshipper and taken his form and life. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 18:42:32
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Greetings to thee Ed and THO.
I am in dire need of some linguistic and some gastronomical lore.
I dont know whether you know these particular words from before, or if you would be so kind as to "invent" them for me now. I am looking for some translations from English to Tethyrian(?).
1: Shimmering black lights. (i realize single word translations may differ from entire sentences, but here it is the sentence i need translated)
2: Spiral (like in a spiral of stairs)
3: Murky Depths (Same as #1)
And now for some food/drink lore if you have time for it :P
In Tethyr, do you have any local dinner meals? I am looking in particular at specific meals from the northern reaches of Tethyr, near the coast.
Same goes with beverages. Not necessarily spirits or ale (although tis welcome if you would give a few ale specialities) but maybe if they drink milk? from goats, or cows perhaps? What about fruit juices? This is a land rather far south in Faerûn, i would guess they had certain juices and such. Wine from grapes perhaps?
Anyhow, thanks for the effort you put into answering us lorefreaks who believe lore is one of the aspects of role-playing in the realms that is the most important. It is really appreciated :)
-Stig- |
Edited by - Elfinblade on 27 Mar 2006 18:48:51 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 19:11:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
Hiya Ed,
You know, I wonder how many questions I've asked that haven't been answered yet? Anyhow, here's another.
I was pondering the Unseen as I'm coding the cleric file for Alaundo and I'm wondering this: Does Selune know that Acolyte Respen Moongleam is "dead" and that his form has been taken over by a doppleganger? Why does she continue to grant spells to him then, if she does know. It seems a bit odd to me that she'd grant spells to a doppleganger that killed her worshipper and taken his form and life.
I thought that when a greater doppleganger killed someone like a cleric or paladin, they lost all divinely-granted abilities and the ability to cast spells above second level... I'm away from my sources, but I'm thinking that's the case.
As for the spells thing... I'm noticing that that rule has an odd parallel in the Spelljammer universe. In Spelljammer, any cleric could regain 1st and 2nd level spells, regardless of where he was. If he wanted higher-level spells, either the deity had to be local (worshipped in the sphere), have an agreement with the local deity to cover each other's clerics, or the cleric would have to cast a certain spell to "call home" so his deity could answer his prayers.
So what I'm thinking is that the granting of 1st and 2nd level spells is an unconscious thing that the deity doesn't have to think of or pay attention to -- it happens by default. Anything above that, or any other abilities, and the deity has to pay attention, which would enable them to notice what's happened to their follower. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 19:14:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
Hiya Ed,
You know, I wonder how many questions I've asked that haven't been answered yet? Anyhow, here's another.
I was pondering the Unseen as I'm coding the cleric file for Alaundo and I'm wondering this: Does Selune know that Acolyte Respen Moongleam is "dead" and that his form has been taken over by a doppleganger? Why does she continue to grant spells to him then, if she does know. It seems a bit odd to me that she'd grant spells to a doppleganger that killed her worshipper and taken his form and life.
I thought that when a greater doppleganger killed someone like a cleric or paladin, they lost all divinely-granted abilities and the ability to cast spells above second level... I'm away from my sources, but I'm thinking that's the case.
As for the spells thing... I'm noticing that that rule has an odd parallel in the Spelljammer universe. In Spelljammer, any cleric could regain 1st and 2nd level spells, regardless of where he was. If he wanted higher-level spells, either the deity had to be local (worshipped in the sphere), have an agreement with the local deity to cover each other's clerics, or the cleric would have to cast a certain spell to "call home" so his deity could answer his prayers.
So what I'm thinking is that the granting of 1st and 2nd level spells is an unconscious thing that the deity doesn't have to think of or pay attention to -- it happens by default. Anything above that, or any other abilities, and the deity has to pay attention, which would enable them to notice what's happened to their follower.
True and I forgot about the spelljammer rule till you mentioned it, but it still seems a bit odd that he's still listed as a cleric of Selune as a doppleganger and so I keep the question the plate and see what Ed has to say. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 19:54:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Elfinblade
Greetings to thee Ed and THO.
I am in dire need of some linguistic and some gastronomical lore.
I dont know whether you know these particular words from before, or if you would be so kind as to "invent" them for me now. I am looking for some translations from English to Tethyrian(?).
1: Shimmering black lights. (i realize single word translations may differ from entire sentences, but here it is the sentence i need translated)
2: Spiral (like in a spiral of stairs)
3: Murky Depths (Same as #1)
And now for some food/drink lore if you have time for it :P
In Tethyr, do you have any local dinner meals? I am looking in particular at specific meals from the northern reaches of Tethyr, near the coast.
Same goes with beverages. Not necessarily spirits or ale (although tis welcome if you would give a few ale specialities) but maybe if they drink milk? from goats, or cows perhaps? What about fruit juices? This is a land rather far south in Faerûn, i would guess they had certain juices and such. Wine from grapes perhaps?
Anyhow, thanks for the effort you put into answering us lorefreaks who believe lore is one of the aspects of role-playing in the realms that is the most important. It is really appreciated :)
-Stig-
The first language in Tethyr and for all those of Tethyrian ethnicity is Common. Which is translated wholesale into English in the sourcebooks. Of course, that doesn't mean the things you wanted translated doesn't have another name anyway |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 19:58:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
As for the spells thing... I'm noticing that that rule has an odd parallel in the Spelljammer universe. In Spelljammer, any cleric could regain 1st and 2nd level spells, regardless of where he was. If he wanted higher-level spells, either the deity had to be local (worshipped in the sphere), have an agreement with the local deity to cover each other's clerics, or the cleric would have to cast a certain spell to "call home" so his deity could answer his prayers.
So what I'm thinking is that the granting of 1st and 2nd level spells is an unconscious thing that the deity doesn't have to think of or pay attention to -- it happens by default. Anything above that, or any other abilities, and the deity has to pay attention, which would enable them to notice what's happened to their follower.
If I recall correctly, the Spelljammer rule refers to an even older rule (I think it was in the 1st Edition Legends and Lore, though I'd have to check to be absolutely certain). The rule back then was that a cleric gets 1st and 2nd level spells based on the mere belief that (s)he is praying for them to an actual divine being. Spells of 3rd to 5th level required the intervention of a minion of the Boss Power on par with a demigod, which acts as an intermediary to the Power (or IS the power, if it is "merely" a demigod), and spells of 6th and 7th level required a line to the Boss Power itself.
The rule was taken over, I think, by Ed in the Avatar series of modules (p. 6 of FRE1 - Shadowdale: "Clerics cannot gain spells of third level or greater through prayer from the moment the storm begins." This followed, I think, the original rule, since once the gods were cast down in Avatar form, they were no longer able to grant spells, either by delegation (3rd-5th level) or directly (6th-7th level). The Spelljammer rule flowed (no pun intended) out of that one, since if the priest is in a crystal sphere where his power has no access, he still believes that his god is real, and thus he gets 1st and 2nd level spells. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 20:38:03
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Sigh,
Can we take the spell debate to a different scroll please. :) I just wanted Ed's answer in this scroll. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 27 Mar 2006 21:32:44 |
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Elfinblade
Senior Scribe
Norway
377 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 21:15:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
quote:
Originally posted by Elfinblade
Greetings to thee Ed and THO.
I am in dire need of some linguistic and some gastronomical lore.
I dont know whether you know these particular words from before, or if you would be so kind as to "invent" them for me now. I am looking for some translations from English to Tethyrian(?).
1: Shimmering black lights. (i realize single word translations may differ from entire sentences, but here it is the sentence i need translated)
2: Spiral (like in a spiral of stairs)
3: Murky Depths (Same as #1)
And now for some food/drink lore if you have time for it :P
In Tethyr, do you have any local dinner meals? I am looking in particular at specific meals from the northern reaches of Tethyr, near the coast.
Same goes with beverages. Not necessarily spirits or ale (although tis welcome if you would give a few ale specialities) but maybe if they drink milk? from goats, or cows perhaps? What about fruit juices? This is a land rather far south in Faerûn, i would guess they had certain juices and such. Wine from grapes perhaps?
Anyhow, thanks for the effort you put into answering us lorefreaks who believe lore is one of the aspects of role-playing in the realms that is the most important. It is really appreciated :)
-Stig-
The first language in Tethyr and for all those of Tethyrian ethnicity is Common. Which is translated wholesale into English in the sourcebooks. Of course, that doesn't mean the things you wanted translated doesn't have another name anyway
My thoughts exactly . I guess almost ever region has it`s own local varieties. And that`s whats important for me in these particular words, and sentences, as they are part of a story that would greatly enhance the "genuine feel" of the campaign to the players. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2006 : 02:06:45
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Hi again, scribes. Kajehase recently posted this: “Here's one for Ed to answer when he's done with all the proper Realms-questions (which I suppose, would be at least a decade or so after he's turned into an arch-lich) that I came up with whilst doing my paper-route in a freezing -18 degrees Celsius last morning: How does all those bearded inhabitants of the Realms' northern parts deal with the frost forming in their facial hair on a cold winter day if they can't get inside?”
As a bearded cold-climate man himself, Ed couldn’t resist answering:
They put up with it. :} Hence the Sword Coast North word for “bloke” or “mate” or “average joe” or “some guy”: “snowmouth.” Ice and snow on long beards can be sucked to derive drinks of water, and of course ice roughly broken off takes embedded hair with it. Many in the North cultivate beards and a completely unshaven state to keep as warm as possible, so the “snowmouth” image is common. It tends to keep mustaches trimmed so the mouth isn’t covered with snow or ice.
Which reminds me of Gerath Hoan’s hirsute question; I’ll get to that one tomorrow. Er, as you say: when I’m done with all the proper Realms-questions.
So saith Ed, thy bearded Realms oracle.
love to all,
THO
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Octa
Learned Scribe
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2006 : 17:25:37
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Well, on my freezin paper route, it was too cold to want to drink ice water, I can only imagine what things would be like for me in the great white north if I'm freezing my tail off in sunny Maryland.
Ed, by the way in your description of Marsember, you hit the climate here on the banks of the chesapeake to a 'T', although most of the cities are on hills overlooking sheltered and formerly swampy harbors, DC itself was once a massive swamp (and probably still is in the eyes of our northern neighbors, yuck yuck although a different kind of swamp).
The funny thing is that when the first English colonists came to maryland in 1632 (Catholics running from protestant kings), they thought the place was god awful hot, tropical even, However they were impressed with the fishing. I guess over 400 years though you get used to it. |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2006 : 22:48:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
[quote]
Ed's novel "Shadows of Doom" from the 'Shadow of the Avatar' trilogy.
-- George Krashos
I read the section set in Spellgard (Saharelgard) and it has sparked a few questions which I hope Ed will please answer:
During the Time of Troubles, how did Saharel keep her magic functioning normally when it was ferblondget everywhere else?
Also, she states that she doesn't have the heat-draining ability of other liches. I notice that descriptions of archliches do not emphasize a connection to the Negative Energy Plane which other liches possess. Do they have such a connection, and if not, what "fuels" them instead?
Finally, does Spellgard have Netherese inscriptions which would contribute to a character's Spellcraft knowledge even without having a conversation with Saharel?
I eagerly await your brilliantly illuminating responses, Ed!
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2006 : 23:06:23
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Apropos of 1st and 2nd level spells, I have a question for Ed regarding clerics and their spells. ("The gods. They always want to know about the gods....")
Ed, you have repeatedly said that only the gods can grant clerical spells in Toril, but seeing these queries about 1st and 2nd level spells makes me wonder if your rule is absolute, or if those low level spells may be fueled by "belief," as per standard D&D rules (and as in Krynn)? It seems to me (but what do I know?!) that beast cults and demon cults would be much more likely to have adherents if their priests could manifest some spells without Shar or some other deity meddling in their faith.
Also, given 3E's heavy overlapping of what used to be distinctively clerical and arcane spells, who have been the arcane impostors in Toril's history, fobbing themselves off as deities, priests, or prophets while casting arcane spells which they have claimed to be divinely granted?
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Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2006 : 23:46:34
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As much as I didn't want to discuss the 1st and 2nd level spells, Ed has said in the past that those spells do come from belief and they don't have to come from deities, so Jamallo, that does answer some of your question as well as mine. :)
But I still wanted an answer about why some of the deities allow dopplegangers to impersonate thier followers. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2006 : 23:54:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
As much as I didn't want to discuss the 1st and 2nd level spells, Ed has said in the past that those spells do come from belief and they don't have to come from deities, so Jamallo, that does answer some of your question as well as mine. :)
But I still wanted an answer about why some of the deities allow dopplegangers to impersonate thier followers. :)
Thanks, kuje.
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2006 : 02:45:29
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Hello again. As promised, Ed herewith tackles Gerath Hoan’s question: “With one question answered, I thought I might ask Ed another, this one with much potential for humour, if handled in a certain way. Some fellow gamers and myself were discussing facial hair and the conversation predictably turned to styles in the Realms. Therefore my question for Ed is could he elaborate on the fashions of facial hair, as sported by human men, throughout the "Heartlands" of the Realms? I'm particularly interested in the differences between the various classes of folk (eg commoner, merchant and noble) and between lands (by the "Heartlands" I'm mostly thinking of Waterdeep, Cormyr, Sembia and the Dales, with the Sword Coast and Western Heartlands to a slightly lesser extent). If that question is too vague and there's too much information to give in one answer, then I'd like to hear about the styles adopted in Cormyr, Sembia and Waterdeep by nobles and rich merchants above all other categories. I hope Ed finds this question as fun as I do, I'd like to think that he finds answering our Realmslore questions just as much fun as we have asking them.”
Ed replies:
Of course I have great fun answering Realmslore questions; it affirms my reason for existing (and doing all the crazy gamer things I do, by telling me other crazy gamers need me).
This time, I feel moved to answer this question rather seriously: in the Heartlands of the Realms, a majority of men have facial hair, in a wide (or wild, if you prefer) variety of styles. In Calimshan and the South, hair may be oiled or perfumed to keep it smelling nice and free of bugs, and this practice tends to get sneered at in the North, but other than that, all fashions prevaill; other than on the local “in this particular royal court” level, there’s no really “fashionable” sort of beard.
In general, eastern and southern folk in the Realms (and hirsute women) tend to shave the chin bare and have more long mustaches, “daggerboard” long sideburns, and the like, than do northern folk (who tend more to full-coverage beards, cut either long or short as profession and daily safety or practicality dictate). Van Dyke or longer “lipspike” beards also tend to be fashions of the Vilhon and the Shining South more than they are seen in the North. But as I said, these are gross generalizations.
Hair length confers status (or is linked to manhood, puberty, or reputed properties) generally only in barbarian tribes, and men whose “full beards” consist of cheek and/or chin fuzz aren’t sneered at as somehow inadequate for “not being able to grow” full beards.
It should be noted that many cantrips and TRULY EFFECTIVE (if expensive) ointments (all having long and fanciful names like “Embelder’s Efficacious Divine Dew,” and a collective name of “thurdrixes,” singular “thurdrix”) exist in the Realms for altering hair colour and stimulating hair growth (sometimes at astonishing speed: inches per day), and those who make use of them can markedly alter their appearance. There are even drinks reputed to affect hair growth, but most of these are useless, or are skin dyes or even recreational drugs sold as hair growth treatments to avoid stigma or legal bans.
Something entirely edited out of the Realms until now has been the popularity in Calimshan and more southerly regions of bearded courtesans and pleasure-dancers: beautiful, scantily-clad women who have neatly-styled beards, often of vivid blue, purple, or mauve hue. These are known as “sarken,” and some men go wild at the sight of them. Some sark-women cover their beards with face-veils except when performing or engaging in intimacy (they eat and drink only in private), and others dispense with all veiling and masking, considering their sarken to conceal their modesty (they’ll shave themselves in front of a partner, to excite him). This Realmslore was handed to TSR back in 1986, but seemed to REALLY upset someone, because it vanished, completely and repeatedly (as in, several times over the years I was asked to send the same notes to them because of the geographical areas covered in them, as new people tackled new projects, and each time all mention of sarken immediately disappeared).
Skilled barbers (as opposed to “saerfell” or hairdressers) are rarer than they should be; many families cut each other’s hair crudely, as needed, or even shorten hair by the backwoods method of soaking it in mud at the desired length, and burning off the (kept clear of mud) length of hair below the muddy part. Body hair is often trimmed or removed, particularly in the South, by oiling and then scraping the body, and women often pluck unsightly hairs (around their nipples, around moles or scars, and the like).
However, it’s wrong to think that the presence or absence of beards or their styles in the Realms is linked to class, wealth, nobility or royalty, or any other status, aside from minor religious fashions - - beyond the “passing popularity” of a populace adopting beards like the beard of a popular leader (such as Azoun IV of Cormyr).
So saith Ed, the Bearded One (I’ve seen him in harem costume once, for a fancy dress ball, and he’s more the fat-bellied, hairy-all-over stereotype than he is the shapely dancer, I’m afraid).
love to all.
THO
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 02:56:55
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Hello again, all. First, a public service announcement: as I mentioned earlier, Ed’s trundling off to be a Guest of Honor at the 25th Anniversary AD ASTRA sf convention in Toronto (www.ad-astra.org) from now through Monday, and so will probably fall e-silent until Tuesday - - because I’m going to pull some strings and zip down there to join him (in disguise, of course). His family, who will be housesitting, love to play computer games, so Ed’s phone lines and computer will probably be tied up morning, noon, and night until he gets home (unless they melt down first). So Ed’s lore replies will have another little hiccup.
However, scribes, PLEASE don’t stop those questions coming. They keep Ed happy (I was going to say sane, and then thought better of that) and amuse me, too - - and I’m going to see if I can hack into a certain handy computer system and read this thread, though I certainly won’t be able to post.
Now, to Realms matters. This time, Ed makes reply to The Sage in the matter of Brazilian publishing and this: “Ed, you've talked a little about the duties of the courtesan and courtier in terms of function in royal courts and places of power and how they relate to visiting foreign dignitaries and the like. But I'm actually more curious about actual royalty visiting other realms... to keep this specific, how would a visit to the Forest Kingdom by a foreign royal ruler from another realm be handled inside Cormyr itself? Obviously, there are traditions to satisfy and the usual security measures and political wranglings to get out of the way first... but what happens during an actual visit? I'm looking for more lore than the few snippets that have been hinted at in both novels and sourcebooks in the past.”
Ed makes reply:
Hi, Sage. As for the posting from the gentleman from Brazil, WotC of course owns and controls all of my Realms work. The only other significant fantasy fiction series I have to offer, if he’s interested, are the five Aglirta novels (1. The Kingless Land, 2. The Vacant Throne, 3. A Dragon’s Ascension, 4. The Dragon’s Doom, and 5. The Silent House)
Concerning your royal visits question: as this is lore I worked up for Chapter 1 of POWER OF FAERUN (but didn’t use) AND for a certain secret writing project by someone other than me, I’m afraid it’s already wrapped up nicely as a (forthcoming) 2-part Realmslore WotC web column, and so I can’t repost it here. However, I can say this much:
Obviously, visits vary greatly depending on who’s involved, the purpose of the visit, and what’s going on in Cormyr at the time (public mood), but in general, there are “private visits” (show up without any public fanfare or proclamations, go to the Palace or a royal castle as the guest of the monarch or regent, and then do whatever the visit is for, either hunting in the King’s Forest or negotiating a treaty or plotting future diplomacy and trade stances with each other and against a third country, or whatever) and there are “state visits.”
As I’ve alluded, private visits are just that, and can involve almost anything. They’re informal, and generally only occur between rulers who are friends or at least long acquaintances.
State visits, on the other hand, follow itineraries that I’ve baldly summarized in the aforementioned Realmslore columns.
So saith Ed. Who is now even busier than before, with some non-Realms stuff awakening and landing on his head. As he put it, “Ah, but it’s nice to be wanted - - but do they all have to want me at once?”
BTW, he just voted for the Nebulas, and says there are some great tales on the final ballot this year (novels in particular). Me, I can’t help but chuckling over one of the short story titles: “Still Life With Boobs.”
love to all,
THO
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 03:19:25
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
Now, to Realms matters. This time, Ed makes reply to The Sage in the matter of Brazilian publishing...
Thanks Ed... I'll pass your message along. And thanks THO for the relay, as always .
quote:
Concerning your royal visits question: as this is lore I worked up for Chapter 1 of POWER OF FAERUN (but didn’t use)
I actually had a feeling that was the case... after I'd had the opportunity to read through the sections in PoF about ambassadors and advisors and the court. I thought... "surely Ed wouldn't have missed an opportunity to cover something like this" .
quote:
...AND for a certain secret writing project by someone other than me, I’m afraid it’s already wrapped up nicely as a (forthcoming) 2-part Realmslore WotC web column, and so I can’t repost it here.
Oooh! Now I like the sound of that. Any idea on when it may be "along" in the REALMSLORE column? I'm not pushing for anything definitive... just a general estimation?
And, as always... both you and THO have my thanks.
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 21:30:19
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I have a heap o' questions about architecture which may well have been answered previously. If so, I would appreciate being directed to those answers, please. If not, will Ed please enlighten us so that we visualize the Realms more like his image of them?
What are the general architectural styles of large, non-castle buildings in Faerun? I vaguely recall reading somewhere that tallhouses (or at least upper class tallhouses) have stone ground floors with wooden superstructures, but -- in real world terms -- what do the exteriors look like? Half-timbered Tudor, ancient Roman apartment block, or ... what? What of noble's mansions in relatively safe areas such as the major cities? Romanesque fortified villas ... Norman chateaus ... Spanish baroque, or ... what? Is Piergeiron's " palace" just a castle with a lot of windows or does it have murals, external niches with statuary, fluted columns, and miscellaneous "gingerbread"? I know that stained glass windows are known in Faerun, but what about flying buttresses and the pointed arches of Gothic architecture -- are they used? What of above-ground, non-disguised temples (outside of Mulhorrand, Chessenta and Unther)? Do they look like ancient Greek or Roman temples, or superhumanly large Egyptian temples, or are most of them (as some clearly are) European Christendom styled, with central aisles leading to a main altar and with side chapels?
Are true hemispherical domes in use outside the pseudo-Arabian areas such as Calimshan and Zakhara? (I note the domes of Hlondeth's Aviary of Extaminos, illustrated on page 93 of Serpent Kingdoms, but those are presumably made of glass, not stone.)
Are mosaic walls and/or floors common? If so, in which regions, and are they geometrical like Arab mosaics or do they portray scenes? If the latter, what is the preferred subject matter (aside from festhall mosaics, whose subject matter we can pretty much guess!) ... family history ... heroic scenes of celebrated adventurers ... religious themes ... what?
Are there regions in which one or more of the three "Classic" orders of columns -- Ionic, Dorian, and Corinthian -- predominate, or are these even used in Faerun? (Mulhorrand presumably has Egyptian-styled lotus-topped columns, but what about the rest of Faerun?)
Windows are mentioned many times in writing about the Realms, but -- generally speaking -- what is their preferred shape if architects have their 'druthers -- round, vertical rectangles, horizontal rectangles, or some other shape? The Aviary of Extaminos is based on rhomboids joined into uneven hexagons, but that may well be a significant exception to general rules, given for whom it was built.
In the Conan stories (and I don't recall if this was from the typewriter of Robert E. Howard himself or of Lin Carter or L. Sprague de Camp), "serpent-man" architecture was very distinctive, with the low risers of stairs being one feature I vividly recall. What are the notable features of Sarrukh architecture which would make it distinctive in the eyes of adventurers (aside from serpentine sculptures)? Given that not all Sarrukh had feet, I suppose there are a lot of ramps, but did they even build staircases? I seem to recall that Oreme has stairs, but in 30,000 years they might have been built by another race than the Sarrukh. Has Yuan-ti architecture followed Sarrukh styles, or do they build after human(oid) styles when they are not obliged to disguise their buildings?
Finally, a very specific question about Waterdeep's west Gate: does the dragon carved on it face the city or the sea?
Ed says he loves questions. This post should give him plenty of material for answers!
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Edited by - Jamallo Kreen on 30 Mar 2006 21:49:34 |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 21:41:12
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Now here's a question which I don't recall ever having been asked here: in what year of our Common Era did Ed first "discover" the Forgotten Realms?
On an unrelated note, aside from bards and courtiers, are there courtesans in the Realms who are not prostitutes, but who simply serve as professional entertainers, companions, and/or escorts? If so, who have been the famous ones in Realms history, the ones about whom poems have been written and songs sung? From our European history, although they undoubtedly prostituted themselves, Aspasia and Phryne spring to mind from Greece, and also Veronica Franco, The Honest Courtesan of Venice. Who would be their Realms counterparts? |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Larloch
Acolyte
Spain
24 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 21:42:54
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| This message is just to announce to Mr. Greenwood that I have send to him the questions, so feel free to asnwer them whithout any type of hurry. Again thank you. |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 22:28:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
Now here's a question which I don't recall ever having been asked here: in what year of our Common Era did Ed first "discover" the Forgotten Realms?
Ed started/wrote stories for FR when he was 8 years old and it was in the mid to late 60's. 1967 actually, since I just checked since his first tale has been reprinted in Best of the Realms Book II: Stories of Ed Greenwood. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 30 Mar 2006 23:39:29 |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 22:53:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
Now here's a question which I don't recall ever having been asked here: in what year of our Common Era did Ed first "discover" the Forgotten Realms?
Ed started/wrote stories for FR when he was 9 years old and it was in the mid to late 60's. 1967 or 1969 I believe the years were. Somewhere around there. :)
Wow! Thanks. I suppose that makes the Realms older than Greyhawk. OT: Yah, yah I know it's off topic, but does anyone here know offhand whether Tekumel preceded Greyhawk or not? As I recall, Tekumel arose from M.A.R. Barker's childhood fascination with languages and with the Indian subcontinent and pre-dated D&D; I think Greyhawk was conceived specifically as a locale for early D&D. (Even more OT -- vanity, vanity, saith the Preacher! -- my game world was actually inspired by Bugtussle, hometown of the Clampett family, long, long, loooong before I discovered D&D; all that has survived from those ancient days of world-building is the shape of a single bay. Blimey. I like this train of thought! I'm going to cross-post this to the Adventruring forum, so as not to clutter up Ed's scroll. I'd love to know the origins of other people's campaign worlds and the extent to which they have merged them with Ed's Forgotten Realms.) |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2006 : 09:16:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
I have a heap o' questions about architecture which may well have been answered previously. If so, I would appreciate being directed to those answers, please. If not, will Ed please enlighten us so that we visualize the Realms more like his image of them?
I second this question - I would love to learn more about architecture of different cultures in the Realms. Jamallo, Ed wrote some wonderful stuff about Northkeep's architecture back in 2004 or 2005 (can't remember which).
I would also like to learn more about architecture in ancient kingdoms - such as Jhaamdath and Netheril :) |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2006)
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