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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5692 Posts |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Feb 2006 : 04:44:03
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| This story is a great end for this anthology. I liked the character development and the unexpected twist that took place at the end regarding a certain sword. A fine piece of writing that serves as a nice companion to the events happening in The Last Mythal trilogy. |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2006 : 17:17:26
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My favorite story. But then again I like Bladesingers and I like moonblades. :)
The twist was awesome because it means a dead Moonblade can find a worthy wielder outside the bloodline it was created for, yet retain it's powers. I wonder what the court of Evermeet will think when they find out another half-elf is wielding a seemingly powerful Moonblade. :)
Hope we'll get to read more about the blade and the girl in the future! |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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Cam Beul
Acolyte
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2006 : 02:12:14
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| I really liked the main character. Richard Baker captured a shade of sun elf demeanor perfectly. |
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Beezy
Learned Scribe
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2006 : 08:07:53
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| First let me say thaat I really did enjoy this novel. I really liked the characters in it. But I thought it was stated that a moonblade would not accept a half elf wielder? And The only reason Arilyn's accepted her is because it had been tampered with and was sort of broken for lack of a better term. I could be wrong and I am not trying to pick apart this great novel, I just wanted that cleared up for my own sake not to downplay the story. |
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
129 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2006 : 17:39:51
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Glad you liked the story!
RE: moonblades... according to Magic of Faerun, moonblades will accept elves or half-elves who are scions of the proper family. Normally the scion needs to perform a special ritual to awaken the moonblade, but moonblades are intelligent weapons, so it seemed to me that a moonblade might recognize a scion (even if the scion doesn't know she is one) and bestow its powers on her if she's wielding it in a moment of mortal peril. To be honest, I'm not even sure if the character in question is an actual descendant of the moonblade's family (although she certainly could be); when I wrote the story, I was thinking that the moonblade might have recognized such worthiness that it chose to bestow its powers on her, knowing that its own family had died out.
(In general, the current edition of D&D says that being a half-elf means you have "elven blood," so things that are keyed to elves--say, an elf-slaying arrow--affect you like you were a full-blooded elf. Where possible, I try to conform very closely to the game, because plenty of you folks out there both read the books and play the game.)
quote:
Originally posted by Beezy
First let me say thaat I really did enjoy this novel. I really liked the characters in it. But I thought it was stated that a moonblade would not accept a half elf wielder? And The only reason Arilyn's accepted her is because it had been tampered with and was sort of broken for lack of a better term. I could be wrong and I am not trying to pick apart this great novel, I just wanted that cleared up for my own sake not to downplay the story.
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Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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Beezy
Learned Scribe
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2006 : 20:02:26
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| That is a perfectly logical explanation I had just thought I had previously heard that half elves could not wield moonblades. I am far from being an expert though. I thank you for the reply and the explanation. |
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Conlon
Learned Scribe
Canada
132 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2006 : 22:59:10
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| First off, I've gotta say that Richard Baker is probably my favourite of all Realmsian scribes. City of Ravens was a fantastic book, and I'm loving the Last Mythal series. I found that many of the stories in this anthology were quite dark, and I enjoyed reading something a little more upbeat to finish the book off. I must also say that I find Rich's characters very believable, and this was the case again in this story. Nice job Rich! I'm looking forward to the final instalment! |
My hopes are ashes, my dreams are dust. All my intentions mean nothing unless they are followed by action. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2006 : 23:37:44
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| Which is ironic, because I think Rich's story in Realms of Dragons was actually one of the darker ones in the book. Though I liked it, don't get me wrong. |
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darkcrow
Learned Scribe
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 20 Feb 2006 : 00:00:22
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| I've just finished The Bladesinger's Lesson and I really enjoyed reading it. I feel that the moonblade activated it powers because Nilsa happens to be a part of the Morvaeril bloodline. And if this is true (which I believe it is) then I hope to read more about it in future tales. A great story Richard. Thanks for yet another great read. |
May Tymora smile upon ye |
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bedhead782001
Acolyte
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 00:26:33
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| What i liked about this story was how the noble sun elf learned that humans aren't what he thought them to be: "I am sorry that I did not think betterof your people(dalefolk) before I had the honor to fight alongside them." To me this quote reveals that the Daried learned that you can judge a human till you meet them. Plus the fact he return the moonblade to Nilsa when she offered it to him at the end of the story should the amount of growth that Daried went through in the story. |
I think therefore i am... I think |
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darkcrow
Learned Scribe
USA
269 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2006 : 04:10:41
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| I think Daried's lesson was to never under estimate your enemy ( nor your ally ) for they just might be more than what they seem. And he learned that lesson at least three times in this story. |
May Tymora smile upon ye |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2006 : 17:41:20
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This was a fantastic story and just oozed the feel of the Realms 
The start of the story was just beautiful. The feeling of being there in the manor was perfect and I totally drawn in the whole time. The click of the devils claw on the flagstone which alerted Daried was a great way to drop the tension and change the pace of the scene too.
I also loved the scene at Glen and the tavern scene was one of the best tavern scenes i've read. The interaction between the innkeeper and the character with the pipe (sorry, don't recall his name), was very well done. I got a true feel of the tavern here. Excellent.
I thought Daried's character was very well portrayed as a typical elf, with his views on the amount of wood used to build the tavern and then with his view of half-elves when he met Nilsa.
Again, another great scene when he found the camp. Sarthos was a great character too, and the scene where Daried thought he couldn't be seen when he stepped into this tent was very tense.
Fantastic story. Rich sure does great elven tales  I wish again that this story was the start of a complete novel rather than just a short 
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Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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dannyfu
Learned Scribe
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2006 : 18:35:35
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i know i'm a little late talking about this story so i apologize. if any of you have read my other posts you know that my absolute favorite story to talk about right now is the last mythal. i love it and i love all the characters richard has incorporated. i also enjoyed this story a great deal, but does anyone else besides me feel that another female half-elf moonblade wielder was a little lack luster as far as twist surprises go??
some of you also showed interest in seeing more of this character in future stories. for me, with so many character possiblities based on D&D races and classes to write about, this just seems redundant to me. |
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ShadowJack
Senior Scribe
USA
350 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2006 : 15:28:04
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| I just the anthology. Mr. Baker, what a great short story! I really enjoyed the way you developed Daeried. A noble sun elf who has honor, compassion and can learn hard lessons about "lesser" races. Even though he was never overtly prejudiced towards Moon elves, half-elves, or humans, he still thinks of them a little less than his own people. I loved the way he assumed that Nilsa was the product of a violent act againist an elf... The book never says, but yet he assumes it is true. I wonder what he will think if he finds out that Nilsa (hope I remembered her name right...) is a distant cousin? Maybe an old family secret from the last days of Cormanthor... I really am hungry for more adventures with Daerid, what a great portrayal of a Sun elf. Excellent! |
ShadowJack |
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Swordsage
Learned Scribe
149 Posts |
Posted - 08 Apr 2006 : 10:56:34
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I liked this story but struggled to come to terms with another half-elf being given a moonblade to wield. I've read Mr Baker's response to this event and basically it seems to come down to him making a literary choice because he could. Personally (and I know that my personal whims and desires aren't worth a hill of beans) I would have much preferred that the magical sword in question wasn't a moonblade, but rather another magical sword made especially for Daried's family. Mr Baker could have even tipped his hat and used the term "akin to a moonblade" and we all would have known what he was talking about and where he was going. It seems that with the advent of 3E the purpose of moonblades (to choose the ruler of the elves on Faerûn) has been lost. It's not a situation I'm comfortable with, I hate to say. Mr Baker is a creative force, I'm very much enjoying his Last Mythal trilogy, but it would have been nice to see him not go back to the well (being found worthy by a moonblade has already been done by Elaine Cunningham, twice: Arilyn and Elaith) and come up with something original. Still liked the tale and enjoyed Daried as a character.
The Swordsage
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dannyfu
Learned Scribe
USA
108 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2006 : 21:35:25
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| that is exactly how i feel about this story as well Swordsage. i'm a huge fan of the last mythal tril, but felt another half-elf moonblade wielder was all around lack-luster |
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Tamsar
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
141 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2006 : 13:23:26
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| Was Nilsa even a fully fledged half elf? I just took her to be a human with traces of elf blood in her ancestry. Either way a bloody good story. |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2006 : 23:56:09
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Sigh. I wanted this one to be good, since I have, by and large, enjoyed Last Mythal, a series that has well-captured the feeling of various parts of the Realms.
So why couldn't Mr. Baker pay attention to 15+ years worth of established lore on moonblades?
And why is the dwarven town of Glen suddenly human?
And why does a bladesinger fight silently, without the, um, blade song that only characterizes the entire class? (though, to be fair, this may date back to RotAW, and therefore not be entirely Mr. Baker's fault)
If you entirely ignore the ending and turn the town into some other one, this is a great short story. As it stands, it's probably the worst in the anthology. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
Edited by - Hoondatha on 27 May 2006 00:04:40 |
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El Magnifico Uno
Learned Scribe
113 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jun 2006 : 22:38:08
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| Read halfway thru this last night, and I gotta say I love the elven view of time vs humans.. The whole "I just left this place 70 years ago and it's ALREADY looted?! WTF?!" was a real nice twist.. And combine with that the realization that 3 generations of humans have passed since that time only reinforces the "timeless elf" image.. Thumbs up! |
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Aaron L
Acolyte
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2006 : 22:07:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
And why does a bladesinger fight silently, without the, um, blade song that only characterizes the entire class?
Because bladesingers dont actually sing? Thier swords hum as they cut the air, naming the technique.
Some hum a wordless tune matching the blades humming, but singing isnt part of the martial art. |
"Sustenance is not frivolous." |
Edited by - Aaron L on 19 Jul 2006 22:09:03 |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2006 : 23:14:54
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| Not all Bladesingers used swords, so obviously the name does not just come from the sword. Originally, bladesinger lodges used any of a number of weapons. |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me
"That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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ode904
Learned Scribe
Finland
193 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:18:00
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| A fine story. My favourite character are those bladesinger spellblades etc. so story was read quite quickly too! And yes, name ''bladesinger'' means that the character uses a melee weapon and spells. Though I would say most of them use sword. A pity I don't have that Farthest Reach so I can't continue reading Last Mythal. I have Forsaken house, which I read in a blink of an eye, and Final Gate.. |
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Aes Tryl
Learned Scribe
181 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 14:33:09
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| Well according to the latest class descriptions(whatever its worth) a bladesinger can only use his specialised abilities when holding a longsword or rapier in one hand (or in some cases elven thinblades and lightblades) and nothing else in the other. Bladesingers actually derived their name from the fact that they were so skillful that their blades "sang" in battle, whats known as the blade song is a kind of martial focus to attune themselves to their swords, u might wanna look at Fighters: The Bladesinger for a bit on that because that style is the same as what Mr Baker used. |
Edited by - Aes Tryl on 14 Aug 2006 14:35:24 |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2006 : 23:35:37
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| Or, for a better look, check out Complete Book of Elves. :) |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me
"That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Aes Tryl
Learned Scribe
181 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 04:24:13
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| umm cool is there really such a book (ok if u're pulling my leg Dan i know i'm gonna look like a dork) if not where can i find it, arghh it sounds really cool. .. |
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GothicDan
Master of Realmslore
USA
1103 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 04:26:13
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| It's a 2E book, in which things like the Bladesinger were first introduced. |
Planescape Fanatic
"Fiends and Undead are the peanut butter and jelly of evil." - Me
"That attitude should be stomped on, whenever and wherever it's encountered, because it makes people holding such views bad citizens, not just bad roleplayers (considering D&D was structured as a 'forced cooperation' game, and although successive editions are pointing it more and more towards a me-first, min-max game, the drift away from 'we all need each other to succeed' will at some point make it 'no longer' D&D)." - ED GREENWOOD |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2006 : 20:43:17
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I'm about halfway through this story right now. I have to admit it is pulling me along, which perhaps is the most important thing for a story to do (dont bore the reader!).
I'll begin my comments by getting two things out of the way. Number one: it's no big secret around here that I do not like the Last Mythal series (neither the premise nor the actual writing), and since this story is somewhat connected to that larger story arc, I'm already prejudiced against it at least a little. That's just how it is, sorry, but I'm going to talk about the short story here, not the LM trilogy. Number two: it's also pretty well known that moonblade lore in this story is not to everyone's taste--I can't say I love it, myself, but I'm not fond of the original concept for moonblades to begin with, anyway, so again I'm just going to talk about the story and how entertaining it is rather than harp about moonblades and what they should and should not be.
Okay--like I said, I'm actually rather liking this story, and finding it pretty easy to get into. It's definitely the kind of story one can enjoy reading on a cold, blustery October night. Mr. Baker definitely has a knack for describing environments, and the prose in this story is not an exception to that. I don't care for the protagonist very much--Daried, a gold elven bladesinger--but I have to admit, I did feel sorry for him when he found that his house and the remains of his dead relatives had been looted and picked through like refuse. I would have been angry, too, so can't blame him for acting like an a-hole to many of the people he encounters later on. The little storytelling bit at the inn in the town of Glenn was interesting, and the idea that a hero to some might well be a "plundering villain", to someone else was not lost on me. I also liked how Daried totally underestimated the Chondathan mercenaries he had been trailing...that's just not something that happens OFTEN enough, for goodness sake! I really wish more "dirty, ugly, gruff, lowlife (and usually evil) mercenaries" turned out to have some real power, and give their opponents (usually golden heroes) a run for their lives (nevermind a run for their money). Very good twist there.
On to the stuff I don't care for so much. The dialogue here is just nothing to write home about, for the most part--very flat, to-the-point, and humorless. Also, Daried is as I alluded to above, a "golden hero"--in looks, at least, even if his manner is somewhat marred by prejudice. We are told that this person is exceedingly handsome, "even by the high standards of gold elves". That's just annoying. He's a gold elf, and so would be handsome to the eyes of most readers...just leave it at that. I guess just being your average, unbelievable gorgeous gold elf just isn't enough, Daried has to be even BETTER, like an angel. Another thing that annoyed me: the supposedly unbiased narrator mentions Daried's "perfect eyes" (almost undoubtedly in terms of appearance, not function). OK...as opposed to what, "imperfect eyes"? What do "perfect eyes" versus "imperfect eyes" look like on a gold elf? And why is the narrator so enamored of this character, that Daried is spoken of in such loving terms? Silly descriptions like that really need to go.
But all in all, it's a worthwhile story, and I'll post more comments when I finish it.
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"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
Edited by - Rinonalyrna Fathomlin on 29 Oct 2006 20:45:22 |
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Wandering_mage
Senior Scribe
688 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 00:08:24
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Hello Rinonarlyrna. I have to say you drop some harsh criticism on this story whereas you speak well of other portions. I think we all know each author has his/her own particular strong points when writing and your criticism comes off a little like a newspaper critics view or something of the like. It almost seems a little adolescent how you try to describe Mr Baker's writing style at times like you are trying to prove some skilled proficiency at editing. Having read most of Mr Baker's books I think he is awesome and I can relate to what he emphasizes in his writing. He comes off as a fiction writer with a fine eye for the details that relate to making a scene feel the way he wants it to feel. He isn't Tennyson or Tolkien but he is a good writer. So enjoy his story and if you don't care for it oh well. It's just really sad that you should leave a message like, "...and I'll post more comments when I finish it." You aren't even finished and you criticize the story? Come on, that is a poor show of manners. Just be thankful you have the story to read about a fantasy world that we all share and love. You have nothing to prove either so relax. I truly hope I did not insult you because that was not my intention. I just think you should tone it down.  |
Illum
The Wandering Mage |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 00:41:57
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Let's try and keep things civil, okay?
If either of you intend to carry this "critical" discussion further, please do so through PMs and leave this scroll just for the discussion about the story itself.
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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 |
Edited by - The Sage on 31 Oct 2006 02:42:46 |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 31 Oct 2006 : 02:07:15
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| Of course. My criticisms are what they are, a mix of positive and negative. I didn't insult anyone personally, so if anyone takes offense, they should think very carefully about why they are so offended. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Realms of the Elves: "The Bladesinger's Lesson"
