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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  08:28:58  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
One of the things I like to do in my spare time is to teach myself how to write in the style of Ed Greenwood, and then fold his methods into my own writing style.

This is one element of that larger task, and is dedicated to writing adventuring company descriptions like you might find in Realms media ranging from the Cyclopedia of the Realms to an Eye on the Realms article in Dragon Magazine.

Any locations or NPCs I mention in these write-ups will be fleshed out in my other scrolls when I get the chance.

Please feel free to give feedback, and please enjoy yourself.

************************

Adventuring Companies of the Realms

Halvarl’s Lost Swords

The Company of the Crimson Manticore

Harbold’s Hellraisers

The Company of the Errant Gauntlet

The Stormchasers

The Laughing Dragons

The Scions of the Talking Door

The Maidenseekers of Purdrim

The Friends of the Ghost Knight

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 08 Nov 2015 07:59:38

Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  08:32:37  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Halvarl’s Lost Swords

Based out of Asbravn, Halvarl’s Lost Swords are noteworthy for being discovered in petrified form amongst a group of fallen down statues scattered across a valley abutting the tall peaks of the Sunset Mountains.[1]

Though Halvarl and four others were freed, time and the elements reduced the majority of Halvarl’s companions to broken, weather-beaten stone, and they could not be saved. [2]

The shattered remains of Halvarl’s comrades and the alien, out of touch ways of his companions lent credibility to a most startling claim: the five individuals that would become the Lost Swords hailed from a time when the lands of Teshar and Anauria still existed, and there was only the Great Sand Sea, not Anourach.[3]

Little is known about the Lost Swords, other than their origin: in the Year of the Tusk (112 DR) Harlvarl fled his home along the southern coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars and traveled by boat to Suzail where he assembled a twelve-strong band of adventurers intent on battling the monsters and free mages forever harrying the nascent kingdom of Cormyr, but were instead destined to be frozen in time for the next 1300 years.

Cormyrean sages believe at least two of the Swords are natives of Asram, that all but one of the Swords hailing from Suzail perished in statue form, and that save for Harlvarl all the survivors are women.[4]

Halvarl is a skilled fighter and expert at negotiating, and all the Lost Swords are superior horsemen, but the specific abilities of the other surviving members are a mystery to those not native to Asbravn.

It is in Asbravn where the Swords have busied themselves with gathering information about the new world they live in from the many merchants and travelers that pass through, and have assisted the Riders in Red Cloaks[5] with driving off Zhentarim aggressors. The catacombs beneath Asbravn have piqued their interest as well.

None but Harlvarl speaks for the Lost Swords.


[1] The Lost Swords were both discovered and freed by another adventuring company: the Five Bright Blades of Cormyr.

[2] “Or they were released during the Time of Troubles or the Spellplague, when magic was not so reliable. There are tales of men and women from the past appearing in the wake of each of these calamitous events.” This from the doomed sage Loagrandboydar, and written as part of his regular correspondence with the monks of Sagekeep before he fell prey to magical calamity in the depths of the Royal Palace of the Purple Dragon. (See page 302 of the novel “Bury Elminster Deep”.)

[3] Though Halvarl will go on at length about the world as he knew it (to anyone he befriends and learns to trust, mind), he will not speak of his fallen comrades and has never willingly told anyone the name of the adventuring company he founded in Suzail.

[4] As overheard at the headquarters of the Society of Stalwart Adventurers in Suzail by a well-dressed and always hooded figure known as the Rogue Cloak—a thief who’s been kicked out of the Society and then readmitted numerous times. The Rogue Cloak listened in as members of the Five Bright Blades recounted their discovery of the Lost Swords, and then sold an account of that conversation to sages specializing in adventurer lore and the history of Cormyr and the surrounding lands. For their part the members of the Blades have let it be known that when next they encounter the Rogue Cloak they intend to remove his (or her) tongue and nail it to the Society’s front door as a reminder to all that what is said within its walls is to remain within those walls.

[5] Asbravn’s volunteer militia. See the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, page 225.

The Rogue Cloak Says:
“You think it was simply a bunch of statues in the middle of nowhere? Far from it! They were fleeing something in the center of their group—leaping out of the way like dodging a fireball—when they were turned to stone. What’s more, six were freed, not five, and that one left with the Five Bright Blades for Cormyr. I know the Blades took her as far as the Royal Palace—and don’t believe anyone who tells you it was a man, because the Blades are many things and skilled crafters of disguises is not one of them—but naught else save that the Blades went on to find the the Sword Sage and then recovered a fortune somewhere beyond the Stormhorns, all in short order. Who finds the Sword Sage just like that? All the Crown’s doing, I tell you.”

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 12 Nov 2014 05:14:44
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6641 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  09:20:32  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Nice work Jeremy. Love the idea of ancient NPCs returning from a petrified state.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore

1842 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  09:33:31  Show Profile Send The Arcanamach a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Once again I mourn the fact that I can't be a player in a game run by you Jeremy. Good stuff here mate. You really should put up your own website with this stuff on it.

I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one.
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6350 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  09:41:07  Show Profile Send Gary Dallison a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Its definitely reminiscent of Ed's style.

Given that they were active in the Sunset Vale following the collapse of Nagara i wonder what they were doing in the Western Heartlands and how did they come to be petrified.

Were they battling against the expanding Empire of Ebenfar or were they just hired muscle helping small settlements eke out an existence during the rising power of petty kingdoms in the area.

I like it, especially the bullet points, they are my favourite bit in Ed's lore.

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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6641 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  11:17:16  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Garendor, Argrant, Orkrash, Wyshbryn and Loagrenboydar ...

That Ed is a sneaky fellow.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus

Edited by - George Krashos on 01 Aug 2014 11:20:03
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 01 Aug 2014 :  14:47:55  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Given the date and location, perhaps they had some involvement with the "Giant Emperors" of the region and "The Keep of the Far Hills" a.k.a. Darkhold.

The other thing that pops into mind is that this is an adventuring band. Operating in and around Cormyr. They would need a charter so would have to get with the crown and explain who they are and what they are about... at least.
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 02 Aug 2014 :  07:07:04  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thanks everyone for reading!

quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach

Once again I mourn the fact that I can't be a player in a game run by you Jeremy. Good stuff here mate. You really should put up your own website with this stuff on it.

Thank you.

RE: a website. I'd considered building my own website for a hot second, then realized I didn't have the desire or the skill.

That, and when it comes to individuals building their own websites dedicated to Realmslore, Xaeyruudh's Index is better than anything I think I could put together.

To me it seemed easier to rely on already extant resources (like Loremaster.org and Candlekeep.com) for posting stuff.

My work at Loremaster.org--once that website is back up and running (Matt James you delicious creature, are your ears burning?)--focused on collecting Realmslore, mostly about Cormyr, and I'd like to continue posting the material I've collected there. I've also written one small article for that website, and hope to write more.

Here at Candlekeep I like to dabble and experiment, and I like writing for the Running the Realms section because I don't have to worry all that much about canon.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 02 Aug 2014 07:11:03
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 03 Aug 2014 :  21:28:49  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The Company of the Crimson Manticore

This eclectic mix of adventurers ranges up and down the Sword Coast from Calimshan to Luskan, and as far inland as Thay. The Manticores are expert horsemen and ride trained mounts that are equal to their masters in terms of bravery and resolve in the face of danger, and quite possibly in intelligence.

Between them the Manticores speak over a dozen languages, and all share a love of horses. Wanderlust is a common trait in their ranks, as is a deep hatred for any who block the road.

The Company of the Crimson Manticore started out as a specialized escort service based in Waterdeep—one that catered to elves seeking armed and mounted protection while traveling along the human-infested roads of Faerűn.

The needs of the elves coupled with the dangers to be found as one traveled from Waterdeep to destinations all over the continent required the very best of the escorts, so Elnithor wasted no time in recruiting those he judged best suited to task and terrain, whether half-elf or human, and often from the destinations his customers had in mind.

As Elnithor’s business grew, he passed the reigns of responsibility to his daughters and took to the road with his most trusted lieutenants to settle scores tallied up in previous roadside skirmishes.

For three decades the Manticores have exterminated brigands, highwaymen and anyone who dares to block their path. They hunt those who harm and attack elves and half-elves, and readily share their wrath with hunters of halflings and anyone known to clear-cut woodlands and attack the supernatural denizens of the forests.

The Manticores are known for not seeking fame so much as trouble, which has led them into conflict with local authorities more than once. Nevertheless they are welcomed and appreciated in most woodland settlements where elves and half-elves live, and trade caravans are eager to partner with them for as long as they share the same road.

Time has not blunted Elnithor’s zeal, and as his holdings have grown in Waterdeep (along with his grandchildren) he has recruited and replenished the ranks of the Manticores from within his own family and that of his retired lieutenants.

It is unheard of for Elnithor to winter anywhere other than Waterdeep, though in the cold months his lieutenants can be found Faerűn-over. Likewise the enemies of the Manticores are many, and spread across the face of the continent.


The most current roster of the Manticores is:

• Elnithor of Farmeadows, 5th level sorcerer, 8th level ranger, CG, elven male, leader
• Zazphrombelar of Almraiven, 11th level elven fighter, NG, male
• Jalassa Weepingtree, 7th level thief/3rd level fighter, CG, half-elf female
• Murlanthra “Many Spells” Martolk, 10th level half-elf wizard, CG, female
• Stornalad of Tangled Trees, 10th level fighter, NG, human male
• Sasbrenor the Stormbringer, 9th level half-elf cleric of Talos, CG, male
• Horskald, 8th level barbarian, CG, human male
• Thut-hakh, 7th level monk of Ilmater, CG, half-ogre male

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 19 Apr 2015 07:15:31
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore

1842 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2014 :  09:48:33  Show Profile Send The Arcanamach a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Another good addition. I will point out that Jalassa doesn't have an alignment listed.

I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one.
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2014 :  11:02:38  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I like the bit suggesting that the sixth was a royal and she is now back... what would that do to lineage of the obarskyr family? :P
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Swordsage
Learned Scribe

149 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2014 :  11:59:55  Show Profile  Visit Swordsage's Homepage Send Swordsage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Everyone who finds me wins a fortune!

The Swordsage
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2014 :  14:57:25  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Swordsage

Everyone who finds me wins a fortune!

The Swordsage





*points* There he is! There he is!

Where's my fortune?

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 05 Aug 2014 :  22:41:39  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach

Another good addition. I will point out that Jalassa doesn't have an alignment listed.


Thank you sir! I’ve corrected the entry now.

quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage

I like the bit suggesting that the sixth was a royal and she is now back... what would that do to lineage of the obarskyr family? :P


Indeed. The events surrounding Harlvarl’s Lost Swords and the delivery of the mysterious stranger to the Royal Palace by the Five Bright Blades will be grist for the mill once word leaks out (that is, when the sage Crimmorn gets a hold of the information), and will last for as long as Suzailian gossips care to embroider this latest in a string of nigh-endless royal succession stories concocted out of half-truths and thin air.

…though the truth behind these events has no impact on issues of succession and lineage for the Obarskyrs. Rather, for the families Silver and the balance of power between them.

If I were using this in a campaign, my players would soon hear of one adventuring party after another gaining noble patronage (via the three families) and being dispatched to places in and out of Cormyr. Sometime later the PCs would hear stories of those adventuring groups suffering horrible fates or failing to return.

At that point I’d try to hook my players on the idea of stepping into the shoes of the dead/missing adventurers and making a second go of it, because I’ve found that players like looting dead adventurer bodies (better gear that way) and following the trail of dead adventurers/a group of recently deceased, because there’s an interesting story there that yields up clues to the PCs and it includes chapters on what might kill their characters too (something the Old Gray Box taught me).

Even if the PCs were only partially successful, and depending on who they were working for (or thought they’re working for), they could tip the balance of power in the nobility for a long time to come.

If they get far enough, they might all get turned to stone and have to roll up new characters.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 06 Aug 2014 09:21:27
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 06 Aug 2014 :  09:21:48  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Harbold’s Hellraisers

A mixed band of outcast dwarves and humans, Harbold’s Hellraisers are a notoriously unpredictable band of adventurers that make all of Faerűn north of Waterdeep and west of the Anourach their stomping grounds.

The ranks of the Hellraisers have swelled to ten humans, while the number of dwarves has shrunk to five. Once twelve dwarves walked the trails of the north under Harbold’s leadership, but three died in battle with giants, one was disintegrated, another disappeared[1] and two retired[2].

The humans are all barbarians from the various tribes that roam the North. Some are like the dwarves—outcasts no longer welcome in the places they called home—while the rest are afflicted with a mix of wanderlust and a burning desire to fight.

And fighting is what Harbold’s Hellraisers do best. The long reach of the barbarians compliments the close-in fighting style of the dwarves and together they make a frighteningly effective combat team. However, when the ranks of the enemy outnumber the Hellraisers, the dwarves and humans give in to battle lust and each seeks his foes in whatever quantity the gods grant.

Second only to battle is the Hellraiser’s taste for fine living. For the dwarves this usually means an endless supply of good drink, an always warm fire and sturdy chairs and tables made of reinforced hardwood capable of holding one or more drunken dwarves who prefer to reenact their favorite battle stories as much as tell them.

For the humans this means strong drink too, but more so food and plenty of it, as well as companionship. There are an equal number of male and female barbarians, and often as not what the dwarves require by way of ground floor furniture the barbarians require of their sleeping accommodations.[3]

The dwarves all get along well, but they count their coins greedily with one eye while watching with the other for what they regard as the thieving hands of their fellow dwarves.[4] It’s not unheard of for the dwarves to start bickering over imagined thefts and “unfair” divisions of the spoils of adventuring, and for these arguments to turn into full fledged brawls right in the middle of the most dangerous dungeons, Underdark caverns and forgotten woodlands of the North.[5]

Harbold is a century older than any dwarf left in the ranks of the Hellraisers, and has felt his age for the last fifty years. He is the only dwarf who never talks of home and of all the dwarves he speaks the least. Yet his leadership is unquestioned and every dwarf and human is unswervingly loyal to him.

His relationship with the various barbarian tribes of the North goes back at least two centuries, and the story of the bond he forged with them would last twice as long as any tale told by his fellows.


(NOTE: I’m not sure if I want to fill in the names of the group or just leave that up to individual DMs. If anyone has ideas for names, alignments, origin tribes for the barbarians or what have you, I’m interested to hear them. Thanks for reading. )

EDIT: Cards77 has bravely stepped up to the task of filling in the ranks of the Hellraisers. There names follow. Click on any name to jump to a write-up for that NPC.

The Barbarians:
Lander "Skullcrusher" CN Human Male Barbarian 10
Vala Ravenmane CN Human Female Barbarian 7/Fighter 1
Taric Grimfeld CN Human Male Barbarian 3/Ranger 3
Seva "The Snake" CN Human Female Rogue 4/Barbarian 1

The Dwarves:
Gart Stonespear CG Shield Dwarf Male Fighter 9
Thakken Deepdelver CG Shield Dwarf Male Fighter 3/Cleric 4
Durgrim Ironhand CG male Shield Dwarf Ranger 5/Fighter 1
Fennick Coalhewer CG male Shield Dwarf Barbarian 9/Fighter 2


[1] While grappling the drow mage who’d disintegrated his battle companion; both dwarf and drow disappeared when the dwarf plunged a dagger into the drow’s back, activating a contingency magic what whisked them off to an unknown location.

[2] Against their will. Harbold kicked them out, claiming old age made them ineffective, but in truth he grew tired of seeing old friends fall, and believed that of the surviving dwarves these were the most capable of settling down and living happy lives.

[3] The Hellraisers reputation is such that they are required to place sizeable deposits before they are allowed into most establishments in Waterdeep and Silverymoon. That they are allowed in at all has to do with the fact that they always pay for damages, and word has spread that they do not haggle over price; they generally pay what is asked and then depart, which has allowed more than one innkeeper and festhall owner to not just rebuild but upgrade.

[4] The barbarians know not to leave coins as payment on any surface, and complete all their transactions by handing coins over whenever one of their dwarven fellows is within arm’s reach.

[5] Some of these arguments go back a century or more. The barbarians find these disputes entertaining, because the lead up to them consists of the dwarves telling hours-long stories of their travels and adventures from times past.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 30 Nov 2014 04:42:10
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 08 Aug 2014 :  14:32:19  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage

I like the bit suggesting that the sixth was a royal and she is now back... what would that do to lineage of the obarskyr family? :P


Indeed. The events surrounding Harlvarl’s Lost Swords and the delivery of the mysterious stranger to the Royal Palace by the Five Bright Blades will be grist for the mill once word leaks out (that is, when the sage Crimmorn gets a hold of the information), and will last for as long as Suzailian gossips care to embroider this latest in a string of nigh-endless royal succession stories concocted out of half-truths and thin air.

…though the truth behind these events has no impact on issues of succession and lineage for the Obarskyrs. Rather, for the families Silver and the balance of power between them.



I would not be so sure... what if the returned Royal was the heir to the throne 1000 years ago? The lineage to the current family takes a turn or two... so the older would have the more direct line to the first kings. I could see such a Royal embraced by a faction of the nobility and a new struggle for power to erupt. Possibly even a civil war.
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 08 Aug 2014 :  20:52:53  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
TMM, if there was an XP button on this website, I'd give you some XP.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 09 Aug 2014 :  03:00:56  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
No need - when you've clocked as many miles as I have XP are just another drop in the bucket :P
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 09 Aug 2014 :  07:22:42  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage

I would not be so sure... what if the returned Royal was the heir to the throne 1000 years ago? The lineage to the current family takes a turn or two... so the older would have the more direct line to the first kings. I could see such a Royal embraced by a faction of the nobility and a new struggle for power to erupt. Possibly even a civil war.

If I were running with this idea, I think I'd have it be that certain of the nobles vie with each other to capture and then forcibly marry the returned noble (assuming the Rogue Cloak's claim that the person returned is female) to one of their number, but in the end they strike a deal with "Baron Boldtree" (aka Lord Royal Erzoured) to have her marry him, believing they can control him while creating a "solid" royal line that's more than equal to the current one.

Lots of possibilities here.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer

USA
918 Posts

Posted - 10 Aug 2014 :  17:13:38  Show Profile Send Matt James a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Remind me sometime to give you a brief description of the Vilhon Mercenary Corps. They are official canon and I would love to see someone flesh it out. Great work, Jeremy!
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 11 Aug 2014 :  04:16:40  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Matt James

Remind me sometime to give you a brief description of the Vilhon Mercenary Corps. They are official canon and I would love to see someone flesh it out.
Happy to give it a shot.

PM me the info here, or at Pen and Paper under "Jeremy Grenemyer" (I just registered the other day).

quote:
Originally posted by Matt James

Great work, Jeremy!

Thank you.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore

USA
1853 Posts

Posted - 01 Sep 2014 :  17:08:06  Show Profile  Visit xaeyruudh's Homepage Send xaeyruudh a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer

That, and when it comes to individuals building their own websites dedicated to Realmslore, Xaeyruudh's Index is better than anything I think I could put together.


Just saw this. Thank you very much for the plug. Various other games and projects have kept me pretty well distracted since March but I'm back to D&D now so the "encyclowikiblog" should be getting some much-needed updates.

On the topic at hand, I'm enjoying your work in this thread too. Full of good ideas you are.
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 03 Sep 2014 :  08:35:31  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The Company of the Errant Gauntlet

A rollicking band of adventurers led by a pair of Cormyrean lordlings, the Company of the Errant Gauntlet is a well known adventuring band that was formed in the holding cells of a Purple Dragon garrison in Suzail by a pair of last-in-line-to-head-their-families nobles.

Lord Vorast Illance first met Lord Garlamond Anvilstone after Vorast was struck in the head by an errant gauntlet that was propelled aloft by unseen hands during an evening of merrymaking at the House of the Lynx[1], in Suzail.

Vorast determined that Garlamond was the likely culprit and gave him a solid thump on the head[2]. Garlamond objected to this invasion of his personal space and a healthy disagreement ensued. The two lordlings soon found themselves ensconced with their hangers on in adjoining cells at a conveniently placed Purple Dragon garrison located just around the corner from the Lynx, and after a nightlong conversation punctuated by wit, much insults and laughter, the two nobles agreed to join forces and make an interesting life together.

The Errant Gauntlet went on to make a name for themselves up and down Cormyr, their reputation owing as much to their capacity to get into trouble as their successful adventuring forays into the Stonelands[3] and the nearby Shaddan Hills.

The Gauntlets attract followers wherever they go and not a few priests of Tymora ride with them. The Gauntlets are said to be well equipped and never short of mounts or food, which has led some to claim the Gauntlets have spent more coins decking themselves out than they’ve ever recovered in all the dungeons and ruins they’ve explored. Their ranks swelled to the point they could match numbers with a small mercenary company, but time and travail whittled them back down to size.

The return of the Errant Gauntlet to Suzail was met with hurried preparation by the various establishments the Gauntlets favor[4], as the rumors heralding their eminent arrival claimed they’d made a successful foray into the Lands Under Shadow and returned with a nigh-ancient Illance family treasure--an occasion for which they planned to celebrate for a full tenday.

But a single day had yet to pass before the entire Company disappeared from Suzail. This was a surprise to many, but King Foril’s declaration the following morning that the Company were being hunted high and low by every last servant of the Crown stunned all. The bonfire of speculation was set to burning ever higher by the rumored disappearance of Lady Velyandra Illance and several of her sons in days that followed.[5]

What follows is the last known roster of the Gauntlets, as recorded by the lady bard Naranralee of Manyghosts, who spent an evening entertaining the Company in the shadow of Calantar’s Bridge, ere they road hard for Suzail the next morning[6]:

(All humans, unless otherwise stated.)
Lord Garlamond Anvilstone, Fighter 6
Lord Vorast Illance, Fighter 5
Lhornadan of Arabel, Cleric 3 of Tymora
Sember “the Laughing Lady” of Arabel, Cleric 3 of Tymora
Janesse Ironboots, Cleric 2 of Tymora
Orlagar “Ogreslayer” Tallowbold, Cleric 4 of Tempus
Semphra* “the Silent”, Thief 4
Nars Whitesail, Thief 4
Orm, Fighter 4
Dalatha of Wormtower, Fighter 3
Rasalra of the Many Daggers, half-elf Fighter 3

Malamper “Twice Drowned” of Swampgate, Fighter 2
Thurgal of Stagsteads, Fighter 2
Randelio, Fighter 2
Voruld, Fighter 2

Izntine* of Calimport, Fighter 2
Phelhele* of Calimport, Fighter 2
Brorn “the Young”, Fighter 1
Mythandra Jhansibur, Wizard 7

(*Most likely an alias.)[7]


[1] There is some debate amongst those whose claim to importance is the proper recollecting and remembering of the doings of the nobility as to which establishment the two nobles first met: some say it was in the Lady Murmurs Yes, while others swear on their lives it was the Blackflame Curtain. These debates are considered beneath the regular clientele of the House of the Lynx, where one could until recently find mounted on the wall in the main receiving room a fine wooden plaque overlaid with a sheet of copper, on which a brightly polished gauntlet was set. Engraved in fine letters beneath the gauntlet were words attributed to Vorast and Garlamond, “I can see the shape of my knuckles in the bruises on your face,” and “No man should ever travel without his codpiece.” Regulars of the Lynx believe the plaque was removed out of deference to King Foril, but as the owners of the Lynx swore first to agents of the Crown and later to the cloaked and hooded agents of one rich and powerful noble, the plaque was stolen.

[2] One may not move about inside the House of the Lynx without first surrendering one's weapons, thus the use of fists and handy pieces of armor by our intrepid nobles.

[3] Their adventures in and under the Ruins of Amazandar have become the stuff of legend, thanks to bards traveling Cormyr’s many roads (the Gauntlets always make an effort to befriend bards wherever they find them). Likewise their exploits in Arabel, where (according to the aforementioned bards) the Gauntlets have had much success in uncovering duplicitous merchant activity, revealing Sembian spies and countering the nefarious influences of outlander mages, and they enjoy a good warehouse fight.

[4] “To run the gauntlet” is a phrase often used by lads and ladies of the night hired out by the adventuring company whenever they return to Suzail.

[5] See the pair of entries for Eleint (September), and Marpenoth (October) in the Current Clack: Cormyr scroll.

[6] Declining heartfelt offers to join the Company as they departed. Naranralee was last seen riding with a long train of merchant wagons headed north on Calantar’s way.

[7] Lord Vorast Illance is the youngest of nine brothers and dearly loved by his mother Velyandra, who heaped attention on him and kept him from the worst that his elder brothers inflicted on each other as they jockeyed for the respect and admiration of their father.

Lord Garlamond Anvilstone is the youngest of four; his three brothers are all ten or more years older and he’s regarded as a “late blessing” to the family, if not exactly as an asset.

Semphra and Nars are locked in fierce competition with one another, each trying to outdo the other in tests of skill and daring.

The trio of Chancepriests are all natives of Arabel, each having lived and studied together at the Lady’s House and all in heartfelt agreement that good things come in threes.

Orm is a native of Arabel.

Randelio and Voruld are ex Purple Dragons.

The lady fighters Izntine and Phelhele both claim to hail from far away Calimport, but Vorast suspects that Phelhele comes from somewhere further inland in Calimshan and that Izntine is tasked with protecting her.

Mythandra is the only one of her five sisters not working in some capacity for the Crown of Cormyr.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 13 Apr 2015 05:58:13
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

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Posted - 04 Sep 2014 :  03:00:29  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think I'll be fitting Malamper "Twice Drowned" into a side-quest of one of my game sessions.

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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 04 Sep 2014 :  03:44:57  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage

I think I'll be fitting Malamper "Twice Drowned" into a side-quest of one of my game sessions.

Right on.

It’s funny how names pop into my head when I’m writing; normally it takes time for me to come up with what sounds like a good name, but after I’ve made up nine or ten names in a row the ideas really start to flow.

In this case I was looking at the map of Cormyr for a place where Malamper could hail from and my eye settled on Swampgate. No sooner did I see that name then the nickname “twice drowned” appeared in my mind, along with an image of him gagging and coughing on swap water as he dragged himself out of the muck in the wake of some mishap.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 04 Sep 2014 03:45:57
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 04 Sep 2014 :  09:24:02  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The Stormchasers

Twelve members in number, the Stormchasers are comprised exclusively of clerics, priests and lay followers of Talos.

The Stormchasers travel beneath, on and high above the Thunderpeaks and Stormhorns, seeking to unravel the Mystery of Perpetual Storm and to understand the nature of great power generated by the pair of mountain ranges that serve as the natural border for Cormyr on three sides.

To this end the Stormchasers work collectively to unleash the full fury of a storm by means of magic and prayer, and to slay the monstrous, giantish and humanoid denizens of the mountains[1] that draw on the power of the storm for their own ends.

Their enemies are endless, and the Stormchasers are almost certain to find their doom before they succeed in eliminating all who stand in their way.

Within the priesthood of Talos, Chasers After the Storm (less formally referred to as Chasers) live to experience storms in their full fury, absent any protection from lashing rains, the first cold bite of winter and the stinging pain of hail.

Amongst the Stormchasers there are two Chasers, four potential Chasers within the the ranks of the regular clerics, and the remainder are devout priests and lay followers[2] seeking to aid their brethren on their holy quest.

The Stormchasers are a chartered band of adventurers[3] and are peaceful enough when they come down from the mountains to gather supplies and find replacements in the civilized parts of Cormyr.

It's said that one or more of the Stormchasers possesses sorcerous power, and of these at least one has attained the mantle of Chaser. Within the wider circles of Talos' worship, some consider the acceptance of a non-clerical Chaser to be purely heretical behavior that, like all heresies, must be stamped out by whatever means necessary for the betterment of the faith.


[1] The Stormchasers collectively believe there is a lurking power in the Thunderpeaks that Cloud and Storm Giants once drew upon to power their floating castles and to create flying steeds of pure force, that the giants rode into combat against the true Dragons that once ranged far and wide in Faerun, but the giants squandered this power and were cast from the skies by Talos in retribution for their arrogance. In later times small handfuls of giants, the tribal shamans of the orcs and hobgoblins, and the drow of the Upperdark have all sought to harness this power, with some success.

[2] The priests and lay followers may be treated as 2nd-4th level Fighters.

[3] Note that Cormyr has struck agreements with several faiths down the centuries, not all of them goodly in nature. Thus Cormyr's rulers accept the presence of the followers of Talos, surmising correctly that the Stormchasers do their part to curtail the dangers present in the mountains, and in many ways act as a target of choice for the dangerous denizens in the Stormhorns and Thunderpeaks, which serves to draw monstrous attention away from Cormyr for a time. The Stormchasers would not have it any other way.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 20 Dec 2014 09:06:48
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Krafus
Learned Scribe

246 Posts

Posted - 01 Oct 2014 :  20:31:11  Show Profile  Visit Krafus's Homepage Send Krafus a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I've just read this thread. You have an amazing imagination - even with days of trying, I don't think I could come up with even one adventuring company whose background is as evocative and "Realms-y" as those you've created. However, I can't help but notice that the current roster of several of the companies you've listed thus far is missing - which I find sad because to me the roster is what gives me the best idea of a company's fighting potential.
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 02 Oct 2014 :  02:20:29  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Many thanks for the kind words, Krafus.

All credit to Ed Greenwood and those who've written and designed in the Realms; if you want to write good work, then read good work.

I've left some of the rosters blank to give DMs leeway to adjust the power level and tailor the adventurers to suit the needs of a campaign. Also to give readers doing their own Realms writing a chance to fill in the rosters. That, and coming up with names can be really hard to do.

EDIT: Sometimes it takes a couple of days to get one of these entries down, so you and I are not that far apart.

::::::::::::::

10/7/2014: doing edits.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 07 Nov 2014 05:41:24
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

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2717 Posts

Posted - 12 Oct 2014 :  07:40:29  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
The Laughing Dragons

A collection of elderly men and women that spends most of their days calling on each other in and around Mouth O' Gargoyles. The Laughing Dragons are some of the oldest active adventurers in Cormyr.

Most of the Dragons are retired Purple Dragons who've taken the Crown's gift of land and pension and chosen to reside in or near Mouth O' Gargoyles, on adjoining plots. Two of the Laughing Dragons are retired courtiers, one a noble from a nearly extinct oldblood House and the rest are residents of the Mouth. These last are members of the Harpers of Cormyr and the Dales, and each is a veteran spellcaster.

The Laughing Dragons take their name from the retired Purple Dragons in their ranks, who shared a habit of laughing and snickering at anything the least bit funny while on duty. These soldiers told jokes and bawdy stories to take the edge of the hard, sometimes grim job of wielding a sword in the name of the Crown, and to communicate their contempt for leaders unworthy of respect.

The other adventurers share this sense of humor, and nighttime finds the adventurers gathered around a warm fire, where they relate the events of the day, tell stories, sing songs and laugh. The adventurers set aside their mirth and when planning their next foray somewhere in the Forest Kingdom. In the past they have plundered old ruins in the Hullack, exterminated spies from the Lands Under Shadow, and crossed swords with treasonous nobles leading cabals planning to unseat the King.

The Laughing Dragons are no strangers to residents of the Mouth; the later speculate over the plans the Dragons are making and when news of their exploits will arrive from some far off corner of Cormyr. Most of this conjecture takes place at the Gargoyle's Perch, a brightly lit, sprawling edifice that serves fine food and sports enough rooms to take in every last traveler and merchant caravan looking for a place to rest along the Starwater Road.

Within the Perch can be found the five mages that make up the spellcasting arm of the Laughing Dragons. Each is a permanent resident of the inn and collectively they are responsible for maintaining the wards that beat back the magical curse that unleashes spellstorms whenever magic is used within the village[1]. So long as the wards stand no magical storm will occur within the contiguous walls of the Perch, and for this reason it has grown both in popularity and size within the last half-century.[2]

Outside of the Perch the remainder of the Dragons reside in or near the village. Of these the eight retired soldiers that make up the fighting arm of the Dragons muster each morning, first drilling with sword and shield, then divide up into groups to practice fighting in pairs and trios. The warriors are old and slow; they favor injuries sustained in battles from years past and none of them can be expected to move at more than a shuffle in armor. But as a team they are deadly, using their weakness to draw enemies in before the group slices and stabs their foes to death.

The pair of retired courtiers live together in an immaculate manor house not far from the cave that gives Mouth O' Gargoyles its name. They command a small staff and spend the daylight hours training servants that go on to serve in the households of wealthy merchants and nobles. What the courtiers bring to the Dragons is a mystery; residents of the Mouth assume they bribe officials for information, call in favors owed, and grease the palms of the authorities. This is not far from the truth.

The last member of the Dragons visits the manor house about once a month and rarely without company. She travels alone deep into the woods, avoiding the worst of the dangers left behind by the spellstorms as she hunts for sign of lost travelers.[3] Those that she finds before they are slain by the dangers of the wood or die by starvation or the elements she escorts to the manor house.[4]

The Laughing Dragons maintain an extensive network of contacts throughout Cormyr, and employ adventurers, investigators and hiremages to be their eyes and ears. Where less experienced (read: younger) adventurers rely on bold action and brash choices, the Dragons rely on careful planning, precise timing and teamwork.

A roster of the Laughing Dragons follows:
(Note that no member of the Dragons is less than 50 years of age. Most are around 60 and the eldest is 237 years old.)

Fighters --retired Purple Dragons all--
Lune "Blackhands" Ruldragon, Fighter 13
Markuld Amryntur, Fighter 13
Held, Fighter 12
Yelada "Jawcracker", Fighter 11
Bolyth, Fighter 10
Ransar Hawksoun, Fighter 10
Belphar of the Fog, Fighter 10
Shamril, Fighter 10

Rangers
Chalass "Ironcloak" Paertrover, Ranger 16


Mages
Malthar Bearslayer, Wizard 13
Vraele “Lady” Moonmantle, Wizard 10, Sorcerer 2
Aldrus “Daggerspells” Steelshorn, Sorcerer 11
Tanthira Turward, Wizard 11
Imphrara Bowhound, Wizard 10, Fighter 2

Thieves
Sturm “Razoreyes” Hunttower, Thief 11, Sorcerer 1
Prancelar “Lady of Graces” Feathercloak, Thief 12


[1] Speculation as to who established the magical wards over the Gargoyle's Perch is a topic of endless debate not just among the five mages of the Laughing Dragons, but the Wizards of War and free mages all throughout the Heartlands. These last are the most likely to seek (and try to steal) the collection of scrolls that the resident mages at the Perch are believed to consult once a month to renew the wards. What is known about the wards has been passed down by word of mouth: in the days following the death of the Dowager Dragon Queen (1390 DR), five mages robed in green arrived at the Perch. Each produced a scroll and placed it on a table the five shared, then they stood up, removed their hoods and proceeded to melt into blinding white light that flooded the floors, walls and ceiling of the Perch. One scroll was left open and its first words were, "To the One who taught us magic, our debt is paid." The contents of the scrolls have been kept secret for nearly a century.

[2] And if rumor holds true is hosts a dozen outlander mages plus as many poorly disguised War Wizards.

[3] Volo's revelation in his guidebook to Cormyr that for years residents of the Mouth have gone missing is only half the story: even before the magical curse fell upon the village, stragglers, foundlings and stray persons have made their way into the village, none of them knowing how they came to be in the woods and most with no memory of their lives before becoming lost. Whatever the cause, a mage learned to control this effect through the use of unwilling victims that could be swapped for specific abductees, thanks to the aid of gargoyles from ancient Illusk the mage discovered and freed from a three thousand year confinement in the depths below the King's Forest.

[4] Where they are given a new life as servants with no history or loyalties outside of their duty to their House. Crown mages have given up on unraveling the mystery of where these people come from and what causes them to appear in the King's Forest. Like so many other oddities in Cormyr, the Crown has found a way to manage this effect and find a use for it. About once a year someone will turn up with skills that can be applied in other ways.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).

Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 23 Aug 2015 06:09:58
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Cards77
Senior Scribe

USA
745 Posts

Posted - 14 Oct 2014 :  14:59:01  Show Profile Send Cards77 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer

Harbold’s Hellraisers



Vala Ravenmane CN Human Female Barbarian 7/Fighter 1

One of the youngest members of the Hellraisers, she was not content to sit by the hearths of the conservative Black Raven tribe. She was banished from the tribe for "indiscretions", though she won't say what. A versatile fighter (when not beserk), her skill in mounted combat earned her a place with the Hellraisers. Standing over 6 feet tall she is powerful and athletic, with piercing blue eyes and wild hair so black it appears blue/black in dim light. When needed, she fights with a reckless abandon rivaling many more powerful warriors. Most of the Hellraisers (both dwarf and human) have lusted after her at one time or another.

Lander "Skullcrusher" CN Human Male Barbarian 10

A giant among humans, standing over six and a half feet, his strength has become legendary. He is one of the last remaining members of the extinct Tribe of the Blue Bear, and earned his scars at the battle of Hellgate Keep. He earned his moniker by splattering the skulls of his enemies with his massive warhammer, said to be a battle trophy from Hellgate Keep. Grim and taciturn, he is a man of few words. Some say he was "touched" by the madness at Hellgate Keep, and those that have seen him fight say he kills with a cold, furious hatred that shakes even the most battle-hardened warriors.



Edited by - Cards77 on 25 Jul 2016 19:52:42
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader

USA
2717 Posts

Posted - 15 Oct 2014 :  06:35:10  Show Profile Send Jeremy Grenemyer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Looks good to me. Keep going.

NOTE: one pet peeve I do have: quoting an entire post--especially a big one--in a new post. Feel free to edit that quote down since we know what adventuring company you're working on.

Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver).
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