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Riley37
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Apr 2015 : 09:38:08
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QftS round 1:
When and where was the earliest sighting of an owlbear?
What is the oldest known document in Faerun?
What is the earliest known use of writing in any form?
What is the number of tiefling residents in the city of Phlan, as of DR 1488?
What prominent residents of Phlan are tieflings?
When was the first time a tiefling set foot in Phlan?
Yes, you could make up answers; so could I. I am interested in answers based on substantial passages of previously-established lore. If the true answer is "nobody knows", then that's the answer I want.
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2015 : 10:23:58
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The book "Cormyr: A Novel" features owlbears in 6DR, while I think there is a reference to the Netherese archwizards creating weird and wonderful creatures such as owlbears centuries before.
What do you mean by "document"?
The dragons used runes (mostly for magic but likely also for communication) from about -30000DR. It's unclear what if any writing was used by the Creator Races like the sarrukh.
I'll let someone more versed in 4E and 5E sources answer your questions re Phlan and tieflings.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2015 : 16:41:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Riley37
What prominent residents of Phlan are tieflings?
When was the first time a tiefling set foot in Phlan?
Obvious tieflings? 
As to Phlan, it was founded (the first time) when - in 367 DR?
Gates in the place now known as Ravens Bluff already were there before Sarbreen was there. If any of the tiefling arrived through these or born of the visitors moved North to Moonsea - and they'd run in any convenient direction once elves began slaughtering them - it's anywhere from day one. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Riley37
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 17 Apr 2015 : 23:37:37
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Yes, obvious tieflings. Though now I'm curious about non-obvious tieflings. Are there some who lack horns and tail?
When and where did elves start slaughtering tieflings, or where should I go to learn more about that?
By document I mean... hm... let's say "a portable physical item, with writing on it". Could be on animal skin, or ceramic, or stone tablet, or other material. But hey, if there are non-portable items such as inscriptions on city gates, then I'm curious about the earliest ever example of those.
If you had a PC, and instead of the 5E table of Trinkets, your character's trinket was "you happen to own the first written document ever created in Faerun", then what would that look like?
Thanks! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2015 : 01:05:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Riley37
Yes, obvious tieflings. Though now I'm curious about non-obvious tieflings. Are there some who lack horns and tail?
When tieflings were first introduced, they were near-human, with a varied host of fiendish features. One might have scales and horns, but otherwise look normal. One might have fangs and claws, but otherwise look human. Another might look human until you get close and notice the slitted pupils of his eyes and the smell of brimstone.
All of the pre-4E planetouched (genasi, tieflings, etc) had varying appearances; most were near-human with only one or two "tells" that might be very minor or might be highly noticeable. It was 4E that chucked that out the window in favor of the one-size-fits-all common appearance for any of the planetouched races. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2384 Posts |
Posted - 18 Apr 2015 : 04:11:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Riley37
Though now I'm curious about non-obvious tieflings. Are there some who lack horns and tail?
I meant both magical disguises, and that some traits are easier to conceal with mundane means than others (thin tail vs. yellow eyes).
But yes. "Tiefling" is a generic term for visible fiendish ancestry, while even for one type of a fiend the results may vary - that's not an exact science.
E.g. Factol Rhys got sharp ears, goat legs and tail, but no horns, nor exotic coloration. Could pass for a fey creature, if she bothered to.
quote:
When and where did elves start slaughtering tieflings, or where should I go to learn more about that?
Specifically tieflings? In Siluvanede. 
I meant their attack on the gates at the place where later Ravens Bluff was founded, however.
Some "visitors" were just driven away, some attacked or took offense, so it was the whole spectrum from "shrugs and leaves, closing the door behind" and to "exploding gates and flying extra-crispy elven corpses".
...you don't suppose the Elves would treat tieflings born on Toril as locals? Right...
quote:
By document I mean... hm... let's say "a portable physical item, with writing on it". Could be on animal skin, or ceramic, or stone tablet, or other material.
No idea, but this does raise interesting questions about the Heralds.
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People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1150 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2015 : 01:06:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Riley37
What is the number of tiefling residents in the city of Phlan, as of DR 1488?
What prominent residents of Phlan are tieflings?
When was the first time a tiefling set foot in Phlan?
There has only ever been one tiefling documented as actually living in Phlan (the mention happened to come in an adventure set in 1488). He was not given a name but was noted as being a member of the Welcomers thieves guild.
I would say that tieflings definitely would have been encountered in Phlan by 1395 DR at the very latest. They could have been in the city as early as the Weeping War in 711 DR (when it was being rebuilt for the first time by Milsor the Valjevo) or potentially even earlier. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
Edited by - hashimashadoo on 19 Apr 2015 01:12:12 |
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Riley37
Acolyte
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2015 : 06:18:03
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Wow, hashimashadoo, much thanks and I am glad I found Candlekeep!
Can you please point me at the source re 1488? Is that in a DDEX, or a pay-to-own adventure, or something else published since WotC rolled out 5E?
I am DMing a group which includes a tielfling warlock, who has recently reached level 5. In 5E, at level 5, tieflings can cast Darkness once per day. I'm making up the tradition that there's a word in Infernal, which translates as "darkness bringer", which refers to a tielfling who has gained that ability. Also, that tieflings with that ability tend to view each other as the elite of their kind. Also, that the "dating pool" is rather small in Phlan, and that some well-to-do tielflings might invite him over, for dinner, to size him up as a potential husband of their daughter, and grandfather of their grandchildren.
I was pondering what professions tielflings might tend to pursue. I imagine them as having a much higher percentage of "adventurers" than humans do. A few professions in which tieflings might have an advantage:
- City watch night patrol; there's trust issues, but they have darkvision and they can take much greater risks when dealing with burning buildings, than humans can.
- Blacksmith. Getting burned is not as big a deal.
- Manager of a smelting facility or a steam bath house, for similar reasons.
- There's probably some profession which tends to work at night, which an exotic body type and a high CHA are an advantageous combination, but I can't quite say more specifically. |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1150 Posts |
Posted - 22 Apr 2015 : 14:35:41
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Yes, it was in a DDEX adventure, DDEX1-4 Dues for the Dead. When Phlan was at its most detailed (back in the days of 2e), the vast majority of tieflings were encountered in the Old Empires and Planescape products.
I imagine that had Darrin Drader's Mysteries of the Moonsea web enhancement ever been published, we would have had an official population count with race percentages. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
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Questions for the Sages
