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Daviot
Senior Scribe

USA
372 Posts

Posted - 17 Dec 2007 :  23:37:19  Show Profile  Visit Daviot's Homepage Send Daviot a Private Message  Reply with Quote
And not to pester you too much, Mr. Baker, but do you have a non-NDA estimate as to when(/where/how) Elminster returns to Faerūn after the events of the Shadowdale campaign book?

One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 18 Dec 2007 :  23:44:22  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Rich, the below part was quoted elsewhere, and I thought I'd ask about it.

quote:
I doubt it. I think that Mystra's death likely brings an end to most of the special abilities conferred by her on the Chosen.


I'm failing to understand the logic, here.

I don't recall Baneliches being negatively affected by Bane's death... Mystra's Chosen contain part of her essence, true, but it's an independent part. If they survived the Time of Troubles, I don't see that the death of another Mystra is going to seriously impact them.

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The Red Walker
Great Reader

USA
3563 Posts

Posted - 19 Dec 2007 :  00:25:27  Show Profile Send The Red Walker a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Rich, the below part was quoted elsewhere, and I thought I'd ask about it.

quote:
I doubt it. I think that Mystra's death likely brings an end to most of the special abilities conferred by her on the Chosen.


I'm failing to understand the logic, here.

I don't recall Baneliches being negatively affected by Bane's death... Mystra's Chosen contain part of her essence, true, but it's an independent part. If they survived the Time of Troubles, I don't see that the death of another Mystra is going to seriously impact them.



Thats how I had it figured out as well Wooly. I guess I will have to just cross my fingers.

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imis999
Acolyte

USA
30 Posts

Posted - 19 Dec 2007 :  03:05:19  Show Profile  Visit imis999's Homepage Send imis999 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
*as a joke*

Baneliches?? What's that?
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore

1419 Posts

Posted - 29 Jan 2008 :  21:23:35  Show Profile  Visit Charles Phipps's Homepage Send Charles Phipps a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey Richard;

1. As the lead guy, can you tell us (retroactively) whether King Gareth of Damara fell from Paladin status for the events in The Sellswords by R.A. Salvatore?

2. Will we find out what happened to major (but probably now defunct) Tyr/Helm organizations like the Knights of Samular or characters who depended on them like The Open lord of Waterdeep?

Or is this past information, more or less low priority due to the "fresh start" of the Time Skip?

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Lady Fellshot
Senior Scribe

USA
379 Posts

Posted - 30 Jan 2008 :  06:56:07  Show Profile  Visit Lady Fellshot's Homepage Send Lady Fellshot a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Mayhap this question has been asked and answered already, but when was Saelethil Dlardregeth alive? Forsaken House says something about him studying the magic of Aryvaandar firsthand. I don't need anything specific, just a circa date.

Thank you in advance ^.^
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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore

1419 Posts

Posted - 31 Jan 2008 :  11:28:40  Show Profile  Visit Charles Phipps's Homepage Send Charles Phipps a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey, Richard, do you think there's a place for Interloper deities at all in the Realms or would you rather replace them all with Realms specific gods?

(Oghma with Deneir or Finder, The Mulhorandi and Unther out, etc)

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tauster
Senior Scribe

Germany
399 Posts

Posted - 01 Feb 2008 :  10:07:19  Show Profile  Visit tauster's Homepage Send tauster a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hi Rich,

I'm right now reading Ed Gentry's "Neversfall" novel (which is great, but for my taste lacks a bit of "realms-feeling", at least in the first 150 pages) and just finished Bruce R. Cordell's excellent "Darkvision" and "Stardeep". The same here: great novels, but they don't really feel "realmsian".

Of course it has to do with the fact that all three stories play in the margins or border areas of the realms, some of which are thitherto not really explored (I suspect that Veldorn is even explored in detail for the first time in "Neversfall"). What I really like is that with these border areas getting explored by writers different from the "old guard" like Ed Greenwood, Steven Schend or Elaine Cunningham (to name just a few), these areas are portrayed as having a different style, a different tone, or "feel" than the areas that usually get all the attention (waterdeep, silver marshes, heartlands).

What confuses me (yep, NOW I come to the point of my question! *grin*) is that I read a statement from you (but I don't remember where exactly) that the 4E realms will concentrate back on the "most realmsian" areas - and when I read the ads for future novels (the Citadel series, for example) as well as the three novels I mentioned above, many of them concentrate on areas that will probably NOT see much attention in terms of gamebooks and adventures.

Do I get something wrong here? I mean, I love that these novels explore the realm's margins and I love that these lands actually feel different from the Dales or Cormyr or the Moonsea, but why going two oppositional strategies with novels and gamebooks?

Edited by - tauster on 01 Feb 2008 10:09:23
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Pierre-Luc
Acolyte

Canada
13 Posts

Posted - 01 Feb 2008 :  19:34:59  Show Profile Send Pierre-Luc a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Mr. Baker, I'd like to know if there's a Realms-equivalent of the Shadowfell ? Thank you in advance.
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Hawkins
Great Reader

USA
2131 Posts

Posted - 01 Feb 2008 :  20:37:04  Show Profile  Visit Hawkins's Homepage Send Hawkins a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Pierre-Luc

Mr. Baker, I'd like to know if there's a Realms-equivalent of the Shadowfell ? Thank you in advance.

In the WotC forums, Rich stated that the Realms will be adopting the Core cosmology, plus a few Realms-specific bits and pieces.

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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

129 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  19:58:04  Show Profile  Visit RichardBaker's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Oooh, guess I haven't checked back here in a while... sorry for the long delay.

I think of the Chosen's special abilities in relation to the Weave as something that either a) Mystra specifically grants when needed; or b) Chosen use the Weave itself to accomplish. In either case, the death of Mystra and end of the Weave would keep the Chosen from employing silver fire or some of those spell-like abilities again. You might say they no longer have "administrator" privileges on the use of arcane magic in the world. They've got to learn how to wield arcane magic sans the Weave, just like anybody else (although some are brilliant archmages and probably figure out workarounds pretty fast).

Something like a banelich doesn't continuously draw on Bane's power (as far as I know); once made, it's the way it is.


quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Rich, the below part was quoted elsewhere, and I thought I'd ask about it.

quote:
I doubt it. I think that Mystra's death likely brings an end to most of the special abilities conferred by her on the Chosen.


I'm failing to understand the logic, here.

I don't recall Baneliches being negatively affected by Bane's death... Mystra's Chosen contain part of her essence, true, but it's an independent part. If they survived the Time of Troubles, I don't see that the death of another Mystra is going to seriously impact them.


Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

129 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  20:02:53  Show Profile  Visit RichardBaker's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I'm really not "the lead guy" these days, and haven't been for several years now... especially as concerns something going on in our novel line, especially in a Salvatore book. I presume that Bob knows what he's doing, so you'd have to ask him about that.

As far as the Knights go, I don't think their fate is specifically addressed in the new FR Campaign Guide. I don't remember seeing anything about it. So for the moment it's a bit like Schroedinger's Cat; until we "open the box" by actually publishing something about it, all possibilities are equally likely.


quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps

Hey Richard;

1. As the lead guy, can you tell us (retroactively) whether King Gareth of Damara fell from Paladin status for the events in The Sellswords by R.A. Salvatore?

2. Will we find out what happened to major (but probably now defunct) Tyr/Helm organizations like the Knights of Samular or characters who depended on them like The Open lord of Waterdeep?

Or is this past information, more or less low priority due to the "fresh start" of the Time Skip?


Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

129 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  20:05:07  Show Profile  Visit RichardBaker's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Hi, Lady Fellshot --

I might have exaggerated with the "firsthand" remark. I sure thought of Saelethil as going back to the time of Siluvanede, probably not much older than Sarya herself.



quote:
Originally posted by Lady Fellshot

Mayhap this question has been asked and answered already, but when was Saelethil Dlardregeth alive? Forsaken House says something about him studying the magic of Aryvaandar firsthand. I don't need anything specific, just a circa date.

Thank you in advance ^.^


Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

129 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  20:10:36  Show Profile  Visit RichardBaker's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I really don't have anything against interloper gods in general, although I can understand why the information we've released so far might make it look that way. Oghma doesn't bother me... nor does Tyr, really. Certainly Tiamat is an "interloper deity" too, but we wouldn't mess with the Queen of Evil Dragons. And, for that matter, Corellon, Lolth, Moradin, etc., are interlopers in that they're not original and unique to Realms, but instead imported from other D&D sources. Their interloper-ness isn't that important to the setting, and they fit in the Realms just fine.


quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps

Hey, Richard, do you think there's a place for Interloper deities at all in the Realms or would you rather replace them all with Realms specific gods?

(Oghma with Deneir or Finder, The Mulhorandi and Unther out, etc)



Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

129 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  20:15:52  Show Profile  Visit RichardBaker's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Yes. What we used to call the Plane of Shadow, we now call the Shadowfell. I expect that mages in the Realms would probably still refer to it by the old name, and most things that used to be there you'd still find there post-Spellplague, but for the sake of consistency with the core game we'll just call it the Shadowfell in the Realms too.

(As it so happens, the depiction of the plane of Shadow in my novel "The Shadow Stone" is a pretty good preview for how the Shadowfell looks and feels... a bit of convergent evolution, nothing that was really my specific doing.)



quote:
Originally posted by Pierre-Luc

Mr. Baker, I'd like to know if there's a Realms-equivalent of the Shadowfell ? Thank you in advance.


Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  20:43:12  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by RichardBaker

Oooh, guess I haven't checked back here in a while... sorry for the long delay.

I think of the Chosen's special abilities in relation to the Weave as something that either a) Mystra specifically grants when needed; or b) Chosen use the Weave itself to accomplish. In either case, the death of Mystra and end of the Weave would keep the Chosen from employing silver fire or some of those spell-like abilities again. You might say they no longer have "administrator" privileges on the use of arcane magic in the world. They've got to learn how to wield arcane magic sans the Weave, just like anybody else (although some are brilliant archmages and probably figure out workarounds pretty fast).

Something like a banelich doesn't continuously draw on Bane's power (as far as I know); once made, it's the way it is.


quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Rich, the below part was quoted elsewhere, and I thought I'd ask about it.

quote:
I doubt it. I think that Mystra's death likely brings an end to most of the special abilities conferred by her on the Chosen.


I'm failing to understand the logic, here.

I don't recall Baneliches being negatively affected by Bane's death... Mystra's Chosen contain part of her essence, true, but it's an independent part. If they survived the Time of Troubles, I don't see that the death of another Mystra is going to seriously impact them.





Yeah, but here's the thing: The Chosen don't just have better access to the Weave -- they carry some of Mystra's divine essence. That's the source of their abilities. It should be noted that this divine essence even lets them do things like destroy dead magic areas.

We know that the Chosen have survived the death of the previous Mystra. And from baneliches, we know that the death of a deity does not affect entities carrying some of that deity's essence.

So basically, in canon, there is no reason to assume that the death of Mystra will have all that dramatic an impact on her Chosen. Since that appears to not be the case, here, I'm confused.

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crazedventurers
Master of Realmslore

United Kingdom
1073 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2008 :  21:26:41  Show Profile  Visit crazedventurers's Homepage Send crazedventurers a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by RichardBaker
I think of the Chosen's special abilities in relation to the Weave as something that either a) Mystra specifically grants when needed; or b) Chosen use the Weave itself to accomplish.


This is not how I recall it Rich.

Mystra grants her Chosen abilites and power, once granted she cannot take them back. It is theirs, it is part of them. She can give them other powers if she wishes to later. They can also voluntarily give up some of that power back to her, they cannot be forced by anyone or any God to do so. So they don't have or need 'administrator privileges' they have the power already. Else why would fallen Chosen (like Sammaster) still be extremely powerful and need to God to actually harm him?

Re the weave: if Elminster is immune to poison what has the Weave got anything to do with that? He is simply immune, his immunity is not being drawn from the Weave.

Your explanations don't seem to fit with previous lore about this?

Just wondering

Damian

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Edited by - crazedventurers on 04 Feb 2008 21:37:21
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chance87
Seeker

50 Posts

Posted - 09 Feb 2008 :  17:55:45  Show Profile Send chance87 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yes, I seem to recall that Mystra was unable to revoke Sammaster's abilities for the most part...I was thinking that he could no longer access the 'silver fire'. Think it's in Code of the Harpers, but it's buried :(

quote:
Originally posted by crazedventurers

This is not how I recall it Rich.

Mystra grants her Chosen abilites and power, once granted she cannot take them back. It is theirs, it is part of them. She can give them other powers if she wishes to later. They can also voluntarily give up some of that power back to her, they cannot be forced by anyone or any God to do so. So they don't have or need 'administrator privileges' they have the power already. Else why would fallen Chosen (like Sammaster) still be extremely powerful and need to God to actually harm him?

Re the weave: if Elminster is immune to poison what has the Weave got anything to do with that? He is simply immune, his immunity is not being drawn from the Weave.

Your explanations don't seem to fit with previous lore about this?

Just wondering

Damian

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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 09 Feb 2008 :  18:12:26  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by chance87

Yes, I seem to recall that Mystra was unable to revoke Sammaster's abilities for the most part...I was thinking that he could no longer access the 'silver fire'. Think it's in Code of the Harpers, but it's buried :(


She couldn't take back the power herself without destroying it. She had to rely on Azuth to actually do it. Ed once spoke on this, in reply to a question of mine:

quote:
Ed’s reply does indeed “imply that once a being becomes a Chosen, Mystra can't reclaim from that person her own essence.” You point out that “that's exactly what is described as having happened to Sammaster: thru Azuth, Mystra's essence was removed from Sammaster.”
EXACTLY. Sammaster’s silver fire was taken through the actions of Azuth, another deity.
Mystra can forcibly wrest her divine essence (the silver fire) directly from a mortal, but in doing so loses it forever, weakening herself (it does not ‘find its way back to her’ in the normal way, but is GONE). So she won’t do it.
That doesn’t stop Azuth, working with her, from doing it (she’d probably fight any other deity trying it on a mortal located on Toril, and win by using the Weave against them).


So it's not the Weave, it's divine essence that the Chosen have. And once they have it, it's theirs -- it would take a deity to remove it, and they'd need Mystra's blessing to do so.

BTW, Chance, you can download Cult of the Dragon for free; it's one of the many freebies on the Wizards downloads page.

(I don't get to post that link so much, any more... )

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Charles Phipps
Master of Realmslore

1419 Posts

Posted - 15 Feb 2008 :  17:10:17  Show Profile  Visit Charles Phipps's Homepage Send Charles Phipps a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey, Richard.

Will you be explaining what happened to the Triadic Knights?

My poor players and their long-lived player characters are curious how this group will go due to their membership.

Also, will there be any talk about how to "move player characters" up 100 years or will the default assumption be that everyone is expected to have made new characters?

My Blog: http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader

USA
7106 Posts

Posted - 15 Feb 2008 :  23:32:25  Show Profile  Visit Rinonalyrna Fathomlin's Homepage Send Rinonalyrna Fathomlin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Charles Phipps


Also, will there be any talk about how to "move player characters" up 100 years or will the default assumption be that everyone is expected to have made new characters?




I'm not Rich, but Brian James said somewhere that the FRCG will contain ideas on how to move characters into the future for the 4E Realms campaign.

"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."
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GS
Acolyte

14 Posts

Posted - 28 Feb 2008 :  18:18:33  Show Profile  Visit GS's Homepage Send GS a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hello Richard,

I just saw that your upcoming book The Swordmage will be a hardcover version. Good for you! You are a great writer, and product designer, and you deserve being published in hardcover. Also, I'm withholding any negative judgment until I have the new FR campaign setting in my hands. That being said, the Prismatic Mountains mentioned in the new sneak peak on the Wizards web-page seems a bit over the top. I have no problems with you guys moving the the setting into high fantasy (or something), but I beg you to refrain to add something spectacular just for the sake of it (much like the monsters and prestige classes in 3E). Otherwise, keep up the good work and I am looking forward to the first book.

One question: Is the book still scheduled for a May release or has it been moved? If it has, do you know when it will be released instead?
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IngoDjan
Learned Scribe

Brazil
146 Posts

Posted - 29 Feb 2008 :  01:02:12  Show Profile  Visit IngoDjan's Homepage Send IngoDjan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I“m already got my Last Mythal book and I“m reading right now!

Ingo Djan
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer

USA
1098 Posts

Posted - 29 Feb 2008 :  04:33:58  Show Profile  Visit Brian R. James's Homepage Send Brian R. James a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Reread Chapter 11 in the novel Shadowdale, GS. Nothing is ever added 'just for the sake of it'.
quote:
Originally posted by GS

That being said, the Prismatic Mountains mentioned in the new sneak peak on the Wizards web-page seems a bit over the top. I have no problems with you guys moving the the setting into high fantasy (or something), but I beg you to refrain to add something spectacular just for the sake of it

Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer

Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore

USA
1537 Posts

Posted - 29 Feb 2008 :  13:13:00  Show Profile  Visit Jamallo Kreen's Homepage Send Jamallo Kreen a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

quote:
Originally posted by RichardBaker


Yeah, but here's the thing: The Chosen don't just have better access to the Weave -- they carry some of Mystra's divine essence. That's the source of their abilities. It should be noted that this divine essence even lets them do things like destroy dead magic areas.

We know that the Chosen have survived the death of the previous Mystra. And from baneliches, we know that the death of a deity does not affect entities carrying some of that deity's essence.

So basically, in canon, there is no reason to assume that the death of Mystra will have all that dramatic an impact on her Chosen. Since that appears to not be the case, here, I'm confused.



Hasbro owns all of the canon, and it is aimed at us! Stop trying to think in terms of anything Ed Greenwood created. This new thing, slouching out of Bethlehem, bears no resemblance to Ed Greenwood's "Forgotten Realms," and Realmsian logic breaks down when trying to deal with it.




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RichardBaker
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

129 Posts

Posted - 04 Mar 2008 :  22:00:35  Show Profile  Visit RichardBaker's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Thanks, GS! Yes, Swordmage is still coming out in May.

Regarding the Prismatic Mountains, I think Brian's already addressed the question. It's a logical explanation for an otherwise very odd and hitherto unexplained event in Time of Troubles. However, we edited the article to un-mention the mountains until we decide we're sure we want them. So the Prismatic Mountains currently exist in the Schroedinger's Cat state of uncertainty, both there and not there until we look again...


quote:
Originally posted by GS

Hello Richard,

I just saw that your upcoming book The Swordmage will be a hardcover version. Good for you! You are a great writer, and product designer, and you deserve being published in hardcover. Also, I'm withholding any negative judgment until I have the new FR campaign setting in my hands. That being said, the Prismatic Mountains mentioned in the new sneak peak on the Wizards web-page seems a bit over the top. I have no problems with you guys moving the the setting into high fantasy (or something), but I beg you to refrain to add something spectacular just for the sake of it (much like the monsters and prestige classes in 3E). Otherwise, keep up the good work and I am looking forward to the first book.

One question: Is the book still scheduled for a May release or has it been moved? If it has, do you know when it will be released instead?


Rich Baker
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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ShadezofDis
Senior Scribe

402 Posts

Posted - 04 Mar 2008 :  23:39:44  Show Profile  Visit ShadezofDis's Homepage Send ShadezofDis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
So basically, in canon, there is no reason to assume that the death of Mystra will have all that dramatic an impact on her Chosen. Since that appears to not be the case, here, I'm confused.



Well, I can certainly see how Mystra's death would have great impact upon them. Perhaps not upon the divine essence (though I can certainly see how that could work) they carry, but upon them certainly.

Further, if the fate of the Chosen isn't set in stone yet it could just be that the divine essence acts as a sort of lightning rod for the Spellplague.

I'd also assume that some Chosen would have a bit of an easier time dealing with "Weaveless magic" since they're more familiar with raw magic (in spellfire form at least) than most other beings in FR.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36779 Posts

Posted - 05 Mar 2008 :  00:14:47  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ShadezofDis

quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
So basically, in canon, there is no reason to assume that the death of Mystra will have all that dramatic an impact on her Chosen. Since that appears to not be the case, here, I'm confused.



Well, I can certainly see how Mystra's death would have great impact upon them. Perhaps not upon the divine essence (though I can certainly see how that could work) they carry, but upon them certainly.

Further, if the fate of the Chosen isn't set in stone yet it could just be that the divine essence acts as a sort of lightning rod for the Spellplague.

I'd also assume that some Chosen would have a bit of an easier time dealing with "Weaveless magic" since they're more familiar with raw magic (in spellfire form at least) than most other beings in FR.



Well, yeah, I can see the impact of having lost their goddess -- but only on an emotional level. As I pointed out earlier, the Chosen survived the death of their deity once, with no ill effects, and we have evidence that in the Realms, divine essence carried by a mortal remains, no matter what happens to the source of that essence.

What I'm saying is, essentially, that there is no readily apparent reason that the Chosen shouldn't be around post-Sellplague.

And as for the lightning rod idea -- the same logic would apply to areas of very strong magic, like certain mythal-protected or heavily warded cities. And yet, it's already been stated that the Sellplague flowed around those areas. So even what's already been stated would imply that the Chosen would be left relatively untouched.

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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 05 Mar 2008 00:17:24
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ShadezofDis
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Posted - 05 Mar 2008 :  03:55:06  Show Profile  Visit ShadezofDis's Homepage Send ShadezofDis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Well, yeah, I can see the impact of having lost their goddess -- but only on an emotional level. As I pointed out earlier, the Chosen survived the death of their deity once, with no ill effects, and we have evidence that in the Realms, divine essence carried by a mortal remains, no matter what happens to the source of that essence.


Well, it's not like we've done double-blind studies or anything. I understand, and mostly agree, with what you are saying but I don't think we have a precedent of significant weight. For all we know this type of deific assassination could burn through all traces of Silver Fire in the Great Tree. (I don't find that likely, but it could easily be some type of corruption that poisons those with Silver Fire. Well, not easily, but about as easy as killing a Greater Goddess in her home.)

quote:
Originally posted by Wooly RupertWhat I'm saying is, essentially, that there is no readily apparent reason that the Chosen shouldn't be around post-Sellplague.


Well, I came up with the above off the top of my head. I mean, I don't see why Elminster would still be around but none of the others (at least a couple survivors) but I don't know much about the events surrounding Mystra's death. Nor of the events that happen immediately after.

quote:
Originally posted by Wooly RupertAnd as for the lightning rod idea -- the same logic would apply to areas of very strong magic, like certain mythal-protected or heavily warded cities. And yet, it's already been stated that the Sellplague flowed around those areas. So even what's already been stated would imply that the Chosen would be left relatively untouched.


I think there's a difference between holding the Silver Fire and a Mythal. I'm 99% sure but I don't know if there's some lore that states "Mythals have something to do with Silver Fire" I mean, it strains credibility, but it doesn't break it. Just think of it as a Divine Beltans Burning Blood(I hope I got that right), it's just that some of the blood is outside her "body".
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Wooly Rupert
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Posted - 05 Mar 2008 :  05:22:13  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ShadezofDis

quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Well, yeah, I can see the impact of having lost their goddess -- but only on an emotional level. As I pointed out earlier, the Chosen survived the death of their deity once, with no ill effects, and we have evidence that in the Realms, divine essence carried by a mortal remains, no matter what happens to the source of that essence.


Well, it's not like we've done double-blind studies or anything. I understand, and mostly agree, with what you are saying but I don't think we have a precedent of significant weight. For all we know this type of deific assassination could burn through all traces of Silver Fire in the Great Tree. (I don't find that likely, but it could easily be some type of corruption that poisons those with Silver Fire. Well, not easily, but about as easy as killing a Greater Goddess in her home.)


I think the death of Bane, and the fact that the baneliches weren't effected, is a good precedent, even if the death of Mystra 1.0 during the ToT isn't.

quote:
Originally posted by ShadezofDis

I think there's a difference between holding the Silver Fire and a Mythal. I'm 99% sure but I don't know if there's some lore that states "Mythals have something to do with Silver Fire" I mean, it strains credibility, but it doesn't break it. Just think of it as a Divine Beltans Burning Blood(I hope I got that right), it's just that some of the blood is outside her "body".



Oh, I'll agree that there is a difference betwixt silver fire and mythals. But both are, in a sense, serious concentrations of magic -- which wards away the Sellplague.

Seriously, the warding away is what strains credibility for me. We have worlds merging, gods lost to the Astral, planes shifting around, and a whole mess of other changes due to the Sellplague. Most of this stuff is far beyond what any deity could do. And yet, strong concentrations of mortal magic ward away the Sellplague...

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