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Uzuul
Acolyte
5 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 20:18:41
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If one is to be made a Lord of Waterdeep, is there some kind of ceremony, and more importantly what king of information package is he given by the other Lords or the Open Lord?
Thank you
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Dhomal
Senior Scribe
USA
565 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 23:10:35
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Hello-
I don't know of any official information - but I will add my thoughts to this.
I would guess that there would be no ceremony. Since the general populace of Waterdeep thinks that there are only 16 (or is it 12?) Masked Lords - and we know from City of Splendors that they upped it to 20 - it stands to reason that there was no 'public' ceremony for the additional lords. There might be a swearing-in of the new lord so-to-speak - or possibly a Geas or such (though I doubt it). I rather imagine just a bunch of them getting together at Piergerion's place for a few drinks and simple conversation - kind of a 'get-to-know your new co-workers' kind of gathering.
That being said - I would have to say that there would be several meetings of a more official type that would bring new lords 'up-to-speed' on many of the currently important issues of the city. However - I doubt that there is a lengthy process of dredging up old issues - since they do not matter anymore. If a new Lord was to ask - I could see one of the more senior Lords filling them in - or in the case of an older issue somehow re-surfacing - I could see an initial gathering to discuss the problem - as well as one or more of the Lords who are 'in the know' of said re-surfacing issue being like a guest speaker at a convention - and giving a brief history of the situation.
On the other hand - not all information would be generally divulged to new Lords. We already know that some Lords keep secrets from some of the other Lords, or ever Piergeron himself. I can't remember specifically if it's Mirt or Durnan who is in charge of 'Force Grey' (*Do I recall that their name changed in City of Splendors....?*) whom he sends out to do things that will untimately help Waterdeep as a whole. Piergeron is unaware that they are commanded by one of the Lords - as sometimes their actions are a bit less Lawful than he would probably approve of.
I hope that that helps some!
Dhomal |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 23:18:24
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I don't believe that the elevation of a new Lord has ever been discussed outside of the novel Elfsong... In that novel, Khelben just started commenting on some of his fellow Lords, identifying them as such, before handing Danilo a Lord's Helm.
I would imagine that when someone is picked to be elevated, they are first discussed in great detail by the existing Lords. Once a consensus was reached, I'd expect the candidate to be subjected to all sorts of observation: scrying, being followed by mundane spies, setting up little scenarios to see how the candidate reacts...
If the person personally knows one of the Lords, I'd expect that Lord to be the one to approach the candidate. The Lord would feel them out, first, seeing if the candidate would be interested. Then the Lord would identify him/herself as a Lord, and offer the position. If the person accepts, then they get the Lord's magical goodies, and find out who their fellow Lords are, along with some of their haunts and meeting places.
If the candidate isn't personally known by any of the Lords (an unlikely scenario), then one of the Lord's agents would befriend the candidate and feel them out. If the candidate was deemed worthy, then they'd be summoned (in secret) to Piergeiron's Palace, where the Open Lord himself would offer them the position. Again, if they accept, then they get the goodies and the skinny on their co-Lords.
At least, that's my wholy unofficial take on it, based on a mixture of what feels likely and what little we've seen in print about the selection of new Lords. I'll ping Master Sages Boyd and Schend and see if they can offer more info.  |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 23:25:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Dhomal
On the other hand - not all information would be generally divulged to new Lords. We already know that some Lords keep secrets from some of the other Lords, or ever Piergeron himself. I can't remember specifically if it's Mirt or Durnan who is in charge of 'Force Grey' (*Do I recall that their name changed in City of Splendors....?*) whom he sends out to do things that will untimately help Waterdeep as a whole. Piergeron is unaware that they are commanded by one of the Lords - as sometimes their actions are a bit less Lawful than he would probably approve of.
You're thinking of Durnan's leadership of the Red Sashes. Force Grey (I prefer that name to the new one, the Grey Hands) is the official go-to group for the Lords. And, as I recall, Asper is a member of the group, and Ed has named her as a Lord. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2005 : 07:07:21
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I pinged Steven and Eric in their threads. Steven's reply:
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Friend Steven, in the Lords of Waterdeep thread, there's a question about the ascension of new Lords of Waterdeep. As someone who has written about this group, I thought I'd ask for your input.
Your answer pretty much covered it well enough, Wooly. Saw no need to stick my nose in it. 
If anything comes to me, I'll drop a line, but personal and quiet recruitment is one of the ways that the Lords have managed to keep their membership quiet and secret for the past decades. Remember that's how they had to build their initial 12 members during/after the fall of the Guildmasters....
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Dhomal
Senior Scribe
USA
565 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 04:36:34
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Hello-
Ah, yes - the Red Sashes - I knew there was a color involved in there somewhere!
But, aside from the name - I beleive the comment still holds - that at least One of the other Lords is unaware of their connection to themselves.
I would also agree - that I prefer 'Force Grey' over 'Grey Hands' - Any thoughts as to why the name changed? Anyhoo - not That important I suppose!
Dhomal |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 05:56:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Dhomal
I would also agree - that I prefer 'Force Grey' over 'Grey Hands' - Any thoughts as to why the name changed? Anyhoo - not That important I suppose!
Dhomal
I think they did that because "Force Grey" wasn't Realms-sounding enough. Some have also said it sounds like the name of a superhero group. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 06:19:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Dhomal
I would also agree - that I prefer 'Force Grey' over 'Grey Hands' - Any thoughts as to why the name changed? Anyhoo - not That important I suppose!
Dhomal
I think they did that because "Force Grey" wasn't Realms-sounding enough. Some have also said it sounds like the name of a superhero group.
Indeed.
I must admit, the name "Grey Hands" is starting to grow on me. I never really had a problem with "Force Grey" as a name in itself, but when PCs in my campaigns would first learn of the group they would, naturally, assume it was some kind of "do-gooder" organisation in the Realms.
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Edited by - The Sage on 06 Nov 2005 06:20:59 |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2066 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2005 : 00:18:35
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Force Grey was changed to Gray Hands because Force Grey doesn't sound "Realmsian" enough. Normally I'm a bugbear for consistency, but in this case I think the editors made the right call. "Gray Hands" sounds much more appropriate.
As for the elevation of new lords, I assume the manner in which Danilo was elevated is typical ... at least among the current generation of Lords. None of them seem to be very formal. In the absence of a contradiction, go with the only existing Realmslore ... in this case, Elfsong!
--Eric |
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2005 : 01:01:18
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Eric, Steven, thanks for the replies. I'm glad to see I wasn't too far off.  |
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Lords of Waterdeep
