The work contained on this page has been penned over time by the creator of the Forgotten Realms - Ed Greenwood, and kindly provided to us here at Candlekeep by The Hooded One on the Candlekeep Forum. The collection presented here is a digest version which has been collated by Scott Kujawa, presenting all Ed's responses and omitting other posters discussions which followed.

(Answers from Ed Greenwood)

Aug - Oct 2004

Ed's Christmas stuff is down and packed away, but the fact that it's taken him this long to get to it, this year, is an example of just how busy he is.

He's e-promised me he'll send me Realmslore soon to gnaw away at a few more of the, ahem, rather LARGE stack of accumulated scribes' queries.

In the meantime, here's a tidbit of Knights lore: Torm apparently has his own private banks in Westgate and Selgaunt. He created them by purchasing and renovating tallhouses (the tall, narrow downtown city residences that often have rental space on the ground floor for shops, and sometimes wealthy tenants living on the floors above, usually one per floor, if the owner doesn't dwell therein, or only keeps a single floor as a 'seldom seen' city residence). Torm kept a few 'hidden rooms' in the cellars for himself, complete with concealed entrances both on the interior stairs and in the exterior walls (well above street level) to this secret suite. He also built some false walls around the cesspool, in the reek and stink wherein most folk won't go poking around - - and one of these walls has a few unmortared stones that can be removed to reveal coin- and gem-caches.

Torm also maintains at least one suite in a Selgauntan tallhouse under another name, complete with extensive wardrobe and (hidden) documents, so he has 'another identity' in the city. His investments are busily making him (slowly but surely) VERY wealthy. He revealed this to the Knights once when we needed to take ship out of Selgaunt in rather a hurry and no one would take us: so Torm went around a dockside tavern and hired a crew, man by man, and then went and bought a caravel, on the spot, so we could sail away! :}

Lashan, the penance is for stealing something with such lack of subtlety that the thief's companions noticed and were upset: a punishment for sloppy style and for Torm breaking his agreements with his fellow Knights (the church of Mask is very big on worshippers keeping agreements they make, so as to mitigate against rulers "purging all thieves" and the like).

More from Ed soon,
THO

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On August 13, 2004 THO said: Hello again, all. Just a quick answer to some concerned scribes --- and dearest Alaundo, too.

Yes, Lord Bakra, Ed drinks cups and cups of regular (black) tea by day (full-boiled British, not hot-water-and-teabag American), and green tea with dinner/supper/evenfeast. No arcane rituals about writing, though. He does try to get away from radio, television, or interesting-lyric music, though, because it slows his writing because he starts listening and paying attention to the sound source. Also, music is DANGEROUS when writing fiction: the emotional reactions and 'colour' it engenders has a way of tricking the writer's mind into thinking they've got that same emotional feeling and richness down onto the page, when they really haven't (Ed knows this).

Wooly, of COURSE I'll not stop flirting. (Those bothered by explicit flirtation should just skip to the next paragraph right now, okay?) Why, all I'm wearing right now is handcuffs (ankle and wrist) and a wry smile, as I type this. Alaundo is right to warn you, but I hope he warns ME, too. Ummm, physically.

Alaundo, dearest?

Taelohn, I'd use the 3rd Edition version of El, myself. Elminster's memory is failing, but in specifics it comes and goes depending on what's happening to him. The "new" Mystra can't resupply missing memories during full-mind-contact the way the old one routinely did, whilst ahem, 'enjoying' El, but Azuth can and does do occasional "blow out the dust" retunings, and I see El's basic 'other' class skills as just that: so basic that they can't ever be really forgotten. So I'd restore his ability to use fighter, thief, and cleric (of Mystra) again. The latter is almost automatic, really, and El will lose dexterity and practise at manual-dexterity thief skills -- but never the sly swindles, tricks of booby-traps or learning answers, outthinking a foe or chosen victim and so on.

My musings for now. I hope Ed will be able to 'clock back in' before he departs for GenCon. He's still busily working away on projects to delight you all in future.

I remain, as ever, your delightfully obedient,
THO

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On August 15, 2004 THO said: Hello again, fellow scribes. fourthmensch, thy curiosity should be assuaged forthwith.

Wherefore: I can't speak for all of the Knights, of course.

Two of us spent some years involved in computers for our livelihoods, and so never missed a chance to play computer games. When it came to the various FR computer games, their reactions were often winces and grimaces at the altered Realmslore and the often crude game mechanics -- not that the games were particularly bad vis-a-vis the technology of their time, just that keyboard roleplaying (as opposed to, say, first-person shooters) was so limited and clunky compared to flesh-and-blood (BLOOD! ahahahaha [ahem]) roleplaying. Being as certain of us got VERY big bucks for a time as programmers, that sometimes meant rewriting code for the buggy beta games so they'd actually run properly, and "while under the hood," so to speak, augmenting them to be better games. (And before various scribes rush in to say such things were illegal: nope. Not in the countries where such work was performed.)

My own professional work has sometimes involved complex simulations (put in all the factors, then sit back and watch where the computer ends up): SIMCity is probably the closest commercial computer games comes to these.

I can say that when we Knights manage to gather in our handfuls and less-than-full-quorums, we often play the 'beer-n-pretzels' side-games that have always delighted us: Arkham Horror, Kingmaker, Empires of the Middle Ages, Mille Bornes, International Oilman, Illuminati, Awful Green Things From Outer Space, Diplomacy, and dozens more. As far as roleplaying goes, we've always played and enjoyed Call of Cthulhu and Metamorphosis Alpha, as well as non-Realms 1st edition AD&D settings run by others of us besides Ed. Yes, we prefer "good old Realms goodness" to everything else, and most of us regard d20 releases as interesting 'buy-and-read-for-design-goodies' things rather than game products we'll actually use in play. You can probably tell from the above list that we're "old gaming farts" by today's standards.

To put things in real-world perspective, someone up here in Canada once asked Ken Dryden, a famous goalie (now a politician), what the golden age of hockey was, and he gave a brilliant answer: "Whenever YOU were twelve." Add a handful of years to that, and you have the golden age of gaming, for most of us. Even game designers who KNOW that recent games are better 'game technology' than most older releases have the same golden nostalgia we all do -- because gaming is all about getting together and having fun with friends, and most of us only really have leisure time to do a lot of that in our teens.

Heh-heh. For an editor, I can sure get wordy in my replies here. fourthmensch, I guess you'll have to spank me.

THO

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August 15, 2004: Well met again, scribes. To Purple Dragon Knight, Ed makes this reply:

You're very welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying these. I wrote them more than a year ago, now, and (NDAs) have had to sit quiet as scribes discussed issues that I'd already answered; some of you may recall questions about Nimbral that I had to skate around rather than answer.

These two series (and the My Slice of Silverymoon web-article) are exactly the sort of Realmslore that I most enjoy doing: augmenting existing places and characters, and giving us "closer looks" at thus-far neglected locales. If the web team doesn't chop'n'change, there should be eight instalments on Nimbral when we're done.

I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to scribes for my silence of late. I'm caught in a wild logjam of writing projects (most of which must remain mysterious for now, I'm afraid) requiring hasty resolutions both before and after GenCon. Those of you on the Realms-list know that I've also been answering lore questions on Cormyr's navy, and I hope to see a lot of you at GenCon, both as friends and as audiences at the various panels and workshops (my Thursday morning writing workshop, BTW, has been moved from the Marriott to the Consulate Room on the fifth floor of the Embassy Suites, northeast of the Marriott). A few of you share some future Realms secrets with me already, and although the months between now and year-end look to be professionally VERY busy for me, I hope to get back to answering your questions often (and volubly). There are secret Realms projects ahead, too, of course.

Sorry, can't resist teasing. I'll go now, and leave you in the capable hands (ahem) of The Hooded One.

So saith Ed. Who's safely hundreds of miles away from my hands, I'll have you know. He just wrote a BEAUTIFUL Realms short story that I read whilst visiting a month ago, but its title and where and when you'll see it must remain deeply secret -- and he's becoming something of a behind-the-scenes guru to various publishers and Hollywood companies, too, by the sounds of the incoming phone calls. Thank goodness he has no interest in becoming a movie star: the necessary cosmetic surgery would be frightful.

Fare thee well for now, all!

THO

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August 15, 2004: Hello again, all. I'm pecking away at all the queries I can, here, avoiding those that need Ed's "full bore Realmslore" replies, okay?

So Gareth Yaztromo is the lucky scribe this time. As Ed has said before, Elminster and all of the Chosen can choose to appear however they'd like to appear (if not sustained and altered by the Weave, remember, most of them would be piles of dust by now!). So shifting Elminster's appearance is no big thing. However, I think if you check most of Ed's prose closely, he sticks with El's "hawklike" nose, and blue (going to blue-gray according to emotional state) eyes. Except for his youth (recounted in The Making Of A Mage) El always has a beard, long and deft fingers, prefers to wear robes, and so on.

Years ago, fantasy writer Lin Carter wrote that he preferred to give the eye and hair colour of heroes upon their first appearance, and thereafter refer only to their general physique (body shape, muscles rippling and hair flying as they did things, etc.) so every reader could form their own personal mental picture of the character, and be happiest.

The 'shared world' aspect of the Realms pins Ed down to far less freedom than this, of course, but I know from discussions we had at Ed's cottage years back (and let me tell you, ONLY at Ed's cottage would you find nude females sunbathing on a point with nude guys among them, everyone lying on their backs staring at the clouds above and discussing details of an imaginary fantasy world!) that Ed liked Lin Carter's idea.

Regarding Torm and Silk: many Realms fans have commented on this. Torm was around first, of course, and there's no real possibility that either Ed or David Eddings copied from each other, nor that Victor's roleplaying was informed by reading about Silk (the character was well established long before Victor was handed a copy of Pawn of Prophecy). I see Silk, with his royal blood and years of trained expertise, as being far more mature and urbane than Torm, though they both have the "ruling streak" of being impudent, irresponsible, irrepressible, and 'playing the game for fun' more than for personal gain. Torm is just as sarcastic as Silk, but younger and less mature than Silk, and cares far less for consequences, international diplomacy, and so on. The essential truth here is that Torm and Silk both represent an archetypal character (Till Eulenspiegel/[several variant spellings exist] and many fairy tale characters echo the same archetype) of the "Merry Thief." What I regret is that Realms fans haven't really seen enough yet of Rathan being Torm's foil, and the byplay between the two of them. (If Ed sets the Knights trilogy at the formation of the Knights and doesn't "jump ahead" in time much, you won't even see Torm and Rathan in most of those books, because they won't have joined the Knights yet.)

As for writing books about the individual characters: of course there's a possibility. I'm not sure if WotC wants to go in that directin -- but I suppose if the Knights trilogy is a HUGE hit...

This is of course what TSR should have done with Realms fiction back in, say, 1988 and 1989. Then Florin and Torm and Rathan and Jhessail and Mirt would all be as well-known as, say, Drizzt, and we'd all be looking at a richer Realms tapestry. (And Ed might be [shudder to think what he might try to do] writing Star Wars books!).

If you've just read the first El novel, Gareth, I envy you. What a treat you have ahead! El in Myth Drannor is a direct sequel to Making Of A Mage, then Temptation jumps ahead about five hundred years, Elminster in Hell (a very DIFFERENT novel than most straight-ahead-chronological fantasy novels, and to my mind the closest thing to serious literature Ed has thus far published -- so it's VERY good, but has disappointed many Realms readers who were expecting just one more "fun romp read") is very recent in the Realms timeline, and Elminster's Daughter (yes, a romp, and one of Ed's most satisfying Realms books) is current Realms time. Elminster does of course manage to worm his way into a lot of Ed's other books, too, notably Spellfire and the Shadows of the Avatar trilogy -- and no one should miss "Elminster At the MageFair" (in print right now in the Best of the Realms Volume 1 collection, and first published in the out-of-print Realms of Valor paperback).

Ed toyed with the idea of doing an entire Elminster side-novel once, covering El's youthful career as a thief in the city of Hastarl, but although some Realms book editors were enthusiastic, others didn't want to make space on the schedule for such a thing (at the time, TSR was VERY sensitive to right-wing-religious criticisms that D&D was a Satanic game that corrupted youth, and the LAST thing they wanted was a novel that showed thieves cavorting in a big city, with gang fights, heist techniques displayed before the reader's eyes, and so on).

But I blather overmuch again, as usual. So I'll pass on your desire that Ed keep up the good work to him, and we'll both see what gets published!

Ed

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August 16, 2004: Yes, 'tis me again, you can't stop me!

Lashan is the man this time, specifically his queries about Torm's temple punishments.

The Mask-clergy-ordered thefts were usually covert (and sometimes puzzling to Torm) redistributions of specific items, rather than "take any valuables" affairs. I would say that they were to increase the effectiveness and strength of the Church of Mask and its allies, and thereby augment the reputation of the Church AMONG THIEVES, but not necessarily to increase its public popularity or reputation. The thefts weren't always take from the rich and give to the poor, but they WERE often take from the powerful and oppressive (e.g. petty local rulers, guildmasters, and gang bosses) and give to the weak and disadvantaged. There may be nothing at all 'noble' about this, but rather that the clergy of Mask wanted to give said weak individuals more ability to fight back/stand up for something else/hamper the increase in power of those taken from (for some long-range, cryptic Church of Mask reason). Occasionally, yes, the thefts were from an enemy of the Church of Mask and to be given to an ally of the Church of Mask.

The Church of Tymora celebrates and values daring, the taking of chances -- and sometimes their penances would be to return items Torm had stolen TO THE EXACT SPOT he'd taken them from, braving all increased guardians and traps his first theft might have engendered. In most cases, however, it was to do a specific dangerous and daring task AND REFRAIN FROM stealing tempting valuables that the task would bring him into contact with. For instance, a particular Calishite satrap kept gemstones his buyers had acquired but his gemcutters hadn't yet valued and examined with an eye to remounting them in customized jewelry in a large but shallow stone bowl-depression or 'pit' in an inner room. Torm's task brought him to a landing in that pit full of gems, without telling him about it -- but he knew better than to scoop any gems, recognizing it as a temptation the Church of Tymora had led him into, and warned him (in general terms, of course) about. And that's it from me, this time.

Ed will of course be silent whilst attending GenCon, and I'll probably also be heard from very little in the next few weeks (I must attend a professional get-together that's a lot less fun than GenCon!). We'll both be back, never fear.

So ta-ta for now,
THO

P.S. Ah, Faraer: you ALWAYS get it right. Florin, yesss. You'll get to see Florin at the young-and-still-learning stage at the beginning of the first Knights novel, I believe.

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On August 16, 2004 THO said: Hello, all. Two quick answers: no, Blueblade, I'm afraid I can't make GenCon this year (although I have attended some GenCons, years back). Real-world work keeps me too busy just now, I'm afraid.

Bergan, Ed has three thus-far-unpublished short stories relating incidents at various MageFairs, but as far as I know there aren't any other "direct" descriptions in published Realmslore beyond Ed's Realms of Valor story, just passing references to MageFairs and events befalling at various MageFairs. I'll check with Ed when he gets back from GenCon, though, and get Ye Definitive Answer. In the meantime, can other scribes help, perhaps pointing out something I've missed?

THO

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August 28, 2004: Well met again, fellow scribes!

I apologize for my lengthy silence. Ed is finally back from GenCon but preoccupied with family matters, and so will remain e-quiet for a little longer, I'm afraid. He did want to pass on his thanks to Garen Thal for being such good company at GenCon, and to all of his "seen once a year friends" he managed to see once more. He THINKS Mary-Liz and Chris Perkins will both recover from spending time on panels with him.

Ed's also pleased that so many folks have enjoyed his Candlekeep intro (yes, this is the Big Surprise that's been mooted for some time now), and thinks Alaundo has done a VERY nice job of 'presenting' it. (And * I * think 'tis lovely, too!) So you're welcome, Alaundo, and thank YOU!

A few swift lore replies, now...

To The Blue Sorceress and Kajehase: many but by no means all Ilmatari practise celibacy. It's a matter of avoiding distractions over one's personal pain and suffering, not anything the church or the deity regard as "exalted." A technique rather than doctrine, if you will, but by no means frowned upon by the church. Like hair shirts, flagellation, stuffing undergarments with nettles, and so on: accepted means to the greater goal. Marriage isn't prohibited, and there are numerous instances of committed partners serving together in the priesthood or in lay worship, dealing loving pain to each other (S&M devotees take note).

Moonharp, it's not that Ed prefers external conflicts to internal: it's that most of his editors do. They want action fantasy, and Ed tends to stuff his books so full of subplots and supporting character and lore/ 'colour' that there's little room for internal strife. However, check out ELMINSTER IN HELL for perhaps the ultimate in internal conflict.

kuje31, your editing is correct: "day" should indeed be "dagger" in THE SILENT HOUSE passage you mention. And yes, Ed gave no eulogy at GenCon. My spies at the con (remember my profession, and yes, there ARE FBI agents at GenCon every year, unidentified amongst you bwoohahahahahem) tell me he outdid himself at his writing seminars and the FR seminar (reducing Chris Perkins to helpless laughter over a certain comment about "15 Manshoons showing up for the same hotel reservation") - and the AUDIENCE outdid themselves this year in filthily inventive suggestions for story elements for the 2004 Spin A Yarn (Mary-Elizabeth even offered to spank Ed, which should be a standing-room-only event NEXT year if she can be convinced to actually go through with it ). So kudos to all. I think.

Ed is also furiously busy with a secret project, just now, AND finishing his last charity short story and his tale for the next Diamond Throne anthology from Sue and Monte Cook at Malhavoc. So busy, in fact, that he's skipping Worldcon this year and so missing another chance to do a panel with his friend Terry Pratchett. Ah, well: he has to write all of these books SOMEtime.

Ed did mention that his meeting with Keith Baker (like his chat with the Salvatores) was all too brief, and he wants to at least take the new Worldmaster out for drinks at GenCon next year. He's well aware that some scribes may feel the perils of advancing age overcoming them as they wait and wait and, oh, yes, wait for their Realmslore requests to be answered, but he assures me that he's typing just as fast as he can.

Yours until Manshoon stops all that cloning around,
THO

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On September 1, 2004 THO said: Well met again, fellow scribes.

Lorelord George, you pose a superb question, probing as it does at the awkward aspects of power imbalances in play.

Herewith, my attempt at a reply: Dove's true status and identity wasn't known to any of us at first, of course, after Florin rescued her from cruel straits in which she was playing a part in order to learn some things from her captors (men similarly unaware of her true powers, name, and lineage).

Intrigued by the hero who'd rescued her, she did what any wary, experienced, hardly-daring-to-hope woman would do: she subtly tested him for months, to make sure he didn't have overly large feet of clay beneath his hero's boots.

It was some time thereafter, long after she dared to trust him and their romance had begun, that we learned her true status (she'd obviously come to some agreement with her sisters and El not to spill the beans to us). Dove dislikes using magic or calling on the Weave often, preferring to use her wits and her sword in most dealings, and this contributed to concealing her true nature for some time.

She made her inherent independence clear from the very beginning, hinting that she was much older than she looked "thanks to magic" (we assumed potions of longevity, of course), and revealing that she did much Harper work and other covert things for the good of the Dales and Cormyr and law-abiding, peace-loving folk everywhere - work that kept her busy off on her own for days and even months at a time.

Florin accepted that, so all of the rest of us did, too. Torm tried to follow and spy on her once, and ended up neatly stymied (she knew of his skulking, and with gentle amusement led him astray).

She seldom "went adventuring" with us, although on at least two occasions she showed up to save our butts when we ended up 'in over our heads.' Our assault on the altar-gates of Myth Drannor was one notable exception, and she also stood with us in one defense of Shadowdale against Zhent armies, hewing her way through most of a flanking force ON HER OWN. So, yes, Dove was largely absent ("busy elsewhere"), and with rare exceptions (such as Weave-healing PCs at the death's door), never called on her Chosen-super-powers. She and Storm of the Seven prefer not to use magic often in their daily lives (and she moreso than Storm). I might add that Ed is a masterful actor and has forged a roleplaying "style" for the Knights sessions that makes game rules almost superfluous and matters of power far less important than 'becoming' one's character and dealing with the Realms around in that manner. (The "football-quarterback" situation of planning party combats, for instance, almost never arises in our play sessions - so neither do discussions of "Can't Dove just do this, as a Chosen, and then we'll...")

I hope that helps to answer your question. I'm off on an assignment for a few days, now, so don't let my e-silence alarm you. The nature of my work means I'm not always free to just grab a handy Net access and surf, answer e-mails, and so on.

Blades high for now!

THO

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September 10, 2004: Hello to all scribes. Ed is still up to the end of his beard in family and other matters, but I managed to shift the longhaired cat who is the only fetching young lady on my naked lap (sorry, Karth) aside long enough to pound out a query to the Creator of the Realms, and managed to catch him late at night, as he arrived home and start wading through his e-mail (queries from Hollywood types into the "not bloody likely" folder; queries from game companies into the "groan, like I have TIME" folder; queries from editors into the "grovel quickly, ASAP" folder, and so on :} ).

He sent this reply:

Zandilar, the quick answer to your initial question is that every time I try to write anything non-standard regarding gender and characters who are "strong"/dominant or "weak"/submissive [strong females paired or interacting with weaker males, for example, such as Shandril and Narm] my editors have fits ("Doesn't fit our readership! Will hurt sales! Must fix at once!"). Such things "don't fit" the genre expectations.

In various ways, there's been a (usually friendly) tug-of-war between me and TSR/WotC/Hasbro over various details of the Realms since my first hints of the Realms were published in (what was then) "The Dragon" back in 1979. The "original" Realms, "my" Realms, was my own imaginary fantasy setting for fiction before D&D® ever existed, and then my own D&D campaign world for years before it became an "official" D&D® setting. It was purchased to be the official 'home' of the 2nd Edition D&D® game, and therefore by definition had to be, and still must be, 'all things to all people.'

In light of that prime philosophy and publishing need, it's foolish to upset some Realms fans by stating matters too baldly and being too definite when we (various Realms designers and authors) can HINT to our collective hearts' content -- and in doing so, leave DMs full leeway to run particular characters however best suits their principles and preferences.

In fact, it's ALWAYS better design work to hint ("Elminster says he's heard of many orc sightings in and about the ruins") rather than stating things too precisely ("There are six orcs and one hobgoblin in the ruins, and they'll be found waiting for PCs in the following rooms..."). Hence the very existence of unreliable narrators such as Elminster, and storytelling colour ("fluff" to some) over rules stats in most Realms writings. The Realms is people (characters) and THEIR STORIES, not stats -- and not merely their bedchamber preferences, either.

It should come as news to no one that many consumers, particularly in the United States, have religious and societal views that clash with in-thy-face lesbian, gay male, and bisexual lifestyles.

With that said, yes there are a LOT of "non-modern-real-world-American-mores-standard" relationships in the Realms. I don't make a big issue of it for several reasons.

First, offending some fans as referred to above. Secondly, TSR Code of Ethics/WotC and Hasbro Code of Conduct prohibitions (e.g. on sodomy, incest, etc.) and editorial censorship, which has (as some scribes have already noted) by and large been relaxing over the years, but has occasionally reached ridiculous heights. For example, I once had a fight with a DRAGON assistant editor over an article (which I refused to finish, under such conditions) wherein I wrote that many Arthurian tales describe Lancelot and Guinevere as "lovers," and was told that I couldn't use the word "lovers" or IN ANY WAY IMPLY extramarital sex (i.e. Arthur could be assumed to make love to his wife so long as I made no direct reference to it, but I couldn't even hint that someone else could). Sheesh. I directed the editor to the standard roster of Greek and Roman myths, legends, and fables for hardcore sexual hijinks, but she dismissed my point as irrelevant.

So what you correctly refer to as "dance around definitions," Zandilar, is how staffers at WotC have to operate, and merely good business sense (again, those who wish to read the obvious hints re. lifestyles can do so, and those offended by such matters don't get their noses rubbed in it so harshly that it ruins their enjoyment of the setting). simontrinity is correct in saying that I can go much farther in sexual matters (and, yes, innuendo, which I enjoy) these days than I could when I started writing Realms books. So the horizons ARE widening.

However, my great friend and Realms-champion Steven Schend has, as usual, already said it best in this thread: that we shouldn't be defining characters by their sexual preferences. There's far more to people than their jobs, or their hobbies, or how they like to dress, or how they engage in sexual behaviour.

I've actually written many gay (and far more bi- ) males and females into the Realms that NO ONE recognizes as such, purely because they DON'T adopt modern real-world sterotypical styles (such as so-called "butch" behaviour or effeminate "limp-wristed and lisping").

In "my" Realms, there's no general prejudice against love of same gender or love of both genders. There ARE individuals who hold such prejudices, and in general, members of nobility or royalty or any other group in which lineage and inheritance is important frown on deviance from whatever their locally accepted norm of pairing is, so that "the line can be maintained in a clear, can't-be-challenged manner."

I'm not sure if you'll see a clearly lesbian or gay male character in a novel soon, because the only way to give them that status "clearly" is to engage in protracted sex scenes, which are seldom okay with editors (a story would have to be constructed that would make such matters integral to the plotline and not "gratuitous," and although I can and have written colourful porn, it's not something WotC would welcome in the Realms line). Let's just see how far I can go in the Knights novels, shall we? :}

And yes, I regard your problem ("I personally would love to see characters in the Realms that I can personally relate to, and I keep coming up short.") as something that Realms fiction as a whole should address, for as wide a variety of Realms readers as we can collectively manage. So in design or creative terms, there is or should be a "place at the table" for, say, openly lesbian characters.

Bear in mind, however, that many Realms fans delight in pouncing on me for being a dirty-minded "pervert" (most of them, of course, not even understanding the meaning of that word) for merely showing casual nudity, kissing, caresses, and even footrubs in my fiction... things many Canadians (and, from my conversations with them, more than a few Americans) who went to summer camp in their teens accepted as normal in such settings. (And being as the Realms is "my" setting, *I* get to define what is 'normal' in the Realms; that's even in the original Realms agreement).

So let me turn this matter back to fellow scribes: how much overt sex would YOU like to read in, say, Ed Greenwood-penned Realms novels? Where's the "line of comfort" for you?

(I seriously want to read posted opinions here, without offending Alaundo or others by getting too explicit. Anyone who's attended any of the annual Spin A Yarn seminars at GenCon knows that although my own flirtations encourage Realms fans to delve into matters "blue," they're always VERY eager to do so. I encourage the racy stuff, but the audience provides it.)

On to polyamory (committed relationships): quite common in backlands Realms villages, often 'dressed up' in annual festival customs (such as Midsummer Night) to make the maximum number of people comfortable with it. In many farming and frontier areas of the Realms, "families" dwelling and working together may consist of several males and several females, not "one-man-one-woman." Again, don't expect this to be underscored in print in official products, because it points towards incest and the polygamous controversies current in some American states, and in general upsets some folks who might otherwise happily buy Realms products. Remember the editorial fits I caused just mentioning brothelsXXXX ahem, "festhalls." My view was that I was just reporting, a la National Geographic: 'The native women have long, floppy...' and the TSR editors disagreed violently. BTW, the very existence of all those brothels point to the number of men and women in the Realms who want casual sex, or who don't get what they want at home, or who don't want to wait until they get home. Sex IS alive and well in the Realms.

Please also always remember that the long-lived members of the Chosen are EXCEPTIONS to the rules: their very longevity and loss of sanity leads them to grasp at affection whenever they can, and to consider themselves so far beyond all notions of prudishness and propriety (they've outlived entire kingdoms full of social thou-shalt-nots, and been around long enough to see many priesthoods make major changes in doctrine) that they just don't care what others may think of them -- unless they need the support and aid of particular "others" at the moment.

So, yes, Alustriel does take pleasure in hosting orgies in which she physically enjoys both males and females, and lots of them enjoy each other, and lah dee dee dah dah. This does not make her a nymphomaniac, an empty-headed lust bunny, or deficient in any way. In fact, she's achieved more through seduction and founding firm friendships and making others long for another chance to dive into the comfort of one of Alustriel's large and well-filled baths than many rulers ever manage with dozens of treaties and scores of wars, skirmishes, and threats.

If you need validation, yes, Alustriel and Zelauma make love. Storm makes love with both guys and gals (the Harpers don't regard her as a 'den mother' for nothing :} ). Think of her as the comforting arms they run to, for advice and soothing companionship and understanding. However, she does as much listening and dispensing warm soup as she does riding and being ridden.

I hesitate to wander around identifying major NPCs as gay males or females, because someone else reading this may be far more comfortable in their use of the Realms if I never put such notions into their heads regarding particular characters.

So let me say just this much: most males in the Realms weep, hug, and even caress and kiss as much as real-world modern females do. How comfortable a given character is with doing such things with others of the same gender (or, for that matter, with persons of different races) varies widely -- but it's safe to say that given the opportunity, most characters have "tried everything" at least once, and between travelers outside their own communities (where such acts might well upset family members, especially if loss of virginity is involved), there's little or no stigma in such experimentation.

Please note the full implications of this: if your character in the Realms is part of an adventuring "party" and female or male characters in that party hop from bedroll to bedroll as nights on the trail pass, those bed-hoppers WILL NOT be generally viewed as "loose" or "perverted." Note that I said "generally." Couples in committed relationships whose partner goes off jumping the bones of others without prearrangement are going to feel just as hurt and betrayed as you might expect. Moreover, some characters will be uncomfortable with such behaviour, sometimes for religious reasons. Myself, I see this as best left to the roleplaying chemistry of individual gaming groups rather than shoved down anyone's throat by my or anyone else's Realms writings.

However, Zandilar, just between you and me (and of course everyone across the world with Net access who reads this :} ): I personally happen to be a guy who likes gals, but I'm quite comfortable kissing, hugging, and even caressing or comforting guys. Such activities don't happen to turn me on sexually. I'm a "toucher," and always have been: I hug and kiss a lot, perhaps more naturally than I shake hands (when greeting females formally, I was taught to kneel and kiss their hands). However, I know that such close contact gives a lot of people the creeps, and I have utterly no interest in upsetting people outside of a roleplaying session in which we're both acting: if someone goes red or jerks away from me, oops: MY bad. That's why I don't want to write too forcefully about such things.

But I hint like crazy. Steven not only expressed Khelben and Laeral's relationship perfectly, he directed you to some of his character writeups for a look-see, and I'll do the same: look back over my Realms writings (such as the NPC sections of the Volo's Guides) and the hints are there. Bushels of them, in fact. :}

Although overly aggressive butch lesbian behaviour and over-the-top prancing 'mincing' gay male behaviour both strike me as ridiculous, the relationships underlying them (including the physical sides of such relationships) do not. When the lesbians who happen to own the cottage four down from mine go out on their dock at dusk to make love, I don't yell angrily at them, ridicule them, or rudely watch them, but if I happen to be out on my point (which is high enough to overlook their dock), I'll smile and wave at first sight and then carry on as if they're not doing anything. This has led to them in turn casually accepting my distant presence: they usually make love, then plunge in for a dip that includes lots of splashing and laughter, and then they climb back out on the dock to dry off (if the night's too cold or mosquito-ridden for that, it's on with the towels and back inside). Either way, they usually wave and call "good night" as they go.

That's the same style and balance I'd like to strike in my Realms writings: casual acceptance of such matters for those interested in them, and a tacit agreement to overlook them for those who aren't.

With the ground prepared, so to speak, I can now tackle your query about strong female characters choosing older, fatter, hairier males. (And for readers waiting to denounce this as my personal sexual wish-fulfillment, I proffer three words: oh, grow up. I did, after all, establish these characters and relationships when I was a skinny, young, bespectacled nerd of a youngster who never thought he'd ever either get fat or grow a beard. Old, yes, I knew that would happen if I didn't get myself killed. But I digress. :} )

My point in depicting several "gals like old fat hairy males" relationships was deliberately to point out that these particular females chose what they wanted, and it wasn't "brainless handsome hunks" but rather men with wits and characters they could respect.

For example, in the case of Mirt and Asper, I wanted to show a Realms instance of something that happened many times in real-world past history: a young ward growing up to genuinely love her much older guardian (yes, I'm well aware that there were even more real-world instances of guardians forcing themselves on their wards, or marrying them over their objections). I've written a story that you'll probably never see (because it does include several explicit love scenes) wherein Mirt uncomfortably rebuffs his increasingly amorous 'little girl,' and succeeds only in driving the past-puberty-and-in-the-thrall-of-raging-hormones Asper to seduce him: she's taken her measure of a lot of men in Waterdeep, and decided the man who raised her is the best, and she'll have HIM, thank-you-very-much.

I, too, don't like gals to collapse into mush whenever Macho Hero Number 36 strides manfully onto the scene. However, I have written several scenes in which women who know quite well that their physical strength and personal social standing can't win them a clear victory over Mister Macho, and who have enough personal self-confidence not to have to be seen to "win" every moment, do the collapse act to manipulate Macho into doing what they wanted, WITHOUT a large and damaging conflict. MY pet-hate, never-want-to-write characters are STUPID females (except as passing villains who get what they deserve).

What sort of things would you like to know about Caladnei of Cormyr? I didn't create her, but have used her in my Realms of Shadow story and in Elminster's Daughter (the mind-meld sequences therein shared important highlights of her personal 'back story' with readers), and plan to reveal more of her in tales to come. To some extent, the Royal Magician of Cormyr must have some 'air of mystery' to be effective, and Caladnei is very much 'learning on the job' and growing and changing in doing so. (And if it's hints of lesbianism you're looking for, take a good look at Caladnei and Alusair in that Realms of Shadow story.)

I'm not sure how soon Laeral of Loudwater will reappear in print. It depends on a lot of not-yet-settled projects, but is unlikely to be less than three years or so. You may in a year or so see a rather powerful story concerning Alusair and her sexuality. Or may not; again, we'll have to see.

Regarding slash: although I'm well aware that in this age of instant Net publishing examples of slash writing can be distressing to some authors, I personally have no trouble with it, so long as it's always made clear it's not the work of the original author. Satire defenses aside, I also fully understand when someone is upset by a depiction of his or her character and tries to vigorously defend the original by legally punishing the writer of the slash, or getting the slash removed from circulation, and so on.

However, I regard all fannish writing as something humans DO. Have always done. In the same way that children play with dolls, readers play with characters they develop an affection (or love-hate) for. I have read some wonderfully affectionate fan writings about the Realms, and some vicious and hilarious slash about Realms characters. (The one in which Elminster was magically cursed to continuously grow breasts and vaginas that roamed around the surface of his body, whilst he exuded an aroma that made all humans and elves [especially drow, OF COURSE] around him mad with lust for him, had me rolling on the floor whooping with laughter. I just wish the writer had been competent enough to go on to tell a good story after the few vivid scenes of debauchery. But I digress again. :} )

I hope I've answered your questions without overly offending anyone, Zandilar and other scribes. As you can probably tell, I'm not shy about discussing such topics, and I'm sure Alaundo and Tethtoril will step in if they think matters are getting (ahem) out of hand, so if you've follow-up questions, feel free. However, folks, please let's NOT get into an endless round of "So is Manshoon gay? Is Fzoul? Okay, how about Larloch?"

I would hope there are more things to talk about in the Realms than that.

So saith Ed.

Thy Hooded One will demurely add just this much to the words of the Master: Ed can parody the mincing male homosexual with devastating verve while DMing, and in our original Realms group (never shy about matters sexual) could, ahem, bring to colourful life orgies, the entry of the Knights into brothels or bedchambers, and so on. However, I've also seen him "turn off" this side of play completely when running sessions of younger gamers at GenCons: as he said, it's all about what your particular gaming groups want the Realms to be for them.

And in the interests of full disclosure: I'm happily heterosexual but have enjoyed several lesbian relationships of the "cozy longtime friends who enjoy occasional fun sex" variety. And I happily offer my shoulders, back, and feet to Ed to rub whenever he's within reach, because he's so good at it -- and DOESN'T expect it to lead to our leaping onto the gaming table together for wild sex in the next few minutes. (Though, if he ever offered...)

Love to all,
THO

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September 10, 2004: Hail-ho again, fellow scribes. Thy Hooded One, back in harness again, bringing the latest words of Ed, to whit:

Dargoth, all of the priesthoods have their official (doctrine) and individual (varying from priest to priest, but with most priests bolstering their personal views with "righteousness") on morals (including sexual matters), and (subtly) promote these regardless of local laws. However, most organized churches benefit from social stability and the rule of law, and so tend to more or less agree on such matters. Where they disagree, they tend to offset or counterbalance each other.

Some deities prefer specific races and genders among their priests, as you've noted, but only in a few cases do they favour 'their own' customary gender. Lolth has a no-males policy among her 'upper clergy,' but this is an exception, and I don't know of any "glass ceilings."

And yes, I'd not like to see 'politically correct' Realms novels that dictated character rosters or topics.

simontrinity, thanks for raising the Turmish reminder. This is another example of something not emphasized overmuch to avoid 'turning off' those who wouldn't find it inviting -- that as a result of not being dwelt upon, tends to get forgotten by the majority of Realms fans. And to both you and Capn Charlie: exactly, we should include the amount of sex appropriate to the story we're telling. The story arcs attempted thus far haven't required detailed descriptions of sexual acts, and that's unlikely to change.

Zandilar, you're welcome, and if it's fine with Alaundo to link to the page, it's certainly fine with me. Your mention of the Howard government's new law not recognizing homosexuals married in countries where same-sex marriages are legal is a prime example of "having one's cake and eating it, too." Such a law CAN'T be legal under the existing passport-recognition, diplomatic, and extradition treaties (both United Nations and Commonwealth) Australia has signed and remains party to. Oz can't demand, say, Canada recognize its passports and diplomatic immunities and the like while at the same time refusing to recognize any marriage that is legal in Canada. (The United States is currently trying to pull the same sort of thing: demanding captured war criminals face justice at the International Court of Justice, a.k.a. the "World Court," in the Hague but at the same time trying to argue that American citizens should be exempt from the jurisdiction of that same court.) However, such political machinations have always taken place, will continue to do so as the ages and cultures pass, and can be drawn on by Dungeon Masters for fascinating in-campaign intrigues that I find make for far richer play than open warfare.

And, yes, of course there are other ways to show female choice besides having strong gals pick old fat hairy males, and I've used many of them (unnoticed, it seems :} ). Some, such as the notorious female noble at the subterranean revel in Elminster's Daughter, choose by 'not choosing' (or rather, not confining themselves to one choice). I can see where the older male thing might seem a touch chauvinistic in intent, but in both the seduction-of-Mirt story and the initial tryst involving Vangey in Elminster's Daughter, the older male is portrayed as being astonished-to-disbelieving, reluctant, flattered, and shyly tentative at the advances of the female, never as making the advances himself, or "accepting his due," or "awaiting her inevitable coming to her senses by picking me."

Myrmeen Lhal is in her late forties by now (darn those passing days; just can't stop them), though she doesn't look it, in two ways: she's always been ruggedly fit and blessed with "fine cheekbones" good looks that weather well; and she's always led a life of action and looked a trifle battered as a result -- so as the years pass, she hasn't visibly aged all that much.

I can see how Caladnei's sparring sequence in "When Shadows Come Seeking a Throne" might make her seem almost psionic; what I was striving for was Alusair using a real everyday weapon, and Caladnei trying to strengthen her own concentration and mental endurance by maintaining and animating a spell-spun parrying blade. And yes, she is supposed to be 'learning on the job,' a mage of less power in Art than many War Wizards, having to survive through wits and diplomacy rather than brute force-of-spells. Smack you, you say? Oh, no: I'm in enough trouble already! :}

I remember the titanic Oz book prices from my Australian tour (1992, I think), and they still make me wince. And here I thought Canadian (typically two-thirds higher to twice as high as American) book prices were steep! Sheesh; you folks are DEDICATED Realms fans.

I'd not have done what your DM did with either Alusair or Caladnei, but on the other hand both can call on heavy War Wizard aid (everpresent bodyguards, if you'd like), inherited "magic items of office" or of royal ownership, and a reputation throughout Cormyr (thanks to Azoun IV and Vangerdahast) of being able to do just about anything. In other words, if they don't blow it, both women can "fool a lot of the people for a lot of the time to come."

I quite see where characters like Laeral of Loudwater seem to pop up out of nowhere. I carry the ongoing tapestry of the Realms in my head, including literally scores of short stories you've never seen and may never see, some of them written literally decades ago. So Laeral didn't 'pop up out of nowhere' for me, but of course she seemed to, for you. I've several dozen characters I'd like to develop more fully, but the WotC reliance on "signature characters" and series about them makes this difficult. I have to repeatedly sneak people like Mirt and Glarasteer Rhauligan in, as supporting characters.

Thanks for your questions, as always. I regard those who share my love of the Realms as firm friends, even if we've never met. Be well, and may happiness find you often.

Ed

So saith The Man. I echo his sentiments, and will add a few more passing comments.

kuje31, Eric Boyd's your man to ask about Trenahes. He did all the lore work for the CD, compiling scores of 'map tags' out of pure love of the Realms. The place isn't familiar to me from Ed running the original Realms campaign, and we traversed the trails betwixt Shadowdale and Mistledale more than a dozen times that I can remember, without seeing much more than a few abandoned-under-elven-encouragement woodcutters' glades.

Bruce, I'm fine, thanks -- and hello right back! I'm sure Karth and Wooly will be happy to know that I'm as bare as usual, curled up in front of my keyboard with a mug of warm green tea and a tankard of cold mint lemonade within easy reach, taking alternate sips and happily remembering adventuresome moments in the Realms. Wooly still has hold of the other end of my leash, as I recall, but I'm afraid I was just kidding about the piercings. The near end of said leash ends in clamps, yes, but piercings, no. Which is probably more than enough teasing detail for some scribes.

Vanguard, a few pages back (48, to be precise), you asked about the advancement of science in the Realms. I've discussed this informally with Ed, and here's a sort of general reply: science is quite advanced, but aside from ongoing Lantanna 'tinkering engineering,' which tends to be quite organized (via the Church of Gond, ideas are shared, or rather, one inventor of Lantan often gets a chance to examine the work of another), almost all scientific knowledge is held by individuals, or passed on verbally as 'folklore' and inevitably distorted in the process. In other words, sages write incomplete, opinionated, and often quite skewed books, but aside from short, just-the-basics chapbooks sold in Waterdeep and by wagon-merchants and peddlers elsewhere, there are no generally-available 'textbooks' or commonly-accepted body of knowledge. This keeps the 'advance' of science at a slow, unpredictable pace: the wild acceleration seen in our real world through improvements in communications hasn't happened and shows no signs of happening. Temple libraries, of course, from Candlekeep to the private collections of priests of other deities who just "have to know the Inner Truths and Great Secrets," help to preserve knowledge (and misinformation, too), but there's no way to access most of it except by busting in and stealing the books. Now THAT would make for a fascinating campaign.

But this post grows lengthy, and I do have real-world work to do, so I'll sign off for now. I feel a tugging that means Wooly might be getting closer...

Love to all,
THO

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September 11, 2004: I bring you a hello from Ed, and an 'official' reply:

Its first scene takes place on 16 Flamerule in 1356 (the Year of the Worm), but the main action in Spellfire begins on Mirtul 6 of 1357 (the Year of the Prince), and ends on 10 Flamerule of that year. Crown of Fire ends in the early hours of 22 Flamerule, 1357.

Hand of Fire overlaps Crown slightly, beginning on the night of 21 Flamerule, and its main action continues through the night of 27 Flamerule, though the Epilogue runs up to the night of 1 Eleint, 1357.

And there you have it. Firm dates for the saga.

Your servant in Realmslore,
THO

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September 14, 2004: Well met again, Bruce. I bring you these words from Ed:

Once an Avowed, always an Avowed (unless all of the senior monks [or if you are the black sheep, all except you] cast you out, which has normally only been done for book thieves, book destroyers, and individuals who 'got in' disguised in order to change writings, hide writings, or do harm to fellow 'Learned'). In other words, mere absence from Candlekeep has no effect at all on one's status. It should be noted, however, that under NO circumstances can off-site monks get writings from Candlekeep sent to them. Letters from fellow monks containing requested information, yes; original tomes or copies of any spell or magical lore, no.

And there you have it, from The Loremaster himself. Who hopes to resurface soon.

THO

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September 17, 2004: Well met again, fellow scribes.

Beowulf, Wooly (and Wooly, regarding the leash, I promise to start convincing you in my own arch manner the moment time affords) is as right as usual: Lathander has a "soft h"

Karth, I'm glad you're suitably mollified. :}

Zandilar, Garen Thal did a very good job of answering you re. Cormyr. I bring you these words of Ed as a backup:

Garen is eloquently correct, as usual. Regarding the crown passing to royal sons versus daughters, the official rule is eldest progeny regardless of gender, but what has always happened in 'real life' in Cormyr is eldest progeny UNLESS other legitimate (no 'bastard') offspring are far more popular with other Obarskyrs and to a lesser extent powerful and influential nobles. (In truth, the support of the War Wizards, in particular the Royal Magician, play a large part in successions, because they can and have used magical means to make various Obarskyrs seem other than they are, or sickly, or untrustworthy (or even treasonous), or even to eliminate undesirable heirs... without, in almost all cases, the general public being aware that they're doing so.)

To tackle your specific questions in order, many folk (who don't own land in areas where land has a monetary value, such as cities, or who don't hold family titles, ranks, or wealth) in the Realms don't have surnames. Others have 'bestowed by the neighbours' surnames (e.g. Barakh the Smith, Ruldar of the Grove). A large number were ORIGINALLY chosen by mutual agreement between two persons getting married, but are 'set' by about four generations (i.e. everyone involved is used to them and proud of them, and would never think of changing or dropping them unless marrying into money or acquiring a title elsewhere).

As for folks marrying into other families, in some places (Tharsult, Altumbel, Priapurl, Glister, Rashemen, Sossal) they're matrilineal, in others (Cormyr, Sembia, Waterdeep, Amn, Tethyr) patrilineal, yet even in these places there are exceptions.

And many, many people in the Realms (particularly adventurers) take another name if they establish new lives elsewhere. So, yes, they ARE mutable. And to a large extent, yes, they only matter to nobility - - and both the formal and informal rules governing nobility vary from realm to realm (something I very much hope we can cover in depth in future Realms releases).

So there you have it!

More later, but I'll be e-silent this weekend (and so, of course, will Ed). Fare thee well, until next!

THO

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On September 22, 2004 THO said: Dearest Steven,

Ed and I send likewise back to you, copiously. Ed wants you to know he'll be at a gaming convention (Phantasm, in Peterborough, Ontario) this weekend, and so won't be available once again (and has a houseguest during the weekend and week after that, and family visiting the week after THAT), but is happy and busy (surprise), although he's running into increasing NDA problems when developing some of the long-awaited lore answers for scribes here at Candlekeep.

Thanks very much for the omlar reply, and here's a tidbit for all:

Filfaeril has some secrets from her past involving senior nobles of the realm, and Azoun has a daughter (not by her) among the ranks of the hitherto-in-print-faceless junior War Wizards. Food for thought, but be warned that I'll say no more (because Ed's told me no more, and with a grin tells me he won't, either).

Bright banners to all,
THO

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On September 23, 2004 THO said: Console yourselves with this thought: Ed of the Greenwood has a first draft of Book 2 of the Last Mythal Trilogy in his hands right now, so it WILL appear eventually. Smile at this addendum: although he of course won't tell me one word of what's in it and I won't ask (both of us like to pretend to be professionals for almost an hour a day), thus far: he's liking it. A lot.

THO

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September 24, 2004: A LONG time ago (mid-May, I believe, and around about page 32 or so of this compiled thread), Bookwyrm felt moved to interrupt my flirtation and ask about insects of the Realms. He later received a rather brief 'yes to this critter, no to that' answer, but I'd like to assure him and all scribes that the Overloaded Ed Never Sleeps, and has just coughed up this short tidbit:

I'm running into NDA troubles on Borch's Lathtarl's Lantern query and the Wizards' Reach background request from Métis, but I did manage to dredge up some 1972 (! Yes, before D&D!) notes of mine on insects of the Heartlands:

tarm [singular], tarmar [plural] = clouds of tiny dancing insects that can momentarily blind and choke on contact, but do no real damage (=midges, marsh swarms)

dyne ["DIE-nn;" singular and plural the same] = whining, stinging blood-drinking insects (= mosquitoes)

murst [singular and plural the same] a.k.a. 'tinydaggers' = small swarming flies that leave painful bites (=black flies)

skarn [singular and plural the same] = biting flies (=horse flies)

blackfist, blackfists = any large moth

also, ants are either called, yes, 'ants' or they're called 'thella' [plural: 'thellen' or 'thelcrawl']

termites are called 'woodgnaws' or 'aezel' ("AY-zel"), never 'termites'

So saith Ed, who is happily hard at work on the first Knights book, some more web columns, a short story I can't say anything more about just yet, and a big secret project ditto. Ah, I'm such a tease.

I guess, she added in a sultry whisper, you'll just have to... live with that.

THO

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On September 27, 2004 THO said: Ahh, Purple Dragon Knight, WELL done. Stan is still, all these years after his tragic death, one of Ed's favourite singers. (BTW, when Ed is warmed up, he can do a stunningly accurate imitation of Stan: Ed has the depth and range, but lacks Stan's bulk and therefore his breath.)

The Cormyte's Boast is, of course, Ed's parody of the famous British folksong "The Vicar of Bray" (or "Braye" if one prefers).

Are you familiar, perchance, with the 'official' parody of Barrett's Privateers? (This was done long ago, when Garnet was playing fiddle in Stan's band rather than the solo work he's doing now, and it's called "Garnet's Homemade Beer.")

Ed apparently arrived home very late last night, and I haven't hooked up with him yet, but I have e-heard from two gamers who attended the con, who say Ed not only did a stunning workshop and game session, but spent hours explaining the ropes to some guys who wanted to start their own game publishing company, and (at her invitation, of course) helped a young gamer ready her fantasy romance story for submission to Harlequin's Luna imprint. That's my Ed...

Sweet rest to thee all this night,
THO

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September 28, 2004: Hello, fellow scribes.

Athenon, you have the Lis correct. Let me quote from Ed's unpublished 'What Your Character Knows' notes:

Much blood has been spilled over control of the Lis, but the terrain itself has defeated any longterm control beyond the "as far as the point of my blade/reach of my spells extends" sort.

The term 'the Lisen Sands' refers to treacherous marine navigation and flooded areas, not broad beaches or desert area. You recall brackish water from the freshwater swamps (fed by local streams and springs) emptying into a broad, shallow, VERY silty saltwater river that generates lots of oxbows, side-channels, quicksand, dunes (that unlike 'desert dunes' change only by water action, not wind, as they're well-anchored with vegetation), standing dead 'drowned' trees, lots of choking vines and stunted wetland living trees (in short, large marshes with lots of ground cover for lurking outlaws and critters)... and everywhere insects, insects, clouds of stinging insects.

Through the heart of it all winds the broad, slow, mud-opaque-water Lis, sometimes impassable to deep-keeled ships, but never choked so much that water cannot pass from the Moonsea to the Dragonreach. Indeed, spring storms in particular (and fierce winds blowing up heading-south waves at all times of year) can generate 'Scourings' of the Lis that briefly give it depths of more than forty feet and a clear, straight channel. Usually, it's 12 to 15 feet deep (with a soft-chocolate-mud bottom that will allow solid objects to readily pass or sink through it for about another six feet or so), and permanently cloudy.

As far as the songs go, PDK, I've HEARD some British folk groups (Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention) do very good versions of it onstage, but I haven't found a good recorded version of it either. I believe this is because of its age (to put it in Canadian terms, it would be rather like Gordon Lightfoot recording "Alouette" or a prominent American folk group recording "Yankee Doodle Dandy"). Kinda... uncool.

And for the "Homemade Beer" parody, it's been played on the CBC radio network many times (as part of reflections on/remembrances of Stan's life), but of course never commercially released-like all the good (and usually legally actionable) folk parodies (although this was one that both Stan and Garnet were quite pleased about, and apparently often sang themselves).

Wooly and Faraer, I'm split on the timeline matter, and I know that Ed is too. While we both believe that there must be REAL change/ongoing events in the setting (that's its LIFE), there are two 'mitigating factors.' One is that we haven't yet had the chance to paint in some of the important 'gaps in the map,' and are being prevented from doing so by the need for new update products on 'the same old places.' The other is that most humans resist and dislike change, emotionally, except for that subset of changes they mentally label as 'exciting new ideas/opportunities for me and mine.' And insofar as this fantasy gaming we do should be more attractive and inviting than merely watching the nightly news and seeing the forcible changes wrought in the real world, we as DMs and designers want to control change so it doesn't mean "chaos chaos everywhere, and every character and place you love and respect is swept away - again!"

I know (from our own campaign) that Ed is reluctant to do an updated 'org chart' for the Zhents, for two reasons: he doesn't want to restrict other Realms designers and fiction writers, and more importantly, discovering the relationships/hierarchy/working communications between characters is something he believes can be 'half the fun' for our PCs, and something he also doesn't want to ruin. However, let me see how far I can er, bend him on this...

Beowulf, Ed has often been asked about how he feels about others taking the Realms in directions that might not please him. Let me quote one of his replies from several years back:

Yes, of course, it can be irritating, particularly when (example: the behaviour of most of the Shadowdale-based NPCs in the early Avatar books) characters seem to 'act out of character' to suit the current needs of an unfolding plot. Every inconsistency is a flaw, so if a writer ever deliberately changed things ("Let's make this male a female, let's change this character's race, let's just change the name of the deity or place," and BTW, all of those things have happened in Realms-writing), it would be the ultimate sin of disrespect to everyone else working creatively in the Realms. I also dislike names and features that echo our real world (or our past real-world history) too closely.

However, on balance, it's great. It means if I die tomorrow, there's a team of people who not only love the Realms, but are experienced professionals at guiding and describing the Realms, so that (unlike, say, Roger Zelazny's Amber) it shouldn't wobble one bit if a single creative individual departs the scene.

Moreover, the one thing 'my own Realms' could never do while I was its sole creator was: SURPRISE me. I always knew what was around the next bend in the trail, because I was the one who put it all there. And that's a great gift. The Realms is demonstrably richer and stronger because of other viewpoints: other creative imaginations at work, from Bob Salvatore and Elaine Cunningham to Jeff Grubb and Steven Schend. George Krashos, Eric Boyd, and a dozen others demonstrate a deep and abiding love of the Realms as fans almost daily with their behind-the-scenes lorework, and watching all of these good friends playing in the sandbox I built (and improving it as they go, into a sandbox mansion with hot tub and air conditioning and drinks fountains!) is a personal delight for me.

So although I may from time to time gripe about this or that detail of the published Realms or publishing decision that led to it, my gripes are those of a fiercely loving parent, not any sort of adversarial critic.

So saith Ed.

And there you have it for now.

love to all,
THO

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September 28, 2004: While I'm warmed up to do more 'tidying up Realmslore,' it's time to return to Proc's long-neglected request about the Watch (last addressed on page 34 of this thread, I believe ). Ed has provided these additional tidbits:

A covert salute from one Watch officer of any rank to another of any rank (used in exaggerated, not-trying-to-hide form by officers not certain of the rank of the unfamiliar person they're saluting): Put heel of horizontal right hand on one's own belt, then swing fingers together in a single 'tap' against the belt (as if patting one's own belly). If this is IMMEDIATELY followed by a move to scratch one's own left shoulder, it means, roughly, "Hi, there! I've got trouble, big trouble, and need you to stay and confer with me. Contrive to get close to me in some non-obvious manner, so we can talk."

A salute from a low-ranking Watch officer to one of a higher rank: bring one's swordarm from down alongside one's leg (with hand empty of weapon) sharply up and across the breast to slap one's own opposite shoulder with the flat of that sword-hand.

A salute from a high-ranking Watch officer to one of a lower rank: bring one's swordarm from down alongside one's leg smoothly up to the middle of one's chest, extending one's thumb to touch the middle of the chest whilst the hand and fingers are held together and outstretched (as if one was about to slap the shoulder, as in the other salute). This position should be held for a single inhalation or exhalation; to just jab with the thumb and end the salute is considered insulting.

(All three of these salutes are used as responses, when one has been saluted.)

When addressing officers of superior rank, the word "sir" is the all-purpose formal address. "Sorn" is an added term of respect, somewhere between "trusted" and "worthy" in meaning, and is applied thus: "Sorn sir."

"Sorn" is also used in the other direction (by higher ranks addressing lower), but instead of "sir," it's added (or not added, if the speaker is grumpy or disapproving or merely bored) to the word "trusty."

Moreover, in general (i.e. when speaking in barracks or the streets, not in front of a Lord or Palace official or at a nobles' revel), Watch officers tend to ignore rank formalities when their ranks are similar (for instance, the leader of a Watch patrol would think something was wrong, or he was being mocked, if the men of his own patrol started calling him "sir" or "sorn sir," and so would a senior commander, if officers one rank lower than him did the same thing. This is due in part to the practice, now almost universal in the Watch, of carefully being VERY formal and polite when you think your superior is making a mistake, or breaking the rules, or just being an ox-haunch (= making an ass of him/her -self): in other words, clearly indicating your disapproval by tone and excessive formality without actually saying a single word of disagreement.

It's important to note that the Watch places far more importance on diligent behaviour on duty, and springing to the aid of/thoughtfulness towards one's fellow Watch officers, than on matters of etiquette. There's little or no discipline (beyond a sharp comment) for missing a salute or stumbling over another officer's title; the Watch prides itself on being 'family' (albeit a gruff, ungentle 'slap-on-the-back, mock-one's-fellows' family) and not 'a bunch of sniff-nosed, post-headed warriors.'

Various Realms sources have described Watch patrols as using a variety of ranks, uniforms, and strengths, for the very good reason that the Watch is continually varying such things, experimenting with this and that and trying to manage two impossibly-conflicting aims: to SOMETIMES catch miscreants by surprising them with persons they don't identify as Watch officers, and to USUALLY reassure citizens and enable them to cry for ready aid by allowing them to readily identify Watch officers from afar, on sight, due to distinctive uniforms (and at night, distinctive lanterns and the like). What can be said with certainty is that all Watch patrols will be armed, and will have more than one 'Watch horn' among its officers (signal horns that officers can blow various [and slightly altered from time to time] patterns of calls with, to: summon aid; let others know that an alert or search is now ended/someone has been found; warn Watch away from a dangerous spot or delicate situation; call in magical assistance or healers... and so on). Inevitably Watch officers become experts in particular neighbourhoods, but the Watch has made an effort in recent years to rotate patrol duties, mixing 'area veterans' with men from other areas of the city, so every Watch officer at least knows the street layout (and places of treacherous footing or bad visibility or particular ambush danger) of the entire city.

Some Realms sources give the names of various Watch officers, usually of high rank, but here are two hardy, experienced Watch veterans (men of low and middling rank who're happy to remain so):

Burlagh Stementor: a fat, hairy man of great sagging jowls, breasts, and belly-folds, who grumbles, wheezes, farts, and growls almost constantly as he lurches along the streets. He can't climb any longer, but can run (and tackle) with astonishing speed, is a strong swimmer, and has arms and shoulders of prodigious strength (he can bend iron bars and gates open). Never forgets a face, and 'knows everyone' in Dock Ward and South Ward.

Heldrokh Murtim: a tall, thin, poker-faced man of nondescript looks and very dry humour (never known to laugh, and rarely known to smile), who remembers and recites legal statements, proclamations, contracts, and conversations PRECISELY. An expert in North Ward.

So saith Ed.

To this, I should add that Ed's short story in REALMS OF DRAGONS has some brief scenes involving Watch patrols, in the streets, under duress.

Ed has a houseguest this week and will probably remain rather e-silent, but Thy Hooded One remains on duty, as ever, to field Realmslore requests, juggle them uneasily for a few days, and whenever possible concoct answers from Ed's notes.

love to all,
THO

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On September 29, 2004 THO said: Hello, kuje31. Aluroon's request is somewhat thorny on the NDA front and on the design front. Here's my preliminary take:

1. How many Elven High Mages are left in the Realms?

A: I know Ed's NOT ever going to give a clear answer on this, because it restricts Realms designers, fiction writers, and DMs too much, and does so for no clear gain. A precise answer, unless one is looking for confirmation of extinction or a very small number, is useless. (How does 342 help more than 347?) If it's a preliminary query to: "Thanks for the total, okay, now please list them," I'm afraid THAT reply isn't going to happen, either. It's just bad design. On the other hand, giving a rough idea of the relative scarcity, collective power, and influence of High Mages.

2. And how are they spread out (how many in Evermeet, how many in Evereska, etc.)?

A: Yes, Ed can probably provide a (qualified) answer on this, and I'll get after him to do so.

3. Also if there are any plans in the works for books that would give us some High Mage info.

A: Yes. (And no, Ed can't say ANYTHING more: NDAs.)

So there you have it. For now.

love to all,
THO

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On September 30, 2004 THO said: FoolishOwl, I think you're right: Ed's world-view of living in balance with nature (brought about more by living in the city but having grandparents whom he visited, who lived on their own farms in the country, than by the movements of the Sixties, though I'm sure they both legitimized Ed's views, in his own mind, AND made them seem 'cool' to the very young man he then was) has heavily influenced what the Realms is and how it's been presented to the rest of us. For one thing, Ed can 'think like races other than human' better than any other DM I've ever met, and design the social life and domestic details of creatures (for example, the portrait of the yuan-ti he presented in Serpent Kingdoms) accordingly.

I know that as a player, I loved to view the Realms (from Shadowdale outwards) as one great living, breathing landscape, an approach Ed constantly encouraged by the word-pictures he painted, and the challenges and events he dropped into our laps. It's a great way to view real life, too: as a great, endlessly-unrolling tapestry, in which we all just get to briefly weave our own personal little threads... a tapestry that will just go rolling on after our thread has snapped and we are no more, but that which (if we weave with sufficient beauty and care) we might be able to influence the design of, in tiny ways, by inspiring or teaching other weavers.

Whew. Heavy stuff, and my eyes are suspiciously... bright. I think I'll go make some tea and bid all your fellow scribes adieu for another night. Ed e-mailed me to say that he's very tired but very happy, after a second day of enjoying the sights (this time of Prince Edward County).

Bright weavings, all,
THO

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October 1, 2004: Hello, fellow scribes.

Ed e-sent me his handout notes for his Worldbuilding workshop at Phantasm, with permission to share with you all. He stresses that this is just a framework for discussion/list of reminders of "elements and topics not to forget" rather than hard 'how to' data -- and that it's just one approach to crafting a setting.

Here follow Ed's words:

First, what do you AND YOUR PLAYERS (as DM, it's your job to entertain them, remember) want in play? How much acting, how much game-rules? Intrigue in a city, or exploring wilderness? Mainly fighting horrible monsters, or mainly fighting sinister NPCs? Lots of traps/no traps? Lots of magic/little or no magic?

Era: Medieval? Three Musketeers? Exploring the unknown in a fantasy equivalent of the time of Columbus? Gates to our modern world? What?

From these things, you can decide the tone of your setting.

Anything special about the landscape (wild magic, dead magic, mountains, desert, caves or deep woods or ravines or other difficult terrain teeming with monsters, etc., mountains as barriers, endless seas with islands so you spend all your time sailing except when you're fighting pirates or BEING a pirate, perhaps a central lake or sea for easy travel across the setting) that affects play.

If you're going to use a lot of published adventures (what we used to call "modules") what elements (kingdoms, particular monsters, specific priesthoods or types of faiths) do they incorporate/demand?

These are basics, but think about them and WRITE YOUR DECISIONS DOWN. Most people don't bother, and it shows.

From these basics, it's time to plan.

For every topic, decide what's common knowledge (what most inhabitants know) and then your DM secrets.

First, your 'heartland' setting or main country.

A quick overview of how most inhabitants live their lives (farmers? miners? fisherfolk? loggers? crafters? city or rural or frontier?) and the economy works, and laws and their enforcement, if any. What races live there? How do they regard each other (the cliché 'dwarves and elves hate each other, everybody hates the orcs' standard, or something else)?

Who rules? Who REALLY rules?

What's the general attitude towards adventurers? If you need healing, where do you go and how do you get it? Ditto, supplies. Do adventurers immediately get enemies (evil priests, outlaws watching them to pounce, heavy-law-enforcing nobles who don't want armed swaggerers in their lands)

Rival kingdoms? Establish ongoing and 'right now' CONFLICTS, both inside your 'heartland' country and between it and others. Trade and travel: routes, easy/hard, how done [wagons, dragonback flying, sailing on seas or rivers], does it allow smuggling, adventurers getting in and out of a country quickly, and so on.

Time to START drawing a map. Where's the treasure going to be? Why hasn't someone taken it years before your adventurers were born?

What are the favourite legends about treasures and monsters and adventurers and outlaws? Who are the people (rulers, nobles, high priests, whoever) that everyone "knows about" and gossips about, even if they've never seen them; who are the 'big wheels' in this world? Who are the power groups, especially hidden outlaw or rebel bands and secret societies?

Any local flavour you want to add (to make you and your players FEEL like your imaginary places are real) like strange names, customs, and so on?

When thinking about character deeds and misfortunes, don't forget to cover CONSEQUENCES (like diseases, disfigurements, reputation). This goes double for PCs and their ongoing relationships with clergy.

Which brings us to gods, priesthoods, and holy rules and rituals. Decisions must be made, because PC and NPC personal freedoms are determined by setting (climate, weather, monsters, terrain, need for food and water), rulership (laws and monarchs or equivalent), and faith (personal beliefs and how much priests or holy messengers or the gods themselves 'horn in' and dictate or threaten people into particular behaviours)

For the usual D&D setting, we start with 'where you go for healing and what'll it cost' and quickly progress into: major clergy, 'key' spells, creed (the rules characters must follow: do's and don'ts, attitudes to particular races, deeds, and events), the personal aims (and views) of priests, the ambitions of the powerful priests and the church as a whole, and so on.

So, we end up with:
o Country (climate, topography with dominant flora and fauna, industries, brief overview tour)
o People (racial makeup of populace, general attitudes, overall nature of everyday life [rural farming])
o Faiths
o Rulership
o Authority (the court and/or bureaucrats)
o Laws and Law Enforcement (plus armies, if any)
o Power Groups
o Powerful People: NPCs and groups (social status: nobles?)
o Locales (cities and other settlements, or in a city-based campaign, individual neighbourhoods)
o Flavour/Colour Stuff: coinage, customs (births, deaths, weddings), strange names, Cool Stuff like enchanted wells and shapechangers, and suchlike, legends, how do people dress, some notes on how news/rumor travels and how fast
o Intrigues that PCs are going to get mixed up in
o Adventures: what will the PCs start off wanting to go and see? Why? (Do they need cash? Respect? What are the goads?)... and what will you as DM end up running them through? How will this feed into future adventures and intrigues?

So saith Ed. Nothing new here, and lots missing, but hopefully a helpful summary.

love to all,
THO

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On October 2, 2004 THO said: Blueblade,

I'll relay your questions to Ed in the usual way. He's still entertaining, and so might take most of the day to reply, or even longer, but I can start to answer for him:

Question 1: When he gets going, Ed is one of the FASTEST writers I have ever met, heard of, or worked with. A throwback to the pulp writers who wrote a (much shorter than today's, but just as complex) book a week, or even two a week (e.g. John Creasey).

Question 2: I have asked Ed this very same question myself. He replied that although the Old Mage will have to put in an appearance from time to time, he emphatically does NOT intend these books to be dominated by El.
THO

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On October 3, 2004 THO said: LC modules?

Ed contributed the Vast to LC2, did the City of Ravens Bluff accessory, and wrote at least two of the LC modules handed out to RPGA members for tournament use (Ed is a Charter Life member of the RPGA, and at one time was empowered to write certs, like Wes Nicholson in Australia, but I've no idea what part he takes in current RPGA doings; the constant "computer crash and loss of all our points" was a source of ongoing hilarity amongst the 'original' Realms players, but I do recall Ed receiving a Grand Master ribbon at one point, and at another time seeing a GenCon tournament printout that listed him as a 9th level judge and 6th level player, and I also seem to remember him receiving a service medal). "Spellstorm" was the first of Ed's for-tournament-use modules, I believe, and "The Gauntlet of the Sisterhood" and "Thraldigar's Tower" may have been others. BTW, the RPGA version of Spellstorm, with all of his visual aids removed so as to strip it of its mystery-solving character, displeased him very much. Sigh.
THO

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October 3, 2004: Hail, fellow scribes. I bring you some words of Ed;

As my delightfully hooded lady commented, NDAs prevent me from revealing overmuch about Elven High Magic or its practitioners, but I can say that Evermeet holds AT LEAST 26 elven High Mages, and that the mainland holds more than that, widely scattered (and no, I'm not going to say more: that's where the NDAs come in. :})

And I echo THO's reply to your third question. "Yes," and no more. :}

None of the Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy novels are finished yet, but I don't want Elminster to feature prominently in them. He must 'be there' in several scenes, but this is the Knights' story, not his, and I hope to keep it that way.

And yes, I produce things at a great rate because I can write quickly, and because I'm still learning how to say "No." :} Seriously, I love to write, I live to write, and far more than many people, I've managed to arrange both myself and my life so I manage to do a lot of putting my bum on a chair and my fingers on a keyboard and actually writing, instead of just talking about it or planning to do it.

Falconfar is a "vaportome" trilogy at the moment, and may remain so for some time (some deals fell through). It seems some publishers (not WotC nor Tor Books; this series was offered to neither of them) are seizing on the current downturn in the publishing industry to try to roll back payment scales and contract conditions to the 1930s or so (claiming to be unable to afford to pay advances, and to only be able to pay royalty rates of a few percent MINUS all publishing costs; conditions that leave writers who accept them unable to even pay for enough food to survive the time it takes to type the works), and although I've been known to do gaming products 'for free' out of friendship and because of interest in participating in a particular setting or project, I won't let publishers who I know to already be fat and rich despite a history of crying the financial blues continue that act on my back. Not when I can concentrate on my first love, the Realms, and on projects over which I'll have a little more artistic control. No hard feelings towards them; they'll just have to find other suckers to write for them, that's all. :}

So saith Ed.

He did e-mention that he hopes to have a leetle more time for converse in the weeks ahead-but then, hope is a shining horse that many dreamers ride.

love to all,
THO

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On October 4, 2004 THO said: fourthmensch, Ed's 'What Your Character Knows' notes were furnished to each of the Knights with their character background. The Lisen details came from Lanseril's notes, because he spent some time in a hut very close to the west bank of the River Lis, being trained by a senior druid (and so knew all about the fauna, flora, and natural processes and cycles of the terrain right in front of him during his instruction). At a later time, we Knights journeyed to this area, and Ed agreed that Ian Hunter (who played Lanseril) could share this portion of his notes with the rest of us, to game-simulate Lanseril Snowmantle telling his fellow Knights what they were heading into.

So the Notes WERE encyclopaedic, but also had big gaps. I've seen the 'Player Pack' that Ed prepared for The Company of the Stag (one of his later library program groups: a chartered band of PC adventurers whose careers were fated to last for thirteen weekly four-hour play sessions), and it was some forty pages long, with an index. He gave the TSR designers a copy of it, as I recall.

Which reminds me of an idea discussed elsewhere: a party of PC adventurers who were ALL bastard offspring of Azoun IV. Ed did just this with a library PC group, although only the Cormaeril and the Thundersword sons knew their true parentage by the end of play. He's not sure just how suspicious the other players were as to the bloodlines of their characters, but said the whole thing made for fascinating roleplaying, "even better than I expected, despite a recurring player tendency to just say to the Nine Hells with it all and hack something, rather than wading into the intrigues and trying to worm out more truths."

Just one more spicy little slice of Realmslore.
THO

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On October 6, 2004 THO said: Hello, all.

simontrinity, Ed tells me he's just sent what he called "a rambling screed" on Cormyr off to the Realms-List (or rather, to Jeff Thetford, to post there) that will answer your question. So after it appears there, I'll repost it here (if that's okay with you, Alaundo; it's okay with Ed).

Melfius, Ed warns me that a lot of Halastran info is behind his NDA wall. Apprentices (beyond what's been dug up thus far by my able fellow scribes) in particular. So, what precise narrow-focus questions would you like answered? (The narrower the better, as it allows Ed to pick his way through the NDA minefield and answer all he can.)

Love to all,
THO

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October 7, 2004: Well met, fellow scribes. Here follows what Ed called his 'rambling screed' on Cormyr, with a few VERY minor amendments he's made since for clarity. I've not quoted the posts on the Realms-list that monitor Jeff Thetford asked him to respond to, because Ed's comments suggest very well what they were. (One poster, Jimbo Bean, has since made a brief comment there about Ed's misunderstanding of demihumans that puzzles me, but as yet neither Ed nor any other Realms-list member has responded to it. If it develops into something interesting, Realmslore-wise, I'm sure Ed will be asked for a response that may well find its way here.) Anyhoo, here are the words of Ed:

Before I weigh into this very interesting converse on Cormyr, let me say how delighted I still get, after all these years, when folks discuss my creation so passionately. It's an honour to listen in.

So please don't think I'm angry when someone posts something I disagree with, or slams this or that detail or concept of the Realms. I'm pleased that you all care enough about the Realms to form and argue opinions.

Some sort of updated coverage of Cormyr is needed, but when such a thing ultimately appears, its contents may well not match what I say hereafter. However, until then, my blatherings are, by the Realms agreement, canon by definition (I'm aware that some folks disagree with this, but, well, too bad: just as Tolkien was THE expert on Middle Earth and McCaffrey is the source for Pern, I'm the guy for the Realms, something that would be accepted without question if there were no Realms publications except my fiction writings and the Realms wasn't a shared world - - and something that's enshrined as part of the shared world agreement that brought you the published Realms, so like it or not, we're all stuck with it).

It may seem ridiculous to speak of what's "correct" and "not correct" about an imaginary land painted in colourfully imaginary details, but I'm going to try to do so. In fact, I'd better, because the sequence and scope of published Realms products thus far have, somehow, made it irritatingly difficult to convey the full 'feel' of Cormyr.

It may surprise some who read this to learn that I think the Charles Phipps interpretation of the Azuth/Elminster conversation at the beginning of Temptation is pretty close to accurate (with two important exceptions). The problem is the next step. Too many folks on this list aren't "thinking Realms" (considering how creatures of and in the Realms would think) when they view Realms events and situations. In this case: faith. The whole point of BELIEVING in gods (in Realms terms, passionately worshipping deities one knows to be real because they 'walk among us') is that both Azuth and Elminster would come to know this about Mystra and love and serve her ANYWAY.

This is where Charles gets it wrong (one of the exceptions I noted earlier, the other being the idea that Mystra doesn't love El): the notion that somehow Azuth and El both lack the 'dignity' to leave Mystra. Their faith IS their dignity. A modern real-world Western and essentially secular individual might have a hard time accepting this, but someone of Faerun wouldn't. This 'unable to see the Realms except through modern eyes' viewpoint governs or influences many of the posted comments on Cormyr, too. Before I wade into those, let me just briefly deal with the folly of equating 'Mystra as manipulator' with 'Mystra doesn't love her tools.' Of COURSE she does. Not only are they her champions, but in the case of Elminster, he's the link she desperately needs, and clings to, to retain some memory of her onetime mortality: her sense of self. To lose him is to lose her most important anchor (something even her successor realized - - hence the later Mystra's behaviour in ELMINSTER IN HELL). Azuth was her former mortal anchor, and his achievement of divinity changed him enough that she could no longer use him for that - - and discovered just how desperately she missed it.

Right, on to Cormyr (as I continue to ramble). And as usual, the chief focus of disputes are Azoun, Alusair, and the nobles. I hope to soon show you a little more of Alusair's character (including, yes, her sexual character) in a future Realms publication, and more of all of these matters in the Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy.

Charles is right again when he says that Azoun and Alusair are/were great rulers and "stomped on the nobility." However, I disagree with his use of "but" in front of "stomped," and his generalized use of "the nobility." As Jerry Davis correctly pointed out, the nobles aren't monolithic: they hold all sorts of different degrees of loyalty and personal like and dislike of the ruler and various Obarskyrs (and for that matter, each other). Inevitably, Realms publications are concerned with adventure and therefore strife, and tend to focus on treason and 'bad' nobles and disputes: by and large, you don't get to see all that much in print of the (vast majority of) 'boring' loyal, law-abiding nobles. Both Azoun and Alusair stomped on PARTICULAR nobles, usually for blatant treason or for defying the Crown in times when the realm was in crisis. If one looks back at the history of Cormyr, one can easily make the case for Azoun and his younger daughter being far more patient and gentle with ah, 'overly independent' nobles than many previous monarchs.

The nobles can't force any sort of Magna Carta for two reasons: they aren't a monolithic group (their own feuds and rivalries, between this noble house and that, are far stronger than their disagreements with the Crown), and the Court (the centralized bureaucracy, supported by the War Wizards) are running affairs in Cormyr in such a way that the nobles have no real beefs except what their personal greed and grudges engender: in other words, they don't have enough common, strong discontent to ever rise up and conspire all together. One poster views Cormyr's nobles as being on the verge of overthrowing the Obarskyrs because the "downsizing" of two noble families has brought home to them that their hereditary rights are threatened. A Sembian might well see things this way, and so think every second noble patriarch of Cormyr can be sweet-whispered into open rebellion, but that Sembian would be wrong.

All of the Mages Royal (Vangerdahast and his predecessors) have taken great pains to structure the laws of Cormyr, with full support from the heralds, to make it bluntly, explicitly clear that all nobles hold their lands and titles "at the favour of" the Crown. They have personal rights of treatment (the reason why Azoun exiled the noble relatives of actual traitors, instead of beheading them all - - which would have been wiser, for personal security reasons, and also the reason why he turned a blind eye to their hastily packing up and departing with almost all of their wealth and mobile goods, instead of sending Purple Dragons to seize it all at swordpoint), yes, but any monarch of Cormyr can disinherit them on a whim. (Kings of Cormyr have done it before Azoun; he wasn't breaking any new ground, or law for that matter, when he 'broke' the Bleths and the Cormaerils. There's also a tradition of some disinherited noble individuals winning back their personal standing by their demonstrated loyalty to the realm or the Crown.)

Of course, that's how the War Wizards gain the support of the nobles who'd otherwise hate and fear them enough to slay them at every covert chance they got: we, the War Wizards, are YOUR defense against an angry king, or a bad king, or just an Obarskyr who happens to hate your tripes.

"I like to give credit though and view if nothing else, Faerun is actually DIFFERENT in morality and not existing in a modern times world morality like so many other fantasy worlds." Now THIS poster has hit the nail on the proverbial head. Exactly. Judge the Realms by its own codes, not by our own modern real-world ones (precisely because so many folks here and elsewhere hold a wide variety of different views, and end up arguing over the Realms in part because they use words to mean different things, and start speaking from their own differing world-views). I fully admit that sometimes it's hard to glean from published Realmslore precisely what those morals are, in a particular place in the Realms, and OF COURSE every DM can cast aside such things to run their own campaign version of Waterdeep or the Dales or Cormyr differently, but the published "shared" version does express, in however confused and fragmented a manner, belief and ethics systems different than our own. (Trust me: I put most of them there.) It's a subtle layer that can readily be ignored by those who want their Realms more clear-cut and simple for their home games - - but should never be ignored by sages of Realmslore (including Realms authors and game designers).

The posted comment about Alusair having more "kingly" qualities than her father is an example of this. 'Kingly' by whose standards? Father and daughter were quite alike when young, aside from obvious differences in gender and temper (Azoun has more charm and can keep his cool a trifle longer, and Alusair is more short-tempered and impatient with honeyed words), but Azoun was tempered by Filfaeril's diplomacy and Vangerdahast's dealings, whereas Alusair (as many a child does) rebelled against them.

Azoun learned to win more battles with honey than with vinegar, whereas Alusair rejected all the petty, empty words of Court and noble etiquette (of the elder nobles of her father's generation) in favour of riding to hunt and fight and make love and rough-house with the young nobles of her age. She reveled in the opportunity to brawl in actual fistfights with her 'Blades,' and they reveled in their opportunities to not only bed the woman they came to regard as a friend and their rightful social and battlefield leader, but to shape her character - - and so shape the future of the realm to be 'better' than the velvet-tongued intrigues of their own parents (whom THEY were rebelling against).

For his part, Vangey approved, as did the senior War Wizards. Oh, Alusair and her Blades had to be watched carefully and constantly to make sure they didn't fall under the influences of the wrong people, but with that precaution met, they were a breath of fresh air thrusting the nobility of the realm (over the years to come) away from decadence and increasing 'unfitness' to more intelligently and energetically support order, prosperity, and good governance throughout the realm.

In short, the Blades represented a near-future nobility who (unlike their parents) wouldn't almost all be deterimental-to-commoners drones or veiled traitors (some of whom pursued intrigues as personal entertainment, caring nothing for the good of the realm but not caring much about the harm they might do to it, either). They'd be men who'd roughed it in the wilderlands, been wounded and rescued by their fellows, done messy and demeaning work with their hands and backs - - and so could 'walk the walk' rather than just talking about it. Interestingly (given the converse about Alusair possibly being barren), in my original Realmslore (never touched by TSR because of the Code of Conduct, of course), Vangey told Alusair just that when she started to 'run wild with the boys,' precisely because he didn't want any awkwardness among her partners over such thoughts as: "gee, I might get her pregnant and then the King will literally slay me, only SLOWLY" or "heh-heh: if I get her with child AND get her to love me, I'm damn near 'next king of Cormyr,' aren't I?" to arise. She could sweep such problems away at any time by admitting that she couldn't have children. (Vangey was, of course, applying magical contraception to Alusair from a very young age, without her knowing it. Later, she accepted it willingly - - but may well chafe from time to time over its necessity). Alusair does take commoners as lovers (she's no snob who only likes dashing young nobles), and prefers physically strong men, but Vangey and the other War Wizards (such as Laspeera) have been subtly steering her into building and maintaining her fellowship of Blades over the years. Not eschewing dalliances with commoners, but letting her see, sometimes through planted dream-visions, how important and glorious it could be to forge a fellowship with nobles with whom she could defend the realm in years to come.

The other half of the 'kingly' comment puzzles me. Azoun seems "like a Viking ruling over Agincourt"? Now, I PRESUME this doesn't mean a 'Northman raider conquering a bloody battlefield where French knights have fallen riding vainly into the volleys of arrows sent by English yeomen archers,' and that the poster really meant to say something like 'a brawling barbarian lording it over sophisticated, cultured nobles.'

If that's the case, I must take great issue with it. The poster seems to be rooting a perception of Azoun (as some sort of barbarian) in a modern-world moral judgement about Azoun's habit of bedding good-looking females who came within reach. Now, Azoun's appetites may have been legendary, but his BEHAVIOUR was nothing unusual for the nobles of Cormyr, many of whom, male and female, also behave like this. It's not to everyone's taste, and there are dignified and 'proper' ways of romancing and ways of flirtation and seduction that are seen as less than tasteful, but among the nobles, who have access to very reliable herbal contraception (and magical contraception, too, via the War Wizards), 'swinging' is not only tolerated but expected. What nobles have to guard against is unintended, unwanted offspring who will have a claim on the family titles and lands (i.e. children born out of wedlock as a result of dalliances with individuals from other noble families).

The royals are an exception: EVERY noble family wants more ties with the ruling Obarskyrs, because such exalt their position in the pecking order and their influence at Court. Moreover, except for those he'd made personal enemies of, Azoun IV was VERY popular among both commoners and nobles. He was a handsome, charismatic man, dashing at feasts and on the battlefield alike. He was seen as fair and just, and most importantly as understanding and CARING about every one of his subjects, high and low. He had the knack of getting gruff old men, scared young lads, and worn-ragged housewives alike to sit down and spill their innermost opinions and feelings to, without fearing royal rage or reprisals. He often helped the humble, and always dealt with the common folk fairly. Quite simply, the realm loved him.

Nobles older than Azoun IV sniffed and grumbled about him in the usual 'look down our noses at everything' manner, of course, and certain nobles - - those he'd exiled and dispossessed, in particular - - hated or disliked him. However, throughout his reign, Azoun had a handy focus for popular dislike: Vangerdahast.

The Royal Magician was the man most folk hated and feared, if they felt ill will towards the Crown at all. Azoun was very likable, so it was easy for folk to blame unpopular things he said and did on the influence (perhaps even mind-governing spells!) of Vangerdahast.

So it was almost a matter of pride among female nobles AND their male relations to have a touch or four of "Azoun's favour" among the family babies. Those who didn't want such things, and who had any inkling of the ahem, bestowal of his seed, could call on the contraceptive means available to all nobles (the same means Filfaeril, Tanalasta, Alusair, and Azoun himself could all call upon, given proper prior opportunities). Hence the lack of any "scare" about Azoun (or Alusair, if one suspected her claims to be 'barren' to be so much diplomatic piffle) bedding one's own favoured noble son or daughter.

The posted assumption about Chauntea's blessing making Tanalasta very likely to conceive at her first bedding by Rowen (low Cormyrean slang for this is 'ploughing' and nobles call it 'riding,' by the way, for fairly obvious reasons) is correct.

Though some 'oldblood' nobles may choose to sniff at the Obarskyrs as behaving like uncultured barbarians (which usually means a particular Obarskyr has made a decree or treaty, or consorted with someone, that the looking-down-their-own-nose noble disagrees with), no Cormyrean alive today (with the possible exception of some long-lived elves who keep low public profiles) truly believes the Obarskyrs are barbarians. Rather, the Obarskyrs ARE the Realm, its founders and its central bloodline. So Azoun IV (who gave his life fighting for all Cormyr, as the War Wizards - - a VERY effective bunch of propagandists, when it suits them -- were very careful to make clear to the entire kingdom, complete with hastily-composed ballads) is an admired hero, more like a revered rock star than any sort of 'barbarian.'

Note that I'm NOT saying he was perfect: Ben is quite right to remind us of that and of the legitimate grievances any 'good' character can end up having against a ruler; I'm speaking now of the public perception of Azoun IV.

In short, Azoun was very much NOT hated by every noble. Quite the reverse, in fact: he was gallant to the ladies, a good drinking buddy to some of the guys, a sympathetic ear to everyone, an admired war leader, and quietly loaned a lot of the "crusty old brigade" nobles funds or quietly forgave their debts in return for "the noble service" they'd rendered the realm. He was NOT an unsubtle bear of a man, nor stupid. He was very shrewd, though yes, I believe Alusair is a trifle smarter than her father was. Filfaeril is the smartest of them all, by a long rod.

Which brings us to the "oh my gosh, look at all of randy Azoun's bastards - - Cormyr totters on the brink of civil war!" discussion. Ascending the throne of Cormyr always involves support from the War Wizards and significant nobles if there is no clear legitimate Obarskyr heir.

The moment there is an Obarskyr heir on the scene (assuming that person is seen as healthy enough in mind and body to function as a monarch), everyone, from guilds to Purple Dragons to dungsweepers, will agree that the Obarskyr heir is "the only true King" (or Queen). They might not agree with much enthusiasm, but the alternative is far worse. Remember: no shrewd noble can contemplate a rebellion or civil war as something they'll likely win or even survive. Not with the War Wizards as an integral part of the realm, and Purple Dragons around who have personal loyalty to Alusair and to the memory of Azoun IV. And the nobles are 'on top' in the status quo: any attack on the status quo threatens them more than anyone else.

Rather than shattering your own beloved homeland in a bloody war, it's much more desirable to befriend and aid the Steel Regent, earn her respect and approval, and be as close as possible to Azoun V as he grows up, so as to win HIS respect and friendship. And everyone can see that Alusair's TRYING to become more diplomatic, and to do what's best for the realm. For one thing, she visits scores of places and directly asks the advice of everyone, nobles and commoners alike, wanting to know what angers them WITHOUT filtering everything through 'local lords' and courtiers. She makes promises and keeps them. It's taking a long time for some folks to accept the 'new Alusair,' but most of them see her as "the best thing the gods sent us, if they had to take her father away from us."

So having scores of Azoun IV's bastards running around is seen (by Vangey and others) as "strengthening the bloodlines of the Realm," not "thrusting the realm straight into civil war." If there were only one or two bastards, perhaps they'd represent a threat to the current holder of the throne (if backed by the right private armies and handlers, possibly traitor-nobles or ambitious Sembians). However, there are more than a hundred bastard sons and daughters of Azoun IV, and most noble families have at least one - - so they all offset each other by their very wealth of numbers. And yes, Vangey and all of the senior War Wizards (not just Laspeera and Caladnei) know very well who and where ALL of Azoun's bastards are. Not to mention those of Bhereu, Thomdor, Rhigaerd II, and so on and so forth. :}

What has weakened Cormyr so much in these last few years is the war against the Devil Dragon (and the ghazneths and goblins). So many able-bodied fighting men and women lost their lives that the realm lies vulnerable to poor harvests and starvation (not enough folk left to tend and harvest enough fields), to Zhent and outlaw raiders out of the Stonelands (particularly once Shade appeared and such lurkers stopped thinking of the Stonelands as their pivate, cozy little impenetrable stronghold), and from various Sembian-sponsored attempts to grab land and set up (through bribery) puppet rulers, Court officials, and nobles. Add to this the ambitions of nobles (and exiled former nobles, operating primarily out of Westgate) seeking to gain power or take control of the infant Azoun V and thereby rule of the kingdom, and you have the present tense situation. (My REALMS OF SHADOW short story should serve to illustrate potential threats, and ELMINSTER'S DAUGHTER show something of the 'business as usual, conspiracies as usual' tenor of life in Cormyr.)

The retirement of Vangerdahast has left Alusair seemingly alone to guide Cormyr (I say "seemingly" because to think thus is to seriously underestimate Laspeera, Caladnei, Filfaeril, Alaphondar, and the Highknights such as Rhauligan), and so everyone with an interest in a weakened Cormyr, or in controlling its ruler, is taking a keen look at the Forest Kingdom. Such gazers would of course include various Red Wizard and Zhent factions, trading costers, and Sembian nobles. (It's also fair to say that Caladnei is very much "learning on the job" and a much weaker Royal Magician than Vangey was, that Alaphondar the Sage is about as far as one can get from a strong man of action, and that there are frighteningly few veteran Highknights still alive after the Dragon War. A competent War Wizard gone rogue would be a REAL problem for Cormyr, just now.)

Alusair's 'wanton' behaviour has earned her the disapproval of the older, more conservative nobles (NOT her Blades or the female nobles of the same age, most of whom were very glad to have Alusair take the 'randy pranksome pesterers with wandering hands' out of their bodices and from under their skirts at every revel or 'private' moment), of the city gossips who delight in disapproving of darn near EVERYTHING, and of the more conservative commoners (who DO have to worry about unwanted offspring, or may follow faiths that don't smile upon frequent and casual lovemaking), but that doesn't make her "unpopular." It's more that her abrasiveness has made her a lot of enemies, and her ways have made most people wary of her. That's a long way from all Cormyr wanting her gone and overthrown as Regent. Now, if she were to publicly butcher Azoun V and announce she was now Queen forever, that would be VERY different.

Nor does the loss of Tilverton reflect badly on Alusair - - because many folk of Cormyr think of it as some foreign fort or other, occupied by the Purple Dragons "just to keep the Zhents off our backs," not as part of the realm. Unless you (as a citizen of Cormyr) travel to and from the northern Dales, Tilverton is just (to you) "that rough and ragged place in Tilver's Gap," that Azoun's troops occupied as a protectorate. In the wake of the war against the Devil Dragon, with the Purple Dragons a pale shadow of their former strength, it merely makes sense to pull back from such outposts to rebuild Arabel and "guard our cabbages right outside our own doors." (Jason quite properly reminded us of how recent its annexation was, and how folk in the heart of Cormyr would regard its loss.)

Arabel and Marsember have traditionally been centers of undercover dissent, but with some of the nobles who built such feelings into undercover 'secret societies' and the like gone, this has largely lapsed into the age-old rivalries between cities ("Ah, them as sleeps in Suzail think the sun rises and sets out o' their own backsides, an' never think we of Arabel might have two wits of our own, in all our city!"). The folk of Arabel love the staunchly loyal Myrmeen Lhal, and the fierce energy with which Dowager Queen Filfaeril oversaw the rebuilding of Arabel, "the gem of our realm," has touched and mollified Arabellans. The strong garrison has remained there, and for the time being, I'd scratch Arabel off any list of 'places that'll rebel the moment an Obarskyr back is turned.'

Marsember, now, is a different matter: exiled nobles are just across the water in Westgate, and all the old smuggling and slave-running concerns that want all authority gone or swept in confusion are still lurking. With Sembian investments in their pockets, yet.

One last thing for now: one poster makes the mistaken assumption that commoners aren't trained in the arts of war or familiar with weapons. Not only are knives, scythes, and the tools of hunting (slings, javelins, bows, and boar-spears) all weapons many farm-folk are very familiar with, Purple Dragons are encouraged to train their children (both genders) and mates in how to raise the alarum, how to defend their home, where locally to run and hide and gather, and the basics of armed fighting. That's different from allowing everyone to swagger around with weapons at their belts, yes, but the original 'unfamiliar with weapons' assumption is incorrect.

I'm sure these comments will stir up many a response. Have at ye, fellow fans of the Realms.:}
Ed

So saith Ed.

I know he'll be responding to Halaster questions and probably the Shadovar query soon, though he remains frantically busy writing short-order-needed fiction and game lore today and tomorrow. I'll bring you what he writes, as soon as I get it.

love to all,
THO

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October 8, 2004: Melfius, I bring you the rather frisky (and incomplete; see hereafter) replies of Ed, as follows:

1. [NDA]

2. Yes, but they've not been remembered by, or are not known to, our Realms sources consulted thus far. Perhaps they'll be revealed in the fullness of [NDA]

3. No. However, that doesn't mean no offspring exist. In fact, [NDA]

4. Halaster thought he was establishing MageFairs on his own, but in fact more than one deity of magic was whispering subtle suggestions in more than one mortal ear to bring it about. Otherwise, given the paranoid nature of most mages, it's likely the MageFairs would never have been more than Halaster waiting in some tranquil, remote locale for one or two mages to show up (and the Fairs would have ended the moment one arriving mage attacked, or was attacked by, another). As for who these deities and other mortals were, specifically, I'd have to [NDA]

5. [NDA]

6. A long time ago, specifically [NDA] in [NDA]

7. Like any long-lived mage, Halaster isn't what most other mortals would call 'normal,' and never will be. However, Mystra did some major mental healing (that also involved binding Halaster more closely to her service), 'offstage' in the latter part of ELMINSTER IN HELL and thereafter. Halaster did NOT become a Chosen, but reached a 'separate peace' with her in return for serving her as an agent (in the events recounted in ELMINSTER IN HELL). He still has his 'raving times,' but they're fewer, shorter, and less severe than before (i.e. he's far more in touch with reality, and more cunning and less reckless whilst in the throes of them); most of the time he's in complete control of himself - - and this is no longer governed by his location (in Undermountain or outside of it). That doesn't mean he's a 'happy camper.' For one thing, he's both enraged and ashamed at how many years he's wasted 'drifting' in sub-sanity, and is just climbing out of considering himself an utter failure and a rot-fungus on the face of Faerun and into deciding what he'll devote the rest of his life to. Consider him a magical whirlwind that's stopped spinning and is poised to decide what to do next. Tremble, Faerun, tremble.

8. Halaster HAD access to the Shadow Weave; much of his madness was due to Shar's whisperings (attempts to mind-control him), which is specifically what he meant by her 'touch.' Shar's influence gave him access to the Shadow Weave, but Halaster's aged, busy, brilliantly-magic-creative mind couldn't simultaneously handle mastery of both Weave and Shadow Weave, and so he was losing his sanity (and only thereby keeping Shar at bay: she couldn't control a mind in such internal chaos). Mystra in effect thrust Shar out (in any contest of pure magic and of mortal mastery of magic, in which Mystra and Shar can exert equal forces against each other, Mystra will always win, because she IS magic, and has supremacy) of Halaster's mind, banishing all traces of the Shadow Weave forever. What she left behind makes Halaster one of the few mortals whom Shar can never subvert, now. She can break his mind and his body, but not corrupt and come to control him. (In other words, he's equal to a Chosen of Mystra in this regard. The Chosen who've failed Mystra in the past have lost their sanity and 'fallen away from her love,' and so become corruptible.)

9. Yes. :}

:}

:}

Oh, ALL right: I'll unleash THO to answer this when she can (I know she's very busy this weekend), and at that time return with some feeble attempts to answer your other three questions, too.
Ed

So saith the Master.

Gawds, Halaster [shudder]! You WOULD have to make me relive those disasters, wouldn't you?
THO

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On October 8, 2004 THO said: Hello again, all.

Gerath Hoan, I want to reassure you that Ed will in the fullness of time answer all the Realmslore queries put to him here that NDAs don't absolutely forbid him to answer. Some of them may take a LONG time, for four reasons:

1. Ed has three novels to write or rewrite