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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
Ah...please don't get me started about 4th ed. FR...it makes me want to cry.... :-/
Anyway, I can send you a pdf or two regarding Eilistraee in FR if you like.
The basics of the FR mythology are that Araushnee was Corellon's wife. She was known as the weaver of fates etc. But she was an ambitious sort and together with Vhaerun (and by manipulating Ghaunadaur) she tried to seize control of Arvandor and the Seldarine. For that she was cast out of the elfy love-fest (this is before there were any elves on Faerun). And became known as Lolth.
Eilistraee was blameless in this regard, but, apparently she inadvertently aided Lolth (also her mother), and so felt a little guilty.
Much later...when the first great elven kingdoms were up and running, the Crown Wars occurred (series of elf on elf wars that raged for about 3000 years roughly 15000 years before the 'present'). The climax of the wars were the destruction of all of Miyeritar (a dark and green elf country) by Aryvandaar (sun elves) who basically scoured the whole land and killed everyone by using some mega-magic.
That resulted in Ilythiir (another dark elf kingdom) seeking retribution, and in their quest they ended up drifting towards the anti-Seldarine for help - and so many became corrupted. They in turn then used fire to burn the lands of other elves and consort with demons. Which...resulted in the Seldarine intervening and marking the dark elves as dheraow (traitors).
The story is much more long and convoluted than that, but that's the basics of it.
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 20:44:58.
Edited on 2008-12-13 at 20:45:52 by Ginafae
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Topic: Affiliates? Input, please!
Subject: ...
I'm not sure if it's entirely legal, but I found a site and a blog containing all the pdfs for the old Dragon magazine as a free download. Since it's out of print and hard to get hold of, I have no qualms using it. And it may be of interest to others.
Is it alright to put the link up?
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 16:29:50.
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Topic: Buried Secrets Q&A
Subject: ...
Sorry for taking so long to get that post up.
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 15:12:44.
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Topic: Some Secrets are Best Left Buried...
Subject: Everyone's a critic...
“Time to say goodbye.
Paesi che non ho mai
veduto e vissuto con te,
adesso sì li vivrò.
Con te partirò
su navi per mari
che, io lo so,
no…”
The words of the Drannese song drifted effortlessly through the thick, oppressive night. It was not quite the time, perhaps, to sing a song of love and loss, but the words and the melody were a comfort to Neri. Each smooth syllable and soaring note soothed any anxieties she had over the fate of Isaac, and were a break from the glum silence that had befallen her companions.
Or at least it was until some monstrous cacophony intervened….
“Umm, are you okay…?” Shianna asked as Isaac burst into view and drowned out her song. Neri failed to stifle a laugh. She was not sure if the singing was more comical or the belief that it was caused by some illness.
“I think the cause was being dropped one too many times on the head when he was a baby,” Neri murmured as she sheathed her sword and moved to greet the Serafino and its rider. “But it’s good to see you safe. And yes we should hurry before you regale us with another song.”
To accentuate her point, Serafino promptly bit Isaac. It seemed the horse was something of a musical critic.
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 15:07:05.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
In other news...
I seem to recall some people saying that they had language slots free that they hadn't used yet etc. If anyone wants to, you could ask Aelistae about learning drow, or better yet 'drow silent'. I want to have some finger-waggling conversations. 
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 14:44:53.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
'N'Tel'Quess' literally means 'Not The People' or 'Not People'. It is used as a way for elves to refer to any non-elf, but it pretty condescending. It's also only marginally better than 'iblith' which is the drow for non-drow, but which also translates as 'excrement'.
That's what Aelistae's point was.
Oh and Corellon didn't 'order' Eilistraee into exile and becoming a Goddess of hope for the Drow. She chose to do so against his wishes. Largely because she disagreed with the cursing of all drow in the first place.
But it doesn't really matter.
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 13:37:25.
Edited on 2008-12-13 at 14:15:20 by Ginafae
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Explanations...of a sort
One by one the items taken from the Lolthite fell to the earth. They fell in an undignified heap, except for one delicate blouse that was taken up for a moment by a gust of wind. Aelistae watched entranced as the beautiful, dancing, gossamer strands of the garment were lit for a moment by shafts of moonlight, until suddenly the wind died, the moon disappeared behind a cloud, and the blouse faded to the earth.
‘We’re capable of such beauty,’ she ruminated thoughtfully as she bent to pick up the piece of clothing. ‘And such cruelty,’ she added as her fingers found the brutal tear made in it by the Elendil’s knife.
“Enough!” a new voice bellowed in a deep bass, even as the elf who had dropped the items turned and walked away. “We have won a great victory here! That much cannot be disputed, no matter the perspective. We should embrace this hard-fought battle in which we all shed our sweat and blood.”
Aelistae had thought when she had first heard the voice speak that it would be the source of another confrontation. But she couldn’t argue with the sentiment it expressed. She turned and found herself staring into a breastplate of steel that had been burnished so brightly she could see her own reflection. Her wide, nocturnal eyes, the angular beauty of her face, the dark, red lips – all were there reflected back to her, even if their looks was marred somewhat by the cuts and scrapes she had collected in the battle.
Her eye drifted upwards further to meet the stare of a man who stood a full head taller than she, and who wore the same signs of fatigue and battle as Aelistae.
‘The man upon the horse,’ the drow priestess realized, as the figure talked nobly of the unimportance of greed and of allowing Aelistae the chance to perform ‘proper funery rites’. If that resulted in an appreciative nod from Aelistae, however, what he continued to say about establishing a garrison at the keep caused her to cock her head questioningly.
“Forgive me, I am Aelistae D’Vrann, Blade Sister of Eilistraee and Darksong Knight,” she responded with a nod at the large male after he had introduced himself as Atharam. “I had thought you were one of the rival groups…but you are not are you? I don’t see any of the other sponsors with you, and you don’t seem to know who we are….”
Aelistae pursed her lips thoughtfully. “We,” she continued, with a gesture at Bart and her friends, “were sent by your Matron – Queen – Zaranda Star Rhindaun to claim this keep back for the Humans. And…because one of us needed a home for his family and for all those looking for a fresh start in the world.”
“We were attacking the camps to the west, hoping to hit each small enclave of orc and goblin before they could gather in strength, but when we heard and saw you charging in here we…we couldn’t leave you to die alone. Even goblins have courage when they are allowed to mass on a few individuals.”
“We were lucky to survive I think. Luckier still to have help from the The Watcher*,” Aelistae added with another nod, that caused a stray strand of hair to waft before her face. “But…well we can’t leave.”
[OOC: * I figure Aelistae would know enough about Helm to know one of his titles. He is a greater deity after all, and she does have several ranks of knowledge: religion.]
Posted on 2008-12-13 at 13:32:09.
Edited on 2008-12-13 at 13:38:32 by Ginafae
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Topic: Buried Secrets Q&A
Subject: ...
That reminds me of an episode of Buffy, where they were all cursed to sing. 
Posted on 2008-12-12 at 19:20:25.
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Topic: Buried Secrets Q&A
Subject: ...
It was pretty bad. 
Posted on 2008-12-12 at 19:13:58.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
Hmm, first time I think Aelistae has been genuinely angry.
I chatted to Jozan who said he'd have Xaris shove his potion down Aelistae's throat after seeing that she was blind. So I took some liberties and wove that part in at the beginning of the post.
Posted on 2008-12-12 at 13:45:17.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: 'The words that wound so deep...'
“…Get up!”
A voice echoed from somewhere in the distance. It sounded urgent, important even, but she could not find its source. The world was bathed in shadow and Aelistae was like a snuffed candle within it – any memory of ever being lit fading rapidly away.
“I’m tired, I need to rest, just…just for a minute…” she stammered in answer, her voice sounding strangely hollow to her ears.
“…Get up! …Life…life…” the voice murmured once more, its tones descending into a musical dirge.
“I…I can’t!” she shouted back, but if the voice heard, there was no sign. She shouted once more, feeling a sense of loss without that voice to guide her. But all she could hear was a faint whisper, the feel of something being pressed to her lips, and then…
Then the world exploded into light.
It was beautiful. A kaleidoscope of simmering blues, deep purples and twinkling silvers that seemed to dance before her eyes. And when their dance ended and the colours finally lost their brilliant lustre, the perfect stillness of the waning moon in the night sky remained.
“Bel’la lil’Quar’Valsharess,” Aelistae murmured in thanks. Her voice was no longer drunk with the disease that had burdened her. But, more than that, she could see.
Xaris was bent over her, a concerned look upon his face as his tiny arms cradled her head. Dylan stood nearby, his head cocked questioningly. And she could see Linnix in the distance glance worriedly in her direction.
“It’s alright…I’m alright now…” Aelistae managed to say as she climbed carefully to her feet. Underneath those simple words, however, she was genuinely touched by the care shown towards her by her companions. There few surface creatures who would dare to trust, let alone befriend, a drow. Yet without Dylan, Xaris and all the others she knew she would have died.
“I…thank you, all of you. I owe you my life…” the Eilistraeyn started to say, only for her words to be drowned out by a sudden shout in Elvish. “L'quelin Mori'Quessier naa ba Mori'Quessir” – “The best drow is a dead drow.”
Aelistae brushed errant strands of hair from out of her violet eyes, and tucked them behind her right ear as she turned towards the source of the shout. It was a woman – an elf – whom she had never seen before, brutally ripping every item and every piece of clothing from the body of the dead Lolthite. Linnix was arguing with her, and the elf was sniping back, every word laced, it seemed, with arrogance and venom. But it was that first statement she had heard that had caught Aelistae’s attention, and which sent a cold fury running through her.
“L'alurl Ilythiiri zhah natha elghinyrr Ilythiiri,” she repeated in Drow, shaking her head as each syllable rolled off her tongue. Aelistae tried to turn away, tried to calm herself by picking up her sword and seeing if her friends were all well. But the words burned in her mind until they were all she could hear. Soon she found herself stalking towards the elf. There were some slights that could not be forgotten.
“You sound like a Matron Mother,” Aelistae commented in the Common trade tongue of the Surface, as she neared the elf. “‘The best Drow is a dead Drow’ or ‘The best Fairy is lying upon an altar to Lolth’? Is there any difference? Both are rooted in hatreds that feed off one another: Aryvaandar against Miyeritar; Illythiiri against Aryvaandari; traitors against surfacers; the exiled against those who cast them down. Can you really be my judge? Is your blood so pure that you can condemn all of mine? Do you claim to know what lies in my heart or in my soul?”
It was all Aelistae could do to keep herself from striking the elf. Her slight frame trembled with rage, and her hand was clenched to tightly upon her blade that her knuckles strained through her flesh. “Or should I be your judge? An elf swooping down after a battle to pillage what she can from the fallen; a vulture stripping the dead of all belongings like an animal; an individual so crude that she dares to label my friends N’Tel’Quess – ‘not people’. Should I strike you down? Should I take vengeance for all my kinsmen that your kind have slain?”
“No,” Aelistae continued after a moment’s pause, and after she had sheathed her sword, “because I am not those people. I am not what you think me to be. I have never harmed one of my surface cousins in anger, and I will not break that holy oath for you.”
“Lay down those items you stole. You have no authority here. That man is now Lord here, and you are in his home, stealing his property,” the drow priestess added, with a quick gesture at Bart who was standing nearby. “But more than that, that woman whose naked corpse you slobber over was my kinsman as well as my enemy, my sister as well as my greatest foe. Even in death she deserves some dignity.”
“Lay those items down, and we can discuss what happened here. We all have stories to tell I think. And after they have been told, and you have the information that you seek, we can go our separate ways in peace. Or we can fight, and I can kill you. What would you rather do?”
Posted on 2008-12-12 at 13:40:00.
Edited on 2008-12-12 at 15:18:20 by Ginafae
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
Platinum hair and violet eyes? I always had the impression of Elendil being a Sun Elf. Of course with those violet eyes perhaps she has some drow blood...
Post forthcoming shortly. Just need to figure out quite how Aelistae is going to react to all this...
Posted on 2008-12-12 at 12:15:44.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
Just an FYI, Sun Elves can't use Moonblades. They were created by ancient Moon Elven families of Cormanthor (hence the name) and were deliberately kept from the Sun Elves (who were - rightly - suspected to be traitors).
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 23:12:28.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
 ...It was a nice post Deuce.
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 22:42:20.
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Topic: Buried Secrets Q&A
Subject: ...
Okies, I'll get a post up some time tomorrow. I've written half of it or so already, so there's not much to do.
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 22:04:46.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
That's the Forest of Tethir. See above.
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 20:16:51.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
If you're referring to the elves of Tethir, aren't they kind of part of the human kingdom (albeit an autonomous part)?
I know Lord Rauthomyr, the Treespeaker of the Wealdath and all the Forest's Elves is supposed to be the elfy in charge though.
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 20:05:08.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
Just read your last post DM, and I kind of agree with Linnix's reaction. We've just been through an uber battle, we've barely survived...and along comes a stranger looting all the gold and items. That seems a bit strange to me.
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 17:54:39.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: The Unsung Heroes
Subject: Succumbing to the darkness at last...
Aelistae fell back on her haunches, the bare skin of her legs brushing the cool earth as the hem of her armour inched up her thigh. Her head sagged. Her fine, silvery hair spilled free from where she had tied it back to curtain her face from the world. It was just as well. As the battle came to a sudden climax, and the danger and excitement wore off, Aelistae began to realize how ill she was.
Her sword felt strangely numb in her fingers, and her breath would only come in short, ragged gasps. And, of course, she could no longer see.
“Naut’kyrsk,”* she murmured to herself, knowing well the curses Lolth and her priestesses liked to bestow upon any that wished to shed light on their dark lies.
But it was not all bad. The battle has been won, and she could feel Xaris stir beneath her fingers.
“I… hope whoever is waiting for you in the end in the next life doesn’t mind if we keep you for a little longer,” Aelistae managed with a cough, as she affectionately patted the tiny gnome’s hand.
It was harder to know of the fate of her other companions. She half stumbled and half crawled towards the sound of something whimpering in the dark. Aelistae’s boots splashed into a large pool of blood, and her dark hands hesitantly reached downwards. They did not meet an orc or the armoured torso of one of her friends, however, but the soft coat of a horse.
“I don’t think Eilistraee – or Daisy – would forgive me if I let one of your kind die,” she murmured once more, as she lent the last of her strength to the animal. And, after the deed was done, she stumbled, fell, and slipped into unconsciousness.
[OOC: * “Blinding Sickness”
Aelistae will expend her last cure light wounds spell (I think it’s her last, but in all honesty I’ve lost track of how many 1st level spells she’s cast) to heal Charger. She’ll then faint. I figure that she’s been pushing her body while really quite sick, and, from personal experience, that can lead to an individual collapsing. ]
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 16:01:07.
Edited on 2008-12-11 at 20:45:43 by Ginafae
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Topic: Santa Baby...
Subject: H
Hops. So I can ferment it, make lots of beer, and then get very, very drunk. Umm...just like I tend to do every Christmas.
Posted on 2008-12-11 at 15:28:57.
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Topic: The Official Red Dragon Inn Name Generator thread
Subject: ...
Yes with big pink wings and a wand.
Posted on 2008-12-10 at 21:36:17.
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Topic: The Official Red Dragon Inn Name Generator thread
Subject: ...
I think Grugg would be a great pixie name.
Posted on 2008-12-10 at 21:29:26.
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Topic: Failure to thrive
Subject: ...
Great to hear there was nothing wrong with him.
Posted on 2008-12-10 at 21:28:15.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: ...
Cleave. Simple answer really.
Posted on 2008-12-10 at 19:02:05.
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Topic: Forgotten Realms: the Unsung Heroes Q/A
Subject: Just read the update and...
I'm exhausted.
Great to know we all survived and Bob the Orc met his last! 
Posted on 2008-12-10 at 17:40:10.
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