(4th IR) What does your character write?

[Edena_of_Neith]

The first revelations

All this digging for information and truth by every side has just unearthed some rather disturbing facts.

It was the Gold Elves of Arvaandar who started the Crown Wars that broke the elven monopoly on the continent of Faerun.

Furthermore, the drow were scapegoats. Their behavior was atrocious during the Crown Wars, but no more so than that of the other elven nations ... they were singled out unfairly.
And because they were, and because they were driven underground, the dusky skinned elves were made vulnerable to the temptations of Vhaueran and later on Lolth.
Yes, they were ALWAYS black skinned and red eyed. Their appearance has nothing to do with their evil ways.

It would seem the orcs are the descendents of one of the Creator Races: the Titans.
It would ... seem ... that some of the orcs can still BE titans, if they wish to be.
This fact has now reached orcish ears.

Someone has just discovered that mighty Djinn are imprisoned in the Calim Desert.
Should they be released, they would whem Calimshan, Amn, and Tethyr, and recreate the ancient Djinn Empire of Calimshan.
Of course, the secret of releasing them has just been released itself, thanks to all the magical prying.

It would seem Larloch is the ancient archwizard Ioulaum himself.
If true, this lich knows the secrets of ultimate longevity ... if only he could be persuaded to give them up.

Bran Skorlsun and the Harpers of Twilight Hall are planning to capture, try, and execute both Khelben Arunsun and Laeral for High Treason against the Harpers.
The truth is: Khelben actually DID collaborate with Manshoon of the Zhentarim, for reasons still unknown.
The Harpers at Berdusk have broken away from the Harpers of Twilight Hall, and many more Harpers have joined Khelben's new Harpstar organization.
However, the Harpers under Bran Skorlsun are fully dedicated to taking Khelben in.

Alustriel is not involving herself in this uproar. Sylune's shade is on the side of Khelben. Elminster, Storm, and Dove are neutral, right now ...

 

[zouron]

Since Sembia will publish anything for the right price, they are my choice, no slander no side taking 100% neutral cold statements when it concerns the book of damnation. In fact it indiscreminately points out people whom performed in questionable ways be they mighty servants of mystra or lowly peasent. It targets only living people at the time of writing.

Magical Theories is a slightly different matter, this one doesn't damn the use of magic in any way nor encourages it, but it does slander wizards in general for just using magic without truly understanding the workings of it, the true nature behind magic, and it goes into details and theories about this.

Essay on Arcane Healing, is an opinionated piece, it contains no spells, only theories that are seemingly far fetched, however they build on the theories detailed in Magical Theories, both are specifically targeted for wizard academies for very advanced students.

Book of the Dead, presents a different view of the undead and doesn't label them as cursed beings.

(BTW any chance of getting a hold of you on ICQ?)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

More revelations

The following information, once top secret, is now public knowledge:

Just about everything from the supplement Lords of Darkness.
Just about everything from the 2nd Edition Cloak and Dagger.

There is a Shadow Weave to oppose the normal Weave. Any mage can become a Shadow Mage. And they get special powers and abilities ...
The Shade are truly from ancient Netheril. And they are planning world domination, starting with the phaerimm and Halruaa.
Halruaa is MUCH MORE powerful than it pretended to be: Halruaa has 10th level magic also (or, enhanced Epic magic.)
Dambrath really IS ruled by half-human/half-elves, half-drow/half-humans, and half-drow/half-elves. And the worship of Lolth and Loviatar is shared in peace in that land. It would appear the people of Dambrath are fairly invincible (they are immune to pain, have berserker capabilities, and stamina and strength beyond most mortals.)
Damara really IS the remains of an ancient and powerful empire. Thousands of magical artifacts are buried in the arid soil there.

There really IS a FLYING ELVEN CITY in Ardeep Forest, within it's own Mythal, hidden by invisibility. These elves secretly rule the whole forest, and have direct connections to many points on Faerun.

There are direct Gates from most places in Faerun to most other places in Faerun.
All you need is the location of the Gate and the password, generally. Thanks to all the digging, the location and passwords of these Gates is now common knowledge.

Teleport Fireball was only the first in a line of spells.
Mages have unearthed Teleport Ice Storm, Teleport Acid Storm, Teleport Meteor Swarm, Teleport Undead, Teleport Monster (any size), and some joker has found Contingent Teleport Meteor Swarm (it goes off when certain conditions are met, after both spells are cast.)
The Gnomes just figured out how to use Supreme Permanency without paying any experience points for it - meaning they can mass produce magical items (they do NOT share this discovery with anyone else.)

A number of mages are rediscovering the secrets of the ancient 10th level magic.
In many cases, this ends with a mage tower blowing up. But in some cases, it is ending up with a new archwizard. One wizard has even managed to duplicate the Netherese spell that topped a mountain, turned it upside down, and levitated it in midair.
Experiments with 10th level magic are causing strange effects across the Realms, as the Weave is pushed and pulled.

Several mages tried to destroy the Weave using Wish.
This did not work. It DID cause Wild Magic Storms that killed a lot of people.

Let's see now ...

Common knowledge ...

There is an organization, run by one of the Manshoon clones, that seeks to create a vampire kingdom in Faerun, with it's capital at Westgate.
This would be the Night Masks, and the Fire Knives are allied with them.

There is another city directly below Waterdeep, called Skullport, where drow, illithid, and all manner of horrors walk freely.
The Lords of Waterdeep know of Skullport, know Skullport deals in slaves and forbidden goods, know Skullport is a threat to Waterdeep, know Skullport sends spies and assassins up to Waterdeep ... and they have done nothing about it.

Amn and Tethyr are not, in fact, independent nations.
The secretive Knights of the Shield are the real rulers of these two countries. The Knights of the Shield desire trade dominance along the entire west coast.
There are agents of the Knights of the Shield in every city from Luskan to Var the Golden.

The drow of Vhaeuran have taken over Cormanthor.
They are enemies of Lolth.
They are NOT afflicted by sunlight.
Some of the moon elves, are allied with them.
They are there in sufficient strength that it is doubtful any sustained attack by a major nearby power could evict them.

The Arcane Brotherhood is the real power in Luskan. Along with most of the North west of Luruar.

The elves of Evereska and the Shade are, in fact, in alliance. A secret well guarded, now public knowledge.

The Great Glacier is there because a great archmagistress rules a kingdom of ice from deep within (think of the Snow Queen.)
Were she killed, the Great Glacier would start to melt rapidly.

Apparently, the dwarves of Faerun (or, at least some of the dwarves of Faerun) are the direct descendents of the Galeb-Duhr. Over tens of thousands of years, the Galeb-Duhr, envying men, used their magic to emulate them, until the race of dwarves was created.
Any dwarf with the proper knowledge, could revert to solid stone, effectively becoming a stone golem, for purposes of strength and combat capability.
Any dwarf with the proper knowledge, could burrow like an umber hulk through the rock.
The proper knowledge is now available.

It IS possible to create Prismatic Armor. The formula for doing so has been discovered.
Apparently, it is a mere 9th level spell!

 

[Creamsteak]

Amn, and Tethyr are urged by my press to publish the knowledge of the Djinn, and to recruit and pay -highly skilled adventurers to not only research, but shake the very grounds of the Djinn up to discover what secrets these are, and if it is practical to apply them.

In another venue, Gustav, along with a group of aids, publish short essays and journals on who should go to war with who. What small territories have rich and unplumbed resources, who will surrender and how to get them to surrender.

Gustav encourages Imperializing regions, conquering many different areas, then converting them to free democracies once a new generation of people are born in. He discourages evil or wicked acts of conquest, and cites that the best type of war is one that unifies, not conquers two nations. His 1-2 punch is to conquer, then free and improve the ways of life in regions that lack the strength to stand against their neighbors. Forced unification he calls it, believing that the best method to bring good to the entire world is to unite everyone under their regional power-houses. He believes every person deserves the right to live in a super-powerful nation, and that these nations, in turn, could make greater and more lasting peace.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Mirriam Dhul stands, after sitting for the longest time...her work is complete.

<<It shall be titled, 'Little Known Truths'>> The voice whispers to her. With a mad spark in her eyes, she sets the works down, organizing them quickly before setting off to the press, regaining a more relaxed composure.

Little Known Truths
By: Mirriam Dhul, a keeper of peace

Forward: I would like to thank you for hearing this out, as I am sure it will reveal several truths and the intricacies behind life in Toril that most people don't know, but should know. It is my firm belief that with a more informed view about ourselves, the world around us, and the higher powers that surround us that we can come at a better understanding with each other. Please understand that I take a neutral viewpoint of things and that my words are spoken from the truth of the heart.

Chapters:
Chapter 1: A Brief History of Toril
1a) Magic
1b) Technology
1c) The Great War
Chapter 2: Peoples of Toril
1a) Natives
1b) Outsiders
1c) Creations
Chapter 3: The Divine
1a) Deities
1b) Modern "Gods"
Chapter 4: Current Affairs
Chapter 5: The Truth: as we see it

Brief Synopsis-Chapters 1-4 are full of intriguing, opinionated stuff, mainly about the time period of the wars of the 3rd IR in place. The book is fascinating to the educated and uneducated individual, with a vivid writing style that brings magnificant pictures into the individual's mind. It is subtle in nature, but it is written to give its reader opinions on things, such as the role that Magic and Technology played in the wars and how things went wrong (the Red Goo, the falling floating city, causing a world to nearly collapse). In the second chapter, it talks about the world's original inhabitants, the humans, elves and other races, as well as the magically created "super races" of the 3rd IR such as the Cydians and subtly hints how they're abberations. The chapter on the Divine tells about the ascended deities of the 3rd IR and about the destruction they caused as well.

In Current Affairs it reveals even more information about cities and organizations that might best be kept secret, but only to the astute reader. It's mostly filled with information made to spark the reader's attention.

This engrossing and unbelievable work of information all leads up to Chapter 5: The Truth (as we see it) which is the bulk of the book. It hints at the people of Toril to take on their on opinions instead of those of the established, "dictorial" governments, the created races, and even the current gods (although it never specifically mentions to do so), all for the sake of worldwide peace. It goes against other people who would try to manipulate their emotions and brings up alot of individual's rights concerns. It ends with, "This is our world, our home, we, and only we, are the ones who are responsible for it."

(OOC-sorry if that's confusing)

Mirriam Dhul, "Neutral", Female Human Expert (writer, poet) 20. She is an aging woman in her mid thirties, brown-red hair and hazel eyes. She is usually seen in a simple, alabaster outfit befitting of a scholar.

Mirriam politely declines any normal governments from supporting her, if any, she says she wishes to remain neutral in current affairs and is merely a writer and observer of this age of time.


OOC-I would like Mirriam to have hidden supporters within the Hells, if possible. Of course, she herself would not be seen consorting with fiends besides the mysterious one which whispers to her.

 

[Creamsteak]

Halruaa is MUCH MORE powerful than it pretended to be: Halruaa has 10th level magic also (or, enhanced Epic magic.)

Amn and Tethyr are not, in fact, independent nations.
The secretive Knights of the Shield are the real rulers of these two countries. The Knights of the Shield desire trade dominance along the entire west coast.
There are agents of the Knights of the Shield in every city from Luskan to Var the Golden.

This knowledge is spread quickly, and in return Gustav makes a public statement that he is a member of the Knights of the Shield,

In fact, he has been trained heaviliy as an Iron Knight, and his experience and knowledge comes from years of operating as an Agent out of Halruaa. He confesses this knowledge to all of his sponsors, hoping that they all understand that he has been working diligently to better all of their works, and to make everything possible for them to become the leaders of their surrounding nation-states. To conquer and civilize the brutal, and to crush those who would wish to hurt them

After finding out that the shade are prepared to make war against Halruaa and the Phaerimm, he tells his sponsors that a general congress must be formed and that the generals to defend against this invasion must be elected. He requests permission to nominate some generals from the Knights of the Shield, and manuevers a political statement into the hands of the Phaerimm, stating openly that an alliance of sorts would be wise.

He also requests that surrounding states and city states form pacts of non-aggression and alliance with their more powerful neighbors. He encourages Halruaan, merchants to use his very tomes to discover the best routes to militarization of their fleets. He focuses on all of this, and even takes his chances with his enemies by calling them outright fools for attempting to think themselves safe in a world where every bit and piece of knowledge, true or false, is being used against everyone. He states right off, "If you don't enstrengthen your individual countries, you will be crushed from the get-go by some of the more audacious and overwhelming conquerers. These horribly brutal mages and barbarians alike will attempt to conquer to destroy, whereas alliance will make you strong and unify you. Throw away useless and wasted hatreds for the sake of your peoples unity.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Calimshan (that's you, Venus) seals off the Calim Desert from everyone, ringing it with mages.
They absolutely do not want the Djinn to return and re-enslave their nation!

 

[Creamsteak]

There really IS a FLYING ELVEN CITY in Ardeep Forest, within it's own Mythal, hidden by invisibility. These elves secretly rule the whole forest, and have direct connections to many points on Faerun.

..... Gustav sits down and thinks, "Holy Mother... what have they done?"

He thinks to himself, and finds that his tactics require a re-write. This is one situation that he had never considered before in his tactical career.

(Notes: Gustaf or Gustav is fine for my characters name. Whatever you choose to call him, his nickname is Gus for short.)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(major change of venue - the events of this post have not occurred yet)

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

(major change of venue - the events of this post have not happened yet)