[FR] Dungeon of Swords (suspected Error in FRCS 3e)

[hong]

Also, The Desert of Desolation Series has been in the realms since 1e. Its like Vassa and Damara, it got tacked on when the realms were in development. Originally found in independant modules the desert of dust and raurin were tacked on.

Yeah, but that's because they tacked on EVERYTHING that they had. Even stuff like Kara-Tur and Zakhara, which didn't have anything to do with the FR in the first place, and when they already had quasi-Asian and Arabian locales (Thay/Rashemon, and Calimshan respectively).

FR needs to be downsized something severe, I swear.

 

[Oaken25]

Thay is more of a splintered group of Egpytians racial type actually. Heck they were part of Mulhorand. Mulhorand was settled by beings who came from Earth (if you read between the lines on the old sourcebooks) that's why they also have most of the deities that ancient Egypt had.

But I agree they did tack on a lot of stuff onto FR, but those lands were always there in Ed's world he just never detailed them as much or never got around to those continents. Like the Moonshae's in his world originally they were supposed to be something different.

 

[Alzrius]

Mulhorand was settled by beings who came from Earth (if you read between the lines on the old sourcebooks) that's why they also have most of the deities that ancient Egypt had.

It never implied that they came from Earth, just that they came from someplace that worshipped the Egyptian Pantheon.

 

[Oaken25]

It never implied that they came from Earth, just that they came from someplace that worshipped the Egyptian Pantheon.

Hence the read between the lines part Many of the realms powers also have traveled to earth. I know in the old dragon articles or one of the sourcebooks, Szass Tam came to Earth and picked up modern weapons and took them back to Thay, but since technology from earth doesn't work in Faerun, because of the way magic works in Faerun, he wasted his time.

 

[Alzrius]

Hence the read between the lines part Many of the realms powers also have traveled to earth. I know in the old dragon articles or one of the sourcebooks, Szass Tam came to Earth and picked up modern weapons and took them back to Thay, but since technology from earth doesn't work in Faerun, because of the way magic works in Faerun, he wasted his time.

That alone isn't proof though. The Egyptian pantheon is worshipped on other worlds out there besides ancient earth.

Other than the occasional "Mages Three" articles by Ed Greenwood, I don't really recall anything like that for FR (now Greyhawk, thats different). Can you post specific examples from various products and such? I'm not trying to call you a liar, I just want to see this for myself.

 

[jester47]

I found it!

Almost due north of the Hill of Lost Souls and Straight east of The Dungeon of Swords is a "little" hill. Its called the Tor of Swords, and has within it a place called Sword Grotto.

I think I have found the culprit. Now I just need to find the original description.

Thanks gods for the FR interactive atlas!

Aaron.

 

[Oaken25]

That alone isn't proof though. The Egyptian pantheon is worshipped on other worlds out there besides ancient earth.

Other than the occasional "Mages Three" articles by Ed Greenwood, I don't really recall anything like that for FR (now Greyhawk, thats different). Can you post specific examples from various products and such? I'm not trying to call you a liar, I just want to see this for myself.

Think it's in one of the old dragons, wizard's three articles, about Szass Tam. Granted it doesn't outright say they came from Earth but again if you read between the lines it's pretty obvious they came from Earth. Also there are many gods that came from Earth, to name a few, Tyr, Mielikki, Tyche (before she got split into Tymora and Beshaba), Silvanus, Lovitiar, I might be missing one or two others also.

 

[Alzrius]

Also there are many gods that came from Earth, to name a few, Tyr, Mielikki, Tyche (before she got split into Tymora and Beshaba), Silvanus, Lovitiar, I might be missing one or two others also.

That isn't real proof though. D&D has always held that the various mythological pantheons (Norse, Egyptian, Celtic, Greek, etc) are worshipped on other campaign worlds. That doesn't mean that, from the in-game point of view, they originated on Earth.

 

[Oaken25]

It's proof enough for me. Since Ed has always said way back in 1967 when he first dreamed up the Realms that Earth and FR were connected by gates and those who live on Earth forgot about the realms, hence it's name. Forgotten Realms.

Ostensibly, once upon a time, our Earth and the world of Forgotten Realms were somehow more closely connected. As time passed, we, the inhabitants of planet Earth, have mostly forgotten about the existence of that other world -- hence the term "Forgotten Realms". In case you have seen the original Forgotten Realms logo, the little runic letters in it read "Herein lie the lost lands". This is another allusion to this connection between the two worlds.

 

[Alzrius]

I know Ed's mythology of the Realms, and I know what the old runic symbols meant, but I'm just saying, that isn't the canon explanation.

From the in-game standpoint, we don't know where the Mulhorandi peoples came from, but there's nothing to suggest its Earth. All those other pantheons are among the largest in the planes, and hundreds of thousands of worlds worship them. There is nothing to say they came from Earth. Ed may say they do, but it hasn't been just his game in decades.

There's a difference between the way something was meant to be, and the way it is now.