War of the Spider Queen (*Spoilers*) [Archive] - Wizards Community

War of the Spider Queen (*Spoilers*) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
dutch206
06-18-07, 09:30 AM OK, so I finally caught up on my reading and fininshed book 6 of the War of the Spider Queen series. However, I am left with a few questions:

1) Are the setting changes in this series official changes to the FR setting? (ie Chad Nassad in ruins, etc....)

2) If the demonweb pits is no longer in the abyss, then where is it?

3) In the last book, the author says Lolth "has been reborn, has become something more than she was before." Since she was allready a greater deity, just exactly what does that mean?

4) The "City of the Spider Queen" module quotes 10/28, 1372 DR as the day Lolth falls silent. How long was she silent for? (my guess is nine months, but what do I know :D )

The reason I ask so many questions is that I just bought "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits". Now, I'm wondering whether or not that book is even compatible with the FR setting anymore.
ripvanwormer
06-18-07, 10:07 AM 1) Are the setting changes in this series official changes to the FR setting? (ie Chad Nassad in ruins, etc....)

Yes. But you don't have to run your campaign after the events of the novels if you don't want to. You could run your campaign a few years before, for example. Or during those events. Or you can ignore those novels for your campaign.

2) If the demonweb pits is no longer in the abyss, then where is it?

Nearby. A short distance to the left or right. It's a separate plane, but still essentially Abyss-like in character.

3) In the last book, the author says Lolth "has been reborn, has become something more than she was before." Since she was allready a greater deity, just exactly what does that mean?

She was an intermediate deity, actually. Every time she's been statted in 3e, in FR or core, she's been an intermediate deity. After the events of the novels, she might be a higher-ranking intermediate deity or a greater deity. The author has indicated that she's become a greater deity, but I don't think that's "official" yet.

The reason I ask so many questions is that I just bought "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits". Now, I'm wondering whether or not that book is even compatible with the FR setting anymore.

It seems like Lolth's silence could even provide the rationale for the events of Expedition to the Demonweb Pits. If the PCs know that Lolth has stopped speaking to her priests, the idea that she's planning something big becomes so much more credible. If they then hear rumors that there's going to be a major invasion of Toril from the Demonweb, they'll be much more likely to believe it than if it comes out of nowhere, without the "Lolth's Silence" build-up making things seem so much more ominous. That would explain why Graz'zt and Malcanthet decided to act now. Or the Silence might even have been a prerequisite for the pact Lolth intends to seal with the various lords of the Abyss.

Whether the Demonweb is part of the Abyss or a separate plane doesn't really make any difference to the events of Expedition. Either way, she's still close enough to the Abyss to be involved with Abyssal politics and have planar conduits to Abyssal layers.

The fact that the Demonweb has portals leading to worlds other than Toril has interesting implications, however.

It does seem like it was foolish for WotC to introduce the whole "separate cosmologies" thing, though, for reasons like this. Whenever they come out with a planar adventure, half their potential audience complains that it isn't compatible with FR or Eberron or whatever. If they just had a single, flexible cosmology, there wouldn't be so much of a perceived problem.
Old Sage
06-18-07, 11:04 AM 3) Some tidbits from Paul Kemp [note this includes SPOILERS from the Resurrection hardcover] -

"I can only speculate but the fact that Lolth is greater now than before does suggest there is something more to divine rank than simply the number of worshippers. This makes some sense. If Lolth was powered purely by number of worshippers, it would make little sense for her to encourage the kind of internecine house warfare that she does. After all, every obliterated house represents worshippers lost. Perhaps there are a multitude of factors that contribute to a deity's power, including, possibly, the molding and ultimate melding with an exemplar of the faith (in this case, the Yor'thae), or the risking of the divine existence on a ploy that embodies the very ethos of the god (as happened with Lolth here)."

4) Eric Boyd's Volo's Guide article in DRAGON #354 notes that Lolth's Silence began in Eleasis 28, 1372 DR and ends on Ches 28, 1373 DR.
dutch206
06-19-07, 08:47 AM Thanks for the quick reply. This helps a lot. :D
seibermaki
06-20-07, 02:20 PM Thanks for the info, I was wondering this myself.

However, I am curious: Would it be plausible for a Drow cleric(and those loyal to the cleric) to completely lose faith in Lolth during the silence, and then take up a different deity(Eilistraee perhaps?) Or perhaps be more easily converted to Eilistraee?
Alediran
06-20-07, 02:41 PM Thanks for the info, I was wondering this myself.

However, I am curious: Would it be plausible for a Drow cleric(and those loyal to the cleric) to completely lose faith in Lolth during the silence, and then take up a different deity(Eilistraee perhaps?) Or perhaps be more easily converted to Eilistraee?

It happened in the WotSQ series.
seibermaki
06-20-07, 04:37 PM I suppose it would help if I would read more of the books. :D

Just finished the Hunters Blades trilogy about a month ago. Currently I'm working on Daughter of the Drow and Servant of the Shard. I'll have to tackle the War of the Spider Queen series next.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
dutch206 06-18-07, 09:30 AM	OK, so I finally caught up on my reading and fininshed book 6 of the War of the Spider Queen series. However, I am left with a few questions: 1) Are the setting changes in this series official changes to the FR setting? (ie Chad Nassad in ruins, etc....) 2) If the demonweb pits is no longer in the abyss, then where is it? 3) In the last book, the author says Lolth "has been reborn, has become something more than she was before." Since she was allready a greater deity, just exactly what does that mean? 4) The "City of the Spider Queen" module quotes 10/28, 1372 DR as the day Lolth falls silent. How long was she silent for? (my guess is nine months, but what do I know :D ) The reason I ask so many questions is that I just bought "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits". Now, I'm wondering whether or not that book is even compatible with the FR setting anymore.
ripvanwormer 06-18-07, 10:07 AM	1) Are the setting changes in this series official changes to the FR setting? (ie Chad Nassad in ruins, etc....) Yes. But you don't have to run your campaign after the events of the novels if you don't want to. You could run your campaign a few years before, for example. Or during those events. Or you can ignore those novels for your campaign. 2) If the demonweb pits is no longer in the abyss, then where is it? Nearby. A short distance to the left or right. It's a separate plane, but still essentially Abyss-like in character. 3) In the last book, the author says Lolth "has been reborn, has become something more than she was before." Since she was allready a greater deity, just exactly what does that mean? She was an intermediate deity, actually. Every time she's been statted in 3e, in FR or core, she's been an intermediate deity. After the events of the novels, she might be a higher-ranking intermediate deity or a greater deity. The author has indicated that she's become a greater deity, but I don't think that's "official" yet. The reason I ask so many questions is that I just bought "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits". Now, I'm wondering whether or not that book is even compatible with the FR setting anymore. It seems like Lolth's silence could even provide the rationale for the events of Expedition to the Demonweb Pits. If the PCs know that Lolth has stopped speaking to her priests, the idea that she's planning something big becomes so much more credible. If they then hear rumors that there's going to be a major invasion of Toril from the Demonweb, they'll be much more likely to believe it than if it comes out of nowhere, without the "Lolth's Silence" build-up making things seem so much more ominous. That would explain why Graz'zt and Malcanthet decided to act now. Or the Silence might even have been a prerequisite for the pact Lolth intends to seal with the various lords of the Abyss. Whether the Demonweb is part of the Abyss or a separate plane doesn't really make any difference to the events of Expedition. Either way, she's still close enough to the Abyss to be involved with Abyssal politics and have planar conduits to Abyssal layers. The fact that the Demonweb has portals leading to worlds other than Toril has interesting implications, however. It does seem like it was foolish for WotC to introduce the whole "separate cosmologies" thing, though, for reasons like this. Whenever they come out with a planar adventure, half their potential audience complains that it isn't compatible with FR or Eberron or whatever. If they just had a single, flexible cosmology, there wouldn't be so much of a perceived problem.
Old Sage 06-18-07, 11:04 AM	3) Some tidbits from Paul Kemp [note this includes SPOILERS from the Resurrection hardcover] - "I can only speculate but the fact that Lolth is greater now than before does suggest there is something more to divine rank than simply the number of worshippers. This makes some sense. If Lolth was powered purely by number of worshippers, it would make little sense for her to encourage the kind of internecine house warfare that she does. After all, every obliterated house represents worshippers lost. Perhaps there are a multitude of factors that contribute to a deity's power, including, possibly, the molding and ultimate melding with an exemplar of the faith (in this case, the Yor'thae), or the risking of the divine existence on a ploy that embodies the very ethos of the god (as happened with Lolth here)." 4) Eric Boyd's Volo's Guide article in DRAGON #354 notes that Lolth's Silence began in Eleasis 28, 1372 DR and ends on Ches 28, 1373 DR.
dutch206 06-19-07, 08:47 AM	Thanks for the quick reply. This helps a lot. :D
seibermaki 06-20-07, 02:20 PM	Thanks for the info, I was wondering this myself. However, I am curious: Would it be plausible for a Drow cleric(and those loyal to the cleric) to completely lose faith in Lolth during the silence, and then take up a different deity(Eilistraee perhaps?) Or perhaps be more easily converted to Eilistraee?
Alediran 06-20-07, 02:41 PM	Thanks for the info, I was wondering this myself. However, I am curious: Would it be plausible for a Drow cleric(and those loyal to the cleric) to completely lose faith in Lolth during the silence, and then take up a different deity(Eilistraee perhaps?) Or perhaps be more easily converted to Eilistraee? It happened in the WotSQ series.
seibermaki 06-20-07, 04:37 PM	I suppose it would help if I would read more of the books. :D Just finished the Hunters Blades trilogy about a month ago. Currently I'm working on Daughter of the Drow and Servant of the Shard. I'll have to tackle the War of the Spider Queen series next.