Earthquakes in realmslore - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Earthquakes in realmslore

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
suin_bahhar_02
Jun 20, 2009 11:47:13 Was wondering how do earthquakes occur on Abeir-Toril if one assumes the world has no tectonic shifting.

My own theory is that Grumbar occasionally sees the need to adjust the earth beneath and does so without concern for the mortal life on walking above. There are even areas where Grumbar would direct his efforts.

I found the following in the old pdf of the Grand History to the Forgotten Realms:
-30,500 DR
A large fragment of the moon carved a gorge so deep between the four Inner Seas, they merged together to form the Sea of Fallen Stars. Severe earthquakes rocked the region for weeks afterwards. The crystalline batrachi cities, though reinforced by magic, were unable to withstand the incessant aftershocks. By year’s end, the Batrachi Empire had fallen into ruin.

-665 DR (Year of Crumbling Ruins)
A powerful earthquake rocks the Nether Mountains, causing the lost city of Tzindylspar to collapse. The City of Rubies vanishes into myth

-547 DR
The first recorded appearance of the Giants in Grey-huge humanoid figures dressed in concealing grey cloaks and accompanied by thick fog. A massive earthquake destroys the province they are sighted in soon after their appearance.

-267 DR (Year of Crumbling Caverns)
A powerful earthquake severs the link between Tzindylspar and the surface and opens new passages into the Fardrimm.

620 DR (Year of the Mountain Crypts)
A third earthquake rocks the ruins of Tzindylspar, killing most of its monstrous inhabitants.

Why is this City of Rubies the target for the rarely occuring earthtremors? Does this Tzindylspar lay near the Batrachi ruins? Some kind of malpractise was done by the Batrachi that they attracted the ire of Grumbar?
#2
Kno
Jun 20, 2009 17:37:55 Titans jumped never to be seen again, they shake things up once in a while.
#3
old_sage
Jun 20, 2009 20:25:05 No. 'Tis when Chauntea shudders in the coldness of space. :P

...

Seriously, this has never really been touched on in the Realmslore. Though, I've got a pending question with Ed on earthquakes and other natural disasters in the Realms.
#4
lord_karsus
Jun 21, 2009 21:22:01
Was wondering how do earthquakes occur on Abeir-Toril if one assumes the world has no tectonic shifting.

-While I like the Grumbar explanation, I'm not a very big fan of the entire "deities are responsible FOR/ARE EVERYTHING!" schpiel. Since tectonic plates don't exist, perhaps a substitute can be/are large chambers in the Underdark, or the Underdark itself. We know that the wilds of the Underdark are always changing, with collapses, and new passages, and so on, so, like the concept that the wings of a butterfly can create a typhoon, a collapse somewhere in the Underdark eventually manifests itself on the surface as an earthquake- the collapse of that one cavern/chamber/passage/vault/whatever snowballs larger and larger as it gets closer and closer to the surface.
#5
quale1
Jun 22, 2009 12:54:24 Yea, I'm not a fan of that too. Lol @ Chauntea and the titans.

The Nether Mountains are pretty far from the sea. I like the idea of enmity between Grumbar and the batrachi, forces of change, mutability and adaptability vs. status quo. It doesn't have to Grumbar, maybe Ogremoch or his servants would fit better as the causes of unnatural earthquakes.

Other possibilities are vortexes to the Inner Planes. Maybe once in a while a vortex to Mineral overloads the surroundings, considering the name, City of Rubies. Or why should Earth be the one causing the disasters, more likely it's Magma, that means Chilimba and his mephits, paraelementals and magmin.
#6
iakhovas
Jun 22, 2009 12:59:24 Just curious. Why do you folks assume that tectonic plates don't exist?
#7
suin_bahhar_02
Jun 22, 2009 13:30:42 I know this late 3.5 article on the nature of the core or underworld of Toril posed a different view.. i.e that the core of Toril houses a mealstrom of elements and a pointpotal to the Abyss.

Several clues hint to no tectonics. I always understood the rare torilian vulcanism and vulcanic mountain ranges acted such as they where located above portals to the elemental plane of fire.

Another clue can be gleaned from the cool lower parts of the Underdark. Because its not dastardly hot several miles beneath the surface of most regions in Toril, evidenced by the Deep Underdark regions. This leads to a possible cool center of the planet, i.e. no superheated core that drives tectonic plate drift.
#8
quale1
Jun 22, 2009 13:31:43 They do, they aren't much active cause of the earth nodes.

Edit:

Just joking. Yes, Toril has tectonic plates. No, they don't often cause seismic activity, because the earth nodes 'drink' the kinetic stresses, and let out that energy in other ways than earthquakes, faults, and slippages. So the fault lines are there (and many volcanic flows run along and up through them, so volcanic locations give a surface observer a rough idea of where some plate boundaries are), but the plates aren't "on the move" nearly as much as they are in our real world. As of right now, at least. :} And for now, that's definitely all I'll say on the matter. Sorry. (Cue sinister NDA symphony, looming dark and rising...)

So saith Ed.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 suin_bahhar_02 Jun 20, 2009 11:47:13	Was wondering how do earthquakes occur on Abeir-Toril if one assumes the world has no tectonic shifting. My own theory is that Grumbar occasionally sees the need to adjust the earth beneath and does so without concern for the mortal life on walking above. There are even areas where Grumbar would direct his efforts. I found the following in the old pdf of the Grand History to the Forgotten Realms: -30,500 DR A large fragment of the moon carved a gorge so deep between the four Inner Seas, they merged together to form the Sea of Fallen Stars. Severe earthquakes rocked the region for weeks afterwards. The crystalline batrachi cities, though reinforced by magic, were unable to withstand the incessant aftershocks. By year’s end, the Batrachi Empire had fallen into ruin. -665 DR (Year of Crumbling Ruins) A powerful earthquake rocks the Nether Mountains, causing the lost city of Tzindylspar to collapse. The City of Rubies vanishes into myth -547 DR The first recorded appearance of the Giants in Grey-huge humanoid figures dressed in concealing grey cloaks and accompanied by thick fog. A massive earthquake destroys the province they are sighted in soon after their appearance. -267 DR (Year of Crumbling Caverns) A powerful earthquake severs the link between Tzindylspar and the surface and opens new passages into the Fardrimm. 620 DR (Year of the Mountain Crypts) A third earthquake rocks the ruins of Tzindylspar, killing most of its monstrous inhabitants. Why is this City of Rubies the target for the rarely occuring earthtremors? Does this Tzindylspar lay near the Batrachi ruins? Some kind of malpractise was done by the Batrachi that they attracted the ire of Grumbar?
#2 Kno Jun 20, 2009 17:37:55	Titans jumped never to be seen again, they shake things up once in a while.
#3 old_sage Jun 20, 2009 20:25:05	No. 'Tis when Chauntea shudders in the coldness of space. :P ... Seriously, this has never really been touched on in the Realmslore. Though, I've got a pending question with Ed on earthquakes and other natural disasters in the Realms.
#4 lord_karsus Jun 21, 2009 21:22:01	Was wondering how do earthquakes occur on Abeir-Toril if one assumes the world has no tectonic shifting. -While I like the Grumbar explanation, I'm not a very big fan of the entire "deities are responsible FOR/ARE EVERYTHING!" schpiel. Since tectonic plates don't exist, perhaps a substitute can be/are large chambers in the Underdark, or the Underdark itself. We know that the wilds of the Underdark are always changing, with collapses, and new passages, and so on, so, like the concept that the wings of a butterfly can create a typhoon, a collapse somewhere in the Underdark eventually manifests itself on the surface as an earthquake- the collapse of that one cavern/chamber/passage/vault/whatever snowballs larger and larger as it gets closer and closer to the surface.
#5 quale1 Jun 22, 2009 12:54:24	Yea, I'm not a fan of that too. Lol @ Chauntea and the titans. The Nether Mountains are pretty far from the sea. I like the idea of enmity between Grumbar and the batrachi, forces of change, mutability and adaptability vs. status quo. It doesn't have to Grumbar, maybe Ogremoch or his servants would fit better as the causes of unnatural earthquakes. Other possibilities are vortexes to the Inner Planes. Maybe once in a while a vortex to Mineral overloads the surroundings, considering the name, City of Rubies. Or why should Earth be the one causing the disasters, more likely it's Magma, that means Chilimba and his mephits, paraelementals and magmin.
#6 iakhovas Jun 22, 2009 12:59:24	Just curious. Why do you folks assume that tectonic plates don't exist?
#7 suin_bahhar_02 Jun 22, 2009 13:30:42	I know this late 3.5 article on the nature of the core or underworld of Toril posed a different view.. i.e that the core of Toril houses a mealstrom of elements and a pointpotal to the Abyss. Several clues hint to no tectonics. I always understood the rare torilian vulcanism and vulcanic mountain ranges acted such as they where located above portals to the elemental plane of fire. Another clue can be gleaned from the cool lower parts of the Underdark. Because its not dastardly hot several miles beneath the surface of most regions in Toril, evidenced by the Deep Underdark regions. This leads to a possible cool center of the planet, i.e. no superheated core that drives tectonic plate drift.
#8 quale1 Jun 22, 2009 13:31:43	They do, they aren't much active cause of the earth nodes. Edit: Just joking. Yes, Toril has tectonic plates. No, they don't often cause seismic activity, because the earth nodes 'drink' the kinetic stresses, and let out that energy in other ways than earthquakes, faults, and slippages. So the fault lines are there (and many volcanic flows run along and up through them, so volcanic locations give a surface observer a rough idea of where some plate boundaries are), but the plates aren't "on the move" nearly as much as they are in our real world. As of right now, at least. :} And for now, that's definitely all I'll say on the matter. Sorry. (Cue sinister NDA symphony, looming dark and rising...) So saith Ed.