Excerpt from the journal of Arleenaya Kithmaer, First Magistrati of the House of the High One Ascendant, Year of Blue Fire (1385 DR)
"(...)Selûne, my gods! The surface of the moon, long presented to us mortals as a barren landscape of craters and lifeless valleys, now revealed to me majestic mountains and sprawling seas; itself alight with similar cobalt radiance. (...)"
But I could'nt find anything on the moons changed appearance within the pages of the FRCS. Did I overlook it or did the moon returned to it's illusion-veiled state? Has anything been said on this matter?
Best wishes
Lirdolin
:coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul :coolcthul 18DELTA :D
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18DELTA :D
As soon as I saw that the song, "Camptown Races" popped into my head.
-Information about the civilization on Selûne can be found on page 25-29 in Realmspace, the Forgotten Realms Spelljammer supplement. The Abeir-Toril's moon is inhabited by 'Selûnians'.
Selune is Toril's only natural satellite. Only one side of the moon is ever visible to the planet. The other side, called the dark side, is never seen by Toril inhabitants. Selune revolves around Toril once every 30 days, performing the natural cycle of full moon, three-quarter, half, one-quarter, and new moon, and back again. With the positioning of Selune's orbit, eclipses happen frequently.
Selune, surprisingly, is a relatively cool place, except for the molten mountain tops. The temperature rarely exceeds 60 degrees, while never dropping below freezing. This temperature stability has been related to the moon's magical
blanket that shrouds the side facing Toril. This magical illusion makes Selune appear to be completely uninhabited and desolate. The other side, however, is not blanketed in illusion, and its full splendor is revealed.
The people here are hedonists, demanding the best in everything. One cannot find an uncomfortable chair, a table that doesn't appeal to the eye, or an earring that doesn't shimmer in the light just so. The clothes worn express this aestheticism as well. Some people call the Selune inhabitants frivolous, foolish, and unworthy of serious consideration. This could be true for the most part, because one of the major religions on Selune is the worship of Leira, the Lady of the Mists and goddess of illusion and untruths.
Selune has several ports by which spelljamming ships can dock. All of these
facilities are on the "dark side" of the moon, thus being efficiently hidden from Toril. Please note that there are absolutely no spacefaring
ports on the Toril side of Selune; in fact, the government of Selune prefers that ships never approach this side.
The fifty-some ports are all located at the Leira Trading Center which is on the equatorial line in the center of the moon. From here, the Selunians cannot see Toril, but more importantly, Toril cannot see them. Selune's natives are paranoid of the planet's inhabitants, and usually look toward Toril visitors as spies. It is not uncommon for Torilian merchants and adventurers to be denied access to the rest of the moon from the Leira Trading Center.
When one first enters the docking ports of Selune, one is immediately greeted by almost a dozen dock hands hired to assist the ship into port. These are dedicated men and women, striving to assure that not a speck of paint on
any ship gets scratched. Crews may be surprised when the inhabitants welcome them to Leira, and not Selune. The people feel a closer bond to
this goddess and thus named their world after her.
Crews are free to roam anywhere, except for a few designated areas. Even then, the only penalty is a polite escort to the nearest non-secret
location. This applies to everyone but those who claim to be from Toril. In this case, an arrest, trial, and conviction for espionage is much more likely. People found guilty of spying are always decapitated within the hour. There is no
tolerance for thieves of trade or militaristic secrets. lf there is ever any doubt about the sincerity of an individual in these matters, the worst is always believed.
The people here are exceedingly aesthetic. Their only care when purchasing
something is its relative comfort and beauty-which chair is the most comfortable, and which coat rack has the most appeal. Silks are a large import item here. Selune does not have the capacity to create its own, so all must be imported. The more seductive and revealing the clothing, the better.
Fine foods are a necessity-the more delicious and savory the better. These people are not afraid to pay for their luxuries, but they are not fools either. They know how to play two merchants against each other to get the best price they can. This often causes fights in the markets, to the delight of the Selunian residents. The furniture bought must be of the brightest and best colors, and must be enjoyable to the user. (Burlap covered furniture never sells.) The magical items Selunians purchase are usually those that can be assimilated by their ever consuming passion, or they are very deadly. These lethal magical items are purchased and hidden away deep within the moon, for the people live in fear of the day when Toril mounts a full scale assault on Selune to take it as their own.
The Selunians naturally import great quanti. ties of art. Paintings and sculptures are all major purchase items for the average citizen, but their
largest artistic import is the artisans themselves. The love for theater and music is so high that many of artisans from several worlds in Realmspace and even from other crystal spheres gather here to entertain, paint, sculpt, and to sing and dance their way into the Selune hearts and coin purses. A great deal of money is to be had here for those talented and lucky enough to get on stage.
The Selunians may be aesthetic and frivolous, but their passions cannot be quenched. They love as deeply as they fear and hate. Nothing to them is done haphazardly, which is why many observers, see a threat lying beneath that exterior dedicated to the pleasures. It is believed that the high magistrate, Her Highness Phlandra Alabaster, is readying to attack Toril. She fears that a Torilian attack is inevitable, and she would rather have Toril's lands ripped from the devastations of war instead of hers. There has been a growth in the number of internal protective service agents in recent years as well. This growth seems to parallel the paranoia the Selunians feel.
The people for the most part are pale skinned, living their lives in a world's atmosphere that softens the rays of the sun to such a point that tanning is impossible. The humans, who are about an average of six inches shorter than their Toril counterparts, live in harmony with the elves who are about six inches taller than their relatives planetside. There has never been a war
in recorded history between these two races, which is a credit to their benevolence. Together, side by side, they have made the Toril satellite a very beautiful place to live and work. The humans all have blonde or light brown hair. Their eyes are light colored as well; bright blues and greens are the normal, with the purple or lavender shades being fairly unusual. None of
the inhabitants have brown, black, or any other darker eye color. Even the elves exhibit lighter shades of skin, eyes, and hair. Unlike many worlds, this one lacks families of dwarves hurrowing deep beneath its surface. Many dwarven mining conglomerates have asked the Selune government for permission to set up mining operations, but all have met with
denial. Truth be known, the elves and the humans have already drilled huge caverns deep within the surface-as invasion shelters. When
Toril invades, if the Selunians are unable to fend them off, they plan to hide themselves in these manmade caverns. All school-aged children are
taught the techniques of guerrilla warfare from the time they are old enough and strong enough to pull back on a bow. No manner of talking can
convince the Selunians that there is no danger from Toril.
-There's about two pages more, but that should be more than enough.
-The illusion over Selûne was mentioned as failing in one of the Countdown to the Realms articles.
I came across this in the FRCG this morning (pg. 86) -
The Inner Sea was once four separate bodies of water until the batrachi realm of Kolophoon was devastated nearly 33,000 years ago. Scholars generally hold that a chunk of Toril’s second moon struck Faerûn at that time.
Does anyone remember when I speculated about Shar having her own Black Moon, being that she is the opposite of Selune (and her shiney Moon)?
Nostramarkus has done it again. ;)
Also, there are further hints, like when they talk about the Sea of Night, they specifically make a point of listing the visible planets (thats exactly the words used).
BIG difference between that, and the above excerpt.
-Not really. It says "a moon".
lets just cut this about thirty posts short, and say that you are right, because I will eventually get bored with arguiing with you.
Here we go again....
lets just cut this about thirty posts short, and say that you are right, because I will eventually get bored with arguiing with you.
There, there.
(pats MT affectionately)
I know your pain--I've been there.
(smacks MT like a tool)
Now be a man and fight!! Fight, damn you! Fight!!!!
-No, no, no! No "Abeirrations"!
-Information about the civilization on Selûne can be found on page 25-29 in Realmspace, the Forgotten Realms Spelljammer supplement. The Abeir-Toril's moon is inhabited by 'Selûnians'.
-The illusion over Selûne was mentioned as failing in one of the Countdown to the Realms articles.
Yes, I do own a copy of Realmspace, so I know about the Selûnians (but thanks anyway), but what I would like to know is, can I still see the inhabited moon in 1479 DR or is there an illusion in place again? Based on the preview-article I already described the moon as inhabited to my players before FRCS came out (and will probably stay that way, as I hate to retcon my adventures descriptions).
The FRCS makes no mention of the rather unusal look of Toril's moon (within the small box on pg. 85), suggesting that it's back to it's old plain silver-white light look.
Lirdolin
Yes, I do own a copy of Realmspace, so I know about the Selûnians (but thanks anyway), but what I would like to know is, can I still see the inhabited moon in 1479 DR or is there an illusion in place again? Based on the preview-article I already described the moon as inhabited to my players before FRCS came out (and will probably stay that way, as I hate to retcon my adventures descriptions).
The FRCS makes no mention of the rather unusal look of Toril's moon (within the small box on pg. 85), suggesting that it's back to it's old plain silver-white light look.
Lirdolin
Since they said the illusion was dropped, I would go with that. However, the lands on the moon still wouldn't be very visible from the realms. Just as you can't make out earth cities from our moon, you wouldn't be able to see cities on the moon, at least not without scrying magic or strong telescopes.
I could'nt find anything on the moons changed appearance within the pages of the FRCS. Did I overlook it or did the moon returned to it's illusion-veiled state? Has anything been said on this matter?
I'd say that it remains up to your individual campaign whether or not you drop Selûne’s illusion or not. Having said that, the change in the moon *was* in my FRCG turnover, but was either cut for editorial or space reasons.
Yes, I do own a copy of Realmspace, so I know about the Selûnians (but thanks anyway), but what I would like to know is, can I still see the inhabited moon in 1479 DR or is there an illusion in place again?
-Based on the fact that they went out of their way to mention that the illusion disappeared, I'd see no reason why it would return. I'm no mind reader, but if the designers didn't intend for the moon to be visible for what it really is, they wouldn't have mentioned the illusion failing.
I came across this in the FRCG this morning (pg. 86) -
Does anyone remember when I speculated about Shar having her own Black Moon, being that she is the opposite of Selune (and her shiney Moon)?
Sorry Mark, but that passage has nothing to do with Shar. It’s a reprint of lore first established in Candlekeep Compendium Volume IV. Before the Tearfall, Abeir-Toril had two moons named by the Sarrukh, Ssharstrune and Zotha. Ssharstrune is the moon we know today as Selûne, while Zotha was a smaller satellite consisting primarily of rock and elemental ice. In her rage against the gods, the primordial dragon mother Asgorath sundered Zotha (the Crystal Sun) and hurled a large chunk of the moon at Abeir-Toril, carving out the Sea of Fallen Stars and initiating Tearfall.
Some of this story is recounted in the FRCG on page 41 under the Sundered Abeir sidebar.
I'd say that it remains up to your individual campaign whether or not you drop Selûne’s illusion or not. Having said that, the change in the moon *was* in my FRCG turnover, but was either cut for editorial or space reasons.
Thanks for the info
So I'll keep the description of the moons 'new' face.
Lirdolin
18DELTA :D
Although I didn't mind and actually enjoyed 'Stardeep' that's where the lovecraftian elements of the realms should have stopped. But it didn't...
" (Plague of Spells Novel) introducing a new never-before-seen element of Lovecraftian horror to Faerûn. "
And it should have remaind that way: a never-seen element. I want Realms, not Lovecraft CoC.
Overly paranoid Selunians my heros can pay a visit are far more interesting than another alien many-eyed-and tentacled FarRealm entity.
Lirdolin
Overly paranoid Selunians my heros can pay a visit are far more interesting than another alien many-eyed-and tentacled FarRealm entity.
-I enjoyed the "paranoid Selûnians" hiding from being seen, but I didn't like the concept that they are wanting to "strike Toril" first, before Toril strikes them.
Wasn't there also that whole thing about Abeir and Toril being split by Io as a defensive measure against one of the primordials hurling an 'ice moon' at it?
-I don't remember anything being mention about Abeir and Toril, but that's mentioned (or something to that effect) in a Candlekeep Compendium. But, AGHotR, and I believe the new FRCG, makes it canon, that there existed two moons, at one point, that that one smashed into the planet long ago (-31,000 DR).
Wasn't there also that whole thing about Abeir and Toril being split by Io as a defensive measure against one of the primordials hurling an 'ice moon' at it?
Yeah--skimmed over something like that.
Not saying its right--or in complete context (there was a lot of fighting going on at that point)--but I'll check. I believe a primordial was involved in some manner.
The primordial Asgoroth hurled an ice moon at Toril, to destroy the world she could'nt claim.
Grand History pg. 8 (-31.000DR) describes the event as 'Tearfall' (and ascribes the changes brought by the 'Sundering' of the worlds to the impact of the celestrial bombardment)
But Ao seemed to have stopped this last second (sounds like 5th Element)and split the worlds. So the second moon maybe never hit Toril and all changes are only results of his creation of Abeir and Toril?
Best wishes
Lirdolin
Note that The Sundering, the continental catastrophe caused by the elves, occurred much later; officially in -17,600 DR.
Note that The Sundering, the continental catastrophe caused by the elves, occurred much later; officially in -17,600 DR.
-But not in reality. ;)
How did that crystalline moon in orbit around Abeir-Toril look like from the surface? Are its pieces that scattered into Torils crust still accesable and minable? Does its crystal have any nice qualities such as weavebending (spellresistance)?
EDIT: Bah! I just realized it was probably a large chunk of ice... the perfect crime weapon that leaves no trace after it evaporates.
(Although dragonamber, the green crystalls growing on top of Lord Karsus...ähm the Karse stone... the godcrystallheart of Relmaur and especially plangent could be realmsian versions of dragonshards already
)Best wishes
Lirdolin
But the rest I most heartily agree with. Perhaps a few of them even became the gem dragons now found on Fearun.
EDIT: Bah! I just realized it was probably a large chunk of ice... the perfect crime weapon that leaves no trace after it evaporates.
-Right. If I'm not mistaken, in the past, the same thing happened with the Earth.
Tell Bruce R. Cordell...ähm mighty Cthulhu to keep his tentacles out of the Realms.
Thats why in the Realms, I call that particular Elder Evil Cordulhu. :D
I read Darkvision so I am going to stick with its explanation for plangents.
I didn't want to imply that plangents are the result of the mooncrash, but they seem a bit similar to dragonshards.
Back to topic:
Blackstaff Tower pg. 60
"Selûne and her Tears gleamed in th clear night sky,..." - "The moonlight glistened of the tile roofs up ahead,..."
That doesn't clears it up either.
-Right. If I'm not mistaken, in the past, the same thing happened with the Earth.
Most of those dissipate in the atmosphere. But it could certainly have happened a lot to earths moon.
Not very familiar with the mechanics of dragonshards. You can graft them in yourself and become mystically enhanced? They are the result of and can be found near sites hit with dragon comets like the fall in the Year of Lightning Storms 1374?
Hm, as far as i understand, dragon shards come in three variants, each linked to one of the creator-dragons of Eberron (Eberron being one of them, Siberys in the sky and Khyber within the underdark). all are somewhat 'living crystals'.
Psions of Eberron graft at least one of these crystals to their bodies to enhance their powers and mages store spells in them and i believe they enhance dragonmarks (all not really sure about). But full replacements of body parts I don't remeber reading about.
As many believe that Spellscares are the Dragonmarks of the realms, it could also be, that some 'crystals' are placed in the realms in case you want to use dragonshard rules there. Remember, all is core now.
but it's pure speculation, because it's not like Eberron invented living crystals.
Best wishes
Lirdolin
Excerpt from the journal of Arleenaya Kithmaer, First Magistrati of the House of the High One Ascendant, Year of Blue Fire (1385 DR)
"(...)Selûne, my gods! The surface of the moon, long presented to us mortals as a barren landscape of craters and lifeless valleys, now revealed to me majestic mountains and sprawling seas; itself alight with similar cobalt radiance. (...)"
Perhaps the spelljamming elvish navy who lives there could be bribed to fly down and blast Netheril from the face of Faerun.
Being the size of a small moon, it managed to destroy or incapacitate most of the Elven fleet and drive them from Realmspace.
They've since been taking down all other sentients with a Realmspace presence, forcing the Dwarves, Scro (Orcs), and even the Illithids into an uneasy alliance to keep them from taking the entire sphere.
The one hope they all have is a human youth fortold in prophesies (by the Illithid Maha-gedi) dwelling somewhere in the deserts of Zakhara.
It is said that he can 'Bullseye' an Osquip from horseback, and only he has the precise aim to fire a magical bolt directly into the Main Eye of the Deathsphere from the distance required.
:D ;)
BTW: NONE of that is canon, just in case you hadn't noticed the tongue planted in my cheek.
Perhaps the spelljamming elvish navy who lives there could be bribed to fly down and blast Netheril from the face of Faerun.
-This was the crux of the matter in the fabled 'Evermeet vs. Shade' thread. Something like 25 pages of maxed out posting character limits of awesomeness.
-This was the crux of the matter in the fabled 'Evermeet vs. Shade' thread. Something like 25 pages of maxed out posting character limits of awesomeness.
!!! I didn't see that thread. Was it before my board time?
Last year... I think. :P
Yup - back in the prehistoric days of 3e. :D
Last year... I think. :P
Ah, bummer. Oh well.
-Problem is, this thread was archived on the WotC server that was damaged/fritzy it seems. As such, it's not working.
-Ha! I found the link: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=605219
-Problem is, this thread was archived on the WotC server that was damaged/fritzy it seems. As such, it's not working.
Haha, oh well. Thanks for looking anyway.