Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Cyber-Dave Dec 08, 2008 22:41:12	Does anyone know what shape Xxiphu and the Far Realm took pre 4e? Xxiphu was risen out of the sea, right? So, when was the last time Xxiphu was active in the history of the realms? Have the Aboleth ever tried to invade Faerun some time in the history of the realms? If so, does anyone know where I can go to read up more on this subject?
#2 old_sage Dec 08, 2008 23:00:27	The Far Realm did exist along with the previous interpretations of the FR planar cosmologies, and could be considered an element outside the tradional Realms planar framework. Specifically, it's noted in the Dragonking details in CoS:W... pg. 63 -- under the "Wands" noble family entry. The original reference was in the 3rd of the "Marco Volo" modules in which the Dragonking makes a brief appearance in the Realms. [I wouldn't really recommend this adventure trilogy however, but they are considered part of canon Realmslore]. Eric Boyd once said that he tried to work with them when expanding on the Dragonking entry in CoS. You can find the modules here for free:- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads From there, the Dragonking was mentioned in Volo's Guide to All Things Magical -- under the entry for the "Dragonking's Eye". Eric, thus, continued with the reference into CoS:W and makes a more solid connection to the Far Realm...
#3 old_sage Dec 08, 2008 23:03:47	In terms of previous Far Realm influence upon the Realms... I don't think this can really be answered in any truly specific way, since there are so few examples in the Realmslore to use as evidence. However, with regard to the Dragonking's Eye... since the defeat of the Dragonking [after it was released by Marcus Wands], it's been noted that the alien god's release has resulted in an unusual effect occuring in the Realms. Strange entities from the Far Realm have slowly began appearing within the local vicinity of individual members of House Wands, and almost always at random. So, for the most part, it would seem as though the Wands family have garnered some rather "undesired" attention from the bizarre creatures of the Outside Realm.
#4 BadCatMan Dec 08, 2008 23:03:49	Aboleth have done approximately squat of any importance to the surface world in the classic FR, at least, outside the novels and prior to the Cordellian Era. They lived in the Underdark deeps, and did their own thing. Generally, they were just a lurking menace in the deep places of the world. They usually only cause trouble when someone bothers them (the destruction of the Vault Of Conjured Madness, an Underdark conjuration school). Or they dominate a few Underdark settlements (Llurth Dreier, drow city). The Skum Lord in Skullport is an aboleth slum lord (geddit?). The closest they seem to have come to the surface world is when a trio of aboleth joined the Deepwater War against Waterdeep, and now dwell in the sewers. You can read more about Aboleth in FR in Underdark (3.5) and Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide To The Underdark (2e, much better than it sounds). As for the Far Realms (read: general Lovecraftian themes, not specifically Far Realms) influences on FR, there are a few varied incidences, like the Dragonking and some rare cults. You'd have to be more specific. In my 3.5 FR game, an aboleth dominated a big game hunter of Innarlith as he hunted the Underdark, then followed him home to organise a menagerie wherein rare and exotic creatures and people from around the world were collected and eventually eaten so the aboleth could absorb their memories and powers.
#5 lord_karsus Dec 08, 2008 23:52:15	Does anyone know what shape Xxiphu and the Far Realm took pre 4e? -Information on the generic Far Realms before 4e can be read in the 3e Manual of the Planes. So, when was the last time Xxiphu was active in the history of the realms? Have the Aboleth ever tried to invade Faerun some time in the history of the realms? If so, does anyone know where I can go to read up more on this subject? -The novel Stardeep, written by Bruce Cordell answers many of these questions. It contains the first references to Xxiphu and what would become the Abolethic Soverignty. A decent novel, because of the characters. Plot wise, it was mediocre.
#6 Cyber-Dave Dec 09, 2008 0:04:08	-The novel Stardeep, written by Bruce Cordell answers many of these questions. It contains the first references to Xxiphu and what would become the Abolethic Soverignty. A decent novel, because of the characters. Plot wise, it was mediocre. Would you mind summing up the basic premise in 1 or 2 paragraphs? I don't care to read the novel, yet I am currently planning out the campaign arc for my upcoming campaign. I am feature Xxiphu, aboleths, and the Far Realm as the eventual BBEE (big bad evil empire), going for a very Call of Cthulu/Lovecraftian theme. I am just curious how much is already out there for me to use before I start raping and pillaging the history of the realms to my own ends. (Did you know that the "Night Serpent" Ubtao was supposed to fight was actually a mistranslation? Turns out it meant "tentacles of insanity." No, seriously! :P)
#7 lord_karsus Dec 09, 2008 0:20:11	-Quick summary (keep in mind, this was quite a bit before the 4e Forgotten Realms debuted, so some information might be apocryphal at this point, due to revisions and editing and such: Xxiphu is the seat of the Abolethic Soverignty. Long ago, before time was comfortably measured, The Traitor attempted to summon the city, to allow the Aboleth to colonize the planet. The Traitor was an individual who was a sort of herald for the Aboleth. His exact nature was never made exactly clear. The Aboleth heard his call, and started the process in "invading", but they failed, having their advances stopped by a bunch of ancient deities/entities (My hypothesis is that they were the Yuir pantheon) and The Traitor was imprisoned in stasis in Stardeep, a fortress in the Sildeyuir, the demiplane created by the Star Elves. If he died, Xxiphu would return, and if he was freed, Xxiphu would return. -Bruce Cordell's latest novel, Plague of Spells deals heavily with Aboleth, Xxiphu, and the protagonist is Raidon Kane, a Half-Elf member of the Order of the Cerulean Sign, the organization that kept The Traitor imprisoned, and a watch out for Aberrations attempting to take over.
#8 Cyber-Dave Dec 09, 2008 0:28:42	-Quick summary (keep in mind, this was quite a bit before the 4e Forgotten Realms debuted, so some information might be apocryphal at this point, due to revisions and editing and such: Xxiphu is the seat of the Abolethic Soverignty. Long ago, before time was comfortably measured, The Traitor attempted to summon the city, to allow the Aboleth to colonize the planet. The Traitor was an individual who was a sort of herald for the Aboleth. His exact nature was never made exactly clear. The Aboleth heard his call, and started the process in "invading", but they failed, having their advances stopped by a bunch of ancient deities/entities (My hypothesis is that they were the Yuir pantheon) and The Traitor was imprisoned in stasis in Stardeep, a fortress in the Sildeyuir, the demiplane created by the Star Elves. If he died, Xxiphu would return, and if he was freed, Xxiphu would return. -Bruce Cordell's latest novel, Plague of Spells deals heavily with Aboleth, Xxiphu, and the protagonist is Raidon Kane, a Half-Elf member of the Order of the Cerulean Sign, the organization that kept The Traitor imprisoned, and a watch out for Aberrations attempting to take over. Do I have to read Stardeep in order to know what is going on with Plague of Spells? Oh, and grumble, grumble, grumble. This is going to be the first time I pick up a fantasy novel in a long time. I don't exactly have high hopes of it being good literature, but it better damn well be entertaining. :P P.S. That Traitor bit and the invasion of Xxiphu before time immemorial works nicely into my plans. But, I'm going to have to change that Yuir deity bit to ancient Chultan deities.
#9 lord_karsus Dec 09, 2008 0:40:38	Do I have to read Stardeep in order to know what is going on with Plague of Spells? Oh, and grumble, grumble, grumble. This is going to be the first time I pick up a fantasy novel in a long time. I don't exactly have high hopes of it being good literature, but it better damn well be entertaining. :P -You might want to pick it up, but like any other book, there will be, in Plague of Spells, ample introductions to the characters, Raidon Kane being a secondary protagonist in Stardeep, and the primary protagonist in Plague of Spells. P.S. That Traitor bit and the invasion of Xxiphu before time immemorial works nicely into my plans. But, I'm going to have to change that Yuir deity bit to ancient Chultan deities. -That's just my own speculation, so it's not necessarily true.
#10 Cyber-Dave Dec 09, 2008 0:47:40	-That's just my own speculation, so it's not necessarily true. It was Ubtao. I have it on good authority. Seriously... what, you don't believe me?
#11 erevis_cale_dup Dec 09, 2008 9:11:02	:88E: Show Dark and Empty
#12 Cyber-Dave Dec 09, 2008 9:13:39	Ok, this question has been growing on me, and now I NEED to know. I Burn with fervent desire for dark and empty knowledge. What exactly do you mean when you say Dark and Empty!?
#13 lord_karsus Dec 09, 2008 9:56:58	-Like I said elsewhere, it's the equivalent of "G-d damn it!" that is used in Cormyr and Sembia that is uttered quite a bit by Erevis Cale, in Paul Kemp's Erevis Cale books. Our friend here has latched on to it, and it's become something of a joke, at this point.
#14 Cyber-Dave Dec 09, 2008 16:57:56	Huh... Dark and Empty.
#15 erevis_cale_dup Dec 09, 2008 17:22:11	Dark and Empty....;)
#16 Cyber-Dave Dec 09, 2008 17:53:22	Dark and Empty....;) ...I'll Dark and Empty you in a minute... Does that work? Can I say that? :P
#17 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Dec 09, 2008 18:32:30	-Like I said elsewhere, it's the equivalent of "G-d damn it!" that is used in Cormyr and Sembia that is uttered quite a bit by Erevis Cale, in Paul Kemp's Erevis Cale books. And it's a very standard saying, too. Very standard, nothing special.
#18 erevis_cale_dup Dec 09, 2008 20:05:29	...I'll Dark and Empty you in a minute... Does that work? Can I say that? :P Dark and Empty....if you want! :P
#19 lord_karsus Dec 09, 2008 20:32:33	...I'll Dark and Empty you in a minute... Does that work? Can I say that? :P -If you want. I will say, though, that sounds a little...You know what? Never mind. -Back to the topic, Pandorym, an entity from the Far Realms, mentioned in...The book with the really evil Far Realms things (It's not Lords of Madness . It's newer than that. It's one I don't have, though) has a bit of history in the Forgotten Realms. I believe that Pandorym was "born" before that book, and then was inserted in.
#20 erevis_cale_dup Dec 09, 2008 20:35:37	Elder Evils which is a very good book! :D Show Made you look!
#21 vulpes Dec 09, 2008 22:30:07	Back to the topic, Pandorym, an entity from the Far Realms, mentioned in...The book with the really evil Far Realms things (It's not Lords of Madness . It's newer than that. It's one I don't have, though) has a bit of history in the Forgotten Realms. I believe that Pandorym was "born" before that book, and then was inserted in. It's Elder Evils. It's actually a pretty good book. Pandorym first appeared in Darkvision (by, who else, Bruce Cordell :coolcthul), and then was written up in Elder Evils. BTW, I would argue that Pandorym isn't a Far Realms entity, but I think I might have argued with you about that before, and it's sort of semantic, so whatever.
#22 lord_karsus Dec 09, 2008 23:25:59	-Elder Evils. That's the one. Being as that it was billed as a way to destroy your world, and I never needed a way to destroy my world (fairly counter-productive to world building, methinks. But, people like them keep people like them in business. When a world is destroyed, someone needs to build a new one, I guess), I never picked it up.
#23 Caolin Dec 10, 2008 15:54:17	The Far Realm did exist along with the previous interpretations of the FR planar cosmologies, and could be considered an element outside the tradional Realms planar framework. Specifically, it's noted in the Dragonking details in CoS:W... pg. 63 -- under the "Wands" noble family entry. The original reference was in the 3rd of the "Marco Volo" modules in which the Dragonking makes a brief appearance in the Realms. [I wouldn't really recommend this adventure trilogy however, but they are considered part of canon Realmslore]. Eric Boyd once said that he tried to work with them when expanding on the Dragonking entry in CoS. You can find the modules here for free:- http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads From there, the Dragonking was mentioned in Volo's Guide to All Things Magical -- under the entry for the "Dragonking's Eye". Eric, thus, continued with the reference into CoS:W and makes a more solid connection to the Far Realm... Which product is CoS:W?
#24 lord_karsus Dec 10, 2008 15:55:47	-City of Splendors: Waterdeep.
#25 Caolin Dec 10, 2008 16:22:35	Thank you