174 replies to this topic

[Bluenose]

Todays question is about deserts. Most deserts in D&D seem to be created by magical catastrophes, and the Forgotten Realms is no exception. How many deserts can you name? I don't mind if they're in Faerun, Kara-Tur, or anywhere else as long as they're on Abeir-Toril.






Yesterday's answers:

Amn - Athkatla
Cormyr - Suzail
Dambrath - Cathyr
Impiltur - Lyrabar
Mulhorand - Skuld
Thay - Eltabbar

And the ones named after people.
Cathyr, the capital of Dambrath, was named after the first queen of the current half-drow dynasty to rule the country.
Impiltur comes from Impal's Tor, the settlement founded by Impal as a mining and iron-working centre on the current site of Lyrabar.
Thay is named after Thayd, the wizard who's original revolt against Mulhorand failed but who inspired the Red Wizards to revolt succesfully years later.
Eltabbar is named after the demon lord Eltab, released by the Red Wizards to defeat the armies of Mulhorand and then bound under Eltabbar with a magical glyph formed from the street-map.

I'll check Cormyr - it wasn't one that I thought of originally but I think Deathsangel may be right.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Todays question is about deserts. Most deserts in D&D seem to be created by magical catastrophes, and the Forgotten Realms is no exception. How many deserts can you name? I don't mind if they're in Faerun, Kara-Tur, or anywhere else as long as they're on Abeir-Toril.

Raurin Desert, Anauroch and Calim.

[Isilven]

Anauroch, The southern Hordelands, Calim Desert, Raurin the Dust Desert, Zakhara.

[Deathsangel]

Anauroch desert - Has to do with the Nether Empire
Calim Desert - fight between genie and Efreet
Raurin Desert - no clue (at least no clue to me personally)
Parts of the Hordelands - isn't this the rare natural one due to land climate?
Parts of Zakhara - Hey it is an Arabian desert... still lies unnatural to where you look on the map.

** probably **

Parts of Osse and Katashaka - as they are australian and african like settings (or so they seem)

[Bluenose]

Many cities don't just have their official names, but also have some nicknames they are known by. Thus Waterdeep is called the City of Splendours (at least by people from Waterdeep) and Athkatla is also known as the City of Coin. Which cities have the following alternative names?

The City of Spiders.
The Gem of the North.
The City of Song.
The City of a Thousand Temples.
The Shining City by the Sea.
The City of Doors.





Answers:

Faerun's deserts:
Anauroch, also known as the Great Desert. Created in wars between the Netherese Empire and the Phaerimn.
The Calim Desert. Created in a war between Djinn and Efreet.
Raurin, also called the Great Dust Desert. Created in the fall of the Imaskar Empire.
The Plains of Purple Dust. Created in battle between an Efreet Lord and an Archmage.

Between the hordelands and Kara-Tur:
The Quoya Desert. Possibly natural.

In Zakhara:
The High Desert.
The Haunted Lands. Both probably natural.

In Maztica:
The House of Tezca. Probably natural.

[Tempest]

City of Spiders is Menzoberenzan or however you spell it.

City of Doors is Sigil.

The Gem of the North is Silverymoon.

(And now for the ones I'm mostly guessing at)

City of Song is Berdusk.

City of a Thousand Temples is Impiltur

Shining City by the Sea... no idea.

[Jarno Mikkola]

The Shining City by the Sea is Calimport.
The Gem of the North might be Neverwinter(Jewel of North)

[Deathsangel]

Oh dear...

City of Spider = Menzoberranzan (also known as City of the Spider Queen)
City of Doors = Sigil
The Gem of the North = Silverymoon
City of Song = Myth Drannor (old capital of the lost empire of Cormanthyr (see Lost Empires book of WoTC))
City of a Thousand Temples = Bezantur (in Thay (this took me a load of reading! First came to Thousand Spires and Thousand Seas before I hit on Thousand Temples))

** Gamble **

Shining City by the Sea = Calimport (after all lies on the Shining Sea and can be quite the bling bling in the right circles...)

[Scipio]

I'm still too ignorant to attempt these questions without looking up the answers. All this has however prompted me to learn more about THAT world. I have begun with the gnomes. I thought I would start small and work my way up, in a manner of speaking.

My compilation of the first six questions and answers is on MS Word page 4 already. It's going to grow into a hefty document!

[Sammi Somara]

I only know the City of Doors, and that's Sigil.

[Bluenose]

The latest question is back to the oceans, seas, and lakes of Faerun. What sea or lake are the following features in?

Arnrock.
Aryselmalyr.
Bhaluin.
The Great Spire.
The Gull Rocks.
The Isle of Quelthiir.
Whamite Isles.




Answers.

The City of Spiders. - Menzoberranzan
The Gem of the North. - Silverymoon
The City of Song. - Myth Drannor, which has several others, but that's the most common.
The City of a Thousand Temples. - Bezantur
The Shining City by the Sea. - Sheirtalar in Lapaliiya
The City of Doors. - Sigil

Incidentally, if anyone wants to suggest a topic for a future series of questions, please do so. I'm probably going to start a serious on religions next week, but after then anything is up for grabs.

@ Scipio, the problem with gnomes is that you can't trust anything a gnome tells you.

[Scipio]

Incidentally, if anyone wants to suggest a topic for a future series of questions, please do so. I'm probably going to start a serious on religions next week, but after then anything is up for grabs.

Only the obvious topics:
* Races and sub-races - I didn't know until yesterday that there were Chaos Gnomes. This alone would be a big section, methinks.
* Monsters - including some that don't appear in BG/BG2, maybe, such as Driders.
* Schools of magic, and why specialists in one school can't use the opposite school, etc.
* Dates, calendar system and milestone historical events.
* Legendary figures, alive and dead - Elminster, Balduran, great discoverers of new lands, etc.

[Deathsangel]

Why does my first attempt always get errased by stupidity or computer crash...


Arnrock - Volcanic Island in Lake of Steam

Aryselmalyr - name is an old Elven Empire in Sea of Fallen Stars, but I can't find the Isle or so... *gamble* : Sea of Fallen Stars

Bhaluin - Isle in Brightstar Lake, founded by the Raurin Empire

The Great Spire - (near Iriaebor, The City of a Thousand Spires, perhaps? Does that have a lake nearby?)

The Gull Rocks - Trackless Sea (it is the Trackless Sea when it is west of the Moonshae Islands right?)
(uses as patrolling point (along with Wave Rocks for Elves of Evermeet against the Pirate Isles (not those of the Inner Sea, but of the Sea of Swords))

The Isle of Quelthiir - not on the maps of Fearûn I've got. Perhaps towards Evermeet or so, I know it is in the FRCS book. Where did that book go And no it is bloody 01:33 After Midnight here, I am too tired to look .... *gamble* : Trackless Sea

Whamite Isles - The Sea of Fallen Stars

[Bluenose]

Today we're back to rivers, or more precisely bridges over rivers.

If you're on Wyrm's Crossing, what city are you outside?

If you're crossing the Stonebridge, what river is below you?

If you're crossing Dead Dwarf Bridge, what road are you on and what river are you crossing?

Bhaal was correct in thinking he'd be killed during the Time of Troubles, but what bridge was he on when it happened?




Answers:

Arnrock - in the Lake of Steam.
Aryselmalyr - the old aquatic elf empire from the Sea of Fallen Stars
Bhaluin - a drowned city in Brightstar Lake
The Great Spire - in the Great Ice Sea north of the Hordelands
The Gull Rocks - in the Trackless Sea west of the Moonshaes
The Isle of Quelthiir - in the Great Sea, south of Luiren
Whamite Isles - in the Sea of Fallen Stars.


And in rsponse to a request, the current totals of correct answers:

Deathsangel - 35
Jarno Mikkola - 23
Sammi Somara - 8
Tassadar88 - 6
Isilven - 5
Tempest - 5
Scipio - 4

[Scipio]

And in response to a request, the current totals of correct answers:

Deathsangel - 35
Jarno Mikkola - 23
Sammi Somara - 8
Tassadar88 - 6
Isilven - 5
Tempest - 5
Scipio - 4

Hmmm. So I know nothing but I know more than everyone except for the six above me on the list. I challenge ANYONE other than these six to beat me. NO! Beat Jarno! (Deathsangel has so much of a lead that you'll have to wait for a pit-stop to catch up.)
* Waits for someone to say: "We haven't tried to answer any yet," to which I shall reply, "Put your money where my wallet is." *

[Deathsangel]

Wyrm's Crossing - The City of Baldur's Gate

Stonebridge - The Delimbiyr River

Dead Dwarf Bridge - This is actual name is the Riverview Span, but named so for the spirits of Dwarven Guardians being on it. It lies near Drubiev in the Hordelands... The road is called the Goldenway and the river is called the Clearflow

Bhaal was killed on the Boaraskyr Bridge, a bit north of Baldur's Gate

(Deathsangel has so much of a lead that you'll have to wait for a pit-stop to catch up.)

Thanks for the compliment. I am bit fearful about the religion part though...

[Bluenose]

Today we're looking for things in the Mountains. What mountain range are the following sites in?


Bloodstone Pass

The Crypt of Anthilar

Fang Pass

The Gate of Iron

Old Owl Well

Talath Pass


Answers:

If you're on Wyrm's Crossing, what city are you outside? Baldur's Gate

If you're crossing the Stonebridge, what river is below you? The Dessarin

If you're crossing Dead Dwarf Bridge, what road are you on and what river are you crossing? On the Golden Way, crossing the Clearflow

Bhaal was correct in thinking he'd be killed during the Time of Troubles, but what bridge was he on when it happened? Boareskyr Bridge

[Deathsangel]

Bloodstone Pass - Galena Mountains

The Crypt of Anthilar -

Fang Pass - Cloud peaks

The Gate of Iron - build by Dwarves and lies in the Shining South but I do not have the maps beyond the Raurin Dust Desert.... *gamble* The Giant's Belt

Old Owl Well - The Crags (though my lore places it actually with the Neverwinter Woods instead of the mountain area)

Talath Pass - The West Wall in Halruaa

[Bluenose]

Finally for geography, the most important question of all. Where is that pub/tavern/inn? What cities are the following establishments in?


The Blade and Stars

The Burning Wizard

Lady Luck Tavern

The Yawning Portal

The Moonstone Mask

The Whirlpool Inn

The Copper Coronet

The Tankard Tree



Answers:

Bloodstone Pass - Galena Mountains

The Crypt of Anthilar - Hazur Mountains

Fang Pass - The Cloud Peaks, on the road between Athkatla and Nashkel

The Gate of Iron - The Dustwall

Old Owl Well - The Sword Mountains

Talath Pass - Halruaa's West Wall

[Tempest]

Blade and Stars is Baldur's Gate.

Yawning Portal is in Waterdeep.

Copper Coronet is in Athkatla.

Moonstone Mask is in Neverwinter.

Burning Wizard is in Beregost.