Sample flavor quotes
A bunch of pre-chapter quotes I've devised for Remembered Realms; you may notice a lot of them have the same subject. Might as well put them out here, since I doubt I can use them all in any case.
A male stood behind her; he wore a cloak, through which I could see the night sky as though he and the garment were smoked glass. Where she was silver, he was gold. He was smiling, and it seemed he smiled at me.
He reached out and plucked the mask from her face.
Gods help me, this is what I saw. If I lie may the Masked Lady strike me down, but gods help me I do not think my lady is the Masked Lady any longer.
- Arrynar Coborel, 1600 DR
[In homebrew, Alindkach is an old friend of Siora's; people like to speculate he was also his lover. He's a Masked Traitor who fakes being a priest of Selvetarm because I say so. 1375 was... awkward. He ended up vaulting out a window after spouting moonfire during a Selvetargtlin ceremony; the others were too busy freaking out over the "can't hear our god" thing to put enough effort into catching him. And then he arrived in the Vhaeraunite quarter and faced another general freakout]
That's the way it works. If you remember your history it'll still be repeated, but this time you have a leg up. They might have denied us after the Silence. They might have reduced us. But once again when the goddess's spells failed, the god's sword arm entered the breach. Not a bad job for a dead god, I'd say.
- An anonymous Eryndlyr street preacher, sometimes mistakenly identified as Alindkach of Eryndlyn, summarily executed for heresy shortly afterward, as recorded in the journals of Siora of Eryndlyn, 1600 DR
It all started one Midwinter when the followers of the Nameless Banshee decided this was the best time to raise a ton of zombies. Like drow, they're at their best at night.
The Shevarashans got wind of that and said, that is not okay! We're going out there and letting them know how we're going to kill them all! As many times as necessary!
The Vhaeraunites took one look at the rampaging zombies and the screaming elves, said "Fuck this," and went back inside. And that's how the Masked Lord's Embrace got started.
- Weave blogger Fini'they Jaelre, "The Abridged Seldaritic Mythos: Midwinter Edition," 2576 DR
Each god has had two visitors
The difference at the core:
Mask comes in through the window
And Sharess through the door.
- "The Athar's Guide To The Great Tree: A Verse Primer," 1527 DR
[Some of you may remember these two]
I hope this finds you well as can be expected, given the circumstances. Perhaps you have noticed the moonfire. Perhaps you've heard dark rumors of the death of gods. Those rumors are true.
- Tarlaunim of Eilistraee, excerpt from a letter to Zayrtel of Vhaeraun, 24 Nightal 1375 DR
Go forth, ye outcasts and pariahs. There will always be a place for thee with me. Except drow. Drow can die in a fire.
- Excerpt from "Fenmarel Mestarine" sketch, Tenthday Twilight Live
[The Green-Eyed Brotherhood is an organization of ex-Vhaeraunites who turned to Erevan Ilesere. I posted a canon-Realms writeup on Candlekeep here.]
Would you believe me if I told you I wept when I heard? I will say so, in any case. My gratitude could well have been better demonstrated, but I was, I am grateful. Without the Masked Lord's guidance to the Night Above, I would never have heard a whisper of the Jack of the Seelie Court. Vhaeraun would surely spit on me and name me a traitor, but I do not mourn him any less.
- Attributed to Seryzz of Erevan Ilesere, Mischiefmaker and once Darkmask, speech at a founding meeting of the Green-Eyed Brotherhood, 1376 DR
[Shameless Monty Python ripoff]
HIGH PRIESTESS OF EILISTRAEE: Now, now, let's not bicker and argue about who killed who.
- Excerpt from "Assimilationist Orientation" sketch, Just a Dash of Spider
[For purposes of this quote Kerewyk is basically "other Vhaeraun-worshipping guy." He would be fleshed out in the full script that doesn't exist.]
SIORA: Don't be stupid, we already know who killed who. If it was Vhaeraun who killed her what conceivable reason would he have to do this? They talk about unity, but really to them we're stray rothe who need to be herded back into line; they're the ones who have all the answers. We're losing everything we fought for. In fact, I'd say we're becoming -
KEREWYK: Don't say it!
SIORA: - I'd say we're becoming Selvetargtlin!
- Excerpt from Let Us Stand Together, released by Five Pillars Productions, 2578 DR
[As mentioned earlier: in homebrew fluff Matiris Melarn is Q'arlynd Melarn's youngest son, ergo Halisstra's nephew. As depicted earlier in the full script, he switched the Crescent Blade with a lightly enchanted fake in the last days before magic left entirely. The Eilistraeens claim his is the fake, and without magic it's impossible to tell.]
CHASZYRD THENDUK: Perhaps some other old ones among you remember the time when the gods walked among mortals and Selvetarm walked in Eryndlyn. He did a great deal more than walk, and this is one of the proofs of it. He wielded this sword during his brief stay, and it has served us well in the centuries since. It no longer bears its various enchantments, but on its own it remains a fine weapon. Use it well, young Master Melarn, and I hope you will never have cause to raise it against us.
MATIRIS MELARN: Sadly, we lack your impressive martial history. In keeping with our faith, we have resorted to stealing some. I never met my late aunt, but the ladies in the Night Above were glad to show me what remained of her legacy. In fact, they imagined me so virtuous - by virtue of sharing her exalted blood - that it was safe to leave me to try communing with her spirit in Arvandor. Me, my sword, and a scabbard. And when I walked out, it was my sword in the scabbard. To be honest with you, I was apprehensive about the wisdom of using it for this occasion, but you've reassured me. You give us a sword that once spilled our ancestors' lifeblood on the cobblestones of Eryndlyn. I give you a sword that spilled the lifeblood of a god in the depths of the Demonweb Pits. Weapons Master Thenduk, I present to you the Crescent Blade.
- Excerpt from Warblades, released by Xelvek Pictures, 2590 DR
A male stood behind her; he wore a cloak, through which I could see the night sky as though he and the garment were smoked glass. Where she was silver, he was gold. He was smiling, and it seemed he smiled at me.
He reached out and plucked the mask from her face.
Gods help me, this is what I saw. If I lie may the Masked Lady strike me down, but gods help me I do not think my lady is the Masked Lady any longer.
- Arrynar Coborel, 1600 DR
[In homebrew, Alindkach is an old friend of Siora's; people like to speculate he was also his lover. He's a Masked Traitor who fakes being a priest of Selvetarm because I say so. 1375 was... awkward. He ended up vaulting out a window after spouting moonfire during a Selvetargtlin ceremony; the others were too busy freaking out over the "can't hear our god" thing to put enough effort into catching him. And then he arrived in the Vhaeraunite quarter and faced another general freakout]
That's the way it works. If you remember your history it'll still be repeated, but this time you have a leg up. They might have denied us after the Silence. They might have reduced us. But once again when the goddess's spells failed, the god's sword arm entered the breach. Not a bad job for a dead god, I'd say.
- An anonymous Eryndlyr street preacher, sometimes mistakenly identified as Alindkach of Eryndlyn, summarily executed for heresy shortly afterward, as recorded in the journals of Siora of Eryndlyn, 1600 DR
It all started one Midwinter when the followers of the Nameless Banshee decided this was the best time to raise a ton of zombies. Like drow, they're at their best at night.
The Shevarashans got wind of that and said, that is not okay! We're going out there and letting them know how we're going to kill them all! As many times as necessary!
The Vhaeraunites took one look at the rampaging zombies and the screaming elves, said "Fuck this," and went back inside. And that's how the Masked Lord's Embrace got started.
- Weave blogger Fini'they Jaelre, "The Abridged Seldaritic Mythos: Midwinter Edition," 2576 DR
Each god has had two visitors
The difference at the core:
Mask comes in through the window
And Sharess through the door.
- "The Athar's Guide To The Great Tree: A Verse Primer," 1527 DR
[Some of you may remember these two]
I hope this finds you well as can be expected, given the circumstances. Perhaps you have noticed the moonfire. Perhaps you've heard dark rumors of the death of gods. Those rumors are true.
- Tarlaunim of Eilistraee, excerpt from a letter to Zayrtel of Vhaeraun, 24 Nightal 1375 DR
Go forth, ye outcasts and pariahs. There will always be a place for thee with me. Except drow. Drow can die in a fire.
- Excerpt from "Fenmarel Mestarine" sketch, Tenthday Twilight Live
[The Green-Eyed Brotherhood is an organization of ex-Vhaeraunites who turned to Erevan Ilesere. I posted a canon-Realms writeup on Candlekeep here.]
Would you believe me if I told you I wept when I heard? I will say so, in any case. My gratitude could well have been better demonstrated, but I was, I am grateful. Without the Masked Lord's guidance to the Night Above, I would never have heard a whisper of the Jack of the Seelie Court. Vhaeraun would surely spit on me and name me a traitor, but I do not mourn him any less.
- Attributed to Seryzz of Erevan Ilesere, Mischiefmaker and once Darkmask, speech at a founding meeting of the Green-Eyed Brotherhood, 1376 DR
[Shameless Monty Python ripoff]
HIGH PRIESTESS OF EILISTRAEE: Now, now, let's not bicker and argue about who killed who.
- Excerpt from "Assimilationist Orientation" sketch, Just a Dash of Spider
[For purposes of this quote Kerewyk is basically "other Vhaeraun-worshipping guy." He would be fleshed out in the full script that doesn't exist.]
SIORA: Don't be stupid, we already know who killed who. If it was Vhaeraun who killed her what conceivable reason would he have to do this? They talk about unity, but really to them we're stray rothe who need to be herded back into line; they're the ones who have all the answers. We're losing everything we fought for. In fact, I'd say we're becoming -
KEREWYK: Don't say it!
SIORA: - I'd say we're becoming Selvetargtlin!
- Excerpt from Let Us Stand Together, released by Five Pillars Productions, 2578 DR
[As mentioned earlier: in homebrew fluff Matiris Melarn is Q'arlynd Melarn's youngest son, ergo Halisstra's nephew. As depicted earlier in the full script, he switched the Crescent Blade with a lightly enchanted fake in the last days before magic left entirely. The Eilistraeens claim his is the fake, and without magic it's impossible to tell.]
CHASZYRD THENDUK: Perhaps some other old ones among you remember the time when the gods walked among mortals and Selvetarm walked in Eryndlyn. He did a great deal more than walk, and this is one of the proofs of it. He wielded this sword during his brief stay, and it has served us well in the centuries since. It no longer bears its various enchantments, but on its own it remains a fine weapon. Use it well, young Master Melarn, and I hope you will never have cause to raise it against us.
MATIRIS MELARN: Sadly, we lack your impressive martial history. In keeping with our faith, we have resorted to stealing some. I never met my late aunt, but the ladies in the Night Above were glad to show me what remained of her legacy. In fact, they imagined me so virtuous - by virtue of sharing her exalted blood - that it was safe to leave me to try communing with her spirit in Arvandor. Me, my sword, and a scabbard. And when I walked out, it was my sword in the scabbard. To be honest with you, I was apprehensive about the wisdom of using it for this occasion, but you've reassured me. You give us a sword that once spilled our ancestors' lifeblood on the cobblestones of Eryndlyn. I give you a sword that spilled the lifeblood of a god in the depths of the Demonweb Pits. Weapons Master Thenduk, I present to you the Crescent Blade.
- Excerpt from Warblades, released by Xelvek Pictures, 2590 DR