Template:Current Clack/archive/2019

14/01/2019

 * Where were the Clacks? I blame the Deepwinter slump, myself. Let's catch up.
 * Johnnyriot999, a.k.a. Ruf, remembered the Forgotten Kingdom of Impiltur and the Lords of Imphras II. From the Easting Reach, he journeyed through the Farwater and the desolate Barrowlands, but wisely did not disturb those mounds. Then he went into the Uplands, passed through Songhal, and came to the dread Citadel of Conjurers, and unwisely ventured inside its demon-tainted halls, where he uncovered the truth of Impiltur's tragic history.
 * I say unwisely as a succubus escaped her bindings in the Citadel. BadCatMan caught the fiend, bored her into submission with wiki editing, and learned the ways of the seductive fiends in intimate detail, though it was a time-consuming affair. That's the story he's going with. Alright, it was only wordplay.
 * More industrious, Saya222 made a study of node magic and ascertained the Citadel to be an evil node. Enlisting the aid of a prime Underdark guide, Saya continued exploring the Realms Below, fighting liths and mineral warriors and claiming a rare suit of Hellsteel armor. Among others, Saya documented the spells amorphous form and fire stride.
 * Speaking of spells, we've had a flood of them, thanks to the always prolific Regis87's Year of Magic project (all these spells can only lead to magical catastrophe). Together with Saya and Ruf, she added spells of southern magic like devastate, and reverse missile. Hungry for more spells, Regis went to Kara-Tur, bargaining with a pan lung dragon for knowledge of advice and ancient curse, then documenting the strange dragons of the east, as well as a misplaced yellow dragon.
 * We welcomed ISUBurd, who met with the mage Alcedor Kolat of Waterdeep, studied magic at the Eltorchul Academy and made a survey of the Walking Statues, including the Griffon, the Sahuagin Humbled, and the God Catcher.
 * Bang! Zoom! Straight to Selûne! Moviesign and Sir Whiteout took a trip to the moon and calculated the lunar calendar, though they could've done that from the ground. Either way, the Today in the Realms feature now displays the phases of the moon, so the lycanthropes can be better prepared.

6/03/2019

 * We've passed 28,000 articles! The lucky millennial was Halaster's blacksphere, from the always prolific Johnnyriot999. And we have a new admin, Ir'revrykal, so get used to spelling it.
 * Following in the footsteps of Volo and a ballad, Moviesign traversed the Lost Princess Road portal network, beginning at tiny Skarn Rock, where he found that sword-swinging dread are far from 'armless. He ended up at Silavene's festhall in Waterdeep, sure to be much more pleasant.
 * Jacktoland has been documenting sightings of countless creatures for the menageries, in particular the hsing-sing and shan sao of Kara-Tur, the odd little geonids, the demonic armanites, and the creepy-looking lava children.
 * Daranios got down and dirty with the geomancers of Kadar, digging up the cone of earth, dusting the rock, and entombment spells, and discovered that even fool's gold has its uses.
 * We welcomed Stu1131181, who embarked on an ambitious quest to map Undermountain, from the Dungeon Level and Arcane Chambers down to Maddgoth's Castle, but got lost somewhere around the Slitherswamp. Stu returned with a stash of wyrmwizz, which tasted as it good as it sounds.

14/03/2019

 * We've got movie sign! (That never gets old.) There's been news on the upcoming D&D movie: principal photography is set to begin in summer of 2019 (northern hemisphere, I presume) and a new script was recently submitted. (Ooh, I hope it's as good as my campaign!)
 * Be very very quiet, Ir'revrykal's gone dragon-hunting. After discovering, then fleeing from, House Orogoth, our new admin went to confirm their secrets, checking in on the cunning Charvekkanathor the Scarlet (not home, it seemed), the mighty Eshcaz the Red (didn't dare disturb his slumber); the avaricious Amilektrevitrioelis (provided an extensive and expensive interview); and Agyrtclughwaur the Forest Wyrm (her hoard as hard to find as her name was to spell).
 * Perhaps Ir'revrykal should have read Ruf's copy of The Compleat Dragon-Hunter by Smerdiuk Dragonbane. Discovering a dragon's hoard, Ruf turned up a monty haul of spells, magic items, and materials, including telstang alloy, a ring of resistance, a fabled deck of many things, and dragon scale mail.
 * Speaking of things made from dead dragons and guaranteed to annoy them, Saya222 (freshly returned from an unplanned trip through the Dusty Rat portal) turned to the more profitable chapters on the uses of dragonhide and dragoncraft items, detailing armor of dragonshape and the dragontooth of Lareth. Just don't ask what happened to the rest of the dragon…

01/04/2019

 * It is my privilege to make a stunning announcement. Owing to the increasing cross-pollination and blurred boundaries between D&D settings in 5 edition, and the Forgotten Realms Wiki's rise to top D&D-related wiki on the Internet, the next step is obvious: mergers. These will allow us to pool editorial talent and shared lore across the D&D multiverse, thereby expanding our reach and presence. We've already been making cross-wiki links to wikis for Realms-set games. The next phase will include outright mergers, forcibly if need be, with the ultimate goal being wholesale assimilation of the D&D wiki sphere. Please share your thoughts on the Forums, here.
 * Arriving in Waterdeep as part of Caravance, Sir Whiteout enjoyed all the Waukeentide festivals, from the Goldenight and Guildsmeet galas to Leiruin. A tenday of this left him ruined himself: broke, hungover, and wearing only a tabard, he staggered into the Old Xoblob Shop and into a gate to Undermountain, ending up in the Crystal Labyrinth and finding a githyanki fortress. Well, I'm sure there have been worse ends to a night out.
 * ISUBurd had a better, if less adventurous, time of it, instead studying records looted from Kolat Towers. Delving into giant history, ISUBurd learned of the terrifying Vonindod and the secret temple called the Eye of the All-Father. However, research into the lost kingdom of Uthtower turned up new powers of the rings of Myrkul and the disturbing history of the Twin Crowns of Myrmoran.
 * Down among the drow again, Unknown user 11 has been running with Bregan D'aerthe, interviewing Arathis Hune, one of its founding members; the veteran member Egalavin Zauvirr; and Jeyrelle Fey, one of the few females in the organization. Hanging around this many drow can't be good for one's health—just ask Matron Mothers Divine Simfray and Sheeva Zauvirr. Sorry, spoiler alert.

02/04/2019

 * April Fools! Some folk fell for it hard (there's always one rage-quitter), but rest assured: the Forgotten Realms Wiki remains focused on the Forgotten Realms and related settings, and on all editions of D&D in equal measure. (Though I already miss the classic 3rd-edition pages and formatting; now that was design.)

30/04/2019

 * Seeking clues to the elder race known as the Keepers—the Juna—Lhynard salvaged a lost spelljammer, the Unquenchable, and journeyed into wildspace. (Hang on, he's left the setting altogether!) Wanting "an excuse to write about some interesting planetology", he surveyed the illithid world of Falx from a very safe distance, then escaped into Winterspace, where he passed the Juna-terraformed world of Radole before crashing into the frigid wasteland of Armistice. (Shoulda stayed on Toril.)
 * The Possessed Priest added to the bestiaries by catching and cataloguing the different types of lycanthrope. Wereshark? There shark! And there werecat, wereserpent, werepanther, and oddities like the werebison, werepegasus, and (were-) seawolf. Then there were the antherions, reverse lycanthropes: wolfwere? Wolf there! These were followed by not-weres (not there) like the selkie, swanmay, and bird maiden. Now, the poor priest should get all those bites looked at…
 * Regis87 continued adding spells to the library, now covering the mysterious magic of Kara-Tur, like drowsy insects, duo-dimension, elemental servant, enchanted blade, and others. With the Es taken care of, she hit the books again, with a few more Polyhedrons, Of Ships and the Sea, and the Adventurers League, from Secrets of Sokol Keep to Flames of Kythorn, and we don't expect her to stop there.
 * Once again, we recommend all new editors use the Source Editor, which shows you the wiki code and how templates work, and not use the VisualEditor, which will drive you mad.

14/05/2019

 * It's no Raven Express, but the Forgotten Realms Wiki is now on Twitter! Yes, we've been dragged kicking and screaming into the 15 century. See us @FRWiki now.
 * After BadCatMan finished his study of the Selûnite church, the prophetic silver ladies bade him return to Lapaliiya. In Malaxer, a sstrangely ssibilant sscout offered to show him the ssouthern jungless. He hastily declined and hurried north to the sunken ruins of Untisczer. Wading through the mud in search of clues to the legendary archmage Anthilar, he ran afoul of a giant octopus, nearly giving him heartstop. Next, he went up the coast to Ilyaport and examined the ruins of the Shell House, learning of the Umberlant sacred mysteries once held there. After attracting the unwanted attention of Umberlee's priests, he headed inland, far, far away from the sea.
 * Moviesign learned there's no place like gnome when he toured gnomish settlements of Faerûn. In the Fields of the Dead, he discovered what marrows are in Anga Vled and found a smelly long-horned goat eating his boots in Beldenshyn, while the seaside village of Urbryur in Altumbel turned out to have a sinister side. Elbencort in Tethyr and Fryndul in the Shaar had some much prettier exports with their range of gems, much more to Moviesign's liking. With a sore head after too many low doorways and rafters, he heard from the gnome adventurer Rundkrist Tolstone about Ardeep Forest, the Green Glade, and the Crypts of the Deepening Moon.
 * Jacktoland went down Delzorin Street in Waterdeep and bought a robe of eyes from a shady guy in an alley. With it, he could make even more sightings of creatures for the bestiaries, including a rare quinton, a creepy topi, and some notable, but not reputable, ettins. We don't know where he finds them all…

27/05/2019

 * This wiki has gone to hell! From our shiny new Twitter account, we lore-tweeted during the D&D Live 2019 event for the upcoming Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus adventure. There were devils and dogs, space hamsters and squirrels, and much frantic editing, writing, and tweeting.
 * Descending from Icespire Peak with arms full of Kara-Turan spells such as false tracks and Adventurers League modules from "Foulness Beneath Mulmaster" onward, Regis87, Mistress of Twitter, led an adventuring party including BadCatMan, Daranios, Moviesign, Possessed Priest, and Sir Whiteout on a descent into Avernus, first layer of the Nine Hells, to report back on what dark things they saw. What they saw was one front of the Blood War and a legion of devils—barbed devils; spined devils; black, blue, green, and white abishai; and the wasp-like advespa—as well as a night hag, some misplaced redcaps, and a wereboar. Escaping a hellfire engine, they sailed down the River Styx and from the boatman heard the story of the archdevil Zariel, arch-duchess of Avernus. They ended up at Jangling Hiter, city of chain devils, with no memory of how they got there or why…
 * We also say well met to Yucateco, who told us about Zhara, a suspiciously similar priestess of Tymora; AkamirNN, who visited the Lady Luck Tavern, also dedicated to Tymora, coincidentally; MisterNiuf, who was lucky to meet Sildar Hallwinter; and IAmSithisPlays who was unlucky enough to run into a krenshar...

27/06/2019

 * Inspired by recent news, Ruf explored Baldur's Gate: its history, its politics, its people, its defenses, layout, and more. He mapped its Upper City and visited the grand High Hall, the seat of government, where he hobnobbed with the noble "patriar" families, such as the unlucky Dluskers.
 * Looking for a new way of getting around the planes? Lhynard studied the color pools (aided by Emolyn) in the Astral Plane (just mind the githyanki pirates) and the just-as-colorful ethereal curtains in the Ethereal Plane. He took a faceted-green color pool to Wenimats, home of the Azuposi gods.
 * Meanwhile, Sir Whiteout heard the music of the planes and impressively recorded all the planar tuning fork sounds needed for the plane shift spell, in convenient six-second durations. But experimenting with F♯ (Loudspeaker.svg listen) sent him to Cania and Nessus, bottom two of the Nine Hells, and he had to follow the River Styx out.
 * We welcome back Gem Hound, who took one of those color pools into the mind flayer city of Oryndoll, City of Loretakers. Passing through the Thrall Caverns, she stopped at the Spinal Tap (no heavy metal, just the dread music of the bonethriven) and took in a show at the Amphitheater, until she was caught poking around in the Undervaults of Ilsensine. We hear the drooling has stopped now…

4/08/2019

 * Zeromaru X went into the Narfell wilds to consult the ancient and terrible Hermit about the Time of Dragons and the Draco Holy Wars, learning of ancient realms like Argissthilliax and Darastriverthicha, and the kobold vassal state of Darastrixhurthi, before their fall in the first Dracorage. Returning to civilization, Zeromaru reported on mercury dragons and Gryznath, a black dragon Chosen. Now, there's just the small matter of a curse…
 * Ir'revrykal also wrote of dragons: Augaurath, a ruler of the High Ice; Alhazmabad, who was lost in time; and Lorragauth, the Chained Wyrm, already dead, one hopes. Then, after reading the teasingly named The Fools Who've Stood Here Before You, he went on the trail of the great mage Archveult Tattercloak, consort of a gold dragon. He documented Archveult's spell dagger (a spell, not a dagger) and read his Thesis on Conditional Ruptures, which sounds like a feat in itself.
 * We say well met to the voracious Vegepygmy, who first detailed their own kind, the mold folk, whose spores are hazardous to more than one's health. Vegepygmy went on to expand the menageries for countless other monsters, including meenlocks, umber hulks, and banderhobbs. In particular, Vegepygmy beheld more beholder-kin than thought wise, with death kisses, gauths, gazers, spectators, and more.

17/09/2019

 * Deciding to see it while he still can, BadCatMan went to the well-defended trade city of Elturel, exploring from the Docks to the High District via the Winter Garden and seeing the imposing Helm's Shieldhall. He learned about the legendary Hellriders and how safe and secure the city was. When he asked about thieves, he learned from the Hellriders just how safe and secure. After doing some detective work on counterfeit Elturian Grey cheeses at the Bent Helm tavern, he spent a sleepless night at the Oar and Wagonwheel Inn, blaming the noise rather than the cheese, but it beat the dungeons. He apologizes for missing the Clacks again, but promises the time was spent working on the wiki in other ways.
 * After telling us more than we ever wanted to know about skull lords, bulezaus, gorgimerae, and turnips, Possessed Priest sailed with the Heroes of Ascore to Farr Windward, a colony of (fellow?) outcasts and misfits, meeting Ougo the Strange among others. There he saw an impressive performance of the original Neverwinter Nights epic poem, complete with kumquats on the actors' heads.
 * Meanwhile, Regis87 continued her Year of Magic, documenting the spells of Maztica's hishnashapers, such as pestilence, scalesnare, and scrollsee, and plumaweavers, with bird charm, blossom, and featherweaving, and modern spells like minor illusion, thaumaturgy, and spirit guardians. After running afoul of a Hell Knight, Regis took refuge on Mount Celestia, ascending through the layers of Solania, Mertion, and Jovar.

23/11/2019

 * Sorry for the lack of clacks; I was attacked by a vasuthant and lost all track of time. Now, let's catch up.
 * Moviesign has been wandering Cormyr, getting gossip from court ladies Darlutheene Ambershields and Blaerla Roaringhorn about exiled noble Sabran Cormaeril. Later, he was a guest of Ingleiyr Tammarast, the rustic lord of Landuth, enjoying a humble meal that included the rare treat of pumpkin.
 * Journeying along the Sword Coast North, ISUBurd made the acquaintance of the Helmite paladin Sir Justin Melenikus, protector of villages and travelers. Then, visiting Port Llast, Burd documented a shocking variety of poisons, such as varrakas, belpren, and huld. I don't think a paladin would approve.
 * We welcome Artyom.pavlov, who's on the trail of a Plague of Spells. Artie explored Darroch Castle in the Feywild, encountered an eidolon and scrapped with a vile kruthik, and sat under the branches of the fabled Grandmother Ash.
 * We also welcome DuxClarus, who met Trisk Adamantelpiece (actual name), and welcome back Tofudinner (also actual name), who rode in on a giant strider.
 * Regis87 wants us to hit 30,000 articles before the end of the year. Can we do it? Only to go…
 * It's not the Realms, but Eberron: Rising from the Last War is out now! If that's your setting of choice, head to the Eberron Wiki and starting exploring and writing!

27/11/2019

 * Regis87 wants us to hit 30,000 articles before the end of the year. Can we do it? Only to go… But at this rate, we'll reach that by the end of the month. So, we've got a new deadline!
 * Regis87 wanted us to hit 30,000 articles before the end of the year, but we got there much earlier than that. The lucky 30,000 article is the ring of animal influence from Sir Whiteout, who powered to the finish line with an arsenal of magic items and a tree full of trained monkeys banging away on keyboards.

28/11/2019

 * Movie news! Plot details of the Dungeons & Dragons movie have been reported, giving character names, the gold dragon Palarandusk, and a quest for the Eye of Vecna! (Better that than the Head...) True or not, we have all the details compiled.

24/12/2019

 * The sages at the Forgotten Realms Wiki would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holidays as we celebrate the return of our savior—Waukeen, Our Lady of Gold.
 * On a grand tour, the Possessed Priest came across some familiar, but much older, adventurers: Hank, Presto, Bobby, Sheila, Diana, Eric, and Uni. Turns out the adventuring life was not kind to those kids…
 * Journeying into the Feywild, Ir'revrykal was led astray by Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools, and learned just who the fool was. Looking for a way home, he sought out Torillian expatriates like Sadik el-Huari, a coffee-trader in Bytopia, and the barber-surgeon Tashad in Sigil, and got a haircut if nothing else.
 * We welcome back SilverTiger12, who returned from a contemplation of the heavens and told of the different kinds of celestial eladrin, from the impulsive and flexible shiradi to the sociable noviere, from the courageous shiere to the frivolous and far-ranging firre.