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This page collects current trivia for Template:DidYouKnow. On the first Sunday of the new year, please make sure there are 53 sections of trivia in this page (Every 5 or 6 years we get a year with 53 weeks in it. See ISO week date.) and then copy the 53 sections to  where   are the last two digits of the new year. Then remove them from this page and add the trivia for the first week of the new year. The DidYouKnow template will select additional trivia from a random previous year for the current week. Archives should be named for the year they were created because the template looks for pages in the archive directory that start with "2".

Archives of previous years:
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 * Template:DidYouKnow/archive/2022

1/1/2023 - 8/1/2023

 * Legendmaker was a sentient longsword created by Oghma, the Lord of Knowledge. Although its purpose was to relay the adventures of its bearers, Legendmaker tended to butt in by sharing (too much) knowledge and proposing overly complicated plans.
 * Orosul's scepters were magical scepters from the time of Netheril that could heal the injured, recharge spent magic items, and fire blasts of elemental magic. Though named for the modern wizard Orosul, he had no hand in their creation.
 * Drannor was the first recorded elf to marry a dwarf. This event was considered so noteworthy by the elves of Cormanthor that they renamed their city Myth Drannor in honor of Drannor and his dwarven lass.
 * The half-elf Jax Nightsong founded the Knights of the Shadow Sword, an order of crusaders and rangers devoted to Shaundakul, the Faerûnian god of exploration. Jax and his order operated out of Shaundakul's Throne in Myth Drannor.
 * Dalanyrr was a silver dragon of the North who offered her services to adventurers, provided they could pay her for her trouble. She held great respect for the sacred burial mounds of the Uthgardt tribes, and would refuse to plunder them if prompted.
 * Wheat was an important grain to many cultures across the breadth of Toril, often valued more than rice in regions where both could be grown. Most of the wheat in Faerûn was grown in the Heartlands and the Dalelands.

8/1/2023 - 15/1/2023

 * Druid circles were loose organizations of druids formed around certain approaches to preserving nature, such as the Circle of the Land and the Circle of Dreams. The term "circle" was used as a nod to the perpetual cycles of nature.
 * Wild shape allowed druids to take on the forms of various animals but also more fantastical creatures like unicorns, shambling mounds, or dragons. Druids of the Fangshields could even wild shape into humanoids.
 * Ambral Isle in the Sea of Fallen Stars was famous for producing a number of idiots and dunderheads and was also noted as where the bracelets of the elven princess Elvandaruil washed ashore after her flying spell failed on her (she was never seen again).
 * Amorphites were specialty priests of Ghaunadaur, the Elder Eye. Most were disaffected drow males, but anyone could technically become an amorphite. They gained immunity to poison and could access exclusive spells like mists of Ghaunadaur.
 * Saru were intelligent apes native to the jungles of Malatra. They were kind and curious creatures nearly to a fault: it was not uncommon for saru to approach lions in search of conversation&mdash;and then quickly flee for their lives.

15/1/2023 - 22/1/2023

 * A water clock was a common device for telling time by allowing water to drip from one reservoir into another, with a float atop the water indicating the time. Neverwinter was renowned for its accurate mechanical water clocks.
 * The Knowledge-Hold of Baldur's Gate was among the city's finest repositories of knowledge. This made it a target of the Cult of the Absolute, who infiltrated the library and used the lore contained within to open an aberrant portal.
 * Shavinar was a short-lived realm on the Sword Coast near the Troll Hills, originally founded to protect the region from marauding trolls. Shavinar held on for exactly fifty years before the trolls (inevitably) overwhelmed the realm.
 * Andrathath's Mask was a powerful artifact that granted its wearer a selection of spells. This power came at a cost, however; the Mask would slowly influence its wearer's personality towards the chaotic.
 * The Fanged Mirrors of Yehcir-Eya once brought down an entire nation on an unknown, alien world. The rogue modron Nordom eventually found one of the Fanged Mirrors, promptly storing it in the "wayward items" section of his body.
 * Redwings were a rare species of butterfly found in the High Moor. They were said to have been hunted to near extinction by goblins, who used their crimson wings to produce red dye.
 * Rukanyrs were huge aberrations said to have been created by the kaorti by exposing monstrous scorpions to Far Realm energies. Though not common on Toril, at least one ancient sarrukh temple contained a rukanyr-themed trap.
 * Specialty priests of Selvetarm, the drow deity of warriors, were known as spiderswords. They excelled at blind-fighting, were immune to all spider venom, and could will themselves into a berserker rage.
 * Golden Dawn was the talking war horse of Queen Zaranda of Tethyr, who would frequently accompany her mistress on adventures. Despite being a horse, Golden Dawn was quite the wise-ass.
 * Madachi Jhent was a disgraced nobleman of Waterdeep who declared himself the High Minister of Ao after seeing a vision of the Overgod in his cloak (allegedly). He preached to pigs and cured his followers of illness by kicking them in the face.

22/1/2023 - 29/1/2023

 * Dara was a regular, unassuming child who became the Chosen of Ilmater, the god of suffering, after reading from the Book of Exalted Deeds. She was instrumental in protecting the citizens of Elturel when the city was pulled into Avernus.
 * Kadila adh Vitendi was raised in a harem and seemed destined to become a jhasina (harem slave). Fortunately, she was able to flee captivity during a bandit raid and found a new calling as a monk of the Sun Soul.
 * Mythanthar was an elven archmage of Cormanthyr who famously used his own life-force to help create the mythal of Myth Drannor. His extensive notes on mythal creation went missing after his death.
 * Draxalon was an enchanted sword that could only be wielded by women&mdash;men could not even lift the blade. It was forged by the wizard Eriel for her sister, the adventurer Diana, but unfortunately both Draxalon and Diana disappeared in the ruins Myth Drannor.
 * The Bitter Blade, an inn in Phlan, looked like a respectable establishment from the outside, but had a terrible reputation&mdash;largely due to its owner's tendency to double-book rooms, but also because local radicals often held meetings there.
 * The Smiling Centaur in Zazesspur was built with larger-sized creatures in mind, which was only natural considering it was owned by the centaur Berdak. The tavern was frequented by Zaranda Star and her companions during her adventuring days.
 * The Town Council of Phandalin oversaw the village's continued prosperity, the health of its mining industry, and defense of its people, which often involved hiring adventurers for for problem-solving purposes.
 * Hultail was a small port village in Cormyr that served as a "secret door" to the Forest Country for discreet travelers and smugglers from the Dalelands. The Crown mostly ignored Hultail, deeming it to be of little importance.

29/1/2023 - 5/2/2023

 * Otar was a High Forest orc who unexpectedly was named Green Regent, the Chosen of Mielikki. His selection was highly controversial, widening the rift of distrust between orcs and the people of Loudwater.
 * Umbral glooms were foul, highly intelligent masses of black tentacles whose aim was to spread as much sorrow and misery as possible. It was no surprise, then, that umbral glooms were favored by Shar.
 * The Stojanow Gate was a set of enormous, iron-bound doors protecting the Valjevo Castle of Phlan. Its towering gatehouses served as the city's prison as well as the lair of the Knights of the Black Fist.
 * Adrelgus was a Red Wizard whose body was found fused to the floor in a highly secure part of Cormyr's Royal Palace, with only one hand sticking out. The mystery left Vangerdahast feeling quite stumped.
 * The Harper bard Arrant Quill famously became imprisoned by his own allies in a demiplane that was an exact replica of his home village as they tried to find a cure for his mysterious, magical ailment.
 * White Eyebrow was a gnomish curio dealer in Zazesspur who had many contacts among Toril's spelljamming community. He was named for his single, white eyebrow&mdash;the result of a magical mishap.
 * The necromancer Cashaan left Calimshan to join the Arcane Brotherhood of Luskan, eventually rising to become leader of the Host Tower. He was interested in turning Luskan into a safer place to attract more trade.
 * The rod of Lathander was kept within the Lathanderite temple in Waterdeep, where it glowed with powerful daylight from sunrise to sunset&mdash;that is, until it was stolen, possibly down into Undermountain.
 * Monkey Balls was a type of dessert treat devised by the mother of Dradeel, an elven mage and companion of the legendary explorer Balduran. Monkey Balls were also the subject of a poem.
 * The history of Rashemen dated back to the arrival of Raumviran humans in antiquity. Rashemen remained isolated for thousands of years until it became embroiled in war between Unther and Mulhorand.

5/2/2023 - 12/2/2023

 * Agents of the Emerald Enclave once killed a wizard who was attempting to calm the rumbling volcano of Mount Kolimnis. The volcano finally erupted nearly a hundred years later, killing nearly 50,000 people in nearby Gildenglade.
 * The Sword of Savras was a magical flying longsword that roamed Faerûn attacking spellcasters seemingly at random. Those who survived would find themselves with the knowledge of a brand new spell, while those who didn't, well, they died.
 * The vengeful murderer Amril Zoar used Waterdeep's secret echo gates to ambush his victims, which included Mirt, Durnan, and Lord Piergeiron himself. His spree was ended by Storm Silverhand, who promptly recruited him into the Harpers.
 * Bamboo was a versatile plant with many uses; it could be used for anything from food to a material component in spells. It was commonly used as a building material in Kara-Tur, and was also used for weapons such as the shikomi-zue.
 * The Society of Stalwart Adventurers was an exclusive club in Suzail, Cormyr, founded to bring together renowned world travelers and adventurers. The Society's membership included luminaries such as Artus Cimber and Philyra.
 * The halfling Tobiworth Hedgeblossom was head of the Social Justice League in Zazesspur. He was a capable orator who often spoke out against the wealthy in Tethyr, blaming them for the troubles affecting the realm.
 * Lord Thesp Eltorchul of Waterdeep invested a large portion of his family's fortune into establishing the Eltorchul Academy, which educated young wizards and procured rare spell components.
 * The Oghmanyte cleric Salyndra Shaern helped run the House of Knowledge in Neverwinter. She was known for her cynical attitude and brusque advice, but was nonetheless popular among travelers seeking knowledge.
 * The Bay of Mists was the natural harbor of Neverwinter, whose depth and volcanically-warmed waters allowed ship traffic year-round, helping make the city a prosperous trading hub.