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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".

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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.

12/2/2023 - 19/2/2023

 * Alana Hallwinter was the adopted daughter of Sildar Hallwinter of Phandalin, who as a teenager ventured into the Crooked Forest to find her three missing dwarven friends. Alana was captured by gnolls, but as she was dragged to the creatures' camp, she left a trail for rescuers.
 * The Celestial alphabet was the curving script used to write the Celestial language, found inscribed along the blade of paladin Xenk Yendar's weapon.
 * Clavichords were keyboard musical instruments, close relatives to the pipe organ and harpsichord. One notable clavichord was part of The Bendekar's Mercantile storehouse's collection in the city of Ravens Bluff.
 * Echo gate was a type of magic created by Ahghairon, the first Open Lord of Waterdeep, which used the gates of Undermountain to bypass teleport wards of the City of Splendors.
 * Ganather a wizard from Secomber who helped Elminster to capture the Sword of Savras in the 15 century DR.
 * The Harpers was a semi-secret organization dedicated to preserving lore, maintaining balance, and defending the innocent from evil. Heroes to some, meddlers to others, Harpers spoke a non-verbal cant, known as harpspeak.
 * Monguldarath was a fortified stone keep on Tethyr's Dragon's Neck Peninsula that served as the seat for Counts of Fyraven. Like many places in Tethyr, the keep was haunted by silent, and harmless apparitions of people who perished during the Ten Black Days of Eleint.
 * Nyadnar a powerful amethyst dragon who resided in the city of Zazesspur under a guise of a human mage who employed many agents and spies. She was mother to Chenowyn, Queen Zaranda Star's young ruby dragon companion.
 * Philter of timely invulnerability was a potion that rendered its imbiber almost invulnerable, often used by Harpers to escape captivity or to evade a group of enemies.
 * Sunnis was the good archomental of the Elemental Plane of Earth, a mortal enemy of Ogrémoch, Prince of Evil Earth, and opposed the demon lords Zuggtmoy and Urdlen.
 * Sumer was a cleric of Talos, the Storm Lord, who masqueraded as a trader. He sought to murder at least one person for his deity per visit to the City of Splendors, Waterdeep, and often targeted adventurers.
 * Thantilvur Investments was a building in Waterdeep fitted with a false wall, secretly commissioned by a Lord of Waterdeep named Braethan Cazondur, that was collapsed on Laeral Silverhand in an unsuccessful attempt to take her life in the.

19/2/2023 - 26/2/2023

 * Minauros was the capital of the third layer of the Nine Hells of the same name. Known as the Sinking City, Minauros was constantly and inexorably slipping deeper into the bog that made up the rest of the layer.
 * The ancient sarrukh were the first known practitioners of cloning on Toril. In later years, the practice was mostly common among incredibly powerful wizards and incredibly narcissistic nobles&mdash;and especially among those who hit both briefs.
 * The Helm of Dragons was forged by the elves of Myth Drannor to combat the evil Tyranthraxus. Since the Helm bestowed a number of powers over all dragonkind, it was sought after by ne'er-do-wells like Dracandros of the Crimson, who sought to unleash a flight of dragons.
 * Should he ever be bested, the spirit of the dracolich Dretchroyaster would come to rest in the magical sword Dragonslair. Dretchroyaster found the sword's name, a pun on "dragon's lair" and "dragonslayer", most clever.
 * Halangorn Forest separated the human realms of Athalantar, Elembar and Steeping Falls until it was burned down by the Magelords of Athalantar who wished to drive the local elves out of the forest.
 * Yuan-tillithids were hybrid creatures that resulted from the cross-breeding of yuan-ti and mind flayers. They were especially common in the yuan-ti city of Ss'zuraass'nee in the Underdark, which had long been allied with the illithids of Llacerellyn.
 * The spell taunt compelled a target creature to attack its caster, but could also be used in conjunction with the ventriloquism spell to trick the target into attacking another target altogether, such as one of its allies.
 * The scribe Theldrant Ornan attempted to buy his way into the Great Library of Candlekeep with an expensive copy of Maskauman's Tome of Magely Might, but his gift was rejected since the library already held twenty copies.
 * Lamia Crytrapper was the head of the influential Crytrapper family of Crimmor in Amn. She was an avid investor, especially in small businesses owned by women, and made it her business to gather the secrets of other Crimman luminaries.
 * Grigarr was the terrifying, heavily scarred man in charge of training the wyverns of Darkhold. He fancied himself an entertainer because of the reactions his stories got from the locals, but in truth they merely humored him out of outright fear.
 * Tatrina Hembreon was a royal corlann, that is, steward of the royal nursery of Tethyr, in charge of caring for the heirs of Queen Zaranda. During the Days of Terror, she was a member of the All-Friends, a cult of Ao in Zazesspur.
 * Symeera was a human mage who owned a rooming house in Menzoberranzan, having arrived in the drow city through a faulty teleport spell. Her inn was said to be among the top four places for non-drow visitors to stay.
 * Pikes were a variety of polearm popular among city guards, armies, and militias across Faerûn. The Ring-nose clan of orcs in Vaasa was known for staging shock-and-awe ambushes where they employed cruel, black pikes.
 * The Koshiva, or Boat People, were a human Nubari tribe in Malatra, the Living Jungle. All Koshiva men shaved their heads; women were not allowed to help them, so the privilege was only granted to each man's closest male friends.

26/2/2023 - 5/3/2023

 * Ma'at was the uniting principle of the Mulhorandi and Pharaonic pantheons; a standard of ethics and being to which all things were expected to conform. These religions believed that without Ma'at, the very universe would crumble.
 * In Zakhara, pearl divers dove up to 90 feet below the sea to gather pearl oysters. Pearling was dangerous work, and so half the crew on a sambuq boat consisted of attendants that could pull the divers out of the water if necessary.
 * The Cult of the Dragon sought to find the Grail of Shargrailar, a drinking horn made from one of the horns of the dracolich Shargrailar, so they could use it as a phylactery for another potential dracolich: the fang dragon Nartheling.
 * It was said that anyone who tried to open the spellbook Nchaser's Eiyromancia would immediately die. This was partially true; the book's lock was rigged to deliver a deadly dose of poison unless it was opened in a particular way.
 * Goblin sticks were polearms used by bugbears for the specific purpose of catching hidden goblins. The hooked central blade was used to pull goblins out of tight spaces, while the angled side blades were used to search around corners.
 * The Captive was a mysterious being entombed in the Spirit Vault in Chult, where local dwarves worshiped it as a god. Legends told of how the Captive was imprisoned by the ancient sarrukh after it fought an entire army of yuan-ti.
 * Although a deeply unpopular man, Jannaxil Serpentil was considered one of the best fences in Waterdeep. Operating out of Serpentil Books & Folios, he usually knew about all thefts of printed works in the city.
 * The druid Yuldar was forced to flee his native Tethyr to avoid being murdered for political reasons. He initially dressed as a druid to disguise himself, but eventually found that he had a true love for nature and became an adherent of the Oak Father.
 * Coinage within the nation of Tethyr varied greatly over the centuries as the region traded hands between dynasties and empires. In later years, the main coin of Zazesspur was the "gulder", which was worth nearly as much as the Amnian danter.

5/3/2023 - 12/3/2023

 * Cleavers were large kitchen knives, often used alongside a chopping block, as far back as the Netherese Empire, while an oversized enchanted Meat Cleaver weapon was wielded by invading orc forces of Myth Drannor in 1369 DR.
 * The Crystal Chain of Binding was a powerful Netherese artifact that cut a spellcaster off from the Weave and contained the consciousnesses of many wizards who once sought to achieve immortality.
 * Demonshields were magical shields of silver, arjale, and tantulhor that bounded powerful fiends within and granted magical powers to the wielders. They were developed by Halaster Blackcloak, then known as Hilather.
 * The Diamond Staff of Chomylla was one of the legendary adamantine lorestaves of Uvaeren, created to unlock the encrypted secrets of the ancient elven realm of Uvaeren.
 * An Elixir of the Void was a type of poison used by the Church of Shar in testing its initiates. It allowed the Church's secrets to remain concealed, as those who lost their nerve died shortly after imbibing.
 * Ghoul gauntlet was an arcane spell, found within the Book of Shadows of Zakhara, that slowly transformed its targets into ghouls.
 * Gorg was a hobgoblin prisoner of Revel's End in Icewind Dale, who shared a cell with Holga Kilgore and Edgin Darvis in the late 1490s DR.
 * A helm of hiding was an enchanted helmet that shielded the wearer from scrying magics. One was once owned by a Harper wizard named Laeral Rythkyn of Loudwater.
 * Leomund was a wizard from the world of Greyhawk responsible for the invention of such spells as Leomund's secret chest and Leomund's secure shelter, as well as many others.
 * Potions of song were magic concoctions that granted the drinker incredible singing abilities and imperviousness to all sound-based assaults, including the banshee's piercing wail and the entrancing song of a harpy.
 * Tweyar was a small village in Tethyr with adobe buildings with wooden shutters, overlooking the Sulduskoon River. It was offered military training in 1366 DR by Star Protective Services.
 * The Weeping Widow Inn was a haunted inn perched atop a cliff in Targos, overlooking Maer Dualdon, with one of its rooms occupied by the titular weeping widow, who was waiting for her beloved, long-lost in a storm of ages past.
 * The Windbreak was a massive blade-like rock that towered over the remote northern prison of Revel's End on the Sea of Moving Ice.

12/3/2023 - 19/3/2023

 * Learning how the innkeeper Grunnald of the Friendly Bat in Womford was slain by the Bandit King, Edgin Darvis volunteered his band to help stop the bandits.
 * The Battle of the Evermoors was fought between the Uthgardt Elk tribe and the Cult of the Dragon for control of the Helmet of Disjunction, a powerful magic item with the power to break all magic.
 * Dwarves were fond of eating heavily salted food that others found unpalatable, and often carried chunks of rock salt to lick. They would even lick salt residue from the walls of natural caverns.
 * Tresh Lanngolyn was a weaver, guildmaster of Waterdeep's Most Excellent Order of Weavers and Dyers, as well as matriarch of the noble Lanngolyn family.
 * Illithiderro were hybrid ceremorphs that resulted from the cross-breeding of derro and mind flayers in bizarre experiments performed beneath Gauntlgrym before the city's reclamation.
 * Castle Tethyr was once the royal palace of Tethyr before its fall during of the Ten Black Days of Eleint. After it was burned to the ground, its haunted ruins were known as the Tethyruins.
 * The highknights of Cormyr were charged with guarding the royal family, escorting envoys, and rooting out traitors. Their ranks regularly had their minds read by War Wizards to guarantee against treason.
 * Certain evil rituals to become a lich required the consumption on a lichnee potion, a ghastly mixture containing poison, the glands of giant moths, the blood of a human infant, and more.

19/3/2023 - 26/3/2023

 * Lhestyn's Court was an alleyway in Waterdeep notorious as a discreet killing ground where unscrupulous nobles could dispose of "problems"&hellip; which would explain why it was haunted by greater shadows.
 * Harpers in need of refuge in Mornbryn's Shield could find it at Caldreth's Pickles, Nuts, and Foods, which was a secret sanctuary for Those Who Harp, and which also offered nuts and pickles for the peckish.
 * Partic Thistle was Cormyr's Registrant General of Adventuring Companies, which meant he was in charge of issuing charters to adventurers, monitoring their actions, and rewarding (or penalizing) them where appropriate.
 * Baastat was a zulkir of Thay noted for his power but also for his complacency. The adventurer Zaranda Star once stole a magical brazen head head from him, which was just as well since the sentient item was willfully useless.
 * The vampire Nyressa Flass served as zulkir of necromancy in the Red Wizards until Szass Tam, then a young upstart, utterly destroyed her with a wooden stake through the heart and a liberal application of fireballs.
 * Although the frost giant Ertgard had sworn himself to Auril the Frostmaiden, she honestly had very little use for him, and so he sat around in the fortress of Grimskalle waiting for intruders that could grant him a warrior's death.
 * The green hag Drueena lived in relative comfort on her very own island, content with spreading her choking vines and snacking on passersby, until she was rudely stopped by the "adventurers" Simon, Edgin, Holga, and Forge.
 * Dusk unicorns were much like regular unicorns save for their dark coats and black horns. Some fey believed the birth of a dusk unicorn&mdash;a rarity in itself&mdash;was an auspicious omen.
 * Whenever a wizard failed to complete the transformation to lichdom, they instead became a boneclaw, a misshapen undead monstrosity enthralled by negative emotions like despair, avarice, and malice.
 * To prove their reverence to Auril, a group of self-exiled, chardalyn-huffing berserkers from the Tribe of the Bear deliberately gave themselves frostbite. The Frostmaiden took notice and granted them immortality within the confines of their lair.

26/3/2023 - 2/4/2023

 * Korinn's Keep was a stronghold of the Harpers in the Sea of Swords. It could only be accessed by a person wearing a Harper pin and contained a number of magical items taken from the foes of Those Who Harp.
 * The helmet of disjunction could disable all magical effects, much like the spell Mordenkainen's disjunction. The Elk tribe famously used it against the Cult of the Dragon at the Battle of the Evermoors.
 * Aeroth of Silverymoon was an early champion of the city of Silverymoon who fought the trolls of the North with Ahghairon and Samular Caradoon. He went on to found his own city, Vlan, on the Moonshae Isles.
 * Varauna Goldfeather was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Raedra Obarskyr of Cormyr, as well as her close friend and confidant. She was noted for her sharp wit, ear for gossip, and skill with the longbow.
 * The Blue Baldric in Waterdeep's Castle Ward was a beauty shop during the day but transformed into a nightclub at night. The daylight operation offered customers "pampering" in the form of scented baths and wine.
 * Barrenstone was the underground lair of the lich Adzerak, who was obsessed with hoarding books and knowledge. No less than two thousand tomes were contained within its vast library.
 * Shimmerweave was a glossy smooth cloth fabric used for adventuring gear and clothes for Faerûn's fashionistas, like Queen Filfaeril of Cormyr, the voluptuous Phandelopae of Athkatla, and the Oghmanyte high priest Sandrew of Silverymoon.
 * Elven dishes were typically not made with onions, as the Tel-quessir considered their flavor overpowering. Instead, they mostly used onions to mask the taste of rancid food during hard times.