#lore nerding

[csphire]

Ah yes, as I expected!

I don't recall reading a certain passage in one of the god's history on the Forgotten Realms Wiki before Early Access. Not sure when it was added-probably post-game launch. Others certainly, as well as myself, had our suspicions of who Withers really was, and now just look!

*Warning: Spoilers about our favorite undead buddy below.

Jergal

Jergal (pronounced: /ˈdʒɛrgʊl/ JER-gul), known by some as Nakasr, was the seneschal of Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, whom he served just as he

It's confirmed under his history! And oh boy, does this tickle my lore nerd heart dearly!

"During the events surrounding the rise of the cult of The Absolute of the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR, Jergal manifested an avatar called Withers in a temple dedicated to himself that had lain abandoned for over a century - or rather, interred his avatar within the temple at some point in the past so that the True Souls would eventually awaken it. As Withers, Jergal provided magical support to the adventurers, in exchange for a pittance of coin compared to the usual cost of such services. He accompanied the True Soul on their journey, but aside from resurrecting dead allies and summoning additional help when asked for, he did not intervene directly..."

What set me off on these suspicions ages ago was when I played a cleric once in Early Access, I think Patch 8. There was a special cleric-only dialogue observation when speaking with Withers upon his arrival at camp. Basically, the narrator informed the player how Withers had a touch of divinity about him. I think even going so far to say it was diminished. Which would fit Jeral's godhood status perfectly. I've yet to check if the line still exists in the full game because well... clerics are not exactly a popular class to play. I've yet to play one again.

However, I would highly recommend picking up a few levels as a cleric with a few of your companions who have an okay wisdom stat if you like multi-classing to open up a few more dialogue options in the future. Also adjusting your wisdom stat at the beginning a touch higher helps with those saving throws regarding deception, fear, or some other form of mental manipulation. Plus it's nice to have some extra heals, buffs, and radiant damage on more than just Shadowheart. Perhaps we might even gleam a few more interesting tidbits of information by multi-classing as one. So why not give it a try.

And thanks to the avatar of Jergal himself you can always change your mind later on! (Silly me turned Astarion's into one for Lathander after we found the "giggle" pendant. My player character too, after she pinched his very shinny mace and nearly destroyed what was left of his temple. It was the least they could do. ^_^;)

[bohemiantea-scorpiocoffee]

I dug so deep into putting together a timeline related to the Aeonar and Ostagar that I discovered the way I'd been thinking about the Thedosian calendar - as in the numbering of Ages/calendar years - was wrong. I have also discovered a hatred for Emperor Kordillus Drakon I due to this.

This asshole couldn't have a year zero like most who establish a state religion that marks a deep cultural shift. Oh no. This bastard goes from -1 Ancient to 1:1 Divine (first year of the first age).

So if you think that 9:41 Dragon means "941 years since the zero event" - nope. 841. Approximately. Because unlike the rest of the Ages, which do get a zero year (2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, etc), the Divine Age has 99 years and not 100.

[bohemiantea-scorpiocoffee]

I started reading issue #2 of Blue Wraith online (since it’s out and we got that spoiler for issue #3, FIX FENRIS’S COLORING DAMMIT) and now I’m having full-blown lore nerdery and freaking out. Spoilers under the cut.

Okay so in that spoiler we saw a blue (lyrium-infused? pure lyrium?) sword being used as both the clamp and the power source for that sarcophagus because it was being *absorbed* into Fenris in the process. So before I looked at issue #2, I had a mild freakout because all the comics had been talking about pursuing a RED LYRIUM WEAPON. But the generic term could have meant any weapon, right? 

Except it was in Kirkwall. And now obviously a SWORD. Like, Meredith’s sword, REFORGED IN DAI. I have a whole fucking post about “Certainty.”

I say “obviously” because of this page in issue #2. Sarcophagus *built for an elf* -- they have Shirallas on hand but he just got there! And Vaea is in pursuit, as is Fenris. Any of them could end up in the sarcophagus and we’ve all sweated before theorizing about a corrupted Fenris.

AAAAAAAAA

[aethericgeometry]

I mean, I understood (most of) it.

[aethericgeometry]

Decided to collect and organize the various Garlean rank particles for naming conventions.

Source

[aethericgeometry]

Lyrics for Sophia, the Goddess

The sigh of the shifting sea The kiss of the salt-sweet breeze The white of her silken dress stained in red

A memory fading fast Her mother sits, eyes downcast A torn uniform in hand, farewells unsaid

That once a certainty, lost in grief A daughter's desperate cries, unheard pleas Forsaken, beaten, tried, on her knees A prayer passes from her lips Into her soul the Goddess whispers:

"A heartbeat without harmony is moonlight without dark. The heart seeketh equilibrium With balance will your worry part.

"So still this broken melody And therewith shoulder thee One last step only leaving An empty hearth down by the sea An empty hearth down by the sea."

[aethericgeometry]

[aethericgeometry]

Areas of St. Mocianne's Arboretum

Eremology: a science concerned with the desert and its phenomena

Limnology: the study of the biological, chemical, and physical features of lakes and other bodies of fresh water

Silvology: the study of forests and woods

Telmatology: a branch of science concerned with the study of wetlands

Zymology: the workings of fermentation