Greetings @TheEdVerse, trying to channel some heaty debate into positive enlightenment. Could you tell us how other (published and unpublished) continents were discovered outside of Faerun? I'm sure an answer for this would be the best Christmas gift for many this year. 🧑🎄
— Questing GM (@questinggm) December 20, 2021
This one runs aground on the rocks of disagreements over what’s a continent, and what’s really an archipelago with one or two really big islands, but Alaundo put it at fourteen, and Elminster said, “That’s good enough for me.”#Realmslore https://t.co/FoTm7q06Ur
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 20, 2021
This one runs aground on the rocks of disagreements over what’s a continent, and what’s really an archipelago with one or two really big islands, but Alaundo put it at fourteen, and Elminster said, “That’s good enough for me.”#Realmslore https://t.co/FoTm7q06Ur
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 20, 2021
So you believe in fourteen continents? Good. I'll expect the fourteen sourcebooks one a year. ;}
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 21, 2021
Well played, sir! Well played!
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 21, 2021
Well, no, we actually know all of those are continents from established lore and are not islands. The only exception is Anchorome. That one is a massive archipelago, but the continent north of Maztica was mistaken for Anchorome, except it isn't.
— Luis Oyola (@Razzelmire) December 21, 2021
"So Anchorome, Laerakond, Osse, Katashaka, and Arandron, Kara-Tur, Maztica and Zakhara are argued as islands?"
Nope. Not what I said.
Luis hath the right of it.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 21, 2021
How were these 'agreed' continents discovered? Sailing expeditions? Divinations? Spelljamming? Portals? Strangers from distant lands?
— Questing GM (@questinggm) December 21, 2021
1)
“Discovered”?
People LIVE on them.
They looked down between their feet, and there the continent was. ;}
Before the rise of humans, dragons flew free. Elves had airships before spelljamming ships. And networks of gates (portals) linking various Realms continents… 2)
…predate the lands that flourish today. So SOME folk on the Realms have always known the gross/general layout of landmasses, if not every nook and cranny of even the continent they spend most time on.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 21, 2021
3)
There have been constant migrations of all sentient races and "beasts" in almost every direction, down the passing ages, but the Realms isn't historical Earth: humans did not "colonize" the globe to try to build empires.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 21, 2021