Would you mind lending realms knowledge to clarify something published in Dragon #232? What would Balagos, be doing in present day Faerûn? Knowing that his territory is extensive, going all the way to the Lake of Steam, could he ever bother the Border Kingdoms?Among his lairs, would he have spent more time in the main or the secondary one in Wyrmwell?

— Luís Ricardo (@LusRicardoSilv5) July 13, 2021

Yes, Balagos could hunt the northernmost Border Kingdoms (Lake of Steam shore) but VERY rarely; he'd far more often be marauding on the far (northern) shore. Balagos doesn't like settlement and crowding, so as the years pass, Wyrmwell would be increasingly attractive.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) July 14, 2021

Are bicycles a column r uncommon occurrence on Faerun? Does Elminster use this mode of transportation? VERY rare. Bicycles as we know them require smooth roads, and much of the Realms lacks those, so far. There are tricycle-carts (mainly in the cities of Calimshan and Amn). Judging by his reaction to my bicycles, El isn't a fan. ;}#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 7, 2021

As a followup to a podcast question… How functional are the prosthetics made by Gond’s clergy? Obviously, the wealthy would get better ones, but how much functionality would a “stock” piece provide? Any stock piece has a GREAT "yoke" to attach to the wearer, and good joints. Feet flex at the ankle, hands have a grip (thumb and fingers) and a finger you can point, both manipulated by your other hand (i.e. you move thumb or finger/s into position, and they "hold").#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) October 12, 2021

Yes.
The most expensive pieces have pay-to-renew cleric spells that keep them bonded to the body and give pretty good motor control. So, fingers that can do delicate work but not feel pain.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) October 12, 2021

A Cleric of Auril named Alina for a patreon commissioner! ❄️ I had SO much fun with this design! As the creator of Auril, I SO approve of this depiction of one of Her clerics!
Salute!#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) October 13, 2021

Well thank you very very much!! 😁

— Rachel Denton 🎃 (@Tallinier) October 13, 2021

@TheEdVerse would spellfire and or silverfire affect a Rakshasa, considering its limited magic immunity?

— Shadowfox6908 (@shadowfox6908) September 23, 2021

1)
Both would, without exceptions, even if the spellfire or silverfire is being used to accomplish something akin to the effect of a spell of 6th level or lower.
Both spellfire and silverfire are versions of the raw power of the…
#Realmslore 2)
…Weave; spellfire literally the natural energies of the world unleashed as consuming flames, and silverfire as a fine-tuned, controlled and focused version of gathered natural energies (if spellfire is a blowtorch, silverfire…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 24, 2021

3)
…is a laser beam).
A rakshasa has innate spellcasting abilties and an innate limited magic immunity, but spellfire and silverfire aren’t “magic” save in the loosest sense of the word: something that I don’t any other way to… 4)
…make happen must be ‘magic.’ Rather, they are a means to channel the natural energies of the world from the Weave WITHOUT using spells; the rakshasa’s immunity is applied against spells, and so can’t be applied successfully… #Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 24, 2021

5)
…against spellfire or silverfire.
If I have a magical power that prevents explosions but not ignition, and am put in a wooden outhouse with a lit bomb, and I use my power to prevent the bomb exploding, but the lit fuse causes… 6)
…the outhouse to burn, and the bomb melts along with me inside the resulting inferno, I used my magical power but it didn’t prevent my being harmed.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 24, 2021

Can you confirm that the property tax rate in Waterdeep is ~1% of the property price per year? It's .88% in NYC, but 2.5% in the Flemish region of Brussels.

— RPG Match – connecting TTRPG players (@RpgMatch) September 13, 2021

1)
Nope. You’re applying a flat formula across a city that, like all real-world cities, has grown over the years. Most real-world cities have the same disparities that exist in Waterdeep: taxes vary from place to place within a city, and rates also vary with social… 2)
…class (political clout); i.e. the nobles, AND temples, AND guilds get themselves tax breaks, and wheeler-dealer wealthy individuals broker deals with the Palace (just as in real life): I give you this land for civic purposes if you'll give me a low rate on yon..#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 13, 2021

3)
…property over there. In Waterdeep, the annual realty tax (“property tax”) rate tends to be lower than 1 percent of the property price; Waterdeep doesn’t have “mill rates,” it has set taxes per property that get reviewed by the Palace (and always raised) on… 4)
…about a twenty-year cycle. (And the above brokering comes into play to win yourself delays in reassessment.) Waterdeep has always had a "flee south to warmer climes for the winter" problem that it has attempted to soften by keeping realty taxes low (as it has…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 13, 2021

5)
…other sources of revenue like the gate taxes, docking fees, permit fees, etc.).
You can use a percentage of purchase price rate as a VERY rough guide to estimating probable taxes, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the city calculates taxes that way. 6)
It's always perilous to apply modern real-world ways of doing things to the Realms. And just a brief glance at real-world cities of any longevity (London, Paris, Rome) will reveal that as years pass, their taxation systems change radically (and are inconsistent).#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 13, 2021

7)
For years, I’ve worked in public libraries, and run D&D mini-campaigns as library programs. Once I ran for five middle-aged, conservative female librarians who wanted NO bloodshed, no monsters, and no magic.
So I gave them a Waterdeep campaign that was… 8)
…Jane Austen-like "social whirl" on one level (daughters of ambitious guildmasters trying to break into the nobility, or at least become social equals with the weakest, poorest nobles), and on the other: turn Daddy's guild money, not quite keeping pace with his..#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 13, 2021

9)
…ambitions, into large fortunes by shrewd property investments (buy, sell, flip, reno, rent out, etc.), and impress Daddy so much that he lets you behave like a full guild member or more, because you understand finance and social nuance better than he does. 10)
They loved it, and as a result, we delved into (and I detailed) the byzantine property valuations, tax system, and tax dodges of Waterdeep.
And I inspired two of them to try becoming real estate magnates in real life. One had a disastrous time, but the other…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 13, 2021

11)
…left her library job behind for wealth and a big mansion in Woodbridge and a trophy husband.
Ah, they grow up so fast… ;}#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 13, 2021

@TheEdVerse Greetings Great Sage! I've two questions today.
First: How do you fare?
Second: In some book (I believe Faiths and Avatars) there's mention of The Children of the Starry Quill. Could you elaborate on their tasks?
Oh, and send my love to Mirt if you see him!

— Nicole Martinsen (@MissMartinsen) September 2, 2021

1)
Heh. When I next see Mirt, I’ll relay that. Careful; he may come to see you (beware approaching wheezing noises). ;}
Me, I’m okay. Getting older, but getting creative projects done, and that always feels good. 2)
Faiths & Avatars is indeed where you’ll find the Starry Quill. A bardic order that’s alive and well. A few of its members reside in cities and stay put, but many travel as performers, and in either case their main duties are…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 3, 2021

3)
…to covertly pass messages (usually memorized, not written) between particular clergy of Mystra and/or wizards, at the behest of Mystran clergy or Chosen, and to spy for Mystran clergy: that is, to watch for specific people, … 4)
…things, or events, and report their observations to another order member or Chosen or cleric of Mystra. So they’re passive spies, far more than “active agents” of the James Bond sort; they don’t usually go eavesdropping by…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 3, 2021

5)
…getting onto balconies or into dwellings not their own, they just watch “the passing parade” without seeming to do so.
On rarer occasions, they’ll pass scrolls or spellbooks (often rescued from a dying wizard or a damaged… 6)
…hiding-place) to clergy of Mystra, or even distribute such things for those with the Gift to find (the same sort of “spreading magic” that the Chosen do).
On rarer occasions still, they’ll be used to spread rumors to make…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 3, 2021

7)
…Mystra or her church or wizards be seen more favourably by everyone else (i.e. as influencers/propagandists), but this role is used very sparingly because if you cry wolf all the time, folk stop heeding you.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) September 3, 2021

Can I ask what year your game is set in, Ed? Which one? :}

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 4, 2021

Your home game!

— Ben (@roguecaliber) August 4, 2021

1)
The original “home” Realms campaign has now reached the 1340s DR, but (as my players vote on things) we’re still playing AD&D and the Time of Troubles has never happened. However, play is VERY slow as everyone’s scattered all over the world and is very busy. 2)
The Company of Crazed Venturers was retired (again, players vote) long ago, and the Knights have retired some characters and taken up play with descendants and new recruits.
My OTHER home Realms games: 2e and in the 1350s, 3e and in the 1390s, and two are 5e: 1470s and 1490s.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 4, 2021

What edition may I ask? The original "home" campaign is AD&D.
The players vote on all rules adoptions and edition changes etc. So they voted to accept the revamped 2e bard alongside the original Players Handbook bard (both are in play). Otherwise, AD&D.
Yet edition hardly matters; it's roleplaying, baby

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) August 4, 2021