@TheEdVerse How long was it since the creation of the Material Plane? There's lore that the Blood War started before the creation of other planes, but are there any records of how long ago was that? #DnD

— DMPaulG – Minauros Unchained @ DMsGuild (@DMPaulG) March 4, 2020

1)
No one knows; to everyone alive today, it’s “always been there.” Much of what we know about long-ago times, divine doings, and matters on other planes (such as the Blood War) comes from folk tales, retold and exaggerated 2)
…many times down the centuries, and temple teachings/priests’ tales, which are propaganda at best. Our dating goes back 35,000 years before the “zero” year of Dalereckoning (which has currently reached the 1490s), and the…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020

To Mr. Greenwood,
What year did your original campaigns begin with the Knights of Myth Drannor and what year did they begin with the first official box set? In-game years, or real-world years?

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 28, 2020

1)
In 1348 DR, Azoun chartered the Swords of Eveningstar, and by year-end they’d relocated to Shadowdale and become the Knights of Myth Drannor (as told in my trilogy of novels about them) 2)
The original Realms boxed set is current as of 1357 DR (Year of the Prince).
Both of these date references can be found under the relevant years in THE GRAND HISTORY OF THE REALMS sourcebook.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 28, 2020

@TheEdVerse Another question I have for you, if I might. How strong is Lord Neverember's grip on Neverwinter? Is he secure in his position, or does he risk being replaced?

— Lysbeth Raven (@LysbethRaven) March 4, 2020

1)
It’s actually not that strong at all, being far outweighed by his influence and reputation (folk are scared of him or what he might do, and so give in to avoid anticipated trouble). Yet it’s not precarious, either, because no 2)
…organized, competent, sustained alternative to him wants the job of openly ruling Neverwinter. Yet.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020

What would be the necessary requirements for him to be replaced?

— Lysbeth Raven (@LysbethRaven) March 4, 2020

1)
Someone with enough military power and political acumen would have to want him gone, and have a plan to assassinate him, then immediately and firmly (unless they want the city ravaged by strife) seize power 2)
The 4e NEVERWINTER Campaign Setting lists the on-the-spot interested factions, cabals, and groups, but any of the former city nobles, plus displaced nobles from Waterdeep and Amn, or wealthy wannabe nobles who don't see a quick road to power elsewhere, might try.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020

My first-ever published D&D article, yes.
My first paid published article appeared a dozen years before that. I'd had a novel published before the first issue of The Dragon appeared.
Yes, I'm ooooold. ;}

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

It was called Fool's Master, and was a "kids having adventures" novel like Phil Stong's Way Down Cellar or Brinley's Mad Scientists Club series, and it's looooooong out of print, from a defunct publishing house. I may dust it off some day…if I EVER have any spare time.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

Without a reminder would you be able to remember what your first Dragon mag article was about? How well do your early days of D&D writing stick out in your memory? So much work over such a long career. Sure. Vividly remembered! My first for Dragon was a "fix the mistakes" for the DIVINE RIGHT boardgame, but it was held back for a DR theme issue (34), so The Curst (Dragon's Bestiary, issue 30) became my first, followed by The Crawling Claw (32). Then the Gates piece in #37.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

That is absolutely amazing. Crafting the world that would go on to be the official D&D setting but still remembering your first magazine publications. An inspiration! Thanks for the reply Those were golden days. Writing like the wind, just having fun, going to school and then university, in the Swinging Sixties and then the Cool Seventies…when the writing fire was still new and bright, and so many of the writers I thought gods were still alive, and I met them!

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

That sounds blissful. Do you think the fire of writing (specifically for roleplaying game content) has dwindled in recent years? I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to be a crucial part of the growth of what would go on to be such a culturally influencing phenomenon For writing adventures, a little. For worldbuilding/setting details/adventure hooks, and fiction, not at all.
Yes, it was exciting, but at the time it's not "this is going to be so big and culturally significant" but rather "Wow, this is fun! More more more!"

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

Side note: it isn’t lost on me how incredible it is that I get to talk with someone who directly impacted my childhood and continues to influence my adult life through #ttrpg. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. A pleasure. I'm just a gamer who wouldn't go away. ;}

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

@TheEdVerse Hello Ed, I need a good name for an elf swashbuckler. Maybe even a 'stage name', do you have a good idea?

— kentusrpg (@kentusrpg) January 20, 2020

1)
An elf swashbuckler can of course have almost any birth name, and will rarely change it out of shame, but many of them would gleefully adopt a stage name, or do so to avoid having their deeds reflect on their family (and 2)
…perhaps mar ongoing house negotiations with others). So here are a few stage names (invented given name and surname; with such names, alliteration is so popular as to be the norm, and many are ridiculously overblown):#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 22, 2020

3)
Female: Alaudra Allslayer; Evalarra Elfhorn; Galardra Gemmountain; Jatha Jauntgem; Kaethla Catchbeast; Mordra Maimserpent; Naethra Neartriumphant; Phandoshea Fireblade; Qaervaera Killdragon; Volone Valormoon; Yauvra Yarkblade#Realmslore4)
Male: Aerevaud Allvanquisher; Dauntyr Dragonslayer; Haravandiir Hauntsword; Kendrus Killfoe; Mandarl the Masked Doom (Mountjoy); Narthandor Neverdeath; Rellovir Rendwyrm; Waurn Wyvernslayer; Zorth Zarvalor#Realmslor

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 22, 2020

Reading with interest, I mistakenly shared this with my party's sorcerer, who's now cackling with glee.
Question… Is using a magic item that casts Fireball a 'casting a spell' action, or a 'use item action'?

— CyberNook 2020 (@NookHarper) December 20, 2019

Activating a magic item is its own action as described in the DMG (page 141).

Sorry Thieves, y'all can't Fast Hands it.

— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) December 20, 2019

Reading the DMG 141, it seems as though some magic items allow you to cast a spell, so the action would be a ‘cast a spell’ action for some magic items, a ‘use an object’ action for others Negative. Activating a wand of fireballs, for instance, is still using your action to activate a magic item, even though you are ALSO casting a spell. You aren't using the Cast a Spell action.

— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) December 20, 2019

Thanks both.
My group’s Sorcerer is currently grinning like a maniac, and I’m having to plan for napalm death Good luck, and don't forget about the Dodge action!

— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) December 20, 2019

Hi, @TheEdVerse , hope you're having a good weekend. I want to ask: is this kind of reaction still happening by the 1480s+?

Thanks

— Jon Gomez (@ZeromaruX) January 5, 2020

By the 1480s, SOME Cormyreans would be slower to be hostile to anyone unfamiliar, and many would react to half-orcs with “mild” suspicion or less. But most would still treat drow and all goblinkin as a threat.#Realmslore https://t.co/unx9fBMPsC

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 5, 2020

Interesting. Seems the goblinoid thing is some form of cultural racism? No, it's a direct result of repeated goblin attacks on the citizens of Cormyr. See DEATH OF THE DRAGON and CORMYR: A NOVEL.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 5, 2020

Question @TheEdVerse , looks like Mulhorand is back after spellplague in 5e. Does that mean the country is no longer destroyed? Did the inhabitants come back to life? Did just the land became uncorrupted? Are the cities back restored and are just empty now? #frlore

— Artie Pavlov 🥀 (@Artie_Pavlov) February 17, 2020

1)
As related in the (4e) Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, Mulhorand (which had conquered Unther six years earlier) was destroyed in the Spellplague: the landscape torn and much altered, the cities ruined in the process, and many… 2)
…of the Mulhorandi killed or transported to Abeir. Hungry monsters roamed shattered Mulhorand, devouring humans, so the few survivors fled (mainly to Chessenta).
The Deep Imaskari wizard Ususi Manaallin promptly founded…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

3)
…High Imaskar in what had been Mulhorand, resettling it with the folk of Deep Imaskar.
But as the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide tells us, at the Second Sundering, when the gods of Faerûn selected Chosen to enact their wills 4)
…several mortal descendants of the Mulhorandi gods were possessed by their divine ancestors to wage war against the Imaskari. With the help of Nezram the World-Walker, they defeated the Imaskari and drove them east into the…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

5)
…Plains of Purple Dust—and then began the long process of rebuilding Mulhorand.
So in the decade since the Imaskari were driven into the desert, the Mulhorandi have tilled the land and struggled to restore its irrigation, 6)
…replant its orchards, and rebuild its roads and bridges.
Very few new buildings have been erected, though many of the Imaskari villas have been repaired and new walls (mainly to keep in sheep and goats) built around them.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

7)
There’s almost no central government, with priests relaying guidance from the gods after praying for visions at altars, and hired adventurers and armed Mulhorandi keeping the peace in between working the land and fighting off)
…marauding monsters and Imaskari raids from the desert.
The cities still lie in ruins (some inhabited by a hardy few, though opportunistic monsters also dwell there) and tales of buried treasure under the fallen buildings are… #Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

9)
…many—but most folk are too busy staying alive to indulge. Treasure-seekers coming east from Chessenta are increasingly resented, unless they pay local inhabitants with oxen or edible beasts or tools and weapons and food 10)
In short, Mulhorand is a land ripe for adventuring.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

This is great, thank you. What about the gods and the avatars that ruled the country? Gone? Or back in 5e? The Mulhorandi pantheon of gods has returned, but are distant (that is, no avatars striding around, no direct rule, but answering priests with above-altar visions). Their pride seems have taken a collective beating.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020