@TheEdVerse how common are public bath houses in the Realms, more specifically in the Sword Coast and the North? I imagine big cities like Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate have them, but what about smaller towns and cities like Daggerford or Yartar?

— Ricardo Williams (@rwgs76) January 12, 2020

1)
Outside cities, public bathhouses are only found where there’s a warm spring (water warm enough to keep from freezing as it emerges from the ground). Otherwise, you need a large inn with cellar hearthfires to heat the water, meaning a paying-guests-only bath house. 2)
In cities and larger centers, there are public bathhouses in Silverymoon, Everlund, Sundabar, Citadel Adbar, and Citadel Felbarr. As well as inn, festhall, and guildhouse pay-a-fee (usually 2cp, robes and towels provided, clothes laundering 1cp more) "warm baths."#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020

Well atleast my character with his weird addiction to hygiene is not a “weirdo” and bathhouses actually exist in plenty.
I ofc described usual taking bath as a “barrrel with a hot water”. Wonder if Mystra will be angry if someone uses magic to make a shower Nope, not at all. Mystra promotes the widespread, frequent use of magic by as many folk as possible. That's her aim, so although magic is rare and expensive and some mortals in the Realms might see such as use as frivolous, she wouldn't.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020

So the info in Faith and Pantheons turns out to be wrong? (or missundersood by me).
Because in FaP her dogma is right against missuse of magic.
But again it might be still the case, I just do not grasp the meaning of "missuse". I am a bit confused

— Viktor Gray (@VikGray) January 12, 2020

1)
“Misuse” of magic, to Mystra, is to oppress others with it, so those who use magic end up hated or feared, and/or to deny the use of magic to others (i.e. a wizard or ruler seizing magic items from commoners or others). Anything that works against magic for. 2)
…all, EXCEPT to curb the actions of oppressors who use magic to oppress, or who act to restrict others having or using magic, is "misuse" of magic, to Mystra. So Red Wizards or Zhentarim working tyranny through magic is bad; giving or trading magic items is not.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020

What’s a scramble-squirrel?1)
A scramble-squirrel is a small, furry rodent that scurries and scrambles about in small packs or family groups of a dozen or a dozen-and-a-half strong; in behavior, curiosity, boldness, and persistence it’s akin to a…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

2)
…real-world red squirrel. However, unlike real-world and Torilian squirrels, scramble-squirrels don’t “chitter” (scold) or make any loud noises unless shrieking in pain, and have hairless, prehensile tails that resemble… 3)
…rat-tails more than the bushy tails of squirrels. Known as ruloan to the elves, they are thieves and opportunists who love to snatch food, and are quite capable of luring humans and other sentients with a feinted theft while…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

4)
…the real thieving goes on elsewhere, or distracting sentients with carried coins, gems, and other ‘gleaming things.’
They have very sharp seven-toed claws and a great sense of balance, and typically race along high tree…# 5)
…branches and leap from one to another, sometimes to other trees, not minding if they land head-downwards or even clutching the undersides of branches. They tend to be plump, have large compound eyes like flies that can see in…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

6)
…many directions and at many angles at once, and so have superb depth perception, and very seldom “miss” their landings, or not notice precisely what prey or some creature that’s after them or fellow family members are doing, 7)
…or located (which is how they can work so well together as a hunting team).
Scramble-squirrels are prey for many things, and throughout the 1300s and 1400s DR have been growing less and less common across the woodlands of…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

8)
…Faerûn. They are edible, and quite tasty roasted over an open fire, as they eat berries and green growing shoots and nuts and leaves when not able to pilfer meat, cheese, and bread from sentient wayfarers 9)
It’s not unusual in a wooded area, or farmland/ranchland with woodlots and hedge-lines of trees, to look out of a window and see a scramble-squirrel clinging to a precarious perch looking in at you (likely seeing if there’s a…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

10)
…way in, and any food to be easily had, by the ‘snatch and race away again’ method).
Rathan of the Knights of Myth Drannor once described them as “Infuriatingly persistent little furballs,” but is known to have evened the odds 11)
…on one occasion with an accurately-hurled mace, that stunned four scramble-squirrels and knocked them off a tree-limb; he promptly pounced, wrung their necks, and popped them in a stewpot. When he and Torm were eating the…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

12)
…results, they had to guard their meal against other scramble-squirrels, who seemed eager to eat their boiled and seasoned fellows.
There’s just one known instance of scramble-squirrels being found in a city: the halfling 13)
…thief Baerandle Borthcrown had a small family of trained scramblers he worked with, in Athkatla in the 1340s to 1380s DR; they stole small, valuable items like gems and jewelry via open upper windows for him, and…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

14)
…he fed them well as a reward.
Oh, and they do make huffing and hissing noises, and snorts (but not loudly).#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

@TheEdVerse Possibly an odd question- Does Waterdeep have anything similar to the Waldorf-Astoria (in terms of fame) where "celebrities" might rent out suites of rooms for long term residence? – As always, many thanks GG

— Gareth ! (@garethgarfoot) February 17, 2020

1)
Waterdeep offers several luxury inns, all in Sea Ward, North Ward, or Castle Ward, where wealthy guests can rent suites of lushly-furnished rooms by the tenday, the month, the season (winter or summer, with variable 2)
…end-lengths extending into spring and fall; if vacant during such times, the suites are refreshed and refurbished, or rented out for nightly revels). These establishments all take the form of four or five-floored)…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

3)
…(aboveground) complexes of linked, formerly separate, city tallhouses, with stabling offsite but “to the door” hostler service (as a guest, you ride your horse or take your coach to and from an interior courtyard door)4)
Due to Twitter’s length limits and my need to get some paid writing done, I’ll highlight just one in each ward:
Tarth’s Towers (main entrance: westfront Feather Street three doors S of Delzorin Street) in Sea Ward; #Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

5)
Oblarth’s Gryphon (main entrance: eastfront Copper Street three doors N of Sulmor Street);
and
Dauntlyn’s Doors (main entrance: eastfront The Street of Bells, five doors N of Selduth Street).#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 17, 2020

@TheEdVerse Was Herne's Wood, the Utter Eastern name for Sempadan Forest in Blood & Magic, named by the colonizing Ffolk/Northlanders or the indigenous Mar? Did either group worship the deity Herne in the 600's, and do they still do so post-Godswar now that Malar took his guise?

— Belial Lyka (@TimeBust) January 22, 2020

1)
Herne’s Wood is only the enchanted northwesternmost corner of Sempadan Forest. It was named by the Mar, as they held it to be the abode of Herne and sacred to him. All sentients in the Realms believe in all the gods, and… 2)
…worship them at least to turn aside divine wrath, but certain Mar venerated Herne above other deities, as a path to being one with nature, and achieving the utmost personal power and accomplishment in life.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 22, 2020

3)
Today, a few still pray to the Horned Hunter, but most Mar abhor Malar, and pray and make offerings only to appease him.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 22, 2020

Dear @TheEdVerse , is there an "old Elvish" language, or languages, in the Realms? If so, how many Elven dead languages are known today (i.e. 1357 DR) and what are their names? Are they written in Espruar, too? Thanks! #Realmslore

— Ricardo Williams (@rwgs76) February 13, 2020

The only dead elven language remembered by all but a few ancient dragons and oldest baelnorn in 1357 DR is Seldruin, the tongue of elven high magic, which is written in the Hamarfae script.#Realmslore https://t.co/zXxppCBJls

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

@TheEdVerse
How do souls from Faerún end up in the Nine Hells – aside from Faustian bargains? I know that when a mortal dies, they go to the Fugue Plane, where their God sends an agent to collect them if they were faithful.

— Dwaine Spradling (@DwaineSpradling) February 28, 2020

1)
Mortal souls from Toril end up in the Nine Hells because of curses, because of the bargains you mention (sometimes through wagers lost), and sometimes because of other mortal actions taken in life, such as magical rituals 2)
…that unintentionally bind those carrying out the ritual to a particular archdevil, or other traps set by devils to snare the unwary. Even careless summonings may allow a devil to claim the summoner’s soul in future payment, …#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

3)
…or a miscast spell may make an ensnarement possible. The ways are surprisingly many, so the supply of souls into the Nine Hells is fairly constant, if not widely noticed in lore.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 1, 2020

Jesper Haglund @Kajehase · 49s
Replying to @TheEdVerse
On the same topic, does the mind flayers have to eat the brains of their victims raw, or is there perchance a brisk trade in recipes for the best way to prepare various species' grey matter?

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

1)
If mind flayers want to glean the memories and “deeper” thoughts of their victims, they must devour the brains raw. 2)
Strong emotions at the end of life (such as terror) and last ‘surface thoughts’ will survive most cooking processes that don’t involve charring the brain or long marinade periods. So there are brain-preparation recipes, and…#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

3)
…swapping of them, but they are usually used only to enliven illithid ennui, when forced to dine on ‘stupid,’ uninteresting victims. Most mind flayers seek hidden knowledge and unusual memories, and don’t want to miss any.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 14, 2020

I have a question regarding dragon sizes. There are three sources (Monstrous Manual 2e, FOR 1: Draconomicon and Draconomicon 3e) that give sizes of dragons and they are pretty different. For example an Adult Red dragon’s body length in 2e is 80-99 feet, while (1) In 3e its body is 18 feet. So they are drastically different. Excluding editions, what size would fit dragons in the Realms more, 2e or 3e? Also, dragon sizes in 2e are drastically different depending on the dragon, like the adult mercury dragon is 24 feet.

Thanks in advance!

— Alex McClay (@AlexMcclay2000) March 6, 2020

This just shows you how utter-stone-scared most humans who get anywhere near dragons are. They can’t even guesstimate straight! However, Elminster tells me you’ll live longer if you trust the larger dragon sizes. (Small ones probably aren’t adults.) Mind you, if a dragon of smaller size came up to me and said they were an adult and to write that down,

…I would completely believe them and write it down IN MY FLESH.

— RedNoBlue (@RedNoBlue) March 6, 2020

Nicely said, sir! You are wise. Also, still alive.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 6, 2020