I’m sure you’ve touched on or have some insight into the slave trade in Toril? I’m pretty new to DnD. Would you sages have any info to share for this DM? Thay is built on slavery, but it's become increasingly rare elsewhere in Faerun, and is illegal in most "civilized" places (orcs take slaves, but aren't considered civilized). Drow are involved in an extensive Underdark slave trade involving slave-snatching surface raids.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 7, 2018

Chult doesn’t have a large enough human population for much slaving, I think. Amn counts as southern, yes? The yuan-ti took and kept both human and ophidian slaves in earlier centuries, but Merric is right: few left now to enslave. Folks in Amn would be enraged to be called "southern" ;} (to them, the "South" starts at Calimshan; to Calishites, it begins south of them). ;} Calimshan..

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 7, 2018

…has had lots of slaves or relatively few, depending on when in its history we're considering, but yes, slavery has always been present and legal (can't enslave a citizen, but by definition, a slave isn't one, even if they were before being enslaved).

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 7, 2018

I think I have a Waterdhavian perspective on things based on running several campaigns there – Amn and below is “southern”. 🙂 #dnd Ah, well put. Indeed, to Waterdhavians who don't depart the city, Amn and below is "southern." To the transient trading population found in the Deep at any particular time, not so much.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 7, 2018

I would like to talk discuss #ForgottenRealms with you – mostly the social structures & the economy – is it feudal and are the peasant allowed to leave their shire? Very little of the Realms is what we would recognize as "feudal." Aside from Thay, almost no one has any LEGAL restrictions on their movement outside of martial law moments in wartime. Farmers tend to be "tied to the land" for obvious farming reasons. Cormyr and many Border…

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 1, 2018

..Kingdoms in the past, and plenty of city-states now, have the feudal element of "noble oath-promises monarch to provide X troops when called upon," but the presence of widespread magic means it's never safe to use real-world history as a guide to how things unfold in the Realms

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 1, 2018

Good sir, somewhere I found that Silmerhelve family of Waterdeep was of Iluskan ethnicity in lat 1200s DR. Would you say that would change in late 1400s DR? By the late 1400s DR the Silmerhelves have become so mixed by intermarriage with other Waterdhavians, noble and otherwise, that like most nobles of Waterdeep, they're more "Waterdhavian" than anything else. (Several Silmerhelves wed successful adventurers from afar.)

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 24, 2018

How is Volo still alive? He’s human, supposedly, but his writing career has spanned over 100 years (1356 DR – 1480s DR)?…easily return after the Spellplague. Sometimes, keeping Volo ignorant of things is best for the Realms. ;}

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) November 6, 2017

I didn’t expect the Archmage himself to answer my question. Thank you so much! This clears up quite a few questions I had! A pleasure! Always happy to talk Realmslore!

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 10, 2017

Oh, Knower of Realmslore! Prithee, bestow upon thy humble servant a boon. One of my players wants to make a Half-Ogre paladin, I’m inclined to allow it, but would any of the deities of the Ordning dain patron such a pitiable creature as this? Certainly! For a half-ogre to want to be a holy knight is a rare and precious thing, and would also be seen by said deities as a very useful servant. Any of them would (and would!) make a great patron!

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 21, 2018

this made me laugh last night when i was dm’ing, one of my players (playing an elf) was arguing with another player (a dwarf) and the elven player tells me, “i call him a weakling in dwarvish and give him the elvish finger” which i knew he ment the middle finger to.. flip off the dwarf. this made me laugh and laugh, even though the players had no idea why it was funny. im asking you now mr greenwod, what does the elvish version of "the finger" look like? i figure it might be different than the other race's versions?

— PastorGall 🏴 (@PastorGall) December 10, 2017

The elvish "the finger" is to crook middle finger in an inward (towards yourself) curve, while bringing that arm up across your body in an ascending diagonal. For REAL insolence, end the gesture by licking the tip of your crooked finger…languidly, while staring at your target.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 10, 2017

who is the current ruler of Shadowdale? Last lore I can find is that Azalar Falconhand retired in 1459….Adee Ulphor became Lady (ruling lord) of Shadowdale on 9 Mirtul 1459 DR, when Lord Azalar Falconhand retired, officially renouncing the lordship and naming her as successor. She governed capably and was generally liked, though Shadowdale was often imperilled from without during..

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 4, 2017

..her lordship, but was sorely wounded in fighting in and around Shadowdale (in which she led local militia forces against Netherese-directed mercenaries) on 9 Marpenoth in 1487 (The Year of Rune Lords Triumphant), and died of her wounds on 12 Marpenoth, naming her close friend..

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 4, 2017

…and the Sword Commander of Shadowdale (marshal) Khara Sulwood as her successor on her deathbed. (Khara Sulwood literally rode out of battle to be with Adee at her passing, and arrived JUST in time; after Adee was seen to be dead, she hastened back into the fray.) …

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 4, 2017

…
Already popular with the folk of Shadowdale, Khara Sulwood was proclaimed Lady of Shadowdale at dusk that same day, and still rules there now.

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 4, 2017

You never fail to amaze me with your mastery of the Realms oh wise one! Anything you’d like to see in an adventure set in Shadowdale in 1491 DR? Farmers defending their crops, or adventurers defending the farmers. We must never forget where the food comes from, and the good folk who grow it. ;}

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) December 4, 2017

Is there any more information on the Moonshaes besides FR2, Backdrop: Moonshae Isles, and SCAG for 5e? Planning a campaign in itSure. FR5 , the 2e archipegalo adventure module, I did an entire Halls of the High King CAMPAIGN module, and of course Doug's novels!

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) October 10, 2017