Lolth's Silence

[Barrok]

I have been looking through a lot of my Forgotten Realms Supplements over the last three weeks and in a couple of the newer books it has mentioned that Lolth has fallen silent and not bequeathing any spells to her clergy. Am I missing out on something in a supplement, adventure or FR novel? Why is this happening? Are Wizards trying to make me paranoid by making me more and more curious? (I bet they are!! I bet they are also talking about me and how I smell of goats…)



Anyway can anyone explain the Lolth thing as it really is bugging me somewhat.

[Vivamort]

The Silence of Lolth, which occured on 28 Eleasias, 1372 DR, was an event when Lolth stopped granting spells, arcane or divine, would not respond to communions of any type and stopped all planar travel to The Demonweb Pits.

This had something to do with the books.

[The Sentinel]

This occurance happens in the 6 book War of the Spider Queen series. I would read them they are awesome. Lolth basically takes a gamble and goes into a cocoon and at the end of the books she re-emerges and moves up in power on the god scale, I think she goes to one step below greater god.

[Woz]

Hey, I don't mean to barge into this conversation, but here I go! I have never read any of the FR novels (or any D&D novels). Do any of you recommend any series in particular? I mean, if I wanted to, where should I start? I don't have much time to read anymore so I try to be very picky about what I invest my time in. If you don't think they're worth it, let me know as well.

Thanks!

[Vivamort]

Source(s): Wikipedia, Forgotten Realms Library

The War of the Spider Queen is a series of novels set in the Forgotten Realms setting, with six books overseen by R.A. Salvatore:

Dissolution (2002) by Richard Lee Byers
Insurrection (2002) by Thomas M. Reid
Condemnation (2003) by Richard Baker
Extinction (2004) by Lisa Smedman
Annihilation (2004) by Philip Athans
Resurrection (2005) by Paul S. Kemp

The persons on the covers are as follows: Phauran Mizzrym (Dissolution), Quenthel and Jeggred Baenre (Insurrection), Nimor Imphraezl (Condemnation), Halisstra Melarn (Extinction), Ryld Argith (Annihilation) and Danifae (Resurrection).

Basics
The War of the Spider Queen book series was overseen by R. A. Salvatore, and each book was written by a different writer from Wizards of the Coast. The cover art for all six books were painted by Gerald Brom.

The story is set in the Lolth-worshiping drow society in the year 1372 DR. On the first page of the first book of the series, Lolth wrapped herself in a cocoon, abandoning her mortal worshipers in the Realms. All of her priestesses, including the highest-ranking matron mothers, lost their divine magical abilities, which in turn caused a series of events that would shake the very foundations of drow society.

The War of the Spider Queen follows a group of six drow, including some recently powerless priestesses, as they leave Menzoberranzan on their trip to find out the truth about Lolth's disappearance.


This link lists and gives much detail to every FR book ever printed:
Forgotten Realms Library (http://www.o-love.net/realms/index.html)

[bandersnatch]

Hey, I don't mean to barge into this conversation, but here I go! I have never read any of the FR novels (or any D&D novels). Do any of you recommend any series in particular? I mean, if I wanted to, where should I start? I don't have much time to read anymore so I try to be very picky about what I invest my time in. If you don't think they're worth it, let me know as well.

Thanks!
[/b]

R.A. Salvatore's FR books are kinda iconic for FR. While they are sometimes a bit too action packed (for my taste anyway) the characters are pretty famous... I mean who doesn't know Drizzt or Enteri? :?: I liked the 'Sellswords' and the 'Legacy of the Drow' triologies as well as the books 'Spine of the World' and 'The Silent Blade' the most. Though, alas, you kinda need to read 'The Icewind Dale' books before starting any other Drizzt adventures.

The only other D&D books I read were Dark Sun triologies and Planescape's Pages of Pain, but they are not D&D anymore. Still good read methinks.

Two books I must warn you to stay away from at all costs: Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II. Terrible writing, lousy adaptation of the video game, and I think the author fell for the Jaheira icon. Eh, don't read them, play the game!

question in the same vein: Has anyone read the Elminster books? Are they any good? How about the Blood War triology?

[Barrok]

The only ones I have read are The Time of Troubles Trilogy and I must say they were pretty damn good and worth while ghetting. Thanks by the way for letting me know what happened to old Lollthy Baby, I may be using her in another game soon and needed some background.

[Sunfist]

Not that these are super duper, but I would definitely suggest the Dragonlance Chronicles.

[Niko_Kaze]

Dragonlance are good for a general idea about fantasy fiction but they are very fractious and were originally written to include adventures ran parallel to the reading of the books as "in between episodes" material.

In the War of the Spider Queen novels, the drow lose one major town, the Capital (if the drow really have one) is beseiged, and a group of 6 (gets up to 7 and changes regularly) goes to find Lolth. Eventually she moves the demonweb into it's own complete plane, and reinstates herself as a higher ranked deity. The books are good but that's about all that really matters out of them, the rest is just the adventurers of the various people involved and really doesn't affect the surface world much. The Drizzt's Do'Urden books are another good read but there are several of them and a couple of times I just wanted to bounce characters head together over their apparent stupidity. Just a note Drizzt and his crew where at one point flagship character's for 3.0/3.5 so let it be noted that they are copied a lot.

Personally I would recommend the following list of books/series:

The High House
The False House
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever (a really, really, REALLY good series. Can I stress that this is an awesome series? Really go read it, now.)
Redwall (by Brain Jaques, andromorphic animals but a great read, especially for young kids)
Dragonrider's of Pern

These are excellent reads, and all except for the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (good series but parents may want to review it first as it deals with some fairly mature issues regularly [rape, murder, guilt, morality, depression, leprosy]) could be shared with young kids. The Dragonrider's of Pern is probably PG-13.

[shawnrc]

I just seen this thread and being an avid lover of RA Salvatore I must give my points, first the war of t e spider queen is a good series to read. I am not positive on my timeline but I think that Lolth goes into her cacoon as stated earlier in 1372 (right after I think the terrible losses that occurred on the surface in keepers dale I think). The struggle the males have with the whole thing including the archmage Grumph Banre is that they don't know how long the goddess will be withholding her gifts. I love the cockiness of Phaeron I laghed many times while reading the series.If you are going to read Drizzt you must start with the dark elf trilogy though, then you have to read the rest. I must say reading it now there is an advantage you don't have to wait for the next book.Other books I like are the sword of truth series by Terry Goodkind. The demon wars by RA Salvatore also is great.Btw if anyone wants to talk about any of RA Salvatore books pm me!I am thinking about running a drow campaign! Got me started now.