This thread is a catch-all where I can put all pieces of player-created lore that have been approved by me.

The Roustinghorns of Hill’s Edge
Created by: Corym

Deeply entrenched in the society of the Forgotten City of the Sunset Vale are the merchant-princes of the Roustinghorn family.  The expansive foundries and armories held as clients by the Roustinghorns provide the family with affluence, if not opulence.  Considered upstanding pillars of the community for many years now, the Roustinghorns are originally an off-shoot of the prominent Cormyrean house Roaringhorn with whom they maintain formal (if distant) relations.

History

The progenitor of the house, Anders Roaringhorn, was more vital and lusty than is common in the Court of Cormyr.  His love of hunting was well-appreciated, but his battle-lust and flair for the exotic often reflected poorly on his family creating unneeded tension.  Forced “sabbaticals” became more frequent and longer in duration.  Hill’s Edge, with its exotic and dangerous population of game animals captured Anders’ spirit, and he gave up returning to his ancestral home--much to the delight of his distressed relatives.  A Cormaeril friend wrote that he had been “rousted” out of Cormyr.  Anders delighted in this description and adjusted his name accordingly.

Anders, however, was always an outlier.  His progeny did not share his lusts and quickly fell in with the more conservative merchants of Hill’s Edge.  After their father’s demise, they set about setting House Roustinghorn in order.  Anders’ sons passed on his name, but it was his daughter, Mirella, that created a new culture for the outcast Roustinghorns.

The sale of Anders’ many trophies and exotic pets were immediately invested into the foundries and armories that now sustain the family at her direction.  Mirella, in reaction to her father’s excesses, set about creating a hard discipline for her house.  If Roustinghorns were to be treated nobly, they must act so—and by this she did not mean sniffing snuff boxes and wearing silks.  It began with a decade long family-wide abstinence from alcohol.

Lineage

Generation 1: Anders marries Amillia, and has three children--Anders II, Mirella, and Fortunus

Generation 2: Anders II marries Derry Orgul¹;two children--Anders III and Oma
          Mirella marries Korkam; two children--Felina and Finius
          Fortunatus marries Anissa Lionstar; three stillborns²

Generation 3: Anders III marries Odette Anfahr³ four children--Anders IV, Antone, Certhick, Sylla
          Oma takes a vow of chastity and dedicates herself to Eldath
          Felina marries Okvist Anfahr; two children--Elzbette and Annalise
          Finius marries Ana Dannil⁴; four children--Finius II, Azoun, Kora, Dontre

Generation 4: Anders IV--unmarried, being groomed to oversee the House
          Antone--has caught the 'Old Anders' spirit and has started a career as a hunter of exotic beasts
          Certhick--????????????
          Sylla--Negotiations are ongoing to see her married to a Roaringhorn
          Elzbette--A debutante, actively undergoing courtship
          Annalise--Studying with Aunt Oma to the dismay of Felina
          Finius II--Seeking a squireship to return true militant honor to Roustinghorn
          Azoun--a bookish and unhealthy lad
          Kora--A trouble making teen
          Dontre--A mewling infant boy


Today

After the passing of Mirella’s generation, the Roustinghorns moderated their extreme social conservatism—a bit.  They are still sticklers for propriety, community service, and sure-footed financial investment, but now occasionally host events, festivals, and parties as well.  They align with neither local temple, finding Liira to be to frivolous, and Cyric to be too dangerous.

Prominent Members

Anders III—The scion of Mirella’s discipline.  He governs the house with a lighter hand than his mentor, but ruthlessly crushes family members that bring public shame to the name Roustinghorn. He is currently in negotiations to see his youngest daughter married to a Roaringhorn cousin to reunify the lineages (and fortunes).  He is beginning to feel the pressures of managing such a large house.

Oma--Once the beauty of Hill's Edge and the center of society, Oma looked into the abyss of society and turned away.  Just as Oma seemed ready to choose a husband, she abandoned Hill's Edge for parts unknown.  When she returned, she came in the simple clothes of an Eldathan initiate with wisdom to match her cunning and beauty.  She has aged, but nothing about her has faded.  She is well regarded as an impartial arbitrator in Hill's Edge. She has converted Old Anders' hunting lodge into a sylvan garden, and resides there.

Finius--seen as the most dynamic of the Roustinghorns, Finius has a keen eye for opportunity.  His hunger for success and luxury has at times placed him in compromising positions, and he was accordingly corrected by Anders III.  Relations between them are strained, though he continues to reside at the family manor with his bride, Kora.

____________________________________

¹Aunt of Belkin Orgul, proprietor of Belkin's Black Blade in Hill's Edge.  Belkin is a client of  House Roustinghorn.  His not-so-efficient operation is tolerated because of these distant familial ties, and because the brand will be important after he expires.
²The third of which claimed Anissa's life, and cost House Roustinghorn a valuable tie to the Lionstars.
³Anfahr is a house of minor Tethyrian nobles living in exile in Hill's Edge.  While they brought only a fraction of their assets with them, their cosmopolitan cunning has lead to a quick rise.
⁴Third daughter of a an Iraeiboran councilor.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:19, Fri 06 Apr 2018.

Filigree amulet of a person holding a hand out. Book tracing a family tree and their story.
Created by: Krackor

A century ago not far from the main caravan route, a family home had stood for centuries, unobtrusive, out of the way, protected by myth.

The home of the Dyrilly family, a single story above ground, two below, had been built as a frontier home and prudence for keeping hidden meant expanding down.

On starting a third level, a moderately sized cave was breached, but it felt strange to anyone entering, calming, protective even.

Over time, the whole home and a short ways out into the surrounding woods also benefitted from this serene 'presence'. That is exactly what it was.

As one of the children, Pelarra, sat one day on a rock the children played around, a face appeared in the rock, it spoke to her explaining that it had been trapped below for eons by jealous minor gods, and because the family had freed it, the voice said it had been protecting them ever since, now for over two centuries. Pelarra asked if this thing was a spirit or a god, it told her, "I am what I am, as you are what you are".

Pelarra started to pray to this 'thing' and discovered it was called Dryamaer, whom filled her with hope and a magical feeling. Over time, the family grew and gave reverance to Dryamaer, some becoming minor priests.

Eventually through increased waves of attacks from orcs and goblins, occassionally other, larger creatures, moving away, and illness the family size dwindled and ceased.

The home now in ruins is still protected by this minor god whose image is on the amulet holding a hand out in friendship.

Holding a minor dweomer that seems to be hiding something on the back, the family motto "I am what I am, as you are what you are" and the name "Dryamaer" under it.

The family motto is also inscribed on the broken cross beam of the doorway to the abode. The family story can be found in a protected book hidden sonewhere in the ruin.

Effect: On entering the area of the home, a feeling of calm will flow over anyone of non-evil alignment. On speaking the family motto, near the carved stone outside the ruined home, the face of Dryamae will appear and ask "Who seeks Wisdom and Peace?" Dryamaer will then answer a question or two and maybe grant a boon!

If not holding the amulet and saying the words, just the sense of calm will be felt. (The 'magic and holy' stone is near enough to the stone, that when read out loud, whom ever is wearing the amulet will feel a slight 'nudge' towards the stone as the face appears).

Magic: Amulet has magically hidden words

Value:
Amulet:  10gp or 100gp to a descendant of the family if accompanied by the lore.
Book:  What ever a full lore book is worth.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:46, Fri 06 Apr 2018.

Salt Cod
Place found: Abandoned Gnome Hold
Created by: Corym

While the city of Luskan may be famed for its piracy, prostitutes, and aggressive foreign policy--every town must be built on some economic activity.  For the city of Luskan, that activity is fishing--specifically the noble cod.  The meat of this mild and flaky fish is plentifully available in the waters around Luskan which makes it a staple of the Luskan diet.  More importantly, however, is the fact that the cod can be preserved by the frigid wind and weak sunlight while it hangs from scaffolds dedicated to this purpose.

A fully preserved codfish takes three days of soaking in water to return to edibility, and so may be shipped safely anywhere in the Realms that requires this delightful fish as a part of their cuisine.  The durability of this good makes it ideal for sale to subterranean peoples since it can be used to incorporate protein into a diet which might otherwise consist primarily of fungi, moss, and lichen.

Arm Bands
Place found: Abandoned Gnome Hold
Created by: Krackor

There were 6 of them, all exquisitely crafted in gold and silver with tiny gems inlaid into them, some were ornamental stones, some jewels but all appeared as those only recently polished and sold.

Lore:
Of all the places to exist through the ages, the city states around Unther and Mulhorand were once the most powerful in Faerûn.

The Gods of the area walked the land and bestowed gifts on the worthy whilst encouraging others to fight in the arena.

These finely crafted arm bands could have been made to hold the power of the Gods, for they had their images engraved into them with gems for eyes and to decorate the circlet around each head.

They are exactly the same size, open banded to accommodate all but the slimmest of biceps. A full three inches deep and a quarter inch thick.

Weighing as much as an ornate dagger, they would be worth far more to the collector.

Created some 500 years ago by master craftsman dedicating his life to the Gods, each is also inscribed with a line from the sacred book of each God. Exclaiming their rule over man and beast with dedication to aid where they deem it necessary, which is rare.

Worth around 50gp at purchase when it was worth more in today's value, to a collector these are worth 500gp and more each due to the jewels and the history behind them.

Ten Ornate Letter Openers
Place found: Abandoned Gnome Hold
Created by: Krackor

Lore:
It was usual to give creative and unique individually boxed gifts to special guests at some ceremonies in the Serpent Kingdom and these were excellent examples.

The handles made to look like each of the different types of snake people in the area, one with a Cobra's cowl to protect the fingers with the arms out stretched and raised slightly to form a raised crossbar a fingers length across the body made up the handle just long enough to fit across a human's (or Yuan-ti's) hand, the blade flat but again snake like, similar to a Kriss knife with its waves.

Difficult to date without knowing the kingdoms dating system however, an inscription in the Serpent Kingdom's mother tongue inscribed the event and the family crest of the one who gave the gifts.

To the unknowing around the Realms, these would be worth having just to show off or as a backup eating or defensive item, to the learned, historians or nobles who could discover their Lore, these were almost priceless or that's what they'd tell you.

Hidden Lore:
When examined in minute detail, a tiny catch can be found which opens the face of the Yuan-ti with a perfectly sealed and hidden tiny reservoir for poison and a pin hole at the tip of the blade where the substance would be delivered. In small hidden compartments in either end of the box still reside a tiny vial (2), each with a single use of type F poison harvested from the noble house's personal venom.

With them being unused, there is currently no venom in the blades and as such, could deliver other thin liquid based potions which only need a small amount to be effective.

Enough venom can be delivered to kill a small and medium humanoid, medium and larger humanoids may survive but would need a strong immune system. (saving throws allowed where applicable).

Value:15gp for the set upto 150gp each to a few in Calimsham, Amn and the Vilhorn Reach who know of their special purpose.
{Maybe be known to historians, Harpers and Zhentarium too}