Lameth
Wandler
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Beiträge: 462
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Elmshorn
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Technology and Magic in the Forgotten Realms
Sean has recently discovered the History Channel, and one of the series he's been following is "Breaking Vegas," an enacted documentary about gambling and those who attempt to beat the system. I had this series in mind when writing a short story entitled "Game of Chance," a tale about the rogue moon elf Elaith Craulnober, one of my favorite characters from the Forgotten Realms.
I'd intended the story to focus on Elaith as a elven crime lord, and to be a showcase for some of the glittering AND unsavory elements of life in the city of Waterdeep. (The story, if accepted, will appear in an issue of Dragon devoted to Waterdeep, with articles by Ed Greenwood and Eric Boyd...) But as the story evolved, it took another path, becoming instead a meditation on the implications of one technology being superimposed upon another. Rather unexpectedly, I cycled back to the core issue of Elaith's life: the Craulnober Moonblade, a hereditary elven sword he was unable to claim. The ending was also unexpected, but it's a good fit for Elaith's personality and the story's underlying theme.
Every now and then, a story will surprise you by taking an unanticipated direction, and when it works, it's one of those Great Writing Moments that make this job worthwhile. 
That said, I get a little impatient with writers who loftily complain of characters who "won't behave." It's a freaking decision tree, folks, and as a writer, you're making the decisions. Each branch leads to many posibilities, and if you're not careful, the story can get away from you, but enough already with the "My characters are so real they're living their own lives..." schtick. If you truly think your characters are calling the shots, may I suggest spending more time out in the sunshine and less time experimenting with recreational pharmaceuticals? ::End of rant.::
One more thing about the story: Elaith's daughter Azariah, his blade heir, makes an appearance. She was last seen in Elfsong, which took place in DR 1364, and she was described as a toddler. This new story is set in DR 1371, so she is still very young--around eleven years old, and at least a decade away from puberty. My "let's just climb the decision tree and see where it goes" approach to this tale led to some interesting developments for Azariah. I was surprised by the direction, and poor Elaith definitely never saw it coming!
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