Rubber was a substance derived from rubber trees.[1]
Properties[]
Rubber was notable for its ability to bounce[2][3] and to float.[4] Depending on the treatment and production, it could be flexible[5] or stiff.[6] Other valuable properties associated with rubber included its toughness[7] and its ability to stretch and deform before returning to its original shape.[8] It could also provide effective insulation (and thus protection) against electricity[9] and could accept magical enchantments.[10]
By weight, 1 cubic foot (0.028 cubic meters) of soft rubber was 69 pounds (31 kilograms) while hard rubber was 74 pounds (34 kilograms).[11]
The smell of burnt rubber was generally perceived as foul.[12]
Applications[]
Games and Toys[]
In Faerûn, commonfolk in cities like Waterdeep had access to cheap rubber balls which were used to play jacks.[13] Similar rubber balls were used to play boule, a casino game in which the ball was spun around a special numbered bowl and gamblers would bet on where it would land.[14]
Also in Faerûn, rubber bath toys (including those shaped like ducks) were favored by the likes of Elminster and Mirt.[4]
In Malatra, rubber was used exclusively to make balls for use in games and as children's toys.[15]
In Maztica, rubber was most notably used to make the hard, 6‑inch-diameter (15‑centimeter) balls for use in the Maztican ball game,[1] as well as to make the soles of sandals used in playing that game.[2]
Apparel[]
Rubber was used to fashion masks[16] and curvy corsets.[17] At the Baths in Arabel, hedonistic revelries sometimes included pink rubber dragon costumes.[18]
In Waterdeep, rubber boots were not unheard of as part of a miner's outfit.[19]
Tools and Equipment[]
Bouncy rubber balls were considered a useful tool for finding and neutralizing common traps, and trap-wary adventurers might be advised to carry several of them.[20] Such a ball was simply thrown down a dungeon corridor and allowed to bounce and roll around, triggering traps or at least allowing the thrower to listen to the ball for information about the path ahead.[3]
Rubber was useful for enhancing training environments and obstacle courses. Mock pit traps might include nets of rubber cords to catch and bounce fallen trainees,[21] while rubber paint-bomb darts could be fired by bow to non-lethally hit and mark a target.[22] Such features were used in the Assassin's Run of Waterdeep.[21][22]
In Ankhapur, the Vorbel wagon wheel was a major trade product, which sometimes featured a layer of rubber wrapped around the rim.[23]
In Maztica, rubber strips were sometimes used to weave hammocks and the like.[5]
In Ravens Bluff, rubber was used in the construction of slakers, specialized flasks designed to extinguish fires. These were used by the Red Ravens fire brigade as of the mid-to-late 14th century DR.[24]
On spelljammers, rubber was sometimes used as a material for floor mats.[25]
Plugs and Seals[]
Some vials made use of rubber stoppers. An assassin could store poison in such a vial and simply poke or stab a weapon through the rubber in order to apply the poison without having to open the whole vial.[26]
Natural rubber might be mixed with gorgon blood to seal the interior of items like dead boxes in order to disrupt detection magic.[27]
In Durpar, rubber was sometimes used to coat realistic prosthetics, such as those sold by Orviir Kalgalast.[28]
In Zakhara, rubber plugs were sometimes used to stop drains in baths and pools.[29]
Magic[]
Rubber served as a material component in several spells, including afterclap,[6] Bowgentle's fleeting journey,[30] deadly dance,[31] erase,[32] false face,[33] insulation[34] lightning shield,[35] sacrosanct,[36] tentacle of withering,[37][38] and translocation shift.[39]
Some versions of the wand of wonder could conjure hundreds of permanent rubber balls that rained down around the wielder.[40]
Production[]
Rubber was produced using the congealed snd cured sap of the rubber tree.[1][5][41] This sap was melted and molded into usable shapes[5] or sculpted into objects.[10]
Rubber was known and used in Faerûn since at least the time of ancient Netheril.[37] As of the mid-to-late 14th century DR, rubber was harvested and traded by the likes of the Itzas of Far Payit in Maztica[42] and was cultivated as an agricultural product by the tribes of Malatra.[15] In Faerûn, rubber trees were highly sought after, with expeditions searching for them in places like Chult.[43][44] Rubber was also imported to Faerûn from Maztica.[23]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Novels & Short Stories
Realms of Magic: "A Worm Too Soft" • Realms of the Arcane: "The Lady and the Shadow" • Errand of Mercy • The Shadow Stone • The Spine of the World • Elminster in Hell • Lord of Stormweather • Bury Elminster Deep
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
The City That Should Not Be
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Douglas Niles (August 1991). “Maztica Alive”. Maztica Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 1-5607-6084-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brian Thomsen (1995). Once Around the Realms. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-7869-0119-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jason Bulmahn, Rich Burlew (February 2007). Dungeonscape. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 32–33. ISBN 978-0-7869-4118-6.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified. Ed Greenwood (2020-04-25). [{{{url}}} Ed's Twitter]. Retrieved on 2024-11-26.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Brian Thomsen (1995). Once Around the Realms. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-7869-0119-5.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ed Greenwood (1995). The Seven Sisters. (TSR, Inc), p. 95. ISBN 0-7869-0118-7.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2020). Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 281. ISBN 978-0786966981.
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Jacobs, and Steve Winter (April 2005). Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-3657-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Matthew Quinn, Samuel Offutt, Gregg Sharp, Lenard Lakofka, Roger Moore, Stephen Inniss, Kris Marquardt (February 1985). “Creature Catalog II”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #94 (TSR, Inc.), p. 50.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ed Greenwood (July/August 1991). “Elminster's Back Door”. In Barbara G. Young ed. Dungeon #30 (TSR, Inc.) (30)., p. 17.
- ↑ Shlump Da Orc (April 1978). “How Heavy Is My Giant”. In Timothy J. Kask ed. Dragon #13 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 5–7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (April 1993). “Game Wizards: An evening (wasted) with Elminster”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #153 (TSR, Inc.), p. 48.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb (September 1988). City System. Edited by Karen Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-8803-8600-2.
- ↑ Christopher Allen (May 1988). “The Living City: Volodar's Stardust Inn”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #41 (TSR, Inc.), p. 26.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jungle Tales #3 (HTML). RPGA Living Jungle. Wizards of the Coast. (September 1999). Archived from the original on 2001-06-17. Retrieved on 5/10/2021.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (November 2018). Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7869-6626-4.
- ↑ Template:Cite web/Ladies Night at the Yawning Portal
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 73. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (November 2018). Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7869-6626-4.
- ↑ Jason Bulmahn, Rich Burlew (February 2007). Dungeonscape. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 978-0-7869-4118-6.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Ed Greenwood (August 1982). “The Assassins' Run”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #64 (TSR, Inc.), p. 36.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Ed Greenwood (August 1982). “The Assassins' Run”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #64 (TSR, Inc.), p. 34.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 147. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ James P. Buchanan (April 1992). “The Living City: The Red Ravens”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #70 (TSR, Inc.), p. 27.
- ↑ Steve Kurtz (July/August 1992). “The Sea of Sorrow”. In Barbara G. Young ed. Dungeon #36 (TSR, Inc.) (36)., p. 61.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (July 2011). Gauntlgrym. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 3. ISBN 978-0-7869-5802-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1990). Lost Ships. Edited by Jennell Jaquays, Anne Brown. (TSR, Inc.), p. 77. ISBN 0-88038-831-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2012-11-30). So What Do Ye Do for a Living?. Forging the Realms. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2013-06-01. Retrieved on 2015-01-28.
- ↑ Jeroen Grasdyk (January/February 1996). “The Rose Of Jumlat”. In Dave Gross ed. Dungeon #57 (TSR, Inc.) (57)., p. 45.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 56. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 100. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Andy Collins, Jesse Decker, David Noonan, Rich Redman (February 2004). Unearthed Arcana. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 0-7680-3131-0.
- ↑ Steve Kurtz (April 1, 1995). The Complete Book of Necromancers. (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 0-7869-0106-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
- ↑ Leonard A. Schmidt (March 1994). “Arcane Lore: The Blue Books of Othyisar Du'Morde”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #203 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 34–37.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 78. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “Encyclopedia Arcana”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 124. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). “The Wizards Three: Warmer Than Expected”. In Wolfgang Baur ed. Dragon #219 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 97–98.
- ↑ slade et al (November 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume IV. (TSR, Inc.), p. 1499. ISBN 0-7869-0289-2.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (May 1985). “Pages from the Mages IV”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #97 (TSR, Inc.), p. 31.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (August 1991). “Maztica Alive”. Maztica Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 14. ISBN 1-5607-6084-2.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 104. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 59. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.