Paintings and Sketches
Hanging in the place of honor above the fireplace is Lord Rowanmantle's pride and joy, Le Belle Dame Sans Merci by Sir Frank Dicksee. Kal recovered this painting from a destroyed building on his adventure to Urth. According to the odd man who called himself the 'Myuzeyum Guarde', this painting depicts two tragic people known as Lancelot and Guinevere. Hanging to the left is another work by Dicksee, entitled Romeo and Juliet. To the right hang two works by another great artist, Jean Delville, one entitled The Love of Souls, the other Satan's Treasures.
In a painting by Lord Rowanmantle, you see the last thing seen by so many pirates of the Sea of Fallen Stars, Lord Rowanmantle and Arrikan the Black, a dragon Lord Rowanmantle raised from the egg. Arrikan is extremely large for one so young, and magic is suspected.
It is hardly surprising that Lord Rowanmantle, a rather controversial figure in Cormyr himself, should hang a painting of Cunar, Lord Defender of the Realm of Cormyr, in his hall. This rather widely but vaguely known scoundrel is linked in various ways to several reknowned heroes gone bad. There are even rumors that Cunar is actually Lord Rowanmantle's father. This is made worse even worse by the rumor that Cunar is actually the villain Jadar, the Black Scorpion....
This rather sorrowful painting depicts the ruins of Krak de Azurak, the ancestral home of the Azurak family, the Cormyrian noble house in which lord Rowanmantle was raised until his true lineage was discovered. The destruction of Krak de Azurak by Drow raiders lead to the first of many forays by Lord Rowanmantle and his comrades into the hellish Underdark.
And this is a painting of Lord Rowanmantle's pride and joy, the Citadel of the Lion on the Cloud City of Kaldun.
The last map is of the cloud city itself, and hangs above small book describing the city environs and inhabitants.
A piece of parchment bears a sketch of one of Lord Rowanmantle's unusual henchmen, the massively powerful and faultlessly loyal Atlas, a magically altered Mastiff. Lord Rowanmantle got the idea for the 'Kalamarian Dogmen' from his excursion to Urth. There are rumored to be other Dogmen that have rarely been seen: Ares, a Doberman Pinscher; Thor, a Rottweiler; and Apollo, a German Shepherd Dog.
On the wall to the left of the huge fireplace is a collection by the fantastic artist Jonathan, the Earl of Bowser. There is a sketch of Lady Velanna, Morninglord of Lathander, nicknamed Phoenix, after being resurrected by the Ring of the Phoenix, and a painting entitled Shadow of Love. The works were purchased or commissioned by Lord Rowanmantle. The artist's work can be seen at his studio in a far-off land, if you can get there (www.jonathonart.com).
In an marvelous frame intricately carved in devotion to Sune Firehair, the goddess of love, is an exquisite scene depicting the druid Alyysssa, entitled Dawnstar. Lord Rowanmantle commissioned an undisclosed artist to render this wonderul piece.
A new painting of Alyysssa , astonishingly lifelike, as if capturing a moment in time, hangs above the cup and tiny tree.
Hanging next to Dawnstar is another by the great gnomish artisan Shalizar Diamondfire (aka Luis Royo). It was just recently completed and added to the collection. Depicted is Alyysssa in a rare pose with the legendary blade, Flame of the North. The painting is entitled, Obsession, and since it's completion, has become Lord Rowanmantle's favorite.
On the opposite wall, hanging near the painting of Jadar, is a painting by the great artist Sir Luis de la Royo. It was secretly commissioned by Cunar (Jadar, the Black Scorpion) and left behind, evidently on purpose, when Jadar revealed himself and fled. It is truly stunning, and disturbing. It is entitled Jadar's Obsession. Lying on a shelf below the painting is a massive folio filled with more works by Sir Luis, and is certainly worth the time it would take to peruse.
