Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Yamo 05-31-04, 02:01 PM	Looking through my copy of the original 1989 Forgotten Realms boxed set, it occured to me: I really like this, but I like virtually nothing that came after. So here's the plan: I approach the players, set the box down in the center of the table and say: "Nothing outside this box is canon. Period." Now, it's no secret that Ed Greenwood himself runs a pre-Time of Troubles campaign, so I can't be alone here. Are any of you guys doing (or considering) the same thing?
Kuje31 05-31-04, 02:38 PM	Originally posted by Yamo Looking through my copy of the original 1989 Forgotten Realms boxed set, it occured to me: I really like this, but I like virtually nothing that came after. So here's the plan: I approach the players, set the box down in the center of the table and say: "Nothing outside this box is canon. Period." Now, it's no secret that Ed Greenwood himself runs a pre-Time of Troubles campaign, so I can't be alone here. Are any of you guys doing (or considering) the same thing? I do sort of. I don't have the ToT's, so no AO, no Kel, no Cyric, no 2nd Mystra, etc. I don't have the Cormyr events. I don't have the Shadow Weave so Evereska was not destroyed and no Shades. I don't have the silence of Lloth, etc. (think there is a pattern here huh? Some thing about not liking RSE's. :))
protonik 05-31-04, 07:49 PM	I did for a couple of months back in 1997 when I went back to 1E after the sickening display we call Player's Option (which wasn't an option) and TSR practices at the time. I also didn't like anything outside of the Old Grey Box and the FR series... Now, not so much. I don't like the silence of Lolth and I think that it is being handled in a way that doesn't hurt a DM that doesn't want to use it. I use the FRCS and whatever else comes out pretty well without worrying about the novels though I wouldn't mind running a preTOT campaign someday. Jason
ruleslawyer 06-01-04, 12:13 PM	Short answer: Well, basically yes. Longer answer: IMO, "canon" is bunk. It's a game, after all, and the factor that should control is what makes the game good and worthwhile. My FR campaign takes 1356 DR (the "gray box" time frame) and goes from there, but I do use 3e rules, I incorporate some of the changes to NPC levels and other stats (for instance, Fzoul gets a full 19 levels, Manshoon 25, and El and the Sisters get their heightened levels and the Chosen template), and I do incorporate a bunch of stuff outside the gray box, but with a judicious eye. Basically, I use the following sources almost intact, except that any events post-1356 DR are ignored: -Ed's Everwinking Eye columns -The Volo's Guides -Steve Schend's Lands of Intrigue and EotSS supplements (but, of course, neither Ralan el Pesarkhal or the new monarchy are factors, since those are post-1356) -The 2e "gods books" (but, of course, with the Dead Three still alive and no Ao, Cyric or NG Mystra) -The Sea of Fallen Stars supplement (minus the Iakhovas stuff) -The Wyrms of the North column on the WotC website -Eric Boyd's Mintiper's Chapbook column on the WotC website -Ed's new FR column on the website -The City of Splendors boxed set -The Ruins of Undermountain and Ruins of Myth Drannor boxed sets -Code of the Harpers -FR4 The Magister -Pages from the Mages and Prayers from the Faithful (except for the Kelemvor book) -FR6 Dreams of the Red Wizards -Drow of the Underdark -Menzoberranzan -Cult of the Dragon -Dwarves Deep I use bits and bobs of lots of other FR stuff: Cloak and Dagger (details on the Kraken Society, Knights of the Shield, and a few other groups, though not the "majors"), Drizzt's Guide to the Underdark (lots of geographic details and all of the non-drow settlements), The Seven Sisters (goals and motivations of the Seven, and the backstory), Silver Marches (the wilderness details and adventures), Lords of Darkness 3e (stuff on the Arcane Brotherhood and some of the rules), Magic of Faerun (updates to FR4 and some of the rules), and The Underdark (love this book!). Really, I find that by starting the game at 1356 DR with the above-mentioned sources, you can control what actually happens "outside the [gray] box," so to speak. I certainly won't have the ToT IMC, and most of the other Realms-shattering events will probably not happen unless the characters happen to make them so (for instance, the epic-level PCs in one of my current games, which has progressed to 1373 DR, are casting a glance at the still chaos-ridden realm of Tethyr, and may attempt to put a monarch in place there, but it won't be Zaranda Star!).
Faraer 06-01-04, 12:25 PM	I wonder how many people use no sources beyond the Campaign Set at all: the Realms had expansive lore from the start, some of it now free, and drew people who liked that. Ed's other works are so obviously from the same cloth, just happening not to make the cut for the boxed set, that it might seem arbitrary to take one and not the other. But it's perfectly viable to use the Campaign Set only and go off from there; people who do that will have much less common ground with other Realms DMs, though, and are unlikely to pay much attention to Forgotten Realms forums. Probably a lot more people ignore the advancing timeline, novel events, and gross additions/changes to the Realms, me included. Makes for more cohesion and mystery.
Autosponge 06-01-04, 07:23 PM	I use everything I can get my hands on/remember. If an FR author wrote something that isn't published, I include it.
protonik 06-01-04, 09:47 PM	I was looking at yer post again and the OGB came out in 1984-85, not 89, 89 was the FRA. J
Kuje31 06-01-04, 10:22 PM	Originally posted by protonik I was looking at yer post again and the OGB came out in 1984-85, not 89, 89 was the FRA. J 1987 actually, so says the box itself. There was no FR printed material in 84 or 85 except for articles in Dragon.
Yamo 06-01-04, 10:27 PM	Oops. I meant 1987, of course.
druid berrymore 06-02-04, 02:08 AM	In my opinion the flavour of the Realms slowly faded over time. Events like the ToT, the death of Azoun, the return of Shade, and every other RSE stripped FR of all that made it so great, magical and realistic. Ed's original vision of a world of little adventures is kinda lost in the new Realms.
mortellan 06-02-04, 05:10 AM	The grey box rules. Things were simpler back then. The only FR campaign I ran used that, Old Empires, Red Wizards and the Calimshan supplement. I had a cool folding roadmap of Faerun and so much of it was undetailed that you could just about do whatever you wanted DM-wise and not worry about canon.
Thadius 06-02-04, 04:56 PM	My first Forgotten Realms material that I ever purchased was UNDER ILLIFARN. I can't recall if the GB set was available then or not. I know I purchased the boxset after that... I was always trying to find TREASURE HUNT, which was supposed to take place before Under Illifarn, but I could never locat it... I'll stop my yacking.... Oh, and as the Realms material has been released, I've purchased it all. I have an extensive library, much to my wifes dismay! Though, I don't use ALL of the history, such as the TOT. :D
ClobberinTime 06-03-04, 02:36 AM	The thing that bugs me the most about the realms is that all the NPCs have used major longevity magic. Mirt is like what 70, even little princess alusair is 45 years old in 1372. and the worst thing is that they should all be 4 years younger because virtually nothing happens from 1360 to 1364-5. Anyways, the whole dalelands theme and elven retreat in the grey box-was and is priceless.
Lashan 06-03-04, 03:01 PM	I've got a YES/NO answer, too. I treasure the flavor of the original brey boxed set. I always place my campaigns around, or even before that time period. Now, I pick and choose what material to use for the rest of the game world. Now, anything that details the small stuff, like Volo's Guide, I use liberally. If it talks about the Horde, ToT, or anything else, I ignore it. I think that the boxed set has a good basis, but there is so much more info out there in other sets to use, but with the flavor of the boxed set. My campaign at the momment is set at 1340 DR. The one before was actually a campaign where the players helped Lashan start his war in the Dalelands. I don't prefer to use the "cannon" storyline in my games. Oh, and I also get rid of anything that deals with "Chosen of", Spellfire, Shadowmagic, Silverfire, and a host of other crap that I deem silly. Did I mention that it isn't a High Magic setting, either? When did FR become a high magic setting? I'm not sure, but everyone sure seems to think it is a "must" for FR games today.