| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
|---|---|
| Voldar_Mecorthio05-16-06, 09:24 PM | Do you play Forgotten Realms exactly as its written, or do you change, add, or eliminate parts you dont like? Aka, do you go by the book or do you make Faerun your own world? Just a survey, as I am curious and have way too much time on my hands. Personally, I edit. A lot. In fact, I think I've changed at least one thing in just about every book I own. If you do edit, tell me a few of your changes. Some of mine are: I dont like the FR cosmology, so I use the standard multiverse but the FR deities and material plane. I dont like the no-deity-equals-bad rule, so I made it if you dont have a patron, Kelemvor chooses your afterlife destination based on your allignment and personallity. |
| MasterGrazzt05-16-06, 09:29 PM | I dont like the FR cosmology, so I use the standard multiverse but the FR deities and material plane. I do basically the same thing. I just use the 2nd Edition setting material for FR. |
| GothicDan05-16-06, 09:44 PM | I'm with Grazzt on this. (Ack.. Abyssal Lord!) I use 2E stuff, minus the add-ons.. Basically, I prefer Ed's original FR as it stands - no Shade, no Kara-Tur, no Zakhara, no Shadow Weave... |
| Old Sage05-16-06, 10:03 PM | I run two FR campaigns. One is an alternate history -- with two notable features being a lengthy ToT (which radically altered the various FR pantheons) and a significant Blood War incursion (which led to several areas of the Realms falling under the direct control of various fiendish lords [not unlike the Dragonlord saga in DRAGONLANCE]). There are simply too many other changes to list. I'm with Grazzt on this. (Ack.. Abyssal Lord!) I use 2E stuff, minus the add-ons.. Basically, I prefer Ed's original FR as it stands - no Shade, no Kara-Tur, no Zakhara, no Shadow Weave...And I'm with both of them for my other FR campaign :P. The other is more in-line with Ed's Realms, and it runs much like what Ed has done with his own home campaign as has been illustrated in his various replies at Candlekeep. When Ed started outlining some of the things he's held onto and dropped from his own campaign... strangely, I noticed I'd done much the same over the last 10-to-15 years in my own FR campaign. This means no add-ons, no Shadow Weave, and the ONLY Chosen are those who belong to Mystra. I haven't reached the point of the timeline where the Shades were introduced... though I doubt I'll keep them in either. |
| MasterGrazzt05-16-06, 10:32 PM | Some changes I've made... No Shadow Weave, no meddling Mystra, she's pretty much like she was before the ToT, the Chosen are only "backed up" by Mystra when what they do helps further the spread of magic or the stopping of those who would impede it, Kara-Tur, Zakhara and Maztica are exotic lands that I don't use much of when I'm actually running a game in Faerun, except for items from there, (once I had a crime lord who smoked Maztican cigars) and of course, the multiverse is intact. In fact, I ran a game where the PCs were approached by some Mercykillers (from Planescape) chasing a criminal down to serve as guides. Oh, and before anyone whines about me being hypocritical about the non-Faerunian continents... I use them when I'm running games there. I've run plenty of fun Al-Qadim games. |
| GothicDan05-16-06, 10:37 PM | Go go gadget Planescape! /battlecry |
| BrianCritchley05-16-06, 10:55 PM | I play in forgotten realms and don't just read the books so of course things are altered. I've not seen a need to alter things a big deal. but one thing I remember is the books are stepping stones. and a palce to START from |
| Seghan05-17-06, 12:33 AM | Never read the novels or alot of the supplemental books, so much of the backround are real fluff is right out. I tend to use the FR geography and a fair amount of the basic politics, history, etc as a frame for my own setting ideas. Probably the biggest change is that it is low magic. There are no portals, no professional spellcasters, significantly nerfed War Wizards, and the like. Thay stays pretty magical, but secretive and exotic. Life in, say, Cormyr seems in many ways mundane. Also, alignment is much more grey, even good societies do bad things and vice versa. Truthfully, this much editing is a pain, and one reason I am going to go ahead and make the jump to (reasonably) unedited Eberron. |
| MasterGrazzt05-17-06, 12:34 AM | Truthfully, this much editing is a pain, and one reason I am going to go ahead and make the jump to (reasonably) unedited Eberron. BETRAYER |
| GothicDan05-17-06, 12:35 AM | In Faerun, alignment was always gray. :) |
| Seghan05-17-06, 12:56 AM | BETRAYER Sorry guys. I'll be back at some point. But have you tried running a mundane Faerun with low magic? I'm exausted. :surrender |
| Zevox05-17-06, 01:36 AM | I do a little editing, though where possible I try to keep most of it by the book (except for things which in-campaign events change of course, and things from spelljammer [which I ignore utterly]). I remove Lantan entirely as well as smokepowder weapons, simply because I have a "no guns" clause in my games. I don't care if they're powered by gunpowder, electricity, magic, or cow manuere, I don't want such parallels to real-world technology around (which is one major reason I haven't bothered trying Eberron - they have a lot more such things I'd need to remove). Thats really the only big one I can think of right now actually, though I'll probably eventually need to hash out some sort of cosmology selection or creation too, since thus far I've not bothered picking either Tree or Wheel due to lack of caring (and the fact that the planes play relatively little role in my games thus far). Beyond that, I like things as they are. Gods required for divine casting, athars/atheists get the wall, shadow weave, shadovar, Chosen, all things I keep and am quite happy doing so :) . Oh, and one of those in-campaign changes I've been waiting for is that Cyric is about get a nice backstab from Mask and a reborn Bhaal, losing a number of portfolios and taking a significant drop in power from which I don't predict he'll ever return :evillaugh . Just thought I'd say so ;) . Zevox |
| BrianCritchley05-17-06, 02:05 AM | Sorry guys. I'll be back at some point. But have you tried running a mundane Faerun with low magic? I'm exausted. :surrender depending on where ya run it's quite easy, the trick is to keep it low level and remember that just cause elminister exists doesn't mean peasents aren running into huge amounts magic. really magic in faerun seems limited to the upper stratas of society. |
| Seghan05-17-06, 02:49 AM | depending on where ya run it's quite easy, the trick is to keep it low level and remember that just cause elminister exists doesn't mean peasents aren running into huge amounts magic. really magic in faerun seems limited to the upper stratas of society. Thanks, maybe I've been running it wrong, I should put up a thread soliciting some advice. I will say that the way I run it, even the upper class don't have regular access to magic, it is only a handful of people outside of a few exotic places that have any ability and many average people in the heartlands don't even belive in magic. Also, I've had it pointed out that perhaps an even more significant edit is in the nature of adventuring. There is no organized "adventuring" profession. The party gets together and sets out for a specific reason, and stays together out of convenience. There are surely some others who take off to accomplish tasks like that, but no concept of charters or of the title of adventurer. |
| Ranger REG05-17-06, 03:02 AM | With the exception of firearms -- don't exist in my game -- I pretty much run much of WotC/TSR commercial version of FR, including the Hordeland, Kara-Tur, Maztica, and Zakhara. |
| The_Third_Karsus05-17-06, 09:29 AM | If there is anything I don't like, I go out of my way to not include it in any games I run. For example, I hate the idea of Maztica. It is like an exactly rip off of real world events, even more so than Kara-Tur. So, I just avoid ever bringing Maztica into anything I do. |
| Petrankov05-17-06, 10:37 AM | I have changed the timeline, stayed with 2nd cosmos breakdown with crystal spheres (I like spelljammer), added cities and creatures from other worlds (such as War Forged, Hollowfaust, & Temple of Elemental Evil), added new events (which I think everyone does to some degree) also added a minor god (very minor from Hollowfaust). I will probably not bring back Bane unless I get a good explanation as to why he came back from WOTC. That is about it but it amounts to huge changes. Also keeps players on their toes so they can't just read books and know what is gonna happen ;) Kelemvor is not a god yet so I had to deny a player the ability to play one of his followers :) I have 3 campaigns. One Epic Level (they are involved in the Weeping War at the moment but current date is late 1361), one first level where I am starting Age of Worms in late 1362 (just in case they screw up when the epic guys catch up to the date they can help out) and a Dungeon Crawl in Undermountain at level four and five, the year there is also late 1361. I pretty much treat them all the same way because I do not have alternate realities or anything. |
| BrianCritchley05-17-06, 03:45 PM | Thanks, maybe I've been running it wrong, I should put up a thread soliciting some advice. I will say that the way I run it, even the upper class don't have regular access to magic, it is only a handful of people outside of a few exotic places that have any ability and many average people in the heartlands don't even belive in magic. Also, I've had it pointed out that perhaps an even more significant edit is in the nature of adventuring. There is no organized "adventuring" profession. The party gets together and sets out for a specific reason, and stays together out of convenience. There are surely some others who take off to accomplish tasks like that, but no concept of charters or of the title of adventurer. well adventureing groups vvary some areas require formalization, others tyhey just sortta get together. it really depends and in the novels in truth you see more of the cases of the groups sticking together for conveniance and see very little of the formalized adventureing companies. PHB2 has a really good set up on the pros and cons of formalizing as an adventureing company. One thing noted is as your an orginization not just individual people it's legally easier in some areas. (a good example, a bank'd be idiots to even lend money to a singule adventurer. but a formal adventureing party.. well a bit easier ) as for the average people not even beliving in magic, thats silly. there's just WAAY too much evidance, also magic is a matter of superstition (you'll note that no one doubted magic's existance in the middle ages even without any proof. the idea of skeptics of magic and the gods in any setting where they actually exist, especially in a quasi medeval setting is rediculas IMHO). the upper classes have access to magic but not a whole lotta it, magic is well.. expensive. honestly if you don't want a world with a lotta magic in your game your gonna find ebberon even more dissappointing. Ebberon is not a "low magic setting" dispite what some may have told you. it's a Low Powered setting (as has been noted it's new give it 10 years and then look at it's power level) it's a setting where magic is so common place it's beneth notice. Faerun is a bit better that way in that magic is certinly around but it's not common place and typically isn't used for day to day things. |
| Voldar_Mecorthio05-17-06, 04:15 PM | :) Wow. I like your ideas, though I wasn't arround for 2e so I have nothing to compare the current situation to. I like Shade, the Shadow Weave (one of my players is a shadow weave adept) and foreign lands, though I have to agree, Maztica is WAY to like Spain and Mexico in the real world. I toned Amn's influence there quite a bit, Amn only discovered Maztica, they dont have a colony or whatever there. |
| GothicDan05-17-06, 05:14 PM | Heh. Kara-Tur is even more like Asia than Maztica is like South America. |
| Karsus the Mad05-17-06, 08:41 PM | Lots of editing, well, when I still played anyway. Not purposeful tho', just the natural course of the choices and consequences of players. A large empire (greco-roman, byzantine, arab motif) around the lake of steam region, Lantan industrialization expansion (been toying with magically powered mechanization, but a bit iffy on that...), strange and mighty civilizations on the unknown continents (well...that's not really unique). Many places are left completely alone, some are heavily altered. Whatever needs to be done to have fun, and the consequences. Some things I've done on purpose. I'm not crazy about religion, so I don't require a patron deity (unless they're a divine caster) nor is there a negative side effect. They merely die. I don't include much of the cosmology, but that's simply because I don't do planar travel much nor do I have much divine interference. When I do, I use the standard MotP. The SW exists, but it's nigh (actually, it's litterally) impossible to discover how to use it. I save it for NPCs, cuz, well, I just don't like it. Maztica is there, yet that's all it is, on a map. Kara-Tur is there only because I didn't think beforehand and allowed a player to come from Wa...too much anime for him I think. I like and use themes, but I hate carbon-copies. |
| Seghan05-17-06, 09:56 PM | as for the average people not even beliving in magic, thats silly. there's just WAAY too much evidance, also magic is a matter of superstition (you'll note that no one doubted magic's existance in the middle ages even without any proof. the idea of skeptics of magic and the gods in any setting where they actually exist, especially in a quasi medeval setting is rediculas IMHO). Ebberon is not a "low magic setting" dispite what some may have told you. it's a Low Powered setting I like what you are saying. i was trying to remove most magic influence in anybody's life, a la the third age of middle earth or more to the point David Edding's settings. And as you pointed out, it was getting a bit rediculous. Eberron is just representing a clean break and a chance to play a low powered common magic setting as written without the baggage I've put into a low magic faerun. Sorry to bump this thread in my own defense, but I don't want to go down as the dummhead who couldn't figure out faerun magic. I bunged it up, but I don't think I did so stupidly. :D |
| Old Sparky05-19-06, 02:02 PM | I present my Forgotten Realms much like it was detailed in 2nd Edition, including cosmology and determining where ya soul goes when its dead... in my eyes, a LE soldier who worships Tempus is still going to Tempus in the afterlife, regardless of alignment... as would a NG thief who worships Mask. Within the Great Wheel cosmology, I've given the gods their domains (they don't rule the entire plane because they do have to share the planes with the gods of the multiverse) as named within 3rd Edition rules. Additionally, I have given the Great Tree cosmology some validity within the established multiverse... except in my campaign, the tree is merely a very specific series of gates linking the domains of the FR gods across stanard planar boundries. Divine spellcasters DO need a patron, but they don't all have to select one in my campaign. If you do not follow a patron god's teachings, that doesn't mean one won't adopt you. Thus, a N ranger dedicated to preserving the forest at any cost may be looked after and granted spells while he sleeps by Silvanus; and a paladin that fights for justice & mercy will likely be looked after by Tyr. On the other hand, those who do evil may be watched over by any number of evil entities... god or fiend, depending on what suits my needs/wants as the DM. The only difference this makes, really, is on the off chance some entity wants to contest where such a man's soul ends up going (since he professed no faith to the one showing up to claim him), it falls to Kelemvor to then judge the validity of the claim... and one would have to make a strong showing against a god that granted divine blessings that the mortal chose to use. That said, a major edit to the established setting is that the fiendish lords are much more significant in the cosmology of my campaign... while not true gods, they can be significantly powerful enough that to challenge the gods involvement in the material plane. ======================================== ======== I do use the various tacked on continental settings (Kara-tur, Maztica, Al-Qadim) as background flavor. They're there, and sometimes visitors from those settings show up in the central campaign, but in my game its as rare to visit those lands as it is to actually go plane jumping. And while geography remains roughly intact, history is another matter entirely. I stopped regularly reading the novels years ago. The most recent novels I read was the Cormyr trilogy (since Cormyr usually plays a big part in my campaign as either where adventuring begins or where it leads to --sometimes both). Basically, whatever happens in my campaign takes priority over established Realmslore. If I can find a way to work major Realmslore into either the background or tie it to my own events somehow, so be it. If not, established Realsmlore becomes myth and rumor for the player characters --stories the bards tell, often embellished or even outright made up for the sake of entertaining an audience. But my campaign first, then FR specific events. Additionally, I also use alot of third party D20 products that introduce whole cities. When I can't find a suitable city to run such material out of without changing too much, I'll try to place these in areas of the Realms that are convenient enough to get to but not overly detailed enough that I could say, "yeah, this town/city has always been here, but most people overlook it for (some reason or another)." ======================================== ======== One thing I do not get into, though I allow spellfire and various other non-campaign related items, effects, prestige classes, etc... is psionics. I have been wholly disappointed with the game mechanics since it was first introduced into 3rd edition and the Expanded Psionics Handbook didn't do anything to alleviate my objections. To me, the psion looks just like other spellcasters now... 9 levels of psionic spells, most of which mirror the effects of arcane magics. The real difference between spellcasters and psions being the spell slots vs spell points system (--however, my group has been experimenting with the alternative Recharge Magic system presented in Unearthed Arcana, blurring the line even further). I liked the 2nd Edition psionics system --for all its flaws-- where you had a group of powers to learn and you could make those powers better as you got higher in level. Learning similar but more powerful versions of psionic powers in 3e is too much like wizards learning fireball and then later learning delayed blast fireball. I also liked that psionic wild talents were a chance of bonus power that rarely happened, not something you have to take levels in to acquire. It irks me because some people say its balanced this way, however I can cite examples of 3.x material that illustrate the older way of doing things is viable in the current rules set (the most recent of which being the classes in the Tome of Magic, for example, containing very non-traditional magic use). ======================================== ======== Anyhow, cosmology and "magic" aside... I also allow plenty of prestige classes and feats from third party sourcebooks. I do try to look for a FR equivalent first before allowing such things into the campaign, but if I can't find what I'm looking for I just go with the new and consider it canon to my campaign until something better officially comes out. Sometimes something official comes out that isn't necessarily better, so I don't change (or allow both similar things to co-exist as long as there's some merit of difference between them). ======================================== ======== Lastly, and going back to religion for a moment, I do like to focus on the gods that recieve far less attention in my adventures and background information. If everything was Mystra this, Bane that, and Cyric the other thing... it'd be boring all too quick. I loved using Gargauth as the backdrop for a whole story arc, and I love bringing churches like Malar to the front of things in ways the heroes don't expect. |
| Wyre05-19-06, 03:49 PM | I use the map as is, keep a few npc's, some happenings, change a few things here and there, (an entire forest appeared suddenlly in the Western Heartlands, Fields of the Dead). Mostly I just use it as a guide. I keep my magic to a minimum. I hate players who rely so much on their equipment that they can't think or do anything without their favorite toy. |
| Daelen Greymoon05-19-06, 04:07 PM | Generally, we never gave it much thought. Although, I do know the DM gives this speech evrytime he starts game. "I don't know how much FR you have read, I don't care how much FR you have read. My game is my game. What is in the books may or may not be true. What has happened in this game is what you know." In the past our usual proceedure is to choose a starting point. We don't even go into so much detail as to choose a year. I guess it is pretty much "Generalized Forgotten Realms" We do usually go to the trouble of deciding if it is pre - during - or post Time of Troubles, just because that is handy knowledge. The Simbul is Queen of Aglarond. Alustriel sits on the throne in Silverymoon. Elminster lives in a cottage/tower in Shadowdale. Waterdeep is ruled by an anonymous council of Lords. If you are looking for Drizzt (which you had better have a good reason for, the DM hates characters using OOC knowledge) you will find him in Ten Towns. From this starting point whatever the PCs effect will be different from what is canon, of course. And if sourcebook or (heaven forbid) novel happenings do not mesh well with the DMs plans, they don't happen (if they are HUGE and worldshattering) or are just bits of news from far away places (if he doesn't think it will hurt anything) I had a character (years ago) who was a succubus born on Athas (Dark Sun setting) The DM didn't care much for Athasian cosmology. He worked with the "outsiders who die go to their home plane" idea. When she died she went to the Abyss. He had THE ABYSS shared between all areas of the Prime Material Plane. (Maybe that is how it should be, what do I know, I never went Spelljamming or Planescaping.) Long story, we ended up with a Dark Sun / Forgotten Realms crossover. (Easy way to get rich, once you can solve the getting-there-from-here problem.) Killed Drizzt, got banished (legally, not literally) from Silverymoon. Ended up bringing Dregoth (Dark Sun nasty, undead dragon type) across to Toril. (He founded the Cult of the Dragon.) We toppled ages old dynasties and created kingdons where none had existed. We created 4 new deities, though not at the same time (although one of them was a clone of one of the others, does that still count?) Brought Drizzt back from the dead. Got to be good friends with Alustriel and allowed to live in Silverymoon. Destroyed Lloth (Lolth?) and introduced gold dragon blood into the Cormyrian Obarskyr royal family (as if they never played around outside humans before!) We got sick to death of politics and yet couldn't stop meddling in others' affairs. The very name of my character made Chosen of Mystra quake! (not really, but they did tend to roll their eyes ;D and say things like "What has she done NOW?") Needless to say, by the time the game wrapped up the Realms bore little resemblance either to what we started with or what it should have been per canon. After 1000 years 25% of the population of Silverymoon was good or neutrally aligned succubi and incubi. (Hey, what happens in Silverymoon, STAYS in Silverymoon...:D) And who can argue with the fun of defeating Lloth and replacing her with a megalomaniacal (neutrally aligned, well...mostly) imp who is your best friend? (since you are already a goddess and don't want to live in the Underdark anyway) It doesn't get any better than that! Edit- If it makes you feel any better, the same game pretty much turned Athas upside down too. |
| Old Sage05-19-06, 08:22 PM | I present my Forgotten Realms much like it was detailed in 2nd Edition, including cosmology and determining where ya soul goes when its dead...Strangely, I'd neglected to mention my own love for the Great Wheel cosmology and how it still remains the only planar framework in my FR campaigns. Hmmm... |
| MasterGrazzt05-20-06, 12:26 PM | Eberron is just representing a clean break and a chance to play a low powered common magic setting as written without the baggage I've put into a low magic faerun. So instead, you'll just play D&D Goes Anime? |
| GothicDan05-20-06, 02:27 PM | As much as I dislike Eberron (... and things about 3E FR equally, actually - oohh, a trend!), let's keep the bashing down. No reason to get this thread locked. :) |
| BrianCritchley05-20-06, 06:56 PM | So instead, you'll just play D&D Goes Anime? Ebberon isn't terriably anime-esque. especially as all anime is is an art style. |
| Yaeri05-22-06, 09:59 AM | hmm, I usually don't really change anything. Like many others, I stick with the great wheel cosmology and ignore the tree. But besides that, there's only the obvious. I work with the books that I have, and if something I have to make up myself, later seems to be untrue (by reading a book I didn't have before, or information from the forums) I stick to the way I ran it. For the rest, I try to stick as close to the books as I can, because I find it more rewarding when I can manage to dig my campaign all the way into the setting, than when I throw it down on top of it. |
| TheCobra05-22-06, 07:55 PM | I try to stick fairly close to what's written, but obviously I still have to make up most everything. The books only cover so much. I'm sure I've contradicted something somewhere. Also, the events of the Baldur's Gate computer games happened in my FR, and we use the map from BG I. Those may not actually be canon; I'm not sure. |
| CharginCrusader05-22-06, 08:29 PM | I tend to tweak my Realms a lil bit, dont get too carried away. I tend to place a lot of 1E converted modules in the Realms. My players don't really like to hobnob with big name NPC's so that has rarely been a problem. Probably the biggest tweak was transferring The Temple of Elemental Evil and its history to the Dales. |
| Old Sage05-22-06, 08:45 PM | I try to stick fairly close to what's written, but obviously I still have to make up most everything. The books only cover so much. I'm sure I've contradicted something somewhere. Also, the events of the Baldur's Gate computer games happened in my FR, and we use the map from BG I. Those may not actually be canon; I'm not sure.The novels are canon. WotC lists them as taking place in 1368 DR and 1369 DR. As well, the characters from the novels were stat’d up in DRAGON #262 for 2e and there is the Bhaalspawn template for 3e in DRAGON #288. Ed wrote a sourcebook that complements the novels -- Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II. In addition, Jim Butler answered this question in 2000 on the FR Mailing List. There's also some tidbits Lost Empires of Faerun. And finally, the author of the last novel chimed in on the topic - "<Ulairi> <Howdy> Are the BG games considered canon Forgotten Realms history by WotC? <Drew2_Bio> Because of our multiple endings, the BG games can't be considered "official" in the FR world. However, the novels (including the upcoming TOB novel - another free plug for me!) are considered canon." -- Rich Baker, Ed Greenwood and Ed Bonny have all confirmed this as well. |
| Patrakis05-23-06, 12:43 PM | I developped my own dale in the realms called Valedale. I needed background music for my region so the realms serves me in that way. I could never have the time to developped a whole world with the details i use Valedale. The history of the world is realmsian, the local history of my playsers is mine to developpe. When they need to travel, i stick to what is written in the books so i usually don't modify what they say. Pat. |
| TheCobra05-24-06, 04:25 PM | The novels are canon. WotC lists them as taking place in 1368 DR and 1369 DR. Cool. Thanks for the info. I'm using the game version of events in my FR, though. I've even stated up Sarevok as a 36th level fighter, wielding Gram the Sword of Grief. Oddly enough, one of the campaigns I'm running is set in Westgate. I just checked, and, according Sarevok's epilogue, he's going to attack and briefly conquer that city. Could be an interesting situation for the PCs. |
| Oliver D'Argent05-27-06, 07:20 PM | The group I play with doesn't care for the whole Time of Troubles, so we pretty much say it never happened. We use the current crop of gods, but their origins are adjusted as needed. One of our campaigns is based out of a kingdom that we created to the east of Tethyr and we have given Halruaa a distinctly Roman flavor. |
| JaiaDrottsingr05-28-06, 09:33 AM | One of my groups has: Killed Mykrul. United the three souls of Karsus and killed him. Assaulted Mask, Mask and that rogue both are dead. |
| NiTessine05-31-06, 02:11 AM | Something like that. Firstly, I use the 2E cosmology that ties into Planescape and Spelljammer and via those, the other settings. Secondly, all my campaigns take place in the same continuum. If, in a campaign set in 1370DR, the party got a keep out of the deck of many things in the crossroads of the Trade Way and the Delimbiyr Route, that keep is there in subsequent campaigns. I also keep a list of generic adventure modules that I've fixed in place in my Realms. For example, The Sunless Citadel is located west of Eshpurta in Amn, and dungeon of The Forge of Fury is in the Troll Mountains. "Gorgoldand's Gauntlet" from Dragon Annual #5 was on the shores of Lake Weng. The outcomes of these adventures can return to haunt the players in completely different adventures in the future. For example, there's an independent kobold mercenary roaming the Western Heartlands and Cormyr... |
| Mulan Rogue05-31-06, 05:52 AM | I only play (it always seems 'lesser' if yer not the gm?) my brother and his partner gm for us, my brother gm's in welsh only (as an anti-english revolt!) i like getting the chance to be a stylish yet serious elf (usually ranger with wolf *yawnsome*[but I like it]). I am always thinking of making me own game and gm'ing but if I did it would be proper fey orientated and pixie-tastic, no pc's without beautiful wings or over-a-hundred-year-lifespan allowed! Only in the realms theres no lore on fey?! Will have to make it all up myself... :confused: |
| GothicDan05-31-06, 11:01 AM | There's a little bit of lore on the Fey in various Planescape sources, and the Seelie Court is formerly allied with the Seldarine and their manifestations in the Yuir (where Seelie and Unseelie fairies can be found). |
| dagger06-28-06, 01:19 PM | http://members.cox.net/jamesmlima/images/newfr/sea1.JPG Notice anyting different? |
| ArnimThayer06-29-06, 01:09 AM | I've always treated the books as tales told by bards. As such, they grow in the telling, where events are exaggerated almost to the point of unbelievable. When taken that way, events from the books did happen, just maybe not the exactly the way they read. Is Drizzt the greatest swordsman in the Realms? At least one bard would like us to believe that. Is Elminster just short of Godhood? Well, if you ask bards associated with the Harpers... heck, yeah! Did Azoun defeat the whole Tuigan army by himself? No, but many of the true heroes of that campaign are unknown soldiers who are now dead, their stories untold. This premise allows me to edit indiscriminately and sometimes even contradict myself in a later campaign. In this fashion, NPC the characters ran into last campiagn arc might be rebuilt using a new PRC or Base class just released; if I find that the original worked better, I can switch out without adding levels and making the NPC damn near Epic. |
| Tobus Neth06-29-06, 01:53 AM | http://members.cox.net/jamesmlima/images/newfr/sea1.JPG Notice anyting different? Yeah I did that years ago and i believe you copied that off me, for there is no shade in my forgotten realms and time of troubles never happened that was tsr reason to go to 2nd edition.(Which was good for realms lore and I still use some of it but I did move up 3.5 ed. I never did like the Anauroch being there from the first time I saw the old gray box. over time I turned it into a sea. let me see if I can find my old post. Everska has a naval fleet As does Zhentil Keep and so do several other kingdoms that border sea.(Cormyr) however a large river runs out past the tun plains and into the dragon reach however ships cannot sail up or down due to great falls. the Sea is dangerous goblin pirates and giants have huge vessels from which to raid. Kara-tur has not even been heard of and the tuigan horde never happened in my campaign. i really don't care what goes on in novels but I may use it from time to time. If i don't like something I change it or it does not exisit in my FR campaign. Like the shining south there are no Loxo in my FR(Elephant men c'mon give me break) There are no Ninjas, Samurias living in the UE either. And the Elves never left Cormanthor for Evermeet(It's there of course) The drow are not swelling out of the underdark under the Cormanthor like in the FRCS although a few scouts and such make their way. Zhentil Keep was never destroyed. 1367 in my campaign. The red Wizards are evil and Not merchants there are no Conclaves that stupid-Thats like Al-quada having shopping centers near our major cities. Mazatic-Zakahara are unheard of by the common man, yet a 90 year old sage living in Halrrua may know a thing or two of these lands. As far Mulrondhi goes it's not Egyptian Morgothorog a orc kingdom. |
| dagger06-29-06, 06:04 PM | Yeah I did that years ago and i believe you copied that off me, . UMMM NO. I made the map last week, and started reading this forum last week as well. :rolleyes: |
| Elessar Lespin06-30-06, 02:20 AM | Several of my good friends and I have been running FR campaigns for the past couple of years now. We enjoy playing FR because of its incredibly rich mythology and historical timeline. However we do grant ourselves the liberty of remaking the realms a little every time we play. In my opinion, this is what makes the game so great to play anyway. What's the point of playing in the realms with its amazing in-depth story development and timeline, if you have no ability to change or shape it in any way. I find that in running campaigns, my players like to feel that their characters actually make a difference, however minor and insignificant that difference may be. I've also seen alot of posts lately bashing and criticizing the influx of 'anime', 'manga', and 'sci-fi' influence in the realms. There is a fine line drawn between realism and gameplay. Some people want everything real-world. Some people want a total fantasy setting where anything is possible. Though I enjoy balance as much as the next person, I tend to fall into the latter category. |
| Jonathan Strange06-30-06, 04:42 AM | I home brewed that continent on the other side of the world while we waited for 3E FRCS to come out. It was pretty fun, I threw in Lankhmar as it was such a good time back in the 1E days. |
| Arlen_Exeter06-30-06, 10:11 AM | We run our FR campaigns as close to "the book" as possible, making small changes here and there when it seems to be needed. |
| Lord_Madrigan06-30-06, 11:21 AM | Although I keep close to "the book" I have made a few changes 1)Used some of the Events from Neverwinter Nights 2) Luskin Having been weakend by there last few wars and the Arcane Brotherhoods recent Purges has been conquered by a wizard and his army of constructs and undead (Warforged and Karnathi) 3) Evermeets attempt to reclaim Myth Drannor was haulted when an artifact Reacted Poorly with the Mythal and Every living thing within the Mythral was turned to stone. 4) Aided by The Newly conquered Luskin The natives of Maztica overthrow Amnian rule Lusken Enjoys the new Trade Arrangement with Maztica 5)some minor changes to Anchorome The wizard who conquered Luskin (Lord Madrigan) Had made a home there until 5 years ago FR:1369 |