Forgotten realms and DragonLance [Archive] - Wizards Community

Forgotten realms and DragonLance [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ExtinctionBeta
08-29-07, 05:05 PM I do know these are 2 completly different series. But a friend of mine who is a fan of the DL series tells me that DL foucses more so on the knighthood where as of FR focuses on the knight itself. I am not looking for trolling or bashing but rather just somone elses opinion who reads that of both series. I have only read a few DL and many DR so I can not base a final jugdment without more knowlage.
CharginCrusader
08-29-07, 08:06 PM Which Dragon Lance series? War of the Lance, Legends? Also not sure which knight you are referring to in the Forgotten Realms books. There are tons of series for the Forgotten Realms. If you could refine your question, maybe I could help. Not being sarcastic or abusive, just not understanding what you are comparing.
MarkusTay63
08-29-07, 08:13 PM I think he is trying to say that DL is more about groups and FR is more about individuals.

Aside from that, I couldn't answer - I have NEVER read a single DL novel.
CharginCrusader
08-29-07, 08:17 PM I think he is trying to say that DL is more about groups and FR is more about individuals.

Aside from that, I couldn't answer - I have NEVER read a single DL novel.

Ah, I guess that makes more sense.
LordVhoori
08-29-07, 08:49 PM I happened to be an avid Dragonlance ruler before I discovered the realms (btw Magius and Raistlin pown ridiculously hard), the mentioned statement is somewhat of a generalization (barring some sort of arcane and esoteric interpretation of course). There are books which deal with a widespan odf individuals, and groups and nations, but there are others that are just as mired in the character own psyche (take Huma novel). I'd recomend checking it out if you're not versed in it, it complements faerun well. Weis has few equals.
Old Sage
08-29-07, 09:33 PM DRAGONLANCE novels tend to focus on individuals and groups, as part of the published fiction, almost as much as FORGOTTEN REALMS novels. Certainly, some of the earlier novels that are set on Krynn, like "The Chronicles", as well as some of the more recent trilogies [like "The War of Souls" and the current "The Lost Chronicles"], focus on adventuring groups and the like, rather than just the individual character. Though, I'll note, that you can also say the same about certain past and present novels set in the Realms -- "The Avatar Trilogy" and the more recent "War of the Spider Queen" series and "Return of the Archwizards" trilogy, or even "The City of Splendors." As it is, the DL setting also tends to feature quite a selection of stories that focus on particular individuals, as well as a variety of tales that concentrate on new and interesting independent characters.

It can be said that most DL novels published at a particular time, tend to be related more to setting-wide story-arcs, though not always. Whereas the Realms novels, nowadays, tend to focus on Realms Shattering Events [or RSEs], with a wide selection of independent tales that don't always relate, specifically, to the current RSE in progress. There are also DL novels that fill a similar area in published Krynnish fiction as well, though there usually aren't as many independent tales published during this time, as there sometimes are for the Realms.

Overall, you're bound to find something of interest in the published fiction of either setting. It's really just dependent upon exactly what you're looking for. If you're looking to read tales about individual Krynnish characters that are independent of setting-wide story-arcs... you'll find them. If you're interested in the activities of the Companions during the events of the War of the Lance, you'll find that too. It's just as much the same for Realms fiction as well. If you're looking for adventures about individual characters that aren't tied to the recent RSEs surrounding Cormanthyr, or Thay... you'll find them -- like the novels being published for "The Dungeons" series currently. If you're looking for tales focusing solely on adventuring groups... look no further than Ed's incredible "The Knights of Myth Drannor" trilogy.

It's simply a matter of determining your own individual tastes and what you're looking for in terms of fiction for both the Realms and Krynn. I find what I enjoy most about this style of fantasy fiction, in both settings. And that's why I tend to read novels for both FR and DL.
MerrikCale
08-29-07, 10:52 PM Aside from that, I couldn't answer - I have NEVER read a single DL novel.

Thats too bad. The original trilogy was quite good and the War of the Twins was as well. The series has since been hit or miss (from the handful of books I've read) but still there's some pretty good stuff
jwanderer5
08-31-07, 12:42 AM When comparing DL and FR, a number of differences come to light. Krynn has often been dominated by armies and as such the novels follow much of this. FR doesn't follow these as much and focus on smaller groups. DL is also more historical and you can find novels spanning a large timeline, whereas FR is rather linear with its novel line, not jumping back in time to discuss past events. Magic is less prevalent in DL with only a few uber-archmages. And these are usually spread out along the timeline. Its a hard debate on which setting has the divine more involved. FR has had all the gods walk on Faerun, while DL has lost its gods twice.
Ranger REG
08-31-07, 02:13 AM I do know these are 2 completly different series. But a friend of mine who is a fan of the DL series tells me that DL foucses more so on the knighthood where as of FR focuses on the knight itself. I am not looking for trolling or bashing but rather just somone elses opinion who reads that of both series. I have only read a few DL and many DR so I can not base a final jugdment without more knowlage.
Knighthood? DL is more about knights. DL is a place for epic (saga) role-playing (and I'm not talking about epic levels). It's WotC's version of Middle-Earth.

FR is much more of a "playing ground" for adventurers. There are few epic roleplaying but it is also more high-magic.
True_Atlantean
09-02-07, 07:52 AM Knighthood? DL is more about knights. DL is a place for epic (saga) role-playing (and I'm not talking about epic levels). It's WotC's version of Middle-Earth.

FR is much more of a "playing ground" for adventurers. There are few epic roleplaying but it is also more high-magic.

DL is very much about character development and the Knighthood does play a large role in some ways.

I've always seen (and run) DL as a lower magic setting that encourages the players to play characters who are heroic. It calls for sacrifice, hard decisions and character development against a back-drop that spans the entire continent. Often that back-drop is war, but not always. I've found the novels often focus on events, but it is how the individual responds to them, and in the War of the Lance, how a disparate group deals with the revelations.

The Realms have always struck me as a high-magic setting where both magic and magical items are far more plentiful than in DL. The NPCs have an active hand in the world and I've yet to see a post about the DL NPCs being 'overbearing".

[As an aside, I've not found this to be the case with FR, I've always run the Realms with minimal contact with any NPCs. I've never had a party meet Elminster or Drizzt. The only NPC that ever shows up with regularity is Mourngrym, and that is because I run the Dalelands.]

I can highly recommend both series (DL and FR), though if you do want a foray into DL, start with the Chronicles series and work your way from there. I believe that it will make much more sense that way.

Hope you enjoy them!
GothicDan
09-02-07, 06:24 PM Dragonlance = High Fantasy.

Realms = Sword and Sorcery++.
Crust
09-02-07, 08:11 PM I think FR and DL are very similar in terms of character development and overall world design. Plenty of D&D flavor, the party of adventurers, the renegade outcasts, the "Darth Vader" bad guys, seemingly invincible spellcasters, a pantheon of gods who often take part in the lives of mortals, etc.

The character development of Tanis is no more or less detailed than that of Drizzt. I see the same level of character attention in both FR and DL.

Both have similar archetypes as well. DL has Raistlin; FR has The Simbul. DL has Fizban; FR has Elminster. DL has Tanis; FR has Drizzt. These comparisons are certainly flawed. My point is that everyone should give both DL and FR a chance. You'll find great things in both, and both are darn fun reads. And for the reader who also plays D&D, the experience can be twice as enjoyable.

I still remember the feeling I got at 15 years old, discovering Dragons of Autumn Twilight and realizing that this novel is loosely referring directly to the game itself! I thought that was so interesting, seeing these professionally-made characters function in rough D&D terms. I gobbled it up, and continue to gobble today (just started Greenwood's Swords of Dragonfire).
GothicDan
09-02-07, 10:52 PM I've read Dragonlance since I was 11, and still love the setting... But I really feel there are some integral differences. They are largely summarized in my previous statement.

Not trying to argue, but I think that Crust's post oversimplifies a little. :)

I understand now why Faraer once said he didn't really think FR was high fantasy - I had the definition wrong. I always assumed high fantasy to mean fantasy concerning nobles, intrigue, plotting, romance, etc. Dragonlance and Tolkien's works are both considered to be high fantasy - in which great ideals, great wars, and good and evil largely define them.
MerrikCale
09-03-07, 12:13 AM I understand now why Faraer once said he didn't really think FR was high fantasy - I had the definition wrong. I always assumed high fantasy to mean fantasy concerning nobles, intrigue, plotting, romance, etc. Dragonlance and Tolkien's works are both considered to be high fantasy - in which great ideals, great wars, and good and evil largely define them.

I agree. But with every RSE, the Realms gets closer to High Fantasy. I much prefer the smaller scale stories as a general rule
MarkHall
09-03-07, 01:22 AM I'd say that Dragonlance feels much more insular... the world itself, and the regions within the world. Dragonlance has a single pantheon, and takes place primarily on a single continent. There's an implication that people don't travel much, and that there's limited trade; during the Preludes sextology, Sturm and Kitiara's journey to Solamnia was looked upon as being an epic journey. Even the people of Palanthas, a trade city, were cut off from Nordmaar; the entire continent is poorly set up for travel, trade, and communication.

On the other hand, Faerun has some very clear trade routes that are largely unobstructed; within the Sea of Fallen Stars, across the Western Heartlands to the Sword Coast, etc. Many people travel, and trade is a big aspect of the world.
Ranger REG
09-03-07, 02:03 AM DL is very much about character development and the Knighthood does play a large role in some ways.
Not all the time. You do have the Wizards of High Sorcery.
True_Atlantean
09-03-07, 02:11 AM Not all the time. You do have the Wizards of High Sorcery.

Certainly won't argue with you there Ranger. It is though the only sourcebook I'm missing from the current 3.0/3.5 run of DL products - which is a shame because of the depth that has been put into the Orders.
GothicDan
09-03-07, 12:50 PM I'm almost tempted to start trying to collect the 3E/3.5 DL sourcebooks now.... The last novel I read was Dragons of Dwarven Depths. I try to read things done by Weis/Hickman, still, but not much other than that.
KnightoftheWhiteRose
09-05-07, 07:56 PM Forgotten Realms has more of the WoW Factor. Super Power beings and nearly unlimited access in terms of exploration beyond the FR Universe.

DragonLance is more of the Low Level Character Defeating the High Level Bad Guy. Where the Gods themselves are bound to the laws of the high god and the balance superceeds all.
KrynnSpace is very limited being a sealed sphere.

I am a Forgotten Realms fan from the old days, 2e. but have made DragonLance my focus for the past 4 years. i like both settings very much, but DL has a more.. Realistic feel to it as the Realms is Fantastical.

DL is much more than Knights on Dragons and Wizards in towers though. Those are just a few of the more common aspects of Krynn. It is the Plan of the HighGod and how that plan is carried out and kept alive through the efforts of mortals and the gods that makes the setting so interesting. through all 5 ages the Balance shifts and must be set right. the Balance is a major theme in DL. the Order of 3. Good, Neutral and Evil. the Order of 3 is seen in almost every aspect of DL from the knighthoods,the Wizards of HighSorcery, the Holy Orders of the Stars and the alternate timelines/Realities.

i would recommend Dragonlance Novels and the Quality Gaming material from MWP and the Awesome People at the Nexus.:)
Ranger REG
09-06-07, 03:52 AM Forgotten Realms has more of the WoW Factor.
I don't know about it having a WoW factor.

I do know that Captain Jack Sparrow would be more at home in the FR world than in the DL world.

Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum... :D
KnightoftheWhiteRose
09-06-07, 12:55 PM i mean WoW as in WoW thats cool or amazing, not WoW the game... as to captain jack, not sure what to make of that. lol. krynn has some very cool pirates like Minotaurs!;) Anything can fit into FR. its just that kind of world.

and FR does indeed have a Major Wow Factor, maybe not to the daily player but to me it does, i mean FR has Super Powerful beings, i was reading through the Whats the strongest creature on Faerun thread and it blew my mind how powerful things get in FR.

Krynn has some very strong beings, but aside from the gods, krynn doesnt really do high levels much. i mean its a common DL rule, Only 1 Epic level bad guy at a time. lol.

so FR does have a wow factor (atleast to me it does.)
Ranger REG
09-07-07, 01:48 AM i mean WoW as in WoW thats cool or amazing, not WoW the game... as to captain jack, not sure what to make of that. lol. krynn has some very cool pirates like Minotaurs!;) Anything can fit into FR. its just that kind of world.
I can't really picture a minotaur pirate mimicking Captain Jack Sparrow. :P
godbeepit
09-07-07, 03:55 PM and FR does indeed have a Major Wow Factor, maybe not to the daily player but to me it does, i mean FR has Super Powerful beings, i was reading through the Whats the strongest creature on Faerun thread and it blew my mind how powerful things get in FR.

It seems to me that those beings were never meant to truly be statted out, humanoid and monster alike. Elminster was not intended to be there for people to say "Hey, look I can kill Elminster!" but rather as the rather omnipotent threat of the bigger fish analogy. Toril is an old planet; hundreds of millennia old. Greenwood put them there to say, "When your PCs start getting out of hand, remind them: There will always be someone that can put them in their place."
MarkusTay63
09-07-07, 04:50 PM And thats exactly why the El-bashers hated him, and the Chosen. Their egos won't allow for someone more powerful then them.

Those kind of players all need to go play WoW or something. :rolleyes:
GothicDan
09-07-07, 07:35 PM To me, from a more scientific point of view, the lack of powerful characters in other world is what's astonishing. Things with power will tend to roll down hill and collect more power - the 'momentum' of the powerful gets harder and harder to stop.
KnightoftheWhiteRose
09-07-07, 08:11 PM i like having a bigger fish. i dont understand how someone could get an ego about their characters. i have felt pride at how long my character survived in the Athasian Deserts and i have been very happy after a victory over a Dragon Overlord but as a long time DM/GM i have always known that no matter how buff a character is their is ALWAYS an NPC that can kill it.

as to other worlds not having super powerful creatures. i can understand it. in DragonLance and Darksun if your really powerful you wont go unnoticed and someone stronger than you or as powerful will seek to eliminate you asap so they are the worlds strongest. its also kinda neat when not everyone can cast wish and you get to use it. makes every spell and ability special all over again. when everyone has Epic characters things get taken for granted more often and many features lose their wonderful "WoW thats Awesome" effect.

i enjoy a balance of the two. which is why multipul settings is so great. i can have my Dragonlance, Darksun, ForgottenRealms, Ravenloft, Planescape and Mystara and enjoy every differance from each setting. Planescape takes the cake on Powerful beings IMO. and DL and DS are my favs. FR has a great history, lots of fluff! and mystara is fun because you dont have to be high level to advance in the game. 8th Level King of Karamiekos FTW!

then again i have yet to find a setting i didnt like. :)
KnightoftheWhiteRose
09-07-07, 08:18 PM I can't really picture a minotaur pirate mimicking Captain Jack Sparrow. :P

Capt Sparrow reminds me more of a Half Kender whos over-indulged his Dwarf Spirits.:duel:
GothicDan
09-07-07, 09:48 PM Planescape takes the cake on Powerful beings IMO.

Obviously. You're on the plane with Gods. :)

But remember, in Planescape, past a certain level (much lower than in most 'Prime' settings), it was almost assumed you'd find ways to come to conclusions without all-out conflict.

The highest 'leveled' character I can recall was Queen Morwel, 25/25 Fighter/Wizard Tulani. But obviously, as in everything in PS, it's truly BELIEF that shapes the Planes. The higher level powers of some of the Faction members were absolutely astounding.

Guvners FTW.
MerrikCale
09-07-07, 11:10 PM I must admit that I never get into that Planescape stuff
Ranger REG
09-08-07, 02:08 AM I must admit that I never get into that Planescape stuff
You and me both.
MarkHall
09-08-07, 02:36 AM I must admit that I never get into that Planescape stuff

For me, it was like Ravenloft; a campaign set to use for flavoring other campaigns. If I was going to do horror (use undead or lycanthropes, for example) in my Realms game, I was going to use Ravenloft's expanded rules to make them more fearsome. If my players went to the planes, or brought planars to them, I used Planescape. But I didn't use either of them independently that often.
MerrikCale
09-09-07, 11:09 PM You and me both.

some folk talk about it with such reverence. Me, I mostly missed 2e
Ranger REG
09-10-07, 01:57 AM Me, I mostly missed 2e
2e fluff? Yeah, I missed that.
2e crunch? HELL ... NO. :noway:
GothicDan
09-10-07, 04:10 PM I'll never understand why people had so much trouble with 2E mechanics...

*wanders back to reading on the multiplicty of macrostates and using Stirling's approximation.*
MerrikCale
09-10-07, 09:14 PM I'll never understand why people had so much trouble with 2E mechanics...

*wanders back to reading on the multiplicty of macrostates and using Stirling's approximation.*

I never had trouble with it. I just stopped playing a year or two after it came out and never really used it. By the time I got back in 3e was upon us
GothicDan
09-10-07, 09:52 PM I learned 3E out of boredom one summer and played in one terrible 3E game. I quit playing it, and eventually picked back up again in college in a new game. I brought a lot of 2E stuff into it to make it bearable - like Myrkul. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ExtinctionBeta 08-29-07, 05:05 PM	I do know these are 2 completly different series. But a friend of mine who is a fan of the DL series tells me that DL foucses more so on the knighthood where as of FR focuses on the knight itself. I am not looking for trolling or bashing but rather just somone elses opinion who reads that of both series. I have only read a few DL and many DR so I can not base a final jugdment without more knowlage.
CharginCrusader 08-29-07, 08:06 PM	Which Dragon Lance series? War of the Lance, Legends? Also not sure which knight you are referring to in the Forgotten Realms books. There are tons of series for the Forgotten Realms. If you could refine your question, maybe I could help. Not being sarcastic or abusive, just not understanding what you are comparing.
MarkusTay63 08-29-07, 08:13 PM	I think he is trying to say that DL is more about groups and FR is more about individuals. Aside from that, I couldn't answer - I have NEVER read a single DL novel.
CharginCrusader 08-29-07, 08:17 PM	I think he is trying to say that DL is more about groups and FR is more about individuals. Aside from that, I couldn't answer - I have NEVER read a single DL novel. Ah, I guess that makes more sense.
LordVhoori 08-29-07, 08:49 PM	I happened to be an avid Dragonlance ruler before I discovered the realms (btw Magius and Raistlin pown ridiculously hard), the mentioned statement is somewhat of a generalization (barring some sort of arcane and esoteric interpretation of course). There are books which deal with a widespan odf individuals, and groups and nations, but there are others that are just as mired in the character own psyche (take Huma novel). I'd recomend checking it out if you're not versed in it, it complements faerun well. Weis has few equals.
Old Sage 08-29-07, 09:33 PM	DRAGONLANCE novels tend to focus on individuals and groups, as part of the published fiction, almost as much as FORGOTTEN REALMS novels. Certainly, some of the earlier novels that are set on Krynn, like "The Chronicles", as well as some of the more recent trilogies [like "The War of Souls" and the current "The Lost Chronicles"], focus on adventuring groups and the like, rather than just the individual character. Though, I'll note, that you can also say the same about certain past and present novels set in the Realms -- "The Avatar Trilogy" and the more recent "War of the Spider Queen" series and "Return of the Archwizards" trilogy, or even "The City of Splendors." As it is, the DL setting also tends to feature quite a selection of stories that focus on particular individuals, as well as a variety of tales that concentrate on new and interesting independent characters. It can be said that most DL novels published at a particular time, tend to be related more to setting-wide story-arcs, though not always. Whereas the Realms novels, nowadays, tend to focus on Realms Shattering Events [or RSEs], with a wide selection of independent tales that don't always relate, specifically, to the current RSE in progress. There are also DL novels that fill a similar area in published Krynnish fiction as well, though there usually aren't as many independent tales published during this time, as there sometimes are for the Realms. Overall, you're bound to find something of interest in the published fiction of either setting. It's really just dependent upon exactly what you're looking for. If you're looking to read tales about individual Krynnish characters that are independent of setting-wide story-arcs... you'll find them. If you're interested in the activities of the Companions during the events of the War of the Lance, you'll find that too. It's just as much the same for Realms fiction as well. If you're looking for adventures about individual characters that aren't tied to the recent RSEs surrounding Cormanthyr, or Thay... you'll find them -- like the novels being published for "The Dungeons" series currently. If you're looking for tales focusing solely on adventuring groups... look no further than Ed's incredible "The Knights of Myth Drannor" trilogy. It's simply a matter of determining your own individual tastes and what you're looking for in terms of fiction for both the Realms and Krynn. I find what I enjoy most about this style of fantasy fiction, in both settings. And that's why I tend to read novels for both FR and DL.
MerrikCale 08-29-07, 10:52 PM	Aside from that, I couldn't answer - I have NEVER read a single DL novel. Thats too bad. The original trilogy was quite good and the War of the Twins was as well. The series has since been hit or miss (from the handful of books I've read) but still there's some pretty good stuff
jwanderer5 08-31-07, 12:42 AM	When comparing DL and FR, a number of differences come to light. Krynn has often been dominated by armies and as such the novels follow much of this. FR doesn't follow these as much and focus on smaller groups. DL is also more historical and you can find novels spanning a large timeline, whereas FR is rather linear with its novel line, not jumping back in time to discuss past events. Magic is less prevalent in DL with only a few uber-archmages. And these are usually spread out along the timeline. Its a hard debate on which setting has the divine more involved. FR has had all the gods walk on Faerun, while DL has lost its gods twice.
Ranger REG 08-31-07, 02:13 AM	I do know these are 2 completly different series. But a friend of mine who is a fan of the DL series tells me that DL foucses more so on the knighthood where as of FR focuses on the knight itself. I am not looking for trolling or bashing but rather just somone elses opinion who reads that of both series. I have only read a few DL and many DR so I can not base a final jugdment without more knowlage. Knighthood? DL is more about knights. DL is a place for epic (saga) role-playing (and I'm not talking about epic levels). It's WotC's version of Middle-Earth. FR is much more of a "playing ground" for adventurers. There are few epic roleplaying but it is also more high-magic.
True_Atlantean 09-02-07, 07:52 AM	Knighthood? DL is more about knights. DL is a place for epic (saga) role-playing (and I'm not talking about epic levels). It's WotC's version of Middle-Earth. FR is much more of a "playing ground" for adventurers. There are few epic roleplaying but it is also more high-magic. DL is very much about character development and the Knighthood does play a large role in some ways. I've always seen (and run) DL as a lower magic setting that encourages the players to play characters who are heroic. It calls for sacrifice, hard decisions and character development against a back-drop that spans the entire continent. Often that back-drop is war, but not always. I've found the novels often focus on events, but it is how the individual responds to them, and in the War of the Lance, how a disparate group deals with the revelations. The Realms have always struck me as a high-magic setting where both magic and magical items are far more plentiful than in DL. The NPCs have an active hand in the world and I've yet to see a post about the DL NPCs being 'overbearing". [As an aside, I've not found this to be the case with FR, I've always run the Realms with minimal contact with any NPCs. I've never had a party meet Elminster or Drizzt. The only NPC that ever shows up with regularity is Mourngrym, and that is because I run the Dalelands.] I can highly recommend both series (DL and FR), though if you do want a foray into DL, start with the Chronicles series and work your way from there. I believe that it will make much more sense that way. Hope you enjoy them!
GothicDan 09-02-07, 06:24 PM	Dragonlance = High Fantasy. Realms = Sword and Sorcery++.
Crust 09-02-07, 08:11 PM	I think FR and DL are very similar in terms of character development and overall world design. Plenty of D&D flavor, the party of adventurers, the renegade outcasts, the "Darth Vader" bad guys, seemingly invincible spellcasters, a pantheon of gods who often take part in the lives of mortals, etc. The character development of Tanis is no more or less detailed than that of Drizzt. I see the same level of character attention in both FR and DL. Both have similar archetypes as well. DL has Raistlin; FR has The Simbul. DL has Fizban; FR has Elminster. DL has Tanis; FR has Drizzt. These comparisons are certainly flawed. My point is that everyone should give both DL and FR a chance. You'll find great things in both, and both are darn fun reads. And for the reader who also plays D&D, the experience can be twice as enjoyable. I still remember the feeling I got at 15 years old, discovering Dragons of Autumn Twilight and realizing that this novel is loosely referring directly to the game itself! I thought that was so interesting, seeing these professionally-made characters function in rough D&D terms. I gobbled it up, and continue to gobble today (just started Greenwood's Swords of Dragonfire).
GothicDan 09-02-07, 10:52 PM	I've read Dragonlance since I was 11, and still love the setting... But I really feel there are some integral differences. They are largely summarized in my previous statement. Not trying to argue, but I think that Crust's post oversimplifies a little. :) I understand now why Faraer once said he didn't really think FR was high fantasy - I had the definition wrong. I always assumed high fantasy to mean fantasy concerning nobles, intrigue, plotting, romance, etc. Dragonlance and Tolkien's works are both considered to be high fantasy - in which great ideals, great wars, and good and evil largely define them.
MerrikCale 09-03-07, 12:13 AM	I understand now why Faraer once said he didn't really think FR was high fantasy - I had the definition wrong. I always assumed high fantasy to mean fantasy concerning nobles, intrigue, plotting, romance, etc. Dragonlance and Tolkien's works are both considered to be high fantasy - in which great ideals, great wars, and good and evil largely define them. I agree. But with every RSE, the Realms gets closer to High Fantasy. I much prefer the smaller scale stories as a general rule
MarkHall 09-03-07, 01:22 AM	I'd say that Dragonlance feels much more insular... the world itself, and the regions within the world. Dragonlance has a single pantheon, and takes place primarily on a single continent. There's an implication that people don't travel much, and that there's limited trade; during the Preludes sextology, Sturm and Kitiara's journey to Solamnia was looked upon as being an epic journey. Even the people of Palanthas, a trade city, were cut off from Nordmaar; the entire continent is poorly set up for travel, trade, and communication. On the other hand, Faerun has some very clear trade routes that are largely unobstructed; within the Sea of Fallen Stars, across the Western Heartlands to the Sword Coast, etc. Many people travel, and trade is a big aspect of the world.
Ranger REG 09-03-07, 02:03 AM	DL is very much about character development and the Knighthood does play a large role in some ways. Not all the time. You do have the Wizards of High Sorcery.
True_Atlantean 09-03-07, 02:11 AM	Not all the time. You do have the Wizards of High Sorcery. Certainly won't argue with you there Ranger. It is though the only sourcebook I'm missing from the current 3.0/3.5 run of DL products - which is a shame because of the depth that has been put into the Orders.
GothicDan 09-03-07, 12:50 PM	I'm almost tempted to start trying to collect the 3E/3.5 DL sourcebooks now.... The last novel I read was Dragons of Dwarven Depths. I try to read things done by Weis/Hickman, still, but not much other than that.
KnightoftheWhiteRose 09-05-07, 07:56 PM	Forgotten Realms has more of the WoW Factor. Super Power beings and nearly unlimited access in terms of exploration beyond the FR Universe. DragonLance is more of the Low Level Character Defeating the High Level Bad Guy. Where the Gods themselves are bound to the laws of the high god and the balance superceeds all. KrynnSpace is very limited being a sealed sphere. I am a Forgotten Realms fan from the old days, 2e. but have made DragonLance my focus for the past 4 years. i like both settings very much, but DL has a more.. Realistic feel to it as the Realms is Fantastical. DL is much more than Knights on Dragons and Wizards in towers though. Those are just a few of the more common aspects of Krynn. It is the Plan of the HighGod and how that plan is carried out and kept alive through the efforts of mortals and the gods that makes the setting so interesting. through all 5 ages the Balance shifts and must be set right. the Balance is a major theme in DL. the Order of 3. Good, Neutral and Evil. the Order of 3 is seen in almost every aspect of DL from the knighthoods,the Wizards of HighSorcery, the Holy Orders of the Stars and the alternate timelines/Realities. i would recommend Dragonlance Novels and the Quality Gaming material from MWP and the Awesome People at the Nexus.:)
Ranger REG 09-06-07, 03:52 AM	Forgotten Realms has more of the WoW Factor. I don't know about it having a WoW factor. I do know that Captain Jack Sparrow would be more at home in the FR world than in the DL world. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum... :D
KnightoftheWhiteRose 09-06-07, 12:55 PM	i mean WoW as in WoW thats cool or amazing, not WoW the game... as to captain jack, not sure what to make of that. lol. krynn has some very cool pirates like Minotaurs!;) Anything can fit into FR. its just that kind of world. and FR does indeed have a Major Wow Factor, maybe not to the daily player but to me it does, i mean FR has Super Powerful beings, i was reading through the Whats the strongest creature on Faerun thread and it blew my mind how powerful things get in FR. Krynn has some very strong beings, but aside from the gods, krynn doesnt really do high levels much. i mean its a common DL rule, Only 1 Epic level bad guy at a time. lol. so FR does have a wow factor (atleast to me it does.)
Ranger REG 09-07-07, 01:48 AM	i mean WoW as in WoW thats cool or amazing, not WoW the game... as to captain jack, not sure what to make of that. lol. krynn has some very cool pirates like Minotaurs!;) Anything can fit into FR. its just that kind of world. I can't really picture a minotaur pirate mimicking Captain Jack Sparrow. :P
godbeepit 09-07-07, 03:55 PM	and FR does indeed have a Major Wow Factor, maybe not to the daily player but to me it does, i mean FR has Super Powerful beings, i was reading through the Whats the strongest creature on Faerun thread and it blew my mind how powerful things get in FR. It seems to me that those beings were never meant to truly be statted out, humanoid and monster alike. Elminster was not intended to be there for people to say "Hey, look I can kill Elminster!" but rather as the rather omnipotent threat of the bigger fish analogy. Toril is an old planet; hundreds of millennia old. Greenwood put them there to say, "When your PCs start getting out of hand, remind them: There will always be someone that can put them in their place."
MarkusTay63 09-07-07, 04:50 PM	And thats exactly why the El-bashers hated him, and the Chosen. Their egos won't allow for someone more powerful then them. Those kind of players all need to go play WoW or something. :rolleyes:
GothicDan 09-07-07, 07:35 PM	To me, from a more scientific point of view, the lack of powerful characters in other world is what's astonishing. Things with power will tend to roll down hill and collect more power - the 'momentum' of the powerful gets harder and harder to stop.
KnightoftheWhiteRose 09-07-07, 08:11 PM	i like having a bigger fish. i dont understand how someone could get an ego about their characters. i have felt pride at how long my character survived in the Athasian Deserts and i have been very happy after a victory over a Dragon Overlord but as a long time DM/GM i have always known that no matter how buff a character is their is ALWAYS an NPC that can kill it. as to other worlds not having super powerful creatures. i can understand it. in DragonLance and Darksun if your really powerful you wont go unnoticed and someone stronger than you or as powerful will seek to eliminate you asap so they are the worlds strongest. its also kinda neat when not everyone can cast wish and you get to use it. makes every spell and ability special all over again. when everyone has Epic characters things get taken for granted more often and many features lose their wonderful "WoW thats Awesome" effect. i enjoy a balance of the two. which is why multipul settings is so great. i can have my Dragonlance, Darksun, ForgottenRealms, Ravenloft, Planescape and Mystara and enjoy every differance from each setting. Planescape takes the cake on Powerful beings IMO. and DL and DS are my favs. FR has a great history, lots of fluff! and mystara is fun because you dont have to be high level to advance in the game. 8th Level King of Karamiekos FTW! then again i have yet to find a setting i didnt like. :)
KnightoftheWhiteRose 09-07-07, 08:18 PM	I can't really picture a minotaur pirate mimicking Captain Jack Sparrow. :P Capt Sparrow reminds me more of a Half Kender whos over-indulged his Dwarf Spirits.:duel:
GothicDan 09-07-07, 09:48 PM	Planescape takes the cake on Powerful beings IMO. Obviously. You're on the plane with Gods. :) But remember, in Planescape, past a certain level (much lower than in most 'Prime' settings), it was almost assumed you'd find ways to come to conclusions without all-out conflict. The highest 'leveled' character I can recall was Queen Morwel, 25/25 Fighter/Wizard Tulani. But obviously, as in everything in PS, it's truly BELIEF that shapes the Planes. The higher level powers of some of the Faction members were absolutely astounding. Guvners FTW.
MerrikCale 09-07-07, 11:10 PM	I must admit that I never get into that Planescape stuff
Ranger REG 09-08-07, 02:08 AM	I must admit that I never get into that Planescape stuff You and me both.
MarkHall 09-08-07, 02:36 AM	I must admit that I never get into that Planescape stuff For me, it was like Ravenloft; a campaign set to use for flavoring other campaigns. If I was going to do horror (use undead or lycanthropes, for example) in my Realms game, I was going to use Ravenloft's expanded rules to make them more fearsome. If my players went to the planes, or brought planars to them, I used Planescape. But I didn't use either of them independently that often.
MerrikCale 09-09-07, 11:09 PM	You and me both. some folk talk about it with such reverence. Me, I mostly missed 2e
Ranger REG 09-10-07, 01:57 AM	Me, I mostly missed 2e 2e fluff? Yeah, I missed that. 2e crunch? HELL ... NO. :noway:
GothicDan 09-10-07, 04:10 PM	I'll never understand why people had so much trouble with 2E mechanics... wanders back to reading on the multiplicty of macrostates and using Stirling's approximation.
MerrikCale 09-10-07, 09:14 PM	I'll never understand why people had so much trouble with 2E mechanics... wanders back to reading on the multiplicty of macrostates and using Stirling's approximation. I never had trouble with it. I just stopped playing a year or two after it came out and never really used it. By the time I got back in 3e was upon us
GothicDan 09-10-07, 09:52 PM	I learned 3E out of boredom one summer and played in one terrible 3E game. I quit playing it, and eventually picked back up again in college in a new game. I brought a lot of 2E stuff into it to make it bearable - like Myrkul. :)