Forgotten Realms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Forgotten Realms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
thasis
11-15-04, 11:37 PM I have currently got every single one of the current Forgotten Realms Sourcebooks that have been realeased so far. There are two many to count yeesh. Anyway, I'm no newbie DM but how in the hell would you start a forgotten realms campaign when I have been DMing homebrews for like all of my life. So far I have a basic campaign called the Fallen Sun campaign setting. It primarly takes place on my ever growing homebrew campaign. There are some twists though. The other campaign setting are realy alternate universes that were created parrelel to the other campaign settings and there are some portals to the other settings. So recently the characters party have traveled to the Dragonlance setting to do a mission. The portal is still there and they have the option to go back. I'm also trying to incorperate the Forgotten Realms setting into my campaign by making a portal to the Realms. How would I go about incorperating my players into a setting that I barely know let alone them?
Lady Rolindin
11-16-04, 12:37 AM This is what I would suggest to you, first chose a place to start (say like waterdeep.) Read all about the area your self first, to get to the the area, the terrain, the towns ans villages, the people. After you chose the place, know what you would like the pc to do in the area, study everthing about the area. Everth9ing even the history, lore, then after you can dm the area, if you want to move them further along say into the north to Long saddle, study the areas all the awy up and use what you want. After you study the areas first you will know where they are and what kinds of poeples and what kinds of monster are in the area, lore hidden sites.
Study the area first, your self pick a starting point is important, study the area and everthing you want to use. The chose is yours to make where to start, I would start in Waterdeep or Silvermoon, maybe even Corymr. After the pc,s figured out the area then move along to your speed the dm in any area. :)
Alot of the nps would be interested in talking to the pc (wizards about the world they came from, they might not have heard aboput it yet. this could lead to the mage sending them to find somthing for him outside waterdeep or in corymr Hmm.) :) Just start small and know the area, your the dm, then move out to other area slowly, this depends on you Read about the area, you have to describe it to them, the people they meet. Good luck alot of us have gone from another world into the realms, we start in one area and get to know the area first, then move on. :)
Lashan
11-16-04, 07:19 AM I think that you need to learn a bit about where you want to adventure. If you have all the sourcebooks, then it shouldn't be too hard (but just take some time). Just pick an area and really read up all there is on it. I recommend an area covered in by one of the Volo's Guide books, as they really are handy in a pinch.

I also recommend that you put the characters at some point in the past of FR timeline (as opposed to the exact current date). This way, you can play the historical events around the PCs and they can get a feel for the world and the history instead of having an NPC tell them all about it. I don't mean ancient history, but the past 20 years of gaming should have a plot idea you like.
Draco Strang
11-16-04, 08:27 AM Start small.

Don't have the characters racing to save the whole world from Cyric during the Time of Troubles, don't have the, staving off drow and duergar during the War of the Spider Queen. Instead, have them work on combating a thieves guild in Waterdeep, or riding herd on a caravan bound from Mithral Hall to Silverymoon. Lace your stories with a few NPCs that the characters would know. Not necessarily Drizzt and Elminster, but why shouldn't they encounter Regis in Calimport, or a minor elven noble in Evermeet?

From there, work your way up. Focus on an area your characters will adventure in, and use THAT sourcebook. You don't need Shining South, The Silver Marches, Unapproachable East and the Underdark book all in one go.

Use your experience as a DM and some common sense and you'll go far, I'm sure.
Lady Rolindin
11-17-04, 12:06 AM Let me say a few more things if you don't mind.
LIke the rest say and I said start small, know the area you want to send them, study everthing about the area.
Things i would not do have learned from, the group wanted to come from a made world. I was dming, they wanted to go into a eveil area (Thay), the group was evil. I though about this and tryed this, not good for them I did what they wanted. Only one chartar escaped from that, this was through the under ground portals for slaves. The rest are still slaves, If you want to take the group to Thay, i would take them to the thayen border. Then let them work their way in, good lession learned, never go into a evil area with your pc's thinking their going to kill ever power in the area and take it over. Don't work even if they have weapons from another world, Szass Tam will love your spell books and magic items.
Find a area you want to take them, look at the portal series on the wotc page for the realms. Good places to bring them in,long saddle, Silver moon, corymr, and alot more. Once you decide on an area then move out slowly and you stay ahead of the pc's in your reading of the area's. :)

I would use one of the portals from the series of portals articles, I would have them appear in long saddle, but you decide where and which portal they appear at. good luck :)
ruleslawyer
11-19-04, 05:57 PM I'd back what others have said and add that IMHO, the best areas on which to concentrate would be the Silver Marches or Waterdeep. The Silver Marches are an especially good idea, since IMHO, they have the strongest Realms "feel." Go with the cities of Neverwinter or Silverymoon as a base; the former should at least be a "brand name" to people who've played the NWN computer game, and the latter is extensively detailed in the Silver Marches supplement. Also download Volo's Guide to the North (available for free from the WotC site HERE (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads) ); it has a wealth of information that really captures a Realms feel (inns of note, local legends and lore, songs and poems, etc.) and perhaps read one or two chapters of "Mintiper's Chapbook," also available on the WotC site. To be honest, if you do this, you can really shelve your other FR books for now; this corner of the setting will be plenty to keep your players occupied!
ArnimThayer
11-20-04, 02:08 AM As everyone else says, start small! Pick an area, research it well, and make sure your players build their characters appropriate for the area. If you start at low levels (1st-4th), it will give them a slow feel for the campaign setting as they build them. My favorite places to start a campaign are Cormyr (pre-Death of the Dragon), Silver Marches, or the Sword Coast. Options abound wherever you start. Good luck!
Shemeska the Marauder
11-21-04, 02:00 AM The other campaign setting are realy alternate universes that were created parrelel to the other campaign settings and there are some portals to the other settings. So recently the characters party have traveled to the Dragonlance setting to do a mission. The portal is still there and they have the option to go back. I'm also trying to incorperate the Forgotten Realms setting into my campaign by making a portal to the Realms.

Take a look at the Planescape setting, it's similar in concept to that idea: planehopping and connecting every DnD campaign world into a single cohesive multiverse. Best designed and best written campaign setting ever. Hands down.
PlaDeDump
11-21-04, 02:14 AM This is the question that I've had on my mind too. Where and how to start a Forgotten Realms campaign. I'm pretty new to the Realms, I've gotten the FRCS that came out in a box using the 2ndE rules. I've got the 3rdE campaign setting book on my list of things to buy too. To get myself in the mood for the setting, I've been reading RA Salvatore. Starting in Silverymoon sounds like what I'm going to do (or Waterdeep).
greaterbaatezu
11-21-04, 08:46 AM Personally, I'd suggest that you get to know the realms QUITE abit before you try to DM a campaign there. UNLESS you decide to base it in an area that has never been fully fleshed out. Since you know very little or nothing about the realms, I'd say to avoid all the areas that have had anything to do with the timeline happen in them. Otherwise, you'll end up having a B.S. campaign. In which case you can always stick to homebrew. Do yourself a favor and buy every first and second edition product you can find about the realms, not for use in game, but for background information. These forums are not always a reliable source of information, but they are usually helpful at the very least. Get your hands on every sourcebook you can afford to buy, read every novel (for flavor) you can get your hands on concerning the realms, and NEVER involve the luminaries of the realms (Elminster, Simbul, Szass Taam, etc.) in your campaign unless you know everything there is to know about them (tactics, etc.).

Some of these things are the laments of a now seasoned DM, who was easily outwitted by crafty players who knew more than me. The best way to not run a monty haul camp in the realms is to know it. You can't be a stingy jerk there either, because all sorts of goodies are laying about to be had.

One more thing... please, please, please, do NOT base your campaign around ANYTHING Salvatore wrote. Good stories, but rules (and sometimes actual facts) are thrown completely out the window with that one.
greaterbaatezu
11-21-04, 08:53 AM Take a look at the Planescape setting, it's similar in concept to that idea: planehopping and connecting every DnD campaign world into a single cohesive multiverse. Best designed and best written campaign setting ever. Hands down.

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

And the whole campaign setting was written off why? Not because it wasn't making money, it sold like hot cakes. So, why again?
Notice that most of the newest products that are coming out are written in and for Gayhawk? (r deliberately left out) Nevermind the fact that the forgotten realms are far more enjoyable and popular and sold the best. Wouldn't have anything to do with Gygax having his fingers in the cake mix, would it? Or most of the powers that be are old first edition gamers?
Shemeska the Marauder
11-21-04, 09:37 AM AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

And the whole campaign setting was written off why? Not because it wasn't making money, it sold like hot cakes. So, why again?

It sold well, though not as much as FR for instance, however the cost to print the various PS modules, sourcebooks, and box sets was significantly higher as the PS materials used a different printing scheme and several more ink colors than standard. Thus the profit margin was lower for a given PS book even if it sold as much as a given FR book, etc.

Also a few of the 3e designers really hated the setting with a passion. I can't name which ones in specific, but I can name who isn't among that number. Originally for instance the Modrons were left out of the MM because of space issues (confirmed by Monte Cook) and were to have been included in a later book in their full LN glory. However after several folks left WotC (who had been writers of or supporters of the PS material) the folks who produced the later material excluded a good number of Planescape conventions such as the Modrons because 'it wasn't the direction they felt DnD should go in'.

Or most of the powers that be are old first edition gamers?

I'll grant you that there's an odd and disturbing level of 1e grognard'ery that has popped up in 3e, from the change of Baatezu and Tanar'ri to devil and demon respectfully, the convention change to name Baatezu by the 1e common names, and the renaming of Gehreleths to the 1e 'demodand' name, to others. Of course you can call it nostalgia as well if you prefer, I don't.

However I don't think that had much to do with PS being merged back into the main DnD line. It was more some designers personal preferences, the print cost issue for PS, and the fact that it was perceived by WotC to not repeat the mistakes of TSR in that they felt that TSR's publishing of multiple campaign settings at once had diluted and fractionated their fan base. To an extent that's true, however it's funny to see them starting over again with Ebberon now and yet havn't gone back to a few of still heavily liked 2e campaign settings, Planescape at the foremost. (granted PS is still around as the core cosmology and material from the DMG to the MotP to the (largely godawful. Sigil = good. Planar touchstones = idiotic) Planar Handbook.

But the atmosphere, tone, and themes of the setting have been abandoned by the current writers, and I personally doubt their ability to recapture it unless they either hire out to the former PS writers or make a serious effort to do so themselves. I just don't see them being willing to do so. Till then, there's always Planewalker (http://www.planewalker.com) .
warlockco
11-21-04, 09:46 AM Just wished there was more material at Planewalker.

Biggest beef I have with PS being dropped, it that FR had fully supported that setting as part of itself.

As to DMing in the Realms, study and learn the area that you want to run your campaign in.

Western Heartlands, Dalelands, and the North/Silver Marches are where alot of people tend to base their games, especially in the North/Silver Marches area.

A few people run campaigns in other areas, Shining South and Unapproachable East are the two other main areas.
thasis
11-21-04, 01:13 PM Thanks for all the infro guys.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
thasis 11-15-04, 11:37 PM	I have currently got every single one of the current Forgotten Realms Sourcebooks that have been realeased so far. There are two many to count yeesh. Anyway, I'm no newbie DM but how in the hell would you start a forgotten realms campaign when I have been DMing homebrews for like all of my life. So far I have a basic campaign called the Fallen Sun campaign setting. It primarly takes place on my ever growing homebrew campaign. There are some twists though. The other campaign setting are realy alternate universes that were created parrelel to the other campaign settings and there are some portals to the other settings. So recently the characters party have traveled to the Dragonlance setting to do a mission. The portal is still there and they have the option to go back. I'm also trying to incorperate the Forgotten Realms setting into my campaign by making a portal to the Realms. How would I go about incorperating my players into a setting that I barely know let alone them?
Lady Rolindin 11-16-04, 12:37 AM	This is what I would suggest to you, first chose a place to start (say like waterdeep.) Read all about the area your self first, to get to the the area, the terrain, the towns ans villages, the people. After you chose the place, know what you would like the pc to do in the area, study everthing about the area. Everth9ing even the history, lore, then after you can dm the area, if you want to move them further along say into the north to Long saddle, study the areas all the awy up and use what you want. After you study the areas first you will know where they are and what kinds of poeples and what kinds of monster are in the area, lore hidden sites. Study the area first, your self pick a starting point is important, study the area and everthing you want to use. The chose is yours to make where to start, I would start in Waterdeep or Silvermoon, maybe even Corymr. After the pc,s figured out the area then move along to your speed the dm in any area. :) Alot of the nps would be interested in talking to the pc (wizards about the world they came from, they might not have heard aboput it yet. this could lead to the mage sending them to find somthing for him outside waterdeep or in corymr Hmm.) :) Just start small and know the area, your the dm, then move out to other area slowly, this depends on you Read about the area, you have to describe it to them, the people they meet. Good luck alot of us have gone from another world into the realms, we start in one area and get to know the area first, then move on. :)
Lashan 11-16-04, 07:19 AM	I think that you need to learn a bit about where you want to adventure. If you have all the sourcebooks, then it shouldn't be too hard (but just take some time). Just pick an area and really read up all there is on it. I recommend an area covered in by one of the Volo's Guide books, as they really are handy in a pinch. I also recommend that you put the characters at some point in the past of FR timeline (as opposed to the exact current date). This way, you can play the historical events around the PCs and they can get a feel for the world and the history instead of having an NPC tell them all about it. I don't mean ancient history, but the past 20 years of gaming should have a plot idea you like.
Draco Strang 11-16-04, 08:27 AM	Start small. Don't have the characters racing to save the whole world from Cyric during the Time of Troubles, don't have the, staving off drow and duergar during the War of the Spider Queen. Instead, have them work on combating a thieves guild in Waterdeep, or riding herd on a caravan bound from Mithral Hall to Silverymoon. Lace your stories with a few NPCs that the characters would know. Not necessarily Drizzt and Elminster, but why shouldn't they encounter Regis in Calimport, or a minor elven noble in Evermeet? From there, work your way up. Focus on an area your characters will adventure in, and use THAT sourcebook. You don't need Shining South, The Silver Marches, Unapproachable East and the Underdark book all in one go. Use your experience as a DM and some common sense and you'll go far, I'm sure.
Lady Rolindin 11-17-04, 12:06 AM	Let me say a few more things if you don't mind. LIke the rest say and I said start small, know the area you want to send them, study everthing about the area. Things i would not do have learned from, the group wanted to come from a made world. I was dming, they wanted to go into a eveil area (Thay), the group was evil. I though about this and tryed this, not good for them I did what they wanted. Only one chartar escaped from that, this was through the under ground portals for slaves. The rest are still slaves, If you want to take the group to Thay, i would take them to the thayen border. Then let them work their way in, good lession learned, never go into a evil area with your pc's thinking their going to kill ever power in the area and take it over. Don't work even if they have weapons from another world, Szass Tam will love your spell books and magic items. Find a area you want to take them, look at the portal series on the wotc page for the realms. Good places to bring them in,long saddle, Silver moon, corymr, and alot more. Once you decide on an area then move out slowly and you stay ahead of the pc's in your reading of the area's. :) I would use one of the portals from the series of portals articles, I would have them appear in long saddle, but you decide where and which portal they appear at. good luck :)
ruleslawyer 11-19-04, 05:57 PM	I'd back what others have said and add that IMHO, the best areas on which to concentrate would be the Silver Marches or Waterdeep. The Silver Marches are an especially good idea, since IMHO, they have the strongest Realms "feel." Go with the cities of Neverwinter or Silverymoon as a base; the former should at least be a "brand name" to people who've played the NWN computer game, and the latter is extensively detailed in the Silver Marches supplement. Also download Volo's Guide to the North (available for free from the WotC site HERE (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads) ); it has a wealth of information that really captures a Realms feel (inns of note, local legends and lore, songs and poems, etc.) and perhaps read one or two chapters of "Mintiper's Chapbook," also available on the WotC site. To be honest, if you do this, you can really shelve your other FR books for now; this corner of the setting will be plenty to keep your players occupied!
ArnimThayer 11-20-04, 02:08 AM	As everyone else says, start small! Pick an area, research it well, and make sure your players build their characters appropriate for the area. If you start at low levels (1st-4th), it will give them a slow feel for the campaign setting as they build them. My favorite places to start a campaign are Cormyr (pre-Death of the Dragon), Silver Marches, or the Sword Coast. Options abound wherever you start. Good luck!
Shemeska the Marauder 11-21-04, 02:00 AM	The other campaign setting are realy alternate universes that were created parrelel to the other campaign settings and there are some portals to the other settings. So recently the characters party have traveled to the Dragonlance setting to do a mission. The portal is still there and they have the option to go back. I'm also trying to incorperate the Forgotten Realms setting into my campaign by making a portal to the Realms. Take a look at the Planescape setting, it's similar in concept to that idea: planehopping and connecting every DnD campaign world into a single cohesive multiverse. Best designed and best written campaign setting ever. Hands down.
PlaDeDump 11-21-04, 02:14 AM	This is the question that I've had on my mind too. Where and how to start a Forgotten Realms campaign. I'm pretty new to the Realms, I've gotten the FRCS that came out in a box using the 2ndE rules. I've got the 3rdE campaign setting book on my list of things to buy too. To get myself in the mood for the setting, I've been reading RA Salvatore. Starting in Silverymoon sounds like what I'm going to do (or Waterdeep).
greaterbaatezu 11-21-04, 08:46 AM	Personally, I'd suggest that you get to know the realms QUITE abit before you try to DM a campaign there. UNLESS you decide to base it in an area that has never been fully fleshed out. Since you know very little or nothing about the realms, I'd say to avoid all the areas that have had anything to do with the timeline happen in them. Otherwise, you'll end up having a B.S. campaign. In which case you can always stick to homebrew. Do yourself a favor and buy every first and second edition product you can find about the realms, not for use in game, but for background information. These forums are not always a reliable source of information, but they are usually helpful at the very least. Get your hands on every sourcebook you can afford to buy, read every novel (for flavor) you can get your hands on concerning the realms, and NEVER involve the luminaries of the realms (Elminster, Simbul, Szass Taam, etc.) in your campaign unless you know everything there is to know about them (tactics, etc.). Some of these things are the laments of a now seasoned DM, who was easily outwitted by crafty players who knew more than me. The best way to not run a monty haul camp in the realms is to know it. You can't be a stingy jerk there either, because all sorts of goodies are laying about to be had. One more thing... please, please, please, do NOT base your campaign around ANYTHING Salvatore wrote. Good stories, but rules (and sometimes actual facts) are thrown completely out the window with that one.
greaterbaatezu 11-21-04, 08:53 AM	Take a look at the Planescape setting, it's similar in concept to that idea: planehopping and connecting every DnD campaign world into a single cohesive multiverse. Best designed and best written campaign setting ever. Hands down. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! And the whole campaign setting was written off why? Not because it wasn't making money, it sold like hot cakes. So, why again? Notice that most of the newest products that are coming out are written in and for Gayhawk? (r deliberately left out) Nevermind the fact that the forgotten realms are far more enjoyable and popular and sold the best. Wouldn't have anything to do with Gygax having his fingers in the cake mix, would it? Or most of the powers that be are old first edition gamers?
Shemeska the Marauder 11-21-04, 09:37 AM	AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! And the whole campaign setting was written off why? Not because it wasn't making money, it sold like hot cakes. So, why again? It sold well, though not as much as FR for instance, however the cost to print the various PS modules, sourcebooks, and box sets was significantly higher as the PS materials used a different printing scheme and several more ink colors than standard. Thus the profit margin was lower for a given PS book even if it sold as much as a given FR book, etc. Also a few of the 3e designers really hated the setting with a passion. I can't name which ones in specific, but I can name who isn't among that number. Originally for instance the Modrons were left out of the MM because of space issues (confirmed by Monte Cook) and were to have been included in a later book in their full LN glory. However after several folks left WotC (who had been writers of or supporters of the PS material) the folks who produced the later material excluded a good number of Planescape conventions such as the Modrons because 'it wasn't the direction they felt DnD should go in'. Or most of the powers that be are old first edition gamers? I'll grant you that there's an odd and disturbing level of 1e grognard'ery that has popped up in 3e, from the change of Baatezu and Tanar'ri to devil and demon respectfully, the convention change to name Baatezu by the 1e common names, and the renaming of Gehreleths to the 1e 'demodand' name, to others. Of course you can call it nostalgia as well if you prefer, I don't. However I don't think that had much to do with PS being merged back into the main DnD line. It was more some designers personal preferences, the print cost issue for PS, and the fact that it was perceived by WotC to not repeat the mistakes of TSR in that they felt that TSR's publishing of multiple campaign settings at once had diluted and fractionated their fan base. To an extent that's true, however it's funny to see them starting over again with Ebberon now and yet havn't gone back to a few of still heavily liked 2e campaign settings, Planescape at the foremost. (granted PS is still around as the core cosmology and material from the DMG to the MotP to the (largely godawful. Sigil = good. Planar touchstones = idiotic) Planar Handbook. But the atmosphere, tone, and themes of the setting have been abandoned by the current writers, and I personally doubt their ability to recapture it unless they either hire out to the former PS writers or make a serious effort to do so themselves. I just don't see them being willing to do so. Till then, there's always Planewalker (http://www.planewalker.com) .
warlockco 11-21-04, 09:46 AM	Just wished there was more material at Planewalker. Biggest beef I have with PS being dropped, it that FR had fully supported that setting as part of itself. As to DMing in the Realms, study and learn the area that you want to run your campaign in. Western Heartlands, Dalelands, and the North/Silver Marches are where alot of people tend to base their games, especially in the North/Silver Marches area. A few people run campaigns in other areas, Shining South and Unapproachable East are the two other main areas.
thasis 11-21-04, 01:13 PM	Thanks for all the infro guys.