Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Blackheart 12-19-05, 11:14 AM	Yeah, you read that correctly...the future. All the way up to Flamerule 1, 1394. You see, a couple of years ago, I started running a game that came to an end just last year when my game group effectively split. Earlier this year, I started up a campaign tied to that original (as a nod to those players who were there the first time around) in having old pcs set as NPCs and a few other minor changes. The game started in Thesk and has since moved to Thay, but I've not really set much down as far as the shape of the Realms as they stand 20 years in the future, which is why I'm posting this. I've established that free Unther is no more, having fallen in 1378 to Thayan forces. Cormanthor now hosts an elven nation called Enialani Deshu (Final Beauty, meaning the last preserved foresthome of the elves) which welcomes all folk of elven blood, including surface drow and fey'ri. (I took liberties here after reading the first book of the Last Mythal trilogy.) I've also established that Lantan is now known as The Illuminated Technocracy of Gondar (named after Gond, not the Tolkien location), and that these progressive rock gnomes and humans have created the first war machines (warforged) in 1391. I'm looking for any and all suggestions of events, both big and small, that I might pepper the gazetteer I'm working on with. I greatly appreciate anyone who posts on this thread, and a huge thank you in advance. I ask that posts be somewhat serious, as the tone of the game leans more toward somber than slapstick, but comedy isn't an immediate disqualification from my work. Cheers.
Lord Karsus 12-20-05, 02:00 AM	Yeah, you read that correctly...the future. All the way up to Flamerule 1, 1394. You see, a couple of years ago, I started running a game that came to an end just last year when my game group effectively split. Earlier this year, I started up a campaign tied to that original (as a nod to those players who were there the first time around) in having old pcs set as NPCs and a few other minor changes. The game started in Thesk and has since moved to Thay, but I've not really set much down as far as the shape of the Realms as they stand 20 years in the future, which is why I'm posting this. I've established that free Unther is no more, having fallen in 1378 to Thayan forces. Cormanthor now hosts an elven nation called Enialani Deshu (Final Beauty, meaning the last preserved foresthome of the elves) which welcomes all folk of elven blood, including surface drow and fey'ri. (I took liberties here after reading the first book of the Last Mythal trilogy.) I've also established that Lantan is now known as The Illuminated Technocracy of Gondar (named after Gond, not the Tolkien location), and that these progressive rock gnomes and humans have created the first war machines (warforged) in 1391. I'm looking for any and all suggestions of events, both big and small, that I might pepper the gazetteer I'm working on with. I greatly appreciate anyone who posts on this thread, and a huge thank you in advance. I ask that posts be somewhat serious, as the tone of the game leans more toward somber than slapstick, but comedy isn't an immediate disqualification from my work. Cheers. Just interested- "Enialani Deshu". Where'd you get that from? Made it up completely, or do you have canon to back up the meanings of these words. If you do have canon, please tell me where you got it from.
Blackheart 12-20-05, 05:41 AM	I didn't make it up, actually, but the translation is loose. Offer up some help and I'll give you the source? Seems like a fair trade to me...
Lord Karsus 12-20-05, 08:57 AM	I didn't make it up, actually, but the translation is loose. Offer up some help and I'll give you the source? Seems like a fair trade to me... Ah, you drive a hard bargain. : Diplomacy Check= 19 : Alright, so you've got my services. Well, one thing that you could do is have Prince Azoun V assume the throne. He was born about 1371 DR, so by 1391, he should be old enough to assume the mantle of King of Cormyr. And, I support anything to advance the schemings of the Shadovar. Perhaps sometime in the future, they will resume their quest to recreate Netheril.
Blackheart 12-20-05, 07:27 PM	A deal is a deal... Dragon Magazine #279, pp 56-59 "An Elven Lexicon" The roots are more Tolkien-esque, for instance "kesir" instead of "quesir" for "people" Hope you find the article and find it useful. I've used the information on more than one occasion. I'm still throwing around the machinations of the Shadovar, but Azoun V had escaped my memory entirely. I appreciate that.
Lord Karsus 12-20-05, 10:51 PM	A deal is a deal... Dragon Magazine #279, pp 56-59 "An Elven Lexicon" The roots are more Tolkien-esque, for instance "kesir" instead of "quesir" for "people" Hope you find the article and find it useful. I've used the information on more than one occasion. I'm still throwing around the machinations of the Shadovar, but Azoun V had escaped my memory entirely. I appreciate that. -Alright, thanks. Yeah, I completely forgot about little Azoun V until I started thinking about things that would happen in the future. For as important as that little tyke is, we sure don't hear much about him (even though he still is a young child).
MarinMegara 12-21-05, 02:50 AM	Since the Shadovars had established a base in Anauroch they may have already consolidated their power base and struck some bargains with the surrounding powers(e.g. banites). Their borders with the nations of the heartlands such as cormyr may have stabilized. That is unless no war is progressing. Maybe Cormyr, Turmish, the dales and Sembia may have formed a very loose union in order to check the powers of the shadovars or maybe not. (Heh it's the future!)
Zsych 12-21-05, 05:14 AM	I think that as relates to the Shadow-var, their future depends on whether they are going to play the game offensively or defensively. They've been fighting the horrors of the Shadow-plane for millenia, but they might realize that Toril is different. So, they might take a Thay like route, and not make more enemies. So there would be no anti-Shadow-var alliance. Of course, they could be biding their time, till they have enough power to be reasonably sure of victory, over the various opposing forces, and people like Mystra's chosen. If one of Telamont's sons, raises his own enclave, that'd be a good step towards the resurrection of Netheril. His sons may or may not choose to keep the enclaves within range of Anauroch(staying there means having to trade for everything, with the outside world, it being such a barren place). ... Wonder if they grow their own food on Shade Enclave. You could also have greater drow activity on the surface, now that their magic can be freely used(the whole Liriel Baenre arc). The beginnings of a kingdom ruled by Drow males, may be interesting. Lolth might also have decided to focus on claiming the surface, so you might have more skirmishes with the drow. New magical developments by any of the good or evil groups might be changing things. Maybe flying carts of some sort, allowing easier trade(built on a similar principle to Netheril's enclaves perhaps?), would be making places like Silverymoon, or Cormyr richer in trade. In fact, the creation of sellable Shadow-weave items could be leading to a greater number of wizards using the shadow-weave(after all, what made Netheril cool, was the easier lives they had, by use of their magic... but most of that depended on the use of mythallar) A grounded city with a mythallar, and quasi-magical(probably equal to permanent/automatically recharged magical items, while inside the mythallar's influence)... might have great defensive abilities. 20 or so years in the future, i'd expect no more than one such city to have come into existence. ... Maybe something like one grounded Netheril style city, and one or two more enclaves apart from Shade. Whether the Shades' search for old magic and artifacts has borne fruit is hard to say. If the Shades gain access to Halruaa, and possibly an alliance with Larloch(and through him Thay), or Aumvor the Undying may have opened up paths for them. Personally, i think that there should be the possibility of good or neutral wizards raising enclaves too, but i wouldn't expect it to happen, unless Mystra decides to intervene. Shar's growing influence through the Shades, may lead to Mystra having to take a hand, and thus starting a cold-war of sorts between the two sides. Of course, if magic users start growing much stronger, other gods must also intervene to protect their followers, lest they become out-dated. Although, i'd keep it limited, you could even have troubles with druids(supported by Harpers perhaps), if someone suddenly had a large need for wood. Maybe an earthquake or two, destroying cities could create such a need, for rebuilding(at the cost of animals) Most likely some gods wouldn't approve of the (humans > animals) POV :) The situation in the Alabaster staff, where a god was resurrected as a super powerful and controllable higher-undead just came to my mind, but i'm not sure that's much more interesting than the appearance of any powerful artifact. In the hands of a supposedly good person, instead of evil though, a controllable god, enforcing that person's concept of goodness might be intriguing. Hmm... not too many more ideas immediately occuring... The Shades using portals for inter-plane trade, and getting ahead in commerce that way, might be interesting. I'm sure that some of the things on those good oriented outer-planes must make decent food to be sold, or you could get superior qualities of wood..... After all, it was Lord Shade, who started the study of the other planes.
Blackheart 12-21-05, 05:31 AM	Hmm...interesting ideas you two. Zsych, that's more than I intended any one person to contribute, but it is greatly appreciated. Even though 20 years is quite a gap, I'd still like to keep the Shadovar as shadowy antagonists (pun intended). Where their power has most definitely grown, but not readily apparent. The compact that MarinMegara mentioned might be a hastily thrown together pact in the light of nothing but fear driving it forward...maybe even suggested by the young, and unproven, Azoun V? I really appreciate you guys helping me brainstorm and look forward to more comments. I'll keep you posted on more as I make it 'canon' for my game.
Zsych 12-21-05, 03:07 PM	Most of what i was suggesting is what i personally expect should happen, at least with the Shadowvar. For lower level characters, they'd only be rumors or vague tidings of impending trouble. - Anyway, a simpler approach, to make the world they see different, but mostly the same... Hmmm... the Shades entering trade of magical items, means that magical items could have become cheaper... There presence could also lead to the presence of additional shadowy creatures(so that encounters aren't overly changed... except that these odd creatures can't be everywhere). A place that the PCs had often visited could be on the brink of war, or maybe one of the well intending kings has found himself in debt to people like the Zhents... Thus the PCs countries would be different from what they remember. Rumors of trouble with gods, and whispers of something akin to the Time of Troubles might be useful, even if such events don't actually happened for years(not that you can't weave better stories than this :) ) Mainly i think, the world's state will depend on the next 8-10 quests you intend to have, and how different you want them to be. ... Since your former PCs are now NPCs, a chance to time travel and kick their butts, or just to otherwise meet them, might be amusing at some point(derived from an idea i was having about planar travel... really depends on the level of your characters) - Further ideas... Khelben Blackstaff's problems with Mystra(i remember, he gave up being one of the Chosen), might have been caused by some power or the other. A proper rebellion against Midnight's control of the weave, and her having the right to be goddess of magic at all, would be far more amusing(not that anyone's likely to do that :) ) Unknowing or forced service to some evil is always interesting... though that evil would have to have a reason to find your group of PCs interesting enough to want to use them. If your PCs have a prophesized future(that they don't really know about), someone who does, might find it amusing to play with them now.
HVulpes 12-21-05, 06:31 PM	I don't remember Khelban giving up his Choosen status. Where is that from? I think if he gave that up he might be dead. Plus it doesn't show like someone who's name cames from the saying "The one whom duty and magic define". I can see some embrasment if his Moonstar plans fails. Perhaps some groveling with the harpers. But I can see him give up his duty to one of his personal patrons. Also with the Faerun Maztica settlements... I can see someone in the twenty years of time thinking of trying a portal from Maztica to Faerun. (All it takes is a spellcaster with the Craft Wonderous Item feat). Most likely the New Waterdeep settlement with an alliance with the Flaming Fists company from Balder's Gate. They had close ties with last check, plus Waterdeep and Balder's Gate is more wizard friendly. New Amn is less friendly to that class. Of course, such an item might cause chaos between the two groups (Amn and a possible Deep/Gate alliance). Depending on the trouble with the home countries and allainces at home, the victor is up in the air. What do you think?
Jozell 12-21-05, 08:05 PM	Then there is the stuff going on in the Spine of the World. King Obould could have solidated his power base and started an Orc Country. King Burenor could have moved him and the other dwarves to thier ancient homeland and become king of a giant dwarven nation. These are some of my ideas.
Lord Karsus 12-21-05, 11:05 PM	I don't remember Khelban giving up his Choosen status. Where is that from? I think if he gave that up he might be dead. Plus it doesn't show like someone who's name cames from the saying "The one whom duty and magic define". I can see some embrasment if his Moonstar plans fails. Perhaps some groveling with the harpers. But I can see him give up his duty to one of his personal patrons. -Didn't Khelben renounce himself as being one of the Masked Lords of Waterdeep? I think I read that somewhere...(Silver Shadows, or Thornhold, maybe...)
Zsych 12-22-05, 03:02 PM	Hmmm.... it's entirely possible that my knowledge of FR, is getting mixed up, between what's in the source books, and what's elsewhere. I recall from the 7 sisters novel, that Midnight was unsatisfied with some of the previous Mystra's chosen and had possibly kicked them out... but that she was really pleased with the 7 sisters and loved seeing them work together. Khelben no doubt doesn't fall in the category that deserves a booting.. they were likely unnamed chosen. Still... rebellion by the Chosen of Mystra would be most satisfying. Especially considering even that Mystra likely can't remove the part of herself that's locked inside the Chosen, without permission from them(even if they can't really use it to any great degree).. or so i gathered from the Avatar books. She could probably just have them killed though :) As future events in FR, that would definitely be an interesting situation. Wonder who a rebel chosen would join, to survive(probably good or neutral people except in extreme circumstances)... or they could go off-world(that wouldn't be as interesting, unless he/she was coming back for vengeance later.. maybe not even then) Hmm... the previous Mystra seemed to be fairly prepared for what happened to her. She had contingencies planned in case she died... What if Midnight's behavior falls outside the controls she might've set? Maybe those backup parts of Mystra would try to raise someone else as god of magic. This is where i suggest Karsus' resurrection :) ... just joking. If Karsus is ever freed from his time-loop or whatever, it's not an issue that falls into a direct extrapolation of current events to 20 years later. I doubt that the Shades could do it, even if they still had the Karse-stone... unless Shar takes a liking to him.
Blackheart 12-25-05, 03:24 AM	Over the course of my writing this timeline, I've found year names up to 1380. Does anyone know canonized Roll of Years names past that year? It would be a great help. Also, does anyone know the Roll name for the year 1219 DR?
Kuje31 12-25-05, 12:19 PM	Over the course of my writing this timeline, I've found year names up to 1380. Does anyone know canonized Roll of Years names past that year? It would be a great help. Also, does anyone know the Roll name for the year 1219 DR? http://www.candlekeep.com/downloads/roll_of_years.zip
Blackheart 12-26-05, 05:05 AM	Ah, thanks, Kuje. I appreciate that. Almost done with the timeline...I'm hoping I can meet my Wednesday (game day) deadline for it, and I'll probably post it on here if anyone would care to see. I appreciate everyone's contributions to this work, and look forward to any that might still come. Thank you again.
Kuje31 12-26-05, 01:19 PM	Ah, thanks, Kuje. I appreciate that. Almost done with the timeline...I'm hoping I can meet my Wednesday (game day) deadline for it, and I'll probably post it on here if anyone would care to see. I appreciate everyone's contributions to this work, and look forward to any that might still come. Thank you again. No problem. :) I live to serve, and argue (when it comes to that point!). :P
Aulnil 12-26-05, 03:20 PM	I'm sorry this is somewhat off topic, but which of Telamont's sons survived the Return of the Shade (sorry can't remember the name of the series specifically)? And as a speculative suggestion, following through with Fzoul's plans, backed by Xvim/Bane to become the Tyrant of the Moonsea. Did he finally openly or covertly gain control of Phlan, Thentia and Melvaunt? Mulmaster at my last recollection was under Zhenatarim control, but Hilsfar was still strongly independent, backed by secret trade negotiations with Sembia. What happens to those smaller settlements with elven ties, now that The Retreat is over? If Fzoul does gain control of the Moonsea, where might he turn his attention to next?