Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Balafre 06-26-07, 02:36 PM	ok I need some help now I started a new campaign with some people who NEVER played D&D or even read novels about Forgotten Realms the only one who had experience in RPG was someone who played Rifts the group is Human Ranger Human Wizard (necromancer) Half elf Cleric of Mystra HAlf elf Fighter so I choosed the Dalelands as the starting place because the Dalelands are a good setting for low levels characters my game started 3 weeks before Shieldmeet 1372 basically what I need to know is what are the players supposed to know about the Realms are they supposed to know about almost everything?!?!? I mean, this question could be asked about every settings wether it is Dalelands, Waterdeep, Silver Marches or Calimshan what are the players supposed to know about the place/history/people in place/organizations etc Thanks a lot
Faraer 06-26-07, 08:42 PM	ok I need some help now I started a new campaign with some people who NEVER played D&D or even read novels about Forgotten RealmsWonderful opportunity! You get to show a group of unprejudiced people what roleplaying is and what the Realms are. Use the responsibility wisely!basically what I need to know is what are the players supposed to know about the Realms are they supposed to know about almost everything?!?!?No -- the Realms is far more local than our modern earth. Place: They know lots and lots about the town or village where they grew up, more than is published in any book. A lot about the cultural assumptions of the region, and something of its major geographical and political details, though perhaps only by repute unless they're far-travelled. Only basic, often distorted fragments about the wider Realms. History: Dragons ruled the Realms long, long ago. The first Dalesmen came from across the Sea of Fallen Stars and settled the edges of the Elven Woods, making a compact with the elves sealed at the Standing Stone. The great multiracial city of Myth Drannor flourished, fell. The elves Retreated, came back. XX founded your Dale. YY is a recent beloved lord. ZZ tried to take over the dale 3 years ago, but was foiled by adventurers; the harvest was bad the year before. That kind of amount. People: Your PCs know about nearby rulers, and a lot of other locally known people that you can't detail in advance. They know who King Azoun is/was. Otherwise don't bother with 'famous people'. Organizations: They know, and fear, the Zhentarim and the Cult of the Dragon. They've heard of the Harpers, and of Thay. Beyond that, local groups matter more to them than the other widespread ones. It's more important that you have a coherent idea of what the characters know than that the players know it: a lot can be picked up over time, but a basic grounding is a good idea. You could prepare photocopies for them -- make them as short as possible -- and/or have one-on-one discussions with each player about what they know and, as importantly, how they're likely to think. The cleric player should read the Mystra writeup in Faiths and Pantheons or Faiths & Avatars.
Alac Luin 06-26-07, 10:47 PM	I would consider asking them to download "Volo's Guide to the Dalelands" And skim read it, at least. This would give enough overview of the area as for what a local might know. This book is available for free on this page... http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads it is only asking them an investment in time. Faraer's suggestion is the better route, it will make it easier on new players, but it never hurts to ask. One of them may be excited and may actually do it :)
Tseramed 06-26-07, 11:06 PM	I had the same thing going on with my players in my current campaign. We now have been playing for well over a year and it's been great, they learned about the realms a lot. Sometime after the beggining of the campaign I made them what I call a "brain". Basicly it's a Duo Tang with their character sheets, lots of loose sheets, and a little booklet I made about important stuff in the realms. Important people ( not all of course), Geography related to the kingdom they where in ( Cormyr), surrounding kingdoms, a bit of history, the recent years, forms of address, local currency etc. This was all in there. Of course I only put the things I thought their PCs should know about. Afterall not everybody should know about Manshoon's clones, or the Zulkir's of Thay. When they are looking for something that isn't in there, I ask them to make a knowledge check. I determine if the player made it with is home region etc... The booklet was 4 pages long but was worth it. After that, I made an individual sheet with information only their individual PCs knew about. Things like their mentor, important people in their home town / kingdom, some rumors more interessing to them etc. The great thing about that booklet is that it gave Roleplay a good boost. I thought my players where pretty good at roleplay but that booklet improved it even more. Of course, it might take time but the preparation is well worth it. Hope this helps. ciao
MerrikCale 06-26-07, 11:09 PM	All I can say is Alac Luin and Faraer are right on the money. And have fun.
Faraer 06-27-07, 01:53 AM	One of them may be excited and may actually do it :)On the one hand, reading VGD could spoil a lot of mysteries in the other dales. On the other, if you find a player willing to read a whole sourcebook, I'd make the most of it and work that wider knowledge into their character. One more suggestion: don't show them maps of Faerūn at first. Non-city-educated Faerūnians mostly haven't seen such maps, so showing them to players can potentially make the world seem smaller and give them a false and out-of-character sense of global knowledge. Make the Realms seem mysterious and wide!
Balafre 06-27-07, 10:29 AM	One more suggestion: don't show them maps of Faerūn at first. Non-city-educated Faerūnians mostly haven't seen such maps, so showing them to players can potentially make the world seem smaller and give them a false and out-of-character sense of global knowledge. Make the Realms seem mysterious and wide! :D :D It's a mistake I've done in the beginning because I showed them the map in the FRCS and they were like, ah ok I'll go to this place esae up (Dalelands to Luiren) and it was quite funny to explain to them how long it would take them to get there Thanks a lot guys, your explanations were very explicit, I realized I will have a lot of job to do to gather all the informations :D Another question while were here what about the monsters, should they know about every monster that could dwell in that area? because if the ranger had to select a favorite ennemy, he had to know about it right? So what about other players? and for the organizations, like they fear the Zentharim, does that mean that they would know the identity of Fzoul or Manshoom or Scullya? And everybody should know about Elminster and the Chosens I guess???? Thanks again EDIT I'm asking all that because inb the Player's Guide to Faerun, you have acces to some knowledge like the Shades for example so a guess that my group should know about it?
Bluenose 06-27-07, 10:51 AM	:D :D It's a mistake I've done in the beginning because I showed them the map in the FRCS and they were like, ah ok I'll go to this place esae up (Dalelands to Luiren) and it was quite funny to explain to them how long it would take them to get there Thanks a lot guys, your explanations were very explicit, I realized I will have a lot of job to do to gather all the informations :D Another question while were here what about the monsters, should they know about every monster that could dwell in that area? Not every one, certainly. They should have some idea of what the most common dangerous creatures in the area are, and likely some of the less common ones, and they should hear rumours about the most dangerous. It's probably plausible though for them to have some errors in what they know. That wyvern could easily be confused with a full dragon, the ogre might be taken for a giant, that sort of thing. because if the ranger had to select a favorite ennemy, he had to know about it right? So what about other players? It depends on what they are. A cleric would probably know about the main types of undead, a warrior type something about humanoid enemies, etc. If they want to know more than the basics they should take ranks in relevant Knowledge skills. and for the organizations, like they fear the Zentharim, does that mean that they would know the identity of Fzoul or Manshoom or Scullya? I would say they'd know the names, and roughly what they do. Manshoon is the might wizard, Fzoul the priest, etc. Unlike some of the other posters I think they would have more information about the wider world. The further off it is the more distorted that information might be - Thay is a land where everyone is a wizard - but "tales from far away" would be a favourite form of entertainment for rural villagers. Travelling bards and pedlars would probably be the source of most of this, so make it to be slanted and unreliable. And everybody should know about Elminster and the Chosens I guess???? Elminster yes, at least in the Dales. But my understanding is that the Chosen are not as well known as it seems they should be, and many of their actions are either carried out secretly or are regarded as legendary/apocryphal.
Faraer 06-27-07, 11:06 AM	what about the monsters, should they know about every monster that could dwell in that area?They will have some knowledge of common menaces like wolves, bandits, stirges, trolls, gnolls, giant animals. Heard of and know in folklore dozens more, but not in accurate detail. Yes, the ranger will know a lot more than characters who haven't often stepped into the deep woods.and for the organizations, like they fear the Zentharim, does that mean that they would know the identity of Fzoul or Manshoom or Scullya?A native of Shadowdale would know Manshoon and Fzoul, of Tasseldale, less likely. Scyllua more doubtful all round.And everybody should know about Elminster and the Chosens I guess????They will probably know of Elminster, as a sage and defender of Shadowdale, and Storm as an adventuress and friend of common folk. The others, much less likely. The concept of 'Chosen of Mystra' isn't common knowledge, though the cleric and the wizard might have an idea.I'm asking all that because inb the Player's Guide to Faerun, you have acces to some knowledge like the Shades for example so a guess that my group should know about it?Not just because it's in the book, since it isn't really a player's guide. They may have heard of the Shades, but I'd say chances are against it, since the big action involving them (Return of the Archwizards trilogy) happened far away.