New Dungeon Master To The Realms Wants To Know Where To Start! [Archive] - Wizards Community

New Dungeon Master To The Realms Wants To Know Where To Start! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
andrew_tails
08-01-06, 02:58 AM Hi! I've always wanted to run a Realms Campaign, but when I picked up the Source Book, I was a little confused... How do I go about adding in villages and minor towns without upsetting the delicate Realms balance. Whare do I go? I've thought of perhaps having this start like my other campaigns where the players make their characters first, but I still feel a little insecure.
Questing GM
08-01-06, 03:09 AM If you are going to put a new village or minor town in your campaign. Chances are that it won't affect any game balance. I agree with having your players create their PCs first since most of the background and setting work has already been done for you in the FRCS... :D
Karsus the Mad
08-01-06, 03:22 AM There's numerous places to add in your own villages, etc. One place that comes to mind is the Western Heartlands. There's hundreds, if not more, unnamed hamlets, minor farming communities that band together for protection, "baronies", holds, etc. It's up to the DM to decide exactly where all these places are and what they're like:)
andrew_tails
08-01-06, 03:37 AM I always enjoyed looking over the Western Heartlands. So is it just asumed that the DM will place his own vilages,dungeons, etc. into the game.
dragonfriend
08-01-06, 11:42 AM You can also use Elventree as a base for your group and run the Mysteries of the Moonsea adventure path. A good way to start in the Realms.
wesleytj
08-01-06, 10:00 PM indeed, the moonsea area was in fact my first exposure to the realms, albeit in the form of a computer game. the city of phlan was featured in the original "pool of radiance" game. to give you an idea of how long ago that was, the game was on my Commodore 64c and required 6 floppy discs to run. The old 5.25 inch disks that were really floppy.

Wow that's taking me back...when would that have been...'86 or so? Wow 20 years :weep:
Tobus Neth
08-02-06, 01:03 AM I always enjoyed looking over the Western Heartlands. So is it just asumed that the DM will place his own vilages,dungeons, etc. into the game.

Yeah you could; But Why not start in the Silver Marches in the North; Best source Book ever, many locations to choose from and the book details a few of the towns and cities as well as villages(Deadsnows is a great place to start and the Silvermarches source book has several adventures in it based around Deadsnows.
Faraer
08-02-06, 06:58 AM There are hamlets unmentioned in published Realmslore in every settled region; just use common sense in where they're located (on trade routes, near natural resources, etc.). But using one of the many detailed ones (see the Volo's Guides) might be better until you get the hang of the setting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
andrew_tails 08-01-06, 02:58 AM	Hi! I've always wanted to run a Realms Campaign, but when I picked up the Source Book, I was a little confused... How do I go about adding in villages and minor towns without upsetting the delicate Realms balance. Whare do I go? I've thought of perhaps having this start like my other campaigns where the players make their characters first, but I still feel a little insecure.
Questing GM 08-01-06, 03:09 AM	If you are going to put a new village or minor town in your campaign. Chances are that it won't affect any game balance. I agree with having your players create their PCs first since most of the background and setting work has already been done for you in the FRCS... :D
Karsus the Mad 08-01-06, 03:22 AM	There's numerous places to add in your own villages, etc. One place that comes to mind is the Western Heartlands. There's hundreds, if not more, unnamed hamlets, minor farming communities that band together for protection, "baronies", holds, etc. It's up to the DM to decide exactly where all these places are and what they're like:)
andrew_tails 08-01-06, 03:37 AM	I always enjoyed looking over the Western Heartlands. So is it just asumed that the DM will place his own vilages,dungeons, etc. into the game.
dragonfriend 08-01-06, 11:42 AM	You can also use Elventree as a base for your group and run the Mysteries of the Moonsea adventure path. A good way to start in the Realms.
wesleytj 08-01-06, 10:00 PM	indeed, the moonsea area was in fact my first exposure to the realms, albeit in the form of a computer game. the city of phlan was featured in the original "pool of radiance" game. to give you an idea of how long ago that was, the game was on my Commodore 64c and required 6 floppy discs to run. The old 5.25 inch disks that were really floppy. Wow that's taking me back...when would that have been...'86 or so? Wow 20 years :weep:
Tobus Neth 08-02-06, 01:03 AM	I always enjoyed looking over the Western Heartlands. So is it just asumed that the DM will place his own vilages,dungeons, etc. into the game. Yeah you could; But Why not start in the Silver Marches in the North; Best source Book ever, many locations to choose from and the book details a few of the towns and cities as well as villages(Deadsnows is a great place to start and the Silvermarches source book has several adventures in it based around Deadsnows.
Faraer 08-02-06, 06:58 AM	There are hamlets unmentioned in published Realmslore in every settled region; just use common sense in where they're located (on trade routes, near natural resources, etc.). But using one of the many detailed ones (see the Volo's Guides) might be better until you get the hang of the setting.