PGtF Campaign Journal [Archive] - Wizards Community

PGtF Campaign Journal [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ender
03-19-04, 10:36 PM I just picked up my copy of the Player's Guide to Faerun. I am generally quite pleased with it, but I have one strong criticism about the Campaign Journal.

One of my favorite things about FR since the grey box was how the world lived; rulers grew old and died, new heroes showed up, wars started and ended. It was great; some of my best campaigns have included, or even revolved around, momentous events going on in the world at large. So naturally I was looking forward to this Campaign Journal feature, thinking it would be something like the old Current Clack sections featuring news and rumors from around the Realms.

Instead, the Campaign Journal focuses almost exclusively on the return of Shade and the silence of Lolth. This is especially disappointing considering the information given was a summary of the published novels rather than ancillary information about its ramifications. This is certainly useful for those that do not read novels, but I would much rather have had information about what is going on in the rest of Faerun.

How is the High Ice melting affecting the climate of the Heartlands? What has Cormyr been up to since the destruction of Tilverton over a year ago? How is Winn Kardzen's plot taking shape in Glarondar? What have Ysvel the Black and the shambling mounds in the Umber Marshes been doing lately? Have the Kir-lanan made any major moves against the godslaves? How is the war between the Circle of Leth and the Rotting Man progressing? How is Amn reacting to the invading Sythillisian Empire? Have the Sons of Hoar made a move on the Simbul? What about the brewing war between Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar? What have the folk of Highmoon done about the Storm King? Has Scyllua claimed her rightful lordship over Scardale? Has the demon of Mintar established a domain in the Border Kingdoms? Is Mulhorand pressing its Untheric conquests? Have any of Miklos Selkirk's schemes proved fruitful? Any developments with the Bane/Cyric conflict in Darkhold? Has there been a Harper schism, or have they repaired the rift? What kind of activities have the Moonstars been involved in? What's Semmemmon doing!?!

Is anyone else disappointed with the way that WotC handled the Campaign Journal? What would you have rather seen?
Kuje31
03-19-04, 11:02 PM Originally posted by ender
How is the High Ice melting affecting the climate of the Heartlands? What has Cormyr been up to since the destruction of Tilverton over a year ago? How is Winn Kardzen's plot taking shape in Glarondar? What have Ysvel the Black and the shambling mounds in the Umber Marshes been doing lately? Have the Kir-lanan made any major moves against the godslaves? How is the war between the Circle of Leth and the Rotting Man progressing? How is Amn reacting to the invading Sythillisian Empire? Have the Sons of Hoar made a move on the Simbul? What about the brewing war between Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar? What have the folk of Highmoon done about the Storm King? Has Scyllua claimed her rightful lordship over Scardale? Has the demon of Mintar established a domain in the Border Kingdoms? Is Mulhorand pressing its Untheric conquests? Have any of Miklos Selkirk's schemes proved fruitful? Any developments with the Bane/Cyric conflict in Darkhold? Has there been a Harper schism, or have they repaired the rift? What kind of activities have the Moonstars been involved in? What's Semmemmon doing!?!

Is anyone else disappointed with the way that WotC handled the Campaign Journal? What would you have rather seen?

I would have loved to see any text on any of the ideas you posted above. I miss the old current clack parts of the sourcebooks, but there are a few rumors as well in the Players Guide but there could have been more, instead of the summary of the two events that are mostly talked about.
Muaythaidaddy
03-20-04, 12:30 AM Actually, I quite liked the Campaign Journal. Since I do not read the paperbacks, it filled in alot of blanks and questions that I had involving Faerun.

I like "current clack" too, but the Campaign Journal was a good addition as well.
WizO_BigSister
03-20-04, 07:26 AM Casts “Teleport without error to correct forum”
Mystery Man
03-20-04, 10:03 AM I love "current clack" and I really liked how they did the campaign journal. But...

All of Enders questions I would prefer to answer myself, in my own campaign.

And really all I'm sayin' is that these are all great questions but some things should be left up to the DM. ;)
Taeleraed_Saahdel
03-22-04, 02:18 PM I'm just happy Player's Guide to Faerun is out. Though I have not yet seen it, as it has yet to reach my local bookstore.
Ramius_Mordale
03-22-04, 03:56 PM Ender I totally agree with you. My fellow rpers and I are just as dissappointed with the timeline events as you. Although it is cool what happened we wanted to know what else was happening in the realms and for the timeline to actually had made it to at the very least Midsummer of 1373, which of course it didn't. WotC is obviously not listening to their customers and what they want. If they can't even advance the timelines faster then allowing novels to do all the foot work. Where are these people that actually sit down and RP out Faerun anymore? Personally, books are fine for somethings but I want the campaign world to actually advance faster so I can actually see my characters become the generation to pass on the torch to the next set of adventurers.

Reason why I want the timeline to advance faster? Because I want to keep my characters in the actual Faerun world not my own different off shoot. Not saying that wouldn't be cool, but I want to keep my characters in the original setting and know the events they might have been apart of instead of having to make up some reason of why they weren't there. But to end my ramble my whole group agrees with you, Ender.

And agree things should be left up to the DM as well but as being a DM myself sometimes its nice to have some rumors and campaign leg work done to free up some more time for myself. Plus it could also spark my creative juices to making my own plots and rumors. Well thats all I have to say about that. ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ender 03-19-04, 10:36 PM	I just picked up my copy of the Player's Guide to Faerun. I am generally quite pleased with it, but I have one strong criticism about the Campaign Journal. One of my favorite things about FR since the grey box was how the world lived; rulers grew old and died, new heroes showed up, wars started and ended. It was great; some of my best campaigns have included, or even revolved around, momentous events going on in the world at large. So naturally I was looking forward to this Campaign Journal feature, thinking it would be something like the old Current Clack sections featuring news and rumors from around the Realms. Instead, the Campaign Journal focuses almost exclusively on the return of Shade and the silence of Lolth. This is especially disappointing considering the information given was a summary of the published novels rather than ancillary information about its ramifications. This is certainly useful for those that do not read novels, but I would much rather have had information about what is going on in the rest of Faerun. How is the High Ice melting affecting the climate of the Heartlands? What has Cormyr been up to since the destruction of Tilverton over a year ago? How is Winn Kardzen's plot taking shape in Glarondar? What have Ysvel the Black and the shambling mounds in the Umber Marshes been doing lately? Have the Kir-lanan made any major moves against the godslaves? How is the war between the Circle of Leth and the Rotting Man progressing? How is Amn reacting to the invading Sythillisian Empire? Have the Sons of Hoar made a move on the Simbul? What about the brewing war between Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar? What have the folk of Highmoon done about the Storm King? Has Scyllua claimed her rightful lordship over Scardale? Has the demon of Mintar established a domain in the Border Kingdoms? Is Mulhorand pressing its Untheric conquests? Have any of Miklos Selkirk's schemes proved fruitful? Any developments with the Bane/Cyric conflict in Darkhold? Has there been a Harper schism, or have they repaired the rift? What kind of activities have the Moonstars been involved in? What's Semmemmon doing!?! Is anyone else disappointed with the way that WotC handled the Campaign Journal? What would you have rather seen?
Kuje31 03-19-04, 11:02 PM	Originally posted by ender How is the High Ice melting affecting the climate of the Heartlands? What has Cormyr been up to since the destruction of Tilverton over a year ago? How is Winn Kardzen's plot taking shape in Glarondar? What have Ysvel the Black and the shambling mounds in the Umber Marshes been doing lately? Have the Kir-lanan made any major moves against the godslaves? How is the war between the Circle of Leth and the Rotting Man progressing? How is Amn reacting to the invading Sythillisian Empire? Have the Sons of Hoar made a move on the Simbul? What about the brewing war between Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar? What have the folk of Highmoon done about the Storm King? Has Scyllua claimed her rightful lordship over Scardale? Has the demon of Mintar established a domain in the Border Kingdoms? Is Mulhorand pressing its Untheric conquests? Have any of Miklos Selkirk's schemes proved fruitful? Any developments with the Bane/Cyric conflict in Darkhold? Has there been a Harper schism, or have they repaired the rift? What kind of activities have the Moonstars been involved in? What's Semmemmon doing!?! Is anyone else disappointed with the way that WotC handled the Campaign Journal? What would you have rather seen? I would have loved to see any text on any of the ideas you posted above. I miss the old current clack parts of the sourcebooks, but there are a few rumors as well in the Players Guide but there could have been more, instead of the summary of the two events that are mostly talked about.
Muaythaidaddy 03-20-04, 12:30 AM	Actually, I quite liked the Campaign Journal. Since I do not read the paperbacks, it filled in alot of blanks and questions that I had involving Faerun. I like "current clack" too, but the Campaign Journal was a good addition as well.
WizO_BigSister 03-20-04, 07:26 AM	Casts “Teleport without error to correct forum”
Mystery Man 03-20-04, 10:03 AM	I love "current clack" and I really liked how they did the campaign journal. But... All of Enders questions I would prefer to answer myself, in my own campaign. And really all I'm sayin' is that these are all great questions but some things should be left up to the DM. ;)
Taeleraed_Saahdel 03-22-04, 02:18 PM	I'm just happy Player's Guide to Faerun is out. Though I have not yet seen it, as it has yet to reach my local bookstore.
Ramius_Mordale 03-22-04, 03:56 PM	Ender I totally agree with you. My fellow rpers and I are just as dissappointed with the timeline events as you. Although it is cool what happened we wanted to know what else was happening in the realms and for the timeline to actually had made it to at the very least Midsummer of 1373, which of course it didn't. WotC is obviously not listening to their customers and what they want. If they can't even advance the timelines faster then allowing novels to do all the foot work. Where are these people that actually sit down and RP out Faerun anymore? Personally, books are fine for somethings but I want the campaign world to actually advance faster so I can actually see my characters become the generation to pass on the torch to the next set of adventurers. Reason why I want the timeline to advance faster? Because I want to keep my characters in the actual Faerun world not my own different off shoot. Not saying that wouldn't be cool, but I want to keep my characters in the original setting and know the events they might have been apart of instead of having to make up some reason of why they weren't there. But to end my ramble my whole group agrees with you, Ender. And agree things should be left up to the DM as well but as being a DM myself sometimes its nice to have some rumors and campaign leg work done to free up some more time for myself. Plus it could also spark my creative juices to making my own plots and rumors. Well thats all I have to say about that. ;)