Trustworthy FR lore [Archive] - Wizards Community

Trustworthy FR lore [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
LadyM
03-12-06, 02:09 PM I've been playing some computer games situated in Fearun (like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Night) and I'm now busy to read all those short-stories you can find in bookcases all over the place. But now I was wondering: Is this information any good?
I've been reading a novel about Ravens Bluff, but that's a whole other section of Fearun, so I have nothing to compare this knowledge with.

To really learn the lands of Toril, should I even read all those novels, or is it enough to just stick to the sourcebooks? My english is not too bad and I have been reading some novels, but truth been said, I rather stick with books in my own language (dutch) and there isn't much translated. And it may sound strange, but sourcebooks read better than novels in a foreign language.
Dark Wizard
03-12-06, 03:58 PM After reading some of the passages in the BG and NWN games and then looking at sourcebooks, or vice versa, I recalled that many were the same, word for word duplicates. So for the most part the information in those games represents the history and flavor of the Forgotten Realms accurately. There are a few things that are not as accurate, first that comes to mind is the Creator Race lore in NWN. The game was made before the Serpent Kingdoms book, so things might have changed. The best bet would be to read the sourcebooks for information.

The novels are just that, novels, an author's interpretation of the setting using characters they created (often with input from the editors and company). They provide a more indepth look at specific events that have occured in Forgotten Realms.
dragonheart
03-12-06, 04:30 PM official cannon includes: all the source books, the novels, most of the electronic games and anything said by Ed greenwood that has not been changed by WotC. Semi official materials include most of waht is posted at Candlekeep and the comments by the different writers found here and at candlekeep (especially Eric Boyd's stuff).
THat said you could run and play a great campaign without ever having read any of the novels and just using the sourcebooks and older 2e free material.
EytanBernstein
03-12-06, 08:58 PM As far as I'm aware, what makes realmslore official is if it has been published by TSR or Wizards of the Coast in the form of a novel, short story, comic book, RPG supplement, or wizards.com website entry (ie Wyrms of the North or Ed's realmslore pieces). Candlekeep material is excellent when there are areas that need expansion, but isn't technically official. Also, the material in the video games is not treated as official (or at least wasn't during the recent FR supplement I worked on).

The supplements to to more clearly outline areas because the material is generally condensed into one section. While The Alabaster Staff is greater for Unther info and Azure Bonds is great for Westgate, you have to read the whole thing to get a sense of the area. In Unapproachable East, you can just read the section on Aglarond if that's what you need.
Old Sage
03-12-06, 11:20 PM Candlekeep material is excellent when there are areas that need expansion, but isn't technically official.Ed has told us that his lore replies ARE in fact official canon unless they have been overwritten in future FR source material.

Also, the material in the video games is not treated as official (or at least wasn't during the recent FR supplement I worked on).Some of the lore for Baldur's Gate II was invented for much of that game, and thus did not appear in the Realmslore up to that time.

However, we know Ed wrote a lot of the lore for these CRPGs too, so I think it's a fair assumption to say that some of what exists in the CRPGs existed in some way, shape, or form among Ed's many thousands of pages of notes for his "home" Realms campaign -- but not in the official Realmslore -- the lore we read that is published in sourcebooks. Thus, it is entirely likely that Ed either wrote it for inclusion in the game itself, or had it sitting around and thought it would make a nice addition to the background elements of the CRPG.
EytanBernstein
03-13-06, 04:21 AM Ed has told us that his lore replies ARE in fact official canon unless they have been overwritten in future FR source material.

Some of the lore for Baldur's Gate II was invented for much of that game, and thus did not appear in the Realmslore up to that time.

However, we know Ed wrote a lot of the lore for these CRPGs too, so I think it's a fair assumption to say that some of what exists in the CRPGs existed in some way, shape, or form among Ed's many thousands of pages of notes for his "home" Realms campaign -- but not in the official Realmslore -- the lore we read that is published in sourcebooks. Thus, it is entirely likely that Ed either wrote it for inclusion in the game itself, or had it sitting around and thought it would make a nice addition to the background elements of the CRPG.

What Ed says is official. The only thing I'm referring to on candlekeep that is not official are the other materials (which by the way, are frequent filled with great bits of inspiration for us designers). On other other hand, many people out there might derive just as much benefit from reading Candlekeep material as reading the latest sourcebook. The only significant distinction is whether or not something is copyrighted by WOTC.

As for computer games, there is a lot that must be done to make a game work. I'm sure Ed and other designers have had a lot of influence over them. I did actually make a monster somewhat related to something in one of the computer games (well I made it, then found out that there was something similar, and used it to verify that what I did made sense). So I guess it is all one big community in a sense.
Krash
03-13-06, 07:17 AM My understanding re the computer games was that for the most part, people/places were 'canon' but the events were not, unless they were showcased in a novel. Hence the stuff in NWN in terms of plot isn't 'official' but some of the people/places may very well be.

-- George Krashos
Old Sage
03-13-06, 08:33 AM My understanding re the computer games was that for the most part, people/places were 'canon' but the events were not, unless they were showcased in a novel.And sourcebooks... like the Bhaalspawn. And we've already got both Ed's and Rich's affirmation on those too ;).
Lord Karsus
03-13-06, 09:18 AM My understanding re the computer games was that for the most part, people/places were 'canon' but the events were not, unless they were showcased in a novel. Hence the stuff in NWN in terms of plot isn't 'official' but some of the people/places may very well be.

-- George Krashos

-Yeah, if you look at, say a 2e sourcebook that deals with Neverwinter (like The North, many, if not all of the characters in the game are actual NPCs in the sourcebook.
LadyM
03-15-06, 02:05 PM Thank you for your answers. For now I have let go of all the scattered information and bought the big Sourcebook "Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting", although I must admit I found the information from that book and "Player's Guide to Faerun" contain a lot of the same information, so I just went and bought the thickest.
When I have more questions, I hope you don't mind me asking you.
BrianCritchley
03-16-06, 12:13 AM I've always treated the video games as "conditionally canon" basicly I accept em but understand that the games to makes things "fun" may have embellished certin details.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
LadyM 03-12-06, 02:09 PM	I've been playing some computer games situated in Fearun (like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Night) and I'm now busy to read all those short-stories you can find in bookcases all over the place. But now I was wondering: Is this information any good? I've been reading a novel about Ravens Bluff, but that's a whole other section of Fearun, so I have nothing to compare this knowledge with. To really learn the lands of Toril, should I even read all those novels, or is it enough to just stick to the sourcebooks? My english is not too bad and I have been reading some novels, but truth been said, I rather stick with books in my own language (dutch) and there isn't much translated. And it may sound strange, but sourcebooks read better than novels in a foreign language.
Dark Wizard 03-12-06, 03:58 PM	After reading some of the passages in the BG and NWN games and then looking at sourcebooks, or vice versa, I recalled that many were the same, word for word duplicates. So for the most part the information in those games represents the history and flavor of the Forgotten Realms accurately. There are a few things that are not as accurate, first that comes to mind is the Creator Race lore in NWN. The game was made before the Serpent Kingdoms book, so things might have changed. The best bet would be to read the sourcebooks for information. The novels are just that, novels, an author's interpretation of the setting using characters they created (often with input from the editors and company). They provide a more indepth look at specific events that have occured in Forgotten Realms.
dragonheart 03-12-06, 04:30 PM	official cannon includes: all the source books, the novels, most of the electronic games and anything said by Ed greenwood that has not been changed by WotC. Semi official materials include most of waht is posted at Candlekeep and the comments by the different writers found here and at candlekeep (especially Eric Boyd's stuff). THat said you could run and play a great campaign without ever having read any of the novels and just using the sourcebooks and older 2e free material.
EytanBernstein 03-12-06, 08:58 PM	As far as I'm aware, what makes realmslore official is if it has been published by TSR or Wizards of the Coast in the form of a novel, short story, comic book, RPG supplement, or wizards.com website entry (ie Wyrms of the North or Ed's realmslore pieces). Candlekeep material is excellent when there are areas that need expansion, but isn't technically official. Also, the material in the video games is not treated as official (or at least wasn't during the recent FR supplement I worked on). The supplements to to more clearly outline areas because the material is generally condensed into one section. While The Alabaster Staff is greater for Unther info and Azure Bonds is great for Westgate, you have to read the whole thing to get a sense of the area. In Unapproachable East, you can just read the section on Aglarond if that's what you need.
Old Sage 03-12-06, 11:20 PM	Candlekeep material is excellent when there are areas that need expansion, but isn't technically official.Ed has told us that his lore replies ARE in fact official canon unless they have been overwritten in future FR source material. Also, the material in the video games is not treated as official (or at least wasn't during the recent FR supplement I worked on).Some of the lore for Baldur's Gate II was invented for much of that game, and thus did not appear in the Realmslore up to that time. However, we know Ed wrote a lot of the lore for these CRPGs too, so I think it's a fair assumption to say that some of what exists in the CRPGs existed in some way, shape, or form among Ed's many thousands of pages of notes for his "home" Realms campaign -- but not in the official Realmslore -- the lore we read that is published in sourcebooks. Thus, it is entirely likely that Ed either wrote it for inclusion in the game itself, or had it sitting around and thought it would make a nice addition to the background elements of the CRPG.
EytanBernstein 03-13-06, 04:21 AM	Ed has told us that his lore replies ARE in fact official canon unless they have been overwritten in future FR source material. Some of the lore for Baldur's Gate II was invented for much of that game, and thus did not appear in the Realmslore up to that time. However, we know Ed wrote a lot of the lore for these CRPGs too, so I think it's a fair assumption to say that some of what exists in the CRPGs existed in some way, shape, or form among Ed's many thousands of pages of notes for his "home" Realms campaign -- but not in the official Realmslore -- the lore we read that is published in sourcebooks. Thus, it is entirely likely that Ed either wrote it for inclusion in the game itself, or had it sitting around and thought it would make a nice addition to the background elements of the CRPG. What Ed says is official. The only thing I'm referring to on candlekeep that is not official are the other materials (which by the way, are frequent filled with great bits of inspiration for us designers). On other other hand, many people out there might derive just as much benefit from reading Candlekeep material as reading the latest sourcebook. The only significant distinction is whether or not something is copyrighted by WOTC. As for computer games, there is a lot that must be done to make a game work. I'm sure Ed and other designers have had a lot of influence over them. I did actually make a monster somewhat related to something in one of the computer games (well I made it, then found out that there was something similar, and used it to verify that what I did made sense). So I guess it is all one big community in a sense.
Krash 03-13-06, 07:17 AM	My understanding re the computer games was that for the most part, people/places were 'canon' but the events were not, unless they were showcased in a novel. Hence the stuff in NWN in terms of plot isn't 'official' but some of the people/places may very well be. -- George Krashos
Old Sage 03-13-06, 08:33 AM	My understanding re the computer games was that for the most part, people/places were 'canon' but the events were not, unless they were showcased in a novel.And sourcebooks... like the Bhaalspawn. And we've already got both Ed's and Rich's affirmation on those too ;).
Lord Karsus 03-13-06, 09:18 AM	My understanding re the computer games was that for the most part, people/places were 'canon' but the events were not, unless they were showcased in a novel. Hence the stuff in NWN in terms of plot isn't 'official' but some of the people/places may very well be. -- George Krashos -Yeah, if you look at, say a 2e sourcebook that deals with Neverwinter (like The North, many, if not all of the characters in the game are actual NPCs in the sourcebook.
LadyM 03-15-06, 02:05 PM	Thank you for your answers. For now I have let go of all the scattered information and bought the big Sourcebook "Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting", although I must admit I found the information from that book and "Player's Guide to Faerun" contain a lot of the same information, so I just went and bought the thickest. When I have more questions, I hope you don't mind me asking you.
BrianCritchley 03-16-06, 12:13 AM	I've always treated the video games as "conditionally canon" basicly I accept em but understand that the games to makes things "fun" may have embellished certin details.