Post/Author/DateTime	Post
cetiken 09-16-07, 12:11 AM	So I'm wondering - what regions would you guys think would be intresting regions. I propose some critarium: Not Normal FR. Somewhat diffrent from other places. A Somewhat Dynamic area (though possibly not too dynamic). Not near the books (lets just call this a bouns and not a requirment). Places I'd like to play baised on my vague memories of FR: Haalua They The Underdark The Utter East The Great Rift Chull yeah. that's about it. I have no desire to see the generic d&d countries like Comyr or the Dalelands as a region. Let 'm be core or whatever.
Borris 09-16-07, 02:25 AM	If you're talking about the 12 play regions, they all need to be regions where all (or most of) the races from the PHB are fairly common, and where level 1 characters can come from. So there'll be no Underdark or Anauroch for those regions. Here's what I'm figuring it would look like. 1) Sword Coast North (Western Heartlands, Waterdeep) 2) The North (High Forest, Silver Marches) 3) Lands of Inrigue (Amn, Tethyr, Calimshan) 4) Heartlands (Cormy, Sembia, Dalelands) 5) The Bloodstone Lands (Impiltyr, Damara, Vaasa) 6) Moonsea (Moonsea, The Ride, The Vast) 7) Chultan Peninsula (Chult, Tashalar, Lapaliiya) 8) Shining South (Halruaa, Dambrath, Great Rift, Luiren, Shaar) 9) Old Empires (Chessenta, Unther, Mulhorand) 10) Unapproachable East (Aglarond, Thesk, Thay) 11) The Cold Lands (Narfell, Rashemen, Great Dale) 12) Vilhon Reach (Dragon Coast, Turmish, Lake of Steam) This is just an idea, but it splits the Realms in 12 relatively equal region, at least in terms of potential characters. Some regions may be removed entirely (like Rashemen, Thay, Chult, or Halruaa) and be made as adventure sites only, just like some regions are in Living Greyhawk. Of course, the same goes for the Underdark or the Utter East. While most likely not starting regions, they'll make great places to write adventures for, just not for low-level PCs.
tombollis 09-16-07, 06:49 AM	I don't think it can be reasonably decided until the passage of time and the effects of the spellpplague are known. There may be significant changwto populations, cultures, and even geography (merging of two worlds has been mentioned as well as devistation of towns). Races are being handled differently in 4e, allowing more to advance from `st level, and alignment also seems to be changibg, so races may no longer be limited due to normal alignment. There is indication of changes to the deities as well as to the magic system. There is also indication of coordination between the campaign and the novel authors, so it is hard to determine how the homelands should relate to areas from the existing novels, especially if a hundred years or so have passed since the time of the current novels. I want more info on the changes before suggesting home regions. Tom Bollis
gomeztoo 09-16-07, 07:45 AM	I have already called dibs on the Moonshea Isles*! Oh, and we'll take Evermeet, too... ;) The advantage is that the Moonsheas are likely the least affected by the Spell Plague, too... *) Maybe they won't make it in, but you'll never know...
Lord Toast 09-17-07, 12:33 PM	My best guesses: 1) The Dalelands 2) Cormyr 3) Moonsea 4) Waterdeep region Possible others: 1) Silver Marches 2) Kingdom of Many Arrows 3) Kingdom of Shade 4) Cormanthor Other interesting spots 1) Lantan (The best area equipped to deal with a ‘spellplague’ 2) Vassa 3) Old Empires (what is left of them) 4) Moonshaes maybe Thay too
gomeztoo 09-18-07, 10:05 AM	Dambrath sounds interesting too, but it is way too small/low profile to make it as a region.
Lord Toast 09-18-07, 11:51 AM	Dambrath sounds interesting too, but it is way too small/low profile to make it as a region. They could lump it with Halruaa or make it the Shining South Region, plenty of room there to play with for a writer. P.S. google History of Crinti by Elaine Cunningham for an interesting treat on Dambrath.
firebeetle 11-19-07, 12:24 PM	I am only passingly familiar with FR. What would the "Core Region" be (as the City of Greyhawk is in LG.) Of course, there is the question if there will be a core region? I have heard that regional mods will be available to other regions, is this true?
jpchapleau 11-19-07, 01:07 PM	I am only passingly familiar with FR. What would the "Core Region" be (as the City of Greyhawk is in LG.) Of course, there is the question if there will be a core region? I have heard that regional mods will be available to other regions, is this true? My best guess would be that VERY well-known areas like Waterdeep (and perhaps Thay since everyone seems to be calling dibs upon it) would be considered *Core* (if there is such a thing as a core region (I haven't seen anything to confirm or infirm this, so I'll speculate)). I'll wait and see which region we get assigned... Ok... not really... I'm just so excited and full of questions about it all... ;) JP
Keith53 11-19-07, 05:34 PM	The Forgotten Realms does not strictly parallel the World of Greyhawk, although in some respects Waterdeep is the most famous city w/ draw for adventurers (akin to Greyhawk City). However, we don't know what changes may occur due to the Spellplague OR other changes just due to dynamics of the power groups in the FR. For instance, the Orc Kingdom, the Shade Enclave, what is happening in Thay or Sembia, the fighting between Elistraee and Lloth, the actions of Shar, ...none of these major changes were driven by the Spell Plague. <shrug> We just don't know as yet. IMO Forgotten Realms currently has fewer "hostile" geographic areas than Greyhawk but that might change in 4E. However, they have lots of groups with causes who seek power or change; these groups can pop up almost anyway. A plot involving the Red Wizards or the Zhentarium might appear on the Sword Coast -- is that a core adventure or a regional adventure? Depends how Mr Tulach decides to define "core" or even if we have core adventures. I don't think we have to use the same paradigm as LG although we might. For instance, core might be defined as adventures which touch on topics or NPCs or sites for which gaming products are being produced and need to be reviewed/approved by Brand. We need to hear from Chris the oracle. :-) Keith Hoffman LFR NC USA Co-Writing Director
TempleLion 11-19-07, 09:40 PM	The Jungles of the Chult Peninsula .. please! And, let it be the West Coast Region. ;)
Butterface 11-20-07, 10:32 AM	For instance, core might be defined as adventures which touch on topics or NPCs or sites for which gaming products are being produced and need to be reviewed/approved by Brand. We need to hear from Chris the oracle. :-) Keith Hoffman LFR NC USA Co-Writing Director I think this would be a good use for Core adventures in LFR. One of the problems that the designers see with FR is the huge amount of information that many players think they have to know to enjoy a FR game. I think that if every RPGA adventure for FR is considered canon, this will be detrimental to the Realms. But if we have a select group of Core adventures that are reviewed/approved, this approach would a) limit the sheer volume of lore being added to the Realms, and b) enable the LFR staff to efficiently work with the designers and authors of FR to tell a focused set of stories through the Core adventures. I've been skeptical ever since Chris Tulach stated that LFR authors would be working in conjunction with FR novelists and designers. That's a pretty big organizational task, and frankly the RPGA sometimes has wonderful ideas but the follow-through is lacking. But if the Core adventures are the only ones that are canon, that's a manageable amount of adventures that the LFR staff and novelists/designers could work together on. Just my :twocents:
Dempster 12-10-07, 02:29 AM	My guess is that the regions will not be regions like the sword coast, the dale lands, or silver marches that are familiar. I think they are more likely to place the campaign into regions which are relatively empty from a story perspective so it will be easier to manage as a living setting. I think the regions that are well known such as water deep are likely to be "core" regions. I really don't care which region we get here in Wisconsin as long as it is not Cormanthor. I am all forested out after 5 years in highfolk.
JamesMaissen 12-10-07, 03:46 AM	I have heard that regional mods will be available to other regions, is this true? And assuming that this is correct, then what is the point of assigning regions at all? Why would regions be anything other than organizational out game concerns? -James
DerekSTheRed 12-11-07, 08:47 AM	And assuming that this is correct, then what is the point of assigning regions at all? Why would regions be anything other than organizational out game concerns? -James My speculation is that mods will premier at that region's conventions. Those same cons will have regional specials which will be like a combination of LG's regional interactives and core specials. The results of the premiered mods and regional specials at conventions will probably be where most of the canon for that region is determined. Derek
Dempster 12-13-07, 02:08 AM	Regional mods will be available for play in any region through use of the online game table as was mentioned at Gencon. I agree with Derek that the important story line changing events will likely happen at the local cons in some sort of special/interactive. I hope this is how it is done and I hope that local cons have the premiers. The only bad thing is with the new HUGE regions a "local" con can be 1000 miles away.
gomeztoo 12-13-07, 03:12 AM	Or 3,000 miles, and 12 timezones ... :P
mmockus 12-13-07, 01:52 PM	Regional mods will be available for play in any region through use of the online game table as was mentioned at Gencon. I agree with Derek that the important story line changing events will likely happen at the local cons in some sort of special/interactive. I hope this is how it is done and I hope that local cons have the premiers. The only bad thing is with the new HUGE regions a "local" con can be 1000 miles away. Actually per the current LG guidelines "important story changing events" are NOT supposed to be convention exclusives. I would assume the same guidelines for LFR. The reasoning is that it excludes players from the "full experience" simply because they cannot attend Conventions.
The Ubbergeek 12-13-07, 02:42 PM	You know, there is a whole region of Forgotten Realms, out of the other continents, that is barely spoken of... The east/southeast range, near zakhara and kara-tur. A guy on the FR forums is working on this uther east, fleshening those countries.