Dales research question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dales research question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Thule222
01-13-08, 02:00 PM Hi all,

I want to create a campaign set in the Dales and Cormanthor. I need to know what books I should read to have a good grasp of the setting. I think I want to set it in the past, when Randall Morn was still a rebel.

I have Raiders of Galath's Roost, and am pretty sure I want to run it.

I've got gold and grey boxes, Ruins of Myth Drannor, Volo's Guide to the Dales, and most of the 3rd edition setting books.

I think I need to get Sword of the Dales and the Last Mythal series. Is this right? What else should I get? Do I need the new Shadowdale module?

Thanks in advance for advice.
Faraer
01-13-08, 04:26 PM Volo's Guide to the Dales is the big source. Volo skirts Shadowdale and Scardale because they were detailed, respectively, in the 1993 Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (which you have) and FRE2 Tantras. There's further Shadowdale lore (but not as much as the title implies) in FRE1 Shadowdale.

Otherwise, the feel of the Dales is best shown in the novels Spellfire, Shadows of Doom, and All Shadows Fled. Shadowdale makes several more appearances in Ed's fiction.

Reading Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves will give you a great sense of the elven nation the Dales were settled around.

FRS1 The Dalelands (by our Rich Baker) has a little information that's not in VGD, but I'd look to other sources first.

Jim Butler's Dalelands trilogy is pretty good. Another low-level module is FRQ3 Doom of Daggerdale.

Ed has contributed some excellent lore on the Dales at Candlekeep.com. See here (http://www.candlekeep.com/library/articles/sse/sse_040506-05.htm) for material on Randal and Silver Morn (who also has an intriguing reference in The Seven Sisters, which is the best source on Storm Silverhand). I'll dig out more if there are particular Dales you're interested in.

I do recommend Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land if you're willing to do some adaptation. Have a look at my semi-review of it here (http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3803&whichpage=31).

See "Realmslore: Storm Silverhand’s Quieter Days" (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rl/20040609a) and "The Leaves of Learning" (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020529a) online.
Thule222
01-13-08, 05:08 PM Thanks very much. That's just what I needed.
Imruphel
01-15-08, 03:50 AM If you haven't run Raiders of Galath's Roost before, I have to tell you that it's quite a nice little adventure.

I'm about to run it for a different group but, this time, I am setting the fortress in Thar as a means of allowing me to run Sons of Gruumsh before returning to the Dalelands-proper. I may also see some use of Mysteries of the Moonsea!
Book Hat
01-20-08, 06:06 PM Soem excellent reference information for the Dales in this post! Well worth a read (or re-read). Thanks, folks!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Thule222 01-13-08, 02:00 PM	Hi all, I want to create a campaign set in the Dales and Cormanthor. I need to know what books I should read to have a good grasp of the setting. I think I want to set it in the past, when Randall Morn was still a rebel. I have Raiders of Galath's Roost, and am pretty sure I want to run it. I've got gold and grey boxes, Ruins of Myth Drannor, Volo's Guide to the Dales, and most of the 3rd edition setting books. I think I need to get Sword of the Dales and the Last Mythal series. Is this right? What else should I get? Do I need the new Shadowdale module? Thanks in advance for advice.
Faraer 01-13-08, 04:26 PM	Volo's Guide to the Dales is the big source. Volo skirts Shadowdale and Scardale because they were detailed, respectively, in the 1993 Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (which you have) and FRE2 Tantras. There's further Shadowdale lore (but not as much as the title implies) in FRE1 Shadowdale. Otherwise, the feel of the Dales is best shown in the novels Spellfire, Shadows of Doom, and All Shadows Fled. Shadowdale makes several more appearances in Ed's fiction. Reading Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves will give you a great sense of the elven nation the Dales were settled around. FRS1 The Dalelands (by our Rich Baker) has a little information that's not in VGD, but I'd look to other sources first. Jim Butler's Dalelands trilogy is pretty good. Another low-level module is FRQ3 Doom of Daggerdale. Ed has contributed some excellent lore on the Dales at Candlekeep.com. See here (http://www.candlekeep.com/library/articles/sse/sse_040506-05.htm) for material on Randal and Silver Morn (who also has an intriguing reference in The Seven Sisters, which is the best source on Storm Silverhand). I'll dig out more if there are particular Dales you're interested in. I do recommend Shadowdale: The Scouring of the Land if you're willing to do some adaptation. Have a look at my semi-review of it here (http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3803&whichpage=31). See "Realmslore: Storm Silverhand’s Quieter Days" (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rl/20040609a) and "The Leaves of Learning" (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020529a) online.
Thule222 01-13-08, 05:08 PM	Thanks very much. That's just what I needed.
Imruphel 01-15-08, 03:50 AM	If you haven't run Raiders of Galath's Roost before, I have to tell you that it's quite a nice little adventure. I'm about to run it for a different group but, this time, I am setting the fortress in Thar as a means of allowing me to run Sons of Gruumsh before returning to the Dalelands-proper. I may also see some use of Mysteries of the Moonsea!
Book Hat 01-20-08, 06:06 PM	Soem excellent reference information for the Dales in this post! Well worth a read (or re-read). Thanks, folks!