Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Ahen-Shugar Oct 01, 2014 20:42:58	I am scheduled to run a few "Expeditions" adventures at my local comic store in about a month.  I was hoping someone could recommend some Forgotten Realms novels that might help give me a better grip on the setting in which these adventures take place.  I understand most of the adventures are based around Phlan and the Moonsea.   I heard the three book trilogy starting with Pool of Radiance was set around Phlan, but that is a fairly dated book and out of print I believe.   Any suggestions would be helpful.
#2 TheBreen Oct 01, 2014 23:27:35	You can find an astonishing amount of background material by Googling for "Forgotten Realms Phlan."   One of the issues you'll face is that the latest published adventure—that I could find, anyway*—takes place in DR 1480, while the Adventurers League timeline begins in DR 1489. For historical flavor, there's a fairly decent timeline posted in another thread. ("World Travel Guide for Phlan?" http://community.wizards.com/forum/dd-adventurers-league/threads/4145806 )   So it seems like the best thing to do while waiting for WotC to publish specific campaign setting material, is to start in DR 1480 and work our way forward. The events of The Sundering series of novels mainly take place in DR 1486, but the ones I read (the first four of six) don't get very specific on changes. The Spellplague is over. "Chosen" of the gods are everywhere. Shar is trying to destroy the world (I presume she fails, since we're still adventuring here). It's not clear to me yet what lasting effects this will all have.   Closer to home, we know from forum posts that Ector Brahms, "a high ranking officer in the Knights of the Black Fist" has become Lord Protector after the "recent" (we don't know HOW recent) death of Anivar Daoran, grandson of Cvaal Daoran who abolished the Council of Ten and ruled Phlan as the first Lord Protector in DR 1380. Brahms is the first Lord Protector who is not a descendant of Cvaal. The Black Fist are nominally an offshoot of the Church of Bane, but they don't seem very evangelical. Worshippers of Shar, however, are not tolerated. I understand there's a shrine to Lathander, an aspect of Aumanator, in town. Other religions may have small shrines, but no spellcasting is available except from the Kelemvorites.   As of DR 1480, Phlan had a population of about 20,000 and it's probably grown since then. Most of the governments in the Moonsea region are Lawful/Evil/Neutral, so there's not always a lot of trust between powers. The city has been razed and rebuilt several times, so there are "layers" of ruins with all sorts of nasty surprises waiting under the surface. Count on this to be a recurring theme.   The (former?) thieves guild, called The Welcomers, have become a vigilante and freedom fighter underground. It's been a while since the city was overrun by monsters, dragons or barbarians, so it is somewhat more stable and "safe-ish" (to quote Skerrit) than previously. The Church of Kelemvor, while remaining politically neutral, has pacified the Valhingen Graveyard which was previously full of undead. The Kelemvorites built its temple and bases its worship there.   I hope this helps!     *"Monument of the Ancients" from Dungeon #170, September, 2009.
#3 Ahen-Shugar Oct 02, 2014 4:53:43	Thank you for the very informative response!  I'll check out the resources you listed as well as The Sundering.  I have a passing knowledge of Faerun, but I don't know much detailed information.  It's kind of funny being that I first heard about D&D from the ads for Forgotten Realms in comic books.  Much appreciated!
#4 kennyljones Oct 10, 2014 5:59:38	After playing most of the adventures and reading the Pools series I highly recommend them. At least if you are going to read a book read Pool of Radiance. I thought it was very cool to go to places I read about particularly Valhallan Graveyard and Sokol Keep. Also, just looking at the name of Dark Pyramid of Sorcerer Island, I expect to go there. To follow in the footsteps of the great heroes of Phlan is a lot of fun. So get Pool of Radiance on book, ego ok, or audible.com.
#5 Pauper Oct 10, 2014 6:34:47	Interestingly enough, the Pool of Radiance book is based on the events in the old Pool of Radiance video game, released in 1988.   I remember playing that game -- I'd always wait to go to Sokol Keep until my magic-user hit 5th level, because dealing with the crowd of orcs in the gatehouse was always so much easier (and entertaining) once you could cast fireball on them.   -- Pauper