Ampersand: Exciting News! article wrote:
the general consensus is that the book's preview takes place 100 years in the future, but the bulk of the book occurs just after the Thousand Orcs Trilogy and leads into the spellplague.
4e will most likely only be a decade or so jump.
Yes but this is allowing Salvatore to write books both close to that time yet also allowing him to push Drizzt in new directions--no Catti-Brie or Wulfgar after a century, and apparently no Bruenor either.
Exactly. I imagine this character evolution was discussed during the FR planning meetings along with the 4E changes; it was probably decided that 100 years would be far enough away not to directly impact the setting, and allow for changes in the next few iterations of the D&D game itself.
The novel itself is set somewhere around 1372 DR, right? But the prologue about a 100 years forward...? And this novel "sets the stage for the 4th Edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting"? Am I reading this right, people?
Negative, Mula, this is mission control, we have a negative on the century jump. False alarm, I repeat, false alarm on Salvatore's fault. Scrub century jump, I repeat, scrub century jump. We'll try again for a decade jump later. That is all.
Also huge populations are killed and civilized lands become dangerous wilderness. It takes time for nature to regrow over cultivated land. Trees need more than 10 years to grow and turn old fields into forest again. And the planes get destroyed or rearranged even causing some gods to be killed. It will take time to sort through that chaos, figure out which gods are still around, and how the new planes are set up and work.
WotC is making FR the new RPGA Living Campaign. They are going to make it close to a normal core setting. The new ways of magic will be established for everyone who wants to play a wizard. The planes and gods will be set for everyone who wants to play a cleric. There also needs to be time for Eladrin and Tieflings to enter the world and become popular races for everyone who wants to play the new races.
100 years will give time for the Spellplague to take effect, do its damage, and then have the 4th Ed material become the norm. The Spellplague is not going to be the backdrop of FR campaigns. It is just the vehicle that makes the 4th Ed changes.
no.
the general consensus is that the book's preview takes place 100 years in the future, but the bulk of the book occurs just after the Thousand Orcs Trilogy and leads into the spellplague.
4e will most likely only be a decade or so jump.
This seems unlikely, given an application of Occam's Razor. We know that the book is being touted as the lead-in to FR4, we know that the book takes place in the current timeline, and we know that its prologue occurs 100 years in the future. Given a present timeframe and a future timeframe of +100 years, where is the evidence for a timeframe of +10 years? Or to put it another way, if what you say is true, why is the prologue of the book not simply set ten years in the future?
It is possible that I am giving Salvatore and Wizards too much credit in expecting them to act logically, but hey, give them the benefit of the doubt, I say... ;)
J.
I think it is going to be more like the 100 year jump. The Spellplague does a lot of damage to the world and it will take time for the world to become normal again. I don't think WotC is going to make FR into a post apocalypse setting. From what I understand almost all arcane magic users go insane, die, or both. The old ways of casting spells are gone and the new 4th Ed way must be learned and mastered. That will take time.
Also huge populations are killed and civilized lands become dangerous wilderness. It takes time for nature to regrow over cultivated land. Trees need more than 10 years to grow and turn old fields into forest again. And the planes get destroyed or rearranged even causing some gods to be killed. It will take time to sort through that chaos, figure out which gods are still around, and how the new planes are set up and work.
WotC is making FR the new RPGA Living Campaign. They are going to make it close to a normal core setting. The new ways of magic will be established for everyone who wants to play a wizard. The planes and gods will be set for everyone who wants to play a cleric. There also needs to be time for Eladrin and Tieflings to enter the world and become popular races for everyone who wants to play the new races.
100 years will give time for the Spellplague to take effect, do its damage, and then have the 4th Ed material become the norm. The Spellplague is not going to be the backdrop of FR campaigns. It is just the vehicle that makes the 4th Ed changes.
Not just for 4e changes but to make FR more 'normal' for regular RPGA'ers? Major population migration/destruction?
I didn't expect to see this. It would've been better for the Forgotten Realms to have stayed 'forgotten' and left alone.Not just for 4e changes but to make FR more 'normal' for regular RPGA'ers? Major population migration/destruction?
Most of what SCMrks mentioned is unconfirmed, with some of it bordering on pure rumor. It likely won't be as drastic as that.
Most of what SCMrks mentioned is unconfirmed, with some of it bordering on pure rumor. It likely won't be as drastic as that.
No, everything he mentioned has been pretty much said. We know that the spellplague kills magic users and drives others insane. We know that civilizations will fall, and parts of the world will be taken back by wilderness (though most likely towns out in the middle of nowhere and the like). We know that gods will be either killed or shunted into positions of servitude to greater deities. We know that tiefling and elhadrin will be PC races in the PHB. We know that the Realms will be the setting for the new RPGA "Living" campaign. Where is the unconfirmed rumor?
. . .Where is the unconfirmed rumor?
The better question would be, "where's the confirmation?"
The statement that stands out the most is that "the Spellplague is not going to be the backdrop of FR campaigns." No one has said this; no one has even hinted at this. The Spellplague may very well be a driving factor of the 4E setting, and an active part of the continued development of the Realms as we play.
Much of the rest of the post falls under speculation and rumor as well. Its not the concepts that are necessarily incorrect, it's presenting them as facts when they have yet to be confirmed that spawns and often defines rumors.
The better question would be, "where's the confirmation?"
The statement that stands out the most is that "the Spellplague is not going to be the backdrop of FR campaigns." No one has said this; no one has even hinted at this. The Spellplague may very well be a driving factor of the 4E setting, and an active part of the continued development of the Realms as we play.
Much of the rest of the post falls under speculation and rumor as well. Its not the concepts that are necessarily incorrect, it's presenting them as facts when they have yet to be confirmed that spawns and often defines rumors.
Gotcha. I will agree there has been absolutely nothing to say that the spellplague is not going to be the backdrop of the 4ed Realms. However, I took that statement as a misstep, seeing how he started the post with "I don't think..." I just figured it was poorly put that his opinion at that point was taken as fact rather than opinion. As far as everything that I've mentioned, almost all of it is right out of the back of Grand History of the Realms and comments made from Rich, Chris, and Ed about those things. As far as the wilderness taking back previously civilized areas, that is from multiple explanations by the staff of "why" they implemented the changes they have implemented. Specifically, it has been explained as opening up more of the map and "putting the forgotten, back in the forgotten realms." Unless you consider things from published Forgotten Realms material, or things specifically mentioned by Chris Perkins, Rich Baker, or Ed Greenwood to be speculation or rumor......
Well if they get rid of Hartsvale (the human and giant realm written about by Troy Denning) then that'll be a bonus. *thumbs up*
agreed
TOTAL crap
crap crap crap crap crap
TOTAL crap
I just bought that trilogy to read. Albeit, I did it because I could find nothing worthwhile, but I wanted it to be good.
Thanks a lot, Devil Boy.
Hey, I was reading it right! :D
-Well, it wasn't exactly 100 years, but close enough. ;)
Personally really hope it is a 100 year jump.
-It was a 104 year jump, to be exact. The current year is 1375 DR, and the 4e Realms are going to be 1479 DR.
-It was a 104 year jump, to be exact. The current year is 1375 DR, and the 4e Realms are going to be 1479 DR.
Actually, you are all wrong. Its a ten year jump, then a 94 year jump. Duh!
Don't you people read the books?-It was a 104 year jump, to be exact. The current year is 1375 DR, and the 4e Realms are going to be 1479 DR.
I was about to call you on that, until I remembered the Dev's are measuring the jump from the last line in the GHotR and not where the 3.x setting is right now. GHotR forwards the timeline for another 10 years past the current setting. My bad for thinking LK screwed up! :D
:EDIT Ah man, the Judge beat me to it! I'm just going to go over there and sit in the corner
GHotR forwards the timeline for another 10 years past the current setting.
-No, it doesn't. It specifically states what the current date is (1375 DR). It includes an extra ten years, but those years didn't happen yet, as did not any of the events that take place in novels that happen after 1375 DR.
-No, it doesn't. It specifically states what the current date is (1375 DR). It includes an extra ten years, but those years didn't happen yet, as did not any of the events that take place in novels that happen after 1375 DR.
This is wrong, LK. Sorry. Undead is set in 1385.
This is wrong, LK. Sorry. Undead is set in 1385.
-Did you not just read the part where I said, "but those years didn't happen yet, as did not any of the events that take place in novels that happen after 1375 DR."?
:P
-Again, AGHotR reaffirms that the current date in the Forgotten Realms is 1375 DR, as per the (more-or-less) two actual years equates to one Faerûnian year.
-Did you not just read the part where I said, "but those years didn't happen yet, as did not any of the events that take place in novels that happen after 1375 DR."?
:P
-Again, AGHotR reaffirms that the current date in the Forgotten Realms is 1375 DR, as per the (more-or-less) two actual years equates to one Faerûnian year.
Oh, I read it, but I guess I just can't follow your line of thought.
I don't know. For me, FR has advanced 10 years. Maybe I need to read AGHotR to firgure it out.
Oh, I read it, but I guess I just can't follow your line of thought.
-Stories have been written in the future, but the official, current year is still 1375 DR. Just because one specific, five-page scene in Sacrifice of the Widow happened didn't mean that the official year suddenly jumped to 1376 DR. Just because a scene (or two) in The Orc King took place in 1379 DR doesn't mean that that's the official date. At least half of The Star of Cursrah took place shortly after the Genie Calim and the Efreet Memnon were sealed away in the Calim Desert. That didn't make the official date of the setting move in any way.
-DRAGON 349 (I believe that was the issue) increased the official date by a year, from 1374 DR to 1375 DR. AGHotR confirmed this. Were the entire 4e time jump not happening, this would be the official year for another year and a little bit.
-Stories have been written in the future, but the official, current year is still 1375 DR. Just because one specific, five-page scene in Sacrifice of the Widow happened didn't mean that the official year suddenly jumped to 1376 DR. Just because a scene (or two) in The Orc King took place in 1379 DR doesn't mean that that's the official date. At least half of The Star of Cursrah took place shortly after the Genie Calim and the Efreet Memnon were sealed away in the Calim Desert. That didn't make the official date of the setting move in any way.
-DRAGON 349 (I believe that was the issue) increased the official date by a year, from 1374 DR to 1375 DR. AGHotR confirmed this. Were the entire 4e time jump not happening, this would be the official year for another year and a little bit.
Well, the novel I read didn't just contain a scene--the entire story was based 10 years ahead. But, I guess you get into that whole thing about what's canon and whats not.
If the official date is 1375, why would WotC move any novels up ten years? Why not just keep them with the current year?
Not arguing--just doesn't make any sense to me.
Not arguing--just doesn't make any sense to me.
-No, it doesn't. But, do you expect anything more/less...?
-No, it doesn't. But, do you expect anything more/less...?
An answer? But I guess that's too much for the likes of we lil' folk. :raincloud
But I guess that's too much for the likes of we lil' folk. :raincloud
-I know. I mean, what kind of people want a consistent date, where the "future" does not happen before the actual present? Crazies, that's who...
-I know. I mean, what kind of people want a consistent date, where the "future" does not happen before the actual present? Crazies, that's who...
Makes me a bit kooky just thinking about it.
Who the f*** cares?
My contribution to the "Is it 100 or 104 years?":
Who the f*** cares?
-No one is debating if it's 100 or 104 years. Me and JD are debating whether or not the current date is 1375 DR or 1385 DR, which would then, in turn, make the time jump to 4e either 104 years, or 94 years.
What do you care that we care?
:: Shrugs ::
-Who cares who cares?
now.
I care who cares who cares! I think I'm
We don't care :P
You Don't Care That I Don't Care
I Care
No I Don't
You Care
No You Don't
We Don't Care That People Care
People Don't Care That We Don't Care
No One Cares!!!!!!!!!
:P
Sung to the Marching theme.:D
We don't care :P
So you don't care that he doesn't care that we don't care that she doesn't care that they don't care that . . .I Don't Care That You Don't Care
You Don't Care That I Don't Care
I Care
No I Don't
You Care
No You Don't
We Don't Care That People Care
People Don't Care That We Don't Care
No One Cares!!!!!!!!!
:P
Sung to the Marching theme.:D
I Don't Care That You Don't Care
You Don't Care That I Don't Care
I Care
No I Don't
You Care
No You Don't
We Don't Care That People Care
People Don't Care That We Don't Care
No One Cares!!!!!!!!!
:P
Sung to the Marching theme.:D
I think I'd prefer to see Cats. That performance sucked!
When you can get down like my bad self, then bring it on back baby.
Bah-now-chicka-now-now!
Bah-now-chicka-now-now!