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August: Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide
"Learn ye well the lesson of the pebble that begets a landslide. Likewise a single betrayal unleashed the Spellplague, whose consequences yet dance and stagger across Toril, and beyond."
-- Elminster of Shadowdale
Year of the Ageless One (1479 DR)
Over the past several weeks, we've offered previews from the Campaign Guide on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today being Thursday, we wanted to add one more to the schedule in addition to our look at Luruar (that is, the Silver Marches).
Previously, we've introduced you to the Warlock Knights of Vaasa, and the Eminence of Araunt -- two threats your PCs might face from around Faerûn. Here now is one more: the Church of Shar (including the Dark Moon Monks):
Download the Church of Shar excerpt (740kb PDF)
September: Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide
As we are with the Campaign Guide, we’ll also be previewing material from the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, along the following schedule:
08/12: The Warlock’s Dark Pact
08/14: Amn (from the player’s perspective, covering regional benefits, common knowledge, and people of the region)
08/19: Rituals (including 3 new examples)
08/21: Elfharrow
08/26: The Swordmage (including sample powers)
08/28: The Great Dale
09/02: Feats (including the Heroic Tier table)
09/04: Luruar
To start things off, we wanted to offer a pre-preview of the warlock’s dark pact, with the following description and power:
Dark Pact
You have forged a pact with the dark beings that lurk in the shadows of the drow civilization. Spells of darkness, poison, madness, and spite fill your mind. You might turn your powers to noble ends, but you always face the temptation to enhance your spells by hurting your friends—just a little.
Level 29 Daily Spells
One Final SacrificeWarlock (Dark) Attack 29You siphon life force from your allies to add pain and suffering to the attack you make against your common foe.DailyArcane, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 20
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. ReflexHit: 4d8 + Charisma modifier damage.Miss: Half damage.Effect: Each ally within 5 squares of you takes 10 damage. For each ally damaged, the target takes 1d8 damage.Dark Pact: For each ally damaged, the target instead takes 1d12 damage.
Also, why don't we take a quick peek at two of the definitive Forgotten Realms races: the drow and the genasi.
"Learn ye well the lesson of the pebble that begets a landslide. Likewise a single betrayal unleashed the Spellplague, whose consequences yet dance and stagger across Toril, and beyond."
-- Elminster of Shadowdale
Year of the Ageless One (1479 DR)
Over the past several weeks, we've offered previews from the Campaign Guide on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today being Thursday, we wanted to add one more to the schedule in addition to our look at Luruar (that is, the Silver Marches).
Previously, we've introduced you to the Warlock Knights of Vaasa, and the Eminence of Araunt -- two threats your PCs might face from around Faerûn. Here now is one more: the Church of Shar (including the Dark Moon Monks):
Download the Church of Shar excerpt (740kb PDF)
September: Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide
As we are with the Campaign Guide, we’ll also be previewing material from the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, along the following schedule:
08/12: The Warlock’s Dark Pact
08/14: Amn (from the player’s perspective, covering regional benefits, common knowledge, and people of the region)
08/19: Rituals (including 3 new examples)
08/21: Elfharrow
08/26: The Swordmage (including sample powers)
08/28: The Great Dale
09/02: Feats (including the Heroic Tier table)
09/04: Luruar
To start things off, we wanted to offer a pre-preview of the warlock’s dark pact, with the following description and power:
Dark Pact
You have forged a pact with the dark beings that lurk in the shadows of the drow civilization. Spells of darkness, poison, madness, and spite fill your mind. You might turn your powers to noble ends, but you always face the temptation to enhance your spells by hurting your friends—just a little.
Level 29 Daily Spells
One Final SacrificeWarlock (Dark) Attack 29You siphon life force from your allies to add pain and suffering to the attack you make against your common foe.DailyArcane, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 20
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. ReflexHit: 4d8 + Charisma modifier damage.Miss: Half damage.Effect: Each ally within 5 squares of you takes 10 damage. For each ally damaged, the target takes 1d8 damage.Dark Pact: For each ally damaged, the target instead takes 1d12 damage.
Also, why don't we take a quick peek at two of the definitive Forgotten Realms races: the drow and the genasi.
-You know, I used to like Shar. She was actually one of my favorite deities. I'm certainly suffering from Shar over-exposure, and that's coming from someone who liked her. Imagine what people who didn't from the beginning are thinking!
-And a Kir-Lanan to boot! Hazzah!
-Wait...The Kir-Lanan now serve Shar?
-Well, that kind of defeats their purpose of serving no deities, and being thoroughly atheistic. Oh well...
-Let's see...What else...Ah, apparently Shar and Selûne created the universe, now. Who needs Ao?
-If 2e and 3e information about Shar and her clergy didn't already exist, I'd be very disappointed in this little blurb here. That they already do makes things bearable.
The drow get there own Warlock pact? So Lolth finally eliminates the majority of her rivals and those darn drow just find another way of avoiding her...
-She'd like that. It promotes chaos.
-I just noticed this little blurb: "...definitive Forgotten Realms races: the drow and the genasi.". Maybe it's just me, but I don't find the Drow or the Genasi "definitive Forgotten Realms races". Neither define the setting.
-She'd like that. It promotes chaos.
-I just noticed this little blurb: "...definitive Forgotten Realms races: the drow and the genasi.". Maybe it's just me, but I don't find the Drow or the Genasi "definitive Forgotten Realms races". Neither define the setting.
Agreed, especially since the drow were first introduced way back in 1st edition in GH, and they were made a playable race in Unearthed Arcana before there was ever a single FR book printed.
Agreed, especially since the drow were first introduced way back in 1st edition in GH, and they were made a playable race in Unearthed Arcana before there was ever a single FR book printed.
-Maybe because Greyhawk Doesn't Exist to these Designers anymore?
18DELTA ;)
-I just noticed this little blurb: "...definitive Forgotten Realms races: the drow and the genasi.". Maybe it's just me, but I don't find the Drow or the Genasi "definitive Forgotten Realms races". Neither define the setting.
I Think they mean that these are two races, that 'definitivly' will be in the FR-Setting as PC-races, meaning they already have been confirmed.
Lirdolin
-You know, I used to like Shar. She was actually one of my favorite deities. I'm certainly suffering from Shar over-exposure, and that's coming from someone who liked her. Imagine what people who didn't from the beginning are thinking!
Heh. I still like her, and had the Church of Shar/Netherese complex down as a major adversary in my campaign anyway, so this is great stuff. I can fill in some more details.
-Let's see...What else...Ah, apparently Shar and Selûne created the universe, now. Who needs Ao?
No, just Abeir-Toril. All part of Ao's plan.
I just noticed this little blurb
Ignore marketing speak ...
-Oh, boy. More Shar.
-You know, I used to like Shar. She was actually one of my favorite deities. I'm certainly suffering from Shar over-exposure, and that's coming from someone who liked her. Imagine what people who didn't from the beginning are thinking!
-And a Kir-Lanan to boot! Hazzah!
-Wait...The Kir-Lanan now serve Shar?
-Well, that kind of defeats their purpose of serving no deities, and being thoroughly atheistic. Oh well...
-Let's see...What else...Ah, apparently Shar and Selûne created the universe, now. Who needs Ao?
-If 2e and 3e information about Shar and her clergy didn't already exist, I'd be very disappointed in this little blurb here. That they already do makes things bearable.
I have to agree with your statement 95%, I really liked her after reading the writeupt in F&P especially the wish to destroy creation. But I have to say that the nihilistic aspects of Shars dogma really do fit quite well with the Kir-Lanan - but I wonder if they have souls now?
-Oh, boy. More Shar.
-You know, I used to like Shar. She was actually one of my favorite deities. I'm certainly suffering from Shar over-exposure, and that's coming from someone who liked her. Imagine what people who didn't from the beginning are thinking!
Yeah, I liked Shar better when she wasn't the center of all (or most?) plots in the Realms.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't find the Drow or the Genasi "definitive Forgotten Realms races". Neither define the setting.
Drow I can understand--if nothing else, they are prominent in the Realms sources and popular among fans. Genasi? I don't see how they are "definitive" of the FR.
Bel
It may be that the Drow are definative of the older Realms and Genasi are definitive of the 4E Realms, after all aren't they the race for the Swordmage?
Bel
In my understanding, the Swordmage class is from Cormyr, where the war wizards, bereft of their magic in the wake of the spellplague, took up martial training to defend themselves and the nation.
It's possible the class was "invented" more than once, in different areas.
Fair enough, but the creators have been citing Cormyr lately, so...
Also, I love the genasi picture!
In my understanding, the Swordmage class is from Cormyr, where the war wizards, bereft of their magic in the wake of the spellplague, took up martial training to defend themselves and the nation.
From the LFR preview;
Play a Genasi if you want to...
*to struggle or experiment with the order and chaos in your soul.
*to look for adaptability in personality and physical appearance.
*to be a member of a race that favors the swordmage and warlock classes.
Swordmage Overview
Races: Genasi from Returned Abeir are the archtypical assault swordmages. Humans and Eladrin are the main practitioners of the shielding swordmage style...
Bel
Genasi? I don't see how they are "definitive" of the FR.
That's an easy one. Unless I've completely missed something, they were created for the Realms and, so far, are wholly unique to the Realms. They don't define the Realms, but so far they are a characteristic which no setting aside from the Realms possesses.
I Think they mean that these are two races, that 'definitivly' will be in the FR-Setting as PC-races, meaning they already have been confirmed.
-Makes a lot more sense, in that context.
No, just Abeir-Toril. All part of Ao's plan.
-No, the text specifically says "the universe in which Toril exists".
But I have to say that the nihilistic aspects of Shars dogma really do fit quite well with the Kir-Lanan - but I wonder if they have souls now?
-But it doesn't fit in with the part that Kir-Lanan attack priests of any religion on sight. And, remember, it specifically says that "Over time, the race fell under Shar's sway". She controls them.
Yeah, I liked Shar better when she wasn't the center of all (or most?) plots in the Realms.
-Me too.
That's an easy one. Unless I've completely missed something, they were created for the Realms and, so far, are wholly unique to the Realms. They don't define the Realms, but so far they are a characteristic which no setting aside from the Realms possesses.
-I believe the Planetouched- in which Genasi are a member of- were created in Planescape.
-I believe the Planetouched- in which Genasi are a member of- were created in Planescape.
Yeah, Aasimar and Tieflings. But have the Genasi, themselves, appeared anywhere else before the Forgotten Realms?
That's an easy one. Unless I've completely missed something, they were created for the Realms and, so far, are wholly unique to the Realms. They don't define the Realms, but so far they are a characteristic which no setting aside from the Realms possesses.
See, I thought genasi originated in Planescape. Could be wrong though.
If a small child is planet-touched, can the planet be brought up on charges?
-If you want to add the hyphenation, it'd be planet-ouched. That doesn't sound too good, either. I don't know about you, but being ouched by a planet sounds catastrophic.
Yeah, Aasimar and Tieflings. But have the Genasi, themselves, appeared anywhere else before the Forgotten Realms?
-Don't know. Maybe I misunderstood you, but I was just raising the point that having those of extraplanar heritage, which Genasi would be members of, isn't original to the Forgotten Realms.
See, I thought genasi originated in Planescape. Could be wrong though.
They're definitely a race appropriate for Planescape, but according to their Wikipedia entry, they did originate in the Realms, with the FRCS. They were later added to Planescape in a Dragon magazine issue a year or two later.
-Don't know. Maybe I misunderstood you, but I was just raising the point that having those of extraplanar heritage, which Genasi would be members of, isn't original to the Forgotten Realms.
True, the idea of Planetouched isn't new, but Genasi in specific are new thanks to the Realms. And aside from Planescape articles in Dragon, pretty much everything published about them is in a Forgotten Realms sourcebook. To put it another way, while they may be Tieflings, Tanarukk and Fey'ri are defined by their association with the Realms, as they're only found there (so far, at least). Same thing.
I don't think they ever appeared in any FR sourcebook prior to 3rd edition.
I think those Outer-planar beings should all keep to their own neighborhoods - do you have any idea how hard it is for Torillian authorities to try and get child-support from another plane?!
Deadbeat Demon Daddies...
I'm no expert, but Genasi first appeared in the The Planewalker's Handbook, in the Planescape setting.
I don't think they ever appeared in any FR sourcebook prior to 3rd edition.
Hmm, you're right. D'OH! This is why you shouldn't trust Wikipedia for your information. :D
They're definitely a race appropriate for Planescape, but according to their Wikipedia entry, they did originate in the Realms, with the FRCS. They were later added to Planescape in a Dragon magazine issue a year or two later.
True, the idea of Planetouched isn't new, but Genasi in specific are new thanks to the Realms. And aside from Planescape articles in Dragon, pretty much everything published about them is in a Forgotten Realms sourcebook. To put it another way, while they may be Tieflings, Tanarukk and Fey'ri are defined by their association with the Realms, as they're only found there (so far, at least). Same thing.
I've been searching around a bit, and I'm finding information that says genasi predate 3E, and (most likely) originated in Planescape. I don't know how accurate it all is, though.
I guess it doesn't matter much anyway.
EDIT: OK, someone actually did cite the source.
So yeah, not as tied to the Realms as I thought. I just never saw them before. Freakin' stealth Genasi. :DLets not forget Cambions and Alufiends - more planetouched 'cousins'.
I think those Outer-planar beings should all keep to their own neighborhoods - do you have any idea how hard it is for Torillian authorities to try and get child-support from another plane?!
Deadbeat Demon Daddies...
-It's out of their jurisdiction, at that point. That's when you need P.P.D.: Planescape Police Department.
Hmm, you're right. D'OH! This is why you shouldn't trust Wikipedia for your information. :D
-Nyah, nyah, nyah-nyah, nyah...
Cosmic Stuff Investigators. :P
-Nyah, nyah, nyah-nyah, nyah...
Stop picking on me! I'm gonna tell. MOOOMMMMMMYYYYYYY!
