Before Time Of Trubles - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Before Time Of Trubles

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
fetfreakvr2
Jan 25, 2009 10:49:55 Just a quick question. What books do you suggest on lore for forgotten realms before time of troubles. Let's say 10 years before. I'm interested in what was the life like, position of some states, progress of technology/cities/magic. And lore on gods of that time.
#2
Stigger
Jan 25, 2009 14:12:04 1e Campaign setting books should do it... those might be available as pdf's somewhere online, no idea though, I've never actually looked for them. Beyond that, I'd also suggest The Grand History of the Realms, although that'll only be good for a historical overview.
#3
faraer
Jan 25, 2009 17:41:50 The sourcebooks published before 1989 are set in 1356–8 DR before the Avatar Crisis, including the first Campaign Set, FR1 through FR6, and FRC1 and FRC2 (all available as PDFs from Paizo.com, and FR5 here for free). Various fiction is also set in the 1340s and 50s -- see this list, plus Ed's Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy (set in 1348) and other later-published stories including several in The Best of the Realms, Book II and some of the memories in Elminster in Hell.

Sources set later, such as the Volo's Guides, usually have references to the recent past. Faiths & Avatars, Powers & Pantheons and Demihuman Deities are entirely applicable to the gods as worshipped at that time apart from some of the mentions of currently prominent temples. Plus the usuall farscattering of references -- can you narrow your interest down?
#4
fetfreakvr2
Jan 26, 2009 8:28:11 I believe you have posted all I need. Thanx.

Since you guys know a lot maybe you can help me even further.
I what to lead next adventures in FR, cause i like it but I also don't like high magic setting so I'm looking thru history if there is a span of dark years? Magic items are hard to come by. Mage service are expensive and rare. More thieves and beggars and even good temples don't offer a helping hand that easy. I know I can rule it to be like that without the books but if there is a period in history of let's say financial crisis then all the better.
#5
Stigger
Jan 26, 2009 9:16:28 Well, you might want to look at the Lands of Intrigue boxed set for 2e, which should be available on the free download section here, Amn sounds like what you're looking for. As to good temples, one of the ideas behind them in the Realms is that they're going to charge you an arm and a leg, so to speak, if you're not a member of the faith, and they're going to charge you anyway even if you are a faithful. That's one impression the CRPGs since the Baldur's Gate series pretty seriously failed to show. Healing magic isn't cheap in the 'official' Realms, nor easy to come by. If you take a look at the Knights of Myth Drannor series, this becomes pretty obvious actually.
#6
lord_karsus
Jan 26, 2009 9:35:11
I believe you have posted all I need. Thanx.

Since you guys know a lot maybe you can help me even further.
I what to lead next adventures in FR, cause i like it but I also don't like high magic setting so I'm looking thru history if there is a span of dark years? Magic items are hard to come by. Mage service are expensive and rare. More thieves and beggars and even good temples don't offer a helping hand that easy. I know I can rule it to be like that without the books but if there is a period in history of let's say financial crisis then all the better.

-There isn't necessarily a specific time span as much as regions that can better fit this description.
#7
fetfreakvr2
Jan 26, 2009 10:32:22
-There isn't necessarily a specific time span as much as regions that can better fit this description.

Well I guess I'll just have to make it happen. What do you think what would be the best reason for dark ages in fearun to occur? Just please no spell plague.

Thanx Stigger for Amn I'll look into it.
#8
lord_karsus
Jan 26, 2009 11:39:13
Well I guess I'll just have to make it happen. What do you think what would be the best reason for dark ages in fearun to occur? Just please no spell plague.

-Spellplague.

-As I said, there are many different regions on Faerûn, and of course, on all of the other continents on Abeir-Toril. Each one has different circumstances, and so on and so on and so on. Some already have a "down and out" feel, while others don't. If you're looking for something that spans the entire continent, the Spellplague is the best thing. If you are looking for something much more localized, that's something for you to figure out once you pick what region you're going to be using. Something as small as a sustained economic depression in a small enough kingdom/city-state/whatever can work.
#9
leiril
Jan 26, 2009 12:42:59 The Arcane Ages books are long before the ToT. You can even download Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves and The Fall of Myth Drannor here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Both are timetravelling things and set you back into some interesting szenarios of the famous elven realm. But I only read through them and it sounds really interesting, if I ever get the chance to play again with a group I would like to test them.
The Netheril Empire is also one of them, I will read it next.
#10
Stigger
Jan 26, 2009 14:41:40 Well, if you want to artificially deflate magic a bit, you could use something like a component shortage, with dramatically increasing costs for spells to be cast. Or even use the Time of Troubles to say that with the changes in magic came changes in components that no one's quite figured out just yet... unless they're much nicer to the church of Mystra. Or if you want something a bit more esoteric, call it a celestial alignment problem that dampens the effects of magic for whatever period of time you like. There are a lot of ways to bring about the changes you're looking for without using an easily-dealt-with deus ex method.
#11
fan-fan_dup
Feb 23, 2009 21:56:03 What powers elevated to their positions during the time period of the Time of Troubles?
#12
markustay63
Feb 24, 2009 15:53:53 I'd go with post-fall of Netheril for a magic-light campaign, using all the survivor states would be fun.

And I say 'low magic', because magic was indeed changed... GREATLY. Mystra changed the way magic worked so mages could not access higher-level spells anymore. Also, most of Netheril's magic was based on their Mythallars and Psuedo-magical items - they'd be in some deep doody after their Mythallars came down.

There was probably a brief period - say a century - wherein people were struggling to rebuild and re-discover magical traditions. Like the Spellplague, but less physically disruptive (except for Netheril - it fall down and go BOOM!)
#13
addle-cove-anarchist
Feb 25, 2009 16:00:22
What powers elevated to their positions during the time period of the Time of Troubles?

Cyric, Midnight-Mystra, Red Knight, Rablur
#14
thinblade
Feb 25, 2009 17:11:24 Kelemvor.
#15
lord_karsus
Feb 25, 2009 20:10:22 -Finder Wyvernspur
#16
drizztsmanchild
Feb 26, 2009 9:12:33 Didn't Kelemvor become a god after the ToT? When Cyric had already ascended?
#17
addle-cove-anarchist
Feb 26, 2009 9:28:53 ten years after ToT
#18
dmd
Feb 26, 2009 13:15:43 I ran all of the Arcane Age adventures. I found them to be a blast.

Running the Fall of Myth Drannar requires a lot of work though and my players did not stay all the way to the itter end.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 fetfreakvr2 Jan 25, 2009 10:49:55	Just a quick question. What books do you suggest on lore for forgotten realms before time of troubles. Let's say 10 years before. I'm interested in what was the life like, position of some states, progress of technology/cities/magic. And lore on gods of that time.
#2 Stigger Jan 25, 2009 14:12:04	1e Campaign setting books should do it... those might be available as pdf's somewhere online, no idea though, I've never actually looked for them. Beyond that, I'd also suggest The Grand History of the Realms, although that'll only be good for a historical overview.
#3 faraer Jan 25, 2009 17:41:50	The sourcebooks published before 1989 are set in 1356–8 DR before the Avatar Crisis, including the first Campaign Set, FR1 through FR6, and FRC1 and FRC2 (all available as PDFs from Paizo.com, and FR5 here for free). Various fiction is also set in the 1340s and 50s -- see this list, plus Ed's Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy (set in 1348) and other later-published stories including several in The Best of the Realms, Book II and some of the memories in Elminster in Hell. Sources set later, such as the Volo's Guides, usually have references to the recent past. Faiths & Avatars, Powers & Pantheons and Demihuman Deities are entirely applicable to the gods as worshipped at that time apart from some of the mentions of currently prominent temples. Plus the usuall farscattering of references -- can you narrow your interest down?
#4 fetfreakvr2 Jan 26, 2009 8:28:11	I believe you have posted all I need. Thanx. Since you guys know a lot maybe you can help me even further. I what to lead next adventures in FR, cause i like it but I also don't like high magic setting so I'm looking thru history if there is a span of dark years? Magic items are hard to come by. Mage service are expensive and rare. More thieves and beggars and even good temples don't offer a helping hand that easy. I know I can rule it to be like that without the books but if there is a period in history of let's say financial crisis then all the better.
#5 Stigger Jan 26, 2009 9:16:28	Well, you might want to look at the Lands of Intrigue boxed set for 2e, which should be available on the free download section here, Amn sounds like what you're looking for. As to good temples, one of the ideas behind them in the Realms is that they're going to charge you an arm and a leg, so to speak, if you're not a member of the faith, and they're going to charge you anyway even if you are a faithful. That's one impression the CRPGs since the Baldur's Gate series pretty seriously failed to show. Healing magic isn't cheap in the 'official' Realms, nor easy to come by. If you take a look at the Knights of Myth Drannor series, this becomes pretty obvious actually.
#6 lord_karsus Jan 26, 2009 9:35:11	I believe you have posted all I need. Thanx. Since you guys know a lot maybe you can help me even further. I what to lead next adventures in FR, cause i like it but I also don't like high magic setting so I'm looking thru history if there is a span of dark years? Magic items are hard to come by. Mage service are expensive and rare. More thieves and beggars and even good temples don't offer a helping hand that easy. I know I can rule it to be like that without the books but if there is a period in history of let's say financial crisis then all the better. -There isn't necessarily a specific time span as much as regions that can better fit this description.
#7 fetfreakvr2 Jan 26, 2009 10:32:22	-There isn't necessarily a specific time span as much as regions that can better fit this description. Well I guess I'll just have to make it happen. What do you think what would be the best reason for dark ages in fearun to occur? Just please no spell plague. Thanx Stigger for Amn I'll look into it.
#8 lord_karsus Jan 26, 2009 11:39:13	Well I guess I'll just have to make it happen. What do you think what would be the best reason for dark ages in fearun to occur? Just please no spell plague. -Spellplague. -As I said, there are many different regions on Faerûn, and of course, on all of the other continents on Abeir-Toril. Each one has different circumstances, and so on and so on and so on. Some already have a "down and out" feel, while others don't. If you're looking for something that spans the entire continent, the Spellplague is the best thing. If you are looking for something much more localized, that's something for you to figure out once you pick what region you're going to be using. Something as small as a sustained economic depression in a small enough kingdom/city-state/whatever can work.
#9 leiril Jan 26, 2009 12:42:59	The Arcane Ages books are long before the ToT. You can even download Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves and The Fall of Myth Drannor here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Both are timetravelling things and set you back into some interesting szenarios of the famous elven realm. But I only read through them and it sounds really interesting, if I ever get the chance to play again with a group I would like to test them. The Netheril Empire is also one of them, I will read it next.
#10 Stigger Jan 26, 2009 14:41:40	Well, if you want to artificially deflate magic a bit, you could use something like a component shortage, with dramatically increasing costs for spells to be cast. Or even use the Time of Troubles to say that with the changes in magic came changes in components that no one's quite figured out just yet... unless they're much nicer to the church of Mystra. Or if you want something a bit more esoteric, call it a celestial alignment problem that dampens the effects of magic for whatever period of time you like. There are a lot of ways to bring about the changes you're looking for without using an easily-dealt-with deus ex method.
#11 fan-fan_dup Feb 23, 2009 21:56:03	What powers elevated to their positions during the time period of the Time of Troubles?
#12 markustay63 Feb 24, 2009 15:53:53	I'd go with post-fall of Netheril for a magic-light campaign, using all the survivor states would be fun. And I say 'low magic', because magic was indeed changed... GREATLY. Mystra changed the way magic worked so mages could not access higher-level spells anymore. Also, most of Netheril's magic was based on their Mythallars and Psuedo-magical items - they'd be in some deep doody after their Mythallars came down. There was probably a brief period - say a century - wherein people were struggling to rebuild and re-discover magical traditions. Like the Spellplague, but less physically disruptive (except for Netheril - it fall down and go BOOM!)
#13 addle-cove-anarchist Feb 25, 2009 16:00:22	What powers elevated to their positions during the time period of the Time of Troubles? Cyric, Midnight-Mystra, Red Knight, Rablur
#14 thinblade Feb 25, 2009 17:11:24	Kelemvor.
#15 lord_karsus Feb 25, 2009 20:10:22	-Finder Wyvernspur
#16 drizztsmanchild Feb 26, 2009 9:12:33	Didn't Kelemvor become a god after the ToT? When Cyric had already ascended?
#17 addle-cove-anarchist Feb 26, 2009 9:28:53	ten years after ToT
#18 dmd Feb 26, 2009 13:15:43	I ran all of the Arcane Age adventures. I found them to be a blast. Running the Fall of Myth Drannar requires a lot of work though and my players did not stay all the way to the itter end.