Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I hope you all understand what I'm talking about?
Cheers.
First you have to decide on an area to start the campaign in.
Then you need to see what type of characters the players come up with.
After that you take some time to figure out just how much of the "world" each PC is familiar with.
Then you need to create that initial session where the characters band together.
Contrary to popular belief, there's alot of area not detailed on the realms map.
It's entirely possible for characters to live in the 3.5 realms & not have a clue what's over the horizon prior to taking up the adventuring life.
As they adventure, then they come into contact with these details.
Nor do you have to use all the major places/people/events detailed over the years.
-wrecan, your friendly neighborhood forum lead[/highlight]
In all honesty my advice would be to not. FR has some good points, but it has always been dominated by ridiculously over powered NPCs that over shadow the PCs.
I'm sorry, but really that all depends ENTIRELY on the DM... And I put power npc abuse right there beside super DMPC in the amateur DM toolbox.
In all honesty my advice would be to not. FR has some good points, but it has always been dominated by ridiculously over powered NPCs that over shadow the PCs.
The Realms were never dominated by those NPCs, it's just that those NPCs were too prominent in published products.
That said the 4E Realms will not feature many of these same NPCs, so it's a non-issue.
@DKO
Hello,
I think the best way you can get your players to 'know' they are in the Realms is to start small and work unique Realms setting details (such as words, phrases, NPC and so on) into the adventure as you go along.
For example, if you started in a town in Cormyr, you could describe to the players that they see Purple Dragons marshaling in a field, with the Swordcaptain shouting orders to the six Blades under his command.
You can roleplay uniquely Cormyrean conversations by NPCs that the PCs can overhear at an Inn or Tavern. Maybe the PCs overhear local farmers and even tradesmen complaining over the local Noble's lax management of the farmlands and how it’s high time the Crown appointed a Local Lord to replace the Noble, followed by rumors that a just arrived crown War Wizard was seen making his way to that same surely noble's home, no doubt to impress upon him the right way to do things.
Just keep it light and in the background, and let your players follow up on it if it interests them.
I’ve found that as time goes on it becomes easier to mix in adventure hooks with Realms-flavored lore.
The more your players know, the more they will start to “think Realms” at the gaming table.
Good luck!
Don't want to treat it as "Ohh yeah your in Faerun... ohh look a dungeon! Go in there so I don't have to do anything that involves the outside world."
And strangely enough, that would be perfectly acceptable in the Realms... but you'd be wasting a lot of good potential.
I found yet another 'forgotten Kingdom' in an old source awhile back and made a comment over at CK about it "I feel like I can't walk 10' in the Realms without tripping over some ruins".
The response I got (and wasn't looking for) from Ed's player and CK 'mouthpiece' - the Hooded One - was "BINGO!"
"That is EXACTLY the feel Ed has always tried to present in the Realms."
So, yeah... you can visit a different dungeon every week, because there IS one every 10'. :D
And strangely enough, that would be perfectly acceptable in the Realms... but you'd be wasting a lot of good potential.
I found yet another 'forgotten Kingdom' in an old source awhile back and made a comment over at CK about it "I feel like I can't walk 10' in the Realms without tripping over some ruins".
The response I got (and wasn't looking for) from Ed's player and CK 'mouthpiece' - the Hooded One - was "BINGO!"
"That is EXACTLY the feel Ed has always try to convey in the Realms."
So, yeah... you can visit a different dungeon every week, because there IS one every 10'. :D
Also, a good place for flavor/setting/fluff advice on FR content are the forums on http://www.candlekeep.com
They are generally very good at helping out.
In all honesty my advice would be to not. FR has some good points, but it has always been dominated by ridiculously over powered NPCs that over shadow the PCs.
As said before, that's a DMing issue.
And yes, Faerun does have a lot of dungeons.
In all honesty my advice would be to not. FR has some good points, but it has always been dominated by ridiculously over powered NPCs that over shadow the PCs.
-Not in my games! :D
-Now if you played a game in the Realms, and you were overshadowed by some Uber-NPC.
-Well...sorry about your damn luck. ;)
-Now if you are just aping what 'other' people say about the Realms, then shame on you. :D
-There was nothing wrong with the Realms. Lore Heavy yes but thats a good thing IMHO!
18DELTA ;)
As said before, that's a DMing issue.
It's technically more than that. Far more.
Regardless, the OP is looking for info on how to get into the Realms.
Let's all of us focus on that.
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Speaking of which, another way to jump right in to the Realms is to start in a fairly well know city like Waterdeep. It's got its own local dungeon (Undermountain) and tons of flavor and is loaded with adventure hooks.
It's technically more than that. Far more.
And I don't have the time, inclination, or responsibility to write a huge essay about it.
-Anyway, a good place to start would be with the right spelling. ;)