Campaign World, not Campaign Continent - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Campaign World, not Campaign Continent

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
quarks_bar_dup
Jul 22, 2008 15:33:38 I really feel that the Forgotten Realms campaign setting needs to include Zakhara, Kara-Tur, the Horselands, and Maztica.

I just find it so odd that the Forgotten Realms campaign only includes one continent of the world. (Possibly two in 4e with Returned Abeir.)
#2
markustay63
Jul 22, 2008 16:10:25 Yeah, Eberron isn't nearly as old as FR, and yet all the continents were fleshed-out.

Life's unfair.
#3
Belorin
Jul 22, 2008 17:35:22 Consider it a world of Gondwanian supercontinents, Faerun as one and Anchorome, Returned Abeir, and maybe/maybe not Katashaka as another and Osse.

Bel
#4
lord_karsus
Jul 22, 2008 21:55:19 -Being as that Kara-Tur, Maztica and Zakhara bombed in various degrees in 2e, the 3e design plan cut them (being as that they attracted a limited audience, and took precious sourcebook publishing slots), including only mentions here and there. The 4e design team seemingly took the "hint" as well.

-As they are, I wouldn't want to see any of them detailed in future products. If they were changed as a good portion of the Forgotten Realms are changing, that'd make me want to see any of them detailed even less.
#5
quarks_bar_dup
Jul 23, 2008 3:36:04 I never played in Maztica, but am a big fan of Zakhara and Kara-Tur.

Part of the big draw of FR for me was that Forgotten Realms, Al-Qadim, and Oriental Adventures all made for a great combined "Eurasia" continent. And I'm just tired of the rest of the world of Toril being treated like a proverbial red-headed stepchild in newer editions. FR just doesn't interest me nearly as much without Zakhara and Kara-Tur being included.

If I'm remembering correctly, the only thing seperately the south of Faerun from the north of Zakhara was a mountain chain. Same thing between Kara-Tur and the Horselands. If a simple mountain chain was that big a deterrant then characters would never adventure in Icewind Dale, up above the Spine of the World.

Maztica being more or less seperate is quite a bit more understandable since it's "across the pond." However, it was "the new world" back in AD&D 2nd edition... you're telling me no one from Calimshan or Waterdeep has been sending ships over there to milk the natives for all they're worth?

I would fully understand LFR not setting adventures in these regions of the world for some of the reasons stated by other posters, but I would at least like to see these areas offered as starting backgrounds (and as splatbooks for non-Living Forgotten Realms.)
#6
markustay63
Jul 23, 2008 3:49:53 There will be a 3e version of the Kara-Tur map available soon. ;)
#7
colman
Jul 23, 2008 6:03:45 Depends whether you need official publications or not. I'm intending to run a campaign which wanders into Zakhara, the planes - via the Infinite Staircase - and with a side campaign in the Nightmare Lands, so I'll be drawing on unofficial 4e conversions when stats and rules are needed for those places.

The sourcebooks are all available cheaply as PDFs, if you don't happen to have them in your attic, and there are communities out there who will be happy to ponder the details of rules and backgrounds with you. You don't need WotC to publish it for you.

(As an aside, where is the appropriate place to discuss personal, non-canon campaign stuff here? Is the FR forum ok?)
#8
lord_tirian
Jul 23, 2008 6:28:39
Yeah, Eberron isn't nearly as old as FR, and yet all the continents were fleshed-out.

Of course, FR is more classical high fantasy where adventures are often focused on more local events, whereas EB draws from pulp magazines, where world-spanning adventures like in Indy are much more common.

Part of the charm of FR is the focus on Faerun and the high detail. Part of the charm of Eberron is the rather sketchy outline (at least compared to FR) and focus on travelling fast.

Cheers, LT.
#9
leiril
Jul 23, 2008 8:16:16 They are not in the new system? How do they do this? A Retcon telling us that nothing happened with the Golden Legion, Amns wellfare and goldmelking of the New World? It would interest me, because I made an complete article for a german FR Wiki about Amn and in this something about Maztica (actually I planned to make entries about Maztica itself from the sourcebook to Maztica). When this all never existed or is not part of the Realms in the future, most wikis can erase whole entries, backgroundstories and history parts. It seems to me that the new Reals get a bit boring onesided thing. I have never played in Maztica, but it was a good thing to "hear" talk and legends of seamens in athkatla and co. it gave the thing a deep atmosphere and made the Realms more realistic and a great great world.
#10
colman
Jul 23, 2008 9:40:59 Neither Zakara nor Kara-Tur were in the 2e boxed set either, apart from a paragraph about each saying that they exist. Likewise in 3e. I expect the same from 4e. Maztica was more integrated, but I can't say I'm sad to see it go: it never existed for me.
#11
lord_karsus
Jul 23, 2008 10:10:49
There will be a 3e version of the Kara-Tur map available soon. ;)

-Complete? All of it? For true?
#12
lord_karsus
Jul 23, 2008 10:11:49
They are not in the new system? How do they do this?

-I'll suggest you read the 4e FAQ thread. Maztica has been totally replaced.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 quarks_bar_dup Jul 22, 2008 15:33:38	I really feel that the Forgotten Realms campaign setting needs to include Zakhara, Kara-Tur, the Horselands, and Maztica. I just find it so odd that the Forgotten Realms campaign only includes one continent of the world. (Possibly two in 4e with Returned Abeir.)
#2 markustay63 Jul 22, 2008 16:10:25	Yeah, Eberron isn't nearly as old as FR, and yet all the continents were fleshed-out. Life's unfair.
#3 Belorin Jul 22, 2008 17:35:22	Consider it a world of Gondwanian supercontinents, Faerun as one and Anchorome, Returned Abeir, and maybe/maybe not Katashaka as another and Osse. Bel
#4 lord_karsus Jul 22, 2008 21:55:19	-Being as that Kara-Tur, Maztica and Zakhara bombed in various degrees in 2e, the 3e design plan cut them (being as that they attracted a limited audience, and took precious sourcebook publishing slots), including only mentions here and there. The 4e design team seemingly took the "hint" as well. -As they are, I wouldn't want to see any of them detailed in future products. If they were changed as a good portion of the Forgotten Realms are changing, that'd make me want to see any of them detailed even less.
#5 quarks_bar_dup Jul 23, 2008 3:36:04	I never played in Maztica, but am a big fan of Zakhara and Kara-Tur. Part of the big draw of FR for me was that Forgotten Realms, Al-Qadim, and Oriental Adventures all made for a great combined "Eurasia" continent. And I'm just tired of the rest of the world of Toril being treated like a proverbial red-headed stepchild in newer editions. FR just doesn't interest me nearly as much without Zakhara and Kara-Tur being included. If I'm remembering correctly, the only thing seperately the south of Faerun from the north of Zakhara was a mountain chain. Same thing between Kara-Tur and the Horselands. If a simple mountain chain was that big a deterrant then characters would never adventure in Icewind Dale, up above the Spine of the World. Maztica being more or less seperate is quite a bit more understandable since it's "across the pond." However, it was "the new world" back in AD&D 2nd edition... you're telling me no one from Calimshan or Waterdeep has been sending ships over there to milk the natives for all they're worth? I would fully understand LFR not setting adventures in these regions of the world for some of the reasons stated by other posters, but I would at least like to see these areas offered as starting backgrounds (and as splatbooks for non-Living Forgotten Realms.)
#6 markustay63 Jul 23, 2008 3:49:53	There will be a 3e version of the Kara-Tur map available soon. ;)
#7 colman Jul 23, 2008 6:03:45	Depends whether you need official publications or not. I'm intending to run a campaign which wanders into Zakhara, the planes - via the Infinite Staircase - and with a side campaign in the Nightmare Lands, so I'll be drawing on unofficial 4e conversions when stats and rules are needed for those places. The sourcebooks are all available cheaply as PDFs, if you don't happen to have them in your attic, and there are communities out there who will be happy to ponder the details of rules and backgrounds with you. You don't need WotC to publish it for you. (As an aside, where is the appropriate place to discuss personal, non-canon campaign stuff here? Is the FR forum ok?)
#8 lord_tirian Jul 23, 2008 6:28:39	Yeah, Eberron isn't nearly as old as FR, and yet all the continents were fleshed-out. Of course, FR is more classical high fantasy where adventures are often focused on more local events, whereas EB draws from pulp magazines, where world-spanning adventures like in Indy are much more common. Part of the charm of FR is the focus on Faerun and the high detail. Part of the charm of Eberron is the rather sketchy outline (at least compared to FR) and focus on travelling fast. Cheers, LT.
#9 leiril Jul 23, 2008 8:16:16	They are not in the new system? How do they do this? A Retcon telling us that nothing happened with the Golden Legion, Amns wellfare and goldmelking of the New World? It would interest me, because I made an complete article for a german FR Wiki about Amn and in this something about Maztica (actually I planned to make entries about Maztica itself from the sourcebook to Maztica). When this all never existed or is not part of the Realms in the future, most wikis can erase whole entries, backgroundstories and history parts. It seems to me that the new Reals get a bit boring onesided thing. I have never played in Maztica, but it was a good thing to "hear" talk and legends of seamens in athkatla and co. it gave the thing a deep atmosphere and made the Realms more realistic and a great great world.
#10 colman Jul 23, 2008 9:40:59	Neither Zakara nor Kara-Tur were in the 2e boxed set either, apart from a paragraph about each saying that they exist. Likewise in 3e. I expect the same from 4e. Maztica was more integrated, but I can't say I'm sad to see it go: it never existed for me.
#11 lord_karsus Jul 23, 2008 10:10:49	There will be a 3e version of the Kara-Tur map available soon. ;) -Complete? All of it? For true?
#12 lord_karsus Jul 23, 2008 10:11:49	They are not in the new system? How do they do this? -I'll suggest you read the 4e FAQ thread. Maztica has been totally replaced.