Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 luckyadrastus Jul 02, 2010 15:55:47	I would like advice on what region in FR my character should be from.  I have a background, but don't know much FR geography. I started playing LFR a few months ago, and only knew I wanted to play a human world speaker shaman.  I'm not that familiar with the FR setting, so I read a little and tried to come up with a character whose background "fit" what I wanted to play mechanically. What I came up with is a character named Brother Mikkel, who was raised in a grove of druids/priests of Silvanus.  As he came of age, he was given a special task: a "seed" of Silvanus was entrusted to him.  The seed is roughly circular and about the size of a softball -- he carries it inside his totem.  He is supposed to travel the world and try to bury and grow the seed whereever he goes.  Someday it will blossom into... something, perhaps the tree at the heart of a new grove, or perhaps an Exarch of Silvanus. Mikkel found that when he held the seed, he can communicate with the spirits, and he can summon forth a world speaker spirit from the seed itself.  However the seed's spirit does not speak to him, and the seed never grows.  Mikkel is growing desperate and is always trying new schemes to make the seed grow, with the result that he is constantly gathering odd materials to try as fertilizer, and immersing the seemingly indestructible seed in streams, pints of ale, jars of acid, defeated enemy bodies, anything to see if that makes it grow.  Sometimes Mikkel wonders if the seed is merely a rock and he was tricked into leaving the grove for some unknown reason (shades of Durkon from the Order of the Stick webcomic). Anyway, is there is a good geographical region for my character to come from?  I'm not seeking any mechanical benefits from background.  I'd like some area where there is a lot of relatively wild forests, because my character grew up in a druid's grove.  However I don't exactly want a complete barbarian wilderness -- my character wears chainmail (stupid Con/Wis builds) and is MC'ed as a cleric, so he's somewhat more "civilized," in outlook.  In terms of US states, a state like Washington, Oregon, Montana, or Vermont, if that makes any sense.  Also, if the region would play a role in his personality or perspective, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks in advance for any replies!
#2 LordManshoon Jul 02, 2010 19:19:50	The Dalelands are a good choice. There's also the High Forest; there are few humans in the area, but those that do live in the region have a great reverence for nature and generally show loyalty to the nature gods. There are also an abundance of fey in the area, so that could spice up a grove or other important religious site. Luruar, the Silver Marches, is also a possibility. The area has the proper level of civilization (it's strong and stable, but doesn't have a lockdown on every square inch of land), and the geographical features haven't been despoiled by the various cities; it could be that in his quest for greater understanding of the seed, he traveled from city to city. I don't recall at the moment how much of an influence Silvanus has in the area's religious practices, but I'm sure he maintains a presence in some parts.
#3 luckyadrastus Jul 02, 2010 23:50:18	Thanks Goldomark and LordManshoon.    The Dalelands seem like a good choice, but I think I want to go with either the Western Glimmerwood in Luruar / the Silver Marches, or the High Forest, because they seem like more heavily forested areas where a major Silvanus grove might be located.  I couldn't find anything on the High Forest in my 4e books (FRPG and FRCG), but Wikipedia had some info.  Wikipedia says the High Forest is home to the "fabled Grandfather Tree," which sounds like something I could fit into my storyline.  Do either of you (or anyone else, of course) know what the Grandfather Tree is? Thanks again!