Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Chimpadin Mar 09, 2015 4:41:09	I recently finished DMing "Lost Mines of Phandelver" for a group of friends, and while they enjoyed it, they stated it felt very generic and could have been set anywhere. They wanted more realms stuff.   Does anyone have any advice or tips on how I can deliver an adventure in such a way as to give more of a feeling of being in Forgotten Realms? I'm struggling to think of things that make FR stand out from other settings, apart from the well known places such as Neverwinter or Baldur's Gate, and factions like the Harpers.
#2 HobbitFan Mar 09, 2015 20:25:39	Build sense of place and history.  I'd suggest you try and think fo the Realms in terms of these topics (to start):   1. It's unique geography.   Look at the Forgotten Realms map, at the various contients, countries and landforms/landmarks.     2. It's unique history.  Like Tolkien's Middle-Earth, Greenwood's Forgotten Realms have a rich history.  Look places like the Forgotten Realms wiki or sourcebooks or novels to learn about areas, etc. and weave some of that information into your games.     3.  It's cosmology-The Forgotten Realms has a very distinct pantheon of gods.  Read about them and think about how you can work this stuff into your games as well.  The Chruches of the various gods/goddesses are different and impact society different ways.  Priests, etc of different faiths act differently from each other and look at the world differnt ways.  Brainstorm ways to show this in game or think about adventure ideas that might spring from this material.     I hope this helps a little!   HobbitFan aka Monty
#3 Mr_Miscellany Mar 10, 2015 1:07:27	The trick with the Realms is not to throw it in the player's faces.   Pick and choose the parts you want to use, but don't talk about these things forever at the gaming table. That is, introduce new things slowly, around whatever adventure you are running, then let the PCs take it from there. You can give more details based on how they react/interact with things.   More to the point: PCs remember best the things they interact with directly, especially if some of those things are interesting.   The more they can rely on the Realms to be interesting, and rely on you to be consistent in your presentation of the Realms (that is, don't change something just because the latest sourcebook changed it), the likelier they are to have an experience that's memorable and not run of the mill.   That's how you run a Realms game.   I for one am a huge fan of Cormyr. Also Waterdeep. If you can get your hands on a copy of either via drivethrurpg.com, you will be in great shape.   http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/17561/Volos-Guide-to-Cormyr-%282e%29?it=1   Good luck!
#4 KlaudisRex Mar 10, 2015 16:15:20	Mr_Miscellany wrote:
#5 Gwathir Mar 11, 2015 9:48:32	I find the Realms has a very rich history. Especially elvish history which is greatly detailed compared to every other Fantasy setting out there.   There has been so many 'realms' lost, forgotten and new that I think its its main unique aspect. Basically, diversity and coming across lost or forgotten ruins.     I highly recommend reading Lost Empires of Faerun and Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms   http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/28446/Lost-Empires-of-Faern-35?it=1   http://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426091955&sr=8-1&keywords=Ed+Greenwood+Presents+Elminster%27s+Forgotten+Realms%3A     Personally I think you loose touch with the core of the Realms when you start experimenting to fast or to much with Planescape and its off-shoot settings like Kara-tur and Maztica. Stick to the Heartlands, Sword Coast and Silver Marches... once your group starts to crave more then try out more exotic realms such as Thay, the Shining South and those mentioned above.   I recommend introducing the exotic realms through NPCs. I like to run campaigns along the Sword Coast but I always introduce foreign NPCs;  calishite guilders, thayan wizards, turmish merchants and the like.   Finally play Baldur's Gate I and II ... its got the Realms down pretty good for a video game.
#6 Brimleydower Mar 11, 2015 16:42:07	I think a lot of the generic vibe from the adventure was intentional—it's meant to be a sort of introduction to D&D, so. . . baby steps. One of the things that sets Faerun apart from other worlds is an immense well of lore and history. If you want to play up the setting, you'll need to lean on those moreso than anything else. Mostly, I'd just study up on a region and build from there. Incorporate the various deities where you can—not so much as Chosen pez-dispensers or divine soap opera. Another suggestion would be something so simple as ways of speaking. Using tendays or a "Hail, and well met" are extremely evocative of Realmsspeak.   Personally, I would advise against overusing wellknown NPCs. It might seem like a neat idea to have the players bump up against Drizzt, Elminster, or Khelben, but in my experience it tends to take some of the heroic wind out of the players' sails. Being confronted with constant reminders of how not badass the PCs are can become an annoyance.   Finally, and probably the least popular answer, you should make sure The Realms are what they want. As much love as I have for the Realms (and it's a lot, all told) it is not an overly thematic entity. It is a generic high fantasy setting. When you think of Ravenloft, or Dark Sun, or Planescape, they conjure specific—thematic—places. The Realms is more of a melting pot. That's not a bad thing, but it's not everyone's cup of tea, either. Assuming I'm wrong, however, and your players prefer a more traditional fantasy setting, The Realms should shake out just fine.
#7 Chimpadin Mar 12, 2015 4:50:54	Thanks for the responses. I think integrating the factions and organisations of Faerun into the adventure might be something I can do easily to give flavour to the world.   My players don't know FR lore that well, so dropping in famous characters or deities will be mostly lost on them I think!
(Reply to #7) KlaudisRex	Chimpadin wrote:
#9 Chimpadin Mar 13, 2015 4:53:31	KlaudisRex wrote:
(Reply to #9) Gwathir	Chimpadin wrote:
#11 BRJN Mar 13, 2015 17:32:57	Gwathir wrote: