I’m curious to know how Marsember has changed now that you have places along the southern border of the Dragonreach that will look to it (and not necessarily Suzail) as the trade hub of choice.
I want to know who the new local lords are. I want to know what the descendents of the exiled noble families (like the Bleths and Cormaerils) are doing in this region in the future. Have they won back their noble titles? Are they working on it? Or are they working as hard as ever to destabilize Cormyr?
I think it will be cool to send my 4E game to this new part of Cormyr, since I haven’t done much in that direction in my 3E game (other then Westgate).
Speaking of which, do we know if Westgate was conquered and is part of Cormyr?
Makes me wonder if a certain Vampiric Clone isn’t still traipsing about in Westgate..... :eek
I know we have an article in Cormyr due soon on the WotC site. Can’t wait to read it!
What are you curious to know?
I don't care how badly WotC wants to streamline the game and make play go fast....they just need to put flavor blurbs like this into their products and articles because players remember that sort of thing.
Makes for good play when a player catches an NPC saying or doing something out of character with the area they are in....good clue they're dealing with a spy or worse (shapechanged wizard, doppleganger, Maulagrym!).
Curious to see what effect the whole Feywild aspect might have on the King's Forest, which has always seemed fairly fey, to me as well.
Those Sword Herald (I think that was the name anyway) holds and how they fared during the Spellplague would be interesting as well.
Well, really, I might be a whole lot more inclined towards the setting if we got something akin to a new set of Volo's Guides, but I'm not holding my breath on that with the new design philosophies of 'less is more' that seem to be prevalent with WotC for 4e.
I realize I no longer want tons of details like I did years ago.
I love tons of details myself. I can then pick and choose or edit, but I love the details its what makes the Realms great.
Can't wait!
Edit: Also totally want to know about the aboleths kingdom. Sounds great!
Speaking of which, do we know if Westgate was conquered and is part of Cormyr?
That's not the case based on all I've read.
I love tons of details myself. I can then pick and choose or edit, but I love the details its what makes the Realms great.
I agree with that. But I think I also agree with Rauric--sometimes, you want some empty space so you can be the one to fill it in. Everyone has different preferences about that.
In my opinion, the Realms had tons of detail and tons of empty space, it was just a matter of where (in the setting).
I agree with that. But I think I also agree with Rauric--sometimes, you want some empty space so you can be the one to fill it in. Everyone has different preferences about that.
In my opinion, the Realms had tons of detail and tons of empty space, it was just a matter of where (in the setting).
Well, I am not sure if there are tons of empty space in the FR. Maybe some but not tons.
If you wanta setting that is fully detailed go with the Realms
If you want little info, go core, eberron or make it up on your own
Well, I am not sure if there are tons of empty space in the FR. Maybe some but not tons.
If you wanta setting that is fully detailed go with the Realms
If you want little info, go core, eberron or make it up on your own
Well, certain areas in the Realms have received barely any detail (the Border Kingdoms, for instance).
Well, certain areas in the Realms have received barely any detail (the Border Kingdoms, for instance).
I know, although the Border Kingdoms did have stuff in Powers of Faerun and in those articles online
I'd rather have gotten more information on how Cormyr was post War of the Devil Dragon. Which never really got shown. Sigh.
If you check the candlekeep.com archives you can find several responses from Ed Greenwood to questions posted by myself and others about Cormyr after the war.
As I recall he's talked about a new law applicable to Cormyrean men who father children out of wedlock and also about the general state of things in North Eastern Cormyr towards the ruins of Tilverton.
Maybe even Alusair in a Chariot. :D
Perhaps even a somewhat corrupt 'Governor' over the annexed lands to the South.
Westgate is still independent, AFAIK, but it would be sitting right on the border of Imperial Cormyr, almost like a seedy thorn in it's side.
Cool.
Westgate is still independent, AFAIK, but it would be sitting right on the border of Imperial Cormyr, almost like a seedy thorn in it's side.
That's how I'm thinking of Westgate too.
I wonder who the Queen of Cormyr is and what noble family she's from?
Is Calednei (sp?) still around?
Wonder how the War Wizards will operate and work around their setbacks... Their main advantage is that after a few decades the new magic allows for most combat missions to be handled more readiliy as its easier to spread ones magic resources. I foresee quite a few new rituals to appear in the FRCG as these are a true wizards ultimate tool.
Remember in the novel Death of the Dragon how the War Wizards banded together on the battlements of the Lord's Keep in Arabel to telekinetically control two huge stones so they could bash Ghazneths with them?
Since then I've always wanted to see group-based magic out of the War Wizards, but we only ever got rules for the Red Wizards of Thay.
Group based magic really is the most logical thing warbased squads of wizards would focus on. Overlapping protective circles, readied actions with timed telekinesis combat moves and illusions already make a regular war wizard act really effective on a battlefield. The magic battles are bound to change alot in the 15th century battlefields as things such as per encounter magic make mages quite the formidable low maintenance artillery.
That's how I'm thinking of Westgate too.
Is Calednei (sp?) still around?
I doubt she is still there. I wonder what they have planned for the Night Masks
I hope we get a lot about the history of the battles between Cormyr, Netheril and Sembia.
What I would love to see (and I think Cormyr desperately needs) is maybe the old idea of Cormyr and Impiltur joining forces by royal marriage coming up again. I just love Impiltur (it is just one of the most perfect heroic adventuring sites ever).
That's a cool idea. Makes me wonder what other alliances and agreements Cormyr might have made to secure its safety.
I've warmed up to Caledei, I hope she is still there.
It has been 100+ years and she is human so I'm thinking no, but I will root for her survival for ya
It has been 100+ years and she is human so I'm thinking no, but I will root for her survival for ya
I don't know if there are canon things beyond potions of longevity that Cormyr's Mage Royals have used over the centuries to keep themselves alive beyond their natural lifetimes.
If those things exist, would they still work post-Spellplague?
If not, then yeah I guess no more Calednie.
If those things exist, would they still work post-Spellplague?
good question. I don't know really. It seems from the Byers series, spells got a little screwy and changed but not always.
I've warmed up to Caledei, I hope she is still there.
Sorry. This is 4th edition. Welcome to a darker, more angstier version of the Realms, simplified for a massively undereducated new generation of computer using, cell phone addicted, teens who know next to nothing about the concept that is class as well as knowing nothing of morality. In short...
WELCOME TO YOUR HELL! Have a nice day.
Sincerely
Hasbro
But you are quite correct - this was one of the few threads that reminded me of the old days, when people discussed the Realms and didn't talk about editions.
Now its polluted.
Anyhow, to expand upon what I posted before, my thoughts were that with all the upheaval caused by the Gazneths, Goblins, and Devil dragon - not to mention the death of both the King and the royal heir - I would assume that a period of martial law would have ensued; especially given that Alusiar was left in charge (with Vangy to back her up).
I figure she went heavily into conscripture, falling back on the 'old ways' of the Feudal System that is the oft-forgotten underlying Cormyr's government. Figure all the nobles (loyal vassals, all :P ) were forced to provide the crown with at least half their troops for half the year, and in order to 'beef-up' the numbers, she created many new titles and holdings - hence Cormyr's need to expand it's territory. Also, as part of that, all able-bodied citizens were expected to serve a minimum of two years in the military, anytime between the ages of 16 and 25, and that service could be split-up into six-month 'tours'.
Thats how I see Cormyr getting back on its feet - by making everyone who can fight do so, so that within just a couple of years they were able to not only recover their strength, but come out even stonger (under Alusair's firm hand... perhaps a bit 'too' firm). Citizenship would only be rewarded after service rendered to the crown (if not militarily, then in some other fashion) - thats the part where I liken Cormyr becoming like Rome under the Steel Princess.
I can also see several strong alliances being forged, beween Cormyr and Impiltur, Tethyr, The Silver Marches (Luruar?), probably a few Dwarf Kingdoms (either in the SH and TP or further afield, like the ones that allied with them during the Tuigan War - the Earthfast Dwarves, who just so happen to be good friends with Alusair).
You know... I can see an influx of Dwarves into Cormyr with Alusair at the helm - perhaps she has granted holdings in the Stormhorns to Dwarves, figuring she could use the revenue in taxes from the new holds, not to mention having the stalwart dwarves defending the Mountains for Cormyr. That might even explain why their could be at least one new Dwarf Town in Cormyr (for anyone using the 4e DMG adventure in Cormyr).
In another way, I see Alusair's Cormyr looking a lot like Conan's Aquilonia - a shining beacon of hope in an otherwise un-civilized Spellplagued world. You could even have Tunlander Archers, Stormhorn Pikemen, etc... all parallels to their Hyborian copunterparts.
With Alusair as Conan... I can see that.
I've always hinted in my campaigns (3E and 4E; the later as of last Monday ;) ) that Dwarves led something of a semi-secret existence in the Storm Horns and Thunder Peaks.
This squared in my mind how Cormyr would have such ready wealth in gems, with which to acquire trade goods and supplies from abroad in order to recover from the conflict with Nalavarra and her Ghazneth minions.
I even toyed with the idea that the dwarves had an agenda of their own (totally custom/non-canon stuff here). Maybe something like the dwarves were secretly monitoring ancient wards of such awesome power as to keep an entire nation of Giants imprisoned on a whole other continent of Toril, or imprisoned in the Underdark below Cormyr.
The side effects of these awesome magical wards were all the storms that gave the mountains surrounding Cormyr their names.
Soooooo many posibilities.
That's why I like reading Markus' stuff. Reminds me of what I like about the Realms.
:D
My first experience as a DM running Trolls with class levels (all Fighter levels) and Greataxes that thoroughly kicked the crap out of my poor players.
Nevertheless, good points about funds finding their way back into Cormyr.
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I believe the name of the gem-vein or whatever that Cormyr obtained its gems from was called the Crystal Grot or something similar?
If you want a 'canon' background for you concept, Misc (which I like, BTW), you could say that the 'Hidden Folk' are decendents of Oghrann, the fallen dwarven Kingdom that existed in the Tunlands. The furthest northern outpost of that kindom were the mines of Tethyamer (which was the only survivor until it, too, fell).
I like the 'caged giants' idea... probably those Faerûnian Cave giants - the Maur. Since your using 4e, you could say that the Stormhorn Maur were tainted early on by the Fomorians (they were originally normal Stone Giants), and that the Oghrann Dwarves were 'charged' with keeping them imprisoned... which a stalwart few have continued to do a thousand years after their Kingdom Fell.
Oghrann always facinated me - it existed in the same region that Thaeravel (the Land of Alabaster Towers) did, and it would almost appear as if the Netherease gave the southern half of the conquered land over to the Dwarves, while they kept the northern half for themselves (centered around the Thaeravel's capital, Rasilith). That would mean that the Dwarves of Ogrhann became partners of a sort with the Netherease - for at least awhile - and maybe had a hand in creating nearby Dekanter, and also helped them to mine the Chardalyn (discovered in the Plain of Standing Stones, which is pretty close to Tethyamer). Years later, for whatever reason (that you may want for your campaign), the Dwarves of Tethyamer became disgruntled with their Nethrease partners (maybe they found out about the Gnomes?), and it was the Tethyamer Dwarves that helped 'hide away' the thieves that stole the final copies of the Nether Scrolls - that was in some Realmslore article somewhere.
Perhaps it is something besides the Maur that the Dwarves of ancient Ogrhann continue to gaurd - perhaps it is a hitherto-unknown source of Chardalyn in the Stormhorns. There exists at least one of hold of Cloud Giants in the highest Peaks, so maybe the other giants are gaurding the Maur, who happened to be imprisoned in the Chardalyn Mines - which are now sealed off. Figure the Maur (under the Fomorians) were part of what wiped out Oghrann, because they wanted to use the precious magical stones for themselves, and now both the giants and Dwarves gaurd against evil taking back the lost mine.
And like you pointed out, there is a cave somewhere in the Stormhorns - I forget the exact name - but its location is a state secret, and the Cormyrian Govt get a never-ending supply of gemstones from there - suppose that is where the Dwarves are? Maybe this legendary 'endless supply' is really payment by the ancient Dwarf clan to keep their secrets and help keep strangers out.
Add in that there was an even more ancient civilization on that spot - the Batrachi Ruins under the swamps (two cities, who somehow got embroiled in the fight between Kiputyto and Talona ), which brings us full-circle to the Nether Scrolls - the Batrachi were one of the races that penned the Skins of the World Serpent.
At around the same time period as Oghrann, their was The Cloud Kingdom, which floated above the Stormhorns, Tunlands, Stonelands, and Goblin Marches (perhaps another "vassal State" of Netheril? It seems odd that there was an entire kingdom of magical flying creatures right on netheril's doorstep, next to their flying cities).
Anyway, I tend to ramble - sorry... but you get the idea. There is plenty of ancient history under that region for you to borrow from. Even the Battle of Bones has a connection to the place (the Goblinoid Kingdom of Hlundadim), and there is even supposedly a HIDDEN CITY of Monks (City of Silver, from Elminter's Ecologies) in the region... perhaps those Dwarves have taken on Monastic Qualities down through the centuries, while gaurding whatever it is they are gaurding.
Hmmm.. if I format all of this better, it would make one helluva an article. :P
Substitute Death Giants and (especially) Eldritch Giants (both from the 3E Monster Manual III) for Muar Giants, though.
The Dungeon Magazine adventure The Storm Lord’s Keep (issue #93) fits very nicely with the whole Giants/Floating Kingdoms in the sky/what happened to Rowen Cormaeril thing.
The Dungeon Magazine adventure The Storm Lord’s Keep (issue #93) fits very nicely with the whole Giants/Floating Kingdoms in the sky/what happened to Rowen Cormaeril thing.
was that an FR adventure?
was that an FR adventure?
not as such, but as it featured giants on a cloud castle, and a random village.. i find it incredible if making it fr would be somehow difficult, a line here and another there. About 3 words need a bit switching around ;)
The Crystal Grot is discussed on pages 10-11 of Volo's Guide to Cormyr, which you can get for free from the Wizards downloads page.
There is also this bit from THO:Aureus, I've forwarded your query to Ed (along with all other recent scribes' questions), but I can venture a LITTLE lore on this: most of the easily-obtainable gem wealth of Cormyr comes from the Crystal Grot (controlled by the royal family), which is covered in VOLO'S GUIDE TO CORMYR, and there are gold mines under High Horn and under certain names-kept-officially-secret western peaks (with panning in a few surface streams in those same peaks), as well as iron and copper mines in many places about the realm. (This lore comes from playing in Ed's "home" campaign.)
love,
THO
Its a Saphire mine that the Royals mine sparingly, to avoid a glut in the market. That 'mine' could very well be used as the entrance to a secret dwarven Realm - the mysterious 'Silver City' run by psionic Monks!
Hmmmm... you know, they almost sound like Duergar... and your playing in 4e, and the Dwarves 'made up' with their wayward kin at the end of 3e...
Could be a VERY good reason why Cormyr kept their relations with the Oghrann survivors top secret.
Lots of adventure posibilities with that.
i find it incredible if making it fr would be somehow difficult, a line here and another there. About 3 words need a bit switching around ;)
Ya it was not that hard at all to make it fit in Cormyr.
With Abeir blasting its way into Toril I bet a 4E DM would find it even easier to fit an adventure like this into the Realms.
Of course he or she would have to come up with their own 4E Force Dragon game stats. ;)
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I'm very eager to learn if Sembia or Netheril were able to take and hold land in Cormyr proper, or cause any wide-ranging destruction.
Did Netheril raise up any more floating cities? If yes, wouldn’t it be cool if Cormyr captured one? This makes me wonder who controls the Stonelands too.
Did anything ‘fall out of the sky’ over the Stonelands during the Spellplague?
Also, a seemingly obvious question I'm surprised I didn't think of before is how did the War Wizards handle the Spellplague? As I understand it Cormyr weathered the plague better than other lands, but what about Cormyr's wizardly spies/forces outside of its lands?
Perhaps the biggest question I hope gets answered: What happened to all the gates created by the Sword Heralds? Do they still work? And what of the Blueleaf Gate that allows travel from the Royal Gardens in Suzail to Eveningstar or the standing stone Gates that run up and down the western flank of Cormyr along the Storm Horns?
I sure hope these still work.
It’d be cool of some of them got scrambled so that they now lead to other gate exits in other parts of the Realms or even into the Feywild, Shadowfell or the outer planes.