and also, I agree with you, it wouldnt hurt for it to have that, but somewhere somone, has to have the splats under a certain page limit.
as for the underdark book, i'd replace torog with ghuandar( I think I spelled their names right), and then throw everything else out save for the section on the underdark levels and encounter examples.
They don't have the time. The WotC staff is busy churning out splat after splat of Core D&D.
As someone with little experience in Forgotten Realms (experience being a relative term) I've always struggled with the concept of integrating the D&D general lore with Forgotten Realms and what's allowed and what's not. As an example, the PHB3 opening chapter describes the birth of psionic power - Pelor and Ioun and a third unnamed god venture to the living gate in the astral sea to take a look at the Far Realm etc etc. Am I to asume that this retroactively has happened in FR as well, but with the corresponding FR gods? If it hasn't, would it be a terrible sin to integrate that story into my own FR campaigns? And more importantly, how do I deal with the lore published in books like Plane Below, Manual of the Planes, Draconomicon, Underdark, etc.?
First off, welcome to the Realms.
Second, as has been mentioned, you can either ignore it entirely, since it is NOT to be taken as direct canon in FR (or Eberron or Dark Sun for that matter), or substitute characters and places with FR equivalents. With regards to Psionics, I don't recall there ever being one particular cause/source of mind magic in the Realms. It seemed to naturally arise in the mortal realms; the most obvious example that leaps to mind is the ancient psiocracy of Jhaamdath, founded by the psychic warrior Jhaam, who united the people under his banner and was aided by the patron of Psionics, the wise god Auppenser. Although he was the god of Psionics, I don't recall if he actually introduced Psionics to the Realms, or if he simply gained the portfolio as it began to arise in nature.
If you would prefer to simply transplant the PHB3 story of the Living Gate and the trio of deities, you could replace Pelor with Amaunator (God of Noon)/Lathander (God of Dawn) (depending on which appeals to you more), Ioun with Mystryl (the ancient Goddess of Magic) or Selune (Goddess of the Moon), and the third god with whomever you like, possibly a deity you yourself create. The guardian that watches the Gate could be just about anything, though if I had to find a way to make it fit into FR, I'd say the guardian was created and charged with its duty by Ao the Overgod, and that the third deity's demise was a punishment of sorts from Ao.
As for the other sourcebooks, I admit I have yet to read Underdark or The Plane Below, and I'm afraid it's been ages since I read the other two.
A trio of gods (or perhaps epic heroes of realms' past) went to look at the far realm and came back with psionics, aye? Excellent stuff. To realmsify just make one Auppenser, stick a cool sounding name to the second (I'd take Zuoken), and withold the information that the third diety transmogrified into an Elemental Evil like diety such as Ilsensine or Ghaunadar or the Elder Eye.
In older editions I believe a thing called the Crystal Mind travelled the phlogistron between worlds and could bring psionic storms that changed a worlds acces to the Will and enabled sentients the Way to harness its mindpower.
It's because they won't want to create any more Realmslore.
They don't have the time. The WotC staff is busy churning out splat after splat of Core D&D.
sadly this is true....
which maybe why I didnt like martial power 2 when I looked at it.
it is new for the most part, but the city of brass has existed from previous editions in the plane of fire.
its easily adapted yes.
oh I did forget something though, since I remembered it; I'll tel it.
The Forgotten Realms did at one time have a goddess of the underdark/caverns.
she was killed off by Shar.
her name however slips my mind.
I'll pull out the 3.x frcs and get back to you unlesds someone beats me to it
Ibrandul was the underdark deity of the realms, replace Underdark's deity of the underdark with this one.
of course Shar has it now
And really I dont think the origin story from the Underdark book would apply to the Realms. I dont think a god carved it out, It was carved out by Dwarves, Dragons, Drow, and other Underdark races.
(oops I meant Darkness)
he or she was axed by Shar the Evil Queen of Dorkness, Silversword.
(oops I meant Darkness)
What!? No!! Say it aint so! When did that happen? I totaly missed that.
, I mean absorbed Ilbrundul during the Times of Troubles under Calimshan IIRC.;)C even in 2E Shar
was the big bad booty momma...
I hate her.
she blows majors chunks.
why she didnt just absorb Cyric we will never know
Cause Cyric is kewl...;)
Ether that, or he was just one deity she couldn't swallow. Clearly, he needed more seasoning.
If a Cyrist (is that even right?) finds that crack funny, then something is clearly wrong.
If a Cyrist (is that even right?) finds that crack funny, then something is clearly wrong.
thats not Kosher