Hey gang, I have been out of the FR loop for a long time, but always really liked it. I was wondering what would be good to get caught up into the 4th edition timeframe. I am especially interested in novels about Cormyr prior to the spellplague or after if there are any. Can anyone recommend any good reads? Or any that would just capture the history and such of the country itself that are still available?
I have been digging around on the wiki and I just am having a devil of a time figuring out what is going on in the Realms nowdays!
Thanks all!
If you havnt already, get the 4e Forgotten Realms Campain Guide, that gives a rundown of most of the changes.
As far as the novels go, there was a thread around here that listed the 4e ones, although I dont think its been updated in awhile, I'll see if I cant find it and bump it or post a linky to it here.
Elminster Must Die came out not that long ago, and from what I understand focuses alot on Cormyr.
Elminster Must Die came out not that long ago, and from what I understand focuses alot on Cormyr.
Apart from a few fragmented scenes in the Dales, it is set entirely in Cormyr. Suzail mostly.
Here is the relevant part of the thread:
Ahhh here we go. Some of these take place right before the Spellplauge and lead up into it. I think the Haunted Lands, and the Transistions trilogies take place before the Spellplague and work their way up to the event, and the Empyrean Odyssey as well, thats the one where Mystra get killed by a stick!
Abolethic Sovereignty
-Plauge of Spells
-City of Torment
Blades of the Moonsea
-The Swordmage
-Corsair
-Avenger
Chosen of Nendawen
-The Fall of Highwatch
The Empyrean Odyssey
-The Gossamer Plain
-The Fractured Sky
-The Crystal Mountain
The Haunted Lands
-Unclean
-Undead
-Unholy
-Realms of the Dead (Anthology)
Transitions
-The Orc King
-The Pirate King
-The Ghost King
Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep
-Blackstaff Tower
-Mistshore
-Downshadow
-City of the Dead
-The God Catcher
-Circle of Skulls
The Wilds
-The Fanged Crown
-The Restless Shore
-The Edge of Chaos
-Wrath of the Blue Lady
I know some other books have been released since this list was compiled. IM pretty sure, book three of the Abolethic Sovereignty is out now, and of course Elminster Must Die, I'll update this later on, unless some one beats me to it. But I got to go, the wife is yelling at me to spend some time with her and stop spending so much time hangin out on here with my virtual friends, I keep telling her that youre all real people (as far as I know), but she never listens to me!
Abolethic Sovereignty by Bruce R. Cordell
-Plauge of Spells
-City of Torment
-Key of Stars
Blades of the Moonsea by Richard Baker
-The Swordmage
-Corsair
-Avenger
Chosen of Nendawen by Mark Sehestedt
-The Fall of Highwatch
The Empyrean Odyssey by Thomas M. Reid
-The Gossamer Plain
-The Fractured Sky
-The Crystal Mountain
The Haunted Lands by Richard Lee Byers
-Unclean
-Undead
-Unholy
-Realms of the Dead (Anthology)
Transitions By R.A. Salvatore
-The Orc King
-The Pirate King
-The Ghost King
Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep
-Blackstaff Tower by Steven E. Schend
-Mistshore by Jaleigh Johnson
-Downshadow by Erik Scott de Bie
-City of the Dead by Rosemary Jones
-The God Catcher by Erin M. Evans
-Circle of Skulls by James P. Davis
The Wilds
-The Fanged Crown by Jenna Helland
-The Restless Shore by James P. Davis
-The Edge of Chaos by Jak Koke
-Wrath of the Blue Lady by Mel Odom
Sage of Shadowdale by Ed Greenwood
-Elminster Must Die
Neverwinter by R.A. Salvatore
-Gauntlgrym
Stand Alone Novels
-Unbroken Chain by Jaleigh Johnson
I believe this is a current list of all the 4e era novels, there might be some that ive forgotten, and theres plenty more on the way, I just listed the ones currently available.
And Im pretty far behind my novel reading as well, so far the only one ive read it Mel Odom's Wrath of the Blue Lady. It was a pretty good read, and gave quite a bit of lore on 4e Westgate. Im really wantin to read the new Elminster novel, I just got to read that, and since my current game is in Waterdeep I need to read those Waterdeep novels as well.
since my current game is in Waterdeep I need to read those Waterdeep novels as well.
I've heard those are good.
But seriously, I think the Ed Presents Waterdeep novels are a good intro to the 4e Realms for hardcore sages, lapsed readers, and FR newbies alike.
Cheers
since my current game is in Waterdeep I need to read those Waterdeep novels as well.
I've heard those are good.
I second the notion , even though one of them read like a blasted mystery novel, they were all enjoyaable.... save the last one, the circle of skulls.( hhahahahahha, I haven't finished that one yet, lord ELmister interupted it)
Probably distraught over George RR Martin taking for bloody ever to get his next Fire and Ice series out.
Pretty much anything by that de Bie character is pretty good. I've had a hard time getting into the 'new' novel series for some reason. I've read the ..presents Waterdeep ones, the ones by Baker and the haunted lands ones but just seem to be having to force read anything of late.
Probably distraught over George RR Martin taking for bloody ever to get his next Fire and Ice series out.
I hate to completly change the subject here, but thats a pretty cool avatar you got there Harn, What is that from? Looks like a Turmish wizard to me, but I dont recall it being in any Realms books.
since my current game is in Waterdeep I need to read those Waterdeep novels as well.
I've heard those are good.
I'll get to them one of these days, I still HAVE to read Elminster Must Die! I got a big box of Realms novels off of Ebay IM still workin my way through, and theres going to be a new Wheel of Time novel coming out here real soon!
Oh, and by the way, added in Neverwinter Book One: Gauntlgtrym by RA Salvatore to the 4e Realm's novel list. Any others I may have forgotten?
I'm currently reading The Return of the Black Company so I can read the one after that by author Glen Cook. The novels associated with the TV series Castle, Elminster Must Die, Mark of Nerath, Fractured Sky and the Orc King. Also Elizabeth Moon's newish book Oath of Fealty (based on characters from her Paksenarrion character).
My avatar (which I use for representation of a Turmish wizard I play I believe was first used on the cover of a 3. or 3.5 book I think Unearthed or something along those lines. It's also popped up in one of the newer books someplace as well. Probably one of my favorite wizard artworks I've seen, the cat familiar is the best part with his matching beard and tail done to match the dreadlocks.
Silver a REAL Realms fan would read the ED GREENWOOD novel (Meaning you need to read El MUST Die now!!
) first!!
Silver a REAL Realms fan would read the ED GREENWOOD novel (Meaning you need to read El MUST Die now!!
Well you did notice that I said I have to read it, bolded even, I guess maybe I should of underlined it too.
I would really love it if they were doing the upcoming boxed set on Waterdeep and not Neverwinter. Waterdeep just has tons of adventuring potential.
Well, Neverwinter has tons of adventuring potential as well (I should know, I wrote about a third of the NWCG), and it has the extra benefit of tying into a long-time, successful computer game series (Neverwinter Nights, NWN2, etc., and the upcoming Neverwinter game next year).
I myself hold some hope that this is a test case, and if it sells well, we'll see more Realms campaign guides/boxed sets set in and around the other cities.
On that note, what cities/regions would people want to see? I'll toss out a couple examples that I think would work well, in no particular order, knowing what I do about the format of the NWCG:
1) Waterdeep
2) Westgate
3) Menzoberranzan
4) Cormyr
5) Baldur's Gate
6) Dalelands
Other thoughts?
Cheers
Myth Drannor
Cormyr
Menzoberranzan
Baldur's Gate
Myth Drannor, especially.
Waterdeep
Dalelands
Something to save the drow from the complete destruction of all depth, interest and variety they had prior to the Lady Penitent trilogy. But I could rant for hours about how much I hate everything that happened in that godsforsaken series and how it basically ruined the drow(Besides killing off one of my favourite gods).
anyway, lolth still has the spider portfolio right??
all that thing has is an inate fear of spiders.
she answers to Bane.....
Harn's avatar comes from the 3.5 Complete Arcane sourcebook.I would really love it if they were doing the upcoming boxed set on Waterdeep and not Neverwinter. Waterdeep just has tons of adventuring potential.
Well, Neverwinter has tons of adventuring potential as well (I should know, I wrote about a third of the NWCG), and it has the extra benefit of tying into a long-time, successful computer game series (Neverwinter Nights, NWN2, etc., and the upcoming Neverwinter game next year).
I myself hold some hope that this is a test case, and if it sells well, we'll see more Realms campaign guides/boxed sets set in and around the other cities.
On that note, what cities/regions would people want to see? I'll toss out a couple examples that I think would work well, in no particular order, knowing what I do about the format of the NWCG:
1) Waterdeep
2) Westgate
3) Menzoberranzan
4) Cormyr
5) Baldur's Gate
6) Dalelands
Other thoughts?
Cheers
Ahhh Complete Arcane, does any one know if it was ever used in a Realms book? IM tellin ya that is a Turmish Wizard right there! Well ok, he could be a Sorcerer,
And as far as another Realms game book goes, I agree with Delta, all of them! Id love to see something like the Forgotten Realms Adventures 2e book with all those city maps updated for 4e, I would definitely pick that up, as would most other Realms fans! Erik, Im sure you got some pull at WotC, tell them to get on that!!
But if I had to pick just one...
The ones you and others have listed would be cool, and Id buy them, but theyve all been done before, Id like to see something that hasnt really been explored in too much detail yet. Something like ....Theymarsh! Yeah! I mean the place has been on every single Realms setting map, and has weathered the ToT, the coming of the Shades, and the dreaded Spellplague, and yet what do we know of the place? Theres not even a map of the place! At least not that ive ever seen. So yeah a Theymarsh Campaign Setting Book, id buy that!!! Im not too sure any body else would though.
(snip) Other thoughts? (snip)
Most of all I want a map of the post-Spellplague Realms that just doesn't suck.
I do hope we see a lot more FR4E products. I actually thought a 4E version of 2E's Forgotten Realms Adventures, possibly targetted at LFR DMs and players to maximise sales, might make a great product as LFR seems to be going strong. And like 2E's version, it could have good maps of cities and regions instead of the crap that was published in the FRCG/FRPG.
If I had to pick one region for the boxed set treatment I would go with a combination of Netheril/Cormyr/The Dalelands. I would love to see the 4E version of that area mapped properly (and we already have Mike Schley's superb map of Cormyr as a starting point) plus some lore on the Shades etc....
Well, Neverwinter has tons of adventuring potential as well (I should know, I wrote about a third of the NWCG), and it has the extra benefit of tying into a long-time, successful computer game series (Neverwinter Nights, NWN2, etc., and the upcoming Neverwinter game next year).
I am not saying that it doesn't, just that I would prefer Waterdeep due to having one of the Realms most iconic dungeons, it's general location and that it is interesting. Unfortunately, NWN2 put me well off Neverwinter as a setting and the upcoming game sounds immensely boring. I would just like something really iconic to the setting (I don't really see Neverwinter in that manner) and that has lots of adventuring potential.
While we might get something else in future, I don't believe this is a test case of anything and I do think your last point is the main one. It feels like a tie in to the upcoming computer game, hence the reason they have broken their usual setting structure. But that is possibly just the conspiracy theorist in me.
Obviously it's a tie-in to the computer game, but the two products aren't reliant upon each other. Our work on the NWCG incorporated some ideas from the game, but also vice versa--development occurred at the same time. I myself am keen to see how/if a couple NPCs I developed turn out in the digital Neverwinter.
And I'm sorry NWN1/2 turned you off. Not every game is going to be great, and certainly not every game is going to be what you want. I would still recommend checking out the new game and/or the NWCG book.
Cheers
P.S. How does the game sound "immensely boring"? I've seen very little about its gameplay, plot, setting, characters, etc.--certainly not enough to make a judgment like that.
P.S. How does the game sound "immensely boring"? I've seen very little about its gameplay, plot, setting, characters, etc.--certainly not enough to make a judgment like that.
Limited classes (I think like 4 classes or something?), limited races, 4Es beautiful tactical combat gutted for a real time system (this is by far my biggest problem) and I have zero interest in the game playing like a pseudo-MMORPG (or whatever they are trying). What I really wanted was a plot driven SP game with heavy tactical combat, like Return to the Temple of Elemental evil (but not as buggy). 4E basically has a combat system screaming out for a game like Final Fantasy Tactics. If they made a turn based FFT like game on the 3DS they would sell both a 3DS and the game to me instantly. Do want. Crappy real time pseudo-MMO? DO. NOT. WANT.
It just doesn't interest me at all.
On the other hand both NWN1 and NWN2 were terrible. The only redeeming feature of either was the expansion to NWN2, coincidentally not set in Neverwinter and was in Rashemen. It was by far one of the best roleplaying games (just by itself) released and just dripped individual flavor (something neither original NWN game succeeded in at all).
Noting that this really doesn't have anything to do with how I feel about the upcoming supplement. I'll be buying that anyway as I am interested in it, but I certainly won't touch the computer game with a 10 foot pole.
To be honest, your points sound like extrapolations and overreactions to info we don't actually have (how are we supposed to know what "pseudo-MMO" means?), but it could very well be all the things you describe, which would indeed be bad.
Yeah, FIVE classes to start, though with more to be added after release (at least that's what they said). Not sure on the races (though I think races SHOULD be limited--I mean, you really don't need more than 3-5 races to make a D&D game run smoothly), but they might add some more later.
I've read about their combat system being "based" on 4e, not strictly parallel. To me, that doesn't sound like "gutted" or anything so extreme. But then, the story has always been more interesting to me than the actual combat system in any game (even FFT, which is one of my favorite games ever).
I hope it turns out better than you fear. I myself am going to reserve judgment until I actually get the chance to play it.
Cheers
- a monthly fee to play, requiring login to a server
- dungeons where you can team up with online friends or swap out an AI character for someone
They've said it won't be an MMORPG "like City of Heroes" but the exact differences haven't been specified.
It will have a "story line" and such, so how they're differentiating an MMORPG from "co-op play" isn't yet clear.
My guess is that it won't have big zones where tons of players wander freely and randomly group for "instances" in each zone, like WoW. But perhaps more like Oblivion with the addition of making a party of adventurers for doing dungeon crawls. Instead of a persistent world where tons of players can see each other, I bet it'll feel more like a scripted events solo game... although you can invite up to 4 other friends (or use AI NPCs to fill your party).
In that way, it might feel less like a "world" of millions and more like a tabletop session. And way more "linear" probably.
Cooperative play RPG makes me think of Phantasy Star Online, or I suppose Phantasy Star Universe as the latter actually has AI NPCs you can take with you on runs.
Although hopefully the quality level would be more PSO than PSU. PSU had a ton of technical and tactical advances from PSO, but it's a much worse game despite having more choices.
Which is actually an argument I suppose for having fewer classes at first. If you've got fewer things to try to get right, you can focus more. Add more later after you've gotten those right instead of doing a slapdash job on trying to do all of them at once.