For those that are unable to attend, I'll try to post here on all the latest D&D announcements and FR news. But if you're interested in more "real time" updates and pictures I encourage folks to checkout my Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/brianrjames (Or better yet, use www.tweet3.com. It's WAAY better!) I've already posted a sneak peak of the city map of Phlan, part of the Dungeon adventure we're playtesting at Gen Con.
The big Forgotten Realms seminar is on Friday at 4pm (Eastern) so I suspect the majority of the news will come thereafter.
I can't make it to Gencon this year, so I'll be relying on you. BTW, if you could bring me back a souvenir, namely in the form of a designer's soul, I'd be forever grateful.
BTW, if you could bring me back a souvenir, namely in the form of a designer's soul, I'd be forever grateful.
Sorry Charlie, they ALL belong to Lady Shar now.:P
Don't you ever forget it either.;)
Thanks Mr. James.
Sorry Charlie, they ALL belong to Lady Shar now.:P
Don't you ever forget it either.;)
Thanks Mr. James.
That's certainly not true. Bruce R. Cordell's soul is bound in a pact with some unknown aberration (effectively granting him levels in Warlock). Rich Baker's soul shattered into several shards when he tried to prevent the Spellplague from happening; then they scattered from his Undermountain lair to the far corners of Faerun. There are still plenty of souls on the market, and I think Brian has an eye for souls, so I trust his wisdom.
-Back on topic, come on.
Just attempting a bit of humor.:P
Anyway, Brian, how much leisure time do you have at GenCon? Is there a tight schedule you have to stick to, or do you have as much free time as you could hope?
The D&D World of the Forgotten Realms
Join members of Wizards' R&D team, D&D Insider, and novel authors to discuss the latest happenings in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and Living Forgotten Realms. Secrets and upcoming events will be revealed!
Scheduled Guests: Bill Slavicsek, Bruce Cordell, and James Wyatt
Fri 4 PM
The Forgotten Realms seminar was pretty heavily focused on Living Forgotten Realms (LFR) this year. The only future DDI articles that were specifically announced was 3rd Airspur article (author unknown) and the Dungeon adventure 'Monument of the Ancients' that my brother Matt James and I are co-writing.
Several new novels were announced including two new trilogies, one by Richard Lee Byers. A new series 'The Planetouched' is coming in 2010, which are standalone novels ala The Cites, The Wilds, etc...
That's all I have for the moment. I'm late for breakfast!
Whew. It's been a whirlwind at Gen Con this year. I had a change to meet alot of great people including old friends.
Good to hear. Say, what do you think about the Dark Sun revelation? Any opinions?
The Forgotten Realms seminar was pretty heavily focused on Living Forgotten Realms (LFR) this year. The only future DDI articles that were specifically announced was 3rd Airspur article (author unknown) and the Dungeon adventure 'Monument of the Ancients' that my brother Matt James and I are co-writing.
:embarrass
Didn't realize you had a brother. That's cool the two of you get to work together.
Several new novels were announced including two new trilogies, one by Richard Lee Byers. A new series 'The Planetouched' is coming in 2010, which are standalone novels ala The Cites, The Wilds, etc...
Brotherhood of the Griffon, by RLB, right? And Chosen of Nendawen by Mark Sehestedt? As for The Planetouched, sounds awesome!
Didn't realize you had a brother. That's cool the two of you get to work together.
I'm quiet here on the WotC boards
38D:
Not too much more news in the way of the Realms but they did give a great outline of products and novels that are are in the pipeline. In years past there was a tendency to go over things that were already released but Bill Slavicsek gave us a great roadmap ahead this time around. I am looking forward to doing some shorter articles for Realms fans and will try to stop by more when I have the time
So people, go buy them up, and show Wizards that the masses want Ed Greenwood Presents.
Just sayin'...
Let me know where that rock will be located so I can step on it, and help you out with your death wish.
That would be called doing the world a favor.;)
[J/K]
On topic I heard over at Candekeep that Ed was working on a new novel! "Elminster MUST Die"!
38DELTA:P
Let me know where that rock will be located so I can step on it, and help you out with your death wish.
That would be called doing the world a favor.;)
Actually, I'd save some (hells, most) of them. Ed Greenwood Presents Waterdeep, The Twilight War, and other novels of such quality should be allowed to see the light of day.
Others, such as a certain recent trilogy regarding drow and their deities, and a specific quintet of novels with gods as characters, probably shouldn't get off the hook.
Keith
I thought that it was funny when I saw that quote at candlekeep.
The only future DDI articles that were specifically announced was 3rd Airspur article (author unknown)
*whistles inconspicuously* 
The only future DDI articles that were specifically announced was 3rd Airspur article (author unknown)*whistles inconspicuously*
Got something up your sleeve, my friend? You can tell little ol' me. I can keep a secret... for a price.
Airspur! AIRSPUR!!!!
Ahem, any hints as to when the article might come out? :P
Think in 2 or 3 weeks.
Really? I thought it had been posted that the next article was not going to be a continuation on the series yet. Not that I mind of course. ;)
The only future DDI articles that were specifically announced was 3rd Airspur article (author unknown)*whistles inconspicuously*
Got something up your sleeve, my friend? You can tell little ol' me. I can keep a secret... for a price.
Don't believe him. He will sell it to the highest bidder!:razz:
Don't know about that. It seemed logical the articles would follow one after the other.
Well I don't think the next Realms article to be posted will be Airspur since there is no "Explore Airspur" on the editorial calendar. It might however be the next article in the "Explore the Realms" series posted... we just don't know when that will be. The next "Explore" article seems to have moved to Dungeon (the new player info vs. DM info split) and is Fairhaven... which is Eberron isn't it?
Possibilities from this months index seem to be; City of Aboleths (DUN) which may just be an adventure rather than an article and Adventures of the Realms (DRA). Is this Ed's new column or is that not starting this month?
Well I don't think the next Realms article to be posted will be Airspur since there is no "Explore Airspur" on the editorial calendar.
I'm not quite sure when they plan to release the next Airspur article but I image it won't be for several months (based off of the spacing of the last two segments). All I know is that it will come... eventually 
I'm not quite sure when they plan to release the next Airspur article but I image it won't be for several months (based off of the spacing of the last two segments). All I know is that it will come... eventually
I had expected as much. Sorry to ask this rather cheeky question, Mr James, but I don't suppose you would know whether the new "Adventures of the Realms" (and I hope the Adventures is actually AdventureRs) will deal with new regions like the last one did?
I ask because the lack of an Evereska based Background has been a low-level annoyance since the publication of the FRPG 11 months ago and has become more extreme one now that my first LFR game is coming up... I will more than understand if you don't know or can't say, I just thought I would ask. Thanks!
I can honestly say that I do not know, but I do like the idea of such an article!
Thanks for your answer. I had expected it but thought it worth a shot anyway.
I like the idea too. Since the first one (Dragon 370, I think) covered Aglarond, Impiltur and the Moonshaes and gave further ideas related to three areas already covered by the FRPG. The series moved on with the Tarmalune and the Windrise Ports (Dragon 376) which I think aren't covered in the FRPG and so gave me hope...
I have been hoping that when they did this again they would again cover "new" areas rather than expanding on old ones. I still fail to understand how some of the these places failed to make the cut but I do hope this will be rectified soon. I would like my new character to be from Evereska but from what I understand of LFR character creation this is only possible in the abstract sense ("He was born in Evereska but seems to have started his adventuring life in Myth Drannor or Netheril") rather than ("He was born in Evereska and wishing to stand in defence of his fair city he trained with....").
In these cases, I would just write that you are from that area and take the regional background that fits the best (within the geographical area). The living campaign is it's own monster all-together so try not to get too drummed down over it. It's good that you brought it up here too, so that I may add it to my own wish-list of things to flesh out. In fact, most of my ideas are influenced by these communities.
Well I don't think the next Realms article to be posted will be Airspur since there is no "Explore Airspur" on the editorial calendar.
I'm not quite sure when they plan to release the next Airspur article but I image it won't be for several months (based off of the spacing of the last two segments). All I know is that it will come... eventually
Nooo! :P On a more serious note, congrats on the coming article, Matt James. I look forward to it.
Fingers crossed on future Evereska info for yourself, Iluvrien, and let us know how your first LFR game goes.
Fingers crossed on future Evereska info for yourself, Iluvrien, and let us know how your first LFR game goes.
It turns out that in the end we did run the module, but not as LFR (not this time anyway). Why? Because our group just couldn't face being first level again for the third time in two months. So we ended up running the hard version of the module with level 3 characters instead of level one. I did enjoy finally being a part of the world I so enjoy... however... I did feel a little adrift because I was playing 100 years later than I was thinking, also I found that the initial desire to share what little I knew of the area made it a little difficult for me at first (I didn't actually say anything) although it did get better with time. Of course intentionally training my character in History let me use tidbits (with my DMs consent and appropriate rp interactions).
I think I would like to continue but I will have to give it more thought first.
I want an Evermeet background. Yeah, they semi-nuked it, but that doesn't mean someone hasn't found their way back to the mainland, or was from there but was in Faerun when it got moved to the Feywild, what with the lifespans of Eladrin/Elves and all.
(I'd also like to know more about what's going on with it and still want to know why in Corellon's name they felt it even needed to be nuked in the first place.)
I'm still hoping for a Rashemen article. Some day, I know it will happen!
Not before the Sembia article, and they delayed that one.
Not before the Sembia article, and they delayed that one.
I know. But you figure that since Rashemen was the #1 choice, then it should be towards the top of the pile under "Realms to Write Articles About". But, then again, I say should, when I know it won't stand a chance against the whims of the designers. Plus I expect we'll have the Sembia article by the end of the year, but that's just my hunch (and hope).
Damn Rashemen with that Moonshaes-style map would be wonderful. 
And there are no big changes there like in Sembia, so even better.