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The Ultimate FR Edition book to bridge all editions

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
errol
Aug 21, 2008 11:58:25 I have been playing with ideas for Ed Greenwood's unpublished Realmslore. The music, recipes, short stories (sourcebook format), info on personalities of the Realms, and info on places/locales with secrets yet to be discovered. I speak not of game mechanics (one liner NPC stats at the most) but of a lore book that would detail past stories of the Realms (from edition 1 thru 3.5) with the eventual coverage of the new stories of the Realms. One page peeks at things that old Realms players always wondered about. The Harper Schism, the Manshoon Clones story, Khelben's secretive works, and much more. This would work off mostly existing Realmslore that was just never published. This would not step on any DM's toes either because the new books do not cover these events. This book would close it out in a way while leaving room for new players to use the new mechanics for old stories as they immerse themselves further into the Realms. Not perfect but you can all use your imagination. I thus propose the following:

-A Volo's Guide formatted Realms Lore book. Light on pictures and maps. We all have those already. We also have a historical timeline thanks to the work of Brian R. James.
-150 to 200 pages of Lore that is easily flipped through to further immerse a player or DM into the feel of the Realms. New and Old Realms.
-A Book of info that will keep new players and old that have already exhausted new Realms products in game play busy with exploring stories from the past in game using new mechanics.
-Get writers like Steve schend, Elaine Cunningham, and Ed Greenwood to surpervise such a product which might just be as easy as cutting and pasting from past Greenwood unpublished works with light new writing provided by the able Wizards design and novel staff.
-This is a Forgotten Realms Community effort. That which brings us together we should all enjoy by having a Lore book with information that every one will like. This might even win over some of the more RP less combat Role-players. This will be a versatile product providing imaginative works that will make a players imagination soar with new ideas on how to better fill a niche in the Realms.
-There are many frayed ends that people are interested in seeing a glimpse of info to better explain new changes to the Realms. Not everything needs to be explained but tiny narratives about witnessed events would get people excited about reading new and old novels that are coming out that might not get as much attention otherwise. The novels help a player and DM get further into the Realms but not every novel is going to be read by every player. If I know about novels that will detail fantastic magic battles I will buy them and read them ASAP becasue that is what I am into. Maybe I am on a pirate kick, I can find books about that too.

I only ask that such a product be considered. For new and old Forgotten Realms players this would be a great book to own bridging players into various areas of the Realms previously undiscovered. Ed has voiced interest in writing more Volo guide books. Why not let him loose on a project like this? The folk over at Candlekeep are excited about the idea, and have even offered the simple format of adobe pdf's for distribution. Our imagination is the limit.
#2
merrikcale
Aug 21, 2008 12:25:55 I'd buy it
#3
errol
Aug 21, 2008 16:19:07 I know many people that would buy such a book. Thank you very much for your opinion on the matter. I need more people to voice their opinions and thoughts in order to gain some momentum on this subject. So if you know anyone who would be interested have them read my post.
#4
naex
Aug 21, 2008 16:22:44 Great idea, a Life in the Realms book.
#5
da-cm
Aug 21, 2008 16:38:11 This sure is a great idea. But I'm afraid that Wizards wouldn't call it "Volo's Guide to...", since Volothamp surely died during the Spellplague or during the empty century that followed it. He was a human, or was he?

Somehow sad, since I liked Volo and his guidebooks.
#6
errol
Aug 22, 2008 8:04:42 It isn't that it needs to be done by Volo. He was somewhat of a ladies man, and his children could have researched the lore in the book. I wouldn't mind if the lore book was comiled by the scribes of Waterdeep thinking the world as they knew it was going to end and that some lore should live on even if they don't. They could push the info out to a planar city outside of the Realms if need be. There are dozens of possibilities. Just think about how enjoyable such a tome would be to read. I would emphasive a low amount of mechanics so that this book could span many editions.
#7
kbreynolds
Aug 22, 2008 9:34:38
...since Volothamp surely died during the Spellplague or during the empty century that followed it. He was a human, or was he?

I recall Dove wiping away the effects of aging from him with silverfire in the Silverfall book. Whether that was just the effects of aging, a reversal of his age, or something more akin to extended mortality, anything goes, so I think that leaves plenty of artistic freedom there.
#8
errol
Aug 23, 2008 6:03:58 Somehow I am amazed at how little interest this topic is getting. Maybe people play the Realms without even immersing themselves in this colorful setting. There is more than game mechanics at work in the Realms. There are insidious plots afoot with dark shadows lurking everywhere. Stories of many people crossover as heroes work to defeat powerful sources of evil that most people shiver at the mere mention of. All this explained in great detail in the Ultimate FR edition book!!!!!!!!!!!
#9
Belorin
Aug 23, 2008 7:04:02 What does bridge all editions mean? Would it be a region by region travelogue like the Volo book? Would each region have its own timeline, similar to the Moonshaes GHotR?

Bel
#10
rauric
Aug 23, 2008 7:08:06 Perhaps for DDI. If they did not do something like that in 3E then it has no change in print form in 4E.
#11
gothwulfe
Aug 23, 2008 12:31:41
Somehow I am amazed at how little interest this topic is getting. Maybe people play the Realms without even immersing themselves in this colorful setting. There is more than game mechanics at work in the Realms. There are insidious plots afoot with dark shadows lurking everywhere. Stories of many people crossover as heroes work to defeat powerful sources of evil that most people shiver at the mere mention of. All this explained in great detail in the Ultimate FR edition book!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd buy it...hells, Id even write for it

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 errol Aug 21, 2008 11:58:25	I have been playing with ideas for Ed Greenwood's unpublished Realmslore. The music, recipes, short stories (sourcebook format), info on personalities of the Realms, and info on places/locales with secrets yet to be discovered. I speak not of game mechanics (one liner NPC stats at the most) but of a lore book that would detail past stories of the Realms (from edition 1 thru 3.5) with the eventual coverage of the new stories of the Realms. One page peeks at things that old Realms players always wondered about. The Harper Schism, the Manshoon Clones story, Khelben's secretive works, and much more. This would work off mostly existing Realmslore that was just never published. This would not step on any DM's toes either because the new books do not cover these events. This book would close it out in a way while leaving room for new players to use the new mechanics for old stories as they immerse themselves further into the Realms. Not perfect but you can all use your imagination. I thus propose the following: -A Volo's Guide formatted Realms Lore book. Light on pictures and maps. We all have those already. We also have a historical timeline thanks to the work of Brian R. James. -150 to 200 pages of Lore that is easily flipped through to further immerse a player or DM into the feel of the Realms. New and Old Realms. -A Book of info that will keep new players and old that have already exhausted new Realms products in game play busy with exploring stories from the past in game using new mechanics. -Get writers like Steve schend, Elaine Cunningham, and Ed Greenwood to surpervise such a product which might just be as easy as cutting and pasting from past Greenwood unpublished works with light new writing provided by the able Wizards design and novel staff. -This is a Forgotten Realms Community effort. That which brings us together we should all enjoy by having a Lore book with information that every one will like. This might even win over some of the more RP less combat Role-players. This will be a versatile product providing imaginative works that will make a players imagination soar with new ideas on how to better fill a niche in the Realms. -There are many frayed ends that people are interested in seeing a glimpse of info to better explain new changes to the Realms. Not everything needs to be explained but tiny narratives about witnessed events would get people excited about reading new and old novels that are coming out that might not get as much attention otherwise. The novels help a player and DM get further into the Realms but not every novel is going to be read by every player. If I know about novels that will detail fantastic magic battles I will buy them and read them ASAP becasue that is what I am into. Maybe I am on a pirate kick, I can find books about that too. I only ask that such a product be considered. For new and old Forgotten Realms players this would be a great book to own bridging players into various areas of the Realms previously undiscovered. Ed has voiced interest in writing more Volo guide books. Why not let him loose on a project like this? The folk over at Candlekeep are excited about the idea, and have even offered the simple format of adobe pdf's for distribution. Our imagination is the limit.
#2 merrikcale Aug 21, 2008 12:25:55	I'd buy it
#3 errol Aug 21, 2008 16:19:07	I know many people that would buy such a book. Thank you very much for your opinion on the matter. I need more people to voice their opinions and thoughts in order to gain some momentum on this subject. So if you know anyone who would be interested have them read my post.
#4 naex Aug 21, 2008 16:22:44	Great idea, a Life in the Realms book.
#5 da-cm Aug 21, 2008 16:38:11	This sure is a great idea. But I'm afraid that Wizards wouldn't call it "Volo's Guide to...", since Volothamp surely died during the Spellplague or during the empty century that followed it. He was a human, or was he? Somehow sad, since I liked Volo and his guidebooks.
#6 errol Aug 22, 2008 8:04:42	It isn't that it needs to be done by Volo. He was somewhat of a ladies man, and his children could have researched the lore in the book. I wouldn't mind if the lore book was comiled by the scribes of Waterdeep thinking the world as they knew it was going to end and that some lore should live on even if they don't. They could push the info out to a planar city outside of the Realms if need be. There are dozens of possibilities. Just think about how enjoyable such a tome would be to read. I would emphasive a low amount of mechanics so that this book could span many editions.
#7 kbreynolds Aug 22, 2008 9:34:38	...since Volothamp surely died during the Spellplague or during the empty century that followed it. He was a human, or was he? I recall Dove wiping away the effects of aging from him with silverfire in the Silverfall book. Whether that was just the effects of aging, a reversal of his age, or something more akin to extended mortality, anything goes, so I think that leaves plenty of artistic freedom there.
#8 errol Aug 23, 2008 6:03:58	Somehow I am amazed at how little interest this topic is getting. Maybe people play the Realms without even immersing themselves in this colorful setting. There is more than game mechanics at work in the Realms. There are insidious plots afoot with dark shadows lurking everywhere. Stories of many people crossover as heroes work to defeat powerful sources of evil that most people shiver at the mere mention of. All this explained in great detail in the Ultimate FR edition book!!!!!!!!!!!
#9 Belorin Aug 23, 2008 7:04:02	What does bridge all editions mean? Would it be a region by region travelogue like the Volo book? Would each region have its own timeline, similar to the Moonshaes GHotR? Bel
#10 rauric Aug 23, 2008 7:08:06	Perhaps for DDI. If they did not do something like that in 3E then it has no change in print form in 4E.
#11 gothwulfe Aug 23, 2008 12:31:41	Somehow I am amazed at how little interest this topic is getting. Maybe people play the Realms without even immersing themselves in this colorful setting. There is more than game mechanics at work in the Realms. There are insidious plots afoot with dark shadows lurking everywhere. Stories of many people crossover as heroes work to defeat powerful sources of evil that most people shiver at the mere mention of. All this explained in great detail in the Ultimate FR edition book!!!!!!!!!!! I'd buy it...hells, Id even write for it