Elves in forgotten realms and 5e - what is the official source?

Dire Bare · Jun 17, 2018

I'm not an FR loremaster, but from what I remember from the gamebooks and the novels is . . .

With several of the classic elven subraces being retconned as eladrin during the 4E era, only to return to being elves again for 5E, I would just ignore that bit of setting inconsistency.

But there were other eladrin in the Realms during the 4E era. In addition to the elven subraces (was it sun and moon?), after the Spellplague several eladrin cities from the Feywild appeared in the Realms, just as they did in the core 4E setting. During the Sundering event that transitioned the Realms from 4E to 5E, most of those cities returned to the Feywild. However, there could still be eladrin from those cities trapped in the Realms (or remaining by choice). And some of those eladrin cities could still be in the Realms, I think the eladrin kingdom that appeared in the Moonshaes is still there . . . Sarifal? So that could also be an origin for eladrin PCs.

And of course, an eladrin PC in the Realms could have its origin directly from the Feywild, a newcomer to the Realms unfamiliar with the races and cultures of the Sword Coast and beyond.

TheSword · Jun 17, 2018

If I’m honest, I’m a massive fan of the Forgotten realms, and its myriad layers of history. But at the same time I have zero respect for any trying to enforce lore fanaticism on 5th ed. I didn’t play 4E for all sorts of reasons but I do like the fact that it put all the letters back in the scrabble bag and let us start again, albeit heavily inspired by earlier editions.

I think what this thread shows is how creative the realms can now be, whereas perhaps there was a view that it was locked down from a lore perspective in earlier editions. I strongly ageee that the unreliable narrator style 5e has adopted makes an amazing tool to preserve our own preferences. If I decide Shadar Kai don’t exist in my FR - well Mordenkainen was clearly getting his worlds confused.

One thing I would like to see in time are source books that explore a location over a longer period of time. The 4E Menzoberranzan source book for instance let you play at any time over a couple of hundred years, detailing how the city changed. It was also very low crunch and reminded me of something like SCAG.

Yaarel · Jun 17, 2018

The unreliable narrator makes no sense, if gods are objectively real, and characters can just go ask them.

For example, in the setting Corellon knows exactly where the all the elves come from.

There is zero uncertainty.

UngainlyTitan · Jun 17, 2018

Yaarel said:
The unreliable narrator makes no sense, if gods are objectively real, and characters can just go ask them.

For example, in the setting Corellon knows exactly where the all the elves come from.

There is zero uncertainty.

Corellon tell a truth, Lolth tells a truth, what is the truth?

cbwjm · Jun 18, 2018

Yaarel said:
The unreliable narrator makes no sense, if gods are objectively real, and characters can just go ask them.

For example, in the setting Corellon knows exactly where the all the elves come from.

There is zero uncertainty.

Something I take from 2e planescape, you can only meet a power if they let you. They aren't at the players' beck and call.

Shiroiken · Jun 18, 2018

cbwjm said:
Something I take from 2e planescape, you can only meet a power if they let you. They aren't at the players' beck and call.

Yea, I'd probably have even the kindest of god obliterate an insolent worshiper who pestered them for such trivial reasons.

Ancalagon · Jun 18, 2018

Yaarel said:
The unreliable narrator makes no sense, if gods are objectively real, and characters can just go ask them.

For example, in the setting Corellon knows exactly where the all the elves come from.

There is zero uncertainty.

Why is it absolutely certain that Corellon would tell the truth?

Azzy · Jun 18, 2018

Ancalagon said:
Why is it absolutely certain that Corellon would tell the truth?

Precisely. The gods all have their own agenda, and that may not always align with the facts.

gyor · Jun 18, 2018

Shiroiken said:
Yea, I'd probably have even the kindest of god obliterate an insolent worshiper who pestered them for such trivial reasons.

Deities that would destroy someone for merely being annoying are evil, it doesn't fit a Good deity.

Pauper · Jun 18, 2018

Ultimately, the 'official source' is what the DM decides to go with for her campaign.

I played in one Realms game where the DM agreed that the star elves in his game were basically all clones of his wife's character.

--
Pauper

Elves in forgotten realms and 5e - what is the official source?

Dire Bare

Legend

TheSword

Legend

Yaarel

He Mage

UngainlyTitan

Legend

cbwjm

Seb-wejem

Shiroiken

Legend

Ancalagon

Dusty Dragon

Azzy

ᚳᚣᚾᛖᚹᚢᛚᚠ

gyor

Legend

Pauper

That guy, who does that thing.

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