D&D General If Nentir Vale were in the Forgotten Realms, where would they be?

[Desdichado]

https://x.com/chrisperkinsdnd/status/702518035622461440

So, simple question. Where would it be? I'm not some kind of super Realms scholar or anything, but I have pdfs of the Gray Box, the 2e Box and the 3e book. I've even read some of them! And I've read a fair number of novels over the years. Nentir Vale was one of my favorite settings, even though I wasn't otherwise hugely fond of 4e. I like the smaller scope, the whole idea of points-of-light, although that had certainly existed previously, it wasn't so explicitly spelled out as a design philosophy, etc. I think most campaign settings could benefit from the focus that Nentir Vale offered, even if a gazetteer never materialized; most settings are honestly way bigger than they need to be.

To make it even more interesting, where would it be if Nentir Vale were launched at the end of the 3e era? I.e., if instead of 4e launching with Nentir Vale in 2007 or 2008 or whatever, what it it were just a source-book for 3e associated with the Forgotten Realms as a new expansion area? Given this, I think that Nentir Vale's history with Nerath seems unlikely, as it's easier to fit Nentir Vale into the setting than Nerath. In fact, Dragonborn (and tieflings the way that they've been envisioned since 4e) didn't even really exist in 3e. Yeah, I know, Races of the Dragon and all that. Nentir Vale developed a lot of uniqueness, no doubt, because it wasn't fit into the Forgotten Realms and didn't have to match any existing lore there. But what if it did?

 

[DEFCON 1]

I'd go up North into the Silver Marches and plop the Nentir Vale into the Sundabar Vale (using whichever sets of names you'd prefer, the Nentir names or the Sundabar Vale names.) The city of Sundabar sits on the River Rauvin like Fallcrest does on its river, so you can swap in Sundabar for Fallcrest. Further west I'd substitute Auvandell in place of Winterhaven.

 

[haakon1]

I place these settings (and more) on a different within the same Prime Material Plane.

Also, I’d consider having 4e game physics apply there, not whatever edition you are primarily using. I haven’t actually done this, but it is potentially interesting. Or just annoying?

 

[aco175]

A lot of places it could go, but first thought was what @DEFCON 1 said and have it past Silverymoon. It has a more out of the way temperate feel, but it would also fit by Daggerford and towards Evereska.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

The simplest answer is that it's part of Abeir. That's why it doesn't interact with Toril that much; it's a part of Abeir that wasn't transported during the spellplague, but it's still got lots of the races, classes and lore that were added during 4e. As a 5e DM, if you want your players to go to the Nentir Vale, I'd make them seek out a portal to Abeir and then take a boat from whatever continent they do end up on.

 

[Desdichado]

The Forgotten Realms map doesn't have esoteric stuff like alternate versions and Abeir. Also, I'm not a 5e DM. I want to know where to put it in the Forgotten Realms, i.e., where on the Forgotten Realms map would it fit. I'm quite certain that when Perkins says that, that was their original intent. Anything else feels like a cheap parlor trick.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

The Forgotten Realms map doesn't have esoteric stuff like alternate versions and Abeir. Also, I'm not a 5e DM. I want to know where to put it in the Forgotten Realms, i.e., where on the Forgotten Realms map would it fit. I'm quite certain that when Perkins says that, that was their original intent. Anything else feels like a cheap parlor trick.

The forgotten realms is set in Abeir-Toril. The setting has two planets, in the same way that Eberron kind of has thirteen planets.


What's the difference between putting it in Abeir and putting it in Osse, really? At least you can kinda square the lore of Arkhosia with that of Abeir, and anywhere there's humans there's gonna be tieflings.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Personally, I would place Nentir Vale over near the Moonsea. To me, it always seemed to give off a Dalelands vibe.

 

[Yaarel]

I dont think Nentir Vale can be on Forgotten Realms Toril, because the Nentir Vale planet is so small. The distance between arctic pole and equator is small.

That said, if approximating Nentir Vale somewhere on Toril, I would put it in a less explored region of the arctic, such as north from the Northern Wastes, then have its 'equator' be a volcanic or magically warm area.

 

[dave2008]

I place these settings (and more) on a different within the same Prime Material Plane.

Also, I’d consider having 4e game physics apply there, not whatever edition you are primarily using. I haven’t actually done this, but it is potentially interesting. Or just annoying?

What would be "4e game physics?"