D&D General Forgotten Realms Book preview from NYCC

[Misanthrope Prime]

That link doesn’t work for me but this is from Lost Empires of Faerun.

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Not all have them but they can exist.

IIRC from Pool of Radiance there is a gem or a number of gems that act as control mechanisms for Myth Drannors mythall. But that was a pretty lousy product linked to the computer game.

 

[bedir than]

I don't even play in the Realms and I'm probably getting these. They look like they'll help me tell a wider variety of stories.

 

[TheSword]

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Looks like Pool of Radiance? What location/Part of the game is that?

 

[TheSword]

Except for elven Myth Drannor, I am less familiar with the Dales region. What are the main cultural differences between the Dales and the Sword Coast?

More independent minded. No city states large villages and towns all autonomous. Largely agrarian. Everyone defends their lands. The temperaments of the various dales varies somewhat. The chafe under direct rule.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

So no real cultural differences? Between Coast and Dales?

The sourcebooks don’t really discuss “culture” in that way, you get a better idea from the novels. It’s not based on a specific real world culture if that’s what you mean, but it’s a bit Shire-ish compared to the Hanseatic city states of the Sword Coast.

 

[aco175]

Found the alternate covers that join together she was talking about. Cool enough.

 

[TheSword]

The sourcebooks don’t really discuss “culture” in that way, you get a better idea from the novels. It’s not based on a specific real world culture if that’s what you mean, but it’s a bit Shire-ish compared to the Hanseatic city states of the Sword Coast.

Volos guide book is pretty detailed

 

[Parmandur]

Except for elven Myth Drannor, I am less familiar with the Dales region. What are the main cultural differences between the Dales and the Sword Coast?

So, the rustic town of Shadowdale is the home base for Ed Greenwood's second campaign (the other being in Waterdeep), in terms of soft culture both the Dalelands and Sword Coast are part of the "Heartlands" where standard 70s AD&D social assumptions (Medievalized Midwestern Americana/Canadianess) prevail.

In terms of material culture, the "Dales" are sparsely populated rural areas between large stretches of ancient Elven dominated forest, though now with less Wlves. Sort of like if The Shire was a bunch of clearings (Dales) between sections of Mirkwood, but with a Wild West vibe. Shadowdale is where people going to Myth Drannor to plunge into the megadungeon that is Elven Khazad Dun (what if Lothlorien became Moria??) for riches operate out of.

Their neighbors to the North, West, and South are aggressive and expansionistic, but the Monster infested forests actually insulted the Dalelands from larger nations.

 

[Yaarel]

So, the rustic town of Shadowdale is the home base for Ed Greenwood's second campaign (the other being in Waterdeep), in terms of soft culture both the Dalelands and Sword Coast are part of the "Heartlands" where standard 70s AD&D social assumptions (Medievalized Midwestern Americana/Canadianess) prevail.

In terms of material culture, the "Dales" are sparsely populated rural areas between large stretches of ancient Elven dominated forest, though now with less Wlves. Sort of like if The Shife was a bunch of clearing (Dales) between sections of Mirkwood, but with a Wild West vibe. Shadowdale is where people going to Myth Drannor to plunge into the megadungeon that is Elven Khazad Dun (what if Lothlorien became Moria??) for riches operate out of.

Their neighbors to the North, West, and South are aggressive and expansionistic, but the Monster infested forests actually insulted the Dalelands from larger nations.

It sounds like the Dales are more like 4e Nentir Vale / Points of Light?

 

[TheSword]

Dagger Dale has got a real Sherwood Forest theme going on. With the Zhentarim backed constable in the town of Dagger Falls and Randal Morn’s freedom fighters out in the forests. There is a great little trilogy set during the conflict.