D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

[TiQuinn]

That's the kicker - it actually implies very little - other than the fact that those character options are present in the setting. Present in what proportion or numbers? That's anybody's guess.

From a DMing point of view, I’ve never personally thought it important to consider demographics in that way. Whenever I’ve needed an NPC of a particular species, that’s what I’ve included in my game. Demographic percentages have existed since World of Greyhawk (at least), alongside things like calendars and weather patterns, and they’ve just seldom been a major thing in any campaign I’ve ever run.

 

[bedir than]

Your characters most certainly don't officially exist in Forgotten Realms. They have nothing to do with FR canon whatsoever. Why would you think that anyone outside of your table would think that they exist?

They aren't mentioned in the book so they don't exist. That's the same justification for the Dragonborn mercenary. Nothing unmentioned exists in the Realms.

 

[Maxperson]

But, if you read the team roster of the team, and a player isn't mentioned on the roster, why would you assume that that player plays for that team? When we have multiple examples of various people in the mercenary guilds of Baldur's Gate, and have had several examples presented in other cities as well, and not a single time is a dragonborn even hinted at anywhere, it's not too much of a stretch to think that no, there really aren't any dragonborn there.

Your characters most certainly don't officially exist in Forgotten Realms. They have nothing to do with FR canon whatsoever. Why would you think that anyone outside of your table would think that they exist?

But, again, this gets back to the point of creating a setting that actually USES the PHB. It's not enough to just vaguely wave a hand at something existing and then telling everyone to just make stuff up. PHB options at a bare minimum should be given places in a WotC setting where those options exist.

First, I agree with you to an extent. It would be nice if they mentioned a company of Dragonborn in the Flaming Fists and an embassy to Sembia or something. I don't think enough non-mercenaries would have travelled that far from home to set up a Dragonborn Town or a village, but some mentions would be nice. I also don't think that every major population center needs a mention.

With regard to the team roster, we have no roster of the Flaming Fists. Not even close to one. The "roster" varies from 500-1000 members and we have what, a dozen or two dozen names? The idea that there wouldn't be Dragonborn, who are known to be fine mercenaries, in that company if they aren't among those dozen or two names isn't really credible to me.

 

[Maxperson]

They aren't mentioned in the book so they don't exist. That's the same justification for the Dragonborn mercenary. Nothing unmentioned exists in the Realms.

Dragonborn mercenaries are mentioned in the books. Just not in specific mercenary companies. The mercenaries are known, though, to have "spread throughout the Realms."