D&D 5E Forgotten Realms Questions (Moonsea)

[evil homer]

I've just started running a new group (consisting of my family of all things ages 12-41...) and I'm basically going to re-write the Ruins of Adventure module. I'm looking for additional information to mine on Phlan, and the Northern Moonsea area of the Forgotten Realms, as well as information on the Harpers, Cult of the Dragon, the Zhentarim as factions I want to include in the adventure to help flesh out the story lines.

The Zhents will be acting as an outside force, might be helpful (if it gets them a way into the new city council) might be harmful (if it gets them the control they desire) either way the Zhentarim is out for it's own aims.

Cult of the Dragon will be used to flesh out the connection to the villian at the end, to eventually explain why Phlan was devastated in the first place, and to generally build out opposition into something more than mixed bags of humanoids wandering the ruins of the old city. They will certainly be foes.

The Harpers (and here, I can use just about good aligned organization...I'm open to suggestions) are involved to keep an eye on the rebuilding of the city, investigate rumors concerning both the Zhentarim and the Cult who are active in the rebuilding effort for their own reasons.

I'm not particularly concerned with timeline specificity, it could be from the old 1e/2e era or from the 3x era I don't care. I just need someplace to start. Any suggestions would be great, I don't really know where to start with realms lore, it's not a setting I've ever really explored. I'm also open to suggestions concerning the adventure if you have any.

Thanks

 

[Queer Venger]

I would highly recommend picking up Mysteries of the Moonsea (PDF or book), very detailed coverage of this region.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I would highly recommend picking up Mysteries of the Moonsea (PDF or book), very detailed coverage of this region.

Ignore the adventures though, as most are garbage (IMO/IME). And don't try and find links between them: they're really hard to find. But the world material is very good.

I would also recommend the 4E adventure from Dungeon 170 (?), Monument of the Ancients, which has a simply superb map of the region with lots and lots of sites (I love it when cartographers), a lot of material about Phlan, and a rather good adventure that ranges across the region.

The map can also be found online: it's by Sean Macdonald. I'll edit in a link later.

 

[JeffB]

You can find the old manuals for the Pool of Radiance computer game. Excellent resource on Phlan.

Also avoid the 2e Moonsea book.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

Info on the factions here that might help:
http://media.wizards.com/downloads/dnd/advleague_playerguide_todv1.pdf

 

[Ezequielramone]

The are specific sourcebook for The Harpes, The Cult of the Dragon and The Moonsea for adnd. Entire sourcebook for each one.
Then you have two books with the same name: lords of darkness. You can find Zhent info there. I recommend the 3rd ed book.
In the 3rd ed CS you have info of all those topics.
And you have the 3rd era adventure: mysteries of the Moonsea. It has adventures but it has flavor too.

 

[Queer Venger]

If you want history and setting info on the Moonsea, then get Mysteries of the Moonsea, Lords of Darkness is more about NPC's and factions/organizations. Both are available in pdf.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Also, 2E's The Moonsea is quite good and also available at dndclassics.com.