Ed Greenwood - March 10, 2004
So let me just answer by saying what I'd do, if as DM I was setting up a
far-future Realms campaign.
I see the Silver Marches and Waterdeep as both growing in size, wealth, and
population, despite the batterings of orc hordes. I see certain critters
(dragons) as being far rarer, thanks to reactions to the flights of dragons
that cause an "exterminate on sight" attitude in many humans. I see strong
surface dwarf and elf realms on the mainland, and the collapse of Thay into
small, warring holds. I see Sembia trying to swallow both Westgate and the
Dales, and failing to swallow Cormyr, which now has a large wealthy merchant
class and overcrowding. I see Impiltur and Thesk and Aglarond also
expanding, with much local lawlessness and warfare . . . and everywhere, I
see powerful mages exterminated, and those who do have magic keeping a lower
profile (adviser to throne rather than on throne, local healer and sage
rather than local tyrant). I see many of the Chosen gone mad and weepingly
imploring Mystra to slay them -- and in a few cases, I see Azuth stepping in
with newly-picked Chosen to oversee rituals in which a new Chosen slays a
willing old Chosen in a manner that allows subsumption of the Silver Fire
and some memories (transfer from old to new). I see the memories changing
the new Chosen and driving a few of them mad (the work of Shar?). I see
fewer gods, and all of them having less power and influence, as general
wealth and technology increases, and "the common folk" make praying
increasingly a "say and do this for good luck on the way home, and then say
and do this to this other god before bed" matter-of-fact affair rather than
obeying priests to the death.
I see lots of new, small realms, and warfar between them.
And I'm not sure I'd want to see much more of a Realms like that, or play in
them. Yet as I said at the outset, this is merely one possibility among
literally thousands.
