Gargauth, here then is your advice; the heroes of the setting should treat the PCs badly.
FR Intro Campaign Advice
- Thread starter Gargauth
- Start date
Gargauth
First Post
I thought this was obvious is my first post (and certainly most folks seem to have picked up on it) but let me be less implicit and more explicit. Since I am thinking of running the campaign before the time period of the 1987 Gray Box edition, clearly I am not a FR Canonical worshipper, fanboy, or whatever the term is nowadays. The entire -reason- for this campaign is to have the PCs accomplish many of the things that are attributed to the "uber powerful NPCs" like the Chosen. If I didn't make that clear, my apologies. My original thought came from reading over the FR timeline in the 3rd ed. book (with which I am fairly well versed) and realizing the impossibility of explaining it to a group of players (who have all been playing for twenty years) who had never played in the Realms before. My only point earlier was that it isn't useful on a thread who's topic is... let's say... "I don't like red barns, what color should I paint mine" to then post "Red is stupid" in response.
Sol.Dragonheart
First Post
Keep in mind that if you put the PCs alongside the events that the Chosen or others interfered and shaped, the end result may be entirely different, and result in an entirely different Forgotten Realms than what is currently canon. That means you will have to be prepared to change numerous events, historical happenings, character evolutions, and so forth, to maintain verisimilitude. Make certain you're willing to do this, as PCs will rarely follow any pre conceived path you set before them, and attempting to railroad them into anything generally does not end well.
Honestly, if your intention is to introduce the players to the Realms, do you really think it's necessary to take them on a tour of the world in such a manner? Most characters in the FR world do not in fact have full or even a high amount of partial knowledge about all the events, characters, and history of the world.
I really believe the best way to familarize your players with the Forgotten Realms is to simply provide them with access to the campaign book should they desire, and start in a region of your choosing, allowing them to piece by piece, as their characters progress in the desired fashion of the players, become familar with the setting.
There's really no need to take them through the numerous events, characters, and history of the Realms unless it's a facet of the world that they are directly dealing with. I think doing a normal campaign within the Realms is the best way to create knowledge of the world in a natural, evolving sense that your players would be comfortable with, rather than setting up a specific pattern of events or regions that they should visit.
In other words, put your players in the drivers seat, and let them become familar with the world on their own terms. I think by doing this they will develop a much higher appreciation for the depth and strength of the setting, as they gain knowledge of the world on their own terms and in their own ways.
Honestly, if your intention is to introduce the players to the Realms, do you really think it's necessary to take them on a tour of the world in such a manner? Most characters in the FR world do not in fact have full or even a high amount of partial knowledge about all the events, characters, and history of the world.
I really believe the best way to familarize your players with the Forgotten Realms is to simply provide them with access to the campaign book should they desire, and start in a region of your choosing, allowing them to piece by piece, as their characters progress in the desired fashion of the players, become familar with the setting.
There's really no need to take them through the numerous events, characters, and history of the Realms unless it's a facet of the world that they are directly dealing with. I think doing a normal campaign within the Realms is the best way to create knowledge of the world in a natural, evolving sense that your players would be comfortable with, rather than setting up a specific pattern of events or regions that they should visit.
In other words, put your players in the drivers seat, and let them become familar with the world on their own terms. I think by doing this they will develop a much higher appreciation for the depth and strength of the setting, as they gain knowledge of the world on their own terms and in their own ways.
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