The Ubbergeek
First Post
Rechan said:What, no "Nuke it from orbit" option?
Again, why is there is always this hate? >> Gee, that's tedious...
The setting is at least older and more closer to classic D&D than the acclaimed Eberron. >>
How Would You Have Handled the Forgotten Realms?
- Thread starter dmccoy1693
- Start date
Again, why is there is always this hate? >> Gee, that's tedious...
The setting is at least older and more closer to classic D&D than the acclaimed Eberron. >>
BlackMoria
First Post
I would do something like what the Star Trek franchise has done.
Old Grey box would be like Star Trek, the original series
The current realms campaign setting would equal to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The 4e Realms would be equal to Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Like the FR setting itself, each Star Trek series had its adherents and detractors. I would let each play in their own sandbox.
So call the 4e Realms - The Forgotten Realms: Dark Age (for example)
That keeps the existing Realms largely unaffected for those who want it the way it is now.
Forgotten Realms: Dark Age would be for those people who don't like the current setting and what a fresh look. The Forgotten Realms name in the title maintains the product identity for marketing but shows it isn't just a new re-release of the FR campaign setting.
Having two settings would allow for crossovers (it was done in the Star Trek series) if people wanted. Supporting two FR settings wouldn't be any more difficult than supporting two completely unrelated campaign setting.
Here is just one way I would look at how to do it. Realms lore states the Sundering inadvertently separated Abeir-Toril into just Toril. The current campaign setting is the stories and history of Toril. I would make the new campaign setting the stories and history of the missing Abeir (which can be anything since nothing about Abeir after the sundering was ever put into a game product.
Old Grey box would be like Star Trek, the original series
The current realms campaign setting would equal to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The 4e Realms would be equal to Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Like the FR setting itself, each Star Trek series had its adherents and detractors. I would let each play in their own sandbox.
So call the 4e Realms - The Forgotten Realms: Dark Age (for example)
That keeps the existing Realms largely unaffected for those who want it the way it is now.
Forgotten Realms: Dark Age would be for those people who don't like the current setting and what a fresh look. The Forgotten Realms name in the title maintains the product identity for marketing but shows it isn't just a new re-release of the FR campaign setting.
Having two settings would allow for crossovers (it was done in the Star Trek series) if people wanted. Supporting two FR settings wouldn't be any more difficult than supporting two completely unrelated campaign setting.
Here is just one way I would look at how to do it. Realms lore states the Sundering inadvertently separated Abeir-Toril into just Toril. The current campaign setting is the stories and history of Toril. I would make the new campaign setting the stories and history of the missing Abeir (which can be anything since nothing about Abeir after the sundering was ever put into a game product.
Last edited:
I voted for advancing the timeline, but there are a lot of different ways I might have gone. My favorite, admittedly off the wall is this:
I'd go with the spell plague and have Elminster become infected by it. He gets really sick, but he doesn't die. Instead he gets a fever and realizes that he's actually AO in human form. He comes briefly to his senses, remembering how he came to be reincarnate himself in mortal form and why, but then the fever gets worse and he starts hallucinating and having all kinds of bad dreams. As a result of his remembered divnity, however, the dreams and hallucinations or reflected in Toril and when he finally comes out of it, things are a mess. He realizes the only way to fix things is to leave his mortal form, and do his best to reform the world in a coherent fashion.
As a result magic is completely redone as per 4th Edition, races are revised, gods have been killed or merged, most of the powerful NPCs are dead and civilization is subtly different, but oddly the same all over the place.
Sure, it's pure insanity but heck, a lot of FR already kind of is.
I'd go with the spell plague and have Elminster become infected by it. He gets really sick, but he doesn't die. Instead he gets a fever and realizes that he's actually AO in human form. He comes briefly to his senses, remembering how he came to be reincarnate himself in mortal form and why, but then the fever gets worse and he starts hallucinating and having all kinds of bad dreams. As a result of his remembered divnity, however, the dreams and hallucinations or reflected in Toril and when he finally comes out of it, things are a mess. He realizes the only way to fix things is to leave his mortal form, and do his best to reform the world in a coherent fashion.
As a result magic is completely redone as per 4th Edition, races are revised, gods have been killed or merged, most of the powerful NPCs are dead and civilization is subtly different, but oddly the same all over the place.
Sure, it's pure insanity but heck, a lot of FR already kind of is.
dmccoy1693
Adventurer
The more I read this thread, the more I am agreeing with it.Brian Compton said:
Well, we know that in the History of our own world, civilizations have fallen into Dark Ages (hence the "Points Of Light" idea). It would also clear out most of the uber-NPCs allowing the Player Characters to assume their rightful place in the spotlight.
My only concerns are if WoTC will be willing to change the "fluff" of Tieflings, Dragonborn, Gnomes, and Half-Orcs. Tieflings already have an established history in the Realms that differs greatly from the one being profferd in the new material. (So do Gnomes and Half-Orcs)
My only concerns are if WoTC will be willing to change the "fluff" of Tieflings, Dragonborn, Gnomes, and Half-Orcs. Tieflings already have an established history in the Realms that differs greatly from the one being profferd in the new material. (So do Gnomes and Half-Orcs)
I am an FR fan from the very first Ed Greenwood articles in Dragon Magazine. I loved the original gray box, but I feel that the world has become somewhat bloated in the intervening years. I'm very excited about the upcoming changes to the realms. If I were in charge, I may not have done things exactly the same way the designers chose, but if I were part of the design process (along with the other FR folks) I may have come to the same conclusions they did. Once we see the totality of what they've created we may be more impressed.
I think these changes were driven by necessity. I am hoping that will be so good they wow us all.
I think these changes were driven by necessity. I am hoping that will be so good they wow us all.
mhacdebhandia
Explorer
I would do exactly as they have done. While I don't support advancing the timeline for Eberron or other settings without a history of metaplot, I think it's the right decision when it comes to the Forgotten Realms.
