I need a Forgotten Realms Gazeteer

[Delemental]

My current gaming group includes a young woman who is relatively new to gaming (she played a while back in the 1st-2nd Ed days), and is very unfamiliar with the Realms. She'd like to learn more in order to help her feel more into the setting and thus more in tune with her character. However, like most of us her free time is limited, and really doesn't need the depth of information in the Campaign Setting hardcover (not to mention the pricetag on said volume).

What would be ideal would be a product that I wish actually existed; the Forgotten Realms Gazeteer. When 3rd Ed first arrived on bookshelves, WotC released a Gazeteer for Greyhawk; a soft-cover book, similar to the splatbooks, though I think it was a higher page count. The book gave a very basic rundown of the entire Greyhawk setting - enough to familiarize someone new with the world in general without bogging down in details.

Since such a book does not actually exist, I'm curious if anyone can recommend an online site that would serve a similar function. Ideally, such a site would be:

1. Relatively current on the timeline (not necessarily up to the minute, but one that doesn't refer to "rumors of some troublesome Horde heading for Cormyr" or "tales of some magic tablet being stolen by the god Myrkul" as current events).

2. Give general details on all the major regions of Faerun, rather than focusing on specific regions (I want the Realms Gazeteer, not the "I Love Thistledale" Web Ring).

3. Give general information on unique aspects and power groups of the Realms, such as its deities, spellfire, the Harpers, the Cult of the Dragon, etc, without getting too detailed or mechanical (no rules for spellfire, no Cult prestige classes).

What's out there for the Faerunian newbie?

 

[hong]

You could just lend her your FRCS, and tell her to ignore all the bits about new spells, feats, prestige classes, etc. Just concentrate on the geography chapter.

 

[Delemental]

You could just lend her your FRCS, and tell her to ignore all the bits about new spells, feats, prestige classes, etc. Just concentrate on the geography chapter.

True enough, and probably what I'll do anyway. But she said she was going to try searching online anyway, so I thought I'd try and find a couple of good links for her. I've seen a few Realms-related sites, and many of them are either focused on one particular aspect/region/element, or are outdated ("Using the Realms with Skills and Powers!"). I don't want to overwhelm her with detail, nor muddy the waters with rules info, especially outdated rules info.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Wasn't there a Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms (like there was a player's guide to Greyhawk, and to Dragonlance) back in the 2E days?

Basically, a story about someone wandering the setting, intermixed with some (albeit 2E) game data?

 

[Oaken25]

Yeah, I was going to mention the old Players Guide to FR (not to be confused with the new Player's Guide to FR that comes out in March).

Its a story of a group of adventurers who are after a artifact of Selune's and they pretty much go through most of mainland FR.

However, it takes place before ToT's and before Zhent Keep is ruined.

 

[BrooklynKnight]

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but there 100% will not be a Forgotten Realms Gazeteer.

During the Forgotten Realms reception at Gencon '03 I managed to corner Rich Baker and some others. Along with some other fans we discussed many realmsian issues. One of them was the possiblity of an FR Magazine, or Gazateer. He said strait out that there simply is not enough money in it for WOTC/HAS for them to put something out like that. The work that would go into it would cost more then the possible profit, thus they stick to full books.

If you go to the thread where i posted a link to the FRPG contents its a thread at WOTC where you "ASK RICH".

He will confirm what I've said here. Unless of course things have changed. Belive me I wish they had.

 

[diaglo]

you can also download some of the various Volo's Guides for 2ed for free from the WotC site.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/downloads

 

[Flyspeck23]

Maybe the Player's Guide to Faerun will help? Ok, you've got to wait 5+ month...

Might be worth the wait, though, as the book should deal with all the points you've mentioned.

In the meantime... well, if I were you, I'd make some handouts, as usual

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

If you can find it (or download it online) definately check out the Revised 2e FR Boxed set for your friend. It's only a few years out of date, and you can update what isn't quite in there. Specifically, the first book of the box, "A Grand Tour of the Realms" gives some great info on all the major (and not so major) locales of the realms without going into a ton of detail about them. You get descriptions, leaders, and general feel of everything, without learning of the secret agendas of the rulers or anything. I lend this bad boy out to my players very frequently.

 

[KeithHays]

A paperback I enjoyed years ago called Once Around the Realms, by Brian Thomsen. Not a literary classic, but interesting takes on several of the main regions of Faerun. She could take it a chapter at a time.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_1_10/104-2909306-3621549?v=glance&s=books