D&D 4E Nentir Vale lore pdfs for the uninitiated DM?

[Voadam]

Nentir Vale works well with just concepts and tidbits to be fleshed out individually in different campaigns.

It is a points of light area in a former human empire that fell to nomadic gnoll hordes. Most areas are now isolated but mostly self sufficient local communities surrounded by dangerous wilderness who sometimes need PC heroes if new threats pop up.

Other big things are the ancient super power empires of the Tiefling Bael Turath and the Dragonborn Arkhosia who both fell in their imperial clash leaving their descendants scattered in diasporas.

Lastly the Dawn War stuff is a great myhtological backdrop for cosmology stuff that can differ from whatever you have going on in your DCC section. 4e gods and primordials can work as patrons fairly easily. The Raven Queen of death and fate seems a natural patron.

 

[overgeeked]

History of the Nentir Vale by Zeromaru X. This is hands down the best source I know of.

Nentir Vale Gazateer by Jon Gómez. Another great source, but I cannot seem to find a link. Hmm...

A very detailed Nentir Vale hexcrawl. This might come in quite handy.

The lore was scattered throughout the core books, modules, supplements, and articles in Dragon and Dungeon. Best single volume source on the lore, History of linked above. Threats of Nentir Vale gives some history and factions and monsters. But if you're looking for what's in and around the Vale, that hexcrawl has you covered. Check out whatever sources they talk about that pique your interest.

 

[not-so-newguy]

Heh heh, I now have 500+ pages of fan made stuff to parse through. That's not even counting the official material. I think Nentir will be a good fit for what I'm trying to do.

 

[not-so-newguy]

It is a points of light area in a former human empire that fell to nomadic gnoll hordes. Most areas are now isolated but mostly self sufficient local communities surrounded by dangerous wilderness who sometimes need PC heroes if new threats pop up.

This reminds me of Karameikos in Mystara.

 

[Zaukrie]

History of the Nentir Vale by Zeromaru X. This is hands down the best source I know of.

Nentir Vale Gazateer by Jon Gómez. Another great source, but I cannot seem to find a link. Hmm...

A very detailed Nentir Vale hexcrawl. This might come in quite handy.

The lore was scattered throughout the core books, modules, supplements, and articles in Dragon and Dungeon. Best single volume source on the lore, History of linked above. Threats of Nentir Vale gives some history and factions and monsters. But if you're looking for what's in and around the Vale, that hexcrawl has you covered. Check out whatever sources they talk about that pique your interest.

Pretty sure that middle one is the one I have.

 

[haakon1]

I was looking for this a year or two ago. I never DM'd 4e, but I played it for a year or so, and I thought the setting was interesting.

I believe I found an "enough for me" version in a PDF of the 4e DMG from DriveThruRPG.com. Nothing like FR or Greyhawk Gazetteers, but a map, details of the main town, and some sketchy notes IIRC.

Why I wanted to use it: My PC's are in the Temple of Elemental Evil's Nodes that are essentially other planes. If an extraplanar creature (e.g., the PC's) gets hit with Dismissal, they go to their home plane (with a chance of error and a totally random plane). I decided to have the Prime Material Plane as multiple possible destinations from my 3.5e Greyhawk campaign. I don't remember the exact table, but it was something like:
1) Oerth - Flannaess (that is, Greyhawk). Randomly determine where rolling dice for a page in the 1982 boxed set.
2) Oerth - Unknown lands. Roll d6: 1 = Western Oerik, using the setting from the movie "D&D: Wrath of the Dragon God", 2 = Hepmonaland, 3 = Sea of Dust, 4 = Land of Black Ice's near the City of the Gods, 5 = Aquaria, 6 = Mur.
3) Faerun - that is, Forgotten Realms. Randomly determine where by rolling dice for a page in the 1987 boxed set.
4) Nentir Vale, specifically near Thunderspire. Warning, warning - physics are wrong, 4e rules apply!
5) Golarion. Warning - PF1 physics apply, but close enough.
6) The Known World. Probably Karameikos. Warning Basic D&D rules apply, with the original level limit. No teleport to get home!
7) Game of Thrones world. Probably at the Wall. "Regular" 3.5e physics.
8) Middle Earth. Probably at Lake-Town. AD&D 1e physics.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

For folks who are looking for a point of light setting to blend with DCC, Goodman Games actually put out two Points of Light setting books in the 4E era, showcasing a set of smaller settings surrounded by trouble.

https://goodman-games.com/store/product/points-of-light-pdf/

https://goodman-games.com/store/product/points-of-light-2-the-sunrise-sea/

 

[Joshua Randall]

1) Oerth - Flannaess (that is, Greyhawk). Randomly determine where rolling dice for a page in the 1982 boxed set.

Damn, where is my d128 when I need it!

 

[haakon1]

Damn, where is my d128 when I need it!

Pretty sure you can figure out a way.

 

[GreyLord]

There was a module with a map of the area of Nentir Vale if I recall.

Also, there is a board game that has the full map (or a much larger map) of the world of Nentir Vale.