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JVisgaitis said:
BTW, apropos of nothing, I need to do some work for you guys one of these days.
Points of Light and the Forgotten Realms
- Thread starter Jared Rascher
- Start date
BTW, apropos of nothing, I need to do some work for you guys one of these days.
davethegame said:
QFT. The Realms have a particular flavor and cater to a particular fanbase - why mess that up by throwing an apocalypse or some other destruction at the setting to make it more like the implied setting? Especially when, as folks have pointed out, there are already parts of the setting that actually already are tailored to the idea of the "points of light" campaign design.
I mean, the Realms aren't my thing at all despite how hard I tried to get into them back in the 1e days, but I know that they ARE a thing for a lot of people (IIRC, it's still the best selling setting for D&D, isn't it?). It just seems like a strange thing to do.
Lopke_Quasath
First Post
Also, don't forget that if FR becomes the new "Living ~" RPGA campaign, this major shakeup would allow the Realms to be broken into manageable chunks like Living Greyhawk was.
Each region may have a "point of light" where the characters come from. Regional adventures happen close to your "point", and Core adventures happen in the "darker" areas.
Or something like that.
Each region may have a "point of light" where the characters come from. Regional adventures happen close to your "point", and Core adventures happen in the "darker" areas.
Or something like that.
Dire Bare
Legend
I think you're all reading waaaaay to much into this prologue and epilogue to "The Orc King".
We know that the "Spellplague" is going to be the next RSE (Realms Shaking Event) from other 4e tidbits.
Moving the setting forward 100 years is by no means a given from what the OP posted, but is a logical type of change for the setting with a new edition.
But just because Drizzt mentions the home of his best friends, and doesn't mention other places, means just one thing. Jack Squat.
The "points of light" setting is the 4e "core" setting. And it really isn't all that different from the core setting of 3e (sorta-greyhawk) or the current Forgotten Realms. A different focus and tone maybe, but not revolutionary change. I would be very suprised if Wizards "re-imagined" the Realms to the same degree they seem to be "re-imagining" the core D&D setting.
We know that the "Spellplague" is going to be the next RSE (Realms Shaking Event) from other 4e tidbits.
Moving the setting forward 100 years is by no means a given from what the OP posted, but is a logical type of change for the setting with a new edition.
But just because Drizzt mentions the home of his best friends, and doesn't mention other places, means just one thing. Jack Squat.
The "points of light" setting is the 4e "core" setting. And it really isn't all that different from the core setting of 3e (sorta-greyhawk) or the current Forgotten Realms. A different focus and tone maybe, but not revolutionary change. I would be very suprised if Wizards "re-imagined" the Realms to the same degree they seem to be "re-imagining" the core D&D setting.
Wow...
First 4E is going to kill D&D...and now 4E is going to kill the Forgotten Realms with this stupid 100-year leap. Just...wow.
I can't believe it. Everything about D&D is just being drained away. And they expect it to rise like some great pheonix (does that even exist in D&D 4E now? Maybe it will...with like 2 abilities to make it "dee dee dee" simpler for the retard gamers out there that can't handle 1E, 2E, and especially 3E)
WotC finally did it. They finally
ing did it. They're going to attract an ENTIRELY new audience...and making it that much harder for all veterans to switch to 4E. They want us gone and the newcomers in.
It's like they want to start D&D itself all over again and everything with it. I am so appalled by this. If I ever meet any of the members that helped make these stupid decisions...I don't think I could control myself from pummeling them to near death.
First 4E is going to kill D&D...and now 4E is going to kill the Forgotten Realms with this stupid 100-year leap. Just...wow.
I can't believe it. Everything about D&D is just being drained away. And they expect it to rise like some great pheonix (does that even exist in D&D 4E now? Maybe it will...with like 2 abilities to make it "dee dee dee" simpler for the retard gamers out there that can't handle 1E, 2E, and especially 3E)
WotC finally did it. They finally
ing did it. They're going to attract an ENTIRELY new audience...and making it that much harder for all veterans to switch to 4E. They want us gone and the newcomers in.It's like they want to start D&D itself all over again and everything with it. I am so appalled by this. If I ever meet any of the members that helped make these stupid decisions...I don't think I could control myself from pummeling them to near death.
Jared Rascher
Explorer
As I said above, if its good for sales, or they have evidence that this will drawn in new people, weather or not they loose people like me is kind of irrelevant. If the gain is more than the loss, it doesn't really matter, and I have no idea how indicative I am of the FR fanbase.
That having been said, yes, there were many regions that would qualify as the "points of light" mindset. Ironically, much of the area where this would have been applicable was the vast distances between various regions that was eliminated when the 2nd edition maps were revised to be about 1/3 of the old maps, thus making it quicker and easier to get from the Heartlands to other regions.
The problem is, if you leave any stable, happy, civilized nations, someone that does not like the setting will point out this region and not the regions that logically fit the "points of light" theme. The road between Arabel and Mistledale is dangerous since Tilverton was destroyed? But Cormyr is still stable, and there are Purple Dragon Knights patrolling, so it doesn't "count" if the region outside it is stable. Just because the Marsh of Tun, the Farsea Marshes, the Moonsea Ride between the ruins of Tilverton and Mistledale, the Stonelands, or the Thunder Peaks are still dangerous, why, you can still make it from Suzail to Arabel without running into an army of giants, dragons, goblins, and orcs, so it doesn't fit the "points of light" philosophy, which says there are no major cities or patrols, and only the PCs can clear away danger.
Its the same mentality that people that don't like the setting evince when they assume that because Elminster is whatever level he is in the current edition, he must then logically be able to teleport everywhere in Cormyr, the Dalelands, and Sembia to stop every single evil plot, while Khelben, Learal, and Alustrial managed to teleport everywhere in the Sword Coast North to do the same there.
I mean a handful of epic level characters is more than enough to defend a population of 68,000,000, right?
Anyway, that's not even the point. Several of you are now interested in the Realms that weren't before, so obviously from this little experiment we can see that if we are indicative, they would gain new people, potentially. Its just kind of sad to me because it feels more like they are creating a new setting, dropping Elmisnter and Drizzt into it, and using the name recognition of the Forgotten Realms.
Spoilers:
As far as information on The Orc King, keep in mind, there are spoilers in these threads:
Lavender Eyes Fansite Thread
ARC Reader's Blog
That having been said, yes, there were many regions that would qualify as the "points of light" mindset. Ironically, much of the area where this would have been applicable was the vast distances between various regions that was eliminated when the 2nd edition maps were revised to be about 1/3 of the old maps, thus making it quicker and easier to get from the Heartlands to other regions.
The problem is, if you leave any stable, happy, civilized nations, someone that does not like the setting will point out this region and not the regions that logically fit the "points of light" theme. The road between Arabel and Mistledale is dangerous since Tilverton was destroyed? But Cormyr is still stable, and there are Purple Dragon Knights patrolling, so it doesn't "count" if the region outside it is stable. Just because the Marsh of Tun, the Farsea Marshes, the Moonsea Ride between the ruins of Tilverton and Mistledale, the Stonelands, or the Thunder Peaks are still dangerous, why, you can still make it from Suzail to Arabel without running into an army of giants, dragons, goblins, and orcs, so it doesn't fit the "points of light" philosophy, which says there are no major cities or patrols, and only the PCs can clear away danger.
Its the same mentality that people that don't like the setting evince when they assume that because Elminster is whatever level he is in the current edition, he must then logically be able to teleport everywhere in Cormyr, the Dalelands, and Sembia to stop every single evil plot, while Khelben, Learal, and Alustrial managed to teleport everywhere in the Sword Coast North to do the same there.
I mean a handful of epic level characters is more than enough to defend a population of 68,000,000, right?
Anyway, that's not even the point. Several of you are now interested in the Realms that weren't before, so obviously from this little experiment we can see that if we are indicative, they would gain new people, potentially. Its just kind of sad to me because it feels more like they are creating a new setting, dropping Elmisnter and Drizzt into it, and using the name recognition of the Forgotten Realms.
Spoilers:
I could easily be wrong, but it does seem strange that all of these things get mentioned along the time that we see the baseline assumption of the 4th edition game. It would also be strange to have Drizzt writing journal entries from 100 years in the future when it then locks the designers into having to use certain events if the setting doesn't advance that far.
As far as information on The Orc King, keep in mind, there are spoilers in these threads:
Lavender Eyes Fansite Thread
ARC Reader's Blog
Cthulhudrew
First Post
WotC rebooted me, and I feel fine.
William Ronald
Explorer
A century is long enough to create a lot of turmoil in a continent or a world. See our own world, and some countries that no longer exist (the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, the Austo-Hungarian Empire), new countries that arose in the aftermath, and other events.
So, if the Relams moves forward a century, there will be changes. The Empire of Netheril may become a focus of Epic Level action, as Epic Level PCs join with some NPCs to deal with some threats. Some areas that have become unstable, like Cormyr, may stablilze slightly while other may have new problems. (For example, I could easily see Thay flying apart if someone kills Szass Tamm -- and Netheril might be the one to do that dead to get rid of a potential rival.) I hope that whatever setting changes are made to the Realms, that PCs can become heroes. Heck, the Realms may truly be in need of heroes.
Of course, we know little yet, but maybe all the published settings will move forward by a century.
So, if the Relams moves forward a century, there will be changes. The Empire of Netheril may become a focus of Epic Level action, as Epic Level PCs join with some NPCs to deal with some threats. Some areas that have become unstable, like Cormyr, may stablilze slightly while other may have new problems. (For example, I could easily see Thay flying apart if someone kills Szass Tamm -- and Netheril might be the one to do that dead to get rid of a potential rival.) I hope that whatever setting changes are made to the Realms, that PCs can become heroes. Heck, the Realms may truly be in need of heroes.
Of course, we know little yet, but maybe all the published settings will move forward by a century.
Razz said:Wow...
First 4E is going to kill D&D...and now 4E is going to kill the Forgotten Realms with this stupid 100-year leap. Just...wow.
I can't believe it. Everything about D&D is just being drained away. And they expect it to rise like some great pheonix (does that even exist in D&D 4E now? Maybe it will...with like 2 abilities to make it "dee dee dee" simpler for the retard gamers out there that can't handle 1E, 2E, and especially 3E)
WotC finally did it. They finally
It's like they want to start D&D itself all over again and everything with it. I am so appalled by this. If I ever meet any of the members that helped make these stupid decisions...I don't think I could control myself from pummeling them to near death.
Don't play it, then. Use your 3.5 books instead. But please tone down the continuous anti-4E threadcrapping, and, to prevent damage to your health, stay clear of the 4E forum. Don't worry, pretty much the entire internet is aware of your opinion of 4E by now.
In addition, do NOT use profanity on these boards.
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