Quintessentially Forgotten Realms

[rounser]

Religion is king in FR

In my opinion...no, no, no it's not! Or it shouldn't be! Magic is king in FR, especially long forgotten magic...I'm not sure where the fascination with the soap opera of the gods comes from, but it's one of the worst ways the setting is run or thought about these days. Perhaps the 2E Specialty Priests are to blame. In any case, the gods seem to get way more screentime than they deserve at the expense of other, more important aspects of the setting.

Dead gods are FR's most interesting gods, IMO. Moander and various others trying to come back from the dead...that's interesting! That's where the abandoned temples and artifacts and fell powers and prophecies and whatnot come into play, and that's very FR...

 

[StupidSmurf]

In my opinion...no, no, no it's not! Or it shouldn't be! Magic is king in FR, I'm not sure where the fascination with the soap opera of the gods comes from, but it's one of the worst ways the setting is run or thought about these days. Perhaps the 2E Specialty Priests are to blame. In any case, the gods seem to get way more screentime than they deserve at the expense of other, more important aspects of the setting.

Dead gods are FR's most interesting gods, IMO. Moander and various others trying to come back from the dead...that's interesting! That's where the abandoned temples and artifacts and fell powers and prophecies and whatnot come into play, and that's very FR...

Specialty priests are NOT to blame....I was assigned to create them in "Warriors and Priests of the Realms" specifically BECAUSE of the extensive god-stuff in the Realms.

But I've gone on record as saying I didn't like the events in the Avatar series, and I'll do so again.

And I totally agree about the dead gods!

 

[johnnype]

Some great advice so far. I wholeheartedly agree with the person who thought you should incorporate all the different types of magic available. Faerun is nothing if not magic rich. Many books incorporate some sort of werid magic. I think it was the Underdark hardback that introduced magic nodes. Also it's fairly obvious that Dieties play a big part, between Lolth's dissapearance and the war between Mask and Shar (to name just two) you have a veritable fountain of plot hooks.

I've read more FR fiction than I care to admit. Some of it is entertaining, most of it is little better than pulpy actiony geekfests, which is ok if that's what you are expecting. I've found that it has colored my view of the setting so my recommendations are likewise affected.

Consider making the Shadovar (AKA Shades) the focus of you campaing. If the Drow were the primary antagonists over the last 10+ years then the shades are the next big thing to happen to Faerun. In fact one of the novelists (Paul S. Kemp) has been hired to write a trilogy of novels about the next "Realms Shaking Event" or RSE to start next year. Guess who the bad guys are? That's right, the shades. A character by the name of Erevis Cale is the next Drizzt. Well, sort of. No one is going to kill off Drizzt any time soon but I do think you will hear more about this new rogue/priest (of Mask) who recently unwillingly became a shade. The City of Shade floats over the Anauroch desert. Perfect for your game.

The other quintesentially Realmsy backdrop is the Underdark. Yes, you have drow, and yes that is getting just a bit tired by now, but there's a whole lot more as well. The number of optional races for underdark adventuring is almost too good to pass up. Derro, Duergar and Imaskari to name but three. You have plenty of opportunities to incorporate psionics if that appeals to you. Mind Flayers, Aboleth, and a city of tanarukk lead by a half-fiend. Shadow Dragons infest certain areas and there is one ancient, deserted and ruined drow city (sorry I can't remember the name just now) with connections to the plane of shadow. How cool is that?

 

[StupidSmurf]

Another Realms-Shaking Event? Geez. Yet something ELSE I'll need to ignore, then.

As much as I love the Realms, I really, really, (really!) hate the way events are handled. Either nothing happens, or the entire world changes. The gods fight each other! Some of them die! Some stupid putz takes three evil god portfolios! Now he loses some of them! King Azoun IV dies! Tilverton is blasted out of existence! The shades come back! Massive droughts occur as a result of climactic changes! OOooo...global warming comes to the Realms!

Phooey.

Here's what I've incorporated from all the RSE's.

1. The Avatar Crisis. Since this was the first RSE, I let it in, despite my dislike of most of the protagonists of the Trilogy, as well as the way it panned out.

2. The Tuigan Crusade. Yeah, it happened, I guess....not mentioned much if at all.

3. The Death of Azoun IV and invasion by an orc army. Yeah, it's in there. There's some good potential there for Cormyran intrigue and such, so that's cool.

4. Destruction of Tilverton. Yeah...it's a crater now.

5. Return of the Shades. In my own internal continuity, it's there, but there's no good reason for me getting my players involved in it. It's something that's happening elsewhere, far removed from the campaign area. That goes double for the phaerimm.

6. Droughts, climactic changes. Nope. Not in the Realms. You mean to tell me that major nature god heavyweights like Chauntea can't reverse what's happening, particularly since the Avatar Crisis RSE has already established that the gods need to get more involved in the day to day things in the Realms? Riiiiight.

7. Harper division. Yep....and about time too.

::Sigh:: Sometimes, playing in the Realms is like frequenting a 5-star restaurant that employs roller-skating Tourettes baboons as their waitstaff.

 

[genshou]

Another Realms-Shaking Event? Geez. Yet something ELSE I'll need to ignore, then.

As much as I love the Realms, I really, really, (really!) hate the way events are handled. Either nothing happens, or the entire world changes. The gods fight each other! Some of them die! Some stupid putz takes three evil god portfolios! Now he loses some of them! King Azoun IV dies! Tilverton is blasted out of existence! The shades come back! Massive droughts occur as a result of climactic changes! OOooo...global warming comes to the Realms!

Phooey.

Here's what I've incorporated from all the RSE's.
<snip>

What about the revival of Bane? You don't include the revival of Bane?

 

[Snotlord]

I would like some advice on the elements that make the Forgotten Realms distinctive, the kind of images, themes and stories I can weave in to make this a Forgotten Realms game, rather than Eberron, Greyhawk, or any other setting.

To me, the Realms is like "Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger": adventures with a big scope, romance, intrigue, larger than life heroes and villains, fantastic scenery and colorful commoners.
Its like a Mozart opera set in Grand Canyon, or Star Wars without science fiction.

FR stories often include gods, elves, rivaling organizations, sex, silly old mages and merchants.

For Blood and Dirt, I'd use Greyhawk. For Discword and crime stories, I'd use Eberron. For good vs. evil without intrigue and grey areas, I'd pick Dragonlance.

The FRCS and Volo's Guides should cover everything you need. Everything else is a bonus.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Lovecraft Explains it All

Try playing by this formula ....

AO = AZATHOTH

​

 

[Aaron L]

AO sure... talked a lot, for being Azathoth.

And surely didn't gibber enuogh. Maybe the Avatar Crisis was really about him losing his flautists?

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

Cool thread! Stupid Smurf and Rounser both summarised some of the best things about the Realms. I've run a few Realms campaigns and have often had NPCs from the novels make cameo appearances -- this can work really well.

Someone else suggested Calimport for your campaign. There is a desert in the middle of Calimshan (called the Calim Desert!) which could work for you. The 2e Empires of the Shining Sea boxed set covers this area, is pretty good, and is available as a cheap ESD from RPGNow.

Hope this helps!


Richard

 

[Nightfall]

If Ao WAS Azathoth at least then he'd be way more interesting. As it stands AO = Ken Lay.