I tend to prefer lower magic games, but I also don't mind the Realms. It's got a lot of detail, some great locations, some cool organizations and a lot of history. If I were to DM the Realms again, I would normally issue a disclaimer up front that this is NewJeffCT's Forgotten Realms, which means it's not exactly like the books and all the novels. So, if you know from Novel XYZ PDQ that the tavern around the corner from where you are is run by a generous retired adventurer who loans out magic items on a "pay it forward" basis to young adventurers, that ain't happening in my Realms.
That said, even though I prefer lower magic, I'm not against an Elminster, Drizz't or a Lady Alustriel making a cameo appearance. As a somewhat humorous side note, I was a player in a Realms game many years back where Lady Alustriel did make a cameo appearance to thank the party for helping out with some trolls in the nearby forest or marshes near Silverymoon. I don't think the DM planned for anything more than that when one guy in the group announces he is going to ask her to dinner - and, of course, he rolls a natural 20 for his Charisma check. So, the DM took a few seconds to think and ended up having her give him a warm smile and say that she is busy with affairs of state the next several nights and then a journey to somewhere (Waterdeep, maybe?), but perhaps if he continues with his good works in making the area nearby safe, she would take him up on his offer. Needless to say, that was some good motivation for him to continue his good deeds... but, I think the group ended up getting sidetracked and having to leave the Silverymoon environs, so we never got to the dinner with one of the Chosen of Mystra. (The guy played his character - a human fighter - as something like a Captain Kirk type, so his hitting on a woman was not out of character at all.)
That said, even though I prefer lower magic, I'm not against an Elminster, Drizz't or a Lady Alustriel making a cameo appearance. As a somewhat humorous side note, I was a player in a Realms game many years back where Lady Alustriel did make a cameo appearance to thank the party for helping out with some trolls in the nearby forest or marshes near Silverymoon. I don't think the DM planned for anything more than that when one guy in the group announces he is going to ask her to dinner - and, of course, he rolls a natural 20 for his Charisma check. So, the DM took a few seconds to think and ended up having her give him a warm smile and say that she is busy with affairs of state the next several nights and then a journey to somewhere (Waterdeep, maybe?), but perhaps if he continues with his good works in making the area nearby safe, she would take him up on his offer. Needless to say, that was some good motivation for him to continue his good deeds... but, I think the group ended up getting sidetracked and having to leave the Silverymoon environs, so we never got to the dinner with one of the Chosen of Mystra. (The guy played his character - a human fighter - as something like a Captain Kirk type, so his hitting on a woman was not out of character at all.)
