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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MoogleEmpMog" data-source="post: 3531406" data-attributes="member: 22882">If you're saying shared experience, rather than strong central conflict, the classic modules do probably provide a baseline.  But those classic modules definitely didn't provide the kind of strong central conflict seen in the original Dragonlance modules, or integral to the Dark Sun setting.  (Incidentally, I would say Dark Sun had two central conflicts, but they worked together: man against environment and overthrowing the sorcerer-kings.)Considering how contentious Time of Troubles was, I don't think you can consider it a selling point.  Or much of a central conflict, for that matter, since it was resolved in a single, short, not-terribly-well-regarded module series. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> The rest seem to me textbook examples of 'lots of little conflicts.'  *None* of those speak to my experience of the Realms, except for the Zhents.  My experience of the Realms was focused on Zhentil Keep as the primary antagonist in AD&D, and Thay as the primary antagonist/sometime patron in more recent years.  I would never have thought of Grazzt as 'iconic to the realms,' and Shar/Selune is something I don't recall ever dealing with.I have to go with Erik on this one.Again, I don't think either FR or Greyhawk had this at all.  Eberron, which also appears to be doing well, doesn't have it either.  Neither did Mystara/the Known World.Honestly, the scro/elf conflict in Spelljammer always seemed more central to the setting to me than any conflict in FR or Greyhawk.  It seemed like something you could avoid, but not really ignore - if war broke out, your privateering/merchantman/adventurer PCs might not get involved, but only because they made a point of not doing so.  The default assumption was that sooner or later you'd probably get sucked into the conflict.  At least, that was the impression I got, how I ran the setting, and how I've seen it run.By contrast, in FR or Greyhawk I never felt like there was a conflict I'd have to actively avoid if I didn't want to participate.  Thay invading Rashemen?  That's, like, a dozen countries away!  Zhents on the move?  There's plenty of uninvolved countries.  Drow attacking Icewind Dale?  Has my character even *heard* of Icewind Dale?  The Greyhawk Wars would qualify for Greyhawk... but again, controversial/unpopular setting-shaking event.Iron Kingdoms, anyone?  I don't know, I just don't see it as a major factor.</blockquote>

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