What’s with the Geocentric preoccupation with the Dales???

[Bulletman]

What’s with the Geocentric preoccupation with the Dales???

Top of the day there
I have recently become interested in getting back into D&D after a few years hiatus (I haven’t been able to look at the game the same way after seeing that damnable D&D Movie. That movie seriously discredited years of decent role players efforts to make Role playing a viable social activity)
Yeah anyway I am creating a campaign set in the land of intrigue area of Forgotten Realms, particular Amn and Tethyr. I have researched a bit on the area though still find the available relevant information somewhat lacking. Most of the official developers seem to be geocentric in regards to setting, concentrating on the Dale Lands and the North. I really do not care for these areas, preferring the Mediterranean feel of the Lands of Intrigue.
Any way I was wondering if many other people out there have had experience in running campaign in areas that have been overlooked by official developers or even based there adventures in Tethyr itself or surrounding areas.
Please if any one has had a common experiences could you please post here.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

welcome to the boards, Bulletman

i've also found that the FR geocentricity towards the Dalelands annoying, but, personally, i like the North

i'm currently playing in game that's in the Lands of Intrigue. my DM has worked to compile all the information he could get his hands on from every 1e, 2e, and 3e book with any facts about the area. he also found several sites online of people's campaigns in the Lands of Intrigue to be helpful, but overall, he's perfectly willing to change anything he likes to fit his game

 

[Turjan]

What do you mean by "geocentric" as far as the Dales are concerned? And, if you wanted to say the Dales would remind you of some real world region, so do Tethyr or Amn; so what's the difference?

The Forgotten Realms are an eclectic mixture of real world regions and cultures. If you don't like that concept, try something else .

 

[John Crichton]

When I first ran in the FR I did a campaign in the Dales. I'm not sure why but I think one of the players was really into that region at the time. But since, I have run exclusively on the western side of Faerun. I did a few long campaigns in the North (a personal fav) and ran a bit in the area just south of Waterdeep.

And I totally agree that some areas are underdeveloped, such as the place you mentioned. However, Wizards has been pretty good with adding more and more to the Realms. Eventually they will probably cover all the areas if the other supplementary books sell well.

I would look at it as an opportunity to create a few things of my own for those areas. For example, in 2e before Volo's Guide to the North & The North boxed set came out there was very little info on that area. So I turned it into my own little place where I could create things for the players. Or you could take things from other modules/campaigns that fit with the flavor/climate of the region and go from there until something more official is released.

P.S. I have always reguarded the D&D movie as nothing more than a piece of trash and a cheap attempt to cash in on the LotR/Harry Potter craze.

 

[Turjan]

Well, it's always difficult to flesh all regions out to an equal extent. You can see the result if you look at the Campaign Setting: the books get longer and longer, but information on a special region gets increasingly scarce. I still prefer a mixture of old campaing setting information, splatbooks from old times and the new campaign setting. Although my next voyage will most probably take place in the Silver Marches; well, I just like the North, I'm afraid .

 

[green slime]

What do you mean by "geocentric" as far as the Dales are concerned? And, if you wanted to say the Dales would remind you of some real world region, so do Tethyr or Amn; so what's the difference?

The Forgotten Realms are an eclectic mixture of real world regions and cultures. If you don't like that concept, try something else .

It is obvious what he means. He isn't saying that he doesn't like the dalelsands because it reminds him of some real world region; he says:

Bulletman gave us his opinion that:
I really do not care for these areas, preferring the Mediterranean feel of the Lands of Intrigue.

He means, that there is so little information on Tethyr, Amn and the Lands of Intrigue especially when compared to the plethora of information on such an obscure little corner of Faerûn.

Neither does he say that he doesn't like the mixture of cultures. So suggesting he run off and try something else isn't helping him at all.

Bulletman:

The CRPG Baldur's Gate II is set in Amn, if IRC, and should be available rather cheaply. It could be useful to help get a feel for the major city there (can't even remember that now, must be getting senile), I know I found bits of it interesting, as it shows their dislike for open magic use and such, and gives a feel for the architecture and some background events (Maztica, etc).

I never bought the 2e expansion for Tethyr/Amn, because I had the 1e one. We never did any real adventuring there, just passed through. I guess you have already downloaded the free Lands of Intrigue (2e) ?

 

[Snoweel]

I guess you have already downloaded the free Lands of Intrigue (2e) ?

I was about to suggest that. I downloaded it myself, in the computer room of Uppsala's biologikum, actually.

If you're happy to crunch your own numbers, Bulletman, most of this download is description and detail. Though the 16 A4 pages of maps are a bit tiresome...

 

[Mr Fidgit]

The CRPG Baldur's Gate II is set in Amn, if IRC, and should be available rather cheaply. It could be useful to help get a feel for the major city there (can't even remember that now, must be getting senile)

Athkatla, and you're right, BGII is useful for deveoping Amn, if nothing else than for the groups that hold power, attitudes towards arcane magic and dieties popular in that area of the world