What has the greatest chance of destroying the Forgotten Realms?

[BiggusGeekus]

The greatest threat to the Realms is economics. It's the only way they will every be destroyed.

Do you mean the product line or applying a real-world analysis of the wacked out we-have-magic-but-we-only-use-it-in-combat economic/social/industrial paragdim the Realms uses?

Forget world-destroying comets. All I'd need is six economics PhDs.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Since I am a DragonStar Fan: Invasion of the Dragon Empire.
Several years a powerful battle was fought - Faerun isn`t an easy target, since it has the most powerful magics.
Finally, to survive the Empires Attack, the gods - which were nearly "absorbed" by the DragonStar pantheon, and only survived thanks to the strong believes of the Faerun people - sacfricied themselves and many of their followers (especially the chosen ones ) to create a great magical barrier, blocking any attempt to enter the Faerun System via interplanetary or interstellar momvement. At least, for now...

Outside, the Empire might try to use "Multiple Planeshifting" to reenter the world - such powerful magic must be in the hands of the Dragon Leaders, not of primitive beings like Elves, Humans and co...

Inside, the remnants of the Empire forces are still fighting, and trying to gain allies, especially the Drow.
The "Old" Faeruns are trying to rebuild what was there, but the loss of many gods made them unsure about what to do, and distrustful. Romours are spreaded, that some of the Faerun Coalitions worked together with the Invaders, and so, a new kind of time of trouble is arisen...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Bugbear]

I second that!
You might really want to read the Gnomish Industrial Revolution threads for some good (evil?) ideas.
The IR is archieved at Bugbears lair: http://bugbearslair.homestead.com/GIRA1.html

Warning: The third IR is very long, but it also has some nice ideas for destroying a world.

Thanks for the plug

 

[Ulrick]

1. Have a rift open up in some part of the world and hordes of nasty creatures like demons come pouring out.

The campaign centers on find this rift and closing it.

2. I took this idea from Elven Star, a book in the Death Gate Cycle by Margret Weis and Tracy Hickman. A bunch of Titans cross the land killing everything in their path.

Ulrick

 

[VoodooGroves]

First, I'm a big fan of sending a prime material plane into the middle of the blood war. Maybe opening up gateways that connect it directly with the astral or outer planes. Once that happens, I dare say Faerun would hit a speed bump.

Second, the matter of how.

Personally, there's alot of planning generally spent on bizarre monsters, powerful magics, etc. That's all fine well and good, but magic isn't the answer to everything. Your big bad who makes this happen should be, in my opinion, a liar.

That's it. A mundane liar. Really, just a bit of simple magic keeps the detect lies at bay. Besides, who really is going to scan for lies all the time at epic levels? In all reality, only the truly paranoid. I think a creative, resourceful and high-level bard or rogue (tiefling maybe) who basically works some sort of deal (with basic understanding of magic and magical items - he/she can't really use them herself as effectively but can manipulate others to do so) would be keen. Think about it. Someone with a plan. A leader. A manipulator. No magic required (not for the basic "how", but the actual destruction itself may require some). Someone who's charisma, wisdom and intelligence rival the gods (and better than some) but who recognizes their own strengths and weaknesses. Because they are NOT a god, they lack the arrogance that prevents them from seeking help.

After the fact, few gods would remain. Certainly some of the evil ones would remain, as would (in my opinion) Mask and Helm. It would be nifty if it was a coup by someone like Loviatar (mmmm....) or her follower who pulls this off.

Barring that, I'm all in favor of bringing back Moander....

 

[Drkfathr1]

Three words.....CALL OF CTHULU!

Have the whole Cthulu mythos slide in and take over all the major cults and organizations. That way you could retain all the normal nasties and throw in this new twist.

 

[Joker]

If the demons and devils come together (don't ask me how), their combined forces could lay waste to everything, including the upper planes.

Also if Cyric got a few Gawds to read his Cyrinishad, that should cause some ruckus. As all that read it (including gawds) become believers of Cyric.

That probably didn't help much.

Oh well,

Tata.

 

[Wormwood]

Phaerimm.

Not the pansy, 'game-balanced' boring vanilla Phaerimm from Monster of Faerun, but the bad-ass, game-breaking Phaerimm from the old Myth Drannor campaign.

ps. Drow are crap.

 

[Draxus the Tainted]

I don't have the Manual of the Planes, so I don't know much about them. But you could have one of the evil deities create a powerful artifact that merges Toril with one of the really twisted planes.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Turn Elminster evil and have him go on a rampage. Finally decided to "rule" after hundreds of years....