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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Henry@home" data-source="post: 18885" data-attributes="member: 159">Renshai said:I do have to point out the interesting fact that the very first treatment of Epic levels in a published WotC product was in the Forgotten Realms Campaign setting - In fact, I would go so far as to say that Epic Power levels are a defining characteristic of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. In my opinion, In that list are:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Epic power levels for numerous NPC's - one cannot think of Elminster, the other Chosen, etc. without using the concept of levels of power above the core rulebooks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Extensive history of powerful magi and their Machiavellian Plans - the number of secret wizard schemes, magical wizard hidey-holes,  devestations and salvations cause by behind-the-scenes wizards, etc. give one the impression that wizards have  influenced more of Faerun's history that all the gods combined. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Intrinsically Detailed Regional and Character information - one can find something written, from a paragraph to an entire guidebook, about every major culture on the map.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Entrenchment of the key players in culture & society - Elminster, the Chosen, Larloch, etc. have been making plans and active in the realms for 1000 years or more, longer than most of the other NPC's, and the characters that players play, have been alive. To the common man, these forces have been there, have ALWAYS been there, and will continue to be there long after their grandchildren die.</li> </ul>These are not necessarily bad things - they are items that specifically define the setting, for good or ill. Many like these features, and many dislike the Realms because of these same features.As I stated before, I enjoy the Realms, and they have influenced my home campaign tremendously. But one thing that I changed for my home campaigns is the sheer number of epic-level NPC's involved, and their range of longevity.Anecdotally, I have 2 epic-level NPC wizards in my home campaign, who I bowed out no long before we wrapped up the last campaign. The two NPC's were lovers, one was "Elminster-like", and due to imprisonment (LONG before the "Elminster in Hell" came out), he had been affected with a rare magical wasting disease, that gradually removed his spellcasting ability. He went into seclusion to find a cure, along with the help of his significant other, leaving the PC's to become the "New World Champions." I think they were a little afraid of the responsibility, because we wrapped up the campaign not long after. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />It is up to the individual DM to adjust the NPC's and power levels of his campaign as he sees fit - I can't stress this enough. But Some just do not like the Realms, because in order to remain true to the setting, they would have to alter some of the most defining aspects of the campaign in order to make it "theirs." If you are going to establish that much unfamiliarity into a campaign, then it is someone's home-brew campaign with the 'Realms place names attached.</blockquote>

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