D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

[Paul Farquhar]

It is important to me

I’m not disputing that. That’s why D&D has multiple settings and supports homebrew. So you can build a setting around the things that are important to you.

My point is, it’s not required, or even implied, by the rules, and it is directly contrary to “the vibe” of the current edition.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Introducing the Abeiran Dragonborn to the Forgotten Realms IMO was easy because they were relative newcomers to the setting. They had no major impact on the lore and history that had existed in every edition version of the FR prior to their appearance in 4e. However, the introduction of the Torilian Dragonborn in 5.5e throws something of a spanner into the works because we really don't know how they contributed to the existing lore and history of the setting from those past editions.

Crashing a nation into a setting is pretty disruptive, and I can see why many long-term Forgotton Realms fans didn't like it.
But it has the advantage that the nation itself still has a history and culture, and you now have an entirely new group of people into the setting, that had their old ways and for which the established world is the new ways, where as for the pre-existing inhabitants, it's the other way around. That definitely defines a place for them in the setting, including some interesting dynamics based on that they are new arrivals. This creates many hooks, because you aren't just making up everything about the Dragonborn - they're the Dragonborn from an existing nation, they had a way of how they worked. They might be a bit of the odd man out when they leave their nation and explore Toreil - but they aren't the only ones, there are other Dragonborn in a similar situation, and there is still a definable culture with organizations, traditions and so on that you can base your character on, giving you some material to work with.