| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Synthalus |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 12:26:03
What was it about the realms that sucked you in for the first time? What made the realms special to you and ingnited a fire in your soul to learn more and more about it? Why forgotten realms and not, ravenloft or al-quadim? i know this is a rather tough question to anwser for most of you but i'd like to read some of your stories.
For me it was the book (the making of a mage). The Elminster Aumar Story was fascinating to me and it drew me into the forgotten realms like a moth to a flame. I was hooked after this book and i quickly read the rest of the Elminster books. |
| 27 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dennis |
Posted - 23 Feb 2011 : 06:58:40
The first that drew me in is the Return of the Archwizards trilogy. I was writing a quartet at that time which involve characters that are like the Shadovar in some ways, and one whose beauty matches Storm, though funnier and more powerful. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 22 Feb 2011 : 13:38:33
I began with the Eye of the Beholder game which I had rented for the SNES. From there, I noticed it was part of a setting which I noticed was advertised in the inside back cover of the remakes of the 2E PH and DMG. Something about "A Land where gods have walked and fantastic armies clashed" got me wanting the books. I read The Legacy and bought the 2E Campaign Setting and it was downhill financially for me from there lol. |
| froglegg |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 19:12:21
I walked into a gaming store way back when and I saw The Old Grey Box. Well it just kind of snow balled from there.
John |
| Halidan |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 18:59:25
For me, it was the articles that Ed wrote for Dragon Magazine before the grey box came out - things like The Assassins Run and From the City of Brass to Dead Orc Pass. I thought that the amount of detail and lore was excellent, and I remember saying to a friend and fellow DM - "just think if we could put that kind of work into our game worlds." Turns out that Ed had. I've been hooked since then. |
| Brynweir |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 11:45:56
A friend of mine in college loaned me the Icewind Dale Trilogy to get me to try D&D, and after that I was hooked to the game. We played mostly generic adventures, some in DL and some in Greyhawk, some my friend just made up. Unfortunately, there was no one here to play with after I graduated, so I just read some FR and DL novels (a few hundred) because I needed something to read, and they were always worth my time. My husband knew how much I liked playing, and I read so many FR novels that when he came across Candlekeep one day, he showed it to me. I signed up, and the people were so great and so fun that I just stuck around. I think he regrets that decision now....
I've been here almost 8 years, and I still feel ignorant about so much, but I've never had anyone slam me over a stupid question or comment. "Wow, are you serious? How could you not know that?" Almost every discussion has been civil and informative, and I could easily avoid ones that weren't (if I was feeling like a "big girl" that day  )
It's also been a great place to RP at the inn or to meet people to RP with online. I've really had a blast since I joined, met some great people, read some really neat things, and done a whole lot of exploring and creating.
So, basically CK has been what sucked me into the Realms. |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 03:47:32
It was a combination of things. I had had a very peripheral knowledge of dnd in general, and on a roleplaying board I frequented, FR was a popular choice. One thing that had got me interested were some 3.5e art galleries I had found online; I found some of the creature designs amazing(my favorite were dracotaurs). My girlfriend recommended some salvatore books to me that I had mixed feelings about (Hunter's Blades Trilogy; didn't care at all for Drizzt but loved Obould).
All the while I was a WoW fan and that held the bulk of my interest, but eventually the changes done to the setting left me less and less invested in it, plus I didn't care for the game itself. So I started looking for something to fill my love for RP, and found the realms. |
| Tyrant |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 03:44:06
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I know some fans don't care much for them, but the eternal SPELLJAMMER fan that I am says that they're at least worth one read-through. Some are better than others, like Elaine Cunningham's contribution to the series. While others focus entirely on elements of the Unhuman War and resultant adventures across various Crystal Spheres.
Basically, if you're intrigued by the notion of "D&D in Space," then they're worth checking out.
If I can stop in there and they still have the Spelljammer books I will probably pick them up.
As for the others, I've read The Lost Mark and the Blade of the Flame trilogies, along with Tales of the Last War and The Crimson Talisman for Eberron. I've read Chronicles, Legends, The War of Souls, The Dark Disciple, and The Lost Chronicles trilogies along with The Second Generation and Dragons of Summer Flame stand alones for Dragonlance. I have no real complaints about any of those Dragonlance novels. For Eberron, I liked the Blade of the Flame more than The Lost Mark. Just to give you an idea of what I liked because I would welcome your advice on further reading. Likewise, any direction with Ravenloft would be welcome. Thanks for the offer of assistance. |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 03:36:42
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
My first "sucking-in"experience with the "written" Realms was with the Darkwalker on Moonshae novel by Doug Niles. Initially, I was looking for more DRAGONLANCE fiction [Dragons of Autumn Twilight served as my introduction to this style of fantasy-fiction several years before] when I managed to pick up a copy, shortly after its initial release here in Australia [from the local library]. It was, as I recall, just a few weeks past its publication in the US. Intensely curious with this new trilogy, I read the entire novel in less than three days and was immediately entranced with this strange fantasy land called the Moonshae Isles. I wanted more!
From there, I learned of Ed's 1987 FR boxed set which was just beginning to be sold here in Australia, and also of the fact that the Moonshae Islands were detailed inside the boxed set as part of the Realms [which was actually the first section of the Old Gray Box that I read when I first got it home]. Moving out from the Moonshae Islands, I then started to read about the main continent of Faerūn, where I slowly became aware of just how fantastic the world around the Moonshaes was.
My first intro to the Realms- and the thing that sucked me in- was that dual-wielding dark elf everyone seems to love to hate nowadays. I had originally entered the D&D-verse through the Dragonlance books a friend recommended, (bless you Kelvin, wherever you are!) but after a while, Krynn just seemed small and one-dinensional. One the characters from the original Chronicles were no longer the focus, I lost interest. At the time, I didn't even know there WAS a D&D outside of the old cartoon!! (Which I LOVED, BTW!!!) It wasn't until I discovered that Krynn and the old cartoon were both connected to this interesting "new" (to me, anyway) game that I was hooked on D&D as a hobby. Then another friend introduced me to the Drizzit ("Drizzt, meet (future)MsDuckie. MsDuckie, meet Drizzt.") And one I got started, and saw how huge and rich and varied this little forgotten world was, I fell in love. I could not get enough, and I'm STILL collecting all the old source-books I can get hold of, and novels too, when I find them. It has become my favorite canon game-world, and second only to my own HB one. (Which admittedly was inspired largely by Faerun, so I guess it really IS my favorite!) |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 03:28:26
I love the Spelljammer setting, or at least I did in my pre-Planescape days. But I never cared much for the novels; they seemed to largely take place in other D&D worlds and didn't do a great job of portraying the Spelljammer setting itself. Just my opinion. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 02:42:35
quote:
Originally posted by Tyrant
One of these days I may have to check out some other Eberron novels, but from what I understand I have read most of the Dragonlance that are decent.
If you're looking for opinions on what to read from either series, I'm willing to assist.
quote:
I'm halfway through the Prism Pentad and I plan to pick up the new Dark Sun novels as they come out. I haven't read any Ravenloft novels.
Again, if you're curious about which books for read for the RAVENLOFT series, I can offer some recommendations.
quote:
I do have a question for the more well read D&D fans. Are any of the Spelljammer books any good?
I know some fans don't care much for them, but the eternal SPELLJAMMER fan that I am says that they're at least worth one read-through. Some are better than others, like Elaine Cunningham's contribution to the series. While others focus entirely on elements of the Unhuman War and resultant adventures across various Crystal Spheres.
Basically, if you're intrigued by the notion of "D&D in Space," then they're worth checking out. |
| Tyrant |
Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 01:43:24
For me the road to the Realms started with the D&D miniatures game. I started playing it between the 2nd and 3rd sets (so late 2003/early 2004) after having played HeroClix for a while. Those two games lead me to attending GenCon every year since it moved to Indy. It doesn't hurt that I live in southern Indiana and I know people in Indy who don't mind if I stay with them for a few days in August. So, after I started playing DDM at GenCon I ended up winning something at the WotC booth (at the giant dice roll that I haven't seen the last few years) and of my choices I chose an Eberron book (The Crimson Talisman). I read a few other Eberron novels and started looking into Dragonlance. Then after figuring out more about the 3.5 system that DDM was based on I bought Neverwinter Nights 2 recognizing that it was a D&D product. I started looking into the setting of the game, the Forgotten Realms, and eventually started reading the books. I believe I started reading them in 2007 or 2008. Now I've read 93 Realms books and I have 39 others that I have bought and not yet read. One of these days I may have to check out some other Eberron novels, but from what I understand I have read most of the Dragonlance that are decent. I'm halfway through the Prism Pentad and I plan to pick up the new Dark Sun novels as they come out. I haven't read any Ravenloft novels.
I do have a question for the more well read D&D fans. Are any of the Spelljammer books any good? There is a second hand book store near me that I may go back to tomorrow (after I go to Borders to check out the going out of business sale) that had a few of them that were part of a series and I was thinking about picking them up if they are still there. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 23:56:49
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
In fact, many of the learned regulars were leaving soon after I got there (like Sage).... good thing I changed my deodorant.
I lurked, mostly, for a time. I've been with the Wizards boards since mid-2001, so I was determined to try and hang on as long as I could. But it became more and more difficult as some newer members simply refused to accept canon references [or even the direct word from Ed] about a particular aspect of the Realms, despite the fact that this lore would often prove their assumptions incorrect.
I knew then, that my time at Wizards was done. The final straw was increased difficulties with one particular member of the Wizards boards [who shall remain nameless] that I, unfortunately, allowed to rattle my cage too far. I switched off after that... only responding to those members who, like yourself, were keen on chatting and speculating about the Realms in the way we'd all long cared for.
quote:
I found where most of you went though... you can't escape... Bwa Ha Ha ha!! 
I didn't "flee" to Candlekeep, though. I was here around the same time I signed up with the Wizards bunch. I was sagely-enough to exist in two-virtual Realms-discussion regions.  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 23:51:31
My first "sucking-in"experience with the "written" Realms was with the Darkwalker on Moonshae novel by Doug Niles. Initially, I was looking for more DRAGONLANCE fiction [Dragons of Autumn Twilight served as my introduction to this style of fantasy-fiction several years before] when I managed to pick up a copy, shortly after its initial release here in Australia [from the local library]. It was, as I recall, just a few weeks past its publication in the US. Intensely curious with this new trilogy, I read the entire novel in less than three days and was immediately entranced with this strange fantasy land called the Moonshae Isles. I wanted more!
From there, I learned of Ed's 1987 FR boxed set which was just beginning to be sold here in Australia, and also of the fact that the Moonshae Islands were detailed inside the boxed set as part of the Realms [which was actually the first section of the Old Gray Box that I read when I first got it home]. Moving out from the Moonshae Islands, I then started to read about the main continent of Faerūn, where I slowly became aware of just how fantastic the world around the Moonshaes was.
The old SSI games for the C64/Amiga were my first experience with the "electronic" Realms.
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
Is it sad that I still have those games? :) Even the remakes that came out on 3.5 floppies.
Is it sad that I still have those games AND still play them?  |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 23:23:49
I played in Greyhawk for many moons...many many of them. I started playing in 1979, and things were awesome playing there.
The names of the spells fit, artifacts and etc. It was just an awesome time for me being only seven when I started playing with one of my teachers at school...
Then a few years later I noticed this Grey Box setting on the shelf in a store called "Dad's Day Off" in Radford Virginia. Mostly I was in there for historical wargaming miniatures; AD&D was my favorite game, so I was shocked about this "Forgotten Realms" campaign setting.
I was one of the first customers to buy the Grey Box in that part of the country I think...no joke. His store was the only one of its kind for many miles around that I had found; and south-west Virginia wasn't exactly a booming place of fantasy gaming!
I had been DMing here and there in both Greyhawk and Dragonlance; but the Forgotten Realms quickly became my home...as well as the home of the longest running campaign I've ever DM'd (it has gone on/off/on again since 1995 when my friend bought out Dad's Day Off and started Game Quest in Radford).
Haven't found a ready made world that I've liked more since...and honestly I frequently like it better than my own campaign world! |
| Kuje |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 22:41:15
No worries, things are alright. :) Even if I hated someone, I still usually answered them. Not saying you fall into that category, just was a general thought.
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I remember you were just leaving those boards around the time I started coming around. I don't recall us ever inter-acting badly over there - our time there didn't overlap by much. Sorry if I ever offended you - I usually remember the arguments I have with people online (and I had some doozies, with friends and 'frenemies' alike).
You and Gray both left around the same time. Rip van Wormer (I think I spelled that right) left before I ever got there (although he poked his head in a couple of times, as did you and Gray).
In fact, many of the learned regulars were leaving soon after I got there (like Sage).... good thing I changed my deodorant.
I found where most of you went though... you can't escape... Bwa Ha Ha ha!!
I wish I was there back in it's 'heyday' - from what I understand there was a lot of good discussions I missed out on.
@Matt - I was going to make a joke after your post, but I was afraid it would be taken the wrong way. It's just that when you show 'excitement' over something and use the word 'flood', certain low-brow humor comes to mind. 
|
| Ayrik |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 22:33:13
I chose FR because the original FR0 grey box had everything I needed to play into a completely fleshed out campaign setting. The only other settings, at the time, which were as richly developed were Greyhawk (which confused me a bit because it was scattered across countless sourcebooks and interpreted very differently by the "old school" D&D groups I'd meet, ranging from blandly generic to incredibly homebrewed complexities) and Dragonlance (which was really great but my gaming group and I really disliked the arbitrarily fixed plot and restrictions on religion, etc, while other details like kender and Solamnic Knights lacked any clearly defined rules and details).
I'd always had a tendency to avoid the "popular" areas; no adventuring in Cormyr or the Dales, instead I'd opt for a "clean" area like the Moonsea or the North. My gaming group always managed to move across Faerūn, always one step ahead of whatever regions TSR/WotC was currently renovating. |
| Quale |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 21:41:59
FR was a random choice of a setting for us, it was first the game of D&D that got me. For a few years I had no knowledge about other worlds, and after discovering them it was too late, they seemed inferior. And the map of the Realms was important. I always liked the idea that the Realms are a place where you can have everything in fantasy, not with one specific theme. First fascinating elements of the Realms were the Harpers, sharns, Zhents, Cyric and the shades, and nothing about them was from the novels. |
| Caolin |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 20:32:42
During my pre-teen years I was big on the old DnD boxed sets. I had this impression that I wasn't ready for the "Advanced" DnD I would see at the book store. So when I was 13 I went to the local book store to see if there was anything new. Sitting on the shelf was another boxed set and the cover looked pretty awesome. I begged my mom to buy it for me and when I got home I noticed that it was AD&D. But by that time I was hooked. I hung those huge maps on my bedroom walls and I stared at them for hours on end.
It was that following xmas that I got my C64 along with a copy of Pool of Radiance. I'd have to say that from that moment on I was hooked for life on FR. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 20:15:56
I remember you were just leaving those boards around the time I started coming around. I don't recall us ever inter-acting badly over there - our time there didn't overlap by much. Sorry if I ever offended you - I usually remember the arguments I have with people online (and I had some doozies, with friends and 'frenemies' alike).
You and Gray both left around the same time. Rip van Wormer (I think I spelled that right) left before I ever got there (although he poked his head in a couple of times, as did you and Gray).
In fact, many of the learned regulars were leaving soon after I got there (like Sage).... good thing I changed my deodorant.
I found where most of you went though... you can't escape... Bwa Ha Ha ha!!
I wish I was there back in it's 'heyday' - from what I understand there was a lot of good discussions I missed out on.
@Matt - I was going to make a joke after your post, but I was afraid it would be taken the wrong way. It's just that when you show 'excitement' over something and use the word 'flood', certain low-brow humor comes to mind. |
| Kuje |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 19:57:25
Is it sad that I still have those games? :) Even the remakes that came out on 3.5 floppies.
quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
The comp games for the Commodore 64, mostly Pool of Radiance. :)
Oh God! You just flooded me with so many memories. I have to change my answer to this
|
| Kuje |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 19:56:46
You and I also had some words on the WOTC boards till I just grew disgusted and decided to throw in the towel because of all the bitchin I used to have to deal with, so instead, I left. :)
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
As an aside, I tried to participate in these forums when I first 'rediscovered' FR, and found my insignificant knowledge of the source material made me fee stupid (compared to the scribes here) - I even recall referring to Sage as a "Know it all" (sorry  ). I don't know if it was just me, but these 'hallowed halls' had much of an 'old boys club' feel to them back then, if you weren't in the 'IN crowd' you either got ignored, or belittled for your attempted contributions. I hope those feelings were just my own insecurities, and not based upon how it really was; I was afraid to come here for awhile.
|
| Matt James |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 18:15:31
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
The comp games for the Commodore 64, mostly Pool of Radiance. :)
Oh God! You just flooded me with so many memories. I have to change my answer to this |
| Markustay |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 17:53:35
Here's the weird part....
Right up to a couple of years ago (around 5), I was a Greyhawk fan FIRST. I've been buying FR stuff - and reading bits of it as I went along - but never really 'got into it'. Thats what I did with ALL non-GH D&D material (and OGL post-2000).
I became a regular on the WotC forums a few years back, and found (to my dismay) that the FR boards were the only highly active (setting) ones. The Greyhawk board was a ghostown, for the most part, so I started hangin' on the FR boards to ask my questions and have meaningful discussions (which were possible back then).
I thought I knew about FR, but BOY, was I WRONG!!! 
My cursory reading of the material (and I had both edition campaign boxes) did not do it justice by a long shot - I found out just how little I understood the setting (I still dislike the 7 sisters and the Harpers from those old days... some things are just hard to shake). Anyhow, the more I learned, the more I grew to love it, and it eventually replaced Greyhawk in my heart (no small feat - I grew up running GH).
As an aside, I tried to participate in these forums when I first 'rediscovered' FR, and found my insignificant knowledge of the source material made me feel stupid (compared to the scribes here) - I even recall referring to Sage as a "Know it all" (sorry ). I don't know if it was just me, but these 'hallowed halls' had much of an 'old boys club' feel to them back then, if you weren't in the 'IN crowd' you either got ignored, or belittled for your attempted contributions. I hope those feelings were just my own insecurities, and not based upon how it really was; I was afraid to come here for awhile.
Ergo, in a way, I understand (in part) the decision to disarm the grognards, having only recently myself managed to leap the hurdle of ignorance (in regards to FR). This is probably why I was the most vocal about the changes - I put a LOT of effort into learning the lore in the past five years, just to see it all get thrown away (figuratively).
So although I am one of those 'Curmudgeon grognards' now, I am still 'fresh enough' into my Realms love to realize that the 'Entitlement' (as the WotC folks put it) was there - I experienced it for myself for awhile. Not saying I agree (or disagree) with anything 'new', just pointing out that I understand at least some of their decisions.
I don't want this to become another one of those threads - I am just saying that my own love for the Realms was slow in coming, simply because the shear plethora of the lore kept me from fully enjoying it for many years. Once I embraced it, I never looked back.
BTW, this is why I gave up on Golarion as an alternate. Its a great world (and may someday equal FR in its scope), but I am too old to have to re-live the past 5 years... I get that same feeling of entitlement on their boards now. If you weren't with them 'from the beginning', you get lost in the shuffle. Candlekeep is the last stop for me - I draw the line in the sand here, and if we fall, we fall together. |
| Kuje |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 16:49:02
The comp games for the Commodore 64, mostly Pool of Radiance. :) |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 16:37:09
For me it was (and many may disagree here) it was the Tolkien-esque feel of the Realms. I remember I was reading my first Realms novel, Darkwalker on Moonshae, and it was mentioned that one of the characters was a halfling. "Halfling," I thought, "that is another name for hobbit!" And unlike the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, it did not stop after 4 books; so I got to keep exploring different places in the Realms year after year. |
| Matt James |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 16:11:34
I was a kid, and there was this cool dark elf that was kicking butt with two swords. That about sums up what sucked me in. It also helped that my big brother (Brian R. James) was constantly telling me stories about it all. Remember, at the time I was only about 7 years old or so. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 18 Feb 2011 : 13:26:53
For me, it was the sheer vastness and diversity the Realms had to offer. When I was in high school (graduated in '00) all I did was play generic D&D with Greyhawk elements because I didn't know of anything else. And at that time I hated reading until my friend got me into Dragonlance. I found out (rather late) that reading was a damn good time and lots of fun. So I gobbled up all the Dragonlance books I could get.
It wasn't til this same friend introduced me to the Drizzt novels that I fell in love with the Realms. I had remembered the character from the Baldur's Gate games, which I didn't even really pay much attention to the lore and backdrop that was Faerūn, lol. It was after the Icewind Dale trilogy that I really understood just how darn BIG the Realms were. Much much different that small, tiny Krynn. And the best part was, things weren't interconnected all the time. The happenings of Waterdeep doen't affect what happens in Mulmaster. Thay attacking the Wychlaran doesn't have any relevance in the goings-on in Suzail. It was much more realistic and interesting that I felt DL was. So that's what turned me to the Realms and I haven't looked back yet, lol
I still like other settings such as Ravenloft and Eberron, because they have such a different feeling than the Realms, but the Realms will still by my #1 (I guess other than my wife ) |
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