| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 19:04:30
The following was posted originally on the FR Mailing list from someone at GENCON who got to some of the FR seminars
quote:
I forgot to bring anything to take notes with, though I did notice someone
else taking notes, something with a tape recorder and a third gentlememan
with a cam corder, so the FR seminars may make the Web in some form. From
what I can recall from the State of the Realms and Elminster speaks
seminars:
The Fire Fox studios option on the FR TV series has lapsed. There are
discussions with another company now. Rich explained that because
Hollywood normally prefers to get all rights to a product and tell the IP
owner to take a hike, while they do what they want is in conflict with
Wizards desire to make sure that if a FR series is produced that it's done
right (reference to D&D movie) that these negotiations typically cause it
to take a couple years before anything hits our screens.
Ed had a meeting scheduled with Elaine to discuss a Waterdeep novel
collaboration. The major Waterdeep personalities would only be seen
peripherally in this novel.
The staff would love to do a regional product covering the Old Empires.
Being discussed, but no promises as to whether the product will ever see
the light of day.
Lot of discussion about a map only product. They got some feedback from
the seminar attendees that they'll take back.
Ed has started work on a series of Novels involving the Knights of Myth
Drannor. They first one should hit store shelves sometime next year.
I spoke with Ed after the State of the Realms seminar and noticed he
wears a ring with Elminsters sigil. Hmmmmmmm....
A large part of the two, two hour, seminars were questions from the
attendess.
The person posted another update later on after receiving the following query.
quote:
I was reading on the
D&D message board about the 'next' regional supplement
- the chap there said it would be the Serpent Lands (I
am assuming Chult etc) followed by The Old Empires -
can anyone confirm?
The Serpent Lands has been written. They are still or have just finished editting it. The release date is Spring 2004, IIRC. It covers the serpent races. Lizard Men, Yuan-Ti, Naga, there cultures, what they do when players aren't around, "why they do what they" do etc,. I assumed as well that Chult will be mentioned in the product.
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| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Faraer |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 22:42:04
Quoting Eric Boyd:quote:
A new FR release planned for next year (date unspecified) will be "Serpent Kingdoms" dealing with all things reptilian in the Realms. Written by Ed Greenwood, Darrin Drader, and myself, it focuses on the yuan-ti and includes geography chapters focused on areas heretofore largely untouched in previously released Realms products (1e, 2e, or 3e). In effect, it's both a geography and a race book. Some of the place names rattled off include Tashalar, Thindol, Samarach, Serpentes, Lapaliiya, Okoth, Isstosseffifil, and Najara ... you'll have to be a true Realms scholar to dig up some of those references <evil grin> ...
So that's one sale to me. I don't begrudge the people who specifically want the outer regions covered, and it's a lot of topics to cover in one book, so nothing will get superdetailed.
On the subject of 3E sourcebooks on Heartlands regions: the people who say 'don't do that it's been done to death' either don't realize how many boxes Ed has in his basement, or don't personally like the detail that's one of the setting's hallmarks. I think products like FRS1 The Dalelands and Cormyr and The North gave some people the idea that all future releases on these places were bound to be equally repetitive. Silver Marches shows that we're just beginning to tap what's to know, and a point I've made is that the Heartlands regional books need to cover SMALL areas so that there's scope for new material after the basics and timeline updates have been covered. Ed has "a small cartload of as-yet-unpublished information about [Waterdeep's] folk, neighbourhoods, specific buildings, customs, slang, daily 'whirl' and lifestyles, and so on", for example. Next year it'll be a decade since the last substantial information on the Western Heartlands (the Volo's Guide). But finding out about the Tashalar and Lapaliiya is cool too. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 18:17:49
Some more information from Richard Baker on the WOTC FR Messageboard:
quote:
I'd like to post the ToC for Serpent Kingdoms, but I think it's a little early for that. Ditto for Mystery Product #1, which is an Unapproachable East-style supplement scheduled for 2004 that we're just starting work on. (How long until I see that remark on gamingreport.com, I wonder?) Anyway, I'll have to wait a couple of months.
So, we have the Player's Guide to FR in March
then most likely Serpent Kingdoms
then this supplement |
| Bladesinger |
Posted - 30 Jul 2003 : 11:49:46
One of the authors of The Serpent Lands is Ed Greenwood. I agree with Faraer on out-of-heartlands regions. I would expect Wizards to print an accessory about the Western Heartlands since they haven't printed anything about there (Except in the campaing settings and novels) since the beginning of the realms. I think it would be more interesting to see Berdusk , Elturel and Baldur's Gate rather than the Yuan-ti or the Old Empires. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 23:40:18
The Knights trilogy and the Waterdeep novel were announced in November 2002: http://www.zackcompany.com/pressreleases/ed5bookdealpr.htm The Waterdeep book won't be in the Michener format of Cormyr.
I'm interested or uninterested in The Serpent Lands according to who's written it.
A lot of longtime Realms fans want more on the out-of-Heartlands regions, but I think they work better as a distant horizon than as familiar detailed places. |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 28 Jul 2003 : 23:22:26
Thanks for the info SiriusBlack 
Cant say im too bothered about the Old Empires sourcebook, I doubt id ever run a campaign there....as to whether id buy it.... that goes without saying 
Whats all this about a map only product? Not just large atlas maps of Faerun I assume? (as per FRCS and Dragon Mag). I seem to recall a quick survey on the WotC site once asking about whether fans prefer a book or loose leaf format for maps, sounds like that was a feeler for such a product. So what are the maps to be on? did they give any further information? Id LOVE to see a book of maps on FR cities and settlements, much like the city maps in the old FRA hardcover.
Drooling for the Waterdeep novel. Is this to be a sourcebook-in-a-novel format, much like Evermeet: Island of Elves and Cormyr: A Novel?
The Serpent Lands sounds good, definately looking forward to that one!
...now where do I get one of these sigil rings?! |
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