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Vlad
Acolyte
14 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Dec 2009 : 22:13:37
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Hi,
One of the problems I have while running a Realms campaign, is keeping track of which FR books cover which areas. So, the party goes to Amphail.. well, The North would be a good place to look, and Volo's guide as well. But are there more sources on Amphail? Since I'm 16 books short of the entire 1st-4th edition FR collection, I've got quite some searching to do. So, while reading all my FR stuff, an idea popped up, which I'm already working on: a Gazzateer.
The purpose of this is not to provide a total encyclopedia of the Realms (although that would be cool too), but more focussed on the places on Faerun and what to do and see (and meet). Since I'm not an IT specialist, nor an expert on Access (I know some, but not enough), I decides to use Excell (with which the entries are quite quick to make, copy-paste). With the filter function you can easily choose per column what you want ('Region: the North, subregion: ... , etc). The ultimate purpose is to let me filter on a place like Amphail and Excel providing me with a list of all entries in all books on Amphail.
I uploaded my file here: http://rapidshare.com/files/314966117/13930gazfr.xls.html
If you don't want to download this, below is the format
The Format I used is (just an example):
Region Sword Coast North
Subregion Dessarin River Valley
Area/country The Sword Mountains
Year 1993
Reference Volo's Guide to the North (9393)
Page 19-22, 223
City/town Amphail
Landmark The Stone Stallion
Description Inn
NPC Thorn Tlassalune
Job Innkeeper
Stats NE, hm, T9
Unique Magic item
Content Detailed description
Information
Map area
I've done almost all of the guide, and those records seem to cover everything I need as DM. The NPCs were a last addition. These complicated (and increased) work considerably, but I find it very handy if you really want to know where you have seen that one name earlier.
I limited the Magic Items to only unique ones. Content gives a short (subjective) verdict how many info you will find, so when I see that Amphail is also mentioned in my Campaign Guide, but very short description, I don't need to look at it if I already have The North.
I intend to do this for each book I own, with the Volo guides being quite information-condensed, while Pages of the Mages won't have many entries. However, only Volo's guide to the North is already (I'm not done yet)392 lines, so I hope this will all fit on one sheet. Possible ways of shortening the list is the deletion of NPCs, although I'd rather keep them in.
Please give me your comments/advice about my gazzateer. Is this helpful for you as well, do you need more, do I have too much, etc.
grz
Vlad
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Gang Falconhand
Seeker
United Kingdom
85 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2009 : 12:33:26
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| Isn't there something like this already available here on Candlekeep? |
"If you have a quality let it define you." |
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Gang Falconhand
Seeker
United Kingdom
85 Posts |
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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2009 : 15:30:56
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| That does not diminish the hard work that Vlad put into his file, which is similar, but not the same. |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2009 : 15:57:32
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quote:
Originally posted by HawkinstheDM
That does not diminish the hard work that Vlad put into his file, which is similar, but not the same.
Agreed. Vlad's tool, once complete, can be a very handy tool to have, especially for someone like me who has a library similar to his (almost complete) and in my case, saving it on a USB and being able to use it at home where I don't have good internet access (dial-up in the boonies....booooo  )
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Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Vlad
Acolyte
14 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2009 : 19:11:16
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Before I proceed then, I'd like to know hoe much my work adds to what already exists (I happened to find an entry that I have which wasn't in the article index: Shandalara Sindertal, which also features in Volo's Guide ttN).
I didn't know about the article index, which looks very good by the way.. I almost don't have any dragons and novels, so I didn't intended to include them.. Your verdict: does my version add something (apart from the 'put it on a USB'-ease) to be worth the work I still have ahead?
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Vlad
Acolyte
14 Posts |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2009 : 15:01:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Vlad
Before I proceed then, I'd like to know hoe much my work adds to what already exists (I happened to find an entry that I have which wasn't in the article index: Shandalara Sindertal, which also features in Volo's Guide ttN).
I didn't know about the article index, which looks very good by the way.. I almost don't have any dragons and novels, so I didn't intended to include them.. Your verdict: does my version add something (apart from the 'put it on a USB'-ease) to be worth the work I still have ahead?
Easier to sort and more up to date  |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Gazzateer of the Realms
