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drkissinger1
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Jan 2016 : 06:11:25
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Howdy all. I've been looking to delve back into D&D after a bit of a hiatus, and FR has always been my preferred setting. Without a 5E campaign setting, I'm having a bit of trouble keeping tabs on new developments in the realms, since I imagine they've been scattered across various novels. Here are some questions I've been wondering about, but feel free to fill me in on any big developments outside of these I should know about.
Last I checked, the Spellplague and century jump were partially used to explain the shift in how magic functioned in 4E. Has there been an explanation as to how the old rules regarding magic have returned? Is that what "the Sundering" is meant to explain?
Is Netheril still the dominant threat it was poised as in the 4E setting?
The Zhentarim seemed quite neutered and quiet during the 4E era. Any updates as to who holds the reigns with them? Does the Church of Bane still dominate?
Is Thay still the lich-kingdom it was during 4E? Are the Red Wizards still reduced to mercantile enclaves?
Cyric has always been one of my favorite characters, but he was more or less taken out of the equation entirely in 4E. Is he still more or less imprisoned on his own plane?
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Edited by - drkissinger1 on 31 Jan 2016 06:26:30
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JohnLynch
Learned Scribe
Australia
243 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2016 : 08:16:15
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quote:
Originally posted by drkissinger1
Last I checked, the Spellplague and century jump were partially used to explain the shift in how magic functioned in 4E. Has there been an explanation as to how the old rules regarding magic have returned? Is that what "the Sundering" is meant to explain?
The Weave is back and so the old ways work once more. Although some of the innovations made during the Spellplague years in magic (rituals, at-will cantrips) have remained.
quote:
Originally posted by drkissinger1
Is Netheril still the dominant threat it was poised as in the 4E setting?
Netheril has been blown up and is no more. However when you think about just how many spies and such Netheril had, the idea that there are no remaining threats from Netheril lurking in the shadows doesn't make sense. However none of them have been explored via canon (although as a DM you can certainly use the idea).
quote:
Originally posted by drkissinger1
The Zhentarim seemed quite neutered and quiet during the 4E era. Any updates as to who holds the reigns with them? Does the Church of Bane still dominate?
Dunno about whose holding the reigns these days, but the Zhentarim are one of the big power players in the Sword Coast region once more. Although they are now willing to work with other groups when required (See Hoard of the Dragon Queen and D&D Adventurer's League).
quote:
Originally posted by drkissinger1
Is Thay still the lich-kingdom it was during 4E? Are the Red Wizards still reduced to mercantile enclaves?
Lich Szass Tam is still in control of Thay, however the other zulkirs have been permitted to form an advisory board to Szass Tam.
quote:
Originally posted by drkissinger1
Cyric has always been one of my favorite characters, but he was more or less taken out of the equation entirely in 4E. Is he still more or less imprisoned on his own plane?
We don't really know any details of the gods. They're supposed to be a lot more remote these days so it's unlikely we'll get a lot of detail on Cyric.
The Sword Coast Adventurers Guide may help give you a picture of the Sword Coast region. However there is no FRCG in the works at the moment. |
DM of the Realms: A blog for my Forgotten Realms adventures. |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3813 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2016 : 14:09:06
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JohnLynch pretty much covered your points, but I'd like to add a few details
The Sundering basically consists of Ao rewriting the tablets of Fate, bringing back many gods, and separating Abeir and Toril again.
The Weave was never gone. It has been revealed in Ed Greenwood's novels that neither the Weave nor Mystra were actually destroyed. The former needed to be 'rebooted' as part of its life cycle (reckless spellcasting, rituals and use of magic wore it down and damaged it) and Mystra had to do same, as she *is* the Weave. In 1479 DR Elminster took within himself the silver fire of the Simbul and Manshoon and used it to restore Mystra. Her ''rebirth'' wouldn't however be complete until the end of the Sundering.
IIRC, at some point during the Sundering, there was a movement of living Red Wizards that was trying to take back Thay. I don't know what happened to them, but I guess that their efforts led to the situation described in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (i.e. the living can advance in rank within the Red Wizards).
We don't know much about the gods currently, true, but there are some info that we know. As I said, during the Sundering Ao rewrites the Tablets of Fate, to seal up the various gods power and portfolios and establishes new rules to avoid further divine conflicts and the cataclysms that they brough (in fact the gods are supposed to be more distant now).
The various gods invest power in mortal chosen, trying to expand their influence before Ao could finish rewriting the tablets. However this gamble goes badly for most deities, except for a *large* group of deities that people believed gone, but that actually managed to return thanks to Ao (and other contingencies, in some cases), mostly to how they were in the 1370s DR.
Cyric no longer is the god of murder, Bhaal returned claimed that portfolio, Myrkul returned and claimed the portfolio of death, while Kelemvor currently is the judge of the dead. Leira and Mask also returned (Mask has returned through the ascension of Drasek Riven, though), so Cyric mainly is the god of lies now.
About Shade: during the Sundering the Shadovar attempt to kill the various chosen created by the gods and drain their power. They also attempt to drain the mythal of Myth Drannor. Larloch also attempts to drain the mythal and the wards of Candlekeep, in order to become a god. Elminster, Storm, Alustriel and Laeral and the Srinshee battle at Myth Drannor against Larloch and the Shades (these two are not allied), to protect the Weave and the elven city (yes, Laeral and Alustriel are alive: Khelben had foreseen all the mess of the Spellplague and various cataclsysms and had ordered Laeral to prepare to prevent the Wards of Candlekeep from being used by ill-intentioned individuals. Larloch however managed to absorb them). Chaos ensues: the Srinshee sacrifices to take the energy that Larloch had drained from the wards and infuse it in the Weave; Elminster kills Tanthul and Shade crashes on Myth Drannor, severely damagin the city, but not destroying it.
About the rest of the major changes, there are many of them.
Other deities that have been restored are Helm, Tyr, and Azuth (we know that the latter is back, but that story isn't complete yet). The elven, dwarven and halfling pantheons are back to how they were. The drow pantheon is back too, with the difference that Eilistraee and Vhaeraun are no longer enemies now, and might be working together.
Other major events, mostly regarding geographic changes are:
-The Plaguelands are ''healed'' , the Earthmotes fall, the Sea of the Fallen Stars reforms, the Underchasm is filled.
-In Waterdeep downshadow is abandoned, and Laeral becomes open lord.
-Mulhorand and Unther return from Abeir, and so do their deities (the Mulhorandi ones rule as avatar; in Unther, even Gilgeam and others who had ''died'' long before the Spellplague returned. Apparently a reincarnated Gilgeam guided his people on Abeir). However a part of Tymanther remains, albeit the dragonborn have been driven away by the returned Untherites, whose goal apparently is to completely wipe what remains of Tymanther and the dragonborn civilization.
-Maztica is also back.
-Evermeet currently touches three planes: Toril, the Feywild and Arvandor, and can be physically reached from Toril (as in, you can go there with a ship).
-Halruaa managed to shift to Abeir before the Spellplague, and now is back.
-Lantan re-emerged, but most of the gnomish wonders are gone.
-Luiren is no longer flooded.
This scroll may also be of help: http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19630 |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 31 Jan 2016 16:29:46 |
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moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2016 : 17:27:18
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quote:
Lich Szass Tam is still in control of Thay, however the other zulkirs have been permitted to form an advisory board to Szass Tam.
Serving as Advisor to a Lich-King = the most dangerous job in the world.
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drkissinger1
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2016 : 23:20:05
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Fantastically comprehensive replies, thanks to all.
Are there any canonical sources that describe the rebirth of Bhaal and Myrkul, or were they simply part of Ao's reboot? |
Edited by - drkissinger1 on 31 Jan 2016 23:43:46 |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3813 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2016 : 23:45:52
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| Bhaal's rebirth happened because the last Bhaalspawn died (it's described in the ''Murder in Baldur's Gate'' adventure), Myrkul's is just part of the Sundering and has been left unspecified, like most of the other returned deities. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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drkissinger1
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2016 : 00:22:14
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On the one hand, Myrkul feels a bit redundant to me at this point with Kelemvor and Bhaal (plus, I loved the image of his divine corpse floating between the planes in Mask of the Betrayer). On the other hand, Helm was always one of my favorites, and his death in 4E felt weirdly unnecessary and circumstantial.
All in all, I'd call it a net win. |
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valarmorgulis
Learned Scribe
112 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2016 : 04:49:29
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| And this is why I'd rather just play in the mid-1300s Forgotten Realms. |
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Joran Nobleheart
Senior Scribe
USA
495 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2016 : 04:55:30
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| Is there a place that I can read more about Evermeet touching three planes? That sounds interesting, and gives me some campaign ideas. Also, is it written anywhere about Evermeet's ties to Faerie? I'd like to know more about getting from Faerie to the prime material plane - are there gates, etc that ties it all together, or something else entirely? |
Paladinic Ethos
Saint Joran Nobleheart |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3813 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2016 : 13:37:32
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| It's in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, but in the book that's merely stated, without really being expanded upon (like most 5e changes). |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 01 Feb 2016 13:38:10 |
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Joran Nobleheart
Senior Scribe
USA
495 Posts |
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Big FR developments since 4E?
