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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 05:44:48
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In my new-found spirit of happiness and love for the Realms  , I was wondering why no one has ever created a thread asking folk what their favorite aspects of the world we call Toril were?
Bar none, for me, I have always enjoyed the realistic way that the Realms present the fantastic. I feel that no other world does such a wonderful job at this near to impossible feat.
Anyone else?
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My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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MuadDib
Senior Scribe
South Africa
442 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 08:28:35
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I love the setting. I've always been enamoured with medieval times. Concepts like honour, pride, self worth, you know...things we dont see today.
The fact that there is magic, and not in a Tolkienesque sense where its abstract and open to inpterpretation. Magic as in spellcasting, spells with rules, limitations, and arenas for open creativity.
One of my favourite aspects of the realms though, is how everything seems possible. All the mythologies and possibilities from so many cultures and ideas are melded into one. This is especially true for me when it comes to the waters of the realms. The abundance of fantastical life in there amazes me. I always hope to discover a new underwater adventure or naval book on the shelves. |
MuadDib - Candlekeep Inn Barhand |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 09:43:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Arion Elenim
In my new-found spirit of happiness and love for the Realms , I was wondering why no one has ever created a thread asking folk what their favorite aspects of the world we call Toril were?
From my perspective, the reason why no other scribe has put forth this question, is because it is a very difficult question to answer... in simple terms.
But, since I'm short on time (and will likely expand upon what I've written in this post at a later date), I will simply say that the Realms, for me, is a world of contradications. It is both a realistic world full of secrets, intrigues and common real life themes, but at the same time, it is also a land of fantasy, full of magic, heroes, and wonders. Combined together, these aspects of the Realms give birth to a place of amazing stories that can make you think, but can also make you dream about the infinite possibilities that coming with living in an ever changing world of magic and wonder.
That's the Realms for me... in simply terms...
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Lashan
Learned Scribe
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 12:03:18
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| My answer, Arion Elenim, is actually opposite of yours. I like the FR because I like how it handles the mundane. I like the way that the world seems real. I like the little details of the little people out there. I like the histories and the day-to-day events. There is a whole working world with detailed trade routes and everything. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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The Wanderer
Learned Scribe
USA
132 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 13:41:41
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The realms are a living, breathing world to me. It's rich history as well as its dynamic present make it feel like a real place where the unbelivable can happen. There are so many things to see and explore that I keep coming back just to see what't around the next corner.
Being a history buff, I can appreciate the amount of work that has gone into fleshing out the world, giving detail to almost every aspect you can think of. From the rich folklore in the land of Rashemen (kudos to Mrs. Cunningham for her research here) to the way in which Drow society is portrayed, the details serve to give life to Faerun.
Yet even with all of these details and information, there is still room to grow. There is still room for one more tale of magic, valor, and adventure.
Quite simply, the Realms are alive.
P.S. Please excuse the florid language, but I sort of got inspired by the topic. I tend to be much more terse than this.  |
The Wanderer |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 16:08:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Arion Elenim
In my new-found spirit of happiness and love for the Realms , I was wondering why no one has ever created a thread asking folk what their favorite aspects of the world we call Toril were?
I bought the original set way back when becasue it seemed to have a sense of grim atmosphere with a number of clear cultural boundaries. It reminded me of a more fantastic version Robert E Howard's world (thinking mans Conan?!?!?!?!?) and not of some fuzzy "fairy tale" type world.
I really liked Myth Drannor and the original sense of singularity, terror and mystery that surrounded it. And also the idea that dragons should be more catlike and tougher (with double the original attack sequence).
I've stuck with the Realms because I've had some intersting play in them, a very memorable character or two, and the Realms have a sense of history and retain the same of culture.
What I like best about today's Realms? While my world gets along peachy without some of the "modern" developements, its really cool that Azoun IV was slain and northern Cormyr pillaged, and Arabel sacked!!! Hurray!!!! En core!!!! En core !!!!!!! |
"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 17:16:11
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(Beware of Spoilers!!!)
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While I wish that FR would become a little more fearless with its core characters (Blackstaff, Falconhand, Do'Urden, Elminster, etc....how come no one ever loses a limb? ) I must agree that the way that cities rise and fall so readily these days in the Realms has added an incredible amount of danger to my campaigns...
Silverymoon and Waterdeep are no longer impenetrable fortress-cities. With the fall of so many other places in 3rd ed., the entirety of Faerun seems less secure...much like modern day reality.
Nesme' is overrun, Ched Nasad has fallen, Zhentil Keep uhm...basically blew up...more chaos! More MORE!!!  |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
Edited by - Arion Elenim on 12 Jul 2004 17:18:51 |
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Sanavin
Acolyte
Finland
26 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 23:39:53
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While I've been interested in the Realms pitifully short time compared to how long it has been there, I was drawn to it due to amount of detail and life it has. Though, I might say that I got in via novels than actual gaming product. *shrug*
By the way, didn't Laeral's arm get cut off in some book? One of Return of Archwizards trilogy, I think. |
"Never test the depth of the water with both feet." |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 23:48:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Sanavin
By the way, didn't Laeral's arm get cut off in some book? One of Return of Archwizards trilogy, I think.
Yep, that's what happened. |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 23:49:30
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Thank you Sanavin. If anyone has seen my pride anywhere, please send it via email to me.
Good assist, Sanavin.  |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Karesch
Learned Scribe
Canada
199 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2004 : 20:18:39
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In the best interests of everyone I'll try and keep my answer short, lest you have a realms novel to read here.
I love the way the realms has taken on fantasy and reality and melded them into something that works. For instance, reality, you can die. fantasy, your friends can have you resurrected if they've enough knowledge or coin. reality, you can die in a manner where there's no bringing you back. fantasy... it takes a high level spell like disintegrate to do it.
I love the variety of culture in the realms. Too many fantasy worlds have all of 2-4 developed cultures with perhaps a couple other "barbaric and unknown" cultures living in the mountains and hardly spoken to. In FR you have something closer to a hundred fully developed cultures and sub-cultures. You have fully developed guilds that exert control in their area's. You have hidden societies of both good and evil.
Monsters are incredible. I mean, anyone can imagine a big scary troll or giant spider or evil giant. And no doubt, all of these are valuable in gameplay, but then you get the more fantastic and consequently frightening creatures like beholders, mind flayers, and umber hulks. In the realms, unlike in most fantasy worlds, there's truely a difference between Ogre's, Orc's, Hobgoblins and Goblins. All too often in other fantasy worlds I've read about the "scary ogre that attacked the noble knight" and thought in my head, you've described a ****ing Orc, not an Ogre! and things like that. I'm sure that's something that's just a personal issue, but what-have-you.
I love the way magic is dealt with in FR. In so many fantasy worlds, you hear about the mage that casts his spells spontaneously, and yet calls himself a wizard. Thats not a wizard it's a sorcerer. A wizard studies his spells. Again, mayhap I'm a nit-picker, but I like having the defined difference.
Anyhow, I'm going to wrap this up, because I'm sure it's already far too long. In essence I just like the definition of FR. I mean, there's plenty of space to move around and create adventures and things like that, but there's also enough definition that if you need something specific like a guild, organization, fabled villian or hero, etc, etc, they're already there and defined for you to be able to use.
K |
Knowledge is power... power corrupts... knowledge corrupts? hmm...
Death is only frightening to those who haven't died yet... |
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2004 : 21:27:39
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i generally love roleplaying worlds, for they give me a imaginary place to take a walk when i´m fed up with reality. the same principle applies to novels or movies, but a roleplaying world is different: it´s interactive, almost... alive. I can imagine the what frodo and his eight companions were going through, to an extend at least.
but on faerun, aahhh... i can (after reading through almost every single addictive sourcebook) create my own stories. and i don´t know how my players will react to the story - that´s part of what makes it special: my stories become almost living, growing things! in hindsight, i can only marvel at how certain unforeseen actions of my players led in directions i never dreamed of, and later, several days after such sessions, i came up with a solution that fit into the story like a tessera in a mosaic. sometimes i almost hear the click when such a piece falls into its place.
while such praise can be told for many gameworlds, faerun is something special. it´s BIGGER! while LotR, the hobbit, the silmarillion and the other books constitute one of the most detailed descriptions of a fantasy-world, faerun boasts a description that is, i guess, a hundredfold as large and detailed. i need a whole bookcase to place all boxes, compendia, guides and accessories. and a second one for the novels...
also, the tomes about faerun are not only more numerous, they are written with the same amount of love of detail or more than tolkien put into his masterpiece. or more...
in a nutshell:
faerun is more alive than almost any other fantasy-world.
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Edited by - tauster on 13 Jul 2004 21:31:38 |
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Dantrag
Learned Scribe
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2004 : 03:53:19
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quote:
Originally posted by MuadDib
I love the setting. I've always been enamoured with medieval times. Concepts like honour, pride, self worth, you know...things we dont see today.
The fact that there is magic, and not in a Tolkienesque sense where its abstract and open to inpterpretation. Magic as in spellcasting, spells with rules, limitations, and arenas for open creativity.
One of my favourite aspects of the realms though, is how everything seems possible. All the mythologies and possibilities from so many cultures and ideas are melded into one. This is especially true for me when it comes to the waters of the realms. The abundance of fantastical life in there amazes me. I always hope to discover a new underwater adventure or naval book on the shelves.
Exactly how I would put it...great minds do think alike. |
" The truth comes out only in bold and underlined" |
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Lina
Senior Scribe
Australia
469 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2004 : 11:24:05
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| I was drawn into the Realms though the novels. I like the Realms because it's a place where my mind wanders to when I want to get out of the real world. It's a totally different world where heroes/heroines, villians, monsters, dragons and magic are commonplace. There's so much history to draw on, plenty of social and political intrigues, mysterious and interesting characters, possibilities to be explored, adventures to be had, treasures to be claimed, etc. |
“Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows! Buried in the flow of time. In thy great name. I pledge myself to darkness. All the fools who stand in our way shall be destroyed…by the power you and I possess! DRAGON SLAVE!!!”
"Thieves? Ah, such an ugly word... look upon them as the most honest sort of merchant."
-Oglar the Thieflord |
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A Love Letter
