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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 05:05:46
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That got your attention, didn't it! 
The title of this thread indirectly refers to the subject matter which is: if you could re-do or do over a single FR product from the various Editions of the D&D game, which would they be and why? Oh, and let's keep the "whys" civil and constructive - and they don't have to be 'bad' whys they could also be because you wanted more material!
For me, the products I'd like to see re-written are:
1E: None that I can think of other than Ed having been allowed to do FR1 Waterdeep and the North as a huge, multi-page sourcebook.
2E: The Netheril boxed set: IMHO this product was way too narrow in focus (concentrating on the enclaves to the detriment of the rest of Netheril) and has a feeling of being written in isolation. I didn't think it really thought about the Realms of the past (unlike Cormanthyr) in terms of Netheril being a part of the greater whole - it was just Netheril (and only a limited aspect of the kingdom at that).
3E: I was pretty disappointed by the Underdark accessory because it didn't have much in the way of FR flavour IMHO, and what there was was mostly a regurgitation of DDGttU. The new FR stuff in this book was frustratingly light on detail and I probably would have preferred it to deal with lots more undetailed or new Underdark areas - again, in a lot more detail.
I'd be interested to hear what the rest of you have to say.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 31 Jan 2005 06:19:47
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 05:49:39
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One product which I want to see be re-done? Lord of Darkness.
There just didn't seem to be enough details on the individual evil organizations and I found that Cloak and Dagger provided me with more Realmslore. I was also annoyed at not seeing a section for The Unseen, a group I also wanted to know more about. However, there is a section for malaugyrms and beholders; when the former consists of like 5 individuals which the sourcebook didn't even bother to go deeper on and the latter is just talking about a race. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 05:49:50
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This, is a very intriguing question.
As it is, I would have preferred to see some particular FR tomes, re-written. My selections weren't overly that bad, but the material could have been better served had they greater focus, more length, and perhaps more time researching consistency between other tomes on similar topics and between editions.
Firstly, in 1e... While agreeing with George about Waterdeep and the North being a tome that could have done with more expansive detailing, I also think that Old Empires was a tome worthy of the same effort. As well, some diversity between the cultural details with that of ancient Earth would have gone quite a ways in really promoting this book better for use in my early campaigns. As it is, I relied just as much on actual historical tomes as I did on OE when running adventures in the lands of the south-eastern region of Faerun.
In 2e... there is no question for me here. The Cormyr accessory was another tome that suffered from a lack of cohesive and expanded detailing. The Forest Kingdom is a particularly favorite region of mine, and it wasn't until a year later, when Volo's Guide to Cormyr was released, that I felt that the realm had finally received some of the attention and detail it deserves.
Finally, 3e... I would imagine that nearly everyone here has one particular 3e FR tome in mind when it comes to considering the question of FR tomes being re-written. George's mention of Underdark is a good example, and one I agree whole-heartedly with, but for me, it was Magic of Faerun. This for me, was a tome that suffered from too much detailing on the wrong areas. What was included was well-done, and rather interesting... but it didn't include what I was looking for in a tome that detailed the use of the Art in the Realms. I was looking for information about magical and arcane practices amongst the various races, alternate cultural perspectives on magic and it's origin, as well... specific racial casting techniques. Just some of this would have gone a long way in making my opinion of this tome, more than it currently is.
I do have more to say, but like George, I'm interested in reading what other scribes have to say. This will undoubtedly be, an... "interesting" discussion...
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 31 Jan 2005 06:00:00 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 06:24:18
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The old Forgotten Realms Adventures tome attempted to explain many of the changes in the Realms that happened when 1E became 2E. I wish the FRCS had done the same. 
Oh, and to answer to actual title of this scroll... If I was Ao for a day, I'd kill Bane and Cyric, and roll their power into a reborn Iyachtu Xvim. But that's just me. |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 06:24:29
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
3E: I was pretty disappointed by the Underdark accessory because it didn't have much in the way of FR flavour IMHO, and what there was was mostly a regurgitation of DDGttU. The new FR stuff in this book was frustratingly light on detail and I probably would have preferred it to deal with lots more undetailed or new Underdark areas - again, in a lot more detail.
I'd be interested to hear what the rest of you have to say.
-- George Krashos
I agree with you about the Underdark tome being too generic. I'd also add to 3e products my disappointment of Faiths and Pantheons when compared to the 2e related tomes that came before them. To me, this 3e product was designed for those wishing to fight deities. I gained more useful information on Ed's reply to kuje regarding marriage rituals than I did the entire Faiths and Pantheons tome. |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 06:36:38
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So begins the Rant
Remove any reference to Spell Jamming, Smokepowder and Great Wheel cosmology.
Alter: all 3ed FR Regional source books, cities in all source books would be written up in the format used in the 2ed FR Adventures
Delay: Underdark, this source book should have been left until AFTER WOSQ series had come to an end so it would have partly been a wrap up of what had changed in the Underdark since DGTTUD and the Resurection.
Remove: Deity stats from Faithes and Pantheon (Avatar stats are ok) use the newly libertaed space for more Temples and more god specfic PrCs
Add: Maps to Serpent Kingdoms, good god what where they thinking not including maps in that book! (I suspect Im going to be yelling about the same thing when Lost empires of Faerun comes out)A contient size 2 page map without any city locations is not good enough!
Oh and bring back the poster maps for regional source books
ok done
for now |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 08:24:07
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
While I agree with most of your comments Dargoth, I have to ask WHY in regard to FR references to both spelljamming and the Great Wheel cosmology?
Spell Jammer: Because I want Waterdeep not Mos Eisley
Great Wheel: I prefer the new cosmology to the old not only will it be unique it will also cut off another link between the FR are the other settings (Anything that stops WOTC from introducing Warforge to the FR can only be good) |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 11:20:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
While I agree with most of your comments Dargoth, I have to ask WHY in regard to FR references to both spelljamming and the Great Wheel cosmology?
Spell Jammer: Because I want Waterdeep not Mos Eisley
Great Wheel: I prefer the new cosmology to the old not only will it be unique it will also cut off another link between the FR are the other settings (Anything that stops WOTC from introducing Warforge to the FR can only be good)
But even in 2E, when Spelljammer was going strong, no terrestrial cities were portrayed as being Mos Eisley-like... For something like that, you had to go to the Rock of Bral.
As for cutting it off from other settings, why not simply let certain settings be unaccessible? Even in 2E, Athos was unaccessible to everyone else... |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 14:33:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Spell Jammer: Because I want Waterdeep not Mos Eisley
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this? Surely you don't think Mirt would act like the bartender in the Cantina...  . If that's the case, would that make Khelben, Obi Wan?...  
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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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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2005 : 22:47:42
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Spell Jammer: Because I want Waterdeep not Mos Eisley
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this? Surely you don't think Mirt would act like the bartender in the Cantina... . If that's the case, would that make Khelben, Obi Wan?...
So who would be Chewbacca? |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 00:34:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Spell Jammer: Because I want Waterdeep not Mos Eisley
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this? Surely you don't think Mirt would act like the bartender in the Cantina... . If that's the case, would that make Khelben, Obi Wan?...
So who would be Chewbacca?
Notice how you've never seen pictures of Durnan? We never wanted to explain his excessive amounts of body hair, but the secret can now be told!   |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 00:34:54
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I would redo City of the Spider-Queen. We did not need this as the first campaign modules for 3E. It's lack of sales determined there would be no more campaign modules.
It didn't sell for 2 reasons...
1) Not everyone buys campaign modules.
2) It had NOTHING to do with anything.
What do I mean by nothing to do with anything? You might be thinking "But what about the Year of the Drow?" You might be thinking "Urza's about to get on his soap box" again.
Well your right to be thinking all 3 of those.
Well, what about Year of the Drow? Let's examin "Year of the Drow."
- War of the Spider Queen still is NOT finished... 4 years later.
- The Hunter's Blades JUST finished... 3 years later.
- Underdark supplement didn't come out till "Year of the Drow" was over and reflects less then 50% of what has happened in War of the Spider Queen.
Boy that was some Marketing campaign.
I wonder how many people even know what "Year of the Drow" means.
No wonder the ONLY "major" 3E campaign module.
There was no need for a high-level underdark campaign module when there were no underdark support material available and the actual outcome of the module's events were irrelevant to the Realms.
On that note...
I would have taken all the info on Shade out of Lords of Darkness and put it into a campaign adventure that was based on the events of the Return of the Archwizards trilogy, the ONLY Realms altering event of 3E Product Year 1 for the Realms.
Anyone that wanted anything on Shade would then have a reason to buy it, Players and DMs alike.
Since it's a campaign module, based on the PREDETERMINED OUTCOME OF THE SERIES, I would have put a section that spoils the outcome of the series, thus giving players and DMs a like all the game material they need to continue playing against or with Shade even though book 3 wouldn't be available yet.
But hold on, it gets better. The adventure would start in Silverymoon (oh look! That's were the first Region book that was already out was based) and take us right through to fighting perhaps some of the Princes that didn't see much use in the Archwizards trilogy. So the party would start around 5th level and end somewhere around 12(?) I figure. And just so we don't make people feel left out, we'll release a FREE level 1 adventure as a tie-in that starts out of Silverymoon on the website so that you can get a new party to level 5 and seemlessly go right into this campaign module, thus encouraging anyone wanting to play in this campaign module to perhaps pick up Silver Marches so they can craft a character for that region (which you could NOT do with City of the Spider Queen.)
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"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
Edited by - SirUrza on 01 Feb 2005 00:47:38 |
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Brian R. James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
1098 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 00:53:21
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Things I would change...
1st-Edition:
FR4 The Magister: A book filled with nothing but spells and magic items. Frankly I was hoping for another regional sourcebook.
City System: I spent how much for this map of Waterdeep and a tiny little pamphlet on adventuring in the city?
2nd-Edition:
FR11 Dwarves Deep: What do you mean not all female dwarves have beards!
FR16 The Shining South: You left out The Shaar.
Volo's Guide to the Moonsea: I'm still waiting!
3rd-Edition:
FRCS: Ummm, changed the world map so that it could fit on a poster. Ummm, they changed the cosmology because... well I still don't know why they did that.
Silver Marches: Let's take the Realms most popular author and not coordinate our new sourcebook with his novel line set in the region. Oh yeah, lets blind the dwarf and marry off the barbarian to the girl. No one will notice.
Unapproachable East: Hmmm, I could of sworn I bought this sourcebook twice before already.
Serpent Kingdoms: OMG, they finally included Lapaliiya and Thindol!!! Wait a minute... where's the map?
Avatar VI: Rise of Bane: You know your going to publish it sooner or later. |
Brian R. James - Freelance Game Designer
Follow me on Twitter @brianrjames |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 00:58:45
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1E: In some ways, I did take a stab at rewriting FR3 (Empires of the Sands) by making it two boxed sets and a 64 page supplement. That said, I'd dearly love to go back and reprint FR3 if only TO CORRECT THE DADBLAMED MAP!  The darned product went back to print twice and they never fixed the map that had the coastline overlay in the middle of the continent. 
2E: While it was very very good, Haunted Halls of Eveningstar deserved to be a boxed set in and of its own right. Ed has enough material to have easily made Eveningstar the "Village of Hommlet" that the Realms never really had (i.e. starting in a micro-focus and building/exploring the world around there). Love the Realms to death, but the personal feel and focus had to always come from a DM; even when we tried to do the "here's a good place to start," I'm not always sure it came off (i.e. City of Splendors' Adventurers' Quarter, etc.).
3E: To be blunt, I've not read enough 3E FR to judge or comment here.
And to follow Wooly's example, I'd keep my manipulations simpler but more akin to restitching time in a post-Crisis on Infinite Earths method:
1) Wipe out people's memories re: Szass Tamm's true nature and return him to his original version as "stealth-undead" (i.e. no one's supposed to know he's a lich).
2) Bane attempts to return by possessing his son's body, but Xvim proves too strong for Dear ol' Dad and rips whatever power he stole and claims it for his own. After all, what's the point of being the god of tyranny if you're a push-over?
3) Move the Living City of Ravens' Bluff to the eastern side of the Inner Sea to give it more room (and to keep it from interrupting some logic streams with Cormyr's and Impiltur's histories). Moving it north of Rashemen/Aglarond et al would have allowed them the benefit of the Demonlands ideas as well as made them major players in The Horde campaign...
4) Inextricably link (as they are historically) Cormyr and Impiltur and make them the sandwich with the commercialistic chewy center that is Sembia! Seriously, a lot more could have been done to work with two major monarchial states and the corrupt region that hems them both in from their manifest destinies they've been working on for centuries.
5) Oh yeah--officially declare the areas between Impiltur and Rashemen the Demonlands and show people how paladins and demons like to party using each others' heads as party favors!
6) If I'd had my druthers, the next big RSE after the Time of Troubles would have been a number of holy wars as various cults and/or churches fight to avenge dead gods, blame other divinities for the problems of the TOT, or simply kick a religion when it's down. The biggest logic gap that we were never allowed to address was this: The goddess of avarice, er, commerce was missing! Her priests were weakened in their faiths--but they still had the biggest damned vaults stuffed with coins of all the religions. Someone tell me why Cyric's faithful (or Mask's or anyone else's) didn't thunder down upon every church to loot its coffers? 
7) Oh, and one last thing--If I were Ao for one day, I'd wipe out everyone's memories of my existence and at the same time, I'd have wiped out the histories and any memories or evidence of the Dead Three retroactively across time. It's within my rights as a wronged uber-god-head and a just punishment for those powers who strayed from my edicts. Thus, there wouldn't have been cults wanting to wish back Bane or Bhaal--they would have always believed that Cyric or Xvim were their holy fathers, etc. And I don't want worshipers so there's no reason for mortals to even be aware of my existence.
Geez. Once the ideas start flowing, it's an avalanche. I could keep going, but I've got work to do before I go out of town for a day or so. Hasta la bye-bye, and thanks, George, for the title--I've got the Thomspon Twins singing "Ao for just one day..." in my head 
Steven
Suffering bad `80s flashbacks |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 02:11:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
Hasta la bye-bye, and thanks, George, for the title--I've got the Thomspon Twins singing "Ao for just one day..." in my head
Steven
Suffering bad `80s flashbacks
Ironically, I was thinking of the same tune, though I couldn't remember the artist (I think it predated my discovery of pop music by a year or two). |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 02:30:12
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FR4 The Magister was sensational! Lore, lore and more lore. Bugger the regional sourcebooks in the series (they all suffered from not having enough size to do a region "properly"), it was FR4 that confirmed my love of the setting and set me down the path of questions, questions, questions for some guy named Ed Greenwood who I was never going to actually get to talk to or be able to communicate with ... until that one fateful day when he e-mailed me out of the blue. Golly, I recall staring at my PC screen, speechless, for a solid ten minutes.
Steven, we gotta talk Demonlands. I'll drop you a line on some historical development I've been organising and trying to get the head around.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 03:35:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Realmslore
Avatar VI: Rise of Bane: You know your going to publish it sooner or later.
You want to take bets on that possibility? I think the window for a Rise of Bane novel has just about passed. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 04:07:11
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Realmslore
Avatar VI: Rise of Bane: You know your going to publish it sooner or later.
You want to take bets on that possibility? I think the window for a Rise of Bane novel has just about passed.
Sadly, I must agree with my oft-sarcastic friend. They tossed off Bane's return with merely a blurb a few years ago -- and unlike Dragginglance from several years ago, the FR writers have not demonstrated a willingness to wander about in the recent past.
I should love to get some more detail on how Bane returned (and I'd even more like to know why they decided to bring him back!), but I just don't see it happening. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 04:09:07
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Steven, we gotta talk Demonlands. I'll drop you a line on some historical development I've been organising and trying to get the head around.
Oooh! I'm positively intrigued by the possibilities this little tidbit suggests .
Anything we'll be seeing, George?
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
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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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 09:46:34
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No doubt it will be seen - eventually. The perfectionist in me however needs lots and lots of background history so that the present-day Demonlands makes sense, no matter how far you delve back: and there are more than a few knotty conundrums to work out yet. I'll keep you all posted.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Gerath Hoan
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
152 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 11:08:13
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My major problem with any Realms product has to be the 2nd Ed Cormyr - never has a worse regional accessory been released. Content that for the most part seemed rehashed and a complete lack of detail on any of the useful or unique features of Cormyr. Here's hoping WOTC allow Ed the chance to make a boxed set and really give the region the coverage it deserves.
And following on from someone's comment about Impiltur... are there any products which actually give greator regional info on this nation other than the Campaign settings? My knowledge of the nation and its character is pretty slim. Is it a pseudo-feudalistic realm like Cormyr (with Knights and maidens and all that)? Or is it a rural country like an organised version of the Dales? Or a merchant ruled land like Sembia? |
Knight of the Order of the Keen Eye - Granted by Ed Greenwood, 30th January 2005 |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 12:37:22
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The only other source is the Blodstone lands accessory for 2ed and even then Impiltur isnt the focus of it
From memory Impiltur is a monarchy which is currently ruled by a queen who really doesnt have much interest in ruling the nation, the day to day running of the country is handled by a bunch of Paladins (12?)
Im sure George will add to this (hes Candlekeeps Impiltur guru) |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 13:19:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
From memory Impiltur is a monarchy which is currently ruled by a queen who really doesnt have much interest in ruling the nation, the day to day running of the country is handled by a bunch of Paladins (12?)
Richard Lee Byer's opening novel in the Year of Rogue Dragons was the first time I saw Impiltur focused on with any detail. I'd be interested in a gaming product or novel that focused more on the area. |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author
USA
1715 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 14:10:52
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There's a few tidbits of lore and history on Impiltur and the Inner Sea Lands in SEA OF FALLEN STARS. While ostensibly about the undersea regions, there's between 20 and 40 pages of stuff dealing with the surface realms around the Inner Sea. That's where the first seeds of the Demonlands were planted (as a generic collective name for Impiltur and the lands east and south). The Demonlands never happened as the Realms group underwent a sea change and I went on to Alternity & StarDrive. <shrug> Well, in my Realms (assuming I ever get a home campaign started again), Impiltur looms large as does the concept of the Demonlands (which is odd, given how little I like games heavy on demons and devils--too unsubtle...).
Steven
Who thinks the idea originally came from Eric who wanted to play more with paladins and holy orders designed to fight extraplanars and we both thought Impiltur'd be a good place to explore that.... |
For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Brother Ezra
Learned Scribe
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 15:10:14
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Steven, we gotta talk Demonlands. I'll drop you a line on some historical development I've been organising and trying to get the head around.
Oooh! I'm positively intrigued by the possibilities this little tidbit suggests .
Anything we'll be seeing, George?
I second that emotion! Ever since the demonlands concept first got mentioned, I've been hoping that someone would develop it further. Pretty, pretty please, with sugar on top?
With regards to the topic, my first preference would be FR9 The Bloodstone Lands. I enjoy Bob Salvatore's work and writing, but the accessory seems to exist as an island, seperate from any other Realms product. For example, the region of Narfell has a very interesting and insidious history, but absolutely none of it is addressed in FR9, which incidentally was the only product to conver the area during 2nd edition.
Also, Mr. Salvatore sometimes gets a little too lighthearted for my tastes (Weird Wingham's Wacky Weapons Wielders, The Thunkers of the Thunkers, etc.), but that's just personal preference.
In broader terms, I'd do away with the entire Time of Troubles. I'll take my pantheon 'a la grey box' any day. |
"Suffering is the touchstone of all spiritual growth."
-St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred |
Edited by - Brother Ezra on 01 Feb 2005 15:15:12 |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 15:44:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
4) Inextricably link (as they are historically) Cormyr and Impiltur and make them the sandwich with the commercialistic chewy center that is Sembia!
I'm curious on what steps you were thinking of then or can think of now to make this link happen. |
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Bakra
Senior Scribe
628 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 16:29:25
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| In no particular order : Lands of Intrigue (the box is barley thicker than my thumb,)Elminster's Ecologies (can never have enough),Old Empires,Cormyr (it could of been better and bigger), Prayers From the Faithful (it can be bigger and better, a series that hits upon almost all of the Dieties),The Forgotten Realms Atlas (I have never seen it in print....ever), and Ruins of Adventure (ahhh the good old days plus it can help introduce new players and dm's to the setting) As for 3e products I agree with what was said with Magic of Faerűn....and I never been a fan of the underdark or drow...skip those... |
I hope Candlekeep continues to be the friendly forum of fellow Realms-lovers that it has always been, as we all go through this together. If you don’t want to move to the “new” Realms, that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with either you or the “old” Realms. Goodness knows Candlekeep, and the hearts of its scribes, are both big enough to accommodate both. If we want them to be.
(Strikes dramatic pose, raises sword to gleam in the sunset, and hopes breeches won’t fall down.)
Enough for now. The Realms lives! I have spoken! Ale and light wines half price, served by a smiling Storm Silverhand fetchingly clad in thigh-high boots and naught else! Ahem . .
So saith Ed. <snip>
love to all,
THO
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Melfius
Senior Scribe
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 17:12:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
6) If I'd had my druthers, the next big RSE after the Time of Troubles would have been a number of holy wars as various cults and/or churches fight to avenge dead gods, blame other divinities for the problems of the TOT, or simply kick a religion when it's down. The biggest logic gap that we were never allowed to address was this: The goddess of avarice, er, commerce was missing! Her priests were weakened in their faiths--but they still had the biggest damned vaults stuffed with coins of all the religions. Someone tell me why Cyric's faithful (or Mask's or anyone else's) didn't thunder down upon every church to loot its coffers?
This is, and has always been, my main issue. Lack of a logical progression of events. Adding to the above, why did we not hear of any instances where the clergy of Liira raided the Waukeenar vaults to fund some massive partying?
In any event, what I would like to change is the handling of events and the information published. Take it from the viewpoint of a PC. While they may know of the big world-altering events (Return of Shade, Rage of Dragons, etc.), unless they actively sought out to involve themselves in it, they would probably be more involved in the minor occurences of whatever location they reside in.
To give a real-world parallel: Picture your own life. What's going on right now? Well, we know what's happening in the world, we know of the King of Nepal firing his government. We know of the War in Iraq, and probably know several people who are serving there (if you yourself aren't there - if so, GOD BLESS YOU!). What I'm saying is, we hear about large, country affecting events, but nothing about local issues outside of what's local to us. Do we know if someone's store got robbed in London? Not if it wasn't famous or if we lived in London. That's local news.
What WotC should be focusing on is this:
1. Tell us the news (much like they're beginning to do with Eberron on the DnD website). Tell us what's happening in the world that affects large numbers of people (wars, plagues, etc.).
2. Tell us what areas there are to live in, who's in charge, and what major groups are at work/play there.
3. Leave it up to the home campaigns to create the local news. If Piergeron's Palace itself was robbed, I'd like to know it happened, maybe who did it and why, but I don't wan't an entire page sidebar in a supplement of Waterdeep to cover it. A paragraph or two, maybe. I'd much rather know troop sizes, who his support staff is, and how they interact with the city.
4. Most importantly - If something BIG happens (like, oh, I don't know, maybe A GOD COMING BACK FROM THE DEAD!!!) we should get more than that pitiful bit of info we were given. The Manshoon Wars? More info. Fzoul becoming chosen of whoever it is this week? More info. Like a novel, maybe.
I'd also like more of the Arcane Age-type stuff. Even if it came out looking like a high school history book. There's just been too many fun events we don't know enough about. Like the Harpstars War. Or the Dawn Cataclysm (while it mostly affceted deities, and mortals would not exactly have been privvy to it, there would have been some shakeups in the churches and we should like to hear about THAT! )
Wow, I'm ranting again.
But that's what I'd like, anyways.
I'm gonna go take my pills now. |
Melfius, Pixie-Priest of Puck - Head Chef, The Faerie Kitchen, Candlekeep Inn
"What's in his pockets, besides me?"
Read a tale of my earlier days! - Happiness Comes in Small Packages |
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Lysander
Learned Scribe
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2005 : 19:07:20
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Steven Schend
4) Inextricably link (as they are historically) Cormyr and Impiltur and make them the sandwich with the commercialistic chewy center that is Sembia!
I'm curious on what steps you were thinking of then or can think of now to make this link happen.
I understood how it happened - meaning in TSR/WoTC it happened - give people pecific boundaried areas to work on, and they're usually going to stay within the boundaries. However, worlds don't operate that way - there's always cross-border developments, opportunistic leaders, trade and military agreements, and so forth. Cormyr was tied to Impitlur which in turn was tied to Chondath (as Sembia was). Chondath was tied to Chessenta and points east, as well as Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan, which in turn had ties back to Cormyr and points north. (Just to name some of the historical connections) However, those were dealt with historically, in almost throw-away lines, with little bearing on the current status quo.
Taking the blinders off - now that would be what I would want to change the most. That, and banning the 3E map. The 2E one may not have been perfect, but at least it was many posters and it came in two scales |
Lysander
Defender of the Second Edition
Moderator, Project Gemengan, Worlds of D&D |
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If you could be Ao for a day ...
