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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
577 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Feb 2006 : 00:39:33
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I might get long-winded, so I apologize in advance.
It occurred to me that a great service is being performed here at Candlekeep by skilled scribes continuing to develop Realmslore, and by correllating canon lore between the various editions. I get strangely excited everytime I get on to this site and have the opportunity to pose questions to authors and to others that apparently have more time than myself.
However, I think that perhaps there is a further service that we could perform. There seems to be a continual point of discussion on these and the 'other' boards about the marketability of new Realms products and whether new players are joining our ranks.
I have long been an FR fanatic (see my sig), but find myself in the situation of running games for folks that either do not share my passion for the Realms, or are so new to it that they seem lost.
It seems that we have a collective of very creative and eloquent individuals here at Candlekeep.com, and so I thought to propose sort of a "Forgotten Realms for Dummies" guide. I understand that the FAQ serves this purpose to a degree, but I was thinking of 2-3 page handbooks that DM's in my situation might be able to print out and hand out to players at the beginning of a campaign. Perhaps some of you allready do this, and I'm just behind the times, but I tend not to think so.
It is my observation from the many years that I have DM'ed that even if players are thoroughly enjoying a Realms based game, that they tend to be loathe to run out and by the adjoining books for it, and so never learn the vast splendor that is our shared play ground. I certainly wouldn't expect my players to run out and buy the $40 FRCS, as much less that half of the information will be of use at any given time.
What I was thinking of writing for the new campaign that I am beginning in Cormyr is a 2-3 page handout of what a character from Cormyr should know about his homeland. Not "Who's the highest level guy around so I know not to mess with him," but little things like customs, feastdays, climate, prejudices and other little things that see little print nowadays but just mean the world to you and me.
I thought to develop the idea by creating addendumns fleshing out the world around them as they journey through it in ways that I don't necessarilly have time to do during the game.
To this end, I believe that at least in my little group I can create new FR fans that would be willing to support the printed material that the rest of us crave and pay for.
How does this idea strike you? Would I be violating some trademarks by doing this? Do you perhaps have suggestions concerning my pet projects, and would any of you care to help?
Whew, that was a mouthful. For those of you that got to the end, thanks for being patient.
-Walker
P.S. I realize that this may or may not be in the correct forum, administrators, feel free to transfer it elsewhere.
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*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5696 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2006 : 08:22:42
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Well met, WalkerNinja
Thank ye for posting thy thoughts. Indeed a very interesting and worthy suggestion. In fact, I took a look through the Player's Guide to Eberron and found this to be quite along the lines of why ye suggest herein. Sadly, it makes the Player's Guide to Faerūn pale in comparison and fall short of the mark.
I'll certainly give this some thought... so what's another project added to the list 
Oh, WalkerNinja, I have sent thee a private message on a related issue, which may interest thee |
Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2006 : 15:55:24
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Interestingly, this is EXACTLY what Ed Greenwood has always done as a DM: when I joined his campaign, I got a 20-page handout on "what my character would know" about Cormyr, complete with maps, coats-of-arms, etc. Ed started giving these to his players in 1978, I believe, and one of them was part of his "A First Look At The Forgotten Realms" turnover to TSR, back in 1986. The designers there drooled over it, as I recall.
love,
THO |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
732 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2006 : 18:26:58
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I did something like this for a group of players, who had had the decency of all agreeing to come ffrom only two different places (Westgate and Telflamm). I drafted a guide of what I thought a native of those cities would know of the world at large. I figured that they would know most about their homeland, have reasonable knowledge of the surrounding lands, and knowledge got scarcer and worse as the lands got further off. So the players knew different things on the same place depending on their origin. For instance, one of the characters was a mage from Telflamm, another a thief from Westgate (surprise...) The Telflamm mage was aware that Thay was governed by a council of Zulkirs, the Westgate thief believed that the land was ruled by a demon prince served by the Red Wizards who had summon it to help them fight off the God-Kings of Mulhorand (an indirect reference to old Eltab, who was indeed summoned), and so on.
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2006 : 19:02:18
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I do the same thing for my group. They like playing in the realms, but most have never read a single realms novel or picked up a source book, other than the core rulebooks. I often will print out information relevant to the local campaign, general knowledge pertaining to what the norm of society would already know, or rumor mill information. Throw in a few adventure plots, and let em at it.
Walkerninja, it is frustrating sometimes when other members of the group are not into the realms as much as we who visit this great site, but little prepardness on your part ( like you are already suggesting) to infuse them with realmslore, goes a long way in allowing them to feel what the realms is about.
anyways my 2 cents worth |
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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
577 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2006 : 22:15:36
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actually, I have done this for the last few years allready. But I thought that keeping file of such things available to all here at Candlekeep might be beneficial. As a matter of fact I recently did such a packet for the land of Cormyr before remembering that I could just have them go download Volo's Guide to Cormyr for free... Gonna have to work on my memory's reaction time...
-Walker |
*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5696 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2006 : 10:50:25
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Well met
Hmmmm, it appears that a few of ye do prepare such "introduction packs" for thy players. I'd certainly be interested in collating such material and making it available to others.
I have often considered compiling this type of material myself, but tend to list no more than a single sheet of "common knowledge" of the area and key points that the players\characters need to know for that region of the Realms.
Please contact me if any have material which may be of use, to discuss further 
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Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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WalkerNinja
Senior Scribe
USA
577 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2006 : 18:55:44
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Alaundo,
As soon as I get the opportunity (they keep running away from me), I'll E-hurl my Cormyrean intro, and my Daleslands intro to you. In large part these are 2-3 compiliations of material from Volo's guides, and various editions of the FRCS, with a few clarifications and re-wordings by yours truly.
-Walker |
*** A Forgotten Realms Addict since 1990 ***
Treasures of the Past, a Second Edition Play-by-Post game for and by Candlekeep Sages--http://www.rpol.net/game.cgi?gi=52011 |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5696 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2006 : 19:14:25
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quote:
Originally posted by WalkerNinja
Alaundo,
As soon as I get the opportunity (they keep running away from me), I'll E-hurl my Cormyrean intro, and my Daleslands intro to you. In large part these are 2-3 compiliations of material from Volo's guides, and various editions of the FRCS, with a few clarifications and re-wordings by yours truly.
-Walker
Well met
Splendid, WalkerNinja. That sounds wonderful. I'll look forward to it  |
Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 04 Sep 2007 : 22:13:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
quote:
Originally posted by WalkerNinja
Alaundo,
As soon as I get the opportunity (they keep running away from me), I'll E-hurl my Cormyrean intro, and my Daleslands intro to you. In large part these are 2-3 compiliations of material from Volo's guides, and various editions of the FRCS, with a few clarifications and re-wordings by yours truly.
-Walker
Well met
Splendid, WalkerNinja. That sounds wonderful. I'll look forward to it
Hi fellow scribes!
I pmed WalkerNinja about this piece of work already. However, does anyone happen to have this as well or might I even find a copy somewhere in the numerous chambers of Candlekeep?
Thanks for your answers.
Ergdusch |
"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 05 Sep 2007 : 20:55:40
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Before jumping the gun ... er ... sword, perhaps we should wait to see what the printed Chronology reveals?
(And I, too, give handouts!) |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Delzounblood
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
578 Posts |
Posted - 05 Sep 2007 : 22:03:56
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The handout idea I first discovered after my first couple of times DMing, since then I have always done a This is what your Char knows and other Key FR points it just seemed easier than repeating info to new or inexperienced players.
and yes I still do it to some extent now depending on the group.
Delz |
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Marquant Volker
Learned Scribe
Greece
273 Posts |
Posted - 23 Sep 2007 : 00:55:09
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| That is a wonderfull idea Walkerninja, perhaps i will be able too to upload some handouts, after my exam period that it. |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2007 : 16:33:54
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Alaundo
I have a Neverwinter, Mistledale, and Zhentil Keep pack. If you don't mind sorting through my minor campaign specific data. They are all between 3-10 pages each.
I don't know if they'd be legal to post on the website, since they contain copyrighted images and much of the text is plagerized from sourcebooks. =)
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Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5696 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2007 : 21:39:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Wenin
Alaundo
I have a Neverwinter, Mistledale, and Zhentil Keep pack. If you don't mind sorting through my minor campaign specific data. They are all between 3-10 pages each.
I don't know if they'd be legal to post on the website, since they contain copyrighted images and much of the text is plagerized from sourcebooks. =)
Well met, Wenin.
Many thanks, these have been received ok and i'll take a look at them shortly |
Alaundo
Candlekeep Forums Head Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
An Introduction to Candlekeep - by Ed Greenwood
The Candlekeep Compendium - Tomes of Realmslore penned by Scribes of Candlekeep
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Brynweir
Senior Scribe
USA
436 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2007 : 02:11:12
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| I don't really have anything to add except I am just getting back into FR and I have few sourcebooks. I would LOVE to see the material you are compling about general what your character would know. I think it would be a tremendous help. |
Anyone who likes to read something that's really dark and gritty and completely awesome ought to read The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. You can check out a little taste at www.BrentWeeks.com I should probably warn you, though, that it is definitely not PG-13 :-D
He also started a new Trilogy with Black Prism, which may even surpass the Night Angel Trilogy in its awesomeness. 
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A modest proposal
