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Archwizard
Learned Scribe
USA
266 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Nov 2006 : 19:21:04
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I think a lot of people found Power of Faerun a good read and very useful as a gaming sourcebook. I've heard people who don't play in the Realms (Regular D&D, Eberron, etc.) recommend the book to others because there really isn't a book that covers similar topics in WotC's library (and likely few competent 3rd-party books that examine the same concepts). I would say that was a positive reception.
However, Mysteries of the Moonsea, which came out around the same few months had the excitement in the beginning and then disappointment once it came out. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2006 : 20:47:58
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As well as the Godswar battles and the all-out war and invasion in the Last Mythal books, there's the Flight of Dragons that took Syluné's life, Lyran Nanther's assaults, many other Zhent attacks; and that's just the known, large-scale strife Shadowdale has lately endured, to which add constant intrigue and skirmishing with the Dale's enemies, Malaugrym incursions, monster attacks from Daggerdale and the forest... Only folk of extraordinary hardiness would stay living there.
What did happen with Power of Faerűn is that people kept assuming it was a book of epic-level 'crunch', despite knowing the authors and even after they'd said it wasn't that. But who knows whether this and the negative reception of the Moonsea book means anything outside of a few forum posters. |
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2006 : 21:26:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
[...] there's the Flight of Dragons that took Syluné's life
Ah, that's the important one I failed to remember ! |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2006 : 21:58:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
What did happen with Power of Faerűn is that people kept assuming it was a book of epic-level 'crunch', despite knowing the authors and even after they'd said it wasn't that. But who knows whether this and the negative reception of the Moonsea book means anything outside of a few forum posters.
I know this will reveal me to be the power-hungry "rhymes with witch" that I truly am...but I really wished there was more in PoF about player characters ruling their own realms, as well as being someone else's vassal.
Not that this is overly on-topic. Anyway, who cares if some people have negative first impressions of a product? It's not like they don't have that right! |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2006 : 05:00:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Skeptic
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
[...] there's the Flight of Dragons that took Syluné's life
Ah, that's the important one I failed to remember !
You know... I'm not recalling too many details on this one. Did the dragon do any damage to anything other than Syluné's hut? |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5695 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2006 : 10:18:04
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Well met
I think we can speculate forevermore on this tome but let's not jump to conclusions. For one, the authors of this tome are among the elite of FR designers and I have no doubt that they'll do an outstanding job.
I'm certainly looking forward to it and am happy to hold judgement until it's in my hands  |
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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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2006 : 14:31:31
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Me too, I hope that's clear.
We don't know the details of the dragon attack, Wooly.
I forgot to mention the dracolich and drow attacks, Sembian and Zhent trouble at Northend, etc. And there'd be even more known instances of Shadowdale strife if the policy didn't exist to avoid second-guessing Ed's campaign. The idea of Shadowdale being 'staid' is just ridiculous -- even if you think it's Wizards' job to 'make stuff happen', which I don't. |
Edited by - Faraer on 26 Nov 2006 14:40:31 |
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Blackwill
Seeker
55 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2006 : 14:45:32
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| Another exciting tomb to look forward too. It only makes me wonder if we'll have more tombs to expect in between the first two quarters of next years releases. |
~Blackwill |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 02:10:42
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| True, I guess it's possible that Elminster's Tower has been knocked down before (though wouldn't there be tons of magical protections on it?). |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Octa
Learned Scribe
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 18:03:19
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Ok at first I didn't like it but now I am thinking it will be fun. For one thing the king of not letting PCs run to Elminster is Ed, so I am assuming that they are going to put all of the chosen of Mystra out of business holding the Weave or something. Which book was it that this happens in? The one with Sharantyr and the Rangers Three???
Nothing wrong with that, and then your PCs need to step up. |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2006 : 16:09:19
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Y'know, consdering just how often Shadowdale has been invaded/attacked by dragons/faced Thayan assault/whatever, I wonder why anyone who isn't an ultra-high-level adventurer stays there! You think that by now they'd all have moved off to someplaces safer and quieter -- like Thay or the Goblin Marches.  |
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dwarvenranger
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 15 Dec 2006 : 01:35:08
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The weather is nicer in Shadowdale, well maybe not than in Thay |
If I waited till I knew what I was doing, I'd never get anything done.
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2006 : 19:08:16
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| I have a feeling Elminster won't even be around when his tower is destroyed. Probably off doing something with the Knights. ;) |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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tyshanis
Acolyte
USA
1 Posts |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2007 : 16:46:54
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| Yay! I've always liked Anauroch (at least since Ed wrote that great sourcebook for it), and it'll be good to see how things have changed for the Bedine & everyone else now that the Empire of Shade has moved into the area. |
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bitter thorn
Learned Scribe
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2007 : 18:17:45
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I wonder how they reconcile keeping the adventures occurance time flexable with the event of the Lath Mythal?
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
As well as the Godswar battles and the all-out war and invasion in the Last Mythal books, there's the Flight of Dragons that took Syluné's life, Lyran Nanther's assaults, many other Zhent attacks; and that's just the known, large-scale strife Shadowdale has lately endured, to which add constant intrigue and skirmishing with the Dale's enemies, Malaugrym incursions, monster attacks from Daggerdale and the forest... Only folk of extraordinary hardiness would stay living there.
What did happen with Power of Faerűn is that people kept assuming it was a book of epic-level 'crunch', despite knowing the authors and even after they'd said it wasn't that. But who knows whether this and the negative reception of the Moonsea book means anything outside of a few forum posters.
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"Nobody listens to the Ranger!"
Our groups are all sticking with 3.X classic Realms. |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2007 : 18:48:57
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| Thanks for that Eric, looks interesting. Even if I can't see myself running it in the near future, I'm certainly interested to see how things play out. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Snotlord
Senior Scribe
Norway
476 Posts |
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monch9
Seeker
Poland
67 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2007 : 08:34:52
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Hi,
For those who have this. I'm curious as to what happens to the Warblade per FR Canon.
Monch |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2007 : 18:23:53
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Just wondering -- is it me, or are the WOTC folks on a killing spree where the Forgotten Realms 'big name' characters are concerned? Halaster, Sylune, several folks from Zhentil Keep, and it's suggested that Elminster and the other Chosen are out of action for a long time coming...
I'm beginning to wonder if we're being set up for something. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2007 : 18:38:59
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| I doubt it's anything more than the unfortunate tendency to have as many RSEs as possible. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2007 : 04:08:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I doubt it's anything more than the unfortunate tendency to have as many RSEs as possible.
Yes, I think that's at the root of the problem. A RSE every now and then is only to be expected (and it's not like they didn't exist in the old days, let's face it), but now RSEs seem to be happening very often. Too often, IMO, and it's getting to the point where the deaths of popular characters will remain groanworthy, but not particularly shocking or unexpected.
Of course, YMMV. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Chyron
Learned Scribe
Hong Kong
279 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2007 : 10:47:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
...Too often, IMO, and it's getting to the point where the deaths of popular characters will remain groanworthy, but not particularly shocking or unexpected...
I have to agree...if it goes on like this we may have to start an NPC dead pool or something ...
I don't mind an RSE once or twice a decade...but seems of late (between novels and gaming accessories) it's been closer to one per year.
I have not recieved my copy just yet, but as I was querying in the other thread, I am curious how this particular arc will go from here. IS this second mod the actual climax or do things get worse?
Don't forget too that later in this year the Lady Penatent timeline kicks in
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
and we are talking about losing deities now. |
Just My Thoughts
Chyron :)
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2007 : 18:58:21
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| Which one(s)? I haven't been paying attention to that series. I guess I should start. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2007 : 19:30:41
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| That's the response the RSEmongering counts on. Gods dieing, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria, is no reason, by itself, to pay attention to these books. |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2007 : 23:14:29
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I'll agree and disagree on the RSE front. I like RSEs that seem to be logical extensions of what have gone before, that tie up loose ends while opening up new ones. I don't particularly like ones that seem to come out of nowhere, or that have a massive build up and then are never referred to again once they are complete. And even ones I like I will say I wish were paced a bit better. I enjoyed both the Year of Rogue Dragons and the Last Mythal books, but I felt that the fact that their publication overlapped hurt the momentum of both series, particularly the Year of Rogue Dragons.
I also like that we have something that could be called a RSE (I'm kind of leery of the term since it can mean a lot of different things to different people. Many of them are of regional importance, but not Realms wide, etc.) as an adventure rather than a series of novels.
I liked Cormyr, and thought it was a fun adventure that had some interesting Realms trivia and some novel encounters and a fun villain and climax to it. That having been said, I like Shadowdale much more than Cormyr. Even if the heroes fail in Cormyr, the effects are going to take longer to affect the region, and even the pacing felt much more like a self contained incident. In a way, I like this, as Cormyr has had enough battering to last it a while, so a contained threat is a nice change.
Shadowdale, at least as far as I can tell so far (I've skimmed it and read as much as I can pertaining to the plots, but not poured over the encounters in depth yet) takes a lot of Realmslore, incorporates it into the events, and has major repercussions for the region (freedom for Shadowdale and the potential momentum for the elves defending Myth Drannor). Not to mention, the back story seems to go a long way to answering what some might not have liked about the elves retaking Myth Drannor, i.e. the idea that it might be too easy or too quick.
I'm looking forward to digging in more in depth to this, but so far it really looks great. Love the overall plot. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2007 : 15:00:45
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Yeah, one of the things I liked about Shadowdale was all the things I recognized. For instance, one of the first adventures I ever ran as a DM was the original Shadowdale adventure in the 2e box set, delving under the Twisted Tower. And now, when PC's need to go delving under the Twisted Tower again more than a decade later, the maps are the same. Just one fewer possible continuity problem.
And Faraer, I said I wanted to know what happens in them. Doesn't necessarily mean I'll *buy* them. There's a difference. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2007 : 17:18:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Yeah, one of the things I liked about Shadowdale was all the things I recognized. For instance, one of the first adventures I ever ran as a DM was the original Shadowdale adventure in the 2e box set, delving under the Twisted Tower. And now, when PC's need to go delving under the Twisted Tower again more than a decade later, the maps are the same. Just one fewer possible continuity problem.
And Faraer, I said I wanted to know what happens in them. Doesn't necessarily mean I'll *buy* them. There's a difference.
One of the design challenges for this adventure was that there were three "dungeons" that had already been detailed for Shadowdale in 1e and 2e. One is buried under the ruins of Elminster's tower, and not covered by this adventure. (It's an old Dungeon adventure.) The other two we reused and extended (in a logical way) the original maps, evolved the inhabitants (in a logical way) to a whole new array of monsters, annd, in the case of beneath the Twisted Tower, ran the adventure in reverse.
--Eric |
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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Ardashir
Senior Scribe
USA
544 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2007 : 15:56:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Chyron
I don't mind an RSE once or twice a decade...but seems of late (between novels and gaming accessories) it's been closer to one per year.
Hmm, maybe we should see an adventure done wherein the PCs bust up the next big RSE before it actually starts?
Might be even more fun if they didn't even know what they were doing... "Save the Realms? I thought we were bumping off this old lich!" |
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Shadowdale: The Scouring of The Land
