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Rafael
Acolyte
12 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Mar 2007 : 10:06:44
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Hi all,
So, I ended my long-running Ravenloft campaign with the heroes escaping to Faerun,
and want to continue the game there now.
My problem: I know particularly nothing of FR, though I own some of the sourcebooks for 3e, as well as some of the 1e and 2e gems.
I have a couple of questions right now, and will surely come up with more. Could you please help me out with the following?
(I apologize for the multitude of questions and for them being so specific.)
1. Is there a deity in FR that is equivalent to Greyhawk's Tharizdun?
2. What is FR canon about Gondegal, the Lost King of Cormyr?
3. How long would a journey from Waterdeep to Amn, and from Amn to Damara take?
4. Can someone please explain me the basic history of the Bloodstone Wars?
5. What is known about Spellhold Asylum in Amn?
Quite a lot of stuff...
Thank you in any case,
Rafael
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Innkeeper at the Comeback Inn, the community for Dave Arneson's Blackmoor |
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1076 Posts |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2007 : 13:41:52
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1. I'm not familiar with Greyhawk, but from Victor's description above I don't think there's a one-to-one correspondence. Shar is the evil goddesss of darkness, and she is one of FR's eldest deities who at the birth of the cosmos engaged in an epic battle between light and dark. But she is not about promoting entropy, destruction, and insanity. Bane is an evil god of darkness, but he is about tyranny rather than entropy, and he is not mad. Cyric is evil and insane, and acts very much like a force of entropy in his constant intrigue and dissembling; but like Bane he is ultimately about attempting to dominate the globe under his rule rather than acting as a force entropy per se. Garagos may come closest with respect to destruction and insanity, though he Chaotic Neutral and is associated directly with war.
I'd probably go with Cyric.
2. There is some information available about Gondegal in Four for Cormyr, which is available for free in the Previous Edition Downloads, Classic Realms Products section at Wizards of the Coast. You could also get Cormyr.
3. A journey from Waterdeep to Athkatla would probably take 1-2 weeks by sea in a galleon. That's just my best guess, I've no experience with sailing. If the craft was smaller I'd imagine it would take more time. A smaller craft that needs to hug the shoreline might have a perilous time of it, because the seas are rough on the Sword Coast and the shorline is very jagged.
Overland via the Trade Way I would think it would take at least a month. It is a distance of about 1150 miles according to the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas (scale used for FRIA was changed somewhat in more recent editions of the Forgotten Realms, but it still serves as a decent yardstick). Add time for the difficult trek through the Cloud Peaks; and note that during the winter snows the narrow, treacherous passes of the Cloud Peaks mountains are impassable.
As to a journey to Damara, that's very far from Athkatla indeed. You're basically crossing most of a huge continent. Using FRIA, strictly as the crow flies, it's a distance of 1785 miles. But in practice it would be much longer. From Athkatla you'd likely take the Eshpurta Road to the eastern edge of the Cloud Peaks, then travel north to pick up the Uldoon Trail. Follow that to Berdusk, then take the Trader's Road to Teziir, a seaport on the Lake of Dragons. From there you could sail to Calaunt in the Vast. You could then travel through the foothills north of the Earthfast Mountains, and take the High Pass through the Earthspurs to the plains of Damara. The sailing leg of the voyage saves you some time. But you're still traveling thousands of miles overland. I'd make a guess of 2-3 months. You can only walk so far in a day. It'd be quicker by horseback, certainly.
4. Don't know that history myself, but you could refer to Bloodstone Lands.
5. Spellhold is an invention of the Baldur's Gate II computer game, and prior to that game did not belong to FR canon, as far as I can see. There's no mention of it in Lands of Intrigue and Empires of the Sands. But as I understand it, the novelizations and Volo's Guides for the computer game have now been officialy added to canon by WotC. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn describes the asylum. I would think so does Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II, which may at this point only be available via ebay. |
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Rafael
Acolyte
12 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2007 : 14:32:18
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Thank you!
As to Tharizdun, I will go with Cyric, then - I was looking for a sect of him, or something alike,
like reverers who worship only an aspect of him.
(IMC, Tharizdun is the *Dark Power* behind Ravenloft, so I have to keep him around.)
Thank you as well for answering all my other questions!
I still don't know exactly how to implement the different aspects, but at least now I have a an idea of what I am dealign with.
As to the Bloodstone Wars, I just found that I indeed own *The Throne of Bloodstone* (I have quite an extensive gaming library),
and there, a short description of the event is given, so, no problem with that as well.
As to Spellhold, I'll check the video game sites if there's a good map of that place. Not that I couldn't make one of my own,
but if there's a famous one around, I will use that one...
Again, thank you very much!
Yours,
Rafael |
Innkeeper at the Comeback Inn, the community for Dave Arneson's Blackmoor |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2007 : 20:36:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Lemernis
As to a journey to Damara, that's very far from Athkatla indeed. You're basically crossing most of a huge continent. Using FRIA, strictly as the crow flies, it's a distance of 1785 miles. But in practice it would be much longer. From Athkatla you'd likely take the Eshpurta Road to the eastern edge of the Cloud Peaks, then travel north to pick up the Uldoon Trail. Follow that to Berdusk, then take the Trader's Road to Teziir, a seaport on the Lake of Dragons. From there you could sail to Calaunt in the Vast. You could then travel through the foothills north of the Earthfast Mountains, and take the High Pass through the Earthspurs to the plains of Damara. The sailing leg of the voyage saves you some time. But you're still traveling thousands of miles overland. I'd make a guess of 2-3 months. You can only walk so far in a day. It'd be quicker by horseback, certainly.
Agreed...although they could always use a portal. Of course, they'd have to find one, first.
Also, remember with overland travel you not only have to deal with the weather, but also with bandits attempting to rob you (I honestly don't think you can travel too far in Faerun without eventually being harassed). |
"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) |
Edited by - Rinonalyrna Fathomlin on 03 Mar 2007 20:38:55 |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2007 : 22:04:21
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Personally, I think Ghaunadaur might be a better alternative to Tharizdun . . . a dark elemental god that corrupted elves in ages past, is still worshiped by some dark elves, and has an interest in ooze and slimes, and is known as the Elder Elemental Evil.
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Mazrim_Taim
Learned Scribe
341 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2007 : 23:09:41
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| I used Ghaunadaur to replace Tharizdun when I ran The Temple of Elemental Evil in FR. The Elder Elemental Evil connection makes it too easy. |
And if the PCs DO win their ways through all the liches to Larloch, “he” will almost certainly be just another lich (loaded with explosive spells) set up as a decoy, with dozens of hidden liches waiting to pounce on any surviving PCs who ‘celebrate’ after they take Larloch down. As the REAL Larloch watches (magical scrying) from afar. Myself, as DM, I’d be wondering: “Such a glorious game, so many opportunities laid out before your PCs to devote your time to, and THIS fixation is the best you can come up with? Are you SURE you’re adventurers?” -Ed Greenwood
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Walking in the Light
Acolyte
22 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2007 : 07:31:03
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Rafael
quote:
3. How long would a journey from Waterdeep to Amn, and from Amn to Damara take?
Lemernis
quote:
Overland via the Trade Way I would think it would take at least a month. It is a distance of about 1150 miles according to the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas (scale used for FRIA was changed somewhat in more recent editions of the Forgotten Realms, but it still serves as a decent yardstick). Add time for the difficult trek through the Cloud Peaks; and note that during the winter snows the narrow, treacherous passes of the Cloud Peaks mountains are impassable
I would say to Amn from Waterdeep by horse, five to six weeks
Walking would be at least three moths
As the others have said, a good storyteller will have weather and other side treks, to slow the adventuring party down
For me it’s more fun to walk
Just look at Lord of the Rings as a good example
Sure Gandalf the Gray could have used magic, to zap the ring into volcano
But how boring would that be!?!?!
If walking is good enough for a Hobbit, it’s good enough for you!
Rafael
quote:
5. What is known about Spellhold Asylum in Amn?
The short background on Spellhold is, it’s a place for insane/criminal magic users
Amn in general bands wizards to use magic
They are often harassed and hunted down
Only a few Wizards can use magic and they pay big coin to do so
The Cowled Wizards, are the only group recognized by the local government and they enforce the laws on other wizards
Not the top vacation spot for most Arcane users 
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From the Book Halfling Sayings by Agudo
A Lion Tamer once said, if ya need an illusionist for thy circus then call a Gnome
But if thy circus needs a clown send in the Halflings
Chapter 5-The town of Gullykin on the Sword Coast
By Lady Silvin Lionheart, speaking to Agudo in the year of the Comical Halfling
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boddynock
Learned Scribe
Belgium
258 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2007 : 10:19:11
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To give you guys an idea about distances. My party travelled from Everlund to Luskan. Here is the time, distance and travel route they took: (remember there was a gnome in the party and rest periods in cities are not included. My players travelled on foot.
Everlund -> Silverymoon: +-70 mile: travel time: 5 days (can be doubled by bad weather)
Silverymoon -> Evermoors:+- 65 mile: travel time: 4 days (can be doubled by bad weather)
Crossing the Evermoors: +- 200 miles. Travel time: 25 days (can be doubled by bad weather)
Evermoors -> Longsaddle-+150 miles: Travel time: 19 days (can be doubled by bad weather)
Longsaddle --> Mirabar: +- 220 miles. Travel time: 15 days (can be doubled by bad weather)
Mirabar --> Luskan: +-205 miles. 13 days (can be doubled by bad weather)
Like you see some distances are close to each other but took much longer to travel. This is because travelling in the moors is going much slower than travelling on a good road.
distance to cross: 910 Miles (+-1350 km)
Guessed Time: minimum +-100 days, maximum +-200 days. (rest periods in towns included)
My players started travelling on 23 Tarsakh 1372 and arrived in Luskan in early Marpenoth. So it took them about 5 month's and a half to get to their destiny. (They stayed a few days in towns, made a camp for a few days to recover and did a few sidequest that took time). |
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Rafael
Acolyte
12 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2007 : 11:21:51
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Thank you!
FYI, the game is actually a PbP:www.fraternityofshadows.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4133
 Please, don't tell my players what I asked for.
Because of this, I have to concentrate more on the plot that on normal games,
for simple encounters on the road take well over a month to be played out.
Right now, It seems like an interesting tour of the realms so far:
From Waterdeep or Archmoon to Spellhold, and from there to Trail's End, where the REAL adventure begins.
The idea behind the campaign is basically to let them meet a lot of FR-related RL-characters, starting with Gondegal,
and a certain vampiric enemy of Strahd von Zarovich.
I think I will just wrap the long journeys up, epsecially since the party is already higher in level than most RL groups ever come, and won't really be afraid of a horde of robbers.
As to the different gods, are there actually any game supplements that detail them or their covens? - If not, I think I'll indeed make them 1:1 Tharizdun followers.
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Innkeeper at the Comeback Inn, the community for Dave Arneson's Blackmoor |
Edited by - Rafael on 04 Mar 2007 11:23:17 |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2007 : 12:41:43
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| As to the travel times for these great distances, I agree with the long time periods it would take on foot. I remember reading that one of my ancestors in the 1830's trekked from New York State to the fort on Lake Michigan that later became Chicago (presumably traveling through what was then mostly wilderness), and IIRC that journey took him three months. As the crow flies that's 711 miles, but I doubt the actual route he followed was a straight line. In fact I think he may have followed the Eerie Canal for most of the journey. But anyway, true enough, you can only walk so far in a day. |
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boddynock
Learned Scribe
Belgium
258 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2007 : 14:53:14
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About the gods:
2 gods of forgotten realms are known in ravenloft as well: The Morninglord is Lathander and the other guy (an evil god don't remember the name) is Bane |
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Newbie asking for help...
