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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Jul 2009 : 12:15:42
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As many here know, I am one of those proponents for moving on and taking what I can with me. Now my intent is not to start a 4e debate again but I wanted to know what positive stories you guys have been able to glean or create since the Spellplague.
Personally, I've found myself inspired to write about some new characters and what they have done in recent time. Though they are obviously for my own devices, I find it refreshing to not have to directly implicate them in some of the older storylines.
What exepreinces have you had?
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Mr_Miscellany
Senior Scribe
545 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2009 : 13:47:32
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Hello Matt,
My Realms campaign experiences have been along similar lines. Most of the characters in my 4E game are run as descendants of the characters from the 3E game my friends and I play/DM in. Watching my players cautiously develop their character back stories and reacting to their questions is a blast for me as a DM.
Speaking generally, I find that my experience as a Realms DM has been invigorated by all the who/what/when/where/how/why's caused by the Spellplague. My players and I have been all over the Realms in our 3E game, so running a concurrent 4E game with all the setting changes (as well as changes to the Realms as my players and I know it in our 3E campaign) is very challenging and rewarding.
For example, one of my players runs a Rogue/Ranger from Cormyr (and a lusty Huntsilver at that --if only he knew how much he plays just like the character of Torm from many a Greenwood novel) who uses daggers and shuriken. During play the question arose of where the shuriken came from. How'd the character get his hands on them and learn to use them? My players were ready to laugh it off as WotC shamelessly mixing East and West together, but I had the proper answer: Shuriken and the methods of using them came from the lands immediately south of the Dragonmere, where Shou expatriates migrated and settled, bringing with them amongst other things their martial styles and ways of fighting (this info being firmly established in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, page 116).
Being able to react to my players questions and their understandable skepticism of WotC with legitimate in-game answers that link how a character does what he does to genuine setting information is fun. It's something that's enlivened the Realms for me and proves that the 4E Realms is viable, well thought out and justified in its own right.
At some future point I'll be able to pull the Shou-card and pin some unexpected back story on that character that will help lead our campaign to Teziir, Westgate and perhaps even Nathlek City. |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2009 : 21:59:21
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Hey, Forward Guard players, if you've found this, don't read.
I'm having a lot of fun with the 4e Realms in a Cormyr game. Knowing that my players were new to the Realms, I offered them the choice of detailed intrigue-based play or the option to take and hold a keep in the Stonelands. They opted for the former, and as such I obliged by spinning out the following: In 1478 DR, a mysterious man from the Zhentarim approached Erzoured Obarskyr, offering the Zhentarim's help in gaining Erzoured the throne. In exchange, they would gain a clear trade route from Stormwatch to Darkhold. The plan was simple: the Zhentarim, using their mercenaries in Darkhold, would gather an army of orcs and goblins from the Storm Horns and similar areas, then lay siege to Arabel. The man had some trick up his sleeve to make the defenders impotent, and Erzoured could then claim that King Foril was unfit to reign and claim the crown for himself.
Of course, Manshoon has other plans. He never planned to put Erzoured on the throne; instead he's convinced the exiled House Bleth and remnants of House Cormaeril (I'm taking a more punitive response to their actions in the early 1370s, with everyone except Rowen and immediates being exiled) to slowly infiltrate all walks of Cormyrean society, sending their scions north from the Dragon Coast to act as commoners and to gain positions of power over the last 50 years, aided by a little wetwork by the Fire Knives here and there. He's been able to do this through Cormyr's focus on imperial power and the Netherese blinding it to older threats. As a smokescreen, he's been paying Fire Knives and other thieves to act as Netherese infiltrators in Arabel and lands north; Manshoon's "impotency" is the ability to send orders to companies of Purple Dragons and War Wizards to fire on supposed "infiltrators" which just happen to be in the ranks of their friends. Eventually, by decimating both the Cormyrean army through deception and its royalty by strife and assassination, he has pledged the crown to House Bleth. Why not House Cormaeril? Its best son is currently in Suzail - Royal Magician Ganrahast's second-in-command, Vainrence.
Vainrence tipped off Manshoon to an even bigger prize, however. While looking through old, secret holds of the War Wizards, he found a scrap of Vangerdahast's notes for his "dragon plan" (see Elminster's Daughter). He passed it along to Manshoon, and Manshoon wants the magic for himself. He's instructed Vainrence to push Ganrahast into awakening the dragons when the true terror of the forces from the Dragon Coast becomes clear, at which point Vainrence and Manshoon will slay the dragons (carriers and catalysts for Vangerdahast's spell work a hundred years ago) and make that power, one untouched by the Spellplague, their own.
...now that I've put it all down in one place for once, it's even more epic than I thought.
The PCs are currently in the archetypal web of rumours in Arabel, and know that they have to track down an amphitheatre somewhere nearby to listen in on a gathering of some sort (a letter tipping them off to this was the very initial hook.) To forecast things, the amphitheatre is on old House Cormaeril grounds...
Edit: I'm also weaving in some hints for future play, including the Forest Queen hook from the 4e FR books and the possible reconstitution of Mystra at epic levels. |
Edited by - Arivia on 13 Jul 2009 03:26:21 |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 02:43:00
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Nice. You won't want to miss Ed's next Realms novel, I'm thinking . . .
love,
THO |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 03:23:02
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| Is that a hint? Either way, I can't wait. |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 03:26:34
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This shouldn't ruin any of the fun for those wanting to participate in my Candlekeep 4e adventure at Gen Con, but I wanted to share. I have a nice little throwback to a place within the Edificant Library where it becomes obvious to the players that the powers-that-be are protecting something very valuable and may have implications that are Realms wide. What is it? Well that is for the players to decide ;) It may or may not have to do with the possible reconstruction of the Weave and Mystara. But, alas, this is merely a Heroic-Level adventure. You may want to stick around for the story progression as it works its way to the Epic tier.
I would love to Candlekeep.com to keep it amongst the great tomes of knowledge, free for all to use. I have no retail aspirations.
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 06:04:24
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| My Spellplague-related novel is coming right along. I'm just grumpy about how much research I have to do now. :( |
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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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 06:05:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
This shouldn't ruin any of the fun for those wanting to participate in my Candlekeep 4e adventure at Gen Con, but I wanted to share. I have a nice little throwback to a place within the Edificant Library where it becomes obvious to the players that the powers-that-be are protecting something very valuable and may have implications that are Realms wide. What is it? Well that is for the players to decide ;) It may or may not have to do with the possible reconstruction of the Weave and Mystara. But, alas, this is merely a Heroic-Level adventure. You may want to stick around for the story progression as it works its way to the Epic tier.
I would love to Candlekeep.com to keep it amongst the great tomes of knowledge, free for all to use. I have no retail aspirations.
NICE! Wish I could make it.
The heroes in the above-mentioned new novel I'm doin' head up to 4e Candlekeep as well. I'm just trying to figure out who's still alive around here! |
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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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3240 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 06:40:52
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Aye, Ashe would still be alive in this era. He was only 42 in 1375 (when he found the Ary'Velahr'Kerym), which would have retarded his aging process by 1 year for every two. That would make him 146 (but as spry as a 94 year-old half-elf).
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I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 15:20:53
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Thanks for making this thread, Matt. The stories here have been quite cool. 
Aside from the cool things I've been able to do with my novel characters (some of whom are pulled forward from the 1370s, some of whom are just tied very closely to that era), it's provided some good gaming potential as well.
When I run games, I use the novels (mostly my own, but I pull stuff from others) as hooks and sourcebook-like augmentation. For instance, I use Downshadow & Undermountain in most of my 4e FR DMing, and my current campaign involves uncovering buried secrets in Undermountain, unlocked in the wake of Halaster's disappearance (death? ascension? who knows?!!). I had my PCs fight Rath (one of my favorite novel characters), then proceed to chase him into the depths, where the real peril begins . . . 
Generally speaking, for me the Spellplague and time just is what it is, and I've been able to evolve and adapt and tell new awesome stories in the new era.
Cheers
P.S. Regrettably, however, my 4e FR campaign is on hiatus due to some interpersonal conflicts between players (not characters) outside the game. The sort of thing I, as a DM, was powerless to stop. Curses!
P.P.S. Speaking of which, anyone in the Seattle area looking for a 4e FR game to play in? I've been thinking about putting a new group together. |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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skychrome
Senior Scribe
713 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 16:37:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
P.P.S. Speaking of which, anyone in the Seattle area looking for a 4e FR game to play in? I've been thinking about putting a new group together.
Argh! So many missed FR opportunities when one lives outside the US...   |
"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625 |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 17:24:28
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| Talk to Brian, Erik. He is moving out to the Seattle area. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 17:55:50
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Not entirely on-topic, but related.
I have been working on my own setting now for nearly a year (very little at a time, and only as it comes to me - FR is still my primary interest). I had an idea of how to springboard my 'career' off a website that offerred a free RPG setting - complete, with maps and plenty of plothooks.
The idea is that I really don't want to make money off of the game end of things - I want the setting to gain it's own following and then get a novel deal. 
Anyhow, just last night I ran into my first major snafu... I can't think of a single story I want to write in my own setting! 
I have almost all the groundwork laid in my head for how the world works and who the major players are, and what sort of cultures are there and what-not... but I can't find anything of 'human interest'. Not a single story jumps to mind...
And yet... I can think of over a hundred stories I would love to tell in the Realms.
<sigh>
I figured if I created my own unique world with lots of detail, the creativity would just flow (as it does when I think about the Realms), but instead I've hit writers block for the first time in my life.
My world isn't 'alive'... there are no stories I care to tell. Not yet, anyway. Here I thought this whole time the Realms was like a sheet of paper I can scribble my concerto on, and instead, I find it was the musical instrument. Sure, I can use the bongos I built myself, but I can only create true beauty with the Harp that is the Realms.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the Forgotten Realms are my muse... they are truly inspirational. The stories one can imagine happening there practically write themselves. I've enjoyed many settings in my life, both game and otherwise, but FR is the only one I wanted to contribute to... the only one I ever felt had a "million untold stories" waiting to be revealed.
Sorry if this deviated from the topic at hand, but I only came to that epiphany last night, and I thought I'd share. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 13 Jul 2009 18:00:12 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 18:05:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
Talk to Brian, Erik. He is moving out to the Seattle area.
Really? Oh snap! 
@Markustay: A very poetic post. Well done, sir! And also sad that you're at blockage.
I don't suppose you could think up Realms stories as a baseline and then *convert* them? That's a totally legitimate way to write, IMO: you draw upon whatever it is that connects you to the story and fill in your own detail. And if nothing else, it can help you get into the motions of hitting those keys.
I mean, heck, some people start with fan fiction based on popular 1997 video games and go from there. (*ahem*)
Cheers
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Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jul 2009 : 23:55:53
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Markustay! Markustay! (Jumps up and down with urgency)
Post this entire post you've just done here re. having a hard time telling stories in your setting in the Questions for Ed thread.
He once did an entire GenCon seminar on just this topic; I'm SURE he'll have something to say that will be immediately useful.
Really!
BB |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2009 : 01:12:21
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I'll echo Blueblade's suggestion, Markus.
I've long been [over the last five years] in the process of generating fiction for a world of my own design. It's been difficult at times, and frustrating for the rest. I've tried the 'comic' route, the short story method, even part of an entire book-length feature. At the moment, I'm settled on an journal/diary-styled narrative.
Given all that, though, it's definitely an experience that I treasure. There's nothing quite like putting your own love for writing and stories into a project like world-creation.
I'd be happy to discuss this topic with you further, through PMs, if you're interested. Having faced similar problems, I may be able to offer a measure of assistance.
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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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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2009 : 06:09:20
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I think Erik may have helped a lot.
I can think of many short-stories I've been wanting to write based on Realms events - two complete anthologies actually - one set during the Crown wars, and the other set during the year of the Spellplague (believe it or not).
I love stories about 'the little guy', and I think a lot of small stories with deep meaning happened during those two events (and I'm sure many others as well).
Although I can't use those events, I may be able to use Erik's advice and think about the story I would want to write, and then create my own world's event that would work just as well. In that way, I not only can 'cheat' (by writing Realms-like stories set elsewhere), but it also allows me to back-fill in quite a lot of history (the timeline is VERY barebones ATM).
I won't be able to do the Spelllague stories exactly, but I have several 'great wars' that will still work to reproduce all that hardship and misery I was looking for (like I said - I'm more about 'human interst' stories, not WSE's).
I feel a little 'dirty' writing the story for the Realms, and then modifying it to fit my own world, but I think that really is the perfect solution (until my world has enough traction of it's own to fire-up my imagination).
Thanks for the advice Erik, the suggestion Blueblade, and the offer sage... I have much to think about now. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 14 Jul 2009 06:11:58 |
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New stories? New life?
