| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Drummer Boy |
Posted - 21 Oct 2002 : 04:29:13
I'm going to do a poll asking about how you got started with the Forgotten Realms. I got started when my uncle gave me the Baldur's Gate game as a birthday present, and then, recently, I noticed the Forgotten Realms books in a bookstore and started on reading them. Ok, let's hear your stories, folks!  |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Draighox |
Posted - 21 Mar 2005 : 12:07:20
It started a few years ago, when I started playing Baldur's Gate II. It is the best computer game ever, mainly because of the world - Faerun. Baldur's Gate II not only introduced Faerun to me, because of it I heard about D&D. |
| Jargan |
Posted - 20 Mar 2005 : 02:54:37
I began reading FR books about 2 years ago, and now im 15. I read Pool of Radiance...I had no idea what it was talking about, but it kicked arse, ive been hooked ever since. And the funny thing is...in the store while i was getting it, my mom was saying i need to read more, and i was telling her that is never going to happen. Just look at me now! |
| khorne |
Posted - 17 Mar 2005 : 13:34:41
I first got into the realms through my first computer game ever:Baldurs gate 2. This was when I was eleven. When I was thirteen my mother brought me a book from the library she thought might interest me. It was Homeland. And now, here I am, 17 years old, and a complete FR zealot.Aillesel seldarie!! |
| Sigonan |
Posted - 16 Mar 2005 : 09:52:22
Well... In Greece, fantasy games and books are not all too common (at least before the release of the Lord of the Rings movie. I was considered a rarity for even knowing about the books)
I am pretty new to the pen&paper bussiness but I love reading. I once borrowed a collection of novels from the Ravenloft setting and that was it.
Later I got to play Baldur's Gate on my PC and on the figuring of the rules I got fascinated. Currently I am running a campaign in the FR, one of the most detailed and lush settings... But mainly I got fascinated by the rules as a mechanism. |
| Patrakis |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 03:53:40
Well met,
I first discovered the Forgotten realms by reading Ed GReenwood's article in Dragon magasine. I remember thinking that the guy writing these articles must have one heck of a game going. Of course, when i saw his name on the first campaign setting since grayhawk, i grabed the thing in a second.
When i think about the first time i read the booklets in that box i get goosebumps. THe way it was written was unique. You had the feeling you were presented a secret world that might have existed once, somewhere, or sometime. Those are my first souvenirs of the game, the first time experiencing the game and like every first experiences, you never forget and they feels fresh in your mind as if you just had them. I am very fond of those times that were so long ago and yet feel like yesterday.
I was born in 1966 and this took place in 1986. Next year, i will have spent half of my life living a great hobby and a extraordinary passion.
Thanks for the first poster. You gave me another opportunity to go in a past i rarely go anymore.
Fare well
Patrakis of the dales |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 19:09:57
In junior high I interited my sister's Basic Set that she never used, and desperately tried to learn the rules with my friends. We had some halting sessions, and about the time I got the Expert Set, I ended up running a game for my Sunday School class to prove it wasn't evil.
Soon after I found out there was an Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, and there was even a series of novels, called the DragonLance novels. I loved the first two trilogies, and quickly tore through them, and then, when there were not a lot of DragonLance books coming out, I saw Darkwalker on Moonshae. I loved it, but it was very different to me than the cohesive DragonLance books. Then when I bought the Crystal Shard I finally understood . . . unlike DragonLance there wansn't one grand theme or plan for the setting, there were smaller themes that reccurred from place to place and overlapped, but not always. It was wide open.
I bought the old grey boxed set, Waterdeep and the North, and switched my group from my homemade setting to the Realms and never looked back. Occaisionally we still visited Krynn, but I knew Waterdeep like the back of my hand and I loved the Savage Frontier. It wasn't until later that we even travelled to the "Western Heartlands" or spent any time in the Dalelands or Cormyr.
And as to Eberron . . . the setting looks interesting, but I think what a lot of Realms fans don't like is that "young" fans don't like our Realms and would be far more interested in a quasi-modern magical setting like Eberron, and that indeed our Realms may well kill off D&D becuase the youngsters don't like "sword and sorcery", which of course strikes me as very strange considering how well the Lord of the Rings movies did . . . |
| Chosen of Moradin |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 17:33:06
I started 8 years ago, when the books of second edition was published in portuguese... after this come undermountain, and my lovebond to the Realms was completed. After this, I lear english (too good to read books, but too bad to speak, or write - and in this, I´m apologizing for my errors here...), and buy some great boxes: The Ruins of Myth Drannor, The City of Splendors, El Ecologies, Vilhon Reach, Powers and Pantheons;
And so, after this come the 3rd Edition. I buy almost all books (in english, of course, because there are so few translated to portuguese... and that´s a pity. We have in our language only the FRCS, Magic of Faerun and Silver Marches  ) |
| Zimeros |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 21:05:58
I started four years ago, when I found the books of second edition for sell in a book shop, for just 15 reals(something about 5 dollars).
Now I love the realms and I have the books of third edition, but I still have my first book of second edition, a old blue book with pictures of Elminster and Dritz... |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 06:00:42
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Bane
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
I think CoB was just making a humorous comment rather than a disparaging statement towards anyone who enjoys Eberron.
For the record I was trying to make a humorous comment. I have absolutely nothing agains people who play eberron. I am just [more than] content with the Realms.
Same here. I do like certain aspects of the Eberron setting (particularly the new races), it's just not nearly as interesting to me as the Realms is. |
| Chosen of Bane |
Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 02:32:15
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
I think CoB was just making a humorous comment rather than a disparaging statement towards anyone who enjoys Eberron.
For the record I was trying to make a humorous comment. I have absolutely nothing agains people who play eberron. I am just [more than] content with the Realms. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 23:22:45
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I just want to give my opinion that one doesn't have to choose between Eberron and the FR.
Crazy talk. 
She's right, SB -- there's no choice. It's the Forgotten Realms, hands-down. That other setting isn't even worth comparing. 
 Well, I suppose that's one way to interpret what I said...
Faraer, I am very much interested in hearing what you have to say. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 17:55:45
[remnant of badly placed discussion about tribalism; will have this discussion another time] |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 16:50:27
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I just want to give my opinion that one doesn't have to choose between Eberron and the FR.
Crazy talk.
She's right, SB -- there's no choice. It's the Forgotten Realms, hands-down. That other setting isn't even worth comparing. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 06:59:05
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I just want to give my opinion that one doesn't have to choose between Eberron and the FR.
Crazy talk. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 05:19:09
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
I think CoB was just making a humorous comment rather than a disparaging statement towards anyone who enjoys Eberron. I still find online posters who feel that the FR is simply a passing fancy which will soon die out.
They don't know what they are missing, I say.
As for me, I'm not trying to argue with anyone or shout them down, I just want to give my opinion that one doesn't have to choose between Eberron and the FR. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 04:31:16
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
I like Eberron, and I don't consider it a bandwagon. Why? Because I gave it a chance, and I decided I liked it. I'm not into it just because it's new--it took me a long time to even decide to buy the sourcebook.
I think CoB was just making a humorous comment rather than a disparaging statement towards anyone who enjoys Eberron. I still find online posters who feel that the FR is simply a passing fancy which will soon die out. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 04:15:26
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Bane
I am happy to say I have evolved into a full-blown Realms Snob. I scoff at the Eberron band wagon and find humor know nothing more about Greyhawk than Khelban spent some time there.
I like Eberron, and I don't consider it a bandwagon. Why? Because I gave it a chance, and I decided I liked it. I'm not into it just because it's new--it took me a long time to even decide to buy the sourcebook.
That being said, I still love the Realms more than any other setting. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 04:08:04
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Bane
I scoff at the Eberron band wagon
 |
| Chosen of Bane |
Posted - 06 Mar 2005 : 03:58:36
Gamed in 2nd Edition for a long time in middle school in high school (1990's). We had a couple of the older maps of Faerun and used them but it was really more of a homebrew world using the FR map.
Went to college in 98 and didn't play (or have anything to do with) D&D for the 4 years I was in college and the year after. Then in late 2003 my mother was moving so my brother was helping clean out her basement and he found my old 2nd edition PHB (my mother threw out the rest of my 2nd Edition books, I had SO MANY  . Well, we got talking about D&D again so I went to a Barnes and Noble and checked out what they had and what do you know, there was a new edition and it was by the people to made "Magic the gathering".
My brother and I decided to try and pick it back up. And a student at the school I work for had recently let me borrow Icewind Dale Trilogy (by RAS) so I decided to go with the Realms for my campaign setting.
Since I have read about 40 of the novels and own every 3E realms sourcebook (plus a bunch of 2nd Edition stuff I got off ebay and at a gaming shops used books rack). I am happy to say I have evolved into a full-blown Realms Snob. I scoff at the Eberron band wagon and know nothing more about Greyhawk than Khelban spent some time there.
|
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 25 Feb 2005 : 02:58:31
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It was such a relief once she was out of the picture.
Dear Cyric, after hearing about her, a relief indeed to hear that she was eventually out of the picture. So, where did you bury the body?
Just kidding...maybe
SB |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Feb 2005 : 23:19:00
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Gerath Hoan
I got into gaming at secondary school (US Translation: High School) when i was about 12 or 13. My friend's Mum (US: read as Mom) used to be a gamer from way back when and she passed on her books.
Considering the amount of horror stories I've heard from those who had parents react negatively to gaming, it's always delightful to read about someone like your friend's mother.
Indeed... My first D&D purchase was from the librarian at my Jr. HS -- her son had lost interest in the game, so she offered to sell his books to me and my friend Gene.
My dad's second wife, however, was death on D&D. She couldn't conceive of someone enjoying a fictitious setting... She even got into and sold all of my Super Endless Quest books, because they said D&D on the side. Thank the gods the rest of my game stuff was in a non-obvious location... It's because of her that I got into the habit of hiding and/or disguising all my game stuff. It was kind of funny -- if I put a plain brown book cover (made from a paper bag) on a rule book, I could leave it sitting in plain sight and she'd never see it.
It was such a relief once she was out of the picture.
quote:
Originally posted by Gerath Hoan
It's just a shame my girlfriend (and now fiancee) of the last three years can't understand the power the Realms has over me!
Anyone else got that problem?
GH
My girlfriend is content to let me pursue my interests... Sadly, she's not at all interested in reading, herself. |
| Gerath Hoan |
Posted - 24 Feb 2005 : 18:27:09
quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
Longer lasting than Brad & Jennifer or Tom & Nicole.
Haha... Thanks Sirus! 
It's just a shame my girlfriend (and now fiancee) of the last three years can't understand the power the Realms has over me!
Anyone else got that problem?
GH |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 24 Feb 2005 : 18:10:03
quote:
Originally posted by Gerath Hoan
I got into gaming at secondary school (US Translation: High School) when i was about 12 or 13. My friend's Mum (US: read as Mom) used to be a gamer from way back when and she passed on her books.
Considering the amount of horror stories I've heard from those who had parents react negatively to gaming, it's always delightful to read about someone like your friend's mother.
quote:
My love affair with the Realms has lasted about 9 years now, not bad considering my age (21).
Longer lasting than Brad & Jennifer or Tom & Nicole. |
| Gerath Hoan |
Posted - 24 Feb 2005 : 12:54:43
LOL, i'm really feeling my youth thinking about this one!
I was about, hmm, 4 in 1987?
I got into gaming at secondary school (US Translation: High School) when i was about 12 or 13. My friend's Mum (US: read as Mom) used to be a gamer from way back when and she passed on her books. We collectively devoured the rules and started planning a great dungeon hack, but within a few months we were looking for more depth. On one of my frequent holidays in the US i picked up loads of 2nd Ed core books (TSR books, in the 1990s at least, were a pain to get in the UK if you didn't live near a big city). Knowing that building my own campaign setting was a bit ambitious (i'd not been DM at this point) i knew i'd have to purchase one of the settings. I'd read the Dragonlance Saga and Legends series by then, but was disappointed at the lack of interesting plot hooks on Krynn (the heroes of the lance did all the hard work). Fortunately the 2nd Ed Realms box set just screamed at me off the shelf. It was HUGE! Once i devoured all its contents and made myself somewhat Realms aware i started on all the fiction i could get (quite a bit, though i never got into Drizzt, sorry) and all the additional sourcebooks i could find (limited amounts). Once 3rd Ed came around and WOTC released everything, things have been easily available to me and i live in a small city now, so i've bought nearly every Realms sourcebook and run tonnes of games since 2000. My fiction reading slowed down a pace for a few years, but i've picked it back up again with the Elminster series and i plan on finally getting around to reading the follow ups to Spellfire (which i read AGES ago). Thanks to websites offering PDF downloads (and Ebay!) i've also assembled my dream library of old edition stuff that i just couldn't get hold of when i was younger.
My love affair with the Realms has lasted about 9 years now, not bad considering my age (21). I'm quite proud of coming to the Realms before the Baldur's Gate PC game hooked all my friends, and before the 3rd Edition made D&D that much more high profile in the UK. |
| Sylrae |
Posted - 24 Feb 2005 : 12:26:12
Ah yes D&D the one way its ok to be friends with someone 20-25 years older than yourself without it being gross... lol |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Feb 2005 : 00:53:40
quote:
Originally posted by Sylrae
Well, My dad used to run 2nd ed. Greyhawk. but that was before i was born back in late 87, probably after most of you had your grey boxes...
Believe it or not, I was still a few years away from being a Realms fan at that point. I didn't get my grey box until just before the 2nd Edition boxed set was announced! |
| Sylrae |
Posted - 23 Feb 2005 : 23:33:19
Well, My dad used to run 2nd ed. Greyhawk. but that was before i was born back in late 87, probably after most of you had your grey boxes... after talking to him about it ow i wouldnt want to play in his games, he always used modules and just had them automatically start where the module started.
anyways it was in 1993 when i was 5 that i got into the realms. dungeon hack for dos had just come out, and my dad bought me a copy to play on our crappy pc. wasnt crappy at the time, but it is now, lol. so... I played for hours and hours on that game, then onto more FR dos games. missed baldurs gate completely and landed in NWN and recently icewind dale. ive been running D&D for a couple years now and I only run the realms because after the first campaign i got bored of greyhawk. like it if u want, not for me.
i grabbed a dragonlance module to look at it, and i couldnt get into it. bought pool of radience attack on myth drannor, and since then its been.
frcs, pgfr, download old pdfs from 2nd ed buy mofr and well there you have it.
17 currently if you dont want to do the math.
so 12 years of FR out of 17 years of life. ah yeah!
|
| Sariss Eldariss |
Posted - 22 Feb 2005 : 20:28:25
Joined a game and the DM started the session "...the old skull in is unusually full tonight as you notice more than just the usual dalelanders are in the inn, you can deduce that a large number of the strangers are cormyreans, what do you do?"
The fact that the world had different cultures and something as simple as an inn had both character and history was amazing. I bought my first FR novel the very next day (Homeland - R.A.Salvatore)
Been hooked ever since. |
| fitz |
Posted - 21 Feb 2005 : 06:32:05
I played baldure gate, and i was interssing in neverwinter or morrowind (I am no sour only these games are of this saga)
And I like to read fantasy's book, so when I saw a big saga, i think
"you must read it"
i haven't got started, but it will be in few months |
| Snotlord |
Posted - 14 Feb 2005 : 23:19:08
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Welcome to Candlekeep!
Thank you. After reading Ed's answers in the Hall of Sages, it strangely feels like coming home. |
