| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 15 Jul 2014 : 02:14:24
I've been trying to figure out how to express what hits that right "Realmsian" feeling for me when reading a book or a product, and the answer I have hit upon is likely too simple for some, and not quite right for others, but here goes, for me:
The Realms feels to me to be a perfect hybrid of Nehwon and Middle-Earth.
Not between the two. A synthesis. A blending of the two. The admixture of the adventurer as culture and love of wonders of the world as they stand.
For what it's worth, its where my head (and heart) is at when I read the Realms. |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 17 Jul 2014 : 21:48:01
quote:
For me, the proper Realms vibe in sourcebooks comes in the form of something that I can find every few sentences or paragraphs, that causes me to want to stop reading and start writing, creating and fleshing out for the purpose of a D&D campaign.
When it's really good, I want to take those dangling threads (idea hooks for the DM) and fill it all in simply for the sake of doing it.
In this way a good sourcbook is like a patchwork quilt.
A good example would be Volo's Guide to Cormyr.
Imagine that book in the form of a Purple Dragon (as depicted here), where the dragon is comprised of the content of the Volo's Guide, but the background around it is empty.
If you were to look really close, you'd see minute threads dangling from every edge of the dragon; the border of its eye, around its wings, you name it.
A great sourcebook with the right vibe makes me want to work outward from all of those threads and fill it all in with the color of my imagination until the background is fully realized and the dragon stands out properly against it.
What I'm saying is the right vibe for me happens when a sourcebook constantly excites a DM's imagination.
That and the Realms is never fully realized until a DM fuses his or her ideas and creativity with the Realms as presented in a sourebook, and comes up with something that's both of the Realms and unique to a campaign.
Sourcebooks with too much writing drown that potential out (i.e. the vibe is watered down or missing) and so are not worth nearly as much to me.
That's exactly what I do with the sourcebooks. I cant think of any bad ones at the moment that didn't do this for me (even Netheril had great potential), but all the ones I have read I study several times looking for those stray threads. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 17 Jul 2014 : 21:14:28
I think that's not a bad approximation with just two authors, KE. I think, though, that Faerūn is unlike Middle-earth in more ways than it's unlike Nehwon, and because of that, and because people often assume the Realms is 'high fantasy', whatever that is, I'd emphasize the Leiber influence (which certainly is the main immediate one, historically). I'd also say the Realms is closer to some of the other first-generation North American Tolkien-influenced fantasists than Tolkien himself. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 15 Jul 2014 : 07:17:48
For me, the proper Realms vibe in sourcebooks comes in the form of something that I can find every few sentences or paragraphs, that causes me to want to stop reading and start writing, creating and fleshing out for the purpose of a D&D campaign.
When it's really good, I want to take those dangling threads (idea hooks for the DM) and fill it all in simply for the sake of doing it.
In this way a good sourcbook is like a patchwork quilt.
A good example would be Volo's Guide to Cormyr.
Imagine that book in the form of a Purple Dragon (as depicted here), where the dragon is comprised of the content of the Volo's Guide, but the background around it is empty.
If you were to look really close, you'd see minute threads dangling from every edge of the dragon; the border of its eye, around its wings, you name it.
A great sourcebook with the right vibe makes me want to work outward from all of those threads and fill it all in with the color of my imagination until the background is fully realized and the dragon stands out properly against it.
What I'm saying is the right vibe for me happens when a sourcebook constantly excites a DM's imagination.
That and the Realms is never fully realized until a DM fuses his or her ideas and creativity with the Realms as presented in a sourebook, and comes up with something that's both of the Realms and unique to a campaign.
Sourcebooks with too much writing drown that potential out (i.e. the vibe is watered down or missing) and so are not worth nearly as much to me. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 15 Jul 2014 : 05:44:01
There is some synthesis between the worlds (the Retreat, the decline of the dwarves, etc. are similar to Middle Earth and the likes of Saruman and Ghandalf resembe Mystra's Chosen). Nehwon had its sense of adventure (moreso than the 'grand story' presented in Middle Earth) that has translated well into the Realms. Not to mention some of the deliberate cross over (Ilmater=Issek of the Jug, Aarth=Azuth). So yeah, there is some sythesis.
That said, though, the Realms is much richer than either of those worlds (especially Nehwon) IMO. I've read all of Tolkien and Leiber's works. Leiber's work is interesting but not terribly good. Tolkein was a much better writer and world builder I think. Frankly, Ed makes Leiber look like an amatuer and Tolkein like a student being groomed to take his master's place (even though it was Ed who took much of his inspiration from them...he was just MUCH better at it). |
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