| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 06 Aug 2013 : 18:39:10
GenCon is almost upon us, and I thought I'd drop a reminder to everyone to . . .
Come one, come all, ye steely-eyed and devoted servants of the Realms, to the annual Conclave of the Harpers! Much and more is afoot in our imperiled world, and the shadow of an impending cataclysm grows long. Your voices, steel, and spells are needed, now more than ever.
The 2nd Annual Candlekeep Seminar will be held on Saturday, August 17, from 6 - 10 p.m. in the Crowne Plaza Victoria Station rooms A & B (I believe it's the same as last year). More details here.
Our placement right after the anticipated "Fate of the Realms" seminar means we'll be doing a lot of discussing of that event and the secrets unfolded. Come get your questions answered (or at least hear some good speculation) first!
Why come to the seminar? Well, because you love the Realms, love talking about the Realms for long stretches of time (we blocked off 4 hours), and love seeing/hearing Realms luminaries. Our list is never cemented, but this year we've got a great line-up, including Ed Greenwood himself, Jim Lowder, Richard Lee Byers, Erin Evans, the James Brothers, myself, etc.
Currently, there are just a few tickets left, and they are a bargain at absolutely free. Like last year, the Seminar includes commemorative pins to honor the occasion, which go first to ticket holders, then to anyone else. (To help cover the costs of the seminar--mostly to produce the pins--we're thinking of providing an option for donations, 100% of which will go into supplies.)
Finally! If you are coming to the seminar and wish to hear more or even help out in some way, Brian Cortijo (Garen Thal) is currently looking for doors to knock on and email addresses to hit up. Contact him directly, drop me a message, or post here, and Brian will drop you a line.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Sweet water and light laughter,
Erik |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 21:40:31
Well, the last thing a Harper would want to do is invalidate the good deeds of another noble creature! Thanks, Garen! |
| Delwa |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 16:42:58
Gotcha. Thanks for letting us know! Now to go back to whittling a wooden pin.... |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 15:18:16
Hello, everyone!
Just to consolidate a number of responses into one answer, here's the skinny:
There are no more Harper pins.
We came into the summer with only a handful of pins remaining, those went to two sets of people: people who were promised pins and never got them (administrators for the Candlekeep site, Eric Boyd, George Krashos), and folks that contributed to our GoFundMe effort to finance the 2014 pins beyond a certain threshold ($60). I honestly was not expecting the Harper pins to be so in-demand that anyone would pay such a generous amount, but they were, and I thank those individuals from the bottom of my twisted little heart.
But that leaves us with a dilemma. Kind folks paid a lot of money to obtain 2013 Harper pins that were in short supply in order to help us fund 2014 Lords of Waterdeep pins. It would be easy enough to do another round of donation/collection/production for the Harper pins, but then we are in the position of possibly invalidating that generosity--which I have no intentions of doing.
We may do something in the future, but there are other legal and logistical concerns beyond the finances that have to be worked out, first.
-BC |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 23:44:27
I could swing that or somewhere round abouts. |
| Delwa |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 23:14:29
quote:
Originally posted by Marcus_Wands
Delwa, did you know how much the pins were on the first go-around? Even if it's just a ballpark figure?
I believe twenty was the magic number. |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 22:02:13
Delwa, did you know how much the pins were on the first go-around? Even if it's just a ballpark figure? |
| Delwa |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 21:48:38
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
If you guys are interested, contact Garen Thal, who is the organizer of the pins. We're considering if/how to create more pins for people who missed out.
Cheers
That's awesome news! I didn't have the money when the offer first went around. I'd love to have a Harper pin myself. I'll be messaging him. Thanks! |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 19:33:28
Thanks Erik! I reached out to him! |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 18:33:30
If you guys are interested, contact Garen Thal, who is the organizer of the pins. We're considering if/how to create more pins for people who missed out.
Cheers |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 15:16:41
Nice to know I'm not alone. I've never even seen someone put an unofficial/unauthorized version on Etsy - which is pretty common among fandoms on Etsy. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 05:08:33
The same for me. I even have at my father's house a small harp earring that I found years ago and used to actively wear everywhere as a pin on my jacket, vest, shirt, etc. If I could actually get an honest to goodness Harper pin, that would be a dream come true for me! (As well as a dream come true for a character of mine that wanted to become a Harper, but my DM told me they were a headache to RP. That always made me sad... Maybe now I'll make an NPC bard of mine a Harper, just to be able to have a character that is one. It's been fifteen years now... I think it's time, don't you? :-) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 04:49:01
I'd like to get my hands on one, too. |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 18 Sep 2014 : 03:27:09
I know I'm late to the game and this is a fool's hope, but is there anywhere one might find one of the Candlekeep 2013 Harper pins? I want a Harper Pin so badly and this is the only one I've ever seen. |
| Mournblade |
Posted - 25 Aug 2013 : 19:21:14
I will add, as a DM in my home games not organized play, I have always constructed a story. I really never have in Encounters, and when I got that lore book, I went into the encounters session knowing it was going to be unlike any other they had.
The STRENGTH of the realms is its lore. It was a poor decision to try to limit the lore of the realms in 2008, and it is good to see the fans and creators working together to FIX that mistake.
|
| Mournblade |
Posted - 25 Aug 2013 : 19:16:12
I am running Murder in Baldur's Gate for the encounters group herei n Cedar Grove NJ. Most of these players are of the encounters culture so tospeak, i.e. show up, have a little roleplay, but ultimately the fun so to speak was the fight of the encounter.
Last wednesday, my group told me they were more immersed than they ever have been with encounters (I ran them through all the encounters since may 0f 2012, so me as the DM is an isolated variable). The reason is the FANTASTIC lore book of Murder in Baldur's Gate. I am running this adventure like I used to run my old second edition campaign because of the sheer amount of lore I have available.
one of the players asked me how i ever had time to add all of this stuff to the adventure. I told him where I embellish things of course, the information I am giving them is a function of realmslore and not necessarily my own doing. My creativity come in how I deliver that realms lore.
Suddenly the players ask me about their backgrounds. WHat family they can be from, what organizations they can be from, and they all want to embellish their characters now.
The encounters session previous to Murder in Baldur's Gate, the characters had backgrounds, but they did not play into the adventure much.
Already I have intraparty conflict (in a good way) because the majority wants to work with the Duke, while one character is a Flaming Fist seargent and does not feel like he can work for the duke and not ravengard. SO the conflict is all between characters and not players. It amounted to 45 minutes of discussion, which is par for the course in my HOME campaign, but for an encounters session that NEVER happened before.
I am actively showing them what the Realms rich in lore, can do for THEM as a play experience. One player left the session asking me about FR novels to go out and read. "I never thought the FR Novels would be worth it," he said something along those lines. "now I feel like if I read them, they might make me reflect on the character more." I suggested the Elminster series, RA SALVATORE, or Paul S Kemp, do get a good range of the lore of the realms.
I feel like I scored a goal for the Realms team. I have never walked away from an encounters session feeling like I accomplished anything other than 'running a game.' This last one, I constructed a story, and got the players interested in the setting.
|
| Gyor |
Posted - 25 Aug 2013 : 00:34:01
Very very good advice Eric, hard to remember when your angry, but worth putting the effort into remembering. Maybe it'd be a good idea to never post angry. |
| Erik Scott de Bie |
Posted - 24 Aug 2013 : 23:53:21
Thanks Jeremy. I want to sum that up by saying there is a difference between being a legitimate critic (who points out flaws and helps make something better) and being a jerk (who launches personal attacks, derails a discussion, offers insults, or ignores constructive thoughts and opinions from others).
I personally know of a number of creatives who will not go online to discuss their thoughts (here at the Keep or elsewhere) because they are consistently attacked, ignored, or just generally treated like dirt. And that's very sad.
We are all people, we all make mistakes, and we all have opinions. Please remember this when dealing with creatives, be they writers, designers, or anything else. The second you cross the line, then whatever well-formed opinion or passionate stance you might have no longer matters, because that creative is not going to listen to you.
Generally: don't be a jerk.
And remember, when I say "call me out when I make a mistake," that's me speaking for me and me alone. Other creatives will want you to approach them differently. Please be respectful and don't push.
Cheers |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Aug 2013 : 05:01:01
Indeed, what he said. Though my shores aren't nearly as far away as his.  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 24 Aug 2013 : 03:36:26
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hehe.
I'm still waiting to get my hands on one of the pins from last year's seminar. 
Ditto!!
I do seem to recall someone saying we'd get those, but I never heard anything else on it...
Yes, that was me. I'm in the process of moving right now, but will be sending out the promised pins just as soon as we're settled.
Much appreciative of your efforts, Brian.
Know, also, that I'm prepared to provide suitable financial recompense for any shipping costs required for ensuring safe passage of this promised gift to my faraway shore. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 22:02:07
Coo. I will happily await that package. It is appreciated! |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 21:09:56
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hehe.
I'm still waiting to get my hands on one of the pins from last year's seminar.
Ditto!!
I do seem to recall someone saying we'd get those, but I never heard anything else on it...
Yes, that was me. I'm in the process of moving right now, but will be sending out the promised pins just as soon as we're settled. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 21:08:25
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hehe.
I'm still waiting to get my hands on one of the pins from last year's seminar.
Ditto!!
I do seem to recall someone saying we'd get those, but I never heard anything else on it... |
| The Red Walker |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 19:19:29
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hehe.
I'm still waiting to get my hands on one of the pins from last year's seminar.
Ditto!!
Well last year I did offer to ship one down under for Sage.......maybe i should have worn my official Candlekeep robes when making the offer to boost my trustworthyness?  |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 18:29:24
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Hehe.
I'm still waiting to get my hands on one of the pins from last year's seminar.
Ditto!! |
| Emma Drake |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 16:06:37
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
With respect, there’s a dark side to the concept of accountability and I think it deserves some commentary.
Regarding Realmslore discussions and Realms fan interaction with game designers and writers (the later I prefer to call ‘Creatives’), I think Realms discussions are at their best when the discussion limits its focus to the content of a given piece of Realmslore and refrains, as much as possible, from discussing the person who created it.
Over the years, and far too often for my taste, I’ve seen passionate, well-meaning Realms fans turn to personal attacks and ad hominem (directed at Creatives, whether they’re present or not in the conversation) in the midst of Realmslore discussions for no better reason than some game designer or writer took an approach the fan found distasteful.
Well said. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 08:52:59
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Any of us are as accountable as any of the others. If you see me, the James Brothers, Garen (Brian Cortijo), or anyone else making a mistake, please point it out (respectfully and with reasoned arguments). The greater good here is the good of the realms, not the good of our feelings.
With respect, there’s a dark side to the concept of accountability and I think it deserves some commentary.
Regarding Realmslore discussions and Realms fan interaction with game designers and writers (the later I prefer to call ‘Creatives’), I think Realms discussions are at their best when the discussion limits its focus to the content of a given piece of Realmslore and refrains, as much as possible, from discussing the person who created it.
Over the years, and far too often for my taste, I’ve seen passionate, well-meaning Realms fans turn to personal attacks and ad hominem (directed at Creatives, whether they’re present or not in the conversation) in the midst of Realmslore discussions for no better reason than some game designer or writer took an approach the fan found distasteful.
Even when Creatives acknowledge a fan’s point of view, I’ve seen fans with very strong opinions get angry and respond by making the discussion a personal one, instead of sticking to the topic and accepting that sometimes Creatives have a different point of view and won’t change their minds.
Because the Realms is a shared setting and what makes it fun depends a lot on whom you ask, I don’t think Creatives need any regular help to do their jobs.
Point out mistakes, of course. If a Creative brings up a topic for discussion, by all means weigh in with your opinion and thoughts.
In my experience I’ve found that people with really strong opinions about the Realms tend to have a rigid, oftentimes limited view of what the Realms is and what it should be, whereas a Creative’s job is precisely not to take a narrow, rigid approach when writing for the Realms.
I like that Creatives interact with the fans and I *do* think it can be a good thing (Erik and George come immediately to mind; Richard baker was really good at it too), just as I understand there will be the occasional, unavoidable misunderstanding.
I just want to encourage all of you reading this to treat Creatives as regular people, first, and designers second.
Criticism comes with their job, yes, but don’t forget that no matter how passionately you feel about the Realms--and by extension, how strongly you might feel that a Creative is or has positively screwed up some part of the Realms--don't ever make it personal in discussions or take the design decisions themselves personally.
For a game and a setting that's supposed to be about fun and enjoyment, making it personal is not how you hold others accountable. Taking design decisions personally makes it pretty hard to interact with the people who made those decisions.
At this point I’d like to ask a favor: because over the last two weeks I’ve been catching a healthy ration of shit in a handful of scrolls, I want to stress that none of the content of this post is intended as a rebuke or meant as a personal insult towards any one person. I am not attempting to put words in anyone’s mouth or mischaracterize anyone's ideas.
I’d appreciate it if anyone desiring to respond to my comments would please focus on the comments only, as opposed to me personally.
Even better, treat this post for what it is: one scribe’s opinion, take it or leave it.
Thanks. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 08:13:09
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Be an outspoken advocate for the Realms, in whatever way you can.
Because this is a time of great change and great opportunity, and the Realms needs you now more than ever before.
The easiest way to be an advocate for the Realms is to talk about what it is in the setting that gives you the most regular enjoyment.
Since I started playing D&D again at the turn of the century, I’ve derived regular enjoyment from running 3rd and 4th Edition D&D campaigns that start out in Cormyr and then branch out.
Gaming in the Realms has led me to find inspiration from disparate sources outside of gaming. TV, books, music…sometimes even other people, are all fodder for my Realms campaigns. It’s fun and enjoyable to look at the world as a source of inspiration in this way.
As well, I like using Dragon and Dungeon magazines, third party gaming products and taking bits and pieces of various Realms products (novels, not just sourcebooks; also from Ed’s answers on this forum space) and mashing them together to create memorable Realms campaigns that leave a thirst for more with each of the good people I’ve been fortunate enough to game with over the last decade and a half.
I derive a lot of enjoyment out of sharing content from my Realms campaigns online. It’s something I do rarely, but it seems to do well vis-à-vis other users and I like it a whole bunch when they leave positive comments or inform me that they used something I wrote for the Realms in one of their campaigns.
I also like including links between websites that talk about the Realms in my posts, so that people on the WotC forums can, for example, discover places like Candlekeep or the Forgotten Realms Wiki or Loremaster, that they might not otherwise have known existed. Likewise linking to free content like the (still free to download) Backdrop: Cormyr article.
Lastly, I’ve come to greatly enjoy pestering Ed Greenwood with questions (lots and lots of questions.  ) and collecting bits of Realmslore from his novels and Eye on the Realms articles. I like it when people say, “Good question!” and are eager for Ed’s reply. I also enjoy collating his answers and including them in lore collections for others to see, to use and be inspired by.
All this enjoyment, thanks to the Realms. So by all means talk about what you enjoy and link to what you enjoy (where you can), because the Realms prospers the most when people set their D&D campaigns there, when they buy the novels and when they spend a portion of their free time talking about the Realms online.
I like to think I've helped the Realms along in my own little way, and I didn’t even need to wear a Harper pin to do it. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 05:32:33
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
quote:
Originally posted by Krafus
I've been trying to do this, Mr. de Bie, but I can't register an account on WotC's website.
Occasionally a user can go through the registration process in the manner you described, then come back a day or two later and sign in with their new account.
A good way to test this is to click on "forgot password" and enter the email address you provided during registration. If you receive an email with a password reset link, you have an active account.
Again, no guarantee, but sometimes it works out this way.
Indeed, it does. When I set up a secondary [and, later, a tertiary] profile back in the day of Wizards STAR WARS RPG, and again earlier this year, I thought it best to have a separate user profile for that section of their message boards. I encountered a similar problem, which was later rectified using the process Jeremy describes above. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 23 Aug 2013 : 00:08:56
quote:
Originally posted by Krafus
I've been trying to do this, Mr. de Bie, but I can't register an account on WotC's website.
Occasionally a user can go through the registration process in the manner you described, then come back a day or two later and sign in with their new account.
A good way to test this is to click on "forgot password" and enter the email address you provided during registration. If you receive an email with a password reset link, you have an active account.
Again, no guarantee, but sometimes it works out this way. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 22 Aug 2013 : 23:44:03
quote:
Originally posted by Krafus
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
1) Forum posts: Post on the WotC community forums. They are actively monitored by WotC employees. Make yourself stand out by maintaining a reasonable, measured, cogent tone and use specific examples and documented evidence from actual published Realms sources.
I've been trying to do this, Mr. de Bie, but I can't register an account on WotC's website. Whenever I go through the registration process, nothing happens when I click on the "I Accept" button that confirms that one has read and agrees with the User Agreement. With the kind help of other people, I've discovered that this problem only affects users of Internet Explorer - people with other browsers seem to have no difficulty registering.
I suppose could install another browser, but 1) I don't want to risk messing up my computer in any way by installing another browser, not least because I'm not computer-savvy and wouldn't know what to do if a problem arose, and 2) I find it ridiculous that WotC's maintenance staff haven't noticed and fixed this problem, especially since it's been ongoing for months. I would gladly advise WotC of this problem... but to send them a message, one first needs to be registered and have an account. Catch 22.
Something that might be pertinent is that this is the only part of Wizards' website where I've encountered a problem. As far as I can tell, I can easily navigate through all other parts of their website that are open to non-D&DI subscribers, and have had no problem with all other buttons or tabs I've clicked on.
Some would say that having IE already risks messing up your computer.
Firefox and Chrome are good alternative browsers. |
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