| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Marcus_Wands |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 04:08:53
So what defines something as "Realmsian", if you're forgive the term? Yes, it's high magic. Yes, it's got a rich history. Yes, it's chock full of adventure. But these traits can be attributed to quite a few fantasy settings, especially when it comes to D&D. So what defines something as clearly being part of the mood, tone and theme of Faerun for you and most importantly, how do you express that to your players at the gaming table? |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 23 Sep 2014 : 05:00:11
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
Although I continue to make the occasional edit, Under Illefarn Anew is done, except for one missing map. I've recruited a volunteer, so hopefully that will come together very soon.
Next up is to see if anyone is interested in hosting it (on a certain website). Otherwise, I'll post it myself.
--Eric
We would, of course, welcome the opportunity to host such a fine compilation here at Candlekeep, Eric. If you'll simply contact either Alaundo or myself via email with the necessary files, we can ensure it will be included for upload during the next site update.  |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 17:28:21
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
Although I continue to make the occasional edit, Under Illefarn Anew is done, except for one missing map. I've recruited a volunteer, so hopefully that will come together very soon.
Next up is to see if anyone is interested in hosting it (on a certain website). Otherwise, I'll post it myself.
--Eric
That's the kind of thing Big Al would love to host... If it wasn't for knowing that you already have your own website, I'd've already offered to host it on mine! |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 16:05:35
Well whoever's website it is they had best agree otherwise i will send a plague of emails to the administrator until they relent.
I am quite willing to give up one of my reproductive organs to get my hands on Illefarn Anew. I hope i dont have to, but if needs must. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 15:27:43
Although I continue to make the occasional edit, Under Illefarn Anew is done, except for one missing map. I've recruited a volunteer, so hopefully that will come together very soon.
Next up is to see if anyone is interested in hosting it (on a certain website). Otherwise, I'll post it myself.
--Eric |
| Markustay |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 14:57:28
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Eric's moved out of Daggerford and gone into the woods.
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| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 09:22:08
And now that you mention both of those items i dont know the answer, although i suspect that Siluvanede existed as a vassal state of Eaerlann until that realmed ceased around 890 DR (i can never remember the exact date).
It would have really annoyed the gold elves to be subservient to a bunch of wood and moon elves, and i bet the Eaerlanni secretly relished making the gold elves do things they thought was beneath them.
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| George Krashos |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 08:46:14
There's always links to be made, gaps to be filled. When did Siluvanede cease to exist? Where was the capital of Sharrven? Little stuff that can add flavour to a campaign.
-- George Krashos |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 08:41:28
So you are working flat out on realmslore, and are unable to finish your Impiltur city writeups, yet you are only doing bits and pieces of back-story for Eric.
Therefore, you are working on something else. Intriguing.
I have always steered clear of the North, the Dalelands, Cormyr, and Waterdeep because there is soo much information about them i didnt think i would be able to contribute much that hasnt already been done.
I wonder is Eric using the same tools we all have, or has he got a box of secret lore from Ed (or his own stuff) that he is working with. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 06:29:39
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
George, you cannot drop bombshells like that and not provide a hint as to what that work might be.
Hopefully it is the Daggerford project, but if it is something else then i think you should announce it to everyone.
Otherwise i will spend many sleepless nights pondering over what it might be. Then i will get fired, my wife will divorce me, i will end up homeless, and it will all be your fault. So spill the beans.
Eric's moved out of Daggerford and gone into the woods. The man is possessed, but that's unsurprising given the toys he is playing with. Me, I'm just doing a few bits and pieces - back-story of questionable worth.
-- George Krashos |
| CorellonsDevout |
Posted - 22 Sep 2014 : 03:04:12
It's richness, history, lore, the people, races, gods, places, forces at work. Each race has its own history and culture. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 23:19:49
What makes the realms realmsian to me is that there are MULTIPLE forces involved. Dragonlance is black and white. Greyhawk and Eberron come the closest to the realms feel to me, but Eberron is a little too tech heavy (still it has some wonderful elements), and Greyhawk is a little too country-centric. The realms (prior to the spellplague) had just the right level of country's versus city states, various plotting entities/groups spread around all vying for control over different. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 08:45:32
George, you cannot drop bombshells like that and not provide a hint as to what that work might be.
Hopefully it is the Daggerford project, but if it is something else then i think you should announce it to everyone.
Otherwise i will spend many sleepless nights pondering over what it might be. Then i will get fired, my wife will divorce me, i will end up homeless, and it will all be your fault. So spill the beans. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 06:57:28
What makes the Realms unique? My work with Eric Boyd at the moment!
-- George Krashos |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 05:46:32
The purpose of the setting is to be a backdrop. More importantly, it’s a tool. The setting is a device to set your campaign into in order to enhance it.
This can be expressed by the DM as “We’re playing in the Realms” and then the DM goes off and does his or her thing, irrespective of the setting. After all, you need somewhere to play, right?
And that’s fine.
But for (I daresay) most DMs, playing in the Realms means borrowing from it to one degree or another. This is where your question about expressing the Realms comes in.
Now then, asking about the mood, tone and feel is still a little too broad. Instead, we should be asking about the setting. That is, the concrete pieces that we as DMs introduce to our players for them to interact with. So instead of mood, tone and feel, we should be talking about places (dungeons and encounter locations, but also cities and terrain), NPCs (not the big names) and monsters…lots of monsters.
It takes a hell of a lot of work to establish mood, tone and feel. Conversely, it’s hella easy to throw a death tyrant at the players and get them to feel something. That, and they’ll have a memory that lasts a lifetime.
And it’s those memories you want to build in your players, one on top of the other.
Likewise for a dungeon. Whether it’s Undermountain or something smaller, like the Haunted Halls or one of your own devising, if it’s clear to the players that this place is dangerous, full of treasure and fun monster encounters, they’ll remember it and they’ll want to explore it.
Spend some time in the dungeon, but get them out of there sooner rather than later. Thus, if you can link the dungeon to the wider world (a portal to somewhere else or the finding of maps, letters or items that clearly belong to someone somewhere, or news that a plague is lurking in the dungeon that’s horribly contagious and causes you to turn into a zombie that explodes when you contact fire and oh by the way the King of All Cormyr really ought to know about it since it’s in his backyard) you can start to build into the players minds the idea that the Realms is an interconnected place.
This is where NPCs come in. Used wisely, NPCs allow the DM to impart world knowledge, lots of flavor and general fun (NPCs can be memorable if the DM plays them up). Used wrongly, NPCs can steal the spotlight, end up as roadblocks keeping the players from advancing in the narrative that is the DM’s overall plot and serve as enemies that deplete the player’s attention.
So use them sparingly, but make them memorable. Pick a few traits (a demeanor, a nature, an accent, etc.) and then make them all about something: their wealth, their ego, their knowledge, their love of Cormyr, their desire to overthrow the King, etc. This makes both remembering how they behave and what they’re about a whole hell of a lot easier, which means you’re less likely to get lost in the minutia of notes and half-remembered encounters that are the bane of any DM, but it also means you’re consistent (and consistency is important, see below).
All you really need is a handful of NPCs. When one drops off, add another in but keep the roster small…say six to ten.
And consistency. DMs need to be consistent in their rulings on game mechanics, in their presentation of places, monsters and NPCs and the behavior of the game world. This doesn’t mean all monsters are carbon copies, for example, but it does mean that players should generally be able to rely on the knowledge they’ve gleaned from prior encounters and plan their tactics accordingly. This is what reinforces in their minds that the gaming world is a living, breathing world and not just a handy clothes line to hang encounters on.
Consistency is what makes NPCs memorable, and makes their passing all the more important to players. If old lord so and so has been a patron of the PCs, helping them with information, maps or advice, and then on a visit they discover he’s passed away (or perhaps has been murdered by a rival), well the PCs are going to care.
For places you don’t need all that many, just like NPCs.
Finally, keep it simple. The simpler things are the more room players have to roleplay their characters, which is the point, right?
If the DM pays attention to places, NPCs and monsters, then the mood and tone and feel will build itself up, piece by piece, from all of the experiences, the encounters and the interactions the players have.
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| Seethyr |
Posted - 19 Sep 2014 : 05:34:46
To me, it's history. I cannot think of a world that is more living and breathing in all of fantasy. It is a shared mosaic of a world formed by not one, but dozens (if not hundreds) of talented folk. It is the collected imaginations of many, many geniuses.
So what is Realmsian? At one point it may have had a different meaning (earlier in its existence), but for now, if something fits into the history and works, then it is Realmsian. |
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