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canine
Acolyte
Ukraine
3 Posts |
 Posted - 10 May 2010 : 03:05:06
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I think of all the Forgotten Realms nations, my favorites are Tethyr and Cormyr. All the FR campaigns I've been involved in have taken place mostly in the Dales or the Sword Coast, with just one or two events in other areas.
I'm planning my first FR campaign right now (first that I've personally run, anyway), and while I've got a solid story arc down, I haven't entirely decided on where to place a large portion of it. I'm really considering either Tethyr or Cormyr, but I don't want to be reusing the same nations that practically every other DM out there uses by default. Are either of these really common choices for campaigns, in your experience? I'm also thinking about Calimsham. All three of these choices would easily work for my campaign. Would they likely provide relatively new settings for people who have done several different campaigns in FR?
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2010 : 04:08:13
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Most campaigns I have run or been involved in have centered mostly around the Moonsea/Dales and The North. As for where you run your campaign; if you are in to making most of the details yourself, then I would go for an area like Tethyr that has fewer canon published materials. It still has some; but none so many as Cormyr.
If instead you want to have most of the work done for you, then Cormyr is an excellent place to run a game...if you either don't mind gathering the materials or already have them on hand. Volo's Guidebooks are wonderful, and Cormyr and the Dales have rich amounts of lore published about them. Sembia was once the "blank slate" kingdom; but this has changed a lot since years past...and so you will have much established lore about Sembia now. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Cleric Generic
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
565 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2010 : 06:07:43
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Hey!
I've never heard of anyone running a game in Tethyr, myself, but it does seem like a good spot to set up a campaign. Cormyr is very much the core of the realms and often serves as the 'default' classical medieval kingdom from which to kick off a game, so players familiar with Faerun will probably be familiar with Cormyr as well. Calimshan is also fairly non-standard, though has a couple of novels to it's name, if not more.
If you want something fairly fresh and with plenty of room to work with, Tethyr is probably a good option. |
Cedric! The Cleric Generic and Master of Disguise!
ALL HAIL LORD KARSUS!!!
Vast Realmslore Archive: Get in here and download everything! http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archfr/rl
2e Realms book PDFs; grab em! - http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/07/working-around-purge.html |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2010 : 07:03:05
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I only know those areas from their 1E-3E incarnations,so I cannot really be of help if your campaign will be set in 4E.
Since you mentioned Cormyr, Tethyr, and Calimshan, I presume that your story arc requires some form of central authority in place (as opposed to the relatively ungoverned North and Sword Coast, or the uncentralised Dales).
Cormyr and Tethyr are good places to campaign in, and the choice depends a lot on what type of campaign you plan to have. Cormyr has stricter controls (Purple Dragons, War Wizards, Harpers, etc.), and well-defined policies on adventurers (peace bonds, requirement for charter, etc.).
Tethyr, on the other hand, was a fragmented kingdom prior to 1368 DR, and is a land of opportunity for adventurers after that, as the new dynasty requires all the help it can get to prop up the new state.
Out of those two, I'd pick Tethyr, because the player characters can be more of a free agent power there than in Cormyr, if that's what you want.
I've never run adventurers in Calimshan myself; a lot depends on your players: out of the three places you mentioned, Calimshan is probably the farthest removed from a classic medieval fantastic campaign (more like Arabian Adventurers and Zakhara), so if you want to stick relatively close to familiar patterns, Calimshan is probably not the best pick. Still, if you choose Tethyr, Calimshan is just to the south, so a sidetrek could be good... |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3286 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2010 : 07:09:02
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Here is the Previous Edition Downloads from WotC.
Enjoy. |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
Edited by - Brimstone on 10 May 2010 07:09:28 |
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2010 : 11:33:14
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Welcome to the Keep, canine!
A few years back (has it been year allready?!) I was in a very similar spot as you are. I was looking for a location for my new 3rd-Ed-campaign. It should center aound a "Kingdom without King"-kinda-like-story arc and so both Tethyr (with its new astablisched king) and Cormyr (with it's infant-king) were both obvious choises for such a set-up in a §rd Edition campaign.
In the decision process I came up with two threads here at the Keep:
Looking for all about Cormyr and Looking for all about Tethyr.
The decision was finally in favor of Cormyr and I play there ever since. And I'll do it gladly. However, I found it to be rather demanding (and to some point even taxing) on my part as a DM to stick to canon while dming a game in Cormyr. The Forest Kindonm is so very much detailed that I finally gave up the task and now run an almost canon-free campaign. However, I tried the very best and you'll be able to find some of this effort gathered at the Looking for all about Cormyr-thread.
I can only guess that it is somewhat 'easier' to play and dm a campaign in Tethyr or Calimshan, where you'll have not so much canon-influence.
However, in the end this all depends on how much you let your gameplay be influenced by canon. Otherwise the many details on and around Cormyr could very well be a never ending source for possible adventure hooks.
Whatever your choice may be, good gaming always,
Ergdusch
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"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
Edited by - Ergdusch on 10 May 2010 11:47:11 |
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canine
Acolyte
Ukraine
3 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2010 : 22:14:42
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| I think Tethyr will work fine for me. My storyline only requires a small fishing town that can be cut off from communication with the outside without raising suspicion for a while. I think thats the one I need, thanks for the help everyone |
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Kerrigan
Acolyte
Germany
31 Posts |
Posted - 12 May 2010 : 14:23:49
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| The first adventure I wrote (maybe three years ago) was set in Cormyr. I got myself information from Volo's Guide to Cormyr, but I didn't use it word by word. The adventure was about an evil cult of Cyric (how original :D), who wanted to provoke a war between Cormyr and Sembia, which would be used to overcome the Obarskyr monarchy and inthrone their own theocracy. It started in that northern caraven town, whose I name I now forgot ;), and the characters slowly made their way first to Suzail, where they got to know the intrigue-infested nobility; finally, they took part in a sea battle between Cormyr and Sembia, and got to Marsember, where they fought against the Cyricists' ringleaders. It was quite enjoyable, though explicitly non-canon! :D |
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Campaigns in Tethyr and Cormyr
