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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Sep 2012 : 20:34:33
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Suppose you wanted to write a story or run an adventure wherein the main character or characters visit eight different parts of the Realms, by means of a set of Gates (Portals).
On the other side of each Gate is an opportunity to explore, to encounter monsters and traps, and uncover old mysteries, plots and intrigue, the experience of which your character(s) must report back to someone (a guild master, a mentor, a Regent or her appointed representative, a wizard, a dragon in disguise, you name it).
Some of these exits lead to places your character knows (or knows something about), some to places they’ve only heard the name of, and some to places entirely new to them.
If this story/adventure happened to be your chance to introduce parts of the Realms to readers or players that they’ve not experienced previously, what are parts of the Realms would you pick, what would you emphasize about each location and why?
No need to list all eight...just whatever comes to mind as the most interesting bits of your favorite places in the Realms for readers or players to experience for the first time.
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Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Saxmilian
Learned Scribe
USA
157 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2012 : 20:36:52
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| Jungles of Chult, Unicorn Run, Forest of Wyrms and Marsh of Chelimber are a few ive always wanted to visit, but there are SO MANY! |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2012 : 20:38:34
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Some of my first choices would be:
1. Waterdeep: a noble’s revel where the players appear in an undercellar and discover a round of naked Halfling tossing underway.
2. Skullport or Undermountain and a rare face-to-face with Halaster.
3. An abandoned giant’s castle floating high on a cloud over the Stonelands.
4. The ruins of a former Netherese enclave.
5. Somewhere in the ruins of Myth Drannor.
6. The Boarder Kingdoms.
7. A wrecked wizard’s abode in Thay that’s in the process of being reclaimed by overworked slaves.
8. The mines of Tethyamar. Or possibly a sheer mountain cliff face near a dwarven citadel currently under siege by a hoard of orcs, somewhere along the Spine of the World.
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Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2012 : 20:42:39
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1) Cormanthor - some hidden elven ruin
2) The North - an abandoned dwarven delve
3) The Shar - someplace near the landrise
4) Chult - some Naga/Yuan-ti/Sarrukh escapades
5) Erlkazar - Undead, and a Cormyrian artifact
6) Zakhara - a little 'Arabian nights' (and a genie, of course)
7) The East - Where east meets west, like maybe the Lake of Mists
8) Northern Maztica (Anchoromé border) - City of Gold
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2012 : 23:42:13
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All of those work, as does...New York City or Hong Kong or Mogadishu. There are portals from the Earth to the Realms, and vice versa. Why not take advantage of that and make one of the portals in your portal complex take the players somewhere TRULY unusual?
Some other things to consider: How active are your portals? Are they two way (in that things from them are wandering out and must be dealt with)? Is there a similar group of NPCs involved in a mission similar to your PCs on the other side of one of them? |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2012 : 04:30:34
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As a Player
1) Mistledale
2) Silverymoon
3) Anauroch
4) Chult
5) Pelden's Helm
6) Thay
7) The Shaar
8) Calimsham
As GM:
1) Lantan
2) Chult/chultan Peninsula
3) Halruaa
4) Damara
5) Shou Lung
6) Wa
7) Kozakura
8) Maztica and the unknown lands
I like all of the "lightly" detailed areas, at least the ones that haven't been updated, sadly. |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2012 : 04:56:26
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Noting, these ideas would only be relevant pre-spellplague. I'd call it the "Velsharoon tour"
1) Thay - specifically Bezantur. Have them appear in the practice/target range area of the school of invocation where younger mages are testing out spells they've newly learned or developed.... or if feeling less cruel, in the slave market
2) Zakhara - specifically Sahu, the isle of dread necromancers.
3) Mulhorand - appearing within the crypts of the traditional familial home of House Osriant, family of the god-king Osiris
4) Halruaa - in a temple of Azuth, interrupting a meeting of magehounds. The place is built on land previously owned by Velsharoon the Vaunted before he was cast out of Halruaa.
5) Undrek'Thoz - the dark elven segmented city. Specifically, Vrasl, the city where undead are used as slave labor and killing an undead is considered a crime. Have him have to hunt down the semi-secret temple to Kiaransalee.
6) Damara - on the borders of the Rawlinswood, near the city of Tellerth in the barony of Polten. Have the party have to seek out some clues that lead them into the Rawlinswood and into a demoncyst. Then have some leads that make him have to hunt down some followers of Orcus from Zhengyi's recent reign.
7) The Raurin Desert - some old Imaskari ruins
8) the tower terrible in Soorenar |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2012 : 17:58:11
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| Anywhere south of the Dragon Coast and East of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Everything I commonly see focuses on Cormyr, the Sword Coast, the Dalelands, or the Moonsea. It's probably just the groups I play with, but that seems to be where everything is always going on. It's also why I took my current campaign and moved everyone to the Plains of Purple Dust. It's an area even my DM hasn't studied in depth, and I can pull surprises on them while still staying true to canon, and making it a fun learning experience for me as I read up on the area. |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2012 : 17:08:07
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1. Sarrukh ruins for the secrets of an earlier age.
2. The Labyrinth in the North with its baphitaurs and other mysteries.
3. Llurth Dreir because what could be more fun than mixing drow with slimy followers of Ghaunadaur... especially ghauroper priests.... ;) |
Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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daarkknight
Seeker
USA
66 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2012 : 12:09:34
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1 - Semphar (for Arabian feel, and I've always been fascinated by it after a PC of mine visited there back in the 2E days)
2 - Myth Drannor (pre-1375, for a good dungeon crawl)
3 - Miyeritar (why not do a little time travel too)
4 - Waterdeep (need a major city with intrigue to visit)
5 - Thay (send them to a bastion of evil)
6 - High Forest (near Hellgate Keep)
7 - Cormyr (gotta have that medieval kingdom, and scheming nobles)
8 - Silverymoon (for a little peace and quiet at the end of their trip) |
"That's it!"
Quote attributed to Talor Stormhammer, paladin of Helm, when fighting a frost giant. |
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Marc
Senior Scribe
657 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2012 : 15:39:29
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1) Moonshaes - celtic mythology inspired
2) Waterdeep - urban intrigue, noble houses plots
3) Highstar lake - ships battle
4) Myth Drannor - alhoon
5) Darkhold infiltration
6) Jhaamdathan ruin
7) Thayan mage war
8) Imaskar demiplane
9) Halruaa |
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RyanATX
Acolyte
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 17:20:10
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In no particular order:
Thay
Silverymoon
Halruaa
Menzo
Myth Drannor
Citadel Adbar
Waterdeep
Icewind Dale
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idilippy
Senior Scribe
USA
417 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 17:54:12
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Also in no particular order:
1. Myth Drannor (the ruin and adventure locale, not the rebuilt city)
2. Waterdeep (by way of a portal into Undermountain or Skullport)
3. Silverymoon
4. Cormyr (somewhere in the King's Forest between Arabel and Suzail)
5. Halruaa
6. The Moonsea (Phlan or Zhentil Keep)
7. The Border Kingdoms
8. Thay |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 18:39:22
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1. Athamault: the sunken, haunted Ilythiiri iron fortress, which was the heart of the dark elven warmachine (thousands of souls passed through Athamaults gates, most came out trapped in gems or weapons)
2. The Peaks of the Star Mounts: a magnificent view of the North, High Forest and Realmspace (until disturbed by a high wind or worse)
3. An once-abandoned nest of a Coatl in Thindol high in the mountains behind a waterfall with a permanent rainbow, infested with Yuan-Ti.
4. The submerged ruins of Jhaamdath.
5. Evereska, with a mission to help defend Hellgate Keep and look out for some Treeant in the High Forest.
6. A royal weddingfeast in Nimbral, complete with an acrobatic formation of pegasusriders in the sky and a glass of dragonturtle eggknock in hand.
7. A hobgoblin dire-lion race in a fortress/arena high in the Nathaghal mountains (surrounding Halruua), complete with an opening concert of the best goblinoid bard of the time (Tiika Longclaw).
8. Suldanesselar, the ivory city in the trees |
My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 18:48:52
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| Waterdeep, Menzoberranzan, Icewind Dale, Shadowdale, Calimport, Silverymoon, High Forest and Sschindylryn :D |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 17 Oct 2012 : 21:24:19
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1. Thay: Smaller-scale: Try to steal Thakorsil's Seat, or Szass Tam crystal staff. Bigger-scale: Raise a new competent Zulkirate and seize southern Thay.
2. Border Kingdoms: Set up a base of operations to seize the government/s.
3. Shade Enclave: Disrupt the mythallar. [Good luck to that!]
4. Sakkors: Try to control the sentient mythallar.
5. Sembia: Start an underground revolution against the Shadovar.
6. Rashemen: Bring Lod's servants in.
7. Aglarond: Discover the realm-spanning wards woven by The Simbul herself.
8. Waterdeep: Control the stone golems and smash down Blackstaff Tower. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 20 Oct 2012 : 13:03:45
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1. Myth Drannor
2. Athamault
3. Undrek'Thoz
4. Suldanesselar
5. Cormyr
6. Miyeritar
7. Evermeet
8. Thay |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2015 : 14:29:24
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I accidentally just discovered this thread while harvesting some unrelated lore, but I really liked reading this - and what do you know, my latest project is an adventure module meant to introduce new players/PCs to the Forgotten Realms in a story that could take them to many different places by way of magical gates. I'm in the slow process of lore-harvesting and actually writing the thing. The plan is to end up with a fluffy, readable and playable PDF that looks like an official product (or close as) which I can share with anyone interested. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for ideas :)
Now to be more on topic - if I ever was so lucky to be a player in a solid FR campaign (sigh..I don't even *know* anyone within six hours of travel who knows what RPGs are let alone the Realms)...and I was part of a tale involving portal-hopping...I'd love to show up in the following locales (provided the DM was up to the task of presenting the lore and atmosphere with Greenwoodish flair)...
1) I'm a sucker for dungeon crawling (but not cave-crawling, for some reason), so.. Undermountain, or Myth Drannor in ruins..or Darkhold, places like that - sprawling non-cave dungeons. The walls must be smooth and man-made, hiding dangers and mysterious loot!
2) I also love the Dalelands, so a Dale.
3) I do love the Moonsea region; but perhaps more as a DM than I would as a player - still, Phlan would be cool, I wouldn't mind taking part in 'Ruins of Adventure'.
4) Silverymoon, to charm Lady Alustriel to her knees. Ahem.
5) The High Forest
6) I'd like to visit Turmish, for sightseeing
7) Probably non-canonical but I always loved the Temple of Darkmoon from EOB II. I've wondered to which deity the temple was originally dedicated, and whether Dran Dragore was connected to the Cult of the Dragon somehow...mmm now my mind begins to spin another possible adventure module...based on EOBII. Say, where in the Realms would you put Darkmoon? Close to Waterdeep?
8) Waterdeep. Always wanted to "be" in that sprawling mess experiencing scandals and shenanigans.
9) Baldur's Gate, especially the way it looks in 'Murder in Baldur's Gate'. Mike Schley's cartography rules. The city feels so real, in a way.
10) Ten picks already (more actually) and there are still so many intriguing places to go.. Zazesspur, the Bloodstone Lands, the dwarven ruins and citadels, Impiltur, Elminster's study, the Dragon Coast, the Citadel of the Raven, Aglarond, and on and on...
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Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
745 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 01:21:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Bladewind
1. Athamault: the sunken, haunted Ilythiiri iron fortress, which was the heart of the dark elven warmachine (thousands of souls passed through Athamaults gates, most came out trapped in gems or weapons)
2. The Peaks of the Star Mounts: a magnificent view of the North, High Forest and Realmspace (until disturbed by a high wind or worse)
3. An once-abandoned nest of a Coatl in Thindol high in the mountains behind a waterfall with a permanent rainbow, infested with Yuan-Ti.
4. The submerged ruins of Jhaamdath.
5. Evereska, with a mission to help defend Hellgate Keep and look out for some Treeant in the High Forest.
6. A royal weddingfeast in Nimbral, complete with an acrobatic formation of pegasusriders in the sky and a glass of dragonturtle eggknock in hand.
7. A hobgoblin dire-lion race in a fortress/arena high in the Nathaghal mountains (surrounding Halruua), complete with an opening concert of the best goblinoid bard of the time (Tiika Longclaw).
8. Suldanesselar, the ivory city in the trees
This is the winner!  All of those have barely been mentioned in the lore, NEED more detail, and really show off the diversity of the Realms with locales that players won't get anywhere else.
Waterdeep, Silverymoon, Cormyr, blah all great but all done to death. Time to flesh out these intriguing corners that are mentioned....but never move. |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 19:17:16
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| Glad to see this scroll continue. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 20:28:33
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'tis a very nice scroll.
Did you have any intentions with it (like designing an adventure or creating lore based on responses)? |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2015 : 20:46:50
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I had no plans beyond wanting to discover how other Realms DMs hooked players early and kept them coming back for more, and to learn how and why DMs used other parts of the Realms that I have not.
I like the idea of spinning up new Realmslore. That's always fun (when there is time to do it). |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
745 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 03:10:21
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| For new players, I like to start out small. I started my main campaign in the Moonwood. It was a Silver Marches outdoor based sandbox campaign. I have found that it's REALLY important for new D&D and Realms players to not be overwhelmed by a dizzying hop around the entire world. Flesh out the starting area to the smallest detail, make realistic NPCs that are real people, give them a sense of connection to that place. Then introduce the rest of the Realms in small bites. In this way they will always feel like the Moonwood is "home" even if they haven't been there in years and spending more time in a smaller intimate area helps them appreciate the vastness and variety of the Realms. It really is mind boggling, best to be given in doses that can be digested easily. |
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Crai
Acolyte
USA
42 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 17:20:51
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Jeremy,
I've been through a multi-portal campaign in the F.R. before and it was a lot of fun! Our GM emphasized using all those interesting and utility-variable 3.5 "portal" spells in the Spell Compendium for our group to also learn-about and at times, manipulate the magic portal's operating parameters. Plus, it gave our GM some terrific GM'ing travel and destination options in the event he wanted to switch gears. All in all, our party of 6 had 4 spellcasters that enjoyed using those portal spells ... and our GM constructed some interesting narratives and side-plots involving the magic portals.
Our favorite of the dozen-plus magic portal destinations turned out to be Thentia ... the city on the Moonsea that is clearly the best launchpad for Moonsea ship-travel (due to its mid-point closeness to all the other Moonsea big cities and river travel to either the Dragon Reach or along the River Tesh). |
Edited by - Crai on 23 Jul 2015 17:21:34 |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 19:40:15
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| Crai, it sounds like you had fun with that. Would you care to enrich us with more anecdotes? I love reading about adventures others have experienced - one more way to scratch that itch for a DM withput a group :) |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 22:18:16
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| Crai, I second Caladan's request. If you're willing, I'd like to hear more about Thentia and your side plots involving portal interactions. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Matt James
Forgotten Realms Game Designer
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 23 Jul 2015 : 22:58:15
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| I love this scroll. Keep it going! |
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Gyor
Master of Realmslore
1621 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2015 : 03:07:44
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1. The Temple of Eternal Delights in Calimport
2. Mulhorand's Capital
3. Back in Days of Thunder Time period, in the capital of the Batrachi Doppelgannger Empire.
4. The ruins of Netheril, where it crashed and blended with parts of Myth Drannor.
5. Westgate Sewers
6. The Centre of the Yerwood
7. Evermeet
8. Moonshaes |
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Crai
Acolyte
USA
42 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2015 : 03:49:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
Crai, I second Caladan's request. If you're willing, I'd like to hear more about Thentia and your side plots involving portal interactions.
Jeremy & Caladan,
A quick note ... Our F.R. portal campaign lasted about 4 years. From approximately 2004 to 2008 and took us through a healthy chunk of our middle levels (we all ended up around 13th level).
One of the things I recall is that our GM, myself and another player all did a tremendous amount of F.R. research on magic portals here at the Candlekeep forums, a few other forums as well as researching all the 3.5 sourcebooks. As you know, the 3.5 books that detail all the magic portal game mechanics are quite varied. For the spells alone, here's a link that puts them all together so you can see their names and their primary 3.5 sourcebook. Most of them ended up in the final printing of the late-era 3.5 compilation book, the Spell Compendium.
Honkin' big link
Here at the Candlekeep forums, we got a lot of great information on lore-based threads-&-posts regarding flavor, fluff, concepts and actual existing magic portals. That Eric L. Boyd "portal article" series at the WotC Forums were also tremendously helpful. The one thing these forums did not help us with very much ... was discussing the game mechanics and the strategic networking/mapping of the entirety of the F.R.'s portal networks. That's not meant to be an insult, its meant to show that I don't think many people know this overarching, high-level "map knowledge" besides maybe Ed and Eric and a few other Loremasters. As a result, we spent a lot of time homebrewing custom lore for such a portal network. I need to track that info down. It's all in my disk backups somewhere ...
I have to get running for now. But please note, I do recommend all of you read up on all the portal game mechanics for 3.5 gameplay. Such rules also port over well to Pathfinder rules with little need for tweaking. There's a lot of fun to be had both as a player and a GM in creating a collaborative Portal-emphasized F.R. campaign. Plus, it can greatly facilitate the integration of previously inaccessible Torilian continents such as Kara-Tur, Maztica, Anchorome & Zakhara.
Managing, building and protecting magic portals can be a fun mercantile, adventuring and/or strategic warfare enterprise for mid-to-high levels PCs.
Mod edit: Cast shrinky links. Holy mother of Lurue, that's a monster URL.  |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 24 Jul 2015 03:58:27 |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2015 : 06:22:05
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Thanks for the link, another thing to explore :D Getting bitten by the Realms-bug, I feel like Gandalf when he is pouring through all those scrolls of old in Minas Tirith.
I am trying to build a portal-hopping adventure, so this is very useful ("useful" being sujective, my better half would argue).
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2015 : 07:59:37
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1. Some deep underwater (as in beneath the ocean) cave system. Obviously joined to the Underdark but mainly a home to strange sea/amphibious life. You might go so far as to make it a 'Lost Atlantis' type of location...but with eerie magicitech and a distinct connection to Cthulhu-esque themes.
2. A heretofore undiscovered magical gateway to Evermeet (unknown even to its Queen and High Mages). Players are dropped right in the middle of some rather 'saucy' adventures between young elves who shouldn't be...ahem...intermixing for some reason. But, of course, they simply must report this invasion to the proper authorities.
3. A 'Time Portal' that really isn't a Time Portal at all. Instead, everyone who is sent through experiences only a few moments of time but have, in fact, been within the portal for some days/months/years (preferably) of real time. I wouldn't jump the Spellplague or anything here. Just send them through on what appears to be a routine portal jump only to find that things have become different. For instance, showing up shortly after the death of Azoun IV who only days ago stopped the Horde.
4. If you've ever seen the movie 'Cube' then dump them there, only with a fantasy spin, of course.
5. Inside the compound of the Grand Caliph (or whatever his title is, I'm away from my books atm) in Zakhara. For their violation the group must seek out and acquire a special item for him. He is a generous man, however, and rewards the players richly for their success and holds the entire situation in good humor.
6. At a wedding banquet somewhere in Impiltur. The uninvited guests are held on suspicion of poisoning of the other guests. They must clear their name.
7. A brief visit to the head of the Unicorn Run during a meeting of elves, druids and unicorns in the High Forest. Once it is realized they aren't enemies, they are geased never to reveal details of the meeting. In fact, the group could use the help of some enterprising adventurers...
8. Dropped on the High Ice, naked as the day they were born. Thankfully there is a group of barbarians nearby... |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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Eight Small Bites...
