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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
 Posted - 30 Sep 2015 : 23:18:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Preface for the book is out. It gives a brief overview of the contents:
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Chapter 1 of this book gives an overview of the Sword Coast and nearby lands, its history, the role of magic, and its religions. Chapter 2 goes into detail about the cities and other locations of the Sword Coast. Chapter 3 gives history and some game material for various races and subraces, both common and uncommon, that can be met on the Sword Coast and in the North. Chapter 4 shows how the character options in the Players Handbook fit into this region and presents new character class options specific to the Forgotten Realms. Chapter 5 gives backgrounds designed to link your characters to the great places, people, and events of Faerūn.
It does repeatedly state that the book is 1. An Overview, 2. Brief in Description. I'd say at best we can expect a 50/50 crunch / fluff ratio.
Im not oppossed to more crunch, one of my critisims of 5ed is there isnt enough diversity within the classees thiis is most pronounced in the Cleric and Paladin classes. There are great deal of 3ed PrCs, Sub classess and feats that could be converted into 5th edition as class options |
I am the King of Rome, and above grammar
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2015 : 23:29:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
That book had 230-ish pages, and focused on a single city.
I know. It's a good book.
Like I said, if the SCAG is as good as the NWCS, then it will be worth the purchase price.
I am not a fan of fewer pages, mind, but I am not of the opinion that fewer pages automatically means a book is bad, or can't be as good. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 00:07:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
If this book is on par with The Neverwinter Campaign Setting, then it will be worth the price of purchase.
That book had 230-ish pages, and focused on a single city. This book wants to be too many things, with too little room available IMO. My hat's off to the authors, if they manage to cram gaming info, updates on gods and lands, history of NW Faerun and a NW Faerun/SC-campaing setting, all in 160 pages.
I will point out that the OGB was just 192 pages of text, and I don't think anyone will say anything bad on the quality of that one.
Note that I'm not commenting either way on this new book; I'm just pointing out that you can still do a lot with a lesser pagecount. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 00:48:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
Preface for the book is out. It gives a brief overview of the contents:
quote:
Chapter 1 of this book gives an overview of the Sword Coast and nearby lands, its history, the role of magic, and its religions. Chapter 2 goes into detail about the cities and other locations of the Sword Coast. Chapter 3 gives history and some game material for various races and subraces, both common and uncommon, that can be met on the Sword Coast and in the North. Chapter 4 shows how the character options in the Players Handbook fit into this region and presents new character class options specific to the Forgotten Realms. Chapter 5 gives backgrounds designed to link your characters to the great places, people, and events of Faerūn.
It does repeatedly state that the book is 1. An Overview, 2. Brief in Description. I'd say at best we can expect a 50/50 crunch / fluff ratio.
Im not oppossed to more crunch, one of my critisims of 5ed is there isnt enough diversity within the classees thiis is most pronounced in the Cleric and Paladin classes. There are great deal of 3ed PrCs, Sub classess and feats that could be converted into 5th edition as class options
Agreed. I don't mind converting old edition material, but it is really nice to have an offical source. And given the way they present classes, there is opportunity for lore within the crunch. |
- 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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Hutchimus
Acolyte
4 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 16:39:46
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| I'm looking forward to this as much as I was looking forward to the 5th Edition PHB; which is to say A LOT! |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 01 Oct 2015 : 23:40:22
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| The table of contents should be coming soon, the donations for the fundraising project have reached 50k. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:42:34
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| here it is |
- 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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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:49:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
here it is
Thanks. It looks like the lore to crunch ratio will be more like 60/40, which could be fine. It looks like they included some general updates on the whole Faerun (5 pages dedicated to Toril and its lands), and they did go heavy on the gods (I mean, wow: 20 pages dedicated just to them, which probably means that every deity will get a couple lines of update. And I've just noticed a sidebar for the Mulhorandi gods and the Earthmother, so they're getting updated too). |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 02 Oct 2015 00:56:54 |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 00:56:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
here it is
Thanks. It looks like the lore to crunch ratio will be more like 60/40, which could be fine. It looks like they included some general updates on the whole Faerun (5 pages dedicated to Toril and its lands), and they did go heavy on the gods (I mean, wow: 20 pages dedicated just to them, which will probably mean that every deity will get a couple lines of update).
Thank you so much for that. I was just trying to calculate that myself. I really am curious about the sidebars. Some are self explanatory (Wards of Waterdeep, Coin of the Realms), but others are really making me curious. "Gods of Mulhorand"? "The Legend of Tyche and her Twin Daughters?" I get the general category, but are they going to be talking about Mulhorand's pantheon as something that is no more, or are they bringing them forward? What details about Tyche/Tymora/Beshaba are they going to hit on? And "Weave Affecting Magic," could go a lot of different ways. |
- 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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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 01:03:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
here it is
Thanks. It looks like the lore to crunch ratio will be more like 60/40, which could be fine. It looks like they included some general updates on the whole Faerun (5 pages dedicated to Toril and its lands), and they did go heavy on the gods (I mean, wow: 20 pages dedicated just to them, which will probably mean that every deity will get a couple lines of update).
Thank you so much for that. I was just trying to calculate that myself. I really am curious about the sidebars. Some are self explanatory (Wards of Waterdeep, Coin of the Realms), but others are really making me curious. "Gods of Mulhorand"? "The Legend of Tyche and her Twin Daughters?" I get the general category, but are they going to be talking about Mulhorand's pantheon as something that is no more, or are they bringing them forward? What details about Tyche/Tymora/Beshaba are they going to hit on? And "Weave Affecting Magic," could go a lot of different ways.
My guess is really rough, especially since we don't know how much lore the races will get. It could lean towards 70/30, if they get enough coverage. Not to mention that maybe we'll get info on organizations related to the various classes, bringing the ratio even further towards more lore (which would make me happier and happier).
It almost seems that Tyche is back, and Tymora/Beshaba are now her daughters. Or perhaps it is an heresy. I hope that the Mulhorandi pantheon is back, but yeah, it is strange that they are the only pantheon getting a sidebar. Perhaps it will explain their return, or will simply briefly describe them. Here I am hoping to see at least a nod to that lore about Eilistraee&Vhaeraun that was cut from 4e Menzoberranzan, or some explanation on their return.
All in all, seeing the table of contents made me more hopeful for this book. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 02 Oct 2015 01:03:29 |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 01:15:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
My guess is really rough, especially since we don't know how much lore the races will get. It could lean towards 70/30, if they get enough coverage. Not to mention that maybe we'll get info on organizations related to the various classes, bringing the ratio even further towards more lore (which would make me happier and happier).
It almost seems that Tyche is back, and Tymora/Beshaba are now her daughters. Or perhaps it is an heresy. I hope that the Mulhorandi pantheon is back, but yeah, it is strange that they are the only pantheon getting a sidebar. Perhaps it will explain their return, or will simply briefly describe them. Here I am hoping to see at least a nod to that lore about Eilistraee&Vhaeraun that was cut from 4e Menzoberranzan, or some explanation on their return.
All in all, seeing the table of contents made me more hopeful for this book.
Rough numbers are better than what I can eyeball.  Numbers make my brain shut down when I'm doing much more than figuring out if I get +1 or +2 on an attack.
So... if Tyche is back, what does that mean for prior lore? Other than Morander corrupted her and she split into the two other goddesses, I'm not terribly familiar with her history. It sounds like it could be a fun option to use in games, and I'm not opposed to it. If "mamma" stepped back to rest and heal while her daughters took care of things, that could make sense.
Mulhorand could go either way. The sidebar might just refer to the PHB section on Egyptian Gods and tell you which ones to use, and provide a brief bit of lore/history on them in the Realms.
I wonder if the Arcane Tradition under Wizards is going to be a Red Wizard?
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- 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 |
Edited by - Delwa on 02 Oct 2015 01:17:15 |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 01:21:20
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
My guess is really rough, especially since we don't know how much lore the races will get. It could lean towards 70/30, if they get enough coverage. Not to mention that maybe we'll get info on organizations related to the various classes, bringing the ratio even further towards more lore (which would make me happier and happier).
It almost seems that Tyche is back, and Tymora/Beshaba are now her daughters. Or perhaps it is an heresy. I hope that the Mulhorandi pantheon is back, but yeah, it is strange that they are the only pantheon getting a sidebar. Perhaps it will explain their return, or will simply briefly describe them. Here I am hoping to see at least a nod to that lore about Eilistraee&Vhaeraun that was cut from 4e Menzoberranzan, or some explanation on their return.
All in all, seeing the table of contents made me more hopeful for this book.
Rough numbers are better than what I can eyeball. Numbers make my brain shut down when I'm doing much more than figuring out if I get +1 or +2 on an attack.
So... if Tyche is back, what does that mean for prior lore? Other than Morander corrupted her and she split into the two other goddesses, I'm not terribly familiar with her history. It sounds like it could be a fun option to use in games, and I'm not opposed to it. If "mamma" stepped back to rest and heal while her daughters took care of things, that could make sense.
Mulhorand could go either way. The sidebar might just refer to the PHB section on Egyptian Gods and tell you which ones to use, and provide a brief bit of lore/history on them in the Realms.
I wonder if the Arcane Tradition under Wizards is going to be a Red Wizard?
AFAIK, Tyche was split, as you said. Perhaps she is seen as a mother in that sense (after all, they talk about the legend of Tyche and.. so, it could be an heresy or a myth).
An Red Wizard option could be an opportunity to sneak in some lore about the living Red Wizards trying to take back Thay. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 01:26:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
An Red Wizard option could be an opportunity to sneak in some lore about the living Red Wizards trying to take back Thay.
That would be nice. I'm already planning on doing that sort of thing in my home game. Official support and ideas would be terrific.
I'm also curious about the Moonstars in this book. I know they featured in The Herald, so I'm wondering how they are going to play a part in the current Realms. Could also be a chance to drop a nugget about Rhymanthiin. |
- 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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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 01:56:37
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"Time in the Realms" and the Calendar of Harptos sidebar ... if they perpetuate that "Claws of ..." month snafu once again in 5E. I think I'll just about take a battleaxe to something.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 02 Oct 2015 02:00:23 |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 02:26:55
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
"Time in the Realms" and the Calendar of Harptos sidebar ... if they perpetuate that "Claws of ..." month snafu once again in 5E. I think I'll just about take a battleaxe to something.
-- George Krashos
Whichy snafu is this?  The months were listed with common names in the DMG (pg 33) but there was no plural "Claws," just "Claw of (Winter, Sunsets, and Storms) in addition to the actual month name. |
- 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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ZeshinX
Learned Scribe
Canada
210 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 04:57:06
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| The class section made me giggle...all the classes get little sub-headings....except Rangers. I just picture a speaker touting all the wonderful classes...and ending quietly with "...oh...and uh...Rangers." ;) |
"...because despite the best advice of those who know what they are talking about, other people insist on doing the most massively stupid things."
-Galen, technomage |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 05:53:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
"Time in the Realms" and the Calendar of Harptos sidebar ... if they perpetuate that "Claws of ..." month snafu once again in 5E. I think I'll just about take a battleaxe to something.
-- George Krashos
Whichy snafu is this? The months were listed with common names in the DMG (pg 33) but there was no plural "Claws," just "Claw of (Winter, Sunsets, and Storms) in addition to the actual month name.
It is:
Alturiak "the Claw of Winter" or "the Claws of the Cold"
Ches "of the Sunsets"
Tarsakh "of the Storms"
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 06:18:14
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Ok there appears to be 21 page of godly goodness (hopefully some of it expalsining whose back whose not and how)
Half elf and tiefling Varients could be interesting maybe they will be templates as Varients
1 and 2 page entries for Cleric and Paladin are rather disappointing I was hoping for more class options |
I am the King of Rome, and above grammar
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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BenN
Senior Scribe
Japan
382 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 10:14:08
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| Looks pretty good to me! |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 13:48:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Ok there appears to be 21 page of godly goodness (hopefully some of it expalsining whose back whose not and how)
Considering that the description of the book says: ''Discover the current state of the Forgotten Realms and its deities after the Spellplague and the second Sundering'', I think that the gods section will include an update. My guess is that every included deity will receive a brief paragraph, similarly to what they did with 4e FRCS. If they fit 3 or 4 gods for each pages, they'll manage to cover as much as 60-80 of them.
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Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 14:03:50
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I just had a thought. What if those pages of godly goodness focus more on the clergy's current beliefs rather than concrete, "this is what Lathander is doing right now" details? It would fit what they've been doing, and it could give answers without really setting anything in stone.
It would fit their shift in focus for 5e to be "the DM is the trump card over and above all printed rules." Then again, if that's the case, why the sidebar on making the Realms your own? Or is such a side bar just reinforcing that concept? |
- 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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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 14:23:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
I just had a thought. What if those pages of godly goodness focus more on the clergy's current beliefs rather than concrete, "this is what Lathander is doing right now" details? It would fit what they've been doing, and it could give answers without really setting anything in stone.
It would fit their shift in focus for 5e to be "the DM is the trump card over and above all printed rules." Then again, if that's the case, why the sidebar on making the Realms your own? Or is such a side bar just reinforcing that concept?
The clergy would have probably be adressed in the religion section. But it's very small, so I doubt it. The name of the section would have been something like ''churches/faiths of Faerun'', not ''the gods of Faerun''. What the discription says about ''discover the state of the gods post Sundering'' also points towards that. Personally, I want to know about both the clergy and the deities, so I'd like to see what's up with them after the Sundering.
Also, as far as we have seen, in all their recent stories/products the focus has been directly on the gods/uber beings, as much as, if not more than, ever. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 02 Oct 2015 14:46:02 |
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Shadowsoul
Senior Scribe
Ireland
705 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 15:49:50
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| From the table of contents the book seems like it's going to be a disappointment. |
Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!
#8213; J.R.R. Tolkien
*I endorse everything Dark Wizard says*. |
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1268 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 16:19:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
I just had a thought. What if those pages of godly goodness focus more on the clergy's current beliefs rather than concrete, "this is what Lathander is doing right now" details? It would fit what they've been doing, and it could give answers without really setting anything in stone.
It would fit their shift in focus for 5e to be "the DM is the trump card over and above all printed rules." Then again, if that's the case, why the sidebar on making the Realms your own? Or is such a side bar just reinforcing that concept?
The clergy would have probably be adressed in the religion section. But it's very small, so I doubt it. The name of the section would have been something like ''churches/faiths of Faerun'', not ''the gods of Faerun''. What the discription says about ''discover the state of the gods post Sundering'' also points towards that. Personally, I want to know about both the clergy and the deities, so I'd like to see what's up with them after the Sundering.
Also, as far as we have seen, in all their recent stories/products the focus has been directly on the gods/uber beings, as much as, if not more than, ever.
That sounds reasonable enough, and I would agree. I would like to know more about the clergy as opposed to the gods, if it came down to it, but I'll take what I get and go from there. |
- 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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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 18:54:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Delwa
That sounds reasonable enough, and I would agree. I would like to know more about the clergy as opposed to the gods, if it came down to it, but I'll take what I get and go from there.
When it comes to this update, there's something that I need to know about the gods: that they are alive (and possibly how they managed to return). My interest in the religion of the Realms is due to two factors:
1)The gods have their own personality, goal and history, instead of just staying there and doing nothing. Their status heavily influences this.
2)When people choose to follow a main patron --and even more, when they want to become priest(esse)s/paladins-- they do that because they *know* that they are working alongside an entity that they respect, love (or whatever you have) and that embodies a cause (or ideas) that they believe in. For certain deities, it can even become something more intense, like some kind of bond.
It's not a matter of blind faith, it is a choice that springs from knowledge, not from far fetched speculations (which will happen anyway in the form of heresies, but are not the point of the ''faith''). Faith is involved, and it is in the interpretations of some ''messages'' from the deities, or in trusting one's own god, but it's not the RW one.
If the presence of a god, or lack thereof, is left up in the air, then all of this falls. If a cleric is dedicating their life to a certain deity, it sucks that it is another one that is granting them spells, because it's *not* what said cleric wants or believes in.
It also detracts from the deity itself, in terms of possibility of development, because we would have a situation where, to keep things vague, gods don't do anything ever (and note that I'm not saying that the divine soap opera of the latest and current years is good--I find it cheesy--, but a compromise should be found. A god that chooses to act and device a plan to achieve a goal, doesn't need to turn into some weird drama or bloodbath. It also doesn't mean that the spotlight should be on them most of the time, but sometime they should do something significant).
Finally, leaving the presence/aliveness of a god vague leads to a situation way too similar to RW, where people don't know if their deity is actually there, act *purely* out of a RW-like faith and you get some weird theological nonsense. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 02 Oct 2015 18:56:18 |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 20:06:47
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This is what I find the most difficult to properly convey in a Realms-game: The "fact" that everybody knows the gods are real, that they grant spells, and that they affect circumstances/characters/events. It is no longer superstition - so if a PC for examples venerates Selūne, how would that PC avoid...you know, Shar?
How do people cope with the fact that evil - truly evil - gods are out and about, and how do DMs choose just how much of an influence the gods have in their Realms?
Is anything that happens in the Realms - say, an exceptionally violent storm - directly attributable to the gods and does this mean that nothing about the Realms is natural in a sense?
When your grandpa talks about that time when the gods walked Faerūn, and Torm and Bane had a big fight in Tantras, and you saw it, how would that affect the grandchildren's perspective?
Have you, as a DM, ever used divine intervention? Ever denied a PC their spells because they weren't venerating the PCs patron deity in the correct manner?
Whoooops I'm off on a tangent (thank you, beer (TM)) sorry about that.
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 02 Oct 2015 : 20:48:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
This is what I find the most difficult to properly convey in a Realms-game: The "fact" that everybody knows the gods are real, that they grant spells, and that they affect circumstances/characters/events. It is no longer superstition
Why is it difficult? People know that these entities exist, can influence the world and its events, and are interested in mortals. They have given means to communicate with mortals, at times even directly, and known goals (some deities, like Shar, might want to have a ''public'' goal that is different from their ultimate one). Mortals who choose to join a deity do that because they know that the deity is real, and stands for something they can relate to/want to support. Or they worship them simply by praying to various deities for matters regarding their known spheres of influence, just like it was in RW, except knowing that they are real.
quote:
so if a PC for examples venerates Selūne, how would that PC avoid...you know, Shar?
By not worshipping her? I'm not sure that I get what you mean here.
quote:
How do people cope with the fact that evil - truly evil - gods are out and about,
Entities don't have labels on them that people can read and think ''omg this thing is evil, we must avoid it''. Most evil gods don't go ''stupid evil'', they try to appease to people, otherwise they'd never get followers. Shar doesn't openly go ''I wanna destroy the world'', she tries to lure people who are suffering because of great losses, by promising them a sort of peace, and the she turns their pain into hatred towards everything.
Non evil people also pray to evil gods in situations where it might be favorable (example: praying to Talona to avoid illnesses).
Besides, evil gods are tolerated, with some restrictions, because they can prove useful. ''Elminster's Forgotten Realms'' deals with this. For example, Malarite and their beasts could ''serve'' Cormyr, because their activity, allowed only in certain border areas, could discourage eventual raiders.
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and how do DMs choose just how much of an influence the gods have in their Realms?
Is anything that happens in the Realms - say, an exceptionally violent storm - directly attributable to the gods and does this mean that nothing about the Realms is natural in a sense?
I don't think that it is the case. Nature exists unrelatedly on gods, but certain deities can influence natural phenomena and are associated with them.
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When your grandpa talks about that time when the gods walked Faerūn, and Torm and Bane had a big fight in Tantras, and you saw it, how would that affect the grandchildren's perspective?
They would know that the gods are real, and that they can even manifest and directly act on Faerun, on rare occasions.
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Have you, as a DM, ever used divine intervention? Ever denied a PC their spells because they weren't venerating the PCs patron deity in the correct manner?
No, that's not how I would act if a character weren't ''correctly'' venerating a deity, and it would depend on the particular case. Deities have given and detailed sets of manifestation to let their followers know that they are pleased (or not pleased) with something. Other priest(esse)s could also interact with the character regarding their actions. If the character chose to interpret the god's teachings in his personal way, without hurting the deity's goal, or going against it, then I'd do nothing, or perhaps give some signs, depending on the ''severity'' of the situation. If the character purposefully and repeatedly did something that seriously hurted their deity's cause, even after singns, then I'd have another deity, preferably enemy to the original one, grant spells to the character (and this could later have an impact on the game).
For example, in the case of the Dark Moon heresy, Shar could be granting spells to the those who believe that she and Selune are the same being, because said heresy could raise some concerns about Selune, and Shar would be happy with anything that damages her ''sister''. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 03 Oct 2015 01:03:47 |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2015 : 01:34:41
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Originally posted by Caladan Brood
Have you, as a DM, ever used divine intervention? Ever denied a PC their spells because they weren't venerating the PCs patron deity in the correct manner?
Yes, to both questions. In the later case, for bad behavior and going off the rails.
To make this on topic, I am looking forward to seeing how the deities are written up. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2015 : 01:52:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
To make this on topic, I am looking forward to seeing how the deities are written up.
My guess is that they will give power ranking (greater, lesser etc), home realm, portfolios, domains and symbol for each deity. Then they will give a really brief description of the deity's belief and a brief update regarding recent history. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11695 Posts |
Posted - 03 Oct 2015 : 12:08:13
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Originally posted by Delwa
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Originally posted by Irennan
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Originally posted by Delwa
here it is
Thanks. It looks like the lore to crunch ratio will be more like 60/40, which could be fine. It looks like they included some general updates on the whole Faerun (5 pages dedicated to Toril and its lands), and they did go heavy on the gods (I mean, wow: 20 pages dedicated just to them, which will probably mean that every deity will get a couple lines of update).
Thank you so much for that. I was just trying to calculate that myself. I really am curious about the sidebars. Some are self explanatory (Wards of Waterdeep, Coin of the Realms), but others are really making me curious. "Gods of Mulhorand"? "The Legend of Tyche and her Twin Daughters?" I get the general category, but are they going to be talking about Mulhorand's pantheon as something that is no more, or are they bringing them forward? What details about Tyche/Tymora/Beshaba are they going to hit on? And "Weave Affecting Magic," could go a lot of different ways.
My wonder is will this just be verbatim reprints of lore we got in faiths and avatars (like the skull bowling entry I see). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.
