| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 07:45:35
|
I have a group of players who doesn't have much knowledge about the Realms at all or just very little. Which region/city/area as starting point would you recommend as an introducer to the setting?
Somewhere with some hooks, interesting groups, different religions etc. some place for PCs to have something to do but also not get overwhelmed.
Thanks.
|
|
|
moonbeast
Senior Scribe
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 10:13:33
|
Depends on your style. Do you want to just "throw" them (at Level 1) into the huge metropolis of Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate? If you do that, do realize that once they have witnessed the cosmopolitan grandeur of those cities…. they will probably never see another city as big and as grand in the Realms.
Personally, I would start them in a small to medium-sized town as an initial base of operations. Maybe because the PCs have more modest backgrounds when they begin at Level 1, like the son-of-a-farmer wants to become a great Fighter, or the daughter of the (agricultural) Priestess of Chauntea wants to become a legendary cleric herself. Start them in a smaller town, and then at higher levels you can finally expose them to Waterdeep, the Jewel of the North, or any of the other BIG cities like Calimport, Baldur's Gate, Elturel, Athkatla, or Suzail.
Small to medium-sized towns are like Daggerford, Red Larch, Yartar, Secomber, etc. These towns are along popular roads that are frequented by travelers and adventurers. And these towns have been the "base of operations" of older adventures as well. So they are rich in legend and adventuring history. These towns are usually population of around 2000 to 6000. They are not immensely big towns/cities, but they are big enough that they have all kinds of merchants, NPCs, craftsmen, all kinds of inns and taverns to get things started.
Or do what I'm doing…. create YOUR OWN custom-built small town and just insert it somewhere in the area. That way, the town's background and history is all yours to create exactly as you wish. The DMG rules assumes that there are plenty of other small towns and villages all over the Realms that are not noted on the map. It's up to you the DM to make up those towns as you see fit. |
Edited by - moonbeast on 08 Dec 2015 10:17:26 |
 |
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 11:08:50
|
moonbeast's advice is good. I would add that there's also a question of how much work you want to put into it, and maybe which old sourcebooks you have. If you have any of the 1e-4e campaign setting guides, then there's a wealth of information available on Cormyr, and lots of other locations on the Moonsea, the Inner Sea, and the Sword Coast. If you don't have books, then you can still find a lot of info on the FR Wiki, and you can find answers to specific questions here on Candlekeep.
On the other hand, if you're okay with "winging it" and developing your own Realms, then you can drop them anywhere. I like moonbeast's mentions of Red Larch, Secomber, etc... relatively close to big things, but still small enough that you can outline the town and the PCs can actually get to know the place and the people there.
I also like the Border Kingdoms, for being the opposite end of the spectrum. Kinda far away from anything big, and chaotic/undependable. I think the Border Kingdoms are ideal for new players in some ways because they don't require a lot of DM investment... it's a huge bummer to do a bunch of research and build a beautiful campaign, and then have the players get distracted by Call of Duty after one session. With the Border Kingdoms, canon is irrelevant; you can just ignore all of it. Generate names and personality quirks for each NPC randomly as the PCs interact with them. If the players stick around, then they'll provide the fuel to flesh everything out as they play.
There are also plenty of areas that haven't been extensively developed, on the periphery of the known Realms. There's the city-states around the Lake of Mists in the Hordelands. There's Durpar and Ulgarth and the so-called Utter East. There's Icewind Dale, which despite being featured in novels and games really hasn't been defined in the game setting... especially if you're playing in any time frame other than the mid-1300s. Any of these places can be used in the same way the Border Kingdoms can... just ignore the canon and make stuff up as you go. Get the players hooked first, and then they'll keep asking for more.  |
|
|
|
Aldrick
Senior Scribe
909 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 13:36:03
|
It depends on what type of game you want to play, and the type of theme or mood you want. Playing a game set in the Dalelands is going to feel very different than playing a game in the Lands of Intrigue, for example.
Other than that, I think Moonbeast's advice is really good. The key is start out by keeping things as local and small scale as possible. As you begin incorporating elements it should be based on what is relevant to the story, and what is interesting to the players. As the players get a feel for their characters, and get adjusted to things on a local scale, you can start gradually zooming out and incorporating more and more of the setting that is relevant to the story being told.
Since there is a lot of lore out there, the key is not to overwhelm new players with it. As a DM, you want to use what is relevant and useful, and always remember that if something doesn't suit your purposes you have the power to change it.
If you are looking for traditional Realms feel and themes, I would look at something in the Heartlands or the North. Some place in the Dalelands or near Silverymoon would likely be my pick. |
|
|
|
Khaelieth
Learned Scribe
103 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 14:15:58
|
| I'm a fan of Loudwater. I run it as it was in 2nd edition, so 4000 inhabitants, Zhentarim and Anauroch to the East, High Forest to the North, High Moor to the South, and Waterdeep further to the West. You get most of the iconic things within arms reach, but can be introduced at a nice pace. |
Also known on other forums as ChazSexington, Kusghuul, and Claudius.
|
|
|
|
Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 14:56:41
|
| Find out if your players have any particular geographical setting or culture that they want to play in and go from there. Forest, high seas, desert,etc .... Arabian, Far East, "medieval", etc. |
Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin
Amazon "KindleUnlimited" Free Trial: http://amzn.to/2AJ4yD2
Try Audible and Get 2 Free Audio Books! https://amzn.to/2IgBede |
|
|
|
farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
Posted - 08 Dec 2015 : 20:13:27
|
| How about Bloodstone Lands? |
|
|
|
JohnLynch
Learned Scribe
Australia
243 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2015 : 10:44:58
|
| Nothing wrong with the Bloodstone Lands. My understanding is the supplements/adventures for them were written before it got inserted into the Forgotten Realms so I'd just find ways to make it more Realmsian in nature. Have merchants who travel through giving the players some current rumours of the world abroad. Have a cleric or two play important roles in the campaign and really explore the flavour they provide. I'd also have wheels within wheels within wheels. Because there's nothing more Realmsian than that to me. |
DM of the Realms: A blog for my Forgotten Realms adventures. |
|
|
|
Aldrick
Senior Scribe
909 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2015 : 19:15:15
|
quote:
Originally posted by farinal
How about Bloodstone Lands?
I personally love the Bloodstone lands. However, where do you plan to start things or take the campaign?
I personally wouldn't run the Bloodstone Campaign modules set there, though I'd mine them for inspiration. For the reason that John points out, they don't fit as neatly into the Realms.
Personally, I'd look at the Bloodstone Lands for inspiration, as well as the surrounding regions, and I would make changes as necessary to better fit the type of feel I'd want to have in my games and the Realms as a whole.
One good non-Realms source of inspiration could be a Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones. In particular, I feel that Damara gives off a "North" sort of feel and vibe, while Vaasa gives off a sort of "Land Beyond the Wall" type vibe. If your players are familiar with a Game of Thrones, I'd draw inspiration from that setting, and incorporate thematic elements from there into Damara and Vaasa -- giving them some thematic touchstones to go with. |
|
|
|
George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 09 Dec 2015 : 23:00:05
|
Amphail. Definitely Amphail.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
|
|
|
Rymac
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 00:08:08
|
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Amphail. Definitely Amphail.
-- George Krashos
Or all of the small villages, hamlets, thorps, and such that comprise the environs of Waterdeep. Definitely one of my favorite areas.
Another favorite area: Archendale. A group of PCs starting out from Archendale would have to overcome prejudices against the Dale and its natives. |
- Ryan |
|
|
|
farinal
Learned Scribe
Turkey
270 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2015 : 00:31:55
|
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Amphail. Definitely Amphail.
-- George Krashos
The North is also my favorite region and it seems there are many hooks and details for Amphail in the old book of "The North". Any experiences running there? |
|
|
|
George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2015 : 03:47:27
|
The best thing about Amphail is that it has a built in, but undetailed "starter" dungeon right in the middle of town. Lots of stuff around it - you can do the 5E Phandelver material as it's close by - or you can go south and do Ardeep and the Forlorn Hills. Of course, urban intrigue in Waterdeep is only a little way away and so it represents a base from which the whole area beckons.
Otherwise, Impiltur. Definitely Impiltur.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
|
|
|
combatmedic
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 11 Dec 2015 : 05:17:38
|
quote:
Originally posted by farinal
I have a group of players who doesn't have much knowledge about the Realms at all or just very little. Which region/city/area as starting point would you recommend as an introducer to the setting?
Somewhere with some hooks, interesting groups, different religions etc. some place for PCs to have something to do but also not get overwhelmed.
Thanks.
Do you own the Gray Box? If so, you have details on Shadowdale.
That Town setting meshes well with Into the Forgotten Realms/ Halls of the Beast Tamers, from Dragon mag and also reprinted in the Gray Box.
If I were to start a game in Shadowdale, I would note that Elminster is dead or vanished, leaving behind a trap filled, enchanted tower. The locals are mostly terrified of entering, which is why it has not been looted yet.
(A dungeon!)
That, or just change his stats to those of DMG style sage, with 6th or 7th level abilities as a magic user and sage knowledge of ecology and magical items/ grimoires. He can serve his role as a sage and occasional adviser without being ultra powerful.
If your players are't so familiar with FR, they probably won't care that this is not the "official" version of the Sage of Shadowdale.
And making him way less powerful will prevent all sorts of "Why is 't the quasi deity handling this" stuff later on in play.
You might simply remove the Knights of MythDrannor from the campaign setting to make more room for the PC heroes. Maybe they suffered a TPK, or close to it, in Whisper's Crypt.
All my advice focuses on the Gray Box because:
it is my fave
And
using the earlier setting materials seems like a good call for " new" players. There is less accretion of canon lore and metaplot.
|
YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary. I'm putting it here so I don't have to type it in every other post. :) |
Edited by - combatmedic on 17 Dec 2015 02:22:07 |
|
|
|
JohnLynch
Learned Scribe
Australia
243 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2015 : 11:39:05
|
| I'd actually go with Elminster and the Knights of Myth Drannor have disapeared (trapped on another plane) and have it as an ongoing mystery that's resolved at high level play (if the PCs so desire). |
DM of the Realms: A blog for my Forgotten Realms adventures. |
|
|
|
combatmedic
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2015 : 15:44:50
|
quote:
Originally posted by JohnLynch
I'd actually go with Elminster and the Knights of Myth Drannor have disapeared (trapped on another plane) and have it as an ongoing mystery that's resolved at high level play (if the PCs so desire).
That sounds fun, too.
It provides a clear reason why these powerful NPCs are not handling all the problems. And it completely stops the sidekick and errand boy syndrome, in which the PCs are minions or lackeys of " the real heroes."
|
YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary. I'm putting it here so I don't have to type it in every other post. :) |
|
|
|
Joebing
Learned Scribe
USA
202 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2015 : 17:33:52
|
| I've personally introduced new players all over, but my next one, the campaign I've been waiting 8 years for, is my twins first campaign in the Realms, and I chose Shadowdale. From there, its a short jump to Cormyr or the Moonsea. |
Now plugging away on mass conversion to 5e, as well as my imprint J. Halk Games.
http://www.facebook.com/JHalkGames
First adventure on DM Guild: Lair of Elaacrimalicros |
|
|
|
combatmedic
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 12 Dec 2015 : 20:51:27
|
quote:
Originally posted by Joebing
I've personally introduced new players all over, but my next one, the campaign I've been waiting 8 years for, is my twins first campaign in the Realms, and I chose Shadowdale. From there, its a short jump to Cormyr or the Moonsea.
Yeah. It is smack in the middle of q lot of fun places. |
YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary. I'm putting it here so I don't have to type it in every other post. :) |
|
|
|
Joebing
Learned Scribe
USA
202 Posts |
Posted - 13 Dec 2015 : 20:28:50
|
That Grey Box...first bit of Realmslore I owned. Still have 3 maps and the clear distance calculator. Most of my stuff is digital now due to theft, space, and those 8 year olds, when they were 1-3 and destroying everything. LOL!
Now that they respect D&D books, maybe I will rebuild my shelf. |
Now plugging away on mass conversion to 5e, as well as my imprint J. Halk Games.
http://www.facebook.com/JHalkGames
First adventure on DM Guild: Lair of Elaacrimalicros |
|
|
|
Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2015 : 00:51:58
|
My personal choice when someone is new to the Forgotten Realms is one of the Dales...but I lean most toward Daggerdale and Scardale.
It allows you to slowly move in any direction you want and the players can explore any homebrew ruins you create at your own pace. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
|
|
|
Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 14 Dec 2015 : 19:00:17
|
When I was compiling a list of "Realms flavor" I concluded that trade (and by extension costers, merchants etc) as well as the most notable factions (Zhentarim, Harpers) were important for me to include in an introductoru session/campaign, be it as something to interact with or hear about.
In addition, emphasizing the many gods but starting out with a few and then add more to the mix (can be as simple as having NPCs state "By Beshaba!"), seeing a shrine here and a temple there.. As the party gets more comfy I'd branch out with some history for that "lived in" feel.
As an example, a month ago I ran Lost Mine for my old gaming group
To (re)introduce the Realms I added an encounter before beginning the actual adventure. The encounter was with a merchant caravan of the Seven Suns coster (trade). I made his guards a little diverse to showcase the races and ethnicities even so far up in the North. The merchant revealed he had acquired some very nifty treasure, magically glowing bricks from fabled Myth Drannor (history). He then spoke of the Zhentarim's growing influence in the area and told the PCs to stay clear of those guys (faction). Another guard was dishing out stew and blessing it in the name of Chauntea (goddess). In that one benign encounter I had planted the seeds of "that Realms flavor" (in my opinion). Whether it helped the players, I don't know but I always like to make the game world feel as if there is a lot of depth. I used Evernote to organize a list of descriptors in case the PCs asked more questions about whatever caught their attention, which I could refer to in case I forgot.
Then I launched the goblin ambush on them in case they had forgotten the Realms also holds naughty stuff that pickets your hit point total.
|
|
|
|
ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2016 : 03:32:49
|
I've started new groups in the Dalelands, Cormyr, Waterdeep, Daggerford, and the Moonsea. They all work well.
Depending on what timeline you're using, you might try running the series of 2e adventures set in Daggerdale. Those are personal favorites of mine.
When I begin a group in Waterdeep, I usually either throw them into the sewers, chasing dinosaurs, using the old Dungeon adventure "...And a Dozen Eggs," or I lure them into the Blue Alley.
|
--
Erskine Fincher
http://forgotten-realms.wandering-dwarf.com/index.php |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Introducing the Realms to beginners
