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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Apr 2007 : 15:33:51
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Hey all,
I'd like to enlist the help of our resident Forgotten Realms scholars who may be interested in writing lore articles about the following regions:
Lands of Intrigue
Amn
Tethyr
Calimshan
Shining South
the Shaar
the Great Rift
Halruaa
Dambrath
Lurien
Durpar
Estagund
Var the Golden
Veldorn
The articles will appear at Exodus: Shadows of the South, a project that we are trying to develop into a comprehensive D&D gaming resource specifically for the Forgotten Realms' Lands of Intrigue and Shining South.
What we hope to create with these pieces is a repository of fan written articles that are solidly researched, each detailing a particular feature of any of these regions. We're looking for thoughtful articles that highlight and illuminate a particular facet of a region, i.e., some aspect of the setting that makes it particularly attractive or unusual, or otherwise recommends it. I have undertaken some work in this direction already with Amn, which you can take a look at here to get a flavor.
I now realize that I simply have far too many irons in the fire with the Exodus project to make much of a dent at building up this limb of the project all by myself. So I would be extremely grateful for the aid of anyone who would enjoy contributing in such a manner. Of course by submitting an article your satisfaction will be greater than the fun of writing it, you will also be benefitting the entire D&D community with your efforts. 
We're looking for articles that relate official canon accurately. However, contributors are free also to excercise their creativity with ideas that further develop and flesh out these extremely rich settings. As long as whatever you have invented is in line with canon, and elaborates on it in a sensible fashion, that's fantastic. Just make sure to distinguish in your article what is fan-created versus official canon.
The possibilities for articles are almost as limitless as your creative imagination. For example, perhaps some aspect of the Halruaan magocracy may have occured to you over the years that you were interested in developing one day. Here's an opportunity. Or maybe you'd enjoy brainstorming an article that details the various relationships between the nomadic tribes of humans, centaurs, wemics, loxo, and thri-kreen on the Shaaryan plains. Here you can have a go at something like that. We'd strongly encourage contributors to consult with Candlekeep's resident FR authors and developers regarding your ideas, as they will surely have excellent suggestions to further develop your material.
I will liason with Alaundo to feature articles submitted to our site also here at Candlekeep's vault of lore. If you're interested in contributing an article, please send it to exodusapps@gmail.com. Thanks!
A Bit About the Greater Exodus Project
The 'anchor' for the Exodus project is a NWN2 persistent world that will open soon after the release of the game's patch version 1.05. We will then release a small module set on the Isle of Skaug for beta testing purposes. After testing is completed, we will eventually release a 'live' mod set in Amn that launches a sweeping adventure beginning in just a couple months after the Sythillisian invasion, early winter 1370 DR. From there the plan is to progressively add servers for the following regions (in this order): Tethyr, Calimport/Calim desert, the Shaar/Great Rift, Halruaa, Dambrath/Lurien.
Exodus is a 24/7 role-play intensive persistent world which will offer regular gaming sessions for parties of players with a DM. Otherwise players are free to get online at any time and roleplay and develop their characters. They may further any plots or storylines generated by PCs that do not require the assistance of a DM.
Our approach to the setting is deeply rooted in canon lore, with a doting attention to canon detail. But we are also using the invasion of Amn as a point of departure to create our own unique storyline. In other words, a new line of development to the setting from that particular point in history will begin, which will then evolve interactively among DMs and players.
The reason NWN2 roots our project is that online play in a NWN2 persistent world provides players access to a greater community that enjoys a steady flow of fresh faces, and like-minded players. And for many if not most members, NWN2 is the most practical and appealing medium available to them, given their various real life demands and schedules.
But as you can see, the scope of the project has expanded. As mentioned, the site is as much about articulating the nuances of the settings of the Lands of Intrigue and Shining South, as it is about NWN2 gaming. We want to make the site a valuable lore resource for D&D players interested in running either tabletop PnP or PbP campaigns in those two specific regions of the Forgotten Realms. And we are also hopeful that we can get a series of Play by Post games started for a number of our featured regions as well. With our Isle of Skaug NWN2 test mod, we will be experimenting with integrating the PbP format with NWN2 persistent world gaming. We also have a forum dedicated to creating a kind of 'reading room', or library, of articles pertaining very broadly to storytelling, roleplaying, and gaming in the Fantasy genre.
We realize that not everyone can, or has any desire to, get online regularly and game via NWN2 in a persistent world. But players in our community also have the option to participate in the NWN2 gameworld via our PbP function if they wish. We also recognize that some folks may not be interested in roleplaying either via the NWN2 PW or PbP gaming, and instead just want to delve into the riches of our featured settings, and have fun articulating them and treating other gamers to fresh, creative ideas for the settings.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this. We're hopeful that the efforts we're putting forth with our project will inspire some of the wise loremasters of Candlekeep to enrich the rest of the community with their great fund of knowledge and creativity.
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Edited by - Lemernis on 19 Apr 2007 17:58:49
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2007 : 15:58:06
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Lemernis, firstly, let me just say that this sounds like a fascinating idea -- an "Northern Journey"-styled project for both the Lands of Intrigue and the Shining South. Neato! I look forward to seeing what becomes of it. And if you can involve Candlekeep, that's another win for us... 
Though, unfortunately, as much as I would really love to help you out with this... the simple fact is, I just don't have the time. My work, family, fan-based projects, and this little thing for DRAGON that's currently absorbing most of my free time, have all, in their own ways, forced me to put even my own Candlekeep projects on hold. Add to that, time spent online both here and at WotC [as well as a few other sites], and my days are pretty much "fully occupied."
Having said that, I will attempt to throw whatever support I can manage behind this idea, when I can manage. I want to see this succeed.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 19 Apr 2007 16:01:21 |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2007 : 23:03:55
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i might be interested in trying to take a stab on Halruaa and/or Great Rift
might be able to cook something sunday
but i would like to get some examples of some you have made allready so i have an approx idea of how big and such it should be |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 00:05:38
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Sage, thank you for those words of support!
Sian, there's no rush at all, take your time if you like. In this link you'll find some articles I've written about Amn that will give a flavor. And although I think it's probably too long to reprint here, this article in the Exodus Player Handbook (sorry if you have to be registered at the forums for the link to work) serves as another example.
Feel free to make the articles as long or short as you like. Anything that strikes your fancy about any of these settings you can either do a scholarly job at presenting in depth, strictly according to canon. Or you can expand on them by incorporating your own ideas. Whatever motivates you, follow your muse.
D&D settings are ultimately intended to be developed by individual users. There are so many facets of the settings in the source material waiting to be elaborated. I would love to see this collection grow with all the creative energy that exists in the good minds here. |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2007 : 11:53:33
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| I can not promise anything, but I might have something in the future. Not at the moment though, it will depend on the amount of time and my ability to write in the nearest future. I will give you a word if I come up with something useful. It might be some information on one of the races, some legends/adventure hints or something on a country maybe, but again I cant promise anything at the moment. |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2007 : 14:43:44
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Thanks Jorkens, again no hurry at all. :)
I want to encourage people to think about this as, in effect, an opportunity to act as a developer for the setting.
Okay, well, at least in one limited form of it!--i.e., the Exodus gameworld, and its lore repository. 
I honestly have no idea how large we will be able to grow an active, regular playerbase. But some of the 'custom' ideas submitted by contributors will definitely end up being incorporated into our gameworld.
And if an article goes in-depth about pure canon, it will serve to educate a good number of people about a setting that is probably much fresher to them than, say, FR staples in north eastern Faerun such as the Dales, Moonsea, Cormyr, Waterdeep, Sword Coast, the North, and so forth. Near as I can tell, comparatively, the southern settings we feature haven't received near as much attention over the years. We feel the Lands of Intrigue and Shining South provides players a chance to articulate some settings in greater detail, and creatively to expand upon them. In other words, we invite players to share in some of the same pleasure and satisfaction that an official FR developer experiences.
As many have noted, the Realms is designed for expansion through personal, individual touches by DMs. Yes, there is an official canon to the Forgotten Realms, and we can't get enough of it. We all eagerly look forward to its ongoing development and evolution. But, as we know, there is also Ed's version of the Realms--which virtually all of us here honor above that of WotC's.
And in the same spirit, there is each individual DM's version of the Realms, as he or she chooses to flesh it out.
One of things I admire so much about Steven Schend's work, for example, is that he designs it quite intentionally for the end user, the DM, to add his or her own personal touches. For instance, perhaps three out of five NPCs for a particular faction are written up by Steven, and two are left for the DM to create. That's the sort of thing that inspired us at Exodus to really run with adding lots of finishing touches, and in general elaborating the setting in great detail above and beyond what is official.
Anyway, we very much want to inspire a sense that you, the players, are ultimately as free to create within the setting as the official developers are. And that your work will be valued by a great many people (we hope!)--or at least has the potential to be over time. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2007 : 15:34:52
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well ... i know i will write in a massive religius awakening into in my Halruaa submit ... with Mystan, Azuthian and Sarvasian churches massivly expanding into the elite of the country and into the council so there is both Wizards, Clerics and Wizard/Clerics in it *grins*
and if i get more leash i would maybe even 'rule' that the recent (or former) leader was a secret Sharan Illusionist/Cleric/Mystic Theuge (like prestigeclass ... maybe with some more regional flavor with a mix of that and Halruaa Elder in Shining south)/Shadowwielder *grins* (would be brilliant as a main villian pulling the threads with a Halruaan Magehound as main goodie two-shoes, if there's going to be some play going that way) |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
Edited by - Sian on 24 Apr 2007 15:39:05 |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2007 : 17:32:32
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I really like that angle of religion on the rise in Halruaa. I think the tension between the established wizard schools and various clergies with newfound social and political power will be really fun.
We're playing with a similar tension in our development of Amn, where arcane magic is feared and despised but divine magic is accepted. Amn has historically had a very tolerant but ultimately rather superficial attitude towards religion. Eg, merchants routinely toss up casual prayers to an assortment of whatever deities might support their business ventures. It's not really all that sincerely heartfelt, however. But with the Sythillisian Empire having invaded central Amn, and with the enemy freely wielding arcane magic (again, which is hated by Amnians), this has caused Amnians to turn more earnestly to the divine to battle such a formidable foe. Amnians still can't bring themslves to use arcane magic--the cultural prejudices against it have just run too deep for too many centuries. A stonger use of divine magic is really essential for them to have a fighting chance, actually.
Anyway, in our articualtion of Amn we're drawing out the distinction between arcane magic, on the one hand, and the supernatural powers of the divine, on the other.
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Matthus
Senior Scribe
Germany
393 Posts |
Posted - 25 Apr 2007 : 09:18:15
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Well,
if there is a chance I would like to bring up some ideas I've gotten for the Great Rift. Unfortunatley I need to translate them - so there should be some "seasons" until you will see them. I'm hurrying to get it done, maybe when there is some dark and rainy winter night (We have sunny weather, some nice 28 ° C - so there is no chance for dusting moldy tomes right now.... ). |
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Zanan
Senior Scribe
Germany
942 Posts |
Posted - 25 Apr 2007 : 11:15:44
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| On a sidenote ... and not having checked the links ... have you contacted anyone of WotC to ask them whether they would object to this kind of undertaking? While it is all fan-created etc., I would guess that when doing the basics (cities, names, people, races et al), i.e. anything officially printed etc., you might violate the copyright of the FR stuff. Just asking ... |
Cave quid dicis, quando et cui!
Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel!
In memory of Alura Durshavin.
Visit my "Homepage" to find A Guide to the Drow NPCs of Faerûn, Drow and non-Drow PrC and much more. |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2007 : 00:00:23
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Zanan, I hadn't really thought about it to be honest.
It's all written in our own words... If someone writes a synopsis of a published fiction novel in the course of reviewing it, there doesn't seem to be any issue with that. Though I suppose there could be. I'm not a lawyer.
Our site provides links for folks to buy source materials directly from WotC or their affiliated sellers, eg, D&D Core Books, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. The Shining South, Empires of the Sands, and so on. Probably wouldn't hurt to have banners linking to the products. We don't mind giving them free advertising, in effect.
If they asked us to stop writing about Lands of Intrigue and the Shining South, and (hopefully) after discussing it with us if they still insisted, I'm certain we would. But the fact is Exodus is far more likely to inspire people to buy source materials with what we're doing via our fan based project than of we didn't exist to begin with. From a business vantage I don't think it would make much sense for WotC to quash an extremely dedicated and enthusiastic portion of fan base. God only knows how they see it, though, I guess I shouldn't assume too much.
I don't know, I'm not too worried about it either way. If they get wind of us and advise that we can't use their material, I expect we'll simply have to comply. We'll just hope that they leave us be to help grow and stoke up the fanbase about the regions we're detailing. |
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Rory
Seeker
79 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2007 : 23:05:00
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OT Samarach and Thindol in the South East are really underdeveloped. Does anyone have any info on those sites?
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
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seeking submisions for fan written lore articles
