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 "West Marches" style game in the Savage Frontier
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Alok Silverspear
Acolyte

United Kingdom
5 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2017 :  09:01:57  Show Profile Send Alok Silverspear a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Hi all, I'm currently crafting a new type of campaign (for me) set in the Silver Marches ( I prefer the Savage Frontier!). The base of operations for the PCs will be the frontier town of Deadsnows, which has recently begun a gold rush. The time is Spring, 1370 DR.

For those unfamiliar with West Marches style of play see here. http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/78/grand-experiments-west-marches/

I will be running it on Roll20 using 5e, hopefully with multiple DMs. In my opinion this method of play has the potential to overcome many problems I encountered in normal play, such as DM burnout, loss of player interest in DM's big plot ideas, flexibility on play times, etc....

I hope the experience will be thick with realms lore, and my main reason for posting is to pick the brains of any DMs who have run a game in this area previously.

The opportunities for wilderness exploring in this area are phenomenal, and it also contains the ruins of at least 3 fallen empires, so it's happy days for dungeoneering too!

Anyway, has someone around here previously delved into the lore of area in depth???? I have looked at most of the old sourcebooks I think.

George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6638 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2017 :  09:05:21  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Just what lore is it you are after?

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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idilippy
Senior Scribe

USA
417 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2017 :  15:37:46  Show Profile Send idilippy a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Markustay has excellent maps, I used one of those as a GM map for a sandbox campaign I ran in the area and it was covered in locations I didn't know off the top of my head. The books Waterdeep and the North, The Savage Frontier, and The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier are good sources. Volo's Guide to the North should also be checked out.
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Alok Silverspear
Acolyte

United Kingdom
5 Posts

Posted - 09 Apr 2017 :  18:05:53  Show Profile Send Alok Silverspear a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos

Just what lore is it you are after?

-- George Krashos



Anything around Deadsnows, the Delzoun Valley and the northern Nether Mountains would be a great start.

I'd love to see Markustay's maps as well!
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Cards77
Senior Scribe

USA
745 Posts

Posted - 18 Apr 2017 :  03:26:05  Show Profile Send Cards77 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Alok Silverspear

quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos

Just what lore is it you are after?

-- George Krashos



Anything around Deadsnows, the Delzoun Valley and the northern Nether Mountains would be a great start.

I'd love to see Markustay's maps as well!



I've run a game for several years in this same area.

You need to get the 3rd edition splat book The Silver Marches. It has the lore you're after.

Look at the adventures the Tombs of Deckon Thar, among others.

Also, this guy has an amazing blog with tons of ideas for exactly what you're doing

http://my-realms.blogspot.com/2013/12/silver-marches-sandbox-1-introduction.html

Get in touch with me if you want to talk more. The Marches has been my area of specialty for the last 15 years or more.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 18 Apr 2017 :  07:56:18  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Alok Silverspear

The opportunities for wilderness exploring in this area are phenomenal, and it also contains the ruins of at least 3 fallen empires, so it's happy days for dungeoneering too!

Anyway, has someone around here previously delved into the lore of area in depth???? I have looked at most of the old sourcebooks I think.

Many of us are familair with the Silver Marches.

"At least three fallen empires"? That describes just about every plot of land in Faerūn, if not Toril. In that region I can think of about ten, off the top of my head. The most basic premise (well, maybe second most basic premise) of The Forgotten Realms is that it is just one civilization/kingdom built on top of another, for 35K thousands years. Anywhere you dig you'll find something. just about every settlement has the ruins of older settlements beneath it (and even older ones beneath that).

This is the true majesty of FR - no matter how many layers you peel back, you'll keep finding more layers. Its not just 'deep', its practically infinitely deep.

As for maps - my old Silver marches one is still hosted here at the Keep, but its badly dated (3e). My newer Map of the North (Western heartlands) shows much more area, but it only includes settlements (its meant as a 'players map', so no dungeons/hidden sites).

And I just now went to link to that, and realized I never reposted it. Hmmmm...


"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 18 Apr 2017 07:57:13
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Alok Silverspear
Acolyte

United Kingdom
5 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2017 :  08:17:44  Show Profile Send Alok Silverspear a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ah cheers for the Tombs of Deckon Thar link, I'd seen it but never twigged it was in the Nether Mountains....

Yes I'd looked at that guy's Sandbox blog as well... all interesting stuff!

My game is set a bit further East as it's less civilised, based in the northern Nether Mountains around the starting town of Deadsnows.
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Alok Silverspear
Acolyte

United Kingdom
5 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2017 :  08:42:31  Show Profile Send Alok Silverspear a Private Message  Reply with Quote
BTW I'm using this splendid hex map!!! (Just the top right bit really) What a lucky find

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ep5mdexh0rzgwqh/Faerun%20North%20Hex%20Map.png?dl=0
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