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Let’s talk about the upcoming changes to the Forgotten Realms. This isn’t really a topical subject, being some time after the announcement at GenCon and some time before the novels and adventures are released. I had planned it earlier but kept delaying this piece to write other blogs. Oops.

If you hadn’t heard, the forthcoming revamp of the Realms was revealed at the GenCon Keynote address and mentioned in a couple panels on the Realms. They’re doing an event called “the Sundering” which is designed to both transition the Realms to 5e but also bring the Forgotten Realms back to basics.

Yeah... I’m experiencing a little déjà vu here.

The Nuking the Realms

For 4e, the Forgotten Realms was altered via a trilogy of modules published

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   Welcome to the group page of Muskoka's newly formed RPGaming group. We will be holding, D&D Forgotten Realms, games every week. If you are unsure of rules and/or how to build a character, we can provide you with the resources.

   All players interested must be mature (but not without a sence of humour), even and easy tempered, respectful and curtious. Anyone not willing to abide by these rules will be removed from the gaming premisis (ie. Banned).

   DMs set character rules; 4thE Gaming Rules; Bringing a legal character is welcome although given the party level you may be required to play a new character.

     List of items needed-

•  (FR/4e) bookset (provided, via PDF {for viewing only} for those without)
• Miniatures (if

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If my 2e review seemed a bit on the light side, it was. I never really played FR in 2nd edition, although I did pick up a few FR themed products. Adventures, or Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog, and Volo Guides. The original FR boxed set suited me just fine for any FR setting needs for me, but I picked up the 2e boxed set more to have a "complete" collection. (Even though I wasn't trying to complete all the games.) Indeed, I had picked that set up long after I had all my Planescape materials. (I seem to recall picking it up as an "accessory" for Planescape- Faerun is another world to explore from Sigil.)

I did play 3e FR a little bit, but I have to say of all the editions (including 4e), I like the 3e FR campaign setting book the best.

The big draw for me is two fold. First, there's the trade...

Although my grey FR boxed set has been crushed, I can still sit it next to the 2nd edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting box and see that the 2nd edition box is twice as thick. And it certainly is loaded with goodies.

The look and feel of the books are different than the previous version. For starters, the pages are white with black text. There is also a splash of color. Not full color but dark blue is used for the headings, and the pattern at the top of every page.  Sidebards are shaded blue. Back then, having any color at all was a big deal, as most RPG books were nothing but black and white. The color gave the books personality.

The first book is the 128 page "A Grand Tour Of The Realms", and it follows the tradition of the 1st edition's Cyclopedia, but the Grand Tour does so...

I've been thinking about the Forgotten Realms lately, and thought it might be fun to look back at some great FR products. Now, there were many produced and I don't have all of them. So, to make things a bit simple, I took a look at the main campaign setting books/sets.

Many moons ago, I was at our monthly get together for AD&D games when the DM pulled out a rather awesome looking map. I asked him where he got it. The jerk wouldn't tell me.

I eventually found out when I picked up that month's Dragon Magazine. It wouldn't have killed him to tell me that's where he got it as the map didn't have any secrets on it.

That map was my introduction to the Forgotten Realms. Yes, I had read some articles on it previously, but I never really paid attention to them. I ignored that world as much as I ignored...

Session 25

March 31, 2012 18:00

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I originally posted this interview on my website yesterday, but I'll repost it here for your reading pleasure. Erin has some cool things to say about Neverwinter, succubi vs. erinyes, and writing in general!

Erin M. Evans is a former WotC editor and author in the Forgotten Realms setting. Her second, Brimstone Angels, releases this month. I sat down with her recently to talk about her two devilish sisters, a really bad news devil lord, and impending doom.

Q. So Brimstone Angels ties into the Neverwinter releases this year. What aspects of Neverwinter do you play up in the novel?

I liked the idea of this city that’s historically been huge and vibrant and influential, that’s been just razed by catastrophes, but that’s starting to rebuild. I read a lot of news stories

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THE TEASE:

September 27 sees the first ever Twitter Duel between Kalen "Shadowbane" Dren, Vigilante Paladin, Champion of a Fallen God, and the dwarf assassin Arrath "Rath" Vir, his nemesis from Downshadow (2009), in the rough-and-tumble city of NEVERWINTER.


THE STORY:

The guards trembled before the barred door to the strongest, darkest prison cell beneath Castle Waterdeep. Cold water dripped through cracks in the stone, making the walls around them seem to swell and radiate a chill like that of the grave.

The dim torchlight reflected from a dusky, handsome face, pure but for a dusting of beard the owner could not shave. His eyes were closed and his relaxed posture indifferent.

Shieldlar Tholm growled in impatience. “Hurry, you fools. I would be about this business ‘ere

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Hail and well met,

I conducted an interview recently with Ed Greenwood regarding his new novel, BURY ELMINSTER DEEP. Check it out!

(A forenote to Matt James: I gave you the scoop, but not the exclusive. If people want to read the original posting of this interview, check it out on Loremaster!)

 

Words from the Scribes: Bury Elminster Deep

 

Ed Greenwood is the legendary creator of the panoramic Forgotten Realms campaign setting, which has spawned hundreds of game products and even more hundreds of novels.

His latest novel, Bury Elminster Deep (sequel to the very accurately named Elminster Must Die) features one of his most beloved, iconic characters, who started the novel, well . . . dead. The great sage sat down with me recently to assess a seemingly dire situation.

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