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4 months ago ::
Feb 10, 2013 - 8:35AM
#91
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You know, you just gave me the spark of memory. I recall asking Rich Baker about the Realms being a Points of Light setting, to which he replied that it wasn't PoL.
I can't remember if I asked that before or after the FRCG was released.
Doesn't really matter - the new Neverwinter campaign guide definitely has a strong Points of Light feel to it, just like the new Salvatore Neverwinter novel trilogy with Drizzt. Pretty much PoL by definition, reading those. It's all completely "shades of gray" and "you're the only heroes on the block" stuff, in spades. Drizzt even has interactions with common farmers, showing that no one trusts their neighbors anymore and tons of backstabbing and theft is happening just among the common people. If that isn't the tone of the Dark Ages, aka PoL, I'm not sure what they could do to make things darker or more PoL.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 10, 2013 - 4:56PM
#92
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To me, the NWCG is more post-apocalyptic than PoL (they aren't the same thing). I can't say for the full Neverwinter series, as I've only read the first book, though the North has always been a harder, more isolated place to begin with (i.e. a place resistant to civilization).
Of course R.A. Salvatore--popular as he is--doesn't set the tone for the rest of the Realms. To me the full (4E) setting just isn't post-Apocalyptic or properly PoL. There are certainly areas that are more isolated (and thus closer to PoL) then others, but having read the numerous Realms articles in Dragon and Dungeon, as well as some of the novels, overall the Realms is still the Realms: a place that's busy interacting and trading with itself.
I realize not everyone feels this way, but that's OK.
However, I am repeating myself, so it's time to bow out of the part of the thread.
The Forgotten Realms: It's an ugly baby, but damnit it's our ugly baby.
WotC, please don't wreck the Forgotten Realms a third time in order to introduce the latest version of the D&D rules.
Give us back 3rd Edition's Magic Television concept instead.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 11, 2013 - 5:32AM
#93
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No, Mr Salvatorre doesn't set the mood for the rest of the Realms but I think it's fair to say he writes what he's asked to write. The problem as I see it, is that WotC has a "vision" for where the realms are headed. In the TSR days, it seemed the authors could write what they wanted, provided they didn't step on other people's toes or contradict existing canon. Now, the novels are plot drivers.
There never used to be a plot, or a theme to the realms.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 11, 2013 - 7:55AM
#94
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Well, I haven't read every single book that was released since 2008, as they all haven't been available at my library to borrow. But I have read these: Neverwinter series = definitely PoL. Brotherhood of the Griffon series = definitely PoL. Brimstone Angels (two novels so far) = definitely PoL. The current Elminster series = definitely PoL. Gilded Rune = definitely PoL. Haunted Lands series = definitely PoL. Even adventure-wise: Rise of the Underdark = definitely PoL. Neverwinter Campaign Guide = definitely PoL.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 12, 2013 - 3:42PM
#95
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Neverwinter series = definitely PoL.
Brotherhood of the Griffon series = definitely PoL.
Brimstone Angels (two novels so far) = definitely PoL.
The current Elminster series = definitely PoL.
Gilded Rune = definitely PoL.
Haunted Lands series = definitely PoL.
I haven read Neverwinter and the latest Elminsters, but the others are definately not PoL.
PoL is scattered communities as separated PoLs in the darkness. BotG took place in a couple of countries waging war upon each other. Fully functional countries and not just some collections of PoLs. Brimstone angels took place in a city (first one) and in a forgotten underground cave. While the city certainly has seen better places, it's not enough to paint a PoL picture. And the second one shows that the cities are still well connected (portals from Waterdeep to Cormyr to be purchased, before that the heroes easily travelled from Neverwinter to Waterdeep) and since the rest just takes part in a forgotten cave it doesn't really tell anything. Gilded Rune has a city under quarantine due to plague. But the quarantine had to be imposed to keep frequent caravans and traders away. So the city was everything but a lonely PoL cut off form the others, it was a trade hub. Haunted Lands is half pre-spellplague and the other half is invading Thay. Well, Thay is not the nicest of places.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 12, 2013 - 5:19PM
#96
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In PoL you can still have cities and some trade. To me, every single one of those novels I mentioned exactly fit the PoL description. I see nothing but dark ages in all of those: war, plague, mass quarantines, and nobody except the main character can save everyone. The earlier Realms felt more Renaissance, with capable people here and there, and all sorts of trade and friendly commoners - which wouldn't be PoL. BTW- the portal in Brimstone Angels (only one mentioned, btw) between Waterdeep and Cormyr, was extremely expensive and meant to cut down on months of travel - the fairly high level adventurers couldn't afford to send more than two people, and even then it was one way; it's not like it was a super-saver airline thing that everyday commoners could use regularly.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 14, 2013 - 6:14PM
#97
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Date Joined:
Feb 16, 2008
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Actually I remember getting a strong undertone of Anger, Sorrow, and Melancholy that fit how I felt about the changes that occured in the Realms when I read, R.A. Salvatore's Transition Series.
I think it also gives us an idea that if you have invested twenty plus years reading, writing, and adventuring in the Realms that something happened with the Spellplague that was larger than the general fictional world (Real World Economics).
It had it's impact and I think by having the authors, "Sundering Six", working together. We maybe guaranteed to get back some of the quality we had before in the Realms.
Reading Greenwood's, "Forging the Realms" articles makes me feel like things are getting set back in order. At least giving the feel of the Realms, I grew to love reading and adventuring in.
I also have to say I took a year off of DMing in the Realms (I stuck around Forums though and read or own 85 to 90% of Novels released) but naturally I have come back to gaming in the Realms and deliver the Realms as before with something different here or there, whether all the maps suffered extreme distortion and many of the gods were killed. I have maps from all the earlier editions along with a fine collection of material surviving each company or edition brand that are still very useful.
I must add the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas a great tool and I like the idea of Articles in Dragon containing excerpts, essays, or short stories like the magazine we use to hold in our hands to read which is also a sign of the economic times which extends beyond the lore of the Realms and will probably be some notation in the history of fantasy literature when we are all dust and bones.
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