Ah, I make monster sheets for each of my sessions, and it helps me immensely. That way, I am not flipping back and forth when I have mixed baddies. It's the one thing that I learned from the DDAL Modules.
I usually only buy the core rulebooks in physical copies. The adventure books I get in DnD Beyond if I get them at all.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Considering I'm the Old Timer in our groups, and that I'm probably the only one that read any of Salvatore's works, I still find that the lore that is written in the sourcebooks, adventures and novels barely scratch the surface of Faerun. Not only that, unless you are playing an Elf, Dwarf or Gnome, most of the written material is far enough back that it isn't even talked about anymore, much less a recent collective memory. The Spellplague was a BIG deal... but none of the other players (including the current DM) even know what it means, much less having any influence on their characters.
What I enjoy about having that much information is that when I am writing out my own adventures, I can deep dive into lore with segments of an adventure. Just remember, that the books and sources tell A point of view. As time marches on, that point of view is mutable, or perhaps someone that lived through it actually experienced something different. Bring in a personal account from an older elf or dwarf. Bring in ancient tomes that relay bits of lore. Use the framework of the vast amount of lore to hook your writing into, but make it your own. Spin it as Tolkienesque, Make it Horror, Keep only the Silly Bathroom Memoirs. Whatever makes your group tick. That is the beauty of D&D... but I really do enjoy a rich history that we have in the Forgotten Realms.
I am looking forward to visiting the Ten Towns again and see where they have progressed (or regressed) from when we last saw them. I don't know yet if I'll get to run it yet, or if one of the other DMs will, but, I'm sure we'll touch at least some of it. If nothing else, we get some cold themed settings, monsters and locations with some local color to add to our world. If it goes well, we'll have an adventure we get to share the story in and remember fondly for years to come. Either way, there will be plenty there to enhance my D&D world...
Considering I'm the Old Timer in our groups, and that I'm probably the only one that read any of Salvatore's works, I still find that the lore that is written in the sourcebooks, adventures and novels barely scratch the surface of Faerun. Not only that, unless you are playing an Elf, Dwarf or Gnome, most of the written material is far enough back that it isn't even talked about anymore, much less a recent collective memory. The Spellplague was a BIG deal... but none of the other players (including the current DM) even know what it means, much less having any influence on their characters.
What I enjoy about having that much information is that when I am writing out my own adventures, I can deep dive into lore with segments of an adventure. Just remember, that the books and sources tell A point of view. As time marches on, that point of view is mutable, or perhaps someone that lived through it actually experienced something different. Bring in a personal account from an older elf or dwarf. Bring in ancient tomes that relay bits of lore. Use the framework of the vast amount of lore to hook your writing into, but make it your own. Spin it as Tolkienesque, Make it Horror, Keep only the Silly Bathroom Memoirs. Whatever makes your group tick. That is the beauty of D&D... but I really do enjoy a rich history that we have in the Forgotten Realms.
I am looking forward to visiting the Ten Towns again and see where they have progressed (or regressed) from when we last saw them. I don't know yet if I'll get to run it yet, or if one of the other DMs will, but, I'm sure we'll touch at least some of it. If nothing else, we get some cold themed settings, monsters and locations with some local color to add to our world. If it goes well, we'll have an adventure we get to share the story in and remember fondly for years to come. Either way, there will be plenty there to enhance my D&D world...
I am with you, buddy. The Crystal Shard was one of the first novels that I ever read on my own. I have already made a character for the journey and played him in the Adventurers League preview on Friday... He was the only character "going home" in the group as we traversed the Spine of the World to Ten Towns...
I'd love to see some Ice/Frost themed Cleric Domains, Sorcerer Bloodlines, Druid Circles... Seems like one of the areas that is really lacking in content compared to other elements.
I really enjoyed the element/weather themed 3.5 books :)
What characters do you think will be referenced in this adventure? Maybe Artus Cimber and Drizzt will show up?
Artus Cimber is already involved in the Preview Adventures on DNDBeyond... so, we'll see if that is a transition into the adventure, or just a lead-in with a known character that isn't in the actual adventure.
What characters do you think will be referenced in this adventure? Maybe Artus Cimber and Drizzt will show up?
According to the novels, Drizzt spends most of his time in and around Gauntlgrym... But he may have a cameo... Of course, the novels and the adventures don't always mesh...
I'm looking forward to it. Already bought it on D&D beyond and will probably get it from the local game shop as well (I like reading a physical copy).
As others have pointed out the weakness of Forgotten Realms (that it is overdeveloped and has an overly complex history that limits the freedom of the DM) is also its greatest strength. If players go off script and end up in Waterdeep you can roll with it. If, however, you are a DM who is more keen to develop their own world and feels they build a richer and more suitable world for their players than a 'kitchen sink of fantasy tropes' setting then you'll probably use the product by lifting select scenarios and adding it to your own campaign.
I do find it strange when I see complaints that run along the line of, "I have this vision of a really original campaign and I don't find these mass market products really fit that..."
Of course not! They are mass market products. If you have the time and creativity you probably do come up with something better for your players. And that is great. Lucky them! But there might still be things you can lift and twist and slap in from a product like this.
That it is overdeveloped is absolutely true of 3rd edition. It was so detailed, and so populated with heroes and stars already that there was no meaningful way for PCs to feel like the heroes.
That all seems to be fixed in 5th edition. There is a deep history. But the 5th edition books barely touch on that history, and goes so far, to those of us in the know, to imply it can and should be disregarded if you don't want to deal with it.
I'm really excited about this campaign my players have already been developing their characters and I've been making some lore involving vampire hunters called the Icedawn. I reckoned because of the endless night vampires would be swarming to Icewind dale. The vampire villain is called Cyan Bloodbane.
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"Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced"- Soren Kierkgaard
I'm really excited about this campaign my players have already been developing their characters and I've been making some lore involving vampire hunters called the Icedawn. I reckoned because of the endless night vampires would be swarming to Icewind dale. The vampire villain is called Cyan Bloodbane.
50 monsters to use too!
I don't need those on D&D Beyond. A physical copy will be good enough for me.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Ah, I make monster sheets for each of my sessions, and it helps me immensely. That way, I am not flipping back and forth when I have mixed baddies. It's the one thing that I learned from the DDAL Modules.
I usually only buy the core rulebooks in physical copies. The adventure books I get in DnD Beyond if I get them at all.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Considering I'm the Old Timer in our groups, and that I'm probably the only one that read any of Salvatore's works, I still find that the lore that is written in the sourcebooks, adventures and novels barely scratch the surface of Faerun. Not only that, unless you are playing an Elf, Dwarf or Gnome, most of the written material is far enough back that it isn't even talked about anymore, much less a recent collective memory. The Spellplague was a BIG deal... but none of the other players (including the current DM) even know what it means, much less having any influence on their characters.
What I enjoy about having that much information is that when I am writing out my own adventures, I can deep dive into lore with segments of an adventure. Just remember, that the books and sources tell A point of view. As time marches on, that point of view is mutable, or perhaps someone that lived through it actually experienced something different. Bring in a personal account from an older elf or dwarf. Bring in ancient tomes that relay bits of lore. Use the framework of the vast amount of lore to hook your writing into, but make it your own. Spin it as Tolkienesque, Make it Horror, Keep only the Silly Bathroom Memoirs. Whatever makes your group tick. That is the beauty of D&D... but I really do enjoy a rich history that we have in the Forgotten Realms.
I am looking forward to visiting the Ten Towns again and see where they have progressed (or regressed) from when we last saw them. I don't know yet if I'll get to run it yet, or if one of the other DMs will, but, I'm sure we'll touch at least some of it. If nothing else, we get some cold themed settings, monsters and locations with some local color to add to our world. If it goes well, we'll have an adventure we get to share the story in and remember fondly for years to come. Either way, there will be plenty there to enhance my D&D world...
I am with you, buddy. The Crystal Shard was one of the first novels that I ever read on my own. I have already made a character for the journey and played him in the Adventurers League preview on Friday... He was the only character "going home" in the group as we traversed the Spine of the World to Ten Towns...
What characters do you think will be referenced in this adventure? Maybe Artus Cimber and Drizzt will show up?
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
Drizzt might make a brief appearance just because, but he doesn't really have any connection to Auril so it would be odd for him to play a major role.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I'd love to see some Ice/Frost themed Cleric Domains, Sorcerer Bloodlines, Druid Circles... Seems like one of the areas that is really lacking in content compared to other elements.
I really enjoyed the element/weather themed 3.5 books :)
Artus Cimber is already involved in the Preview Adventures on DNDBeyond... so, we'll see if that is a transition into the adventure, or just a lead-in with a known character that isn't in the actual adventure.
According to the novels, Drizzt spends most of his time in and around Gauntlgrym... But he may have a cameo... Of course, the novels and the adventures don't always mesh...
That it is overdeveloped is absolutely true of 3rd edition. It was so detailed, and so populated with heroes and stars already that there was no meaningful way for PCs to feel like the heroes.
That all seems to be fixed in 5th edition. There is a deep history. But the 5th edition books barely touch on that history, and goes so far, to those of us in the know, to imply it can and should be disregarded if you don't want to deal with it.
I feel ya...
Check out a preview here with more coming.
I'm excited for this adventure!
https://www.ign.com/articles/dnd-frostmaiden-first-look-preview-pages
The Frostmaiden is a goddess right?
Yes.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Thanks
I'm really excited about this campaign my players have already been developing their characters and I've been making some lore involving vampire hunters called the Icedawn. I reckoned because of the endless night vampires would be swarming to Icewind dale. The vampire villain is called Cyan Bloodbane.
"Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced"- Soren Kierkgaard
Like the dragon from Dragonlance! That’s so cool.
I've preordered this book from Amazon. It will arrive on September 15th (the day it is released). I'm thoroughly excited for it.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms