First time DM here. I'm playing with a group of players and a couple of them are new to d&d. I was wondering if there was a flavor text out there that gave the players a quick feel for what Faerùn is like? Something along the lines of "Welcome to Faerún, a land where dragons soar the skies and..." has anyone done something like this before?
If you listen to NADDPod I was thinking about something like the introduction to the Trinyvale eps.
Sounds like a great idea, and a brilliant way to start a campaign, setting the theme for the adventures to come. With a quick google I can't seem to find something like that which already exists but I'm sure you could write a couple of good paragraphs using the info provided here.
I might be wrong but I feel like you might be looking for an official flavor text for Faerun out of fear that you could slip up and say something wrong. But the great thing about D&D is that you're not running the campaign in the Faerun, you're running it in your Faerun. Part of being the DM is that whatever you say goes and if your version of Faerun differs from any official text, that's fine as long as you stay consistent with that change.
Imo It's liberating when you realise that it's your version of the world, nobody from Wizards of the Coast is going to be standing over your shoulder. So don't be afraid to get creative with it.
General: Since the great cataclysms of the Dawn War, the continent of Faerûn has been a battleground of gods and mortals alike. Magic has sept into every aspect of life in this long forgotten world, from the great beasts of the Anauroch desert, to the bustling streets of Waterdeep. Though often plagued by infighting, the world is watched over by a great pantheon of ancient gods, whom occasionally take the form of mortals and walk among us. For the last century, since the Time of Troubles, this meddling has caused the realms great pain, but now, with the closing of the Second Sundering (1482-1492), the gods' influence on the world has weakened, and many new powers seek to fill the void left by their absence.
Sword Coast: Along the western edge of the Faerûnian continent, a thin strip of civilization struggles to keep their meager foothold in this wild frontier. These are the settlements of the Sword Coast, and are numbered among the greatest of this world's wonders. From the pirate haven of Luskan to the slowly rebuilding ruins of Neverwinter and the bustling trade of Waterdeep, this is a region where everyone can carve out their own life in an uncaring world. The peace is kept by the careful scheming of the Lord's Alliance, yet both from within the walls of the great cities, and from distant lands, threats are ready to move in at a moment's notice.
The Sword Coast Adventurers Guide has a lot of lore about the Sword Coast part of Faerun and includes some that appears to be in the neighboring vicinity. I'm sure there are similar books from previous editions that could give you more official lore as well. As has been mentioned, it's not critical to get all of the details right as long as you remain consistent through the campaign (which would allow for normal business transactions and such things to cause changes).
To continue what Jhfffan said, the 4th edition source book Neverwinter Campaign Guide gives a lot of cool lore and plot hooks for adventures in Neverwinter, you can probably take something from that. It's a bit outdated for the 1490s, but if your game takes place during the early 1480s (like Lost Mines), it should work.
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"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
-Actual conversation in a game.
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First time DM here. I'm playing with a group of players and a couple of them are new to d&d. I was wondering if there was a flavor text out there that gave the players a quick feel for what Faerùn is like? Something along the lines of "Welcome to Faerún, a land where dragons soar the skies and..." has anyone done something like this before?
If you listen to NADDPod I was thinking about something like the introduction to the Trinyvale eps.
Sounds like a great idea, and a brilliant way to start a campaign, setting the theme for the adventures to come. With a quick google I can't seem to find something like that which already exists but I'm sure you could write a couple of good paragraphs using the info provided here.
I might be wrong but I feel like you might be looking for an official flavor text for Faerun out of fear that you could slip up and say something wrong. But the great thing about D&D is that you're not running the campaign in the Faerun , you're running it in your Faerun. Part of being the DM is that whatever you say goes and if your version of Faerun differs from any official text, that's fine as long as you stay consistent with that change.
Imo It's liberating when you realise that it's your version of the world, nobody from Wizards of the Coast is going to be standing over your shoulder. So don't be afraid to get creative with it.
Hope this helps!
// Myco Gnome // Fungus themed Subrace
First, this (https://tabletitans.com/comic/winter-of-the-iron-dwarf-page-7) comic is great, and has a good introduction to Faerûn. How you do it depends on what sort of campaign you plan to play, and where in Faerûn it is.
General: Since the great cataclysms of the Dawn War, the continent of Faerûn has been a battleground of gods and mortals alike. Magic has sept into every aspect of life in this long forgotten world, from the great beasts of the Anauroch desert, to the bustling streets of Waterdeep. Though often plagued by infighting, the world is watched over by a great pantheon of ancient gods, whom occasionally take the form of mortals and walk among us. For the last century, since the Time of Troubles, this meddling has caused the realms great pain, but now, with the closing of the Second Sundering (1482-1492), the gods' influence on the world has weakened, and many new powers seek to fill the void left by their absence.
Sword Coast: Along the western edge of the Faerûnian continent, a thin strip of civilization struggles to keep their meager foothold in this wild frontier. These are the settlements of the Sword Coast, and are numbered among the greatest of this world's wonders. From the pirate haven of Luskan to the slowly rebuilding ruins of Neverwinter and the bustling trade of Waterdeep, this is a region where everyone can carve out their own life in an uncaring world. The peace is kept by the careful scheming of the Lord's Alliance, yet both from within the walls of the great cities, and from distant lands, threats are ready to move in at a moment's notice.
"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
-Actual conversation in a game.
The Sword Coast Adventurers Guide has a lot of lore about the Sword Coast part of Faerun and includes some that appears to be in the neighboring vicinity. I'm sure there are similar books from previous editions that could give you more official lore as well. As has been mentioned, it's not critical to get all of the details right as long as you remain consistent through the campaign (which would allow for normal business transactions and such things to cause changes).
To continue what Jhfffan said, the 4th edition source book Neverwinter Campaign Guide gives a lot of cool lore and plot hooks for adventures in Neverwinter, you can probably take something from that. It's a bit outdated for the 1490s, but if your game takes place during the early 1480s (like Lost Mines), it should work.
"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
-Actual conversation in a game.