As a Giff enjoyer, I love Rock of Bral, but I also love Menzoberranzen, as it's where the Bregan D'aerth, my favorite faction, originates. I always loved the atmosphere of Waterdeep, and the idea of all of the Ten-Towns. Calimport has a design I haven't seen in many D&D settlements.
Yeah lots of places that are fun or interesting. Ed created a living breathing world until WOtC pushed him out. They missed a bet there. I’ve always liked the dales - a solid baddy in the Zhentarim, lots of options for things to do, enough Allie’s to provide help without squashing the fun. Following 4e it’s not been well documented but there is plenty there for adventurers. Other places I’m using right now include Lurien - now back from being underwater and needing recolonization by the surviving halflings, the Tymanther - Unther war , Chessenta , Akunal, and Turmish and the Gulthmere forest. All with enough lore to set up a campaign and enough blanks to make it interesting.
My data is decades out of date (as I reject anything from the Time of Troubles and forward), and also colored by substantial homebrew, further invalidating this opinion. Regardless, who can stop me? So, the Keep of Many Arrows - the orc kingdom - is my favourite. Or more precisely, the shape it took in my campaign in the area, a strong orc 'nation' with several unique ways to curb their chaotic nature. Essentially, a 'survival of the fittest' forced into a system where any qualified orc can progress in rank through duel - very much like the rankings of professional boxing. These duels need only be to the death if both agree - and fights to the death aren't allowed outside certain special cases.
So in essence: Bringing the orcs some civilisation. I liked it. They had mines and forges with orc or duergar overseers, paid specialists and numerous decently treated slaves (for a given definition of 'decent'), highly organised military units based on unfailing respect for their leaders (who would beat down challengers on the regular, to maintain morale and respect), and so on.
Not ... how it was in the books, I admit.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I would say my gut says Baldur's Gate. Just something about that damn city. Probably because of the video games, BG1 and 2. I get 2 was in Amn. But then my brain got to thinking. Phlan. My first love was Phlan from the game Pool of Radiance and the book of the same name. Tarl, Shal, and Ren. I can smell the brackish water, taste the fear as I walk in sokol keep, and the frustration of missing a lot as al level 1 adventurer....
I do. fwiw: BGDiA is an homage to Living Forgotten Realms' "Fall of Elturel" series. These 4e organized play adventures featured the city getting erased after the Companion sun goes black due to the betrayal of a high ranking city official.
The Companion sun ("Amaunator's Gift") itself first appeared in 4e, and seems to be an homage to the 'Risen Sun heresy' from 3e's Power of Faerun, where a similar sun is created by a heretical Amaunator worshipper.
As a Giff enjoyer, I love Rock of Bral, but I also love Menzoberranzen, as it's where the Bregan D'aerth, my favorite faction, originates. I always loved the atmosphere of Waterdeep, and the idea of all of the Ten-Towns. Calimport has a design I haven't seen in many D&D settlements.
GiffAndTake
Yeah lots of places that are fun or interesting. Ed created a living breathing world until WOtC pushed him out. They missed a bet there. I’ve always liked the dales - a solid baddy in the Zhentarim, lots of options for things to do, enough Allie’s to provide help without squashing the fun. Following 4e it’s not been well documented but there is plenty there for adventurers. Other places I’m using right now include Lurien - now back from being underwater and needing recolonization by the surviving halflings, the Tymanther - Unther war , Chessenta , Akunal, and Turmish and the Gulthmere forest. All with enough lore to set up a campaign and enough blanks to make it interesting.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
My data is decades out of date (as I reject anything from the Time of Troubles and forward), and also colored by substantial homebrew, further invalidating this opinion. Regardless, who can stop me? So, the Keep of Many Arrows - the orc kingdom - is my favourite. Or more precisely, the shape it took in my campaign in the area, a strong orc 'nation' with several unique ways to curb their chaotic nature. Essentially, a 'survival of the fittest' forced into a system where any qualified orc can progress in rank through duel - very much like the rankings of professional boxing. These duels need only be to the death if both agree - and fights to the death aren't allowed outside certain special cases.
So in essence: Bringing the orcs some civilisation. I liked it. They had mines and forges with orc or duergar overseers, paid specialists and numerous decently treated slaves (for a given definition of 'decent'), highly organised military units based on unfailing respect for their leaders (who would beat down challengers on the regular, to maintain morale and respect), and so on.
Not ... how it was in the books, I admit.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Elturel
Menzo!
I would say my gut says Baldur's Gate. Just something about that damn city. Probably because of the video games, BG1 and 2. I get 2 was in Amn. But then my brain got to thinking. Phlan. My first love was Phlan from the game Pool of Radiance and the book of the same name. Tarl, Shal, and Ren. I can smell the brackish water, taste the fear as I walk in sokol keep, and the frustration of missing a lot as al level 1 adventurer....
Trellmont near the south of the sword coast but above chult.
home of the Champions Of Trellmont.
NOBODY IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND!!!
"Eltural"
so you must like hell
(baldur's gate descent into Avernus)
NOBODY IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND!!!
I love Menzoberranzen.
oh yeah forgot about drizzt do'urden .
NOBODY IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND!!!
I do. fwiw: BGDiA is an homage to Living Forgotten Realms' "Fall of Elturel" series. These 4e organized play adventures featured the city getting erased after the Companion sun goes black due to the betrayal of a high ranking city official.
The Companion sun ("Amaunator's Gift") itself first appeared in 4e, and seems to be an homage to the 'Risen Sun heresy' from 3e's Power of Faerun, where a similar sun is created by a heretical Amaunator worshipper.