| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 08:55:57
As last year, I attended the Forgotten Realms seminar this Gen Con, and am pleased to provide the "scoop" to Candlekeep scribes. The notes are roughly chronological, except for the fan requests, which are at the end. Please excuse the digest tone of the information; I am short on sleep.
-I stuck my fingers in my ears as Rich Baker described in a bit too much detail what had happened in books I and II of the Last Mythal Trilogy trying to drum up interest in book III.
-Sons of Gruumsh, a 32 page adventure by Christopher Perkins with an Orc Citadel and, well, orcs.
-Champions of Valor by Thomas M. Reid and Sean K Reynolds: Good-guy goodness!
-There will be an Elminster mini in the upcoming Underdark set. NOTE: Attendees at the Ed Greenwood roast, and some lucky booth attendees, were able to get a preview freebie, specially painted in honor of Ed and how he generally dresses as the Old Mage. Whee!
-Power of Faerūn by Eric L. Boyd and Ed Greenwood. Summarized as what to do in your game when dungeons don't hold enough appeal anymore. Rules and guidelines for running faiths, merchant houses, marketplaces, and (I'm guessing) guilds and orders. Very cool cover. WILL include information on the Border Kingdoms.
-Dungeon is currently publishing the Vampires of Waterdeep trilogy. I am not posting any information on this because it will spoil the adventure.
-The upcoming Red Hand of Doom core adventure (by Rich Baker) is covertly set in the Channath Vale. Whee!
-Not much new to speak of on the novels front, except that Phil Athans' Watercourse Trilogy is written over some 40 years of Realms time.
-Lots of Book of "Meh" jokes and such when asked about a Book of Neutrality.
-When asked about the stats for Kezef and the other elder evils, Rich Baker jumped on the grenade (as he described it) by admitting it was his advocacy that got their statistics bumped down to more adventurer-"friendly" levels, because the game is about PCs. Eric Boyd put the pin back in by suggesting that the Elder Evils may have certain powers they can only bring to bear against immortal beings, or special abilities that negate the advantages the gods have when compared to mortals.
-Chris Perkins made it clear that it is no longer a part of every outline that a book must contain any prestige classes. The peasantry rejoices.
Some of the requests for products (or focus of products) from FR fans included: epic support, psionic support, Lantan, low-level support, a novel for Thay, Sembia, Cormyr, a Planescape tie-in (which was pretty immediately shot down), a book on conflicts of law and chaos, the destruction of a city (specifically Waterdeep), the Old Empires, Anauroch/city of Shade, a Manshoon Wars novel, maps, and what I noted to myself as Beyond Faerūn (a sort of combination Zakhara, Kara-Tur and Maztica). |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| warlockco |
Posted - 24 Aug 2005 : 04:30:54
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Thanks for the post Garen Thal. It must have been a joy to be present. I'll leave now as I'm green as green with envy. 
-- George Krashos
You look all Red to me Krash.  |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 24 Aug 2005 : 03:28:30
Thanks for the post Garen Thal. It must have been a joy to be present. I'll leave now as I'm green as green with envy.
-- George Krashos
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Aug 2005 : 01:05:13
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Rad
quote:
-Not much new to speak of on the novels front, except that Phil Athans' Watercourse Trilogy is written over some 40 years of Realms time.
Eh?!!? Does the tale start in the past then? Has the main character been mentioned in the Realms before or a previous attempt on building the watercourse been made?
I'd imagine we see the early life of the person(s) who thinks up the big canal, and then the present-time attempting to build it. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Aug 2005 : 01:03:45
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
For the record, the damaging and destruction of Waterdeep was a request, not a planned product. The exchange went something like this, as fans were called on and asked to offer ideas for what they'd like to see in future products:
Fan- "The destruction of a city."
WotC representative (Chris Perkins, if I'm remembering right)- "Did you have a particular city in mind?"
Fan (quite matter-of-factly)- "Waterdeep...."
So worry not. Waterdeep should remain intact for some time to come.
One day Khelbhan Blackstaff and Lord Piergeiron are walking through the streets of Waterdeep chatting about this and that, when all of a suddenly the open Lord stops in his tracks and looks out to the east
Lord Piergeiron remarks "Khelbhan its High noon its far to early for Selune to be out.."
Khelbhan next to his fellow Lord and stares at what Piergen has noticed. A cold shiver runs up the Blackstaff spine as he recognises what the Open Lord has seen.
"Thats not Selune..Thats the nip of Troy Dennings Ball point pen! and its coming this way! Piergeiron you must evacuate the city at once RUN RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"
 |
| Dargoth |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 23:39:49
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
For the record, the damaging and destruction of Waterdeep was a request, not a planned product. The exchange went something like this, as fans were called on and asked to offer ideas for what they'd like to see in future products:
Fan- "The destruction of a city."
WotC representative (Chris Perkins, if I'm remembering right)- "Did you have a particular city in mind?"
Fan (quite matter-of-factly)- "Waterdeep...."
So worry not. Waterdeep should remain intact for some time to come.
One day Khelbhan Blackstaff and Lord Piergeiron are walking through the streets of Waterdeep chatting about this and that, when all of a suddenly the open Lord stops in his tracks and looks out to the east
Lord Piergeiron remarks "Khelbhan its High noon its far to early for Selune to be out.."
Khelbhan next to his fellow Lord and stares at what Piergen has noticed. A cold shiver runs up the Blackstaff spine as he recognises what the Open Lord has seen.
"Thats not Selune..Thats the nip of Troy Dennings Ball point pen! and its coming this way! Piergeiron you must evacuate the city at once RUN RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" |
| Lord Rad |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 23:36:55
quote:
-Not much new to speak of on the novels front, except that Phil Athans' Watercourse Trilogy is written over some 40 years of Realms time.
Eh?!!? Does the tale start in the past then? Has the main character been mentioned in the Realms before or a previous attempt on building the watercourse been made?
|
| Snotlord |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 18:38:39
Glad to hear it, although I never really feared for Waterdeep. I doubt the designers would like it, and the wotc buisness team is far to clever to risk ruining the heart of the setting. |
| Garen Thal |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 18:14:16
For the record, the damaging and destruction of Waterdeep was a request, not a planned product. The exchange went something like this, as fans were called on and asked to offer ideas for what they'd like to see in future products:
Fan- "The destruction of a city."
WotC representative (Chris Perkins, if I'm remembering right)- "Did you have a particular city in mind?"
Fan (quite matter-of-factly)- "Waterdeep...."
So worry not. Waterdeep should remain intact for some time to come. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 17:56:13
quote:
Originally posted by Alaundo
(although i'd rather not have any damage to Waterdeep  )
Ditto that! I should hate to have anything major happen to such a wonderful playground. |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 17:29:22
Well met
Splendid. Garen Thal runs back through the gates of Candlekeep to deliver yet again  Many thanks for bringing this information to us, it is greatly appreciated.
Some very interesting points there, i'm certainly looking forward to the future of the Realms (although i'd rather not have any damage to Waterdeep ) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 14:16:51
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
-Power of Faerūn by Eric L. Boyd and Ed Greenwood. Summarized as what to do in your game when dungeons don't hold enough appeal anymore. Rules and guidelines for running faiths, merchant houses, marketplaces, and (I'm guessing) guilds and orders. Very cool cover. WILL include information on the Border Kingdoms.
Oooh!!! I am so happy to hear this  .
I'm greatly encouraged with what I am learning about the content of this book because it is rapidly putting my earlier reservations at ease.
I say... bring on the Border Kingdoms... AT LAST!
|
| Dargoth |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 13:50:39
Im going to play Asmodeous advocate and say I actually dont mind the PrCs so long as they exist for a reason (Which is why I dont like alot of the PrCs in the Complete books) I also dont mind the new "Fat" format. If anything needs to be cut back on in the area of Crunch its Feats (with the excpetion of Initate of X) |
| warlockco |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 12:59:43
quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
quote:
originally posted by Garen Thal
the destruction of a city (specifically Waterdeep)
What, again?
Maybe we should request mass executions of Iconic NPCs while that request is being processed also.
After all if Waterdeep gets Nuked, that means we will most likely lose several very prominate NPCs also. |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 12:30:19
quote:
originally posted by Garen Thal
the destruction of a city (specifically Waterdeep)
What, again? |
| warlockco |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 11:40:28
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
-Chris Perkins made it clear that it is no longer a part of every outline that a book must contain any prestige classes. The peasantry rejoices.
Thank the gods for that!
Now we just need to wait to see a book that actually implements this |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Aug 2005 : 11:29:47
quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
-Chris Perkins made it clear that it is no longer a part of every outline that a book must contain any prestige classes. The peasantry rejoices.
Thank the gods for that! |
