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IlexGarodan
Acolyte
Canada
26 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 06:37:48
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Hey, all! Long time no see!
I'll cut straight to the chase. I wish to introduce some elements from Baldur's Gate in my campaign. My case? As Ed Greenwood has said many times, anything written in the novels is considered canon. The Baldur's Gate novelization, however, was considered inferior to the game.
Which would, technically, be considered canon? The magnificent game or the lackluster book?
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 06:41:10
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| The books and the Dragon and sourcebook material based on them. The games, not so much if at all. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 07:16:27
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The novels are canon -- so says WotC and the authors of the novels.
The characters from the novels were statd up in DRAGON #262 for 2e and there is the Bhaalspawn template for 3e in DRAGON #288. There is also the sourcebook Ed wrote that complements the novels -- Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate II. And the bits in PoF and LEoF. Rich Baker, Ed Greenwood and Ed Bonny have all confirmed this as well.
As for the games... well, the events of the game aren't referenced in FR canon, as the author Drew Karpyshyn says, "because of their multiple endings, the BG games can't be considered 'official' in the FR world."
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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IlexGarodan
Acolyte
Canada
26 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 07:40:35
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
As for the games... well, the events of the game aren't referenced in FR canon, as the author Drew Karpyshyn says, "because of their multiple endings, the BG games can't be considered 'official' in the FR world."
D'oh! I completely forgot about the multiple endings in Throne of Bhaal! 
And.. know where I can find the Bhaalspawn template? |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6689 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 11:43:00
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My take is that elements of the game in terms of people and places can be rightly regarded as 'canon' elements of the Realms, but the events that are showcased in the computer games are and cannot - save and except where such events have received follow-up in a FR novel or game product.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 29 Dec 2006 11:43:57 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36982 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2006 : 15:16:56
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| Speaking of conflicting resources, I'm personally thinking that all material in SJR2 Realmspace that pertains to Toril, Selūne, and the Tears is rather suspect... There are many things in that book that are totally unsupported by any Realms-specific info, and some of the stuff that isn't contradicted (like the major spellport on Nimbral) would be tricky to reconcile with existing Realmslore. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 00:46:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Speaking of conflicting resources, I'm personally thinking that all material in SJR2 Realmspace that pertains to Toril, Selūne, and the Tears is rather suspect... There are many things in that book that are totally unsupported by any Realms-specific info, and some of the stuff that isn't contradicted (like the major spellport on Nimbral) would be tricky to reconcile with existing Realmslore.
I think this all belongs in the "until we hear otherwise from WotC" category...
Aside from those bits you've just mentioned, as I see it, since WotC have yet to declare otherwise, the information about the other planets and Selune that have been said to have civilizations (from the Realmspace sourcebook) largely still, likely, exist in 3e FR as well.
As well, since we haven't learnt otherwise, we can still assume the lore about the stars in Realmspace being actually portals to the Plane of Radiance, is still largely accurate also.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2006 : 01:47:11
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| And as always, we all have the ability to choose what is and what is not considered canon in our campaigns. I choose to ignore most of what comes about, due to the games or the books resulting from the games |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36982 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2007 : 21:01:45
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Speaking of conflicting resources, I'm personally thinking that all material in SJR2 Realmspace that pertains to Toril, Selūne, and the Tears is rather suspect... There are many things in that book that are totally unsupported by any Realms-specific info, and some of the stuff that isn't contradicted (like the major spellport on Nimbral) would be tricky to reconcile with existing Realmslore.
I think this all belongs in the "until we hear otherwise from WotC" category...
Aside from those bits you've just mentioned, as I see it, since WotC have yet to declare otherwise, the information about the other planets and Selune that have been said to have civilizations (from the Realmspace sourcebook) largely still, likely, exist in 3e FR as well.
As well, since we haven't learnt otherwise, we can still assume the lore about the stars in Realmspace being actually portals to the Plane of Radiance, is still largely accurate also.
I don't have any problem with the non-Toril and non-Selūne info in that book, and agree that it is still valid (though I don't believe the Kingkiller Star is mentioned). It's just that the Toril info is, in some cases, known to be incorrect, and some of the other Toril info, and the Selūne info, is flat-out problematic and hard to wedge into existing Realmslore. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Conflicting Resources
