"Forgotten Realms...novels and sourcebooks - begin where?" Topic
19 Posts
All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.
Please use the Complaint button (!) to report problems on the forums.
For more information, see the TMP FAQ.
Back to the Fantasy Media Message Board Back to the Fantasy RPG Message Board Back to the Fantasy Discussion Message Board
Areas of InterestFantasy
Featured Hobby News Article
Featured Recent Link
Top-Rated Ruleset
Featured Showcase ArticleThe Editor completes someone else's paintjob.
Featured Workbench Article
Featured Profile Article
Featured Book Review
|
Grandviewroad | 14 Jan 2013 6:49 p.m. PST |
Forgotten Realms
novels and sourcebooks – begin where? Looking to try out Realms as a background for miniature gaming with Sond of Blades and Heroes and related books. Realms books: date of publishing? Chronological date within the timeline? What is best place to begin? source books: several editions and variations, some advance the timeline. Where to begin there? An old OOP one or the new WoC ones? Thanks in advance for any thoughts! |
YogiBearMinis | 14 Jan 2013 7:07 p.m. PST |
Try Wikipedia to get you to some fan sites. The big issue is picking sets based on which edition of AD&D or D&D published under. The first Forgotten Realms boxed set and a few supplements were published at the tail end of AD&D 1st edition in mid 1980's, then the boxed set was redone for 2d edition and most of the various boxed supplements and modules you see were published under 2d edition. Once 3e came around in 2000, they published a new hardback line of supplements starting with a world book, with a timeline advanced a bit and some world changes. I think there was a new 4the edition hardcover world book and others as well, though nothing close to volume of 2e or 3e. |
JimSelzer | 14 Jan 2013 7:25 p.m. PST |
read the elminster books 1st |
timlillig | 14 Jan 2013 7:47 p.m. PST |
Forgotten realms also has a fan made wiki, that is pretty thorough. |
chuck05 | 14 Jan 2013 8:00 p.m. PST |
I just finished the Dark Elf Trilogy a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty good and a nice stand alone story. |
Saber6 | 14 Jan 2013 8:46 p.m. PST |
one reason I could never get into the FR campaign settings. Too much material and not any guidance on where to start |
KTravlos | 15 Jan 2013 2:44 a.m. PST |
Wow man, what are you reminding me. For a miniature wargaming setting I think my favorites would be these source books link Tethyr, Calimshan and Amn have a lot of potential for war. there was a war in thethyr novel about the area link and this link on Thay and its foes. Lots of war there this on Chessenta-Mulhorand and Unther which are ancient middle-east, egypt style realms link major war zones as well so is the Moonsea area link The Dalelands are great for skirmishing link So really it us up to what you want. Fearun is really a mix and match of different campaign ideas. There is no one-source. |
KTravlos | 15 Jan 2013 2:48 a.m. PST |
On the novel side, the Dark Elf trilogy is a must. So is Elaine Cunnigham's Starlight's and Shadows series. War in Tethyr is also a novel that may interest you. That said if you really want a nice tight campaign setting for miniature warfare than Birthright is the best. Read this link
In my opinion one of the best novels to come out of TSR, in one of the best campaign settings (together with Planescape and Dark Sun). |
Grandviewroad | 15 Jan 2013 6:31 a.m. PST |
I was in a bit of a hurry when posted, should clarify a bit
Song of Blades and Heroes has an extensive force list section at the back for many of the humanoid standards that reflects – in my mind – the AD&D Monster Manual (yep, I have the original hardback books). As it is a skirmish game I'm trying to think of a complete alternative to Warhammer world and figures. This will give the game more cross-appeal between the D&D players and the wargamers. So I'm looking for a place where Humans, DWarfs, Elves, Goblins/ordcs/hobgobs/gnomes/bugbears et al, can encounter one another and fight. Most useful would be a territory that would have them all as inhabitants or questers in it. Obviously some sort of artifact or other item that would attract bands of various humanoids as the native humanoids resist them. I was thinking of D&D settings b/c of the lists. Also, on a personal note, I'm thinking it's probably just time to leave Warhammer behind completely. |
YogiBearMinis | 15 Jan 2013 8:11 a.m. PST |
Grandviewroad: Ironic you post this, because I am toying with moving my RPG group from FR as a campaign setting to a more Warhammer-inspired world; I have recently been on a binge acquiring GW Warhammer figures, but I also enjoy some of the darker vision in Warhammer. Not sure I can get into the Warhammer miniature gaming rules, however, in that as a DBx player I cannot stand single-figure removal/fighting systems and the constant edition tinkering of Warhammer scares me a bit (especially the dropping of armies and races edition to edition). |
boy wundyr x | 15 Jan 2013 8:48 a.m. PST |
Used book stores can be a gold mine for Forgotten Realms (and other D&D) fiction, I run into it all the time, particularly RA Salvatore, Ed Greenwood, and Douglas Niles stuff. Not saying it's good – Salvatore is generally ok but Niles is pretty dire – but it's there. @Rwphillipsstl – I'm not a WHFB gamer, but I play in the setting with Song of Blades and Heroes for skirmish and Mighty Armies for 6mm big battle. So I ignore GW other than the novels and get my fluff from online wikis and the like or the occasional used codex. |
MarkRyan | 15 Jan 2013 9:04 a.m. PST |
I would imagine the easiest place to begin would be the most recent publication: "Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms: A Dungeons & Dragons Supplement" by Wizards. It's about $26 USD-40 depending on where you buy it. It's one book by the creator bringing you up-to-date. That, or find the first boxed set with books and maps (runs about the same price used) and go forward. |
Ethanjt21 | 21 Jan 2014 11:12 a.m. PST |
You need to start from the beginning of The Legend of Drizzt, I have a lot of Forgotten Realms books, The Legend of Drizzt series is the best of them(imho). Start with Homeland. First book. R.A. Salvatore is an incredible author(again, imho). As for what you wanted:
So I'm looking for a place where Humans, DWarfs, Elves, Goblins/ordcs/hobgobs/gnomes/bugbears et al, can encounter one another and fight. Most useful would be a territory that would have them all as inhabitants or questers in it. Try Icewind Dale. The Icewind Dale area has ten major towns, with an additional few Dwarven settlements/mining camps, lots of beasties lairs, pretty much everything besides the elves. Obviously some sort of artifact or other item that would attract bands of various humanoids as the native humanoids resist them The Crystal Shard. Enough said. Makes a perfect baddie for an RPG campaign. Alright, again, imho, great basis for an rpg campaign, in my DnD Campaign (which is based all over the Forgotten Realms) I sometimes have the PCs run into famous characters for a side quest. The characters in TLoD are very well fleshed out, very believable, and very dynamic. The action is quick and detailed (sounds weird I know) I mean it isn't a bore to read the fighting and you can always follow it easily. (Just watch out for the phrase "Whirling Scimitars" you probably hear that 1000000 times throughout) |
Sgt Slag | 22 Jan 2014 8:10 a.m. PST |
FR, like most published game worlds, has a lot of material to plow through. You could create your own game world, which would give you complete control over everything. It has the advantage that you know everything about it, as you designed it. It is, IMO, easier than digesting other authors' materials, en masse, with contradictions which accompany multiple authors sharing a game world; timeline conflicts only exist if you create them. You can start on whatever scale you wish, expand as needed. Put in exactly what elements you want, and nothing else. Follow whatever rules you like -- it's your world, make it how you want it to be. Picking/choosing elements from published works is a great way to flesh things out, but make it your own interpretation of them, to make it unique. By making your own, you skip the cash investment, time investment in reading numerous books, and the potential hassle of conflicts with players who know the material better than you do! Just a thought/suggestion. Cheers! |
CCollins | 22 Jan 2014 4:43 p.m. PST |
Interestingly they released a book covering the hordes invasion thats i think intentionally based on osprey books complete with colour plates, i think it was released with the battlesystem rules in mind but its basically just a sourcebook. sourcebook link Novels o-love.net/realms/head_emp.html I'd also recommend the first box set of the campaign, The atlas of the forgotten realms and Forgotten reams adventures The novels in general are of mixed quality, though there are some gems amongst the dross, though i never really warmed to RA salvatore or the Drizzt series. |
CCollins | 28 Jan 2014 5:33 p.m. PST |
Hmm, well they're definitely not in the same league as Robin Hobb, Donaldson or Tolkien, but some of the Harpers novels were interesting The Night Parade had some interesting ideas IIRC and Elfshadow was reasonable, and I liked Spellfire, so for gaming novels I'd say they were fair. Also this opinion is influenced by the "rose tinted glasses" of 20 years or so. Have been nibbling away at the icewind dale trilogy after a resurgence of interest in running D&D, its not as dreadful as I recall, but yes, its also not literature. I think D&D was founded on the pulpy stuff that the creators loved reading, and I think the gaming novels tend to follow that "vibe". |
|