Forgotten Realms

[fireinthedust]

what do you expect or, more specifically, HOPE FOR when you join an FR campaign?

I'm reading over the CS, and thinking about how first time players react to reading all this stuff. It's not crunch for a lot of it, but character hooks and setting ambiance. That CS really is a massive load of reality, or flavour, y'know?

So what do you, when you join a campaign, want to see or feel or do in the FR? Especially PBP things.

[NephandiMan]

Speaking only for myself, I like to see certain well-known FR characters pop up now and then, or at least hear NPCs referring to them; it makes me feel like I'm actually playing in the world that I've read about in the novels of Salvatore, Greenwood, and others. Of course, like any other NPCs, the DM must be careful not to let them usurp the story - doubly so in this case, since the famous figures of the Realms often have considerably more power than the PCs.

Aside from that, truly heroic adventures, with grandiose villains who formulate nefarious plans - such stuff as bard songs are made on - would probably not go amiss.

[Illiterate Scribe]

I always look forward the the sheer ridiculousness of the Soap Opera of the Gods and their Supporting Cast of One Thousand Epic NPCs.:smallbiggrin:

[Ikkitosen]

Conversely, I like to use familiar places and have NPCs mentioned but basically never see them (until very high level). I have played in games where the DM had NPCs take most of the glory and reknown from the PCs - not good. Let your PCs do their thing.

[fireinthedust]

I'll add my own 2cp:

I personally like feeling as if I'm in the setting, whatever the setting is: little details like teas and merchandise from the setting are fun (Bloodstones from Damara). There are cultures in each place, why not go with it? NPCs that fill out the setting (the same innkeeper at the same inn?). Seeing each country as unique, with weird exotic feelings.

also setting NPCs and locations: the Xoblob oddities shop in Waterdeep; staying at the Yawning Portal.

Otherwise, as long as it's a good game, I'm game.

[Black Hand]

With FR I expect familiar places that I've read about, and the unfamiliar ones that I've heard about but know little of. NPC's as mentioned before have to be used with caution for very good reasons, but If included be sure of the "glory" stealing.

In my case I actually DM'ed Drizzt in a 7th level campaign, it was a cameo to start with but the PC's were so starstruck that they were essentially trying to become his groupies. Nevertheless Drizzt was in Waterdeep for a reason and had to go into the undermountain. It was later the PC's discovered that he ran afoul of Mind flayers and had to actually Rescue him and found Guenhwyvar along the way.

So in this case Drizzt was a major part of the story, but in a completely different fashion. It worked out quite well.

[Talya]

Our current campaign has been running almost two years. Rarely do we run into Faerun Iconics, but just enough to make the world seem real. In our opening session, Storm Silverhand was in the tavern in Shadowdale where we started our campaign. She didn't actually do anything than tell and listen to stories, but she was there.

After spending a good 3rd of our "city time" in Silverymoon from levels 4-13, my sorceress finally met Alustriel. And damn, did she meet her. Alustriel lived up to her "queen of courtly love" moniker, and I won't say more. A portion of our campaign involved saving a bunch of Eilistraeens from The Lady Penitant, Halisstra, Lolth's Chosen. Alustriel has just sent us to Skullport with one of our rescued drow to meet with Qilue who is sending us into the Underdark.

of course, we teleported into Waterdeep with drow in hand and were immediately apprehended by the city guard, who didn't like the look of our Eilistraeen companion. I ended up seeking out Laeral Silverhand Arunsun to get her to set our drow free (outside the city was the best they could do.) Still haven't gotten down to skullport. But yeah...3 of the seven sisters met and 1 coming up. (As well as a humorous appearance by Khelben while I was visiting Laeral.)

Also little things. We've heard rumors of drow taking over the criminal elements in Calimport, my character's hometown. (Jarlaxle and Entreri, anyone?)

[PnP Fan]

I typically expect bigness. The FRCS is all about the epic story, whether it's world wide, or national, or racial, the stories should be big. It's a personal pet peave of mine when characters from novels get more than an honorable mention during the game. The only exception to this is if they are acting as the PC's liege or taskmaster. My last FR group worked for the Symbul. She showed up to give us assignments, and then let us do the work. Never showed up to give us help, no matter how often we died. It was great! But don't fall into the Drizzt/Symbul/Blackstaff is your best buddy trap.

[Noneoyabizzness]

I actually like running the setting with few to know real walk-ons of the FRCS popular characters. one need only look to waterdeep alone, the rich and powerful are there but there is so much that can go on in the world, you'll rarely to never be in their presence.

and as stated, there is always some huge over arching plot if you run FR, trade, travel, clandestine organizations, an occassional namedrop, these thigns can be bread and butter. but of course for every zentarim, there are a dozen thieve's guilds doing bit hustling for thayans or other players in the world (including PCs, evil is fun to run in FR)

[JellyPooga]

The only thing I hope for when joining a FR campaign is being able to be from Thesk. More specifically, Telflammar. More specific still, a follower of Mask. Yet more specific, a Shadow Walker. Even specific-er (yes, I know its not a word), a Telflammar Shadowlord (PrC, if not in actuality...a trainee Shadowlord, if you will)

If I can have all the above, I'm happy.:smallsmile: (<--me being happy)

[Renegade Paladin]

I sadly don't get to play a whole lot anymore; I primarily DM these days. But when I do play, I expect a grand, high fantasy story out of it. That's what the Realms are designed to deliver, and that's what I do my best to give my players. When we're looking for something smaller scale, we play Greyhawk/homebrew, Ravenloft for horror, etc. But we're all fans of high fantasy, so we keep on coming back to Faerûn because we know that when combined with a good DM it delivers every time.

[the_tick_rules]

for Elminister to decide to join us :smallbiggrin:

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

Forgotten realms must-have numero uno for me is always going to be big honkin' plotlines, most likely involving those gosh-darn crafty gods, about a bamillion screaming dwarves, a few haughty elves, some crazy lantanese gnomes, demons, angels, dragons, the purple dragons (not to be confused with dragons) turmish merchants, etc., etc.; FR is designed to be a big adventure, crossing continents, saving the world.

Of course, in a pinch, no pun intended, I'll settle for naughty goings-on with Alustriel. Or any of her more comely relations.

[Jewish_Joke]

I expect to see ruins... and lots of them. As the defacto sage and party Bard, I would be the one with all the useless trivia about the miscellaneous places we visited.

"These foundations still stand... This was once the Great Temple of ancient Keltomiir, before the invasion of the Vyshaan that sparked the Crown Wars... Before the Dark Disaster."

The Realms makes a great setting for an Indiana Jones archaeological spelunking campaign. They aren't called the "Forgotten Realms" for nothing, you know...

[LoopyZebra]

FR should always be a bit over the top. Epic adventures (not necessarily in the mechanical sense), saving the world from certain destruction, divine interference, etc. That said, it helps remind you that you're in FR if popular FR groups/locations/people (such as Harpers/Waterdeep/Elminster) are present in some form or another. They'll get a kick out of people who recognize them. FR is the very definition of high fantasy: any realism/exceptionally dark themes should be thrown out the window.

[Matthew]

Detail, really. As other have said, it's not that I want to have my Character meet X, Y and Z, but they ought to be present in the machinations and goings on of the Realms. The place is so big, though, pretty much anything goes. A campaign in the Dalelands is likely to be totally different from one set in Thay or Kara-Tur.
I have a Paladin who is fairly well travelled in the Realms, having been to Waterdeep, the Underdark, Menzoberranzan, Anauroch and the Dalelands, but there are so many places he has never been and he has never run into a 'personality' (as far as I am aware). Still, it always 'felt' like the Forgotten Realms, even though I have played him in different gaming groups.

[EvilElitest]

Love the feeling of being in a world that changes. As i play, more books are written, more content is releasted, more character moves on ect.
I love the feeling of being in a "real" huge world
Love the detail
As for the characters, i love using them as a DM. I only had one thing go wrong with using NPCs and one thing go great. Ironiclly, the good thing was with Drizzt, the bad was with Enteri
The bad thing was the party was in Caliport, and they reconized Enteri. So being the smart party they were (all the smart characters where out that day sadly) they tried to kill him for his dagger. The apperently uses his states from the FR champain setting to make a tatic to kill him. Problem is that its freaking enteri. So yeah, fastest party wipe i've ever seen, and my games have a high moratily rate.
Good thing was when a party had an evil drow character who was forced to work with this party for protection. He was highly insulting and rather insecure and so he often causes fun but angoizing roleplay for the party. One day he met Drizzt in an inn in silvermoon, who he talked to becasue he was a drow. After a very engading talk, Drizzt convienced him that his arrogence is unfounded and that he needs to adapt to the world or fall.
After a while, the drow's charcter slowly became more good, and in the end gave his life for his party, though it was quite a surprise for them because his additude was still quite nasty towards them and they did not know he was good
anyways, fun roleplay
from,
EE