Anauroch: The Empire of Shade

[Maerok]

Has anyone checked out this book? I would like to use something like this for a campaign but I can't find any useful information on it... I've heard it is a 'super-adventure'. I'd like to combine it with Tome of Magic. Does it have a lot of new material that could be pulled from it (monsters, spells, items, classes, etc.)?

And do I need the FR Campaign Setting?

[Renegade Paladin]

Well... It's the third in a three-part series. Also, using it with Tome of Magic might be a bad idea, and here's why. Spoilers for those playing through the adventure. The whole of the desert of Anauroch is one big dead magic zone, so magical abilities don't work throughout most of the book.

[Maerok]

Really? Well I have the following books, which would seem to compliment the adventure well:
Sandstorm
Libris Mortis
Tome of Magic
Heroes of Horror

Though I forgot that magic was sort of knocked out. Eh, I'll still get it; takes far too long for me to create NPCs and such. But my main concern is does it need the FR Campaign book?

[Renegade Paladin]

No; all the monsters are detailed and the adventure is self-contained. The FRCS is nice, but not required.

However, the adventure isn't generic. While you can play it without knowing a lot about the Realms, there's a lot of stuff you just won't get. For instance: The PCs have to raid the ruins of Myth Drannor, visit Candlekeep, interact with a few different Realms-specific organizations, and so forth. It's nothing you can't handle, but you're missing out on a lot of the significance if you don't know the background.

[Maerok]

I've played Baldur's Gate for a while so some of those are familiar; if they aren't to the players, then I can just tweak them.

So magic is shut down? In an ECL 13-17 campaign?

And is it pronounced "On a rock"?

[Renegade Paladin]

I've played Baldur's Gate for a while so some of those are familiar; if they aren't to the players, then I can just tweak them.
Okay, you should be set then.

So magic is shut down? In an ECL 13-17 campaign?
Yes. The arc gets harder and harder on spellcasters the higher level it gets.

And is it pronounced "On a rock"?
Close enough. More like "An a rock."