books on forgotten realms lore
creator1629
Member Posts: 66
i was looking into learning more about the lore of the forgotten realms, and found several novels in this setting. but i was wondering if there was a book which summarized a lot of the lore into a single book, maybe showing the timelines of the different ages and significant events, maps of the different regions, quick biographies on some of the more notable characters, and quick summaries on some of the more notable events and periods like the time of troubles. i know that this would be a lot to cover and would be almost impossible to cover comprehensively, but i was looking for something general as an intro before actually getting into individual novels
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There you go. Timeline
This is a map of Toril
http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/MarkusTay/Map Snippets/?action=view&current=Abeir_Toril_Names.jpg&&newest=1
Here is the map of Faerun where most of stories happen (including the BG storyline)
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/wd_maps/FRposterLarge_72.jpg
And here is political map of Faerun:
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Political_map_of_Faerûn
Problem you will have while reading timeline is that you don't know some events. I mean when you will read Seldarine wars happened around -30 000 before the new age (BG events are happening around 1365-1369 in new age) you won't know that it means that Lolth (back then known as Araushnee) with some of the elven Gods tried to remove Corellon as prime God of elves and failed.
Many things there won't mean that much to you, as each race/nation/God has his own story that a "realms historian" can talk about for a really really long time.
Maps are worth till Spellplague that occured on 1385 that changed a lot of looks of the world. This is the world map post spellplague which is around 15 years after the events of BG series.
http://diningroomdelves.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/forgotten-realms-mapa-4c2aa-edicao.jpg
@Eidolon thanks man ill have to look into that
@Duron oh awesome, those links were great, especially that timeline, gonna spend some time going over that. you're right though, some of the events may not mean as much, but at least ill get a general idea about the years and some of the events. thanks, i appreciate it
@kilroy_was_here yeah i do enjoy picking up a book and reading some of the lore, sometimes ill end up in one of the libraries throughout the game and just go over all of the books. well what can i say amazon just wont seem to accept my bg gold hahaha. by the way, is your profile picture of grahf? because if you like both xenogears and baldur's gate, then we have very similar tastes in rpgs
I am indeed Grahf, the seeker of power... doth thou desire the power?
http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Realms-Atlas-Karen-Fonstad/dp/0880388579/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348803579&sr=8-1&keywords=the+forgotten+realms+atlas
Right now I put them on the island of Meluria where the country is in middle of a civil war. They themselves still don't know how the war started, only that the king that was beloved is attacking their part of the land together with the greatest hero of the land. Point that atm they don't know is that they are holding kings army at bay while Malachet Queen of the succubi (in guise of one of their leaders) opens a portal to abyss and brings forth a demon invasion. I wonder what they will say when after a year of RL time fighting for her they figure out who and what is responisble for entire civil war and for demon invasion.
Sad thing is that all of that requires intimate knowledge of entire realms. Specially when they decide to make some crazy move, like using enhanced avalanche spell on kings army... I'm looking and wondering how the hell does one army pass just 2-3 spellcasters crazy like that party of pscho CG characters. I always have to search through history of the realms to counter their moves.
For the Realms there are also books like The Underdark, Magic of Faerûn, Lords of Darkness, and Faith and Pantheons, etc. I love reading through those to get inspiration for a new campaign or story arc.
this would be a good starting point imo for generic information. basically, given the whole shebang is based off pen&paper AD&D your best best is to reference the gaming books versus novels for information. a good number of which you can still find out there in various places.
hope that helps a lil
@kilroy_was_here wait a minute... that always means it's time for a boss fight... unless you are saying that to me, in which case I'm the boss in this fight
Make your choice!
*epic character theme plays*
I read the whole thing. I think the stuff at the end of the timeline isn't entirely accurate since they don't mention the spellplague.
"The Spellplague broke out in 1385 DR (the Year of Blue Fire), the result of unfettered wild magic on the death of the goddess Mystra. Whole countries are gone, especially in regions south of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Even familiar lands have become magical and fantastic in appearance. Islands of rock called earthmotes drift through the sky. Weird towers and spires of stone jut from the landscape. Spectacular chasms and waterfalls abound."
- Portions of Abeir have fused with Toril.
- The number of gods has dropped markedly.
- The Spellplague left its mark on creatures.
- Huge Underdark collapses have changed the surface of Faerûn.
- Thay has become a terrible undead threat.
- The ancient empire of Netheril has been restored.
- Ancient elven lineages have returned to Faerûn.
- Most portals no longer work."
@kilroy_was_here well can I at least be like the Hammer boss fight where I self destruct and at least have a chance of taking out all my opponents?
Only thing I did like was the way of death for Drow Pantheon. Smedman did a great job with Lady Penitent if you ask me. And only other thing that is okey was Sembia becoming new Netheril base of Shar and the Arch-Wizards.
But honestly, Abolethic Sovereignity... Abysall plague, entire spellplague, so much bullshit. I just hate the entire storyline of 4th edition and to me they ruined Faerun badly. I prefer my world before deaths of so many major characters and Gods. 7 sisters gone, Blackstaff gone, Cadderly Bonaduce gone, Zhentil... lets say gone.
Only good book series in 4th edition to me are Brotherhood of the Gryphon and Blades of the moonsea... with the fact that Blades are not that good, but are better then the rest that was offered.
And that is only storyline wise, game wise 4th edition left me with eyes wide open... like WTF? I ain't playing a pen and paper WoW, I play DnD for fuck sake, give me back my actual dice rolling. I play this for that and not for WoW stile of hack and slash.
True, I disliked how they killed off so many characters (they couldn't even let them die of old age) but I still read the 4E novels. Though, yes, the Brotherhood of the Griffon and Blades of the Moonsea books stand out to me compared to the rest. But I think Erik Scott de Bie did a great job with Downshadow (I wish I could buy the other two Shadowbane books) and City of the Dead is also a great book.
I liked the Empyrean Oddysey books, but the Aboletic Sovereignity not as much. I think I don't like Bruce Cordell's writing style much.
I actually have Brimstone Angels on the way in the mail.