Forgotten Realms Character Regions and AoW


Age of Worms Adventure Path


I am planning running the AoW campaign in the Forgotten Realms for my players and I have some questions. I am writing up a Campaign Standard for the game and I am stuck trying to figure out what Character Regions I can attach to the various Races. I want the campaign to be firmly rooted in the Realms and the Characters to be local, since that makes them care about the town more. Daggerford (Diamond Lake) is located in the region listed as "The Sword Coast" in the Players Guide to Faerun. So this is a list of the available Races and Regions that I have so far...

Dwarf, Gold - N/A -
Dwarf, Grey - N/A -
Dwarf, Shield - Region: The Sword Coast (Listed as a Dwarven Region)

Elf, Drow - N/A
Elf, Moon - unknown region
Elf, Sun - unknown region
Elf, Wild - N/A
Elf, Wood - unknown region

Gnome, Deep - N/A
Gnome, Rock - unknown region

Half-Elf, Drow - N/A
Half-Elf, Other - Unknown Region

Half-Orc - unknown region

Halfling, Lightfoot - unknown region

Human, (Illuskan and Tethyrian) - The Sword Coast(human) region

Planetouched - N/A

The Races that are N/A are that way because they (a) are all ECL+1 or higher or (b) Not available because they do not live near the region.

I want players to be able to play an Elf, Gnome, Halfling, Half-Orc etc... and not miss out on the benefits of having a character region, but I also don't want to have to explain why we have a Gold Elf from Amn, A Rock Gnome form The Great Dale and a Half-Orc from the Hoardlands all in the town at the same time. That always bothered me that players would have characters from all over the world that have traveled hundreds of miles but by the time they get to the campaigns starting point they are still 1st level... anyway... Are there any suggestions? I know that Eric Boyd is doing the Forgotten Realms conversion (Bless you!) and I don't know if this question is covered somewhere else... so...
Any DM's running AoW in the Realms have an opinion I would love to hear it...

Thank You So Much!


hmm

Liberty's Edge

I'm just getting my head around the FR conversion (intending to transplant Diamond Lake to half-way between Daggerford and Secomber). According to PGtF, the following are valid:

Elf, Moon - Waterdeep or High Forest
Elf, Sun - Silverymoon or Evereska are both possible, but imperfect.
Elf, Wood - High Forest

Gnome, Rock - Western Heartlands - the Winding Water isn't that far from Daggerford, relatively speaking.

Half-Elf, Moon - Waterdeep

Half-Orc - The North

Halfling, Lightfoot - Western Heartlands is the most suitable one, but hardly local...

I hope this helps!

Contributor

I'm sorry, but I'm confused about what you are asking.

Just because there's no gold elf / Waterdeep region doesn't mean you can't play a gold elf from Waterdeep. In fact, there are gold elves in Waterdeep ... they're just not numerous enough to warrant a region. In a sense, this is a slight disadvantage for the PC ... if they want to play a gold elf from Waterdeep, they lose out on a little bit of bonus stuff and the opportunity to take a slightly stronger feat at 1st level. All in all, not a big deal.

Are you asking for "near legal region for each of these races"? If so, I think the previous poster covered it.

Are you asking for "where's the nearest logical role-playing location for each of these races to hail from"? If so, I can give some suggestions.

--Eric


Eric Boyd wrote:

I'm sorry, but I'm confused about what you are asking.

Just because there's no gold elf / Waterdeep region doesn't mean you can't play a gold elf from Waterdeep. In fact, there are gold elves in Waterdeep ... they're just not numerous enough to warrant a region. In a sense, this is a slight disadvantage for the PC ... if they want to play a gold elf from Waterdeep, they lose out on a little bit of bonus stuff and the opportunity to take a slightly stronger feat at 1st level. All in all, not a big deal.

Are you asking for "near legal region for each of these races"? If so, I think the previous poster covered it.

Are you asking for "where's the nearest logical role-playing location for each of these races to hail from"? If so, I can give some suggestions.

--Eric

Eric - The nearest logical role-playing location that I can use (that wont mess with the story) for each race is exactly what I was looking for. Sorry I was not clear enough. Basically I am writing up a little info. document for my players to use during character creation that will give them some background and guidelines. One of the issues I wanted to address is for each of the "allowed" races: "What is a recommended Region for Race X..."

I seem to remember that in the First installment for AoW it was recommended that the PC NOT hail from Waterdeep (Free City). Perhaps I was wrong.

Eric - on the side... Thank you so much for all your hard work. I have been hoping that someone would do a Realms conversion... I just don't have time to write a full campaign for my players (who love the Realms!) and your AoW conversion was EXACTLY what I was looking for.

Thanks Again...

Contributor

Characters can hail from Waterdeep or anywhere else in the Realms.

However, the designers intent for Age of Worms seems to be that the PCs are "stuck" in Diamond Lake and desperate for an escape. Therefore, it's best if most, if not all, the character backgrounds have the PC born or largely raised in Diamond Lake and in a situation that prevents them from leaving unless they "strike it rich."

As such, any race can be "from Diamond Lake" in very small numbers.

All that said, here are some nearby areas where the various races might be found:

Gold Dwarves -- Really only found in the vicinity of the Great Rift, there's not much reason for gold dwarves to be found in the North. Possibly a gold dwarf child of slaves who were brought to the North or a gold dwarf child of merchants who traded their clans wares in the far northern reaches, but basically this is a weak choice without a really fantastic backstory.

Duergar -- Found in the Underdark throughout the North, as part of various settlements that all pay homage to the capitol city of the Deepkingdom, called Gracklstugh. The duergar kingdom has been in decline for a long time, so arguably a duergar exile or a duergar whose clan all but died out might have been forced to emigrate for political or economic reasons to Diamond Lake. It's like such a character (or their parents) might be valued miners.

Shield Dwarves -- Endemic to the North, the nearest settlements are beneath the Forlorn Hills (remnants of Dardath) and more specifically underneath Mount Illefarn (detailed in N5 - Under Illefarn). The tightest connection would be a member of Clan Ironaxe or Ironeater, both of which are native to the Daggerford region and active in the town.

Dark Elf -- Endemic to the Underdark, the nearest dark elf settlement is Eryndlyn, under the High Moor. This is a city locked in long-running, 3-way civil war between the followers of Lolth, Selvetarm, and Ghaundaur. A charcter might be an exile, who allied with the wrong faction, a seeker of light (followed tales of Eilistraee's worship and found himself in the dregs of Diamond Lake), or a political refugee (driven into exile when his house was destroyed).

Moon Elf -- Very common in the Waterdeep and Daggerford region, such a character probably has ties to the last generation of elves who lived in the Ardeep Forest. Most likely such a character has a story tied to his or her parents not heeding the call of the Retreat, which emptied Ardeep in 1344 DR, IIRC.

Gold Elf -- Very rare in the Waterdeep region. However, Sir Elorfindar (featured in N5 - Under Illefarn and Lost Mythal trilogy) is a gold elf with many offspring. Likely character is a descendant (although half-gold-elf is more likely).

Wild/Wood Elf -- In 2e these guys were just green elves, so it's a little confusing untangling which group is which in 3e. I'd go with a character native to the Laughing Hollow, just upstream from Daggerford, or possibly the Misty Forest. There's probably a good reason why they'd be found in the hellhole of Daggerford / Diamond Lake.

Deep Gnome -- Endemic to the North, best known settlement was Blingdenstone. Blingdenstone was overrun by drow a handful of years ago (see FRCS for exact date), so character might be a refugee who ended up in the hellhole of Daggerford / Diamond Lake.

Rock Gnome -- Nearest settlement was Dolblunde (subterranean city fallen long ago), now they are found in small numbers everywhere, including Daggerford (Diamond Lake). You might be a relative of Korbus Brightjewel.

Half-Elf Drow -- See Drow.

Half-Elf Other -- See above.

Half-Orc -- Undoubtedly the progeny of one of endless orc hordes large (and lately small) to plague the North. Look at human backgrounds for frontier region.

Halfling, Lightfoot -- Largest settlement is Secomber, up the river, but halflings found all along the lower reaches of the River Delimbiyr, including Daggerford / Diamond Lake.

Humans -- Tethyrians, Illuskans, and even Chondathans are all easy calls. You might even get away with a Calishite, exiled from Calimshan or the descendant of a fat, rich merchant.

Planetouched -- Tiefling
Ever since the gate to the Nine Hells was opened at Castle Dragonspear, there have been devils active along the Trade Way. It happened just long enough ago that a young tiefling could be growing up, abandoned, finding desperate shelter in Diamond Lake.

Hope this helps,

--Eric


Eric Boyd wrote:
Gold Elf -- Very rare in the Waterdeep region. However, Sir Elorfindar (featured in N5 - Under Illefarn and Lost Mythal trilogy) is a gold elf with many offspring. Likely character is a descendant (although half-gold-elf is more likely).

Thanks Eric, you rock!

Quick side question - for Elorfindar, did you mean the new "Last Mythal" series by Richard Baker? I love that series, and I'm dying to know more about how House Floshin got involved with making fey'ri. Quite a few of the daemonfey Sarya's loyal fey'ri are scions of House Floshin, right? Do you know if Baker's third book will have more of Elorfindar in it?

Contributor

Laeknir wrote:


Quick side question - for Elorfindar, did you mean the new "Last Mythal" series by Richard Baker? I love that series, and I'm dying to know more about how House Floshin got involved with making fey'ri. Quite a few of the daemonfey Sarya's loyal fey'ri are scions of House Floshin, right? Do you know if Baker's third book will have more of Elorfindar in it?

Yes, "Last Mythal."

You can learn a tiny bit more about House Floshin's involvement in the creation of the fey'ri in Cloak & Dagger (2e). My general thought is that House Floshin was a Siluvanedenn house that split, with some breeding with succubi/incubi and others rejecting that course and fleeing south and west to Ardeep. Elorfindar is a descendant of the latter group. I don't know if the character will reappear in book 3 ... you'd have to ask Rich (best place is the WoTC boards).

--Eric


Eric Boyd wrote:
Yes, "Last Mythal." You can learn a tiny bit more about House Floshin's involvement in the creation of the fey'ri in Cloak & Dagger (2e). My general thought is that House Floshin was a Siluvanedenn house that split, with some breeding with succubi/incubi and others rejecting that course and fleeing south and west to Ardeep. Elorfindar is a descendant of the latter group. I don't know if the character will reappear in book 3 ... you'd have to ask Rich (best place is the WoTC boards). --Eric

Thanks Eric, I really appreciate this! -John


With all due respect Eric, can he ask about a novel on the WOTC boards? I thought novel discussions were still a no no there . . . I would try Candlekeep myself . . .


Well, "discussing" is not tolerated, but Rich did not mind answering the odd factual question about his books (on the designers' Thread). E.g. I remember asking him if if he would consider using the Star Elves for one of his Last Mythal novels and I got my answer without getting flamed by a Wiz_O...

So I guess that as long as these are short, factual, to the point questions and directed directly at him, it should be alright...

Bocklin

KnightErrantJR wrote:
With all due respect Eric, can he ask about a novel on the WOTC boards? I thought novel discussions were still a no no there . . . I would try Candlekeep myself . . .


I think I was able to make my Elorfinadr Floshin / Forgotten Realms question at the WotC board generic enough (hopefully) to not ruffle any feathers. We'll see. Anyway, I appreciate everyone's help!

Also, just so I don't drift too far off topic here, I thought that I would post a brief summary of one of my players' FR characters. She liked the concept of the "Demon Boy" character in Erik Mona's Greyhawk campaign, and we tried to come up with something similar for our Forgotten Realms variant. Enjoy!

Zyyth
LN kobold female Sorcereress. Captured by adventurers and sold (while still an egg) to Montague Marat, the professor raised the small creature to become an attraction in his sideshow. Zyyth is now 2’3” tall, 35 lbs., with rusty-black scaly skin and red eyes. She has never met or known any other kobolds, and exhibits decidedly human-like traits. Shortly after the professor left Zalamandra, Zyyth developed sorcerous abilities. Although the professor treated her well, and taught her many things as part of his “civilizing” experiment, Zyyth lately feels tormented by the patrons (who shine bright lights at her and laugh when she performs) and thinks of leaving most of the time. Her familiar is a small lizard.

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