Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

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UilliamNebel
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Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by UilliamNebel » Tue Dec 21, 2021 4:22 pm

I am amazed at how often a callback to a good acorn of lore, that would be mundane information for my character, helps make immersion so easy. I've been lucky to have access to a lot of D&D source material, especially 3e. And that has helped me greatly expand on my enjoyment of the roleplay aspects of Arelith. So, I always recommend sharing what source material you've come across that you feel could inspire, inform, and contribute to immersion of Arelith.

In order of importance, mine have been...

1, Lady of Poison by Bruce R. Cordell a Forgotten Realms novel. Helped immensely to get into my character, with an understanding of the recent history of the region he came from on Faerûn.

2, Unapproachable East a 3e Sourcebook, my view the best sourcebook for 3e Realms. Was also credited by Cordell for making the framework for his novel listed above so fleshed out. Also, a great source on Thay.

3, Faiths and Pantheons another 3e FR sourcebook, which in this case did so much for developing my character's religious and druidic views which for me was important to get right given that they were a very religious ranger from a druidic theocracy.

4, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition an obligatory addition as it provided an amazing base for everything above to build on. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo, and the contributing WotC staff made a masterwork here.

(Note: Since this is me posting, and the thread may become contentious for 'reasons'...

If your immediate reaction to listing and suggesting source books is 'FOIG', my reply is, 'no'.

Also, will make the following disclaimer which I'd feel is a given. I am a firm believer in Ed Greenwood's 'Your Realms' point of view. Ultimately, it is Arelith staff who decide what is, and is not, canon in their version of the Realms here. So no, I am not suggesting taking, and cherry picking through FR sourcebooks, and demand such be recognized on Arelith for one's gain because it is canon printed material. It never hurts to ask on the forum here, or send a DM a PM, and say, 'what's the take on this?' and provide a source reference, and then just abide by the direction given.)

deserk
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by deserk » Tue Dec 21, 2021 10:27 pm

I definitely concur that those are good books (3rd edition is the Realms for me). But Faiths & Avatars, Demihuman Deities and Powers & Pantheons of 2E are all much superior books to Faiths and Pantheons, since they have much more expansive detail on the gods of Faerun, and the customs, teachings, structure of the churches and noteworthy sites of worship of the various faiths. Would highly recommend them as well.

Cloak & Dagger (2E) is also a really tremendously great book for getting to know about the many criminal, political, monstrous organizations and syndicates that exist on Faerun. Dwarves Deep (2E) is also a great source for anyone who likes to play dwarves.

As for other sourcebooks, I like the Shining South (2E & 3E), the Silver Marches (3E) and the Vilhon Reach (2E) the most, but for anyone else it kind of depends on what parts of the Realms interest you the most. But I would definitely agree that Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3E) book is a great choice for being introduced to the setting, and getting a general idea of the tone and nature of each land and country.

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garrbear758
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by garrbear758 » Tue Dec 21, 2021 10:53 pm

I just harass red ropes til he tells me what I want to know
You've done it [Garrbear], you've kicked the winemom nest. -Redacted

UilliamNebel
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by UilliamNebel » Tue Dec 21, 2021 10:56 pm

deserk wrote:
Tue Dec 21, 2021 10:27 pm
But Faiths & Avatars, Demihuman Deities and Powers & Pantheons of 2E are all much superior books to Faiths and Pantheons, since they have much more expansive detail on the gods of Faerun, and the customs, teachings, structure of the churches and noteworthy sites of worship of the various faiths. Would highly recommend them as well.
Thanks, will give those a look into. Started when about twelve playing AD&D 2e. But was almost nothing but Ravenloft, never the Realms till I moved to 3.x material. So just didn't get much exposure to outside the video games that were canon.

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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Tempedius » Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:02 am

I usually point people to these as well, great idea posting them here! Can not agree more that everyone should read the campaign setting book.

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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Aelryn Bloodmoon » Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:58 am

OP has some great books for a solid foundation. I'd recommend two additions to that list.

Player's Guide to Faerun is the 3.5 update to FRCS, and yet it's so much more than a few errata. Most of what's in the book happens in the same setting year as the 3.0 book, meaning our world is wholly compliant with all of the lore and additional information in there (with the exception of anything the Team doesn't like, obviously; I also support the "Your Realms" notion). There's an entire wealth of extra information about various things, from nations to organizations to religion to individuals.

I have played non-casters, but I'm the type of nerd who got into D&D in all its various formats and mediums so I could cast magic missile at the darkness. :ugeek: Magic of Faerun is something of a holy grail of lore books for me, and it has my favorite quote ever from a character I don't otherwise particularly like that I feel adequately paints a good mental picture of what magic in FR (and subsequently Arelith) is really all about- it's actually the introduction to the rest of the book.
Magic. Yes, I know you think you know what it is, and how it works. You don't. You're an ignorant fool, just like all the others.

You think that magic is a tool, like a hammer, something that you pick up when you need it, swing it around for a while, and put down again when you're done with it. Not so. Magic is a living thing- part of the Lady of Mysteries, a deity to whom you only pay lip service. You can't just grab onto her when you need magic, squeeze the power out of her, and discard her when you're done. That sort of treatment comes back to you. There's a reason why most old mages are obsessed or insane- Mystra punishes them for their lack of respect.

No, you have to study her, learn how she works, learn what she likes, and understand why she does what she does. While a tool has no sentience, magic has a woman's mind and conscience behind it, a woman who just twelve years ago was a living and breathing person you could run into on the street. I did, once, down in the City, although I had no idea what she was to become.

So yes, magic has a conscience. Mystra knows whether your spell is good or evil, and knows what you're doing with it. She may not approve. When she disapproves, you'll know it. She can slam the doors upon your ability to use magic, and not open them again until she has decided you're worthy. Then there are the other deities of magic- Azuth, Savras, the lich-deity Velsharoon, mysterious Shar, and the deities of magic in far-off lands and of other races. Each of them has a hand in magic as well.

I'm sure you consider yourself smarter than most. But that Sharran dagger you carry that dulls your mind every day is a legacy of the dark sister of Mystra's magic, and its taint can be detected, although with difficulty. And you have no idea why. I suppose you think it's cursed, and its powers outweigh its costs. So much more to it exists that you do not see. But do not feel too bad. I have seen and spoken with mages all over this world who never bothered to understand the forces they manipulate every day. Thayan evokers like yourself, and mystic wanderers of Beshaba, nomadic spelldancers, and those who count themselves among the ranks of my ex-allies, the Harpers. I've met Halruaan alchemists, Aglarondan sorcerers, and even the rare practitioners of spellfire. All these mages could do so much more if they studied the methods of magic rather than just its utility. Hundreds of new spells leap to mind, as do many magic items, all inspired by a deeper knowledge of the Art. But you are too busy, busy mastering
fireball, and receiving the gentle admonishments of your Red Wizard masters, and planning for the day when you would break into my home.

If only you had learned all of this years ago, my little Thayan spellthief, then you wouldn't be where you are today, bound in my spell that leaves you utterly immobile. You might have known how to bypass a
spell engine, or how to recognize a kiira from a common gemstone, or talk your way past a spectator, or spot any of the other wards and traps I have placed around Blackstaff Tower.

And I wouldn't have to slay you for your folly.


-Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun
Bane's tyranny is known throughout the continent, and his is the image most seen as the face of evil.
-Faiths and Pantheons (c)2002

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Party in the forest at midnight
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Party in the forest at midnight » Wed Dec 22, 2021 5:44 am

I took a picture of the intro to that book to dump places, it's great thematically. Unfortunately the rest of the book isn't that good, it doesn't give a whole lot of details on how things work. I take the Garrbear approach and ask Ropes and other lore nerd friends for details if I'm doing magic writing.

UilliamNebel
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by UilliamNebel » Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:23 pm

Aelryn Bloodmoon wrote:
Wed Dec 22, 2021 2:58 am

Player's Guide to Faerun is the 3.5 update to FRCS, and yet it's so much more than a few errata. Most of what's in the book happens in the same setting year as the 3.0 book, meaning our world is wholly compliant with all of the lore and additional information in there (with the exception of anything the Team doesn't like, obviously; I also support the "Your Realms" notion). There's an entire wealth of extra information about various things, from nations to organizations to religion to individuals.
Agreed very much on value of 'Player's Guide to Faerun', just for how it helps flesh out the human ethnicities alone. It and 'Races of Faerun' are great for human, half-elf, and half-orc character players looking to try something that differs drastically from 'I'm from the Sword Coast, in Waterdeep, just where my kin always were.' Nothing wrong with that, a lot of the base lore of the campaign book was written for Sword Coast characters. It is just nice to get a good bit of lore on where the races that populate the west of Faerun came from and differ as you go about the continent.

Kalthariam
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Kalthariam » Thu Dec 23, 2021 6:04 am

Generally just use the Forgotten Realms wiki to get the general gist and understanding of things (Specifically deities) and just go from there.

I don't really read any of the books, because generally those are specific settings that will likely not be the same on arelith or whatever setting I'm playing it.

A neat story prehaps, but not something I'd use to try to advance my character development, or base anything in-game on.

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Amateur Hour
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Amateur Hour » Fri Dec 24, 2021 5:17 am

As someone who likes to play Evermeet elves, Elves of Evermeet (2e) is practically required reading.

Rolled: Solveigh Arnimayne, "Anna Locksley"
Shelved: Ninim Elario, Maethiel Tyireale'ala
Current: Ynge Redbeard, ???


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Majieu
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Majieu » Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:08 pm

I understand it's a 5e book but for purposes of lore can anyone recommend Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms? Canon too different?

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Kenji
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Kenji » Sun Jan 16, 2022 9:07 pm

I bother Red Ropes for any lore I need for stuffs, too

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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Wethrinea » Mon Jan 17, 2022 7:47 am

Through the years I have taken a lot of inspiration from the handbooks of 2nd edition where especially class kits were described in great detail. Not sure where to find them now, as I got hold of a pirated pdf copy back when that was the only option for non-american nerds.
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fulminea
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by fulminea » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 am

I got some wizard of the coast players handbooks I'd love to share information from and can only recommend if youre a little edgelord like me and only care about EBIL stuff and EBILDOING. They are all around v.3.0 - v.3.5

EVIL by A. A. Acevedo et. al. 2001 - This book is defining evil and asks important questions like WHY EVIL, MAKING EVIL LOOK GOOD, becoming evil, evil archetypes, RPing evil, worshiping evil, pacts, secret societies and great examples. It's fun to read, too.

THE BOOK OF VILE DARKNESS developed by Monte Cook et. al. - Expands on the book EVIL and is... pretty vile and dark!

FIEND FOLIO - Everything about Fiends, devils and Baator, demons and the Abyss. Very useful if you want to understand how to RP fiends and the whole cosmic concept behind it, too.

FIENDISH CODEX II - Tyrants of the Nine Hells - Same concept as Fiendish Codex I, only for devils!

FIENDISH CODEX I- Hordes of the Abyss by Ed Stark et. al., 2006 - This is another ultimate resource for demons and abyss lore.

DEMONOMICON by Mike Mearls et. al., 2010 - Covers everything about demons and the nature of the abyss, all the demon lore you could ever need. From demon anatomy, planes and summoning rites, RPing demons, cults and lords to the absolute freaky origin of abyss and the multiverse itself. Trippy.

LIBRIS MORTIS by Andy Collins and Bruce R- Cordell, 2004 - An absolute must read for your Necromancer.

MONSTER by Peter Flanagan et. al., 2002 - Monsters explained. Covering THE AGE OF MAN, primitive minds, half-breeds, roleplaying a monster, monster races, outcasts, anti-heros and old races. If you play a monster race this is a 100 % recommendation.

THE SLAYERS GUIDE TO ORCS by Matt Forbeck et al., 2002. - My personal favourite of all times. It talks about orc physiology, society, history, methods of warfare, RPing orcs, hilarious facts and great lines. It's just the best thing ever if you love örcs. Just remember that this is a book on orcs, not orog.



Edit: I looked around a little and many of those source docs are available here:

http://dnd.etherealspheres.com/eBooks/D ... e/?C=N;O=D

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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Kuma » Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:47 pm

Majieu wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:08 pm
I understand it's a 5e book but for purposes of lore can anyone recommend Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms? Canon too different?
So that particular book is a fun one. It's basically Ed's private notes on the setting confirming a lot of the plot threads that he's hinted at over the years, formatted for public consumption. Lots of hyperspecific details that just add a lot of flavour to the setting. Much of the lore in there is singled out as "relevant to 1372" and "relevant to 5E" in context.

I'd consider it good and cool to use for Arelith, but if you've any doubts about particular things hit the #lore channel up on the Discord.

relatedly, i would also consider ed greenwoods twitter to be a canon source

House Freth: Reference Information
House Claddath: Reference Information
"What's a heretic?": a guide to religious schism terminology

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Majieu
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Re: Sharing canon sources, you use in your character's development

Post by Majieu » Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:18 pm

fulminea wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 am

Edit: I looked around a little and many of those source docs are available here:

http://dnd.etherealspheres.com/eBooks/D ... e/?C=N;O=D
Wow, thank you very much for the gold mine! Should almost be in its own sticky topic if it's allowed...
Kuma wrote:
Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:47 pm
Majieu wrote:
Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:08 pm
I understand it's a 5e book but for purposes of lore can anyone recommend Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms? Canon too different?
So that particular book is a fun one. It's basically Ed's private notes on the setting confirming a lot of the plot threads that he's hinted at over the years, formatted for public consumption. Lots of hyperspecific details that just add a lot of flavour to the setting. Much of the lore in there is singled out as "relevant to 1372" and "relevant to 5E" in context.

I'd consider it good and cool to use for Arelith, but if you've any doubts about particular things hit the #lore channel up on the Discord.

relatedly, i would also consider ed greenwoods twitter to be a canon source
Good to know, thanks for the advice!

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