| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Gelcur |
Posted - 05 May 2022 : 06:55:42
I remembered today that some colleges offer courses and degrees in Tolkien. Then I thought, with D&D being so popular now wouldn't it be cool if a college offered course work in Ed's Forgotten Realms. I'm guessing none exist?
Anyone want to try their hand at designing a 6 course curriculum? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 22:07:48
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
We should be kissing Jergal's feet.
(...and then gargling with a bunch of mouthwash, but that's not really the point.)
Not really. Jergal's actions made the gnomes the way they are now: annoying little blighters.
I believe, the best way to express that, is to picture a gnome in Michael Keeton's Batman costume, standing on a stool (of course), holding Jergal (dressed as The Joker) off the ground by his lapels saying "you made me".
Now, try to scrub that image from your mind....
Unless I've overlooked a crucial piece of information that makes me the fool, aren't FR gnomes - the "rock" variety, anyhow - Neutral Good just like the default D&D gnome? Also, sure, they're an eccentric folk, but they're far from, say, Dragonlance's Tinker Gnomes.
Like I mentioned, I haven't done a lot of research for this but I am thinking that the gnomes were a bit more dwarven in attitude. But, having a near death experience, their culture changed to be more fun-centric (much like how some of our friends/family have decided, as a reaction to the pandemic, to value work/life balance more than they did previously). That could certainly apply to even non-FR gnomes if the crystal sphere destroyed was the gnome homeland. It could also explain the tinker gnomes since it happened to be that aspect of the original gnome culture was emphasized by that particular group of gnome survivors.
I figure all of this will shake out as I actually start working on it. These ideas are certainly in flux and your pointing out stuff is a big help. I am taking notes so when I do start working on it, this conversation will be a great launching point. |
| Azar |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 19:48:02
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
We should be kissing Jergal's feet.
(...and then gargling with a bunch of mouthwash, but that's not really the point.)
Not really. Jergal's actions made the gnomes the way they are now: annoying little blighters.
I believe, the best way to express that, is to picture a gnome in Michael Keeton's Batman costume, standing on a stool (of course), holding Jergal (dressed as The Joker) off the ground by his lapels saying "you made me".
Now, try to scrub that image from your mind....
Unless I've overlooked a crucial piece of information that makes me the fool, aren't FR gnomes - the "rock" variety, anyhow - Neutral Good just like the default D&D gnome? Also, sure, they're an eccentric folk, but they're far from, say, Dragonlance's Tinker Gnomes. |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 18:24:01
quote:
Originally posted by Azar
We should be kissing Jergal's feet.
(...and then gargling with a bunch of mouthwash, but that's not really the point.)
Not really. Jergal's actions made the gnomes the way they are now: annoying little blighters.
I believe, the best way to express that, is to picture a gnome in Michael Keeton's Batman costume, standing on a stool (of course), holding Jergal (dressed as The Joker) off the ground by his lapels saying "you made me".
Now, try to scrub that image from your mind.... |
| Azar |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 17:37:01
We should be kissing Jergal's feet.
(...and then gargling with a bunch of mouthwash, but that's not really the point.) |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 15:12:23
quote:
Originally posted by PattPlays
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms.
This one fulfills the requirement for “The Idiot’s Guide to Demonology.”
I guess that means I shouldn't blame Jergal for their appearance on Toril, then.
Wait, what is this theory?
Thanks to Wooly's suggestion, the following idea occurred to me. This is a rough idea that I have not had time to do any research on:
Jergal was able to engineer the destruction of an entire crystal sphere with a substantial number of gnomes (possibly even the home for the gnome race). To ensure the survival of the gnomes, Garl used all of the power at his disposal to scatter gnomes throughout as many crystal spheres as he could. To survive the trip, the gnomes were transformed into gems. He would then go and "open" the gems to get the gnomes back to normal.
A quick and unresearched idea for why there are gnomes all over the place. And why it is ultimately Jergal's fault that there are gnomes on Toril. |
| PattPlays |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 10:55:37
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms.
This one fulfills the requirement for “The Idiot’s Guide to Demonology.”
I guess that means I shouldn't blame Jergal for their appearance on Toril, then.
Wait, what is this theory? |
| Steven Schend |
Posted - 11 May 2022 : 02:44:12
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
I've been studying the Realms for just over 35 years now. Not sure I'll ever get my degree.
-- George Krashos
I'd say you've gotten at least a Master's in Impiltur, given that you've written at least two theses on that.
You're also a degree holder in the North and the Sword Coast each.
Then again, I'm a biased instructor who grades on a curve. ;)
Steven |
| Azar |
Posted - 08 May 2022 : 07:45:03
Part 17 - The waltzes of Waterdeep. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 May 2022 : 03:29:41
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms.
This one fulfills the requirement for “The Idiot’s Guide to Demonology.”
I was waiting for your response to this one!  |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 22:20:41
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms.
This one fulfills the requirement for “The Idiot’s Guide to Demonology.”
I guess that means I shouldn't blame Jergal for their appearance on Toril, then. |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 21:46:24
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms.
This one fulfills the requirement for “The Idiot’s Guide to Demonology.” |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 21:30:39
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Karsus
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm going to disagree on part of this one. I think timeline jumps can work out fine -- it depends in large part on how you use them. The way WotC used the lost century after the Spellplague? An excellent example of how not to do it.
But if you do what some other authors do, bumping the timeline ahead to get to another generation, that's fine -- as long as nothing major happened in the lost years, and you do something to maintain continuity.
One of my favorite series covers more than a century of time (maybe two); the time jumps happen between subseries, but there are some recurring characters that join the new characters and the offspring of earlier characters, so there's still some continuity there.
-Are you talking FR? Cause I honestly don't remember any major time jumps other than (A) the relevant 4e transition books/series and (B) books that were set in what is already the established past, and use time jumps in the narrative and either wind up in a future moment in regards to the plot or in the present (examples being say Evermeet or Star of Cursrah. In regards to that, I don't think those (B) moments necessarily count as "real" time jumps, or at the very least, are a very different kind.
WotC dropped the ball with their timejump. I've seen others, in non-WotC properties, that were handled better. |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 20:24:04
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms.
Thank you. You just gave me the idea for my next project. |
| Delnyn |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 18:57:22
Part 16: Manshoon and the Clone Wars. |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 17:41:03
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm going to disagree on part of this one. I think timeline jumps can work out fine -- it depends in large part on how you use them. The way WotC used the lost century after the Spellplague? An excellent example of how not to do it.
But if you do what some other authors do, bumping the timeline ahead to get to another generation, that's fine -- as long as nothing major happened in the lost years, and you do something to maintain continuity.
One of my favorite series covers more than a century of time (maybe two); the time jumps happen between subseries, but there are some recurring characters that join the new characters and the offspring of earlier characters, so there's still some continuity there.
-Are you talking FR? Cause I honestly don't remember any major time jumps other than (A) the relevant 4e transition books/series and (B) books that were set in what is already the established past, and use time jumps in the narrative and either wind up in a future moment in regards to the plot or in the present (examples being say Evermeet or Star of Cursrah. In regards to that, I don't think those (B) moments necessarily count as "real" time jumps, or at the very least, are a very different kind. |
| ElfBane |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 12:01:02
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I think George that everyone here would agree to bestow upon you an honorary PHD in the forgotten realms for diligent research, advice, and for steering the fan base during the wailing years
I think we're still IN the wailing years! |
| Azar |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 09:57:43
Part 15 - Elusive, Ethereal, Exotic: Evermeet. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 06:05:22
Part 14: Forgotten Gnomore: The Truth About the Gnomes of the Realms. |
| Azar |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 04:32:54
Part 13 - No amnesty in Amn. |
| Demzer |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 04:29:47
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
Part 11: What they don't want you to know about the Land Down Under.
Part 12: Nonsense! There is NO "Land Down Under", all land in the Forgotten Realms is on the up and up
Motions for the hooded guys in black leathers to get Eric |
| ericlboyd |
Posted - 07 May 2022 : 01:03:48
Part 11: What they don't want you to know about the Land Down Under. |
| Azar |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 23:21:36
Part 10 - Netheril: Arcane Arrogance. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 23:16:54
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Part 2 - why you should never user RSEs and timeline jumps to advance your setting.
I'm going to disagree on part of this one. I think timeline jumps can work out fine -- it depends in large part on how you use them. The way WotC used the lost century after the Spellplague? An excellent example of how not to do it.
But if you do what some other authors do, bumping the timeline ahead to get to another generation, that's fine -- as long as nothing major happened in the lost years, and you do something to maintain continuity.
One of my favorite series covers more than a century of time (maybe two); the time jumps happen between subseries, but there are some recurring characters that join the new characters and the offspring of earlier characters, so there's still some continuity there. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 21:53:06
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Ooh here’s a good one. Part 8 - The Most OP Power in All Dnd- Fr Novel Plot Armor
That ones easy, be called drizzt do urden |
| Azar |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 21:45:36
Part 9 - Elminster Aumar. |
| Seethyr |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 20:46:39
Ooh here’s a good one. Part 8 - The Most OP Power in All Dnd- Fr Novel Plot Armor |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 16:20:24
Part 7: The Good, The Bad, and The Idiots: Great antagonists of the Realms and why to keep them that way. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 15:29:37
Part 6 - why it's impossible to kill a god. |
| lsls |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 14:19:18
Part 5 - The Many resurrections of Mystra. |
| Seethyr |
Posted - 06 May 2022 : 14:00:36
Part 4 - The Many deaths of Mystra. |
