The Old Days

Glancing through the Cyclopedia of the Realms (the 1e campaign setting) I was struck again by the difference between the original setting and the modern Realms.  Manshoon is only 16th level, Elminster is only 26th.  The Knights of Myth Drannor, responsible for much derring-do in the Heartlands, are mostly around levels 4-9.  Waterdeep has around 100k residents instead of 10 times that amount.  Dragons are “the most dangerous creatures of the Known Realms.”

I’m not complaining about the development that’s taken place.  We have a whole lot more monsters to play with now, and more spells, and more NPCs, and more more more.  Cool.  I’m just saying those were the good ol’ days, and they have a certain powerful appeal.

And I think part of this appeal is consistent with the Points of Light philosophy; the 1e Realms was more consistent with this idea than later versions have been.  Back then, meaning 1357 DR, “civilization is still a novelty in much of this world.”  What a difference 15 years made.  Three (and a half) rewrites of the game rules inexplicably meant that the world had to be rewritten multiple times.  Part of it was unavoidable… as you crank up the power level of the Light, you need more powerful Darkness in-between.  But it didn’t stop there.

1e: This is the Forgotten Realms. (and there was much rejoicing.)

2e: This is the Forgotten Realms on crack… any questions?

3e: This is the Forgotten Realms on mushrooms… see our cool new maps?

4e: Mushrooms were clearly not enough WiNNiNG!  We’ve come up with (oh, after extensively polling customer opinions, of course, oh yes) a mixture of uh… some stuff, and… well, frankly we have no idea what it is.  But we’re calling it the Forgotten Realms because people buy FR products, and because it’s so badass!  Give us more money!  So we can invent new drugs!  5e will be freakin amazing!

Edit: Just 26 days after I wrote this, 5e was announced, with the accompanying request for player feedback, etc. *sigh*

I’m not criticizing the 4e rules.  Just the changes to the Realms.  Partly because the rules do seem to be decent.  Moreso because I’ve watched a couple of Encounters sessions (Dark Sun, not Realms) but I haven’t played or even completely read the 4e rules.  4e is different enough from the previous versions of the game to warrant having a different name, but I understand wanting to preserve the D&D label.  I’m also not criticizing the writers, who I’m sure were just doing the best they could with the orders they got.  No, this is aimed clearly at the head honchos.  The dolts in charge of turning the Realms into a steaming pile of [expletive deleted].

I don’t know what the creative process at WotC/Hasbro entails, and I don’t really care.  Here’s how it should work, in an easy 1-2-3.  The reality of it can’t resemble the following outline very closely, or we wouldn’t be having these problems.

1. Whoever is in charge of (makes all executive decisions regarding) D&D products at Hasbro plays and likes D&D.  Whoever is in charge of the FR brand (same meaning) is a player and appreciator of lore-heavy settings, because that’s what this setting is.  You don’t put a bike-hater in charge of selling bikes. Did you put a Realms-hater in charge of the 4e Realms? I think you did.

2. The Creative Dept, or R&D, or whatever you want to call it, keeps all ten fingers on the pulse of what Realms Fans want, through participation in forums like Candlekeep and the FR mailing list as well as polls conducted both online and on paper.  “Meet the Creative Dept” events at every Con where WotC makes an appearance, which should be a lot of Cons if you want to sell stuff, are a great time to conduct polls.  By Realms Fans I mean people who spend more than 50% of their game time in the Realms and feel strongly invested in the past, present, and future of the Realms.  Importantly, Ed Greenwood, the guy who wrote the first incarnation of the setting, needs to be part of the Creative Dept, or at least cordially and sincerely invited to participate in as many of their meetings with Authors as he cares to be involved in. Set the man up with his own private jet, or some good videoconferencing equipment; your choice. I get that you bought the Realms and you own the trademarks now… however, that does not change the fact that our loyalty is to him, not to you, and you’d be doing yourself a favor if you stopped publishing things he doesn’t like… because he has a knack for writing what we’re going to like… and you clearly do not.

3. When designing a new product, three forces come together in two stages.  First, the Hasbro guy/gal meets with the Creative Dept.  They arrive at a concensus regarding the type and scope of the product; hard/soft cover, pagecount, and which facet(s) of the Realms the product is going to cover.  Then the Creative Dept meets with the Author(s) and the Hasbro guy/gal butts out; they’ve had their say and their services are no longer required.  The Creative Dept presents the Author(s) with the guidelines (hardcover, 157 pages, about Waterdeep, for instance) and the polling data indicating what Realms fans like and dislike.  Together, they then iron out the details of what goes in the book.  Then the Creative Dept shuts up and lets the Author(s) discuss ideas to everyone’s satisfaction.  Quickly, the meetings end, and the Author(s) go to do what only Author(s) should be doing… writing.

I know, I said 1-2-3, but here’s a bonus.

4. When a new system of rules changes the game to the point where it’s basically a whole new game –like 4e– you don’t muck up an existing campaign setting, particularly a lore-rich one.  Worldshaking events in a lore-rich world are guaranteed to piss everybody off and guess what… justifiably so.  We’re right to be pissed off, and you are wrong.  You want to blow everything up?  Make a new world for it.  Worst case, if your finances are so screwed up that you can’t pay a designer to spend 30 minutes inventing a new world for you, then muck up something you haven’t touched in years.  Like Ravenloft, or Spelljammer, or Blackmoor.  Then watch in amazement as the people who really like your new rules and appreciate this revitalizing Kaboom you just dropped on an old setting start flocking to the new product line.  Meanwhile the players who are invested in the lore-heavy settings and enjoy them for what they are can continue to enjoy new products written for their setting.  This works best if you stop filling Setting products with ruleset-specific junk.  Note: those who love the new rules can and will modify your lore-heavy settings to use the new rules, and write fanfic and netbooks which you could theoretically license for a nominal royalties fee.  Everybody wins.

Specifically, with regard to the Realms, the following decisions were criminally misguided: the success of the plot to murder Mystra, the elimination of many other powers, the destruction of various nations and individuals across Faerun, the return of Netheril and Myth Drannor, and… I’ll undoubtedly expand this list as I read more of what used to be the Realms.  If you really want to glom Abeir and Toril back together again (the original cloning/separation and now the reunification are arguably also misguided) then have them meld on one of the previously unexplored continents, thus opening up new lore instead of killing existing plotlines.

I’m not condemning change itself.  There’s nothing wrong with innovation.  Creativity is good.  The 4e rules are innovative.  The 4e changes in the Realms —speaking as someone who’s played primarily within the Realms since the release of the gray box— are horristupidbad.