campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A ''campaign'' is a series of individual adventures, and a ''campaign setting'' is the world in which such adventures and ca ...
for the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
'' (''D&D'')
fantasy role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal ...
. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer
Ed Greenwood
Ed Greenwood (born July 21, 1959) is a Canadian fantasy writer and the original creator of the ''Forgotten Realms'' game world. He began writing articles about the Forgotten Realms for ''Dragon'' magazine beginning in 1979, and subsequently sold ...
around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories. Several years later, Greenwood brought the setting to publication for the ''D&D'' game as a series of magazine articles, and the first Realms game products were released in 1987. Role-playing game products have been produced for the setting ever since, as have various licensed products including
novels
A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itself ...
,
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
adaptations (including the first
massively multiplayer online role-playing game
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game.
As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...
to use graphics), comic books, and an upcoming film.
Forgotten Realms is a
fantasy world
A fantasy world is a world created for/from fictional media, such as literature, film or games. Typical fantasy worlds involve magic or magical abilities, nonexistent technology and, sometimes, either a historical or futuristic theme. Some wor ...
setting, described as a world of strange lands, dangerous creatures, and mighty deities, where magic and supernatural phenomena are quite real. The premise is that, long ago, planet Earth and the world of the Forgotten Realms were more closely connected. As time passed, the inhabitants of Earth had mostly forgotten about the existence of that other world – hence the name Forgotten Realms. The original Forgotten Realms logo, which was used until 2000, had small
runic letters
Runes are the letters in a set of related alphabets known as runic alphabets native to the Germanic peoples. Runes were used to write various Germanic languages (with some exceptions) before they adopted the Latin alphabet, and for specialised ...
that read "Herein lie the lost lands" as an allusion to the connection between the two worlds.
Forgotten Realms is one of the most popular ''D&D'' settings, largely due to the success of novels by authors such as
R. A. Salvatore
Robert Anthony Salvatore (born January 20, 1959) is an American author best known for ''The Legend of Drizzt'', a series of fantasy novels set in the Forgotten Realms and starring the popular character Drizzt Do'Urden. He has also written ''The ...
and numerous role-playing video games, including ''
Pool of Radiance
''Pool of Radiance'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of TSR's ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'') fantasy role-playing game for home computer ...
Icewind Dale
''Icewind Dale'' is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and originally published by Interplay Entertainment for Windows in 2000 and by MacPlay for the Macintosh in 2002 (both the Classic Mac OS and OS X). The game takes pla ...
'' (2000), and the ''
Neverwinter Nights
''Neverwinter Nights'' is a series of video games developed by BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment, based on the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Aside from also being set in the Dungeons & Dra ...
'' and ''
Baldur's Gate
''Baldur's Gate'' is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The game has spawned two series, known as the ''Bhaalspawn Saga'' and the ''Dark Alliance'', both taking place mostly ...
'' series.
Creative origins
Ed Greenwood
Ed Greenwood (born July 21, 1959) is a Canadian fantasy writer and the original creator of the ''Forgotten Realms'' game world. He began writing articles about the Forgotten Realms for ''Dragon'' magazine beginning in 1979, and subsequently sold ...
began writing stories about the Forgotten Realms as a child, starting at the age of 8. He came up with the name from the notion of a
multiverse
The multiverse is a hypothetical group of multiple universes. Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them. The di ...
of parallel worlds; Earth is one such world, and the Realms another. In Greenwood's original conception, the fantastic legends of Earth derive from a fantasy world that can no longer be accessed. Greenwood discovered the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical Studies Rules ...
'' game in 1975, and became a serious role-playing enthusiast with the first ''
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of ''D&D'', Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the ga ...
'' (''AD&D'') game releases in 1978. Greenwood brought his fantasy world to the new medium of role-playing games when a university student named September introduced him to ''AD&D''. The setting became the home of Greenwood's personal
campaign
Campaign or The Campaign may refer to:
Types of campaigns
* Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed
*Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme
* Bl ...
Forgotten Realms Adventures
Forgotten Realms Adventures is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The book, with product code TSR 2106, was published in 1990, and was wri ...
'' ( TSR, 1990) Greenwood began a Realms campaign in the city of Waterdeep before creating a group known as the Knights of Myth Drannor in the Shadowdale region. Greenwood felt that his players' thirst for detail made the Realms what it is: "They want it to seem real, and work on 'honest jobs' and personal activities, until the whole thing grows into far more than a casual campaign. Roleplaying always governs over rules, and the adventures seem to develop themselves." Greenwood has stated that his own version of the Forgotten Realms, as run in his personal campaign, is much darker than published versions.
Starting in 1979, Greenwood published a series of articles that detailed the setting in '' The Dragon'' (now ''Dragon'') magazine, the first of which was about a monster known as the ''curst''. Greenwood wrote voluminous entries to ''Dragon'', and used the Realms as a setting for his descriptions of
magic items
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
, monsters, and
spells
Spell(s) or The Spell(s) may refer to:
Processes
* Spell (paranormal), an incantation
* Spell (ritual), a magical ritual
* Spelling, the writing of words
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Spell'' (1977 film), an American ...
. When
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson.
In the 1960s, Gygax created an ...
"lost control of TSR in 1985, the company saw an opportunity to move beyond
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson ...
and introduce a new default setting". In 1986, TSR began looking for a new
campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A ''campaign'' is a series of individual adventures, and a ''campaign setting'' is the world in which such adventures and ca ...
for ''AD&D'', and assigned
Jeff Grubb
Jeff Grubb (born August 27, 1957) is an author who writes novels, short stories, and comics and a computer and role-playing game designer in the fantasy genre. Grubb worked on the ''Dragonlance'' campaign setting under Tracy Hickman, and the ''F ...
to find out more about the setting used by Greenwood as portrayed in his articles in ''Dragon''.
According to Greenwood, Grubb asked him "Do you just make this stuff up as you go, or do you really have a huge campaign world?"; Greenwood answered "yes" to both questions. TSR felt that the Forgotten Realms would be a more open-ended setting than its
epic fantasy
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, Pl ...
counterpart
Dragonlance
''Dragonlance'' is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived ''Dragonlance'' while driving in t ...
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
, 2004). He sent TSR a few dozen cardboard boxes stuffed with pencil notes and maps, and sold all rights to the setting for a token fee. He noted that TSR altered his original conception of the Realms being a place that could be accessed from Earth, as " ncerns over possible lawsuits (kids getting hurt while trying to 'find a gate') led TSR to de-emphasize this meaning."
Jon Peterson, author of ''Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History'', said that Greenwood "was that rare obsessive DM who just seemed to have more ideas and energy to pour into his world than even the folks at TSR did. Naturally when TSR was shopping for new campaign worlds as part of their cross-media strategy, they had to get the Forgotten Realms. RA Salvatore took Greenwood's world and created characters and stories for it that made him a bestselling author and sustained TSR as a major fantasy book publisher."
Publication history
1985–1990
In 1985, the ''AD&D''
module
Module, modular and modularity may refer to the concept of modularity. They may also refer to:
Computing and engineering
* Modular design, the engineering discipline of designing complex devices using separately designed sub-components
* Modul ...
''
Bloodstone Pass
H1 ''Bloodstone Pass'' is an adventure module for the first edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson and published by TSR, Inc., in 1985. While it co ...
'' was released by TSR and is retroactively considered to be a part of the Forgotten Realms, although it was not until the module ''
The Bloodstone Wars
''H3 - The Bloodstone Wars'' is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
Plot summary
''The Bloodstone Wars'' consists of a Battlesystem scenario depicting a battle to rid a city of a bandit horde.
The module is de ...
'' was released that it became the official setting for the module series.
Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles (born December 1, 1954, in Brookfield, Wisconsin) is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, the ''Star Frontiers'' space o ...
had worked on a trilogy of Celtic-themed novels, which were modified to become the first Forgotten Realms books, beginning with ''
Darkwalker on Moonshae
''Darkwalker on Moonshae'' is a fantasy novel by Douglas Niles and the first novel written for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Published originally as a standalone novel, it is also t ...
'' (1987). It is the first book in ''The Moonshae Trilogy'', which predates the ''
Forgotten Realms Campaign Set
The ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' is a role-playing game sourcebook first published by TSR in 1987 for the first edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' that describes the campaign setting of the Forgot ...
'' by one month.
The ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Set'' was later released in 1987 as a boxed set of two source books (''Cyclopedia of the Realms'' and ''DM's Sourcebook of the Realms'') and four large color maps, designed by Greenwood in collaboration with Grubb. The set introduced the campaign setting and explained how to use it, and reserved space on the map for SSI's
Gold Box Gold box may refer to:
*Decorative boxes made in gold
*''Gold Box Gold box may refer to:
* Decorative boxes made in gold
*'' Gold Box'', a series of video games of 1988 to 1992
* Gold box (phreaking), a phreaking box to create a bridge between two ...
computer role-playing game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
s set in the Forgotten Realms.
TSR began incorporating elements by other designers into the Forgotten Realms, including the Moonshae Isles by
Douglas Niles
Douglas Niles (born December 1, 1954, in Brookfield, Wisconsin) is a fantasy author and game designer. Niles was one of the creators of the Dragonlance world and the author of the first three Forgotten Realms novels, the ''Star Frontiers'' space o ...
, the "Desert of Desolation" by
Tracy Hickman
Tracy Raye Hickman (born November 26, 1955) is an American fantasy author. He wrote the ''Dragonlance'' novels with Margaret Weis. He also wrote role playing game material while working for TSR, Inc., TSR and has cowritten novels with his wife, ...
and
Laura Hickman
Laura Curtis Hickman (born December 7, 1956, in Long Beach, California) is an American fantasy author, best known for her works in game design and fantasy novels cowritten with her husband, Tracy Hickman. She was one of the first women to write a ...
Zeb Cook
David "Zeb" Cook is an American game designer, best known for his work at TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc. was an American game publishing company, best known as the original publisher of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D''). Its earliest incarnation, Tactica ...
. The setting also gave TSR a new way to market its ''
Battlesystem
''Battlesystem'' is a tabletop miniature wargame designed as a supplement for use with the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. The original ''Battlesystem'' was printed as a boxed set in 1985 for use with the first edition ''AD&D'' rules. ...
'' rules, which it had supported with the Bloodstone adventure sequence that began with ''Bloodstone Pass''. The last two books of this series, ''The Bloodstone Wars'' (1987) and ''
The Throne of Bloodstone
''H4 - The Throne of Bloodstone'' is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Plot summary
In ''The Throne of Bloodstone'', the player characters go to the Abyss to steal the ...
'' (1988), were explicitly placed in the Forgotten Realms. Some of the characters from
Frank Mentzer
Jacob Franklin Mentzer III is an American fantasy author and game designer who worked on early materials for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. He was an employee of TSR, Inc. from 1980 to 1986, spending part of that time ...
's ''
Egg of the Phoenix
''Egg of the Phoenix'' is an adventure module published in 1987 for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Plot summary
''Egg of the Phoenix'' is an adventure in which the player characters (PCs) investigate a slaver ...
'' (1987) were incorporated into ''
The Savage Frontier
''The Savage Frontier'' (product code FR5) is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting ''Forgotten Realms''. It describes the Savage Frontier of Faerûn. The book was written by Jennell Jaquays and published by TSR in 1988 ...
'' (1988).
The compilation module ''
Desert of Desolation
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one ...
'' was reworked to fit into the Forgotten Realms. The module '' Under Illefarn'' published in 1987 is set in the Forgotten Realms, as is the module released in 1988, ''
Swords of the Iron Legion
''Swords of the Iron Legion'' is an adventure module published in 1988 for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Plot summary
''Swords of the Iron Legion'' is a collection of 11 short Forgotten Realms adventure scenarios, includin ...
''.
R. A. Salvatore
Robert Anthony Salvatore (born January 20, 1959) is an American author best known for ''The Legend of Drizzt'', a series of fantasy novels set in the Forgotten Realms and starring the popular character Drizzt Do'Urden. He has also written ''The ...
wrote his first Forgotten Realms novel in 1988, ''
The Crystal Shard
''The Crystal Shard'' is a 1988 fantasy novel by American writer R. A. Salvatore. The first book in The Icewind Dale Trilogy, it was his first published novel.
Plot summary
Even in the remote far northern region of Icewind Dale, the renegade d ...
'' (1988), which was originally set in the Moonshae Islands before being moved to a new location and introduced the
drow
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of Elf (Dungeons & Dragons), elves connected to the Subterranea (geography), subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have ...
character
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden () is a fictional character appearing in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the ''Icewind Dale ...
. Drizzt has since appeared in more than seventeen subsequent novels, many of which have appeared on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list. In 1988, the first in a line of Forgotten Realms role-playing video games, ''
Pool of Radiance
''Pool of Radiance'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of TSR's ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'') fantasy role-playing game for home computer ...
'', was released by
Strategic Simulations, Inc
Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) was a video game developer and publisher with over 100 titles to its credit from its founding in 1979 to its dissolution in 1994. The company was especially noted for its numerous wargames, its official compute ...
. The game was popular and won the
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so (for example) the 1979 aw ...
for "Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Computer Game of 1988".
Several supplements to the original boxed set were released under the first edition rules, beginning with ''
Waterdeep and the North
''Waterdeep and the North'' (product code FR1) is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting ''Forgotten Realms''. It was written by Ed Greenwood and published by TSR in 1987.
Contents
''Waterdeep and the North'' describes t ...
'', which was followed by ''
Moonshae
''Moonshae'' is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting. It describes the Moonshae Isles of Faerûn.
Contents
''Moonshae'' is a supplement which details the Celtic-inspired islands in the Sea of Moonshae, ...
'' in 1987, and ''
Empires of the Sands
''Empires of the Sands'' is an accessory for the fictional Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the first edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The book was published in 1988 and written by Scott Haring, with ...
'', ''
The Magister
''The Magister'' is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The book, with product code TSR 9229, was published in 1988 by TSR. It was written by Ed ...
'', ''
The Savage Frontier
''The Savage Frontier'' (product code FR5) is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting ''Forgotten Realms''. It describes the Savage Frontier of Faerûn. The book was written by Jennell Jaquays and published by TSR in 1988 ...
'', ''
Dreams of the Red Wizards
''Dreams of the Red Wizards'' is an accessory for the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. ''Dreams of the Red Wizards: Dead in Thay'' is a module for Dungeons & Dragons Next/5th ed.
Contents
''Dreams of the Red Wizards'' i ...
'', and ''
Lords of Darkness
''Lords of Darkness'' is the name of two accessories for the fictional ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition
''Lords of Darkness'' is a collection o ...
'' in 1988. The ''
City System
''City System'' is an accessory for the ''Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. It was written by Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood, and published in 1988 by TSR, Inc., TSR. It includes extensive and detailed maps ...
'' boxed set was released in 1988, and it contained several maps of the city of Waterdeep. ''
Ruins of Adventure
''Ruins of Adventure'' is a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' module that served as the basis for the popular " Gold Box" role-playing video game ''Pool of Radiance'', published in 1988 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). According to the editors of ''Drag ...
'', a module based on the computer game ''
Pool of Radiance
''Pool of Radiance'' is a role-playing video game developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI) in 1988. It was the first adaptation of TSR's ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'') fantasy role-playing game for home computer ...
'', was also released in 1988.
The boxed set '' Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms'' was released in 1988. It gives details of the lands of Kara-Tur, and was designed to be used with the 1986 book ''
Oriental Adventures
''Oriental Adventures'' (abbreviated OA) is the title shared by two hardback rulebooks published for different versions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy roleplaying game. Each version of ''Oriental Adventures'' provides rules for ...
,'' which officially placed the book in the Forgotten Realms world.
In 1989,
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
began publishing a series of Forgotten Realms comics written by Grubb. Each issue contains twenty-six pages, illustrated primarily by
Rags Morales
Ralph "Rags" Morales () is an American comic book artist known for his work on various books for DC Comics, including ''Identity Crisis'', ''Countdown to Infinite Crisis'', ''Batman Confidential'', and The New 52 reboot of then Superman-centric '' ...
and
Dave Simons
Dave Simons (died June 9, 2009) was an American comic book artist known for his work on '' Conan'', ''Ghost Rider'', ''Red Sonja'', and ''Spider-Man'' for Marvel Comics and ''Forgotten Realms'' for DC Comics. He is also known for commercial sto ...
. Twenty-five issues were published in total, with the last being released in 1991. A fifty-six page
annual
Annual may refer to:
* Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
** Literary annual
* Annual plant
* Annual report
* Annual giving
* Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
* Annuals (b ...
''Forgotten Realms Comic Annual #1: Waterdhavian Nights'', illustrated by various artists, was released in 1990.
''Curse of the Azure Bonds'', a module based on the role-playing video game of the same name, was released in 1989.
1990–2000
To transition the Forgotten Realms from first edition ''AD&D'' to the ruleset's second edition, a story of the gods being cast down was planned from the top-down by management and began in ''
Hall of Heroes
''Hall of Heroes'' was an American independent comic book company that existed in the mid-to-late 1990s. Based in Elkhart, Indiana, Hall of Heroes operated from 1993 to 1999.
The company's longest-running titles were two volumes of the antholog ...
'' (1989) and spread into a three-adventure ''
Avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearanc ...
'' series (1989), a three-novel ''Avatar'' series (1989), and some stories in the comic book. TSR adjusted the timeline of the Forgotten Realms by advancing the calendar one year forward to 1358 DR, referring to the gap as the Time of Troubles.
In early 1990, the hardcover ''
Forgotten Realms Adventures
Forgotten Realms Adventures is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The book, with product code TSR 2106, was published in 1990, and was wri ...
'' by Grubb and Greenwood was released, which introduced the setting to ''AD&D'' 2nd edition; the book also detailed how the Time of Troubles had changed the setting. ''
The Ruins of Undermountain
''The Ruins of Undermountain'' is a boxed set for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The set was written by Ed Greenwood and published by TSR. It feature ...
'' (1991) was one of the first published mega-dungeons. The
Al-Qadim
Al-Qadim is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game which was developed by Jeff Grubb with Andria Hayday for TSR, Inc., and was first released in 1992. Al-Qadim uses ''One Thousand and One Nights'' as a theme and is ...
setting by Jeff Grubb was released in 1992, and the setting was placed in the southern Forgotten Realms. The
RPGA
The RPGA (also called the Role Playing Game Association and the RPGA Network at various times), was initially part of the organized play arm of TSR, Inc and later of Wizards of the Coast. From 1980 to 2014, it organized and sanctioned role-playing ...
used the Forgotten Realms city of
Ravens Bluff
Ravens may refer to:
* Raven, a species of the genus ''Corvus''
Sports
* Anderson Ravens, the intercollegiate athletic program of Anderson University in Indiana
* Baltimore Ravens, a professional American football franchise
* Benedictine Ravens ...
as the setting for their first
living campaign
Living campaigns, or shared campaigns, are a gaming format within the table-top role-playing game community that provide the opportunity for play by an extended community within a shared universe. In contrast to traditional isolated role-playing ...
. Official RPGA support for this product line included the ''Living City'' module series. A number of sub-settings of the Forgotten Realms were briefly supported in the early 1990s. Three more modules were produced for the Kara-Tur setting. ''The Horde'' boxed set, released in 1990, detailed the Hordelands, which featured a series of three modules. The ''
Maztica Campaign Set
''Maztica Campaign Set'' is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The campaign set was co-authored by Douglas Niles and Tim Beach and published by TSR, Inc. in 1991.
Contents
The cam ...
'', released in 1991, detailed the continent of
Maztica
Abeir-Toril is the fictional planet that makes up the ''Forgotten Realms'' ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.
Th ...
.
The original gray boxed set was revised in 1993 to update it to ''AD&D'' 2nd edition, with the release of a new ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' boxed set containing three books (''A Grand Tour of the Realms'', ''Running the Realms'', and ''Shadowdale'') and various "monster supplements". Additional material for the setting was released steadily throughout the 1990s. Forgotten Realms novels, such as the ''
Legacy of the Drow
The ''Legacy of the Drow'' is a New York Times best-selling fantasy series by R. A. Salvatore. It is the third series following the adventures of the Forgotten Realms character Drizzt Do'Urden.
This series is followed up by the ''Paths of Darknes ...
'' series, the first three books of ''
The Elminster Series
''The Elminster Series'' is a series of fantasy novels by author Ed Greenwood. The novels are set in the ''Forgotten Realms'' setting created by Greenwood for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. The series focuses on the titula ...
'', and numerous
anthologies
In book publishing
Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed work ...
were also released throughout the 1990s, which led to the setting being hailed as one of the most successful shared fantasy universes of the 1990s. By the first quarter of 1996, TSR had published sixty-four novels set in the Forgotten Realms out of the 242 novels set in ''AD&D'' worlds. These novels in turn sparked interest in role-playing by new gamers.
Numerous Forgotten Realms
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
s were released between 1990 and 2000. The '' Eye of the Beholder'' PC game was released in 1990, which was followed by two sequels: the first in 1991, and the second in 1992. All three games were re-released for
DOS
DOS is shorthand for the MS-DOS and IBM PC DOS family of operating systems.
DOS may also refer to:
Computing
* Data over signalling (DoS), multiplexing data onto a signalling channel
* Denial-of-service attack (DoS), an attack on a communicatio ...
on a single disk in 1995. Another 1991 release was ''
Neverwinter Nights
''Neverwinter Nights'' is a series of video games developed by BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment, based on the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Aside from also being set in the Dungeons & Dra ...
'' on
America Online
AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo! Inc. ...
, the first graphical Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (
MMORPG
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game.
As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...
). In 1998, ''
Baldur's Gate
''Baldur's Gate'' is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The game has spawned two series, known as the ''Bhaalspawn Saga'' and the ''Dark Alliance'', both taking place mostly ...
'', the first in a line of popular role-playing video games developed by
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1995 by newly graduated Doctor of Medicine, medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip, alongside Trent Oster, Brent Oster, and Marcel Zes ...
and "considered by most pundits as the hands-down best PC roleplaying game ever", was released. The game was followed by a sequel, '' Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn,'' in 2000 and ''
Icewind Dale
''Icewind Dale'' is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and originally published by Interplay Entertainment for Windows in 2000 and by MacPlay for the Macintosh in 2002 (both the Classic Mac OS and OS X). The game takes pla ...
'', a separate game that utilized the same
game engine
A game engine is a software framework primarily designed for the development of video games and generally includes relevant libraries and support programs. The "engine" terminology is similar to the term "software engine" used in the software i ...
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden () is a fictional character appearing in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the ''Icewind Dale ...
and
Elminster
Elminster Aumar is a fictional character appearing in the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. He is also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, and is depicted as a powerful wizard featured i ...
made minor appearances in these games.
2000–2008
When
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
took over publication of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' after purchasing TSR in 1997, they trimmed production down from six campaign settings to ''Forgotten Realms'' and ''Dragonlance'', and completed ''AD&D'' 2nd edition production sometime between 1998 and 1999. They later hired
Rob Heinsoo
Rob or ROB may refer to:
Places
* Rob, Velike Lašče, a settlement in Slovenia
* Roberts International Airport (IATA code ROB), in Monrovia, Liberia
People
* Rob (given name), a given name or nickname, e.g., for Robert(o), Robin/Robyn
* Rob ( ...
as a member of the D&D Worlds team to focus on Forgotten Realms in the third edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons''. An official material update and a timeline advance were introduced to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3rd edition in 2001 with the release of the hardcover book the ''
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
The ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' is a role-playing game sourcebook first published by TSR in 1987 for the first edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' that describes the campaign setting of the Forgott ...
'', which won the
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so (for example) the 1979 aw ...
for ''Best Role-Playing Game Supplement of 2001'' in 2002. The timeline was officially advanced from 1358 DR to 1372 DR. After the adventure ''
City of the Spider Queen
''City of the Spider Queen'' is a 160-page adventure module set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, for use with the 3rd edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
Plot summary
According to the adventure background pr ...
'' (2002) failed to meet its projected sales targets, Wizards of the Coast cut back on production of new adventures.
In 2002, BioWare released ''
Neverwinter Nights
''Neverwinter Nights'' is a series of video games developed by BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment, based on the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Aside from also being set in the Dungeons & Dra ...
'', set in the northern reaches of
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' world of ''Forgotten Realms''. It is described in detail in several editions of the ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' (first published in 1987 by TSR, Inc.) ...
and operating on the revised 3.0 rules for D&D. It was followed by two
expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, supplement, or simply expansion is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game, video game or collectible card game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, characters, or an ...
Hordes of the Underdark
''Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark'' is an expansion pack for the role-playing video game ''Neverwinter Nights'' produced by BioWare and published by Atari. The follow-up to the '' Shadows of Undrentide'' expansion, ''Hordes of the Un ...
''. A
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
using version 3.5 of the rules was produced by
Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Irvine, California. It was founded in June 2003, shortly before the closure of Black Isle Studios, by ex-Black Isle employees Feargus Urquhart, Chris Avellone, Chris Par ...
in 2006, and was followed by the expansion sets '' Mask of the Betrayer'' and '' Storm of Zehir''. The ''Forgotten Realms Deluxe Edition'' compilation was released in 2006, containing the ''Baldur's Gate'' series (excluding the ''Dark Alliance'' games), ''Icewind Dale'' series, and all ''Neverwinter Nights'' games before ''Neverwinter Nights 2''.
2008–2014
With the release of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition in 2008, Wizards opted for a publishing plan featuring a series of six books per year – three core rulebooks and three setting books – beginning with the Forgotten Realms. The company started the cycle with the ''
Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide
The ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide'' is a supplement to the 4th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
Contents
The ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide'' includes everything a Dungeon Master needs to run a 4th edition ''D&D'' ...
'' (2008), the ''
Forgotten Realms Player's Guide
The ''Forgotten Realms Player's Guide'' is a supplement to the 4th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
Contents
The ''Forgotten Realms Player's Guide'' presents the changed Forgotten Realms setting from the point of view of ...
'' (2008), and ''
Scepter Tower of Spellgard
''Scepter Tower of Spellgard'' is an adventure module for the 4th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Plot summary
In ''Scepter Tower of Spellgard'', a mysterious presence has taken up residence in one of the towers ...
''. These books updated the Forgotten Realms to the newest rules system which altered the setting drastically to make it fit into the 4th edition's "Points of Light" concept.
The main lore change centered around an event called the Spellplague in 1385 DR. This cataclysm was unleashed when the goddess of magic Mystra was killed, "transforming whole nations and altering creatures. In addition, parts of Toril have fused with its long-lost twin world Abeir, whisking away some countries and adding new ones. The Underdark is more open to the surface. Thay has become a nightmare land of death and the Elves, sensing the newfound connection to the Feywild, have returned to Faerûn in force". The event moved the fictional world's timeline 94 years into the future to 1479 DR. The Spellplague acted as "a narrative justification for design changes."
In 2008, the Forgotten Realms also became the setting for the RPGA's sole living campaign,
Living Forgotten Realms
Living campaigns, or shared campaigns, are a gaming format within the table-top role-playing game community that provide the opportunity for play by an extended community within a shared universe. In contrast to traditional isolated role-playing ...
, replacing
Living Greyhawk
Living Greyhawk ("LG") was a massively shared ''Dungeons & Dragons'' Living Campaigns, living campaign administered by RPGA that ran from 2000 to 2008. The campaign setting and storyline were based on Gary Gygax's Greyhawk, World of Greyhawk setti ...
.
In 2011, the ''
Neverwinter Campaign Setting
''Neverwinter Campaign Setting'' is a supplement to the 4th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
Contents
The book contains an introduction and four chapters:
* Introduction
* Chapter 1: Jewel of the North
** "The first ...
'' was released which launched the 4th edition's first major multimedia release. The Forgotten Realms city setting spawned four novels by R. A. Salvatore called the
Neverwinter Saga
''Neverwinter Saga'' is a saga written in the Forgotten Realms campaign world, a popular ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing setting, by fantasy and science fiction author R.A. Salvatore. The tetralogy begins with ''Gauntlgrym'' which is set twen ...
, a comic book, and a board game called ''The Legend of Drizzt'', as well as two video games – the
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
game ''Heroes of Neverwinter'' (2011–2012) and a
MMORPG
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game.
As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
marketing team, explained the approach: "We use Neverwinter as the connective tissue across multiple product categories. The transmedia campaign is an opportunity for fans to experience the brand however they choose to".
In 2013, Wizards of the Coast announced a year-long event called the Sundering which acted as a multimedia project to transition the Forgotten Realms to the next edition of the game. This release included a weekly D&D Encounters in-store play event, a
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
mobile game ''Arena of War'' (2013), and a collaborative novel series: ''The Companions'' (2013) by R. A. Salvatore, ''The Godborn'' (2013) by
Paul S. Kemp
Paul S. Kemp is a fantasy author known for his ''Forgotten Realms'' and ''Star Wars'' novels.
Education
Kemp is a graduate of the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Kemp is a 2000 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Law.Kemp mention ...
, ''The Adversary'' (2013) by
Erin Evans
Erin Marie Evans is an author, and former editor for Wizards of the Coast.
Biography
Erin M. Evans earned a degree in anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis.
Evans wrote the Forgotten Realms novels ''The God Catcher'' (February 2 ...
, ''The Reaver'' (2014) by
Richard Lee Byers
Richard Lee Byers is an author of fantasy novels.
Biography
Richard Lee Byers holds a master's degree in Psychology. A resident of the Tampa Bay area, he worked in an emergency psychiatric facility for over a decade, then left the mental health f ...
, ''The Sentinel'' (2014) by
Troy Denning
Troy Denning is an American fantasy and science fiction author and game designer who has written more than two dozen novels.
Background
Denning grew up in the mountain town of Idaho Springs, Colorado. An avid reader of science fiction and fant ...
, and ''The Herald'' (2014) by Ed Greenwood. Liz Schuh, Head of Publishing and Licensing for ''Dungeons & Dragons'', said:
The Sundering is the last of a series of ground-shaking events. It really affects the whole world of the Forgotten Realms in a major way. You may remember when the Spell Plagues began, the two worlds of the Forgotten Realms, Abeir and Toril, crashed together. That created both geographic changes (the map of the Forgotten Realms and Faerûn actually changed due to that collision), and also changed the way magic works. It changed the pantheon of the gods. The Sundering is all about those two worlds separating—coming apart—and the process of that separation is really the story that we're telling over the next year. At the end of this story arc, Abeir and Toril will be separate again, and many of the things that happened when they crashed together will go back to the way they were before. So magic will be much like it was before the Spell Plague. Markings that marked spell-plagued people and animals will fade and go away. It's really about moving the Forgotten Realms forward, but also about bringing it around to the most beloved and most fondly remembered Forgotten Realms.
The result of The Second Sundering, in game terms, was the transition from 4th edition rules to 5th edition rules of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', published in 2014.
2014–present
When ''D&D'' 5th edition was published in 2014,
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
announced that the Forgotten Realms would continue to serve as the official campaign setting for its upcoming published adventure materials. The village of Phandalin in the Forgotten Realms acted as the primary setting for the new 5th edition ''Starter Set'' (2014) which was published before the release of three new core rulebooks. Tyranny of Dragons was the first multimedia storyline for the new edition and included two adventure modules, ''
Hoard of the Dragon Queen
''Hoard of the Dragon Queen'' is an adventure module for the 5th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. It is the first part of the ''Tyranny of Dragons'' storyline and followed by a second adventure, ''The Rise of Ti ...
'' (2014) and ''
The Rise of Tiamat
''The Rise of Tiamat'' is an adventure module for the 5th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Plot summary
''The Rise of Tiamat'', along with the previous adventure, '' Hoard of the Dragon Queen'', pits players again ...
'' (2014), and an update to the ''Neverwinter'' (2013) video game. The next two storylines, Elemental Evil which included '' Princes of the Apocalypse'' (2015) and Rage of Demons which included '' Out of the Abyss'' (2015), were also set in the Forgotten Realms.
The first campaign guide for the new edition, the ''
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
''Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide'' is a supplement to the 5th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
Publication history
''Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide'' was written by Joseph Carriker, Brian Cortijo, and Jeremy Crawford ...
'' (2015), was released on November 3, 2015, and only covered a fraction of the Forgotten Realms. It describes the 2013 Sundering event, referred to as the Second Sundering in the book, and its consequences in game terms and lore. The video game ''
Sword Coast Legends
''Sword Coast Legends'' is a 2015 action role-playing game. The game is set within the universe of ''Forgotten Realms'', a campaign setting of ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
Gameplay
The game is an action role-playing video game set within the ''Dunge ...
'' (2015) published by
Digital Extremes
Digital Extremes is a Canadian video game developer founded in 1993 by James Schmalz. They are best known for creating ''Warframe'', a free-to-play cooperative online action game, and co-creating Epic Games' ''Unreal'' series of games. Digita ...
was also released in the same month as the tabletop campaign guide.
5th edition details on "the rest of Faerûn had been untouched until the '' Tomb of Annihilation'' (2017), an adventure that leaves the northern Savage Coast for the southern jungles of Chult". The official ''Dungeons & Dragons''
actual play
Actual play, also called live play, is a genre of podcast or web show in which people play tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) for an audience. Actual play often encompasses in-character interactions between players, storytelling from the game ...
web series ''
Rivals of Waterdeep
''Rivals of Waterdeep'' is an American actual play web series, with a podcast adaptation, where the cast plays ''Dungeons & Dragons'' using the fifth edition ruleset. It is set in the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting and the show's Dungeon ...
'', which premiered in 2018, is set in the Forgotten Realms. It has adapted adventure modules such as '' Waterdeep: Dragon Heist'' (2018) and '' Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus'' (2019) which are also set in the Forgotten Realms.
Fictional setting
The focus of the Forgotten Realms setting is the continent of Faerûn, the western part of a continent that was roughly modeled after the Eurasian continent on Earth. The lands of the Forgotten Realms are not all ruled by the human race, with populations of many humanoids races and creatures ubiquitous in
fantasy fiction
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama. ...
elves
An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
,
goblins
A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances depending on t ...
,
orc
An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...
s. Technologically, the world of the Forgotten Realms is not nearly as advanced as that of Earth; it resembles the pre-industrial Earth in the 13th or 14th century. However, the presence of magic provides an additional element of power to the societies. There are several nation states and many independent cities, with loose alliances being formed for defense or conquest. Trade is performed by ship or
horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load. They were once common worldwide, but they have m ...
, and manufacturing is based upon
cottage industry
The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the project via remote ...
.
Geography
The Forgotten Realms is part of the fictional world of
Abeir-Toril
Abeir-Toril is the fictional planet that makes up the ''Forgotten Realms'' ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.
The ...
(usually just called Toril), an Earth-like planet with many real-world influences and consists of several large continents. It was first detailed in the original ''
Forgotten Realms Campaign Set
The ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' is a role-playing game sourcebook first published by TSR in 1987 for the first edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' that describes the campaign setting of the Forgot ...
'', published in 1987 by TSR. The other continents of Toril include Kara-Tur,
Zakhara
Abeir-Toril is the fictional planet that makes up the ''Forgotten Realms'' ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.
T ...
,
Maztica
Abeir-Toril is the fictional planet that makes up the ''Forgotten Realms'' ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, as well as the Al-Qadim and Maztica campaign settings and the 1st edition version of the Oriental Adventures campaign setting.
Th ...
, and other yet unspecified landmasses. Kara-Tur, roughly corresponding to ancient East
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
, was later the focus of its own source book '' Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms'', published in 1988. There is also a vast subterranean world called the
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing campaigns and ''Dungeons & Dragons''-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore. It is described as a vast subterrane ...
beneath the surface.
In early editions of the setting, The Realms shared a unified
cosmology
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...
with various other
campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A ''campaign'' is a series of individual adventures, and a ''campaign setting'' is the world in which such adventures and ca ...
s called the Great Wheel. In this way each of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign settings were linked together to form one interwoven world connected by various
planes
Plane(s) most often refers to:
* Aero- or airplane, a powered, fixed-wing aircraft
* Plane (geometry), a flat, 2-dimensional surface
Plane or planes may also refer to:
Biology
* Plane (tree) or ''Platanus'', wetland native plant
* ''Planes' ...
of existence. With the release of the 2001 ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'', the setting was given its own distinct and separate cosmological arrangement, with unique planes not explicitly connected to those of the other settings.
Religion
Religion plays a large part in the Forgotten Realms, with deities and their followers being an integral part of the world. Deities interact directly in mortal affairs, answer prayers, and have their own personal agendas. All deities must have worshipers to survive, and all mortals must worship a patron deity to secure a good afterlife. A huge number of diverse deities exist within several
polytheistic
Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the ...
pantheons; a large number of supplements have documented many of them, some in more detail than others. Greenwood created a pantheon of gods for his home ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game, in his Forgotten Realms world, which were introduced in his article "Down-to-earth divinity" from ''
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' #54 (October 1981).
Ed Greenwood
Ed Greenwood (born July 21, 1959) is a Canadian fantasy writer and the original creator of the ''Forgotten Realms'' game world. He began writing articles about the Forgotten Realms for ''Dragon'' magazine beginning in 1979, and subsequently sold ...
, Dragon magazine #54 - "Down-to-earth divinity" (October 1981)
When the Forgotten Realms was published as a setting in 1987, the pantheon added Waukeen, the goddess of trade, money, and wealth, who was created by one of
Jeff Grubb
Jeff Grubb (born August 27, 1957) is an author who writes novels, short stories, and comics and a computer and role-playing game designer in the fantasy genre. Grubb worked on the ''Dragonlance'' campaign setting under Tracy Hickman, and the ''F ...
's players, and added to the Forgotten Realms by Grubb. Tyche was replaced with Tymora, and the elemental lords from Melniboné were replaced by Akadi, Grumbar, Istishia, and Kossuth.
Much of the history of the Forgotten Realms detailed in novels and source books concerns the actions of various deities and The Chosen (mortal representatives with a portion of their deities' power) such as
Elminster
Elminster Aumar is a fictional character appearing in the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. He is also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, and is depicted as a powerful wizard featured i ...
, Fzoul Chembryl, Midnight (who later became the new embodiment of the goddess of magic, Mystra), and the Seven Sisters. Above all other deities is Ao, the Overlord, who does not sanction worshipers and distances himself from mortals. He is single-handedly responsible for the Time of Troubles, or Godswar, as seen in '' The Avatar Trilogy''.
Characters
The setting is home to several noteworthy recurring characters that have gained wider reception, including:
* The Companions of the Hall, a group of adventurers that were created by
R. A. Salvatore
Robert Anthony Salvatore (born January 20, 1959) is an American author best known for ''The Legend of Drizzt'', a series of fantasy novels set in the Forgotten Realms and starring the popular character Drizzt Do'Urden. He has also written ''The ...
and introduced in ''
The Crystal Shard
''The Crystal Shard'' is a 1988 fantasy novel by American writer R. A. Salvatore. The first book in The Icewind Dale Trilogy, it was his first published novel.
Plot summary
Even in the remote far northern region of Icewind Dale, the renegade d ...
'' (1988). Each of these characters "fit into an RPG
archetype
The concept of an archetype (; ) appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, and literary analysis.
An archetype can be any of the following:
# a statement, pattern of behavior, prototype, "first" form, or a main model that ot ...
". They include:
**
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden () is a fictional character appearing in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the ''Icewind Dale ...
, a
drow
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of Elf (Dungeons & Dragons), elves connected to the Subterranea (geography), subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have ...
, or dark elf, ranger who is the main character of 34 novels. Drizzt is noted for his commitment to friendship and peace, which is contrary to the stereotype of his people. Drizzt as a character is often used to represent issues of racial prejudice, particularly in ''The Dark Elf Trilogy''. Drizzt is also troubled by the lifespan discrepancy between himself and his human romantic interest Catti-Brie.
**
Wulfgar Wulfgar, Wolfgar and Wolfger are variants of an Old High German masculine given name meaning "wolf-spear".Beate Varnhorn, ''Das grosse Lexikon der Vornamen'' (Bertelsmann, 2008), p. 309. They may refer to:
Historical
* Wolfgar (bishop of Würzbur ...
, a massive human barbarian; in ''The Crystal Shard'', Wulfgar's combat prowess is significant enough that along with Drizzt and his magic panther Guenhwyvar, they manage to "beat 25 giants by themselves". As a character, Wulfgar exemplifies "the strong, honest, hot-headed young warrior hero type common to adventure stories and similar to Howard's creation Conan".
** Bruenor Battlehammer, a dwarven fighter who retakes Mithral Hall with the help of the other Companions. He was one of the first friends Drizzt made upon leaving the Underdark and both Catti-Brie and Wulfgar are his adopted children. Rob Bricken for ''
io9
''io9'' is part of Gizmodo media since 2015, and it began as blog launched in 2008 by Gawker Media. The site initially focused on the subjects of science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and related areas but over the years has ...
'' highlighted Bruenor as "a dwarf that hits pretty much every fantasy stereotype, including his desire to reclaim an ancestral home that his people were chased out of after they dug too far and awakened a monster".
**
Catti-brie
Catti-brie (spelled in later publications as "Cattie-brie") is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms setting, based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. The creation of American author R.A. Salvatore, she is primarily kno ...
, a human archer who would later develop abilities as a spellcaster; in ''The Crystal Shard'', Drizzt referred to her as his soulmate. Catti-Brie is favored by Mielikki, a goddess associated with forests and nature spirits, and she bears the deity's mark. Bricken argued that her characterization in
The Icewind Dale Trilogy
''The Icewind Dale Trilogy'' is a trilogy of epic fantasy novels by the American writer R.A. Salvatore. The books are ''The Crystal Shard'', '' Streams of Silver'' and ''The Halfling's Gem''. They tell the tale of ranger Drizzt Do'Urden the dro ...
is limited, while Aidan-Paul Canavan maintained that she becomes a "hero" only in later novels.
** Regis, a
halfling
Halflings are a fictional race found in some fantasy novels and games. They are often depicted as similar to humans except about half as tall, and are not quite as stocky as the similarly-sized dwarves. Similar to the depiction of hobbits in the w ...
member of the Companions, who behaves in the stereotypical manner of
J.R.R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlins ...
's
hobbit
Hobbits are a fictional race of people in the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien. About half average human height, Tolkien presented hobbits as a variety of humanity, or close relatives thereof. Occasionally known as halflings in Tolkien's writings, ...
s. Bricken noted that Regis is a rogue who "set himself apart a bit by carrying a crystal pendant he can use to charm people", though he is sometimes forced into dangerous situations and "ends up saving the day, Bilbo-style", such as in the final battle of ''The Crystal Shard''.
*
Elminster
Elminster Aumar is a fictional character appearing in the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. He is also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, and is depicted as a powerful wizard featured i ...
, a wizard also known as the Sage of Shadowdale; he is "a founding member of the Harpers and one of the oldest surviving and most powerful Chosen of Mystra". The Harpers are a semi-secret organization; Jonathan Palmer, for ''Arcane'' magazine, commented that they are "fighters for freedom and justice. Laudable". Bricken described Elminster as "the most powerful, important, and smartest wizard in the Forgotten Realms, and one of the setting's most important characters ..more
Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
than
Gandalf
Gandalf is a protagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He is a Wizards (Middle-earth), wizard, one of the ''Istari'' order, and the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship of t ...
, which makes him less enigmatic and prone to tomfoolery than other major fantasy wizards, which I count as a good thing".
*
Volothamp Geddarm
Volothamp "Volo" Geddarm, created by Jeff Grubb, is a fictional character of the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Description
It is through Volo's perspective that Ed Greenwood aut ...
, a human adventurer who is famed within the setting
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' world of ''Forgotten Realms''. It is described in detail in several editions of the ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' (first published in 1987 by TSR, Inc.) ...
for the number of guidebooks he writes about the various regions within the Realms. The character's name is often attributed in real-world D&D publications as the in-universe narrator of said works. Paul Pettengale from ''Arcane'' described him as "one of those characters that everyone's heard about, and one that just about every Dungeon Master must have been tempted to introduce to their campaign at some point or another".
* Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, developed by Greenwood and game designer
Steven Schend
Steven E. Schend is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game from TSR throughout the 1990s.
Biography
Steven Schend was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1967. Schen ...
, is a character noted for his appearances in several novels set in the Forgotten Realms, as well as the 2004
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
'' Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone''. A powerful wizard renowned for his namesake staff, in earlier editions he is the Archmage of Waterdeep, leading member of the Harpers, and one of Mystra's Chosen. Prior to his death, Khelben passes the Blackstaff to his apprentice Tsarra, who takes up residence at Blackstaff Tower in Waterdeep and inherits his memories and legacy. Writer Aubrey Sherman said he is an example for the importance of a wand or staff behind the conception of a wizard archetype and listed the character among D&D's notable wizards.
* Jarlaxle, also a character by Salvatore, was introduced in the 1990 novel ''
Exile
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
''. He also appears in ''
Promise of the Witch King
''Promise of the Witch-King'' is book 2 of the Forgotten Realms trilogy ''The Sellswords''. Book 1 was originally part of the Drizzt line of novels and has now been re-released with some short stories making up for the gap in time.
The book detai ...
,
Road of the Patriarch
''Road of the Patriarch'' is the third book in ''The Sellswords'' trilogy from the Forgotten Realms fantasy novel collection written by R. A. Salvatore.
In the final episode of this series, Jarlaxle and Entreri find themselves having to answer fo ...
The Sellswords
''The Sellswords'' is a trilogy of fantasy novels written by R. A. Salvatore, whose related works include ''The Legend of Drizzt'' series and ''The Hunter's Blades Trilogy''. It contains three books, ''Servant of the Shard'' (also included as the ...
'' and the ''
Paths of Darkness
''Paths of Darkness'' is an epic fantasy series of novels chronicling adventures of the renegade drow elf character Drizzt Do'Urden written by R. A. Salvatore. It is the follow-up series to ''Legacy of the Drow'' and is followed up by ''The Hunt ...
'' trilogies. Described by Christian Hoffer from ''Comicbook.com'' as a popular and intriguing supporting character, Jarlaxle is the charismatic and opportunistic drow leader of the mercenary band
Bregan D'aerthe
Menzoberranzan, the "City of Spiders", is a fictional city-state in the world of the ''Forgotten Realms'', a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The city is located in the Upper Northdark, about two miles below the Surbrin Vale, between the M ...
. Anglistics scholar Caroline de Launay characterized Jarlaxle as an independent character inclined to "subtle manoeuvres", while Hoffer explained that he is an amoral villain who has "plenty of contingencies and secret plots". When comparing the plot of ''
The Dark Elf Trilogy
''The Dark Elf Trilogy'' is a prequel to the ''Icewind Dale Trilogy'' by R. A. Salvatore. Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow, or dark elf, was originally written as a supporting character in the ''Icewind Dale Trilogy'' to Wulfgar the barbarian. However, th ...
'' to a game of
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...
, de Launay assigned Jarlaxle the role of the
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
. Theo Kogod, for '' CBR'', wrote "in many ways, Jarlaxle is a dark reflection of the heroic and honorable Drizzt. He used lies, manipulation and cunning to rise as high as a male Drow could within his culture, but in the end, he also left his home behind. ..In '' Waterdeep: Dragon Heist'', Jarlaxle is trying to leverage himself to become accepted as a legitimate member of the Lords' Alliance. He is one of four possible main villains in the campaign".
* Artemis Entreri, a human assassin described by Bricken as "cold-blooded" and Drizzt's "equal in fighting and opposite in morality", a mirror image of how Drizzt would have ended up if he had remained part of the universally evil drow society instead of forsaking it."
* Gromph Baenre is
Archmage
A magician, also known as an enchanter/enchantress, mage, magic-user, archmage, sorcerer/sorceress, spell-caster, warlock, witch, or wizard, is someone who uses or practices magic derived from supernatural, occult, or arcane sources. Magicians ...
of the city of
Menzoberranzan
Menzoberranzan, the "City of Spiders", is a fictional city-state in the world of the ''Forgotten Realms'', a ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The city is located in the Upper Northdark, about two miles below the Surbrin Vale, between the M ...
, the City of Spiders. Gromph is a rival in power to the other archmages of the Forgotten Realms, such as
Elminster
Elminster Aumar is a fictional character appearing in the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. He is also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, and is depicted as a powerful wizard featured i ...
and Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun. In a review of the 1995 novel ''
Daughter of the Drow
''Daughter of the Drow'' is a fantasy novel by Elaine Cunningham, set in the world of the Forgotten Realms, and based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. It is the first novel in the " Starlight & Shadows" series. It was published in ...
,'' Gideon Kibblewhite for ''Arcane'', called Gromph the "only interesting character" in the book, describing him as "the bitter and twisted archmage", and lamented that "he rarely makes an appearance after the opening".
* Liriel Baenre is the daughter of Gromph Baenre; she originally belonged to House Vandree before her talent for arcane spellcasting was discovered by Gromph. After being sent away to hone her magical talent rather than study as a priestess, Liriel uses a book given by her father to travel to the surface lands, where she encounters followers of the goddess
Eilistraee
Eilistraee, also referred to as "The Dark Maiden", is a fictional deity in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. In the game world, she is a goddess in the drow pantheon, and her portfolios ...
, the Dark Maiden of benevolent drow, comes to possess the magical artifact known as the Windwalker, and eventually settle down on the surface world permanently. Liriel was created by
Elaine Cunningham
Elaine Cunningham (born August 12, 1957 in New York City) is an American fantasy and science fiction author, especially known for her contributions to the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role playing game campaign setting of Forgotten Realms.
Biograph ...
for ''Daughter of the Drow'', and is described by Trenton Webb of ''Arcane'' as "the oddest Drow" due to her lack of traits deemed as stereotypical of her people.
* Erevis Cale, first introduced in the short story "Another Name For Dawn" published in issue 277 of ''Dragon'' magazine, is a pivotal character in novels by
Paul S. Kemp
Paul S. Kemp is a fantasy author known for his ''Forgotten Realms'' and ''Star Wars'' novels.
Education
Kemp is a graduate of the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Kemp is a 2000 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Law.Kemp mention ...
, including ''The Halls of Stormweather'', ''Shadows Witness'', the ''Erevis Cale Trilogy'', and ''The Twilight War'' trilogy. Originally a normal human, he accepts the gift of the Fane of Shadows in ''
Twilight Falling
''Twilight Falling'' is a fantasy novel by Paul S. Kemp, set in the world of the Forgotten Realms, and based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. It is the first novel in "The Erevis Cale Trilogy". It was published in paperback in July ...
'' and becomes a shade; being imbued with the essence of matter integral to the Plane of Shadow brings about drastic changes to his appearance and physiology.
Don D'Ammassa
Donald Eugene D'Ammassa (born April 24, 1946) is an American fantasy, science fiction and horror critic and author.D'Ammassa, Don (September 2006). "Whisper of Waves/Midnight's Mask/The Emerald Scepter/Guardian: Saviors of Kamizawa", ''
Chronicle
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
'' 28 (3): 66.
* Alustriel Silverhand is the ruler of the city of
Silverymoon
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a ...
in "The North" of the setting. Writing in 2000, '' Envoyer'' ( de) magazine reviewer Stylo counted her among the most prominent Forgotten Realms characters thanks to R.A. Salvatore's novels.
Reception
In his book ''
The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible
''The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible'' is a book detailing fantasy role-playing games (RPGs), written by Sean Patrick Fannon and published by Obsidian Studios Inc. in 1996.
Contents
In the 258-page ''The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible'', S ...
'',
Sean Patrick Fannon
Sean Patrick Fannon is an American role-playing game designer and writer. He has been working in the gaming industry since 1988, and is best known for his work with the ''Savage Worlds'' game system, including his epic fantasy setting, ''Shain ...
describes the Forgotten Realms as being "the most ambitious fantasy game setting published since Tekumel", and that it "may be the most widely played-in game setting in RPG history." Similarly, in literature, the novels written in the Forgotten Realms setting have formed one of "the industry's leading fantasy series". Over time these novels have gained "unprecedented popularity", which led, as Marc Oxoby noted in his book, ''The 1990s'', to the novels having an "extraordinary shelf life", remaining in print for many years. This popular reception has also been reflected in public libraries; for example, Joyce Saricks states in ''The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction'' that the novels have been among the most requested books by fans of the fantasy genre.
Brian Silliman, for
SYFY Wire
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...
, described the Forgotten Realms as "a classic fantasy backdrop" and highlighted that "at one time in our history, our world and this one were connected, but over time this magical realm was, well, forgotten. It is an ideal place for any ''D&D'' adventure, inspiring limitless possibilities for any smirking dungeon master".
Philip J. Clements called the Forgotten Realms "highly popular", "an unusually well-developed D&D setting" and "more-or-less the flagship setting for D&D". He also noted that it has received the greatest number of supplements.
The 4th edition update to the Forgotten Realms brought massive lore changes which were "tied to a number of other design philosophies" and the Forgotten Realms "simultaneously had become a grittier setting, on the edge of collapse, while also becoming a more fantastic one, full of wonder and mystery". Jason Wilson, for ''
VentureBeat
''VentureBeat'' is an American technology website headquartered in San Francisco, California. It publishes news, analysis, long-form features, interviews, and videos.
History
The ''VentureBeat'' company was founded in 2006 by Matt Marshall, a ...
'', highlighted that unlike the Time of Troubles cataclysm, the 4th edition Spellplague cataclysm was "one players never embraced in the same manner as the earlier disaster". Shannon Appelcline, author of ''Designers & Dragons'', wrote:
he 4th edition''Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide'' may be the most controversial D&D book ever produced by Wizards. That's entirely due to the large-scale destruction of the Realms. Similar updates have been tried by other companies — to reinvigorate settings, to make them more accessible to new players, or to make them more adventuresome. ..It never seems to go well, because old fans feel left behind. With that said, some folks did love the changes, because the setting was now more playable, more accessible, more fantastic, and more PC centered. ..Meanwhile, a series of adventures and novels called The Sundering (2013–2014) reversed many of the 4e changes to the Realms, but without rebooting the timeline. Instead, the Realms continues to evolve and advance, as it has since its earlier days.
Salvatore was also publicly unhappy with the 4th edition changes to the Forgotten Realms. He said:
sically, we authors were handed a document and told how things were going to be. We were asked our opinions, but they mattered very little – the changes were being driven from a different direction. ..To have characters that have built such a strong history, then have that upset on the orders of someone else was very disconcerting. I will admit that the abrupt changes forced me into an uncomfortable place, and from that place came some of the better things I've written, but I very much preferred the way it was done this time, with 5th Edition and the changes, where we, the authors, were told what was happening to the game and asked how we could make the world and the lore live and breathe it.
Aubrey Sitterson, for ''
PC Magazine
''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and have continued to the present d ...
'', included the Forgotten Realms in a 2015 roundup of the "11 Best Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Settings" and wrote "for most people, Forgotten Realms is synonymous with ''Dungeons & Dragons'', and with good reason: it's the setting that played home to the massively popular Baldur's Gate video game, as well as R. A. Salvatore's Drizzt books. Currently, it's the only campaign setting actively supported by ''D&D'' makers Wizards of the Coast, which would be restrictive if Forgotten Realms wasn't such an incredibly diverse place, housing classic European middle ages tropes, as well as a heroic fantasy take on African, Middle Eastern, and other real-world cultures".
Christian Hoffer, for ''ComicBook.com'', reported that Wizards of the Coast's 5th edition publishing strategy, which focuses on the Forgotten Realms and newer intellectual property for campaign settings, has created a rift in the fan base where some "feel that this push for new players has come at the cost of keeping the game's current players sated" by not updating campaign settings that "predate the Forgotten Realms". Hoffer highlighted that Wizards of the Coast has a much slower publication schedule than with previous editions with a focus on quality and profit and "the D&D teams knows that they have plenty of great campaign settings in their back pocket and are either actively developing more settings or have ideas for them further down the line".
See also
*
List of Forgotten Realms novels
This is a list of fantasy fiction novels based in the role-playing game setting of the Forgotten Realms.
They are published by Wizards of the Coast (WotC), with some originally published by TSR before it was incorporated into WotC.
Abolethic Sov ...
*
List of Forgotten Realms modules and sourcebooks
''Forgotten Realms'' modules and sourcebooks are modules (adventures) and sourcebooks (campaign setting information) printed for the ''Forgotten Realms'' campaign setting in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Modules
''AD&D' ...
*
List of Dungeons & Dragons video games
This is a list of video games based on the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy tabletop role-playing game, including computer games, console games, arcade games, and mobile games.
Licensing history
The first ''Dungeons & Dragons'' licensed games we ...