For information related to our Major Customization to the Lore, entitled "The Longest Year", please see: Link
An often asked question or point of discussion for The Dragon's Neck, is exactly how rigidly we stick with the established Lore created by the curators of the Forgotten Realms universe. The answer is a bit multi-faceted, so an article on the matter seemed appropriate.
There are three different themes to consider
1. Narrative & Storytelling
We aim to stick to the existing Narrative and foundation of Faerun's history extremely rigidly, the one exception being the implementation of the Longest Year, including the events identified within. Aside from that, we aim to ensure all aspects of Faerun's history up to 1368DR remain intact. That said, we intend to move forward in our own direction, meaning that every existing element post 1368DR is subject to modification, removal, etc. We expect numerous changes from traditional Lore to take place; below is a non-exhaustive list:
2. Gameplay & System Mechanics
Simply put, Systems created for TDN are designed to enhance the Narrative & Storytelling. Often, our approach to the implementation of a system for TDN includes a number of questions, such as:
3. Class/Other Mechanics
Class Mechanics will likely be our largest departure from PNP. Simply put, many aspects of PNP from a Class Implementation standpoint don't function within NWN in a way that the team feels is adequate. With that in mind, we approach class edits & creation from a standpoint that is rooted in considering all options as to what would make a particular class great. Additionally, we will remain flexible as it relates to how classes are perceived from a narrative standpoint, especially if those classes did not exist as Player-Classes until after 1368DR (3rd+ Edition).
Although we will look at what PNP has done, or what additional documentation was written for a class by D&D authors, we do not aim to be beholden to those writings.
We aim to create a familiar environment for those who have played tabletop within Faerun in the past. However, we recognize that it appeals to many players (the staff included) that we aim to carve our own interpretation of the setting and story. We hope you enjoy our changes, and if you have any questions about a particular change, feel free to ask the team.
An often asked question or point of discussion for The Dragon's Neck, is exactly how rigidly we stick with the established Lore created by the curators of the Forgotten Realms universe. The answer is a bit multi-faceted, so an article on the matter seemed appropriate.
There are three different themes to consider
- Narrative & Storytelling
- Gameplay & System Mechanics
- Class Mechanics
1. Narrative & Storytelling
We aim to stick to the existing Narrative and foundation of Faerun's history extremely rigidly, the one exception being the implementation of the Longest Year, including the events identified within. Aside from that, we aim to ensure all aspects of Faerun's history up to 1368DR remain intact. That said, we intend to move forward in our own direction, meaning that every existing element post 1368DR is subject to modification, removal, etc. We expect numerous changes from traditional Lore to take place; below is a non-exhaustive list:
- Rise/Fall of Key NPCs.
- Death, Resurrection, or Creation of Deities.
- Changes to how the setting perceives classes that were created in a D&D Edition beyond 2.0.
- Example: Warlock was birthed in 3rd Edition D&D, however the narrative had not yet been established in 1368/1369. Therefore, we will decide on how the story at large reacts to Warlocks, along with how they specifically function in terms of Pacts, etc.
- Creation/Destruction of Towns, Cities, Countries, etc.
2. Gameplay & System Mechanics
Simply put, Systems created for TDN are designed to enhance the Narrative & Storytelling. Often, our approach to the implementation of a system for TDN includes a number of questions, such as:
- Is there an existing PNP system that we can review to build the theme and concept?
- Does the PNP system translate to NWN properly? If not, can we make tweaks to make it functional?
- If no PNP system exists, what systems that already exist in modern game media fit a similar need?
- If they exist, how can we pull the best concepts from those examples and build a system that makes sense for the server and for NWN.
- Will sticking to a PNP concept enhance the experience for players, or did PNP fail in this particular regard and we need something entirely custom?
3. Class/Other Mechanics
Class Mechanics will likely be our largest departure from PNP. Simply put, many aspects of PNP from a Class Implementation standpoint don't function within NWN in a way that the team feels is adequate. With that in mind, we approach class edits & creation from a standpoint that is rooted in considering all options as to what would make a particular class great. Additionally, we will remain flexible as it relates to how classes are perceived from a narrative standpoint, especially if those classes did not exist as Player-Classes until after 1368DR (3rd+ Edition).
Although we will look at what PNP has done, or what additional documentation was written for a class by D&D authors, we do not aim to be beholden to those writings.
We aim to create a familiar environment for those who have played tabletop within Faerun in the past. However, we recognize that it appeals to many players (the staff included) that we aim to carve our own interpretation of the setting and story. We hope you enjoy our changes, and if you have any questions about a particular change, feel free to ask the team.