- Hardcover: 192 pages
- Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (11 Feb 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0786936541
- ISBN-13: 978-0786936540
- Product Dimensions: 27.8 x 21.8 x 1.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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- #98 in Books > Fiction > Science Fiction > Gaming > Dungeons & Dragons
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Product Description
Product Description
A sourcebook unearthing the ruins and secrets of the fallen empires of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
For the first time, the secrets of past empires of the Forgotten Realms world are chronicled in one comprehensive sourcebook. For players, this book contains new options for characters wishing to delve into ancient ruins, including new feats, prestige classes, magic, and equipment. For Dungeon Masters, this book contains new material associated with ruins, including rules for how to build and sustain a ruin-based campaign, more than a dozen detailed adventure sites with maps, and new monsters and artifacts.
AUTHOR BIO: Edward Bonny is a freelance designer who has written numerous articles for Dragon® Magazine. His previous design credits include Monster Manual™ II.
AUTHOR BIO: Travis Stout is a freelance designer who has written several articles for Dragon Magazine and whose previous design credits include Player’s Guide to Faerûn™.
For the first time, the secrets of past empires of the Forgotten Realms world are chronicled in one comprehensive sourcebook. For players, this book contains new options for characters wishing to delve into ancient ruins, including new feats, prestige classes, magic, and equipment. For Dungeon Masters, this book contains new material associated with ruins, including rules for how to build and sustain a ruin-based campaign, more than a dozen detailed adventure sites with maps, and new monsters and artifacts.
AUTHOR BIO: Edward Bonny is a freelance designer who has written numerous articles for Dragon® Magazine. His previous design credits include Monster Manual™ II.
AUTHOR BIO: Travis Stout is a freelance designer who has written several articles for Dragon Magazine and whose previous design credits include Player’s Guide to Faerûn™.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book deals with the various ancient empires of the Faerunian setting - mostly destroyed and fallen, but some still extant (like Mulhorand). As such, it sets out details of the historical context of Faerun.
The first chapter sets out prestige classes, feats and new spells, and the second some rules for creating ruined adventure sites (including random ruin tables), details of worshipping dead gods, and epic magic (includng detailed rules on how to create mythals). All good stuff, but I find it slightly irritating that they always put this stuff in first in the FR supplements before the context in the rest of the book, so for a first-time reader it is slightly confusing. On the plus side, WoTC are now setting out their prestige classes with lots more context (several pages per class) with ideas on how to use them in play, rather than just as a take-it-or-leave-it write-up of half a page. However, you get fewer prestige classes due to each one's greater space requirement.
Most of the remaining chapters set out the various empires, more or less in chronological order. These comprise: the various elven empires which fell in the Crown Wars; the Eastern Empires of Imaskar, Mulhorand, Unther, Raumathar and Narfell; the elven and dwarvish kingdoms around the High Forest; Netheril; the southern Empires of Calimsham and Jhaamdath; Cormanthor; and various (pretty obscure) fallen kingdoms of the Sword Coast. These chapters contain a timeline, a bit more narrative on the historical points, sections on major sites (the main focus of each chapter), and possible adventure hooks. Two of the chpaters also have detailed adventure sites. These chapters are pretty good (a) for setting out some of the (rather complicated) historical details of the setting in a fairly accessible way (again, the ordering is a bit strange, as the timeline comes first and the actual explanation second, which is a bit confusing first time round) and (b) because they have tried hard to make it useful in terms of possible adventure hooks. Also, as I came to the FR setting new in 3E, it is helpful to have these matters (doubtless set out in earlier supplements) summarised and explained (I always did wonder what happened at Myth Drannor, for example). If there is a slight concern, some of the living empires (like Calimshan and Mulhorand) are skimmed over very fast, but for all I know specific regional supplements are planned about them anyway. It also draws quite heavily on other supplements, especially the various monster supplements but also the Epic Level Handbook (I own them, so it's not a problem for me).
The final section sets out monsters. Most are 3.5E updates of mosters in the Monsters of Faerun, although a few are new.
In short, this sets out in a reasonable one-stop source the historical basis for the FR setting. It's not a scintillating read, but it is workman-like and useful. This is particularly the case for a DM planning an FR campaign, given that the wealth of "backstory" for the Forgotten Realms plays such a big part in the setting.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book concentrates on some of the fallen civilizations that adventurers may come across in their carriers. The realms of many areas of Faerūn are detailed here including the empires of the Crown Wars era, the High Forrest, the South and the North. The book also deals with the empires of Netheril and Cromanthyr. The book includes everything you need to run an adventure in Faerūns ancient cultures including feats, Prestige Classes, spells and monsters. The book also includes a timeline, history and list of important sights for the empires detailed. Everything detailed here would be of great interest to anyone planning a campaign in the Forgotten Realms and it gives some ideas for such campaigns ranging from the usual dungeon clearance to Faerūn shattering events.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
8 reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Finally!!!!
1 Mar 2005
Format:Hardcover
Finally it's here! This book was worth the wait. Lost Empires has it all. Well almost. Most of the magic items and artifacts ever published in previous editions for Forgotten Realms (Nether Scrolls anyone) and most of the spells (Sakkratar's Triple Strike maybe). There are 16 new feats most of which are pretty good and useful (Craft Scepter is nice (2 spells up to 7th lvl with 50 charges), Arcane Manipulation is even better (up to 3 higher lvl spell slots are devided to give you many more lower lvl spell slots). There are 5 prestige classes out of which I'd select Olin Gisir (an elven "keep the bad stuff hidden" arcane spellcaster - gets secrets similar to the Loremaster, but every 3 lvls). The best part regarding the spellcasting are 2 new epic seeds: Mythal Seed and Shadow Seed. And then a really detailed explanation on making mythals. Really nice. Some old (and dead) gods are presented and there are a few pages of info and tables on "what's in that ruin type of stuff." The information about various ancient and lost empires and how they impact modern Faerun is well presented. Every "empire" or "time period" (Crown Wars?) chapter starts of with a timeline, and then presents an overview of the most important features and historical information regarding the specific empire or time period. A number of present day sites are detailed and even some adventures or adventure sites are connected with each lost "empire". In short: If you liked AD&D 2nd Ed "Nethril: Empire of Magic", "How the Mighty are Fallen", "Cormathor: Empire of Elves" and "Fall of Myth Drannor" you're gonna like this book even more. Crown Wars, Nethril, Imaskari, Cormanthyr (Myth Drannor), Realms of the High Forest (Ammarindar, Delzoun, Eaerlann...), The Old North (Ardeep, Illusk...), The Impreial South (Tethir, Shoon Imperium...). Each "period" also has a very useful "Information table" that sets DCs for know (history) checks and explaines how detailed information should DM give to the players and there is also enough historical information that DM's won't have as many problems as they did in the past when players asked about certain "Lost Empires" after a good knowledge (history) check. In the end there is a monster chapter which gives some updated monsters and presents some new ones (Phaerimm, Helmed Horrors, Baneguards etc.). All in all worth the money spent.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Relevance is the key
13 April 2005
Format:Hardcover
I greatly looked forward to this book and was not disappointed. The Forgotten Realms is extremely rich in history that has been developed over the long years of its publication and this is truly a comprehensive source of that. The authors have touched on just about every area I can think of and they have done it well.
The book is divided into several sections, each dealing with a different geographic or cultural area. For instance, one section deals with the crown wars (wars between elves almost exclusively) and the elven nations involved (which covers a large area of Faerun) while another area covers the North and includes detail on several elven realms that had little part in the crown wars. They have timelines for each section of the book.
To be clear though, these histories are given not as a tool to play during those times, but as reference points to incorporate the locales of these ancient empires into the current timeline and an existing campaign. They bring the histories up to the current timeline and give you a good idea of what is going on in the ruins of these empires and the doings of the decedents of these empires.
On top of all of this rich history and information is a great deal of good crunchiness. There are several prestige classes, all of which seem well balanced and a great section on new spells and magic items. They even have specifics on mythal creation which is just plain cool to me. Going back to the integration of the past to the present, there is a section about Hellgate Keep and there they specify magic items of goodly races know to have been lost by fallen heroes there (items from the PGtF and this book).
All in all, a great tool for ANY dungeon master running ANY Realms Campaign for its information on ruins (dungeon - hint, hint) and its balance of historical information and crunchy bits. By far one of the most useful Realms products for any edition.
The book is divided into several sections, each dealing with a different geographic or cultural area. For instance, one section deals with the crown wars (wars between elves almost exclusively) and the elven nations involved (which covers a large area of Faerun) while another area covers the North and includes detail on several elven realms that had little part in the crown wars. They have timelines for each section of the book.
To be clear though, these histories are given not as a tool to play during those times, but as reference points to incorporate the locales of these ancient empires into the current timeline and an existing campaign. They bring the histories up to the current timeline and give you a good idea of what is going on in the ruins of these empires and the doings of the decedents of these empires.
On top of all of this rich history and information is a great deal of good crunchiness. There are several prestige classes, all of which seem well balanced and a great section on new spells and magic items. They even have specifics on mythal creation which is just plain cool to me. Going back to the integration of the past to the present, there is a section about Hellgate Keep and there they specify magic items of goodly races know to have been lost by fallen heroes there (items from the PGtF and this book).
All in all, a great tool for ANY dungeon master running ANY Realms Campaign for its information on ruins (dungeon - hint, hint) and its balance of historical information and crunchy bits. By far one of the most useful Realms products for any edition.
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
The misty past of Faerun, now yours to discover
19 Mar 2005
Format:Hardcover
I always loved the 3.5 (3.0) Forgotten Realms accessories, but I must say that this book is perhaps the best in the series.
This books gives you a +10 competence bonus to your Ancient History(Faerun) skill, as it offers you in-depth knowledge on almost all of the great empires of the past. You can learn all, about the great elven empires, about the history of the Sword Coast, about the phaerimm manace, etc.
Also, you will find some great feats, prestige classes and spells in the book. Some of them are not really for players, but for the DM (and to the NPCs). Players will also find it interesting, if for nothing else, then to add some flavour to the game.
I found it also great that young DMs get some help in a separate chapter to create adventures based on the "ancient theme". Of course, even old DMs, like myself can learn a lot from it.
This books gives you a +10 competence bonus to your Ancient History(Faerun) skill, as it offers you in-depth knowledge on almost all of the great empires of the past. You can learn all, about the great elven empires, about the history of the Sword Coast, about the phaerimm manace, etc.
Also, you will find some great feats, prestige classes and spells in the book. Some of them are not really for players, but for the DM (and to the NPCs). Players will also find it interesting, if for nothing else, then to add some flavour to the game.
I found it also great that young DMs get some help in a separate chapter to create adventures based on the "ancient theme". Of course, even old DMs, like myself can learn a lot from it.
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