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As a player of more than one priest and non-priests of quite a few different faiths I have never had a character who was 'taught' tenents and dogma before they were given a quest to join the faith. And yes it is up to the player in some respects to research the faith they wish to join. But that is OOC knowledge not always IC knowledge in regards to the background for the character in question.

I have tried in the past to roleplay a character who did not know alot about a faith and wanted to learn about the faith. They were given a few minutes of time and then given a faith quest. I would like to see more young characters who are not ICly all-knowing about a faith seek out and learn a faith in depth and perhaps discover that the faith is not suitable to the characters ideals beliefs and then go on and seek out another faith to learn about and eventually through roleplay they discover their path.

Faith should be serious and needs to be taught to those seeking to follow a faith. It should not be assumed that the player knows what is right and wrong for the faith in question. Existing priests especially should take time and make themselves available to possible recruits for their faith and ROLEPLAY the teaching the tenents and dogma of their god. If the recruit does not want to take the time to learn ICly about the faith even though the player OOCly already knows then they should not be given a faith quest.

Not sure if I should be responding on here, as it isn't exactly a new, or even recent post, but I AM glad to find this and read it. Before I went inactive, I had this very problem. I knew nothing about FR, had never heard of it, let alone any of the gods. The first time I realised I was maybe in over my head, was when my newbie character went looking for a job. The person she inquired to, asked if she followed a faith. She did not, not knowing anything about them. When she asked about the gods, the person switched to occ and replied to read the help files on deities. He was very nice, and very helpfull, out of character. he was nice and helpfull IC as well, but the information I wanted IC, everyone was telling me to find OCC. My other character had a little bit better luck, in that she ran into a guy who was more then willing to talk to her as long as she liked, in character, and answer all her questions. She STILL feels a bit clueless, even after all he did for her. it is a lot to digest.

I think sometimes, maybe we do not ask the right questions IC'ly, to get the information we seek. And maybe sometimes those we ask, do not really know how to impart the information IC. To that regard, I really like the learning from quests idea, I don't know a lot about this word I have chosen to play in, but I have "finally" gotton my hands on some of the books and as I read and learn, I will try to think of anything that might could help.

I do have a question though. These quests, being in a faiths temple, will they be to teach just those trying to follow that faith? Or will it be set up so anyone, from any faith, can learn from them, there by learning and expanding their knowledge beyond their own little corner of the world?

The problem I see with asking questions about the gods in character is that this is knowledge that every person in the realms would have been taught about this from birth. But I do feel that those with the knowledge should be willing to share it. Sometimes it might not be really IC for certain characters to do that, but they should think of a way to get new people to the realms in contact with those who feel more comfortable relaying that information. I will also suggest buying a book, Faiths and Pantheons. It is a Forgotten Realms Campaign accessory that has tons of info about more gods than you can imagine.

I will also suggest buying a book, Faiths and Pantheons. It is a Forgotten Realms Campaign accessory that has tons of info about more gods than you can imagine.

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to get the books. no, not even a single book, for some. Some people play the game from other peoples computers, their friends, their parents, school maybe? Just because a person has access to the net, doesn't always mean they can afford simple luxeries that others of us take for granted. For those people, it can be extremely aggravating trying to learn all they need, and want, to know.

Aside from that, it would still be OC info. Yes, for the most part people grow up knowing about the deities. or, atleast one Deity, whatever one the people in their area worshipped. But that is not always the case. What of those few who grew up in some backwoods no where place, raised by antisocial parents maybe? Or someone who, for whatever reason, has lost their memory entirely? There are a variety of rp's one can enter into with their charatcer, to explain away the lack of knowledge of the deities, or the lands, or whatever else they wish. A spell cast on them to make them forget maybe, a concussion resulting in amnesia, being raised in some remote place with heathens who worship no god maybe, who knows? Also, while most people in the lands do grow up learning of these things, the character you as a newbie just made, did not "grow up" perse, they are just.. there suddenly. And you as a newbie find yourself trying to create a decent background history for a character, living in a world you know nothing about. So for a time, we rp that we are a little younger, and less wise then our character is suposed to be, and rp atleast a little of the growing up/learning process.

For those who know realms lore, and have had experience on the mud, it is a lot easier to create a good believeable background for the character. For newbs who know nothign of the world, customs, deities, anything.. it is difficult if not impossible, to create a decent workable background. Much less a believable one. So me, the first one or two characters I create in ANY rpg game, are roleplayed as younger then they really are for a time, less wise, less skilled and knowledgable. untill they "grow up" and learn the knowledge they need. it usually does not take me long, most of the rp's I have been in have been pathetically simple if not downright dull. Something FK certainly isn't lol It is a bit more difficult to learn, but that is because there is a LOT more information to be learned, it gets well aggravating at times, but it is also stimulating as well. But, for me atleast, the need to rp the "growing up" stage, or the "helpless lost memory amnesia victim stage" well, it was just somethign I had little choice on, if I was to learn anything without making a bloody fool of myself, my character, and having everyone and their brother wanting to kill me for making stupid mistakes that maybe offended them, or their gods or.. whatever.


Thank you Mystra for clarifying that, as I said I finally did get my hands on some of the realms books, and am slowly but surely reading them. As I do I will try and think of anything that might be usefull. I'm reading them piecemeal, and it may take me forever lol but atleast I CAN read them now.

I'm currently reading the moonshae trilogy. Aside from the Faiths and Pantheons which I am looking for allready, any suggestions on what I should try to find for when these are done?

Any Forgotten Realms Novel is nice to read, the newer Thieves and Sembian books are good to have.

As for source books, the following are essential for anyone who wants to learn more of Forgotten Realms.

Faiths and Pantheons - Good source on all the Pantheons in Forgotten Realms, including the Old Empires like Mulhorandi.

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting - The ultimate guide to Forgotten Realms. It shows every single area in Faerun, some of the Old Empires, and so forth. Describes Cities, Races, small section for the Gods of Faerun.

Races of Faerun - More in depth information on the races, breaks down the subraces even more such as Wild elves, Gold elves, Moon elves, Shield dwarves, Gold dwarves, Arctic Dwarves, and so on.

Lords of Darkness - Essential if you want to know your villianous organisations. Has everything from the Church of Cyric and Church of Bane to the Nightmasks of Westgate and Monks of the Dark Moon

Magic of Faerun - Good for mage information, goes in depth about Magic in the Forgotten Realms and all the different kinds, from Shadow Weave to Elven High Magic.

Monsters of Faerun - A Monster Manual that goes in depth with Monsters found (usually) only in the Forgotten Realms setting.

Now, I don't condone stealing from money grubbing WoTC because I would never ever ever steal but I have found if you want to "preview" a book before you buy it, you can download these books in PDF format off of Kazaa. That's right, the entire books. Of course, when WoTC starts cracking down like the RIAA then you might have a problem.

I am sorry if anyone took offense to my earlier post, or thought it demanded them to shell out the cash and buy all the books at once. I truly did not mean it that way. I myself started with absolutely no knowledge whatso ever about Forgotten Realms or Forgotten Kingdoms. And that was four years ago. I am a very poor college student, it took me four years to raise the money to buy one source book. But I do suggets getting them at any rate you can, they are amazing.
As for them being ooc, I don't really think so. I mostly use them for background info. They are pritty good about giveing both the stuff that everyone in a normal society would know and that which only the Gods should know.