I'm currently playing an Origin Shadowheart run and trying very hard to roleplay based only on what she knows, not what I know as a player.

I've respecced her into a Death Cleric and I'm not playing her as a stereotypical evil necromancer.

My interpretation of her so far is:

• The artifact is my highest priority.
• Shar entrusted me with a mission.
• Most people are useful, dangerous, or irrelevant.
• Life itself is not sacred.
• My own survival matters because I need to complete the mission.
• Torture, murder, deception, etc. are acceptable if they help achieve my objectives.
• Trust must be earned.
• Companions are allies of convenience, not friends.

The more I learn about Shar, however, the more confused I become.

At first I thought Shar was about:

• discipline
• secrecy
• emotional control
• hierarchy
• self-sacrifice
• duty

Which honestly sounds pretty cool from a roleplay perspective. Dark Justiciars especially interest me because they seem like elite agents who place duty above personal desires.

But then I started thinking about Shar's philosophy more deeply.

Shar teaches that:

• love leads to loss
• hope leads to disappointment
• attachment leads to suffering
• everything is ultimately lost

If I follow that logic to its extreme conclusion:

• Why build a house? You'll lose it.
• Why have children? They'll die.
• Why love someone? You'll suffer.
• Why build a civilization? It won't last.
• Why seek power? You'll lose that too.

At that point Shar almost starts sounding less like a goddess of darkness and more like a goddess of cosmic nihilism.

And that's where I get stuck.

My question:

What is Shar's actual endgame?

Is her ideal world:

1. A disciplined, secretive, hierarchical society ruled by devoted followers?
2. A world where people simply stop attaching meaning to things?
3. Complete darkness, loss and oblivion?
4. Something else entirely?

And if Shar ultimately wants people to let go of attachments, isn't devotion to Shar itself an attachment?

Why do Dark Justiciars exist if the final philosophical destination is essentially "everything passes and nothing matters"?

Am I misunderstanding Shar completely, or is there a genuine contradiction between Shar's teachings and the actions of her followers?

I'd love to hear how other people roleplay a truly Shar-faithful Shadowheart. Especially those who chose to stay on the darker path rather than reject Shar.

The setting has accumulated an enormous number of monsters and strange creatures across novels, adventures, sourcebooks, and different editions.

Some appear constantly, while others seem perfect for memorable encounters but are rarely discussed or used.

What creature deserves far more attention?

It does not need to be uniquely native to the Realms, but it should have an especially interesting place in the setting’s lore, history, or ecology.

What makes it different from a generic monster encounter?

How would you introduce it in a campaign so the players immediately understood why it was special?

You must work with one established villain to prevent a disaster that threatens both of you.

They cannot simply betray you immediately, because they also need the mission to succeed. However, once the danger has passed, the agreement ends and they return to being exactly who they were before.

Who would be the most effective and least disastrous temporary ally?

Jarlaxle could be useful, but every part of the agreement would probably benefit him in a way you failed to notice. Manshoon would be terrifying but extremely capable. Szass Tam might genuinely save the world if losing it interfered with his plans.

Who would you choose?

What precautions would you take before accepting their help?

Baldur’s Gate has now received several major games, but the Realms contain many other places that could support a large story with companions, factions, exploration, and meaningful choices.

You can choose one city or region for a new story-driven RPG.

Would you pick Waterdeep and its political factions? Cormyr during a succession crisis? The Moonsea with Zhentarim intrigue? The Dalelands surrounded by old ruins? The Sea of Fallen Stars? Thay? The Underdark?

My first choice would probably be the Moonsea. It has recognizable factions, dangerous cities, ancient ruins, and enough moral ambiguity to support very different player choices.

Which location would you choose?

What would the main conflict be, and which faction would inevitably become involved?

Imagine describing the identity of the setting without relying on Drizzt, Elminster, Baldur’s Gate, Waterdeep, or another famous character or location.

What is the essential ingredient that makes a campaign feel like it belongs in the Forgotten Realms rather than in a generic fantasy world?

Is it the way the gods are woven into daily life? The layers of fallen civilizations beneath every kingdom? The countless competing factions? The mixture of enormous magical events and very local problems? The sense that history continues to move even when the player characters are elsewhere?

For me, it is the layered history. Almost every road, ruin, border, and political conflict seems connected to several older civilizations and grudges.

What one element would you preserve above everything else?

Hello! I've been marathoning the Baldur's Gate games. I already finished the first one, and now I'm playing the second game, and I'm really excited to eventually get to Baldur's Gate 3.

Anyway, playing these games made me want to get back into DMing. I currently only run published adventures, so I'd like to try creating an original campaign of my own.

My initial idea is that the villain is a descendant of Abdel Adrian who wants to perform a massive ritual in which portals to the Nine Hells will be opened throughout the city. Devils will then cause chaos and murder people across Baldur's Gate, with all that energy being channeled into a ritual powerful enough to summon an avatar of Bhaal, who would then reap the lives of people across the Sword Coast and beyond.

That's the basic premise I have so far. I'd love to hear any suggestions or ideas!

Thanks!