D&D Forgotten Realms ft. Matt Mercer | LORE in a Minute!

Critical Role's Matt Mercer joins us for this very special edition of Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms LORE!
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Written by Michael Gainey
Animated by Jules:
/ sabertoontigers
Voiced Matt Mercer from Critical Role
/ @criticalrole
Transcript:
First there was nothing, then overgod Lord Ao created Selune and Shar twin goddesses, creators of The Astral Sea, planets like Abeir-Toril and the goddess, Chauntea. Chauntea begged for warmth to create life on Abeir-Toril and Selune agreed, but Shar refused, sparking the War of Light and Darkness. As new deities were created in the conflict, Selune reached into the Plane of Fire to create the Sun. Enraged, Shar attacked, but Selune tossed her divine essence (gross) at Shar, creating the magical goddess, Mystryl and The Weave, the source of magic later accessed by mortals.
Shar was defeated but meanwhile, the Primordials, elemental beings of chaos, wanted Abeir-Toril for themselves, so Shar and Selune teamed up for the Dawn War. The Primordials were ultimately imprisoned but only after The Night Serpent consumed the sun. Thankfully, a new sun was created, melting the ice and welcoming the five Creator Races: Sarrukh, Batrachi, Aearee, Fey and Human.
Lord Ao, however, ignored most mortals, preferring to oversee the deities, balancing their alignments of good, evil, lawful, chaotic or neutral and ranking them by the number and devotion of their followers. Gods meddled to gain followers, while some mortals proved popular enough to ascend to godhood.
Over thousands of years, the creator races spawned new species while others, like Dragons, Elves and Dwarves emigrated to Toril. Empires rose and fell, cults prayed for power, and new heroes were born everyday. Now it's your story. From the floating cities of Netheril to the Drow settlements of the Underdark, explore ancient dungeons, discover magical items, melee malicious monsters or flirt with a handsome halfling at the pub, whatevs. Just don't cozy up to any gelatinous cubes.
Have fun!
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Thanks for watching LORE!

[@daffyhat]

Matt Mercer can make anything sound amazing, even cuddling a Gelatinous Cube. Seriously though, what product are those goddesses using? I need that divine conditioner.

[@MTdaBlacking]

It's Thoréal.

[@calarakien]

@MTdaBlacking that deserves as many likes as the original comment

[@shadeseba599]

The same as Matt for sure!

[@ngultrum1]

@@MTdaBlacking When you're Hemsworth it.

[@calar8]

I'm just going to take a quick break from watching Critical Role and watch the latest episode of Lore... oh hai Matt.

[@mc.gemstone]

Damn what kind of hair products does these goddess use to get such fabulous long hair? Also that art is super nice!

[@drafgon4489]

they are gods my friend, I assume they just go "FABULOUS HAIR!" and poof they're hair is just perfect.

[@mc.gemstone]

True I have envy for those goddesses!

[@rockyadriano2]

The same thing Matt Mercer uses. HAVE YOU SEEN HIS HAIR? It's so goddamn fabulous

[@BiggySn1p3r]

rockyadriano2 I was going to say this.

[@Raziel312]

Obviously they use Celestial Sassoon.

[@lukesams3349]

That’s some deep lore neatly condensed into roughly one minute… thank you, Matt

[@JustinY.]

Top ten anime crossovers

[@goldsaint2658]

Justin Y. Sup

[@NXE212]

Beter than infinity war

[@wonton_7708]

Justin Y. Hello

[@wlieb7017]

All hail the almighty Justin Y.

[@wlieb7017]

Brennan Lu yep

[@Canadian_Ry]

Woo! I'm a simple man... I hear Matthew Mercer and I click Like. Well done, Lore (as usual).

[@DragonaxFilms]

I'm playing D&D with my friends for the first time later today, and seeing this on my KZbin feed first thing in the morning is absolutely perfect. Truly this campaign will be blessed by Mercer. THE GODS WILL IT.

[@therandomdickhead5744]

DragonaxFilms DEUS VULT BROTHER

[@warlock1080]

May you be blessed with the Nat 20s, brother!

[@Griffingterra]

Or be cursed by Will Wheaton, MHUAHAHAHAHAH!!!

[@ThreatLevel9]

Just remember, NEVER SPLIT THE PARTY. It always ends poorly.

[@DragonaxFilms]

The Wizard rolled nat20's doing perception checks on completely meaningless stuff and the Rogue rolled nat1's on saving throws and nearly died to a poisonous snake after he slipped and fell in the mud. The Wizard has a Fae octopus as a familiar that he wears on his head as a hat. The Rogue made fun of aforementioned Octopus, resulting in the Wizard using Freezing Ray on the Rogue's foot, dropping him to 2HP. The Wizard almost killed the Rogue _again_ with Burning Hands because he wanted to target the guys the Rogue was fighting but "didn't want to waste spell slots" so he torched all of them instead of using multiple attacks. The DM had to invent a Cleric NPC on the spot because it turned out no one had any healing abilities and the party is a bigger danger to itself than actual enemies are. I'd say it is indeed a blessed campaign.

[@CheesyRam]

This does sound like something Yusuke would read out

[@worldatwar956]

RamZaes Holy shit i did not know that!!!!!

[@sonicbralaunik9671]

Yusuke?

[@aswadchowdhury3271]

Persona 5 best boy

[@cjhenderson61]

Because that’s his voice actor, Matthew Mercer

[@kabronex9877]

Azzy Ace You're goddamn right.

[@archsteel7]

"Floating Cities of Netheril" Ha! That one gets me every time! I think you mean "Karsus's big field of craters"

[@FromAgonyToLight]

LOL Ouch...apparently Karsus is a petrified outer God now.

[@nalrashido]

@@FromAgonyToLight who still made the 10th level Spells.

[@AlexanderLingg]

Matt Mercer = the voice of Chrom, Ryoma and Shigure = the voice that sang a version of lost in thoughts all alone = epic voice

[@narulizard]

and the voice of over 1000 NPC's

[@datwistermanx93]

Matt Mercer= The God of the Voice

[@SpaceElvisInc]

remember that time Matt Mercer fought Matt Mercer

[@absolutelynobody8465]

and Matt Mercer won? Yes. That was pretty neat.

[@AlexanderLingg]

Louis Chew those npc's have been blessed

[@XX-sp3tt]

Primordials were actually retconned into existence by a cabal of mad wizards along the coast infamous for twisting the worlds beyond recondition to suit their mad whims.

[@merlinmeurer5339]

I love how this story has as many versions as gods. Oghmas dogma says that he had the idea of the universe and so it just happened. He has beholder powers, evrything he imagines happens as he writes it down. Many deities see it as predicting the future, but he is writing it as it will unfold. So in short Oghma is the god of DM-Notes in fearun.

[@Kilroyan]

I was just randomly reading up on forgotten realms lore like two days ago! thanks for the quick summary :)

[@Lu-ql]

This video is surprisingly good, considering the complexity of the Forgotten Realms lore. Good job man.

[@MrChambers]

Wow the artwork is gorgeous, amazing work

[@darkqueenfenrisulfr]

**No One:** **Mystra:** Dies

[@chaos9731]

HELL YEAH D&D

[@matlavi4075]

This is amazing!

[@Tongyo42]

Holy moly I love that art!

[@flibbernodgets7018]

I'm surprised at how concisely they got all that in there. And also at how complex Forgotten Realms lore really is

[@stateofhibernation]

This was awesome!

[@kbrautig22]

Amazing !

[@MsOdale7]

Gorgeous artwork

[@StarBoundFables]

Ahaha, brilliant :) Wish there was a longer version of this by the same narrator & animator ❤

[@AJPickett]

WELL ACTUALLY.... That was a pretty good effort, hats off.

[@Babbleplay]

D&D Lore : Ravenloft

[@zencero]

Art is superb i want these so i can make wallpapers out of them

[@llewtree3013]

Good god this video makes me wince, not because it’s bad but because of how difficult it must have been to distill the pure chaos of years of nerd lore into one video, also Matthew mercer

[@bahlders]

This puts the books in perspective, thnx

[@mazirian9261]

Now this, this is good

[@CosmicDreamz139]

I just got into DnD and Baldur's gate, icewind dale, neverwinter nights, planescape torment and pillars of eternity and rly loved that i saw this video by the best DM :) Crtical Role ftw

[@sammayes948]

I'm a simple man. I see matt Mercer (fav DM btw) I listen. Also that hair for the goddesses! Nioce

[@merlinmeurer5339]

Love the art.

[@brenen7412]

This makes me happy.

[@Jussakook]

Dragonlance in one minute!?!?

[@braynceltheartificer]

They need to do this

[@nalrashido]

Planescape in 1 minute.

[@vyloniousbloodwing3061]

Ha! can't wait for one on Elminster or Drizzt.

[@koolgool]

You can't tell me what to do, Matt! **cuddles his Glabbagool**

[@HumbleMemeFarmer]

Then there's the abyss. Always a fun time had there.

[@JEGranberg]

I’d love to see a Lore video on the Dark Sun campaign setting for D&D.

[@RazielSin]

Must have MORE! Lol and can we make this a longer than a minute series lol dont change anything, just make it longer haha

[@FromAgonyToLight]

Awesome.

[@sylph8005]

Hey, what about Asgaroth/Io? Weren't they some dragon god who made the multiverse, and then was cut in during some war, creating Bahumut and Tiamat? I think I read that somewhere on the FR wiki once, but that has stuff for all editions. Were they retconned out?

[@Goddamnitiwantaname]

0:50 Mah Boi, Bane! Kind of disappointed that the Wall of the Faithless and the Times of Troubles weren't mentioned.

[@katamattyon]

Dark Sun would be great for a Lore video!

[@youcantbeatk7006]

Absolutely yes!

[@alainpbat3903]

YEAAAAA MORE PLZ

[@ichisirus]

Julian your art style remains me of Samurai Jack if it was set in the D&D universe, *Nice* 👍

[@BiggySn1p3r]

I'm picturing a fan blowing air at Matt's hair when he's reading this.

[@millerdiamond708]

mutant marauders: we will not be forgotten

[@msnyde123]

I mean, it's Matt Mercer. I have to watch it.

[@bardssinisterstories2607]

Aboleth: Am I a joke to you?

[@foolishq1937]

I can’t believe they actually did it in a minute

[@MikeDollar]

I KNOW THAT VOICE!!! LOL, LOVE MATT!

[@Nazo-kage]

I have a got a tough one for them to find the lore of: “Hollow knight”

[@MTdaBlacking]

Lots of bugs get their shit ruined by a plague and a Chosen One has to put them all down/help some out/ save what's left. Have fun!

[@Nazo-kage]

MTdaBlacking I think there’s a little more details than that.

[@MTdaBlacking]

Yeah I guess you might be right. It feels a bit short...

[@eslington]

This makes me wonder if we'll get an Eberron one at some point.

[@Demolitiondude]

Starfinder lore in a minute with Mark Hammel.

[@windwulfboi]

Oh my god, MATT MERCER!!

[@THEOBSERVER-1]

I expected a beholder to petrify you in start

[@chillytoes]

More D&D lore please!!!!!

[@CJBerdomas]

Now I want Matt Mercer to play Drizzt do’Urden.

[@jimmyburns411]

I see Matt Mercer. I watch.

[@dece4547]

0:33 he says "A bear to whorle" instead of "A world to bear" I loled

[@drake5933]

Is there anywhere I can download the images in this video?

[@rockyshelf8564]

Of course they got Matt for this XD

[@lauravturner]

Turn on captions/subtitles and change the speed to 0.75 to actually be able to understand everything Mercer is saying.

[@AllyOJustice]

What about the Aboleths? Didn’t they precede the gods or is that a different setting?

[@ChrisLawton66]

This is so much more enjoyable at 0.75x speed.

[@jonathanhernandez4976]

*I know everything now!*

[@hamzaimran771]

that went from a 100 to a 0 real fast

[@enderking6904]

Don't look now bro but that gelatinous cube is eyeing you up. *Puts on bow tie* Gelatinous you say?

[@victor8100]

dont tell me what to do!(hugs cube)

[@Ben-wf5uv]

simple man i click when i see Matt Mercer

[@KaosFireMaker]

Until the next massive retcon. I feel sorry for the writers that have to write cataclysms big enough reorder planear cosmos every time a new edition comes out.

[@B3RyL]

Mike Mearls said he doesn't like the idea of a new edition, especially since this one is doing so well, but you never know: WotC goes under, someone else buys the rights and... hello 6e!

[@redeye3869]

Wish that Lore covered the other settings like Dragonlance, Grey Hawk, Dark Sun, Eberron, and so on.

[@changyang1498]

I really hope Matt asked them how they wanted to do this video when they asked him.

[@dreddbolt]

Dee N Dee is the bee's knees. :)

[@Confuzledish]

Is there anywhere I can find this art?

[@bell4645]

best game ever

[@HandyTammy548]

Quick question: Abeir-Toril aren’t the only planets on the material plane right? Just wanna make sure for some alien shenanigans I’m planning in my game.

[@JazzyBassy]

They aren't, check out the spelljammer books, there is one entirely about the Realmspace.

[@iBasheveryone]

Depends on whether you're on Faerun/Forgotten Realms. You can planeswalk into the other settings, which has always been a feature of dnd, but once you think about it since Forgotten Realms is it's own 'universe' that's kind of crazy. Forgotten Realms has aliens, but only alien monstrosities. Spelljammer is, at best, generic dnd in the future, which is Greyhawk/whatever setting has Sigil in it, so Spelljammer isn't FR straight, but many common species don't have real lore except from Spelljammer. Spelljammer has planets but they're planes in globes with animal people, while in Forgotten Realms they're planets outside the 'veil' of stars with mindbending alien monstrosities, so I'm not sure I'd mix them, but that's up to you.

[@fantoonstic]

*YESYESYESYEYSYYSYEYSYES* i love dnd alot

[@lordadorable1140]

Now, we just need Eberron!!!

[@threebee7842]

Oh god my lord the sexy voice of mercerdad is too much

[@scaroe89]

too late. a gelatinous cube is my best friend in one of my DnD games.

[@voidyonger8608]

Matt Mercer!!!

[@ForTheGoldenOak]

MATT!

[@Grey_Shard]

Matt Mercer, demigod of expositionary dialogue. Huh. May have to do that in a game. "For some reason, whenever a True Prophecy is spoken, they sound a lot like Matt Mercer..." Nice job. Want to hear a sum-up of Eberron at some point now.

[@adriannelson4214]

Matthew Mercer is always a win 👍🏆🏅

[@theouterlimits7788]

I have no one to play this awsome game with, why do you torture me so Matt, why.... Damn it.

[@stratigangames508]

Same

[@flambr]

sounds gnostic can't lie

[@Sasquatch-fx6gw]

This mans throat must hurt after reading do fast

[@boogersculptor]

god bless Ed Greenwood (my childhood librarian) for creating such an open world and not keeping the rights so that more people could enjoy and expand on the campaign set. even before i knew who he was, he was always the immensely helpful and polite bearded wizard at my local library. cheers mr. greenwood, thanks for reading me stories as a kid.

[@gabejones8112]

Huh, cool, let's see who voiced it- HOLY BEANS!!

[@vertenyi]

Please do an eberron one!

[@saru2679]

ENTER THE GUNGEON LORE IN ONE MINUTE, OR WIZARD OF LEGEND LORE IN ONE MINUTE

[@EAdude101]

Matt Mercer is probably the world's most popular fantasy nerd

[@TheQuyman]

So much hair

[@nolanbond474]

Good

[@IaconDawnshire]

Do Eberron next!

[@alainpbat3903]

So is DND, forgotten realms and faerun the same thing or are they different? If so, way are some gods/elements(i.e. mechanics and stuff) that simply dissappear from edition to edition, and why is there a differenciation of DND deities and faerunian deities?

[@ConstructmanPsion]

D&D is the game. Forgotten Realms is a campaign world that your D&D adventures can take place in. Faerun is a continent on the planet of Toril in the Forgotten Realms. Some D&D deities inhabit other worlds, such as Greyhawk or Dragonlance, and as such do not interact with the Forgotten Realms. As for mechanics changes between editions, those are justified in-story as massive world-shaking events (the Time of Troubles for 1e-2e, the Spellplague for 3e-4e, and the Sundering for 4e-5e).

[@alainpbat3903]

ConstructmanPsion Yea, I understand that there's also many different planes of existence... And such. Are there other official DND campaign worlds?

[@ConstructmanPsion]

Alainpbat other official worlds include but are not limited to: Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Mystara, Ravenloft, Nentir Vale, Eberron, and Dark Sun. In addition, the campaign setting Spelljammer takes place in outer space, connecting multiple campaign worlds.

[@alainpbat3903]

ConstructmanPsion thanks, are they're much different lores?

[@ConstructmanPsion]

Alainpbat Yes. Some of them (Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft) are technically in the same universe connected by Planescape and Spelljammer but rarely interact. Most of the other settings are entirely their own thing with unique lore.

[@pugglesthepug3248]

My life for Mystra!