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What would a PC be able to know with regards to the history of Faerûn by the time of 5th Edition?

I want to make a character who is fascinated by the events of The Time of Troubles and how divinity works, but I'm not sure how much that character would know (common knowledge/what can be researched/what would require in-depth and first-hand experience/something only Lord Ao or a god would know).

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Depends on general history or specific

For general history, you can just write in something in your back story that your character has read up on whatever history you think your DM is going to follow. It generally doesn't change the game.

However, for knowing a specific piece of information accurately, you really should take the Religion or History proficiency to be able to know these things. Your DM might even require checks for information that affects what actions you and your party are allowed to take.

For instance you may know that one god used such and such warriors against another gods followers. But a proficiency check might tell you that those warriors were weak against fire.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I think the question is looking for specific information about the Time of Troubles, not rules on how his character would know. \$\endgroup\$
    – LegendaryDude
    Mar 22, 2017 at 21:46
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    \$\begingroup\$ @LegendaryDude Specifically, what information would require what DC to know. \$\endgroup\$
    – PixelArtDragon
    Mar 28, 2017 at 19:07
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Garan Unfortunately there is no answer to that question. I think you are better off asking, "what should/could a player character know?" and assigning the DCs for the various tidbits of information yourself. This answer neither provides the information or helps you assign a DC (and so I am confused as to why you have accepted it). \$\endgroup\$
    – LegendaryDude
    Mar 28, 2017 at 19:21
  • \$\begingroup\$ Right, just like in our world, you could be, say, a psychiatrist who is fairly well-read in Sumerian history and religion. You might know quite a bit more than the average doctor, but you still wouldn't be the expert you would have been had you spent your career as an academic scholar of Sumerian history and religion rather than studying and practicing medicine. \$\endgroup\$
    – Robert Columbia
    Nov 19, 2018 at 19:32
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A century is not such a long time for many races of Faerun. Elves, dwarves, gnomes have significantly longer lifespans and even some halfelves and halflings can live that long. So you could imagine there will be survivors of ToT still alive and able to tell stories. How well do we know about WW2 nowadays? I would take that as an example.

"I was a young acolyte at the House of Wonder in Waterdeep when the gods walked beside us. I had just turned 15. The senior priests were praying and receiving no response from our Lady. It was such a scary time, but it was also one of the reasons I got into adventuring afterwards. That and a simple bar brawl that let me meet my good old friend Formentera. Well, not that he is really old, he still has not made his third century yet. But look at me, even my half blood is no longer enough to keep me from feeling ancient.

Anyway, you wanted to hear about the Time of Troubles, right? Afterwards we learned quite a bit through our prayers. You see, Ao made all gods explain what happened to their faithful. There was even a cult to Ao founded in Waterdeep at that time. We quickly came to regard Midnight as a human avatar of our Lady. I say quickly as I was not one of the old guard at that time. Ah the good old days..."

Sources for this description: FR Adventures, Faiths and Avatars

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