Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb "A Grand Tour Of The Realms"

(C)1993 TSR,Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Contents

The World of the Realms
  The Planet and its Continents
    Faerun
    Hordelands
    Kara-Tur
    Maztica
    Zakhara
  Races in the Realms
    Humankind
    Dragons
    Dwarves
    Elves and the Elven Nations
    The Goblin Races
    Gnomes
    The Half-Elven Peoples
    Halflings
    The Giants
    The Underdark Races
    Other Races
  Character Classes in the Realms
    Fighters
    Rangers
    Paladins
    Wizards
    Specialist Wizards
    Priests
    Druids
    Rogues
    Bards

Faerun
  The Regions of Faerun
    The Underdark
  Time in the Realms
    The Calendar of Harptos
    Special Calendar Days
    Marking the Years
    The Roll of Years
    Present Reckoning (PR)
  Names in the Realms
  Languages of the Realms
    Languages of the Realms List
  Currency in the Realms
  Character Description Abbreviations

The Dales and the Elven Court
  The Dalelands
    History
    The Dalelands Mindset
    The Dales Council
    Archendale
    Battledale
    Daggerdale
    Deepingdale
    Featherdale
    Harrowdale
    The High Dale
    Mistledale
    Moondale
    Scardale
    Sessrendale
  The Elven Woods
  Other Features of the Dales Area

Cormyr
  Government
  History
  Lords of Cormyr
  Cormyte Defense
  Wizards in Cormyr
  The Cormyrean Mindset
  Customs
    Adventuring in Cormyr
  Locations of Interest

Sembia
  History
  The Overmaster
  The Sembian Mindset
  Locations of Interest

The Moonsea
  History
  The Moonsea Mindset
  Interesting Features

The Vast
  History
  The Vast Mindset
  Interesting Features

The Dragon Coast
  History
  The Dragon Coast Mindset
  Interesting Features

The Western Heartlands
  History
  The Western Heartlands Mindset
  Interesting Features
  Merchants of the Realms

Waterdeep
  History
  Government
  Defense and Justice
  Other Important Factions
  The Waterdhavian Mindset
  Religions in Waterdeep
  Thieves' Guilds in Waterdeep
  The Wards of Waterdeep

Beyond the Heartlands
  The Island Kingdoms
    Evermeet
    Lantan
    Mintarn
    The Moonshaes
    The Nelanther
    Nimbral
    Orlumbor
    Ruathym
  The Savage North
    Barbarian Peoples
    Citadel Adbar
    Hellgate Keep
    High Forest
    Icewind Dale
    Llorkh
    Luskan
    Mirabar
    Neverwinter
    Silverymoon
    Sundabar
  Anauroch
  The Cold Lands
    Damara
    Glister
    The Great Glacier
    Narfell
    The Ride
    Sossal
    Thar
    Vaasa
  The Unapproachable East
    Aglarond
    Impiltur
    The Great Dale
    Rashemen
    Thay
    Thesk and Telflamm
  The Old Empires
    The Alamber Sea
    Chessenta
    Mulhorand
    Unther
  The Vilhon Reach
    Chondalwood
    Chondath
    Gulthmere
    Hlondeth
    Nimpeth
    Sespech
    The Shining Plains
    Turmish
  Empires of the Sands
    Amn
    Calimshan
    Tethyr
  The Shining South
    The Great Rift
    Halruaa
    Jungles of Chult
    Lake of Steam
    Luiren
    Raurin
    The Shaar
  Lost Empires

The World of the Realms
=======================

Faerun is no more than a small territory hugging a larger world,
which in turn is only the third world of eight orbiting a central sun,
which is entirely encapsulated in a crystal sphere within a swirling
chaos, which in turn is only one in myriad alternate dimensions. But
for the races of Toril, for the elves and dwarves and gnomes and
halflings and humans, Faerun has a very important name: It is home.

The Planet and its Continents
-----------------------------

Abeir-toril (Ah-BEER Tor-RILL), more commonly called Toril, is the
name of the orb that y II Faerun and the Forgotten Realms are set upon,
just as Earth is the orb that Eurasia is set upon.  The name is
archaic, meaning cradle of life, and is rarely used in everyday speech.

Abeir-Toril is an Earth-sized planet dominated by a large continent
in its northern hemisphere as well as a number of other large
landmasses scattered about its surface.  This northern continent is
called Faerun in the west, Kara-Tur in the east, and Zakhara in the
south. It is the primary purpose of this tome to deal with the western
portion of this huge landmass, in particular the region in Faerun
between the Sword Coast and the Inner Sea.

Abeir-Toril has a single satellite, Selune (also the name of the
goddess of the night sky and navigation). This luminous, heavenly body
is followed in its path across the sky by a collection of shining
shards, called the Tears of Selune.  These tears are said to be nothing
more than a cluster of ordinary asteroids and debris that trail the
moon in its path, yet the Tears remain reflective and bright even when
the moon is new in the sky.

In addition to the moon, there are seven visible planets that wander
against the star-misted sky. They are dusky Anadia, green Coliar, blue
Karpri and Chandos, ringed Glyth, odd-appearing Garden, and disk-shaped
H'Catha. All follow regular paths around the sun. The stars are distant
and eternal, and form themselves into patterns and constellations that
each culture names according to its own desires.

A Torillian year is 365 days of 24 hours each. An orbit of Selune is
roughly 30 days. For further information on the calendar, refer to the
Time in the Realms section in the "Faerun" chapter.

Faerun

Faerun (Fay-ROON) is the cradle of the Realms, the heart of the
FORGOTTEN REALMS' campaign setting. In discussion, Faerun and the
Realms are used interchangeably. Faerun consists of the north-west
quarter of the dominant continent on Toril. It is bounded on the west
by the Trackless Sea, on the south by the Great Sea, on the east by the
wide expanses of the Hordelands, and on the north by the ice of the
uttermost north. The continent includes a number of large off-shore
islands, including Lantan, Nimbral, the Moonshaes, fabled Anchorome,
and Evermeet.

Hordelands

Beyond the lands of Thay and Rashemen is a land of endless
emptiness, paling with its vast openness even the Shaar to the south or
the Fields of the Dead in the Western Heartlands. It is a treeless land
occupied by barbarian herdsmen and raiders, the hollow link between
Faerun and Kara-Tur. It is called the Endless Waste in old texts.  Its
people call it Taan and themselves the Tuigan.  The modern natives of
Faerun call it the Hordelands, for out of this land came the engine of
destruction known as the Horde.

Two years after the Time of Troubles, the barbarian tribes of this
land united and like a swarm of ants surged westward into the lands of
Faerun. They conquered all that stood in their way, and even the Red
Wizards of Thay paid kind words and hard tribute to their majesty.
Under the leadership of Yamun Khahan, they boiled into the civilized
lands of the Unapproachable East.

The Horde was turned back by the combined efforts of an alliance of
western nations under the leadership of King Azoun IV of Cormyr. Yamun
Khahan was slain and the Horde disbanded, some of its elements
returning to their barren land, others settling on the lands of their
newfound conquests.

The Horde has left its mark on the Realms, with a new flood of
refugees and immigrants moving westward into Impiltur and the Vast. The
Sea of Fallen Stars has carried these newcomers to all of its ports and
beyond, and new heroes and legends have erupted in their wake.

And still the Hordelands sit like a watchful beast eying both Faerun
and Kara-Tur, and none know when they will erupt again in another
Horde, and who can turn it back if they do.

Kara-Tur

Beyond the emptiness of the Hordelands lies a mystical and magical
land known as Kara-Tur (Kah-rah-TOUR). It is a region very different
from the lands of the Realms, and in the past only the hints of
whispers of legends have come across that land to this.  With the
coming of the Horde and the wave of refugees pressed before it, more
facts, legends, and tales of this land have passed from talespinner to
talespinner. Many stories that cannot be placed elsewhere are said to
come "from Kara-Tur when the world was still new."

The more amazing of the tales, of mortals passing through walls
without magic, steam-breathing dragons, or warriors with hidden powers,
are easily discounted or explained.  However, it remains that the lands
of Kara-Tur are very much unlike the native Realms.

Kara-Tur is known for two of its great nations, Shou Lung and
Kozakura.  Shou Lung may be the mightiest empire in the world,
overshadowing the early days of Mulhorand, and the entire empire is
ruled from a central city by an sage king advised by the spirits of his
predecessors. Kozakura is equally famous as an island of warriors where
duty and honor mean all to the loyal samurai and wandering ronin.

Kara-Tur's influence on Faerun is only distantly felt, and then
mostly in the form of some tavern tale of great riches and wise
dragons, or in some mysterious artifact which appears in the court of a
distant king.  However, there are occasional travelers, both merchants
and adventurers, from west to east and vice-versa, and care must be
taken before challenging one of Kara-Tur's legendary warriors in
combat.

Maztica

Beyond Evermeet in the Trackless Sea is a continent until recently
unrevealed, known to its inhabitants as Maztica (Mahz-TEE-ka), the True
World, Its existence has been hinted at in various tales over the
millennia, but only with the voyage of Captain Cordell in 1361 DR was
the drape of isolation ripped aside and the True World revealed.

Maztica is a wild and almost untouched land, dominated by great
jungles and thick forests. Its peoples live simply in small communities
or religion-based city-states.  Their magics derive not from
conventional (read "elder kingdoms") forces, but through focii of
feathers and claws. The entire scope of these abilities, and the True
World's new gods, is unknown.

The revelation of Maztica has had little effect on the bulk of the
Realms, as there are more than enough new places to go and new monsters
to vanquish without making a long sea voyage. The greatest effects have
taken place in the Empires of the Sands and the island kingdom of
Lantan, all of whom have laid claims to wide swaths of the new land
(without consulting those who were living on it before the revelation).
New riches have poured into these lands, making their rulers more
powerful, but sending costs skyrocketing for commoners.

Six years after the revelation, much is still unknown about this far
land. Maztican individuals and artifacts have been drifting into the
Realms, a subject of comment and curiosity. The strange feather magic
(pluma) and claw magic (hishna) have daunted sages, new vegetables have
appeared in Faerun, brought from Maztica, and the warriors of Maztica,
like warriors throughout the world, are judged by the strength of their
arms and the spirit in their hearts.

Zakhara

Far to the south, beyond the fabled lands of Halruaa and Luiren, of
Durpar and Var the Golden, is a very different world, as alien as
Maztica and as powerful as Kara-Tur. Located on the far side of the
Great Sea, it is a hot, dry land of deserts and rocky mountains, its
great cities bugging the coastlines for trade and water. It is a land
of magic unknown in the north, of powerful monsters and more-powerful
rulers. It is known as Zakhara (Zah-KARR-ah), the Burning World, the
Land of Fate.

Zakharan culture at first blush seems to be related to that of the
Empires of the Sands, or the desert tribes of Anauroch, and indeed
there may be a long-distant connection, magical or otherwise.  But the
Land of Fate is a solid, unified culture unsullied by what the
inhabitants laughingly call the Barbarian North. Its gods are unified
into a single pantheon, and its leaders call heavily upon genies to
solve every problem that confronts them. Items such as djinn rings and
flying carpets that are infrequently encountered in the Realms are
rumored to be sold on the open market in Zakhara, and every person born
to that land is said to be royalty. The truth of such claims may be
distorted by the distance the tales have traveled.

Zakhara, like Kara-Tur, is separated from Faerun by a great empty
expanse, such that those who brave the Great Sea are most often
adventurers and merchants who seek the new, the novel, and the
profitable. The traveler should be warned, however, that Zakharans are
firm in their belief that they are much, much more advanced and
civilized than any other people, and treat others accordingly.

Races in the Realms
-------------------

The Realms are home to a myriad number of sentient races, most of
which are in direct competition with each other for land, food, and
survival. Humankind is the most successful of the major races in
Faerun, but the race's supreme position is by no means a sure and
secure one. Humans share their position with other older, generally
benevolent races: dwarves, elves (and human-elf hybrids), halflings,
and gnomes. Yet humans and the other elder races are regularly
threatened by goblins of all descriptions, underwater and underground
races, and most importantly, the powerful and dangerous dragons.

Humankind

The most populous and strongest of the major races of the Forgotten
Realms, humans are considered the dominant race in Faerun. Humankind in
Faerun comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors.  Individuals sometimes
show the height of the halflings, the stockiness of the dwarf, or the
slenderness of the elf, yet remain completely human. Human skin color
ranges from the pale, almost translucent Lantanese to the dusky,
dark-eyed natives of Unther, with all shades in between.

The concept of subraces, common in other races such as halflings and
elves, does not exist in humankind. All nationalities and races of
humans can interbreed without difficulty, and their children, unlike
the elves, will have traits of either or both parents.  After a time,
any isolated group of humans tends to establish its own traits, which
may change in a few generations with the introduction of new settlers
or invaders. This easy assimilation may account for the success of the
race over others.

Humankind is also one of the most aggressive of the major races,
approaching the goblins in ferocity and the dwarves in its
single-minded drive when aroused to battle. At any time in the North,
some group of humans, often with nonhuman allies, is fighting some
other group (usually of humans and nonhuman allies). The dwarves think
that humans battle indiscriminately among themselves because their
lives are so short and therefore meaningless. The elves think they are
aggressive because humanity has not yet figured out how to communicate
properly.

Humankind has a spoken and written language that is accepted as
Realmspeak and Tradetongue even between nonhumans as a form of common
language (and is known casually as common).  Humans have developed the
idea of money beyond the dwarven conception of raw ore accumulated into
a maze of different systems and coinage. They have generated art and
literature and commentary by the ton-load, as well as raised the
practice of slaughtering a foe to an art form and a science.

Humanity's greatest advantage is its persistence and potential.  No
other race has as many special opportunities to increase in power and
ability and sees them through. Most of the powerful and wise in the
Realms are humans (as are most of the petty-minded and cruel). Within
their own race, humans seem to provide equal chances to both males and
females. While the tendency in many societies is for women to occupy a
domestic role, there is little resistance to a powerful female leader
or proficient wizardess, should a woman choose such a position as her
goal in life.

Humankind's attitudes range from the beatific to the diabolic, and
its numbers include clerics of good faiths, pirates, traders, kings,
beggars, slaves, mages, heroes, cowards, fishermen, and mercenaries.
Humanity's abilities are limitless, and the question has been asked by
some that when this race finally gets all the quirks out of its system
and gets moving, will there be any room left for the other races of the
Realms?

Dragons

Considered as individuals, dragons are the most dangerous creatures
of the Realms. A dragon in full fury may level an entire city, and one
at play may even destroy a party of brave knights. These creatures vary
in size and capabilities, but are generally huge winged reptiles that
can spit fire, acid, cold, or other fell creations.

Dragons come in two main types. The chromatic dragons are those
whose scales resemble enamelled armor - usually red, green, black,
white, or blue. The chromatic dragons are usually darkhearted wretches
devoted in equal parts to their own feeding, wealth, and the suffering
of others. The metallic dragons have scales that shimmer like coins,
and are generally classified as gold, silver, copper, bronze, and
brass. These creatures tend toward good and neutral alignments, or at
least seem more disposed to talk to humans than to devour them
straightaway (though if threatened, they will do so quickly and without
remorse). Such a listing is not all-inclusive, and there are reports
from a number of sages of yellow, brown, purple, gemstone, and
steel-colored dragons found along with more common types.

Dragons in the earliest days were the rulers of Faerun between the
Inner Sea and Sword Coast, and though they are now few (well, fewer),
their individual power remains great. With the coming of elves and
humans, the dragons retreated to the North.  Though it is rare, some
elder wyrm of the race still occasionally comes down from the North or
arouses itself from its decades-long sleep in some forgotten dale and
terrorizes those it encounters.

Rarer still is one of the most deadly occurrences in the Realms, a
flight of dragons. At such a time, great numbers of chromatic wyrms of
all ages descend from the North to rain destruction down on all they
encounter. The last such flight was over 11 years ago, in the Year of
the Worm. Dragons of all shapes and sizes came down from the lands
beyond Thar into the area of the Moonsea, the Dales, and Cormyr. The
destruction was extensive, almost ruining Phlan, damaging Zhentil Keep
and the Citadel of the Raven, and causing the death of Sylune, the
Witch of Shadowdale, The most destructive of the wyrms were killed by
powerful wizards and brave warriors, but a great many more took refuge
in the mountain fastnesses of the Storm Horns, the Thunder Peaks, and
the Desertsmouth Mountains, and continue to this day to raid outlying
villages and travelers.

Finally, there seems to be a 300-year cycle called the Rage of
Dragons, at the peak of which all dragonkind is affected. The ancient
kingdoms of Anauria and Hlondath may have been victims of this form of
attack. Not enough information is available on the Rage of Dragons, and
no one looks forward to collecting more.

This most recent flight of dragons is widely held to be the work of
the Cult of the Dragon, a mysterious group of people said to have
devised strange magical arts that give them mastery over evil
dragonkind. Other sages believe it to be some sort of ritual or cyclic
behavior on the part of evil dragons, rather than a concerted attack.

Among both good and evil dragons, there is a code of honor that
allows dragon combat without resulting in death. Such combat involves
ritual battle with feints and pulled blows, each side demonstrating the
damage it could have inflicted. This is the source of the legendary
subdual of dragons, where the brave hero gives the dragon a hard swat
on the snout and the beast rolls over and surrenders. In reality, such
subdual combat is the product of a stated challenge (in auld wyrmish,
an archaic dragon tongue), with the proper forms and appearances
observed. Individual dragons may agree to such combat with humans,
though they do not pull their attacks when fighting nondragons in this
fashion. It should also be noted that since the Time of Troubles a
decade ago, there is no recorded instance of a dragon agreeing to such
combat or surrendering in this fashion to a mortal creature.

As a general rule for dealing with dragons, intelligence and good
Banners are the best weapons. Being able to identify the creature Did
its tendencies are half the battle, as this information is the
foundation for good preparation (after all, that ring of fire
resistance I of little value if the dragon turns out to have green
scales instead it led). Dragons are also very aware of their
long-standing prestige and great wisdom and are thus easily flattered.
A glib-tongued warrior may be able to make a deadly attack (or better
yet make a clever escape) when fighting a proud and vain dragon.

In summary, dragons are intelligent, deadly, powerful, and wise.
Many have spellcasting abilities in addition to their other attacks.
Once they ruled this land, and only through the determined actions and
increasing numbers of the other races were they driven north. Treat
them with caution.

Dwarves

The dwarves of Faerun are a short, stocky people who seem to be a
part of the earth itself, ranging in shade and hue from a rich
earth-red to a granite-stone gray. Dour and with a strong distrust
towards magic beyond that which a magical axe can lend, they appear to
others as a withdrawn, moody people.

Dwarves come in a wide variety of hair, skin, and eye colors,
regardless of their origin. The designations of mountain, hill, and
jungle dwarves are fairly artificial, and more a matter of taste,
closer to those humans who like the sea and those who prefer the high
country. Both dwarven males and females have beards, though the females
usually (but not always) shave.

Dwarven Life: Dwarves remain deeply tied to their roots and their
sense of family and nobility. Dwarven nobles have declined in number
with their race, and so are treated with respect by all, despite any
long-running feuds that may develop between the dwarven kings. Loyalty
and perseverance are considered dwarven virtues, and very common among
the wanderers (see below). For this reason dwarven adventurers are
often welcomed into adventure companies as a source of stability, solid
reason, and battle prowess.

Shield Dwarves: The dwarves are a people whose numbers in the North
have dwindled with the passing years. Their overall population has been
declining since the days when the dragons controlled the lands of
Cormyr and the Sunrise Mountains still spouted flames and steam. Among
the dwarves, these northern dwarves are known as mountain dwarves to
show their home terrain, or shield dwarves to reflect their battle
prowess and history.

The reason for the numeric decline of these dwarves is twofold: For
ages the dwarves have engaged in interspecies wars that bordered on
genocide. Their primary foes were ores and goblins, who sought out the
same caverns and mines the dwarves considered their homes. In ancient
days a live ore was competition both for treasure and for living space,
and dwarven armies fought and died to protect and expand their realms.
Unlike the goblin races, however, the dwarves were slow to recover
their losses, and in time their numbers have diminished so that in
another millennium the dwarf may join the duergahydra and the mornhound
in extinction in the Realms.

This sense of racial loss hits all dwarves, and particularly shield
dwarves, deeply, and they tend be melancholy and defeatist. They often
throw themselves into their work, be it Grafting blades or seeking
adventure. The last vocation is extremely popular with the few younger
dwarves of the Realms, as the thinking is that if their dour dwarven
gods have dealt a poor hand to the race, the best one can do is perform
great deeds, so that the race is remembered in wondrous tales if not in
descendents.

The Hidden: The northern, mountain-dwelling dwarves also tend to
divide themselves by behavior into two categories: the hidden and
wanderers. The hidden are a reflection of the shield dwarven sense of
their loss and danger as a race. A majority of shield dwarves (and of
dwarves in general) can be classified as part of the hidden. The hidden
are reclusive and remain secretive about their homelands. Because of
this, the small kingdoms of the dwarves are known about only in a
general fashion. For example, the dwarves of the Far Hills travel to
Easting for trade, yet no one knows if they are one community or
several, and how they are ruled. More common are those dwarves who
identify their home as some long-abandoned or enemy-occupied hold, such
as the dwarves that were of Hammer Hall, or those of the Iron House,
who had been driven out of the mines of Tethyamar.

Wanderers: Another type of shield dwarf that has been on the
increase is the dwarf that seeks the company of humans in their towns
and cities. Most adventuring dwarves come from this background, and are
conversant in human styles and customs without abandoning their own
heritage. It has been hazarded (but not voiced around dwarves) that
they enjoy being around other creatures more short-lived than they.
From such roving shield dwarves come tales of adventuring dwarves, who
enjoy the company of humans and even settle in their cities. Such
dwarves are known among their peoples as the wanderers.

Gold Dwarves; As the race of dwarves dwindles in the North, one
great dwarven kingdom still thrives to the far South. There the earth
is rent in a great chasm that could swallow the nation of Cormyr.
Located on the rim of that chasm are the towers of the city of
Eartheart, and within the walls of that chasm is carved the huge
dwarven nation of Underhome. These southern dwarves are said to be very
different from their northern cousins - prouder, more haughty, and more
energetic. These dwarves are called gold dwarves or hill dwarves, the
former name showing their wealth, the latter the terrain they are more
comfortable with.

Wild Dwarves:  Shield dwarves (both wanderers and the hidden) and
gold dwarves dominate the dwarven population of the Realms. There are
stories, though, of a savage dwarven offshoot in the jungles of Chult,
known as wild dwarves or jungle dwarves, but they have been little seen
beyond the borders of that great wood.  Wild dwarves are said to be
tattooed, bloodthirsty savages, but this may be an exaggeration.

Duergar: Finally, deep beneath the surface of the earth dwells a
race of twisted dwarf-like creatures called the duergar. Surface world
dwarves view these creatures with a hatred that exceeds that of the
elves for the drow. The dwarves deny any true kinship with this race,
despite evidence to the contrary.

Elves and the Elven Nations

The elves are one of the major races of the Realms, and once ruled
large sections of the Realms after the time of the dragons and before
the coming of humankind. Now the majority of these long-lived beings
have retreated from the onslaught of humankind, seeking quieter
forests, and their numbers in the Realms are a faction of those even a
thousand years ago.

The elves of the Forgotten Realms are of human height, but much more
slender. Their fingers and hands are half-again as long as a human's,
and delicately tapered, and their bones are light and surprisingly
sturdy. Elven faces are thinner and more serene, and elven ears, as are
ears in half a hundred known worlds, are pointed.

There are five known elven subraces in the Forgotten Realms, and
four of them live in relative harmony. Cross-breeding is possible
between the subraces, but in the case of the elves, the child will
either take after the male or female parent's race (there are no
drow-moon elf mongrels, and the child of such an unlikely union would
have either all the traits of a dark elf or of a moon elf). The
subraces are:

Gold Elves: Gold elves are also called sunrise elves or high elves,
and have bronze skin and hair of copper, black, or golden blond. Their
eyes are golden, silver, or black. Gold elves tend to be recognized as
the most civilized of the elven subraces and the most aloof from
humankind and the other races. The majority of the native elves of
Evermeet are gold elves, though the royal family are moon elves.

Moon Elves: Moon elves are also called silver or gray elves, and are
much paler than gold elves, with faces of bleached white tinged with
blue. Moon elves usually have hair of silver-white, black, or blue,
though all reported colors normally found in humans and elves may be
found in this race. Their eyes are blue or green, and have gold flecks.
They tend to tolerate humankind the most of the elven subraces, and the
majority of adventuring elves and half-elves are of moon elf descent.

Wild Elves: Wild elves are called green elves, forest elves, and
wood elves, and are reclusive and distrusting of nonelves, in
particular humankind. Wild elves of the Forgotten Realms tend to be
copperish in hue with tinctures of green. Their hair tends toward
browns and blacks, with occasional blonds and copper-colored natives.
Their eyes green, brown, or hazel. They tend to be the least organized
of the elven peoples, and while there is no elven nation made up
entirely of wild elves, there are wild elves in every other elven
nation and on Evermeet.

Sea Elves: Sea elves, also called aquatic or water elves, are
divided into two further divisions: those of the Great Sea (including
all its salt-water domains such as the Shining Sea and Sea of Swords),
and those of the Sea of Fallen Stars, Great Sea elves are radiant in
different shades of deep greens, with irregular patches of brown
striped through their bodies. Fallen Star sea elves are various shades
of blue, with white patches and stripes. Both have the full variety of
eye and hair color found in all the elven peoples and have webbed feet
and hands and the ability to breathe water.

Dark Elves: Dark elves, also called drow (pronounced to rhyme with
now or how) or night elves, comprise the most sinister and evil segment
of the elven race, as if this subrace seems to balance the tranquility
and goodness of their cousins with unrepentant maliciousness and evil.
Drow have black skin that resembles nothing so much as polished
obsidian, pale eyes (often mistaken for solid white), and hair of stark
white. The variations in coloration present in the other elven subraces
is missing here. Most of this fell race has been driven underground,
and it members are shunned by the other elven subraces. (See also the
Underdark Races section.)

Elven Life: The elves call their own race Tel'Quessir, which
translates as the people. Strangers, in particular nonelven strangers,
are generally placed under the category N'Tel'Quess, or not-people.
Most elves treat the not-people with respect and politeness, as a host
would a stumbling child, though the drow fiercely enslave any who are
not of their race and consider the other elven subraces N'Tel'Quess.

The elves are generally ruled by hereditary noble houses that have
held control of their nations for generations (and given the nature and
long life of elves, the rule of a wise king may exceed the history of a
human nation). Elven rule is autocratic and absolute, and it is the
theology and philosophy of the elves which prevents abuse of such
complete power. The coronals (monarchs of the Elven Court) make their
pronouncements rarely, preferring to remain outside the normal course
of their subjects' lives.  However, once a decision is made and
pronounced by a coronal - whether to declare war or retreat to Evermeet
- it is followed by the bulk of the population.

The Retreat: The oddest phenomenon of elven life (to human
observers) is the Retreat, which is viewed as a lemming-like drive to
sail to the farthest west, beyond the sea. In the case of the elves of
the Forgotten Realms, the reason is not some biological drive, but
rather the decision of the leaders of the elven nations to withdraw to
less hostile lands. Such a decision was made after years (human
generations) of thought, discussion, and meditation. Once made, it is
irrevocable.

In the case of the recently voided Elven Court, the decision to
retreat was made some 500 years after deliberation began. In the Year
of Moonfall (1344 DR), the Pronouncement of Retreat passed from elf to
elf, and they began to quietly evacuate their homelands along the Inner
Sea. While for humans the disappearance of the Elven Court is regarded
as a sudden vacuum in the heart of the Realms, for the Elven Court
itself it was as inevitable (and as important) as a merchant moving his
shop farther down the street to increase the distance from a
competitor.

The elves in Retreat usually make for Evermeet across the sea or
Evereska on the edge of the Great Sand Sea of Anauroch.  Those who
reach Evermeet swear their fealty to Queen Amlaruil, who is that
domain's monarch. Long ago the elven nation of Evermeet made the
decision to fight those humans (and members of other races) who came to
her shores, and as a result Evermeet is both the strongest sea power in
the Realms, and a haven for the other elves in Retreat. Those who
choose not to abandon the Realms entirely join the community at
Evereska and seek to help defend Evereska's new colony in the Greycloak
Hills.

Those elves on the Sword Coast and with easy access to the sea make
the passage to Evermeet by boat, protected by the Navy of the Queen.
How those farther inland cross is not known, for none see their passage
out of the world of humankind. Great magics and extradimensional gates
are assumed to be used, though there have been tales of great
butterflies carrying some elven nobles westward.

The Former Elven Nations: The former elven nations of the Realms
include Illefarn, where Waterdeep now rises from the seacoast; Askavar,
which is now called the Wood of Sharp Teeth, and the Elven Court, which
once ruled Cormanthor, the forest country that ran from Cormyr to the
Moonsea. Current elven nations include Evermeet in its seaward
seclusion and Evereska (located in a mountain valley), with its colony
in the Greycloak Hills. In addition, there are scattered groups of
elves found throughout the realms, including wild elves, groups without
noble rulers, and those who are comfortable with the human population
(usually younger elves). The drow are not welcome among the elven
nations and so have their own lairs in the Underdark..

Adventuring Elves: Adventuring elves are usually moon elves, though
there are wild and gold elves as well found among humankind's
adventuring companies. Sea elves and drow are much rarer in the surface
world, but there are notable exceptions.

The Goblin Races

The goblin races include all creatures such as kobolds, goblins,
ores, and hobgoblins. Some sages extend the definition to ogres,
bugbears, trolls, and half-ores. Regardless of their defined content,
the goblin races are by and large uncivilized bands of sentient
creatures that prey on other beings, raiding and pillaging when they
can, stealing quietly when they can't. There has never been a great
goblin nation or orcish empire, though all the goblin races have been
used as servants, lackeys, and dragon-fodder for other more powerful
individuals.

The goblin races have existed in the Realms as long as the elves,
for elven histories have mention of the various creatures as brutish
invaders harassing the borders of their realms. The goblin races have
been involved in genocidal wars with dwarves over their mountain peaks
and with humans over the lowlands.  Usually the goblin races have been
repulsed or crushed, but there are still many ancient dwarven halls in
orcish hands.

The goblin races are generally underorganized and underequipped, and
would have been wiped out several times over were it not for their
rapid breeding cycle and high self-preservation instinct. Faced with
overwhelming odds, most members of a goblin race waver and retreat, and
for this the tag cowardly is usually added to the collection of
epithets that are used to describe them.

The goblin races tend to be cruel, evil, and malicious, aping
humankind in dress and title, but with a slant towards harm as opposed
to help. The greatest orcish citadels of the Desertsmouth Mountains are
governed by a king and royal court in a rough travesty of Cormyr.
Similarly, those goblins living beyond the range of the Lords of
Waterdeep tend to have lords who rule in disguise in the manner of the
Lords of Waterdeep. Such kingdoms are pale shadows of human empires in
that they are little more than a handful of encampments or castles
ruled by brute force.

Some members of these races, particularly among the half-ores and
ogres, brave the well-deserved hostile attitude of the rest of the
world toward their ancestry in order to seek to make an honest or good
living, but these are exceptions to the general character of these
savage creatures. Caution is urged when encountering them in the wild.

Gnomes

The gnomes of Faerun are a small, friendly race of humanoid
creatures common in most regions of the Realms. They are smaller and
less stocky than dwarves, and are thought to be distant relatives of
dwarves (though only gnomish men have beards).

The faces of gnomes, regardless of age, are lined as if with
centuries of smiles and frowns, making these people appear to be carved
from wood. Their natural coloring, from a light ash color to maple to
the color of varnished and buffed oak, increases the tendency to think
of gnomes as a woods folk - when they are thought of at all.

The gnomes are called the forgotten folk of the Forgotten Realms,
for despite the fact they are an everyday sight in major cities and
have good-sized communities of their own, they seem unbothered by the
world and similarly only rarely become involved with it. Gnomes have no
history beyond the memory of the eldest clan member and the songs of
legend. They have never developed their own written tongue, acquiring
the written language of those they live among for everyday use. Unlike
the elves, they have no millennial heritage, and unlike the dwarves, no
death-knell tomorrow. As a result, they tend to take life as it comes,
one day at a time.

Gnomes are among the most common-sense beings of a world filled with
all manner of magical things. Their natural tendency towards
illusioncraft has given them a wisdom to look beyond the fancy
trappings of speech and appearance to find out what is really there
instead of making them more crafty and cunning. Gnomes value their
families first, then whatever other relatives they encounter, then
other gnomes, then the world, in that order.

Gnomes have no subraces, but since the Time of Troubles a different
sort of gnome has appeared in the Realms, coming primarily from the
South. These gnomes are particularly interested in craft and artifice,
including all manner of sciences and invention.  This new breed of
gnome is relatively rare, but counts among its numbers primarily
younger gnomes who venerate the god Gond Wonderbringer (who resembles a
gnome in their version of the faith). Such gnomes are currently found
as apprentices to smiths, craftsmen, and wizards, and are eager to
learn as much about the world around them as possible. What they will
do with this knowledge is as yet undetermined, but given the legendary
wisdom of the gnomes, everyday humans have little to fear.

The Half-Elven Peoples

Half-elves are a mixture of human and elf, and occupy the middle
ground between the two. They are stockier than elves, but thinner than
humans, and may or may not show the distinctive, elven pointed ears.
They still have the slender and finely chiseled facial features of the
elven faces. It is possible for a half-elf to pass as human or elf for
brief periods, but usually such duplicity is discovered.

Half-elves are not a true race, but rather the product of the union
of human and elf, and as such they have no national or racial heritage
other than that of the area and family they have been brought up in.  A
half-elf that has been raised in the Elven Court thinks like an elf;
while one from Aglarond thinks like a human, for the elven people have
been long bred into the general population there.

As a result of their hybrid heritage, half-elves tend to be
individualistic and their outlook and behavior varies greatly from
person to person. Many are adventurers by nature, in that they are
seeking their own niche in a world where (to their eyes) they belong
truly to neither major culture.

Half-elves take on some of the features of their elven subrace:

* Moon half-elves tend to be pale with just a touch of blue around
  the ears and at the chin.

* Gold half-elves tend to have bronzed skin.

* Wild half-elves are very rare and tend to have copperish skin
  tinged with green.

* Sea half-elves tend to be a blend of the fleshtones of their human
  and elven parents. For instance, the child of a Lantan merchant
  and a Great Sea elf is likely to be a light green.

* Drow half-elves are very rare and tend to be dusky-colored with
  silver or white hair and the eye colors found in humans.

Regardless of origin, half-elves have a universal set of common
abilities (as detailed in the Player's Handbook). A drow half-elf does
not gain additional drow powers, or a sea half-elf water-breathing
ability (save at the decision of the DM).

Half-elves may mate and breed, but will always produce the
off-spring of the other parent (a half-elf-elf pairing will produce
elven children, while a half-elf-human pairing will result in human
children).  Second generation half-elves only result if two half-elves
marry.

Halflings

Halflings are the smallest of the major races, and to observe their
communities outside cities, the most numerous (and growing). They tend
to resemble small street urchins, wise beyond their years. The
halflings of the Forgotten Realms have a light covering of hairy down
over most of their bodies that is most noticeable on the backs of their
hands and the tops of their bare feet. Often their faces are bare,
though there are more than a few full-bearded halflings as well.

The halfling people have a saying: "First there were dragons, then
dwarves, then elves, then humans. Then it's Our Turn!" This attitude
that all things will turn out to their benefit (and be served up to
them on a silver platter) is typical of the halfling mindset-cocksure,
confident, and with more than a streak of larceny to it.

A halfling's appearance, similar to that of a small human child,
belies the fact that this is a race with the same basic needs as any
other. Halflings live in many of the same areas as humankind and may be
considered a competitor. Yet rather than being overtly hostile,
halflings have a smug, far-sighted attitude that these lumbering giants
(human beings) will eventually leave, destroy themselves, or give
themselves up, and that which remains will be theirs.

This is not to say that halflings as a race or as individuals are
evil, for they would do nothing to harm another unless harm had been
inflicted on them first. But the tendency for them to take advantage is
strong. Many a human thieves' guild has as its master thief a small,
child-like creature who can sneak into and out of areas that larger
folk cannot manage.

Halflings are delighted by the concept of money, which they consider
a human invention that redeems the race. They enjoy gathering bunches
of it, but unlike the dwarves with their ancient hordes, they see no
point in keeping it, and fritter it away on gifts, parties, and
purchases. Money is a way of keeping score on how well one is doing
against the world and all its clumsy, lumbering races.

Halflings come in all the same skin colors and with the same variety
of hair and eye color as humans. "They tend to respect their families
as groups not to steal from (though borrowing is permitted), and they
show a strong loyalty to friends and those who have stood up for them.
There seem to be only minor differences between the three major
subraces of halfling: hairfeet, tallfellow, and stout.  (Their
differences are as noted in the Player's Handbook.) The subraces mix
easily with each other and with other races.

Halflings excel at roguish tasks, and those who apply themselves in
this area find their talents welcome among adventuring companies and
thieves' guilds. As a result, halflings are as well-traveled and
knowledgeable about the world as humankind, if not moreso. The crux of
their knowledge is centered on immediate goals and gratification, for
it is not as important for a halfling to know who the local lord is as
much as to scope out the bill of fare at the local tavern.

To the far South there is said to be a nation of halflings called
Luiren, whose inhabitants have pointy ears. Considering the fact that
most of the other dominant races of the Inner Sea came originally from
the South, and the stated (if joking) halfling intentions to eventually
dominate all other races, the idea of a halfling nation is somewhat
disturbing.

The Giants

The giants of the Realms have always been a secondary race, involved
in battling whoever is on top. Their earliest appearances are in tales
in which they contended with dragons for the control of the North, a
battle that they usually lost, though their weakening of the dragons
may have eased the influx of elves and dwarves. In battling with the
dwarves for their mountain homes, they again came off a poor second, as
dwarven size and fighting techniques were of great benefit in fighting
giants, and are to this day. Then came the arrival of humankind in the
North, pushing those giant communities that survived further back.

At present the giants are a collection of broken nations and
shattered dreams, their long history overshadowed by modern events and
newcomer races. They still are their strongest in the mountains of
Faerun, particularly in the North and the Cold Lands, thriving in those
territories that others have shunned.

The occasional giant may be found in Waterdeep or Cormyr, but the
bulk are still viewed as savage, brutal, and not particularly bright.
This is untrue, since they are battlewise, lore-filled, and capable
with both weapons and craft. Their power is often shown through their
leadership capabilities, as giants are increasingly becoming leaders of
groups of other less developed races, such as goblin tribes or orc
holts.

The Underdark Races

Not all of the Realms is above ground. Beneath its surface,
labyrinthine tunnels snake and coil through natural caverns and tunnels
made by races long dead, and nations long toppled. This is the
Underdark, a region as deadly as any surface swamp or mountain
fastness.

In this land of eternal night a number of races thrive. Some have
been driven to these lands by outside forces, some have a dislike of
light, and some simply prefer the security which the surrounding walls
hold. Their variety is legion, and their influence is felt throughout
the Realms, as they often boil out of their hidey holes to raid the
surface lands. They include, but are not limited to:

The Drow: The dark elves are by and large the best-known, most
organized, and most powerful race beneath the surface of the earth.
Communities of drow rule the lands beneath the North and the Moonsea,
and smaller nations may be found throughout the Realms. Their
best-known nation is the underground city-state of Menzoberranzan, home
to a variety of scheming, evil families and their spawn and slaves.
Drow in the past have even dominated the surface lands around their
lairs, most recently holding the lands around and now comprising
Shadowdale in the years following the fall of Myth Drannor.

The Duergar: The outcast subrace of the dwarves seeks to burrow
deeper than their cousins, and unlock the greater evils that lie within
the earth. Unlike the drow and goblins, duergar are not comfortable on
the surface and never venture forth. It is assumed that much of the
deepest construction of the Underdark is done by these gray dwarves.
Like their surface cousins, the duergar are dying out from competition
and low birth rate. They often sell their services and loyalty to more
powerful creatures in exchange for wealth and a form of protection.

The Goblin Races: The goblin races are not a major factor in the
Underdark, save as servitors and slaves of more powerful races.
Instead, they occupy those regions of the caverns closest to the
surface, where they serve as a first level of defense beneath the land.

The Illithids: These creatures, whose heads resemble a cephalopod,
are also known as mind flayers. They have deadly powers of the mind,
and live in great fortresses carved out of the living rock. Independent
and scheming, the illithids rarely enter into long-standing alliances
with others of their race, let alone other races, and such alliances
are broken when it suits them.

The Beholders: Individually these creatures are as deadly as any
dragon, and they often carve out large territories in the caverns of
the Underdark and in desolate areas of the surface. They are
uncomfortable with others of their race, and usually establish
themselves as the chieftain of a disparate group of races (having
removed any previous chieftains with their disintegrator rays).
Beholders have integrated well with evil humans, such that they can be
found beneath major human cities and in the service of such groups as
the Black Network of the Zhentarim.

Other Races

The Realms is filled with sentient creatures of all descriptions,
and the above listing is not exclusive. There are lizard men prowling
the swamps, myconids patrolling haunted caverns, and centaurs and
satyrs deep within the woods where even the elves go not. Deep beneath
the seas mermen, tritons, and sahuagin clash, and in the mountains
aarakocra challenge the dwarves for their halls and dragons for their
lairs.

All of these races (and more) provide an example of the diversity of
life in the Realms, and the great variety of threats they hold for the
traveler, the merchant, and the explorer. While humankind is the most
visibly successful of the races, that perch is by no means secure, and
many races, old and new, may have a say in whether humans survive or
pass from greatness like the elves, dwarves, and dragons before them.

Character Classes in the Realms
-------------------------------

Adventurers are known by their many skills. Warriors, wizards,
priests, rogues, and all the subclasses, kits, and varieties found
within each of these major classifications allow adventurers a wide
array of choices in their career and differing ways to increase their
power. The Realms holds promise for each of these breeds of adventurer,
as well as dangers and challenges.

Fighters

The services of trained warriors are in constant demand in the
Forgotten Realms, owing to the large number of hostile creatures
(including other humans) to be found in the world.

Fighters and their subgroupings tend to gravitate to certain
positions and responsibilities, including:

* Local militias, including police patrols, sentries, palace guards,
  and watchmen. In times of hostilities, such women and men as these
  serve as foot troops in battle. Such positions are usually
  low-paying and hold little status, as in the battlefield such
  troops are often used to soften enemy attacks with "acceptable
  losses." However, it is here that most heroic warriors make their
  start, serving with these groups to protect their homes, with the
  survivors moving on to greater things.

* Mercenary companies engage in fighting for a price. These pay
  better than militias, but have the disadvantage that local
  rulers/employers usually give mercenary companies the most
  difficult positions or tasks, as they are professionals paid for
  their experience.

* Trail guards have the advantage of good benefits and travel with
  the disadvantage that such fighters must fight not only to protect
  their own lives but the property of others. Some of the smaller
  traders offer high wages but deduct any losses they incur from
  those wages.

* Raiders are fighters who perform acts of banditry and piracy. The
  disadvantage of this lifestyle is that these fighters do not
  normally operate in civilized areas and may be hunted down by more
  law-abiding groups.

* Bodyguards and other protection opportunities offer low pay at
  relatively little risk.

* Leadership possibilities are available at high level for fighter
  types, as their abilities (as opposed to those of wizards and
  priests) are generally understood by the populace, allowing a
  measure of trust.

* Gladiators and professional. fighters are a rare occurrence in the
  North, though some debauched regions do set up such matches,
  usually between slaves or prisoners and monsters.  The older
  realms to the south, including Amn, Calimshan, and Unther, have
  established gladiatorial guilds.

* Adventuring companies offer the highest return in advancement and
  money, as well as allowing warriors a great degree of
  independence, The disadvantages of these operations are the great
  deal of personal risk fighters are placed in and the essential
  need for cooperation with others.

Rangers

Rangers are specialized breed of warrior, suited to a wilderness
existence while still retaining more of the trappings and station of
society.  Individuals who become rangers are normally from the
civilized agricultural areas of the Realms, as opposed to its
wilderness areas.

Rangers are a phenomenon primarily confined to the North, in
particular that region north and west of the Sea of Fallen Stars called
the Heartlands. Occasionally rangers hail from Amn or Chondath, but a
ranger farther south is as rare as sympathy from a beholder. This may
be due to the fact that rangers function best in those regions that are
still being developed and explored by civilized humankind, and as such
have little to do in those regions chat have been settled and ruled (at
least in name) for centuries.

Due to their low numbers, regional restrictions, and tendency to
perform along the lines of moral good, rangers are both very
individualistic and clannish, A ranger can often be found on his or her
own, or in a company of druids or adventurers, where wilderness skills
are useful. At the same time, when rangers meet, they often exchange
names and gossip on the latest doings of others of their type. While
not a political or social force, rangers comprise a finely wrought
network of information, and it is this network that makes them a
natural part of the group known as the Harpers. Not all rangers are
Harpers, but many are, and the Harpers recruit further from the ranks
of rangers only on the recommendation of rangers within the Harpers.

Paladins

Paladins are fighters of a higher calling than most common warriors.
They fight for a strongly held moral and ethical code, and are held to
exacting standards in all their actions. Failure to live up to their
moral and ethical alignment results in their downfall, and the
stripping of all special abilities granted by the paladin class.

There is no specific paladin's code, no set of do's and don'ts by
which paladins are graded on a pass/fail basis. The closest thing to
such a code is "Quentin's Monograph," a short treatise on the nature of
alignment and paladinhood by a retired paladin. In addition to flowery
descriptions of early endeavors and practical advice on the care of
weapons and animals, the monograph summarizes what it calls the
Paladin's Virtues.

The listing is not all-inclusive, and every paladin grades and
emphasizes these virtues based on his or her own personal ethos and
religious background. Paladins may obey all these virtues to the letter
and still lose their special status, or flout one virtue in the name of
another and still retain paladinhood. In this fashion, a paladin may
exist outside an organized hierarchy or even lead rebellions and wars
against unjust or evil causes. It is possible under these virtues that
one paladin may even fight another, both seeking to defend a different
paladin's virtue or interpretation of all of them.

Paladins in the Realms, like priests, are devoted to a particular
deity. The most common paladin deities are those which embody action,
decision, watchfulness, and wisdom. Torm and Tyr are both popular
deities for paladins, as is Ilmater, who stresses the need to suffer to
attain one's goals. All these gods are good and lawful in their basic
alignment.

Paladins also serve deities who present themselves as being good but
not necessarily lawful, and lawful but not necessarily good. These
include Azuth and Helm, who are lawful and neutral in their outlook,
and Mystra, Deneir, Lathander, and Milil, who are good and neutral.
Chauntea and Mielikki are also neutral and good, but tend to attract
more druids and rangers than paladins, though there are exceptions.  No
gods who claim true neutrality, evil, or chaos in their ethos and
morals have paladins operating in their name.

The Paladin's Virtues

The paladin's virtues are:

* An organized approach brings the most good for all.

* Laws exist to bring prosperity to those under them,

* Unjust laws must be overturned or changed in a reasonable and
  positive fashion,

* People rule; laws help.

* Cause the most good through the least harm.

* Protect the weak.

* Goodness is not a natural state, but must be fought for to be
  attained and maintained.

* Lead by example.

* Let your deeds speak your intentions.

* Goodness  radiates from the heart.

* Give others your mercy, but keep your wits about you.

Wizards

In many races, certain individuals have the ability to channel the
ambient magical energies of the world to produce a desired effect.  In
the Forgotten Realms, this ability is called magic, or the Art, and the
Realms are home to large number of the Art's practitioners.

All manner of spellcasters people the Forgotten Realms, and though
universities and magical schools exist, the great majority of
spellcasters still learn their skills in the time-honored fashion: by
apprenticeship to a higher-level mage. After years of what seem to the
student to be arduous and unpleasant chores, the tutoring mage will
begin instruction in the easiest cantrips, later moving on to the fat
spells, and presenting the apprentice with his or her first spell book.
Upon learning the basics, the young wizard usually journeys out to gain
some real-life experience in his or her craft. Some go no further in
their development, seeking other safer pursuits, and some perish in
their adventures. Those that survive return to their former masters or
to others of greater skill to learn greater magics and to share what
they have discovered.

The magic universities function using this same principle on a
larger scale; they house many wizards and sages with various
specialties.  They are not large operations, including maybe a dozen
students at most and three or four sages with any true magical ability,
but they are a change from the previous one-on-one relationship of mage
and apprentice. These schools are almost nonexistent in the North,
appearing only in the past 20 winters, and their first students are
just now making their name in the Realms at large. Such colleges are
said to be more common (and much larger) in the South, particularly in
such magical lands as Nimbral and Halruaa. In the North, the failed
experiment of a large university is recorded in the toppled stones of a
ruined magical college outside Beregost. Magic colleges in the North
tend to be low key where they exist at all.

Practitioners of the Art are found in most walks of life, and there
are former mages among the merchant class and courtiers. Many make
their living at magic, either as court wizards, adventurers, or sages
(the last being the least well-paid or recognized). Often they devote
long periods of time to producing magical items. When they adventure,
they are looking both for money to fund their researches, for magical
items to understand and comprehend, and for books to expand the scope
of their learning.

Wizards develop a signature rune that they use to identify their
belongings, sign as their name, and warn others. As a mage gains in
power, more individuals recognize the rune and connect it with a mighty
individual, not to be trifled with. Since some runes are connected with
magical spells, the use of signature runes reinforces the tendency of
ordinary people to shy away from such magically marked items.

A mage may develop a signature rune at any time, though it should
not be altered once created, to avoid confusion. This rune is used in
all spells that require writing, including symbol-type spells, and
nonmagically to indicate property or for messages. In a world where the
majority of the people speak but do not read a common language, such
runes are important to instruct the unknowing and to warn the cautious.

Mages relearn their spells daily from spell books, and usually
maintain two sets of the texts - a traveling set for use in the
wilderness, and a larger, more complete set at or near their home. Such
books are very important; many specialized books that were once
wizard's tomes are highly valued for the original spells therein.

The Curse of the Mage Runes

A powerful (level 10+) mage's sigil is protected by the Trifold
Curse of Mystra, a curse which afflicts those (magician or not) who
willfully copy the sigil of a known mage in order to deceive. The
offender must make three ability checks - one against Strength, one
against Intelligence, and one against Charisma.

If the Strength check is failed, the offender loses one point of
Strength permanently, and 1-4 hit points permanently,

If the Intelligence check is failed, the offender loses one point of
Intelligence permanently, and is feebleminded (as per the spell, no
saving throw).

If the Charisma check is failed, the offender loses one point of
Charisma permanently, and a glowing apparition (thought to be Azuth in
his mortal form) follows the offender around, pointing and shouting,
"Falsely done!" This apparition stays with the offender from anywhere
from several days to two months, and can cast a real cloud over formal
dinner parties (as Zeboaster the Blunt discovered when pulling a prank
in the presence of Vangerdahast of Cormyr), not to mention alerting all
beings encountered as to the offender's perfidy.

Specialist Wizards

Some mages are specialist wizards, concentrating their work in a
particular direction and devoting themselves to a particular school of
magic.  A school differs from a college and university in that it is a
particular type of study as opposed to a physical location. Wizards
specializing in illusion/phantasm magic are said to belong the school
of illusion, whether they operate in the lands of Thay or in the
jungles of Chult.

Specialist mages have always existed in the Realms, but their
numbers (save for the illusionists) were never great previous to the
Time of Troubles. Most of the old guard wizards like Khelben and
Elminster are nonspecialized mages. Since the Time of Troubles, the
number of specialist wizards has increased, and these wizards have
differing attitudes from their elders. The result of this magical gap
in ages has yet to be resolved.

Abjurers: These wizards specialize in abjuration spells, and are
concerned with wards and protection spells. Their general attitude is
that in a dangerous world, the first order of business is to stay alive
and whole. Abjurers prefer green and brown in their clothing. Only
humans can be abjurers.

Conjurers: Conjurers are specialists in conjuration/summoning
magics, and believe that to be a successful mage, all you need is to be
able to call into being allies, lackeys, or powerful servants to work
your will. Conjurers tend to be flashy in both dress and attitude.
Humans and half-elves can be conjurers.

Diviners: These cautious wizards specialize in the divination
school, particularly those spells of higher than 3rd level (known as
the greater divinations). They are careful, cautious planners, bookish
and literal in their outlook, as they are directed toward the gathering
and verification of information. Their dress and manners are
conservative and modest. Humans, elves, and half-elves can be diviners.

Enchanters: Enchanter specialist wizards hold a dual role. They
imbue their magics into static objects, but also use their
enchantment/charm spells to influence and control others. As a result,
they.  are as a class very self-confident and tend to think of
themselves , superior, even to other mages. Enchanters are social
creatures and!  tend to dress stylishly. They are most comfortable in
cities, which provide a wide circle of admirers (and subjects for their
charms).' Humans, elves, and half-elves can be enchanters.

Illusionists: Illusionists are devoted to one of the eldest
specialty wizard schools, concentrating on the powers of illusion and
phantasm.  As a group they tend to be secretive, even to the point of
having their own written language, Ruathlek, derived from their magical
writings.  They dress in simple grays and browns, perhaps with an
accent of color or a gemstone. Only humans and gnomes can be
illusionists; of the two, the gnomish illusionists are the more civil
and friendly.

Invokers: Invokers are those mages who specialize in the invocation
and evocation schools of magic. Capable of calling matter and effects
such as lightning and fire out of thin air, they are used to possessing
power and commanding the respect (or at least fear) of those around
them. Self-confident to the point of cockiness, invokers prefer bright
primary colors in their dress. Only humans can be invokers.

Necromancers: Necromancers are a two-sided coin. Some are interested
in necromancy from its healing and restorative aspect in relation to
the human body, while others (the better-known half) concentrate their
work on the dead and undead. As a result, the school is separated into
two camps, one white, the other black. White necromancers are healers,
work with local churches, and are in general good-aligned. Black
necromancers are secretive to the point of obsession, vengeful, and
often black-hearted. Their dress tends to match their outlook. Only
humans can be necromancers.

Transmuters: Transmuter, the masters of the alteration school of
magic are, as a rule, creatives, experimenters, and explorers who are
never happy with the way things are, but rather intensely intrigued by
the way things could yet be. Their garb is cut for comfort, as opposed
to fashion or camouflage. Humans and half-elves may be transmuters.

Priests

Priests are those individuals capable of directing energies derived
from particular entities known properly in the Realms as powers, though
often referred to as deities or gods. All priests belong to faiths that
venerate these powers and advocate their aims and goals.

The peoples of the Realms tend to be generally tolerant of all
faiths, such that in larger cities there are temple districts of
various faiths of dissimilar alignments and goals existing side by
side. Faiths and temples maintain varying levels of influence in the
local government, and only in a few cases is there a state religion.
One such exam.  ple is the island nation of Lantan, whose strange
inhabitants are almost all worshippers of Gond. Even so, there are
shrines to other deities on Lantan, though they exist primarily to
serve foreign visitors.

Priests in the Forgotten Realms are divided into two types: the
standard, generalist cleric, who has set abilities common to all
churches regardless of faith, and the specialty priest, who has special
abilities granted by the power in question. Many of the major faiths of
the Realms have specialty priests, but the most common such priest
encountered is the druid (see next section).

Priests can also be divided into two groups within their faith's
organization, though members of one group easily and often cross into
the other group. Hierarchy-bound priests are those who are usually tied
clown to a specific location, such as a temple, shrine, or monastery,
and work primarily to the good of that location, the church, and the
community, though not necessarily in that order. Mission priests are
at-large agents entrusted to wander the length and breadth of the
Realms spreading the basic tenets and beliefs of their faith.

Many of the priests found in adventuring parties, working alongside
merchants, or in mercenary companies are mission priests.  However, the
line is a fuzzy one, such that a specialty priest who has spent his
life in the hierarchy may suddenly decide, for the good of his older,
to engage in a quest for an artifact, gather a group of like-minded
adventurers, and set off as a mission priest. Similarly, a cleric who
has spent her life in adventuring companies, tithing a large part of
her earnings to setting up shrines for the power she follows, may
determine to retire to a temple to use the experience she has gained to
teach others, and enter the church hierarchy in that fashion.

Most faiths are fairly loose with such restrictions, only requiring
that a priest get the approval of a superior (or of the power being
venerated, if the priest is of matriarch/patriarch level) before
joining or leaving the hierarchy. In a similar fashion, priests have no
required dress code or raiment outside of the garb required for
ceremonies. In general, priests dress in the colors of their order
(usually those of their holy symbol) and wear some obvious symbol of
their faith on their person. Priests of Tymora will tend towards grays
and wear a silver disk either on a neckchain or affixed to a circlet,
while priests of Tempus will wear helms (or metal skullcaps) and
display Tempus's symbol (the fiery sword on the crimson field) on their
shields.

Druids

Druids, the most common type of specialty priest, tend to worship
outside of standard temple complexes, and instead wander the land,
collecting into loosely affiliated circles throughout the Realms. The
term circle serves to illustrate the unending cycles of natural
processes, and to emphasize that no one creature is intrinsically
superior to another. These druid circles fill the same requirements as
church hierarchies do within the clerical faiths, but are much smaller.
Among druids the distinction between the hierarchy-bound priest and the
mission priest becomes almost meaningless because of the loose nature
of circles and the roving tendencies of druids who are the caretakers
of large regions.

In the northern Realms from the Sword Coast to Impiltur, druids in
lightly settled areas have tended to gather in small groups, often with
rangers and other allies, for mutual protection, defense of key areas
or resources, and in order to accomplish their common goals more
easily. These groups, usually consisting of a dozen or fewer druids and
20 or fewer others, vary widely in prominence and working relationships.
In some, the druids live together in a woodland grove, and in others,
they are widely scattered, with other group members serving as
go-betweens. In some groups the druids and rangers deal with each other
as equals, and in others the druids are revered by those who work with
them.

In the Realms at large, these circles make up a network of
communication and aid among those who venerate Chauntea and similar
powers, such as Mielikki and Eldath. In general, the druids of the
Realms seek balance between the needs of people (especially civilized
peoples) and the needs of the natural world at the expense of neither.

While druids are relatively weak in the Dalelands at the moment,
they have several major areas of power, including the Border Forest,
the Gulthmere Forest, and, in particular, the Moonshaes.  In the
latter, the druids are worshippers of a good uncommon in the rest of
the Realms, the Earthmother, and this faith is both native and unique
to the area.

Druids of the same circle may worship different deities, though in
general, druids of the same circle tend to worship the same god. Common
powers venerated by druids are Eldath, Silvanus, Chauntea (in places),
and the elemental lords, in particular Grumbar and Kossuth (earth and
flame, respectively). Player character druids do not begin the game as
members of a circle, but may form such circles if they find other
druids and either accept them or are accepted into their ranks.

Great and grand druids are singular beings, and there is only one
such individual for a 500-mile area about the abode of a great or grand
druid. Each is entrusted with the organization and protection of the
circles and other druidic shrines within that domain. The precise
borders of a great druid's domain are nebulous at best, but there are
three major regions within Faerun. The first and eldest is on the
southern shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars, and includes the Gulthmere
Forest and the Chondalwood. The second is located in the scattered
remains of ancient Cormanthor, ranging from Cormyr to the Moonsea, and
includes the ancient territories of the Elven Court. The third is
located in the North. It is based in the High Forest but includes all
other forests and woods in the area. Druids are also active in the
Moonshaes and the forests surrounding the Great Dale, but it is unknown
at this time if their organization includes great and grand druids.

When a druid reaches sufficient level to advance in rank, she or he
is expected to seek and challenge another druid of his or her position.
A sign will be sent by the power the druid worships indicating the
location of the druid sought, unless the first druid knows the second
druid's location already. At high levels, this is the only method of
advancement for these specialty priests.

Rogues

As more people gather in large cities, more individuals who prey on
large collections of humankind gather as well. Chief of those are human
scavengers who seek their profession by stealing from others.  These
are the rogues of the Realms. Their allegiance is to themselves and a
handful of allies (at best), and their intentions are not always for
the good of their prey. In the wilds, their behavior is often useful
and beneficial to the group, but in the larger cities, their acts
usually spell trouble, and most lawful towns have laws against such
activities.

Despite such laws, thieves and thievery are common. Most major
cities have a number of thieves' dens competing with each other in
stealing and theft. A few cities (such as Zhentil Keep) have an
organized group of rogues (a guild) controlling all such activity, and
some can even operate from a building in broad daylight. Most thieves'
dens are secret gathering spots, often located beneath a city, and they
change as guards and lawful groups discover them.

The city of Waterdeep once was home to the most powerful guild of
thieves in the North. The Lords of Waterdeep smashed that guild,
forcing its leaders to flee the city. Those leaders are now the Shadow
Thieves of Amn). Rogues of all types still operate in Waterdeep, but
they are broken into innumerable small groups or operate alone. The
most recent attempt at organization, headed by a beholder named
Xanathar, has been smashed by the Lords and their agents.

The most common respite for rogues is what they call the "honest
trade" - adventuring. While adventuring, roguish abilities may be used
and indeed lionized in song and legend, when what a rogue is  doing is
almost the same as his or her in-town activities. The only difference
is that instead of stealing from a lord's manor, she or he is
burglarizing a lich's tomb. Many thieves take to this life, adhering to
a code that keeps them out of trouble in civilized areas but keeps them
in gold. Some leaders of important organizations are of this type.
Their fellow guild members trust the cash box with such individuals in
the city, but keep an eye on them in the wild for pocketed gems and
magical items that find their way into their high-topped boots,

Bards

Bards have been called rogues with a better biographer, and indeed,
they have many of the abilities and tendencies of their ill-reputed
cousins, yet are in the main more welcome throughout the Realms than
their roguish fellows. That level of trust operates mainly on the
social level, though, for while a landed lord may invite a bard into
his home for dinner, he will inevitably count his silverware afterward.

Bards have a number of skills which make them singularly valuable in
the Realms. They are wanderers by nature, and carry new items,
information, gossip, tales, warnings, and other bits of knowledge from
place to place. Further, it is the bard's nature to share this
information, as opposed to hoarding it for his or her own good
(something wizards are regularly accused of doing). The arrival of a
famous bard is the subject of everything from mild discussion in larger
cities to celebration in isolated villages. Bards are often rewarded
with both food and shelter, and also pick up new tales and legends to
relate elsewhere.

Bards can be of any alignment, though some part of their morality or
ethos must be neutral. There are evil bards in the Realms, though their
nature is not always apparent - garden-variety rogues are usually
assumed to be of evil (or at least greedy) intent, but bards are
generally presumed to be beneficent (or at least neutral). Many evil
bards profit under this assumption.

Contributing to the reputation of bards as-forces for good is the
existence of a primarily good-aligned secret organization - the
Harpers. The Harpers include druids, mages, priests, and rangers in
addition to bards, but the group's musical background and the
predominance of bards in such numbers among its ranks account for its
appearance as a bardic society. Membership in the Harpers is limited
and by invitation only, so that not every bard is a member of this
group, though to the forces of evil it often seems so.

Most bards are independent by choice and by nature, owing nothing to
any except their traveling companions. Not all bards are musicians
(some are rumormongers or poets), and not all musicians are bards,
though musical background is definitely useful in bardic society.  Of
old there were bardic colleges in the Realms, but they have been long
since been abandoned, save for a few names and ancient stories.

Musical Instruments of the Realms

For bards to be effective, they must be conversant with their tools.
The Realms have a number of alternative names for many common
instruments, and also feature instruments that are unique.

Birdpipe; A set of pan pipes.

Glaur: A short, flared, and curved horn which resembles a
cornucopia, and is fitted with valves (those without valves are
known as gloons).

Hand Drum: A double-headed drum.

Longhorn: A Faerun flute.

Shawm: A double-reed instrument, the ancestor of the oboe and
bassoon.

Songhorn: A recorder.

Tantan: A tambourine.

Thelarr: Also called the whistlecane, this is a simple reed
instrument.

Tocken; A set of carved, oval, open-ended bells, played like a
xylophone.

Wargong: Also called a shieldgong, the wargong is often made of the
shields of one's vanquished foes. It is played with mallets.

Yarting: A guitar.

Zulkoon: A complex and semiportable pump-organ.

In addition, such devices as the trumpet, the signal horn, the harp,
the dulcimer, the lyre, and the mandolin are commonly found in the
Realms. Players who wish to introduce the bagpipe do so at their own
risk.

Faerun
======

Faerun's civilizations range from the ancient and magical kingdoms
of the South to the savage frontier lands where the rule of law extends
only as far as a warrior's sword arm. The land is dominated by humans,
but a sizable number of elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes dwell on
and under it as well. The land holds an even greater number of fell
races - goblins, ores, ogres, drow, illithids, and beholders - to
challenge the rule of humankind and its allies. And then, there are
dragons - great beasts of tremendous power with their own hidden
agendas.

In short, Faerun is a hotbed of activity for the adventurous,
ranging from icebound Sossal to the Steamy jungles of Chult, from
metropolitan Waterdeep to the secret cities of Thay. It is home to
hundreds of heroes, adventurers, rogues, sages, freebooters, and
idealists. It is a land of adventure.

The two large-scale (I inch = 90 miles) color maps included in this
box depict the bulk of the land of Faerun. The Heartlands region is
portrayed in greater detail on the smaller-scale (I inch = 30 miles)
color maps.

The Regions of Faerun
---------------------

Each of the following regions of Faerun are covered in the
successive chapters, with greater detail being given to those in the
Heartlands of the Realms - the eastern regions of the Dales, Cormyr,
Sembia, the Vast, and the Dragon Coast, and the western regions of the
Western Heartlands and Waterdeep. The regions of Faerun include:

The Dalelands: Surrounding the edges of the old elven forest,
Cormanthor, the Dales are home to both a tough, independent people and
many dark secrets of the past.

Cormyr: A rising power under the command of King Azoun IV, Cormyr is
an established nation under the rule of law.

Sembia: A kingdom of allied merchant cities on the coast of the
Inner Sea, Sembia is a land of opportunity and treachery.

The Moonsea: A small, deep lake, the Moonsea is bordered with
independent city-states and their Vassals. Great evil lies on the
shores of the Moonsea in the form of Mulmaster and the fell Zhentil
Keep.

The Vast: Situated on the far side of the Dragon Reach, the Vast is
the gateway to the east. The region is centered in its greatest city,
Ravens Bluff, and is both friend and challenge to heroes from
throughout the Realms.

The Dragon Coast: A wild region of pirates, rogues, and traders, the
Dragon Coast includes the Pirate Isles of the Inner Sea. Its most
powerful city, however, is shadow-plagued Westgate.

The Western Heartlands: A wild, wide open space of endless plains,
haunted moors, and monsterinfested hills, the Western Heartlands is
still an untamed frontier, waiting for the birth of new kingdoms and
leaders.

Waterdeep: The City of Splendors, the greatest city in the North,
Waterdeep is a merchant's dream, a wizard's marvel, and potentially an
adventurer's worst nightmare. It sits upon one of the great underground
complexes of the Realms - Undermountain.

The Island Kingdoms: Diverse and mysterious, the kingdoms of the
Trackless Sea include the Moonshaes, elven Evermeet, magical Nimbral,
and wondrous Lantan.

The North: The North is defined as the region north of the River
Delimbiyr, excluding Waterdeep ^nd reaching to the Spine of the World
(the mountains also known as the Wall). This is a region of barbarian
tribes and walled cities that challenge the dominance of the goblin
races.

Anauroch: Anauroch is the Great Sand Sea, a spreading desert in
northern Faerun. Within its borders, entire ancient nations have been
swallowed and lie waiting for any who would brave the desert's perils.

The Cold Lands: Crouched in the shadow of the Great Glacier, these
areas include Thar, Vaasa, Damara, and Sossal. They are under the
continual threat of monstrous incursions.

The Unapproachable East: A land of magic and treachery, the
Unapproachable East lies hard on the borders of the barbarian
Hordelands to their east. The land is dominated by Thay, with its fell
Red Wizards, and the various nations that oppose it.

The Old Empires: The eldest living cities and organized nations of
the Realms, the Old Empires claim to be the birthplace of the modern
world. Under the stagnant control of their soulless god-kings, they
remain as they were millennia ago.

The Vilhon Reach: The southern coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars is a
land of fallen nations, opulent cities, and ancient woods. It is a land
of mercenary companies and petty kingdoms in endless minor wars.

The Empires of the Sands: The southern countries of Amn, Tethyr, and
Calimshan are a mixture of the established Realms and the wonders of
the South, influenced by both cultures and different from either.

The Shining South: The strange and magical lands of the far South
are little more than legends to the natives of the Dales and Waterdeep,
but they are legends of power and glory. From the jungles of Chult, to
mage-dominated Halruaa, to Luiren, land of the halflings, the South is
a diverse and deadly land.

The Underdark

The wildest frontier in the Realms is not reached by moving in a
cardinal direction, such as north or south. The most dangerous frontier
in Faerun is reached by going down.

The lands of the Realms are riddled with geological uplifts,
sinkholes, caverns, lava tubes, smokeholes, and fault lines. Add to
this a millennium of delvings by dwarves and other ancient races, and
another world lurks hidden beneath one's feet. This is the world of the
Underdark.

The Underdark is huge, sprawling, and for the most part unmapped and
undiscovered. It is possible (it is said) to walk from the Spine of the
World to Calimshan, and from there to Unther, without once drawing a
breath of surface air. Great empires have risen and fallen deep within
the earth without the surface-dwellers having the slightest inkling of
their birth or passing.

And the Underdark is inhabited by nations of mind flayers, abolechs,
kuo-toans, myconids, and other creatures of the darkling plain.  The
best known of the Underdark races are the drow, for they maintain their
relationship with the surface through raids and outposts.  Only 500
years ago Shadowdale was a drow surface outpost, and reports of drow
raiding parties are still common.

The best-known of the drow cities is fabled Menzoberranzan, reputed
to lie beneath the Savage Frontier, but there are others: Eryndlyn,
which lies beneath the High Moor; Sshamath, in the Far Hills; and
Llurth Dreier in the Shaar. The oldest drow city, Bhaerynden, was
destroyed in a civil war, the cavern it occupied falling in to form the
Great Rift now occupied by the dwarves.

The drow are not the only individuals within these dark tunnels, and
races and peoples undiscovered and much deadlier than they await the
incautious traveler and the foolhardy adventurer.

Time in the Realms
------------------

The following calendar is common enough to apply to all regions
within the Realms (especially the northern regions). The year consists
of 365 days: 12 months of exactly 30 days each (due to the single moon
and its followers), plus five days that fall between months. These days
are special occasions.  Leap year is retained purely for social
convenience, and provides a sixth special day that is used as the basis
for long-term agreements and such contracts and activities.

Months are subdivided into three ten-day periods. These are known
variously as eves, tendays, weeks, domen, hyrar, or rides throughout
the Forgotten Realms. While rides is the standard term used in Cormyr
and the Dalelands, this text uses weeks to avoid confusion. However, in
the Realms, the phrase "a week to ten days" means the same as "six of
one, a half-dozen of the other."

Although the months that comprise a year are standardized, the
system of dating years varies from place to place. Usually, years are
numbered from an event of great political or religious significance.
Each nation or region has cultures with unique histories, and thus,
different reckonings. The system of naming the months is named for its
inventor, the long-dead wizard Harptos of Kaalinth, and is in use
throughout the North.

The Calendar of Harptos

The Calendar of Harptos is summarized in the table below. Each
month's name is followed by a colloquial description of that month,
plus the roughly corresponding month of the Gregorian calendar in
parentheses. Special days are listed when they occur between months,
and appear in italic type. Each special day is described in the Special
Calendar Days section, below.

Order NameColloquial Description Gregorian Month

1  Hammer Deepwinter (January)
---Midwinter---
2  Alturiak  The Claw of Winter, (February)
 or the Claws of the Cold
3  Chesof the Sunsets(March)
4  Tarsakhof the Storms (April)
---Greengrass---
5  Mirtul The Melting(May)
6  KythornThe Time of Flowers (June)
7  Flamerule Summertide (July)
---Midsummer---
8  Eleasias  Highsun (August)
9  Eleint The Fading (September)
---Higharvestide---
  10  Marpenoth Leafall (October)
  11  Uktar  The Rotting(November)
---The Feast of the Moon---
  12  Nigtal The Drawing Down (December)

Special Calendar Days

Midwinter; Midwinter is known officially in Cormyr as the High
Festival of Winter. It is a feast where, traditionally, the local lords
of <he land plan the year ahead, make and renew alliances, and send
fife of goodwill. To the commonfolk throughout the Realms, this is
Deadwinter Day, the midpoint of the worst of the cold.

Greengrass: Greengrass is the official beginning of spring, a day of
relaxation. Flowers that have been carefully grown in the inner rooms
of the keeps and temples during the winter are blessed and cast out
upon the snow to bring rich growth in the season ahead.

Midsummer: Midsummer, called Midsummer Night or the Long Night, is a
time of feasting and music and love. In a ceremony performed in some
lands, unwed maidens are set free in the woods and "hunted" by their
would-be suitors throughout the night. Betrothals are traditionally
made upon this night. It is very rare indeed for the weather to be bad
during this night - such is considered a very bad omen, usually thought
to foretell famine or plague.

Higharvestide: Higharvestide heralds the coming of fall and the
harvest. It is a feast that often continues for the length of the
harvest so that food is always on hand for those coming in from the
fields. There is much traveling about on the heels of the feast, as
merchants, court emissaries, and pilgrims make speed before the worst
of the mud arrives and the rain freezes in the snow.

The Feast of the Moon: This festival, also called Moonfest, is the
last great festival of the year. It marks the arrival of winter and is
also the day when the dead are honored. Graves are blessed, the Ritual
of Remembrance is performed, and tales of the doings of those now gone
are told far into the night. Much is said of heroes and treasure and
lost cities underground.

  Wars, by the way, are often but not always fought after the harvest
is done, continuing as late as the weather permits. The bulk of the
fighting takes place in the month of Uktar, and the ironic practicality
of the Feast of the Moon is readily apparent.

  Shieldmeet: Once every four years, another day is added to the year
in the manner of February 29 in the Gregorian calendar.  This day is
part of no month and follows Midsummer Night.  It is known as
Shieldmeet. It is a day of open council between nobles and people, a
day for the making and renewing of pacts, oaths, and agreements. It is
a day for tournaments, tests and trials for those wishing to advance in
battle fame or clerical standing, for entertainment of all types,
particularly theatrical, and for dueling.

Marking the Years

Years (winters) are referred to by names, each name consistent
across the Realms. Each kingdom or city-state numbers years
differently, usually to measure the reign of a dynasty or the current
monarch, or since the founding of the country. The result is a
hodgepodge of overlapping numbers that serve to confuse the ordinary
person and frustrate the sage. The widespread differing year dates
include the following:

Dalereckoning (DR): Dalereckoning is taken from the year that humans
were first permitted by the Elven Court to settle in the more open
regions of the forests. The information within this text is accurate to
the close of 1367 DR. In some texts, primarily those which do not have
direct ties to Dales history, Dalereckoning is called Freeman's
Reckoning (FR).

Cormyr Reckoning (CR): Cormyr Reckoning begins at the foundation of
House Obarskyr, the dynasty that still rules that land. The information
in this text is accurate to the close of 1342 CR.  The 25-year gap
between Cormyr Reckoning and Dalereckoning has caused much of the
confusion regarding elder days. Timelines and calendars of the period
often use DR designators, but place the founding of Cormyr at I DR
instead of 26 DR. This is understandable, given that the two reckonings
are from two nearby parties and spread by a third (the merchants of
Sembia), but it causes learned sages to slam their heads violently
against their desks trying to figure things out.

Northreckoning (NR):  Used in the City of Waterdeep, Northreckoning
dates from the year Ahghairon became the first Lord of Waterdeep. The
information within this text is accurate to 335 NR. A more archaic
system called Waterdeep Years (WY) dates from the supposed first use of
Waterdeep as a trading post.  Now largely abandoned except in ancient
texts, the current year would be 2455 WY.

Dragon Years (DY): The use of Dragon Years is an ancient form of
counting in dragon generations of 200 years each. There are 10 cycles
of 200 years to a color, and each two-millenium color is named after a
type of dragon. This reckoning is long-since abandoned, such that it is
uncertain whether the current year is 145 or 147 of the Adult Red
Dragon.

Mulhorand Calendar (MC): One of the oldest calendars in use in the
Realms, this ancient scheme of record-keeping dates from the founding
of Skuld, the City of Shadows, reputedly by a Mulhorandi god. This tome
is accurate to the year 3501 MC.

The Roll of Years

The wide variety of competing and often conflicting calendars causes
no end of pain to the historian and the sage. Most use as their
recording device the Roll of Years, a system by which each year has its
own personal name. More recently, a new reckoning has arrived, based
upon the world-shaking events of the Time of Troubles, called Present
Reckoning (PR).

Names for the years are known collectively as the Roll of Years, as
they are drawn from the predictions written down under that title by
the famous Lost Sage, Augathra the Mad, with a few additions by the
great seer Alaundo (for further information on Alaundo see the section
about Candlekeep in the "Western Heartlands" chapter). The Roll is a
long one; here is the relevant portion of it.

The Year of the Dragon (1352 DR)
The Year of the Arch (1353 DR)
The Year of the Bow (1354 DR)
The Year of the Harp (1355 DR)
The Year of the Worm (1356 DR)
The Year of the Prince (1357 DR)
The Year of Shadows (1358 DR)
The Year of the Serpent (1359 DR)
The Year of the Turret (1360 DR)
The Year of the Maidens (1361 DR)
The Year of the Helm (1362 DR)
The Year of the Wyvern (1363 DR)
The Year of the Wave (1364 DR)
The Year of the Sword (1365 DR)
The Year of the Staff (1366 DR)
The Year of the Shield (1367 DR, the year just ending)
The Year of the Banner (1368 DR)
The Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR)
The Year of the Tankard (1370 DR)
The Year of the Unstrung Harp (1371 DR)
The Year of Wild Magic (1372 DR)
The Year of Rogue Dragons (1373 DR)
The Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)
The Year of Risen Elfkin (1375 DR)
The Year of the Bent Blade (1376 DR)
The Year of the Haunting (1377 DR)

Present Reckoning (PR)

In an attempt to get a handle on the various number systems in we, a
new type of reckoning has been implemented with the approval of such
worthies as Khelben Arunsun of Waterdeep and Vangerdahast of Cormyr and
carried abroad by the Harpers. All year-dates trace back to the Time of
Troubles as Year 0. It is currently 9 PR. Times before the Time of
Troubles are listed with a negative number (the founding of the
Standing Stone in 1 DR would be -1358 PR, the creation of Cormyr -1333
PR). Whether this nascent system of timekeeping becomes popular in the
Realms is unknown, though Elminster has noted "You have to give a new
system a generation or two to hash itself out. At least let it get into
double digits."

Throughout this text, we will be using Dalereckoning (DR) for times,
primarily since it reduces the large number of negative numbers of
historical events. Heroes and adventurers looking to the future may
consider PR instead for recording their own deeds.

Names in the Realms
-------------------

Naming systems vary widely in the Realms, with many local customs
being commonly followed. Player characters may one- or two-part names,
nick names, titles, or pseudonyms their career. General guidelines on
naming are as follows.

Common Humanity; The greater bulk of humanity takes a single name,
such as Doust or Mourngrym, with a secondary name added if there is
confusion, either from profession (Doust the Fighter), location (Doust
of Shadowdale), or lineage (the latter in particular if some legendary
figure was in family line, such as Doust, Grandson of Miniber the
Sage). In addition, a name may be added for a physical condition, such
as "Blackmane" or "Firehair," or for some legendary or extraordinary
event. (There are a large number of "Trollkillers" in the Realms, more
a credit to the numbers of the monsters, rather than the prowess of
their slayers.) Young children are given a pet name or diminutive that
is sometimes retained, but more often than not dropped upon adulthood
(Mourngrym and Shaerl's son is named Scotti, but that may change when
he reaches his majority). A wedded couple sometimes takes a common
name, which may be his or hers (particularly when dealing with
nobility) or be a new name entirely.  In the course of a lifetime,
average humans can take and discard several surnames, keeping their
given names throughout.

Human Nobles and Gentry: Noble and landed individuals tend to retain
the family name, a name usually derived from the individual who
established the family's fame, position, or prowess. Such names are
retained even after the nobility has fallen from grace or power. Again,
special additional names for events or appearances are common.

Human Wizards: Mages tend to eschew long titles and names, and the
general feeling is that a wizard's fame should precede him or her, such
that a single mention of the name is sufficient, and no one would doubt
the speaker was referring to anyone else but the genuine article. For
example, there may well be an Elminster the Barber or an Elminster of
Waterdeep, but a reference to Elminster (or the even more modest
"Elminster the Sage") refers to the advisor without peer who resides in
Shadowdale.

Human Priests: Identifications of the faiths of the realms are
usually included in a name, supplanting any family or noble names.
Amaster, a cleric of Tymora, can be referred to as Amaster of Tymora
without incident. In higher church circles and matters involving
leaders of particular temples or faiths, the full title is important,
such as Asgaroth of Tempus, Patriarch of Baldur's Gate.

Elves and Half-Elves: The People have family names that they tend to
translate back into common as nicknames, so that there are families of
Strongbows or Starglows in the world. Such family names are important
in that elven siblings can be hundreds of years apart in age.
Half-elves take elven or human naming fashions, depending on where they
were raised, and may change back and forth several times in the human
fashion.

Dwarves; Dwarves have a very strong sense of their past and the
heroes in their families. They carry only a first name, followed by the
qualifier of heritage. The lowest dwarves attach themselves to their
state or hold, such as Monger of the Iron House. Dwarves with a dwarf
of renown in their heritage may use the appellation "son of" or
"grandson of" (or "daul" or "grandaul" for females) such as Thelarn,
son of Mongoth. Beyond two generations, the phrase "blood of" is used,
but only for the greatest dwarven leaders, as in Nor, blood of Ghellin,
King-in-Exile of the Iron House.

Gnomes: These quiet people use both given and surnames, and maintain
long-standing family ties, such that a third name, for location, may be
necessary. For example, outside of his homeland, Wysdor Sandminer may
have to be known as Wysdor Sandminer, of the Sandminers of Arabel to
avoid constant discussions with other gnomes who may or may not be
close relations.

Halflings: Halflings are similar to the gnomes in the fact that they
use both given and surnames, but both those names may change over time
and be overappended with nicknames for adventures, physical abilities,
and pet or diminutive names. In addition, the original names may be
lost behind a maze of pseudonyms and false backgrounds. For example,
the halfling Corkitron Allinamuck chose both first and last names (his
parents were named Burrows), and goes by the diminutive Corky and the
nickname "High Roll."

Other Races: Most of the other races make do with a single name and
further clarification as needed (a centaur named Aldophus may be called
Aldophus the Roan, for example).

Ores and goblins tend to use proper names only when they need to,
the rest of the time using a native word that translates as "Hey, you!"
in everyday speech (a true speaker of the orcish tongue can put a great
deal of venom behind the word, such that fights can start in bars at
its mention).

Languages of the Realms
-----------------------

As for everything else - sentient races, rulers, gods, and
year-numbering systems - there is a plethora of linguistic variety in
the Realms. There are racial languages and regional dialects,
professional symbols and secret tongues. There are five "universal"
written languages, and as many differing individual languages as there
are those to speak them.

Most people north and east of the Sea of Fallen Stars are
semiliterate, that is, they know enough of the written language to get
by in their daily lives. The fact that written language is not
universally understood accounts for many of the specialized sigils and
runes within the Realms, as well as the popularity of bards.

Literacy is most common among the upper and more professional
classes. It is also assumed to be common among most adventuring
companies, and considered as much a survival skill as trapping or
swimming. Westgate, southern Sembia, and perhaps Hillsfar in the
Heartlands and Waterdeep on the Sword Coast are predominantly literate
areas. Elsewhere one must "trust to your tongue," as wayfarers say.

In game terms, the DM may choose to make understanding the written
versions of languages automatic for those who can speak them - if you
can speak common you may read and write common as well.  This is the
easiest approach to language within the Realms, though not particularly
accurate. In reality, reading or writing one of the five languages
should be counted as a separate language proficiency from speaking the
same tongue.

Common Tongue: Almost all intelligent creatures one might encounter
can understand and speak common (the trade tongue of humans, spoken
with little variance all across the known Realms), although they may
pretend not to. From region to region of the Realms, common may have
different accents and slightly different vocabularies as it .becomes
influenced by other local human and nonhuman tongues. While a native of
Thay will be able to communicate with a denizen of Baldur's Gate, each
will be aware of the other's ridiculous accent. In a similar fashion,
nonhuman tongues each belong to the same linguistic tree, so that elves
native to Evereska, Evermeet, and the Elven Court may understand each
other (barring, again, local dialects and accent).  To humans, the
elven "common tongue" is referred to simply as elvish, and the dwarven
"common tongue" as dwarvish.  The written common tongue, which is
presented in these writing as English, is a descendent of Thorass, the
original trade language.  Most individuals use runes for conveying
information.

Thorass (Also Called Auld Common): Thorass is the ancient written
trade tongue and universal language of the long-ago Realms. It is often
found in tombs, underground ways, and ancient habitations and is still
in use among the scribes of the southern noble courts. It is the
ancestor of the common tongue.  This language was used primarily for
documents and trading records, as well as histories, and as such did
not achieve common usage. An inscription in Thorass translates directly
into common, although it usually uses a stilted and archaic form of
phrasing and vocabulary.

Espruar; This is the moon elven alphabet, in which most elves of the
Realms render messages, either in common or their native language. A
beautiful script alphabet, Espruar (ES-prue-AR) often covers elven
jewelry and monuments in ornate designs. Espruar is rarely committed to
paper, but when permanent records are required, it is pressed into
metal in the dwarven fashion. Elven histories are rare, since most of
the elves who experienced the historical events that would be in them
are still alive.

Dethek Runes: Dwarves seldom write on that which can perish.
Rarely, they stamp or inscribe runes on metal sheets and bind those
together to make books, but stone is their usual medium:  stone walls
in caverns, stone buildings, pillars or standing stones - even cairns.
Most often, they write on tablets called runestones in the common
tongue.

A typical runestone is flat and diamond-shaped, about an inch thick,
and made of granite or some other very hard rock. The face of the stone
is inscribed with Dethek runes in a ring or spiral around the edge, and
the center normally contains a picture. Some runestones have pictures
in relief and are used as seals or can be pressed into wet mud to serve
as temporary trail markers underground.

To a dwarf, all runestones bear some sort of message. Most are
covered with Dethek runic script, which translates directly into
dwarvish or common. The runes of this script are simple and made up of
straight lines for ease in cutting them into stone. No punctuation can
be shown in Dethek, but sentences are usually separated by script slash
marks, words are separated by spaces, and capital letters have a line
drawn above them. Numbers that are enclosed in boxes are dates, day
preceding year by convention. There are collective symbols or
characters for identifying peoples (clans or tribes) or races. If any
runes are painted, names of beings and places are commonly picked out
in red, while the rest of the text is colored black or left as
unadorned grooves.

Ruathlek: Ruathlek, the "secret language" or magical script of
illusionists, is rarely found in the Realms. Illusionists themselves
are fairly rare in the North - but Waterdeep is known to hold at least
one library of books in that dweomer-guarded tongue. It has been
surmised that this written secret language of the illusionists is
derived from the use of magical runes. Illusionists only have access to
this language upon choosing their class. It may be learned by others,
but does not confer the ability to cast magical spells.

Written Languages:

  Common
  Dethek
  Espruar
  Ruathlek
  Thorass

Spoken Languages:

  Aarakocra
  Alzhedo (Calimshan)
  Auld Wyrmish
  Beholder
  Brownie
  Bugbear
  Bullywug
  Centaur

Languages of the Realms:

  Common
  Dolphin(2)
  Dragon Turtle
  Dryad
  Dwarvish
  Elvish
  Elvish, Drow (Silent Speech)
  Elvish, Sea
  Firenewt
  Gargoyle
  Genie Tongue
  Giant Eagle
  Giant(3)
  Gnoll
  Gnomish
  Goblin
  Halfling
  Harpy
  High Shou (Kara-Tur)
  Invisible Stalker
  Jermlaine
  Ki-Rin
  Koalinth
  Kobold
  Korred
  Kuo-Toan
  Lammasu
  Lizard Man
  Locathah
  Merman
  Midani (Zakhara)
  Minotaur
  Morkoth
  Muckdweller
  Mulhorandi (Old Empires)
  Nexalan (Maztica)
  Nixie
  Nymph
  Ogre
  Ogre Magi
  Orc
  Otyugh/Neo-Otyugh
  Owlbear
  Pegasus
  Pixie
  Remorhaz
  Sahuagin
  Satyr
  Sphinx
  Sprite
  Sylph
  Tasloi
  Thri-Kreen
  Treant
  Triton
  Troglodyte
  Troll (Troll Hills)(4)
  Umber Hulk
  Undercommon(5) (Underdark common)
  Unicorn
  Untheric (Old Empires)
  Urd
  Wemic
  The Were-Tongues of Lycanthropy(6)
  Whale(2)
  Will-O-Wisp(2)
  Yuan-Ti

1) Auld wyrmish is the ancestral language of all dragons, and the
tongue which they use when communicating with each other across species
lines.  In addition, each dragon subspecies has its own tongue, derived
from auld wyrmish. These tongues may be treated as separate languages,
though a knowledge of auld wyrmish will serve the traveler well.

2) While these creatures have a common language among themselves, the
nature of the language is undetectable by humans - dolphins use sounds
higher than human hearing, whales use sounds lower than human hearing,
and will-o-wisps use intensities of their own lights.

3) Giants have a common tongue used by all of their race and in
addition have their own sublanguages. Common giant and hill giant would
be considered two separate languages.

4) Trolls speak in a variety of tongues, consisting of corrupted and
debauched phrases and loan words from other languages. Speaking troll
refers only to the dialect of the Trollbark Forest and High Moors.
Beyond this (say, in the Great Gray Land of Thar), the speaker might as
well be talking in Midani.

5) Undercommon is the trade language of the Underdark. It differs
fundamentally from the common used on the surface and uses sentence
structure and loan Holds from the races beneath the earth.

6) Each type of lycanthrope has its own native tongue that is shared by
the others of its breed. Each were-tongue must be learned separately,
and cannot be used with lycanthropes of different breeds. In other
words, a person speaking were-tiger cannot communicate with a
were-bear.

Two Final Notes: Druids and thieves have their own private
languages, which they do not share with individuals outside their
community. They cannot be learned by an outsider but are available to
individuals who are druids and thieves (this is similar to the
illusionists' use of Ruathlek).

Finally, some creatures can communicate with animals or plants, and
some spells grant the same abilities. This does not mean that these
beings have a language or intelligence, merely that communication is
made possible on a deep, almost empathic level. Such communication may
not be taken as a starting language.

Currency in the Realms
----------------------

Barter and coinage of all sorts are common in the Realms.  The
following system is that of the nation of Cormyr, and is typical of the
other organized nations.

The favored form of currency in Cormyr is the royal coinage of the
Court, stamped with a dragon on one side and a treasury date mark on
the other (the penalty for counterfeiting in Cormyr and most other
similar nations is death).

There is no paper currency save for I.O.U.s, which are known as
blood-notes, as they must be signed in blood by both (or all, if more
than two) parties involved and taken to the local lord for the affixing
of the royal seal.

Coinage throughout the Realms is customarily valued as follows:
  100 cp = 100 copper pieces
= 10 silver pieces
= 2 electrum pieces
= 1 gold piece
= 1/5 platinum piece

In Cormyr, coinage terminology is as follows:
  cp = copper pieces = copper thumbs
  sp = silver pieces = silver falcons
  ep = electrum pieces "blue eyes
  gp = gold pieces = golden lions
  pp = platinum pieces = tricrowns

In Amn, a major trading nation on the Sword Coast, the names are:
  cp = copper pieces = fandars
  sp = silver pieces = tarans
  ep = electrum pieces = centaurs or decimes
  gp = gold pieces = dantars
  pp = platinum pieces = roldons or pearls

In Calimport, the largest city of Calimshan, the coins are:
  cp = copper pieces = unarches
  sp = silver pieces = decarches
  ep = electrum pieces = centarches
  gp = gold pieces = bicentas
  pp = platinum pieces = kilarches

And in Waterdeep, City of Splendors, the coinage is:
  cp = copper pieces = copper nibs
  sp = silver pieces = shards
  ep = electrum pieces = moons
  gp = gold pieces = dragons
  pp = platinum pieces = suns

In addition, Waterdeep has two special coins not found elsewhere:
the toal and the harbor moon. The toal is a square, flat brass coin
with a hole in its center. The toal is worth 2 gp within the city of
Waterdeep, and is worthless outside of it. The harbor moon is a 50-gp
coin made of platinum fitted with electrum and carved into the shape of
a moon, again with a hole in the center.

Sembia maintains a similar coinage, but it is instead differentiated
by shape. Gold coins are five-sided, silver are triangular, iron
(replacing copper here) are square, and electrum are diamond-shaped.
Sembia issues no platinum pieces, instead using silver and copper trade
bars in 5-, 10-, 25-, and 50-gp denominations.

To most adventurers, the name of the coin is unimportant, and the
face depicted on the coin is incidental to its true importance -
immediate personal wealth.

Local city-states often mint their own copper, silver, and gold
pieces. Electrum and platinum pieces are rarer, and are usually minted
only by the more powerful states such as Cormyr, Waterdeep, and Amn.
Smaller states, such as the fractured regions of Damara, use coinage
borrowed from other nations and looted from ancient sources.

Merchants throughout the Realms make use of trade bars, either of
silver or (for the more profitable caravans and costers) electrum.
These trade bars are generally ingots of the particular metal in 10-,
25-, and 50-gp denominations. They are marked with the trail mark of
the merchant or company that uses them.  There are even (particularly
in the South), trade bars of 500- and 1,000-gp denominations. Trade
bars are regarded as bulk coins of the denomination they are made in,
and are checked by weight.

In adventuring, heroes will encounter all manner of treasure.  In
general, it does not matter where the coin originally came from, only
its weight and value on the modern market.

Character Description Abbreviations
-----------------------------------

The sections which follow mention a great number of individuals of
power, both in terms of local government and individual ability. The
following shorthand abbrevations are provided so that when one
encounters Thuggor the Rancid (LE dm F10), one has some idea who one is
dealing with.

Alignment is given first, and indicates the alignment of the
character as far as everyday life (and know alignment spells) are
concerned. The alignments are:

Abbreviation  Alignment

  LG Lawful good
  LN Lawful neutral
  LE Lawful evil
  NG Neutral good
  N  Neutral
  NE Neutral evil
  CG Chaotic good
  CN Chaotic neutral
  CE Chaotic evil

Following alignment is an abbreviation indicating race and sex
(names are not always indicative of sex). These codes are:

Abbreviation Race

 h  human
 d  dwarf
 e  elf
 he half-elf
 half  halfling
 g  gnome
 gobgoblinkind (ores, half-ores, etc.)

 m  male
 f  female

Race names of goblinkind and other humanoid and nonhumanoid (monster
races) are also used unabbreviated for clarity in many cases.

Finally, class (if applicable) and level are noted. Multiclass
individuals or characters with two classes (if human) will be noted by
a slash between entries. Monsters are merely given their Hit Dice.

Abbreviation  Class

  F  Fighter/warrior
  PalPaladin
  R  Ranger
  W  Wizard
  W(l)  Wizard (Illusionist)
  W(T)  Wizard (Transmuter)
  W(N)  Wteard (Necromancer)
  W(A)  Wuard  (Abjurer)
  W(C)  Wfaard (Conjurer)
  W(D)  Wizard (Diviner)
  W(E)  Wizard (Enchanter)
  W(IN) Wizard (Invoker)
  P  Priest
  P(Sp) Priest (Specialty)
  D  Druid
  T  Thief
  B  Bard

Therefore, Thuggor the Rancid (LE dm F10) is a lawful evil dwarven
male who is a fighter of 10th level. Other information, such as
exceptional Strength or magical items, may be noted as well, but this
shorthand should help the DM if a player suddenly decides to take leave
of his senses and insults Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon (CG hf W24).

The Dales and the Elven Court
=============================

The heart of the Heartlands is the rural communities known as the
Dalelands. These small farming communities are the homes of many
retired adventurers and the birthplaces of many new heroes and
heroines. Teaching self-reliance and independence, the Dale communities
produce a brave, strong, and free-willed race of women and men who are
needed to challenge the forces of evil. But the Dalelands themselves
are defined by the great forest that they surround. This forest is the
largest shard of what was once a great woods known as Cormanthor, which
ran from the Moonsea to what is now the King's Forest in Cormyr. This
largest remaining forest is known also as the Elven Court, for it was
here that the last great elven kingdom on the Inner Sea lands held
sway. To speak of one is to speak of the other, for the fates of the
Dalesmen and the elven lords are interlinked.

The Dalelands
-------------

The region known as the Dalelands is defined as the nonforested
areas inhabited by humanity north of Sembia and Cormyr and south of the
River Tesh and the town of Voonlar. This region includes a wide
scattering of different communities, all primarily rural in nature,
that share (generally) common interests and ideals. In addition, the
Dalelands are the home of many powerful individuals or groups that find
the independence of the natives in keeping with their own beliefs.

The current Dales are: Archendale, Battledale, Daggerdale,
Deepingdale, Featherdale, Harrowdale, High Dale, Mistledale, Scardale,
Shadowdale, and Tasseldale. There are a number of fallen, nonexistent,
and lost Dales scattered through the history of the Dalelands, but
these are the official Dales.  They should not be confused with other
Dales located far from the Elven Court, such as the Great Dale far to
the East or Icewind Dale near the Spine of the World.

History

The founding of the Dalelands long preceded the creation of any of
the existing Dales by hundreds of years, and the year numbering system
known as Dalereckoning is actually a commemoration of humankind being
given permission to settle in the lands north and west of the Inner
Sea. Most of the current Dales are relative newcomers, the older Dales
having been abandoned, destroyed, or overrun long ago.

In those ancient days, when Suzail and Chondathan (now called
Saerloon) were mere coastal trading posts, the elves who ruled this
forest entertained a request from settlers from the East, refugees and
farmers from far-off Impiltur and Damara. This request was to farm and
settle the borders of the great forest Cormanthor, in particular the
rich delves and dales along the rivers Arkhen and Ashaba. These
newcomers did not wish to lumber or clear the inhabited forest, but
only to settle on the rich territories on its edges, and unlike some
other settlers (early Sembia comes to mind) were willing to ask
permission.

The lords of the Elven Court granted that request in return for aid
from these new Dalelanders against outside aggression, both monstrous
(ores and goblins from the lands of Thar) and human (the rising powers
in Cormyr and Sembia). In commemoration of this pact, humans and elves
raised the Standing Stone that is now seen where the Moonsea Ride
reaches Rauthauvyr's Road, the road from Essembra to Hillsfar. It is
from the date of the raising of this stone that Dalereckoning is
counted.

According to the pact made, the Dalesmen would only settle those
regions that were unforested or unclaimed by the elves. As the elven
woods receded under the axes of further invaders and settlers, old
Dales perished and new ones came into being along the borders of the
woods. People, both good and bad, have raised petty nations in the
Dalelands since, though any one Dale that turned against the pact would
have to deal with the others.

Each of the Dales is a large swath of farms and fields, with a few
scattered settlements and usually one central marketplace, capital, or
Dale center. These centers are often, but not always, named after the
Dales they are in, adding to the confusion as to what is a Dalelands
territory. The Dales are not city-states, for their largest groupings
of population rate as towns at best, and they lack the defensive walls
common throughout the Heartlands. Nor are they true nations in the
fashion of Cormyr or Sembia. They occupy a gray middle ground, and are
nothing more, or less, than Dales.

Each Dale has slightly different laws, customs, and military
organizations. Many rely on the work of charismatic heroes and
adventuring companies for aid in times of trouble, and a large number
of these individuals use the region as a base. This attraction for
adventurers is further increased by the large number of elven and
pre-elven ruins in the area and the departure of the Elven Court for
Evermeet, leaving the woods open for exploration and exploitation.

The history of the Dales is filled with battles and attacks on its
various members. In the Year of the Worm (1356 DR), Scardale, under the
command of Lashan Aumersair, launched a number of swift attacks,
conquering a number of the surrounding Dales. A coalition of forces
from the other Dales, Sembia, Cormyr, and Zhentil Keep crushed the
invaders and occupied Scardale. During the Time of Troubles (1358 DR/0
PR), Shadowdale was attacked by Zhentil Keep. More recently, the
Dalelands have committed forces to a unified army under King Azoun IV
of Cormyr to turn back the Tuigan Invasion (1360DR).

The Dalelands Mindset

The natives of the Dales live in communities that are on the
frontiers of civilized life and often targets for marauding bands of
goblins, flights of dragons, and the depredations of other monsters. As
a result, they tend to value heroism, self-reliance, and a strong,
almost clannish sense of community. They feel that they should tend to
their own and protect their homes. The local community comes first,
then the Dales at large, then the larger world beyond it.

To an outsider, the Dalesmen seem close-mouthed, suspicious, and
reserved. Indeed, until a newcomer is identified as friend or foe, or
vouched for by a trusted individual, most keep their responses to the
civil minimum. They are polite, but it is an observant and reserved
politeness - they have had a bellyful of shapechangers, lycanthropes,
and necromancers, and a little caution goes a long way.

Once a person is accepted, the Dalesmen are by and large open and
giving, and expect the same from their guests. Once people are counted
as a part of the community, they should pitch in to its defense. This
particularly applies to adventurers who suddenly find themselves the
local lords.  Dalesmen believe that nobles are one of the givens in
daily life, like stars and crops and monsters - you might as well learn
to live with them. As a rule, they like their government far removed
from their daily life. The local lord should get things done that
cannot be done on an individual level, like organize an army or see to
it that the grain mill operates at a fair price. Beyond that the lord
should keep out of trouble. Taxes beyond one piece of silver in 20 or
one bushel of fruit for every 10 collected are considered excessive.

As for the rest of the world, the Dalesmen are fairly well isolated.
Bards bring the latest news and rumors, and are always welcome, but the
way Dalelanders see things, the farther away from home, the more
dangerous the world seems. The Sembians are scheming merchants, always
looking to line their pockets. The Cormyreans are fairly solid folk,
but the recent acquisition of Tilverton has made many concerned about
Azoun's true intent with his armies. The Moonsea, headed by Zhentil
Keep, is a nasty bit of work, and its people should not be trusted
further than one can throw them. As for the Vast, across the Dragon
Reach, the rural communities there have ties with the ancestors of the
Dalesmen, but the cityfolk should be watched to see if they are
dangerous.

The Dales Council

Each of the Dales is self-governed, but together they form a loose
council that meets each year at Midwinter in a different town of the
Dalelands. This Dales Council, founded in the time following Aencar the
Mantled King, is no stronger than the strength of its contributing
members, yet has been held and its decisions followed with (generally)
good faith over the past hundred winters.  At the best of times, the
Dales Council is a group of tough-minded, independent, argumentative
individuals who would lay down their lives rather than see another
Dalesman threatened.

A list of the member Dales of the Dales Council and their rulers or
representatives follows. Some Dales send the ruler of the Dale or its
largest community as their representative. Some Dales send a committee
or a randomly chosen delegate. Regardless of the number of individuals
sent or the personal power of those individuals, each of the Dales has
one vote in the Council.

No two Dales have the very same form of government, or even the same
titles for their rulers. Several merely send a representative for the
people of that Dale. Others have a hereditary or military leader. Some
pass leadership from one adventuring bravo to another, and some, in the
manner of Amn and more civilized states, hide the identity of their
leaders behind a title.

The Dales are listed alphabetically, for any attempt to declare one
Dale greater, larger, or more important than another is an invitation
to an argument. Each Dale has its own individual entry.

 * Archendale is represented by one of the Three Swords.

 * Battledale is represented in Council by War Chancellor Ilmeth.

 * Daggerdale sends a different delegate each year; the position is
known as councilman (or councilwoman, councilelf, and in one year, a
councilhalfling).

 * Deepingdale is represented by Theremen Ulath, Lord of Highmoon.

 * Featherdale sends a freely elected representative with a seven-year
term. Representative Kirshoff is currently on her second term.

 * Harrowdale sends a delegation of the Seven Burghers of Harrowdale,
led by Reindorf Sandbeard.

 * High Dale sends its high constable, Irreph Mulmarr.

 * Mistledale is represented by High Councilor Haresk Malorn or one of
his subordinate, but equal, councilors.

 * Scardale has a nonvoting representative, Myriam Beechwood. Scardale
has been under occupation by other Dales' forces until recently, and
is only now being treated as a provisional member of the Council.

 * Shadowdale is represented by Mourngrym, Lord of the Dale, or in his
absence Shaerl Rowanmantle, his wife.

 * Tasseldale is represented by Elizzaria, Grand Mairshar of the Dale,
chief of its mounted officers.

 * Teshendale was destroyed some 50 winters ago, yet it remains listed
as a member of the Dales Council, and a chair is set aside at each
meeting for Elder Jaothe Hulnhum (missing and presumed dead). The
idea that a dead Dale is a full member grates on the representative
from Scardale.

Archendale

Archendale (pronounced ARK-en-dale) is situated in an isolated rocky
gorge that carries the River Arkhen from the Thunder Peaks down to the
sea at Selgaunt. The Dale is a beautiful valley of ferns, lilies,
mosses, and clear pools. The valley and its surrounding area is warm
through most of the year, and covered with heavy, wet snow in the
winter. There are scattered farms and orchards along the valley floor.
The Dale's largest community and general trading post is at
Archenbridge, at the mouth of the vale, where the River Arkhen crosses
the Dawnpost.

Archendale is home to aggressive traders who operate from the
Moonsea to Dragonmere and beyond. The orchards provide rich fruit that
commands a good price in Sembia. In addition, freshwater crabs,
regarded as a delicacy in Archendale, live in the pools in the Dale. A
few of the merchant houses that make Archendale home include:

 * Mirksha, Mirksha, and Mirksha: This house is composed of three
brothers with a thriving trade operating to Cormyr and Sembia. They
will trade in anything and are known to have a taste for the exotic
and the rare.

 * Jendalar's Fine Fruits: This house, which bills itself as "Purveyors
to the Tables of the King of Cormyr," specializes in sending apples
and grus-grus fruit westward. It does have a standing order from the
Royal Court at Suzail, but most of its sales are to the rising
gentry class that wants to imitate the manners of the nobility.

 * The Stone Crab Coster: As may be surmised, Stone Crab Coster
specializes in seafood, primarily freshwater crabs and crayfish, but
more recently it has expanded to include seafood throughout the
Inner Sea. Its current chief, Maximar Spendler, dreams of a trading
empire that could challenge the Iron Throne and Sembia.

 * The Darkuiater Brand: An operation of bad repute outside of
Archendale, the Darkwater Brand is careful to maintain excellent
relationships in the Dale itself and not break any laws. Darkwater
is accused of smuggling, slaving, kidnapping, and dealing with the
fell cities of the Moonsea. The proprietors, a family named Dakker,
deny all.  Archendale society has been formed from a long and proud
history tainted by long-lasting grudges and many-layered intrigue.
A hundred years ago, a battle with the people of Sessrendale
resulted in the utter destruction of that community, a matter that
neither Archendale nor its neighbors is likely to forget.

Natives of Archendale tend to be haughty, even among other Dalesmen,
short-tempered, and vain. Outsiders are suspect, and if they work for
one of the local merchant houses, that merchant house is held
responsible for their actions. In general, Archendale is considered a
fine place to trade but a poor neighborhood to live in.

Archendale has temples of Chauntea, Lathander, and Tempus within its
borders. The Bounty of the Goddess is overseen by Thaliach Mindogar (NO
hm P8) and four of his clerical followers.  The temple of Lathander is
under the command of Stellaga Brightstar (NG hef P12) and 16 priestly
acolytes. The temple of Tempus is small, and based at Swordpoint. Its
high priest is Battle-Chaplain Gordon Stakaria (N hm P10). As with all
the Dales, there are shrines to Silvanus, Eldath, Mielikki, and Selune
scattered throughout the nearby woods.

The Archendale Army

Archendale's is a military government ruled by three officers known
as Swords: a Black Sword, a Red Sword, and a Blue Sword. The Swords
have no other name, and magical measures (illusions, bracelets of
misdirection) are used to maintain their secrecy. The Swords are
deliberately mysterious, and usually speak through officers of the
Archendale Army. One of the Swords always attends the Dales Council.
Should a Sword perish, another is promoted from within the army.

The Archendale Army consists of 10 mounted units called rides with
60 soldiers per ride, for a total regular force of 600 soldiers. These
are mounted forces of men-at-arms dressed in chain and carrying sword,
lance, and composite bow. Each ride has a ridemaster - a warrior of 5th
level or higher. Three of the rides (and the leading Swords) are based
in a fortified garrison known as Swordpoint, located overlooking the
ford at Archenbridge.

The traders of Archendale have used their wealth in the past to hire
mercenary troops and spellcasters to protect themselves and their goods
when the need arises in the manner of their Sembian neighbors.  The
Swords of Archendale allow this with the proviso that the Swords may
appropriate said units for common defense in time of need.

The true identity of the Swords is hidden from everyday knowledge,
and they may be any of the ridemasters or occupy some other position in
the Dale. Inquiries into such matters meet a blank and tired stare from
natives, and it is surmised that they themselves do not know the
identities of the Swords.

Battledale

The territory of Battledale consists of a series of low hills and
valleys that lie between the Pool of Yeven and Haptooth Hill, and
extends northward under the shade of the elven woods. A large number of
small farms and homesteads dot the area, but the Dale has no central
community.  The region is speckled with small hamlets, isolated
ranches, and manors of retired adventurers and merchants.

This region of oft-disputed ground is gently rolling farmland, open
and a suitable site for large battles. Battledale has seen heavy use in
all manner of conflicts, most recently in the Scardale uprising. It was
on the fields of Battledale that the power of Lashan of Scardale was
broken and his forces sent reeling back to their native vale.

Battledale has a proud heritage, and was once the home of Aencar the
Mantled King, a great warrior of the Dalelands who almost succeeded in
forging the various communities into a cohesive nation. The ruins of
Aencar's castle can still be seen from Rauthauvyr's Ride, the road
running to the Standing Stone, and it has not been reoccupied since his
death.

The rolling slopes around the castle still serve as the local site
of the Shieldmeet, the quadrennial gathering of commoners and nobles.
It is a time when the various classes may mix without (major) incident.
Battledale's Shieldmeet attracts travelers from the nearby Dales,
Sembia, and even Cormyr and the Moonsea.

Battledale has no official ruler or seat, though Essembra serves as
a trading/gathering/goods center for the Dale. It consists of no more
than a dozen buildings lining the main road, including an inn (the
Watchful Eye), a smithy, a shrine to Tempus, and a temple to Gond
(under the auspices of Lord High Smith and Artificer Gulmarin Reldacap
(N hm P9)). On a hill overlooking Essembra is the fortified manor house
of the local lord. The shrine of Tempus is regularly visited by
soldier-priests from the nearby Abbey of the Sword, a fortified abbey
under the command of Priest General Ambrose (LN hm P13).

The lord of Essembra and leader of the Shieldmeet is War Chancellor
Ilmeth, sent as Battledale's representative to the Dales Council.
Battledale, despite its hostile name, maintains no standing army, and
the title War Chancellor is a hereditary title, dating back to the time
of Aencar. Ilmeth (LN hm F11) is a warrior dark of beard and mood who
continually ponders the strengths of the various factions in the
region.

The people of Battledale are friendly but private, and each
generation has lost this brother or that sister to wars that occured on
its land.  Strangers are tolerated but not welcomed, and individuals
who want their privacy (including one or two retired mages) are gladly
given it.

Daggerdale

Daggerdale is a true dale, or stream valley, bounded by mountains on
the west and rocky hills on the east. It is a farming and hunting
community that has largely kept to itself in the past.

Daggerdale is and remains a Dale under continual siege and raiding.
What communities exist are gathered behind small stockades.  and
travelers of any ilk are not welcome Even the lowest offer of
hospitality, the offer of use of the barn for bedding down, is missing
in Daggerdale.

This was not always the case. Before the founding of Shadow dale,
this region was known as Merrydale and had earned a reputation for its
hospitality and trust. A tragic infestation of vampire destroyed that
trust, and the community began to turn in on itself. Further disasters
and betrayals deepened the suspicions of outsiders, and Merrydale
became Daggerdale.

Daggerdale has learned its attitude at great cost. It stood by,
besieged by its own problems, when Teshendale was overrun and captured
by the forces of Zhentil Keep under the control of the Black Network,
known as the Zhentarim. A flood of refugees surged into the Dale, where
they were absorbed by the population.  These refugees included a large
number of Zhentarim agents. These agents rallied disatisfied elements
in the Dale, pointing out the ineffectiveness of the Mom family, the
hereditary rulers of the Dale, in dealing with marauding ores and
Zhentarim. The Morn family was thrown out, and a "populist" ruler named
Malyk was installed. Too late did the populace realize that this Malyk
was no more than a Zhentarim agent.

Under Malyk, the Zhentarim controlled Daggerdale and ruled it with
an iron fist backed by fireball-wielding mages. The populace was beaten
into submission both by Malyk's agents and by the very marauding
nonhuman tribes that Malyk was put in place to repel. Rather than pay
the ore tribes in its service, the Zhentarim would send them to
Daggerdale for their version of rest and recreation-rapine and
revolution. During this time most of the Dalesmen began to retreat
behind their stockades. Other Dales were unwilling or unable to help,
being pressed by Zhentil Keep as well.

So it was until the last male heir of the Morn family, Randal Morn,
returned to the vale. Gathering together a small band of heroes and
rebels, Randal struck against the Zhentil Keep forces, slaying Malyk
and "freeing" the Dale (1353 DR). This freedom is little more than a
word, for enemy forces to this day continue to plunder the Dale at
will. It is little surprise that the native population of the Dale is
unfriendly, suspicious, and bad-tempered.  Many of their own entered
into service with Zhentil Keep, and trust does not exist even within
families.

Randal continues his war against the invaders, operating from an
ever-moving base to protect himself and his followers from the Zhentil
Keep forces. He is the last of his line, save for his sister, Silver,
who has been sent south and has married into the Cormaeril family of
nobles in Cormyr. Should something happen to Randal Morn, a Cormyrean
family will have a claim on the lands of Daggerdale.

The Morn family ruled from Castle Daggerdale, located on the
southern flank of the Dagger Hills, with a wide view of the valley.
The castle was first gutted by Malyk, and later destroyed by Randal
Morn's followers when Malyk was killed. It remains a haunting, desolate
place, a site of lost hopes and wasted opportunities.

The largest settlement in Daggerdale was a trading outpost on the
northern end of the Dale at Dagger Falls. Here goods and supplies were
loaded from the dwarven mine of Tethyamar and from Teshendale for
shipment down to Cormyr. With the triumph of Malyk and Zhentil Keep,
the community became a starting point for Zhentarim caravans. Now that
Randal Morn regularly raids the area, Dagger Falls is an open town,
where forces of good and evil mix with regularity and in regular
conflict. The local lord constable is a stooge in the service of
Zhentil Keep, but he can only control what he sees, and his opponents
make sure he can see little and prove less. Dagger Falls is a nest of
intrigue and suspicion.  Most of the extant temples and shrines in the
area have been destroyed.

North of Dagger Falls is one of the last pure Zhentil Keep outposts
in the Dale, the Flaming Tower. Originally built by a set of fire giant
brothers, the giant-sized tower dominated the northern area for many
years. More important, the tower existed in the shadow of the Temple in
the Sky, a flying citadel which was tethered to the tower. A beast cult
devoted to a beholder within the tower was established, and it held
wide sway over the surrounding region in the years following the fall
of Teshendale. The beholder and giants were quickly co-opted by the
Zhentarim.

At length, the Knights of Myth Drannor, a Shadowdale-based
adventuring company, destroyed the tower and killed the beholder,
setting the Temple in the Sky adrift. Since that time the Temple has
been recovered by Zhentarim agents and reestablished.  A new beholder
occupies the tower, but its worship is slight outside of some
impressionable goblinoids. The ruins of the Flaming Tower remain in the
hands of Zhentil Keep.

Daggerdale sends a different representative, chosen from the human
population in its stockaded communities, to the Dales Council each
year. All these representatives seem to be stamped from the same
unfriendly mold - too proud to ask for help, too suspicious to trust
anyone else. At one point, Ilmeth of Battledale hazarded the guess that
Daggerdale only attended the Council to make sure the other Dales were
not ganging up on it. Like similar comments about Daggerdale, this
merely confirmed to the representative that the other Dales were scant
help in dealing with the menace of plotting Zhentarim and marauding
ores.

Two Zhents' Worth

Much confusion exists in the Realms regarding Zhentil Keep and the
(not-so) secret society known as the Black Network or Zhentarim. The
two are closely tied, such that a speaker may refer to one when meaning
the other and still be clearly understood. In general, both mean
trouble.

Zhentil Keep is a walled independent city on the western shores of
the Moonsea. It is one of the most evil cities in the Realms, a blight
on the North, and a haven for evil groups, plotting manipulators, dark
religions, and foul practices. Its rulers seek to dominate the lands
around it, including the Dragonspine Mountains, Yulash, Voonlar, and
the neighboring Dales. The city of Zhentil Keep and its armies (known
as the Zhentilar, to make matters more confusing) have destroyed
Teshendale, come close to destroying Daggerdale, and for a long time
had an agent ruling Shadowdale.

The Zhentarim is an organization of evil priests, wizards, and
inhuman creatures bent on controlling all the trade and power between
the Sword Coast (meaning Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep) and the Moonsea
(including the intervening lands of Cormyr and Anauroch).  Its aims in
the Moonsea area are the same as Zhentil Keep's, and the two factions
work hand-in-glove, often sharing the same membership.  The Zhentarim
have a more far-reaching effect than Zhentil Keep, though, and have
agents throughout the North.

In addition, the Zhentarim are not limited to Zhentil Keep itself,
and maintain a number of fortified outposts. Their rulership has spread
with the passing years. In addition to being the dominant force in
Zhentil Keep, the Zhentarim control the Citadel of the Raven and
Darkhold, two important castle complexes. Over the years, more power
has been moving away from Zhentil Keep (filled with a lot of unknown
and untrustworthy flunkies) and into these more secure areas.

Within the Dalelands area, Zhentarim smells of Zhentil Keep and vice
versa, but in reality not every Keeper (yet another name for a native
of Zhentil Keep) is of the Black Network, and not every agent of the
Zhentarim is from Zhentil Keep. Adventurers should watch who they trust
as a result.

Deepingdale

Deepingdale is a wide, deeply carved valley blessed with an
abundance of game and timber. Like many Dale communities, its
population is scattered in many homesteads, but the Dale considers its
capital to be the town of Highmoon at the head of the valley, as the
main road (the East Way) rises into the pass at Thunder Gap.

Deepingdale has in the past maintained an excellent relationship
with the elves of the area, and with the Retreat of the elves, many
individual elves and half-elves call this Dale their home. Over half of
the population is elven or half-elven. As the area is a haven for
wildlife, the Dale's inhabitants count the druids and treants as
friends, as well.

Deepingdale's relationships with other human communities have been
less than good, and in the past the area and Archendale have almost
come to blows over small matters. Deepingdale's position along one of
the two main roads between Cormyr and Sembia also contributes in part
to uneasiness in the area, and intrigue is rife in Highmoon between
agents of both large nations.  The fates of Tilverton, placed under the
"protection" of Cormyr, and Moondale, absorbed by Sembia, are not lost
on the natives of Deepingdale. For these reasons, Deepingdale maintains
a well-drilled militia, as well as a well-trained elven archer force.

About half (about 2,500) of Deepingdale's population (5,000 or so
total) is in the militia reserves. The reservists have in their
possession leather armor, sword, and spear. If a call goes out (a horn
call from Highmoon relayed down the valley by special posts), the
militia units gather at predetermined spots before marching on the
city.

In addition, Deepingdale maintains two companies of 70 2nd-level
elven fighters who have specialized in long bow. These elves have
remained despite the disbanding of the Elven Court and consider
Deepingdale their home. They are well trained both in open field
battles and in conducting guerrilla operations and raids from the
nearby forests. The late Lord Lashan (his death is uncertain, as he
mysteriously disappeared) discovered, much to his regret, the power of
these warriors in his attempt to conquer the Dales, and one of these
companies served in the crusade against the Tuigan horde.

The ruler of Deepingdale is Theremen Ulath, Lord of Highmoon.
Theremen is a half-elven fighter of 6th level. He is well aware of the
balancing force that his community and city provide, and to that end
has ordered that city walls be erected.  This project is half-completed
at the current writing. Deepingdale has a Temple of Oghma within its
upward-springing walls under the auspices of Learned Father Hasicor
Danali (LN hm P12) and seven of his followers. There are shrines to the
agricultural and sylvan deities throughout the Dale.

Featherdale

This Dale is not physically a dale at all, but rather the fertile
banks of the River Ashaba from Blackfeather Bridge to Feather Falls.
Its rolling farmlands produce much of the staple food of the Dales, and
its families many of the staple workers and farmers.  They don't have
much time for that nonsense of slaying dragons and casting spells and
hunting treasure, not when there are herds to drive and crops to tend.
The women and men of Featherdale are the most stolid and sensible of
the Dales breed.

Featherdale has no ruler and no army, and has recovered from its
brief sojourn under the thumb of Scardale. Its farmers are at heart
independent of outsiders and self-sufficient, and go to Tasseldale for
"city" goods. The Dale sends a freely elected representative to the
Council, and that representative has a seven-year term. The current
representative is the second in the Kirshoff line to serve in that
capacity in the past generation and is on her second term. The general
feeling is that the job is hers as long as she wants to put up with it.

Featherdale's very dispersed nature has in many ways served to keep
it safe from the advancing power of Sembia. There is no central keep to
seize, market to dominate, or government to buy off, and to date the
farmers of Featherdale are as willing to sell to the Sembians as to
anyone else. While the Dalesmen are very willing to deal with their
southern neighbors, they consider themselves very much Dalesmen, some
tracing their families back to old Moondale itself.

The most striking feature of Featherdale is located at its eastward
end, where this Dale borders with Scardale. Feather Falls is a
beautiful set of plumes where the River Ashaba plunges 50 feet into the
depression known as the Scar in a torrent of thundering water.

Feather Falls has a number of small buildings around its top and at
a safe distance downstream from it. The most prominent of these are an
abandoned temple to Leira, the Lady of the Mists, and a still-active
temple to Lathander under the control of Morninglord Jallian
Horgontivar (NG hm P13) and 16 of his clerical followers.

Also nearby are the remains of a tower run by the wizard
Cholandrothipe the Quiet. Cholandrothipe provided a portage service in
which large craft were magically diminished, walked up to the top of
the falls, and enlarged. He was slain by assassins working for the Red
Wizards, and no one has picked up his task. Now, any craft has to be
unloaded and reloaded above the falls into smaller river barges.

Harrowdale

Harrowdale is a farming Dale of gentle slopes and old, well-worn
roads cut deep into the land that reaches from the Dragon Reach to the
forest along Halfaxe Trail. It is the oldest Dale still in existence,
and was originally known as Velarsdale. Its capital is the town of
Harrowdale, often a stop for ships traveling to and from the Moonsea
(though in the past few generation Ylraphon has captured much of that
regular trade).

The northernmost of the coastal Dales, Harrowdale's survival has in
the past depended upon good relations with the elves. Much of the food
it produces went to elven markets, and the Elven Court supported it,
along with Mistledale, Deepingdale, and Shadowdale, because its ideals
blended with the Court's own. While a few elven survivors still call at
Harrowdale, and large number of half-elves live along its northern
reaches, for the most part the old trade is gone.

Harrowdale was overrun by Lashan's forces in the recent war, and it
was the appeals of the Dale's Council of Seven Burghers that resulted
in mobilization of the northern countries against that threat. The
people of Harrowdale escaped the war relatively unscathed and have
already returned to their simple, pleasant lives.

Harrowdale's armed forces consist of only a handful of soldiers (the
watch) in the town, and about 20 mounted rangers of various levels.
The chief duty of these rangers is to ride to some other location in
case of attack and get help. With the passing of the elves, it has been
suggested that a more formalized method of protection be instituted,
but the Council has been resistant to change.

The Council of Seven Burghers comprises the seven richest people in
the community, judged in terms of total land, money, and holdings in
the community. The position of burgher is for life or until
resignation, when a new survey is conducted to judge the richest person
present. Zeboaster of Ordulin called this gathering the "Council of
Seven Stones" when it was visibly unresponsive to his suggestions to
put a little life into the community. The burghers have ruled since the
days of Halvan the Dark, who built the Halfaxe Trail and earned the
enmity of the elves.

Harrowdale has temples to Chauntea, Oghma, Tymora, and Mystra. The
temple of Mystra has just been rebuilt after being destroyed in the
Scardale war.

Natives of Harrowdale are often portrayed as a bit slow and
provincial by the other Dales, but they are content in their lives.
With the abandonment of the Elven Court, they are seeking new markets
for their products, and are emphasizing trade with Tantras and Ravens
Bluff across the Vast.

The High Dale

The community of High Dale lies in the shadow of the Thunder Peaks
north and west of Sembia, and is the southernmost the Dalelands. The
Dale controls a natural pass between Hooknose Crag on the south and the
Thunder Peaks to the north, skirts the northern shore of the Vast
Swamp, and borders Cormyr near the Wyvernwater. While its pass sees
some traffic, most travelers use either the East Way through
Deepingdale, or the Way of the Manticore through Daerlun. The High Dale
is a Dale of terraced farms that raise and produce sheep, turnips,
potatoes, and hay.

High Dale is ruled by a set of six councilors, one elected each year
for a six-year term. The councilors choose the high constable,
currently one Irreph Mulmarr, who serves as their leader and a member
of the Dales Council. The high constable has six constables under his
control who command the army and command and train the militia.

The High Dale maintains a standing militia of 50 fighters armed with
sword and spear, but in times of crisis it could muster most of the
vale's population. In addition, the High Dale is home to the Pegasus
Archery Company, a mercenary company of horse archers, 75 in number,
mounted on light horse and armed with short composite bows. Irreph has
also managed to institute the Flying Auxiliary, 20 mounted archers on
pegasusback.

Irreph Mulmarr, the high constable, is a 12th-level ranger, and his
constables in command of the militia and archers are fighters of
7th-10th level. The commander of the Flying Auxiliary is a 6th-level
paladin named Sothinar.

The High Dale has no temples, but it is littered with shrines to all
the deities. A location of particular veneration is known as the
Dancing Place, staffed by priests of a variety of good and neutrally
aligned deities.

Mistledale

Mistledale is a wide clearing of farmland on the Moonsea Ride, the
road from Tilver's Gap to the Standing Stone. Its largest community and
capital is Ashabenford, where that river crosses the main road, and
save for that community, the region is dotted with small farms and
stockades. The Dale gains its name from the mist that rises at morn and
eve from the river to fill it. This fog gives the area an eerie beauty,
but also a haunting nature, and individuals have been said to have
vanished in the mists, never to be seen again.

Mistledale is one of the largest and most sprawling Dales,
encompassing a vast area up to and under the shelter of the forest
itself. Most of its people are self-reliant, but every collection of
hamlets or holdings has a large bell with a tone that carries
throughout the vale. The bells are cast to different pitches, such that
one trained in their use (such as a Rider of Mistledale) knows
immediately where the trouble is.

Mistledale has no lord, but rather a Council of Six. The high
councilor, senior member and ruler among equals, bears a black rod of
office. The high councilor also commands the Riders, a mounted militia
who keep the peace in the Dale and along the Moonsea Ride from the
Standing Stone in the east to the edge of Tilver's Gap in the west. The
current high councilor is Haresk Malorn, a quiet, middle-aged merchant
of reputed great wisdom.

Mistledale has the standard scatterings of shrines, but also
maintains abbeys to Chauntea and to Silvanus. These abbeys are akin to
temples, but are self-contained within their walls, and do not owe
allegiance to any city.

The Riders of Mistledale

The Riders of Mistledale number 30 and are known for their lacquered
black plate armor and black helms emblazoned with the white horses that
are the Dale's insignia. The membership of the Riders has varied over
the years, but its members are always fighters and rangers, with the
occasional paladin, of 3rd-6th level. They may be armed with magical
weaponry of their own ownership.

The total membership of the Riders appears as a group only in the
most dire of circumstance, and its members are more often found in
groups of three or four, leading patrols of lower-level mounted
warriors. In such cases, there are 10-20 1st-level warriors in chain
mail with sword and spear accompanying the Riders. It is from this
group that new Riders arise.

Heresk Malom is high councilor of Mistledale and commander of the
Riders, and fights as a 0-level fighter. He never appears at the head
of his troops except under the most black circumstances (and then with
as much magical armor as he can fit into and as much protective magic
as he can manage). His black rod of office is rumored to be a rod of
rulership, and is used in dire situations to protect the vale.

Moondale

Moondale is no longer a Dale, and no longer within the borders of
the Dalelands, but is one of the lost Dales that have passed into the
history books. Its story is an example of the changing nature of the
Dales.

Moondale was a very old Dale on the southern edge of Cormanthor.
Tasseldale was but a young community at the time, and Featherdale did
not yet exist. Moondale was a trading and farming community, and its
primary trade partners were Chancelgaunt (now Selgaunt) and Yhaunn in
the nascent nation of Sembia.

As Sembia rose in power as a nation of merchants, ties to Moondale
were strengthened. Trade bloomed and money flowed into the community,
both from Sembia and from the elves to the north. This brought more
traders, and with it more of the refinements of the civilized South.
Sons and daughters of the original Dalesmen married into the merchant
houses, and soon the entire community was a mixture of southern and
Dales blood.

The outlook of the community, however, strayed from its dour (and to
the younger generations, old-fashioned) viewpoint to a freewheeling
lifestyle brought by of the influx of trade and the lure of money.
Within a generation Moondale no longer considered itself part of the
Dales community and began to lumber and farm more heavily the southern
reaches of Cormanthor (abandoned by the elves). With a second
generation, a city had grown up on the site of Moondale, and it joined
the nation of Sembia as the city of Ordulin (see Ordulin in the
"Sembia" chapter).

The lesson of Moondale (in the opinion of the Dalesmen) is how easy
it is to fall away from the traditional and valuable ethics of the past
and to be swept up by something new and dangerous and different.
Moondale was not destroyed, but it ceased to exist as surely as
Teshendale did years later. The other Dales, particularly Featherdale
and Tasseldale, should pay close attention to this warning.

Scardale

Scardale takes its name from a steep-sided gorge known locally as
the Scar that runs from the Feather Falls to the Dragon Reach.  The
legends of the original goblin raiders stated that in the battle
between the ore god Gruumsh and the elven deity Corellon Larethian, one
of the elven god's many blows went astray and carved this wide gouge in
the (then) forest. The town of Scardale lies at the mouth of the River
Ashaba, which most sages believe carved the gorge.

Scardale has almost recovered from the rule of a young, aggressive
lord, Lashan Aumersair. The former lord, Lashan's father Uluf, passed
on the title of lordship to his headstrong son, and Lashan wanted to
build an empire from his small holdings. He gathered troops, wealth,
and artisans to build Scardale into a great power and eventually take
over all of the southern Dales. While engaged in this massive buildup,
Lashan was less than diplomatic in hiding his aims.

Under Lashan's guidance, the initial campaigns against his neighbors
resulted in the overrunning of Harrowdale, Featherdale, and Battledale.
His very success proved to be his downfall, however, in that he had
figured that the Cormyreans and Sembians would welcome a unified power
to contend with the Moonsea cities, and that the Moonsea cities could
not stop their squabbling long enough to mount a plausible attack.

Yet Lashan's stunning campaign was so swift and successful that
Cormyr, Sembia, Zhentil Keep, and Hillsfar all rose in arms against him
along with the other Dales he attacked. After overwhelming the central
Dales, Lashan was turned back from Mistledale and Deepingdale by the
combined might of all the enemies he had made.  His empire collapsed
overnight. Lashan vanished in the confusion, as his mercenary troops
were cut up by the advancing armies.

Sembia briefly occupied Scardale itself, with the intention of
adding the Dale to itself, but it was threatened and cajoled into
with-drawal by the other kingdoms. All of the Dales Lashan briefly
conquered are now independent again.

Scardale is currently under a provisional independent government,
with a local lord answerable to a Parliament of Advisors. Hillsfar,
Zhentil Keep, Cormyr, Sembia, and each of the Dales have a seat with
this advisory body, and the advisors regularly send word back to their
respective nations. The current lord is Myriam Beechwood, a
complaining, angry former priest of Waukeen who uses his time in the
Dales Council to point out this outrage and that atrocity committed by
the occupying forces, and demanding that Scardale be returned to
self-rule as soon as possible.

In addition, each of the occupying forces is allowed to maintain a
garrison in the city. Each garrison cannot, by agreement, number more
than 12 persons, though the specific composition of the garrison is
left to each nation or Dale. Most of the various Dales send second sons
of merchant families and local guard captains, but Sembia and Cormyr's
garrisons feature a large percentage of experienced warriors.  The
Zhentil Keep garrison is dominated by agents of the Zhentarim, looking
to turn Scardale into another fief of the Black Network.

This situation of garrisons and advisors is (in theory) to remain
until Scardale resumes a normal form of government. This whole business
is complicated by the fact that Scardale has always been ruled by a
hereditary lord, and Lashan, if he still lives, is the rightful leader
and cannot be usurped. Lashan (or proof of his death) has been sought
in many areas, with contradictory results.

In the meantime, the various garrison factions test each other's
nerve and strength of arm in conflicts that rate above tavern brawls
and below battles, and various agents of the nations and communities in
occupation play a huge game of intrigue and deception, even among
supposedly stalwart allies. Far from bringing peace to Scardale, the
combined forces have made the Dale a more dangerous place.  The native
inhabitants are as a result extremely secretive and distrustful of
strangers, biding their time until they can retake what is theirs.

Scardale's temples, with the exception of the temple to Tymora, were
destroyed in the war. The Lap of Luck is presently under the auspices
of Gelli Parabuck (CG halfm P8), a cheerful and devout halfling. Due to
the continuing presence of soldiers, the town also has a shrine to
Tempus.

Sessrendale

Sessrendale is an abandoned Dale south of Tilverton and west of
Mistledale, in the narrow plain between the southwestern arm of
Cormanthor and the Thunder Peaks. It was destroyed about a hundred
years ago (1232 DR) by forces out of Archendale.

The full details of the destruction of Sessrendale are conflicting
in nature. Archendale sources say that foul necromancies and evil
magical constructs stalked the lands, killing innocents and raiding
caravans. Refugees who fled from Sessrendale into Cormyr after the
event state that the only evil was in the hearts of the Archendale
merchants who saw Sessrendale as a competitor and trumped up minor
mishaps and created rumors to justify their assault. The fact that the
lord of Sessrendale had the name the Dusk Lord did little to help
Sessrendale's case.

The final straw was the brutal deaths of several Archendale merchant
families whose caravan was en route to Cormyr. Again, the true fiends
responsible were unknown, but this incident was enough to whip up
excitement in Highmoon, and mobilize already purchased mercenaries (and
the Pegasus Archery Company from the High Dale) to swoop down onto the
Dale.

The Sessrendale War was a three-week bloodbath that almost destroyed
both sides. Sessrendale had the aid of powerful magicians, and
widespread retaliation spread throughout both Dales.  Losses were high,
and even today along the East Way a traveler can see the burnt-out
husks of old buildings and fallen towers.

In the end the Dusk Lord was (reportedly) slain, and Sessrendale's
people driven west. The ruling Swords of Archendale, giving their
orders from secret locations and secret identities, ordered all that
could be stripped from the land be shipped back to Archendale in
reparations, everything else burned, and the land salted so none could
refound the Dale.

So history has passed over Sessrendale, but its lessons live on. The
fact that the other Dales and the larger nations to the south took no
action to stop Archendale, first in the war, and later in the
wide-scale rapine and destruction, was taken a century later by Lashan
as a reason to launch his own assault on the Realms. Further, the
stories of Sessrendale, told by Vangerdahast to his young pupil Azoun,
convinced the lad (who later would be king) that this border of his
kingdom needs his hand and influence, adding to the reasons that
Tilverton was taken by Cormyrean forces and annexed. Last, the shame of
the attacks has remained with the natives of Archendale, such that they
feel guilty for the actions of their ancestors. Yet even that shame is
not enough for them to attempt to discover who the Swords were who
ordered the destruction of another Dale.

Shadowdale

Shadowdale is a farming community straddling the North Ride from
Shadow Gap to Voonlar. Its main town (of the same name) is located
where that road crosses the Ashaba. The Dale is broken by patches of
light woods that run to the borders of the town and interrupted by a
large number of old ruins. These old haunts of treasure and monsters
make the region very popular with adventuring companies, and more than
a few have called this Dale their home.

Shadowdale is the most legendary of the Dales, and the most open
towards strangers. Its ruler is usually an outsider chosen by
acclamation by the Dalesmen after the previous ruler steps down or dies
in office. There has not been a tradition of passing the mantle from
parent to child, common in some other Dales.

The full history of this particular Dale, its inhabitants, and the
dangers that lie waiting beneath it for the brave and adventurous can
be found in the Shadowdale book.

Tarkhaldale

Tarkhaldale, also called the Lost Vale, is situated hard on the
borders of the Great Desert Anauroch, flanked by steeply rising
mountains. Conifers dot the sides of this vale, as do old ruins and the
entrances to mines and caverns.

This small mountain valley now lies on the edge of the vast, hostile
desert that divides much of the known Realms. Once this ancient Dale
was allied with the rich (and now buried) kingdoms of Asram and
Hlondath, whose ruins have been long swallowed by the desert. At its
height the community was a quiet mining and farming community known for
its carved mugs and pipes. The sudden arrival of ores and goblins, who
slew the dwarves of the mountains around Tarkhaldale and drove away the
elves of the nearby Border Forest, isolated the human settlement.
Tarkhaldale fell shortly thereafter, and no human has attempted to
settle here since. The only human feet that have trod Tarkhaldale are
those of the occasional adventurer and the secret caravans of Zhentil
Keep. For a long period, the vale was assumed to be occupied by gnolls,
goblins, and other fell creatures.

The reports of ores and goblins occupying the Lost Vale of
Tarkhaldale have given way recently to new tales describing a colony of
lizard-like creatures. These beings, called saurials, have established
their own settlement in the area and are holding it against other
races. They have been working to reseed and replant the region.
Elminster has passed along information that these saurials are not an
evil race in and of themselves, but that one should behave oneself
around them because they are much smarter than they look, particularly
the big ones.

Tasseldale

Tasseldale is the most civilized of the Dales and is dotted with a
wide variety of small communities that, as a group, are considered
Tasseldale. These communities are set in a dry river valley stretching
from the end of Arch Wood to Featherdale on the River Ashaba. The river
itself has long-since found another course (perhaps underground),
leaving a wide, verdant, but relatively dry plain.

Tasseldale is the crossroads of the Dales, a pleasant defile marked
with light copses of woods and scrub. Its many small communities and
villages are lined with the shops and houses of artisans:  toymakers,
lacemakers, tinsmiths and potters, woodworkers and cabinetmakers,
tailors and builders, weavers and vintners and scribes. A dozen of
these communities lie scattered from Blackfeather Bridge to the Arch
Wood, all of them no more than one street long.

Tasseldale has a force of mounted police officers, known as
mairshars, composed of four patrols of 12 people each, plus 11 trainees
who fill in to replace the sick or wounded. This force is charged with
patrolling the Dale, protecting all the small village communities, and
maintaining the peace. To that end the mairshars are allowed to
function as judges as well as arresting officers. The mairshars are
fighters of 2nd-5th level, armored in regulation chain mail (though
some may have additional magical items).

The ruler of Tasseldale is the leader of these forces, the Grand
Mairshar Elizzaria. Elizzaria is a 9th-level fighter who has had
previous training as a priest of Helm, rising to 8th level before
leaving the church in a dispute over her faith.

The mairshars are Tasseldale's only visible fighting force, but
every man and woman between the ages of 14 and 64 is considered part of
the Tasseldale militia, and these chubby, contented villagers can lash
out and destroy invading armies, as the forces of Lashan of Scardale
learned several years ago.

Tasseldale is seeing an influx of merchants and trade from Sembia,
including Sembian families moving into the Dale to get away from the
hustle and bustle of the more metropolitan areas.  Whether these new
arrivals take to Daleland ways or the Dale suffers the same fate as
Moondale remains to be seen.

Shrines are more common in Tasseldale than temples, and each small
community has a few, usually dedicated to Chauntea, Silvanus, Eldath,
Lathander, Tymora, or Lliira. There are few dedicated to Helm or
Tempus, and reports of one or two to Auril or Mask.

Teshendale

Situated along the valley of the River Tesh, the region that was
Teshendale is now piles of ruins overgrown by brambles and shrubs. In
its heyday it ran from the mouth of the Tesh and the independent
trading city of Zhentil Keep to Dagger Falls and profited from the
trade from the dwarves in the Desertsmouth Mountains to the inland sea.

This Dale was a full member of the Dales Council until two
generations ago. Now it is no more. Its people were slain, driven off,
or enslaved in a series of raids by the ores in the mountains and the
forces of Zhentil Keep. A large portion of the newer walls of Zhentil
Keep were built of the granite mined from this Dale, which has been
entirely quarried away, leaving only rolling, rocky areas and the
remnants of Teshendale's farmland. The burned remnants of the former
inn, the Teshendale Arms, still provide a meeting place for travelers
and shepherds, but most of Teshendale's other buildings have vanished.
The destruction of Teshendale was completed 50 years ago; its sign,
still found on cairns and building stones, consists of a kite-shaped
lozenge, with its lower half filled with water and a symbol of a
cresting wave.

Teshendale was ruled by an elder; the last, Elder Jaothe Hulnhum, is
believed long dead. A place is still reserved at the Dales Council for
Teshendale, partially in memory of Jaothe and partially as a warning
that the destruction of Teshendale could happen to any Dale.

During the destruction of Teshendale, both Shadowdale and Daggerdale
were under pressure from Zhentil Keep agents, and could not have aided
even if they wanted to. However, the shame of their lack of action
remains on both communities.

Teshendale's largest trading community was Teshwave, which is now
totally under the control of Zhentil Keep and used as a staging area
for their mercenary and nonhuman troops. One other community of note is
the village of Snowmantle on the edges of the Border Forest. The stated
home of Laeril Snowmantle of the Knights of Myth Drannor, this small
community was destroyed by Zhentil Keep's armies, and is now used as a
logging camp for that city.

The Elven Wood
--------------

The large forest known as the elven woods was once a much greater
forest which reached the Storm Horns Mountains of Suzail and crouched
hard on the Sea of Fallen Stars. This was known as Cormanthor, and was
one of the great elven kingdoms of old. It is greatly reduced now from
its halcyon days when the elves dominated the surrounding lands, but is
still referred to by that name.

Now the elves are gone, mostly, having retreated to Evermeet out in
the Sea of Swords. Some elves and half-elves remain - those with
unfinished business or loved ones or comrades remaining in the land.
The woods - that which has not been cleared for the new kingdoms of
Cormyr and Sembia and farmed by the Dales - is littered with ruins. The
elves of old, ruling from Myth Drannor, kept curious humans at bay, but
they are gone now, and many humans seek to unlock the secrets of the
elven woods.

Cormanthor is a mixture of temperate woods, generally in a climax
growth. Oak, maple, and larch are common, with groves of beech and elm
throughout. Some pines may be found in more barren areas, but the
mixture is primarily deciduous. Light is shaded but not totally blocked
out by the canopy of leaves above, and the woods give the traveler,
whether human, elf, or other, a warm, contented feeling.

The Elven Court

Within Cormanthor, there were three main centers of elven activity -
Semberholme, the Tangled Trees, and the Elven Court.  The wondrous city
of Myth Drannor was a fourth center until its destruction hundred of
years ago.

The Elven Court, known in Thorass as Everlor, was the home of the
royal family of Cormanthor and where most of what elven government
consisted of took place. It was a widespread community, more similar to
the separate holdfasts and farms of the Dales than the great cities of
the humans. Its greatest buildings were for the royal family, but most
of the community lived in wooden structures within the great trees of
the area.  The elves of this region lived in the trees and were buried
beneath them among the trees' roots with most of their worldly
possessions. This was common practice for the elves, and as long as
there was a living elven presence in the area, grave robbers gave the
region a wide berth. Since the elven Retreat, however, adventurers and
tomb robbers have sought to plunder the treasure beneath the roots. In
addition (or perhaps as a result), more monstrous creatures now wander
the Elven Court as well.

One prize that has so far eluded any plunderers is the hall of the
royal family of Cormanthor. Its exact location is unknown, even among
the elves who remain in the Realms. Given the magics of the powerful
rulers, it is possible that they took the bodies and magics of their
ancestors with them to Evermeet. However, reason the more greedy
raiders, they would still leave behind the halls of their dead and the
treasures buried in them. These halls have yet to be located.

Halfaxe Trail

Halfaxe Trail is an overgrown footpath that runs through the heart
of the elven woods from Harrowdale to the Moonsea Ride.  An early lord
of Harrowdale in the days of the Blacksails (pirates), Halvan the Dark,
grew weary of losing trade outside his harbors, and resolved to
strengthen the importance and wealth of his Dale by linking up with the
overland road from the Moonsea south to Cormyr. His chief obstacle in
this goal was the elven woods.

Despite the elves' claim to the woods, Halvan the Dark hired a
dwarven engineer, Durl Halfaxe, to cut a road. Halfaxe Trail was the
work of the dwarf and an army of humans; they burned and cut a
mile-wide slash through the trees to guard against elven ambushes. This
was in defiance of the agreement between the Dalesmen and the elves,
but even the entreaties of the other Dales could not stop Halvan. The
elves and their allies raised an army, but were overmatched by the
humans' numbers, weapons, and dark magic. The trail was put through.

Greedily, Halfaxe commanded his workers to cut on into the forest
west of the road where he knew the ruins of Myth Drannor lay. Halvan
the Dark accompanied his engineer in this task. Both Halvan and Halfaxe
foresaw unearthing riches to keep them wealthy all their days. The
elves raised up old and powerful magics slumbering in the ruins and
slew the engineer and his force utterly. Not a human or dwarf returned
from the party, nor were there bodies to send back.

The trail has since grown in until it is but a footpath,
close-guarded by the elves; none pass save by their will. It is
surprisingly well-used, for the elves are wise traders and not
unfriendly to humans, even Lord Halvan's successors in Harrowdale, who
went on to be major trading partners with the elves. Whether the trail
remains open in these days following the disappearance of the Elven
Court remains to be seen.

Moander's Road

Moander's Road is a very wide track burrowed into the northern side
of the elven woods, running in a straight line from Yulash toward the
ruins of Myth Drannor, though well short of that destination.  Unlike
Halfaxe Trail, this straight course was not created by a team of axemen
over a period of months. Instead it was created in a single day by a
god thought long dead.

The god Moander, Lord of Rot and Corruption, was roused from his
sleep by Alias of the Azure Bonds in 1357 DR. Upon awakening, he set
his own course south to Myth Drannor, hoping to seize the magic of that
ancient site. He was stopped in his madness by Alias and her
companions, but not before the god had destroyed a large swath of the
forest, adding the debris to its body and growing as it moved forward.
When this Juggernaut was finally halted, it formed a huge hill that
rises above the trees.

The hill still remains, an exclamation point at the end of a long
line. Its rot still blooms with strange, unearthly blossoms, and it is
unknown what creatures nest within its inanimate body.  The destruction
that Moander created, Meander's Road, is only now recovering and is
overrun with scrub and small trees.  However, it provides a rapid route
to Myth Drannor from the north that agents of the Zhentarim have been
quick to use.

Myth Drannor

The ruins of Myth Drannor are among the most celebrated of the
Realms. Once a great city, Myth Drannor is now a sprawling ruin
overgrown with trees and greenery, located in the heart of the elven
woods.

Of old, humans were few in these lands; the vast forests of what is
now the Dalelands were home to elves. When humans came first to what is
now Sembia seeking the mineral riches of the north shores of the
Moonsea, the elves met and traded freely with them in the splendid city
of Myth Drannor. Humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes lived
together there in harmony amidst created beauty. Myth Drannor was
ancient then, and, sages say, outshone the most splendid of the cities
of today, even vast and imperial Waterdeep.

Now a lost, fabled ruin, Myth Drannor was the city of bards,
storytellers, artificers and inventors, arcane knowledge, mages,
researchers, and historians. Its jewellers were matchless, and its
musical instruments (of elven make) unsurpassed. It earned the name of
City of Love among the elves, and the Towers of Beauty among bards. It
was destroyed when the Army of Darkness captained by the dreaded
nycaloths was raised in the northern mountains and swept down upon it
over a millennium ago.

The elven hero Fflar, captain of Myth Drannor, slew a nycaloth with
his bare hands then, or so the legends say. Others tell of a magical
blade, Demonbane, wielded by him that day. Yet despite such heroics, in
the end the city was lost, cast down, sacked, and burned. Many of noble
genius and influence found graveless deaths that day, and humans were
driven almost to extinction on the Sembian coast.

For hundreds of winters humankind has remembered Myth Drannor as a
legendary treasure house of lost gems and magic guarded by the elves
who let none near and hold the place sacred.  The passing of the elves
in their Retreat to Evermeet has left the woods open to humankind for
the first time. Since then, several bands of adventures are known to
have entered the city. Not all have come out.

Many of the powers surrounding Cormanthor (Hillsfar, Zhentil Keep,
Sembia, and the Dales), as well as adventuring companies, have sent
exploring/plundering parties into the ruins that the elves held sacred
and kept undisturbed since the city's fall. Few have found anything of
value, and news has begun to spread of tanar'ri and fiends in the
ruins. The Knights of Myth Drannor have reported finding a newly
constructed altar to some dark power in the center of the ruins. The
altar is reported as being undamaged and undisturbed, and was
apparently brought into being by renegade priests of Bane. If this is
so, it represents a growing threat to the entire Inner Sea area.

Myth Drannor represents a great and dangerous opportunity for
adventuring parties in the Moonsea area - a large ruin that is only now
being plundered. Such travelers are warned that in addition to
creatures of the lower planes, the area holds forces and expeditions
from various nations and adventuring groups who have set up their own
areas of influence within the ruins and may take unkindly to
intrusions. For a brief time, the Knights of Myth Drannor held the
others in check, but that group has retired and the way is open to
other explorers and invaders.

Semberholme

Lake Sember, surrounded by the towering oaks and maples of the elven
wood, is one of the most beautiful locations in all the North. Here was
one of the three main communities of elves before the Retreat.

Semberholme was a community of noncombatants, a place for women,
children, and the infirm. The area was suited to this purpose because
the surrounding limestone hills were extensively holed by water-drilled
caves that had long ago been explored and secured by the
surface-dwelling elves. In case of attack, the community could retreat
belowground and hold off huge numbers of assailants with but a handful
of warriors.

The rising tide of humankind, in particular the destruction of
Sessrendale, convinced the elves that even Semberholme was not safe
from humanity's invasion. This persistent human tendency to invade and
destroy was a powerful force in the decision to begin the Retreat.

Semberholme was an elven community, and not even half-elves were
permitted to drink of its waters. In the years since then, people have
visited the lake and reported seeing visions of great crystalline
towers rising from the lake's surface. The true nature of these towers,
if they exist, is unrevealed.

The Standing Stone

The Standing Stone is a huge plinth of glossy gray rock, incised
with elven runes that wind about its base in a series of bands. The
stone itself is over 20 feet high, and may be found where the Moonsea
Ride joins Rauthauvyr's Road.

The Standing Stone was erected 1,367 years ago by mighty elven mages
to commemorate the pact between the Elven Court and the newly arriving
Dalesmen. The winding script at the base of the Stone states the terms
of that pact: that while there are elves in the forest, the people of
the Dales may settle in those lands at their borders, but not reduce
the woods or invade elven territories.

The wood has been reduced severely since the stone was erected,
often by other human agents (in particular the Sembians), who have had
little love of the People. When the Sembians forced the road through to
Hillsfar (see the "Sembia" chapter), the elves responded by routing the
road to pass at the base of the stone, ironically pointing out that not
all people need to deal at the point of a sword.

The Standing Stone has some enchantment upon it and radiates magic.
It cannot be defaced or marred, for stains or cuts on its surface heal
within days.

The Tangled Trees

The third great elven community in Cormanthor was the Tangled Trees,
a sprawling mess of houses and overlapping clanholds.  While the Elven
Court had its nobility and Semberholme its beauty, the Tangled Trees
had its own magic and sparkle, and was the most vibrant and alive of
the three elven communities.

The Tangled Trees was a place for the young, for elves no more than
a century in age, along with half-elves and some human friends and
lovers. It was a brawling, lusty place, with fights common and
adventure waiting to be had. The Tangled Trees was established soon
after the building of Halfaxe Trail as a further buffer between the
staid elves and the Sembians. If the Sembians truly wished ill of the
elves, then the elves' most vibrant and cunning members would show them
the error of their ways.

The Tangled Trees is one of the few areas in Cormanthor where the
traveler can still encounter elves in sufficient numbers to be
impressive. Indeed, many of the elven heroes swashbuckling their way
across the Inner Sea call this area their home. Not for them the
peaceful Retreat, the calm lack of resistance. These young elves feel
that they can take the world by the throat and show it the error of its
ways. Such is the sure logic of the young of any race.

The Tangled Trees has a large number of abandoned tree homes and
outposts, but many more are still occupied. Looters and adventurers
seeking easy pickings have discovered that these elves are more than
willing to fight for their territory and their homes.

Vale of Lost Voices

Hidden in the depths of the elven wood is a lightly wooded defile
that lies across Rauthauvyr's Road between the Standing Stone and
Essembra. This Vale of Lost Voices is a rich and fertile area, yet
unsettled.

The Vale is a place sacred to the elves, for here they placed the
bodies of their fallen warriors, and here their ghosts wander. The
elves seldom go here, preferring when they do to visit it alone in
search of spiritual guidance and peace or with family to make a burial
or come to a wake. But the Vale is said to be guarded for the elves by
another unknown being even in these times, and none has chosen to
settle in it.

Other Features of the Dales Area
--------------------------------

The Dales area has some other features of note, detailed here in
alphabetical order.

Border Forest

The Border Forest is literally that - the wild frontier of four
separate regions in the Realms, without truly belonging to any of them.
Located north of Daggerdale, it could be called the northern border of
the Dalelands. It is also the western reaches of the Moonsea cities,
particularly Zhentil Keep, which is active within its woods, and of the
Cold Lands, rich in their monsters. Lastly, it shares its western
border with Anauroch, the Great Desert, preventing that great waste
from expanding any farther eastward.

The Border Forest is a mixture of pines and patches of oaks and
Other deciduous trees. The forest floor is relatively tangled with
small trees, scrub, and other undergrowth, making the going difficult.

The Border Forest is home to a wide variety of creatures, including
satyrs, pixies, sprites, and dryads. These creatures tend to be cooler
and crueler than their reputation in the South would indicate - the
sprites are dressed for cooler temperatures, and the satyrs are
shaggier to stand up to the cold winter. A number of druid groups have
also set up shop within the forest's edges.

The greatest conflict within the Border Forest is caused by the
extensive lumbering by Zhentil Keep out of Snowmantle. The various
forest creatures regularly harass the Zhentil Keep operation, leading
to reprisals from the humans. During this time the creatures retreat to
the hills and the deepest portions of their home forest. The humans
take minimal losses and return to tell their masters of a "resounding
success." And three months later the satyrs and their allies begin the
harassment again.

Humans traveling through the Border Forest should make clear whose
side they are on. Otherwise, they may be lured into long-term servitude
by a nixie or dryad.

Desertsmouth Mountains

The Desertsmouth Mountains form the western border of the Dales and
serve as a barrier between them and the Desert of Anauroch. These
forbidding peaks are laced with hidden trails and long-forgotten
outposts, many dating back to the days before the desert came, when the
land was rich and vibrant. Now the area is mostly a monster-haunted
wasteland.

The Desertsmouth Mountains were once the home of one of the greatest
dwarven communities in the North, the Mines of Tethyamar. These
wondrous mines and caverns were bored by generations of dwarves who
looted the earth of her valuables and sold them to humans and elves,
sending rafts of riches down the River Tesh to the Moonsea and beyond.
The mines were ruled by the Iron House, the royal court of this great
nation. Tethyamar has perished within dwarven memory, overrun by fiends
and hordes of ores and ogres. Its last king, Ghellin, still lives as
the king-in-exile, his present whereabouts unknown. Dwarves in the
Inner Sea lands speak of and work towards the day when "the king shall
take his throne again."

The Desertsmouth Mountains are also home to the Lost Vale of
Tarkhaldale (see the earlier Tarkhaldale section for more details) and
are the reputed lair of Aghazstamn the Dracolich.  Though destroyed,
Aghazstamn's lair reportedly contained a rich load of sparkling,
flickering glowstone, known as beljuril.

Shadow Gap

Originally known as Shaddath Gap, but more aptly corrupted to Shadow
Gap, the high pass in the Desertsmouth Mountains serves as a permanent
marking between the wilder Dalelands and the more civilized nation of
Cormyr to the south, particularly since Tilverton has been placed under
that nation's "protection."

A winding trail leads up the side of Shadow Gap, giving the traveler
an excellent view of both communities. The gap is unoccupied, save for
the occasional raider, and is marked by an empty hostel located at the
saddle of the pass.

Spiderhaunt Woods

Located on the western slope of the Desertsmouth Mountains, the
Spiderhaunt Woods are a thick wood of spikey oak, thistletree, and
pine. It is heavily overgrown and dark as the night beneath the trees'
canopy. Travel through them is well-nigh impossible, and most travelers
who have business in the area prefer to skirt their edges.

Adding to the ill repute of this forest, it is the home of a huge
number of spiders and ettercaps. Local legend states that a spider lord
rules from the center of the forest's web, and all that happens within
the Dales is merely the result of his wishes. A small Beast Cult has
grown up around this unseen and likely fictitious creature, but any
traveler who passes within the forest's borders is warned that the
spiders rule here, regardless of their master.

Cormyr
======

Cormyr (Core-MEER) is one of the handful of proper nations in the
North. Cormyr straddles the land in the northeast region of the Sea of
Fallen Stars between the Lake of Dragons and Anauroch. It was at one
time a heavily wooded region, but is now a land of small forests and
organized farms. The surviving woods are as thick and dangerous as
Cormanthor, but these areas are now outnumbered by terrain cleared for
use by the cities and landed lords of Cormyr.

Cormyr is also called the Forest Country and the Land of the Purple
Dragon. It is a rich kingdom; its southern, eastern, and northwestern
areas have many farms, offering abundant yield for trade. The central
areas of the kingdom are still wooded; these woods, carefully husbanded
by the forces of the king, still yield good timber and have plentiful
game.

Cormyr is also strategically located on overland trade routes from
the cities of the Moonsea to the northeast; the Dalelands to the east;
the Inner Sea (on which it has two major ports, Suzail and Marsember);
and the lands to the west, northwest, and south - particularly the rich
city-states and kingdoms of the Sword Coast.

Cormyr is a wet land, receiving abundant rain in summer and spring
and abundant snow in winter.  It has long, cold winters, and short but
hot summers. Much of spring and fall is temperate and moist, and as a
result, Cormyr's farms and forests are both green and rich in yield and
splendor. Fog is common along the seacoast, and there are often mists
present on the High Moors, extending in to the pass at High Horn and
the gorge north of Eveningstar.

Government
----------

Cormyr is a hereditary monarchy. The present king is Azoun IV, a
regal, middle-aged man (in his fifties) of sophisticated tastes and
keen wits, son of the famed warrior-king Rhigaerd II. Azoun has ruled
from his hilltop palace in Suzail and the Royal Court of interconnected
public buildings below it since 1336 DR.  However, he is rumored to
travel the land in disguise to learn more about his people. Azoun has
proved himself a surefooted and careful monarch and military leader. He
not only organized the crusade against the Tuigans in 1360 DR, but
killed the leader of the enemy horde in single combat.

The king takes council from the Royal Magician, Vangerdahast, a
wizard of great power and Azoun's mentor, teacher, and friend. Much of
what Azoun knows of the world has been shown him by Vangerdahast, who
today is known as Azoun's "pet wizard" and considered the power behind
the throne.  Vangerdahast is the most powerful wizard in Cormyr, and
his loyalty is totally to the crown.

The king taxes lightly and makes the law by his decrees in the Court
of the Crown. In addition to the tithe collected by the local lords,
discussed below, there is a royal tax of 1 gp per head annually - 5 gp
for wealthy landowners.

Azoun's banner is the Purple Dragon (a purple dragon on a white
field); it is borne often by a strong standing army under the command
of the Lord High Marshal of the Kingdom, Duke Bhereu. For major
endeavors, the king himself leads the way, following in the footsteps
of his father Rhigaerd.

History
-------

Cormyr dates its years from the founding of House Obarskyr 1,342
years ago, the first of the noble houses of Cormyr and the line of its
kings. For the bulk of this time, Cormyr was little more than a single
city (Suzail) and a few fortified outposts. At times the monarch was
forced by rebellion and intrigue to rule from those outposts instead of
from the throne. King Azoun is the fourth of his name and the 71st of
his line.

The land has been officially at peace for many years - since
Rhigaerd overthrew the last of the border raiders. However, Cormyrean
forces have taken part in many actions in nearby regions, and the
nation has recently mustered its forces to face Gondegal, the rebel of
Arabel; to occupy Tilverton on the marches of the Dalelands; and to
lead a crusade against the great Tuigan horde invading the Realms from
the east. One wit has noted, "Yes, the land is at peace, but the army
has to keep busy."

In addition to pursuing major actions, Cormyrean patrols often
skirmish with bandits on the roads in the north and west, and are at
present battling ores and other creatures north and east of Cormyr in
Tilver's Gap and Shadow Gap. Both of these areas are threatened by evil
raiders who will menace Cormyr itself if they ever overrun Tilverton.
Cormyr has built a fortress, Castle Crag, to defend the kingdom from
attacks from that quarter, and maintains the High Horn to protect
against attacks from the West.

Lords of Cormyr
---------------

The king rules by means of appointed lords, one in each town or
smaller city, and by the fealty of the landed nobility and the rich
merchant lords. The landed nobility is extensive and interbred such
that most can claim a drop of two of royal blood somewhere in their
veins, but it centers around two dozen major families. The merchant
lords are the wealthiest caravan and business owners of the day.

Local lords are responsible for defending the local farms,
dispensing the king's justice, keeping the peace, serving as the king's
eyes and ears, and (most importantly) collecting tithes for the king
and for themselves (1 sp/head/year). Each lord is allowed up to 40
men-at-arms, plus up to six guides/captains (typically rangers). These
may serve as the town guard. Volunteer town guardsmen are known as the
watch, and may, upon the judgment of the lord, be exempted from the tax
if their service has been valuable. Lords are also requested to stable
and maintain a fit, fast horse of the best quality for the use of the
king's messengers, who ride fast and far, requiring them to change
mounts at every stop.

The relationship between the landed nobility and the appointed local
lords is generally good, though many established families treat the
local servants of the crown as no more than royal lackeys to be bossed
about or flattered as need be. The financial health of local nobles can
usually be discerned by the degree to which they fawn over the local
lord.

Lords and Heralds of Cormyr

Local lords are summarized here. Towns are listed in order of size
and importance. Cormyr has three major cities (Suzail, Marsember, and
Arabel), and the remainder of its settlements are small towns similar
to those found in the Dales. Each lord must have an assistant who
serves as a clerk and recordkeeper and is a trained herald. (Heralds
are listed with their respective masters.)

Suzail: Sthavar, Lord Magister of the City of Suzail, rules in the name
of King Azoun IV and acts as commander of his Purple Dragons. Sthavar's
herald is Xrorn Backhand.

Marsember: Marsember's lord is Ildool, a grasping hack politico who
would gladly sell out to the highest bidder were it not for his herald
Bledryn Scoril, who endeavors to keep him on the straight and narrow.

Arabel: Arabel's lord is a lady, the noble Myrmeen Lhal, a ranger of
great power and repute. She is aided in governing by Westar of the
Gates.

Tilverton: Tilverton only recently gained official status among the
lords, though is still considered a protectorate. Tilverton's lord is
Lady Regent Alasalynn Rowanmantle, and her herald is a young diplomat
named Cuthric Snow.

Waymoot: Waymoot's local lord is Lord Filfar Woodbrand (also called
"Trollkiller" Woodbrand). Dhag Greybeard serves as herald for him and
Lord Commander Dembarron in High Horn.

Wheloon: Wheloon's lord is a headstrong youth grown into a headstrong
man, Sarp Redbeard. His herald is Estspirit.

Immersea: Samtavan Sulacar is the lord of Immersea, a position he views
as being close to being in retirement. This is because most of the real
work is picked up by his herald, Culspiir.

Eveningstar: This small community is ruled by another female warrior,
Tessaril Winter, and her herald Tzin Tzummer. In the lands of Cormyr,
female rulers are more common than in the Dales.

Dhedluk: The appointed lord of Dhedluk is Thiombur, a jovial and
conversant individual with connections everywhere. His herald is a
young woman named Ildul.

Hilp: The small town of Hilp has Doon Dzavar as its local lord.  His
herald is the wizard Delzantar.

Espar: Hezom of Helm has left his church to aid King Azoun in
government. Hezom's herald is a reformed rogue named "Yellow Hand"
Yespar.

Tyrluk: Suldag the Boar, a warrior of great prowess and greater girth,
is the appointed lord of Tyluk. His herald is his former squire Nzal
"Tooth" Tursa.

High Horns: High Horn is a military outpost and is ruled in the king's
name by Lord Commander Thursk Dembarron. His herald is Dhag Greybeard,
who is also the herald for nearby Waymoot.

Cormyte Defense
---------------

To enforce the royal word Cormyr maintains a large standing army,
which has increased dramatically in the last decade.  More than 12,000
Purple Dragons (called such for the banner of Cormyr) are now
garrisoned in major cities and fortifications. A 25-ship imperial navy
patrols out of Suzail, the palace guard numbers some 150 trained elite
warriors, and the nation maintains a mounted force of 500 warriors
trained in sword and bow led by 30 knights out of the Court. Most of
these elite units are veterans of the crusade against the Horde and are
members of the Order of the Golden Way, a military order commemorating
those battles.  But the most deadly unit in the army is the widely
feared War Wizards, mages who are known for their black-and-purple
robes.

Wizards in Cormyr
-----------------

Mages of any rank of power, from thaumaturgists (5th level) and up,
must by law report their names, sigils, and dwelling places to the
Royal Magician, Vangerdahast, in Suzail. Such spellcasters are also
required to give their names whenever challenged in Cormyr by soldiers
of the king or officers of the Court upon pain of magical destruction
at the hands of the Royal Magician or the Council of Mages (the
aforementioned War Wizards).

The Cormyrean Mindset
---------------------

Cormyr is one of the most civilized and responsible nation in
Faerun. The people have a strong loyalty to their government and king,
and tend to be law-abiding and peaceable unless put upon. For its part,
the government of Cormyr seems almost enlightened in dealing with its
people. There is a strong noble class, a vibrant freeman or commoner
class, and a growing merchant class. The everyday situation has
improved within the past generation for most Cormytes, and they are
quite content.

Cormyreans are friendly and open, and see themselves as cultured,
peaceful, and refined. They fight when they have to and to protect the
rights of others. Having achieved peace within their own borders,
Cormytes and their leaders look elsewhere to see what they can do.

Often Cormyreans see the rest of the world as a dangerous and evil
place, needing a strong hand to control it. The Dalesmen are good at
heart, but too disorganized to make a credible stand against the evil
of the Moonsea. Waterdeep and Sembia seem to spend too much time
counting money to fight their foes. The independent states of the Vast,
the Western Heartlands, and the Dragon Coast are sprawling and
disorganized. Someone has to bring peace to the world, and it might as
well be the followers of the Purple Dragon.

Cormyreans are often perceived as being elitist and isolated from
the troubles of the day. Their response is to point out that should it
be their fault that they have put their nation in order, showing the
value of a wise king, a good people, and a strong military force?

Adventurers in Cormyr are viewed as a curiosity; adventurers native
to Cormyr are an aberration or following a passing fancy.  The idea
that people would risk their lives needlessly for gold or glory strikes
many natives as odd, a throwback to darker days when that sort of thing
was necessary. However, despite this attitude, there are more than
enough dragons, goblin hordes, and evil emissaries of the gods to keep
the brave at heart busy in Cormyr.

Adventuring in Cormyr

The military history of Cormyr has long been one of guerrilla
ambushes and running skirmishes, with its army only conducting set
piece battles outside its borders. The Court is thus very sensitive to
the presence of armed people within the kingdom (that is, armed people
who do not owe their allegiance to the king). Lawless freeswords cannot
operate within Cormyr. Mercenaries cannot gather, while armed, in
groups of more than five in any place save public markets or inns and
taverns (and in the latter, it is customary to surrender all weapons to
a custodian behind the bar). Violators face immediate disarmament,
forfeiture of goods, and imprisonment at the hands of the local watch
or soldiers of the king.

The exceptions to this decree are when such fighters are operating
under hire; under contract to someone authorized to hire them
(nobility, or chartered merchants) as caravan or warehouse guards, or
as bodyguards; or by permission of the king. Save in times of war,
permission of the king is granted only in the form of a royal charter.

A royal charter can be obtained only from the Lord Commander at High
Horn, the Warden of the Eastern Marches in Arabel (Baron Thomdor), or
the Chancellor or Lord High Marshal at the Royal Court in Suzail. The
king can of course grant one at any time, anywhere.  Such charters
customarily cost 1,000 gp, a further tax of 300 gp a year, and can be
revoked without warning at any time. The annual fee is payable upon the
anniversary of the issuance of the original charter, with a late
penalty of 20 gp per day thereafter, accuiring up to 10 days later. Any
further delay results in automatic suspension of the charter and a
warrant for the arrest and detention of any such mercenaries operating
within the boundaries of Cormyr thereafter.

Charters are customarily given to a company of adventurers. Such a
company may not number more than 30 persons at any one time.  All
members of the chartered company must wear the arms or badge of their
company at all times when armed in Cormyr. Finally, the names of the
members of any such company must be on file in Suzail any changes in
rosters being reported once a month to the aforementioned officers in
High Horn, Suzail, Arabel, or the high constable of the King's Garrison
at Waymoot.

Customs
-------

The nation of Cormyr has a number of customs that the traveler
should recognize when operating there. These customs include:

 * Commoners of both sexes bow their heads to royalty.

 * Burials are followed by wakes.

 * It is unlucky and an offense to the gods to kill a cat, for cats are
the eyes and messengers of deities. It is good to keep a cat, but a
sin to clip its tail, ears, or fur or hamper its ability to produce
kittens. A cat may not be kept in a cage.

 * Women interested in finding a mate wear purple scarves at hip and/or
throat.

 * Adventurers who go in peace, but armed, wear peacestrings about
their swordhilts (to prevent quick unsheathings).  These strings are
colored and tasselled cords, and it is an art to tie them in ornate
knots. The best of such knots look complicated, but may be undone
with a single jerk to free the weapon.

Gondegal the Lost King

Arabel was independent for a brief time in recent memory, the center
of a swordsman's empire. This swordsman was Gondegal, the Lost King,
who in the Year of the Dragon (1352 DR) attempted to carve a kingdom
for himself centered on Arabel and extending north to the Desertsmouth
Mountains, south and west of Wyvernwater and the farms outlying from
Eveningstar, and east to Tilver's Gap and the mountain passes.

"Gondegal's reach was longer than his blade," people say. He Could
not hold any of his territory against the might of Cormyr, Sembia,
Daggerdale, Tilverton, and several of the other Dales - all of whom he
drew the blood and ire of In the making of his throne.

Gondegal ruled for less than a season. He reigned officially for
scarcely eight days, the remainder of his rule being spent fighting
here and there against one foe or another in the lands he claimed. His
troops were largely mercenary, and his treasury of seized goods was
small and soon gone. One night Gondegal's force simply melted away
before the advancing host of Cormyr and was gone.

The forces of King Azoun IV retook Arabel on the mom without wetting
a blade. No one found Gondegal's body. He is known to have fled north
and then east, via Teshwave, and then his fate becomes a matter of
conflicting rumor and legend. Most believe he still lives with a score
or more of loyal followers, keeping court in the wilds somewhere, a
careful and ruthless bandit who takes care that none survive one of his
attacks to carry tales anywhere. When entire caravans vanish at times
anywhere between the High Dale and far-off Impiltur, he is blamed in
the taverns.

Gondegal is said to be a tall, gray-haired warrior of considerable
personal skill and intelligence. His badge is a gray wolfs head, face
on, with red eyes. Caravan guards often warn merchants to beef up the
escort on a particular caravan, "else thy gold'll soon be gilding
Gondegal's throne." Gondegal was a fighter of 20th level and chaotic
neutral alignment, and is proficient with both long sword and
two-handed broad sword. Whether he yet lives, the magic or treasure he
carries, and who his allies might be are all unknown.

Gondegal's reign had a great influence on the king of Cormyr, at
that time in his second decade of rule. Not only was Azoun forced to
put down an effective rebellion in his own country, he was forced to
pay more attention to matters outside Suzail, to become the ruler of a
nation as opposed to a city-state. Further, the bloodless assault on
Arabel was Azoun's first true experience at the head of his army, and
the joy of "freeing" the people of Arabel is one that remains with him.

The Red Ravens

One of the few long-standing mercenary companies that operate in
Cormyr, the Red Ravens have a strength on paper of 110 swords but can
easily triple that number with new hires if they get a sufficiently
large contract. They have been kept on retainer by the government
Cormyr with the stated purpose of cleaning out the Stonelands to the
north. They have been moderately successful in this goal, but the
Stonelands are still far from being a safe territory.

The Red Ravens are commanded by Rayanna the Rose, a veteran of the
Horde crusade. They are noted for their honesty and trustworthiness, as
they do not wish to jeopardize their royal charter. Most of their
troops are armed with studded leather and carry long swords.  They
charge 200 gp per week for the services of their 110-being unit.  Their
symbol is a red raven amulet.

Nobility in Cormyr

Suzail is the center of the kingdom and the home of its court. The
landed lords and petty nobility of the nation come here to pay tribute
(and gain favors from) the crown. Most of the nobility is many
generations old, some are as old as Obarskyr line itself, the line from
which the kings of Cormyr descended. Many are wealthy or powerful in
their own rights, and some are poor as temple mice, existing by dint of
imperial largesse. Many have large extant lands outside of Suzail but
maintain apartments and townhouses for the court season.

Regardless of financial station, the nobility of Cormyr is regarded
(at least by its members) as being superior due to its birth status and
charged with helping direct the ship of state (though not handling the
day-to-day operation - that's the work for the local lords and
adventuring types).

A partial listing of the Cormyrean nobles include the following:

 * Bleths of Suzail.

 * Cormaerils of Suzail and Cormyr.

 * Crownsilvers of the Royal House of Cormyr.

 * Dauntinthorns of Suzail.

 * Emmarasks of Suzail.

 * Huntcrowns of Suzail.

 * Huntsilvers of the Royal House of Cormyr.

 * Illances of Suzail.

 * Marliirs of Arabel.

 * Rowanmantles of Suzail.

 * Silverswords of Suzail.

 * Skatterhawks of Cormyr.

 * Thunderswords of Starwater Meadow (south of Hilp).

 * Truesilvers of the Royal House in Marsember.

 * Wyvernspurs of Immersea.

The Truesilvers, Huntsilvers, and Crownsilvers are considered Royal
Houses because of their close blood ties with the line of King Azoun.
The Cormaerils are the largest house in Cormyr, with hangers-on and
fringe nobility in every court and council in Cormyr, and have a strong
heritage of second- and third-born children going adventuring. The
Rowanmantles have the ruler of Tilverton and the co-rule of Shadowdale
in their line, The Skatterhawks are nouveau riche, having been made
barons a scant hundred years ago, and still engage heavily in
mercantile behavior.

An adventurer who wishes to be from "good blood" and noble station
should choose a family name from this list. The Cormaerils are the best
choice, since even the family historians are unsure of the number of
possible heirs, sinister branches, and illegitimate young in the family
tree.

Cormyrean Patrols

Travelers through the gaps and other dangerous regions may encounter
Cormyrean  patrols assigned to protect caravans and keep the peace. A
Cormyrean patrol numbers 12 fighters of 1st level led by a 4-level
fighter, with a 50% chance of a 3rd-6th level War Wizard, as well, All
are mounted on medium horse with leather barding, and the fighters are
armored in banded mail. Such patrols are instructed not to interfere
with normal merchant traffic, to inform travelers to Cormyr of customs,
and to avoid engagements with superior forces. If such a battle is
inevitable, the majority of the troops are to hold the enemy while one
gallops to make a report.

Locations of Interest
---------------------

Cormyr's three major cities are Suzail, Marsember, and Arabel, and
it features quite a number of small towns. These cities and towns, as
well as other notable features of Cormyr, are discussed here.

Arabel

Arabel is a fair-sized city of almost a thousand main buildings,
situated where the East Way meets Calantar's Way in eastern Cormyr. It
is a fortified city, though it has many posts for trading houses
outside its walls.

Arabel is first and foremost a merchant city, famed for its jewelry,
principally that of the merchant house of Thond. A number of trading
companies have major outposts here, and there is always a floating pool
of mercenary talent to be hired at any time, the largest unit being the
Red Ravens. The city is also the main shipping area for coal in Cormyr,
gathering coal from mines in the Gnoll Pass area. A map of Arabel may
be found on page 46,

The major trading companies in Arabel include a number of multicity
costers and priakos - Dragoneye Dealing, Six Coffers, Thousandheads,
Trueshield, and the dubious Iron Throne (not to be confused with the
Iron House of the dwarves). Local merchant houses include Baerlear,
Bhela, Gelzunduth, Hiloar, Kraliqh, Misrim, Nyaril, and Thond.

Arabel has one major temple, the Lady's House, devoted to the
worship of Tymora. It was here that the avatar of the Luck Maiden
appeared to the populace and protected the city during its dark time.
As a result, the church has grown further in power under the wise (and
some say high-handed) leadership of Daramos Lauthyr (CG hm P11). The
Lady's House is the major healing force in Arabel, with 24 priests
answering to Lauthyr's call.

The most notable of Tymora's servants in Arabel is Doust Sulwood (CG
hm P8), former lord of Shadowdale. Doust strongly tries to mitigate
Lauthyr's abrasive personality.

Arabel is also noted for a number of fine inns and taverns, the most
notable being the Dancing Dragon and the Wild Goose (better known by
its other name, the World Serpent). The best inn in the city is the
Pride of Arabel, for those who can afford it.

Arabel is currently ruled by Myrmeen Lhal (NG hf R12).  Myrmeen's
lordship tends to turn on the fact that she permits the traders and
merchants to engage in whatever tactics they see fit, as long as no one
is hurt and the crown is not endangered.  Arabel's military forces are
overseen by the Warden of the Eastern Marches, Baron Thomdor, who in
addition to being a capable warrior (LG hm F17) is the cousin of King
Azoun.

Key to Arabel

  1. Citadel (and jail)
  2. Palace (court, assembly hall)
  3. House Marliir (noble family)
  4. The Weary Knight (inn of good quality)
  5. The Lady's House (temple of Tymora)
  6. The Dragon's Rest (guesthouse and barracks, owned by the crown for
 quartering of its guests)
  7. The Whistling Wheel (inn)
  8. The Traveler's Banner (inn)
  9. The Lamps (hardware store)
 10. The Bazaar (market area)
 11. Eastgate
 12. The Eastwatch Inn
 13. The Iron Throne yards (merchant company yards)
 14. Milzar's Yards (rental stockyards)
 15. Thousandheads Trading Coster yards (merchant company yards)
 16. Dragoneye Dealing Coster yards (merchant company yards)
 17. Elfskull Inn
 18. Calantar's Gate
 19. Red Raven Mercenary Company HQ
 20. The King's Trading Yards (crown-owned, but available for rental)
 21. Trueshield Trading Priakos yards (merchant company yards)
 22. The High Horn Gate
 23. The Night Wolf Inn
 24. Mother Lahamma's House (boarding house)
 25. Raspral's Kiss (Festhall)
 26. Six Coffers Market Priakos yards (merchant company yards)
 27. Gelzunduth Warehouse
 28. Gelzunduth Warehouse
 29. House of Gelzunduth (local merchant)
 30. Rhalseer's (boarding house of good quality)
 31. House of Kraliqh (local merchant)
 32. House of Bhela (local merchant)
 33. Welt
 34. House of Misrim (local merchant)
 35. House of Hiloar (local merchant)
 36. Shassra's (boarding house of good quality)
 37. Falcon's Rest (inn of good quality)
 38. House of Nyaril (local merchant)
 39. The Watchful Shield (rental bodyguards)
 40. Dulbiir's (rental costumes and finery, escort service)
 41. Mulkaer Lomdath, fine tailor
 42. The Silver Tankard (tavern)
 43. Mhaer Tzintin, Moneylender/moneychanger
 44. Eighlar's Fine Wines
 45. Jhamma's Silks and Furs
 46. Dhelthaen (butcher)
 47. The Strongwatch (rental warehouse, heavily guarded)
 48. The Pride of Arabel (inn of good quality)
 49. Orbul's Fine Carving & Furniture
 50. Khammath's Crystal (shop)
 51. The Black Mask (tavern)
 52. House of Thond (local merchant)
 53. Hawk's Perch Trading House (pawnshop)
 54. Szantel's Ropes, Cords, Chains, and Mesh
 55. The Wary Warrior (weapons of all types)
 56. The Two-Headed Lion (tavern)
 57. The Striking Snake (tavern)
 58. The Coiled Whip (tavern)
 59. The Gentle Smile (festhall of good quality)
 60. The House of Baerlear (local merchant)
 61. The Black Barrel (tavern)
 62. Hundar's Fine Carpets, Perfumes, and Lanterns
 63. Iardon's Hirelings (rental servants, escorts, loaders and lifters,
 mourners, message or errand runners)
 64. Monument to Dhalmass, the Warrior King
 65. The Silver Stallion tack shop
 66. Green Phial medicines & physics shop and clinic
 67. Mhaes's (festhall)
 68. House of Thond rental warehouse
 69. Six Coffers Market Priakos warehouse (merchant company warehouse)
 70. The Bent Bow (tavern)
 71. Laeduth's (boarding house)
 72. The Red Sword (tavern)
 73. Vaethym Olorar, rental falconer
 74. Saerdar's Silks and Flowers
 75. The Hungry Man (restaurant)
 76. The Chalice (fine brass and metalworks)
 77. The Net of Pearls (gowns, jewelery, and lingerie)
 78. Nelzara's (boarding house)
 79. Buldo Cravan (butcher)
 80. The Eyes and Ears of Arabel (messenger service, caravan guard
 hiring service, fast delivery service within Arabel)
 81. Kelsar's Fowl (live poultry & game birds)
 82. Ssarra's (restaurant)
 83. The High Moon Inn
 84. The Orange Banner Inn
 85. The Lady's Tastes (fine clothing)
 86. Soldiers Boots (tavern)
 87. The Red Stirge (inn)
 88. House Misrim Warehouse
 89. The Velvet Couch (festhall)
 90. The Burning Blade (tavern)
 91. Nathscal's (rental) Warehouse
 92. The Lavender Lion (festhall)
 93. The Smoky Skull (tavern)
 94. The Old Warrior (inn)
 95. Zelond's (rental) Warehouse
 96. Zelzar's (pawnshop and used goods)
 97. Naneatha's (festhall)
 98. The Dancing Dracolisk (tavern)
 99. Thael Diirim's Parchment and Proclamations
100. The Roll Roast (Inn)
101. Daglar Maermeet (armorer)
102. Orphast Ulbanath (scribe, cartographer, genealogist)
103. The Moonlit Touch (nightclub, festhall)
104. Quezzo's (rental) Warehouse
105. Dhaliima's (boardinghouse)
106. The Three Sisters (pawnshop, used and damaged clothes and goods)
107. Nuirovie Dornar, Potter
108. Fillaro's Overland Food (barrels of fish, etc., from the Sword
 Coast and Inner Sea)
109. The Blue Mace (Inn)
110. House of Baerlear Warehouse
111. House of Lheskar Bhaliir (owner of the Dancing Dragon and the
 Dancing Dracolisk taverns, fence of stolen goods)
112. The Dancing Dragon
113. The Open Casket (pawnshop, used goods, caravan liquidations, and
 fence of stolen goods)
114. Ghastar Ulvarinn, Stonecutter
115. Baalimr Selmarr, Carpenter
116. Dazniir Relharphin, Wheelwright
117. Cheth Zalbar, Purveyor of fine perfumes, soaps, lotions, dyes, and
 cosmetics
118. Bracerim Thabbold, Bedbuilder
119. The Lamp, Lantern, and Candle Shop of Nphreg Jhanos
120. Tamthiir's Leather Shop (fine clothes made to order)
121. Psammas Durviir (tailor)
122. Elhazir's Exotica (rare and unusual gifts and treasures)
123. The Baths (bath house, wrestling gym, and beauty parlor)
124. Wayscross Inn
125. The Ivory Jack (tavern)
126. Phaesha's (boardinghouse)
127. Vendor's Shoes & Boots
128. The Feasting Board (eatery)
129. House Hiloar Warehouse
130. The Lame Camel (tavern)
131. Blackhand Lhaol's smithy
132. House Misrim warehouse
133. House of Kraliqh warehouse
134. The Scarlet Spear (inn)
135. The Lazy Lizard (tavern)
136. The Watchful Lynx (inn)
137. Nyaril warehouse
138. House Misrim warehouse
139. The Swinging Gate (inn)
140. The Nine Fires (inn)
141. The Three Bars (inn)
142. The Tired Traveler (inn)
143. The Wink and Kiss (tavern)
144. Thousandheads Trading Coster Warehouses (merchant company
 warehouse)
145. The Pork Market (yards)
146. Dragoneye Dealing Coster Warehouse (merchant company warehouse)
147. Ssantusas's (rental) Warehouse
148. Dhalgim's Yard (fuel, such as wood, charcoal, oils, kindling)
149. The Copper Cockatrice (hardware shop)
150. Irriphar's Inn
151. The Murdered Manticore (inn)
152. The World Serpent (sometimes the Wild Goose; inn)

Calantar's Way

Calantar's Way is a cart road running from Suzail to Arabel in
Cormyr, and has been named for the man who surveyed and built it over
400 winters ago. It has been carefully tended by the merchants and
soldiers who use it.

Castle Crag

Formerly the easternmost outpost of Cormyr on the road to Tilverton,
Castle Crag remains an important defensive operation in the Realms
army, due to the unstable and dangerous nature of the Stonelands.
Castle Crag defends Gnoll Pass.

Some 500 Purple Dragons make up the permanent garrison here, along
with a detachment of the War Wizards. The garrison commander is Bren
Tallsword (LN hm F10), a stiff-necked martinet who insists on drills
and inspections on an all too regular basis. However, Tallsword is the
exact person the crown wants in this position - a warrior who will
fight to his last soldier to give the other forces, situated in Arabel,
time to set up defenses and plan a counterstroke.  Bren answers to the
Warden of the Eastern Marches in Arabel.

Adventurers are not particularly welcome in Castle Crag, and those
who arrive are told to complete their business and be off. There are a
few small buildings along the road, used as taverns and hostels, but
they are regularly leveled by Tallsword, who is concerned about morale
(they are regularly rebuilt by the soldiers and other adventurers, with
a wink and a nod from the Warden of the Eastern Marches).

Dhedluk

Dhedluk (pronounced dead-LUKE) is a small town of a hundred
buildings surrounded by a wooden stockade with a single obvious gate.
It is situated just north and west of the meeting of the Ranger's Way
and Starwater Road in central Cormyr.

Dhedluk rests calmly at the heart of the King's Forest, and is a
generally peaceful community of farmers and foresters. A local hero and
famous adventurer, Thiombar the fighter, runs an inn, the Blushing
Maiden, at the center of town. Thiombar (NG hm F8) is the appointed
local lord of Dhedluk, and is said to know everyone in Cormyr.

Thiombar is a master of the skill of putting the correct people in
touch with each other, and his inn is often a stopping point for those
seeking an individual of a certain skill or ability. There is a 50%
chance that Thiombar knows someone who might help a PC, though his fee
is usually no less than 200 gp per level of the individual he is
helping or referring to (whichever is higher).  Thiombar will never aid
in situations where someone within the Royal Court is threatened, and
in such cases will tip the authorities off.

Thiombar's attitude towards the position of lord of Dhedluk is that
he is doing the crown a favor, and the retired fighter would be as
happy just to hoist drinks. The crown, on the other hand, is pleased to
have such a source of information at its disposal.  Vangerdahast
himself is said to be a regular visitor, just to heft a mug and swap a
tale with his old friend and informant.

Espar

Situated in the rich farmland north of Waymoot, Espar is a
scattering of about 120 stone buildings without central plan or
defense.

Espar is the archetypical quiet Cormyrean farming town. It has a
single inn, the Watchful Eye, whose common room is usually filled with
local farmers; travelers are a rarity. Espar's greatest claims to fame
are its appointed lord and a local smithy renowned for its sword
Grafting.

Espar's lord is Hezom (LG hm P10), a priest of Helm on leave from
his church to fill this position for the crown. He still performs
healing for the sick and wounded, and exemplifies the finer spirit of
Helm's ethos of guardianship. Hezom maintains a small shrine to Helm in
the town.

Eveningstar

Eveningstar is an unfortified town of 50 or so main structures
situated where the High Road crosses the Starwater. Eveningstar is a
crossroads village and home to skilled craftsmen who produce wine,
parchment, and wool for the weavers in Suzail and Daerlun.  Eveningstar
is a market for the small, but good, farms in the vicinity.

Several good inns serve the traveler and adventurer, including the
Lonesome Tankard, whose proprietor is Duman Kiriag (NG hm F5), and the
Golden Unicorn, Selda Imyara, proprietor. A third inn, the Welcoming
Hand, is still a burnt-out ruin, the result of a magical bar brawl.

Eveningstar's lord is Tessaril Winter (CG hf W12/F10), who is both
quick and efficient in her duties to the crown. She is aided by her
herald Tzin Tzummer (NG hm B7) and the town clerk, Aldo Morim (NG hm
F3). Tessaril has a soft spot for adventurers and aids them when
possible.

Eveningstar is a regular watering hole for the disguised king of
Cormyr when he is out pressing the flesh, as the king is an old friend
of Tessaril. Most of the natives know Azoun by sight, and treat his
majesty as one of their own.

Eveningstar has one large temple, the House of the Morning,
dedicated to Lathander. Its patriarch is Charisbonde Trueservant (NG hf
P11). The House of the Morning is also the home of a retired Knight of
Myth Drannor, Jelde Asturien of Lathander (NG hm P9). The sarcastic
former Knight acts as the temple's seneschal, and is known to carry a
ring of spell storing with three raise deads and two flame strikes
stored in it.

Eveningstar's only other feature of note is a type of flying cat
found in the area. These cats, known as tressym, have free run of the
place, and are treated as mascots and signs of good luck. Lord Tessaril
has a tressym as a familiar.

Eveningstar, like Shadowdale in the Dales, is located near a
collection of ruins and underground caverns. The most notable of these
is the Haunted Halls. Hidden within a steep-sided gorge north of
Eveningstar, the Haunted Halls consist of a ruined keep and a nearby
cavern complex, though most think only of the keep as the Haunted
Halls.

The Haunted Halls were a long-standing bandit hold, cleaned out most
recently during the reign of King Azoun III, and unoccupied since. They
have been raided several times since then by adventuring companies, but
rumors persist that the Halls hold rich treasure.

The Farsea Marshes and the Marsh of Tun

Two great swamps lie on the far side of the Storm Horns, away from
the civilized lands of Cormyr. The Farsea Marshes are the birthplace of
the Tun River. Farther down its course, the swampy banks widen to form
the Marsh of Tun. The entire valley of the Tun is boggy and prone to
sudden sinks and marshy ground, but the trend is most widespread at
these two designated marshes.

The two marshes share another feature, for each is reputed to have
been the home of a great forgotten civilization. Such a civilization
would have to have existed before the elves themselves, for there is no
record among them of anything other than swamp in the area. Yet,
adventurers have described ruined buildings of ornate shapes made of
glass strengthened to the resiliency of steel being here. Such
declarations are usually followed by the quick sickness and death of
the speaker, since these swamps are also the home of pestilence and
plague.

Without any idea of the facts, bards have fitted in a story of two
great city-states ruled by lovers who had a falling out, a disagreement
that escalated into a magical war which sank both cities, poisoned the
land, and bred all manner of disease. Each was supposedly advised by an
old woman, who is revealed at the end of the tale to have been Talona.

The truth of the matter remains unknown, but adventurers continue to
brave the deadly nature of these bogs to recover greater gold and
glory. It is known that the lawless human tribes of the Tun have banded
together under the command of a warlord, Thaalim Torchtower (LE hm F9),
who operates an effective bandit kingdom, raiding caravans as they pass
out of Cormyr. It is rumored that he has spies and agents throughout
the Forest Kingdom and the Dragon Coast.

Goblin Marches and the High Moors

A thousand years ago when Myth Drannor was its height, the goblins
and their inhuman allies ruled this wide plain. Theirs was a powerful
race of inhuman warriors mounted on dire wolves and other strange
beasts, and they raided at will the ancient kingdoms of Asram and
Anauria, destroying the latter in 200 DR. Even the newborn city-state
of Suzail saw the attacks of these organized evil foes.

But the goblins at last met an enemy they could not defeat in the
form of the Great Desert Anauroch. The land dried out, and the soil
lifted in great, blinding clouds. The goblins' mighty war empire fell
apart as the people in it fled eastward to the Stonelands, westward to
the Fallen Lands, and south into the High Moors. One organized
surviving army laid siege to Tethyamar, the golden gem of the dwarves,
and wrested it from the Iron House. These goblins and ores, as cunning
as they once were, now rule that land.

The Goblin Marches is now a sliver of land between the desert and
the Storm Horns, growing smaller with each passing decade.  There are
still goblins here - broken, raiding peoples who attack each other's
encampments as much as human travelers. With High Horn and Castle Crag
in human hands, the rich lands of Cormyr are barred to them. The ores,
gnolls, ogres, and other humanoid races battle, raid, and live a
miserable borderline existence.

The High Moors to the south of Anauroch, the foothills of the Storm
Horns, are like the Goblin Marches, only moreso. Here can be found the
ruined citadels and giant-built castles of the dispersed races,
occupied by the savage remnants of these peoples. Because of their
location, the High Moors remain unexplored by Cormyreans or Dalesmen,
and tales continually surface concerning lost civilizations and
ancient, elder powers brooding in these hills, alien to all humans.

One human group that has been active in the Goblin Marches is the
Zhentarim, operating out of Dagger Falls and the Darkhold.  The Goblin
Marches occupy the main caravan route for the Black Network, and the
Zhentarim rotate between paying off the goblins, hiring them, or wiping
them out, depending on who the current military leader is. The
Zhentarim are said to have imported powerful monsters whom goblinkind
might follow in the hope of raising armies aligned with their sides,
but their results have been spotty at best. The goblin tribes are still
not powerful enough to challenge even a small unit of Cormyrean
knights.

Helmlands

The Helmlands are the name given to the foothills surrounding the
eastern Storm Horns near Gnoll Pass and Castle Crag. During the Time of
Troubles, these lands erupted in a series of bubbling tar pits, which
scarred the region. To make matters worse, the area is marked with
widespread and random wild magic and dead magic areas where the rules
of spellcasting break down or fail entirely.  The problematic magic
areas have been reduced since the Time of Troubles, but this land has
become a fell and evil place. It is called the Helmlands as a reminder
that Helm was supposedly responsible for keeping the gods' avatars in
Faerun, letting them wreak havoc. The lands are also called the Pits of
Mystra.

The chief long-lasting legacy of this region is that it has provided
a toehold for those border raiders who can press down past Castle Crag,
and they use it as a base of operations for raiding around Arabel.
Twice the combined forces of the Red Ravens and the Purple Dragons
(with the less effective help of the War Wizards) have cleansed the
area, and each time more goblins, gnolls, and ores have made their way
to it.

Rumors in the Royal Court state that Vangerdahast is working on a
great magic that will remove the Helmlands, or at least send them
somewhere like Thay where they will be appreciated. Of course, rumor in
the Royal Court regularly says that Vangerdahast is working on this
great magic or that. If he is doing so, he is holding his own counsel
on the matter.

Hermit's Wood

Located just south of Wheloon, the Hermit's Wood takes its name from
a ghostly figure that is often seen on nights of a full moon. This
figure appears as a man in gray robes, carrying a lantern which shines
with an eerie blue light. Some call this the spirit of the original
hermit who lived in the woods in the time of Azoun II, while others say
that it is fantasy or will-o'-the-wisps.

The Hermit's Wood is filled with game and singularly lacking in
sentient nonhuman creatures. It has been extensively lumbered by people
out of Wheloon.

High Horn

The High Horn is a great, grim fortress of high curving walls and
frowning towers, and is the center of Cormyr's military operations in
the west. The great towers of the High Horn were once essential, but
are now no longer so heavily used. It is still the strongest defensive
position in the realm of Cormyr. It guards the road to the West and a
strategically important mountain pass, and was built to protect against
the border raiders (bandits) and the lizard men of the marshes
(although these latter have not proved troublesome since it was built).

High Horn has a guest enclave, where travelers can stay, but is
strictly a military community. The High Horn is the wintering quarters
of half the Cormyrean army, and it has extensive facilities to host
both people and animals through a season-long siege.  In recent years,
the walls have been strengthened and discipline tightened, in the face
of the growing menace of Zhentarim-controlled Darkhold to the far west.

There is a standing garrison of 400 soldiers at High Horn at any
time: 100 archers and 300 men-at-arms, led by a 4th-level fighter for
every 10 soldiers, and under the overall control of the lord commander
of High Horn. The position of lord commander is appointed annually by
the king, and he is currently Thursk Dembarron(LG hm P15).

In addition to its other defenses, the War Wizards are making their
base at this keep. There will always be at least three mages of 6th
level present at any one time, and a 50% chance of a spellcaster of
7th-12th level in residence at any time.

Hilp

Hilp is a small town in southern Cormyr. It is a sleepy village
between Immersea and Suzail, named for the warrior who founded it long
ago by slaying or driving out all the trolls that infested the area. It
is unfortified and surrounded by rolling hills. It is the local
farmers' market and has a large cooper and wagonmaker business.

The local lord of Hilp is a former merchant named Doon Dzavar.  Doon
is not a native to Cormyr, but has worked hard in his tenure to earn
the approval of both the people of Hilp and the crown.

Hullack Forest

One of the large remaining shards of the great woods that was
Cormanthor, the western edge of Hullack was once considered the eastern
border of Cormyr. As the nation grows and acquires new land to the
north, settlers have begun to move into Hullack as well.

Hullack is a more primeval forest than the King's Forest, filled
with dark valleys and hidden dales unseen by mortals for generations.
Legends of ghostly creatures and strange monsters pepper local tales
and caravan stories, and ores and goblins regularly descend from the
Thunder Peaks into this region.

For Cormyr to grow, the Hullack must be tamed, and the crown has
notified several adventuring companies that riches and a minimum of
government interference are to be found there.

Hultail

Hultail is a small village on the eastern shores of the Wyvernwater.
No more than a handful of buildings, it does not even rate its own
appointed lord. Instead, its matters with the crown are handled by Sarp
Redbeard of Wheloon.

Hultail is typical of hundreds of small villages and hamlets
scattered throughout Cormyr. Its only notable quality is that it is the
only true port on the eastern Wyvernwater, and that it guards the
"secret door" into Cormyr.

Most trade into Cormyr from the east passes through the Thunder
Peaks through three gaps, or to the south around the southern extreme
of the Vast Swamp. A fourth way exists, through the High Dale, past
Hooknose Crag, and down the river to Hultail. This secret entrance is
little used, though Dalesmen and others use it to pass into Cormyr
without raising a ruckus.

The natives of Hultail are on very good terms with the Dalesmen
tradesmen who pass through and benefit from those items that are being
smuggled into or out of the country. Recently, a retired War Wizard
named Fractus (N hm W7) has set up shop nearby, and most of the locals
believe he is there as a spy of the crown.

Immersea

Perched on the western edge of the Wyvernwater, Immersea is an
unfortified town of about a hundred structures, with several large
manors to the south and west of the city. Immersea is a way town on the
road, a stopover and watering-place for horses and livestock, as it is
right on the Wyvernwater. A large inn, the Five Fine Fish, produces its
own potent and justly famed ale here.  Immersea has no temples, but a
shrine to Selune is maintained nearby by Mother Lledew (CG hf P9).
Immersea is also home to the mistfishers, who go out in the morning
mists to catch fish in the Wyvernwater with long draglines and scoop
nets. A map of the Immersea area can be found on page 52.

The great manor to the south and west, called Redstone for its
color, is the ancestral home of the Wyvernspur family, a group of petty
nobles who have regained prominence in the area through the actions of
the family hero, Giogi Wyvernspur. Giogi, through his heroic efforts,
has gained the ability to transform himself into a wyvern. He and his
wife, a mage named Cat, have settled down and are raising a family.

This castle is also the current abode of Samtavan Sulacar (LN hm
F3), the local lord appointed by the king. Samtavan is neither local
(he is a native of Suzail) nor a very effective lord, and his main
occupation is to stay out of the way while his herald handles the
important business of the area.

The other major family in the area is the Cormaerils, a noble house
spread widely throughout Cormyr. The Cormaerils of Immersea are
considered a minor branch of the line, but still maintain a nice manor
known as the High Towers.

Immersea Key

 1. Redstone (Wyvernspur family house)
 2. Wyvernspur farms (minor nobles)
 3. High Towers (Cormaeril family house)
 4. Cormaeril farms (minor nobles)
 5. Szalan's Shipyard
 6. Statue: Azoun Triumphant (Azoun III with sword raised aloft, on
rearing stallion, bandits being trampled underfoot)
 7. The market
 8. Lluth's farm
 9. Danae's farm
10. Tathcho's farm
11. Nilil'sfarm
12. Gulphet's farm
13. The High Common
14. Nazan's farm
15. The Five Fine Fish (tavern)
16. The Mist Runner (tavern)
17. Fish-cleaning shed
18. Halaband's Inn
19. The Immer Inn
20. Alzael's (slaughterhouse)
21. Smithy
22. Stables (rental) run by Dzulas
23. Mrastos Warehouse (rental)
24. Mrastos Warehouse (rental)
25. Nelzol's (hardware shop)
26. Chaslasse's Fine Clothing
27. Maela's (boarding house)
28. Nulahh's (boarding house)

King's Forest

Cormyr is defined by its forest, one of the westernmost pieces of
ancient Cormanthor, now abandoned by the elves to humankind.  The woods
is a collection of oak, maple, and rowan trees, with little undergrowth
and a high, open canopy. It is riddled by major roads and cradles the
small towns of Dhedluk and Waymoot.

The King's Forest is the property of the crown. It is rich in game
and wildlife, and save for the occasional monster which wanders down
from the Storm Horns, it is a hunter's paradise.  The law in Cormyr on
poaching is as follows: One may hunt in the King's Forest, provided one
does so on one's own. Large-scale hunts are banned, with offenders
being jailed or assigned to help dredge the Starwater. This law also
gives some of the creatures a fighting chance, and every so often a
hunter loses in a battle with a boar or bear, which keeps spurious
adventurers out.

The King's Forest has no known ruins within its borders, and there
were no ancient empires or fell wizards practicing at the dawn of time
nearby in any living or recorded memory. This may account for the
Cormyrean attitude that all forests of the world should be as safe and
secure as the one controlled by their king.

Marsember

Marsember is the second largest city of Cormyr, and, like the
capital at Suzail, is a seaport on the Dragonmere (the Lake of
Dragons). The city is built on a series of small islands, with each
island crossed and recrossed by a number of canals.

Marsember is the City of Spices, and is so named because four
competing trading families based here have shipped spices to and from
lands far across the Inner Sea for decades, drawing much of the trade
in condiments for the region here.

Because of the large numbers of small fishing boats that work out of
its harbor (or anchor in the mouth of the Wyvernflow, but bring their
catches here for sale), Marsember is the kingdom's busiest port.

Marsember is infamous for the intricate network of sewer-like,
narrow, winding canals that run throughout the entire city. Spans of
tone connect the upper floors of close buildings, and light skiffs are
poled through the streets. The city was originally built on Marsember
Marsh and expanded over time, taking what territory it Blight. Flat,
hard ground is at a premium in Marsember, so that only the courts of
the wealthy and places of government have large plazas laid out above
the high water mark.

Marsember's sole large church is Morningmist Hall, a temple of
Lathander under the control of High Morninglord Chansobal Dreen (NG hm
P12). He has 16 priests of various levels serving under him.  There are
also shrines to Tymora and Umberlee in the city.

The light skiffs used in the canals of Marsember should be treated
as coracles, though their dimensions are 8-10 feet long and 2-4 feet
wide.

Marsember is ruled in the name of the king by Ildool (CN hm F7), a
grasping political hack who retains his job in part by bemoaning how
terrible it is so that no others covet his post.  Rumors fly that
Ildool skims his tithes to the crown, but all accounting to date has
been proper. It is said that Ildool would Open the city to slavers,
Zhentarim, and other foul creatures if not for the efforts of the War
Wizards and his herald, Bledryn Scoril (LG hm F9), to keep him on the
path of the righteous.

The other major official in Marsember is Ayesunder Truesilver (LG hm
F14), Warden of the Port, charged with protecting a 12-ship detachment
of the Imperial Navy.

Stonelands

The Stonelands are a wide, rocky desolation that lies between Gnoll
Pass and Tilverton. The land gains its name from the great boulders
that seem to be strewn at random throughout its length like monuments
to some forgotten god. A haunted, heavily gouged, sparse wasteland,
this land has long been a haven for tribes of gnolls, ores, goblinoids,
and evil humans, known collectively as border raiders, regardless of
species.

The Zhentarim have been active in both the Stonelands and the Goblin
Marches, seeking to weaken the crown's hold on this region near Cormyr
and at least tie up enough resources so that the Black Network can
operate with a free hand. To that end, there are reports of mad
beholders cruising over the ravine-crossed terrain in the night,
disintegrating anything that gets in their way. The truth has yet to be
revealed, but the Cormyrean patrols and the Red Ravens are very
watchful, and post guards in the evenings.

Storm Horns

Forming the western and northern borders of Cormyr, the Storm Horns
are a massive uplift of sharp-toothed mountains, forbidding to all who
seek to travel through them. They form an unbroken wall from the Lake
of Dragons to High Horn Pass, and a second wall from High Horn to Gnoll
Pass. This impenetrable uprising of land has served as a protector for
Cormyr from attacks from the north and east, but by the same token
prevents any expansion in those directions.

The power of most of the nonhuman tribes on the Cormyrean side of
the Storm Horns has long since been broken, though there are occasions
when a charismatic ore shaman can gather enough small holds together to
form a raiding party. Deeper in the mountains, the tribes of ores and
other nonhumans are stronger, and travelers and prospectors have often
learned that they were in orcish territories only with the first volley
of black-feathered arrows.

The emptying of monsters from the Cormyrean side has also left a
large number of empty caverns and cave complexes that have been
occupied by new creatures. Supreme among them are dragons driven south
by the most recent flight of dragons, who have retreated to their lairs
for a long nap. After a decade, these dragons are now waking, and
waking hungry. Tyrluk, Espar, Waymoot, and Eveningstar have all been
plagued by rogue dragons in the past year. In such cases the best bet
has been to find some adventuring party who will rid the area of the
beast in exchange for its treasure.

The main road out of Cormyr, the High Road, leaves High Horn and
weaves its way down through the foothills of the Storm Horns on the
eastern side, heading south and crossing the River Tun at the Bridge of
Fallen Men. There are two small towns on the route south, not under the
control of Cormyr, but visited with increasing regularity by Cormyrean
patrols.

Eagle Peak is situated on a rocky outcropping overlooking the wide
vale of the Tun River and the Marsh of Tun. It is a small hamlet of a
dozen buildings, including an inn, stables, and a smithy. Its most
recent addition is a small temple of Torm, headed by Lorandia of Torm
(LG hm P5) and three of his followers. Eagle Peak is a regular
overnight stop for caravans in and out of Cormyr.

Skull Crag, farther to the south, has a darker reputation. Located
deeper in the mountains, the community has a stockade around it that is
secured at night (though gold may open the locked gates, nothing else
will). The town is dominated by a shrine to Myrkul (now to Cyric) far
up the mountainside, one of the few shrines to the death god known in
the Heartlands. The whitened marble of a natural outcropping has been
polished and refined to resemble a humanoid skull.  Followers of Myrkul
(and now Cyric) have been known to make pilgrimages to this site of
revelations and wisdom, and the rocks beneath the altar are littered
with their bones. Vultures (of all types) are common near Skull Crag.

Suzail

Suzail is the royal capital and richest city of the kingdom of
Cormyr, and home to the most important merchant houses and nobles of
Cormyr. The city is dominated by the fortified castle of King Azoun IV,
which is set apart from the lower city by its splendid gardens and
rumored to have rich burial grounds beneath it.  A map of Suzail can be
found on page 54.

The city is justly famous for its bazaars, its ivory sculptors, and
its clothmakers. Of the former, hundreds of winters of ivory gleaned
from the Unapproachable East and the hot jungles of the South has found
its way across the Inner Sea in great shiploads of raw tusks and
fragments to here and been fashioned into inlays and goods for Amn, the
North, and the Sword Coast cities. Of the latter, wool is woven as well
in the Sembian city of Daerlun, but those who work looms in Suzail hold
that their work is finer, and the colors more true and more lasting.

The major trading houses in the city are: the Dragoneye Dealing
Coster, the Seven Suns Trading Coster, the Six Coffers Market Priakos,
Trueshield Trading Priakos, and the trading families of Iravan,
Zathchos, Skatterhawk, Jhassalan, Faeri, and Ossper.

Suzail has two major temples. The Towers of Good Fortune are
dedicated to Tymora and presided over by Luckmaster Manarech Eskwuin
(CG hm P12). The Silent Room, the temple to Deneir, is presided over by
Thaun Khelbor (NG hm P10). There are also shrines to Lliira, Oghma,
Tempus, Malar, and Milil within the city.

The First Citizen of the City and the nation is his most Royal
Highness King Azoun IV, King of Cormyr, Protector of Tilverton, and
Victor of the Horde Incursions (LG hm F20). Azoun rarely travels alone
in the city, for he has a personal bodyguard of 6th-8th-level fighters,
and in addition, is often in the company of his court, which includes
among its numbers some of the more powerful Cormyreans, such as the
wizard Vangerdahast. His majesty carries a number of items (rings,
bracers, and the like) that provide immunity from various forms of
attack, and it is rumored that he is the recipient of a specialized
spell that, if he is gravely threatened, will teleport him elsewhere.

Vangerdahast, Royal Magician to the Realm of King Azoun IV and
Chairman Emperius of the College of War Wizards (LN hm W17), is quiet
and unassuming, though highly respected by his peers both for his
knowledge and courtly tact. He does not suffer fools and fops well, but
has an undying loyalty to the crown.

Sthavar, Lord Magister of the City (LG hm F15), is the local lord
entrusted with the day-to-day governing of Cormyr's largest city.
Sthavar maintains a separate residence outside the palace grounds. He
has a complement of six guards of 5th level, and his herald, Xrorn
Hackhand (CG hm R14).

Suzail maintains a large army of Purple Dragons, 14 ships c Imperial
Navy, and a large contingent of the War Wizards (more 65 such wizards
make their home in the city proper).

Adventurers visiting Suzail are usually directed to either the
Dragon's Jaws or the Laughing Lass taverns, both of which commonly deal
with the adventuring trade.

Key to Suzail

 1. Palace
 2. Lake Azoun
 3. The Royal Gardens (or Floral Gardens)
 4. The Promenade (the street running from Eastgate to Horngate)
 5. Eastgate
 6. The Nightgate Inn
 7. The Market Yard
 8. Market Hall
 9. The Lock-Up (city jail)
10. Citadel or the Purple Dragons (garrison)
11. Royal Docks
12. Harbor Tower
13. The Field-Gates
14. The Fields of the Dead (burial ground, off-map to west)
15. The Market
16. The Basin
17. Horngate
18. Monument: The Purple Dragon
19. House of Lord Magister of the City Sthavar
20. The Royal Court (interconnected buildings)
21. Court Stables
22. Dragoneye Dealing Coster yards (merchant company yards)
23. Thousandheads Trading Coster yards (merchant company yards)
24. The Seven Suns Trading Coster yards (merchant company yards)
25. The Six Coffers Market Priakos yards (merchant company yards)
26. Rheuban's Stables
27. Iravan's Rental Yards
28. Trueshield Trading Priakos yards
29. Talahon's Rental yards
30. Shipyards
31. The Towers of Good Fortune (temple of Tymora)
32. The Silent Room (temple of Deneir)
33. The Royal Smithy
34. Shrine to Lliira
35. Shrine to Oghma
36. Shrine to Malar
37. The Winking Eye (tavern)
38. The Old Dwarf (tavern)
39. The Dragon's Jaws (tavern)
40. The Weather Eye (tavern)
41. The Golden Goblin (tavern)
42. The Laughing Lass (tavern)
43. Zhaelun's Stockyard
44. The Crying Witch (tavern)
45. The Leaning Post (inn)
46. The Six Candles (inn)
47. The Jaws (culvert, taking stream to basin, #16)
48. Thelmar's Inn
49. Selavar's Inn
50. Zult's (licensed moneychanger)
51. The Black Rat (tavern)
52. The Mare's Tail (tavern)
53. The Courtyard of Zathchos
54. Taneth's (festhall)
55. Sontravin's Inn
56. Skatterhawk warehouses and dock
57. Shrine to Tyr
58. The Wailing Wheel (inn)
59. Sulchra's (festhall)
60. The Warm Bed (inn)
61. Skatterhawk family house
62. House of Helver Dhasjarr (LN hm F7)
63. House of Cormmor Lhestayl (CG hm F8)
64. House of Lanneth Murg (N hm F11)
65. Tower of Argul (LN hm W13)
66. The Purple Scar (festhall)
67. House of Dolcar Dethanter (CG hf T10)
68. Danain's (hardware shop)
69. Kriyeos Lathmil's stables
70. Tower of Laspeera (NG hf W14)
71. Wyvernspur Townhouse
72. Shrine to Milil
73. Warehouse of Jhassalan (oils and perfumes)
74. Tower of Baskor, the mage (NG hm W9)
75. Warehouse of Faeri (ivory traders)
76. Warehouse of Ossper (fine cloth)
77. Vangerdahast's Tower (royal magician)
78. Blackshield Apartments (court residence)

The Thunder Peaks

Forming the eastern border of Cormyr, this chain of mountains runs
north from the High Dale, eventually joining the Desertsmouth Mountain
chain beyond Shadow Gap. It is a wild and unsettled land, the home of
tribes of ores and goblins that bedevil Cormyr, Sembia, and the Dales.

The main pass through the mountains is Thunder Gap, and it carries
most of the trade from Arabel east to the southern Dales and Sembia.
Goblin raids are still common on travelers through this area, and
individuals are warned to go armed and in large groups. Cormyrean
patrols regularly pass through.

The Thunder Peaks, like the Storm Horns, take their name from the
sudden and devastating storms which rake their sides in all seasons. In
the winter, Thunder Gap is sometimes completely closed by heavy snow.

Tilverton and Tilver's Gap

There are three passes through the Thunder Peaks: Thunder Gap in the
south, and Shadow Gap and Tilver's Gap in the north. Roads from Shadow
Gap and Tilver's Gap join at the small city of Tilverton, which has
become important as a strategic location for Cormyr.

In 1357 DR, Tilverton was occupied by Cormyrean forces led by Duke
Bhereu, one of the king's cousins. The given reason was the attacks of
Lashan of Scardale and Zhentil Keep activity, but the crown of Cormyr
has long had its eye on this valuable territory.  The occupation was
made with the tacit approval of the other Dales and Sembia, though both
have since grown concerned about Cormyr's increasing power.

Cormyr has invested a great deal in expanding and improving its new
protectorate. City walls have been erected to cover the sprawling town,
and the main thoroughfares have been lined with cobblestones (they were
previously mud tracks). There is a garrison of 850 Purple Dragons here,
and foot patrols are common on die streets.

Tilverton is ruled by Lady Regent Alasalynn Rowanmantle (CF hf F9),
cousin to Shaerl Rowanmantle of Shadowdale, who oversees a elected
local council. In reality, nothing happens in Tilverton that is not
determined by Cormyr. She is aided by Cuthric Snow (NG hm F2), a young
courtier on his first posting outside Cormyr.

Tilverton has a temple to Gond Wonderbringer operating under the
auspices of Burlan Almaether (N hm PI 2) and 26 lesser priests. It also
has shrines to Helm, Lathander, Silvanus, Tymora, and reportedly,
hidden in the depths of die sewers, secret ones to Mask and Cyric.

Tilverton is still a growing, sprawling town, with many of the
features found in other independent cities. Unlike most of Cormyr, it
still has an organized thieves' guild: the Rogues of Tilverton. The
Rogues have been engaging in a long-running and losing battle with the
War Wizards and the Cormyrean soldiers.

Tyrluk

Tyrluk (pronounced TEER-luke) is a small crossroads village, with a
smithy, a carter, and a farmers' market. Hardy ponies are bred locally,
and many caravans purchase remounts here. A wide pasture is reserved
for caravans to bed down, but there is nothing resembling a inn or
tavern for the wanderer. A stockade protects the city, but it has been
years since any tribes have challenged the might of nearby High Horn,
so the gates are left open at night for late travelers.

The appointed local lord is Suldag the Boar (NG hm F6), a warrior of
moderate merit and incredible girth. His chosen name is said to come
from his hunting ability in the King's Forest, but court wits of late
connected it with his waistline and eating habits. They do this behind
his back - not because Suldag would be horribly offended, but (cause
gossip is much more fun that way.

The Vast Swamp

Situated on the eastern borders of Cormyr, this marsh forms the
order between Cormyr and Sembia. Neither nation claims the swampland,
and neither wants to deal with it unless some ugly monster crawls out
of its depths.

The Vast Swamp is filled with lizard men, hobgoblins, gnolls, and
trolls. Black dragons, beholders, and catoblepas have been reported
within its borders, and will-o'-wisps are commonly spotted from the Way
of the Manticore. The Vast Swamp is probably the single most deadly
location within the borders of Cormyr. The general attitude toward it,
however, is live and let live, since it would take an act of the gods
to fully clean out and drain the huge bog.

The Vast Swamp is also reputed to be a home for necromancers, and
legend says that the Dusk Lord of Sessrendale was not slain, but
retreated to this land to plot his revenge against all the living in
the Dales. This may or may not be true, since while mortals and even
undead do perish, tales live on forever.

Waymoot

A large town within the bounds of the King's Forest, Waymoot is
situated in an artificial clearing five miles across. The center of the
town has a wide stone-walled keep, but the majority of the buildings at
unfortified.

Waymoot is a traders' town in the center of Cormyr where horses and
bred and trained, and wagons are made and fixed. It is home to a
plethora of inns: the Cup and Spoon, the Old Man, the Moon and Stars,
the Silver Wink, and others.

Waymoot's local lord is Filfar Woodbrand (LG hm F10), also called
Trollkiller by the locals. A warrior of great power (18/94 Strength),
Filfar is less than comfortable with the appellation, though it aptly
describes his skill in repelling a troll attack on the town in his
youth.

Waymoot has two small temples, one to Tymora and one to Lliira. The
Tymoran temple is the Sheltering Hand, and it is run by Gothric of
Tymora (CG hm P7) and three supporting priests.  The Lliiricist temple
is the Sounds of Joy, and it is run by Jezarai Moonbolt (NG hef P8) and
three acolytes. Both the temple and its priestess were formerly
dedicated to Waukeen.

Wheloon

Wheloon is a mid-sized town of more than 200 major buildings
situated at the outflow of the Wyvernwater. Its distinctive buildings
have roofs of vibrant green.

This river town grew up around the ferry here that transports
traffic on the Way of the Manticore. Its green-roofed houses are the
result of the use of a native slate for shingles, and have given rise
to the phrase "the jade towers of Wheloon." Many craftsmen work here;
the town houses boatmakers, basketweavers, sailmakers, and potters.

Wheloon is ruled in the name of King Azoun IV by Sarp Redbeard (NG
hm F9), the most headstrong and independent of the appointed local
lords. Sarp is known to disagree with court policy on a number of
matters and has earned few friends in court. He is popular among the
natives of Wheloon, who see Sarp as keeping the Purple Dragon of Cormyr
out of their daily lives.

Wheloon has a single temple to Chauntea that is controlled by
Harandave Donohar (NG hm P16) and 14 of his followers. It also feature
a shrine to Silvanus, under the caretaking of Orlenstar Thirlthorn (N
hm D4).


Sembia
======

Sembia is a wealthy merchant kingdom situated east of Cormyr on the
western edge of the Sea of Fallen Stars. It is a land of rolling farms
and rich plains dominated by a handful of large, wealthy cities. It is
a well-run, organized nation that may in time rival the old kingdoms of
the South and East. It is already one of the dominant powers in the
region, something which makes its neighbors (particularly the
Dalelands) very nervous.

The wealthy merchant kingdom of Sembia is a land of good farms, busy
ports, skilled textile makers, and prosperity, with a vigilant army to
keep it that way. The arms of Sembia are the Raven and Silver.  The
raven represents Rauthauvyr the Raven, long-ago founder of the realm,
who never ruled Sembia but instead commandedits armies for a
succession of merchant rulers. The silver coins represent Sembia's
trading wealth.

History
-------

The land of Sembia was settled by humans coming to the Sea of Fallen
Stars from the south, originally for its stands of huge, high-quality
iliyr-wood timber, that were much prized in shipbuilding. As the
forests were cleared over the years, the treecutters came into
increasing conflict with the elves, who feared the loss of their entire
woods.

This loss would undoubtedly have occurred if the hastily gathered
mercenary troops of the fledgling land had defeated the elves, but the
elven nations defeated them soundly at Singing Arrows (884 DR) and
afterwards repeatedly slew or forced back humans venturing north of the
River Ashaba and Lake Sember. The Battle of Singing Arrows convinced
distant Chondath to abandon its holdings and allowed the immigrant
Sembians to establish their independence (as little more than a
collection of rival city- states, much like the Moonsea or Vast today).
It also set the stage for the appearance of the Raven.

The Moonsea's (the Dragon Sea's) mineral wealth was discovered by
humankind at about this time, and pressure began to grow in Sembia for
a trade road through the elven woods to make Sembia the world's gateway
to all these riches. The land grew strong as farms prospered in newly
cleared lands, and craftsmen arrived from the south to take advantage
of this chance to acquire land and wealth, bringing their trades with
them. Rauthauvyr unified the city-states and towns in the face of the
continuing elven menace,  and insisted on maintaining a standing army,
which he kept in practice by policing Sembia's borders and improving
its roads. At this time (913 DR), Sembia became as a true nation.

Having accomplished all this, the Raven went alone as an envoy to the
Elven Court and asked the elders of the Elven Council to approve a road
open to humans going north from Sembia to the shores of the Dragon Sea
(an earlier road had been destroyed during the conflict and was now
overgrown).  Raven  proposed that the elves choose its route and retain
control of it and the woods around it so that no woodcutting or human
settlement would occur, and that Sembia's people build it with them,

The elves had earlier made similar arrangements with the Dalesmen and
had no difficulty with the concept of such an agreement. However, the
inhabitants of Velarsdale (now Harrowdale) refused the proposal, not
wanting or needing such a road at that time (curious, since later a
ruler of Harrowdale commissioned the disastrous Halfaxe Trail). The
elves, not wishing to offend long-time allies, refused Raven's request.

Rebuffed, the Raven then threatened to exterminate the isolated elves
in Arnothoi, the last embattled remnant of the elves in Sembia, if the
Elven Court did not cooperate. He and his people would leave Arnothoi
unmolested and its elves free to come and go and trade or not as they
wished if the road was built.

The elves agreed under pressure, and Sembia's financial future was
secured. Hillsfar, on the' shores of the Dragon  Sea, became  a
commercial  meeting  ground between  humankindand  elves, as did
Elventree. Over the years the elves of Arnothoi came north to join
their brethren or slipped away to seek Evermeet, and that wood
gradually disappeared. The route the elves chose ran past the base of
the Standing Stone as a reminder of earlier, less-hostile dealings
between humans and elves.

Sembia grew rich under merchant leaders of increasing wisdom, such as
Saer (for whom Saerb was named, and Chondathan, later renamed Saerloon)
and Selgar (Chancelgaunt was renamed Selgaunt at his death, when he was
buried there).

Rauthauvyr the Raven, before his death, saw that these merchants had a
strong standing council of merchant elders to advise them and to ensure
that no ruler could hold onto power by force of arms. Then this
farsighted man, creator of a nation, now half-blind and infirm from old
war wounds, rode north into the elven woods and disappeared. None know
what happened to him or where his bones lie, save perhaps some few
elder elves.

The Overmaster
--------------

Sembia today is a strong kingdom, quick to defend threats to its
sovereignty (such as the rise of Scardale), and first in financial
wealth of all the western Inner Sea lands. Its ruler is called the
Overmaster and is elected to a seven-year term by a council of
merchants.

This merchant council is presently based in Ordulin and is 22 strong.
The incumbent ruler, Elduth Yarmmaster, is just beginning his third
term of office. Although there are always those ambitious for the
Overmaster's chair or dissatisfied with its present occupant, Elduth
has proven to be an mature and wise man of kindness and humor, though
quite frail and elderly now and reportedly sustained by potions of
longevity.

Some in Sembia have urged Elduth to take advantage of the recent
disappearance of the elves to take over the lands from Hillsfar to the
Dragon Reach to Mistledale and the Thunder Peaks, but so far Elduth has
refused. He is eloquent in council, arguing that "swords speak, but
they do not listen," and that the neighboring lands of Cormyr, the
Dales, and the Moonsea would like as not reach for their own swords
should they make such a claim. Instead, Elduth argues that Sembia
should stand ready to support, and if necessary, usurp control in,
those troubled regions quietly, as Cormyr did with Tilverton. Those who
agree with Elduth speak of his sage nature in playing a patient waiting
game. Those who disagree note that the great statesmen of Sembia is old
and will likely not live out his term, magical enhancements or not.
Then there will be a new day for Sembia.

The Sembian Mindset
-------------------

It is said, "When you look into a Sembian's eyes, you can see coins
being counted in his mind." The people of Sembia have the well-earned
reputation of being money conscious, even greedy and avaricious, in
their daily lives. Their nation was built on trade, and lives and dies
by trade. A measure of one's success can be given a value in gold
pieces. Titles and accomplishments, which carry great weight in Cormyr
and the Dales, matter little when  confronted with the bottom line of
the ledger book.

Sembians see themselves as being careful when matters are unknown, bold
and decisive when they may pull off a coup or make a sale. They are in
command of their own destiny, and should the gods set them back, they
will learn from their mistakes and rise to regain that which they have
lost and a bit more for interest.

Sembians are industrious and hard-working, toiling away at tasks long
after any other people would stop for the evening.  Candles, lanterns,
and glowstones allow  work well into the evening, and with the fall of
night there are still those who press on, seeking their own form of
perfection. The Sembians believe themselves superior to their neighbors
because they work at life and work very hard.

The Sembians are cool to their neighbors, keeping them at arm's length.
The Cormyreans are viewed as having too much of the noble blood
poisoning their system, such that they hare off on crusades and  quests
regardless of the damage  it does. The Dalesmen  are primitive country
bumpkins, surviving only by dint of powerful allies. The Moonsea cities
are enemies to be destroyed from within economically since no army can
take them. The same may be said for the Dragon Coast, which is a hotbed
of secret societies and thieves' guilds. The Vast and the Westies are
potential marketplaces and resources, and care must be taken not to
turn them into rivals.

And then there are the elves. Sembian history is filled with conflicts
between the elves and the humans of Sembia, and there is little love
lost between the two. A pronouncement banishing the elves from Sembia
is still on the books after 10 years and is used to harass irritating
elven travelers. The elves of the Tangled Trees still harass Sembian
merchants. It does not bother the Sembians so much that the majority of
the elves have gone into Retreat as that the ones that they left behind
are now uncontrolled and making trouble.

Industrious, proud, diligent, cosmopolitan, and canny-these are the
phrases the Sembian merchant would use to describe herself or himself.
The phrases that the Cormyreans, Dalesmen, and elves would use are not
listed here (to be polite).

Locations of Interest
---------------------

The original concept of Sembia was as an open territory that DMs could
play with to their heart's content, setting down their own designed
cities as Ordulin and Selgaunt, untroubled by changes in the outer
Realms brought on from TSR novels and game products. The requirements
of the growing campaign world (particularly the Tuigan invasion) showed
us that we had to give some level of detail to the area. While those
who had not developed Sembia were not offended, those who had placed
their cities there were outraged, and I [Jeff Grubb] received a number
of angry comments  and amazing letters (my favorite was the adventuring
group that took over Sembia and attempted to build the "Great Sembian
Peace Wall").

With the redesign of this boxed set, those elements which have been
added are summarized here. Those areas we have not gone into, in
particular the smaller cities of Surd, Tulbegh, Mulhessen, Kulta,
Huddagh, and Saerb, are left open for DMs to develop (or not develop)
at their leisure, with only the briefest mention  here. And  while
(being now  older and wiser) this designer cannot promise that no TSR
designer, editor, author, or other worthy will not attempt to further
develop Sembia, we will try to keep such interloping to a minimum.
Sigh.

Daerlun

Daerlun is a large city in Sembia, closest to the nation of Cormyr and
benefitting the greatest from trade with that nation. It is the most
Cormyrean  of the Sembian cities, which is to say its people are
polite, warm, and friendly-far from the stereotypical ruthless Sembian
merchant.

The natives of Daerlun are, however, wealthy, and seek to protect both
that wealth and their own security. Adventurers and particularly
thieves are not openly welcome in Daerlun, and those caught trying to
ply their trade within the city walls are quickly caught and sent to
the Deep Cells of the city, never to be seen again.

Daerlun  is ruled by a high bergun, Halath Tymmyr, an old chum  of
Elduth Yarmmaster. Quite  old now, Tymmyr  confines himself to his
quarters, allowing his commander of the guard, Allathast, to run
day-to-day operations.

Daerlun is dominated by a single large temple to Sune (though many
also claim to venerate Tyr, particularly when some criminal is
captured). The House of Firehair is one of the most beautiful of Sune's
temples and is presided over by High Priestess Thauna Maskalar (CG hf
P21) and a small army of 48 lesser priests, the bulk of them human and
half-elven females (the prejudice against elves does not extend to
their half-elven relatives in Sembia).  There are also shrines in the
city to Azuth, Deneir, Lathander, Lliira, Loviatar, Malar, Mystra,
Shar, and Tymora. Curiously, there is no shrine or temple to Tyr.

Daerlun is also the headquarters of the profitable and respected
Firehands Group trading company (see the Merchant Companies sidebar in
the "Western Heartlands" chapter).

Ordulin

Ordulin is the capital of Sembia, though not its largest city. It was
built on the site of old Moondale, a Dale community that was sucked up
whole by the expanding nation of Sembia. Sembian texts refer to this
settlement as "an armed logging camp," conveniently ignoring its
original nature. Ordulin was made the capital as a compromise between
the largest (and at that time, rival) cities of the nation, and has
since grown in importance. As the capital, it is under the command of
Overmaster Elduth Yarmmaster, but in reality is controlled by the
Council of Sembia and particularly its merchant class.

Ordulin is laid out like a compass, with all roads (and all power)
radiating from three central buildings: the Great Hall of the Council,
the Tower of the Guards, and the Guarded Gate, which is the mint and
treasure-trove of Sembia.

Ordulin is home to a number of temples, including those to Gond, Sune,
Tymora, Lathander, and Lliira (replacing a now- defunct temple of
Waukeen). There are also shrines to Deneir and Loviatar.

Finally, Ordulin has its own thieves' guild, a gathering of selfstyled
revolutionaries called the Rot Grubs who are dedicated to the overthrow
of the "godless merchantilocracy" and establishing a true king in
Sembia. Their activities have become more pronounced of late.

Saerloon

Saerloon was one of the original colony cities established in the land
that would be Sembia, and was known in those times as Chondathan. It
gained the name Saerloon from the master merchant Saer, whose brave and
industrious nature helped establish the city as an economic powerhouse.
It is an old, refined city of exotic architecture and varied tastes.
Its buildings are laced with cornices, friezes, carvings, and the
ever-present gargoyles. Its people epitomize the head-down, continual
bustle that marks Sembia, pausing only briefly (and regularly) to check
to see if someone is creeping up on them.

Saerloon is ruled by Lady Merelith of the Guard (NG hf F11) in the name
of the Council of Sembia, but as in almost all Sembian towns, it is the
merchants who rule, and the markets (under the gaze of statues of Saer)
are filled with their calls and competitive shouts.

Saerloon is home to two powerful magical churches, who aid the
merchants in protection spells and abjuration magics. They are
dedicated to Mystra and Azuth, and have in their service a number of
powerful wizards. The most  mighty is the Lady's Mage Cadellin
Firehands (LN hm W24) of the church of Mystra. The city also has
shrines to Lathander, Tempus, Lliira, and Tymora.

Dusky Saerloon is also a hotbed of thieving activities and intrigue,
some of which is supported by the local merchants. The Night Knives are
local thieves, smugglers and fences, though they are infiltrated by
other groups. The Eyeless Mask is a group of slavers with a hatred of
mages, priests, and the nobility that is supported by the Red Wizards
of Thay. The Cult of the Dragon, the Zhentarim, and the Red Wizards of
Thay all have their agents operating in the area.

It is no wonder that the typical Saerloonian is paranoid about his or
her holdings, and there are an abundance of hidden caches of gold,
gems, and magical items tucked away throughout the city, such that
whenever a building changes hands, a unit of the local helms must
search the building for any hidden treasures (which are then claimed by
the state).

Selgaunt

A large city at the mouth of the River Arkhen (the natives will inform
you curtly that its true name is the Elzimmer, named after a local
water mage), Selgaunt is the wealthiest (and by connotation, most
advanced) city in Sembia. Originally named Chauncelgaunt, it was
renamed after the powerful merchant Selgar, whose tomb is within the
city walls.

Selgaunt is ruled by the hulorn, a hereditary merchant mayor.  The
current hulorn is Andeth Ilchammar (CN hm W6), a half-mad, bored
playboy who thinks himself gifted by mysterious and unrevealed greater
powers to have a higher purpose in life, a divine mission that has yet
to be revealed. As in all Sembian cities, the true power is with the
merchants.

Selgaunt has a number of powerful temples, including ones dedicated to
Lliira, Sune, Milil, Deneir, and Oghma, in addition to shrines to
Lathander and Tymora.

Selgauntans are proud, almost snobbish people, barely tolerating other
Sembians, much less the great unwashed masses beyond the borders of
civilization. They regard the Dalesmen as savages, and those of
Archendale in particular as brutal savages. Given that the natives of
Archendale have within living history destroyed another Dale and still
maintain a significant army, this may not be the smartest attitude to
profess.

Urmlaspyr

Urmlaspyr is a bustling, fair-sized, Sembian city south of Daerlun.
Here is where the industrious nature of the Sembian people is fully
shown, for the city works round the clock, primarily in its busy docks
and shipyards. Like Daerlun to the north, the city's inhabitants have a
more open attitude to their neighbors, particularly Cormyr. Urmlaspyr
is ruled by the merchants, of course, but their spokesperson in the
city is the hammarch of Urmlaspyr, a mayor-for-life post. The current
hammarch is Aluin Sumbrar (LN hm F2), a stout, weary man who wields
little true power and acknowledges it with good grace.

Urmlaspyr is a relatively open and indulgent city, as its list of
temples shows: There are temples to Gond and Tymora, but also to
Umberlee and Talos, in open operation. The Goldhall of the Sacraments
was the temple of Waukeen, but the high priest converted to worshipping
Cyric and launched on a brutal campaign to prove himself to his new god
that ended in the fireballing of the church building. The Goldhall is a
burned-out husk, and the high priest is missing. It is assumed that
there are underground temples to Cyric and to the Cult of the Dragon in
Urmlaspyr, as well. Finally, the city houses shrines to Deneir,
Lathander, Tempus, and Torm.

This open-mindedness about churches and faiths is more the result of
hard currency than any great enlightened tolerance on the part of the
local population, and should any power's faith, good or evil, get out
of line and start hurting business, it will suffer the fate of the
refounded Cyricist faith. Concern has been voiced regarding the
eventual goals of the church of Umberlee.

Yhaunn

Yhaunn is Sembia's port on the Dragon Reach, and while it is not that
nation's oldest city, is the oldest retaining its original
(Chondathian) name. It handles a great deal of the Dales traffic
heading south into the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Yhaunn is ruled by the Nessarch, a mayor-for-life appointed by the
local merchants (of course). The current Nessarch is Andilal "the
Stout" Tharimpar (NG hm F6).

Yhaunn is laid out in a excavated quarry on the shores of Yhauntan Bay,
with the wealthiest (and most livable) houses located farthest from the
sea, farthest up the hill, and closest to the Roadkeep, the single gate
complex that serves as castle, jail, and treasury. Buildings and
caretaking deteriorate as one approaches the sea, reaching at last the
slums by the docks. In Yhaunn, where people stand in the community is
determined by where they sleep.

Yhaunn has a number of temples, including ones to Tymora, Selune,
Lliira, and Ilmater. The temple of Lliira has absorbed the clergy and
following of the old temple of Waukeen, moved into the nicer building,
and sold off its old digs at a handsome profit (always a compliment in
Sembia). The buyer remains mysterious, however, and  rumors that the
structure would be turned into townhouses or merchant space have been
replaced with other, darker whisperings.

The Helms of Sembia

Many of the cities of Sembia use a military unit known as a helm for
patrols and city watches. The standard helm guard is dressed in chain
and carries a short mace and a dagger. Patrols are mounted on medium
horse and carry short bows, as well. All are 1st-level fighters, and if
trouble is encountered, standard procedure dictates that one member of
the squad be sent for additional aid, A helm squad in the city is five
soldiers; in the country patrols consist of 10 mounted warriors led by
a fighter of 3rd-6th level. The helms always carry the shield and
colors of Sembia.


The Moonsea
===========

The Moonsea is a deep natural lake located north of the Dalelands and
connected to the Sea of Fallen Stars by the course of the River Lis. A
cold, clear lake with deep, almost purplish waters, it is fed by the
ice-cold White River in the east, the River Stojanow, which flows off
the Dragonspine Mountains, and the River Tesh. It is also said to have
entrances at its very depths to underground seas or the Elemental lane
of Water.

Trade is mostly over water in the Moonsea reaches, both between
city-states in the region and to the south, down the River Lis to
Sembia and the Old Kingdoms. Forged metals and raw minerals make their
way down the Lis, along with exotic furs and, all too often, slaves.

The Moonsea reaches are a hotbed of adventurer activity as there are
many old tombs, lost kingdoms, and long-dead barons on the lake's
shores. In addition, most of the local governments are harsh and
oppressive, and though the people may have no intention of rising up
against them, these governments provide excellent foes, unimpeded by
moral quandaries.

But the Moonsea also promises death to the unwary and the unruly, the
ones who know not when to fight another day. The dungeons of Zhentil
Keep are filled with would-be duelists who challenged a member of the
Black Network, and the harbor of Mulmaster is littered with the bones
of those who challenged the High Blade of that city. The battle cry of
the area is well-chosen: "Dare - And

History
-------

The Moonsea has a long history as the border between the elven lands to
the south and the darker, more sinister lands of the Ride and Thar.,
home of dragons and giant and ogre tribes in great multitudes. The deep
sea was an excellent barrier to the raiders, as those tribes who sought
invasion had to detour around and through the lands that would
eventually hold Yulash, Zhentil Keep, and Hillsfar.

The first true settlement in Moonsea was Northkeep, a shining citadel
established as a beacon of civilization and a jumping-off point for
merchants seeking trade with the dwarves of the North - including not
only Tethyamar, but the clans of the Cold Lands - who traded their
metalwork and craft for much-needed magic. In the end, Northkeep was
sunk beneath the icy waters of the Moonsea by the inhuman forces, and
humankind suffered one of many setbacks in the region.

So has been the nature of human habitation of this region since the
beginning. Human settlements thrive for a few years, usually through
sheer willpower and on the strength of a sharp sword, and then are
overrun by goblins, ores, dragons, beholders, or giants. Phlan has
fallen and risen again. Yulash is a ruin where a decade ago there was a
thriving town. Hulburg and Sulasspryn are empty hulks. Each of the
cities of the Moonsea seems threatened with extinction in its turn,
then is rebuilt.

This cycle may be the reason that only the strongest and the most
savage survive, even prosper, in the lands of the Moonsea. The greatest
cities - Hillsfar, Mulmaster, and the impenetrable Zhentil Keep - are
all ruled by evil people who control their lands with iron grips. The
lesser cities, Elventree, Phlan, and Thentia, may be less evil, but
have a strong, independent, almost chaotic nature. In many ways the
Moonsea is a frontier, with a frontier mentality.

The Moonsea Mindset
-------------------

The people of the Moonsea cities are by nature plotters, informers, and
spies. They keep their own thoughts most private - from each other and
particularly from strangers. The walls not only have ears in most
Moonsea cities but also tongues ready to speak out against anyone who
strikes the local lords as a threat. It is no wonder that under these
circumstances the only ones to survive are those who keep their secrets
to themselves.  Better another take the blame than oneself, and best of
all if that other is from a faraway place, with few to protect him or
her.

The people of Zhentil Keep, Mulmaster, Melvaunt, and Hillsfar are used
to cruel lords, for this is a cruel land. If gentle natures were to
succeed, they would have done so earlier, and the wreckage of ruined
cities would not lie all around. Better to support the lower planar
creature that one knows than confront one of even more deadly and fell
power.

The people of the Moonsea cities view most of the rest of the world,
even those from other Moonsea cities, with suspicion and distrust. The
Dalesmen live in a fool's paradise and cannot be trusted to grip the
right end of a sword. The Cormytes and Sembians are empire builders,
one using swords, the other silver.  To the north are the Cold Lands,
home of every evil that has plagued the coast. And the Vast is a
breeding ground of more troubles and more adventurers. As for people
from the other Moonsea cities, they are obviously spies, for who would
not choose one's home city over another, unless there was sufficient
gold in the deal?

To the outside world, the people of the Moonsea are viewed as
unfriendly, sullen, dispirited, crafty, and most of all, dangerous.
They are no more universally evil than the well-respected Dalesmen to
the south are universally good. But, when traveling in the Moonsea
region, that is the way to bet.

Interesting Features
--------------------

The cities, towns, and sites which dot the area around the Moonsea are
numerous and varied. Many sites of interest are detailed below in
alphabetical order.

The Bell in the Depths

One of the great and mysterious sites in the Moonsea area, the Bell in
the Depths is connected with legendary Northkeep, an island kingdom
that was the first great citadel of humankind in these cold lands.
Northkeep was of old a great and magical city, and it was under the
protection of its magics that humanity first began to press back the
ore hordes and take command of the sea.

The power of Northkeep made it a target for the ores, giants, and other
evil races. These creatures were not inclined towards sea actions, and
Northkeep seemed safe until the day when (according to legend) 40,000
inhuman mages, shamans, witch doctors, and priests of all foul races
gathered on the northern shore of the Moonsea and began to chant,
bringing the vengeance of their gods down upon the human interlopers.
The gods (well, at least some of them) came and destroyed their priests
in anger, but also sank Northkeep beneath the waves.

The upper reaches of Northkeep - its slender, now-broken spires - can
be seen beneath the water by boats that sail nearby, but the region is
said to be haunted, for the original defenders of Northkeep seek
company in their watch over the Cold Lands. On fog-ridden nights, the
bells of the tallest towers, now submerged, can be heard as far away as
Hillsfar, giving the site its name.

Citadel of the Raven

The Citadel of the Raven is a large, well-protected chain of
interconnected fortresses on the western edge of the Dragonspine
Mountains, its multiple towers occupied by Zhentil Keep forces and
under the control of the Zhentarim. The fortress chain stretches for
some 10 miles, and can house a large number of troops.

The Citadel of the Raven was a ruined series of fortresses from a long
forgotten kingdom. In the Year of the Crumbling Keep (1276 DR), the
complex was rebuilt by the combined forces of the Moonsea cities of
Yulash, Zhentil Keep, Melvaunt, Thentia, Hillsfar, and Mulmaster as a
bastion against assaults from the north. Staffed by the combined forces
of these cities (and by groups of adventurers as well), the fortress
repulsed many major attacks by organized groups of ogres over the 80
years of its existence.

In 1355 DR, through a combination of bribery, threats, treachery, and
shows of force, Zhentil Keep gained complete control of the Citadel,
expelling all other forces, and raised the banner of the Zhentarim in
place of the Raven of the North.

The Citadel is currently the major military outpost of Zhentil Keep
forces as well as a prison for the city's political prisoners.  The
forces of the Citadel hold little political power within the
organization of the Zhentarim, and a posting here is regarded as a
punishment detail. The citadel is currently held by 2,000 men-at-arms
suited in chain mail and wielding light crossbows and swords, 200
horsemen in plate armor and similar barding with lance and long sword,
and 50 3rd-level fighter commanders. The Zhentil Keep forces are
commanded by Lord Kandar Milinal (LE hm F10), commander of the army. In
addition, the Citadel is often the wintering ground for mercenaries in
the employ of Zhentil Keep.

Several members of the Zhentarim may be present at any time, as well,
and Sememmon the Wizard once made his home here, but with his
relocation to Darkhold, the Citadel is the haven of Lord Manshoon (LE
hm W19). Like Darkhold, the Citadel benefits from strong defenses, but
it is not plagued by the dangers of a nuisance population.

The battlements of the Citadel of the Raven face outward north and
east, but are very strong to the west and south as well. Should the
cities of the Moonsea fall to outside force, this is the bolt-hole the
Zhentarim and other evil creatures plan to use.

Elmwood

Elmwood is a small farming community on the southern shores of the
Moonsea. It is close to being a Dale, and indeed there is a good bit of
Dales blood in the veins of its inhabitants. It is a tranquil place,
its only ruler being a constable, Thoyana Jorgadaul (NG df F8), an
adventurer who retired here years ago for reasons of her health.

Elmwood has had no need to protect its neutrality, owing to the fact
that there is not much that people have wanted out of it.  It is a free
portage for ships in and out the River Lis, but its inhabitants have
never had any cause to protect their small holdings.  Until recently
they have had their backs to the Elven Court and with it the implicit
protection of the moon elf kings.

Elmwood is that rarity in the Realms, a small town that is little more
than a waystop for ships and a home of fishermen and skilled
woodcarvers. It is a place of peace. Enjoy it when possible.

Elventree

Located at the edges of Cormanthor is Elventree, of old a meeting place
between elves and humans in the centuries following the fall of Myth
Drannor. Long a haven for rangers, artists, half-elves, and druids, it
is also said to be an outpost of the Harpers, and many of its people's
daily ways fit in neatly with the Harper philosophy.

Elventree is built very much on the elven mold. It is a place of forest
trails and homes in shallow caverns and hollowed-out trees lit by
glowing globes of soft hues. It has no large buildings or cleared
commons, a fact that in the past has served it well as protection from
invaders (that and the presence of the Elven Court).

Elventree is leaderless but not lawless, for its ways are those of the
Harpers, the elves, and such natural gods as Silvanus, Eldath, and
Mielikki. It is defended in its time of need by its inhabitants, which
include several powerful mages as well as the clergy of temples to
Mielikki and Mystra.

The Halls of the Unicorn are the temple to Mielikki here, and are set
within the lengthwise hollowed trunks of great, fallen trees.  The
temple is staffed by High Priest Chandlar Hummerspoon (NG hem P12) and
five faithful followers. The temple of Mystra is a greater mystery, for
this great cairn is hollow and pitch-black, and holds great wonders
within. The temple is tended to by a mysterious mage who keeps himself
masked at all time (LG? hm W17+7).

Hillsfar

Located on the southern shore of the Moonsea, Hillsfar is one of the
petty states vying for control in that area with Zhentil Keep.  Like
many of the cities of the Moonsea, Hillsfar is crouched behind a
circular, ringed wall with a single great gate high above the sea.
Access to the city is restricted only to those individuals approved of
by the current government.

Hillsfar, formerly the most open city on the Moonsea, has changed
markedly in outlook, a change directly linked to the disappearance of
the elves. Formerly the meeting ground between the elves and humankind
for trade and diplomatic dealings, Hillsfar is today an ambitious,
well-armed city-state, challenging Zhentil Keep for economic supremacy
in the region, and now visibly ready to meet any resultant military
threat.

Hillsfar was until recently ruled by a council (overthrown 10 winters
back) of humans, half-elves, and representatives of the Elven Court.
The city is now governed by Maalthiir, First Lord of Hillsfar, a
shrewd, ruthless, and independent merchant-mage (N hm W15). Rumor has
it that he has plans to annex Elventree and the other nearby cities,
and spread his influence down the coast, eventually opening a port on
the Inner Sea. His mercenary guards, already nicknamed the "Red
Plumes," have a squad in Scardale and others patrolling through the
remains of Cormanthor, south towards Essembra. Maalthiir has assured
Sembian envoys that he intends to merely protect these routes for
merchant traffic in the wake of the Time of Troubles.

The new government of Maalthiir is expansionist in nature, but has been
held in check by the actions of Zhentil Keep. Red Plume and Zhentilar
forces have regularly clashed along their common border, particularly
in the now-ruined city of Yulash.

There are three major temples in the Hillsfar. The most powerful is the
Vault of Swords, a complex dedicated to Tempus. Its Most Holy General
Dounalis Guff (CN hm P18) is the official chaplain of the Red Plumes as
well. The House of Happiness, the temple of Lliira, is very popular
among the people, and overseen by Barand Hithkin (CG hm P15). The
Lastholme, a small temple of Chauntea, is controlled by High Priest
Bonn Hlast (N hm D13).  There are also large public shrines to
Umberlee, Malar, and Torm.

Hillsfar is noted for three other features. First, Maalthiir operates
and encourages the use of the Hillsfar Arena, a site of gladiatorial
games. It is also used for the disposal of those unpopular with the
established regime. Second, the city is the site of one of the few
honest-to-goodness magic shops in the Realms, the Magic and Curios Shop
of Hillsfar (Laris, proprietor). Laris (LN hm F10) is a short-tempered,
rude man who is well aware that his customers need him more than he
needs them and is willing to part with a few minor magical items. Two
stone golems enforce his prices.

The third feature, and the most dangerous from the standpoint of
nonhuman adventurers, is the fact that Maalthiir is extremely
humanocentric and xenophobic. Elves, dwarves, halflings, and even
half-elves are banned from the city, and if found there will be put
into the arena for a spectacle (say, unarmed combat with a minotaur).
Atrocities involving Red Plumes and nonhuman areas are now legendary,
and Red Plumes are hated throughout the Moonsea area by nonhumans,
regardless of alignment.

Hillsfar therefore holds great opportunities and great dangers for the
adventurer, the worst danger being running afoul of Maalthiir and his
stooges. The merchant-mage has been shown to be skilled and capable in
ruling his city-state from Castle Vultureroost, and did not succeed by
underestimating his potential foes.

The Red Plumes

The Red Plumes of Hillsfar began as various mercenary companies wearing
their own company insignias and dress but sporting the red-plumed helms
provided by Maalthiir to show their allegiance.  In the years since his
ascendency, Maalthiir has forged them into a unified fighting force
that is ultimately loyal to him (as long as the loot holds out).

There are 10,000 swords in total in the Red Plumes, but most of them
are found beyond the borders of the city. A typical detachment outside
the city consists of 20 2nd-level warriors on medium warhorses with
splint mail and long swords. They are led by a warrior of 6th level or
higher. Within Hillsfar the Red Plumes are the local militia.  If
encountered, a patrol consists of four 2nd-level warriors. Within the
city the Plumes are the supporters of a safe and orderly regime;
outside the city they are little more than brigands, raiding for what
they need or want, provided they do no (long-lasting) harm to the city.

Hulburg and Sulasspryr

These two towns are little more than ruins, having suffered the
depredations of their neighbors, the assaults of ore tribes, and the
remorseless damage of dragons. Of old, they were cities on a par with
Phlan, but now they are broken ruins with a few rotted, vine-covered
buildings left. Those who still live within or near them do so as
isolated clans, suspicious of strangers and hostile to those who might
pose a danger.

Hulburg and Sulasspryn serve as a reminder to those along the Moonsea
that the advancement of humankind, which may be assumed as a given in
the softer lands to the south, is not nearly as secure as humanity
would wish to think it was.

As in all ruined lands, there are tales of lost kings and great, buried
riches found just beneath the surface. Indeed, each year at least one
adventuring party is drawn to these wrecked cities. That a few do not
return encourages others to make the attempt, since it is obvious that
the earlier troops "found something" (or that something found them).

Ironfang Keep

This forbidding black stone keep is situated on the cliffs overlooking
the mouth of the White River, where the river tumbles in a shimmering
falls into the Moonsea. The Keep is a harsh, forbidding, windowless
citadel. None knows when it was built, for it was regarded as an
ancient and fell place even in the earliest tales of the Dalesmen.

Ironfang is reputed to be the home of a family, school, or community of
wizards of great and dark power, so mighty that not even the Cloaks or
the Red Wizards dare disturb them. Some petty king or minor baron sends
a party of adventurers the Keep's way every decade or so - said ruler
soon afterward discovers the remains of the party stacked like cordwood
in his bedroom. Larger patrols have met similar fates, and an army once
sent out of Mulmaster succeeded only in stirring up the local gnoll
population to 50 years of raids and invasions.

The Wizards of Ironfang are left to their own devices and mysteries,
for they seem more than willing to leave alone those who return the
favor.

Melvaunt

Melvaunt is a large, multiple walled community north of the Moonsea on
the southern borders of the lands of Thar. Melvaunt is a cold, austere
place, smoky from its continually worked forges and smelters. Its
populace tends to be both ruthless and unfriendly.

Melvaunt and Hillsfar have formed the eastern border to Zhentil Keep's
aggression on the Moonsea coast. Melvaunt and Zhentil Keep have
skirmished and battled since the Zhentarim took command of that
citadel, and a number of naval battles have bloodied the purple water
of the Moonsea. It is said that the three major families of Melvaunt
are unified only in their hatred of the Black Network.

Melvaunt is a city of intrigue, primarily between the three major noble
families: the Leiyraghons, the Nanthers, and the Bruils. Each seeks to
control the ruling Council of Lords and dominate the city's trade and
manufacturing. Small battles in the streets between bravos of various
factions are common. The Nanther family has a weak claim to the
rulership of Shadowdale, and one of their number, supported by agents
and armies of Zhentil Keep, attempted to take control of the Dale. For
dealing with the forces of Zhentil Keep, this branch of the family has
been banished (and supposedly the young lord destroyed when he failed
in his attempt).

Government is by a Council of Lords made up of wealthy merchants in the
city. One joins the Council by replacing an old lord or creating a new
seat at a cost of 2 million gp. There are 39 members of the Council
(eight of which are Leiyraghons, seven Nanthers, and six Bruils). The
titular ruler of the council is Lord Envoy Dundeld Nanther (LN hm F6),
who is getting old in years. The Council meets monthly and governs with
a very light touch, for the most part staying away from bothering the
businesses of most of its members.

The army of Melvaunt numbers 5,000 swords and is often supplemented by
hired mercenaries. The general of the armies is the d of Keys, a
phenomenally strong and cruel man named Halmuth Bruil (NE hm F11 - Str
18/32). Melvauntian forces r cloaks and armbands of purple, with the
badge of a silver rd transfixing a silver anchor.

The Melvauntian navy consists of a dozen ships, with the hulls of four
new Raven-class vessels being laid down at the moment.

Shipbuilding is a continual activity in Melvaunt, both for trade and
for protection. The admiral is the Lord of Waves, Meldonder Nuiran (LN
hm W11), who also oversees the inspection of every boat entering
Melvaunt's harbor.

Melvaunt has three large temples. The Purple Portals is the local
temple of Gond. High Artificer Hiessen Muragh (N hm P12) oversees eight
subordinate priests. The temple is very popular as it has been
researching new methods of waterproofing, insulation, and construction.
The Halls of Laughter is the temple of Lliira run by Sshandar Lyrindtar
(CG hf P9), formerly of the Hillsfar church. She is aided by seven
subpriests. The Resting Place of the Whip is a large and sprawling
temple of Loviatar, who has a special attraction here in the cold,
cruel North. Its matriarch is Suzildara Sharranen (LE hf P14), and she
is aided by 16 subpriests. In addition to these temples, there are
shrines to Tempus, Tymora, and the quasi-power Sharess.

Melvaunt is a merchant's town and a smith's heaven. The sky is dark
from continual forging, the air heavy with the continual blows of
construction, and the atmosphere foul from continual smoke. Trade
rules, mostly from the open market in the center of the city. All
commodities are available somewhere for some price, and it is
well-known that Melvauntians engage in the slave trade, shipping
suitable captives south to the Old Empires and the Pirate Isles.

Mulmaster

Mulmaster is a large city that is built upon the sides of mountains to
its south. The Moonsea protects its north side and a large keep the
southern road, making it a naturally protected fort and one of the
strongest such areas on the Moonsea, rivaling Zhentil Keep.

The highest spur of land in mountainous Mulmaster is the site of the
Towers of the Blade. Here the ruling families of the city abide, led by
the High Blade of Mulmaster, Selfaril Uoumdolphin (NE hm F20). Selfaril
is a wily, cagey individual trying to block the control that Zhentil
Keep is exerting over the eastern Moonsea. He seeks, by alliance and
military force, to become the dominant power in the region. This quest
for dominance has long been a tendency of Mulmasterites and their
rulers, despite several crushing defeats over the years.

Selfaril is a scheming, conniving, and dangerous ruler who secures his
command by killing or discrediting any who threaten it. Of late, a new
factor has entered into his rule. After a long courtship, the First
Princess of Thay, the tharchioness of the Tharch of Eltabbar, has
agreed to wed him. She retains her home and court in her homeland, but
visits her love three times a year, traveling through magical means to
his side. The tharchioness is a woman of no modest beauty and great
ability (LE hf W13). The activities of the Red Wizards have
dramatically increased in Mulmaster during the years of their
courtship.

Mulmaster has a permanent fighting force of 6,000 persons and 15 ships,
though most of these are old cogs and coasters used for hauling the
troops to set-piece battles.

More deadly are the Cloaks of Mulmaster, a collection of wizards sworn
to defend the throne of Mulmaster (if not always its occupant) in much
the same way as the War Wizards do Cormyr.  Any mage of 4th level or
higher is "persuaded" to join the Cloaks or leave town. There are over
200 Cloaks, with 29 of them of 12th level or higher. The Senior Cloak
is Thurndan Tallwand (CE hm 17). All non-Cloak mages are forbidden to
practice within Mulmaster, on pain of torture, maiming, or death. This
limitation does not apply to diplomatic missions and royal courts, so
many of the Red Wizards have infiltrated the area as "advisors" to the
tharchioness.

The most powerful temple in Mulmaster is the Black Lord's Altar, ruled
with an iron hand by the High Imperceptor of Cyric, Szchulan Darkoon
(LE hm P19), formerly an orthodox Banite but now a devout and vigilant
follower of the Prince of Lies. He is served by 22 priests in his quest
for greater glory.

Mulmaster holds a plethora of other temples. The High House of Hurting,
dedicated to Loviatar, runs under the steady and firm grip of
Milauteera Argauthiir (LE hf P9) and 24 enthusiastic lesser priests.
The High Hall of Swords venerates Tempus and is occupied by High
Priest-Captain Ghallas "Foesmiter" Khenistar (CN hm P14) and 16
junior-grade priests. The Tower of Mysteries is the temple of Azuth,
and its high priest is Ghondomeir Hazathal (LN hm P11/W11(Dual class)).
Ghondomeir and his 16 lesser mages and priests cater almost exclusively
to the Cloaks, and are regarded as their eyes and ears for spotting new
mages in town. Lastly, the Gates of Good Fortune is dedicated to Tymora
and controlled by Naneetha Danchul (CG hf P11). It is the smallest
major temple, and Danchul has only nine priests and priestesses serving
her.

The House Built of Gold, the temple to Waukeen, has been abandoned
following the death of that deity. The tharchioness has petitioned the
High Blade that it be reopened as a shrine for Thayvian gods. The High
Blade, her husband, is taking the matter under advisement. Both the
High Imperceptor and the Cloaks oppose any additional Thayvian
influence in the city.

In addition to these temples, there are shrines in the city to
Lathander, Malar, Mask, Talos, and Umberlee.

Phlan

A city ruined but never fully destroyed by war, invasion, and dragon's
strike, Phlan is only now beginning to regain a semblance of its
once-great glory. The walled city has far to go to catch up with
Mulmaster, Zhentil Keep, or Hillsfar, but the past decade has seen a
rebuilding boom dedicated to recreating humanity's foothold on the
northern Moonsea.

Situated at the mouth of the Stojanow River, Phlan has become a
well-known stopover point for caravels and caravans across the north,
particularly now that Hillsfar has taken a more closed and
expansionistic policy. Gems and other treasures are coming down from
Thar and Glister, and Phlan is the jumping-off point for their further
transportation across the Moonsea. With trade come adventurers,
settlers, fanners, and most of all, gold.

Phlan is ruled by a rotating Council of Ten, all of whom are judges and
have full judicial power. The head of the council is Number One, who
acts as mayor. Elections are common, as votes of no confidence are
called for with every setback or charismatic new hero who appears.

Despite this growth, much of Phlan is still ruined and lies in
wreckage, and rebuilding is a major preoccupation. Arrested felons are
assigned to reconstruction tasks, and to this day new discoveries (and
the creatures protecting them) are made in the heart of the ruins.

Phlan's thieves' guild operates overtly, though not with the blessing
of the Number One. The Thieves of Phlan are noted for each having their
left ear lopped off as a sign of loyalty and identification. It is said
that a merchant with a ring of regeneration does a good business with
the former members of this group.

Phlan currently has one temple, the Waiting, dedicated to Tyr.  Its
patriarch, Holondos Stimpiir (LN hm P12), is served by six subpriests
of varying levels. There is also an abandoned and despoiled temple of
Bane in the heart of the ruins that has not been reclaimed.

Teshwave

Once the most productive city of old Teshendale, Teshwave is used by
the Zhentarim and Zhentil Keep as a military base and launching point
for caravans and military expeditions into Daggerdale. It is here that
the Black Network and the Zhentil Keep forces encamp their mercenary
units and those nonhuman tribes at their disposal. The nonhuman units
are rarely paid, but instead allowed to pillage at wilt throughout the
vale.

Teshwave has no permanent government, only a military government run by
the commander of the strongest unit present.  Usually this is a warrior
of 8th-12th level backed up by several mercenary units, a few priests
of Cyric, a wizard of 6th level or so, and a few tribes of ores,
gnolls, or ogres.

Thentia

Thentia is the most fiercely independent but militarily weak of the
cities on the Moonsea's northern coast. It is the most open city on the
Moonsea, even moreso than Hillsfar in its halcyon days.

Thentia is ruled by a watchlord, elected by the local nobility.  The
current watchlord is Gelduth Blackturret (LN hm F9). The watchlord
controls with the lightest of hands, since his power is little more
than symbolic. The true power is in the hands of the local nobles, old
families in town with names like Swifthands, Khodoils, Mamarrathen,
Birneir and Casplardann. These nobles are in turn supported by a
collection of independent (and generally chaotic) mages,

Thentia has the largest collection of powerful, unorganized mages in
the Moonsea area. They live in (relative) peace, since many of them
came here to get away from the organizations of the Cloaks of Mulmaster
and the War Wizards of Cormyr. These worthies include Phourkyn One-Eye
(NG hm W21), Flammuldinath "Firefingers" Thuldoum (CG hm W18), Rilitar
Shadow-water (CG em W15), and the mysterious mage known only as
Scattercloak (CN? hm? W16?). It is these individuals that make
Melvauntian slavers, Zhentil Keep raiders, and Moonsea pirates think
twice before attacking Thentian ships and citizens.

Thentia has standard defenses of a sort: The Riders of Thentia are 60
in number, protected by scale mail, and are a force of mounted lancers.
They differ from most mounted units in that they ride mid-sized musk
oxen, called rothe, that are more surefooted in the rocky slopes around
the city. Thentia also has a force of warders (a police force) eight
strong.

The only major temple in Thentia is the House of the Moon, presided
over by Sureene Aumratha (CG hf P12) and six other priests. Sureene has
two deputies - sorceresses trained by Firefingers himself (a W10 and a
W9). There was a Temple of Waukeen in Melvaunt, but it blew up 12 years
ago (1345 DR).

Thentia is also the home of a cult venerating a magical weapon, the
Bright Sword, which is said to still fly about the dark underworld to
assault those who offend it. Many within town know that this item,
should it truly exist, must be only a manmade weapon, but belief is
strong nonetheless. The Bright Sword covets magic and will track down
those with unique magic and slay them. The existing mages are assumed
to have some form of abjuration that prevents it from detecting or
assaulting them, but newcomers to Thentia should be warned.

Voonlar

Voonlar is a large town north and east of Shadowdale. It is only
slightly larger than cosmopolitan Shadowdale itself, and is considered
that Dale's chief rival in the area. The North Ride, leading to
Shadowdale and Teshwave, and Shind Road, which goes to Teshwave, meet
in Voonlar in a "Y," with most of the important buildings, including
temples to Cyric and Chauntea, at the joining of that "Y."

Voonlar is nominally independent, ruled by an elected bron (sheriff),
who may direct up to six full-time deputies plus a militia ]f villagers
raised as needed. In theory, all villagers vote in the annual election
of the bron.

In reality, the town is ruled by Zhentil Keep, and its bron is a
longstanding puppet. The present bron's name is Buorstag Hiammythyl LE
hm F8), a burly fighter who worships Cyric and gained a formidable
reputation as a mercenary before his arrival in Voonlar. He is a direct
agent of Zhentil Keep and part of the Zhentarim.

Voonlar is a relatively peaceful town; its people are used to the foul
nature of their lord, and more willing to pay taxes for mercenary
assaults on Shadowdale than to go serve there themselves. Indeed, the
natives of the Dalelands are looked upon as disruptive agents and
rogues in the people of Voonlar's otherwise normal and placid lives.

The village is the headquarters of the Shield Trading Company, a minor
merchant trading house that serves both the Moonsea and the Dales
regions. Relatively reputable, the trading company is considered to be
independent of Zhentarim influence.

Voonlar has two temples in operation. The Temple of Cyric, renamed the
Dark God Reformed, is commanded by Gormstadd the Rerisen (LE hm P14),
who is served by 14 lesser priests of varying levels. Gormstadd also
maintains an elite temple guard of 16 4th-level warriors, as his temple
has been raided many times over the years, primarily by terrorists out
of Shadowdale. Indeed, a long-standing reward is offered by Gormstadd
(10,000 gp) for the leading terrorist and thug, Mourngrym Amcathra.

Voonlar is also home to the Bounty of the Goddess, a large temple of
Chauntea. Lady Shrae of the Goddess (CG hf L12) runs the temple with 14
lesser priests. She fields her own militia of 20 temple guards (all 2nd
level), primarily as protection from the Cyricists. Lady Shrae is on
good terms with her counterpart in Shadowdale, and good adventurers on
the run have been known to hide out in the temple complex, pretending
to be lay brethren. The temple to Chauntea is the more popular and
graceful of the two temples, with extensive gardens and outbuildings.

In addition, shrines to Lathander and Tempus lie on the out- skirts of
the village.

Yulash

Yulash was once a large, fortified city, but half the buildings have
been reduced to scattered piles of stone by the continual warfare that
has plagued this area. The city became a bone of contention between the
forces of Zhentil Keep (the Zhentilar) and those of Hillsfar (the Red
Plumes). In the war between them, much of the city was ruined. Both
sides fought on, and the natives of Yulash either fled to safer climes
or joined one side or the other. In addition to the violence brought by
the outsiders, the remaining citizenry is split into two rabid
factions.

What remains of the city has been clustered behind hastily constructed
stockades or sealed over to produce fortified buildings.  The largest
of these stockades is set up about the ruins of the main citadel, which
flies the banner of Zhentil Keep. Zhentil Keep claims to be offering a
"protectorate" status to Yulash, much as Cormyr has done in Tilverton.
Hillsfar's troops claim to be leading a popular resistance to the
Zhentarim action.

Yulash's importance is not its people (feuding) or product
(negligible), but its location. It is seated on a wide plateau of stone
and earth that rises above the surrounding area like a shield laid
battleside up. This allows the occupier to command the region around
Yulash and its all-important trade. This terrain feature is why the
forces of these two Moonsea cities are fighting over Yulash.

The combination of internal factions, Zhentilar, Red Plumes, and the
occasional rogue deity has left Yulash a near ruins, with only the most
desperate and cunning natives remaining in the area.  No inn remains
for travelers, no tavern that is not a faction headquarters, and no
church that is not controlled by occupying forces.

Yulash's mount is reputed to be tunneled with secret passages and
hidden lairs, and the caverns beneath the surface have extradimensional
gateways to other planes of existence. For this reason the ruins are
still an attraction for particularly gutsy adventurers.  Both sides
execute looters (to be read as "looters not on our side") and the Red
Plumes are particularly brutal to captured nonhumans.

The Occupying Forces of Yulash

Zhentil Keep's current garrison consists of 120 fully armored mounted
men-at-arms (full plate and plate barding for the heavy horses, lances
and long swords), 320 lightly armored guards/skirmishers (banded armor,
long swords and staff slings), and 52 archers. The garrison has three
6th-level clerics of Cyric, and three mages of Zhentil Keep. The
foremost of these mages and present commander of Yulash is Szamaeril
(LE hm W10). His assistants are two mages (6th and 8th level).

The Hillsfar forces consist of 300 Red Plumes in 30 detachments. Each
detachment is led by a 6th-level warrior. All are on medium horse, with
splint mail and long swords. In addition, there are three 8th-level
mages in the pay of Maalthiir, and four 5th-level priests of Tempus are
present. The entire army is led by Haliator Mendara (LE hm F12), a
warrior who supplements the meager support from Hillsfar with
widespread looting.

In addition, most of the natives can be broken down into one of two
main factions, each with 20 or so smaller subfactions. The Yulash in
Rebellion faction is opposed to the Zhentil Keep occupation. The Purge
Yulash faction is opposed to the Hillsfarian-promoted rebellion.  Both
sides have a motley band of militias that usually run in packs of 10 to
20 women and men, unmounted, dressed in the leather, and armed with
short swords. The various subfactions seem to hate each other as much
as they hate the occupying forces, and treachery and ambush is common
among them.

Zhentil Keep

Perched at the western end of the Moon Sea, Zhentil Keep is a large,
walled city of the size and population of Suzail in Cormyr. It is one
of the major ports of the Moonsea, and is dominated by a large temple
complex dedicated to Cyric.

Zhentil Keep is ruled in name only by Lord Chess, a foppish, vain, fat
overlord with a taste for gluttony (CN hm F3/W3/P3 (triple class,
currently fighter). Chess is a gossipy blunderer, and though the
Zhentarim have used him in the past as an ally, neither they nor anyone
else knowledgeable in such matters count him as a member of their
organization. He is under the constant protection of six 6th-level
warrior bodyguards.

Zhentil Keep is the home of the Zhentarim, though the city and its
populace are not completely under the thumb of the Black Network. The
Zhentarim are discussed in their own section in the "Secret Power
Groups" chapter in Running the Realms.

The Circle of Darkness, Cyric's temple complex in the Keep, is one of
the largest in the Moonsea area. Its patriarch is Xeno Mirrormane (NE
hm P18). Xeno was responsible for the Banedeath, a period when
followers of Cyric destroyed all outward signs of Bane worship in the
city, defiling and destroying the two rival Bane temples, the Black
Altar and the Dark Shrine. Xeno then killed his brother Maskul, former
leader of the church of Cyric, and took command. All low-level priests
of the dead god Bane were given the choice of converting officially or
posthumously.  The bulk joined Xeno, and he is served by 40 priests of
1st-15th level. The former High Inquisitor of the formerly Orthodox
Banites, Ginali, is missing and presumed dead. The former leader of the
other Banite church, Fzoul Chembryl (LE hm P15) continues to live, due
to a "special relationship" with Cyric and his connections with the
Zhentarim. Fzoul operates on a short tether within Zhentil Keep. Cyric
rules, and if any in Zhentil Keep think otherwise, they keep this
information to themselves.

Zhentil Keep is also the home of a large temple of Malar, the High
House of the Hunt, run by Huntmaster Daerdeth Malagar (CE hm P16) and
11 subpriests. The Tower of Pain Exalted venerates Loviatar under the
stem eye of its patriarch Ulamyth Quantor (LE hm P17) and 14 attendant
priests. There are also shrines to Auril, Tempus, Tymora, and Umberlee
within the city walls.

Zhentil Keep is the birthplace of the Zhentarim, the Black Network that
today is the single most powerful evil force in the Heartlands. It has
concentrated on monopolizing trade, controlling small towns and cities,
and conspiring against an ever-growing list of enemies that includes,
but is not limited to, the Dalelands, Cormyr, Sembia, Waterdeep, the
Harpers, the Cult of the Dragon, various ore, ogre, and giant tribes,
and a growing number of adventuring groups. Surprisingly, it has lost
power in Zhentil Keep in the past decade, particularly with the
destruction of the more traditional Banites by the Cyricists. Zhentarim
operations have been relocating to more remote, defensible bases such
as Darkhold and the Citadel of the Raven.

Nighttime in Zhentil Keep is dangerous, in part because of press gangs,
groups of local thugs employed by the Zhentarim or other groups to get
cheap (as in "free") manpower. Such groups are armed with clubs, metal
staves, and brass knuckles, and tend to be of 1st-4th level. These
gangs use brawling tactics to knock out the unwary. Those so captured
may find themselves on a slave ship heading for Thay, at the oars of a
galley on the Moonsea, or in a work crew rebuilding sections of Yulash
or the Citadel of the Raven.


The Vast
========

This great, open (but far from empty) land forms the eastern boundary
of the Heartlands. Within it are still the familiar peoples and ways
found, in varying degrees, in Cormyr and Waterdeep.  Traveling farther
east one reaches the lands of Impiltur, Aglarond, and Thay, strange
places with odd names and unknown peoples - the Unapproachable East and
the Old Kingdoms.  Parts of the Vast were among the first settled in
modern times by humans, yet the region still remains wild and
unchallenged in many locations. It is a land of adventure and of
daring.

The Vast stretches the eastern length of the Dragon Reach and
encompasses those lands whose rivers - the Lis, the Dalton, the Vesper,
and the Fire - feed that great bay. It reaches as far east as the
Earthspur Mountains and the Grey Forest.

The people of the Vast are a mixture of immigrants from the south and
the west, and the region includes a strong strain of the same heritage
that would grow in different directions to become that of the
Cormyreans, the Sembians, and the Dalesmen. Small wonder that the
natives of the Vast feel a stronger kinship and heritage with their
neighbors across the Dragon Reach than those to the East.

The Vast has always been an adventurer's territory, and only recently
has begun to take on the trappings of a more civilized land. Some of
its cities, such as Procampur, are extremely old, but the hinter- land
has only been freed of orcish depredations in the past few generations
(and some natives, their holds burning behind them, argue that point).

History
-------

Two millennia ago the Vast was Vastar, the orcish lands. These were the
breeding grounds of the goblin hordes that would spill eastward and
cross the Dragon Reach in ramshackle boats to raid the elves. The ores
were overthrown by invading dwarves, who established the Realm of the
Glimmering Swords. It was during this time that the first humans came
to the Vast, including the mage Maskyr.

The rule of the dwarves occurred against a backdrop of constant war
with the ores, such that there were perhaps only 40 years of true peace
for the Realm of the Glimmering Swords. The ores overran the dwarves,
and they escaped extinction only through the aid of human and elven
allies. The remaining dwarves left the region to the newly arriving
humans and retreated to the east, to the south, and to isolated and
hidden communities within the Vast.

The most successful of the humans were the adventurers whose hunger was
sated by gold and whose thirst was slaked by great deeds. This was the
Time of the Glorious Fools, and there are those who will argue that it
is still that age, as adventurers still rule the cities of Calaunt and
Ravens Bluff. The ores today are contained, if not conquered, and trade
has grown up in the lands of the Vast. However, for many individuals
with adventuring blood, it is still a wilderness in which one may prove
one's worth.

The Vast Mindset
----------------

The people of the Vast are diverse, ranging from the old established
families of Procampur to the newcomers of Ravens Bluff. They all share
a spirit of adventure and daring that is unseen anywhere else in the
Realms, even in the wild lands of the Western Heartlands and the Savage
North. As many foes are found here as in the Moonsea, but here they
seem to be beatable, and the good guys (meaning the adventurers, the
merchants, and the civilized peoples) seem to triumph more often than
not.

This leads to an optimism and an openness among the people of the Vast.
Adventurers are welcome in that they bring gold, stories, and magic out
of the hidden lairs and passages that they explore. As often as not
this year's starving merchant guard is next year's hero or the next
decade's town council member.  There is a spirit of opportunity,
advancement, and growth in the Vast.

The people of the Vast view themselves as kin to the Cormyreans,
Sembians, and Dalesmen, and view all three areas with compassion, both
as allies and good trading partners. Azoun of Cormyr is well regarded
for his actions during the Tuigan invasion.

The Moonsea territories are less well thought of, they regard Mulmaster
much the way that Shadowdale's natives view Zhentil Keep. The Moonsea
is the home of cheats and tight-fisted spies.  The cities of the Dragon
Coast are too lawless, for many of the pirates that raid the Vast come
from there.

These views are common among the cityfolk of the Vast. The rural
population shares them as well, but rural people of the Vast are more
reserved toward the brightly dressed, potentially dangerous adventurers
that troop through their lands. The farmers think of most cities as
dangerous, shady, or both. Tantras is dominated by religion, Calaunt by
thieves, Ravens Bluff by religion and thieves, and Procampur by ancient
status. As with farmers throughout Faerun, they are happy to get their
crops in with a minimum amount of hassle.

Interesting Features
--------------------

Here are the significant and notable features of the Vast, presented in
alphabetical order.

Calaunt

Calaunt is a medium-sized city on the eastern side of the Dragon Reach,
located where the River Vesper flows into the Dragon Reach in a wide
delta. It is a squalid, depressing city of tumbledown buildings and
rotting slums, with only a few upper-class merchants and adventurers
with manors along the outer wall.  The chief business of the city is
tanning, and the smell of the largest tannery overwhelms all other
scents in the hot summer months. Mariners can reach Calaunt on smell
alone.

Calaunt is ruled by Supreme Scepter Bellas Thanatar (NE hm F12). His
regime is supported by the Merchant Dukes, six former adventuring
companions known as "Bellas's Band," who became rich by following
Bellas's orders, and richer still by helping him run Calaunt.

Calaunt is a magical place, but in a fell, fey manner, lacking any of
the grace and wonder of other cities with heavy magic in use. Its gate
guards are six stone golems, huge hulking brutes intended to cow the
population as much as provide protection. The Supreme Scepter and the
Merchant Dukes are all assumed to possess a great many personal magical
items and are always looking for more, but those items are for personal
use, and are rarely wielded in the name of Calaunt.

Calaunt has a standing army of 6,000 soldiers, led by 20 captains
(5th-level warriors), each with a supporting battlemage (4th-level
illusionists). In addition, the free city has a navy of six ships, used
mainly to keep pirates at bay.

Two large temples dominate Calauntan life. The House of the Scarlet
Hooks is a temple of Loviatar headed by Shaleen "Talonkiss" Oomreen (LE
hf P14), who is supported by 24 priests. For those of a more beneficent
nature, Calaunt is also graced by the Moonsilver House, the temple of
Selune, run by High Priestess Wyndra Syrylstone (CG hf P19) and 22 of
her followers. There are also shrines to Auril, Malar, Talos, Tempus,
and Lliira within the city walls.

Calaunt has a large and active thieves' guild in the form of the
Shadowcloaks, a mysterious gathering of low-level thieves under the
command of the Night Hood (abilities and identity unrevealed here). The
wide-ranging activities of the Shadowcloaks are indicative of some form
of tight relationship between the guild and the Merchant Dukes.

Calaunt is a large city (the third largest in the Vast, though behind
Procampur in wealth) but a forgotten town, filled with twisting back
streets and dark doings. It is a refuge for the lawless and the
outcast, the forgotten and the forbidden.  Local legends of great
beasts occupying the sewers and slavers raiding in the middle of the
night may be so much nightfog or they may be deadly and true in
shadowed Calaunt.

Dragon Falls

The largest settlement between King's Reach and Tsurlagol, this is a
small village situated above the thundering falls of the Fire River. A
ferry operates a thousand yards above the village for merchant
caravans. It is pulled across the river by ropes.

The village itself is dominated by a fortified inn, the Inn of the
Dragon, made of fir wood and stone. The falls were originally said to
be the home of powerful red dragon that terrorized the Vast south of
the River Vesper. A band of human adventurers dispatched the dragon and
built the inn. While the inn has passed into other hands since then,
one of the original adventurers, a priest of Silvanus named Keldar of
the Forest (N hm P13) makes his home there.  Keldar is important mainly
because he is the only permanent priest in town, and tends (well,
ignores) a shrine at the head of the falls.

The Flooded Forest

The Flooded Forest is an arm of old Cormanthor that crossed the River
Lis, but has sunken in the past century into a low bowl, becoming a
fetid swamp. The trees of the forest are centuries old but have been
dead for more than a hundred years. Hanging mosses and mushrooms are
everywhere within the corruption of the marsh. Deadfalls of maple and
oak are often encountered in the flooded forest, such that travelers
are threatened as much by falling trees as by wandering monsters.

Wandering monsters are frequently encountered within the forest,
including lizard men, black dragons, a number of fungi creatures, and
carnivorous plants. Some of these creatures are not native to the area,
giving rise to claims that someone or something is stocking the swamp
to keep others away.

Glaciers of the White Worm

The Glacier of the White Worm is a single, isolated river of ice
located some 400 miles south of the Great Glacier itself, and weaving
among the highest peaks of the Earthspur Mountains. It flows off a high
cliff east of Mulmaster into the Moonsea on one side, and into Lake
Icemelt on the other.

This glacier is home to a wide variety of polar creatures, giving rise
to the idea that it was once a part of the larger sheet of ice to the
north. It survives farther south than even its altitude would justify,
and some dweomercraft may be involved.

The area takes its name from the pale albino remorhazes that are unique
to the region. It is said that a king of their kind makes its lair in
the very center of this domain.

Humans live in the area of the Glacier, primarily mountain barbarian
tribes. A group of noble barbarians known as the Tribe of the White
Worm is recorded as serving in the army of Zhengyi, the Witch-King of
Vaasa. These barbarians are noted has having acquitted themselves well,
and to have turned against Zhengyi when the nature of his evil became
clear to them.

High Haspur

This alpine village is located in the heights of the mountains
separating Ravens Bluff from Procampur. Most of the village is built on
a series of low bluffs that overlook the trail, giving the townsfolk an
excellent chance to defend themselves against frequent orcish (and
other goblinkind) raids.

High Haspur has been ruled by the Morninglight family, a clan of
gnomes, for generations. The Morninglights have proved to be expert
negotiators with both the humans and the dwarves of the area, and
maintain a peace between the two races. The head of the family is
Fankolin Morninglight (NG gm I7/T10).

High Haspur is the site of an excellent inn, the Elf in Armor, also run
by the Morninglights. The inn is named after the elven hero Beluar, who
perished just north of the village in a battle with orcs. The trail
through the mountains is called Elvenblood Pass in his memory, and the
hero is buried in the small hamlet of Sarbreenar, located between High
Haspur and the pass.

There are shrines to Tymora and Tyr in High Haspur, along with several
others to various elven, dwarven, and gnomish deities, as well.

Hlintar

The crossroads town of Hlintar sits at the intersection of the Hlintar
Ride, going to Dalaunt and Dragon Falls, and the Cross Road, leading to
Ravens Bluff and Kurth, and trades with all of these towns and cities.
It is ruled by a master merchant, the head of a council of merchants,
and its government reflects its leader - light rule save for matters
that threaten the local economy.  Hlintar is known for its pig farms
and horses.

Hlintar is also known for the hatred that it inspires in dwarven
hearts. Well over a hundred winters ago, a corrupt and evil master
merchant coveted the dwarf-held lands east of the town. The leaders of
these small communities were invited to meet with the master merchant,
then killed in their sleep. Some escaped and later gained revenge by
catching the master merchant in his own bedroom and breaking every bone
and joint in his body. Since that day, no dwarf formerly native to
Hlintar will enter the city.

Hlintar has a number of good inns, the most popular being Beindold's
Busted Bones (Master Merchant Beindold was the corrupt one of legend).
It is a regular meeting spot for individuals who do not want to be seen
in Calaunt or Ravens Bluff.

Hlintar has a small temple to Chauntea, presided over by Gosmani
Hagaris (N hm D7), and one to Lliira, controlled by Joybringer Halira
Chessman (N hef P6). There are also shrines to Waukeen (abandoned),
Selune, Talos, and several dwarven deities nearby.

King's Reach

King's Reach is a wealthy, fortified town that has profited from trade
in precious and other metals. Smelting is a common activity in this
mountainous region, and prospectors in the Earthspur Mountains have
long used King's Reach as a base. The town is the farthest navigable
point on the River Vesper - farther upstream it turns into a torrent of
falls.

King's Reach takes its name from the proclamation made by the dwarven
deep king, Tuir, that humankind would come so far and no farther into
the dwarven lands. The later collapse of Tuir's kingdom negated that
demand, but the name has stuck.

King's Reach has a handful of small taverns and inns, none of which
have more than a local repute, and that change hands often as this
barkeep decides to strike it rich in the mountains and that prospector
decides to settle down. The town also has a shrine to Tymora and is
regularly visited by a priest out of Mulmaster (usually of 8th level).

Kurth

Kurth is named after its founder, a grim axe-wielding adventurer loved
by the dwarves and given the nickname "Banditslayer".  Despite this,
the town has a reputation as being a dark and haunted place. It is said
that pirates retire here to get away from the sea, treasure is
squirreled away in every cellar, and dark deals and smuggling occur in
the back rooms of Kurth's many bars. One persistent rumor concerns a
ruined manor on the western end of town. Feljack's Hall, built by an
adventurer 20 years ago, was destroyed by fire 10 winters back, and
remained abandoned. Now armed skeletons are said to be seen picking
through the rubble by the full moon.

Kurth is a large village, profiting from the trade up from both Ravens
Bluff and King's Reach, and down from Mulmaster and Maskyr's Eye. It is
thriving, and has a number of fine inns and taverns, including the
Gauntlet and Girdle, the Rolling Heads, and Beluar's Hunt. The last two
are named after the elven hero Beluar's victory over the ores at
Viperstongue Ford. The hills outside of Kurth are known as Beluar's
Hunt, commemorating the hero's pursuit of the fleeing ores from
Viperstongue northward.

Kurth has shrines to Eldath, Chauntea, and Clanggeddin. The shrine to
Tymora is regularly visited by a priest from Mulmaster.

Maskyr's Eye

Maskyr's Eye is a village of 20 main buildings located at the foot of
the Earthspur Mountains, beneath the shadow of the Glacier of the White
Worm.

This small community is known primarily for its fanning and horse
breeding, and, at present, has no extremely high-level denizens in
residence. The vale the community takes its name from is told of in the
following tale:

Of old, the Archmage Maskyr explored these lands, which were still new
to humankind, and came upon this valley.  It was to his liking, and he
thought to make a home there. In those days the land around the
mountains was controlled by the dwarves, and the king of these dwarves
was Tuir, Blood of Helban, who made his throne deep beneath Mount
Grimmerfang, which the dwarven people had wrested from Orc King
Grimmerfang. Tuir, not wanting to give up any land to these newly
arrived humans, gruffly stated that the dwarves would grant the valley
to the archmage if Maskyr gave his right eye to Tuir right then and
there. Maskyr, to the astonishment of Tuir's court, did so. The bargain
was kept, and 'Maskyr lived happily in the vale that now bears his
name.

Maskyr is long gone, disappeared, and presumably slain on some
interplanar journey. Of his tower nothing remains, and only his name
and the legend of Maskyr One-Eyed survives. The town has one of the
finest inns in all the Vast, the Wizard's Hand, rivaled in quality only
by the Worried Wyvern in Sevenecho.

Procampur

Procampur is a rich and independent city-state located on the eastern
shore of the Dragon Reach. It is a large, sprawling city divided into
districts by high walls. Each district is marked by slate roofs of a
different color.

Procampur is the richest of the independent cities of the Vast,
challenged only by Ravens Bluff and Tantras. Procampur was once known
as Proeskampalar. It was a booming city before the founding of the
Standing Stone and the creation of Dalereckoning.

Procampur has a strong army and navy to protect the valuable substances
it trades in from Inner Sea pirates and from other nations. It has
defeated Mulmaster and Sembia decisively in past conflicts, and is now
allied to the neighboring city of Tsurlagol.

From its early days until now it has been a city noted for its skilled
goldsmiths and gemcutters. It is ruled by a hereditary overlord with
the title "thultyrl." The present thultyrl is a young man, Rendath of
the Royal Blood (NG hm F11). The royal family of Procampur has no last
name other than its title.

Districts are delineated by walls 15 feet high that separate them from
each other. Guard posts, militias, and army barracks have white-washed
roofs to tell them apart from the rest of a district's buildings. Royal
orders are strict as to which activities may be performed in which
district; for example, if an adventurer who has attained noble title
wishes to settle in the Noble District, he must foreswear all further
adventuring before his king and pledge to not aid or shelter any such
individuals in his house.

All temples may be found in the black-roofed Temple District, which is
dominated by four huge temple complexes as well as the scattered homes
of the clergy and shrines of lesser gods. Torm is worshipped in the
House of the Hand, presided over by High Priest Pallar the Obedient (LG
hm P15) and 26 subpriests. Helm is venerated in the Tower of the Eye,
presided over by High Guardian Endra "Watchever" Mathlyn (LG hf P16)
and 18 subordinate priests. The Hall of Success was dedicated to
Waukeen, but has been reconsecrated to Lliira. Its high priest is
Baniya Dolester (CG hf P12), who in addition to her other duties tends
to the needs of the previous High Priest of Waukeen, driven mad by the
death of his goddess. The Lady's Happy Hall is the temple of Tymora,
and is overseen by High Priest Orn Thavil (CG hm P14) and 24
subordinate priests. In addition, there are shrines to Mystra and
Deneir in the city. The home of the former patriarch of Oghma, who
disappeared during the Time of Troubles, is also a shrine.

The Roofs of Procampur

The closest thing to a caste system in the Vast is the division of
Procampur according to function and task. A holdover from the city's
earliest days, it divides the city beyond the port into eight
districts. Each district is heavily guarded and walled, and its nature
is indicated by roof color. The multicolored roofs of Procampur are
dictated by royal order, and are set apart according to district:

* District of the Poor: Gray roofs.

* Temple District: Shining black roofs.

* Merchant District: Sea-green roofs.

* Adventurers District: Red roofs.

* Sea District: Blue roofs.

* Services District: Yellow roofs.

* Nobles District: Silver roofs.

* High Court and Palace: Gold roofs.


Ravens Bluff, the Living City

Built over the ruins of ancient Sarbreen, Ravens Bluff is one of the
most prosperous and successful cities in the Vast. It is a large and
bustling trading center located on the Dragon Reach where the Fire
River flows between two large hills and into the Reach, and situated on
the overland trade route from Procampur to the Moonsea Cities.

Sarbreen was a colony town, similar to Selgaunt and Saerloon.  Yet
while these cities prospered, Sarbreen dwindled into a small collection
of keeps and private forts, with its inhabitants squabbling among
themselves. For many years the city was little more than a waystop for
caravans and a bolt-hole for pirates fleeing Sembian patrols. Between
the ores and pirates, the city, now known commonly as Ravens Bluff for
the dark birds that nested in nearby cliffs, was experiencing extreme
difficulties.

Thirty years ago (1337 DR), the Champions Games were sponsored by the
local lords to find someone capable of rescuing the city from these
raids. The winner of these games was a retired adventurer name Charles
Oliver O'Kane. Lord Mayor O'Kane (LN hm F15) rebuilt the militia,
repelled the goblin tribes, secured the trade routes, reorganized the
local government, came to terms with the pirates, and rules justly to
this day.

Lord Mayor O'Kane is supported by a deputy mayor and Council of Lords
(the original local lords who sponsored the Champions Games or their
descendents). The Council in turn oversees the economy, justice, the
churches, and the military.  Ravens Bluff's military is primarily the
forces of the local lords, supported by levees from the city and hired
militia units. With the exception of goblin raids and bandits, there
have been no major military actions in Ravens Bluff for two decades.

The rise of activity in Ravens Bluff has been very good for the various
religions in the area, since as more money pours into the city, more of
it is spent on matters both spiritual and mundane.  At last report, the
city had temples of Chauntea, Gond, Helm, Lathander, Selune, Tempus,
Tymora, and Tyr. It has an operating temple of Waukeen, though many
followers of Lliira are welcome there as well, and it is assumed that
the priesthood is gaining its power from that source. There are also
small shrines to almost every known power (and several forgotten ones)
in the North in the city.

All the major faiths belong to the Clerical Circle, a branch of the
government dedicated to religious harmony among the extant faiths. This
organization is headed by a chief prelate. The present chief prelate is
Sirrus Melandor, the high priest of Tyr, who has served for more than a
decade (LG hm P15).

Ravens Bluff is a trader's town and an adventurer's city. The merchants
and craft guilds are always in need of a strong sword arm or a
knowledgeable mind for spells in their employ, and the success of the
city in using adventuring talent encourages others to try. Whereas
Cormyrean nobles regard adventurers as nouveau riche and the Moonsea
natives see them as targets, the natives of Ravens Bluff welcome the
hero and adventurer for his or her potential good. As a result, the
city is swollen with young bravos, enterprising demihumans, outcast
lords and ladies, second sons and daughters of nobility, and others
seeking to make their claim on the world. Sometimes this leads to
difficulties, including the odd ambush and an occasional body found in
an alley, but it makes for a vibrant, thriving community.

Ravens Bluff and the RPGA

The city of Ravens Bluff and its immediate surroundings have been given
to the RPGA to develop. The RPGA is TSR's fan-based organization, and
contributions from its members have been used to build the resurrected
Ravens Bluff. At this writing, the RPGA has produced four 64'page
accessories for the Living City and maintains a strong presence for the
city in their Polyhedron newszine, introducing new characters, new
places, new buildings, and new adventures to challenge its heroes.

The designer recommends that those who are interested in knowing more
about Ravens Bluff or who are looking for a good, alternate setting for
their campaign, took at these products as a starting point, or better
yet, join the RPGA and get a subscription to the Polyhedron newszine.

Sevenecho

Sevenecho is a small town, and exists only as a market for the
well-dispersed farmers in the area and, because of the ponds and wells
nearby, as a watering hole for caravan mounts. It is a small hamlet
named for the family that runs the local inn, the Worried Wyvern, one
of the finest inns in the Vast.

The Worried Wyvern was founded in 1338 DR, and has grown to be a
sprawling manse lying atop a wide knoll, with dormers, wings, side
chambers, and other curiosities springing out at random.  The Wyvern
has its own deep well, and produces fine smoked meats, passable beer,
and a sharp local cheese. The family patriarch and current proprietor
of the inn is Beliot Sevenecho (LN hm F5).

The Sevenechoes are the most prominent of several local families that
include the Scantshars, who are viewed with mild suspicion.  Much of
this stems from the fact that the family matriarch, an elderly and kind
woman named Riliyyr, is an accomplished wizard (CG hf W7).

Two local legends surround Sevenecho. The first is that a ghost appears
regularly on one of the nearby ponds. The Drowned Lady is said to have
been a traveler who was slain by the local boy she flirted with and
then spurned. The family the local boy belonged to varies according to
who is telling the tale.

Of a more profitable note for adventurers, a local legend says that in
the last days of Tuir the Deep King, nine dwarves, each dwarf bearing a
chest of gems, were overtaken by ores. They buried the gems and then
assaulted the orcish hordes, fighting to the death. Given the
circumstances surrounding the destruction of the dwarven kingdom in the
area, this legend may be true.

The Guard of Tantras

The guard of Tantras consists of units of 14 1st-level warriors,
dressed in plate mail with the arms of the city emblazoned upon it, and
armed with short swords, spears, and daggers. They are led by a
3rd-level sergeant armed with long sword and mace. If more than one
guard unit is called, an officer of 5th level with a morningstar is
with them. Crossbowmen and wizards can be called out in case of
emergency.

Standard practice for the Tantran guard is to try to sort things out
first peaceably, calling for all sides to put aside their weapons (the
"Whot's all this then?" approach). However, in crisis situations where
native Tantrans are threatened, they will shoot first and use speak
with dead later. The large number of temples (and knowledgeable
priests) in Tantras makes this approach feasible.

Tantras

Tantras is a walled city north of Ravens Bluff, and like Ravens Bluff
benefits from the trade coming up from Procampur. It is a large, walled
city that has recovered well from and even prospered after the Time of
Troubles. A godly battle during that period resulted in the destruction
of a large portion of the city, and left a very large permanent dead
magic area that extends from the north of the city.

Tantras is ruled by its High Council, a collection of local noble
merchant families plus the high priest of Torm. The Council provides an
invisible government, concentrating mainly on tariffs and merchant laws
and less on the thieves' guilds and adventurers (save when they start
affecting the merchants). As a result, Tantras is a rollicking,
wide-open town, with only the more severe breaches of courtesy and law
bringing in the guard.

 Tormite activity on the Sea of Fallen Stars and that faith's largest
temple. It was at Tantras that Torm perished defending his faith in a
battle with Bane, creating the great dead magic area that lies over the
northern city. The High Priest of Torm is Barriltar Bhandraddon (LG hm
P19), and he is aided by 49 sup-priests. Torm's church is the most
influential in the city, and Bhandraddon has a seat on the High
Council.

However, the faith of Torm is very indulgent toward other religions,
and there are temples of many other gods in the city, including Tempus,
Lathander, Gond, Selune, Milil, and Tymora, all with established
priests of no less than 13th level in power. In addition, shrines to
Lathander, Loviatar, Umberlee, and Cyric dot the city.

Tantras does have an effective thieves' guild, the Grayclaws, an
organization of smugglers and thieves who tend to prey on newcomers and
those native Tantrans who have gotten gloriously rich, smug, or
unscrupulous. The Grayclaws keep a firm watch on their members
activities, so that they do not run afoul of the High Council. The
Grayclaws have to date defended their turf from various forces,
including the Red Wizards, the Zhentarim, slavers, the Harpers, and the
Cult of the Dragon.

The combination of merchant-dominated politics, light rule, many
priests, an active thieves' guild, and a large dead magic zone has made
Tantras a haven for a large number of adventurers, including those who
are currently unwanted in nearby Calaunt and Ravens Bluff. The dead
magic zone is particularly good for those on the run from wizards, and
many who have offended such groups as the Zhentarim and the Red Wizards
of Thay have used Tantras as their bolt-hole.

Tsurlagol

Tsurlagol (TSIR-lah-gol), the gateway to the Unapproachable East, is a
large, prosperous city east of Procampur. Here traders from the Vast
meet with those from Impiltur and sailors from the Vilhon Reach and the
Old Empires. Here also dwarven wanderers bear messages, metals, and
swords from their hidden relatives to their destination.

Tsurlagol is as old as Procampur, an allied city with which it is
normally connected. However, Tsurlagol has burned to the ground a
number of times over its long history and been rebuilt each time by
succeeding generations. As a result, most of the city is on a low rise
- actually the bones of the previous cities on which this city has been
rebuilt.

Tsurlagol's highest office is called the Ven, a position chosen by the
leading nobles and merchant lords from among their numbers.  The true
identity of the Ven is held secret, but for a 10-year rule, the Ven's
word is law. Unpopular Ven, however, have met their deaths prematurely.

Less mysterious is the Ven's Voice, the spokesman for the Council and
the Ven's leading advisor, in many ways more powerful than the Ven
himself. The present Voice is Conoptora Billon (NG hm W13), a grasping,
adventurous mage who has plans for seeing Tsurlagol achieve the
dominant position in its relationship with the other cities of the
Vast. Whether this desire is shared by the Ven is unknown.

Tsurlagol has served as a free port for pirates and smugglers for many
years, and many natives of the Pirate Isles have houses they use as
hiding places throughout the city. The city is also considered a
suitable stashing ground for hot merchandise and foul-tempered
captives. Many of the leading merchants of the city have served time in
the Free Trade, as piracy is called. In this respect, Tsurlagol has
much in common with the freewheeling cities of the Dragon Coast to the
west.

Tsurlagol has three temples. The Rising Moon is the temple of Selune,
and is the wealthiest of the temples. Its patriarch is High Priest
Orlathon Lunemast (LG hm P13). He is assisted by nine subpriests of
varying levels. The Battering Wave is the temple of Umberlee, which is
under the control of Thogonia Grim (LE hf P12) and six fanatical
serving priests.

The third temple, the Cult of the Shadow, is a temple to Shar and also
the headquarters of the local thieves' guild, the Sharwomen.
Originally open only to female thieves, the organization is now open to
both sexes following the complete destruction of the parallel male-
oriented thieves' guild years ago. While the guild is open to both
sexes, the bulk of the work goes to the men and the majority of the
glory and gold to the original female members.

Viperstongue Ford

Viperstongue Ford is a strategic crossing of the River Vesper. Not only
is the Vesper fordable here, but the ford coincides with a low saddle
in the Earthspurs, forming one of the gateways to the northern Vast
(the other being the higher Three Trees Pass). No settlement or
building has stood long at Viperstongue due to the fact that the
location has been the site of a number of battles.

It was at Viperstongue that the ores and goblins defeated the dwarven
armies under Deep King Tuir, setting up a retreat that ended in the
underground battle of Deepfires. It was also at Viperstongue that the
elven hero Beluar later routed the ores, delaying the end of the older
nonhuman Vast kingdoms.

Ylraphon

Ylraphon (Ee-IL-ra-FON) is a small, Dale-like town on the northern end
of the Dragon Reach. Its people are similar in looks and disposition to
the Dalesmen, and they may be an early settlement of the same ancestral
stock that did not cross the River Lis and settle at the edges of the
trees of the Elven Court. Ylraphon is the birthplace of a number of
powerful wizards and rich merchants, but none of them has chosen to
remain in the city, instead haring off to other lands and other
adventures.

In its eldest days, Ylraphon was an elven community, then an orcish
stronghold, then a dwarven town, then an orcish stronghold again before
finally being conquered and settled by humans.  Now it boasts a small
port and a great many ruins to its east.  Ylraphon often attracts
adventurers seeking ancient tombs and ruined temples to lost gods.

Ylraphon has a small temple to Selune, the Moonwater, presided over by
Catalan Bree (LG hm P8) and four clerical followers.  In addition,
there are shrines to Chauntea, Umberlee, and Tymora in town. Rumors
continually speak also of destroyed temples of Gruumsh, Moander, and
Bane in the Flooded Forest to the north of town.


The Dragon Coast
================

The phrase Dragon Coast refers to the independent cities on the
southern shore of the Lake of Dragons (Dragonmere) and the Sea of
Fallen Stars. In a larger sense, it is used to blast the predatory and
opportunistic tendencies of these various cities, and the term usually
includes the pirate kingdoms that are sprinkled irregularly throughout
the Sea of Fallen Stars and appear and fade with passing time.

This discussion includes the Pirate Isles, as both the pirates and
their prey are one of the chief reasons for the existence of the Dragon
Coast.  While one great supply of caravans swoops down through Cormyr
from the Moonsea, another great wave comes across the Sea of Fallen
Stars to the Dragon Coast ports, bypassing Cormyr and Sembia and moving
directly into the Western Heartlands. These caravans carry rare spices
(and mages) from Thay, strange balms (and gods) from the Old Kingdoms,
and finely made weapons (and poisons) from the Vilhon Reach. In short,
all that is profitable (and illegal) passes through the Dragon Coast.

There are but three important cities on the Dragon Coast: Elversult,
Teziir, and Westgate. Only Westgate truly lives up to the region's
reputation as a sin-laden festhall of intrigue and dark adversaries,
but as Westgate is the largest and oldest of the three, it sets the
tones for all others. The other towns in the region are mere waystops
in comparison with these three.

The merchants rule along the Dragon Coast much as they do in Sembia.
But unlike Sembia, on the Dragon Coast there is little drive toward
cooperation on a larger goal that benefits all. Each merchant on the
Coast seems to value his own property and his own hide above all. For
this reason thieves' guilds, long banished from Cormyr and Waterdeep,
have flourished along the coastline, and bandits are very active.
Still, some shipbome merchants sneer at the idea of Cormyrean or
Sembian officials pawing through their belongings and decide to take
their chances with the type of bandit who uses a sword instead of a
counting book.

Adventurers find themselves in high demand on the Dragon Coast, but
usually are sought out by shadowy masters through smooth-talking
intermediaries.  Respectability and honesty are a keynotes in the lands
of the Dragon Coast, but that does not mean that all should be
respectable and honest, only that all should appear to be respectable
and honest. Travelers are warned that when dealing with a Dragon Coast
merchant (or worse, a noble), one should shake hands and then count
one's rings, one's fingers, and one's remaining horses.

History
-------

The history of the Dragon Coast is the history of money, particularly
the darker side of the coin.  Situated on the main trade routes between
the Inner Sea and the Sword Coast, these lands never coalesced into a
solid, coherent nation, like Cormyr or Sembia. Instead small petty
city-states have risen and fallen, powered by greed and the most
powerful merchant or pirate faction of the day.

As a result, the Dragon Coast has always been the home of the smuggler,
the pirate, the rogue, and the hired killer. It has been the place
where those seeking to skirt the laws of more civilized nations to the
north make landfall. It is here that the Red Wizards gain their access
to the Western Heartlands, and where the Cult of the Dragon launches
its plots to the south. And it is here that independent secret
societies and assassin guilds have their greatest power.

The last semblance of organized resistance to this trend was the reign
of Verovan, last of the kings of Westgate. The monarchy of Westgate had
long worked closely with the various mercantile and pirate factions,
but Verovan attempted to stem the growing power of the merchant houses
and petty lords.  His sudden and mysterious death without acceptable
heirs in 1248 DR opened the door for much of what now is commonplace in
the Dragon Coast - corruption and treachery.

It should be noted that while Verovan's name is still venerated these
lands, better known is Immurk, the greatest of the Inner Sea Pirates, a
brash and flamboyant rogue who united a pirate fleet beneath him and
ruled from 1164 DR to his death in 1201 DR. Such it is in the Dragon
Coast, that good people are venerated, but the power of darker rogues
is imitated.

The Dragon Coast Mindset
------------------------

The typical native of the Dragon Coast does not think of himself or
herself as a Dragon Coaster, as opposed to the Cormyreans or Dalesmen
to the north.  In fact, this native rarely thinks of nationality and
home city at all. Each man, woman, and other sentient is a nation of
one, seeking to protect him-, her-, or itself from the dangers of the
outside world. As a result, most of the natives here are thought of as
selfish at best, and rapacious and greedy in their worst moments.

The natives, of course, consider themselves to be merely sensible and
reasonable. Their lands see a continual progression of caravans and
trade bearing wondrous items from far-off lands. A bit of the riches
and exotics stays in the area, but more passes on to Waterdeep or to
Thay. Is it any wonder that the typical native would wish to see a
little more remain in the area - in one's pocket, perhaps?

Thinking of the Dragon Coast as a gathering of thieves and vultures is
slightly off the mark. To think of the natives of the region as
intermediaries and facilitators, people who make things happen, is much
more accurate. Everyone has a price, it is said, but the price is more
reasonable in the Dragon Coast.

The natives of this land see the Cormyreans and Sembians as vulgar -
even potentially evil-bullies, organized gangs that may at any moment
force the cities of the Coast to obey the same rules they saddle their
own peoples with. The Western Heartlands are a land of opportunity, and
many a native has caught that caravan west to settle in Berdusk or
Soubar, leaving behind those who truly like it here.

Not all natives of the Dragon Coast are grasping, greedy manipulators
and confidence beings. The ruler of Elversult has struggled to make a
city worthy of the respect of its citizens, and fair merchants and good
mercenary companies live in the land.  They are just extremely
outnumbered by the rest of the cynical society of the Dragon Coast.

Interesting Features
--------------------

The following are prominent locales and points of interest on the
Dragon Coast, presented in alphabetical order.

Elversult

Elversult is a rich merchant city located where the Overmoor Trail
meets the Trader's Road south of the Lake of Dragons. It is a common
place for shipments heading for Cormyr to be separated from those
heading west to the Sword Coast. From Elversult such packages are
routed either along the High Road north to High Horn or to the lake
ports of Ilipur and Pros.

The city is situated in a pleasant, lightly wooded area surrounded by
small lakes and kettles. Many copses of the original woods still
remain, since Elversult has always been under the control of strong
rulers, and even the most corrupt and evil of them have valued the
woods. The center of town is dominated by a tall, bare tor called
Temple Hill, since it is where the temples of Lathander and Waukeen
have been built.

Elversult has long had a reputation as a hive of smuggling activity and
intrigue, a reputation which the present ruling lady, Yanseldara (NG
hef F11/W12) is trying to shed, aided by her adventuring companion
Vaerana Hawklyn (CG hf R19), with varying degrees of success. While
open brawls in the streets are no longer common, the illegal activities
in the town now take place underground, under magical protection, and
under the cover of darkness. Yanseldara took command after leading a
popular rebellion that overthrew an older, more oppressive regime.

Two of the three main temples in town are located on Temple Hill. The
Tower of the Mom is the temple to Lathander, and is controlled by
Morninglord Hathala Orndeir (NG hf P14), who intends to spread the word
of the Dawnbringer throughout the entire Dragon Coast. She is aided in
this task by 26 lesser priests.

The House of Coins is the only known temple to Waukeen still operating
at the same level as before the Time of Troubles. Its master, High
Priest Malakar Ghondar (N hm P11), and his nine serving priests swear
that the failure of other temples to the Merchant's Friend is due to
lack of faith on their parts, and only by keeping the faith strong in
one's heart (and pocketbook) can one continue to receive her blessing.
Doubters note that Malakar has been heavily interested in magical items
brought from far away and think this may be the true source of his
goddess's grace.

Located just off Temple Hill is the House of Hands, the temple to Gond.
A small temple by Gondryr standards, it is captained by High Artificer
Daragath Morliir (N hem P13). The High Artificer is a bright, scheming
man, intent on finding out secrets - everyone's secrets.

Elversult is the jousting ground for a secret war between the Harpers
and the Cult of the Dragon. The Cult of the Dragon controls the drug,
poison, and assassin trade through a network of priests, thieves, and a
few sympathetic monsters. The Harpers have friends in high places,
reportedly including Vaerana Hawklyn herself. In the midst of this
battle, a gang of small-timers known as the Purple Masks is trying to
make its felonious living.

The Maces of Elversult

The town guard of the city of Elversult, the Maces, is also the core of
its army. The Maces number about 3,500 and are capable of handling
everything short of a full-fledged barbarian invasion.

For day-to-day operations, the Maces will be encountered in groups of
five in the street, with whistles that allow them to communicate and
summon aid (they have a code of blasts to indicate identity and nature
of threat - a long rising blast indicates a mage or magic-using monster
in combat). These police carry the maces that give the town guard its
name and wear scale mail for protection. The commander of the Maces is
Pierstar Hallowhand (LN hm F10).

Ilipur and Pros

The small ports of Ilipur and Pros are called the eyes and ears of
Elversult, for it is through these cities that ships' cargoes reach the
Elversult, should their captains choose to avoid the thieves' guilds of
Teziir and Westgate. Ilipur and Pros are little more than villages with
shallow harborages and no real docks to speak of. Ships' cargoes are
unloaded onto flat barges and brought to shore, and new ships are
constructed on land and muscled into the sea (as opposed to the
shipwrights' using dry docks, as the larger cities can afford). Pros
has such a problem with its harbor silting up that a pilot must be
rowed out to approaching ships to allow them to avoid the sand banks
and bring them in to safe harbor. Many ships bypass Pros and head for
Ilipur, which is slightly larger and the more corrupt of the two.

Both these towns are ideal ports for small packages, such as magical
texts brought into the Dragon Coast, smuggled goods that would attract
too much attention, and individuals who do not want to be seen. As a
result, both towns have agents of the Cult of the Dragons, Harpers,
Astorians (from Teziir) and Night Masks in their area. In addition, a
company of cruel adventurers known as the Men of the Basilisk ride in
the area, raiding small hamlets and capturing and torturing travelers.

Both towns are run by a Council of Burghers and a lord mayor.  The lord
mayor has a staff of sheriffs, tax collectors, inspectors, and
accountants (all usually relatives). A handful of fair to middling inns
can be found in the region, but no temples - only shrines to Umberlee,
Lliira, Tymora, and Tyr.

Pirate Isles of the Inner Sea

The Pirate Isles in the Sea of Fallen Stars are a large collection of
rocky spurs jutting out of the water some 100 miles off the coast of
Sembia. The majority have no name, while the larger islands are
remembered as pirate dens and havens to scavengers. Not all the
inhabitants of these islands make their living directly or indirectly
from piracy, but the majority do.

The Pirate Isles are strategically placed to command all shipping
moving to and from the Dragon Reach and Westgate from all other areas
on the Inner Sea. The isles are largely uncharted (except by pirates)
and corsair vessels lurk among them.

The Dragonisle, the largest of the Pirate Isles, is also known as
Earthspur, although that is really the name of the mountain at the
southern end of the island. The Dragonisle is fortified and has two
secure harbors defended by forts and three secure anchorages in
addition to these harbors. The Dragonisle can hold 160 to 170 vessels
within its fortified harbors. Both harbors have chains, submerged stone
breakrocks, and ramships to prevent unauthorized entry. Their entrances
are further protected by thick-walled forts. The northern harbor's fort
is built into a cliff along the western side of the narrow harbor
entrance, while the southern harbor's fort is set square at the mouth
of the harbor. Each of these forts has a battery of mystic Thayvian
bombards, rare and wondrous weapons brought long ago from Thay.

Pirate signals and verbal codes change constantly. A few old passwords,
gleaned from various sources, include: "Obold," "Immurk Way," and
"Holt-Ho!" Failure to use the correct password when called upon often
results in the death of the user.  The pirates have not been strong
enough to openly defy and stand against or even attack the ports of
Sembia for nearly 200 winters. However, at least 200 active pirate
vessels (and probably as many more hulls - perhaps as many as 600) lurk
or are hidden in the Pirate Isles and around the coasts of the Sea of
Fallen Stars.

Priapurl

Priapurl is a small, sleepy waytown along the Trader's Road. It has a
small lake to its north that serves as a reliable source of water for
caravans and travelers. Priapurl features a handful of reputable,
relatively safe inns, the most prosperous of them being Lord Cyric's
Bane, run by a former (and declared reformed) Banite priest who fled
Zhentil Keep when the holy wars up there got too uncomfortable. The
Bane has excellent food, and the former priest, Ghazzar (N hm P13
(formerly)), maintains a strict "no religion" rule in the common room.

Priapurl's hereditary ruler is the Tar. The Tar was originally the
leader of a local band of bandits, but over the generations the blood
has been watered down by more civilized elements. The present ruler,
Tar Hurara (LN hf F4), is little more than a wastrel who spends much
other year attending the Cormyrean court, leaving the running of the
town to her assigned deputy, Ghazzar.

Priapurl is notable for the large independent keep to its south that is
the home of the Mindulgulph Mercenary Company. The Mindulgulphs are a
specialized unit of nonhuman and monstrous creatures under the command
of Gayrlana, also known as Lady Bloodsword (LN hf F12). The
Mindulgulphs include wemics, centaurs, giff, grippli, kenku,
thri-kreen, and other specialized monsters such as beholders and
treants. The bulk of the company has been sent south for an extended
contract with the gold dwarves of the Great Rift, but some of the core
unit remains here. Ghazzar keeps its members under retainer to provide
the police force in town.

Let The Be Piracy!

Ships or the pirate fleet run the gamut of ships found in the Inner
Sea, and include Sembian warships, converted Iropilturian merchants,
Cormyrean freesails, and biremes and triremes from Chondath and
Chessenta. The latter galleys function welt in the relatively calm
waters of the Inner Sea and are crewed by slaves taken from previous
raids.

Armament of these ships depends on the ship and owner, but generally
runs as follows:  Small Galleys and Merchants: 1-2 ballistae.  Large
Galleys and Merchants: 2-6 ballistae and a catapult.  Warships: 4-8
balltstae, 1-2 catapults, and sometimes (25% chance) a trebuchet. Only
galleys may engage in ramming tactics, and only galleys are equipped
With rams.

Pirate crews are double those of normal ships, as pirates tend to carry
less balk goods than merchant ships. Some pirates make use of companies
of archers, aquatic beasts, and spellcasters, and it is a standard
procedure that any arohets on a ship should make an apparent
spellcaster their first target. As a result, half-elven, elven, and
other racial spellcasters that may wear armor are valued on all Inner
Sea vessels, pirate or merchant, for making less obvious, less
vulnerable targets.

Proskur

Proskur is a trading waystop located where the Overmoor Trail meets the
High Road from Cormyr. It is the last eastward stop before entering the
Storm Horns Mountains and is situated just south of the Bridge of
Fallen Men, the site of a heroic defense in legendary times.

Like most of the Dragon Coast cities, Proskur is run by a merchants'
council. In this case, the council is almost entirely made up of former
thieves who discovered they could make more cash with less risk in
honest trade than dishonest theft. As a result, Proskur has one of the
most honest governments in the Dragon Coast area, since most of the
council know all the tricks, cons, and scams that adventurers and
rogues normally pull, having tried them themselves when Azoun was
learning his history from Vangerdahast. The leader of the council is
the radiant con woman Leonara Obarstal (NG hf T14), who claims to be a
distant relative of King Azoun and has been known to say, "The
advantage of merging the thieves' guild and the government is that you
cut down on the paperwork and always balance the budget."

Proskur has a temple to Tempus under the command of Priest - Captain
Dologar Nathan (LG hm P13) and six of his followers. It is also the
site of a popular church of Mask, the Rogue Redeemed, under the
auspices of Patriarch Milo Hallyspyr (N hm P5/formerly T10). The Rogue
Redeemed preaches a variant testament to that of the orthodox churches
of Mask, and has caused some controversy among the faithful - the
Proskurian church teaches that theft, roguery, and deception are
permissible as long as something is learned in the process, and when
that learning process is done, one may walk away clean, learning from
one's experience without having to pay any additional price. The faith
is very popular with the locals, but it is unknown who (or what) truly
grants the spells of Hallyspyr and his seven assistants.

The Watch of Teziir

Those adventurers looking for the city watch members found only in
adventuring tales - ineffective, overweight, and usually late - can
find them in the flesh in Teziir. There the underpaid and unpopular
watch consists of leather-armored 1st-level fighters armed with clubs
(truncheons), short swords, and daggers. There are about 500 of these
people serving the community under the command of Alton Mertlin (LN hm
F7). Mertlin is a skilled fighter with horrible organizational skills,
contributing to the watch's poor performance.  Watch patrols, when they
show up, number four standard members - unless someone calls in sick
that day.

Reddansyr

A small town located between Teziir and Westgate, Reddansyr is the
jumping-off spot for caravans south, as well as a common meeting ground
for rivals from Westgate and Teziir and agents of just about every
power group in the Heartlands. It is a treasure-trove of information
and opportunities. There are usually a half-dozen rumors floating
around at any one time involving job possibilities, along with the
occasional treasure map to some long-lost hoard or another.

At the center of a storm of rumors is the Giant's Folly, a bar and
festhall established in an overturned boat. Said boat was hauled inland
on a bet by a fire giant. The current proprietor, Gandios Laffabar (N
halfm T12), lost the bet but gained the boat in a secondary bet and
established it as his base. Business has been so good that he is
looking for another giant to bring in another boat overland from
Westgate. Gandios usually has one or two good rumors up his sleeve, but
has been known to spin wild tales for the incredulous and let newly
minted adventurers hare off to their doom on impossible quests.

Reddansyr houses a temple of Oghma run by Patriarch Thyrius Jorman (NG
hm P14) and 14 of his assistants. The temple accumulates a great deal
of information, but is much less willing to part with any of it than
most other sources in Reddansyr.

Teziir

The largest independent city on the banks of the Dragonmere, Teziir is
Westgate's rival in the merchant trade. It is a sprawling, unwalled
city situated on a high bluff overlooking the Lake of Dragons. Previous
cities on this site have been attacked, sacked, and burned more than a
few times throughout history.

Teziir was founded in 1312 DR by a council of merchants, mostly lawful
and neutral in alignment, as an alternative to Westgate. This council
of relatively faceless, bland merchants still runs Teziir by the
simple, unspoken law: "Get results or get out." Anyone hired under the
council's rule is judged by this yardstick.

Teziir has actively campaigned to bring more religions to the Dragon
Coast, and due to this policy boasts small temples to Azuth, Chauntea,
Helm, Torm, Tymora, and Tyr. Of these, Helm's, controlled by Patriarch
Thyxlys Jon (LG hm P12), is the most powerful. The others do not boast
priests higher than 8th level within their hierarchies.

Teziir is also home to a growing and powerful thieves' guild, the
Astorians. Said to number some 700 active members, the guild
specializes in the protection racket and petty theft. The Astorians
have dreams of attaining the power of the Night Masks in Westgate, but
this has not yet happened.

Teziir has never officially been at war, and so its merchants feel
little affection toward mercenaries. However, the rising activities of
the Astorians combined with increased pirate raids along the coast have
caused the council to reconsider this position and take on a few
adventuring companies to handle its dirty work. Most of the advice the
council receives on who to hire comes from young Cydarin (N hm W8),
whose chief virtue as "chief wizard of Teziir" is that he is the son of
a councilman.

Westgate

Westgate is an important port and caravan transfer point on the
overland route that joins the Inner Sea and the lands to the west (Amn,
Tethyr, the North, and the Sword Coast) and the far south. It is the
largest of the Dragon Coast cities and a rival of both Cormyr and
Sembia all by itself. A map of Westgate appears on page 83.

Westgate lies on the southern side of the long western arm of the Sea
of Fallen Stars, across from Cormyr. It is independent of all kingdoms
and outside authorities, and is considered an open city, free to all
manner of trade from all sides. Westgate has fulfilled the role of
trading link between Inner Sea east and Sword Coast west for as long as
humankind has been in the Inner Sea area. Once a simple stopover and
stockyard similar to Scornubel or Iriaebor today, Westgate has gained
in importance as trade increased, diversifying into ship construction
and repair, wagonmaking, and other sideline industries. The local
industries include pottery (of average to poor quality), scent-making
(excellent fragrances), and wine-making (varying wildly from superior
to merely good).

Westgate is ruled by a council of its rich, noble families that took
command soon after the death of its last king, Verovan, in 1248 DR.
They in turn chose a croamarkh to serve a four-year term. The current
croamarkh is Lansdal Ssemm (N hm F3), grandson of the Ssemm family
patriarch, Orgule Ssemm. Lansdal was a compromise candidate, and his
term to date has been marked by a rise in interfamily violence and
secret vendettas.

Westgate has a secret set of rulers as well. A band of professional
assassins, extortionists, coercers, enforcers, and thieves known as the
Night Masks have set up shop in the city. They are for hire by all and
independent of the various noble houses, switching alliances as their
purse leads them. The Night Masks control most of the illegal doings in
the town and seek to expand their grasp to the north and west into
other civilized lands.

The Night Masks make no secret of their existence, and their symbol,
marked on shops to indicate protection, or left in some adventurer's
home as a warning, is a domino mask.

The membership of the Masks is primarily thieves, but includes
fighters, priests, and mages as the job demands. Normally Masks operate
in groups of five, with a single member only aware of what four others
of the group are up to. In this fashion, if one is caught, only that
group is endangered. Levels range from 1st to 10th, with higher level
beings available only for the most dangerous jobs. The leader of the
Night Masks is unrevealed and known only as the Faceless.

Westgate has a large number of temples and small churches, as befits
its station as a cosmopolitan hub of trade. It holds within its walls
temples to Loviatar, Gond, Mask, Ilmater, and Talos. Most of these
temples have high priests of 10th - 15th level, suitable for most
clerical work. The local temple to Leira has burned to the ground and
been abandoned. A temple of Talona, the Place of Waiting Death, is an
open secret in the city. The city also holds shrines to Beshaba,
Lliira, Malar, and Shar.

The Lords of Westgate.

The local nobility, the torch of Westgate, are the heads of rich
merchant families, All such families usually have long-standing
traditions and feuds, run caravan companies and trading fleets on the
Inner Sea, and pursue diverse business interests. The families of
Westgate and their lords and symbols are:

Athagdal Family: Led by Lord Uriyvl Athagdat.
Family Trading Badge: Russet weighing scales.

Dhostar Family: Led by Lord Luer Dhostar.
Family Trading Badge: Tawny wagon wheel topped by three stars.

Guldar Family: Led by Lord Dathguld Guldar.
Family Trading Badge: Black hawk.

Malavhan Family: Led by Lord Thamdros Malavhan.
Family Trading Badge: Red sun.

Ssemm Family: Led by Lord Orgule Ssemm.
Family Trading Badge: Ivory bird's claw.

Thalavar Family: Led by Lady Nettel Thalavar (matriarchal low).
Family Trading Badge: Green feather.

Thorsar family: Led by Lord Maergyrm Thorsar.
Family Trading Badge; Blue hand holding corn.

Urdo Family: Led by Lord Ssentar Urdo.
Family Trading Badge: Yellow eye.

Vhammos Family: Led by Lord Thontal Vhanimos.
Family Trading Badge: Steel-gray open hand.

Westgate Key

1.  Dhostar Vale (private park)
2.  Castle Dhostar
3.  The Leaning Man (Inn)
4.  The Dhostar Yards
5.  The Blind Eye (fence for stolen goods ostensibly a tack, harness,
    and trail goods shop)
6.  Thessar the Warrior's house (LN hm F10)
7.  Lilda's (festhall)
8.  The Water Gate
9.  The Shore (drovers/wanderers/journey-men's slum)
10. Dhostar Company sheds (merchant company warehouses)
11. The Jolly Warrior (inn)
12. West Gate
13. Thorsar Company sheds (merchant company warehouses)
14. Thalavar Company sheds (warehouse)
15. Castle Ssemm
16. Thalavar yards
17. The Spitting Cockatrice (inn)
18. The Empty Fish (tavern)
19. The Westward Eye (inn)
20. Gatereach (inn of good quality)
21. Ssemm sheds (warehouse)
22. The Purple Lady (tavern and festhall)
23. Guldar Company sheds (merchant company warehouses)
24. Temple of Mask
25. The South Gate
26. The city watch barracks
27. The Lords' Water (pool)
28. Castle Thorsar
29. Castle Urdo
30. The House of Silks (fine clothing and jewelry, a very expensive shop)
31. The Blue Banner (inn of good quality)
32. The Tower (serves as a registry office for imports/exports, the
    city watch head-quarters, and a jail, with dungeons beneath it)
33. The market
34. Castle Guldar
35. Castle Vhammos
36. Vhammos Company sheds (merchant company warehouses)
37. The River Gate
38. The Black Boot (inn)
39. The River Bridge
40. Vhammos yards
41. The Rising Raven (inn)
42. Guldar yards
43. Ssemm yards
44. East Gate
45. The Old Beard (tavern)
46. The Harbor Tower (mariners call it the Westlight; a beacon and
    harbor defenses)
47. The Gentle Moon (inn)
48. Shalush Myrkeer's Shop (the largest shop in Westgate; buys and
    sells everything)
49. The Black Eye (tavern and festhall)
50. Urdo shed
51. Mulsantir's Gate
52. Thorsar yards
53. Castle Athagdal
54. Castle Thalavar
55. Castle Malavhan
56. Malavhan yards
57. Malavhan Company sheds (merchant company warehouses)
58. Dhostar docks
59. Thorsar docks
60. Malavhan docks
61. Urdo docks
62. Thalavar docks
63. Guldar docks
64. The watch dock (seized goods, pirate ships, ship inspections, etc.,
    held here)
65. Athagdal docks and shipyards
66. Vhammos docks
67. Ssemm docks
68. Ssemm docks
69. Temple of Umberlee
70. Temple of Tymora
71. Temple of Gond
72. Temple of Lathander
73. City watch barracks
74. City watch (meeting rooms, barracks)


The Western Heartlands
======================

The Heartlands of the Realms occupy a rough approximation of the center
of adventuring and mercantile life in Faerun. They extend from the
Sword Coast and Waterdeep eastward through Cormyr, to the Dragonspine
Mountains and the borders of far Impiltur. The Heartlands themselves
are divided in two by Anauroch and the mountain range called the Storm
Horns. On one side, Cormyr, Sembia, the Vast, the Moonsea, the Dales,
and the Dragon Coast collectively comprise the Eastern Heartlands.  The
wide expanses between the Storm Horns and the Sword Coast are the
Western Heartlands.

The Western Heartlands have best been described by one sage as "Miles
and miles of miles and miles." Theirs is a sweeping, open terrain,
broken by arid and eroded badlands, rolling hills, and high, forbidding
moors. The land is often an area one passes through on the way to other
areas - traders heading for Cormyr or Waterdeep, adventurers heading
for the Inner Sea or the Savage Frontier, or armies and mercenaries
heading for Amn and Tethyr. Yet life and civilization flourish here in
the form of a handful of small mercantile city-states and a scattering
of walled towns.

History
-------

The history of the Western Heartlands is a history of endless battles
and destroyed empires. In ancient times these were the lands of the
Fallen Kingdom of Illefarn, the Lost Kingdom of Man, and rumored
Netheril. In more recent history, the land has been fertilized with
blood and bone as forces from the Empires of the Sands surged
northward, the evil peoples within Dragonspear and the Goblin Marches
spilled forth, and mercenary companies moved to and fro in the service
of one petty warlord after another. Recent battles leveled the Way Inn
and threatened Daggerford. Even the Time of Troubles did not leave this
desolate land unmarked - Bhaal himself perished at Boareskyr Bridge,
and the waters it passes over have remained poisoned to this day.

The cities of the Western Heartlands are strong, independent, and
varied. They are also strongly motivated by trade, and listen harder to
the ringing of gold than the call of battle. But something else
prospers in the open land - freedom and opportunity. No nation lays
claim on the Western Heartlands to land beyond that which their armies
can control, and no warlord can make demands beyond the swing of his
axe. Small holds and castles regularly spring up, only to be knocked
down by invading forces, or abandoned after a generation or two. Lost
dungeons and secret citadels lie scattered throughout the land, and
this rugged frontier presents more than enough opportunities for
adventurers.

The Western Heartlands Mindset
------------------------------

The mindset of the Western Heartlands is as varied as its people,
ranging from the small communities behind their stockaded forts, to the
adventurers' holdfasts, to the walled trading cities of Soubar and
Scornubel. Yet, a few attitudes are common to all of them.

The people of the Western Heartlands are independent. They have little
need or love of government, kings, and nations beyond the local level.
An established patrol in the area is one thing, but onerous taxes,
inspections, receipts, and bookkeeping are quite another. Careful
recordkeeping is needed to run a successful caravan line, but that is a
quite different matter - that's one's livelihood.

These "Westies" are generally friendly and open, at least initially.
Enough people of enough different attitudes and alignments come through
that open conflict at the drop or a hat for monarch, god, or alignment
would result in even more war than the land has already seen.
Individuals are given a chance to prove themselves by their own
abilities - then they can be killed in petty arguments.

The inhabitants of the Western Heartlands are stubborn.  Warnings,
arguments, and cold hard facts in no way stop them once their minds
have been made up. Given the fact that they live in a chaotic land,
their mulishness can be seen as a virtue.

The Westies see themselves as the last independent people, not counting
the poor sods fighting barbarians in the Savage Frontier. The
Waterdhavians, the Cormyreans, the Sembians, and the southerners are
all soft, even when ganged up in huge armies for protection. The
Dalesmen have promise, but are probably going to sucked up by the more
powerful groups in the Eastern Heartlands. No, the Western Heartlands
are the true heart of the Realms.

In return, the people of the rest of the Realms think of the Western
Heartlands as - well, to be honest, they don't think of them much at
all. The West remains a great undeveloped territory, a place that still
needs the firm hand of whatever breed of civilization is available. The
idea that there are folk already making a go of it out there strikes
most folk as odd.

Red Cloak Patrols

A typical Red Cloak patrol numbers 12 1st-level fighters who are led by
a patrol leader of 3rd-4th level. They are mounted on medium warhorses,
wield spear aid long sword, and wear chain mail (plate for officers).
This is the normal composition of a patrol, but in times of danger its
number may triple through recruitment, and the Red Cloaks may hire on
additional mages and clerics, The standard stipend is 10 gp per level
per week, plus a share equal to level of any treasure recovered (a
1st-level lighter will get 1 share, a 3rd-level three shares, etc.),

Interesting Features
--------------------

The intriguing and outstanding cities, towns, and other locales of the
Western Heartlands are discussed here.

Asbravn

Asbravn is a small town of about 50 central buildings nestled in a
shallow delve north of Iriaebor where the Dusk Road and the Uldoon
Trail meet. The town of Asbravn lies in the center of a thriving area
of farms. These farms provide the nearby cities of Berdusk and Iriaebor
with food, and produce wool for local use and for export elsewhere in
the Realms. The wool mills are in Berdusk, but the gathering place for
most of the farmers is here in Asbravn, where several small costers ply
a busy trade over the roads between the town and its neighboring
cities. It is here that the large local farmer's market is held, and it
is here that the Riders in Red Cloaks are based.

The Red Cloaks, named for their distinctively colored cloaks, are local
volunteers commanded by experienced warriors, and are paid a small
amount by Iriaebor to cover their cost of operation. They supplement
this stipend with any battle loot they may take. In return, the Riders
in Red Cloaks patrol the area around the town (particularly the
mountain slopes to the east), fighting off bandits, ores, bugbears, and
predatory monsters to keep the farmlands safe.

Asbravn's temple to Ilmater is in serious need of repairs. Its chief
priest, Asgar Tellendar (N hm P5), is trying to hold things together
long enough for a benefactor to pay for repairs, but if one is not
forthcoming, he will have to close down. The town also has shrines to
Lliira, Lathander, and Waukeen (whose shrine is now abandoned and
defaced).

Baldur's Gate

Baldur's Gate is located at the southern reaches of the Sword Coast, 50
miles up the Chionthar River from where that flow enters the Trackless
Sea. It is situated on the northern shore of the river, astride the
Coast Way from Amn to Waterdeep.  Baldur's Gate is known as being
"halfway to everywhere."

This important independent city is renowned as one of the most tolerant
but quietly well-policed places in the western Realms, and it is home
to many adventurers and entrepreneurs as a result. It is ruled by the
Four Grand Dukes, also called the Council of Four, though the title of
duke is an honorific taken upon ascending to the Council and is used
regardless of race or sex.

The city of Baldur's Gate is actually two cities. The first Baldur's
Gate was originally completely walled, with gates to the north for the
Coast Way and to the south leading to the docks.  With the founding of
Amn, trade became very profitable in the relaxed climate of Baldur's
Gate, and the city grew. The city burst its original bounds, growing
beyond its wall until the presence of raiders forced the erection of a
new wall.

Baldur's Gate is divided by its original wall into an upper and lower
city. The upper city is both older and of a more permanent nature, and
it is here that the nobles, rising merchants, and newly wealthy
adventuring companies rub shoulders. The lower city, hugging the shores
of the Chionthar, is larger but made of wooden structures and
warehouses.

The present grand dukes of Baldur's Gate are: Entar Silvershield (LG hm
F21), Liia Jannath (CG hm W16), Belt (CN hm F19), and Eltan (LN hm
F20). Eltan is commander of the Flaming Fist Mercenary Company, one of
the most powerful such companies in the Realms, which has its main base
in Baldur's Gate and serves as that community's standing army.

Baldur's Gate enjoys (or suffers) a thriving thieves' guild controlled
by Guildmaster Ravenscar (NE hm T19). The thieves' guild of Baldur's
Gate is on good terms with the local government in most matters and
tries to keep the destruction and looting to a serviceable minimum. The
guild also ruthlessly crushes any opposition to its control of illicit
activities.

The city of Baldur's Gate has three major temples. The High House of
Wonders is dedicated to Gond and presided over by High Artificer
Thalamond Albaier (N hm P17) and 21 subordinate priests. The Lady's
Hall is the local temple of Tymora and is controlled by Chanthalas
Ulbright (CG hm P15) and 24 serving priests. The Water-Queen's House,
one of the few true temples to Umberlee, in presided over by
Storm-Priestess Janatha Mistmyr (NE hf PI 6) and eight rabid clerical
followers. Only the tolerance and open spirit of Baldur's Gate allows
its existence. The city also contains shrines to Helm, Ilmater,
Lathander, Oghma and Lliira (formerly Waukeen).

The Battle of Bones

Travelers moving into this region pass over a withered land with a few
stunted scrub trees. The soil has a dusty white pallor to it. As the
site of the battle nears, outcroppings of bone jut from the soil until
finally the bones outnumber the rocks themselves and the adventurer is
moving through a wasteland of bleached remains.

On this site, in a shallow valley almost 300 winters ago (1090 DR), a
titanic battle erupted between human forces and the various goblinoid
races. The goblin nations, along with ores, hobgoblins, and their
allies, had spilled out of the dwindling Goblin Marches and overrun the
North. A combined force of humans and elves, along with the last shards
of several dwarven kingdoms, met the invasion head-on at this site.
After almost a week of continuous fighting, the good races triumphed,
and only a tenth of the great horde was sent reeling back to its
marches. The victory came at horrendous cost, however. So numerous were
the dead that even today their bones are said to cover the ground here
to a depth of 12 inches.

This region is avoided by most travelers due to the great numbers of
undead creatures now said to be here. Those who do come this way -
seeking a route along the edge of the desert - speak of some power
organizing the undead into patrols and thereby controlling the area. No
one has yet investigated these claims.

Encounters Around the Battle

Encounters to the area of the Battle of Bones extend 30 miles in all
directions, and include all manner of undead creatures: skeletons
(humanoid and animal), zombies (human and monster), wights, wraiths,
and spectres. The undead are often found in mixed patties, with one
more powerful undead leader (wyt, wraith, or spectre) to be found of
every 20 lesser undead). Lesser undead under the control of greater
undead turn as die greater undead. Undead in the Battle of Bones area
itself are turned on the "Special" column. The mysterious force behind
the gathering undead may be of lich power at least, and if greater, may
even have several liches or more powerful undead as servants.

Beregost

Beregost is a small town located south of Candlekeep on the Coast Way.
It comprises about 40 central buildings and several larger estates
located some distance from the town itself. The town is dominated by a
large temple and its attendant buildings.  To the east on the low rise
overlooking the town is the shell of a ruined castle, now abandoned.
Beregost is first and foremost a trading center, a starting and
rallying point for expeditions into the southern kingdoms of Amn,
Tethyr, and Calimshan.

Beregost also is the home of a large temple to Lathander, God of the
Morning. The high priest of this temple is one Kelddath Ormlyr (NG hm
P16), once a merchant of note whose ships plied their trade up and down
the Sword Coast. His temple staff consists of three 8th-level priests,
six 4th-level clerics, and nine 2nd-level novices, in addition to a
varying number of acolytes. The complex is defended by 200 men-at-arms
who also serve as the city guard.  Kelddath is regarded as the town's
governor, though day-to-day operations are handled by a five-member
town council.

On a hill to the east of Beregost lies the burned ruins of a school of
wizardry founded some 300 years ago by the mage Ulcaster, It was
destroyed 80 years later by Calishite mages who feared the school's
collective power had come to rival their own.

Beregost is also the home of several notable individuals. One of the
foremost smiths in the Sword Coast area, Taerom "Thunderhammer"
Fuiruim, has his estate and shop here. Taerom (N hm F1, but with 25 hp)
is a master armorer, capable of forging full sets of plate armor,
ornate weapons, and using rare and exotic ores.

Beregost is also the abode of the wizard Thalantyr, a conjurer of great
repute (N hm W(C)15). Interestingly enough, the Ulcasterian school was
also a school of conjurers and summoners.  Thalantyr is aided by Taerom
in creating magical items.

Beregost has maintained its independence mainly by catering to the
whims of any army large enough to occupy it and waiting for said army
to destroy itself fighting others. Historically, attempts to wall the
city have drawn attacks from others.

Boareskyr Bridge

The bridge is a massive structure crossing the Winding Water along the
Trade Way from Waterdeep to Scornubel. It is of stone, and wide enough
to carry two wains side by side in either direction.  On the southern
side of the bridge is a large encampment of tents and wagons.

This bridge is named for a famous adventurer of the early days of human
settlement in the North. Boareskyr (also called the Great Boareskyr in
these parts) built the first temporary bridge at this site in order to
rush an army across it and assail an unsuspecting tribe of ores. (The
ores, a tribe called the Bloody Tusks, were wiped out by this
maneuver.)

Several bridges have stood at this site since and been destroyed over
time. The previous bridge was gray stone and was destroyed during the
Time of Troubles in a battle between Cyric and Bhaal, a conflict which
poisoned the Winding Water (see the Winding Water section). A new
bridge has been erected here in black stone, with statues of Bhaal
(northern end) and Cyric (southern end) guarding the way.

Boareskyr Bridge has no permanent settlement, but there is almost
always a city of tents and wagons here where caravans stop to trade
goods back and forth and where they buy mounts, wagons, and necessary
provisions and maintenance. The Bridge is the last organized post on
the Trade Way from Scornubel north until travelers reach the Way Inn.

Law is a rough-and-ready matter at the Bridge, but several powerful
adventurers who respect and keep law and order are often in the tent
city - a fighter named Barim Stagwinter (NG hm F7), Theskul Mirroreye
of Tyr (NG hm P6), and Aluena Halacanter (N hf W9), a mage. Barim and
Theskul tend to wander in and out of the tent city, though one will
always be about.  Aluena maintains a small estate, called Heartwing,
upstream (where the water is not poisonous). There she raises pegasi as
mounts.  Her standard charge is 5,000 gp for a mount, and candidates
for purchase undergo a number of interviews and examinations to
determine if they are willing and capable of handling one of her
steeds. Her contract at time of sale includes a clause that if a
pegasus is maltreated and returns to Heartwing, the purchase price will
not be refunded. Aluena is thought to be a member of the Harpers.

Candlekeep

Candlekeep is a complex of clustered towers perched on a spur of
volcanic rock overlooking the sea. It is reached by a single road, the
Way of the Lion. Lights burn in the windows of the keep at all times,
and travelers approaching the structure can hear a low chanting.

The towers are one of the great centers of learning in the Realms.The
monks of Candlekeep also preserve the predictions of Alaundo the Seer.
Alaundo is the singular sage whose prophecies have proved correct over
the years. Many of these predictions were minor in nature ("A golden
unicorn shall travel unmolested through the length of Waterdeep"),
while others hint of great import ("White birds shall vanish from the
North, and great evil shall die and be reborn" - said to connect
directly with the Time of Troubles).

Upon the seer's death, his citadel at Candlekeep became a haven for
both the veneration of his prophecies and the accumulation of all
knowledge. The acolytes of the keep continually chant the remaining
prophecies of Alaundo, which grow shorter over the centuries as they
come true and are discarded.

Candlekeep boasts one of the finest libraries in the Realms.  The
grounds also house a small temple to Oghma and shrines within to
Deneir, Gond, and Milil, but the monks of Candlekeep claim to be
nondenominational.

The fortified keep derives much of its income from finding and copying
specific passages of information from books of lore, magic, and
philosophy preserved there for clients all over the Realms, and from
issuing new manuscript books for sale in Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate.
These new manuscripts are created by collecting certain passages from
older texts together. The scribes of Candlekeep also make additional
copies of books brought to them, but others in the Realms provide this
last service for less severe fees.

Services at Candlekeep

Candlekeep attracts adventuring traffic In the form of individuals
seeking advice, answers, and information, as well as those seeking
copies of maps, records, and general browsers looking for clues to
adventure and hidden treasures. The following prices should be a
guideline for dealing with such individuals:

* Sage advice is twice standard rates (2,000 gp per day), but the
library is complete, and working with the scribes should be considered
as working with a sage of 18 ability in any field.

* Book copying is 100 gp per text, or 10,000 gp per magical text
(including spell books, but excluding magical tomes such as the Tome of
Clear Thought). A text is considered a single item, whether it is a map
or major opus. The copy is noted as a copy by being inscrived with the
symbol of Candlekeep (a castle with candle flames atop the towers).

* Browsing is tolerated under specific rules:

1. Petitioners must each be sent bearing the seal or sign of a
recognized powerful mage, and said mage is responsible for the actions
of a petitioner bearing his seal. Both Elminster and Khelben are "on
probation" after agents bearing their symbols engaged in a magical duel
in the general reading room.

2. Petitioners must each give (permanently) to Candlekeep a book of no
less than 10,000 gp value.

3. Browsing is permitted for nine days and nights provided the first
two conditions are met. On the tenth morning, petitioners are given the
choice of leaving (they may return a month later) or joining the order
as acolytes. In browsing, travelers may engage in research as if they
were sages themselves, with a sage ability equal to their Intelligence
(maximum sage ability of 15) and at no further cost.

Magical books and other dangerous items are kept in the inner rooms of
the Keep. Only the Keeper (the order's head) and the Great Readers (his
accomplished staff) may enter these rooms. Any information that may be
found within these areas must be researched through the scribes (no
browsing permitted).

Cloak Wood

This wood, located north of Candlekeep and just south of Baldur's Gate,
is ancient and thickly overgrown with elms, beeches, felsul, and hiexel
trees. It marks the southern end of the Sword Coast.  The Cloak Wood is
a perilous place and home to gremlins, mites, grigs, satyrs, stirges,
korred, hangman trees, and other less common monsters. This high number
of aggressive and territorial creatures has turned the wood into a
battleground between rival races.

The sages of Candlekeep have sufficient evidence to indicate at least
one gate exits in the wood, but the exact numbers and/or destination of
these gates is unknown. They may lead to other parts of the Realms, to
an alternate Prime Material Plane where such creatures as are found in
the wood are common or to the outer planes to the Beastlands (Happy
Hunting Grounds). Few who have investigated the matter have returned to
report on it.

Corm Orp

The village of Corm Orp is a flea-speck village with about 15 permanent
buildings on the Dusk Road between Hluthvar and Hill's Edge. The low
hills to the east of the town, however, are dotted with halfling
burrows and dominated by a goodly sized structure emblazoned with the
symbol of the daisy.

This tiny village is known for its large resident population of
halflings, who live amicably with the few human inhabitants of the
place despite the fact that the village's lord, Dundast Hultel (NG hm
F4), is human, as is the village militia (30 humans in chain with long
swords). Militia members wear green strips of cloth on their right arms
and left thighs to identify themselves.  The native halflings,
preferring to see someone else fight their battles, are quite
comfortable with the arrangement, though if the town is seriously
threatened, a horde of halflings will come boiling out of their
underground homes.

Halfling priests of rank dwell in Conn Orp, making the area a
well-known gathering spot for the race. Many halflings converge on the
hamlet each Shieldmeet to do business with their fellows, trade native
goods, and exchange tales, doubling or trebling its already sizable
nonhuman population.

A large temple to the deity Sheela Peryroyal has been constructed in
the hills overlooking Corm Orp. Its matriarch is Alliya Macanester (LG
halff P12 with 20 Wisdom), who is much venerated and loved by her
followers. She is served in the temple by four 6th-level clerics, eight
3rd-level priests, and 16 1st-level acolytes.

Corm Orp's notable export (other than halflings) is a type of stout
pottery. Made of simple red clay in large, usable forms, the pottery of
Corm Orp is highly thought of for its sturdiness and is in common use
throughout the Realms for everyday functions.

Most noted of the Corm Orp potters is Ilvn Makepeace, whose work is
regarded as superior even alongside the sturdy pots the area is famous
for. Makepeace's shop uses a staff of a half-dozen halfling
apprentices. His work sells for 1 - 5 sp per piece, which is 10 times
that of normal pottery.

Daggerford

Situated in the flood plains of the Delimbiyr River, Daggerford is a
small, walled community of 40 stone buildings that is dominated by the
small castle of the "duke" of Daggerford. The town is situated on the
south side of the ford. Daggerford is a sparsely inhabited but
strategic junction where the Trade Way (the main route from Waterdeep)
crosses the Delimbiyr River (also known as the River Shining).

Daggerford gained its name from an incident reported to have occurred
400 years ago: A merchant traveling through this region searching for a
safe crossing sent his son ahead of the family wagons to look for a
safe passage across the Shining. The boy found the ford in the dark,
but was set upon by a raiding party of lizard men. Defending himself
with his sole weapon, an old dagger, the lad slew six of the creatures
before aid arrived from the wagons and drove the creatures off. The
story spread along the merchant ways over the years, so that the ford,
and later the town that grew up on its banks, was known as Daggerford.
This may just be local legend, though there may be a grain of truth in
the old tale. The current so-called duke of Daggerford, Pwyll
Greatshout (LG hm F5), claims to be a descendent of this merchant lad.

Daggerford has temples of Chauntea and Lathander and a shrine to Tempus
within its fortified walls, ministering to the needs of the overland
trade. The high priestess of Chauntea is Maerovyna (LG hf P8), who is
served by two to eight underpriests of 2nd-5th level. The temple of
Lathander's Rise is operated by Liam Sunmist (LG hm P9) and is favored
by Duke Pwyll. The shrine of Tempus is overseen by a lone missionary,
Baergon Bluesword (CN hem F5/P5), who is overly zealous in preaching
the faith of the Battle God to the exclusion of all other subjects.  He
has become generally insufferable following a great battle near the
town against the hordes of Dragonspear (1363 DR).

Darkhold

The Darkhold is a high-spired keep of black stone that rises from a
bare rocky spur on the side of the mountain known as the Grey Watcher
(also called locally the "Grey Watcher of the Morning").  The stone of
this ancient tower is not of local origin, and the tower has
alternately been reported as being created by an elemental during the
reign of Netheril or as being built by giants as a citadel during the
Giants Empire. Regardless, the structure is mammoth in human scale,
with halls and a courtyard large enough to host entire battles. The
castle has been known by many names through the years, including the
Keep of the Far Hills, the Wild Hold, and Sunset Keep. It was seized by
the Zhentarim in 1312 and has become a major base for the Black
Network, rivalling the Citadel of the Raven.

Patrols from Darkhold roam the Far Hills north to Yellow Snake Pass and
Skull Gorge and south to Asbravn, often sparring with the Red Cloaks of
Asbravn and the Corm Orp militia.  Caravans controlled or guarded by
Zhentarim forces make this place a regular stop when traveling to and
from the Sword Coast.  Representatives of Darkhold can be found in
merchant trains from northern Mirabar to southern Calimshan, and east
to Zhentil Keep itself.

Darkhold is currently the base for 1,000 men-ac-arms under the command
of the wizard Sememmon (LE hm W15) and a strong force of rogues,
warriors, wizards, and evil clerics.

Dnagonspear Castle

This vast, ruined sprawl of high walls and toppled spires that is
visible from the Trade Way is only 100 years of age. It was originally
the home of Daeros Dragonspear, who built the stronghold at the height
of his adventuring career. Daeros was slain some 70 winters ago (1290
DR) in battle with the forces of the evil wizard Casalia. Daeros's
company of skilled warriors repelled a number of attacks, but in the
end the entire company was slain or driven away, and the citadel was
plundered. Dragonspear castle was soon after-ward beset by other evil
spellcasters and brigands seeking the gold and treasure reported to
have been left or hidden within.

The ruined fortress fell empty for a time, and thereafter served as the
temporary home to small groups of bandits or outcast mages.  These
would prosper for a few years raiding the caravans of the Trade Way
until driven out themselves by mercenary companies from Waterdeep or by
Khelben and his colleagues in wizardry.

In recent years, some evil agent allied with the ores, trolls, and
bugbears of the High Moor succeeded in opening a gate to a lower plane
within the castle. Strengthened by a growing army of fiends, the
combined forces of the High Moors tribes devastated the area from the
Way Inn to Boareskyr Bridge, such that today that part of the Trade Way
is not considered safe territory.

In the face of the extraplanar incursion, armies were raised in
Waterdeep and elsewhere to clear the Trade Way and destroy the evil at
Dragonspear. The attempt to empty the castle met with heavy resistance,
and the battle continued for almost two years before the castle was
again cleared. Most of the structure was burned in the process, leaving
an empty shell on the moors.

The wreckage of Dragonspear Castle is considered desolate, though
priests of Tempus have set up a small shrine within the castle walls in
hopes of keeping evil creatures from using it as a base again. Few
inhabitants of the Sword Coast will camp near the castle by choice, and
rumors persist of excavations that predate Daeros's fortress and of a
still-operational gate. In recent years, the numbers of nonhuman and
evil troops have again swelled, and fiends are once again assumed to be
active in the area.

Darkhold Patrols

Darkhold patrols normally number 20 troops led by a 2nd-level fighter.
They ate normally dressed tn banded mail and carry light crossbows and
long swords. Those patrols encountered within 10 miles of the keep are
foot patrols, while those beyond that range in mounted on medium
warhorses and carry lances in addition to the previously mentioned
weapons. There is a 30% chance that any patrol encountered will include
a 3rd-level wizard.

Durlag's Tower

South of the Wood of Sharp Teeth a dike of hard rock juts from the
plains. Atop this pinnacle is a single, massive tower. It is in good
repair, but seems unoccupied. This local landmark is the isolated keep
of Durlag Trollkiller, son of Bolhur, a dwarven hero said to have
massed treasure in legendary proportions and stored it here and in a
few other choice locations. This treasure is protected by all manner of
magical wards and mechanical traps, the latter of Durlag's own
devising.

The tower itself, built entirely of volcanic stone and in fair
condition given the amount of time and neglect involved, lies atop a
volcanic plug that dominates the surrounding lands.  Durlag, aided by
hired dwarves, is said to have hollowed out the mountain for the rock
that made up his tower and used the space created to hide further
treasure. Durlag is now long dead, and many have come seeking his
treasure over the decades, with varying degrees of success. Within the
last 50 years, a new power of fell majesty has taken up residence
within the remains of the tower and uses the defenses created by Durlag
to keep both itself and the treasure safe.

Easting

Easting is a small town east of Iriaebor (hence its name), and is
typical of such small communities. Three things set it apart from other
similar (and often unnoticed) communities throughout the Western
Heartlands. While other communities might have a notable product, a
significant nonhuman population, or a famed inhabitant, they rarely
have all three like Easting does.

Easting's small size and location make it a meeting spot for dwarven
merchants working out of hidden delves in the Far Hills.  Their smith
work is above the human average, and individuals wishing to contact
such craftsmen or to contact dwarven communities usually start in
Easting.

Easting is the home of Rulthaven the sage, whose area of expertise lies
in the study of plants (sage ability 19) and their uses, including
herbs and poisons. Rulthaven is true neutral, and is consulted both by
priests of good and representatives from Darkhold.

Finally, Easting is the home of at least four noted horse breeders
whose stables do a brisk trade in remounting travelers journeying from
the Sword Coast to the Inner Sea. Their prices remain competitive.

The Hell Riders of Elturel

The Hell Riders are a close-knit organization whose members are
extremely loyal to their leaders and to each other. They take their
name from the story that a company of Riders had in the past ridden
into Avemus, first of the layers of the Nine Hells, to rescue a
companion.  The total Hell Rider force numbers around 2,000 women and
men.

The Hell Riders are usually encountered in patrols of 30 warriors.
Levels vary between 1st and 6th, and there will be at least one priest
of Helm present of 2nd-8th level. Each patrol is led by a marshal of
6th level. The Hell Riders ride in plate mail of crimson and white,
marked with the symbol of an upturned crescent.

Major expeditions, raids, and punitive actions against aggressive
demihumans are led by Dhelt himself or the High Watcher of Helm.

One-tenth of all the earnings of the Hell Riders go directly into the
coffers of Elturel.

Elturel

Situated on a bluff overlooking the River Chionthar, Elturel is divided
between a lower city, called the Dock District, and an upper city,
called the High District. In size and general capabilities it is
similar to its rival upriver, Scornubel. Elturel was founded here both
for its defensive position, and for the narrowness and shallowness of
the Chionthar at this point, where it is crossable by poling barges.

Elturel is known for its strong, well-equipped mounted troops, the Hell
Riders, who patrol and provide caravan escort from Waterdeep to
Iriaebor. It is also a major center for the Dragoneye Dealing Coster.

Elturel is governed by High Rider Lord Dhelt (LG hm Pal16), former
leader of the Hell Riders. Dhelt shares the protective nature of his
troops. A paladin dedicated to the cause of Helm, Dhelt is viewed as a
tolerant and respected man who actively encourages trade and leaves the
merchants to their jobs with little interference. He is interested in
seeing Elturel unseat Scornubel as the major trading town between
Waterdeep and Iriaebor.

Elturel has two major temples and a smattering of shrines.  Helm's
Shieldhall is the most powerful church in the city, and remains one of
the strongest churches of Helm in the North, primarily due to the
patronage of Lord Dhelt. The Shieldhall is run with an iron hand by
High Watcher Berelduin Shondar (LN hm P18), an aggressive defender of
the faith, who is served by 21 underclerics of various levels. The
other major temple is the High Harvest Home, the temple of Chauntea. It
is overseen by Raulauvin Oregh (NG hm P20) and 18 other clerical
followers.  Elturel also feartures shrines to Ilmater, Tempus, Tymora,
and Lliira (formerly Waukeen).

The Evereska Charter

The Evereska Charter is more of a unilateral declaration of the moon
elves of that nation than a true agreement between nations. The elves
declared in 1335 DR that moon elves were claiming the old Tomb Hills
(now the Greycloak Hills) for both settlement and to suppress the large
number of elven-related undead that were plaguing the region. Evereska
agreed in principle in this document that elven undead were the
responsibility of the living elves, and that banshees should be put to
rest by elves throughout the Heartlands and the North. This token offer
of aid (and the fact that no one was about to stop them) allowed the
first moon elf caravans to move in.

The Charter states that any tomb robbers found within the borders of
the Greycloak Hills will be tried by elven judgment. Since the
definition of tomb-robbing is left to elves, all but the most resilient
(and cocky) human raiders have attempted to challenge that claim.
Travelers near the Hills sometimes describe rusted iron cages with
human skeletons within, giving an idea of elven judgment.

Evereska

Evereska (Eh-ver-EH-ska, which means fortress home in the elven tongue)
is a rich and fabled valley nestled in supposedly unbreachable
mountains, tucked against the borders of Anauroch. It is one of the
last large concentration of moon elves in the North, possibly in the
Realms themselves.

Evereska is a high valley surrounded by mountains, its only entrances
either well-guarded and difficult ascents or secret tunnels known to
few. All good elven folk are welcome to this vale, and elven lore and
wisdom are held in high esteem and cherished here down through the
centuries.

This vale has been a refuge of the elven peoples for over 7,000 years
and has never fallen to any outside attack. It is said to be guarded by
the magics of the greater elven power Corellon Larethian. Several times
in its long history, the mountain fortress has been attacked by goblins
and ore armies, but these armies were eradicated by screaming magical
bolts from the sky.

The High Valley of Evereska is removed from the common world by its
altitude, and this may be why this region remains strongly elven while
most of the rest of the elven nations have gone into Retreat. Frequent
watchposts lace the mountains surrounding the domain and guards
maintain constant vigilance, so that travelers seeking Evereska are
usually discovered by the elven watchmen before they see the elves and
before they get within 10 miles of the vale.

Those who seek to fly above the range have a similar problem, for the
elves of Evereska maintain several flights of giant eagles that are
used as mounts for the slenderer members of the race.  Those who seek
to enter by magic (from another plane or by teleport) find all such
magical methods foiled (perhaps by some gift from Corellon). The best
method of entering Evereska is as an elf or in the company of elves in
an open and honest method.

Of the vale itself, its resources are rich and abundant, dwarfing the
meager resource of the wastes beyond its mountain walls.  Temples of
all the elven deities may be found within, with matriachs and
patriarchs of very high level, as well as a college of elven and select
half-elven mages who make their specialty the Ethereal and Astral
planes.

The Far Hills

A low saddle of rocky, forbidding hills slung between the two arms of
the Sunset Mountains, the Far Hills are only hills in comparison to
those forbidding peaks. They are a rocky upland, broken only by hidden
valleys and thick, twisted copses.

The Far Hills are dominated by Darkhold (see the entry on Darkhold for
more details), and have fallen more and more under the effects of the
Zhentarim there. The region is regularly patrolled by Zhentarim forces
as far north as Yellow Snake Pass and as far south as the southern
Sunset Mountains. These patrols are long-distance riders, and tend to
be stronger than those close to Darkhold.

Fields of the Dead

These open, rolling lands between the Winding Water and the River
Chionthar are an area of ranching/herding of different sorts and, along
the banks of the Chionthar, crop farming. Despite the current peaceful
appearances, it was no less than 500 winters ago this region was a
favorite battleground for those interests contesting control of the
lands north of Calimshan (this was before the founding of Amn) and the
legendary Kingdom of Man. With continual bloodshed over centuries of
war seasons, the land became littered with the cairns of the dead and
the booty of the fallen. Even today, bones litter the field and plows
turn up skeletons in rusting armor, the occasional magic blade, or
metal tubes containing a scroll or treasure map.

The Forest of Wyrms

A thick woods of great trees, including pines and redwoods, the Forest
of Wyrms is noted both for the wide variety of snakes found along its
rocky forest floor and the greater than average number of green dragons
lairing in its forested depths.

The Forest of Wyrms holds Lyran's Hold, which was once the tower of a
powerful wizard who became a more powerful archlich.  In 1357 DR, an
adventuring company plunged into its ruins, splitting up in the
process. Only three survivors emerged. Two of the survivors, a rogue
and a priest, swore that they had battled the archlich and killed it,
taking its treasure. The third survivor, a female warrior, was less
sure. However, when she felt her life was threatened by her former
comrades, she fled to the south. The two other survivors have laid
claim to the hold for future use, but none who have investigated that
use have returned to tell what it is.

Zhentarim Patrols

Zhentarim patrols in the Far Hills area and in Yellow Snake Pass are
composed of at least 40 2nd-level warriors to a patrol, plus a mage of
1st-6th levels and a cleric (of Cyric) of similar level. The patrols
are usually mounted on medium warhorses (their leaders on heavy
warhorses, when possible), wear scale mail, and are armed with short
bow and long sword. The mage or priest carries some method of
communicating with the Darkhold should the troop run into trouble (if
nothing else, a word of recall or succor spell on a scroll).

The Forgotten Forest

This forest is a rich, mature woods filled with oak, walnut, and
shadowtop trees. The foliage is thick so that the interior is cast into
deep and continual shadow. This forest is the remains of a larger wood
that has diminished over the years with the spread of Anauroch. It is a
mysterious, deeply overgrown wood of huge trees, and travelers who have
skirted its edges have reported seeing sprites, korred, and unicorns
within its depths.

The Forgotten Forest is said to have the largest population of treants
in the North, ruled by one known as Fuorn (if encountered, treat Fuorn
as having 24 HD - double the normal largest size - and delivering 5-30
points of damage with a blow). In addition to the treants, the
Hierophant Druid Pheszeltan (N hm D16) makes his home somewhere in the
depths of this land. Travel through the forest is discouraged, and
those in the area are highly encouraged to build their fires only using
wood from deadfalls.

The Friendly Arm

The Friendly Arm is a small walled community dominated by a former
castle that is now used as an inn in much the same way as the Way Inn
to the north (see the entry on the Way Inn). The Friendly Arm is used
as a waystop for caravans from Beregost to Baldur's Gate.

The Friendly Arm was at one time a holdfast controlled by the evil
priest Mericor of Bhaal. Mericor was killed in human form and then
later slain in undead form, in the process wrecking most of the
interior of his keep (and parts of the surrounding countryside). The
area remained a waystop for both caravans and armies coming north, but
without a local lord or guiding hand over the area.

About 20 years ago (1346 DR) the ruined keep was seized by an
adventuring company under the control of the gnomish illusionist
Bentley Mirrorshade (CO gm I10/T10), an industrious young gnome.
Bentley and his followers chased out the remaining creatures dwelling
in the keep, began renovations, and established the Friendly Arm as an
inn and meeting spot. Since that time, the Arm has grown in prestige
and importance as a relatively safe place and has been used by
adventurers from the South heading to Waterdeep, and merchants from the
northern climes heading to warmer markets. Bentley has a deal with most
of the important powers in the South - they are allowed to quarter
their troops nearby, provided they that do not "smash the crockery." In
return, Bentley promises not to admit anyone claiming to be a
descendant of the Tethyrian royal family.

Bentley is aided in his task by his wife Gellana Mirrorshade (NG gf
P10, due to wisdom), a ranking priestess of Garl Glittergold. The
Temple of Wisdom (called by some humans the Shrine of the Short) is one
of the few gnomish temples that regularly takes in human supplicants.

Bentley and Gellana run a safe and secure inn, with weapons checked at
the door and wizards' left thumbs peace-bonded to their belts. In
addition, several of Bentley's curvaceous human bar wenches are said to
be iron golems under powerful illusions.

Greycloak Hills

The Greycloaks are a small group of high, isolated hills north of
Evereska, and are considered an outpost of that elven homeland, having
been settled slightly more than 30 years ago by a contingent of elves
and half-elves (see the earlier sidebar on the Evereska Charter).

The normal gray garb of these elven settlers is what has given the
hills their current name, as well as the regular mist that began to
surround the hills soon after their immigration. The hills were
previously referred to as the Tomb Hills, for the region held (and
still contains) the final resting places of long-dead warrior kings
from the days of the Fallen Kingdom and was (but is no longer) haunted
by banshees. Adventuring companies up to a few decades ago made forays
into the area to loot these old tombs, but with the current settlement
of elves under the Evereska Charter, such activities have ceased (or at
least become more discreet).

The elves and half-elves of the Greycloaks are of moon elf blood,
though there are a few wild elves among then. They are friendly with
the group known as the Harpers, but wary of the Zhentarim and their
allies, and extended patrols from Darkhold have been spotted in the
area.

The elves of the Greycloak Hills are said to make musical instruments
for trade with humans, though they work quietly through certain
merchants in the town of Hill's Edge to the south. The settlement is
ruled by Watcher Over the Hills Erian Duirsar (NG em F9/W11), who is
said by the women of Hill's Edge to be both very tall and handsome.

The reason for the Greycloak settlement is unknown, and its presence is
puzzling considering the general withdrawal of the elven peoples from
the Realms. Only the ruling elves know the full reasons, but it has
been surmised that there is something in the Greycloaks that the elves
of Evereska wish not to fall into the hands of others.

Hammer Hall and the Halls of the Hammer

The Halls of the Hammer are an abandoned dwarf hold west of Mt. Hlim
dating back to the times before Illefarn ruled the North.  They are now
wrecked, generally ignored, and in neglect.

Hammer Halls is an isolated homestead, consisting of a house and
stables surrounded by a stout wooden palisade, built by a company of
adventurers, the Men of Hammer Hall, intent on exploring and exploiting
the depths of the abandoned hold. As is common for adventuring
companies working for long periods in a particular area, the Men of
Hammer Hall used the stockade as a place to retire to between sorties
into the dwarf hold.

After exploring the ruins for several seasons, the adventurers are said
to have set off for the North, and have not been heard of since. The
fate of their treasure, and the treasure that may remain in the Halls
of the Hammer, is unknown. This area is a true wilderness, traveled by
people but seldom settled, and the question remains open.

The High Moor

The High Moor is a vast, rocky wasteland rising to a gorge-scarred
plateau cloaked in grass and scrub trees. The Moor is often shrouded in
mist and is the home to many trolls and bugbears, as well as goblinoid
races. The monstrous inhabitants of the Moor often raid the roads, so
that merchants collect in large caravans and hire additional guards
when passing near it, and the Way Inn (see the entry on the Way Inn)
maintains a permanent force of well-armed defenders. Of old, in ancient
days, this was a rolling hill land of farms and small, magical cities,
but now all that remains is a battle-scarred, cavern-infested
desolation.

The soil of the Moor is too thin for farming and its rock (mostly
granite) too poor in valuable ores to support permanent settlements.
The barbarian humans found in these lands depend on herding sheep and
goats and overland trading for their livelihood.

The High Moor is home to a handful of prominent underground adventuring
locations, and an unknown number of smaller or undiscovered ruins.
Dragonspear Castle, the Dungeon of Swords, and Hammer Halls may all be
found in the scrub-covered badlands of the High Moor.

Hill of Lost Souls

Once in the years before even the elves lived in the North, this was an
active volcano, but it has with the passage of the winters become
little more than a hill with a cup-like peak. Its sides are covered
with soft, shiny grass, and only the occasional outcropping of hardened
lava or a scattering of obsidian chips belies its true origin.

The slopes of this grass-cloaked peak were home to an armed camp at the
time of the Battle of the Bones (c. 1090 DR), and it was here that the
armies of humankind raised their standards and tended their wounded. In
more recent times, the peak has been used by rogue spellcasters as a
meeting place and by the Hierophant Druid Pheszeltan (see the Forgotten
Forest entry) to work mighty weather magics. Today the Hill is empty,
save for haunts and occasional tribes of goblinoids.

Somewhere on the Hill of Lost Souls is the tomb of Thelam Swifthammer,
son of Mongoth. This dwarven adventurer is said to lie entombed with a
hammer of thunderbolts, a huge quantity of gold, and a weapon called
Skysplitter, an intelligent war axe that has the ability to coil
lightning. The Tomb of Thelam has not been uncovered, and at least one
adventuring company, the Men of the Blue Blade, have met their end at
the hands of ore bands while searching for it.

Hill's Edge

Hill's Edge is a small but prosperous community located along the Dusk
Road between Triel and Corm Orp, at the foot of the Far Hills. The Edge
is a freewheeling town where raiders are as common as traders, and
often indistinguishable. Situated near the western entrance of Yellow
Snake Pass, the town sees a lot of trade and a great many agents of the
Zhentarim and their forces at Darkhold.

Hill's Edge is home to two modest temples, one to Lliira, the other to
Cyric. The Cry of Joy is the Lliiran temple, and it is controlled by
Joybringer Caseldown (CG hf P7). The Fist of the Future is the Cyricist
temple run by Emana Gortho (NE hf P6), a careful plotter who seeks to
attract the attention (and favor) of her god by bringing Hill's Edge
fully to the side of evil. Gortho has been assembling thugs, rogues,
and fanatics to aid her in this matter.

Hill's Edge is ruled by a mayor, elected yearly. Of late, there has
been a dearth of suitable (and willing) candidates, and the town
fathers are looking for some adventurer or merchant brave or willing
enough to take the job. Hill's Edge has no militia or police force, and
the town leaders dislike the idea of any action that might drive
business elsewhere.

Hluthvar

This town of a hundred buildings is surrounded by a wall of stone 10
feet high. Three gates pierce the wall, and the wall top is patrolled.
The town is circular, and its largest building is a temple near the
center of town.

Hluthvar was named for a locally born warrior hero who fought and died
at the Battle of the Bones in 1090 DR. Located at the foot of the Far
Hills, the town is within sight of Darkhold (see the entry on Darkhold
for more details) and is armed against it.  Darkhold patrols are not
welcome here.

The streets of Hluthvar radiate from the central open market like the
spokes of a wheel, with the largest street being the Dusk Road, which
goes by another name in town. At the north end of the circular market
stands a temple to Helm and a large livery stable and at the southern
end, a wagonwain's shop and the local inn, the Watchful Eye.

The town is dominated by the temple of Helm, whose high priest is
Maurandyr (LN hm P16). In addition to serving as patriarch, Maurandyr
also is the city's magistrate and mayor. The town's militia consists of
70 2nd-level fighters of both sexes, armored in plate mail and armed
with swords and crossbows. The militia is organized by the temple.

Of late Maurandyr has taken to strange spells of fainting and
disordered behavior. Some say it is the displeasure of his god that is
causing his sickness, others that the strain of holding office is too
much. Some say that it is the rising power of the Darkhold that is
directly or indirectly responsible for the attacks.

Illefarn

Illefarn no longer appears on any modem map, but of old it was a great
and powerful elven nation which controlled the Sword Coast in the days
before Waterdeep's founding. Illefarn is also known as the Fallen
Kingdom, and is a legendary, almost mythological place. Centered on the
great forest that bordered the Delimbiyr River, it was said to have
rivalled Myth Drannor itself in its magical power.

In time, the incursions of the goblin and nonhuman tribes, along with
the rising tide of human traders, pirates, and barbarians, forced the
elves into Retreat. Some withdrew to Evereska, many to Evermeet.
Illefarn's forests have long since disappeared, and its cities have
been abandoned and reduced to dust. The kingdom was primarily composed
of moon and gold elves, with a sizable minority of wild elves and
dwarves.

The lands of Illefarn the Fallen Kingdom were briefly gathered together
in a human empire known as the Kingdom of Man. Like Illefarn, it has
fallen as well, leaving behind only shattered ruins and hidden
treasure.

Iriaebor

The many-towered city of Iriaebor occupies a sprawling ridge above the
north fork of the River Chionthar. It is the farthest that barges can
be pulled up the river, and this, combined with the fact that the city
is the endpoint of roads coming out of Cormyr and the Inner Sea, makes
Iriaebor one of the most populous and economically powerful cities in
the region.

Iriaebor is called the Overland City, and it is here that many caravans
form up for the overland journey to Scornubel or to be ferried
downriver before making the trek across the High Moor.  The bluff the
city is built on is impressive and an adequate defense against most
attackers, but space is at a premium on the relatively flat ridge, so
that Iriaebor has more towers than any other city of its size. Indeed,
the various merchant houses indulge in shameless competition to exceed
each other, with occasional catastrophic building collapses as a
particular spell needed for construction elapses or where shoddy
materials were used.

The plains surrounding Iriaebor make the city a center for breeders of
fine mounts and draft beasts. In addition to towers, the city's
craftsmen are known for their fine construction of kegs and barges,
both of which are of better quality than most of the towers.

The ruler of Iriaebor is Bron, who is an adventurer (LN hm F10) who was
catapulted into the position in the heat of a shooting war between
merchant families. A fallen paladin who once venerated Eldath, Bron
feels Iriaebor has the resources to become another Waterdeep in
strength and power if only he can keep the feuding merchant families
from engaging in economic sabotage, excessive tower-building, and
cutthroat dealings. He has to date failed in his attempts to even slow
down the feuds.

Iriaebor has three temples. The Silent Hall is the largest temple of
Eldath in the Western Heartlands. Its matriarch is Luaqqa Absalassrin
(N hf P13), who controls a staff of nine lower-level priests. The
Golden Bowl of the Goddess is dedicated to Chauntea, and its 42 priests
are presided over by High Worship-mistress Nalva Imthree (NG hf P11).
Last, the High Altar of the Moon, also called the Moontower, is the
temple of Selune. Its high priestess is Astyaril Hulemene (CG hf P17),
who watches over a staff of 36 priests of lower ability.

South of the bluff, there is a large, abandoned temple of Waukeen, the
Tower of Gold. Its priest, one Hathalon Ormliir, is said to have gone
mad from the death of his goddess and vanished in a blue explosion of
magical fury. The Tower and its grounds have remained shuttered and
closed since that time, though the temple of Lliira is negotiating with
the city to reopen the temple, consecrating it in the name of the Lady
of Joy and Freedom.  Complicating matters is the fact that the site of
the temple was once reputed to be the tower of a powerful (and
vanished) archmage, Taskor the Terrible.

The Laughing Hollow

The Laughing Hollow is a constriction in the flow of the River Shining
(the River Delimbiyr) upstream of Daggerford. It is bordered by cliffs
on either side and thought to have been an ancient dwarven quarry.
Plant and animal life are plentiful on the valley floor, and the walls
bear traces of having once been worked for stone. The area is
considered a fey and treacherous place by mortals, but it is the home
to tribes of wild (green) elves, pixies, and other fairy creatures.
Rumors persist as to an ancient treasure that may be found here.

Lizard Marsh

The Lizard Marsh is a great bayou formed at the delta of the Delimbiyr
(the River Shining). The river disappears in a morass of waterways,
cold-weather mangroves, and hanging moss. The presence of this swamp is
one reason that no great cities have grown up on the banks of the mouth
of that flow.

The Lizard Marsh does not freeze in the winter, but instead the open
water is reduced to a slushy consistency. Whether this is due to the
proximity of the sea or some natural or magical feature of the swamp is
unknown.

The Lizard Marsh is home to a large colony of lizard men, who raid the
surrounding area. They trade looted goods and slaves to sea races along
the coast. The lizard men are said to be highly advanced, and they use
metal weapons. Most of the lizard men swear fealty to an ancient member
of their breed, known to traders as Redeye. Redeye is reputed to have
magical powers and abilities.

The marsh is also home to a number of small- to medium-sized dinosaurs,
some of which have been tamed by Redeye's band.  These creatures are
not as large as the behemoths that lumber through the jungles of Chult
far to the south, but are still enough to give trouble to adventurers
seeking Redeye's base.

The Lonely Moor

Of old this dusty waste was the glory that once was Netheril, among the
greatest and most magical of human empires in the North. Now it is a
rolling desolation of stunted scrub that reaches from the desert's edge
to the Greypeaks. It is a land of scavengers and savages, with
leucrotta and more deadly creatures being common.  Of late, the
Zhentarim have made the Moor a regular stopping point for caravans
bound for distant Llorkh, and have hired local gnolls as caravan guards
- actually a bribe for them to go bother someone else.

Where the Lonely Moor meets the Forgotten Forest in the shadow of the
Greypeaks lies the ruins of Dekanter. These ornate and twisting caverns
were originally dwarven mines, then later, once their ores had played
out, they were used as a research area and playground for the powerful
mages of Netheril. With the toppling of that great empire, the mines
and wizard towers were abandoned again, to be subsequently occupied by
more fell races.

The ruins once more have occupants, in the form of a powerful goblin
tribe under the command of Lord High Chief Ghistpok, as well as being
inhabited by several tribes of gargoyles. More menacing are reports
that a creature known as the Beast Lord has made the ruins his home,
and creating such magical creatures as perytons, bulettes, and
mongrelmen, and then turning them out to raid the world at large.

Marsh of Chelimber

The marsh of Chelimber is 1,000 square miles of low ground at the
headwaters of the Winding Water. It is a misty, overgrown bog broken by
small hillocks. A large number of ruins dot the marsh.

This vast swamp is known to be inhabited by lizard men and other
creatures hostile to humans. The lizard men are said to be led by a
giant-sized specimen named Kront, and their forces patrol the marches,
armed with whatever usable weapons they salvage from their victims.

Misty Forest

This forest of pine, spruce, and other evergreens covers the western
slopes of the High Moor. It takes it name from the mists and fogs that
creep down through the trees from the moorlands, making travel
disorienting at best.

The Misty Forest is occupied by a number of wild (green) elf tribes who
are on good terms with humans (such as those from the Way Inn),
provided that they are left alone. The woods are regularly patrolled by
rangers and druids, and a number of forest shrines to Eldath, Mielikki,
and Silvanus are scattered throughout its length.

The Misty Forest is often used by barbarian humans and savage ores to
sneak up on the Trade Way or the Way Inn. To date, however, the
warnings of the wild elves and the human foresters have spoiled any
surprise attacks.

The Reaching Woods

The Reaching Woods is a thick young woods located on the banks of the
Chionthar and split into two main (northern and southern) branches by
the River Reaching tumbling south out of Hill's Edge.  The north branch
thins at the point where the Dusk Road passes through it, and then it
continues in a minor subbranch on the road's far side. The forest is
filled with hardy stands of maples, elms, and beeches, which give the
entire woods a feeling of peace and serenity.

The Reaching Wood is known to be the home of several powerful druids,
and several shrines to Eldath have been erected among its placid pools.
Some regions of the woods have been invaded by goblinoids, who enslave
the native centaurs and satyrs.

The Reaching Wood is also the home of the Walking Tower.  The tower
resembles a great statue, many stories high, and is thought to be a
relic of the days of Netheril. The Walking Tower was the property of
the ranger Alomystia a hundred years ago, but none know what became of
him. The Walking Tower has been seen in certain parts of the woods,
often moving randomly from place to place, as if looking for something.

The Creation of Chelimber

Here is the tale the bards tell about the origin of the Marsh of
Chelimber:

In the early days of Waterdeep, before the forests to the west had been
stripped and used to fashion the great ships of Orlumbor, the land.
that is now marsh was ruled, by Chelimber the Proud.  Chelimber was
both rich and decadent, end spent his days in these western woods
hunting wild boar and in drunken feasts in his peat hall. When it is
said that Chelimber was rich, it is usually added that he was rich
beyond most kings in terms of silver, in beautiful tapestries, and in
gold. Yet he disdained these things in favor of the thrills provided by
the flask and the blood of the dying boar.

In those days the Winding Water welled up from the heart of a rocky
crag to the south and east of Chelimber's keep. One spring, a mage
built his tower on that crag, using elemental help and taking but a few
days. Chelimber's astonishment was matched by his anger, and he took up
arms to sweep this intruder from his lands.  The Wizard of the Crag
(for he gave no other name) turned Chelimber's warriors to stow and
sent balls of fire into the prince's keep. At a loss, Chelimber
summoned an archmage from Iriaebor, one Taskor the Terrible, who
specialized in solving magical problems for a fee (in other words,
wizard-killing).

Taskor and the Wizard of the Crag contested on Midsummer's Eve, each
raising mighty magics and countering with spells and elemental forces,
and their battle wrought great destruction. The crag was destroyed, and
both Taskor and the Wizard vanished in the fight (and have never been
seen in the Realms since). The water elementals the Wizard kept in his
tower ran amok, laying waste to a large section of the prince's land,
flooding his keep, and slaying Chelimber himself.

This is how the marsh that bears the name of Prince Chelimber was
created. The site of Chelimber's castle, now the Keep of the Drowned
Prince, can no longer be discerned, for many trees and overgrown
hillocks now rise from the marsh's water and Chelimber's time was long
ago. It is said that Chelimber still lives in some arcane fashion and
guards the riches in his sunken keep from those who seek to despoil
them.

Scornubel

Scornubel, the Caravan City, is a huge, unwalled, open city set on the
north shore at the confluence of the Chionthar and the River Reaching.
It is an unwalled town buzzing with continual activity, and a large
number of pack animals, wagons, and symbols of merchant and trading
companies can be seen as the traveler enters the city. Most of the
buildings are low - one or two stories - with a scattering of larger
buildings and towers in the center of town. A map of Scornubel can be
found on page 99.

Scornubel is one of the key cities on the Trade Way leading from
Waterdeep to the lands of the Inner Sea. Like its rivals, Elturel and
Iriaebor, it is a town of merchants and those things merchants are
concerned with: warehouses, transportation, and protection (usually
from the other merchants). Its population can swell to sixfold its
normal numbers during the summer trading season.

The Caravan City is ruled by the shrewd, elderly, and regal Lady
Rhessajan Ambermantle (NG hf B14), who in her time was a daring
explorer and wandering trader and is still famed in tavern talk as
"Rhessajan of the Tents." The Lady Rhessajan is supported by three lord
high advisors named Burdan (LN hm F12), Deep (NE hm T9), and Phantar
(NG hm F13), all middle-aged adventurers and retired caravan masters
themselves. Lady Rhessajan and her advisors make their judgments on
activities in the city based on one key factor: what is profitable for
the city and its merchants. The city militia and scouts are provided
byan agreement with the Red Shields merchant company.

Scornubel has only one established temple, the Healing House of
Lathander. Its high priestess is Josura Hiammel (NG hf P14), and she is
aided in her ministrations by 12 additional priests. The very name of
the temple indicates the view most of the local merchants have toward
the faith - it is useful to parch up their injured companions and
employees. Josura ministers to the needs of all alignments. In
addition, shrines are scattered through the city to every deity in the
Faerun pantheon and some quasi-gods from farther away.

Scornubel is also haunted, which is not unusual, but what is surprising
is that the inhabitants know the haunter. The mage Oebelar was
transformed through magical attack or mishap into little more than a
coldly shining eye and a blackened hand and forearm floating in the
air. Oebelar wanders the city at will, watching, observing, peeping,
and peering at all the living activity.  Oebelar cannot speak, but can
signal and write. His remaining body parts are unaffected by magic, and
attempts to turn or banish them have failed to date.

Key to Scornubel

1. Trail Lords (merchant company) head-quarters; office and warehouse
(A), warehouses (B-E)

2. Highmoon Trading Coster (merchant company) warehouse (C-J), office
and stronghouse (A), and staff quarters (B, K,L)

3. Highmoon Trading Coster stables and paddock

4. Trail Lords stock pens and stables with paddock

5. The Stags Caravan Company stables and stock pens, with paddock

6. Ferry dock and route of South-odd Ferry, a large barge operated by
Buriin (N hm F6) and two 3rd-level warrior bravos

7. Arkaras the Shipwright

8. The Red Shields stables and paddock; office at (A)

9. Tallahabur the Wagonmaker (sheds A-D, house E)

10. The Walk (public meeting place and market)

11. The Windriders Trading Coster stables (with paddock) and stock pens

12. Surefeet Trademasters (merchant company) stables with paddock

13. The Purple Sun Trading Coster stable with paddock and stock pens

14. The Windriders Trading Coster (merchant company) headquarters;
office (F), and warehouses (A-E)

15. Purple Sun Trading Coster warehouse (A-D)

16. Surefeet Trademasters headquarters; office and stronghouse (D),
warehouses (A-C)

17. Red Shields warehouses (A-C and D-F)

18. The Stags Caravan Company headquarters: warehouses (A - H)

19. The Jaded Unicorn (tavern and inn of very low quality)

20. The Thirsty Thunder Beast (tavern)

21. The Dusty Hoof (tavern and inn)

22. Traveler's Rest (inn)

23. The Fishym & Smoka Inn (the "Fish-smoke"; tavern and inn of low
quality)

24. The Nightshade (festhall and night-club)

25. Kaerus Thambadar's smithy (blacksmith and ironmonger)

26. Fish market

27. The Green (assembly area for outbound caravans)

28. The North Green (see 27)

29. The East Green (see 27)

30. The Spice & Wine Shop; Ulder Mooroo (N hm W3), proprietor

31. Malikhar the Outfitter (leather straps, packs, tarpaulins, weather
cloaks, harnesses, boots, etc.)

32. Purple Sun Trading Coster (merchant company) office

33. Purple Sun Trading Coster hirelings' barracks

34. Angah Lalla (fence for stolen goods; ostensibly a curio trader in
items from exotic lands)

35. The Free Traders of Scornubel offices (run by the city); a registry
of unemployed, casual journeyman drovers, guards, animal trainers,
etc., and stronghouse)

36. Free Traders public warehouse (rental storage space guarded by the
watch)

37. Free Traders public warehouse (rental storage space guarded by the
watch)

38. Headquarters of the watch (D) with barracks (A-C) and enclosed
stables (E)

39. The Randy Wench (tavern and gaming rooms)

40. The Jester's Bells (tavern, festhall, and scented baths)

41. Thruu's Way Rooms and Dining (the "Through-Way"; inn)

42. Scornubel Hall (meeting chambers available for rent, quarters for
the local council and visitors, the city's emergency granary and deep
wells)

43. The Raging Lion (inn; tavern and rooms at A, stables at B)

44. Mother Minx's (festhall)

45. Thyumdar's Reliquary & Eremosckl (general store for all goods;
large and prosperous; Thyumdar (N hm W7 often uses the wizard eye spell
in his business dealings)

46. The Everfull Jug (winery and drink shop)

47. Ehaevaera's Beauty Rooms (hairstyling scented baths, massages,
manicures body painting, and tattoos for women)

48. Ssimbar's Fine Clothes

49. Preszmyr the Herbalist (herbs, drugs phylacteries, perfumes, and
scented powders)

50. Far Anchor (inn)


Serpent Hills

The Serpent Hills are a great expanse of rolling hills and rocky lands
rising to low mountains in the center and broadening to the west until
they become the High Moor. Better-watered than the Moor, the Serpent
Hills are greener and overrun with small copses and scrubland.

The Serpent Hills are noted for the large quantities of snakes,
dragons, and other reptiles found throughout their length. Brass and
red dragons are the most common, along with some coppers and bronzes.

The Serpent Hills are the home of the Dungeon of Swords, supposedly a
relic of the days of Netheril. The Dungeon is a small crypt of a
forgotten war hero who either lived during the reign of Netheril or in
the century after its fall. The hero either forged or collected a huge
number of magical blades that are said to rest with him in his crypt.
An adventuring company visiting the scene reports a great chasm and
ghostly warriors protecting the old crypt and its treasures, and they
have not attempted to loot it since these hazards were discovered.

Skull Gorge

Skull Gorge is situated on the upper course of the River Reaching.  It
is a sharp cut through the surrounding terrain, and its steep walls run
almost to the river's edge. The walls of the gorge are made of a very
pale gray stone and are riddled with caverns.

It was in this steep-walled valley that the bulk of the surviving ore
and hobgoblin chieftains and shamans gathered following the Battle of
Bones (see more under that entry) to stand off the armies of humans.
The goblinoid races summoned extraplanar aid, for later forces
encountered many fiends and tanar'ri. A great disembodied skull glowing
with red flames was seen in the air above the gorge as the human troops
made their final assault. The gorge was cleared of the ores and
hobgoblins, and is now thought to be deserted.

Much booty is said to have been hurriedly concealed in the caverns that
lace the whitestone walls of the gorge. Few who have come here seeking
that treasure have been seen again, and though treasure has been found
here, so have fell beasts that seem to appear from nowhere to attack
travelers in the gorge.

Soubar

Soubar is a small town along the Trade Way north of Triel, and it is
often used as a waystation for traders traveling along that road.  It
has about 30 semi-permanent buildings, the remainder of the structures
being temporarily lashed together or supports for the tent city that
springs up near every trading city. Only a few of the inhabitants
winter here, retreating instead to more pleasant lairs in Elturel and
Scornubel.

Soubar is a wild, brawling town, with no laws other than those of
strength and gold. During the winter it is desolate, during the summer
overflowing with caravans and all manner of traveling peddlers who
cater to the needs of the trading community.

The one truly permanent building is the Winding Way, a tavern located
in the ruins of what was once thought to be a temple of Bane. It is run
by Mag, a supposed former priest of some unknown deity who retired and
has made the tavern her home ever since. Mag wears a ring of
misdirection, so her alignment and true abilities are unknown, and
while some travelers have declared that she has healed the sick on
occasion, no other proof of her abilities has ever been shown. She
allows travelers to sleep in the old choir loft, where broken
instruments of torture are stashed.  Soubar has been raided and
destroyed a number of times in living memory, usually by goblin tribes
from the High Moor.

Sunset Mountains

The Sunset Mountains are a pair of mountain ranges separated by the Far
Hills, which are literally part of their chain. They form a high,
almost impenetrable barrier between the Eastern and Western Heartlands
and are home to a large number of the evil tribes and savage nonhuman
races which plague the area.

In addition to evil nonhumans, several small, active branches of the
dwarven nations inhabit in the region, still mining their ore and
refining their metals as their grandfathers did a millennium ago. They
are secretive about the exact location of their homes, as are all the
hidden, because all it takes is one loose word into one greedy ear and
the wonders of the dwarves are yet again under siege. Most of the
dwarves trade in the town of Easting (see the Easting entry for more
information).

Sword Coast

The Sword Coast is the western shore of Faerun, running from Candlekeep
and the Cloak Wood in the south to Luskan in the north. The Sword Coast
is a rough, brawling area dominated by the City of Splendors,
Waterdeep. The coast itself is treacherous, filled with undersea reefs,
rock outcroppings, and soft, mucky undersea shelves that extend out for
miles. True ports are few and far between on the Coast, which is the
reason that the best harbors capable of handling sea vessels, Waterdeep
and Baldur's Gate, have grown into important cities.

Scholars and sources disagree (of course) on the effective length of
the Sword Coast. Some extend it further south into the lands of Amn,
Tethyr, and Calimshan, to Calimport. The southern kingdoms resent this
categorization, for they consider the lands of the Sword Coast
dangerous hinterlands, and its people little better than barbarians.

In addition to the dangerous physical nature of the Sword Coast, a
large number of hostile races also live off the coast, including
sahuagin, locathah, tritons, savage mermen, and sea elves. The Sword
Coast is very similar to the nearby High Moors in that it is both a
forbidding terrain and contains flora, fauna, and inhabitants dangerous
to those who pass through it.

Triel

Triel is a waystation along the Trade Way from Scornubel to Waterdeep,
and it is here that lesser-used Dusk Road from Elturel and Hill's Edge
meets with the Trade Way. Triel has a small permanent community that
exists behind a log-and-boulder stockade and locks its gates at night.
Most travelers are not welcome within the gates after nightfall, and
during the summer most merchant caravans camp out in wide circles on
the surrounding fields. Triel has a few farms in the area, but most of
its needs are cared for by passing merchants.

The local lord is Elvar the Grainlord (CN hm T9), who makes the
stockade his home. Elvar is regarded as being a few stones shy of a
fortress, but is generally a reasonable lord when it comes to trade.
His dementia comes in two mild forms. First he has a fear (not
unreasonable) that the community will run out of food in the winter
when no one visits, so that most of his "keep" is given over to storage
bins of grain and dried vegetables, sealed and protected.  Elvar
continually worries about the state of his grain protection, and those
invited to his dinner table are warned that this will be a subject of
conversation.

Elvar's other mania is religion. His tastes swing widely, and he
examines one faith after another. He enters into a new fit of faith
with the sure hand of a new convert, but soon finds errors in the
theology, dogma, or practice, and abandons it for a new one. He has
gone through most of the major powers twice, and many of the
quasi-powers. He is at the moment a practicing Cyricist - no, no, wait,
he's changed his mind again.

Trielta Hills

The hills to the north and east of Triel are rolling, pastoral, and
occupied by small communities of halflings and gnomes. These races tend
to remain quiet and provincial, since those who attract attention
attract goblins and other nasty predators as well.

Occasionally gold or silver is discovered (or rediscovered) in part of
the Trielta Hills, kicking off a small land rush for a generation of
humans, with their squabbling and fighting. The halflings and gnomes
tend either to work with the humans (with a kind tolerance and quiet
amusement) or move away until the danger passes.

There are no legendary lost kingdoms, wizard towers, ruined holds, or
great archliches in the hills above Triel, making them almost unique in
the Realms for their normality.

Trollclaw Ford

This ford across the Winding Water is overhung by high, tree-cloaked
banks and surrounded by hills on both sides. The ample cover provided
by the surrounding vegetation makes it easy to stage ambushes here, and
the plants and terrain may hide a great number of assailants with ease.
Troll bands have struck at travelers so often over the years here that
the ford was given its grisly name. Piles of gnawed and burned bones
stand as grim warnings to travelers on both sides of the river about a
mile from the ford. As a standard precaution, most caravans have at
least 20 armed guards when making this passage.

The water at Trollclaw Ford is black and foul-smelling, the heritage of
a godly battle at Boareskyr Bridge (see the Boareskyr Bridge entry).
The water is drinkable at Trollclaw, but exceedingly bitter tasting.
Travelers seeking to replenish their waterstores have to seek out a
spring in the nearby hills, giving the monstrous population one more
opportunity to attack.

Troll Hills and Trollbark Forest

As can be surmised from the names of these adjacent regions, this
forest and the adjacent low mountains are overrun with trolls of every
type and description. This region has the closest thing to a troll
nation and a common troll language, though the empire of the trolls
makes the typical ore tribe look like King Azoun's court!

The Trollbark Forest is a dark wood of twisted live oaks, black ash,
and scrub pines. The forest floor is heavily tangled with underbrush,
including both poisonous and carnivorous varieties of plants. Low vales
throughout the wood are filled with bogs and swamps. In short, it is
the sort of place that only trolls would want to live.

The Troll Hills are little better. Live oaks predominate to the timber
line, and their rounded peaks are topped with thick patches of
razorgrass. Here the trolls and their allied races live in caverns that
lie beneath most of the peaks. It has been said that in ancient days
drow caravans moved through here at will to a hidden drow city, but
when that city was overrun by trolls, the drow destroyed all access to
this area from below.

The trolls of this region travel and raid as far north as the Lizard
Marsh and west into the High Moor and Trollclaw Ford. A colony of
trolls in the Trollclaws to the west communicates regularly with those
within the forest.

In addition to the rumored drow city beneath the Troll Hills, the Troll
Hills are the home of the Warlock's Crypt. Said to be the final resting
place of Larloch, a great wizard of Netheril protected by his immortal,
devoted servants, as well as a troop of trolls, it is reported to house
great magics. The Warlock's Crypt is known to be somewhere in the
western part of the hills (the position on the map is inexact). It was
discovered in 1351 DR, the Year of the Crown. The sole discoverer to
make back it to civilization, however, brought with him a virulent
plague that decimated Baldur's Gate that year.

The Way Inn

This village numbers fewer than 20 buildings, the largest of which is a
sprawling manor house that is used as an inn. The Way Inn is run by
Dauravyn Redbeard, a stout, middle-aged swashbuckler (LG hm F5). A high
wall around the community provides its only protection.  To the south
of the town a great commons has obviously been used as a parade ground
for military forces over the years.

The Way Inn is usually used as a staging ground for hunters,
adventurers, and military units planning actions in the High Moor.
Waterdeep pays a small annual fee for permission to use the commons as
an encampment on those occasions when it goes to war. As a result of
the regular traffic, Dauravyn is well-informed on all the local gossip
and legends. He is willing to part with the information for a price,
and if the" listener assures him that he (Dauravyn) will not be held
responsible if the information is faulty or incomplete.

The Way Inn has a small shrine to Mielikki tended to by Artemus Collin,
the lone priest to that goddess in town (NG hm P12). Collin is an
irritated, growling priest, continually angered by the fact that people
do not want to talk to a cleric unless they are bleeding.

The Way Inn maintains a force of archers and spearmen to repel the
irregular raids of trolls and other creatures. The normal armed force
wear splint mail and carry spears, short bows, and firepots - the last
to deal with the marauding trolls.

The Way Inn was destroyed utterly by Dragonspear forces in 1363 DR.
Redbeard has rebuilt the wall and buildings with the support of Lord
Piergeiron of Waterdeep and Mirt the Moneylender, also of that city.

The settlement's best protection is usually the fact that in the summer
it is surrounded by merchants, soldiers, and adventurers, and in the
winter there is nothing worth taking. Dauravyn is said to have a
magical form of instantaneous communication with the Lords of
Waterdeep, and if threatened, magical and military aid are forthcoming.
Dauravyn is known to wear bracers of defense AC 2, and has a two-handed
broadsword hanging behind the bar that is said to be magical.

Winding Water

 to the sea, strengthened by the Serpent's Tail Stream (more a small
river). A slow, turbid river, the Winding Water makes its way along a
wide and marshy bottomland, and frequently alters its course, leaving
swamps and oxbow lakes in its passing.

Between Boareskyr Bridge and Trollclaw Ford the water of the Winding is
poisonous, the magical aftereffect of battle between the rising power
Cyric and the old power Bhaal. At the bridge the muddy, but potable,
waters become jet black and stink with a foul, rotting odor. The river
remains that way until Trollclaw Ford, where it loses its poisonous
properties (though it remains cloudy to the sea). During the stretch
between the bridge and the ford, the water is Type K contact poison,
Type G if ingested. The poison is magical in nature, and loses its
poisonous potential (though not its smell) if removed from the river.

The Wood of Sharp Teeth

This vast forest is so named because it is completely wild and abounds
in forest creatures dangerous to humankind. This forest is a maze of
undergrowth, tangled with nettles and thornbushes.

Satyrs are known to dwell here in numbers, and there are thought to be
dryads within it also, but the wood is feared more for its less
intelligent denizens, who are numerous and savage enough to have
discouraged woodcutting and hunting by the citizenry of Baldur's Gate.
No elves of any type are believed to make this woodland their home, but
travelers are warned that very little is known of this area.

Many valuable duskwood trees can be seen by those passing by, but none
have dared cut any for many years, for death comes swiftly to those who
pass beyond the forest verge. Local legend in Baldur's Gate holds that
there is a lost, ruined city in the forest depths.

Yellow Snake Pass

This pass through the Sunset Mountains is one of the few usable trails
north of the Far Hills and south of Anauroch. This remote mountain pass
is a long, wide, natural valley that forms a strategic overland passage
through the mountains north of Cormyr. It is named for a strange and
fearsome draconian beast that resembled a winged serpent of
ivory-yellow color. It made this region its home several hundred years
ago until it was slain by the adventurer Tuirlagh "Foehammer" Nundass
of Silverymoon.

The Pass is presently controlled by the Zhentarim, who permit no one
through who is not a member, ally, or approved client of their Black
Network. The Zhentarim have resisted several attempts by Cormyr,
Iriaebor, Scornubel, and Hill's Edge to oust them.

Forces within the pass are unknown, though it is known to hold several
nastinesses of gargoyles (a nastiness being one tribe of the creatures)
and at least one stone golem.

The Zhentarim patrols in Yellow Snake Pass are quartered at a number of
small waystops along the length of the pass. These waystops are usually
two-story keeps built at the mouths of, or in front of, caverns. Should
the troops be overwhelmed, they can retreat into the Underdark and wait
for reinforcements.

Firepots

Firepots are small clay jugs filled with flammable oil and carried in
slings of leather. These weapons are lit, spun around the head, and
flung up to 30 yards away. Upon striking a, hard surface, the jugs
break, inflicting 1-6 hit points of fee damage to all within 5 feet of
the impact point. The oil continues to bum for 1-10 rounds or until it
is extinguished, doing 1-4 points of damage each round.

Merchants of the Realms -----------------------

Most trade travels m caravans for safety throughout the Realms, and the
great majority of caravans are run by independent caravan masters who
often display no badge or colors at all. A few caravans are sponsored
or directly manned by a city or alliance, and they usually bear the
sigil of that place. The caravans of Amn are so marked, as are those'
of the Zhentarim. In addition to these caravan types, however, there
are a rising number of large overland companies who make trade their
business, particularly on the profitable Waterdeep to Moonsea run.

Large companies - which are usually created by the permanent
amalgamation of smaller caravan companies in several geographical
areas, so that the new company controls a route or strategic area - are
known as priakos. Alliances of small, independent companies into a
caravan traveling group for safety are known as costers. Add to this
all manner of temporary alliances, merchant consortiums, and
adventuring companies, and a great many groups control and pursue trade
in the Realms.

Dragoneye Dealing Coster: Originally based in the Vilhon Reach area,
the Dragoneye now operates more often out of Iriaebor and Elturel. This
oldest of the costers was begun by two merchant brothers who were tired
of shipping things overland to avoid the Inner Sea pirates only to lose
them to bandits on the long land routes west of Westgate and reluctant
to pay incredibly stiff fees to the merchant houses of Westgate to have
their cargoes accompany the well-guarded caravans of that city. The
brothers, Iltravan and Chethar, still run the coster, but they have
taken on two lesser partners: the Mhalogh of Mordulkin (a minor noble)
and Bezennar of Suzail.

Firehands Group: Founded nearly a decade ago our of Daerlun, the
Firehands has had a rough go of it trying to establish itself in a
market with many other trading operations. Catering fully to the
Waterdeep to Sembia run, its representative is Dhellart the Night Blade
(LN hm F11). Its rates are competitive, but raids and sabotage are
common, and the Iron Throne is usually blamed.

Highmoon Trading Coster: Headed by Guldeph Maremmon (N, hm F9), this
flourishing concern dominates the Sword Coast overland routes from its
bases in Scornubel and Waterdeep (surprisingly, it does not reach the
Dalelands). It carries everything, but has exclusive supply rights to
kaorph (blue wine) and certain spices - arispeg, marka, and delph -
that originate somewhere far to the south and east. Its colors are a
white crescent on a black, star-studded oval.

Iron Throne: A mysterious organization with its origin in the Eastern
Heartlands (possibly Sembia), the Iron Throne is known for arriving on
the scene, declaring all merchant companies to be equal, and that it is
their spokesmen.  Often the Iron Throne pronouncements have been
common-sense declarations, but more often the company has ruffled the
feathers of quite a few local lords and other merchant houses. Nothing
is known of the roasters of this operation, who may be dethroned
dwarven lords, agents of Thay, or outcast elves. It has been
ascertained that the Iron Throne is not a front for the Zhentarim,
though the two have had intermittent dealings over the years.

Merchant's League: Based in Baldur's Gate, the League promotes merchant
safety through good roads, regular patrols, defensible waystops,and
strong, well-run, and well-guarded caravans. Prominent members of the
League are Irlentree, Zorl Miyar, and Aldeth Sashenstar.  All are
successful merchants who reside in Baldur's Gate. The League is an
organization in decline, however; the rise of the various costers is
replacing its functions and sapping its traditional support.

Red Shields: Formerly a mercenary company (still available for such
jobs, some say), the Red Shields are a group of highly skilled (1st-3rd
level) fighters who are well-armed and bear red, featureless shields.
They usually hire out in groups of 25, 50, or 75 to guard regular road
travel from Neverwinter through to Amn, and run their own regular run
from Scornubel to Waterdeep every few days, carrying messages as well
as cargo. Led by Bronthar Helmbrind (N hm F6) and his lieutenants
Miftat (CN hm F5) and Vuldan (LN hm F4), the Red Shields effectively
(and loosely) police the streets of Scornubel, watching the city's
perimeters to ward off bandit raids (and to keep themselves well
informed of events within those perimeters).

Seven Suns Trading Coster; The name of this group refers to the widely
separated partners who formed the group, converting their own small
merchant companies into regional bases and providing horses, draft
oxen, and wagons, and hiring local guards. The seven partners are
Jhasso of Baldur's Gate, Shield of Everlund, Pomphur of Almraiven,
Chond of Calaunt, Alvund of Ormpetarr; Dzunn of Sheirtalar; and Nammna
of Milvarune. This coster usually provides the leanest guards and the
worst wagons, and is inclined to be slow and often bandit-struck as a
result, however, it also undercuts its competitors on most routes.

Six Coffers Market Priakos: Named for the six wealthy merchants who
sponsored it, this priakos is run by Thelve Baruinheld of Berdusk and
has bases in that city, in Waterdeep, in Silverymoon, in Priapurl, and
tn Selgaunt. It is' large, efficient, and prosperous, but only four of
the six original partners still live (the survivors are Ultranam of
Selgaunt, Syntel of Iriaebor, Maftaa of Waterdeep, and Szwentil of
Marsember).

Stags Caravan Company: An older, somewhat fallen front former greatness
outfit of tugged adventurers (now mostly dead or gone to other
adventures elsewhere) that has been taken over by merchants who are
constantly dealing in large and small matters everywhere. The company's
aging trail general, Black Tomm Bharhinn, has lost effective control of
day-to-day operations to Scorm, Hlevell, and Dindar Pel, all young
merchants of Amn who despair of making their fortunes within that
kingdom of mighty merchants but are bound and determined to make money
here.

Surefeet Trademasters: Headed by a council (the merchants Pheng
Thelombur, Aramma Dulve, and Prist Thelmip) and based in Scornubel, the
Surefeet specialize in providing expert guides/escort/guards for all
concerns - their own caravans and those of any overland traveler. Their
rates are high, their employees good - and it is rumored that the
Surefeet have gained much wealth through several rich tomb and temple
ruin finds made by guide members.

Thousandheads Trading Coster: Run by the former adventurer Bharavan
Bhaerkantos (N hm T9) from his stronghold east of Riatavin, this coster
operates only on a single route: from Waterdeep to Hillsfar via
Scornubel, Berdusk, Iriaebor, Proskur, Arabel, and Essembra. Its name
refers to the "thousands" of small one' to twelve-wagon outfits that
benefit from this coster - Bharavan recruits retired adventurers to
guard his caravans, and offers cuts rates to small merchants. His
guards are tough, hard-nosed, and tireless. They have instructions to
go after and kill any caravan raider, so few casual raiders tangle with
Thousandheads caravans twice.

Trail Lords: A mysterious, pompous outfit (that some say is ruled by
Thay or other fell sorcerous eastern lands), the Trail Lords have been
known to hire half-ores and worse as guards, but they appear to have
boundless monetary resources and can mount a small army or two to guard
especially valuable clients and Cargo in a very short time. The Trail
Lords' masters are said to be merchant kings (none have ever seen
them). They direct operations through their representative, the fat,
masked illusionist Mhereg Ssar (N hm W(I)6).

Trueshield Trading Priakos: Based in Telpir on the Dragon Coast, this
professional organization builds its own wagons and equips and trains
its own guards, and does both of these things very well. Few bandits
tangle with its caravans. Even ores leave them alone on most trips.
Its rates are expensive, but it almost always delivers, so money has
been pouring into its coffers for the eight seasons it has been in
business. The master merchant of the Trueshields, Dzentraven Thiomtul,
is credited with the idea of sealed destination wagons into which the
goods of many small shippers intended for a common destination are
packed together, rather than the traditional "peddler" wagonpacking
method where goods are packed by assorted weight and bulk
considerations.

Windriders Trading Coster: The Windriders are young, relatively
inexperienced merchants with a wild reputation for fierce competition,
hard traveling, and high jinks. All wear shields adorned with a white
pegasus, wings outstretched, and they are much used for swift, discreet
carrier service around the North. There are approximately 60
Windriders.  They prefer to remain anonymous and are represented
through their office and leader, Torshilm Firetel (CN hm F6), formerly
of Westgate.

In addition to these major tines, there are a number of other trading
organizations, ranging from one-shot operators, to seasonal family
operations, to independent merchants, to specialists in the small
package trade (smuggling). AH are regularly looking for strong sword
arms and wise wand-wielders to enhance their chances of getting across
the Western Heartlands. An aspiring adventurer for whom time is not a
concern can usually find employment by hitching up with one of these
organizations.


Waterdeep
=========

Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, is the most important and influential
city in the North, and perhaps in all Faerun. For this reason it is
considered part of the Heartlands of the Realms, even though it lies
150 miles north of Daggerford. The road to Waterdeep is well paved and
well patrolled. The city is the hub of trading from the mineral-rich
lands to the north, the merchant kingdoms of Amn and Calimshan to the
south, the kingdoms of the Inner Sea to the east, and the sea kingdoms
and traders to the west.

Waterdeep is named for its outstanding natural deepwater harbor, and
the city that grew up at this site has become the commercial crossroads
of the northern Realms. More than 100,000 people make their home in
Waterdeep. The city sprawls northward from the sea, spreading along the
flanks of Mount Waterdeep, a great and singular mountain. Of old, Mt.
Waterdeep was said to have been a dwarven citadel, and the entire
length and great depth of the mountain is riddled with passages and
tunnels, most of which are still occupied by deadly creatures whose
presence in the mountain pre-dates the founding of the city itself. One
reason that Waterdeep is an attractive location for adventurers is that
it has a large adventuring site (Undermountain) comfortably located
near temples and other recovery areas.

History
-------

Waterdeep was used as a trading site for trade activities between
northern tribesmen and southern merchants more than two millennia ago.
By 1,000 years ago, permanent farms had sprung up in the area. The
first mention of a Waterdeep (not as a city, but as a collection of
warlords) occurs only 400 years ago. The city was truly established as
a going concern by 1032 DR, the year Ahghairon became the first Lord of
Waterdeep, and the date from which Northreckoning is counted.

The city grew spectacularly, such that by 1248 DR both the City of the
Dead and the guilds had been developed. The guildmasters seized control
soon afterwards, ushering in a period of unrest and bitter conflict
known as the Guildwars. The Guildwars ended only when the two surviving
guildmasters brought in their own period of misrule. It was only in
1273 DR that the present system of government (or lack thereof) was
instituted. This was the year that the Magisters were established and
the secret Lords of Waterdeep were firmly reestablished. Since that
time, the city has continued to grow and prosper.

Humankind and other races come from all over the Realms to earn hard
coin in the City of Splendors. Over the years these successful
merchants have set up guilds and themselves become nobility, supporting
the secretive Lords of Waterdeep who police the city fairly, yet with a
light hand, by means of the superb city guard (soldiers), city watch
(police), and over 20 black-robed magistrates. As a result, Waterdeep
is a place tolerant of different races, religions, and lifestyles. This
in turn has encouraged commerce, and Waterdeep has grown into a huge,
eclectic city.

Government
----------

Waterdeep is ruled by a council whose membership is largely secret.
These hidden Lords of Waterdeep maintain their identities behind
magical masks, called helms, and while they rule in public, none know
the true identities of most of them. The subject of who the Lords are
is a common topic of noble conversation, and some consider it a game to
discover whom the Lords are, a game made more confusing by the fact the
Lords themselves set their own rumors afloat.

It is a known fact that Piergeiron the Paladinson, Warden of Waterdeep
and Commander of the Watch (LG hm Pall4), whose golden-spired palace
dominates the center of the city, is a member of the Lords. He is the
Unmasked Lord, and wears no disguise over either his face or his heart.
It is generally assumed that the archmage Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun
(LN hm W27) is also of the Lords, and perhaps chief among them,
exceeding even Piergeiron. The identities of other members have not
been made public knowledge. The names of Mirt the Merchant (CG hm F9),
the courtesan Larissa (NG hf F4), and Texter the Paladin (LG hm Pal 17)
have been connected with the Lords, though evidence exists to both
prove or disprove claims that they are Lords, and beyond these four
(including the Blackstaff) conjecture swings widely as to who is a Lord
and who is not.

The Lords appear in public only in the Lords' Court, hearing all cases
of murder, treason, misuse of magic, and appeals from lower courts. On
such occasions there are always at least four Lords present, but
sometimes six or seven are seen, and rarely as many as nine. Piergeiron
chairs the Court and asks all questions, for the Lords speak through
him. In chambers the Lords all appear similarly masked and robed, their
robes formless and black, with black capes, and their masks completely
covering the head and face. These masks have featureless faces, with
mirrored crystals over the eyes, save for Piergeiron's. He has had his
face covering separated from his helm, and lets those who appear before
the Court see his face.

Defense and Justice
-------------------

Waterdeep maintains two separate armed forces, the guard and the watch.
The city guard serves as Waterdeep's soldiery, and its members staff
garrisons, road patrols, and watchposts, and serve as bodyguards and
gate guards. The watch is the local police force, and in addition to
capturing criminals, its members settle petty disputes, give
directions, summon medical and priestly aid, and generally perform
duties that promote the idea that Waterdeep is a city open to all who
know how to behave themselves.

The members of the guard are armored in scale mail of black, silver,
and gold, and carry short swords and bows. They are normally found in
patrols of 12. If out on road patrol, they will be mounted on medium
warhorses, and have a 5th level fighter as a leader.

The watch is equipped with leather armor strengthened with chain (treat
this as AC 7) and colored green, black, and gold.  The members of the
watch are armed with short, stout rods (treat as clubs), daggers, and
short swords. They usually travel in foot patrols of four warriors.
Watch members carry horns with which to summon reinforcements.

Waterdeep has strong walls on its landward sides and is protected in
part by Mount Waterdeep on the seaward side. Mount Waterdeep is studded
with watch towers and defensive positions, and patrolled by special
guard units on flights of hippogriffs.

Waterdeep also benefits from a large native population of the
adventuring class (including powerful mages, priests, and warriors) who
are more than willing to deal with any and all miscreants who threaten
their home city. In many ways, this is its best defense.

Waterdhavian justice is dispatched by the Magisters, who direct the
common courts of the city. These Black Robes, as they are often called,
are empowered to pass sentence. They are always accompanied by six
members of the guard. Any individuals found guilty may appeal to the
Lord's Court, ruled over by the masked Lords of Waterdeep, where
serious cases are usually heard.  Individuals bringing frivolous cases
to the Lord's Court usually face stiffer fines than if they accepted a
magister's ruling.

The Helms of Waterdeep

The helms of the Lords of Waterdeep have some undetectable magical
enchantment upon them that prevents the use of divination spells
(including ESP and detect lie) on the wearer while they are in use. It
is impossible to determine the wearer's thoughts, alignment, or
identity when she or he is wearing a helm. Rumors float that the helms
are tied to a powerful illusion that also distorts the height and
weight of the wearer and his or her voice in a random fashion.  Thus,
attempting to discern Larissa's curves (or Milt's massive form) is all
for naught. One halfling rogue has even claimed to be a secret Lord of
Waterdeep; however, his immediate disappearance has made it difficult
to prove or disprove that claim.

In addition, many of the powerful of the City of Splendors wear their
own additional protections to keep the curious and indiscreet
spellcasters at bay.

Other Important Factions
------------------------

It is said that the Lords rule Waterdeep but do not truly run it.  This
is quite true, in that there are a number of other factions who make up
Waterdeep. The most noticeable are the guilds - powerful merchant and
craft organizations that control much of the life-blood of the city.
Once the guilds ruled the city, and it almost destroyed itself in a
series of internal commercial wars. No one wants to see those days
return.

A second important Waterdhavian faction is the local nobility.  It
consists of 76 respected (for the most part) families of varying
degrees of power, most of whom can trace their lines to before the
founding of Waterdeep itself. Many powerful names come out of
Waterdeep, including the Amcathras (whose scion is now Lord of
Shadowdale), the Cassalanters (wealthy moneylenders), and the Wands (a
family of powerful and noble wizards).

Third, a rising merchant class exists outside the standard guilds.
These are caravan and coster operators, and they use Waterdeep as a
destination for their caravan goods. More shops are offering a variety
of different goods because of this growing group. The most notable of
these new merchants is the retired wizardess Aurora, who has
established a magical retail organization to supply a wide number of
patrons across the North with specialized items.

Last, one must consider the continual tide of adventurers that flood
the city. Some establish themselves as citizens of good standing and
remain permanently, while others drift off for other climes or meet
their ends in back-alley brawls. Secret societies such as the Harpers
and the Red Sashes make up the closest thing to organizations drawn
from this group.

These four factions are rough approximations, and they overlap - a
wandering Harper can be the descendent of a noble family that works in
the tanning guild, but who is representing a merchant company from Amn.
The established government pulls the best from all four areas as its
Lords, to the benefit of all.

The Waterdhavian Mindset
------------------------

Waterdhavians are a composite of their component parts. A sizable
number of the natives are recent arrivals from one part of the world or
another, all with different viewpoints, deities, and attitudes.
Waterdeep, as a result, is varied and cosmopolitan in nature, open to
the many different nationalities and races in the Realms. It is not so
much a melting pot as a gem grinder - smoothing the rough edges so
individuals shine at their best.

Waterdhavians can show the bluff honesty of a Dalesman, the calculating
planning of a Sembian, the honor of a Cormyrean, the independence of a
Westie and the sly cunning of a native of the Moonsea. These behaviors
can all be exhibited in the same individual, and the art of choosing
the right frame of mind for a certain instance is inherent to the
city's character.

Waterdhavians attempt to be understanding and openminded, but the trend
is not pursued to a fanatic level. That nobles, merchants, adventurers,
traders, and immigrants all have their own place in society is
accepted, but that does not mean they necessarily want to associate
with each other. Waterdeep at its best is never a society of equals.
However, this level of toleration means that it is hard to surprise a
Waterdhavian, whether with invading gods or walking statues or flying
carpets. They have seen it all before.

Religions in Waterdeep
----------------------

Waterdeep has a huge variety of faiths, and the odds are that if a
deity is worshiped somewhere in Faerun, it has at least a follower (or
likely a wandering priest or two, and maybe a shrine) in the City of
Splendors. However, there are only are seven major temple complexes
within the city. They are dedicated to Gond, Lathander, Mystra, Selune,
Sune, Tempus, and Tymora.

In addition to the temples, shrines to Silvanus, Mielikki, Chauntea,
Lliira, Sharess, and Siamorphe (the last two are local divinities) can
be found here. In addition, there are secret temples and hidden shrines
to most of the dark gods, often hidden away beneath the streets of the
city. These include churches to Cyric, Talona, Umberlee, Shar, Auril,
and a wide variety of the Beast Cults, including the Cult of the
Dragon. In the years immediately following the Time of Troubles,
Waterdeep had an active Cult of Ao; however, this has diminished almost
to nonexistence.

In the Trades Ward, there is a building known as the Plinth that is
kept as a place of worship and meditation for all faiths.  Many
long-dead and departed deities may hear from their only worshippers at
the base of this structure, which is usually festooned with flowers and
other small offerings. Here one may find followers of odd and obscure
faiths and frequent intense theological discussions. The watch stations
a detachment here to prevent the discussions from getting overheated
and disturbing others.

Thieves' Guilds in Waterdeep
----------------------------

The last official thieves' guild in Waterdeep was destroyed in 1300 DR,
and while there have been many claimants to that position and title
over the years, there have been no groups of sufficient power to
challenge the Lords of Waterdeep. Since the Lords are secret, no
criminal knows if a trusted partner is truly on his or her side or not.

This is not to say that there are no thieves or crime in the streets of
Waterdeep. Rather, crime here is random and dispersed, with no one
leader or organization to command it. The most recent attempt was made
by a crimelord named Xanathar, a beholder with a well developed secret
network in his service. This network was savaged and Xanathar defeated
through the actions of bold adventuring companies at the command of
Lord Piergeiron. Whether a new crimelord comes to the fore remains to
be seen.

The Wards of Waterdeep
----------------------

Waterdeep is roughly divided into wards. The wards originally all had
guards and walls in the manner of Procampur and other ancient cities,
but the press of progress has toppled or bored through most of the
walls. Only the walls and guards around the City of the Dead are still
maintained. The wards of Waterdeep are:

Castle Ward: This central ward encompasses Mount Waterdeep and much of
the government of the city. Here is located Castle Waterdeep, the place
of government, as well as the Palace of Waterdeep (also known as
Piergeiron's Palace), Lord Piergeiron's private residence. This ward is
also a common place for retired adventurers such as Mirt the
Moneylender to make their homes.

City of the Dead: This park-like area is surrounded by high walls. It
is often visited during the day by wanderers and the odd picnic. At
night, the gates of the City of the Dead are closed, for it is
Waterdeep's graveyard. The more important personages have their own
personal graves or family shrines, while others are confined to larger
crypts. The reason for the guards is not to protect the graves, but
rather to protect the city from the occasional restless undead creature
that does not appreciate its accommodations.

Dock Ward: As one might assume, Dock Ward is situated hard on the Great
Harbor of Waterdeep, and holds the docks, shipbuilding yards, and
warehouses for the sea trade. The harbor is inhabited by mermen who
keep the peace within their own watery city.

North Ward: Tucked in the northwestern portion of the city, North Ward
is the land of the nobility and their villas. The moneyed classes make
their homes here, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the lower
(literally) classes by the docks and in Southern Ward.

Sea Ward: The newest of the wards, Sea Ward contains many of the
temples of Waterdeep, along with a good helping of the newer noble
families and retired adventurers who can afford the odd villa or two.
The Field of Triumph, Waterdeep's arena, is located here.

Southern Ward: South Ward (only nonnatives refer to it by its official
name of Southern Ward) is a place of caravan masters and traders, for
it is close to the South Gate, the opening to the Trade Way. Here one
finds stables, ironmongers, and a goodly variety of inns and taverns.

Trades Ward: Reaching north from the River Gate through the heart of
Waterdeep, Trades Ward houses the homes and places of business of most
of the city's craftsmen and artisans and the headquarters of many of
the powerful guilds of Waterdeep.


Beyond the Heartlands
=====================

Beyond the Eastern and Western Heartlands lie numerous intriguing and
exotic lands. In the limited space here, it is impossible to come close
to completely covering the other regions of Faerun, let alone each of
their lands. In order to give a fair feeling for as much of the
vastness and variety of Faerun as possible, the major nations of the
remaining regions of the Forgotten Realms are covered here. In an
attempt to convey their nature, a mixture of essential information and
enticing detail is presented.

The Island Kingdoms
-------------------

Faerun's western coast borders on a great ocean known as the Trackless
Sea, though various small parts of it are also known as the Sea of
Swords (along the Sword Coast) and the Shining Sea (the arm that
reaches into the land south of Amn and Calimshan).

The Trackless Sea is the home of a number of powerful, unique, and
diverse island nations, ranging from the elven refuge of Evermeet, to
the rapidly rising Moonshaes, to the magical kingdoms of Lantan and
Nimbral to the south.

Evermeet

Evermeet is a large island several thousand miles to the west of the
Moonshaes, and is similar to those islands in size. Despite its great
distance from the shores of Faerun, the island of Evermeet is
well-known to most of the knowledgeable of the Realms as the final home
of the elven nations. It is a happy realm of deep, wondrous forests and
much laughter, where the gold elves, under the leadership of the moon
elven royal house, live in rich splendor. Queen Amlaruil has ruled
alone since the death of her husband, King Zaor, 40 winters ago.

The art, the music, and the magical research of Evermeet are far above
what is seen in the lands of humankind, even in Waterdeep the Splendid.
All elves save the drow and half-elves are welcome in Evermeet, and
many sea elves live in the surrounding waters.

To guard this wondrous realm against humans, particularly the
aggressive raiders from Ruathym and the Pirate Isles, Evermeet has the
mightiest navy in this hemisphere - the most numerous and well-armed
nautical force in the known Realms. Based in the fortress of Sumbrar,
with smaller outposts at Elion and Nimlith, the vessels of Evermeet's
fleets patrol from the Wave Rocks to the Gull Rocks and the Teeth, in a
wide circle of ocean. Some of these vessels even sail the skies.

Boats are built and repaired at Siiluth and call at only a few ports in
the lands of humankind: the Moonshaes, Neverwinter, and Waterdeep, and
perhaps one or two others. In the past, the ships of Evermeet have
fought many battles with Ruathym, the reavers of the Nelanther (Pirate
Isles), and Calimshan, hurling back all attempts to seize the island or
its treasures.

Many of the elven nations from the Realms have sought safe haven in
Evermeet, and Evermeet's navy has aided in ensuring those nations that
made their home on the Sword Coast received safe passage to the island.
How elven nations far inland have made their way to Evermeet has not
yet been revealed, for while the Elven Court has vanished from
Cormanthor, there was no record of a mass migration of the elves.

Lantan

Lantan is a southern nation some thousand miles south of the Moonshaes
that is known for its merchant traders, found up and down the Sword
Coast. Lantan is widely known for its maroon-sailed, lateen-rigged
ships, which ply the crystal and deep green waters of the southern seas
of the Realms.

Lantan itself is a land of lush jungle and rock pinnacles, atop which
perch the turreted aerial homes of the Lantanna. These homes are often
joined to neighboring abodes by spidery, railless bridgespans. Lantan
is peopled by contented folk who worship Gond Wonderbringer, god of
artificers. The Lantanna carry on energetic independent sea trading in
order to make enough money to enrich their homes with splendid
ornamentation and new ideas or inventions, which they are always
encouraging the experimentation with and implementation of.

The Lantanna prefer to avoid conflict, viewing combat as wasteful and
expensive. However, this has not prevented them from introducing to the
rest of the world the arquebus, a primitive musket that uses magical
smoke powder (which Lantan seems to have in abundance).

Both islands of the nation, Lantan and Suj, are ruled from the capital
of Sambar by the Ayrorch, a council of twelve whose members serve for
life and who themselves select replacements to their ranks. The head of
the Ayrorch, the ayrar, speaks for the council in Lantan; another
member of the council, the lantar, is its traveling envoy to other
lands. Neither position is traditionally given by seniority or as a
reward for service or merit. The Ayrorch seems to sort out its members'
duties on a pragmatic basis - those with a talent or liking for certain
tasks undertake them. The current lantar is Bloenin (N hm P24), a
cleric of Gond who delights in the interaction of systems, in
particular human systems such as governments, politics, and economics.
Those fortunate enough to encounter the man will find him reserved and
almost alien in his dealings, as if wheels were physically turning
behind his green eyes.

Lantanna as a race favor shades of yellow in their clothing and have
large green or black eyes, copper-colored hair, and skin the color of
parchment or old ivory. They wear loose robes and large sun hats when
at home on their islands, and anything practical when on ship or
trading ashore elsewhere.

Lantanna often barter, but among themselves they use coins,
particularly electrum and platinum pieces, as currency. Lantan
merchants carry trade bars of electrum and platinum, usually in the
standard 25-gold piece denominations and marked with the symbol of
Gond. This money is considered universal tender, but it has caused a
number of rights when presented beneath the noses of those who do not
like the Wonderbringer.

Lantanna dislike traveling far inland, but they do have widely roving
agents who keep tabs on inland events and on caravan companies - mainly
based in Amn and Waterdeep - authorized to trade for, and with the
goods of, Lantan. Unless an expedition to Lantan is planned, the
Lantanna most likely to be encountered are merchants or agents. The
Lantanna abroad tend to use native help wherever possible, so that only
the leaders of a Lantan trading group are Lantanese.

The typical Lantanese merchant is also a cleric of Gond of 5th - 10th
level, and usually is accompanied by a group of 3 - 12 bodyguards
(sometimes Lantanna, often local). Such merchants prefer a light touch
in their dealings as opposed to brute force, though when such force is
necessary, they hire adventurers to wield it.

Mintarn

Mintarn is a medium-sized island 400 miles southwest of Waterdeep. It
is best known as a safe haven for those in flight from the authorities.
This beautiful tree-cloaked island is a free port on the Sword Coast
where no questions are asked and no one is turned away.

The island is a refuge for fugitives from justice, pirates, war
refugees, mercenaries, and others who want to transact business (shady
or otherwise), buy arms, or enjoy themselves away from the watchful
eyes of foreign rulers and more proper authorities. Its wine taverns
and festhalls are legendary up and down the Sword Coast for both their
services and their danger.

Mintarn is ruled by a self-styled "tyrant" named Tarnheel Embuirhan (LN
hm F15). His Tyrancy, despite his title, is known to be open-minded,
open-eyed, and open-handed, and lets Mintarn tend to itself in most of
its day-to-day dealings. Tarnheel does keep order (brutally if the
occasion calls for it), keeps individuals from using force to gain
their ends on his island, and acts to prevent pirates, other realms, or
other scalawags from gaining control of Mintarn.

The Moonshaes

The Moonshaes are a large collection of islands well to the west of the
Sword Coast, divided into a collection of more than a dozen small,
petty kingdoms unified under one high queen. Those kingdoms in the
southern parts of the islands are held by the Ffolk, farmers and
fishermen who were the original human inhabitants of the islands. The
kingdoms of the northern regions of the Moonshaes are held by the
descendents of Northmen raiders.

The Moonshaes are blanketed with many forests of oak, hickory, birch,
yew, and pine. Much of the land is mountainous and rocky or low, flat
bog. The coastlines are primarily rocky, and brutal winter storms sweep
the islands during the winter months.

The Northmen invaders of the Moonshaes are descendents of the same
stock as the people of Luskan and Ruathym, farther north. After years
of raiding and pillaging the Ffolk's lands, the two peoples now live in
relative harmony.

The kingdoms of the Northmen are run by warlords (titled as kings) -
strong and brutal people who have won their posts through a combination
of might and cunning. Each of these kingdoms generates a subsistence
level of food for itself (with no extra) through agriculture and
farming. The Northmen feel that it is far more honorable to live a life
of adventure than to farm - adventure that often leads them to pillage
the nautical craft of other nations, the coastline of the North, and
even the nonhuman-held lands of the Nelanther.

No single king of the Northmen rules the others, though the larger an
army or fleet that a king can muster, the more influence he holds in
the Northmen councils. Thelgaar Ironhand, Grunnarch the Red, and Raag
Hammerstaad have been powerful kings of the Northmen.

The lands of the Ffolk are also broken into many small kingdoms.
Unlike the Northmen, however, all of the kings of the Ffolk owe fealty
to the high king or queen, who resides in his or her massive fortress
at Caer Callidyrr, on the island of Alaron.

The Ffolk concentrate much more heavily than the Northmen on peaceful
pursuits, such as farming, fishing, hunting, and trading.  The lands
they hold tend to be more hospitable than the domains of the Northmen,
and consequently provide a wealth of agricultural produce, but also
serve as an ever-present invitation to the raiders' greed. The united
Ffolk are capable, however, of defending themselves from any invaders.

The largest of the Moonshaes, Gwynneth, contains a small region still
inhabited by the islands' original residents. This region is a broad
valley, with a huge, cold lake in the center called Myrloch. The entire
region is referred to as Myrloch Vale, and rumors among both the
Northmen and the Ffolk speak of the enchanted nature of the place. Here
dwell small bands of reclusive dwarves, firbolg giants, and a race
known as the Llewyrr, an elven people.

All of the dominant native races of the Moonshaes, including the Ffolk
and excluding the Northmen, worship a goddess that is visualized as the
mother of all life, and indeed of the world itself.  She is often
referred to as the Earthmother. The words of the goddess are spread
through her druids. These druids tend to consider themselves a breed
apart from those on the mainland of Faerun, and are polite, though
distant and reserved, in dealing with such druidic circles. The Great
Druid here, mistress of all the druids in the North, is Robyn Kendrick,
former high queen of the isles.

The Northmen worship a stormy aspect of Tempus, god of war, through
their own shamans. These shamans promote those teachings of Tempus that
support their view of the world as a victim waiting for the raiders'
plundering hands.

In the recent past, clerics teaching the faiths of some of the other
religions of the Realms have arrived in the kingdoms of the Moonshaes
and have attempted to spread their own faiths. These clerics have
generally met with death among the Northmen, and an attitude of amused
disbelief among the Ffolk. The clerics of these new gods have made a
few converts among the Ffolk, but they by and large remain true to
their ancient beliefs.

The Ffolk and the Northmen have struggled throughout their history, and
only in the past 20 years has there been peace between them under the
rulership of High King Tristan Kendrick (NG hm R16) of the Ffolk.
Recently, the Ffolk, Northmen, and Llewyrr have united to defeat a plot
of the god Talos to dominate the isles. Tristan has since abdicated his
position to join his wife

Robyn in Myrloch Vale, leaving the reins of government to his daughter,
Alicia (CG hf R7), and her husband, King Keane (LG hm W14).

The Nelanther

The Nelanther comprises scattered islands that trail from the coast of
Faerun, jutting out from Amn into the Trackless Sea.  Most of the
islands are wild and almost waterless, uninhabited by humanity. Some
are the home of the most brutal reavers and corsairs to be found in
Faerun.

The Nelanther are also called the Pirate Isles, which creates confusion
between them and the islands of the same name in the Sea of Fallen
Stars. However, the pirates of the Sword Coast are very different from
their Inner Sea cousins. While the inhabitants of the Pirate Isles of
the Heartlands are primarily humans, the Nelanther's peoples are
seagoing members of various nonhuman races - lizard men, ores, ogres,
and minotaurs, with a minority of evil human mages and priests. In
addition, the savagery of the Nelanther reavers far exceeds the worst
atrocities of the Fallen Star pirates. The Nelanther reavers have no
internal codes, no secret alliances, and no close relationship with any
other nation for supplies.

Uncounted numbers of reaver nations are scattered throughout the
Nelanther, most consisting of little more than a base area and a few
ships. Most of the viable and healthy creatures of the region are
raiders, while the weak, infirm, and children remain ashore, engaging
in wrecking and salvaging. Many land-bound tribes start their pirating
careers by drawing a Waterdhavian caravel or Amnian merchant onto the
rocks, then refitting it as their own warship. A few free ports exist
in the chain, but they only last a few generations before being
discovered and destroyed by other navies or falling to internal
dissent.

The Nelanther tribes fight among themselves as much as with merchant
ships (and the regular fleets that sail out of Evermeet, the Moonshaes,
and Amn to deal with their threat). Of old, when Illefarn was in bloom,
the Nelanther was said to be the home of a powerful nonhuman
civilization. Each race claims that it was their species that commanded
this culture, but the truth remains unknown. That the Nelanther was
once occupied by an advanced race is incontestable; tall Sea Towers jut
out of the isles (and occasionally, the ocean) throughout the chain.
The natives regard these as places of evil magic, and as such, avoid
them.

The Nelanther reavers deter only a portion of the trade coming north
out of the Empires of the Sands, which either takes the road network or
swings far to the west through the Moonshaes to avoid the reavers. In
this way, the reavers benefit both the Moonshaes and such coastal towns
as Beregost and Baldur's Gate by driving trade their way.

Nimbral

Nimbral the Sea Haven is a fabled land that may in truth not exist, for
it is rumored to be south of the southernmost of the known realms, as
far south from Lantan as Lantan is from the Moonshaes. It is a
fabulous, legendary nation, supposedly the home of great mages of
power.

Far to the south of the Sword Coast lands, this lone island is said to
rise out of the Great Sea. Nimbral is spoken of as the Realm of the
Flying Hunt, and from this tiny land of forests and high meadows,
warriors dressed in armor of glass are said to mount pegasi and take to
the air, raiding nearby shipping.  Nimbral is home to an enclave of
extremely powerful, though studious and introverted, archmages, known
as the Nimbral lords.

There are reputed to be 27 or so of these lords with perhaps a dozen
more apprentices of some accomplishment, and they form a tightly knit,
loyal family. The lords of Nimbral keep to themselves and the
maintenance of their realm. This introverted application of their
studies has, it is said, resulted in strong but unique magical
developments, in particular discoveries involving illusion,
displacer-type spells, and magics that duplicate the psionic
disciplines.

The above may be all a fairy story, for many tales come out of the
South involving great and powerful magics that exceed the powers of the
North. Yet just as often a flying ship appears on the horizon, carrying
wonders from such a land as this or Halruaa, and so mention of Nimbral
is included herein.

Orlumbor

Orlumbor is a rocky, bare island just off the Sword Coast, 300 miles
south of the city of Waterdeep. It is home to a few fishermen, some
goatherds, and the most skilled shipwrights in the Realms. The finest
ships of the North find their origins at the docks of Orlumbor.

Of old the island of Orlumbor was covered with trees, though these have
long since been cut down. Most of the ships that ply the Sword Coast
have been built, or at least repaired, here.

Orlumbor has a good natural harbor on its landward side. It is within
that harbor, cut into the living rock of the island itself, that the
docks and homes of the shipwrights of the island are found.  The homes
are cave-like complexes connected by tunnels and stairs, and the
construction docks are seldom empty or deserted.

Orlumbor is an independent nation that has several times retained its
independence solely by having Waterdeep as a strong ally. That
city-state of the Sword Coast has stepped in to aid Orlumbor in
conflicts with Mintarn (before the advent of the "tyrant" there), then
Baldur's Gate, and most recently, Amn. The Lords of Waterdeep see it in
their best interests to keep the most important shipbuilding center of
the Sword Coast independent of any of Waterdeep's strong rivals.

Orlumbor is home to the mage Delshara Windhair (CG hf W17), also called
the Witch of the Waves, whose magics are reported to have hurled back
ships from the Pirate Islands and from Luskan that were attacking
Orlumbor.

Ruathym

The home of raiders and pirates, Ruathym is a land of bold, proud
humans and a seagoing breed of dwarves. Ruathym is also the ancestral
home of the Northmen who settled in the Moonshaes.  The island is a
regular combatant with the coastal city of Luskan.

Ruathym is united under the iron grip of First Axe Aumark Lithyl (LN hm
F13), who consolidated four petty kingdoms on the island into a single
unified nation during a war with Luskan in 1357 DR.

Ruathym is a rocky, forbidding land, its coast riven with deep fjords
and clear bays. The land itself has stands of magnificent pines that
are protected from cutting by the authority of the First Axe, to
prevent indiscriminate shipbuilding. The land is mostly civilized, with
few wild creatures. Its greatest danger is the Northmen themselves, a
lusty, violent people "two steps up from barbarians," in the words of
one Waterdhavian mercenary recruiter.

The Savage North
----------------

The North, known also as the Savage North and the Savage Frontier, is a
wild, untamed, and dangerous land located north and east of Waterdeep.
The very definition of the North depends on the definer - to a merchant
from Calimport, everything north of Tethyr, including all of the
Heartlands, is the Barbarian North, while to a native of Silverymoon,
the North begins beyond that reasonable city's walls.

The North is a land of barbarians and goblin tribes, and is dotted by
walled cities and ancient dwarven fastnesses. The highest mountains in
Faerun, the Spine of the World, form the North's uppermost border. Most
of its forests are still virgin and untrammeled by human settlement.

As such, it attracts both adventurers and settlers. Adventurers seek
the wreckage of the lost kingdoms, the abandoned dwarf holds, and the
wizard towers. The settlers look for new lands to farm and new
opportunities. As in the Western Heartlands, the region is dotted with
the small holds and settlements of this retired adventurer and that
petty lord. Some, like Loudwater and Leilon, grow into full-fledged
cities, while others perish quietly, leaving ghostly reminders of
humankind's passage this way.

Barbarian Peoples

When the first civilized humans emigrated into the Savage North, they
found the land already inhabited by humans. These were a dark-haired,
blue-eyed people, a large and hardy folk descended from savages,
outcasts and refugees of Netheril, and early explorers.  These people
took their name from their legendary founder, Uthgar, and call
themselves the Uthgardt.

The Uthgardt roam the North in the land between the citadels and
fortress towns. Civilization is viewed as a weakness among these
people, and magic - as opposed to priestly spells - a sin. They
maintain a nomadic life, living by hunting (and among evil tribes, by
plundering).  Leathers and furs are common dress, and male warriors
tattoo the image of their totem, the symbol of their tribe, on
themselves.

The Uthgardt venerate Uthgar, their founder, who in their mythology is
the son of Tempus and the husband of Chauntea (both of whom they also
venerate). However, the Beast Cults are also very strong within the
Uthgardt tribes, such that each tribe has its own totem and individual
quasi-power.

Relationships between the Uthgardt and the civilized towns vary
according to season and whim. Civilized people and unprotected caravans
are often considered fair game by the Uthgardt barbarians.

Citadel Adbar

A large and powerful dwarven community in the North, Adbar properly,
Adbarrim) is the last shard of the dead dwarven kingdom of Delzoun.
Only the gate tower is visible above the surface, for this is an
underground city, with miles of granite corridors snaking beneath the
Ice Mountains.

Citadel Adbar is ruled by King Harbromm, son of Thalbromm (LN dm F13),
who has held his community together in the face of threats from the
orcish tribes and the rising power of Hellgate Keep.

Hellgate Keep

Of old, the elven kingdom of Eaerlann founded the tower of Ascalhorn on
a jutting crag commanding the valley below. The elves' purpose was to
protect their lands from orcish invasions and the refugees created by
the fall of Netheril. Ascalhorn served its purpose well, for it
guaranteed the peace for a century. Ascalhorn developed into an
awe-inspiring city of magic and wonder, rivaling even Myth Drannor in
power and majesty.

In the end, Ascalhorn fell victim to an assault from within. A foolish
and/or evil mage opened a gate to the lower planes and welcomed the
forces of darkness in. Creatures of the Abyss infiltrated the city, and
in one hellish night slew the majority of the inhabitants in their
beds. The remaining people fled to Sundabar, Silverymoon, and Citadel
Adbar, and told of the horrors that had visited Ascalhorn. Hellgate
Keep was born.

Hellgate Keep is a foulspawn city, and its patrols and minions
regularly threaten its neighbors. Its commander is Grintharke, a
tanar'ri of great power who is served by magically altered dinosaurlike
creatures.

High Forest

The greatest forest in the North is the High Forest, and it has
remained untouched by woodcutters' blades for centuries. It is the home
of powerful druids, half-elves, and elven refugees. Treants dominate
the northern quarter, known as the Woods of Turlang.  Drow and ores are
said to dwell in the earth deep beneath the forest.  Aarakocra nest in
the high mountains at the center, which are known as the Star Mounts. A
series of escarpments and gorges created by the flow of the Unicorn
Run, called the Sisters, lies to the south of the Star Mounts.

The High Forest was part of the old elven kingdom of Eaerlann, but
great stretches of it have never seen a ruler of any race. The woods
are regarded as magical, and wizard weather is relatively common within
their borders - blood-red snow, boiling rain, and explosive hailstones
being not unknown occurrences. It is said that the Dire Wood, an
enchanted section of the forest that once housed ruined Karse, is
responsible for the destructive weather.

Icewind Dale

The most northerly civilized area in the Realms, Icewind Dale is
literally at the end of the earth, pressed hard against the Spine of
the World and the Sea of Moving Ice. It comprises a collection of
trading communities known as Ten Towns that trade with the northern
barbarians and in local crafts. The Icewind Dale also has a reputation
as a hide-out for those seeking to lose themselves or other pursuers.

Each town is has its own government, but all look to Cassius as their
spokesperson. The best-known native of Icewind Dale, however, is the
hero Wulfgar, son of Beornegar (CG hm F8).

Llorkh

Formerly a sleepy mining community, Llorkh has become a base of
Zhentarim operations in the Savage North. The old lord of the community
was mysteriously murdered, and the wizard Geildarr (LE hm W7) installed
himself as the new ruler.

Most of the inhabitants have thrown in with the new regime (though they
have no great affection for its leader), and the town is the endpoint
of caravans up from Darkhold. Geildarr has multiplied his personal
wealth several times over. He has been known to hire adventurers to
loot the remains of Netheril, looking for magic to improve his standing
in the Black Network.

Geildarr is served by a force of 400 purple-cloaked Lord's Men who
protect the town from ores and protect Geildarr from townsmen who think
they can do the job better than him. The greatest threat to the Black
Network's growth in the area is another evil force in the region,
Hellgate Keep.

Llorkh has a thriving temple to Cyric. It is presided over by Mythkar
Leng (late of Bane) (LE hm P12).

Luskan

The City of Sails is, with Neverwinter, the dominant coastal city north
of Waterdeep. It is the home of fierce, proud, and warlike Northmen who
engage in trade and raiding up and down the Sea of Swords. It is a
pirate haven for raiders, under the direction of their captains. Luskan
ships have been involved in conflicts with Ruathym, Mintarn, and
Orlumbor. They give the ships of Amn and Waterdeep a wide berth, and
have unsuccessfully attempted to raid Lantanese ships on a number
occasions.

Luskan is ruled by a council of five high captains, all of whom are
assumed to be former pirates. There are temples to Auril, Tempus, and
Umberlee within the city walls.

Mirabar

Mirabar is the mining center for the Sword Coast, sending its forged
metal bars, fine gems, and exquisite metalwork south to Waterdeep or
overland to Luskan. It is home to a combined population of humans and
dwarves living in relative harmony. The area around Mirabar is littered
with mines, open quarries, and discarded talus.

Mirabar is ruled by a marchion, but the true power is in the Council of
Sparkling Stones, an assemblage that meets each fall to plan out the
amount of metal and stone to be hauled out in the next year, and more
important, who those materials will be sold to. Many a petty tyrant
building his own empire has discovered that his supplies have dried up
if the miners of Mirabar do not approve of his attitude and actions.

Shrines to Tymora and Chauntea can be found in Mirabar, but most of
religious sites, and all of the temples, are underground in the dwarven
communities, and are dedicated to the dwarven powers.

Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a bustling city located further north along the coast
from Waterdeep along the High Road. It is a friendly city of craftsmen
who trade extensively via the great merchants of Waterdeep. Their
water-clocks and multihued lamps can be found throughout the Realms.

Neverwinter gained its name not from its craftsmen, but from the skill
of its gardeners, who have contrived ways to keep flowers blooming
throughout the months of snow - a practice they continue with pride.

"By the clocks of Neverwinter" is a watchword for accuracy and delicate
precision. The water-clocks produced here are accurate to within five
minutes over a year, provided that sufficient water is available. These
clocks sell for 150 gp each, can be carried by a single person (using
both hands), and are quite in fashion in city and town homes of the
more civilized regions.

The multihued lamps are the result of carefully mixed and blown glass,
and are designed to produce pleasing colors against the walls at night.
These lamps sell throughout the Realms, and are usually priced at 5 gp
each.

Neverwinter is ruled by Lord Nasher (NG hm F12), a retired adventurer
known to have stockpiled a great deal of magic in his time. An amiable
and fearless balding man who enjoys news of the outside world, Nasher
is protected by his own personal bodyguard, the Neverwinter Nine - nine
5th-level fighters packing as much magical protection as he does.

Neverwinter features temples of Helm, Tyr, and Oghma.  Helm's Hold is
presided over by its founder, Dumal Erard (LN hm P12). The Hall of
Justice, the temple of Tyr, is controlled by Reverend Judge Olef Uskar
(LN hm P10), who aids Lord Nasher in civil cases. The Halls of
Inspiration venerate Oghma, and their chief priest is Sandrew the Wise
(LN hm P11).

Silverymoon

The Gem of the North and its largest inland city, Silverymoon is an
echo of lost Myth Drannor. It is a beautiful city of ancient trees and
beautiful towers that crouches on the northern shore of the River
Rauvin. It is the center of learning and culture in the North. Elves,
dwarves, humans, and representatives of other races live in peace and
exchange ideas freely.

The city is ruled by High Lady Alustriel (CG hf W22), a powerful force
in the North and a senior member of the Harpers.  Alustriel is a
powerful spellcaster, but her greater talents are in her natural
kindness and graceful diplomacy, talents that have served her well in
preserving her city against the ravages of the North and, in
particular, the rising power of Hellgate Keep.

Silverymoon is protected by a number of magical spells and wards,
including the Moonbridge, the main span across the Rauvin. The bridge
is made of invisible force, and its crest may be turned off, sealing
the city from attack in that direction.

Silverymoon has temples to Helm, Lathander, Milil, Oghma, and Selune
within its walls, along with a shrine to Mielikki. It is also home to a
temple to Shiallia, the Golden Oak Inn and Temple, tended by Izolde (CG
hf P7), proprietress and high priestess. In addition, Silverymoon holds
a music conservatory and a school of thaumaturgy within its gates.

Sundabar

Sundabar was an abandoned dwarven hold resettled by human refugees from
Ascalhorn, which is now Hellgate Keep. The city is known for both its
excellent woodworkers and its extensive trade with various dwarf clans.
It is also the home of the Bloodaxe Mercenary Company. Sundabar is
ruled by Helm Dwarf-friend (NG hm F14), a former member of the
Bloodaxes.

Sundabar has temples of Helm (no relation to Helm Dwarf-friend) and Tyr
within its walls.

Anauroch
--------

Anauroch (A-NAW-rock) is a barren wasteland that dominates the North, a
huge mass of steppeland, rocky wastes, and true desert that runs from
the uttermost north almost to the Lake of Dragons.

The Great Desert was not always so huge, and has grown remarkably in
the past millennium, driving savages, goblins, and other evil creatures
farther south into the lands of humankind.  Many human and elven
kingdoms were swallowed by the wastes, and their ruins remain buried
beneath the sands. Netheril, Asram, Hlondath, Anauria, the city of
Orolin, and the great goblin kingdoms now all lie below its shifting
dunes.

The area of the Great Desert is in fact a collection of different types
of deserts, and includes hot sandy wastes similar to the Dust Desert of
Raurin, rocky badlands with very sparse scrub and no available water,
basins filled with salt flats and prickly cacti, windswept sandstone
mountains carved by the breeze into bizarre shapes, and polar steppes
and icy wastes in the north that rival those of Vaasa. In general, it
is as inhospitable a place as can be found on the surface of Toril.

Science, at least as it is currently understood, does not explain the
reason for this advancing desert, and great magical or godlike powers
may be involved. On the positive side, the encroaching desert has
forced trade south through the bottleneck the wastes create into the
realms of Cormyr, Sembia, and the Dales, making these regions the
wealthier for the loss of such great cities as Orolin.

For the longest time, the wastes of the Great Sand Sea were considered
to be totally uninhabited. However, Zhentarim activities along the
desert's edge (including an attempt to create a cross-Anauroch trade
route) have brought to light a number of intelligent people who make
the desert their home. The human Bedine are a nomadic race of desert
riders and sheikhs, and seem to be the Black Network's chief obstacle
in their goals. The D'tarig are a quasi-human, quasi-dwarven race of
thieves, spies, and bandits who are (sometimes) allies of the
Zhentarim. Races are also said to live beneath the sands in their own
Underdark: warrior lizards called laertis, lamias, beholders,
illithids, and dark, magical creatures unseen in the South who sit on
the buried thrones of the ancient Netheril cities.

The Cold Lands
--------------

The Cold Lands is a rough, loose grouping of territories that lie
between Anauroch and Sossar Bay, bordering on the Tuigan Hordelands,
and north of the Moonsea and the civilized nations of the Eastern
Heartlands. The name speaks of its main feature, chilling cold, often
because of greater altitude but most often due to the presence of the
Great Glacier, Pelvuria, that squats across this territory. Thar is
within its borders, and the Ride, but also Vaasa, Damara, and far-flung
Sossal itself.

The Cold Lands are rife with monsters, often the descendents of tribes
and clans pushed northward by the civilizing forces of humankind, elves
and dwarves to the south. Here dragons rule supreme, commanding petty
nations of nonhumans and human savages. Here ore hordes are formed to
swoop down on softer, richer races to the south. And here are lost
kingdoms and past glories, ancient cultures waiting to be discovered.

Damara

Damara is a region north of Impiltur and east of the Moonsea that
consists of a large number of petty kingdoms and small rural
communities similar to the Dales.

Until the most recent generation of humanity, Damara was a nation of
the power and importance of Impiltur or Sembia. It maintained strong
trade relations with other nations of the Moonsea and Inner Sea, and
its trade banner and bloodstone trade bars were found throughout the
Realms.

In recent memory, however, Damara was invaded by a force from Vaasa,
its northern neighbor. The war between these two nations lasted for 10
years, until the Witch-King of Vaasa and his forces defeated King
Virdin of Damara at the Ford of Goliad, sweeping the last shreds of
organized resistance from their path and slaying the cream of Damaran
nobility.

The Vaasan invaders captured the northern quarter of the kingdoms,
while the southern portion fell into small, squabbling baronies.  Only
the actions of Gareth Dragonsbane (LG hm Pal21) and other brave
adventurers prevented the Witch-King of Vaasa from ruling the day. The
Witch-King's power was broken, but most of the time since then (1359
DR) Dragonsbane has had to spend rooting out the Vaasan land forces
from Damaran terrain and rebuilding his shattered land. His most
enterprising endeavor has been to create the Gates - two huge
fortresses in Bloodstone Pass that will hold that land from invaders
and protect the valuable mines.

The people of Damara are similar to those of the Dales in appearance
and attitude. It is as though that the Damarans and the Dalesmen sprung
from the same wandering peoples.

When Damara was at its height, its merchants would use trade bars made
of chalcedony, a deep-green stone flecked with sparks of red jasper,
which gave the gems the name bloodstones. These bloodstone trade bars
were made in 25-gp measures, and the fact they were used in common
trade reflected the huge amount of this stone that could be taken out
of the Galena Mountains through scattered mines.

Such trade bars, marked with the crest of a Damaran noble house on one
side and the year (in the ruling years of the present house) on the
other, are used in the Realms today. Most merchants, however, see them
as cursed money, bringing on the user the same misfortunes as befell
Damara. Hoards of bloodstone trade bars may be found in the parts of
the Realms as part of more ancient treasures.

The faiths of the Damarans are similar to those found throughout the
Heartlands, though they pay special attention to Ilmater, god of
endurance and suffering, and in particular venerate the memory of a
long-dead patriarch of that faith, St. Sellers the Twice-Martyred. The
symbol of this sect of Ilmater's faith is either the bloodstained rack
or Sollers's own symbol, the yellow rose.

Glister

Glister is a small town situated at the gateway between Thar and Vaasa.
Well defended by hills on three sides, the community is a
rough-and-ready trading post, willing to deal with ogre tribesmen and
nomads as well as traders from the Moonsea.

Glister was the capital of the sole human kingdom of Thar, established
by Beldoran in 1288 DR with the death of the last ogre Tharkul. The
human kingdom flourished despite continual nonhuman raids, but was at
last overrun by ogres in 1303 DR.

Despite the destruction of its kingdom, Glister remains a powerful
force for civilization in the North. This is made possible in part by
the presence of Thusk Tharmuil (CN hm W24), an archmage who has retired
to the area, and the presence of three small temples which date back to
Beldoran's day: the Hall of Luck (Tymora), the House of Swords
(Tempus), and the House of Auril's Breath. The House of Swords is
particularly strong, maintaining a walled abbey outside the town and
hosting a force of 49 warrior-priests under the command of Ghordrimm
Sumbar (CN hm P17).

The Great Glacier

This huge icecap sits square in the center of the Cold Lands and is
responsible for the inhospitable nature of the lands surrounding it.
It, with Anauroch, is one of the great obvious features on maps of the
Realms. And like Anauroch, it is believed to have a magical origin.

The sheet was believed to be a solid, uninhabited wasteland from end to
end, but the studies of Vaasan explorers, along with those of Sharra
Frohm (LG hf F5, descendant of the famous author of Blood and Ice,
Palus Frohm), have opened up a world as odd as that found within the
heart of the Great Sand Sea. Like Anauroch, the Great Glacier has its
own indigenous humans, in the form of the Ulutiuns, a short, primitive
breed of humans who are perfectly adapted to the icy region where they
make their homes.

At the center of the glacier lies the surprisingly warm mountain range
of Novularond, reputed to contain lost cities and great wealth. No lost
cities have been detected in early exploration, but by this time
explorers have learned not to make final judgments on first sight. The
Great Glacier has proved as surprising as Anauroch, and as mysterious
as the Shining South. Who knows what other surprises wait frozen within
its heart?

Narfell is a dry, flat grassland at the foot of the Great Glacier,
separated from it only by Icelace Lake. Only a few plinth-like rocks
jut out at random from the grassy soil, scattered irregularly and
sparsely about as if by a careless and lazy hand. Narfell is a land
with vast herds of wild ox and reindeer. Once it was said to be under
the command of a magical empire, much like Netheril or Illefarn. Now it
is only the home of the Nars.

The Nars are horsemen, and their skill exceeds that of the barbarians
of the Ride and may well equal that of the best riders of the Tuigan
horde. Those Tuigan invaders who pressed the Nars did so after their
defeat at the hands of Azoun and the death of their Khahan. Already
badly mauled and without leadership, they were completely obliterated
in Narfell, but this is not exactly a fair test of the two groups'
abilities.

Some 20 major tribes of Nars dwell in Narfell. They consider the land
their own, and will fight to maintain it and their herds.  Lately,
trade with the Nars has opened up with Impiltur and, in the wake of the
Horde's defeat, with the rest of the Unapproachable East. Most trade
occurs at a yearly trade fair in Bildoobaris.

The Ride

The Ride is a wide, open steppeland that extends between Thar and the
Border Forest. It is the home to proud and savage tribes of mounted
barbarians. They may be related to the Tuigan horde, or be some people
forced out by that eastern empire, or even be native to the land, but
regardless of their origin they have made the Ride their own.

The barbarians of the Ride consider anyone and anything that crosses
their land to be fair game, and while they fight among themselves they
will band together to confront an outside foe.  Zhentil Keep learned
this in the Year of the Dragon (1352 DR) when its forces attempted to
launch a heavily armed assault on Glister, crossing Ride land. The
Zhentil Keep forces were ambushed and almost everyone was killed, the
leaders escaping only through magic. The barbarians erected a stone on
the edge of their land, facing Zhentil Keep, saying simply, "We wait."

Sossal

Far to the North, on the far side of the Great Glacier, is the
legendary kingdom of Sossal. This remote nation is the home of the
Sossrim, a very pale, very blond race whose members dress in white and
can conceal themselves in the ice. It is not known whether great magics
by the land's native shamans have spared Sossal of the Great Ice or if
those magics are the cause of it.

Sossal was first reached and detailed by Dabron Sashenstar (N hm F9) in
1357 DR, but little has been done to bring full trade to the area. Part
of the reason for a lack of further developments stems from the Tuigan
Invasion, particularly since a cadre of horsemen belonging to the
invaders caught up with one of Dabron's first caravans. Dabron is
believed slain.

Thar

The Great Grey Lands of Thar stretch northward from the Moonsea in a
rising steppeland that ends at the Great Glacier Pelvuria. Thar is a
desolate, uncivilized region untouched by the hand of settlers and
farms. Instead, it is a land of nomad raiders and the home of the
beast-men (ogres) and great bands of ores.

Thar was of old an ogre kingdom dominated by the hulking beast-men. The
ogres were both cunning and powerful, and have been credited with many
foul deeds (including stirring up dragons and calling all the inhuman
priests together to sink Northkeep).  The ogres were ruled by a Tharkul
(ogre king), who commanded their loyalty, along with that of yeti,
trolls, and other fearsome and dangerous creatures. The last Tharkul
was Maulog. Seventy winters ago, he was slain by the human Beldoran,
who established human Thar. Now Beldoran is dead, and the ogres plan
for the day when the Tharkul once again reigns.

Human activity through Thar is surprisingly common. Glister (see also
the entry on Glister) is a heavily armed encampment in the heart of
Thar, and is used as a base camp for prospectors, traders, and
adventurers. There is great mineral wealth in the West Galena Mountains
north of Thar, and every miner and dwarf knows that these are part of
the same mountain range that offered up the bloodstones of Damara.
Traders often find isolated communities of skilled dwarves who they can
trade southern goods with for fine creations in stone and iron. And
adventurers hear of lost, nonhuman kingdoms here, ruled by giants and
ores and ogres.

Vaasa

Vaasa was for years the name of the unclaimed waste and wild land
beyond the northern bounds of Damaran patrols, in much the same way
that the land of Thar begins where the claims of the Moonsea cities end
(and the monsters begin). It was (and for the most part remains) a
cold, wintery, unpleasant land of rolling moors and tundra that becomes
an impenetrable bog during the few weeks of high summer.

Twenty years ago, a huge edifice of dark stone bound in iron arose
overnight on a lonely crag only 60 miles north of the Galenas and the
Damaran border. From this Castle Perilous its master, Zhengyi the
Witch-King, declared mastery over all the lands of Vaasa.

Zhengyi soon made good his claim, recruiting an impossibly large army
of people, bandits, inhuman tribes, and mystical beasts, and swept
through Vaasa into its neighboring land of Damara. Through strength of
arms and treachery, Zhengyi defeated the Damaran armies at the Ford of
Goliad, and slew the majority of its rulers, including the King of
Damara, Virdin Bloodfeathers. Zhengyi is said to have accomplished this
task with the help of a powerful Grandfather of Assassins who operates
from a secret base in the Galena Mountains.

Through the actions of Gareth Dragonsbane and other heroes, Zhengyi was
defeated and his power drained from him. His magical citadel toppled in
on itself as his armies wavered and fled. The land has since been
returned to its original state - which is to say, a wasteland dominated
by hostile nonhuman tribes.

However, all is not peaceful, even with the great Gates controlling the
pass into Damara (see the entry on Damara). Dragons have nested in the
wreckage of Zhengyi's old keep, and reports have surfaced of a
wild-eyed priest of evil who is seeking to unite the nonhuman tribes
under his own banner. He calls himself the son and heir of Zhengyi.
What will come of this remains to be seen.

The Unapproachable East
-----------------------

The eastern portion of Faerun is a study in contrasts. Here lies
Impiltur, almost a western country in the manner of Cormyr and Sembia.
Yet here too sits scheming and exotic Thay, land of the Red Wizards.
Here is the wooded land of Aglarond, under the wise rule of its magical
queen, the Simbul, and yet also here are the rough and barren uplands
of Rashemen, home of a proud, semibarbaric people. It is difficult for
an outsider to gain an understanding of the region and its people, even
though they move through most of the other cities of Faerun as
travelers, traders, and spies. Hence the term "unapproachable" - the
only way to truly know the East is to have been born here.

The East suffered most heavily during the Tuigan invasion of 1360 DR,
as the invading hordes moved through Rashemen, Ashanath, and Thesk,
only to be turned back by an allied army of Heartlands nations under
the command of King Azoun IV. Many of the lands here are only now
recovering from the devastating effects of that invasion.

Aglarond

A small realm that keeps to itself, Aglarond exerts little influence in
affairs of state beyond its borders. It is important in the overall
strategic balance of the Inner Sea lands, however, simply because its
continued existence prevents Thay from spilling out into the Sea of
Fallen Stars. Aglarond's strength is its current ruler, a female
archmage of fabled powers, known only as the Simbul (CN hf W30).

Aglarond lies on the northern side of a peninsula jutting out into the
eastern end of the Inner Sea. It is a sparsely inhabited, heavily
wooded realm of few farms and no large cities. Jagged pinnacles of rock
stand at its eastern end; to their east, these fall away into vast and
treacherous marshes that largely isolate the Simbul's realm from the
mainland. Travel in Aglarond is by griffon, ship, or forest trail. It
trades lumber, gems, and some copper for glass, iron, cloth goods, and
food when freetrader vessels come to port. Aglarond, however, sends out
no trading ships of its own.

Aglarond cannot boast a field army of any size, nor a navy, but within
its woods the Simbul's foresters are expert and deadly troops, adept at
firefighting and at using coastboats (long, canoe-like open boats
handled with lateen sails, oars, and poles) to raid by night. These
foresters are equally well trained in treetop travel and fighting amid
the foliage. The foresters are alert and grim.  The menacing might of
Thay is uncomfortably near, and Aglarond's blades are all too few. At
the battles of Singing Sands (1194 DR) and Brokenheads (1197 DR),
Aglarond's forces turned back invading hosts from Thay, but the cost
was great. Skirmishes with raiders hoping to win glory for Thay, or
mercenaries hired by Thay, are common.

Little is known of the Simbul's aims and true strength, but she appears
to constantly roam the northern Realms, working to influence all manner
of events, operating in disguise or from behind the scenes. Such
actions are presumably to better Aglarond's safety, although the Simbul
is said to be a member (or at least an ally) of the group known as the
Harpers, whose aims are more widespread.

Impiltur

Impiltur is a nation of united city-states rising in the area south of
Damara on the shores of the Sea of Falling Stars, between the Earthfast
Mountains and the finger of the Inner Sea called Easting Reach.

Impiltur is still a land of opportunity for the daring and the
hard-working. Rich new copper, silver, and iron lodes have been found
north of Lyrabar and near the High Pass. Trade is increasing in the
area and reaching out to Rashemen, Sembia, Procampur, and Bloodstone
Pass.

Impiltur was formed 260 winters ago, when the independent cities of
Lyrabar, Hiammach, Dilpur, and Sarshel were united by Imphras, war
captain of Lyrabar, to face the menace of hobgoblin hordes advancing
from the Giantspire Mountains, from whence they had only raided
sporadically before.

Imphras established his line as the royalty of Impiltur, a line that
continues to this day. The current ruler is Queen Sambryl, the widow of
Imphras IV, the founder's great-great-grandson.

Sambryl (CG hf W17) understands the need that she appear to lead
Impiltur (and take an interest in that duty), but she finds governing
boring and tedious at best, unpleasant and insulting at worst.  She
prefers to travel her land, acting as a figurehead for the true rulers,
a council of protectors known as the Lords of Imphras II.

The Lords of Imphras II are the true protectors of the realms of
Impiltur and number twelve; their levels are unknown but not less than
11th, and their alignment almost always lawful and good. Their most
powerful member is Kyrlraun (LG hm Pal20), who is the Queen's most
trusted advisor.

Impiltur today is a war-ready realm, still on the frontier of civilized
lands, but largely at peace. It is friendly with its neighbors
Telflamm, Rashemen, Aglarond, and the scattered states of Damara, and
does not meddle in affairs beyond its borders. It did not suffer
directly from the Tuigan Invasion, though it did offer troops to the
alliance. The waves of refugees who flooded west during and after the
invasion had a greater effect on the land than the Horde itself. There
has been great disruption in Impiltur's cities, and only now are the
lords and the queen returning them to their previous levels of peace
and prosperity.

The arms of Impiltur are a crossed sword and wand on a dun banner,
bordered in scarlet.

The Great Dale

To the north and east of Impiltur lies the Great Dale. This broad, open
dale is said to have been the original home of the Dalesmen, but this
is unproven. It is similar to the Dales on a larger scale - a broad,
expansive valley that is rich in soil and vegetation. Yet, save for a
few trading outposts and hamlets, the Dale is empty.

Here dwells the Nentyarch, a mysterious mage of great power who rules
grim people and strange beasts. He lives in peace in the forest north
of the Dale, in a castle supposedly made of living trees. He seems to
have little effect on the Dale that is placed (by others) under his
command unless the wood is entered by those he has not invited. The
uninvited guests simply vanish.

Rashemen

Rashemen lies north of the mysterious land of Thay and is the
easternmost of the established realms. To its east lie uncounted
leagues of rocky, grassy wastelands, and the home of the Tuigan horde
and (it is rumored) other dangerous peoples. The land of Rashemen is
the home to a race of short, muscular humans who are concerned
primarily with their herds, and who are adept at carving bone and
sculpting rock.

The trade goods of Rashemen are wool, furs, and carved stone and bone,
as well as much-prized casks of jhuild, or firewine.  Firewine sells
for 1 gp a pint in Rashemen, 15 gp a pint elsewhere in the Realms.
Rashemen imports cloth, woodwork, lumber, and foodstuffs. Rashemen is
self-sufficient in war metals and has large herds of goats and rothe.
Rashemen is also the home of sjorl, a heavy, smoky-flavored cheese.
Sjorl is very nourishing, but it is an acquired taste, and little is
exported.

Some ballads refer to Rashemen as the Land of Berserkers.  Such is the
fearless savagery and stamina of its warriors that at least 20 invading
forces from Thay have been slaughtered or turned back from incursions
into the land in the last hundred winters. To date the Far Land remains
free.

Rashemen is ruled by a Huhrong (Iron Lord, or senior war leader), whose
steel-shod palace towers above the roofs of the city of Immilmar. The
Iron Lord commands Rashemen's standing army, called the Fangs of
Rashemen. The Fangs are a contingent of warriors clad in heavy
fur-and-leather tunics, armed with hand weapons, short bows, and light
lances, and mounted on surefooted mountain ponies.

The Iron Lords are chosen by the Witches of Rashemen, a group of female
spellcasters who hold great power in the land.  The continued existence
of Rashemen, hard on the borders of Thay and in the path of the Tuigan
horde, speaks greatly of the true power of the Witches' magic. There
are believed to be no fewer than 60, and likely over 100, Witches in
the land. Within the nation of Rashemen the members of this order wear
black robes and gray masks revealing only passive faces. Should a Witch
leave Rashemen for any reason, she abandons her black garb and conceals
her powers, for none has revealed her abilities or identity beyond the
borders of her native land. The central haven for these Witches is the
town of Urling. In their homeland, the Witches of Rashemen are
venerated and respected. The penalty under Rashemen law for harming or
disobeying a Witch is death.

It is this powerful order which provides the pilotless boats known as
witch-ships, and which unleashes monstrous beasts and poisonous gases
on vessels from rival Thay. These witch-ships roam at will throughout
the great Lake Ashane, also called the Lake of Tears, from as far north
as the Falls of Erech to as far south as Lake Mulsantir and the "harbor
of chains" at Surthay.

The people of Rashemen are by nature a hardy, brawling race.  Both
sexes practice the sports of snow-racing (a wintertime cross-country
foot race, clad only in the briefest skins) and the hunting of
snowcats. Widespread hobbies among those who can afford the time
include the collecting of rare and beautiful stones (including gems)
and exploring the old ruins in the north of Rashemen. The elder kingdom
that was located in the north was known as Raumathar, and is now only a
collection of destroyed citadels. It once ruled Rashemen and contested
with the now extinct magical kingdom of Narfell to the west (that
occupied the current lands of Narfell, but Narfell now is not occupied
by any kingdom, just the Nars).

The key ritual for young men in Rashemen is the dajemma, a journey to
manhood that every male Rashemi makes in his youth.  The dajemma often
has some far-flung goal, such as an expedition around the Inner Sea
itself, but if the youth returns home, he is accorded great honors,
considered an adult, given the rights of a warrior of the Rashemi. The
dajemma is a perilous undertaking, but has the advantage of showing the
young males of Rashemen the nature of the world outside, so that the
Rashemi have an understanding far beyond that of normal rustic
cowherds. These continual dajemmas have the additional advantage of
strengthening trade contacts with the West, and picking up useful
information about the nations of the Inner Sea, in particular military
information. At the same age, young females are tested by the Witches,
and those who qualify are inducted into their organization.

Sages, merchants, and mercenary captains generally agree that Rashemen
has no designs upon the lands around it. As with most nations that
border Thay, its primary concern is survival in the face of an
expansionistic, hostile neighbor, and with the aid of the Witches, it
accomplishes that task quite well. Rashemen's warriors are fearless and
feared, but they are rarely encountered outside their homeland, and do
not have the reputation or expertise of the mercenary companies of the
Sword Coast.

On the eastern border of Rashemen are the ruins of Castle Rashemen,
destroyed by Yamun Khahan in the Tuigan Invasion.  These ruins are
reported to be infested with monsters.

The most common encounter with a Rashemen citizen is with a youth (or
band of youths) on dajemma, usually taking in the sights and much of
the liquor in the area. For most of the inhabitants of the Inner Sea
and Sword Coast, the Far Land of Rashemen will remain a mysterious land
sung of in minstrel's tales, the setting for feats of brawn, the
starting point of epic travels, and the land of the mysterious Witches
who can thwart the Red Wizards of Thay.

Thay

Thay is a powerful, exotic, magical, and evil nation that lies in the
eastern reaches of the Realms, bounded by Aglarond and Thesk in the
west, Rashemen in the north, the Inner Sea in the south, and Sunrise
Mountains and Endless Waste in the east. It is set upon a collection of
tableland and mesas known as the Plateaus of Thay.  The realm is best
known for its rich prosperity, ancient heritage, byzantine government,
and magic-based society.

Thay is controlled by a loose confederation of powerful spellcasters
collectively called the Red Wizards of Thay who are evil and paranoid
to the extreme, seeking to maintain their own power in their nation
while undercutting the power of other realms that they perceive as
dangerous to their existence. Other mages who are not of their cult
(and in particular those mages who are involved in ruling rival
nations) are viewed as threats to be eliminated. The total number of
Red Wizards is unknown.

Thay has a noble class as well: Tharchions and tharchionesses govern
its provinces, under the direction of the Red Wizards' chosen
spokesmen, the zulkirs (the most powerful of their magical
brotherhood). There are at present believed to be eight zulkirs, of
whom the name of only one is well-known in the Inner Sea lands: Zulkir
Szass Tarn (LE hm W29).

The collected Red Wizards are devoted to an expansionistic and
imperialistic policy of swallowing neighbor states. This policy has
been hampered by internal strife among various factions and personality
cults among the Red Wizards, and by the fact the cult trusts neither
mercenaries nor high-level adventurers that are not of themselves. Of
the large number of invasions of Rashemen, three out of four have been
led by some particular faction leader of the wizards seeking to expand
his dominion at home by bringing home victories from the field.

The Red Wizards roam the lands of Faerun seeking to increase their
power. Any Red Wizard so encountered will not be of less than 9th
level, and may be of up to 15th level. There is a 50% chance of
wandering Red Wizards having bodyguards (usually ogres or other
nonhuman creatures), and an equal chance of them having 1-4 low-level
(1st-8th level) aspirants to the red cloth with them. The Red Wizards
do not go in for subtlety, and wear their crimson robes haughtily in
all but the most discreet situations.

Faith is a secondary matter in the lands of the Red Wizards, but many
evil powers thrive here. Cyric has found a new and enthusiastic
following, in that the Thayvians recognize a winner when they see one.
Shar, Malar, Loviatar, and Talos are also venerated, and there are many
cults (encouraged by the Red Wizards) devoted to Kossuth, the Elemental
Lord of Fire.

During the Tuigan Invasion, the Red Wizards fought the invaders to a
draw, then politically redirected them toward the savage people of
Rashemen. This is typical of Red Wizard tactics - a show of force and
power, followed by crafty negotiations and advice.

Thesk and Telflamm

 Impiltur, Thesk has long benefitted from a rich trade route leading
from Telflamm on the Sea of Fallen Stars to Rashemen and northern Thay.
In 1360 DR, this advantage was turned into a disaster as the Tuigan
horde used this trade route, the Golden Way, as a path to march into
the heart of the Realms.

Thesk is now a desolate land. Many of its smaller cities are in ruins
as a result of Tuigan raids, and most of the population was sent
fleeing to Impiltur, the Vilhon Reach, and the Vast. Trade still rules
here, and Theskian and Impilturian merchants are seeking to reforge the
links with the East, opening new markets to the Nars of Narfell and
beyond.

Thesk is plagued by inhuman raiders throughout its hinterland,
including a large and organized tribe of ores. These ores were
originally sent from Thar by Zhentil Keep to serve in the united
western army fighting the Horde, but they have remained, and continue
to plague the Golden Way and its surrounding territories.  In this way
one group of evil wizards (the Black Network) has made life difficult
for another group of evil wizards (the Red Wizards of Thay), while
everyone else suffers.

Thesk is ruled by an oligarchy of the merchant-mayors along the Golden
Way. In the wake of the Horde, this has led to inter-city squabbles and
threats.

Telflamm, a port on the Sea of Fallen Stars, is not a part of Thesk,
but is the jumping-off point for caravans heading east, and as such is
closely allied to them. It is ruled by a grand prince, but his rule
extends only as far as the edges of the city walls, and the rest of
Thesk pays lip service at best. Even within the city, the merchant
council and guilds seem to have more power than the prince and the
nobility.

The Old Empires
---------------

The common reference to the Old Empires (also the Ancient and Grim
Empires) refers to the lands of Chessenta, Unther, and Mulhorand, which
were among the first nations in Faerun, and still survive to this day.
They are weathered and beaten by their great age, but hold a majesty
that pales all of the Heartlands and the North in comparison. They were
old before the Standing Stone was set, old before Myth Drannor was
created, old before Netheril was founded. But unlike Netheril and other
vanished empires, these kingdoms still live.

The Old Empires are lands of god-kings and strange wizardry.  They
worship a mixture of common powers and deities unheard of in the rest
of the Realms. They tend to be insular and self-contained, rarely
reaching out beyond their borders to affect the surrounding Realms.
They consider themselves to be the center of the universe, the most
cultured nations on Toril, and they may be correct.

The Alamber Sea

This arm of the Inner Sea is also known as the Sahuagin Sea because it
is infested with sahuagin, who have built a great undersea empire in
its shallow, level waters. The kingdom is known as Aleaztis and its
capital is Vahaxtyl. Its leader is Krome (LE sahuagin Shaman 8, 8+8 HD,
and numerous magical items).

The sahuagin are relentless raiders, and indiscriminate as to their
prey. In many ways, the savagery of the sahuagin has been responsible
for Unther and Mulhorand being contained in what (to the rest of the
Realms) is a corner of Faerun.

Chessenta

Situated on the far side of Sea of Fallen Stars, Chessenta is the
youngest of the Old Empires. It is said to be a rich, fertile land
filled with wild, drunkenly crazy people, and in Sembian dance-plays, a
staggering, comic acrobat is often noted as "the Chessentan."

Chessenta is a land of powerful city-states with only the faintest
historical notion of a "national" government. The "nation" unified to
throw out their Untherite oppressors only 400 years ago, under the
command of the great war hero Tchazzar.  With Tchazzar's death, the
country fell apart, and it remains a kaleidoscope of rival city-states,
each with its own customs, loyalties, rulers, and agendas. Mercenary
work in the region of Chessenta is rich and rewarding for those who
wish to dabble in its pliable, ever-changing politics.

Mulhorand

Mulhorand is one of the great and ancient nations of the South, of
which little truth and much rumor is known. It is situated at the far
end of the Sea of Fallen Stars, in the region known as the Alamber Sea
(or the Sahuagin Sea). Mulhorand is the oldest of the known nations of
Faerun. Its capital, Skuld, was founded more than 3,500 years ago, and
is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) continually inhabited human
cities.

Mulhorand was once a much larger empire, its borders extending westward
to far Semphar and northward into what is now Thay and Rashemen.
Mulhorand is ruled by a pharaoh, the earthly incarnation of the
Mulhorandi supreme deity. The true power lies with the various rival
priesthoods. When Horustep III ascended to the throne at age 11, the
rivalry between the various faiths had increased to the point the
countryside is on the verge of an internal holy war. Things have
remained tense in the 10 years since then, and sporadic bouts of
violence break out frequently as the priesthoods test each others'
power and intentions.

Unther

Unther is an ancient kingdom only centuries younger than neighboring
Mulhorand, and despite a few early conflicts, the two nations have
existed in relative peace, Mulhorand's empire reaching north and west,
and Unther spreading east and south.  Chessenta was once part of
Unther's empire, which stretched as far as the Eastern Shar and the
Lake of Steam.

Unther is ruled by a god-king, Gilgeam, son of Enlil, the founder of
Unther. Gilgeam has ruled for the past two millennia, and unlike the
incarnations of Mulhorand, has maintained the same immortal form
throughout. Unlike the Mulhorandi pharoah, Gilgeam is deeply involved
in the major decisions of the land. The philosophy in Unther is, "Life
is difficult and hard, but you are expected to do the bidding of your
god because he is your god." Gilgeam makes many of the western deities,
including Loviatar and Talos, look positively enlightened.

Unther's political structure is currently eroding, as more people come
to resent Gilgeam's eternal rule (or misrule). Parts of the empire have
broken away over the years, but now the rot is reaching the heart. It
may take a century or two, but revolution is coming to Unther.

The Vilhon Reach
----------------

The entrance to the Vilhon Reach, a long southern spur of the Sea of
Fallen Stars, lies far to the south of the Pirate Isles, and its mouth
is guarded by the island Ilighon. It is a fertile, rich land divided up
into quarreling city-states and petty nations.

Like neighboring Chessenta, the Vilhon is an excellent area for
mercenary activity, and the warrior gods of Tyr, Helm, Tempus, and
Talos are all venerated throughout the countryside.

The people of the Vilhon Reach and many nations farther south have the
habit of marking their foreheads with small dots of colored chalk to
show ability. If they wear one dot, individuals can read. If they wear
two, they can write. If they wear three, they can use magic. Different
variations of this scheme are used throughout the southern Realms.

The three important "nations" of the Reach are Turmish, Chondath, and
Sespech. In addition, a large number of independent city-states and
trumped up local authorities occupy the region. A new "nation" may
easily come into being under the banner of a powerful adventurer in a
small town, rise to prominence in a decade, and then fade with that
hero's death.

Chondalwood

The Chondalwood is a large expanse of forest south of Chondath.  It is
a rarity in the Realms in that its borders are continuing to expand,
particularly to the North.

Of old, the northern reaches of the Chondalwood had been heavily
lumbered by the nation of Chondath. In a deadly magical conflict
between coastal and inland city-states known as the Rotting War, entire
counties and baronies were wiped out by mystic plagues and rotting
diseases (a surviving sample of this plague may have started the Great
Plague of 1317). Since that time, most of this land was abandoned, and
the woods crept north, overtaking ruined cities and citadels.

The Chondalwood is home to satyrs and centaurs, but also to various
vegetative and fungal creatures such as vegepygmies and myconids, who
rule the magically rotted hearts of the wood.  Mistletoe and other
parasitic plants are common, as are all manner of mushrooms and other
fungi. There are said to be druids within the heart of the Chondalwood,
but they are savage, angry dervishes, as willing to attack paladins as
ores in their protection of a moral and ethical balance.

Chondath

To look on Chondath now, a scattering of allied city-states and towns,
it is hard to believe that this is the same nation that produced the
merchants who settled Sembia and established it as a major nation on
the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Five hundred years ago Chondath was one of the supreme trading empires
in Faerun, and golden Arrabar was its capital. After that came a period
of decline, and then disaster. Conflicts with the elves of Cormanthor
convinced Chondath to abandon its northern territories. Then, a civil
war erupted within Chondath between the coastal cities of Arrabar,
Hlath, and Reth, and cities farther inland. The war lasted five years
(during which most of the military pulled completely out of Sembia) and
culminated in the Battle of the Fields of Nun (902 DR).

The battle was a devastating draw, spilling the best blood on both
sides, and worse was to follow. A magical duel began between the rival
alliances, during which many spells and ancient magics imported from
Netheril and Mulhorand were unleashed. As a result of those spells or
the combinations of those magics, a virulent plague erupted in
Chondath, destroying the inland cities and making them uninhabitable.
The coastal cites only survived through closing their gates and harbors
to possible plague-bearers.  The plague quickly subsided, but the
Chondathians were unwilling to return to their old haunts. Chondath
began its long decline.

Chondath today is a strip of allied city-states under the nominal
control of the lord of Arrabar, and ranges from Arrabar north to Hlath.
Arrabar is a sleepy city, a capital of a shrunken empire.  Reth is an
independent city-state. Rivalries among the various small communities
between them are common, and mercenary forces can find ready employment
all along the Chondathian coast. However, powerful magics are rabidly
shunned in Chondath in favor of battling with the sword.

Gulthmere

Gulthmere is a wide, tangled forest located on the shore between
Westgate and Alaghon, in Turmish. It is a sprawl of rising uplands
dotted with cedars and pines, eventually giving way to the Orsraun
Mountains to the south.

Gulthmere is noted for rich loads of mineral-bearing rock throughout
its length, particularly topazes and rubies. Prospectors and dwarven
miners roam the wooded hills and challenge the native monsters and
tribesmen for the riches within.  Adventurers, thinking of the riches
that the bloodstones have brought distance Damara, dream of petty
kingdoms within the wood's fastness. Indeed, the forest has swallowed a
large number of abandoned (and destroyed) keeps over the years.

Gulthmere is said to be protected by Nobanion, a lion god who roams the
woods. Nobanion is venerated by all the tribes of Gulthmere, and often
called upon to halt the invasion of greedy northern invaders.

Hlondeth

Hlondeth is an independent walled city-state thet commands the main
road (the Holondar) west out of Turmish. It also serves as a port
conveniently located directly across from Arrabar, Chondath's capital.

Hlondeth is called the City of Serpents, and is a stunning, ancient
city whose architecture is dominated by serpent designs and shiny green
marble brought out of Orsraun.

Hlondeth has been ruled by the Extaminos family for centuries.  Even
the polluting of the bloodline by those affected with the curse of the
yuan-ti did not shake the power that the family held. As such, Hlondeth
is currently ruled by a yuan-ti halfbreed, Dediana Extaminos (LE
yuan-ti female, 8HD). Dediana has a serpent body and a human upper
half.

Dediana apparently rules with a light hand, for the city remains
profitable and has good relationships with both Turmish and Chondath.
Relationships with Sespech are tense at the moment - Dediana's son, a
pureblood, is romancing the baron's eldest daughter. The city is
profitable and money flows easily.  Beautiful buildings are going up,
the most wondrous being the great aviary of Extaminos, nearly complete
in 1367 DR.

Nimpeth

Another independent city-state on the Vilhon Reach, Nimpeth is best
known for both its wine (the surrounding vineyards are among the best
in the Realms) and its mercenaries. Nimpeth is often a starting point
for adventurers heading west to the Shining Plains, south down the
Golden Road, or into the warring city-states of the Vilhon.

Nimpeth, like its fellow city-states (Ormarh, Lheshayl, Ormpettar, and
half a dozen smaller cities) is extremely sensitive, in a diplomatic
sense. Generations of petty warfare and internal disputes have rendered
offense unavoidable, and battles even arise out of buying some pears at
a local market.

Sespech

Sespech is a pocket barony at the lower reaches of Chondath. It
declared its independence of Chondath during the Rotting War, and since
that time it has been held by a number of rebels, occupying forces,
adventurers, and compromise leaders.

The current leader of Sespech is Baron Thuragar Foesmasher (LN hm F10),
recently installed after a mysterious series of assassinations
convinced the last baron to seek employment closer to the lord of
Chondath's court in Arrabar. Thuragar has declared the barony an
independent force, and is recruiting troops for "self-defense."

Baron Thuragar is also engaging in a shipbuilding program, with the
probable long-term goal of dealing with Hlondeth. The ambassador from
Hlondeth, Dmetiro Extaminos, son of the ruling (and evil) leader of
that city, has begun courting his daughter, Glisena.

The Shining Plains

The Shining Plains are a wide expanse west of the Vilhon that gains its
name from the slick-looking grass that dominates the area. The grass
reflects light as if it were recently rained on, creating a shimmering
effect (like "a living mirror," in the words of one traveler).

The Shining Plains are home to nomadic tribes of humans, centaurs,
thri-kreen, and wemics. Wildlife abounds, including bison, elk, wild
horses, mammoths, ground sloths, predators such as saber-toothed cats,
and flightless birds.

Turmish

The land of Turmish lies due south of the Pirate Isles, and is a rich,
fertile farming land of many small villages and a few larger
city-states. It is a relatively peaceful and civilized location,
well-managed and with few monsters raiding the countryside. It is a
good place to be from, as its natives have an excellent reputation as
fair traders, and they are welcome throughout the Inner Sea.

The people of Turmish are tall, mahogany-skinned, and beautiful, and
the men of the trading classes have square, long beards. In addition to
its farms, the land of Turmish is known for its ornate and finely
crafted armor. This armor is embellished with embossing, spires, and
raised, fluted curves, mixing elven and human styles.

Alaghon is the capital of Turmish and its largest city. It is ruled by
a freely elected council, with each citizen, regardless of race and
social position, having a single vote. The chief speaker is chosen from
the ranks of this Free Council. The duties of this chief speaker are
few, the most dramatic being maintaining local and mercenary units for
defense from pirates and other nations. Turmish does not start wars,
unlike some local city-states - they are bad for business.

Empires of the Sands
--------------------

The Empires of the Sands are three kingdoms located directly south of
the Western Heartlands, but whose influence is felt throughout the
entire Realms. These kingdoms are Calimshan, Tethyr, and Amn, and
collectively they are known as the Empires of the Sands.

The Empires of the Sands are lands of djinni and efreet, where the
local population and architecture show ties to the far-off land of
Zakhara to the south. There may be some ancestral tie to these people
(in addition to the irregular merchant ship), but the Empires are as
much a part of the "normal" Realms as Cormyr or Sembia. Unified
godheads and all-powerful fates are not part of these empires' beliefs.
"Exotic, but not exotic enough to hurt," is one sage's assessment of
the differences between Zakhara and the Empires.

The Empires are traditionally extremely strong nations, and although
the civil war that has all but destroyed Tethyr has become a regular
feature in the tales of bards, Amn and Calimshan are both major forces
in Realms politics. Amn, in particular, wishes to dominate all the
lands that touch upon the Trackless Sea. The opinions of the other
nations and cities on these shores about this are best left unstated.

Amn

Amn is the northernmost of the Empires of the Sands. It lies 200 miles
south of Beregost on the Trade Way. Its borders are considered to be
the Cloud Peaks to the North, the Forest of Tethyr to the south, the
Snowflake Mountains to the east, and the sea to the west. As a powerful
merchant nation, however, the reach and influence of Amn is much
greater. The land of Amn is called the Merchant Kingdom, and its
citizens range far and wide in the Realms, more widely than those of
any other land, save perhaps the natives of Rashemen.

Amn is ruled by a Council of Six. The Six are merchant-kings who are
masters of intrigue and manipulation, and have more wealth than they
can ever spend. This cabal of like-minded people has held control of
Amn for over 30 winters. During this rule, four members of the Council
have died, and replacements have been selected from Amn's wealthy
merchants by the surviving Council members. Amnian policy has not
changed in the slightest despite these changes in the Council.

Amn's rulers are shrewd, but more than one member of the Council is
also fat, lazy, and arrogant. Upon ascending to the Council, a
merchant-king is known only by his or her title.  Speaking, printing,
or otherwise using the original name of a merchant-king in Amn is
punishable by slow torture and death.

The preeminent member of the present Council is the Meisarch (CN hm
W13), who is never without at least 15 retainer/bodyguards (fighters of
6th level, trained to lay down their lives to protect him). He is the
oldest member of the Council, and a corrupt, jaded, and debauched
individual who seems to spend most of his days stamping out plots (real
or imagined) against his rule.  The remainder of the Council are more
reclusive and almost never leave Amn itself. They are the Tessarch, the
Namarch, the Iltarch, the Pommarch, and the Dahaunarch.

Amn is the richest land on the Sword Coast, rivalling the city of
Waterdeep itself. Amn and Waterdeep see themselves as the powerful
trade rivals of the region, and agents from both sides are always
abroad, gathering information about each other's activities and
disrupting each other's trade. Amn has recently opened the True World
of Maztica across the trackless sea, and a large number of Amnian
adventurers and would-be conquerors have left Amn for new
opportunities, such that Amn has been in need of mercenary companies to
maintain patrols on its borders. The nation is badly overextended, with
interests in a half-dozen foreign lands.  Should it be able to
consolidate its power, it will become the economic leader of the
Realms.

Calimshan

Located south of Tethyr, the rich lands of Calimshan are a hotbed of
merchant dealings and double-dealings. Established before Waterdeep and
the cities of Amn, Calimshan would be one of the most powerful and
wealthy nations on the western coast of Faerun, casting Waterdeep and
Amn into the gloom, if it were unified. In reality, the nation of
Calimshan is a collection of squabbling city-states, each such city
gripped by its own internal merchant factions and power struggles. All
pay (verbal) obeisance to the pasha of Calimshan.

The largest of these city-states is Calimport, and it is here a
sequestered pasha relaxes and debauches while his servants and
bureaucratic underlings squabble about the kingdom. Outsiders tend to
equate the two words, but not all Calishites are from Calimport.

By royal decree, all ships of Calimport's navy and merchant fleet fly
the flag of Calimshan: a gold field with blue lines slanting across it.
This, plus the general inclination of traders to gloss over troubles at
home, gives others the illusion of a vibrant, unified nation.

Calimshan considers both Amn and Waterdeep its economic rivals, and is
also involved in a continual series of clashes with the Border Kingdoms
to its east, which are considered part of the Calishite sphere of
influence only by those who must report to the pasha.

Tethyr

Tethyr lies between the borders of the Forest of Tethir and the
gathered city-states of Calimshan. It is a land of large dominions and
warring lords, and an ideal place for the mercenary and the spy.

This rich but troubled land is now a realm of changing rulers and
uncertain power. The heir to Alemander IV staged a pocket revolution to
put himself on the throne, but did not reckon with the degree of
discontent among the Amnian people. The heir was assassinated along
with Alemander, and, in a period known as the Ten Black Days of Eleint,
most of the royal court was eliminated.

Tethyr's former ruling family has been hunted into virtual extinction
following the death of Alemander IV, and political chaos reigns.
Nonhumans (given no power in the previous human regime) have formed
their own independent states. Nobles (those who survived) vie for
position and contend for power based on the slightest tint of royal
blood. Double-crosses, treason, and ambush are all accepted political
methods in modem Tethyr.

The royal family of Tethyr is believed fully destroyed, though on
occasion a claimant or pretender arises to rally forces of one type or
another. If any direct-line heir has survived the bloodbath of Tethyr,
he must currently be far from that land, using another name, and
keeping his lineage secret to avoid being hunted down by the various
factions.

Tethyr is still a wealthy and historied feudal kingdom of many noble
families, strong in arms and trade alike, yet until the situation
stabilizes, travelers are warned of the dangers of rival factions and
border patrols. Mercenaries and adventurers, however, are veil aware of
the opportunities available in Tethyr. Both the Council of Six (in Amn)
and the pasha of Calimshan watch the endless war with interest, each
thinking of the potential benefits of placing their own puppet on the
throne.

The Shining South
-----------------

The saying goes, "From the South comes all magic," and indeed, the
lands to the south of the Heartlands become progressively older and
more magical in nature. The original human civilizations in Faerun were
said to evolve from the West and South, though this claim may just be
Mulhorandi hot air that has survived to this day. It is known that the
South is a strange and marvelous place. When odd things occur, the
response often is, "Ah, it must be Southern magic," as if the
spellcasters of the South used books of magic alien to those in the
North.

The South begins where the rest of the Realms ends. The South starts at
the Lake of Steam (which forms the borders of Calimshan and the Vilhon
city-states), cuts eastward across the northern end of the Shaar,
across the base of Unther and Mulhorand, and at last fades out in the
wild hinterlands of the Hordelands. Its southern boundary is agreed as
being the Great Sea, which separates it from the even more exotic lands
of Zakhara.

Most of what follows is half-truths and legend. Those seeking the full
truth will have to go to the South themselves and separate the facts
from the lies.

The Great Rift

The entrance to Underhome, the largest known community of dwarves in
the Deep Realms, the Great Rift is the spectacular home of the gold
dwarves. It is a huge cleft carved into the Eastern Shaar, 300 miles in
length and 80 miles across at its widest. The floor of the canyon is
marked by buttes, temples, and mesas, and dominated by the Riftlake, a
wide and pure inland sea.

The dwarves have made this beautiful and forbidding place their home,
and here they thrive, having forced out the competing underground
races. They are looking to spread still further.  This is one location
in the Realms where the dwarven peoples do not seem to be in retreat.

Better known than Underhome are Eartheart and Kholtar, the great human
and dwarven cities that border the Rift. Here the dwarves meet with
strangers to engage in trade and send rich ores (and legends) up the
Golden Road to the Inner Sea.

Halruaa

The strange and magical land of Halruaa is a nation ruled by magic and
mages. It is a place of flying palaces, magical furnaces, and great
towers that defy logic and gravity. Its masters are wizards who are
organized into great schools, its lowest master being on the same par
with Khelben, Elminster, or the Simbul in the North.

What most people know of Halruaa are the legends of wonders brought by
their great flying vessels that cruise over Faerun like lords of the
heavens. These ships belong to the Halruaan merchants, who carry
strange devices and sell their wares (and their advice) to those who
can afford their price, and collect both curiosities and the odd rumor
in their path.

Jungles of Chult

Dominated by a huge jungle, the land of Chult, located across the
Shining Sea, is the home of dark rumors, ancient, fallen civilizations
and gem mines, and elder gods and lost magic. What is known from those
who have penetrated the edges of this verdant rain forest is that it is
a place filled with great monsters, with dinosaurs and other
prehistoric beasts that exist (in much smaller numbers and sizes) only
in the deepest swamps of the North.

Lake of Steam

The Lake of Steam is a large, enclosed bay of the Shining Sea.  The
region is extremely volcanic, such that a number of steam vents and
fumaroles cause the sea to bubble and smoke along its length. Its
islands are volcanic in origin, and its largest island, Arnrock, is an
active volcano.

The Lake of Steam has a large number of cities and towns along its
perimeter. They are known in general terms as the Border Kingdoms.
Little is known about these kingdoms, save that they trade with Vilhon
Reach to the north and are continually battling with Calishite forces
to the west. It is rumored that some of the cities, such as Mintar, are
held under the sway of cruel and insane outcasts of magical Halruaa.

Luiren

The kingdom of the halflings, Luiren is a southern nation on the Great
Sea. It is a nation of small communities without any centralized
government or ruler. Its largest cities, or burrows, are great hills
tunneled and retunneled by the families within, with a few buildings
erected for the "tall people" (often called the "poor tall people").

Travelers heading for Luiren are advised to make plans to go elsewhere,
not because of any great danger, but because while one halfling may be
a nuisance, a nation of them is a menace, particularly since they enjoy
turning the tables on their larger guests. Be prepared for small
chairs, low roofs, and being talked to loudly and slowly as if one were
mentally impeded by one's great size.

Raurin

The near-mythical desert of Raurin is a massive, sandy waste that-could
swallow entire nations of the North. It is located in the farthest
southeast, beyond the domains of Mulhorand.

Unlike Anauroch, Raurin is a great sandy waste dotted by rare oases and
dead kingdoms. It is also known as the Dust Desert and the Stone
Desert. Great and magical kingdoms were said to rule this land, and it
may have been their fall that first drove humanity to the lands of the
Inner Sea and toward the Sword Coast. What lies in Raurin is as yet
unrecorded, and its mysteries are held beneath a sandy shroud.

One arm of the Dust Desert surges north toward Mulhorand.  Called the
Plains of Purple Dust for its distinctive, blood-colored sand, this arm
has an ill reputation as being the home of dark gods and evil creatures
from the nether plains.

The Shaar

The Shaar is a most effective barrier between the Heartlands and the
Shining South, effective through its own emptiness. The Shaar is
dominated by miles upon miles of thick grassland, and peopled only by
nomads, herdsmen, and raiders. Yet, strange temples and abandoned
shrines to lost gods dot the lands, and some of the wanderers
encountered wield great mystical powers. Mighty winds powerful enough
to overturn wagons and lift mounts into the air are common.

The region known as Eastern Shaar is sparser, less green, and more of a
wasteland. Larger than the Shaar in area and more arid, it is separated
from the Shaar by a ridge known as the Landrise.  The Eastern Shaar is
free of any major features save for the huge chasm known as the Great
Rift.

Lost Empires
------------

The Realms today are built upon the bones of the past, on ancient,
fallen empires who have been swallowed by war, by plague, by invasion,
and by nature. These empires were old and decadent before the first
civilized, modem humans moved north of the Sea of Fallen Stars. It is
among their wreckage that adventurers often move, and the remains of
their past have become the treasures (and the deadly magics) of today.
Here is a brief and all-too-incomplete list of lost empires and cities:

Anauria: One of the nations swallowed by Anauroch, Anauria was one of
the "survivor states" of Netheril. It was known for its magic, and its
sword-making ability. It was abandoned 1,200 years ago, and swallowed
by the desert shortly after that.

Askavar: An elven community in what is now the Wood of Sharp Teeth. It
was abandoned by the elves some 800 years ago (estimated), its people
heading for Evereska or Evermeet.

Asram: Decadent Asram was a contemporary of Anauria and followed it
into decline as the desert spread over its lands. Asram is best
remembered for its most important city, Orolin, the City of Magicians,
where the spirit of Netheril (if not its wisdom) was kept alive.

Cormanthyr: The elder name for Cormanthor, Cormanthyr is the most
recent of the dead empires, and is not quite dead yet. Its home was in
the elven woods which the Dales surround, with communities in the Elven
Court, Semberholme, and the Tangled Trees.  With the recent Retreat of
the elves, only the Tangled Trees still has a sizable elven population.
The best-known gem at the center of old Cormanthyr was Myth Drannor.

Delzoun: A contemporary of Netheril, Delzoun was a great dwarven
community in the North. Citadel Adbar is one of the few remaining
outposts of that land; the rest of its great halls are in orcish hands.

Eaerlann: Situated in the eastern portion of the High Forest, Eaerlann
was an elven kingdom that survived the fall of Netheril.  The elves of
Eaerlann built Ascalhorn (later Hellgate Keep).  Eaerlann's people
emigrated to Evermeet, or helped form the Kingdom of Man (see below).

Hlondath: Third and last of the "survivor states" to fall to Anauroch's
onslaught, Hlondath was a nation of loggers and herdsmen.  Much of what
is known about Hlondath comes from its neighbors, the  dwarves who fled
from Tethyamar.

Illefarn: A contemporary and survivor of Netheril, Illefarn was a
kingdom of elves and dwarves occupying the North, including the site of
Waterdeep. The great dungeon of Undermountain was part of the Illefarn
empire.

Imaskar: The Imaskar may have the claim to having been the oldest known
(and recognized) human empire in Faerun. It was situated in what is now
the desert of Raurin and the Plains of Purple Dust. Also known as the
Artificers, the Imaskari left behind impossible architecture, devilish
magics, and cruel devices. It is not known what caused Imaskar's fall,
but Mulhorand, Unther, and Raumathar all trace part of their heritage
to Imaskar.

Kingdom of Man: A human-led kingdom in the North in the wake of
Illefarn, the Kingdom of Man hoped to retain the glory that was
Illefarn, and included humans, dwarves, and elves. It was swept away in
two generations. It is also known as the Fallen Kingdom, a name that is
often applied to other empires as well.

Mulhorand: A living "dead empire," Mulhorand's grasp once extended east
to Semphar and north to Thay before these lands cast off their
shackles. Ancient monuments and dark sorceries in these lands are the
legacy of this once-mighty empire.

Narfell: Occupying the land at the foot of the Great Glacier, Narfell
was a great and cruel empire whose leaders made dark pacts with
creatures from other planes. Their chief rival was Raumathar, and the
two destroyed each other in battle a thousand years ago.  The horsemen
who occupy the land now claim to be the descendents of the last battle
with Raumathar.

Netheril: An ancient and powerful human civilization that predates
modern human movements in the region, Netheril was a society of mages,
much like Halruaa (which may be a descendent, or at least a beneficiary
of Netheril's knowledge). The bulk of Netheril lies beneath the sands
of Anauroch, but some of its outposts dot the Lonely Moors and the
surrounding areas of the North. It is believed that Netheril died some
2,500 years ago, but fragments and "survivor states" continued on until
1,000 years ago.

Oghrann: Oghrann was a great dwarven nation that once surrounded the
vale of the River Tun, burrowed into the Sunset mountains, and dug
under the Storm Horns of what is now Cormyr.  It fell thousands of
years ago, and its survivors trade in the Far Hills. The halls of
Oghrann are now occupied by ores and other monstrous creatures.

Raumathar: A great eastern empire that once included Rashemen and Thay,
Raumathar is two millennia old and almost a thousand years dead,
perishing in battle with its foe Narfell. Its people were known as
powerful battle-wizards.

Shandaular: There may have been two or more Shandaulars, wonderful
cities of trade and magic. One was said to be in the Shar in the days
of Netheril, the other in Narfell, 500 years later. Each is described
as being a trading community of wondrous power and fantastic wizardry
that attracted the best talents of the region and rewarded them with
ancient and strange coins. In each case, the city's destruction was
also recorded, but not the agent of that destruction.

Shoon: Now called Iltakar in Calimshan, the city of Shoon bloomed at
the same time that the Standing Stone was erected in the elven forest.
It was named after its powerful mage-king, who was supposed to have
created the Tame of the Unicorn. Four hundred years after its founding,
Shoon was is ruins, for reasons unknown.

Unther: As with Mulhorand, the other living "dead kingdom," the
wreckage of Unther's empire can be seen throughout Chessenta and the
Eastern Shaar. It left more temples than wonders, some of which have
been turned to other tasks today.
