RAD&D
Really Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
7th Edition
By Adrian and Friends,
with special thanks to Nicolas Dessaux
CONTENTS
Doing Things
Meetings
Fighting
Making a Character
Character Classes
The World
Religion and the Gods
Cyclopedia of Places and Peoples
Doing Things
Stealth & Stunts: Sneaking past a monster, athletics, and using some magic is easier with less armor. Roll a d20 and add the character‘s level and AC. If the result is 20 or more, success! So a 4th level character with AC3 must roll 13+ to climb a ridiculously dangerous cliff.
Saving Rolls: When an action is not affected by a PC’s armor, roll a d20 and add the character‘s level, +4. A 20 or more means success. So a 7th level adventurer must roll 9+ escape a harpy’s magical charm.
Double Dice: Some classes are particularly good at some stunts or saves, and may use Double Dice in such situations. Roll two d20s and use the highest roll. Double Dice also allow a PC to attempt feats that would be entirely beyond characters without a special facility in the area, but he may only roll one die in these cases.
Listening and Noticing: Many situations are really matters of chance — the character’s competence is not relevant. In these cases, we’ll just roll a d6. As a rule of thumb, 1-2 will let the party as a whole hear a significant noise or spot a secret door.
Meetings
Reactions: When first encountering NPCs, The DM will roll 2d6 and include appropriate modifiers to determine the initial reaction. The reaction may change by 1 for each distinct action taken that could change it. Unsuccessful moves may backfire, reducing the reaction.
2: Violently hostile, immediate attack
3-4: Hostile, immediate action
5-6: Uncertain but prone toward negative
7: Neutral - uninterested - uncertain
8-9: Uncertain but prone toward positive
10-11: Friendly, immediate action
12: Enthusiastically friendly, immediate acceptance
Followers: Whether they be paid, loyal, or magically charmed minions, PCs can only accumulate followers whose level is no more than ½ the PC’s level rounded down. Monster hit dice count as levels. So 1st level PCs can only have followers of 0 level — untrained torch holders or charmed goblins with 1d4 hit die who will flee or die very easily. You can have only as many personal followers as your level. Your followers, however, may have followers. For example, a 3rd level Paladin may have up to three followers of up to first level, but each of them may have a 0 level follower — six men will follow the paladin. A 10th level wizard could have a total force of 260, of whom 160 are combatants. All expect regular meals. Followers are not acquired automatically. Each must be earned through cleverness, good roleplaying, and luck. Some will already have their own followers, but if they do not, the PC must arrange it if they are to acquire some. If a PC acquires more or higher level followers than he can control, the situation will degrade. This applies to a 1st level wizard who has charmed a 1 hit die orc. Something seems not right to the orc, and he is likely to become uncharmed, and subsequently uncharming, at an inconvenient time. A kobold with 1/2 hit die would be a more suitable servant, but if a second kobold is acquired, they will either squabble or plot against the wizard. A player can control and roll for his entire train of followers, but cannot assume his minions are robots (unless they are). When a PC reaches 11th level and acquires a commanding majesty, he can have double the usual number of followers, at 13th, triple, at 15th, quadruple, and so on. None of these followers are acquired automatically.
Morale: Enemies and followers sometimes lose their nerve. If substantially outnumbered, or when reduced to half numbers or hit points, monsters check morale. The DM rolls a 1d10. If the result is over the follower’s or monster’s hit dice, he will reconsider combat. He may not flee or surrender, but will look for an alternative to the current situation. PCs and enemy leaders can make saves to rally their followers. This usually does not take an action and can be performed with a battle cry or stern glance. It is even possible to rally in advance with threats, entreaties, or promises, so that the followers may rally without the PCs immediate knowledge. Followers that are very well-treated or thoroughly cowed may have a bonus to their hit dice for morale purposes. The save is not rolled until morale is checked. It is good form for players to call for morale checks on enemies when they think it appropriate, but the DM must bear the weighty responsibility of surveying the field of battle from the combatant’s point of view and determining whether they might break ranks.
Fighting
Combat Rounds: Each round is about 10 seconds long. Spell descriptions usually give durations in one minute rounds, so multiply by 6 when it matters.
Surprise: When in doubt, a roll of 1-2 on a d6 indicates that a party or band of monsters is surprised when an encounter begins. If one group surprises the other, they get a free round before their victims can react.
Initiative: Each combatant rolls 1d10+AC. Then each makes a general statement of intent before acting in descending order. Roll initiative for each attack. We keep the same order until the fight is over. Generally, a fighter can move ½ of MV and still attack. Discussion of group tactics and coordination with fellow players is encouraged and should be efficacious, as long as it is done quickly. Smaller fights in the general scrum may violate the initiative order if one combatant clearly has an advantage in weapon length or position.
Hit Points: A PC rolls his hit dice to find his hit points for the fight when his turn first comes up or he is hit by an attack.
Attacking: Roll 1d20. Add your To Hit bonus and the opponent’s AC. If the total is 20 or more, you hit! Example: to hit an orc with AC 6, a 3rd level ranger with a To Hit bonus of +3 needs to roll 11 or more (11+6+3 = 20).
Damage: When you hit an opponent, roll the damage from your weapon. Deduct the result from your opponents hit points. If you rolled a natural 20 to hit, do double damage or ask for a special effect. At or below 0, monsters are dead, and PCs collapse — they are out of the fight.
Two results are then possible, depending on whether the campaign is Old-School Slaughter or Middle-School Baby Epic:
Old-School Slaughter: the PC makes a save roll at the end of the fight. Success means follow the Middle-School Baby Epic rule, failure means death. The negative balance of hit points is applied to the saving roll. Example: a 6th level thief is chomped by a dragon and reduced to -5 hit points. He collapses, and at the end of the fight makes a saving roll — d20 + 4 + 6 - 5 requires a 15 or more to survive.
Middle School Baby Epic: Monsters keep them as prisoners or food. But not for long. If rescued and revived, the PC makes a saving roll. If he fails, the PC is severely injured and must rest and heal for a substantial time before he is effective again. He will move at -2 and fight at -2, and must save to cast a spell. He will have only one hit die. If he is again taken below 0 hit points, he must save or die.
Magical healing can justify a relatively quick period of recovery, but cannot remove the effect. A PC’s personal followers can make a similar save to avoid death, but their followers just croak.
Rest and Bandages: After the danger is over, all damage is gone .The PC will re-roll his hit points when another fight happens.
Magic: A character can cast a spell for each attack he has. Most spells take effect immediately. Casting most spells gives opponents in melee range a free attack. If they hit, the caster must save or lose the spell. Material components are not required, but speaking and gesturing usually is.
Making a Character
Choose a class. PCs begin with 3,250 XP. Some classes will be second level and some will be third level, depending on their experience progression. If you can’t choose, roll a d20. Note your level and your To Hit bonus. You have one hit die per level, of a size given by your class.
| Level | Easy XP | Medium XP | Tough XP | Best ToHit 1L | Medium ToHit ¾ L | Worst ToHit 1/3 L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 1000 | 1250 | 1500 | +2 | +1 | +0 |
| 3 | 3000 | 3750 | 4500 | +3 | +2 | +1 |
| 4 | 6000 | 7500 | 9000 | +4 | +3 | +1 |
| 5 | 10000 | 12500 | 15000 | +5 | +3 | +1 |
| 6 | 15000 | 22500 | 30000 | +6 | +4 | t +2 |
| 7 | 21000 | 31500 | 42000 | +7 | t +5 | +2 |
| 8 | 28000 | 42000 | 56000 | +8 | +6 | +2 |
| 9 | 36000 | 54000 | 72000 | +9 | +6 | +3 |
| 10 | 45000 | 67500 | 90000 | +10 | +7 | +3 |
Choose armor. Armor gives you an armor class (AC) and a movement (MV). Shields subtract 1 from AC and 1 from MV.
| Armor | AC | MV |
|---|---|---|
| None | 9 | 12 |
| Leather | 7 | 10 |
| Chain | 5 | 8 |
| Plate | 3 | 6 |
Number of attacks. #AT is 1 at 1st level and one more for every four levels thereafter. Casting a spell counts as an attack.
Choose three weapons, or two if you took a shield. Ranged come with 20 ammo.
| Weapon | Example | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| discreet | dagger or staff | 1d4 |
| ranged | bow | 1d6 |
| 1-hand | sword | 1d8 |
| 2-hand | halberd | 1d10 |
Choose three pieces of gear. You automatically have a shoulder sack, one unlit torch, one suit of clothes, and d12 cp.
3 torches; 20 extra arrows; paper, quills, and ink; lantern with 3 hours fuel; small mirror; chalk; flask of lantern oil; 10’ pole; string, lots; tinderbox; mule; big backpack; hammer and chisel; 1 silver-tipped arrow; large sack; 10 spikes; holy symbo; Garlic & Wolfsbane; crowbar; adequate horse; bottle of booze; 50’ rope; vial of holy water; 3 days food; map of area; 1 gold piece; decent cooking gear and spices; something else …
Find out what spells you know and choose your prepared spells. Look at the class description to find out what you know. Second level casters can prepare two 1st level spells, and third level casters prepare two 1st and one 2nd level spells.
Choose an Alignment. Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral, True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, or Chaotic Evil.
Character Classes
Other classes are possible — ask.
1. Thief (Human, Half-Elf, Half-Orc) — easy XP, medium Hit, d8, leather armor max, no shield, 1-hand or discreet only. Double Dice to stunts involving stealth, climbing, acrobatics, evasion, picking pockets, open locks, backstabbing and other physical feats of thievery. Extra multiple of damage for backstabbing every 4 levels (rounded down). Use magic scrolls with difficulty. Half-Orc: under much suspicion, low-light vision.
2. Cleric (Human, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Dwarf) — easy XP, medium Hit, d8, any armor and shield, 1-hand and discreet weapons only. Turn undead, prepare clerical spells. Cast 1 orison a day per level, without preparation. Half-Orc: under much suspicion, low-light vision. Dwarf: Double Dice to saves vs. poison and magical effects like transformations or charms (not fireballs), save to orient and identify construction nuances underground, -2 MV.
3. Bard (Human, Half-Elf) — easy XP, medium Hit, d6, leather armor max no shield, 1-hand and discreet weapons only. Double Dice to stunts involving acrobatics and saves involving entertaining persuasion, reading people, impersonation, seduction and swindling, gossip, and fascinating lore (not dry obscure lore). Use magic scrolls with difficulty. Bards pick up many cantrips and orisons. Choose 4 and randomly determine 6 more, picking the list you chose to roll on. Learn one random cantrip or orison automatically with each level gained after play begins. Cast one of these cantrips or orisons per day per level, without preparation, but must be making music or in some other way performing. Eventually, the bard can learn and cast spells as a wizard five levels lower. When making music during a battle for at least 2 rounds, the bard adds ½ his level, rounded up, to the morale roles of his companions, to rallying saves, and to attack roles, and also negates the effects of a harpy’s song and other musical assaults, and may even soothe shriekers. Performances have a chance of entrancing most creatures if the bard makes a save. Those affected must save versus magic or be charmed and sit entranced while the bard sings. Even those not charmed will listen to the bard for at least one full minute. Charmed creatures are subject to suggestion from the bard at -2 to a second save. The charm can be attempted on the same creature once per day.
4. Priest — (Human, Goblin) easy XP, worst Hit, d6, no armor, shield, only discreet weapons. Prepare clerical spells and turn Undead as a cleric 1 level higher. Cast 1 orison a day per level+1, without preparation. Goblin: despised, low-light vision, -2 MV.
5. Wee Fighter (Halfling, Gnome, or Goblin) — easy XP, best Hit, d8 Hit Dice, chain armor and shield max, any weapon but one smaller die size (d10 à d8), -2 MV. Double Dice to stealth stunts. -4 AC against attacks from giants (usually humanoid form, 9’ or more high). -1 level for followers. Halfling: Double Dice to saves vs. poison, death magic. Gnome: Double Dice to saves vs. illusions, can save to talk with most small woodland creatures , though the creatures usually don’t know much, see in low light. Goblin: low-light vision, despised.
6. Illusionist (Human, Gnome, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Goblin) — easy XP, worst Hit, d6, no armor or shield, only discreet weapons. Prepare illusionist spells, plus cast 1 illusionist cantrip/level a day without preparation. An illusionist can pick two 1st level spells known or randomly determine five, and can pick one 2nd level spell known or randomly determine two. All cantrips are known. Cannot create magical items, and can only use a few. Human or Half-elf: Double Dice for disguise and other mundane illusions. Gnome: Double Dice to saves vs. illusions, can save to talk with most small woodland creatures, though the creatures usually don’t know much, see in low light, -2 MV. Half-Orc: under much suspicion, low-light vision, Double Dice for disguise and other mundane illusions. Goblin: despised, low-light vision, -2 MV.
7. Fighter (Human, Half-Elf, Half-Orc) — medium XP, best Hit, d8, any armor, shield, or weapon. Human and Half-Elf: +1 Level for followers. Half-Orc: under much suspicion, low-light vision, Double Dice on saves involving savage ferocity.
8. Wizard (Human, Half-Elf, Goblin) — medium XP, worst Hit, d6, no armor, shield, only discreet weapons. Prepare magic-user spells, plus cast 1 cantrip/level a day without preparation. A wizard can pick two 1st level spells known or randomly determine five, and can pick one 2nd level spell known or randomly determine two. All cantrips are known. Goblin: despised, low-light vision, -2 MV.
9. Ranger (Human, Half-Elf) — medium XP, best Hit, d8, chain armor max, any weapon or shield. Double Dice to survival and tracking saves, and stealth stunts in wilderness. Druid spells as druid of 6 levels lower, including orisons. Dwarf: -2 MV, -4 AC against attacks from giant creatures (usually humanoid form, 9’ or more high).
10. Elf Wizard (Elf, Half-Elf) — medium XP, worst To Hit, d6, no armor, shield, only discreet weapons. Prepare magic-user spells, prepare 1 cantrip per level a day. An elf wizard can pick two 1st level spells known or randomly determine five, and can pick one 2nd level spell known or randomly determine two. All cantrips are known. Double Dice to saves vs. sleep, charm, paralysis (or entirely resistant), low light vision.
11. Stumpy Fighter (Dwarf or Goblin) — medium XP, best Hit, d8, any armor, shield, 2-hand weapons only do d8, -2 MV. See in low-light. -4 AC against attacks from giant creatures (usually humanoid form, 9’ or more high). Dwarf: Double Dice to saves vs. poison and magical effects like transformations or charms (not fireballs), save to orient and identify construction nuances underground. Goblin: despised.
12. Wee Thief (Halfling or Goblin) — easy XP, d6 Hit Dice, leather armor max and no shield, 1-hand or discreet weapons only but one smaller die size (d8 à d6), -2 MV. Double Dice for stunts involving stealth, climbing, acrobatics, evasion, picking pockets, open locks, backstabbing and other physical feats of thievery. -4 AC against attacks from giant creatures (usually humanoid form, 9’ or more high). -1 level for followers. Halfling: Double Dice to saves vs. poison, death magic, likable and tasty. Goblin: low-light vision, despised.
13. Assassin (Human, Half-Orc)— medium XP, medium Hit, d8, leather armor max, no shield, any weapon. Double Dice to stunts involving stealth, climbing, acrobatics, evasion, and backstabbing. Double Dice to saves for poison use and disguise. Extra multiple of damage for backstabbing every 4 levels (rounded down).
14. Elf Fighter (Elf, Half-Elf) — medium XP, best Hit, d8, any armor, shield, or weapon. +1 To Hit with bows. See in low-light, Double Dice to saves vs. sleep, charm, paralysis (or entirely resistant).
15. Paladin (Human, Half-Elf) — tough XP, best Hit, d8, any armor, shield, or weapon. Cleric spells as cleric of 6 levels lower, including orisons. Constant Protection from Evil in a 10 foot radius. Detect supernatural evil up to 60’ if concentrating. Immunity to disease. +2 to saves that represent strength of will or the favor of the gods. Cure disease once a week per five levels. Lay on hands to cure 2 hp/level, all in one use, once a day. May not backstab, and other vows of good behavior.
16. Elf Swordmage (Elf, Half-Elf)— tough XP, medium Hit, d8, chain armor and shield max, any weapon, prepare spells as an elf wizard of half level, rounded up. A swordmage can pick two 1st level spells known or randomly determine five, and can pick one 2nd level spell known or randomly determine two. All cantrips are known. Cannot cast spells while wearing normal armor. Double Dice to saves vs. sleep, charm, paralysis (or entirely resistant), low light vision.
17. Mage Thief (Human, Half-Elf, Goblin)— tough XP, medium Hit, d6, leather armor max no shield, 1-hand or discreet weapons only. Double Dice to stunts involving stealth, climbing, acrobatics, evasion, picking pockets, open locks, backstabbing and other physical feats of thievery. Prepare spells as a Wizard of half level, rounded up, including 1 cantrip per day per level, without preparation. A mage thief can pick two 1st level spells known or randomly determine five, and can pick one 2nd level spell known or randomly determine two. Cannot cast spells while wearing normal armor. Goblin: despised, low-light vision, -2 MV.
18. Monk (Human) — tough XP, medium Hit, d10 (!), no armor or shield, no weapons. Double Dice for stunts involving athletics, endurance, or physical evasion of any kind. Can use bare hands as a discreet weapon from level 1-5, 1-hand weapon from 6-10 (as +1 weapon for hitting creatures immune to normal weapons), and 2-hand weapon at 11th level and thereafter (as +5 weapon for hitting creatures immune to normal weapons). At 6th level, the monk also learns to throw small objects as ranged weapons, but his range is short. 1 extra attack. A monk may use two attacks to attempt a special melee attack on an opponent. The monk spends his first attack of the round preparing the special attack (the target must be designated), which occurs at the monk’s next initiative spot. The attack is then rolled normally and does damage as normal (the monk may choose to not inflict normal damage). If the attack roll to hit exceeded the necessary roll by 5 or more, the special attack is successful. A monk of 3rd level or higher can attempt to stun the opponent for 1-6 melee rounds. A monk of 7th level or higher may attempt to kill the opponent outright, though the opponent is allowed a normal save, and if the save is made is immune to that monk‘s death attack thereafter, though it is still vulnerable to stunning. Certain creatures, such as large dragons, oozes, the undead, and others at the DM’s discretion are immune to special attacks. The armor class of monks is reduced by their Hit bonus, but they continue to use AC 9 when rolling stunts and retain their MV of 12. A monk can slow his fall if he is next to a wall and suffer less damage, as if he fell 10 feet less per level. As Monks ascend levels, they gain a number of other special abilities.
19. Wizard Priest (Human, Half-Elf, Elf, or Goblin)— tough XP, worst Hit, d6, no armor or shields, discreet weapons only. Prepare spells as a wizard, but adds clerical spells to his list and can turn undead. Can cast 1 cantrip or orison a day per level, spontaneously. No extra spells per day, only a wider variety of spells. Can research and manufacture MU and clerical spells and items. Elf: must prepare cantrips and orisons, low-light vision, Double Dice to saves vs. sleep, charm, paralysis (or entirely resistant). Goblin: despised, -2 MV, low-light vision.
20. Druid (Human, Half-Elf) — tough XP, medium Hit, d8, leather armor and shield max, 1-hand and discreet weapons only. Prepare Druid Spells and cast 1 orison a day per level, without preparation. At 3rd level, Druids can automatically identify plant or animal type and pure water, and can pass through overgrown areas without leaving a trail at normal movement rate. At 7th level, druids are immune to charms from woodland spirits, and can change form up to three times per day. Each shape can be assumed only once a day. The cleric can be as small as a bullfrog or as big as a black bear (double his normal size). When changing form the druid rerolls his hit dice, ignoring previous damage (serious injuries may persist at the DM‘s discretion). Druids must battle through a hierarchy to advance to the higher levels.
The World
Language: There’s effectively only one language. Though elves throw in some elvish words and giant lynxes thrown in some lynx jive, everyone can communicate. When a gnome speaks with a gopher, the gopher is articulating the same words as everyone else, the gnome is just used to the accent.
The Forgotten Realms: We’re on a planet called, by those who think about these things, Abeir-Toril, on a continent called Faerun, near the western coast, in areas called the Western Heartlands, the Sword Coast, and the North (or “Savage Frontier“).
Don’t Worry: The Forgotten Realms setting was introduced in 1987. An endless stream of 90% shitty products have been detailing it ever since, so it’s got a terrible rep among some gamers. But the Forgotten Realms are charming and very broadly sketched in the original conception, so I’ve got a lot of affection for it. Here’s my promise:
- You will never meet novel-famous NPCs. Or if you do, you can kill them.
- Nothing world shaking will happen that you have not instigated. The important events are whatever you do. As you bumble around, your actions may set off calamities, or they may not. The future is entirely in your hands.
- You are welcome to just try to extract every gold tooth from every ancient king you can find in the crypts of the North, and you are equally welcome to seek power and position and try to bring the world to heel. You are especially welcome to try to pull off good deeds. Not easy!
What Follows: Most of the rest of this booklet is pasted from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, though it has been cut down considerably. You can consider your character to know all these things. Some of them are true, some are probably not.
Names: The system of naming is wide and varied in the realms, with many local customs common. Player characters may carry one- or two-part names, nicknames, titles, or pseudonyms in 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 the 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, of 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.) In the course of a lifetime, an average human can take and discard several surnames, keeping his given name throughout.
Human Nobles and Gentry These 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. For example, the Wyvernspurs of Cormyr, while still well off, are significantly less powerful than the days when they were advisors to the king. Again, special names for events or appearances are common.
Human Magic-Users Magic-users tend to eschew long titles and names, and the general feeling is that a mage’s fame should precede him, 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 Elminster of Waterdeep, but the reference of Elminster (or even the more modest Elminster the Sage) refers to the advisor without peer who resides in Shadowdale.
Human Clerics Identifications of the faiths of the realms are usually included in a name, supplanting any family or noble names. Amaster, Cleric of Tymora can be referred to as Amaster of Tymora without incident. In higher church circles, involving leaders of particular temples or faiths, the full title is important, such as Asgaorth of Tempus, patriarch of Baldur’s Gate.
Elves The People have family names, which they tend to translate back into common as nicknames, so that there will be families of Strongbows or Starglows in the world. Such family names are important in that elvish siblings can be hundreds of years apart in age. Half-elves take Elvish or Human naming fashions, depending on where they were raised, and change back and forth several times.
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, such as Mongor of the Iron House. Dwarves with a hero or dwarf of renown in their heritage may use the appellation son of or grandson of 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 longstanding family ties, such that a third name, for location, may be necessary. For example, outside of his home land, Wysdor Sandminer may have to be known as Wysdor Sandminer, of the Sandminers of Arabel, to avoid constant discussions with other gnomes that may or may not be close relations.
Halfings Halflings are similar to the gnomes in the fact that they both given and surnames, but both those names may change over time, and be overlapped with nicknames for adventures, physical abilities, and pet or diminutive names, and in addition, 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 diminuitive Gorky and the nickname High Roll. The last comes from his penchant for dicing for treasure, saying High Roll gets it! If the others agree to such a deal, the Halfling feels no qualm, regardless of the dice, taking his rightful property from the others. (After all, they did agree that High Roll would get it.)
Other Races. Most of the other races make do with a single name, and further clarification as need be (a centaur named Aldophus may be called Aldophus the Roan, for example). Orcs and goblins tend to use proper names only when they need to, the rest of time using Hey You! in everyday speech (a true speaker of the orcish dialect can put a great deal of venom behind the address, such that fights can start in bars at its mention).
Money: Coinage throughout the realms is customarily valued as follows:
200 cp = 200 copper pieces
= 20 silver pieces
= 2 electrum pieces
= 1 gold piece
= 1/5 platinum piece
Time: Faerun adheres to the Calendar of Harptos, and so will we. Different PCs may become out of synch chronologically or spatially. We will account for this, sometimes having some characters pass time in their current location by making rolls on life events tables or creating additional characters to play while occupied ones fulfill their commitments.
The year consists of 365 days: 12 months of exactly 30 days each (due to the single moon and its followers), plus 5 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. Months are subdivided into three tenday periods. These are known variously as eves, tendays, domen, hyrar, or rides throughout the Forgotten
Realms. Rides is the standard term used in Cormyr and the Dalelands, and is used for reference in these texts. The system in naming the months is named for its inventor, the long-dead wizard Harptos of Kaalinth, and is in use throughout the North. The name of each month in the Calendar of Harptos is listed below, from the beginning of a calendar year to the end. Each month’s name is followed by a colloquial description of that month, plus the 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 a paragraph following the calendar itself.
1. Hammer; Deepwinter. January
Special Day: Midwinter
2. Alturiak; The Claw of Winter, or The Claws of the Cold. February
3. Ches of the Sunsets. March
4. Tarsakh of the Storms. April
Special Day: Greengrass
5. Mirtul; The Melting. May
6. Kythorn; The Time of Flowers. June
7. Flamerule; Summertide. July
Special Day: Midsummer
8. Eleasias; Highsun. August
9. Eleint; The Fading. September
Special Day: Higharvestide
10. Marpenoth; Leafall. October
11. Uktar; The Rotting. November
Special Day: The Feast of the Moon
12. Nightal; The Drawing Down. December
Midwinter is known officially as the High Festival of Winter. It is a feast where, traditionally, the lords of the land plan the year ahead, make and renew alliances, and send gifts of goodwill. To the commonfolk, this is Deadwinter Day, the midpoint of the worst of the cold.
Greengrass is the official beginning of spring, a day of relaxation. Flowers that have been carefully grown in inner rooms of the keeps and temples during the winter are blessed and cast out upon the snow, to bring rich growth.
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 the night. and is considered a very bad omen, usually thought to foretell famine or plague.
Higharvestide heralds the coming of fall and the harvest. It is a feast that often continues for the length of the
harvest, so that there is always food 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 ere the worst of winter arrives.
The Feast of the Moon 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 performed, and tales of the doing of those now gone are told far into the night. Much is said of heroes and treasure and lost cities underground.
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 a day of open council between nobles and people; a day for the making and renewing of pacts, oaths, and agreements; 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. 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.
Years (“winters“) are referred to by names, each one consistent across the Realms, because each kingdom or citystate numbers years differently, usually measuring the reign of a dynasty or the current monarch, or since the founding of the country. The current year is 1332 in Cormyr, and 1357 in the Dales (Dalereckoning, or DR). The Cormyr Reckoning derives from the foundation of House Obarskyr, the dynasty which still rules that land. Dalereckoning is taken from the year that men were first permitted by the Elven Court to settle in the more open regions of the forests. Dates given within this tome are in Dalereckoning for the sake of convenience, though other regions will have their own methods of reckoning the passage of the years.
Names for the years are known as the Roll of Years, as they are drawn from predictions written down under that title by the famous Lost Sage, Augathra the Mad, with a few additions by the seer Alaundo of Candlekeep.
The Roll is a long one; here is the current stretch.
1355 DR YEAR OF THE HARP
1356 DR YEAR OF THE WORM
1357 DR YEAR OF THE PRINCE (year just ending)
1358 DR YEAR OF THE SHADOWS
1359 DR YEAR OF THE SERPENT
1360 DR YEAR OF THE TURRENT
1361 DR YEAR OF THE MAIDENS
1362 DR YEAR OF THE HELM
1363 DR YEAR OF THE WYVERN
Putting all this together, a date may read something like …
7 Mirtul, Year of the Harp — (May 7th, two years ago)
Or
22nd of the Rotting, 1330 DR — (November 22nd, 27 years ago)
Or
Year of the Maidens, Greengrass — (four years from now on the first day of spring)
NOTE your character’s start date.
Religion and the Gods
Religion: The gods of the Realms, also called Powers, are important beings; they grant magical spells to their worshippers, involve themselves in earthly dealings, and grow or diminish in personal mortal worshippers they possess. Clerics in the service of a god will advance only if they please the god, by remaining faithful to the god’s rules and aims, and acting as the god wishes.
There are many deities in the Realms, even among humans, and this plethora of divine beings, and the wide variance of portfolios which they represent or epitomize, has led to general tolerance of the beliefs and worship of others in the Realms. This extends to all who do not break laws among the general populace, the Court, and the soldiers of the King. Human sacrifice is considered murder in lawful realms, and use of another’s goods as offerings is both theft and wanton destruction. Individuals, particularly clerics, may not be all tolerant of the beliefs of others. It is considered impolite to inquire too deeply into the details of worship of a god one does not worship or is not likely to worship. It might be wise to learn the religions of any persons you must trust, do business with, or adventure with, but take care; it is often an affront of the highest order to ask such information openly. Some people have been known to attack individuals inquiring as to their faith.
The Gods:
AURIL (AWE-rill) Frostmaiden Goddess of Cold NE
A beautiful blue-skinned maiden garbed in a mantle of white.
AZUTH (AH-zooth) High One Patron of Magic Users LN
BANE (BAIN) Lord Bane, The Black Lord God of Strife, Hatred, Tyranny LE
BESHABA (Beh-SHAH-ba) Maid of Misfortune, Black Bess, Lady Doom Goddess of Mischief, Misfortune, Ill Luck, Accidents (Treachery, Betrayal) CE
BHAAL (Beh-HAHL) Lord of Murder God of Death LE (now deceased)
Symbol: A circle of red blood-tears, falling counterclockwise, about a white skull. Bhaal rarely appeared to worshippers or others, but was depicted by priests as a bloody, mutilated corpse with a feral face and silent movements. It is said that every murder done strengthens Bhaal. While Myrkul is recognized as lord of the dead, Bhaal was lord of death itself, the act of killing. Fortunately, Bhaal was slain in the Time of Troubles.
CHAUNTEA (Chawn-TEE-ah) Great Mother Goddess of Agriculture NG
The Great Mother is the patron of the farmers and gardeners, and her hand is on every place where men seek to grow.
CYRIC (SEER-ik) Madness, murder, lies NE
Not long ago, it is said, Cyric was a mortal adventurer, but in the Time of Troubles seized his chance and slew Bhaal in mortal form. He thus became a god and his crazed cult grows rapidly.
DENEIR (Deh-NEER) Lord of All Glyphs & Images God of Literature, Art NG
A single lit candle, often with a eye beneath. Deneir is allied with Oghma, and is popularly depicted as an old, balding sage with flaming white beard.
ELDATH (EL-dath) The Quiet One, Goddess of Singing Water Goddess of Waterfalls, Springs, Streams, Pools, Stillness, Peace, Quiet Places, Guardian of Druid-Groves N
Allied with and servant to Silvanus, Eldath is the supreme pacifist.
GOND (Gond) Wonderbringer God of Blacksmiths, Artificers, Crafts and Construction LN
Those who venerate him are primarily tinkers, alchemists, and builders, but the island of Lantan considers worship of Gond the state religion, and nowhere else is the mania for invention (or the success of such inventions) so strong.
HELM (Hehlm) He of the Unsleeping Eyes God of Guardians LN
Symbol: An open, staring eye, often painted on a metal gauntlet.
ILMATER (Ihl-MAY-ter) God of Endurance, Suffering, Martyrdom, Perseverance LG.
This god appears as a broken man, his hands smashed but still useful. Ilmater is willing sufferer, the one who takes the place of another.
LATHANDER (Lah-THAN-der) Morninglord God of Spring, Dawn, Conception Vitality, Eternal Youth, Renewal, Self-Perfection, Beginnings NG
LEIRA (LAIR-ah) Lady of the Mists, Goddess of Deception, Illusion CN
LLIIRA (LEER-ah) Our Lady of Joy Goddess of Joy, Carefree Feeling, Contentment, Release, Hospitality, Happiness, Dance, Patron of Festivals CG
LOVIATAR (Low-vee-A-tar) Maiden of Pain Goddess of Pain, Hurt, Patron of Torturers LE
MALAR (MAY-larr) The Beastlord, The Stalker God of Wild, Marauding Beasts, Bloodlust, and Hunting CE
MASK (MAHSK) Lord of Shadows God of Thieves, Intrigue NE
Mask is the lord of shadows and those actions which take place in those shadows; he is the patron of the thief and cutpurse, the sneak, the spy, and the alleyway mugger.
MIELIKKI (My-LEE-kee) Lady of the Forest Goddess of Forests, Dryads, Patron of Rangers NG
MILIL (Meh-LILL) God of Poetry, Eloquence, and Song NG
MYRKUL (MERR-kool) Lord of Bones, Old Lord Skull God of the Dead, Wasting, Decay, Corruption, Parasites, Old Age, Dusk, Fall, Exhaustion NE
This god usually appears as a cloaked, animated corpse, skeletal at its head, becoming fleshed toward its feet, which are gangrenous and rotting.
MYSTRA (MISS-trah) The Lady of Mysteries Goddess of Magic LN
The goddess of magic is a manifestation of the Cosmic Balance, which appears to right great inequalities or going-awry in the magical balance of things.
OGHMA (OGG-mah) The Binder God of Knowledge, Invention, Patron of Bards N
SELUNE (Seh-LOON-eh) Our Lady of Silver Goddess of the Moon, Stars, Navigation CG
SHAR (Shahr) Mistress of the Night, the Lady of Loss, Goddess of Darkness, Night, Loss, Forgetfulness NE
This goddess is said to be darkly beautiful. She is often worshipped by those made bitter by loss of a loved one. Shar battles continually with Selune, slaying her often (i.e. every new moon. Those who seek to hide or bury something pay homage to Shar. Shar appears as a raven-haired beauty dressed in black.
SILVANUS (Sihl-VANN-us) Oak-Father God of Nature, Patron of Druids N
SUNE (SUE-nee) Firehair Goddess of Love, Beauty, Charisma, Passion W
Sune is the fairest of the gods, the most radiant of creatures, and is rendered as the beautiful woman in all the Known Worlds, a stunning redhead of incredible charms. Sune’s followers tend to be enamored of physical beauty and rather vain, but their temples, in particular the large complexes such as found in Waterdeep, are among the most splendid in the Realms.
TALONA (Tah-LOW-nah) Lady of Poison, Mistress of Disease Goddess of Disease, Poisoning CE
TALOS (TAH-los) The Destroyer; The Raging One God of Storms, Destruction CE
Talos is a most fickle and vengeful god, like the forces that he is entrusted with beneath his pantheon.
TEMPUS (TEM-pos) The Lord of Battles, Foehammer God of War CN
The Lord of Battles is venerated by all alignments and all causes in conflict. Tempus is called upon before the evening of battle, to enhance the skills of one side and curse another.
TORM (torm) Torm The True, The Foolish, or The Brave God of Duty, Loyalty, Obedience, Those who face danger to further the cause of good LG
Torm is the god of those who have served most faithfully, and sought to protect others. Torm was the most faithful of warriors, renowned for obeying all the commands of his king regardless of personal danger. He remains a great fighter, serving as the war-arm of Tyr.
TYMORA (Tie-MORE-ah) Lady Luck Goddess of Good Fortune, Luck, Victory, Skill, Patron of Adventurers and Warriors CG
Lady Luck is fickle, and not great in power; she helps those who help themselves. Many adventurers donate to her temples.
TYR (teer) Grimjaws, the Even-Handed God of Justice LG
Tyr’s is a new faith, appearing in the Forgotten Realms within the past thousand years. His title as the “evenhanded” refers to his position as a god of justice, and is a grim joke considering that the appearances of Tyr show him as missing his right hand.
UMBERLEE (Um-ber-LEE) The Bitch Queen Goddess of Oceans, Waves and Winds at Sea, Currents CE
This goddess contests the fate of ships at sea eternally with Selune, causing the wicked currents that imperil shipping on the Sword Coasts. Her title has been bestowed upon her by the pirates, voyagers, and traders who have suffered under her rule, but tends to be used most often when these individuals are on dry land, and then in hushed voices.
WAUKEEN (Wau-KEEN) Liberty’s Maiden, Merchants friend Goddess of Trade, Money N
A relatively recent goddess, no older in her worship than that of Tyr, but quite favorite with the merchant class and traders, who revere her, if not in hopes of her kindness, than in hopes they will be elsewhere when be brings financial ruin upon the unwary.
Elemental Lords
The Elemental Lords are uncaring, inhuman beings from the Inner Planes, the most powerful of their elemental types. They care little for humanity or worshippers, and provide their favors most unwillingly, or only if they benefit.
GRUMBAR (GRUUM-bar) Elemental Earth N
KOSSUTH (Koh-SOOTH) Elemental Fire N
AKADI (Ah-KAHD-dee) Elemental Air N
ISTISHIA (Iss-TISH-ee-ah) Elemental Water N
The Beast Cults
The Beast Cults are wild faiths, attracting the worship of savages, nomads, evil humanoids, and those removed from the normal circles of the world. They are as varied as the beasts of the fields, and vary in alignment from Nobanion, the good and lawful lion-god of the Guthmere Woods, to evil cults of Lolth among the dark elves and the Dragon Cult among those evil mages beyond Thar.
Alliances: Organized pantheons such as those of Greek and Norse cultures do not exist in the Forgotten Realms, though there are some natural alliances and factions among the gods. These factions among the human gods are as follows.
- Mielikki and Eldath serve Silvanus, and their priests (if such individuals value their deity’s favor above mortal feeling and conflicts) work together to further common goals.
- Torm and Ilmater serve Tyr and worshippers and priests do the will of this Triad willingly. In certain situations Torm and Helm will work together.
- Oghma is served by Gond on one hand, and by Milil and Deneir on the other. Milil often works directly with Lliira.
- Talos is served by Auril, Umberlee, and Malar. All three are known collectively as “The Gods of Fury.”
- Chauntea and Lathander work together, and often do so in alliance with Silvanus and his allied gods against The Gods of Fury.
- Lliira and Selune serve Sune Firehair.
- Azuth serves Mystra, and Mystra and Selune have some mysterious connection. Mystra often works with Oghma and his gods.
*Loviatar, Talona, and Malar served Bane through Bhaal, although Loviatar and Talona are rivals. Bhaal and Myrkul had an unbreakable symbiotic alliance, as one delivered the dead to the other. Shar is allied with Myrkul. All of these beings are collectively known as “the Dark Gods“. With Bhaal dead, the hierarchy of the Dark Gods may be in turmoil.
Cyclopedia of Places and Peoples_
AMN (AWW-mmm)
Amn is the northernmost of the Southern Kingdoms along the West Coast, and 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.
ANAUROCH (Ann-OAR-ock)
The Great Desert. This barren wasteland 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.
ASBRAVN (Az-BRAH-ven)
Asbravn is a small town of about 50 central buildings, nestled in a shallow delve, where roads from Hluthrar, Berdusk, and Iriaebor meet. It is patrolled by riders in red capes.
BALDUR’S GATE
Baldur’s Gate is located 50 miles up the Chionthar River from where that flow enters the Trackless Sea, at the southern reaches of the Sword Coast. It is situated on the northern shore of the river, astride the Trade Way from Amn to Waterdeep. Baldur’s Gate consists of a lower city outside the stone walls, and an upper city within those walls.
BEREGOST (BEAR-eh-gost)
Beregost is a small town of about 40 central buildings, with several larger estates further 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.
BOARESKYR (Boar-reh-SKEER) BRIDGE
The bridge is a massive structure crossing the Winding Water along the made way from Waterdeep to Scornubel. It is of grey 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.
CALIMSHAN (CAL-im-shan)
Located south of Tethyr, the rich lands of Calimshan are a hotbed of merchant dealings and double dealings. Predating Waterdeep and the cities of Amn, the Calishites are one of richest and most powerful nations on the western coast of Faerun.
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. Lights burn in the windows of the keep at all times, and travelers approaching the structure can hear a low chanting. This center of learning preserves the predictions of Alaundo the Seer, the singular sage whose prophecies have proved correct over the years. Upon his death, his citadel at Candlekeep became a haven of both 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 fortified keep derives much of its income from finding and copying specific passages of information from the 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 there are others in the Realms who provide this last service for less severe fees.
CHESSENTA
Situated on the far side of Sea of Fallen Stars, Chessenta is one of the elder nations of the South. It is said to be a rich, fertile land filled with wild, drunkenly crazy men.
CLOAK WOOD
This wood, north of Candlekeep, is ancient and thickly overgrown with elms, beeches, felsul, and hiexel trees. The Cloak Wood is an old, thickly grown forest marking the southern end of the Sword Coast. Just south of Baldur’s Gate, the Cloak Wood is a perilous place, and home to quicklings, satyrs, stirges, kampfult,
and other less common monsters. This high number of 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, or to an Alternate Material Plane. Few who
have investigated the matter have returned to report on it.
CORMYR (Core-MEER)
One of the handful of proper nations in the North, Cormyr straddles the land between the Dragonmere and Anauroch in the north east region of the Sea of Fallen Stars. It was at one time heavily wooded, but is now a region of small forests and organized farms.
DAGGERFORD
Situated in the floodplains of the Delimbiyr River, Daggerford is a small, walled, community of 40 stone buildings, 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 to the South) crosses the Delimbiyr River (which is also known as the River Shining).
THE DALELANDS
The region known as the Dalelands is defined as the non-forested regions inhabited by man 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, who share (generally) common interests and ideals.
DAMARA (Dah-MARR-ah)
Damara is a region north of Impiltur and east of the Moonsea, which consists of a large number of petty kingdoms and small rural communities similar to the Dales.
DRAGONSPEAR CASTLE
Dragonspear Castle is a sprawling ruin situated on a trio of low hillocks to the east of the Trade Way. It appears desolate and abandoned.
DURLAG’S TOWER
South of the Wood of Sharp Teeth a plug of hard rock juts from the plains. Atop this pinnacle is a single, massive tower. It is in good repair, but seems unoccupied.
DWARVES AND THE SHARDS OF THE DWARVEN KINGDOMS
The Dwarves of the Forgotten Realms are a short, stocky people who seem to be a part of the earth itself. Dour and with a strong distrust towards magic beyond that which a magical axe can lend, they tend to be a withdrawn, sullen people. Like the elves, the Dwarves are a people whose numbers have been dwindling. This sense of racial loss hits Dwarves deeply, and they tend be melancholy and defeatist, yet just as often throwing themselves into their single-minded pursuits, Whether it be eating and drinking lustily, or crafting blades, or seeking adventure. The last vocation is quite popular with the few younger Dwarves of the Realms, as the thinking is that if Fate has 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 children. Most Dwarves remain secretive about their homelands, and 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. Evens reticent as the dwarves usually are, they can often be coaxed into telling of the immense dwarven empires of old, which sprawled in splendor beneath the earth.
ELTUREL (ELL-tur-ELL)
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, Scornubel, upriver.
EASTING
Situated east of Irieabor, the town of Easting is a small community of less than 40 buildings within the town proper.
ELVES AND THE ELVEN NATIONS
The Elves are one of the major races of the Forgotten Realms, and ruled large sections after the time of the Dragons and before the coming of men. Now the majority of these long-lived beings have retreated from the onslaught of mankind, seeking quieter forests, and their numbers in the Realms are a fraction 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 men, and delicately tapered, and their bones are light and surprisingly sturdy. Elven faces are thinner and more serene, and Elven ears are pointed. There are five known Eleven sub-races in the Forgotten Realms, and four of them live in relative harmony. These four are compassionate and just by nature. While there are certainly individual exceptions, lust for blood and treasure is not the elven way.
Gold Elves are also called sunrise Elves or high Elves, and have bronzeskins and hair of copper, black, or blonde. 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 mankind.
Moon Elves usually have hair of silver-white, black, or blue, though all reported colors normally found in men and Elves may be found in this race. Their eyes are blue, or green, and have gold flecks. They tend to tolerate men the most of the Elven sub-races, and the majority of adventuring elves and half- Elves are of moon elf heritage.
Wild Elves are also called green Elves, forest Elves, and wood Elves, and are reclusive and distrusting of non-Elves, in particular humankind. Wild Elves of the Forgotten Realms tend to be copperish in hue, with tinctures of green, their hair tends towards browns and blacks with occasional blondes and copper-colored natives, and their eyes green, brown, or hazel. They tend to be the least organized of the Elven peoples.
Sea Elves, also called Water Elves, are of two kinds: those of the Great Sea (including all salt-water domains such as the Shining Sea and Sea of Swords), and those of the fresh-water 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, also called drow or night Elves, are the most sinister and evil of the Elven race, and seem 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, and eyes and hair of stark white. Most ofthis fell race have been driven underground, and are shunned by the other Elven sub-races.
Most Elves treat non-elves with respect and politeness, as a host would a stumbling child. The Elves are generally ruled by noble houses, which have held control of their nations for generations. The Elven rule is autocratic and absolute, and it is the theology and philosophy of these elves which prevent abuse of such complete power. The monarchs of the Elven Court make pronouncements rarely,
preferring to remain outside the normal course of their subjects’ lives. Once
such a decision is made, whether to declare war or retreat to Evermeet, it is
followed by the bulk of the population. The oddest phenomenon of Elvish life
(to human observers) is the Retreat, which is viewed as a lemming-like drive
to sail beyond the sea. The reason is not some biological drive, but rather the decision of the leaders of the Elven nations to withdraw to less hostile lands. The former Eleven nations of the Realms include llefarn, where Waterdeep now rises; Askaver, which is now called the Wood of Sharp Teeth; and the Elven Court, which once ruled Cormanthyr, the forest country that ran from Cormyr to
the Moonsea. Current Elven nations include Evermeet in its seaward seclusion
and Evereska, which has just set up a colony in the Greycloak Hills. In addition, there are scattered groups of Elves found throughout the realms, including
wild Elves, groups without noble rulers, the dark Elves, those who have found Evermeet not to their tastes and departed, and adventurers.
EVERESKA (Eh-ver-EH-ska)
Evereska is a rich and fabled valley nestled in high in formidable mountains, tucked against the borders of Anauroch. It is one of the last of the Elven Nations in the north.
EVERMEET
Evermeet is a large island several thousand miles to the west of the Moonshae Isles, and of similar size to those islands. Despite its great distance, the island of Evermeet is well-known to most of the knowledgable of the Realms as the final home of the Elven Nations.
FIELDS OF THE DEAD
These open, rolling lands between the Winding Water and the River Chionthar are an area of herding, and, along the banks of Chionthar, crops.
THE GOBLIN RACES
The Goblin Races include all creatures such as Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs, and Hobgoblins. Some sages extend the definition to Ogres, Bugbears, Trolls, and Half-Orcs. In general, these are uncivilized bands of sentient creatures that prey on other beings, raiding and pillaging when they can, stealing quietly when they can’t. The exact relations between these races are mysterious. The sage Gorion has argued that the goblin races are not inherently evil and have a genius of their own. Most who have heard the argument dismiss it out of hand. In general, a full-blooded orc found in a Sword Coast town would be gutted instantly, but a half-orc would be only warily observed and urged to leave town. Goblins that seem sufficiently tame may be accepted in menial roles over the long term.
GNOMES
The Gnomes 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 distant relatives (though only Gnomish men have beards). All gnomes are a bit magical, and many are clever illusionists. They are rarely hard-hearted, though they are almost always mischievous.
THE HALF-ELVEN PEOPLES
Half-elves are a mixture of man and elf, and occupy the middle ground between the two. They are stockier than elves and lack the pointed ears, though they still have slender and finely-chiseled facial-features. It is possible for a Half-elf to pass as man or elf for brief periods, but usually such duplicity is discovered.
HALFLINGS
Halflings are the smallest of the major races, and to see their communities outside some major (and minor) 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 all over their bodies, which is most noticeable on the backs of their hands and tops of their bare, long-toed feet. Often their faces are bare, though there are more than a few full-bearded halflings as well. It is rumored that there is a halfling kingdom somewhere in the South, but mostly Halflings live mixed in with other races, especially men. Halflings have a strange knack for surviving with their consciences intact, relying on their amiability and inherent pluck.
THE HIGH MOOR
The High Moor is a vast, rocky wasteland rising to a gorge scarred plateau cloaked in grass and scrub trees.
HILL’S EDGE
Hill’s Edge is a small but prosperous community along one of the less-traveled routes between Irieabor and Waterdeep, at the foot of the Far Hills.
IRIAEBOR (Ear-ee-AY-bore)
The many-towered city of Iriaebor occupies a sprawling ridge above the south 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.
KARA-TUR (Kah-rah-TOUR)
Situated at the far end of the continent of Faerun, far beyond Rashemen and legendary Semphar, lies a mystical and magical land known as Kara-Tur. It is a region very different from the Known Lands of the Realms, but only the hints of whispers of legends have come across that land to this.
LANTAN
Lantan is a southern nation some thousand miles south of the Moonshae Isles, known for its merchant traders, which are found up and down the Sword Coast.
THE LAUGHING HOLLOW
The Laughing Hollow is a constriction in the flow of the River Shining, bordered by cliffs on either side. Plant and animal life is plentiful on the valley floor, and the walls bear traces of having once been worked for stone.
THE LONELY MOOR
This region on the borders of Anauroch is not as great a wasteland as the desert, but it is similar in its desolation. It is a dying, empty land of scrub and dust.
THE LORDS’ ALLIANCE
This group is also known variously as “The Council of Lords,” “the Lords’ Council,” and “the trade barons,” and was formed to oppose the Zhentarim and their agents. It is a lawful and essentially good alliance of the rulers of the cities of Waterdeep, Mirabar, Neverwinter, Silverymoon, Baldur’s Gate, Elturel, Berdusk, Iriaebor, and Sundabar. The city of Luskan, north of Neverwinter, is not a member of this group, as it receives most of its goods by sea, and places a fierce value on its independence that precludes any alliances. The kingdoms of Amn and Calimshan are indifferent to the alliance, or side secretly with the Zhentarim for economic reasons. While there is trade strife in the North, the overland routes within their own borders will be enriched.
MAGIC
In many races, and predominantly in humanity, certain individuals have the ability to channel the ambient magical energies of the world to produce a desired effect. This ability is called magic, or “the art,” in the Forgotten Realms, and there are a large number of practitioners of it.
MANKIND
The most populous and strongest of the major races of the Forgotten Realms, Man is considered the dominant race in this region of Faerun. The race of Man in Faerun comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors, with individuals approaching the height of the halflings, the stockiness of the dwarf, and the slenderness of the elf. Their skin color ranges from the pale, almost translucent Lantans to the dusky dark-eyed natives of Unther, with all shades in between. The concept of sub-races in mankind does not exist, as all nationalities can interbreed without difficulty, and their children, unlike the elves, will have traits of either or both parents, so that after a time any removed group of humans has its own identity which may change in a few generations with the introduction of new settlers or invaders. Mankind is also one of the most aggressive of the major races, approaching the goblins in ferocity and the dwarves in their single-minded drive when aroused to battle. At any time in the North, some group of humans, often with non-human allies, is fighting some other group. The dwarves think it is because human lives are so short it does not matter, while the elves tend to think it is because humanity has not yet figured out how to communicate properly.
MARSH OF CHELIMBER (Sheh-LIM-ber)
The marsh of Chelimber is 1000 square miles of low ground at the headwaters of the Winding Water. It is a misty, overgrown bog broken by small hillocks. There are a large number of ruins in the marsh.
MERCENARY COMPANIES
There are a large number of private groups unaligned to king or crown, who fight solely for gold and possible loot. These groups, the Mercenary Companies, are a common gathering point for exceptional individuals who may change the course of the history of the Realms. Examples include the Blacktalons Mercenary Company of Ireabor, the Flaming Fist that guards Baldur’s Gate, and the Order of the Blue Boar in Amn.
MERCHANT COMPANIES
The life-blood of the kingdoms of the Realms is in trade, and it is through trade that many of the nations have come to be. The key to this trade is the various merchant companies, which carry, protect, and store goods. Several are so well-known as to fly banners from the Sword Coast to the Sea of Fallen Stars, including the Dragoneye Dealing Coster and Seven Suns Trading.
MINTARN
Mintarn is medium sized island 400 miles south-west of Waterdeep, and is known as a safe haven for those in flight from the authorities.
MOONSEA
The Moonsea is a large fresh-water sea, connected to the Dragon Reach and the Inner Sea by the River Lis. It is dominated by the cities of Mulmaster, Melvaunt, Hillsfar, and Zhentil Keep.
MOONSHAE (MOON-shay) ISLANDS
The Moonshae Islands are a large collection of islands well to the west of the Sword Coast, and ruled by a collection of more than a dozen small kingdoms. Those kingdoms in the southern parts of the island 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 coastlines are primarily rocky, and brutal winter storms sweep the islands during the winter months.
MULHORAND (Muhl-HOH-rand)
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 Sahuagin Sea.
MYTH DRANNOR (Myth DRANN-or)
The ruins of Myth Drannor are among the most celebrated of the Realms. Once a great elven city, it is now a sprawling ruin overgrown with trees and greenery, located in the heart of the Elven Woods.
NEVERWINTER
Neverwinter is a bustling city located farther north along the coast from Waterdeep, along High Road.
NIMBRAL (Nim-BRALL)
Nimbral the Sea-Haven is a fabled land that may in truth not exist, for it is south of the southernmost of the known Realms, as far south from Lantan as Lantan is from Moonshae. It is a fabulous, rumored nation, supposedly home of great mages of power.
THE NORTH
Generally, the North is taken to be the region to the east and north of the Sea of Fallen Stars, reaching the Sea of Swords and including the Moonshae Islands but not the elven island of Evermeet. It is the best-known border area of the civilized and uncivilized worlds. To those of the Sword Coast, the boundaries of this region depend on the location and attitudes of the speaker. In these annals, the North is defined as those realms to the North of the River Chionthar and the trade way out of Iriaebor, and west of the Dragon Reach, the Rivier Lis, the Moonsea, and the Galena Mountains. Inhabitants of Waterdeep would be insulted by this definition, and would consider the North (in particular “The Wild North“) to be those lands north of Waterdeep.
ORLUMBOR (Or-LUM-bore)
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 goat-herds, and the most skilled shipwrights in the Realms. The finest ships of the North find their origins at the docks of Orlumbor.
PRIAPURL (Pry-ah-PEARL)
Priapurl is a small, sleepy way-town along the Trader’s Road from Iriaebor and Westgate. It is notable only for the large keep to the south of it, which is the home of the Mindugulph Mercenary Company.
RASHEMEN (Rah-SHEH-men)
Rashemen lies north of the mysterious land of Thay, and is the easternmost of the known Realms. To its east lie uncounted leagues of rocky, grassy wastelands, and beyond that several rumored kingdoms of men, unreached and unreachable in recent memory. 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.
RAURIN (ROAR-en)
The near-mythical desert of Raurin is a massive, sandy waste which could swallow entire nations of the North. It is located in the furthest southeast, beyond the domains of Mulhorand. Unlike Anauroch, our northern desert, 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 be their fall that first drove men into the lands of the Inner Sea and towards the Sword Coast. What lies there is as yet unrecorded.
SCORNUBEL (SCOR-noo-bell)
Scornubel is a huge, open city set on the north shore at the confluence of the Chionthar.s South Fork 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 Companies can be seen as the traveler enters. Most of the buildings are low, one or two stories, with a spattering of larger buildings and powers in the center of town.
SEA OF SWORDS
The Sea of Swords is the arm of the Trackless Sea that is bounded by the Sword Coast on the east, the Moonshae islands on the west, and the Nelanther Isles to the south.
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 oflarge, wealthy cities. It is a well-run, organized nation which may in time rival the old kingdoms of the south and east.
THE SHAAR
The Shaar is a region of great plains and grassland located far to the south, beyond the Vilhon Reach.
THE SHADOW THIEVES
The Shadow Thieves are a wide-ranging guild of thieves, spies, and assassins who perform particularly dangerous, evil-aligned, and lucrative ventures. Their activities, unlike those of most thieving guilds, are not limited to a single city, and they range the length of the Sword Coast.
SKULL GORGE
Skull Gorge is situated on the upper reaches of the River Reaching, and is a sharp cut through the surrounding terrain, its steep walls running almost to the river.s edge. The walls of the vale are a pale-grey stone, and riddled with caverns.
SOSSAL (SAW-sall)
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 Sossarhim, a very pale, very blond race that dresses in white, and can conceal themselves among the ice. It is not known whether great magics by their native shamans spared that region of the Great Ice, or if those magics caused it.
SOUBAR (SOO-bar)
Soubar is a small town along the Trade Way north of Scornubel, and is often used as a way-station for traders traveling along that road.
THE SOUTH
The common reference to “the South” (also “the grim and magical
South“) refers to the lands of Chessenta, Unther, and Mulhorand, which
are among the first and eldest nations in this land.
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, rockoutcroppings, and soft, mucky bottoms that extend out for miles. True ports are few and far between on the Coast, which is the reason that the best harbor capable of handling sea vessels, Waterdeep, has grown into one of the most important cities of the North. Scholars and sources disagree on the effective length of the Sword Coast, and 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 wilderlands, and its people little better than barbarians.
TETHYR (TEH-theer)
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. Its former ruling family has been hunted into virtual extinction, and political chaos reigns. 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.
THAR (The Great Grey Lands)
The Great Grey Lands of Thar stretch northward from the Moonsea in rising steppeland that ends at the Great Glacier Pelvuria.
THAY
Thay is a powerful, exotic, magical and evil nation that lies in the Eastern Reaches of the Known Realms, bound 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. The realm is best known for its rich prosperity, ancient heritage, Byzantine government, and magical-based society.
TRIEL
Triel is a way-station along the Trade Way from Scornubel to Waterdeep, and it is here that lesser used trails from Elturel and Hill’s Edge meet up.
TROLLCLAW FORD
This ford across the winding water is overhung by high, tree-cloaked banks and surrounded by hills on both sides.
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. The Turmish people are said to be tall, mahogany skinned, and beautiful, and those 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 dotted
with spires and fluted curves, mixing elvish and human styles.
UNTHER
One of the more mysterious of the nations of the South, little is known of this nation, save that its ruler is said to be immortal.
VAASA (VAH-sah)
Vaasa is a cold, northern empire similar in terrain and climate to Thar, ruled by a self-proclaimed “Witch-King.”
WATERDEEP
Waterdeep is the most important and influential city of the North, and perhaps of all Faerun. Waterdeep is located on the Sword Coast, 150 miles north of Daggerford and is reached by paved, well-patrolled roads. It 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 west, and the sea kingdoms and traders to the west.
WESTGATE
Westgate is an important port/caravan-city transfer point on the overland route that joins the Inner Sea and its lands to the west (Amn, Tethyr, and North, the Sword Coast) and the Far South. It is a large, fortified city with a smattering of trading companies and smaller buildings set up beyond its walls.
THE WOOD OF SHARP TEETH
This forest is an maze of undergrowth, tangled with nettles and thorn-bushes. This vast forest is so named because it is completely wild, and abounds in forest creatures dangerous to man. Satyrs are known to dwell here in numbers, and there are thought to be dryads, 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 trees. 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. It is a twisting maze winding between the peaks, and must swerve around large rock outcroppings of reddish sandstone.
THE ZHENTARIM
(Zz-HENT-ah-rim)
The Zhentarim are an organization of evil and lawful individuals, spanning all professions (mages, warriors, thieves), and including several inhuman monsters. The group is based in Zhentil Keep, but has major outposts in the Citadel of the Raven, several cities on the Moonsea, and Darkhold in the Far Hills, and operatives in every major town and city in the region between the Dragon Reach and the Sword Coast.