{ "data": [ { "type": "section", "name": "Introduction: A World of Epic Heroes", "page": 4, "id": "000", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/000-00-001.welcome-to-faerun.webp" }, "title": "Heroes in Faerûn come from all species, all character classes, and all walks of life. But they have one thing in common: their epic nature.", "credit": "Andrey Kuzinskiy", "width": 1700, "height": 1108 }, "This book is your comprehensive guide to creating and playing a character in the awe-inspiring Forgotten Realms.", { "type": "section", "name": "Welcome to Faerûn", "page": 4, "id": "001", "entries": [ "The world of Faerûn is filled with countless heroes who have undertaken amazing adventures\u2014Drizzt Do'Urden, his wife Cattie-brie, and their daughter, Briennelle; Alustriel Silverhand and the rest of the Seven Sisters; Karlach Cliffgate, Astarion, and Shadowheart; and many more. Now, the world has new heroes: the ones you and your fellow players create.", "Heroes in the Forgotten Realms are larger than life. {@i Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn} gives you everything you need to create adventurers that fit right into the Realms, including new and revised subclasses and dozens of new feats and spells.", "Like the heroes who populate Faerûn, magic in the Realms is epic. This book introduces the Faerûnian technique of circle magic: a way for spellcasters to work together to make their spells more flexible and powerful.", "Heroes seldom work alone. This book details eight famous factions, each of which has a reach that extends across all Faerûn. Some of these factions, like the {@area Harpers|35f|x} or the {@area Lords' Alliance|371|x}, are honorable and just, helping the needy and protecting the innocent. Others, like the greedy {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} or the power-hungry {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x}, oppress their victims and focus on amassing power. Your character can join any of these factions, earning rewards for loyal service. Or, your character might oppose a faction and brave its ire.", "Welcome to the Forgotten Realms, a world of epic characters and adventures!" ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 1: Character Options", "page": 6, "id": "002", "entries": [ "{@book Chapter 1|FRHoF|1} helps you create the next hero of the Forgotten Realms. In addition to new character options\u2014subclasses, backgrounds, and feats\u2014this chapter provides an overview of the species of Faerûn and each one's place in the world.", "Adventuring is a well-known occupation in Faerûn, and there's no shortage of common sellswords or petty mages rummaging around in old ruins hoping to find hidden treasure or a long-lost spellbook. And yet, in the Forgotten Realms, characters stand out among these adventurers as epic figures, even beginning at level 1.", "Throughout the history of the Forgotten Realms, epic heroes are distinguished from everyday adventurers by their extraordinary natures. Alias, hero of {@i Curse of the Azure Bonds}, is an artificial person created by an alliance of evil spellcasters that included a lich and cultists of Moander, god of corruption and rot. Karlach, one of the heroes of {@i Baldur's Gate 3}, has a magical {@i Infernal Engine} for a heart, which grants her incredible power but brings unusual, life-threatening complications. Several heroes of the Forgotten Realms, such as Tristan Kendrick and Randall Morn, have been heirs to a throne. You can use the nature of these heroes, and others who've adventured across Faerûn, as inspiration for your own character's epic nature.", "Beyond their nature, an epic character is distinguished by their destiny. Perhaps your character is fated to wield a powerful Artifact or become the ruler of a realm. When creating a character for a Forgotten Realms campaign, work with your DM to develop an epic destiny for your character. {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|1|Epic Destinies} has additional guidance on crafting epic characters and how their stories might play out in a campaign." ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 2: A Guide to the Realms", "page": 6, "id": "003", "entries": [ "Every corner of Faerûn has a distinct flavor born out of local stories, traditions, notable personalities, and memorable locales. {@book Chapter 2|FRHoF|2} describes many locations across Faerûn that might have played a crucial role in your character's origins\u2014perhaps where your character grew up or where they learned their adventuring skills. The backgrounds in {@area chapter 1|088|x} can connect your character to those locations.", "For example, a Sorcerer might have mastered wild magic while studying under the Simbarchs of Aglarond, a land that's been ruled by sorcerers for generations. A Fighter might have gained bitter battlefield experience serving Sembia in border disputes with the Dalelands or Cormyr.", { "type": "entries", "id": "004", "entries": [ { "type": "entries", "name": "A Living History", "page": 6, "id": "005", "entries": [ "The Forgotten Realms are littered with ruins of ancient civilizations that fell millennia ago. These once-mighty societies still play a role in everyday life in Faerûn. A tall tower from the giant kingdom of Ostoria might have been scavenged for stones that now make up a humble crafter's cottage. An ancient relic of Narfell demon worshipers is now used by a blacksmith to stoke their forge. Sheep graze in the shadow of once-mighty Myth Drannor. What contact has your character had with these fallen realms, and how did that contact influence your character's motivations and behaviors?" ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 3: Gods of Faerûn", "page": 6, "id": "006", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/001-00-002.black-dragon.webp" }, "title": "The twin black dragons Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor are more than a match for foolish adventurers.", "credit": "Jonathan Kuo", "width": 1700, "height": 1106 }, "Faerûn is a land of many gods, and {@book chapter 3|FRHoF|3} describes many of these gods. Most folk offer prayer or other forms of worship to several gods, though they might feel closest to a particular deity that is a patron of their occupation or to which they have some other special connection. For example, a merchant who gives daily obeisance to Waukeen, the god of trade, might offer up a propitiatory prayer to Umberlee, god of the sea, when faced with a long and difficult voyage.", "Every city boasts multiple temples to various gods, and shrines can be found in the smallest village, along roads, or even deep in the wilderness.", "Temples and shrines are staffed and maintained by priests, most of whom have minor spellcasting abilities, but Clerics, who channel their magic directly from the Outer Planes, are rare.", "Think about your character's relationship with the gods. Which gods does your character consider especially important or relevant? For example, a character who is a Ranger or has the Farmer, Guide, or Hermit background might feel a personal connection to Chauntea, a god of agriculture, or Mielikki, a god of the forest. Are you\u2014or do you aspire to become\u2014one of your god's Chosen?", "Conversely, what gods does your character especially resent or avoid? Your character might seek to thwart those who carry out those gods' divine agenda. Such deities might embody the opposite of your character's values. For example, a character that reveres Chauntea or Mielikki might despise Malar, a god of the hunt, or Auril, a god of winter, both of which represent nature in an evil, destructive form. Or you might carry a special enmity toward one of Malar's Chosen.", "While most ordinary people in Faerûn speak to deities only through priests or the occasional divine messenger, characters in a Forgotten Realms campaign might meet a deity face to face, though the deity might have been in disguise. If your character wields divine magic, they might have gained their connection to the Outer Planes when they met a deity." ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 4: Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog", "page": 7, "id": "007", "entries": [ "No adventurer is complete without a wide array of adventuring gear. {@book Chapter 4|FRHoF|4} provides an excerpt from the famed {@i Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog} to help equip your characters with new gear. Aurora was a former adventurer who outfitted heroes across Faerûn, and the business she founded is now led by her descendant." ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 5: Magic of Faerûn", "page": 7, "id": "008", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/002-00-003.karlach.webp" }, "title": "Karlach, with her Infernal Engine heart, is an example of an epic character.", "credit": "Ignatius Budi", "width": 1700, "height": 1304 }, "Magic is woven into the very fabric of Faerûn. Chapter 5 discusses how magic works in the Forgotten Realms, including new spells, and introduces circle magic\u2014a way for characters to cooperate in casting spells.", "The fundamental framework through which magic functions is called {@area the Weave|2e8|x}. Mages, priests, and druids who work magic draw upon and manipulate the Weave, and damage to the Weave can be catastrophic, as was the case in the Spellplague and other disasters.", "The vast majority of magic in the Realms is humble and geared toward practical matters: healing wounds, assisting with a craft, entertaining crowds, or accomplishing menial tasks. Mages are common, creating a large demand for magical academies across Faerûn. While many mages turn their command of magic into a professional career, others retreat from society to a life of study and magical experimentation.", "Magic affects everyone in Faerûn, from common farmers and crafters to adventurers and monarchs. Even if you're making a character that doesn't cast spells, magic might have affected your character's life, their family, or their occupation. Perhaps your family has a magical heirloom that's passed down through the generations, or perhaps a magical creature\u2014like a dragon, genie, or lycanthrope\u2014is lurking somewhere in your family tree. Does your character view magic as a mystery worth exploring or simply as a utilitarian method of solving difficult problems?" ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 6: Factions of the Realms", "page": 8, "id": "009", "entries": [ "Faerûn is home to powerful, realm-spanning organizations that can be powerful allies or fearsome foes. Faerûn's factions are described briefly below and detailed further in {@book chapter 6|FRHoF|6}:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@b Cult of the Dragon.} Although this faction is most known for evil plots, the worship of Tiamat, and turning dragons into dracoliches, adventurers can get caught in their schemes.", "{@b Emerald Enclave}. This organization of druids, rangers, and others protects the wilderness and those traveling through it.", "{@b Harpers}. The {@area Harpers|35f|x} are a legendary band of do-gooders who combat tyranny across Faerûn while keeping a low profile.", "{@b Lords' Alliance}. A coalition of independent cities along the Sword Coast, the {@area Lords' Alliance|371|x} stands for peace, trade, and mutual self-interest.", "{@b Order of the Gauntlet.} An organization of warriors motivated by faith in gods of goodness and justice, the Order seeks out evil and destroys it with force of arms.", "{@b Purple Dragon Knights}. Cormyr's legendary knights now travel Faerûn on dragon steeds, hunting Aberrations and furthering the cause of their queen.", "{@b Red Wizards}. Although their home is in the eastern realm of Thay, {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x} travel throughout Faerûn to increase their personal power, seeking out magic in all its forms.", "{@b Zhentarim}. This vast criminal syndicate provides everything from mercenary work and travel services to murder-for-hire, operating openly in cities throughout Faerûn." ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" }, "Many of these factions have associated character backgrounds presented in {@area Chapter 1|088|x}. By taking one of those backgrounds, your character becomes a member of that faction. But characters can also be a member of a faction without taking a particular background, and many characters join a faction later in their adventuring career.", "What faction might your character be a member of or aspire to join? And what faction might they oppose?" ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Other Resources", "page": 9, "id": "00a", "entries": [ "No single book could include every detail of the Forgotten Realms, a setting many decades in the making. {@i Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn} is only part of Faerûn's grand story.", "Your most important companion to this book is {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF}. There, you'll find five chapters that expand on five regions of the Forgotten Realms, providing much more detail on locations, people, and the environments therein, as well as showcasing the unique kinds of adventures that take place there:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@b The Dalelands}, home to classic fantasy adventure (see \"{@area Heartlands|1a4|x}\" in chapter 2)", "{@b Icewind Dale}, a frigid land of survival horror (see \"{@area The North|1e6|x}\" in chapter 2)", "{@b Calimshan}, a high magic setting of genies and magical innovation (see \"{@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x}\" in chapter 2)", "{@b The Moonshae Isles}, filled with fairy stories and tales of adventure at sea (see \"{@area Trackless Sea|236|x}\" in chapter 2)", "{@b Baldur's Gate}, an urban setting of morally ambiguous heroes and antiheroes. (See \"{@area Sword Coast|219|x}\" in chapter 2.)" ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" }, "That book also includes new magic items and monsters, as well as many adventures set in the Realms, including a complete starting adventure to launch a new campaign.", "Two digital products have been designed to supplement this book and your games in the Realms. You can find these titles on DnDBeyond.com:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@b Astarion's Book of Hungers} focuses on Astarion, the elf vampire from the {@i Baldur's Gate 3} video game.", "{@b Netheril's Fall} provides insight into the ancient empire of Netheril and its magic. (See \"{@area Anauroch|150|x}\" in chapter 2.)" ], "style": "list-no-bullets" }, "Many books in the Dungeons & Dragons line detail locations in the Forgotten Realms, which can be helpful if you want to make a character from that region. Here are some of those books:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus|BGDIA} provides further detail on the city of Baldur's Gate.", "{@adventure Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden|IDRotF} has additional details on Ten-Towns and the North.", "{@adventure Tomb of Annihilation|ToA} describes the jungles of Chult.", "{@adventure Waterdeep: Dragon Heist|WDH} explores the city of Waterdeep on the Sword Coast." ], "style": "list-no-bullets" }, { "type": "entries", "id": "00b", "entries": [ { "type": "entries", "name": "Novels", "page": 9, "id": "00c", "entries": [ "Hundreds of novels have been set in the Forgotten Realms. A great place to start is the {@i Legend of Drizzt} series by R.A. Salvatore." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Video Games", "page": 9, "id": "00d", "entries": [ "{@link Baldur's Gate 3|https://store.steampowered.com/app/1086940/Baldurs_Gate_3} is an epic game set in and around the city of Baldur's Gate (described in the \"{@area Sword Coast|219|x}\" section of chapter 2 and in more detail in {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF}). The {@link Neverwinter|https://store.steampowered.com/app/109600/Neverwinter} massively multiplayer online roleplaying game is another way to play in the Forgotten Realms." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Movies", "page": 9, "id": "00e", "entries": [ "The movie {@link Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves|https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2906216} takes place in the Forgotten Realms and includes factions such as the {@area Harpers|35f|x} and the {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x}, places such as Neverwinter and Icewind Dale, and infamous characters such as Szass Tam and Themberchaud." ] } ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 1: Character Options", "page": 11, "id": "00f", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/003-01-001.themberchaud-battle.webp" }, "title": "Presto, Diana, and Eric battle Themberchaud where he lairs in the duergar city of Gracklstugh", "credit": "Pindurski", "width": 1700, "height": 2301 }, "This chapter is full of character options you can use to make characters unique to the Realms: new and revised {@area subclasses|034|x}, new {@area backgrounds|088|x}, and new {@area feats|09b|x}. The chapter begins with information on the species of the Forgotten Realms.", { "type": "section", "name": "Character Species", "page": 11, "id": "010", "entries": [ "The following sections discuss the species detailed in the {@book Player's Handbook|XPHB} and their place in {@area Faerûn|001|x}.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Aasimar", "page": 11, "id": "011", "entries": [ "Aasimar are among the rarest of Humanoid species in Faerûn. Although born to parents throughout the Forgotten Realms, aasimar are so unusual that no realm, city, or town is made up primarily of aasimar. Instead, individual aasimar grow up within the society and culture of their parents, and their outlook is shaped by the tension between that culture and the aasimar's connection to the Upper Planes.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Fish out of Water", "page": 11, "id": "012", "entries": [ "In much of the Realms, an aasimar often feels like an outsider. When aasimar are children, their celestial nature easily goes unnoticed or is hidden by concerned family members. But eventually that nature becomes impossible to conceal. This is a dangerous time for aasimar, for Shar and other evil deities\u2014and their worshipers\u2014prey on innocent aasimar ignorant of their true nature and full power.", "Throughout an aasimar's life, they frequently receive visions, prophetic dreams, or powerful feelings that hint at their destiny. Sometimes these prophetic instincts are sent by the aasimar's angelic ancestor, but they can just as easily be uncontrolled manifestations of celestial power." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Celestial Patrons", "page": 11, "id": "013", "entries": [ "Many aasimar are found or adopted by followers of a good deity, such as angels or animal lords\u2014or even by a good deity themself. Their connection to this celestial being informs the aasimar's life separate from the culture into which they were born. Corellon, {@deity Eilistraee|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, {@deity Lliira|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, {@deity Milil|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, and {@deity Selûne|Faerûnian|FRHoF} are frequently patrons of aasimar.", "In the {@area Old Empires|204|x}, where gods and demigods rule openly, aasimars are more common. The current generation of aasimar often trace their lineage to a mortal specially chosen to serve a good deity. Many aasimar wander the realms, eventually gravitating to a great city such as {@area Waterdeep|224|x}, {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x}, or {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}, where their unusual nature isn't particularly remarkable.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/004-01-002.characters.webp" }, "credit": "Aurore Folny, Svetlin Velinov", "width": 850, "height": 604 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dragonborn", "page": 11, "id": "014", "entries": [ "Many dragonborn families in Faerûn are relatively recent arrivals\u2014victims of the Spellplague who came to the Forgotten Realms when their world of Abeir temporarily merged with Toril. But dragonborn are as old as Toril and have long lived in the shadow of dragons and other folk.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Abeir and Tymanther", "page": 11, "id": "015", "entries": [ "Dragonborn were widespread on the world of Abeir, notably in the realm called {@area Tymanchebar|20f|x}. When Abeir and Toril merged during the Spellplague, Tymanchebar came to Faerûn, displacing the realm of Unther. From this devastation, dragonborn of Tymanchebar and refugees from Unther formed the realm of Tymanther. Tymanther's culture was a fusion of Tymanchebar's customs and the ways of the {@area Old Empires|204|x}, valuing honor, tradition, and family.", "But the Second Sundering saw Unther return, and Tymanther is no more. Many dragonborn who once lived there have scattered across Faerûn, bringing Tymanther's ways with them." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Hidden in History", "page": 12, "id": "016", "entries": [ "Not all dragonborn come from Tymanther and Abeir. They are, however, rare and have often been mistaken for other species of similar appearance. After all, Faerûn has never had a shortage of dragons, and uneducated folk might easily mistake dragonborn for lizardfolk, troglodytes, or any number of other creatures.", "Dragonborn trace their origin to the god Io; in Faerûn, Io is known as Asgorath the World Shaper, Creator of Dragonkind. Asgorath's worship is extremely ancient, going back to the Dawn Age, and dragonborn were far more prevalent in Faerûn during that time." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dragonborn Today", "page": 12, "id": "017", "entries": [ "Dragonborn can now be found throughout Faerûn. Many reside in the {@area Old Empires|204|x}, in villages and towns settled primarily by refugees from Tymanther, and there they preserve Tymantherian customs. Dragonborn have also adapted easily to the intense heat of the {@area Calim Desert|1cf|x}; some live in the cities of noble genies, while others serve in {@area Sultana Songal's|1c4|x} honor guard." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dwarves", "page": 12, "id": "018", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/005-01-003.dwarf.webp" }, "credit": "Manuel Castañón", "width": 850, "height": 1199 }, "Dwarves, sometimes called the Stout Folk, built grand city-strongholds in Faerûn's ancient past, and dwarves still live in some of these holdings today, defending them from subterranean monsters. Moradin is the chief god of the dwarves, and according to legend, Moradin forged the first dwarves on the Soulforge out of iron, mithral, earth, and stone.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Dwarven Culture", "page": 12, "id": "019", "entries": [ "Dwarven society is structured around clans, each of which has its own distinctive traditions and folklore. While some settlements and regions are dominated entirely by a single clan, it's not unusual to find clans living alongside each other, especially in cities. The Dwarvish language uses a set of runes called Dethek." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shield and Gold Dwarves", "page": 12, "id": "01a", "entries": [ "The two most common dwarven ethnicities are shield dwarves and gold dwarves.", "Shield dwarves are common in {@area the North|1e6|x} and {@area Sword Coast|219|x} regions. Their greatest surviving city is {@area Citadel Adbar|1f2|x}, near {@area Silverymoon|21b|x}. Shield dwarves have a long experience with war, which has made them slow to trust but steadfast in their loyalty. Their creations are sturdy and practical, lacking in decoration but designed for long, reliable use.", "Gold dwarves, in contrast, are more populous in south and east Faerûn, including the Great Rift south of {@area Unther|20f|x}. These lands have grown up in relative peace and prosperity, and so gold dwarves embrace trade and travel while welcoming strangers. The work of gold dwarf artisans often includes elaborate designs and embellishments that don't get in the way of a tool's usefulness." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Duergar", "page": 12, "id": "01b", "entries": [ "Duergar (as seen in {@book Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse|MPMM}) are dwarves shaped by the Underdark and the horrifying threats that dwell there. For millennia they were experimented upon by mind flayers. Now they live in subterranean settlements hidden from the light of the sun, and many duergar wield strange powers taught by or inherited from underground Aberrations." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Elves", "page": 12, "id": "01c", "entries": [ "Elves of the Realms call themselves tel'quessir. The ancient realms of the elves are even older than those of the dwarves, but most faded long ago. Most elves eventually leave Faerûn behind and sail to the magical haven of Evermeet.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Sun Elves and Moon Elves", "page": 13, "id": "01d", "entries": [ "The high elves detailed in the {@book Player's Handbook|XPHB} includes the culturally distinct sun elves and moon elves.", "Sun elves, also known as gold elves, value excellence in all things. They have a keen sense of history, especially of the accomplishments of elves in ages past. Magical instruction is easy to acquire in sun elf settlements, and many day-to-day tasks are solved or made easier through the use of routine magic. They are an intellectual people known for their mages, scholars, and seers.", "Moon elves, in contrast, value wandering and the discoveries of the open road, meeting strangers with open arms. They are an easygoing, fluid people who value the ability to adapt to change. Many moon elves leave elven settlements for cosmopolitan cities inhabited by folk of all species." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wood Elves", "page": 13, "id": "01e", "entries": [ "Wood elves, known also as copper elves, are a grounded, practical people. They value the forest and uncultivated nature over the glittering spires of elven cities, and are humble about elven accomplishments." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Drow", "page": 13, "id": "01f", "entries": [ "Faerûn's drow have a long history of association with {@deity Lolth|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, and their greatest city is infamous {@area Menzoberranzan|1f1|x}, in the Underdark. Drow not affiliated with Lolth can increasingly be found living peacefully among other folk in {@area the North|1e6|x}, the Dalelands, and other areas with ready access to the Underdark." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Gnomes", "page": 13, "id": "020", "entries": [ "Gnomes are an optimistic and cheerful people with a reputation for being reclusive and not involving themselves in Faerûn's grand history. The truth is that if you want to find the influence of gnomes in the world, you just have to know where to look.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Rock Gnomes", "page": 13, "id": "021", "entries": [ "Rock gnomes are the gnomes most commonly encountered by citizens of Faerûn's cities and towns. They are curious, inventive, and outgoing folk eager to learn new things. They've famously transformed life in {@area Lantan|238|x}, {@area Calimport|1cf|x}, and {@area Waterdeep|224|x} by developing fantastic inventions that blend magic and mechanical skill.", "Rock gnome villages dot the {@area Heartlands|1a4|x} region and the Shining Sea's shore. When rock gnomes live among other folk, they tend to form their own communities on the outskirts of town.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/006-01-004.gnome-with-rat.webp" }, "credit": "Zoltan Boros", "width": 850, "height": 1387 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Forest Gnomes", "page": 13, "id": "022", "entries": [ "Forest gnomes are reclusive, typically living in all-gnome villages hidden in Faerûn's forests. Indeed, foresters and hunters live their entire lives completely unaware of a forest gnome village just a few miles away. The typical forest gnome dwelling shelters an extended gnome family and its many animal friends; the whole house is dug into a wooded hill and well appointed with the creations of generations of skilled woodworkers. And while forest gnomes can defend themselves if faced with violence, a village is far more likely to just disappear, its inhabitants departing under cover of illusion to rebuild elsewhere.", "Forest gnomes who seek adventure or want to see the world join woodland communities, where they work alongside druids, elves, and other forest folk to tend sacred sites and preserve nature." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Deep Gnomes", "page": 13, "id": "023", "entries": [ "Deep gnomes (as seen in {@book Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse|MPMM}) live in the Underdark and other subterranean places, and they have been altered physically and culturally by warfare and long exposure to Underdark forces. Conflict with many enemies has made them a serious and suspicious folk. Their greatest city is Blingdenstone, which they have only recently liberated from Lolth-worshiping conquerors." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Goliaths", "page": 14, "id": "024", "entries": [ "Goliaths trace their history back to empires built by giants in Faerûn's Dawn Age, and they participated in cataclysmic wars between giants and dragons that left Toril in ruins. When the empires of the giants fell, goliaths left to forge their own path.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goliath Enclaves", "page": 14, "id": "025", "entries": [ "Goliath enclaves can be found in {@area Anauroch|150|x}, in {@area Chult|279|x}, and in {@area the North|1e6|x} along the Spine of the World mountains. Life in these remote settlements is challenging, and the goliaths who live there learn to be cooperative when possible but self-reliant when necessary. These enclaves are usually home to goliaths of many different giant ancestries, sharing their magical gifts and natural talents with the community." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Giant-Kin", "page": 14, "id": "026", "entries": [ "Some goliath families live near or within giant communities. These groups of goliaths are more likely to all be of a single giant ancestry adapted to the environment the giants live in\u2014for example, a community of goliaths descended from fire giants and living alongside them atop the volcanic Mount Neverwinter. Goliaths who live among giants are influenced by the beliefs and traditions of the giants they work alongside and are often in demand as ambassadors and emissaries between giants and smaller folk nearby." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Goliath Explorers", "page": 14, "id": "027", "entries": [ "In recent years, individual goliaths have left their homes to explore Faerûn. They've visited great cities like {@area Calimport|1cf|x} and {@area Waterdeep|224|x} and brought back knowledge and trade goods that have made life easier in their remote settlements. These explorers have, in turn, prompted other folk in Faerûn to seek out goliath communities to pursue alliances or regular trade.", "For most of their history, goliaths have been peaceful folk. Few realms are willing to go to war over the lands where goliath settlements are typically built, and goliaths living among giants are protected from invasion by their giant neighbors." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Halflings", "page": 14, "id": "028", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/007-01-005.dog-and-halfling-in-armor.webp" }, "credit": "Dmitry Burmak", "width": 850, "height": 1340 }, "Halflings of Faerûn call themselves hin. Perhaps more than any other species in Faerûn, halflings integrate into multicultural communities, befriending and working alongside other species. As such, halflings can be found in virtually every settlement in Faerûn, but their ancient homeland is Luiren, south of Unther. Prominent communities exist in {@area Amn|1c6|x}, in {@area Chondalwood|258|x}, and along the Sea of Fallen Stars.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Surrounded by Big Folk", "page": 14, "id": "029", "entries": [ "Halfling history is colored by the constant presence of bigger, threatening species that surround halfling communities. While some folk might turn inward in the face of constant threat, halfling tradition is to embrace the cultures of larger neighbors, befriending them and blending in. {@skill History|XPHB} teaches that eventually halflings become inconspicuous, and in this way halfling communities survive and thrive." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Lightfoots and Stronghearts", "page": 14, "id": "02a", "entries": [ "In the Forgotten Realms, halflings broadly divide themselves into the lightfoot or strongheart lifestyles. But these categories are permeable, and halflings might move from one group to the other many times in their life.", "Lightfoot halflings (never call them lightfeet) live on the move. They seek out new experiences and new company, exploring and making new friends. Lightfoots travel light, and they need to be resourceful and quick to adapt to changing conditions. Halflings' legendary luck keeps many lightfoots alive. Halflings tend to become lightfoots as young adults when they leave home, when wanderlust strikes, or when other major changes to their lives occur.", "When a halfling settles down in a community, they become strongheart. Strongheart traditions emphasize permanence, comfort, family connection, growing things, the comforts of home, and getting along with neighbors. Some communities of stronghearts are so enduring that everyone in them has been strongheart all their lives." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Humans", "page": 15, "id": "02b", "entries": [ "The history of the Forgotten Realms has largely been written by humans. Because humans are so numerous, most settlements, factions, and institutions in Faerûn are made up mostly of humans, even if their leadership is another species. But the simple fact that humans are so numerous belies their countless cultural divisions. Human culture varies widely from one realm to another. They speak dozens of different languages and war on each other more than any other species.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ancient Origins", "page": 15, "id": "02c", "entries": [ "Humans are unusual in that they are among the most ancient species on Faerûn, but for much of that time they went largely unnoticed and had no great influence on world affairs. No one is quite certain where they came from; one theory, based on the Common language's origin in Sigil, is that humans came to Toril from the Outlands.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/008-01-006.elf.webp" }, "credit": "Agustín Marceillac", "width": 850, "height": 1357 }, "Regardless, more than thirty thousand years ago, humans inhabited the supercontinent of Merrouroboros and lived in the shadow of the creator races. They had no permanent settlements, no written language, and no tools more advanced than the club.", "But slowly this changed as humans came into contact with dragons and giants and then with elves, dwarves, and other peoples. By the {@area Founding Time|14b|x}, approximately nine thousand years ago, human cultures were building cities and empires. In the time since, humans have spread across Faerûn and played an outsize role in history." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Diverse Ethnicities", "page": 15, "id": "02d", "entries": [ "War and trade have spread humans across Faerûn. The cataclysmic war between the {@area Narfell empire|197|x} and the Raumathar people scattered refugees throughout the east. The Raumathar became the Rashemi, settling in the {@area Arcane Empires|16f|x}, while survivors from Narfell settled around the Sea of Fallen Stars and became the Damarans.", "In the west, Chondathan humans established trade routes and settlements, their culture changing rapidly from one region to the next. Humans along the {@area Sword Coast|219|x} formed the seafaring Illuskan culture while, to their south, humans escaping the tyranny of genie overlords became the {@area Calishites|1cf|x}. Some human ethnicities even originate from other worlds and were brought to Faerûn by magic." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Orcs", "page": 15, "id": "02e", "entries": [ "Orcs have a complicated history in Faerûn. Their myths tell of a primordial rivalry between Gruumsh, their patron deity, and Corellon, a god of the elves. Orc nations have long fought with dwarven strongholds over territory. And many orcs have been recruited or impressed into the armies of would-be conquerors. But for the most part, orcs coexist peacefully with all manner of folk, especially in difficult and dangerous environments where their natural gifts prove the difference between life and death.", { "type": "entries", "name": "A Wandering People", "page": 15, "id": "02f", "entries": [ "Orcs first came to Toril from other worlds. Legends tell that when Faerûn was divided among the various species, dwarves claimed the mountains, elves the forests, and so on, until no land was left for orcs when they arrived. Undeterred, Gruumsh simply declared his people would live everywhere, and they've been a wandering people ever since.", "They founded settlements in lands too inhospitable for other folk, especially in mountainous regions such as the Spine of the World and the Sword Mountains, near {@area Waterdeep|224|x}. But over the centuries, orcs have departed these homelands, individually or in bands, to travel the world and seek out new places to live." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Kingdom of Many-Arrows", "page": 16, "id": "030", "entries": [ "The greatest orc realm in Faerûn's recent history was established in 1371 DR by King Obould Many-Arrows, a Chosen servitor of Gruumsh. The {@area Kingdom of Many-Arrows|1ea|x} held the Spine of the World mountains, and Obould encouraged trade and diplomacy with his neighbors in {@area the North|1e6|x}.", "A generation ago, a tyrant named Hartusk took control of Many-Arrows and invaded several neighboring realms. Hartusk was deposed, but despite the return of Obould's legitimate heir and a desire for peace among the orcs, vengeful dwarves from the strongholds Hartusk besieged leveled Dark Arrow Keep, the realm's capital.", "But orcs are nothing if not resilient. A new King of Many-Arrows has arisen, unrelated to Obould's line. Orrusk Homebringer is calling orcs from the Spine of the World back to rebuild Dark Arrow Keep and restore the realm, making it greater than it was before." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tieflings", "page": 16, "id": "031", "entries": [ "Fiends have influenced Faerûn since its earliest history, and where there have been fiends, there are tieflings.", "Tieflings with an infernal legacy usually trace their history to the Spellplague. During that disaster, {@deity Asmodeus|Faerûnian|FRHoF} attempted to make every tiefling in Faerûn his servant by performing a ritual that cursed them with an infernal appearance called the Mark of Asmodeus. Asmodeus's gambit ultimately failed, but infernal tieflings remain the most common tiefling lineage in Faerûn.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Life among Others", "page": 16, "id": "032", "entries": [ "Though far more common than aasimar, their cousins from the Upper Planes, tieflings remain relatively rare in Faerûn. Most towns are home to no more than a handful of tieflings, only some of whom reside there permanently. Even in cities, tiefling communities are small enough for everyone to know each other and share methods of coexisting within the larger non-tiefling population.", "A few regions, however, have been home to significant populations of tieflings for centuries. Aglarond, a land associated with sorcerers and training in sorcery, has long been a haven for tieflings eager to control their fiendish powers. The presence of gods and demigods throughout the {@area Old Empires|204|x} region has made tieflings almost common there, and tieflings with an infernal legacy have adapted easily to the harsh environments of {@area Calimshan|1cf|x} and can often find a place in the court of efreet living in the Calim Desert. Places with devil-worshiping cults, such as {@area Neverwinter|21b|x} and {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x}, also have longstanding tiefling populations." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Elturel and Baldur's Gate", "page": 16, "id": "033", "entries": [ "About a decade ago, the city of Elturel was briefly transported to the Nine Hells. Although it was eventually rescued by adventurers, Elturel's citizens were deeply affected by their time in the Lower Planes. There was already a small population of tieflings in the city, and more have been born ever since. But Elturel's rulers have rejected anything with a connection to the Lower Planes, including the city's tiefling residents, and tiefling families have fled to nearby Baldur's Gate.", "This does little to help those tiefling children recently born in Elturel to parents of other species, however. Many of these children are hidden by their parents, lest their infernal legacy be discovered. Others have fled their homes, with their parents or without." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Subclasses", "page": 16, "id": "034", "entries": [ "This chapter presents eight new subclasses that are particularly appropriate for characters in the Forgotten Realms:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@class Bard|XPHB|College of the Moon|Moon|FRHoF}: A Bard trained by druids of the {@area Moonshae Isles|23f|x}, with a special connection to local folktales and mysterious shrines called moonwells", "{@class Cleric|XPHB|Knowledge Domain|Knowledge|FRHoF}: A Cleric of {@deity Gond|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, {@deity Mystra|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, {@deity Oghma|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, {@deity Selûne|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, or another deity who values knowledge, craft, or secrets", "{@class Fighter|XPHB|Banneret|Banneret|FRHoF}: A Fighter who leads others into battle", "{@class Paladin|XPHB|Oath of the Noble Genies|Noble Genies|FRHoF}: A Paladin empowered by the elemental magic of the genies of {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}", "{@class Ranger|XPHB|Winter Walker|Winter Walker|FRHoF}: A Ranger of {@area the North|1e6|x}, wielding magic of cold and ice", "{@class Rogue|XPHB|Scion of the Three|Scion of the Three|FRHoF}: A Rogue who taps into the deadly power of three evil gods\u2014{@deity Bane|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, {@deity Bhaal|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, and {@deity Myrkul|Faerûnian|FRHoF}", "{@class Sorcerer|XPHB|Spellfire Sorcery|Spellfire|FRHoF}: A Sorcerer born with the ability to manipulate spellfire", "{@class Wizard|XPHB|Bladesinger|Bladesinger|FRHoF}: A Wizard who has mastered an ancient elven technique of magical combat" ], "style": "list-no-bullets" } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Backgrounds", "page": 27, "id": "088", "entries": [ "This section presents eighteen new backgrounds for characters from Faerûn. These backgrounds are presented in alphabetical order.", "Ten of these new backgrounds correspond to regions of the Forgotten Realms described in {@book chapter 2|FRHoF|2}; these backgrounds are listed in the {@book Regional Backgrounds|FRHoF|1|Regional Backgrounds} table. Not every character from a given region needs to take a given background. For example, not all residents of {@area Mulhorand|20b|x} are tomb raiders. Conversely, you might find a given background a good fit for your character even if the character isn't from the designated region. For example, the {@background Chondathan Freebooter|FRHoF} background is a good fit for many pirate characters from any region.", "Seven of these backgrounds are related to factions described in {@book chapter 6|FRHoF|6}; these backgrounds are listed in the {@book Faction Backgrounds|FRHoF|1|Faction Backgrounds} table. These backgrounds describe the training associated with a faction but aren't required for affiliation or membership with that faction.", "Finally, the {@background Spellfire Initiate|FRHoF} background represents characters born with the ability to manipulate spellfire, which is described in {@book chapter 5|FRHoF|5}. This background, along with the related feats later in this chapter, can represent a character of any class with a talent for spellfire. Sorcerer characters with this background might also choose the {@class Sorcerer|XPHB|Spellfire Sorcery|Spellfire|FRHoF} subclass presented earlier in this chapter.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Regional Backgrounds", "page": 27, "colLabels": [ "Background", "Region" ], "colStyles": [ "col-6", "col-6" ], "rows": [ [ "{@background Chondathan Freebooter|FRHoF}", "{@area Vilhon Reach|256|x}" ], [ "{@background Dead Magic Dweller|FRHoF}", "{@area Anauroch|150|x}" ], [ "{@background Flaming Fist Mercenary|FRHoF}", "{@area Sword Coast|219|x}" ], [ "{@background Genie Touched|FRHoF}", "{@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x}" ], [ "{@background Ice Fisher|FRHoF}", "{@area The North|1e6|x}" ], [ "{@background Moonwell Pilgrim|FRHoF}", "{@area Trackless Sea|236|x}" ], [ "{@background Mulhorandi Tomb Raider|FRHoF}", "{@area Old Empires|204|x}" ], [ "{@background Mythalkeeper|FRHoF}", "{@area Heartlands|1a4|x}" ], [ "{@background Rashemi Wanderer|FRHoF}", "{@area Arcane Empires|16f|x}" ], [ "{@background Shadowmasters Exile|FRHoF}", "{@area Forgotten Lands|18b|x}" ] ] }, { "type": "table", "caption": "Faction Backgrounds", "page": 27, "colLabels": [ "Background", "Faction" ], "colStyles": [ "col-6", "col-6" ], "rows": [ [ "{@background Dragon Cultist|FRHoF}", "{@area Cult of the Dragon|339|x}" ], [ "{@background Emerald Enclave Caretaker|FRHoF}", "{@area Emerald Enclave|34d|x}" ], [ "{@background Harper|FRHoF}", "{@area Harpers|35f|x}" ], [ "{@background Knight of the Gauntlet|FRHoF}", "{@area Knights of the Gauntlet|38e|x}" ], [ "{@background Lords' Alliance Vassal|FRHoF}", "{@area Lords' Alliance|371|x}" ], [ "{@background Purple Dragon Squire|FRHoF}", "{@area Purple Dragon Knights|39f|x}" ], [ "{@background Zhentarim Mercenary|FRHoF}", "{@area Zhentarim|3c0|x}" ] ] }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/018-01-016.purple-dragon.webp" }, "credit": "Olivier Bernard", "width": 850, "height": 1095 } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Feats", "page": 37, "id": "09b", "entries": [ "This section's feats are organized by category\u2014Origin, General, or Epic Boon\u2014and alphabetized in each category. All the feats are listed alphabetically in the Feat List table.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Feat List", "page": 37, "colLabels": [ "Feat", "Category" ], "colStyles": [ "col-8", "col-4" ], "rows": [ [ "{@feat Boon of Bloodshed|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Bountiful Health|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Communication|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Desperate Resilience|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Exquisite Radiance|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Fluid Forms|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Fortune's Favor|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Poison Mastery|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Revelry|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of Terror|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of the Bright Sun|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of the Furious Storm|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Boon of the Soul Drinker|FRHoF}", "{@area Epic Boon|0ff|x}" ], [ "{@feat Cold Caster|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Cult of the Dragon Initiate|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Dragonscarred|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Emerald Enclave Fledgling|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Enclave Magic|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Fairy Trickster|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Genie Magic|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Harper Agent|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Harper Teamwork|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Lordly Resolve|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Lords' Alliance Agent|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Mythal Touched|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Order's Resilience|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Purple Dragon Commandant|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Purple Dragon Rook|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Spellfire Adept|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Spellfire Spark|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Street Justice|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ], [ "{@feat Tyro of the Gauntlet|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Zhentarim Ruffian|FRHoF}", "{@area Origin|09c|x}" ], [ "{@feat Zhentarim Tactics|FRHoF}", "{@area General|0bf|x}" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Origin Feats", "page": 37, "id": "09c", "entries": [ "These feats are in the Origin category.", { "type": "list", "columns": 3, "items": [ "{@feat Cult of the Dragon Initiate|FRHoF}", "{@feat Emerald Enclave Fledgling|FRHoF}", "{@feat Harper Agent|FRHoF}", "{@feat Lords' Alliance Agent|FRHoF}", "{@feat Purple Dragon Rook|FRHoF}", "{@feat Spellfire Spark|FRHoF}", "{@feat Tyro of the Gauntlet|FRHoF}", "{@feat Zhentarim Ruffian|FRHoF}" ] }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/037-01-035.spell-simbuls-synostodweomer.webp" }, "title": "With her spell Simbul's Synostodweomer, the Simbul protects her sister Dove Falconhand in battle", "credit": "Ioannis Fiore", "width": 1700, "height": 985 } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "General Feats", "page": 39, "id": "0bf", "entries": [ "These feats are in the General category.", { "type": "list", "columns": 3, "items": [ "{@feat Cold Caster|FRHoF}", "{@feat Dragonscarred|FRHoF}", "{@feat Enclave Magic|FRHoF}", "{@feat Fairy Trickster|FRHoF}", "{@feat Genie Magic|FRHoF}", "{@feat Harper Teamwork|FRHoF}", "{@feat Lordly Resolve|FRHoF}", "{@feat Mythal Touched|FRHoF}", "{@feat Order's Resilience|FRHoF}", "{@feat Purple Dragon Commandant|FRHoF}", "{@feat Spellfire Adept|FRHoF}", "{@feat Street Justice|FRHoF}", "{@feat Zhentarim Tactics|FRHoF}" ] }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/038-01-036.adventurers-great-and-small.webp" }, "title": "Faerûn is home to adventurers great and small", "credit": "Polar Engine", "width": 850, "height": 2297 } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Epic Boon Feats", "page": 42, "id": "0ff", "entries": [ "These are feats in the Epic Boon category.", { "type": "list", "columns": 3, "items": [ "{@feat Boon of Bloodshed|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Bountiful Health|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Communication|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Desperate Resilience|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Exquisite Radiance|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Fluid Forms|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Fortune's Favor|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Poison Mastery|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Revelry|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of Terror|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of the Bright Sun|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of the Furious Storm|FRHoF}", "{@feat Boon of the Soul Drinker|FRHoF}" ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 2: A Guide to the Realms", "page": 45, "id": "141", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/039-02-001.minsc-boo-and-delina-explore.webp" }, "title": "Minsc, Boo, and Delina explore the ruins of Myth Drannor.", "credit": "Quintin Gleim", "width": 1700, "height": 2301 }, "The continent of Faerûn stretches between the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x} to the west and the Sunrise Mountains to the east on a world called Toril. A place of varied cultures and peoples, Faerûn contains diverse realms, including kingdoms, city-states, and carefully maintained alliances of rural communities. While many of these realms are ruled by humans, who are the most populous species in Faerûn today, people of all sorts\u2014including dragonborn, goliaths, orcs, tieflings, and more\u2014mingle in those realms, as well as mountainous dwarven kingdoms, hidden elven enclaves, and other communities. Except in the most remote or insular places, Faerûnians are accustomed to seeing people of different cultures, ethnicities, and species.", "A great deal of adventure is to be had in the Realms. The routes between cities and nations often cross into the territory of brigands or marauding monsters. Every forest, swamp, and mountain range has its own perils, whether lurking bandits, malicious fey, or mighty creatures such as giants and dragons. Ruins of ancient, forgotten realms dot the landscape, and these ruins often conceal expansive subterranean dungeons that wind beneath the surface. In these places, long-lost treasures await intrepid adventurers.", "Faerûn is filled with rich history and wondrous tales of adventure and magic, but day-to-day life in Faerûn is that of a medieval society. Rural farmers grow food and herd livestock that gets sent to market in towns and cities, where crafters and other tradesfolk gather. News and gossip are carried by caravans, ships, and traveling minstrels. Adventurers also spread news\u2014when they're not creating it!", "Most of the people who populate the continent have little or no knowledge of lands outside Faerûn. Only the more educated or well traveled among the populace are aware that Faerûn is but one continent and that Toril is the whole of the world. For most, \"Faerûn\" is quite large enough.", { "type": "section", "name": "Time in the Realms", "page": 45, "id": "142", "entries": [ "Although a number of means exist for marking the days and the passage of time during a year, nearly all folk in Faerûn have adopted the Calendar of Harptos.", "In the Calendar of Harptos, a year on Toril consists of 365 days, divided into twelve months of thirty days, loosely following the cycle of Selûne, the moon. A month is made up of three tendays, also known as rides. Five annual holidays, falling between the months, complete the calendar. Once every four years, Shieldmeet occurs as a leap day following Midsummer.", "Individual days of a tenday have no special names. Instead, they are denoted by counting from the beginning of the period (\"first day,\" \"second day,\" and so on). Days of the month are designated by a number and the month name (for example, \"1 Mirtul\" or \"27 Uktar\"). People might also refer to a given day by its relationship to the current date (\"two tendays from today\") or the nearest holiday (\"three days past Greengrass\").", { "type": "table", "caption": "Calendar of Harptos", "page": 45, "colLabels": [ "Month", "Name", "Common Name" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-5", "col-5" ], "rows": [ [ "1", "Hammer", "Deepwinter" ], { "type": "row", "row": [ { "type": "cell", "width": 3, "entry": "{@b Annual Holiday: Midwinter}" } ] }, [ "2", "Alturiak", "The Claw of Winter" ], [ "3", "Ches", "The Claw of Sunsets" ], [ "4", "Tarsakh", "The Claw of Storms" ], { "type": "row", "row": [ { "type": "cell", "width": 3, "entry": "{@b Annual Holiday: Greengrass}" } ] }, [ "5", "Mirtul", "The Melting" ], [ "6", "Kythorn", "The Time of Flowers" ], [ "7", "Flamerule", "Summertide" ], { "type": "row", "row": [ { "type": "cell", "width": 3, "entry": "{@b Annual Holiday: Midsummer}" } ] }, { "type": "row", "row": [ { "type": "cell", "width": 3, "entry": "{@b Quadrennial Holiday: Shieldmeet}" } ] }, [ "8", "Eleasis", "Highsun" ], [ "9", "Eleint", "The Fading" ], { "type": "row", "row": [ { "type": "cell", "width": 3, "entry": "{@b Annual Holiday: Highharvestide}" } ] }, [ "10", "Marpenoth", "Leaffall" ], [ "11", "Uktar", "The Rotting" ], { "type": "row", "row": [ { "type": "cell", "width": 3, "entry": "{@b Annual Holiday: Feast of the Moon}" } ] }, [ "12", "Nightal", "The Drawing Down" ] ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Calendar Days", "page": 46, "id": "143", "entries": [ "Every realm, faith, and culture across Faerûn has its own special festivals and holidays, the observances of which are governed by the cycles of the sun, the moon, the stars, or some other event. In addition, the Calendar of Harptos specifies five annual festivals keyed to the changing of the seasons and one quadrennial festival that are observed in almost every land, with particular celebrations varying based on local traditions and popular faiths.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/040-02-002.calendar-of-harptos.webp" }, "credit": "Raluca Marinescu", "width": 850, "height": 2336 }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Midwinter", "page": 46, "id": "144", "entries": [ "The first festival day of the year is Midwinter, though some people name it differently. Nobles and monarchs of the {@area Heartlands|1a4|x} call it the High Festival of Winter, a day to commemorate or renew alliances. Commoners in {@area the North|1e6|x}, {@area the Moonsea|1b5|x}, and other colder climes celebrate it as Deadwinter Day, the midpoint of the cold season, with some of the worst days now past." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Greengrass", "page": 46, "id": "145", "entries": [ "The traditional spring festival, Greengrass is celebrated with freshly cut flowers (grown in special hothouses where necessary) given as gifts to the gods or spread among the fields in hopes of a bountiful growing season." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Midsummer", "page": 46, "id": "146", "entries": [ "The midpoint of summer is a day of feasting, carousing, betrothals, and basking in the pleasant weather. Storms on Midsummer night are seen as bad omens and signs of ill fortune, and sometimes interpreted as divine disapproval of the romances begun or marriages promised that day." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shieldmeet", "page": 46, "id": "147", "entries": [ "The great holiday of the Calendar of Harptos, Shieldmeet occurs once every four years immediately after Midsummer. It is a day for plain speaking and open council between rulers and their subjects, renewing pacts and contracts, and forging treaties. Many tournaments and contests of skill are held on Shieldmeet, and most faiths mark the holiday by emphasizing one of their key tenets. The next Shieldmeet will be in 1504 DR (see the \"{@area Realms Timeline|14b|x}\" sidebar)." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Highharvestide", "page": 46, "id": "148", "entries": [ "A day of feasting and thanks, Highharvestide marks the fall harvest. Most people give thanks to Chauntea on this day for a plentiful bounty before winter approaches. Many who make their living by traveling long distances by road or sea set out immediately following the holiday, before winter blocks mountain passes and harbors." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Feast of the Moon", "page": 47, "id": "149", "entries": [ "As nights lengthen and winter winds approach, the Feast of the Moon is the time when people celebrate their ancestors and honored dead. During festivals on this day, people gather to share stories and legends, offer prayers for the fallen, and prepare for the coming cold." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Keeping Time from Day to Day", "page": 47, "id": "14a", "entries": [ "Most people don't keep track of the time of day beyond notions such as \"midmorning\" or \"near sunset.\" If people plan to meet at a particular time, they base their arrangements around such expressions.", "The concept of hours and minutes exists mainly where wealthy people use clocks, but mechanical clocks are often unreliable and rarely set consistently. If a local temple or civic structure has a clock that tolls the passing of the hours, people refer to hours as \"bells,\" as in \"I'll meet you at seven bells.\"", { "type": "inset", "name": "Realms Timeline", "page": 47, "id": "14b", "entries": [ "This timeline provides a summary of Faerûn's history. Dates are provided in Dalereckoning (DR). Beginning with the year\u2013700 DR, years have a name found in the Roll of Years, prophetic writings by the Netherese mage Augathra and expanded by Alaundo of Candlekeep:", { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "Days of Thunder (\u201335000 DR to\u201330000 DR)", "entry": "Water recedes to reveal the supercontinent of Merrouroboros, eventually inhabited by the so-called creator-races." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Dawn Age (\u201330000 DR to\u201324000 DR)", "entry": "The empires of the creator-races fade, replaced by realms of dragons and giants. These two great peoples wage mighty war for centuries." }, { "type": "item", "name": "First Flowering (\u201324000 DR to\u201312000 DR)", "entry": "Elven civilizations supplant those of the dragons and giants. In\u201317600, elven high magic creates {@area Evermeet|27c|x} and brings a cataclysm to Toril known as the Sundering." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Crown Wars (\u201312000 DR to\u20139000 DR)", "entry": "Elves war with each other for generations." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Founding Time (\u20139000 DR to\u20133000 DR)", "entry": "As elven influence declines, other realms arise, including Imaskar, Netheril, {@area Rashemen|17a|x}, and {@area Unther|20f|x}. The genies Calim and Memnon are bound." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Age of Humanity (\u20133000 DR to 1000 DR)", "entry": "Realms ruled by humans\u2014including the {@area Mulhorand|20b|x}, {@area Narfell|197|x}, and Raumathar empires\u2014spread across and dominate Faerûn." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Present Age Begins (1000 DR)", "entry": "The present age is one of conflict, adventure, and global crises." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Time of Troubles (1358 DR)", "entry": "Deities wander the land as mortals and war against each other." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Netheril Returns (1372 DR)", "entry": "The floating city of Thultanthar returns to {@area Anauroch|150|x} from the Shadowfell, and Shadovar begin rebuilding their empire." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Spellplague (1385 DR)", "entry": "Cyric and Shar murder Mystra, triggering a series of disasters. Toril is briefly merged with the world of Abeir." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Second Sundering(1482 DR to 1489 DR)", "entry": "Abeir and Toril separate again, and over several years, many of the effects of the Spellplague are reversed." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Present (1501 DR)", "entry": "The current year is the Year of the Shining Mythal." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Currency", "page": 47, "id": "14c", "entries": [ "Nearly every major power of Faerûn has its own currency minted within its borders that represent both its influence and material wealth. Most coins of pure composition and standard weight are accepted across the continent, though not every city-state or nation bothers to mint every sort of coin. The standard used to set the weight and value of coins is Waukeen's {@i Golden Coin}, a relic that lies on sacred scales in the city of Schamedar in {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}.", "Some of the most commonly found and widely accepted currencies in the Realms are summarized below. Each grouping is arranged in order of value: copper, silver, electrum, gold, and (when present) platinum. Most people refer to coins by whatever name the issuing government uses, regardless of origin, except for Zhentil Keep\u2014for some reason, {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} coins have unflattering epithets associated with them:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@b Amn}: Fander, taran, centaur, danter, roldon", "{@b Calimshan}: Unarche, decarche, centarche, bicenta, kilarche", "{@b Cormyr}: Thumb, falcon, blue eye, golden lion, tricrown", "{@b Sembia}: Steelpence (an iron coin), hawk, blue eye, noble", "{@b Silverymoon}: Glint, shield, sword, dragon, unicorn", "{@b Waterdeep}: Nib, shard, sambar, dragon, sun", "{@b Zhentil Keep}: Fang (\"dung-piece\"), talon/naal (\"flea-bit\"), tarenth (\"hardhammer\"), glory (\"weeping wolf\"), platinum glory (\"flat metal gem\")" ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Adventurers", "page": 48, "id": "14d", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/041-02-003.deryan-kaya-summons.webp" }, "title": "Deryan Kaya summons a horde of constructs to fight off a blue dragon.", "credit": "Katerina Ladon", "width": 1700, "height": 1124 }, "Adventurers have a long history in Faerûn. Children are told stories of great adventurers like Storm Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden, and Alias. While most people eventually put away their dreams of heroic adventure in favor of more practical matters, a few leave their homes to embark on a life of peril, hoping to become heroes who find great rewards. Individuals who suffer great tragedy in their lives might turn to adventuring out of desperation. Some adventurers are forced into the occupation when they or others are placed in sudden danger. A few individuals simply grow bored with their lives and dream of something more, becoming adventurers to reinvent themselves or find new meaning in their lives.", "The common folk of Faerûn look on adventurers with a mixture of admiration, envy, and mistrust.", "An adventurer willing to risk their life on behalf of a complete stranger deserves applause and a reward, and many are envious that adventurers live their lives on their own terms, untrammeled by custom or convention.", "But adventurers are also dangerous, possessing skills and magic beyond the reach of Faerûn's common folk. Their lives are violent, and where they go, chaos follows. Many adventuring parties have descended into an ancient crypt only to unwittingly release a horrifying evil on an unsuspecting world. And a successful adventurer amasses wealth and power very quickly\u2014perhaps too quickly for rulers to monitor or for the law to handle.", "Regardless, authority figures often turn to adventurers to solve unusual problems. Towns and cities typically have a budget set aside for hiring adventurers." ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Regions of the Realms", "page": 49, "id": "14e", "entries": [ { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/042-map-02.001-forgotten-realms-dm.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Forgotten Realms", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2797, "id": "035", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 51, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/043-map-02.001-forgotten-realms-players.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 2797, "mapParent": { "id": "035" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 51, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Faerûn is frequently divided into various regions that share common cultural characteristics. The ten regions of the Forgotten Realms setting are as follows:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@b Anauroch}. The inhospitable desert of {@area Anauroch|150|x} and adjoining glacier is home to nomads and criss-crossed by trade caravans.", "{@b Arcane Empires}. Three realms in east Faerûn are ruled by wielders of arcane magic: masked witches in {@area Rashemen|17a|x}, sorcerers in {@area Aglarond|171|x}, and the infamous {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x} of {@area Thay|185|x}.", "{@b Forgotten Lands}. The remote northeast of Faerûn is home to vast mineral wealth and long-lost magical secrets.", "{@b Heartlands}. The rich, powerful realms of {@area Cormyr|1a6|x} and {@area Sembia|1be|x} surround the frontier settlements of the {@area Dalelands|1ae|x} and a legendary elven ruin.", "{@b Lands of Intrigue}. The realms of {@area Amn|1c6|x}, {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}, and {@area Tethyr|1d8|x} have not warred with each other for centuries, but this only hides a long history of political schemes.", "{@b The North}. Harsh weather, Underdark menaces, and isolation threaten the people of {@area Icewind Dale|1e8|x} and other settlements in a dangerous and unforgiving land.", "{@b Old Empires}. The ancient realms of {@area Chessenta|206|x}, {@area Mulhorand|20b|x}, and {@area Unther|20f|x} are ruled\u2014for better or for worse\u2014by living gods.", "{@b Sword Coast}. Some of the largest and most well-known cities in Faerûn lie along its west coast, tied together by trade and shared history.", "{@b Trackless Sea}. The island nations in the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x} are isolated from each other but united by their dependence on the sea.", "{@b Vilhon Reach}. The {@area Emerald Enclave|34d|x}'s mystic island of Ilighôn lies at the entrance to the {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x}. Wielding arcane magic is a crime in most of the Vilhon Reach." ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" }, "Each of these regions is described on the pages that follow and on the poster map in this book. Each region begins with a brief overview that summarizes key facts, as well as a map of the region. Subsequent sections detail the realms of each region, important cultural elements, and noteworthy places adventurers might visit.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Regions and Languages", "page": 49, "id": "14f", "entries": [ "Many realms, ethnicities, and cultural groups in Faerûn have their own language they use in addition to Common. These languages are noted in the gazetteer sections that follow. You can choose any of these languages as one of the languages your character knows. These regional languages, along with the standard languages from the {@book Player's Handbook|XPHB}, are listed on the Standard Languages of Faerûn table, which you can use to randomly determine the languages your character knows (in addition to Common).", { "type": "table", "caption": "Standard Languages of Faerûn", "page": 49, "colLabels": [ "1d100", "Language", "Origin" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-5", "col-5" ], "rows": [ [ "\u2014", "{@language Common|XPHB}", "Sigil" ], [ "01\u201303", "{@language Aglarondan|FRHoF}", "Aglarond" ], [ "04\u201306", "{@language Alzhedo|FRHoF}", "Calimshan" ], [ "07\u201309", "{@language Bothii|FRHoF}", "Uthgardt nomads" ], [ "10\u201312", "{@language Chessentan|FRHoF}", "Chessenta" ], [ "13\u201315", "{@language Chondathan|FRHoF}", "Chondath" ], [ "16\u201318", "{@language Common Sign Language|XPHB}", "Sigil" ], [ "19\u201321", "{@language Damaran|FRHoF}", "Damara" ], [ "22\u201326", "{@language Draconic|XPHB}", "Dragons" ], [ "27\u201333", "{@language Dwarvish|XPHB}", "Dwarves" ], [ "34\u201340", "{@language Elvish|XPHB}", "Elves" ], [ "41\u201345", "{@language Giant|XPHB}", "Giants" ], [ "46\u201350", "{@language Gnomish|XPHB}", "Gnomes" ], [ "51\u201355", "{@language Goblin|XPHB}", "Goblinoids" ], [ "56\u201362", "{@language Halfling|XPHB}", "Halflings" ], [ "63\u201365", "{@language Illuskan|FRHoF}", "The North" ], [ "66\u201368", "{@language Lantanese|FRHoF}", "Lantan" ], [ "69\u201371", "{@language Midani|FRHoF}", "Bedine nomads" ], [ "72\u201374", "{@language Mulhorandi|FRHoF}", "Mulhorand" ], [ "75\u201377", "{@language Netherese|FRHoF}", "Netheril" ], [ "78\u201382", "{@language Orc|XPHB}", "Orcs" ], [ "83\u201385", "{@language Rashemi|FRHoF}", "Rashemen" ], [ "86\u201388", "{@language Reghedjic|FRHoF}", "Reghed nomads" ], [ "89\u201391", "{@language Sespech|FRHoF}", "Sespech" ], [ "92\u201394", "{@language Thayan|FRHoF}", "Thay" ], [ "95\u201397", "{@language Turmic|FRHoF}", "Turmish" ], [ "98\u201300", "{@language Untheric|FRHoF}", "Unther" ] ], "data": { "genTables": { "tableName": "Standard Languages of Faerûn" } } } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Anauroch", "page": 52, "id": "150", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "151", "name": "Overview", "page": 52, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "A wasteland, once the thriving heart of the Netherese empire, inexorably spreads into surrounding lands." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "Bedine tribes, {@area Empire of Shadows|153|x}, {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} caravans" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Midani (Bedine), Netherese (Shade)" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Azirrhat, Saiyaddar, Scimitar Spires, Shadow Sea, the Sword" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Lamias threaten the north, Netherese plot to rebuild their empire, and raiders prey on travelers and settlements." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/044-map-02.002-anauroch.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Anauroch", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 3921, "height": 4096, "id": "036", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 205, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/045-map-02.002-anauroch-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 3921, "height": 4096, "mapParent": { "id": "036" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 205, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Despite the harsh conditions in Anauroch, people still eke out an existence there. Remnants of Netheril returned from a long retreat to the Shadowfell and resettled with designs on spreading their power and influence once again. Nomadic peoples adapted to the trials of the region travel and live comfortably within the wastes. Travelers and fortune seekers from afar also carve out a niche in the desert, seeking fortunes and relics of the past beneath the sands and ice.", "Adventures in Anauroch include themes of survival, for the struggle against the brutal conditions never relaxes. In addition to the harsh climate, vicious creatures call the wastelands home, jealously guarding the lost magic and knowledge of the realms that rose and fell in the region's past.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Bedine Tribes", "page": 52, "id": "152", "entries": [ "The alternately blistering hot and bitingly frigid {@area Anauroch|150|x} desert was once the lush, thriving seat of the empire of Netheril. In the wake of the empire's fall, and subsequent magical devastation by wicked aberrant monsters known as phaerimm, the desolate desert slowly spreads, threatening to devour the surrounding lands.", "The nomadic Bedine people have lived in Anauroch for centuries, traveling from oasis to oasis, living in tents, and following small herds of desert-dwelling animals. Most tribes live in the region known as the Sword and number around a hundred people, encountering another tribe only once or twice a year. Their knowledge of the desert and hardy survival skills command respect." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Empire of Shadows", "page": 52, "id": "153", "entries": [ "{@area Anauroch|150|x} is littered with the ruins of the ancient empire of Netheril, which fell in a magical cataclysm almost 3,000 years ago. Some of these ruins lie frozen in ice, their magical secrets preserved and waiting for Netherese survivors\u2014or bold adventurers\u2014to discover them. In the Year of Wild Magic (1372 DR), the Netherese flying city of Thultanthar, also called the City of Shade, emerged from the Shadowfell, where it had lain hidden for centuries. Its rulers, calling themselves Shadovar, began rebuilding their long-lost empire and even returning life and growth to the desert. Thultanthar fell in 1487 DR, crashing in Myth Drannor (see \"{@area Heartlands|1a4|x}\" in this chapter), and the Shadovar empire fell with it. But survivors of that catastrophe are working to re-create the fallen city near the Shoal of Thirst.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Shade", "page": 52, "id": "154", "entries": [ "The former city of Thultanthar, capital of the Empire of Shade, was a magical flying marvel. After it crashed, survivors of the empire built a new settlement on the slopes of the Scimitar Spires, overlooking the Shoal of Thirst. Though this city, called Shade, can't yet fly, it is inspired by old Thultanthar, and it resembles a piece of the Shadowfell transplanted to Faerûn. Its lightless avenues and sunless courtyards are shrouded in impenetrable gloom despite the desert's glaring sun, providing a comfortable home for the city's Shadovar rulers. Most explorers and traders avoid the city, as the Shadovar attack intruders." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Zhentarim Caravans", "page": 52, "id": "155", "entries": [ "The {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} carved out a niche in {@area Anauroch|150|x} long ago by forging and securing caravan routes across the desert that bypass the High Ice to the north. Its guides and guards are experienced in navigating these paths and command steep prices to guide traders and travelers safely across with their wagon trains.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Black Road", "page": 52, "id": "156", "entries": [ "The Black Road is the main trade route that crosses Anauroch. Zhentarim garrisons and patrols monitor the road and protect the life-giving oases that dot its length. They exert immense influence over this road. They provide protection, travel stations, and access to oases but expect their tolls to be paid promptly." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Anauroch Features", "page": 52, "id": "157", "entries": [ "Outsiders often imagine {@area Anauroch|150|x} to be a featureless expanse of desolate sand, but in fact it is defined by a glacier in the north and a central rocky plateau, both surrounded by the wind-blown sands.", { "type": "entries", "name": "At'ar's Looking Glass", "page": 52, "id": "158", "entries": [ "A hazardous, sweltering stretch of desert in southeastern Anauroch is At'ar's Looking Glass, named for the merciless Bedine sun god, whose face is reflected by the sand back up and into the heavens." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "High Ice", "page": 52, "id": "159", "entries": [ "The desolate glacier called the High Ice crowns the northern reaches of Anauroch. Few people live here. Arctic monsters abound on the High Ice's frosty plains, including different kinds of dragons. In spite of the danger, expeditions strike out into the glacier hoping to plunder ancient cities that have been buried in and preserved by ice." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Plain of Standing Stones", "page": 53, "id": "15a", "entries": [ "The central region of Anauroch is the Plain of Standing Stones, a plateau that overlooks the sandy desert to the south. This area is mostly waterless, covered in gravel and jagged rock and ravaged by constant, howling winds. This is where the Shadovar first discovered chardalyn\u2014a dark, ice-like crystal that absorbs magic." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Saiyaddar", "page": 53, "id": "15b", "entries": [ "One place in southern Anauroch teems with lush greenery and abundant animal life: the Saiyaddar. This verdant valley within the Sword is lined with natural springs that keep it watered, and the Bedine people guard the area as a hunting ground and safe waypoint for travelers. None of the individual Bedine tribes lay claim to Saiyaddar, and they work together fiercely to ensure that no one else tries." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Scimitar Spires", "page": 54, "id": "15c", "entries": [ "The Scimitar Spires is a range of sharp mountain peaks that abut the Shoal of Thirst and the lush Saiyaddar valley. Nestled in the northern reach of the Spires is Elah'zad, an oasis sacred to the god Eldath. A temple at the oasis is made of translucent desert rock; it's said Eldath can speak through anyone who enters the temple." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shoal of Thirst", "page": 54, "id": "15d", "entries": [ "Shadovar magic once created and preserved a body of water here called the Shadow Sea. With Thultanthar's destruction and the fall of the empire, the magical cloud cover that protected the sea blew away, and the desert swiftly reclaimed the land. Legends speak of valuable gems once buried beneath the sea that now lie exposed to treasure hunters, but the Shoal's proximity to Shade makes excavation of those gems a dangerous task." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Sword", "page": 54, "id": "15e", "entries": [ "When most people think of Anauroch, they think of the southern region known as the Sword, named for the bandits and raiders who maraud the region. Vicious creatures such as wyverns and purple worms are abundant." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Noteworthy Sites", "page": 54, "id": "15f", "entries": [ "{@area Anauroch|150|x} is littered with ancient ruins, particularly those of fallen Netherese cities. For those willing to sift through the expanses of weathered stones and sand, the desert holds many secrets buried in time, many of which are powerful, valuable, or both.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Araugul", "page": 54, "id": "160", "entries": [ "The southern region of Anauroch was once home to a large, expansionist goblinoid realm known as Hlundadim. The fortress-city of Araugul, also known as Goblinmount, was its capital and the home of the mysterious wizard Hlundadim, founder and leader of the realm. As weather in Anauroch grew arid and the land turned to dust, the goblins fled and the wizard vanished as mysteriously as he appeared. That was over a thousand years ago. Goblinoids and their allies have since returned to the ruins, and some live there still, defending the city from intruders." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Ascore", "page": 54, "id": "161", "entries": [ "The ruined northern city of Ascore was once a bustling port on the shore of a now-dried sea. Now its windswept streets are haunted by undead, and the ancient blue dragon Iymrith has claimed the ruins as part of her territory. Somewhere in its depths, Ascore holds a portal into the lost Netherese city of Hlaungadath. The portal is activated by reading the final line of a carving in a stone archway." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Azirrhat", "page": 54, "id": "162", "entries": [ "A small cluster of peaks on the southeast edge of the Plain of Standing Stones is known as Azirrhat, a word meaning \"slashed rocks.\" The crags are dotted with veins of gold, and prospectors sometimes brave encounters with the asabi, a territorial, nocturnal group of lizardfolk that dwell in the peaks." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Heroes' Helm", "page": 54, "id": "163", "entries": [ "The rocky pinnacle of Heroes' Helm in central Anauroch rises four hundred feet and is shaped like the helmet of a mighty warrior, complete with two caves where the warrior's eyes would be. The caves lead to an expansive central cavern, home to an ancient blue dragon named Ghondalaath.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/046-02-004.netherese-ruins-in-anauroch.webp" }, "title": "Netherese ruins in Anauroch show the influence of the Shadowfell.", "credit": "Robin Olausson", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Hlaungadath", "page": 54, "id": "164", "entries": [ "One of the ruined flying cities of Netheril in Anauroch, Hlaungadath landed near the High Ice and was abandoned. In the ages since, it has been claimed by a powerful family of lamias. The city is still largely intact, maintained by the lamias and their thralls. The lamias kill most intruders, but they occasionally pick a few to ensnare with their curses and enchantments, keeping them as pets and servants. Most peoples of Anauroch know the place's reputation and stay well away, but lost knowledge and potential wealth are powerful lures for adventurers." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Lashloc", "page": 54, "id": "165", "entries": [ "The so-called Lake of Ice is the result of subterranean hot springs that melt a sliver of the High Ice into a long, twisting lake. For creatures that live on the High Ice, Lashloc is an oasis\u2014a place to stay warm and find liquid water without needing a fire. High winds freeze some of the lake's surface water into ice floes. Predatory creatures lair within the lake, but three insidious aboleths dominate, using the lake's unusual nature to draw in victims." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mines of Tethyamar", "page": 54, "id": "166", "entries": [ "On the edge of Anauroch, southeast of Addas Babar, once lay the dwarven realm of Tethyamar. This vast city branched out underground as scattered and self-reliant neighborhoods that contributed to a large and thriving whole. Four centuries ago, Tethyamar was conquered by evil wizards commanding fiends and mercenaries. Repeated attempts to reclaim the city ended in failure. The survivors fled to Daggerdale in the {@area Dalelands|1ae|x}. The {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} had a long trade rivalry with Tethyamar when the city was lost, and Zhents have plundered the upper levels of the lost city for magical secrets and treasure." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Shattered Tower", "page": 54, "id": "167", "entries": [ "Long ago, phaerimm magic brought down the cloud castle of a storm giant, which crashed in eastern Anauroch. Adventurers have found the skeletal remains of storm giants and looted many of its halls. The castle is vast and inhabited by elementals and a blue dragon that either survived the crash or moved in after." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Smokeholes", "page": 54, "id": "168", "entries": [ "Travelers in the High Ice see huge gouts of smoke and steam rising from the Smokeholes from many miles away. These vents were created by a massive network of underground lava tubes and lakes known as the Caverns of Burning Ice, inhabited by salamanders and dragons that would otherwise find the High Ice inhospitable, including blue, brass, and red dragons. The heat from the lava creates vents in the ice above and carves out steamy grottoes that capture warm, wet air." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Untrivvin", "page": 55, "id": "169", "entries": [ "Yetis dwell on the slopes of a mountain in the High Ice called Untrivvin, but the mountain's interior is a catacomb of meticulously crafted tunnels and halls that echo and amplify any sound made within them. This is the source of the mountain's name, which means \"singing rock.\" The honeycomb of passages within the mountain suggest that they were carved, perhaps by an ancient civilization predating even those of the giants and dragons." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in Anauroch", "page": 55, "id": "16a", "entries": [ "Simply surviving in {@area Anauroch|150|x} is a challenge. The people that dwell here rely on traditions based on generations of experience.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Banditry", "page": 55, "id": "16b", "entries": [ "Brigands, raiders, and other bandits are an unfortunate constant in Anauroch. Victims of these bandits face a choice: fight to defend their property, or allow raiders to take what they please in the hope that enough is left behind for life to continue." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dry Death", "page": 55, "id": "16c", "entries": [ "Finding water is a struggle for anything that lives in this region. Most places are bone dry sand and dusty stone. The High Ice is a frozen glacier with no fuel for fire in sight." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Gods and Names", "page": 55, "id": "16d", "entries": [ "Deities worshiped in Anauroch are often gods of the Faerûnian pantheon who go by other faces and names. At'ar, for example, is a pitiless sun god, but scholars of other lands consider her a form of Amaunator. Eldath, a god of peaceful waters, tenaciously maintains a presence in this harsh land, much like the springs and oases that offer life among the dust." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Travels and Trade", "page": 55, "id": "16e", "entries": [ "For many in Anauroch, life is spent on the move, as staying still often means death. Bedine tribes bring their food and livelihood with them, escorting herds between oases. Others, like the {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x}, move back and forth over the Black Road, a dangerous but profitable route across the desert." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Arcane Empires", "page": 56, "id": "16f", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "page": 56, "id": "170", "name": "Overview", "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "t a Glance:", "entry": "Arcane magic profoundly influences these cultures\u2014sorcery in {@area Aglarond|171|x}, wizardry in {@area Thay|185|x}, and warlock pacts in {@area Rashemen|17a|x}." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Aglarond|171|x}, {@area Rashemen|17a|x}, {@area Thay|185|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Aglarondan, Rashemi, Thayan" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Immilmar, the Plateau of {@area Thay|185|x} and Thaymount, Sunrise Mountains, Velprintalar, Yuirwood" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "{@area Thay|185|x} and its ruler, the lich Szass Tam, have long threatened Thay's neighbors as a prelude to conquering all Faerûn." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/047-map-02.003-aglarond-and-thay.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Aglarond and Thay", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2580, "id": "037", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 188, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/048-map-02.003-aglarond-and-thay-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 2580, "mapParent": { "id": "037" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 188, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "For centuries, the {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x} of {@area Thay|185|x} have threatened Faerûn, but no one has felt that threat more acutely than the realms of {@area Aglarond|171|x} and {@area Rashemen|17a|x}, who have fought off Thayan raids and invasions and kept Thay bottled up within its old borders. To do this, Aglarondans and Rashemi have had to learn arcane magic powerful enough to match that of the Red Wizards.", "Aglarond, Rashemen, and Thay\u2014collectively known as the Arcane Empires\u2014are ruled by spellcasters. Although all kinds of arcane magic are practiced in these lands, each realm has its own preferred magical tradition. In Aglarond, where the legendary Simbul once ruled, sorcery reigns supreme. In Rashemen, warlocks called hathrans forge pacts with mighty spirits known as telthors. And, in Thay, the word of a Red Wizard is law. All the Arcane Empires maintain large fighting forces augmented by spellcasting leaders. The common folk of these lands, though, aren't spellcasters; magical training is a sign of status and power.", "Adventures here spotlight the struggle against supernatural foes, with both heroes and villains wielding dazzling arcane magic. Sometimes this struggle takes place on the battlefield between armies. But often characters wage war in the shadows, infiltrating Thayan strongholds or sniffing out Red Wizard agents.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Aglarond", "page": 56, "id": "171", "entries": [ "The realm of Aglarond was founded five centuries ago, bringing together human settlers and elves of the Yuirwood in a treaty of mutual defense and friendship. For centuries, the {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x} of {@area Thay|185|x} have posed a constant threat, leaving Aglarondans distrusting of arcane magic. This changed under the leadership of the Simbul, a sorcerer of legendary power whose goodness\u2014while capricious\u2014was beyond question. Under the Simbul's leadership, individuals born with arcane magic were trained as sorcerers, and this tradition has continued after her death. Now the realm is ruled by the Simbarch Council, most of whom are arcane spellcasters.", "Aglarond is famous as a place where elves and humans have come together to form a single realm. Marriage between elves and humans is common there.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Altumbel", "page": 57, "id": "172", "entries": [ "The small human kingdom called Altumbel is often considered part of Aglarond, but its inhabitants assert its independence and distinct identity. People here make their living from the sea, and the capital, Spandeliyon, is called the City of Pirates." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Fang Light", "page": 57, "id": "173", "entries": [ "The small peninsula that juts north of Velprintalar is known as South Fang. (Cape Dragonfang in {@area Thesk|199|x}, on the north side of the Sea of Dlurg, is called North Fang in Aglarond.) It's an isolated and parochial backwater whose inhabitants are derisively known as \"Fangers\" by other residents of the {@area Arcane Empires|16f|x}. At the tip of South Fang stands Fang Light, a magical lighthouse maintained by a mage that guides ships in and out of the Sea of Dlurg. Pirates frequently target the lighthouse." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sunglade", "page": 57, "id": "174", "entries": [ "Just inside the southern edge of the Yuirwood stands the Sunglade, a double circle of standing stones decorated with elven runes. This ancient site was constructed by and sacred to inhabitants of the Yuirwood who left or died out long ago. The outer ring of larger stones bears dedications to deities of the elven pantheon, the Seldarine, while the inner stones represent the deities of long-gone human inhabitants of the Yuirwood. Though apparently abandoned, the stones remain in excellent repair, and a mystic presence lingers in the sunny glade, waiting for someone to speak to it." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Umber Marshes", "page": 57, "id": "175", "entries": [ "Named for the rusty water created by its iron deposits, the Umber Marshes is the border between Aglarond and {@area Thay|185|x}. Countless raids and invasions have criss-crossed this swamp, which is famous for intolerable bloodsucking insects and deadly monsters." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Velprintalar", "id": "176", "page": 57, "entries": [ "The crown jewel of the Aglarond peninsula is Velprintalar, one of the most beautiful cities in Faerûn. The Simbarch Council, made up of sorcerers and other spellcasters, rules Aglarond from a magnificent palace of pale-green Mulhorandi stone. Sorcerers from across Faerûn come here for training." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Watchwall", "page": 57, "id": "177", "entries": [ "Between the fortress city of Glarondar and the slopes of the mountain Umbergoth stretches the fifteen-mile-long stone Watchwall built long ago by galeb duhr for the Aglarondan crown. The Watchers\u2014guards assigned to the wall\u2014keep a constant lookout for Thayan aggression." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wizards' Reach", "page": 57, "id": "178", "entries": [ "The cities along Aglarond's south coast are nominally ruled by Aglarond, but in practice the farther east one goes, the more the Red Wizards hold sway. Cross-country travel through the coastal marshes is difficult. Monsters leave the eaves of the Yuirwood and roam the coast of the Wizards' Reach." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Yuirwood", "page": 57, "id": "179", "entries": [ "Elves who settled this forest millennia ago were called Yuir. Over centuries, humans joined them and adopted elven traditions, living among ancient Yuir ruins. These woods are protected by powerful magic that blocks scrying and detection spells. Fey crossings are plentiful, and many dangerous animals call the forest home." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Rashemen", "page": 57, "id": "17a", "entries": [ { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/049-map-02.004-rashemen.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Rashemen", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 3262, "height": 4096, "id": "038", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 400, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/050-map-02.004-rashemen-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 3262, "height": 4096, "mapParent": { "id": "038" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 400, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "An infamously insular realm of deep forests, high mountains, and wind-blasted heaths, Rashemen is home to magical practices considered strange by outsiders but also respected as frightfully potent. The warriors of Rashemen are berserkers known for their fierce frenzy in battle. The ruler of the realm, titled the Iron Lord, is chosen from among the berserkers by a council of mask-wearing spellcasters called hathrans. The hathrans are leaders in many aspects of Rashemen's society, drawing their magic from pacts with powerful spirits that dwell in the realm's magical woodlands. The current Iron Lord is Mangan Uruk, who has held the position for a generation.", "The people of Rashemen revere a trio of gods they call the Three: Bhalla (the Den Mother), Khelliara (the Forest Maiden), and the Hidden One. In addition to these gods, countless potent and dangerous spirits called telthor live in the forests and wild spaces of Rashemen. These gods and spirits make pacts with spellcasters, who don individualized masks representing their pacts. These spellcasters are called wychlaran (\"wise ones\"), in recognition of the wisdom bestowed on them in their pacts.", "Traditionally, wychlaran women are called hathrans (\"wise sisters\") and form a governing council that selects the Iron Lord, while wychlaran men are called vremyonni (\"old ones\") and support the hathrans by crafting magic items and inventing new spells. These roles have relaxed as Rashemen has opened more to the outside world, and wychlaran outside of Rashemen aren't bound to these roles.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ashenwood", "page": 58, "id": "17b", "entries": [ "By order of the hathrans, no one is permitted to live in this ancient forest, which is home to mighty spirits, intelligent animals, and fierce monsters. Rashemi enter Ashenwood to commune with or hunt these creatures, placating the spirits with gifts and offerings of food." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Citadel Rashemar", "page": 58, "id": "17c", "entries": [ "Once a mighty fortress, Citadel Rashemar was flattened over a century ago by invaders from the east who slaughtered the entire garrison of two thousand warriors. Now a coven of hags controls the ruins, served by a small army of goblins, giant animals, ogres, and other monsters." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "High Country", "page": 58, "id": "17d", "entries": [ "The north end of the Sunrise Mountains is called the High Country. This perilous region is marked by wild magic, strange occurrences, and crumbling monoliths built by the ancient empire of Raumathar. These monoliths imprison demons summoned and once controlled by {@area Narfell|197|x}; now hathrans check them every year to ensure the wards don't fail. An ancient white dragon, Kissethkashaan, commands these mountains, but the site of his lair is unknown." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Immilmar", "page": 58, "id": "17e", "entries": [ "Traders, diplomats, and tourists coming to Rashemen often first arrive in Immilmar, Rashemen's capital. The Iron Lord, the nominal leader of the nation, rules from a mighty castle raised centuries ago by hathran magic and warded with spells. Beyond the castle, citizens dwell in A-frame timber lodges. The city is insular, and visitors are encouraged to leave as quickly as possible." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mines of Tethkel", "page": 58, "id": "17f", "entries": [ "The Rashemi folk who live and work in this iron mine are infamously fractious, violent, and unruly. Goblin bandits and worgs prowl the outskirts of the town looking for prey, while kobolds lair in the mines. The kobolds have spent decades building a lair fit for a dragon, and an egg in their hoard has recently hatched into a deep dragon wyrmling." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "North Country", "page": 58, "id": "180", "entries": [ "The North Country is the land between the Falls of Erech and the Towers of Smoke. While officially part of Rashemen, this land is sparsely populated and scattered with ruined settlements from the ancient realms of {@area Narfell|197|x} and Raumathar. Rashemi warriors venture into the North Country and plunder these ruins to prove their valor." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Ring of Gray Flames", "page": 58, "id": "181", "entries": [ "Five ancient towers built by the Raumathari civilization stand in a circle known as the Ring of Gray Flames. Most are ruined, but two are intact, and mechanical sounds and grinding noises come from within. From atop all five, gray flames spout. Divine magic doesn't work within or near the towers, and the region is prowled by strange guardians\u2014arcane spells brought to life." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shevel", "page": 58, "id": "182", "entries": [ "Tradespeople established the town of Shevel near the Golden Road trade route to craft and peddle their wares. Over time, the town grew into a thriving, walled city of immigrants within the otherwise-isolated realm of Rashemen. Since the fall of Citadel Rashemar, raids from the lands to the east have been a regular occurrence, and there's always mercenary work to be found in Shevel." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sunrise Mountains", "page": 58, "id": "183", "entries": [ "Most people consider the nigh-impassible Sunrise Mountains the eastern edge of Faerûn. The range towers fifteen thousand feet high and is littered with ruined towers from the ancient realm of Raumathar and mysterious wells that date to some other forgotten culture. The few passes over the mountains are exceedingly dangerous, and many lethal creatures lair in deep caves and subterranean passages." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Urlingwood", "page": 58, "id": "184", "entries": [ "The mystical heart of Rashemen, Urlingwood is a dense, wild forest populated by telthors and supernatural beasts. Rashemen law dictates only hathrans are permitted here under penalty of death." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Thay", "page": 58, "id": "185", "entries": [ "Thay has a reputation as a barren wasteland ruled by tyrannical wizards and populated by their undead minions. The truth is more complex.", "While much of Thay remains barren, ancient weather-controlling spells bring enough rain for rivers and forests. The word of a Red Wizard is law, but most {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x} are more interested in self-advancement than conquest. And while undead walk openly in Thay, necromancy is just one of eight schools of magic, and Thay is home to many ordinary citizens just trying to live out their lives. All this combines to make Thay more than the caricature known throughout Faerûn, even if this exaggerated reputation is built on a foundation of truth.", "Thay's infamous undead ruler, Szass Tam, rules Thay, assisted by seven other zulkirs, each a master of a different school of magic. Few dare to oppose Szass Tam, but the zulkirs and the rulers of Thay's various tharchs have considerable leeway to do as they please, so long as they don't attract Szass Tam's attention.", "{@area Aglarond|171|x} and {@area Rashemen|17a|x} pride themselves as realms that keep Thay in check, thwarting the Red Wizards' territorial and magical ambitions. Thayan rulers, called tharchions, try to invade Aglarond or Rashemen every decade or so, and border raids are constant.", { "type": "entries", "name": "The Citadel", "page": 59, "id": "186", "entries": [ "A vast and ancient fortress that predates the Red Wizards of Thay, the Citadel was carved out of one of the highest mountains of Thaymount by a lizard-like people who left their images in statues and murals. The Citadel towers among lava, ash, and razor-sharp rocks and has extensive subterranean levels. For centuries, the Citadel has been Thay's greatest stronghold, and Szass Tam has claimed it for his own. In the Citadel, Szass Tam is unassailable. In the time since he moved into the Citadel, many magical atrocities have occurred there." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Delhumide", "page": 59, "id": "187", "entries": [ "Thay began as a colony of the distant Mulhorandi empire, and Delhumide was Thay's capital. Now the old city is a dangerous ruin inhabited by fiends, evil fey, and desperate folk. These threats keep the region around the ruins sparsely populated, but adventurers brave the ruins in search of lost Thayan treasures.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/051-02-005.thay-citadel.webp" }, "title": "Szass Tam rules Thay from the Citadel, his fortress on Thaymount.", "credit": "Gavin O'Donnell", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Plateau of Thay and Thaymount", "page": 59, "id": "188", "entries": [ "Central Thay stands on a vast, desolate plateau. Magic formalized by Red Wizards long ago brings rain here, which in turn allows towns, cities, and forests to survive. A second higher plateau rises from the first, culminating in the volcanic peaks of Thaymount. Only Red Wizards and their guests are allowed there." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tax Stations", "page": 59, "id": "189", "entries": [ "Small fortresses called tax stations dot Thay's border, roads, and internal boundaries. Soldiers at each station check identification papers and collect small but frequent tolls. A typical tax station has a garrison of thirty to fifty warriors, often including a pack of gnolls." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tharchs", "page": 59, "id": "18a", "entries": [ "Thay is divided into districts called tharchs, many named after a prominent city in that region; every tharch is governed by a tharchion who answers to one of the eight zulkirs. The eleven tharchs are the Alaor (two islands that house Thay's fleet and shipyards), Delhumide, Eltabbar, Gauros (everything between the Gauros River and the Sunrise Mountains), High Thay (bounded by the Second Escarpment), Lapendrar (bordering {@area Thesk|199|x} and {@area Aglarond|171|x}), Priador, Pyarados, Surthay, Thazalhar, and Tyraturos." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Forgotten Lands", "page": 60, "id": "18b", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "18c", "name": "Overview", "page": 60, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "Booming trade cities dot rugged wilds in a diverse region that bursts with untapped wealth: gemstone-studded mountains, powerful primal magic, and relics of buried kingdoms." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Damara|18d|x}, {@area Great Dale|190|x}, {@area Impiltur|195|x}, {@area Narfell|197|x}, {@area Thesk|199|x}, the Vast" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Damaran" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Bildoobaris, the Dunwood, the Earthfast and Earthspur Mountains, the Easting Reach, the {@area Great Glacier|194|x}, Procampur, Telflamm" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Teeming monsters, treacherous climes, and ancient evils repel all but the most die-hard explorers and adventurers." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/052-map-02.005-forgotten-lands.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Forgotten Lands", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2621, "id": "039", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 134, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/053-map-02.005-forgotten-lands-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 2621, "mapParent": { "id": "039" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 134, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Faerûn's northeast quadrant is a land of lost magical secrets, buried ancient empires, and literal mountains of unclaimed wealth. Between the Sea of Fallen Stars to the south and the {@area Great Glacier|194|x} to the north, merchant-princes and archdruids struggle for dominion over a harsh, beautiful wilderness and its bounteous resources. Even the land itself vies for supremacy; for every ruler who claims to control a realm, there lies a magical glacier, a shifting labyrinthine forest, or a monster-plagued mountain that proves nothing in these parts can truly be controlled.", "The remote north\u2014{@area Damara|18d|x}, {@area Narfell|197|x}, and the {@area Great Dale|190|x}\u2014has a well-earned reputation as a harsh land. The climate is dismal, the soil is rocky, and the food is bland. But beneath its crusty exterior, the land teems with river-size veins of gold, caverns lined with gemstones, and buried cities. Those who can endure toiling in the frozen northlands could strike it rich at any moment.", "Conversely, creature comforts abound in the rich kingdoms of {@area Impiltur|195|x} and {@area Thesk|199|x}, to say nothing of the Vast's lush pasturelands and rolling hills of golden grain. Yet, though Impiltur and Thesk are lands of plenty, competition is fierce. Adventurers arrive in droves to cities like Procampur and Telflamm. Gold and jewels are readily abundant in the north, but those who hope to prosper in these realms should be prepared to work fast and face terrible danger.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Damara", "page": 60, "id": "18d", "entries": [ "In Damara, hardy folk from many backgrounds work together to turn rocky soil into tillable farmland or extract bloodstone from the mountains to the west. Currently, the usurper King Yarin Frostmantle sits smugly on the throne of the Dragonbane dynasty while his people complain about his tyranny and the growing threat from demons across the country. Despite\u2014or perhaps because of\u2014these facts, Damara is a thriving adventuring hub.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Bloodstone", "page": 61, "id": "18e", "entries": [ "Nowhere is the bloodstone trade stronger in the {@area Forgotten Lands|18b|x} than in west Damara. Here, amid the East Galena Mountains that separate the lands of Damara from neighboring Vaasa, the ruins of a settlement called Bloodstone mark the infamous Bloodstone Pass. In its 150-year history, Bloodstone served as the battleground for monsters, assassins, warlocks, and countless others who wished to command the gem trade. Its most recent attackers razed Bloodstone to the ground. Little remains of the site except for an ancient, petrified tree that, if legends are to be believed, once bore golden leaves." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Glacier of the White Worm", "page": 61, "id": "18f", "entries": [ "Nestled near the heart of the Earthspur Mountains is the Glacier of the White Worm: a mass of ice populated by herds of titanic white remorhazes and\u2014if rumors are to be believed\u2014a \"king worm\" that rules over the others. Devotees of Ilmater from the nearby Monastery of the Yellow Rose practice their sacred remorhaz-taming rites here; a monk who entreats and rides a white remorhaz is said to bear the \"gift of the worm\" and is afforded great prestige. Yellow Rose sages speculate that the glacier must be magical, for it is too far south for a nonmagical glacier to exist. The source of this magic, however, remains unknown." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Great Dale", "page": 61, "id": "190", "entries": [ "Between {@area Narfell|197|x} to the north and {@area Thesk|199|x} to the south are two imposing forests called the Dunwood and the Forest of Lethyr. These forests, in turn, surround a narrow strip of grassland called the Great Dale. Xenophobic druids, reclusive rangers, and enigmatic fey call this realm home and welcome few others into their domain. Those who brave the Great Dale's depths should keep their wits about them and their spellbooks close\u2014traditional maps are all but useless in the mazelike woods, making divination magic essential for navigation.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Dunwood", "page": 61, "id": "191", "entries": [ "Dunwood is a soupy morass of firs and oaks that thins to muskeg in the north. The peaty soil has preserved the ruins of elven and Nar cities. The Dunwood's countless secrets tempt treasure hunters bold enough to challenge the monsters rampant in the realm: zombies infused with demonic power, ancient living trees with inscrutable motives, and an extensive family of sadistic green dragons." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dun-Tharos", "page": 61, "id": "192", "entries": [ "This great ruin near the center of the Dunwood is the former capital of ancient {@area Narfell|197|x}. Great plazas and wrecked temples devoted to demonic powers lie half-buried in the mist-shrouded bog. Various fell powers have claimed to rule over these wretched ruins, which are practically unexplored by adventurers. That might change soon\u2014rumors circulating in roadside inns speak of powerful Nar treasures buried in crumbling shrines and flooded conjuring chambers hidden beneath the old ruins of Dun-Tharos." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Forest of Lethyr", "page": 61, "id": "193", "entries": [ "Mysteries abound in the gloomy Forest of Lethyr. The druids of Lethyr brook few trespassers in their sacred groves, and they resort to violence against anyone who means to exploit the land's abundant resources. Outsiders who persist in exploring Lethyr might discover Yeshelmaar, the center of civilization in the Great Dale and a testament to elven engineering. In Yeshelmaar, visitors can see architectural marvels: vast, floating herb gardens; tiered stone courts; and ornately carved grottoes with pools of crystalline spring water, to name just a few." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Great Glacier", "page": 61, "id": "194", "entries": [ "The Great Glacier originally formed from the ice necklace of the deity Ulutiu. The people who call this vast territory home are the Ulutiuns. Few southerners have ever interacted with them. Most outsiders who dare tread these arctic wastes instead encounter fierce monsters adapted to the glacier\u2014white dragons, remorhazes, and even ice devils. The latter are said to be servants of an ancient and mighty priest of Auril who styles herself \"the Ice Queen.\"" ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Impiltur", "page": 61, "id": "195", "entries": [ "In the past, Impiltur was among the wealthiest realms in Faerûn. Over the past century, though, the realm unsuccessfully grappled with magically altered geography and incursions from demons and demon worshipers. Now the waters of the Sea of Fallen Stars have risen again, and Impiltur's wealth and influence are returning. Hopeful commoners whisper that a lost monarch of the old ruling family will rise up to restore Impiltur to the great empire it once was.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lyrabar", "page": 61, "id": "196", "entries": [ "The capital city of Impiltur, Lyrabar, boasts numerous sailing academies. The academies are fierce rivals and host regattas and other contests of skill year-round. One of the academies, Waywater's Nautical University, specializes in teaching abjuration magic to seafaring mages. Lyrabar hosts the headquarters of the Warswords, chainmail-clad soldiers responsible for patrolling Impiltur's trade roads and keeping merchants safe from brigands and monsters. Warswords sometimes deputize adventurers as \"swordpoints\"\u2014temporary agents of the law granted special privileges within Impiltur's borders." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Narfell", "page": 62, "id": "197", "entries": [ "The ruins of two ancient empires\u2014Narfell, home to demon worshipers, and Raumathar, known for its battle mages\u2014dot the plains where nomadic horse riders now roam, offering abundant opportunities for brave deeds and exploration. The Nars don't care about dynasties or family lines. Rather, they believe actions speak for themselves. This sensible attitude also explains most riders' preference to avoid the demon-cursed ruins of ancient Narfell. However, some now dwelling on the plains wish to reclaim ancient Narfell's powerful, sinister magic for a new generation of Nar demonologists.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Bildoobaris", "page": 62, "id": "198", "entries": [ "In a vast, empty plain beneath the shadow of Mount Nar, tens of thousands of nomads gather for one tenday every summer for an annual trade meet, forming a vast tent city called Bildoobaris. Here, Nars barter in horses, furs, and jewelry; share news and oral histories; and celebrate the realm's all-too-brief time of plenty. In recent years, Nar demonologists have come to Bildoobaris bearing demonic relics and weapons from the buried cities of ancient Narfell in the hope of recruiting more followers." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Thesk", "page": 62, "id": "199", "entries": [ "Thesk is known to many as the Gateway to the East because it is the western terminus of the Golden Way, an ancient trade road that connected Faerûn to lands beyond the Sunrise Mountains. Although much of the Golden Way now lies in ruins, remnants of the old road still appear in the well-traveled hills between Thesk's largest cities\u2014Telflamm, Phsant, and Tammar. Thesk's glory days as a trade metropolis are over, and Theskian wealth is now concentrated in the uppermost echelons of society, whose oligarchs exploit the working class via all manner of harebrained investment schemes.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Golden Way", "page": 62, "id": "19a", "entries": [ "Despite its history as the most famous trade route between Faerûn and lands to the east, the Golden Way is now a shadow of its former self. In Faerûn, the Golden Way begins at the western edge of Thesk, where well-maintained roads connect the cities of Telflamm, Phent, Phsant, and Tammar. Beyond Thesk's borders, the Golden Way becomes a path through the plains of Ashanath, connects to {@area Rashemen|17a|x} via various ferries, and dissolves into little more than piles of stones\u2014way markers\u2014as it wraps around the Sunrise Mountains and continues eastward through the Hordelands and beyond. Interspersed here and there along the road are encampments and travel stations that provide shelter for those daring to make the months-long intercontinental journey." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Telflamm", "page": 62, "id": "19b", "entries": [ "The largest city in Thesk isn't controlled by that realm, but by the Shadowmasters, a religious thieves' guild that owns the city's inns and gambling halls and exercises considerable influence over Thesk's government. The Shadowmasters operate out of the House of the Master's Shadow, the largest temple to Mask in Faerûn." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Vast", "page": 62, "id": "19c", "entries": [ "The Vast isn't a unified realm, but a common term for the great swath of land bound by the Dragon Reach to the west, the {@area Moonsea|1b5|x} to the north, {@area Impiltur|195|x} to the east, and the Sea of Fallen Stars to the south. The region's name comes from Vastar, the orc kingdom that once ruled this place and warred with the surrounding dwarven and elven communities. The Vast of today is primarily peaceful farmland ringed by prosperous coastal cities. Countless treasures lie buried just beneath the land's surface, either in dwarven ruins, orc crypts, or forgotten battlegrounds.", "As in other lands that touch the Earthspur Mountains, the gem trade is strong in the Vast, and many miners and adventurers alike come to the foothills seeking their fortune. The wisest are wary, for many of the tunnels that ribbon the Earthspurs connect to the Underdark, whose communities are far less welcoming of outsiders.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Procampur", "page": 62, "id": "19d", "entries": [ "One of the oldest extant settlements along the Sea of Fallen Stars, Procampur was built atop an underground dwarven town called Proeskampalar. Procampur is known for its walled city districts, with slate-roofed buildings. More than its handsome architecture, though, Procampur is reputedly the single richest independent city along the northern Inner Sea. Hundreds of gem cutters and goldsmiths call the place home, and it would be a popular target for pirates if not for its incomparable fortifications and vigilant local government.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/054-02-006.white-worm.webp" }, "title": "The White Worm takes Karlach, Astarion, and Shadowheart by surprise.", "credit": "Audy Ravindra", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the Forgotten Lands", "page": 62, "id": "19e", "entries": [ "Savage winters, perilous wilds, and fierce rivals mean that only the hardy survive long in the {@area Forgotten Lands|18b|x}. Those who can meet the challenges of these realms are formidable indeed, contributing to this region's reputation as a land of grim settlers and cutthroat traders.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Adventurers' Hub", "page": 62, "id": "19f", "entries": [ "The Forgotten Lands are a popular destination for adventurers from all over Faerûn. These realms are rich with history and magic that can turn a peasant into a monarch. Not all who journey to this region yearn for fame, however; many come to remote realms like {@area Damara|18d|x} to forget their old lives and forge new destinies. And the Forgotten Lands are filled with material wealth; those who seek fortune here can dredge it up from the seafloor, carve it out of a mountain, or retrieve it from a dungeon." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Bloodstone Economy", "page": 63, "id": "1a0", "entries": [ "Realms in this corner of Faerûn benefit from abundant resources in nearby mountain ranges. The East Galenas, Earthspurs, and Earthfasts are rich in rare metals and gemstones, especially chalcedony, known locally as bloodstone. This gem is so plentiful\u2014and so vital to the local economy\u2014that these areas are sometimes referred to as the Bloodstone Lands." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Brutal Climes", "page": 63, "id": "1a1", "entries": [ "Life is hard in most of the Forgotten Lands. Long, icy winters and fleeting, muddy summers make for difficult farming. Many find other ways to subsist\u2014such as trapping, mining, or fishing\u2014but these trades are only slightly less trying in the region's frigid climate. Fussy nobles and soft urbanites don't last long in these parts; the average denizen of the Forgotten Lands is one of the toughest, most down-to-earth people one will ever meet." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Living with the Elements", "page": 63, "id": "1a2", "entries": [ "Regional natives must cope with the inhospitable climate. The nomads of {@area Narfell|197|x}, for example, migrate south during the dark months, avoiding the brunt of winter's chill. Elsewhere, such as the Monastery of the Yellow Rose in Damara, people overcome the elements by mastering magic and enlisting the aid of local fauna. (See \"Glacier of the White Worm\" above.)" ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trade Prevails", "id": "1a3", "page": 63, "entries": [ "For all their talk of autonomy and self-determination, the people of the Forgotten Lands also understand the importance of sharing goods and information. Trade in these realms begins in the mountains of Damara and plains of Narfell, from where it flows toward the Sea of Fallen Stars as a rushing river that empties into the rich ports of {@area Impiltur|195|x} and {@area Thesk|199|x}. Gold is everywhere in the Forgotten Lands, but unlike in other wealthy regions like {@area Calimshan|1cf|x} and the Sword Coast, folk here hold onto their wealth instead of flaunting it in the form of lavish palaces or gilded statues." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Heartlands", "page": 64, "id": "1a4", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "1a5", "name": "Overview", "page": 64, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "These are lands of chivalrous knights, dastardly despots, rich and scheming merchants, and backwoods farmers just trying to make a living." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Cormyr|1a6|x}, the {@area Dalelands|1ae|x}, the {@area Moonsea|1b5|x}, {@area Sembia|1be|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Chondathan, Damaran" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Cormanthor, Myth Drannor, Ordulin, Suzail" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Neighbors clash over borders, and monsters creep out of the wilds." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/055-map-02.006-heartlands.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Heartlands", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 3050, "id": "03a", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 165, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/056-map-02.006-heartlands-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 3050, "mapParent": { "id": "03a" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 165, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "The Heartlands comprises four realms, each with borders that have fluctuated over the centuries. Its folk have hardy frontier spirits, for their lands are ripe with crops, resources, and danger. Monsters lurk in every forest and mountain range. No matter the threat, the people of the Heartlands must be ready to defend their homes.", "The Heartlands is rife with classic medieval fantasy adventure. The {@area Dalelands|1ae|x} lend themselves to small-scale storytelling with personal stakes, such as defending a village from vicious monsters. {@area Cormyr|1a6|x} and {@area Sembia|1be|x} are well suited for tales of knightly warfare or noble intrigue. Adventures around the Moonsea might involve ending the reign of a cruel tyrant. For a classic D&D experience, adventurers can brave the megadungeon ruins of Myth Drannor. See chapter 2 of {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|2} for more on the Dalelands and Myth Drannor.", "The political landscape of the Heartlands is ever changing. Towns are absorbed into larger realms but might break out again when those realms are stretched too thin.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Cormyr", "page": 64, "id": "1a6", "entries": [ "Cormyr has a legacy of chivalry and military might. Cormyr's army, {@area the Purple Dragon Knights|39f|x}, is the largest of any kingdom in Faerûn. Led by the just Queen Raedra Obarskyr, the Purple Dragon Knights and their allied war wizards train to fight both on land and in the sky. As monstrous threats from the Storm Horns and the Hullack Forest increase, and as {@area Sembia|1be|x} grows ever larger, Queen Raedra has paused Cormyr's expansion efforts to focus on defending and strengthening its borders. She also sends her Purple Dragon Knights across Faerûn on their amethyst dragon steeds to do good deeds, collect information, further her goals, and popularize Cormyr in the hearts and minds of common folk.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Farsea Marshes and Marshes of Tun", "page": 65, "id": "1a7", "entries": [ "The ruins of two prehistoric civilizations, preceding even the elves' arrival in the {@area Heartlands|1a4|x}, lie in the pestilent marshes of Farsea and Tun in Cormyr's north. Explorers who have braved the marshes' monsters and magical sicknesses theorize that these societies released magical contagions on each other, resulting in their mutual destruction." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Huthduth", "page": 65, "id": "1a8", "entries": [ "A monastery devoted to Chauntea, Huthduth lies in a wooded valley just south of the Farsea Marshes and is well protected with walls and militant priests. It is named after its founder, whose benevolent spirit still haunts the monastery and periodically manifests. Priests raise sheep and make wine from local berries, but the well-defended nature of the place has led many to believe Huthduth houses a secret inhabitant, a valuable treasure, or magic unknown to the rest of the world." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shargrailar's Lair", "page": 65, "id": "1a9", "entries": [ "The ancient red dragon Shargrailar was the first dracolich Sammaster, the lich leader of the {@area Cult of the Dragon|339|x}, created using the {@item Tome of the Dragon|FRAiF}. The dracolich was destroyed more than a century ago with spellfire, but his lair, dug out of the Thunder Peaks near the headwaters of the Immerflow, remains a place of pilgrimage for the Cult of the Dragon and a nursery for red dragon wyrmlings." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sunset Mountains", "page": 65, "id": "1aa", "entries": [ "The towering Sunset Mountains are home to the Darkhold, a powerful {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} stronghold. Dragons dying of natural causes often come to the Sunset Mountains to spend their last hours at an extinct volcanic caldera called the Well of Dragons. The Cult of the Dragon's base beneath the Well has been vanquished, but cult leaders have been spotted probing the ruins." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Suzail", "page": 65, "id": "1ab", "entries": [ "Suzail is the capital of Cormyr. Its monarch, the skilled sword fighter Queen Raedra Obarskyr, rules from the Dragon Throne. Her royal authority is kept in check by the Suzail Writ, a fifty-year-old piece of legislation that holds Cormyr's monarch to the same laws as the rest of its citizens." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Thunder Peaks", "page": 65, "id": "1ac", "entries": [ "The storm-battered Thunder Peaks were once home to Shargrailar, Faerûn's first dracolich. These days, a dracolich called Aurgloroasa, formerly a shadow dragon, lairs in an abandoned dwarven city within the mountain range. Also known as the Sibilant Shade, she commands the Cult of the Dragon's Sembian sect." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tilverton", "page": 65, "id": "1ad", "entries": [ "A rift to the Shadowfell wrought havoc on the Cormyrian town of Tilverton between the Desertsmouth Mountains and the Thunder Peaks. Now, all that remains is a vast crater of writhing darkness, from which monsters of shadow stuff periodically emerge." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dalelands", "page": 65, "id": "1ae", "entries": [ "The Dalelands is a loose collection of tiny vales called dales, each with its own territory, governance, and character. To the south, Archendale is well fortified, protecting tranquil Battledale, elven Deepingdale, and the rest of the dales from Sembian invasion, though Tasseldale still struggles from a history of Sembian influence. Distrustful Daggerdale, unassuming Shadowdale, and bountiful Mistledale sit to the west, where High Dale enjoys a defense treaty with {@area Cormyr|1a6|x}. Laissez-faire Featherdale, ambitious Scardale, and Harrowdale\u2014the oldest dale\u2014lie to the east. Every year at Midwinter, delegates from each dale convene for a Dales Council to discuss issues affecting the Dalelands at large. The location of the Dale Council changes from year to year.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Dales Compact", "page": 65, "id": "1af", "entries": [ "When human settlers first arrived in the area now known as the Dalelands, the forest of Cormanthor was already occupied by a thriving elven civilization. These wary elves proposed the Dales Compact: an agreement that allowed humans to settle on the edges of Cormanthor or in places that the great trees didn't grow, so long as they didn't cut deeper into the forest. Human mages erected a stone obelisk called the Standing Stone in Cormanthor as a symbol of unity between the two species. This date became the beginning of the Dalereckoning, or 1 DR, marking the first year of the modern Faerûnian calendar. Though Cormanthor's elven civilization fell long ago and few elves still live there, the people of the Dalelands still respect the Dales Compact." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Archenbridge", "page": 65, "id": "1b0", "entries": [ "A history of Sembian invasions has led the trading hub of Archenbridge (the chief settlement of Archendale) to become the most fortified town in the Dalelands. Most goods from {@area Cormyr|1a6|x} and {@area Sembia|1be|x} flow through this walled, trap-filled town to the rest of the dales." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Cormanthor", "page": 65, "id": "1b1", "entries": [ "Cormanthor is a forest of towering trees. Most of the elves who once lived here left long ago, but some refugees of Myth Drannor's second fall remain. A swath of fungi, oozes, and rot called Moander's Road was carved through Cormanthor's northern reaches by the rampaging god of corruption and rot, Moander." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Myth Drannor", "page": 65, "id": "1b2", "entries": [ "The elven metropolis of Myth Drannor fell hundreds of years ago to demonic forces. Elves briefly reclaimed it in the last century, but then the flying Shadovar city of Thultanthar crashed into it, doing extensive damage. Now demons and other monsters again infest Myth Drannor's remains. Its many ruins invite adventurers to seek the lost city's treasures or find a way to restore its mythal." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Scardale Town", "page": 66, "id": "1b3", "entries": [ "The infamously lawless harbor of Scardale Town is home to several criminal syndicates and an enclave of {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x}. Its people still reel from the memory of the Shaking Plague, a magical contagion that decimated its population. The town is governed by Lord Kharu Aumersair, a tiefling sorcerer who claims descent from Elminster, through the infamous {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} agent Scyllua Darkhope and her father, Lashan Aumersair. Scardale has a history of being ruled by invaders, and Lord Aumersair has used this resentment of outsiders to unite the town's criminal syndicates into an alliance that supports his rule." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shadowdale Town", "page": 66, "id": "1b4", "entries": [ "Though small and unassuming at first glance, many consider sleepy Shadowdale Town the Dalelands' cultural heart. It was once home to Elminster and Storm Silverhand, though neither has been seen in town for years. These days, a growing community of orcs from the River Ashaba have settled in Shadowdale. Lady Khara Sulwood rules from the twisted Tower of Ashaba, with the help of the elf warrior Tharinel, her reliable bodyguard and adviser." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Moonsea", "id": "1b5", "entries": [ "Named after its central body of water, the Moonsea is a region of disparate cities ruled by cruel despots. It is a land of people hardened long ago by the assaults and schemes of chromatic dragons. The people of the Moonsea view the rest of Faerûn and even other Moonsea cities with distrust. In turn, people elsewhere in Faerûn view these folk as unfriendly and dangerous.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Hillsfar", "page": 66, "id": "1b6", "entries": [ "The independent walled city of Hillsfar, on the southern shore of the Moonsea, is busy, prosperous, and secured by a mercenary company called the Red Plumes. Until recently, Hillsfar's Great Law of Humanity barred non-humans from entering the city. After a revolution deposed First Lord Torin Nomerthal, his successor, Vuhm Yestral, revoked the law. Hillsfar still suffers from strained relations between humans and other species, and progress is slower than Vuhm would like. In the wake of Zhentil Keep's decline, Hillsfar's only rival for dominance of the Moonsea is the city of Mulmaster." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Melvaunt", "page": 66, "id": "1b7", "entries": [ "A cloud of smog hangs over the austere and unwelcoming Moonsea city of Melvaunt courtesy of its hundreds of forges. This polluted merchant town is a smith's haven and a den of crime." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Moonsea", "page": 66, "id": "1b8", "entries": [ "Rumors persist of isles that rise from the cold, purplish depths of the eponymous Moonsea on certain nights of the year. An underwater tower called the Bell of the Depths is said to be guarded by the ghosts of the first humans who settled the Moonsea region. Its spire is visible from the water's surface, and it tolls on foggy nights with the sound of a ghostly bell heard as far as Hillsfar." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mulmaster", "page": 66, "id": "1b9", "entries": [ "Sixteen wealthy nobles called the Council of Blades rule the unabashedly imperialist Moonsea city of Mulmaster. At their disposal are the Hawks, a clandestine group of spies and assassins; the Cloaks, Mulmaster's official mage guild; and the Soldiery, the city's armed forces. The Church of Bane is Mulmaster's dominant faith." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Point Iron", "page": 66, "id": "1ba", "entries": [ "The dwarven iron mine known as Point Iron was taken over by duergar more than a century ago. In their mining, the duergar found gold, which they craft into fabulous jewelry that fetches exorbitant prices throughout the Moonsea and {@area Sembia|1be|x}. This trade has also given the psychic duergar access to powerful individuals they can bring under their mental control." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Quivering Forest", "page": 66, "id": "1bb", "entries": [ "For a time, travelers who entered the Quivering Forest emerged in Barovia, a Domain of Dread within the Shadowfell (described in {@adventure Curse of Strahd|CoS} and {@book Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft|VRGR}). The mists of Barovia have since cleared, but terrifying werewolves, vampires, and other creatures from that realm still haunt these woods. Barovia's influence has even granted new powers to Jeny Greenteeth, a legendary hag of the forest." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Thar", "page": 66, "id": "1bc", "entries": [ "Valiant orcs fight to defend their territory from ogres, manticores, and perytons in the rocky moorland known as the Thar. Eons ago, this land was a unified orc kingdom. Legend has it that Vorbyx's Hammer, a great weapon carried by the first king of Thar, lies hidden somewhere here. Thar's orcs believe that the next orc to wield it will restore the kingdom to its former glory." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Zhentil Keep", "page": 66, "id": "1bd", "entries": [ "Once the seat of {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x} power across Faerûn, Zhentil Keep was razed over a hundred years ago by Shadovar forces. Eventually the Zhents returned and rebuilt it. Zhentil Keep is again a flourishing trade city, but Zhentarim leaders have been slow to return there. Zhentarim soldiers are sent to Zhentil Keep for training, and the governing council is conspiring to regain influence in the Moonsea from rivals Hillsfar and Mulmaster." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sembia", "page": 66, "id": "1be", "entries": [ "The young realm of Sembia aggressively pursues both trade and territorial expansion. Merchant councils govern many of its cities, from gothic Saerloon to lavish Selgaunt. Sembians relish the art of negotiation, and coins create friendships fast here. But the lack of coins makes those friends disappear just as quickly. Outside Sembia's cities, orchards, vineyards, and farms sprawl throughout the realm's countryside.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ordulin", "page": 67, "id": "1bf", "entries": [ "Half a century ago, a dale called Moondale enjoyed a prosperous trade relationship with neighboring Sembian cities before being peacefully annexed into Sembia. It was renamed Ordulin and now serves as Sembia's capital. Every seven years, the merchant councils of Sembia's other cities convene and appoint an Overmaster from their ranks to govern Sembia from Ordulin. They have gone to great lengths to foster Sembian pride in the city and erase its cultural roots as a former dale.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/057-02-007.ruins-of-myth-drannor.webp" }, "title": "The ruins of Myth Drannor lie at the heart of Cormanthor.", "credit": "Titus Lunter", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the Heartlands", "page": 67, "id": "1c0", "entries": [ "Some of Faerûn's greatest threats and most inspiring alliances have sprung up in the {@area Heartlands|1a4|x}. These histories influence the region to this day.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Dragons", "page": 67, "id": "1c1", "entries": [ "Dragons were the first occupants of the Heartlands, before even the elves of Cormanthor, and dozens of active dragon lairs litter the wilds, as do countless remnants of long-abandoned lairs. The {@area Moonsea|1b5|x} region sees much dragon activity; its sea was even once called the Sea of Dragons. {@area Cormyr|1a6|x} has seen a recent uptick in dragon attacks from the Storm Horns, and the {@area Cult of the Dragon|339|x} is steadily gaining influence in {@area Sembia|1be|x}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Expansionism", "page": 67, "id": "1c2", "entries": [ "While cities of the {@area Sword Coast|219|x} and the North enjoy relative harmony among each other, the same can't be said for the realms of the {@area Heartlands|1a4|x}. {@area Sembia|1be|x} and {@area Cormyr|1a6|x} have expanded relentlessly over the centuries and taken turns encroaching on each other's territories. The {@area Moonsea|1b5|x}'s leaders ruthlessly control their individual cities and plot to overthrow each other to grab more power. The Dalelands sits in the middle of it all, trying to avoid the attention of realms and factions that would eagerly invade the dales if it wasn't so difficult to march an army through the forest of Cormanthor." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Pools of Radiance", "page": 67, "id": "1c3", "entries": [ "Pools of radiance are open wounds in the Weave\u2014powerful, naturally occurring fonts of raw magic. The water of these pools shimmers and shines with an unearthly glow. Nearly all of Faerûn's pools of radiance are in the {@area Heartlands|1a4|x} region. Several evil entities throughout Faerûn's history have found ways to channel the immense power of the pools\u2014especially the pool of radiance beneath the {@area Moonsea|1b5|x} town of Phlan\u2014to enact devastating rituals. A pool of radiance can be destroyed only with an artifact called the Gauntlets of Moander , but its whereabouts are unknown." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Lands of Intrigue", "page": 68, "id": "1c4", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "1c5", "name": "Overview", "page": 68, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "These wealthy mercantile realms each keep a close eye on each other while carefully tending to their own political turmoil." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Amn|1c6|x}, {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}, {@area Tethyr|1d8|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Alzhedo, Chondathan" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Athkatla, the Calim Desert, Calimport, Darromar, the Forest of {@area Tethyr|1d8|x} (Wealdath)" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Pirates and bandits harry these lands with raids while genies and beholders scheme from afar." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/058-map-02.007-lands-of-intrigue.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Lands of Intrigue", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2891, "id": "03b", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 137, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/059-map-02.007-lands-of-intrigue-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 2891, "mapParent": { "id": "03b" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 137, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "The Lands of Intrigue maintain civil relations with each other, even as they jostle for authority over Faerûn's commerce. Though {@area Amn|1c6|x}, {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}, and {@area Tethyr|1d8|x} might not have raised swords against each other in the last few hundred years, they've spied on each other, made aggressive trade deals, and exchanged land with each other in delicate dances of thinly veiled mistrust.", "Each realm grapples with its own internal web of intrigue. Merchant houses ally with and pit", "themselves against each other in dizzying configurations to assert their influence over {@area Amn|1c6|x}. Questions of bloodline and right to rule swirl around the queen of {@area Tethyr|1d8|x}. The four genie factions of {@area Calimshan|1cf|x} bristle at the increasing self-reliance of the realm's folk\u2014especially Sultana Songal, Calimshan's ruler.", "Adventures in these lands often play out against a backdrop of political machination. Characters might hobnob with influential nobles at galas, strike backdoor bargains in seedy undercities, or spy on one noble genie while working for another. Perhaps they'll infiltrate the Shadow Thieves, a network whose meddling is felt throughout the Lands of Intrigue.", "Each of the three realms in the Lands of Intrigue has at least one active port city and trade routes to go along with it. News travels as swiftly as goods, but deserts, forests, and mountain ranges make it difficult for armies to cross from one realm to another.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Amn", "page": 68, "id": "1c6", "entries": [ "No realm in Faerûn is wealthier than Amn. Unlike their neighbors\u2014which pursue wealth for the comfort it brings\u2014Amnians seek and spend wealth as a symbol of status. Amn's governing body is the anonymous Council of Five, said to consist of the heads of Amn's most influential merchant families. Open worship of Cyric is legal here, thanks to deep ties between the Church of Cyric and the council, and Amn has long had imperial ambitions. Spellcasting, on the other hand, is forbidden. The law permits only priests of Cyric and the Cowled Wizards\u2014specialized mages in service to Amn's merchant houses\u2014to use magic.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Athkatla", "page": 69, "id": "1c7", "entries": [ "Athkatla, the City of Coin, is the capital city of Amn and a place of vast riches. Things illegal, immoral, and despicable pass without comment in this busy port city so long as the price is right. The Council of Five rules from a fortress here called the Council House." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Cloud Peaks", "page": 69, "id": "1c8", "entries": [ "The Cloud Peaks teem with iron, precious metal, and gems\u2014but also with remorhazes and white dragons. Frost giants sometimes scale the mountains' crags for ceremonies or games." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Esmeltaran", "page": 69, "id": "1c9", "entries": [ "Amnian nobles and wealthy tourists flock to the beautiful city of Esmeltaran during the winter months to bask in the warmth of Lake Esmel's hot springs. A young copper dragon has begun pulling pranks on the lake's visitors, who mistake the dragon for a legendary monster of the lake named Esmelda." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Myth Lharast", "page": 69, "id": "1ca", "entries": [ "The city of Myth Lharast was sacred to Selûne for three centuries, home to benevolent lycanthropes as well as elves and other folk. Protected by a powerful mythal, it nevertheless fell to internal dissent many centuries ago. As evil wizards and their undead and elemental minions conquered the city, Selûne removed Myth Lharast from the world, placing it in a demiplane. Now the city can be accessed only when the moon is full." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Orgoth's Tower", "page": 69, "id": "1cb", "entries": [ "Hubris claimed Orgoth the Tainted, a prodigious wizard who summoned three unruly fiends and died at their hands. Rumor has it that his spellbook, the Alcaith, still lies in Orgoth's Tower. Elves of the Shilmista Forest warn against searching for it, since the three fiends are rumored to still haunt the tower's halls." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Small Teeth", "page": 69, "id": "1cc", "entries": [ "To the south, temples of Cyric called the Twin Towers of the Eternal Eclipse sit high on each side of the Small Teeth mountains' central pass. The ancient blue dragon Iryklathagra, also called \"Sharpfangs,\" sleeps deep within the Small Teeth, awakening once a century. Killing the dragon is a fool's errand; instead, adventurers try to loot the many hoards scattered throughout her sprawling lair." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Snakewood", "page": 69, "id": "1cd", "entries": [ "Priests of Eldath inhabit Duskwood Dell in the serpent-infested Snakewood. Two years ago, a conniving beholder named Sersentrych slew the green dragon Ringreemeralxoth and moved into his lair. Sersentrych has since indoctrinated the dragon's hatchlings into loyal servitude." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Troll Mountains", "page": 69, "id": "1ce", "entries": [ "Trolls aren't the only dangers in the Troll Mountains. Balagos \"the Flying Flame,\" an ancient red dragon feared throughout the {@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x}, lairs in the extinct Smokespire volcano. The Gulf of Storms, a lightning-wracked canyon and pilgrimage site for worshipers of Talos, lies nearby. Wind whistles through the hollow eyes, ears, and mouth of the Wailing Dwarf, a mile-high mountainside carved to depict an enormous dwarf. An abandoned, ooze-infested dwarven city lies beneath this monument and is the setting for Lancameth's Last Expedition , a famous ballad detailing the death of Bryam Lancameth and his four companions, armed with potent magic items that have never been recovered." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Calimshan", "page": 69, "id": "1cf", "entries": [ "Tradition and innovation coexist in Calimshan under the reign of Sultana Songal. Calimshan's people have a fraught and complex relationship with the realm's four genie factions. The genies have both subjugated and fought alongside the people of Calimshan at various points in the realm's ten-thousand-year history. While Calishites of the desert and other wilderness areas rely on genie magic for survival, inhabitants of Calimport have instead embraced and improved on innovations from {@area Lantan|238|x}, resulting in a new wave of {@item Mechanical Wonder|FRAiF|Mechanical Wonders} that have transformed city life.", "Calimshan has the largest population of genasi (described in {@book Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse|MPMM}) of any realm in Faerûn; some of these genasi live among the realm's people, while others reside with the four genie factions. See chapter 4 of {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|4} for more on Calimshan.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Alimir Mountains", "page": 69, "id": "1d0", "entries": [ "Calimshan fought back against beholders from the Alimir Mountains thousands of years ago in a series of conflicts called the Eye Tyrant Wars. Nearly fifty beholders live together in a massive hive in those mountains today, biding their time while rebuilding their numbers." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Calim Desert", "page": 69, "id": "1d1", "entries": [ "Eons ago, when the immortal genies Calim and Memnon were imprisoned in the {@item Calimemnon Crystal|FRAiF}, the magical backlash transformed the surrounding environs into the inhospitable Calim Desert. Wild magic and sandstorms wreak havoc here." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Calimport", "page": 69, "id": "1d2", "entries": [ "Calimshan's capital city Calimport is among the oldest cities in Faerûn. This famous trade hub teems with wonders magical and mechanical. Genies must swear a magically binding pact with Sultana Songal, called the Sultana's Oath, to enter the city. Cults, criminals, and illicit markets lurk in the Muzad, Calimport's undercity." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Forest of Mir", "page": 69, "id": "1d3", "entries": [ "The Forest of Mir hides Myth Dyraalis, a thriving city with deep ties to both the Feywild and the plane of Arborea. A powerful mythal allows only those with fey ancestry to see this so-called Phantom City. Nearby lies Dallnothax: a mostly subterranean settlement devoted to Vhaeraun, a drow god of thievery." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Genie Strongholds", "page": 70, "id": "1d4", "entries": [ "The four genie factions of Calimshan lair in fantastic strongholds scattered around the realm. The dao fortress of Olympus Dag stands in the Marching Mountains; the marid city of Maran Saya lies deep beneath the waves of the Shining Sea; the flying djinni city of Burin Bir and its trailing palaces drift above the Forest of Mir; and the efreeti fortress of Gozva Ka stands in the Calim Desert, hidden with shimmering illusions. These palaces are ruled by noble genies and are also home to a variety of aides and servitors who are adapted to the genies' preferred environments." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Marching Mountains", "page": 70, "id": "1d5", "entries": [ "The Marching Mountains house the remains of the First Necropolis of Nykkar: an ancient site where early Calishites prepared their revered dead for burial." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Nykkar, Isle of Memory", "page": 70, "id": "1d6", "entries": [ "In more modern times, Calishites have established many mausoleums and cemeteries in a necropolis on the so-called Isle of Memory, named Nykkar after the ancient necropolis in the mountains. Nykkar is maintained by priests of Kelemvor and serviced by ships known as the Death Fleet. A crew of engineers maintain a lighthouse on the island's northern tip." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Spider Swamp", "page": 70, "id": "1d7", "entries": [ "Zanassu the Spider Demon was vanquished from Calimshan's Spider Swamp on the southern coast long ago, but quasits and other demons still infest this fetid area. The swamp is also home to reclusive spider-people known as araneas; so far, araneas have remained hidden, using magic to conceal their identity when they enter towns to trade. (Araneas are detailed in Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn.)" ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tethyr", "page": 70, "id": "1d8", "entries": [ "Though not as much of a mercantile superpower as its neighbors, Tethyr enjoys a strong relationship with the elves of the Wealdath, who shun {@area Amn|1c6|x} and trade rare goods exclusively with Tethyr. Tethyr is a feudal realm of lords and vassals, and its royal line appeals to the divine patronage of Siamorphe, a demigod of nobility, to assert its right to rule. When Queen Anais Rhindaun died of old age, her half-niece and adopted daughter, Ysabel Linden, assumed the throne. Ysabel has guided Tethyr with a courageous heart and steady hand for three years, but she hasn't received the blessing of Siamorphe. Some of Tethyr's nobles whisper that Ysabel is too far removed from the Rhindaun bloodline\u2014and Siamorphe's favor\u2014to rule.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Castle Tethyr", "page": 70, "id": "1d9", "entries": [ "Castle Tethyr was the historical home of Tethyr's royalty before it burned down some 150 years ago. Now, an elder beholder named Xithallowthlan schemes within the dungeons below the castle. Hundreds of eyes cover Xithallowthlan's body\u2014a blessing from the Great Mother, a patron deity of beholders." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Darromar", "page": 70, "id": "1da", "entries": [ "Queen Ysabel Linden rules the realm of Tethyr from Faerntarn Palace in the capital city of Darromar. An aasimar named Saerwyn the Bright has recently arrived in Darromar to challenge Ysabel's right to the throne, claiming to be a child of the demigod Siamorphe. Whether Saerwyn is truthful or a pretender remains to be seen." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Forest of Tethyr", "page": 70, "id": "1db", "entries": [ "Many call the Forest of Tethyr \"Wealdath,\" an Elvish phrase meaning \"unspoiled woods.\" This vast forest is home to monsters, fey, the peaceful gold dragon Garlokantha, and two wood elf tribes: the Suldusk and Elmanesse. The Suldusk have their own treetop city, Suldanessellar. The Elmanesse seek to restore the mythal around the will-o-wisp-infested elven tomb city of Myth Rhynn." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Omlarandin Mountains", "page": 70, "id": "1dc", "entries": [ "Omlar gems can be found only in the Omlarandin Mountains. These rare turquoise gems hold magic like a sponge, making them exceptional components for crafting magic items. The demand for omlars among {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}'s genie lords has run most of the mountain's existing mines dry, prompting miners and adventurers to delve ever deeper into the mountain range." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Purple Hills", "page": 70, "id": "1dd", "entries": [ "No one in the {@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x} makes finer wine than the halflings of the Purple Hills, on Tethyr's southwest coast. These halflings also recently reopened Canaith, a legendary bard academy. Bards travel from far and wide to study their craft there." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Starspire Mountains", "page": 70, "id": "1de", "entries": [ "Balagos, a red dragon of the Troll Mountains, keeps some of his hoard at a secondary lair called Mount Thargill in the Starspire Mountains. Five years ago, Balagos captured a young bronze dragon named Ixolothingeir, tore off his wings, and commanded him to guard this lair or die." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Velen", "page": 70, "id": "1df", "entries": [ "Velen is haunted, but its citizens don't mind. Many of the city's dead remain there as ghosts for unknown reasons, coexisting with the living. The autonomous Duchy of Velen gained its independence from Tethyr in 1424 DR. It maintains a friendly relationship with its western neighbor, using its impressive naval fleet to defend itself and Tethyr from Nelanther pirates.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/060-02-008.deryan-kaya-educates.webp" }, "title": "kaya educates", "credit": "Ekaterina Burmak", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the Lands of Intrigue", "page": 70, "id": "1e0", "entries": [ "Folk in the {@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x} are more interested in politics than the mysteries of the lands themselves.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Nelanther Pirates", "page": 70, "id": "1e1", "entries": [ "Hordes of lizardfolk, ogre, and minotaur pirates surge forth from the Nelanther Isles (detailed further in the \"{@area Trackless Sea|236|x}\" section of this chapter) to raid shipping from the Lands of Intrigue. Merchants from all three realms commission adventurers to sail forth into those islands and recover stolen goods." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Night Bandits of Erlkazar", "page": 71, "id": "1e2", "entries": [ "The {@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x}'s eastern reaches suffer raids from the neighboring realm of Erlkazar. Armies of vampiric bandits slip into merchant camps and leap over city walls in the dead of night. Those who journey to Erlkazar find no trace of these bandits or the pilfered goods. The vampiric nature of the Night Bandits remains a secret outside Erlkazar, for the locals are too frightened of their vampire masters to betray them to outsiders." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Rise and Fall of Muranndin", "page": 71, "id": "1e3", "entries": [ "In the late fourteenth century, an oni couple conquered the city of Murann in southwest {@area Amn|1c6|x} and founded Muranndin, a short-lived empire of marauding orcs and ogres who sought living sacrifices for their gods Gruumsh and Vaprak. Amn and {@area Tethyr|1d8|x}'s forces slew the founders and reclaimed nearly all of the land by the late fifteenth century DR. However, the couple's son\u2014a brooding oni named Avasskyth\u2014still rules over the villainous city of Murann. The city is surrounded by a formidable wall made of thick, sharpened tree trunks." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shadow Thieves of Amn", "page": 71, "id": "1e4", "entries": [ "The ruthless Shadow Thieves began as an ordinary thieves' guild in {@area Waterdeep|224|x}. When the Lords of Waterdeep assassinated many of the Shadow Thieves' founding members and drove the rest out, the organization reestablished itself in {@area Amn|1c6|x}. It thrived in Athkatla, where they became a household name and forged covert connections with Amn's ruling Council of Five. Now, the Shadow Thieves pulls strings everywhere in the {@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x} and plot vengeance on the Lords of Waterdeep. See chapter 6 for more information on the Shadow Thieves." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shanatar", "page": 71, "id": "1e5", "entries": [ "Before the {@area Lands of Intrigue|1c4|x} existed, there was Shanatar. This ancient shield dwarf kingdom sprawled across the region's Underdark and contained eight subkingdoms, each dedicated to one of Moradin's divine children. Duergar and other Underdark invaders brought ruin to Shanatar long ago. The only kingdom still standing is Iltkazar, situated beneath the Omlarandin Mountains. The god Clangeddin Silverbeard watches over Iltkazar, and a wise ancient silver dragon called King Mith Barak rules over the kingdom. Mith Barak seeks the return of the {@item Wyrmskull Throne|SKT}, a powerful Shanatar artifact that went missing eons ago." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The North", "page": 72, "id": "1e6", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "1e7", "name": "Overview", "page": 72, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "In this harsh and beautiful wilderness, nothing lasts and survival is a day-to-day concern." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Icewind Dale|1e8|x}, {@area Kingdom of Many-Arrows|1ea|x}, Lords' Alliance, {@area Luskan|1f0|x}, {@area Menzoberranzan|1f1|x}, northern dwarfholds, {@area Savage Frontier|1f7|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Bothii, Chondathan, Illuskan, Reghedjic" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "The Evermoors, Gimmerwood, Nether Mountains, Reghed Glacier, Sea of Moving Ice, Spine of the World Mountains" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "{@skill Nature|XPHB}'s wrath, giants, dragons, roving marauders, and the menace of the Underdark." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/061-map-02.008-the-north.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: The North", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2740, "id": "03c", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 161, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/062-map-02.008-the-north-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 2740, "mapParent": { "id": "03c" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 161, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Nothing lasts forever in the North. Frost giants, white dragons, and marauders threaten the land, and winter is always near, ready to destroy whatever remains. The region was ravaged by the War of the Silver Marches\u2014a sweeping conflict between Many-Arrows, {@area Menzoberranzan|1f1|x}, and the cities of the Lords' Alliance\u2014and again more recently by violence between giants. And yet, the North abounds with fertile river valleys, mineral deposits, deep forests, and startling natural beauty. It is a wilderness of violent extremes, hidden wonders, and isolated strongholds struggling to survive against all odds.", "The land is vast, cold, and lawless, and civilization survives only through fear, toil, and blood. Independent strongholds act as city-states in loose alliances. Outside fortress walls, farmers, prospectors, and settlers eke out hardscrabble lives, while roving nomads do what they must to survive while honoring their traditions. Ancient dwarfholds and forest ruins echo with memories of vanished realms. People in the North worship fierce gods and fear the freezing dark.", "Adventures here focus on survival above all, both individual and communal. Here, adventurers must fight off invaders and face natural disasters as they carve out a foothold in an inhospitable land. They broker tenuous peace between hostile fortresses, uncover frozen secrets, battle dragons and giants, and defy fate to build something that can survive the cold.", "{@area The North|1e6|x} is criss-crossed by fragile alliances between independent cities and strongholds in loose confederations for mutual aid, defense, and trade. These independent city-states look to their own interests first, defending and developing their own resources. They cooperate with allies not from fealty or honor, but from shared self-interest and to increase their own chances of survival.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Icewind Dale", "page": 73, "id": "1e8", "entries": [ "At the far northern end of the {@area Sword Coast|219|x}, beyond the Spine of the World, lies Icewind Dale. Bounded by the Reghed Glacier to the east and the gnashing maw of the Sea of Moving Ice to the north and west, Icewind Dale is a wind-scoured waste marked by the solitary peak of Kelvin's Cairn. The rough-hewn Ten-Towns band together to harvest hidden abundance: gems, timber, and the valuable bones of knucklehead trout. Would-be heroes and villains alike come to Icewind Dale seeking frost giant artifacts, Underdark wonders, and Netherese secrets, but most run afoul of fierce monsters, locals, and priests of Auril\u2014to say nothing of chardalyn, a blighted material capable of twisting minds and spirits in pursuit of power. See {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|3} for more on Icewind Dale.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Bryn Shander", "page": 73, "id": "1e9", "entries": [ "Foremost among the Ten-Towns\u2014Icewind Dale's cluster of small settlements\u2014Bryn Shander is the local center of trade and government. It serves as a walled refuge for those fleeing nearby towns in times of crisis." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Kingdom of Many-Arrows", "page": 73, "id": "1ea", "entries": [ "Self-crowned King Orrusk Homebringer is working to restore an orc domain in the far north, beginning with the shattered fortress of Dark Arrow Keep. The Kingdom of Many-Arrows united the disparate orc tribes of the Spine of the World for over a hundred years until it was razed in the War of the Silver Marches. Orrusk would see it come into being again, and more orcs arrive every day, drawn by his vision of a new, independent orc realm." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Lords' Alliance", "page": 73, "id": "1eb", "entries": [ "The Lords' Alliance isn't a realm, but rather a tenuous but powerful coalition between contentious settlements of the North and elsewhere, established to promote peace, prosperity, and security among its members. It includes Neverwinter, Silverymoon, Mithral Hall, and others, including powerful {@area Waterdeep|224|x} to the south (see \"{@area Sword Coast|219|x}\" in this chapter). Each settlement in the alliance looks first to its own interests, then to the needs of its allies. The Alliance hires adventurers to investigate and eradicate threats to the region and isn't above using violence and deception in pursuit of its goals. See chapter 6 for more information on the Lords' Alliance.", { "type": "entries", "name": "High Road", "page": 73, "id": "1ec", "entries": [ "A vital lifeline linking settlements along the Sword Coast and one of the North's foremost trade routes, the High Road begins in {@area Luskan|1f0|x}, runs south through Neverwinter, and then continues along the coast to Waterdeep (where it continues as the Trade Way). After decades of neglect and disrepair, the road is again safe to travel thanks to the efforts of Dagult Neverember and the High Road Charter Company." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mirabar", "page": 73, "id": "1ed", "entries": [ "The richest city in the North sits on the Mirar River, enclosed by sloped outer walls. Above ground, a largely human population is ruled by their hereditary marchion, but Mirabar is deeply dwarven. Tunnels, forges, and foundries in the massive undercity lead to the great mines of the Sword Coast. Dwarven elders on the Council of Sparkling Stones rule underground, and the Axe of Mirabar, a well-armed company of dwarf soldiers, defends the city against threats, above or below." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Neverwinter", "page": 73, "id": "1ee", "entries": [ "The City of Skilled Hands was once known for its master crafters, fine goods, and lavish gardens heated year-round by the Neverwinter River, flowing from Mount Hotenow. When the volcano erupted and a great chasm to the Underdark opened, Neverwinter was nearly destroyed. Now, with the volcano's wrath spent and the chasm sealed, the city is rebuilding itself under the rule of Lord Dagult Neverember." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Silverymoon", "page": 73, "id": "1ef", "entries": [ "Rightly called the Gem of the North, this quiet, cosmopolitan city is a powerful member of the Lords' Alliance and a haven of learning, music, and culture. The Knights in Silver and magical defenses protect the city's ivy-covered walls and towers, where gardens and trees cast dappled light on peaceful streets. For a time, Silverymoon was the capital of a tight-knit alliance across the Silver Marches\u2014the region between the Glimmerwood and the High Forest. The War of the Silver Marches brought an end to that alliance and tarnished Silverymoon's reputation, but it is still respected and beloved across the region." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Luskan", "page": 73, "id": "1f0", "entries": [ "Luskan, the City of Sails, was once a grand port, but years of crime and ill fortune have reduced it to a dirty dive with filthy streets, ramshackle docks, and pirates thinly disguised as traders. Rising above its stinking fog like a clawed hand is the Hosttower of the Arcane, home of the Arcane Brotherhood (described in chapter 6). Five pirate lords called High Captains rule the city and are charged with the city's defense and legitimate trade, as well as plundering the Northlander islands to the west." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Menzoberranzan", "page": 73, "id": "1f1", "entries": [ "Menzoberranzan is a drow city carved from the pillars of a great cavern in the Underdark between Silverymoon and Mithral Hall. It is the center of Lolth's worship in Faerûn. Also known as the City of Spiders, it's known for its culture of deception, manipulation, and the capture and trade of enslaved surface dwellers. Although officially governed by a council of matrons from the eight greatest houses, the city is under the heel of House Baenre and the Matron Mother, who rules in Lolth's name. On a high plateau stands the Academy, Tier Breche, where priestesses, mages, and noble warriors are trained. Over a hundred tunnels link the city to other parts of the Underdark, and drow traders sell poisons, strange mushrooms, beasts of burden, scrolls, wine, and secrets with merchants of the deep." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Northern Dwarfholds", "page": 74, "id": "1f2", "entries": [ "Throughout the North, many dwarves dwell in independent fortresses called dwarfholds. Though many such dwarfholds are lost, abandoned, or infested by monsters, some still stand firm. Dwarves in Mithral Hall, Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr, Gauntlgrym, Stoneshaft Hold, and Ironmaster trace their ancestry back to Delzoun, the ancient dwarf kingdom of the North. Mirabar and Sundabar are also dwarfholds, though Mirabar has welcomed human immigrants and Sundabar was razed by the {@area Kingdom of Many-Arrows|1ea|x} in the War of the Silver Marches. Before then, most dwarfholds had joined the Lords' Alliance, but when Silverymoon failed to save Sundabar, the dwarfhold leaders declared their intention to rely only on one another.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Citadel Adbar", "page": 74, "id": "1f3", "entries": [ "Citadel Adbar is a fortress in the Ice Mountains built by the dwarves of ancient Delzoun that has defied invaders for eighteen centuries. The War of the Silver Marches reduced the city's once-great Knights of the Mithral Shield to a handful of members, but its defending army\u2014the Iron Guard\u2014remains strong." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Gauntlgrym", "page": 74, "id": "1f4", "entries": [ "Once a bastion of Delzoun, Gauntlgrym lay abandoned under the mountains for centuries until King Bruenor Battlehammer reclaimed it from Lolth's followers with an army of shield dwarves. The heart of Gauntlgrym is its legendary forge, within which is trapped a fire elemental known as Maegera the Dawn Titan." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mithral Hall", "page": 74, "id": "1f5", "entries": [ "The ancestral home of the Battlehammer clan is a nigh-impregnable vault beneath the Frost Hills. Despite its almost mythic reputation, Mithral Hall is more of a stronghold than a city, with tunnels to other dwarfholds deep below its mines. Queen Dagnabbet Waybeard rules Mithral Hall, firmly in support of the Lords' Alliance." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sundabar", "page": 74, "id": "1f6", "entries": [ "Like its sibling-city, Mirabar, Sundabar was both an underground dwarfhold and a thriving surface city until it was razed by Many-Arrows orcs in the War of the Silver Marches. Refugees from the surface city fled west to Silverymoon and other nearby settlements, while the dwarves of the lower holds withdrew from the Lords' Alliance and banned outsiders from the city. While the walls and buildings of the city above crumble into ruins stalked by roving monsters, black smoke rises from tunnels and hidden chambers, where underground forges still operate." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Savage Frontier", "page": 74, "id": "1f7", "entries": [ "The Savage Frontier is a vast swath of ungoverned land inhabited by dangerous monsters. Visitors can trudge for days through its peaks and snowfields without seeing so much as a trapper's cabin.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Evermoors", "page": 74, "id": "1f8", "entries": [ "An unsettled region of fog-shrouded hills, cold bogs, rocky ridges, small peaks, and crumbling ruins, this vast waste is inhabited by hill giants, ettins, ogres, countless trolls, and warring bands of orcs. A mile above the Evermoors floats the cloud giant castle of Lyn Armaal, only fleetingly glimpsed through overcast skies." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Glimmerwood", "page": 74, "id": "1f9", "entries": [ "This wide forest combines the dense, lycanthrope-prowled Moonwood, the Druarwood (claimed by Uthgardt tribes), and the Cold Wood, which is covered by ice and snow even during the height of summer, except where blackened by traveling fire giants." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "High Forest", "page": 74, "id": "1fa", "entries": [ "The greatest existing forest in Faerûn is vast and mysterious, a remnant from ages past, when elven realms like Illefarn and Eaerlann ruled a continent covered in green. The High Forest is as large as a realm, covering mountains and countless secrets. Here dwell treants of enormous size, stags with antlers wide as a wagon, gigantic bears, owlbears, wolves, centaurs, unicorns, and other creatures stranger still, some of which have no name remembered by mortals. The forest's outermost fringes are inhabited by woodcutters and outlaws, but deeper in, wood elves and Uthgardt warriors of the Ghost Tree tribe guard the forest's secrets." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Icespire Peak", "page": 74, "id": "1fb", "entries": [ "Icespire Peak is the tallest of the Sword Mountains, visible from far away as Phandalin. The mountain conceals mithral mines dug by dwarves long ago, and in winter its waterfalls freeze, forming amazing curtains of ice. But Icespire Peak is now home to goblins, frost giants, trolls, the white dragon Cryovain, and agents of the {@area Cult of the Dragon|339|x}, ensuring all but brave adventurers avoid its perilous slopes." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mere of Dead Men", "page": 74, "id": "1fc", "entries": [ "Thousands of dwarf, elf, human, and orc corpses lie beneath this saltwater swamp, which was created many centuries ago through fell magic. The swamp is home to two ancient black dragons: Voaraghamanthar the Black Death and his twin brother Waervaerendor the Rapacious Raider. The two dragons share a psychic link and are indistinguishable, so they're often mistaken for a single dragon. Efforts to drain the swamp or redirect the High Road away from its borders have been fruitless; the swamp merely expands to fill any abandoned space.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/063-02-009.ice-caves.webp" }, "title": "Ice caves leading to the Underdark have tempted many adventurers into danger.", "credit": "Erel Maatita", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Phandalin", "page": 74, "id": "1fd", "entries": [ "The frontier settlement of Phandalin has a long history of association with mages and artificers working in the nearby complex of Wave Echo Cave, home to the legendary Forge of Spells. Fragments of Netherese civilization also dot this region, including pieces of psychic crystal. Mind flayers lairing in the Underdark beneath Phandalin collect these crystals and use them to mutate innocent victims in an elaborate scheme to create a new empire in Faerûn." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the North", "page": 75, "id": "1fe", "entries": [ "To live in the North requires strength\u2014strength of body to withstand the harsh elements, strength of will to withstand fear and isolation, and strength of heart to stand side by side with strangers.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Giants and Dragons", "page": 75, "id": "1ff", "entries": [ "In other parts of Faerûn, people tell stories about the conflicts between giants and dragons. In the North, these are lived realities. Many giants and dragons dwell here at the edge of the world, and their ancient enmity threatens those who dwell peacefully in the shadow of the mountains." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Nomads", "page": 75, "id": "200", "entries": [ "The Reghed nomads of {@area Icewind Dale|1e8|x} and the Uthgardt of the {@area Savage Frontier|1f7|x} survive through hardiness and mobility, proving that it's possible to flourish even in the deadliest of lands. Some, however, depend on raiding and violence to survive." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Spine of the World", "page": 75, "id": "201", "entries": [ "This impossibly high mountain range spans the entire north, shaping and threatening the entire region. Towering black rock peaks are gripped by snow and ice, scoured by raging winds, and filled with yetis, white dragons, and frost giants, while tunnels, caves, and abandoned dwarfholds below are home to goblinoids, remorhazes, duergar, and drow. In the jaws of these mountains lie the crumbling ruins and secrets of too many half-forgotten realms and lost souls to count." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Underdark Menace", "page": 75, "id": "202", "entries": [ "Threats from deep below the earth's surface are never far from the minds of folk in the North. Drow worshipers of Lolth dwell in great numbers in the Underdark, aberrations lurk in caverns deeper still, and buried secrets have a way of turning up in frightening ways. Worse still, in {@area Icewind Dale|1e8|x}, mysterious forces have begun to thaw the frozen deep, freeing horrors deep beneath subterranean ice that should never be released." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Winter's Reign", "page": 75, "id": "203", "entries": [ "However dragons and giants might rage, there is no power greater than the winter in the far North. Life here is geared toward withstanding hardship. Traders throughout the region supply winter gear and spirits strong enough to warm bones and numb wounds. Builders create thick-walled shelters that stand against the strongest winds. Priests placate gods of cold, such as Auril, and pray to deities willing to grant one more breath, one more glimpse of the sun, to the faithful." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Old Empires", "page": 76, "id": "204", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "205", "name": "Overview", "page": 76, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "Living deities walk among mortals, leading their followers into cycles of terrible wars followed by golden ages." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Chessenta|206|x}, {@area Mulhorand|20b|x}, {@area Unther|20f|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Chessentan, Mulhorandi, Untheric" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Alamber Sea, Black Ash Plain, Dragonsword Mountains, the Great Vale, Land of the Dead, Mount Thulbane, River of Swords" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Visitors and locals alike must contend with the will of merciless god-kings, vast stretches of inhospitable desert, and ancient blood feuds that divide these realms." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/064-map-02.009-old-empires.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Old Empires", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2906, "id": "03d", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 181, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/065-map-02.009-old-empires-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 2906, "mapParent": { "id": "03d" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 181, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "The realms of the Old Empires are the most ancient extant civilizations in Faerûn. For over three thousand years the people of {@area Mulhorand|20b|x}, {@area Chessenta|206|x}, and {@area Unther|20f|x} have alternately flourished and floundered, rising to unparalleled heights and surviving unprecedented disasters. The result is three realms that share wide swaths of history and aspects of culture peculiar to outsiders: strict theocratic governments,", "enormous military-bureaucracy complexes, and unique advances in art, science, and magic.", "Those who make the perilous voyage across the Sea of Fallen Stars and into Old Empires ports find desert coasts dusted with glittering purple sand; beachside bazaars overflowing with turquoise, lapis lazuli, and bronze metalcraft; and terraced temple gardens bursting with grapes, dates, and figs. Further inland, limestone monoliths loom over oceans of ripe grain next to unspeakably impoverished slum-cities; flooded riverside ruins and parched savanna fortresses teem with desert monsters; and battlegrounds lay haunted by restless dead\u2014including previous incarnations of the gods themselves.", "With their alien deities, inscrutable technology, and ancient grudges, the Old Empires are unlike any other region of the Forgotten Realms. To explorers and mercenaries from foreign soil, Mulhorand, Unther, and Chessenta are realms teeming with mysteries. For locals of these lands, opportunities abound to become heroes either by confronting the desert's dangers or shedding light on corrupt powers. No matter who answers the call, the Old Empires promise priceless rewards for the brave, beneficial secrets for the cunning, and exciting adventures for all.", "The story of the Old Empires begins with an empire called Imaskar, whose high artificers and overlords facilitated their kingdom's ascension by subjugating tens of thousands of people from a distant world. The abused subjects beseeched their patron deities for freedom, and their prayers were answered. The Imaskar underclass liberated itself, and in place of overthrown Imaskar the people founded two new empires: Mulhorand and Unther.", "Though they share similar origins, Mulhorand and Unther have harbored mutual animosity toward one another since their founding. Their constant territorial disputes eventually birthed the independent realm of Chessenta to the northwest.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Chessenta", "page": 77, "id": "206", "entries": [ "Chessenta is an unusual empire, where a chaotic array of city-states are in perpetual conflict with one another. But where constant strife might weaken lesser realms, Chessenta's endless saber rattling and infighting only tempers an already resilient people.", "Chessentans revel in war the way other cultures delight in sports or feasting. In Chessenta, a youth's first brush with death is a rite of passage, and a life without battle is no life at all. Chessentans who don't take part in their city's bloody military campaigns toil at home to supply the army, growing drought-resistant crops in the thin and stony soil, forging sturdy but lightweight weapons and shields suitable for the hot summer wars, and producing thousands of barrels of the region's famous ruby wine to keep soldiers' spirits high.", "{@skill Religion|XPHB} is important in Chessenta, and Chessentans have an array of gods and demigods utterly alien to outsiders. But perhaps no deity in Chessenta is so noteworthy as Tchazzar, a legendary god-king who in antiquity united the city-states of Chessenta and spearheaded the realm's only golden age. Tchazzar's death four hundred years ago heralded a great schism between the Chessentan cities. Only recently has the violent deity returned to Faerûnian soil in his true form as the Great Red Dragon. After reclaiming and subjugating the city of Cimbar, Tchazzar now aims to reunite the fractious powers of Chessenta into his idealized warrior realm.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Airspur", "page": 77, "id": "207", "entries": [ "The city of Airspur drifts above the shores of Wizards' Reach on an island of floating stone. Its populace includes a higher-than-average percentage of orcs and genasi (described in {@book Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse|MPMM}). Its theocratic rulers\u2014the Church of Bhaelros\u2014demand monthly sacrifices to appease their bloody god. The flying city uses its aerial advantage to harry its longstanding political rival, Cimbar, to the east. If not for Cimbar's divine ruler, Tchazzar, Airspur likely would've already destroyed its age-old foe." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Cimbar", "page": 77, "id": "208", "entries": [ "The former capital of united Chessenta, Cimbar remains one of the fragmented empire's largest metropolises. The city is Tchazzar's seat of power. Naturally, given Tchazzar's draconic nature, the {@area Cult of the Dragon|339|x} has a strong foothold here. Though it is a blood-soaked and perilous port of call, Cimbar boasts one of the largest navies in the whole Inner Sea region. It also hosts famous non-military institutions such as the University, the greatest center of higher learning in the Old Empires." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Luthcheq", "page": 77, "id": "209", "entries": [ "Military zeal combines with religious fervor in Luthcheq, whose ruling Karanok family persecutes practitioners of arcane magic in the name of Entropy, a strange god of alien intellect that resides somewhere in the vast underground chasms beneath Luthcheq's undercity. Dozens, if not hundreds, of magically gifted refugees flee Luthcheq each year to escape this destructive cult." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Threskel", "page": 77, "id": "20a", "entries": [ "South of the dormant volcano known as Mount Thulbane and north of the Riders to the Sky lies the sparsely populated land of Threskel. Chessenta and Unther both claim Threskel, but this remote land is famously lorded over by evil dragons. The few people who live in Threskel eke out pitiful existences on barren farms nestled between rocky shores and windswept cliffs. The desperation of this land has given rise to many heroic adventurers whom the dragons eagerly squash." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mulhorand", "page": 77, "id": "20b", "entries": [ "Mulhorand is the oldest of the Old Empires and was literally shaped by gods. Deities from a distant world\u2014gods with names like Anhur, Horus-Re, and Set\u2014took on physical form, leading their people to settle in rich, densely populated metropolises and build massive stone pyramids. To this day, these incarnated deities continue to walk the land and directly influence the realm.", "While pharaohs with divine lineage ultimately rule the realm, Mulhorand is governed by a class of powerful theocrats: high priests, sages, and holy warriors who serve the incarnated gods. All Mulhorandi, from blue-blooded nobles to common street peddlers, heed their god-kings' wishes in every aspect of daily life. When a merchant's latest shipment arrives safely at port, it is thanks to the will of Nephthys; a new mother's safe delivery might personally be overseen by Hathor; and Mulhorandi commanders pray to Anhur, General of the Gods, for victory against Untherites who threaten their borders.", { "type": "entries", "name": "The Great Vale", "page": 77, "id": "20c", "entries": [ "The breadbasket of Mulhorand produces enough barley, lentils, and onions to feed millions of the empire's citizens; it is also the realm's primary source of papyrus. Large bronze pumps\u2014just one of Mulhorand's advanced technologies\u2014move water from the River of Spears to irrigate the valley's vast farms. To the east, the Dragonsword Mountains cast their shadows over the Great Vale; the empire's pharaohs and greatest high priests are buried among the foothills of these mountains. Marking these crypts are dozens of monuments and elaborate tombs\u2014ancient step pyramids and towering obelisks\u2014collectively known as the Land of the Dead." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "River of Swords", "page": 78, "id": "20d", "entries": [ "This long river is the current border between Mulhorand and {@area Unther|20f|x}. A perennial battleground, the River of Swords sustains few settlements along its bloodstained banks. Most of the river's water is too salty to drink or water crops. In the small city of Sekras there is a machine that pumps water from the river and filters out the salt; only a handful of priests of Thoth know how to operate the pump. Occupation of Sekras has traded hands so many times that even its few permanent residents scarcely know which empire\u2014if any\u2014they currently serve." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Skuld", "page": 78, "id": "20e", "entries": [ "Anyone wishing to experience Mulhorandi culture in its most realized form visits the metropolis of Skuld. The so-called City of Shadows has the noteworthy distinction of being the oldest continually inhabited city in Faerûn. Its central district is called the City of the Gods; here, incarnations of Mulhorand's god-kings live in grand temples that overlook lush gardens that produce delicious fruit and courtyards of gilded statues." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Unther", "page": 78, "id": "20f", "entries": [ "Though they share a common origin story, {@area Mulhorand|20b|x} and Unther are vastly different realms. Whereas some might call Mulhorand paradise, most of Unther is nothing less than a hellscape. As one sage wrote, \"the society of Unther is one of the most miserable tyrannies that the Realms have ever known.\" It is a land defined by violence\u2014an ever-shifting territory of fiery war camps, poisoned rivers, and salted battlefields where soldiers commit unspeakable atrocities in the name of their realm. Mercenaries might find their fortune serving in the armies of Unther, but the cost is no less than one's own soul.", "The patron god-king of Unther, Gilgeam, is largely to blame for the realm's state. Whereas the god-kings of Mulhorand treat their realm with benign neglect, Gilgeam is neither benign nor neglectful. Cruel and vindictive, he forbids the worship of any other deity. He justifies his violence by attributing it to fate, a force he insists even he, a god, is beholden to. It was Gilgeam who led Unther to its present state of corruption and chaos. There was a short era of relative peace without the dread god, but that time has ended, and Gilgeam now leads a new generation of lambs to the slaughter. Already Unther is once more a realm of violent dysfunction, maintained by the brute force of Gilgeam and the raw willpower of his most devoted followers, a class of violent hoplites, holy warriors, and warlocks called the Children of Gilgeam.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Black Ash Plain", "page": 78, "id": "210", "entries": [ "This wasteland of infertile soil takes its name from the embers and ash that perpetually rain down from the volcanoes of the nearby Smoking Mountains. From the blighted earth jut brutalist ruins\u2014vestiges of Ancient Mulhorand and even earlier empires. The ruins magically shift across the desert of their own accord. Those who brave the ruins' subterranean depths find themselves in an ever-transforming maze of basalt corridors and granite columns engraved with eerie glyphs that resemble no known language." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Djerad Thymar", "page": 78, "id": "211", "entries": [ "The fortress-city called Djerad Thymar was the capital of Tymanchebar, an empire of dragonborn that was transported from its home world of Abeir to Toril during the Spellplague and fused with Unther to form the new realm of Tymanther. With Unther's return in the Second Sundering, the armies of Unther have shattered the power of Tymanther, but Djerad Thymar still stands. With its awe-inspiring stone architecture (the city is carved into the face of a mountain) and its vast arts districts, Djerad Thymar is a bastion for draconic culture and a mark of great pride for dragonborn." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Messemprar", "page": 78, "id": "212", "entries": [ "The large city of Messemprar is by far the finest and most hospitable settlement in Unther. Not coincidentally, it is also the only city not presently under the thumb of Gilgeam. Instead, a coalition of anti-Gilgeam mages called the North Wizards controls the settlement. The North Wizards foster a brand of democracy otherwise unknown in the Old Empires. A prime port, Messemprar is beset on all sides by would-be conquerors: war ships from {@area Chessenta|206|x}, the armies of {@area Mulhorand|20b|x}, and freebooting Inner Sea pirates from lands abroad. Sturdy adventurers are in constant demand to protect the city's independence." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Unthalass", "page": 78, "id": "213", "entries": [ "Supposedly, Unthalass was once the greatest city in the Realms: a paradise of flowering gardens, alabaster statues, and palatial limestone manors. Anyone who visits the city as it is now would scarcely believe such legends. Everything here has been sacrificed in the name of the god-king Gilgeam's hunger for conquest. The mud-brick streets overflow with filth and even blood, for Gilgeam brooks no dissent within his capital. The tyrant himself rules all of {@area Unther|20f|x} from an imposing granite fortress in Unthalass called the Citadel of Black Ash.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/066-02-010.messemprars-terraced-gardens.webp" }, "title": "Ningal, Chosen of Selûne, takes her ease in Messemprar's terraced gardens.", "credit": "Miro Petrov", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the Old Empires", "page": 79, "id": "214", "entries": [ "Those visiting the Old Empires are often surprised by the realms' different cultural values, their unique architecture and customs, and the unforgiving southern climate. For natives of the Old Empires, these are simply facts of life.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ancient History", "page": 79, "id": "215", "entries": [ "{@area Mulhorand|20b|x}, {@area Chessenta|206|x}, and {@area Unther|20f|x} are unfathomably old\u2014and they are built atop the ruins of realms even older still. Most notably, Mulhorand and Unther are inheritors of the Imaskar Empire. To this day, countless ruins of Imaskar are strewn across the region, awaiting discovery by brave adventurers." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Insular Realms", "page": 79, "id": "216", "entries": [ "The people of the Old Empires care little for the concerns of greater Faerûn. Rulers and commoners alike consider themselves and their kingdoms far above the juvenile concerns of younger realms. The denizens of {@area Mulhorand|20b|x} and {@area Unther|20f|x} justify this point of view by citing the gods and godly descendants that have shaped their empires to an extent virtually unknown in other parts of the Realms. (Chessentans, for their part, simply view other cultures as weak and cowardly.) Further, rulers in the Old Empires are too concerned with their own internal power struggles to consider much beyond the horizon." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Living Gods", "page": 79, "id": "217", "entries": [ "Unlike most Faerûnian deities, the deities of the Old Empires regularly assume tangible, readily perceivable forms. This allows the god-kings of these realms to take an active role in their followers' affairs. These deities deliver divine mandates personally and issue decrees that offer little room for doubt about the gods' motives or intentions. Because of this, priests in the Old Empires tend to function more like bureaucrats or law enforcers than spiritual guides." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Technology and Magic", "page": 79, "id": "218", "entries": [ "The people of the Old Empires are masters of unusual technology and forms of magic seen nowhere else in Faerûn. Some of these secrets they inherited from Imaskari mages called artificers. Others are simply a result of unique Mulhorandi or Untherite genius. Examples include bronze water pumps and mass water purification spells that enable the transfer and filtration of precious water, and sail-powered sand sleds and easy-to-learn flotation spells allowing travelers to glide on desert winds over vast distances." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sword Coast", "page": 80, "id": "219", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "21a", "name": "Overview", "page": 80, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "This cosmopolitan region is famous for its large cities and the Realms-shattering menaces that threaten them." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Elturgard|21f|x}, the Lords' Alliance, {@area Najara|222|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Chondathan" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Baldur's Gate, Candlekeep, Elturel, the High Moor, Ss'thar'tiss'ssun, Undermountain, {@area Waterdeep|224|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Urban crime syndicates, the Dead Three, Halaster Blackcloak" } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/067-map-02.010-sword-coast.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Sword Coast", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 3264, "id": "03e", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 181, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/068-map-02.010-sword-coast-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 3264, "mapParent": { "id": "03e" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 181, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "The lands around and between the two coastal cities of {@area Waterdeep|224|x} and {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x} have been tested relentlessly over the past century, enduring the rise and fall of draconic and elemental cults, the scheming of illithids and dead gods, and even being dragged into the Nine Hells.", "Unlike most of Faerûn's territorial governments, the Sword Coast's city-states have no interest whatsoever in quarreling over land disputes. The Lords' Alliance ensures that both the Sword Coast's and the North's major settlements keep their attention squarely directed at mutual threats.", "The Sword Coast boasts some of the most cosmopolitan cities in Faerûn. In a city like {@area Waterdeep|224|x} or Baldur's Gate, a visitor might pass a dragonborn ombudsman, an aasimar merchant, and a goliath lutist all in the span of a city block. Even in smaller villages, people hold few prejudices and tend to be more receptive to new ideas than in places like the stubborn {@area Heartlands|1a4|x} or the more isolationist isles of the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x}.", "This is a region of adventure, where daring souls delve into the wreckage of ancient strongholds and explore long-lost ruins. The Sword Coast's enormous cities also serve as useful sites for urban-based adventures, where characters unearth the machinations of scheming nobles or shady factions.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lords' Alliance", "page": 81, "id": "21b", "entries": [ "The Lords' Alliance isn't a true realm, but rather a loose coalition of cities, including {@area Waterdeep|224|x}, Baldur's Gate, Daggerford, and Amphail in the {@area Sword Coast|219|x}. It also includes several cities in Faerûn's North, such as Neverwinter (see \"{@area The North|1e6|x}\" in this chapter). Each member of the Lords' Alliance keeps its own interests in mind first and foremost. But these cities also agree to maintain trade ties with each other, uphold a mutual peace, and band together against common threats. Without the Lords' Alliance, many of western Faerûn's great cities would have long ago fallen to outside threats." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Baldur's Gate", "page": 81, "id": "21c", "entries": [ "The grim, crowded city of Baldur's Gate sits alongside the River Chionthar. Its nobles, called patriars, reside in the Upper City while most of the rest of the populace lives in the Lower City. Refugees and the destitute make what homes they can in the Outer City. A short way to the east sits the walled district of Little {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}, a thriving neighborhood of immigrants from that southern realm. The Council of Four governs Baldur's Gate, led by Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard. See chapter 6 of {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|6} for more on Baldur's Gate.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Criminal Underworld", "page": 81, "id": "21d", "entries": [ "Baldur's Gate has a shady underworld organization known as the Guild. It operates throughout the city under the discreet leadership of a crime boss named Nine-Fingers Keene. She has agents throughout Baldur's Gate, including in the city's banking network." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Dead Three", "page": 81, "id": "21e", "entries": [ "The gods Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul share a common history linked to the city of Baldur's Gate, where they are known as the Dead Three. All three gods began as mortals, claimed a share of the power of the death god Jergal, and died during the Time of Troubles. All three have returned, and their worshipers have made a resurgence in Baldur's Gate and the surrounding area, hiding away in the shadows of society. Cultists of the Dead Three plot endlessly to secure the ascendancy of their deities at the expense of innocent folk. (The three gods are described in more detail in chapter 5.)" ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Elturgard", "page": 81, "id": "21f", "entries": [ "The realm of Elturgard encompasses Elturel, Triel, Scornubel, Soubar, and Berdusk. It also includes much of the surrounding land, including the Fields of the Dead. Once a shining kingdom, Elturgard fell into disarray when its capital Elturel was dragged into the Nine Hells and back again. Even after the capital's return, Elturgard struggles to pick up the pieces. Some of Elturgard's outer cities have attempted to secede from the increasingly theocratic realm. Elturel keeps them close by threatening to withdraw the protection of the Hellriders, a cavalry force that keeps Elturgard's loyal cities safe from danger.", { "type": "entries", "name": "The Fall of Elturel and Its Aftermath", "page": 81, "id": "220", "entries": [ "A radiant sphere called the Companion appeared over Elturel in 1444 DR, blazing like a second sun. Elturel's people praised the god Torm for this fortuitous blessing, and Elturel expanded to become the holy nation of Elturgard. In truth, the Companion was summoned up by the archdevil Zariel to enact a decades-long grudge against the city. In 1492, it became a crackling orb of darkness, dragging Elturel and its inhabitants into Avernus, first layer of the Nine Hells.", "While all reasonable folk know and fear the Nine Hells, this fear is largely abstract. Very few have ever had to see such a place with their own eyes or feel its heat on their skin. But that's precisely what the citizens of Elturel had to do, as their friends and family were slain by marauding devils. After brave heroes eliminated the Companion and returned Elturel to the Material Plane, Elturgard's theocratic government doubled down on the mandatory worship of Torm, Tyr, and Ilmater\u2014three benevolent gods collectively called the Triad." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Elturel", "page": 81, "id": "221", "entries": [ "Elturel's people have become more pious after returning from the Nine Hells, desperate to ensure their afterlives send them to the Upper Planes. But this has created new problems, as the paranoid populace now distrusts and harasses tieflings, blaming them for the city's fall. Fearing for their safety, Elturel's tieflings have fled in droves for {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x}." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Najara", "page": 81, "id": "222", "entries": [ "The ancient realm of Najara stretches across the Serpent Hills, the Marsh of Chelimber, and the Forest of Wyrms. It is a land of yuan-ti, nagas, and lizardfolk. Najaran society is unfeeling and ever-calculating. The {@area Sword Coast|219|x} remained oblivious to Najara for over a millennia until Najara's current ruler, the spirit naga Jarant, decided to make the realm's presence known to its neighbors. For now, Najara's nefarious motives remain unexplored. The Lords' Alliance and {@area Elturgard|21f|x} alike have been too busy with other threats to investigate the serpent realm. Najara grows in power right under their noses, like a coiled snake waiting for the perfect moment to strike.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ss'thar'tiss'ssun", "page": 82, "id": "223", "entries": [ "Ancient and evil, the spirit naga Jarant rules the realm of Najara from its capital city Ss'thar'tiss'ssun with the aid of a silver circlet called the Marlspire of Najara. This artifact grants Jarant powerful abjuration magic and control over reptilian creatures\u2014including the first ruler of the kingdom, Terpenzi, now a powerful bone naga called the Guardian of Najara." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Waterdeep", "page": 82, "id": "224", "entries": [ "Also known as the City of Splendors, the bustling city of Waterdeep is ruled by a lordly council. The current Open Lord, Laeral Silverhand, keeps her identity known to the public. The Masked Lords rule alongside her anonymously, thus preventing any of them from being bribed or threatened. Waterdeep boasts a prodigious magical academy at Blackstaff Tower, which is run by a wizard holding the office of the Blackstaff\u2014currently Vajra Safahr.", { "type": "entries", "name": "City Wards", "page": 82, "id": "225", "entries": [ "Waterdeep is divided into several wards. Wards aren't separated by walls or gates, and crossing between wards is easy. City wards include the Sea Ward, marked by the palatial fortress-estates of the city's rich and powerful; the peacefully elegant North Ward; and the busy marketplaces of the Trade Ward. The Southern Ward is home to many immigrants, while the city's poorest live and work in the Dock Ward. Waterdeep's dead are entombed in the City of the Dead, a massive park and open air mausoleum within the city. Outside Waterdeep, a large collection of shelters that were once temporary housing for refugees has become a neighborhood of its own: the Field Ward. The Field Ward isn't patrolled by the city guards and has no sanitation or other city services; it is home to Waterdeep's most desperate citizens." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Defenses", "page": 82, "id": "226", "entries": [ "While Waterdeep has a militia and city guard, its most famous defenders are magical walking statues and the griffon cavalry. The walking statues are eight enormous statues that sit dormant among the city's buildings. The Blackstaff can activate them to defend the city in times of dire need, animating each statue into an unstoppable stone colossus. The griffon cavalry is made up of well-trained riders and their griffon mounts. Each rider wears a {@item Ring of Feather Falling|XDMG}, allowing them to safely leap from their mounts in daring assaults on any enemy." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Undermountain", "page": 82, "id": "227", "entries": [ "The twenty-three-floor megadungeon of Undermountain stretches deep beneath the city of Waterdeep. Adventurers descend into it from a well in the Yawning Portal tavern to search for treasure. At the dungeon's bottommost level lairs Halaster Blackcloak. Halaster's motives are unknown and perhaps unknowable. He built this behemoth of a dungeon complex long before Waterdeep was founded, and he's been stocking it with perils ever since. Many creatures have also found their way into Undermountain of their own accord, creating civilizations in its halls, including the bustling, crime-ridden city of Skullport." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Xanathar Guild", "page": 82, "id": "228", "entries": [ "The Xanathar Guild is a criminal organization operating out of Skullport, a subterranean city beneath Waterdeep. Its gang activity frequently spills up into Waterdeep proper. Very few people know who or what Xanathar actually is: a paranoid, megalomaniacal beholder who fawns over his pet goldfish, Sylgar. Xanathar has eyes all over the bustling city of Waterdeep and despises his rival, the {@area Zhentarim|3c0|x}. For more on the Xanathar Guild, see chapter 6." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Other Sites", "page": 82, "id": "229", "entries": [ "Though {@area Waterdeep|224|x} and {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x} have great influence in this region, their official territories don't extend far beyond their city walls. Most of the land in this region doesn't fall under any realm's jurisdiction.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ardeep Forest", "page": 82, "id": "22a", "entries": [ "Once the heart of an elf kingdom, Ardeep Forest has shrunk over the years, its trees cut and sent to {@area Waterdeep|224|x} to build ships and homes. About a decade ago, elves from {@area Evermeet|27c|x} returned to the forest to defend it against further intrusion and exploitation. They aggressively drive out all who enter the forest. But Ardeep Forest remains a draw for adventurers of all stripes, as it houses many interesting ruins and magical sites." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Candlekeep", "page": 82, "id": "22b", "entries": [ "Candlekeep holds the largest repository of written lore in Faerûn. It is a towering, walled library standing proudly atop a seaside cliff. In order to enter Candlekeep, an individual must submit a work of writing not yet found within its halls. Its librarian-priests, the Avowed, retrieve tomes from the library for visitors. Candlekeep's defenses include a mythal and a ghostly dragon called Miirym, the Sentinel Wyrm." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dragonspear Castle", "page": 82, "id": "22c", "entries": [ "An infernal portal hides in the catacombs beneath the dwarven ruins known as Dragonspear Castle, on the edge of High Moor. It connects to Avernus, first layer of the Nine Hells, but is currently sealed shut. These days, a thick cloud of mist shrouds Dragonspear Castle from harsh sunlight. A mysterious group of vampires known as the Szarlnaxi coven lurks within." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Evereska", "page": 82, "id": "22d", "entries": [ "The elven city of Evereska is often called \"a pocket of {@area Evermeet|27c|x},\" and it shares that fabled land's elusive mystique. Evereska is rumored to exist in a great valley in the mountains near {@area Anauroch|150|x}, protected by a mythal and defended by elf warriors who ride giant eagles.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/069-02-011.trolls-in-the-trollclaws.webp" }, "title": "Adventurers face too many trolls in the Trollclaws.", "credit": "Gavin O'Donnell", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Fields of the Dead", "page": 83, "id": "22e", "entries": [ "Myriad wars and skirmishes have taken place on the Fields of the Dead over the centuries. It is a vast, rolling plain of windswept grasses. On rare occasions, it belches forth hostile undead, the buried remnants of wars long forgotten." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Graypeak Mountains", "page": 83, "id": "22f", "entries": [ "Stone giants and stone goliaths call the Graypeak Mountains home. The range is riddled with abandoned mines of both dwarven and Netherese origin." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "High Moor", "page": 83, "id": "230", "entries": [ "Trolls and cruel goblinoids prowl the rocky wilderness of the High Moor, as do nomadic orcs and human berserkers. An evil dracolich called the Old One lairs in Orogoth, a ruined villa on the moor, still guarding the ancient wealth of a long-lost Netherese noble family." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Orlumbor", "page": 83, "id": "231", "entries": [ "There's no better place to purchase or repair a ship in the {@area Sword Coast|219|x} than Orlumbor. This rocky, cavernous island hides a great harbor full of skilled shipwrights and dockworkers who make some of sturdiest vessels around at a record pace. At the moment, Orlumbor has an exclusive business relationship with {@area Waterdeep|224|x}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trielta Hills", "page": 83, "id": "232", "entries": [ "Halflings live out idyllic, pastoral lives in the quaint Trielta Hills. Its humble people have little in the way of valuables to covet, which has allowed Trieltans to exist undisturbed by Najara to the north. Short-lived gold rushes bring outsiders to Trielta every now and then." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Trollclaws", "page": 83, "id": "233", "entries": [ "The rough Trollclaw Hills teem with ravenous trolls. Caravans journeying south to Baldur's Gate or north out of the Fields of Dead cross the river at the Trollclaw Ford and hire adventurers to battle off the regenerating monsters." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Warlock's Crypt", "page": 83, "id": "234", "entries": [ "A Netherese enclave crashed to the ground in the Troll Hills over a thousand years ago, becoming a set of ruins now called Warlock's Crypt. Hundreds of undead dwell among the site's shattered rubble and twisted towers. Liches, including the great lich Larloch, perform bizarre experiments on the creatures of the surrounding region and release them back into the wild as terrifying horrors." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wood of Sharp Teeth", "page": 83, "id": "235", "entries": [ "Hundreds of years ago, these woods were the site of a werewolf city called Vehlarr. Rumor has it that wicked lycanthropes are congregating in these woods once again to recreate that society." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trackless Sea", "page": 84, "id": "236", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "237", "name": "Overview", "page": 84, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "Each island realm is its own small, self-contained pocket of culture, from the ancient traditions of the Moonshaes to innovative {@area Lantan|238|x}." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Lantan|238|x}, {@area Mintarn|23d|x}, the {@area Moonshae Isles|23f|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Lantanese, Illuskan, Chondathan" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Gundarlun, Mother-of-Mists, the Nelanther, Northlander Isles, Purple Rocks, Tuern, Whalebones" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Pirates and sea monsters plague the tides, the Rusting spreads through the Moonshaes, and the dragon Hoondarrh hungers for power." } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, "There's a reason most sea routes in Faerûn stick close to the coast: navigating the cold, choppy waters of the Trackless Sea is no easy feat. If the waves themselves weren't threats enough, the creatures that prowl them certainly are. Vicious pirates from the Nelanther isles delight in pillaging ships and slaughtering their crews. Devotees of Umberlee summon tsunamis and whirlpools to drag folk to the ocean floor as offerings to their god. Bloodthirsty sahuagin and merrow surface from the depths to rip and tear at prey, and the enigmatic kingdoms of the storm giants lie deeper still.", "Low-level adventures in the Trackless Sea might focus on the happenings of a single isle. Once characters begin to outgrow that island, their adventures might require sailing to neighboring locales and discovering the distinct cultures therein. Seasoned heroes might explore what lurks on the seafloor or voyage west to discover what lies beyond the map.", "Several thriving and unique island realms call the Trackless Sea home, but cultural exchange among these realms is inhibited by the ocean's dangers. The folk dwelling under the shadow of the cruel dragon Hoondarrh in {@area Mintarn|23d|x} lead very different lives than their neighbors in the magical Moonshaes. {@area Lantan|238|x}'s denizens enjoy the conveniences conferred by their many inventions but are cautious and slow to share their discoveries with the outside world.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lantan", "page": 84, "id": "238", "entries": [ { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/070-map-02.011-lantan.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Lantan", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 3176, "height": 4096, "id": "03f", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 400, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/071-map-02.011-lantan-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 3176, "height": 4096, "mapParent": { "id": "03f" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 400, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Folk on the mainland know little of the reclusive realm of Lantan apart from its people's devotion to Gond, the god of invention. Complex locks, oil lamps, tripwires, and light-beam intruder alarms have origins on the island. If a trap in a Faerûnian dungeon has a complex mechanism involved, odds are the technology originated in Lantan. The archipelago is governed by a theocratic twelve-person council called the Ayrorch, high-ranking members of the Church of Gond. Gnomes make up much of the island's population and most of the council.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lantanese Inventions", "page": 84, "id": "239", "entries": [ "The last hundred years have seen the secluded island realm of Lantan grow even more secretive. Its recent innovations include packets of explosive smokepowder, parachutes, firearms, and even submarines. Lantan's people worry that the rest of Faerûn might learn how to replicate these inventions, potentially diminishing the island realm's trading power. Lantan exports inventions in small shipments to mainland port cities like {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x} and {@area Waterdeep|224|x} in exchange for precious metals and critical resources that are hard to find on Lantan's islands." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Northern Lantan", "page": 84, "id": "23a", "entries": [ "The large northern island of Lantan is home to the capital city of Sambar, which houses the realm's ruling council. The city of Illul lies not far away, housing the High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration. Led by a high artificer, this wondrous temple is the center of Gond worship in Faerûn." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Orlil", "page": 84, "id": "23b", "entries": [ "The seemingly barren isle of Orlil boasts a self-contained network of Underdark tunnels that house thriving communes of Lantanese deep gnomes, or svirfneblin. Unlike the svirfneblin of Faerûn's mainland, Orlil's deep gnomes have never known drow subjugation." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Southern Lantan", "page": 84, "id": "23c", "entries": [ "Outsiders who wish to trade and parley with Lantan must do so on Lantan's southern island, at a port city called Anchoril. Southern Lantan's people are just as industrious and inventive as those to the north, but the citizens of Anchoril feign a lesser degree of technological advancement to keep Lantan's secrets safe." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mintarn", "page": 85, "id": "23d", "entries": [ "The island of Mintarn, between the {@area Moonsea|1b5|x} Isles and {@area Waterdeep|224|x}, is best known for its mercenaries. Mintarn is known as neutral ground, where enemies meet to negotiate and bargain with each other. Fledgling heroes often travel to Mintarn to make names for themselves. The island's taverns bustle with quest-givers and quest-seekers from across the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x} and the mainland alike. Mintarn has always been governed by a single ruler self-styled as a tyrant\u2014though these tyrants generally rule with a light hand. But even the current tyrant trembles before the ancient red dragon Hoondarrh, who lairs on a small volcanic island northwest of Mintarn and demands annual tribute from Mintarn's people.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Hoondarrh", "page": 85, "id": "23e", "entries": [ "Up until recently, Mintarn enjoyed unprecedented prosperity by offering its mercenary services to the wealthy cities of Neverwinter and {@area Waterdeep|224|x}. As Mintarn's wealth grew, the ancient red dragon Hoondarrh demanded increasingly exorbitant tributes from the island's inhabitants. Today, Hoondarrh's influence keeps Neverwinter and Waterdeep from doing any business with Mintarn. This has left the island's ruler\u2014Her Tyrancy Bloeth Embuirhan\u2014with few ways to pay an increasingly greedy red dragon. Mintarn is poised to undergo a violent change of rulership as its people clamor for a new approach in dealing with Hoondarrh." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Moonshae Isles", "page": 85, "id": "23f", "entries": [ { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/072-map-02.012-moonshae-isles.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Moonshae Isles", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 3190, "height": 4096, "id": "040", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 237, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/073-map-02.012-moonshae-isles-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 3190, "height": 4096, "mapParent": { "id": "040" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 237, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Fey abound and giants lurk in the misty Moonshae Isles, an archipelago steeped in fey magic. These wondrous isles are home to two cultures: the rugged, seafaring Norlanders and the practical, hard-working Ffolk. These cultures once warred with each other but have come together under the ruling Kendrick dynasty. Ffolk worship the Earthmother, a divine embodiment of the Moonshae Isles. Springs of natural magic called moonwells are her windows into the world. Druids and rangers tend the moonwells and protect them from a new, insidious curse called the Rusting. This curse threatens to transform moonwells into pools of stinking oil and living things into rusted iron. See chapter 5 of {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|5} for more on the Moonshae Isles.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Rusting and the Rusted", "page": 85, "id": "240", "entries": [ "A century ago, {@area Amn|1c6|x} invaded the Moonshae isle of Snowdown. Led by the vampire Erliza Darissa, Amn's soldiers stripped the island's mines bare, chopped down its forests, and polluted its ponds. Moonshavians banded together to slay Erliza and drive out the Amnians, but the vampire laid a curse on the Moonshaes with her dying words. This curse became the Rusting. Animals and plants affected by the Rusting warp into twisted iron before eventually crumbling to dust. Moonwells become pits of slick, black oil. People who dwell in an area gripped by the Rusting for too long become Rusted constructs who abhor the living. Some Rusted Norlanders even terrorize the Moonshae's coasts in giant warships plated with rusted iron." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Alaron", "page": 85, "id": "241", "entries": [ "The Moonshavian island of Alaron is home to a large Ffolk population. Caer Calidyrr\u2014a fortress that overlooks the city of Calidyrr\u2014houses Derid Kendrick, high king of the Moonshaes. Norlanders live in the northern half of the island, herding sheep and working mines in the Farheight range." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Gwynneth", "page": 85, "id": "242", "entries": [ "Gwynneth is the most magical of the Moonshae Isles and the center of the Earthmother's power. As of yet, it is the only Moonshae Isle totally untouched by the Rusting. Its landmarks include the rebuilt castle of Caer Corwell and Myrloch Vale, a forested valley teeming with fey. In the north of the island, the fey kingdom of Sarifal endures, ruled by High Lady Ordalf." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Moray", "page": 85, "id": "243", "entries": [ "The Moonshavian isle of Moray is home to monsters and the Red Shadow: packs of werewolves who worship a violent beast-god called Kazgaroth. The Red Shadow regularly abducts innocents for sacrifice in violent rituals." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Norland", "page": 86, "id": "244", "entries": [ "When Norlanders first sailed to the Moonshaes, they landed on the cold island now known as Norland. It remains the seat of Norlander culture in the Moonshaes. Jarl Olfsvenn is loyal to High King Kendrick, but he's torn by the fact his sister has fallen victim to the Rusting curse and taken on a new identity as Queen Forfallen. Overfishing in the Sea of Moonshae has brought the Rusting to Rogarsheim, and dockworkers show the signs of exposure to the curse: rust-colored marks around the eyes and a hacking cough." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Oman's Isle", "page": 86, "id": "245", "entries": [ "Giants and their goliath kin live in well-established steadings and ancient Ostorian ruins all over Oman's Isle. Visitors can safely land at Trondheim, which is overseen by goliaths working for the giants." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Snowdown", "page": 86, "id": "246", "entries": [ "The island of Snowdown is a blight on the Moonshaes. The Rusting first manifested at its only moonwell, located near the center of the island. Attempts to rein in environmental destruction caused by Amn have proved futile, and the island's population shrinks each year." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Other Islands and Ocean Sites", "page": 86, "id": "247", "entries": [ { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/074-map-02.013-nelanther.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Nelanther", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 3826, "height": 4096, "id": "041", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 377, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/075-map-02.013-nelanther-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 3826, "height": 4096, "mapParent": { "id": "041" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 377, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "Beyond the major islands and archipelagos, unaffiliated islands dot the sea\u2014and some mysterious sites lie hidden under the waves.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Gundarlun", "page": 86, "id": "248", "entries": [ "Gundarlun, west of Neverwinter, experiences wintry weather most of the year, and its Northlander population is regularly terrorized by Arveiaturace, a white dragon from the North. Off the island's southwest coast lies the wreck of the Golden Crown , a Calishite merchant vessel that was carrying a vast cargo of gold, silver, electrum, and gemstones when it sank in a storm. A wizard named Hoch Miraz also went down with the ship. Its treasure has never been recovered." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Maelstrom", "page": 86, "id": "249", "entries": [ "The storm giant stronghold of Maelstrom sits on the seafloor somewhere between Ruathym, the Whalebones, and the Moonshaes. Serissa, the titular queen of all giantkind, resides here. A natural whirlpool occasionally manifests far above the palace, wrecking ships and dragging them down to the seafloor." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mother-of-Mists", "page": 86, "id": "24a", "entries": [ "Adventurers from {@area Chult|279|x} and {@area Lantan|238|x} alike have journeyed to Mother-of-Mists in search of treasure, finding nothing but danger. Poisonous vapors and smoke mix with cold sea winds to create the ever-present mists for which this volcanic island is known." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Nelanther", "page": 86, "id": "24b", "entries": [ "Riddled with communities of monstrous pirates, the Nelanther islands have few resources and are plagued with infighting. Ancient towers guarded by monsters and magic wards jut from several of the isles and even from the sea itself. The Nelanther's pirates avoid these towers out of a mix of fear and superstition." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Northlander Isles", "page": 86, "id": "24c", "entries": [ "Norlander culture originated long ago on the bleak, mountainous island of Ruathym in the Northlander Isles, north of the {@area Moonsea|1b5|x} Isles. Most Norlanders left these isles long ago in favor of more hospitable climates, but a few scattered steadings remain. Queen Forfallen, a Rusted pirate queen and Norlander, uses Ruathym as a safe port." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Purple Rocks", "page": 86, "id": "24d", "entries": [ "Few have visited the distant Purple Rocks archipelago, far to the west of Neverwinter and so named because it appears dark purple under stormy skies. Those who return report its friendly inhabitants sport odd piscine features and also note an odd lack of children and elders." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sea of Swords", "page": 86, "id": "24e", "entries": [ "The Sea of Swords is a cold and storm-wracked gulf. Most of the {@area Sword Coast|219|x}'s trade routes hug close to the shore." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tuern", "page": 86, "id": "24f", "entries": [ "Red dragons and fire giants war constantly on the volcanic island of Tuern, far to the north and west. For decades, they demanded tribute from Tuern's Humanoid population. When the people finally refused, the dragons and giants began conscripting them as disposable infantry in their brutal wars. People in {@area Mintarn|23d|x} who have heard of Tuern see it as a cautionary tale." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Whalebones", "page": 86, "id": "250", "entries": [ "Whales come to die for reasons unknown at a set of islands called the Whalebones. The shores are littered with their bleached-white bones. Rocs perch on the mountaintops while petty self-proclaimed \"kings\" of the tiny islets squabble among each other for power.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/076-02-012.whalers-in-the-trackless-sea.webp" }, "title": "Whalers in the Trackless Sea sometimes find more than they bargained for.", "credit": "Helge C. Balzer", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the Trackless Sea", "page": 87, "id": "251", "entries": [ "No matter what island they dock on, outsiders quickly discover that life in the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x} can be quite different than life on the mainland.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Denizens of the Deep", "page": 87, "id": "252", "entries": [ "Entire realms lie hidden beneath Faerûn's waves. Storm giants live in great palaces on the seafloor. Merfolk live in sunlit shallows, while monstrous merrow and sahuagin lair in dark grottoes but surface to feast on innocents. Sea elves are much rarer in the Trackless Sea than they are in the inland Sea of Fallen Stars, as they're hunted relentlessly in these waters by sahuagin and their malenti spies\u2014a breed of sahuagin with the appearance of sea elves." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Piracy", "page": 87, "id": "253", "entries": [ "Pirates abound in the Trackless Sea. Norlander culture has a long history of piracy and raiding, sometimes harrying the mainland's merchant vessels along the Sea of Swords. Mercenaries from {@area Mintarn|23d|x} sell their services to privateering crews. But the most fearsome pirates hail from the monstrous Nelanther Isles. These ogre, lizardfolk, and minotaur buccaneers aren't bound by codes of honor; they torture their victims and leave them to hideous deaths. They prey on the shipping routes of {@area Amn|1c6|x}, {@area Calimshan|1cf|x}, the {@area Sword Coast|219|x}, and the Moonshaes, and they war on each other as often as they war on outsiders." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Ships", "page": 87, "id": "254", "entries": [ "The lightly built galleys favored in more sheltered waters don't fare well in the winds and storms of the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x}. Savvy seafarers opt for bigger, more durable sailing ships instead. The Norlanders of Ruathym and the Moonshaes build swift yet sturdy longships, equipped with smaller, specialized boats called whaleboats for whaling. They are among the most recognizable ships on the seas, but a trained eye can recognize any vessel's land of origin by its size, shape, and build, even if the ship isn't flying any flags." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Umberlee Worship", "page": 87, "id": "255", "entries": [ "Inhabitants of the {@area Trackless Sea|236|x} are ever-wary of Umberlee, the Wavemother. Cultists strike fear into the hearts of sailors, warning of Umberlee's ire and demanding passage on ships. Each coastal city maintains shrines to the cruel sea god, and sailors leave flowers or small candies in hopes Umberlee will show mercy on a ship's next voyage. Savvy pirate crews have been known to recruit priests of Umberlee to trap unsuspecting merchant ships in whirlpools or devastate towns with tsunamis before a pillage." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Vilhon Reach", "page": 88, "id": "256", "entries": [ { "type": "inset", "id": "257", "name": "Overview", "page": 88, "entries": [ { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "At a Glance:", "entry": "The {@area Emerald Enclave|34d|x} helps to maintain balance between people and nature in this region." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Realms:", "entry": "{@area Chondath|258|x}, {@area Sespech|25b|x}, {@area Shining Plains|26a|x}, {@area Turmish|260|x}, independent city-states" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Languages:", "entry": "Chondathan, Shaaran, Turmic" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Landmarks:", "entry": "Alaghôn, Arrabar, Chondalwood, Gulthmere, Ilighôn, Ormpetarr, Orsraun Mountains, {@area Shining Plains|26a|x}" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Threats:", "entry": "Plagues, volcanic activity" } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/077-map-02.014-vilhon-reach.webp" }, "imageType": "map", "title": "Map: Vilhon Reach", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 3239, "id": "042", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 169, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/078-map-02.014-vilhon-reach-player.webp" }, "imageType": "mapPlayer", "title": "Player Version", "width": 4096, "height": 3239, "mapParent": { "id": "042" }, "credit": "Mike Schley", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 169, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, "The subtropical Vilhon Reach lies southwest of the Sea of Fallen Stars, situated along its eponymous gulf. {@skill Nature|XPHB} is more respected here than in other areas of Faerûn, a result of both the Emerald Enclave's enormous influence on the region and the region's history of natural disasters.", "People wary of magic often settle in the Vilhon, since some of its cities have laws that curtail or even ban spellcasting. Some Thayan commoners desperate to escape the rule of {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x} speak in whispers of Ilighôn, an island in the Vilhon Reach where no divination magic can find them.", "Adventures in this region might explore philosophical themes about the role of magic in society or people's struggle to coexist with nature. They might be wizards on the run, druids and rangers in search of training, or mercenaries hired to capture fugitive spellcasters. The realm of {@area Chondath|258|x} also provides the opportunity for heroes to help small towns and villages extricate themselves from the grasp of a greedy nation, whether by diplomacy or force.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Chondath", "page": 88, "id": "258", "entries": [ "Chondath was once a large and powerful realm comprising all of the southern {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x}, with distant colonies in the land now known as {@area Sembia|1be|x}. Military defeats and numerous plagues led Chondath to shrink in on itself over a millennium. Then the Spellplague decimated nearly all of Chondath's coastal settlements, sealing the dying realm's fate.", "Today, Chondath is but a shell of its former glory. Its capital city Arrabar still stands, desperately demanding increasingly exorbitant taxes from the tiny towns of Samra, Timindar, and Orbech\u2014all three of which are considering secession. Adventurers flock to Chondath to see what abandoned treasures lie amid the ruined cities of Mussum, Iljak, Shamph, and Hlath.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Arrabar", "page": 89, "id": "259", "entries": [ "Arrabar, capital of Chondath, is a city determined to hold on to the last vestiges of its realm's old splendor. Lady Udriana Wianar rules Arrabar and the realm from a grand palace called the Generon. Her family, along with Arrabar's many nobles, lead decadent lifestyles funded by the rest of Chondath." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Chondalwood", "page": 89, "id": "25a", "entries": [ "Rumor has it that a city-state of reclusive wood elves called Rucien-Xan lies hidden somewhere in the Chondalwood forest. Those who've searched the woods have found only monsters, raucous satyrs, territorial druids, and Ghostwise halflings\u2014a distrustful and uncharacteristically ferocious clan of halflings with telepathic gifts." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sespech", "page": 89, "id": "25b", "entries": [ "Once a barony of {@area Chondath|258|x}, Sespech gained its independence centuries ago after a civil war called the Rotting War. It has defended itself fiercely ever since. With its neighbor Chondath in decline, Sespech now has little use for its military. Many of Sespech's former soldiers have turned to lives of adventure, roaming the {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x} and beyond. They're often surprised and disturbed by the magic they find, for magic is more deeply suspect in Sespech than anywhere else in the Vilhon. In Sespech, the use of magic to charm or injure another person is a crime punishable by death.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Mimph", "page": 89, "id": "25c", "entries": [ "A prosperous Sespech trade city, Mimph relies almost entirely on its port\u2014famously, no roads lead to Mimph. A strong navy is based here. Rivalry with nearby Arrabar is so intense that merchants prefer to do business with only one city or the other, so as to avoid inciting violence. Helm is Mimph's patron deity; Helm's large temple is protected by a chapter of the Order of the Gauntlet (described in chapter 6)." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Nagawater", "page": 89, "id": "25d", "entries": [ "A bobbing line of buoys lit by {@spell Continual Flame|XPHB} spells divides the freshwater lake of Nagawater. The northern half belongs to the realm of Sespech, and fishers from Ormpetarr fish there often. The southern half is inhabited by a peaceful guardian naga. Those who assume the naga is guarding some treasure and attempt to retrieve it generally end up drowned in the lake's still waters." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Ormpetarr", "page": 89, "id": "25e", "entries": [ "Ormpetarr, capital city of Sespech, rests along the Nagawater. Baron Yoric Maplefoot rules Sespech from a modest manor here. He is a curt halfling man of few words, well-respected by his people for his daily public court sessions in which he rules on issues brought to him by citizens." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Winterwood", "page": 89, "id": "25f", "entries": [ "Dim light filters through the dense canopy of the Winterwood's tall oaks and pines. A cool mist coats the ground like snow, giving the forest its name. Several orc communities call the Winterwood home; they defend their villages against hordes of berserk plant monsters." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Turmish", "page": 89, "id": "260", "entries": [ "The mercantile realm of Turmish, often called the heartland of the {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x}, is expertly managed and mostly peaceful. Most Turmishan folk are humans, but the realm is also home to many dwarves whose families emigrated from the nearby mountains, as well as other more recent immigrants. Turmishan merchants have a reputation as honest and fair traders.", "This democratic republic's tall mountain ranges shield it from outside aggression. Turmish also intentionally stays out of its neighbors' conflicts, refusing to provide aid of any kind. It's a stance that has often drawn the temporary ire of nearby realms, but it's served Turmish well in the long term.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Alaghôn", "page": 89, "id": "261", "entries": [ "A great fire blazed through Turmish's capital city Alaghôn a millennium ago, and Alaghôn's buildings have been constructed of stone ever since. Turmish children play hide-and-seek in this stone city's hundreds of cubbyholes and hiding places, sometimes discovering secret passages to long-forgotten dungeon complexes.", "The citizens of Alaghôn hold free elections to appoint the Assembly of Stars, Turmish's ruling council. These elected officials then select one of their rank to be Lord of Turmish." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Aphrun Mountains", "page": 89, "id": "262", "entries": [ "A handful of cloistered stone and fire goliath families live in the otherwise unsettled Aphrun Mountains, retreating to hidden caverns whenever Mount Kolimnis spouts ash or red dragons circle overhead." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Five Lions", "page": 89, "id": "263", "entries": [ "An infamous and remote inn, the Five Lions was the site of a massacre\u2014nobles fleeing revolution in far-off {@area Tethyr|1d8|x} took refuge here, but rebels caught up with them and all were killed. Now the inn is a haven for mages hiding from legal persecution. They have perpetuated a rumor that the inn is haunted by the restless spirits of Tethyrian dead, and this provides cover for their activities, including magical instruction and experimentation." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Gildenglade", "page": 89, "id": "264", "entries": [ "Gildenglade was once a thriving Turmish city populated by elves and dwarves. Then Mount Kolimnis erupted in 1423 DR, burying Gildenglade in volcanic mud and ash. Years later, after the lava had cooled, caves opened into the buried city. Dungeon delvers who explore these ruins find them eerily preserved\u2014and teeming with monsters from the Underdark." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Gulthmere", "page": 90, "id": "265", "entries": [ "Nobanion, a benevolent god worshiped as a divine protector of the region, is said to live in the Gulthmere forest. Folk say they've seen the regal lion-god prowl through the foliage or even leap to their defense. Some faithful worshipers of Nobanion pilgrimage from the {@area Shining Plains|26a|x} to Gulthmere in hope of catching a glimpse of Nobanion." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mount Andrus", "page": 90, "id": "266", "entries": [ "A semi-active volcano, Mount Andrus famously destroyed the home of the Candlekairn orc clan a thousand years ago. The volcano is sacred to Talos, whose worshipers maintain a temple and shrines in the mountain's heart, where they ally with evil elementals and other monsters capable of surviving the blistering heat. But Mount Andrus also hides a Time Gate , a portal that sends all who use it backward in time. The gate is protected by Mystra, who forbids anyone except her handpicked champions from using it." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Orsraun Mountains", "page": 90, "id": "267", "entries": [ "Kobolds and red dragons lurk in the uncharted Orsraun Mountains, and the dwarven city-kingdom of Ironfang Deep lies beneath the ranges' northwest mountains. Some dwarves have migrated from Ironfang to Turmish, but many Ironfang dwarves loathe that upper realm. Centuries ago, a warlord led Turmish into battle against Ironfang, and Ironfang's dwarves are slow to forget the lives lost." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Starfall Stream Pool", "page": 90, "id": "268", "entries": [ "A popular vacation destination, this picturesque town in the foothills of the Orsraun Mountains is particularly famous as a place to celebrate the Festival of the Moon. But the cult of Malar preys on tourists during this time, and the town desperately hires mercenaries and adventurers to keep visitors safe." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Xorhun", "page": 90, "id": "269", "entries": [ "Xorhun's population consists mostly of elves and gnomes. This Turmish city is built in the fashion of the great elven cities of old, with elegant towers and abundant trees. Twin and triplet births are unusually common here; the elves and gnomes consider this a blessing from their gods." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shining Plains", "page": 90, "id": "26a", "entries": [ "Shimmering heat waves rise from the vast, dry grassland of the Shining Plains most of the year, giving rise to its name. Centaurs and thri-kreen call these plains home. They maintain civil, if distant, relationships with the handful of towns within the plains. No unifying force controls the Shining Plains and the nearby hills, mountains, and swampy forest, but influences from across the {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x} extend here.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Deepwing Mountains", "page": 90, "id": "26b", "entries": [ "The Deepwing Mountains are named for the many winged monsters that call its heights home: manticores, griffons, hippogriffs, dragons, wyverns, and more." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Nathlekh", "page": 90, "id": "26c", "entries": [ "Cats abound in the independent city-state of Nathlekh, resting on rooftops and sipping milk from public troughs. Nearly everyone in this so-called City of Cats worships Nobanion, the lion-god rumored to roam in the nearby Gulthmere forest." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wetwoods", "page": 90, "id": "26d", "entries": [ "Lizardfolk, bullywugs, and other bog-dwelling creatures call the misty Wetwoods home. Apart from some tiny halfling hamlets, the most notable settlement here is Urml, a village of reclusive bullywugs." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Independent City-States", "page": 90, "id": "26e", "entries": [ "The {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x} is dotted with independent city-states. There was once a time when these city-states feared reannexation into the Chondathan empire, but that time has long since passed.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Hlondeth", "page": 90, "id": "26f", "entries": [ "{@area Turmish|260|x} carefully maintains a friendly relationship with this City of Serpents, which controls the only trade road out of Turmish. House Extaminos, a line of guileful yuan-ti, has ruled Hlondeth for centuries. Snakelike architecture and green marble buildings decorate its streets." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Ilighôn", "page": 90, "id": "270", "entries": [ "The {@area Emerald Enclave|34d|x}'s leaders, an Elder Circle of druids, reside in the faction's headquarters on the verdant island of Ilighôn. Arcane magic doesn't function on the island; magic from primal or divine sources is unaffected. As such, Ilighôn's port city Sapra has become a haven for those seeking refuge from mages. The island is protected by the Seven Sentinels of Silvanus, colossal elementals that deter visitors and answer to the Emerald Enclave.", "Locals of the {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x} call the islands of Wavecrest and Ilighôn the Eyes of Silvanus. Unlike its peaceful sister island, Wavecrest is an uninhabited and dangerous jungle teeming with ferocious beasts and monsters." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Ixinos", "page": 90, "id": "271", "entries": [ "Very little is known about Ixinos, a small forested island at the entrance to the Vilhon Reach, as the people there repel all visitors and refuse to engage in diplomacy even with their neighbors on the Emerald Enclave isle of Ilighôn. The only known settlement is the port town Tazixor, where the mysterious queen of Ixinos keeps court. The isle is defended by a mercenary company called the She-Wolves, and most of what is known about Ixinos comes from these mercenaries, who travel the Reach in small groups selling their services." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Reth the Half-Ruin", "page": 90, "id": "272", "entries": [ "Half of the independent city of Reth crumbled into the sea during the catastrophic events of the Spellplague. Some adventurers take the plunge, battling kuo-toa in those underwater ruins to find the lost treasures therein.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/079-02-013.seven-sentinels-of-silvanus.webp" }, "title": "The Seven Sentinels of Silvanus protect Ilighôn, home of the Emerald Enclave.", "credit": "Chris Rallis", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Life in the Vilhon Reach", "page": 91, "id": "273", "entries": [ "In the wake of the Second Sundering, the {@area Vilhon Reach|256|x} has enjoyed a period of relative calm.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Emerald Enclave's Influence", "page": 91, "id": "274", "entries": [ "The {@area Emerald Enclave|34d|x} (described in chapter 6) was founded on the island of Ilighôn in the 4th century DR by a coalition of priests from Turmish and Chondath who were devoted to nature deities. Its influence remains greater in the Vilhon Reach than anywhere else in Faerûn. Thanks to this faction, folk across the Reach share an immense respect for nature. The few callous folk throughout history who have polluted the waters of the Reach or tried logging in protected forests have been met with the Emerald Enclave's unbridled wrath." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Rotting War and Distrust of Magic", "page": 91, "id": "275", "entries": [ "The Vilhon Reach's subtropical climate has, unfortunately, made it a perfect incubator for plagues throughout the region's history. None haunt its people's collective consciousness more than the magical contagion that ended the Rotting War. This Chondathan civil war began in 900 DR and gained its name when archmages from Arrabar and Hlath unleashed a necromantic plague. The rotting contagion decimated all sides of the conflict and spread beyond anyone's expectations. This plague has long since subsided, but {@area Chondath|258|x}, {@area Sespech|25b|x}, and the independent city-states near them remain distrustful of magic as a result." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Spellmarks", "page": 91, "id": "276", "entries": [ "A few villages and hamlets in the southern Vilhon Reach ask spellcasters to identify themselves by drawing a distinctive rune on their forehead with ink or chalk. This \"spellmark\" tradition derives from an old practice in the Vilhon wherein people would paint several circles on their forehead to indicate they could read or write\u2014a tradition that became defunct as literacy rates rose." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Volcanic Activity", "page": 91, "id": "277", "entries": [ "The volcanoes around Turmish are both a blessing and a curse: their ash creates the fertile soil for which Turmish is well known, but it has also laid waste to more than one Turmishan settlement. Mount Ugruth is long dormant, while Mount Kolimnis and Mount Andrus are still active. Turmishan spellcasters do their best to predict eruptions and keep their cities safe. Troublesome red dragons flock to the volcanoes' smoky heights to make their lairs." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Beyond", "page": 92, "id": "278", "entries": [ "Toril is a vast world with continents so far unexplored. And beyond Toril lie the worlds of Realmspace, visited by spelljammers and other travelers of the Astral Sea. Some locations that lie beyond the map are detailed below, but you can create additional realms as you like, making the Forgotten Realms even more your own.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Chult", "page": 92, "id": "279", "entries": [ "Chult is a land of tropical wilderness: dense jungles and snaky rivers ringed by mountains, volcanoes, and sheer escarpments. Walls of mountains to the west, south, and east shield the interior from the sea and from the view of sailors. The rivers are so sluggish that it can be difficult determining which direction is upstream and which is down. The rivers pick up speed only where they thunder down through steep-sided gorges.", "Chult has long been inhabited by bullywugs, dwarves, humans, goblins, and lizardfolk, as well as dinosaurs, hydras, wyverns, and other monsters. The people of Chult revere a deity named Ubtao, whose divine rival, Dendar the Night Serpent, is said to be imprisoned beneath volcanoes called the Peaks of Flame.", "Chult's coast from the Bay of Chult to Refuge Bay offers beaches from which explorers embark into the jungle, but the Bay of Chult is the only spot that welcome travelers from afar. The rest of the peninsula is a breeding ground for bloodsucking, disease-bearing insects; monstrous reptiles; carnivorous birds and beasts of every variety; and murderous undead.", "Two locations in Chult are described below; see {@adventure Tomb of Annihilation|ToA} for much more detail.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Mezro", "page": 92, "id": "27a", "entries": [ "The city of Mezro is widely thought to have been destroyed in the Spellplague. In fact, its inhabitants saved it through powerful magic, whisking it away into a demiplane and leaving only ruins behind. Some hints suggest the city will return when it is no longer in danger. The Flaming Fist, a mercenary company out of {@area Baldur's Gate|21c|x}, has searched the ruins of Mezro extensively and still sends patrols there." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Port Nyanzaru", "page": 92, "id": "27b", "entries": [ "Port Nyanzaru hugs the coastline at the south end of the Bay of Chult. It's a colorful, musical, aroma-filled, vibrant city\u2014the only city in Chult that isn't in ruins or overrun by monstrous creatures. The city is run by seven influential merchant princes. Other than trade, the biggest attractions are the weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Locals and visitors alike wager princely sums on the races' outcomes. The city also boasts grand bazaars, glorious mansions and temples, circuses, and gladiatorial contests.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/080-02-014.island-of-evermeet.webp" }, "title": "The island of Evermeet was created in the Sundering.", "credit": "Pedro Cardoso", "width": 1700, "height": 1171 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Evermeet", "page": 92, "id": "27c", "entries": [ "Almost twenty thousand years ago, elves used high magic to create a homeland for themselves. In the process, they devastated Toril in a cataclysmic disaster eventually known as the Sundering. But the island they created, Evermeet, remains. Elves from across Faerûn eventually travel to the island.", "Evermeet is protected by many layers of defenses. First, it is magically warded to prevent navigators from finding the island. Winds and subtle currents turn ships aside, stars move in the sky, and powerful illusions hide the island itself. Only navigators entrusted with secret knowledge can find the way.", "Second, a great navy shields Evermeet from enemies and allows the island nation to project its power into Faerûn when necessary. Elf merchants bring goods from Evermeet to markets in Faerûn and import anything the elves can't make themselves.", "Finally, the capital city of Leuthilspar is protected by magically constructed walls of glass. Evermeet's Royal Council meets here.", "Evermeet lies at a conjunction of three planes of existence: the Material Plane, the Feywild, and Arvandor. Non-elves aren't permitted to visit, but on very rare occasions, exceptions have been made, and at least one gnome has managed to reach the island by stowing away with an elf traveler." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Lake of Steam", "page": 92, "id": "27d", "entries": [ "With independent city-states on the north shore and a succession of small countries founded or conquered by people of many different agendas to the south, the Lake of Steam is a hodgepodge of varying interests, bustling trade, and frequently changing boundaries. Most of the cities on the north shore were part of {@area Calimshan|1cf|x} in the past and retain Calimshan's desire for wealth, comfort, and influence, as well as a strong desire to remain independent. The intrigues brewing around these cities led observers to dub the northern shore the Moonsea of the South.", "The Border Kingdoms on the southern shore are the homes of powerful adventurers of many types, each seeking to carve out a piece of land and rule it in the manner they prefer... at least until the next would-be ruler decides to take over. Wizard towers, monasteries, fortresses, and temples dot the Border Kingdoms, only to have their owners replaced time and again.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ankhapur", "page": 92, "id": "27e", "entries": [ "The city of Ankhapur boasts a thriving industry centered on pearls retrieved from the stinking yellow water of the Lake of Steam. The magnificent pearls prized from oysters that grow to enormous size fetch high prices in the markets of {@area Calimshan|1cf|x} and {@area Amn|1c6|x}." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Shaar", "page": 93, "id": "27f", "entries": [ "The Shaar is a vast, rolling grassland running from the Shining Sea to the distant lands of the east. Nomadic humans (the dozen or so tribes of the Shaaryan), centaurs, and gnolls populate the Shaar, hunting and herding various animals, and occasionally raiding each other. The land supports its native grasses splendidly but is ill suited for agriculture\u2014it's not a desert, but the land bakes by day and freezes by night.", "The dozen or so nomad tribes known collectively as the Shaaryan have never been unified, though they share a common culture and way of life. Shaaryan humans seldom stray in large numbers from their ancestral plains, largely because their horses don't do well outside the Shaar.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lhesper", "page": 93, "id": "280", "entries": [ "This ruined city is home to a powerful clan of yuan-ti. Human travelers along the shores of Lake Lhespen often fall prey to bandits under yuan-ti domination and are carried back to a terrible fate in Lhesper\u2014usually sacrifice to the yuan-ti's evil god, but sometimes transformation into monstrous servitors to the serpent race. The Shaaryan give it a wide berth." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shaarmid", "page": 93, "id": "281", "entries": [ "A free trading city populated mostly by human folk who claim no kinship with the Shaaryan nomads, Shaarmid is accepted by the tribes as a longtime ally because the city's people have a history of brokering excellent deals for the nomads with the traders from the rest of Faerûn. Merchants flock to Shaarmid for safety from Shaaryan bandits and other raiders." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sossal", "page": 93, "id": "282", "entries": [ "The remote realm of Sossal, far to the north of {@area Narfell|197|x}, has little contact with the rest of Faerûn. Once or twice a year (generally in the summer), visitors from Sossal arrive in {@area Damara|18d|x}, bringing furs, seal meat from the {@area Great Glacier|194|x}, beautiful items of shaped wood, and gold. They leave with dwarven weapons, silver, and various kinds of meat to trade with the people of the glacier. Some Sossrim wield druidic magic to bend plants to their will, pass through undergrowth impenetrable to others, or even transport themselves from one tree to another. In fact, the ornate and smoothly shaped Sossar furniture sold so steeply in {@area Sembia|1be|x} isn't carved at all, but sculpted by the minds of Sossrim \"carvers.\"" ] } ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 3: Gods of Faerûn", "page": 95, "id": "283", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/081-03-001.selune-and-shar.webp" }, "title": "Selûne the Moonmaiden, and Shar, Mistress of the Night, are sisters and divine rivals.", "credit": "Chris Rahn", "width": 1700, "height": 2301 }, "When the people of Faerûn find themselves in need, they turn to their gods. The gods play a role in the lives of nearly everyone, from the mightiest lord to the most unfortunate urchin.", { "type": "section", "name": "Forms of Worship", "page": 95, "id": "284", "entries": [ "The average person worships different gods in different contexts. Most vocations have a patron deity: farmers make offerings to Chauntea for the prosperity of their crops, clerks sharpen their quills with a prayer to Deneir, and pious merchants set coins aside for Waukeen at the end of the day. Most people worship a deity associated with their livelihood, family, or home, while others feel called to a particular god for other reasons. Individuals might carry or wear a small token of their favored deity: a pendant or a pin in the image of the god's holy symbol or another personal keepsake.", "In addition, people venerate gods based on their needs and circumstances. A farmer who favors Chauntea might pray to Amaunator for a few clear, sunny days, and a {@area Waterdeep|224|x} noble who worships Deneir might give thanks to Sune after a wedding celebration for her son. Even zealous priests of specific gods acknowledge the roles that other deities play in the world and in their lives.", "Worshipers view their relationships with the gods as practical and reciprocal. They pray and make offerings because those rituals invite the blessings of the gods and turn away divine wrath. They quietly perform acts of devotion at shrines in their households or neighborhoods, or they visit temples dedicated to a god when they feel the need to demand the god's attention.", "Forms of worship include verbal prayer\u2014giving thanks for favor shown, acknowledging the god's dominion and influence, and offering praise for the deity's interventions, large and small. These prayers are typically accompanied by postures of supplication or praise, and sometimes by offerings of incense, burning herbs, small animals, or monetary gifts. Because most people don't want to attract the ire of cruel or wicked gods, beseeching those gods to keep the peace is also an act of worship. A student, farmer, or gambler might pray to", "Beshaba to avert bad luck, and a sailor might make sacrifices to Umberlee to avert her wrath for the length of a voyage.", { "type": "entries", "name": "New and Foreign Gods", "page": 95, "id": "285", "entries": [ "The Faerûnian pantheon isn't the only one on Toril. Elves, dwarves, and other Humanoid species honor their own gods, for example, and people in faraway lands might worship different gods entirely. Occasionally, foreigners bring the worship of these gods to Faerûn. On rare occasions, a new god comes into being, perhaps a mortal elevated to godhood or a deity whose arrival was foretold by prophets and leaders of new religions. In cosmopolitan places such as {@area Waterdeep|224|x} and Calimport, small shrines and temples to strange gods spring up from time to time.", "Over generations, a new god might join the pantheon. Scholars posit that Faerûn has many such gods who joined the pantheon's ranks so long ago that their origins are lost to antiquity." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dead and Resurrected Gods", "page": 95, "id": "286", "entries": [ "Over and over, mourning bells have tolled for deities of the Realms. Gods were struck down when ancient Netheril fell during the Time of Troubles and more recently when the Spellplague wrought its destruction. Some deities have even been slain by mortals wielding impossibly powerful magic.", "When a god withdraws from a pantheon, miracles and omens associated with that god cease, the deity's priesthood loses faith, and holy sites are abandoned or taken over by other faiths. Clerics devoted to a dead deity don't lose their ability to access divine power and cast spells; once that power has been unlocked, it can't be taken away by the mere death of a deity.", "To a deity's worshipers, it is immaterial whether the god is truly dead or merely dormant\u2014the consequences for them are the same either way. Yet, as recent events have borne out, a god who has vanished might not remain absent forever. Supposedly dead gods have returned and amassed a new body of worshipers, most notably in the Second Sundering, when several gods long presumed dead reappeared or returned to life." ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "The Afterlife", "page": 96, "id": "287", "entries": [ "The souls of the recently deceased travel to the Fugue Plane, a demiplane within the Astral Sea. There, they wander the great City of Judgment, often unaware they are dead. Servants of the gods come to collect such souls and, if the souls are worthy, take them to their awaited afterlife in the deity's domain. Occasionally, the faithful are sent back to be reborn into the world to finish work they'd left undone.", "Souls unclaimed by the servants of the gods are judged by Kelemvor, who decides the fate of each one. Some become guides for lost souls, while others are transformed into squirming larvae and cast into the dust." ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Religious Institutions", "page": 96, "id": "288", "entries": [ "The priests of the gods serve their deities and their deity's faithful through commonplace tasks that don't necessarily require magic. The majority of priests aren't Clerics. Indeed, the gods invest power in Clerics and other divine spellcasters (see \"{@area Divine Magic|28e|x}\" below) in accordance with their own whims and needs.", "The kind of person attracted to a deity's priesthood depends on the tenets of that god: the cunning scoundrels who venerate Mask have little in common with the upright law keepers of Tyr, and neither understand the delightful revelers who revere Lliira.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Temples and Shrines", "page": 96, "id": "289", "entries": [ "The core religious institutions of Faerûn are temples and shrines. Whether a small, out-of-the-way building or a complex of multiple structures built on many acres of land, each temple operates according to the traditions of its faith. Occasionally, powerful or charismatic figures who rise to prominence within the temple hierarchy motivate or inspire changes to those traditions.", "Temples in Faerûn don't usually conduct regular public services. Group observances in a temple occur only at specific festival times, and priests go out into the community to perform rites such as marriages and funerals. Worshipers visit temples to spend personal or family time in a space consecrated to a deity or to seek the aid of the priests for personal reasons.", "Small shrines and private chapels are common throughout Faerûn, particularly in areas that lack an official temple. Shrines tend to be unstaffed, kept up by the locals and visitors who use the place for prayer. A shrine might be as modest as a roadside well where traveling merchants can drop a coin to request good fortune from Waukeen, or as grand as a statue of Amaunator surrounded by braziers in a pavilion in the middle of a village.", "Traveling priests visit these sites, which serve as meeting places for the faithful. For example, when word gets around that a traveling priest of Eldath has come into town, the faithful seek them out at the holy spring at the edge of town dedicated to the god.", "Personal shrines abound: A family or business maintains a shrine or a chapel to its favored deity. A fighting school sets a room aside for a lanceboard set dedicated to the Red Knight, or a local mage displays a wooden symbol shaped like the hand of Azuth on a prominent wall, with a space nearby to burn a candle or incense." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Communing with the Gods", "page": 96, "id": "28a", "entries": [ "Though tales speak of times past when the gods appeared in physical form and walked the land, deities rarely appear in Faerûn. Instead, the gods communicate with their faithful through signs and omens. Of course, some signs are subtler\u2014and thus more open to interpretation\u2014than others.", "Priests and worshipers commune with their deities through prayer, song, and meditation. Such experiences are intensely personal, and few worshipers care to relate details of such profound vulnerability. Each worshiper communes with their deity in their own way.", "Divine magic provides a direct means of communing with the gods and calling on their guidance. Divine pronouncements of this sort are often brief and personal, and edicts that concern broader matters tend to be open to interpretation or debate.", { "type": "inset", "name": "Gods and Gender", "page": 96, "id": "28b", "entries": [ "Like all gods (as described in {@book chapter 3|XDMG|2} of the {@book Dungeon Master's Guide|XDMG}), the gods of the Faerûnian pantheon are beyond mortal understanding and have no fixed appearance or gender. However, during the Time of Troubles, all the gods of Faerûn manifested in mortal form on the world, making them extremely concrete in their worshipers' eyes. For that reason, many people in Faerûn think of their gods as having a fixed gender and even a certain physical appearance, remembered from that cosmic event. But in truth, the gods of Faerûn\u2014even the ones that were mortal and ascended to godhood\u2014are no more bound to those limited conceptions of bodily form than any other deities." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Priesthood", "page": 97, "id": "28c", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/082-03-002.priest-of-lathander.webp" }, "title": "A priest of Lathander leads followers in a religious ceremony.", "credit": "Swatches Studio", "width": 1700, "height": 1093 }, "Priesthood is a vocation, where those who undertake the profession hone their abilities through a system of apprenticeship. At a small temple, a novice or an acolyte studies under the single priest available. Larger temples accommodate groups of acolytes, each learning under the direction of one or more mentors responsible for training them in performing the gods' rites and tending their followers.", "Once an acolyte completes their education, they are ordained in a ritual that invests a successful candidate with the responsibilities of the priesthood." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Religion and the Law", "page": 97, "id": "28d", "entries": [ "The moral and ethical values of the deities in Faerûn express a range of predilections and are embraced by mortals who share those ideals, from principled agents of good to vicious proponents of evil. As a result, worship of certain deities might be frowned on in some places.", "It's impossible to prevent individuals from innocuously or secretly worshiping whichever deities they choose, so restrictions on the worship of specific deities focus on formal temples, priesthoods, and organized festivals. For instance, worship of Talona is forbidden in {@area Waterdeep|224|x}, like that of many evil gods. This prohibition extends only to the creation of a temple and the presence of her priesthood within the city. Individual citizens or families who revere Talona might be viewed as misguided, but they aren't taken into custody or punished as long as they obey the laws of the city.", "Some places take these restrictions a step further. A tyrant might outlaw worship of Torm lest it inspire rebellion, and an otherwise fair-minded mayor of a river-mill community could demand that worshipers of Silvanus find elsewhere to live because the timber cutters have had run-ins with the local druids." ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Divine Magic", "page": 98, "id": "28e", "entries": [ "The gods show their favor toward mortals in myriad ways. A fortunate few have their minds and souls opened to the power of magic. There is no formula for who receives this divine insight, as the gods keep their own counsel concerning their selections. Some of the favored ignore or deny their gift, while others embrace it wholeheartedly.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/083-03-003.enver-gortash.webp" }, "title": "Enver Gortash, Chosen of Bane, plans his takeover of the city of Baldur's Gate.", "credit": "Patrik Hell", "width": 850, "height": 2127 }, "Some who display the potential for divine magic develop and practice their abilities in a temple, a sacred grove, or another spiritual place, perhaps in the company of fellow students. Other practitioners of divine magic discover and nurture their gods-given power on their own.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Chosen", "page": 98, "id": "28f", "entries": [ "When a deity wants to take direct action, they turn to their Chosen, powerful mortal agents of a deity. Some deities rely more heavily on Chosen than others, but it's unusual for a deity to go without a Chosen, and most deities imbue several Chosen at the same time.", "How a deity selects their Chosen, and the unique magic they grant to those Chosen, varies by deity. In rare cases, an individual might not realize they're Chosen." ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Deities of Faerûn", "page": 98, "id": "290", "entries": [ "The gods that make up the pantheon of Faerûn are an eclectic blend of deities. The makeup of the pantheon has shifted over the ages as a result of changes in the Realms and its people.", "The following pages describe the most prominent members of the pantheon and their followers, priests, and holy sites; these deities are summarized in the Faerûnian Pantheon table. Each entry details how followers of the deity are expected to act and what they're expected to do, and includes suggestions on how the deity might communicate with their followers. Finally, each entry notes how the deity selects their Chosen and what, if any, special powers and responsibilities those Chosen might have.", "The deities of the Faerûnian pantheon are by no means the only powers worshiped in the Realms. Scattered cults and local divinities thrive across Faerûn.", "Throughout this section, if a creature's name appears in {@b bold} type, you'll find that creature's stat block in the {@book Monster Manual|XMM}.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Faerûnian Pantheon", "page": 99, "colLabels": [ "Deity", "Home Plane", "Typical Worshipers" ], "colStyles": [ "col-4", "col-4", "col-4" ], "rows": [ [ "{@deity Amaunator|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of the sun", "Mechanus", "Farmers, lawmakers, travelers" ], [ "{@deity Asmodeus|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of indulgence", "The Nine Hells (Nessus)", "Corrupt politicians, desperate folk" ], [ "{@deity Auril|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of winter", "Pandemonium (Pandesmos)", "Druids, inhabitants of cold climates" ], [ "{@deity Azuth|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of wizardry", "Arcadia (Buxenus)", "Arcane spellcasters" ], [ "{@deity Bane|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of tyranny", "Acheron (Avalas)", "Conquerors, Fighters, Monks, tyrants" ], [ "{@deity Beshaba|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of misfortune", "The Abyss", "Gamblers, {@area Red Wizards|3ae|x}, Rogues" ], [ "{@deity Bhaal|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of murder", "Gehenna (Khalas)", "Assassins, murderers" ], [ "{@deity Chauntea|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of agriculture", "Elysium (Eronia)", "Farmers, gardeners, homesteaders" ], [ "{@deity Cyric|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of lies", "Pandemonium (Cocytus)", "Liars, manipulators, power-hungry folk" ], [ "{@deity Deneir|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of writing", "Elysium (Amoria)", "Sages, scribes, students, teachers" ], [ "{@deity Eilistraee|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of song and moonlight", "Arborea (Arvandor)", "Bladesingers, elves, performing artists" ], [ "{@deity Eldath|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of peace", "Elysium (Eronia)", "Druids, pacifists, the dying" ], [ "{@deity Gond|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of craft", "The Outlands", "Artificers, crafters, engineers, inventors" ], [ "{@deity Helm|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of watchfulness", "Mechanus", "Explorers, Fighters, guards, Paladins" ], [ "{@deity Ilmater|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of endurance", "Bytopia (Shurrock)", "Monks, the oppressed, the poor" ], [ "{@deity Kelemvor|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of the dead", "Astral Plane (Fugue Plane)", "Funeral workers, the dying" ], [ "{@deity Lathander|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of dawn and renewal", "Elysium (Eronia)", "Aristocrats, athletes, merchants, youths" ], [ "{@deity Leira|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of illusion", "Limbo", "Actors, con artists, Illusionists, Rogues" ], [ "{@deity Lliira|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of joy", "Arborea (Arvandor)", "Bards, dancers, poets, revelers, singers" ], [ "{@deity Lolth|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of spiders", "The Abyss (Demonweb Pits)", "Evil drow, folk who travel the Underdark" ], [ "{@deity Loviatar|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of pain", "Gehenna (Mungoth)", "Those suffering from pain or betrayal" ], [ "{@deity Malar|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of the hunt", "Carceri (Colothys)", "Barbarians, hunters, lycanthropes" ], [ "{@deity Mask|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of thieves", "Hades (Niflheim)", "Assassins, Rogues, thieves, tricksters" ], [ "{@deity Mielikki|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of forests", "The Beastlands (Krigala)", "Fey, foresters, Rangers" ], [ "{@deity Milil|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of poetry and song", "Elysium (Amoria)", "Bards, orators, poets, singers" ], [ "{@deity Myrkul|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of death", "Hades (Oinos)", "Necromancers, undead" ], [ "{@deity Mystra|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of magic", "Elysium (Eronia)", "Anyone who uses magic" ], [ "{@deity Oghma|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of knowledge", "The Outlands", "Archivists, cartographers, sages" ], [ "{@deity The Red Knight|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of strategy", "Arcadia (Buxenus)", "Fighters, game players, strategists" ], [ "{@deity Selûne|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of the moon", "Ysgard (Ysgard)", "Lycanthropes, sailors, spellcasters" ], [ "{@deity Shar|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of darkness and loss", "Hades (Niflheim)", "Anyone suffering pain or loss" ], [ "{@deity Shaundakul|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of travel", "Ysgard (Ysgard)", "Guides, explorers, Rangers, travelers" ], [ "{@deity Silvanus|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of wild nature", "The Outlands", "Barbarians, Druids, Rangers, wood elves" ], [ "{@deity Sune|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of love and beauty", "Arborea (Arvandor)", "Artists, hedonists, lovers" ], [ "{@deity Talona|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of poison and disease", "Carceri (Cathrys)", "Those suffering from plague" ], [ "{@deity Talos|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of storms", "Pandemonium (Pandesmos)", "Barbarians, Druids, raiders" ], [ "{@deity Tempus|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of war", "Limbo", "Fighters, mercenaries, warriors" ], [ "{@deity Torm|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of courage and self-sacrifice", "Mount Celestia (Mercuria)", "Guardians, knights, Paladins" ], [ "{@deity Tymora|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of good fortune", "Arborea (Arvandor)", "Gamblers, {@area Harpers|35f|x}, merchants, Rogues" ], [ "{@deity Tyr|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of justice", "Mount Celestia (Lunia)", "Judges, law enforcers, lawyers, Paladins" ], [ "{@deity Umberlee|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of the sea", "The Abyss", "Coastal dwellers, sailors" ], [ "{@deity Waukeen|Faerûnian|FRHoF}, god of trade", "The Outlands", "Merchants, the rich, traders" ] ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 4: Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog", "page": 128, "id": "2c9", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/126-frhof-ac-aurora.webp" }, "width": 2267, "height": 1384 }, { "type": "insetReadaloud", "page": 128, "id": "2ca", "entries": [ "Welcome to Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog!", "My great-grandmother founded this business over a century ago, providing adventuring gear and tools of the trade to discerning clients across Faerûn. It is my privilege to carry on in her famous footsteps.", "What you see here is just a sample of the hundreds of items on sale at any of our emporium shops, located in towns and cities in every realm. If you don't see what you want at one of our shops, our special orders are swift and reliable and come with a satisfaction guarantee. We even deliver!" ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Equipment", "page": 132, "id": "2cb", "entries": [ "The following equipment can be purchased through {@i Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog}.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Adventuring Gear", "page": 132, "id": "2cc", "entries": [ "This section describes adventuring gear used throughout the Realms.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Adventuring Gear", "colLabels": [ "Item", "Catalog", "Weight", "Cost" ], "colStyles": [ "col-4", "col-4", "col-2 text-center", "col-2 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "{@item Adventurer's Ring|FRHoF}", "Dalelands Wares", "\u2014", "250 GP" ], [ "{@item Bright Fungal Cloak|FRHoF}", "Icewind Dale Wares", "4 lb.", "25 GP" ], [ "{@item Desert Clothing|FRHoF}", "Calimshan Wares", "4 lb.", "10 GP" ], [ "{@item Devil Mask|FRHoF}", "Baldur's Gate Wares", "\u2014", "25 GP" ], [ "{@item Garb of Light and Shadow|FRHoF}", "Moonshae Isles Wares", "6 lb.", "50 GP" ], [ "{@item Genie Robe|FRHoF}", "Calimshan Wares", "6 lb.", "50 GP" ], [ "{@item Locking Spellbook|FRHoF}", "Dalelands Wares", "3 lb.", "35 GP" ], [ "{@item Monster Camouflage|FRHoF}", "Icewind Dale Wares", "6 lb.", "50 GP" ], [ "{@item Prosthetic Limb|FRHoF}", "Calimshan Wares", "\u2014", "\u2014" ], [ "{@item Warm Fungal Clothing|FRHoF}", "Icewind Dale Wares", "4 lb.", "15 GP" ], [ "{@item Windskiff|FRAiF}", "Moonshae Isles Wares", "\u2014", "4,000 GP" ], [ "{@item Winter Camouflage|FRHoF}", "Icewind Dale Wares", "4 lb.", "50 GP" ] ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Mechanical Wonders", "page": 134, "id": "2d9", "entries": [ "Calishites rely on the technological marvels known as {@item Mechanical Wonder|FRAiF|Mechanical Wonders}.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Mechanical Wonders", "page": 134, "colLabels": [ "Item", "Catalog", "Cost" ], "colStyles": [ "col-6", "col-4", "col-2 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "{@item Mechanical Wonder (domestic)|FRAiF}", "Calimshan Wares", "400 GP" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Mounts and Other Animals", "page": 134, "id": "2dc", "entries": [ "People in Faerûn use animals for transportation and other tasks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Mounts and Other Animals", "page": 134, "colLabels": [ "Item", "Catalog", "Carrying Capacity", "Cost" ], "colStyles": [ "col-4", "col-4", "col-2 text-center", "col-2 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "{@item Axe Beak|FRHoF}", "Icewind Dale Wares", "210 lb.", "50 GP" ], [ "{@item Flying Snake|FRHoF}", "Baldur's Gate Wares", "60 lb.", "25 GP" ], [ "{@item Sled Dog|FRHoF}", "Icewind Dale Wares", "210 lb.", "50 GP" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Tools", "page": 135, "id": "2e0", "entries": [ "The Musical Instruments described here are used by musicians across Faerûn.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Tools", "page": 135, "colLabels": [ "Item", "Catalog", "Weight", "Cost" ], "colStyles": [ "col-4", "col-4", "col-2 text-center", "col-2 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "{@item Bandore|FRHoF}", "Moonshae Isles Wares", "3 lb.", "65 GP" ], [ "{@item Cittern|FRHoF}", "Moonshae Isles Wares", "2 lb.", "65 GP" ], [ "{@item Yarting|FRHoF}", "Moonshae Isles Wares", "2 lb.", "40 GP" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Travel", "page": 135, "id": "2e2", "entries": [ "Travelers in the Realms might use interesting modes of transport.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Travel", "page": 135, "colLabels": [ "Service", "Catalog", "Cost" ], "colStyles": [ "col-6", "col-4", "col-2 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "Black coach ride in Baldur's Gate", "Baldur's Gate Wares", "1 GP/trip" ], [ "Sled services", "Icewind Dale Wares", "4 GP/day" ] ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Black Coach Service (1 GP/Trip)", "page": 135, "id": "2e3", "entries": [ "{@i Travel in the city of Baldur's Gate should be comfortable, elegant, and discreet. Narwin Cottle's magical black coaches are all three. Tell your driver Aurora sent you}.", "Each of Cottle's black coaches is a Carriage (see the {@book Player's Handbook|XPHB}) keyed to a unique sigil sequence. While inside a black coach, a creature can take a {@action Magic|XPHB} action to turn a combination dial and input a sigil sequence belonging to another black coach. All creatures inside the coach then teleport to that destination coach. If the destination coach is occupied, the teleport fails and the action is wasted.", "Alternatively, a creature inside the coach can use the combination dial to input a random sequence, teleporting all creatures inside to a random coach in Cottle's fleet.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/143-04-002.black-coach-service.webp" }, "credit": "Polar Engine", "width": 850, "height": 1180 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sled Services (4 GP/Day)", "page": 135, "id": "2e4", "entries": [ "{@i We've contracted with expert sled drivers to provide travel services around Icewind Dale, the High Ice, the Great Glacier, and other realms of the North. Each guide brings their own sled and team of six sled dogs or axe beaks. Authentic local food is provided for you and your companions. Contracts are per journey, paid half in advance and half on arrival}.", "Sled service includes a {@creature Scout|XMM} and six {@creature Axe Beak|XMM|Axe Beaks} or sled dogs ({@creature Wolf|XMM|Wolves}). See the {@book Monster Manual|XMM} for these stat blocks.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/144-04-017.sled-services-and-sled-dogs.webp" }, "credit": "Polar Engine", "width": 1700, "height": 578 } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Vehicles", "page": 135, "id": "2e5", "entries": [ "Often found in the Dalelands, the following vehicle is used by folk looking to protect their cargo.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Vehicles", "page": 135, "colLabels": [ "Item", "Catalog", "Weight", "Cost" ], "colStyles": [ "col-4", "col-4", "col-2 text-center", "col-2 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "{@item Covered Wagon|FRHoF}", "Daleland Wares", "1,300 lb.", "250 GP" ] ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 5: Magic of Faerûn", "page": 137, "id": "2e7", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/146-05-001.vajra-safahr-commands.webp" }, "title": "Vajra Safahr commands the mighty walking statues of Waterdeep.", "credit": "Denman Rooke", "width": 1700, "height": 2273 }, "From the simplest cantrip to the mightiest workings of high magic, from a humble {@spell Cure Wounds|XPHB} spell to the raising of mighty heroes from the dead, magic permeates the Realms. And any understanding of magic in Faerûn begins with understanding the Weave.", { "type": "section", "name": "The Weave", "page": 137, "id": "2e8", "entries": [ "The Weave is the raw material from which the tapestry of magic is woven\u2014an essential element of the universe that flows through all things. Some creatures, objects, and locations have especially deep connections to the Weave. Such creatures can perform extraordinary feats that come naturally to them (a beholder's flight, a vampire's charming gaze, a dragon's breath weapon, and so forth), while individuals with the necessary talent and skill can cast spells by manipulating the Weave. The Weave isn't normally visible or detectable, except through the use of spells.", "The god Mystra is the Weave's keeper and caretaker. All three times the god of magic died or was separated from her divinity (twice as Mystra, and once as her predecessor, Mystryl), magic was twisted or failed entirely. With Mystra's most recent death and the arrival of the Spellplague, the Weave was thought to be destroyed. But in the Second Sundering, both Mystra and the Weave returned, and spells and magic items became reliable once more.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Magic Items", "page": 137, "id": "2e9", "entries": [ "While a spell is brought to life by manipulating threads of the Weave, the creation of a magic item ties those threads together. The Weave enables individuals to call forth the energy inside a magic item. When a creature attunes to a magic item, threads of the Weave from both wielder and magic item become entwined." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Spellfire", "page": 137, "id": "2ea", "entries": [ "Spellfire is the raw energy of the Weave. The ability to refine and control it is a gift bestowed on a handful of people every generation. Spellfire can manifest as a font of silver light or healing energy, it can absorb magic, or it can be a searing blue-white jet of all-consuming radiance.", "The most powerful and direct form of spellfire is spellfire sorcery. But characters of any class can display a connection to spellfire by taking the {@feat Spellfire Spark|FRHoF} and {@feat Spellfire Adept|FRHoF} feats. See {@book chapter 1|FRHoF|1} for more on these feats and the {@class Sorcerer|XPHB|Spellfire Sorcery|Spellfire|FRHoF} subclass.", { "type": "inset", "name": "Weave-Affecting Magic", "page": 137, "id": "2eb", "entries": [ "The rules for spells and spellcasting found in the {@book Player's Handbook|XPHB} are true in Faerûn, but some spells and magical effects might interact in unique ways with the Weave.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Detect Magic", "page": 137, "id": "2ec", "entries": [ "The {@spell Detect Magic|XPHB} spell reveals threads of the Weave woven together through spellcasting, and the way the threads are arranged reveals the school of magic. Similarly, active spells and areas imbued with magic are limned in a silvery network of threads, which might twist and reknit themselves depending on the magic involved. A magic item appears enmeshed in the silvery-blue threads of the Weave." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dispel Magic", "page": 137, "id": "2ed", "entries": [ "The {@spell Dispel Magic|XPHB} spell unravels woven threads of the Weave." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Antimagic", "page": 137, "id": "2ee", "entries": [ "The {@spell Antimagic Field|XPHB} spell unravels magic woven from the Weave. While an otherwise-permanent effect is within an area of antimagic, the knots of the Weave untie, but the threads retie themselves once the magic is outside the antimagic effect." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dead Magic", "page": 137, "id": "2ef", "entries": [ "In areas of dead magic, the Weave is absent. Not only do spells and magic items cease to function, but even the supernatural abilities of creatures that are innately tied to the Weave might fail as the knot of the Weave they carry with them unravels." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wild Magic", "page": 137, "id": "2f0", "entries": [ "In an area of wild magic, the Weave becomes tangled, spontaneously forming its own magic. It also twists the magical creations of the Weave, causing unexpected results." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wild Magic and Dead Magic", "page": 138, "id": "2f1", "entries": [ "In some parts of Faerûn, the Weave is so warped or frayed that magic doesn't function reliably, resulting in a wild magic zone. This damage might be due to magical disasters\u2014such as those created during the Time of Troubles, the Spellplague, and the Second Sundering\u2014or a powerful effect that distorts the Weave, such as a {@area mythal|2f3|x}. Wild magic zones usually go unnoticed until they make some spell effect go awry. Some mages establish strongholds near wild magic zones. They chart the boundaries of the wild magic zone, lure enemies into it, and then take advantage of their foes' confusion and weakness.", "In other parts of Faerûn, however, the Weave has a tear or hole, resulting in a dead magic zone. Many were created where extreme concentrations of magical power were abruptly shattered or destroyed. The ruins of Myth Drannor, for example, boast large dead magic zones. Dead magic zones also might manifest at locations where Artifacts are destroyed or gods are slain, ripping a hole into the Weave.", "The rules for {@hazard Dead Magic Zone|XDMG|dead magic} and {@hazard Wild Magic Zone|XDMG|wild magic} zones are in chapter 3 of the {@book Dungeon Master's Guide|XDMG|2|Environmental Effects}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "High Magic", "page": 138, "id": "2f2", "entries": [ "In Faerûn's early ages, the Weave hadn't yet stabilized. Elf mages at that time developed a spellcasting system called high magic. This system required many\u2014sometimes hundreds\u2014of spellcasters working in concert, and a single magical effect could take days or weeks to complete. But high magic was capable of incredible feats beyond the reach of ordinary spellcasters today. Elf high mages could heal hundreds of people at once, simultaneously create multiple magic items, restore large portions of forest, or destroy an entire city. The most famous examples of high magic are the raising of the island of Evermeet from the sea and the creation of mythals.", "For ages, high magic was thought lost, its techniques supplanted by traditional spellcasting as the Weave settled into its current form. But some secrets of high magic have been preserved, though few living spellcasters retain this knowledge.", "Examples of high magic can be found in {@book chapter 1|FRAiF|1} of {@book Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn|FRAiF|1}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mythals", "page": 138, "id": "2f3", "entries": [ "Mythals are some of the most powerful magic in Faerûn. These creations are permanent fields of overlapping magical wards that bind and shape the Weave in a particular location. Mythals are sometimes so powerful that they bend or rewrite the rules of magic or even reality.", "In its original usage, the term \"mythal\" referred to works of high magic that protected ancient elven cities, such as Myth Drannor. Its meaning has since expanded to cover all manner of similar protections, such as the magic keeping the immense floating cities of fallen Netheril afloat, the wards of Silverymoon, and the smaller workings of magic that keep safe important locations like Candlekeep. Some even consider the many-layered wards and effects of Undermountain beneath Waterdeep a mythal.", "Most mythals restrict the kinds of magic that can be employed in the area they govern; for example, a mythal might restrict teleportation magic or spells of the Conjuration school. Evereska's mythal influences the area's weather and wards its inhabitants against disease, while the mythal of undersea Myth Nantar makes its waters breathable and more comfortable for creatures not suited to underwater life.", "In many ways, a mythal is less like a spell or a magic item than a living creation of magic, capable of growing stronger or weaker, absorbing damage, or dying. Mythals can sometimes heal themselves, as did the mythal of Silverymoon, blossoming out of the Moonbridge following Mystra's most recent return.", "Each active mythal has one or more individuals especially attuned to it, and these individuals can ignore any restrictions on spellcasting, direct targetable effects of the mythal, and teach others of appropriate skill how to access its secrets.", "Adventurers are most likely to encounter damaged or failing mythals in ruined locations where magic once had great influence. Although an {@spell Identify|XPHB} spell might reveal some of a mythal's simplest effects, spellcasters can discover spellcasting restrictions only by trying (and failing) to cast a prohibited spell. A powerful spellcaster might learn how to access or repair a mythal without assistance, but such feats are rarely attempted by even the most renowned mages. Any elven city with \"Myth\" in its name (Myth Drannor, Myth Glaurach, Myth Nantar, and others) has or had a mythal. The ruins of such places often exhibit unpredictable effects related to their damaged or destroyed mythals.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/147-05-002.presto-casts.webp" }, "title": "Presto casts the Blade of Disaster spell to fight off Venger.", "credit": "Swatches Studio", "width": 1700, "height": 1197 } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Circle Magic", "page": 139, "id": "2f4", "entries": [ "Millennia ago, elf mages researching alternative magical traditions developed a technique by which many spellcasters working together could cast spells beyond the limit of any individual. This technique became known as circle magic, and although it was initially developed by elves, spellcasters in Thay and Rashemen reinvented the technique, and from there it quickly spread to other realms in Faerûn.", { "type": "entries", "name": "What Is a Circle Spell?", "page": 139, "id": "2f5", "entries": [ "When a group of spellcasters collectively channel their magic into a single spell, they can enhance and augment the spell's magic in powerful ways. A spell cast in this way is known as a Circle spell." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Eligible Spells", "page": 139, "id": "2f6", "entries": [ "Any spell that has a casting time of an action or 1 minute or longer and is cast using a spell slot can be cast as a Circle spell. To cast a Circle spell, follow the usual rules for spellcasting, as described in the {@book Player's Handbook|XPHB}, as well as the following rules for Circle spells." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Casting a Circle Spell", "page": 139, "id": "2f7", "entries": [ "A Circle spell has one primary caster (\"you\" in these rules). Unless otherwise specified, you as the primary caster decide the spell's targets, maintain Concentration if required by the spell's Duration entry, provide the spell's components, expend the slot for casting the spell, and decide any of the other options noted in the spell's description. The spell's effects originate from you.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Initiating a Circle Spell", "page": 139, "id": "2f8", "entries": [ "You take a {@action Magic|XPHB} action to initiate casting a Circle spell. When you do so, choose which Circle casting option (see {@area \"Circle Casting Options\"|2fd|x} below) you're using for this casting; you must also meet any of the other requirements described in that option's text. Until the Circle spell's casting is complete (see below), you must maintain {@status Concentration|XPHB} on the spell.", "If a Reaction would trigger when a creature casts a spell\u2014such as the Reaction taken to cast {@spell Counterspell|XPHB}\u2014it also triggers when you take this action to initiate a Circle spell." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Secondary Casters", "page": 140, "id": "2f9", "entries": [ "Casting a Circle spell requires that one or more other spellcasters, called secondary casters, lend their magic to the spell. A secondary caster must have either the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature to participate in a Circle spell.", "After you initiate the spell, each secondary caster takes the {@action Magic|XPHB} action to contribute to the spell. A secondary caster can take this action only while within 30 feet of you and before the start of your next turn." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Completing the Casting", "page": 140, "id": "2fa", "entries": [ "If the spell has a casting time of an action, the Circle spell's effects occur immediately after the final secondary caster takes the required action to contribute to the spell. You decide which secondary caster is the final one.", "If the spell has a casting time of 1 minute or more, you and each secondary caster must take the {@action Magic|XPHB} action on each of your turns for the entire casting time, and you must each maintain Concentration while you do so. In this case, if any caster's Concentration is broken, the spell fails.", { "type": "inset", "name": "NPC Secondary Casters", "page": 141, "id": "2fb", "entries": [ "Some Circle spells require secondary casters to expend one or more spell slots to participate in the spell's casting. At the DM's discretion, NPCs capable of casting spells\u2014such as spellcasters hired in settlements\u2014can meet this requirement by expending one or more limited uses of any spells of the same level or higher in place of the required spell slots." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Spell Failure", "id": "2fc", "page": 140, "entries": [ "If a Circle spell fails, nothing happens. You don't expend a spell slot, and any Material components aren't consumed. To cast the spell again, you must start over.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/148-05-003.red-wizards-circle-magic.webp" }, "title": "Red Wizards developed circle magic to cast spells beyond the power of any single mage.", "credit": "Brian Valenzuela", "width": 1700, "height": 1085 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Circle Casting Options", "page": 140, "id": "2fd", "entries": [ "The following options provide ways to enhance a spell when casting it as a Circle spell. You can use only one Circle casting option on a spell at a time.", "Some spells have a \"Casting as a Circle Spell\" section in their description. Instead of using one of the following options, you can create the effect described in that section when casting the spell as a Circle spell. Such effects are often uniquely powerful and specific to their respective spells.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Augment", "page": 140, "id": "2fe", "entries": [ "When you cast a spell with a range of at least 5 feet, you can increase the range of the spell by 1,000 feet per secondary caster contributing to the spell, up to a maximum of a 1-mile increase." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Distribute", "page": 141, "id": "2ff", "entries": [ "When you cast a spell that requires {@status Concentration|XPHB}, you can distribute the mental load of the spell among you and the secondary casters. Once the casting is complete, you and all secondary casters can maintain Concentration on this spell. As long as at least one caster who contributed to the spell maintains this Concentration, the spell's effects remain active." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Expand", "page": 141, "id": "300", "entries": [ "When you cast a spell that creates an area of effect, you can increase one dimension of the spell's area of effect for this casting by 10 feet per secondary caster contributing to the spell. For example, if a spell creates a 20-foot-radius {@variantrule Sphere [Area of Effect]|XPHB|Sphere}, casting it as a Circle spell with two secondary casters would increase the radius to 40 feet. A spell that creates a {@variantrule Line [Area of Effect]|XPHB|Line} that is 5 feet wide and 300 feet long, cast as a Circle spell with two secondary casters, could make a Line that is either 25 feet wide or 320 feet long.", "Each secondary caster contributing to the spell must expend a spell slot (no action required). If the spell fails, these spell slots aren't expended." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Prolong", "page": 141, "id": "301", "entries": [ "When you cast a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can increase the duration of the spell depending on the number of secondary casters contributing to the spell, as detailed in the table below.", "Each secondary caster contributing to the spell must expend a spell slot (no action required). If the spell fails, these spell slots aren't expended.", { "type": "table", "page": 141, "colLabels": [ "Secondary Casters", "The Spell Increases Duration By..." ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "1\u20133", "1 hour" ], [ "4\u20136", "8 hours" ], [ "7+", "24 hours" ] ], "data": { "tableIgnore": true } } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Safeguard", "page": 141, "id": "302", "entries": [ "When you cast a spell that creates an area of effect, you can carve out a safe zone within that area of effect that is unaffected by the spell for its duration. This safe zone consists of a number of 5-foot {@variantrule Cube [Area of Effect]|XPHB|Cubes} equal to your spellcasting ability modifier plus the number of secondary casters contributing to the spell (minimum of one Cube). You can arrange the Cubes as you like, but each Cube must be contiguous with at least one other Cube.", "If the spell's area of effect can be moved, the safe zone moves with it." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Supplant", "page": 141, "id": "303", "entries": [ "When you cast a spell that requires at least one Material component with a specified cost that is consumed by the spell, you can reduce the minimum cost of one such Material component by 50 GP per each secondary caster contributing to the spell. For example, casting {@spell Revivify|XPHB} as a Circle spell with two secondary casters would reduce the Material component's minimum cost to 200 GP.", "Each secondary caster contributing to the spell must expend a spell slot of a level greater than or equal to the spell's level (no action required). If the spell fails, these spell slots aren't expended.", { "type": "inset", "name": "Circle Magic in the Game", "page": 141, "id": "304", "entries": [ "Circle magic provides unique and strategic ways of altering spellcasting. Here are some general guidelines for implementing circle magic in your game.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Character Level and Experience", "page": 141, "id": "305", "entries": [ "Though characters of any level can use circle magic, characters with access to higher-level spells have more avenues to make the most of circle magic." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Know Your Spells", "page": 141, "id": "306", "entries": [ "Casting a Circle spell benefits from a solid understanding of how regular spellcasting works. Be sure to study your prepared spells and Circle casting options before the game. Many Circle casting options provide the most benefits to spellcasting when used outside of combat!" ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Plan Ahead", "page": 141, "id": "307", "entries": [ "Circle magic functions best when participants strategize ahead of time. To avoid bogging down combat, work together with fellow spellcasters to determine how and when to cast a Circle spell. Additionally, ensure all participants still have ample opportunity to cast spells and act independently beyond contributing to circle magic." ] } ] }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/149-05-004.alustriel-silverhand.webp" }, "title": "Alustriel Silverhand uses her mooncloak to protect her allies.", "credit": "Irina Nordsol", "width": 1700, "height": 1197 } ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Spells", "page": 142, "id": "308", "entries": [ "The following spells are presented in alphabetical order.", { "type": "list", "columns": 3, "items": [ "{@spell Alustriel's Mooncloak|FRHoF}", "{@spell Backlash|FRHoF}", "{@spell Blade of Disaster|FRHoF}", "{@spell Cacophonic Shield|FRHoF}", "{@spell Conjure Constructs|FRHoF}", "{@spell Death Armor|FRHoF}", "{@spell Deryan's Helpful Homunculi|FRHoF}", "{@spell Dirge|FRHoF}", "{@spell Doomtide|FRHoF}", "{@spell Elminster's Effulgent Spheres|FRHoF}", "{@spell Elminster's Elusion|FRHoF}", "{@spell Holy Star of Mystra|FRHoF}", "{@spell Laeral's Silver Lance|FRHoF}", "{@spell Simbul's Synostodweomer|FRHoF}", "{@spell Songal's Elemental Suffusion|FRHoF}", "{@spell Spellfire Flare|FRHoF}", "{@spell Spellfire Storm|FRHoF}", "{@spell Syluné's Viper|FRHoF}", "{@spell Wardaway|FRHoF}" ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Chapter 6: Factions of the Realms", "page": 149, "id": "335", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/152-06-001.factions-of-the-realms-tapestry.webp" }, "credit": "Chris Seaman", "width": 1700, "height": 2286 }, "Many in Faerûn seek power and prosperity, but few can achieve their ambitions alone. Instead, individuals join influential groups called factions. Adventurers who join a faction stand to gain honors, privileges, wealth, and, above all, respect.", "Each faction has its own vision for Faerûn, and these imagined ideals are rarely fully compatible. When their goals conflict, factions form rivalries. Conversely, when one faction overextends itself or becomes too strong, its rivals band together to balance the scales of power. Frequent cooperation might eventually lead to alliances, though these partnerships are rarely made official.", "Throughout this chapter, if a creature's name appears in {@b bold} type, you'll find that creature's stat block in the {@book Monster Manual|XMM} unless otherwise specified.", { "type": "section", "name": "Faction Descriptions", "page": 149, "id": "336", "entries": [ "This chapter includes details on the following factions:", { "type": "list", "items": [ { "type": "list", "style": "list-hang-notitle", "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "Cult of the Dragon", "entry": "The doomsayers of the Cult of the Dragon conduct profane rituals to create dracoliches and expedite the apocalypse." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Emerald Enclave", "entry": "The druids and survivalists of the Emerald Enclave maintain the balance between nature and civilization." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Harpers", "entry": "Skalds, sleuths, and spies make up the Harpers, an organization that aspires to make Faerûn a peaceful home for all." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Lords' Alliance", "entry": "Cities across western Faerûn have banded together as the Lords' Alliance to ensure prosperity for their people." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Order of the Gauntlet", "entry": "Zealous warriors of the Order of the Gauntlet smite evil in all its forms." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Purple Dragon Knights", "entry": "Cormyr's elite warriors, the Purple Dragon Knights, bond with amethyst dragons, hunting evil and furthering Cormyr." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Red Wizards", "entry": "Based out of the land of Thay but with enclaves all over Faerûn, Red Wizards master arcane magic and quest for ancient Artifacts." }, { "type": "item", "name": "Zhentarim", "entry": "In the Zhentarim, greed and pride are virtues to be celebrated. Zhents wield these qualities in their pursuit of ever-greater fortunes." } ] } ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Special Facilities", "page": 149, "id": "337", "entries": [ "The factions detailed in this chapter each include a special facility that members of that faction can add to their Bastion. See {@book chapter 8|XDMG|10} of the {@book Dungeon Master's Guide|XDMG} for the rules for Bastions." ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Faction Relationships", "page": 149, "id": "338", "entries": [ "The Faction Attitudes table summarizes the sentiments shared between the factions described in this chapter. Faction pairs marked with an {@i F} consider each other allies, and their members have a default attitude of {@variantrule Friendly [Attitude]|XPHB|Friendly} toward one another. Faction pairs marked with an {@i H} consider each other rivals, and their members have a default attitude of {@variantrule Hostile [Attitude]|XPHB|Hostile} toward one another. Members of factions marked with an {@i I} begin {@variantrule Indifferent [Attitude]|XPHB|Indifferent} toward one another. Exceptions might exist on an individual level.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Faction Attitudes", "page": 149, "colLabels": [ "", "Cult of the Dragon", "Emerald Enclave", "Harpers", "Lords' Alliance", "Order of the Gauntlet", "Purple Dragon Knights", "Red Wizards", "Zhentarim" ], "colStyles": [ "col-1-6", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center", "col-1-3 text-center" ], "rows": [ [ "Cult of the Dragon", "F", "H", "H", "H", "H", "H", "I", "F" ], [ "Emerald Enclave", "H", "F", "F", "I", "F", "I", "H", "H" ], [ "Harpers", "H", "F", "F", "F", "F", "I", "H", "H" ], [ "Lords' Alliance", "H", "I", "F", "F", "F", "F", "H", "H" ], [ "Order of the Gauntlet", "H", "F", "F", "F", "F", "F", "H", "H" ], [ "Purple Dragon Knights", "H", "I", "I", "F", "F", "F", "H", "I" ], [ "Red Wizards", "I", "H", "H", "H", "H", "H", "I", "F" ], [ "Zhentarim", "F", "H", "H", "H", "H", "I", "F", "F" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Cult of the Dragon", "page": 150, "id": "339", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/153-06-002.cult-of-the-dragon.webp" }, "credit": "Helder Almeida", "width": 850, "height": 1049, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "The Cult of the Dragon is a centuries-old cabal of evil mages, doomsayers, and dragon worshipers. Its members believe in apocalyptic prophecies that center on dragons as the world's inevitable destroyers (or, rarely, its saviors). To hasten the end times, cultists enact elaborate rituals to empower or summon evil dragons.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 150, "id": "33a", "entries": [ "The plots of the Cult of the Dragon are secret, but its existence isn't. Most folk in Faerûn have heard of the cult but know only that its members revere evil dragons. The cult recruits new members in major cities, where many cultists engage in legitimate business or are assigned to ordinary academic research. Only a few serve as thieves, assassins, and spies.", "At its outset, the Cult of the Dragon primarily concerned itself with the creation and worship of dracoliches\u2014powerful undead dragons the cult believes will inevitably rule Faerûn\u2014through rituals detailed in the {@item Tome of the Dragon|FRAiF}. More recently, however, the cult has splintered, with many within the cult committing themselves to Tiamat, the evil Queen of Dragons. This splinter group elevates Tiamat above other divinities and looks forward to the Dragon Queen's return, believing that she\u2014not dracoliches\u2014will destroy civilization, usher in a glorious reign of dragons, and reward those who helped bring about draconic rule.", "Dragon-themed symbolism and iconography pervade the cult's regalia: a cape or cloak cut to resemble dragon wings, plus clothing, jewelry, and draconic accessories reflecting the wearer's favorite type of dragon. Masks\u2014especially masks of dragons\u2014are common at cult gatherings, and many cultists craft their own masks.", "Cultists avoid wearing this regalia in public, but anyone who knows what to look for can often pick an incognito dragon cultist out of a crowd. The most recognizable tell is the sign of Tiamat, a gesture cultists who revere the Dragon Queen use to greet one another: right hand extended, palm forward, with five fingers spread in imitation of Tiamat's five heads." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 150, "id": "33b", "entries": [ "The cult has a simple hierarchical structure, consisting of initiates on the bottom, four ranks for cultists, and one highest rank for the Wearers of Purple\u2014the leaders and cult masters of particular locales. The cult is ruled by secretive Wearers of Purple called wyrmspeakers\u2014a term of respect given to those whose bond with dragons is supernaturally strong.", "Rank in the cult is based on merit and fanaticism. As raw recruits, initiates have no rank and follow the orders of their superiors. Only initiates that prove their worth can advance. A Wearer of Purple can promote an initiate along the track of dragonclaw (first rank), dragonwing (second rank), dragonfang (third rank), and dragonsoul (fourth rank).", "Cult operation groups vary in size, from a few low-ranking cultists operating on their own to hundreds of cultists of various ranks under the control of multiple Wearers of Purple, depending on their assigned tasks.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Cells", "page": 150, "id": "33c", "entries": [ "The Cult of the Dragon consists of countless cells spread across Faerûn. Each cell is led by one or more Wearers of Purple who report to the cult's wyrmspeakers, typically via magical correspondence. Cells have their own agendas but must conform with the wyrmspeakers' doctrine or else face expulsion from the order.", "Low-ranking cultists have little reason and few opportunities to interact with cultists outside their own cell." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Recruitment", "page": 150, "id": "33d", "entries": [ "The Cult of the Dragon is always seeking to expand its ranks. New recruits are encouraged to bring trusted family members and friends for conversion. The next most common form of recruitment is tried-and-true abduction combined with cult indoctrination. Cultists also sometimes recruit undead, fey, or other monsters.", "Cult leaders aren't opposed to hiring mercenaries for specific jobs or when ranks are thin. The cult casts a wide net with vaguely worded fliers on job boards or shadowy brokers posted in dark tavern corners; higher-ranking cultists then cherry-pick the most promising (that is, manipulable) prospects. In this way, countless soldiers of fortune, run-of-the-mill toughs, and even seasoned adventurers have unwittingly undertaken missions for the cult. Some complete their job none the wiser of their involvement in the cult's schemes. Others discover the ruse in time to flee. An unsavory few catch on to the true nature of their work and use the opportunity to seek admission to the cult.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/154-06-003.cult-of-the-dragon-items.webp" }, "credit": "Coupleofkooks", "width": 1700, "height": 1053 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Wearers of Purple", "page": 151, "id": "33e", "entries": [ "The Wearers of Purple stand at the top of the cult's hierarchy, and their word is law for the cultists in the cities, strongholds, and lairs they command. They are the only members of the cult to wear purple, and most are proud enough to flaunt the color. The Wearers of Purple have an affinity for talking to and negotiating with dragons\u2014the gift of wyrmspeaking. Dozens of Wearers of Purple are spread throughout the Cult of the Dragon, and all can marshal the cult's resources at will.", "Only the cult's inner circle can promote a dragonsoul to a Wearer of Purple, granting that character a base of operations and funds. Most new Wearers of Purple have already developed a working relationship with a dragon or dracolich as part of their power and authority. Those who don't cultivate this relationship are sometimes demoted. Several priests of Tiamat have recently been made Wearers of Purple and are establishing temples for her open worship in Faerûn.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Wyrmspeakers", "page": 151, "id": "33f", "entries": [ "Five Wearers of Purple conduct the cult's farthest-reaching plans. The members of this inner circle each wear a different colored dragon mask that hides their true identities. They call themselves wyrmspeakers, and members of the cult fear their power over dragons. Each wyrmspeaker has an affinity for a particular color of chromatic dragon. They treat with dragons of those colors to recruit more dragons to the cause, and plan cult missions that advance the cult's plots." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leaving the Cult", "page": 151, "id": "340", "entries": [ "Once initiated, a cultist belongs to the cult for life. Those who escape the cult spend the rest of their days fearful of every shadow and stranger, for the cult doesn't take kindly to deserters. In exceptionally rare cases, a cult member might be excommunicated yet allowed to live. The price of this mercy is never cheap; exiled cultists must usually give up all their memories to mind-obliterating magic or commit some unspeakable act the cult can later use as blackmail if needed." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 152, "id": "341", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Cult of the Dragon by working with dragons or by completing quests for the cult. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Cult of the Dragon Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Cult of the Dragon Renown", "page": 152, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "The Cult of the Dragon provides you a {@book Poor lifestyle|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} for free at its hideouts." ], [ "5+", "You can hire Cult of the Dragon hirelings for half the usual cost." ], [ "10", "You receive the honorary rank of dragonclaw. The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, the cult rewards you with one random Uncommon magic item." ], [ "15+", "You receive the honorary rank of dragonwing. You can assign a squad of up to six {@creature Cultist|XMM|Cultists} to perform any task that doesn't directly conflict with the cult's doctrine. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "25+", "You receive the honorary rank of dragonfang. You can request the aid of one {@creature Cultist Fanatic|XMM} for a mission. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "30", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 30, the cult rewards you with one random Rare magic item." ], [ "40+", "You receive the honorary rank of dragonsoul. You can call in a favor to make a specific Humanoid creature \"disappear\" for {@dice 1d10} days. You must know the name of the target creature, but you don't need to know their location. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "50+", "You receive the honorary rank of Wearer of Purple. All cultists obey your instruction and openly provide you information. In addition, you can request an audience with the cult's inner circle. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Cult of the Dragon Characters", "page": 152, "id": "342", "entries": [ "The Cult of the Dragon attracts members from all walks of life; soldiers, spellcasters, and scoundrels all have skills valuable to the cult.", "Any character might associate with the Cult of the Dragon, even those who aren't evil. Desperate times can push good-natured people to beseech the cult for a favor. Cultists often blackmail innocent people\u2014including cultists' own family members\u2014into doing work for the cult. A character could be aiding the cult unwittingly (even if you, the player, know the truth).", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 152, "id": "343", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Cult of the Dragon, you receive the following benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Tithing", "page": 152, "id": "344", "entries": [ "You are expected to donate 100 GP or 10% of your earnings per month, whichever is less, to the leader of your cult's cell." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 152, "id": "345", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Cult of the Dragon Trinket|FRHoF|Cult of the Dragon Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Cult of the Dragon." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Vestments", "page": 152, "id": "346", "entries": [ "As part of your initiation, you receive a set of Robes and a sinister dragon mask. You choose the color of these vestments: black, blue, green, red, or white." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Marked by the Dragon", "page": 152, "id": "347", "entries": [ "The Cult of the Dragon conducts sacrificial rituals to advance its esoteric goals. But not all the cult's sacrificial victims perish in the ordeal. A rare few emerge from the ritual not just alive, but changed. Such survivors are said to be \"marked by the dragon.\" Some call these individuals dragonscarred. Different cells treat dragonscarred differently. Some view them as monstrous and exile them from the cult's territory. Others treat dragonscarred well, elevating them to higher stations in the cult.", "If your character has undergone a sacrificial ritual and yet survived, you can roll on the Dragonscarred Blessings table to randomly determine the physical feature your character bears from the ordeal. These features are superficial and serve no practical function.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Dragonscarred Blessings", "page": 153, "colLabels": [ "1d8", "Physical Feature" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "1", "You bear a facial scar in the shape of a dragon." ], [ "2", "You have vestigial dragon horns, vestigial wings, or a vestigial tail." ], [ "3", "Your eyes have slitted pupils and vividly colored irises." ], [ "4", "Parts of your skin are covered in patches of reptilian scales." ], [ "5", "Your blood is icy cold." ], [ "6", "A flame crackles inside your chest, and you exhale bits of ash with every breath." ], [ "7", "You crave and can digest foods your species would normally find inedible, such as whole eggs, raw poultry, dirt, or bones." ], [ "8", "Your hair stands on end and crackles with static electricity." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 153, "id": "348", "entries": [ "Members of the Cult of the Dragon can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Cult of the Dragon Archive", "page": 153, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Emerald Enclave", "page": 154, "id": "34d", "entries": [ "A ranger guards a caravan through monster-plagued wilds. Forest defenders dismantle a war camp polluting a vital river. A circle of druids enacts a rain ritual for a drought-stricken village. These are but a few examples of how the Emerald Enclave makes the world a peaceful, hospitable place for people and nature alike.", "The Emerald Enclave is an organization of survivalists and nature worshipers who refer to themselves as Caretakers. Members of the enclave maintain the balance between wilderness and civilization and reinforce what they call \"the natural order.\" This natural order is exemplified by places where people and nature live in harmony\u2014places where neither settlements nor wilds threaten to overwhelm the other. Caretakers protect such areas with their lives. To the Emerald Enclave, individual sacrifice is worthwhile if it means the preservation of the whole.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/156-06-005.emerald-enclave.webp" }, "credit": "Olga Drebas", "width": 850, "height": 1706, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "Caretakers wear green clothes made from natural, foraged materials such as plants and animal hides. The most powerful members have magically bright-green eyes. Most Caretakers are constantly surrounded by animals and can walk seamlessly between civilization and the wilds.", "Members of the Emerald Enclave are loosely organized into diffuse sub-factions called circles. Some Caretakers from the same circle might work together in small bands, but many operate in isolation. These lone wolves rely on the animals and plants around them to monitor other Caretakers (and non-Caretakers) in their vicinity.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 154, "id": "34e", "entries": [ "Caretakers preserve sacred natural sites by guarding them from logging, mining, and other exploitation. In areas where the natural order has already been compromised, the enclave restores the land so it is once again fruitful and hospitable. The enclave's spellcasters draw on nature magic to expedite labors such as planting trees and cleaning litter-filled waterways.", "In dire situations\u2014such as an undead-riddled battlefield\u2014the Emerald Enclave leads coordinated assaults to root out the land's defilers. When necessary, Caretakers put impenitent evildoers to the sword. Members of the enclave don't relish violence against nature's children, but they know destruction is sometimes necessary for healing to begin. Caretakers do, however, proudly raise arms against unnatural forces such as aberrant monsters, reanimated dead, and machines of war. Members of the enclave believe such creatures exist to threaten the natural order and must be destroyed.", "When they aren't healing broken lands or fending off the forces of chaos, Caretakers study and promote the ways that fauna and flora peacefully coexist in nature. Some spend time in settlements to forge new connections and encourage communities to tend the world around them. The enclave is always in search of allies, for, as one Caretaker saying puts it, the herd is strongest when its numbers are great. Thus, wise Caretakers hone their communication skills, knowing that a compelling speech or poignant adage can help others connect to the land.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lunar Rituals", "page": 154, "id": "34f", "entries": [ "The cycle of the moon and seasons is important to the Emerald Enclave's rituals. New Caretakers are initiated to the enclave each month on the full moon. New moons are reserved for tribunals, when judgment is passed on enemies taken prisoner or on Caretakers who've failed to uphold their duties. Many Caretakers plan sojourns to coincide with the lunar cycle so that they venture away from home while the moon wanes, then return while it waxes.", "Just as the enclave shares in times of bounty, so too it shares the onus of performing necessary evils. When a tribunal demands capital punishment or a lunar ritual requires animal sacrifice, the tribunal selects an executioner through a casting of holy stones or sacred sticks or the summoning of a nature spirit that temporarily possesses an individual. In this way, no single Caretaker must bear the entire weight of the grisly work that must be done." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 154, "id": "350", "entries": [ "A Caretaker who achieves acclaim might take an epithet. Typically such an epithet is bestowed by another Caretaker to commemorate a worthy deed. Storied Caretakers have multiple epithets, which are then appended to one another; for example, a veteran enclave member named Krodar might be referred to as \"Caretaker Krodar, Axe Breaker, and Tamer of Owlbears.\"", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/157-06-006.enclave-circles.webp" }, "title": "From left to right: Circle of Air, Circle of the Ancients, Circle of the Giants, Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon, Circle of Wildfire", "credit": "Coupleofkooks", "width": 1700, "height": 1128 }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Enclave Circles", "page": 155, "id": "351", "entries": [ "A circle of the Emerald Enclave is a collective of Caretakers who study and practice the teachings of a particular aspect of the natural world to achieve the enclave's goals. Circles act independently, but they might seek one another's expertise when dealing with large-scale or far-ranging challenges.", "There is some overlap between enclave circles and druid circles. But not all druids belong to the Emerald Enclave, and not all enclave members are druids. A druid of the Circle of the Moon, for example, might go their entire life without encountering the Emerald Enclave's circle of the same name, even though both groups practice similar teachings and rituals.", "Each circle is led by its longest-serving and most accomplished members: sage rangers and ancient druids known as Verdant Ones. Verdant Ones lead lunar rituals, train new Caretakers, and coordinate missions with other circles. Often, a Verdant One passes judgment on issues where the balance between natural forces is unclear.", "These are just a few of the enclave's circles in Faerûn:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "{@b The Circle of Air} believes the world's eons-long natural cycle requires similarly lengthy study to fully comprehend.", "{@b The Circle of the Ancients} is the oldest and most influential circle, tapping into primordial secrets.", "{@b The Circle of the Giants} reveres the titans of the natural world: dinosaurs, dragons, and megafauna.", "{@b The Circle of the Land} is the largest circle, protecting nature in all its forms and helping others survive in the wilderness.", "{@b The Circle of the Moon} aids those who travel at night, and those threatened by nocturnal forces.", "{@b The Circle of Wildfire} understands destruction is a fundamental part of the natural cycle and individual sacrifice is necessary for the greater good." ], "style": "list-hang-notitle" } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Three", "page": 155, "id": "352", "entries": [ "The leaders of the Emerald Enclave are called the Three. These legendary druids provide guidance to other enclave circles and pass judgment on the most serious offenses. They occupy and protect a sacred temple to Silvanus called Oakenhall. Rarely the Three might visit another sacred site; such visits are never announced and rarely portend good news.", "Though rarely spoken of as individuals, the Three are sometimes identified by the leaf-shaped masks they wear: the Oak, the Elm, and the Willow. The Three began as ordinary people, but when an individual dons one of these three magical masks, the mask merges with their flesh and transforms the wearer into a faceless, ageless being of no known species\u2014nine feet tall and identical to the other members." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Sacred Sites", "page": 156, "id": "353", "entries": [ "All over Faerûn, Caretakers congregate at meeting grounds called sacred sites. Except for Oakenhall and a few other notable temples, the Emerald Enclave's sacred sites are naturally occurring locales of spiritual or magical import. The Emerald Enclave considers these sites\u2014and any other locations where nature has worked its miracles\u2014symbolically important and worth guarding closely. The following are a few notable sacred sites.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Coltree", "page": 156, "id": "354", "entries": [ "In the foothills around the Spine of the World grows a massive fir called Coltree. It rises from a white granite slope ribboned with thick veins of exposed coal that give the landscape a zebra-like appearance." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Moraeire", "page": 156, "id": "355", "entries": [ "Moraeire is a blue-tinted stone column in a valley of similar pillars off the west coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The valley is flooded most of the year, creating a unique ecosystem that's part bog, part canyon." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Silver Tear", "page": 156, "id": "356", "entries": [ "The Silver Tearin Anauroch is an underground oasis at the center of a massive grotto. Its exact location is secret, but the entrance lies somewhere at the bottom of a steep gorge riddled with red caves." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 156, "id": "357", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Emerald Enclave by defending nature against would-be despoilers and by completing tasks for enclave members. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Emerald Enclave Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Emerald Enclave Renown", "page": 156, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "You can hire Emerald Enclave hirelings for half the usual cost." ], [ "5+", "You can request a Caretaker ({@creature Scout|XMM}) to accompany you on a journey and help you navigate, forage, and search. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, a Caretaker teaches you Druidic." ], [ "15+", "You can buy Common and Uncommon potions and {@item Spell Scroll|XDMG|Spell Scrolls} from the Emerald Enclave." ], [ "25+", "If you or your companions are at risk of suffering from dehydration or malnutrition while within 10 miles of an enclave site, Caretakers bring you enough food and water to meet your needs." ], [ "30", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 30, Caretakers provide you with {@dice 1d4} {@item Potion of Healing|XDMG|Potions of Healing} (superior)." ], [ "40+", "Your eyes turn bright green. Centaurs, treants, unicorns, and all Beasts are Friendly to you by default." ], [ "50+", "Members of the Emerald Enclave openly share information with you. In addition, you can request a single audience with the Three. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Emerald Enclave Characters", "page": 156, "id": "358", "entries": [ "Adventurers who commit their lives to the Emerald Enclave are often Barbarians, Druids, or Rangers, but anyone who honors and protects the natural balance can find a place in the enclave. Those who spent their formative years around the Emerald Enclave might have the Guide or Hermit background.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 156, "id": "359", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Emerald Enclave, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Modest Lifestyle", "page": 156, "id": "35a", "entries": [ "The Emerald Enclave provides its members with enough food, water, and shelter for a {@book Modest lifestyle|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 156, "id": "35b", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Emerald Enclave Trinket|FRHoF|Emerald Enclave Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Emerald Enclave." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 157, "id": "35c", "entries": [ "Members of the Emerald Enclave can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Emerald Enclave Grove", "page": 157, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Harpers", "page": 158, "id": "35f", "entries": [ "Harpers are secretive spies, sleuths, and skalds who oppose evil throughout the Forgotten Realms. Harpers believe that power, fortune, and knowledge should be shared by all rather than hoarded by the few. They are disinterested in fame and glory\u2014whatever they do, they do for the common good, with no expectation of reward.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/159-06-008.harpers.webp" }, "credit": "Olga Drebas", "width": 850, "height": 1403, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "Harpers employ magic, subterfuge, and wit to achieve their aims, preferably without arousing any suspicion of their interference. They favor subtle manipulation to overt action\u2014a Harper is more likely to turn enemies against one another than to stick a dagger in a despot's back. Better yet is depriving bad actors of power in the first place, such as by securing dangerous magical weapons before they fall into the wrong hands. Yet for all their behind-the-scenes action, Harpers are well known among both downtrodden common folk, who laud them as heroes, and the forces of evil, who scorn them as meddlers.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 158, "id": "360", "entries": [ "The Harpers' primary goals are to free the oppressed and dismantle the power structures that enable such oppression. To achieve the former, Harpers commit heroic deeds and dispense useful knowledge in equal measure. To someone who says, \"Give folks a fish, and they'll eat today\u2014teach them how to fish, and they'll eat for the rest of their lives,\" a Harper says, \"Why not both?\"", "When it comes to disarming evildoers, Harpers monitor political powers and employ covert action when necessary. They don't rush into confrontation when there's time to study the situation and develop a cohesive plan. On the other hand, no Harper would hesitate to help someone in imminent danger. A Harper balances the desire to gather information and the need to act quickly.", "Harpers' secondary goals are many, and the prioritization of these goals is a matter of individual discretion. Silver-tongued Harpers focus their talents on the advancement of the order's virtues, especially fairness and equality. Harpers with a penchant for magic undertake missions to protect or destroy potentially harmful magic items. And, of course, Harpers who simply want to punish the wicked and save the innocent have no trouble finding opportunities to do just that.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Harper Code", "page": 158, "id": "361", "entries": [ "Harpers follow a loose set of guiding ideals called the Harper code. Like the order itself, the code is in a state of constant flux, growing, shrinking, and changing to fit the needs of the time. But some tenets, such as fairness and equality, remain much as they were when the order was first founded.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Watchwords", "page": 158, "id": "362", "entries": [ "The Harper code is organized into a system of phrases called watchwords. Harpers coin and recite watchwords to guide their actions in uncertain situations. Harpers exchange watchwords with one another as pass phrases or to verify identities. Senior Harpers pass down watchwords in their sacred rites of initiation and in the training of new recruits.", "Some Harpers carry a small book in which they collect or pen watchwords, but the Harper code has no official canon. Still, a few watchwords are so common that all Harpers can be expected to know them. Examples include the following:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "No one is free until all are free.", "Whatever it takes, a Harper will do.", "Study the past to preserve the future.", "For freedom to flourish, there must be balance." ] } ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 158, "id": "363", "entries": [ "The Harpers are scattered, with neither a strict hierarchy nor a centralized place of command. Rather, they consist of many small cells and lone agents who operate within a vast, loose network. This open and resilient structure has enabled the Harpers to form, disband, and re-form many times in the history of the Realms.", "As befits their ethos, there is no one leader of the Harpers. Authority and responsibility are shared equally among members. That said, veteran Harpers have broader access to useful contacts and greater knowledge of goings on simply by virtue of having been around longer, and novice Harpers tend to take missions and receive counsel from their more experienced peers.", "Harpers have strong bonds with their fellow Harpers. Feuds or even friendly rivalries among members are rare. A Harper never hesitates to help a fellow Harper in need.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/160-06-009.harpers-items.webp" }, "credit": "Raluca Marinescu", "width": 1700, "height": 1105 }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Harper Cells and Strongholds", "page": 159, "id": "364", "entries": [ "Although they range across Faerûn, Harpers aren't a unified force. Some Harpers act mostly independently, but many belong to a local Harper cell\u2014a collective of Harpers who share information and undertake missions together. These cells are differentiated by the location of their strongholds (if they have one), their local notoriety, and what parts of the Harper code they consider most important.", "The Harpers of Twilight Hall in Berdusk, for example, work in coordinated groups to achieve long-range plans. Harpers based out of Silverymoon, on the other hand, emphasize the responsible use of magic and securing dangerous Artifacts. Yet another example is Harpers like those led by Storm Silverhand in Shadowdale: lone wolves who conduct themselves like secret agents." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Joining the Harpers", "page": 159, "id": "365", "entries": [ "A person doesn't simply become a Harper\u2014they have to be chosen by a Harper to receive the honor. Harpers observe potential candidates from afar to assess their words and deeds. Candidates deemed worthy are approached by a Harper in disguise who poses a test of the individual's character. This test is typically a fabricated moral dilemma or a veiled choice between self-enrichment and self-sacrifice. To ensure their motives are true, a candidate shouldn't know they are being observed or tested.", "A candidate who passes the secret test is eventually apprised of the gambit and invited to the Harpers. To join the order, the individual must swear an oath before a council of senior Harpers to uphold the Harper code. Once an individual swears this oath, they must uphold it for life.", "Ex-Harpers are rare for two reasons. First, the process for testing new Harpers is rigorous enough to weed out most candidates unwilling to maintain the oath. Second, the punishment for betraying the Harpers is severe, summarized by this watchword: Traitors must die. The few Harpers who abandon their oath\u2014or who commit an offense that doesn't warrant death\u2014are cast out of the order. Atonement is sometimes possible, but it is a long and arduous endeavor." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "High Harpers", "page": 159, "id": "366", "entries": [ "Harpers are equal in rank with one notable exception: the High Harpers. These mysterious figures are responsible for the Harpers' long-term planning and the order's greatest campaigns against evil. High Harpers are voted into their position by a secret ballot among other High Harpers, who select candidates from among the order's most accomplished and capable individuals.", "The High Harpers rarely convene, and when they do, it is a truly momentous\u2014or dire\u2014occasion. Someone who seeks an audience with the High Harpers might wait many moons before receiving their counsel, if it is ever granted. But the wait is worthwhile; the High Harpers' favor is a great honor and a tremendous resource." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Harper Personas", "page": 160, "id": "367", "entries": [ "Harpers are masters of disguise and improvisation. The best Harpers develop a repertoire of false identities\u2014called personas\u2014to assume at a moment's notice. Veteran Harpers sometimes teach these personas to fellow Harpers or allies. Much in the way a knight might pass on their precious sword or shield to a squire, a Harper might bequeath the tale and attire of a persona to a less experienced Harper.", "Harper personas share tropes or fall into recognizable archetypes. When allies recognize a persona, they realize it's a Harper and play along. When a persona becomes too well known, Harpers retire the character and develop a new one.", "A character with a {@item Disguise Kit|XPHB} can assume a Harper persona by succeeding on a {@dc 10} Charisma check to apply makeup. When you learn a persona in this way, you can roll on the Harper Personas table to randomly determine what persona you learn.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Harper Personas", "page": 160, "colLabels": [ "1d8", "Persona" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "1", "Rusty Riba, a rowdy smith with a folksy accent, filthy fingernails, and a quick temper" ], [ "2", "Father Temino, a morose priest of Amaunator, Helm, Chauntea, or another well-known deity, who offers somber counsel in a monotone" ], [ "3", "Pippi Toobs, a talented but overeager busker, whose performances include whistling, sleight of hand, and foot juggling" ], [ "4", "Aargus, a humorless patriarch who's always complaining about his seven good-for-nothing kids who ran off to become adventurers" ], [ "5", "Aunt Cecilia, a silent sage, friend of animals, and inveterate winker, who's never without a bag of birdseed" ], [ "6", "Johann Overbridge, a scatterbrained rookie guard in ill-fitting armor who never has his papers in order" ], [ "7", "Vincent, a young thrill seeker and shameless heartbreaker with a fresh black eye and a cocky grin" ], [ "8", "Liza Lily, a flower seller with worried expression and a chronic cough, who looks even more pathetic than her wilted posies" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 160, "id": "368", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Harpers by completing Harper missions and upholding the Harper code. As their Renown Score with the Harpers increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Harpers Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Harper Renown", "page": 160, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "You can stay in any Harper stronghold. While there, the Harpers provide you a {@book Modest lifestyle|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} for free." ], [ "5+", "You can buy Common potions and scrolls at Harper strongholds." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, you learn one persona from the Harper Personas table." ], [ "15+", "You receive a 15 percent discount when you buy potions, scrolls, and adventuring gear at Harper strongholds." ], [ "25", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 25, you receive a {@item Harper Pin|FRAiF} (silver) and learn an additional persona from the {@area Harper Personas|367|x} table." ], [ "30+", "When you enter a settlement for the first time, local Harpers freely share any notable rumors and important intel with you." ], [ "40", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 40, you receive a {@item Harper Pin|FRAiF} (golden) and learn an additional persona from the Harper Personas table." ], [ "50+", "You can request a single audience with the High Harpers. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Harper Characters", "page": 160, "id": "369", "entries": [ "Although many Harpers are Bards, musical talent isn't required. Rogues, Rangers, Sorcerers, and Wizards make fine Harpers.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 160, "id": "36a", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Harpers, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Harper Kit", "page": 160, "id": "36b", "entries": [ "When you first join the Harpers, you receive a Musical Instrument and a {@item Disguise Kit|XPHB}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 160, "id": "36c", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Harper Trinket|FRHoF|Harper Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Harpers." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 161, "id": "36d", "entries": [ "Members of the Harpers can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Harper Hideout", "page": 161, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Lords' Alliance", "page": 162, "id": "371", "entries": [ "The Lords' Alliance is an association of nobles and rulers representing settlements across western Faerûn. The alliance believes that solidarity is the surest means to keep the forces of chaos at bay and secure prosperity for people throughout the North. Agents of the alliance ensure the safety and prosperity of their settlements by proactively eliminating forces that threaten civilization.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 162, "id": "372", "entries": [ "The alliance's primary goal is to ensure the safety and prosperity of cities and other settlements across Faerûn. To accomplish this, alliance members share information with one another about potential threats within and near alliance territory. Dangers are many in Faerûn, leaving the alliance spread thin, so settlements hire reputable adventurers and dispatch them where they are most needed.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/162-06-011.lords-alliance.webp" }, "credit": "Olga Drebas", "width": 850, "height": 1310, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "Although the alliance's mere existence is a strong deterrent against evildoers, it has a reputation for internal bickering and dysfunction. Alliance representatives are aware of this reputation, and they go to great lengths to exhibit solidarity and coordination. Cities in the alliance frequently sponsor tournaments, festivals, and fundraisers to increase the perception of a unified North.", "Many within the Lords' Alliance believe the best defense is a strong offense and that the alliance should proactively eliminate threats. Alliance leaders pressure one another to keep their borders well guarded. Members frequently hire adventuring parties for scouting missions and forays into monster nests, thieves' dens, and cultist hideouts.", "Agents of the alliance swear allegiance to a specific lord. These lords tend to be self-concerned and proud, and they expect their agents to act nobly and bring honor to them. The lords engage in friendly competition over their agents' contributions. Should Waterdeep's militia prove integral to the routing of an invading army, for example, Open Lord Laeral", "Silverhand is sure to casually mention this fact at the next Lords' Assembly." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 162, "id": "373", "entries": [ "Each member of the Lords' Alliance has an official representative on the alliance's governing body, the Council of Lords. Typically this representative is the settlement's ruler. When necessary, a representative can select a proxy to stand in the representative's place.", "Representatives convene several times per year for a Lords' Assembly. These assemblies occur around the same time as the festivals that mark the changing of the seasons. Alliance members take turns hosting assemblies, with preference given to cities that have suitably large (and secure) forum spaces. During times of crisis, such as war or catastrophe, an emergency assembly might be called.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/163-06-012.coat-of-arms.webp" }, "title": "From Left to Right: Amphail, Baldur's Gate, Daggerford, Longsaddle, Mirabar, Mithral Hall, Neverwinter, Silverymoon, Waterdeep, Yartar", "credit": "Conceptopolis", "width": 1700, "height": 944 }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Alliance Members", "page": 162, "id": "374", "entries": [ "Following are descriptions of some of the members of the {@book Lords' Alliance|FRHoF|2|Lords' Alliance} and their representatives on the Council of Lords. New members join occasionally, and members sometimes leave the alliance or are expelled.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Amphail", "page": 162, "id": "375", "entries": [ "Rivaling Longsaddle for the honor of the alliance's smallest settlement, Amphail is best known as a playground for bored nobles from Waterdeep. Petty family feuds are the order of the day in Amphail, as are minor catastrophes caused by the unabashed negligence of haughty aristocrats. Lord Warder Dauner Ilzimmer speaks for Amphail on the Council of Lords, but like most nobles in Amphail, he has little interest in matters that don't endanger his cushy lifestyle." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Baldur's Gate", "page": 162, "id": "376", "entries": [ "The massive city of Baldur's Gate is one of the Sword Coast's most powerful trading ports, and Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard's outsize influence on the Council of Lords reflects this. In Baldur's Gate, criminals, cultists, and corruption hold as much (if not more) sway as the city's nobles. The city requires frequent aid from the Lords' Alliance to maintain order within its walls." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Daggerford", "page": 162, "id": "377", "entries": [ "Lady Morwen Daggerford oversees the small, walled town of Daggerford, surrounded by floodplains and pastures. It is a key stopover for caravans headed to Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate, and this function as a watering hole and supply outfitter makes Daggerford a vital member of the alliance. Daggerford is the kind of idyllic town that settlements in the North aspire to be, with lively taverns and merry festivals that draw visitors from all around." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Longsaddle", "page": 162, "id": "378", "entries": [ "Longsaddle is an unassuming hamlet of ranchers, butchers, and farriers famous for a family of wizards, the Harpells, who call it home. Dowell Harpell is Longsaddle's representative to the Lords' Alliance, though the wizard exhibits little interest in foreign affairs and rarely speaks during assemblies." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mirabar", "page": 163, "id": "379", "entries": [ "Humans and dwarves are the primary residents of Mirabar, an ancient city built partly belowground. The city's lifeblood is its gem mines, and Marchion Selin Ramur jockeys for resources from the Lords' Alliance to protect Mirabar's vast stores of wealth." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mithral Hall", "page": 163, "id": "37a", "entries": [ "Mithral Hall is the ancestral home of the famous Battlehammer dwarven clan. Despite its status as an alliance member, Mithral Hall is more of a stronghold than a settlement, with tunnels to other dwarf holds hidden deep below its mines. Queen Dagnabbet Waybeard represents Mithral Hall on the Council of Lords; a bold leader and a fierce warrior, she firmly supports Mithral Hall's membership in the Lords' Alliance despite other dwarven settlements' reluctance to join the coalition. The queen's proxy on the council is Ambassador Connerad Brawnanvil." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Neverwinter", "page": 163, "id": "37b", "entries": [ "The City of Skilled Hands is no stranger to the threats that the Lords' Alliance was formed to rally against\u2014ancient monsters, agents of Thay, devils from the Nine Hells, and more have endangered Neverwinter in the course of its history. Those who call it home are a serious, resilient folk. Dagult Neverember is the city's present lord protector, and he commands the people's respect." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Silverymoon", "page": 163, "id": "37c", "entries": [ "The peaceful city of Silverymoon is a bastion for scholars, treasure hunters, and anyone who seeks respite from the harsher realities of the North. It is a famous haven for the Harpers and is known for its schools, shrines, and great library. The city's current leader, Lord Methrammar Aerasumé, is a gruff tactician and Silverymoon's proxy to the Council of Lords, but the city's representative is Methrammar's predecessor, the wise Lord Taern Hornblade." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Waterdeep", "page": 163, "id": "37d", "entries": [ "Many Waterdhavians become agents of the Lords' Alliance to represent not Waterdeep as a whole but rather one of Waterdeep's many power-hungry lords. For her part, the open lord of Waterdeep, Laeral Silverhand, uses spies to assess visiting adventurers. Those who show potential receive invitations from the city guard to undertake quests for the Lords' Alliance." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Yartar", "page": 163, "id": "37e", "entries": [ "Yartar is a fortified town best known for its impressive barge-building operation and annual hiring fair, the latter of which attracts adventurers and patrons from across the North. Yartar's leader and alliance representative, Waterbaron Nestra Ruthiol, is an underhanded, cunning aristocrat. Her vengeful schemes and petty rivalries typify the sorts of internal strife that limit Yartar's potential influence in the alliance." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 164, "id": "37f", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Lords' Alliance by thwarting evil's attempts to overrun the North and by expanding the influence of settlements that belong to the alliance. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Lords' Alliance Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Lords' Alliance Renown", "page": 164, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "Nobles from Amphail, Daggerford, and Yartar are {@variantrule Friendly [Attitude]|XPHB|Friendly} to you by default." ], [ "5+", "While in an alliance settlement whose nobles are Friendly to you by default, you can buy potions and {@item Spell Scroll|XDMG|Spell Scrolls} from an alliance quartermaster at a 10 percent discount. A Spell Scroll bought with this discount can contain a spell of level 3 or lower." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, your lord gives you one random Uncommon magic item." ], [ "15+", "Nobles from Longsaddle, Mirabar, and Neverwinter are Friendly to you by default." ], [ "25+", "In any Lords' Alliance settlement, you can enlist a spellcaster to cast the {@spell Sending|XPHB} spell for you at no charge, targeting an alliance representative." ], [ "30+", "Nobles from Baldur's Gate, Mithral Hall, Silverymoon, and Waterdeep are Friendly to you by default." ], [ "40", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 40, your lord gives you one random Rare magic item." ], [ "50+", "You can request an audience with any representative of the Lords' Alliance. In addition, you can request a detail of up to three {@creature Knight|XMM|Knights} to accompany you for one mission. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Lords' Alliance Characters", "page": 164, "id": "380", "entries": [ "Alliance agents include proud warriors, talented mages, and silver-tongued diplomats. They are experts in combat, observation, and innuendo who are loyal to the alliance.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 164, "id": "381", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Lords' Alliance, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Lifestyle", "page": 164, "id": "382", "entries": [ "You enjoy a {@book Wealthy|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} lifestyle while in the alliance settlement you represent and a Comfortable lifestyle within any other alliance settlement." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Mount and Tack", "page": 164, "id": "383", "entries": [ "You receive a steed worth up to 75 GP, such as a {@creature Riding Horse|XMM}, and a {@item Riding Saddle|XPHB}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 164, "id": "384", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Lords' Alliance Trinket|FRHoF|Lords' Alliance Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Lords' Alliance." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Heraldry of the Lords' Alliance", "page": 164, "id": "385", "entries": [ "Each member of the Lords' Alliance has a unique coat of arms that identifies them as a member of a house and reflects their reputation. Heraldry is displayed on armor, tabards, and standards.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Designing a Coat of Arms", "page": 164, "id": "386", "entries": [ "You can design a coat of arms using the following guidelines. A coat of arms is made of four parts.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Escutcheon", "page": 164, "id": "387", "entries": [ "The escutcheon is the basic shape of the coat of arms, such as square, oval, diamond, or kite. A shape can be distinctive, such as the pinched shield of Waterdeep." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Division", "page": 164, "id": "388", "entries": [ "A division is the way in which the escutcheon is partitioned: solid, halved, divided into three or four parts, split in half diagonally, checkered, and so on." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Charge", "page": 164, "id": "389", "entries": [ "One or more charges, symbols associated with the lord's reputation, are added. Common charges include weapons, armor, monsters, flowers, plants, celestial objects, and musical instruments." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tinctures", "page": 165, "id": "38a", "entries": [ "Finally, the coat of arms is distinguished by its tinctures, the materials and colors used in the escutcheon and charges. While traditional tinctures include colors and metals (such as gold or silver), more fanciful tinctures use illusion magic to create shields seemingly made from pure radiance, prismatic light, or shadow." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 165, "id": "38b", "entries": [ "Members of the Lords' Alliance can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Lords' Alliance Noble Residence", "page": 165, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Order of the Gauntlet", "page": 166, "id": "38e", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/165-06-014.order-of-the-gauntlet.webp" }, "credit": "Olga Drebas", "width": 850, "height": 1297, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "The Order of the Gauntlet is a body of faithful justice seekers who seek out and eradicate evil. Members of the order must be honorable in their actions, vigilant in their outlook, and zealous in their convictions. Moreover, they must always watch out for corruption from within.", "Most of the order's knights are heavily armored, many wield shining blades or maces, and all wear their holy symbols proudly into battle. They embody virtue for its own sake and model ideals of bravery and piousness for the common people they protect. A worthy knight of the order risks anything to save a fellow knight or complete an important mission. But knights also acknowledge that zealotry can lead to fanaticism, and they caution each other to be wary of straying from the path of good.", "A knight follows the order's creed, the Code of Scales and Weights. They're devoted to a patron deity: typically a good god such as Helm, Tyr, or Torm. Finally, a knight of the order defends their companions. To the order, faith is the greatest weapon against evil\u2014faith in oneself, one's god, and one's friends.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 166, "id": "38f", "entries": [ "The Order of the Gauntlet is armed and vigilant against evil. Its knights use every resource available, including armed reconnaissance, magical scrying, and divine consultation with higher powers. To ensure they can act swiftly against the forces of evil, knights maintain fortified strongholds along border lands, keep well-stocked armories, and practice daily to remain in peak fighting condition.", "The Order of the Gauntlet strives not only to expand the boundaries of just society but to maintain justice in lands where it has already taken root. Knights of the order strengthen their presence by", "establishing chapters\u2014fortresses and strongholds from which knights venture on missions.", "In keeping with their mandate for swift, tough action, knights of the order are neither subtle nor discreet. In fact, many knights view any amount of deceit or trickery as cowardice unbefitting a member of the Order of the Gauntlet. \"There is no shame in doing what is right\" is a popular axiom used to encourage knights to serve the order openly.", "The order emphasizes retribution rather than proactive measures. Its knights don't try to predict evil or preempt it, believing the practice of trying to preempt villainy, even if well meaning, is the first step on the road toward tyranny. As one line in the Code of Scales and Weights puts it, knights of the order should strive to \"punish evil actions, but not evil thoughts.\" The order insists on personal freedom, believing that every individual, regardless of their past or associates, can act morally and honorably if given the choice.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Code of Scales and Weights", "page": 166, "id": "390", "entries": [ "To enact judgment quickly and with certainty, the Order of the Gauntlet relies on a lengthy list of crimes and punishments called the Code of Scales and Weights. The Code defines crimes against the order (\"scales\"), as well as appropriate punishments (\"weights\").", "A written version of the Code is available at every chapter of the Order of the Gauntlet. However, as every knight knows, evildoers won't wait patiently for a law enforcer to consult their notes. Thus, to be initiated to the order, every aspiring knight must commit the Code to heart and recite it before an audience of other knights." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Role in War", "page": 166, "id": "391", "entries": [ "In times of war, the order's troops are among the toughest, most steadfast soldiers on the Sword Coast. City-states and small nations call on the order to aid their campaigns against injustice. However, the order lends its sword only in conflicts of good versus evil; the order is reluctant to choose sides in morally ambiguous feuds or petty territorial disputes.", "In addition to serving as infantry in their own units, veterans of the order act as sergeants or commanders for other units. Soldiers have few qualms taking orders from a knight of the Order of the Gauntlet; many know the leadership and tactical expertise of the order mean the difference between a disorganized defeat and a glorious victory.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/166-06-015.order-of-the-guantlet-items.webp" }, "credit": "Coupleofkooks", "width": 1700, "height": 1085 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 166, "id": "392", "entries": [ "The Order of the Gauntlet is a new organization, eager for action. It doesn't take orders from any government or temple, although the opinions of holy figures are greatly esteemed within the order.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Hierarchy", "page": 167, "id": "393", "entries": [ "Knights who commit acts of great valor gain rank in the order: knight of the guard (lowest rank), knight of the banner (second rank), knight of justice (third rank), or chapter knight (highest rank). It's possible, though rare, for a knight to skip one or more ranks when ascending the order's hierarchy.", "Members of the order must respect and follow their superiors. Failure to do so is punished by expulsion from the order. This strictness cuts both ways: a high-ranking knight discovered abusing their station is tried in the order's private judicial system, the Court of Justice, and punished severely." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trials and Justice", "page": 167, "id": "394", "entries": [ "The Order of the Gauntlet judges evildoers summarily and punish them promptly. To determine punishments, knights refer to the Code of Scales and Weights or, if in doubt, use a spell such as {@spell Commune|XPHB} to ask a divinity (typically Tyr or Torm) for guidance. Only in the most morally gray situations will knights arrest an offender. Arrested suspects are taken to the nearest chapter to undergo a Court of Justice.", "A Court of Justice includes interrogations, cross-examinations, and follow-up investigations. Knights of justice use magic such as the {@spell Zone of Truth|XPHB} spell to determine the facts and identify wrongdoing. Suspects not convicted within a tenday are released.", "Knights of justice monitor other knights and the order's larger activities, keeping an eye out for corruption and fanaticism." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Chapters, Leaders, and Faiths", "page": 167, "id": "395", "entries": [ "The Order of the Gauntlet's bases are called chapters. The western heartland is home to the highest concentration of order chapters, but knights establish new chapters as the order's influence grows.", "Each chapter is run by a chapter knight, overseen in turn by the justiciary sublime. The current justiciary sublime is a seasoned human paladin named Ardria Rightglaive, who oversees the construction of the order's new headquarters, Castle Invetrius in Elturel.", "The Order of the Gauntlet's governing body is a tribunal called the Righteous Hand. This tribunal consists of the justiciary sublime (who is sometimes referred to as \"the Gauntlet's thumb\") and four veteran chapter knights called high champions (\"the Gauntlet's fingers\"). Historically, the four high champions have been selected from the upper echelons of the order's four most prominent faiths: the churches of Helm, Hoar, Torm, and Tyr, whose followers founded the Order of the Gauntlet." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 168, "id": "396", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Order of the Gauntlet by fighting evil or completing quests for the order. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Order of the Gauntlet Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Order of the Gauntlet Renown", "page": 168, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "You can stay freely at any chapter of the Order of the Gauntlet, which provides you with a {@book Modest|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} lifestyle." ], [ "5+", "You earn the honorary title of knight of the guard. Patrons and priests of any temple or shrine of Helm, Hoar, Tor, or Tyr are Friendly to you by default." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, the order gifts you one random Uncommon magic item from the Armor, Ring, or Weapon category." ], [ "15+", "You earn the honorary title of knight of the banner. Spellcasters at any temple or shrine at which priests are {@variantrule Friendly [Attitude]|XPHB|Friendly} to you by default and will cast spells of level 2 or lower for you for free." ], [ "25+", "When you visit a temple at which priests are Friendly to you by default, you can enlist {@dice 1d4} {@creature Knight|XMM|Knights} to aid you for 10 days. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "30+", "You earn the honorary title of knight of justice. Patrons and priests of any temple, shrine, or other established presence of a deity associated with a good-aligned plane of existence are Friendly to you by default." ], [ "40", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 40, the order gifts you one random Rare magic item from the Armor, Ring, or Weapon category." ], [ "50+", "You earn the honorary title of chapter knight. If you or one of your allies dies and the body is brought to a temple at which priests are Friendly to you by default, agents of the order cast the {@spell Resurrection|XPHB} spell, targeting the deceased. This reward is free the first time you use it. On subsequent occasions, you must provide any Material components normally consumed by the spell." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Order of the Gauntlet Characters", "page": 168, "id": "397", "entries": [ "The Order of the Gauntlet appeals primarily to good Clerics and Paladins. However, anyone who worships a righteous god and has a stake in the fight against evil is welcome to petition for knighthood. Fighters and Monks often exhibit the discipline expected of the order's knights. Bards (who memorize the Code of Scales and Weights with ease) and Rangers (whose practical survival skills take them far into lawless wilds) also find their way to the Order of the Gauntlet.", "Knights of the Order of the Gauntlet often have training in religious customs, law enforcement, or tactical warfare. Characters with the Acolyte, Guard, and Soldier backgrounds fit in well.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 168, "id": "398", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Order of the Gauntlet, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 168, "id": "399", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Order of the Gauntlet Trinket|FRHoF|Gauntlet Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Order of the Gauntlet." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Vestments", "page": 168, "id": "39a", "entries": [ "You receive a Holy Symbol and a tabard emblazoned with the symbol of the Order of the Gauntlet." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Higher Callings", "page": 168, "id": "39b", "entries": [ "When knights of the Order of the Gauntlet speak of a higher calling, they are referring to the particular way in which a knight pursues and enforces the Order of the Gauntlet's creed. Higher callings come to knights from divine epiphanies, messages from higher powers, or omens witnessed during or after important events.", "A knight's higher calling is summarized in a proverb called the knight's dictum. For example, a knight who strives to dismantle systems of oppression might espouse this dictum: \"Disarm those who unjustly disarm others.\" Knights frequently decorate their weapons or armor with their dictums.", "Even though a knight's higher calling is usually personal, many knights share higher callings. Knights with shared higher callings often congregate at particular chapters of the order.", "Examples include the following:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "Slay cult leaders, crime lords, and other evil masterminds.", "Aid Celestials in their war against Fiends.", "Locate people in need and help them find their way.", "Pursue positions of authority to identify powerful evildoers.", "Construct and maintain a stronghold for the Order of the Gauntlet.", "Perfect virtues that should be undertaken by all." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 169, "id": "39c", "entries": [ "Members of the Order of the Gauntlet can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Order of the Gauntlet Tournament Field", "page": 169, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "The Purple Dragon Knights", "page": 170, "id": "39f", "entries": [ "The Purple Dragon Knights have protected the kingdom of Cormyr for centuries. But a decade ago, the knights underwent a transformation led by the spirit of an ancient amethyst dragon named Eldenser. Eldenser was a scholar of the multiverse, and in his travels, he saw people partnering with dragons on the world of Krynn. Inspired by what he witnessed, Eldenser called other amethyst dragons to Cormyr and persuaded them to partner with the kingdom's Purple Dragon Knights to defend Cormyr while pursuing new knowledge and experiences. Now the knights ride amethyst dragons across Faerûn to oppose Cormyr's enemies, hunt aberrant monsters, and carry out the will of Cormyr's noble queen, Raedra.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/168-06-017.purple-dragon-knights.webp" }, "credit": "Helder Almeida", "width": 850, "height": 1598, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 170, "id": "3a0", "entries": [ "The foremost obligation of the Purple Dragon Knights is to protect Cormyr and carry out the wishes of its ruler, Queen Raedra. The knights lead Cormyr's armies, defend its strongholds, and represent the crown and Cormyr more broadly across Faerûn. Many travel Faerûn as knights errant, assisting people in need and searching for potential squires.", "The knights' amethyst dragon partners have goals of their own. First and foremost, amethyst dragons seek out new experiences. Their curiosity prompts them to explore and collect knowledge not just on Toril, but throughout the multiverse. They have a special hatred of aberrations and lead their knights on quests to hunt and kill such creatures.", "Together, Purple Dragon Knights and their dragon partners oppose the Cult of the Dragon, rooting out and destroying secret cells of the cult whenever possible." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 170, "id": "3a1", "entries": [ "The Purple Dragon Knights have a simple rank structure. The leader of the organization is the Grand Knight, currently Dunstan Cormaeril, who has served in this role since the re-formation of the Purple Dragon Knights a decade ago. Dunstan is assisted and advised by the spirit of Eldenser, whose incorporeal form dwells inside Dunstan's magic sword. Because Dunstan doesn't have a living amethyst dragon partner, he can't travel around Faerûn as easily as other knights can, and his duties keep him at Purplemont, the knights' fortress in Suzail.", "The Grand Knight is assisted by a council of twelve High Knights, experienced warriors whose loyalty to Cormyr is beyond question. They lead other knights of Cormyr in battle.", "Most Purple Dragon Knights are simply knights, with no other rank. While knights aspire to become High Knights, few ever achieve that rank. Knights might be assigned quests by the Grand Knight or the queen, but between missions they live as knights errant. They travel Cormyr or anywhere their dragon takes them, pursuing justice for the oppressed, protecting the weak, and furthering the goals of Cormyr.", "New knights carry the title of knight novice for a year and a day. During this time, they follow the orders of other knights and master the art of riding a dragon. But because the Purple Dragon Knights are few, knight novices must often rise to the occasion by undertaking perilous missions with only their dragons and fellow adventurers for allies.", "Purple Dragon Knights sometimes take squires\u2014aspiring knights who have not yet earned their dragon partner.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/169-06-018.purple-dragon-items.webp" }, "credit": "Jane Katsubo", "width": 1700, "height": 1060 }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Taking the Purple", "page": 170, "id": "3a2", "entries": [ "An individual who wants to join the Purple Dragon Knights\u2014or \"take the purple,\" in Cormyrean parlance\u2014must get the attention of a knight and ask to become the knight's squire. For citizens of Cormyr, this is relatively easy; an aspiring squire who goes to Purplemont in Suzail can usually attract a knight's attention in short order. But the legend of the Purple Dragon Knights has spread far and wide in recent years, and people from Icewind Dale to Calimshan dream of riding an amethyst dragon across Faerûnian skies. For these people, finding a knight can be a significant quest.", "Knights decide who to take as a squire. Most knights expect a squire to demonstrate fighting skill, courage, a willingness to follow orders, and a keen sense of right and wrong. More eager candidates exist than there are amethyst dragons, so knights select only the best to become squires. Since it's considered bad luck to accept a squire who has already been refused by another knight, few aspirants continue their quest for knighthood after facing rejection.", "Squires usually train for a few years before they're made a knight, but proving their courage, skill, and character in extraordinary circumstances can expedite their knighthood. But before a squire can become a Purple Dragon Knight, an amethyst dragon must choose the squire as its rider. Not every squire is chosen, and squires passed over by a dragon often get discouraged and quit their pursuit of knighthood. Others stick it out, continuing to serve the Purple Dragon Knights as squires or administrators in hopes to be chosen as a dragon's rider one day." ] }, { "type": "inset", "name": "Amethyst Dragons", "page": 170, "entries": [ "Amethyst dragons are detailed in {@book Fizban's Treasury of Dragons|FTD|6}, and you can find their stat blocks there along with more information on Eldenser. They are the most powerful kind of gem dragon. Whereas chromatic dragons are typically evil, and metallic dragons typically good, gem dragons are typically neutral. They have the same age categories as other dragons (wyrmling, young, adult, ancient) but their spellcasting powers are psionic in nature. The breath weapon of an amethyst dragon is a bead of exploding gravitational force. Amethyst dragons can breathe underwater and swim at great speed." ], "id": "045" }, { "type": "entries", "name": "The Dragon and the Knight", "page": 171, "id": "3a3", "entries": [ "The relationship between a Purple Dragon Knight and an amethyst dragon partner is complicated and intense. Amethyst dragons are telepathic; they routinely read their partners' minds and communicate by thought. Every Purple Dragon Knight knows that secrets can't exist between a dragon and its rider if both are to succeed; eventually the pair comes to know everything about each other.", "Amethyst dragons are exceptionally powerful. A Purple Dragon Knight is usually far less formidable than the dragon they ride. But a dragon's rider has courage, ambition, and hope\u2014qualities admired by amethyst dragons. The best pairings strategically leverage their strengths and weaknesses. Against an especially dangerous enemy, a knight is apt to let the dragon take point. When a situation calls for diplomacy and a dragon might be seen as a threat, the knight leads.", "Purple Dragon Knights make use of their amethyst dragons' unique powers outside of encounters as well. For example, because amethyst dragons can breathe underwater and swim at great speed, many knights make temporary camps in undersea grottoes or in hidden pools accessible only by flooded tunnels. The Grand Knight even built a secret sanctuary for the knights in the Dragonmere, a small sea on Cormyr's southern coast." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 172, "id": "3a4", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Purple Dragon Knights by defeating Aberrations and members of the Cult of the Dragon, defending Cormyr from its enemies, and assisting amethyst dragons. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Purple Dragon Knights Renown", "page": 172, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "The Purple Dragon Knights provide you a {@book Comfortable|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} lifestyle for free at Purplemont, the faction's fortress in Suzail." ], [ "5+", "You can hire Cormyrean hirelings for half the usual cost." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, the Purple Dragon Knights give you an Uncommon magic item from the Armor or Weapon category." ], [ "15+", "You are given an honorary Cormyrean knighthood. The royal family of Cormyr is {@variantrule Friendly [Attitude]|XPHB|Friendly} to you by default." ], [ "25+", "Amethyst dragons are Friendly to you by default." ], [ "30+", "You can command a troop of {@dice 1d6} {@creature Knight|XMM|Knights} to help you on a mission or complete one task that doesn't go against the Purple Dragon Knights' core principles. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "40+", "You are trusted by the Purple Dragon Knights' Great Knight, who confides in you and provides information." ], [ "50+", "You are asked to take care of an amethyst dragon egg until it hatches. Additionally, you can call on a High Knight to perform a major favor for you, such as granting a private audience with the royal family. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Purple Dragon Knight Characters", "page": 172, "id": "3a5", "entries": [ "Adventurers who aspire to join the Purple Dragon Knights were often stricken with wanderlust from a young age or pursued occupations adjacent to knighthood. Characters with the Guard, Sailor, or Soldier background fit in well with this faction. The Purple Dragon Knights take members of all types, as long as a person's heart is untainted by evil and they swear to uphold the glory of Cormyr.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 172, "id": "3a6", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Purple Dragon Knights, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Equipment", "page": 172, "id": "3a7", "entries": [ "You receive a {@book Martial Melee|XPHB|6|Weapons} weapon, a {@item Lance|XPHB}, a suit of {@book Medium or Heavy armor|XPHB|6|Armor}, and an {@item Exotic Saddle|XPHB}." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 172, "id": "3a8", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Purple Dragon Knight Trinket|FRHoF|Purple Dragon Knight Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Purple Dragon Knights." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Dragon Quests", "page": 172, "id": "3a9", "entries": [ "Before an amethyst dragon accepts a squire as its rider, the dragon sometimes asks the squire to undertake a heroic quest. Completion of this quest signals that the squire is worthy of the dragon's respect and ascension to knighthood. Such quests are rarely simple affairs; some amethyst dragons, now notorious, have assigned the same quest to many squires who failed\u2014or even died\u2014in their attempts.", "An amethyst dragon rarely discloses the quest's details until after a petitioner has agreed to undertake it. What's more, a squire who's agreed to undertake an amethyst dragon's quest can't thereafter accept a different dragon's quest.", "Some amethyst dragons offer their quests to non-squires, allowing unaffiliated adventurers a chance to join the Purple Dragon Knights without being squires.", "If your character aspires to join the Purple Dragon Knights and has received a quest from an amethyst dragon, you can roll on the Amethyst Dragon Quests table to determine the quest.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Amethyst Dragon Quests", "page": 173, "colLabels": [ "1d6", "Quest" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "1", "\"Destroy a cell of the Cult of the Dragon, and bring me the cult leader's head.\"" ], [ "2", "\"Find a lance that befits my majesty.\"" ], [ "3", "\"Travel to another world. Return to me only once you have something worth showing.\"" ], [ "4", "\"A psychic disturbance pains me. Locate the monster causing this, and slay it.\"" ], [ "5", "\"I yearn to see an aerie atop a mountain of unparalleled beauty. Take this amethyst to such a place.\"" ], [ "6", "\"I sense the presence of a wayward flumph somewhere on this world. Help this flumph find its cloister.\"" ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 173, "id": "3aa", "entries": [ "Members of the Purple Dragon Knights can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Amethyst Dragon Den", "page": 173, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Red Wizards", "page": 174, "id": "3ae", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/171-06-020.red-wizards.webp" }, "credit": "Swatches Studio", "width": 850, "height": 1313, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "When folk in Faerûn think of the Red Wizards, most imagine cabals of undead mages clad in blood-red robes and wielding unholy arcane powers. According to such tales, these vile spellcasters hail from Thay, a hellish nation of paranoid wizard-lords called zulkirs and their zombified minions. Red Wizards are universally evil, so the stories go, and should be treated as such.", "The truth is more nuanced. Magic has restored Thay's environment, and trade has returned, despite the dangers posed by Thay's powerful undead ruler, Szass Tam. Szass Tam is a necromancer and lich who rules through fear and cruelty, but he is only one of eight rival zulkirs. These zulkirs\u2014and the Red Wizards they command\u2014can pursue their own interests so long as they don't displease Szass Tam.", "Still, Red Wizards share enough common traits\u2014namely their formidable skill at magic and their craving for arcane power\u2014that, despite rivalry among the faction's leaders, the Red Wizards are still a unified group.", { "type": "inset", "name": "Thayan Knights", "page": 174, "id": "3af", "entries": [ "Red Wizards from Thay are often served by one or more Thayan knights\u2014proven warriors whose sworn duty is to protect the Red Wizards. Thayan knights resemble Red Wizards in some ways\u2014shaved heads, arcane tattoos\u2014but lack the faction's trademark red robes and favor sword and shield over staff and scroll. That said, since knowledge of the arcane arts is often necessary to protect their wards, Thayan knights typically boast impressive knowledge of wizardry. Some even wield minor forms of magic to augment their martial abilities." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 174, "id": "3b0", "entries": [ "Red Wizards are experts in the arcane arts. Many serve a zulkir, while others travel Faerûn gathering magical secrets. Red Wizards often seek ways to extend their lives. In the past, necromancy was the go-to solution to the problem of mortality, but lately zulkirs have begun seeking other methods, such as pacts with devils or archfey or the use of powerful Artifacts.", "Rivalry between the zulkirs is ubiquitous. Inside Thay, this rivalry is kept out of the public eye so that the supremacy of the zulkirs isn't questioned. But outside Thay, this rivalry frequently breaks out into the open, leading to battles between Red Wizards on the streets of settlements throughout Faerûn.", "Some Red Wizards leave Thay and abandon the dangerous intrigue of their homeland. These Red Wizards travel Faerûn seeking magical power and ancient lore\u2014not to bring back to their zulkir masters, but for their own benefit. Many of these Red Wizards become magic item brokers, financing their travels and arcane research by crafting and magic items.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Demeanor and Disguise", "page": 174, "id": "3b1", "entries": [ "As their name suggests, Red Wizards wear crimson robes. In Thay, they are the only caste permitted to wear this color; the penalty for others doing so is death. Most Red Wizards shave their heads and bear prominent arcane tattoos on their face or scalp. Red Wizards might wear silver, steel, or silken accessories, but they aren't ostentatious, nor are they spiritual or overly concerned with traditions or rites. To the Red Wizards, arcane power is everything\u2014more important than all the gold, gods, or glory in the multiverse.", "The reputation of a Red Wizard precedes them, and this can create difficulties for Red Wizards who leave Thay to pursue personal goals or simply carry out instructions from the zulkirs. When Red Wizards leave Thay, they often conceal their identities to avoid persecution. Red Wizards' skill at magic makes this a simple matter; unknown numbers of Red Wizards walk in plain clothes, shrouded by illusion, in every major cosmopolitan area of the Forgotten Realms." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Traveling and Trade", "page": 174, "id": "3b2", "entries": [ "Many Red Wizards travel in groups so they can complement one another's different specialties; since Szass Tam's fall, the eight magic schools have become evenly represented among them. Traveling together also enables Red Wizards to practice circle magic (see {@area chapter 5|2f4|x}).", "To fund their adventures, many Red Wizards trade in magic items, as well as traditional goods like silver and silk. In many parts of the world, Red Wizards are well known for their ruthlessness in commerce\u2014and, in some cases, their predilection for spell-assisted deception. Common traders exercise great caution when dealing with Red Wizards.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/172-06-021.red-wizrds-items.webp" }, "credit": "Jane Katsubo", "width": 1700, "height": 1095 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 175, "id": "3b3", "entries": [ "Most Red Wizards hail from Thay and serve that nation's zulkirs\u2014a council of the eight most powerful Red Wizards, one for each school of magic. Szass Tam seldom leaves the Citadel, his most formidable fortress on the slopes of Thaymount. The other zulkirs scheme against each other, pursue personal goals, and relish their lofty positions as corulers of Thay.", "Beyond the zulkirs, Red Wizards have no official ranks or hierarchy. Unofficially, Red Wizards are sometimes given one of three titles\u2014apprentice, master, or sage\u2014that reflect magical prowess and respect among other Red Wizards. Apprentices are expected to blend into the background of Red Wizard meetings until they've proved themselves worthy of speaking. Sages are the Red Wizards' eldest, most accomplished arcanists, responsible for training apprentices and rearing future generations of Red Wizards. Masters fall between apprentices and sages and are the majority of Red Wizards." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Thayan Enclaves", "page": 175, "id": "3b4", "entries": [ "Over the last two centuries, Thayan wizards and merchants worked together to established enclaves\u2014small communities of Red Wizards who traded in magic items and spells\u2014across Faerûn. Governments permitted these enclaves within their borders because they resulted in lucrative trade. According to the charters of the Thayan enclaves, the land within the walls of an enclave is Thayan soil, and Thayan law applies there.", "Over the years, many enclaves were besieged or abandoned. But others survived through skillful negotiation on the part of the Red Wizards who lived there or simply because they were far enough away from Thay that even Szass Tam's onerous reputation meant little. A few converted to illicit markets hidden among the mundane trade of the local settlement.", "But the old charters are still legally binding, and with a little persuasion, some concessions, and gifts of powerful magic items to the right rulers, Thayan enclaves are reopening in settlements across Faerûn. The typical Thayan enclave is walled and houses a handful of Red Wizards, their bodyguards, a garrison of soldiers to defend the enclave and project power into the nearby settlement, and a flourishing market for magic items. Profits generated by these enclaves go back to Thay to fuel the reconstruction of the nation.", "For anyone who seeks an audience with the Red Wizards\u2014or who aspires to become one\u2014the first step is to seek out the nearest Thayan enclave." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 176, "id": "3b5", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Red Wizards by completing quests for the faction, acquiring powerful magic, and contributing to the reconstruction of Thay. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Red Wizards Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Red Wizards Renown", "page": 176, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "You know the locations of Thayan enclaves around Faerûn and can enter and stay in them, providing you a {@book Comfortable|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} lifestyle for free." ], [ "5+", "You can buy the following kinds of adventuring gear from Thayan merchants at half cost: Arcane Focus, Ink, Ink Pen, Paper, Parchment, {@item Potion of Healing|XDMG}, and {@item Spell Scroll|XDMG} (cantrip or level 1)." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, the Red Wizards give you an Uncommon magic item from the Rod, Staff, or Wand category." ], [ "15+", "You have Advantage on ability checks made to influence a creature while bartering to buy or sell a magic item." ], [ "25+", "You gain access to a tattoo artist who can ink {@item Thayan Spell Tattoo|FRHoF|Thayan Spell Tattoos} on your body (see {@area \"Tattoo Magic\"|3ba|x} below)." ], [ "30", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 30, the Red Wizards give you a Rare magic item from the Rod, Staff, Wand, or Wondrous Item category." ], [ "40+", "When preparing to cast a Circle spell (see {@area chapter 5|2f4|x}) in a town or larger settlement, you can recruit {@dice 1d4} {@creature Mage|XMM|Mages} to assist you for free. The mages arrive in {@dice 1d10} days. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases." ], [ "50", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 50, the Red Wizards give you a Very Rare magic item from the Rod, Staff, Wand, or Wondrous Item category." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Red Wizard Characters", "page": 176, "id": "3b6", "entries": [ "Red Wizards who take up the adventuring life serve Szass Tam or one of the other zulkirs. When not carrying out a superior's instructions, a Red Wizard seeks magical power and explores Faerûn for secrets and lore.", "The archetypal Red Wizard is driven by ambition. They are loyal to friends, proven allies, and Thay itself. Altruism is a rare virtue among the Red Wizards, but it shines all the more brightly for that rarity. Most Red Wizard characters are Wizards. Rarely, Warlocks and Sorcerers find their way to the order.", "Although not true Red Wizards, Thayan knights frequently deal with the order. To play a Thayan knight, consider taking levels in the Fighter class and selecting the Eldritch Knight subclass.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 176, "id": "3b7", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Red Wizards, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Red Robes", "page": 176, "id": "3b8", "entries": [ "You receive a set of crimson robes. As long as you're a member of the Red Wizards, these robes magically mend and clean themselves each day at dawn." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 176, "id": "3b9", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Red Wizard Trinket|FRHoF|Red Wizard Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Red Wizards." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Tattoo Magic", "page": 176, "id": "3ba", "entries": [ "Red Wizards often adorn their bodies with tattoos. Many of these tattoos are decorative or symbolic, signifying, for example, a Red Wizard's allegiance to a particular zulkir. Some, however, are magical tattoos, called {@item Thayan Spell Tattoo|FRHoF|Thayan Spell Tattoos}, which allow the wearer to cast the spell contained in the tattoo's ink.", { "type": "inset", "name": "Inking Thayan Spell Tattoos", "page": 177, "entries": [ "The Thayan art of magical tattooing is highly guarded by its practitioners, and thus, {@item Thayan Spell Tattoo|FRHoF|Thayan Spell Tattoos} can't be crafted like other magic items. To learn how to ink {@i Thayan Spell Tattoos}, you must have a Renown Score of 50+ with the Red Wizards.", "To ink a {@i Thayan Spell Tattoo}, you must have proficiency in the {@skill Arcana|XPHB} skill and with Calligrapher's Tools and have the spell prepared each day of the inking. You must also have at hand any Material components required by the spell; if the spell consumes its Material components, they are consumed when you complete the tattoo. Inking a {@i Thayan Spell Tattoo} takes the same amount of time and money as scribing a {@item Spell Scroll|XDMG} of an equivalent level." ], "id": "043" } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 177, "id": "3bc", "entries": [ "Members of the Red Wizards can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Red Wizard Necropolis", "page": 177, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Zhentarim", "page": 178, "id": "3c0", "entries": [ "The Zhentarim\u2014also known as the Black Network\u2014is a loose affiliation of merchants, mercenaries, and malefactors. When a caravan needs escorts, a noble needs bodyguards, or a city needs soldiers, the Zhentarim provides the best-trained fighting forces money can buy. If the cargo is shady or the cause is questionable, the Zhentarim doesn't mind one bit\u2014if there's money to be made, Zhents will dabble in just about any venture.", "Zhentarim agents consider themselves part of an extended family, and membership in the organization comes with the perks\u2014and tension\u2014that familial relations imply. Resources and security are shared among the organization, but the Zhentarim recognizes and rewards personal ambition, granting its members autonomy to pursue their own interests. In this way, the organization is a meritocracy; those who do well for themselves do well in the Zhentarim at large. But woe be to any whose personal aims conflict with the Zhentarim's, for loyalists respond to treachery with fierce retribution.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/174-06-023.zhentarim.webp" }, "credit": "Olga Drebas", "width": 850, "height": 1238, "maxWidth": 360, "maxHeight": 360 }, "The Zhentarim welcomes all whose primary motivator is money. This mindset has earned the organization a negative reputation among Faerûn's other factions. Harpers in particular have historically clashed with Zhents, and members of the Lords' Alliance and Order of the Gauntlet keep a close eye on the organization's effects on Faerûnian politics. At an individual level, however, adventurers have little to fear from Zhentarim allies on assignment\u2014they just make sure to read the fine print before signing any Zhentarim contracts.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Goals and Activities", "page": 178, "id": "3c1", "entries": [ "The Zhentarim's public-facing philosophy is one of ruthless enterprise. According to Zhentarim doctrine, money left on the table benefits no one and only wastes precious resources. By this logic, the faction's activities are altruistic. No laws are being broken, after all; the laws are simply being used to their fullest potential.", "In actuality, the Zhentarim has its fingers in many illegal industries and unsavory ventures, ranging from racketeering, intimidation, and smuggling to grand larceny, assassinations, and warmongering. Zhentarim veterans may go deep undercover for months at a time, disrupting well-established local power structures, or leading task forces of lower-ranking agents into volatile situations.", "In places where laws prove too restrictive for the Zhentarim to achieve its fiscal goals, it pulls strings to change those laws. In some parts of Faerûn, the Zhentarim effectively is the authority, having rewritten the legal code to suit its own ends. Such is the case in many districts of cities like Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate as well as the Zhentarim's de facto headquarters in Darkhold.", "The Zhentarim's ultimate aims are unknown. The most common theory is the Zhentarim wants to monopolize trade protection and become the richest organization in Faerûn. If merchants were ever wholly reliant on Zhentarim transport, the Zhentarim would control commerce across the entire globe. But no one knows what the Zhentarim would do with such power once the faction had it.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Ties to Evil Deities", "page": 178, "id": "3c2", "entries": [ "The Zhentarim has a long history of involvement with two deities: Bane and Cyric. Presently the organization has no official affiliation with any god, but these deities still find many devotees among", "the Zhentarim. Bane's ethos of domination over the weak is a natural complement to the ambitions of power-hungry Zhents, whereas Cyric's cunning and ruthlessness are admirable traits in Zhentarim circles.", "Nowadays, religious Zhents are more likely to consort with diabolic divinities than world-famous gods. The Lords of the Nine boast countless patrons who can advance a mortal's social standing or wealth, and many Zhents beseech such powers. Some of the Zhentarim's most popular infernal sponsors include Mammon (the Nine Hells' principal miser), Fierna (coruler of Phlegethos with her father, Belial), and Glasya (Asmodeus's daughter).", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/175-06-024.zhentarim-items.webp" }, "credit": "Coupleofkooks", "width": 1700, "height": 1102 } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Leadership and Organization", "page": 179, "id": "3c3", "entries": [ "The Zhentarim is based foremost out of Darkhold, a citadel in the western Heartlands. Darkhold Vale has a small militia that answers to a local captain named Sulvarn. But the true leader of the castle\u2014and the entire Zhentarim organization\u2014is the legendary Pereghost: a dark knight credited with leading the Zhentarim toward its current prosperity. No one knows the Pereghost's identity or whether he is even a single person; he's never been seen without his black iron armor and face-covering helm, and he's led the Zhentarim for over a hundred years.", { "type": "inset", "name": "Five Things Everyone Knows about the Zhentarim", "page": 178, "id": "3c4", "entries": [ "Anyone in Faerûn who didn't grow up under a rock knows the following about the Zhentarim:", { "type": "list", "items": [ "If you want to move something unnoticed, hire Zhentarim mercenaries.", "The Zhentarim considers itself one big family. If you cross one Zhent, you cross them all.", "When trying to make an impression on a Zhent, a little coin goes a long way.", "Zhents take great pride in their weapons and armor, which are often embellished with special insignias.", "Zhentarim brokers are legal experts. Don't try to swindle a Zhent." ] } ] }, "The Zhentarim famously conducts itself like a family. Some members take this to heart by assuming epithets like uncle, mother, or cousin. But the Zhentarim's official titles are far more sinister sounding. In order of lowest to highest rank, titles range from primal animal parts (such as fang) to the names of predators (wolf, viper) to original monikers of Zhentarim design (ardragon, dread lord).", { "type": "entries", "name": "Zhentarim Outposts", "page": 179, "id": "3c5", "entries": [ "Although the Zhentarim's center of power is in Darkhold, the organization maintains outposts in virtually every region where there's money to be made. Whether Zhents are manipulating the knucklehead trout trade of Icewind Dale, inflating the price of sunmelons in the Dalelands, or hunting rare dinosaur pelts in Chult, they rely on Zhentarim outposts to relay news, refresh supplies, and relax after a successful job.", "Many Zhentarim outposts are secret\u2014unassuming locales such as abandoned warehouses and crumbling tenements that keep illegal doings hidden from public notice. Other outposts are ostentatious and richly appointed: handsome manors, lavish villas, and well-outfitted guild houses that loudly advertise the organization's services and reputation for success." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Renown Rewards", "page": 180, "id": "3c6", "entries": [ "Characters gain renown with the Zhentarim by completing Zhentarim jobs and expanding the organization's reach. As their Renown Score increases, characters gain access to various perks, as shown on the Zhentarim Renown table. If your campaign doesn't use Renown, your DM decides if and when characters earn these perks.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Zhentarim Renown", "page": 180, "colLabels": [ "Renown Score", "Reward" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "3+", "You earn the honorary title of fang. You can stay in Zhentarim-controlled safe houses and inns, providing you a {@book Poor|XPHB|6|Lifestyle Expenses} lifestyle for free." ], [ "5+", "You can reliably sell stolen goods in settlements." ], [ "10", "The first time your Renown Score reaches 10, you receive a random Uncommon magic item." ], [ "15+", "You earn the honorary title of wolf. You receive a 10% discount when buying weapons, armor, and adventuring gear in Zhentarim-controlled markets." ], [ "25+", "You earn the honorary title of viper. In Zhentarim-controlled settlements, you have Advantage on Charisma ({@skill Intimidation|XPHB}) checks made to influence others." ], [ "30+", "You can assign a group of up to six {@creature Spy|XMM|Spies} to complete a task that doesn't interfere with the Zhentarim's business. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again until your Renown Score increases. In addition, the first time your Renown Score reaches 30, an ardragon gives you a writ for a Zhentarim insignia (see {@area \"Zhentarim Insignias\"|3cc|x} below)." ], [ "40+", "You earn the honorary title of ardragon and receive the authority and funds necessary to establish your own Zhentarim outpost. In addition, you can call on a Zhentarim-allied {@creature Beholder|XMM} for help on a single mission. Once you use this reward, you can't do so again." ], [ "50+", "You earn the honorary title of dread lord. In addition, the first time your Renown Score reaches 50, Zhentarim agents cast the {@spell Clone|XPHB} spell, targeting you, for free." ] ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Zhentarim Characters", "page": 180, "id": "3c7", "entries": [ "Adventurers of every stripe can excel in the Zhentarim. Fighter, Monk, and Rogue are good choices for a rank-and-file Zhentarim mercenary. Wizards, Warlocks, and Bards are well suited to the skilled work and high-level deals required to make it in the organization's upper echelons.", "The fewer scruples a character has the better; lawful and good-aligned characters won't be comfortable doing the Zhentarim's ethically dubious work. When it comes to background, many Zhents trace their origins to prior work as a Criminal, Merchant, or Soldier.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 180, "id": "3c8", "entries": [ "If you're a member of the Zhentarim, you receive these benefits.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Loaner Gear", "page": 180, "id": "3c9", "entries": [ "At the outset of a Zhentarim assignment, you can requisition a single weapon or suit of armor worth up to 50 GP. You must return the item to the Zhentarim on the job's completion or pay a fee equal to twice the item's price." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Steady Work", "page": 180, "id": "3ca", "entries": [ "You can always find mercenary work while in a settlement." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Trinket", "page": 180, "id": "3cb", "entries": [ "Roll on the {@item Zhentarim Trinket|FRHoF|Zhentarim Trinkets} table to determine what trinket you have from your time with the Zhentarim." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Zhentarim Insignias", "page": 180, "id": "3cc", "entries": [ "Zhents take great pride in their tools of the trade. Many Zhents decorate their cherished weapons and armor with ornamental accessories, decorative etchings, and other custom flourishes.", "Zhentarim artisans craft and apply specific motifs called Zhentarim insignias. These insignias, which must be authorized by a senior Zhent of rank viper or higher, recognize the recipient's good work, notable exploits, or continued loyalty. Zhents wear their insignias on their gear with great pride, much as soldiers wear badges of honor.", "Only Zhentarim-affiliated artisans are permitted to apply an insignia; counterfeiters are rooted out and punished.", "Work with your DM to determine what, if any, insignia your Zhentarim character has. The most common Zhentarim insignia is of a downward-flying dragon chasing an orb on a field of flames, which signifies an individual has completed their first successful job for the Zhentarim. Later, this initial design could be augmented with insignias that signify important deeds or special honors. For example, additional orbs usually signify the accumulation of wealth, and the number of flames on the field of fire signify lives taken during Zhentarim jobs." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Facility", "page": 181, "id": "3cd", "entries": [ "Members of the Zhentarim can add the following special facility to their Bastions.", { "type": "statblock", "name": "Zhentarim Travel Station", "page": 181, "source": "FRHoF", "tag": "facility" } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Criminal Syndicates", "page": 182, "id": "3d1", "entries": [ "Thieves' guilds, crime rings, and outwardly lawless factions are common in Faerûn. While some are so local in scale, short lived, or disorganized that they're little more than common gangs, others\u2014such as the Shadow Thieves of Amn or the Fire Knives of Westgate\u2014enforce their edicts on monarchs and lords through intimidation, terror, and outright murder. Adventurers, justice seekers, and potential rivals (or accomplices) do well to keep tabs on these criminal organizations.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Fire Knives", "page": 182, "id": "3d2", "entries": [ "The Fire Knives is a syndicate of noble-born assassins, extortionists, enforcers, and spies based out of Westgate. The syndicate is run by the city's ruling family, House Bleth, blurring the line between law and crime there.", "Originally based out of Cormyr, the Fire Knives traces its roots to two disgraced noble families from that nation: House Bleth and House Cormaeril. Most Fire Knives are born into the organization from these families, though the syndicate occasionally recruits outsiders. Anyone who wants to influence Westgate society benefits from a good relationship with the Fire Knives.", "Members of the Fire Knives take advantage of their noble bloodlines and aristocratic training to move freely within high society and get close to their favored targets: Cormyrean nobles\u2014particularly House Obarskyr. Only the syndicate's leader, the Grandmother of Assassins, knows the true reasons behind the Fire Knives' bloodthirsty schemes.", "Fire Knives agents work alone on assassinations, though they sometimes use accomplices to help them set up the killing and escape safely afterward. Most prefer poisoned blades\u2014daggers, stilettos, or the like\u2014to accomplish their deeds, using aristocratic wiles or clever disguises to get close to a target before eliminating them. When necessary, an agent slips a toxin into the target's food or drink instead. The Fire Knives disdain what they consider \"brutish\" weapons, such as garrotes and crossbows." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Nine Golden Swords", "page": 182, "id": "3d3", "entries": [ "The Nine Golden Swords is a powerful crime syndicate based out of Thesk in northeast Faerûn. From there, the Swords' power extends eastward along the Golden Way, the legendary trade route between Faerûn and lands to the east, as well as westward around the Sea of Fallen Stars, where cells operate in port cities like Telflamm and Westgate. The Nine Golden Swords' operations include highway robbery, intimidation, and peddling vices in dens of iniquity. The leader of the Nine Golden Swords is a mysterious figure known as the Golden Throne.", "The Nine Golden Swords has a strong foothold in Westgate, where they're based out of the city's Shou District. The syndicate opposes the ruling Fire Knives and claims to be an organization of the people, though most recognize it's a criminal enterprise. Still, the Nine Golden Swords has publicly opposed the Fire Knives' worst affronts against those too weak to defend themselves. Consequently, the Nine Golden Swords enjoys the favor of the working class.", "Punishment, rather than reward, is the typical tool of control within the Nine Golden Swords. Members are referred to as soldiers and are treated as an elite military order, with defection punished by death. Conversely, a soldier's loyalty might be rewarded in time, but advancement isn't guaranteed. The hierarchy of the Nine Golden Swords is opaque, even to those inside the organization." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Shadow Thieves", "page": 182, "id": "3d4", "entries": [ "The Shadow Thieves is the largest and most prosperous thieves' guild in Faerûn. Its goals are simple\u2014accumulate wealth and acquire power\u2014and thus appeal to aspiring crooks and cons the world over.", "The Shadow Thieves is based out of the nation of Amn, where it controls markets as well as politics and is even secretly supported by that nation's ruling Council of Six. The Shadow Thieves once controlled the criminal underworld of Waterdeep, to the north; the guild's leaders have nursed a grudge against the city and its rulers ever since their exile.", "The Shadow Thieves' influence is felt far and wide. According to common wisdom, the Shadow Thieves has a hand in everything that happens along the Sword Coast. Savvy merchants and aristocrats alike recognize the folly of ignoring the guild, so individuals of means make allies among the Shadow Thieves, or at least stay apprised of the faction's activities.", "The Shadow Thieves' success is derived from its complex hierarchy, which is organized into layers like an onion. At the center of the guild is the Shadow Council, led by the Grandmaster of Shadow. Reporting to the council are senior administrators called cloakmasters, who are in turn served by the guildmasters and the guild's countless rank-and-file operatives. Situated at each level of this hierarchy are arrays of blinds\u2014stool pigeons with false titles who operate out of decoy hideouts and whose purpose is to throw off the Shadow Thieves' enemies.", "Joining the Shadow Thieves isn't difficult, and recruits who survive their first few missions can quickly climb the guild's ranks. Guildmasters have autonomy to recruit and promote within the local guild level.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/177-06-026.streets-of-baldurs-gate.webp" }, "title": "On the streets of a city like Baldur's Gate, none are safe from the Shadow Thieves.", "credit": "Ignatius Budi", "width": 1700, "height": 1090 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Xanathar Guild", "page": 183, "id": "3d5", "entries": [ "The Xanathar Guild is, despite its name, a criminal organization in Waterdeep with no official guild status. Anyone is welcome to join, and many runaways, street urchins, and common ruffians seek admittance to the Xanathar Guild in hopes of improving their poor lot. Before membership is granted, however, an applicant must pass a test that always involves committing a serious crime. Possibilities include murdering a guild member who has failed Xanathar in some fashion, kidnapping a Waterdhavian citizen, collecting a ransom, robbing a coach, or looting a warehouse.", "Among low-ranking guild members, rampant speculation goes on about the true nature of Xanathar. Some say Xanathar is a beholder or another monster, perhaps an unusually patient minotaur or magically enlightened ogre, while others insist that the name belongs to a human who uses illusion magic to appear like a monster. Still others contend that Xanathar isn't an individual but rather a metaphor for a set of villainous ideals. (Intellectualism is held in low esteem in the Xanathar Guild, even by the standards of criminal gangs, so that last theory is scorned by guild members.)", "Advancement in the guild is fiercely competitive and based on a member's wiles or their ability to dispose of rivals. Evil adventurers can thrive in this environment, but the risks are seldom worth the reward." ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Other Organizations", "page": 184, "id": "3d6", "entries": [ "Countless other factions, orders, and societies populate the Forgotten Realms. This section describes numerous organizations that, though less well known than the other factions in this chapter, have made a sizable impact.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Arcane Brotherhood", "page": 184, "id": "3d7", "entries": [ "The Arcane Brotherhood is a cabal of powerful wizards that operates out of the Hosttower of the Arcane, a multi-spired structure that towers above the city of Luskan on the Sword Coast. The group's leadership consists of five renowned archmages who handpick the other members, favoring wizards of great accomplishment. Every year, scores of wizards from across Faerûn flock to the Hosttower in hopes of gaining admittance to the brotherhood's prestigious ranks. Nearly all candidates are dismissed out of hand without so much as a test, feeding rumors that the group's leaders are more interested in marketing their own brand of exclusivity than finding new talent. Yet prospective wizards are willing to debase themselves regardless, for admittance to the brotherhood grants access to the Hosttower's incredible libraries of magical lore.", "Once welcomed into the organization, wizards are free to pursue their own interests so long as they place the security and sanctity of the Hosttower and the cabal above all else. When not rallying to defend their home, wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood are rivals to one another, striving to outdo their peers in magic. Open conflict between members is forbidden, yet members are adroit at finding underhanded ways to needle and sabotage one another." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Aurora's Emporium", "page": 184, "id": "3d8", "entries": [ "Aurora's Emporium sells unusual and luxury goods in cities across Faerûn. Clients order items out of a detailed catalog, then pick up their purchases at any of the Emporium's many convenient locations. Purchases can also be delivered by special request. Among the catalog's unique array of offerings are useful adventuring gear; specialty curiosities; and staples such as wine, bread, and a dozen varieties of cheese.", "The Emporium's goals are threefold: acquire quality goods, make these goods available to interested parties at a reasonable profit, and uphold the name of Aurora's Emporium as an honorable business with satisfied customers.", "The business's namesake is Aurora, a former adventurer whose mission in retirement was offering the kinds of gear and supplies she wished she'd been able to purchase in her heyday. Because she was an adventurer herself, Aurora understood the importance of procuring reliable, quality merchandise, so she provided the best products and service money could buy. She became a legend in the adventuring community but passed many years ago after a long and happy life. Now the business is run by her great-granddaughter, also named Aurora, who employs storekeepers and mages to conduct day-to-day sales operations, and adventurers to procure new and interesting items for sale.", "The first Emporium storefront opened in Waterdeep, and the enterprise has since spread throughout Faerûn. The Emporium now consists of dozens of shops and warehouses in locales both populous and remote. Emporium workers use magic to transport goods to stores\u2014a practice that keeps valuable items from becoming targets for thieves.", "One of Aurora's most popular offerings is the cheese bag: a pound of cheese randomly selected from a dozen different varieties from around Faerûn. According to the posters on many of Aurora's Emporiums, the cheese bag is the \"Best Cheese Deal on the Material Plane.\" One cheese bag costs 1 GP, and sales are limited to one per person per day. When a character buys a cheese bag, roll on the Cheese Bag Contents table to determine the kind of cheese therein.", { "type": "table", "caption": "Cheese Bag Contents", "page": 184, "colLabels": [ "1d12", "Cheese Variety" ], "colStyles": [ "col-2 text-center", "col-10" ], "rows": [ [ "1", "Arabellan cheddar" ], [ "2", "Chessentan lotus cheese" ], [ "3", "Damarite red" ], [ "4", "Elturian gray" ], [ "5", "Farmer's cheese" ], [ "6", "Green Calishite" ], [ "7", "Mist cheese" ], [ "8", "Nut cheese" ], [ "9", "Pepper cheese" ], [ "10", "Turmish brick" ], [ "11", "Vilhon blanc" ], [ "12", "Waterdhavian" ] ] }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/178-06-027.flaming-fist-mercenary-fights.webp" }, "title": "A Flaming Fist mercenary fights off devil worshipers in Baldur's Gate.", "credit": "Pindurski", "width": 1700, "height": 1097 } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Elemental Cults", "page": 185, "id": "3d9", "entries": [ "Four cults of evil doomsayers scattered across Faerûn (and, indeed, the entire multiverse) are collectively known as the elemental cults. These cults are ancient and appear on every world. Whenever and wherever the cults manifest, heroes or gods usually seek to destroy them in due order. But the elemental cults never truly die, eventually returning in some fashion.", "The elemental cults venerate a mysterious force or principle called Elemental Evil. Each cult worships Elemental Evil in its own way, favoring one of the four primordial elements: air, earth, fire, or water. The cults operate independently from one another, and each believes itself superior to the others.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Air", "page": 185, "id": "3da", "entries": [ "Cultists of the Howling Hatred venerate the element of air. To them, powerful winds are the ultimate expression of power. Air cultists are among the most vengeful and petty members of the elemental cults, seeing slights in every social encounter and brooding on ways to get back at their rivals. The cult's numbers frequently include assassins, illusionists, and spies." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Earth", "page": 185, "id": "3db", "entries": [ "The Cult of the Black Earth aims to destroy civilization by exerting the inexorable power of the land. Earth cultists conduct rituals to bring about mudslides, sinkholes, and earthquakes in the effort to wipe the world clean of those who defile it. This cult counts miners and quarry workers among its enemies and burrowing beasts like ankhegs and bulettes among its allies." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Fire", "page": 185, "id": "3dc", "entries": [ "The followers of the Eternal Flame cult worship the destructive power of fire in all its manifestations. Their ideal world is a wasteland of ash and cinders\u2014a world purified by flames. Fire cultists tend to be reckless and brash. They launch themselves into dangerous situations with no regard for their own safety, seeking only to inflict as much damage as possible. To fire cultists, it is better to burn brightly and briefly than to live a long life of mediocrity." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Water", "page": 186, "id": "3dd", "entries": [ "Cultists of the Crushing Wave believe that all life is simply water waiting to be set free by way of bloodshed, drowning, or pulverizing pressure. Members of this cult are opportunistic and pragmatic, exploiting enemies' weaknesses whenever possible. They seek out wealth and magic items to advance their schemes. Among those who hear the call of Elemental Evil, fishers, sailors, and others who feel at home on water are typically drawn to this cult." ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Flaming Fist", "page": 186, "id": "3de", "entries": [ "The Flaming Fist is a mercenary company based in Baldur's Gate. It is led by the city's grand duke, Ulder Ravengard. Although the Watch is the city's official constabulary, the Flaming Fist is its true peacekeeping force. The mercenaries' red and gold colors are so ubiquitous in Baldur's Gate that they are commonly associated with the city itself.", "Membership in the Flaming Fist is easy to achieve. The company offers employment and a sense of belonging to any who can lift a sword and follow orders, regardless of their origins. Thousands of soldiers current serve in Baldur's Gate proper, at the Fortress of Wyrm's Rock on the Chionthar River, and at remote outposts such as Fort Beluarian in Chult.", "Experienced adventurers swiftly advance in rank (and political influence) once they become members. Many ranking officers are former adventurers who have \"retired\" to the company." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Kraken Society", "page": 186, "id": "3df", "entries": [ "The Kraken Society is made up of seafarers and land dwellers alike who advance the cause of their patron, an enigmatic entity that dwells at the bottom of the Trackless Sea. They traffic in information and commit all manner of atrocities along the Sword Coast and throughout the Trackless Sea's islands in pursuit of their mysterious goals. Norlanders and other sailors of the Trackless Sea whisper the name Slarkrethel, a monstrous squid some call the King of the Trackless Depths, though just as many dismiss the creature as a mere fable.", "Members of the Kraken Society are called Krakenar. To Krakenar, information is power, and this tenet guides their actions. Information can be sold to enrich the group's coffers or wielded as a weapon against the society's enemies. The right words whispered in the right ears can deliver great fortunes to society leaders\u2014countless merchant ships, for instance, have sunk to the floor of the Trackless Sea as a result of Krakenar meddling.", "Krakenar who accrue and disseminate information quickly are apt to climb the faction's ranks. Skilled diviners and spies make up most of the Kraken Society's upper echelons. Beyond information gathering, Krakenar conduct assassinations, kidnappings, torture, and other violence.", "Most Krakenar join the Kraken Society with the sole aim of advancing their own personal power and wealth. But the watchful eye of Slarkrethel and the strict discipline enforced by the kraken's senior followers both ensure that Krakenar keep the Kraken Society's interests at top of mind." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Order of Delvers", "page": 186, "id": "3e0", "entries": [ "The Order of Delvers is an explorers' guild dedicated to exploring and mapping Faerûn's vast subterranean underbelly. Guild members are called delvers, and chapter leaders are called delvemasters. The guild promotes the exploration of cave systems, natural tunnels, and the uppermost levels of the Underdark.", "The Order of Delvers was originally founded by a devout dwarf explorer who sought to locate the mythical Soulforge\u2014the hearth where, according to dwarven mythology, Moradin the All-Father created the first dwarves. The order has since expanded into a spelunking guild with chapters in dwarfholds throughout Faerûn. Many delvers are dwarves devoted to traditional dwarven religious beliefs, but anyone with an adventurous spirit and an appetite for discovery is welcome to join.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Member Benefits", "page": 186, "id": "3e1", "entries": [ "A member must pay regular dues to remain in the order. Delvers enjoy a variety of benefits, including the following.", { "type": "entries", "name": "Discounted Supplies", "page": 186, "id": "3e2", "entries": [ "Delvers receive discounts on equipment and services purchased from guild-sponsored smithies and adventurers' shops." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Guild Support", "page": 186, "id": "3e3", "entries": [ "Members are expected to share their discoveries and useful findings with fellow members of the Order of Delvers." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Recovery Services", "page": 186, "id": "3e4", "entries": [ "In the event of a catastrophic mishap, the Order of Delvers can be hired to send a team of highly trained delvers to locate and recover a delver's belongings (and, if necessary, their corpse)." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Special Equipment", "page": 186, "id": "3e5", "entries": [ "The Order of Delvers commissions a variety of magic items available for delvers to purchase, including {@item Elven Chain|XDMG}, {@item Heward's Handy Haversack|XDMG|Heward's Handy Haversacks}, and {@item Orb of Direction|XDMG|Orbs of Direction}." ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Spellguard", "page": 187, "id": "3e6", "entries": [ "The Spellguard is an order of militaristic mages based out of Silverymoon. Originally founded as the royal guard of Silverymoon's then-ruler, Alustriel Silverhand, the Spellguard's duties soon expanded to include the protection of the whole city. During times of peace, members of the Spellguard patrol Silverymoon's borders and monitor the roads between Silverymoon and its allied cities. Though most Spellguards remain close to Silverymoon in case of emergency, elite Spellguards are assigned to special missions in distant lands and even other parts of the multiverse.", "The responsibilities of the Spellguard are too grave to entrust to a novice. To join this elite order, an individual must prove their prowess in battle magic, including creating and dispelling magical wards, scrying enemies' positions and intentions, and launching effective magical assaults. Many young mages strive to join the Spellguard both out of pride for their city and to enjoy the prestige and perks that accompany the station.", "In time, the order's most experienced veterans can rise to the position of warder. Warders are responsible for testing and training new recruits and spend most of their time in and around Silverymoon's High Palace." ] }, { "type": "entries", "name": "Waterclock Guild", "page": 187, "id": "3e7", "entries": [ "The Waterclock Guild was a group of artificers, geomancers, and artisans based out of Neverwinter. The guild's members were responsible for crafting that city's once-famous waterclocks: beautiful, incredibly accurate timekeeping devices powered by the flow of water and\u2014unknown to many\u2014elemental magic.", "Although the guild proper ceased operation long ago, vestiges of its works still litter forgotten crypts and abandoned ruins in Neverwinter. Recently, traveling gnome and dwarf crafters arrived in Neverwinter in search of the Waterclock Guild's lost inventions. These crafters claimed to be guild members returning from a centuries-long sojourn, and they sought to recover their fellows' relics so they could restore the guild and continue its work. Their labor is still underway, but the project, now known as the Waterclock Renaissance, seems destined for success.", "The leaders of the Waterclock Renaissance are eager to bolster their numbers. Even novice clockmakers are being considered for positions in the small organization, as are woodworkers, metallurgists, and spellcasters with an aptitude for the craft and maintenance of clocks.", { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/179-06-028.wizard-alustriel-silverhand.webp" }, "title": "A retinue of Spellguards flanks the wizard Alustriel Silverhand in Silverymoon.", "credit": "Irina Nordsol", "width": 1700, "height": 1089 } ] } ] } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Atlas of Faerûn", "id": "3e8", "entries": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/180-map-faerun.webp" }, "title": "Atlas of Faerûn", "imageType": "map", "credit": "Mike Schley", "width": 4096, "height": 2918, "id": "044", "grid": { "type": "none", "size": 53, "distance": 50, "units": "miles" } } ] }, { "type": "section", "name": "Credits", "page": 2, "id": "3e9", "entries": [ { "type": "list", "style": "list-hang-notitle", "columns": 2, "items": [ { "type": "item", "name": "Lead Designer:", "entry": "Jason Tondro" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Designers:", "entry": "Bill Benham, Makenzie De Armas, Dan Dillon, Ron Lundeen, Ben Petrisor, Patrick Renie, Shahreena Shahrani, Carl Sibley, Chris Sims, David Sommerville" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Rules Developers:", "entry": "Jeremy Crawford (lead), Makenzie De Armas, Ron Lundeen, Ben Petrisor, Patrick Renie" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Editors:", "entry": "Adrian Ng Di Spaltro (lead), Judy Bauer, Michele Carter, James Wyatt" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Art Director:", "entry": "Emi Tanji" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Graphic Designers:", "entry": "Matt Cole (lead), Jino Choi, Meagan Kenreck, Paolo Vacala" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Cover Illustrators:", "entry": "Billy Christian, Dominik Mayer" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Interior Illustrators:", "entry": "Helder Almeida, Helge C. Balzer, Luca Bancone, Eric Belisle, Olivier Bernard, Zoltan Boros, Bruce Brenneise, Ignatius Budi, Ekaterina Burmak, Dmitry Burmak, Pedro Cardoso, Manuel Castanon, Domenico Cava, Conceptopolis, CoupleOfKooks, Olga Drebas, Polar Engine, Ioannis Fiore, Aurore Folny, Quintin Gleim, Patrik Hell, Jane Katsubo, Sam Keiser, Tneh Keong, Jonathan Kuo, Andrey Kuzinskiy, Katerina Ladon, Titus Lunter, Erel Maatita, Erion Makuo, Agustín Marceillac, Raluca Marinescu, Dominik Mayer, Marcela Medeiros, Alex V. Ngo, Irina Nordsol, Gavin O'Donnell, Robin Olausson, Hinchel Or, Alejandro Pacheco, Miro Petrov, Borja Pindado, PINDURSKI, Anna Podedworna, Chris Rahn, Chris Rallis, Audy Ravindra, Denman Rooke, Caio E Santos, Chris Seaman, Leroy Steinmann, Swatches Studio, Taras Susak, Brian Valenzuela, Svetlin Velinov, Raoul Vitale, Sam White, Rafael Zanchetin" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Cartographer:", "entry": "Mike Schley" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Concept Art Director:", "entry": "Josh Herman" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Concept Artists:", "entry": "Alex Branwyn, Michael Broussard, Daarken, Lake Hurwitz, Titus Lunter, Alex Ostrowski, Noor Rahman, Siren Song LLC, Anna Steinbauer" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Consultants:", "entry": "Basheer Ghouse, James Mendez, Shahreena Shahrani" }, { "type": "item", "name": "Producers:", "entry": "Bill Benham, Siera Bruggeman, Rob Hawkey, Vanessa Hoskins" }, "Special thanks to Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, and all the many people who have created and contributed to the Forgotten Realms over its fantastic history." ] }, { "type": "gallery", "images": [ { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/181-07-002.cover-thumbnail.webp" }, "title": "On the Cover: Vajra Safahr, Karlach, Minsc, Boo, and Jarlaxle array themselves for battle in the ruins of Myth Drannor in this majestic illustration from Billy Christian.", "credit": "Billy Christian", "width": 1700, "height": 1209 }, { "type": "image", "href": { "type": "internal", "path": "book/FRHoF/182-07-003.alt-cover-thumbnail.webp" }, "title": "On the Alt-Cover: Vajra Safahr, Karlach, and Jarlaxle Baenre lead an army\u2014and a gold dragon\u2014into battle in this scintillating illustration from Dominik Mayer.", "credit": "Dominik Mayer", "width": 1700, "height": 1210 } ] } ] } ] }