Deserts

Terrestrial Environment

Deserts comprise one of ten categories of terrestrial environments, the others being badlands, forests, hills, marshes, moors, mountains, plains, swamps, and subterranean.

A desert can be defined, technically and succinctly, as an area where more water is lost via evaporation and transpiration than falls as rainfall. Glaciers can qualify as deserts.

Deserts of the Realms

Cold

  • The Frozen Sword (Anauroch): blue abishai, hound archon, baneguard, barghest, crossroads guardian, darkenbeast, divine minion, dragon, dread warrior, ettin, gargoyle, ghast, ghoul, hakeashar, hellcat, hell hound, ibrandlin, janni, kir-lanan, lamia, dire lion, mummy, nishruu, nyth, ogre, orc, phaerimm, shadow, shadow mastiff, spectator, troll, vargouille, wight, wolf, dire wolf, worg, wraith.
  • The Great Glacier: crossroads guardian, darkenbeast, divine minion, dread warrior, ettin, frost giant, frost worm, hakeashar, ice serpent, Innugaakalikurit, kir-lanan, kupuk, mohrg, ogre, phaerimm, polar bear, remorhaz, rothe, spectator, spectre, tirichik, troll, white dragon, wight, will-o’-wisp, winter wolf, worg, wraith. Innugaakalikurit, kupuk, and tirichik are only encountered on the Great Glacier.
  • The High Ice (Anauroch): crossroads guardian, darkenbeast, divine minion, dread warrior, ettin, frost giant, frost worm, hakeashar, ice serpent, kir-lanan, mohrg, ogre, phaerimm, polar bear, remorhaz, rothe, spectator, spectre, troll, white dragon, wight, will-o’-wisp, winter wolf, worg, wraith.

Temperate

Warm

  • The Plains of Purple Dust: androsphinx, giant ant, baboon, baneguard, barghest, blue abishai, brown dragon, crossroads guardian, dark naga, darkenbeast, divine minion, djinni, dracosphinx, dragon, dragonne, dread warrior, efreeti, gargoyle, ghast, ghoul, gnoll, gorgon, gynosphinx, hakeashar, hound archon, ibrandlin, janni, laerti, lamia, dire lion, giant lizard, mummy, nishruu, nomads, nyth, ogre, orc, orpsu, phaerimm, scorpion, shadow mastiff, shadow, snake, spectator, spider eater, Statue That Walks, stinger, stingtail, vargouille, wight, wolf, dire wolf, wraith. Statues That Walk are generally only encountered in Mulhorand.
  • The Quoya: androsphinx, giant ant, baboon, baneguard, barghest, blue abishai, brown dragon, crossroads guardian, dark naga, darkenbeast, divine minion, djinni, dracosphinx, dragon, dragonne, dread warrior, efreeti, gargoyle, ghast, ghoul, gnoll, gorgon, gynosphinx, hakeashar, hound archon, ibrandlin, janni, laerti, lamia, dire lion, giant lizard, mummy, nishruu, nomads, nyth, ogre, orc, orpsu, phaerimm, scorpion, shadow mastiff, shadow, snake, spectator, spider eater, stinger, stingtail, vargouille, wight, wolf, dire wolf, wraith.
  • Raurin: androsphinx, giant ant, baboon, baneguard, barghest, blue abishai, brown dragon, crossroads guardian, dark naga, darkenbeast, divine minion, djinni, dracosphinx, dragon, dragonne, dread warrior, efreeti, gargoyle, ghast, ghoul, gnoll, gorgon, gynosphinx, hakeashar, hound archon, ibrandlin, janni, laerti, lamia, dire lion, giant lizard, mummy, nishruu, nomads, nyth, ogre, orc, orpsu, phaerimm, scorpion, shadow mastiff, shadow, snake, spectator, spider eater, Statue That Walks, stinger, stingtail, vargouille, wight, wolf, dire wolf, wraith. Statues That Walk are generally only encountered in Mulhorand.
  • The Sword (Anauroch): androsphinx, giant ant, baboon, baneguard, barghest, blue abishai, brown dragon, crossroads guardian, dark naga, darkenbeast, divine minion, djinni, dracosphinx, dragon, dragonne, dread warrior, efreeti, gargoyle, ghast, ghoul, gnoll, gorgon, gynosphinx, hakeashar, hound archon, ibrandlin, janni, laerti, lamia, dire lion, giant lizard, mummy, nishruu, nomads, nyth, ogre, orc, orpsu, phaerimm, scorpion, shadow mastiff, shadow, snake, spectator, spider eater, stinger, stingtail, vargouille, wight, wolf, dire wolf, wraith.

Badlands

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Badlands comprise one of ten categories of terrestrial environments, the others being deserts, forests, hills, marshes, moors, mountains, plains, swamps, and subterranean.

A badlands is a dry area characterized by extensive erosion of the rock and soils. Erosion may be either by wind or water, or a combination, but the key is that it’s been going on for a while. Erosion can be started by rivers, glaciers, or lava flows, and later continued by wind. These landscapes can also evolve as a result of unsustainable farming, logging, or mining practices.


Badlands of the Realms

Cold Badlands
Temperate Badlands
Warm Badlands

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Aquatic Environments

Aquatic environments are divided into three categories: oceans, lakes, and rivers.  Each can be freshwater or saltwater, and warm or temperate or cold.  In addition, certain creatures are only found in shallow water, or at great depths.  These distinctions create a broad array of aquatic environments.

Rivers

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Rivers comprise one of three basic categories of aquatic environments, the other two being oceans and lakes. These ribbons of water are usually freshwater, but there may be exceptions.

Rivers of the Realms

Cold Freshwater
Temperate Freshwater
Warm Freshwater

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Lakes

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

This will be an index of lake-based encounters in the Realms. It probably isn’t complete yet, but that’s what it wants to be when it grows up.

Aquatic Environment

Lakes comprise one of three basic categories of aquatic environments, the other two being oceans and rivers. These bodies of water are usually freshwater, but there are exceptions.

Lakes of the Realms

Cold Freshwater
Cold Saltwater
Temperate Freshwater
Temperate Saltwater
  • The Akanamere
  • Methmere
  • Lake Thaylambar
Warm Freshwater
Warm Saltwater
  • Akanamere
  • Lake Lhespen
Subterranean Freshwater
Subterranean Saltwater
  • Reachmere

Oceans and Seas

Aquatic Environment

Oceans and seas comprise one of three basic categories of aquatic environments, the other two being lakes and rivers.  These large bodies of water are usually saltwater, but there are exceptions; the Moonsea is freshwater.

Reaches and bays may be treated on a case-by-case basis, but in general should be considered part of the larger body of which they are a part.

Oceans and Seas of the Realms

Cold Saltwater: Eastern Sea, Sea of Swords, Trackless Sea, Yal Tengri, and Yellow Sea.

black burner, bloatfish, crystal nipper, icetail, spiny sleeper.

Temperate Saltwater: Celestial Sea, Eastern Sea, Sea of Fallen Stars, Sea of Moonshae, Sea of Swords, and Trackless Sea.

Warm Saltwater: Alamber Sea, Golden Water, Great Sea, Segara Sea, Shining Sea, Southern Ocean, and Trackless Sea.

Cold Freshwater: Moonsea.

Subterranean Freshwater:

iridescent plecos, lemon fish, wattley.

Subterranean Saltwater:

iridescent plecos, lemon fish, wattley.

Source

“The Moonsea is freshwater”: this comes from the Realms FAQ on Candlekeep.  The same source indicates that while the Sea of Fallen Stars is saltwater, the Dragonmere and the Vilhon Reach are “brackish” or some mix of saltwater and freshwater.

Kholtar

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

Khôltar is a city on the rim of the Great Rift.

Sources

  • The Shining South [FR16/9388] Map
  • Old Empires [FR10/9274] – Khôltar appears on the map
  • Elminster Speaks – Khôltar is discussed in detail in the last 17 parts of this series

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Delzimmer

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Delzimmer is an independent city north of Dambrath, west of Luiren, and south of the Great Rift.


Sources

Passing Mention
  • Elminster Speaks – Delzimmer is discussed in detail in 15 parts of this series
Maps

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Voonlar

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Voonlar is a town northeast of Shadowdale, in the Moonsea region.


Notable Individuals


Sources

  • Elminster Speaks — Voonlar is discussed in detail in the first 33 parts of this series
  • Forgotten Realms [11836] — pages 161–162
  • A Grand Tour of the Realms [1085a] — page 69
  • Cyclopedia of the Realms [1031a] — page 87
Maps

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

The Untheric Pantheon

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

Gilgeam is the God-King.  There is no other god.  Worship of any other beings is punished by death.”

That’s the official story. Under the propaganda, however, there is more to be known.

DM’s Notes

This “pantheon” was once a living pantheon.  Anu, Ashnan, Enki, Inanna, Kabta, Ki, Lahar, Marduk, Nanna–Sin, Nergal, Ningal, and Utu were slain in the Orcgate Wars.  At the time, the Mulhorandi pantheon was reeling from the loss of Re and the intrigue related to Anubis and Set, so no attempt was made to claim the fallen Untheric God-Kings’ titles or duties.  Since that time, various Faerûnian powers have occasionally considered making a push into Unther, but Gilgeam’s extreme violence toward all other religions is a “turn-off” for most benevolent and neutral powers.

Enlil survived the war, but later ceded leadership of the pantheon to Gilgeam and retired from his active role in the Realms.  Some time after that, Gilgeam expelled Assuran and Tiamat from the pantheon, for offenses which were probably imaginary.  Assuran left grudgingly, and later became Hoar of the Faerunian pantheon… arguably a “step up” in terms of power and respect.  Tiamat’s cult actually grew much larger after she was publicly denounced by Gilgeam, and it remained in Unther to be a thorn in Gilgeam’s side, though her influence had been expanding into the rest of Faerun for some time.

Ramman and Ishtar were harangued for years, and eventually defeated or browbeaten into obscurity by Gilgeam.  Ishtar willingly ceded her divine power and her cult to her friend and rival, Isis — a very old pair; they were students together at the same academy in Imaskar, more than 4,000 years ago.  Ramman submitted his power to Anhur, or was defeated in honorable combat, depending on the story.

Now Gilgeam stands alone against Tiamat, who was old and powerful before he was born.  Tiamat, who styles herself the Nemesis of the Gods, and has the power and cruelty to back it up.  Gilgeam, in contrast, is too arrogant to ponder the possibility that his ambition might outreach his sword, or that millennia of “big talk” with no real challenges might have left him unprepared for a challenger whose bite is far worse than her hiss.

Unlike Mulhorand, where (other than the outsider powers who pose as God-Kings) there’s almost no worship of the Faerunian pantheon, several “foreign” powers have a foothold in Unther.  This is due primarily to the near-universal hatred of Gilgeam among the people of Unther, but it’s also difficult for one god to be all things to all of his people regardless of how much they might like him.  Among the powers who have significant followings in Unther are Anhur, Bane, Mask, Mystra, Sebek, Tempus, Umberlee, and Waukeen.  There is also a cult of “The Old Gods” which remains loyal to the fallen members of the Untheric pantheon… unfortunately they don’t have any magical or political power.

Source

  • Gilgeam, Ishtar, Ramman, and Tiamat are described on pages 44-46 of FR10.  Enlil is mentioned in a couple of places.  Marduk, Nanna-Sin, and Utu are mentioned under The Old Gods. The other gods were added for the Xaeyruudh campaign.

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.