This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.
At a Glance
Mulhorand is one of the oldest nations of modern Faerûn, founded 3500 years ago by survivors from the fall of Raurin.
Departure
Much of the material found in this blog related to Mulhorand is based on material from Old Empires (FR10/9274). However, there are some occasions where the fact that the nation is 3500 years old has led me to tweak things a bit. Also, I may play up the role of technology a bit more than FR10 did.
Visiting
Mulhorand is located on the eastern shores of the Alamber Sea. It’s an idyllic land blessed with eternally rich soil, mild weather, and a year-round growing season. Several meltwater rivers, each flawlessly clear, are diverted into thousands of cut channels that irrigate the farmlands. A few sprawling cities line the coast and several bustling towns speckle the interior, but two out of three citizens live in peaceful farming communities too small to appear on maps.
The northern border of Mulhorand is the blasted wasteland of Thazalhar. Stretching south from the River of Dawn to Skuld is a highland region known in Mulhorand as the Taranoth. South of Skuld, wrapping around the southern end of the Alamber Sea, is an exceptionally fertile plain called the Menesankh. East of this Plain of Life is the Asanibis, or Great Vale; rolling hills and gently sloping plains predominate here. The Dragonsword Mountains and the Sunrise Mountains make up the eastern border, and are collectively called the Furitep.
Communities
- Aina
- Beland
- Buldamar
- Delgora
- Gheldaneth
- Jhalhoran
- Klondor
- Maerlar
- Mishtan
- Mulharahold
- Neldorild
- Rasolind
- Rauthil
- Sampranasz
- Skuld
- Sultim
- Surbroar
- Ulzel
Nezras, while founded by Mulhorandi citizens, isn’t claimed (or even known) by the current Pharaoh and doesn’t have an Imperial Legion presence.
Ruins
Roads
Other Landmarks
- The River of the Dawn
- The Dragonsword Mountains
- The Fields of Ganath
- The Ganathwood
- The Great Vale
- The Cliffs of Leaping Horses
- The Rauthenflow
- Rauthgor
- The River of Shadows
- The River of Spears
- The Sunrise Mountains
- The River of Swords
What You See
The major cities of Mulhorand are a mix of golden sandstone, pale marble, and dark clay, all cut into an assortment of shapes and fitted together without grout or nails. Towns of moderate population have less marble and more clay, and the small villages are almost all clay.
The country, for the most part, is cultivated land. Most of the population lives near the coast; in some places villages are found at five-mile intervals along the roads. As the land slopes gently upward toward the Dragonsword Mountains, the farms get bigger and the villages are more sparse.
Spells and Portals
Generally speaking, there are no bans in effect that affect spellcasting across the empire. Certain structures are warded against certain spells, but that will be addressed in the descriptions of each such structure.
There are no widely known portals leading to Mulhorand; of course, that doesn’t mean that none exist.
Defenses
The Imperial Legion defends Mulhorand from ground-based armies. Mulhorand also has a navy, based in Sultim, and small contingents of various flying beasts stationed in the three largest cities.
Neighboring Nations and Features
- The Alamber Sea
- Azulduth
- Chessenta
- The Coaster Cities
- Murghôm
- The Plains of Purple Dust
- The Raurin
- The Eastern Shaar
- The Ship of the Gods
- Thay
- Thazalhar
- Threskel
- Unther
Politics
Who Rules
The Pharaoh rules in the name of the God-Kings of Mulhorand.
In 1365 DR, Horustep III has been Pharaoh for 8 years. His father, Akonhorus II, ruled from 1320 to 1357 DR.
Who Really Rules
The Pharaoh understandably doesn’t take an active hand in the daily humdrum of government; most matters are left in the hands of the Vizier. Rezim has been the Vizier of Mulhorand since 1311 DR.
The Vizier understandably doesn’t take an active hand in the daily humdrum of government. He allows the Precepts to govern their Precepts, and directs the Hierarchs to deal with the matters of their respective churches. This leaves the Vizier free to attend to matters of higher importance.
The Vizier rules the empire from behind a multi-layered veil of bureaucrats and priests. When things go well, he gets all the credit for his brilliant planning and capable delegation of duties. When things go badly… well, he can’t be everywhere simultaneously to rescue every servant of the Pharaoh from their individual faults and errors. He is unfailingly calm and collected, always has two or three contingency plans, and has “plausible deniability” in all situations.
Political Divisions
Mulhorand is divided into sixteen provinces called Precepts.
- Aina
- Ganath
- Gheldaneth
- Jhalhoran
- Klondor
- Maerlar
- Mishtan
- Neldorild
- Rauthgor
- Rauthil
- Sampranasz
- Skuld
- Sultim
- Surbroar
- Thazarim
- Ulzel
Notable Individuals
- Alakin — Precept of Aina
- Bokasin — Precept of Rauthgor
- Ceianre — Precept of Skuld
- Derlaunt — Precept of Gheldaneth
- Ethnestus — Precept of Rauthil
- Haskrayth — Precept of Klondor
- Horustep III — Pharaoh of Mulhorand
- Imthalos — Precept of Ganath
- Kesia — Precept of Surbroar
- Koramon — Precept of Sultim
- Mulhortep — Precept of Thazarim
- Nessisi — Precept of Ulzel
- Rezim — Vizier of Mulhorand
- Sanuet — Precept of Sampranasz
- Temis — Precept of Mishtan
- Ulara — Precept of Jhalhoran
Culture and Society
Demographics
Officially, the overall population is 99% human and 1% other races. The human population is 92% Mulan, 6% Durpari, 2% Turami, and less than 1% other subraces. The primary language is Mulhorandi.
This fails to distinguish the large planetouched population in Mulhorand, so I’m rearranging the demographics for this campaign. Also, the population of Mulhorand is about 900,000 in 1357 and over 5.3 million in 1372. This suggests that the authors of 3e completely ignored the 2e population numbers. I feel justified in ignoring the 3e population numbers.
Religion
Unlike many other realms, Mulhorand has its own pantheon, and the churches of those deities comprise the vast majority of the citizens. Certain powers of other pantheons have small followings here but they are a matter of individual veneration, kept secret, rather than cohesive groups of worshipers.
Local History
The nearby nations of Thay, Murghôm, and Semphar were once provinces of Mulhorand but have gained autonomy within the last several centuries.
Sources
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [11836] (3e) pages 101 (map), 184, 267
- Old Empires [FR10/9274] — the whole book
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [1085] (2e) A Grand Tour of the Realms page 122
- The Forgotten Realms Atlas [8442] page 11
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting [1031] (1e) Cyclopedia of the Realms page 65
Passing Mention
- Shining South [17929] page 178
- Dreams of the Red Wizards [FR6/9235] pages 7, 22
- Elminster’s Everwinking Eye — Polyhedron #110 page 6
Disclaimer
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