This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.
At a Glance
The Hordelands are, for most of Faerun, the eastern edge of the known world. In Kara-Tur, the Hordelands are the no-man’s-land separating civilization from the barbaric west. In Zakhara, the Hordelands are a mythical place beyond the northern hinterlands.
Most outsiders from the west know the entire region as the Endless Waste, but merchants and adventurers who have traveled the region have named three broad regions: the Horse Plains in the north, the Quoya Desert in the east, and the southwestern High Plains which are sometimes called the Great Waste.
It’s not really a wasteland, however. It’s true that trees are few and far between, but grass and shrubs are plentiful. There is adequate water, for those who know where to look.
The inhabitants of these wind-blasted steppes know their land as Taan, and call themselves Taangan. They are divided into twelve great tribes on the plain, with additional tribes dwelling in the Ama Basin and the Koryaz Mountains.
Visiting
What You See
Settlements
Ruins
Other Landmarks
- The Arundi River
- The Clearflow
- The Ejen Horo
- The Firepeaks
- Hagga Shan
- Kora Shan
- Khopet-Dag
- The Many-Windowed Tower
- The Lake of Mists
- The Quoya Desert
- Sentinelspire
Neighboring Nations & Features
- The Ama Basin
- The Mountains of Copper
- The Icerim Mountains
- The Koryaz Mountains
- Murghôm
- Narfell
- Rashemen
- Semphar
- Shalhoond
- Shou Lung
- The Land of the Snow Spirits
- Sossal
- The Sunrise Mountains
- Teyla Shan
- Thay
- Ulhai Shan
- Yal Tengri
Culture and Society
Demographics
The overall population is 85% humans, 8% gnolls, 5% centaurs, 1% dwarves, and 1% other races.
The human population is 70% Tuigan, 24% Rashemi, 4% Raumviran, and 2% other subraces. The primary language is Tuigan.
Caste and Class
Religion
Among the Tuigan, the pantheon consists of Etugen (Grumbar), Teylas (Akadi), and an array of lesser gods and nature spirits. This latter group includes aspects of Eldath, Selûne, Malar, and a beast cult that venerates horses. There are no evil gods in the Tuigan worldview, but there are evil spirits.
Factions
Politics
Who Rules
With the exception of the brief rule of a khahan (such as Yamun), and the limited reign of Yaimunnahar following the Crusade, the tribes of the steppe do not form a monolithic presence. This means there is no single central ruler, for most of the region’s history.
Who Really Rules
Before the rise of Yamun Khahan, and after his fall, the steppe is ruled by the tribal khans.
Political Divisions
- Commani Lands
- Dalat Lands
- Fankiang Lands
- Gur Lands
- Kaghun Lands
- Khassidi Lands
- Naican Lands
- Oigur Lands
- Quirish Lands
- Tsu-Tsu Lands
- Tuigan Lands
- Zamogedi Lands
Sources
Primary Sources
- Forgotten Realms [11836] (3e campaign setting) pages 145-146
- The Horde [1055]
- Forgotten Realms [1085] (2e campaign setting) — A Grand Tour of the Realms page 4
Passing Mention
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide [21828] (4e campaign setting) pages 142-143 — this would be a primary source for a campaign set in a post-Spellplague era; however, this campaign is not and therefore 4e material may be used or ignored without consideration for context
- Races of Faerûn [88578] page 110 — the human demographics
Maps
- The Horde [1055]
Disclaimer
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