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

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.

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.