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620_17929_Ch1.indd 1 8/2/04 1:46:47 PM DESIGNER: Thomas M. Reid DEVELOPER: Michael Donais EDITORS: Chris Sims, Chris Thomasson, Penny Williams MANAGING EDITOR: DESIGN MANAGER: Christopher Perkins DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Andrew J. Finch DIRECTOR OF RPG R&D: Bill Slavicsek PRODUCTION MANAGERS: Joshua C.J. Fischer, Randall Crews

ART DIRECTOR: Robert Raper COVER ARTIST: Sam Wood INTERIOR ARTISTS: Wayne England, Sam Wood, Richard Sardinha, Carl Frank, Chris Hawkes, Jason Engle, Christopher Rush, Ralph Horsley, Vince Locke, Mike Dubisch GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Kate Irwin, Dee Barnett CARTOGRAPHER: Todd Gamble GRAPHIC PRODUCTION SPECIALIST: Angelika Lokotz IMAGE TECHNICIAN: Jason Wiley SPECIAL THANKS: Richard Baker, Eric L. Boyd, George Krashos, Thomas M. Costa

Sources include the by , Sean K Reynolds, Skip Williams, and Rob Heinsoo, Counselors & Kings Trilogy by Elaine Cunningham, Defenders of the Faith by Rich Redman and James Wyatt, Demihuman Deities by Eric L. Boyd, Dragon Magazine, Dwarves Deep by Ed Greenwood, Faiths & Avatars by Julia Martin with Eric L. Boyd, Faiths and Pantheons by Eric L. Boyd and Erik Mona, Magic of Faerûn by Sean K Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, and Angel McCoy, by David Eckelberry and Mike Selinker, Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn by James Wyatt and Rob Heinsoo, II by Ed Bonny, , Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter, by Scott Bennie, Pages From the Mages by Ed Greenwood and Tim Beach, Pirates of the Fallen Stars by Curtis M. Scott, Player’s Guide to Faerûn by Richard Baker, Travis Stout, and James Wyatt, Powers & Pantheons by Eric L. Boyd, Prayers from the Faithful by Ed Greenwood, Races of Faerûn by Sean K Reynolds, Matt Forbeck, James Jacobs and Eric L. Boyd, The Shining South by Tom Prusa, by David Noonan and John D. Rateliff, by , by Bruce R. Cordell and Skip Williams, and Volo’s Guide to All Things Magical by Ed Greenwood with Eric L. Boyd. Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. and and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. This product uses updated material from the v.3.5 revision. This ® game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the Open Gaming License and the d20 System License, please visit www.wizards.com/d20. U.S., CANADA EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS ASIA, PACIFIC, & LATIN AMERICA Wizards of the Coast, Belgium Wizards of the Coast, Inc. T Hofveld 6d P.O. Box 707 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden Renton WA 98057–0707 ™ Belgium (Questions?) 1–800–324–6496 +322–467–3360 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Printing: October 2004 Sample620-17929-001-EN file DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, , FORGOTTEN REALMS, D20, D20 SYSTEM, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, Shining South, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster Manual and their respective logos and all Wizards of the Coast product names are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., in the U.S.A. and other countries. All Wizards characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.Distributed to the hobby, toy, and comic trade in the United States and Canada by regional distributors. Distributed in the United States to the book trade by Holtzbrinck Publishing. Distributed in Canada to the book trade by Fenn Ltd. Distributed worldwide by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and regional distributors. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fi ction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.©2004 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Visit our website at www.wizards.com/forgottenrealms

620_17929_Ch1.indd 2 8/2/04 1:46:52 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 4 New Cleric Spells ...... 43 Chapter 8: Estagund and the Chapter 11: The Shaar and the What You Need to Play ...... 4 New Druid Spells ...... 43 Shining Lands ...... 109 Great Rift ...... 155 New Hathran Spell ...... 43 Geographic Overview ...... 109 Geographic Overview ...... 155 Chapter 1: Races and Regions . . . 5 New Paladin Spells ...... 43 Major Geographic Features . . 109 Major Geographic Features . . 155 Human, Arkaiun ...... 5 New Ranger Spells ...... 43 The Aerilpar Forest ...... 110 Azulduth, Human, Durpari ...... 8 New Sorcerer/ The Curna Mountains . . . . .110 the Lake of Salt ...... 158 Human, Halruaan ...... 10 Wizard Spells ...... 43 The Dustwall ...... 112 The Channath Vale ...... 158 Human, Shaaryan ...... 12 New Spells ...... 44 The Golden Water ...... 112 Council Hills ...... 159 Loxo ...... 14 Raurin, the Dust Desert . . . 113 The Great Rift ...... 160 Thri-Kreen ...... 15 Chapter 4: Magic Items ...... 52 People of the The Landrise ...... 160 Age, Height, and Weight . . . . . 17 Armor ...... 52 Shining Lands ...... 114 Lake Lhespen ...... 160 Character Age ...... 17 Weapons ...... 54 Politics and Power ...... 116 The Rathgaunt Hills ...... 161 Height and Weight ...... 17 Wondrous Items ...... 55 Cities and Sites ...... 121 The Riftwood ...... 161 Character Regions ...... 17 Minor Artifacts ...... 57 Assur (Large Town) ...... 121 The River Shaar ...... 162 Reading the Major Artifacts ...... 58 Chavyondat (Metropolis) . . 121 The Shaarwood ...... 162 Region Descriptions ...... 18 Beguiler ...... 60 Old Vaelen The Sharawood ...... 162 Forest of Amtar Region . . . . 18 (Large Town) ...... 123 The Uthangol Mountains . . 162 Loxo Region ...... 18 Chapter 5: Ormpé (Large Town) ...... 123 People of the Shaar ...... 163 Misty Vale Region ...... 18 Monsters of the South ...... 60 Pyratar (Metropolis) ...... 124 Politics and Power ...... 169 Rathgaunt Hills Region . . . . .18 Behir, Halruaan ...... 61 Vaelan (Metropolis) ...... 124 Cities and Sites ...... 171 Rethild Region ...... 19 Dark Tree ...... 62 Heroes and Monsters ...... 124 Blaskaltar ...... 171 Swagdar Region ...... 19 Dragon, Rattelyr ...... 63 Delzimmer (Small City) . . . 171 Thri-Kreen Region ...... 19 Giant, Cyclops ...... 64 Chapter 9: Halruaa ...... 124 Eartheart (Metropolis) . . . . 172 New Feats ...... 19 Laraken ...... 66 Geographic Overview ...... 124 Hammer and Anvil Allied Defense [General] . . . . 19 Loxo ...... 67 Major Geographic Features . . 124 (Small City) ...... 173 Ankheg Tribe Ambush Mantimera ...... 68 The Akhlaur Swamp ...... 124 Hardcastle (Small Town) . . .173 [Regional] ...... 19 Starsnake ...... 69 The Bandit Wastes ...... 126 Khôltar (Small City) ...... 174 Cheetah Tribe Sprint Tall Mouther ...... 70 Lake Halruaa ...... 126 Lhesper ...... 174 [Regional] ...... 19 Tasloi ...... 71 The Nath ...... 127 Peleveran ...... 174 Cover Your Tracks Thri-kreen ...... 72 The Rivers ...... 127 Shaarmid (Large City) . . . . .174 [General] ...... 20 Chapter 6: Campaigns ...... 74 The Walls ...... 128 Heroes and Monsters ...... 174 Eagle Tribe Vision Organizations of the South . . . 74 People of Halruaa ...... 128 [Regional] ...... 20 The Conclave ...... 74 Politics and Power ...... 131 Chapter 12: Halruaan Adept Church of Loviatar ...... 75 Cities and Sites ...... 134 Border Areas ...... 175 [Regional] ...... 20 House Jordain ...... 75 Aluarim (Small Town) . . . . .134 The Border Kingdoms and the Heat Tolerance [General] . . . 20 The Maquar ...... 75 Chasolné ...... 134 Lake of Steam ...... 175 Hold The Line [General] . . . 20 Quinix the Glabrezu ...... 75 Galdel (Large Town) ...... 135 The Duskwood and the Hyena Tribe Hunter Shadow Wizards ...... 75 Halagard (Small City) . . . . . 135 Querth Forest ...... 175 [Regional] ...... 20 Others ...... 76 Halarahh (Small City) . . . . .136 The Chondalwood ...... 176 Initiate of Loviatar Dungeons in the House Jordain ...... 138 Ruthien-Than ...... 176 [Initiate] ...... 20 Shining South ...... 77 Khaerbaal (Small City) . . . . 138 The Firesteap Mountains . . . . 176 Lion Tribe Warrior Wilderness Maeruhal (Village) ...... 139 Innarlith (Metropolis) . . . . . 176 [Regional] ...... 20 Encounter Tables ...... 78 Mount Talath Lapaliiya ...... 177 Natural Scavenger Encounter Chance ...... 78 (Small Town) ...... 139 Ormpur (Large City) ...... 177 [General] ...... 21 How to Use the Talathgard ...... 140 Sheirtalar (Metropolis) . . . . 177 Nomadic Trekker Encounter Tables ...... 79 Yaulazna (Bay of Pirates) The Mhair Jungles ...... 177 [Regional] ...... 21 Group Descriptions ...... 79 (Hamlet) ...... 140 Mulhorand ...... 178 Resist Disease [General] . . . . .21 Natural Hazards ...... 91 Zalazuu (Large Town) . . . . . 141 The Dragonsword Rhinoceros Tribe Charge Random Weather ...... 92 Heroes and Monsters ...... 141 Mountains ...... 178 [Regional] ...... 21 The Plains of Purple Dust . . . 179 Chapter 10: Luiren ...... 142 Selective Spell [Metamagic] . 21 Chapter 7: Dambrath ...... 94 The Shining Sea ...... 179 Geographic Overview ...... 142 Tall Mouther Hunter Geographic Overview ...... 94 Ulgarth ...... 179 Major Geographic Features . . 142 [Regional] ...... 21 Major Geographic Features . . . 94 Kelazzan (Large Town) . . . .180 The Lluirwood ...... 142 Woodwise [Regional] ...... 21 The Bay of Orvyltar (Large City) . . . . . 180 The Luirenstrand ...... 144 Dancing Dolphins ...... 94 Unther ...... 180 Chapter 2: Prestige Classes . . . . 22 The Mortik Swamp ...... 144 The Forest of Amtar ...... 96 The Black Ash Plain ...... 180 Crinti Shadow Marauder . . . . . 23 Quelthiir ...... 144 The Gnollwatch Mountains . 97 The Green Lands ...... 180 Great Rift Deep Defender . . . . 24 The Hills of the Dead Kings 98 The Southern Lluirwood . . 144 Halruaan Elder ...... 27 Rethild, the Great Swamp . . . 98 The Toadsquat Chapter 13: Adventure Sites . .181 Halruaan Magehound ...... 29 The Swagdar Mountains ...... 144 The Astral Inn ...... 181 Hand of the Adama ...... 31 (Outlaw Waste) ...... 100 People of Luiren ...... 145 The Ground Floor ...... 181 Jordain Vizier ...... 33 People of Dambrath ...... 100 Politics and Power ...... 148 The Game ...... 183 Luiren Marchwarden ...... 35 Politics and Power ...... 103 Cities and Sites ...... 151 The Theft ...... 184 Maquar Crusader ...... 38 Cities and Sites ...... 105 Beluir (Metropolis) ...... 151 Bandit Camp ...... 186 Scourge Maiden ...... 40 Cathyr (Metropolis) ...... 106 Chethel (Large City) ...... 151 The Reavers ...... 186 Secrets of the South ...... 42 Herath (Large City) ...... 107 Crimel (Village) ...... 152 The Camp ...... 188 SampleMaarlith (Metropolis) . . . . .108 Krenalir (Large Town) . . . . 153 Dwarffile Crypt ...... 189 Chapter 3: Magic and Spells . . . 42 Shoun (Small City) ...... 153 The Crypt ...... 190 Rune Magic ...... 42 Purl (Village) ...... 108 Thruldar ...... 154 The Shadow Weave ...... 42 T’lindhet (Small City) . . . . . 109 Heroes and Monsters ...... 154 New Bard Spell ...... 42 Heroes and Monsters ...... 109

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620_17929_Ch1.indd 3 8/2/04 1:47:00 PM The lands of the South each have their own unique char- acter. Dambrath is a nation with two histories, one of human barbarians and another of half- conquerors. It is known for aggression and horse breeding. To the west sits mighty Halruaa, a nation where everything is done with magical assistance, and items of power are created and put to use unlike anywhere else n other parts of Faerûn, travelers speak of the wonders in the whole of Faerûn. The wizards try to keep their eldritch Ithey have seen in the Shining South. Tales and songs practices a secret, but hints of their capabilities have slipped tell of lands scorched by heat, people ruled by drow, beyond their borders nonetheless. North of Halruaa sits the traders who could negotiate the name away from an Amnian, western end of great grasslands known as the Shaar, which runs and wizards who use magic for tasks mundane to miraculous. all the way east to the Giant’s Belt Mountains, the very edge The Shining South is a vast place with perhaps the broadest of the world by some folks’ reckoning. Fierce nomadic tribes variety of cultures anywhere. Halfl ings call part of the region of humans, wemics, loxos, thri-kreen, and others wander the home, while in another area half-drow rule and deem others plains, chasing the herds and fi ghting for territory, water, and outsiders. The most prominent dwarven abode sits squarely in sacred lands. Right in the middle of the Shaar is the Great the South, within the Great Rift, a carved canyon that has Rift, homeland of the gold dwarves. Halfl ings, too, have their belonged to the dwarves for untold centuries. The Shining own nation in the South. The hin, as they prefer to be called, South is a place of ancient magic kept alive and practiced with live quietly in Luiren, enjoying the serenity of its pastures and casualness that would make the barbarians of the Silver Marches woodlands. Finally, just to the east of the halfl ing home sits howl in consternation. the Shining Lands, a place of commerce and faith. The people Folk from many other parts of the world came to settle the of this place revere trade and wealth above all else, but couple South, so people here can trace their cultures back to powers that that reverence with honesty and open minds. rose and fell in distant times, including Netheril and Imaskar. Peoples such as the distant Nars and Illuskans managed to fi nd their way to the shores of the Faerûn’s southern coast. All these What You Need to Play and more have given rise to tribesmen on the plains of the Shaar, This sourcebook assumes that you own the three core rulebooks traders in Durpar, and reclusive wizards of Halruaa. of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game: the Player’s Handbook, the At its most basic defi nition, the Shining South is an area Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. In addition, encompassing the lands between the Chultan Peninsula and the material in this book frequently refers to the FORGOTTEN REALMS blasted deserts of the ancient Imaskari region, and from the Great Campaign Setting and Player’s Guide to Faerûn. Sea all the way to the fringes of Chondalwood and the ancient We also recommend Monster Compendium: Monsters of nations of Unther and Mulhorand. Over 1.1 million square Faerûn and Races of Faerûn. A number of the creatures men- miles could be considered part of the South, divided between six tioned in this sourcebook (primarily in the random encounter principal locales—Dambrath, the Great Rift, Halruaa, Luiren, the tables) can be found in those resources. Shaar, and the Shining Lands (Durpar, Estagund, Var the Golden, and SampleVeldorn). Amid these major regions, dozens of independent file cities and strongholds sit among a web of trade routes.

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620_17929_Ch1.indd 4 8/2/04 1:47:06 PM ike many other corners of Faerûn, the diversity Lof the Shining South is enormous, with represen- tatives of every major race present. Some ways of life might be unique to a particular group in this region, but humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halfl ings are much the same here as elsewhere. In addition to these races, a few species, such as the wemic, are unique to the Shining South, turned upside down in that nation, for half-drow reign supreme, including two that are fully detailed in this book: the loxo and while humans kneel at their feet. the thri-kreen. Gnomes and planetouched are uncommon in the Shining South. Characters who hail from the Shining South can choose from A sizable gathering of gnomes serve as master gemcutters in the several new regions described later in this chapter. The chapter city of Ormpé in Durpar, while another group defends the western concludes with a selection of new feats and regional feats. end of the Rathgaunt Hills in the Shaar. Other small, isolated Of the major races in the South, humans are the most preva- clans live deep in the hills, but the only gnomes usually spotted in lent. A number of different human ethnicities populated the the open are those who hail from other lands. A few planetouched southern coast of the continent in the early days, most of them linger in and around the Shining Lands, a reminder of the days roaming the land fi rst as barbaric nomads and only later settling when demons ruled some of the cities along the Golden Water, down and taking up the practices of farming, craftsmanship, and in the Land of Monsters known as Veldorn. Their offspring still trade. Among those, the Arkaiuns, the Durpari, the Halruaans, call the more cosmopolitan urban centers home, and few do more and the Shaarans are the most dominant. than look twice at the outsiders in their midst, so long as those Besides humans, gold dwarves and halfl ings are numerous outsiders have coin to spend like everyone else. here due to the presence of their native homelands. The gold A few half- and other humanoids serve as hired swords dwarves call the Great Rift home and have spread from there to or bodyguards for less particular folk. They are more welcome in the various mountain ranges throughout the South, especially Dambrath than anywhere else in the South, because the Crinti since ’s Thunder Blessing. They mine for precious metals employ unsavory soldiers of all sorts. The lizardfolk of Rethild and gems in both the Curna and Toadsquat ranges, among others. are said to offer mercenary service from their swamp home, and The halfl ings hail from the land of Luiren, where humans are a variety of humanoids roam the open plains of the Shaar. few and far between. Halfl ings have also migrated into other regions, particularly the Hills of the Dead Kings and various urban centers along the coast of the Golden Water. Human, Arkaiun Elves and half-elves are a rarity in most parts of the South, Regions: Dambrath, The Golden Water, Halruaa, The Shaar. for few forests here once served as their traditional homes. Minor Racial Feats: Knife Fighter, Resist Poison, Saddleback communities of wild elves populate the Forest of Amtar, while a similar, if more vicious, lot of the green elves inhabit the Misty Arkaiuns are a relatively new ethnicity among humans, a blend of Vale. Enclaves of elves and half-elves can be found in several other cultures that have been forced to fl ee or submit to others for human cities, but they are small and have no real presence. The most of their existence. Today, they are scattered throughout the markedSample exceptions to this paucity are the drow beneath the southern coast of Faerûn, though Dambrathfile is their traditional Gnollwatch Mountains and the half-drow Crinti who rule the home. Arkaiuns are generally short and stocky, with dusky skin land of Dambrath on their behalf. The natural order has been and dark brown to black hair.

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620_17929_Ch1.indd 5 8/2/04 1:47:11 PM RACES AND REGIONS

History turned within half a century, and the Arkaiuns were the ones facing subjugation. The fi nal straw came in the form of betrayal at the The Arkaiuns who came to the grass-covered plains of the region hands of a group of priestesses of Loviatar. Dambrath belonged now known as Dambrath originally hailed from Shandaular, the to the drow, and the Arkaiuns became their servant race. capital of the kingdom of Ashanath far to the north. Shandaular was actually two separate parts of the same city, each built around one of the termini of a two-way portal connecting the Council Outlook Hills region and the western shore of Lake Ashane. When the Few Arkaiuns identify themselves on a nationalistic level any nentyarch of Tharos attempted to destroy Shandaular during longer. They have long been an oppressed people, held under the his conquest of Ashanath in –946 DR, the citizens fl ed through thumb of half-drow and drow in what was once their homeland their portal to the southern half of the city, leaving behind their of Dambrath. Those who migrated to other regions before the king, Arkaius the Archmage, to close the portal and destroy coming of the Crinti have stayed there, and others have managed it. The Nar people took the name of the fallen king, calling to slip away at opportune moments. themselves the Arkaiuns, and continued to live in the shadow of the quiet portal arch for several more centuries. Though their RKAIUN HARACTERS identity remained intact, the glory of the people of Shandaular A C Arkaiuns do well as fi ghters, rogues, and rangers, since the role waned to a shadow of its former self. Eventually, the Arkaiuns they play in Dambrathan society is one of manual labor and were little more than numerous tribes of nomads who considered struggle. In urban areas, they are house guards, sailors, and their former city a meeting place. thieves, while they function as warriors and ranch hands in In the century leading up to Dale Reckoning, a second ethnic- the countryside. Some outlaws might be barbarians, still trying ity of humans arrived through the same portal terminus, albeit to preserve a nomadic lifestyle and ready to fl ee the Crinti at from a different region of Faerûn. These were a lost tribe of a moment’s notice. Few Arkaiuns become spellcasters of any Illuskans, having vanished from their homeland of Rauthym sort, particularly in Dambrath itself, where practice of magic is Illustrations by Mike Dubisch during that nation’s expansive years. The Illuskans settled among forbidden to Arkaiuns, and religion is enforced. the Nar-Arkaiuns and interbred, and eventually, the two groups Prestige Classes: Arkaiuns are inclined toward physical became one. The mixed Arkaiuns continued to dwell in the prestige classes, such as the assassin, duelist, Great Sea corsair, Council Hills region for a couple more centuries, forming the horizon walker, and guild thief, rather than those of a spiritual kingdom of Eltabranar during that time. or arcane nature. After an ill-advised invasion of Unther and Mulhorand ended disastrously, the Arkaiuns fl ed south and west, eventually settling along the coast of the Bay of Dancing Dolphins. There, they Arkaiun Society began to farm the land and founded trading centers, remaining Crinti rule overshadows Arkaiun society. a presence in the region for a number of centuries. Arkaiuns who still live in Dambrath are Early in the ninth century DR, the Arkaiuns accidentally broke considered second-class citizens, suitable through into the and encountered the drow for the fi rst only for menial time. Foolishly, their king ordered an army to march down into physical labor, the depths of the mountains and conquer the drow city. It was unspecialized a disaster of record commerce work, proportions—the tables were Sample file

Arkaiun Durpari Halruaan Shaaran

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