The Forgotten Realms Are a World of the Realms, Matched by a Sheet of Very Similar to the Earth of the 13Th and Ice, Equally Relentless, to Its East
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These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed words unwrittenand set them down ere they fade . Learn then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding. Alaundo of Candlekeep Cyclopedia of the Realms Table of Contents Introductions ..................................................................4 About this Product ..............................................................5 Time in the Realms ..............................................................6 Names in the Realms .............................................................7 Languages of the Realms .........................................................8 Currency in the Realms ..........................................................9 Religion in the Realms ...........................................................10 Cyclopedia Entries ..............................................................19 Anauroch Map ..................................................................23 Arabel Map ....................................................................24 Cormyr Map ...................................................................33 Cormyr Royal Lineage ...........................................................34 DalelandsMap ..................................................................36 Immersea Map ..................................................................53 Mages Sigils .................................................................58,59 Merchant Company Banners ......................................................63 Myth Drannor Maps ..........................................................66,67 Scornubel Map .................................................................75 Old Skull Inn Map ...............................................................76 Shadowdale Map ................................................................78 Suzail Map ..................................................................82,83 Westgate Map ...............................................................90,91 Zhentil Keep Network. ...........................................................93 Appendix: The Shadowdale Census .................................................94 Credits Graphic Design: Stephanie Tabat Calligraphy (Runes, Sigils, Languages): Paula M. Holz Design: Ed Greenwood Deity/Faith Symbols: David E. Martin Design and Development: Jeff Grubb Typography: Betty Elmore Editing: Karen S. Martin Cover Art: Keith Parkinson Interior Art: Jeff Easley, Keith Parkinson, Tim Conrad Printed in the U.S.A. Cartography: Diesel, Dave Sutherland, Dennis & Ron Kauth ISBN 0-88038-472-7 1031 TSR, Inc. TSR UK Ltd. POB 756 The Mill, Rathmore Road Lake Geneva, WI Cambridge CB1 4AD 53147 United Kingdom ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, FORGOTTEN REALMS, PRODUCTS OF YOUR IMAGINATION, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distribu- tors. Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR UK Ltd. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork presented herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Introduction hat which follows is a brief intro- cal energies, allowing them to perform T duction to the world of the Forgot- mighty tasks. Others receive such abili- ten Realms, with hopes to entertain, ties with the blessing of extra-planar illuminate, and provide information in beings known as Powers. These magic- campaigns using the ADVANCED users and clerics can reshape the face DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® system. This of the world, and indeed have done so tome and the cyclopedia it contains, over the millennia. Hills and forests with its companion volume, the DMs may appear where there have been Sourcebook of the Realms, should allow none before, and mountains may move the creation of an individual campaign several miles. A great sandy waste has setting using this world. been moving further south in the heart The Forgotten Realms are a world of the Realms, matched by a sheet of very similar to the Earth of the 13th and ice, equally relentless, to its east. Nei- 14th centuries. Most of the area under ther of these may be the fault of nature discussion here has until recently been alone, but the meddling of spell-casters, covered by wild forests and unsettled human and otherwise. grasslands. Civilization is still a novelty Finally, the Realms are a land of in much of this world, even the oldest adventure, and therefore adventurers. of cities on the Inland Sea, or the found- It is the time of heroes, when one man ing of Waterdeep, the greatest City of of pure heart (or with a powerful arti- the North, are within the memory of fact) may hold his own against enemy the oldest living elves of Evermeet. hordes, where legions of evil forces The people of these realms (including may muster and be destroyed by the man, dwarf, elf, gnome, and halfling) actions of a few, where the nations rise are similar in mindset and advance- and fall on magical tides which mere ment to the men of the 13th century. men can control. It is a time when the City-states are common, and nations on bold and the lucky may make their for- the increase as more of the wild lands tunes and gain great power over their are pushed back and gathered under a worlds. single king or government. Skills such The information presented herein is as metalworking, farming, and craft- as known to myself, those about me in industry are common in the civilized the lands north and west of the Sea of lands, so that swords and heavy metal Fallen Stars, and those I have encoun- armor are all-too available to the war- tered in my travels. On my word as a rior. Literacy and the quest for knowl- sage nothing within these pages is false, edge in on the rise, with the recent but not all of it may prove to be true. All introduction of printed hand-bills in stories presented are as I have heard Waterdeep. The merchants-class is them and had them recorded, all infor- increasing in both wealth and power as mation is checked as best as possible more markets and resources open up. given the limited resources of an old Faith, while not as dominant as in man in a small town (even if that old Europe of this period, is a major force man has the power to flatten moun- in the lives of the people. tains, mind you). As you adventure in There are great differences between this fantasy world, be warned that not that world and this as well. Great beasts all things are as they appear, and trust and evil humanoids wander the wild (and to your wits, your weapons, and your not-so-wild) country of the Forgotten common sense in surviving and profit- Realms. Ruins of ancient cities and tow- ing from the Forgotten Realms. ers may be found among the under- brush, old lands and names that are lost to memory and the past. And there is As recorded by Lhaeo, Scribe to the magic. Sage ELMINSTER OF SHADOWDALE, Some individuals of the Forgotten 30th and last day of Nightal, Year of the Realms have the ability to channel magi- Prince, 1357 Dalereckoning 4 About this Product he FORGOTTEN REALMS Boxed which are of interest or influence in the from the texts of the Sage of Sha- T set contains two books, four maps, area (such as the land of Red Wizards, dowdale, this section includes all and two sets of plastic overlays. The Thay) are included as well, as are local manner of details, notes, gossip, plastic overlays are used to determine legends and stories that might easily be legends, tales, and other general distances in the realms without need of known to those living in these times. information on the area or indi- overlaying hexes or other grids on the The second book, The DMs Source- viduals encountered. surfaces of the maps themselves. Two book of the Realms, is written to GAME INFORMATION: Often, of the maps are drawn to provide a gen- emphasize the use of the Realms for the l something will be mentioned in eral overview of the Realms, running AD&D® game system, including tables the section of Elminsters Notes from the Moonshae Isles in the west to and information necessary for running which may require further expla- the land of Thay in the east, and from a campaign, advice on the different nation for the AD&D game player, the Spine of The World Mountains in types or styles of campaigns, some sam- such as suspected levels of a ruler the North to the Jungles of Chult in the ple adventures, and items specially or guard-captain, the numbers of south. These maps have been drawn geared to the FORGOTTEN REALMS a patrol or armed force, or stats with that information available to our setting. for ships or types of alcohol. Rath- representative in the Realms, Elminster This book is divided in two portions: er than digress in the text, or refer the Sage, and represents what is known the first a general overview on the the curious game-player to of those lands from the mindset of the Realms and those things common to another section, those topics are Dalelands and Cormyr. most of the Realms (Currency, Calen- covered under this heading. The other two maps are detailed dar, major gods, and language),