Advanced Dun^eonsf/Dragons ^** Edition

CAMPAIGN SETTING Tbe ys Gtifoe to the Fongotten ReaLras Campaign Table of Contents The Seekers: Who They Are 6 Barstaag's Revenge 61 Bublim Barboast 6 The Night of Sharp Teeth 67 Esta Starchild 7 The Black Hood Bandits 71 Furian Arcanus 8 News Spreads to Scornubel 76 Lorrick 9 The Star-Spore 78 Samkin Silvertooth 10 Empty Purses in High Horn 82 Trothgar 11 A Mystery in Arabel 86 The Journey Begins 12 A Talk with Mother Lledew 93 On To Neverwinter 18 Taking Ship from Suzail 97 Talk of Evermeet 23 Lorrick Takes a Quest 100 Horrors of the High Moor 26 Farewells in Saerloon 104 A Vision Upon the Hill 28 Thunderholme 106 Lost Among the Bones Sample31 A fileTale of Pirates 110 In the Forgotten Forest 34 Crossar's Tomb 113 Elves of the Greycloaks 37 A Night in Procampur 116 A Tale of Prince Chelimber 46 News of Impiltur 117 The Pegasus Rider 48 A Death in Damara 118 Samkin's Past Catches Up 51 Clues From the Past 121 Strangeness in Cloak Wood 57 At the Shrine 124 The Lore of Candlekeep 59 The Last Hope 126

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, and FORGOTTEN REALMS Cwedifs are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Original Realms Design: Ed Greenwood The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. The Annals of the Seekers Design: Anthony Herring All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive Additional Material: Jeff Grubb, Karen Boomgarden, likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Julia Martin, Steven Schend, J. Robert King, Tim Beach Copyright © 1993 TSR, Inc. All Rights ReserveJ. Printed in U.S.A. Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide Editing: Jonatha Ariadne Caspian distribution rights in the book trade for English language Product Group Manager: Karen Boomgarden products of TSR, Inc. Cover Art: Larry Elmore Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Interior Art: Valerie Valusek Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Cartography: Dennis Kauth This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Typesetting: Nancy J. Kerkstra Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwotk herein is prohibited without Production: Paul Hanchette the express written permission of TSR, Inc.

2142 ISBN 1-56076-695-6 TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd POB 756 120 Church End Lake Geneva, Cherry Hinton WI 53147 • : Cambridge CBl 3LB

U.S.A. '_ T """' • United Kingdom lore'! Welcome to the FORGOTTEN REALMS® World. If you're a newcomer, the dozens of novels and game volumes may seem daunting. Where do you start reading? Don't worry. Start here! The book in your hands is both an introduction to and refer- ence for the fantasy world beloved to ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game players. But you don't need to know the game to discover the world within these covers—there's no jargon or lengthy statistics here. Journal entries from the Annals of the Seekers, a half-elf's chronicling of the many exploits of his adventuring company, allow you to explore the Realms firsthand. Live their triumphs and dangers! Unravel their mysteries! For the brave of heart and keen of wit, glory awaits. Safe journey!

What awe the Fcmgotten Realms? -bme theorists explain dragons and other fantastic occurrences by postulat- 'ing parallel worlds. In times past, they believe, travel between mundane worlds—like our own—and more exotic locales was easy and frequent. But we have lost Samplecontact, and los filet the worlds themselves. Lost, or forgotten. Abeir-Toril, more commonly Toril, is an Earth-sized planet dominated by a continent in its northern hemisphere. Called Faerun in the west, it is here that the Forgotten Realms lie. Although other large landmasses sprawl across Toril's surface, and indeed, other civilizations share the continent with Faerun, these regions are merely rumors and legends to most Realmfolk—perhaps known, but rarely visited. They do not concern us.

TuRn Back to MedieoaL Times l\ In many ways, the Forgotten Realms are similar to our Earth of the 13th and 14th centuries. Until recently, much of the area was wild forests and unsettled grasslands. Civilization is still a novelty. The births of the oldest of cities on the Inland Sea—even the founding of Waterdeep, now jewel of the North—lie within the memory of some ancient elves in Evermeet. History is young. Faerun's peoples share the mindsets and advancements of 13th-century Earth. City-states are common, and organized nations are rising where wilder- ness is pushed back. Farming and craft-industry skills are widespread. Swords and heavy metal armor are readily available, and too-often put to use. Literacy and the quest for knowledge continue to advance civilization. The recent innovation of printed hand-bills has trans- formed alley walls in Waterdeep. As markets and resources are discovered, the merchant class grows in both wealth and power. Though not as dominant as it was in Europe of this period, faith is a major force in people's daily lives, be they commoner or noble. Realmfolk pay homage to many gods.

Hewe Be Monstens and Magic

There are also tremendous differences between the world of the Realms and our own. There, monstrous beasts and evil humanoids prowl the wilderness, sometimes to the very outskirts of cities and settle- ments. Travel, whether by land or sea, can be treach- erous. Most differently, the Realms have magic. Some say magic (or the "Art") was a gift to the Realmfolk from the goddess Mystra, who later regret- ted her charity. With or without Mystra's blessing, some individuals study the Art. These wizards have learned the ability to channel magical energies. And not only wizards handle extraordinary power. The gods here allow believers to work miracleSamples in file their names. Priests and clerics perform acts of heal- ing and power our modern world might well call sor- cery. In the Realms, such mages and priests can alter the very face of the world. Indeed, they have done so over the millennia. Mountains may walk, and hills and forests appear where none stood before. In the heart of the Realms, an immense sandy waste spreads south- ward. An equally relentless glacier advances to its east. Kings rise and nations fall. Evil forces gather like thunderheads. And the need for valiant action calls the hero forth. %\

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and caution in dangerous situations. However, he can- not quite control his obsession for practical jokes, with Lorrick being his primary target. Through minor illu- sions and mundane pranks, Bublim loves to get a rise out of the surly dwarf. One of these days, Bublim will likely get more than he bargained for (just ask Samkin!). From what Bublim has told me, he was separated from his family many winters ago, during an untimely war—between humans and goblins—that rolled across his homeland, causing much confusion. Though he wants to find his family, the gnome does not seem con- cerned about commencing this personal quest. He has been with us Seekers from the beginning, and plans to remain until he has enough good stories to tell his fam- ily. Then, he will begin the search for them. Though this seems strange to me, 1 suppose it is quite typical of gnomes—they seem to twist whatever struggle fate brings them into a happy ending. After all, Bublim will be happy—when he is reunited with Sample filehis family. And the stories he will have to tell!

Gnomes nomes are a short, friendly race common in Bublim Bcmboast, 'most of the Realms. Smaller and less stocky than dwarves, they are thought to be distant relatives Gnome Illusionist (though among gnomes, only men have beards). Regardless of age, gnome faces are creased with rom the Annals of the Seekers, as written by smile and frown lines, as if carved from wood. FFurian Arcanus: Their natural skin coloring, from light ash and Bublim Barboast is one of the most interesting (and maple tones to the warm darkness of varnished strangest) individuals I have met. In many drinking and buffed oak, increases the tendency to think of establishments, this friendly gnome is known as "The gnomes as a woods folk. Stupendous Bublim Barboast," a name he considers his Gnomes seem unbothered by the world, and only "stage-name." He amuses patrons by performing feats of rarely become involved with it. They have no writ- dexterity, juggling, and tumbling, and by his enchant- ten history, preferring to keep records only in the ing illusions, in exchange for an ever-growing bar tab. memories of the eldest clan members and the songs When performing, Bublim dresses in blaringly colorful of legend. Gnomes value their families first, then clothing ornamented with tinkling bells and various whatever other relatives they encounter, then other other trinkets. While adventuring, he has the sense to gnomes, and finally the world, in that order. dress appropriately, and displays considerable wisdom