The Stonelands and the Goblin Marches Table of Contents Credits A Few Notes About Me ..................................... 1 Design: Monte J. Cook Part One: Regional Details ................................. 3 Editing: Jonatha Ariadne Caspian Part Two: The Vanishing Wildlife ..................... .6 Interior Art: Daniel Frazier Part Three: The Goblin Threat .......................... 7 Cartography: Dennis Kauth Part Four: The Great Beasts............................. 21 Typography: Nancy J. Kerkstra Part Five: Rumors and Events .......................... 32 Production: Paul Hanchette ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, and FORGOTTEN REALMS are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Copyright © 1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the 1111XXX1506 ISBN 1-56076-917-3 book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc. Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. POB 756 120 Church End, This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Lake Geneva, Cherry Hinton Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork herein is pro- WI 53147 Cambridge CB1 3LB hibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. U.S.A. United Kingdom A Few Notes About Me here is so much to tell you in such a bragging, but I dare say no other person in the history small amount of space. I am not quite of the Realms has spent as much time in those sure where it is best to beginper- uncomfortable, unfortunate places, or so committed haps the beginning? Yes, of course herself to learn their secrets. But I am getting ahead you are right. My name is Maris of myself. Khorma Terrabin, but I am known to some as the When I was much younger, I lived in central Cor- One-Eyed Mistress, and to others as Maris of Dagger- myr, apprenticed to a wizard named Felbour. I heard dale. That last title is odd because I have never . all the tales surrounding the Goblin Marches and the well, that is a long tale, and Elminster wishes me to Stonelands, I lapped up all the legends of beasts and be brief. monsters and mysterious beings that might be found I am a wizard of great skill and abilitynot to men- there. When I was old enough, I accompanied a group tion modesty! I must admit, though, it is no surprise of adventurers into the Stonelands. They had dreams to me that Elminster should seek my aid in detailing of finding the legendary Citadel of Seligonil. Was it the Stonelands and the Goblin Marches. I am not myth or history? I caught the flame of their passion, 1 and it burned bright within me. Of course, finding the ruins of Rasilith. We have been grubby, frozen, water- place was not as simple as finding the new wines in logged, desiccated, wounded, bruised and exhausted. the market. We spent many months in conflict with Though my allies have come and gone, moving on the border raiders that skulked along the rough edges to other climates, going down in battles, falling out of Cormyr, making sorties into civilization, and dash- over minor squabbles, or major onescome now, who ing back into their Stonelands warrens. And raiders truly thinks alls fair in love?I have spent most of were not all we encountered. There were other crea- my life in this desolate region. And I have more than tures, even less savory creatures, as well. Not a vial of enough to show for my labors, thank you. I know the perfume for miles. Stonelands and the Goblin Marches like a Wyvern- Although we never found the Citadel, I learned spur knows Immersea, like King Azoun knows enough about the Stonelands to make me want to Suzailperhaps, I dare say, better. I have solved many stay. This was an area ripe with secrets. Few remem- of the mysteries in the sullen wastes. I have found bered its treasures, left over from the ancient king- much of its treasure. domskingdoms which at one time sprawled over all But dont let this prideful tone, this puffed self-con- that is now Anauroch, the Great Desert immediately sequence, put you off. There is more treasure to be north of the sullen wastes we wandered. History had here, even yet. The Marches and the Stonelands called, legends whispered. Treasure fanned the flame. boast many more secrets to uncover. I no longer reside I and a few companions built a small wooden keep in that snug little keep beyond the Moors. New just north of the High Moors. From there, we adventure has led me to the far west. But Elminster launched our forays into the Stonelands and the was persuasiveand flattering. That long-ago flame Marches. Our travels took us from the Thunder Peaks still flickers. So I am relating now what I learned, that to the Farsea Marshes, from Skull Gorge to the Storm others may blow its coals once more to life. Horns, and even into Anauroch, to find the ancient 2 Part One: Regional Details he Goblin Marches and the abundant rain and ground water, few plants find the Stonelands are desolate areas that Marches a comfortable home. Tough, hardy grasses, few humans venture intofor fear, flowering weeds, prickly ground vines, and various no doubt, of the goblins, orcs, and fungi straggle sparsely throughout the plain. Low other humanoids dwelling in the scrub brush, such as the tiny lorach bush (as the gob- region. The inhabitants are not the only discouraging lins call it), can be found everywhere. Certainly a features, either. The land is rather infertile, and the farmer would despair of raising crops here. climate is hot and humid in summertime, cold and windy in winter. Due to the position of the surround- ing mountains, and the proximity of that unnatural The Stonelands desert to the north, strange, dangerous storms appear with little warningparticularly in the Stonelands. his area is actually more fertile than the Goblin In point of fact, neither place has anything to recom- TMarches, but that advantage matters very little. mend it to a reasonable person. And reasonable folk The frequent, violent storms that lash the surface dont see a need to distinguish (unless they are map- make any sort of agriculture impossible here as well. makers) between the two. But there are differences. Hail and fire are just not healthful for croplandsbut I am getting ahead of myself. The Stonelands are named for the large, monu- The Goblin Marches mentlike spires which are scattered haphazardly across an otherwise unremarkable landscape. Some number he Goblin Marches are a narrow strip of land of these rocks are hundreds of feet high, but most are Tbetween the Storm Horns and Anauroch. much smaller. All of them give the impression that Although technically a part of the Kingdom of Cormyr, they fell from the sky and landed awkwardly. this rind of land is all but devoid of human inhabitants. That appearance is not mere bardic fancy. Unlike As its name implies, the masters of this regionif you the Goblin Marches, the earth here is not rockythe could call them thatare the goblinoid races. Fortu- stones do not belong. Many jut at strange angles and nately for the civilized lands to the south, these goblins lean dangerously off kilter. A traveler passes below are disorganized and would rather fight among them- these tilted megaliths at his own peril. Have I seen selves than attack well-trained Cormyrean soldiers, one fall? No. Do I dance at their feet, flouting their particularly those who stand guard in the passes stability? Not on my life. through the Storm Horns. The same plants grow here in the Stonelands as The Marches are primarily rough grassland, their haunt the Goblin Marches. In the Marches, the vege- meager vegetation broken by small streams, rocky out- tation seems cowed and sullen. Here however, lusher, croppings, an occasional gnarled copse. There is a great greener grasses tuft around the rocks in shy celebra- deal of subsurface water here, and underground streams tion, while plush mosses and lichens cling tenaciously and pools have etched caves and tunnels into the to their sides. The larger plants are not so happy with underlying bedrock, some of which rise very near the their situation. Trees are still fairly uncommon, their surface. These caves provide homeslairs is the better welcome height and shelter limited to a narrow edg- wordfor many residents. ing on a stream bank or a thin fringing around one of The soil is poor and consistently stony. Despite the rare lakes. Where there are trees, there are also 3 plenty of deadfalls, downed limbs, and lightning- 5-7 Icestorm. All within a 3-5 mile radius are scored trunks attesting to the hazards of Stonelands pelted with huge hailstones, many of which sport weather. At least gathering firewood and tinder in iciclelike points. All those exposed take 2d6 these fringe woods is never a problem. points of damage each round. Stone shelters are Storms thrash the area with high winds, hail, and the safest bet. Only the sturdiest wooden con- frequent lightning strikessometimes so frequent as structions can withstand the storm. Constant bat- to seem continuous. Rumor has it that occasionally tering destroys most structures and anyone inside these tempests rain down acid or even fire, but I takes full damage thereafter.