Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition

The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting was published in 2001 by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. It is a Forgotten Realms campaign sourcebook for use with the 3^rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. The book was written by Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, and Rob Heinsoo, with the contributions of members of the Wizards company staff. The book is 320 pages in length, illustrated in color, and hardbound.

In 2002, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting won the Origins Award for Best Role-Playing Game Supplement of 2001.

Description[]

This is the third-edition release of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons and a number of changes were made since the previous books were published by the former TSR, Inc. The most important update was to incorporate the significant revisions to the game system with the 3^rd-edition update. Various regional feats, character attributes, prestige classes, spells, and NPC statistics all used the new rule set.

The work also made some notable updates to the campaign setting, including the widespread presence of Red Wizard enclaves in various cities, the presence of a mysterious group called the Shadovar in the southern Anauroch desert, and the increasing surface presence of drow in the Dalelands. The setting history was updated to reflect the various major events, such as the changes to the Faerûnian pantheon since the Time of Troubles and the defeat of the Tuigan Horde.

The book was organized into nine chapters, covering in broad detail the campaign setting. The primary emphasis was on the continent of Faerûn, and the other continents of Toril were only briefly mentioned.

In addition to the nine chapters, this work includes two short adventures and a number of maps, including a fold-out map of the continent of Faerûn. There are also many sidebar topics and tables.

Contents[]

Introduction[]

A summary of the Forgotten Realms for new players and old alike, as well as stats for the Realms' oldest character, Elminster Aumar.

Chapter 1: Characters[]

How to create a player character for the setting in summary. This includes new races such as planetouched, as well as new subraces for core races, such as drow or gold dwarves, information on incorporating core classes, regional feats, religions, and setting-specific prestige classes such as arcane devotees, harper scouts, or red wizards. The chapter also includes tips for converting characters built for the then-core setting of Greyhawk into characters suitable for the Realms.

Races[]

human • dwarf (gold dwarf • gray dwarf • shield dwarf) • elf (drow • moon elf • sun elf • wild elf • wood elf) • gnome (deep gnome • rock gnome) • half-elf • half-orc • halfling (ghostwise halfling • lightfoot halfling • strongheart halfling) • planetouched (aasimar • genasi • tiefling)

Classes[]

barbarian • bard • cleric • druid • fighter • monk • paladin • ranger • rogue • sorcerer • wizard

Prestige Classes[]

arcane devotee • archmage • divine champion • divine disciple • divine seeker • guild thief • Harper scout • hathran • hierophant • Purple Dragon knight • Red Wizard • runecaster • shadow adept

Chapter 2: Magic[]

An explanation of how magic, both arcane and divine, operates in this setting and a number of unique aspects of magic. A few additional spells are provided, primarily to support the new domains.

Domains[]

air domain • animal domain • cavern domain • chaos domain • charm domain • craft domain • darkness domain • death domain • destruction domain • drow domain • dwarf domain • earth domain • elf domain • evil domain • family domain • fate domain • fire domain • gnome domain • good domain • halfling domain • hatred domain • healing domain • illusion domain • knowledge domain • law domain • luck domain • magic domain • mentalism domain • metal domain • moon domain • nobility domain • ocean domain • orc domain • planning domain • plant domain • portal domain • protection domain • renewal domain • retribution domain • rune domain • scalykind domain • slime domain • spell domain • spider domain • storm domain • strength domain • suffering domain • sun domain • time domain • trade domain • travel domain • trickery domain • tyranny domain • undeath domain • war domain • water domain

Spells[]

Aganazzar's scorcher • analyze portal • anyspell • armor of darkness • blacklight • claws of darkness • cloak of dark power • create magic tattoo • darkbolt • eagle's splendor • Elminster's evasion • fantastic machine • fire stride • flashburst • flensing • gate seal • gembomb • great shout • greater anyspell • greater fantastic machine • Grimwald's graymantle • lesser ironguard • maelstrom • maw of stone • moon blade • moon path • moonbeam • moonfire • scatterspray • shadow mask • shadow spray • Snilloc's snowball swarm • spider curse • spider shapes • spiderform • stone spiders • thunderlance • waterspout

Chapter 3: Life in Faerûn[]

A general overview of life, lore, culture, and commerce in this setting. Information is also provided for timekeeping and for simulating local economics and climate conditions in the Realms.

Equipment[]

aspergillum • bandoleer • chess • draughts • old men's bones • talis • hammock • insect netting • marbles • potion belt • scroll organizer • alchemical sleep gas • disappearing ink • cassil • nararoot • powderhorn • powderkeg • scentbreaker • blade boot • chakram • claw bracer • cutlass • khopesh • maul • saber • scourge

Chapter 4: Geography[]

Each of the significant regions of the continent is explored, along with places of interest, cities, politics, and significant individuals, such as Drizzt Do'Urden or the Seven Sisters.

Anauroch • Chultan Peninsula (Chult • Tashalar • Samarach • Thindol) • Cold Lands (Damara • Narfell • Vaasa • Sossal) • Cormyr • Dalelands (Archendale • Battledale • Cormanthor • Daggerdale • Deepingdale • Featherdale • Harrowdale • High Dale • Mistledale • Scardale • Shadowdale • Tasseldale) • Dragon Coast • Hordelands • Island Kingdoms (Evermeet • Lantan • Moonshae Isles • Nelanther Isles • Nimbral) • Lake of Steam (Lapaliiya) • Lands of Intrigue (Amn • Calimshan • Tethyr) • Moonsea (The Ride • Thar • Tortured Land) • The North (High Forest • Savage Frontier • Silver Marches • Sword Coast North • Waterdeep) • Old Empires (Chessenta • Mulhorand • Unther) • Sembia • Shining South (Great Rift • Halruaa • Luiren • Shaar • Dambrath • Durpar • Estagund • Rethild • Var the Golden • Veldorn) • Unapproachable East (Aglarond • Great Dale • Impiltur • Rashemen • Thay • Thesk) • Underdark • The Vast • Vilhon Reach (Chondath • Sespech • Turmish) • Western Heartlands • Kara-Tur • Maztica • Zakhara • Sea of Night (Selûne • Dawn Heralds • Five Wanderers)

Chapter 5: Deities[]

A listing of the major deities of the Faerûnian pantheon, along with a brief description of the Realms' cosmology. Several new domains are introduced, with the incumbent spells listed in Chapter 2: Magic.

Azuth • Bane • Chauntea • Cyric • Eilistraee • Gond • Helm • Ilmater • Kelemvor • Kossuth • Lathander • Lolth • Malar • Mask • Mielikki • Mystra • Oghma • Selûne • Shar • Shaundakul • Silvanus • Sune • Talos • Tempus • Torm • Tymora • Tyr • Umberlee • Uthgar • Waukeen

Chapter 6: History[]

This is an overview of the detailed history of this setting, with a lengthy time line at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 7: Organizations[]

Groups, cults, and other organizations play an important role in the realms, and several of the most significant are detailed herein such as the Harpers or Zhentarim.

Cult of the Dragon • Emerald Enclave • Fire Knives • Harpers • Lords' Alliance • Malaugryms • People of the Black Blood • Red Wizards • Seven Sisters • Shades • Xanathar's Guild • Zhentarim

Adventure: The Color of Ambition[]

Main article: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition/The Color of Ambition

In this short sample adventure module for low-level characters, the players seek to determine the schemes of a Red Wizard enclave opperating near a small town.

Chapter 8: Running the Realms[]

This chapter provides useful advice for the game referee or "dungeon master" trying to run an adventure or campaign in this setting.

Adventure: Green Bones[]

Main article: Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition/Green Bones

In this short sample adventure module for advanced characters, the players explore the lair of a green dragon.

Chapter 9: Monsters[]

A brief list of monsters unique to this continent are introduced.

pack lizard • riding lizard • spitting crawler • two-headed adder • winged viper • tressym • death tyrant • dracolich • kir-lanan • rothé (deep rothé • ghost rothé • surface rothé) • shade

Index[]

Click here for page index

The following index only includes topics from the main chapters of the book. The two mini-adventures, "Color of Ambition" and "Green Bones", are indexed separately on their own subpages.

This section is a stub. You can help us by expanding it.

Characters[]

Aencar • Alusair Obarskyr • Alustriel • Araumycos • Arrk • Artemis Entreri • Araundor • Bronnia Stonesplitter • Caladnei • Drizzt Do'Urden • Elaith Craulnober • Eldenser • Elminster • Fzoul Chembryl • Gaulauntyr "Glorytongue" • Gerti Orelsdottr • Hadrhune • Halaster Blackcloak • Jezz the Lame • Khalia • Khelben Arunsun • King Obould Many-Arrows • Klauth • Lhaeo

Classes[]

arcane devotee • archmage • barbarian • bard • cleric • divine champion • divine disciple • divine seeker • druid • fighter • guild thief • Harper scout • hathran • hierophant

Cosmology[]

Astral Plane • City of Judgment • Cynosure • Dawn Heralds • Five Wanderers • Fugue Plane

Creatures[]

aasimar • baatezu • beholders • baphitaur • buried ones • copper elves • creator races • dark elves • death tyrant • deep gnomes • dracolich • drow • duergar • dwarves • elves • genasi • ghostwise halflings • gnomes • gold dwarves • gray dwarves • green elves • half-elves • half-orcs • halflings • humans • kir-lanan • lightfoot halflings

Deities[]

Abbathor • Aerdrie Faenya • Akadi • Angharradh • Anhur • Ao • Arvoreen • Auril • Azuth • Baervan Wildwanderer • Bahgtru • Bane • Baravar Cloakshadow • Berronar Truesilver • Beshaba • Bildoobaris • Brandobaris • Callarduran Smoothhands • Chauntea • Clangeddin Silverbeard • Corellon Larethian • Cyric • Cyrrollalee • Deep Duerra • Deep Sashelas • Deneir • Dugmaren Brightmantle • Dumathoin • Eilistraee • Eldath • Erevan Ilesere • Fenmarel Mestarine • Finder Wyvernspur • Flandal Steelskin • Gaerdal Ironhand • Garagos • Gargauth • Garl Glittergold • Geb • Ghaunadaur • Gond • Gorm Gulthyn • Grumbar • Gruumsh • Gwaeron Windstrom • Haela Brightaxe • Hanali Celanil • Hathor • Helm • Hoar • Horus-Re • Ilmater • Ilneval • Isis • Istishia • Jergal • Kelemvor • Kiaransalee • Kossuth • Labelas Enoreth • Laduguer • Lathander • Lliira • Lolth • Loviatar • Lurue • Luthic

Events[]

Crown Wars • Feast of the Moon • Greengrass • Highharvestide

Locations[]

Bodies of Water[]

Alamber Sea • Arkhen Falls • Arnaden • Ashaba, River • Bay of Chult • Deepwash • Fire River • Fountains of Memory • Giant's Chalice • Glaemril • Great Sea • Highstar Lake • Icelace Lake • Immersea • Inner Sea • Lake Ashane • Lake Eredruie • Lake Esmel • Lake Halruaa • Lake Sember • Lake of Steam • Lake Thaylambar

Bridges[]

Boareskyr Bridge

Buildings[]

Abbey of the Sword • Arrowpoint • Bounty of the Goddess • Candlekeep • Castle Crag • Castle Grimstead • Castle Krag • Castle Perilous • Castle Spulzeer • Castle Waterdeep • Darkhold • Dragonspear Castle • Durlag's Tower • Elminster's Tower • Emmech • Fort Arran • Fort Beluarian • Goldenfields • High Castle • Ilmeth's Manor • Iron Keep • Ironfang Keep

Caverns & Mines[]

Bloodstone Mines • Cavern of Death • Caverns of the Claws • Delhalls • Endless Caverns • Laughing Hollow

Deserts[]

Anauroch • Calim Desert

Dungeons & Ruins[]

Aencar's Manor • Ascore • Asram • Araundordoom • Bell in the Deep • Crumbling Stair • Crypt of the Wondermakers • Dalelost • Dread Lair of Alokkair • Dungeon of the Crypt • Dungeon of Death • Dungeon of the Hark • Dungeon of the Ruins • Dungeon of the Swords • Galath's Roost • Ghost Holds • Halls of Four Ghosts • Halls of the Hammer • Haunted Halls of Eveningstar • Hellgate Keep • Heroes' Tomb • Hidden House • Hlaungadath • Holdfast • House of Stone • Ironguard • Lhesper • Lonely Tower • Lyrar's Hold

Forests[]

Amtar, Forest of • Arch Wood • Ardeep Forest • Ashenwood • Black Jungles • Border Forest • Chondalwood • Chult, jungles of • Cloak Wood • Cold Wood • Cormanthor • Dire Wood • Duskwood • Earthwood • Flooded Forest • Forest of Mir • Forest of Wyrms • Forgotten Forest • Gray Forest • Gulthmere Forest • High Forest • Hullack Forest • Jundarwood • jungles of Chult • King's Forest • Lethyr, Forest of • Lluirwood • Long Forest • Lurkwood

Islands[]

Alaor • Alaron • Eyes of Silvanus • Gwynneth

Marshland & Swamps[]

Adder Swamp • Akanamere • Bottomless Bogs • Cold Field • Dragonmere • Evermoors • Farsea Marshes • Glaun Bog • High Moor • Lizard Marsh • Lonely Moor

Mountains & Hills[]

Akanapeaks • Aphrunn Mountains • Azirrhat • Blood Horn • Cloud Peaks • Cloven Mountains • Council Hills • Dagger Hills • Deepwing Mountains • Desertsmouth Mountains • Dragon's Run Mountains • Dragonjaw Mountains • Dragonspine Mountains • Dragonsword Mountains • Dun Hills • Eagle Hills • Eagles' Eyrie • Earthfast Mountains • Earthspur Mountains • Far Hills • Galena Mountains • Giant's Run Mountains • Giantspires • Graycloak Hills • Greypeak Mountains • Haptooth Hill • Hazuk Mountains • Lost Peaks

Other Locations[]

Bezentil • Bloodstone Pass • Chultan Peninsula • City of the Dead • Damaran Gate • Darkwatch • Dragonwall • Fell Pass • The Gates • Glacier of the White Worm • Grandfather Tree • Great Glacier • High Ice • Ice Run

Plains & Valleys[]

Arkhen Vale • Ashanath • At'ar's Looking Glass • Barrowfields • Battle of Bones • The Belt • Black Ash Plain • Copper Gulp • Dancing Place • Farmeadows • Fields of the Dead • Golden Plains • Green Fields • Green Lands • Hidden Vale • Horsefields • Immil Vale

Realms[]

Aglarond • Altumbel • Amn • Archendale • Athalantar • Battledale • Cairnheim • Calimshan • Chessenta • Chondath • Cormyr • Daggerdale • Damara • Dambrath • Deep Shanatar • Deepingdale • Delzoun • Durpar • Eaerlann • Estagund • Evermeet • Featherdale • Free Towns • Great Dale • Great Rift • Halruaa • Harrowdale • High Dale • Hlondath • Illefarn • Iltkazar • Imaskar • Jhaamdath • Kingdom of Man • Lantan • Lapaliiya • Luiren

Regions[]

Border Kingdoms • Chult • Cold Lands • Dalelands • Deep Realm • Deepwild • Delhumide • Dragon Coast • Eltabbar • Elven Court • Faerûn • Fallen Lands • Gauros • Heartlands • High Country • Hordelands • Icewind Dale • Impiltur • Island Kingdoms • Kara-Tur • Labyrinth • Landrise • Lands of Intrigue • Lapendrar

Settlements[]

Airspur • Akanax • Alaghôn • Almraiven • Amruthar • Anauria • Ankhapur • Arabel • Archenbridge • Arrabar • Asbravn • Ashabenford • Askavar • Assam • Athkatla • Baldur's Gate • Beluir • Beorunna's Well • Berdusk • Beregost • Bezantur • Blackfeather Bridge • Blingdenstone • Bristar • Caer Callidyrr • Caer Corwell • Calaunt • Calimport • Cedarsproke • Chandlerscross • Chethel • Cimbar • Citadel Adbar • Citadel Felbarr • Citadel of the Raven • Citadel of the White Worm • Corm Orp • Crimmor • Daerlun • Dagger Falls • Daggerford • Darmshall • Darromar • Deadsnows • Dhedluk • Dilpur • Eartheart • Elbulder • Elturel • Elventree • Elversult • Eshpurta • Essembra • Eveningstar • Evereska • Feather Falls • Firehammer Hall • Furthinghome • Gauntlgrym • Gheldaneth • Gildenglade • Glen • Gracklstugh • Griffon's Nest • Halagard • Halarahh • Hammer and Anvil • Hap • Heliogabalus • Highcastle • Highmoon • Hill's Edge • Hillsafar Hall • Hillsfar • Hlammach • Hlath • Hlondeth • Hluthvar • Ilipur • Iljack • Iltkazar (city) • Immilmar • Innarlith • Iriaebor • Ironspur • Jalanthar • Keczulla • Leuthilspar • Lheshayl • Llorkh • Loudwater • Luskan • Luthcheq • Lyrabar

Streets & Roads[]

Black Road • Dark Road • Golden Way

Miscellaneous[]

adventurers • afterlife • agriculture and industry • animals • apprentices • Art, the • Calendar of Harptos • cantons • Chosen of Mystra • Chultan weapons • circle magic • city life • city-states • class and station • climate • coinage • commerce • craft and engineering • Dalereckoning • Dales Compact • dead magic • druid circles • dungeons • elven high magic • empires • equipment • families • flight of dragons • flora and fauna • forms of address • fortifications • frontiers • gems • government • instruments, musical • kingdoms • languages • learning

Organizations[]

Arcane Brotherhood • Auzkovyn • Batiri • Bedine • Cult of the Dragon • Dales Council • Emerald Enclave • Ffolk • Fire Knives • Harpers • House Jaelre • Iron Throne • Knights of the Shield • Kraken Society • Lords of Waterdeep • Lords' Alliance

Credits[]

• Game Design: Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo
• Additional Design: James Wyatt
• Developer: Richard Baker
• Editors: Michele Carter, Julia Martin, John D. Rateliff
• Editorial Assistance: Steve E. Schend
• Managing Editor: Kim Mohan
• Forgotten Realms Creative Director: Richard Baker
• Director of RPG R&D: Bill Slavicsek
• Brand Manager: Jim Butler
• Category Manager: Keith Francis Strohm
• Art Director: Robert Raper
• Typographers: Angelika Lokotz, Sonya Percival
• Forgotten Realms Logo Design: Robert Campbell, Sherry Floyd
• Cover Design: Sherry Floyd, Robert Campbell, Robert Raper
• Interior Artists: Todd Lockwood, Sam Wood, Matt Wilson, Carlo Arellano and Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
• Cartographers: Robert Lazzaretti, Todd Gamble, Dennis Kauth
• Interior Design & Layout: Robert Campbell, Robert Roper
• Additional Graphic Design: Sherry Floyd, Cynthia Fliege, Dee Barnett
• Digi-Tech Specialist: Joe Fernandez
• Business Manager: Anthony Valterra
• Project Manager: Justin Ziran
• Production Manager: Chas DeLong

Appendix[]

Notes[]

1. ↑ The text in the cover sigil is composed of transcriptions from English into two different Forgotten Realms alphabets. The first reads, "We remember sities [sic] now in ruin and forests murdered, yet still we sing to the stars and hope for renewal," in Espruar, while Dethek runes read, "The secret fires of our hearts burn with the memory of wars lost and heroes slain, but like the stone from which we came, we endure."

See Also[]

• Gallery of illustrations from this sourcebook

External Links[]

• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Art Gallery. Wizards of the Coast. (2001-06-14). Archived from the original on 2008-09-30. Retrieved on 2020-03-06.
• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Map Gallery. Wizards of the Coast. (2006-07-06). Archived from the original on 2015-10-02. Retrieved on 2021-10-22.
• Errata
• Dungeon Masters Guild product page

References[]

Connections[]