Using The FORGOTTEN
REALMS
Campaign Setting
The FORGOTTEN REALMS boxed
set is an introduction to a fantasy
world, which may be used by itself or
expanded upon by other product for the
AD&D® system, or generated by
the DM
himself. The boxed set consists of:
A Cyclopedia of the Realms
A DM's Sourcebook of the Realms
Two maps presenting the Realms themselves
Two maps providing an enlarged view
of the initial campaign area, from the
Sword Coast to the Inner Sea
Two plastic grids printed with a hex
grid to help movement.
The Cyclopedia contains primarily
background information on the
Realms, its people, and its history, for
general use by the players and DM.
There is some game information within
this book when dealing with specific
areas, such as the number of people in a
typical patrol found in a certain loca-
tion. The DM should feel free to let the
players use this book while gaming, as it
represents the information readily
known or discovered about a particular
area. DMs wishing their players to dig
more for information may, at their
option, keep this information withheld,
letting only the section marked "AT A
GLANCE" be readily known; the players
have to discover the rest.
The DM's Sourcebook contains infor-
mation for the Dungeon Master run-
ning a FORGOTTEN REALMS
Campaign, plus additional information
that would not be readily available to
PCs in the Realms. This
includes notes on setting up campaigns,
running adventures, using the grid for
encounters and movement, and han-
dling particular situations unique to the
Realms such as dragons and treasure.
Tables for encounters, cities, and trea-
sure are included, as well as methods of
for the DM to generate his or her own
tables for use in the game. Also includ-
ed in this book are a pair of small "typi-
cal" dungeon adventures for use in
FORGOTIEN REALMS campaigns, as
well as sections on specialized
spellbooks (which originally appeared
in DRAGON® Magazine as "Pages from
the Mages" and are gathered together
here for the 1st time) and new spells
used primarily in the Forgotten Realms.
There are 2 sets of maps, the 1st
depicting the Forgotten Realms at large,
as if it were drawn by a cartographer
from Cormyr or the Dales; precisely
accurate nearby, yet less and less accurate
farther away. The 2nd set of
maps expands the VIEW of the region
between the Sword Coast and Inner
Sea, and it is in this area that the initial
FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign
takes place.
This enlarged set of maps joins
together at the right side of mapsheet
1 and the left side of mapsheet 2.
Future products will have additional
mapsheets which will further expand
the Realms in detail.
All of the major cities and many (but
not all) of the smaller towns and general
sites are represented on this map. The
DM should feel free to mark changes
and additions to these maps as it fits his
or her campaign. These maps, and the
information within these books, is not
all-inclusive or all-exclusive. Individual
DMs, and future products from TSR,
Inc., may add to the material here, and
as a campaign continues, additional
information may be generated.
A Note on Future Products: Certain
areas of each of the enlarged maps of
the Forgotten Realms will contain areas
that will not have future adventures,
modules, or sourcebooks set in them,
and are left solely for use by the DM for
development without fear of some later
product invalidating that portion of his
campaign. In the initial boxed set, those
areas are:
The Serpent Hills (east of the High Moor)
The Wood of Sharp Tueth
The Desertedge Mountains (outside the Dales), and
The Nation of Sembia.
The last mentioned, the nation of
Sembia, is a large section of (partially)
civilized land with the following bor-
ders: starting with the west, the Vast
Swamp, the Daerlun, the path through
Kulta, Saerb, and Archenbridge (includ·
ing parts of Archendale) to Ordulin,
east to the Dragon Reach, and bordered
on the south by the Sea of Fallen Stars.
This region, though discussed in the
players' guide and in this book, will not
have further adventures set in it, nor
will its cities be explored or detailed. A
DM with a campaign city or nation
already designed may set that city in
the area of Sembia without great diffi-
culty caused by future products setting
some epic adventures (or great disaster)
in the same region.
Further, the region across the Dragon
Reach, from the River Vesper South and
to the edge of Map 2 has been set aside
for use by the RPGA no network as a base
for adventures and tournaments in the
Forgotten Realms, and is left for the
further explanation by those areas, or
by the DM.
Into the Forgotten Realms
Setting up a campaign
Each FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign
should be different, reflecting the per-
sonality and gaming needs of the players
and the DM. Some campaigns comprise
just a group of adventurers fighting their
way through dungeon settings without
much thought of the outside world, while
others are filled with story telling and lejends,
and still others are on the grand
scale of high-level individuals challenging
great powers, ruling huge empires, and
engaging in political skullduggery. The
FORGOTTEN REALMS setting is intend-
ed as a base for all these types of adventures,
allowing the DM to tailor it to his
desires. There is no rule stating that every
AD&D® campaign must be alike,
nor is
there one stating that every FORGOTTEN
REALMS campaign must be identical.
Tu give the DM an idea of the scope of
the area of the Realms, a map of the
United States has been superimposed
over that of the "known" realms on
page 10.
The Realms is a VERY large place
with more than enough room for
PCs and campaigns to
develop. Note also that this map only
consists of the western end of a single
continent--and at the other end of this
huge land are the realms of the Oriental
Adventures world, Kara-tur. <oa0>
A campaign may be set up in a number
of ways, depending on the level of
gaming experience of the DMs and
players. A few of the options are discussed
below.
Campaigns for new players
In setting up a campaign for first-time
players, the key to remember is "think
small" There are a large amount of
rules and ideas presented in the
AD&D hardback tomes, and that glut
of information can be quite daunting at
first.
The basic requirements for a 1st-
time campaign are a home base and an
area the PCs can explore
and adventure in (a "dungeon").
The home base does not have to be
huge or important, and in fact using
one of the many small towns in the
realms as a base has several advantages.
The DM does not have to worry about
too many NPCs at 1st,
and the low-level adventurers are special,
and may be consulted by (or sometimes
chosen to be) local rulers. One
such AREA is Shadowdale, which is a
small farming community with a few
high-level individuals (such as Elmin·
ster the Sage), which has in the past
recruited adventurers as protectors
(such as Mane's Band and the Knights of
Myth Drannor). Shadowdale is also covered
to fine degree in the Cyclopedia of
the Realms, complete with local maps of
the town and descriptions of the inhabitants,
giving the players a "sense of
place" for their adventures.
The DM may choose to create his or
her own small town for initial adventures.
This takes more work, but will
produce a final product more in line
with the DM's desires. Any of the Dale
communities would be suitable for this,
including Mistledale, Archendale, and
Featherdale (Daggerdale tends to be
reclusive and Scardale was just on the
losing end of a large war). The smaller
towns of Cormyr such as Hilp and
Immersea (which also has a map in the
Cyclopedia) are also suitable, as are the
small towns of Sembia, and the TRADE
Way towns of Soubar, Triel, or Hills
Edge.
For initial campaigns, only a brief
sketch of the town is needed, noting
such things as local smithy, general
store (where most items from the Players'
Handbook may be found), and local
Mage (if any). Leave some houses and
areas blank for introduction of new
NPCs or for growth of the characters
(such as an abandoned farm that the
party may buy with their treasure and
USE as the basis for their eventual palatial
manor).
The 2nd requirement of a low-level
campaign with beginning players
is the "dungeon." The Dalelands (and
many other areas) are rife with underground
caverns and kingdoms, lost
empires beneath the earth, ruined towers
of mad Wizards, and crumbling
remains of time-lost cities. Any of these
can provide a basis for adventuring,
and it is recommended that some type
of dungeon egress may be located in the
nearby AREA (not close enough to threaten
the town overmuch, but sufficient to
cause the disappearance of a few cattle
in the middle of the night, or create
intriguing rumors about the great
wealth to be found beneath the earth).
Of the 2 "typical" adventures provided
here, the first, "Halls of the Beast·
Turners," is best suited for a starting
group of players, though it has a number
of items that would make for interesting
play by higher-level players as
well. Both this and the other adventure
are set in the center of the Elven
Woods, in the Ruins of Myth Drannor, a
great decaying city.
A few notes on running a "1st-time
campaign:"
* TAKE it easy. First time DMs and
players WILL NOT remember all
the AD&D rules.
If a rule is forgot-
ten and later recalled, just keep
going, remembering for next time.
* Do not overwhelm the players,
either in detail or in challenge.
Many of the monsters of the
AD&D® system
are suited for
higher-level individuals, and
encountering some (such as
dragons) will spell
disaster for the
1st level party. Show common
sense in random encounters, gen·
erally not using more monsters
than the PCs' total hit dice. Even if
the random encounler calls for 8
trolls to descend
on the party of 8
low-level player-characters, one
such creature will be more than
enough to challenge them.
* Give the Players an Even Break.
Great stories have to begin somewhere,
and if the players' charac-
ters buy the farm early and
regularly, they won't develop personality.
Don't reward foolish play,
though. It may be useful to keep a
Priest of sufficient level in the AREA
for the 1st couple adventures in
order to bring back from the dead
characters who are learning from
their mistakes.
* Set the Scene. In encounters, do
more than give the bare-bones
description ("you see a ten by ten
room with a kobold
in it"). Dress it
up a little, get the players into the
mood of being in a dungeon. ("You
open the door to reveal a small
stone-walled cubicle, in the center
of which is a short lizard-like creature
with horns. The creature hisses
at you and draws its sword:')
* Role-Playing. The best opportunity
for initial role-playing for 1st-time
players is in town.
PCs need provisions, training,
and often information. Create
a couple of personas with broad
tendencies: a boisterous merchant,
a shifty mercenary captain, a forgetful
Magician, etc. Use funny
voices and accents. Have fun.
Your
players will pick up on this and
START doing it themselves.
Finally, for 1st-time players and
DMs, the following products are recommended.
N4--Treasure Hunt creates an
excellent background for creating 1st·
level characters, set in the Korrin
Archipelago north of the Moonshae
Islands. N5--Under Illefarn sets up an
initial campaign setting in Daggerford,
as an adventure setting for 1st-time
players.
Starting campaign for
experienced players
The 2nd type of campaign using the
FORGOTTEN REALMS system
involves players and a DM who have
played the AD&D® game, either
with
their own campaigns or adventure
modules, and understand the rules sys·
terns fairly well. These players are
starting with 1st-level characters, but
have the experience of running such
individuals before.
A starting campaign with experi-
enced players can be set in any town or
city in the Realms, according to the the
tastes of the DM. Many prefer a small,
limited AREA to START in, similar to Sha-
dowdale (see above), while others may
wish to start with a grander stage, such
as a large city, as a base of operations.
There are a number of cities that are
provided with keys and descriptions in
the Cyclopedia of the Realms,
including
Arabel and Suzail in Cormyr and
Scornubel on the TRADE Way. The DM
may use these as the players' initial
"home base" or may create his own.
Note again that the bulk of the nation of
Sembia and its cities are left open for
the DM to develop as he or she sees fit.
More experienced players vary in
their needs in a campaign from group
to group. Some prefer dungeon adven·
tures early on, while others will strike
out across the wilderness, looking for
random encounters, and others TAKE on
missions for more powerful individuals
as bodyguards, mercenaries, or merchant
troops.
The 1st case, dungeon adventures, is
similar to that presented for 1st-time
players, though the location of the
dungeon does not necessarily have to
be within easy reach of the home base.
The 2nd case, random wandering,
can be handled at its most basic level by
the random encounter tables. The DM
may want to mix these with his or her
own dungeon settings or special events
or encounters, providing a direction in
the travels. For example, characters
may hear in Arabel of the disappear-
ance of the Elves of the Elven Court and
the abandonment of Myth Drannor,
causing them to head overland to that
ruined city where they may discover
either of the 2 enclosed adventures
or 1 of the DM's choosing.
In the final case, the PCs
are given a mission of some
type by another, to be rewarded for this
mission at its completion. This provides
a firm background for the adventure,
and the DM may move the characters
along by means of an NPC advisor/
employer. See the section on NPCs
beginning on page 17.
Here are a few hints for running
experienced players.
* Know the Rules. This is not to say
memorize the rules or be able to
argue long and convincingly about
them, but have an idea where to
find things, both in the these texts
and in other AD&D®
products.
* Be ready to wing it. Even the most
complete set of rules and back-
grounds will not cover every situation,
and players often want their
characters to try things that are
not covered by any handy rule. Be
willing to make things up. If it does
not work, try something else next
time. If it does, keep it. Many campaigns,
both for the Forgotten
Realms and otherwise, have a number
of "house rules."
* Role-play. The players have a handle
on the mechanics of running
characters, so encourage them to
think like the character in the
Game. A good experiment for this is
to consider everything the player
says, unless addressed to the DM
or another player by real name, to
be what the PC says.
* USE the world. The various lejends,
news reports, and descriptions of
the Forgotten Realms are intended
as a starting POINT for DM-created
adventures. A tale of a treasure load
of an ancient (and hopefully long-dead)
dragon may spur the players
to check out an AREA. Create your
own local lejends. The Modern
Kingdoms of the Dales, Cormyr, and
even mighty Waterdeep are only
slightly more than a millennia old,
and there were older kingdoms of
men and elves
and dwarves long
before that.
Bringing Characters From Other Worlds
The 3rd and last "general category" of
campaign types is where experienced
players bring characters from other
campaigns into the Forgotten Realms.
These characters may come over
because of the demise of their native
world, the discovery of a portal to the
Realms, or the fact they have gotten too
tough for their homeland. The last case
occurs in Krynn, home of the
Dragonlances, where individuals of
incredible strength and power are
politely asked to leave by the powers-that-be.
Many end up in the Forgotten Realms.
The world of the Forgotten Realms,
Abeir-Toril, has a huge number of portals
and other gate-type devices which
link that world with other areas of the
Realms, with the Outer Planes, and
with alternative material planes con-
taining other AD&D® campaigns.
PCs from these cam-
paigns may discover methods of traveling
to the Realms (either through the
Astral Plane, by devices, or free-
standing portals), and begin adventures
in the Realms.
Certain items are gained and lost
when making the transition into the
Realms.
* Characters making the transfer, by
whatever means, to the Realms
gain the ability to speak the Com-
mon tongue of the Realms, as well
as the Realms equivalents of elvish,
Dwarvish, and other languages.
Previously spoken tongues are lost
unless there is a "Realms-equivalent."
* The FORGOTIEN REALMS set-
ting is the AD&D®
campaign
world, so that PCs
who are not strictly AD&D®
game
format (such as a dwarvish cleric/
thief/illusionist/paladin with a 24
natural strength) cannot enter the
Realms without modification to fit
the AD&D®
game rules. Illegal
vocations would be dropped, ability
scores would be reduced to species
limitations (though they may be
increased later by magickal or other
means), and special abilities over
and above those provided for characters
are removed. The DM, at his
own judgment, may choose to let
such individuals into his Forgotten
Realms Campaign (such as letting a
kender from Krynn
make the
transfer), but that decision rests
solely on the DM.
* Similarly, magickal items that are
"special" to a particular world may
not make the transfer to the
Realms, either being destroyed,
being returned to their original
plane, or being stripped of the
player and placed somewhere in
the Realms. Which occurs is up to
DM. In general, this is reserved for
extremely powerful items--in particular,
Artifacts.
* The physics of the Realms are slight-
ly out of sync with the rest of the
planes, so that gunpowder and
many technological devices which
operate on electronics do not func-
tion. Equivalent devices may be
developed by PCs.
DM's judgment is advised as to what
may be allowed into the world.
* The gods of the Forgotten Realms
are a fairly open-minded group (as
such beings go). Priests of faiths
not listed as the major religions of
the Realms may still receive spells
as normal, though they may not
receive the benefits of belonging to
a organized hierarchy, and may be
called upon to explain the nature of
their faith more often than those of
established churches.
* When making the transfer
between campaigns, large items
such as castles, libraries, laborato-
ries, and hoards of treasure are
usually left behind. Characters
making such a transfer should be
able to bring with them what they
may normally bear which, given
the existence of bags
of holding, is
a great deal right there.
Characters from other campaigns may
span the range from low-level wander-
ers to extremely high-level powers that
have challenged a god or two in their
time. The style of the campaign is set by
the levels and powers of these individ-
uals. For high-level characters, the
Bloodstone Pass series (H1-4), set in the
lands of Vaasa and Damara, is highly
recommended, combining adventuring
with the BATILESYSTEM™ Game sys-
tern. If the DM chooses to place his new
arrivals in this AREA, it is recommended
to strip most of the newly arriving indi-
viduals of the majority of their wealth.
Setting Up For AD&D
Game Adventures
Adventures in the Forgotten Realms are
run as standard AD&D® Game adven-
tures, using the rules and recommenda-
tions of the DMG, in particular those
sections "The Adventure" (pages
47-58)
and "The Campaign" (pages 86·100).
What follows are aids to the DM to tailor
his FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign to
his players.
The Adventuring Company
The 1st of these questions, who is going
on the adventure, is usually answered
last when the players are at The Game.
It
usually helps the DM to have an idea who
is in the adventuring party and what they
area carrying. The sheet on the back cover
of The Cyclopedia may be recopied
for
use in adventuring.
Adventuring Company Name: Most, but
not all, of the bands of the adventurers
operating in the Realms have a company
name and symbol; the Company of
the Griffon, the Hunt, the Knights of
Myth Drannor and Halfling, Inc. are
good examples. Names and member-
ships CHANGE continually, but often aid
in retelling tales of one group of adven·
turers or another.
Player Name--The person running the
character.
Character Name--The character being
run by a given player.
Class and Level--The Character Class
and current (at start of play) level of the
character.
Race and Sex--The race (dwarven, elven,
human, halfling, gnome, or other) and
sex (male or female) of the character.
Alignment--Alignment of the character
as of the start of the adventure.
Special Abilities--Under this heading
list those items or abilities that would
set the character apart from his fellows,
excluding such things as levels
and types of spells, but including magi-
cal items, special equipment, and
whether the individual is under a curse.
Combat Adjustments--Note here what
plusses (or minuses) the character has
in combat as a result of exceptional abil-
ities, armor class, or permanent magick.
Armor Class and Type--This includes
both the final AC of the character and
the type of armor being worn. Abbrevi·
ations for the various armor types
include the following.
| FuPA |
Full Plate Armor |
| FiPA |
Field Plate Armor |
| PM |
Plate Mail |
| BM |
Banded Mail |
| SpM |
Splint Mail |
| ChM |
Chain Mail |
| EChM |
Elven Chain Mail |
| ScM |
Scale Mail |
| RiM |
Ring Mail |
| StL |
Studded Leather |
| LA |
Leather armor |
| PA |
Padded armor |
| Sh |
Shield only |
| N |
No Apparent armor (though
may be magical robes. rings,
or bracers). |
Hit points--Number of hit points at the
start of the adventure.
Using t:he Maps
The maps enclosed in this package, and
those in related sourcebooks and other
products, are provided without a nor-
mal superimposed hex grid. Instead,
2 sheets of clear printed plastic are
enclosed with this boxed set for use
with the Forgotten Realms Maps.
There are 2 sets of large maps in
the FORGOTTEN REALMS Boxed Set.
The 1st set is a general map of the
known realms, from the viewpoint of
the Cormyr/Dalelands area; that is, the
map the PCs operating in
this AREA would know. As a result of
this, the regions nearest Cormyr and
Waterdeep are well-mapped, but areas
farther away from those are less
detailed and accurate. The scale on this
map is 1" = 90 miles.
The 2nd set of maps cover the pri-
mary regions detailed in the Cyclopedia
of the Realms, dealing
mainly with the
region from the Sword Coast to the
Dragon Reach areas, including the
nations of Cormyr and Sembia and
from the independent city of Westgate
m the South to those of the Moonsea in
the North. The scale on this map is 1" = 30 miles.
Also included in the set are 2
sheets of clear plastic, overprinted with
a hex grid and scale for both of these
maps. Rather than print the grid on the
maps themselves, these plastic grids
may be used to determine distances and
duration of travel. There are 5 hexes
per inch, so that each hex is 6 miles on
the enlarged maps, and 18 miles on the
rough maps.
Using the hex grids
The ungridded maps may be used in
play for general discussion and expla-
nation. The grids are used when moving
along the map.
When using the grids for determining
straight distance, place the corner point
(marked with the "x") over the place the
traveler is starting from (usually, but not
always, a city). Use the straight row of
hexes directly above that "X-Hex" to
determine how manv hexes it is from
that starting point to the destination
point.
Unfortunately, roads, streams, and other
commonly used methods of travel do
not move in straight lines, so that the
"true" distance between points may be
larger than presented. Again, set the "X-
Hex" on the starting point, and center the
final destination in one of the hexes. Then
follow the method of travel, counting each
hex as a hex to be moved through. For
short distances of a few days travel
between cities, such as within Cormyr or
Sembia, this method may be used with
each day's move. For longer joumeys,
from Scornubel to Iriaebor for example, it
may be worth lightly taping the plastic
grid to the map with masking tape. Adhesive
tape is not recxxnmended for this, as it
does the job too well and may damage the
map when removed. For extremely long
journeys, several way-stops may be deter·
mined and measured en route from one
side of the map to the other. See the examples
below of using the grid and the map.
Each FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign
should reflect the personality and
desires of the DM and his players. To
that end, the DM should feel free to
make notes or otherwise mark-up his
map to reflect changes in his world. If a
group of players set up an adventuring
headquarters in an abandoned (and
unmarked) tower in the Stonelands, the
DM should feel confident in placing
that on the map as a starting POINT. Simi-
larly, if an enterprising group sets out
to build an empire around the Moon-
sea, improving roads and pushing
around the other city states, that may
be recorded on the map as well.
With each map covering 6 miles
from side to side, there remains a lot of
room within each hex for the DM to
develop, set adventures in, or further
detail. A blown-up 6-mile hex, with
smaller hexes within for greater detail,
is provided on page 15 for reproduction
and USE in the campaign. Note that the
city maps of the Realms get by nicely
without such a grid.
Movement using the maps
The section above explains the mechan-
ics of determining distance between
specific locations using the Realms
Maps. For parties moving across the
realms, the DM uses the above proce-
dure with the following notes.
There are 2 methods for determining
movement on the Realms maps. The
1st in more accurate, and time con-
suming as well. The 2nd is less accu·
rate, but moves faster.
The first method of movement considers
the number of miles that the par-
ty may MOVE in a single day through the
various types of terrain. That number
is divided by 6 for the number of
hexes that may be traveled in a day. The
remainder is considered "change" and
added to the next days' travel.
Example: A party is moving 17 miles
per day across normal terrain. Seventeen
divided by 6 is 2+5/6ths. The party
moves 2 hexes and 5/6th of another in
that day. The next day the party travels
another 2+5/6ths hexes, for a total of 5+2/3
hexes, etc. Hex movement is taken from
the center of the starting hex.
The 2nd method is to round all
such fractional movement to the nearest
whole number, leaving halves alone,
and figuring in standard hexes only. For
example, our party above at 17 miles
per day will move 3 hexes, period.
Movement afoot in hexes per day
Encumbrance
Terrain
| - |
N |
R |
VR |
| Light (or None) |
5 |
3 |
2 |
| Average |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| Heavy |
2 |
1 |
1/3 |
Movement mounted in hexes/day
Encumbrance
Terrain
According to Wilderness Survival Guide:
Foot Movement in hexes/half-day
Number after slash indicates accelerated
movement. See WSG, page 31 for
effects of moving exhaustion and
fatigue.
Encumbrance Terrain
| - |
N |
R |
VR |
| None |
2.5 / 3 |
2 / 3 |
1 / 2 |
| Light |
2 / 3 |
2 / 2.5 |
1 / 1.5 |
| Moderate |
2 / 2 |
1.5 / 2 |
1 / 1 |
| Heavy |
1 / 2 |
1 / 1 |
.5 / 1 |
| Severe |
1 / 1 |
.5 / 1 |
.33 / .5 |
Selected movement rates of creatures
Creature Terrain
Selected movement rats of vehicles
Vehicle
Terrain
When using either method, consider
the following rule of thumb. If the party
is in the same hex as their destination
city, allow them to "press on through
the night" and reach the city, rather
than enforce any system which forbids
the party to travel that extra few miles
and instead camp in wilderness within
sight of their destination.
Terrain types and movement
In the above tables, ground terrain is
defined as either normal, rugged, or
very rugged. The types of terrain are as
follows.
Normal Turrain in the Realms
• Any well-maintained road, regardless of surrounding terrain
• Open, rolling ground, including both the farmland of Sembia and the
Fields of the Dead
• Hard-backed, flat desert, such as a dry lake
• Light forest laced with paths
• Terrain which does not fit into the other categories
Rugged Terrain
• Normal terrain in snow (assumed about 5 inches or so deep)
• Uneven ground (including all listed Moors)
• All listed Hills, including the Far Hills and the Serpent Hills
• All Forests and Woods up to six miles (one hex) from the edge
• Most desert terrain, both in wastelands such as Anauroch and the
Dust Desert of Raurin
• Paths through Very Rugged Terrain
Very Rugged Terrain
• Rugged terrain in Snow (assumed about 5 inches or so deep)
• Normal Turrain in Snow (assumed about 10 inches or so deep)
• All Mountainous terrain
• All Swamp terrain
• Glaciers
• Deep Forests (the exception being those forests inhabited by a civilized
race which tends the trees, such as the recently-departed elves
of the Elven Court)
The table below covers the major terrain
types on the enlarged maps, in
regards to movement classification, climate,
and terrain type for encounters.
Movement Class
N Normal
R Rugged
V Very Rugged
Climate
A All
C Cold
T Temperate
S Sub-tropicalfltopical
Terrain Type for Encounters
1 Swamp
2 Forest
3 Plains/Scrub
4 Desert
5 Hills/Rough
6 Mountain
| High Mountains |
V |
A |
6 |
| Medium Mountains |
V |
A |
6 |
| Low Mountains |
V |
A |
6 |
| Broken Hills |
V |
A |
5 |
| Steep / Foot Hills |
R |
A |
5 |
| Rolling Hills |
N |
A |
5 |
| Forested Hills |
R |
A |
2 |
| Moor/Hills |
R |
C/T |
5 |
| Light Snow Field |
R |
C |
A |
| Heavy Snow Field |
V |
C |
A |
| Coast |
* |
A |
* |
| Swamp |
V |
A |
1 |
| Marsh |
V |
A |
1 |
| Sandy Desert |
N |
A |
4 |
| Rocky Desert |
R |
A |
4 |
| Primordial Forest |
R |
C/T |
2 |
| Heavy Forest |
V |
C/T |
2 |
| Moderate Forest |
R |
C/T |
2 |
| Light Forest |
N |
C/T |
2 |
| Heavy Jungle |
V |
S |
2 |
| Moderate Jungle |
R |
S |
2 |
| Scrub Brush |
N |
A |
3 |
| Heath |
N |
C/T |
3 |
| Tundra |
N |
C |
3 |
| Plains |
N |
A |
3 |
| Clear (Farmland) |
N |
A |
3 |
• = As terrain for the adjoining AREA.
Traveling through mixed terrain
Often the DM is faced with the situation
where the PCs MOVE
from 1 type of terrain to another (for
example, leaving a mountainous road to
avoid pursuers or plunging into a heart
of a forest). Use the following rule of
thumb for such movement on the days
when such a CHANGE is made.
Moving from Normal to Rugged:
halve the remaining miles that could
be covered that day had the travelers
remained in normal terrain.
Moving from Rugged to Very Rugged:
halve the remaining miles that could
be covered that day had the travelers
remained in rugged terrain.
Moving from Normal to Very Rugged:
quarter the remaining miles that
could be covered that day had the
travelers remained in normal terrain.
Moving from Rugged to Normal:
Increase by half the number of
remaining miles that could be trav·
eled that day, had the party remained
in rugged terrain.
Moving from Very Rugged to Rugged:
increase by half the number of miles
that could be traveled that day, had
the party remained in very rugged
terrain.
Moving from Very Rugged to Normal
Terrain: double the remaining movement
that may be traveled that day,
had the party remained in very rugged terrain.
The above rules of thumb assume that
movement is possible in the new terrain
(for example, a cart cannot MOVE in Very
Rugged terrain and therefore, if taken
into that terrain, cannot MOVE). Further, it
is assumed that the travelers are making
a concentrated effort to move through
that terrain over several miles, as
opposed to "hiding in the woods until the
orc patrol passes".
A party may remain in the type of terrain
they choose for purposes of move·
ment (a group in a hex containing hills
and plains may remain in the plains).
This applies up to the point that they
must obviously enter the type of other
terrain, at which point all penalties take
effect. A group in a hex with plains and
swamp may remain in plains, but if
their travel would take them across
swamp terrain, they would suffer the
penalties of the swamp. For other
effects of mixed terrain in a hex, see
Encounters below.
Water Movement in the Realms
General movement for waterborne tra·
vel is covered in the DMG (pages 54·55)
and WSG (pages 44-46).
One important
point to discuss here is the "falls-line."
Many of the rivers, such as the river
Lis, which links the Moonsea with the
Sea of Fallen Stars, are navigable along
their entire length by galleys and ships.
Others are navigable only to the last
cascades of that river. These cascades
are called the "falls-line;" and above that
point normal sea-going ships cannot
travel. Small skiffs, rafts, and shallow-bottomed
barges may still move upriver,
subject to any further falls, cascades,
or obstructions.
When players choose to have their
characters MOVE along a previously
uncharted river or stream, include in the
encounter table the chance of a cascade,
section of white water, or falls, according
to the area the stream passes through.
Mark these locations on the map (as they,
unlike monsters, will not move away
from the AREA) for future travelers.
There are 3 exceptions to this rule.
The River Lis from Moonsea to the
Dragon Reach is clear and unblocked, its
falls reduced by Wizards from the
Moonsea cities. The River Chionthar
between the Sword Coast and Scornubel
is similarly a major artery, and this wide,
muddy flow has no sudden drops in its
region. The South Fork of the Chionthar
from Scornubel to Iriaebor has 1 major
blockage, a cascade at the town of Berdusk.
It is here that barges from the 2
larger cities stop and unload, their cargo
reloaded onto other barges on the far
side of the falls and continued up or
down the river.
Encounters in the Realms
Individuals traveling across country
may encounter a number of unplanned
adventures en route from POINT A to
POINT B. These random encounters may
aid or hurt the PCs in
their ultimate goals, or provide an evening's
adventure in themselves. This
section deals with determining what
creatures are found where, and how
the DM may create his own tables for
random encounters.
When PCs are traveling
through known or unknown lands,
there is a chance for random encounters.
Random encounters are determined
by the following method.
• Determine the terrain the PCs
are traveling through, both as to type and population.
• Determine if an encounter occurs in this AREA.
• Determine the type of encounter.
The DM may determine if an
encounter takes place either by time or
location.
In determining if an encounter
occurs by time, use the method
described by the DMG, page 47, checking
to see if an encounter occurs in the
area the PCs are traveling
through at the time of the encounter. If
the travelers pass through plains in the
morning, a check should be made,
regardless of whether they have passed
through other terrain as well (though
only 1 check should be made per
time period).
Chance of Encounters per Time<?>
If determining encounters by location,
1 roll is made each time a new
hex is entered. Check the following
table for whether an encounter occurs.
| Terrain |
Civilized |
Border |
Wild |
| Plain |
1 in 20 |
1 in 12 |
1 in 10 |
| Forest |
1 in 12 |
1 in 10 |
1 in 8 |
| Swamp |
1 in 12 |
1 in 8 |
1 in 8 |
| Mountains |
1 in 10 |
1 in 8 |
1 in 6 |
| Desert |
1 in 20 |
1 in 12 |
1 in 12 |
| Hills |
1 in 20 |
1 in 12 |
1 in 10 |
The DM should choose the method he
or she is most comfortable with, with
the note that the later system will provide
more encounters for a fast-moving
party in a day, and fewer encounters
with a SLOW-moving group.
The type of terrain for an encounter
is determined by the terrain in the hex.
Many different types of terrain may be
in a hex at the same lime, so use the idea
of terrain hierarchy. Certain types or
terrain will take precedence over other
types for purposes of encounters
Precedence:
Swamp
Forest
Plains
Desert
Hills
Mountain
A hex which contains multiple types
of terrain will be considered the terrain
of the higher rank for purposes of
encounters. For example, if a hex contains
Mountains and Hills, the terrain is
Hills for purposes of encounters. If a
region is both swamp and plains, it is
considered Swamp. Roads and paths
are always considered to be the terrain
surrounding them for purposes of
encounters.
After determining the terrain, determine
the status: Civilized, Wilderness,
or Borderland.
Civilized regions are those under
human or allied-race control, and
have suitable patrols, population, and
defenses from most invading creatures
Areas within 18 miles of major
cities, and 6 miles of towns are considered
Civilized.
Wilderness regions are those not
under the control of any lawful group,
and usually are a breeding
ground of foul beasts, such as the
Troll Hills and the
High Moor.
Borderlands are where these two
areas meet.
If the hex under consideration lies
within a civilized AREA, any encounters
there are considered civilized, while
those totally with the other reflect wilderness
encounters. If this line runs
through the hex itself, then the area is
borderlands, and the encounter can
either be wild or civilized.
Borderland encounters' status is totally
up to the DM. Things to take into con-
sideration in this decision include the
nature, terrain, history, and current
status of the region. A "borderland"
encounter in a kingdom that has long
been at peace will likely be civilized,
while one that has been recently overun
by invading armies will produce
more wild encounters.
Having determined the terrain and
status of an encounter, go to the appropriate
table to determine the type of
monster encountered. The DM may
have specific tables for certain locations
in the realms of his own creation (see
below), or those in the back of the
Monster Manual II book.
Monster encounter tables and building
one's own
Typical Monster Encounter tables are
provided here for the the major regions
of the Forgotten Realms on the
enlarged maps. Additional tables may
be found in the back of the Monster
Manual II book, as well as the full method
of creating one's own monster tables
for use in the Realms, which is summarized
here.
The DM may use the following table,
duplicated in multiple copies on the
back cover for creating his own table.
This method is based on the sum of one
8-sided die and one 12-sided die, producing
a range of 2-20. Monsters are
arranged according to their stated frequency
in that terrain type.
| Die Roll |
Type of Monster |
| 2 |
Very Rare or Unique Monster |
| 3 |
Very Rare monster |
| 4 |
Very Rare or Rare Monster |
| 5 |
Rare Monster |
| 6 |
Rare Monster |
| 7 |
Uncommon Monster |
| 8 |
Uncommon Monster |
| 9 |
Common Monster |
| 10 |
Common Monser |
| 11 |
Common Monster |
| 12 |
Common Monster |
| 13 |
Common Monster |
| 14 |
Uncommon Monster |
| 15 |
Uncommon Monster |
| 16 |
Rare Monster |
| 17 |
Rare Monster |
| 18 |
Very Rare or Rare Monster |
| 19 |
Very Rare Monster |
| 20 |
Very Rare Monster |
When a choice is provided, the DM
makes the choice between the 2
options at the time of creating the table.
Instead of a common monster, the
DM may place in that slot 2 rare monsters,
and have the choice of which
monster the party encounters. Instead
of an uncommon monster, the DM may
place in that slot 2 very rare monsters,
and have the choice of which
monster the players encounter. This
decision may be made by the DM at the
time of the encounter, or may instead
be decided by a roll of the die (1-3 1st
monster listed, 4-6 2nd monster listed).
A word about dragons
The dragons of the Forgotten Realms
are among the most dangerous, devious,
and powerful creatures of the
Realms. The great majority of them live
in far-removed wastes to the north, but
on occasion have swept down in record
numbers to plague mankind.
The dragons of the Realms have the
listed stats and abilities of those listed in
the Monster Manual, with the following
additional information.
• Number of attacks per round
• Damage of Breath Weapon
• Possibility of greater ages of dragons
• Revised determination of Subdual and purchases of dragons
Number of attacks per round: The
dragons of the Forgotten Realms have a
feline quickness that belies their reptil·
ian origin. They may make up to twice
the normal biting and clawing attacks
in a single round, and divide those
attacks against figures within the same
15 foot AREA. They will do so only if they
are pressed, or attacked by numbers
greater than 3 times their hit dice.
Damage of Breath Weapon: The
dragons of the Forgotten Realms may
use their breath weapon as many times
as they see fit within a 24 hour period,
but may only inflict up to 3 times
their HP in damage, maximum,
during that period. Commonly, in combat,
a dragon will breathe thrice, with
each attack inflicting the amount of
damage equal to the dragon's initial HP
(see DRAGON in the Monster
Manual). If pressed, however, a dragon
may release everything in 1 shot, or
may breathe more than 3 times at
reduced effect at scattered targets.
(Divide total damage per attack by
3.)
The Ages of Dragonkind: The 8 listed
ages of dragons provided in the
Monster
Manual apply to those dragons that
may be encountered randomly in the
Realms. Dragons grow all their life, and
there are 2 ranks beyond for special
individuals:
Venerable Dragons have 9 points/die.
Great Wyrms have 10 points/die
The huge monster that attacked Hillsfar
and was destroyed by that city's
Mages was a Great Red Wyrm, and
there are said to be others of his breed
about. Such creatures will never be
encountered as random monsters,
unless the entire AREA is under the
attack of a Flight of Dragons (which last
occurred in the Year of the Worm).
Subdual: The fact that the dragon can
be potentially subdued while taking less
damage than needed to SLAY it causes
dragons to the underated as monsters.
Dragons in the Forgotten Realms can be
subdued, but only under particular circumstances.
The dragon in question must be challenged,
clearly and openly, either in its
native tongue, or, if it speaks it, common.
It must accept that challenge for
subdual combat to take place.
This means that a sleeping or surprised
dragon cannot be subdued by a
single fighter rushing in with a lucky
shot.
Whether a dragon accepts such a
challenge or not is based on the intelligence
of the dragon and whether it has
more HD than the individuals
attacking it. If the dragon can count on
allies (other dragons, human servants,
etc.) coming to its aid, count their HD as well to determine whether
the
offer is accepted.
DRAGON'S HD
| INT |
Is Greater |
Is Equal or Lesser |
| Average |
70% |
40% |
| Very |
60% |
30% |
| Highly |
50% |
20% |
| Exceptional |
40% |
10% |
| Genius |
30% |
0% |
| Supra-Genius |
20% |
0% |
Individual dragons such as Tiamat
and Bahamut will never accept
subdual
challenges.
2nd, once a challenge is accepted,
certain rules apply. Attacks that inflict
real damage (such as spells like fireball)
are NOT permitted, and their USE will
negate the challenge and enrage the
dragon involved. Weapons inflict 1/4
real damage when used to subdue.
The dragon may, of course, use his
breath weapon, but will do so only if a 7
or better is rolled with 2d6.
3rdly, there is a chance that once
the dragon is officially subdued
(as listed
in Monster Manual I), it will renege
on its offer, either escaping or (if the
attackers are sufficiently banged up)
attacking in earnest. The chances of
this depend on the dragon's alignment.
Lawful Dragons are 90% likely to
honor the terms of the subdual challenge.
Neutral Dragons are 70% likely to
honor the terms of the subdual challenge,
and if they do not do so, will seek
to escape as opposed to turn on their
attackers.
Chaotic Dragons are only 50% likely
to honor the terms of their contract.
Black, brass,
white, red,
and copper
dragons are all Chaotic in nature.
If a dragon is subdued (and honors
that subdual), the adventurers may loot
the dragon's lair and wrest from the
creature a promise to leave the AREA
and not return. The characters may
also try to take the dragon in for
sale, as
listed in the Monster Manual. Such sales
can only be held at cities, where a sufficient
number of buyers are interested
in that sort of thing. Such sales are never
held in cities, as the town fathers
take a dim view of such creatures within
the city walls (check the damage
done by the most recent Dragonflight
under Dragons in the Cyclopedia.) Such
would-be salesmen should be warned
that among the buyers would include
those looking for a guardian-beast,
alchemists looking for a trove of
compo-
nents, and members of such organizations
as the Cult of the Dragon, which
would enlist the creature into their
cause, and set it free again to wreak
havoc on the AREA in general and the
adventurers in particular.
Dragons found in lair may found
asleep, but those of higher than Average
intelligence will be likely to set up
some form of trap or trip-wire to alert
them to prowlers in their domains.
Finally, when dealing with dragons,
keep in mind the following items.
• Adult (and older) dragons can radi-
ate a dragon-fear, which may
cause low-level creatures to panic.
They may do this once per
encounter with the same individ·
uals.
• Saving throw HD for dragons
of 5 or more HP are determined
by dividing their HP
by 4. An ancient, huge, red dragon
saves as a 22nd level creature, not
an 11th.
• Dragons with spell-casting abilities
will USE them, and do so in a fashion
to most confound and harm
any interlopers.
The word "dragons" strikes FEAR into
the heart of many in the Realms, even
those tried and true adventurers who
have crossed blades with them. Using
the above guidelines, and not using the
creatures as just-another-encounter,
should make them among the most
deadly creatures of the Forgotten
Realms.
Ecology
Fund
Reduce - Reuse - Recycle