List of ''Forgotten Realms'' cities

This is a list of fictional cities, towns, and villages from the Forgotten Realms setting. These locations have appeared in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the multiple series of novels set in the Forgotten Realms, or the numerous video and computer games set in the Forgotten Realms, or any combination thereof.

A

Athkatla

Athkatla is the capital of the nation of Amn, which in turn is a country on the continent of Faerûn.

Overview

Athkatla is a large port town that rests a few miles south of the Cloud Peaks, a prominent mountainous region. It is located in the middle of the trade route between southern provinces such as Calimshan, and northerly ones such as Waterdeep. Because of this, it is by far the largest and busiest harbour in all of Amn. It is the capital of this nation and features very prominently in the video game Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Within this game, it is accurately depicted as a predominantly human city of great wealth and diverse culture. Races such as Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Halflings also inhabit and frequent Athkatla in significant numbers.

Athkatla is led by a wealthy but ultimately corrupt government. The city is rife with crime and possesses a long-standing fear of mages and sorcerers. As such, arcane magic is officially banned within the borders of the city by an authority composed of mages known as the Cowled Wizards. However this has not prevented magical atrocities, the villainous mage Jon Irenicus once blew up an entire section of Waukeen's Promenade, a prominent marketplace within Athkatla. Those who enter Athkatla wishing to cast or otherwise use magics must 'earn the trust' of the Council by either doing some dirty work or paying a large sum of money as a bribe, or both. Divine magic as used by clerics is tolerated.

Athkatla is divided up into 8 main districts. The Bridge District, the Temple District; the Government District; the City Gates; the Slums; the Graveyard District; Waukeen's Promenade (a large marketplace); and the Docks (home to the Shadow Thieves, Harpers and other organizations).

The city is much larger than its northerly counterpart Baldur's Gate. The overall environment of Athkatla attracted some positive sentiment from players of Baldurs Gate 2 who have commented that it possesses a greater feel of a real town. This in part due to the many NPC's within its confines, as well as the many varied locales, quests, and activities also available therein.

Locations, people, and government

Presiding authority

Athkatla's government is an oligarchy. Ruled by a merchant council dubbed the "Council of Six" (In reality however, the Shadow Thieves also play a prominent role in general governance).

Population

Athkatla's population varies greatly by season. Roughly 130,000 natives live within its confines during the winter and spring. The population is greatly bolstered during the summer, rising to around 400,000. The populace is roughly 90% human and 10% other races.

Major products

Every conceivable product is available in this city-for a price, indeed many of the adventure stores frequently restock with finer weapons, armor and accessories from every imaginable part of Faerûn.

Armed forces

Athkatla's 4,000 man garrison is led by Captain Beelars Orhotek, with a small Council Navy (eight ships and crews, 900 trained sea-warriors). Each of the major mercantile houses and families of the city personally control 100 to 500 (the legal maximum) guards.

Notable mages

Vynmarius is one of few wizards openly known in Amn, he emanates an aura of distrust and menace. He is feared as a well-known agent for the Council of Six (and, some say, for the Cult of the Dragon).

Puhrain Bollivar is a guarded woman in her late 40s, she is known as a book peddler and odds-taker in the Quill District of Athkatla. She is secretly a diviner, agent, and lover of the Council's Tessarch.

Any wizard of notable skill permanently inhabiting Athkatla are either puppets of the Council or are very well hidden.

Waukeen's Promenade

The promenade is a prominent, oval-shaped marketplace, located in the heart of Athkatla. The Promenade is named after Waukeen, the missing Goddess of Wealth. A good portion of it was destroyed by the evil Mage Jon Irenicus. Located within the Promenade are general shops, bookshops, homes, a carnival, shops carrying various sundries, inns, and the Adventurer's Mart, run by former adventurer Ribald Barterman.

Clergy & churches

Arbalest's House, a monastery and temple to the god Milil on the hills north of Goldspires and the harbor is one of the most prominent churches in Athkatla. The mysterious Patriarch of Song oversees developments. This temple is significant for three reasons: It was Milil's place of rest during the Time of Troubles; it houses the mighty organ called the Bellows of Milil (which can be heard well out into the harbor); and furthermore, Milil himself made a gate linking this temple and the bards' college of New Olamn in Waterdeep.

The Dome of the Rose, monastery and temple to Lathander is another significant religious structure located in the city's Gem District. Mornmaster Thaddin Dawnhunter, a quiet priest with little inclination to mercantilism, oversees the other priests, monks, and followers. The three-story temple hall is capped with a dome of rose tinted glass that glows at dawn during morning song and prayer services.

Moonhall is a seven-sided conical temple to Selûne in the Wave District located near the waterfront. High Priestess and Lunar Aryn Gallowglass, an aged half-sister of the tyrant Ernest Gallowglass of Tethyr, is a shrewd business woman with three trade ships to her name. She ploughs back most of her profits into the temple fund.

Given the symbols of Waukeen (pearls or coins) stamped into many doors and signboards in Athkatla, nearly every street comer there could be considered a shrine to the Coin Goddess.

Many smaller, opulent shrines honor gods such as Chauntea, Talos, and Umberlee; one lone shrine is Ilmater's.

Rogues & thieves' guilds

The Shadow Thieves, Harpers, and the Rundeen all have a presence within Athkatla. The shadow thieves are by far the strongest guild, with many hundreds of operatives and much influence within government.

The Shadow Thieves were once the Thieves Guild of Waterdeep, until they were driven out of that city by the Lords of Waterdeep; the Shadow Thieves subsequently set up a massive training complex and testing ground for an Assassin's Guild in Athkatla, which they intend to use to eventually slay all the Lords of Waterdeep.^[1]

Taverns and inns

The Mithrest Inn - A very old, cultured and stylish inn, with much pride and attention lavished on the comforts of each guest.

The Five Flagons - A brand new, clean and bustling drinking establishment. This tavern has fast become famous for serving every known drink in Faerûn.

Den of the Seven Vales Festhall/Inn - Another new, clean and sizable venue that caters to adventurers and foreigners alike. The unusual and rather confusing name serves one function; to attract any passing curious folk, thus bolstering trade (there are no Seven vales anywhere near Athkatla).

The Seas' Bounty Festhall/Inn/Tavern - The Seas is one of the oldest taverns still standing, but is quite well kept. This tavern prides itself on poor service, flat beer, and cold sandwiches. Its single merit is its good hot fish stew. This is the place of choice for monied Amnian youths to go slumming; the hook-handed owner known as "Thumb" raised his prices to fit his new clientele.

Silverale Hall Festhall/Inn/Tavern - One of the oldest venues in Athkatla, it is a stone four-story building. It boasts much good food and company, is very clean and well-kept, and is very often busy but never crowded.

Delosar's - An old, well-kept, yet short-staffed pub. Most often frequented by town guards.

The Adamantine Mug - Another bar, its main crowd are established, up-and-coming mercantile folk. As such, the clientele is wary of new faces, settling often enough whereupon a round of drinks is purchased for the house. The conversation is most often away from that of mercantile pursuits and trade, adopting a more casual tone.

The Copper Coronet - A very large, but decrepit meeting place of smugglers, pirates and peasants located within the slums. It also functions as a brothel, and also frequently stages illegal animal fights in a small arena hidden in the back.

Other media

The city featured in the 2000 computer game Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, as an initial setting for the player to collect quests and equipment.

B

Baldur's Gate

Blingdenstone

C

Calimport

Calimport
Forgotten Realms location
Country	Calimshan
Ruler	Sultan Vezhera
Population	192,800

Calimport is a city which sits on the coast of the subcontinent of Faerûn.

The sprawling port-city of Calimport is a city within the country of Calimshan. It is on the water, and the desert, so it has ways of travel by both. Memnon and Manshaka are close trading partners, Manshaka by sea, and Memnon by caravan. But some of the runs that the local traders go as far as Luskan. Sultan Vezhera is King, but the Crime Guilds run the streets. It's all well organized so an outsider wouldn't know the difference. Bead stands, harems, and Taverns line the streets, but as usual there is always a top provider of both. Mystic Tavern, which has an opium den in the back, and the Glistening Harem that has a wondrous bath house.

Calimport also is the home of the assassin Artemis Entreri, known for his longstanding feud with Drizzt Do'Urden in a number of novels by R. A. Salvatore.

Ched Nasad

Ched Nasad is a drow city.

The City of Shimmering Webs, Ched Nasad, was constructed in a cavern shaped like a cone with the tip pointing downwards. The various levels and the more influential buildings in the city are made out of extra thick spiderweb strands, thus giving the city its name. It was not featured prominently in the Realms until the War of the Spider Queen series, where duergar mercenaries in the employ of the Vhaeraunite group Jaezred Chaulssin, inadverdantly destroyed it through copious use of stonefire bombs, which were much more effective on the webs that held it together than on stone. Out of the 30,000 drow who made up the city's population, around 3,000 survived the disaster.

E

Evereska

Evereska is an elven stronghold in northern Faerûn.

Evereska is known as the Last haven of the elves, as it is the only elven stronghold left in Faerûn. The Common tongue translation of Evereska is "Fortress Home." It is a sanctuary to all Tel'Quess (Elvish, literally meaning "The People"), besides drow, who would hold a home for their race in Faerûn against the relentless tide of human expansion.

The city contains a mythal—a mantle of living magic that protects the city. This particular mythal bars magical transportation and allows the city's residents to climb walls and ceilings with the ease of insects. It is also known to bombard the city's attackers with golden meteors.

Very recently, in 1371 DR, the city was under siege by the phaerimm—an ancient and evil race who were inadvertently freed from their underground prison beneath Anauroch by the elf Galaeron Nihmedu and the Shadovar archwizard Melegaunt Tanthul. Through a long series of events, the phaerimm were eventually defeated, and the Evereskans began to rebuild their damaged city.

L

Luskan

Luskan (also known as the City of Sails) is a port city at the mouth of the River Mirar on the northernmost point of the Sword Coast, on the continent of Faerûn.^[2]:111 It is considered by most to be the furthest reach of civilization, the Spine of the World Mountains which mark what most believe to be the end of the known world (this is of course not true as the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale lie past them) being just a couple of hundred miles north of the city.

Built on the ruins of Illusk, which fell in 1244 DR to the orcs of the Bloody Tusks Tribe, Luskan has a very intriguing history. Most of its inhabitants, however, couldn't care less. Luskan is a port town frequented by pirates, thieves and other disreputable folk interested in only one thing: money. Although you could be murdered, mugged or kidnapped at any moment within its walls, Luskan is a very lucrative city. Pirates bring in their booty to be sold to the black market, northern traders frequent the place as a rest stop on their way to the aforementioned Ten Towns during the warmer months, ready to buy exotic scrimshander ornaments, several taverns do a roaring trade in ale and other spirits, the drugs and slave trade are rife (although obviously sublimated) and information brokers and prostitutes ply their trade during the night-time.

The city was officially ruled by the five High Captains: Taerl, Baram, Kurth, Suljack and Rethnor, former pirate lords all.

The true power in the city actually resides in the Host Tower of the Arcane. The 130 loosely affiliated mages use the High Captains as puppet rulers, mostly keeping to themselves and working on their own magical experiments. They encourage the harassment of the trading routes of small cities such as Longsaddle, Mirabar and Neverwinter although they stay well clear of Waterdeep and Amn's routes. They also encourage local traders to treat travelers with disdain and suspicion, in the possibility that they may be spies for their enemies, often sending agents to follow strangers personally.

Luskan is the main setting of The Pirate King novel by R.A. Salvatore.

Other media

In the game Neverwinter Nights, in the year 1373 DR the High Captains were either killed or forced to flee during a vicious civil war caused by a cultist named Maugrim, who planned on using Luskan's might against the city of Neverwinter.

M

Melvaunt

Melvaunt is a city on the northern side of the Moonsea and adjacent to the Great Gray Land of Thar. It is ruled by the "Lord of Keys".

Menzoberranzan

Mirabar

Mirabar is the mining center for the Sword Coast, on the continent of Faerûn. The city's Shield Dwarves live underground to oversee their workshops. The humans above cooperate with the Dwarves to handle the mining, move the ore to market and defend the city against magical threats. The nominal ruler of Mirabar is a hereditary marchion, but the true power is in an assembly called the Council of Sparkling Stones, a Dwarven and Human group that meets once a year to determine target production quotas and whether or not to threaten current clients with reduced output.

The city itself stands on a knoll on the north banks of the river Mirar. It is linked by good roads to its major mines in the Spine of the World mountains. These mines yield up almost all known metals and gemstones so they are guarded against Orc and monster raids by a standing army, the axe of Mirabar. The craftsmen of Mirabar also work the stone and metals taken out of the mines, transporting the stone to Luskan magically (for an exorbitant cost) to be shipped to the south, the worthless stone is crushed to improve the city's roads. This means that the city is the richest city north of Waterdeep.

Mulmaster

Mulmaster is a city on the continent of Faerûn, led by the High Blade (the de facto ruler of the city), Selfaril Uoumdolphin. After years of actively opposing it, the city finally joined the Zhentarim. Now firmly entrenched in the Zhents' power base and with a new temple to Bane being erected there, the city that once stood as a bulwark against the spread of the Zhent stain is now one of the proudest jewels in Fzoul Chembryl's new, Banite-influenced Zhentarim.

In fact, Selfaril was murdered by his twin brother, Rassendyl, who now rules in Selfaril's name.

N

Nesmé

The small city of Nesmé is built upon the southern bank of the Surbrin River, on the northwestern edge of the Evermoors in northern Faerûn. The city is part of the confederation of the Silver Marches ruled by Lady Alustriel Silverhand. The city has approximately 6,000 permanent residents, but the population may increase up to 50 percent during the trade season.

Because Nesmé is located in the middle of the wilderness, the city faces constant threats. To the north lies the dark woods of Lurkwood. Tribes of Uthgardt barbarians roam the plains north and west of the Surbrin. To the south and east lies the hidden dangers of the Evermoors. As a result, the city has funneled much of its resources into maintaining a vigilant defense force called the 'Riders of Nesmé'.

Appearances

Due to the Riders' commitment to protect the city, they are very suspicious of outsiders. Their wary nature caused them to turn back Drizzt Do'Urden's party in the novel, Streams of Silver. This act would later cause frosty relations between Nesmé and Mithral Hall.

Neverwinter

Northkeep

Northkeep was founded in 348 DR (Year of the Dagger)^[3]:162–3 on an island near the southern shore of the Moonsea, about midway between the present towns of Elventree and Elmwood. The city became a beacon of civilization and a jumping-off point for merchants. The power of Northkeep made it a target for orcs, giants, and other evil beings, who formed the Dark Alliance against the city.

Northkeep appeared safe on its island, but in 400 DR (Year of the Blue Shield), a huge force mounted on dragonback swept over the city, while ships landed an army; the city was overrun and sacked. To make their victory complete, a force of nonhuman mages and clerics gathered on the north shore of the Moonsea and brought the vengeance of Gruumsh^[4]:87 down upon the ruined city, sinking it beneath the surface of the Moonsea.^[4]:73

The sunken city is reputed to be haunted. A bell, known as the "Bell in the Deep", sits in one of the tallest submerged towers, and at times, people on nearby ships can hear the ghostly bell ring.^[3]:160

P

Phlan

R

Ravens Bluff

Publication history

Gateway to Ravens Bluff, The Living City (1989) covers the background and history of Ravens Bluff, with descriptions of numerous locations and personalities; the shops and personalities in the book were all designed by RPGA members.^[5]

Ravens Bluff was the subject of a 1998 publication, The City of Ravens Bluff, by TSR, Inc.^[6]

Description

Ravens Bluff is the largest city in The Vast, a loosely confederated region in Faerûn, notable for high population density. Raven's Bluff is home to one of Faerûn's only magical item shops.

The Living City

Ravens Bluff was for many years home to the RPGA's Living City role-playing campaign—a part of their Living campaign—and the site of the Living City series of game modules.^[7] The campaign was first proposed by then-RPGA Coordinator Penny Petticord in Polyhedron magazine issue #25 and ended in 2004.

Other media

The novel The City of Ravens takes place in Ravens Bluff.

Reth

S

Scornubel

Scornubel (also known as Caravan City), located in the Western Heartlands of the subcontinent of Faerûn on the world Toril, is a major tradestop both for caravans heading north and south. Goods of all kinds can be found here virtually year-round. The city is also a hotbed of intrigue. Legitimate lords and those of a more shady kind, rulers of bastions of good, the masters of the Underdark, all come to Scornubel to engage in political actions or exchange secrets that might see their power stripped from them at home.

If you want goods, they can be found in Scornubel. If you want information, it can be found in Scornubel. But there's always a price attached.

Secomber

Selgaunt

Selgaunt
Forgotten Realms location
Country	Sembia
Ruler	The Hulorn
Population	56,514

Selgaunt is a metropolis with over 56,000 inhabitants, and is the largest and one of the wealthiest cities in the merchant nation of Sembia. Its nature is that of a port city located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Fallen Stars at the mouth of the river Arkhen. This was originally a slave city begotten from the shores of western civilization, henceforth known as Selgaunt. The founder of the city of Selgaunt was a poor novelist by the name of Barthoemue Jacobie Rankster from the first age.

The city provides the setting for the novels of The Sembia Series, the first of which was an anthology of smaller stories, The Halls of Stormweather, by several authors published in 2000.

Silverymoon

Silverymoon was ruled for decades by High Lady Alustriel Silverhand, one of the Seven Sisters and also Chosen of Mystra, the goddess of magic. Alustriel stepped down, paving the way for Taern "Thunderspell" Hornblade, who is now leader of the entire confederation. According to the original Forgotten Realms boxed set, the name Silverymoon comes from a "divine unicorn" of the same name.^[8] Silverymoon became a city in 637 DR, when a stone wall was built around it for the first time and the first ruler of Silverymoon, High Mage Ecamane Truesilver, was elected.^[9] The city has a population of 26,000.^[10]

Skullport

Suldanessellar

Suldanessellar
Forgotten Realms location
Country	Tethyr
Ruler	Queen Ellesime
Population	<5,000

Suldanessellar is a fictional town in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Located within the nation of Tethyr, the city is populated entirely by wild elves. Suldanessellar was created by the unification of two wild elf tribes; the Suldusk and Elmanesse. Despite being a significant town, featuring heavily in Baldur's Gate II, Suldanessellar is not inhabited all year round by the elves - rather it is a meeting place between the tribes, and as such the dwellings there serve to house delegates and peoples from either of the tribes. The town was built amongst the treetops of the Wealdath (or the Forest of Tethir), and as such is well defended versus any possible invaders.

The chief landmark of Suldanessellar is the large palace which is supposedly home to the elven Queen, Ellesime. The Queen's eternal youth is said to be preserved by the nearby Tree of Life which is located within the palace itself.

The Temple of Rillifane is Suldanessellar's only holy site. In Baldur's Gate II, the resident Avatar grants the player character with a gift, should he place some special item on the altar.

The dragon Nizidramanii'yt inhabits Suldanessellar. It is considered one of the most powerful dragons within all of Amn, his enhanced magics and huge physical strength ensure a difficult battle for any willing to face off against him.

While elves regularly patrol the areas surrounding Suldanessellar, they do not stop local animals, especially fey, from entering. Among the types of creatures that regularly wander within the city's borders are dryads, centaurs and satyrs.^[11]

Perhaps the most significant ex-residents of Suldanessellar are the exiled Jon Irenicus and his sister Bodhi. Jon Irenicus is an extremely powerful mage, with a large dungeon located in the city of Athkatla. Irenicus is referred to by the residents of Suldanessellar as simply "the Exile", and has used dark magics to induce longevity on himself. His sister Bodhi however, has long since become a vampire and inhabits the graveyard district of Athkatla. Both of these characters feature prominently in Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn.

W

Waterdeep

Winterkeep

Winterkeep is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) city in the Hordelands, on the continent of Faerûn. Originally a nobleman's estate, it later became the winter palace of the Raumatharan king. Located on the southern side of a bay in Yal-Tengri, it may arguably be compared to real world Saint Petersburg, or a remote Königsberg. It may also be compared to any city bordering the real-world Hudson Bay, albeit it is not located in Anchorome (Toril's equivalent to North America).

East of Winterkeep are the Glittering Spires, arguably Toril's Urals (except that Urals are actually very low in altitude, barely a mountain range at all).

Z

Zhentil Keep

Zhentil Keep is the main base of operations for the Zhentarim.^[12]:123 The city was later destroyed by Cyric.

References