Sword Coast Origins

The best way to craft a character who “belongs” in the Realms is by picking the right place for your character to have come from based on their heritage, background, or other factors. The Forgotten Realms centers on a world called Toril, and the primary continent for play is called Faerûn. The starting point for this campaign is a large city called Waterdeep, located on the northwest coast of Faerûn, a region often called the Sword Coast North. Neighboring regions include Icewind Dale, the Silver Marches, the Savage Frontier, and the Western Heartlands.

Origins by Heritage

Dragonborn

I grew up in

  • A Community of Dragonborn – Dragonborn were not originally native to Toril, and the transposed lands which they arrived upon have since returned to the world of Abeir. Large communities of dragonborn still exist in the distant land of Unther.
  • A City – Waterdeep and Baldur’s Gate are great options, but see also Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – Dragonborn tend to congregate in clans, so a village origin is unlikely unless it is a village comprised of dragonborn; if so, work with the DM to pick a point on the map in which to craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – Dragonborn tend to congregate in clans and Toril is still largely a foreign world to them, so a wilderness origin is unlikely.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – See Lands of Abeir.

Dwarf

I grew up in

  • A Dwarven Stronghold – See Dwarven Strongholds of the Northwest.
  • A City – Waterdeep and Mirabar are great options, but see also Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – Luskan and Daggerford are good options, but see also Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and/or craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – …You do know what a dwarf is, right? Ok, fine: use a “Village” or “Dwarven Stronghold” origin.
  • The Wilds – …You do know what a dwarf is, right? Trees aren’t exactly their thing, and the Underdark is far too dangerous for an isolated upbringing. Dwarves also tend to stick to their families and clans, which makes such an origin highly unlikely.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Sundabar is the best option, but Llorkh may also work for an older dwarf adventurer.

Elf

I grew up in

  • An Elven Enclave – Evereska and Evermeet are great options, or use “Village” or “Wilds” origins.
  • A City – Waterdeep, Silverymoon, and Evereska are great options, but see also Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and/or craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – The Glimmerwood (formerly two forests: the Cold Wood and the Moonwood) and the High Forest are the best options, but pretty much any other large forest you can find on a map of the Sword Coast North has potential as a starting point.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Myth Drannor from the neighboring region of the Dalelands is an excellent option.

Gnome

I grew up in

  • A Community of Gnomes – Lantan is the island home of gnomes; for a century, it had been magically transported to another world and only very recently returned to Toril. Work with the DM to consider how this might affect your intended backstory. Blingdenstone is a city of deep gnomes reclaimed from dark elf occupation within the last twenty-five years. Forest gnomes tend to stick to their own people as a general rule.
  • A City – See Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and/or craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – The High Forest is your best option if playing a forest gnome, but most large forests on a map of the Sword Coast North have potential. Rock gnomes are highly unlikely to have grown up in the wild, and the Underdark is far too dangerous for an isolated upbringing.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Port Llast and Sundabar are good options.

Halfling

I grew up in

  • A Community of Halflings – Halfling-exclusive communities no longer exist, but some places which have very large populations of halflings include Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate, Mirabar, and Silverymoon, as well as the distant cities of Calimport and Delthuntle.
  • A City – Waterdeep is the most-likely option, but see also Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – Halflings tend to gravitate toward comfort, so an origin in the wilds is very unlikely.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Port Llast is a good option; the halfling “homeland” of Luiren was destroyed over a century ago, making it an unlikely origin point for a young halfling adventurer.

Half-Elf

I grew up in

  • An Elven Enclave – Use “City”, “Village”, or “Wilds” origins.
  • A City – See Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – The Glimmerwood (formerly two forests: the Cold Wood and the Moonwood) and the High Forest are the best options, but pretty much any other large forest you can find on a map of the Sword Coast North has potential as a starting point if raised among elves.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Port Llast and Sundabar are good options.

Half-Orc

I grew up in

  • A Community of Half-Orcs – Half-orc-exclusive communities are rare, but a few villages may have existed on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows; the city of Palischuk in distant Vaasa is also an option.
  • A City – Waterdeep, Neverwinter, Silverymoon, Everlund, and Baldur’s Gate, are all great options, but see also Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – Loudwater is an excellent option, but see also Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – A half-orc who grew up in an orc tribe could have come from almost any mountainous or forested region in Faerûn.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – The Kingdom of Many-Arrows was destroyed only a few years ago, making it an excellent option; Port Llast and Sundabar are also good options.

Human, Aasimar, or Tiefling

I grew up in

  • A City – See Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – See Barbarian Tribes of the Northwest or consider an origin among druids in one the many named forests of the region.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Port Llast, Nesmé, and Sundabar are good options.

Tabaxi

I grew up in

  • A Community of Tabaxi – The tabaxi homeland is thousands of miles across the ocean on the continent of Maztica, making this an unlikely option.
  • A City – See Cities of the Northwest.
  • A Small Town – See Towns of the Northwest.
  • A Village – See Villages of the Northwest, or work with the DM to pick a point on the map and craft a custom village.
  • A Farm – Most of Faerûn is too full of monsters for farms to exist in isolation; use a “Village” origin.
  • The Wilds – While the Tabaxi homeland is largely wild, its distance from Faerûn makes that origin unlikely. Most tabaxi of Faerûn live in communities of mixed heritage, so it’s possible a family may have joined a community of druids in one of the many named forests of the region.
  • A Place Which Has Since Been Destroyed – Port Llast is a good option.

Other Heritages, including Dark Elves

Did you discuss this with the DM first?

A dark elf who grew up in a city may have grown up in Luskan, Waterdeep, or Silverymoon, or they have come from the Underdark city of Menzoberranzan. Dark elves are unlikely to have grown up in any surface towns or villages except the drow-exclusive villages in neighboring Cormanthor, and small communities in the Underdark are rare. A dark elf who grew up in the wild likely came from a deep forest such as the High Forest or the woods of Cormanthor. A dark elf may also have spent some of their formative years in Ched Nasad, but that city was destroyed 120 years ago. Other dark elf cities and towns exist in the Underdark, but most are far away from the Sword Coast.

Cities of the Northwest

There is no official designation of a “city” in the Sword Coast North, but what generally distinguishes a city from a town is that a city has fortified stone walls and a population in excess of 5000. This is not a complete list of all cities in the Sword Coast North, but it covers many of the largest cities on the Sword Coast and in the Silver Marches and Savage Frontier to the east.

Waterdeep

The largest city of the Sword Coast North, Waterdeep is also the most diverse city. Though the majority of its residents and noble families are human, all heritages are represented to one degree or another and across nearly all social and economic backgrounds. Waterdeep is also home to all manner of class-based learning centers such as a college for bards, several monasteries, numerous temples, and even a few magic academies. Most consequentially, Waterdeep is the headquarters of the Lords’ Alliance, a confederation of other cities and towns with aims at mutual defense and free trade among its member states.

Baldur’s Gate

Though not nearly as large as Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate is easily the second-largest city of the region and boasts a population nearly as diverse. Baldur’s Gate’s ruling patriars are almost entirely human, with the sole exception being a clan of dwarves. Baldur’s Gate has fewer class-based learning centers than does Waterdeep, though it does have numerous temples and a number of powerful wizards willing to take on apprentices.

Everlund

Like its neighboring city of Silverymoon, Everlund is primarily populated by humans, but elves and half-elves also have a very large presence in the city, as do halflings and dwarves. It has several prominent temples, a robust middle-class of merchants, and professional guilds supporting artisans and traders as well as mercenaries and mages. Everlund recently quit the Lords’ Alliance, though some who’ve witnessed the ambitions of the Zoar family exiled from Waterdeep question if the action was truly done in protest of the lack of support the confederation offered its eastern member states during the War of the Silver Marches.

Luskan

Once a haven for pirates, slavers, and wizards bent on domination—and thus the principal reason for the foundation of the Lords’ Alliance—Luskan’s population was decimated following a series of disasters beginning over a century ago and lasting for around 80 years. After a Waterdeep-backed coup destroyed the Arcane Brotherhood, five factions called the Ships waged gang warfare on one another through the ensuing chaos, including famine and an outbreak of plague. Roughly 20 years ago, Ship Kurth surged to sudden dominance, creating some sense of order in a city historically considered lawless, with High Captain Kurth even declaring the practice of slavery illegal. Though most of Luskan’s surface population is human, sizable numbers of dwarves, half-orcs, halflings, and tieflings also call Luskan home. Beneath the surface, the tunnels and ruins of the ancient city of Illusk are not-so-secretly home to an unknown number of dark elves, a population rumored to be equal to that of the four thousand inhabitants of the surface city.

Mirabar

Either a very small city or a very large town, Mirabar is technically two cities in one: a surface city dominated by humans with a smattering of halflings and other heritages, and a subterranean city dominated by dwarves with a sizeable population of gnomes. Mirabar’s primary trade comes from its quarries and mines, but because the city of Luskan lies at the mouth of the River Mirar, Mirabar has historically struggled with getting its goods to southern markets. The recent stabilization of chaotic Luskan helped Mirabar regain some of its former stature as a supplier of dwarf-made goods throughout the Sword Coast North, but the subsequent re-emergence of Gauntlgrym—and over a hundred dwarves defecting from Mirabar to that kingdom—set the city back once again.

Neverwinter

Though obliterated by a volcanic eruption roughly fifty years ago, Neverwinter has made a strong comeback in the last thirty years. Thanks to outside investment, it has nearly returned to its former glory and boasts the largest population of tieflings of any city of the Sword Coast North except the much-larger Waterdeep, though the vast majority of residents are humans. Half-elves, halflings, dwarves, and half-orcs are also well-represented in the population, and a large contingent of dragonborn settled in the city after they were hired to bolster the ranks of the city guard. Neverwinter boasts several temples—particularly to Tyr, Helm, and Waukeen—and professional guilds, including those representing artisans, merchants, and mercenaries.

Silverymoon

Although a predominantly human city, Silverymoon’s architecture is heavily influenced by elven culture, and the city has a proportionately large population of elves and half-elves. Silverymoon is home to several temples to both human and elven gods and a collegiate complex called the Conclave. There are even several forested groves within the city walls which are dedicated to deities of nature, notably Lurue, Mielikki, and Silvanus.

Sundabar (destroyed)

Situated atop a volcanic rift called the Everfire, Sundabar was a city of mostly humans and dwarves, but with sizable populations of gnomes, halflings, and half-elves. Its surface accommodations once included temples to Tyr, Torm, and Helm, numerous shops and taverns, and a strong fighting force with significant fortifications. In the Undercity, dwarves used the Everfire to power their forges, selling their crafted metalworks down the River Surbrin to Everlund and beyond. None of Sundabar’s preparations were a match for dark elven saboteurs, giant-hurled boulders, and the frosty breath of white dragons, and the surface city was completely razed during the War of the Silver Marches in 1484 DR.

Yartar

Its population bolstered by refugees of the Spellplague and other calamities of the last century, Yartar has become an important trading stop on both the Evermoor Way and the Surbrin and Dessarin rivers. One prominent feature in the city is its temple to Tymora, which has sponsored many bands of adventurers. The city boasts a standing guard force and cavalry, but few other institutions aside from those dedicated to trade. Yartar has a long-standing rivalry with Triboar, its nearest neighbor.

Towns of the Northwest

There is no official designation of a “town” in the Sword Coast North, but what generally distinguishes a town from a village is that a town has a population in excess of 500. This is not a complete list of all towns in the Sword Coast North, but it covers many of the more consequential towns.

Amphail

Though frequently regarded as a village, Amphail is a small town of roughly 800 humans, half-elves, dwarves, halflings, and other people, with just over a quarter of the population actually living in outlying farms and ranches. An important supplier of agricultural products and horses for nearby Waterdeep, Amphail has a number of festhall, taverns, inns, and shops, but few other institutions, as it’s only a few days’ ride from there to Waterdeep itself.

Bryn Shander

The largest town in Icewind Dale, Bryn Shander is generally considered to be the capital of the Ten Towns. All of the other towns are situated on the banks of the isolated regions’ three lakes, while Bryn Shander rests on a hill in the rough center of the others, making it the ideal center of trade within the towns, as well as between the Ten Towns and the south. There are no formal temples or other institutions within Icewind Dale. Most of Bryn Shander’s population is human, but there are also half-elves and halflings who call the town home, and the region has a reputation as a “last resort” for rogues, refugees, and exiles from all over Faerûn.

Daggerford

Small but consequential, Daggerford is an important stop along the Trade Way between Waterdeep and Baldur’s Gate, as well as any river trade coming down the River Delimbyr from such towns as Secomber and Loudwater. Humans make up the majority of Daggerford’s population, but the town is also home to many dwarves, dragonborn, halflings, and tieflings. The town also boasts a temple to both Lathander and Amaunator, and is protected by a well-trained militia.

Llorkh (destroyed)

A bustling town of mostly humans and a large number of dwarves, over a century ago, Llorkh was conquered by the Zhentarim following the successful assassination of its ruling lord by a wizard. The dwarves trickled out of town after their high cleric was declared an outlaw, and the Zhentarim ruled through their puppet usurper for another century. Just as the fortunes of the Zhentarim were waning amid conflicts in the east, the town’s lucrative gold and silver mines ran dry. By the mid-1400s DR, the Zhentarim had withdrawn and taken everything of value with them, leaving a broken shell of a town in their wake. Though the people of Llorkh struggled on for another few decades, they gradually abandoned the crumbling ruin until all that remained was a self-styled bandit king and his henchmen.

Loudwater

Once a much more populous town, Loudwater suffered when upriver partners Llorkh and Zelbross were occupied by the Zhentarim in the late 14th century DR. Unusually, only about a third of the town’s inhabitants are humans, while nearly half the population is elven or half-elven. Halflings, dwarves, and gnomes round out another quarter of the populace, with half-orcs making up most of the remainder. Temples in the town are dedicated to Lathander, Mielikki, Silvanus, and the Seldarine, and there’s a martial academy and a school of magic within the town’s walls.

Nesmé (destroyed)

A rugged town sandwiched between the River Surbrin and the Evermoors, Nesmé was protected by a fortified wall fifteen feet high and its environs patrolled by a stalwart cavalry. An important stopover for trade coming down the River Surbrin from the Silver Marches, Nesmé was the only safe “port” for river barges seeking to avoid the monsters of the Evermoors or the marauding Uthgardt bands of the Savage Frontier. Nesmé’s isolation proved its downfall: it was the first settlement of significant size to be destroyed during the War of the Silver Marches in 1484 DR.

Targos

The second largest town in Icewind Dale, Targos is the only town in Icewind Dale other than Bryn Shander to boast a fortified wall. Targos dominates the largest and deepest of the region’s three lakes, Maer Dualdon, and appropriately boasts the largest haul of the lucrative knucklehead trout which make living in this isolated tundra worthwhile. Nearly all of the town’s inhabitants are human.

Triboar

Despite being strategically located at the end of the Evermoor Way from Silverymoon along the Long Road between Mirabar and Waterdeep, Triboar has never grown particularly large from its beneficial position. This, however, has likely protected it from ruin throughout the chaos of the last two centuries. Though most of the three thousand who call the town home are human, other heritages are not uncommon, primarily half-elves, halflings, and tieflings. Nearly half of the town’s citizens live not in the town proper, but on the numerous farms and ranches which surround it. Triboar has a long-standing rivalry with Yartar, its nearest neighbor.

Villages of the Northwest

Most villages are little more than a handful of small shops who largely cater to the needs of the farmers and ranchers of the surrounding lands, but some villages have notable inhabitants, trades, or geographical features which set them apart from their peers. This is far from a complete list of all villages in the Sword Coast North, but it covers several consequential locations.

Bleeding Vines

Named for its bountiful vineyards, the village of Bleeding Vines was recently established as a surface trading post for the subterranean city of Gauntlgrym. Its population is almost entirely lightfoot halflings, with over a hundred of the diminutive people having relocated from the faraway city of Delthuntle to start new lives away from the chaos engulfing Aglarond following the Second Sundering. The first iteration of Bleeding Vines was destroyed during a demonic siege of Gauntlgrym, but it was quickly rebuilt with a larger and even more-productive vineyard. Its wines are quickly becoming a favorite among the Waterdhavian elite.

Goldenfields

Thanks to its fortified stone wall and large workforce, Goldenfields could technically be classified as a city were it not little more than a huge abbey enclosing an even larger farm, orchard, and vineyard. One of the principal suppliers of grain and other produce to Waterdeep and much of the Sword Coast and Savage Frontier, the abbey is dedicated to Chauntea, but worshippers of Lathander also have a large presence. As is appropriate to an abbey of its size, the faithful include several clerics, monks, and paladins, but the bounty of the land has also attracted a number of druids and rangers, including members of the Emerald Enclave. Most of the abbey’s inhabitants and laborers are human, but halflings and half-orcs are also well represented.

Longsaddle

Let not its tiny size fool you, Longsaddle is a full-fledged member of the Lords’ Alliance thanks to the powerful but eccentric Harpell family of wizards whose Ivy Mansion rests on a low hill overlooking the village. The forests around Longsaddle are inhabited by a sizable number of werewolves, so caravans passing through Longsaddle are encouraged to spend the night within the village proper and to patronize its inns, taverns, and festhalls during their stay. As is common in this region, most of the villagers and the people of its surrounding farms and ranches are humans, but the Grinning Ponies—a band of halfling adventurers—recently relocated their headquarters to Longsaddle, and a small number of dark elves have been seen at the Ivy Mansion.

Orlbar (destroyed)

Orlbar was once a simple farming village, but over a hundred years ago, it was seized by a group of Zhentarim worshippers of Iyachtu Xvim. As the fortunes of the Zhentarim—and the Xvimites in particular—waned, Orlbar gradually reverted back to its pastoral origins, but then was abandoned in 1485 DR when it fell under siege by stone giants, who then took great pleasure in dismantling every structure.

Phandalin

The original village of Phandalin was abandoned over 500 years ago following an orc raid, but it was resettled roughly 100 years ago before being abandoned again when its mines were overtaken by monsters. Settlers from Neverwinter and Waterdeep began to build the town anew again after the Second Sundering, and its population now numbers over two hundred humans with a handful of dwarves and half-elves among them. There is no formal militia, so Phandalin relies on its two larger neighbors for protection and the occasional hired band of adventurers. Though it is rumored a priest of Waukeen intends to begin construction on a temple soon, there are currently only two modest shrines within the village: one to Waukeen and another to Tymora.

Pinebrook

A small settlement in the foothills of the Spine of the World, Pinebrook survives through mining and logging, sending the bounty of both downriver via barge to Mirabar in exchange for food, weapons, and other goods. Due to the possibility of “striking it rich” in the mines, Pinebrook’s population has seen a number of settlers come in from all over the Sword Coast North, so though most of its population is human and dwarven, it is far from exclusively so. Despite its proximity to the western boundary of the former Kingdom of Many-Arrows, Pinebrook was largely protected from raids by the orcs of that land thanks to the River Mirar.

Port Llast (destroyed)

Over the span of a few centuries, Port Llast has gone from being a city of a few thousand to a hard-scrabble outpost of a few dozen. At its height, it was the capital of the realm of Stornanter, but after the ruling Witch-Queen abruptly left, the nobles of the realm began to fight one another for control and Stornanter dissolved. Orc raids, pirate attacks, and magical assaults from the Arcane Brotherhood of Luskan continued to chip away at the city until only a few hundred remained, and most of the old buildings were dismantled to build a seawall to protect the harbor. When the Spellplague struck a century ago, that effort became moot: the transposition of the continent of Laerakond to Toril changed the tides around Port Llast, causing its harbor to fill with silt and rendering it useless as a port. Most of the population left shortly thereafter, but the town enjoyed a brief resurgence when a band of heroes drove off a force of invading sahuagin and convinced farmers from plague-ravaged Luskan to resettle there. Its harbor was restored after Laerakond was returned to Abeir in the Second Sundering, but it was soon sacked by a drow raiding party and largely abandoned.

Red Larch

Located about seven days’ ride from Waterdeep on the Long Road, Red Larch is an important stop for trade caravans traveling the route, but of little consequence otherwise. Though it has fewer shops and inns than its similarly-sized neighbor Amphail, it does offer an interfaith shrine capable of supporting small religious gatherings and housing two bedrooms where visiting priests could sleep. As such, Waterdeep’s temples frequently sponsored month-long missions to Red Larch for priests of two different faiths.

Secomber

Built atop the ruins of an ancient wizard kingdom, Secomber is a farming community of mostly humans and halflings, but also a small number of dwarves, gnomes, moon elves, and half-elves. Though the region once boast a population in excess of a thousand, that number has declined greatly in the last two decades after a large force of hobgoblins moved into the area and began to demand tribute from the peaceful farmers. Despite the “protection payments”, bands of “rogue” hobgoblins made occasional raids on the settlements with no recourse from the hobgoblin leaders, leading to the gradual abandonment of much of the now-impoverished village.

The Ten Towns

Aside from the larger towns of Bryn Shander and Targos, the other population centers of the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale are the villages of Bremen, Lonelywood, and Termalaine on the northern lake Maer Dualdon; Caer Dineval, Caer Konig, and Easthaven on the eastern lake Lac Dinneshere; and Dougan’s Hole and Good Mead on the smallest and southern lake, Redwaters.

Barbarian Tribes of the Northwest

Reghedmen

So-named because of the Reghed glacier which marks the eastern boundary of their range, these blond-haired and blue-eyed barbarian nomads call the open tundra of Icewind Dale their home. Despite apparent similarities to the Uthgardt barbarians south of the Spine of the World, it is believed that the original ancestors of the Reghedmen hailed from faraway Rasheman. For decades, the Reghedmen were openly hostile toward the people of the Ten Towns, but the Reghedmen were nearly wiped out after a disastrous attempt to overrun and destroy those villages and towns. Two of the tribes folded entirely, their being absorbed into the surviving tribes of Elk, Wolf, Bear, and Tiger. The tribes were later united under the banner of the young king of the Tribe of the Elk, who led the Reghedmen in defense of the Ten Towns from an invading army of orcs and goblins, and the two populations largely lived in peace after that. Though once staunchly patriarchal, the Reghedmen have become much more egalitarian in recent decades, and have even welcomed non-humans into their ranks.

Uthgardt

Named after the hero-turned-deity Uthgar, the dark-haired barbarians south of the Spine of the World originally hailed from the ancient kingdom of Illusk. They have a much greater range than their northern counterparts, and similarly have a wider view of such things as the use of shamanistic magic and the acceptance of non-humans—mostly half-elves and half-orcs—into their numbers. Unlike the Reghedmen, few of the Uthgardt tribes have peaceful relationships with their “civilized” neighbors, and often conduct raids upon villages and small towns. Most notable are the tribes of Black Lion, Elk, Gray Wolf, Griffon, Red Tiger, Sky Pony, and Tree Ghost.

Island Nations of the Northwest

Evermeet

While not technically a part of the Sword Coast North, the elven kingdom of Evermeet is an influential island nation located in the Trackless Sea nearly 2000 miles west of the Sword Coast, and is actually nearer to the continent of Maztica than it is to Faerûn. Very few non-elves have ever been permitted to set foot on Evermeet, so it is shrouded in mystery. Further complicating matters, Evermeet was transported to the Feywild as a result of the Spellplague, and only recently returned to Toril with the Second Sundering.

Gundarlun

A frigid archipelago which spends nearly eight months locked in sea ice, the hardy inhabitants have an economy entirely built on fishing, farming, mining, and trading. Its stalwart opposition to the pirates of Luskan led to the nation’s inclusion in the Lords’ Alliance, a membership they have maintained even after Luskan’s chaotic collapse, mostly because of the favorable trade status it retains with Neverwinter and Waterdeep.

Mintarn

Located 400 miles southwest of Waterdeep, Mintarn was a singular island nation which existed as a free port in the Sea of Swords: though friendly to Lords’ Alliance ships, Mintarn did not openly oppose pirates, including those from the Nelanther Isles or Luskan. Despite needing to import timber from the Sword Coast, Mintarn developed a reputation for quality shipbuilding that saw its fortunes rise when Waterdeep found itself in need of a new fleet. Most of the island’s population is human, but a reclusive clan of dwarves reportedly call Mintarn Mountain home, and the waters around the island are inhabited by merfolk, tritons, and even a few aquatic elves.

Moonshae Isles

Often referred to simply as the Moonshaes, the Moonshae Isles are an archipelago of hundreds of islands of varying size, divided into dozens of minor kingdoms which generally have peaceful trade relations with one another. Many of the islands were inhabited almost exclusively by two groups of humans: Northlanders, culturally similar to the humans of the Sword Coast North, and Ffolk, a unique culture which worshipped the Earthmother. Other islands are home to elves, dwarves, halflings, and even the shy giantkin known as firbolgs.

Ruathym

Though technically part of the Moonshae archipelago, Ruathym is largely inhabited by the descendants of settlers from faraway Rasheman, and thus are culturally more similar to the Reghedmen of Icewind Dale than to any other population in the Sword Coast North. Like the Reghedmen, most Ruathen revere Tempus, god of battle, but the Ruathen are far more comfortable with the use of magic than the tribes of Icewind Dale.

Tuern (destroyed)

A fertile volcanic island split into five separate tiny kingdoms, the true rulers of Tuern were a trio of red dragons who lived in the volcanic crevasse called the Flame Fault. Well-meaning adventurers killed one of the three dragon overlords, but this caused the other two to go on a violent rampage in which they burned most of the island to ash.

Dwarven Strongholds of the Northwest

Citadel Adbar

Located in the Ice Mountains on the northeastern edge of the Silver Marches, Citadel Adbar was the last dwarven stronghold constructed by the shield dwarf nation of Delzoun which once claimed subterranean lands stretching the full length of the Spine of the World. With a population almost-exclusively dwarven, Citadel Adbar welcomed few non-dwarven visitors but nevertheless enjoyed robust trade with the humans and elves of the Silver Marches. By the beginning of the 1300s DR, the city’s population had once fallen as low as 10,000 dwarves, but the Thunder Blessing granted by the dwarven god Moradin resulted in its population doubling within a century, as nearly one in five births resulted in twins. Even so, many Adbarran dwarves left in subsequent decades to reclaim the dwarven strongholds of Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall.

Citadel Adbar survived the War of the Silver Marches far better than many of its neighbors, but it lost one of its twin kings early in the conflict, and the surviving twin is rumored to have gone insane from grief. Significant numbers of Adbarran dwarves joined the march to reclaim Gauntlgrym, though many returned after that mission was accomplished.

Citadel Felbarr

Originally constructed by the nation of Delzoun, Citadel Felbarr was abandoned nearly four hundred years ago, then temporarily settled by humans from Silverymoon. It then fell to a horde of orcs and spent the better part of two hundred years known as the Citadel of Many Arrows until a force of dwarves from Citadel Adbar drove out the orcs and reclaimed the stronghold with the assistance of soldiers from Silverymoon. The stronghold was besieged during the War of the Silver Marches, but it lost many defenders battling the forces of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. Even so, Felbarran dwarves were no-less enthusiastic than their neighbors about joining the march for Gauntlgrym, with even its king abdicating to a trusted advisor so he could embark on one last great adventure.

Dwarven Valley

Less a proper dwarven stronghold and more a mine with living quarters, Dwarven Valley lies beneath the southern slope of Kelvin’s Cairn, the lonely mountain which looms over Icewind Dale. Founded by the three hundred young dwarves who were among the few survivors of an assault on Mithral Hall by duergar and creatures from the Shadowfell, Dwarven Valley soon became an important source of weapons and tools for the rugged folk of the Ten Towns. Though many of the dwarves returned to Mithral Hall in the mid-1300s DR, a significant population remained in Dwarven Valley throughout the 1400s, though they were nearly wiped out by a dark elf raid in the early part of 1484 DR.

Gauntlgrym

Once the capital of the dwarven nation of Delzoun, this massive city was conquered and abandoned numerous times, and its location was largely lost to dwarven memory until agents of Thay manipulated a Delzoun dwarf into opening the way into the great forge at the city’s heart in 1451 DR, triggering the eruption of Mount Hotenow which destroyed the city of Neverwinter. A subsequent excursion eleven years later successfully calmed the volcano’s fury, but it was believed that none of the three dwarves involved survived. The next settlers were dark elves from the city of Menzoberranzan, but they were driven out two decades later by an army of over 5,000 dwarves from Mithral Hall, Citadels Adbar and Felbarr, and Mirabar, and supported by Harpell wizards from Longsaddle.  

Ironmaster

The most reclusive dwarven settlement in the Sword Coast North, Ironmaster lies within a sheltered vale at the mouth of the Shaengarne River which flowed from the Ten Towns in Icewind Dale. Non-dwarves are not permitted within the bounds of the city, but it is estimated that roughly ten thousand dwarves call the sprawling caverns their home. Even dwarves from outside of Ironmaster are not often welcome, as refugees from Mithral Hall discovered in the late 1100s DR, leading to the establishment of Dwarven Valley at the foot of Kelvin’s Cairn.

Lands of Abeir

Laerakond

Technically a small continent, Laerakond was transposed to Toril from the world of Abeir as a result of the Spellplague, and was comprised of eight regions populated by humans, dragonborn, as well as small populations of giants, orcs, and even dwarves. Most of these lands were ruled by evil dragons, but a few of the human-ruled lands began trade with Neverwinter, Waterdeep, and even Luskan. However, Laerakond was returned to Abeir with the Second Sundering, forever stranding on Toril anyone who had left the continent prior to that event.

Tymanther

On Abeir, Tymanchebar was a kingdom of dragonborn that was part of the continent of Laerakond, but when the Spellplague struck, most of that land was ripped away from Laerakond and instead dropped onto what had been the southern kingdom of Unther, which itself had been transported to Abeir. The kingdom was renamed Tymanther—in honor of the land they believed they had inadvertently destroyed—and its dragonborn population began to spread all across Faerûn. When the Second Sundering occurred and began to return the lands of Abeir back to their native world, divine intervention by the Untheric deity Enlil prevented the largest cities of Tymanther from being affected even as the lands of Unther returned around them. However, Enlil’s son Gilgeam, the god-king of Unther, objected to the perceived interlopers, and the humans of Unther continue to wage war against the Tymantheran dragonborn to this day.