Nimbral

Nimbral is probably the most mysterious land in all of Abeir-Toril. Pegasi-mounted warriors attack a lot of foreign merchants (though almost always because they are slavers or pirates) and large fleets that head in the supposed direction of the island have a history of being turned away. Nimbral is self-sufficient and only trades with Samarach, Halruaa (both of these only infrequently though) and Zakhara, all mysterious and nigh-unknown lands themselves. As a result, many wild and varied rumours have been spread by the folk of the mainland who have heard of the place.

Expatriates from Halruaa willing to put a premium on the school of illusion, the deceptive inhabitants of the distant island of Nimbral (called Nimbrali) are all accomplished illusionists. It seems their prolonged contact with magic changed their mage into something else than humans. Nimbral illusionists do not have any forbidden school of magic. Nimbral is also known as The Sea Haven.

The land is ruled over by an introverted inbred family of 26 archmages known as the Nimbral Lords and their 16 apprentices, all of whom live in the linked towers of Selpir. Their will is carried out by the Heralds of Nimbral and enforced by the Knights of the Flying Hunt.

Languages
The Nimbrali speak and write Ruathlek, the secret language of illusionists, for both magical and mundane activities.

History
Nimbral was a moon elf realm for as long as anyone knows. The elves colonized the island long, long ago and no scholar seems to know exactly when. Halruaan worshipers of Leira arrived who had put themselves into self-imposed exile after the persecution of their religion back on the mainland. The elves welcomed the humans with open arms and a large number of the humans intermarried with the elves. It wasn't too long before there wasn't a single pure-blooded elf left on the island and these descendants lived in harmony for a long time.

In 605 DR the Nimbrese were asked to help destroy the yuan-ti of what was then Western Thindol. When Lord Samar agreed to help, he veiled the surrounding mountain passes in powerful illusions and began a decades long hunt for the yuan-ti. He succeeded, the land became known as Samarach and considered a vassal state of Nimbral by the natives.

The priesthood of Leira became more and more powerful as time went on and, whilst still a peaceful realm, Nimbral became the playground of the Leirans.

When Leira, the state patron goddess died during the Time of Troubles brief strife reigned as her priests were all slain by indentured wizards who had been made to create magic items for the priesthood. This put an end to the constant and unneccesary "Dreamweaving" (altering another's perception of the world through methods that ranged from something as simple as lying to magically manipulating the dreams of people) that the priesthood practiced on the island's citizens. These wizards became the new Nimbral Lords and decided that religion was a self-limiting thing and banned organized priesthoods and state religions from the realm, individual priests and small shrines are still allowed though if they are found to offend the law, exile is added to the usual punishment for the offense.

Nimbral first came to the common attention of mainlanders in the Year of the Shield (1367 DR) when the Knights of the Flying Hunt descended upon the Nelanther Isles and left many pirate ships ablaze off the coast of Tethyr. Before this event, they were only really known to pirates and calishite slavers, mostly because their property had been destroyed by the same knights. A lot of mainlanders previously unaware of Nimbral are unsure what to feel about this event, on the one hand, they lauded the knights for destroying all of those pirate ships, on the other, they have no idea if the Nimbrese will restrict themselves to attacking pirates or begin raidng mainland cities. Halruaan skyships soon took to the air and headed towards Nimbral, but it is unknown what exactly their goal was, or if they succeeded. The skyships returned home and no more was said about it that wasn't pure speculation.

Major settlements

 * Ormen
 * Tethmor
 * Curstallyon
 * Nimsur
 * Esdul
 * Bromtor
 * Rauthaven
 * Sombor
 * Nimith
 * Vindal
 * Suthaven

Official Material

 * Brief description by Ed Greenwood

Realmslore

 * The Realm of Nimbral:
 * Ⅰ. Legends, Mysteries, and History
 * ⅠⅠ. What the Eye First Sees
 * ⅠⅠⅠ. What the Eye Next Sees
 * ⅠⅤ. Nimbrian Life, Coin, and Livings
 * Ⅴ. Laws and Heralds
 * ⅤⅠ. Of Heralds and of the Nimbrese Character
 * ⅤⅠⅠ. The Knightse Character
 * ⅤⅠⅠⅠ. The Nimbral Lords

Specific prestige classes

 * Knight of the Flying Hunt

Novels and Modules

 * Into the Void by Nigel Findley, which features a map of the Nimbrese city of Rauthaven.


 * Realmspace by slade describes Rauthaven briefly.