Halruaa

Halruaa was a land of magic, renowned for its electrum mines and its Haerlu wine. The fabled, quiet and wealthy magocracy was justly depicted as full of wonder. Created by archwizards foreseeing the fall of Netheril, Halruaa combined the peace and harmony with the magic powers of their ancestors, but without the taint of their ambitions. Nearly all arcane casting Halruaans were wizards, with one third of the total populace having some sort of magical powers.

During the the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, the whole kingdom and the surrounding area was devastated by the Spellplague. To save their realm, Halruaan wizards shifted the kingdom into Abeir, leaving behind the one of the most virulent Plaguelands. When the Spellplague ended a century later, Halruaa was returned to Toril as part of the Second Sundering.

Geography
Halruaa stretched approximately 500 miles (804 km.) from east to west, and more than 350 miles (560 km.) from its southern border of the Great Sea to its northern foothills. It was divided into sections by three rivers that meet at Lake Halruaa, the northern shore of which was home to the nation's capital. The vast majority of the country consisted of flat, windswept plains, broken only by broad rivers or other notable landmarks.

Halruaa was bordered by mountain ranges on its north, east and west sides, known as the Walls of Halruaa, that acted as natural fortifications around the kingdom. The Nathaghals were to the north, the Muaraghals to the east, and the Lhairghals to the west. There was a narrow land of hill grasslands in the Nathaghals called the High Aluar, and this was the only non-mountainous land entrance to Halruaa. It could be accessed through the mountains at Talath Pass in the west, or Azhal Pass in the east.

All the major rivers in the region started from the Walls of Halruaa, and drained into Lake Halruaa.

Notable locations

 * Alaurim: A small town near River Aluar.
 * The Akhlaur Swamp : West of Lake Halruaa.
 * The Bandit Wastes : Desolate barrens, located in the shadow of Halruaa's North Wall.
 * Chasolné: The remnant of a civilization that predated the arrival of the Netherese.
 * Galdel: A town south of Lake Halruaa.
 * Halagard: The first capital of Halruaa.
 * Halarahh: The new of capital after 1272 DR.
 * House Jordain: Home of the Jordaini.
 * Khaerbaal: A small town located in the Bay of Taertal.
 * The Kilmaruu Swamp : East of Lake Halruaa, infested with hordes of undead monsters.
 * Lake Halruaa : A brackish body of water located near the center of Halruaa, connected via a wide channel to the Great Sea.
 * Maeruhal: A village within the foothills of the East Wall.
 * Mount Talath: Considered the center of magic in Halruaa, Mount Talath boasted one of the major temples of the Mystran faith.
 * The Nath : Located in the northeast corner of Halruaa.
 * Talathgard: A fortress at the bottom of the pass at the base of Mount Talath.
 * Yaulazna: The headquarters of the Five Companies.
 * Zalazuu: A town located in the Bay of Azuth.

Society
Halruaans congregated in numerous villages and cities scattered throughout the country's interior. Most were small settlements with no more than a few hundred inhabitants each. The folk in such villages usually relied on a venerated wizard to provide both protection and leadership, while likely also serving as mayor and a member of the Council of Elders, the ruling body of the country. The leader of the council was the Netyarch, or wizard-king.

With natural fortifications and the leadership of a score of diviners, they live in a near-perfect haven. Halruaans rarely leave except to adventure, as nowhere else in Faerûn would they find a better place than home.

Life in the cities of Halruaa is touched by magic in many ways. The quiet streets are lined with houses, both ostentatious and modest, each of which has at least a few built-in magical enhancements: street lamps shine at night with self-adjusting, light-producing spells, while a favorite practice in cities along the coast is to produce "walls" of magically coaxed coral that grow to enclose a home or garden. Spells that produce sparkling light and pleasing sounds are often woven into fine fabrics to enhance their beauty. Fanciful means of travel, such as Carpet of flyings or skyships, are commonplace. Everywhere in Halruaa, the people take great pains to show off their abilities as well as their wealth.

History
Halruaa was settled centuries ago by wizards fleeing the Phaerimm in what was to become the Anauroch Desert. The first wizards came in unique flying ships invented by the Netherese, and found a beautiful and rich country settled only by shepherds and large herds of aurochs, a wild Rothe. It was here that the wizards decided to make a stand should the Phaerimm follow. The Phaerimm never did, But Halruaa has had to defend itself from attacks by all of its neighbors since then.

Over the centuries Dambrath has attacked and raided Halruaa’s ports and borders multiple times. Once, led by a magic-resistant barbarian, the Dambraii occupied all of the country south of Lake Halruaa. They were defeated in battle by the great archmage Mycontil, who slew their barbarian leader. Four thousand Dambraii attacked and were stopped by 500 Halruaans. More than 200 Halruaan wizards, including Mycontil, died in the battle.

The last attack upon Halruaa was less than 100 years ago, through the Talath Pass by the power-hungry king of Lapaliiya. He had allied with bandits from the Wastes, though this time the Halruaans were able to field a larger force, including fighting men, as well as wizards in their skyships. The attackers were easily routed.

Halruaa also suffered through a civil war about five centuries ago, when a number of mages advocated beginning new experiments in magic, ones of which even the Netherese didn’t approve. The renegades were driven from the region, but went on to found the land of Thay, or so it is said in Halruaa.

Since then Halruaa has been at peace, (they have had no declared wars) though it still suffers raids from Dambraii pirates, bandits of the wastes, savages from Mhair jungles, and any other pirate, raider or hungry wizard who thinks that magic and wealth grow on trees in Halruaa.

The constant raiding has made the Halruaans very defensive, war-like and traditional. The people say that since Wizards have always led them, Wizards always will.

During the Spellplague, Halruaa was seemingly destroyed and replaced by the Plaguewrought Land. In truth, however, the wizards had foreseen the coming disaster and shifted the realm into Abeir. By 1489 DR, when the Spellplague ended, Halruaa returned to Toril.