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• Deciding to see it while he still can, BadCatMan went to the well-defended trade city of Elturel, exploring from the Docks to the High District via the Winter Garden and seeing the imposing Helm's Shieldhall. He learned about the legendary Hellriders and how safe and secure the city was. When he asked about thieves, he learned from the Hellriders just how safe and secure. After doing some detective work on counterfeit Elturian Grey cheeses at the Bent Helm tavern, he spent a sleepless night at the Oar and Wagonwheel Inn, blaming the noise rather than the cheese, but it beat the dungeons. He apologizes for missing the Clacks again, but promises the time was spent working on the wiki in other ways.

• After telling us more than we ever wanted to know about skull lords, bulezaus, gorgimerae, and turnips, Possessed Priest sailed with the Heroes of Ascore to Farr Windward, a colony of (fellow?) outcasts and misfits, meeting Ougo the Strange among others. There he saw an impressive performance of the original Neverwinter Nights epic poem, complete with kumquats on the actors' heads.
• Meanwhile, Regis87 continued her Year of Magic, documenting the spells of Maztica's hishnashapers, such as pestilence, scalesnare, and scrollsee, and plumaweavers, with bird charm, blossom, and featherweaving, and modern spells like minor illusion, thaumaturgy, and spirit guardians. After running afoul of a Hell Knight, Regis took refuge on Mount Celestia, ascending through the layers of Solania, Mertion, and Jovar.

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Ilbratha, the "Mistress of Battles", was an enchanted bloodstone-bedecked bronze short sword with a long and storied history. It had the distinction of being part of the royal regalia of two kingdoms, to be carried by their heirs: the Forest Kingdom of Cormyr on land and the merfolk kingdom of Eadraal in the Inner Sea. However, the sword was lost to both realms, its whereabouts unknown but always sought after.

To Cormyr, Ilbratha was one of the Lost Swords of State. It was commissioned by Azoun I and went with him on campaign against the kingdom of Valashar in the Year of the Leaping Hare, 376 DR. Ilbratha rallied the troops, becoming a symbol of power and of Azoun's victory over the Shoon Imperium. But it was lost in the wreck of the prince's ship, Valashar's Bane, then was rediscovered then lost, time and again.

Finally, it went under the waves again, becoming Haalorth, "the Warrior's Fang". It was swung by Tarag, a sea ogre chieftain and builder of the Axe Kingdoms. Then, famously, it was borne by the merfolk princes and princesses of Eadraal for some seven centuries, as the official Heir's Blade. Finally, in the Year of the Gauntlet, 1369 DR, the mermaid warrior princess Jian wielded it in battle against the conquering wereshark Iakhovas, until she was slain and the blade lost to history.

New & Upcoming Releases

Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus by Christopher Perkins is a 5^th-edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure module released on September 17, 2019. It sees players adventure from Baldur's Gate down to Avernus, the first of the Nine Hells.

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Welcome to Baldur's Gate, a city of ambition and corruption situated at the crossroads of the Sword Coast. You've just started your adventuring career, but already find yourself embroiled in a plot that sprawls from the shadows of Baldur's Gate to the front lines of the planes-spanning Blood War! Do you have what it takes to turn infernal war machines and nefarious contracts against the archdevil Zariel and her diabolical hordes? And can you ever hope to find your way home safely when pitted against the infinite evils of the Nine Hells?

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Boundless by R.A. Salvatore is the second entry in the Generations trilogy featuring Drizzt Do'Urden. It was released on September 10^th. The novel's story is split into two parts: one following Drizzt in the present time of the Realms, and the other focusing on Zaknafein and Jarlaxle's adventures in the distant past.

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Split between time and two worlds, Zaknafein had always been conflicted. That inner turmoil was magnified by his inferior position as a male dark elf in the matriarchal drow society. Only his status as one of the greatest warriors—as well as his friendship with the mercenary Jarlaxle—kept him sane. When he finally perished, he was content knowing he left behind a legacy as substantial as his son Drizzt...

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Dragon+ #27 was released on September 19, 2019.

This issue has previews and in-the-works details of Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, Adventurers League tie-ins, and Baldur's Gate III, as well as WizKids and Funko Pop figures. It also presents artist Max Dunbar's concept art, an article about D&D for the hearing-impaired, the D&D Classics and Maps of the Months regulars, and the Terror of Undermountain in Creature Feature.

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Realms of Valor was the first anthology of short stories from the Forgotten Realms, published in 1993. It was edited by James Lowder and features stories from many contemporary authors of Forgotten Realms novels, as well as many of their characters, in adventures tied in to recent novels and Realms events, including a Ravenloft cross-over. In the Afterword, Jeff Grubb presents a short history of the development of the Forgotten Realms to that point.

It includes:

"The Lord of Lowhill" by Douglas Niles • "Elminster at the Magefair" by Ed Greenwood • "One Last Drink" by Christie Golden • "The Bargain" by Elaine Cunningham • "Patronage" by David Cook • "A Virtue by Reflection" by Scott Ciencin • "King's Tear" by Mark Anthony • "The Family Business" by James Lowder • "Grandfather's Toys" by Jean Rabe • "The Curse of Tegea" by Troy Denning • "Dark Mirror" by R. A. Salvatore

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From the secret annals of Realms history come eleven never-before-published tales of valor, featuring the greatest heroes of that magical world—Drizzt Do'Urden, Arilyn Moonblade, Adon, Elminster of Shadowdale, Jander Sunstar, and many others—told by your favorite authors, including: R. A. Salvatore, Ed Greenwood, Douglas Niles, Troy Denning, Christie Golden, and others.

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Today in the Realms...

...it is 20 Eleint, or the 20th of the Fading. Selûne is a waxing crescent moon .   

Realmslore

• The Fair Seas Festival was celebrated in Waterdeep at the end of Ches. Celebrants made donations of coin to Umberlee and enjoyed grand feasts in the city's taverns and inns.
• The Stag-Horned Flagon was a tavern in Amphail, and the site of the village's annual Rite of the Stag Lass. It was rumored the Stag'n'Flag was especially favored by Mielikki.
• The Golden Age of Netheril was the zenith of the Netherese Empire. The period notably saw the creation of many flying cities, as well as a gradual political power shift in the favor of powerful archwizards.
• Solania, fourth layer of Mount Celestia, was ruled by the tome archon Pistis Sophia. The layer was home to the dwarven pantheon, who favored its ore-rich valleys and peaks.
• Fox hengeyokai, usually found in Kara-Tur, were evil hengeyokai with fox-like traits. Like other hengeyokai they could take animal, human, and hybrid forms.
• Uttersea, the capital of Tuern, was situated in a dormant volcanic crater, shielding it from the stormy weather and freezing temperatures of the northern Trackless Sea.
• Turiel was a devout cleric of Bahamut who sought to rid Toril of injustice. When not on one of his deity's holy missions, he resided in the library fortress of Candlekeep.
• Brain moles burrowed into the brains of their victims to feed on psionic energy. They were favored by duergar deities such as Deep Duerra and Laduguer.
• Piscoloths were sadistic yugoloths from the Fated Depths. They were alien and obscene aquatic creatures, and were tasked with overseeing the mezzoloth and dhergoloth castes.

And, from the archives:

• Laerekh, Chief Necromancer of the cult of Kiaransalee in Maerimydra once created and commanded a death tyrant.
• Pet jewelfish, a tiny silvery breed of fish, were dyed various colors in a fad once popular across western Faerûn.
• Othimturac was half-white half-shadow dragon, the result of a crossbreeding experiment by the Jaezred Chaulssin.
• Alignments of constellations gave magical power to similar events on Toril, and they were venerated by priests of Mystra.
• The Alimir Mountains east of Calimshan were home to many beholders that arrived on crash-landed ships in −2381 DR.
• An Amulet of Dreams summoned sandmen that had to feed on a jewel or the master's own health before they would serve.
• The Nezram's ruby ray spell could reverse, dispel, undo, or unlock a whole range of spells, traps, and physical bonds.
• The Emperor of T'u Lung couldn't enforce his edicts without the consent of the wealthy families that controlled key offices.

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