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Plagueland

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Plaguelands were unnatural areas or regions of Toril where pockets of Spellplague persisted after the Wailing Years.[1][2]

Following the Second Sundering, most plaguelands returned to normality as the effects of the Spellplague ceased to be.[3]

Description[]

Plaguelands were places where wild magic ran amok.[4] No two plaguelands were identical in their features or terrain, but all were dangerous and weird.[5] They were shrouded by a luminous, liquid blue fog, and gazing into one revealed that the landscape appeared hazy and wavering, as if seen through the shimmering heat of a blue fire. Inside the plagueland, the land was mutable, like boiling mud. Earthmotes were common across the terrain, as well as immense zones of blue fire. In those regions, reality was in flux, and all features, such as the terrain and the sky, were somehow mixed to form an alien landscape. While the land could move and roil, it was nevertheless solid and could be traversed as normal.[2]

Underground, such as in the Underdark, plaguelands often took the form of enclosed pockets of active Spellplague, often called plaguecaves. In these spaces, the laws of physics appeared broken, with water flowing in streams through the air or falling upward, motes of rock drifting in space, and the caves and tunnels themselves twisting and warping with time.[6]

Plaguelands contained only a fraction of the full power displayed by the Spellplague during the Wailing Years, but even so, creatures that ventured close or into a plagueland could gain spellscars or be transformed into plaguechanged horrors.[5] Even a few hours in a plagueland could be mentally and physically exhausting, and mutations or spellscars could begin to manifest in as little as 24 hours.[2]

History[]

Plaguelands appeared across Faerûn following the initial outbreak of the Spellplague in the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, which ravaged the land in a period known as the Wailing years.[1] In some cases, the Spellplague travelled through portals, thus creating plaguelands on the other side of them. The result was that these portals could deliver an unsuspecting user directly into one of these plaguelands.[7]

As the Spellplague's ferocity died down following the Wailing Years, new plaguelands stopped appearing and many old ones began to slowly disappear. However, they continued to pose a threat in the form of plaguechanged monsters emerging from them to attack nearby settlements.[8]

By the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, plaguelands were sources of fascination for many explorers.[9] Some sought out plaguelands in hopes of acquiring a beneficial spellscar, and were encouraged by the Order of Blue Flame go on so-called Scar Pilgrimages.[5][10] By this same time, the Abolethic Sovereignty was interested in the study, cultivation, and expansion of existing plaguelands,[11] while the wizards of Deep Imaskar were discovering a ritual to purge the Spellplague from plaguelands.[12][13]

Notable Plaguelands[]

Plaguelands could be found across Toril and beyond, sometimes in entirely unexpected places.[7] The largest plagueland was the Plaguewrought Land, located south of the Vilhon Wilds.[14] The entire realm of Halruaa was also reduced to a massive plagueland, the worst of which was centered on Mount Talath.[15] There were also plaguelands in Chessenta,[9] the Yuirwood,[16] Elturgard,[17] in Erlkazar,[18] Sumbar near Evermeet,[19] at the Ring of Blue Fire in Rashemen,[20] and in the Hordelands above Deep Imaskar.[21] The Tilverton Scar in Cormyr was also considered a plagueland.[22]

In Laerakond, the only known plaguelands were the Glaur Barrens in Gontal.[23]

In the Underdark, the known plaguelands were located in Brikklex,[24] near Deep Imaskar,[25] in the cavern that once held Oaxaptupa in Old Shanatar,[26] and at the Cauldron of Blue Fire below Neverwinter.[11][27]

Inhabitants[]

Plaguechanged horrors could be found in plaguelands, notably mutated gibberlings[2] and plaguechanged ghouls.[28]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  3. ↑ Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  4. ↑ Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  6. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 219. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  8. ↑ Rich Baker (December 2007). “Countdown to the Realms: Year of the Ageless One”. Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast).
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
  10. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 264. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
  12. ↑ Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
  13. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 225. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  14. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. Fold–out Map. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  15. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  16. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 89. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  17. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 124. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  18. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  19. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 133. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  20. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 168–169. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  21. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  22. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 107. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  23. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell & Ed Greenwood (August 2008). “Gontal”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #366 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 52.
  24. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 220. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  25. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 222. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  26. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 234. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  27. ↑ Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 163. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
  28. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 267. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
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