Dancing Place in the high valleys of the Thunder Peaks,
alongside their fey allies. The Watchers of Sevreld meet
in Old Mushroom Grove in the High Forest, northeast
.of Secomber, and the Starwater Circle gathers around
their namesake pool in the northern forest of Mir.
THE CIRCLE OF SWORDS
Protectors of the Neverwinter Wood, the Circle of
Swords drives destructive humanoids like hobgoblins,
bugbears, and their kin from the wood, while also safe-
guarding it against exploitation at the hands of civilized
folk and protecting the wood's ancient ruins and sacred
sites from looters.
In the Druid Circle class feature in the Player's Hand-
book, the Circle of the Moon is common for Circle of
Swords druids, although some belong to the Circle of
the Land (Forest).THE EMERALD ENCLAVE
Less a druid circle and more a loose confederation of
circles and their allies, the Emerald Enclave is devoted
to protecting the redoubt of civilization in the North
from destruction. Elsewhere in the world, the Emerald
Enclave must pursue a more balanced path, but the vast
wilderness of the North holds far more danger to people
than they pose to it.
Founded in the Vilhon Reach over a thousand years
ago, the Emerald Enclave has spread across much of
Faerfin. Its members include druids, rangers, barbar-
ians, and others who live in the wilderness and know
and respect its ways. They wear an article of emerald
green clothing as a symbol of their membership, often
bearing the emblem of a stag's head.
In the Druid Circle class feature in the Player's Hand-
book, Emerald Enclave druids belong to the Circle of the
Land and Circle of the Moon in equal measure.THE MOONSHEA CIRCLES
The Ffolk of the Moonshea Isles venerate the land as
the great goddess they call the Earthmother. Their cir-
cles gather around sacred pools known as moonwells,
their link between the natural world and the goddess,
ringed by standing stone circles, raised by their ancient
ancestors.
In the Druid Circle class feature in the Player's Hand-
book, Moonshea druids most often belong to the Circle
of the Land (Coast, Forest, and Mountain).MOONWELLS
The water of a moonwell, drunk directly from cupped
hands, restores ld8 hit points, plus the drinker's Wis-
dom bonus, if any .. If the drinker has threatened the bal-
ance of nature since the last full moon, the water instead
deals ld8 poison damage to the drinker. This damage
is also dealt by a corrupted moonwell. Either effect oc-
curs once only per day per drinker. On the nights of the
full moon, drinkin·g the water of a moonwell can, at the
DM's discretion, have additional effects, such as confer-
ring the benefits of a lesser restoration spell.
The Harpers and Druids
Druid circles in the North are often allied with the Harpers,
as they have common purpose, with bards and rangers
serving as go-betweens. Individual Harpers can usually ex-
pect a circle to at least grant them food and shelter, and an
opportunity to attend a gathering and speak, if they wish.
Still, the Harpers aren't a druidic organization and,
despite what some common folk might believe, not every
druid or druid circle is allied with, or even friendly toward,
the Harpers and their cause. Indeed, some druids consider
the Harpers busybodies who threaten the natural balance
almost as much as the evils that they fight against.Moonwell water placed in a container or taken more
than 30 feet away from the well no longer has any of
these properties; it is simply water.
On the three nights of the full moon, three or more
druids gathered around a moonwell can cast commune
and scrying once each without expending spell slots and
without material components, provided that one of the
druids is at least 9th level and the rest are at least 4th
level. At the DM's option, the druids can use a moonwell
on such nights to cast different spells.Fighters
"SLOW TO LEARN, AREN'T THEY?" A WHJTE-HAJRED OLD
knight who'd lost his helm in the last fray drawled. "This is
getting to be like a proper romp in the Dragonjaws, it is! I'll
have to get my minstrel to write a ballad about this ... "
"I hope he sings swiftly," a Purple Dragon armsman
growled. "Here they are!"
The howling spilled over the bodies in another rushing
tide of flapping leather, slashing swords, and beady goblin
eyes. Men planted themselves-no running and leaping
now-to hew steadily, like harvesters with scythes and many
fields in front of them, in a rhythm of death.
-Troy Denning, Death of the DragonWhether doughty warriors, idealistic young soldiers, or
hard-bitten mercenaries, fighters are found everywhere
in the Forgotten Realms. Even the most peaceful lands
have militia for protection against their enemies, and
many great rulers in the Realms' past were fighters of
some sort. There are always opportunities for those
who know how to handle themselves in a fight.
Able-bodied folk in many parts of the Sword Coast
and the North learn at least the rudiments of combat
as part of a local militia, serving in times of need, while
a few go on to become professional soldiers, guards,
or the like. Officers tend to come from the nobility, al-
though there are opportunities for capable leaders to
demonstrate their skills and rise through the ranks.
Fighters who don't make a career of soldiering find
other ways to demonstrate their prowess. Mercenaries
find employment with those who need skilled warriors
but who lack the time or means to train them. Such
employers include adventuring companies, which are
almost always in need of a reliable fighter.CHAPTER 4 I CLASSES