Alamber Sea and Ash Lake. The dragonborn that have
withdrawn to those areas have lost none of their military
tradition, and their ability to hold this smaller amount of
territory makes it unlikely that Unther will push farther
any time soon-particularly since the Untherite navy
has been unable to overcome the great beast that guards
the harbor of Djerad Kethendi and the nearby waters of
the Alamber.
Some of Tymanther's dragonborn have spread across
FaerGn and gained reputations as competent, highly
sought-after mercenaries.
Unther. Trapped in another world, the people of
Unther had succumbed to domination by others. Then
among them arose one who called himself Gilgeam, and
he reminded them of their former greatness. Under the
leadership of this reincarnated god, the people of Unther
rose up as an army to face their masters. On the eve of
a great battle, the people of Unther were miraculously
returned to their home, and Gilgeam wasted no time in
leading them against the dragonborn occupying their
ancestral lands. The Unthcritcs have relakeu rnucl1 uf
the land they formerly held, while seeking to wipe out
the "godless lizards" they blame for their time of oppres-
sion in Abeir.
Gilgeam wants nothing short of a complete return to
Unther's former glory. This achievement will require ut-
terly destroying Tymanther, of course, and eventual war
with Mulhorand to reclaim lands lost centuries ago, but
as every Untherite knows, the great God-King is patient,
for he is eternal.
Westgate. The dismal city of Westgate isn't a romantic
place, but someone seeking employment for shady work,
or looking to hire someone for the same, will find few
places better suited in all of FaerGn.
Westgate is considered by some FaerGnians as a har-
binger of the eventual fate of places like Arnn and Sem-
bia, where coin rules over all other considerations. As in
many such places, one's moral outlook is less important
in Westgate than one's attitude toward bribery. The
city's proximity to Cormyr makes it a breeding ground
for that nation's enemies, including the Fire Knives, a
guild of thieves and assassins that the naive pretend
doesn't exist.
KARA-TUR
Far to the east, past the wastes of the Hordelands, lie
the empires of Shou Lung, Kozakura, Wa, and the other
lands of the vast continent of Kara-Tur. To most people
of FaerGn, Kara-Tur is like another world, and the tales
told by travelers from its nations seem to confirm it.
The gods that humans worship in FaerGn are unknown
there, as are common peoples such as gnomes and ores.
Other dragons, neither chromatic nor metallic, dwell in
its lands and fly its skies. And its mages practice forms
of magic mysterious even to archwizards of FaerGn.
Stories of Kara-Tur tell of gold and jade in great
abundance, rich spices, silks, and other goods rare
or unknown in western lands-alongside tales of
shapechanging spirit-people, horned giants, and night-
mare monsters absent in FaerGn.
CHAPTER I I WELCOME TO THE REALMSZAKHARA
Far to the south of FaerGn, beyond Calimshan and even
the jungles of Ch ult, are the Lands of Fate. Surrounded
by waters thick with pirates and corsairs, Zakhara is
a place less hospitable than most, but still braved by
travelers who hope to profit from its exotic goods and
strange magics. Like Kara-Tur, Zakhara seems a world
away to FaerGnians. It is thought of as a vast desert,
sprinkled with glittering cities like scattered gems. Ro-
mantic tales abound of scimitar-wielding rogues riding
flying carpets and of genies bound in service to humans.
Their mages, called sha'ir, practice their magic with the
aid of genies and, it is said, might carry the lineage of
these elemental beings in their blood.BEYOND THE TRACKLESS SEA
Farther to the west, past even Evermeet, are untold, un-
known lands beyond the Trackless Sea. Many explorers
have visited such lands, and some have even returned,
bearing rales that change from generation to generation
about exotic locales, from island chains that are the
sites of countless shipwrecks, to fearsome feather-clad
warriors, and vast continents that suddenly appeared
where nothing-or something very much different-had
rested only seasons prior.TIME IN THE REALMS
Although a number of means exist for marking the days
and the passage of time during a year, nearly all folk in
FaerGn have adopted the Calendar of Harptos. Even the
cultures and races that don't favor this method of mark-
ing time are aware of it, with the result that it is recog-
nized across nearly all races, languages, and cultures.
A year on Tori! consists of 365 days. In the Calen-
dar of Harptos, the year is divided into twelve months
of thirty days, loosely following the synodic cycle of
SelGne, the moon. A month is made up of three ten-
days, also known as rides. Five annual holidays, falling
between the months, complete the 36 5-day calendar.
Once every four years, the Calendar of Harptos includes
Shieldmeet as a "leap day" following Midsummer.
Individual days of a tenday have no special names. In-
stead, they are denoted by counting from the beginning
of the period ("first day," "second day," and so on). Days
of the month are designated by a number and the month
name. For example, sages would record an event as oc-
curring on " 1 Mirtul" or "2 7 Uktar." People might also
refer to a given day by its relationship to the current date
("two tendays from today") or the nearest holiday ("three
days past Greengrass").SPECIAL CALENDAR DAYS
Every nation, faith, and culture across FaerGn has its
own special festivals and holidays, the observances of
which are governed by the cycles of the sun, the moon,
the stars, or some other event. In addition, the Calendar
of Harptos specifies five annual festivals keyed to the
changing of the seasons and one quadrennial festival
that are observed in almost every land, with particular