THE GREAT OUTLANDS

Before the last planar catalysm, the Outlands were an outer plane within the Great Wheel where landscapes shifted in response to the beliefs of those who dwelled there. Since the cosmic shift, planewalkers have come to call the sphere which contains the Inner Planes as the "new" Great Outlands. The single massive planet divided into three sections, each its own plane but all atuned to reflect the others in a balance of birth (the Feywild), life (the Mortal World) and death (the Shadowfell).

Although more stable than its predecessor, the Great Outlands are hardly uniform. Different realms fall under different stars and sun, and vary in protection by different guardians -- from the natural great spirits of the Mortal World, the archfey of the Feywild, to the Raven Queen of the Shadowfell. In addition, there are blighted lands forsaken by the immortals where primordials or aberrant horrors now hold sway.

Below these lands lies the Underdark, great prison of the immortal Torog and home to creatures who hate the surface worlds or fear the wrath of other cosmic powers. In the deep Underdark, the turbulent nature of the Elemental Chaos often bleeds through and creates terrible hazards for those dwelling in the depths.

THE MORTAL WORLDS

POINTS OF LIGHT (Civilized Realms & Borderlands)

Six centuries of Nerathi culture made a medieval feudal society -- customs, trade, language and religion -- common across many isolated settled lands. However, 100 years have passed since the empire's collapse, and many regions have fallen back into wilderness where savage nomads, bandits and monsters roam.

City of Argent
An abandoned mountaintop fortress that once hosted paragon champions to battle threats to the Mortal World. (ROTG pp. 9-13)

Fallcrest
A town surrounded by the bandit- and monster-filled northern region of the Nentir Vale. (DMG1 pp. 206-208)

Farren
A gate-town (of sorts) in the Mountains of Chaos that has a connection to "elsewhere" (perhaps the Far Realm). (DMG2 pp. 209)

Flotsam
A small fishing village along the Frozen Sea, a crossing region to reach the Elemental Chaos. (ROTG pp. 90-91)

Gleaming
A gate-town east of Nentir Vale with a secret portal to the Astral Sea. (DMG2 pp. 209)

Gloomport
A gate-town on the Glistening Sea that offers a stable "portal" to the Shadowfell by sailing west, crossing over to the port of Gloomwrought. (DMG2 pp. 209)

Moonstair
A gate-town around a portal to the Feywild which opens only when the moon is full. (DMG2 pp. 209)

Tradegate
A gate-town located amid the Rumbling Hills; run by the Planar Trade Consortium, it serves as the mortal world's most stable portal site to Sigil. (DMG2 pp. 208)

Three Corners
A land west of Nentir Vale where a shaky alliance of dwarves, humans and goblins share territory. (ROTG pp. 88-89)

WILDERNESS REGIONS

See Primal Power 1, pp. 130-132

The Blazestone
Volcanic mountains; humans, genasi, goliaths, fire giants.

The Bleakmire
Mist-shrouded wetlands; humans, elves, half-orcs, halflings, lizardfolk.

The Bloodtangle
Tropical jungle to the far south; humans, elves, goblinkind, yuan-ti.

The Broken Lands
Arid canyons; dwarves, orcs.

The Frostfell
Arctic wastelands to the far north; dwarves, humans, frost giants.

The Howling Plains
Grasslands full of wild horses; goblins.

The Maelstrom
Islands around a massive oceanic whirlpool; halflings, genasi.

The Sea Of Dust
Dry, desert wasteland; dragonborn, tieflings, humans, genasi.

The Thunderpeaks
Remote mountains under perpetual storms; goliaths, dwarves, dragonborn, various giants.

The Wrathwood
Untamed forest wilderness; elves, eladrin, gnomes.

OTHER DANGEROUS PLACES

Flamefall Tower
A fire giant stronghold south of the Nentir Vale. (ROTG pp. 124-127)

The Howling Forest
A region full of natural and fey monsters. (MOTP pp. 47)

The White Kingdom
An obscure valley kingdom now overrun by a legion of ghouls.

The Temple of Doresain
A worship site built inside the skull of the primordial Syvexrae, the Queen of Stone, whose body is mostly petrified. Those parts of her body which remained flesh slowly regenerate after being eaten by the local ghoul horde. A creature called Oreiax serves as a high priest of sorts to Doresain and Orcus. (OG pp. 112-119)

THE UNDERDARK (THE SHALLOWS)

The Underdark closest to the surface world is populated by many creatures who travel above and below: Dwarves, goblins, orcs and dragons. The unstable elemental nature of the true Underdark does not begin until descending into the further depths known as The Deeps.

Forgehome
A thriving dwarven mine city atop Storvirk's Lode, a nexus of ore veins. (UD pp. 34-37)

Maelbrathyr (aka The Taken Place)
A former Bael Turathi city pulled into the Underdark by Torog many centuries ago. Three ageless rulers still dwell here -- Aleeria Salitzar, Hannualt Thrayban and Ordu Dekaan -- all driven mad by ending pain. (UD pp. 38-41)

The Dark Lake Ziggurat
An ancient temple with portals that shift to random places. Built by creatures from the Far Realm but currently held by kuo-toas. (UD pp. 42-43)

Hraak Azul
A living fungi fortress that crawls through the Underdark. Several troglodyte tribes and various monster dwell within it. (UD pp. 44-45)

The Howling Warrens
Cavern lairs for rival bandit groups plus a few feral cannibal humanoids. Constant echoes here can cause madness. (UD pp. 46)

Glutton's Teeth
A great cavern marked by five towering stalagmites. Used as a lair by Torog. (UD pp. 47)

The Hunting Grounds
Lush caverns used as a watering hole lure by several young dragons. (UD pp. 48)

Grell Colonies
Groups of tentacled monsters who share common philosphies about treatment of their prey. (UD pp. 49)
• The Byoll: Share belief in "opportunity for use," allowing food slaves to delay death by performing dangerous missions for the colony.
• The Glatt: Share belief in "quanimity of harm," balancing hurt equally among all its prey.
• The Jrall: Share belief in "feasting in knowledge," an obligation to educate prey before they are consumed.
• The Kragg: Share belief in "consume the willing," using psychic powers to make prey eventually want to be eaten.

Ironplate
An abandoned dwarven mine site made too hot for work due to nearby volcanic activity. (UD pp. 37)

Lossweight
A dwarven ghost town whose former miners fell under some disease or curse. (UD pp. 37)

Sheerdrop
A former dwarven mine taken over by gnomes and filled with dangerous Feywild plants. (UD pp. 37)

ANCIENT EMPIRES

Nerath
An empire that spanned several lands under one royal lineage, common language and order of knighthood for about six centuries. It fell to demons and gnoll armies about 100 years ago, breaking up into lesser rival kingdoms and giving way back to ever-growing regions of monster-filled wilderness.

Vardar
A kingdom of feuding troll lords, long since fallen.

Mira
A theocracy of Bane and Erathis priests who founded colonies around the world and into the Feywild, the Shadowfell and the Elemental Chaos. (MOTP pp. 76-77)

Bael Turath
A magocracy ruling 1,000+ years ago. Its nobles entered into pacts with devils to win their war against the Arkosian dragonborn. Breeding with their fiend patrons gave rise to the race of tieflings. Both the tiefling and dragonborn empires ended in mutual destruction.

Arkhosia
A warrior-caste empire of dragonborn that reigned half the world 1,000+ years ago. Clashed and fell during its war against Bael Turath.

Anauli Empire, the Realm of the Twin Queens, and the Empire of Cendriane
Eladrin empires from 5,000+ years ago, before the rise of other races' empires. One or all such empires may have been destroyed at the start of the Elvenkind War (eladrin and elves versus drow).

OTHER MORTAL WORLDS

Abeir-Toril: Lands where the Forgotten Realms setting takes place following the world-shifting Spellplague cataclysm.

Athas: Wastelands when the Dark Sun setting takes place where magic known as Defiling has corrupted the world under it's decaying sun.

Eberron: Lands where the Eberron setting takes place; includes the continents of Khorvaire, Sarlona and Xen'drik following a centuries-long magical world war.

Caer Sidi: Lands populated mostly by elves, battleground against Lolth's forces for generations. Even the "light" elves are a bit grim -- they take other races as slaves, are ruthless in war -- but they have kept themselves free from the drow for most of their history.

Maldev: Lands populated mostly by dwarves; has been invaded by Lolth's forces countless times.

Truegard: Lands populated mostly by dwarves; half the world is held by Lolth's demon armies.

"LOST" WORLDS

Aebrynis: Lands where the Birthright AD&D setting takes place.

Oerth: Lands where the Greyhawk AD&D setting takes place.

Krynn: Lands where the Dragonlance AD&D setting takes place.

Mystara: Hollow planet where most original "red box" D&D settings takes place.

The Astromundi Cluster: Major asteroid field found in the AD&D Spelljammer setting.

THE FEYWILD, DOMAINS OF THE ARCHFEY

FEYWILD LOCATIONS

A bright, youthful echo of the Mortal World, a version of reality driven by passion and fear.

Astrazalian, City of Starlight
An eladrin city that shifts between the Mortal World in spring/summer and a formorian-plagued borderland in autumn/winter. Ruled by the warlord Lady Shandria, a niece of the archfey Queen Tiandra. (MOTP pp. 41)

Mithrendain, the Autumn City
An eladrin city built over a warded passage into the Feydark. (MOTP pp. 45)

The Spiral Tower
An elite academy that trains arcane wizards to serve in Corellon's armies.

Bedlam
A gate-town around a stable portal to Pandemonium, directly to the Madhouse, citadel of the Bleak Cabal planar faction. (DMG2 pp. 209)

Shinaelestra, the Fading City
A partially-ruined eladrin city that worldfalls into the Howling Forest every midnight before returning to the Feywild at dawn. Lord Calendon Thray governs the rangers who live here. (MOTP pp. 46-47)

Senaliesse
Ancient silver trees deep in a primeval forest atop which Queen Tiandra, the Summer Queen, holds court. (MOTP pp. 46)

Cendraine
Ruins of an eladrin imperial capital destroyed in war against the drow; the crystal city not reclaimed by forests is haunted by specters. (MOTP pp. 42)

The Murkendraw
A vast enchanted swamp. Home to the hag Baba Yaga. (MOTP pp. 45)

Brokenstone Vale
A kingdom of werebeasts allied with the fomorian king Bronnor of Harrowhame against the archfey Maiden of the Moon. (MOTP pp. 42)

The Maze of Fathaghn
Briar maze where dryads and treants guard the sacred Mother Tree. (MOTP pp. 45)

The Isle of Dread
A tropical volcanic island that frequently worldfalls between the Feywild and the Mortal World. Home to shipwrecked survivors and arcane-warped beasts. (MOTP pp. 43-44)

Nachtur, the Goblin Kingdom
A federation of goblinkind tribes united under the Great Gark, a hobgoblin wizard. (MOTP pp. 46)

The Tower of Zoramadria
A hidden academy for necromancers led by the archlich Parthal. (OG pp. 104-111)

THE FEYDARK

Mag Tureah
Mightiest of the fomorian kingdoms, full of shifting portals to the Mortal World. Ruled by First Lord Thrumbolg, a ruthless fomorian tyrant. (MOTP pp.)

Inbharahb
Wealthiest of the fomorian kingdoms, full of eyes unblinking towers. Ruled by the sovereign Donill. (UD pp. 102-104)

Harrowhame
City of the fickle formorian King Bronnor. Allied with the werebeasts of Brokenstone Vale. (MOTP pp. 43)

Vor Thomil
Fomorian domain of "sin and filth" ruled by Queen Connomae. (MOTP pp. 47)

Drochdan, Kingdom of Gnomes
The comfortable inner Haven is surrounded by The Traps, lethally trapped tunnels too small to allow passage to large creatures. The gnomes here suffer from a curse called the haze, turning them in to berzerkers. Ruled by King Finutar. (UD pp. 104-105)

Burrow Under The Mountain (aka The Crystal Caverns)
An insular gnome miner community hidden by powerful illusion. (UD pp. 105-106)

Deadtrees
Tunnels which once held the massive roots to the four Forest Monarchs of the Feywild, giant trees which have long since been destroyed or consumed. (UD pp. 106-108)
• The Golden Tree of Dawn: This former symbol of hope now radiates regret, gloom and despair. It attracts oni, night hags, mind flayers and others who trade in broken dreams and dark secrets.
• The Ivory Tree of Winter: This former symbol of seasonal rest and renewal is now radiates anger and cruelty. It attracts fey of the Winter Court, drow and fomorians.
• The Silver Yew: This former symbol of purity, fidelity and love now radiates distrust, paranoia and betrayal. It attracts drow and lycanthropes.
• The Blood Oak: This former symbol of life, vigor and courage now draws life from the living and seaps blood. It attracts vampires, ghouls and other undead, as well as spriggans, shadar-kai, reckless centaurs and firbolgs. Stirges and fey bats also are common.

The Living Grotto (aka The Great Cathedral of Psilofyr)
Vast fungi caverns scared to the myconids. Ruled by the fungal monarch Amasutelob. (UD pp. 108-109)

THE SHADOWFELL, DOMAINS OF THE RAVEN QUEEN

SHADOWFELL LOCATIONS

A dark, decaying echo of the Mortal World, a version of reality driven by gloom and sadness.

Gloomwrought, City of Midnight
Major hub for travelers and merchants, mostly shadowborn humans, halflings, tieflings, dwarves, shadar-kai and dark ones. Ruled by Prince Rolan. (MOTP pp. 57-59)
• Church of the Raven Queen: A major temple in Gloomwrought.
• The Tenebrous Cabal: An arcane school of shadow magic.
• The Veiled League: Vice syndicate run by shadownborn elves and shadar-kai.

Slumber
A gate-town around a stable portal to the Plane of Dreams. (DMG2 pp. 208)

Plague-Mort
A gate-town around a stable portal to the Abyss. (DMG2 pp. 209)

The House of Black Lanterns
A crossroads inn for travelers. Currently run by a tiefling named Yarol. (MOTP pp. 60)

Letherna, Realm of the Raven Queen
Far-northern domain of the Goddess of Death. (MOTP pp. 60)

Moil, the City That Waits
Undead-infested ruins of a human city cast out of the Mortal World by the demon prince Orcus. (MOTP pp. 60-61)

Nightwyrm Fortress
Lair of the shadow dragon Urishtar. (MOTP pp. 61)

The Plain of Sighing Stones
A vast desert; home to the Zamar-Sha, a nomadic tribe of shadowborn humans. (MOTP pp. 61)

The Auburn Desolation
A forsaken waste of sand and heat. Haunted by gloom-wrapped serpends and undead. (OG pp. 88-95)

THE SHADOWDARK

Glimmer, City of Secrets
A "safe" haven populated by incunabula (servants of Vecna) and undead. (UD pp. 124-127)
• The Grotto (Entry District): Incunabula gondoliers ferry travelers to docks that double as exotic bazaars.
• The Howling (Library District): Stores of lost knowledge overseen by Lady of Secrets.
• The Court (Nobles District): Glimmer's elite and two large temples to Vecna.

Lathan, River of Souls
A flow of dead spirits cut off from finding Letherna. A night hag named Bragarra controls the corpse of a purple worm used as a bridge across the necrotic river. (UD pp. 130-131)

Esarham, Graveyard of Demons
Ghosts of promodemons formed from mortal stock and slain shortly after the Abyss formed. Dominated by an undead demon named Ugalga. (UD pp. 128-129)

The Soul Abattoir
One of Torog's torture dens, shaped into a skeletal cathedral. (UD pp. 129)

THE DEEP UNDERDARK

THE UNDERDARK (THE DEEPS)

Unlike the mostly natural caves and caverns of the Shallows, the true depths of the Underdark break down into a reality closer to the Elemental Chaos from which they were formed but never finished. The Deeps also serve as a sort of planar bridge between planets, as the threats found here can surface on more than one Mortal World.

Vault of the Drow
Largest stronghold of the drow, a 6-mile-long cavern of stalagmite columns and fungi forests. (UD pp. 66-73)
• Erelhei-Cinlu: Capital metropolis of the Vault, ruled by eight rival drow noble houses.
• The Ghettos: Districts of Scholars, Artisans, Performers, Chattel, Savages, Outcasts, The Dead and Foreigners.
• Noble Estates: Strongholds of houses Xaniqos, Aleval, Despana, Godeep, Shi'quos, Vae, Eilservs and Zhiq'nah.
• The Fane of Lolth: Major temple to the Spider Goddess.

The Rock's Roil
Reality-warped caverns full of fluid stone and alien plantlife. (UD pp. 74-78)
• The Dripping Jungle: Beautiful but dangerous bioluminescent jungle.
• The Stone Gyre: Rock wall here lose their solidity, becoming liquid.
• The Toothy Plains: Broad caverns dotted with shifting/drifting crystal monoliths.
• Xarcorr: Largest lair of the aboleths, a Giger-esque series of slimey canyons out of phase with the world.

The Dreaming Vaults
Chamber where captives are subjected to shared dreams.
• The Warp Web: Rivers of water converge and flow into all directions regardless of gravity.
• The Preserve: Area where aboleths attempt to recreate or breach the Far Realm.
• The Chrysalis: Huge floating rune-covered black column used as a sort of power focus.
• Zahulaxon: Central meeting place of the resident aboleths.

The Spire Sea
An underground ocean plagued by ghost ships and pirates who attack from above mounted on giant spiders or huge bats. (UD pp. 79-81)

Gar Morra, City in the Deep
Ruined stalagtite city of dwarves and duergar cursed by an ancient bargain made with a devil to fight off aboleths.

Nihilath, the Fallen Empire
Ruins of the largest illithid (mind flayer) empire. (UD pp. 82-84)

The Restless Heaps
Pockets of Elemental Chaos around where chunks of a slain primordial are buried. Used as torture sites for Torog and his followers. (UD pp. 84)

Gargash, the Living Torture Den
Corpse of a slain primordial, used by Torog as a horrible lair/playpen. (UD pp. 73)

The Buzzing Vaults
Honeycomb-like caverns, massive swordwing lair. (UD pp. 84-85)

Mherkrul
Cavernous godless realm where outcast angels and devils hide from divine sight. Led by Annaxus the pit fiend and Faith in the Sword the angel. (UD pp. 85)

The Hatchlands
Beholder breeding grounds and place to commune with the Great Mother. (UD pp. 86-87)

The City of Anathema (aka Erenira)
Original capital city of the drow; destroyed by Torog long ago (forcing the survivors to later found Erelhei-Cinlu). (UD pp. 87)