the Realms

Biodata

Cosmology and Deities

• Ao is the Overgod, a power above the Realms’ deities. He fashioned its heavens and created a crystal sphere to keep out the outer reaches 5.
• Deities govern concepts through divine portfolios, but a portfolio does not dictate how its holder must act. Amaunator and Lathander, for example, understood the sun differently 50.
• Divine realms exist beyond the mortal world. The Moon Gate contains the Sacred White Courtyard, a domain of the gods 50.
• Worship is commonly polytheistic and practical: people may invoke different deities as circumstances demand. Belief in the gods also matters after death, when the faithless risk the Wall of the Faithless 1.

Magic and Power

Raw magic permeates matter throughout the Realms, but it is dangerous for mortals to use directly. Most spellcasters rely on the Weave, a structure sourced from Mystra that connects their consciousness to that power 25.

• Creatures are measured by six basic attributes: strength, constitution, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma. Mortal attributes have limits; exceeding them requires outside power, such as divine intervention 7.
• Adventurers are broadly divided into four tiers. Apprentices handle minor local troubles; elites can address crises affecting towns, cities, or small countries 15.
• The Realms also recognize master- and legendary-level figures. A master-level powerhouse can rule a region, while legendary spellcasters may greatly extend their lives 16 39.

History

The Time of Troubles forced deities into the mortal world as avatars. Helm guarded the Celestial Stairway on Ao’s orders, preventing other deities from returning to their realms; the upheaval also saw the fall of the Dead Three and major changes in divine power 10 17. It took place two years before Aaron Salian’s journey 5.

Older civilizations remain visible through their ruins and histories. Netheril left floating cities and a lasting mark on the northern Realms, though its former territory is now a barren desert scarred by magic 24.

Life and Travel

• Wilderness: Monsters, cults, ruins, and hidden treasure make travel dangerous and adventuring common. Villages organize militias and patrols for protection 8 9 15.
• Roadside inns: Many are fortified. Large inns serve as places for lodging, trade, supplies, news, recruitment, and meetings between travelers 10 11.
• Literacy: More than eighty percent of humans in the Realms cannot read. Even Waterdeep and Silverymoon, among the most literate places named, barely exceed forty-percent literacy 11.
• Cormyr: One kingdom within the Realms, it has a powerful army and War Wizards. Its patrols and roadside inns make travel comparatively safer than in many other regions, though its forests and mountains still hold dangers 9 15.