Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms

Artifacts of terrible power lie entombed in the
wreckage of ancient empires. Unspeakable monstrosities
born of twisted sorcery roam the
land, thirsting for blood. Cruel spirits rage against the
living, harrying mortals with their spectral claws. And a sinister
land of black watchtowers and fell sorcery looms over its
neighbors like a great dark dragon restless in its sleep. To these
lands, adventurers from all over Faerûn come in search of
fame, fortune, and power.
A campaign set in the Unapproachable East offers a wealth
of possibilities for adventure. The lands of Aglarond, the Great
Dale, and Thesk are mysterious and intriguing destinations for
characters from western Faerûn. Rashemen and Thay are not
as welcoming to foreign freebooters, but earning the trust and
respect of the Witches (in the case of the former) or sneaking
in to spy out the hidden secrets of the Red Wizards (the
latter) make for daring and perilous adventures.
The following chapters detail the five different lands of the
East, including information on major sites and settlements.
Some cities have detailed statistics.
Organizations
of the East
Many of the secret societies and orders familiar to characters
from western Faerûn have little or no influence in the lands
of the Unapproachable East. For example, the Zhentarim,
82
whose shadow lies over lands from Scornubel to Mulmaster,
are simply not a force in the East. Similarly, the Night Masks
of Westgate, the Lords’ Alliance, and even the far-ranging
Harpers have little to do with lands such as Rashemen or
Thay. From time to time, these western organizations dispatch
spies or emissaries to the East, but the real power beyond the
Easting Reach lies in the hands of those organizations that are
native to the area.
The Blightlords
Deep in the heart of the Rawlinswood lies a festering wound,
the wreckage of Dun-Tharos, the ancient Nar capital. (See
Chapter 12: Thesk for more information.) Here a malevolent
creature known only as the Rotting Man has raised his own
dark citadel, marshalling forces of corruption and evil against
the surrounding lands. The Rotting Man’s handpicked lieutenants
and emissaries are the blightlords, evil clerics and
druids who hold the power to warp forest creatures to their
sick purposes and scourge the East with Talona-sent plagues.
The blightlords and their feral minions menace Damara,
Impiltur, and the Great Dale. Centaurs, treants, and many
noble animals of the Rawlinswood have fallen prey to their
magical plague, becoming horrors of unthinking bloodlust and
hate. Worse yet, the blightlords have ensnared many volodni
warriors for their nihilistic cause. Legions of blightspawned
pine folk now hold the heart of the Rawlinswood and march
at the Rotting Man’s command. His army is not yet strong
enough to take on a strong realm such as Damara or Impiltur,
but bands of blightspawned marauders have brought blood
and madness to the sleepy clanholds and farmsteads of the
Great Dale.
The blightlords are captains and champions of the Rotting
Man’s forces, lending their leadership and magical might to
bands of blightspawned marauders. (See the Talontar blightlord
prestige class in Chapter 2: Prestige Classes.)
dTypical Blightlord: Human cleric 7/Talontar blightlord 3;
CR 10; Medium-size humanoid (human); HD 10d8+20; hp 69;