Halruaa
Halruaa was a land of magic, renowned for its electrum mines and its Haerlu wine. The fabled, quiet, and wealthy magocracy was justly depicted as full of wonder. Created by archwizards foreseeing the fall of Netheril, Halruaa combined peace and harmony with the magic powers of their ancestors, but without the taint of their ambitions. Nearly all arcane-casting Halruaans were wizards, with one-third of the total populace having some sort of magical powers. Easily regarded as perhaps the most powerful center of arcane development in the known lands of Faerûn. Halruans speak Halruan, a version of Netherese, brought with them from the far north. It is a complicated language, not easily learned by a foreigner. Nearly all mages, traders, and anyone who must deal with folk from the outside speak the common language of the Realms. The high degree of courtesy has created several customs that are staunchly observed in daily life. Before one enters another's dwelling, one should identify oneself and pledge no magic or malice to those inside. It is considered an insult to use magic inside a dwelling without permission from the host. Depending on one's host's identity, it can also be quite dangerous.
Halruan children are schooled until the age of 13. Halruan children are expected to learn reading and writing, history, and a productive trade. When a child reaches the age of five, they were tested for potential in the "Art" and are given the opportunity to test into one of the dozens of wizard academies. The social order is pronounced, although it does not make a huge difference in a Halruan's daily life. At the bottom of the social ladder are those who can use little if any magic, such as a common miner or farmer. Next are those who defend Halruaa, the soldiers, and the sailors of the military. The highest level is a complicated interweave between nobles and spellcasters with the power being divided at the highest level between the Council of the Elders and the Royal Family. The nation at its foundation was ruled by the Council of Elders and the highest among them was known as the Netyarch which roughly translates as “Wizard-King,” although the role is perhaps more analogous to that of a chairperson rather than an absolute ruler.
The Council of Elders was the sole power of Halruaa for centuries but their fierce dedication to magic arts often led to issues of maintaining social order or the constant need to fight off magical corruption. This led to the council placing restrictions on themselves and various checks and balances, promoting multiple factions and orders to ranks of power and eventually a noble caste that was devoid of magical ability. This division of power was finalized by one of the many reformations in Halruaan history knowns as the Edicts of Lumen. Which allowed granted the power over non-magical affairs such as government and land ownership to noble families of Halruaa and a senate. This complicated government rulership with restrictive power access kept the wizard council of elders from controlling all aspects of their citizens' lives, eased the distrust amongst the social classes, and allowed the Council of Elders to focus purely on the affairs of magic in the nation.
During the time of the Spellplague, Halruaa was practically destroyed perhaps due to the strong magical features of the land, the heavy amount of enchantments on locations and items there, and the high degree of magically trained citizens. The Spellplague corrupted large sections of land, disrupts magical wards released a variety of effects (often dangerous), and would literally carve and disintegrate sections of the terrain, buildings, and people as it ripped through the beautiful nation. Many southern areas were hit especially hard; the capital city was destroyed in a rain of eldritch falling fire bringing a corrupting haze to permanently lie amongst its ruins, and the old great city of Halagard along with all its people was disintegrated in a wave of Spellplague energy leaving nothing behind, the wards that kept the Swamp of Akhlaur in check were destroyed allowing the cursed swamp to once again expand as far as the open sea, many southern port cities were struck by tidal waves and secondary "natural" disasters as the effects of the Spellplague displaced the lands worldwide.
While it still remains, Halruaa now has become a nation broken by disaster, but the many valuables in legends have not been forgotten bringing many adventurers and looters to its domain. While the surviving nobles and elders try to hold the remnants of the nation together they are overwhelmed by the horrors brought forth by the Spellplague, civil wars, and their own agendas.
Demographics
Halruaa is predominantly a human nation with a minority of dwarves and halflings.
Government
Magocratic oligarchy (Council of Elders) / Republic Monarchy (Royal Family - Lord Nobles)
Industry & Trade
Imports: Exotic magical items, jewelry, precious metals, musical instruments
Exports: Electrum, gold, Haerlu wine (spicy wine)
Currency: 1 pp = Starfall = 10 electrum Skie = 1000 copper Bits
Other Currency:
Dubloons (any foreign gold currency) = 1gp
Shillings (any foreign silver currency) = 1sp
Shaar Rings (small ivory rings, used by the plainsmen in the plains north of Halruaa) = 3gp
Exports: Electrum, gold, Haerlu wine (spicy wine)
Currency: 1 pp = Starfall = 10 electrum Skie = 1000 copper Bits
Other Currency:
Dubloons (any foreign gold currency) = 1gp
Shillings (any foreign silver currency) = 1sp
Shaar Rings (small ivory rings, used by the plainsmen in the plains north of Halruaa) = 3gp
Guilds and Factions
- Council of Elders: Magic is the most venerated form of power in Halruaa, and those who can wield it most effectively tend to wield political power as well. Fortunately for the rest of the world, the wizards of Halruaa seldom see eye to eye on any topic. Thus, Halruaa’s power structure consists of numerous factions of wizards, all working at cross-purposes in their quest for more magic. The Council of Elders are the founders of the nation of Halruaa but have needed to set safeguards and give up their power to various other factions to hold their nation together. The Council of Elders still wields great power and is considered the noblest pursuit path in the lands holding the hearts and minds of the common people in Halruaa. More on Council of Elders
- The Conclave: Within the Council of Elders in Halruaa is a smaller, hidden organization known only as the Conclave. The Conclave is not an officially sanctioned political body, but rather a private and elite society of the most powerful—and power-hungry—of Halruaa’s arcane spellcasters. Its members have taken it upon themselves to police the research, use, and abuse of magic in Halruaa. When a wizard’s experiments or practices get out of control, the Conclave often steps in to correct the situation. Usually, a simple note is delivered, a warning against further misuse of the Art. If that doesn’t work, the Conclave finds other more permanent means of preventing the offending wizard from continuing to step over the line. However, some fear they may have more sinister motives. More on The Conclave
- The Order of Blue Fire: The Order of Blue Fire is widely held to be a benevolent group of spellscarred who wish to help others while learning more about the Spellplague’s effects. The Order of Blue Fire has branches in many settlements throughout Faerûn. Order houses contain lore collections and teachers to educate the populace about plaguelands and the Spellplague along with experts equipped to handle out-of-control spellscarred and plaguechanged creatures. They have taken a special interest in the destroyed Temple of Mystra in northern Halruaa and are aggressive to any who approach what they call the Temple of Blue Fire on Mount Talath. More on (LINK TO BE CREATED)
- Five Companies: A notorious collection of skyship crews made up of sailors, pirates, and wizards. Five Companies operates from their earth mote stronghold Yaulazna and is ruled by the Pact Council embracing a pirate freebooter lifestyle. They see themselves as a collection of individuals and clans of families bound by their Company Oath, doing what they must to protect their freedom and their way of life with little regard for the laws of nations. Many have learned it is wise to enter agreements with Five Companies to be spared from their pirate ways. More on Five Companies
Points of interest
Halarahh
Halarahh was a cosmopolitan capital of possibly the most magical nation in all of Faerûn. While this was the seat of power for the noble government and was last ruled by the imperious House von Kessel. The city was a wonderland of magical goods and famous for its many grandiose architectural wonders. These magical structures defied the eyes of those lucky enough to travel here. The city prior to its collapse was very protective of its magical secrets and riches and did not allow those to visit, but its riches were known far and wide.When the Year of Blue Fire came and the Spellplague tore through Faerûn, Halruaa was hit extremely hard with Halarahh being destroyed in a rain of eldritch meteors. The destruction of the Spellplague left the royal line and the succession in doubt which plunged the entire nation that remained into a bloody civil war. During this time Halarahh was ravaged by eldritch horrors with only the bravest survivors just trying to survive there. While the city settles into accepted chaos and the political order of the wider world lies in shambles, torn apart by religious schism and military conflict, only a faint hope remains that the city can be rebuilt and the nation restored.
Akhlaur Swamp
Also called the Swamp of Ghalagar, was a wetland located west of Lake Halruaa and Halagard. The swamp gains its name from the famed conjurer Akhlaur who almost 300 years ago only interest was to increasing his power through magical research. Finally, he delved too deep and summoned powers too great for him to control which he was seized and dragged back to their home plane. A gateway was left open to the elemental plane of water when Akhlaur was lost and since then, the Swamp of Akhlaur has kept growing every year. Akhlaur was rumored to have magical items that other mages have only dreamt of and many have entered his swamp in hopes to recover but none succeeded. The gateway to the elemental plane of water was brought under control by the Magehounds in 1373 DR only to begin slowly expanding again with the Spellplague in 1385 DR.
The Halruaan Walls
Three ranges known as the Walls protect Halruaa’s basin from outside threats—or at least, they did. During the Spellplague, the Walls, towered 20,000 feet or more in places, making it hard for Halruaans to escape the death throes of their nation. Of the five passes that once led between the peaks, only three remain open to travel without significant terrain obstacles. The North Wall Gap connects Halruaa to the Bandit Wastes and the newly formed Elfharrow, the Nath Pass cuts through the East Wall into Dambrath, and Azhul Pass descends from southeastern Halruaa to Rethild, the Great Swamp. Formerly tamed by Halruaa’s wizards, the Walls are now gorged with monsters. Normal and spellscarred giants, ogres, wyverns, and worse rule the crags. Although Elfharrow patrols the North Wall Gap, the elves’ presence is minimal. Less numerous, but more dangerous, are the few aboleth agents that comb the North Wall for some unknown purpose.
The Nath
The Nath, an upland basin of gentle hills in the northeast corner of Halruaa, is known for its herds of wild rothé and auroch, both of which are raised for food. Considerably higher in altitude than most of the rest of the country, this area boasts a slightly more temperate climate nurturing the meadow grasses upon which the herds graze. The Nath is a rugged, wild country compared to the rest of Halruaa, and those who live here must be prepared for threats from many directions, though by far the greatest threat comes from the east. Crinti riders occasionally sneak through the Nath Pass to harass the herders or raid the temples in the hills. Sizable Crinti forces have invaded this area on more than one occasion, but the powerful magic of the Halruaan wizards has always forced them back before they could get much beyond the mouth of the valley. Even so, the folk who by proximity serves as a first line of defense remain ever-watchful for the gray-skinned riders.
The Kilmaruu Swamp
Just east of the town of Zalazuu lies a fetid, dangerous swamp and a threat to those who live nearby. Somewhere in the middle lies a ruined city that few have managed to reach, but those who did come back revealed that the city was built by elves before the swamp existed. For reasons unknown, a trio of powerful Halruaan wizards diverted a river that normally flowed into the Bay of Azuth and flooded the elf community. Their community was destroyed, and the slain elves rose as undead creatures. Their festering negative energy eventually pervaded the entire swamp, saturating it with foul diseases, twisted and corrupted creatures, and still more undead. A decade before the coming of the Spellplague a Magehound Kiva took a group of Jordaini into the swamp and destroyed the green sphere an artifact that had been responsible for their creation of the undead creatures as their numbers began shrinking rapidly. But the Spellplague has seemed to fuel new undeath and their reign of terror began again.
Maps
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Faerûn - Halruaa
Halruaa was bordered by mountain ranges on its north, east and west sides, known as the Walls of Halruaa, that acted as natural fortifications around the kingdom. Halruaa was a land of magic, renowned for its electrum mines and its Haerlu wine. The fabled, quiet, and wealthy magocracy was justly depicted as full of wonder. Created by archwizards foreseeing the fall of Netheril, Halruaa combined peace and harmony with the magic powers of their ancestors, but without the taint of their ambitions. Nearly all arcane-casting Halruaans were wizards, with one-third of the total populace having some magical powers. During the Spellplague, Halruaa was seemingly destroyed. With many of its people were lost to the shifting lands due to the world Abeir appearance back within Toril. Many areas were destroyed with even large cities such as Halagard completely disappearing. The capital of Halarahh destroyed by a series of eldritch meteorites has brought great destruction to the city and nearby lands and unleashed a plagued land right within the city. Many locals refer to spellplagued areas as the Deep Haze which produces many magical anomalies and monstrosities that terrorize the people who have resisted to leave the region -
Akhlaur Swamp
The Encroaching Swamp
Also called the Swamp of Ghalagar, was a wetland located west of Lake Halruaa and Halagard. The swamp gains its name from the famed conjurer Akhlaur who almost 300 years ago only interest was to increasing his power through magical research. Finally, he delved too deep and summoned powers too great for him to control which he was seized and dragged back to their home plane. A gateway was left open to the elemental plane of water when Akhlaur was lost and since then, the Swamp of Akhlaur has kept growing every year. Akhlaur was rumored to have magical items that other mages have only dreamt of and many have entered his swamp in hopes to recover but none succeeded. The gateway to the elemental plane of water was brought under control by the Magehounds in 1373 DR only to begin slowly expanding again with the Spellplague in 1385 DR.
Key Statistics
Type
National Territory
Population
676,160
Inhabitant Demonym
Halruaan
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