Western Heartlands

Overview: The common folk of the eastern states (primarily Cormyr, Sembia, and the Dalelands) think of the Western Heartlands as a wild frontier that will eventually be settled and brought under the power of the great kingdoms. Accounts of the kingdoms that have risen and fallen in these virtually forgotten realms are dismissed as fiction. There are folk there, but they are no more than barbarians struggling to survive beyond the civilized world.

The Western Heartlands is a wild region of bold frontiersmen and unclaimed wilderness. However, it does have great cities and established trade routes. The existence of cities like Elturel and Scornubel show quite clearly that mankind has established a solid footing here. Beyond the walls of these cities, though, monsters and fey magic are encountered with unsettling regularity.

The people of the Western Heartlands are as independent as the geographical locations they hail from. To the people who live in these lands, the rest of the world is soft and tame. Why anyone would choose to live in those dismal lands of oppressive monarchs is impossible to imagine for them. In the Western Heartlands, a man is judged for his merit, not by the banner under which he marches.

Description: Because of the unpredictable nature of life in these regions, characters of the Western Heartlands take great care to avoid being caught off guard. Encountering an unarmed person is almost unheard of. The weapons they carry are often displayed prominently to serve as a warning to potential attackers. Beyond their weaponry, these characters generally dress in a most utilitarian fashion. They shun clothing or ornamentation that might interfere with one’s combat ability and almost always wear armor. Magical items, poisons, flasks of Greek fire, and any number of other special provisions, often secreted in concealed pockets or a satchel, fill out the character’s gear. People from this region may seem paranoid to outsiders, but they’re never caught unaware.

Role-playing: Take the Dragon Coast’s dislike of government beyond the local level and double it. That is close to the attitude of many people of the Western Heartlands are like. This is supported by the fact that there are only independent towns and cities, no countries, west of Anauroch. Western Heartlands characters are stubborn, hard-headed, fiercely self-sufficient, and proudly independent.

Once a Western Heartlander gets an idea or a goal in his head, he will not be deterred. Despite this, the people of the Western Heartlands are very friendly and open, and are perfect tavern partners, boisterous and generous. And so they remain until talk turns to politics or other serious topics.

Jump to:
Baldur’s Gate
Elturel
Evereska
Iriaebor
Scornubel

Baldur’s Gate

Base Requirements

  • Races: Human, Dwarf, Half-Orc, Orc, Tiefling
  • Classes: Any
  • Ability Requirements: Knowledge 12, Willpower 12
  • Alignments: Any
  • Starting Cash: 3d6 x10gp
  • Bonus Languages: Thorasta
  • Recommended Languages: Illuskan, Bothii, Waelan, Cosh, Thorass, Northern

Proficiencies

  • Weapon Slots: By class
  • Non-weapon Slots: By class
  • Available Categories: by class, plus Academic, Performance, and Social
  • Bonus Proficiencies: City Familiarity (Baldur’s Gate), Literacy
  • Required Proficiencies: none
  • Recommended Proficiencies: none
  • Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: Baldur’s Gate is a trading crossroads for the Realms. Located on the Sword Coast, Baldur’s Gate anchors the Chionthar River to the Trackless Sea. It is a city of much stored knowledge and numerous sages, known for tolerance and quiet, unobtrusive lawfulness. The adventurers of this city reflect the open-mindedness of their culture.

Special Abilities:

  • No matter where in the Western Heartlands these characters are from, their mule-headed stubbornness serves them well. All Western Heartland characters gain a +1 bonus to disbelieve illusions (saving throw vs. spell) and a +1 saving throw bonus against fear.
  • When selecting initial non-weapon proficiencies, all skills cost only one slot, no matter what their normal cost. After initial character creation, these proficiencies cost the normal number of slots.

Special Disadvantages:

  • All characters from Baldur’s Gate suffer a -5% penalty to their earned experience points. This reflects the tendency of the character’s inquisitive mind to wander even (or perhaps, especially) at the most serious of times. This isn’t to say that the character is any less alert or attentive than his peers, only that he tends to take more time to digest what he has heard and seen so that every experience might be savored to its fullest.

Elturel

Base Requirements

  • Races: Human, Half-Elf
  • Classes: Any
  • Ability Requirements: none
  • Alignments: Any
  • Starting Cash: 3d6 x10gp
  • Bonus Languages: Thorasta
  • Recommended Languages: Illuskan, Bothii, Thorass, Northern, Cormanthan

Proficiencies

  • Weapon Slots: By class
  • Non-weapon Slots: By class
  • Available Categories: By class
  • Bonus Proficiencies: Appraising, Haggling, Land-based Riding
  • Required Proficiencies: none
  • Recommended Proficiencies: none
  • Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: Generally considered the second most economically powerful city in the Western Heartlands, the people of Elturel are determined to surpass the wealth of their rivals in Scornubel. While many folks believe the merchants of Elturel are the driving force in this pursuit, few recognize the role the city’s adventurers play in the effort.

There are few military forces as well-known and well-respected as the Hell Riders of Elturel. Every child in the region dreams of becoming a Hell Rider one day. Calling a child in Elturel a hellion, something taken as an insult in most other parts of Faerûn, is considered a blessing here. Hellions are simply those children with the drive and courage to ride the mighty destriers of this great region.

Special Abilities:

  • No matter where in the Western Heartlands these characters are from, their mule-headed stubbornness serves them well. All Western Heartland characters gain a +1 bonus to disbelieve illusions (saving throw vs. spell) and a +1 saving throw bonus against fear.
  • All able-bodied adventurers of Elturel are recruited into the Hell Riders of Elturel, an elite company of mercenaries. These characters receive a suit of crimson and white plate mail and a light warhorse with for free their commissions.
  • All characters of Elturel receive a +2 bonus to their attack rolls and saving throws when on horseback. This does not indicate any special training, only that they have been riding horses almost since they were born and have a natural affinity for the reaction their mount will have to any given circumstance.
  • When it comes to slick bargains and subtle negotiations, no one can beat the riders of Elturel. To reflect this, all characters created with this kit receive a +2 bonus to their starting Leadership scores.

Special Disadvantages:

  • As skilled traders and merchants, the people of Elturel are less suited to combat than other adventurers. After all, fighting is bad for business. Because of this, all characters designed with this kit take a -1 penalty to their result when they roll for new hit points after gaining a level (minimum 1). This penalty is no longer applied after the 10th level, since no new Hit Dice are gained after then.
  • Some folk say that the greatest disadvantage of coming from Elturel is always smelling like a horse. While this may or may not be true of individuals, it does have some basis in truth. The same natural affinity that gives these folk a bonus to their attack rolls and saving throws when they ride into battle makes it difficult for them to respond quickly when they are not on horseback. To reflect this, all characters from Elturel suffer a -2 penalty on any saving throw they make when not on horseback.
  • All Hell Riders must give 10% of all their earnings back to the city’s coffers. Furthermore, there are no former members of the Hell Riders, since so many die in battle. Those who wish to resign are given difficult tasks for their final missions; if they succeed, a Hell Rider can resign, but the character is stripped of equipment and exiled from Elturel for abandoning his post.

Evereska

Base Requirements

  • Races: Elf, Half-elf
  • Classes: Any
  • Ability Requirements: none
  • Alignments: Good
  • Starting Cash: 3d6 x10gp
  • Bonus Languages: Espruar, Thorasta
  • Recommended Languages: none

Proficiencies

  • Weapon Slots: By class
  • Required Weapon Proficiencies: Longbow or Shortbow
  • Non-weapon Slots: By class
  • Available Categories: By class
  • Bonus Proficiencies: Air-borne Riding, Spellcraft
  • Required Proficiencies: none
  • Recommended Proficiencies: none
  • Forbidden Proficiencies: Modern Languages (any save bonuses)

Overview: In the elvish language, Evereska means “fortress home” and none can argue that this last refuge of the fair folk is not rightly named. Within the walls of this mountaintop citadel, the great lore and magic of the elf folk is cherished and enhanced with each passing season. Guarded by the magical gifts of Corellon Larethian and flights of ever-vigilant giant eagles, Evereska has never fallen before an enemy or been infiltrated by a spy or assassin.

It is said that the elf wizards here know magic long forgotten by the outside world and that the warriors here employ fighting styles taught to them by the elf god Corellon Larethian. Perhaps the most well-known skill here, however, is the archery practiced by Evereskans. Few adventurers from the High Valley ever leave its protected glades except on important missions or in search of knowledge that cannot be found there.

Special Abilities:

  • No matter where in the Western Heartlands these characters are from, their mule-headed stubbornness serves them well. All Western Heartland characters gain a +1 bonus to disbelieve illusions (saving throw vs. spell) and a +1 saving throw bonus against fear.
  • All Evereskans are entitled to a +2 bonus on their attack rolls when using any bow. Also, any bonus they receive on their attack roll because of a high Aim score is applied to the character’s damage roll.
  • All characters from this region begin play with a Cloak of elvenkind. The character also receives a suit of Elven chain mail upon reaching 5th level. If the character’s cloak or mail is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced at a cost of 500 gold pieces (assuming the character returns to Evereska to make the purchase). * The magic of the Evereskan elves draws power from the Ethereal and Astral planes, and the people of Evereska have a great affinity for the creatures and hazards of those strange dominions. To reflect this, a character from Evereska receives a +4 bonus to any saving throw that he must make when attacked by a creature of the Ethereal or Astral Plane. If the character is actually traveling in one of those mystical places, this bonus applies to all saving throws made there.

Special Disadvantages:

  • Evereskans never gains a bonus to attack or damage rolls when attacking from behind, regardless of class.
  • The altitude at which the elves of Evereska spend their lives has required them to adapt to life in a significantly thinner atmosphere than that found in the other cities of the Western Heartlands. When adventuring at lower altitudes, the oppressive atmosphere reduces their effective Fitness score by 1 point.
  • The elves who live among the mists that continually hang over this region suffer from something of a curse. Long ago, a guild of elf thieves was hunted down and destroyed here. Their spirits, taking the form of banshees, haunted the region for centuries. Only in recent years have the elves of this region been able to drive away these undead. The banshees, however, were not defeated without cost. As they were eliminated, they wove a dreadful curse upon all those who would come to call this region home. Any character who attempts to turn undead within 60 feet of an adventurer from the Evereska suffers a -2 penalty.
  • It is impossible for any spellcaster trained in Evereska to learn or cast any spell from the school of Necromancy or the Necromantic priest sphere. Further, they have little natural resistance to such spells when attacked with them. Whenever a character from Evereska is called upon to make a saving throw against any spell from the school of Necromancy, he suffers a -2 penalty. The same penalty applies to any saving throw required because of an attack by an undead creature.

Iriaebor

Base Requirements

  • Races: Human
  • Classes: Any
  • Ability Requirements: none
  • Alignments: Chaotic
  • Starting Cash: 3d6 x10gp
  • Bonus Languages: Thorasta
  • Recommended Languages: Illuskan, Bothii, Thorass, Northern, Cormanthan

Proficiencies

  • Weapon Slots: By class
  • Non-weapon Slots: By class
  • Available Categories: By class
  • Bonus Proficiencies: Appraising, Local History, Mountaineering, Tumbling
  • Required Proficiencies: none
  • Recommended Proficiencies: Haggling
  • Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: It is said there is no height to which the towers of Iriaebor cannot reach and no depths to which the merchants who live in them will not sink. Each and every trading house in this great city tries to outdo the others in profits and stature, but the end result is that they only manage to drag each other down. Life in Iriaebor is a never-ending storm of chaotic politics and cutthroat mercantile practices. Betrayal and subterfuge, especially in the business world, is unending. Those who grow up in this majestic city cannot help but be influenced by the avarice and competitiveness that rule Iriaebor.

Special Abilities:

  • No matter where in the Western Heartlands these characters are from, their mule-headed stubbornness serves them well. All Western Heartland characters gain a +1 bonus to disbelieve illusions (saving throw vs. spell) and a +1 saving throw bonus against fear.
  • Iriaebor is a city of trade, and its stock in trade is fine mounts. All characters get a choice of one of the following free non-weapon proficiencies (in addition to the bonus proficiencies listed above): animal handling, blacksmithing, or land-based riding.

Special Disadvantages:

  • The competitive mercantile atmosphere of Iriaebor affects even its adventurers. Not satisfied with the asking price of an item, a character of Iriaebor must make a Willpower ability check whenever buying an item or hiring services such as a room. If the check is failed, the character will be compelled to haggle for the price, with a goal of getting at least a 10% discount on the price.

Scornubel

Base Requirements

  • Races: Human, Half-Elf
  • Classes: Any
  • Ability Requirements: none
  • Alignments: Any
  • Starting Cash: 3d6 x10gp
  • Bonus Languages: Thorasta
  • Recommended Languages: Any human languages

Proficiencies

  • Weapon Slots: By class
  • Non-weapon Slots: By class
  • Available Categories: By class
  • Bonus Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Animal Training, Pick Pockets, Seamanship
  • Required Proficiencies: Modern Languages (any two)
  • Recommended Proficiencies: none
  • Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Overview: Often called the Caravan City, Scornubel is the wealthiest and most powerful city in the Western Heartlands. During the peak trading season in the summer, the population of this city skyrockets to five or six times normal. Because of this transient population, the children of Scornubel grow up hearing stories from different lands and learning about heroes and gods that people in neighboring cities have never heard of. The people of Scornubel live all their lives in the company of merchants and travelers. They live among the constant hustle of the marketplace and know well the value of money and the hard work that earns it.

All able-bodied men and women in Scornubel are recruited into the Riders in Red Cloaks, a mercenary army that doubles as the city’s militia.

Special Abilities:

  • No matter where in the Western Heartlands these characters are from, their mule-headed stubbornness serves them well. All Western Heartland characters gain a +1 bonus to disbelieve illusions (saving throw vs. spell) and a +1 saving throw bonus against fear.
  • Each character from Scornubel gets a free medium war horse, spear, long sword, chainmail, and the obligatory red cloak.

Special Disadvantages:

  • If a Red Cloak travels to the Moonsea, Dalelands, or Elven Woods, there is a 40% chance that ignorant folk will confuse the Red Cloak for a Hillsfar Red Plume. If NPCs are enemies of the Red Plumes, this could be very bad indeed.
  • Characters from Scornubel are especially known for their defiance of authority. Encounters with a city’s guard, watch, or other city officials are penalized at a -4 to NPC reactions.
  • The people of Scornubel have justly acquired a reputation as misers. Characters from Scornubel are required to cache 50% of all treasure that they acquire through the course of their adventures. This wealth is effectively lost, for the character never willingly parts with it, no matter how great the justification. Dungeon Masters should be warned that no justification by the player is sufficient to allow him to tap into his horded wealth.

Return to Homelands.

Western Heartlands

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