Dungeons & Dragons has some of the most detailed and iconic fictional locations ever invented, not just in tabletop RPGs, but in the entire fantasy genre in general. Bustling metropolises, breathtaking nature and terrifying ruins of forgotten civilizations — Dungeons & Dragons he has them all.
However, there are some seemingly safe places that adventurers can encounter deadlier than it seems. Experienced dungeon masters like to reveal the darker side of these iconic locations just as their players calm down. Thanks to Dungeon Master Oskar for the insight into some of these locations Dungeons & Dragons, they are all much more dangerous than meets the eye.
Red larch
All roads lead to red larch, for better or worse
All roads on the Sword Coast pass through Red larch at some point. Red Larch is the busiest caravanning town on the coast, which means it attracts a lot of attention; some good, some bad. Every major faction, from the druid guardians of the Emerald Enclaves, to the stoic guardians of the Order of the Gauntlet, and even the backstabbing Zhentarim, have operatives present, and for good reason: elemental cults that seek to destroy the material plane to usher in a new age for each of their four primordial masters.
Red Larch is not only a center of political and spiritual tension, but giants roam the surrounding lands. These huge entities are searching for the shards of their ancient artifact for the war against the dragons that will soon be rekindled, with the fire giants most present around Red Larch.
Phandelver
Orcs crave mines
Phandelver is a small mining town tucked away in the foothills of the Sword Coast, yet it was and still is plagued by enthusiastic and crazy adventurers. As the centerpiece of the 5e Starter Kit, Phandelver was often the first point of interest for many parties and was designed to introduce people to the game. As such, it is full of challenging and educational moments for new players. A young green dragon hunts in the mountains and uses his caustic breath to fend off players who wander too close and terrorize the village.
In addition, the area is invaded by orc raiders, ogres and goblins who pillage and pillage nearby fortresses and inns. Players who have been through the baptism of fire that is Phandelver will no doubt remember their first encounter with Ocher Jellies. These weird, venomous little guys are often the party's first encounter with the weirder quirks D&D.
Cool
A prehistoric death trap
At first sight Cool It appears to be an idyllic tropical island with a mixture of reptiles and tribes inhabiting the area. More advanced players may even visit beach ports on their travels, but deep in the undergrowth lies a world of wilderness and death.
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Dinosaurs roam the forests, overgrown temples guarded by ancient spirits dot the wilderness, and murderous creatures roam the most dangerous ruins along the shores of Chult's Cliffs. This island is cursed to prevent no in the form of resurrection, making it one of the most dangerous places in Wizards of the Coast's Tomb of Extinction module.
Parnast
Beware of hidden cult activities
Parnast is the smallest city on this list, but it's a lot more dangerous than you'd expect. Parnast is located on the Savage Frontier in northwest Faerûn and is a secret resource acquisition center for the Zhentarim. After Zhentarim control began to wane, the city enjoyed a two-decade period of relative normalcy.
Then came the Cult of the Dragon, who sunk their claws into Parnastus for a year, using the city as a base for conquest alongside a cloud giant ally. After a year of squatting, the cult and giant left, leaving a lasting mark of oppression on the locals. Rumor has it that the Zhentarim are once again trying to reclaim some property from a small, unsuspecting town in the mountains.
Ten cities
Frost Maiden Central
The frost bit Ten cities is a far northern region of Faerûn that is covered in eternal winter. It is full of freezing lakes and rivers fed by the envious maw of the frost maiden Auril, deity of cold and frost, and an old and malevolent goddess who is part of a coalition of often violent, emotionally unstable gods. Auril gains power from people's fear of the cold and what lies within those shrouded snowbanks, rejoicing in her own twisted way at every life claimed by her icy wrath.
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This desolate landscape teems with ice giants, dragons and hidden horrors. Traversing this area quickly turns from a struggle to keep the lanterns lit and avoid starvation to a life-and-death scenario at every turn. Shapeshifters aren't safe either, as any shapeshifters discovered by the residents of the ten villages will be publicly executed.
Purple rock
Gods are fickle
This temperate archipelago is often taken at face value and its true dangers are not always apparent. However, any magic user soon learns that the locals deeply hate magic, with any spells punishable by death. The Purple rock the natives are a devout people who worship Auril, the aforementioned Frost Maiden, Tempus, Lord of Battles, and Umberlee, the Wavemother.
If any of the island's gods are insulted or scorned, Purple Rock is covered in thick fog and has been known to spontaneously experience extreme winters lasting up to eight years. In addition to these dangers, a soulless Copper Dragon has taken up residence on the archipelago and assumed a fatherly role for a group of adventurers called the Galadran Company.
Star holders
Seemingly large and inhospitable
Star brackets is another area in the north of Faerûn, characterized by brutal arctic conditions and dangerous peaks. Exiled dragons and other such creatures are said to be sent here, often in the hope that the deadly environment will kill them. However, a party viewing this region from a distance may mistake it for an average mountain range.
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The mountains have seemingly normal features: forests around the base, a few clouds, snow, and some nondescript rivers; nothing to suggest a brutal process of traversing the area. Only one race seems to have found a way around the strong winds and gales: the Aarakocra, a bird race present throughout Faerûn, have discovered a way to build their nests among the peaks in relative safety.
Anarouch Desert
Wastelands full of raiders
Originally titled “Anarouch” applied to the glacial regions of the far north, but it was appropriate to describe all manifestations of this deadly, desolate wasteland. The Zhentarim protect their long-fought trade routes in this region; the trade routes will often have to fend off goblins and Bedin raiders.
The desert has three regions: the High Ice, an area characterized by extreme temperature drops and shifting ice dunes that completely rewrite the geography of the desert overnight, the Plain of Standing Stones, a massive expanse of jagged rock and gravel in the middle of the desert, and The Sword, an area of scorching hot desert that lies to the south.
Feywild
Whimsy only goes so far
When players think Feywildthey might remember the hospitable elves and the whimsical idea of fairies. Adventuring in an alternate plane sounds like a lot of fun, but make no mistake: while The Feywild may seem similar to the material plane in many ways, free and wild magic manipulates the environment passively. The Feywild is a place of tricksters and illusions where nothing is as it seems.
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Nightmares, hyper-intelligent predators like Displacer Beasts use illusory lures to sneak up on unknown prey, and malevolent hags use puns to trick players and NPCs into unholy deals and debts. This leads to unsuspecting vagrants becoming unwilling servants, or even dinner. The native Harigon (Rabbit People) and other sentient animal races have malevolent motives rather than being outright dangerous, pulling tricks and causing mayhem for adventuring parties.
Yartar
espionage and political intrigue
North of Red Larch and Sumber Hills Yartar. This trading city once had the potential to gain significant power over the rest of Faerûn. However, shadowy figures behind the scenes sabotaged the city officials' attempts to elevate Yartar from being just another successful trading town. It suffers from the same giant and cult problems as Red Larch, but to top it off, it's a big enough city to be a target for enemy diplomatic tactics.
The Harper spies and rogue Zhentarim assassins who stalk the city are representative of a larger political conflict steeped in history. In addition, the ongoing feud between Triboar and Yartar over a lost shipment of gold increased pressure on city officials and made the city less hospitable to outsiders.
- Franchise
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Original release date
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1974
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
