Here is the third and final part of the Forgotten Realms chronology, detailing most, if not all of the D&D novels, comic books, tabletop games and video games set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, updated with Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden and so on. So, without further ado, we start in the beginning of the 15th century of the Forgotten Realms, from the novel Gauntlgrym to the upcoming game Baldur's Gate 3.
"Gauntlgrym" of The Neverwinter Saga (Written by R.A. Salvatore) ((release date: October 2010), (in-universe date: begins in 1409 DR))
Story synopsis: When one of his oldest friends, Bruenor Battlehammer, chooses to spend his final days searching for the fabled dwarf kingdom of Gauntlgrym, Drizzt readily agrees. But before Drizzt and Bruenor even get close to finding the lost city, the dwarf assassin Athrogate, black-widow elf Dahlia, and Drizzt's old nemesis Jarlaxle stumble upon it first. In their search for riches and magic, the three treasure hunters inadvertently set into motion a catastrophe that could spell disaster for the unsuspecting people of the city of Neverwinter—a catastrophe big enough to even send the mercenary Jarlaxle into risking his own coin and skin to stop it. Unfortunately, the more they uncover about the secret of Gauntlgrym, the more it looks like they can't stop the impending disaster on their own. They'll need help, and from the last people they ever thought to fight alongside again: Drizzt and Bruenor.
Drizzt joins these new companions with a conflicted heart. The promise of adventure appeals to a primal part of him. But his lust for battle is growing stronger. Is he really no different from any other dark elf? If he loses the last of his trusted companions, will his drow nature claim him at last? Will his new companions lead him into temptation or deliver him from his darkest desires?
"Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale" (A game developed by Bedlam Games, playable on PlayStation 3 (downloadable via PlayStation Network), Xbox 360 (downloadable via Xbox Live Arcade), and Microsoft Windows (downloadable via Steam)) ((release date: June 24th 2011), (in-universe date: 1420 DR))
Story synopsis: In Daggerdale, a region in the Dalelands on the continent of Faerûn, the evil Rezlus and his Zhentarim attempt to invade and conquer the Dalelands from the Tower of the Void and the Mines of Tethyamar. A small group of adventurers are charged with the task of restoring order to the Dalelands by unlocking the secrets of the Mines of Tethyamar, defeating the evil within the treacherous Tower of the Void, leading to the final confrontation with Rezlus himself.
"The Godborn" 2nd novel of The Sundering Saga (By Paul S. Kemp) ((release date: October 1st, 2013), (in-universe date: begins in 1450 DR))
Story synopsis: The shadow legacy of Erevis Cale lives on even as his old foe Mephistopheles seeks to stamp it out at any cost. Cale's son Vasen—unmoored in time by the god Mask—has thus far been shielded from the archdevil's dark schemes, alone among the servants of the Lord of Light who have raised him since birth.
At the crossroads of divine intrigue and mortal destiny, unlikely heroes unite to thwart the powers of shadow and hell, and the Second Sundering of worlds is set on its course.
Fun fact: Vasen Cale is born to Varra in this year, who dies in childbirth.
"Dawnbringer" (Written by Samantha Henderson) ((release date: May 3rd, 2011), (in-universe date: Chapters 1-9 are in 1460 DR and believe it or not, chapters 10-16 are in 1600 DR!!!))
Story synopsis: Two Households Both Alike in Dignity
Two devas, angels given mortal flesh, are sent to guard two star-crossed lovers, born scions of rival merchant houses. The devas have worked together through countless cycles of reincarnation, guarding each other's backs as they pursue justice.
Break from Ancient Grudge into New Mutiny
At first, it looks as though love will conquer all, and the rift between the rival houses will finally be mended. But there are those who hate the word peace with a passion so great that it poisons everything they touch, turning house against house, mother against child, and deva against deva.
Leaving Even Angels' Hands Unclean
Fun fact: The novel has the distinction of being set farthest in the "future" of the Forgotten Realms, with much of the action taking place in the Year of Unseen Enemies, 1600 DR. This is 121 years after the then-current year of the setting and 4th Edition rules, the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR.
"Gauntylgrym" of the Neverwinter Saga ends in 1462 DR
"Neverwinter Tales: The Legend of Drizzt" comic book series issues 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (Written by R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore, published by IDW Publishing, cover art by Gonzalo Flores, interior art by Augustin Padilla, Jose Avilles, Tim Seeley, Leonard O'Grady, and Gonzalo Flores) ((release date: March 21st 2012), (in-universe date: 1462 DR))
Story synopsis: Drizzt and his companion Dahlia hunt for something that seems part vampire and part elite dwarven battlerager warrior and must find out how the evil lich Valindra Shadowmantle and her minion Korbin Dor'crae factor into the mystery.
Fun fact: This comic book series takes place not long after "Gauntlgrym" ends, starring Drizzt, Dahlia Sin'felle, and Valindra Shadowmantle who previously appeared in the Neverwinter Nights game is one of the characters in this story
"The Companions" 1st novel of The Sundering Saga (By R.A. Salvatore) ((release date: August 6th, 2013), (in-universe date: The chapters detailing the reincarnation of Drizzt's companions are in 1462 DR))
Story synopsis: As Drizzt's fate hangs in the balance, he reflects on the lives of the trusted allies who stood by his side throughout his early life--the friends now known as the Companions of the Hall. Meanwhile, the first stirrings of the Sundering begin.
Fun fact: In this year, Regis is reincarnated as Spider Parrafin, a halfling born to a halfling father and water genasi mother. Bruenor Battlehammer is reincarnated as Reginald Roundshield. Catti-brie is reborn as Ruqiah, a human of Bedine descent. And Wulfgar is reincarnated back into the Tribe of the Elk as Hrolf, son of Alfarin.
Fun fact #2: As the first novel of The Sundering Saga, the Second Sundering is a significant event prior to Baldur's Gate 3's time frame. When Ao the Overgod destroyed the Tablets of Fate at the conclusion of the Time of Troubles back in 1358 DR, he instigated the Era of Upheaval. The Tablets defined the laws of Realmspace and kept it relatively stable. Without them, chaos ensued and the worlds of Abeir and Toril (Toril is the planet Faerun is on), separated many thousands of years ago, slowly started to overlap. The Spellplague drastically sped up this process. The Second Sundering started with Ao's decision to recreate the Tablets of Fate, and to separate the worlds of Abeir and Toril once more. The gods and goddesses known in Toril were unsure of what this would do to them and their power, and made efforts using their most powerful servants to prepare for that event.
Fun fact #3: The Sundering was to be described in a series of novels and game supplements planned for release in 2013 in anticipation of the newest version of the Dungeons & Dragons game, at the time known as D&D Next. The first announcement of the Sundering came at Gen Con 2012. Wizards of the Coast called the event a "cataclysm." Forgotten Realms campaign setting creator Ed Greenwood described the event as "war, gods, and plain folks trying to get by." The novels and adventures were released in a staggered, overlapping fashion, and the collective results of players in their adventures were submitted to Wizards of the Coast, and influenced the stories in the novels. The result of the events, in game terms, was a simplified set of rules initially dubbed and playtested as D&D Next, but now commonly referred to as 5th Edition.
In the "Candlekeep Presents: 25 Years of the Forgotten Realms" seminar that was held at the same GenCon, it was clarified that the Sundering was developed to restore the Realms as the setting all fans knew and loved, while respecting the work of every author that had worked on the Realms over the years. And so, while they were ending the Spellplague, reviving gods and restoring the lands, among other things, they were not rebooting nor invalidating any canon iteration of the Realms. Likewise, individual DMs were encouraged to handle the Sundering, and other canonical events within the continuity as they see fit.
In an interview during the 15th December 2016 Dragon Talk podcast, Christopher Perkins and Matthew Sernett clarified a few things about the Second Sundering:
1. The paring down of the deities in 4th Edition went too far, and they wanted to bring back some of the lost ones.
2. In theory, you can still travel to Abeir from Toril and there are parts of Abeir that were never transposed back to Abeir.
3. Gods have, to an extent, withdrawn from the world, ushering in a kind of 'Age of Mortals.' They are no longer speaking directly to most of their worshipers, instead sending signs and portents; e.g. In the Rise of Tiamat storyline, Tiamat's followers are doing all of the work to bring her onto the Material Plane, whereas before the Second Sundering, she likely would have sent an avatar to do some of the work.
4. The ancient landmasses that have been mapped [on pg. 6 of the Grand History of the Realms] were "not different in a Pangea way" and were instead split by the First Sundering and the original separation of Abeir and Toril.
Realms of the Dead book "The Resurrection Agent" (By Erin M. Evans) (Eleasis (August),1463 DR)
Story synopsis: Set over a two-day period in early Eleasis in the Year of the Reborn Hero, 1463 DR, "The Resurrection Agent" follows the life and death of a woman known as the Harlot, who is a "resurrection agent" — someone hired to spy on people and intentionally be caught and killed, and later resurrected to give testimony. Viridi, the woman who recruited her, has been killed, and she and a man known as the Shepherd (the Selûnite priest who does the resurrecting) go to retrieve the body.
"Neverwinter" of The Neverwinter Saga (by R.A. Salvatore) ((release date: October 4th 2011), (in-universe date: 1463 DR))
Story synopsis: With the death of Bruenor Battlehammer, Drizzt is alone—and free—for the first time in almost a hundred years now that all of his companions have passed away. Guilt mingles with relief, leaving Drizzt uniquely vulnerable to the persuasions of his newest companion—Dahlia Sin'felle, a darkly alluring elf and the only other member of their party to survive the cataclysm at Mount Hotenow. But traveling with Dahlia is challenging in more ways than one. As the two companions seek revenge on the one responsible for leveling Neverwinter—and nearly Luskan as well—Drizzt finds his usual moral certainty swept away by her unconventional views. Forced to see the dark deeds that the common man may be driven to by circumstance, Drizzt begins to find himself on the wrong side of the law in an effort to protect those the law has failed. Making new enemies, as his old enemies acquire deadly allies, Drizzt and Dahlia quickly find themselves embroiled in battle—a state he's coming to enjoy a little too much.
Fun fact: This novel is intentionally tied in to the Neverwinter MMORPG game, as in this novel, this is the first time Valindra's undead forces attack Neverwinter, known as the Shadovar-Thay War. In the Neverwinter MMORPG's full cinematic intro which takes place in 1479 DR, the trickster rogue Xuna who attacked the the tall muscular undead creature was one of the survivors of the Shadovar-Thay War, and the monster she was attacking killed her father during this time.
"Charon's Claw" of The Neverwinter Saga (by R.A. Salvatore) ((Release date: August 7, 2012), (in-universe date:1463 DR after "Neverwinter"))
Story synopsis: Drizzt draws his swords once more to herald a final battle for freedom. Returning to Neverwinter alongside the beautiful elf Dahlia, he plots revenge against the dictatorial Netherese lord Herzgo Alegni, then joins old foe Artemis Entreri as he seeks to destroy the magical weapon that holds him hostage—even if destroying the weapon means his own destruction as well.
"The Last Threshold" of The Neverwinter Saga (By R.A. Salvatore) ((Release date: March 5, 2013), (in-universe date:begins in 1463 DR after "Charon's Claw")
Story synopsis: Drizzt Do'Urden navigates a winding path littered with secrets and lies. Tangled up in his companion Dahlia's dark secrets, the ties that once held her close to Drizzt threaten to tear as her bonds to his former foe, Artemis Entreri, continue to grow. Meanwhile, in the caverns of Gauntlgrym, the drow Tiago Baenre enlists the help of Bregan D'aerthe in his quest to destroy Drizzt. While making promises they may not keep, the agents of the elite drow mercenary group hide plans of their own. Determined to stand for what's right in the Realms once again, Drizzt forges a new road north—toward Icewind Dale. Will his new companions follow? Can he fight the darkness alone? Either way, he knows now where he's headed—back to the only place that's ever felt like home.
"Corsair" of the Blades of the Moonsea Trilogy (By Richard Baker) ((Release date: March 2009), (in-universe date: prologue is in 1466 DR))
Story synopsis: Kamoth Kastelmar, Lord of the Black Moon
He was a sadistic young lord who charmed his way into the marrying the Harmach of Hulburg's sister before he was exiled for conspiring against his new brother-in-law.
Now he is Captain of the Kraken Queen, High Captain of the Black Moon Corsairs—a ruthless pirate fleet that scours the Moonsea, raping, pillaging, and burning wherever they go.
He was willing to let bygones be bygones, but when the Harmach of Hulburg arms a warship to thwart his piracy, he starts taking their actions against him personally.
It's time to teach the harmach a lesson in respect.
"City of the Dead" (By Rosemary Jones) ((Release date: June 2009), (in-universe date: prologue set in 1467 DR))
Story synopsis: Something is causing trouble in the City of the Dead, and Sophraea Carver, born and bred next to the historic graveyard, is determined to solve the mystery before it places all of Waterdeep in peril.
Fun fact: The main character of this story, Sophraea Carver, a dark skinned, curly haired human girl, is one of the most unique protagonists in the Forgotten Realms because she had no special abilities or adventuring profession. Although she was never touched directly by the Spellplague, some of the blue fire seeped into her and she gained a sixth sense while within the walls of the City of the Dead.
"Shadowbane: Eye of Justice" (By Erik Scott de Bie) ((Release date: September 4, 2012), (In-universe date: prologue set in 1470 DR))
Story synopsis: The tale of a never-say-die hero struggling against the forces of evil in a world full of peril. Kalen Dren, the vigilante paladin who calls himself Shadowbane, has turned his back on a life of crime and selfishness to chart a new course with the aid of the sword Vindicator, once wielded by the vanished God of Guardians himself. He will face legions of enemies and ultimately struggle with his own dualistic nature: the bright, goodly paladin and the dark, pragmatic assassin.
Realms of the Dead book "Feast of the Moon" (By Cristopher Rowe) (Nightal "December" 1471 DR)
Story synopsis: Set on the first day of Nightal in the Year of the Plagued Lords, 1471 DR, "Feast of the Moon" follows Jaeg Felidae, a Malar-worshiping weretiger from the plains of Dambrath. Each year, the Malarites here hunt down the most dangerous foe in the area, and the story opens with the initiation of the ritual to receive that vision, the death and desecration of a wild boar. Jaeg receives a vision from the Beastlord of an opened tomb in the Hills of the Dead Kings. The vision shows him a party of halflings entering the tomb, and it is accompanied with the scent of his prey.
"Avenger" of the Blades of the Moonsea Trilogy (By Richard Baker) ((Release date: November 2010), (In-universe date: begins in 1473 DR))
Story synopsis: Rhovann Disarnnyl, Master Mage of Hulburg
He was an arrogant elf lord, exploiting the life of luxury his ancestral home in Myth Drannor afforded him, before the upstart human Geran Hulmaster maimed him in a duel and the city uncovered his predilection for necromancy and exiled him.
In vengeance, he drove Geran's family from their ancestral lands, filled the town with nightmarish golems to enforce his will, and crushed the native Hulburgans with the aggressive enforcement of unfair laws.
But Geran is intent on making Rhovann's life miserable. Stirring up unrest, killing his allies, mustering an army.... Why can't Geran just admit he's lost? The only reason he's not dead is that Rhovann prefers to see him suffer.
But what can one expect from humans? The art of revenge is wasted on them.
Better to kill them all—down to the last Hulmaster.
"Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle" (Tabletop game created by Christopher Perkins (the guy who usually is the DM for Acquisitions Inc.), and Jeremy Crawford) ((Release daye: August 15, 2013), (In-universe date: 1474 DR))
Story synopsis: In Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle, adventurers clash with a grave threat to the Sword Coast. Backed by Sir Isteval, a retired paladin from Cormyr, they descend into dungeons to keep the secrets of an ancient elemental cult from falling into the clutches of the Red Wizards of Thay. Along the way, the adventurers face an immortal foe from Isteval's past, leading to an epic confrontation in the ruins of Dragonspear Castle.
"Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms" comic book issues #1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Written by Ed Greenwood, edited by John Barber, published by IDW Publishing, colored by Dee Cunniffe and Len O'Grady, inked by Sal Buscema, cover art by Tyler Walpole and Steve Ellis) (1474 DR)
Story synopsis: These comic books tell the adventures of an unlikely new band of heroes in Waterdeep, Randral Daunter, Torn and Talandra, who get into a bit more trouble than usual in the fabled port city of Waterdeep, but soon discover some of the seedier corners of the wider Realms-the hard way!
"The Fall Of Highwatch" of The Chosen of Nendawen Trilogy (By Mark Sehestedt) ((Release date: November 3, 2009) (In-universe date: 1475 DR) (This novel takes place a century after "Frostfell"))
Story synopsis: Highwatch has never been taken. The fortress has sat, undisturbed for over a century, high above Narfell's frozen plains. The line of the High Warden runs unbroken down to his seventeen-year-old granddaughter, Hweilan. It is a place of peace in the wilderness.
But one among Highwatch isn't at peace. Guric, the foster son of the High Warden, makes a pact with an ancient, evil spirit to resurrect his wife. The price: his family's blood. Highwatch falls in less than a day. The line of the High Warden is broken. Only Hweilan escapes, her father's unstrung bow in hand and her heart full of vengeance.
Vengeance enough to drive Hweilan to make her own pact with an ancient spirit: Nendawen, the Master of the Hunt, primal spirit of the shapechanging Vil Adanrath.
"Hand of the Hunter" of The Chosen of Nendawen Trilogy (By Mark Sehestedt) ((Release date: December 7, 2010), (In-universe date: 1475 DR))
Story synopsis: For generations we fought him, but he grew stronger, destroying our homeland. We fled....
The demon Jagun Ghen, the nemesis of Nendawen the Hunter, roams the frozen wastes, building an army. For long years, Hweilan, the last scion of fallen Highwatch and the loose end of the Defiler’s plans, has been missing.
In the Hunting Lands, Jagun Ghen almost conquered. Only hundreds of years of blood and sacrifice vanquished him. Here... in this corrupt world beneath its cold stars....Here... Jagun Ghen could become a god....
For long years, in the cold places of the Feywild, Hweilan has been shaped into a tool to bring down Jagun Ghen and a weapon to avenge her dead family with—the Hand of the Hunter. But even in the Feywild, Jagun Ghen has eyes.
There are far crueler things in these woods than me.
"Cry of the Ghost Wolf" of The Chosen of Nendawen Trilogy (By Mark Sehestedt) ((Release date: December 6, 2011), (In-universe date: 1475 DR))
Story synopsis: Hweilan went into the Feywild a girl focused on avenging her family's death, and emerged a brutal killer. Nendawen the Hunter has anointed her his Hand in destroying the demonic and undead forces of his nemesis—the murderer of her family—Jagen Ghen. But while she managed to survive long enough to become the Hand of the Hunter, the war with Jagen Ghen has just begun. And while she is hunting them—they are likewise hunting her. It will take every trick of the Fox, every drop of Lore, and every ounce of will she has to stand against Jagen Ghen, but Hweilan will have her chance to avenge her family—or die trying.
"Swordmage" of the Blades of the Moonsea Trilogy (By Richard Baker) ((Release date: May 6, 2008), (In-universe date: begins in 1477 DR))
Story synopsis: Geran studied the Chainsmen surrounding them. Eight on the street and possibly more in the alehouse or another place nearby, and most looked like they knew how to use the cudgels at their belts. It would be easier to play their game and buy them off with a couple of silver pennies ... but the thought of paying for safe passage in his own home town did not sit well with him. Besides, Geran told himself. They're probably not as reasonable as they say they are. Geran, a swordmage exiled from the elven city of Myth Drannor, returns home to find the once peaceful Moonsea town of Hulburg under the thumb of greedy and ruthless merchants.
"I am here to offer you power, Warchief—the power to make yourself the king of all Thar. Every tribe in this land will call you master and do as you bid them. They will call you lord, pay you tribute, and march as you command. I can arm your warriors with a thousand hauberks of good steel mail. I can give you ten Warlock Knights to wield their battle-magic in your service. And I have control over a number of strong monsters from the high mountains—manticores, giants, chimeras, even a young dragon or two. They will be yours to command. Tell me, Warchief, what would you do with an army such as that?"
Kardhel Terov, a Warlock Knight of Vaasa, stirs the violent passions of a tribe of brutal orcs, and sends them to Hulburg bent on pillage.
The lich laughed coldly. "What do I care for your lives?" he said. He stretched out his clawlike hand and made a small gesture, and the Infiernadex was wrenched out of Geran's grasp by some unseen force. The book soared to the lich's hand, and Aesperus twisted what remained of his face into a horrible smile. "Good-bye, Geran Hulmaster. I expect that you and I will speak again soon, when you have been laid under stone as your forefathers were." And Aesperus, the King in Copper, rises from the dead once more to terrorize them all, and protect a secret beyond imagination.
"The Devil You Know" of the Brimstone Angels series (By Erin M. Evans) ((Release date: October 4, 2016), (In-universe date: All the parts that do not follow Bryseis's story is set in 1477 DR))
Story synopsis: Before Farideh took a devil's pact, before she was Chosen by the god-king of the Hells, before any of this started, there was Bryseis Kakistos, the original Brimstone Angel, first of Farideh’s line. Now, at the end, there is also Bryseis Kakistos—but this time, instead of helping the king of the Hells achieve godhood, she’s going to kill him. All she needs is a little help from Farideh—which she should, by all accounts, be happy to give. After all, who could object to killing the king of the Hells? Except, it turns out, Farideh. Because as always, things are far more complicated than they seem.
Fun fact: Though this novel's realm year is not anchored to one time frame, it is not hard to narrow down the timeline once you realize that this story takes place before Farideh made the warlock pact in the "Brimstone Angels" story and follows her ancestor Bryseis in a few parts.
"Brimstone Angels" of the Brimstone Angels Series (By Erin M. Evans) ((Release date: November 11, 2011), (In-universe date: prologue is in 1477 DR)
Story synopsis: Havilar and Farideh are twin tieflings abandoned at birth and raised by dragonborn. Careless Havilar has an innocent soul and a penchant for trouble, and careful Farideh feels the weight of the world, her tainted bloodline—and her sister—on her shoulders.
In a summoning ritual gone wrong, Farideh ends up bound in a warlock's pact with a handsome but sadistic cambion devil, and they are thrown out of the village. A lone dragonborn accompanies them out of compassion, and the three adventurers, often perceived as monsters themselves, begin to make a name for themselves as monster slayers.
But once they reach the encampments in the ruined city of Neverwinter, their simple plans of slaying monsters to make a living get tangled up in a devilish snare six layers deep. It will take every ounce of the twins' skills—and some borrowed besides—if they are to have any hope of staying afloat in the deadly designs around them.
"Unholy" of The Haunted Lands (By Richard Lee Byers) ((Release date: February 2009), (In-universe date: 1478 DR))
Story synopsis: Forces undreamed of even by Szass Tam have brought havoc and death to Thay, but the lich's true intentions remain a mystery—a mystery that could spell doom for the entire world. The formerly green fields lie in war-torn ruins. The formerly living populace in undead. And the formerly brilliant necromancer, the mastermind behind the civil war that drove the ruling council into exile, appears to have gone insane. But rumor spreads of a reason behind his randomness—a reason all survivors of Thay must rally against.
"Brimstone Angels: Lesser Evils" (By Erin M. Evans) ((Release date: December 4, 2012), (In-universe date: 1478 DR))
Story synopsis: First there were three.
Mere weeks after escaping Neverwinter, Farideh's dreams are still haunted by Lorcan, the cambion devil whose power fuels her own. One of only four known descendants of the original Brimstone Angel, Farideh has no regrets about the pact she made with the devil. But no one in the Hells knows that she has a twin - an impulsive, eager sister just waiting to be corrupted. At least as long as Lorcan can keep her secret.
And then you found the fourth.
Determined to protect her sister, Farideh searches for a ritual that could call Lorcan out of the Hells, but in the midst of her hunt, she's drawn into an assignment for the secret society of the Harpers, an assignment which leads her and a ragtag group of allies to an ancient Netherese library deep underground.
The fifth one is mine.
While the group combs the site, dodging ghosts and magical traps, Farideh discovers a magical book whose pronouncements throw into question everything she thought she knew about herself and her sister. The more the Book gives up its macabre secrets, the more one thing becomes clear - a traitor lurks among them.
"Cold Steel and Secrets" (By Rosemary Jones) ((Release date (E-books): (Part 1) October 18, 2011, (Part 2) November 22 2011, (Part 3) December 20 2011, (Part 4) January 17 2012), (In-universe date: 1478 DR))
Story synopsis: Part 1
Sent by the spymaster of Neverwinter to investigate a group of rebels, Rucas Sarfael finds a worthy adversary in the beautiful fencing master Elyne. Matching wits and blades with the rebel leader, Rucas strives to prove himself and rise in the rebel ranks in part 1 of this four-part novella set in the renowned city of Neverwinter.
Part 2
A whiff of brimstone, a laughing ghost, and talk of a crown... In part 2 of this four-part Neverwinter novella, Rucas Sarfael finds himself invited to a meeting of rebel leaders and entangled more than he would like in the plans of the beautiful and dangerous Elyne. When those plans lead to a mad seer, Rucas finds a clue to the treasure he seeks—and more than one path to doom.
Part 3
A mysterious key, the walking dead, and a grisly murder... The four-part Neverwinter novella continues as the rebels find the lost Crown of Neverwinter in their grasp. But the rebels are betrayed and Rucas Sarfael finds himself caught between his duty and his heart.
Part 4
Deception! Betrayal! A perfect partnership! In the conclusion to this four-part novella, Rucas Sarfael uncovers the twisted plots that brought him to the city of Neverwinter and discovers a plot on the life of its lord.
"The Captive Flame" of the Brotherhood of the Griffin series (By Richard Lee Byers) ((Release date: April 2010), (In-universe date: begins in 1478 DR))
Story synopsis: Aoth Fezim and his band of mercenaries, the Brotherhood of the Griffon, are hired to put a stop to a disturbing series of ritualistic killings. While they manage to defeat the perpetrators, Aoth Fezim can't seem to shake the feeling that there's more to these mysterious murders than meets the eye. Still, he resists the urge to investigate. After all, it's just business. Until an assassin's knife almost finds a home between his shoulder blades, and Aoth Fezim finds himself tangled in a lethal web of intrigue.
"The Adversary" 3rd novel of The Sundering saga (By Erin M. Evans) ((Release date: May 2014), (In-universe date: 1478 DR))
Story synopsis: As the chaos of the Second Sundering rages around her, young warlock Farideh faces a more personal turmoil wrought by a deal she made with a devil years ago. Hoping to protect her twin sister, she leaves everything she holds dear to assist a wizard in a scheme that pits the devils of the Nine Hells against the gods above.
But when Farideh casts the spell to enter the wizard's remote mountaintop fortress, she picks up a stowaway—a Harper agent named Dahl who isn't so inclined to follow devilish demands. Dahl attempts to escape only to run into a village of odd people, lurking behind an impenetrable wall.
Forced to gaze into the villagers' souls, Farideh points out the ones who seem different, only to watch as the wizard's guard carts them off to fates unknown. Are these villagers or prisoners? Are they blessed or doomed by the gods? As the wizard's guessing game proves more and more diabolical, Farideh resolves to unravel his secrets—even if it means she'll lose her own soul to the Nine Hells.
"Gates of Neverdeath" a tabletop adventure game (Written by Erik Scott de Bie) (1479 DR, months before the Neverwinter MMORPG))
Story synopsis: The task seems easy enough: Accompany a mysterious traveler and her equally mysterious package from Waterdeep to Neverwinter. In the Jewel of the North, tasks are seldom easy, though. News travels fast, and the Red Wizards of Thay have learned of the traveler and the object she carries. Now, a necromancer readies an ambush for the adventurers and their ward, intent on stealing the item for its own sinister purpose.
Fun fact: Seldra Tylmarande, a character in this tabletop game, is the great-great niece of Aribeth from Neverwinter Nights.
"The Lost Crown of Neverwinter" (sequel tabletop game to Gates of Neverdeath) (Written by Erik Scott de Bie) ((Release date: 2011), (In-universe date: 1479 DR, a couple months closer to Valindra's second attack on Neverwinter, one part of this game presumably happens during the Neverwinter MMORPG's prologue))
Story synopsis: Missing for decades, the Crown of Neverwinter, symbol of the former ruling family, has emerged at last. Yet not all are pleased with the crown's reappearance. Beset by rebels and plaguechanged, Lord Dagult Neverember must hire a group of adventurers to track down the so-called Lost Heir and discover his intentions for the city. The stakes are no less than the lives of the citizens of Neverwinter, for if the heroes fail, Neverwinter seems doomed to descend into civil war.
"Neverwinter" (The MMORPG game developed by Cryptic Studios, originally playable only on Microsoft Windows PC, but now playable on Xbox One and PlayStation 4) ((Release date: 2013), (In-universe date: The main adventure quests, skirmishes and dungeon delves from Blacklake District, Tower District, Blackdagger Ruins, Neverdeath Graveyard, Helm's Hold, Ebon Downs, Vellosk, Pirates' Skyhold, Icespire Peak, The Chasm, Rothé Valley, Mount Hotenow, Whispering Caverns and the Castle Never dungeon delve are all in 1479 DR))
Story synopsis: Washing up on the beach after their ship was sunk by Valindra's dracolich, several adventurers were thrust into battle against Valindra's undead minions while trying to reach the relative safety of Neverwinter's walls. The adventurers were joined by Private Wilfred, a Neverwinter graycloak, who was killed by Valindra when he attempted to confront her directly on Sleeping Dragon Bridge. Meanwhile, a tiefling warlock named Makos dispatched the dracolich and used his magic to prevent its soul from returning to its phylactery to regenerate. For their valor in defending the city against the undead, the adventurers became known as the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, and throughout the Year of the Ageless One, they aid Protector's Enclave of Neverwinter against various threats throughout the Year of the Ageless One.
During an investigation of the vaults beneath the Hall of Justice, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge discovered that the Nashers managed to sneak into the vault during Valindra's attack and steal the Crown of Neverwinter. After tracking down the Nasher rogue Honor Reigh, whom they saw stealing the crown with another Nasher rebel, clues pointed to a Nasher base in the Blacklake district. The heroes found the Blacklake District to not only be overrun with Nashers, but covered with a magical sludge that was bubbling up from the Blacklake itself. The heroes aided an alchemist in investigating it, ultimately confirming that it originated with a Chosen of Ghaunadaur living in the lake. After dispatching the Chosen, the heroes continued searching for the other thief and eventually discovered he had been kidnapped by the Dead Rats. Down in the sewers beneath the city, the heroes located the other thief who stole the Crown of Neverwinter with Honor Reigh, Gothwan Cooper, who claimed that his leader Karzov second in command of the Nashers under Arlon Bladeshaper, left him to die - gladly giving up Karzov's location in exchange for his life. The Nashers set fire to their safehouse when the heroes arrived and Karzov escaped to their headquarters, an old warehouse. The heroes followed and killed Karzov, bringing the Crown back to Protector's Enclave.
Later, after clearing out some kobolds that have been boiling up from the sewers, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge were informed that some orcs from Many-Arrows had invaded the Tower District. While battling the orcs, the heroes learned that their leaders were operating from within the Cloak Tower. After killing the orc shamans maintaining the tower's magical wards, the heroes entered the tower and defeated the Many-Arrows' leader, Vansi Bloodscar.
Dorothea Linkletter, wife of Neverwintan soldier Josef Linkletter, was spellscarred and prone to transforming into a monster when emotionally distraught. Despite the Protector's Law demanding all spellscarred citizens to be sent to Helm's Hold, her husband had been hiding her at home. A wizard named Rhazzad providing medicine to keep her sane and under control, but her condition was worsening. To keep her out of Helm's Hold, Rhazzad asked the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge to escort Dorothea through the sewers to his tower for more direct treatment. Sergeant Knox of the Neverwinter Guard understood Josef's actions, but was suspicious of Rhazzad and his motives.
He sent the heroes to investigate another wizard who had been working with Rhazzad - Tualo the Bright - but upon reaching Tualo's home, the heroes encountered foulspawn emerging from his house and attacking people. Inside, Tualo's apprentice told them that a ritual scroll given to his master by Rhazzad had opened a portal to the Far Realm. After closing the portal, the heroes hurried outside to inform Sergeant Knox of Rhazzad's true allegiances, but it was too late: Rhazzad had sacrificed all of the spellscarred people that he had kept out of Helm's Hold to fuel a deadly magical explosion, setting parts of the city ablaze with plaguefire. A full assault was ordered on Rhazzad's tower before he could complete whatever plans he had for the Spellplague energy. Against orders, Josef Linkletter rushed ahead of the main force and was transformed into a massive foulspawn by Rhazzad, who intended to use him as a testbed for his own transformation. Josef was subdued by the heroes and managed to regain his sanity alongside his plaguechanged wife, while the heroes confronted Rhazzad. They learned that Rhazzad was communicating with unnamed "masters" within the Chasm, who promised to grant him unlimited knowledge and power in exchange for his help. Though Rhazzad successfully completed his own transformation into a plaguechanged monstrosity, he was killed before he could fully achieve his goals.
Years ago before the Year of the Ageless One (1479 DR), a pair of pirate brothers from Luskan, Malus and Traven Blackdagger, had set up a bandit kingdom north of Neverwinter. The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, days after dealing with Rhazzad, were put in contact with a local Harper cell to put a stop to the Blackdagger Bandits, who operated out of the ruins of the former Cragmire noble house and were disrupting trade along the High Road. The heroes started by putting a stop to the bandits' shipwrecking operations along the coast, leading to a meeting with Melkhor Goldseeker, who had recently opened some mines and unearthed some ancient ruins. The Blackdagger Bandits had kidnapped his niece for ransom and took over his mines. After rescuing Goldseeker's niece, the Harpers put the heroes in contact with their spy in the bandits' ranks, allowing the heroes to track down both Malus and Traven Blackdagger - revealed to have been transformed into undead by the Thayan necromancer Kallos Tam - and destroy them, putting a stop to organized banditry along the High Road and earning the friendship of the Harpers.
Afterwards, undead had begun rising out of their graves in Neverwinter's graveyard, leading the Doomguides who watched over the graveyard to call upon the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge lest they be overwhelmed. The heroes discovered that the Red Wizards of Thay were using the undead to lure unsuspecting Doomguides into their clutches to create even more powerful undead monstrosities, and collecting relics for similar purposes. The Thayan leader, Xivros, hoped to raise Arleon the Unforgiven, a nigh-unstoppable ogre warrior in life, as his undead servant. Though he succeeded in raising the creature, the heroes quickly dispatched it. In another region of the graveyard, the Cult of the Dragon was searching for something. It turned out they were interested in the Waterclock Guild's Crypts, in which a former high-ranking guild member and secret dragon cultist had secreted the blue dragon Azharzel and the ritual of the dracolich upon the occasion of his death. Unfortunately, Valindra Shadowmantle and her Thayan allies were also seeking the crypts, and when the Cult of the Dragon broke in Valindra killed them and claimed both the dragon and the ritual as her prize.
A week later, the cathedral of Helm's Hold outside of Neverwinter had been used by the Lord Protector to care for victims of the Spellplague, under the care of a holy woman known as "The Prophet." However, she revealed herself to be a succubus named Rohini, and the cathedral was quickly overrun by devils and Ashmadai cultists. The army of Neverwinter laid siege to the cathedral, but with little success. The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge aided the Neverwinter guard and the survivors from Helm's Hold in fighting back against the Ashmadai and slaying Rohini, before entering the caverns below the cathedral to slay the mad green dragon, Chartilifax.
For generations, the villagers of Grimhollow had watched over the Ebon Downs burial grounds. Then one day the dead suddenly rose from their graves en masse and attacked. The Doomguides discovered that the attack was being orchestrated by a powerful Netherese necromancer named Idris, who had made a bargain with the Barrow Lords for an undead army to attack her Thayan enemies. With the help of the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, the Barrow Lords were defeated and Idris was ultimately slain, allowing the dead to be lain to rest once more.
Within the Neverwinter Woods, Netherese agents began recruiting the Uthgardt barbarians back into their empire for the purpose of making war against their Thayan enemies. While much of the Gray Wolf tribe accepted, some did not wish to be under Netheril's heel once more; these barbarians were exiled and became known as the Forsworn. As a result, their former brethren, who had turned to the worship of Shar, began hunting them down under Netherese orders. In addition, the Netherese sought to raise the ruins of the floating city of Xin'kar. With the help of the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, the Netherese were defeated and the leader of the Gray Wolves slain.
Meanwhile, the Halruaan Skyship owned by pirate band Company Yargo docked with an earthmote north of Neverwinter. The earthmote was known as Pirates' Skyhold, after a band of sky pirates that once raided the Sword Coast from it. Company Yargo sought to salvage the wreckage of a skyship, but found that the earthmote was infested with both lizardfolk and undead pirates. Moreover, both the water and air had been fouled by some sort of corrosive poison. It turned out that the old band of sky pirates, captained by Bartholomew Blackdagger, had tried to capture the black dragon Garrundar the Vile and failed spectacularly. When they fled back to their earthmote, Garrundar followed them and made it his new lair. After taking control of the lizardfolk that lived there, he wove a powerful spell that cursed the pirates into undeath and bound them to the earthmote. With Company Yargo's help, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge slew both Garrundar and the undead Captain Blackdagger, ending the black dragon's curse and gaining two additional skyships for Captain Yargo.
A century ago, the god Thrym gifted an artifact known as the Winterforge, which channeled the power of the icy realms within the Elemental Chaos, to a frost giant named Lakkar. Armed with the Winterforge, Lakkar led his tribe in a bloody war of conquest across the Sword Mountains, all in Thrym's name. When the Icehammer Dwarves of Icespire Peak challenged him, he absorbed the Winterforge into himself, growing to an immense size and declaring himself a god. Thrym was furious and stripped Lakkar's defenses, allowing the dwarves to kill him. In death, his titanic body was frozen solid atop Icespire Peak. Recently, the descendants of the dwarves who slew Lakkar uncovered the Winterforge within Lakkar's corpse. But in doing so, the artifact's magic reawoke and called all the frost goblins, frost giants, and ice trolls to itself. The Winterforge was quickly claimed by a frost giant named Hrimnir, who intended to use its power to renew Lakkar's war of conquest. However, with the aid of the surviving Icehammer Dwarves, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge slew Hrimnir and destroyed the Winterforge.
When Mount Hotenow erupted in 1451 DR, the resulting cataclysm tore a rift in southeastern Neverwinter. From this rift erupted massive gouts of Spellplague, followed by armies of plaguechanged creatures. The Chasm eventually came to be guarded by Scar Company, made up of those spellscarred citizens of Neverwinter who chose a life of service instead of being sent to the Helm's Hold Sanitarium. The Order of Blue Fire took a particular interest in the Chasm, claiming large swaths of it in the name of their mysterious new master. Alarmed by this, Scar Company - whose ranks now included Josef and Dorothea Linkletter - called upon the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge to descend into the depths of the Chasm, fighting plaguechanged creatures and blue fire cultists alike. As the heroes descended, they discovered that the Spellplague had weakened the barriers between the Material Plane and the Far Realm, allowing aberrations to seep through. When they finally reached the bottom, they discovered that the true identity of the Chasm's master - the same master that had earlier aided Rhazzad in unleashing the Spellplague on Neverwinter - was a powerful aboleth overseer named A'Drx'l. After a mighty battle, the monstrosity was slain.
In Rothé Valley, drow slavers from House Xorlarrin suddenly emerged from the Underdark and began attacking the farms, killing or enslaving everyone in sight. Curiously, rather than a quick raid for slaves to take back into the Underdark, the drow instead began building a city on the surface, calling it New Xorlarrin. From this settlement, webs of dark magic began to creep out into the sky, slowly expanding outward. The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge investigated and, finding that the web was part of Lolth's attempt to take control of the Weave in Mystra's absence, put an end to the ritual.
When Mount Hotenow erupted in 1451 DR, an exiled fire giant who dwelt on its slopes felt the power of the primordial Maegra. Dedicating himself to her, he formed a cult of fire-worshiping creatures, seeking to fully reawaken her so that she might set all of Faerûn ablaze. So great was Gommoth's might that he even gained an alliance with the red dragon Karrundax, who made Mount Hotenow her lair. Ultimately, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge slew both Karrundax and Gommoth, preventing Maegra's return.
After their defeat in Rothé Valley, the drow of House Xorlarrin retreated to an area of the Northdark known as the Whispering Caverns, reclaiming the abandoned city of Zesraena and mounting a search for the lost dwarf city of Gauntlgrym. Though they found the Doors of Delzoun, they were unable to open them, and were defeated by the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge.
In doing so, however, it was discovered that the drow had made an alliance with illithids, receiving weapons in exchange for guarding the mines operated by the illithids' duergar thralls. Since the illithid had never been known to frequent this part of the Underdark, it drew considerable scrutiny. Further investigation revealed a massive, disturbing structure known as the Iron Heart that appeared to be their objective. Venturing inside the bizarre, unsettling structure, the truth was finally revealed to the heroes: it had been created thousands of years ago, when the duergar first rose up against the illithid, to imprison the illithids' Elder brain itself. Known as Yshiggol, this horrific creature very nearly knew freedom once more until it was slain by the heroes.
Having grown considerably in strength since their last encounter with Valindra, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge set out to finish what they started at the beginning of their adventure. Entering Castle Never, which had been taken over by the lich, the heroes battled through armies of undead and some of Valindra's most powerful servants. Though they succeeded not only in retaking the castle but also destroying the dracolich Azharzel, Valindra eluded them.
Fun fact: The game's prologue begins with Valindra's forces attacking Neverwinter for the second time, and you have to stop them, and throughout the game there are various evil forces that threaten Neverwinter and its allies, not just those allied with Valindra
Fun fact #2: In Protector's Enclave, there is a street named "Deekin Street," a reference to the kobold bard companion Deekin Scalesinger from Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark.
Fun fact #3: The Doomguide named Volahk, who appears in Neverwinter's graveyard in this game is mentioned in Baldur's Gate 3.
Fun fact #4: The succubus Rohini "predicted" the return of Helm to earn the trust of the inhabitants of Helm's Hold. Albeit unintentionally, her predictions turned to be true, as Helm was resurrected during the Second Sundering.
Fun fact #5: Back in 2013, when I was playing this game, I managed to defeat Hrimnir by myself! After my team and I brought Hrimnir to below half of his health, my whole party got killed except me. Yes, I was afraid that I would lose the fight battling Hrimnir alone, but I found an effective strategy to beat him. I had my human Fighter beat Hrminir by stabbing him once, running around clockwise around him to avoid getting swarmed and attacked by his spawned allies, come back around to him and stab him while using potions to heal myself. My team couldn't come back and assist me because of the transparent wall preventing them from coming back into Hrimnir's fighting arena, but they could watch me fight him and his spawns alone, and most of them were cheering me on. I gained a lot of respect that day, defeating a dungeon delve boss on my own. I'll never forget that day.
Fun fact #6: The "Enow" in the name Hotenow is an archaic version of the modern English word enough. Hence, Hotenow may be a pun on "Hot Enough", as in the idiomatic American phrase, "Hot enough for you?"
Fun fact #7: The few clerics of Helm in Helm's Hold claim that Helm died decades ago. But there are no novels that cover that event, but according to "The Grand History of the Realms" book, way back in 1384 DR, while Helm was delivering messages from Tyr to Tymora during the two's courtship, a misunderstanding suddenly came up causing Tyr to believe that Tymora's romantic feelings had shifted over to Helm, angering Tyr and causing him to challenge Helm to a sword duel over who gets to be Tymora's lover. Helm lost during the duel and died. There are rumors however, that Cyric might have instigated the conflict between Helm and Tyr.
"The Rose of Sarifal" (By Paulina Claiborne) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Cloaked in mist and layered in magic, the denizens of Moonshae Isles move in secret circles as capricious rulers vie for power.
High Lady Ordalf wanted her niece, the princess known as the Rose of Sarifal, dead. Instead, the young regent was secreted away by the high lady’s opponents. For years the eladrin queen of Gwynneth Isle has searched for evidence of her niece's death, and word has finally come in the form of a castaway's tale. The princess lives on the island of Moray - a mad beauty who leads a nation of lycanthropes.
As long as her niece is alive, Lady Ordalf cannot rest secure in her claim to the throne. Enlisting a band of adventurers to seek out the princess is the first step toward stemming the Rose of Sarifal and her tide of wolves. Will those heroes see the same threat the queen sees in the beautiful young maiden?
"Whisper of Venom" of the Brotherhood of the Griffon series (By Richard Lee Byers) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: The Mad King Returns! Aoth Fezim and the Brotherhood of the Griffon succeeded in rescuing Tchazzar, the lost king of Chessenta and a formidable red dragon. Upon his return Tchazzar rewards them greatly, sends them back to the front lines—and names himself a god. Increasingly erratic in the war against the powerful dracolich, Tchazzar begins to move in ways that make Aoth Fezim suspicious that the Brotherhood may be just a pawn in a cutthroat draconic game that puts whole kingdoms at risk—a game played for a stakes of gold and blood.
Realms of the Dead story "The Bone Bird" (By Jaleigh Johnson) (Mirtul "May" 1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Set in the village of Lendris in early Mirtul of the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, "The Bone Bird" follows the story of Bromar, an experienced cleric of Chauntea. He and his mentor are sent a request for aid by the village of Lendris, who were having problems with an undead monster of some sort attacking each night. Though the village isn't far from their home in Baldur's Gate, it takes them nearly a tenday to make the journey due to the failing health of the older Chauntean, Relwin, who dies less than a day from the town.
"The Spectral Blaze" of the Brotherhood of the Griffon series (By Richard Lee Byers) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Aoth and the Brotherhood of the Griffon have succeeded in rescuing Tchazzar, the lost king of Chessenta and a formidable red dragon, and are rewarded with a contract to aid in his war with a powerful dracolich. But the more Aoth sees of the war, the more suspicious he becomes that the Brotherhood may be just a pawn in a cutthroat draconic game that puts whole kingdoms at risk—a game played for stakes of gold and blood. And the more he sees the game play out, the more he realizes that he will have to become a player in this most dangerous of games if he wants the Realms to remain free.
"The Masked Witches" of the Brotherhood of the Griffon series (By Richard Lee Byers) ((release date: January 1st 2011), (in-universe date: 1479 DR))
Story synopsis: Aoth Fezim and his mercenary company have restored their tarnished reputation and attracted new recruits for their depleted ranks. But they still have one big problem. Too many griffon mounts were killed in the battles in Thay and Chessenta. If the Brotherhood of the Griffon is to be more than a name, new mounts must be found. As it happens, the masked witches in Rashemen have griffons available to a worthy few who can slay the undead that are committing atrocities throughout the land. Aoth volunteers his band, as do other groups who are in the market for the fighting beasts. But things are not as they seem. Epic battles between rival sellswords, berserkers, and aerial skyships punctuate this whirlwind tale set in a barbaric land of oracles, nature spirits, and talking animals.
Fun fact: Aoth Fezim, the human main character of this novel, is of Mulan descent like the Red Wizard Safiya from "Neverwinter Nights 2 Mask of the Betrayer", and he hasn't aged a day since the Spellplague.
"Prophet of the Dead" of the Brotherhood of the Griffon series (By Richard Lee Byers) ((release date: February 5th 2013), (in-universe date: 1479 DR))
Story synopsis: Jhesrhi called for fire. It leaped forth from the core of her, flowed down the inside of her arm, and sprang forth from the head of her brazen staff. She felt satisfaction that the thing that had spoken, whatever it was, couldn't smother her power. But then it came out of the dark, and dread pierced her like a knife. She flinched back a step, and so did her companions. Her gilded mace clutched in her hand and blond curls sticking out from under the rim of her helmet, Cera let out a gasp.
Story synopsis: After a hundred years, Jack Ravenwild—thief, sorcerer, scoundrel, and accidental hero—is released from a magical confinement, only to fall into the hands of the marquise Dresimil Chûmavh, ruler of an exiled drow clan who sees an opportunity in Jack. Through guile and subterfuge, the wily Jack escapes the drow to discover a new world waiting in his old stomping grounds, Raven's Bluff, a city equally abounding in fortune and danger. Unfortunately for Jack, he is best at stirring up the latter. His former archenemy the Warlord Myrkyssa Jelan is at large, and she isn't the type to forgive and forget. And worst of all, the drow aren't done with Jack and they mean to get him back.
Fun fact: This novel was part of the D&D event "Rise of the Underdark"
Realms of the Dead story "Wandering Stones" (By Bruce R. Cordell) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Set in early Eleasias of the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, "Wandering Stones" follows the adventure of Jada as she tries to discover who she really is. The man she thought was her father, Shander Harimdor, has recently died and has left her a chest containing within it a journal. This journal, entitled Dragonheir Clans, contains the history and known genealogy of Dragonheirs—those who are rumored to be able to control dragons. It also mentions that Jada is the only known survivor of the Marlserpent clan, who have been known to produce heirs with similar abilities, and that Shander adopted Jada when she was less than a year old.
"Vault of the Dracolich" 5th edition tabletop adventure (By Teos Albadia, Scott Fitzgerald Gray and Michael E. Shea) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Deep in the forest of Cormanthor lies the hoard of the dracolich Dretchroyaster, the prize of which is a diamond staff rumored to unlock the secrets of an ancient elven kingdom. The sage Imani is seeking dozens of adventurers to launch an all-out assault on the undead dragon's lair. The dracolich is a powerful foe - too great for even several parties to conquer - so it's going to take all of the heroes' courage, cunning, and speed to survive the dracolich's deadly vault.
"Search for the Diamond Staff" tabletop adventure (By Richard Baker) (1479 DR, not long after Vault of the Dracolich)
Story synopsis: The Diamond Staff of Chomylla, an artifact with the power to unlock the mysteries of an ancient elven civilization, has at long last been found. When orcs steal the staff, though, it’s up to a group of heroes to stop them. Why orcs should want the staff is anyone’s guess, and the quest to find the truth might well lead the adventurers across the Dalelands and into the depths of the lost library-vaults of Uvaeren.
"Mistshore" of the Waterdeep series (By Jaleigh Johnson) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: A rotting, ramshackle pile of sunken ships rigged together.
Home to the monstrous, the lawless, and the violent.
Even the Watch fear to cross into MISTSHORE.
Waterdeep is a city teeming with life. Thousands of busy people daily seeking to eke out livings in a wealthy crossroads port. In Mistshore, Jaleigh Johnson vividly brings that life off the page for every reader, taking us into the lives of some fascinating individuals who are part of the shadier side of Waterdhavian life. From the eerie, rotting ships in the city harbor to our first sinister glimpses of the neighborhood of Downshadow, Waterdeep comes alive.
Readers will remember Icelin and Ruen long after they finish this superb novel. A great read!
"Downshadow" third novel of the Waterdeep series, first novel of the Shadowbane series (By Erik Scott de Bie) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: A dangerous, subterranean labyrinth haunted by outlaws and monsters.
The upper reaches of the legendary Undermountain.
The only law is that of the sword in
Downshadow.
Ever wondered what it's really like to be a paladin? A holy knight, struggling to live in a very unholy city? A city crowded with tempting women who take a great interest in you, and old enemies increasingly thirsty for your doom?
Downshadow shows you, in a tale packed with battles, betrayals, sticky situations, lurking foes... and the deadly rooms and passages of Waterdeep's most dangerous neighborhood of all: Downshadow, beneath the cobbles and cellars and the sewers that underlie them.
"City of the Dead" of the Waterdeep series (By Rosemary Jones) (1479 DR excluding the prologue which was set in 1467 DR)
Story synopsis: Something is causing trouble in the City of the Dead, and Sophraea Carver, born and bred next to the historic graveyard, is determined to solve the mystery before it places all of Waterdeep in peril.
"Blades for Daggerdale" (a tabletop adventure game) (By Matthias Schäfer) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Regular attacks by creatures of the wild turn life in Daggerdale into a nightmare. So when mercenaries offer protection for a fee, does it matter that these were the old enemies of the past?
"The God Catcher" of the Waterdeep series (By Erin M. Evans) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: A fallen statue, caught in the cobbles of the city it tried first to save, and then to destroy.
Hollowed out, built over, and rented in pieces as apartments.
Dreams heavy with prophecy emanate from
The God Catcher
Tennora Hedare wants to master wizardry at the House of Wonder and forge a life in the bustling City of Waterdeep. Her plans are unfolding admirably until a madwoman arrives at the God Catcher, where Tennora has rented a room, and screams for the landlady—soon demonstrating she's more than a crazy woman with strong lungs. Quite a lot more.
Story synopsis: When the goddess of magic Mystra was murdered, Elminster's world shattered. Once the most powerful wizard in the world, immortal, beloved of the goddess of magic, and the bane of villainy, he is now a tired old man. He is powerful but mortal, and with all the enemies a man who makes a habit of saving the world tends to accumulate. To make matters worse, Elminster has needs—feeding powerful magic items to the Simbul, his lover, is the only thing that keeps her sane—but their increasingly risky collection leads his enemies right to him.
Story synopsis: Elminster's archenemy, the vampiric Lord Manshoon, thinks he has destroyed Elminster at last. But Elminster survives in the form of magical ash, and with the help of his scion, Arclath Delcastle, a fop who is growing into a true nobleman, and his longtime companion Storm Silverhand, he still has a chance to counter Manshoon's insidious plots.
Story synopsis: Commanded by the vestige of Mystra to work together, Manshoon and Elminster engage instead in a ferocious battle that sends the Sage plummeting into the Underdark as a cloud of ashes. Elminster soon inhabits the body of a fallen dark elf, so that he can begin carrying out Mystra's orders to rally Cormyr's Wizards of War, seek blueflame items to mend immense rifts throughout the Realms that are releasing deadly monsters, and prevent the ancient primordials from rising and unleashing their rage. But his sworn archenemy, Manshoon, has plans as well: to conquer Cormyr and be the new emperor, and hunt down the Sage's clones. The battles are fierce, the stakes have never been higher, and the fate of Cormyr is on the line. Meanwhile, War Wizards are being mysteriously assassinated...
Story synopsis: Child of prophecy? Harbinger of Doom?
Zaltys is a girl like any other to grow up ranging the jungles of the Southern Lluirwood. She’s a crack shot with a bow and no stranger to the dangers that lurk beneath the deep forest canopy.
On expedition with her family to harvest the forbidden terazul flower, a powerful drug that has gathered many a dreamer into its narcotic embrace, Zaltys is about to unearth a truth long buried by the feculent loam of deception. As the veil is lifted on the world Zaltys thought she knew, a pathway to the Underdark promises the answers her family never gave. Venturing forth in search of truth, Zaltys finds betrayal to be a much easier quarry. But it will take more than a lode of lies to quell the venom in her veins.
"The Fanged Crown" of The Wilds series (By Jenna Helland) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Tethyrian colonists sent to the jungle island of Chult have vanished and only their celebrated leader has returned. The story he tells of disease and monsters rings false to his enemies—a former mutineer is sent to discover what really happened to the Lost Colony, and what the Hero of Tethyr is hiding.
"The Restless Shore" of The Wilds series (By James P. Davis) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: AKANÛL
The Mere-That-Was nurses the nightmare children of the Spellplague. Along the dry lake bed, monsters unlike anything in Toril haunt the landscape. From the depths of the wilds, an eerie hymm draws strange disciples to the lair of one plaguechanged child.
Its hypnotic song urges them to seek the key to completing the lullaby: a new voice.
A trio of strangers must trust each other as they chase the cult of the Choir—and the girl they've taken—through the wilds of Akanûl.
"Sword of the Gods" (By Bruce R. Cordell) (All chapters except the prologue (prologue is set in 1374 DR) are in 1479 DR)
Story synopsis: What you don't know will kill you... Demascus awakens surrounded by corpses, at a shrine littered with traces of demonic rituals, with no memory of his past. But the Firestorm Cabal remembers him—and the demon who leads them seems to have a personal vendetta against him. Dodging knives, uncovering clues left by his past life, and dueling demons, Demascus must figure out who he is, what battles he is fighting, and who is hunting him before one of them catches up with him.
"Sword of the Gods: Spinner of Lies" (By Bruce R. Cordell) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Memories of his past incarnations haunt Demascus, even as he searches for stolen portraits that contain the trapped the souls of demigods. Meanwhile, drow creep beneath the city of Airspur, intent on precipitating war between Akanûl and a rival nation. As Demascus attempts to win freedom from the ghost of his murdered lover, he agrees to thwart the drows' secret scheme, sending him on a trail that stretches between the Demonweb Pits, Airspur, and an island that appears on no map.
Story synopsis: On the border of a dangerous, magically unstable area called the Plaguewrought Lands, the leader of a cult seeking the spread of this wild magic and an alchemist who wants to control it join forces and create an elixir that allows pilgrims to survive the Plaguewrought Lands. But only one can succeed. A young man with strange powers and a priestess of the god of death will help determine who.
"Spider and Stone" (An ebook novel by Jaleigh Johnson) (1479 DR) (This is the last book that ties into the D&D event Rise of the Underdark)
Story synopsis: Lolth—patron deity of the drow, Spider Queen, regent of the Demon Web Pits—has once again stirred the dark elves into roiling aggression against the rest of Faerûn, reveling in the chaos born from her dark schemata. This is the Rise of the Underdark.
In Iltkazar, the last subterranean kingdom of the once resplendent dwarven realm of Shanatar, King Mith Barak faces a siege of drow soldiers, spies, and assassins looking to seize the powerful city and the ancient magical artifacts hidden there. Somewhere in the city, the Arcane Script Sphere—a mystical orb touched by Mystra, the long-dead goddess magic—calls out to heroes and adventurers, beckoning with whispers of power and knowledge. Mith Barak hears it and knows he cannot hold the artifact much longer, but fears what the drow may do with it.
Enter Icelin, Ruen, and Sull, Waterdavian wanderers whose desire to understand their own spellscars sets them in search of Mystran mysteries—they hope to understand magic and thus understand its plague. As they move from town to town, city to city in search of knowledge, Icelin hears the siren call of the Arcane Script Sphere, and it draws the trio deep into rocks of the Underdark where they find themselves at the center of the struggle between the dwarves and drow.
Only King Mith Barak can initiate them into the mysteries they hope to illuminate. But first they must help him with a mystery of his own—a dark elf assassin, himself a seeker of the sphere, lies in Iltkazar's dungeons shrouded in the mystery and magic of Lolth. Icelin might be the one to see past that shroud and determine the true goal of the Spider Queen's schemes.
As the dark elves intensify their attacks, the trio realizes their quest for knowledge has taken them into a new and dangerous realm . . . a realm dictated by the whims of spider and stone.
"Sandstorm" (By Cristopher Rowe) ((Release date: March 1st, 2011) (In-universe date of novel: 1479 DR))
Story synopsis: A hero rises from the ranks of slaves! The genasi control almost all of Calimshan for their djinn overlords--all but a few outposts like the floating Island of the Free, where escaped slaves from Calimport's coliseum run their own brutal games. There, Cephas, a genasi with no memories of his past has spent his entire life fighting. But one day a circus of misfits, lead by the crowlike Corvus Nightfeather appear and free Cephas--and for the first time Cephas can harness his inborn powers and control the ground beneath his feet.
Realms of the Dead story "Dusty Bones" (By Rosemary Jones) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Set in the City of the Dead in Waterdeep, "Dusty Bones" follows a day in the life of Leaplow Carver. His family had been in charge of maintaining the city's graveyards for centuries, and Leaplow had been left in charge of surveying the grounds for needed repairs and monitoring his cousin Fitnor Carver, who had only recently connected with his family and joined the family business.
"Unbroken Chain" (By Jaleigh Johnson) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: A hero trapped on the edge of light and dark...
Ashok is a shadar-kai of the Shadowfell who is brought to the city of Ikemmu, a haven of shadar-kai who have learned to use their fierce need for adrenalin and danger to better their city and their civilization. Although he starts out eager to find the weaknesses in the strange city’s armor and return with them to his vicious enclave, Ashok finds himself drawn in by the city.
As he struggles to find a balance for himself, his family finds the a way to bring down the city on the Shadowfell’s border.
Realms of the Dead story "A Body in a Bag" (By Erik Scott de Bie) (1479 DR)
"Acquisitions Inc. D&D Podcast Season 1 Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8" ("Keep on the Shadowfell" adventure) (1479 DR)
Story synopsis: The town of Winterhaven stands watch over a ruined keep that was once a bastion of good in the realm. This keep overlooks the Shadow Rift, a dark scar in the world that was once a gateway to the Shadowfell but has been dormant for many years. Now, an evil cleric of Orcus, Demon Lord of the Undead, seeks to re-open the gate, and the only thing standing in his way is Acquisitions Inc. CEO Omin Dran and employees Jim Darkmagic and Binwin Bronzebottom.
Fun fact: Since the characters of Acquisitions Inc. officially exist in the Forgotten Realms, especially Omin Dran, I've decided to include their podcasts and games at PAX in the chronology.
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"Blackstaff Tower" of the Waterdeep series (By Steven E. Schend) (Between Marpenoth 20 and Nightal 20 (October 20th) and (December 20th) 1479 DR)
story synopsis: The seat of arcane power, where the Archmage of Waterdeep holds his court. A dark monolith where the rules of reality do not apply.
All Waterdeep rests in the shade of BLACKSTAFF TOWER.
In Blackstaff, a man who helmed the FORGOTTEN REALMS for years tackled an epic tale of the famous wizard Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun–and wrote an instant classic.
In Blackstaff Tower, Steven Schend delves once more into the lore and wizardry of the Realms, and spins a tale that is a "must" for all who hold Waterdeep dear, and want to know what goes on behind the masks many folk in the FORGOTTEN REALMS wear. Pay much attention to the man behind the curtain!
Realms of the Dead story "A Prayer for Brother Robert" (By Philip Athans) (Mid-Nightal "Mid-December" 1479 DR)
Story synopsis: Set in mid-Nightal in the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, "A Prayer for Brother Robert" follows the story of Jillea, a recently returned native of Dagger Falls, and Brother Robert, an Amaunatori cleric from the House of the Keeper there. With her daughter, Jillea fled the home she inherited from her grandfather to the temple after her daughter was attacked by a swarm of dismembered hands. The frightened but duty-bound priest returned with her to her home, only to discover that she lived in what the inhabitants of the town called the Northwall Deathhouse for its reputation as a haunted house.
"Spider and Stone" ebook novel (By Jaleigh Johnson) ((release date: November 6th, 2012), (in-universe date: possibly 1480 DR, likely after "Mistshore"))
story synopsis: Lolth—patron deity of the drow, Spider Queen, regent of the Demon Web Pits—has once again stirred the dark elves into roiling aggression against the rest of Faerûn, reveling in the chaos born from her dark schemata. This is the Rise of the Underdark.
In Iltkazar, the last subterranean kingdom of the once resplendent dwarven realm of Shanatar, King Mith Barak faces a siege of drow soldiers, spies, and assassins looking to seize the powerful city and the ancient magical artifacts hidden there. Somewhere in the city, the Arcane Script Sphere—a mystical orb touched by Mystra, the long-dead goddess magic—calls out to heroes and adventurers, beckoning with whispers of power and knowledge. Mith Barak hears it and knows he cannot hold the artifact much longer, but fears what the drow may do with it.
Enter Icelin, Ruen, and Sull, Waterdavian wanderers whose desire to understand their own spellscars sets them in search of Mystran mysteries—they hope to understand magic and thus understand its plague. As they move from town to town, city to city in search of knowledge, Icelin hears the siren call of the Arcane Script Sphere, and it draws the trio deep into rocks of the Underdark where they find themselves at the center of the struggle between the dwarves and drow. Only King Mith Barak can initiate them into the mysteries they hope to illuminate. But first they must help him with a mystery of his own—a dark elf assassin, himself a seeker of the sphere, lies in Iltkazar's dungeons shrouded in the mystery and magic of Lolth. Icelin might be the one to see past that shroud and determine the true goal of the Spider Queen's schemes.
As the dark elves intensify their attacks, the trio realizes their quest for knowledge has taken them into a new and dangerous realm . . . a realm dictated by the whims of spider and stone.
"Escape from Sembia" tabletop adventure game (By Chris Tulach) (possibly 1480 DR)
Story synopsis: "You weren’t looking for trouble in civilized lands, just some good adventuring leads. Before you knew what was really happening, you wound up in the middle of an information exchange, and now you have to escape from the lands of Sembia to preserve your very lives! Off the beaten path to shake any pursuers, you take to the wilds in the hope that you’ll reach a safe haven before you’re captured."
"Circle of Skulls" of the Waterdeep series (By James P. Davis) (1480 DR)
Story synopsis: Murderers with no memory of the identical, ritualistic assassinations they performed.
Murdering that continues even after the killers have been captured.
Murders that always happen in the
Circle of Skulls
Much that is dark and grim goes on behind closed doors in Waterdeep. This is a book that throws open such doors, and takes the reader through mounting violence and corruption, into a thrilling chase through secrets and long-brewing deviltry, toward a confrontation that will shake the largely unwitting City of Splendors to its proverbial sewers and hidden sacrificial altars.
"Shadowbane" of the Shadowbane series (By Erik Scott de Bie) (1480 DR)
Story synopsis: Shadowbane is the second in the Shadowbane series of standalone novels by Erik Scott de Bie that follow the adventures of Kalen Dren. It is also the last in the line of novels (both D&D and Forgotten Realms) associated with the worlds-spanning Abyssal Plague event.
Fun fact: Sword of the Gods and Shadowbane are the only two novels that detail the Abyssal Plague event in the Forgotten Realms setting. The first five novels are set in the Nentir Vale, and one is set in Athas, the planet of the Dark Sun setting.
"Acquisitions Inc. D&D Podcast Season 2 Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8" (Summer 1480 DR)
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"Unbroken Chain: The Darker Road" (By Jaleigh Johnson) (1480 DR)
Story synopsis: Out of nightmares and shadows
The witch Ilvani's nightmares of a storm and a suffering soul are luring shadow monsters into the shadar-kai city of Ikemmu, bent on hunting her down and killing her for reasons no one can ascertain.
Into the heart of the storm
Ashok, one of the thrill-seeking shadar-kai imbued with the power of shadow, is determined to find a way to stop it before the shadow monsters destroy the city he worked so hard to save. But the trail leads him and his companions far from Ikkemu and the Shadowfell.
The only thing thicker than darkness is blood
The companions find themselves deep in the frozen kingdom of Rashemen, where similarly strange attacks are happening among the secretive masked witches of the steppes. Picking apart the threads, they chance into a history as bloody and unforgiving as their own, the untangling of which may solve both Ikkemu and Rashemon's plights.
"Shadowbane: Eye of Justice" of the Shadowbane series (By Erik Scott de Bie) (story continues into 1480 DR after the prologue)
Story synopsis: The tale of a never-say-die hero struggling against the forces of evil in a world full of peril. Kalen Dren, the vigilante paladin who calls himself Shadowbane, has turned his back on a life of crime and selfishness to chart a new course with the aid of the sword Vindicator, once wielded by the vanished God of Guardians himself. He will face legions of enemies and ultimately struggle with his own dualistic nature: the bright, goodly paladin and the dark, pragmatic assassin.
"Web of the Spider Queen" 4th edition tabletop adventure game (By Logan Bonner) (1480 DR)
Story synopsis: Long past are the days when drow ruled over Shadowdale from the Twisted Tower—or are they? Beneath the sleepy farming community, an old evil stirs. The drow and their foul Underdark minions have set eyes on the Dalelands, but to what end is anyone’s guess. Now, it’s up to an unlikely band of adventurers to defend Shadowdale from the drow threat and learn what Lolth and her villainous followers are up to. Success means a respite from danger. Failure could doom the surface world.
"Acquisitions Inc. Season 5 Full PAX West (Prime) 2010" (1481 DR)
Fun fact: The reason why the 4th season of Acquisitions Inc got skipped over is because it is not set in the Forgotten Realms, it is set in the Dark Sun campaign setting.
"Acquisitions Inc. Season 6 Full PAX Prime 2011" (1481 DR)
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (The main module ends in 1481 DR, and Module 1: "Fury of the Feywild" begins in 1481 DR)
story synopsis: Valindra's reach extended even beyond Toril. She made a deal with the fomorian king, Malabog, in the Feywild: in exchange for destroying New Sharandar, Valindra gave to him a blue dragon named Fulminorax and a blue Orb of Dragonkind with which to control it. Malabog's dark fey army quickly overran much of New Sharandar, and even corrupted a moon elf warrior named Celadaine. The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, must aid the elves of Iliyanbruen in retaking New Sharandar and slay both Malabog and his dragon.
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 1: "Fury of the Feywild" ends in 1482 DR, Module 2: "Shadowmantle" begins and ends in 1482 DR)
Story synopsis: While the elves of New Sharandar were busy dealing with Malabog, Valindra's Thayan armies established a brand new Dread Ring within the Neverwinter Woods that is different from the previous Dread Ring 20 years ago. There, she sought to raise the ancient black dragon, Lorragauth, as a massive dracolich. Neverwinter raised a massive army, known as the Neverwinter Vanguard, which penetrated the Dread Ring and set up a base camp to fight back against the Red Wizards. The Neverwinter Vanguard also received unexpected aid from a group of renegade Red Wizards known as the Thayan Resurrection. Led by Rath Modar, this group of Red Wizards was exiled from Thay for speaking out against Szass Tam. With the help of their allies, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge must defeat the Thayans and destroy Valindra herself to send her soul back to her phylactery.
Fun fact: In the climactic end mission of Module 2, you get to fight Valindra Shadowmantle herself, and believe me, she doesn't go down easily, you'll need a full group of other players to face her. Then again, no lich goes down easy
"Acquisitions Inc. Season 8 D&D Podcast "Ark of the Mad Mage" Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8" (1482 DR)
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"Murder in Baldur's Gate" The Sundering Tabletop Adventure #1 (Created by Ed Greenwood, Matt Sernett and Steve Winter) (1482 DR)
Story synopsis: Though the time of the Bhaalspawn is 100 years long gone, Bhaal's legacy still walks Faerun after all that time. Despite what happened in the end of Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal, two Bhaalspawn remain alive on Faerun who still have Bhaal's essence inside their bodies: Viekang and Abdel Adrian. Viekang is the human child of Bhaal who survived Bhaalspawn fire giant Yaga Shura's attack on Saradush during the events of Throne of Bhaal. Abdel Adrian is a human child of Bhaal who is as tall as Minsc and Wulfgar (before he reincarnated as Hrolf) and has served the Flaming Fist for the past 100 years and is hailed as a hero for stopping a coup conducted by former Grand Duke Valarken, and recently elected as a Grand Duke. Viekang arrives in Baldur's Gate with the intent of killing Grand Duke Abdel Adrian, and when they clash, whoever survives transforms into The Slayer, and then a group of adventurers must kill the victor, and what follows next is a series of murders in Baldur's Gate that will lead up to the return of Bhaal himself. Can the adventurers stop Bhaal's return before it is too late?
Fun fact: This tabletop game ties in directly with the Baldur's Gate games, with Abdel Adrian, the much hated protagonist of the Baldur's Gate novels as one of the NPCs, and even Coran, the womanizing elf is in this game too, and the game's story ends with the inevitable resurrection of Bhaal. The fact that Abdel lived more than 100 years before he gets killed by Viekang, even though he chose not to ascend to godhood and gave up his Bhaalspawn essence at the end of the Throne of Bhaal novel is clear proof that Imoen and the Baldur's Gate game protagonist "Gorion's Ward" can live that long too even if he/she is human, half-orc or some other race with a short lifespan compared to elves, half-elves, halflings, gnomes and dwarves, and chooses to give up his/her Bhaalspawn essence and remain mortal at the end of the Throne of Bhaal game. Being a Bhaalspawn guarantees a longer lifespan, it seems. That means if Imoen appears in Baldur's Gate 3, she would look like a healthy 74 year old woman when she would technically be more than 100 years old.
Fun fact #3: D&D Next statistics state that Viekang knows the language of the elves, not just Common, and he is a level 1 Fighter and a level 3 Rogue.
Fun fact #4: In retrospect, to those of you who have not read into this deeply, this tabletop game proves that Abdel was not the Baldur's Gate game protagonist Gorion's Ward, and the Baldur's Gate official novelizations are not canon after all. In the Throne of Bhaal novel, Abdel chose not to ascend to godhood, he gave up Bhaal's essence in his body to the Solar to remain mortal. But in Murder in Baldur's Gate, he STILL possesses Bhaal's essence in his body, otherwise Viekang's efforts to be the last living Bhaalspawn would be in vain, and he would have never turned into the Slayer if Viekang ends up getting killed instead of Abdel. The only possible explanation why Abdel still has Bhaal's essence in his body is because he was not involved in the events of the Baldur's Gate games. And besides, Viekang never appeared in the novelizations, only the games. After Imoen gave up her portion of Bhaal's essence and the player customized Gorion's Ward canonically refused godhood (Don't get mad and start telling me your headcanon, if he/she accepted godhood, the pantheon of gods known in Faerun would be drastically changed, and Cyric would possibly lose his Lord of Murder title to Gorion's Ward if he/she were evil aligned, which never happened as Cyric still was the Lord of Murder when he and Shar caused the Spellplague), the only Bhaalspawn left alive in the lands Faerun in this age were Abdel and Viekang. Throughout the Baldur's Gate games, Gorion's Ward's reputation of heroism doesn't last long whether he/she is good aligned or not. The ending of "Siege of Dragonspear" clearly sets up the player's Gorion's Ward in becoming a disgraced hero whether you like it or not (Safana wanted to kill Gorion's Ward in Shadows of Amn over a bounty on his/her head despite Coran's protests, and the Bhaalspawn fire giant Yaga Shura did not claim Gorion's Ward is known as "The Terror of the Sword Coast" for nothing). All of this would force the authorities of Baldur's Gate to cut the player's hero loose and appoint Abdel Adrian as the hero of Baldur's Gate who killed Sarevok even if he had no involvement in fighting the the iron crisis, the Grand Dukes would alter the history books to make Abdel look like the true hero. This is how the game version of Gorion's Ward, who was possibly a male or female human/elf/half-elf/gnome/dwarf/halfling/half-orc could canonically exist alongside the canon ward of Gorion, Abdel Adrian. Abdel like in the novelization, departed Candlekeep a few years before 1368 DR, leaving Gorion to raise only Imoen and the player's customized character up until the events of the Baldur's Gate game, but in the end, Abdel Adrian gets famous for acts of heroism he didn't do while the player customized Gorion's Ward's acts of heroism fades into obscurity in the eyes of the people of Baldur's Gate. Sometimes the true heroes never end up getting the credit they deserve.
Fun fact: Chris Perkins makes it clear this season of Acquisitions Inc. is not long after "Murder of Baldur's Gate", dressing up as Bhaal and mentioning Abdel's death and all, and Omin Dran becoming a masked lord of Waterdeep in the end of this season is canon in Forgotten Realms D&D lore. I still find that amazing.
"The Last Threshold" and "The Companions" end in 1484 DR (Technically "The Companions" story begins in 1484 where "The Last Threshold" ends with with Drizzt Do'Urden mortally wounded on Bruenor's Climb on Kelvin's Cairn in Icewind Dale.)
"Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter" comic book series issue #1 "Birthright", issue #2 "The Lost Child", issue #3 "Sword, Wielder", issue #4 "A Dark Path" issue #5 "Homecoming" (comic books written by R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore, art by David Baldeon, colors by David Garcia Cruz, letters by Neil Uyetake, cover art by Steve Ellis) (1484 DR, before "Night of the Hunter")
Story synopsis: BIRTHRIGHT! Tierflin and Doum'weille are half-drow siblings, locked in competition for the ownership of the bloodthirsty sword Khazid'hea the Cutter! Their father, the Drow renegade Tos'un, a veteran of battles against the Kingdom of Many-Arrows-is forced to choose his heir... but what does the powerful sword have to say on the subject?
"Night of the Hunter" of the Companions Codex series (By R.A. Salvatore) (1484 DR)
Story synopsis: Dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden returns to Gauntlgrym with old friends by his side once again, as they seek to rescue Bruenor's loyal shield dwarf-turned-vampire Thibbledorf Pwent. But not only do Drizzt and his allies face a perilous journey through the Underdark and the dangers of the undead that lie within, but they must cross through a colony of drow, who would like nothing better than to see Drizzt Do'Urden dead.
"Rise of the King" of the Companions Codex series (By R.A. Salvatore) (1484 DR)
Story synopsis: As the Darkening settles across the land, the drow minions of Quenthel Baenre incite the frost giants of the Shining White and two white dragons, Arauthator and Aurbangras, to go to war against the Silver Marches alongside the orcs of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. This is all done, unbeknownst to any but the drow, for the glory of the Spider Queen in her quest to gain the domain of Mystra and get revenge against the renegade Drizzt Do'Urden.
"Council of Spiders" 4th edition tabletop adventure game (By James Wyatt and Logan Bonner) (1484 DR, during The Darkening)
Story synopsis: Lolth's avatar has come to Menzoberranzan, declaring her intent to spin a Demon Weave and gain control of arcane magic. The drow rush to aid her by retrieving ancient artifacts and channeling their power to Lolth. But in Menzoberranzan, the City of Intrigue, nothing is ever as simple as it seems. The Council of Spiders demands representation for wizards on the Ruling Council of the drow theocracy. Tension rises between priestesses and wizards in a drow battle of the sexes. Will the tension erupt into civil war? Which side will you choose?
Fun fact: At the climax of the book, there is a showdown between Mephistopheles, Rivalen, and Drasek Riven, each of whom held a part of Mask's divinity since 1374 DR. Drasek Riven won and claimed all three pieces and became Mask. Erevis Cale was rescued from Hell by Vasen Cale.
"War of Everlasting Darkness" 4th edition tabletop adventure game (By Shawn Merwin, Steve Townshend and James Wyatt) (1484 DR, after "Council of Spiders)
Story synopsis: Darkness spreads across Faerûn. Under this pall of shadow, the drow fight with impunity, protected from the harsh daylight. With every passing month, they conquer more territory and further Lolth's ultimate goal of becoming the Goddess of Magic.
"Storm Over Neverwinter" 4th edition tabletop adventure game (By Erik Scott de Bie) (1484 DR)
Story synopsis: The frontier city of Neverwinter has persevered in the face of calamity numerous times. Yet even as the city rebuilds, an insidious threat rises from within its walls. Neverwinter's citizens are succumbing to an inexplicable madness, while from the shadows, an evil cult of Asmodeus spins sinister plans. Unless a group of heroes rises to stop these perils, Neverwinter might face an even greater danger on the horizon.
Fun fact: The game references the events of The Darkening from "Night of the Hunter" and "Rise of the King"
"Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf" of the Companions Codex series (By R.A. Salvatore) (begins in 1484 DR)
Story synopsis: In the evolving world of the Forgotten Realms setting, the Sundering has given way to months of cloud-cloaked darkness, and war rages under that oppressive sky. The orcs have broken a hard-fought treaty that's held, however tentatively, for a hundred years, and the time to settle old scores has devolved into an all-out brawl for control of the ancient realms of the North.
"Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf" of the Companions Codex series ends in 1485 DR
"Legacy of the Crystal Shard" (The Sundering Tabletop Adventure #2) (Tabletop game created by R.A. Salvatore, James Wyatt and Jeffrey Ludwig) (1485 DR)
Story synopsis: The legacy of Crenshinibon is beginning to take root in Icewind Dale. When trouble arises, who will step forward to face the danger of Crenshinibon's legacy?
"Dungeons & Dragons Endless Quest: "Escape the Underdark" (By Matt Forebeck) (possibly 1485 DR, Sometime before "Sword Coast Legends" because the red dragon Themberchaud who appears in "Sword Coast Legends" optionally appears in this open choice novel)
Story synopsis: FIGHTER CAMPAIGN
You, a fighter classed human adventurer, awaken in an underground cell, stripped of your armor and your sword. Your fellow prisoners inform you that you're trapped in the Underdark, soon to be taken to the great drow city of Menzoberranzan and sold off as a slave! But word is that demons are stirring in the underworld's depth, and maybe you can use that to break free...
"Archmage" of the Homecoming series (By R.A. Salvatore) (1485 DR)
Story synopsis: The pall that had descended over the North is gone, and a new day has dawned on a victorious Mithral Hall, but no matter how bright things seem on the surface, Drizzt and his companions know that what lurks just under their feet remains steeped in evil and charged with unimaginable power.
The dark elves of Menzoberranzan, including the powerful Archmage Gromph, aren't done with Drizzt yet. And consumed by their own power struggles, feeling backed into a corner, the drow may just be desperate enough to call on demonic forces from the deepest reaches of the Abyss, and unleash a disaster even the Underdark could never have prepared for.
Fun fact: this novel explains how demons started appearing in the Underdark, building up to the Rage of Demons tabletop game events.
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 3: "Curse of Icewind Dale" begins and ends sometime after the month of Eleint in 1485 DR)
Story synopsis: In the month of Eleint in 1485 DR, a mysterious substance known as black ice was discovered in Icewind Dale. This substance could be forged into extremely powerful weapons and armor, but prolonged exposure had the side effect of driving people into violent, murderous rage. Nonetheless, its high value resulted in both the Ten Towns and the Arcane Brotherhood fighting over it.
The undead army of the long-dead wizard Akar Kessel (the same Akar Kessel from The Crystal Shard novel) began to rise once more, now empowered by black ice. The substance also drove the local Reghed barbarian and frost giant tribes into a frenzy. Ultimately, it was discovered by Akar Kessel himself had returned as an undead wight and was rebuilding his forces to continue the conquest he had begun before his death. To help counter this threat, Sergeant Knox sent the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge to recover artifacts of the Neverwinter Nine from a hidden vault beneath Castle Never. With these artifacts, the heroes must destroy Akar Kessel before he could lay waste to the region.
"Scourge of the Sword Coast" (The Sundering Tabletop Adventure #3) (Tabletop game created by Tito Leati, Matthew Sernett and Chris Sims) (1485 DR)
Story synopsis: Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle chronicled the efforts of the Red Wizards to unlock the power of elemental nodes located in an abandoned temple dedicated to the Princes of Elemental Evil. A gate to the Nine Hells lay open for some time, spewing devils and smoke. The heroes who closed the gate could not know it then, but amid the chaos of battle, another threat emerged. Now, savage humanoids are raiding the countryside around Daggerford, causing victims of their attacks to seek out the shelter of the town. Stressed from the weight of the refugees, it's up to a brave group of adventurers to end the raids and free Daggerford from its plight.
Fun fact: This adventure features the Red Wizards of Thay working alongside the pit fiend Baazka, who led the demonic forces during the second Dragonspear War 100 years ago.
"Out of the Abyss" tabletop game adventure (Published by Wizards of the Coast) (1485 DR sometime during the novel "Archmage")
Story synopsis: The Underdark is a subterranean wonderland, a vast and twisted labyrinth where fear reigns. It is the home of horrific monsters that have never seen the light of day. It is here that the dark elf Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan, casts a foul spell meant to ignite a magical energy that suffuses the Underdark and tears open portals to the demonic Abyss. What steps through surprises even him, and from that moment on, the insanity that pervades the Underdark escalates and threatens to shake the Forgotten Realms to its foundations. Stop the madness before it consumes you!
"Rage of Demons Adventurers League" Adventure story modules "Harried in Hillsfar", "Shackles of Blood", "The Occupation of Szith Morcaine", "It's All in the Blood" and "Bane of the Tradeways" (1485 DR)
"Dead in Thay" (The Sundering Tabletop Adventure #4) (Tabletop game created by Scott Fitzgerald Gray) (1485 DR)
Story synopsis: Szass Tam, the lich lord of Thay, and his Red Wizards threaten to dominate all of the Sword Coast. The Bloodgate, an elemental node of power, must be destroyed in order to stop him. This adventure is part two of the Dreams of the Red Wizards Sundering storyline, directly tied to Scourge of the Sword Coast, and loosely connected to the events in Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle. Dead in Thay is a tribute to Tomb of Horrors, The Ruins of Undermountain, and other killer dungeons. The monsters, traps, and hazards in the adventure create a deadly challenge.
"Hoard of the Dragon Queen" tabletop adventure game (By Wolfgang Baur, Steve Winter, Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford) (possibly 1486 DR)
Story synopsis: Fight the War Against Draconic Oppression in this Adventure for the World's Greatest Roleplaying Game
In an audacious bid for power the Cult of the Dragon, along with its dragon allies and the Red Wizards of Thay, seek to bring Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells to Faerun. To this end, they are sweeping from town to town, laying waste to all those who oppose them and gathering a hoard of riches for their dread queen. The threat of annihilation has become so dire that groups as disparate as the Harpers and Zhentarim are banding together in the fight against the cult. Never before has the need for heroes been so desperate.
Fun fact: I haven't read "Archmage" yet, but I heard that a few of the events tied to the Tyranny of Dragons storyline is mentioned in the novel even though Greg Marks of Wizards of the Coast went on record to say that the Tyranny of Dragons storyline is set in 1489 DR, three years after Archmage. So, I can only assume that "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" takes place concurrently with the final half of the Archmage novel since the Cult of the Dragon are just now setting their plans in motion, and I assume it would take a couple of years for their plans to gain traction.
Rage of Demons Adventurers League game storyline modules (continued) "No Foolish Matter", "Herald of the Moon", "The Malady of Elventree", "The Waydown", "Quelling the Horde", "The Quest for Sporedome", "Hillsfar Reclaimed", "Writhing in the Dark", "Death on the Wall", "Szith Morcaine Unbound" and "Assault on Maerimydra" (I enjoyed playing this part, and fighting Grazzt in the end was challenging for me and my party) (1486 DR)
"The Reaver" 4th novel of The Sundering saga (By Richard Lee Byers) (1486 DR)
Story synopsis: Endless, pounding rain afflict the Sea of Fallen Stars and the coastal regions surrounding it. Harvests are failing, travel and trade are disrupted, and civilized forces are giving way to the deluges caused by the storms. In panic and despair, many have turned to the goddess Umberlee, Queen of the Deeps, offering her sacrifices with hope that they will be spared the inevitable reckoning of her perpetual tempest.
Evendur Highcastle, undead pirate captain, risen from the depths to assume the mantle of Umberlee's Chosen, takes advantage of the people's desperation to strike for both spiritual and temporal power in her name.
Vying with Highcastle for the hearts and minds of the people is Stedd Whitehorn, a little boy and the chosen of a god thought lost to time: Lathander, the Morninglord. In a time of such upheaval, Stedd's message of renewal and hope runs in stark contrast to the savage ethos of Highcastle and his waveservants.
When Anton Marivaldi captures the boy in order to collect Highcastle's considerable bounty, the reaver is quickly caught in the riptide caused by the sundering of worlds.
"The Sentinel" 5th novel of The Sundering saga (By Troy Denning) (1486 DR)
Story synopsis: Embittered paladin Kleef Kenric is on a quest to stop evil forces from taking advantage of the chaos rolling across the land of Faerûn and claiming dominion over the entirety of the Realms. Stubbornly clinging to his family's worship of a long-forgotten god, Kleef Kenric soon discovers that his god has blessed him with divine gifts, making him one of a new group of Chosen cropping up around the Forgotten Realms. This divine gift makes him an excellent ally—and a target for those who wish corral his powers.
After battling his way out Marsember, a city besieged on all sides in the wake of the Sundering, he becomes swept up in the mission of a group of odd allies—a warrior noblewoman, an accomplished thief, and a mysterious short pudgy man exuding a faint odor of decay. With the forces of Shade tracking their every step, they travel to the Underdark to thwart the rise of the goddess of Death, but before long Kleef learns that his allies hide dangerous secrets—secrets that could destroy not only Kleef but the very fabric of the Forgotten Realms.
"Fire in the Blood" of the Brimstone Angels series (By Erin M. Evans) (1486 DR)
Story synopsis: In a direct follow-up to the third book in the Sundering series, The Adversary, young warlock Farideh falls into the midst of a battle for the throne of Cormyr. As the war brought on by the Sundering rages across Faerûn, princes and princesses, wizards and rogues scheme to capture the seat of power of the Land of the Purple Dragon—with Farideh and her allies caught squarely in the middle.
"Ashes of the Tyrant" of the Brimstone Angels series (By Erin M. Evans) (1486 DR)
Story synopsis: In the wake of the war brought on by the Second Sundering, Farideh’s adopted father Mehen has been called back by the clan that cast him out, and Farideh and Havilar mean to go with him. Just as Mehen confronts the head of his former clan, a clutch of young dragonborn is found in the catacombs, brutally murdered, an infernal summoning circle that looks all-too-familiar to Farideh, nearby.
"Out of the Abyss" tabletop adventure game (By Christopher Perkins, Adam Lee and Richard Whitters) ((Release date: September 15th 2015), (In-universe date: Possibly 1487 DR))
Story synopsis: The Underdark is a subterranean wonderland, a vast and twisted labyrinth where fear reigns. It is the home of horrific monsters that have never seen the light of day. It is here that the dark elf Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan, casts a foul spell meant to ignite a magical energy that suffuses the Underdark and tears open portals to the demonic Abyss. What steps through surprises even him, and from that moment on, the insanity that pervades the Underdark escalates and threatens to shake the Forgotten Realms to its foundations. Stop the madness before it consumes you!
"Acquisitions Inc. PAX East 2014 D&D game" (1487 DR)
"Acquisitions Inc. PAX Prime 2014 D&D game" (1487 DR)
"Confrontation at Candlekeep" 5th edition playtest module (By Teos Abadia, Greg Bilsland and Shawn Merwin) ((Release date: August 2013), in-universe date: Likely 1487 DR, sometime before The Herald))
Story synopsis: A cult of Asmodeus, led by one of his Chosen, assaults Candlekeep after managing to deactivate some of the fortress' wards. Their aim is to obtain a spell scroll created in ages past by their master that was hidden in the vaults of Candlekeep by Mystra herself to prevent its abuse.
Fun fact: This tabletop adventure module was released to RPGA Dungeon Masters at Gen Con Indy 2013. It was released publicly over two years later as a PDF download for a modest fee. Acting as a prequel to Ed Greenwood's The Herald novel, Ed was consulted in the module's creation.
"The Herald" 6th novel of The Sundering saga (By Ed Greenwood) (1487 DR)
Story synopsis: Chaos grips Faerûn as vainglory, prophecy, and ancient forces coming in the shadows cast by war. Agents of the Shadovar lurk in the corners of Candlekeep in search of the arcane secrets that will power their war machine toward Myth Drannor. Gods and their Chosen run amok, all in a gambit to seize power. And a threat foretold by an ancient seer stirs.
At the heart of it all, Mystra, the great Goddess of Magic, has withdrawn from the world. Without her protection, Elminster, her greatest champion, fears for the nascent Weave, the fabric of magic Mystra wields to bind Faerûn. Will the Nightseer Shar, mistress of the great and fearsome Shadovar, seize the opportunity to blanket the world with her Shadow Weave?
With the help of Storm Silverhand and her protégé Amarune Whitewave, Elminster works frantically to strengthen the Weave's tethers and forestall what seems an inevitable reckoning. But other interests machinate for their own sinister ends.
As the Sundering draws nigh, Elminster and his heroic cohort must see the signs for what they are. The choice of worlds lies in the balance.
Fun fact: Amarune Whitewave is Elminster's great-great granddaughter through Narnra Shalace from the "Elminster's Daughter" novel.
"Sword Coast Legends" (A game developed by N-Space and Digital Extremes that was playable on Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One) ((Release date: October 20th 2015), (In-universe date: 1487 DR))
story synopsis: Legend says that after the Time of Troubles, the goddess Sehanine Moonbow wept for the mortals and gods that died. Her tear crystallized into an artifact, the Moontear, which apparently held some of Sehanine's divine essence. The tear was hidden by the elves, it was said, but two brothers, Roth and Gareth Dawntreader formed the Order of the Burning Dawn to find and use the power within for the betterment of the world. Rumors spread that shortly afterward, the brothers fell when they bound themselves to the balor Belaphoss, who wished to use the Moontear to ascend to godhood. As a result, the Burning Dawn lost their purpose and became nothing more than a mercenary company.
The adventure begins 100 years later, with an adventurer as a junior member of the Order of the Burning Dawn, escorting a trade caravan along the High Road from Neverwinter to Luskan. The junior member and his/her fellow guild members have all been suffering similar nightmares when the caravan is attacked by bandits, and paladins of Helm led by Javen Tarmikos who want the adventurer and every guild member of the Burning Dawn dead, and it is up to the junior member to find out why, and learn the truth about the adventurer guild he/she is part of.
Fun fact: Inon Zur, the man who composed the music for Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal composed the music for this game. Cool, huh? In an interview he said that he felt happy and honored to compose music for another Dungeons & Dragons game.
Fun fact #2: This game was designed to be the spiritual successor of the Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and Neverwinter Nights (but it failed to make a good impression. I should scratch this game off from the chronology since it can't be bought anymore, but I won't). I remember the devs of Sword Coast Legend's forums said that this game is set sometime during the Rage of Demons event, answering someone's question about the game's time frame in the Forgotten Realms, which means it would take a few years for the demons of the Nine Hells to completely infest the Underdark after what happened in R.A. Salvatore's "Archmage" novel. That's my educated guess, the in-game journal does not keep track of the game's time and day, month and year like Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights did. The game can't be bought anymore, the reviews were so negative that the developers shut down and later the game no longer exists, but I managed to get it on Steam as soon as it was released. I haven't gotten far in it yet, but it is a fairly decent D&D game despite what the reviews say. The problem is, trying to be a successor to legendary RPG games sets expectations high. But don't worry, I believe Larian Studios can succeed where N-Space failed.
Fun fact #3: Belaphoss, the demon with the flaming horns who is featured frequently in the promotional art of the game is Demogorgon's lieutenant.
Fun fact #4: Hommet Shaw, one of the companion characters of this game is the VERY FIRST Necromancer who is NOT EVIL ALIGNED. And he is a relative of Malchor Harpell's family.
"Maestro" of the Homecoming series (By R.A. Salvatore) (1487 DR)
Story synopsis: Something terrible, unspeakable, immense, has come to Menzoberranzan and is leaving death and destruction in its wake. The primordial of Gauntlgrym stirs, sending Cattie-brie and Gromph to Luskan, and the ruins of the only power that can keep the beast in check. The damage of the Darkening, of war, and of a demon-ravaged Underdark has sent cracks out across the North. Some of this damage may never be repaired.
And Drizzt is going home. But not to Mithral Hall. Not to Icewind Dale. He's going to Menzoberranzan. Bruenor is ready to march with him—bringing along an army of dwarves—to end the scourge of Menzoberranzan, but Drizzt needs to see what's happening there. The dwarf army may not be necessary. The City of Spiders might already have fallen to the demons and their wicked prince. But even if that's true, what's to say the demons will stop there?
"Acquisitions Inc. PAX Prime 2015 D&D game" (1487 DR)
Fun fact: Drizzt appears in this season, apparently still corrupted by the faerzress since "Maestro" since he isn't friendly towards the members of Acquisitions Inc.
"Acquisitions Inc. PAX East 2015 D&D game" (1487 DR)
Fun fact: Drizzt once again appears in this season
"Acquisitions Incorporated The Series Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12" (1487 DR)
Fun Fact: This series has to take place before any of Drizzt's appearances in games or novels going forward because Acquisitions Inc is still "borrowing" the figurine that summons Guenwhyvar, somehow faerzress-influenced Drizzt trusts them
Episode 1:
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"Sword Coast Legends: Rage of Demons DLC" (1487 DR)
story synopsis: Ever since preventing Belaphoss from obtaining the Moontear and destroying Belaphoss himself, the adventurer who was once the junior member of the Order of the Burning Dawn has had many sleepless nights in recent days, taking extra watches to help pass the hours. On one certain night, a messenger arrived, informing him/her and his companions to go to a tavern called The Wretched Worg where a guild known as the Golden Feather awaits. The guild's leader, Jasme Kye, wants to meet them there. She says that she has information that could be valuable to them, and the information comes with the price of doing a compelling job. A day after meeting the messenger, the former junior Order of the Burning Dawn adventurer and his/her companions head out to The Wretched Worg. When they arrive and meet Jasme, she tells them that a decade ago she was once a member of the Burning Dawn, and that a man named Jerik Tannerholt, who is also a former member of the Burning Dawn, recently got attacked by mercenaries and ran to Jasme for help and protection. On the day Jasme offered her guildmates a job to perform in the Underdark, Jerik volunteered to go on the job, believing he would be safe in the Underdark from whoever was killing Burning Dawn members, which surprised Jasme because going down to the Underdark for safety is a terrifying idea. Jerik and a few of Jasme's guildmates journeyed to Mantol-Derith, the trade post between Gracklstugh and Menzoberranzan, and she hasn't heard from them since. And so Jasme's mission for the former junior Burning Dawn member is to go to Mantol-Derith and begin the quest of searching for the wherabouts of Jerik Tannerhold and her guildmates, and if they are alive, retrieve them.
Fun fact: Drizzt is in this DLC's story, making Sword Coast Legends the 5th D&D game allowing the player's character to adventure and/or fight alongside him (Not counting the game "Mezoberranzan" because the game's story makes it not fit in D&D's canon, with Drizzt's mother being alive after what happened in the "Exile" novel and all that). The first one was Baldur's Gate, the second was Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, the third was Demon Stone, and the fourth is the 8th and 9th module expansions of the Neverwinter MMORPG. This DLC is set sometime after "Maestro" but before "Hero", because in this DLC, Drizzt's mind is still under the influence of the faerzress and Yvonnel's magic combined with the mind-powers of K'yorl Odran since the end of "Maestro" and his encounter with Acquisitions Inc., he is not the compassionate drow we knew anymore, he enjoys hunting worthy prey and will almost not hesitate to attack anyone in his way unless they prove to be a worthy ally against his prey, and he has no intention of returning to Catti-Brie even if you urge him to, because he is aware that he is not entirely sane, and he does not want want to be near anyone he cares about until Demogorgon is defeated, which he believes will clear his mind. Too bad this game made such a bitter impression that no one can buy it anymore.
Story synopsis: Rumors race around Cormyr regarding the mythical Lost Spell, a powerful enchantment designed centuries ago by the presumed dead god of spells — a spell long thought lost to the ages. Found by some magic-less merchant, rumor has it the Lost Spell is to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
It is a powerful lure, and archwizards of every stripe descend upon the merchant, only to be trapped with him inside his manor by a vicious spellstorm—escape impossible, and their magic useless with the interference from the storm.
Moreover—they find themselves faced with the infamous Elminster of Shadowdale, who claims he's just there to decide who gets the Lost Spell, but who clearly has an agenda of his own.
But before Elminster can put whatever plan he has in motion, archwizards start dying.
Fun fact: Narnra Shalace's mother and Amarune Whitewave's great-great grandmother, the song dragon Elminster unintentionally got pregnant back in the 1350's dies in this novel.
Tyranny of Dragons Adventurers League game story modules "Corruption in Kryptgarden", "Defiance in Phlan", "Secrets of Sokol Keep", "Shadows over the Moonsea", "Dues for the Dead", "The Courting of Fire", 'The Scroll Thief", "Drums in the Marsh", "Tall Trees Tell" and "Outlaws of the Iron Route" (Designed by Shawn Merwin, Pieter Sleijpen, Greg Marks, Steve Winter, Jobe Bittman, Daniel Helmick, Sterling Hershey, Thomas Reid and Will Doyle) (1488 DR)
"Hero" of the Homecoming series (By R.A. Salvatore) (1488 DR)
Story synopsis: Something akin to "peace" has come to the Underdark. The demon hordes have receded, and now the matron mothers argue over the fate of Drizzt Do'Urden. Even so, it becomes clear to one matriarch after another that while the renegade drow may come and go, Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders will crawl forever on.
And so Drizzt is free to return to his home on the surface once again. Scores are settled as lives are cut short, yet other lives move on. For the lone drow there is only a single final quest: a search for peace, for family, for home — for the future.
"Timeless" of the Generations Trilogy (By R.A. Salvatore) (Intro before Part 1, then Part 2 and Part 4 and Epilogue are in 1488 DR not long after "Hero")
Story synopsis: Centuries ago, in the city of Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders, the City of Drow, nestled deep in the unmerciful Underdark of Toril, a young weapon master earned a reputation far above his station or that of his poor house.
The greater nobles watched him, and one matron, in particular, decided to take him as her own. She connived with rival great houses to secure her prize, but that prize was caught for her by another, who came to quite enjoy the weapon master.
This was the beginning of the friendship between Zaknafein and Jarlaxle, and the coupling of Matron Malice and the weapon master who would sire Drizzt Do'Urden.
R. A. Salvatore reveals the Underdark anew through the eyes of Zaknafein and Jarlaxle—an introduction to the darkness that offers a fresh view of the opportunities to be found in the shadows and an intriguing prelude to the intriguing escapes that lie ahead in the modern-day Forgotten Realms. Here, a father and his son are reunited and embark on adventures that parallel the trials of centuries long past as the friends of old are joined by Drizzt, Hero of the North, trained by Grandmaster Kane in the ways of the monk.
But the scourge of the dangerous Lolth's ambitions remain, and demons have been foisted on the unwitting of the surface. The resulting chaos and war will prove to be the greatest challenge for all three.
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 4: "Tyranny of Dragons") (begins and ends in 1488 DR)
Story synopsis: Back on the Sword Coast, a rift had developed within the Cult of the Dragon. A new faction, led by the wizard Severin Silrajin, had come to believe that the future lay not in dead dragons, but in live ones. In the Neverdeath Graveyard, they began searching for the tomb of the famous elven adventurer Belast Messandar, intending to wrest from his spirit the location of one of his former companions, a barbarian named Cruven Gantara. They believed that Cruven's spirit could give them the location of a portal to the island of Tuern. The green dragon Charthraxis aided them in this endeavor. Though the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge hampered their efforts, the Cult ultimately learned that the barbarian was buried somewhere in the Ebon Downs. Recruiting the black dragon Vartilingorix, they began a concentrated effort to find the barbarian's burial mound.
Along the slopes of Icespire Peak, the Cult enlisted the aid of the white dragon Merothrax to help them plunder the mithral mines of the Icehammer Dwarves. The heroes worked to hinder them, discovering that the mithral was somehow key to their plans. In the Rothé Valley, the Cult had forged an alliance with the House Xorlarrin slavers in the area in order to gain unhindered access to the blue dragon Venfithar who lived there. The Cult was using the mithral from Icespire Peak to forge special jars to contain Venfithar's lightning, intending to use it to power some sort of cloud giant artifact. After gathering what they needed, the Cult relocated to an area of the Northdark near the Crags known as the Whispering Caverns. There they sought to unearth the ancient hoard of a dragon named Saphirax, and summoned the dracolich Vilithrax to guard the site. Though the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge destroyed Vilithrax, the Cultists got what they wanted from Saphirax: the location and activation sequence for the portal to Tuern.
In an unprecedented move, the Harpers joined forces with the Order of the Gauntlet, the Emerald Enclave, the Lords' Alliance, and even the Zhentarim to stop the Cult of the Dragon. They ascended the slopes of Kelvin's Cairn to the portal's location and opened it, hoping to secure a foothold in Tuern, but were betrayed by Rath Modar, who was secretly working with the Cult and granted Severin and a large number of cultists access. The five factions quickly secured their end of the portal, and sent the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge through to Tuern to follow the Cult. There, they discovered ancient draconic ruins in which the red dragon Lostmauth had made its lair, as well as native barbarians that worshiped dragons as gods. Though they slew Lostmauth, they were unable to prevent Severin from obtaining his true goal, the Red Dragon Mask.
The Cult's activities came to a head with the Siege of Neverwinter, in which they launched a massive assault on the city, breaching the walls with the aid of several dragons including Eziderax the Caustic, Kazlotar the Mordacious, Halectrizar the Storm Eater, Zavarak the Thunderous, Toxicallus the Despoiler, Venitaxis the Pestilent, Akregon the Pyre, Phlagethax the Cremator, Glaxenheim the Pale, and Ikzinfraxis the Glacial.
"Boundless" of the Generations Trilogy (By R.A. Salvatore) The Prologue, Part 2: Every Front and Part 4: The Afflicted are in 1488 DR)
Story synopsis: Split between time and two worlds, Zaknafein had always been conflicted. That inner turmoil was magnified by his inferior position as a male dark elf in the matriarchal drow society. Only his status as one of the greatest warriors—as well as his friendship with the mercenary Jarlaxle—kept him sane. When he finally perished, he was content knowing he left behind a legacy as substantial as his son Drizzt.
Except...someone isn’t ready for Zaknafein to be dead. And now he’s back, hundreds of years later, in a world he doesn’t recognize. His son’s companions are not the prideful—and bigoted—males the drow warrior was accustomed to in his previous life. Drizzt’s circle includes dwarves, elves, and, perhaps worst of all, a human wife.
Struggling to navigate this transformed new world, Zaknafein realizes that some things have not changed: the threat of demons and the machinations of a drow matron no longer content with her family’s position in the ranks of Houses. Though he has been displaced in time, Zaknafein is still a warrior. And no matter what prejudices he must overcome, he knows he will do his duty and fight by Drizzt’s side to stem the tide of darkness that threatens the Realms.
"Legends of Baldur's Gate" comic book series issues 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Written by Jim Zub, art by Max Dunbar, colors by John-Paul Bove (and Joana Laufente in issue #2), letters by Neil Uyetake, edits by John Barber) (1488 DR)
Story synopsis: Evil, meet my sword! Sword, meet evil! Generations have passed since the original Heroes of Baldur's Gate saved the city and the Realms. Now a new threat rises and an unlikely group of misfits are thrust into adventure with MINSC, the legendary Ranger do-gooder with a heart of gold, brain of lead, and hamster of pronounced wisdom. MINSC IS BACK! And he's got a new quest: a young moon elf wild mage (who looks like Neera) named Delina is on the hunt for her missing brother. But to find him, the unlikely duo of heroes needs to avoid the city watch, bargain with thieves, and navigate the twisted politics of Baldur's Gate. What could possibly go wrong?
Fun fact: These comic books bring Minsc from the Baldur's Gate games from the 2nd-3rd edition time frame into the 5th edition time frame of the Forgotten Realms in a very interesting way, and Coran from Baldur's Gate and Murder in Baldur's Gate appears in this series too! If you haven't read these comic books before, you'll enjoy them, I know I did! Besides, it is thanks to these comic books that Minsc and Boo will most likely show up in Baldur's Gate 3!
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 5: "Rise of Tiamat") (begins and ends in 1489 DR)
Story synopsis: It soon became clear that the Cult of the Dragon's ultimate goal was to summon Tiamat herself from the Nine Hells. Unfortunately, it was also clear that it was too late to prevent this; the only solution, therefore, was to try and push her back before she fully entered Toril. Led by Elminster, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, Harpers, Zhentarim, Lords' Alliance, Emerald Enclave, Order of the Gauntlet, and Iliyanbruen banded together and traveled to the Well of Dragons to assault Tiamat's Temple itself, which had already erupted into the world.
Fun fact: Linu La'neral, one of the companion characters from Neverwinter Nights is in this module's story and is one of the NPCs that helps player characters fight against Tiamat in the end of the module's story. Linu also makes a direct reference to the events of the first Neverwinter Nights game, specifically, her involvement in battling the Wailing Death.
And alternatively the "Rise Of Tiamat" tabletop game (By Wizards RPG Team) (begins and ends in 1489 DR)
Story synopsis: Avert the Cataclysmic Return of Tiamat in this Adventure for the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game. The Cult of the Dragon leads the charge in an unholy crusade to bring Tiamat back to the Realms, and the situation grows more perilous for good people with each passing moment. The battle becomes increasingly political as opportunities to gather allies and gain advantage present themselves. From Waterdeep to the Sea of Moving Ice to Thay, it is a race against Evil. Succeed or succumb to the oppression of draconic tyranny. Win or lose, things will never be the same again.
Fun fact #2: The Neverwinter MMORPG's version of "Rise Of Tiamat" and the tabletop version cannot canonically coexist, you have to consider one canon over the other.
"Dungeons & Dragons: At the Spine of the World" comic book series (Written by Aimee Garcia and A.J. Mendez, art by Martin Coccolo) (in-universe date: Possibly 1489 DR, likely a month or two before Rime of the Frostmaiden)
story synopsis of Issue #1: A never-ending winter’s night is slowly driving an isolated town in the depths of Icewind Dale to the brink of insanity. To save them all, a perilous journey awaits a band of adventurers as they uncover the plot of an ancient primordial evil!
story synopsis of Issue #2: As Runa, Saarvin, Patience, Amos, and Belvyre trek across the icy tundra in search of a hidden city whose magic could help save their own, they find themselves at the mercy of the blighted landscape… and hunted by unimaginable monsters.
story synopsis of Issue #3: As Amos’ true nature is revealed, Saarvin attempts to survive an onslaught from the chardalyn-posessed Runa—and the heroic plans of our party fall apart as the endless winter marches on!
story synopsis of Issue #4: To rescue one of their own, Runa, Saarvin, and Patience must brave the mines! Out of the snow, can they survive the onslaught of enemies who await them?
Fun fact: This comic book series must be before Rime of the Frostmaiden and Frost Giant's Fury, as some strange curse is afflicting Icewind Dale, and Saarvin is still adventuring. In the final issue of Frost Giant's Fury when adventuring with Minsc and his companions, he reveals that he is thinking of retiring from adventuring soon.
Fun fact: Minsc and Boo appears in this season of Acquisitions Inc. and teams up with Omin, Jim and Viari on their journey, which means this season must take place a few months after the "Legends of Baldur's Gate" comic books, so that Minsc can have time to heal his injuries.
Tyranny of Dragons Adventurers League game story modules (continued) "Tyranny in Phlan", "Dark Pyramid of Sorcerer's Isle", "Raider of the Twilight Marsh", "Pool of Radiance Resurgent", and "Escape from Phlan" (Designed by Greg Marks, Claire Hoffman, Robert Adducci, Chris Tulach and Chris Lindsay) (1489 DR)
"Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden" 5th edition tabletop adventure game (Written by Christopher Perkins) ((Release date: September 15th 2020), (In-universe date: Winter of 1489 DR))
story synopsis: In Icewind Dale, adventure is a dish best served cold.
Beneath the unyielding night sky, you stand before a towering glacier and recite an ancient rhyme, causing a crack to form in the great wall of ice. Beyond this yawning fissure, the Caves of Hunger await. And past this icy dungeon is a secret so old and terrifying that few dare speak of it. The mad wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood long to possess that which the god of winter’s wrath has so coldly preserved—as do you! What fantastic secrets and treasures are entombed in the sunless heart of the glacier, and what will their discovery mean for the denizens of Icewind Dale? Can you save Ten-Towns from the Frostmaiden's everlasting night?
Fun fact: Lord Ao decrees the end of the Era of Upheval this year, and the gods begin to talk to their followers again, but their influence is subtler than before. New priesthoods arose to interpret the new behaviour of the gods. In Flamerule, Eilistraee and Vhaeraun fully reacquired the power that they had possessed before 1375 DR. They held their own old portfolios, and were separate entities (Eilistraee was still a drow goddess, as were most of their followers--not dark elves, despite a spell cast by Q'arlynd Melarn in 1379 DR), but they managed to reach a reciprocal understanding, respect, and even a truce (although their followers still skirmished often). Both Eilistraee and Vhaeraun personally announced their return to the Realms, manifesting through their avatars to their followers.
Fun fact #2: According to the writers, even though they claimed that the date of this adventure is 1489 DR, they also say that the date is unimportant, so the adventure can take place a year or two later.
"Elemental Evil" Adventurers League game storyline modules "City of Danger", "Embers of Elmwood", "The Drowned Tower", "Mayhem in the Earthspur Mines", "Flames of Kythorn", "Breath of the Yellow Rose", "Bounty in the Bog", "Foulness Beneath Mulmaster", "Eye of the Tempest", "Cloaks and Shadows", "Oubliette of Fort Iron", "Dark Rites at Fort Dalton", "The Howling Void", "The Sword of Selflaril", "Black Heart of Vengeance"[b], [b]"Boltsmelter's Book", and "Mulmaster Undone" (1489 DR)
Story synopsis: When Archdruid Morningdawn of the Emerald Enclave arrived in Neverwinter with word of a new threat rising in the Sword Coast, Lord Neverember took it seriously. With his permission, she erected the Tree of Elemental Balance to guard the city of Neverwinter. She explained that the currents of elemental forces had changed in such a way to cause dangerous concentrations of the elements, and that the tree would allow her to stabilize the flow. However, someone or something was interfering. The Emerald Enclave had reporting a building pressure of earth and water in the Ebon Downs, and while the great warrior Minsc had volunteered to investigate Morningdawn believed that more than his zeal would be needed and asked the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge to go with him.
Fun fact: Minsc and Boo make their first in-game appearance in this expansion of the game!!! Interestingly enough, the lore of the Neverwinter MMORPG seems to be confused with the issue on whether this Minsc is the real Minsc who had been turned into stone many decades ago and got freed by Delina's wild magic, or if her wild magic brought life to a stone statue of Minsc who conveniently retains most of the memories of the original Minsc. Well, the truth is, Minsc's epilogue at the end of Throne of Bhaal doesn't have any truth in it, Minsc and Boo never formed their own adventuring group, and they did not die of old age. This is the very same Minsc and Boo from Baldur's Gate, Siege of Dragonspear, Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal, it's just that somehow sometime after Throne of Bhaal, someone turned Minsc and Boo into stone and left them that way for a long time, and when some guy in 1409 named Orburt Lewel ordered the construction of a statue of Minsc and Boo in Baldur's Gate to honor them because Minsc once saved Orburt's life, likely when he was a child (otherwise Minsc would be an old man), and the people of Baldur's Gate instead of making a statue of Minsc, found the petrified statue of the real Minsc and Boo and brought it to the Wide in Baldur's Gate, and the Statue of Minsc and Boo have been there ever since 1409 DR up until the events of issue #1 of Legends of Baldur's Gate.
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 9: "The Maze Engine") (1489 DR)
Story synopsis: With Demogorgon defeated, Bruenor decided it was time to push the demons out of Gauntlgrym. Together with Drizzt and the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, they pushed through the ruins of Delzoun to close the abyssal tears from which the demons were issuing forth. After closing the tears, they were attacked by a servant of Baphomet named Lans "Illithid Scourge" Thuliaga, who insisted that the demons were their salvation. He retreated once he realized he was outmatched, but Bruenor elected to return to Gauntlgrym rather than give chase. Drizzt idly wondered if Lans could be saved from Baphomet's control. On their way back they were attacked by the Cult of the Eternal Flame, intent of taking Gauntlgrym for themselves. Even as they battled the cultists, though, more abyssal tears appeared - issuing forth a new army of demons. Just as they seemed overwhelmed, Linu La'neral appeared and shielded them as they made their escape, but this is just the beginning of something else...
Fun fact: Drizzt and Minsc both appear in this expansion together, and at one point when they meet face to face, Drizzt seems to know Minsc either personally or by reputation because he is surprised that Minsc is still alive in this day and age. If it is personally, then Drizzt probably remembers Minsc back during the events of Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn game version, when Minsc traveled with Gorion's Ward to defeat Bodhi's vampire guild during Chapter 6. And Viconia's relative, Vizeran DeVir (I don't know in what way he is related to her family, he could be Viconia and Valas' eldest brother for all I know), appears in this expansion too, more nods to the fact that the Baldur's Gate games are more canon than the novels even though Abdel was around.
Fun fact #2: Vizeran DeVir also mentions Viconia once. At some point in this adventure he claims that he has heard that she somehow survived the fall of House DeVir (he doesn't know she was gone long before 1297 DR), and that she helped some heroic adventurers defeat Bhaal's children. He doesn't say where he got this information from, but he is at least aware that he was not the only survivor of House DeVir.
"Princes of The Apocalypse" tabletop adventure game (By Michele Carter and Stacy Janssen) (1490 DR)
Story synopsis: Called by the Elder Elemental Eye to serve, four corrupt prophets, Gar Shatterkeel, Marlos Unrayle, Vanifer and Aerisi Kalinoth, have risen from the depths of anonymity to claim mighty weapons with direct links to the power of the elemental princes. Each of these prophets has assembled a cadre of cultists and creatures to serve them in the construction of four elemental temples of lethal design. It is up to adventurers from heroic factions such as the Emerald Enclave and the Order of the Gauntlet to discover where the true power of each prophet lay, and dismantle it before it comes boiling up to obliterate the Realms.
Fun fact: The evil prophet Aerisi Kalinoth grew up learning about the legends of Aerie's people, the winged elves, the avariel, and Aerisi dreamed of becoming an avariel so much that she has artificial wings attached to her back to enhance her imagination of being an avariel.
"Storm King's Thunder" tabletop adventure game (By Wizards of the Coast) (1490 DR, before the Neverwinter MMORPG's version of the adventure because Storvald is in this game and not the antagonist you fight at the adventure's climax, an ancient female blue dragon named Iymrith is the "final boss" of the adventure)
Story synopsis: To Fight Giants, You Must Be Giant Ages ago, giants and dragons waged war across the Savage Frontier. These battles are long forgotten by the human civilizations of today, but ancient relics remain. And now, the land shudders once more with the thunder of giant footsteps.
Hill giants raid farms for food and livestock, as stone giants lay waste to settlements in their path. Frost giants plunder coastal towns, as fire giants gather slaves. Cloud giant castles drift across the sky, casting ominous shadows on the cities of the North. But no threat compares to the wrath of the storm giants, who stand betrayed.
Puny adventurers must rise to the challenge, gather their strength, unlock the power of ancient runes, and take the fight to the giants' doorsteps. Only then can they discover a hidden evil fomenting a war between giants and small folk. Only then can they forge an alliance to end the war before it begins.
(I don't mean to brag, but when my D&D group played this adventure, my human fighter named Kanan Shan killed Iymrith singlehandedly, believe it or not! With the help of a potion that helped him grow to the size of a giant, of course, and because Iymrith was more focused on trying to kill Hekaton than my fighter (and she almost killed him too, but Kanan managed to bring her down when Hekaton was seriously bloodied.))
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 10: "Storm King's Thunder") (1490 DR sometime after the tabletop game's story because Storvald is the "final boss" in the module, and reincarnated Wulfgar and Catti-Brie are in this expansion of the game and one of your in-game allies.)
Story synopsis: A few months later after Drizzt, his reincarnated companions and the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge defeated Baphomet and his Maze Engine, Bryn Shander decided to hold a festival. Lord Neverember sent the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, along with Makos and Xuna to Icewind Dale to represent Neverwinter at the festival. The heroes joined Xuna at her camp in Rothe Valley to wait for Makos, but after a week of waiting they decided to depart for Bryn Shander without him. When they arrived, they found the entire area engulfed in some sort of unnatural frost that had frozen several creatures into solid ice. They learned that Bryn Shander had been attacked by frost giants shortly before some sort of icy blast frozen nearly everything. Worse, barbarians were taking advantage of the situation to attack Bryn Shander. After helping to defend the city, speaker Duvessa Shane asked the heroes to investigate the epicenter of the blast. While exploring they were attacked by yetis, but rescued by Wulfgar. At the center of the blast they found an unnatural icy cocoon of sorts, but could not determine what it was or what it contained. When Makos arrived, he determined that the cocoon contained Artus Cimber and his son, Sirac. Artus was once the guardian of the Ring of Winter, and Makos believed the giants attacked Bryn Shander specifically to get the ring. To thaw them, he would need a thistle from Catti-brie's garden in the Lonelywood. The heroes and Wulfgar left immediately, along with a caravan of refugees.
"Starlight Enclave" 1st novel of The Way of the Drow series (Written by R.A. Salvatore) ((Release date: August 3rd, 2021), (In-universe date: 1490 DR))
Story synopsis: After the settling dust of the demon uprising and two years of peace, rumblings from the Menzoberranzan drow have Jarlaxle nervous. Worried his allies may be pulled into a Civil War between the great Houses, he is eager to ensure Zaknafein is armed with weapons befitting his skill, including one in particular: Khazid’hea. A powerful artifact, the sword known as “Cutter” has started wars, corrupted its users, and spilled the blood of many, many people. Nonetheless—or maybe because of that—the rogue Jarlaxle and a small group of friends will go on an expedition looking for the weapon’s last wielder, Doum’wielle, in the freezing north, for she may be the key to unlocking the sword’s potential…and perhaps the key to preventing the bloodshed looming over the Underdark. And as they explore the top of the world, Drizzt is on a journey of his own—both spiritual and physical. He wants to introduce his daughter Brie to Grandmaster Kane and the practices that have been so central to his beliefs. But, having only recently come back from true transcendence, the drow ranger is no longer sure what his beliefs mean anymore. He is on a path to determining the future, not just for his family, but perhaps the entire northlands of the Realms themselves.
Two different roads. On one, Jarlaxle and Zaknefein are on a quest to find pieces that could offer salvation to Menzoberranzan. On the other, Drizzt seeks answers that could offer salvation to not just his soul, but all souls.
And no matter the outcome of either journey, the Realms will never be the same again.
Story synopsis: Lord Neverember paid to have Makos resurrected, but his soul would not return. When Neverwinter's River District was reopened, Lord Neverember erected a statue of Makos and dedicated the opening ceremonies to him. The ceremony was interrupted by the arrival of a group of mages known as the Cloaked Ascendancy. Their leader, Gyrion the Ascendant, claimed that he wore the crown of Lord Nasher and was therefore the true ruler of Neverwinter. As a heavily-armed band of Nasher rebels attacked, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge helped Xuna and Sergeant Knox escort Lord Neverember and the civilians back to their ship. There, Celeste asked if Lord Neverember would give Gyrion the throne. When he refused, she left to determine whether the mage's claims were true.
"Tomb of Annihilation" tabletop adventure game (By Wizards RPG Team, Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter and Adam Lee) (possibly 1490 DR)
Story synopsis: Dare to defy death in this adventure for the world's greatest roleplaying game.
The talk of the streets and taverns has all been about the so-called death curse: a wasting disease afflicting everyone who's ever been raised from the dead. Victims grow thinner and weaker each day, slowly but steadily sliding toward the death they once denied.
When they finally succumb, they can't be raised—and neither can anyone else, regardless of whether they’ve ever received that miracle in the past. Temples and scholars of divine magic are at a loss to explain a curse that has affected the entire region, and possibly the entire world.
The cause is a necromantic artifact called the Soulmonger, which is located somewhere in Chult, a mysterious peninsula far to the south, ringed with mountains and choked with rainforests.
Fun fact: Dragonbait, Alias's saurian partner from the Azure Bonds novels is in this adventure. And Valindra is back, too. I knew she would come back because in the Neverwinter MMORPG's Shadowmantle expansion, you destroy her body, but not her phylactery, which cannot be found during that epic battle.
"Death Masks" of the Chosen Heirs series (By Ed Greenwood) (1491 DR)
Story synopsis: THAT'S WHAT, FOUR LORDS DEAD?
Revealed in death to have been Masked Lords, three more citizens had been murdered over the preceding day and night: the Sembian wine-seller and collector Oszbur Malankar; the half-elf sorceress and artisan Dathanscza Meiril; and the moneylender, landlord, and investor Ammasker Gwelt.
All of Waterdeep now knew someone was killing the Lords of Waterdeep, one by one. Yet that was about where truth ended and speculation--however plausible--began. The broadsheets were full of wild conjecture. Who's behind this? The ousted Lord Dagult Neverember? The Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon or some other Outland Power? The Xanathar? Some cabal of guilds or nobles planning a coup?
The rumors would rage on, whether the Open Lord Laeral Silverhand did something or not. That was the trouble with rumors; once loosed, they roamed free like snarling, untamed beasts, with no simple way of stopping them. And all rumors aside, Waterdeep has become . . .
A CITY OF MURDERERS!
Fun fact: Omin Dran of the Acquisitions Inc. podcasts and PAX D&D games makes a cameo in this novel.
When evil giants attack your home in Ardeep Forest, your parents think you're dead and go searching for your little brother. You wake up and set out after them, helped by a giant wizard who lives in a flying tower. You don't know where your family has gone, but you know that if you don't find them, you're all in big trouble...
"Shadows of The Vampire #1" (issues #2, 3, 4 and 5 are set in the Ravenloft campaign setting) (Written by Jim Zub, art by Nelson Daniel, letters by Neil Uyetake, edits by John Barber, published by Ted Adams) (possibly 1491 DR in the Forgotten Realms, but in Ravenloft, the comic book's story takes place before the tabletop game "Curse of Strahd" because Minsc and his party encounter Strahd himself before they return to the Forgotten Realms world)
Story synopsis: MINSC AND BOO ARE BACK! And things have never looked more dire, as mysterious forces draw the legendary ranger and his crew, Delina the wild mage (who has a near uncanny resemblance to Neera even though Delina is a moon elf and Neera was a half-elf), Krydle the son of Coran and Shandie the halfling archer to adventurers in RAVENLOFT, the Realm of Terror... where they find themselves face to face with undead horrors in the land of eternal night!
"Curse of Strahd" tabletop adventure game (By Jeremy Crawford, Laura Hickman, Tracy Hickman, Adam Lee, Chris Perkins, Richard Whitters) (Forgotten Realms year 1491 DR)
Story synopsis: Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind’s howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner—and you are invited.
"Frost Giant's Fury #1, 2, 3 and 4" (Written by Jim Zub, art by Netho Diaz, letters by Neil Uyetake, colors by Thiago Ribiero, edits by David Hedgecock, assistant edits by David Mariotte, published by Ted Adams) (possibly 1491 DR)
Story synopsis: Mighty giants stir across the land and, before their crushing might, nothing is safe. Badly injured after their encounters in the Demiplane of Dread and now lost in the frozen northern reaches of the Forgotten Realms, the Baldur's Gate heroes Minsc, Boo, Delina, Krydle, Shandie and Nerys will be tested like never before. Roll for initiative, a new Dungeons & Dragons adventure begins!
"Dungeons & Dragons Endless Quest: "To Catch A Thief"" (By Matt Forebeck) (1491 DR)
Story synopsis: ROGUE CAMPAIGN
When you, a halfling rogue, tried to pick the pocket of a civilar in the night-shrouded streets of Waterdeep, you never thought she's catch you-- and you never dreamed she'd press you into her service! Now you must must find a baby griffon stolen by the beholder Xanathar, the leader of the city's powerful Thieves' Guild, or you can count on spending the rest of your life behind bars...
"Evil At Baldur's Gate #1, 2, 3 and 4" (Written by Jim Zub, art by Dean Kotz, letters by Neil Uyetake, colors by Stefani Rennee, edits by David Hedgecock, published by Greg Goldstein) (1491 DR)
Story synopsis: The Baldur’s Gate heroes Minsc, Delina, Krydle, Shandie and Nerys return to the city at last, but their time adventuring in Ravenloft and the frozen northern reaches of the Realms have changed them. Still, each of them must face great trials ahead before they’ll be ready to embrace their destiny. A new hero of the people roams the streets of Baldur’s Gate, and Minsc feels left behind despite his own legend. Can he reclaim his place as the city’s Beloved Ranger? Whatever happens, evil is going to gets its butt kicked most thoroughly!
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 12: "Tomb of Annihilation") (possibly 1492 DR, but definitely after the tabletop adventure)(1491 DR)
Story synopsis: The clerics at Helm's Hold began to report that people were turning up in varying states of decay, suffering from some sort of curse. Their magic couldn't stop it, and worse still they were unable to raise anyone who had died. The heroes went to investigate, where they were given a letter from an unknown source telling them that the source of the "death curse" could be found in Chult. Tristopher Chettlebell's master, a half-orc noble and former adventurer from Waterdeep who was suffering from the curse, financed an expedition. Joined by Minsc, Celeste, and Volothamp Geddarm, Tristopher and the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge set sail for Chult.
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 13: "Lost City of Omu") (1491 DR)
Story synopsis: The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge journeyed to the ruins of Omu and met up with a guide named Eku. She explained that Omu once honored nine trickster gods, whose power was being constrained by Acererak and his yuan-ti minions. Eku's communications with the trickster gods eventually revealed that the death curse was being caused by an artifact called the Soulmonger that was harvesting the souls of the dead and resurrected, though what Acererak intended to do with these souls she could not say. While helping to restore the gods' power, the heroes rescued Tristopher Chettlebell, who had been captured by the yuan-ti and taken below the city. They also met a mysterious woman named Val, who insisted that the Soulmonger be shut down without destroying it so that she could study it.
Story synopsis: A wealthy patron of Neverwinter, Duchess Wyndrake, requested aid at her manor. She told the heroes of an unnatural fog that had been closing in around her lands, and of the arrival of travelers called the Vistani that many believed to be responsible. The Vistani elder told the heroes they had traveled from the land of Barovia, seeking heroes who could help their burgomaster's daughter, Ireena, who had been stricken by a foul evil. Traveling into the mists, they were magically transported to Barovia.
The heroes spoke with the Vistani leader, Madam Eva, who told them that only by defeating Strahd von Zarovich, who held all of Barovia in his dark grip, could they prevail. To do this, they would need to find the Sunsword, the Tome of Strahd, and the Symbol of Ravenkind. After saving the Vistani from an attack by Strahd's werewolves, they were given an amulet that would allow them to safely traverse the mists. Once in the village of Barovia, the monster hunter Ezmerelda d'Avenir told them that Ireena had attracted the attention of Strahd himself, who sought to make her his bride, and guided them in their search for the relics that could defeat him. While they battled Strahd's minions in Barovia, however, he kidnapped Ireena and took her to Castle Ravenloft.
"Neverwinter" (MMORPG game) (Module 15: "The Heart of Fire") (1491 DR)
Story synopsis: Following a flyer posted in Protector's Enclave, the Heroes of Neverwinter joined Acquisitions Incorporated as interns. After completing their orientation, they plummeted into the Mount Hotenow caldera with feather fall to retrieve a deep crow egg for Jim Darkmagic. Afterwards, Omin Dran told the heroes he sought a legendary gemstone known as the Heart of Fire. To find out more about it, they went to Icespire Peak to consult the frost giant Lakkar. Lakkar told them only that he had cut the Heart of Fire himself, so they infiltrated a beholder convention to gather more information. They learned of a treasure-filled temple in Chult, so Omin sent them to Pirate's Skyhold to rescue a lizardfolk whose tribe had built it. Armed with the lizardfolk's secret key, they infiltrated the temple and pried not one but TWO Hearts of Fire from a statue of the archdevil Moloch. After fighting off a vengeful deep crow, they returned to Neverwinter where Omin Dran told them to keep one of the gems lest having both in one place attract too much attention.
Some time later, Omin learned that the Zhentarim had kidnapped Lord Neverember's son, Renaer. The heroes tracked him to an old Xanathar hideout on Blackdagger Coast, and after rescuing him discovered that the Zhentarim were seeking information about the Stone of Golorr and intended to blame the Xanathar for the kidnapping, having also captured its pet goldfish, Sylgar. After the heroes returned the goldfish, the beholder told them that the Zhentarim planned to use rust monsters to break into the Manycoins Bank in Neverwinter and steal the stone from the vault. Aided by Jim Darkmagic and his wand of wonder, the heroes defended the bank from the Zhentarim and protected the contents of Neverember's vault.
Fun fact: Acquisition Inc's Omin Dran (Jerry Holkins' character) and Jim Darkmagic (Mike Krahulik's character) appear in this module as in-game companion characters
"Dungeons & Dragons: A Darkened Wish" Issues 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (Written by B. Dave Walters, art by Tess Fowler, colors by Jay Fotos, letters by Tom B. Long (and Neil Uyetake in issue 2), edits by David Hedgecock, editorial assists by Megan Brown) (Possibly 1493 DR, except for the flashbacks)
Story synopsis: When war threatens the Moonshae Isles, legendary heroes return to defeat the forces of an unthinkable foe. The Forgotten Realms are changed forever as young wizard Helene and her friends grow from raw recruits on the streets of Mintarn into powerful warriors.
"Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage" tabletop adventure game (Written by Christopher Perkins) (1491 DR)
Story synopsis: The Greatest Dungeon of Them All
Explore the mega-dungeon of Undermountain in this adventure for the world's greatest roleplaying game.
In the city of Waterdeep rests a tavern called the Yawning Portal, named after the gaping pit in its common room. At the bottom of this crumbling shaft is a labyrinthine dungeon shunned by all but the most daring adventurers. Known as Undermountain, this dungeon is the domain of the mad wizard Halaster Blackcloak. Long has the Mad Mage dwelt in these forlorn depths, seeding his lair with monsters, traps, and mysteries—to what end is a constant source of speculation and concern.
Story synopsis: After everyone in Faerûn received visions of riches within Undermountain, portals into the dungeon began appearing. At the behest of Lord Neverember, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge followed a band of adventurers into one of these portals. They arrived just in time to see the others taken prisoner by the servants of Halaster, after which a mysterious voice guided the Heroes to the passage up to the Yawning Portal and begged them not to return.
Undeterred, the Heroes returned to the Catacombs to find a friend of Durnan's named Anton. While rescuing him, they found themselves in the middle of a territorial battle between the Undertakers and the Xanathar Guild. While pitting them against each other, the Heroes learned of something called the Gatestaff of Undermountain, created by Halaster and capable of opening portals from Undermountain to anywhere in Faerûn. A contact with the Harpers told them his agents had seen the staff in Wyllowwood, but to get there they would have to go through the Twisted Caverns. However, an aboleth had taken control of the creatures there and Halaster had enchanted the gateway to open only with an aboleth's blood. With the help of a local tribe of kuo-toa, they slew the aboleth and returned to the Wyllowwood gate with its severed tentacle. There the voice revealed itself as the ghostly remnant of Jhesiyra, one of Halaster's apprentices who came to Undermountain with him a thousand years ago. She turned against them when she saw them going mad, but was imprisoned. Just then she bade the heroes to hide, as Halaster appeared searching for her. Once the danger had passed, they proceeded through the gate.
"Acquisitions Incorporated Live - PAX Unplugged 2019" (1491 DR, right after the events of PAX West 2019)
"Warriors of Sehanine" tabletop adventure (By Florian Emmerich, JVC Parry and Ashley Warren) (1491 DR, before "Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus")
Waterdeep Adventures Adventurers' League tabletop game modules "Once In Waterdeep", "The Map With No Names", "Beneath the City of the Dead", "Dock Ward Double Cross", "A Wrinkle in the Weave", "Hero of the Troll Wars", "Purging the Blood", "Into the Dark", "Crypt of the Dark Kiss", "Fangs and Frogs", "The Skull Square Murders", "Poisoned Words", "Xanathar's Wrath", "The Vampire of Skullport", "Rescue from Vanrakdoom", "Forge of Fangs", "Change of Address", "The Tower of Ahghairon" and "Moving Day" (1492 DR)
Fun fact: This new Xanathar in this adventure is not the same Xanathar from the first Eye of The Beholder game. That Xanathar is long dead. A new beholder "inherited" the name.
"Waterdeep: Dragon Heist" tabletop adventure game (Written by Christopher Perkins, James C Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee and Matthew Sernett) (1492 DR)
Story synopsis: Welcome to Waterdeep! Famed explorer Volothamp Geddarm needs you to complete a simple quest. Thus begins a mad romp through the wards of Waterdeep as you uncover a villainous plot involving some of the city's most influential figures. A grand urban caper awaits you. Pit your skill and bravado against villains the likes of which you've never faced before, and let the dragon hunt begin!
Fun fact: Volothamp Geddarm has been trapped in an imprisonment spell for 100 years, and he gets released around the time this game happens! Expect to see him again in Baldur's Gate 3!
"Candlekeep Mysteries" 5th Edition adventure book (Written by Christopher Perkins, Graeme Barber, Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, Alison Huang, Mark Hulmes, Jennifer Kretchmer, Daniel Kwan, Adam Lee, Ari Levitch, Sarah Madsen, Michael Polkinghorn, Taymoor Rehman, Derek Ruiz, Kienna Shaw, Brandes Stoddard, Amy Vorpahl, Toni Winslow-Brill, Bill Benham, Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Kim Mohan and Hannah Rose) ((Release date: March 16, 2021), (In-universe date: All 17 adventures in the book are in 1492 DR)))
Story synopsis: Candlekeep attracts scholars like a flame attracts moths. Historians, sages, and others who crave knowledge flock to this library fortress to peruse its vast collection of books, scribbled into which are the answers to the mysteries that bedevil them. Many of these books contain their own mysteries — each one a doorway to adventure. Dare you cross that threshold?
Story synopsis: When Kavatos Stormeye detected a magical disturbance in Undermountain, he asked the Hero of Sleeping Dragon Bridge to investigate, noting reports of increased mind flayer activity in the area. The source of the disturbance turned out to be a portal to Stardock, placed by the githzerai to lure a capable adventurer to aid them against both the illithid and the githyanki in Undermountain. The gith Yrlakka explained that their adversaries had found fragments of the ancient Teachings of Zerthimon, and that if either group obtained all the fragments they could bypass the defenses of the githzerai fortress of Shra'kt'lor. The adventurers recovered fragments from a neothelid, the githyanki dragon knight Surlock, and the red dragons Zolcharrx and Infernexus, ensuring the continued safety of Shra'kt'lor.
With the githyanki and illithid offensives broken, the heroes entered Halaster's personal library to confront the Mad Mage himself.
"Acquisitions Incorporated Live - PAX South 2020" (1492 DR)
"Acquisitions Incorporated Live - PAX East 2020" (Starts in 1492 DR)
"Acquisitions Inc: The "C" Team Season 4" (1492 DR)
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Episode 14:
"Infernal Tides" comic book series (Written by Jim Zub, art by Max Dunbar) (1492 DR, before and during the Neverwinter MMORPG's Avernus related adventures)
Story synopsis of Issue #1: Minsc and his friends are caught in the middle of devil-tainted corruption that has taken hold of Eltruel. Unravelling the secret of its source will take our heroes to unexpected places and threaten the sanctity of their very souls. Even if they survive this perilous journey, there will be Hell to pay!
Story synopsis of Issue #2: A devil-tainted puzzle box sends our heroes to the fortress-library known as Candlekeep. If Minsc and his companions can’t unravel its secrets in time, thousands of innocent souls will be lost, including their own!
Story synopsis of Issue #3: An entire city sent sliding into Hell, and the Baldur’s Gate heroes are trapped along for the ride! With infernal devils attacking from every side and no way home, how will our heroes survive?
Story synopsis of Issue #4: Delina, Shandie, and Krydle fight to hold back the hordes of devils attacking Elturel while Minsc and Nerys struggle to survive the Blood War raging below! Souls and sanity are set to crumble as the Infernal Tides roll in!
Story synopsis of Issue #5: This is it—the final battle for the souls of our heroes and the city of Elturel! Even if Minsc and his companions survive this perilous journey, there will be Hell to pay!
Fun fact: This comic book series' story is likely the canon version of the Descent into Avernus tabletop adventure game.
Fun fact #2: The way how the final issue ends has got me wondering which is more canon, the Descent into Avernus tabletop game, or the Infernal Tides comic book series? Because there is a question of who canonically saved Eltruel from falling further into the Nine Hells, the heroes from the tabletop game, or Coran's son Krydle? If you want to know how Krydle saved Elturel, I ain't telling anything.
Story synopsis: Sergeant Knox asked the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge to investigate the estate of Berion Vallenhas, where a dark sphere swirling with fiery magic had appeared in the sky upon the death of his father. An elf named Etrien Sael told them that she knew of a paladin at Helm's Hold who could help, but when they arrived they found the fortress had become the battleground for a chaotic fight between demons and devils. Etrien's friend turned out to be Berion's older brother, Alric, who sought a demonic puzzlebox he believed would unlock his father's secrets. When she told him about the sphere, though, he hurried back to the estate just in time to see it consumed by the sphere. Alric led Etrien and the heroes to Evernight to find Makos and request transportation to the Nine Hells, where they discovered that the Vallenhas Estate now floated in the sky above Avernus.
Neverwinter MMORPG side quest "Rage of Bel" (1492 DR after Infernal Descent)
story synopsis: Zariel is angered by the heroic actions of the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, so she has sent Bel to deal with them. Can the heroes overcome Bel's wrath even with the help of Makos?
story synopsis: Vallenhas gets visited by Lulu the hollyphant, who proposes that the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge should find Zariel's sword, which holds the last pure hope of her soul, to bring her back to the light so that she can return the Vallenhas Estate to the Material Plane.
"Mindbreaker: Baldur's Gate 3" comic book series (By Jim Zub, art by Max Dunbar) ((Release date: October 2021), (In-universe date: 1492 DR, sometime before Baldur's Gate 3))
"BALDUR'S GATE 3" (By Larian Studios, playable on Steam, Apple, gog.com and Google Stadia) ((release date: (Early Access) October 6th 2020), (in-universe date: possibly 1495 DR, must be a couple months or at least a year after Descent Into Avernus))
Story synopsis: An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerûn lies in the hands of one human/elf/half-elf/drow/half-drow/halfling/dwarf/tiefling/githyanki adventurer. Alone, he/she may resist. But together with the assistance of Lae'zel, Gale, Shadowheart, Astarion and Wyll, he/she can overcome.
Fun fact: In the game, under the Order of the Gauntlet's makeshift base, there is a tollhouse. If you look at the tollhouse's ledger, it says that the current year is 1492 DR, which would lead you to believe Baldur's Gate 3 is set two years before Baldur's Gate Descent into Avernus. This information contradicts the fact that Descent Into Avernus is a PREQUEL to Baldur's Gate 3. Descent Into Avernus is confirmed to be in 1494 DR! The devs of Baldur's Gate 3 said that we will learn in BG3 what ending of Descent into Avernus is considered canon. How is this possible when technically Baldur's Gate 3 is the prequel to Descent into Avernus? Especially when the tiefling refugees come from Eltruel being returned from Avernus?
Fun fact #2: Minthara, the Lolth-Sworn drow woman leading the goblin hordes is from Menzoberranzan born in House Baenre. She only reveals this when you use spell that allows you to talk to dead people after she has been killed. The fact that she comes from House Baenre means she is related to the one and only Jarlaxle.
Fun fact #3: Minthara is a romance option too, but you have to betray the tiefling refugees to win her over. And so far she is the only romance option with an animated sex scene in Early Access.
Fun fact #4: Somewhere in the Underdark, there is a group of kuo-toa who worships one of the Dead Three gods. Guess who it is?
Fun fact #5: Faldorn, the leader of the Shadow Druids in the first Baldur's Gate game has written a book about the doctrines of Shadow Druids that you can find in possession of the Shadow Druids that Kagha secretly works for.
Fun fact #6: In the goblin camp, there is a trader selling a few books. One of the books he sells mentions Sarevok, the antagonist you fight in the end of Baldur's Gate 1.
"Acquisitions Incorporated Live - PAX East 2020" (Continues and ends in 1494 DR because when they return to Waterdeep, they discover that 2 years have passed)
"Acquisitions Incorporated - PAX Online 2020"
Last edited by BladeDancer; 31/08/2106:58 PM. Reason: Added the latest D&D comic book series At The Spine of the World
If anyone playing Early Access has figured out if Baldur's Gate 3 is a few months or a couple years after Decent Into Avernus, let me know. I tried to play Early Access myself, but I unfortunately learned that my PC is a little sub-par in meeting the minimum requirements to play this game, but I got a refund so for now I got to get a new video card.
It seems to be taking place immediately after (or days or weeks after) Elturel was returned to the Prime Material Plane - refugees provide evidence of that.
Triple post here - You left out the adventures of the Waffle Crew - which coincide and overlap with Acq-Inc. Strix and Evelyn might as well be a part of Acq-Inc at this point.
It seems to be taking place immediately after (or days or weeks after) Elturel was returned to the Prime Material Plane - refugees provide evidence of that.
Also, Zevlor was a member of the Riders of Elturel, one of the tieflings who deserted Zariel. I can't imagine him being with the Hellriders in less than a few months or a year.
@Vometria Can we get a sticky on all three of these?! This is previous lore people can read up on if interested. We don't have a lore category so mega-threads & guides section?
Thanks. I don't consider myself a legend really, I'm just a hardcore D&D fan who has been following everything D&D related ever since I started playing Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition back in 2012.
OP, my hat is off to you. These are very informative threads. I think maybe you should contact WotC about revising and expanding The Grand History of the Realms for 5e. 🙂
"Fun fact: In the game, under the Order of the Gauntlet's makeshift base, there is a tollhouse. If you look at the tollhouse's ledger, it says that the current year is 1492 DR, which would lead you to believe Baldur's Gate 3 is set two years before Baldur's Gate Descent into Avernus. This information contradicts the fact that Descent Into Avernus is a PREQUEL to Baldur's Gate 3. Descent Into Avernus is confirmed to be in 1494 DR! The devs of Baldur's Gate 3 said that we will learn in BG3 what ending of Descent into Avernus is considered canon. How is this possible when technically Baldur's Gate 3 is the prequel to Descent into Avernus? Especially when the tiefling refugees come from Eltruel being returned from Avernus?"
I've noticed that too, and that makes me think there may be more factual mistakes in the book texts in-game and overall storyline, which would require double-checking by Larian before they end Early Access. The whole plot with tieflings looks poorly thought-out, for now - if they are the refugees from the Avernus, why we can't listen to their stories about that time? There are lots of people and lots of stories we should be hearing. That was a major case in their lives. Why Zevlor leads them, if he is a "traitor" Hellrider (Descent into Avernus), or why Zariel remains a fallen angel, in that case? So many small inconsistencies, even at that one plotline.
"Fun fact: In the game, under the Order of the Gauntlet's makeshift base, there is a tollhouse. If you look at the tollhouse's ledger, it says that the current year is 1492 DR, which would lead you to believe Baldur's Gate 3 is set two years before Baldur's Gate Descent into Avernus. This information contradicts the fact that Descent Into Avernus is a PREQUEL to Baldur's Gate 3. Descent Into Avernus is confirmed to be in 1494 DR! The devs of Baldur's Gate 3 said that we will learn in BG3 what ending of Descent into Avernus is considered canon. How is this possible when technically Baldur's Gate 3 is the prequel to Descent into Avernus? Especially when the tiefling refugees come from Eltruel being returned from Avernus?"
I've noticed that too, and that makes me think there may be more factual mistakes in the book texts in-game and overall storyline, which would require double-checking by Larian before they end Early Access. The whole plot with tieflings looks poorly thought-out, for now - if they are the refugees from the Avernus, why we can't listen to their stories about that time? There are lots of people and lots of stories we should be hearing. That was a major case in their lives. Why Zevlor leads them, if he is a "traitor" Hellrider (Descent into Avernus), or why Zariel remains a fallen angel, in that case? So many small inconsistencies, even at that one plotline.
I don't think at this point Descent into Avernus is prequel, if anything they'll be running concurrently, I'm not too worried about the dates that appear in destroyed tollhouse, I'm just basing this on where the pieces are on the board right now.
We know the Tieflings are from Elturel and Zevlor is a Hellrider, they went into Avernus during the Descent I assumed they'd returned from Avernus because they've said Descent was a prequel but actually I don't know that, they could have been outside the city when it's taken I don't remember what Zevlor says on the matter and are now back (or are going to BG after Elturel was taken), we also know that recently Duke Ravenguard was kidnapped by Absolute Drow, a conspicuously familiar event.
I've never run Descent but I'm an avid reader of thealexandrian blog so I'm pretty familiar with the goings on. I recommend his remix for anyone who likes well thought out worldbuilding and design philosophy.
This will be a long one, but I wanted to discuss the hidden symbolism, memories and illusions in early access. And this seems like a good place for lore discussion at the moment... Also thank you so much for compiling this; it helped me look at some lore I missed.
It's not entirely clear, but it definitely seems like we find the combination of factions, companions with stories too great or terrible to share and odd NPC encounters, that is introduced to us in the early access confusing. Are we under some sort of illusion ourselves? Are we the outsiders? I am loving it, but I am also seeing a lot of hidden symbolism.
Also some mild character spoilers from BG: Descent into Avernus and Curse of Sthrad DnD modules and a lot of game theories and spoilers ahead.
- hag and redcaps - feels like something out of Barovia, but also Kiaransalee during Silence of Lolth; - Spiders down in the goblin pits, which makes me think of Silence of Lolth (maybe they were the 3 priestesses and Minthara is one of them?) - this cult of Absolute which seems like a twisted version of something else, but controlled by a group of mindflayers with 'absolute power' - shadow druids in Silvanus grove - Zhentarim carrying Iron flask with 'beholder' inside - Manshoon and Xarlandralath possibly; Yeenoghu (gnolls) would still be interested as demons will always try to play each other; but Astarion (possibly related to interests of Vhaeraun) would still want you to take it yourself as it would mean less power for either of the demons - gnolls that attacked paladin oathbreakers which are hunting down Karlach (link with Yeenoghu, Baphomet and Zariel) - burning estate attacked by drow and goblins - gur (monster hunter that is after Astarion) which was used as term form Selune's children very much like nomadic people vistani before dippin in Shadowfell juice.
- fast travel? It might be there just for accessibility, but it makes me sus, especially since they are netherese runes, possibly same magic that also 'saved us'... - a talking skeleton, which has a divine aspect to him, in our camp - Astarion thinks it's the tadpole affecting his resilience towards sunlight, I think in fact it might be shadow weave or some netherese magic affecting drow and him and giving them extra resilience - Edowin asks you to protect his novices, protect them from what, if they are in the service of Absolute? They aren't true souls and they won't question you, they will follow what you say - dreams seem to be design intent for all classes, even warforged; you can break your head trying to figure out where they are taking us
Previously I was also honestly looking at possibility of Sthrad having something to do with this (Barovia is in Domains of Dread so Shadowfell). Volo (was there for 99 dragons, might be why he can't shut up about them), Jander Sunstar, Minsc and possibly others were in Barovia. - WotC also dug out Ravenloft character Jander Sunstar for BG: Descent into Avernus, which doesn't make much sense, until you read that he was a vampire and had a past, that could be what Astarion is recalling in his 'dreams' and that is sort of playing out around us, in a twisted way (slavery, Silvanus grove, that supposedly made him mortal elf temporarily, feeding on animals and preying on sleeping bandits). He also has a history with Sthrad where he attempted to kill him. But he was supposed to die in BG: DiA? Well, yes and no - 'his body crumbles in graceful release'. Listen to what Chris says here. If you want to know more about where I am coming from please take a look at Shadowfell. I also recommend this video. Shadowfell was just recently moved by Shar and it's supposed to echo in a similar way than Feywild.
Related to memories and Shadowfell (and not really wanting vampiric illithid Sthrad to deal with) I also looked into Raven queen potentially affecting our heads. The Raven Queen was obsessed with collecting and observing mementos and fragments of memories and essences. Many sages speculated that she was in fact insane, believing her methods and behavior little more than aimless curiosity or a desperate attempt to prevent her fragile existence from fading into oblivion. Others maintained that there was a cosmological function that was performed by the Queen's actions, as she purified souls by forcing mortals to deal with their fears and pains. It was believed that her true intentions were only known to the Lady of Pain. I feel like 'dealing with their fears and pains' could be really applied to all of our companions, especially if you really try to connect with them, they were all hurt, abused or wronged by something for a long time...(black mirror reactions). - The Raven Queen also has opposition in the demon lord Orcus, which could explain Raphael's or atleast demon's interest in helping us.
'When shadows descend upon the lands, our divine lords will walk alongside us as equals.'
Take a look at Alaundo's prophecies, is this the Shadow prophecy and maybe something else as well? In the intro we can see the nautiloid flying through something, that looks very similar to how Shadowfell could look. Lastly listen to what Chris Perkins says here and what the voice in our head says here.
'You see time rewritten. Fate undone.'
Has anyone else had similar observations? What if Early access is just supposed to be a playground, a session 0 if you will?
The game is amazing, but something stinks and I don't think it's my overcooked brain.
“There is only one thing we say to Death: Not today.”
This will be a long one, but I wanted to discuss the hidden symbolism, memories and illusions in early access. And this seems like a good place for lore discussion at the moment... Also thank you so much for compiling this; it helped me look at some lore I missed.
It's not entirely clear, but it definitely seems like we find the combination of factions, companions with stories too great or terrible to share and odd NPC encounters, that is introduced to us in the early access confusing. Are we under some sort of illusion ourselves? Are we the outsiders? I am loving it, but I am also seeing a lot of hidden symbolism.
Also some mild character spoilers from BG: Descent into Avernus and Curse of Sthrad DnD modules and a lot of game theories and spoilers ahead. [spoiler]- hag and redcaps - feels like something out of Barovia, but also Kiaransalee during Silence of Lolth; - Spiders down in the goblin pits, which makes me think of Silence of Lolth (maybe they were the 3 priestesses and Minthara is one of them?) - this cult of Absolute which seems like a twisted version of something else, but controlled by a group of mindflayers with 'absolute power' - shadow druids in Silvanus grove - Zhentarim carrying Iron flask with 'beholder' inside - Manshoon and Xarlandralath possibly; Yeenoghu (gnolls) would still be interested as demons will always try to play each other; but Astarion (possibly related to interests of Vhaeraun) would still want you to take it yourself as it would mean less power for either of the demons - gnolls that attacked paladin oathbreakers which are hunting down Karlach (link with Yeenoghu, Baphomet and Zariel) - burning estate attacked by drow and goblins - gur (monster hunter that is after Astarion) which was used as term form Selune's children very much like nomadic people vistani before dippin in Shadowfell juice.
- fast travel? It might be there just for accessibility, but it makes me sus, especially since they are netherese runes, possibly same magic that also 'saved us'... - a talking skeleton, which has a divine aspect to him, in our camp - Astarion thinks it's the tadpole affecting his resilience towards sunlight, I think in fact it might be shadow weave or some netherese magic affecting drow and him and giving them extra resilience - Edowin asks you to protect his novices, protect them from what, if they are in the service of Absolute? They aren't true souls and they won't question you, they will follow what you say - dreams seem to be design intent for all classes, even warforged; you can break your head trying to figure out where they are taking us
Previously I was also honestly looking at possibility of Sthrad having something to do with this (Barovia is in Domains of Dread so Shadowfell). Volo (was there for 99 dragons, might be why he can't shut up about them), Jander Sunstar, Minsc and possibly others were in Barovia. - WotC also dug out Ravenloft character Jander Sunstar for BG: Descent into Avernus, which doesn't make much sense, until you read that he was a vampire and had a past, that could be what Astarion is recalling in his 'dreams' and that is sort of playing out around us, in a twisted way (slavery, Silvanus grove, that supposedly made him mortal elf temporarily, feeding on animals and preying on sleeping bandits). He also has a history with Sthrad where he attempted to kill him. But he was supposed to die in BG: DiA? Well, yes and no - 'his body crumbles in graceful release'. Listen to what Chris says here. If you want to know more about where I am coming from please take a look at Shadowfell. I also recommend this video. Shadowfell was just recently moved by Shar and it's supposed to echo in a similar way than Feywild.
Related to memories and Shadowfell (and not really wanting vampiric illithid Sthrad to deal with) I also looked into Raven queen potentially affecting our heads. The Raven Queen was obsessed with collecting and observing mementos and fragments of memories and essences. Many sages speculated that she was in fact insane, believing her methods and behavior little more than aimless curiosity or a desperate attempt to prevent her fragile existence from fading into oblivion. Others maintained that there was a cosmological function that was performed by the Queen's actions, as she purified souls by forcing mortals to deal with their fears and pains. It was believed that her true intentions were only known to the Lady of Pain. I feel like 'dealing with their fears and pains' could be really applied to all of our companions, especially if you really try to connect with them, they were all hurt, abused or wronged by something for a long time...(black mirror reactions). - The Raven Queen also has opposition in the demon lord Orcus, which could explain Raphael's or atleast demon's interest in helping us.
'When shadows descend upon the lands, our divine lords will walk alongside us as equals.'
Take a look at Alaundo's prophecies, is this the Shadow prophecy and maybe something else as well? In the intro we can see the nautiloid flying through something, that looks very similar to how Shadowfell could look. Lastly listen to what Chris Perkins says here and what the voice in our head says here.
'You see time rewritten. Fate undone.'
Has anyone else had similar observations? What if Early access is just supposed to be a playground, a session 0 if you will?
The game is amazing, but something stinks and I don't think it's my overcooked brain.
"The intrepid heroes after their long fraught journey strike down the corrupted hivemind that has been pulling the strings all along. And as they rejoice the camera slowly pulls back from moonrise tower to reveal it is in fact a minature replica, as the camera pulls out further we see, indeed Moonrise Tower, Baldur's Gate, and all points between are but a exquisitely recreated replica within a child's bauble, a snow globe."
I'm on board but we can get crazy with anything if you question the very nature of existence.
How would all the forgotten gods fit in, and Gale's quest in particular.
I've been treating Netherese magic as an easy way for them to hand wave (literally) some inconvenient rules regarding magic in D&D but I can get behind something weirder
Dealing with your fears and pains plays very well in with the origin characters but what about Cust M. Char?
Previously I was also honestly looking at possibility of Sthrad having something to do with this (Barovia is in Domains of Dread so Shadowfell). Volo (was there for 99 dragons, might be why he can't shut up about them), Jander Sunstar, Minsc and possibly others were in Barovia. - WotC also dug out Ravenloft character Jander Sunstar for BG: Descent into Avernus, which doesn't make much sense, until you read that he was a vampire and had a past, that could be what Astarion is recalling in his 'dreams' and that is sort of playing out around us, in a twisted way (slavery, Silvanus grove, that supposedly made him mortal elf temporarily, feeding on animals and preying on sleeping bandits). He also has a history with Sthrad where he attempted to kill him. But he was supposed to die in BG: DiA? Well, yes and no - 'his body crumbles in graceful release'. Listen to what Chris says here. If you want to know more about where I am coming from please take a look at Shadowfell. I also recommend this video. Shadowfell was just recently moved by Shar and it's supposed to echo in a similar way than Feywild.
I wouldn't believe into Jander=Astarion ( or close to), because Jander is portrayed as a character of firmest morals, capable of stopping even the evilness of the undeath and not losing faith even in Ravenloft and Avernum; Astarion is a survivor, instead.
Other symbolism you've mentioned is too unstable as a theory for me personally, but interesting nonetheless (spiders and Minthara especially so).
I don't think at this point Descent into Avernus is prequel, if anything they'll be running concurrently, I'm not too worried about the dates that appear in destroyed tollhouse, I'm just basing this on where the pieces are on the board right now.
We know the Tieflings are from Elturel and Zevlor is a Hellrider, they went into Avernus during the Descent I assumed they'd returned from Avernus because they've said Descent was a prequel but actually I don't know that, they could have been outside the city when it's taken I don't remember what Zevlor says on the matter and are now back (or are going to BG after Elturel was taken), we also know that recently Duke Ravenguard was kidnapped by Absolute Drow, a conspicuously familiar event.
If it isn't a prequel, why the successful check in-game mentions it in the past tense? How those refugees were able to leave Elturel at all (if it's still chained in Avernus, events running concurrently)?
I'm pretty sure these lines in-game have to be re-looked into by Larian devs in order to give out a finished picture for the player, unlike right now.
I don't think at this point Descent into Avernus is prequel, if anything they'll be running concurrently, I'm not too worried about the dates that appear in destroyed tollhouse, I'm just basing this on where the pieces are on the board right now.
We know the Tieflings are from Elturel and Zevlor is a Hellrider, they went into Avernus during the Descent I assumed they'd returned from Avernus because they've said Descent was a prequel but actually I don't know that, they could have been outside the city when it's taken I don't remember what Zevlor says on the matter and are now back (or are going to BG after Elturel was taken), we also know that recently Duke Ravenguard was kidnapped by Absolute Drow, a conspicuously familiar event.
If it isn't a prequel, why the successful check in-game mentions it in the past tense? How those refugees were able to leave Elturel at all (if it's still chained in Avernus, events running concurrently)?
I'm pretty sure these lines in-game have to be re-looked into by Larian devs in order to give out a finished picture for the player, unlike right now.
concurrently, so in media res, Elturel was taken, but hasn't returned.
Its actually more than that, Zevlor was a Hellrider, but he mentions that all the Tieflings have never seen the night sky before; they also mention being from Elturel, so we're talking about a scenario where Elturel was taken, and these guys have been living in Avernus for generations? Time works differently in Avernus so we could be dealing with time moving at different rates on different planes.
I don't think at this point Descent into Avernus is prequel, if anything they'll be running concurrently, I'm not too worried about the dates that appear in destroyed tollhouse, I'm just basing this on where the pieces are on the board right now.
We know the Tieflings are from Elturel and Zevlor is a Hellrider, they went into Avernus during the Descent I assumed they'd returned from Avernus because they've said Descent was a prequel but actually I don't know that, they could have been outside the city when it's taken I don't remember what Zevlor says on the matter and are now back (or are going to BG after Elturel was taken), we also know that recently Duke Ravenguard was kidnapped by Absolute Drow, a conspicuously familiar event.
concurrently, so in media res, Elturel was taken, but hasn't returned.
If it isn't a prequel, why the successful check in-game mentions it in the past tense? How those refugees were able to leave Elturel at all (if it's still chained in Avernus, events running concurrently)?
I'm pretty sure these lines in-game have to be re-looked into by Larian devs in order to give out a finished picture for the player, unlike right now.
Its actually more than that, Zevlor was a Hellrider, but he mentions that all the Tieflings have never seen the night sky before they also mention being from Elturel, so we're talking about a scenario where Elturel was taken, and these guys have been living in Avernus for generations? Time works differently in Avernus so we could be dealing with time moving at different rates on different planes.
That is quite possible, but still doesn't answers a lot of questions which should arise when PC+party, just crashing from Avernus, meet folks who have been there for some time too, and can't even learn their story. It can be explained by "we don't have time, there is a tadpole and we need a cure!", but then every side quest and lore-gathering should be subject to that too.
Not enough consistency in that case with Descent and current whereabouts, imo.
