To folk from other parts of Faerûn, the Shaar seems to be a vast expanse of nothingness that presents an unfortunate obstacle to trade among other lands. The fierce barbaric nomads and dangerous beasts that roam its grassy plains appear to spend all their time attacking caravans and fighting over precious water. Indeed, many feel that everyone would be better off if the Shaar just disappeared.


But this immense sea of gently rolling hills is far more diversified and wondrous than most people understand. The Shaar is a land of hardship and fierce people, certainly, but it also, offers a bounty of unusual cultures, varied resources, and trade opportunities found nowhere else. Humans are not the only nomadic creatures living on the plains. Wemics, Centaurs, Thri-kreen, and Loxo also roam the Shaar, hunting the great herd animals for food and constantly squabbling over water rights. From time to time, Gnolls, Perytons, Manticores, Wyverns, and Dragons challenge the nomads for supremacy of the area.


Of all the regions of the Shining South, the Shaar is perhaps the most complex in terms of its great variety of races and cultures. Some races - such as the gold dwarves, of the Great Rift, the humans in the trading centers, or the reclusive wild elves and ghostwise halflings of the various forests - are firmly entrenched in their ancestral homes. Many others - including humans, wemics, centaurs, and others - roam the grasslands as nomadic tribes, coexisting in a never-ending cycle of hunting and gathering. Still other races visit the Shaar only occasionally, yet their presence impacts every native creature's way of life in profound ways. Few outsiders fully understand the delicate balance that maintains the Shaar, but the grassy sea has been the same for many centuries, and all who are part of it accept it as an intrinsic element of their very existences.

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Sharawood Investigation

Sometimes referred to as the Drakewood, the Sharawood sits between Azulduth, Lake of Salt to the northwest and the Toadsquat Mountains to the south. Thick and overgrown with tropical vines and flowering creepers, the Sharawood holds many secrets, since few sentient beings have ventured into its murky interior. The nomads of the plains occasionally come to the edge of this forest to gather herbs, hunt for food, or hide from their enemies, but they rarely venture deeper into the woods because of the many Sword Spiders that dwell there.


As if the spiders didn't present enough danger, a traditional story says that a terrible undead creature that steals people's bodies and turns them into zombie slaves haunts the Sharawood. In fact, this tale is not far removed from the truth. An extremely old and powerful Dracolich known only as the Everlasting Wyrm inhabits the darkest, deepest part of the Sharawood, ruminating on its nefarious plots and slowly collecting a brood of minions. Though it keeps to itself and tries to remain unnoticed by the nomads of the plains, it does not hesitate to enslave any tribesfolk who discover its existence. The Dracolich's worst enemies are the Knights of the Eternal Dragon, a group of undead stalwarts hidden away in the ruins of the Castle Al'hanar, just south of the Sharawood. Once every century, the knights arise and charge into the woods to do battle with the Dracolich and its horde of living spawn. Though the knights always destroy the Dracolich and all its minions, this battle seems doomed to play out over and over until the end of time because true to its name, the Everlasting Wyrm simply reforms over a decade or two and begins its machinations again.


Since the Spellplague, hidden deep inside it is a city ruled over by Xavarathimius, the Everlasting Wyrm, an Ancient Green Dracolich. The city is largely populated by Lizardfolk, who revere the Everlasting Wyrm, as well as the Dracolich's numerous undead slaves.

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The Toadsquat Mountains, or the Little Mountains, formed the northern border of Luiren in the Shining South in 1367 DR.


This mountain range was infested with ogres. Attracted by the mountain's rich silver deposits, dwarves helped clear some of the ogre tribes in the east to gain access to mines. The western Toadsquats were known to be full of goblins that harried the trade roads around Delzimmer. Rage drakes were also commonly found as far south as the Toadsquats. Criosphinxes were also sometimes encountered in the region.


The Toadsquat Mountains were slumped alongside the Beastlands' southern shore. Among their secrets, the fortress of Castle Al'hanar, which resided on the west bank of Blood Lake.


The Toadsquat Mountains used to be known as a range of short mountains, home to many goblins and ogres. During the Spellplague, much of the mountain range was transferred to Abeir; only returning during the Second Sundering. Those few who have dared to visit the mountains since their return have spoken of the many strange monsters that now inhabit it, most notably the wyvern-riding tribe of hobgoblins who patrol the mountain passes.

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Church Quests C

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Church Organizations C

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Church Associations C

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Church Locations C

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A Throne of Bone

The Shaar is a most effective barrier between the Heartlands and the Shining South, effective through its own emptiness. The Shaar is dominated by miles upon miles of thick grassland, and peopled only by nomads, herdsmen, and raiders. Yet, strange temples and abandoned shrines to lost gods dot the lands, and some of the wanderers encountered wield great mystical powers. Mighty winds powerful enough to overturn wagons and lift mounts into the air are common. The region known as Eastern Shaar is sparser, less green, and more of a wasteland. Larger than the Shaar in area and more arid, it is separated from the Shaar by a ridge known as the Landrise. The Eastern Shaar is free of any major features save for the huge chasm known as the Great Rift.

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The Beastlands are a region of plains at the eastern end of the Shaar. It was home to various non-human monstrous tribes who were allied in a loose confederation for self-defense. The eastern edge of this region was formed by the Giant's Belt Mountains, a range which separated the plains from the desert to the east.


Veldorn is a savage land of poorly defined borders. To many, it is considered the Beastlands, a home of monsters. Each clan of monsters is said to be ruled by a “beast lord”, who plot and scheme against each other for control over the Beastlands and the lands beyond. Travelling through these lands is unsafe to do unarmed. Caravans without guards are invariably attacked and the monsters of Veldorn see little problem with attacking anyone who stumbles into what they consider to be their territory. As such, most folk tend to steer far clear of these barbaric lands.


Yes, those tales your mother told you were true: There is a land of monsters, ruled by monsters, and this is it. They eat caravans whole along the Trade Way, love to raid the camps of outlanders who will all be too dead to hit back, and dream of ruling all Faerûn. Avoid the place or be eaten, as the old maps say.

— Anonymous Harper agent

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Castle Al'hanar was a ruined fortress located in the Toadsquat Mountains on the border of the Sharawood, built during the time of the Kingdom of Eltabranar. It was rumored to contain more magic in one location than any other place since the reign of the Imaskari.


This castle was once the base of the Order of the Undying Dragon, an order of Myrkul, who swore themselves to the destruction of the Everlasting Wyrm.

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Like a lonely island in a sea of grass, this cluster of hills sits smack in the middle of the Eastern Shaar. The hills would be utterly unremarkable except for the ruins of an ancient city in the central valley they enclose. Known as Shandaular during its heyday, the city rose up around the southern terminus of a two-way portal that connected with several other points throughout Faerûn. After the portal was shut down, the city slowly withered and faded away as its inhabitants took up the nomadic lifestyle and began to wander the Eastern Shaar. The final death knell for Shandaular occurred during a conflict with Unther and Mulhorand early in the third century DR.


Today, the site of the old city serves as a special gathering place for all the tribes of the Shaar. Every spring and fall, each tribe that is not engaged in war with its neighbors sends delegates to the ruins, where they hold peace talks and drink together, discussing alliances, hunting territory, and potential threats from other creatures. The area known as Council Hills is considered sacred neutral ground because many of the tribes have buried their ancestral chieftains in caves there. No fighting is permitted between nomads while either party stands among these hills. On numerous occasions, however, tribes have used violence to prevent enemy tribes from reaching the Council Hills gathering, setting up a perimeter of warriors to attack their approaching foes.


A small collection of hills in the otherwise largely flat savannah. Amidst these hills are the ruins of an ancient city. These city is greatly important to the Shaaran tribes. Representatives from each tribe convene here twice a year to discuss matters that affect all tribes (peace treaties, alliances, hunting territory, share threats). The tribes also bury their honored dead in this place. To discourage outsiders from visiting the city, the nomads spread rumors that it is cursed, haunted, monster-ridden, or corrupted by the Spellplague.

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Death's Door

Crystal Spire (Formally Bone Castle)

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Prepare Yourself

Understanding your Deity: The Timelessness of Divinity - Myrkul - Myrkul, the Reaper


Understanding your Organization: Horned HarbringersGrey Ones**Church of the Bone Lord - Conclave of DoomElder DoomDeathbringerWithering LordUndead MasterCrypt CarverRitual ConsecratorBone DancerShroud WearerBone TalkerNight Walker**Daring DeathDaring OneThe Noble "Still Alive-For Now"

**You are a Night Walker, and unknown to others - your connection with Myrkul is so strong that you were blessed as a Grey Ones in a dream. You never stopped prayer to him even while he was dead, and you knew he would return, but his rightful place and mantle of power must be restored.


Understanding your Home: Castle Al'hanar - Toadsquat Mountains - Eltabranar

and Historic Temples: Skullspire - Tulmon - Lake of Steam

Temple of the Dead Three

Legacy of Deep Death

Mere of Dead Men - Uthtower Kingdom - Uthtower - Mausoleum of EbonDeath


Understanding your Allies:

Cavalry of Bone - Doombringers of the Bone Lord

Order of the Undying Dragon - Eternal Knight Lords

Way of the Long Death - Bone Fists

Church of Kelemvor - Church of Jergal


Understanding your Enemy: Xavarathimius (Dracolich)(Green Dragons)


Understanding the Crystal Sphere: Great Wheel Model - World Axis Model - Elemental Planes - The Time of Magic


Understanding the Current Events: History of Abeir-Toril - Currency - Calendar of Harptos


Understanding your Starting Area: Toril - Faerun - The Shaar - Eastern Shaar - Beastlands - Sharawood - History of the Shaar


Understanding your Mission: A Throne of BoneDeath's Door


Understanding your Gear: Mask of Death - Pick [1] Rare Magic Permanent Item, [2] Uncommon Magic Permanent Items, [5] Common Magic Consumable Items, [3] Uncommon Magic Consumable Items. 750gp for mundane

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Masks of Death were enchanted carved masks of ivory, and shaped to resemble a human skull, worn by Myrkulytes and later, by Cyricists.

Magic imbued into Masks of Death allowed the wearer to access several spells once per day each. The wearer could shroud themselves in death armor and could sap life force with a mere touch as by the vampiric touch spell. The most dangerous property was when a Mask flew off the wearer's face and bit into a target at the wearer's bidding. If successful, the bite functioned as the finger of death spell. A Mask of Death flew back when the attack was completed.


It is rumored that Masks of Death's true power are unlocked when worn by a Grey One of Myrkul. Quirk: The item’s bearer dreams of the Outer Plane Hades, the Layer of Hades called Oinos, the City of the Dead, the Crystal Spire, or of Myrkul.

(State: Slumbering) Beneficial Properties. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you gain the following benefits:

  • Undead with a challenge rating of 2 or lower will neither threaten nor attack you unless you harm them.
  • Grave Magic. When you cast a spell that deals damage, you can change the spell’s damage type to necrotic. When you do damage this way, you may spend a reaction and gain temporary hit points as if by casting False Life.
  • While you are wearing this mask, it can function as a spellcasting focus for all your spells and you can use an action to expend 1 or more of the mask's charges to cast one of the following spells, using your spell save DC. The Mask of Death has 10 charges and regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dusk.
  • Armor of Agathys (1 Charge)
  • (Grey One Only) Fear (3 Charges)
  • Vampiric Touch (3 Charges)
  • (Grey One Only) Wither and Bloom (2 Charges)

(State: Stirring)(Level 16) Beneficial Properties. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you gain the following benefits:

  • Your proficiency bonus to Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (Religion) checks is doubled.
  • (Grey One Only) Shadow of Moil (Immune Radiant) (4 Charges)
  • (Grey One Only) Negative Energy Flood (5 Charges)

(State: Waking)(Level 20) Beneficial Properties. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you gain the following benefits:

  • Circle of Death (6 Charges)
  • Finger of Death (7 Charges)
  • (Grey One Only) In addition, when you cast a spell of 1st level or higher while wearing this focus, you can treat the spell as if it were cast using a 9th-level spell slot. Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dusk.
  • The Mask of Death has 20 charges and regains 2d8+4 expended charges daily at dusk.

(State: Ascendant)(Unknown)(Grey One Only)


Notes: Damage, Combat, Headwear, Focus

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You magically summon a Spectral Steed, which draws strength from your bond with Myrkul. The Spectral Steed is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. Its stat block uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. The Spectral Steed bears necromantic markings, indicating its arcane origin.


In combat, the Spectral Steed acts during your turn. It can move, attack and use its reaction on its own. If you are incapacitated, the Spectral Steed can take any action of its choice. The Spectral Steed also vanishes if you die.


When you finish a long rest, you can re-summon the Spectral Steed and it appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you.

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