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The Kingdom of Cormyr

A foundation for the Eveningstar campaign

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Arabel

Arabel, often referred to as the “Caravan City” or the “Granary of the North”, is a fortified city located in northern Cormyr. It stands at an important crossroads and serves as a major trade center. The city is about 30 miles east of Eveningstar and is one of the three greatest cities of Cormyr, after the capital, Suzail, and its sister-city, Marsember.

Arabel’s major exports include coal, horses, dry red wine, a strong bitter black beer known as “Bitter Black”, and cheese1. Unlike other Cormyrian cities, inhabitants of Arabel, even mercenaries, are allowed to keep their weapons unbound.

The city is known for its constant storage of food for winter in its cellars and attics. Dry firewood is also piled along the insides of the city walls before snow accumulates too much around Arabel.

Arabel has a rich history and has maintained a degree of independence since its inception as a logging camp. It has experienced multiple rebellions and secessions throughout its history.

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Bospir

A quintessential sheep market town, is a collection of dusty cottages situated at a trailmoot amidst numerous sheep and cattle ranches, centered around three deep wells. It's primarily accessible via a well-traveled road that connects it to the East Way in the north. The town is permeated with the unmistakable scent of sheep dung.

Bospir may not be the most inspiring destination for travelers unless they have a passion for wool, an appetite for lamb, or an interest in buying and selling livestock. The Drover's Inn is the sole option for overnight accommodations, although several rooming houses offer lodgings on a tenday basis. The Nightbleat Tavern, known for lively and sometimes rowdy gatherings, frequently witnesses drunken brawls, especially among sheepshearers. The tavern's name reflects Bospirian humor, demonstrating the locals' wit and character.

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Redspring

Redspring is a location known for its rust-red springs, which are tainted by the iron in the surrounding soil, giving the water an unusual taste. Despite its odd water quality, Redspring is a reliable source of water that never fails, even during the coldest winters. The Sunset Stream flows from Redspring to feed the Starwater near its origin.

Historically, Redspring has served as a meeting place for shepherds, but it was abandoned during times when the Stonelands made the northern moors too dangerous. However, it is now experiencing a resurgence and expansion. Chosen by the Crown for new construction, it has a Purple Dragon garrison and is surrounded by earthen ramparts intended to enclose a future town.

Merchants are flocking to Redspring, taking advantage of Crown funds for establishing businesses, although many bring their own hired bodyguards due to concerns about raids from the Stonelands. The presence of four war wizards in a newly built mansion has further attracted newcomers to the area.

Redspring is seen as a land of opportunity, but it lacks amenities for travelers. There is no inn, and the tavern is basic, with patrons standing outside to place orders. The absence of building stones in the vicinity has led to the digging of deep pits for construction material. The town's muddy roads and scattered unfinished buildings add to the transportation challenges.

Despite its potential, Redspring faces the risk of being swept away by harsh winters or renewed Zhentarim activity. However, for those willing to take a gamble or embrace the favor of Tymora, Redspring holds promise as a place where fortunes could be made. 

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Eveningstar

Eveningstar is a small, unwalled farming town located in Cormyr, about 30 miles west of Arabel. It's situated in an elbow of the Starwater River, just north of the King's Forest. The town is surrounded by fields and orchards and stands at the intersection of the High Road and the Starwater Road.

The town is known for its agricultural production, including primary products like milk, eggs, poultry, mutton, carrots, beans, and parsnips. It also produces value-added goods such as cheese, parchment, wool, and wine. These products are sold at a weekly farmers' market and are also exported to places like Daerlun in Sembia.

Eveningstar is a popular stopover for overland caravans who patronize the local farmers and businesses. The most important business in town is The Welcoming Hand Inn.

The town has a population of about 800 people as of 1358 DR. It has experienced various historical events including being plagued by rogue dragons in 1368 DR and suffering badly in the Goblin War of 1370 DR. It currently has 954 souls calling the town home. 

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Suzail

Suzail is the capital of Cormyr and the seat of power for Princess Alusair as she now rules Cormyr as regent until king Azoun V comes of age. It was named after Suzara Obarskyr, the mother of the first king. The city was originally the farm of Ondeth Obarskyr, the father of the first king.

Located on the shores of Lake Dragonmere, Suzail is a large port city and one of the two Cormyrean port cities. A huge variety of trade goods flow through the city. Suzail primarily exports copper bars, grain, furs from the Thunder Peaks and the Storm Horns, and lumber. They trade imported luxury goods such as spices, silk, and citrus fruit.

The city is divided into two distinct districts: the Royal Court, containing the palace, the Royal Gardens, and numerous noble estates. The landward side of Suzail is protected by an 80 ft. wall. The city is further protected by the Citadel of the Purple Dragons as well as three gates which are essentially castles themselves.

Two thousand Purple Dragons are garrisoned in the city and over one hundred War Wizards reside within its wall. 

As of 1372 DR, Suzail had a population of 45,039 with Humans making up 85% of it.

Marsember

Marsember, also known as the City of Spices, is a metropolis and the busiest port in the entire kingdom of Cormyr. The city is located on sandy islands in the swampy west bank of the mouth of the Starwater River. It's a city of trade, with its design making use of canals that double as open sewers. This often causes a stench problem during warm periods but prevents the water from freezing during cold periods.

The city is often shrouded in mist. The individual islands making up much of Marsember have many local names, including Sharmran Isle, also known as Fishgut Rock, and Antanmaran's Isle, whose shape led to the name the Prow.

As of 1368 DR, the population was as high as 46,000 but was reduced to around 36,007 just four years later. The population swells by up to twenty percent each year during the fishing season.

Bledryn Scoril was the crown's representative as of 1372 DR, and the War Wizard Kyler Blackbone also had a hand in running the city. 

All mages entering the city has to register with Ildool or Bledrin Scoril before sundown. Buildings had to be constructed from stone and covered with stucco that had to be replaced whenever deemed necessary by a local inspector.

High Horn

High Horn is a formidable fortress located atop the highest peak in the Dragonjaw line of peaks. It serves as Cormyr's western gate, guarding the pass through the Storm Horns. While its importance to the realm has diminished over time, it remains the mightiest castle in Cormyr. The fortress covers the entire peak, featuring multiple layers of defenses. It has a moat, walls, inner and outer wards, stables, armories, and guesthouses for travelers. Few outsiders have seen the castle's magnificent banquet hall, as most are sent to its dungeons or await questioning by war wizards and Purple Dragons.

High Horn houses around 400 soldiers, including archers, knights, and mixed troops, under the command of Lord Commander Thursk Dembarron. War Wizards also use it as a base, ensuring magical support for its defenses. The fortress guards the road to the West, preventing border raiders and lizardmen from entering through the pass and providing security for nearby gem mines. While it offers basic accommodations for travelers, the atmosphere is disciplined, reflecting the need to bolster defenses due to the growing strength of the Zhentarim to the west. Despite its imposing nature, High Horn has never faced a major siege or attack.

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Immersea

Welcome to Immersea, a small yet bustling town with a population of around 600 folk and about 100 buildings, nestled along Calantar’s Way, between Arabel and Hilp. Though unfortified, it serves as a convenient stopover for travelers—both human and livestock—making their way along this trade route. Immersea is known for its warm hospitality, with a number of quaint inns and taverns ready to offer a night’s rest for the weary.

If you’re looking for a place to stay, you’ll want to check out the Five Fine Fish, the most popular inn in town. Not only does it offer cozy lodging, but it’s also famous for brewing its own ale, which has a loyal following among locals and visitors alike.

The town’s current lord, Samtavan Sudacar, hails from Suzail, a fact that hasn’t exactly endeared him to the townspeople. His governorship has been less than stellar, but Immersea is kept from falling into disarray thanks to his dedicated and more approachable herald, Geldroon Cultspiir.

A key feature of Immersea is Redstone, the impressive ancestral home of the Wyvernspur family, which towers above the rest of the town. Its presence is unmistakable and adds a touch of history to the area.

For a unique local experience, try to catch a glimpse of the Mist Fishers. These early risers set out on the nearby Wyvernwater, casting their draglines and scoop-nets through the morning mists to bring in their daily catch. It’s a peaceful, almost magical sight that offers a true sense of Immersea’s connection to its surroundings.

Whether you're just passing through or planning a short stay, Immersea is a charming, if modest, stop along your journey. Enjoy its inns, ale, and misty mornings by the water—you might find more than just a resting place here.

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Map of Cormyr

Cormyr - the Forest Country

Also known as the Forest Country and the Land of the Purple Dragon.

Cormyr is one of the oldest kingdoms in the Forgotten Realms. It's a land of classic fantasy, where until recently a strong king ruling his subjects fairly and evenly, but recent events with the Goblin War only a few years away have changed that. Nobles are still struggling against each other for the scraps of power that the crown does not hold onto and adventuring companies who are willing to clear dangerous lands of ferocious monsters for a small share of the crown's treasury are in high demand although not always in high regard. 

Cormyr, also known as the Forest Country and the Land of the Purple Dragon lies between the desert kingdom of Anauroch to the north and the Lake of Dragons to the south. It is northwest of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The Thunder Peaks form the eastern border of Cormyr and the Stormhorns the west forms two massive obstacles that traditionally have keep Cormyr relatively safe.

Cormyr has repeatedly proven its military strength. Cormyrean armies helped humble the Shoon Imperium on the Fields of the Dead, fought alongside allies against the Tuigan invasion in Thesk, and have repelled numerous incursions by the Zhentarim and hostile Sembian forces. These victories have helped cement the kingdom’s reputation as one of the most reliable defenders of order in the Heartlands.

Geography of Cormyr

Cormyr lies at the western end of the Sea of Fallen Stars, occupying the northern and north-western shores of the Lake of Dragons.

Its natural borders define much of the kingdom:

  • West: The Storm Horn Mountains and the River Tun
  • North: The Great Desert of Anauroch and the Desertsmouth Mountains
  • East: The Thunder Peaks, Vast Swamp, and River Darkflow
  • South: The waters of the Lake of Dragons

In practice, however, Cormyr’s control weakens in the harsher frontier regions such as the Goblin Marches and the Stonelands, where monsters and hostile tribes dominate the wilderness.

Cities and Settlements

Cormyr’s capital and largest city is Suzail, the royal seat and primary port of the kingdom. Suzail stands as the political and cultural heart of Cormyr, though it maintains a longstanding rivalry with Marsember, the kingdom’s second city located farther east where the Starwater River meets the sea.

Beyond these coastal centers, much of Cormyr consists of rolling countryside, fertile plains, forests, and scattered towns and villages. The kingdom’s interior slopes gently toward the large inland lake known as the Wyvernwater, around which many settlements have developed.

The most fertile farmland lies in the north, between the King’s Forest and the Storm Horn Mountains. This region once included the twisted Helmlands, warped by powerful magic unleashed during the Time of Troubles, though much of that damage has since been repaired through magecraft.

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Forests of Cormyr in Forgotten Realms

The Forests of Cormyr

A defining feature of Cormyr is its ancient woodlands.

The King’s Forest, stretching between Eveningstar and Suzail, is a vast and ancient woodland. It represents one of the last remnants of the great forests that once extended from Cormanthor far to the west. The forest remains protected under royal decree.

Two other major forests also enjoy protection:

  • Hullack Wood
  • Hermit’s Wood

These protections stem from an ancient pact between the first human settlers and the elves who once ruled these lands. Logging is permitted, but strict rules apply: for every tree cut, another must be planted.

As a result, many villages exist beneath the forest canopy itself, nestled among the trees or built in small clearings.

The Western Frontier: The Tunlands

To the west lie the Tunlands, a rugged and contested region composed of:

  • the Sunset Mountains
  • the Far Hills
  • the Marsh of Tun
  • the Plains of Tun

This territory is fiercely contested. The Tunlar and Mir tribes, monster clans from the Goblin Marches, the Zhentarim stronghold of Darkhold, and the black dragon Skurge all vie for influence here.

Cormyr has attempted several times to secure the region completely, but doing so would require defeating powerful enemies while risking the security of other borders.

The Northern Threat: Goblin Marches and Stonelands

North of Cormyr stretch the wild lands of the Goblin Marches and the Stonelands.

These regions are home to numerous monstrous tribes, including:

  • Orcs
  • Goblins
  • Gnolls
  • Kobolds
  • Ogres

Although dangerous, these tribes rarely unite and instead spend much of their time fighting among themselves. This constant infighting reduces the threat they pose to Cormyr, though it also prevents the kingdom from expanding northward toward the edges of the Great Desert.

The Goblin Marches were once fertile land but have become increasingly barren as the Great Desert of Anauroch slowly advances southward.

The Stonelands, lying to the east, are a maze of rocky hills, valleys, and canyons inhabited by creatures such as hobgoblins, hill giants, and wemics. Cormyr maintains some military presence there, but control is limited.

Relations with the Dalelands

To the northeast lie the Dalelands, a loose coalition of independent farming communities and towns.

The Dalelands share many of Cormyr’s values: peace, trade, and stability. However, the Dales guard their independence fiercely. Many Dalelanders fear that Cormyr’s growing influence could eventually absorb their lands through gradual political pressure.

As a result, the relationship between Cormyr and the Dalelands is both cooperative and wary. They often work together against common threats, yet tensions remain.

Relations with Sembia

Cormyr’s eastern neighbor, Sembia, shares one of the most complicated relationships in the Heartlands with the Forest Kingdom. At various times the two realms have been close trading partners, military allies, fierce economic rivals, and even potential geopolitical enemies.

The border between them is often blurred by family connections and business interests that stretch across both nations. Yet during periods of tension that same border has seen armies gathering on either side, a reminder that the relationship can quickly shift from cooperation to rivalry.

Cormyr, Sembia, and the Dalelands together form a delicate balance of power in the eastern Heartlands. Their relationships change depending on circumstance, sometimes drawing them together in uneasy alliances against mutual threats. In the past they have cooperated to oppose dangers such as the Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon, the Red Wizards of Thay, and the invading Tuigan hordes. Even so, distrust and competing ambitions remain, and the possibility of conflict between these neighboring powers has never entirely disappeared.

Rivalry with Westgate

To the south lies Westgate, a wealthy and independent city-state located where the Neck connects the Lake of Dragons to the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Though only a single city, Westgate rivals Cormyr in influence and wealth. Its lower taxes and looser laws often attract merchants who might otherwise conduct business in Suzail or Marsember.

For this reason, Westgate remains one of Cormyr’s most persistent economic competitors.

Recent events in Cormyr

1371 DR

Plage, invasion, ancient curses, and the appearance of the "Devil Dragon"

1371 DR, was in many ways a year of great change for Cormyr. The nation was the scene of a great plague that blighted much of Cormyrs cropland, orcs and strange highly disciplined goblins invaded in numbers not seen in Cormyr for centuries, and old foes of the Obarskyrs, risen through evil magic as ghazneths (magic draining winged creatures of great power) and fated to bring about the fall of the nation, tore at the realm. Cormyr roused itself to war, only to suffer countless defeats. Goblin castles arose in the northern reaches beyound the mountains, Vangerdahast disappeared doing the nations time of crisis, and the ghazneths were joined in the skies by a gargantuan ancient red wyrm, the "Devil Dragon," Nalavarauthatoryl the Red.

The king is dead. All hail the King.

Azoun Obarskyr IV of Cormyr

Azoun Obarskyr IV and his fierce daughter, Alusair the Steel Princess, fought the goblinkin and the ghazneths but tasted more defeat. The city of Arabel was besieged, evacuated through the use of portals hidden theirin, and lost to goblin armies. Some nobles committed outright treason, and others openly defied the Crown Princess, revealing that many among Cormyr's nobility no longer felt any loyalty to the crown beyond their personal respect for Azoun.

By the end of the crisis, Nalavarauthatoryl and Azoun IV had slain each other on the battlefield, at the great cost of life of meny of the realm's mightiest warriors, officials, soldiers, War Wizards, and highest nobility. Crown Princess Tanalasta defeated the ghazneths but, died soon after in childbirth giving the land a new king: the infant Azoun V.

Aftermath - a land in turmoil

Princess Alusair Obarskyr of Cormyr

The Princess Alusair now rules Cormyr as regent, ably assisted by the Queen Filfaeril untill the day when Azoun V comes of age. Vangerdahast the court Wizard has chosen a successor, the battle-sorcerer Caladnei, and removed himself from the public eye. Many nobles are on the sword's edge of rebellion, others seek to claw their way back from exile, and Sembian interests are trying to covertly take control of Cormyr or at least gain substantial influence. As the land rebuilds, it offers new opportunities-and new dangers.

1372 DR

Cormyr - A land on the brink of chaos

As of 1372 DR, the country was under threat from all sides and struggling to hold onto order. Nobles bickered over land rights, Sembian merchants and a Cult of the Dragon cell tried to gain a trading foothold, and there was a Zhentarim presence. The city of Shade posed a threat.

Around 1372 DR, the country felt the effects of the Goblin War and the death of King Azoun IV. Bandits inhabited the roads and remnants of orc and goblin armies inhabited the forests. Not only that, but by the threath of the newly returned Shade nation, Cormyr once again called to arms and in the first and only battle the town of Tilverton was destroyed in a battle against the Shadovar, leaving the strategically important northeast of the country open to raiders wishing to invade.

The ruler as of 1372 DR, Regent Alusair Obarskyr, had her hands full dealing with all of these threats. She had the experienced Purple Dragons and War Wizards at her disposal.

Cormyr Coat of Arms
Info on Cormyr