Coast Way
The Coast Way was a major trade road running along the Sword Coast. The Coast Way could be marked as the Trade Way on maps.
Geography
The Coast Way was generally agreed to run from somewhere in Amn (linking up to roads to Tethyr and Calimshan) in the south and pass through Beregost and Friendly Arm, before it reached Baldur's Gate. Along the way, it was met by the Way of the Lion leading west to Candlekeep, about a day by horse north of Beregost. Near Beregost, a small stream known as Wizard's Doom Creek crossed the road.
On some maps, the Coast Way terminated at Baldur's Gate, specifically at the Basilisk Gate in the Lower City by the late 1400s DR. But other accounts had it continue north, meeting Thundar's Ride near the Citadel of Strategic Militancy, some 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Baldur's Gate. After this point, it became a trail and passed over the Winding Water at Trollclaw Ford in The Trollclaws and merged with the Trade Way south of Dragonspear.
From here, some records had the Coast Way continue all the way to Liam's Hold, Gillian's Hill, and Daggerford, each a half day's ride from the last. Others had it continue on to Waterdeep. Still more said it began at Waterdeep's Troll Gate and ran still north until it joined The High Road. In any case, this section of the road was generally known as the Trade Way.
Description
Between Baldur's Gate and Amn, the land on either side of the Coast Way was green and idyllic farmland. It was a dirt road, so it could turn to mud in a heavy rain.
Law & Order
The farmlands along the Coast Way from Baldur's Gate to Amn were protected under the Pact, a common defensive agreement. However, Amnian merchants had a habit of making claims on any or all lands close to the Coast Way that were in ready grasp and not well defended.
However, the lands around the Friendly Arm were once beset by bandits and by bugbear, Kobold, orc, and even troll raiders, until the Arm opened as a fortified waystop and discouraged them somewhat.
Activities
Weary travelers on the southern Coast Way regularly stopped in Beregost.
Notes
The names Coast Way and Trade Way seem to be used interchangeably, both on maps and in text. Notably, The Forgotten Realms Atlas names this stretch of road as the Trade Way, but the 2nd-edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting calls it the Coast Way. Its text has it continuing to Waterdeep, whereas its map has this be the Trade Way instead, with the Trade Way itself continuing south. Strangely, City of Splendors: Waterdeep describes two Coast Ways, starting northward from Waterdeep but ending at Baldur's Gate in the south. Taken together, it may be that the names are used interchangeably, especially after the two were joined, or that "Coast Way" refers more to the coastal sections of the Trade Way. The following tries to focus on specific mentions of the Coast Way.
