Craft and Engineering

With a few exceptions, Faerûn is a land without heavy industry, steam power, or firearms. For millennia magic, not technology, has been the path to understanding and true power. Hundreds of wizards develop new spells, create new magic items, or uncover new fields of magical lore with each passing year, but the number of savants who advance the boundaries of mundane knowledge is much smaller. Just as wizards are inclined to closely guard their magical secrets, many great architects, engineers, and inventors hoard their learning and rarely pass it on to the world at large.

While technology is sometimes viewed as a somewhat inelegant and weak compared to true magical power, most folk of the Heartlands have a passing familiarity with simple machines such as waterwheels and building principles such as the arch. Magic often serves as an adjunct to any large construction process, not a replacement for good engineering and months or years of heavy labor. The design of a city’s new bridge is likely to come from an expert architect, who consults with various wizards regarding the use of magic to strengthen, reinforce, and preserve the work after it is complete. The strongest and most enduring structures make use of both sound construction and potent magic without relying entirely on either.

Fortifications

Keeps, castles, watchtowers, and walls are the best way to fortify a town or stronghold, despite the prevalence of magic and powerful monsters. It takes an adult dragon at the height of its vigor and determination to contemplate a single-handed attack on a well-built and well-defended castle. No wizard of less than 15th level or so commands enough magical power to raze a keep. Hundreds of tons of stone and iron doors with double locks prove surprisingly resistant to any destructive spell short of disintegrate or earthquake, and even then numerous castings may be required to achieve the outright destruction of a stronghold.

That said, surface fortifications work best against human-sized attackers who possess limited access to magic. Attackers who can tunnel or fly are best fought off by magic-capable defenders, earth elementals, or mounted aerial troops. Savvy defenders who prefer not to rely on magic for defense employ crenellated walls, nets, and aerial ballistae against fliers, and use preset deadfalls, gas traps, or other buried mechanical devices against tunnelers.

Since the most dangerous threats to fortifications come from powerful spells and monsters with potent magical abilities, the largest and most impressive fortifications also tend to have built-in magical wards and protections. Lead sheeting incorporated into the walls and doors blocks many divination spells. A forbiddance spell can stop hostile creatures from teleporting into a stronghold or passing its walls ethereally.

The main gate of a fortress is most likely toughened with resist elements and extra hardness and hit points, making it nearly impenetrable. Some wizards assume that static fortifications are merely noble vanity and pay little attention to them, but more than one overconfident mage has met his end in an attempt to assault a castle.

Ships

Vessels of all different types and technology levels coexist on Faerûn’s seas and rivers. Most seagoing vessels on the western seas— the Trackless Sea and the Sea of Swords—are sailing ships such as cogs and caravels. The Northmen of Ruathym and the Moonshaes build longships with both oars and sails. The great trading powers of Waterdeep and Amn are famed for their greatships, or carracks, towering vessels that seem more like floating castles than seagoing craft. The lightly built galleys favored in more sheltered waters do not fare well in the winds and storms of the Sword Coast.

In the Sea of Fallen Stars, oared galleys and dromonds are as common as sailing ships. Most warships of the Inner Sea are galleys capable of ramming and boarding enemy ships with overwhelming manpower. Sailed ships fleet enough to escape such galleys exist, and can survive rough weather better than the galleys, but the deadly ram of a galley puts a sailing ship at a distinct disadvantage in most fights.

The elven fleets of Evermeet are made up of swift frigates and sloops that represent the pinnacle of the shipwright’s craft on Toril. No human warship can overhaul an elven vessel under sail—or escape it if the elves are inclined to seek battle.

Equipment

Characters in the FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign setting have access to a number of special items.

Starting Cash and Bonus Equipment: Characters receive the bonus equipment specified for their region, plus their normal allocation of starting cash. If the character chooses to take extra cash instead of their bonus equipment, they may sell the equipment for half its normal value and add that amount to their starting cash.

MUNDANE ITEMS

These items have proven popular with adventurers throughout Faerûn. Prices for the items described here are listed on Table 3–3: Mundane Items.

Aspergillum: This lightweight metal device looks like a small club or a light mace. Each contains a reservoir that can hold up to 3 pints (three flasks) of holy water. By shaking the aspergillum as a standard action, you can sprinkle one flask of holy water on a target within melee reach. This action is a ranged touch attack (which does not provoke an attack of opportunity). An aspergillum does not require any proficiency to use. Many adventurers prefer using an aspergillum to dispense holy water rather than throwing or pouring out the contents of a flask.

Bandoleer: This leather belt has loops or pouches for carrying small items (up to dagger size). It is usually worn across the chest. It holds eight items.

Games: Some games of skill are detailed below, but games of chance are also popular. Wagering on any sort of game is also a favorite pastime.

Chess: Faerûnian chess game pieces include kings, queens, priests (bishops), knights-errant (knights), rooks (castles), and pawns. Sets often use famous figures, such as rulers or deities, as kings. A set consists of thirty-two pieces and a board in a wooden case. A fine set has ebony and ivory pieces and a marble board. A common set is made from more humble materials, such as carved and dyed wood.

Draughts: Draughts is similar to the modern game of checkers. A set consists of twenty-four clay or stone pieces and a board of alternating light and dark squares in a wooden case. The board is the same as a chessboard in pattern.

Old Men’s Bones: This game is similar to the modern game of pick-up sticks. The object is to remove the bones from the pile you have dumped them into one at a time without toppling the pile. The set has “sticks” made from bones (usually those of a fowl) and a leather or metal canister for carrying them.

Talis Deck: A deck of seventy-eight cards, typically made of lacquered paper or parchment, in a wooden case. The deck is similar to a tarot deck.

Hammock: An innovation from the land of Maztica, a hammock is a hemp or linen blanket with sturdy cords woven into it so that it can be strung up between two trees or other vertical supports.

Insect Netting: These sheets of fine mesh are made of silk from Kara-Tur. When draped around a sleeper in a bedroll or hammock, insect netting keeps away normal insects (Fine vermin, but not magical effects that employ such creatures such as insect plague or creeping doom).

Marbles: About two dozen assorted glass, flawed rock crystal, or clay spheres in a leather pouch. Commonly used as a toy, but also useful for checking the slope in a dungeon corridor (just set one down and see which way it rolls), or as a nondamaging alternative to caltrops. One bag covers an area 5 feet square. Creatures moving through or fighting in the area must make Dexterity checks (DC 15) or be knocked prone until the start of their next turn.

Potion Belt: This sturdy leather belt similar to a bandoleer has pockets shaped to hold potion vials and is fitted with ties or flaps to keep the potions from falling out. It holds six potions. Retrieving a potion from a potion belt is a free action once per round.

Potion Belt, Masterwork: This extremely well-made potion belt holds ten potions. Retrieving a potion from a potion belt is a free action once per round.

Scroll Organizer: This long strip of leather has an overlapping series of fifteen pockets sewn along one side, each large enough to hold a scroll of a single spell. When slipped into a pocket, only the top of a scroll shows, allowing you to scan the scrolls’ titles.

SPECIAL ITEMS

Prices for the items described here are given on Table 3–4: Special Items.

Alchemical Sleep Gas: This liquid evaporates quickly when exposed to air, creating a temporary, mildly toxic cloud that puts living creatures to sleep. You can throw a flask of sleep gas as a grenadelike weapon. It has a range increment of 10 feet.

On a direct hit (splashes have no effect because the gas dissipates instantly), a living target must succeed on a Constitution save (DC 15) or fall asleep for 1 minute. After 1 minute, the target must make another Constitution save (DC 15) or sleep 1d4 additional minutes. The sleep gas affects creatures that are immune to magical sleep effects but not creatures that are immune to poison. Spells and effects that cancel or counter poisons (such as neutralize poison) are effective against the gas.

The gas affects only one creature of Small or larger size. The gas affects all creatures of Tiny or smaller size in the 5-foot square where it strikes.

Note: A sleeping creature is helpless. Slapping or wounding awakens the creature, but normal noise does not. Awakening the creature is a standard action.

The Alchemy DC to make alchemical sleep gas is 25.

Disappearing Ink: After being used to write a message, this blue or red ink vanishes from view at the end of an hour (though ink can be made, at greater expense, that will disappear after longer periods, such as a day, a tenday, or a month). Heat (such as a candle flame) applied to the writing surface makes the ink appear again. A Perception check (DC 20) reveals traces of the writing.

The Alchemy DC to make disappearing ink is 15.

Herb, Cassil: Cassil is a small shrub similar to a mustard plant. Its seeds are ground into a fine, tasteless powder that suppresses male fertility. Men who want to avoid fathering children use this herb. A male humanoid who eats about a teaspoon of cassil is rendered infertile for a period of 3d4 days, although it requires about an hour before the herb takes effect.

Stories abound of disloyal courtiers dosing their kings or lords in order to prevent the conception of a royal heir. Using either the Heal skill or Profession (herbalist), the effects can be detected with a DC 15 check and countered with a DC 20 check.

Herb, Nararoot: Nararoot is a black, woody tuber with a licoricelike flavor. Shavings steeped in hot water make a strong tea that renders a woman infertile for d4+2 days. Chewed raw, the root tastes unpleasant, but the effects are more potent, lasting 2d4+4 days. Women who do not wish to become pregnant use nararoot. Using either the Heal skill or Profession (herbalist), the effects can be detected with a DC 15 check and countered with a DC 20 check.

Powderhorn: This waterproof horn holds 2 pounds of smokepowder.

Powderkeg: This is a normal wooden keg that holds 15 pounds (240 ounces) of smokepowder.

Scentbreaker: This small bag contains either a collection of aromatic herbs or a strongly scented alchemical mixture. Either version can confound any creature’s sense of smell. You can toss the bag as a grenadelike weapon with a range increment of 10 feet, or you can scatter the contents someplace where a creature tracking by scent will come across it. (It covers an area 5 feet square.) Once scattered, the contents remain potent for 1 hour.

A creature can sniff the bag’s contents from a direct hit, from a splash, or from sniffing the area where the contents were scattered. If struck by a direct hit, the creature must succeed at a Constituion save (DC 18) or lose its scent ability for 1 minute. After the minute is up, the creature must make a second Constitution save (DC 18) or lose its scent ability for another hour. Being splashed or sniffing the scattered contents has the same effect, but the save DC is 15. A direct hit or splash affects only one creature of Small or larger size. The contents affect all creatures of Tiny or smaller size in the 5- foot square where a bag of scentbreaker strikes.

Note: The Alchemy DC to make scentbreaker is 15. If you have 5 or more ranks in Profession (herbalist), you get a +2 synergy bonus on checks to craft it.

MUNDANE WEAPONS

Longswords and crossbows are just as common in Faerûn as they are in any fantasy world.

Firearms exist in Faerûn, but use smokepowder instead of gunpowder. They are especially common in the island nation of Lantan and among the rock gnomes, but are available throughout Faerûn for those who can afford them. Refer to Renaissance Weapons in Chapter 6 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Smokepowder is a magical alchemical substance, and therefore does not work in an antimagic field or dead magic area.

Creating smokepowder requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat and 9 ranks in the Alchemy skill, and produces 1 pound (16 ounces) of smokepowder with a market price of 16 gp. One ounce of smokepowder is needed to fire a bullet.

Blade Boot: Custom-fitted to the wearer’s boot, this device consists of a sturdy sole assembly concealing a spring-loaded dagger. The buyer can add one blade to either of his boots at the given cost, or buy a matched set for double the amount.

The wearer’s movement is not impaired when the blades are retracted. With one or both blades extended, the wearer cannot run or charge. A monk using a blade boot can strike with his unarmed base attack, including his more favorable number of attacks per round, for normal blade boot damage. The Weapon Finesse feat can be applied to blade boots.

A character proficient with the blade boot can attack with a single blade boot as his primary weapon, or with two blade boots as if attacking with two weapons, provided he makes no attacks with his hands. He can choose to attack with a weapon in his primary hand and use a single blade boot as his off-hand weapon, but in this case he cannot attack with an off-hand weapon in his secondary hand. A character cannot attack with a primary weapon, an off-hand weapon, and a blade boot in the same round unless he knows the Multiweapon Fighting feat.

A character wearing blade boots gains a +4 bonus on Escape Artist checks made to escape from rope bonds.

Chakram: The chakram is a throwing disk or quoit about 1 foot in diameter, with a sharpened outer rim.

Claw Bracer: Popular with sorcerers and wizards of the Cult of the Dragon, a claw bracer is a metal armband with three steel claws projecting from the top, extending about 4 inches beyond the tip of the wearer’s extended fingers. The wearer can cast spells normally while wearing the bracer, and cannot be disarmed.

Cutlass: The cutlass is a short, heavy, slightly curved blade useful for both stabbing and slashing. It is popular with many sailors. Its heavy basket hilt gives the wielder a +2 circumstance bonus on any checks to resist being disarmed.

Khopesh: The famed sword of Mulhorand, the khopesh looks like a normal longsword whose blade suddenly turns sickle-shaped about a foot from the hilt. You can use the khopesh to make trip attacks due to its hooklike blade.

Maul: The maul is simply a two-handed warhammer of enormous size. It is favored by dwarves.

Saber: A weapon of the Tuigan and the Nars, the saber is a long, heavy sword specialized for the long cuts used in mounted combat. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus on your attack rolls when you use a saber while mounted.

Scourge: A scourge is a multitailed, barbed whip. The scourge is often dipped in a poison delivered via injury (such as greenblood oil, Medium-size spider venom, or Large scorpion venom). With a scourge, you get a +2 bonus on your opposed attack roll when attempting to disarm an enemy (including the roll to avoid being disarmed if you fail to disarm your enemy).

You can also use this weapon to make trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the scourge to avoid being tripped.