Empires of the Sands
Encyclopedia
Empires of the Sands is an accessory for the fictional Forgotten Realms
campaign setting
for the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
. The book, with product code TSR 9224, was published in 1988, and was written by Scott Haring, with cover and interior art by Jeff Easley
.
campaign setting describes the three desert nations of Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan, covering their languages, social customs, monsters, history, government and politics, religions, geography and climate, trade, cities, places of interest, and important characters. It also includes two maps which match the edges of the maps in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set. The pair of fold-out color poster maps depict the three countries at a scale of 30 miles to the inch, making them compatible with other maps in the series.
The 64-page booklet is wrapped in a removable cover. The book includes a one-page introduction, explaining that this book covers three major areas of in the southwest corner of the continent of Faerûn
: Amn (pages 3–20), Tethyr (pages 21–47), and Calimshan (pages 48–62). Each country receives its own section, and each section begins with a general description including the races present. Pages 27–38, in the middle of the section on Tethyr, feature blank and sample character sheet
s, and a sepia-toned map of the region. The last page, page 64, features an index to the book.
This book details three countries along the southern coast of the Sea of Swords; famous throughout the Forgotten Realms for warm climate and large areas of dry, inhospitable land, these regions are known as the Empires of the Sands. Most cities receiving only a column of text on the average, with some descriptions consisting of just noting what each city is renowned for, its exports, population, government, and location. The center of the booklet is taken up with one blank character sheet, seven character sheets filled in with the statstics for the Company of Eight from Tethyr, and reduced maps of the area.
Amn is the northernmost of the three countries, a place where everything is geared towards the acquisition of money, and the conspicuous consumption of the rich is evident everywhere. Local speech patterns are filled with references to money, whether or not the topic of conversation has any connection with financial transactions. The country was once divided with its cities banding together only for mutual defense, while the rest of the time they struggled with each other trade routes. During one trade war, the mysterious Council of Six emerged as leaders of a united country; no one knows who the members of the Council of Six are, other than that they are members of the most powerful trade houses in Amn. With the council promoting free enterprise, the making of money taking precedence over everything else, and anyone who can make money is well respected. Adventuring groups and magic-users
are actively discouraged from plying their trades, unless they are properly licensed with the government.
Over the border from Amn in Tethyr, anarchy rules. The former royal family has been wiped out, and the country is fractured into petty kingdoms, independent villages and towns, and bandit holdings. The Company of Eight is a group of eight adventurers dedicated to promoting peace in Tethyr.
The Calim desert covers a sizable area of Calimshan, and dominates much of Calimshan's life and outlook as a result. The lands bordering it are only slightly more fertile. In Calimshan, wealth is of the utmost importance, which is sought after so that the seeker can lead a life of leisure. While few attain this goal, most Calimshanites aspire towards it. Gadgets and magical items are commonly found in Calimshan, where they are widely used as labor-saving devices. Magic-users are held in high esteem, being the providers of the much-sought-after magical devices. Calimshan is ruled by the Pasha in Calimport, although in practice, each city governs itself, with the Pasha being unable to carry out any major actions without the permission of at least some of the cities' viziers. The magic-users of Calimshan have accidentally or intentionally summoned and released a substantial number of other-planar beings; after a good time running amok through their summoners’ homes and villages, those planar beings who are unable to undertake the return trip home on their own gravitate toward the Calim Desert, which they find greatly to their liking.
, and was published by TSR in 1988 as a 64-page booklet with two large color maps and an outer folder. Editing is by Karen S. Martin, and cartography is by Dave S. LaForce
. Empires of the Sands was Haring's first big project at TSR, and after it's publication he answered readers' questions in Dragon
#138 (October 1988).
magazine #140 (December 1988). Bambra comments that the name "Empires of the Sands" is strange for the three countries described in the set, as none "is an empire in the formal sense, and only Calimshan has a desert worth mentioning. Still, the lands down here are very arid and, to a northerner used to rolling grasslands, the sparce patches of scrub and brush which dot the southern landscape could well appear to be desert." He felt that Empires of the Sands is really three source packs in one, with each country being described in its own separate section, and felt that the booklet has the same high standard of production as Waterdeep and the North
and Moonshae
, although like FR2 Moonshae, the inside of the folder cover was left blank and could have been used for some purpose. He felt that the writing, "while lacking the flavor of FR2 Moonshae, is informative, readable, and easy to reference during play". He criticised the lack of detail for locations, particularly cities, due to the large area covered by the supplement: "While information is provided on each city, not all of the cities make for interesting reading. [...] All of this information could easily have been presented in the form of a table, thereby making it more accessible and providing more space for other aspects of the campaign area to be described." Bambra commented that most of the content in the center of the booklet "looks like filler, perhaps an indication that this project wasn't quite big enough to fill its allocated page count". Bambra concluded his review with an overall evaluation: "Empires of the Sands has a much wider focus than [Watedeep and the North and Moonshae], and yet it still manages to convey the atmosphere of each country in a satisfying manner. However, DMs are required to put in a fair amount of work to bring these countries to life. With three countries to choose from, though, it's really only necessary to develop one of them for campaign play. With its lack of centralized government, Tethyr makes an ideal setting for power hungry adventurers. Calimshan is a good place for magical research, and Amn is the kind of area that most adventuring groups will find very unhealthy."
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. The book, with product code TSR 9224, was published in 1988, and was written by Scott Haring, with cover and interior art by Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
.
Contents
This book for the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting describes the three desert nations of Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan, covering their languages, social customs, monsters, history, government and politics, religions, geography and climate, trade, cities, places of interest, and important characters. It also includes two maps which match the edges of the maps in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set. The pair of fold-out color poster maps depict the three countries at a scale of 30 miles to the inch, making them compatible with other maps in the series.
The 64-page booklet is wrapped in a removable cover. The book includes a one-page introduction, explaining that this book covers three major areas of in the southwest corner of the continent of Faerûn
Faerûn
Faerûn is a fictional subcontinent, the primary setting of the Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. It is described at a relatively high level in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting from Wizards of the Coast, and various locales and aspects are described in more detail by separate...
: Amn (pages 3–20), Tethyr (pages 21–47), and Calimshan (pages 48–62). Each country receives its own section, and each section begins with a general description including the races present. Pages 27–38, in the middle of the section on Tethyr, feature blank and sample character sheet
Character sheet
A character sheet is a record of a player character in a role-playing game, including whatever details, notes, game statistics, and background information a player would need during a play session. Character sheets can be found in use in both traditional and action role-playing games...
s, and a sepia-toned map of the region. The last page, page 64, features an index to the book.
This book details three countries along the southern coast of the Sea of Swords; famous throughout the Forgotten Realms for warm climate and large areas of dry, inhospitable land, these regions are known as the Empires of the Sands. Most cities receiving only a column of text on the average, with some descriptions consisting of just noting what each city is renowned for, its exports, population, government, and location. The center of the booklet is taken up with one blank character sheet, seven character sheets filled in with the statstics for the Company of Eight from Tethyr, and reduced maps of the area.
Amn is the northernmost of the three countries, a place where everything is geared towards the acquisition of money, and the conspicuous consumption of the rich is evident everywhere. Local speech patterns are filled with references to money, whether or not the topic of conversation has any connection with financial transactions. The country was once divided with its cities banding together only for mutual defense, while the rest of the time they struggled with each other trade routes. During one trade war, the mysterious Council of Six emerged as leaders of a united country; no one knows who the members of the Council of Six are, other than that they are members of the most powerful trade houses in Amn. With the council promoting free enterprise, the making of money taking precedence over everything else, and anyone who can make money is well respected. Adventuring groups and magic-users
Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The wizard is one of the standard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A wizard uses arcane magic, and is considered less effective in melee combat than other classes.-Creative origins:...
are actively discouraged from plying their trades, unless they are properly licensed with the government.
Over the border from Amn in Tethyr, anarchy rules. The former royal family has been wiped out, and the country is fractured into petty kingdoms, independent villages and towns, and bandit holdings. The Company of Eight is a group of eight adventurers dedicated to promoting peace in Tethyr.
The Calim desert covers a sizable area of Calimshan, and dominates much of Calimshan's life and outlook as a result. The lands bordering it are only slightly more fertile. In Calimshan, wealth is of the utmost importance, which is sought after so that the seeker can lead a life of leisure. While few attain this goal, most Calimshanites aspire towards it. Gadgets and magical items are commonly found in Calimshan, where they are widely used as labor-saving devices. Magic-users are held in high esteem, being the providers of the much-sought-after magical devices. Calimshan is ruled by the Pasha in Calimport, although in practice, each city governs itself, with the Pasha being unable to carry out any major actions without the permission of at least some of the cities' viziers. The magic-users of Calimshan have accidentally or intentionally summoned and released a substantial number of other-planar beings; after a good time running amok through their summoners’ homes and villages, those planar beings who are unable to undertake the return trip home on their own gravitate toward the Calim Desert, which they find greatly to their liking.
Publication history
FR3 Empires of the Sands was written by Scott Haring, with art by Jeff EasleyJeff Easley
Jeff Easley is an oil painter who creates fantasy artwork in the tradition of Frank Frazetta.-Early life:...
, and was published by TSR in 1988 as a 64-page booklet with two large color maps and an outer folder. Editing is by Karen S. Martin, and cartography is by Dave S. LaForce
David S. LaForce
David S. LaForce is an artist, noted for his artwork in fantasy role-playing games.-Career:Along with Jeff Dee, Erol Otus, Jim Roslof, David C. Sutherland III and David A...
. Empires of the Sands was Haring's first big project at TSR, and after it's publication he answered readers' questions in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#138 (October 1988).
Reception
Jim Bambra reviewed Empires of the Sands for DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine #140 (December 1988). Bambra comments that the name "Empires of the Sands" is strange for the three countries described in the set, as none "is an empire in the formal sense, and only Calimshan has a desert worth mentioning. Still, the lands down here are very arid and, to a northerner used to rolling grasslands, the sparce patches of scrub and brush which dot the southern landscape could well appear to be desert." He felt that Empires of the Sands is really three source packs in one, with each country being described in its own separate section, and felt that the booklet has the same high standard of production as Waterdeep and the North
Waterdeep and the North
Waterdeep and the North is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.-Contents:...
and Moonshae
Moonshae
Moonshae is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms. It describes the Moonshae Isles of Faerûn.-Contents:...
, although like FR2 Moonshae, the inside of the folder cover was left blank and could have been used for some purpose. He felt that the writing, "while lacking the flavor of FR2 Moonshae, is informative, readable, and easy to reference during play". He criticised the lack of detail for locations, particularly cities, due to the large area covered by the supplement: "While information is provided on each city, not all of the cities make for interesting reading. [...] All of this information could easily have been presented in the form of a table, thereby making it more accessible and providing more space for other aspects of the campaign area to be described." Bambra commented that most of the content in the center of the booklet "looks like filler, perhaps an indication that this project wasn't quite big enough to fill its allocated page count". Bambra concluded his review with an overall evaluation: "Empires of the Sands has a much wider focus than [Watedeep and the North and Moonshae], and yet it still manages to convey the atmosphere of each country in a satisfying manner. However, DMs are required to put in a fair amount of work to bring these countries to life. With three countries to choose from, though, it's really only necessary to develop one of them for campaign play. With its lack of centralized government, Tethyr makes an ideal setting for power hungry adventurers. Calimshan is a good place for magical research, and Amn is the kind of area that most adventuring groups will find very unhealthy."