The Material Realm

THE WORLD AS KNOWN TO MORTALS
The world as it is known to mortals– made of rising empires, finite but dense and largely undiscovered lands, and the clashing of cultures and mythologies made real. The planet here is known as Abeir-Toril, or simply Toril, and contains a myriad of continents and, within those, countries, empires and city-states.

It is surrounded by other planes of existence with myriad ways to access them, and many with active influences in the Material Realm itself.

Faerun - Home of Wonder & Wanderers
The most central continent in the world, Faerun is a vast land with no joint government but multiple kingdoms and city-states. The majority of the continent as it is known today has been developed by humans, though its past is marked with the great conquests of Dwarvish and Giant empires, as well as Elven kingdoms. It is due to this multicultural environment, as well as a rather isolationist mindset at the macro-level, that Faerunians prefer to explore and live out their days within the continent.

Though adventurers are much admired and even envied, the majority of the populace feels at home in their cities, rural dwellings or even Underdark compounds. The most studied among them, usually nobles or erudite commoners, recognize the existence, vastness and richness of other continents in the world – and regard these with respect. The continent is particularly cosmopolitan with ethnicities, races and cultures clashing daily – a fact of life Faerunians quite enjoy – but there are isolated and far corners where more homogeneous tendencies lie.

Kara-Tur - Home of Mystery and Innovation
The far eastern continent of Kara-Tur is considered such even though it is physically connected to the continent of Faerun. This is so due to the immense obstacle between them known as the Hordelands. A vast country of wealth, power and mystery, it is home to the organized empires of the Shou Lung, the most powerful nation in Toril, and its warring neighbor T’u Lung, as well as smaller nations like Tabot, Malatra, the Northern Wastes and the island nations of Kozakura and Wa.

Trading between Faerun and Kara-Tur has remained strong, to the benefit of both continents, due to the use of the Golden Way. Even so, each continent remains a particular mystery to the other as their interest have been kept largely economic and the disinterest in military expansion of countries in either place have kept a secure peace.