Anauroch
Desert · Realm · the Great Sand Sea
Anauroch is the Great Sand Sea, a vast desert of north Faerûn made by the magic that destroyed the ancient empire of Netheril.
Dunes run to the horizon under a white sun, and buried beneath them lie the cities of an empire that fell from the sky.
Anauroch at a glance
- Also known as
- the Great Sand Sea, the Great Desert
- Kind & extent
- Vast desert; on our map also drawn as a realm, About 114,000, not counting the Shadovar (1372 DR)
- Allegiance & rule
- Allegiance: The Bedine tribes; for a time the Shadovar of Netheril
- Ruled by: Tribal chiefs of the Bedine; the Shadovar ruled by magic while their empire lasted
- Inhabitants
- Mostly Bedine nomads, with asabi and gnolls
- Resources & trade
- Dates
- Salt
- Spices
Overview
Anauroch was formed by the magic of the phaerimm in what was once the land of Netheril. The name first meant only the icy north, the High Ice, before it was given to the whole desert.
It is bordered by the Silver Marches, the Savage Frontier and Evereska to the west, Cormyr to the south, the Dalelands to the south-east and the Moonsea and the Ride to the east. The Bedine nomads live in it, and for a time the Shadovar of returned Netheril ruled from their floating city.
On the map
Lands of Anauroch
Places in Anauroch
Neighbouring regions
- Arn ForestForest
- Border ForestForest
- CormanthorForest
- CormyrRealm
- Desertsmouth MountainsMountains
- ElturgardRealm
- EvereskaRealm
- Greycloak HillsHills
- Greypeak MountainsMountains
- HartsvaleRealm
- Ice SpireMountains
- Marsh of ChelimberMarsh
- NajaraRealm
- Nether MountainsMountains
- Northdark WoodForest
- SembiaRealm
- Sunset MountainsMountains
- The DalelandsRealm
- The Far ForestForest
- The Frozen ForestForest
- The High IceIce
- The High MoorsMoor
- The MoonseaRealm
- The Reaching WoodsForest
- The RideRealm
- The Silver MarchesRealm
- The Spine of the WorldMountains
- The Western HeartlandsRealm
- Thunder PeaksMountains
- Trielta HillsHills
- Turnback MountainsMountains
Regions whose bounds come within about 20 miles of Anauroch on our map.