10 Underrated D&D Locations That Should Get Campaigns With The 2024 Core Rulebooks

Official content for Dungeons & Dragons is usually set in the Forgotten Realms. The realms were created by Ed Greenwood in the 1960s and 70s, and first used for official DnD content in the 1980s. Since then, the various continents and capital cities of the fantasy world have starred in countless tabletop games, including many of the Wizards of the Coast modules for 5e DnD. The Forgotten Realms feature the world of Toril, a vast and varying land full of all kinds of creatures and cultures. But most of the official D&D content in the setting fixates on and around a particular continent called Faerûn, and its Sword Coast region.

From the tundras of Icewind Dale to the port city of Baldur’s Gate, the Sword Coast is an amazing fantasy setting full of danger and whimsy. But the world of Toril has more to offer, and other locations in the Forgotten Realms deserve their time in the spotlight. With the upcoming 2024 Player’s Handbook ushering in a revision of the fifth edition, it is time for other parts of this enormous world to be explored in more depth. Legendary locales that have never been explored in an official game deserve to be seen, as do fan-favorite areas that have been absent since older editions of the TTRPG.

10 Anauroch Provides A Desert Setting Connected To Relevant Lore

The Grand Sand Sea

Appearing just east of the Sword Coast, Anauroch is a large desert area on the edge of the continent of Faerûn. It holds the remnants of the ancient empire of Netheril, as many of their flying cities fell to the earth in Anauroch. The desert itself is now imbued with magic, making it at once wondrous and deadly to those traveling through it.

Anauroch divides the Sword Coast from other eastern civilizations, and a long trade route through it called the Black Road stands as one of the area’s most important and valuable features. The land itself is populated by nomadic folk and Zhentarim holdouts, but is otherwise rather desolate. This area could be great for a survival or exploration campaign, involving players navigating the Black Road or searching for Netherese ruins, all the while trying to survive in a desert setting, a geography that fifth edition often lacked.

9 Amn’s City Of Athkatla Could Make A Great Hub Area

The City Of Coin

Amn is a region on the southernmost edge of the Sword Coast, but despite players hearing much about it, official modules rarely travel to it, though the acclaimed Baldur’s Gate 2 does take place in Amn. This is a missed opportunity, as Amn has many interesting locales established in the Forgotten Realms lore, foremost of which is the capital city of Athkatla. Much like Baldur’s Gate, Athkatla is a wealthy port city that relies mostly on trade to support its people.

Athkatla is an oligarchy controlled by wealthy houses and merchant guilds, any one of which could be quest givers for a group of adventurers. Athkatla itself is large, but could make for a city to house smaller adventures or one-shots, much like Waterdeep has in the past. Its climate and government would distinguish it from previously explored cities, yet it could have the familiar feeling of a hub area for the players to stop at between quests.

8 The Dragon Coast Puts A New Spin On A Familiar Setting

City-States And Pirate Outposts

Described as a more chaotic and dangerous version of Baldur’s Gate, the cities along the Dragon Coast are controlled by pirates and other unsavory types. They navigate the stretch of narrow ocean that divides the north and south halves of the coast, trading and vying for power. The Dragon Coast is east of Faerûn, connected to an inland ocean called the Sea of Fallen Stars, as well as several other recognizable locations, such as the region of Cormyr.

Players looking for a nautical setting that is disconnected from the Sword Coast’s deeply established lore can find that on the Dragon Coast. The area is full of cities that provide endless possibilities for creative interpretations, given that not many of them have ever featured in an official Forgotten Realms story. At the very least, the location could be a great starting point for a far-reaching campaign that explores the distant parts of the world of Toril.

7 The Moonshae Isles Can Provide An Inherent Magical Connection For Their Residents

An Archipelago Of United Kingdoms

A campaign seated in high fantasy could function well within an area like the Moonshae Isles, a collection of islands in the Sea of Swords that have connections to the Feywild, a setting explored in DnD‘s Wild Beyond the Witchlight adventure. The Feywild is a realm divided from the world of Toril, where Sylvan creatures live in conjunction with creative, chaotic magic, and the people of these Isles have deep connections to this kind of power.

The residents of the Isles are divided into different kingdoms with tense relations, usually united by a high queen or king. There are northern, viking-inspired groups, as well as those who more closely resemble druids. A campaign that involves journeying around the Isles, visiting each kingdom and trying to unite them under a new high monarch, could be a fun way to combine high magic and intrigue into one adventure.

6 Calimshan Would Double As A Good Campaign And Source Book Location

Home To Many Powerful Wealthy Nobles

Another unexplored desert setting, Calimshan has a lot of importance within the world of the Forgotten Realms despite rarely being visited by official material. It acts as both an important trade capital and a site of powerful elemental magic. The land itself and its people bear a strong connection to genies and other elemental powerhouses, and many Genasi call the region home.

Since the 2024 Player’s Handbook will not include Genasi, a setting here could contain lore and statistics for the species, as well as include new spells and monsters that revolve around elemental magic. A setting in this area could focus on a genie’s magic, perhaps trying to find one to grant a wish spell or undo some curse, all while navigating a harsh environment.

5 The Sea Of Fallen Stars Is Full Of Unrealized Potential

Also Known As The Inner Sea

Much like the Dragon Coast, the Sea of Fallen Stars has a great deal of potential as a campaign setting but has seen little elaboration from official sources. The inland ocean is full of interesting places, such as the aboleth city of Xxiphu, Pirate Isle, and the Sharksbane Wall, which are just begging to be included in an adventure.

The Sea’s distance from established areas has been its biggest weakness for many years, keeping it from acting as a location of interest despite how much it contains. But that could change if other nearby areas, like the Dragon Coast, were given more recognition as well. So many small adventures could take place in the areas in and around the Sea of Fallen Stars, which could potentially be united in a larger pirate-themed campaign.

4 Rashemen Is Famous Because Of A Particular Character, But Has More To Offer

The Land Of Berserkers

Many players are familiar with the miniature giant space hamster, Boo, and his human companion, Minsc the ranger. Even more so recently, given the duo’s presence as companions in Baldur’s Gate 3. The characters hail from the eastern region of Rashemen, and have much to say about its peculiar brand of magic and fantastical features. But for all that buildup, the location has hardly ever been visited in an official module.

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Which is a shame, because Rashemen sounds quite exciting. Apparently, the very environment there is charged with some kind of magic, and the voices of the earth and the trees can be heard by its inhabitants. The area is also home to berserker lodges and groups of powerful witches that, up until now, players have only heard about from Minsc’s perspective. This area deserves to be seen in person by players on an adventure, and with the undead power of Thay next door, it would be easy for a campaign to be set up with liches as the villains.

3 Lantan Could Add A New Flare To The Tabletop Game

A City Known For Its Advanced Technology

One of the most aesthetically distinct locations in the Forgotten Realms, the island of Lantan stands out for its people’s arcane and technological advancements. The island is home to worshipers of Gond who invented new, almost steampunk-style ways of channeling magical power. With the Artificer yet to appear in DnD‘s new addition, this could be a great area in which to introduce the class.

In the lore of the Forgotten Realms, Lantan was already advanced before a massive event called the Spell Plague caused it to vanish from existence. It returned after the second sundering even more advanced than before. The people of the island nation are famously secretive, with powerful weapons to keep outsiders away, but a campaign set here could do much to introduce techno-fantasy elements to the DnD world and provide a new aesthetic for players looking for something different.

2 Chult Is A Massive Area Made For Exploration

Land Of Beasts, Dinosaurs, And Diseases

The Chultan peninsula is huge, full of lush jungles and hidden ruins. Some have been explored in previously established campaigns, such as the infamous Tomb of Annihilation, but rarely has a campaign focused on the region of Chult itself. One of the most interesting parts of this area is that it is populated by dinosaurs, a massive draw for players and DMs looking for some unique monsters to add to a game.

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A source book centered around Chult could introduce new dinosaur stat blocks and subclasses based on the creatures, which could be very fun. Survival campaigns would flourish in an area like Chult, with so much wilderness and dangerous places like the Tomb hidden throughout. While the area is fairly established in its flora and fauna, much could be done to expand upon the towns and settlements that exist there.

1 Halruaa Has An Excellent Story That Must Be Told

Land Of Magic And Electrum Mines

The region of Halruaa is hardly ever talked about, yet it has some incredibly fascinating history that would make for an excellent campaign hook. Once, the people of the region practiced magic openly and often, with Halruaa being home to great wizards that ruled by virtue of their knowledge. After the Spell Plague destroyed the area temporarily and its people returned after the second sundering, they had taken on a great distrust of magic and a paranoia about its use. They once worshiped Mystra and wished for arcane gifts, but now shy away from them.

A setting where magic is so powerful yet so polarizing could be excellent for a party of spellcasters looking to hide their powers but help people all the same. Halruaa is closed off by mountains or the sea on all sides, making it a self-contained setting where the events of the outside world wouldn’t have to matter as much. Halruaa could be one of the best settings out there for an original Dungeons & Dragons adventure, especially for DMs that don’t want to have to worry about global events throughout the rest of Toril.

Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop game originally invented in 1974 by Ernest Gary Gygax and David Arneson. The fantasy role-playing game brings together players for a campaign with various components, including abilities, races, character classes, monsters, and treasures. The game has drastically expanded since the ’70s, with numerous updated box sets and expansions.

Original Release Date

1974-00-00

Publisher

TSR Inc. , Wizards of the Coast

Designer

E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson

Player Count

2-7 Players