Known as The Great Waste, this tremendous desert was the result of foul magics being leveled upon the lands of the Netheril, who dwelt above then-grassy plains in floating cities raised by magic. Now, few make it their home. Among them are the nomadic Bedine and the Zhentarim, who seek to forge a permanent trade route through the desert.
The Floating Cities of Netheril[]
The mages of the ancient Netherese Empire worked spells far beyond the reach of mages of these latter days. Perhaps chief among their creations were their fabled floating cities. High above Faerûn, the floating cities were mighty citadels safe from virtually all enemies.
The cities were brought low for reasons that have been long forgotten, and the sands of the Anauroch desert swallowed the ruins, and Netheril passed into history, then into legend. Now only the bravest of explorers and adventurers dare to seek the lost cities, for the rewards granted by the magical treasures hidden within are easily matched by the dangers of long-lost magic traps and the twisted creatures that lurk in the buried chambers.