The best cities in Faerûn to start a D&D campaign

Key points

• Establish a campaign in cities like Elturel for its rich history and plot points.
• Corrupt Athkatla has opportunities for shady business.
• The library fortress of Candlekeep is known for its rich knowledge.

Get a Dungeons and dragons the start of the campaign is part of the battle, with the other half finding an evening to suit everyone's schedule. Even while performing rituals related to ore creation, the characters need to meet and begin their lives as an adventuring party in one way or another.

Setting up the campaign and party in one of Faerûn's many famous cities is a surefire way to rack up some RP and give them a handy plot hook to follow through to the crux of the story. These cities all offer a different type of setting, theme, and atmosphere, ensuring that there is one for everyone, regardless of what type of game the DM is running.

7 Elturel

Rich in history

All civilized places within Faerûn boast their own culture and history, embodying very different ideals, corrupt or otherwise. Elturel is a city rich in history and a key location in Descent to Avernus. Before the events of the campaign, it was a key location in Faerûn, but in 1492 DR the entire city was teleported from the Material Plane to Avernus, the first location in the Nine Hells. But even before this event there was the liberation of the undead in 1444 and the magical plague in 1385.

Therefore, there are many years in Elturel's history to build a campaign around, and where else could it start in the city itself? The DM could also revive Avernus by having the adventurers be within the city when it is teleported to the Nine Hells, tasking them with saving the city and returning it to the Material Plane.

6 Atkatla

A far cry from the more civilized settlements

The only city that could rival Luskan in its shady dealings, Athkatla is deeply corrupt, as every faction and individual is tenacious in their single-minded pursuit of money and must act in ways that would be beneath the law if this were any other city. But practically anything happens on the streets of Athkatla, even atrocious things like slavery. Only those who can protect themselves should set foot in this city.

Fortunately, this is something most adventurers are capable of. Many D&D video games begin with the player characters being held captive in one way or another, so perhaps the adventurers are all slaves held in the city and must escape, or they could even take on the role of slavers in a more evil campaign. However the DM and the players want to spin it, Athkatla is a city full of opportunities for the start of an extraordinary adventure.

5 Candlestick

Countless Tomes of Knowledge are kept within this fortress

Most cities in Faerûn consist of residences, markets, taverns, inns, and places of worship, designed to meet the every need of the locals and anyone who travels there. Candlekeep, however, is unique in this regard, as adventurers will not find a place to down a mug or two, but instead the largest library any of them have ever seen.

Candlekeep is a fortress of knowledge, containing countless books and scrolls that could provide information for any quest or question the party has. As such, this bastion of knowledge could make the perfect starting point for an adventure. Are they scholars who have worked and lived here for years, or are they outsiders who are granted the privilege of seeing inside this source of information? Regardless, there are plenty of plot hooks that could be used here to pull them towards the heart of the story.

4 Luskan

A miserable hive of scum and evil

Normally, most civilized cities would have a criminal underbelly, all the shady and illegal dealings taking place underground, away from the watchful eyes of the guards. Luskan takes a rather different approach, as all underhanded dealings are conducted out in the open, but that's to be expected when a drow mercenary of questionable morals is running the show.

But it is this ruggedness that makes Luskan such a fascinating and profitable city. Business is booming, even if most of it is corrupt. This also makes it a great start to the campaign as a group of up-and-coming adventurers who take whatever jobs are offered, which are usually undignified jobs like chicken farming or activities that are borderline illegal, if not outright outlawed . However, every group has to start somewhere and Luskan can most likely give them that crucial first job.

3 Never winter

Volo himself sings the praises of this city

Neverwinter is one of the most famous cities in the Forgotten Realms setting, featured in many games, including the MMORPG and role-playing game series of the same nameNeverwinter Nights. It is best known for the many artisans who reside here, plying their trade for the benefit of the city's people, and remains in good standing with the Lords' Alliance.

Its thriving success and vibrant culture make this the ideal city in which to start a campaign. The hook could come from within the city limits, or they could be summoned to answer a call from beyond its walls. As a city that Volo himself was once cited as the most civilized city in all of Faerûn, even if the campaign did not begin here, it should definitely be visited by the party at some point in their journey.

2 Deep water

The city of splendors attracts people from all walks of life

There would be few better places to start a new campaign than the glittering Crown of the North, the sprawling and successful metropolis that is Waterdeep. As one of the most culturally vibrant and powerful cities along the Sword Coast, adventurers could be city residents or hopeful newcomers.

If the DMs are running their own party Dragon Strike or creating your own adventure, there's plenty of promise and potential for a start in this city powerhouse, from political power plays to dealings with the criminal underbelly.

1 Baldur's Gate

DMs can draw inspiration from games

Thanks to Baldur's Gate game series, this location has cemented itself as iconic among fans, introducing new players within these legendary walls. Known as Halfway to Everywhere, adventurers would be hard-pressed to find a place with more opportunities than Baldur's Gate, which is definitely a place where most beginners would come looking for allies and money.

Even for campaigns starting at higher levels, Baldur's Gate could still make for a great starting city as it is one of the busiest cities in the Forgotten Realms, with something always happening in one of the districts. And for DMs who are really short on inspiration, they could look to the games of the same name for inspiration, all of which have great hooks that could translate perfectly into a board game.