Halruaa Halruaa , as of 1372 DR , was a land of magic , renowned for its electrum mines . Ruled by Netyarch ( wizard - king ) Zalathorm Kirkson in the capital city of Halarahh , the fabled , quiet and wealthy magocracy was justly depicted as full of wonder . Created by archwizard s foreseeing the fall of Netheril , Halruaa combined the peace and harmony of Cormyr with the magic powers of Thay . Nearly all arcane casting Halruaans were wizard s , with one third of the total populace having some sort of magical powers . With such ever - present power , it was likely that their strict laws or perhaps their inherent nature had prevented their entire nation from catastrophic civil wars . During the the Year of Blue Fire , the whole kingdom and the surrounding area was devastated by the Spellplague . To save their realm , Halruaan wizards shifted the kingdom into Abeir , leaving behind the Plaguewrought Land . When the Spellplague ended a century later , Halruaa returned to Toril . Society . Halruaans congregate in numerous villages and cities scattered throughout the country ' s interior . Most are small , cosy settlements with no more than a few hundred inhabitants each . The folk in such a village can usually rely on a venerated wizard to provide both protection and leadership , while likely also serving as mayor and a member of the Council of Elders . With natural fortifications and the leadership of a score of diviners , they live in a near - perfect haven . Halruaans rarely leave except to adventure , as nowhere else in Faerûn would they find a better place than home . Life in the cities of Halruaa is touched by magic in many ways . The quiet streets are lined with houses , both ostentatious and modest , each of which has at least a few built - in magical enhancements : street lamps shine at night with self - adjusting , light - producing spells , while a favorite practice in cities along the coast is to produce " walls " of magically coaxed coral that grow to enclose a home or garden . Spells that produce sparkling light and pleasing sounds are often woven into fine fabrics to enhance their beauty . Fanciful means of travel , such as Carpet of flying s or skyships , are commonplace . Everywhere in Halruaa , the people take great pains to show off their abilities as well as their wealth . History . Halruaa was settled centuries ago by wizards fleeing the Phaerimm in what was to become the Anauroch Desert . The first wizards came in unique flying ships invented by the Netherese , and found a beautiful and rich country settled only by shepherds and large herds of aurochs , a wild Rothe . It was here that the wizards decided to make a stand should the Phaerimm follow . The Phaerimm never did , But Halruaa has had to defend itself from attacks by all of its neighbors since then . Over the centuries Dambrath has attacked and raided Halruaa ’ s ports and borders multiple times . Once , led by a magic - resistant barbarian , the Dambraii occupied all of the country south of Lake Halruaa . They were defeated in battle by the great archmage Mycontil , who slew their barbarian leader . Four thousand Dambraii attacked and were stopped by 500 Halruaans . More than 200 Halruaan wizards , including Mycontil , died in the battle . The last attack upon Halruaa was less than 100 years ago , through the Talath Pass by the power - hungry king of Lapaliiya . He had allied with bandits from the Wastes , though this time the Halruaans were able to field a larger force , including fighting men , as well as wizards in their skyships . The attackers were easily routed . Halruaa also suffered through a civil war about five centuries ago , when a number of mages advocated beginning new experiments in magic , ones of which even the Netherese didn ’ t approve . The renegades were driven from the region , but went on to found the land of Thay , or so it is said in Halruaa . Since then Halruaa has been at peace , ( they have had no declared wars ) though it still suffers raids from Dambraii pirates , bandits of the wastes , savages from Mhair jungles , and any other pirate , raider or hungry wizard who thinks that magic and wealth grow on trees in Halruaa . The constant raiding has made the Halruaans very defensive , war - like and traditional . The people say that since Wizards have always led them , Wizards always will . During the Spellplague , Halruaa was seemingly destroyed and replaced by the Plaguewrought Land . In truth , however , the wizards had foreseen the coming disaster and shifted the realm into Abeir . By 1489 DR , when the Spellplague ended , Halruaa returned to Toril . Geography . Halruaa stretches approximately 500 miles from east to west , and more than 350 miles from its southern border of the Great Sea to its northern foothills . It is divided into sections by three rivers that meet at Lake Halruaa , the northern shore of which is home to the nation ' s capital . The vast majority of the country consists of flat , windswept plains , broken only by broad rivers or other notable landmarks . Halruaa is bordered by mountain ranges on its north , east and west sides . These act as natural fortifications . The Nathaghals are to the north , the Muaraghals are to the east and the Lhairghals are to the west . There is a narrow hilly piece of land in the Nathaghals called the High Aluar , and this is the only non - mountainous land entrance to Halruaa , but it can be accessed through the mountains at Talath Pass in the west , or Azhal Pass in the east .