Wilderness - Curse of the Azure Bonds

This guide will help you navigate the world map of Curse of the Azure Bonds.

Wilderness Map

World Note

The world is made up of five required areas (one for each of your bonds) and several optional areas. Most of the optional areas just provide random encounters, and those encounters happen wherever you happen to be walking. That is, you don’t need to explore most of the optional areas. You can simply pace next to the exit door to see everything there is to see. Still, we’ve mapped three of them for you (the ones at Hillsfar, Phlan, and Teshwave).

The only optional area with fixed encounters is at Dagger Falls. However, this area is difficult, and you should probably wait until you’ve removed four of your bonds before trying it.

The numbering system on the map gives roughly the order you should visit the locations in the game. This is also the order suggested by the man at the Standing Stone (#4).

1 – Tilverton

This is where you’ll start the game. See the Tilverton section for details.

2 – Tilver’s Gap

The first time you travel through Tilver’s Gap, you’ll have to fight several hippogriffs.

3 – Ashabenford

Ashabenford is a basic “menu town.”

If you search the area around Ashabenford, you’ll find “a dark pit.” Inside the pit you’ll run into salamanders, dark elf fighters, owl bears, and more. You’ll also stumble upon the trail of a man with a summoning gem. When you first encounter him, he’ll summon a dracolich. The next (and final) time, he’ll dash the gem to the ground, summoning several salamanders and efreet in the process. In the remains of the summoning gem, you’ll find 15 regular gems.

4 – Standing Stone

When you arrive at the Standing Stone, you’ll meet a gray robed man. He’ll tell you, “You presently serve four masters. Return to me when you have slain three more. Then you shall achieve your destiny.”

The robed man will also give you clues as to where you can find those masters:

“Seek Red to the south.” (Hap, #6)
“Seek Green to the northwest.” (Yulash, #9)
“Seek Black to the north.” (Zhentil Keep, #10)

When you return to the robed man after removing four of your five bonds, he’ll reveal that he’s really Tyranthraxus, and he’ll ask you to meet him at Myth Drannor.

If you patrol the forest at the Standing Stone, you’ll typically encounter something tough, like a group of ogres. We’ve also heard that you can discover a lair during your patrols, but it never happened for us.

5 – Essembra

Essembra is a basic “menu town.”

If you search the area around Essembra, you’ll find “a twisting cavern.” Here you can encounter salamanders, efreet, dark elf fighters, and more.

6 – Hap

On your way to Hap for the first time, there’s a good chance you’ll be attacked by a trio of black dragons. So be sure to rest up and memorize spells at Essembra before moving on. For more information, see the Hap section.

7 – Hillsfar

Hillsfar is a basic “menu town.”

If you search the area around Hillsfar, you’ll find an “eerie block of ruins.” See the Hillsfar Ruins section for more details.

8 – Red Plume Patrol

As long as you have the Zhentrim bond on your arm, you’ll have to fight the patrol every time you follow the trail here. To avoid them (but risk other encounters), use the wilderness instead.

9 – Yulash

For more information, see the Yulash section.

10 – Zhentil Keep

For more information, see the Zhentil Keep section.

11 – Phlan

Phlan is a basic “menu town.” If you travel here by water, you might be attacked by pirates. However, the pirates will only attack you once. After that, they’ll know better.

If you search the area around Phlan, you’ll find an “unconquered part of the city.” See the Phlan Ruins section for more details.

12 – Teshwave

Teshwave is a basic “menu town,” but it doesn’t have a training hall available.

If you search the area around Teshwave, you’ll find “some ruins.” See the Teshwave Ruins section for more details.

13 – Voonlar

Voonlar is a basic “menu town.”

If you search the area around Voonlar, you’ll find “a war blasted section of the city.” Inside this dungeon you’ll meet looters, cultists, shambling mounds, and more. You’ll also run into a cult of Moander, and catch them just in time to battle a Bit o’ Moander. If you haven’t been to the Pit of Moander yet, then consider this a preview. The Bit is just a big shambling mound, and since there is only one, your party should be able to surround it and defeat it easily.

14 – Shadowdale

Shadowdale is a basic “menu town.” We’ve heard that you can meet Elminster in the bar here, but it never happened for us.

If you search the area around Shadowdale, you’ll find “a dank cavern.” Inside you’ll meet dark elf fighters, salamanders, owl bears, and more. You’ll also discover some dark elves trying to kidnap the magistrate’s daughter. You’ll have to fight two groups of dark elves, and then a pair of black dragons, in order to rescue the maiden. Once you’ve succeeded, you’ll gain some random treasures from the magistrate.

15 – Shadow Gap

At the Shadow Gap you’ll find an inn, but you’ll quickly discover that it has come under attack by displacer beasts. After you’ve defeated the beasts, you’ll learn what happened (journal entry 58).

16 – Dagger Falls

Dagger Falls is a basic “menu town,” but it does not have a training hall.

If you take the “wilderness” route to Dagger Falls from Tilverton or Shadowdale, you might come across a farm house being attacked by giants. If you decide to “rescue” the farmers, then you’ll have to fight half a dozen ettins. If you survive that, then the farmers will give you your “first home cooked meal in many days.”

If you search the area around Dagger Falls, you’ll discover a small magic shop. Inside, you can buy wands, scrolls, potions and more. When you leave the shop, the proprietor will tell you that “the Mulmaster Beholder Corps is rumored to be holed up in the tower of Oxam.” For more information, see the Oxam’s Tower section.