Setting some adventures in the South can add color, magic, and mystery to your Forgotten Realms campaign. The Shining South details Dambrath, Halruaa, the Shaar, the Great Rift, Luiren, and the Shining Lands around the Golden Water, plus the monsters and magic that give these realms their own flavor. Below are 10 reasons to pick up The Shining South, no matter where your characters' home base may be.

10. Jordain Vizier: So your PCs think they're going to waltz in and overpower one of Halruaa's ruling wizards? Not with his jordain vizier on hand! Though forbidden to pursue magical training of any sort, the jordain vizier can think his way out of almost any situation that requires deductive reasoning. Add spell resistance, combat insight, and the ability to counterspell without magic, and PCs will have a tough time getting past him.

9. New Regions:The Shining South details seven new regions, including two (the loxo and the thri-kreen regions) that correspond to new monstrous humanoid character races detailed in the book.

8. Great Rift Deep Defender: Your PCs will spend a lot of resources trying to get past this gold dwarf NPC in an underground setting. With his increasing bonus to AC, the new Hold the Line feat, uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge, and great combat benefits in low or narrow spaces (double the normal dwarf stability benefit, DR 3/ -- , +1 bonus on attack rolls, +2 bonus on damage rolls, and no penalty for hampered melee with a light or one-handed weapon), he can hold off a PC party with one hand tied behind his back!

7. Dwarf Crypt: This well-hidden gold dwarf tomb holds plenty of surprises for those who would probe its secrets.

6. New Monsters: The monsters detailed in The Shining South include a new, wingless, true dragon (the rattelyr), the bloodthirsty dark tree, the legendary one-eyed giant known as the cyclops, and the laraken -- a magic-slurping outsider that's sure to wreak havoc with spellcasters!

5. Dambrath: This mysterious land where half-drow hold sway over the majority human population is fully detailed at last, including the recent changes discussed in the novels and in web articles.

4. The Astral Inn: This popular Halruaan pub and hostel is filled with all manner of unusual magic. Just about anything can (and does) happen in a tavern run by a spellcaster with a sense of humor.

3. Maquar Crusader: Members of this noble warrior class serve the rajah of Estagund, defending his person and his interests as directed. In addition to the smite and defensive strike abilities, the Maquar crusader can physically switch places with his charge to take an attack meant for her and parry melee attacks aimed at her.

2.Encounter Tables: Need to roll up a wandering monster? Check out the exhaustive set of encounter tables in The Shining South, arranged by region and split up by Encounter Level. These tables feature monsters from the Monster Manual as well as all the previous Forgotten Realms publications for v.3.0 and v.3.5.

1. Loviatar Worshipers: With the Initiate of Loviatar feat, the scourge maiden prestige class, and the new wall of pain spell, you can make NPCs that strike real fear into your PCs' hearts!