Beaumaris River
The Beaumaris River is the longest waterway in the Bloodstone Lands. It cuts across the breadth of Vaasa and then through Bloodstone Pass. Thereafter it swings south, then east, finally joining the Goliad River on its way to Lake Mogador. Barely a trickle in the fall and frozen solid through most of the winter, the Beaumaris sparkles with snowmelt in the warmer seasons. Its smooth-flowing waters glisten dreamily under sun and moon, and its taste revitalizes weary travelers with a bone-chilling tingle. The river is very shallow and is suitable only for canoes during most of the year, with many shallow fords and rapids around which boats have to be carried. Since the river is frequented by various unsavory creatures, only the very hardy or the very foolish follow it when traveling north of the Galenas.
Earthspur Mountains
More important are the Earthspur Mountains, the imposing western barrier of Vaasa and Damara. With few trails, numerous monsters, and peaks reaching up nearly four miles, the Earthspurs are dangerous indeed. When the founders of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose sought the most imposing location for their order, it is no accident that they chose to build it amongst the towering peaks of the dangerous Earthspurs. Mining is lucrative in the Earthspurs, and miners withstand great hardship to delve into lodes of iron and silver that seem endless. The truly fortunate occasionally find a vein of bloodstone. The Arcatan towns of Tomrav and Sudrav, and the Impilturian community of Dunfee exist largely because of their mines and miners. Unfortunately, survival is difficult, and many do not live long enough to enjoy the wealth theyíve pulled from the ground.
Galena Mountains
If a violent, powerful force brought two land masses smashing together, the result would surely resemble the jagged, broken peaks of the Galena Mountains. Two hundred and fifty miles long, this narrow range averages only twenty-five miles in width and Bloodstone Pass offers the only sensible way through. Adventurers walking in the range find themselves plodding 10 miles up, down, and around for every mile they move in their desired direction. The Galenas define the border between Vaasa and Damara as sharply as any border in the Realms. The mountains are laced about with ice and snow, with a year-round wind howling down from the Great Glacier. The Galenas are home to all sorts of unsavory creatures including thousands of trolls, as well as ogres and giants. Yet despite these dangers people still come to the Galenas by the thousands. They cannot ignore the lure of wealth promised by some of the richest mines in the world. Miners have brought out millions of gold pieces worth of bloodstone, and tons of iron and silver. Dwarves love the Galenas, and have three major settlements well established: Ironspur, the Bloodstone Mines, and Hillsafar Hall. The stone here is hard and pure, and dwarven hammers chime silvery notes worthy for the ears of Moradin the Earthfather. Only the strongest survive, be they dwarf or human. Mines are often closed down by monsters and other calamities, but many new ones open up. Miners run the constant risk of breaking into the lairs of the dark denizens of the underworld. But the lure remains, and the hammers ring.
Giantspire Mountains
On the border between Damara and Narfell, the Giantspire Mountains are the least populated range in the region, unless you count the trolls that call it home! The Giantspires would seem to be an appealing hunting ground for prospectors. There are fewer natural barriers and more usable trails than the other nearby ranges, and that they are reputedly rich in iron and copper. Unfortunately the mountain range is a veritable breeding ground for trolls. The hooting and hollering of savage tribes echoes off every mountain wall and resounds through every pass, despite the constant joint efforts of Damara and Impiltur to sweep the mountains clean of the hostile clans. At present, there are only two working mines in the range, struggling on in the northwest corner of Soravia.
Glacier of the White Worm
Draped across the highest peaks of the Earthspur Mountains is the Glacier of the White Worm, perhaps a remnant of the Great Glacier that once covered the land. The glacier gets its name from the pale breed of remorhaz roaming across the vast fields of ice. The remorhaz territory covers the glacier's expanse, some 1,200 square miles, and the beasts occasionally travel in herds of a dozen or more. A variety of other polar creatures make their home on the glacier as well. In terms of friendly folk, only the monks of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose reside here.
The High Walk
The Galena Mountains are very difficult to pass through anywhere except Bloodstone Pass. The High Walk is probably the best known of the "alternative" routes over the Galenas, and is a treacherous, winding, up-and-down trek. This is not a journey for the weak. A barely-marked trail spiders up sheer cliff faces and through boulder-strewn canyons dominated by evil monsters. For every ten hardy souls who begin the journey, whether leaving from Vaasa or Damara, one will not arrive at the other end. No wagons can get through, and only fleet-footed mules can manage the steep, narrow, and winding trail. Hence the High Walk is usually used only by those who are deperate to avoid attention or have another strong reason to avoid using Bloodstone Pass.
Icelace Lake
Glistening along the northern Narfellian border is the deep, crystalline beauty of Icelace Lake. The waters are sparkling pure, teeming with pike, trout, and salmon. Ultimately, the waters can be deadly. It is said that anyone who falls into Icelace Lake will be chilled to death in minutes, even during the warmest months of the year. In spite of the danger, the Nars come here in summer, venturing out on the lake in deerskin canoes. The nomadic Nars feast on the delicious fish, but many dangerous creatures are equally drawn to the feast. Even the finest boatmen must beware, for the great northern bears consider a man in a feeble boat to be a welcome change, and his catch, a particularly easy meal.
Lake Mogador
The most important body of water in Damara is Mogador, the large lake surrounded by the city provinces of Morov, Ostel, and Polten. All shipping that comes down Damara's four rivers culminates here, and the lake is a beehive of activity. Merchant vessels zip in and out of the port cities. Any goods leaving Damara by water pass through Mogador, and thence down the Great Imphras River to Impiltur. Numerous small sailing ships ply the lake's length, running between ports at Heliogabalus, Trailsend, Daleport, and Praka.
Sidewinder River
The Sidewinder is actually two rivers: the River Lench flowing west from Rawlinswood; and the original Sidewinder,
rushing east from the Earthspurs, Both feed into the Great Imphras River network, and are considered part of that network. Little shipping is done along the Sidewinder. Nothing comes out of Rawlinswood, and the river from the Galenas is too wild and treacherous. The Sidewinder's primary importance is to mark an indisputable, easily defensible border between Impiltur and Damara. The border has gone unchallenged throughout history.
The Kingdom of Damara, ruled over by High King Darius Bloodfeathers, is divided in eight separate provinces, each governed by a hereditary baron or duke. Although the lines of government of the various provinces are currently hereditary, the current holders' origins can be traced back to the appointments made by Feldrin Bloodfeathers after he assumed the throne of the High King. Thus, while under normal circumstances the ascension to the throne in a province is the right of the first born, the High King holds the ultimate say in who rules each province. The nobility of Damara are divided into many ranks. Beneath the king and princes (Crown Prince Malchais and his younger brother Virdin), lie the Duke/Dutchess, followed by the Baron/Baroness, and then the Lord/Lady. In general, an individual can't be made nobility; you must be born into the rank. The provinces themselves are all ruled by Dukes or Barons (or in some cases their female counter-parts) and thus depending on who governs, a province is referred to as a "Duchy" or a "Barony." In general, the King and Princes are referred to by their first names (e.g., King Darius), while the under nobles are generally addressed using their family names (e.g. Duke Horgath)
"Bloodstone and metals are common like in Vaasa, but the climate is just a shade warmer. It's enough to make herding work, and even farms in the warmest parts, but is still a harsh land. After all the troubles out of Vaasa, weary folk live here, and wary, too. Not a land I'd want to settle in -- winds so harsh that you can tell how they blow in any vale by the way all the trees lean. Rocks everywhere, too. A hard land." - Elminster
Ruling House: Horgath
Present Duke: William Horgath, 8th Duke of Arcata
Family Crest: Diving Dagger and Mountains Three
Province Population: 24,800
Capital: Valls (2,232)
Most of the people of Arcata are either farmers or miners. The farms are predominantly in the south, around Valls. Bloodstone is not common along the Arcatan stretch of the Galenas and the Earthspurs, but several silver and iron mines have been opened. True to St. Sollars and the ethics of endurance and perseverance, the proud Arcatans work on in the face of any hardship. Tomrav, a mining and farming community deep within the Earthspurs, is a testament to this determination. This tight-knit city is entirely self-sufficient, often cut off from the rest of the land by deep snows for six full months.
Hillsafar Hall
Justicar's Rest
Monestary of the Yellow Rose
Sudrav Village
Type:
Small town
Gold piece limit:
119 gp
Population:
839
Total wealth:
4,956 gp
Sudrav is the southernmost Damaran city. Formally located in the Duchy of Arcata, the city has stronger ties to Impiltur than to Damara although young Duke William maintains his fealty to the High King of Damara. The hardy iron miners of Sudrav are generally a rough crowd who distrust strangers and foreigners.
Tomrav Village
Type:
Small town
Gold piece limit:
118 gp
Population:
411
Total wealth:
2,419 gp
Tomrav is a lonely mining settlement high up in the Earthspur Mountains of southwestern Arcata. The secret of this town’s success is its ability to coexist with its various neighbors. Tomrav finds it natural to host the monks of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose, but the city also maintains good relationships with a small neighboring clan of ogres! Tomrav’s population is largely a mixture of humans and dwarves.
Ostra
Town of Valls
Type:
Small town
Gold piece limit:
3,000 gp
Population:
2,232
Total wealth:
334,800 gp
The bustling trailhead to the King’s Road and all western Damaran trade, Valls is a town always full of activity. As such it is a gathering place for caravans, travelers, and merchants, guaranteeing the town is always full of strangers. In fact, it boasts eight inns and over a dozen taverns and roadhouses, as well outfitters catering to travelers.
Ruling House: Tranth
Present Baron: Margran Tranth, 5th Baron of Bloodstone
Family Crest: Crossed Pick and Sword
Province Population: 14,000
Capital: Bloodstone Village (4,394)
For many centuries, this area in the Galenas was considered merely an extension of the Sunderland of southern Vaasa, unwanted by all but a handful of brave frontiersmen and miners. But the miners had a secret: knowledge of a verdant valley nestled in the sheltering walls of Bloodstone Pass. When the mines' vast potential was finally understood, this valley became the site of Bloodstone Village, and the seat of the House of Tranth who have ruled over the barony for the past 180 years.
Bloodstone Pass
As the only real pass through the forbidding Galenas, Bloodstone Pass is of vital strategic importance to the kingdoms of Vaasa and Damara. Controlling the pass means controlling trade between the kingdoms, although given Vaasa's sparse and largely unsavory population trade is minimal. However, no invading armies may cross in either direction except through the pass. The pass is in the heart of the Barony of Bloodstone, housing Bloodstone Village and the towns of Windless and Virdin. Also located here are the fabulous Bloodstone Mines and the deep waters of Lake Midai. Bloodstone Pass was cut by the raging Beaumaris River during the hasty retreat of the Great Glacier nearly 2000 years ago. In fact, the glacier’s retreat was so abrupt that many scholars insist only magical interference offers a sensible explanation.
Lake Midai
Situated in the center of Bloodstone Valley, Lake Midai provides fresh water and fish to the folk of Bloodstone Village. The lake is only a few miles long and barely one across. However, it is very deep, beyond the measurements of those who have dropped as much as a mile of line before giving up seeking the bottom! Midai is mostly seen as a peaceful, pleasant rest area for the miners of Bloodstone. It's deep waters, fed by the largely unharvested waters of the Beaumaris River, provide an endless supply of fish for the inhabitants of the region.
Warren Wood
A small but incredibly overgrown wood in Bloodstone Valley, Warrenwood is teeming with small game and in the early fall blackberries grow in abundance. Unfortunately for the inhabitants the berries attract the attention of numerous bears living in the surrounding mountains and so going blackberry picking is often a rather dangerous adventure.
The Waukeshire
Sister-forest to Warrenwood is the Waukeshire, home of the gnomes of Bloodstone Valley. Unlike Warrenwood, the Waukeshire is a tidy forest of straight-limbed trees and manicured underbrush. Visitors are welcome, and many travelers stop here for a sorely-needed rest. However, visitors must be careful not to litter the grounds or destroy the foliage. The gnomes pride themselves on keeping their land neat and orderly, and they do not take kindly to strangers messing things up!
Windless
Bloodstone Village
Type:
Large town
Gold piece limit:
1,231 gp
Population:
4,394
Total wealth:
269,985 gp
Despite its modest name, this settlement resembles a large town. The seat of the House of Tranth, Bloodstone Village is more notably the capital of the Barony of Bloodstone. Bloodstone Village would certainly become the capital of the Kingdom of Bloodstone if Vaasa and Damara are so united. A high wall surrounds Bloodstone Village, but its gates are always open. The people of Bloodstone Village are largely miners or tradesmen, although it also boasts a growing merchant class. Though more than 2/3 of the citizens are human, halflings and dwarves abound with a scattering of gnomes present as well. The town maintains only a small militia, aside from the Baron’s palace guard.
Ruling House: Brandebury
Present Duke: Ebelard Madras Bradebury, 18th duke of Brandiar.
Family Crest: Spear-tipped Windmill
Province Population: 10,000
Capital: Goliad (900)
Brandiar is a land of scattered villages, and farming is the primary occupation of the people. The current duke, Duke Ebelard Bradebury is in the 47th year of his reign and is much loved by his people. Unfortunately Duke Bradebury has sired no children and thus the future rulership of the duchy is in question.
Goliad
Type:
Small town
Gold piece limit:
280 gp
Population:
1,610
Total wealth:
22,540 gp
A closely-walled town amid sprawling fields and scattered farmhouses, Goliad is both the seat of power for the Duchy of Brandiar, and a refuge for the nearby farmers during times of danger. Only 500 people regularly reside within the walls, but its stated population includes the many farmers who rely on it to be home base and a shelter. The abbey of St. Dionysus, known for its beer and goat cheese, is located within a few hours walk of the town.
The Duchy of Carmathan
Ruling House: Devlin
Present Duke: Helmont the 14th, 22nd Duke of Carmathan
Family Crest: Bloodied Scythe
Province Population: 26,000
Capital: Ravensburg (4,022)
Carmathan is one of the southernmost Damaran provinces. Like Polten and Ostel, it shares a long border with Impiltur to the south. Although several mines along the rim of the Earthspurs in the west have shown promise, Carmathan is Damara's chief farming province. In years of good harvests, Carmathan alone can feed all the peoples of the entire kingdom, making it an important province indeed.
Halfling Downs
Halfling Downs is a fertile stretch of rolling farmland in the southeastern corner of Carmathan. Just across the border is the Ostel town of Zarach, and immediately to the south of the Downs is the border of Impiltur. This farmland is inhabited almost exclusively by halflings, with only a few men scattered among them. Per capita, Halfling Downs is the most productive farming community in all of the Bloodstone Lands, and the halflings here pride themselves on their hard work. Halfling Downs is a relatively closed community and while visitors are tolerated, they are not typically warmly welcomed.
Ravensburg
Type:
Large town
Gold piece limit:
1,720 gp
Population:
4,022
Total wealth:
345,720 gp
Ravensburg is the capital of the duchy of Carmathan is ruled by the Duke of Carmathan, Fredorus Helmont the 14th. Duke Helmont, a seasoned knight is much loved and admired by his subjects and currently holds the position of The King’s Hand in the court of Damara, meaning he is the chief justice and law enforcer in the kingdom. Like Ostel, Carmathan is a proud and noble province with a long history of loyalty to the old Damaran kingdom. The people are generally hard-working, industrious folk who are tolerant, if not friendly, of strangers. Day-to-day Ravensburg devotes much of its energy to warehousing the produce from surrounding farms. Like Kinbrace in Soravia, which has a similar economic slant, Ravensburg’s long, low warehouses sprawl over many square miles. The city proper bustles with tradesmen, mostly leatherworkers and metalworkers crafting farming equipment. Ravensburg hosts a well-known springtime horse market. A huge equine breed known as the Carmathan Red, or the Carmathan Horse-Ox, is dealt almost exclusively during this fair. The reputation of the Carmathan Red is that of an exceptionally strong and durable plowhorse, and the beasts have been favored by farmers throughout the Bloodstone Lands for a long time. The breed has even begun to draw interest from traders and farmers all along the Sea of Fallen Stars.
Ruling House: Banacath
Present Baron: Kiriban Banacath, 26th Baron of Morov, Overlord of the King's Road
Family Crest: Stones and Scales (the standard of the Kingdom of Damara)
Province Population: 40,000
Capital: Heliogabalus (29,369)
Located in the fertile river valleys of south-central Damara, Morov had always been a major player in Damaran politics. Baron Banacath is a life-long friend of King Darius, the two having grown up together as children.
Morovar
Type:
Small city
Gold piece limit:
7,247 gp
Population:
10,887
Total wealth:
3,941,824 gp
The thriving capital of the Barony of Morov, Morovar is ruled over by Baron Dimian Ree. The high-walled city is an important port on the Goliad River. The city also serves as a collection market for the producefarmed in the fertile lands of the barony.
Heliogabalus
Type:
Metropolis
Gold piece limit:
49,144 gp
Population:
29,369
Total wealth:
72,167,964 gp
Second-largest city in the Bloodstone Lands, Heliogabalus has long been Damara’s center of power and trade. Situated at the base of the rock outcropping known as “The Spur” and ringed by a high, well-defended stone wall Heliogabalus is an impressive sight. The king’s castle, Drachenfelds, sits high atop the Spur overlooking Lake Mogador far below. The city boasts an impressive port and central market, where merchants from all over the region gather. In addition, the money brought in by the sale of Bloodstones has been used to build numerous public works including a bathhouse and a theatre. Like large cities elsewhere in the Realms, Heliogabalus is a place of many textures. The guilds are here: the Damaran thieves’ guild, the merchants guild, and the various trade guilds, all operating under the rule of the High King of Damara, King Darius. Astride every trade route of road and waterway, Heliogabalus plays a dominant role in the region’s activity and is the ideal place for the king’s capital.
Wassen
Type:
Hamlet
Gold piece limit:
70 gp
Population:
266
Total wealth:
910 gp
The little farming and river town of Wassen is situated in northern Morov on the Goliad River. Wassen offers river travelers a comfortable alternative to a stop in the larger city of Morovar. Wassen’s townsfolk consider themselves independent, a community doing its duty to the concept of kingdom but not as anyone’s unthinking serfs. People here are wary but friendly, and always listening for a good story.
Ruling House: Praka
Present Baron: Baron Darikk Praka, 22nd Noble of Ostel
Family Crest: Drawn Blade
Province Population: 35,000
Capital: Praka (11,000)
Ostel is a small city province south of Morov and bordering on Impiltur. In the heart of the Damaran waterways, Ostel is rich in farmland, but trade and crafting are the staples. It also boasts the largest population. Two major cities, Praka and Portith, are located on the King's Road, and they have always been the first stop for goods arriving from the west.
Brotha
Type:
Hamlet
Gold piece limit:
93 gp
Population:
397
Total wealth:
1,840 gp
Brotha is an agricultural community five miles west of Portith in the Barony of Ostel. The farms here are quite productive, making this mid-sized town an important factor in Ostel’s success. The people of Brotha truly despise Ostel’s ruling Baroness Traci D’Artennay. These proud and honest farmers view the baroness and her family as a “clan of shysters and liarsr, with no allegiance to anything but filling their coffers.”
Portith
Type:
Large town
Gold piece limit:
1,554 gp
Population:
3,087
Total wealth:
240,093 gp
Portith is a medium-sized town on the west bank of Lake Mogador in the Damaran province of Ostel. A convenient stopover between two prominent Damaran cities, Praka and Heliogabalus, Portith is known for fine inns and craftsmen. Portith may be the only Damaran city that could flourish without help from any other community. In addition to the fine trading and crafting facilities, fishing and farm yields are productive enough support Portith’s population in the worst of years.
Praka
Type:
Small city
Gold piece limit:
6,391 gp
Population:
11,469
Total wealth:
3,664,665 gp
Smaller only than Heliogabalus, Praka has long been Damara’s second crown jewel, with the king’s summer palace Soln Tra’vy located here. A city of tall walls and sky-reaching towers, Praka is a beautiful settlement, aesthetically pleasing and readily defensible. Here live many of Damara’s true artists, and their work touches everything. Even the regalia of the Prakan militia is richly decorated. In olden times, the head of House Praka was well-beloved by his or her subjects. The city also serves as the seat of power of the Baroness of Ostel, Traci D’Artennay. The Baroness, with her expensive tastes and love of the arts has taken Praka to new heights, though many in barony feel it has been done at the expense of the peasants.
Zarach
Type:
Village
Gold piece limit:
200 gp
Population:
600
Total wealth:
6,000 gp
A flourishing farm community in Ostel, Zarach is otherwise unremarkable
Ruling House: BelMaris
Present Baron: Donlevy the Old, 19th Baron of Polten
Family Crest: The Open Palm
Province Population: 20,000
Capital: Trailsend (10,089)
Completing the river-valley triangle of south-central provinces is Polten, sited across Lake Mogadore from Ostel. Its capital, Trailsend, is the sister city of Praka. Like Carmathan, Polten retains strong ties with Impiltur. Trailsend is often the final stop over for caravans heading to Damara's southern neighbor, and the first stop for Impilturian caravans coming north.
Daleport
Type:
Hamlet
Gold piece limit:
69 gp
Population:
330
Total wealth:
1,122 gp
Daleport came into being when a group of ambitious bargemen saw the opportunity to offer merchants and travelers crossing the Morov-Polten line a better option than to take the King’s Road or Dalen’s Ford (both of which pass through a stretch of bogland). The road in the spring is so bad that the extra ten miles up the Icelace River to the Ford can take a laden caravan as much as two hard days of travel, so the bargemen have done well. On a lighter side, Daleport is also known for the Barge House, a tavern of wild reputation. Formerly a warehouse, the Barge House is a huge establishment, seating 500 comfortably. The majority of the Daleport population can be found here each night making quiet deals with those passing through. Barge owners are known to engage in some smuggling with certain less-than-reputable patrons. In fact, it is said a person can get, or can find out where to get, virtually anything he or she desires at the tavern.
Withermeet
Trailsend
Type:
Small city
Gold piece limit:
6,263 gp
Population:
10,089
Total wealth:
3,159,179 gp
One of the mightiest fortresses in the Bloodstone Lands, Trailsend is Polten’s capital. The huge castle in the city’s center was one of the earliest keeps in Damara, constructed by the associates of Feldrin Bloodfeathers. Donlevy the Young sits in the ruler’s seat today. For many years, Praka and Trailsend have been sister cities. Facing each other across the mouth of the Great Imphras River at the southern shore of Lake Mogador, Trailsend providing the muscle protecting Praka’s artisans who have in turn helped refine Trailsend’s rugged character.
Tellerth
Type:
Large town
Gold piece limit:
1,751 gp
Population:
2,539
Total wealth:
222,250 gp
Tellerth is the easternmost Damaran city, situated in the Barony of Polten on the fringes of Rawlinswood. Another city of independently-minded folks, the people of Tellerth have rioted on more than one occasion in response to what they considered unfair taxation. The folk of Tellerth are not quick to welcome strangers, maintaining a close-knit community.
Dorr
Merchant's Run
Druid's Grove
Lenchford
Mulltown
Ruling House: None
Present Duke: None
Province Crest: Ice Mountain
Province Population: 12,000
Capital: Kinbrace (6,848)
Soravia is the largest, land-wise of the provinces though it also happens to have the lowest population. It occupyies the southern sections of the wide valleys between the three rivers. It also includes all the lands west of Brandiar and north of Morov and Polten. Although this sounds more impressive than it is in reality. The vast proportion of this province is rough grassland and barren tundra. And although it occupies nearly half of all Damara, Soravia can barely support the 12,000 hardy souls who live there.
The Galena Snake
The Galena Snake is no reptile, but a twisty river rushing down from the Galena Mountains to link with Icelace River before spilling into Lake Mogador. The river is seasonal, with the meltoff bringing it to life each spring. The dance of bright water twisting across the grassland resembles a glistening snake wriggling through a meadow. Any observer can see where the river got its name. The Galena Snake is rarely navigable. A canoe can pass during the first couple of weeks of the melt, but nothing larger. Nevertheless, the river is an important route for its brief life. The tiny farming communities of northern Damara rely on it for transportation to Kinbrace, and adventurers use it for a fast trip south from the eastern reaches of the Galenas.
Goliad River
The Goliad River is more important to shipping than the Galena Snake. Except when its waters are frozen solid, the Goliad runs wide and deep, eminently suitable for the network of barges that con- The river cuts through the heart of Damara. Barges run the length of the Goliad, bringing farm goods and minerals south to Morovar and Heliogabalus. From there, the goods move through Lake Mogador, into the Great Imphras River on their journey south to Impiltur. On the northern half of the river shipping is sporadic. South of where the Beaumaris joins the Goliad, the barges run daily. The city of Goliad dominates this junction, and serves as both practical and strategic point along the river's length.
Icelace River
A shimmering run of frigid water, Icelace River floods eastern Damara each spring with melt from the Great Glacier. The river does not run to Icelace Lake; rather, it culminates in the more southerly waters of Lake Mogador. Icelace River is as dangerously cold as Icelace Lake, as well as swift with many twists, turns, and rapids. The Damaran farmers in the wilderness of the province of Soravia have learned to ride its rapids at the end of each summer, which enables them to market their harvest before the frigid winter sets in.
"Frozen moors, grasses rippling under winds that chill to the bone, and tundra where only lichens flourish on the rocks. Inky pools of water, sheathed in ice, running down from mountains as hard and sharp-spired as swords. Bloodstones in those peaks, and rich metals, too -- but one has to claw and dig to get at them, and there's always orcs and beasts and those who wield evil magic lurking to strike down miners who intrude. Freeze to death or be eaten by starving wolves in winter or sledge in endless mud in summer. At least when things get warmest, the small-stags [caribou] go up into the coldest valleys, giving the orcs something to feed on besides you." - Elminster
The Great Glacier
The Great Glacier remains one of the major wondersof the Forgotten Realms, on par with the desert of Anauroch. Whereas Anauroch has expanded, though, the Great Glacier has receded. Just two thousand years ago the glacier covered all of what is now Vaasa and Damara, as well as most of the grasslands of Narfell. Today the lands are free of constant ice. Even though the ice has recently receded, the Great Glacier remains an awesome natural spectacle. It measures more than 1,200 miles across in some places and is fully 700 miles wide. This vast icesheet plays an important role in the lifecycles of the Bloodstone Lands. Spring meltoff from the glacier waters the grasslands, and makes river transport possible. In winter, the cold winds blowing down from the north keep the nights long and bitter.
The Vaasan Bogs
In central Vaasa, north of the Beaumaris River, one must beware of the many wide stretches of bottomless bogs. More than one caravan in this area has simply vanished from the face of the world. Despite the dangers, adventurers continue to explore this dangerous wetland, for there are reportedly several magical hot springs in the area. Their waters are said to enhance abilities, restore frail bodies, or even grant an occasional wish!
The Easting Reach
The Easting Reach is a broad, sheltered harbor located on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The waters are deep and usually calm, with few reefs and predictable currents. The harbor is the best tradeport for goods coming into and out of the Bloodstone Lands. The city of Sarshel guards the harbor's mouth, and provides extensive docks; many merchant vessels fly Sarshelís banner. The fortress-city of Ilmwatch keeps an alert navy afloat from further up the reach.
Earthfast Mountains
This small range of mountains marks the western border of the Kingdom of Impiltur. Though not as high as the Earthspurs, the Earthfast Mountains are almost equally difficult to traverse, with steep slopes and deep, impassable gorges. Mines in the Earthfasts have yielded moderate amounts of iron and silver in the past. However, none of the mines were productive enough to balance the hardships miners endured. Today, only a few dozen stubborn, solitary prospectors roam the rocky peaks.
Earthwood
Sheltered in a pocket of the Earthspur Mountains is Earthwood, a small, thick forest of evergreens and birch. The soil of Earthwood is stony and rocky, broken and hilly, yet the trees grow thickly. There seems no end to the fertility of the soil, for land cleared by woodsmen just a few years ago is already springing with new life, promising groves of trees even thicker than their predecessors. Legends say that the land under Earthwood was enchanted by a great druid centuries ago, in defiance of the Great Glacier which then covered the land. The trees prospered in spite of the onslaught of ice. Legend predicts that the forest will thrive in the face of any hardship. Few people live here, only a few hundred gnomes who live amongst the forest's trees. Despite it's proximity to the Earthspur mountains, the place is surprisingly safe: for some unexplained reason, most of the monsters of the Earthspurs avoid the wood.
Great Imphras River
The Great Imphras River network is comprised of three major rivers. The Great Imphras River itself flows out of Lake Mogador, and the two Sidewinders stream along the Damara-Impiltur border. The rivers are rough, with many dangerous stretches of white water, especially along the southeastern fringes of the Galena Mountains. The rivers end at Traders Bay, a series of connecting lakes that lead into the Easting Reach halfway between Sarshel and Ilmwatch. The Great Imphras is frequented by Damaran merchants anxious to beat those who use the more conventional land route down the Merchants Run. The southern stretch of the rivers, and Traders Bay particularly, are also heavily used by smugglers and thieves. The waterway enables these miscreants a route to the Sea of Fallen Stars, and a chance to escape the fleets of Impiltur.
The Great Forests of the Dale
Collectively known as the Forests of the Great Dale, Rawlinswood and the Forest of Lethyr comprise one of the largest tracts of woodland in the Forgotten Realms. The forests encompass nearly 70,000 square miles. Rawlinswrood is the larger, but the Forest of Lethyr is “small” only by direct comparison! These forests once provided lumber for buildings in Impiltur and Damara, but few woodsmen travel here today. Thickly packed with firs and huge, ancient oaks, these woods are darkened by a thick canopy and a pervading aura of doom. Fireside tales speak of the woods as remnants of a past age, and legends tell of sentient trees, huge spiders, and magical fey creature that don't take kindly to visitors. that stubbornly hold onto the Forests of the Great Dale as their last stand in a world of shrinking woodlands. Outsiders consider these tales to be fanciful superstitions, but the people living near the woods take the stories seriously, and rarely venture under the thick boughs. Legend has it that in the heart of Rawlinswood lies Dun-Tharos, the imposing home of the mighty Nentyarch. It is not known if the he is a wizard or druid, or even if he is a man or something dire. Hardy souls have ventured into the gloom of Rawlinswood, but only a handful ever came out. These few have expressed no desire to return! Despite its unsavory character, a community of gnomes call the very northwestern corner of the Rawlingswood home, and even have constructed an impressive druid's grove here.
"Flat and dry, grasslands roamed by swiftstags [reindeer] and wild oxen -- and the Nars, horse barbarians who, like the Bedine of Anauroch, want to play "I'm fiercer than thee" with any intruder. Horses are their wealth and their pride, and they want us to stay away from them. Half of them who gather at the Trade Fair each year are just looking for an excuse to bury blades in you. Mountains to the north, and hobgoblins; a few lakes and small streams, but nothing lush, anywhere. Another good place to stay away from." - Elminster
Hark's Finger
Hark's Finger is known as Mount Jiksidur to the Nars. The singular spire serves as a landmark for anyone traveling through the flat, empty grasslands of central Narfell. The mountain is sacred to the Nars, who see its guiding influence as a gift from the gods.
Trade Fair
Population: 20,000-30,000
For a few brief weeks each summer, the tribes of Narfell congregate. The massive Trade Fair would hardly be called a “city” by any ordinary standard, but Bildoobaris is as close as the Nars get. Skin tents cover miles of grassland as the entire population of Nars welcome western merchants ,the only time of the year that foreigners are welcome in Narfell.
The Waymeets
Population: variable
Throughout the Narfellian grasslands are camping grounds known as the Waymeets, really, just wide spots along
the worn paths the Nars call roads. More than a dozen of these informal campgrounds exist, but the ones most frequented are called Jiyyd, Peltarch, and Nobis, just south of Icelace Lake. Bezentil lies along the trade route of the Great Dale.
Footnotes:
1. Bloodstone Lands: Forgotten Realms (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons FR9), R. A. Salvatore, ASIN: 0880387718 (pp. 26-35).
2. Medieval Demographics, S. John Ross, http://www.io.com/~sjohn/demog.htm.
3. Population Center Demographics Calculator, Douglas Schulz, http://www.lucidphoenix.com/dnd/demo/business0.asp.
4. Fantasy Village Generator, Johan Danforth, http://spitfire.ausys.se/johan/village/default.htm.
