Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms
Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms
Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms
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and the easiest way for a visitor to gain their esteem is to put<br />
up a good fight against the local champion. <strong>The</strong>y consume an<br />
immense amount of firewine (see Economy, below) and boast<br />
that they drink more of it than any others in Rashemen.<br />
MULSANYAAR PLATEAU<br />
North of the Gorge of Gauros lies the Mulsanyaar Plateau, a<br />
rugged land similar in appearance and topography to the<br />
tharch of Gauros in Thay (see Chapter 11: Thay). <strong>The</strong> Mulsanyaar<br />
is actually the northernmost arm of the Plateau of<br />
Thay, but the great gorge divides the Rashemi portion from<br />
the rest of the Thayan plateau like a moat twenty miles wide.<br />
Few Rashemi live in this southerly reach of the High Country,<br />
leaving the Mulsanyaar to the goblins that infest the<br />
region. <strong>The</strong> Iron Lord details several warbands of berserkers<br />
to keep the goblins in check and to watch for signs of Thayan<br />
movement in the Gorge—even though the canyon is virtually<br />
impassable, the zulkirs have tried to invade Rashemen by this<br />
difficult path.<br />
Under the lowering heights of Mount Omvulag stand the<br />
black towers of Omvudurth, a sprawling citadel of crude dark<br />
stone that marks the seat of the Omvurr, a great goblin chieftain.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Omvurr (LE male goblin Bbn4/Ftr6) claims the<br />
entire plateau as his realm, but in practice, his warriors steer<br />
clear of the Rashemi berserkers.<br />
Lake Ashane<br />
This icy body of water is also known as the Lake of Tears for<br />
the battles fought on its shores centuries ago between Narfell<br />
and Raumathar (and more recently by the Rashemi<br />
against the Red Wizards and the Tuigan Horde). Formed of<br />
runoff from the Icerim Mountains and possibly carved by a<br />
glacier, Lake Ashane is notorious for its cold even on the<br />
hottest days of summer. <strong>The</strong> water itself is deep, blue, and<br />
beautiful. Ashane has no surface outlets, but somewhere near<br />
its deepest point (almost a mile below the surface) it drains<br />
to a vast underground sea in an unexplored portion of the<br />
Underdark.<br />
<strong>The</strong> lake itself is inhabited by nixies, nymphs, native water<br />
elementals, and telthor fish, which protect the waters against<br />
those who would drain or defile them. Few other creatures are<br />
present except a few cold-tolerant species of fish, for the<br />
waters are too cold for most animals. <strong>The</strong> fey and telthors<br />
serve a powerful animal spirit, although only they and the<br />
Witches know its name and nature.<br />
With the exception of one trade-town, Kront, the western<br />
shore of the lake is unpopulated, mainly because of its horrible<br />
weather. <strong>The</strong> Rashemi shore has more settlements, including<br />
the large communities of Immilmar and Mulsantir<br />
and many villages and hamlets scattered between them.<br />
Most of the smaller communities survive by fishing the lake,<br />
although gardening and small farms make them moderately<br />
self-sufficient. Fishers take to the water in stout rowboats<br />
or feluccas.<br />
RASHEMEN<br />
133<br />
Terrible monsters crawl out of the Ashenwood to plague the<br />
human settlements along the eastern shore. Because of these<br />
frequent attacks, most nearby settlements have simple walls<br />
and even watchtowers, with a higher proportion of combatready<br />
men and women than usual. If a large number of monsters<br />
attack, the townsfolk take to the water and harry the<br />
invaders with arrows from boats.<br />
Lake Mulsantir<br />
Fed by three rivers, Lake Mulsantir is a turbulent muddle of<br />
silty runoff, murky depths, and strange currents that can<br />
overturn craft or suddenly sweep a person away. Its waters<br />
flow north into Lake Ashane through a broad passage called<br />
the River Mulsantir. Rashemen patrols the lake with magically<br />
animated witchboats, piloted by hathrans. (See Chapter<br />
5: Magic items for more information.) <strong>The</strong> Mulsantir is less<br />
cold than the Ashane and contains more varieties of fish, so<br />
many fisherfolk work here despite the dangers.<br />
Thay used to battle Rashemen for control of the lake, but<br />
Thay has less lumber than Rashemen, and the witchboats are<br />
far more maneuverable than any vessels of the Red Wizards.<br />
Thay eventually stopped aggressive action on the lake, preferring<br />
to invade across the River Mulsantir to the north. <strong>The</strong><br />
Red Wizards dumped magically crossbred monsters into the<br />
lake in hopes of upsetting the witchboats, but the currents and<br />
cold made the monsters hug the southern shores and prey on<br />
Thayan vessels and settlements, so they abandoned that practice.<br />
Boats disappear more often here than even the difficult<br />
waters would explain, so it is likely that some of these creatures<br />
remain and occasionally surface to grab a snack before<br />
retreating to the comforting darkness.<br />
Lake Tirulag<br />
This body of water lies in the center of the most populous portion<br />
of Rashemen amid the nation’s major waterway. Its water<br />
is cold and filled with hardy trout, crayfish, and other tasty<br />
creatures, which provide sustenance and trade for a large<br />
number of Rashemi. <strong>The</strong> tradesfolk who harvest the lake’s<br />
bounty use typical Rashemi boats and ships, and they always<br />
give the witchboats a wide berth, particularly empty ones<br />
moving under magical guidance, performing unknown tasks<br />
for the hathrans.<br />
Lake Tirulag is not as deadly cold as the Ashane, and brave<br />
or foolhardy Rashemi use the lake to prove their toughness<br />
and endurance in bizarre competitions. <strong>The</strong>y strip down to<br />
nothing and swim about, with victory going to whoever remains<br />
in the water the longest. Occasionally contestants die,<br />
but normally the worst result is blue-tinged skin for a while.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se competitions are followed by feasts and drinking in<br />
well-heated lodges throughout the night.<br />
Great treasure is said to lie at the bottom of the lake, although<br />
its source has many explanations. Some say it is wealth<br />
seized from those foolish enough to attack the Witches; others<br />
claim it is the secret hoard of a mad Nar wizard; and yet