Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms

to Nathoud, and Damaran foresters log the western verge of
the Rawlinswood, but these are rare and hardy souls.
In recent years, the rise of the Rotting Man and his blightlords
in the Rawlinswood has posed a new threat to the kingdom
of Damara. Blightspawned monstrosities have made
woodcutting and trapping in the Rawlinswood a dangerous
proposition, and blightspawned volodni warriors have attacked
and burned numerous homesteads near the forest. The Talontar
have become strong enough to force an unlikely alliance
between the Nentyarch and King Dragonsbane of Damara,
who in years past differed over logging the ancient wood.
Trail’s End
This large Damaran city lies close to the Rawlinswood. Long
a center of trade in the region, it has recently built a reputation
as the perfect launching point for one adventure or another.
From Trail’s End, adventurers set out to explore the
ancient ruins of the Rawlinswood, harry the evil marauders of
the Giantspires, and travel the Long Road to Rashemen.
The Icelace River
This river runs fast and wide enough that it never freezes
over, even in the middle of the harshest winters. Its icy waters
are cold enough to kill within minutes any human unfortunate
enough to fall in. This makes the river the first line of
defense for Damara against raids by the more aggressive Nar
tribesfolk. For the most part, King Dragonsbane has refused
to push beyond the edges of the Rawlinswood, but if the Nars
of the steppes and the blightlords of the forest continue to
harry his eastern frontiers, he may decide it’s necessary to
claim that land to make his borders more defensible.
Impiltur
In this part of the world, Impiltur is second only to Thesk in
the unabashed importance it places on commerce. This is reflected
in the fact that almost all of the country’s largest cities
are arrayed along its coast, stretching from Ilmwatch in the
far north of the Easting Reach all the way down to Lyrabar
on the edge of the Gray Forest and the Vast. Impiltur is a
good neighbor to the Great Dale and to Thesk. Traders from
Dilpur, Sarshel, and the other cities of the kingdom bring
much prosperity to Telflamm and Uthmere.
Impiltur is an old, strong land that has existed in one form
or another along this coast for well over a thousand years.
Impilturans settled much of Damara, the Great Dale, Thesk,
and even the northern coasts of Aglarond. On rare occasions,
the kings of Impiltur have stood with the folk of these
younger lands against threats from the east, such as the Red
Wizards or the Tuigan Horde, but Impilturans have a history
of avoiding involvement in the troubles of other lands.
The Red Wizards have opened enclaves in Lyrabar,
Dilpur, and Ilmwatch, all with the permission of the Council
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of Lords and their figurehead, Queen Sambryl. The paladins
on the council are loath to have any dealings with the evil
Thayans, but they believe it’s better to have the Red Wizards
where the people of Impiltur can keep an eye on them. Also,
trade with the Thayans is so profitable that the merchants of
Impiltur have strongly lobbied on the foreigners’ behalf.
ILMWATCH
More a fortress than a city, Ilmwatch is a large town that
guards trade traveling to and from Damara and the Great
Dale. Despite its strategic position at the head of the Easting
Reach, Ilmwatch is not an extremely busy port; the Great Imphras
River is navigable up to Heliogabalus for most of the
year, so shipping from the Sea of Fallen Stars to Damara usually
proceeds up the river instead of offloading in Ilmwatch.
However, many coasters and sailing ships ferry trade across
to Uthmere. The road leading north to Damara is known as
the Herald’s Road, and numerous small villages dot its length.
The lord of Ilmwatch is Heskar Brandosk (NG male human
Ftr6), a doughty leader who vigorously patrols the nearby
coasts to discourage piracy. He has earned the enmity of the
Shadowmasters of Telflamm, who have made several attempts
to kill the Impilturan and replace him with a less zealous lord.
SARSHEL
Sarshel was one of the four city-states that united to form the
nation of Impiltur beneath the banner of the great war-captain
Imphras almost 300 years ago. The city serves as Impiltur’s
gateway to the East and the North. It is governed by two of
Impiltur’s Twelve Companions, Lords Rilaunyr (LG female
human Pal13) and Silaunbrar (LG male half-elf Pal12).
During the long years of the Bloodstone Wars, Sarshel’s
trade came to a virtual standstill, and the city declined.
Gareth Dragonsbane’s victory over the Witch-King’s forces
15 years ago did little to change Sarshel’s fortunes, since
the bustling town of Ilmwatch captured much of the Damaran
trade that formerly passed through Sarshel, and the
cities of Dilpur and Hlammach drew away much of the
highly profitable Golden Way traffic that formerly came
from Telflamm to Sarshel.
Hard times in Sarshel have led to the rise of brigandage,
piracy, and smuggling. Several of Sarshel’s most prominent
merchants secretly sponsor piracy in the Easting Reach. The
most powerful of these merchant-pirates is Strengedar Hammerfist
(NE male shield dwarf Rog7/Ftr5). Strengedar owns
a fleet of six large ships and dozens of small coasters and skiffs
that ply the inlets and uninhabited isles of the Reach.
Surprisingly, the Shadowmasters of Telflamm have nothing
to do with the rise of crime in Sarshel, and so far the shady
merchants of Sarshel have resisted intrusions by the powerful
Telflammar guild. The city is growing restless, and Sarshel’s
wealthiest and most powerful citizens harbor schemes of secession
from Impiltur in order to gain a free hand in their
true business.