Cairngorm Peaks
Acting as a buffer between the vale and the savage creatures of the Stonemarch to the north and west, this mountain range provides a modicum of shelter while also serving as a hotbed of monstrous activity.
Perhaps most significantly, the green dragon Vestapalkmakes his lair in these crags, and the kobolds of the
Greenscale tribe hunt the foothills and the neighboring terrain. The high mountains, are the domain of the fearsome perytons and the bizarre aberrations known as mooncalves. The denizens of the Cairngorm Peaks will be the first to know if-most would say when-the orcs of Clan Bloodspear decide to emerge from the Stonemarch and again brutalize the Nentir Vale.
Dawnforge Mountains
Orcs are not likely to come pouring out of the mountain range at the eastern end of the vale. That said, the Dawnforge Mountains are no less dangerous than the Cairngorm Peaks, with many of the same races of monsters lurking in both places. These mountains also hide dragons-foremost among them the three-headed monstrosity that calls herself Calastryx. The dragon is slumbering, still affected by a curse placed on her centuries ago, but fears are growing stronger that her reemergence is near. The Emberdark kobold tribe thrives there.
Fallcrest
A hub for travel throughout the Nentir Vale, Fallcrest stands at the intersection of the Nentir River and the vale's two major trade routes. The town guard does a capable job of protecting the populace from raiders that emerge from the surrounding wilderness, but the biggest threats to Fallcrest's welfare might come from within the town itself. One such threat is the Fell Court, a band of outcast tieflings that have gained a foothold in Fallcrest thanks to the subterfuge of their leader, Melech Ambrose. At the same time, a gang of miscreants known as the River Rats are carving out their own realm in Fallcrest's lower-class districts.
Gray Downs
This area of fog-shrouded low hills serves as the principal headquarters of the Gray Company, loyalists of old Nerath that dedicate themselves to finding magic items and other treasures lost when the empire fell. The leaders of the Gray Company, including at least one self-proclaimed heir to Nerath's fallen throne, seek the most-powerful relics of the lost empire-the enchanted Sword ofNerath and the fabled Threefold Crown that signifies the pact that the ancient emperors made with the Feywild, the Shadowfell, and the natural world.
Treasure hunters and explorers find the Gray Downs covered with burial mounds dating back to ancient times when primitive humans lived and hunted here. The hill clans are gone, but their spirits live on, guarded and shepherded by the undead creatures known-for good reason-as hounds of ill omen.
The Sword Barrow: Near the center of the Gray Downs sits the most renowned of the uncounted burial mounds that dot the area.
Harken Forest
In this expansive wooded area along the vale's southern edge, any tree might conceal a threat-or danger could come from the tree itself, if it happens to be one of the treants thatwatch over the deep forest. The Harken treants are bitter enemies of their counterparts in the Winterbole Forest. Allied with the Harken treants is a group of elf druids who call themselves Harken's Heart. The western part of the forest, near the Witchlight Fens, is the stomping grounds of the Dagger burg goblins. Raiding parties emerge from the woods to ambush and assault travelers and settlements as far away as Harkenwold. The northernmost arm of Harken Forest is the temporary headquarters of the Hunter Spiders. This group of drow was stranded on the surface years ago when the tunnel back to their home city of Erelhei-Cinlu collapsed.
Harkenwold: A cluster of small villages along the White River, the Harken wold consists of independent
settlements that have come together under the banner of Baron Stockmer. The barony has drawn the attention of the Iron Circle, an army of mercenaries from a city far to the south. The Gravelstokes, one of the Nerath Empire's most prestigious families, rose to prominence by perfecting the art of assassination. Today, what's left of the family is sequestered in an unassuming mansion in the Harkenwold area.
Lake Nen
The largest body of water in the Nentir Vale, Lake Nen stretches for nearly fifty miles across the southern edge of the Winterbole Forest. The eastern end supports the nearby village of Nenlast, whose residents ply the waters for fish that they trade with the dwarves ofHammerfast and other groups. The shoreline of the northwestern end of the lake is part of the dominion of the Frost Witches, an eclectic group of magic-users who pay homage to the evil elemental prince Cryonax. The witches wield the power of cold to brutal effect, whether recruiting new members into their fold or kidnapping innocents.
Lake Wintermist
The fog that blankets Lake Wintermist is a year-round phenomenon, belying its name. The lake is inhospitable for most creatures, but those that thrive in frigid climes, such as white dragons, can be found here in abundance. From time to time, someone passing through this area might come across an angry troll-or perhaps even a pair of them. The twin troll brothers Hurly and Burly both lair in caves not far from the lake-despite the fact that they can't stand each other. When they get into one of their family feuds, anyone who crosses their path could become a target of their rage.
Moon Hills
This cluster of rugged terrain between the Nentir River and the King's Road is not rife with monsters and other villainous types, thanks mainly to the proximity of Fallcrest and the vigilance of its town guard. But there are threats in this area. The people o fFallcrest tell stories about the Dark Drake of the Moon Hills, a sinister reptile that leads a pack of other evil drakes. These tales get more and more dramatic in the retelling-even though few claim to actually have seen one of the creatures. The hills also occasionally play host to terrors that wander out of either the Witchlight Fens or the Harken Forest.
Ogrefist Hills
Partially framing the western edge of the vale, this area has few redeeming qualities in the eyes of those who know of the place or have visited there. Somewhere in these hills hides the mouth of a tunnel leading up from the Underdark that the drow known as the Hunter Spiders used to reach the surface. When the tunnel collapsed a mile underground just a few years ago, the Hunter Spiders became stranded in the vale. It's
not known whether the tunnel could be reopened from this side. The mysterious Temple of the Yellow Skulls, nestled among the rugged hills, might be the most infamous location in the area. The ancient temple is rumored to be the depository of powerful magic relics known as the Yellow Skulls.
Old Hills
In days long gone, the first human settlers in the Nentir Vale made their homes in this region of rolling hills. Today, the area is firmly in the grasp of the vicious Blackfang gnolls. Slavishly devoted to the demon god Yeenoghu, the gnolls emerge from their burrows in the hills to kill or waylay travelers. Many of their captives are taken underground and sacrificed in the Well of Demons at the center of the gnolls' many-chambered lair. Other rumors concerning an evil older series of ruins spring up from time to time concerning the Old Hills. These tales, always told in whispers, speak of the ancient necropolis of Andok Sur. The place, if it exists at all, is said to be holy to the followers of Orcus. The ruins of the city of the dead, according to the rumors, are buried beneath the oldest section of the Old Hills.
Raven Roost: An old estate house known as Raven Roost Manor sits on a piece of prime land just north of the Harken Forest. The place is almost impossible for someone to approach without being seen-and that's just how the Raven Roost bandits like it. The manor has recently been taken over by a group of
criminals and cutthroats under the new leadership of a trio of shadar-kai. The bandits have a reputation for cruelty and mercilessness that extends far beyond the area in which they practice their grisly trade.
Fiveleague House: This large inn along the Trade Road near Hammerfast is a popular resting place for travelers heading to or from the vale's larger communities.
Trade Road: This dwarf-built highway is the most heavily traveled thoroughfare in the vale-which means
it carries enough bounty to support more than one gang of thieves.
Thunderspire: The tallest natural spire in the vale, Thunderspire Mountain lies on the southern fringe of the Old Hills. Its top forever encased in a raging storm, Thunderspire is a majestic sight, even without considering what lies within its depths. The Mages of Saruun control the caverns beneath Thunderspire Mountain that, centuries ago, made up the minotaur city of Saruun Khel. In a grand plaza called the
Seven-Pillared Hall, the mages and their acolytes provide a place for natives of the Underdark to barter goods with surface-dwellers. All the while, the mages continue to seek out more of the artifacts and treasure left behind by the minotaurs.
Winterbole Forest
This vast woodland defines the northern boundary of the Nentir Vale. It is home to a multitude of monsters and villains, among which a few stand out as the would-be masters of their domain. The white dragon Bitters trike holds sway over a large part of the forest. Several of the Winterbole's denizens, most notably the Tigerclaw barbarians and the Frost Witches, pay fealty to the dragon.
Witchlight Fens
The marsh that spreads out from both banks of the Nentir River is territory coveted by few intelligent creatures, for one principal reason: Shadowmire. As elusive as he is deadly, this black dragon considers
the Witchlight Fens his realm, and most of those who enter the swamp are not interested in contesting that
claim. (They might, however, be looking for the secret location of his lair.) The lizard folk of the fens manage to live in harmony with the dragon, and some of the Witchlight lizard folk tribes have come to worship him.
Near the eastern edge of the fens, where the wetland merges with Harken Forest, the lizard folk of the Mistkiller tribe frequently skirmish with bands of Daggerburg goblins that make forays out of the forest.
A number of ruins related to the ancient empire of Bael Turath can be stumbled upon by those who explore the depths of the swamp.
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