Some n00b questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Some n00b questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Drakken_Raed
03-28-05, 10:36 PM Got the players guide to Faerun and I'm trying to learn some things about Cormanthor, and I have searched google before inquiring here. I hope they're not too silly.

What is a ghost hold? Specifically, are they ruins or tombs of some kind, and what types of creatures should inhabit them? I saw these labled on a map I found on the net.

Is there a Dwarven community, above or below ground, near Cormanthor?

The towns and cities between the Cormanthor forest and the Moonsea are predominately what race?

Are Essembra, Oaknoll, Edge Wood, and Hap, human towns?

Thanks for any insight.
vezina
03-28-05, 11:03 PM Essembra and Hap are both predominantly human towns in Battledale. I'm not sure about the other two.

There is a dwarven community called Glen in Mistledale. There's a connection to the Underdark there, but that's only known locally in Mistledale.

i'm not sure which towns and cities you're talking about between Cormanthor and the Moonsea, but it's safe to assume most are human. If you specify I can let you know
Drakken_Raed
03-28-05, 11:13 PM Hillsfar and Yulash were the towns I meant. I'll take a guess and say they're human mostly. I have no idea of political climate, since I've only just taken and interest in pnp. There's so much to learn just about this small area, it is overwhelming.
vezina
03-28-05, 11:18 PM Hillsfar is definitely human, and discriminates against non-humans. In fact, the current government decides whether people even get access to the city, which is forbidden to non-humans. Non-humans caught inside the city are generally sent to the arena. Yulash is mainly ruins, but human. It's a "protectorate" of Zhentil Keep, and a main source of conflict between Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar.
Drakken_Raed
03-28-05, 11:25 PM Thank you, that is all very helpful.
Lashan
03-29-05, 12:23 AM There is a difference between Cormanthor and Cormanthyr. The first is the name of the forest. The 2nd was an elven nation of the (almost) same name. The elven nation followed the Retreat in 1356 or so. Since then, there was a power vacuum in the area. Monsters and some drow have creeped in.

Besides that, almost everything is human in that area. The humans of the south are Chondathan, while the humans to the north are Damaran. Voonlar is detailed in some web suplements that you could do a search on and find out a lot of great info.

Hillsar was once really close to the elven nation, but when the elves left suddenly, it left Hillsar in a bad way economically (as they were close to the elves). The humans reacted a bit exreme in the opposite direction (anti-humanoids). Hilllsfar got into a war with Zhentil Keep over Yulash. The zhentarium caused a power vacuum in Yulash and Zhentil Keep moved in to "protect" Yulash. Hillsfar did the same and the two have been warring over the increasingly ruined town for a long time.

A ghost hold is basically ruins. Since the Dalelands has always been a bit rustic, there are lots of isolated ruins. Through the years some ambitious person builds a hunting lodge, country estates, or a small fort in the Dalelands. Through the years they are abonadoned for one reason or another. They are called Ghost Holds. Some may be haunted. Others are now lairs for nasty critters. Maybe more then one holds treasure. They are great to use by the DM for all sorts of reasons.

There are no main dwarven settlements in the area. There was Tethyammar, which was towards the west in the mountains near DAggerdale. They were driven off a few hundred years ago by liches, orcs, and worse. There were also dwarves who lived towards the east. There were a couple nations, really. One (I can't recall the name) is known as "the Lost Ways" for their tunnels throughout the south-eastern Moonsea region. Some say Hillsar gots it's name from the dwarves who tried to mine under it. The elves always stopped them and that was the Hill that was Too Far. Adventurers still search their old tunnels in the hopes of finding treasure. The other, and more famous, kingdome is old Rolidar, the "Realm of Glittering Swords". The Vast was once Vastar - a nation of orcs. The dwarves suprised them with 1000 magic swords (that were also orc-bane) and cast down the orcish nation. Rolidar was born, though it lived only 40 winters. The orcs (allied with drow) warred with the dwarves unceasingly, until the humans moved in and took over the Vast. So, no major dwarven settlements, but lots of ruins.

Hope that helped.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Drakken_Raed 03-28-05, 10:36 PM	Got the players guide to Faerun and I'm trying to learn some things about Cormanthor, and I have searched google before inquiring here. I hope they're not too silly. What is a ghost hold? Specifically, are they ruins or tombs of some kind, and what types of creatures should inhabit them? I saw these labled on a map I found on the net. Is there a Dwarven community, above or below ground, near Cormanthor? The towns and cities between the Cormanthor forest and the Moonsea are predominately what race? Are Essembra, Oaknoll, Edge Wood, and Hap, human towns? Thanks for any insight.
vezina 03-28-05, 11:03 PM	Essembra and Hap are both predominantly human towns in Battledale. I'm not sure about the other two. There is a dwarven community called Glen in Mistledale. There's a connection to the Underdark there, but that's only known locally in Mistledale. i'm not sure which towns and cities you're talking about between Cormanthor and the Moonsea, but it's safe to assume most are human. If you specify I can let you know
Drakken_Raed 03-28-05, 11:13 PM	Hillsfar and Yulash were the towns I meant. I'll take a guess and say they're human mostly. I have no idea of political climate, since I've only just taken and interest in pnp. There's so much to learn just about this small area, it is overwhelming.
vezina 03-28-05, 11:18 PM	Hillsfar is definitely human, and discriminates against non-humans. In fact, the current government decides whether people even get access to the city, which is forbidden to non-humans. Non-humans caught inside the city are generally sent to the arena. Yulash is mainly ruins, but human. It's a "protectorate" of Zhentil Keep, and a main source of conflict between Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar.
Drakken_Raed 03-28-05, 11:25 PM	Thank you, that is all very helpful.
Lashan 03-29-05, 12:23 AM	There is a difference between Cormanthor and Cormanthyr. The first is the name of the forest. The 2nd was an elven nation of the (almost) same name. The elven nation followed the Retreat in 1356 or so. Since then, there was a power vacuum in the area. Monsters and some drow have creeped in. Besides that, almost everything is human in that area. The humans of the south are Chondathan, while the humans to the north are Damaran. Voonlar is detailed in some web suplements that you could do a search on and find out a lot of great info. Hillsar was once really close to the elven nation, but when the elves left suddenly, it left Hillsar in a bad way economically (as they were close to the elves). The humans reacted a bit exreme in the opposite direction (anti-humanoids). Hilllsfar got into a war with Zhentil Keep over Yulash. The zhentarium caused a power vacuum in Yulash and Zhentil Keep moved in to "protect" Yulash. Hillsfar did the same and the two have been warring over the increasingly ruined town for a long time. A ghost hold is basically ruins. Since the Dalelands has always been a bit rustic, there are lots of isolated ruins. Through the years some ambitious person builds a hunting lodge, country estates, or a small fort in the Dalelands. Through the years they are abonadoned for one reason or another. They are called Ghost Holds. Some may be haunted. Others are now lairs for nasty critters. Maybe more then one holds treasure. They are great to use by the DM for all sorts of reasons. There are no main dwarven settlements in the area. There was Tethyammar, which was towards the west in the mountains near DAggerdale. They were driven off a few hundred years ago by liches, orcs, and worse. There were also dwarves who lived towards the east. There were a couple nations, really. One (I can't recall the name) is known as "the Lost Ways" for their tunnels throughout the south-eastern Moonsea region. Some say Hillsar gots it's name from the dwarves who tried to mine under it. The elves always stopped them and that was the Hill that was Too Far. Adventurers still search their old tunnels in the hopes of finding treasure. The other, and more famous, kingdome is old Rolidar, the "Realm of Glittering Swords". The Vast was once Vastar - a nation of orcs. The dwarves suprised them with 1000 magic swords (that were also orc-bane) and cast down the orcish nation. Rolidar was born, though it lived only 40 winters. The orcs (allied with drow) warred with the dwarves unceasingly, until the humans moved in and took over the Vast. So, no major dwarven settlements, but lots of ruins. Hope that helped.