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The Delimbiyr Vale, also known as the Shining Valley,[1] was an area in the North,[6] encompassing the western, upper reaches of the Delimbiyr River.[2][7] The vale was a nigh-endless stretch of sweeping valley that attracted travelers and settlers who could brave life in the Savage Frontier.[4] However, parts of it were forsaken, filled with falling ruins, monsters, and ancient secrets.[3]

Geography[]

The Vale was bound on the north by the Nether Mountains[7][8] and to the south by the South Wood.[7][8] Its western edge was the High Forest[8] but no part of the High Forest was considered a part of the Vale.[2] Despite this, the High Forest in the south ran almost to the banks of the Delimbiyr, narrowing the Vale considerably.[9]

Two areas of the Delimbiyr Vale were often referred to as Upvale and Gray Vale by the locals. Upvale was an area of open grasslands in the northern Delimbiyr Vale between Tall Trees and the Far Forest. Gray Vale was in the southwest and consisted of the area of grasslands through which the rivers Greyflow and Loagrann flowed.[2]

The lower Delimbiyr had floodplains, situated around Daggerford.[10]

Geographic Features[]

Bodies of Water
Forests
Mountains
  • Dawn Pass: One of the few passes that cut through the Greypeak Mountains, the Dawn Pass was the only route that could accommodate wagons.[17]
  • Seshrentor: This tower in the Greypeaks was once home to a powerful lich.[18]
Regions
  • Gray Vale: The fertile, southeastern stretch of the valley[2] passed between Loudwater and the Dawn Pass Trail.[11][16]
  • Fallen Lands: Located in the eastern region of the vale, this area held a number of old ruins and magical anomalies.[19]
  • Upvale: The northern stretch of the valley separated the Tall Trees of the High Forest from the Far Forest to the east.[2]
Wetlands

History[]

The ancient elven realm of Eaerlann once held much of the upper Delimbiyr Vale, with its western border lying 100 mi (160 km) west of the River Delimbiyr. They established a great fortress at the head of the valley; called Ascalhorn, it became Hellgate Keep.[21]

The Barony of Steeping Falls was formed on the northern back of the Delimbiyr River, in the Year of the Arduous Journey, 133 DR, by the vampire Artor Morlin.[22][23] It stood for almost three centuries before dissolving.[24][25]

A half-century later, in the Year of the Murmuring Dead, 183 DR, the kingdom of Athalantar was founded by the Stag King, Uthgrael Aumar. The king and his son both oversaw the realm for some time, before it was taken over by the powerful magelords. The Kingdom of the Stag was freed from their unjust rule by the Chosen of Mystra Elminster Aumar and saw prosperity for over a century. Unfortunately, Athalantar was wiped out by a horde of marauding orcs in the Year of the Cantobele Stalking, 342 DR.[26]

For hundreds of years, the demonic forces of Hellgate Keep controlled a stretch of the Delimbiyr Vale, but the fall of that ancient citadel in the Year of the Gauntlet, 1369 DR[27] put an end to its authority in the region.[3]

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Notable Locations[]

Landmarks
Settlements
  • Daggerford: The walled city of the vale was built around a keep that sat atop a small hill overlooking the coast.[17]
  • Julkoun: Surrounded by a moat and wooden palisade, this small village was well-protected from nearby bandits.[31]
  • Llorkh: Founded by dwarves and men, this mining town was taken over by the Zhentarim for a time, before being completely abandoned.[20]
  • Loudwater: A town by the river.[2]
  • Orlbar: This small farming village was located at the junction of Loagrann and Greyflow rivers.[2] It was once controlled by the Zhentarim, but was abandoned when attacked by stone giants in the 1480s DR.[32]
  • Secomber: The folk of this town lived well off the land but had to defend against monstrous creatures such as hobgoblins.[5]
  • Ammarindar: An ancient shield dwarf kingdom that existed below the upper Delimbiyr Vale.[33]

Inhabitants[]

In the mid-to-late 1300s DR, lightfoot halflings had settlements along the banks of the lower Delimbiyr, with the greatest concentration around Secomber. Tieflings, the progeny of the demons of Hellgate Keep, were found the upper Delimbiyr Vale.[33]

However, circa 1372 DR, few seemed to be interested in founding a settlement in the region of the vale near the Silver Marches as it was a desolate region.[3]

In the late 15th century DR, many settlers of the North were attracted to the lands of the Delimbiyr Vale.[5]

Beyond the civilized folk, the vale was home to monsters and monstrous humanoids, such as hobgoblins[5] and bugbears.[2] Travel through Gray Vale was often dangerous due to bugbear raids.[2][7]

In the Underdark caverns beneath this wild land dwelt a demonic general known as Kaanyr Vhok, the Sceptered One, who had amassed an army of tanarukks and fiendish beasts.[3]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Adventures
Video Games

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Christopher Perkins, et al. (August 2013). Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 978-0786965311.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 189. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 22. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 81. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 107. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  6. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 63. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 174. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  9. Ed Greenwood (1987). Waterdeep and the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 3. ISBN 0-88038-490-5.
  10. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 35. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 75. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  13. Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  14. 14.0 14.1 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 62. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  15. 15.0 15.1 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 65. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 87. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  18. Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  19. Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 83. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 96. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  21. Ed Greenwood (1987). Waterdeep and the North. (TSR, Inc), pp. 5, 6. ISBN 0-88038-490-5.
  22. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  23. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 63. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  24. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 138. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  25. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 73. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  26. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 88. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  27. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 169. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  29. Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 194. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
  30. Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 193. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
  31. Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  32. Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 80, 103. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  33. 33.0 33.1 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 25, 27, 28. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
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