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Dragonspear Castle was a fortress, built across three low hills[1] on the southwestern edge of the High Moor, east of Trollbark Forest and just north of where the Coast Way joins the Trade Way.[2] Extensive tunnels were dug under the keep, connecting with an underground river[3][4], the already-abandoned city of Kanaglym, and hence the larger Underdark.[5] The Castle became most notable for its interplanar portals, through which come baatezu and other fiends.[6]

History

The castle was built in 1255 DR by the half-dwarf Daeros Dragonspear, around the lair of his ally Halatathlaer. Ithtaerus Casalia set in motion the destruction of the Castle by creating a portal in 1290, and following the exodus of its defenders it was taken over by various tribes of humanoids, notably hobgoblins. In 1315, armies from Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate cleared out the ruin and built a temple of Tempus. One or more hostile entities including the Zhentarim[7] opened new portals, and by 1354 the castle was controlled by devils. The next years were spent fighting off fiends and the humanoid armies they gathered. In the 15th century, the ruins are claimed by Born and a growing army of undead.

1255 DR
Daeros Dragonspear emerges from Kanaglym, bearing a fortune in gems. He builds Dragonspear Castle around the lair of Halatathlaer.[1][8][9]
1290 DR
Ithtaerus Casalia creates the first portal to Avernus in Dragonspear Castle,[10] binds Halatathlaer, tricks Daeros Dragonspear into entering the portal (and effectively killing himself), and lures other dragons to the castle with vision of a free dragon hoard. Three hopeful dragons arrive and battle each other, slaying Halatathlaer and demolishing most of the fortress. The surviving dragon, Sharndrel, is incensed by the deception and slays Ithtaerus.[8][11] The ruins are soon claimed by bandits and humanoids.[1][12]
1305 DR
Hobgoblins seize Dragonspear Castle and raid the Trade Way and surrounding lands.[13][14]
1315 DR
Armed expeditions from Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate finally sweep through Dragonspear Castle. Unable to destroy the portal they establish the Hold of Battle Lions, a fortified temple of Tempus.[1][12][13][15][14]
1354 DR
Devils take Dragonspear Castle, arriving through new portals.[1][12][7][4][16]
1356 DR
The Dragonspear War. A strange mist cloaks the ruins of Dragonspear Castle, said to resist even the dispelling efforts of Khelben.[17] The forces of Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate once more converge on Dragonspear Castle, setting fire to the structures there and defeating the devils.[1][12][18]
1363 DR
The Second Dragonspear War. Devils retake Dragonspear Castle and build an army of humanoids, plus a dominated dragon. This fiend-led army destroys The Way Inn and attacks Daggerford before being defeated by a motley force led by adventurers.[19][20]
1479 DR
The persistent mists remain. The castle is now controlled by undead led by Born.[21][note 1]

Appendix

Appearances

Notes

  1. The 4e Campaign Guide omits all mention of fiends; it maintains that the shrine of Tempus was overwhelmed by undead arising from the Nepenthe River, despite Volo's Guide specifically saying (a) it was a temple and (b) it was destroyed by baatezu.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 39. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  2. Karen Wynn Fonstad (August 1990). The Forgotten Realms Atlas. (TSR, Inc), p. 5. ISBN 978-0880388573.
  3. Template:Cite book/Elminster's Ecologies/Appendix II/The High Moor
  4. 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 75. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  5. Karen Wynn Fonstad (August 1990). The Forgotten Realms Atlas. (TSR, Inc), p. 148. ISBN 978-0880388573.
  6. Template:Cite book/Elminster's Ecologies/Appendix II/The High Moor
  7. 7.0 7.1 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 124. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 73. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "VGSC-p73" defined multiple times with different content
  9. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  10. Template:Cite book/Elminster's Ecologies/Appendix II/The High Moor
  11. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 132. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 91. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 74. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 134. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  15. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 294. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  16. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  17. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 37. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  18. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  19. William W. Connors (October 1992). Hordes of Dragonspear. Edited by C. Terry Phillips. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-56076-333-7.
  20. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  21. Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 36. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
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