Wailing Cliff

The Wailing Cliff was a 300-ft-high (91.4 m) cliff in the Deep Wastes that interrupted the tunnel between the Lake of Shadows and Maerimydra.

Geography
Situated 18 miles (28.9 km) east of the Lake of Shadows and 50 miles (80.4 km) northwest of Vournoth's Mire, the Wailing Cliff was a 300-ft-tall (91.4 m) cliff that disrupted that passage. The cliff itself was pock-marked by three caverns of varying sizes, two smaller near the base and one much larger about half-way up.

In addition to the geological disturbance, the Wailing Cliff had an unusual planar one too. Everything within ½ mile (0.8 km) of the Wailing Cliff was subject to a convergence of the Plane of Shadow and the Material Plane. This phenomenon severely disrupted spells like shadow walk, making it impossible to maintain. Despite this, within the area surrounding the Wailing Cliff, any spells that used shadow magic were greatly enhanced, whilst spells that utilized light or fire were much more difficult to cast.

Two great iron chimes were placed at the top and bottom of the cliff. When these bells were struck, they would alert Glouroth and his kir-lanan servants that travelers wished to negotiate passage.

History
At one time, the passage between the Lake of Shadows and Maerimydra was a smooth and gentle incline, but due to a tumultuous seismic occurrence that passage was disrupted and the Wailing Cliff was created.

Sometime after 1172 DR, the shadow dragon, Glouroth came to the Wailing Cliff and made a lair there. Glouroth's presence eventually forced the drow of Maerimydra to make a pact with the dragon for safe passage through the Wailing Cliff. Knowledge of this pact was kept exclusively by the priestess of Lolth. All others underdark travelers were required to pay tribute to Glouroth in order to pass.

At some point after the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR, a tribe of kir-lanan came to make their home in the Wailing Cliff and took up the role of Glouroth's servitors and guardians. Glouroth's association with the kir-lanan even produced a daughter in the form of the half-dragon, Phaikkul. However her rise caused friction with the other leader, Ghindul, and soon the tribe fractured into the Howling Wing and the Screeching Wing groups.

During the Silence of Lolth in 1372 DR, drow refugees from Maerimydra were forced to call upon their ancient pact with Glouroth, in order to escape the fall of their city.

Rumors and Legends
Although the precise cause of the Wailing Cliff's creation is unknown it is suspected that it had a magical cause.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Ghindul
 * Glouroth
 * Phaikkul