Moonsea

The Moonsea was a region in north Faerûn, dominated by the large titular sea that was connected to the Sea of Fallen Stars to the south by the River Lis. The shoreline was a wild, frontier area that was home to several city states dominated by despots, with no central capital. The Moonsea was not necessarily a safe place to live and its settlers were driven and independent as a result. Its central location between Thar to the north, and the Dalelands and Sembia to the south fostered conflict and turbulence between its varied people.

The most notable of the city-states were: Zhentil Keep at the western end, the greatest base of operations of the once-secret society of the Zhentarim; Hillsfar lay in the southwest, a merchant-state that grew to dominate trade in the 15 century; Mulmaster in the southeast, a cesspool of crime, mercantile intrigue and Bane-worship; and lastly Melvaunt, which rested on the northern side, its metalworkers producing clouds of smoke over docks rife with slave trade.

Ecology
The area of the Moonsea was a veritable treasure-trove of resources, its coast lands were rich in valuable minerals and seas teeming with fish and sea life.

Weather
The Moonsea climate could be described as harsh and cold. While not as cold as the Silver Marches, the weather was significantly foul; enough to cause the seas to freeze over during the winter. People of the Moonsea were used to wearing cold-weather and other bulky clothes year-round.

Inhabitants
The Moonsea region was a particularly dangerous one. There was risk at every turn from pirates, monsters, bandits, and military conflicts. Most settlements were fortified and well-guarded, taking precautions to the point of not allowing visitors after dark.

Coming from the old mountains to the north and the area's titular lake, strange beasts attacked from everywhere in the Moonsea. As the sea was once referred to as the "Sea of Dragons", there dragon lairs littered the wilderness. Dragons returned here to mate.

Geography
The Dragonspine Mountains range rested northwest of the Moonsea, and housed the infamous Citadel of the Raven on its western slopes.


 * Sorcerer's Isle: This island on the Stojanow river featured a silver pyramid over 100 feet tall.

Points of Interest
The Bell in the Deep was a submerged city in the southern Moonsea. At times, nearby ships could hear the ghostly bell ring.

Umberlee's Talons were a spear-like changeland rock formation in the western Moonsea.

Ruins

 * Northkeep: Home to the first human settlers of the Moonsea, it served as a jumping-off-point to settlers in the area.


 * Hulburg: By the mid 14 century DR, this ruined city was little more than a lone keep protected by the Hulmaster family.


 * Sulasspryn: A destroyed city that was overrun by drow from the Underdark.

History
In the era when the Moonsea was still rife with ogres and giants, barbarians from the Ride settled along the coasts of the Sea of Dragons. By 348 DR they eventually formed a burgeoning civilization within the citadel of Northkeep, a departure point of sorts for adventures into the lands of the north. The popularity of the settlement drew the attention of the Dark Alliance of Thar, which aimed to put an end to their excursions into their lands. In 400 DR, on a night that came to be known as the First Turnabout, the Dark Alliance assaulted, and destroyed, Northkeep from black-sailed ships in the Sea of Dragons, as well as mounted upon the backs of black dragons. After the attack, tens of thousands priests, mages and shamans chanted along the coastlines of the sea and sunk the city beneath its waves.

As humans built more cities within the region, they were destroyed by the Alliance. In time, civilization succeeded, although with no help from the Elven Court who were concerned with defense of their forests from skirmishers and evil raiders. The city of Phlan was founded just a decade after Northkeep, and like settlements in the region, had been raised and rebuilt throughout a number of cycles over the centuries; Thentia came to be founded several hundred years later, in 800 DR, by the actions of a few united families; and Hulburg just over a hundred years later, in 940 DR, as a base for those who fought the giants and evil humanoids of That.

West branch
The most populated region of the Moonsea was also most rife with Zhentarim influence and Zhentilar occupation.
 * Hillsfar: This large trading city, located on Tailings Bay on the southern coast of the Moonsea, was an important hub of commerce and home to merchant-nobles and guild masters.


 * Zhentil Keep: A widely influential city-state that was home to the infamous network of spies and manipulators known as the Zhentarim. Before its destruction by the Shadovar, it was the oldest standing settlement within the region.


 * Citadel of the Raven: This series of interconencted fortresses served as a temporary headquarters, and symbolic haven for the power of the Black Network.


 * Yûlash: The city-upon-a-plateau was a former-fortified city that had slid in decline throughout the centuries.


 * Voonlar: This town, the chief rival to Shadowdale, was an independent barony upon the surface, but was in fact under Zhentarim control.


 * Teshwave: While officially, this city was under the jurisdiction of Teshendale, by the late 1300's it too fell under sway of Zhent influence.


 * Elventree: A small, Sylvan, settlement that was established shortly after the fall of Myth Drannor.

North coast
These barren and deadly lands on the Moonsea's north shore were rampant goblinoid hordes, and polluted with the endless clouds of smoke of industry.
 * Melvaunt: Located adjacent to the Great Gray Land of Thar, this smoke-filled mercantile metropolis was a well-known hub of slave trade. .The lands surrounding it were among the most dangerous in all of Faerûn.


 * Phlan: This small city at the mouth of the Stojanow River, had been destroyed countless times by war and monsters, only to have been continuously rebuilt.


 * Thentia: A small, militarily weak city that retained fierce independence and strong trade in what was a harsh climate, both geographically, and politically.

South coast

 * Elmwood: This small, farming community was one of the few locations within the Moonsea that could bring its inhabitants some peace and serenity.


 * Mulmaster: The crime-ravaged metropolis on the southern shore of the Moonsea was a decidedly evil location on Toril. After decades of influence from the Zhentarim, it had, in 15 century DR, become the home for worship for the god Bane.


 * Ironfang Keep: This ominous keep, of unknown origin, was long-rumored to be home to a school of dark and powerful wizards.