Brynwood

Brynwood was a forest located in the Vast, covering a large area between the Earthfast Mountains and the North Road, lying north of the towns of Maerstar and Sevenecho. It was infamous for holding a number of monsters and legends.

Description
The terrain under Brynwood was a tumbled and uneven one, going up and down with many outcroppings of rock and ravines with steep sides, and the forest spread chaotically across this. There no tracks through it, and the Brynwood was said to be as difficult to traverse as the Stonelands of Cormyr.

History
Korreds and satyrs once dwelled in Brynwood, but the two fey races came into conflict over territory. In the ensuing strife, both races fell before monstrous creatures whose numbers steadily grew more plentiful. Afterwards, few of the original inhabitants remained.

Though human settlers cleared much of the forested areas in the southern Vast between the Earthfast Mountains and the coast, Brynwood was a fierce deep woods area that few dared attempt to cut down, and so it remained intact.

At some point, a small dead-magic zone appeared in Brynwood.


 * The "Into the Nest of Vipers" adventure module requires that it be set after the Time of Troubles of 1358 DR, implying that the dead-magic zone was created then.

Through the 1360s DR, no less than three adventuring companies of note vanished after venturing into Brynwood. These were The Company of the Talking Shield, The Men of the Purple Sash, and The Skullsword Reavers. Rangers of the Harpers came to seriously suspect the place; to quote one, "something evil lurks in that wood." By 1370 DR, the sage Elminster theorized that some unknown person or force was spreading or maintaining the tale of the Bryndar to lure adventurers into the forest for some reason.

In the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, a minor noble hired the Red Brigade mercenaries to make a routine scouting expedition in Brynwood. Two Brigade scouts discovered the dead-magic zone and reported the find to their leader, Cedric Ravajar, who kept it secret. Later that year, he and the Vipers bandits moved into Brynwood, constructing their base, the Vipers' Nest, in the zone. From there, they raided merchant caravans traveling through nearby Glorming Pass.

Inhabitants
A number of legends surrounded Brynwood and monsters were said to dwell there. The tale of the Bryndar was unproven but popular and took many forms, telling of shapechanging women, or creatures who took the form of women, who dwelled in the wood and either lured in male victims or travelled far to abduct wizards.

Other inhabitants were fey creatures, such as the remaining satyrs and korreds. A clan of sprites also dwelled in Misty Vale.

A few naturalists made Brynwood their home in the 1360s DR, such as the ranger Dura Gerathu and The Green Lady, a druid devoted to Eldath.

From late 1368 DR and 1369 DR, the Vipers bandits were also based in Brynwood.

Locations
Stories told of an ancient castle with many spires lying at the heart of Brynwood. This was said to be the home of the Bryndar.

Also in Brynwood was Misty Vale, a site holy to Eldath and home of The Green Lady. Dura's Vale held the log-cabin home of Dura Gerathu.

The Vipers' Nest was the secret hideout of the Vipers bandits. It was located within a dead-magic zone to give it extra security and concealment.