Ardeep Forest

The Ardeep Forest is a relatively small but thick woodland of blueleaf, duskwood and weirwood trees a few miles east of Waterdeep, on the south bank of the River Dessarin. Ardeep Forest, like most of the ancient forests of Faerûn is a lot smaller than it used to be but it still contains large numbers of wild boar and a lot of deer. Ardeep Forest contains a lot of ridges and steep gullys that are hidden beneath thick vines, dense shrubbery and cloaked in mists which have no doubt been responsible for many a broken neck. Thanks to the loamy ground, Ardeep Forest's vegetation is thick and healthy and aids the growth of mushrooms that glow faintly. Visitors to Ardeep Forest either come to experience a truly untamed woodland or to seek secrecy. It is a pretty place, with sun-dappled paths and pleasant verges, but veer too far off the path and you risk falling down one of the many aforementioned pitfalls.

History
During the Crown Wars, Ardeep, the moon elf nation that included the forest, was a vassal realm to Shantel Othreier. After Shantel Othreier was conquered by the Vyshaantar Empire, it was taken as a vassal realm of the Empire. When the Vyshaan were dissolved, Ardeep joined with Illefarn, then, when Aelinthaldaar was razed by its own people in -1100 DR so that they could all live in Evermeet, Illefarn split into 3 fragmented states of which Ardeep was one and became independant for the first time in many millenia. Alliances were made with the dwarves of Dardath, the humans of Delimbiyran, the gnomes of Dolblunde and the halflings of Secomber and together they formed Phalorm. Phalorm eventually fell though and the last of the elves of Ardeep eventually Retreated West in 1344 DR. The elves left behind a lot of Baelnorn and Green Warden guardians to protect their legacy but without the elves themselves, various monsters including Assassin Vines, tribes of Kobolds, nyths, tendriculouses, thirsts of stirges and other creatures have moved in.

Sites of Interest

 * The Crypts of the Deepening Moon are the royal vaults of abandoned Ardeep.
 * Dancing Dell contains a magical rock sacred to the followers of Eilistraee.
 * The Glen of Aloevan is actually the site of a portal that leads to a pocket plane wherein lies the ghost of the maddened queen and Chosen of Mystra and Sehanine, Laranla Aloevan. The site is guarded by an otherworldly dragon and the laranlas attendants, all priests of Sehanine.
 * The Green Glade is a ring of elm trees that encompass a minor mythal's effects.
 * The House of Long Silences can be found at the bottom of the northern spur of the forest.
 * House of Stone
 * Nandar Lodge is the foundations of a hunting lodge that was abandoned by it's stubborn owner after repeated elf attacks.
 * Phylund Hunting Lodge is known for hosting hunts of exotic creatures, brought from elsewhere.
 * Reluraun's Tomb is the final resting place of a fallen elf warrior, cursed by evil magic during his final battle.
 * The Floshin Estates is a lightly wooded expanse of land that borders the forest proper. Elorfindar Floshin, lord of the lands guards the House of Long Silences from his secret Fey'ri relatives in penance for his family's actions.
 * The Harpshield Lands are owned by House Majarra some of whose members are survivors of a royal family but have forgotten their royal lineage. Their land borders the southeastern ridge of the forest.
 * The Dungeon of the Shield was the dungeon beneath Harpshield Castle, inhabited by the ancestors of the aforementioned members of House Majarra. It lies withing the southeastern fringe of the forest.
 * Talmost Keep is located just outside the end of the forest's northern spur and was the royal seat of House Talmost, never reclaimed by it's decendants.