Savage Frontier

The Savage Frontier was a region in the subcontinent of Faerûn that included the lands north of the Delimbiyr river that are not strictly part of the High Forest, the Silver Marches, the Sword Coast or Waterdeep. It is located between the Silver Marches and the Sword Coast, where the cities of Neverwinter and Luskan lie.

Contrary to its name, much of the area was really no more savage than other parts of Faerûn and was actually quite civilized. However, broader conflicts, such as those between Luskan and Waterdeep and frequent troubles with the Zhentarim made the area a dangerous one.

Bodies of Water
The rivers Laughingflow, Dessarin and Surbrin were collectively known as the Three Rivers by locals.


 * Delimbiyr River
 * River Dessarin
 * Gaustar's Creek
 * River Grayflow
 * Horn Stream
 * Laughingflow
 * River Loagrann
 * River Surbrin

Forests
The three forests of the region were known as the Triangle of Trees.


 * Far Forest
 * Southwood:
 * Weathercote Wood: Despite its small size, this endurant forest survived since the times of ancient Netheril.

Hills and Mountains

 * Dessarin Hills
 * Forlorn Hills
 * Graypeak Mountains: This range that separated the Fallen Lands and the Delimbiyr Valley was home to a number of cloud giant castles.
 * Larch Hills
 * Sumber Hills

Landmarks

 * Dawn Pass
 * Delimbiyr Vale: This expansive valley encompassed the Shining River and its feeder rivers.
 * Dessarin Valley: This valley comprised the lands surrounding the river after which it was named.
 * The Fallen Lands
 * Night Gap

Wetlands

 * Black Maw Bog
 * Evermoors
 * Lonely Moor: This stretch of isolated scrub land was home to savage humanoids, leucrotta and creatures of even deadlier disposition.

Humanoids
The Savage Frontier was a racially diverse region. However, small towns and villages dominated by humans tend to have few if any non-humans. Most dwarves, elves, and halflings preferred to live in their own settlements, far from human-claimed lands.


 * Elves:
 * Sun and moon elves lived among human settlements. The wood elf tribes of the neighboring High Forest made little contact with the outside world.


 * Halflings:
 * Strongheart halflings in the Savage Frontier frequently had homesteads hidden off the beaten paths through the valleys. Small populations of lightfoot halflings could be found in most human-dominated settlements.


 * Humans:
 * There was no unified human nation in the Savage Frontier. The various towns, city-states, and roaming barbarians traded but also frequently came into conflict. While any human ethnicity could have been encountered in the Savage Frontier, the majority were of Illuskan, Tethyrian, Uthgardt, and Chondathan descent.


 * Chondathan: Slender, tawny-skinned folk with brown hair ranging from almost blond to almost black and green or brown eyes. Those dwelling in the Savage Frontier were more likely to have blue eyes and a fair complexion. A small number of Chondathans migrated into the region from Sembia after 913 DR.


 * Illuskan: Also called Northlanders or Northmen, Illuskans were typically tall, fair-skinned folk with blue or gray eyes. Those living in the Savage Frontier were prone to raven-black hair; indicating significant Netherese heritage. Illuskans were considered barbarians in spite of founding the cities that would become Luskan, Neverwinter, and Waterdeep.


 * Tethyrian: Tethyrians were of mixed ancestry including Calishite, Chondathan, Illuskan, and Low Netherese. They tended to be of medium height and build, with dusky hued skin, brown hair, and blue eyes. Their skintone tended to be more fair the farther north one traveled. Tethyrians emigrated to the Dessarin river valley after 697 DR.


 * Uthgardt Barbarians: The Uthgardt were a black-haired and blue-eyed folk descended from a mixture of Northmen, Netherese, and a few savage tribes. They were superstitious with a paranoid dislike of magic. The Elk Tribe, Gray Wolf Tribe, Griffon Tribe, and Thunderbeast Tribes claimed territory in the Savage Frontier region.

Notable Locations

 * Stone Bridge

Settlements

 * Beliard
 * Flint Rock
 * Llorkh
 * Longsaddle
 * Loudwater
 * Nesmé
 * Orlbar
 * Red Larch
 * Summit Hall
 * Triboar
 * Uluvin
 * Westbridge
 * Yartar
 * Zelbross

Behind the Scenes
Ed Greenwood once compared the nomenclature of the "Savage Frontier" to similar naming for cities found in the western United States.