Swordslake Creek

Swordslake Creek was a humble human mining hamlet on the edge of Turmish's Mountains of the Alaoreum.

Description
A small village was built around a keep; however, by the 14 century DR, the keep was nothing but a shattered ruin, surrounded by a handful of mining residences and general stores that catered to the locals and their mining trade.

Geography
Swordslake Creek was built upon hills at the base of the Mountains of the Alaoreum on the western shores of Alaoreum River. Further west laid the Perloush and the town of Starfall Stream Pool, connected to Swordslake Creek via a road.

Government
A mind flayer named Alothgos in human guise briefly ruled the Swordslake Creek for around two years, before the 14 century DR. The aberration slew Lord Tagarth Ironbrow and claimed the rulership of the town in the process.

History
The hamlet of Swordslake Creek was named after an ancient orcish massacre – a battle between a human troupe who tried to erect a stronghold and a tribe of orcs. There were several stories in existence that described the battle, with the most popular stating that humans "slaked their swords in orc blood from sunset to sunset." Whatever was the true story behind the conflict, humans emerged victorious and successfully established a camp of Swordslake Creek. With time, the camp expanded to be a humble keep surrounded by a hamlet.

In the, a pillar of smoke rose out of the Mountains of the Alaoreum. The smoke was a product of a great battle between the dwarves of Ironfang Deep and a red dragon named Stormcrossing. Inhabitants of Swordslake Creek witnessed the rising smoke, the first indication that a previously unknown community of dwarves existed in the Alaoreum.

At some point before the 14 century DR, a mind flayer attempted to claim the keep by slaying the town's Lord Tagarth Ironbrow. Illithid Alothgos was successful. He reigned for two seasons while wearing a magical disguise of a human ruler. The new Lord rarely left his keep and only surrounded himself with trusted bodyservants. The most attractive of which, usually women, were rarely apart from Alothgos. The would-be-lord was defeated after a short stint in a fierce spell-battle. A band of mages became infuriated by the Lord's crippling taxes designed to force the spellcasters out of Swordslake Creek, and they retaliated. However, the keep of Swordslake Creek was shattered in the process.

Rumors & Legends

 * It was believed that one-time Lord of the Creek – Alothgos, stashed a massive treasure, looted from Lord Ironbrow, somewhere in the hamlet. Stories said that the treasure included armors, bowls, platters, and coins of precious metals. After Alothgos's death, the keep was thoroughly searched, but no such treasure was ever found. Some popular theories thought the illithid teleported the treasures away once he was attached, while others claimed the gold was "hidden in plain sight" by the creature's magics.

Notable Locations
Swordslake Creek held a shrine to Silvanus, a common deity worshiped in the Vilhon Reach.