Forest of Tethir

The Forest of Tethir, also known as Wealdath, was the largest forest in the Lands of Intrigue and on the Sword Coast and one of the largest in all of Faerûn. Some scholars were of the opinion that the forest was the "single most important thing" that set the culture of Tethyr.

Etymology
The forest was named after the epic elven hero Tethir, the first elven dragonslayer. The name of the forest is always spelled with an "i", while the name of the country is spelled with a "y", the Dwarvish spelling.

The elves also called the forest "Wealdath", which means "unspoiled woods" in Elvish.

After 1370 DR, the official name of the forest was made Wealdath by the government of Tethyr, though the people of Amn still called it the Forest of Tethir.

Geography
The forest was located in northwest Tethyr, just to the north of the Starspire Mountains. It extended all the way to the tip of the Dragon's Neck Peninsula, and was considered at some points in history to be the southern border of Amn.

The forest was full of small lakes, pools, streams, and cascades. The forest was dark and cool, and it received a lot of rain, especially on the Peninsula.

The terrain on the Peninsula was rather rocky, unlike the rest of the forest.

The Trade Way passed through the forest in the west, close to the coast.

Flora & Fauna
A large yet not particularly dense wood&mdash;unless one was at least ten miles from the borders where the trees grew far thicker &mdash;the trees of Tethir were very large and old, their wide trunks rising to a great height above. Many of the trees along the Trade Way were transplanted there after the fall of Myth Drannor by the elven refugees of Cormanthor. Most of the trees were evergreens, though there were many other kinds as well, including cedar, duskwood, maple, and oak.

Smaller plants, such as berry bushes, ivy, and flowering plants also thrived here, and the streams and ponds were full of lilies.

The Forest of Tethir was full of a plethora of monsters&mdash;ankhegs, basilisks, bloodthorns, bulettes, choke creepers, giant spiders, manticores, owlbears, stirges, and wyverns. Packs of wolves were also common, and the trees were home to an abundant variety of birds and wild game. On the Peninsula, the moist conditions meant that there were many fungi, molds, and slimes to be found.

Government
Officially, with the start of Queen Zaranda's reign, the forest was divided into two duchies, Noromath in the west and Durmista in the east, as a major part of the Principality of the Corsairs' Sea. Duke Allain "Foxfire" Kevanarial was the official ruler of Normath, while Mirthal Aendryr officially led Durmista.

Religion
Worship of both Eldath and Silvanus was very popular among those living near and within the borders of the forest, even among the elves.

Notable Locations

 * Brost : This small trading post was on the northern edge of the forest and connected to the Tethir Road by a small trail.
 * The Eight's Tree : This was the secret stronghold of the Company of Eight.
 * Mosstone : This town was located along the Trade Way just south of the forest.
 * Myth Rhynn : This ancient elven necropolis lay in the forest. Around 1374 DR, the Vel'Nikeryma had an interest in restoring its mythal.
 * Suldanessellar : This elven city was built high above the ground in the trees.

Inhabitants
The elves of the Wealdath were divided into two major tribes&mdash;the Elmanesse and the Suldusk. The Elmanesse lived in a large expanse of woods east of the Trade Way, in Noromath ; the Suldusk lived in the southeastern reaches.

Lythari, elven shapeshifters, had at least four portals in the forest that led to their plane, a peaceful subdimension.

In 1479 DR, two cells of the Eldreth Veluuthra operated in the forest, one for each of the Elmanesse and Suldusk elven tribes. The cells aimed to protect their tribal lands from humans. Both tribes were closely allied with Tethyr due to the royal family's agreement to respect the elven forest.

Good-aligned drow were also reported to live in the Forest of Tethir.

Apart from elves, there were many fey creatures and monster races making their homes among the trees, among them: brownies, centaurs, dryads, satyrs, sprites, bugbears, gnolls, hobgoblins, kobolds, leprechauns, lycanthropes, ogres, orcs, treants, trolls, atomies, green hags, and norkers.

Bandits maintained several bases within the borders of the forest, adding to the danger already present from the high population of monsters. Pirates from the Nelanther Isles would often land on the Peninsula to cut down timber for their ships.

The forest was also used as a base for the Company of Eight, the famous adventuring group, during the Tethyrian Interregnum.

The forest was also home to several dragons&mdash;at least two green dragons (Linussaxannol and Buchembrallor ) and a gold and a bronze (Garlokantha and Arellaxerrontoal ). White dragons used to live in the forest, but by 1370 DR, these lairs were occupied by goblinoid tribes.

History
The Forest of Tethir was once a part of a single massive forest covering the modern Lands of Intrigue. The elves named this forest kingdom Keltormir. Wars with dragons and giants led to the destruction of great swaths of forest and split Keltomir into the Snakewood, Shilmista, the Forest of Mir, and the Forest of Tethir. This was known as the First Tethirift. The war was ended when the great hero Tethir sacrificed his own life and killed two great red dragons.

The forest was originally home to the Suldusk, Tethir, and Stilmyst clans.

Enmity between the humans of Tethyr and the elves of Tethir rose about 85 years before the Dalereckoning, when the humans from Clan Karlag began foresting parts of the forest to create beaches for their shipyards. While he was trying to negotiate peace between the elves and the human clans, one of the Karlag clansmen murdered the crown prince of Tethyr, Garynor II. The King of Tethyr ordered Clan Karlag outcast forevermore. The clear-cut region of the forest later became the path the Trade Way would take.

In the tenth century DR, forest fires burned down many of the trees of the central forest, but this ended up creating peaceful groves and opportunities for younger trees to flourish.

In the Year of the Wave, 1364 DR, a mercenary named Bunlap ran a logging operation in the eastern part of the forest, and his men killed and enslaved many elves. Bunlap was stopped by the efforts of Arilyn Moonblade, who had been sent from Evermeet. The incident was known as the Tethir Conflicts.

Before the Tethyrian civil war, demihumans were treated poorly by the humans of Tethyr, and they had no rights. The elves, especially, were driven deep into the forest. This was triggered by the accidental death of Errilam I in 1277 DR, which was blamed on the elves. (Indeed, elves were responsible, as the death had been the work of the Eldreth Veluuthra. ) When the Lions' Dynasty was overthrown and the Interregnum began, the elves formed their own Elven Council and considered the Forest of Tethir its own sovereign nation.

After the Interregnum, Queen Zaranda made peace with the elves of the forest and sought to integrate them into politics.

Rumors and Legends
The Forest of Tethir was feared by humans for generations, ever since the death of King Errilam.

In 1357 DR, there was talk about a powerful archdevil gathering evil forces to himself in the midst of the forest.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * "The Fiends of Tethyr", Dungeon #54
 * Games:
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
 * Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal