Llorkh

Llorkh was a human town to the northeast of Loudwater in the Gray Vale.

Establishment & Expansion
Llorkh was founded by the Netherese fleeing the downfall of their kingdom. Later on, further settlement occurred by pioneers from Waterdeep, sponsored by Waterdhavian families. Llorkh became an important mining town of approximately 2,000 humans and 300 dwarves.

Zhentarim Control
Around the time that iron and silver production from the nearby hills started to wane, Zhentarim agents began to arrive. Soon thereafter, in 1353 DR, the last of the old Lords, Phintarn Redblade, was found dead at the base of Lord's Keep. Overnight, the Zhentarim installed their own man, Geildarr Ithym, in the Lord's Keep. Four hundred "Lord's Men" arrived and slaughtered all of the militia under the pretext that they were trouble-makers. A significant number of townsfolk left Llorkh, along with the dwarves.

As soon as control over the town was consolidated, Zhentarim caravans began to arrive from the Anauroch. Llorkh thus became the western end of the Zhentarim trade route, the Black Road, and a point from which to further trade interests in western Faerûn. The Zhentarim maintained both a significant number of soldiers and three hundred purple-cloaked Lord's Men. These defended the city against orcs, adventurers and ungrateful townsfolk. After only a handful of decades of Zhent occupation, the veins of gold and silver in Llorkh's mines were played out and the occupiers left, taking everything of value with them and leaving Llorkh's buildings in a state of ruin.

1479 DR
With the Empire of Shade in the east, most of the caravan traffic coming from that direction dried up. One incompetent ruler after another caused the remaining citizens of integrity to leave town, leaving the ruins to serve as a stronghold for a self-styled bandit king.

After 1485 DR
The bandit king was eventually killed and people started to return to Llorkh in an attempt to restore it. It was then that a clan of stone giants, led by an evil, xenophobic giantess named Kayalithica smashed the town into rubble.