Owlhold

Owlhold, sometimes called the Forgotten Land, was a wild and sparsely populated and largely unknown territory in the Border Kingdoms of the South Faerûn and, once, the gnomeish kingdom of Oelerhode.

"They say there are caravans that went into Owlhold twenty summers ago, and haven't found their ways out yet. After seeing the lanes thereabouts, I can well believe it."

- Ghuldribrand Mroster, Mage Royal of Zindalankh, in conversation with Volothamp Geddarm

Description
Untamed lands, Owlhold was a spiderweb of veering paths that could easily leave even the most competent rangers lost. The ever-present shade and dampness hid the region's main dangers: bogs and bandits. The region was dotted with small lone inns, single-home steadings, and sporadic waystables for travelers, equipped with freshwater pumps and small shack-sized taverns. The region possessed wild beauty seemingly unspoiled by civilization. Travelers familiar with Owlhold preferred to "rough it and rush it" across the wild territory.

The Longcrag Ride was a lively southern road with many pavilions open top travelers, but inns and taverns were ways off the road, hidden from the eyes of outsiders. Without a local guide, travelers were sure to miss most of the amenities along the Longcrag Ride.

Geography
The territories of Owlhold were sandwiched between the Talduth Vale to the west, the Barony of Blacksaddle to the east, the city of Oeble to the north, and the lands of the Shaar to the south. The realm's closest thing to a town was Bloutar, but by 1374 DR it was lost to the neighboring Barony of Blacksaddle. No settlements in Oeble appeared to be big enough to be described as hamlets. Qurth Forest was another part of Owlhold that was lost to the Barony of Blacksaddle.

Most maps of Owlhold bore little accuracy to the region's collection of roads, trails, streams, and rivers. However, several larger boards crossed Owlhold. The busiest route was the Green Road that edged the region, connecting Oeble and Bloutar. The road known as the Bowshot was hard to navigate as it wildly winded through the wilderness. It was connected to the Longcrag Ride that stretched between Talduth Vale and Beldargan.

Flora & Fauna
Owlhold was a wild territory of shaded thickets, rolling hills of hedges, woods, vines, and hanging moss. The realms was named after its large population of owls who fed on vermin and small creatures that ran rampant as Owlen folk did not farm in the common sense of the word. While bogs were swarming with stinging insects and forests hid hungry wolves.

Government
Despite not having an official government, Owlhold supported the Faceless Master's politics of keeping the city of Oeble independent. Together with the Barony of Great Oak, Owlhold aided the Faceless Master against the Talduth Vale's attempts to annex Oeble circa the mid-to-late 14 century DR.

Trade
The Owlen lived via hunting and gathering. They collected a wide variety of local edible and medicinal berries, herbs, and mosses. One notable local product was a type of wine fermented from a special blend of local vegetation. It was popular for the throat-scorching flavor, and Owlen sold the libation or exchanged it for food to traveling merchants who dared to traverse the untamed realm. Experienced merchants did venture into the wilderness of Owlhold but always with a dozen of heavily armed hirelings.

History
Before Owlhold, the land belonged to a gnomeish kingdom of Oelerhode, several thousands of years before the 14 century DR. With time, the gnome nation became arrogant and bloated, encroaching on the forests and caverns, above and below ground. The nation fell to a horde of ravaging orcs that left the kingdom a crumbling and blood-drenched ruin within a single tenday. Swiftly enough, the wilds reclaimed the ruins that crumbled under a slow onslaught of vines, elements, and decay. Some cellars and underground passages remained hidden, possibly filled with ancient treasures, but any sins of them on the surface were swallowed by nature.

By the late 14 century, Owlen became home to sporadic populations. Some retired adventurers, outlaws, and wizards searching for seclusion settled in the realm. Many of them settled in remnants of gnomish buildings, caverns, and spell-chambers.

In the, several caravans were sent into the land of Owlhold, but none of them made it back. Unfortunately, such events were quite common, some of them being nothing more than rumors, but at least two of such events definitely took place.

Notable Locations

 * Fallenfalcon, a pavilion and four cottages on the northern part of the Bowshot by a freshwater stream.
 * The Four Stags was a busy inn at the northern end of the Bowshot that served as the Owlen trading outpost.
 * The Griffon Aflame was a more secluded inn on the southern end of the Bowshot where the Owlen gathered, avoiding outsiders.
 * Hathlock's Rest, an abandoned settlement north of the Trollhead Bridge with a single inn – Hathlock House, open to travelers as of the late 14 century DR.
 * Jester's Hollow, a habituated forest valley of the Laughing Lady Stream and its inn both shared the same name.
 * Sabroar's Hold, a two-floor inn named after locally famous Sabroar of Silvanus.
 * Trollhead Bridge, a railless bride across a bog north of Fallenfalcon, a message-stone shaped like a troll's head, and a sleeping pavilion available for travelers.
 * Wolf Belt, a lone tavern-like establishment surrounded by wolf-infested woods further north of Hathlock's Rest, ran by Ueval Ringam and Ivver Ringam in the late 14 century DR.

Inhabitants
The realm was inhabited by simple Owlen folk who tried to live in harmony with the land and nature instead of trying to tame it. These humans were quiet, non-confrontational, and reserved, accustomed to their lives in a sparsely populated world. However, that did not mean Owlhold was safe for travelers. The territory was rich with bandit bands. When hostile individuals from the "Wild Outside" found a way into the homes of the Owlen folk, all they found were empty rooms, snuffed candles, and back doors wide open. Owlen took shelter in nearby woods and trees and were ready to shower near-do-wells at the first sign of ill intent.

Apart from humans, Owlhold was home to a significant number of elves and half-elves. Ancient undead also were known to gather around items and places of ancient magics in the land.

Notable Inhabitants

 * Baeremyl Clathaderra, a watchghost woman who owned nine powerful enchanted swords from the lost city of Helbrester.
 * Belomeier Tathchant, a merchant of locks, lamps, and coffers from Jester's Hollow in the late 14 century DR.
 * Erendin Speaker-for-Sabroar, the chief cleric of Silvanus who lived in Sabroar's Hold in the late 14 century DR, assisted by clerics Snaruldar and Jessilleia.
 * Imryn Roaringhorn, a distantly related to Roaringhorns of Waterdeep master of Sabroar's Hold in the late 14 century DR.
 * Jarvathra Ploorst, the shopkeep of Talismans and Fortunes of Jester's Hollow in the late 14 century DR.
 * Jestra Illowhand, the proprietress of the Jester's Hollow who created a spell to capture sounds and music in small crystals, active in the late 14 century DR.
 * Jlonkin the Bowyer, a half-elven family man from Fallenfalcon who lived in the late 14 century DR.
 * Nressa the Weaver, a half-elf from Fallenfalcon who lived in the late 14 century DR.
 * Ongolym Nlerreth, a hermit archlich who commanded flying golems, powerful exotic magics, and owned a small Netherese airship.
 * Shassra Rurth, also known as "Darkeyes", a server woman of the Wolf Belt in the late 14 century DR.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Bloodwalk
 * Bloodwalk