Oman

Oman, also known as Oman's Isle, was an island near the center of the Moonshae archipelago. Prior to the Spellplague the island was the heart of the Northlander Kingdom of Oman.

History
Oman shared much of the ancient history of the rest of the Moonshaes. It was an idyllic island, populated by firbolgs and dwarves. The giant demigod Grond Peaksmasher also resided on the island until he was imprisoned in a glacier there. In the 3rd century DR, within a couple of generations of the coronation of Cymrych Hugh, human invaders from Tuern and Gundarlun came to the Moonshaes and settled five separate kingdoms, the largest of which, the Kingdom of Oman, covered the entirety of Oman's Isle. Like the other Northlander kingdoms, the Kingdom of Oman tended to scorn agriculture in favour of raiding the southern Moonshaes and the Sword Coast. The Iron Keep was erected atop an existing castle by Ffolk slaves and the settlement around it grew to nearly the size of Caer Callidyrr.

By 1357 DR, the Kingdom of Oman's ruler, Iron King Thelgaar Ironhand, had become one of Oman's greatest leaders, having expanded his kingdom deep into Gwynneth, all the way south to Highhome. Little did anyone know that Thelgaar had been slain some twelve years previous, and his actions controlled by Kazgoroth.

Some time in the early years of the second half of the 14th century DR, Grond Peaksmasher escaped his glacial prison and brought firbolgs back to Oman's Isle, long absent since the invasion of the Northlanders, having retreated to the mountains of Gwynneth. Moonshae firbolgs had degenerated into corrupted evil beasts, but under Grond's guidance, they began to both culturally and physically resemble their more peaceful mainland cousins.

Eventually, High Queen Alicia Kendrick of the Ffolk managed to unite her people and the Northlanders, making good progress in merging the cultures of both peoples. Oman became the centre of this new Northlander culture as the people gave up their lives of raiding others and instead became self-sufficient by farming, hunting and fishing - selling their longboats instead of using them to attack their neighbours. This state of affairs did not last long however.

The Spellplague pushed the borders of Faerie closer to those of Toril, allowing a group of fomorians from that realm, under the command of the evil Queen Connomae of Vor Thomil, to invade Oman through a gate. Together with malevolent native giants, they conquered the island, wiping out all resistance to their rule and defeating every humanoid attempt to take back the island.

Rumours and Legends

 * It was thought that both King Derid of the Ffolk and Jarl Rault of Norland would pay handsomely to reclaim Oman for their respective peoples, but the giants of Oman attacked every boat that approached within a stone's throw of the island.
 * The cairn of Iron King Thelgarr Ironhand was said to hold riches and powerful magic and that it had remained undisturbed by the giants occupying Oman, but that it was also well-protected by the bound spirits of animals as well as more mundane traps.
 * Rich seams of gold and iron, as well as the pristine woodlands of Oman were a primary motivator for the re-taking of the island.

Notable locations

 * Cairn of Thelgarr Ironhand - Legendary burial place of Iron King Thelgarr Ironhand.
 * Iron Keep - Formerly the home of the Northlander ruler, the keep was given to an Ettin by the Formorians.
 * Oman Moonwell - A gate to the Feywild.