The Bonedark Hills was the name given by the people of Thesk to a bleak and gray region of badlands in eastern Thesk and western Thay created by the upheavals of the Spellplague.[1] The area was known to the Thayans as the Contested Lands.[2]
Description[]
The land was broken by the rising and eruption of the Thaymount, resulting in scree fields and steep terrain riddled with twisting passes and tunnels.[1][2] The region was covered by clouds of volcanic smoke and blanketed in ash. The sun was often not visible through the haze,[1] and even when it was, the sheer cliffs of the looming Thayan Plateau to the east blocked the sunrise for several hours, casting the land in shadow.[3] Travel through the area could be difficult and exhausting.[4]
Geography[]
The Bonedark Hills were a broad area across eastern Thesk extending into Thay's political boundaries down the western base of the Thayan Plateau.[1][2][3] Precarious switchback trails led up the jagged, nearly vertical cliffs of the Plateau to Thay proper, with tax stations, guard posts, and arcane siege engines protecting the routes.[3]
History[]
The region was formed during the apocalyptic events of the Spellplague in the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, and left the towns of Nethentir, Nethjet, and Surcross broken. In the century that followed, Thayan forces would begin to fortify these towns, much to the concern of Thesk.[1][5] By the late 15th century DR, the Thayans—at the behest of Szass Tam—had begun transforming these forts into Dread Rings[6] and his agents continually tested Thay's neighbors' borders by raiding villages to capture slaves to work in Thayan mines.[2] Seeking some advantage in this relationship, Thesk founded Echo Village as a trade outpost in hopes that establishing commerce with Thay.[7]
In the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, the tensions between Thay and Netheril flared and the Netherese enclave of Kolthunral arrived in the area in a surprise attack to deny the Thayans access to the Shadowfell Road, which they were using to further their ambitions at a Dread Ring across Faerûn near Neverwinter.[8] Over the following months, the flying city unleashed a bombardment that decimated a large swath of the land,[9] forcing Thay onto the defensive at both Surcross and Veil.[8][7]
Notable Locations[]
Geographic Features[]
- The Charnel Fields, a vast plain of death and destruction west of Surcross created by the bombardment of the flying city Kolthunral.[9] Any corpse left on or in the ground within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of this area was absorbed into the soil to reemerge in this gruesome place.[10]
- The Shadow Veil, a massive and stable rift between the Material Plane and the Shadowfell that extended across the landscape near the town of Veil.[7]
Settlements[]
- Echo Village, a Theskian trading outpost that was butchered by Thayan forces.[7]
- Nethentir, a Thayan fort as of the late 15th century DR.[1]
- Nethjet, a Thayan fort as of the late 15th century DR.[1]
- Relsforin, the lone village to endure within the Charnel Fields.[10]
- Surcross, a Thayan fort and largest of the communities in the Bonedark Hills as of the late 15th century DR.[1][11]
- Veil, a Thayan-occupied village named for the Shadow Veil, which passed through the heart of town.[7]
Inhabitants[]
The residents of the area lived mostly in very small and scattered communities.[11]
As a border region between Thesk and imperialistic Thay, the Bonedark Hills were patrolled by murderous Thayan soldiers (both living and all manner of undead), including gnolls and orcs.[1][2][11] These patrols sometimes rode skeletal steeds or made use of chariots—both heavy vehicles pulled by undead beasts as well as lighter ones that propelled themselves by magic.[11]
Notable Inhabitants[]
- Dempharis Sibront, a Red Wizard enemy of Szass Tam and self-proclaimed "zulkir in exile" who sought to subvert Thayan authority in the area.[11]
- Eyeloe, an imp in service to Szass Tam who laired in a cave within the region.[12]
- Renault Abrecht, the commander of the Thayan forces at Veil as of 1479 DR.[13]
- Ukulsid, the commander of the Thayan forces at Surcross as of 1479 DR.[11]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 183. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 122. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 214. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ Shawn Merwin (August 2008). The Radiant Vessel of Thesk (CORE1-2). Living Forgotten Realms (RPGA), p. 8.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 182. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 222. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 218. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 220. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 215. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ Shawn Merwin (August 2008). The Radiant Vessel of Thesk (CORE1-2). Living Forgotten Realms (RPGA), p. 5.
- ↑ Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 223. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.