The Cold Road was a route in the Unapproachable East, heading roughly north from Nethentir in western Thay[1][3] to Hoarbridge in northern Narfell.[2]
Geography[]
From Nethentir in the tharch of Lapendrar, the road travelled north beneath the western edge of the Thayan Plateau to Surcross, from where it traversed the River Sur to enter Thesk and proceeded north to Two Stars.[4] Two Stars served as a major crossroads where the Cold Road heading north met the Golden Way heading east to Mulsantir and west to the Sea of Fallen Stars.[5][6] The exact intersection between the Cold Road and the Golden Way meet in the courtyard of Gallidy Castle, home of the city's ruling family.[6]
From Two Stars, the Cold Road followed the western shore of Lake Ashane through the Ashanath region to meet the Great Road at Kront, which connected through the Great Dale to Uthmere on the Easting Reach.[7][8] The Cold Road proceeded north from Kront into Narfell through the Helena Gap[9] between the Rawlinswood (later called the Dunwood) and the Firward Mountains.[10] During the summer, the great Nar Trade Fair of Bildoobaris was set up near this part of the road.[2][9][11]
Continuing north to the trading town of N'Jast in Narfell, the Cold Road intersected with the Long Road.[1][12] It then continued north past N'Jast,[3] crossing the connecting river between Lake Mereth and Muirenon Lake of the Teardrops.[9][13] Owing to plentiful game in this region, it was not unlikely to encounter yeti or hunters from one of the Nar tribes,[14] particularly the Abordabe and Ragnor.[15] The road then skirted the western edge of the Icerim Mountains[3][16] to arrive in Snowcap before passing through Antlerbones and ending in Hoarbridge on the southern shores of the Icelace Lake.[2][9]
Trade[]
The Cold Road was the critical north-south trade route through the Unapproachable East.[8] It allowed for trade between the lands of the south and the Nar tribes and dwarf villages of the Icerim Mountains to the north,[1] and turned settlements along its route—like Kront and Two Stars—into important hubs.[6][8]
While the stretch of the road between Two Stars and Kront was well-maintained, much of the Cold Road was little more than a wagon track.[3]
History[]
In the mid-to-late 14th century DR, some maps showed the Cold Road passing originating in the Thayan settlement of Tezir on the edge of the Surmarsh before heading north to Two Stars, as opposed to originating in the much further south Nethentir.[2]
The road south of Two Stars into Thay was disrupted by the cataclysmic events of the Spellplague, which tore the land apart and left the terrain broken and choked in volcanic smoke. This region became known as the Bonedark Hills.[17]
By 1479 DR, the Cold Road was still in operation: N'Jast[1] and Kront[18] yet sat at the same crossroads.
Notable locations[]
- Nethentir
- Two Stars
- Kront
- Bildoobaris (Summer only)
- N'Jast
- Snowcap
- Antlerbones
- Hoarbridge
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 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. 160. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Karen Wynn Fonstad (August 1990). The Forgotten Realms Atlas. (TSR, Inc), p. 7. ISBN 978-0880388573.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Map included in Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 144. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 185. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 115. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 174. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands (Map). (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 118. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands. Edited by Elizabeth T. Danforth. (TSR, Inc), pp. 30–31. ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 190. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands. Edited by Elizabeth T. Danforth. (TSR, Inc), p. 16. ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands. Edited by Elizabeth T. Danforth. (TSR, Inc), p. 35. ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (1989). The Bloodstone Lands. Edited by Elizabeth T. Danforth. (TSR, Inc), pp. 18–19. ISBN 0-88038-771-8.
- ↑ Map included in Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast). 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. 183. 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. 134. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.