Corwell's Steeple was a tower on Crane Point in the Highlands of the island of Gwynneth in the Moonshae Isles. As of the mid-to-late 15th century DR, it was all that remained of what had once been a citadel and temple dedicated to the moon.[1]
Description[]
In its ruined state, the Steeple was a tall stone spire adorned with broken arches. Halfway up the tower was a gaping hole where monsters could perch, and at the very top was a platform once dedicated to observing the moon, but since had also become a perch for flying beasts.[1]
Geography[]
The Steeple was located at the tip of the Crane Point promontory on the edge of Ulls lake.[1]
History[]
The temple had been built by the humans of Corwell. After the takeover of Gwynneth by the fey of Sarifal, the temple and its surrounding defenses fell into ruin. The Steeple came to be home to rainbow cranes, hippogriffs, and the rare mated pair of wild griffons. The fey enjoyed watching these creatures from afar as they indulged in hunting, drinking, and music on Crane Point.[1]
Inhabitants of Sarifal wishing to smuggle themselves in or out of the isolated realm could arrange for a domesticated hippogriff to meet them inconspicuously at the Steeple. This was the plan hatched by Valeanne, Tiana, and Shamasar in the late 1460s DR when they schemed to steal Princess Amaranth away from Karador to save her from her half-sister, High Lady Ordalf. The plot was to arrange for a hippogriff rider to take her to the court of Queen Erliza Daressin on Snowdown, but they were betrayed and intercepted by drow mercenaries sent by Ordalf's son, Prince Araithe, who were intent on recapturing the nine-year-old princess. The drow attacked both the party as they sped toward the Steeple as well as the riders waiting at the Steeple, although this angered the monsters who nested there. While Amaranth was successfully handed off to a hippogriff rider during the heat of battle,[1] this rider was badly injured and never arrived at Snowdown. It would be a decade before she was finally found.[2][note 1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in The Rose of Sarifal, although the novel indicates that it takes place "more than a hundred years" after the return of High Lady Ordalf to Gwynneth in 1375 DR (ch. 1) and "nearly a hundred years" after the Spellplague in 1385 DR (ch. 3). While this fits the usual assumption that all 4th edition material is set in 1479 DR, the novel contradicts a number of other sources set during that year: at the start of the novel, Caer Moray is held by lycanthropes rather than by soldiers loyal to House Kendrick (as stated in Backdrop: Moonshae Isles), Citadel Umbra has been home to Prince Araithe for at least 12 years rather than being the base of his enemies (as stated in Backdrop: Moonshae Isles, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, and Realmslore: Sarifal), and Malar is stated to be "dead" rather than an active exarch of Silvanus (as stated in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide). These contradictions are largely resolved by the end of the narrative, meaning that the novel is best assumed to be set prior to 1479 DR. Unless a canon source contradicts this assertion, this wiki will thus assume that the events of the novel take place after 1475 DR but before 1479 DR.
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Paulina Claiborne (May 2012). The Rose of Sarifal (Kindle ed.). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 0. ASIN B006NPFFHY.
- ↑ Paulina Claiborne (May 2012). The Rose of Sarifal (Kindle ed.). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. ch1. ASIN B006NPFFHY.