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Luruar, also commonly known as the Silver Marches, was a confederation of cities in the north of Faerûn, under the leadership of Alustriel Silverhand, former ruler of Silverymoon. It consisted of Silverymoon, Citadel Adbar, Deadsnows, Jalanthar, Quaervarr, Citadel Felbarr, Everlund, Mithral Hall, and Sundabar, and its goal was to protect the North against the growing horde of orcs in the mountains.[6]

Geography[]

It was bordered by the Anauroch desert to the east, the High Forest to the south, the Evermoors to the west and the Spine of the World mountain range to the north.[7] Through Mithral Hall, Luruar also shared a border with the kingdom of Many-Arrows.[8]

Geographical features[]

Bodies of Water
Forests
Hills and Mountains
  • Ice Mountains: The harsh, freezing gales that blew down from these mountains whipped down across the surrounding valleys.[18]
  • Ice Spires: Located beyond these dual ranges was the realm of Hartsvale, the home of men who were said to be descended from giants.[18]
  • Nether Mountains: There were many monsters that spread from these mountain ranges to the surrounding areas.[6]
  • Rauvin Mountains: The River Rauvin passes through the peaks in a steep-sided, mist-filled gorge of roaring white water. There was a perilous trail in the gorge that runs through the Dead Orc Pass to the north side of the Rauvin that contains a strong and aggressive orc tribe.[6][19]
  • Surbrin Hills:
Regions
Valleys
  • Adbar Run: This wild and untamed area was home to orcish and goblinoids.[16]
  • Cold Vale: The northern-most of the marches' valleys spread down from the Spine of the World[15]
  • Sundabar Vale: Encompassing its namesake city and its surrounding holds, this central valley was nestled between the Nether and Rauvin Mountains.[16][10]
  • Rauvin Vale: Considered by many to be the heart of the Silver Marches, this bountiful valley was dotted with thriving holdings, farmsteads and small villages.[21]

Government[]

The League of Silver Marches began in 1371 DR[22] as a confederation of city-states, united to defend themselves from a common threat.[4] The League itself was governed by a council of nine Peers who would be called to meet every six months or sooner by the High Lord or Lady, also known as the Speaker,[23] of the League:[4] each of the larger cities — Silverymoon, Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr, Everlund, Mithral Hall, and Sundabar — would send one representative Peer each (likely their ruler, but any chosen individual would be given voting rights);[4] the Argent Legion's commander, called the Shining Guard[24] or High Marshal[25], would be the seventh Peer;[4] the eighth would be the Lord or Lady Protector,[4] a representative of the protectorates, those such as Auvandell, Rivermoot, Jalanthar, and Quaervarr who laid within the Silver Marches but without signatory privilege;[26] and the ninth Peer would be a rotating individual, chosen for the position by the Speaker of the Silver Marches, known as a Member at Large.[4]

These nine Peers would choose a High Lord or Lady from within their ranks to head the meetings of the League.[4] The Speaker's responsibilities, beyond calling the League's meetings, included breaking vote ties,[4] arranging each meeting's agenda, and acting as the ultimate judge within the Marches, though the last was subject to council review.[26]

As of 1372 DR,[4][27] the League's first council consisted of High Mage Taern Hornblade of Silverymoon, King Harbromm of Citadel Adbar, King Emerus Warcrown of Citadel Felbarr, First Elder Kayl Moorwalker of Everlund, King Bruenor Battlehammer of Mithral Hall, and Lord Helm Dwarf-Friend of Sundabar as the six signatory Peers, and High Marshal Methrammar Aerasumé of the Argent Legion, Lady Protector Alustriel Silverhand (who also acted as the first Speaker of the Silver Marches), and Member-at-Large Old Night as the three remaining Peers.[28]

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Trade[]

Due to its bounty of natural resources, and the open-trade mindset of its confederated cities and towns, the Silver Marches were rich with opportunities to find wealth and fortune.[29] The lands were vast and fertile enough for farmlands to produce ample food[30] and ranches to raise small herds of livestock. Its rivers, forests, and mountains supported the livelihoods of many fishermen, furriers, lumberers and miners. Merchants plied their goods between the various cities of the marches, by wagon or barge, and further out to destinations beyond.[31]

Various common and uncommon currencies were accepted in the cities of the Marches, though less so in the smaller towns.[30] Silverymoon minted a coin unique to the region, called a moon, that was accepted all throughout the region.[31]

Defenses[]

Due to the many perils and hostile forces that made home in the North, the Silver Marches' first line of defense often came in the form of information. Many small groups of city-sponsored scouts, bands of rangers, adventuring companies, independent cells of Harpers, and others scouted the stretches of Wilderness that often presented threats to the civilized lands. Many of the smaller towns maintained their own local patrols, comprised of militiamen and other volunteer defenders.[32][25]

While each of the cities maintained their own armed forces, such as the Knights in Silver of Silverymoon and the Army of the Vale in Everlund,[4] the combined armies of the marches banded together for quite some time, forming the collective Argent Legion.[26]

History[]

Silver marches

The years 1368 through 1370 DR were particularly turbulent for the city-states of the North. Troll attacks, orc hordes,[33] an combined army of demons and barbarians as well as a particularly harsh winter spurred the leaders of those cities to convene a council. After many heated arguments were calmed by Alustriel's diplomatic skills, it was decided that the cities would band together and form a confederation under Alustriel's leadership.[2] Alustriel declared, at the suggestion of Old Night, that the nation would be known as "Luruar" in honor of the goddess Lurue, sometime between the winter and midsummer of 1371 DR. She rejected the suggestions of "New Delzoun", in honor of the fallen dwarf kingdom, and "Alustryr", in honor of herself.[34]

By the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, after Alustriel's apparent demise, her eldest son, Methrammar Aerasumé, was High Lord of Luruar. The League had lost the support of Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall, whose leaders refused to spend effort and resources helping smaller settlements at the expense of their own. Though the three cities remained allies of Luruar, they no longer considered themselves members of the confederation, nor could they be relied upon to answer calls for help.[14]

In the Year of the Awakened Sleepers, 1484 DR, the Darkening was cast over the region in preparation for the drow and orc invasion.[35] The attacks involved sieges and attacks on Winters Edge, Mithral Hall, Nesmé, and Silverymoon, as well as subterfuge interfering with trade in Blingdenstone. The spell was finally overcome by a band of adventurers, during the battle of Eryndlyn.[36]

Ultimately however, thanks to disagreements following the war, the League of Silver Marches was disbanded in the Year of Dwarvenkind Reborn, 1488 DR.[37] The Silvaeren were blamed for providing insufficient aid for Sundabar, whose surface population had been completely wiped out. As a result, all of the dwarven states left the League of Silver Marches, and without their support, Luruar collapsed.[38]

Important Locations[]

Confederacy of the Silver Marches[]

Other Settlements[]

Ancestral Mounds
Hamlets and Villages
  • Deadsnows: While the town was long-served by the noble Icespear family, it became without a lord during the late 15th century.[43]
  • Hilltop: This small community was situated in the foothills of the Nether Mountains.[44]
  • Khelb: The village of Khelb was best known for being located on the western side of the Silverymoon Pass.[45]
  • Lhuvenhead: This was one of the many small communities that dotted the Rauvin Vale.[21]
  • Winters Edge: A hamlet west of the Moonwood.[46]
Landmarks
Towns
  • High Hold: High Hold fell under the governorship of Silverymoon.[20]
  • Jalanthar: Many human trackers, hunters, guides and trappers could be found in this small town. Many of whom were experts of dealing with the orcs, most often in a violent manner.[39]
  • Quaervarr: This small woodland town of humans and half-elves,[39] fell under the protection of the confederation.[47]
  • Rivermoot:

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Gallery[]

Further Reading[]

References[]

  1. slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  3. Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 54. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 99. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  5. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 171. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Rob Heinsoo (2001-01-17). Sneak Peek: The Silver Marches (HTML). Sneak Peak. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2005-01-22. Retrieved on 2007-05-06.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 21. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  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. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  9. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 75. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  12. Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  14. 14.0 14.1 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. 146. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 15. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  17. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  18. 18.0 18.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  19. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  22. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 173. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  24. slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  25. 25.0 25.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 100. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  27. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  28. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 101. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  29. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 83. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  30. 30.0 30.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 84. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  31. 31.0 31.1 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 85. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  32. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 88. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  33. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  34. slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), pp. 55–56. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  35. R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 378–379. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
  36. Shawn Merwin, Steve Townshend and James Wyatt (August 2012). War of Everlasting Darkness. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 60.
  37. Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  38. Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  39. 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 39.5 39.6 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 172. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  40. R.A. Salvatore (July 2003). The Thousand Orcs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 978-0786929801.
  41. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  42. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 275. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  43. Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 81. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  44. BioWare, Floodgate Entertainment (June 2003). Designed by Brent Knowles, Rick Ernst. Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide. Atari.
  45. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  46. Map included in Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  47. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 79. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
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