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Nedeheim (meaning "Down-home" in the Giant language[2]) was an ancient kingdom of stone giants,[3] during the Time of Giants of the Dawn Age (−30,000 DR to −24,000 DR).[4]

Geography[]

This kingdom was located north of Shanatar[3] and south of the Cloud Peaks.[5] It stood beneath Mount Dodild, part of the Giant's Run Mountains,[6] within a high mountain cavern[7] that extended to a depth of  12 miles. Spread out through a series of lava tubes and caves.[1]

Government[]

Cairnheim was a monarchial kingdom, ruled by a king and his council of Dodforerir, or "Death Chiefs." Both the king and the Dodforerir were all cairns, a form of undead stone giant. Each of the Dodforerir, raised from the dead by the king, had in life had served as a clan chieftain.[8]

The government did not tolerate trespass into their land, particularly among dwarves.[8]

History[]

Being of the kingdoms that made up the ancient empire of Ostoria,[9] Nedeheim controlled the Giant's Run Mountains and carved great roads[1] and stairs through its peaks, as well as tremendous halls beneath its peaks.[7]

It was one of the giant kingdoms that warred with the ancient dragon kingdoms during the Dawn Age[4] and was also one of the few fragment kingdoms that survived past Ostoria's fall.[9] It eventually came into a conflict with the dwarves of High Shanatar, a conflict known as the Giant Wars, that listed sixty years. Finally falling in -5350 DR, having lost half its population and reduced to scattered clanholds,[5][7] whose remaining inhabitants fled into the Upperdark[7][8] by means of the lava tubes of a dormant volcano.[8] There they grew to be backwards and reclusive,[7] living in small clans that over the years fended themselves against countless threats, such as the people of Korolnor, Oryndoll, and Torglor.[8]

In -160 DR,[7][8][10] a cairn by the title of Dodkong[11] came to to the site of the fallen kingdom with the crown of Obadai, the legendary crown of Faerûn's first stone giant, and gathered its stone giants clans together,[7][8] refounding the kingdom under the name of Cairnheim.[7][8][11]

Over time this kingdom grew slowly,[7] until by 1372 DR it had a sizeable population of 546 living within it.[1] In addition, more than a dozen minor clanholds of stone giants and hill giants acknowledged the Dodkong as their ruler. Several large tribes of hobgoblins and orcs would rally around him if asked to do so.[7] And nearby human communities offered him tribute.[1] Around this time some communities within the Underdark began to fear that Cairnheim might be preparing themselves to expand beyond their borders,[12][8] noting a growing number of barrowes roaming the Giants Run Mountains.[8]

Appendix[]

Further Reading[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 132. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
  2. Ray Winninger (September 1995). Giantcraft. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 23. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 114. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  6. Eric L. Boyd (November 1999). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark. Edited by Jeff Quick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 76. ISBN 0-7869-1509-9.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 133. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 Eric L. Boyd (November 1999). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark. Edited by Jeff Quick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 85. ISBN 0-7869-1509-9.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 978-0786966011.
  10. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 115. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  12. Rand Sharpsword (April 2002). More of the Underdark and the Vast! (HTML). Rand's Travelogue. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2015-09-20. Retrieved on 2010-10-31.
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