Norland was a large island in the Moonshae Isles.[4][5][6] It was inhabited primarily by Northlanders.[1][2]
Geography[]
Norland was the westernmost of the Northlander-ruled Moonshae Isles, and was located in the northwest of the archipelago, north of Moray and southeast of the Norheim Isles.[4][6] It shielded the rest of the Moonshaes from the worst of the great gales from the Trackless Sea, which battered the island's rocky west coast[7] and the glacier-capped North Jotunhammer Mountains that traversed the island from north to south.[6][8] Sheltered to the east of these mountains were the broad lowlands of Norland, characterized by the massive Frostfenn,[6] unexplored forests of pine and spruce marked by blue lakes,[8] and fertile agricultural land nearer to the east coast on the Sea of Moonshae.[9] This eastern coast was dotted with sheltered coves, gravel beaches, and shallow waters.[8] The seas along the northeastern coast were teeming with fish,[9] notably cod, herring, and salmon.[8]
Virtually no roads or trails existed through the forested interior of the island, meaning overland treks were arduous.[8]
Government[]
Norland[]
Helene, overlooking a settlement in Norland.
The human Kingdom of Norland dominated most of the island, ruled from the city of Rogarsheim.[6][2] It was ruled by the King of the Norls,[3] a title held by Grunnarch the Red in the mid–14th century DR[10] and by Rault the Wise in the late 15th century DR.[3]
Grondsgrunn[]
The southern tip of the island spanning the South Jotunhammer Mountains was colonized by the giant realm of Grondsgrunn, inhabited mostly by firbolgs.[6][11] By the late 15th century DR, the largest band of firbolgs was led by Lallargh, who aspired to dislodge the humans of Norland.[11]
History[]
Circa −6000 DR, the first firbolgs arrived on Norland, led by Grond Peaksmasher.[12]
After the Ffolk first established themselves in the Moonshaes in the 2nd century DR, a few made their way to Norland and established small kingdoms there, alongside a number of halflings. Northlanders would begin raiding the isolated Ffolk kingdoms of the region in the 3rd century DR, and would soon desire to conquer and settle their lands.[12][13]
By the 14th century DR, there were no more functioning moonwells on Norland as they had all long ago fallen into disuse.[14]
With the rise of House Kendrick in the mid–14th century DR, the High Kings and Queens of Caer Callidyrr exerted nominal control over the island.[2]
As of the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, the Northlanders of the isle rallied under the leadership of the warrior maiden known as the Storm Maiden.[2] During the following decade, she led her followers on a mad conquest of the Sea of Swords, which ended in many of their deaths—including the heirs to the Norl throne—and the Storm Maiden's own disappearance at sea.[3]
At some point in the 1480s DR,[15] the red dragon Hoondarrh attacked the island, annihilating at least one coastal settlement.[16]
Notable Locations[]
The largest settlement on the isle was Rogarsheim.[2]
Inhabitants[]
The population was a mix of Northlanders, Ffolk, and dwarves.[2] The island's Northlanders traditionally lived along the east coast of the island, making their homes on the fringes of the lowland forests where they met the sea. These communities consisted of simple wooden huts surrounded by muddy chicken and pig pens sitting above gravel beaches where longships and fishing nets were parked. Beyond these homes were a few farms and pastures that backed into the wilderness. Travel between these settlements was almost exclusively done by sea.[8][17]
Although the forested interior of the island was largely uncharted and difficult to navigate, journeys through these woods were surprisingly safe except for the occasional brown bear, cave bear, or wolf attack.[17][18] This was because there were very few monsters thanks to centuries of Northlander warriors culling the local populations of orcs, trolls, and the like. The remaining humanoid monsters had largely been driven into the mountains, where they lived near the island's giants, notably frost giants[17] and firbolgs.[11]
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References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 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. 153. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 10. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae (Map). Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Map included in Douglas Niles (February 1989). Darkwell. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-717-3.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., pp. 5–6. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 44. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 45. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (May 1987). Darkwalker on Moonshae. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 1, pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-88038-451-4.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 11. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Brian R. James (December 2007). “Grand History of the Realms: The Moonshaes”. Dragon #362 (Wizards of the Coast). Archived from the original on 2009-06-01.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 5. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 7. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 66. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ B. Dave Walters (October 2019). “A Darkened Wish 3”. A Darkened Wish #3 (IDW Publishing) (3)., pp. 9–10.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 46. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ B. Dave Walters (February 2019). “A Darkened Wish 1”. A Darkened Wish #1 (IDW Publishing) (1)., p. 9.