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Ruathym

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Ruathym (pronounced: /ˈruːəθɪm/ ROO-uh-thim[3]) was an island in the Trackless Sea and one of the larger islands north of the Moonshae Isles.[3][12][4][1][13]

“
Fiercer than the Moonshaes—all cold and howling storms or chilling fogs over a land that's mostly peaks falling sharp into the sea. Ranches and farms, yes, and a few small forests, but mostly barren and hard, like the folk who dwell there. War raiders who'd knife you as soon as trade with you—why pay for your goods when they can take it for free? Not a pleasure destination.
”
— Anonymous Harper agent[14]

Geography[]

Ruathym was located more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of the Moonshae Isles.[1]

It was a rocky island with rugged coasts, narrow coves, green hills, forested purple mountains, and a few villages.[15]

History[]

Early History[]

Some time around −4600 DR, the Sailors of the Mountainous Waves, the navy of the dwarf realm of Haunghdannar, built a stone fortress they named Sonnmorndin on the island, which was originally called Arauwurbarak.[16]

In the Year of Azure Blood, 1126 DR, the Tome of the Unicorn was reported to be in the possession of the monarchy of Ruathym. It was stored in the Green Rooms.[17]

Modern History[]

The Tome of the Unicorn was stolen by a Calishite mage called Shond Tharovin in the Year of the Worm, 1356 DR.[17] Ignorant of the true culprit, the last foreign ship to leave the island—Telgontan Horn, a caravel from Luskan—was attacked and sunk. In response, Luskan declared war on Ruathym. The Luskanites destroyed Ruathym's fleet and landed troops on the island.[18] With help from the Holgerstead tribe, First Axe Ulphron Lithyl's forces managed to drive the Luskanites back into the sea after a few months of warfare.[3]

However, Luskan attacked again the following year. This time they were much more successful, managing to conquer the entire realm save for scattered pockets of resistance. In Uktar of the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, Aumark Lithyl, Ulphron's son and a member of the famous Knights of Myth Drannor, returned home. After his father died in battle just before the winter storms set in, he managed to unite the four tribes of Ruathym under his banner.[19][3]

In Kythorn of the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the Lords' Alliance threatened war against both sides unless they came to an accord. Realizing that Luskan and the Northlander island realms had more in common than any other coastal city, Ruathym, Luskan, the Whalebones, and Tuern declared an alliance called the Captain's Confederation (also known as the Captains' Alliance[20]) the following summer and began raiding shipping and coastal settlements up and down the Sword Coast in concert.[21][22][23]

During the Time of Troubles that year, avatars of Labelas Enoreth and Clangeddin Silverbeard battled on Ruathym.[24] After the destructive battle, plantmen appeared in the streets, attacking residents and the crew of the Realms Master. Although the crew managed to escape thanks to the intervention of Labelas, many of the island's inhabitants died to the creatures' onslaught.[25][23]

In the Year of Maidens, 1361 DR, the Captain's Confederation was dissolved when Luskan attempted to conquer Ruathym a second time. Luskan, with the help of the Kraken Society, began a conspiracy (mainly involving pickled sea elves placed in Ruathen casks) intended to provoke Waterdeep and the Lords' Alliance against Ruathym, but the conspiracy was discovered by Liriel Baenre. The attacking Luskan navy, led by High Captain Rethnor, and a merrow army led by Vestress of the Kraken Society, was defeated by the Ruathen with her help. The mind flayer Vestress, self-proclaimed Regent of Ascarle, sent a merrow army against Ruathym but the Northmen managed to repel them. Threatened with war by Waterdeep, Luskan withdrew its forces.[26]

A third war was instigated between Luskan and Ruathym when Black Garius sent men to steal the Tome of Iltkazar from the Green Rooms in 1374 DR.[27]

Locations of interest[]

  • Holgerstead: Known for its berserker warriors. Until Aumark Lithyl united the tribes, Holgerstead was ruled by First Axe Wedigar Ruthmaald.[28]
  • Hastor: A village led by First Axe Glammad in 1361 DR.[29]
  • Inthar (also Ithnar): A ruined fortress located 35 miles (56,000 meters) south of Rethgaard. It was avoided by all sailors who knew of it due to strange phenomenon that occurred there at night, and because of a legend it housed an entrance to Baator.[3][30]
  • Rethgaard: An ancient dwarven naval fortress that still stood nearly 6,000 years after it was originally built.[3][4][16][note 1]
  • Ruathym: The name of the largest settlement was confusingly named after the island itself. A town of about 5,000 inhabitants in the mid-to-late 1300s DR, this was the seat of Aumark Lithyl and his descendants after the Luskan/Ruathym war. The famous Green Rooms library of magical books was located here. It was also home to the Hall of Black Waves, a temple to Umberlee.[3][4]
  • Yggdrasil's Child: A tree of incredible power that grew from a seed of the World Tree Yggdrasil. Individuals who carved their name on the tree would grow in power as the tree grew.[31]

People[]

“
...two steps up from barbarian...
”
— An unnamed Waterdhavian mercenary recruiter on the Northmen[12]

The people of Ruathym were known as the Ruathen or the Northmen.[26] The Ruathen were said to be ancestors of the Rashemi people.[15] They were generally tall and fair with light blue eyes.[32] Ruathen women wore crude jewelry, fabric boots, and brightly colored embroidered cloth.[33]

Culture[]

The dead were cremated in large funeral bonfires that escorted them on their way to the Halls of Tempus.[34]

Language[]

The people here spoke Ruathen, which was a dialect of Illuskan,[5] although most spoke Common. Dock-alfar meant dark elf.[6] Hamfriggan (literally "shapestrong") referred to the shapeshifters of Ruathym.[35]

Notable inhabitants[]

  • Vok Dorrg, First Axe of Ruathym.[11]
  • Aumark Lithyl, First Axe of Ruathym.[36]
  • Dagmar, daughter of Ulf and twin of Ygraine; betrayed her people to the Kraken Society and died in 1361 DR.[37]
  • Hrolf the Unruly, pirate captain of the Elfmaid.[38]
  • Ulf the Shaman of Ruathym town.[33]
  • Wedigar Ruthmaald, First Axe of Holgerstead[28]; married to Alfhilda[39]; hamfriggan shapeshifter.[26]
  • Ygraine, daughter of Ulf and twin of Dagmar; prophesied to be the one to return the magic of hamfriggan shapeshifters to Ruathym.[40]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Both being stone fortresses built by ancient seafaring dwarves on Ruathym, it is presumed that Sonnmorndin and Rethgaard are the same.

Appearances[]

Novels & Short Stories

Tangled Webs

Comics

Forgotten Realms (Possessions • Mad Gods and Paladins • Divine Rights)

Video Games

Treasures of the Savage Frontier
Referenced only
Baldur's Gate • Neverwinter Nights 2

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  2. ↑ Ed Greenwood (August 1992). “The Everwinking Eye: Words To The Wise”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #74 (TSR, Inc.), p. 14–15.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 38. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thomas M. Costa (1999). “Speaking in Tongues”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #4 (TSR, Inc) (4)., p. 28.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 179. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  7. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 243. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  8. ↑ Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 76. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  9. ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), pp. 43, 45. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 106. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 112. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ Ed Greenwood (2001-05-09). Ed Says: Geography. Realmswatch. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2005-07-25. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 172. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Three: Erlkazar & Folk of Intrigue”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
  18. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  19. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 45. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
  20. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (April 1996). Tangled Webs. (TSR, Inc), chap. 6, p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-0516-6.
  21. ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), pp. 8, 10. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
  22. ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 61. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  24. ↑ Jeff Grubb (December 1990). “Mad Gods and Paladins”. In Elliot S. Maggin ed. Forgotten Realms comics #16 (DC Comics) (16)..
  25. ↑ Jeff Grubb (January 1991). “Divine Rights”. In Elliot S. Maggin and Kim Yale ed. Forgotten Realms comics #17 (DC Comics) (17)..
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Elaine Cunningham (March 2003). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2959-6.
  27. ↑ Obsidian Entertainment (October 2006). Designed by Ferret Baudoin, J.E. Sawyer. Neverwinter Nights 2. Atari.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 182–183. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  29. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 283. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  30. ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
  31. ↑ Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., pp. 1–18. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
  32. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 176. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 177. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  34. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 233. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  35. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 183. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  36. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 180. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  37. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 337. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  38. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  39. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 266. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
  40. ↑ Elaine Cunningham (May 1998). Tangled Webs. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 252. ISBN 0-7869-0698-7.
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