The Star Mounts were an impressive and forbidding range of peaks, located in the center of the High Forest.[1] They were an inspiration for many fanciful tales and wild stories created by local troubadours and woodsmen of the North.[3]
Description[]
In fact, the center of the mountains contained an elevated valley that was hidden away from the surrounding world.[3]
Snow and inhospitable weather that continued year-round made climbing hazardous, in what was an already remote location. It was impossible for creature less powerful than a dragon to approach the Star Peaks safely by air, due to incredibly high winds which were constantly whipping across the peaks.[4]
Some rumors told that, during the peaceful nights among the Star Mounts, strange flashing lights appeared that attracted or banished dragons and other flying creatures that dared to fly nearby. According to other rumors, the elves created mysterious crystals that illuminated the mountains, while some unknown, sinister constructs emitted beams of light when they were exposed to the moonlight.[4]
Inhabitants[]
Some lonely peaks that stood on the mountains' top had a sharp cusp shape. Many people thought that these protuberances were the dwellings of powerful wizards and formidable sorcerers. The vast mountains contained Onthrilaenthor, an abandoned Eaerlanni settlement.[4]
Somehow, aarakocras had manged to bypass the peaks' strong winds and built their nests on them not too far from where the dragons found shelter in nearby caves.[4] As of 1370 DR, their only remaining settlement was Khle'cayre (Last Aerie), situated at the headwaters of Unicorn Run.[5]
It was said that the great wyrm Imvaernarhro had a lair in these peaks.[6][7]
Geography[]
The geography of the lands surrounding the Star Mounts were noteworthy. The land north of the range was unusually flat for the most part, while the southern reach was gnarled and extensively twisted.[3]
Both the Unicorn Run and the Hartblood River sprang from the Star Mounts, before they snaked through the surrounding High Forest.[3]
History[]
The curious nature of the terrain and the sudden abruptness of the mountain range, seemingly out of place in the middle of the High Forest, has caused some to speculate that the Star Mounts were not naturally formed. If that was the case, their creation dated back to a time before elven recorded history.[8]
The earliest recorded names for these mountains have been attributed to the elves of Earlann, who named them for the stars in the northern skies.[9][4] While Bard's Hill, Mount Vision and Hunterhorn possessed the rough translation of their elven names, Far Peak, Mount Journey and Shadowpeak were still occasionally referred to by their original names, respectively Y'tellarian ("The Far Star"), Y'landrothiel ("Traveller's Star") and N'landroshien ("Darkness in Light").[9] It was believed these names hinted at some larger mystery that lay within the range.[10][3]
Despite the dangers of traversing the Star Mounts, the elves of Earlann were known to have mined nearly-pure veins of iron and nickel within the Star Mounts.[4]
In the 14th century DR, the ancient green wyrm Elaacrimalicros awakened from within his lair and consumed most of the mountains' aarakocras.[3] The surviving aarokocra were known as the Nest of Retribution.[11] Since then the majority of their villages were left abandoned and they have deteriorated beyond repair.[5]
Appendix[]
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Appearances[]
- Novels
- Son of Thunder
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 166. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 30. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 3. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Jennell Jaquays (1988). The Savage Frontier. (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 0-88038-593-6.
- ↑ Jeff Quick (2002-01-09). “Aarakocran Portals: Elemental Plane of Air Portal”. Perilous Gateways. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2004-02-23. Retrieved on 2020-04-19.