Uruth Ukrypt was a kingdom of orcs in the Sword Mountains that menaced the Sword Coast North and Dessarin Valley in the 10th and early 11th centuries DR.[1][3][4][5]
Government[]
The kingdom was ruled from Melairrin for most of its history, a secure citadel beneath Mount Sar in the Sword Mountains.[2] Within this fortress, the first three kings ruled from the Bloodbone Throne of Uruth, a powerful enchanted chair made of the bones of the orcs' ancient enemies which bestowed magical powers to those who sat upon it, including the ability to summon blood elementals.[6]
While Uruth Ukrypt had a king, the real power in the realm was held by the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge,[7] a monastic order dedicated to the orc god Yurtrus,[8] who operated out of a sacred crypt known as the Ukrypt.[9][10]
Trade[]
The realm never developed any agriculture, and relied on hunting wild game to feed its inhabitants. This practice decimated much of the wild game within their territory, leading them to rely on raiding nearby human farming settlements to feed their population.[11][12]
Defenses[]
In addition to their ability to quickly raise massive hordes of orcs,[9] Uruth Ukrypt was believed to have had access to The Nathlum, a compendium of simple but deadly poisons and evil divine glyphs.[13][14]
Culture[]
Uruth Ukrypt kept written records, at least early in the realm's history. However, these were poorly maintained and many were subsequently lost.[13]
The backbone of the kingdom was the religion of the Yurtrus,[7] the orc god of death and disease.[15] The holy symbol of Yurtrus—two white hands[15]—was used as a symbol of Uruth Ukrypt.[3]
History[]
The kingdom was founded in the Year of the Red Rain, 927 DR, by an orc shaman named Wund. After accurately predicting Yurtrus's Blood Plagues of that year, he created the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge and united the surviving orcs of the Sword Mountains under his spiritual guidance. He then coronated a brutish orc chieftain named Uruth to be the first king of a new realm,[1][3] which was dubbed "Uruth Ukrypt", meaning "Home of Uruth".[11][12] The kingdom soon became home to a powerful mage known as Lethchauntos the Black,[13] who bestowed a mighty weapon known as the Ettin Axe of Uruth to the new king.[16]
The fledgling nation soon started attacking its neighbors.[3] It quickly secured the dwarven citadel of Melairrin, which became a base of operations.[2] Beginning in the Year of the Liberty Crest, 930 DR, the orcs began disrupting travel along the High Road near the Mere of Dead Men, and would grind trade to a near-complete halt in the subsequent years.[17] As of the Year of Fell Wizardry, 934 DR, the orcs had eradicated all major gnomish settlements in the Sword Mountains and surrounding hills.[3] Then, in the Year of the Sky Riders, 936 DR, Wund led Uruth Ukrypt to launch an attack on the Dessarin Valley and to lay siege to Waterdeep (then called Nimoar's Hold) in what would become known as the Orcfastings War.[1][3] Despite several initial victories by the orcs, they were beaten back in a quick series of defeats during which first Uruth and then Wund were slain, leading to a rout.[1] The Dessarin Valley suffered the brunt of the war, with the Knights of the Silver Horn being sent into decline[5] and many of the smaller human settlements having been destroyed, leading to an influx of refugees into Waterdeep.[3]
In the Year of the Cold Claws, 940 DR, the orcs of Uruth Ukrypt rallied under King Rauragh to once again attack Waterdeep, this time via the Underdark. However, their horde was scattered by Palarandusk, a mighty gold dragon, before it was able to fully muster.[3][9]
The orcish realm soon depleted the wild game in the Sword Mountains and Kryptgarden Forest, leading them to rely on raiding human lands for food.[11][12] By the Year of the Circling Vulture, 942 DR, near all settlements in the Dessarin Valley had been wiped out (although this was also due in part to the Trollwars). In the Year of the Empty Hourglass, 951 DR, an Uruth Ukrypt horde raided all trade caravans along the Triboar Trail[11] and laid waste to the town of Phandalin[3][11][12] and then—bolstered by the support of evil wizard mercenaries—they sacked nearby Wave Echo Cave to seize the magical treasures of the gnomes and dwarves of Phandelver's Pact.[12][18]
During the Rage of Dragons in the Year of the Dracorage, 1018 DR, Uruth Ukrypt lost much of its food supply and treasures when the realm was ravaged by the green dragon Claugiyliamatar and the black dragon Shammagar.[4] Notably, Shammagar attacked Melairrin directly, claiming the citadel as his lair[2] along with the Bloodbone Throne itself.[6]
In the Year of Lathander's Light, 1024 DR, a band of Waterdhavian adventurers called the Dawnbringer Company plundered the sacred Ukrypt. In retaliation, the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge raised the realm's first orc horde in generations with the goal of destroying Waterdeep. This mighty army, dubbed the "Broken Bone horde", was defeated by Waterdeep's armies later that year with substantial help from the bronze dragon Lhammaruntosz.[4][9]
After stewing in rage and resentment for two years, the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge mustered the last of Uruth Ukrypt's strength to raise the "Black Claw horde" in the Year of Crimson Magics, 1026 DR. This force laid siege to Waterdeep, completely encircling the city and successfully killing its leader, Warlord Laroun,[4][9] as well as a number of nobles—such as Lord Palinor Belabranta—in what came to be known as the Battle of Blood-Drenched Swords.[19] The new Warlord, Raurlor, successfully broke the siege by sending an elite strike force through Undermountain to flank the invaders.[10] After a decisive defeat at Stump Bog, the horde scattered, and Uruth Ukrypt entered a rapid decline.[4][20] Soon, it had disintegrated into warring clans.[10]
Rumors & Legends[]
It was suggested that the Kryptgarden Forest's name was derived from the name of Uruth Ukrypt.[11][12]
Notable Locations[]
- Melairrin, an old dwarven stronghold seized by the orcs and made into their base of operations.[2]
- Ukrypt, a sacred crypt to the orcs, and of special importance to the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge.[9]
Inhabitants[]
The orcs of Uruth Ukrypt traced their lineage to the legendary orc horde that decimated Phalorm in the Year of the Shattered Scepter, 614 DR.[21] In addition to orcs, the realm was home to the occasional evil wizard.[13][18]
Notable Inhabitants[]
- Uruth, the first king and namesake of Uruth Ukrypt.[3]
- Wund, the shaman who founded the realm and was the true ruler behind the throne of Uruth.[3]
- Rauragh, a successor to Uruth.[3]
- Lethchauntos, a wizard who provided magic items to the orcs.[13]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Referenced only
- Princes of the Apocalypse
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Eric L. Boyd (2006-05-03). Environs of Waterdeep (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for City of Splendors: Waterdeep. Wizards of the Coast. p. 14. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved on 2009-10-07.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 111–112. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 115. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Richard Baker, et al. (April 2015). Princes of the Apocalypse. Edited by Michele Carter, Stacy Janssen. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 978-0-7869-6578-6.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Eric L. Boyd (January 2007). “Volo's Guide: Lost Regalia of the North: The Toppled Thrones”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #351 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 73.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 112. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 7. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 slade, et al. (April 1996). “The Wilderness”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 36. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 196. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 66. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Tim Beach (November 1995). Pages from the Mages. Edited by Jon Pickens. (TSR, Inc.), p. 86. ISBN 0-7869-0183-7.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 147. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Sean K. Reynolds (May 1999). “Wyrms of the North: Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death"”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #258 (TSR, Inc.).
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Wizards RPG Team (July 2014). “Lost Mine of Phandelver”. Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 3, 14. ISBN 978-0-7869-6559-5.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 133. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood and Sean K. Reynolds (May 1999). “Wyrms of the North: Voaraghamanthar, "the Black Death"”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #258 (TSR, Inc.).