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The Vilhon Reach was a region named after a body of water also called the Vilhon Reach, a part of the Sea of Fallen Stars.[1] The Reach, as it was commonly called, was site of great empires and great disasters throughout history. The body of water got its current shape from the use of Elven High Magic -- which destroyed two empires, Jhaamdath and Aryselmalyr -- by summoning an enormous, destructive tsunami that utterly transformed the region.[3] More recently, the region was hit hard by the Spellplague, with blue fire roiling through the southern Vilhon and annihilating the remnants of the Chondathan empire.[4]

Geography[]

Through its many port cities, the Vilhon Reach was established as an essential trade center between the cities of the southern bodies of water, the Lake of Steam, the Shining Sea, and the many kingdoms and city-states around the inner sea of the continent, the Sea of Fallen Stars.[1]

Defences[]

The coastal areas of the Vilhon Reach are subject to attacks from koalinth and merrows.[5]

History[]

The wars of the Vilhon Reach have taught both man and elf the fortune and folly of conflict. They have also taught grand Faerûn that the cost of war exceeds the blood spilled on the battlefield.
— Miritol Kran, Sage of Alaghôn[6]

Aryselmalyr[]

The sea elven empire rises underneath the inner sea in −11,003 DR.[7] For over ten thousand years it is the dominant empire of Serôs, in what is called the Second Epoch of the Inner Sea.[8] The heart of the empire is the city Corysemal located in the Selmal Basin, which is what the aquatic races of the inner sea call the Vilhon Reach.[9]

Jhaamdath[]

Main article: History of Jhaamdath

The first known human civilization in the Vilhon Reach was the ancient empire of Jhaamdath, whose capitol Naarkolyth was founded in −5750 DR.[10] At that time, the region was a valley surrounding the Vilhon River[11] that emptied into the Bay of Jhaamdath.[12] The empire grew, stretching to include the Dragon Coast and Akanal at its height[11]. Eventually an expansion-minded emperor came to power and waged ruthless war against the elves of Nikerymath, slaughtering many.

Furious Wave and Aftermath[]

In the elves used Elven High Magic to summon an enormous, mile-high wave that washed away the cities of Jhaamdath and destroyed the empire. The apocalyptic magic also unknowingly destroyed the sea-elven empire of Aryselmalyr,[3][9], which was buried under debris from the wave's backwash.[9] The power vacuum following Asyselmalyr's led to the outbreak of the Sixth Serôs War.[3]

Chondathan Empire[]

The survivors of Jhaamdath grew in number and founded new cities along the Vilhon, their name altering over time into Chondath.[9]

Recent History[]

After the Spellplague the great body of water known as the Vilhon Reach was no more and had splintered into several small lakes.[13] Many of the settlements in the Vilhon were thought completely destroyed by the Spellplague, but as the Second Sundering healed the world, the cities affected by the chaos returned to Toril in one form or another.[14] After the 1480s DR, the Vilhon Reach had returned to its former terrain.[15][note 1]

Geographical features[]

Beaches
  • Southsands, a beach on the southern side of the Reach that hosted regular war re-enactments.[16]
Bodies of Water
Islands
Mountains
Plains and grasslands
Swamps

Notable locations[]

Nations[]

Settlements[]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. While the fate of the Plaguewrought Land and Vilhon Wilds after the Second Sundering has not been explained, a map of Faerûn in Places & Portals shows the original terrain of the Vilhon Reach, suggesting it has been undone.

See also[]

Appearances[]

Adventures

Novels & Short Stories

Referenced only
Azure Bonds • Masquerades

Video Games

Referenced only
Baldur's Gate III

Card Games

Referenced only
AD&D Trading Cards

Organized Play & Licensed Adventures

Referenced only
Revenge Is Harder than Stone • Dragon's Honor

References[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 215. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  2. Ed Greenwood (July 1995). “Elminster's Everwinking Eye: First Look At The Border Kingdoms”. In Duane Maxwell ed. Polyhedron #109 (TSR, Inc.), p. 9.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  4. 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. 193. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
  5. Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  6. Jim Butler (1996). The Vilhon Reach (Player's Guide). (TSR, Inc), p. 2. ISBN 0-7869-0400-3.
  7. Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 66. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  8. Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  10. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 25. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  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. 25. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  12. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 24. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  13. Bruce R. Cordell (December 2008). Plague of Spells (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 193. ISBN 978-0-7869-4965-6.
  14. Ed Greenwood (2023-07-23). Q&A #16. Ed Greenwood's Patreon. Retrieved on 2023-07-23.
  15. Jim Zub, Stacy King (September 2023). Places & Portals. (Ten Speed Press). ISBN 978-1-9848-6184-9.
  16. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 92–93. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
  17. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 217. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  18. Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 220. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.

Further reading[]

Connections[]

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