The Winterglen was a large forest that dominated the northeast of the island of Gwynneth within the Moonshae Isles.[1][2][3][4][7]
Description[]
The forest was dense with thick shrubbery and ancient, tall growths of pines and silver firs.[7][8] Despite its name, Winterglen's thick woods served to block most of the harsh and biting winds of northern Gwynneth, and it thus had a surprisingly hospitable climate.[8] The outer edges of the forest were largely unremarkable, but the depths of the forest were supernaturally dark and cold owing to the corrupting presence of Citadel Umbra in the south, from which the energies of the Shadowfell and Feywild flowed into the woods.[7]
Geography[]
The Winterglen dominated the northeast corner of Gwynneth, covering approximately 3,000 square miles (7,800 square kilometers) of the island. The forest was bordered by the Strait of Oman and Sea of Moonshae to the north, and by the Strait of Alaron to the east. Much of the Winterglen's southern border was framed by the Black Mountains and Cambro Mountains. The Firloch was located near the center of the forest.[1][2][3][4]
Flora & Fauna[]
Pine was the most notable type of tree, and in the most corrupted parts of the woods, the pines themselves thirsted for blood.[7] In some places, tangles of vines served as cover for lurking predators.[9]
The forest was home to animals, such as chipmunks and opossums. The corruption of the woods sometimes turned these beasts into spies for evil fey.[7]
There were relatively few insects.[8]
History[]
As of the mid–14th century DR, much of Winterglen was under the control of the Northman kingdom of Oman.[10]
Following the conquest of Gwynneth by the fey of Sarifal at the end of the 14th century DR, Winterglen and Citadel Umbra came to be the domain of the leShay prince of Sarifal, Araithe.[9][11] By the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, Citadel Umbra was the domain of the hag Urphania and the hordes of unseelie fey that spawned within Citadel Umbra presented an existential threat to the realm, with Araithe leading the forces of Sarifal against them.[7][12] By the Year of the Warrior Princess, 1489 DR, he was even said to welcome the aid of foreign adventurers from across the Strait of Alaron despite Sarifal's longstanding prohibition against outsiders.[13]
Notable Locations[]
The sinister Citadel Umbra lay in the darkest and coldest depths of the forest. The castle's dark energies had corrupted the forest around it.[7]
A pair of Moonwells were found in the Winterlgen. In the heart of the forest was an icy copse said to belong to Aurilandur.[4]
In the Underdark beneath the southern Winterglen, somewhere between Citadel Umbra and Cambrent Gap, was a shrine dedicated to Araushnee. This consisted of an altar atop a spider-filled pit down which sacrifices were thrown by the drow faithful. The entrance to this shrine was marked by a pair of crumbing statues depicting a knight and a basilisk.[14] By the late 15th century DR, another shrine had been constructed beneath Citadel Umbra.[9]
Inhabitants[]
As of the late 15th century DR, the forest was home to a wide range of fey and fey-touched creatures, notably unseelie fey. This included cyclopes, displacer beasts, dryads, dusk unicorns, feygrove chokers, fey lingerers, howling hags, night hags, satyrs, and treants.[8][7][9][12] In addition, it was home to savage greenbeards who fought viciously against the fey who encroached on their territory,[15] as well as to a band of human rebels and escaped slaves, known as the Winterglen Claw.[11]
In the Underdark beneath Citadel Umbra and the southern Winterglen lived both drow and fomorians. The drow belonged to a sect that worshiped Lolth in the form of Araushnee, and wished to build a proper temple to Araushnee aboveground in Winterglen, where they then planned to live like normal elves.[9][14] Prince Araithe used these desires to his advantage, making empty promises to the drow in exchange for their service as his private army.[9] These drow suffered a major blow in the late 1470s DR when they betrayed both Araithe and his aunt, Lady Amaranth, ultimately leading to their own goddess possessing one of their priestesses, Amaka, to kill their hierophant and rebuke their methods.[14][note 1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Canon material does not provide a year for the events described in The Rose of Sarifal, although the novel indicates that it takes place "more than a hundred years" after the return of High Lady Ordalf to Gwynneth in 1375 DR (ch. 1) and "nearly a hundred years" after the Spellplague in 1385 DR (ch. 3). While this fits the usual assumption that all 4th edition material is set in 1479 DR, the novel contradicts a number of other sources set during that year: at the start of the novel, Caer Moray is held by lycanthropes rather than by soldiers loyal to House Kendrick (as stated in Backdrop: Moonshae Isles), Citadel Umbra has been home to Prince Araithe for at least 12 years rather than being the base of his enemies (as stated in Backdrop: Moonshae Isles, the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, and Realmslore: Sarifal), and Malar is stated to be "dead" rather than an active exarch of Silvanus (as stated in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide). These contradictions are largely resolved by the end of the narrative, meaning that the novel is best assumed to be set prior to 1479 DR. Unless a canon source contradicts this assertion, this wiki will thus assume that the events of the novel take place after 1475 DR but before 1479 DR.
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 ProFantasy Software Ltd. (1999). Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas. TSR, Inc.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Karen Wynn Fonstad (August 1990). The Forgotten Realms Atlas. (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 978-0880388573.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae (Map). Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 6. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ Map included in Douglas Niles (March 1992). Prophet of Moonshae. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 1-56076-319-1.
- ↑ Map included in Douglas Niles (March 1993). The Druid Queen. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-5607-6568-2.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Shawn Merwin (November 2011). “Backdrop: Moonshae Isles”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 7. Archived from the original on 2015-11-03.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Brian R. James (June 2009). “Realmslore: Sarifal”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #376 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Paulina Claiborne (May 2012). The Rose of Sarifal (Kindle ed.). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 14. ASIN B006NPFFHY.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (November 1987). Moonshae. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-88038-494-8.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Paulina Claiborne (May 2012). The Rose of Sarifal (Kindle ed.). (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 11. ASIN B006NPFFHY.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 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.
- ↑ Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 68. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Paulina Claiborne (May 2012). The Rose of Sarifal (Kindle ed.). (Wizards of the Coast), chaps. 16, 18. ASIN B006NPFFHY.
- ↑ Brian R. James (June 2009). “Realmslore: Sarifal”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #376 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62.