| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| pukunui |
Posted - 18 Sep 2018 : 09:41:54
Now that my PCs have returned victorious to the Sword Coast after destroying the Soulmonger and ending the death curse, I am thinking of setting them up as the newly-minted lords of Gray Vale.
One of their first missions will be to stop the stone giants operating out of Deadstone Cleft (Storm King's Thunder) so that the vale's inhabitants can return and rebuild (again).
I know that there are some AL modules set in that area, and I may be able to run some of them as well (bearing in mind that the PCs are all now 11th level).
Can anyone tell me where I can find more info on that area? The Gray Vale, Southwood, the Graypeak Mountains, Llorkh, Orlbar, and so on.
I know that there are supposed to be some old dwarfholds in the mountains and such. Anything else of interest? I'm not too fussed about edition.
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Jonathan |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 21 Sep 2018 : 09:00:25
Accept for a few Tyrannical barons and the like, places with the Zhents would not be overtly dangerous. Remember always that most Zhent activities are covert. What better place for a bandit ambush than an idyllic setting that puts everyone at ease? |
| pukunui |
Posted - 20 Sep 2018 : 10:21:58
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
The area is also discussed in a couple sources talking about the Zhentarim and their trade route through Anauroch...
They might make good enemies for your Lords.
That's what I've been thinking too. The fact that one PC has joined the Zhents could make things interesting, too.
FWIW: Prior to the shattering of the Ordning and the coming of the stone giants, Grayvale in the 5e era sounded like quite a nice and not at all dangerous place. From SKT: "Nestled in the southern part of the Graypeak Mountains, a beautiful and fertile valley stands between the settlements of Loudwater and Llorkh. The Grayflow River flows through the middle of Grayvale, which is dotted with farmsteads, hunting lodges, old dwarven mines, and the ruins of bygone elven kingdoms." |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 14:30:25
In earlier 2nd Edition it was called "Loudwater Vale" in the Player's Guide To The Forgotten Realms, p. 88, in the description of "mist cheese". Then later, right at the end of 2nd Ed. it was called "Greyvale" in the North:
-The Greyvale consists of the grasslands drained by the Greyflow and the Loagrann, the three-branched river that joins the Greyflow at Orlbar, northwest of Llorkh. Travel in the Vale is dangerous, and one must beware of bugbear raids and the tightening grip of the Zhentarim.
-Even with the fall of Hellgate Keep, these lands are perilous. Bordered on one side by wild mountains and on the other by a vast wild wood - perhaps the largest in Faerūn - this is a territory roamed by monsters and rapacious humanoids. The dale also holds the ruins of Netheril that are haunted by fearsome creatures warped by the fell magic of decadent human sorcerers.
The name was not included in the Campaign Setting or Silver Marches books from 3rd Ed (I don't know if it was anywhere else in the Edition, but can't think of where else it might have been).
That is everything I found in the older editions. Maybe somewhere in a Mag. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 14:02:03
Perhaps it was originally Graypeak Vale, and was shortened? |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 13:32:09
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Gods, I've been involved with this game and this campaign setting since its release, and I don't think I've ever heard of that section being called the Gray Vale (in any spelling). 30+ years later, guess I'm getting old and forgetful.
This is definitely a newish name... I think only 4th Ed. If there was an older reference to the name i don't recall it.
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| sleyvas |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 12:40:31
Gods, I've been involved with this game and this campaign setting since its release, and I don't think I've ever heard of that section being called the Gray Vale (in any spelling). 30+ years later, guess I'm getting old and forgetful. |
| The Masked Mage |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 05:43:44
The area is also discussed in a couple sources talking about the Zhentarim and their trade route through Anauroch...
They might make good enemies for your Lords. |
| BadCatMan |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 04:19:49
Yeah, "Grey" or "Gray", one word or two, for the vale and the peaks and the river, the spelling has been all over the shop through all editions, which complicates research no end.
It seems "Gray Vale"/"Grayvale" was a very rare name until probably 4th edition, hence it is hard to find specific info on it. But it's basically just the valley around the River Grayflow, including Llorkh, Orlbar, and the Dawn Pass Trail, surrounded by the Graypeak Mountains and Southwood, and little else. |
| pukunui |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 02:16:40
quote:
Originally posted by BadCatMan
In the earlier editions, The Savage Frontier, Volo's Guide to the North, and The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier well detail the area, and the various campaign settings give good overviews. The Legacy of the Green Regent RPGA modules greatly expand on the area, but they're hard to lay hands on.
I had a look through the books you mentioned and didn't find a whole lot on the region itself. Plenty on Llorkh and Loudwater, a little on Orlbar, but not much on the surrounding wilderness.
Thanks for the tip on the RPGA modules. I'll see if I can find them.
FWIW I'm going with the situation as it stands in SKT:
*Llorkh and Orlbar are in ruins
*Most of the people living in Grayvale have fled
*Loudwater is secretly under Zhentarim control
*Zelbross has been abandoned for a decade
*The stone giants that have been destroying the towns and homesteads are based out of Deadstone Cleft
Once the PCs have dealt with the stone giants, I may run a modified version of the AL Epic, The Iron Baron, which involves fire giants living in an old dwarven mine in the Graypeak Mountains.
I guess I'm mostly interested in figuring out if any official FR sources provide any more details on what's in the area besides the main towns and the like.
EDIT: As an aside, the spelling is super inconsistent. Even just in 5e, the SCAG has the "Greypeak Mountains" but in SKT, it's all "Gray" this and that. I don't think it was particularly consistent in the TSR days either. Also "Gray Vale" vs "Grayvale" (which is how it appears in SKT). |
| BadCatMan |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 01:40:47
In the earlier editions, The Savage Frontier, Volo's Guide to the North, and The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier well detail the area, and the various campaign settings give good overviews. The Legacy of the Green Regent RPGA modules greatly expand on the area, but they're hard to lay hands on.
On the Forgotten Realms Wiki, I've detailed Llorkh and Loudwater, and some places around them, like some of the Graypeak Mountains, though I focused on 1e/2e/3e lore.
https://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Llorkh
https://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Loudwater
https://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Greypeak_Mountains |
| pukunui |
Posted - 19 Sep 2018 : 01:07:46
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
The 4E Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide has details about Loudwater, which is right there on the river and close to Zelbros and Llorkh. It details the down somewhat with some interesting NPCs (can easily be re-purposed with 5e stats) and even use the encounters of that town in the book (again, using 5e stats or equivalents) as a sort of hook or adventure into the area around there.
Yeah, I've had a look through that. A decent resource for Loudwater itself, plus a few handy little adventure hooks. (None of the actual adventures included are particularly suitable, since they're all for low level PCs.)
quote:
Other than that, I'm not too sure what the Sword Coast Adventure Guide has to say about the area, I assume it's sparse with information unless there's a detailed adventure set there. Storm Kings thunder might have more info too.
Yes, SKT has a bit. SCAG's got nothing, as far as I can tell.
quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
I found this page with a quick Google Search.
I did find that. I think it's mostly homebrew, but it still has some nice ideas in it.
Thanks to you both! |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 18 Sep 2018 : 17:24:14
I found this page with a quick Google Search. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 18 Sep 2018 : 15:21:27
The 4E Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide has details about Loudwater, which is right there on the river and close to Zelbros and Llorkh. It details the down somewhat with some interesting NPCs (can easily be re-purposed with 5e stats) and even use the encounters of that town in the book (again, using 5e stats or equivalents) as a sort of hook or adventure into the area around there.
Other than that, I'm not too sure what the Sword Coast Adventure Guide has to say about the area, I assume it's sparse with information unless there's a detailed adventure set there. Storm Kings thunder might have more info too. |
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