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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6647 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Jan 2017 : 03:54:26
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I agree with Darkmeer. Stellar work.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2017 : 21:00:11
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I just realized I forgot to add the drop-shadows to the coast and rivers {ugh!}
I always forget something... I'll just wait until somebody finds a spelling error before I do an update to this.
More Notes:
Aralent - this is taken from a couple of references in PftF (pg.103), and further questions I asked ed regarding it in his 2009 scroll (pg.28). In order to reconcile this with more ore Ed provided later (an actual 'kingdom' of Aralent) in his 2012 thread (pg.27), I might want to rename this Aralant on future maps just to avoid confusion (but it needs to remain very close, because the lore IS all interrelated).
Caragar was originally mentioned on pg.13 of PftF, and a follow-up question of mine to Ed got me this response:
"Originally, Carragar was the name of a now-long-dead holy man who founded the present-day settlement of Carragar (it was his hermitage, established next to a good strong drinkable spring, and before his death a hamlet of his descendants and like-minded worshippers). It is now, over a century later, a village-about-to-become-town dominated by a grown-from-the-days-of-the-mortal-Carragar community of priests. That community (and therefore the village) is centered around a temple, the Holy house of Carragar." (Ed's 2008 scroll, pg.56)
I would move it to a somewhat different position in a more canon map (its only geographic description was "North-east of ormath")
Nathlek is canon, and is known as 'the city of cats', and is also known as a center of Nobanion worship. Whatever little there is on the place can be found in Vilhon Reach. I'd place a decent number of catfolk here (tabaxi), as well as at least a few halflings (that get along splendidly with the cat-worshipers).
Rhios is a settlement that appears on a pre-TSR map of the Realms, that falls along that river in the Shining Plains. I shifted it to this position (rather than create a new, completely non-canon town in that spot), which really needed a settlement there for this conversion. It has no lore, aside from its obvious position along a fairly major N/S tradeway - make of it what you will (but for the purposes of this conversion, assume a fairly decent population of halflings there just to keep an eye on things, and not much in the way of docks, beyond small fishing boats).
Urml is the human village, as presented in Swords of the Iron Legion. Ermul - which is not shown on this map (and erroneously spelled 'Urml' in Vilhon Reach) - is the Gripli hamlet located west of that, on the river and in the bayou (sunken forest). I only put a smattering of ruins and non-human sites on this map, because its meant as more of a 'Players map' (and also, I just didn't want to put that much more energy into it - other maps I am currently working on will have that stuff).
Westgate needs no introduction, but it warrants an entry here for the Five Shires conversion: For many years the halflings lived on the other side of the small mountain range (large hills, really) from Redwater Vale, and mostly kept to themselves. Some time around 1350 DR or so some enterprising halflings began to sail out of the mouth of the Longflow and conduct pirate activities in the Inner Sea. Some of these even docked at Westgate occasionally, which was just fine with the folks of that city (even though these hin pirates had little to do with their usual criminal visitors from the Pirate Isles). Eventually, a Hin ship was attacked within Westgate harbor by other pirates, and the Westgaters took the side of those other raiders, blaming the whole thing on the Halflings (not wanting to deter their lucrative arrangements with the Pirates of the isles). This would have been around 1370 or so (3e), and the hin stopped using Westgate completely, which the city soon regretted. The industrious Hin built up there fleets and harbors in the Lake of the Long Arm itself, and soon rivaled the power of the Pirate Isles, and all that lucrative trade (both through smuggling and the legal kind) was now bypassing Westgate completely and finding its way into the Dragonmere by another route. Normally only having to contend with Teziir (and even then, only during the warmer months), Westgate now found itself losing quite a bit of income to their formerly 'good neighbors'. Thus far, they have shown no overt signs of aggression, but some pirate vessels (and docks, warehouses, and normal trade ships) have been burned in the night, especially the non-Hin ships that are now periodically docking at the halfing ports. Also, they have set patrols on the road going south to Aergruth, and heavily 'tax' (confiscate and/or fine to the point where there is no profit to be made) all goods being moved along that trail. Most sane folk (wishing to trade) have given up on that route, and some illicit trade has now begun to move through the mountain passes through Longflask, via Redwater (Westgate has been trying to covertly take-over Redwater for some time, but are consistently blocked by The Harpers and their agents).
When the Spellplague struck, it left a lot of these 'mundane' problems by the roadside. With every Realm simply trying to protect itself from within and without, no one was really worrying much about who was doing better business with whom... except the hin, and perhaps some expatriot Thayans (and Amn). During the 'lost century', the Hin built up their fleets, and became a proper nation - Shaerdon. By the time of the Sundering, Westgate had once-again turned its eyes on what is now a very juicy prize indeed, and would love to control all of the hin lands, eventually. Unfortunately for them, they are thwarted at every turn, not only by the Hin and their 'good' allies, but also by Zhent mercenaries and Red Wizards, who prefer to keep the status-quo 'as is' (and maybe gain a foothold for themselves).
I've been trying to do the history in these entries so they cover everything from the 1e-5e eras, so it will be usable by everyone.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 10 Jan 2017 21:13:59 |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2017 : 03:43:06
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Slight update to The Map.
Added the shadows for rivers & coasts. Added two settlements in Mistledale. Added the name of the Hunter's Hills.
More Lore:
Doomslag is an oddity - its an ancient structure, and yet only appeared very recently. This spot was once the site of a battle between Elminster and priests of Shar, and there was some sort of other creature involved. Rumor has it it was some sort of 'tomb of Karsus', but since the archmages death is quite infamous and the circumstances surrounding it alleviate any possibility he had a 'final resting place', the validity of this is rather doubtful. If those purported 'catacombs' still exist, they now sit beneath this structure - an ancient, gothic fortress of immense size made from black stone.
Soon after appearing, several adventuring groups tried to investigate the structure, and perhaps claim it as their own. One such group finally managed (its said that they killed off all the 'competition'), but at a cost of almost their entire adventuring band. Only a very powerful warrior (a self-styled 'baron') and his 'court wizard' remained, and they have since attracted new followers and claim all the surrounding lands (much to the dismay of the folk in those lands). They've managed to become a thorn in the side of Shaerdon and the Citystate of Starmantle, hindering traffic along the road and charging extravagant 'protection fees' (they call them 'taxes'). Anyone who refuses to pay said fees fall prey to mysterious bandits in the night (and sometimes in broad daylight even).
Both the Hin and the rulers of Starmantle are seeking a band of adventurers powerful enough to remove this menace. (This site takes the place of the Black Eagle Barony in the Mystara/Karmeikos/Five Shires lore. I've left it purposefully vague so that a DM can spin the details any way they want).
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"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2017 : 16:29:05
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And I just now realized I forgot to add the halfling village of Besert to Cormyr (from Dragon #269). So much for 'the most complete map of cormyr settlements ever done'. 
If I go back into this (which I sincerely doubt!), I would add it to that clear area just below the Hullack Forest on this map. That could change on the REAL Cormyr map I am working on. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jan 2017 : 01:32:19
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| Your attention to those details is super appreciated! The fact you are paying so close attention to all of this makes it that much more fun to follow. |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
Edited by - Darkmeer on 12 Jan 2017 01:32:55 |
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New(er) map 'Just for Fun' (+lore!)
