Moaning Crown of Ndulu

FORGOTTEN REALMS THE GREAT DALE

UNAPPROACHABLE EAST CAMPAIGN GUIDE

Sample file Land and Lore FORGOTTEN REALMS THE GREAT DALE UNAPPROACHABLE EAST CAMPAIGN GUIDE

CREDITS ON THE COVER: Lead Designer: Joe Raso Nastya Lehn’s interpretation of Vesholva Yadrova Contributing Writers: Alex Clippinger, Anne graces the cover. Veshlova is a follower of Talona who Gregersen, Derek Nekritz, Elise Cretel, Emily Smith, stalks the Great Dale using poison and disease to Glenn Magas, Joe Raso, Oliver Clegg, R P Davis, influence the future of the region. Scott Bean BIBLIOGRAPHY Editing: Christopher Walz The following Forgotten Realms works were Layout: Travis Legge indispensable in crafting this volume: Cartography: Daniel F. Walthall, Dyson Logos, Joe Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, and Karen S. Martin. Cyclope- Raso dia of the Realms. 1987. Cover Art: Nastya Lehn Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, and Rob Heinsoo. Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. 2001. Internal Art Commissions: Daniel F. Walthall, Fez Inkwright, John Latta, Petar Penev Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, and Sean K. Reynolds. Unap- proachable East. 2003. Internal Stock Art: Adela Quiles, Critical Hit, Dave Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout. Lost Empires of Allsop, Daniel Comerci, Dean Spencer, DM’s Guild Faerûn. 2005. Creator Resource (courtesy of Wizard of the Coast), Eric Pommer, Forrest Imel, Gary Dupuis, Jeffery Jeff Crook, Will Upchurch, and Eric L. Boyd. Champions of Koch, Jeremy Hart, Mathew Richmond, Nimgyu, Ruin. 2005. Rick Hershey, Rising Phoenix Games, Vagelio Kaliva, Brian R. James and Ed Greenwood. Grand History of the William McAusland Realms. 2007. Internal Art - Public Domain: Albert Bierstadt, Carl Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, and Chris Sims. Forgot- Eduard Ferdinand Blechen, Sidney Richard Percy ten Realms Campaign Guide. 2008. Wizard’s RPG Team. Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. Final Proofing: Bob Anger, Cory Repta, Dave 2015. Caughlin, Mark Vickers, Mike VanHooydonk, Stuart Teather Sample file DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2019 by Joe Raso and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. Some artwork by © Adela Quiles, © Critical Hit at www.critical-hit.biz, © 2011 Dave Allsop, © Dean Spencer, © Daniel Comerci–danielcomerci.com, © Daniel F. Walthall, Elite Design Elements © Ris- ing Phoenix Games, © Eric Pommer–[email protected], © Forrest Imel, © Jeremy Hart, © Matt Richmond, Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games, Purple Duck Games © Gary Dupuis, © Vagelio Kaliva, and ©William McAusland, used with permission. All rights reserved.

Credits 1 Land and Lore

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 4 About this Book Chapter 6 – Items of Interest 6 This book is an extract of chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 of the Great Dale campaign guide. These chapters provide a wealth of background material to stoke the Chapter 7 – The Lands 11 imaginations of Dungeon masters to create campaigns The Dunwood 11 ing this exciting part of Faerûn. The book is organized as follows: The Dale 15 The Forest of Lethyr 23 Chapter 6 details magical items that have some tie Neighboring Regions 27 to this region. Chapter 7 provides an overview of the Great Dale Chapter 8 – Historical Overview 34 itself, describing the towns, landmarks, and places of interest, featuring mysterious ruins waiting to be Age of the Crown Wars 34 explored. Age of Humanity 35 Chapter 8 expounds upon the long history of the The Present Age 37 Great Dale, providing a wealth of lore from which new Chapter 9 - Factions 41 adventures could be built. Chapter 9 identifies key factions that hold sway in Organizations 41 this region. Gods of the Great Dale 47 Chapter 11 provides several adventure ideas for Chapter 11 – Adventure Ideas 51 DMs to craft their own adventures in the Great Dale. Appendix – Contribution Summary 53 What treasures will you find within? Appendix –Art Listing 54 Sample file

2 THE GREAT DALE INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Great Dale!

his volume details many aspects of a In the western edge of the Great Dale, the large wondrous region located in a remote corner settlement of Uthmere rises expectantly beside the of Faerûn—a land many refer to as the waters of the Easting Reach, rejuvenated from the TUnapproachable East. ravages of the Second Sundering. Dockyards that had The Great Dale is an ancient place. It is still lain useless for a century now bustle with life as its afflicted with the fiendish horrors left behind by piers once again kiss the waters. This has not gone the once-mighty Narfell Empire. Terrible secrets unnoticed, however, as enterprising individuals now lie hidden within ruins of broken stone or buried descended on Uthmere hoping to win some fortune in beneath the earth. this growing frontier town. A powerful council of druids now act as caretakers For those who dislike the bustle of city life, isolated for much of its sparsely populated territory. They farmsteads dot the Great Dale’s interior. Their seek to purge the demonic evils that still infest the residents live a simple existence dealing with the Dale and the great forests that surround it. These old persistent dangers that threaten any seeking to survive woods stand on ground where the veil that hides the here. Feywild is thin and its influence is still felt.

Sample file

Table of Contents 3 Crown of Whispers CHAPTER 6 – ITEMS OF Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) In the Year of the Fearless Peasant (926 DR), a pair of INTEREST coronation crowns were fashioned for Princess Aliia of Impiltur and her betrothed, Rhiigard of Cormyr. vents around the Great Dale have been However, the ship carrying the princess and her affected by a number of powerful magic items. crowns were lost to the depths of the Inner Sea due It’s likely that the ultimate fate of this land may to the scheming of Soneillon, a succubus known as Enecessitate a hero to pursue a quest for one of these the Queen of Whispers. The succubus later recovered rare relics so they may vanquish a terrible evil. these crowns and used them to cement her rule within The following chapter provides a selection of both the Giantspire Mountains by periodically lending them powerful and mundane items that can be added to to the hobgoblin tribes who pledged their fealty to her. your campaign. Soneillon is now gone, banished to the Abyss, but it is believed these two crowns are still are worn by the Bluewood hobgoblin leaders who once served the demon. Mundane Item, rare While wearing one of these crowns, your Charisma The Forest of Lethyr and Dunwood both support small score increases by 2, to a maximum of 20. You have populations of blueleaf trees scattered within. The advantage on any opposed Charisma checks made volodni have mastered the ability to craft bluewood with creatures who are not hostile towards you. weapons and armor from these trees through the Crowsinger’s Locket careful application of natural and arcane magic. The items crafted from bluewood are effectively as strong Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) as their metal equivalents, but at half the weight. The This black locket in the shape of a crow’s skull has volodni are exceptionally protective of the secrets been in the possession of the Crow Witch for as to crafting these bluewood items and are greatly long as anyone can remember. It is made out of pure suspicious of any outsiders possessing them. In most obsidian, and when it is shaken something can be commercial markets, bluewood items sell at double heard rattling inside. the cost of a similar weapon or piece of armor. While wearing the locket, you can use an action to target one flying beast with a challenge rating of 0 and enter into its mind. The beast must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or you partially seize its mind. If the creature succeeds on a saving throw against this effect, they are immune to this ability for the next 24 hours. While its mind is seized and it is within 8 miles of you, you can see through the creature’s eyes and hear what it hears, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the creature has. You can also control its movement. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses. This effect lasts for 8 hours, and you can end it early at any point using a bonus action. Fiend Ring Ring, very rare (requires attunement) Nar Demonbinders of the ancient Empire of Narfell Sampleare said to have fashioned thesefile small rusty bands of jagged iron. They are believed to have been used to fight alongside the demons they summoned, and to take more durable forms in order to mate with these fiends.

4 THE GREAT DALE While wearing this ring, you may use an action to Greatsword of Impiltur speak its command word to cast polymorph on yourself with the following adjustments: Weapon (greatsword), legendary (requires attun- • You may only polymorph yourself into the form of a ement) fiend of challenge rating 1 or lower. This mighty sword was given to the king of Impiltur • If you are polymorphed into the form of a fiend and in the Year of the Splendid Stag (734 DR) by the you are the target of an effect that would otherwise dwarves of the Earthfast Mountains. Many years later banish you to another plane, you instead have the it was stolen from the royal vaults and recovered a polymorph effect dispelled and you are stunned century later when it was returned back to the crown. until the end of your next turn. The sword was later lost at sea, only to be recovered by the scheming succubus, Soneillon. The succubus Spellbooks gave it to her death knight consort, who then carried Giligaxis’ Acranist Treatise presents a spell book DM’s it for centuries. Currently the weapon is believed can include in games for their players to find. The to be in the hands of a powerful hobgoblin warlord contents of the spellbook are left to the discretion of the somewhere in the Giantspire Mountains. DM, and may provide a nice way to include interesting You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made spells that their players may be interested in or that with this magic weapon. If you score a critical hit with thematically fit their adventure. it, you may immediately make another attack with the Giligaxis’ Arcanist Treatise weapon against the same target. Daze. On a successful attack against a creature, you Spellbook may use a bonus action to force that creature to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed Appearance: The front and back boards of this save the creature is stunned for up to 1 minute. bound volume are fashioned of volodni bluewood A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end and carved with delicate filigree depicting the stylized of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on image of a rearing stag. The volume possesses no a success. Once used, this property can’t be used spine covering, allowing the fine copper thread that again until you finish a short or a long rest. supports its parchment pages to be clearly visible. History and Description: Giligaxis was a Hadryllis half-elven apprentice to the mage Nytholops, Weapon (greatsword), legendary (requires who in turn had studied beneath the attunement) Aubayreer, High Mage and founder of the sorcerous dynasty of Aglarond. It is believed that This legendary weapon was crafted by the first Giligaxis eventually settled in Impiltur but met an Vremyonni of ancient Raumathar. The Wychlaren untimely end after striking his head on the floor speak of a tale in which the blade was pulled of an inn during a raucous bar brawl. Nothing from a mountain near the mines of Tethkel, fully is known of what happened to the volume after fashioned by the gods. that night until it was purchased by the gnomish The blade is believed to have been wielded by the wizard Brudgepiddle Raddishfoot while on a visit to half-Rus, half-Rashemi hero Yvgeni in his battles Telflamme. Brudgepiddle is believed to now reside in against the Demon Lord Eltab in the Year of Solin, where he runs a small tinker’s establishment. Leather Shields (-75 DR). Contents: There are thirty-two pages in this volume, The sword eventually found its way to Mulhorand, with the foremost and final faces left as blank where it again played a part in thwarting Eltab in surfaces available and primed for protective magics the Year of Avarice (204 DR). The sword was last such as a glyph of warding. The volume contains a used by a group of heroes in the Year of the Shield selection of fourteen wizard spells of 1st to 3rd level. (1367 DR) to prevent Szass Tam from binding Of special note is the spell hail blast (see Chapter Eltab beneath Thay to further the lich’s nefarious 5), a variant of sleet storm believed to have been plans. The demon lord was believed to have conceivedSample by Aubayreer. been banished in this battle.file It is unknown what The final three pages are written in a different hand. happened to Hadryllis after the battle. They describe ley lines and fey nexus points found You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls within the lands once bounded by the ancient Empire made with this magic weapon. When you make a of Narfell.

Chapter 6 - Items of Interest 5 successful attack against a fiend, they take an extra Jhuild 2d10 radiant damage. Mundane item, uncommon While you hold the drawn sword, you may use an action to cast detect magic. Additionally, you may cast Jhuild is an extremely potent Rashemi red wine often blindness, enhance ability (bull’s strength), and faerie referred to as firewine. It is carried by most Rashemi fire, each up to three times per day, and are cast with a berserkers due to its invigorating effects. Because of spell DC of 17. the wine’s potency (and expensiveness), it is usually sold outside of Rashemen in a diluted form mixed Sentience. This weapon is sentient lawful good with common ale. weapon with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision Jhuild is not magical in nature, but as with other out to a range of 120 feet. alcoholic beverages, it will identify as poison if examined using a detect poison and disease spell. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand any As an action, you may drink a flask of undiluted jhuild. language you know. You must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 12) to avoid its effects, though you may voluntarily fail Personality. Hadryllis’ purpose is to destroy fiends. this saving throw. One minute after failing this saving It will reluctantly attack other creatures if forced to, throw, you experience the following effects, which last but believes the act to be unworthy of its attention. It for 1 hour: will urge its wielder to aggressively pursue any fiend within sight, even attempting to control its wielder Your Strength score increases by 2 to a maximum of should they refuse to do so. (See Dungeon Master’s 20, while your Wisdom score decreases by 2. Guide, page 216, for a description of Sentient Magic All Wisdom ability checks and saving throws are made Item Conflict). at disadvantage. Legendary Purpose. Hadryllis is believed to be the At the end of this hour, your Strength returns to only item that can destroy the Adamantine Binding normal, but you must immediately succeed on a DC that was crafted by the Narfelli Demonbinders when 20 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for they summoned Eltab into the Realms. The binding 2d4 hours. Regardless of the result of your saving is found within the lower dungeons of the Citadel of throw, your Wisdom score remains reduced and you Conjurers in Impiltur. suffer disadvantage on all ability checks, attack rolls, Hathran Mask and saving throws until you finish a long rest. Drinking firewine that has been diluted with ale does The Hathrans of Rashemen normally wear masks not provide any of these effects. that hide their faces when treating with outsiders or traveling outside of Rashemen. Most are nonmagical, however some honored Hathrans receive special masks that are enchanted with various effects. A few of these enchanted masks are detailed below, though many other forms are believed to exist. Mask of Mental Armor Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) This mask is painted with bright lines that swirl outwards from each eye. While attuned to this magic item, you have advantage on all Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws. Mask of True Seeing WondrousSample item, rare (requires attunement) file This white mask has bright red markings emblazoned on the forehead and beneath the eyes. While attuned to this magic item, it functions as a gem of seeing DMG.

6 THE GREAT DALE Moaning Crown of Ndulu Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a non-good creature) The Moaning Crown of Ndulu is a shadowy replica of the Crown of Narfell, the regal headpiece worn by the Nentyarchs of the ancient Empire of Narfell. The legendary paladin Sarshel Elethlim sundered the Crown of Narfell in the Year of Visions (731 DR) and unleashed the souls of the Nentyarchs that had been trapped within. Ndulu, a balor in the service of Orcus, spent a half century hunting down each of the crown-wraiths that had escaped from the broken crown. Ndulu channeled the Prince of Undeath’s fiendish power to forge the Moaning Crown of Ndulu from these wraiths. The crown appears as a roiling cloud of black smoke resting atop its wearer. Close inspection reveals occasional glimpses of the tortured faces of those bound within. Ethereal Form. The crown is ethereal and can only be affected or handled by effects or creatures that extend to the Ethereal Plane. Deathly Taint. Anyone touching the ethereal form of the Moaning Crown of Ndulu is embraced by the wraiths bound within. For each turn that you touch the crown, you take 21 (4d8 + 3) necrotic damage. Every time you take damage, you must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or have your hit point maximum reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until you finish a long rest. You die if this effect reduces your hit point maximum must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a to 0 and your spirit is absorbed into the crown. failure, a creature drops to 0 hit points. On a success, a creature takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage. Once used, Evil Moan. The wraiths bound within the crown you cannot again use this feature again until you finish emit a continuous evil moan. While your are attuned a long rest. to the crown, any non-evil creature within a 15-foot radius of you must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom Sentience. The Moaning Crown of Ndulu possesses saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A a communal intelligence forged from the wraiths that frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the make up the ethereal crown. It is chaotic evil and has end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a an Intelligence of 16, Wisdom of 14, and Charisma of success. If the frightened creature has line of sight to 15. the crown, then it has disadvantage on saving throws While attuned to this item, you can hear these wraiths to end this effect. If the creature succeeds on a saving speak to you, while all other creatures only hear the throw against this effect, they are immune to the susurrus of their moaning. crown’s Evil Moan feature for the next 24 hours. Personality. The wraiths trapped in the crown yearn Terrifying Scream. You may use an action to invoke to break free of their imprisonment. They despise all a soul-rending scream from the crown. Constructs people of faith, particularly followers of Tyr, Torm, and undeadSample are immune to this feature. All other file and Ilmater. They have a special hatred for paladins creatures within 30 feet who can hear this scream devoted to these deities.

Chapter 6 - Items of Interest 7 Stormsplitter Weapon (greatsword), legendary (requires attunement by a non-lawful creature) The Demon Lord Eltab is said to have always carried this massive greatsword from the time of his first binding by Narfelli Demonbinders in the Year of the Starry Shroud (-153 DR). The weapon is a giant-sized great sword that requires great strength to use effectively. Anyone with a Strength score of 14 or lower has disadvantage on all attack rolls made with Stormsplitter. You gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Also, because of the sword’s massive size, it deals 2d8 points of damage on a hit, instead of a greatsword’s normal damage. On a successful hit, the target and up to two other creatures of your choice within 15 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier, or take 5 (1d10) points of lightning damage. Attacks with Stormsplitter score critical hits on a roll of 19 or 20. Witchboat Wondrous item, uncommon Witchboats are a common sight on the waterways of Rashemen. They are typically small wooden boats that can hold three to four people (as per a rowboat), though larger warboats (equivalent to longships) are known to exist as well. These boats are crafted by Rashemani spellcasters who call upon the spirits of the land to enchant the watercraft. No working versions of these vessels have been seen outside of Rashemen. If the witchboat is floating in a body of water, and you are within 5 feet of the vessel, you may speak the command word as a bonus action to cause the boat to perform one of the following: Move. The vessel moves at a rate of 30 feet per turn across water in any direction. This movement speed is unaffected by water currents. Stop. The vessel stops any movement and remains stationary regardless of current. Return. The vessel returns to its most recent previous location evenSample if empty. file

8 THE GREAT DALE Various goblin tribes are scattered throughout the CHAPTER 7 – THE LANDS land, particularly in its northern sections. Other races can be found within the Great Dale, but generally their he Great Dale lies in the northeastern end of numbers are quite small. Faerûn. It extends north from Thesk until the cold lands of Narfell. It borders Rashemen he unwood Tin the east and extends to the waters of the Easting T D Reach in the west. The lands of the Great Dale consist This ancient wood was once joined with its sister, of Dunwood in the north, the Dale itself, and the Lethyr, in a single vast forest called Riildath. Some Forest of Lethyr in the south. three-thousand years ago a glacier spread southward, It is a cold land, with frigid snow-filled winters and carving a path through Riildath to create the Great short cool summers. In general, the land is sparsely Dale. The remaining northern forest was often populated, with most living either on its eastern edge referred to as Rawlinswood after the Rawlin River that near the Easting Reach, or along its southern border flowed out of its western end. with Thesk. The forest is boreal, containing a mix of spruce, Most of the people of this land are humans, living pine, and birch trees. The land grows progressively in towns, villages, and farmsteads that dot the land. wetter the closer one comes to the Giantspire In Lethyr, a few wood-elf villages still hide beneath Mountains, as the wet winds from the south drop the trees. An assortment of dwarves, halflings, their moisture on the southern slopes in the north. and gnomes have settled alongside their human Mosquito-infested bogs surround the northern counterparts. The depredations of the Rotting Man highlands, making the region’s short summers over a hundred years ago forced most of the volodni unbearable for most. to flee fiend-infested Dunwood for Lethyr in the south.

Sample file

Chapter 7 - The Lands 9