Backdrop: Moonshae Isles By Shawn Merwin Illustrations by David Rapoza Cartography by Mike Schley The Moonshae Isles are in the western portion of the Sea of Swords, near where that body of water leads to the uncharted expanses of the Trackless Sea. The nature of the archipelago that forms the Moonshaes is paradoxical: The seemingly simple and primeval beauty of the isles’ landscapes belies the complicated political power struggle taking place there. The climate of the Moonshae Isles is something that only a lifelong inhabitant could embrace. The same ocean currents that keep the temperatures from dropping below freezing too often in the winter months leave the land damp and cool in the summer. Rainfall is a constant companion, and fog shrouds both the land and surrounding waters in the early morning and late evening. The isles’ rocky terrain and mist-shrouded forests are protected from intruders by terrible creatures and leagues of pirate-infested waters. Industrious and per- severing humanoids survive despite many hardships here. The isles also have fey creatures both spritely and sinister, primal beasts with an unquenchable TM & © 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved. November 2011 | DUNGEON 196 1 Backdrop: Moonshae Isles thirst for blood, giants thrilling in generations-old vio- run a full campaign in the Moonshae Isles. Finally, King Derid commands the might of the Ffolk and lence, and cold-hearted merchants bent on pillaging some foes and Moonshae-flavored magic items are many loyal Northlanders, and he has plans to regain the land for their own monetary gains. detailed. his family’s glory and prestige. Such plans would With the transference of the fey realm of Sarifal A companion article, “Heroes of the Moonshaes” mean a great sacrifice, however, and could lead to to the island of Gwynneth a century ago, the bar- (Dragon 405), offers rules to players for use with armed conflict against the other power groups cur- rier between the Moonshae Isles and the Feywild their Moonshae campaign characters. A Realmslore rently holding sway in the Moonshaes. has weakened severely. Although the area has many article detailing the returned fey realm of Sarifal Lady Erliza Daressin: Among the many thorns bridges and crossings between the mortal world (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/ in the side of the House Kendrick, the most irk- and the land of Faerie, the last one hundred years drrl/2009june) also provides some background and some is the intrusion of Amnian interests into the have seen an influx of fey creatures. Satyrs, hama- inspiration for DMs. Moonshaes. In fact, the island of Snowdown has dryads, pixies, and other fey-touched creatures been conquered by forces loyal to Amn. Lady Erliza stroll through civilized areas of the Moonshaes, and power Brokers Daressin, Viceroy of Westphal, rules over the citi- many evil fey have made the trip to the mortal world zens of Snowdown on behalf of Amn. Her coffers as well. The geography of the Moonshae Isles forces anyone are filled by merchants who reap the rewards of the hoping to gain mastery over the area to contend devastation wrought by workers who are taking the A MoonshAe Isles with many hurdles. The most significant nuisance bountiful natural resources from the very heart of the confronting would-be rulers is the archipelago. The Moonshaes. Campaign straits, channels, and seas separating the islands Lady Erliza, a vampire, has shared the secret of of the Moonshaes make unification under a single her true nature only with her closest advisors and The Moonshae Isles are an ideal place to set a ruler difficult. Conquering the entire area requires servants; however, a few of the people who fight large-scale campaign. The area can offer players an the ability to move forces rapidly across dangerous against her have also learned this secret, and they isolated and homogenous location, yet each of its waters. Currently no individual or group has all the are attempting to use that knowledge to bring an end discrete parts is different enough to provide a new parts in place to do that, leaving many of these com- to her and Amn’s occupation of Snowdown. What atmosphere and play style as characters explore. peting forces struggling to increase their dominance her friends and enemies do not know is that Lady The most civilized parts of the isles are wild and over the land and sea of the Moonshaes. Erliza has plans and ambitions beyond her role in untamed by Faerûn’s standards, giving characters High King Derid and House Kendrick: The Snowdown. Under the bright moonlight, Lady Erliza plenty of hack-and-slash action. Even so, individuals human population of the Moonshaes is divided into turns her gaze longingly toward Sarifal on the south- and groups struggle to gain the upper hand against two distinct groups, the Northlanders and the Ffolk. ern island of Gwynneth. others through diplomacy or trickery, giving politi- These groups came together under a single banner a When Erliza became an undead creature at the cally motivated characters a chance to scheme and century ago when High Queen Alicia Kendrick uni- hands of a vampire back in Amn, she had a vision connive. And although heroic tier characters have fied them. The combined forces of the Northlanders of being reborn as a queen of the Feywild. Through plenty of fodder, paragon and epic tier characters can and the Ffolk, who began to intermarry and mesh careful research and by questioning some of the also find millennia-old threats lurking just below the culturally as well as politically, still could not hold greatest scholars she could locate (and then draining mountains, pools, bogs, and bays. sway over all the islands, and recent events have their blood), Erliza learned that the point of entry to This backdrop article first looks at the people, stripped House Kendrick of much of its power and her destination in the Feywild had to be the city of creatures, and groups that hold power in the Moon- holdings. Karador. Unfortunately for her, at that time the city shae Isles. Following that are descriptions of the The current high king is Derid Kendrick. Though was still submerged beneath the surface of Myrloch islands that form the divided nation. Sites of particu- he rules over what is arguably the most extensive on the island of Gwynneth. She treated its reemer- lar interest are described in enough detail to give a domain in the Moonshaes, his family’s holdings have gence as a great boon; however, the power of the fey sense of their utility in a Moonshae-based campaign. been reduced to the realm of Alaron—and only a part that dwell there makes it impossible for her to enter It continues with suggestions for DMs who want to of that island is controlled by Derid’s forces. High November 2011 | DUNGEON 196 2 Backdrop: Moonshae Isles the city unchallenged. She hopes that she can steer Thus, two deities blessed the child. Tempus gave Although Sarifal residents are allowed to leave the Amn’s focus toward Gwynneth to give herself easier Hergatha strength and skill in battle, while Umber- island and explore, High Lady Ordalf keeps most of access to the city. She might also seek to coordinate lee gave her an overpowering force of personality her servants and all her troops ready to fight against attacks with the forces of Queen Connomae of the and the will to see her enemies suffer. Umberlee the unseelie fey forces located near Citadel Umbra. fomorians or the hag Urphania. also gave the girl both a blessing and a curse. She Representatives from High King Derid, Lady Erliza, The Storm Maiden: Also detracting from the could never drown, yet she would wish to see the and the Storm Maiden have asked for council with power of the high king is the rise of a Northlander whole world die beneath the waves. To seal the her. Most who approach have been politely but curtly called the Storm Maiden. Raised on the island of pact, Hergatha’s mother died in a lightning strike, turned away and escorted back to their ships. Norland, this human was found as a baby by fisher- and Umberlee carried the child to the shores of The Black Blood Tribe: Although not as mighty men, abandoned upon the shores of that island, and Northland. or as organized as other power groups, another force later given the name Hergatha. She was raised by a Hergatha, referring to herself as the Storm exerts a great deal of destructive influence in the childless couple, and by the age of sixteen she was Maiden, struggles with these gods-given powers and Moonshae region. A group of Malar-revering lycan- an unparalleled swordmaster and tactical leader. compulsions. So far she has controlled the homicidal thropes holds sway over the island of Moray. This From an early age, she showed the marks of being urges thrust on her by Umberlee, but as she leads her group, called the Black Blood Tribe, is composed of touched by the gods, and upon reaching maturity followers over the waves, a part of her aches to sink Faerûn-born lycanthropes and those who have trav- she claimed to possess the reincarnated spirit of the longships and watch her troops drown. eled from the Feywild region of Brokenstone Vale, Viledel, an ancient Northlander warrior and leader High Lady Ordalf: The most influential force in a lycanthrope-infested nightmare realm. The Black who bore the title Sea King. Although her story is not the Moonshaes at the moment is the court of High Bloods attack any civilized community or group on true, she believes it to be so—and she has performed Lady Ordalf, a fey queen who reestablished the the island, and they perform gruesome rituals aimed feats so wonderful that no one dares deny her claims.