Narfell

Narfell is a country in the eastern part of the fictional continent of Faerûn, in the Forgotten Realms setting of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.

Narfell lies in the Cold Lands region but was once the heart of a vast empire that stretched from the Giantspire Mountains to Lake Ashane and included the Great Dale, much of Thesk, part of the Plateau of Thay, what would become Impiltur, and other lands.

History

In its height of power, Narfell was ruled by evil priests. They maintained their power through horrid blood-pacts with demon lords, gaining the control of demonic armies. This once great civilization fell over 1,500 years ago in a terrific battle with its ancient enemy, Raumathar.

In −970 DR, the Nentyarch of Tharos built his capital at Dun-Tharos and forged the artifact known as the Crown of Narfell. He then began to conquer the surrounding Nar kingdoms, bringing them under his rule. In −946 DR, the nentyarch's armies destroyed Shaundaular, the capital of Ashanath, and all of the Nar kingdoms were united into the new empire of Narfell. Circa −900 DR, both the Nar and Raumathari Empires rose to prominence. In −623 DR (the Year of Clipped Wings), Narfell attempted to invade both Mulhorand and Unther by sea, which failed. In −160 DR (the Year of the Stone Giant), Narfell and Raumathar began their decade-long war that involved the summoning of demon lords and an avatar of Kossuth. This final war resulted in the destruction of both empires.

The empire's few survivors fled to Narfell's current borders, vowing to rebuild their mighty realm. That dream, however, has long since faded. Now, Narfell is a frigid land of barbarian tribes who have little or no knowledge whatsoever of their grand and sinister past, preoccupied as they are with simply surviving the region's harsh and bitter winters. The area directly beneath Narfell in the Underdark is plagued by nightmarish horrors and wraiths, and even the drow dare not venture there.

The remnants of Narfell's magnificent empire still exist, the ruins littering the region's plains. These ruins are often avoided by the Nars, for they have learned that the ruins usually contain ancient and long-dormant magical traps, as well as ghosts and wraiths. Once in a while, a group of foreign adventurers decides to explore the ruins. The Nars do not discourage this, as they can always pick up the pieces after the foolhardy adventurers set off any traps, which are usually lethal.

Economy

Trade is minimal, but merchants who do not wish to traverse the empire of Thesk sometimes pass through Narfell instead by way of the Long Road. The Long Road starts in Damara and enters Narfell through the pass in the Giantspire Mountains before intersecting with the Cold Road at N'Jast. From that point, the road continues on to Nathoud, which stands in the shadows of the Icerim Mountains in northern Rashemen. The Giant Gap, as the road is commonly called, is virtually impassable in the winter and is plagued by hobgoblins.

Locations

Bildoobaris

Bildoobaris, the unofficial capital of Narfell, is little more than an open plain that rests in the towering shadow of Mount Nar. For one tenday every summer, this plain turns into a bustling city consisting of over 30,000 Nars. Also called Bildoobaris, this festival is the largest and most important holiday in all of Narfell; even the cruelest and most fierce Nar tribes come to drink, feast, and trade together.

Dun-Tharos

Dun-Tharos is a ruined city in the heart of the Rawlinswood that was once the imperial capital of Narfell. Raumathari battle mages laid waste to the city, leaving only ruined buildings and rubble.

In 722 DR (the Year of the Last Hunt), a powerful druid called the Great Druid of Leth took residence in the ruins of Dun-Tharos and claimed the title of nentyarch, an archaic Nar title of lordship. In order to cleanse the Rawlinswood of Narfell's foul taint, he grew a living fortress of trees over the ruins. Recently, in 1371 DR (the Year of the Unstrung Harp), a being known as the Rotting Man and his army of diseased creatures drove away the druid and took control of Dun-Tharos. The nentyarch fled into exile at Yeshelmaar, and Dun-Tharos now lies buried under masses of rotting dead and dying trees and vegetation.

Fortress Narder

Located at the far eastern edge of the Forest of Lethyr, Fortress Narder was a gathering point for Nar armies preparing to invade Raumathar in the days of the empire. A Raumathari spell reduced the fortress into a pile of rubble and broken stone.

A foul sickness currently permeates the ruins of Fortress Narder. This sickness seeps from the dungeon and poisons the surrounding water, soil, and air. The Former Nentyarch of Dun-Tharos, with the aid of other druids, has been working to cleanse the area, but their efforts are hampered by frequent attacks from the hezrou demons that lurk in the fortress's depths. The nentyarch suspects that a transplanted chunk of the Abyss or some other source of evil power lies at the heart of Fortress Narder.

Fortress of the Half-Demon

The ruins of the Fortress of the Half-Demon lie within the borders of Rashemen in the North Country, near Lake Ashane. The keep is built of magical and mysterious stone, which is said to have prevented its destruction at the hands of the Raumvirans. The stone comprising the walls of the fortress is icy cold and gives off a harmless, glowing green vapor. The entrance to the keep is an enormous iron gate in the shape of a demonic face.

A hagspawned creature named Losk now resides in the ancient fortress with his gang of ruffians and thieves, who are searching the dungeons for anything valuable.

Mount Nar

Mount Nar is a massive, snow-capped peak that lies in the lands of Narfell. It is even visible from the crossroads at N'Jast.

The ancient kingdom of Jastaath, one of the small Nar kingdoms that existed before the rise of the Empire of Narfell, was ruled by powerful priest-kings who kept a fortress high atop the western slopes of Mount Nar. The magic of the mighty priest-kings was able to control the weather around the fortress, keeping it pleasant and warm even in the dead of winter. The ruins of this ancient city now lie lost beneath the everlasting ice and snow.

No modern expedition to the peak has ever found the buried ruins of the ancient castle. These expeditions are no doubt hindered by Kryonar, a white dracolich wyrm that resides in an icy cavern in the mountain's northern face.

Shaundaular

Shaundaular, now also known as the City of Weeping Ghosts, was once the capital of Ashanath, a minor Nar kingdom. The city's ruins lie along the shores of Lake Ashane in the Great Dale. Shaundaular was destroyed in −946 DR by the Nentyarch of Tharos when its leaders refused to join the new empire, and now it is haunted by hundreds of wraiths and dread wraiths.

Val Murthag

Val Murthag was a Nar fortress destroyed by Raumathari battle-magic during the final war between the two empires. Its ruins lie on the western edge of the Great Dale. Val Murthag was Narfell's unholy spiritual center of demon worship. All that remain of the surface structure are crumbling walls of stone, but in vaults deep below the surface reside trapped demons, undead, stolen Raumathari artifacts, and secrets regarding a ritual used to transform mortals into fiends.

Branimern Rythil, a renegade Red Wizard, and her imp familiar have been exploring the ancient fortress recently, hoping to learn about its demonic secrets. She avoids strangers for fear of retribution from her former master, Nevron, the Thayan Zulkir of Conjuration.

References

• Baker, Richard; Ed Bonny; Travis Stout. Lost Empires of Faerûn, 2005 Wizards of the Coast.
• Baker, Richard; Matt Forbeck; Sean K. Reynolds. Unapproachable East, 2003 Wizards of the Coast.

External links

• Official material
  • Unapproachable East
  • Lost Empires of Faerûn
  • Jesanta Beril, Nar Demonbinder
  • Nar Demonbinder prestige class (image)
• Brief description by Ed Greenwood
• Narfell-based multiplayer persistent world for the Neverwinter Nights computer game