The Silver Marches
Luruar, also commonly known as the Silver Marches, was a confederation of cities in the north of Faerûn, under the leadership of Alustriel Silverhand, former ruler of Silverymoon. It consisted of Silverymoon, Citadel Adbar, Deadsnows, Jalanthar, Quaervarr, Citadel Felbarr, Everlund, Mithral Hall, and Sundabar, and its goal was to protect the North against the growing horde of orcs in the mountains.
Geography
It was bordered by the Anauroch desert to the east, the High Forest to the south, the Savage Frontier to the west and the The Spine of The World mountain range to the north. It also shared a border with the kingdom of Many-Arrows.
Arn Forest: The remote Arn Forest was home to a small community of rock gnomes.
Glimmerwood: This vast woodland encompassed three, adjacent forests.
Cold Wood: This pine, birch and spruce forest has remained unmarked by civilized settlers or foresters. While it was home to some of the Uthgardt tribes, orcs and ettins have also been known to roam the woods.
Druarwood: The sparse trees of this forest served as refuge for many orcs and giants that came down from the Spine of the World.
Moonwood: This large forest north of Silverymoon was free of goblinoid races. This was due to the large population of lycanthropes, many of whom are members of the People of the Black Blood.
Night Trees: Nearly all of the intelligent races of the marches avoided the two diminutive forests and the mysterious temple-tower that lay within.
Silverwood: Previous connected to the great High Forest, these woods were since separated by the Everlund Pass.
Vordrorn Forest: Also known as the "Ghostwood", this unexplored forest was one of the most menacing locales in the area.
Bodies of Water
- Icespear River: This river wound around the northern stretch of the Rauvin Mountains before being crossed by the Fork Road.
- River Rauvin: The great many boats, rafts and merchant-barges that passed along this river granted its moniker of the "Road Through the Marches".
- Redrun: The Redrun flowed south from the Spine of the World and met with the mighty Rauvin just north of Sundabar.
- River Surbrin: Running between the Frost Hills and the Moonwood, this river continued west into the Dessarin Valley.
Forests
Hills and Mountains
- Ice Mountains: The harsh, freezing gales that blew down from these mountains whipped down across the surrounding valleys.
- Ice Spires: Located beyond these dual ranges was the realm of Hartsvale, the home of men who were said to be descended from giants.
- Nether Mountains: There were many monsters that spread from these mountain ranges to the surrounding areas.
- Rauvin Mountains: The River Rauvin passes through the peaks in a steep-sided, mist-filled gorge of roaring white water. There was a perilous trail in the gorge that runs through the Dead Orc Pass to the north side of the Rauvin that contains a strong and aggressive orc tribe.
- Surbrin Hills
Regions
- Moonlands: Located north of River Rauvin and east of River Surbrin, this stretch of wilderness was claimed as part of the territories of at least three Uthgardt tribes.
- Old Delzoun: The area that was once home to a kingdom of dwarves comprised the eastern part of the Cold Run, the Adbar Run further west, and the Sundabar Vale to the south.
- Adbar Run: This wild and untamed area was home to orcish and goblinoids.
- Cold Vale: The northern-most of the marches' valleys spread down from the Spine of the World
- Sundabar Vale: Encompassing its namesake city and its surrounding holds, this central valley was nestled between the Nether and Rauvin Mountains.
- Rauvin Vale: Considered by many to be the heart of the Silver Marches, this bountiful valley was dotted with thriving holdings, farmsteads and small villages.
Valleys
History
The years 1368 through 1370 DR were particularly turbulent for the city-states of the North. Troll attacks, orc hordes, and combined army of demons and barbarians as well as a particularly harsh winter spurred the leaders of those cities to convene a council. After many heated arguments were calmed by Alustriel's diplomatic skills, it was decided that the cities would band together and form a confederation under Alustriel's leadership.
Alustriel declared, at the suggestion of Old Night, that the nation would be known as "Luruar" in honor of the goddess Lurue, sometime between the winter and midsummer of 1371 DR. She rejected the suggestions of "New Delzoun", in honor of the fallen dwarf kingdom, and "Alustryr", in honor of herself.
When Alustriel left, her eldest son Methrammar Aerasumé took over and immediately lost the support of Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall whose leaders refused to spend effort and resources helping smaller settlements at the expense of their own. Though the three cities remained allies of Luruar, they no longer considered themselves members of the confederation, nor could they be relied upon to answer calls for help.
In the Year of the Awakened Sleepers, 1484 DR, the Darkening was cast over the region in preparation for the drow and orc invasion. The attacks involved sieges and attacks on Winters Edge, Mithral Hall, Nesmé, and Silverymoon, as well as subterfuge interfering with trade in Blingdenstone.
Ultimately however, thanks to disagreements following the war, the League of Silver Marches was disbanded in the Year of Dwarvenkind Reborn, 1488 DR. The Silvaeren were blamed for providing insufficient aid for Sundabar, whose surface population had been completely wiped out. As a result, all of the dwarven states left the League of Silver Marches, and without their support, Luruar collapsed.
Alustriel declared, at the suggestion of Old Night, that the nation would be known as "Luruar" in honor of the goddess Lurue, sometime between the winter and midsummer of 1371 DR. She rejected the suggestions of "New Delzoun", in honor of the fallen dwarf kingdom, and "Alustryr", in honor of herself.
When Alustriel left, her eldest son Methrammar Aerasumé took over and immediately lost the support of Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr and Mithral Hall whose leaders refused to spend effort and resources helping smaller settlements at the expense of their own. Though the three cities remained allies of Luruar, they no longer considered themselves members of the confederation, nor could they be relied upon to answer calls for help.
In the Year of the Awakened Sleepers, 1484 DR, the Darkening was cast over the region in preparation for the drow and orc invasion. The attacks involved sieges and attacks on Winters Edge, Mithral Hall, Nesmé, and Silverymoon, as well as subterfuge interfering with trade in Blingdenstone.
Ultimately however, thanks to disagreements following the war, the League of Silver Marches was disbanded in the Year of Dwarvenkind Reborn, 1488 DR. The Silvaeren were blamed for providing insufficient aid for Sundabar, whose surface population had been completely wiped out. As a result, all of the dwarven states left the League of Silver Marches, and without their support, Luruar collapsed.