Espar

Located just west of the King's Forest, this town of about 120 stone buildings is a farming town centered around a small shrine to Helm and is best known for having a long history of excellent blacksmiths. Quiral's Blades, founded by an adven¬turer-turned-blacksmith named Quiral, has been in continuous operation for over a century and is a source for specialized made-to-order blades. Lesser known, but no less important, is the town's history as the birthplace of Florin Falconhand, one of the famous adventuring company known as the Knights of Myth Drannor. The town is home to many half¬elves, and has been since its founding, and is also renowned for its skilled rangers. Of particular note are the wood elves who arrive to market once each month with their trained stag mounts and hunting wolves. Once, such elven bred mounts and companions were far more common, but today the market of Espar is the only place where these highly sought after hunting beasts can be found.

INNS AND TAVERNS

The Watchful Eye

Espar's only inn is the Watchful Eye, a quaint little wattle-and-daub structure that primarily services the fur traders, grain merchants, and adventurers who visit the small town. Several centuries ago a secretive group of mages undertook a variety of rituals for the betterment of Cormyr. Their most notable accomplishment was the construction of extra-dimensional refuges throughout Cormyr, known as hideaways, to protect the nobility and local lords from natural disaster, brigands, war, and rampaging monsters. Over the centuries the keys to these hideaways have mostly been forgotten or lost to time, but rumors persist of a particularly large and well guarded hideaway containing the combined wealth of several ancient noble families as well as the library of the Sword Heralds themselves.

LOCATIONS OF NOTE

Stormhaven House

This fortified manor house stands on a small wood-fringed plateau west of the village proper and is home to a small college of War Wizards, where fledgling wizards are instruct¬ed on the history and politics of Cormyr and given a safe place to practice new spells. The manor warded and protected by a number of trained magical beasts. It also features a large two-story stable, where hippogriffs are stabled for use by the War Wizards and visiting court officials.