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Former Lands of Nerath

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This area are the lands immediately surrounding the Nentir Vale and stretch to the South and East. These feudal survivor states—mostly human and dwarven—are all that remain of the fallen Empire of Nerath. The League is on the verge of collapse, caught between the aggressive forces of Karkoth and the Iron Circle. (From the Conquest of Nerath rulebook.) Based on Archaeological Evidence this appears to have been mostly the Northern extant of Turathi holdings during the ancient empires, although Arkhosian sites are found as far north as the Nentir Vale. This may be the result of the Arkhosian use of flying fortresses like the one in Dungeon 165. For ideas for Turathi artifacts check the "Diabolical empire" section of the Art of the Ancients article. The Minotaur empire of Ruul and the monster empire of Vardarr have also ruled over this land at different points in time.

  • Shadowsong Forest: The ancient trees of the Shadowsong Forest have borne witness to the passing of epochs, and hidden beneath their dark canopies are the remains of empires long departed. Few souls brave enough to explore the primeval forest ever return, for countless horrors haunt the crumbled ruins. When a band of evil criminals seeks refuge within the darkest reaches of the forest, brave adventurers are needed to root them out. Introduced in H3 Pyramid of Shadows
  • The Nentir Vale
  • The Plains of Chaos: A site of the Dawn War where the barriers between the World and the Elemental Chaos are particularly thin. Detailed in Revenge of the Giants.
    • Argent: The city of Argent is a walled settlement on a cloud-shrouded mountain top overlooking the Plains of Chaos.
  • The Wild Wood: A forest that is home to an order of wardens known as the Crescent Guardians. Originally a militia of Nerath who fought with billhooks, they now hang their crescent blades throughout the woods to communicate with each other and warn intruders to stay out. Mentioned in Dragon 379
  • Elkridge: A small town of artisans that lies close to the Nettlebright Swamp. This community of artisans pays tribute to a group of bandits who protect them against the Yuan-ti cultists of the swampland. Nearby lay a fey crossing and the ruin of an Arkhosian flying fortress. This town is featured in the adventures in Dungeon 165, Dungeon 178, and Dungeon 190
  • The Dawn Forge Mountains: Several Dwarven Communities have been mentioned in these mountains.
    • Dawn Forge Monastery: In the mountains beyond Hammerfast this monastery trains a sect of Avengers known as the Kuldar who serve Moradin. Detailed in Dragon 385
    • The Monastery of St. Alabat: A ruined monastery once belonging to a band of Paladin's. Detailed in the adventure Winter of the Witch.
    • The Deep Guides' River: A river runs from the Dawn Forge Mountains which a loosely confederated group of enterprising Adventurers use to ferry people back and forth from the Underdark. Mentioned in Into the Unknown.
  • Vor Rukoth: former Turathi city. Detailed in Vor Rukoth Adventure Site
  • Barony of Theirund: Mentioned in Adventure P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens
  • Mithralfast: This Dwarven city serves as the seat of power for the Nerathi League, and is considered the capital of the loosely confederated city states.
  • Sarthel: Prosperous City State, notable for it's chief export of silver. Detailed in Dragon 398
  • The Trollhaunt: Former holding of the Monstrous Kingdom of Vardar, now a swampy frontier riddled with monsters. Detailed in P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens, and the Side Trek Beyond the Trollhaunt.
    • Moonstair: Gate town with a portal to the Feywild Detailed in DMG2 and P1 King of the Trollhaunt Warrens
  • Nera: A kingdom whose king is the cousin of the notorious pirate captain Gallus Drake. Mentioned in Dragon 412 More details on a former group of knights who guarded Nera is mentioned in Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale under the Phantom Brigade entry.
    • The former capital of Nerath: the city is now overrun by Gnolls. Nonetheless it is a pilgrimage site for individuals whose ancestors were part of the empire. Detailed in Dragon 393
    • The Imperial Library: Once the center of an order of Ioun, it's librarians mysteriously vanished and the order has scattered to redoubts throughout the world. Detailed in Dragon 385
  • Gleaming: Somewhere to the East of the Nentir Vale this town is prosperous because of a gate to the Astral Sea that the Halfling mayor intends to keep secret. Detailed in DMG2
  • Napina: A small rural outpost threatened by trolls. Detailed in Dragon 366
  • Sentinel Peak: A mountain that lies beyond the Stone Forest Valley and sources the headwaters of the Mistroad River
    • Mistwatch: A frontier outpost of Minotaurs who have turned from Demon worship to contemplate a philosophy of the Labyrinth. Detailed in Dragon 385
  • The Ashen Plain: A desolate land, once lush and green that was destroyed by the Dragon Ashardalon. Mentioned in Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons
    • The Sunless Citadel: A many spired fortress of a king who had Ashardalon's mate killed. As retribution the dragon dragged the fortress beneath the earth where it earned it's current name. It is now home to a cult of the Demonic Dragon.
  • Kadagast Mountains: A mountain range that was settled by the Nerathi empire. It holds numerous sites significant to Ioun. An old Nerathi road, favored by caravans who come to the city of Wellspring from the north, leads through a mountain pass as well as a river fed by mountain runoff called "the Chill." The river feeds Kord's Tankard a deep lake. The area and it's prominent locations are detailed with accompanying maps in the adventure Touch of Madness and Depths of Madness.
    • Wellspring: Two miles from Kord's tankard, Wellspring nestles in a valley, astride the Chill and between two arms of the Kadagast Mountains. The town’s folk are farmers and fishers. Cultivated farmland surrounds the community. Pilgrims of Ioun come routinely to pay respect to a statue of Ioun's greatest saint, according to legend her tomb lies under the statue.
    • The Forlorn Tower: A crumbling fortress high in the Kadagast mountains that was once the seat of Ioun's faithful.
  • The Borderlands: A stretch of frontier that is lightly populated by small settlements slowly reclaiming the wilderness. It is patrolled by a group of Paladins dedicated to Pelor called Light of the Sun. Unfortunately a growing threat opposes them, a cult of Bane called the Hand of Naarash. Detailed in the adventure Heathen.
    • Adkami: Once an outpost of Nerath, when the empire fell, the scattered folk of the mountains initially abandoned their villages and gravitated here for safety before expanding outward again. They created a well-defended enclave that now supports a population of two thousand, mostly humans, elves, and half-elves. The moondocks here once were the center of a bustling river boating launching point that were piloted up the river to the waterfall the mountains and river are named after. This is accomplished by trained direpike that swim upstream. However in wake of the Hobgoblin cultists the moonboats are moored and abandoned.
    • The Blackmarch: A long winding road that passes through the Borderlands. Rarely traveled these days due to fear of the Hand of Naashar.
    • The Pillars of Night: The headquarters of the Hand of Naarash located deep in the Moonsfall Mountains
  • The Ironwall Mountains: A mountain range directly west of the Nentir Vale, this is the setting of HS2 The Orcs of Stonefang Pass.
    • Timbervale: A small frontier town on the edge of the mountains.
    • Stonefang Pass: The one pass through the Ironwall Mountains and the site of a Dwarf Citadel.
  • Dragondown Coast


The Frostfell

This area of cold stretches to the North and North East, most of these locations are unmapped and explorers may have to venture closer to the Karkothi dominions on the continent of Selduria.

  • Wolfstone: North of the vale, this city admidst the frozen lands of the Frostfell was once a Nerathi fortress. While dedicated to Kord, they have recently begun to commune with primal spirits. Allied with a nearby Dwarven settlement. Their chief enemies are the Frost Giants that live further North still. Detailed in Dragon 386 and Dragon 396
  • Fort Dolor: Established to protect the lands nearby which were rich in natural resources, this frontier fort-town got it's name since it was frequently attacked by an ancient White Dragon. The Dragon has been slain but a new threat looms. Detailed in the adventure Massacre at Fort Dolor.
  • Winterguard Prison: Far to the north, and housed in an icy spire an order of Eladrin swordmages maintain this prison. Constructed when Nerath was young it held prisoners of both the human empire and the fey empire of Cendriane, and a testament to their alliance. Detailed in Dragon 405
  • Methenaera's Cave: This cave rests deep in a glacier encasing what was once Moradin's fortress in the natural world. Now it houses a Silver Dragon who guards the God's sacred casks of mead. Detailed in Draconomicon 2: Metallic Dragons
    • Nordkell: A small logging town a few miles from the glacier. Most pilgrims begin their trip here first.
  • The Road of Sleet: A glacier fortress of a Cobalt Dragon who is worshiped as a God by the Talons of Winter, a tribe of shifters in the area who fight alongside Frost Giants. Detailed in Draconomicon 2: Metallic Dragons. It is unclear if the Talons of Winter are related to the Winterclaw barbarians.
  • Rime's Lair: The home of a dragon steed of a Nerathi knight. Bound by magic to the knight's body she can only escape during the winter. Detailed in Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons
  • The Fortress at World’s End: This imposing fortress bordering the Shadowfell was raised in the days of Bael Turath by a cult called the Wrights of Nessus. It now serves as the stronghold of Malachi, a wizard obsessed with obtaining secrets of the Far Realm. The only way to the stronghold is through the Gloaming Gate on the shores of the Umbral Sea on the Shadowfell. A Shadow Crossing that let's out nearby is rumored to exist somewhere near the Kadagast Mountains. Detailed in the adventure The Brink of Madness.
  • The Scourge Mountains: A frozen mountain range featured in the Winter of the Witch.
    • Crone's Finger: The highest peak of the Scourge Mountains. It seves as the lair of Kurikveaeri an ancient White Dragon. An fey crossing stands admidst a stand of blue menhirs. From here the Archfey Koliada marches into the world in her continual attempts to cover the natural world in ice.