Page 90 - D&D - Player's Handbook

defending the family's wealth. The gods only know RHYMANTHIIN: HIDDEN CITY OF HOPE
what led .to the creation of such a creature or what Stories persist that Faer'tel'miir, an ancient city of
binds it to this place. The answers-if any there be- lie Miyeritar, was restored by High Magic sometime in the
within its lair. last century- perhaps even before the Spellplague- up
on the High Moor. The restored city of dark, smooth
MISTY FOREST
stone, called Rhymanthiin, or "The Hidden City of
West of the High Moor but heavily influenced by it, the Hope," appears on no maps, and is reputedly concealed
Misty Forest draws its name from the fog that rolls off by magic or some other artifice. Supposedly only those
the heights of the moor to shroud its trees. Melandrach, who are worthy, without malice in their hearts, may
King of the Woods, rules here and holds the forest as reach it, while others (as the tales have it) "shall not find
the exclusive domain of the elves. Though game animals
their way there." Such tale-tellers must be few and far
roam in plenty, the local humans know well that the
between, as I know of no one who can rightly claim to
elves protect them and punish trespassers who poach have seen it, but still the stories seem to have a life of
in the forest. Even barbarians know better than to hunt their own.
here, as they don't wish to draw Melandrach's atten-
tion or ire. NAJARA
Travelers who leave the inhabitants of the Misty
Gone are the days when the tales of a kingdom of ser-
Forest alone, and who build their campfires small and
pents were rumor and hearsay, stories concocted by
solely of fallen branches, are usually permitted to pass,
adventurers and travelers who strayed far off the path
so long as the folk of the forest aren't in a foul mood or
and somehow managed to escape. It was once easy
stirred up against outsiders for some other reason.
to doubt their veracity, for what nation didn't patrol its
SECOMBER borders or establish communication (amicable or other-
Just off the High Moor, on the north bank of the wise) with other nations? The stories of naga and yuan-ti
Delimbiyr near the Unicorn Run, is the small town of were easy enough to believe, for this area had always
Secomber, on the border between the North and the set- hosted such things. But a nation of such creatures?
tlements of the Western Heartlands. Built over the ruins As we now know, the kingdom of Najara, as pro-
of Hastarl, capital of the ancient kingdom of Athalantar, claimed by the serpents that live within, lies along the
Secomber is a quiet place where fishers and farmers go northern edge of the Trade Way, northeast of Boareskyr
about their work, and local folk hire out to hunt or fish, Bridge and southeast of the High Moor. The Winding
or guide travelers through the area. Skilled guides who Water flows through these lands, and its other main geo-
know the High Moor well, and can navigate its many graphical features are the Serpent Hills, the Marsh of
dangers and its local tribes, are common- or appear Chelimber, and the Forest ofWyrms.
to be, given how often their services are offered. Local I discovered for myself the truth of Najara, the King-
stonecutters, primarily from a small clan of dwarves, dom of Serpents, when a sage in Baldur's Gate hired me
excavate pink granite from the rock walls on northern to guide him, his apprentices, and a handful of adventur-
edge of the moor. ers to some ruins in the eastern edges of the High Moor.
I will forever regret accepting that commission, for not
only did half the adventurers turn out to be greedy swine
intent on plundering the ruins rather than allowing the
sage his study, but their idiocy awoke an ancient spirit
that caused most of the group to drop off into a deathly
sleep while it consumed their souls. Since I am unaf-
fected by magics that force slumber, I escaped, along
with a half-elf among the apprentices to the sage. The
spirit chased us across the moors relentlessly, forcing
us into the tunnels beneath the Serpent Hills, where we
were taken prisoner by yuan-ti patrolling the borders of
their domain. The half-elf was hauled away in slaver's
chains, but for some reason I was taken to the court of
Jarant, the Serpent King. A brief account of that experi-
ence follows.
Ancient and evil, the spirit nagaJarant rules the king-
dom by virtue of his personal power and thanks to the
aid of the Marlspire of Najara, a thin silver crown that
has protective and other magical abilities. Though he
still preferred to remain utterly isolated from the outside
world at the time when I met him, ten years ago the
Dark Serpent began sending ambassadors to neighbor-
ing kingdoms to warn them about the consequences
of interfering in Najaran matters. Though I saw the
king for but a moment,Jarant's influence in his realm
is undeniable, for his name is spoken reverently by all