Sword Mountains The Time of Troubles & Era of Upheaval Inspired By Ed Greenwood

The Sword Mountains are a range of peaks located on the Sword Coast North. With an arc-like shape, the mountains are located northwest of Waterdeep and east of the Mere of Dead Men. Their western slopes lead to the Trackless Sea in rolling foothills. The mountains themselves are steep and craggy, with snow-capped peaks. Gold and platinum have been found in the foothills of the Sword Mountains.

After Karsus's Folly in -399 DR, the leaders of the realm of Illefarn asked the dragon Nolalothcaragascint for aid in defeating the King of Shadows, but the dragon was defeated. The force of his body striking the ground created a massive valley within the Sword Mountains. The leaders of Illefarn transformed the dragon's heart into a crystalline floating structure reminiscent of a Phylactery, where the dragon's soul remained for centuries within the fertile valley.

The mountains were home to orcs and trolls, but after the orcs were united by Wund and the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge in the Year of the Red Rain, 927 DR, the orcs drove the trolls out. This was a contributing factor to the Trollwars. Uruth Ukrypt conquered the dwarven citadel of Melairrin within Mount Sar that same year.

Uruth Ukrypt's orc horde came out of the mountains to attack Waterdeep in the Year of the Sky Riders, 936 DR, but they were defeated and forced to retreat. They hatched another plan to attack in the Year of the Cold Claws, 940 DR, but this plan was ruined by the gold dragon Palarandusk.

Phandelver's Pact was formed circa the 10th century DR by dwarf and gnome clans joined by human spellcasters to bind the magical energies of Wave Echo Cave into a powerful forge capable of producing magical items, known as the Forge of Spells. However, in the Year of the Empty Hourglass, 951 DR, Uruth Ukrypt destroyed the nearby town of Phandalin and sacked Wave Echo Cave, and the location of the Forge was considered lost to history.

In the Year of the Dracorage, 1018 DR, the ancient dragons Claugiyliamatar and Shammagar attacked Uruth Ukrypt's food and treasure supplies. Shammagar drove the orcs from Melairren, claiming the stronghold as his new lair.

Due to a raid on Ukrypt's crypt by a human adventuring company called the Dawnbringer Company in the Year of Lathander's Light, 1024 DR, the orcs of the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Scourge formed a horde called the Broken Bone with the intent of destroying Waterdeep. Their plans were once again ruined by a dragon; this time Lhammaruntosz. Still determined to exact their revenge, the orcs formed another horde, calling it the Black Claw, and in the Year of Crimson Magics, 1026 DR they came from the mountains to attack Waterdeep. This attack proved unsuccessful and they were defeated, causing the orcs to lose their unity and plunge into a period of tribal conflict.

Notable Locations
• Icespire Peak