#cormanthor

Mounder in his human past.

Well, then I changed it a bit. I wanted the villain to be more real, more grounded, more personal than just an Abomination of Moander, which is a terrifying pile of flesh, but just a pile nonetheless. The villian became Mounder. He used to be a human, a very talented young wizard that had a privilege to study arcane arts in Myth Drannor. Although having friends and family there, he desperately tried to prove himself worthy of his talent. He tried to invent a new type of material - a very sturdy type of moss, spreading quickly and easily, that was able to grow on magical fields, such as Mythal covering the whole city, to strengthen it. But the moss brought disease, and Mounder became sick and then more and more obsessed with his project by the day, dying himself.

His maddened mind, his obsession, his corruption led to his demise. His friends tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen. His nature took central stage, as he drew his last breath, it transformed him to a terrible creature, a black dragon, that then destroyed the area in his desperation.

Centuries later, his presence affected the area, turning it into a monstrous swamp filled with deformed creatures, as he grew stronger underground, deformed himself, physically and mentally, as the rot does.

The Emerald Enclave is a druidic organization that has existed for almost 1,000 years, and it protects the interests of nature in the face of resource despoilers.

Given that in the Forgotten Realms, the myriad "resources" of nature sometimes speak and cry out in pain, defence of nature is not mere tree-hugging. To some, it is a literal civil rights crusade.

Inescapably active in the Vilhon Reach, the Enclave Caretakers have begun to concern themselves with preservation of nature throughout Faerûn. 

In a recent proactive burst, the Enclave has begun small cells in the largest forests in Faerûn -- the High Forest, Cormanthor, the Wealdath, and the Great Dale forests -- forests they believe need their attention for various reasons.

Where the mighty Cormanthor Forest meets the fertile plains of Harrowdale, Torm placed his portal -- a place where his forces could deploy rapidly into the Dalelands when evil dared show itself.

An unusual couple of trees that were grown into an archway, just 30 yards north off the Halfaxe Trail, barely into Cormanthor's forest, is the chosen locale.

The two-way portal leads to similar portals on the Cormyr frontier, near Glister, and along the banks of the River Chionthar.

The portal operates at only three specific times per day: sunrise, highsun, and sunset.

The Cormyr portal is keyed to Tyr, the Glister portal to Ilmater, and the Chionthar portal to Helm.

To activate the Cormanthor portal, the traveller must stand between the tree trunks during one of the three proper times while grasping a holy symbol of Torm in her right hand and the correct holy symbol of the god who is keyed to the chosen portal destination in her right hand.

The portal never malfunctions unless a follower of Bane or Cyric attempts to use it. In this case, a column of holy fire descends and strikes the interloper. This fire comes crashing down each time an attempt is made by such a being.

The mad god Cyric gave a devoted follower of his a vision of this area and promised her great honours if she destroyed the portal.

The follower, a priestess of Cyric named Evah Rigo, is in the area and intent on obeying her lord. However, unknown to Evah, Bane has sent one of his own agents after her: a devoted priest.