The Vast The Vast was a region in north Faerûn that rested along the north coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars , bounded by the Dragon Reach and River Lis in the west ; the Earthspur Mountains , the Gray Forest , and Impiltur in the east ; and the Moonsea and Damara in the north . It lay on both sides of the Earthfast Mountains that ran through it . Over its long history , it was home to the orc nation of Vastar for which it was named ; the ancient elf city of Ylraphon , an outpost of Cormanthyr ; the brief dwarf kingdom of Roldilar , the Realm of Glimmering Swords ; and a variety of human city - states — historic Procampur and Tsurlagol , and the newcomers Calaunt , Tantras , and Ravens Bluff , the Living City — some of which gathered into the nation of Vesperin . Environment & Geography . The Vast was a land of great open spaces , sparsely settled but far from empty . Once , it was covered in dense forests , but the orcs of Vastar cut these down , leaving only grasslands and isolated woods . This left a green and temperate realm of hunting grounds and rolling farmlands , their fields used to grow all kinds of crops that suited the climate or for the grazing of herds . The farms and fields were separated by low fieldstone walls , which were often cultivated as wild hedges where they faced the roads . Amongst these farms were small woodlots and copses , which grew from scrublands left behind by the great old forests of the past . Beyond the farmland were real forests , though mostly these were second - growth forests from surviving saplings . Druid s cultivated these forests , and encouraged woodland creatures and fey to move in from other forests further away . The great forests of the Vast were Adhe Wood , Brynwood , and the Gray Forest , which was called the " Tsurlar Forest " in the Vast . The Vast held four great rivers : the Fire River , the River Vesper , the River Lis , and the River Dalton . They emptied into the bay of the Dragon Reach , while the Lis and Dalton ran from the Moonsea to the Reach , the latter via the Flooded Forest , a swamp that was once part of Cormanthor . There were many small streams and brooks , but they rarely joined the major rivers of the Fire River and the River Vesper . More often , they ended in pools and drained away into subterranean channels and finally emptied into the Inner Sea . Some even rose to the surface again , only to disappear once more . Thus the water table was described as a crazy jigsaw . This was due to the geology of the Vast , consisting of slanting and broken layers of rock deep beneath the soil . These left a quite a number of small - sized caves , rifts and sinkholes , that could be well concealed in apparently empty fields . Such places were a favorite spot for children to hide , for farmers to conceal their savings , or for some to build privies over . There were also rocky outcrops marking where the foothills met the great mountain ranges of the Vast . The western shoreline of the Vast by the Dragon Reach was also high and stony , with many rocky reefs and few ports . Where the Earthfast Mountains and the Earthspur Mountains met the sea were sheer cliffs that only the most skilled climbers could ascend . The southern coast against the Inner Sea was called the Tsurlagan coast . In the north , Mount Wolf marked the border of the Vast in the north . On the east , the High Country was a large area of rocky moors and grassy plains and hills . It jutted east into a gap in the Earthspur Mountains . Rumors told of hidden passes through the mountains into neighboring Impiltur . Protected from human settlement and farming , the High Country was a fertile breeding area for game animals . Climate . As with the other lands that surrounded it , the Sea of Fallen Stars produced rainfall and moderate temperatures in the Vast , warming it in winter and keeping it moist and green . Thus the Vast experienced a mild climate all year , with its summers long and cool , and its winters short and clement , though the Dragon Reach could ice over . Fauna . Animals commonly found in the forests and mountainsides were boar , deer and black - masked bear s . These were a favorite of local hunters and local inns . There was supposedly a kind of rabbit living in the Brynwood that was capable of whistling like a canary . Locations . In its history , the Vast was home to several large cities , each thriving ports . Some were incredibly old and well established , such as the fallen elven city of Ylraphon , the enduring dwarven city of Earthfast , and the human cities of Procampur and Tsurlagol , among the first settled by humans in the Heartlands . Others were veritable newcomers , such as the brief dwarven city of Sarbreen , and the later human cities of Calaunt , Tantras , and Ravens Bluff . Demographics . The peoples of the Vast were diverse and mixed . It was once home to orc s , goblinoid s , and dwarves , and later settled by a variety of human immigrants . Represented were : Chondathan and Damaran humans ; shield dwarves ; elves and even avariel s ; halfling s ; gnome s ; orc s , half - orc s , and gray orc s ; and goblin s , hobgoblin s , and bugbear s . As of 1372 DR , the Vast was home to 1 , 308 , 960 people : 78 % human , 9 % dwarf , 5 % halfling , 3 % elf , 2 % gnome , 1 % half - elf and 1 % half - orc . Of the human population , 63 % were Damaran , 33 % were Chondathan , and 3 % were Vaasan . The human population was a blend of Damaran and Chondathan immigrants , predominantly Damaran . However , those Damarans who lived south of the Earthfast Mountains mostly resembled their Chondathan neighbors . They were of the same heritage as the Cormyr eans , Dalesman , and Sembia ns , whom they considered kin . Etymology & Languages . The true source of the name " the Vast " was lost to history , but most sage s thought it derived from " Vastar " , the name of the ancient orc kingdom that once dominated the land . The people of the Vast spoke the Easting language , with both Procampan and Tantran dialects , which was related to the Damaran language . Governments . There was no overall government or leader in the Vast , and no capital city . Instead , it was divided up by a number of city - states and feudal holdings . The cities were mostly governed by councils made up of landowners and wealthy merchants , or dominated by ex - adventurer s . These city - states were independent , and stayed that way by varying degrees of diplomacy , tolerance of their neighbors , and military power . Eventually , however , the formerly independent city - states of Calaunt , Ravens Bluff , and Tantras united in the nation of Vesperin , a young country by 1479 DR . Its capital was at Tantras , and it was ruled by the Golden Lord s there , but gold was more influential than government . Vesperin remained neutral with regard to international politics , becoming a meeting place for agents of other powers and thick with intrigue . Business & Economy . The peoples of the Vast produced and exported metals of copper , iron , nickel and silver , farm produce like grain and livestock , and parchment and textiles . The Vast also imported much grain from Thay , so much so it was practically fed by Thay . Many travelers declared that the finest inns in the Vast were not those in the cities or in the Vast itself , but on the roads linking to the Vast to the outside . The best was said to be The Wizard ' s Hand in Maskyr ' s Eye , followed by The Worried Wyvern in Sevenecho and The Elf in Armor in High Haspur . These were among the best in Faerûn . By 1479 DR , with the decline of Impiltur and Sembia , the nation of Vesperin in the Vast had become a center for trade in the region . However , it was also rife with corruption and crime . People . The humans of the Vast , by culture and custom , were more or less similar to those of Cormyr , Sembia , the Dalelands , with all of whom they shared a common heritage , and even those of faraway Waterdeep . Thus they considered themselves more closely related and to have more in common with their neighbors west across the Dragon Reach than those of the east over the Earthspur Mountains . Though largely of Damaran roots , the culture of the Vast had less of a lawful bent and more closely followed Chondathan ways . By and large , they were characterized as adventurers , explorers , and pioneers , known for a spirit of adventure , daring and opportunity for growth and advancement , more so than anywhere else in Faerûn . They were an honest and optimistic people . Here it seemed that all the monsters and enemies of the Moonsea and other neighboring lands were more easily defeated , while the heroes won out more often . Nevertheless , the people of the Vast remained diverse and wide - ranging , with the cities of Calaunt , Procampur , Ravens Bluff , Tantras , and Tsurlagol all quite different , from each other and from the rural communities . They usually preferred to keep to themselves , satisfied with their own homes and lives . Each person considered themselves as one with the land they lived on and were loyal first and foremost to their local community . Country folk in particular just wanted to get the job done without hassle , and so they viewed cities as dangerous or dodgy or both . Procampur was thought to be dominated by status and age . Tantras was considered " god - ridden " , suspicious and unfriendly . Calaunt was said to be evil , full of thieves and ruled by arrogant fools ; people who acted arrogant and foolish were labeled " Calaunt - heads " or told to " go back to Calaunt " . Ravens Bluff seemed to be both , full of religion and thieves , and colorful , dangerous and chaotic too . Their neighbors in Sembia , Cormyr , and the Dalelands were generally viewed with compassion by both country and city folk alike , both as allies and as business partners . King Azoun IV was highly regarded for his efforts during the Horde Wars . Opinions were much lower of the Moonsea lands , said to be home to misers , cheats and spies ; Mulmaster in particular was the great evil in the north , as disliked and feared as Zhentil Keep was to Shadowdale . Across the Inner Sea , the Dragon Coast cities were considered lawless and the origin of the pirates that raided the Vast . Regardless , they liked to hear a bard tell news about realms outside their own , mainly for its entertainment value . They also loved to hear a ballad , whether a new or an old , oft - told one . Folk all over the the Vast made bards and minstrel s welcome , treating them as honored guests and new friends . For their entertainment , they were well paid and well fed . Many who toured Cormyr , the Dalelands , Sembia , and the Vast preferred the last for these reasons . Adventurers . Adventurer s were similarly welcome , for they brought gold , magic , and tales from their travels . The Vast was famously a place where adventurers could earn a reputation or make something of themselves . Tales told of poor guards becoming heroes and going on to become town council members , or of starving beggars striking it rich discovering buried treasure and becoming wealthy and respectable . Some cities of the Vast were even ruled by adventurers . No person suffered from a past reputation provided they made an effort to improve themselves . All that was needed was gold and great achievements . The country folk , however , tended to be more reserved towards adventurers that trekked through their fields and risked causing trouble . Such adventurers were often folk who were quick to act and a little pushy , and who often won through by pluck , determination , or dumb luck . A fair number came from wealthy merchant families . Adventurers tended to vary by their home city and trade , but in general shared some broad characteristics . In keeping with the general Vast attitude , adventuring warriors of the Vast tended to be optimistic and enthusiastic , undeterred by tales of adventurers meeting sorry ends . They were daring , willing to stand up to any challenge . Many youngsters of the Vast were drawn to this kind of life . However , little distinguished them visually from adventuring warriors Faerûn - over . These warriors preferred reliable , practical , and oft - used armor and weaponry , with simple clothing and heavy cape or cloak , and a little jewelry and other decoration . Spiked banded mail was a common choice of armor . Wizard s of the Vast were described as grand , charismatic and even glamorous people . Whether in success or in disaster , they always planned ahead to gain or regain wealth and status . They preferred comfortable clothing that was both practical when adventuring and suitable for a visit to a palace . They did enjoy jewelry and similar accessories , but no more than was tasteful . The Vast ' s rogues , thieves , and scoundrels , meanwhile , were eager and willing to do anything , and almost recklessly brave — an attitude that as often as not got them into danger as well as out . They were high - spirited and good - humored even in the face of doom , and were described as masters of graveyard humor . They often dressed in dandy clothing to stand out , with flowing capes , feathered caps , fancy frills , and a range of bright colors , though they eschewed apparel that was too encumbering or weakened their defenses . The Sublime Way found one of its greatest homes in western Faerûn in the Vast , where the traditions of blade magic remained strong . The White Raven discipline was created in the Vast and the great Reshar learned it there . The discipline of the Devoted Spirit was called " Ancestral Sword " in the Vast , in respect to the great blade magicians of old . Many wandering warriors in the Vast practiced blade magic , with a few dedicated Masters of Nine . Sword temples were found in the cities of Procampur , Ravens Bluff , and Tantras , each with crusader orders , such as the Trueblades and the Knights of the White Raven . Customs & Culture . For the dangers of the wilderness , the people of the Vast commonly went armed , especially outside the cities and in the rural areas . Such weapons were simple and practical , however , usually a knife , sling , or staff . As soon as a child was allowed away from their parents , they could have a sling or a knife in their belt . For the country folk , hunting was a way of life and game was plentiful . Most hunts were carried out in the woodlands , on foot by a few archers or a handful of people equipped with club s , dagger s , and spear s ; the former method , though it took more skill , left the prey in better shape . On hills and wooded mountainsides , hunts were conducted by large bands with better weapons , lest the hunters find themselves the prey of orcs , bandits , or monsters . In wildernesses plagued by monsters , this form of hunting was the norm . Favorite prey animals were boar , deer , and even bear , and these were roasted and served in many inns . The Vast was famous for its roast stag , with succulent , high - quality meat of great size . A local tradition was to serve the roast stag on several large platters , including the entire rack of antlers on the first tray , accompanying the finest cuts and sweetmeats . There were a few local festivals unique to the Vast , celebrated across the land but with more enthusiasm in the countryside communities than in the big cities . These were : Religion . The people of the Vast tolerated a wide number of faiths , and all of the most popular human faiths were represented there . The most important were those of Chauntea , Eldath and Torm , followed by Mystra , Tempus , Tymora , Umberlee , and Waukeen . Tymora , Tempus and Waukeen were known as the " traveler ' s gods " and they had shrine s across the land . Other gods also had shrines across the Vast , along with a few temple s , mainly in the big cities . Waukeen ' s temples declined following her disappearance in 1358 DR , but were expected to quickly recover when she returned in 1370 DR . Dwarves of the Vast commonly followed Clangeddin Silverbeard . The fallen dwarven realm of Roldilar left behind a number of boulders along the North Road , each carved with the symbol of Clangeddin . Many human warriors of the Vast honored both Tempus and Clangeddin before going into battle in the mountains . The cities of the Vast , especially Ravens Bluff , were centers of worship for halfling followers of Brandobaris . Adventures . Though some of its cities were extremely old and standing on the first settled lands in modern times , much of the Vast in the mid – 14th century had only been taken from the native orcs within the last few generations and was just beginning to be settled and civilized . Thus in many places it remained wild , lawless , and unexplored , and so for professional adventurers it was a hotspot for adventure . The land was once ruled by orcs and goblins , in the nation of Vastar , but they were steadily pushed out of power by the dwarves and humans . By the mid – 14th century , great numbers of them still inhabited the mountains , unexplored caves , and distant corners of the land . They were confined in such places , but not defeated . Orcs and dwarves still warred for control of the mountains . Although rare , orcish raiders in the lowlands were dangerous enough and common enough , especially in the winter months , to force human settlers to stick to the coasts . However , barring catastrophes , they were unlikely to dislodge human rule from the Vast . There were several common lures for adventurers from all around the Realms , such as the intrigues and disputes between rival factions , or the number of dwarven ruins and their rumored treasure vaults . Tales of treasure were everywhere in the Vast , small and large , old and new , safe and dangerous . Even young , powerful and wicked mages from lands like Thay and elsewhere journeyed to the Vast for inscrutable persons , perhaps seeking treasure , old magic , or to meet with dark forces . The Vast acquired a reputation as a place where some secrets were better off left undisturbed , where some things were best left buried in the mountains and deep caves . History . Ancient history . In ancient times , agents of the Elven Court of Cormanthor made contact with the dwarves of Sarphil in the lands later known as the Vast . Desiring to maintain control over the forests there , the Elven Court warred against the dwarves to stop them expanding to the surface . But after the elves saved the dwarves from being defeated by orcs , the two sides negotiated on the Vast ' s battlefields around −6400 DR . They made a tenuous alliance , but it lasted 2000 years , and each prospered from trade of goods and information . Some time after −5005 DR , Jhaamdath began expanding over the Inner Sea and settled colonies in the Vast , among other lands . These brought trade goods and prestige to the empire . Elves from Cormanthor went beyond the River Lis to found Yrlaphon in the northern Vast in −1535 DR . After drow raiders weakened its defenses in the winter of −722 DR , Yrlaphon fell to orc hordes in the summer . The ancient minotaur kingdom of Grong - Haap ( −981 to −350 DR ) once encroached upon the northern highlands of the Vast . Vastar and the Jhaamdathan colonization . The orc kingdom of Vastar rose " circa " −700 DR . It was in place across the land in −626 DR . The history of Vastar was a turbulent one , with frequent coups , bloody civil wars , constant strife , and regular attacks and counter - attacks against their neighbors and other creatures who lived in their land . Every dozen years , a horde would form in the summer , steal or build ships , and sail south over the Inner Sea to raid . Their survivors rarely returned , instead spreading south . For their shipbuilding efforts , the orcs cut down the great forests of the land . When they ran out of timber , they went over the Dragon Reach and over the River Lis to take what they wanted from Cormanthor , but were more often slaughtered by the elves . They made several such invasions by sea and land . During the reign of King Glaurath the Great of Westgate ( −301 – −291 DR ) , thieves stole the royal treasury of Westgate and fled by ship to the Vast . They anchored at the spot where the city of Procampur would later lie , and went up into the Earthfast Mountains , pursued by Westgate ' s forces , until both sides were annihilated by a thousand local orcs in a mountain pass . On the southern side of the Inner Sea , the empire of Jhaamdath fell beneath a great wave in the Year of Furious Waves , −255 DR . A wave of refugees — later known as the Chondathan people — crossed the Inner Sea to colonize the lands of Impiltur , Thesk and the Vast south of the Earthfast Mountains , becoming among the first lands on the north coast to be settled by humans . After occupying these lands , " circa " −200 DR , their descendants migrated westward from Impiltur and the Vast to cross the Dragon Reach and settle Sembia , Cormyr and the Dalelands , in time giving rise to those realms . Dwarves from Earthfast founded the underground town of Proeskampalar in the Year of the Starry Shroud , −153 DR . That same year , it was joined by descendants of the Jhaamdathan refugees , who also settled there . It later became known as Procampur . More founded the city of Chessagol , later known as Tsurlagol , in the Year of Enchanted Hearts , −72 DR . When human s first dominated the Vast , Sendrin was settled in the remote Vast , along with a temple to Savras . With Savras then commonly seen as a wise user of magic rather than just a diviner , Sendrin became a mecca for wizard s , despite its remoteness . However , when Azuth defeated Savras and supplanted him as god of magic before or after the Dawn Cataclysm , Azuth ' s followers sacked and destroyed the Savran temple of Sendrin . The wizards stopped coming , and those who ' d serviced them — scribes , component sellers , tailors , healers , escorts — gradually left . The community they ' d made went mobile , becoming the travelling Magefair . In the Year of Cold Clashes , 331 DR , the orcs of Vastar launched a surprise attack on Cormanthyr , and occupied a portion of the lands east of the Old Elven Court . They solidified their forces in the area over the next few years . It wasn ' t until the Year of the Vanished Foe , 339 DR , that the occupying orcs were routed by combined elvish and human forces . In the early 5th century DR , King Meldath I of Impiltur led a conquest of the Vast and other nearby lands , turning Proeskampalar and Chessagol into vassal city - states . In the Year of the Wyvernfall , 512 DR , Vastar was on the rampage again , with orc hordes from here and other strongholds emerging and threatening Cormanthyr and many other lands with war . The orc chieftain Ulbror marched his horde through many small passes in the Earthspur Mountains and invaded Impiltur . The orcs slew King Sharaun Mirandor , his three heirs and their army , killing off the Mirandor dynasty . Ulbror and the orcs were defeated later that year in the Battle of Bloody Reeds . Ologh the Overking of Vastar was killed by the black dragon Iyrauroth in the Year of Writhing Darkness , 572 DR , leaving his throne at the Hollow Mountain vacant . Vastar descended into civil war as orcish factions battled for control across the land . Meanwhile , underground , dwarves from the north and east expanded their mines into the mountains of Vastar , making silent war upon the orcs . After eight bloody years , the orc Grimmerfang won the civil war and seized the Hollow Mountain — now called Mount Grimmerfang — in the Year of the Loose Coins , 580 DR , ending warfare amongst the orcs of Vastar , at least for a short time . However , the dwarves continued to encroach from the west , spreading underground and applying increasing pressure on the orcs . Vastar also suffered repeated defeats to the elves . Working with humans and elves , the dwarves developed orcslayer blades and then surged out of the mountains to slaughter the orcs and defeat Grimmerfang . Vastar fell in the Year of the Spellfire , 610 DR , while the survivors were driven north and south into the mountain peaks . Roldilar , the Realm of Glimmering Swords . The victorious dwarves claimed the surface lands for themselves and that same year they founded Roldilar , the Realm of Glimmering Swords , under Deep King Tuir Stonebeard , who ruled from Mount Grimmerfang . They began construction of a secure trading center , Sarbreen , around the Year of the Normiir , 611 DR . The Roldilarren dwarves set to work trading with other nations and developing their new land , by building stone towers and importing livestock . Their logging industry cleared forests for miles and they attempted large - scale agriculture . Roldilarren dwarves ruled the Vast while the orcs and goblinoids were driven out and subdued , but others soon immigrated to the developing land . Gnomes and halflings seeking opportunity joined the dwarves in their farming efforts . At that time , humans were few in number north of the Sea of Fallen Stars , but a few bold and cautious folk came to explore and settle . In the Year of the Costly Gift , 645 DR , the human archmage Maskyr paid his right eye to King Tuir for the vale called Maskyr ' s Eye . Others followed , and this marked the beginning of permanent human settlement in the Vast beyond the southern coast . Their arrival prompted King Tuir to declare that humans would be allowed to come only so far into the mountains and no further , at a point marked by the town of King ' s Reach . Ironically , in some parts , humans and elves lived in the mountains alongside orcs and worse neighbors , as the dwarves controlled the lowlands . There they built their tombs and strongholds . Among these settlers , two Sembia n merchants explored the dwarven - held lands , seeking a trade - route from the dwarven mines down to the River Vesper . To that end , the North Road was laid through Three Trees Pass , linking Kurth and King ' s Reach . Humans waged costly battles against the orcs of the mountains to control the pass , but were successful . Roldilar enjoyed only forty years of peace before its power waned . In that time , the orcs had replenished their numbers and recovered their strength . Above and below ground , vast hordes of orcs engulfed Roldilar in the the Year of the Bloody Crown , 649 DR . Drow also struck from the subterranean ways . Deep King Tuir led the dwarven armies against those of the orcs and goblins , but they were defeated at Viperstongue Ford over the River Vesper . Roldilar ' s defenses were broken , and the dwarves retreated to Mount Grimmerfang . After the Battle of Deepfires beneath the mountain , Roldilar fell in 649 DR . The Roldilarren dwarves , however , were saved from total extinction by their human and elven allies . The elven warrior Beluar and his forces won a great victory against the orcs , routing them at Viperstongue Ford . This delayed the end of Roldilar . Dwarven refugees of Roldilar retreated , many going to other lands . Roldilar was the last dwarven realm to claim the surface lands of the Vast or dominate there , as of 1370 DR . The Time of Glorious Fools . The humans settlers , however , stayed to fight the orcs and hold onto the land they now called home . Others moved quickly to exploit the power vacuum . The Impilturan royalty had a long - standing policy of encouraging its lesser nobles — those not set to inherit any land — to settle new lands beyond their borders . Before the year 649 DR was out , these Impilturan nobles led a wave of immigration west into the Vast . Many more , however , left overcrowding in the Vilhon Reach to cross the Inner Sea and settle the Vast south of the Fire River . Here , they made a foothold from which they could expand , growing populous with high immigration and birthrates . They quickly absorbed the former , settled inhabitants , the dwarves , gnomes , and halflings . They advanced swiftly over the Vast , finding a war - torn land where orcs ruled , and troll s , leucrotta , and other creatures had left the mountains and flourished by preying upon dead and dying dwarves and orcs . They fought them frequently , and steadily pushed them all out of the lowlands and into the hills and mountains once more . Many adventurers rose out of these conflicts , folk who sought impossible odds and made desperate assaults , and miraculously won as often as they were slaughtered . Thus local bards named this " the Time of Glorious Fools " , a period that some said continued well on into the 14th century . The most successful adventurers were those who won both gold and fame for their great deeds . Such adventuring bands set themselves up in keeps , with mounted warriors , minor battle - mages , and priests of Helm or Tempus , and promised to protect local farmers from raids in exchange for a " shield tax " , though they were often too late to help . As they expanded , the human settlers cleared land for their farms , erected low fieldstone walls to divide their fields , and built good roads . These eventually linked Procampur and Tsurlagol on the Inner Sea to Mulmaster by the Moonsea . Farmers then enjoyed bountiful harvests for several years . The settlers went on to open up the more accessible mines , and grew more prosperous . Seeking agricultural produce , trading vessels came from Aglarond , Impiltur , Sembia , and Westgate , and they sold goods like quality cloth and iron work , locks , and weapon s . The harbors of the Vast , Calaunt , Sarbreen , and Tantras — once landing spots for immigrants and rest stops for pirates — were developed as trade ports . This all cemented human habitation of the Vast . As they settled the coastline , the ruins of Sarbreen remained dangerous but the Fire River was useful as a waterway into the interior . Local farmers and merchants gathered instead at the Fire River Bridge , later the settlement of Mossbridges . Thus , there were two paths to lordship for the folk of the Vast . On the one hand were big farmers who ' d earned their fortunes , bought up surrounding land and their fellows , and called themselves lords and ladies . On the other were retired adventurers who ' d won wealth and power , built strongholds and gathered their own followers , and could call themselves what they liked . Some of the farmer lords were themselves retired adventurers , while others were deposed by adventurers looking to retire . Ravens Bluff was established as a city over the remains of Sarbreen , in the Year of the Horn , 1222 DR . The mid – 13th century saw the Vast once again suffer rampaging hordes of orcs , goblins , hobgoblin s , and bugbear s , supplemented by some human brigands and half - breed rogues . In the Year of Burning Steel , 1246 DR , the orc warlord Fottergrim and the magelord Archlis led a mixed horde of them in an invasion and take - over of Tsurlagol . Procampur sent an army to besiege and liberate the city . Fottergrim and Archlis were slain , Procampur ' s armies were victorious , and Tsurlagol was liberated . Fottergrim ' s silver - plated skull was mounted on a pillar halfway between the two cities with a warning against threatening Procampur ' s allies . In the mid - 13th century ( " i . e . " , over a century before the 1360s DR ) , a hobgoblin horde marched near Procampur . It was defeated with the aid of the mage Snilloc , who earned some fame for his actions here . Also sometime around the mid – 13th century DR , the forests in the northern Vast began sinking into swampland , becoming the Flooded Forest . In the Year of Beckoning Death , 1253 DR , plague struck the Vast , as well Cormyr and Sembia . The terrifying red dragon Halarglautha Firewings had rampaged across the lands of the Vast south of the River Vesper , particularly along the Fire River . The flaming destruction she inflicted on dwarf , human , and orc settlements here apparently gave the Fire River its name . Her reign of terror ended when she was slain by a band of human adventurers in the late 13th century . By 1294 DR , much of the Vast was again wilderness , lawless , and plagued by monsters . The Magister of the time , Inhil " Hurler - of - Stars " Lauthdryn , went into the Vast wilderness to find , defeat , and bring to justice rogue archmages of Calaunt and Ravens Bluff . Inhil ' s remains were later found , slain but apparently successful in his quest . Modern History . In the Year of the Wandering Wyrm , 1317 DR , the Plague of Dragons quickly spread around the Inner Sea from the Vilhon Reach to Impiltur and Tsurlagol . The priests of Procampur feared that their city would be the next to suffer the diseases and the dragon that spread them . The Time of Troubles . During the Time of Troubles , in the Year of Shadows , 1358 DR , skeleton s rose from their graves to take over the town of Hlintar . Refugees from Hlintar and other chaos - stricken areas fled to Calaunt , Ravens Bluff , and Tantras . The god Torm the True manifested in the city of Tantras and took up residence there , while his faithful persecuted those of other gods . Torm eventually discovered their crimes and punished them for it . Then the god Bane the Black Lord arrived to take one of Tablets of Fate , which he ' d hidden in the city . In a titanic battle in the harbor , Torm fought Bane , and absorbed the souls of thousands of his willing faithful there to strengthen himself . In the end , both gods slew one another , and left parts of the city destroyed , depopulated , and in a massive dead - magic zone . Torm did not take the children of the faithful , however , leaving a generation of orphans known as the Martyr ' s Progeny . The god Talos the Destroyer visited Tsurlagol , and was there at the conclusion of the crisis on the 15th Marpenoth . Calaunt suffered great strife of its own , producing its own displaced peoples . Looting mobs of refugees from Calaunt , together with those from Tantras and Mulmaster , wandered the Vast . Meanwhile , in the southern Vast , many wealthy merchants of Procampur and Tsurlagol fled to their country houses in the town of Maerstar . However , they were harassed by the mobs , who ' d also come through Maerstar , and some were killed . Recent History . With the Horde Wars in east and northeastern Faerûn over 1359 – 1360 DR , a wave of refugees and immigrants fled west into Impiltur and the Vast and over the Inner Sea . The Tuigan Horde was expected to overrun Thesk and Impiltur and then the Vast , before continuing east . King Azoun IV of Cormyr called for a crusade against the Tuigan Horde in the Year of the Turret , 1360 DR . The dwarf city of Earthfast was the first to join and this helped sway other allies to the cause . Tantras and Ravens Bluff sent envoys to Azoun ' s council on Tarsakh 10 , and between them contributed 4 , 000 volunteer soldiers , as well as wizards , to the crusade . Meanwhile , the nobles of Procampur , such as Duke Jozul Piniago , contributed to , and profiteered off , the crusade by selling supplies to the army . Although sahaugin raids increased all around the Inner Sea in the Year of the Gauntlet , 1369 DR , the ports of the Vast on the eastern Dragon Reach were inexplicably spared , leaving only the usual activity . One night in the Year of the Tankard , 1370 DR , pirates launched a surprise attack on the harbor of Ravens Bluff . Crippled by the assault , the city ' s navy was annihilated by subsequent setbacks . On that same night , in the backlands of the Vast , the Warlord Myrkyssa Jelan arose at the head of an army of orcs , ogre s , giant s , drow and human mercenaries , mages , and even demon s . They marched against Ravens Bluff , demanded the city ' s surrender , then assaulted and lay siege to the city and surrounding estates , demolishing buildings and ruining the land . This war dragged on for half the year and Ravens Bluff came close to defeat . The Vast was among those lands covered by the Tyrantfog of 9 – 11 Mirtul of 1370 DR , stretching as far east as Tsurlagol . Under the fog , Cyric worshippers were afflicted with terrible diseases , while followers of Iyachtu Xvim were strengthened . Finally , items and beings filled with Bane ' s power were destroyed , and banelich es hidden in Tantras exploded . The Tyrantfog then burned away in green flame . In the summer of 1370 DR , the forces of Ravens Bluff rallied and confronted those of Myrkyssa Jelan , and her war ended in the six - day - long Battle of Fire River . By its end , Myrkyssa Jelan ' s army had been defeated , its combatants slain or routed , but the Warlord herself had escaped . Ravens Bluff survived , but with a quarter of its army killed or injured , its fleet gone , and no means of support , but the Ravenians pulled through and rebuilt . Later that year , Myrkyssa Jelan reappeared with another army , likely the remnants or reserves of her first , and this time marched on Tantras . She demanded the city ' s surrender , else she ' d raze it to the ground . The Tantran High Council met with the Warlord , and they came to some agreement . The terms of this were unknown , but Jelan ' s army withdrew without attacking . Tantras had requested aid from Procampur and Ravens Bluff , but by the time this arrived , Jelan ' s army had faded into the mountains . Later in 1370 DR , Ravens Bluff proposed the formation of a regional government in the Vast . They started by taking neighboring settlements under its control , such as Mossbridges and New Hope , and thus turned Ravens Bluff into a city - state . Procampur remained neutral on the plan , preferring to wait - and - see , while Tantras strongly rejected the proposal . Local lords were unwilling to place themselves under civic authority , while others disliked being annexed , but merchants and many ordinary folk felt it would only improve prosperity of the Vast . Through 1370 DR , there was strange news of dark goings - on in the Vast . Some unknown being , organization , or power had paid regular visits to the tombs of powerful undead creatures — and cleaned them . Another had deposited horrifying deepspawn in several old ruins to dwell there . Though adventurers and local folk kept a lookout , these bizarre practices continued and remained unexplained . Furthermore , some adventurers had found and explored old tunnel networks once used by dwarves and orcs . They disturbed orcs and more dangerous creatures , which ventured out of the mountains to hunt adventurers themselves . These made the Vast a more dangerous land for heroes . Strange monsters also began lurking in numbers around the Flooded Forest ' s southern marshes , including owlbear s , stirge s , and strange unknown creatures , threatening hunters from Ylraphon . By Midsummer of 1372 DR , rumors spread that a powerful mercenary commander in the Vast was gathering an army of hired soldiers and adventurers . Their plan was , apparently , to capture the town of Scardale over the Dragon Reach , which would be a valuable holding for any Vast city . It was unknown who was behind this venture ; some thought merchants in Calaunt or Tantras . During the Dracorage of the Year of Rogue Dragons , 1373 , on Hammer 23rd a flight of dragons destroyed Ylraphon . Post - Spellplague . A regional government was eventually formed in the Vast , as the formerly independent city - states of Calaunt , Ravens Bluff , and Tantras united in the nation of Vesperin . It was still a young nation by 1479 DR . Tantras was named its capital . When the second Netheril took over Sembia around 1400 DR , many Sembian merchants migrated to Vesperin . The majority of them settled in Ravens Bluff , making it the largest city in the nation . The Netherese rulers eventually cracked down on Sembian migration , killing would - be refugees who tried to cross to the Vast . With Sembia dominated , Impiltur in decline , and the influx of migrants , Vesperin flourished as a neutral center of trade and intrigue .