High Forest The High Forest is a remnant of the days of old , when all of Faerûn was covered in green and elves , giant s and dragon s ruled the world . The forest is a vast region of old forest growth bounded by the Nether Mountains in the north and the High Moor to the south . To the west is found the Evermoors and to the east the vast desert of Anauroch . The eastern border of the High Forest butts up against Delimbiyr Vale through which flows the Delimbiyr River . What lies within this deep forest is somewhat of a mystery , and few travel there to explore its depths . The more notable locations in the forest include the majestic Star Mounts — providing the headwaters of the Unicorn Run and the Heartblood River ; the Lost Peaks in the northwest that form the headwaters of the Dessarin River ; the fabled Grandfather Tree ; the Dire Wood in the east ; as well as many dungeons , ruins , abandoned settlements , and mysterious locales . The southern slopes of the legendary Star Mounts contain the Endless Caverns , which are said to be home to dragons and to connect to the Underdark . To the south of the caverns is the Stronghold of the Nine , an abandoned dwarven site now apparently claimed by elves . East of the mounts and south of the Heartblood River , is the ruined Netherese city of Karse . The region of forest within the wide bend of the Heartblood River is called the Dire Wood , where a great massacre once took place . Strange supernatural phenomena originate from this place , and it is home to two lich es by the name of Wulgreth . At the northern end of the High Forest is an area called Turlang ' s Wood , a place where the forest is continuing to expand thanks to the tending of a band of treants . At the northeast tip of the forest , their efforts have sealed off Hellgate Keep , the site of a deadly battle with a powerful demon named Kanyrr Vhok . Geographical features . Mountains . These impressive and forbidding peaks are located in the centre of the High Forest , though on clear days their snow covered summits , which are higher than even those of the Spine of the World can be seen from beyond the Forest ' s borders , as far away as the Stone Bridge , or the mountains around the Shining Falls , north of Loudwater . This puts the Star Mounts among the highest , if not " the " highest , of Faerûn ' s mountain ranges , only being rivalled by the Yehimal range , which themselves may not strictly be considered a part of the continent of Faerûn . These two small mountains at the northwest corner of the forest are home to centaur s , satyr s . and other fey . The Fountains of Memory located on the high plateaus reflect views of the past instead of their normal surroundings . As far as anyone can tell , beings who enter the pools in an attempt to return to those past time instead teleport to random destinations . Rivers . This tributary of the Delimbiyr finds its source on the north face of the Star Mounts and winds its way east and south through the Dire Wood , where it gains its name from the red tinge its waters take on as it passes the ruined city of Karse . By the time it joins the Delimbiyr , its waters have returned once more to a normal hue . It is said that drinking from the waters when they still flow red can grant an increase to magical powers , or help stave off adverse magical effects . The red colour has been attributed simply to soil deposits picked up as the river passes through the Dire Wood . However , other sources mention contamination from the blood of the still beating heart of the dead god Karsus . Flowing down from the Star Mounts in the High Forest to the valley of the River Delimbiyr , the Unicorn Run is known for its hundreds of waterfalls , whitewater rapids , the fey communities that migrate along its banks and the occasional sightings of the creatures that gave the river its name . Other Notable Areas . This region is one place where the forest is continuing to expand due to the efforts of a band of treant s . A ring of completely albino oak trees surrounds the hills in the eastern High Forest . Inside the outer ring of pale oaks stands a thicker ring of blackened and petrified trees . Within the rings , normal trees and heavy undergrowth are mixed with petrified trees , all sprouting from reddish soil . History . Long ago , when the elves truly ruled Faerûn , the kingdom of Eaerlann held sway in the High Forest . Eaerlann fell in 882 DR when Ascalhorn became Hellgate Keep . Soon after the elves began to slip away from the High Forest , embarking on their Retreat . Inhabitants . Among the known inhabitants of the woods are the aarakocra among the Star Mountains , centaurs , dragons , drow , a few elves and human s , gnome s , korred s , gnoll s , orc s , pegasi , pixie s , satyrs , treants , and unicorn s . The few humans who dwell here are generally ranger s , druid s , or adventurers used to surviving in wild environments . Trade with the outside world is infrequent , as the forest is self - sufficient and its resources provide for the inhabitants . The forest is not ruled by any one group , but instead contains many forces and groups in competition . The most powerful of these are the treants led by Turlang . Wood elves are growing in numbers and seek to reestablish the kingdom of Eaerlann . Standing in their way , however , are the innumerable tribes of orcs , gnolls , and an alliance of demon - spawned elves from Hellgate Keep . Referential Irregularities . In the " " , the High Forest is recorded as being " up to 500 miles across , and is considered the greatest forest in Faerûn , covering nearly 20 % of the lands of what is called the " Savage Frontier " " . However in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting , due to the ' squishing ' of the original realms map , the High Forest is shown as being about 160 miles across .