River Shaar

The River Shaar was a significant body of water in the land of Shaar and was the largest river in the Underdark.
==Geography==
The River Shaar originated from the Riftlake in the Great Rift, an icy-cold body of clear fresh water. It moved a short distance along its valley floor in a snake-like pattern, until ending abruptly at the Great Rift's northern end, abruptly plunging down a gorge deep into the Great Bhaerynden region of the Underdark. This waterfall was known as the Deepfall.
Thousands of feet below the surface, it winded along a subterranean route for over ,The sourcebooks Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Underdark both state that distance is , but the later published Shining South gives a distance of . along the way passing through various caverns, fissures, and subterranean lakes. It eventually emerged emerged once more on the surface through a broad cavern set into the base of the Landrise, a great cliff face that divided the Shaar.
Out from the Landrise, the River Shaar winded its way west across the lower Shaar, cutting a wide but gentle course that was relatively shallow, with many fords along its lengths. As it began its passage by the Shaarwood, the River Pelevar fed into it. Eventually after passing by the Shaarwood, the River Shaar widened out into a body of water known as Lake Lhespen, and from there it flowed south into the Shaareach Forest. In the middle of that wooded section of the Channath Vale it merged with the River Channath to form the River Talar.
===Flora & Fauna===
Some fish could be found swimming through the River Shaar. These were most of the channel variety and bottom feeders, the type of fish that preferred its sluggish currents.
==Description==
The waters of the River Shaar notably retained the icy cold and crystal clear quality of the Riftlake, going uncontaminated throughout its journey from Riftlake to the Landrise. The river also flowed strongly year round, being one of the few in the Shaar that didn't severely dwindle during the hottest time of the year.
==Reputation==
Many of the nomadic tribes that inhabited the Shaar relied upon the river for sustenance. Beneath the surface, gold dwarves channeled some of the River Shaar's water into their Deep Realm for the purposes of drinking, sluicing in their mines, and as a means of providing them an easier means of transportation through parts of the Great Bhaerynden. They made a concerted effort not to contaminate its waters with the waste products of their forges, taking great pride in doing so.
==History==
Over the years the River Shaar wore away caves it passed through in the Underdark, carving out a tremendous maze-like network.
In the , numerous towns that stood along the River Shaar and Lake Lhespen revolted against the puppet rulers that had been installed by the Shoon Imperium and the imperial garrisons that backed them.In Empires of the Shining Sea the date for this event is given as 436 DR, whilst all subsequent publications list it as 435 DR. At first glance this could be considered a dating error, however, the original source also stated that the towns were "...free from the Imperium's rule for the next two years", yet placed the timing of the Seven Burnings Campaign as only one year later. With this is mind, the change of date in Serpent Kingdoms and Shining South corrects for this. These colonies were first to defy the rule of distant Shoonach and ultimately won their freedom, slaughtering their puppet rulers and their soldiers. However, this state of independence would be short lived, as two years later in the ruling Qysar Amahl Shoon VII sent seventeen troop ships to quell the uprising, thus beginning the Seven Burnings Campaign.
==Notable Locations==
* Dunsel Trail, a trade route that crossed over the River Shaar.
* Lake Lhesphen
* The Landrise
* Trader's Way
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===References===
FR:Fleuve Shaar
Category:Locations on the River Talar
Category:Locations on the Riftlake
Category:Locations in the Shaarwood
Category:Locations in the Shaareach Forest
Category:Locations in the Shaareach
Category:Locations in Underhome
Category:Locations in the Great Rift
Category:Locations on the Trader's Way
Category:Locations on Lake Lhespen
Category:Locations on the Landrise
Category:Locations in the Shaar
Category:Locations in South Faerûn
Category:Locations in Great Bhaerynden
Category:Locations in the Underdark
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril