Crags

The Crags, also referred to as the Crag Mountains, were a series of hills, broken mounds, and mountains found on the Sword Coast North region of the North.
==Description==
The stretch of hills and mounds known as the Crags resembled a stitched wound of Toril's flesh. These flattened steppes and mounds transformed into a true mountain range as the elevations extended outward beyond its origin point.
In the past, many mines were located within the crags, though they died and were worked out over time. Afterwards they became home to various creatures, including numerous species of goblinoids.
==Geography==
The Crags extended northeast out of Neverwinter Wood, situated some ways south south of Mirabar, and north of Neverwinter itself.
===Geographical Features===
The landscape of the Crags was desolate and its terrain was quite harsh. There were however several pools of meltwater found among its upper reaches. Long-abandoned pit traps still remained in the clefts between the peaks of the Crags.
The Crags' most notable geographical landmark appeared after the hills of the Crags gradually grew to form true mountains. The volcanic Mount Hotenow remained inert for centuries, but once erupted, changed the face of the surrounding landscape for decades afterwards.
A network of caverns could be found within the depths of the Crags. One of these caverns housed a two-way portal connecting to the Kyorlamshin temple of Lolth within the Underdark.
==History==
During the era of the First Flowering, the Crags marked the western boundary of the magnificent dwarven kingdom of Delzoun.
Construction of the underground city of Gauntlgrym began in , an undertaking initiated by Immar Fardelver commissioned by the arcanist Maerin of Illusk.
As of the early 9 century DR, the Crags marked the eastern border of Stornanter, the Realm of the Witch-Queen of the North.
In the , the Knights of the Sword Coast became stuck in a mountain pass in the Crags when they were ambushed by hill giants. Fortunately the adventurer Arkiem Arren happened to be wandering nearby and came to their aid.
Nearly a century later, in the , the discovery of the lost city of Gauntlgrym and the activation of the legendary forges within awakened the primordial Maegera within her prison beneath Mount Hotenow. In a fit of rage and fury, the once-slumbering primordial released a burst of energy that caused a massive volcanic eruption and subsequent earthquake. Nearby cities such as Neverwinter were left in a near-ruined state and hundreds of innocents died in the destruction.
==Notable Locations==
===Landmarks and Settlements===
* Gauntlgrym, a long-lost city that dated back to the fall of Netheril, and served as the capital of Delzoun briefly before the kingdom's collapse.
* Grimmantle, an ancient kingdom of the 4 century DR, whose namesake keep was once ruled by the undead Thief-King Gaucelm Gonfrey.
* House of the Axe, a settlement formed by the dwarves of Mirabar in 1369 DR.
* Morgur's Mound, the ancestral mound of the Thunderbeast tribe of the Uthgardt barbarians.
* Whispering Caverns, a vast network of passageways and caverns found in the region of the Northdark beneath the Crags.
===Roads===
* Long Road
==Inhabitants==
Among the races that could be found throughout the crags were humans, dwarves, various species of goblinoids, including goblins, bugbears, and hobgoblins, and monstrous humanoids including gnolls, orcs, and ogres.
The psionically-gifted Kreeth tribe of goblins once called the Crags their home, and the Uthgardt Great Worm and Sky Pony tribes were known to wander in this area. 
===Notable Inhabitants===
* Great Chief Harthulk Hornspear, leader of the Thunderbeast tribe during the late 15 century DR.
* Saryndalaghlothtor, the mighty crystal dragon known better as "Lady Gemcloak".
==Appendix==
===Appearances===
:;Adventures
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::Storm King's Thunder • Dragon of Icespire Peak
:;Video Games
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===References===
FR:Escarpés
Category:Hills
Category:Mountains
Category:Locations in Neverwinter Wood
Category:Locations on the Sword Coast North
Category:Locations in Northwest Faerûn
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril
Category:Locations