Vilhon Reach

The Vilhon Reach was a region named after a body of water also called the Vilhon Reach, a part of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The Reach, as it was commonly called, was site of great empires and great disasters throughout history. The body of water got its current shape from the use of Elven High Magic -- which destroyed two empires, Jhaamdath and Aryselmalyr -- by summoning an enormous, destructive tsunami that utterly transformed the region. More recently, the region was hit hard by the Spellplague, with blue fire roiling through the southern Vilhon and annihilating the remnants of the Chondathan empire.
==Geography==
Through its many port cities, the Vilhon Reach was established as an essential trade center between the cities of the southern bodies of water, the Lake of Steam, the Shining Sea, and the many kingdoms and city-states around the inner sea of the continent, the Sea of Fallen Stars.
==Defences==
The coastal areas of the Vilhon Reach are subject to attacks from koalinth and merrows.
==History==
===Aryselmalyr===
The sea elven empire rose underneath the inner sea in . For over ten thousand years it was the dominant empire of Serôs, in what was called the Second Epoch of the Inner Sea. The heart of the empire was the city Corysemal located in the Selmal Basin, which was what the aquatic races of the inner sea called the Vilhon Reach.
===Jhaamdath===
The first known human civilization in the Vilhon Reach was the ancient empire of Jhaamdath, whose capitol Naarkolyth was founded in . At that time, the region was a valley surrounding the Vilhon River that emptied into the Bay of Jhaamdath. The empire grew, stretching to include the Dragon Coast and Akanal at its height. 
Eventually an expansion-minded emperor came to power and waged ruthless war against the elves of Nikerymath, slaughtering many. 
===Furious Wave and Aftermath===
In the elves used Elven High Magic to summon an enormous, mile-high wave that washed away the cities of Jhaamdath and destroyed the empire. The apocalyptic magic also unknowingly destroyed the sea-elven empire of Aryselmalyr,, which was buried under debris from the wave's backwash. The power vacuum following Asyselmalyr's led to the outbreak of the Sixth Serôs War.
===Chondathan Empire===
The survivors of Jhaamdath grew in number and founded new cities along the Vilhon, their name altering over time into Chondath.
===Recent History===
After the Spellplague the great body of water known as the Vilhon Reach was no more and had splintered into several small lakes. Many of the settlements in the Vilhon were thought completely destroyed by the Spellplague, but as the Second Sundering healed the world, the cities affected by the chaos returned to Toril in one form or another. After the 1480s DR, the Vilhon Reach had returned to its former terrain.While the fate of the Plaguewrought Land and Vilhon Wilds after the Second Sundering has not been explained, a map of Faerûn in Places & Portals shows the original terrain of the Vilhon Reach, suggesting it has been undone.
==Geographical features==
;Beaches:
* Southsands, a beach on the southern side of the Reach that hosted regular war re-enactments.
;Bodies of Water:
* Deepwash
* Wet River, a stream flowing from the west side of the Orsraun Mountains to the Sea of Fallen Stars and used as a trade route.
;Islands:
* Eyes of Silvanus
;Mountains:
* Cloven Mountains
* Deepwing Mountains, a mountain range marking the southeastern edge of the Shining Plains, notable for the abundance of winged monsters.
* Orbrekh, the northwestern branch of the Orsraun Mountains and home to protective giants.
;Plains and grasslands:
* Shining Plains
;Swamps:
* Wetwoods
==Notable locations==
===Nations===
* Chondath
* Free Cities
* Sespech
* Turmish
===Settlements===
* Alaghôn
* Assam
* Elbulder
* Gildenglade
* Hlath
* Hlondeth
* Lheshayl
* Morningstar Hollows
* Nimpeth
* Ormath
* Reth
* Sapra
* Surkh
* Xorhun
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===See also===
*Vilhon Wilds
===Appearances===
===References===
===Further reading===
*
*
===Connections===
FR:Bief de Vilhon (région)
de:Vilhongriff
pl:Przesmyk Vilhon
Category:Regions
Category:Locations
Category:Locations in Interior Faerûn
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril
Category:Imports metals
Category:Exports fish
Category:Exports horses
Category:Exports slaves
Category:Exports stone
Category:Exports wine