Phlan

Phlan, the Jewel of the Moonsea

Phlan on the Stormy Bay

Phlan, also known as the Jewel of the Moonsea, was a large frontier town on the Moonsea region of north Faerûn with a long and storied history. Founded nearly a millennium before the Era of Upheaval, endless cycles of the town's destruction and determined rebuilding saw it grow more resilient and formidable. This led to the Phlan being walled off into two sections for many years, comprising the vast ruined neighborhoods of Old Phlan and the resilient community of Civilized Phlan, before becoming a whole and peaceful city once again. Phlan enjoyed military and economic prosperity for many years, before deteriorating into a criminal state.

### Description

Phlan was founded atop *Valjevo Isle*, a small isle within the delta formed by the mouth of the Stojanow river and grew around the isle's namesake castle.

*Circa* the late 15th century DR, Phlan was divided into two prominent areas, the walled off Old City, encompassing both Old Phlan and Civilized Phlan, The city was then divided into a number of separate wards, such as the poorer Slum District, the seaside Dock District, and the affluent Nobles' Quarter.

For many years the streets of Old Phlan were overrun by monstrous creatures creating a hellish landscape that was entirely inhospitable for the trapping of civilization.

The entirety Phlan was a city built upon the ruins of its past, in the most literal meaning. Beneath Phlan was an aging sewer system with a spillway that opened up into the Stojanow River.

### Geography

Phlan was located at a point on the northern coast of the Moonsea lake, within the inlet of the Bay of Phlan. The stunning monument known as the King's Pyre was built into a cliff overlooking the sea, some 40 mi (64 km) west of Phlan.

Just north of the city were a cluster of farms nestled along either side of the Stojanow River and the Stojanow Trail. This trail continued north with the river along the western side of the Quivering Forest.

### Government

As of the mid–14th century DR, Phlan was governed by a ruling body known as the Council of Ten, composed of judges that presided over the city's courts. An individual referred to as "Number One" served as the head of the council while also holding the officer of town mayor. The council had a high turnover rate, as no-confidence elections were held regularly for even the smallest of mishaps.

The oligarchy of Phlan ended in the Year of Risen Elfkin, 1375 DR, when Zhentarim Hatemaster Cvaal Daoran broke up the council and declared himself as Lord Protector of Phlan. Sovereignty of Phlan remained in the Daoran family lineage for decades, as Lord Cvaal was succeeded by his son Talaric and later his grandson Anivar. By the 15th century DR, the city-state had acquired the the vassalage of several communities north of the Dragonspines, namely Ilinvur, Verdigris, and Whitehorn.

#### Law and Order

A thieves' guild called the Welcomers operated openly within the city throughout its history, the members of which cut off their left ear as a sign of loyalty. As most residents of the town were aware of the guild, the guild earned its name by preying on visitors to the city.

### Trade

Phlan was known as a stopping point for caravans conducting overland trade across the trade routes and trails of the Moonsea North. Trade ebbed and flowed throughout the city's tumultuous history. During times of reconstruction, the city only imported goods and could not reliably export anything to nearby trade partners.

As of the late 15th century Phlan enjoyed a century of steady rule and no disastrous events, allowing trade and commerce to flourish. The city received caravan shipments of valuable ore and gems from its mining communities to the north, protected by the barbarous warriors of the Ride.

### Travel Distances From Phlan

* To Zhentil Keep - 70 mi (110 km) along the the Iron Route
* To Castle Vathar - 65 mi (100 km) along Toranth's March
* To Melvaunt - 55 mi (89 km) along the Phlan Path

### Defense

Phlan boasted great city walls that were considered by many to be its greatest defense against invaders, especially during the years when little military force could be mustered.

For many years leading up to the mid–14th century DR, Phlan's city guard comprised a militia force just over a hundred strong, though a local clan of dwarves led by Deryk Stoneshaper pledged 100 of his men as help to the city for some time.

During the Zhent occupation of the 1380s, the Knights of the Black Fist took over as Phlan's military force. Formerly a religious order of the church of Bane that venerated Iyachtu Xvim, the knights maintained peace through fear for years, but eventually garnered a reputation for corruption. The Black Watch militia was the branch of the Black Fists that served as Phlan's city guard.

Despite having served as the fighting force of Phlan for a century's time, the Black Fist was faced with competing military interests that arose *circa* 1480 DR. The Red Plumes of Hillsfar maintained a barracks in the city, and the Vilhon Mercenary Corps were reportedly formed specifically to to undermine the strength of the Black Fist.

### Society

Like many settlements of the Moonsea North, the people of Phlan possessed an streak of individualism and sort of chaotic freedom that allowed them to survive the harsh life associated with their homeland in the Realms.

#### Culture

The city of Phlan was the origin of the game of Old Men's Bones, which was played all over Faerûn.

#### Religion

During the mid–14th, a Banite cult that venerated Iyachtu Xvim as an aspect of the Dark Lord established theirs as the official religion of Phlan. The worship of Bane returned to the city following the takeover by the Zhentarim, albeit a more moderate view of his dogma extolling discipline and deference to one's lords. Bane faith continued to be practiced, albeit discreetly, over the course of the next century.

The Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud was a group of worshipers of Kelemvor whom Cvaal Daoran gave the responsibility of the care of Valhingen Graveyard. They continued as its caretakers over the course of the next century.

### History

#### Founding

Phlan was founded in the Year of Shying Eyes, 367 DR, as a trading outpost between the elves of Myth Drannor and the dwarves of the Dragonspine Mountains.
Phlan was leveled for the first time in the Year of the Blue Shield, 400 DR, during the First Turnabout, a massive attack by the Dark Alliance of humanoids who swept down onto the Moonsea region to attack Northkeep.

#### Reconstruction and Repeated Destruction

> “Next time the city is rebuilt, I think the natives should just knock the buildings right down again and save the next invaders the trouble.”
> — Orgil, captain of the *Devawing*.
>
>

After three centuries of laying in ruin, Milsor the Valjevo had the city rebuilt in the Year of the Lost Lance, 712 DR, and commissioned the construction of the magnificent Valjevo Castle, that was completed eighteen years later.. After the abandonment of Hillsafar following the fall of Myth Drannor in the Year of Doom, 714 DR, refugees poured into Phlan and it grew to be the largest settlement on the north shore of the Moonsea.

In the Year of the Queen's Tears, 902 DR, the Zhentilar made the first of many attempts to conquer their eastern neighbor, claiming that citizens of Phlan had raided their territory (though this claim was likely erroneous) but didn't count on Phlan's ally Melvaunt disrupting their siege. A four-year war resulted in Phlan becoming a reluctant signatory to the Treaty of the Ride in 906 DR, which saw Zhentarim influence over the city increase dramatically.

Along with the other powers of the Moonsea, Phlan sent a contingent of soldiers to rebuild and occupy the Citadel of the Raven fortress within the western Dragonspine Mountains in the Year of the Crumbling Keep, 1276 DR.

The Year of the Evening Sun, 1303 DR, saw the second destruction of Phlan, as ogres completely overran the city that was unprepared for such an assault. Phlan was rapidly rebuilt by the stubborn survivors, just in time for the city to enter into the Moonsea War with their neighboring city-states three years later. While the cities of Hulburg and Sulasspryn were conquered by Mulmaster, Phlan joined into an alliance with Hillsfar, Melvaunt, Sembia, and even their former foes in Zhentil Keep to put down the Mulmastan forces.
Just as the war ended in the Year of Thunder, 1306 DR, Phlan was invaded by a great host of dragons and their armies from the lands of Thar known as the Dragon Run. As the Moonsea's other powers were recovering from the brief war that just flared up and ceased, Phlan received no help from neighboring city-states. For the third time in its history, and the second time in three years, Phlan was left to ruin – though this time, all of its citizens were slaughtered *en masse*

#### Threat of Tyranthraxus

While it is not known how much of a hand the spirit of the yugoloth-like extraplanar entity Tyranthraxus had in the Dragon Run, around the same time, it managed to trick the ancient bronze dragon Srossar into bathing in the *pool of radiance*, a portal to an unknown dark plane underneath the Valjevo Castle. When the dragon entered the pool, Tyranthraxus took possession of the dragon and commenced immediately to build an army of monsters for the subjugation of Faerûn.

By the year Year of the Lion, 1340 DR, Tyranthraxus had near complete control of Phlan with the exception of the area of the city near the docks known as "Civilized Phlan". Using those few city blocks as their base of operations, a new City Council formed by children of the original merchants of Phlan and new speculators formed, and attempted to reclaim the city. Adventurers flocked to Phlan to help clear these monsters out in return for the generous bounty offered by the new Council.
Using the services of a trio of adventurers to clear out the occupied areas of the city, Councilman Porphyrys Cadorna quickly rose to the position of First Councilman. By this time, the adventurers had succeeded in retaking most of the city, though Tyranthraxus still remained under Valjevo Castle in control of the *pool of radiance*. After learning of the existence of the Pool, Cardona became obsessed with it, wishing to use its it power to expand his own. When the possessed dragon was finally defeated by the adventurers, Cadorna attempted to seize control of the pool, only to be possessed himself by Tyranthraxus and forced to its waters, teleporting him the fallen councilman to the plane Tyranthraxus called home.

#### Seizure by Bane

The Year of the Morningstar, 1350 DR saw a scheme by the god Bane to *teleport* Phlan and several other Moonsea cities teleported from their locations to serve as soul farms to the Lord of Darkness in Banehold. The Thayan Red Wizard Marcus and the pit fiend Tanetal were charged with taking Phlan, but defied Bane's initial command of teleporting the city to Bane's realm. Instead, the two moved Phlan into a cavern underneath the Red Wizard's tower southeast of Zhentil Keep. They planned to feed souls of the residents of Phlan to the *pool of darkness* to increase their own powers before handing it over to Bane.

Marshaling the defenses of the city was the wizard Shal Bal and the cleric of Tyr Tarl Desanea, two of the three Heroes of Phlan that freed the city from Tyranthraxus a decade earlier. With the two heroes leading the defense, Marcus and Tanetal were unable to take control of the city, despite numerous full assaults and the fact that the city was trapped directly under Marcus' tower.

Meanwhile, the third member of the legendary group, Ren o' the Blade, went in search of the city after it's disappearance. Aided by two druids under directions from Silvanus, an undead paladin of Tyr named Miltiades, and a wizard named Evaine, Ren managed to find the tower and joining with Tarl and Shal, was able to defeat the Red Wizard and send the pit fiend back to the Nine Hells. The defeat of Marcus and Tanetal broke the spell holding the city under the tower and the city was returned to its former location on the Moonsea.

After being annihilated three times in its history, and transported to another location in the Realms, Phlan was nearly entirely destroyed yet again during the Rage of Dragons that devastated the Eastern Heartlands in the Year of the Worm, 1356 DR.

While the city lay in ruin for at least a year, reconstruction began slowly and continued for the better part of a decade, before being sped by the expertise of gnomes and dwarves. At the same time however, the nearby powers of Zhentil Keep and Hillsfar vied for influence and control of its citizens, who were merely trying to reclaim their former lives. *Circa* the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, Phlan was considered to be an exciting place that was well in the throes of its great reconstruction. The city proudly held onto an atmosphere of hope and drive for renewed wealth and success. Many people believed this collective feeling could be attributed to the rapidly-growing number of Tyrran faithful in the city.
In Year of the Gauntlet, 1369 DR, the dreaded *pool of radiance* reemerged underneath Valjevo Castle. A thief named Kestrel witnessed its corrupted magical waters consuming three criminals and reluctantly decided to inform Elminster Aumar of the returned danger. As the *pool's* power grew, it started seeping life out of residents of Phlan and started to spawn undead. Elminster assembled a team of adventurers, helmed by Athan and entrusted him with the *Gauntlets of Moander* to venture into the ruins of Myth Drannor from whence the corruption of reemerged *pool of radiance* originated. As Athan's band fell in combat, the *pools* spread across other cities of the Moonsea, and the new makeshift heroes emerged. Kestrel, Corran D'Arcey, Durwyn, and Ghleanna Stormlake became known as the Veiled Ones and eventually succeeded in destroying the *pool of radiance* corrupted by the Five Flames.

#### Zhent Occupation

By Tarsakh 3 of Year of Risen Elfkin, 1375 DR, Phlan had been fully conquered by the forces of Zhentil Keep. After five years, the city government was dissolved to be replaced by the tyranny of Cvaal Daoran when he dissolved the Council of Ten and name himself the Lord Protector of Phlan. He immediately began burning books or destroying anything in the city that painted the Zhentarim less than favorably.

During the Shadowbane War of 1383 DR however, Cvaal forged an alliance with the dark fey of the Quivering Forest, and managed to slay a Shadovar prince, thereby ensuring that his city did not meet the same fate as Zhentil Keep. The hearts of his subjects softened thanks to his valiant defense of the city and they accepted his rule with little complaint, allowing his dynasty to claim rights as monarchs. In turn, the rule of Cvaal's government and that of the local church of Bane also softened.

The next several decades saw the Netherese and the elves of Myth Drannor quietly trying to exert their influence over the city, but neither of them could claim any real successes.

#### Prosperity and Decline

> “Does the Lord Regent fear this wild dog? Are his hired goons cowed by their own castoffs?”
> — A citizen of Phlan yelling during the riots of the 1480's DR.
>
>

In the Year of the Mithral Hammer, 1456 DR, Cvaal's son Talaric Daoran decided to send loggers into the Quivering Forest, voiding his father's agreement with the fey; Talaric mysteriously disappeared that night, never to be seen again, and was succeeded by his son Anivar.

A few decades later, in the Year of Deep Water Drifting, 1480 DR, raids by local barbarian tribes on the small settlements on the borders of the Ride sent waves of refugees to Phlan. Lord Anivar Daoran refused to offer shelter to any more of its displaced citizens and forced the city into a lockdown. While the Lord Protector worked with a band of adventurers to uncover the cause of the barbarian raids, they were sealed out of the city and forced to use their wits to save Phlan on their own accord. Fortunately for the Lord Protector and the city's people, the heroes were successful and Phlan was spare destruction for a fifth time.

Some time during or before the Year of the Nether Mountain Scrolls, 1486 DR, Anivar Daoran died in an apparent accident while overseeing renovations on Valjevo Castle; as Anivar had sired no heirs, Ector Brahms, Knight Commander of the Banite Knights of the Black Fist, was declared Lord Regent. As Ector's grasp on power was weak, he quickly established martial law to enforce his will—a deeply unpopular move. Riots broke out throughout Phlan, involving the looting and destruction of the Lyceum of the Black Lord, and traders began to avoid business in the city.

> “I was loading a galley—the *Gilded Trophy*—at the docks to transport what coin and important persons of our organization that I have been able to muster to safety in Mulmaster when the docks were taken by Knights of the Black Fist...They are dragging away dock workers and the crews of other vessels; I have no doubt that they will soon come for us next.”
> — Dornal Whitebeard, recounting the takeover by the Tears of Virulence.
>
>

With so little trade, the formerly prosperous city began to decline. The city's guilds decided to concentrate on profiteering instead of cooperating with each other to stabilize the city. Construction efforts were left stagnating, people lost their jobs, and market prices rose dramatically. While the Knights of the Black Fist struggled to maintain a semblance of order, rival factions began forwarding their own interests. As the Welcomers became politically active, criminal deeds and acts of violence became commonplace, legitimate trade became illegal in nature, and the black market became the only reliable way to turn a profit in the city.

### Rumors & Legends

For many years, local legends stated that a great treasure remain unclaimed within the depths of Sokol Keep. As of the late 15th century DR, these rumors waned somewhat, though some people still believed.

### Notable Locations

#### Old City

The Old City of Phlan included the neighborhoods that were built within its massive city walls. It encompassed the areas previously known as Old Phlan and Civilized Phlan, among them the Nobles' Quarter, as well as the Dock and Residential districts.

Inns & Taverns
* Bitter Blade, a dockside inn that mostly caters to sailors of the Moonsea.
* Laughing Goblin Inn, an exquisite and famous inn that garnered sterling reputation over many decades of success.
* Nat Wyler's Bell, a dive bar in the poorer part of the old city.
* Pool of Radiance, a tavern named after the castle's famous *pool of radiance*.[*citation needed*]

Landmarks
* Castle Atuke, a military fortress that boasted an aerie for its hippogriff aerial cavalry.
* Council Hall, the seat of power and meeting place of the Council of Ten.
* Valjevo Castle, the majestic castle of Phlan and home of the city's ruler.
* Scholar's Square, the central place of learning in the city; this area contained trade schools, wizard academies, sage houses, and most notably, the Mantor's Library, overseen by the Lord Sage of Phlan
* Stojanow Gate, the magnificent structure that protected the courtyard entrance to Valjevo Castle was rumored to be constructed from fire giants.

Shops
* Cockburn's Grocery, a local grocer's shop.
* Ernst's Livery, the city's stable that specialized in the care for exotic aerial steeds.
* Matteo's, a smithy run by the burly half-elf Matteo.
* Slum Market, the labyrinthine marketplace that was plagued by local pickpockets.

*Circa* 1340 DR, they Old City held three temples Tyr, Sune, and Tempus, with Tyr's being the biggest in he city and led by Bishop Braccio. The old temple of Ilmater was turned into the Temple of Bane following the Battle of Phlan, and eventually reclaimed with the aid of the Heroes of Phlan.

#### East Gate

East Phlan was the region of the city that held the growing communities that built their homes beyond its easternmost walls.

Inns & Festhalls
* Velvet Doublet, a festhall that caters to the wealthy. Known to satisfy those with exotic tastes.

Shops & Businesses
* Alero's Smithy, the shop of the local weapon smith Alero.
* Grounds of House Jannarsk, the estate and mercantile compound of one of Phlan's noble families.
* Vang's Armory, an armor smithy operated by Brice Vang.

### Inhabitants

Phlan was the home to several influential noble families, including House Sokol, House Jannarsk, House Cadorna, House Blvaunt, and reigning House Daoran.