Sossal Info

A. Locales/Cities

1. The Ice Kingdom of Dareth [vanished dwarven realm] (FR11 p54-55) (DD p116)

a. Mountains of Dareth (FR11 p54-55) (DD p116)

b. Hoarfaern [white dragon realm w/ bestial servants] (DD p116) (FR11 p54-55) (RoF p34)

c. Mt. Sundabar (FR11 p55)

d. The Aerie of the Snow Eagles [on Mt Sundabar] (DD p116) (RoF p31) (PGtF p21) (DotR p35)

e. Dareth citadel [ruins] (FR11 p55)

f. Heroes’ Height (FR11 p55)

2. Naupau [trade city on Great Ice Sea] (Horde vol.1 p15, vol.2 p88)

a. Sossarhim [name given to humans who live here] (Horde vol.2 p88)

b. Empire of Raumathar extended here (Horde vol.1 p19) (Horde Ancient Empire map) (RoF p99)

3. Sundice (FR11 p64)

4. Hoarbridge (FR11 p54)

5. Ushar Mountains (GG map)

6. Ironspring Grove (Ruin p2)

a. Sacred druid grove in Western Sossal (Ruin p2)

B. Factions/NPCs

1. Winged Father Aquilan Greatspan, [avariel] (DD p116)

2. Men of the Red Kestrel [adventuring band] (FR11 p64)

3. Eldaerim [sponsors adventurers] (FR11 p64)

4. Anothaer [mage] (FR11 p64)

a. Maintains a magical sending service to communicate with other mages across Faerun (FR11 p64)

5. Dabron Sashenstar [fighter 9] (GTotR p118)

a. Explorer and trader, believed lost to an attack by Tuigan raiders (GTotR p118)

6. Stival Chergoba [ranger of Mielekki] (Ruin p1-11, 154,196-199,248-254)

a. White dragon hunter (Ruin p1)

b. Wears bearskin cloak, has gray eyes, armor made of white dragon scales (Ruin p1)

7. Madislak Pemsk [high druid of Mielekki] [deceased] (Ruin p1, 9-11,244)

a. Leader of coven of 13 druids, stooped old man, blotchy skin, bald, ratty brown robe (Ruin p9-11)

b. Killed by Zethrindor, a white dracolich (Ruin)

8. Natali Dormetsk [female archer] (Ruin p154,222,248-254)

a. Owl wildshape ability (Ruin p154,222)

b. Stress in battle sometimes makes features of her wildshape appear (Ruin p222)

9. Gant [warrior] (Ruin p232-233)

C. Geography/Climate

1. Mountains of Dareth (DD p116) (FR11 p54-55)

a. Divide the Great Glacier from the Great Ice Sea (FR11 p54)

b. Hoarfaern in northern part of range (FR11 p55)

c. Also called the Peaks of Cold Death to humans because of white dragons (FR11 p55)

2. Mt. Sundabar [in Dareth range] (FR11 p55)

a. Named after dwarven city from where the dwarven rescuers originated (FR11 p55)

b. Dareth citadel [ruins] (FR11 p55)

c. Aerie of the Snow Eagles (DD p116) (RoF p31 has in Icerim Mountains) (DotR p35)

d. Miniature jungle environment inside with a tropical clime (RoF p31-34) (DD p116)

3. Heroes’ Height (FR11 p55)

4. Armridge (FR11 p55)

5. Icerim Mountains (PGtF p28) (UE p17-18,130,189)

6. Rumored ‘warm’ lands surrounded by volcanoes can be found far north of the Icerim Mountains (UE p189)

7. Great Ice Sea forms eastern border (UE p189) (Horde) (FRA p7)

a. Sossar Bay (GHotR p116) (FRA p7)

8. Northern Lights (Ruin p1)

a. Green and purple lights seen in northern skies (Ruin p1)

9. Either shamans/druids or some other magic keep the land free of ice (GTotR p118)

D. Politics/Laws

1. White Dragons seek to destroy any threats to their realm (RoF p34)

a. Employ magical items of great force and unknown elder origin (FR11 p55)

b. Fought against dwarves in the past, humans and avariels now (FR11 p55) (DD p116) (RoF p34)

c. Sheared off the peak of Mt. Sundabar where the Dareth clan of dwarves had a citadel (FR11 p55) (DD p116)

d. Also fought a great battle with the dwarves at Heroes’ Height (FR11 p55)

2. Avariels have sent diplomats into surrounding human nations (RoF p34) (DotR p35)

3. Sossrim have good relations with Rashemen (RoF p101)

4. To Sossrim, all dragons are bad (Ruin p156-157,161)

E. Economics/Trade

1. Sossal maintains trading outposts on the Great Ice Sea (Horde vol.1 p61, vol.2 p88)

2. Naupau maintains a sizable fleet on the Great Ice Sea (Horde vol.2 p88)

a. Naupau located on Sossar Bay (FRA p7)

3. Sossal trade ships have been seen in Calimshan, their captains are suspected to know secret shipping lanes through the ice of the Great Ice Sea (Horde vol.2 p88) (FRCS p231)

4. Naupau merchants buy tin from Herlinga dwarves (Horde vol.1 54)

5. Exports: Furs, seal meat, gold, fine wooden furniture (FRCS p111)

6. Imports: Weapons, silver, meats (FRCS p111)

7. Trade takes place in foreign lands, mostly in Damara

8. Sossar furniture brings premium prices (FRCS p111)

9. Mountains of Dareth hold rich veins of metal-bearing ores (FR11 p 54)

10. Humans and Dareth dwarves traded at Hoarbridge (FR11 p54)

11. Humans hunt and cut lumber (FR11 p55)

12. Avariel glassblowing is renowned (RoF p34)

13. Sossrim traders rarely seen elsewhere in Faerun other than Vaasa, and northern reaches of Damara, Narfell, and Rashemi (RoF p108)

14. Crowberry Wine (Ruin p154)

15. Trade is somewhat stagnant due to the ever present threat of a Tuigan raid on trade caravans (GTotR p118)

F. Demographics

1. Avariels (DD p114-118) (Dragon #233 p15-22) (RoF p31-34) (PGtF p23) (DotR p35-36)

a. +4 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom (RoF p32)

b. Level adjustment +3 (RoF p32)

c. Favor transmutation and conjuration magic (RoF p33)

d. Experimenting with Divination magics to find lost or well-hidden Avariels (RoF p33)

e. Invented Wings of Flying and possibly Winged Boots (RoF p33)

f. Use glass where other races use metal, stone, and wood – have mastered glassteel (RoF p34) (DotR p35-36)

g. Ranged weaponry is preferred and mithril armor (RoF p34) usually wear no armor (DotR p35) weapons made from glass or obsidian (DotR p35)

h. Keep arrowhawks, griffons, and hippogriffs as guards of Aerie (RoF p34)

i. Languages: Common, Elven, Auran, Damaran, Draconic, Giant, Rashemi, Tuigan, Sylvan (RoF p34) (PGtF p23)

j. Feats: Artist, Education, Mind Over Body, Rapid Flight, Strong Soul, (RoF p34) Fearless (PGtF p23) Skills and proficiencies (DotR p35)

k. Creation of Glassteel (CoV p65)

l. Average 5’9” tall with 12’ to 18’ wingspans (DotR p35)

m. Wing colors - white, gray, maroon, black, speckled; Skin and eye colors are much the same as moon or gold elves; Majority have white or black hair (DotR p35)

n. In addition to normal elven abilities, avariel also have eyesight 100 times better than normal (DotR p35-36)

o. Hunted by Red Wizards of Thay and by giants for their wings (DotR p36)

2. White Dragons (DD p116) (FR11 p54-55) (UE p130,189) (Ruin p1)

3. Elves (Horde vol.2 p93-94)

4. Shield Dwarves [red-bearded] (Horde vol.1 p54) (UE p8)

a. Dwarven lorefinders (DotR p52-53) search for lost halls of Dareth

5. Arctic Dwarves (RoF p9-11

a. Along the shore of the Great Ice Sea (RoF p9)

6. Humans: ethnic breakdown: Sossrim 93%, Nar 5%, Ulutian 2% (RoF p111) (GTotR p117-118) (Ruin p2)

a. Sossrim have natural druidic powers (FRCS p111) many can wildshape and do so to scout enemies (Ruin p105-106,154) very adept at camouflage in snow environment (GTotR p117)

b. Sculpt wooden furniture with their minds (FRCS p111)

c. Snow white skin, silver white hair (WaR p55) (GTotR p117) ice blue eyes, moon-blonde hair (WaP p 41,42) (RoF p108) (GTotR p117) (Ruin p2,160)

d. Wear polar bear furs with intact head as a headcover (WaR p55) (Ruin p1) dress in all white clothing (GTotR p117) (Ruin p160) some wear white dragonscale armor (Ruin p161)

e. Businesslike, direct and to-the-point demeanor (WaR p56)

f. Fanatically hate white dragons, and don’t consider any dragons “good” (WaP p42) (Ruin p156-157,161) been at war with white dragons for as long as anyone can remember (Ruin p2) most attacks ever in 1373 (Ruin p2)

g. Marry and have children at young age (WaP p43)

h. Vulnerable to heat/fire based attacks (WaP p44)

i. Dialect of common called Skaevrym, and speak Damaran (FRCS p85) (RoF p108,111)

j. Use Dethek alphabet (RoF p108,111)

k. Complete adaptation to arctic environment (RoF p108)

j. Height and weight (PGtF p32)

7. Drow are rumored to inhabit the underdark below the Icerim Mountains (UE p8)

G. Flora/Fauna/Monsters

1. Sosser [horse breed] (Horde – loose stat sheet) (CoV p156)

a. Resistant to cold environs (CoV p156)

2. Ghost Rothe (FRCS p314)

3. High Rothe (FRCS p314)

4. Giant Eagles (RoF p34)

a. Allies of Avariel – inhabit same places (RoF p34)

5. Taer (PGtF p28,30) (UE p9,14-15,41, 72-74,130,189)

a. Bands of taer found in Icerim Mountains (PGtF p28) (UE p14-15,41, 72- 74,130,189)

b. Automatic Languages [Icerim taer]: Common,Giant; Bonus: Auran, Damaran, Dwarven, Rashemi, Tuigan (PGtF p30) (UE p41)

c. Regional Feats [Icerim taer]: Battle Jump, Bullheaded, Survivor (PGtF p30) (UE p41,42)

d. Favored class: Barbarian, some druids and rangers (UE p9,41)

e. Attributes: +4 Str, +2 Con, -4 Int, -2 Cha (UE p9)

6. Frost Giants inhabit the Icerim Mountains (UE p48,130,189)

7. Frost worms [Icerim Mountains] (UE p130,189)

8. Encounter tables for the Icerim Mountains (UE p91)

9. Mar-zhugal [demon/troll hybrid] [Icerim] (UE p79,91,116)

10. Ice Trolls [Icerim] (UE p78-79,91)

11. Fell Trolls [Icerim] (UE p77-78,91)

12. Bheur [ice hag] [Icerim] (UE p91)

13. Thomil [Icerim] (UE p91)

14. Blue-leaf Tree (Ruin p3)

H. Dieties/Temples

1. Aerdrie Faenya (DD p114-118) (RoF p31-34) (PGtF p23) (DDaD p10) (Ruin p201)

a. The Aerie of the Snow Eagles (DD p116) (RoF p31)

b. Led for 500 years by Aguilan Greatspan [fighter/cleric/divine disciple/hierophant 4/12/5/1] (DD p116) (RoF p31)

c. Avariel are deeply religious (RoF p33)

d. Sacred animals are tressrym, birds, and swarms (DDaD p10)

e. Sacred monsters are aarakocras, aasimar, air elementals, androsphinxes, avoral celestials, cloud giants, djinn, griffons, hippogriffs, lammasus, lillends, pegasi, pixies, silver dragons, and storm giants (DDaD p10)

f. Sacred gems/precious metals are hornbill ivory, sapphire and turquoise (DDaD p10)

g. Sacred color is sky blue (DDaD p10)

h. Other manifestations are strong winds, rainshowers, and storms (DDaD p10)

2. Auril (RoF p108) (PGtF p30) (DDaD p10)

a. Sossrim worship a benign aspect (RoF p108)

b. Taer (PGtF p30) (UE p14-15)

3. Loviatar (PGtF p30)

a. Taer (PGtF p30) (UE p14-15)

4. Taer also worship deities from the giant pantheon: Grolantor and Thrym (UE p14- 15)

5. Mielekki (Ruin p5,9-11,108)

a. Worshipped by the druids and rangers of Sossal (Ruin p5,9-11)

6. Lathander (Ruin p185)

a. Sossrim honor Lathander (Ruin p185)

I. Classes

1. Wizards (WaR p54-56)

a. Uses nature as energy souce (WaR p56)

b. Shapechangers (WaR p56)

c. Vulnerable to fire/heat damage (WaR p56)

d. Any armor they wear is painted white (WaP p42)

e. Camoflauge themselves by dropping in snow (WaR p54-56) (WaP p43)

2. Fighters (WaP p41-44) can affect weather on a large scale, cursed Sossal with a fierce premature winter preceding the War in 1373 (Ruin p106)

a. Unparalleled in arctic survival and cold-weather combat (WaP p41)

b. Muscular build (WaP p42)

c. Slow to laugh, slow to trust – “As cold as the snow that hides them” (WaP p42)

d. Cold-hearted pragmatists (WaP p42)

e. Bonuses to any roll involving cold or dragons (WaP p43)

f. Have natural “pass without trace” ability (WaP p43)

g. Must slay a white dragon to become a respected warrior (WaP p44)

3. Fighters, rangers, bladesingers, wizards, multi-class clerics and Clerics [avariels] (RoF p31-34)

4. Runecasters [frost giant] (UE p48)

5. Druids (Ruin p1-11,108)

a. Groups of druids called ‘covens’ in Sossal (Ruin p1)

b. Ironspring Grove one location of worship in Western Sossal (Ruin p2)

c. Druidic worship dominates divine classes in Sossal (Ruin p195)

d. Druidic promises: “Swear by the oak and the unicorn’s horn” (Ruin p238) “By the unicorn” (Ruin p248)

6. Clerics (Ruin p195)

a. Rare (Ruin p195)

7. Rogues [Lorefinders, dwarven] (DotR p52-53)

J. Canon Plots/Adventures

1. Auril vs. Aerdrie Faenya (DD p114)

2. Finding ancient Dareth dwarven metalwork artifacts (FR11 p54-55,64) (DotR p52)

3. Discover the reasons that the Ice Kingdom vanished (FR11 p54-55)

a. War with the white dragon realm Hoarfaern (FR11 p54-55) (DD p116)

b. Traded with Sossrim for years then one spring “came no more” (FR11 p54-55)

4. Finding ancient Dareth mines (FR11 p54-55) (DotR p52-53)

5. White dragons at war with Avariels

K. Miscellaneous

1. Marriage is matrilineal (Ed Greenwood post on candlekeep.com)

2. Sossrim is given name of people who reside in Sossal (Poly #74, Greenwood)

3. Sossar is given name of items that are made in Sossal (Poly #74, Greenwood)

4. Great Ice Sea [also called Yal Tengri] (Horde) (UE p189)

a. Forms eastern border of Sossal (Horde)

5. Sossrim perform “mercy killings” on injured and infirmed (WaP p42)

6. Rumors of skyships (Dragon #124 p.18-20)

7. First King of Dareth was Orloebar Snowbeard (FR11 p54)

8. Embryn Shatteredshield - King at the Dareth citadel on Mt Sundabar (FR11 p55)

9. Ice Kingdom of Dareth was founded 4000 years ago, settled by dwarves from Mulhorand and Unther (FR11 p54)

10. Dareth clan – “Sign of the Realm” rune is a row of three mountain peaks with a stone hammer, head to the right, horizontal above them, almost unknown today (FR11 p55)

11. Dareth dwarven metalworks are of exquisite design (FR11 p64)

12. Sossrim mercenaries fought in the armies of Mulhorand during the Orcgate Wars (RoF p108)

13. Briefly fell under Raumathar sway at height of its empire but mainly been isolated and independent (RoF p108)

14. Sossrim fought a war against the Ice Queen and an army of white dragons in 1373 (Ruin p1-11, 105-111, 154-161,192-199,203-210,220-253)