Old Owl Well

Old Owl Well, located in the hills north of the Sword Mountains, was a popular watering hole and rest stop for caravan traffic, especially between Yartar and Neverwinter.

History

During the Age of Exploration, this large well was established with a small outpost to help travelers who were mining the nearby mountains. It was one of many several outposts at which travelers heading west could get fresh horses and supplies. This spot was selected for a well. However, the site was infested with owlbears, so the scouts destroyed the 3,000-strong population of beasts in an event known as the Caravan War. The outpost was named "Old Owl Well" after the victory over the owlbears.
Once secured, arcanists arrived and began to drill a hole that eventually dug more than 5 miles below the surface then, with an extensive system of pipes, they established an everlasting water supply that could provide 20 gallons per day. The enclave of Dnesseer was built nearby, which served as a trading post for the many nearby nations until Dnesseer's abandonment during the Age of War.
A watchtower was built by Arthindol at this location to act as an outpost.
Old Owl Well remained a strategically important watering hole. Every group that held any power in the nearby regions have claimed ownership of the site.
For a long time,  Old Owl Well was nothing but a ruined watchtower that had nothing but a few crumbling walls. However, the well still pumped clean, fresh water. During that time, a Red Wizard of Thay named Hamun Kost, who had tattooed himself with necrotic symbols, began searching the area for hidden lore of an ancient time.

Inhabitants

In the time of exploration, Old Owl Well was occupied by a group of warriors who kept the peace and a smaller group of arcanists who used crystal balls to scry on nearby cities, watching for signs of aggression.
Nearly 3 millennia later, the orc occupants of the Well numbered around 600. Unlike previous owners, the orcs did not charge travelers to use the well; instead, they simply attacked passers-by. Adventurers or particularly capable caravaneers occasionally left them beaten, but they never did enough lasting damage to threaten the orcs' survival. Eventually though, the orcs were devoured by the dragon Claugiyliamatar, leaving the Well open to travelers again.

Type

Well