Silverymoon

Gem of the North

The Gem of the North is a fitting epithet for Silverymoon: a beautiful, tranquil city where trees and gardens live in harmony with buildings, bridges, and sculptures. Silverymoon is an enlightened place, with a great library, breathtaking temples and shrines, and respected schools of magic, art, and music. Its beauty awes visitors and is the subject of many bardic songs and tales. High Marshal Methrammar Aerasumé, the city's recently appointed lord, resides in a tall, slender palace on the east side of the city and commands Silverymoon's knight-defenders. The city's magical defenses are even more formidable than the knights and have served the city well for years. Silverymoon is also a haven for Harpers - not surprising, given that many Harpers are wizards and bards. Grand and enlightened though the city may be, Silverymoon's reputation was tarnished by its halfhearted efforts in aid of Sundabar during the War of the Silver Marches. The city remains a powerful and influential member of the Lords' Alliance, however, in no small part thanks to the efforts of the city's previous High Lady, the famed Alustriel Silverhand.
Silverymoon is that rarest of things, a bustling city dominated by trees and beautiful stone buildings. Old oaks, shadowtops, and duskwoods compete with tall, thin spires to touch the sky, and blueleaf trees shade flagstone sidewalks along most of the cobbled streets The prevailing style of stonework is flowing curves, as if buildings grew rather than being erected block by block. Many older buildings are clad in a thin layer of fused royal blue or emerald-green glass. Balconies and curving stairs are everywhere—and windowsills, railings, and newel-posts are all adorned with herbs and flowers growing in sculpted bowls. Most dwellings have grass paths leading to sheltered bowers. Many folk take time every day to lift their harps, pipes, or voices to make music, and things of beauty are more than prized and admired—such design is expected.
Many places preserve lore, but in Silverymoon knowledge is highly valued. Most folk find satisfaction in being well informed in at least one area of expertise. The citizens of Silverymoon, known as Silvaeren, love witty sayings, sharing jokes, lore, music and readings of ballads, poems, and romantic fiction, most attend revels or private dances and feasts thrice per tenday. They tend to dabble in many interests, so shops in the city appear and disappear with the seasons—but these small, cosy boutiques are always crammed with beautiful, fascinating objects, small magics, books (including blank tomes for writing use), and maps.
The older part of Silverymoon on the north bank of the River Rauvin is linked to the newer environs on the south bank by the famous Moonbridge, a magical construct of silvery force whose central span can be deactivated to protect the city from invasion, or to allow tall-masted ships to pass. It impresses the eye more than the many soaring spires of the city, slender and graceful towers unmatched elsewhere in Faerûn. Silverymoon looks more like a series of gardens or forest glades than a stone city. It's also quieter, thanks to the gentle breezes and sound-muting properties of the city's mythal, which also prevents surprise rainfalls, extremes of temperature, and the harshest winter weather. A good series of dwarf-built cisterns, pumps, and piping ensure that the city has both flushed privies and ample fresh water both for drinking and for gardening.
The lush beauty of the city and its many forest districts makes it quite easy for visitors to become lost. Thankfully, most Silvaeren don't mind giving directions, and every cistern cover in the cobbles of an intersection has an arrow graven into it, denoting north. Most city buildings have cellars, and four or even five floors above them, but the trees and gently rolling landscaping make the spires of Silverymoon seem to loom over passers-by a lot less than the structures in most cities.

The Moonbridge

The Moonbridge is a gigantic force construct akin to a wall of force—a smooth, rail-free span of silver force. It's 14 feet wide, 2 feet thick, and has no apparent weight limit (dragons have perched on it without incident). The Moonbridge rises in a gentle are to a mid-span height of 60 feet above the river. Control over the Moonbridge is a power restricted to Alustriel, her six Sisters, Taern, Jorus Azuremantle (leader of the Spellguard), and Sernius Alathar (commander of the Knights in Silver). Any of them can raise the bridge (causing it to rise from both banks to meld at midriver), take it down (causing it to split and recede into both banks), or erect a wall of force based on any part of the bridge. Creatures can walk on unlinked ends of the forming or receding bridge, and are moved with it if it's receding.

Defences

The fighting force that makes up the army of Silverymoon is the famed Knights in Silver, led by a paladin named Sernius Alathar. The city is also protected by the Spellguard, an order of wizards and sorcerers led by the half-elf Jorus Azuremantle. The High Marshal of the Argent Legion, the army of the Confederation of the Silver Marches (composed of soldiers from every signatory of the confederation) also resided in Silverymoon while the union lasted.

Knights in Silver

Named by the adventurer and bard Mintiper Moonsilver, the Knights in Silver slowly earned their reputation as a noble and chivalrous fighting force. Although they are often found protecting the walls of Silverymoon, they frequently roam the countryside around the city with members of the Spellguard.

Spellguard

The Spellguard was established in 1255 DR as a personal bodyguard for Alustriel herself, but over the intervening years has grown into a city-wide force, spreading their duties between the High Palace and the rest of Silverymoon. By 1490 DR the Spellguard numbers 39 members, 8 of which are Warders who oversee the activities of the rest.

Other Defenses

The Silverwatch polices Silverymoon's streets, while the Moon Garrison mans the gates and protects the city from external threats. The High Guard, all veterans from the Knights in Silver, are responsible for the security of the palace and its environs.

The Wards of Silverymoon

Most folk in Waterdeep and the Heartlands have heard that a powerful, ever-present field of magic guards the Gem of the North. An even more powerful shield surrounds the palace, which only special persons can enter. Full details of these wards are known only to High Marshal Aerasumé, Lady Alustriel and Taern Hornblade, but many of their powers are well known and are summarized here. The wards are founded on a mythal, one of the very few such devices remaining in Faerûn. The boundaries of the outer ward are 1,000 yards outside the newly-expanded walls of Silverymoon. The ward is a sphere extending through air above and earth below, and governing that part of the River Rauvin that flows through it The boundaries of the inner ward are a dozen feet outside the walls of the High Palace and the Star Court, encompassing both.
Most folk of Silverymoon know that Alustriel and a small number of trusted allies control the wards, that persons must carry a special token to enter through the wards of the palace, that the Moonbridge is linked to the wards, and that the wards shield Silverymoon from the worst extremes of the weather in these harsh lands. Only the Spellguard, the commanders of the Knights in Silver, and a handful of other trusted agents know more about specific magics empowered or negated by the wards.

History

Founded on a place sacred since time immemorial to the deities Mielikki and Lurue, Silverymoon grew from a cluster of log steadings around the Moonsilver Inn, near the holy groves at Silverymoon Ford - one of the few places where the River Rauvin was shallow enough to be forded in summer, and easily bridged. Moontree became Silver Village, and then Silverymoon Town. The town developed slowly because its inhabitants built in harmony with the forest, rather than clearing and burning the land. Legends claim that Mielikki and Lurue visited the Moonsilver Inn in human form and were so taken with the folk of Silverymoon and their sensitivity to the land that they blessed the inn. Though the building later collapsed, its stones were used in the construction of the city gates and wills, and the promise of safety bestowed by the deities' blessing is thought to remain in effect, holding sway over the entire city.
Silverymoon became a city in 637 DR, when its first set of wills was completed and the first of the city's ruling High Mages, Ecamane Truesilver, was elected. Truesilver and his nine apprentices brought learning to their fellow Silvaeren (many of whom were rough, unlettered trappers and loggers) and founded a library to accompany their school. Successive High Mages have pursued this goal of fostering learning and culture. Through the excitement of artistic endeavour and a feeling of refuge founded in various races dwelling together in harmony, they have sought to make Silverymoon "the Myth Drannor of the North," a bulwark of civilization in the Savage Frontier. Throughout Truesilver's reign, skilled wizards and loremasters continued to come to the city from elsewhere in Faerûn, and Silrerymoon became an important center of magical study.
In 712 DR, Truesilver died and was succeeded as High Mage by his nephew Aglanthol the Red. In 714 DR, Myth Drannor fell, shaking all the nations of northern Faerûn. Noble wizards and heroes of Silverymoon rescued a handful of Myth Drannor's more prominent leaders and scholars from the destruction, sacrificing themselves in the process. A desire on the part of some Silverymoon mages to plunder the ruins of Myth Drannor brought demons and devils into Silverymoon, and Aglanthal died fighting them in 719 DR. He was succeeded by Ederan Nharimlur, who took to wile the elf princess Elénaril (one of those rescued from Myth Drannor) and reigned long and peacefully. During his time the city doubled in size.
Upon Ederan's death in 784 DR his daughter Amaara Nharimlur became High Mage of Silverymoon. In 815 DR, Elué Dualen, a human girl of great magical aptitude (actually Alustriel, unknown to all until recently) arrived in the city and befriended Amaara and her sister Lynx. In 821 DR, Elué and Lynx established the Lady’s College, the first open school for mages in Silverymoon to take students, not apprentices, and as payment for tutelage required an equal time of service in defence of the city. In 843 DR, Elué and other wizards created the Moonbridge. the city's most famous landmark.
Elué became High Mage in 857 DR when Amaara and her mother left for Evermeet. Elué and Lynx departed in 876 DR. This time, the High Mage's seat did not pass peacefully. Warlord Lashtor, commander of the city's army, took the opportunity to seize the city, slaughtering wizards in the streets and burning magical libraries. His reign lasted little more than a year before the mage Tanalanthara, later known as "Lady Wolf," deposed Lashtor and restored power to the High Mage's seat. She in turn sacrificed herself in 882 DR, helping to defend Silverymoon from a fierce orc-horde.
The people of Silverymoon elected Tanisell the Cloaked, a humble and soft-spoken wizard, to become their next High Mage. In his time the wards around the city were strengthened, and the great library known as the Vault of the Sages was built. The Keeper of the Vault, Nunivytt Threskaal, succeeded Tanisdil in 920 DR, beginning a long and peaceful reign that ended with Threskaal's death in 1050 DR. The next High Mage of the city was Orjalun, a mage marked by Mystra at birth. His reign was marked by the emergence of many great mages (including Ahghairon of Waterdeep and Bowgentle), but also by a plague in 1110 DR that slew half of Silverymoon's citizens. Orjalun appointed his former apprentice Sepur as his successor in 1130 DR, but that wizard abandoned the city after two years. Sepur’s departure led to a series of deadly spell-battles between resident wizards for rule of the city. In the absence of a worthy mage, the folk of Siiverymoon elected a mayor to rule the city.
In 1235 DR, the Silvermayor lost control of the city to Warlord Khallos Shieldsunder as an orc horde besieged the city. The orcs broke through the walls - the first time an enemy army had ever entered Silverymoon - but a force of elves and Harpers led by Storm and Alustriel Silverhand, two of the famous Seven Sisters, destroyed the invaders, the Warlord Khallos, and the self-proclaimed High Mage Shaloss Ethenfrost as well; restoring peace and just rule to the city.
Alustriel became the first High Mage of Silverymoon unanimously chosen by the people, and as High Mage she ruled long and well. Under her gently guiding hand (and mastery of subtle intrigue and manipulation), Silverymoon truly became wealthy, well defended, sophisticated, clean, and a beautiful place to live. In 1369 DR, Alustriel appointed Taern Hornblade to the office of High Mage of Silverymoon and turned her efforts to creating the Silver Marches. She remains revered in the city, and commands the love and loyalty of the great majority of the city's residents.
Silverymoon was involved in the destructive War of the Silver Marches between 1484 DR and 1485 DR. However the city's lacklustre efforts to help Sundabar during the war tarnished its reputation. As a result of this, in 1489 DR High Mage Taern Hornblade had stepped down as ruler of the city, and Methrammar Aerasumé took over as High Marshal of Silverymoon. Despite this, Taern still speaks for the city among the Lords' Alliance.
The advent of the confederation known as the Silver Marches reinvigorated Silverymoon as a base for adventurers eager to carve out their own holds and steadings, or at least win their share of the fabled riches of the North, a sentiment that continued even after the confederation's dissolution. Silverymoon today is bustling, but the High Marshal is working hard to keep overcrowding to a minimum. He encourages settlement in the surrounding countryside by issuing land grants, improving trails and patrols, sponsoring (and guarding) traveling vendors who bring trade to outlying settlements, and establishing palace officers who regularly visit settlers to learn their concerns and problems.

Maps

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  Silverymoon

  The city of Silverymoon, the Gem of the North.

Founding Date

637 DR

Alternative Name(s)

The Gem of the North

Type

Large city

Population

40,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Silvaeren

Owner/Ruler

Methrammar Aerasumé

Ruling/Owning Rank

High Marshal

Characters in Location

• Methrammar Aerasumé

Points of Interest

• High Palace
• Star Court _{(City Hall)}
• The Bright Blade Brandished _(Tavern)
• The Dancing Goat _(Tavern)
• The Hammer and Helm _(Tavern)
• Helmer's Wall _(Tavern)
• Sorlar's Smiling Satyr _(Tavern)
• The Golden Oak _(Inn)
• Wayward House _(Inn)
• The Cloak of Stars _(Inn)
• The Halls of Inspiration _(Temple)
• The House Invincible _(Temple)
• Mielikki's Glade _(Temple)
• Rhyester's Matins _(Temple)
• Temple of Silver Stars _(Temple)
• Rosewood Gardens _(Florist)
• The Shining Scroll _{(Magic Shop)}
• Tannen's Magical Marvels _{(Magic shop)}
• Conclave of Silverymoon _(University)
• Optym's Blade _(Armourer)
• The Lion's Shield _{(General Store)}
• A Handful of Stars _(Wayfinder)