Nemhedh
Nemhedh
Nemhedh is a small region cradled between Sahrivik and Parika within the Ice Kingdoms. It is named after Nemhedh, the ancient spirit dragon that dominated and protected the region for thousands of years.
Unlike much of the Ice Kingdoms, Nemhedh is unusually fertile and comparatively warm. It is often called the Ice Paradise, a green and temperate refuge hidden among lands otherwise ruled by cold, death, and hunger.
Because of its unusual nature, Nemhedh is often desired by those of Sahrivik and is frequently threatened by the Ice Lord Daza Kathiz.
The Ice Paradise
The region of Nemhedh is much warmer than the other regions of the Ice Kingdoms. Its climate is closer to the temperate lands of the Kingdom of Panthais than to the frozen north around it.
It is a fertile green region where copses of firs and pines grow wildly. These woods are often lumbered by the barbarians of Sahrivik with little issue, aside from occasional encounters with cave bears and other dangerous beasts.
Yet the land is not passive.
Those who enter the forests with hostile or evil intent often find themselves fighting the forest itself until they retreat. Survivors among the Rhakas tell horrific stories of massive Sidz Ra protecting the realm from incursion.
The Spirit Dragon Nemhedh
Nemhedh, the spirit dragon for whom the region is named, has not been seen for the past half century. Many believe the ancient dragon has passed beyond the mortal realm.
However, any hostile attempt to take control of the region has been met with unusual circumstances, as though nature and the land rise to defend it.
Legend holds that Nemhedh is not gone, but instead resides in the ruins of an ancient subterranean fir darrig city lost beneath the region: Dago.
Dago, the Lost City
The ruined subterranean city beneath Nemhedh is known as Dago. In ancient times, it was called Zhal Durgrym.
Zhal Durgrym was one of the few cities of the Fir Darrig that existed beyond the ancient Cold Sea, presently known as The Vast. At its height, Zhal Durgrym held an estimated twenty thousand fir darrig.
The city eventually fell to the onslaught of Lorkach and their minions. During a long series of battles and skirmishes, the city came into the auspicious hands of the spirit dragon Nemhedh.
Despite the presence and power of the spirit dragon, darker beings continued to infiltrate the city.
The Depths Below
Those who have returned from exploring the region tell of escaping from the depths of a ruined city whose entrances are located throughout Dago.
They speak of lightless tunnels, damp halls, collapsed chambers, and areas where only monsters dwell in the depths.
While the surface region is protected by numerous Sidz Ra, the depths of the ancient city where Nemhedh is said to reside are not so protected from the surrounding underworld. Creatures from Tav Aeduhn still find their way into the forgotten halls and broken tunnels beneath the Ice Paradise.
| Nemhedh Information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Ice Kingdom region; fertile refuge; spirit-dragon domain |
| Region | Ice Kingdoms |
| Location | Between Sahrivik and Parika |
| Also Known As | The Ice Paradise |
| Named For | Nemhedh, the spirit dragon |
| Ancient City | Dago, once known as Zhal Durgrym |
| Terrain | Fertile green land, fir and pine copses, warmer valleys, hidden entrances to ancient ruins |
| Known For | Spirit-dragon legends, Sidz Ra guardians, lost fir darrig city, warm climate, hidden subterranean ruins |
| Major Threats | Rhakas incursions, agents of Daza Kathiz, cave bears, monsters of Tav Aeduhn, lorkach remnants |
Adventure Use
Nemhedh is useful as a rare place of beauty and mystery within the Ice Kingdoms. It can serve as a sanctuary, a contested region, a lost-city dungeon, or the resting place of an ancient guardian.
Possible adventure uses include:
- Searching for proof that the spirit dragon Nemhedh still lives.
- Escorting Sahrivik lumberers into the protected forests without angering the Sidz Ra.
- Stopping agents of Daza Kathiz from finding a route into Dago.
- Exploring the ruins of Zhal Durgrym beneath the region.
- Recovering fir darrig relics from the lost city.
- Discovering why the forest attacks some travelers but permits others to pass.
- Sealing tunnels that allow Tav Aeduhn creatures into the ruins.
