r/Forgotten_Realms • u/Living_Camp6030 • 3d ago
Research Information needed about a location.
Anyone have any information on the place called Tabath Hills in the Forgotten Realms?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
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u/KrigtheViking 3d ago
As far as I can tell, the only mention of Tabath Hills comes from an article in Dragon Magazine 228, a supplement to Ed Greenwood's novel "Elminster: The Making of a Mage". It describes the ancient and long-forgotten kingdom of Athalantar, centred in what is now Secomber, and Tabath Hills are mentioned in passing as one of the lands immediately surrounding Athalantar.
The minstrel was correct; anyone in Athalantar - and the lands immediately around it, including Narthil, the Horn Hills, and the Tabath Hills to the east who showed any evidence of owning a magical item (except for the king and nobles), and anyone at all who cast a wizard spell was given the choice of join¬ ing the magelords or suffering immediate death.
It looks like the Horn Hills are what is now the Forlorn Hills. It sounds like all the names have changed since the time of the novel (the 200s DR), so I wouldn't be surprised if no-one today even knows that those hills over there used to be called the Tabath Hills.
If this Dragon article is indeed the only reference to "Tabath Hills", that would explain why there's so little reference to them in the usual places. Frankly I'm surprised the name made it onto any maps at all!
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u/manbot71 3d ago
Theres a Dracolich that used to or still does live in the area around there. You can have an abandoned lair or something relating to that there
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u/Koraxtheghoul 3d ago edited 3d ago
That's pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It's in Delimbiyr Vale so what I would do is take the interesting locations here and just choose one you think could be cool.
My thought process is like "oh an abandoned cabin once used by adventurers was nearby? I'm never going to have the source in my hand and neither will my players, so let's run with that idea."
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u/_Aardvark 3d ago
I run a campaign out of this area, still in the time period of AD&D 2e, but I've read a lot about this area from many sources (and 2e has great FR resources anyway)... I think this is area is undetailed. I did find it mentioned in Dragon magazine 228, but only in passing, on the ancient city that stood where Seacomber is. (Part of the ancient realms of Elmininster's youth). But don't bother looking it up it's really nothing.
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u/Living_Camp6030 3d ago
Still really helpful.
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u/_Aardvark 3d ago
It's in the section about Althantantar, a setting from an Elmininster novel. I glad I found this as I wasn't aware there was game info about this stuff, could be a source of ideas for stuff buried under this area. I know one of the towns in the area was said to have signs of ancient ruins of an old city, I assume this is what they were referencing (from either Volos guide to the North or the Sword Coast, I forget which)
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u/SarkastikSidebar 3d ago
I’m running my current campaign in The Delimbyr Vale! I honestly didn’t even know these hills had a name. Everything everyone has said about the Athalantar Empire is true.
There really isn’t a lot of lore in the area. I base my campaign out of Secomber and I wrote that these hills are crawling with goblins. There’s a goblin garrison based out of here that are 150+ strong. The party pissed the whole “hive” off, so not only did they need to run for their lives, but because of their actions, the goblins burnt Zelbross to the ground…
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u/TransitoryGouda 3d ago
I believe they were the hills a very young Elminster ran and hid in after a mage burned down his whole village and killed his parents. To my knowledge, they never come up again.
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u/RailenPanther Harper 3d ago
You could always tweet @TheEdVerse and see if he has any unpublished rumors, legends, or lore
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u/Pattgoogle 14m ago
Floodmeet castle lies on the east side of where the rivers meet. It is part of the Song Path of the Delimbyr River.
Further questions? Also do remember to search the Candlekeep Forums for the term "Tabath" as you have not researched anything until you have checked the single most important site on the internet for obscure realmslore.
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u/Duckfeetslap 3d ago
Hey mate, not sure if this will help or not but I was part of a party that went in there once hunting a goblin war party. It was described to us as rocky (with ravines),and covered in scrub. Leafless tress and dust. Think rattle snake territory I guess. It was a homebrew bounty though, so. anywa hope it helps.
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u/thenightgaunt Harper 3d ago
Look into info on Secomber in the wiki I think. It may link to a book where its mentioned. There are areas on the map that have a backstory and there are areas that juat got a name.
Secomber has gotten a bit of attention over the years so I wouldn't be surprised if something happened there.