Dead Man's Walk

A map showing the Dead Man's Walk in southern Vaasa.
Dead Man's Walk
Trail
Location	Vaasa, the Cold Lands, northeast Faerûn
Origin	Bloodstone Pass, Damara
Destination	Garumn's Climb, Vaasa

Dead Man's Walk was a trail that traversed the breadth of southern Vaasa, and was thus was a key piece of the northern trade route that ran from Damara to the Moonsea.

Description

The road was filled with potholes. Travelers had to be cautious of dangerous fauna, notably packs of boars and wolves as well as giant wasps and giant leeches.

During the boggy summer months, the trail became muddy and treacherous. Sudden and violent thunderstorms were not uncommon, and visibility was reduced owing to heavy fog. In addition, travelers were beset by putrid smells and the constant buzzing and biting of insects.

Geography

On its western end, the trail originated at Avang on the Vaasan side of Garumn's Climb, the pass that connected to the lands of the Moonsea North. Dead Man's Walk meandered north in the shadow of the Galena Mountains and entered the Bottomless Bogs. Here the route was laid with wooden logs intended to provide stability for travelers and wagons in the summer months when the entire region turned to mud.

Upon reaching the Beaumaris River near Moortown, the trail followed the river east and south into the Clefts of Razack. In the late 15^th century DR, it passed through the cliffside community of Kond before it climbed the southern face of the canyon out of the Clefts, and then continued eastward, skirting the northern edge of the Bleak Steppes of Haatar-Baen, until reaching Maur-Eturo; in the late 15^th century DR, a small spur roughly midway along this segment led north to the capital, Telos City, via a bridge spanning the Clefts of Razack.

From the crossroads at Maur-Eturo, the trail connected to a path leading to Darmshall across open plains to the east, and to Gramble's Climb and Hulburg beyond to the south. Dead Man's Walk itself continued northerly to once again meet up with the Beaumaris at Nigel's Ford before following the river east. In the mid–14^th century DR, it travelled along the river's southern bank, while in the late 15^th century DR, it crossed Nigel's Ford to travel along the northern bank, where it passed through the tent city of Fugue. Either way, it then arrived in Bloodstone Pass via the Vaasan Gate.

History

In the mid-to-late 13^th century DR, travelers along Dead Man's Walk had to be wary of attacks by bog people and dragonkin, who took advantage of the dense summer fogs to lay ambushes.

In the mid-to-late 14^th century DR, travelers had to be cautions of orcs—including from the Ring-nose clan—and wights—the undead remains of soldiers who had served Zhengyi the Witch-King in the Bloodstone Wars.

Notable Locations

• The Vaasan Gate, a fortress at the entrance to Bloodstone Pass, and the eastern anchor of the trail.
• Fugue, a tent city and refugee camp along the Beaumaris River in the late 15^th century DR.
• Nigel's Ford, a crossing of the Beaumaris that was included in the route as of the late 15^th century DR.
• Maur-Eturo, a ranching town and crossroad in the Sunderland.
• Kond, a trade outpost above the Beaumaris River in the late 15^th century DR.
• Moortown, an oft-ruined town in the Bottomless Bogs just off the trail.
• Avang, a small settlement at the base of Garumn's Climb, and the western anchor of the route.

Appendix

Appearances

Adventures

Dungeon #53: "Steelheart"

Novels

Realms of Shadow: "Darksword"