1.1.
The Altitude of the Deepingdale
The Deepingdale
comprises a relatively high area in relation to the Sea of Fallen Stars, as can
be deduced from the map below:
Picture 1: Cross Section at
"F" of the western realms of Faerûn.
 |
| Picture 1: Cross Section at "F" of the western realms of Faerûn. |
The
Dalelands is located to the left of the Dragon Reach and show growing heighten
altitude to the right, i.e from the level of the Sea of Fallen Stars (or Dragon
Reach) to the highest point, the Thunder Peaks - before reaching Cormyr. The
same region (the cross-section F[1])
can be seen at the red line in the picture below from another perspective:
 |
| Map 1: Red line at the cross-section “F” of the western realms of Faerûn |
The
exact altitude for any point of the cross-section/red line “F” can be obtained
if we obtain accurate information on the altitude of any point of the same
line, however I couldn’t find any exact information about the altitude of any
geographic landmark; I could find only na approximation wich states that "the North Country [Rashemen] lies 3000 feet above sea level, the does
much of the rest of Rashemen". This information, however, is only an
approximation, since the "north country" is not located under the red cutting line F
shown on the map above, but the rest Rashemen is and the area as a whole would
be approximately this same altitude. Another important aspect is that the level
of the sea that was used as a reference in the quote and for all purposes
considered that this is the Sea of Fallen Stars.
 |
| Picture 2: Cross-section at “F” with zoom in the central zone of the western realms. The red line starting in “Ashane” shows the approximated altitude of the Thunder Peaks and allow to understand the height of the Deepingdale. |
 |
| Map 2: Map of the Deepingdale region showing the red line (cross-section) at “F” and its intersection with the projection of beginning and end estimated to the Deepingdale. |
In
the picture 2, the red line representing Rashemen 3000 feet of altitude above
the sea level of the Sea of Fallen Stars corresponds to 11 pixels (69 to 80) so
that each pixel is equivalent to 272 feet. Thus, it can be said that the
Thunder Peaks reach approximately to 3545 feet from the sea level (2 pixels
above Rashamen).
Estimates
become too inaccurate when crossing the map 2 scales to the image 2 to then be
able to calculate attitudes: 1pixel in
the map 2 is equivalent to 0,48 miles[2]
then the Thunder Peaks in the cross-section F correspond to 38,46 miles (80
pixels [124 to 204]). The lenght of Deepingdale correspond to 110,88 miles (231
pixels [204 to 435]) and the lenght of the Thunder Peaks at the Thunder Pass is
estimated in 58,08 miles. The transposition[3] of
these distances to the picture 2 scale is, however, problematic: the Thunder
Peaks that as previous measurement should lenght for 38,46 miles would occupy
only 4 pixels, i.e its lengh would occupies only the nip of the mountain in the
cross-section disregarding most of the mountain. In the other hand, maintaining
the consistency of the scale, the Thunder Peaks portrayed in the picture 2 the
mountains would occupy much of the actual surfasse of the Dalelands which is
notoriously not true. That all is to say that the proportions shown in the picture 2 are not reliable.
If
instead of considering the accuracy of the scale’s proporcions we take a close
look in the appearance of the altitudes in the picture 2 we can see (with
enough zoom) that the first blue line next to the Thunder Peaks is the first
moment that the lands are flatlands. If we consider that this is the end of the
peaks and the beginning of the lowlands (both on the side of Sembia as the Deepingdale side) would have that this start with an approximate elevation of
1360 feet (5 pixels altitude on the level sea) and end (second blue line) with
altitude of 816 feet (with 3px altitude), with a slope of 544 feet (2 pixels).
This
conclusion however is based on a set of assumptions: 1st) the Thunder Peaks
cutting "F" really has just over 3000 feet of altitude; 2nd) as it is
not possible to reliably estimate where just the peaks and begins Sembia
cutting F, then this definition was based only on the map appearance, ie
roughly approximate form; 3rd) the side of the peaks represented by the line
"F" is not necessarily equal in terms of altitude in relation to the
other side - belonging to the Deepingdale, although one can assume that there
is some similarity; 4th) the information obtained did not seem to fit well the
description of the peaks.
1.2. Relief
Informations:
1
– Generic reference to the existence of “shaded
[...] valleys” in Cormanthor.
(Elminster’s Ecologies, p. 42).
2
- “Like many Dale communities, its population [of the Deepingdale] is scattered in many considers its capital
to be the town of Highmoon at the head of the valley, as the main road (the East Way) rises into the pass at Thunder Gap”.
(FR
2ed, p. 35).
The
main caracteristc of the Deepingdale relief is the valley itself that comprise
“the wooded land that lies around the
Glaemril and its tributaries (the Deeping Stream and the Wineflow”[4]
with inform us that the dale has two branchs depressions that join into a
simple following the river. There are also references to the fact that the
valley is "broad"[5],
but this do not allow to conclude whether this feature (width) applies to the
two branchs of the valley.
Another
interesting information about the disposal of the Deepingdale relief is the
afirmation that “Highmoon [...] lies at the head of Deepingdale’s valley”[6]
which suggests that the main depression of the valley lies downwards Highmoon
following the river stream. So we can assume that the valley of the Wineflow –
before Highmoon – isn’t very broad or deep.
The
understanding of the Deepingdale relief can be improved if we take into
consideration that “Deepingdale is a
wide, deeply carved valley in the hills between the Archwood and the
Semberholme”[7].
Here there are two informations: 1) the depression of the valley is deep
(presumably after/downwards Highmoon) and 2) the Deepingdale region – between
the Archwood and the Semberholme – is a region of hills.
 |
| Map 3: Deepingdale and near surroundings. (FR Atlas) |
As
can be seen on the map, the region of Semberholme is represented as a region of
hills and the Archwood isn’t. We can then conclude that the map does not always
represent such information, which corroborates the claim that the region of the
Deepingdale between the Archwood and the Semberholme would be a region of hills
and is also consistent with the descriptions of some geographical landmarks
listed below.
The
Deepingdale is therefore a region of rolling hills with a smaller valley
following the Wineflow up to Highmoon when then the valley depression would
become wide and deep to further meet the valley Glaemril that part of Bristar
and follows throught the forest.
1.3. Soil, mineral and
caves
In
general the soil appears to be very productive.
There
are rubies deposits in the Moonrise Craig. Erosion presented in this hill,
suggests that maybe the soil of the region is prone to the formation of caves.
Informations:
1
- “Salty minerals in na offshoot of the Deeping Stream have colored the water
dull orange and killed nearly all the fish”. (Elminster’s Ecologies, p. 260)
2
– References to Cormanthor and not especificaly about Deepingdale states that
are “[bears]... in secluded caves”.
(Elminster’s Ecologies, p. 42).
1.4. Topographical
landmarks of Deepingdale
Corellon Glen:
A narrow and deep glen[8]
hidden by hillocks.
The Darkwatch:
There is a big difference between this landmark is described in 2th edition
books and how it’s described in 3th edition books. According with the 2th ed,
the Darkwatch “is a deep valley” and
later is written that it’s a “dark valley”
and then the sourcers turn to use de word “valley”
to describe this landmark. According to the Cambrigde dictionary online, the
word “valley” means “na área of low land between hills or mountains”; then we
can conclude that according to the 2th ed. sourcerbooks the Darkwatch is an
area deeply lowered in relation to the hills (once it’s not a region of
montains) that surrounds it.
In
the 3th edition, the Darkwatch is represented considerably differently as “a long, darkrift in the floor”. Here the
word “rift” seems to replace the word “valley”. This vision seems to be
confirmated when the text of the 3th edition states that “none have dared descend into the unnatural darkness between the rift’s
steep sides”[9].
This
divergence between the information can lead to two basic positions: 1) the
option is for one of "versions" of the Darkwatch, or; 2) it is
considered that both are simultaneously true and that the rift referred to in
3ªed lies in the valley mentioned in 2ªed.
Hunter’s Down:
The “the long [...] Hunter’s Down is a landmark usad by many to
navigate the winding forest lanes north of the Glaemril”[10].
This suggests that the hill is clearly higher than the surrounding lands. The
Hunter’s Down “is a tranquil ridge
[...]. A deep pool rests midway along it”[11]
that leads to chambre inside de hill where stands na elven crypt.
Moonrise Grag:
“Moonrise Crag is a great bald knob of rock […]. On the west, it rises from the trees as a ferny meadow that gives way
to lichen and broken rocks, and thence to a bare, windswept rock shoulder that
sweeps to a jagged face pointing east. […] Moonrise Crag’s rock is very porous, and on the exposed, broken east
face it has dried out almost to powder. When strong winds blow, the rock
crumbles away and blows east int the forest as a gray powder. Sometimes small
but very high-quality rubies hitherto trapped in rock are blown with it.
Driftgems blows most thickly during and after lightning storms and have
included rubies as large as the first joint of a human woman’s thumb”[12].
About how high is the crag, The Dalelands
states that the “rocky crag that juts out
over the tree-tops”[13]; this
information when compared to the type of tree existing below the cliff can provide
clues as to cliff height.
Note:
There is a reference to the trunk of a large tree that existed in Moonrise Hill
and it was higher than the cliff. If informed what kind of tree it was, this
information can help estimate the cliff height.
Hill of Spells:
In the Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands it is stated that the Corellon Glen “lies northwest of a town [Highmoon] beyond the Hill of Spells”[14] in
an unspecified location. Otherwise in the FR 3th, the Rhauntide’s Tower is
located “on the top of Spell Hill in
Highmoon”, i.e the Hill of Spells can be find in the map of the town of
Highmoon in the place where is the Rhauntide’s Tower.
[2] In the AD&D Forgotten Realms
Atlas, the lenght of 100 miles correspond to 208 pixels (525 a 733) so that
each pixel correspond to 0,48 miles.
[3] In the Forgotten Realms Atlas
map (1 pixel = 0,48 miles) the Dragon Reach is represented as having 251 pixel
lenght (85,100 to 336,100) with correspond to 120,48 miles. This same Dragon
Reach in the cross-section F of the picture 2 lenghts 13 pixels so that each
pixel should corresponds to 9,26 miles in order that the lenght of the Dragon
Reach be the same in the two maps.
[4]
Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands, p. 94.
[5]
“Deepingdale is a wide [...] valley…”; The Dalelands, p. 24. And “most of the Deepingfolk are hunter, farmers,
and foresters. Here everyone dwells close to the land in a broad, verdant valley…”. Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands, p. 95.
[6] The Dalelands, p. 24.
[7]
The Dalelands, p. 24.
[8] Acording with the Cambridge
dictionary online a gleen is “a deep narrow valley especially among mountains”.
[10] Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands,
p. 115.
[11] Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands,
p. 115.
[12] Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands,
p. 116.
[13] The Dalelands, p. 27.
[14] Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands,
p. 106.
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