Tourist Traps of the Forgotten Realms: Moonshae

Category: Tourist Traps of the Forgotten Realms
Last article published: 1 June 2012
This is the 6th post under this label

Being a travelogue of a blogger's summer vacation through the continent of Faerun. 

Last you heard from me, 11 years and a month ago by your reckoning, I was lost in the Sea of Swords on a particularly windless voyage to the Isles of Moonshae. And well, we did make it in the end, and it may surprise you to know I live here now.The Ffolk here (yes, 2 Fs) speak a kind of Welsh, so it's taken me a while to make myself understood so that I could send one last dispatch. By the time I have, I'm no longer a tourist, but rather a native, so this is likely my last.

Moonshae is a land of forests and moors. I was expecting Ireland. I got Scotland. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It can be quite lovely in the summer.

No, I didn't actually see a unicorn. This is a postcard.

To the North are the Northmen and it's generally better to avoid them. The Ffolk call me "Thin Northman" as a joke. I'm very weird to them, as I don't worship the Earthmother and pay my dinner by retelling Asterix stories I remember from childhood. They don't get all the jokes, but the idea of a village of irreducible Ffolk holding out against an invading army using a magic potion has become a bit of a phenomenon. I owe Uderzo & Goscinny some money if I ever get back.

If you do come to visit, I'd say you should drop by Callidyyr in Alaron, the Realm of the High King. It's the most "civilized", which I know is important to tourists used to all the amenities (like those who can read blogs). I'm there, just ask for the "Magic Potion Guy" (oh damn, have *I* become a tourist trap myself?!) and there's a mighty fine castle. For the nature lovers, ride down to Cornwell on the island of Gwynneth, lots of very nice druid events, and you can take your own pictures of unicorns (if you're lucky... or never GOT lucky, if you know what I mean).

But whatever happens, don't be caught outside at night. Those wolves in the distance? Well, they tend to close that distance preternaturally fast.

And me? Am I happy here? I still feel stranded, and I miss my internet connection, but sometimes you rough it until you become a bit rough yourself and accept the new normal...