Synopsis: Loudwater is an ancient city originally built by elves. Much of the local population is still half-elven . This greenerycovered town by the River Shining is normally avery peaceful place.

Its streets are twisty mazes that affect the strategy of battles fought there. Vaalgamon blocks the main street through town with a large force of monsters and fighters, and sends patrols down the maze of side streets once he knows the party is in Loudwater.

The party needs to attack these patrols one at a time and defeat them to wear down the large Zhentarim force. Once this strategy of divide and conquer has weakened Vaalgamon’s guards, the main group can be attacked and the black-robed general flees the city. If all his patrols are defeated Vaalgamon may launch a last-ditch effort against the party. A large group of Zhentil fighters is hurriedly assembled and attacks while Vaalgamon escapes.

The party can leave the city at any time without defeating Vaalgamon here; this battle does not have to be won to complete the game.

Be sure to rest the party fully, heal, and memorize spells before going to Llorkh after exiting Loudwater. Llorkh is full of traps set by the Zhentarim, and the party should be ready for combat before they go there.

Resting: The party may rest at The Woodlands Inn or at any non-street location.

Wandering Monsters: In the mausoleum area 6 groups of ghouls and/or zombies appear. If the party has not yet recovered any of the statuettes, the city streets are the scene for attacks by small groups of Zhentil fighters.

Objective: Fighting Vaalgamon’s armies are optional here. You can move past these encounters to LLorkh, which is east of Loudwater.

Experience: The party can receive tremendous experience here for fighting Vaalgamon’s armies. It is recommended to chip away at Vaalgamon’s army (14-19) before engaging the main army (20). The main battle (20) will still offer a large amount of experience, just be fully prepared.

Quests: There is technically no quest here, but rather a story development around clashes with General Vaalgamon and his Zhentil army over the attainment of the Statuettes.

Leaving: Head to Llorkh after Loudwater. Llorkh has lots of traps and encounters, rest and restore hit points and spells before travelling.

The two-year-long War of the Returned Regent freed the Vale from Rensha rule. Finally, in the Year of the Wandering Wyrm, 1317 DR, Nanathlor Greysword defeated Pasuuk and the Renshas’ forces at the battle of Tanglefork and became the ruler of Loudwater. However, some histories marked his reign as commencing four years earlier, circa 1313 DR. In either case, the start of Nanathlor’s reign marked the official founding of Loudwater.

In Tarsakh of the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, on a number of separate occasions, the residents of farm holdings on the outer edges of Loudwater’s domain heard eerie howling and later discovered corpses near their lands. These were identified as various wicked beings, including two drow and some fish-like humanoid, and all carried bite marks. Nanathlor was notified and he formally reported the news. A search of caves in the Delimbiyr valley showed sign of recent occupation, but no connection to underground. Later that year, in Eleasias, a mysterious healer of the High Wood called Radoc helped victims of an orc raid and escorted them to Loudwater. His odd appearance, taciturn nature, and purchase of supplies with crystals made him the subject of rumor before he departed.

Nanathlor ruled in relative peace for 52 years until Malarite lycanthropes attacked the city after a blood-red moon appeared in the sky over the Vale. Nanathlor himself was on his deathbed but the citizenry, led by a young man named Stedd Rein saved the town when Stedd opened his father’s stock of silvered weapons.[citation needed] Kalahar Twohands, Gauntlet of the western marches, replaced Nanathlor, who didn’t survive to see his city saved. Kalahar oversaw the most turbulent years in Loudwater’s history since the war, including a mass migration of orcs, threats from a bandit army and their illithid allies, dragons and several attacks from the Zhentarim.

Along with Secomber, Loudwater was the only settlement of any size in the area to survive the effects of the Spellplague, though it was much reduced in size and had been almost completely abandoned by the elves. Still, it managed to resist the dangers of the surrounding area. What it struggled to cope with was internal troubles. There was barely enough trade to keep the town afloat and dangerous criminals replaced the small-time thieves guild that had been operating there. Many foundlings discovered on the shores of Highstar Lake came to live and grow up in the town, unknowingly the spawn of some fishlike creature who dwelt beneath the lake’s waters.

By 1491 DR, the northern wizard Telbor Zazrek was the High Lord. Telbor was a corrupt puppet of the Zhentarim who took hefty kickbacks in order to ensure Zhentarim trade goods were the only ones most folk could afford