Maelshyve

Maelshyve was the blackened keep of Despana in Rhoska-Tor, which fell to the lightning strike that ended the Undead War. The Faendryl forced her horde back into the fortress with lesser demons, and imploded it in order to irrevocably destroy everyone inside in an instant. The Elves were horrified by these dark magics, and banished the Faendryl to the ruins of Maelshyve. The construction of the fortress began in -18,756 and it was destroyed in -15,185.

An Elven archeological expedition went to Maelshyve in 5120 and discovered a massive blackened and warped rhimar-edged waraxe. Under the direction of the Argent Mirror, the expedition opened to volunteers of all races. To date, two artifacts have been found: a dented and tarnished invar buckle (seemingly last worn by a dwarf) and a rotting leather harness last worn by a pony (suggesting that the pony's rider was a dwarf or halfling).

Behind the Scenes

Maelshyve is the name of a demonic demi-goddess in DragonRealms, who was expelled from "The Void" by a death god, and escaped her imprisonment in her wasteland fortress. She is their most powerful known necromantic entity. While Despana, Tormtor, Dharthiir, Shar, and possibly Breganda were dark elven words taken from Dungeons & Dragons, Maelshyve seems more likely to be a construct out of archaic Gaelic like the "southron" spelling of Southron Wastes. Maelstrom would be a sucking whirlpool, and shyve is flinging a rope from a boat, thus a metaphor for the implosion of the fortress.

A possible parallel meaning exists. "Máel" is also Old Irish for a flap-topped hillock or for a place that is bare, exposed, and defenseless, so the "mael" part of the word may exist to show what its location in the Southron Wastes was like. Likewise, a "shive" is a fitting used in ale-making which allows the contents to be emptied (and refilled, if desired) while controlling the amount of carbon dioxide flowing in and out of the cask. If you put "mael" and "shive" together, it becomes "a bare, exposed place where Despana's magic was controlled and emptied out."

You see Maelshyve, a hulking beast of great stature.
She has radiant green eyes that cast a sickly glow upon the dusky midnight-blue scales that cover her body. Long tresses of willowy black hair cascade elegantly down around her, giving her form an almost alluring appearance despite the menacing capabilities evident in her massive triple-tined claws extending from bulky arms wrought with uncompromising musculature.
Two deathly black reptilian wings are folded behind her back, tipped with spiked talons that glisten malevolently in the light.
Her massive, yet shapely torso tapers down to an elegant waist, supported by heavy trunk-like legs. Her feet are hideous implements of war, bearing gruesome black claws that glisten with the blood of her latest victims.
A gargantuan tail slithers from behind her back, thickly plated with armored scales and bearing stiletto-sized spines.