Myth Drannor

Myth Drannor, formerly known as the city of Cormanthor, the City of Song, or the City of Love among other names, was the former capital city Cormanthyr in the forest of Cormanthor that had been devastated to ruin, rebuilt anew, and destroyed again throughout a long and storied history that spanned well over a millennia.

At its height, the city represented the peak of elven civilization and craftsmanship. It served as a beacon for the free folks of Faerûn, especially the elves, dwarves, and humans, that they could peacefully live alongside one another. For hundreds of years after the Weeping War, it existed as feind-infested ruins, until it was reclaimed by the elven crusade of Evermeet in the late 14 century DR. It enjoyed a century-long renaissance, before falling once more into ruin.

""We shall watch guard, until Myth Drannor stands proud again!""

- Old saying of the Dalelands

Description
As per its name, Myth Drannor partly defined by mythal that granted it protection. While the mythal's made the lives of its citizens more safe and convenient during its existence, and even held secret powers known only to its creators, the power it leaked following the city's destruction had lasting effects on the ruins and surrounding forest of Cormanthor.
 * Magic

The almost excessive use of magic in the city, combined with the actual mythal itself weakened the "planar fabric" of the region, granting easier access to other planes of existence and crystal spheres, most notably the demiplane of dread and the planet Krynn.

There were pockets of Cormanthor that would cause magic (spells and effects) to behave in unpredictable ways. According to Elminster Aumar, these pockets were created as a result of the breakup of the mythal.

The dwarves of the city established a network of underground pumps that provided its citizens with a reliable source of fresh water.
 * Technology:

Climate
Myth Drannor enjoyed exceptionally pleasant weather, free from extreme temperatures or natural disasters such as storms and forest fires.

Geography
Myth Drannor was one of four old communities of Cormanthyr, alongside the Elven Court, Semberholme, and the Tangled Trees.

Myth Drannor was built around two streams that were formed by the construction of Tilver's Dam, located just north of the city. It was north of the magically-created pond referred to as Glyryrryl's pool.

Geographical Features
Myth Drannor was built in such a way that its layout resembled the head of a battleaxe, with the blade pointed to the west. The western half of the city was the older of the two, housing more buildings and structures; while the eastern half, referred to as Dlarbraddath for its designer, featured numerous parks, gardens, and other sites of natural beauty.

The two approximate halves were linked by the large curved bridges that spanned the streams that ran through the city in a north-south direction.

History
Myth Drannor was founded as Cormanthor in the by the Coronal Kahvoerm Irithyl. For over four thousand years, the city prospered with little incident.

Glory of Myth Drannor
Coronal Eltargrim Irithyl decided that if Cormanthyr was to survive, its people must make peace with the other races, so Eltargrim set about organizing the elf wizards to create a mythal. It was completed in the, and its construction marked the "Opening". The Coronal opened the city of Cormanthor to all non-Tel'Quessir, and the city was crowned Myth Drannor.

The Opening marked the beginning of the Golden Age of Myth Drannor, when the city prospered and many races flourished amid its towers. Many demihuman groups came to the city during this time, including dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. Myth Drannor reached a peak of influence and culture in the, and all the races living within flourished under a sense of unity.

Following the death of Eltargrim in 661 DR, the city was left without a leader. By Midsummer 667 DR the Council of Twelve was in control of Cormanthyr and Myth Drannor. This council soon forgot the dreams of the Coronals and took to bettering their own agendas; the nobles made trade deals that favored their own houses and influence, and worked to set up power holds in the sister cities. With Myth Drannor failing as a capital, Cormanthyr dissolved into city-states within four decades amid divisive in-fighting among the council and the guilds.

Fall
In the, the Trio Nefarious entered the northern woods, attacking some eladrin outposts and moving closer to the capital, and starting the Weeping War. The elves of the city were aided in its defense by the men of the Dalelands and some Cormyrean War Wizards. Unfortunately by the, Myth Drannor was overrun by the Army of Darkness.

Interim years
For over six centuries, the elves kept the place hidden and sealed for the most part, refusing to let any into the ruins save dragons, whom the elves hoped would guard the city against interlopers as they would their own lairs The city became a legend, one of the most dangerous adventuring sites in all of Faerûn.

During the 13 century DR, the deity Lathander appeared before a group of his clergy that came to be known as the Speakers of the Dawn. He tasked them with the formation of a Lathanderite temple within the ruins of Myth Drannor and bestowed upon them the Dawnstone to aid them in their endeavor.

In the years that followed many adventuring, bands made forays into the ruins of Myth Drannor, in search of wealth and glory. Notable among these groups were the Company of the Catlash, and the Masked Marauders.

Other groups were more benevolent in their motivations. The Knights of the Shadow Sword made regular patrols in the city, seeking to rid it of its evil denizens.

In 1344 DR, the vast majority of elves left for Evermeet, participating in the Retreat (traveling first by gates to Ardeep Forest before making arrangements with Mirt the Moneylender, who lent them his ships to sail west with ). A mere two years later, the alhoons had manipulated the Church of Bane into opening a portal to Avernus in the ruins, from which a few bound devils could be called from and controlled in order to battle the few remaining yugoloths and the alhoon's rival phaerimms before the portal was closed again. However, Malkizid intervened, forcing the portal to stay open and causing a legion of baatezu to pour forth.

The Seizing
The banites quickly erected magical wards that the fiends could not escape from and placed their hope in adventurers slaying the devils. Over the span of ten years, they put out word of the riches that could be obtained from the ruins. Numerous adventuring companies raided Myth Drannor but they were merely fodder for the increasingly numerous fiends inhabiting the area; their efforts however led to the destruction of many ancient elven relics.

In 1357 DR, an avatar of Moander marched on Myth Drannor from Yûlash but was prevented from reaching its destination. Scant months later, in Marpenoth, Tyranthraxus briefly took over the city, arriving through a pool of radiance and erecting a magical barrier to prevent entry, ruling over most of the city's inhabitants from the temple of Labelas Enoreth. Elminster, operating under a disguise, aided a group of adventurers in entering through the barrier and they managed to drive out the possessing spirit. The group that would become known far and wide as Knights of Myth Drannor closed the portal in Uktar of the same year but around seventy of the devils remained.

Twelve years after that, in 1369 DR, the Cult of the Dragon also gained a foothold in the city, led by Kya Mordrayn. They had discovered a newly formed pool of radiance inside Castle Cormanthor and wished to bathe the dracolich Pelendralaar in it to make him more powerful but once more, adventurers defeated their evil designs.

Reclamation and Rebuilding
In 1372 DR, the return of the Netherese to Faerûn saw them quickly target the colony of phaerimm living in the ruins for destruction. They erected a shadowshell that prevented the thornback's escape before they were to descend and wipe out their ancient foes. An attack on Thultanthar by the Chosen of Mystra however, prevented them from both confirming that all of the phaerimms living there had been killed and looting what magic remained.

In 1374 DR, the forces of the Daemonfey conquered the city by force but the army of Seiveril Miritar, leading a return to Faerûn, recaptured Myth Drannor. Seiveril's daughter Ilsevele Miritar became the new coronal and efforts to restore the city began. Beginning its new life as a war camp, migrants from Evermeet and native wood elves moved in, as did a huge influx of humans and half-elves from the Dalelands, Hillsfar, and Sembia. The elven crusaders slowly but surely wiped out the remaining monsters in and around the ruins while quietly tolerating the illegal theft of elven artifacts to fund their efforts. Non-military personnel demolished ruined stonework to clear space for new buildings. After a while though, Myth Drannor became a flourishing city-state with influence over several Moonsea and Dalelands settlements. This nation waged a cold war against the Empire of Netheril for over a century, starting when Netherese agents stole the Quess Ar Teranthvar from Windsong Tower early in 1375 DR

In 1487 DR, after years of war against Netheril, the flying city of Thultanthar crashed into Myth Drannor, destroying both cities. Ilsevele and her surviving subjects fled to Semberholme.

Rumors & Legends
There are some surviving objects and artifacts from the city. One example is a single bottle of wine kept at Thaola's Wineshop in Leuthilspar on the island of Evermeet.

Old Myth Drannor

 * Landmarks:
 * Castle Cormanthor, the once-majestic citadel around which the city was built, that was later taken over by the Cult of the Dragon.
 * Ildrannath's Tower, the city's armory that once housed a fearsome band of adventurers.
 * The Irithlium, the legendary arcane academy of Myth Drannor.
 * Polyandrium, a graveyard located to the north from the city and housed numerous mausoleums like the Crypt of Kesefehon.


 * The Speculum, a repository of arcane knowledge that was founded by Alaghar of the Horns, and located on the Speculum Grounds.


 * Natural Features:
 * Burial Glade, the western graveyard that held the Warrior's Gate tomb.
 * Westfields:


 * Halls:
 * Halls of the Beast-Tamers, the subterranean hall of the Guild of Naturalists located on the east side of the city.
 * Onaglym,
 * Tyrintar's Hall, a grand feasthall named after the first captain of the city, Tyrintar.


 * Residences:
 * Six Tyryl towers


 * Temples:
 * House of Song
 * Lovers' Glade, a step-encircled pool that served as an open temple to the goddess Sune.
 * Shaundakul's Throne, considered the preeminent holy house of the Rider of the Winds in all the Realms.
 * Shrine of Mystra, was located not far from Polyandrium
 * Temple of Mystra, was located in Nightingale Court and led by Anorrweyn Evensong.

Ruined Myth Drannor

 * Landmarks:
 * Stillwater Ruins, was the area that housed a fountain with magic healing waters and once served as the gate to the areas surrounding Castle Cormanthor.
 * Sullymarsh, was a swamp that once was a beautiful public park.


 * Temples:
 * Dawnspire, the Lathanderite temple that was erected by the Seekers of the Dawn.

Inhabitants
Following its destruction in the 8 century DR, Myth Drannor became overrun by many monstrous and aberrant creatures. Included among these were such horrors as alhoons, the evilphaerimm and their formerly-enslaved group dark nagas known as the nagara, magic-consuming dweomervores, fiends led by the fallen solar Malkizid, wizshades that haunted the city's once-majestic wizard-towers, and even a deepspawn that took control of the ruined Speculum.

One human archmage named Druth Daern managed to survive the fall of Myth Drannor by hiding himself away within. When the fighting was over he emerged and looted the city of what valuables he could. Druth completed his journey to lichdom and raised an undead army that rivaled the fiends of the lower planes and alhoons alike.

Appendix

 * Novels:
 * The Last Mythal
 * Forsaken House • Farthest Reach • Final Gate
 * The Herald

Gallery

 * Maps: