Speculum Grounds

The Speculum Grounds was the area of Myth Drannor in the City Heights that surrounded the Hall of Wizards, the center of arcane knowledge in the city.

Geography
In front of the main entrance to the Hall of Wizards stood a monument to Mythanthar the archmage of Cormanthyr. The statue had an enchantment cast on it that allowed instantaneous transportation between the Halls of Light in Dwarven Dungeons and Speculum, using the ring of calling and the seal of Mythanthar. The Hall of Wizards itself resembled a slumbering dragon that curled around its egg. The main entrance to the center of knowledge was shaped like a dragon's head. The huge egg-like structure was a complicated magical device known as the Orrery. The machine was a gently-rotating glowing orbs model of the Realmspace, that was used to efficiently teleport the wizards of the old Myth Drannor between the city's Spinning Spires.

To the east of the Speculum and the monument laid the entrance to the park that was known as the House of Omberdawn, later - Sullymarsh. A winding pathway up to the Windrider Glade was located to the north of Sullymarsh's entrance. The Gate of Antarn stood to the east from the Speculum and led to the Altar of the Mythal. The gate was magically locked unless they had a specific enchanted glyph tattooed on their bodies. Very few were able to create the tattoo, Annorrweyn Eversong was one of them.

To the west of the Hall of Wizards was located a ruined tower, and further west - the Circle of 'Ualair' the Silent , a once beautifully crafted amphitheater. The amphitheater also served as a hidden entrance to the Elven Catacombs, a huge underground structure that served Castle Cormanthor as a dungeon, prison, and burial catacombs.

The long staircase at the eastern edge of the Speculum Grounds led directly to the path connecting the grounds to the Nightingale Court.

A patch of healing blueglow moss could be found at the Speculum Grounds' southern edge.

History
During the Weeping War, the Speculum Grounds suffered minimum damage, as the defending forces abandoned the area for better defensible positions. Because of that, and robust magical defenses, the Speculum Grounds avoided a big part of battling and destruction. Although over the centuries that followed, the grounds were damaged by time and elements.

The wondrous Orrery was dismantled by the dwarves of the House of Gems during the war and seized functioning with its floating orbs being scattered around the city, enchased in metal. The device was briefly restored to functionality by a group of adventurers from Phlan that opposed the Cult of the Dragon's occupation of Myth Drannor in 1369 DR.

Inhabitants
In 1369 DR, the Speculum Grounds was a dangerous area of the city, filled with preying gargoyles, roaming orcs, vicious arraccats, and vengeful undead. The agents of the Cult of the Dragon is this area were scarce dragon-kin troops.

A ghost of Caalenfaire, a prominent elven diviner haunted the Hall of Wizards, in his eternal compulsive search for knowledge, accompanied by his loyal follower, the floating skull named Volun.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor