Dekanter

Dekanter, formally the Mines of Dekanter, were ruins found beneath the Graypeak Mountains in the Savage Frontier.

Description
"No—the mines, the ruins—I was expecting a hole in the ground, but nothing like this. There's a hollow mountain up here."

- Druhallen, upon entering Dekanter for the first time.

Dekanter was once a mine of Netheril. It has since fallen into ruin. The legacy of Netheril remains within the ruins as the dangerous side effects of powerful spellcasting.

Dekanter's main chamber was built as an enormous amphitheater built to giant-sized scale. The center of the bowl-shaped cavern was about wide, surrounded by five receding levels each at least  high and just as much wide. Human-sized stairs crisscrossed the tiers all the way up to their uppermost level.

Side chambers in the mines were marked by Dethek inscriptions, and decorated with grand paintings depicting scenes from the oldest epic stories of the Realms. The tunnels that interconnected these chambers were difficult to navigate and nearly impossible to map out, as every rainfall caused some of them to close down or collapse, while others became open.

Geography
Dekanter was located west of Anauroch and to the south of Weathercote Wood in the eastern foothills of the Graypeak Mountains. The crumbling ruins were surrounded by low hills. As of the mid–14 century DR, the Dawn Pass Trail passed through the Graypeaks near the entrance of the mines.

Flora & Fauna
The ruins of Dekanter was home to beholders, gargoyles , gnolls and goblins.

History
In, Dekanter, a Netherese miner, discovered a massive deposit of gold, iron, mercury, platinum and silver. Netheril quickly established the mines of Dekanter, named after its discoverer. Dekanter was an incredibly successful mine, triggering the beginning of the Silver Age of Netheril. It provided Netheril with a significant amount of their mineral resources.

By, all the minerals were extracted and it became a sort of laboratory for Netherese mages. Since the mine was able to isolate the potentially negative effects of a spell, it was used as a testing ground for new spells. It was also used as a storage facility for magical items. It was abandoned with the fall of Netheril.

For centuries war was waged within Dekanter between different factions of goblinoid communities. The severity of these conflicts ebbed and flowed throughout the years.

During the Era of Upheaval, beginning in the, the war within Dekanter spilled out beyond the mines into the surrounding mountains. Around this time they were were also used as a site for the Zhentarim to conduct their slave trade. Within ten years, the war had become out of control, spilling out into the surrounding mountains and sending hundreds of goblin refugees to nearby human settlements.

In the, a group of travelers ventured into Dekanter and recovered one of the fabled Nether Scrolls from the clutches of the mysterious cult leader that took over as ruler of the ruins' goblin population.

Rumors & Legends
It was rumored that Dekanter was the location of an entrance into a vast subterranean land beneath Faerûn.

Inhabitants
Dekanter was home to a particularly nasty and sinister beholder who was an agent for the Zhentarim. It guarded the Dawn Pass, with the aid of its gnoll minions, for the Zhentarim, allowing only Zhent caravans to use the pass to cross through the Greypeak Mountains.

The mind flayer known as the Beast Lord was known to have its lair in the ruins of Dekanter. Within its lair, the Beast Lord created twisted monsters, such as bulettes, stegocentipedes, peryton, beholders, and mongrelmen. One of his most famous creations were the Dekanter goblins. To aid the illithid in his war in the North, the Beast Lord had an army of 500 goblins and 50 gargoyles.

Appearances

 * Board Games:
 * Tyrants of the Underdark 


 * Novels:
 * The Nether Scroll • The Summoning