Arcanist

Arcanists, also referred to as Netherese arcanists, were Netherese individuals who wielded arcane magic in the days of the first Netherese Empire. The title "arcanist" was synonymous with word "wizard", in the centuries that followed the fall of the empire.

In the long past days of Netheril, practitioners of the Art once were able to bend arcane powers in ways few those in later centuries could match. A small number of people from the time of Netheril, a few liches, Larloch being the most well known, and some of the Princes of Shade from Thultanthar, are direct survivors of that fallen empire. Some few others have researched the past thoroughly enough that they have uncovered the secrets of the ancient Netherese.

Culture
The Netherese culture was extravagant, wasteful, and decadent. Magic was plentiful and nearly everyone could wield it to some extent. Arcanists were the elite spellcasters in society and were looked to for the defense, prowess, and prosperity of Netheril. The most powerful arcanists were known as archwizards.

Arcanists were arrogant in general and looked upon divine magic with utter disdain because they felt they were on a path to godhood and to accept healing or aid from a priest was to forfeit their chance at becoming a deity themselves. Thus, arcanists of this stripe relied heavily on potions of healing and other arcane forms of healing and life preservation.

Abilities
The Netherese arcanists achieved the highest level of magical ability ever wielded by mortals. Indeed, one archwizard, Karsus, actually promoted himself to godhood for a very brief moment by stealing the power of Mystryl, the Mother of All Magic, in the Year of Sundered Webs, –339 DR. While this extreme act of hubris resulted in the death of the goddess, the destruction of Netheril, and the eternal prohibition of the greatest magics from mortal minds, it was nevertheless a testimony to the incredible abilities achieved by the Netherese arcanists and archwizards.

They were particularly adept at developing new magical items and spells, and were focused spellcasters who were seldom damaged by the backlash of their own magic.

Their study of magic was divided up into three specializations. Every arcanist chose a major and a minor specialization and was barred from the third. The three specialized forms were inventive, mentalism, and variation. An Inventor created or destroyed matter and material things; a Mentalist operated in the arena of the mind; a Variator altered existing objects, materials, and even magic itself.

Relationships
The Netherese thought they were the chosen race among humans and this tainted their view of all other races.

In general, the Netherese had a good relationship with the dwarves of Delzoun, trading magic items and inventions for gems, precious metals, weapons, and crafted stonework.

Relations with the elves of Cormanthyr started out cordial when they befriended the early Netherese settlers and taught them about magic. As the power and arrogance of the arcanists grew, the elves began to distance themselves from what they saw as an ostentatious, oafish, and reckless group of spellcasters. Gnomes were used as slave labor by the early Netherese but eventually won their independence by going on strike and refusing to work. After their release, many of the former slaves fled south, migrating far away from their insensitive former masters.

Half-elves were treated as second class citizens by the Netherese, reinforcing the notion that they didn't belong with either humans or elves. They were allowed to mingle if they had magical ability, but were relegated to the less wealthy districts and earned less than humans doing the same jobs. Halflings had much the same relationship to the Netherese as the half-elves. Humanoids such as orcs were usually killed on sight.

Possessions
Arcanists created many quasi-magical items that only functioned while in the vicinity of a mythallar, the magical engine that powered their floating cities. Few arcanists desired to leave the safety and comfort of their enclaves; nevertheless, some magic items were created either before the mythallar was invented or by "eccentric" individuals that were brave enough to venture out of the nest.

Some of these rare items were:
 * Chardalyn: A black rock that could hold a spell and be released when needed.
 * Congenio's pebbles : Later referred to as Ioun stones.
 * Halavar's Universal pantograph : A small box that could duplicate nearly anything non-magical, including cloning creatures (or people if they could be shrunk to fit in the box).
 * Lefeber's Enchanter : A rod that imbued items with the ability to store spells.
 * Netherpelter : A magical blowgun with a variety of ammunition effects.
 * Skimmer : A small boat propelled by an air elemental.
 * Storm star : A magic morning star that could release a version of chain lightning when it hit.

History

 * See also:History of Netheril

Notable arcanists

 * Aksa the Destroyer
 * Anglin, a respected general from the Alliance of Seventon
 * Candlemas, the mentalist steward of Lady Polaris
 * Chever
 * Congenio Ioun, arcane inventor of the Mythallar Era
 * Halavar,
 * Ioulaum, developer of the mythallar who raised the first Netherese enclave
 * Karsus, arguably the most famous arcanist who brought upon the fall of Netheril
 * Larloch, an arcanist of Jiksidur who became one of the most powerful liches of Faerûn
 * General Matick
 * Noanar
 * Olostin
 * Princes of Shade, the twelve Netherese-turned-shadovar sons of Telamont Tanthul of the 15 century
 * Rhaugilath, an archmage who served Larloch in undeath
 * Sadebreth
 * Telamont Tanthul, ruler of Thultanthar who reformed the Empire of Netheril on Toril in the late 14 century
 * Trebbe, one of Netheril's most prolific spell-crafters
 * Volhm
 * Xolund the Maker, the High Arcanist of Sakkors who created the first sentient /self-aware Mythallar