Asram

Asram was one of the Lost Kingdoms that survived the collapse ancient Netheril, having been one of the three flying cities that was spared destruction by divine intervention.

"...imply that (The Book of the World) originated from a fairly sophisticated culture. This is paradoxical, since no cultures of sufficient sophistication apparently ever arose in Asram."

- Excerpt from The Origin Myths – A Treatise, by Dunzelzahn in the.

Description
While it was considered only the second most-wealthy of the three kingdoms that emerged after Netheril's fall, Asram was renowned for excessive indulgences of its citizenry. Due to the protection afforded them by practitioners the arcane arts the people of Asram felt wholly free to pursue whatever they so desired.

Geography
The small crossroads town of Oum was located between the kingdoms of Asram and Hlondath, while the forest of Orlath Wood marked the city's border with the kingdom of Anauria. Asram extended as far east as the region that that came to be known as the Stonelands.

Trade
Asram enjoyed regular trade with the nearby land of Tarkhaldale, along with the dwarves of Ohrann.

Culture
The young nobles of Asram were known to enjoy a bizarre sport referred to as "monster-baiting" that involved putting on garish outfits and drawing monstrous creatures out to be slain by waiting armed spellcasters.

History
During the fall of Netheril, Asram was one of only three cities, along with Anauria and Hlondath, high enough above the ground that the reborn Mystra was able to save them before they tumbled to the ground and shattered. Instead, Mystra ensured they landed safely, although never again would they be able to fly.

After the Netheril's fall, Asram slowly expanded to become an independent kingdom. At its height, Asram was the second richest of the three realms that survived Netheril's fall. Abandoning or renaming the formerly-floating city that formed the realm's core, Asram was governed from the wealthy city of Phelajarama.

With the power of its magic, the merchants of Orolin found precious gold, copper, and zinc in the secret places in the encroaching sands, and used it to make themselves still wealthier. The land of Asram became the most decadent of the three realms, with parties that went on for days, citizens who believed that doing whatever they wished was the whole of the law, and jaded nobles who sought and killed monsters for naught but sport.

At some point, the wizards of Asram along with those from Anauria discovered the the Cloudlands, a kingdom located high in the skies above Toril, not unlike their forebear nation of Netheril. The two kingdoms sought to conquer the Cloudlands to escape the continued expansion of the Great Sand Sea, but ended up bringing ruin upon the kingdom of the skies.

In the, Asram was struck by a horrendous plague. In the spring months that led up to what many call a repeat of the Dark Disaster, cattle were found dead in the fields and crops withered and died, sometimes overnight. During the first week of Eleasius the plague struck the entire nation, apparently as a result of the interloper goddess Kiputytto attacking the goddess Talona, using the city of Phelajarama as a battleground. Talona gained the upper hand by plaguing the city, forcing the inhabitants to pray to her, while Kiputytto struck back utilizing a similar strategy. Talona's plagues overcame the curative resources of the city, leaving the population dead within a month. In the aftermath, Talona slew Kiputytto.

Some survivors of Asram fled east to the region of the Moonsea, alongside refugees from the other two survivor states of Netheril, that experienced great calamity in their lands.

In approximately the, some humanoid culture created the Book of the World, a sacred book filled with myths they had apparently learned from red dragons. The book was discovered in Asram circa the, at which point whatever culture had created the book had vanished.

Because the plague still clung to Asram's ruins, many of its treasures still remain untouched well into the 14 century DR. After the enclave of Thultanthar returned to Faerûn in the, the city's shades began to conduct experimentations on new ways to practice their magic.

Notable Locations

 * Settlements
 * Phelajarama, the kingdom's decadent capital known as the City of the Serpent.
 * Orolin, the City of Magicians wherein people of Asram most-closely emulated Netherese culture.
 * Ulshantir, known for its skilled metalsmiths.
 * Miirsar, the port town of fishers situated on the shore of Lake Miir.