Xinlenal

Xinlenal was the first of the flying enclaves of Netheril. Its shattered ruins were rediscovered in the late 15 century DR.

Geography
The city crash-landed deep in the southeastern reaches of Neverwinter Wood in the Sword Coast North. By the 15 century DR, the broken edges of what had once been the flying city's base had come to look like a natural plateau.

Following the occupation of the site by the Shadovar and their allies in the late 15 century DR, a thicket at the base of the enclave's cliffs had come to be known as the Forest of Hides.

History
Xinlenal was created in by the archwizard Ioulaum, sixty years after he had invented the mythallar. The creation of Xinlenal led many other powerful mages of Netheril to create flying enclaves of their own, and Netherese citizens traveled en masse to live high above those they deemed lesser than themselves, in effect splitting the nation into High and Low Netheril.

As the first of the flying enclaves, Xinlenal became a model for all subsequent floating cities within the empire. Each enclave adopted Xinlenal's practice of the archwizard dictating the city's laws, and Xinlenal's laws formed the outline for those used by other arcanists.

In the, Ioulaum suddenly and mysteriously abandoned his enclave for his lair in the Northdark. The sudden disappearance of their great champion caused wide-spread panic in Netheril, leading to the casting of Karsus's Avatar and the end of the Empire of Magic. Along with most of the other flying cities, Xinlenal plummeted to the ground during the ensuing events of Karsus's Folly, landing deep in what would come to be known as Neverwinter Wood. The city's resting place remained unknown for centuries.

Following the Return of Netheril in the form of Shade, the Shadovar began seeking fallen enclaves, and finding Xinlenal was a high priority given its status as the original flying city. The search began in earnest in the Sword Coast North in the mid–15 century DR with the arrival of Herzgo Alegni and his forces in the region, although the ruin would not be discovered until many years later when it was uncovered under the direction of Clariburnus Tanthul, one of the twelve Princes of Shade.

By the, reconstruction efforts were well underway with an emphasis on restoring the city's mythallar.

Notable Locations

 * Cathedral of Night, a temple dedicated to Shar built in the 15 century DR.
 * Great Tower, the home of the city's mythallar.
 * Womb of Stone, a site where thaalud were created.