Ythryn

Ythryn, later known as the Necropolis, was one of the spectacular enclaves of Netheril that soared across the skies over a millennium before the Era of Upheaval. Like nearly all of the ancient empire's flying cities, Ythryn came crashing down to Toril, remaining largely intact as a necropolis embedded deep within the heart of the Reghed Glacier in the far North of Faerûn.

The submerged ruins were regarded as little more than a tomb for the ancient Netherese, full of deadly magic awaiting anyone who sought its arcane secrets.

"The Codicil of White is rumored to contain a spell or ritual that can carve a passage through the Reghed Glacier, under which the lost city Ythryn is buried."

- Vellynne Harpell, circa 1589 DR.

Description
The enclave was formed upon a large disc, atop which sat its many odd-shaped towers and turrets, along with several shorter, domed structures. The outer rim of the disk was dotted with fourteen wizard's spires, each of which resembled a single claw reaching over the city's edge.

As with other of Netheril's enclaves, Ythryn was powered by a single mythallar Its magic was the source of the city's flight capabilities, and could also recharge expended magic items.

The necropolis of Ythryn was the carrier for a form of magical disease known as the arcane blight, which slowly transformed living humanoids into nothics.

Culture
The residents of Ythryn spent much of their time either studying the arcane arts or reveling in a life of luxury and joy, without much want or need. They focused their academic work on the acquisition of information regarding the lost giant realm of Ostoria.

During its glory days, the city boasted an orchestra that was famous across all the lands of Toril. It also had a stadium that hosted matches of the popular sport known as Chain Lightning. Chimeric pets were quite popular among the citizens of Ythryn, particularly hares that were given wings.

Geography
The final resting place of Ythryn was about a southeast of the deepest reaches of subterranean Caves of Hunger.

Government
During its glory days, Ythryn was ruled by the Netherese arcanist Iriolarthas, who actually underwent the process of lichdom long before the city came crashing down to Toril.

The governance of the enclave was carried out by a cabal of eight arcanists referred to as the Wizards of the Ebon Star.

History
When Iriolarthas and his apprentices first activated the city's mythallar and elevated the city into the skies, they traveled to the region of the continent that would later be referred to as the North. They searched for long-lost magics, that dated to the ancient giant realm of Ostoria.

Finally, in the autumn of the, the arcanists of Ythryn recovered the spindle at the floor of the Sea of Moving Ice. They began experimenting upon the recovered artifact, inadvertently causing an eruption of power that disabled the enclave's mythallar, and sending the flying city plummeting into the ground. During the catastrophe, a single wizard's spire broke off from the city and plunged into the tundra of Icewind Dale.

As the city crashed into the Reghed Glacier, the heat of the impact caused it to fall deeper beneath the icy surface. Once its descent was over, the Frostmaiden Auril covered the ruins in ice as a means to lay claim to the new prize. The few remaining survivors became trapped within the icy tomb; conventional means of escape were blocked by the enveloping ice, and magical means were thwarted by the lingering effects of the spindle.



Around the, four wizards of the Arcane Brotherhood, Avarice, Dzaan, Nass Lantomir, and Vellynne Harpell, undertook an expedition to uncover the secrets of the frozen enclave. The scholars sought a means to end the Everlasting Rime that plunged Icewind Dale into eternal winter.

Rumors & Legends
It was said that the portion of glacier above the necropolis could be parted by an inscription included within the Codicil of White, a holy book of the Aurilian faith.

Landmarks

 * The Arboretum, which housed golden-leaf trees surrounding a single Nether Oak.
 * House of the Arcane, an academy for novice Netherese spellcasters.
 * Library, the city's repository of knowledge was rumored to hold one of the four Books of Keeping.
 * Museum, a grand hexagonal building that housed a single phaerimm preserved by magical means.
 * Observatory, which featured featured a magnificent telescope that could bring forth creatures from different crystal spheres.
 * Obelisk, a Netherese artifact that was installed into the enclave as a safety measure in case of catastrophe.
 * Prison: A labyrinthine series of cells that were warded with arcane locks.
 * Spire of Iriolarthas, the grand central spire that served as the domain of Arcanist Iriolarthas and the Wizards of the Ebon Star, and housed the enclave's mythallar.
 * Wellspring of Answers, a deep well housed an aberrant creature known as the telepathic pentacle, that was created by the failed experiments of Netherese spellcasters studying telepathy.

Mage Towers
The enclave housed eight different mage towers, one for each of the schools of magic.
 * Tower of Abjuration, that was overseen by High Abjurer Taruth, and held the Anvil of Disjunction a powerful device that could destroy non-artifact items imbued with magic.
 * Tower of Conjuration, which housed the demiplane abode of a coven of night hags, Aunties Pinch, Pillage, and Plunder.
 * Tower of Divination, a narrow spire was lit by silver light, atop which rested a powerful orb of divination.
 * Tower of Enchantment, that while mostly destroyed in the city's fall, still housed its premiere resident Ivira was preserved by the corruption of her magical crown.
 * Tower of Evocation, tower of High Evoker Zadulus.
 * Tower of Illusion, that was protected by the magic of High Illusionist Ajamar, and haunted by his smug laughter.
 * Tower of Necromancy, that was reduced to rubble and overrun by scores of crawling claws.
 * Tower of Transmutation, that held the remains of High Transmuter Metaltra, in the form of an adamantine statue.

Businesses, Entertainment & Leisure

 * Bazaar of the Bizarre, a unique marketplace that offered all manner of arcane objects that inspired awe and wonder among its clientele.
 * Chain Lightning stadium, the grand amphitheater that featured three electrified, trident-link posts that were used in the sport of Chain Lightning.
 * Hall of Silk, a clothing shop that specialized in the sale of garments made from sorcery silk, which was produced by magically-enhanced phase spiders.
 * Hall of Weightless Wonder, a tranquil chamber that allowed spellcasters to continually manifest themself throughout the city while finding an hour of serene meditation.
 * The Menagerie, a miniaturized ecosystem that housed a strange device that produced the chimeric beasts beloved by the Netherese.
 * Skydock Spire, the preferred meeting place of Ythryn's elite.

Inhabitants
In the time of ancient Netheril, the enclave of Ythryn housed the lich-arcanist Iriolarthas, his apprentices and other Netherese elites. The needs of powerful spellcasters were served a population of magically-created constructs, known as magen, that acted as protectors and servants. During this time, iron golems were also often used as guardians and sentries.

Some of the poor wretched souls who survived the crash eventually succumbed to death by starvation, and transformed into shadows after their death. One such survivor Drakareth, managed to survive a bit longer by killing some of the other surviving Netherese, before becoming a wraith himself.

In the centuries after its collapse, frozen necropolis became overrun by nothics, horrendous monstrosities that arose from the remains of spellcasters who succumbed to the arcane blight.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden