Earsome, originally named as Arisome, was a Netherese city on the shore of Hidden Lake in the heart of Netheril.[1]
Geography[]
Earsome was found on the eastern coast of Hidden Lake, just south of the Kraal Brook.[1][2]
Trade[]
Aside from a brief silver rush, the folk of Earsome largely practiced fishing on the Hidden Lake, and hunting and trapping in the Hidden Forest. The bounty on orc ears also brought a great influx of adventurers and other fighters who "worked" in the surrounding area.[1]
History[]
Arisome had a long and bloody history ever since it was founded in 1137 NY (−2722 DR). It was in near-constant conflict with the local orcs of the Hidden Forest, who found the city the most likely target for their raiding exploits. In an effort to curb over-eager orcish aggression, Arisome instated a 2 sp bounty on each pair of orc ears, bringing forth a massive influx of murderous adventurers and civic-minded bandits and brigands who flooded the forest and slaughtered the orcs. The sheer amount of ears brought to the city earned it the new name "Earsome."[1]
The Golden Age (−2207 DR to −1206 DR) saw the orcs withdraw deeper into the woods in response to constant pressure. When the city was fitted with a mythallar in 1723 NY (−2136 DR), the folk of Earsome adopted the "earie" tradition of displaying trophy ears in quasimagical cases imbued with preservation magic, featuring not just orcs but a wide variety of creatures.[1]
The arcanist Jarm assigned himself the role of Earsome's arcanist in 1895 NY (−1964 DR). He proceeded to slay any arcanist that he thought might be a threat or a competitor, which included most of those who simply passed through town and even the famous Volhm. Despite his paranoia, he worked to defend the town against orcish attacks on many occasions until he was finally assassinated in 1974 NY (−1885 DR).[3]
In 2317 NY (−1542 DR), a troll suddenly attacked and killed an entire family before it was burnt to ashes, with it believed to have regenerated from a trophy ear. The mystery of just how that ear came to be there led to an adventuring company being hired to investigate, which climaxed in an open battle with the political rivals of the slain family.[1]
A rich silver deposit was found nearby in 2814 NY (−1045 DR), leading to a rush and population boom. The vein ran dry within the century, and life largely returned to normal.[1]
The later years of Netheril saw five major battles around Earsome as the orcs returned with a vengeance, starting with the Kraal Brook Massacre of 3170 NY (−689 DR) that saw 2,000 humans slain during a religious festival. A Netherese strike into the Hidden Forest in 3215 NY (−644 DR) had a larger human army attack the orcs, with 12,000 orcs and 4,000 humans falling. Another offense in 3354 NY (−505 DR) resulted in the orcish village of Shantraf being razed, but this only emboldened the orcs.[1]
The Hidden Forest orcs launched a huge attack on Earsome in 3404 NY (−455 DR), destroying all of the surrounding farms and villages. The host overran the city, tore down the main gates and even destroyed the mythallar. The city was aflame and its defenders fighting in the streets when the enclave of Delia appeared, rescuing the city from complete destruction. The killing blow was struck in the spring of 3517 NY (−342 DR) during the Earsome Massacre, when the orcs launched one final massive attack. The defenders fought for months, but there was no rescue to be had that time and the city was razed.[1]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 71. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Map: Netheril at its Height included in slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). Netheril: Empire of Magic. Edited by Jim Butler. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
- ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 112. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
Connections[]
| Cities & Sites of Netheril | |
| Low Netheril | Abbey of the Moon • Algid • Arctic Rim • Augerbend • Bandor • Blister • Canlespiere • Castle Bello • Coldfoot • Conch • Coniferia • Dagger's Point • Dahla River City • Dalekeva • Dekanter • Earsome • Fluvion • Frothwater • Grog • Harborage • Holloway • Imbrue • Monikar • Myshella • Northreach • Remembrance • Rdiuz • Runlatha • Scourge • Sepulcher • Seventon (Fenwick • Gers • Gilan • Gustaf • Moran • Nauseef • Janick) • Specie • Thiefsward • Tinnainen • Trinity • Ularith • Unity • Westwendt • Wreathe • Xanth • Yeoman's Loft • Zenith |
|---|---|
| Netheril's Frontier | Barze • Forgotten Keep • Illusk • Kryptgarden Falls • Orogoth • Quesseer (Old Owl Well) • Sargauth Enclave • Selskartur • Spirecoast • Skelem • Xammux |
| Other | Angardt (Kismet) • Apothec • Cantus • Delzoun (Ascore • Tzindylspar) • Hoyden • Rengarth (Frostypaw • Vandal Station) • Thaeravel (Rasilith) • Demiplanes (Tomb Tapper Tomb) |