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Eileanar, originally called Radman,[2] and also known as the Karsus Enclave, Karsus's enclave or just Karsus,[2] was the enclave of Karsus of Netheril.[3]

Location[]

The enclave moved about at the whims of Karsus, but in general he chose to spend his summers over the High Forest and winters over the Far Horns forest. The nearby Winding Water became known as the "Karsus Overwash" for a time, as the ground-borne locals considered Karsus and his city to be a perpetual annoyance and menace, and so named the river after the subject of their ire. Karsus himself remained ignorant of these opinions, as everyone aware was wise enough to not mention it.[1][4]

Government[]

While Karsus was the ultimate authority in his enclave, he didn't care for day-to-day governance and divested much of the responsibility to those that were willing to put the work in. The arcanist Andoris Derathar was effectively in charge of the city's legal system, with his apprentices taking roles as mediators and judges as justice was dispensed. In especially serious cases such as murder and espionage, Andoris would personally intervene to arbitrate the matter. Generally, property damage and personal harm was met with fines or forced labor, while crimes targeting arcanists or the city itself were met with various harsh and unusual executions.[3]

History[]

Enclave miniature

A view of the enclave.

Karsus established his enclave in 3185 NY (−674 DR), when he was only 22 years old.[5][1] It was formally named Radman at the request of his mother, in honor of his father, though in time it became known as Eileanar, or simply called Karsus Enclave due to his fame and power.[2] Knowing that his new enclave had little to distinguish it from the competition, Karsus decided that the best way to lure in residents and servants would be to create a wonderous city that they would be attracted to. He hired the finest engineers and architects from all over Netheril, and they created as fantastical and wondrous a city as could be managed. They combined their efforts with magical artifice, and over a decade of construction they built a city without compare.[3]

The last of the Netherese-controlled Nether Scrolls were stolen en route to the enclave in 3195 NY (−664 DR), forever denying their use by the arcanists.[5]

Karsus developed heavy magic in 3451 NY (−408 DR), and in his first great experiment he enchanted a 41 cubic foot blob of it with Volhm's drain. The magically active mass began cycling all available magical energy both from and back into the city's mythallar, leaving the entire enclave inert, including its means of flight. As the city began to plummet to the ground, Karsus threw together a levitation and Tolodine's gust of wind and used them to blow the magical mass off of the side of the enclave and into the distance. By sheer chance, the arcanist Wulgreth was struck by the still-draining heavy magic mass, which drained his life energies and transformed him into a lich.[6][7][5]

Karsus

The enclave did not survive its master.

The Terraseer made a brief and final appearance in 3514 NY (−345 DR), when he warned that Mystryl would soon face her greatest challenge.[8] The end of Eileanar and Netheril as a whole came in 3520 NY (−339 DR), when Ioulaum disappeared without warning or explanation. As panic and unrest spread, Karsus finished his avatar spell, hoping to use it to save Netheril and destroy the phaerimms. He positioned the enclave near a plateau in the High Forest and cast his legendary spell, only to have it destroy him and all he loved. Karsus's enclave crashed nearby and was destroyed, with no survivors.[7][9][5]

The city of Karse was built nearby in 3563 NY (−296 DR) by the Cult of Karsus, those drawn by the legend of Karsus and his divine remains. The city fell to ruin in 3575 NY (−284 DR) after a civil war was instigated by the vengeful lich Wulgreth, who sought simply to destroy all of Karsus's legacy.[9][10][11][12]

Notable Locations[]

Academia[]

The enclave was home to a great many magical schools and other institutions, drawn together by the reputation of Karsus and his grand plans. Several academies existed that catered to the general population and taught basic cantras, and sent on those with particular aptitudes to study at the specialized academies.[13]

Government & Guilds[]

Karsus Enclave Constabulary

The constables of the enclave.

Services[]

The wealthy patrons of the city attracted experts in many fields, who supplied their skills in astrology, engineering, art, music, linguistics, and other educated trades. More hands-on professions also found good work in the city, including trackers, scribes, teamsters, launderers, and messengers.[14]

Shops[]

Although many magical items were produced and sold in the enclave, they were surprisingly sparse in the open market and expensive to buy. Normal magical items were about ten times as expensive as they would in later ages, while quasimagical items were five times as expensive. The arcanists of Netheril tended to hoard and control the supply of magic, so even in the heavily magical realm it was hard to obtain those items.[13]

All sorts of trades were drawn to the enclave due to its prestige and wealth, giving the city a wide array of masters for hire, in addition to those that supplied the common folk. Karsus was home to cobblers, glassblowers, paper makers, potters, and smiths of all sorts who supported the economy. Like the magical trades, they were heavily competed for and so could demand higher prices than elsewhere.[13]

Appendix[]

Map[]


Appearances[]

Adventures

Referenced only
The Ruins of Karse

Novels & Short Stories

The Lady and the Shadow • Trial by Ordeal
Referenced only
Mortal Consequences • First Flight

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 78. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Clayton Emery (November 1996). Dangerous Games. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 4. ISBN 0-7869-0524-7.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), pp. 94, 95. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  4. 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.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 98. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  6. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  7. 7.0 7.1 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  8. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 107. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  9. 9.0 9.1 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  10. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  11. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 99. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  12. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 110. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 97. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 101. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 102. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 104. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 105. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 98. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  20. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 99. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  21. slade (1996). How the Mighty Are Fallen. (TSR, Inc), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-0537-9.
  22. 22.0 22.1 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 103. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  23. Lisa Smedman (March 2002). “Trial by Ordeal”. Realms of Shadow (Wizards of the Coast), p. 1. ISBN 0-7869-2716-X.
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 100. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.

Connections[]

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