Untisczer was a city in Lapaliiya in southwest Faerûn. It was one of the Cities of the Seabreeze.[1]
Geography[]
It stood on a point of land east of Tashluta that extended north of Malaxer. By the 14th century DR, the spit of land and the ruins lay beneath the waves of the Shining Sea, with the remaining ruins approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) off the coast.[1]
History[]
Along with all of Lapaliiya, Untisczer was once a member of the Confederation of Tashtan (founded in 34 DR, which was ruled from Tashluta in the Tashalar.[1][2][3]
However, the slayings of almost a dozen Tashalaran merchant lords by the rogue Magister Ergith "the Kingslayer" Klavulgrun (276–278 DR) left Tashtan in a leadership crisis and ill-equipped to resist the demands of Qysara Shoon V (281–300 DR) of the Shoon Imperium that the Cities of the Seabreeze host garrisons of imperial soldiers. In the Year of Wasteful Pride, 285 DR, the Shoon Imperium snatched control of Lapaliiya, but its cities remained effectively independent. Nevertheless, there was an uprising in Untisczer, but it failed. Nevertheless, Shoon V had an excuse to launch the Tashalar Campaigns, already long planned. Untisczer was obliterated as a shocking show of military and magical force and the remaining Tashtan cities were captured and installed with military governors, all possessions of the Shoon Imperium.[1][2][3][note 1]
By the 14th century DR, most of the stones of the ruined city had been taken away for other construction, with the remainder still lying under the sea and half-buried in shallow mud.[1]
Population[]
The city was once home to Anthilar, the legendary Archmage of Untisczer. After the city's obliteration in 285 DR, he escaped to his secret mountain lair, became a lich, and plotted to covertly control the Tashlutan merchants.[4][3][note 2]
Circa 1373 DR, morkoths, scrags, sharks, giant octopuses, and other aquatic predators and monsters lurked in the ruins of Untisczer.[1]
Rumors[]
Predictably, the ruins were reputed to contain much "drowned treasure".[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The Shoon Imperium's seizure of Lapaliiya is ambiguous. Serpent Kingdoms, page 102, briefly notes that Lapaliiya became part of the Shoon Imperium in 285 DR but was "effectively independent" during the reign of the later Qysara Shaani. Page 127 tells the story of the period in more detail, with the Shoon Imperium invading after the failed uprising in Untisczer, the chronology implying the uprising was against Tashtan rule. The The Grand History of the Realms repeats these events, but adds "The Shoon Imperium seizes control of Lapaliiya, though the region's cities remain effectively independent during the reign of Qysara Shoon V." This is placed before the Untisczer uprising (implying it is against Shoon rule) and changes the identity of the empress under which the cities were effectively independent. This appears to be due to error or misinterpretation of the history in Serpent Kingdoms, but it does not contradict it. In fact, it seems to better explain the sequence of events: taking both histories together, it implies the Shoon Imperium seized control of Lapaliiya via the garrisoned soldiers, the Untisczer uprising was against the Shoon forces, and this triggered the Tashalar Campaigns.
- ↑ It is unclear if Anthilar is intended to be the ruler of Untisczer or just a prominent citizen.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 102. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 68. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 126. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.