Nether Empire
Netheril was an ancient, magocratic Human empire of Azthir-Terra, whose influence was felt across the world for thousands of years. Founded some 4,500 years before the current time, the Netherese Empire embraced a strict hierarchy, split into the nobles of High Netheril, living in flying enclaves miles above the land, and the commoners of Low Netheril settled in demesnes on the coast of the Trade Sea. During its glory years, the Empire of Magic would spread across a great stretch of Aashk.
The empire was the pinnacle of human civilization during the Second Era. Although they had humble roots as mere fishermen and farmers, the Netherese were introduced to the Art by the Elves of Cweniga Wood, and came to harness this arcane power in ways that would shape Azthir-Terra for generations. Over the next thousand years they discovered the long lost Nether Scrolls, developed the creation and use of mythallars and created the first of their flying cities, Xinlenal. The arrogance of Netheril grew to the point where they attempted to attain the divinity of magic, and wound up destroying the Weave. In the resulting maelstrom, most of the flying cities of Netheril came crashing to the earth.
High Netheril was ruined in a matter of hours, while Low Netheril experienced a long, agonizing decline by the aberrant Phaerimm.
Structure
The ancient empire of Netheril was governed by the magocratic council, the Arcane Council, which was comprised of the leading wizards of High and Low Netheril.
Culture
Netheril was a divided empire in both geographic and cultural terms, into the "haves" of High Netheril, and the "have-nots" of Low Netheril. The root of this segregation was tied to the discovery and development of mythallars by Netherese arcanists. These magical enchantments were powered by the Weave itself, and gave the wizards tremendous powers. It allowed for them to develop the spells necessary to create their floating enclaves, and craft quasi-magical items that were powered by the mythallars themselves, rather than the Weave.
The enclaves of High Netheril were home to the realm's nobility with the shared language of Loross, which was written in the same script as draconic. The demesnes and outlying colonies of Low Netheril were home to Netheril's middle and commoner classes, and were greatly influenced by the clerics of the Netherese pantheon. They spoke Netherese in the cities of Low Netheril.
Disbandment
Netheril was a verdant land, until the coming of the phaerimm. Starting in −1049 CE, the phaerimm started casting spells that caused the lush land to change into desert. Such was the change that, -1012, the region became known as Qafirach to reflect the desert that it had become. (Later to be called Valês' Anvil by the Sacred Demesne of the Faith Militant.)
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
-4460 CE - -969 CE
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Successor Organizations
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Netherese
Leader Title
Government System
Magocracy
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Related Myths
Comments