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jones52j
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Aug 2013 : 19:38:47
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I have a rudimentary understanding of Netheril. I've got some lore in books from Erevis Cale, Brimestone Angels, Unbroken Chain... However, I feel I didn't get enough of the backstory behind Netheril, what made them transition into primary worshipers of Shar, how did they learn the Shade rites.. Lots of questions I feel a series of novels or even a handful of books could teach me.
I've read almost everything in 1478-1481 DR and while waiting on The Sundering id like to really get the background of Netheril.
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2013 : 20:19:04
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Read Return of the Archwizards trilogy by Troy Denning. The archwizards in the title refer to the Shadovar, so there’s plenty of Shade lore in that series.
You mentioned the Erevis Cale series. Are you referring to the self-titled trilogy alone? If so, read The Twilight War trilogy as well.
If you also want to see a pre-rise-of-Shade Netheril, read the Arcane Age trilogy by Clayton Emery. It details the Fall of the empire (Karsus’s Folly). |
Every beginning has an end. |
Edited by - Dennis on 01 Aug 2013 20:21:16 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2013 : 20:48:43
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Note that unfortunately most of the Netheril-related novels aren't very good. I've heard good things about (though haven't read) Twilight War, but Return of the Archwizards and the much earlier Arcane Age books are really pretty sub par. Not quite the worst books published in the FR novel line, but pretty close. Read at your own risk.
Also, Netheril was far, far more than Shade. If you really want to get an idea of what the "empire" (term used very loosely; it was more a collection of city-states) was like, and you don't read game products, then the Arcane Age books are your best bet. And they have the advantage of being (slightly) better than the horrific Return of the Archwizards. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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ksu_bond
Learned Scribe
New Zealand
214 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2013 : 22:50:07
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To get a feel for Nethril, you would really need to take a look at the Nethril: Empire of Magic sourcebook.
Otherwise, all your are left with are a few novels. Specifically, The Arcane Age series (Sword Play, Dangerous Games, & Mortal Consequences). I'm actually reading this series now...they do give you a taste of what ancient Nethril was like, but I can't say that I find the story to be all that great.
I should mention that the books I have just mentioned, DO NOT discuss much (if any) of the back story for the City of Shade. As was mentioned Hoondatha, Nethril was made up of various city-states, with High Nethril (made up of the numerous floating cities of which Shade was but one of) being the ruling class and Low Nethril (all the farms and citys still firmly on terra-firma) being the serfs. Keep in mind each floating city had its own identity, its own agenda, and so on. When Nethril fell, due to Karsus' Folly, most of Nethril fell (literally) to ruin. There were various survivors, again the Thultanthar (aka the City of Shade) was but one, with Anauria, Asram, Hlondath, and Opus (which was saved by Selune and still floats in her domain the Gates of the Moon) were the others. Not to mention Raumark, a Netherese wizard, led a group of refugees who eventually establish Halruaa (primarily worship Azuth and Mystra) and later Nimbral (Illusionists, who wanted to worship Leira).
So there wasn't really a transition in Nethril to the worship of Shar, just in Thultanthar which fled the fall of Nethril by escaping to the Plane of Shadow was their ever a transition in worship. To learn more about this specific aspect, you would need to read the Return of the Archwizards trilogy and The Twilight War trilogy. I enjoyed the both trilogies, even if I didn't agree with all the new Realms lore that was presented.
Also, if you get a chance, it might be worth taking a look at the Lost Empires of Faerun sourcebook as well. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 01 Aug 2013 : 23:19:26
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Also note that the original archmages were specifically anti-gods. Not just Shar; all of them. They weren't atheists, they acknowledged that gods existed, but they considered them to be merely mortals who had mastered unknown powerful magic to grant them "phenomenal cosmic powers" as Aladdin might say. Archwizards would even explicitly refuse to accept clerical magic, even healing, because they believed that if they were the recipient of that power they would never be able to take it for themselves.
There was more worship of the gods among the non-wizards, but even there Netheril has to be one of the least-devout nations in FR history. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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silverwolfer
Senior Scribe
789 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2013 : 06:08:45
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| IS that why Ao allowed the mulan gods to show up , and smash them to bits? |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2013 : 13:51:24
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| Not really, no. Ao allowed the Mulhorandi and Untheric pantheons in because the captive people maintained their faith for generations without letting the lack of any aid remove it. Sort of a combination of test of character and reward for good behavior, I suppose. Plus, Ao's job is the management of Faerun's divine pantheons, and since the Imaskari didn't have any, he could let them in without starting a conflict. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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I want to know more about Netheril {novels}
