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T O P I C    R E V I E W
hymer Posted - 25 Jul 2017 : 11:33:53
I imagine that if there is a fictitious world that can do this, it would be FR.

I'm looking for signs of Netheril that can be put in a dungeon. Obviously, the PCs can deduce things using their skills and abilities, and could probably say about the architecture or the inscriptions that this is work of the Netherese. And in those inscriptions, there could be stuff hinting at or pointing it out.

But how about traps? Guardians? Layout? Materials? Is there anything I can do to create a feeling of ancient Netheril - something particularly studied players could pick up on? Or just players more knowledgeable about FR and/or Netheril than me?

Edit: The place in question is an area beneath the Barrowfield in Mistledale. The upper area will be funereal, but beneath that will be an old Netherese outpost. I haven't decided on its exact nature and history yet, but no mythallar is in the area.
6   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
hymer Posted - 30 Jul 2017 : 07:24:41
Thank you! The session starts in a couple of hours, so I'm afraid I won't have the time to even read the article, but I'll be back after.
TBeholder Posted - 29 Jul 2017 : 22:29:37
Another lost colony and a cache.
hymer Posted - 25 Jul 2017 : 14:41:52
That I did, and got (among other advice and suggestions) license to put whatever I want under there. :)

Where I got permission: http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21327
Gary Dallison Posted - 25 Jul 2017 : 14:32:22
The dalelands is likely to be a tomb then or something created by one of the netherese successor states.

I vaguely recall something in one of the volos guides about the barrowfields and netherese (or maybe its in the ask ed scrolls) so it might be worth looking that up first
hymer Posted - 25 Jul 2017 : 12:19:26
Thanks for the thoughts!
The place in question is an area beneath the Barrowfield in Mistledale. The upper area will be funereal, but beneath that will be an old Netherese outpost. I haven't decided on its exact nature and history yet, but no mythallar is in the area. I should probably add that to the original post.
Gary Dallison Posted - 25 Jul 2017 : 11:50:15
Well is a vast subject in itself. It existed for thousands of years and dominated the north of Faerun like no other empire has.

So the first thing you need to decide is what is the dungeon for. Is it a tomb or a fallen enclave or an outpost or just the cellar of a landbound building.

Netherese archmages often built tombs in far off lands where their contingency magics could whisk them away in the event of their death to their final rest (or so they could be transformed into undeath in the case of some like Larloch and Aumvor). These tombs would be damn near impregnable and filled with all manner of magics. Everything to do with Netheril should scream magical excess (when it involves an archmage) the lighting should be magic the traps should be magic the doors should be magic. Illusions galore. Summoned monsters. Golem creatures and powerful magic items. Force walls. Magic shaped stone. That all screams Netheril.

It could be an outpost in which case it would have a more frontier feeling with crafted stone (rather than shaped by magic). These outposts should have a purpose (magical study of local phenomenon or exploitation of precious resources).

Crashed enclaves (not necessarily cities) should almost completely lack magic as the only magic in the enclave would be mythallar based and that should be destroyed or faulty (if faulty then lights should flicker on and off. Traps should operate sporadically. Doors might not work. Walls might disappear. Imagine a faulty hi tech futuristic facility and replicate that with magic that is malfunctioning).


As for other bits to bring Netheril to life. There is the pyramid coin of the triumvirate (Karsus Ioulaum and Lady Polaris) which was minted just before the Fall of Netheril. All magical and official (government) documentation should be written in Loross (uses the draconic alphabet).


Netheril went through many phases in culture and magic. Early netheril was tribal based. Mid Netheril used permanent magic items. Late Netheril used almost exclusively mythallar magic items (which now appear normal as the mythallars are gone - mythallar items should shimmer blue under detect magic). There were magic phases devoted to planar and elemental magic. At other times it was automaton based magic (crafted servants).
You can pretty much come up with anything and say it was Netheril at a particular time period.

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