Page 112 - Serpent Kingdoms

REALMS

Regional History In the Year of Sundered Webs (–339 DR), the fall of Netheril
precipitated a fi nal and nearly wholesale exodus of humans from
During the Silver Age of Netheril (–2758 DR to –2207 DR),
the lands of Low Netheril. Many Netherese migrated south and
the Netherese began establishing outposts in the wild lands
west into the area now known as the Backlands. This exodus
to the west, which are now known as the Western Heartlands
in turn prompted the remaining “free tribes” of ophidians to
and the North. Some of these pioneers sought badly needed re-
migrate to Ss’thar’tiss’ssun, leaving the Serpent Hills to the
sources, while others set up isolated bases from which to perform
scattered clans of lizardfolk and gnomes. Unbeknownst to both
their magical experiments. A handful of outposts established in
groups, Netherese from the distant realm of Anauria began
the southern reaches of the High Moor and the area now known
constructing tombs beneath the hills, accessing them via the
as the Serpent Hills were linked by a network of portals with the
ancient portal established during the Silver Age of Netheril.
heartlands of Netheril.
Under the tutelage of Terpenzi, the ophidians studied the
The Netherese wizards of House Orogoth built a fortifi ed
ancient magics of the sarrukh and learned to summon all
villa in the southern reaches of the High Moor in –2482 DR,
manner of reptilian monsters. Anticipating the rising power
near the northern edge of the Serpent Hills. Several genera-
of the Netherese survivor states, the ophidians summoned the
tions of Orogoths sought the power of Faerûn’s wyrms, and
Hss’tafi tribe of yuan-ti from the southern jungles of Faerûn in
legend has it that some eventually obtained it—at least after a
the Year of Netted Dreams (–320 DR). While Terpenzi plotted,
fashion. One early byproduct of House Orogoth’s research was
the yuan-ti built a great temple at the heart of the city, with the
the Serpent Curse, a magical malady that transformed humans
Naja Fountain at its core, and fi rmly established themselves as
into a snakelike race that Orogoth’s elders named ophidians.
Najara’s ruling caste.
Many of House Orogoth’s Netherese servants succumbed to
Meanwhile, to the north, the scattered clans of rock gnomes
this plague and were driven into the hills to the west circa
were forced to withdraw to the Trielta Hills by the growing
–2300 DR. Unable to rid the place of the curse, the wizards
power of the lizardfolk, who had formed the tribal confedera-
eventually replaced their former servants with constructs and
tion of Kalran in the central and northern Serpent Hills. By
undead servitors.
the fi rst century Dalereckoning, the Kingdom of the Snakes
In the centuries that followed, the ophidians organized into
had emerged as a regional power in its own right alongside such
savage tribes. These clans battled each other, the nearby clans of
human states as the Talfi rian- and Netherese-ruled Duchy of
lizardfolk, the barbaric descendants of Orogoth’s exiled human
Indoria (located in the area known today as the Fields of the
servants, and the scattered tribes of gnomes that had settled the
Dead), the Talfi rian city of Talis in the depths of the Reaching
hills after their emancipation by the Netherese in –2387 DR.
Woods, and the Netherese-ruled subterranean realm of Philock,
During this era, many of the ophidian tribes began venerating
which lay just east of the Wood of Sharp Teeth (now known as
dragons, perhaps in keeping with House Orogoth’s obsession
the Netherese Caverns).
with the great wyrms.
In the Year of Purloined Power (34 DR), a Talfi rian bard
In the Year of Bold Pioneers (–461 DR), the phaerimms
named Verraketh Talember discovered the Shadowstar, a mys-
beneath Netheril began casting the lifedrain spells that would
terious artifact that fell like a shooting star into the High Moor.
eventually transform all of Low Netheril into the Great Desert
While the artifact slowly transformed him into the Shadowk-
of Anauroch. While High Netheril’s nobles conducted business
ing, Verraketh gathered an army of shadow-spinners and began
as usual in their sky cities as if nothing of import were occur-
forcibly assimilating the Netherese and Talfi rian realms of the
ring, the rich farmlands that employed and fed the bulk of
Chionthar river valley into the empire of Ebenfar.
Netheril’s populace quickly fell barren. The residents of Low
In the Year of the Faithful Oracle (89 DR), the heretofore
Netheril began migrating west and south, felling great swaths
immortal Terpenzi foresaw its own death at the hands of the
of the Far Horns Forest within just a few generations. The
Shadowking. In response, it ordered its subjects to seek out the
Netherese settlers put increasing pressure on the eastern ter-
magics of ancient Netheril while it searched for a mate. In the
ritories of the ophidians and lizardfolk, forcing the reptilian
Year of the Moor Birds (90 DR), the serpentfolk plundered the
races to retreat farther south and west. Eventually, the Scaled
ruins of Orogoth and brought back many Netherese artifacts,
Ones had to concede the eastern slopes of what the Netherese
while Terpenzi hid its dark naga offspring in a secret hold in the
called the Serpent Hills.
Serpent Hills. Thus prepared, Terpenzi assembled a great army
In the Year of Mageserpents (–361 DR), a band of ophidians
of ophidians commanded by yuan-ti to attack the growing might
stumbled across the ruins of an ancient sarrukh city, hidden
of Ebenfar.
beneath what is now the western end of the Forest of Wyrms.
The serpentfolk might well have prevailed had it not been
During their explorations, the ophidians discovered the Naja
for a band of Netherese wizards in Verraketh’s employ, who
Fountain, an ancient artifact of the sarrukh inhabited and
teleported into great temple of the serpentfolk and expelled
guarded by a powerful ha-naga named Terpenzi. Claiming to be
Terpenzi from the Naja Fountain. Although the ha-naga and
the prophet of the World Serpent, the creature proclaimed itself
its followers escaped, the armies of Ebenfar destroyed the city of
King of Najara and began a decades-long campaign to subjugate
Ss’thar’tiss’ssun, cloaked its ruins in powerful warding spells, and
the scattered tribes of ophidians to its rule.
scattered the serpentfolk of Najara. Terpenzi led its remaining
111
620_96566_SerpentKin92-135.indd 111 5/12/04, 4:20:14 PM