Crucible of the Elders
A hundred and fifty years ago, the wizard nation of Halruaa died in a conflagration of blue fire.
Halruaa was a nation of wizards. Not the grasping tyrants of Art that rule places like Thay, Halruaan culture was the last remnant of bright and powerful Netheril. All of its people were steeped in the lore of the Art and magical education was so instilled into its cultural roots that fully a third of its population could use some kind of magic. Halruaa was known for its soaring skyships, its vast gold riches (which some claimed was alchemical in origin, but in truth was simply from ample mines in its mountains), and its incredible magical wines.
Then came the Spellplague, and that which was magic became blue fire, corrupting what it did not destroy. Halruaa was ruined, left a plaguelands for over a century. The few surviving Halruaans became refugees in neighboring lands, living in small isolated enclaves called netyarl that kept their cultural arcane teachings alive. Their neighbors were often jealous of their wealth and their magical power, and more Halruaans were lost to the bigotry and envy that came of trying to live among those who did not understand their ways. The Halruaan diaspora was often forced to dim their lights, to live humbly and hide their magical secrets from covetous neighbors.
But the Elders of Halruaa did not forget. They marshaled their resources and waited until the time was right again. With the return of Mystra to Faerûn and the resultant steadying of the Weave once more because of it, word has gone out among the Elders: the time has come.
It is time to return to Halruaa, and to reclaim it!
The Council of Elders – once a governing body of four hundred wizards, led by the Netyarch, the wizard-king – has now been reduced to just over a dozen powerful wizards. While they yet live and have power, the Elders are determined to reclaim their heritage and see Halruaa rise from the ashes of the blue fires that destroyed it.
As powerful as the Council is, they know they cannot do this alone. Each has gathered allies, resources, and magic over the intervening century-and-a-half. But it will take all of their efforts to reclaim these lands, now filled by magical dangers and other unknown threats aplenty.
