The Lost Spire of Netheril

Entombed beneath the desolate, windswept tundra lies the shattered spire of an elegant tower—a grim relic that tore away from the magnificent Netherese sky-city of Ythryn when it plummeted from the heavens nearly two thousand years ago. The once-proud spire fractured into jagged, twisted fragments as it plunged deep into the unforgiving earth, embedding itself in a grotesque, inverted position. There it has languished for countless centuries, sealed beneath suffocating layers of pristine snow and impenetrable ice, a tomb of frozen desolation.

The powerful Netherese wizard who dwelt within the spire's arcane chambers did not endure the catastrophic crash. Yet the wizard's enchanted shield guardian—a stalwart magical construct—not only survived the devastating impact but also methodically carved its way through the dense, compacted earth, excavating a narrow, treacherous tunnel that grants passage to the spire's shadowed interior. Until recently, the gaping mouth of this subterranean passage lay concealed beneath thick, accumulated ice and snow. After escaping the spire's confines, the weary guardian wandered into the forbidding, snow-capped peaks of the Spine of the World, where it eventually came to rest and fell dormant, its purpose fulfilled but its final resting place lost to the eternal wilderness.

Set up

Dzaan instructed his simulacrum to remain in the spire and ordered Krintaas, his wight bodyguard, to watch over it. The simulacrum is keen to activate the rune chamber on the lowest level (area P16), because this room’s magic can transform an illusory creature or object into a real one (within limits).

The simulacrum thinks it can use the rune chamber to turn itself into a flesh-and-blood clone of Dzaan, but activating the chamber requires a life-spark, which the simulacrum does not possess. Krintaas, who also lacks a life-spark, is impatiently waiting for Dzaan to return and quash the simulacrum’s efforts to test the rune chamber. Neither the simulacrum nor Krintaas is aware that the real Dzaan is dead.

When the characters show up, Dzaan’s simulacrum is ecstatic. Finally, some potentially helpful living creatures have arrived! The simulacrum will bargain, befriend, threaten, or do whatever else it thinks might work in order to get one or more of them to accompany it to the rune chamber. If the characters know that the real Dzaan is dead and convey that information to the simulacrum, it becomes even more determined.

Once it learns that Dzaan is dead, Krintaas does whatever it takes to make sure the simulacrum gets the life-spark it needs to activate the rune chamber.

Approaching the Spire

A colossal, twenty-foot-high spur of jagged stone juts violently from the desolate tundra ahead, rising at an unsettling, razor-sharp angle. Its unnaturally smooth, gleaming surface—polished to an eerie, mirror-like sheen—stands in stark, almost profane contrast to the crude, windswept wilderness surrounding it, as though thrust into the frozen earth by some catastrophic, otherworldly force. The stonework itself reveals intricate, labyrinthine carvings and meticulous honing across every surface, a testament to masterful, deliberate craftsmanship—definitively not a natural formation, yet impossibly sophisticated, transcending the capabilities of any mortal mason or earthly artisan.

A character who examines the protrusion can make a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check to discern its nature. (The dwarves’ Stonecunning trait can prove useful here.) On a successful check, the character can confirm that the stone is neither naturally formed nor manually hewn, but rather shaped by magic. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character also discerns that that the protruding rock is of the top of a larger structure that continues underground.

Slippery Entrance

Characters who search the area around the protrusion find a slippery, 5-foot-diameter tunnel that enters the ground at a steep angle, then winds down into the frozen earth. A character moving through the tunnel without the aid of climbing gear or magic must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check or slide uncontrollably to the bottom, landing prone in area P1 but taking no damage. Characters can forgo climbing and simply slide down the tunnel, with a similar result. Getting back to the surface requires climbing gear or magic.

1. Upside Down Entrance

The treacherously slick tunnel opens abruptly into a bizarre, disorienting chamber—its every surface coated in a thick, crystalline layer of glimmering frost that catches the strange light with eerie, otherworldly luminescence. Directly across from the tunnel's gaping mouth looms a peculiar wooden door, warped and ancient, its top perfectly flush with the vaulted ceiling while its bottom hovers unnaturally several feet above the frost-covered floor, defying all conventional architecture. The door hangs tantalizingly ajar, suspended with sinister invitation, flanked by two identical stone statues of grotesque, unsettling design—their inverted forms dangling ominously with feet thrust upward and heads pointing downward, as though caught mid-fall or locked in some dreadful, eternal curse. Positioned across from these inverted guardians are ornate iron sconces, burning with inexplicably bright, spectral flames that stretch and flicker with unnatural, descending motion—creeping downward toward the floor in defiance of natural law, casting writhing, dancing shadows that seem almost alive.

DM Notes

The statues, which merge seamlessly with the ceiling, depict a long-faced human dressed in wizard’s robes and clutching a staff. The statues used to have magical wards on them, but these protections faded long ago.

2. Upside Down Corridor

Frost-laden doors that lay on the northern and southern walls stand out as the only features of this otherwise desolate hallway. The crumbling remnants of a staircase at the distant end of the corridor now lie entombed beneath a suffocating avalanche of jagged ice, compacted snow, and rubble, a frozen monument to collapse and ruin.

3. Upside Down Library

Splintered and cracked bookshelves along the outer wall loom down from the ceiling, empty and ominous. Shelves hang precariously from the uprights, their contents spilled on the ceiling-turned-floor, scattered in utter disarray. Under the fallen debris sits a table, its broken legs lay at its side, the top cracked and brittle from dry rot. Towards the eastern edge of the room is a jagged pile of stone debris and rubble, encircling a wide hole in the floor, as if something large and incredibly strong had burst through.

DM Notes

Many of the books were destroyed when the spire crashed to the ground, though the ones that did survive are well preserved by the cold, dry air. The group of adventurers Dzaan hired to help him search the spire removed all the books they considered valuable, including spellbooks. They left behind a few that might interest certain characters:

Magical Wonders of Netheril. This book is a collection of interviews with Netherese archmages, who discuss their studies of ancient elven magic and the creation of mythallars (see appendix D). The book includes sketches of such devices.

Mysteries of the Phaerimm.This book sheds light on the phaerimm—telepathic, funnel-shaped monsters of malevolent intellect that lurk in the Underdark—and includes disturbing sketches of them.

Wizards in the Hollow.The birth of the Netherese empire is chronicled in this otherwise dull, plodding story about the lives of three Netherese wizards.

4. Upside Down Workshop

Fragments of shattered glass twinkle and glimmer in the dim light, like thousands of tiny stars dotting the shadow soaked floors. Torn and faded blueprints and recipes, broken benches and tables, and scattered tools add to the chaos of the room. Across the room another stone door, softly lit from behind, looms out of the darkness, suspended several feet in the air.

DM Notes

Characters who search through the wreckage find an iron key that unlocks the metal chest in area 5.

5. Upside Down Potion Storage

More broken glass lays in frozen multicolored puddles, creating an odd mosaic in the dimly lit room. Several iron sconces with familiar magical flames flank an old iron chest sealed to the floor. The arcane fires dance slowly as their light stretches down towards the debris below. A heavy iron lock dangles from chest, a thin layer of frost lining the surfaces, the metal old, brittle and well worn with time.

DM Notes

The key to the chest can be found in area 4. A character using thieves’ tools can pick the chest’s lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.

Treasure. Characters who open the upside-down chest must be careful not to let its contents fall out. The chest contains four vials, (a basic poison, potion of greater healing, oil of taggit, potion of speed). If no precautions are taken, the potions tumble out of the opened chest and shatter on the floor, becoming useless. Any character underneath the chest can try to catch a falling potion using a free hand, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw.

6. Upside Down Laboratory

The tunnel from the area above drops down right next to a separate tunnel in the floor of this chamber, similar to the one above, as if what ever punched through the floor above, came through this chamber as well. Two rusted iron cages are crumpled against the floor, the bars twisted and mangled, spread out at odd angles. A large carapace of an insect like creature, skewered on one of the twisted cage bars has been perfectly preserved by the frigid temperatures, its pincer like hands grasped firmly around the rusted iron bar piercing its now lifeless body.

DM Notes

The metal cages got knocked around a lot during the crash and fall apart easily. One of them holds the carapace of an insect-like person. A character who examines this object and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Nature) check can identify it as coming from a thri-kreen.

7. Upside Down Aprentices' Study

A broken table lays on top of scattered books and notes, a smashed bottle of ink glistens with ice crystals frozen to the pages it coated when the spire fell. A window above a cold, soot stained fireplace is packed full of frozen earth and snow. Several broken candles in dented copper candelabras are on the floor next to the ruined table.

DM Notes

The members of the previous expedition searched through the books and plucked the best ones. Characters who thoroughly examine the remaining ones can find a couple of interest that are salvageable:

Ajamar’s Guide to the Phantastic. This breezy, lighthearted treatise on illusion magic was required reading in many Netherese classrooms. It describes clever ways to use common illusion spells.

The Unfettered Mind. This lunatic text discusses how one might exist solely as a disembodied brain, preserved for eons in a magical suspension fluid. It includes sketches of brains in jars.

8. Upside Down Reading Room

A busted desk and some ruined chairs are all that remain in this room.

DM Notes

A permanent silence spell encompasses this room, which apprentices used for quiet study. The effect can be dispelled (DC 18).

9. Collapsed Staircase

Behind this door is a rectangular tunnel in the ceiling, similar in shape and size to the snow packed stairwell above. Hanging out of the densely packed snow is a skeletal body, wearing a pristine red robe, and a simple gold ring.

DM Notes

Treasure. The Robe is a Mantle of Spell Resistance and the gold band is a Ring of Protection.

10. Upside Down Apothecary

Cabinets once filled with glass vials now lay in a heap on what was once a ceiling, filling this chamber with debris and rubble. A section of floor near one of the walls is busted in a similar manner as the two floors above, and part of the wall near the hole has been destroyed.

DM Notes

Dzaan's simulacrum and his wight companion Krintass are in are 11, and investigate any loud noises in area 10 or 12

Treasure. Any character who spends a few minutes picking through the detritus finds a small brass key (which unlocks the invisible chest in area 14) and a sealed scroll tube made of chardalyn (see the chardalyn sidebar). It contains a spell scroll of invisibility stamped into a rolled-up piece of golden foil. The chardalyn tube is safe to handle.

11. Snow and Shadow

Some effort has been taken to arrange the contents of this upside-down room, creating a functional office. A table stands in the middle of the room, surrounded by small stacks of books. Lying on the table is a silver amulet, with a teardrop shaped ruby in the center, on a silver chain.

Two figures stand behind the table. A pale, thin warrior with taught, grayish skin stretched over its decaying skeleton. One of its eyes is milky white, it wears studded leather armor that is dry rotted and full of small holes, a rusted longsword is sheathed on its hip. The second man, an attractive young man in a thick brown overcoat, fur lined tunic and breeches, and heavy boots. A pointed wizards hat sits on top of long, straight brown hair, warm eyes blink beneath the brim of the hat, and a long chin beard grows just beneath a charming smile. He spreads his arms wide and says, “Welcome to the lost spire of Netheril, my name is Dzaan.”

DM Notes

Dzaan’s simulacrum lacks a spellbook. If attacked, its impulse is to turn invisible and flee, then use its levitate spell to ascend the tower while Krintaas covers its escape. If it escapes the spire, it makes its way to Ten-Towns; as a thing made of ice and snow, the simulacrum can cross the tundra without fear of freezing to death.

Amulet. The object on the table is a Periapt of Wound Closure. Dzaan retrieved it from area P15 and brought it here for examination. Neither the simulacrum nor Krintaas know what the amulet does, nor do they care. The simulacrum will happily give it to the characters if one or more of them agrees to accompany it to the rune chamber on the lowest level. A detect magic spell reveals a magical aura of abjuration around the amulet.

Books. The simulacrum has been picking through the spire’s wreckage and gathering books that might be useful. Characters can find the following readable titles among the stacks of worthless, damaged books on the floor:

Lost Scrolls of Sabreyl. Written in Elvish, this scholarly tome copies and analyzes fragments of eight ancient scrolls left behind by a sun elf wizard who taught magic to the cloud giants of Ostoria, a bygone empire that collapsed 40,000 years ago.

From Shadow, Substance. This speculative work discusses how one might harness the Weave to turn an illusory object or creature into its real counterpart, with commentary and criticism from noteworthy Netherese illusionists.

Here Lies the King. This elaborately plotted novel features an illusionist who uses magic to impersonate a prince, supplant a king, rule a fictional kingdom for sixty-one years, and fake his own death.

Ventatost This book uses testimonials and conspiracy theories to piece together events leading up to the destruction of a Netherese city called Ventatost, which disintegrated as it flew over the forest of Cormanthor nearly two thousand years ago, before the fall of Ythryn.

12. Upside Down Shrine

A stone altar is attached to the ceiling of this otherwise empty, semicircular room. An eight-pointed star is carved into the eastern face of the altar.

DM Notes

Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check recognize the symbol on the altar as the holy symbol of Mystryl, the first incarnation of Mystra, the god of magic. If this check succeeds by 5 or more, the character also knows that holy shrines to Mystryl are rare places and often full of mystery.

Altar. The altar hangs 9 feet above the “floor” and merges seamlessly with the “ceiling” to which it’s attached. If a creature that can cast spells says a prayer to Mystral (Mystra) at this altar, the top of the altar glows a brilliant blue, and all creatures within 60 feet of the altar gain a permanent +2 to their intelligence score, and is immediately granted the benefits of a short rest. A creature can only benefit from this effect once.

13. Upside Down Refectory

Rusty tableware, shattered plates, and broken chairs lie scattered on the floor amid two tables, one overturned and one on its side. Crawling out from behind the tipped-over table is a hulking, six-legged reptile with glowing eyes.

DM Notes

A hostile frost salamander is holed up in this room, having crawled down into the spire a few weeks ago.

14. Upside Down Bedchamber

The bed in this room is upside down on the floor, its rotted blankets peeking out from underneath the disintegrating mattress. Mounted to the north wall is a tall, cracked mirror in a stone frame that merges seamlessly with the surrounding wall.

DM Notes

Lying underneath two dirt-clogged windows is a partially crumbled, rime-covered human skeleton in the tattered shreds of a nightgown.

The crumbling skeleton is all that remains of the Netherese wizard to whom this tower once belonged. Disturbing the remains causes the wizard’s ghost to appear. It is harmless and agrees to answer three questions for the creature that disturbed it, then wishes to leave the spire in peace.

Treasure. Characters who search the room thoroughly find a chest behind the bed. The chest has been made invisible by a spell that can be ended with a successful dispel magic (DC 18). The chest has a built-in lock, the key to which can be found in area P11. A character using thieves’ tools can try to pick the lock as an action, doing so with a successful DC 17 Dexterity check (with disadvantage if the character can’t see the lock).

The chest weighs 25 pounds. It is airtight, watertight, and magical, such that its interior is a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). It can be sold for as much as 100 gp.

Inside the chest is what appears to be an ancient, leather-bound spellbook with runes along its spine. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check deciphers them to read Fistandantilis, the name of the wizard that died in this tower.

15. Upside Down Rune Chamber

The walls of this chamber are inscribed with interconnected runes and marred with cracks. What is now the ceiling bears similar inscriptions that swirl inward, converging around a golden crystal disk five feet in diameter.

A detect magic spell or similar magic reveals an aura of transmutation magic encompassing the entire room. The first time someone enters the room, read:

An illusory figure appears upside down in the far corner of the room, standing on the ceiling. It appears to be the same long-faced human wizard depicted in the statues just inside the spire’s entrance. It begins speaking in a strange, possibly forgotten, language.

DM Notes

Casting dispel magic on the illusory figure causes it to vanish. Otherwise, it disappears after giving its little speech. Once it goes away, the figment can’t be summoned again for 24 hours.

Any creature that can understand Loross, the language favored by the wizards of Netheril, can translate the illusory wizard’s words as follows:

“Behold my masterpiece! Here can illusions be made real, shadows become substance! Create your illusion, let it stand atop the crystal disk, and watch my rune chamber do its work!”

Dzaan’s simulacrum can’t learn anything new by studying the runes and crystals. However, any character who spends at least 1 minute doing so can, with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, verify their purpose: to transform illusory creatures and objects into real ones. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character also knows the following:

The rune chamber can’t produce magic items, animated objects, constructs, or undead.

A life-spark is needed to turn an illusory creature into a physical one. Acting much like a spark of electricity, it gives the room the jolt it needs to complete the transformation. (No such component is needed for objects.)

The cracks in the walls have damaged enough of the runes to compromise the room’s magic, which might give rise to unexpected results. (Warning Dzaan’s simulacrum about this risk does not discourage it from using the rune chamber.)

Illusory Objects. When one or more illusory objects are placed under the crystal disk, the disk gives off a soft golden light. Roll percentile dice and consult the Rune Chamber Effect table to determine what happens next. Treat multiple illusory objects (for example, an illusory pile of coins) as a single collective object and roll once on the table for all of them.

Illusory Creature. When an illusory creature stands beneath the crystal disk, the disk gives off a soft golden light. However, nothing happens until a living creature touches the illusory one. When that happens, roll percentile dice and consult the Rune Chamber Effect table to determine what happens next.

Conclusion

Dzaan Lives: If the rune chamber works properly and the simulacrum becomes a true clone of Dzaan, the wizard thanks the characters for their help and asks them not to discuss what has happened with anyone in Ten-Towns. See Dzaan’s description in appendix C for information about modifying the simulacrum’s stat block to account for its transformation into a clone of Dzaan. Krintaas remains by Dzaan’s side as his faithful, undead bodyguard.

Dzaan’s ultimate goal is to plunder Ythryn. Without his spellbook, however, the wizard is woefully underpowered. Concealed under layers of cold weather clothing, Dzaan and Krintaas must travel to Bryn Shander to obtain a blank spellbook, as well as writing supplies and provisions. In the meantime, Dzaan urges the characters to seek out and destroy his rivals in the Arcane Brotherhood. Dzaan assumes his rivals are hiding out in Ten-Towns and paints an unflattering portrait of each one:

• “Avarice is a tiefling evoker who delights in destruction. Her weakness is her paranoia. She can’t bring herself to trust anyone except maybe her two gargoyle companions, and even they are suspect.”
• “Nass Lantomir is a human diviner. She likes to pry knowledge from others by reading their thoughts. Her weakness is that she’s always looking ahead, never behind her.”
• “Vellynne Harpell is a human necromancer, as cold and uncaring as the corpses she animates. She’s a withered old fool whose greatest asset—her family name—does her no good in Icewind Dale.”