Nephus

*Population:* 100-250 humans, 2,000+ Slaadi, 4,000+ undead

*Founding Date:* Unknown

*Primary Religion:* Shar, Goddess of Darkness and Loss

Nephus was a large trade city before the Fall. The nexus of commerce of a dead age, it is now a reminder of the terror that the world faced 600 years ago. The human population has been pushed to extinction by a Slaadi infestation. The city is divided between these extra-planar monsters and an army of undead who are patrons of an evil goddess.

Local Dungeons: The Soundless Hall, Dark Sepulcher of the Queen, Mordimer's Light House

**Infestation and Collapse**

Immediately after the Fall, surviving civic leaders declared a state of emergency and the city guard was fully activated. Ports were closed, but no ships came for days. After a week, order had been restored and people had begun to come to grips with what had happened. They quickly re-established contact with Isilsolar and began an attempt to pacify the chaotic wilderness around the two cities.

The first unusual trouble was a rash of kidnappings occurring in the slums. Investigation turned up stories of monstrous toad creatures kidnapping people, harming them and then running, or humans suffering from an intense disease and then vanishing in the night.

Mages and scholars quickly determined that a Slaad infestation may be to blame. The assumption is that the plane of Limbo mixed with this stretch of the Material Plane during the fall and a group of Slaad were able to make the jump. Now they were spreading and reproducing through the people of Nephus.

By the 4 A.F., almost seven-hundred Slaadi existed in the sewer mega-structure below the surface and a full one thousand citizens were infected with the Chaos Phage or implanted with Slaadi eggs. Nephus told the newly-established Church of Celine, the new government of Isilsolar, that they needed help. The city guard was overwhelmed and under-manned. War was in the streets and they had increasingly few healthy recruits to fight. Celine responded by demanding that the bridges crossing the Toln River be destroyed and the Shining Knights to ensure nothing crossed the bridges.

When Nephus refused to isolate themselves, Celine forced their hand. The Shining Knights destroyed the two bridges and killed whoever attempted to cross. Over the next 10 years, Nephus fought a losing battle against the Slaadi.

In 12 A.F., a Death Slaad named Xix emerged. The tactics of the Slaad only became greater under his lead. Merchant Lord Mordimer was the last leader of the men of Nephus. Barricaded in the dockyard lighthouse with the remaining humans of Nephus, they were starved out by the besieging Slaadi.

By 15 A.F., Celine declared Nephus a dead city and that anything that moves around the river banks, on either side, should be slain.

**Slaadi Dominion Established**

Decades passed and the Slaad were contained by the knights of Isilsolar. As the world began to recover and grow, Nephus did as well. Xix went about rebuilding the city to serve the needs of his people. A healthy breeding stock of human slaves had been retained. They were forced to continue the human population so that the Slaad numbers could increase. The numbers of these slaves slowly decline over time, as many began to suffer death rather than continue the twisted system willingly.

Entrances to the sewers below were opened wide so that travel from above and below was easier. The massive amounts of death and loss suffered by the people of Nephus generated such great amounts of misery that corpses and bones began to animate on their own. Groups of mindless undead led by more intelligent Wights roamed the streets. The Slaad could easily overpower them, but were afraid of the necrotic energies that some of the undead could use. Moreover, the undead could not be infected by the Chaos Phage or the eggs. No matter how hard the Slaad tried, there were always more undead.

**The King of Bones Arises**

From the dockyard lighthouse, the tomb of Mordimer, came a legion of nightmare in 190 A.F. A death knight leading a legion of wraiths, skeletons, zombies, and all manner of undead broke down the barricades they built years ago. Calling itself Mordimer, King of Bones, this death knight cut a swathe in the Slaadi ranks, hellbent upon killing Xix. The hatred of long dead Lord Mordimer could be seen in its flaming eyes. It declared itself a champion of Shar, a goddess of darkness and loss.

They got as far as the Slaadi hive far below ground. Xix came out in a signal of surrender. Surprised by this, the Death Knight paused his attack long enough for Xix to request a personal conversation. Whatever was said between the two is unknown. However, the death knight emerged and promised a halt to aggression against the Slaad and the Slaad agreed to not kill the undead that animated within Nephus. There is rumor of a promise made by Xix to Mordimer, but nothing else can be told or seen.

The city rested once more and the dead settled into the dock area as their home. Now Nephus was home to two great threats. Celine stared on from the Crystal Monastery, fearful of what lay to the southeast.

**Unsettling Calm**

It has been 400 years since the King of Bones emerged from the lighthouse and no attempts to escape have been made. The Shining Knights have held the quarantine for centuries.

Mordimer has drawn humans from all around Alduroum. Twisted, sick individuals, if they can make it past the Slaad, they will find a rapidly growing cult to Shar. Sacrifices and rituals are held frequently. It is clear that Mordimer intends to help rebuild her faith. What he is getting out of the deal is unclear.

Xix continues to grow his numbers. The human slave population is extremely low. His greatest concern is acquiring more slaves. Reports say Slaad can be seen roaming the Noxmarsh, looking for victims. They often die to the poisonous swamp themselves, but have taken to kidnapping Bullywugs and Lizardfolk.

Surprisingly, some humans still exist free in the city. However, they live more like rats than humans. The challenge of living in this city is great. These people are almost feral and are extremely cautious. They have learned that Green Slaad can appear as humans. Early survivor enclaves were broken up by spy sent into human clans, only to call in their foul brethren to gather slaves.

Across all of the Old Realm, there is the tense feeling that there is a plan in the works within Nephus, soon to explode upon the world.