Nehzmyth, also known as the Vanishing Planet, is the sixth planet orbiting the Sun in the crystal sphere known as Krynnspace.[1] An ovoid earth body, Nehzmyth is rarely seen from the surface of the inner planets (including Krynn, Reorx and Sirrion) and is only occasionally seen from Zivilyn and the Stellar Islands.
Due to Nezhmyth's unusual orbit, the planet passes through or behind the Black Clouds, appearing to vanish for months at a time, only to reappear in a different position in the sky. Some sages are convinced that the world is a living entity, and that this immense being has spellcasting abilities and is able to make itself invisible. Because so few, if any, explorers have returned from Nehzmyth, the planet has garnered a dark and sinister reputation, and is considered taboo by some.[2]
Overview[]
Nehzmyth is a harsh, dismal world, covered from pole to pole by a fetid swamp. The plant-growth is nearly as thick as that of the planet Chislev; however, little light gets through the thick cloud cover that blankets the world. Nehzmyth's plants thrive in the murky darkness, and grow in shades of black and dark greens, and are all draped in heavy, slimy mosses. Some of the great trees are sentient (possibly a type of treant) and walk about the world using their snakelike roots for propulsion.
Nehzmyth has seasons, but these are more a function of the black clouds than the planet's course about the Sun. When Nehzmyth moves into or behind the clouds, the planet experiences its' summer, as the heat from the clouds raises the planet's temperature to almost unbearable degree. Still, the plants and giant reptiles that dominate the planet are able to survive the heat, and even thrive. As the planet moves out of the black clouds, the temperature drops, although it remains hot and humid, which leads to sudden explosion in the insect population.
Water is so abundant on Nehzmyth that it saturates the ground, turning the planets' surface into a huge bog. There are also large and numerous chains of lakes strung across the swampy surface, and these are home to the planet’s most ferocious predators, the vodyanoi.
Below the surface of Nehzmyth is a vast network of subterranean tunnels and caverns. Whether natural or artificial, these tunnels appear to stretch across the planet, reaching even to the poles. The caverns are immense and dry, despite the swampy surface overhead. Further, the caverns and tunnels remain at a constant temperature year-round, despite the change in seasons created by the black clouds. Scattered throughout are underground lakes and streams, which seem to connect to the various chains of lakes on the surface.[2]
Inhabitants[]
"Crush the great walking trees, smash them, burn them!
Pull the magic from the vines, grow stronger.
This world - and this sphere - will be ours."
- Neogi chant.[3]
Swamp treants[]
The only organized, intelligent life on Nehzmyth's surface are the massive moss-draped trees that are a form of treant. These creatures, known as swamp treants, move slowly about the planet’s surface to explore, to meet with others of their kind, and to move away from water where aquatic umber hulks have been sighted. The swamp treants have a loose form of government, where all treants in a radius of 200 square miles (518 square kilometers) recognize a single king. This treant-king is then responsible for the safety of his folk.
The king's station members of their folk in various locations to act as scouts. When the scouts discover aquatic umber hulks, or interloper neogi who have come to the surface, they issue a series of complex sounds to draw all treants in the area together. The swamp treants do not tolerate the presence of neogi on the surface, and they are willing to fight to keep the "defilers" underground.
Thus far, the treants have been successful in routing the neogi and their non-aquatic umber hulks from their territory. Still, the treant kings are disturbed that the neogi remain on the world. They fear the spider creatures are plotting something in their lairs far beneath the swamps.[4]
Neogi[]
The neogi and their umber hulk slaves dwell in caverns and twisting tunnels deep underground. They came to this world many years ago, looking for an outpost from which they could attack other ships and worlds in the system. When they discovered that Nehzmyth was devoid of humanoid life, they landed in their deathspiders and began to establish a base. Soon they discovered some of the plant life was intelligent and hostile towards them, but their attempts to kill the treants proved futile.
Still, unwilling to give up this prime location for a base, the neogi searched the planet’s surface until they discovered great caverns beneath the planet's southern pole. These caves were large enough for their ships and led to a vast underground network of tunnels and caverns. Here, the neogi have made their home and plot the destruction of Krynnspace's spelljamming merchants.
Within the last few years, the neogi have learned to mount their raids when Nehzmyth is within or behind the black clouds. This keeps the location of their outpost safe from outsiders and keeps the majority of people in Krynnspace oblivious to the neogi’s "permanent" presence in the sphere. The neogi keep their own umber hulks in chambers underground, and occasionally venture to the surface to capture native aquatic umber hulks which are then kept and bred in subterranean lakes.[4]
Trade[]
Nehzmyth has no ports to speak of as the resident neogi have no interest in attracting spelljamming traffic to the planet, apart from the occasional deathspider that arrives to bring reinforcements or supplies. The few uninvited spelljamming ships that do land on the world are quickly captured by the neogi and their umber hulk slaves, despite interference from the swamp treants. The captured crews serve the neogi as slaves in their underground base.[5]
Appendix[]
External links[]
- Krynnspace at Beyond the Moons (the official Spelljammer website)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Table of Contents, page 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Nehzmyth chapter, pages 57-60
- ↑ Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), sidebar, page 52
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Nehzmyth chapter, pages 58-59
- ↑ Jean Rabe, SJR7 Krynnspace, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Nehzmyth chapter, page 59
Connections[]
| Krynnspace |
|---|
| Celestial Bodies of Krynnspace |
| The Sun (Primary) | Sirrion | Reorx | Krynn | Chislev | Zivilyn | Nehzmyth (or Shinare) | Stellar Islands |
| Additional Astronomicals of Krynnspace |
| Clouds of Freezing Vapor | The Black Clouds |
| Constellations of Krynnspace |
| Branchala | Chemosh | Gilean | Habbakuk | Hiddukel | Kiri-Jolith | Majere | Mishakal | Morgion | Paladine | Sargonnas | Takhisis | Zeboim |