Canon material on the Fall of Nithia
by Giampaolo AgostaGAZ 2 Emirates of Ylaruam
Nithia flourished between 1500 and 500 BC along a Nile-like River Nithia running from Rockhome to the Sea of Dawn.
Great urban complexes in the Delta of the River Nithia.
Reasons of the decline include the geologic uplift of the northern uplands and subsidence of the Alasiyan Desert. The headwaters of the great River Nithia were diverted through what is now the Makistani plateau, finally disappearing into the great subterranean reservoirs of the Alasiyan drainage. The rest of the River Nithia dried up.
Disruption in global climatic patterns caused a decline in the rainfall in the region.
Economy depended on slave labor and near-slave peasant labor. Slave revolts finally toppled the empire.
The official religion of the Empire, the Magian Fire Worshippers, revered powerful beings from the Elemental Plane of Fire. Conflicts between these fire beings and beings from the Elemental Plane of Water resulted in an imbalance in the availability of these elements in the region, intensifying the effects of the increasingly arid climate. Further, these fire beings, treacherous and unfaithful to their followers, ultimately abandoned them when the empire had begun to fall.
Finally, the rulers of this culture worshipped Thanatos. He attempted to save them, by encouraging the Pharaohs to establish an Empire of Undeath. The other Immortals banded together against Thanatos.
Elves of Alfheim
The Nithian civilization was destroyed partially by the weatherchange magic that created Alfheim (actually, the Canolbarth Forest). This starts somewhat after 800 BC (i.e., the migration of Mealiden Starwatcher).
The Empire of Nithia sent Prince Hashaburminal, a noted necromancer, with an expedition to learn what was going on. The expedition was caught in the backwash of the magic and was literally buried. Hashaburminal was able to preserve his life by transforming into a lich, but remained entrapped.
Hashaburminal (MU 31, C) himself was some sort of dissident, convinced that external forces were working to destroy the Nithian Empire.
Ierendi/Dragon Magazine
Orisis (the hawk-headed Immortal) was barred by the other Immortals from having contact with any Nithian survivor in the Outer World. His following there is limited to a single set of Druids in one of the Ierendi islands.
Red Steel
Thanatos actually plotted the downfall of the Nithians, subtly leading them to irritate most other Immortals, starting in 700 BC, about the time when the Nithians were colonizing the Savage Coast.
Nithians on the Savage Coast were involved in a conspiracy against the Pharaoh. The Red Steel and Cinnabryl where efforts to create troops with magical super-powers and weapons to fight the Pharaoh's armies.
Kingdom of Nithia
Nithians explored even the ruins of Blackmoor and discovered the insular civilization of Tangor, as well as the Outer Planes (including Alphatia).
The rise of powerful magic users and priests led to the creation of personal fiefs, handled arbitrarily by these magic-strong princes, as well as the ascendance of Thanatos and Ranivorous.
Pharaoh Taphose aligned with the powers of Entropy to bring down the rebel lords. The city of Ranak (and Kepher, its lord) was saved and transported to the Hollow World.
Nithian Immortals: Horon (Ixion), Ptahr (Kagyar), Pflarr, Ranivorous, Rathanos, Thanatos, Isiris (Valerias).