Behelt Nar was a seat of the witcher School of the Manticore located on the western side of the Korath desert in Zerrikania.[1]
History[]
Construction[]
Prior to the 1140s, a group of witcher drifters led by Iwan were traversing the Korath when they spotted a group of stragglers fleeing the site of a ruined caravan. Recognising the trappings of Zerrikanian royalty, Iwan and his brothers investigated and found a few remaining survivors, struggling to hold back a mated pair of manticores. They protected the survivors, and in the aftermath, Iwan learned that the caravan had been traveling to the Northern Realms to meet with the mages of Aretuza and among their company was the Zerrikanian Queen's Court Mage, Nasira Faizan.
They returned to the capital, and were introduced to the queen only as "Alqatil" or "Slayers" and their exploits were told in great detail. The Queen's interest was piqued and a deal was proposed. Iwan and his brothers would work exclusively for the Zerrikanian crown, guarding their merchant caravans and emissaries and in return, Zerrikania would build them a castle at each side of the Korath and help them to build their school. Iwan and his brothers agreed and their path was set. Two great castles were built at either side of the Korath Desert: Behelt Nar in the west and Bialsuf Alsarea in the east.[1]
Day of Fire[]
The fall of the School of the Manticore would come in 1146, after a terrible event known as the Day of Fire. In the autumn of 1146, the Queen of Zerrikania organized a royal caravan to cross the Korath Desert in an effort to arrange a diplomatic marriage between her son and the Princess of Metinna. The Prince would be traveling with his entire entourage and many members of the royal family. In preparation, nearly the entirety of the School of the Manticore was called upon to guard the caravan. Imad himself traveled with them despite his advanced age.
Unfortunately, the witchers couldn't have planned for what happened as they came into the shadow of the Fiery Mountains. In the early morning, the royal caravan was lit by a tremendous light in the west. A titanic fire elemental standing almost 20 meters tall was descending out of the Fiery Mountains, headed directly for the caravan. The witchers mobilized and engaged the monster but no siege artillery had been brought leaving them unprepared to face such a tremendous threat. In the battle, nearly all of the witchers of the Manticore School were killed, along with half of the royal family and a third of the Zerrikanian court. In the aftermath of the Day of Fire, Zerrikania shunned the few remaining witchers and redoubled their efforts to find a safe sea route to the western coast. The remaining few Manticores were left to fend for themselves, and fell into a decline with no support from the Zerrikanian crown.[1]
By 1272, the handful of remaining manticore witchers had turned back to monster hunting, gathering at their dilapidated western keep in the winter and reminicing about days long gone.[1]