Jaathlenor
Jaathlenor is a city of the Drow, located beneath the surface lake Kratersee in The Harlade Mountains. Jaathlenor is the largest Drow settlment in the harlades region and the only major city.
Government
Jaathlenor has no formal, central government. Instead, the city is held in joint ownership between the several major houses and the Temple of Lolth. As of 551E4, House Tormtor is the most powerful and can be said to "rule" the city.
Industry & Trade
Trade Routes
Nautical trade from Jaathlenor uses one of three trade routes over Nelravyn. The northern route, which connects Jaathlenor to Xundssar and the underdark beyond, is run only by House Despana's slave trading ship: The Black Widow. The Eastern route, which passes the Moon Hole and onward through underground rivers as far as Ginria, is not run consistenly by any drow ships. However, house Vae war sloops regularly travel along it partway, to resupply the drow outpost Spyr-Anaisz, at the Moon Hole. The Southern route, which leaves Nelravyn and enters a subterranean river system that runs as far as the valley of Ellothrond, is more heavily populated and trafficed. Two house Vae war sloops: The Shadowseeker and the Gloomstrider patrol these routes, and rent space for merchants and passangers to do business with the non-drow settlements along the route.Districts
Ghetto of the Dead
Points of Interest
- The Grim Ghost. A rundown shack in deep in the middle of the Ghetto of the Dead. A warm light trickles through boards nailed over the windows.
- The House of Abandonment. The foremost - and only - orphanage in Jaathlenor.
- Necropolis Square. The entrance to Jaathlenor's vast graveyards and body pits.
- Osseus Tower. An imposing and twisted black spire of rock, in which it is said the necromancers of House Shiquos practice their foul art.
- Sarcoma Keep. Jaathlenor's only attempt at a conjoined keep for the wealthy drow nobles of yore. Now an infested hive of the undead and their masters.
Ghetto of Savagery
An especially rough and dangerous section of the city, the Ghetto of Savagery falls under House Vae's authority. The bulk of Jaathlenor's non-drow warriors live here amid violence and cruelty. Bugbears make up the majority of the inhabitants, followed by orcs, and trolls. The effective rulers, however, are yugoloths, whose relatively small numbers belie their power and influence. Most of the ghetto’s residents are slaves or indentured servants that are sworn to the drow noble houses. Some have won their freedom but continue to live here, building new lives as mercenaries or freelance adventurers.Points of Interest
- The Beast Trainer. Thog best beast trainer in city. Hit slave hard. Make obey.
- Bugbear Caverns. Sprawling slums of rough-hewn dugouts and crevasses, in which Jaathlenor's bugbear caste breeds and ekes out a meager existence.
- The Colosseum. The pinnacle of Drow entertainment. The bread and butter of the city's gladiators, and the end of their foes.
- The Fortress of Savagery. The fortress-manor of House Vae, where they train their youth.
- The Old Battleaxe. A bugbear bar. Why would you want to go here?
- Troll Caverns. That's a pit. Full of trolls.
Ghetto of Foreigners
Points of Interest
- The Ebon Chalice. The friendliest and most accommodating inn for foreigners in Jaathlenor. House Despana seems to recommend this place to everyone interesting from out of town.
- Menagerie Square. The beating mercantile heart of the Ghetto of Foreigners. If you want to buy goods and people from the surface, you should do it here.
- Nyttoris' Arms and Armor. Probably the best smithy in the Harlades Underdark. If you could possibly afford his prices, Nyttoris' equipment is second-to-none.
- The Silver Collar. One of the few professional brothels in the city. If you want to fuck non-slaves, this is the place.
- The Verdict Hall. House Despana pretends to have a justice system for foreigners. Their sham trials are conducted here.
Ghetto of Scholars
Points of Interest
- The Antisolar Institute. The dark university of the underdark, where drow magicians and the talented of the underdark learn black magics.
- The Ebon Libram. Previously the greatest library of dark knowledge and forbidden secrets for leagues. Now an abandoned and tainted hole in the earth.
- The Inner Gate. A six-story tall bridge, gatehouse, and barracks which firmly delimits the Ghetto of Scholars from the rest of the city.
- The Palace of Scribes. Miles of soul-crushing cubicles and hallways, filled with slaves dutifully scribing and transcribing scrolls, books, and documents for the city and beyond.
- Tormtor Spire. The house seat of House Tormtor and - debatably - the throne of Jaathlenor.
- The Tower of Words. The NEW greatest library of dark knowledge and forbidden secrets for leagues.
Ghetto of Vanity
Points of Interest
- The Black Widow. The most popular inn, brotherl, and gambling house in the ghetto.
- The Crop and Manacle. An inn, brothel, tavern, and torture parlor for those who prefer the company of the indentured.
- The Hall of Shadows. The largest public torture theater in the city.
- Performer's Amphitheater. A public amphitheater where freelance and bound artists can try their art for tips.
- The Riskallus Agency. Riskallus is the most successful and powerful talent agent in the city.
- Studio of Vhael Qe'nos. The personal gallery of one of Jaathlenor's most mad and innovative artists.
- Tasael'a Raiment. A renowned, specialty clothier for the wealthy and exotic of Jaathlenor.
- Teeson's Rooming House. A flophouse for failed artists and whoever else has nothing to steal and needs a place to rest.
Temple District
Points of Interest
- Poisons and Potions. Just a straight-up poison shop… like, right in the middle of the street. Everyone is just walking past it.
- Great Temple of Lolth. The largest temple to Lolth in the city, and the seat of House Druidos.
- The Upturned Jar. Take care what you drink, or you’ll end up washing dishes.
- The Demon's Den. A favored haunt of rakes who don't wish to pay for House Alvel's protection, and a nice spot for a fight.
- Temple of Nerull. Necromancers, assassins, criminals, berserkers, and others who revere death visit this temple to pay homage and to receive guidance.
- Temple of Vecna. In the surface world, the lich-god Vecna is rarely worshiped overtly, but in Jaathlenor, the faithful are open and public about their veneration for the deity.
Guilds and Factions
Major Houses
Jaathlenor's power is split between six major houses, each of which has defacto dominence of a section of the city and its own specialities. Smaller houses exist within the major houses, but they are not notable in this context.House Alvel
- Ghetto of Vanity
- Riskallus (M) : a lesser male drow; husband of Sinnilee Alvel and director of the Riskallus Talent Agency.
- Sinnilee Alvel (F) : a skilled drow wizard; wife of Riskallus.
- Vaelora Alvel (F) : debatably the most infamous torturess in Jaathlenor, and a skilled assassin of House Alvel.
House Despana
- Xundssar ; trading outpost on the north back of Nelrevyn.
- Ghetto of Foreigners
- Lady Seraphina Despana (F) : Lord of Xundssar.
- Lorcan (M) : a lesser male half-drow who manages the Ebon Chalice inn and tavern.
- Valtira Despana (F) : Captain of The Grinning Widow.
House Druidos
- The Temple District
- Baelanor "Bael" (M) : A lesser male drow and servant of Keidni Druidos; who hired a group of foreign mercenaries to kill Vaelora Alvel, as retribution for the torture and murder of his brother - Tellurus.
- Keidni Druidos (F) : Daughter of Xyndria and Priestess of Lolth; expected to replace Xyndria at some point.
- Tellurus (M) : A lesser male drow and servant of Keidni Druidos, who was apparently captured, tortured, and killed by Vaelora Alvel.
- Zakndar Druidos (M) : Son of Xyndria and commander of Keidni's guards.
House Tormtor
House Shiquos
House Vae
Geography
Jaathlenor is located along the northwestern bank of a massive underground lake, which the Drow call Nelravyn ("Deep Lake" in common).
Nelravyn
Nelravyn is a deep and black, subterranean lake of fresh water. Several smaller tributaries flow into the lake from the surrounding caverns. The largest tributary is Tathanith ("The Putrid Flow" in common), which runs through Jaathlenor itself. The largest distributary is Gathlin ("Pitchy Flow" in common), which runs westward from Nelravyn to other places in the Harlades. The vast majority of the water which flows into Nelravyn enters by way of an apperture in the cavern ceiling. The apperture (sometimes called the "Moon Hole" by Jaathelnorians, leads to a craterous island on the surface, in the center of Kratersee lake. When Kratersee fills above the crater rim, water overflows into Nelravyn. Nelravyn likewise has its own crater island (called Szithmorael by the Drow), which would drain into deeper parts of the underdark. However, egressing flow from Gathlin typically keeps the water level from reaching the rim of Szithmorael. Szithmorael is sometimes used by the Temple of Lolth to ritualistically sacrifice slaves to the underdark.Climate
Jaathlenor's climate is abnormally dynamic by underdark standards. The large aperture to the surface world allows for pressure changes on the surface to affect the local weather of the cavern - occasionally causing deep fog banks to generate within the cavern.
Natural Resources
Nelravyn is rich with fish and amphibions of both subterranean and surface species. Fishing provides a stable source of food for the carnivorous races of Jaathlenor. The weather of Jaathlenor is favorable to the growing of mushroom and lichen crops.
Founding Date
12401-07-19
Type
Large city
Inhabitant Demonym
Jaathlenorian
Location under
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