Xukuth (zu-kooth)
Though on the surface, Xukuth is a mid-sized town of largely stone and wood, decorated simply with statues and swags of rough spun, painted cloth, beneath the surface of the Trygfjall Mountain is an enormous cave system that houses the rest of the bastion of the Drow.
The underground city makes up about 80-85% of the entire kingdom, and they are more technologically advanced than many surface-dwelling kingdoms tend to believe. They have managed to harness the power of steam and geothermal energy to power most of their city, as well as create some rather incredible inventions that are largely kept a secret from the wider world.
The aesthetics of Xukuth are largely elven inspired due to the largely drow heritage, but they incorporate a lot of gems and stone carved beads into their clothing and dress, with common colours being dark blue, purple, grey/silver, black, dark brown, and red. There is also a culture of honesty and propriety, with truth being upheld as one of the greatest virtues. This society is also largely matriarchal.
This town is almost entirely consisted of drow, with a small community of duergar, vivianite dwarves, and orcs, as well as the rare human or halfling. Tieflings are not particularly rare here, but are still an uncommon sight nonetheless. The people largely speak Cyra, which outsiders tend to call undercommon.
The kingdom is led by a pair of twins, known to the people as the Valsharess (singular form: Valsha). These two queens have been ruling Xukuth since shortly after Zorya Cormryn chose to abdicate, or at least their souls have, through a process called Continuity. Hence the twins don’t usually look at all alike.
Valsha Phaeriel is the older twin, and she handles the city’s internal affairs, as well as acts as the appointed head of the Xukuthian Phraktos (Cyra for the religious organisation, there isnt truly a word in common that covers what the phraktos does). She is a drow woman of average height, appearing to be middle aged with dark purple skin, long silver hair in two thick braids and icy blue eyes.
Valsha T’rislua is the younger twin, and she handles the Xukuthian military, trade relations and diplomatic endeavours. She is known as a very charismatic individual, with sharp, aquiline features, she has violet eyes and shoulder length white hair, often intricately braided on one side of her head. Her skin is a pale grey and she often wears silver jewellery inset with gems.
Deities of Xukuth
The pantheon of the Xukuthians are mostly drow-esque or elven figures, and they are known as the Zhen'ufum .The City Structure
The city of Xukuth is split into 5 areas: The Overgrounds, The Helm, Rahi Circle, Quorta Circle, and The DepthsThe Overgrounds:
This is where much of the trade with the outside world is done, many inns and entertainment places can be found here, and many local Xukuthians call this place a tourist trap.The Helm:
The first place people pass through once they get underground. There are massive 50-60ft wide gear-shaped elevators and a locomotive system that brings goods and people through the levels of the city, all powered by steam or geothermal energy. This is where some of the poorest of the city reside, but also where the military barracks are. The Xukuth military are known as the Luth’ol (or Spears, in common), and part of earning your ranks in the military here is being given a blade of obsidian, which, as soldiers get promoted, the blade gets more and more detailed and in some cases, enchanted. There are still many inns and taverns scattered about The Helm since many visitors only stop here and don’t really enter further into the city.Rahi Circle:
If somehow you manage to excavate Rahi Circle and look at it from above, it looks like a pair of hands with the fingers intertwined. This is the crafters and guild district, with many a master maker opening their shop within this part of the city. There are a few artificers here who are rather eccentric and also have their own drama going on between them. Some of the people who live within this district call tell of the Multiple explosions (both small and large) that wake them at odd hours of the night… [Firearms are a product of Xukuth, and there are a handful of gunslingers who come from here too. As part of the ability to own a firearm of any kind is a licence to carry that prohibits the wielder from trading or selling this technology to a non-Xukuth citizen. With VERY hefty fines, and sometimes even a magic bond between weapon and wielder that pretty much is a curse.]Quorta Circle:
The edge of this district is where Blackstone Castle is, an entire palace made of obsidian and dark iron, this is where the Valsharess reside. The wealthy and noble houses of Xukuth also stay within this district, with some of the best learning institutions also being found here.The Depths:
This is pretty much the mining sector of the city, where many of the poorest stay and work. There is also a prison located in a somewhat unknown location here, people know it’s in this district but not exactly where it is.
Type
Underground / Subterranean
Related Myths
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