Orthae Malla Talthalra (Or-th-aye Mal-la Talt-hal-ra)
Structure
The organization is structured around a council of 7 Matrons who rule the city. Each of these Matrons coordinates to pass laws, make plans of expansion, appoint key advisors, and maintain wealth and trade but all fall under the rule of Lil Malla Ilharess. In this system each Matron plots against the next for the dominant power of the city, all while feigning cordial relations. It is a spider's game, and all are prey stuck in its web.
Culture
The culture of the Talthalran Drow is extremely Lolthite, fixed in the strictest interpretation of the dogma. These Drow believe in the superiority of their race over others, the second-class citizenship and the active oppression of male drow, enslavement and sacrificing of sentient creatures, and the power of their Matron Goddess, Lolth, The Queen of Spiders. They are extremely xenophobic, hostile to all other forces they don't plan to manipulate into their own downfall, and cutthroat politics and social Darwinism reign supreme.
Public Agenda
The city-state has two goals that it works towards known as the First and Second Part of The Destiny of The People. The first part is the enslavement and subjugation of all other creatures in The Underdark. The second part is the complete genocide of all other races of Elf on Iskudar. This makes them an enemy of almost every other civilization by default.
Assets
2,000 soldiers, 1000 Drow raiders, and 50 Elite infantry. Aproxrominently 1,000,000 gold worth of wealth within the treasury (according to reports of the Lil Malla Ilharess).
History
The city and its council were founded in the Second Age, sometime after the schism broke the elves into their various subraces. In the Third Age, they wared against the Yuan-Ti, Wizard Kings, and Great Empire of The Sea. Although they did not win, as no one could claim the victory, they did manage to be the only civilization to survive past the Third Era. In the Fourth Era, they waged a losing war against Morthan, a rival city-state that support Scion and their quest. They lost 2 more of the original founding families but managed to sack the city and turn it into ruin. In the Fifth Age a male child was born to the Lil Malla Ilharess, Morwen Dumitrenteau, under a blood moon. A bad omen. This cursed child, known on the surface as Cicero Liao, has caused many problems for the city-state, and if some rumors are true could spell the end of The Drow as a whole. . .
Demography and Population
Racial & Slave Population
Free Citizens: 100 Percent Drow Enslaved Citizens: 24 Percent Dwarf, 26 Percent Gnome, 17 Percent Drow, 20 Percent Human, 13 Percent Other. Total Population: The population total is 19,050 people. 13,000 of these people are free, and 6,050 are enslaved.Citizen Spread
75 Percent of free citizens work and live inside the city-state in military, artisan, religious, or craftsmanship jobs. Most of these people are skilled laborers that used raw materials to create goods of value. The other 25 percent work outside the city as traders, slavemasters, foragers, miners, farmers, scouts/spies, and diplomats. The slave population is the opposite, with 75 percent of them outside the city in laborer positions and 25 percent inside as servents.Territories
The Orthae Malla Talthalra controls a part of the Umbara region of The Underdark, which is a series of caves, large caverns, and underground lakes and rivers. The region lakes vegetation, making food a precious resource, but is rich in raw minerals, which the city-state exploits for it's economic gain. They've held on to this land ever since the exiles' first settled. They control around 20 percent of the Umbara region, which The Iron Hold, other city-states, and dangerous monsters controlling the other 80 percent.
Military
The Orthae Malla Talthalra military consists of 3 different branches. The Garrison, which is responsible for defending the city, assisting the inquisition, and suppressing slaves. The Raiders, which raid the surface world, and Underdark setllements for wealth and slaves. Finally, there is the Malt'oak, which serves as the main military force of the city-state waging war and conquering land as the council demands. Each branch of the military is further broken up by which noble house the individual soldiers serve, and it is not uncommon for noble houses to command their forces to sabotage military action in order to gain more power.
Technological Level
The Drow of the city-state command rudimentary gunpowder weapons at their disposal as well as advanced arcane rituals for demon summoning and flesh manipulation. These mutations give their elite soldiers an edge against the enemy. The city also serves as a center for Underdark design, with every important building designed to be resistant to siege or earthquake. The Diana Diax also is an advancement solely belonging to Orthae Malla Talthalra. The Diaxa Diax is a magical building that creates a visible tunnel to the surface so that light may shine down for various rituals and ceremonies (such as births or sacrifices).
Religion
All religions besides the Dark Seldarine are forbidden, even amongst traders and slaves that enter the bounds of the city-state. Within this pantheon, the worship of Lolth is the only one encouraged and accommodated, other gods of the Dark Seldarine are often forgotten or left to personal alters. For only through Lolth can Drow gain and hold real power within Orthae Malla Talthalra.
Foreign Relations
The City State and its council are openly hostile against all settlements and kingdoms of the surface, especially those belonging to Elves. It maintains basic relationships with most other Lolthite city-states but dislikes the less radical Drow and the free Drow cities. The most common trade partner of the City-State are the neighboring Duegar Enclave, The Iron Hold. The Iron Hold and Orthae Malla Talthalra aren't exactly friends, but Duergar are often found in the city selling slaves meant for servitude and buying slaves that have become hardened in the mines. They also purchase the raw materials mined from the territory controlled by the city and serve as mercenaries for higher when the Nobility requires a sledgehammer as opposed to a thin poisoned needle.
Agriculture & Industry
The main products that are produced by the city are drocolite stone, slaves, and slaves. Drocolite stone is a material used for construction in the Underdark, and thusly those that control it usually have immense wealth. The stone is mined in the lands surrounding the city and then brought into the city for cutting and refinement. Clothing is a huge industry in the city, good fashion means much to the drow of the city, and a good corset and pair of boots could spell good fortune for the arranging of a marriage or trade deal. Food is also produced in Orthae Malla Talthalra, harvested from underfarms by workers and slaves and sold at the market, although this food is only enough to keep the city fed and just barely. Finally, the breeding and selling of slaves is the final main industry of Orthae Talla Malthalra. This industry is very profitable, although the Drow of Orthae Malla Talthalra has not mastered the dark art of breeding and genetic selectiveness.
Trade & Transport
The Underdark is a landscape that constantly changes due to the movements of large creatures and seismic events, which means that routes used a week ago may not be viable now. Still, the races of the Underdark are adapted to this, and some networks and highways seem to have stood the test of time, despite the volatile nature of the Underdark. These changing passages make trade difficult outside of the super cavern region of Umbara. As such the main trade partners are within this region, meaning that most goods are transported on foot or via carriages pulled by deep rothe and protected by guards. Orthae Malla Talthalra does most of its trading with the cities of The Iron Hold, a Duergar empire that the City-State maintains cooperative relations. Deal's made in the past allow these deep dwarf's favorable deals on slaves and drocolite stone while the city-state gets fair deals of mercenaries and the precious metals the duergar dig from the earth. Common routes through the Umbara region include; The Long Range, Mostfow Way, and The Iron Road. Although these routes are commonly watched by spies disguised as traders, ensuring that no goods of a rival noble house leave the city unaccounted for. This leads to more dangerous and uncharted routes being taken, which could result in great boon or folly. As for routes outside the region, these are the most subject to change. Cave-ins, worms, and sabotage could destroy a potential trade route to an isolated city or town in the Underdark, leaving them to fend for themselves. Still, not all the goods the city-state requires can be found in Umbara, and so traders accompanied by miners (often slaves), guards, and religious and arcane diviners form new tunnels every day.
Education
The general education of Drow outside of the noble and wealthy families is abysmal. Many are incapable of reading or writing, and education outside of their planned profession is rarely sought after. This is by the design of course, as an uneducated populace is an easier one to control. Despite this many Drow still scheme and plot to better themselves, whether or not they have the intelligence or skill to do so, as it is the way of Lolth. She desires a society of shifting loyalties and conflict, and education does not benefit play to this goal.
Infrastructure
The city streets of Orthae Malla Talthalra vary in upkeep and quality, and the city contains many "abandoned" roads and streets that are home to spies and secret meetings. The great noble spires and the church of Lolth stand as the most prestigious buildings in the entire city and much labor and life is expended to keep them that way. Corrupting has led to officials pocketing money that should go to infrastructure programs, able to keep up their treachery so long as the disrepair isn't constantly in sight of the nobles. The city was not constructed with a formal plan leading to many dead-ends or redundant roads and streets, it also makes the city nearly impossibly complicated for forigeners (as by design).
In Service to The Queen of Spiders
Founding Date
The Second Age
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Capital
Alternative Names
The Seven Webs, The Matriarch Council, Lolth's Favored
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Talthalran
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Theocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Palace economy
Currency
Under Currency, or under-coin is the most commonly circulated currency in the Underdark, and is used by this city-state as well. Surface people don't accept Under Currency, but people in The Underdark accept surface coins of any kind, so long as the mint is legitimate and known to be used commonly.
Major Exports
The city-state has three main exports. Drocolite stone, high-fashion drow noble clothing, and slaves. Drocolite stone serves as its most high-demand export, the stone being used for nearly all types of construction in the Underdark. Surplus slaves are often sold as well, as food is scarce and the many kingdoms and empires of the Underdark always require manpower for some foul project or another.
Major Imports
The talthalran drow constantly need weapons, but the culture teaches that mining is a job suited for slaves or lesser races. This means that most of the precious metals found in Orthae Malla Talthalra are mined outside the city-state's influence and sold to its noble houses. Another import is Spider Sugar, a drug that is said to increase a priest's connection to Lolth and success in rituals. It is impossible to produce in Umbara and is highly sought after. Spices and sugar of all kinds are also brought in to be purchased by the wealthy nobility, and exotic pets that double as dangerous guard animals are brought to be sold as well. Various textile materials are also lucrative imports.
Legislative Body
The Council of Matrons creates laws and rules the city, all under the supervision of Lil Malla Ilharess and the Lolth Priesthood.
Judicial Body
The Council serves as the judge of all crimes that are committed in the city-state. Most of these crimes never reach the Matron's ears, as they are handled by the Inquisitors and their soldiers. These illegal executions and punishments are accepted by the council as they decrease workload and give the Inquisitors a chance to discretely handle rival agents or threats without alerting the entire council as to whom might be directly responsible. The crimes that do make it to the council table are often decided by vote as an inquisitor reads the details of the suspected crime. Only rarely are trials held, and prisoners are given the right to defend themselves. Often used as a political horse and pony shows or attempts at forcing secrets out of individuals.
Executive Body
Drow Inquisitors carry out the execution (quite literally) of the law. They have the authority to bring suspected individuals into lengthy torture sessions, not stopping until they deem the confession good enough. They are chosen by Matrons from the city's Priesthood and put to work ensuring order and security throughout the city. They also serve as agents of the noble house that appointed them, rooting out dangers to their noble masters, although this secondary role is unofficial. After evidence is compiled the Inquisitor can decide to bring the accused to the council for sentencing as is required by law, or illegally take matters into their own hands, silently executing the prisoner. Ending them from spilling any secrets that the Inquisitor's noble family might not want to get out. Such things are not uncommon in the city-state.
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Official Languages
Related Ranks & Titles
Notable Members
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