Xorshala

Xorshala
Capital	Siadrish
Ruler	Anassa Yna Xorshala
Government	Monarchy
Demonym	Xorshalan
Adjective	Xorshalan
Languages	Elven, Undercommon
Religions	Raumya; others to much lesser degrees

Xorshala (pronounced zor-SHA-la) is one of the exceptionally few places where drow can be found on the surface of the world. These drow were forced above ground when Blacklight, their city in the Darklands, was invaded by gugs. Siadrish, their new settlement, is an imposing collection of black towers, obelisks, and pyramids rising above the desert.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Xorshala depends heavily on the Elrain Oasis - the next closest body of water is hundreds of miles away. The drow have largely destroyed the oasis' natural ecosystem in order to build their city, felling the trees and building over the plants that thrived in the desert landscape.

The desert around Xorshala is dry, barren, and almost unbearably hot. A small number of animals, both magical and mundane, find niches in the Sangora Desolation, but away from the oasis the conditions are too harsh for most.

History

For almost all drow, the surface is not their first choice of where to live. The drow of Xorshala formerly resided in Blacklight, a moderately sized subterranean city. When Blacklight was overrun by gugs in Y9779^*, however, they were forced to look elsewhere. Chased to the surface by the gugs, the drow established a new settlement in the harsh Sangora - though the gugs pulled back to Blacklight decades ago, the drow continue to live above ground.

Demographics

The inhabitants of Xorshala are almost entirely drow. The nation is also home to a small underclass of trox.

Culture

Religion

While some drow in Xorshala worship demon lords, as do many of the drow of the Darklands, the god Raumya has been elevated in importance in their surface realm. The Church of the Evil Prince is the official realm religion of Xorshala, and the ruling dynasty is closely connected to the gods' clerics.

Languages

Most inhabitants of Xorshala are proficient in Elven. Amongst the trox, Undercommon is the most widely spoken language - Undercommon is understood by most drow as well. Aside from the rare few who depart, the Xorshalans by and large do not see a need to learn other regional or racial languages.

Society

Nearly all Xorshalans maintain a nocturnal schedule. Siadrish bustles with activity during the night, then becomes quiet once again in the daylight.

Xorshalan society leans strongly matriarchal. Amongst the noble families, women are prioritized as heirs.

Traditions

The Vanquishing of the Sun is one of the few events during which Xorshalans venture outside during the day. The holiday occurs every solar eclipse, and is marked by fervent if brief celebrations and religious services while the sun's light is blocked.

Arts

Music, literature, and poetry are popular pursuits among Xorshalan nobility. In following the tenets of Raumya, mastery of these arts is seen as both a form of religious devotion and as a means of attaining personal improvement and prestige. Xorshalan poetry is well known among many drow communities, though it has yet to find an audience in the broader world.

Food and cuisine

Despite living above ground for almost two hundred years, the Xorshalans have found the food of the surface so unpleasant that they continue farming the mushrooms and creatures of the Darklands. Artificially created underground tunnels and chambers serve as their fields and pastures, using the natural temperature stabilization of the earth to maintain the correct environment.

Architecture and urbanization

Xorshala's architecture is quite striking. Pyramids and towers rise above the surrounding desert, clad in a deep black stone. The central step pyramids of Siadrish are used as royal palaces and temples. They are surrounded by the towers of the noble estates, which are themselves surrounded by the houses of the commoners. Most trox live on the outer edges of Siadrish, near the imposing black walls that encompass the city. The entire settlement is well-ordered and planned, with all roads on a consistent grid.

The stone used in Xorshalan buildings is quarried below ground by the trox, then carried to the surface where it is worked and polished.

Very few Xorshalans live outside Siadrish. There are a few small outposts out in the desert, but these are little more than guard posts to watch for any unwanted intruders.

Immigration

Few leave or join Xorshala. Drow generally find a surface life undesirable, and few non-drow have an interest in moving to a city that does not appreciate their presence.

Fashion

Though most drow in Xorshala wear their traditional black and blue spider silk clothes, many have also adopted the use of wide brimmed hats in case they are forced to step outside into the blinding sunlight.

Government

Xorshala is a monarchy, ruled by the dynasty of the same name. Absolute authority within the realm rests with the monarch, who is given the title of Anax (male) or Anassa (female). The current ruler is Anassa Yna Xorshala, who took the throne upon her mother's death in Y9920^*.

Though the various noble families of Siadrish are below the monarchy in authority, nearly all continually test the limits of their abilities. Feuds amongst the families are common as they vie for power.

Economy

Isolationist and insular, Xorshala does not trade with outsiders from the surface. Some routes through the caverns of the Darklands connect Xorshala to underground communities, with whom the drow trade for any goods they are unable to produce themselves. These trade routes are quite dangerous, as any caravans must be careful to avoid the gugs that still occupy Blacklight and its surrounding tunnels.