Imberlur

Imberlur was a mainly Eilistraee-worshiping drow city located in the Upperdark below the Border Kingdoms. Its citizens were called Imberlar (the plural was also Imberlar).
==Geography==
=== General Layout ===
Imberlur was located in a region of Upperdark below the cluster of hills delimited by Ornryl, Boldo's Vale, Dunbridges, Marethoe, and Nightwind. It was built within a set of caverns linked to each other. The four largest caverns laid in an arc that ran from northwest to southeast (the convex part pointed towards the southwest), with the northernmost one being the largest. The cavern at the southeast end of the arc was linked to a squiggly line of five smaller caverns, via three natural stone bridges that crossed the Varaguth, a chasm leading down to the Lowerdark.
=== The Caverns ===
Many streams of water flowed through all the caverns, and were filtered by two main types of edible fungi that grew in abundance on the walls. Kuthmar were colonies of dome-shaped, bioluminescent fungi that suffused the caverns with a pale green, yellow-orange, or red-hued light. Arraumra were purple and green vines that resembled feather fronds, and grew for long distances across stone and kuthmar colonies, reaching for the nearest water source. Arraumra also reduced the volume of the streams, preventing them from flooding the caverns. These fungi diffused a lime and gooseberry fragrance in the air, made it humid, and dampened sound.
The four largest caverns, from northwest to southeast along the arc connecting them, were as follows:
* Larthrylvuth (Larthryl's home), the largest cavern, housed the main marketplace, as well as a number of large tables for sharing meals with others and spending time together. It was surrounded by many homes built within hollowed-out alcoves in the cavern wall.
* Aumvuth, filled with bakeries and smaller shops, as well as the homes of their owners and workers.
* Harmaervuth, home to many meeting chambers, arranged around a larger assembly place. The decision-makers in Imberlur had their meetings in this cavern, and merchants gathered there to discuss daily negotiations.
* Onszvuth, the production center of Imberlur. Even though many Imberlar homes had an annex workshop, Onszvuth housed many larger workshops and forges, for the production of goods ranging from food ingredients extracted from fungi, to tools, to finer items like jewelry. Song and the noise of the crafting processes could always be heard in this cavern, though the fungi in the other caverns dampened the sound and prevented it from becoming a disturbance.
The five smaller caverns were mostly occupied by residential quarters, and were named (from the westernmost to the easternmost): Buelvuth, Larralavuth, Zarundavuth, Kajrelvuth, and Restarrvuth, with the latter being the small end-cavern of the string.
The centers of the various caverns saw intense traffic at most times of the day, and it was therefore common Imberlar etiquette to bunch up on the sides to do business and other daily actvities, and keep the middle free.
=== Tunnels and connections to the surface ===
Imberlur was connected to the surface via a network of tunnels and caverns, which were used by its inhabitants on a daily basis for trade and diplomacy or to reach moonlit groves and hilltops to worship Eilistraee. The main exits of the tunnels were located at both ends of the Neth Peaks, in the Neth Stand, north of Yurbrithee, in a cellar in Yallasch, northeast of the source of the River Rith in Nether Mukshar, in a coastal cavern east of Arthyn, and in the western side of the Crumblerock Crags (west of Irl).
==Economy==
===Shared resources===
Imberlar economy was characterized by the existence of a number of production and transportation resources that were entrusted to communal care and maintenance, like beasts of burden (example:giant lizards), carts, tools, etc. Anyone was able to use the shared assets, but Imberlar tended to do so only when they had pressing needs. Food was also freely shared among the inhabitants of the city.
===Food and water sources===
The main sources of food and water in Imberlur were provided by the bioluminescent fungi that were able to grow in abundance in the caves of the city. They were cultivated, harvested, and processed into edible ingredients and lubricant oils. Some fungi also acted as philters for the streams flowing into the city, making their water safe to drink.
===Specialization===
Given the accessibility of survival goods (like food) and transportation, the Imberlar were free to find a career of their preference, in which they saw meaning. Their workdrive came from personal dedication and pride more than monetary gains, and they raced to invent and innovate, even if in small ways. This allowed them to offer peculiar goods to their trade partners on the surface, and chief among those were the Daarra, widely known as Spellbones.
===Spellbones===
Spellbones were the most notable magic item crafted in Imberlur. They were 2-3 inches long batons of grey-white porcelain, imbued with the power of a single spell, and sold in small wooden boxes that came with a descriptive line of the spell effect. Breaking a spellbone released the imbued spell under the control of the breaker, regardless to their skill in, or aptitude for, magic. Spellbones were therefore a reliable source of magic readily accessible to all folks, in any everyday condition. According to Elminster Aumar,here was no limit to the type and power of the spells that could be infused in a spellbone, but the most common contained restorative spell (such as cure wounds and mending), or blessings of various kinds (like bless and feather fall). Offensive spells could also be found in Imberlar spellbones, mainly magic missile
===Trade===
Imberlar merchants traded through the city's tunnel network; their partners were exclusively surfacers, mostly within the Border Kingdoms. In exchange for their goods (spellbones were the most requested), Imberlar asked for textiles, lumber, fruit&vegetables, spicy cheese, sweet wines, and fine footwear (especially tall boots).
==Society==
Imberlar culture mostly aligned with general Eilistraean tenets, placing especially high value on the perfecting of arts, crafts, and on innovation. Excelling at one's chosen profession, a mutual trust/sense of community, and a substantial sharing of resources were the main pillars of the city's society. The general demeanor of an Imberlar was calm and patient; they often engaged in song while working or taking a walk, and were rarely in a hurry.
===Privacy and housing===
Due to their strong sense of community and mutual trust, Imberlar didn't feel the need to use measures to protect their privacy. Houses were generally structured as a number of rooms for sleeping branching off a central kitchen or meeting room, and had an annex workshop. Their construction often eschewed solid doors in favor of drapes hanging from archways, and cultivated lines of glowing fungi delimiting the house entryways. Nothing however prevented an Imberlar from building their house with a solid door, if they so wished. Meals in Imeberlur could be a moment shared by the community, as a family table would welcome neighbors and even strangers who wished to partake, or who were away from their family dwelling. People could also bring food to the tables in the Larthrylvuth for a communal dinner. Music often accompanied the meal as per Eilistraean tradition. Imberlar also cherished group activities like acting and plays, board games, the creation of new songs, and crafting things together.
===Personal growth and expression===
In line with Eilistraee's tenets, valuing the community didn't need to come at the expense of individual affirmation and growth to the Imberlar. On the contrary, they took special pride in personal achievements related to their work. "Glory" was a powerful drive behind Imberlar ambition and dedication to their profession or (like they would say) "to be remembered well". They strove to master an art or craft, and to create new and lasting art styles or inventions (or improvements on existing designs--both aesthetical and practical), so that their name (and that of their family) would have its own niche in history. For example, an Imberlar would be immensely proud of an ancestor who improved on the design of a tool handle.
Memory in general had a special place in Imberlar culture. More than accumulating money or valuable goods, they were hungry for journeys and new experiences that could enrich them as individuals, and always tried to create a keepsake out of it. Imberlar treasured those mementoes with pride, even when they consisted of simple oddities and weren't valuable to anyone except their keeper.
As another form of personal expression, Imberlar loved to dress up and decorate their bodies in striking ways, leading to surface texitles and fine footwear being among the most prized imports in the city (though Imberlar personal worship of Eilistraee was still performed naked, and work was done in the most practical garb, in fear of ruining the more peculiar dresses).
===Religion===
Imberlar faith focused on Eilistraee above other deities. It differed from other instances of Eilistraean veneration in the Underdark, in that Imberlars didn't develop underground rituals, because they had access to a safe tunnel network leading to the surface, where they danced under the moon to express their faith. Their most sacred place was the Stony Top hill, in Nether Mukshar, where Eilistraee danced from time to time. It was the location of choice to perform complex group rituals with the goal of either giving thanks to Eilistraee (for, say, an abundant fungi harvest), or asking for her direct guidance.
===Tracking of days===
Imberlar lacked a normal day-night cycle, and they kept track of passing days using the reports from the travelers who journeyed to the surface on a daily basis.
==Threats and Defenses==
Imberlur was a peaceful city, trying to keep good relationships with the surface. Its citizens preferred to retreat when meeting threats on their journeys to the surface, in order to avoid conflict with the Borderers, and therefore restrictions on their trade and travels.
The greatest threat to Imberlur came from creatures from the lower layers of the Underdark, who could climb their way into the city from the Varaguth. The three stone bridges crossing the chasm were heavily guarded, and frequent groups of two warriors patrolled a wide perimeter around the city, while always keeping within communication range of the patrols behind and in front of them, to both call for reinforcements if needed, and inform the city of threats.
==History==
During the Elven Crusade in the , many Eilistraean drow joined the surface elves as they fought to retake the ruins of Myth Drannor. This even included some drow folk from Imberlur, despite the far distance.
==Appendix==
===References===
Category:Settlements
Category:Drow locations
Category:Eilistraean locations
Category:Underground locations
Category:Locations in the Upperdark
Category:Locations in the Underdark