Umbra

Umbra is a large cavern. It is located underneath Acerbus. It is the land of those who are still followers of, or claimed by Lolth. It is ruled over by the drow in many different cities and towns, all closely packed together but with walls between them. The settlements are not united although will trade with each other and aid each other in times of great outer distress. Though there also are a lot of inner conflicts and petty civil wars

## Geography

The country is one gigantic cavern magical in nature in order to keep form collapsing. The roof is covered in pale colored stalactites which almost seem covered in webs. People swear that they see giant spiders up on the roof but no one has dared to publicly prove or disprove this. The cavern is a dome and the main landmass is surrounded with large underground rivers. The walls are rough dark gray stone with the occasional runes that nobody has manged to translate. On the edges pf the main landmass are stalagmites creating a barrier between the land and river. The river is notable fast and it's said that if you fall in rescue is impossible. The landmass itself is fairly flat and doesn't pose any big threat.

The cave is cold and damp with a high air moisture. It however fails to be dark thanks to large ever burning lanterns that hang down from the stalactites providing light to the people underneath while leaving a large amount of shadows on the roof. When there is flooding or long stretches of rain water starts to drip down from the stalactites creating rain, which is referred to as Harl Bol Noamuth, it is very rare and when it happens marks a celebration called the Harl Bol Noamuth festival.

Outside of the main land mass is a large labyrinth of tunnels and caves that lead to both dangers along with above ground. It is very easy to get lost in these tunnels and plenty of bodies both from traders who got lost along with people seeking freedom can be found along the tunnels, some even acting as landmarks. It is very hostile terrain and the creatures that live in these areas also tend to be deadly.

## Cities

* Araus: The capital of Umbra where the richest and well respected noble houses duke it out for control over the church. It also contains The Temple of The Chosen. It is ruled by Indra Kilrae, The Mortal Hand of Lolth and highest priestess of Lolth.
* Omara: Nicknamed "The Gateway" it has the best traveled road to the surfece. It is home to most of Umbra's milltary and the quarters of the Chosen who have gone through training. It is ruled by Tare Keteeryr, the only official high priestess of Selvetarm, she is secretly working against Lolth on behalf of Selvetarm to free him from Lolth.
* Rubinsite: The mining capital of Umbra it is a Duergar city with many dark gnomes present to work on their inventions. It is ruled by Aundril Thal, a warlock belonging to a disgraced house. Outside of the trading class it is one of the poorest cities in Umbra.
* Acer: A city deeper in the cave system than the active ones, it is only old ruins now, a ghost city. It was abandoned during The Oblivion after a large part of it's citizens left and formed Acerbus. Back in it's hayday it was a centre of knowladge. Most that decend from those that stayed originally from this city now live in Araus.

## Society

The society of Umbra is very much based off of Lolth's church and beliefs. As such it is a society full of betrayal, lies, and casual cruelty. All of which is detrimental to the residents themselves but it entertains Lolth to no end so it's unlikely to end. Men, trans people, and nonbinary people are viewed as second class citizens, they are able to own some property and aren't treated as slaves but it's harder for them to own property or find well paying work as the jobs held in value only women can enter.

Trust is a very rare thing to see in Umbra, respect and mutually assured destruction is far more common with a mixture of trading boons and favors. Of course people pretend to trust each other and like they aren't planning a backstabbing. But only the most foolish, or new to Umbra believe those lies for a moment. Quite frankly telling the truth is one of the best lies someone can use in Umbra.

### Demographics

The largest demographic is drow who are the favored race. Duergar are present but tend to like to stick to their own cities. Deep gnomes also live in Umbra though away from the rest of society. There are small pockets of non monstrous races who were brought to Umbra as slaves, though few have managed to leave that life behind them.

### Politics

Each city rules over themself and is free to make laws and abolish old ones as they see fit. Of course there is a defato leader of Umbra who other cities and towns take cues from and would march under the banner of if Umbra was attacked, that would be Araus. All of these places are full of nobles and lawmakers just waiting for the person in charge to croak so they can make their ploy for power.

### Military

The military of Umbra is led by the high priestess of Lolth with a council made up of representatives of the highest noble houses. It's canon fodder is made up out of slaves and men looking to rise above their status as joining the military is their best shot at respect and wealth. They tend to wear metal armor and prefer polearms, short bows, and whips. Any batailion will have a cleric or two with them to provide magical assistance along with religious services.

#### Selvetarm's Chosen

The most elite of warriors of Umbra. They worship Selvetarm, god of warriors and battle prowess and Lolth's chosen son. They are made up of paladins, fighters, warlocks, and loose ends who found their way to the ranks. There are no clerics in the battle ranks of the group, although their leadership is almost excusively made of clerics. A battle group will almost always have a cleric of Lolth with them. They go through brutal training that teaches them all the skills they will need. It also serves as a way to brutalize the willpower out of them so they don't think of revolting or leaving.

They are chosen every 20 years. Clerics of Selvetarm begin the search and once they've found young promising drow they go to the main temple, The Blood Spider Shrine. The ritual used to properly decide if a child is one of the chosen is top secret and only high ranking clerics are aware of what it entails. Which would be taking the child to a pool in the main temple and having them wade in it. The victim experiences horrible visions of battle, bloodshed, and war. The ones who don't completely shut down are taken for training while the rest are returned to their families, never speaking of what they saw, some never speaking again.

Members of the Chosen are given the honorific Vol in Undercommon, which roughly translates to officer in Common, however it usually is not translated even when speaking in Common.

##### The Left Hand

A subset of the chosen trained in the methods of assassinations, intel gathering, and deception. Magic users are more common in this group as well. The group worships Zinzerena in secret and some within the ranks are more loyal to her than to Lolth. It is an unsteady loyalty to Lolth and her prists that grows more tense by the day.

They are currently in charge of researching Dunamancy and the

#### The Spiders

The most elite magical fighting force of Umbra. It is made up of clerics of Lolth, warlocks with pacts to Lolth or one of her many servants, and wizards who have sworn their lives and research to The Spiders. In fact all members must make a pledge.

> "I swear to follow the wisdom of Lolth, the orders of my superiors, and to never surrender. I will give my life, my mind, and my soul in order to protect Umbra and the church and all that it stands for. Should someone betrayal this scared duty, I shall not hesitate to slay them. May I win the Dark Mother's grace and may I stay in it."
>
>

They are less harshly trained than their chosen counterparts as they have already presumably gone through a life of indoctrination to worship Lolth.

### Slavery

Heretics to Lolth may legally be enslaved and treated as a good. It is illegal to enslave one of Lolth's faithful with the punishment of indentured servitude.

Most of the slave population comes from those taken by war bands or those who get lost in the Underdark while looking for riches. Their decadents also make a significant amount of this population. A smaller part of the population is of political prisoners who are being made an example of.

## Underground Society

Most of the criminal society are made out of former slaves, men and trans people, and worshipers of illegal gods. Most of their activities include propaganda campaigns to spread doubt in Lolth. Setting up escape routes and aiding in people's escape. Then of course in the less heroic end there are crime bosses and underground gambling rings or fight clubs.

Thieves and assassins are the most common types of criminals and the latter are in the most demand. From clerics trying to raise their status to leaders getting rid of rivals.

## Religion

There is no separation of church and state and almost every drow publicly worships Lolth even if their faith lays elsewhere. It is a death wish to speak against the church as it practically rules over Umbra and it's people. The church of Lolth is in almost all senses a cult, just one not very interested in recruiting outsiders. Lolth is not be questioned and there is almost no way to escape or even realize escape is a good idea.

The only gods that are allowed to be worshipped are Lolth, Zinzerena though not publicly, and Selvetarm as a servant/aspect of Lolth,

The following gods are banned under threat of arrest and enslavement.

* All non drow gods
* Eilistraee, for tricking drow to come to the surface and leave Lolth, as well as heresy and allyship with the surface elves.
* Ghaunadaur, for encouraging drow to leave Lolth and/or rebel.
* Kiaransalee, for having her followers kill clerics of Lolth and fighting against Lolth
* Selvetarm as his own power, for being heresy against Lolth.
* Vhaeraun, for betraying his mother, leading drow away from Lolth, heresy on gender topics,, and encouraging crimes against the church.
* Malyk, for heresy and crimes against the church.