Yueh-Rautha

## Geography

The surface of Yueh-Rautha is covered by a vast desert interspersed with weathered ruins and crossed by a series of well-trod roads. At a glance, the landscape appears uninhabited. Beneath the surface, however, a vast series of massive caves houses thriving cities sustained by subterranean lakes and rivers. These caves are home to towering formations of natural glass, which the Rauthites carve into the ornate structures that form the upper reaches of their settlements. These settlements are often centered around an opening to the surface, allowing for some measure of natural light to enter the cavern, but are otherwise lit through artificial means. Whatever its source, the light reflects off of the glass structures and reservoirs of water, illuminating the cavern in ways utterly foreign to surface-dwellers. A maddening network of caves and tunnels connects the vast caverns in which the people of the nation reside, although the passages are rarely traversed given the risks involved. Instead, travel between cities occurs above ground; caravans are a common sight, and the grand stone edifices that dot the landscape serve as landmarks to travelers, informing them of the contents of the caves beneath their feet.

## Government

Cavern-Cities are largely independent due to the difficulties involved with maintaining communications. A strong trade relationship is maintained by way of caravans and diplomatic visits are a common occurrence, but no formal leader of the desert nation exists. In spite of this, the Rauthites maintain a strong collective identity and readily work together in the interest of preserving their way of life against the threats posed by their ambitious neighbors to the east. The lord of Prolekh, Igrahn Opis, could be considered the de facto sovereign as the overseer of the most prominent city in Yueh-Rautha, although he knows better than to assert sovereignty over any other cities. Instead, he has launched a massive diplomatic mission in order to unify the disparate cities, slowly drawing them toward a state of unity the likes of which they have never known.

## Trade

Despite its calm appearance on the surface, the caverns of Yueh-Rautha are home to thriving commercial and criminal endeavors. Caravans bring supplies from city to city, acting as a source of both necessities and luxury items for the townspeople, while the unexplored tunnels beyond the glittering caves are home to all manner of outlaws and unscrupulous traders. The nation has proven willing to import goods from beyond its own borders, though it rarely returns the favor, preferring instead to hoard what resources it produces; life in the Yueh-Rautha is unforgiving, after all, and one may never be certain when the next calamity will strike. The sole exception to this rule is the desert’s characteristic glass, which is exported in great quantities for use in construction and enchantment.

## Notable Locations

* The largest and most influential Cavern-City is Prolekh. Comprising both surface and subterranean levels, the city boasts one of Yueh-Rautha’s only harbors, making it an important stop along several of the region’s trade routes. The economic prosperity this affords has not gone to waste, with the city’s inhabitants adapting well to the mercantile lifestyle and reaping the benefits. On the surface, brightly-colored structures scrape the sky, affording some measure of shade to the streets and plazas below. A series of caves and tunnels lead into the lower reaches of the city, where extravagant glass lamps and mirrors provide light enough to see. The lord’s spire pierces the heart of both sectors, climbing high into the sky and reaching deep into the depths. The offices of prominent functionaries are arrayed around the spire, forming a governmental center from which the lord of Prolekh works tirelessly toward his goal of uniting the disparate city-states;
* The sole Rauthite holding beyond their own borders is the colony of Mimanh on the Empire’s Barlovia Island. The colony is a coveted asset belonging to the city-state of Klas, and it is here that the majority of Rauthite-Imperial diplomacy is conducted. In practice, this gives the lord of Klas the power to shape relations between the two regions, a measure of influence that is eclipsed only by the mercantile might of Prolekh. As a result, tensions between the two city-states have historically run high as each vies for dominance over the deserts of Yueh-Rautha.