Ilthir

The Ilthir (Dark Elves in their language of Humans) are a race of civilized, highly cultured people who found their niche in The Depths (called the 'Underworld' by the inhabitants of the surface) many millennia ago and have evolved to live in these conditions.
Through their surprising engineering and adaptational skills, they managed to make their otherwise inhospitable habitat not only livable, but ideal for the growth of their society via incredible architectural and logistics achievements.
Their complex society is based on a sophisticated balance of powers in which rarely one person or organization can really fully dictate their will.
What from the outside looks like a fascist matriarchal dictatorship finding legitimacy in religious grounds, actually is a government system where the power of leaders is balanced both by other leaders via an universally recognized system of laws, by local councils, martial organizations, mercantile corporations, and the church.

Ilthir, especially between their nobility, are often haughty, self-centered and pragmatic people, often workaholics, or feeling like they have to constantly become better, pushing themselves one step further. They have little respect or trust for any other being which they believe is lesser than them (usually means the inhabitants of the surface), which they see as less perfect, since they are closer to the dangerous Chaos entities that rule the world beyond the sky and directly touched by the sun (see ⁠The Weaver).

The few on the surface that do claim to know something about these people, often see them as nothing more than cruel and tyrannical rulers dedicated to maintaining their dominion over the ⁠Underworld, to raiding and to bringing death and pain to the inhabitants of the surface, to sadism and slavery.

Much of this fame is due to their society being based on slave labor, which combined with their religious beliefs of racial superiority and purity, make for potentially very miserable life conditions of their captives, with little mercy shown even to their own minority groups, disabled, impaired, or even simply ugly. Living on the good side of their society however is certainly a blessing, and most Ilthir have access to free public educations, religious and philosophical debates, public baths, and a complex system of justice that is valid on top of the local laws of each different City State (Laws of the Ilthir), making them the most advanced society in existence. These Elves are devoted to a peculiar goddess of absolutes, purity, and perfection, The Weaver, who demands a specific ordering and a separation into a very tight compartment of all things, including races and castes.

Biology

Dark Elves, who call themselves Ilthir or simply Elves, look similar to their surface cousins (whom they refer to as 'Surface Elves' or 'Pale Elves'), though they are slightly shorter, with dark skin, white or black hair, and typically eyes with red or more rarely, violet irises. A notable difference with respect to their surface cousins, is that Ilthir remain both quite beautiful and fertile until reaching old age thanks to millennia of racial selection. Compared to humans and other common surface races, they are not only shorter on average, but more slender and graceful, likely due to their adaptation to the close, often tight environment of the Underworld (to whom Ilthir refer as ‘The Depths’, or simply ‘The Land’).

In another adaptation to the near-lightless environs of the The Depths, the Children of Arachnea have evolved to see in total darkness, though this boon becomes a bane when on the surface during the day where they are almost blinded, and due to their unprepared skin, easily sunburned. Due to their racial selection, advanced sanitation, and medicine, the life expectancy of an Ilthir can easily reach up to 700 years, longer even than their surface cousins. Their development and adulthood is however reached in a similarly longer period, at around 36 years of age.

Society

The culture and life of the Ilthir is driven by their nearly zealous sense of faith, but also by their loathing of the surface, fear of the sun, of acquiring imperfections, and even more by their search for perfection and self improvement. This concept of perfection is sometimes at the center of debate between priestesses of Arachnea and philosophers, but in general it is something rather broad and encompassing several aspects; from objects, which should tend to have clean, smooth surfaces, be geometrical or particularly ornate themes; to people, who should follow the laws and even more their societal order, while also working to better themselves in their physical and mental form.

This zeal pertaining to the physical form is, in particular, brought to the extreme in Dark Elves’ society, which considers and weighs the value of a person often by their mental or physical characteristics, being therefore at the same time a cult of the body, and extremely meritocratic, to the point of fanaticism.
Feelings such as pity, compassion, altruism, etc. towards the last in their society are sometimes condemned as they risk to favor the weakening and the loss of purity of the race, but Ilthir do have the full range of emotions, needs and instincts than any person would, and do indeed often feel conflicting feelings when applying their harsh social norms to the ones close to them. They simply tend to keep these feelings closed and hidden to anyone outside of their closest circles. Ilthir are a highly cultured and advanced civilization, and even if the ranks of nobility do remain mostly impregnable, based almost exclusively on inheritable titles, the great education system, together with their strong sense

of rewarding merit, does allow for a great social mobility. Basic education is free for everyone of both sexes and is mostly run by the Church, while Universities, accessible only by women, train the most skilled philosophers, doctors, mathematicians, sages and diplomats.

The path to perfection

In Dark Elf society, it is the strong, the fit, the smart, and the beautiful who are the ones that manage to arrive on top. And in that same vein, those who are considered different or unfit are quickly segregated to the bottom, if not outright enslaved or in the case of the sick and the useless, sacrificed at an altar. This uniformly applies to everyone in Ilthiri society, noble or poor, and everyone knows this is the way to keep their people strong and closer to their goddess Arachnea, and to allow them passage to the other world when the time comes.

Perfection, or at least the appearance of perfection, is the main goal that permeates Ilthir society. It is the symbol of power together with status, prestige, wealth, and military power: to achieve -and show off- more, Ilthir want the finest gems, the best-equipped militia, the best slaves, the most beautiful manors, to have the strongest mate, the most beautiful bodies, and the best education for their children, or their names associated with great achievements and constructions, or deeds.

Of course, they also want to show the strongest dedication to Arachnea by offering Her the best sacrifices, such as perfectly cut gems and crystals.

What constitutes perfection, and how to achieve it in any form is however one of the most pressing dilemmas of philosophers, scholars and priestesses.

At the personal level, the path to perfection is mostly thought as a path to self-improvement and growth, though done also by improving material living conditions, such as acquiring riches, slaves, and other things that would allow a person to live a better life or to reach achievements in society ..and to show off them off.

A common feeling in Dark Elves society, though, is one of envy, as some things simply would not be easily achieved even in a lifetime, beauty especially can be improved only so much. For this reason, though condemned, it is an unfortunately rather common social strategy to belittle others -especially rivals- and to cast doubt towards their achievements, abilities, or integrity. Humility is not often very appreciated, although some do find it a quality, opposed to the often too strong sense of pride that plagues this society. Reputation and appearances are so greatly valued that an individual's life might become very difficult if their reputation would be tainted, or their figure marred. Public shame and humiliation are very common strategies to sabotage a rival’s position.

Gender roles

In Dark Elves' society, the female body is unequivocally considered to be the figure of perfection: a belief that impacts the entire race, as males, 'guilty' of having body less representative of harmony and beauty, are generally considered less valuable and are typically unable to reach positions of power in such a stringently-matriarchal world. This fact resonates throughout society so that the entire upper echelon is composed of females only: for instance, the Church of Arachnea is formed only by women.

Succession laws always favor the female relatives: titles and wealth always pass to the oldest or most prestigious woman of the family.

Indeed, males belonging to noble families are often used as little more than a trading good with other families often as good mates to produce the best possible heirs, to establish marriage alliances or as a bargaining chip together with a dowry.
Males can however still occupy positions of respect, especially in military service, or through artistic skills, but also occupy some specific positions in nobility, such as the House’s Weapon Master, House Lorekeeper, and the Patron (the current mate of the Matron), though mostly in virtue of being attached to a female. To grow its House's prestige and power, a man is expected to find a woman who would take him as a mate, which is typically via arranged marriages, or aided through the pursuit of physical prowess, intelligence, or wisdom, as well as a dowry, characteristics that would make a male more desirable.

Males spend much of their time training to become ‘perfect’ in whatever method they can, with the physical aspect of that usually being training their bodies to be fit and sculpted toward some masculine ideal. However, some males in especially decadent places of high society, sometimes attempt to sculpt their bodies to appear more feminine in an attempt at advancement by emulating that more perfect form. This practice, however, is hotly debated and often frowned upon, as for some, this corrupts the Great Weaver’s perfect ordering.

Societal structure

The Ilthir do not have a unified form of Government, and are instead a civilization composed of independent city-states, often situated within a particularly fertile area, around a large body of water, or in an area with particularly reliable geothermal activity. Power and wealth in each city-state is essentially divided between several noble Houses and mercantile or crafters guilds that facilitate the ordering of the City’s population and economics, but also compete for influence, prestige, seats in influential positions such as the Church, the Council, but also the head of a guild, the top hierarchy of the military, or other prestigious positions for example in the universities.

The competition itself is usually and mostly through means that are ultimately healthy for society and the City itself, such as simply doing or being better than the other rivals, fully following the Ilthirri deeply meritocratic system. However it also happens through arranged marriages, secret agreements, and is far from being safe from bribery, corruption, and other more vile methods such as attempting to tarnish the reputation of others, or sabotage of another guild’s work.

However, while both in theory and in practice things are indeed mostly meritocratic, some positions, due to the precedent influence and wealth of the parents or simply to the way they educate their children, addressing them on the same path they took, tend to be more ‘attached’ to specific noble or rich families. The only things that are officially hereditary are noble titles.

Noble titles range from the one of Matron, the woman that leads the Ruling House and most embodies the city itself by overseeing the justice and government system, to (descending), a whole series of titles Tal’Zasi, Tal’Rasi, Tal’Rassii, Tal’Gasi, Tal’Alasi, corresponding roughly to the surface’s Duke, Count, Viscount, Baron, and Knight, the latter only being a title of merit that is not hereditary. ‘Tal’, often a term being used in place of ‘Lady’ or ‘Lord’ as to simply indicate a generic belonging to nobility. Nobility is also tied to the ownership of land, though differently than in surface society, there is no such thing as an ‘un-landed’ noble, as all titles are at least nominally tied to a plot of land, be it even perhaps just a location in a city: a neighborhood, a palace, or perhaps a port.

Members of the ‘Ruling House’ typically occupy between the most prestigious positions in the City, and if not directly in the leading position of an organization (such as a guild or the church), even just their presence in them is desirable for the prestige their name can add, and the closeness they can bring to the Matron. Reaching perfection in government, for Ilthir usually means reaching a perfect balance and separation between powers. In this sense the Matron is still akin to a monarch, but her powers are limited and she usually acts more as a supervisor to other political or justice organs of governance, which otherwise can act in complete autonomy, though she often also acts as a sort of High Judge.

Cites, or in case of rural or less populated areas, regional councils take decisions through voting, their members elected often by the Matron and the heads of the most prominent guilds, which in turn are subject to a justice system that is mostly independent from the governing one, as judges are professionals chosen usually between laureates and by their own peers, but that are barred from taking part in political or guild activities, as well as form judging members of their own families. Similarly, members of the Church can not become judges nor take prominent roles in governance or in a guild as they need to devote themselves to their role in full. And as Arachnea demands, roles should be separated.However, in smaller communities it is not rare that several of these roles will be occupied by the same people, even if the same principles of separation of powers and responsibilities are usually attempted to be followed, even if only for their religious value.

If Ilthir do not have a centralized government that unites them all, they do however have an universal form of laws (Laws of the Ilthir), Tribunals and Councils of Nobles that together with the Church of Arachnea serves to bring unity to their people. All City-States have a Tribunal with a few minor branches of it, and a High Tribunal with representatives of each city that reunites to take into consideration legal disputes between the City-States, while in more remote 'rural areas' there is a single Tribunal, that is either nominated by or actually consisting of the Governor of that Region. Governors are positions of minor prestige, like a Baron or a Major that governs smaller provinces and areas that are not so inhabited, and that in a way or another do still refer to one or more of the closest City-States, and positions that can also be covered by wealthy, prestigious citizens.

The hundreds cities of the Ilthir often compete against one another over resources and territory, or bicker over things such as social missteps like insults or perceived slights, however, they are mostly adverse to open warfare over other kins, especially when they feel like the presence of external threats.

Those Ilthir that are thirsty for power or riches would use nearly anything as justification to attempt to impose their dominion on others, and similarly a House of City would often try to assert its dominance over others. However they almost never rely on military means, but more on extending their political influence or other subterfuge such as corruption, blackmail, seduction, or other tools of political and influence warfare.

Indeed, the rare times when a House or City does become a threat in the military sense, an alliance of the other Houses or surrounding Cities is quickly formed, allowing society to remain in a permanent state of balance. On top of everything though, Ilthir would first and foremost stick with their own against any other threat, immediately putting aside any difference at the first sight of a common enemy.

Slavery occupies a central role in Dark Elven society with most kept slaves utilized for heavy labor such as mining or excavation, or more rarely as expendable shock troops, and otherwise unwanted occupations while those possessing traits that are deemed especially desirable, such as notable beauty or valuable skill sets, are brought into the House to be kept closer to their masters as servants or specialists.

Those who have no valuable skills and who are unable to meet the rigorous demands of the labor pool (either through natural ability or finding the motivation through the whip) can still find a purpose in one of the many mines and construction sites for new galleries, roads, canals, and other grand works.

Other slaves are instead kept for entertainment: pit-fighters, individuals of particular beauty or amusing deformity, musicians, poets.

Slavery

Some of the most lucky ones are instead kept as assistants for tutoring some wealthy young woman, or even more so, as personal attendant or dame-slave, or as head of the servants, if in a particularly large manor: all very sought after positions, so much so that it is not unheard of slaves fighting each other through subterfuge, or even using the same manipulative techniques with their owners, with the purpose of achieving such status.

Sexual slavery is uncommon, this particularly humiliating fate mostly limited to other Ilthir who violated the law or were otherwise desperate enough to sell or be sold in slavery. The reason for this is to be looked for in the fact that consorting with non-Ilthir is considered a sin. This does however not prevent some decadent nobility from indulging in these twisted acts of inter-species debauchery. Similarly, showing much of the offensive skin of surface slaves is considered vulgar and indecent behavior.

Slavery is regulated by strict and universal laws, and things such as unauthorized slave raids, possession of unregistered slaves, theft, unjustified mistreatment of another person's slave, are severely punished by the Tribunals. (see Laws of the Ilthir)

Ilthir themselves are not that uncommon as slaves, either temporarily or permanently, mostly as a consequence of unlawful actions, including debt.

Another very strictly regulated activity is the ownership of ‘exotic’ creatures, such as animals from the surface, but also corruptive creatures such as Demons, at times kept as slaves just to ‘impress’ others, and even more so Fae, which the general population is aware they possess some particularly dangerous, corrupting ability, though without not knowing any detail.

It would not be unheard of for the owner of a Fae being burned alive together with their ‘pet’ in the public square for having been corrupted, or for having spread their corruption to others. These creatures are however often simply killed by the Church or religious individuals, as they incarnate the concept itself of corruption: the Church however not going to simply kidnap an existing slave, but often offering very good compensations for the trouble.

Slavery as a concept has however been debated for the past few dozen years, and it is recent and very loud news that in a City, an abolition movement has succeeded in abolishing slavery, with some minor remote governorships following suit. However, the abolishment of such practice did not mean its sudden end even in these few places. The issue of the destiny of the freed slaves has been discussed extensively, and the abolishment of slavery often resulted in simply making the registration of new slaves and their trade illegal. The echo of such an event however has been heard in the entire Underworld, even if anti-slavery movements mostly remain hidden, as the power of the Church remains great and rooted. However, the philosophical, religious and economical debates about the ethics, benefits and dangers about slavery certainly saw a boost in popularity.

Professions and trade

In its vast and nearly infinite expanse of tunnels, crevices, cliffs and gorges, volcanoes and subterranean seas, the Underworld is a very dangerous place full of threats to the safety and security of any City and its residents.

Add to that the threat of other dark-dwelling creatures or Human scouting parties from above, and it is no surprise that many of Arachnea’s Children (especially males) become fighters, by enlisting in the personal armies of one of the many Houses, or as a levies drawn by the ruling House from the others in defense of the City or region. Others attempt to improve their status by studying or joining a guild, but also by trading in luxury goods and slaves, selling them to the nobility.

Sex is a less steep distinction among the Commoners, which are typically busy as laborers, fishers, mushroom farmers, or shepherds (tending to spiders' or other insects colonies, lizard creches, or small herds of blind cows), or any other job that might fit any commoner. There are several ways for a commoner to rise up to an upper social status, the most common ones being through higher education or an academic career, the acquisition of wealth, climbing the ranks of a Guild, or -for females-, the Church.

A notable mention is to be given to Guilds, organizations that span different families, both of noble and non-noble origins, and that can reach a considerable amount of power and influence, depending on their success and the wealth they can generate. Among the most common for example there would be: Miners and Tunnellers, Jewelers and Tailors, Gardeners and Sculptors, Slavers, Musicians, Architects and Engineers, and many others.

The more adventurous of the Ilthir often become instead explorers of both the Depths and the Surface: slavers, surface foragers, or they join one side of trading which is between the most lucrative, but also dangerous, both for the involvement with the surface, but even more because of the attentions that such activity might bring from both the Church and the civil Authorities: the Black Market.

Black Market

Some of the most daring attempts to establish some form of trade with the surface. There, thanks to the many goods that are either completely forbidden, rationed, or at least inconvenient and frowned upon, or else simply of great value and difficult to obtain on the surface, and thanks to their deep knowledge of the endless tunnels of the Underworld with even more hidden connections with the surface, impassable for its inhabitants, the Ilthir thrive as the best, if not ideal leaders of the black market.
Be it the goods that grow only in the Depths, such as its mushrooms and spices, ores, or slaves, or other more 'menial' but forbidden goods such as spirits, drugs, weapons, this activity is one of of extreme profit: though, also quite possibly deemed illegal by the any of the more conservative noble Houses, which will conveniently let other Houses 'get their hands dirty' with dealing with the surface. Add to that, meeting surfacers is a risky business, since most would either have heard about the stereotypical tales of the Dark Elves being only raiders and kidnappers, running to alert their authorities or attacking them, or simply consider them Elves with strange black skin, therefore treating them with the same, if not worse contempt.

The Church and mural customs

The Church of Arachnea is an organization composed solely by female members, vowed to the protection of the integrity of the faith and the morals, the customs, traditions and of racial purity.
Priestesses of the Weaver often invest their lives in both assisting the faithful, guiding them, making sure their communities remain pure of corruptive influences of any kind, and where necessary, weeding out the impure, or guiding the civil authorities in their decisions.
The organization of the Church is pyramidal, with at the bottom simple local Priestesses, which are more often the ones more in touch with the ongoings of the people. Each City or Region has then a High Priestess, elected by a conclave of local priestesses, but whose candidature must be also supported in turn by a Noble House.

On top of the pyramid sits the Council of The Pure, composed of eleven (a prime number) High Priestesses from some of the major cities, each member of the Council being elected in turn by a conclave of High Priestesses.

Despite religion having a prime spot in Ilthirri society, there is no real equivalent to the Humans’ Inquisition. This absence, likely due to the lack of Demons infesting society, an incomparably longer history of religious and beliefs stability, and the fact that the only two minority faiths whose numbers are even worth mentioning are just Umbra and Ilmarin, whose faiths are tolerated when practiced strictly in private. However, some priestesses of stricter than average principles, thanks to the means of the Church, will go a long way to conducting full on investigations on possible heresies, or trying to identify and if possible punish sinners, often applying great pressure to the civil authorities.

While the Church on its own does not have the power to sentence heretics, heresy does constitute a crime, and a well mounted case will just need the nominal approval of a tribunal to be made official.

Appearance

Through a selection of their own partners based on exacting standards and often direct selection and extermination of the unfit, ill, or even just plain ugly, Ilthir as a whole have gradually groomed themselves to a point where they are considered by most outsiders who meet them to be quite beautiful. At the same time though, their features are somewhat uniform, especially with respect to the very diverse ones of the other races that inhabit the surface.

To the outsider, they can appear rigid and noble, even statuesque, with an ethereal quality that could be described as beguiling. The intense but guarded eyes of startling crimson or rarely lavender,

the shock of white hair nearly as fine as spider silk, the dusky hue of flesh ranging from a middle gray or even plum to nearly coal black such that is not found anywhere on the surface.

Due to the vastness of the Depths, however, different groups of Ilthir with their own distinctive traits have developed over the millennia, and while their long lives and propensity for travel does ensure that far-flung populations do not diverge too far, it is still not too uncommon to find Dark Elves who stand out in the local population. One such regional variation that has endured long enough to develop a stigma is that between darker Ilthir of the main population who typically possess an almost ebon complexion and those from the north and north-east of the continent-spanning Underworld who are notably paler than average and tending toward an almost light gray. This northern region that these ‘lighter’ Dark Elves hail from is considerably less wealthy and developed. So while in the past these individuals might have been considered to possess an exotic beauty, now they are merely seen as ‘poor immigrants’ and are generally relegated to the lower classes.

Another similar, minority variation is the one of Ilthir having, instead of the usual white hair, pitch black one. This variation is often thought as of being a physical flaw, even if tolerable, and for some of the most extreme purists, those with black hair should not even be allowed to reproduce. For this reason however, historically noble families with a certain lineage have evolved to include only 'pure', white hair Ilthir. As another curious coincidence, these few Ilthir with black hair always have intense, red eyes.

Relations with other races

Ilthirri religious beliefs make them consider the inhabitants of the surface as corrupted, but they still have some form of ‘hierarchy’ of what is more or less corrupt, and in their history even once arrived to find a place in their world and purpose to them, for instance with the Tlatlacah ('Serpentmen'): knowing very well that their numbers are little and their very species at risk of extinction, they managed a fragile alliance with these few but cultured beings, who at least shared and respected their culture, ideals, and elitism. Tlatlacah have been taking refuge in Ilthirri Cities for hundreds of years by now, reaching some level of integration, the youngest Ilthir and Tlatlacah starting to entwine some relationships of friendship and trust.

Ilthir usually treat their ⁠Quathili cousins with a slightly cool distance, but at the same time with moderate acceptance. They are inhabitants of the Depths by right, though the most extremist and 'purist' fringes of the Church would want to see them gone, as well for being 'impure', or at least kept away, even if they are normally tolerated in the majority of those Ilthirri towns that are not far from lakes and seas, their living places.

Though Quathili are tolerated and not particularly discriminated against, since they (differently than Tlatlacah) are actually fertile with Ilthir, are usually approached with some 'caution', or kept to their own neighborhood, and there are often more or less stringent local laws to ensure the absence of mixing: for instance it is usually forbidden to have Quathili and Ilthir live under the same roof, at least long term. In those cities that are further away from regions that typically host Quathili, they are either almost completely unknown, or their minority might at times be suffering from some form of 'effective discrimination', since they are made to form de-facto separate neighborhoods and ghettos.

Keeping in mind their deeply rooted sense of racial superiority, their despise has been strong towards the inhabitants of the surface, who represent in their culture beings that are closer to, and thus corrupted by, the forces of chaos that lie behind the sky. There can't be any relation with surfacers outside of keeping them where they belong, chasing them away from the Depths, or using them: as slaves, to fight against each other, or as pawns for some other purpose.

Even the few adventurous or crazy merchants, traders, and diplomats who approach the Ilthir to parley often risk getting captured and kept as more cultured slaves by the more hardliner, conservative Dark Elves.

There are, however, rumors that a rare few merchants have managed to make contact with the enigmatic Dark Elves and negotiate for the blessing of a House to peddle their wares in the black markets of the major Cities, obtaining unimaginable profits from the exchange of rare spices, minerals, textiles,

and of course, exotic slaves. Some Ilthir are, after all, interested in the exotic goods that come from the surface, even if they run the risk of being thought to be tainted by this unorthodox exchange. Of course, unknown to most, and often even to many of the authorities, the trading of ores produced by the mines of the Underworld, as well as of other products inaccessible to the surface, are indeed quite widespread; but these activities are easier to disguise at or near the point of extraction.

How to play

Ilthir are an advanced, cultured, isolationist society very attentive to racial hygiene where the lucky ones enjoy great benefits of education and welfare, laws, and bureaucracy.
The light of the sun physically hurts the eyes of an Ilthir due to their physiology: there is no habituation to this, as much as a human will not learn to breathe underwater. In case of months or even just weeks of permanence on the surface, an Ilthir may become fully blind.
Stick with your kin, putting aside the small squabbles that often plague your divided society, defending the last place in the Continent that remains free from the grip of the Empire.
The first goal of an Ilthir is to maintain racial and cultural purity, and to achieve perfection (whatever philosophical and practical significance they attribute to that): it is the duty of any Ilthir to weed out the impure, the 'exceptions', and the undesirable within their society and those traitors who entertain personal relations with races from the surface, or even worse with tainted races, whether these stains upon society are marginalized or made slaves.
Ilthir consider surfacers tainted, corrupted by the sun, and often just inferior, yet the surface has goods that are not available in the Underworld, flavory foods and fruits, wool, and especially wood, and even more it is also a source of slaves, especially those who live isolated or travel alone: engage in shady dealings with surfacers, especially with factions that are most in need of the production that your advanced society might offer, first on the list, weapons and supplies.

Keep the surfacers fighting each other and engaging the Empire in a cold war that can't be fought face to face.
Ilthir are very religious: Arachnea is the only accepted worship. Priestesses are highly revered and occupy positions of great prestige in their society, very much like middle-ages Europe, where the church had great influence in the daily lives of people, as well as in politics. However, the Church is far from being omnipotent and civil powers remain often separated from it, even if following its rule, if anything, out of convenience. The only other cults somewhat diffused are Umbra or Dominion, but their worship, even if tolerated when happening outside of the public’s eyes (if anything, out of fear of being marginalized or pointed at as ‘different’), is still frowned upon, especially if it comes in direct contrast with the mainstream principles of Arachnea that are taught to every young Ilthir and must be strictly kept to prevent the corruption of the race and the breaking of The Veil.
Men are much less influential than women of the same class and rank, and the higher ranks in society are reserved to women (clans should strive to have a female leader, unless they represent a strictly military group), very similarly as to what gender roles were in the middle ages, but reversed, especially for the nobility and clergy.
Slavery is normal and acceptable for an Ilthir. Charity and altruism towards the unfortunate, the diseased, the 'different' are often considered dangerous practices and going outside of the social norms: individuals must be strong enough to help themselves, or they are not good enough to enjoy the benefits of society. Being helpful and welcoming to surface races is considered a blasphemous, reproachable behavior that is often openly condemned not only by morals or the Church, but also by law.

Characteristics

Darkvision, Weakness to Light I (see Table of racial characteristics)
Languages: Vulgar Ilthirri, High Ilthirri (Dark Elven)
Height limits 153 to 180 cm
Ilthir can not live outside of the Underworld for more than a couple of days before going permanently blind, and see quite badly in bright light, on top of getting severely sunburnt after a few hours of direct exposure to light. There is no protection from this.
Ilthir can not ride any horse/donkey/camel by default: the Depths are an environment that does not allow the survival of standard riding animals, even less so their use as transport.
An Ilthir of noble origins, or part of the Church or Arachnea (the Church allows only females in) will have access to a weekly stipend. (Characters that are outcasts or listed as criminals will be cut out of that 'stipend')

Authors: Rashan

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Geography

Vast majority of the known Depths are inhabited, littered with towns and of various sizes. However, the backbone of the smaller townships is and always will be the great Ilthir city-states, providing infrastructure and trade, and furthermore standing as a symbol and example of the might and ingenuity of Ilthir craftmanship.

With meticulously maintained pathways, the influence of the four most prominently known city-states spans the entirety of the Depths underneath the Continent, forming an effective network of transportation for goods and travelers. Ranging from the eastern coast to the northernmost frozen peaks and the final frontier that is the Black Dome Peninsula, each region and its most known city offers a vastly different perspective to Ilthir culture. While countless city-states exist across the known world, there are four all educated Ilthir know by name.

Tul'Kaupun, the City of Fire

Northernmost of the great cities stands Tul'Kaupun, a monument to the deep dwellers' adaptability. This ancient city was constructed into one of the many pockets of a still churning volcano, a single solitary smoldering peak standing amidst what is otherwise frozen tundraic wasteland. Over the years, great efforts have been made to ensure that any future eruptions will have their wrath diverted to the countless unoccupied tunnels.

The city itself is constructed in a strictly circular layout, each tier defined by caste and station. At the heart of the city rests the temple and the Matron's manor. Surrounding these two central structures, is housing of nobility and important officials, each tier from there on lowering in significance, from commoners to laborers, to slaves and temporarily visiting outsiders.

With its easy access to nearby lava flow, Tul'Kaupun holds great favor amongst smithing families. Some of the greatest smiths alive hail from this city-state and the practitioners of this specific trade take up a great portion of the commoner housing. Precious metals, smithworks and raw diamonds make up the vast majority of the city's exports. Due to the nature of the city's location, very little naturally occurring fauna or flora exists nearby, leaving Tul'Kaupun largely dependent on food imported from the more lush regions.

While slavery is just as present in this city as it is any other, the nature and general attitude towards it is somewhat different compared to other places. The ruthless state of the surrounding surface enables very little surfacer presence, and the few that do linger in the area, often struggle in their hovels. Slaves are considered a luxurious commodity, and often slaves that originate from the area are less willful and more eagerly obedient - a life in slavery where one is provided for and safe is vastly preferred over the frozen hellscape above.

With the presence of persistent nearby lavaflow, Tul'Kaupun bathes in a dim ambient light. As a long term result, the Ilthir born within the region tend to possess paler skin tones than those further south. A smooth ashen color is not at all uncommon, even amongst nobility, while elsewhere it would be considered preposterous.

Renqalla, Sanctuary of Arachnea

The second of the great cities, Renqalla stands resolute on the western seaboard as a glittering gemstone. The city is built into a tall cavern, rich in naturally occurring pure white quartz and crystals. With the bioluminescent spores of nearby mushrooms, the cavern bathes in specs of slowly moving flickers of soft white and purple light, offering a borderline ethereal ambience. Many native spider species enjoy weaving vast webs across the sharp stalagmites in the ceiling of the cavern - with spores clinging to these webs, the entire cavern ceiling looks as if it's glittering with starlight.

Renqalla serves as the main seat of the Church of The Weaver, and thus elevated above all other structures is the Great Temple of The Weaver, looming over the rest of the city in an imposing manner. The temple's main gate hosts two enormous crystal statues depicting female warriors, standing eternal vigil over the entrance. The outskirts of the temple house homes and official buildings of the Church and clergy. At the foot of the vast steps leading up to the temple plaza rests the bustling marketplace, and spreading out from there are residential dwellings. Due to the prestigious position of the city as the Church's main bastion, the ratio of nobility to commoners within Renqalla is warped compared to the rest of the Depths.

With its proximity to the ocean, the city has long been harnessing the potential of the damp surrounding caverns, allowing for easy avenues of agriculture. Vast fields of mushrooms and subterranean fruit are farmed within the city's proximity, as well as lifestock - large scorpions and other crustaceans are common sights within the city. Exporting high quality food brings in the majority of the city's income, together with sale of fine quartz and crystals. Once a year, some of the excess spider silk is also harvested and while most is used for the clergy's needs, the surplus is often sold onward. Many spiders of varying sizes and species find the city a attractive place to live.

Slavery is strictly prohibited within Renqalla beyond punishing law-breaking Ilthir, and any attempted surface presence is repelled violently. To date, not a single surface being has laid eyes upon the Great Temple, and the city guard seem very intent to keep it that way - thorough checkpoints are set up at all entrances to the main cavern housing the city to ensure no surface taint passes through. Surfacers are executed on sight and any traveler attempting to bring a slave with them will be made to part with said slave for the duration of their stay, and heavily fined.

Citizens of Renqalla are viewed as strict and somewhat snobby compared to the general populace. With the proximity of the Great Temple and heavy presence of the Church, perfection is held to an even stricter standard. It is not unheard of for someone to be denied residence within the city if their skin was not the perfect ebony tone, or they carried a scar - no matter the size or location. Pilgrims to the Great Temple are also a very common sight, but the ones considered "unsightly" are urged to make their visits brief.

Zir'arqis, the Mirror City

A popular destination in the far east is the city of Zir'arqis. The city is built in an enormous cavern housing an immense underground lake, vast enough to be teetering on the brink of passing as a sea instead, with access points to the ocean under the surface. A single stone bridge connects the city to the landmass and around it, a utterly tranquil water void of ripples or disturbances. The walls of the chamber are silken smooth from eons of moisture and reflect the dancing lights of the luminescent algae and water flora of the lake almost perfectly, demonstrating well why the city gained its title - it's almost as if the chamber was full of mirrors, bathed in a dim turquoise light from the large formations of algae and plants.

The ecosystem of the lake is a source of fascination for many travelers with numerous exotic amphibious animal species present, including brilliantly colorful fish. One of the more common species is an amphibian simply dubbed 'lampskitter', a species of slender turquoise lizards with small bioluminescent lantern growths throughout their body. With their playful, curious nature, they make for popular pets within the city.

It is often speculated that many Quathili ancestors originate from this region, with how significant and vast the waterways are. With easy access to the coast, the city has a healthy Quathili population even to this day.

Coincidentally, Tlatlacah are also frequent visitors within Zir'arqis, finding the moisture pleasant. The other major factor drawing in the serpentfolk would be the fact that the Mirror City is famed throughout the continent for its unparalleled library and central archives, where many Tlatlacah occupy themselves as librarians, or simply spend their days absorbing in vast founts of knowledge they would never dream to find elsewhere. Large majority of Zir'arqis' citizens are highly educated.

Working in tandem with the enormous library is a prestigious university, where countless Ilthirri seek to study for their future life careers. Future Matrons are sent to study politics, whereas the offspring of a particularly wealthy jewelcrafting family might come learning how to better his trade or better market his goods. Tuition contributes to the city's coffers, but the main income and exports of the area all stem from the lake. The bioluminescent algae from the lake is farmed and sold as popular health food. Large fisheries and fish farms see the city markets and beyond fed with all manners of seafood. Many older houses within Zir'arqis also specialize in crafting of high quality parchment.

In Zir'arqis, slaves are a hot commodity, although for largely different reasons than most other regions. Intellectual traits are valued highest, even at the expense of physical appearance. Servants with skillsets like reading and writing, or visual memory are well sought after and often purchased at prices that would be considered absolute robbery elsewhere. An intelligent slave is considered a significant long term investment. However, due to the high education level and easily available work in Zir'arqis, Ilthir slaves are rare - the crime rate of the city is almost non-existent.

Olincrith, Traders' Web

With constant traffic between the bustling elder cities of Renqalla and Zir'arqis, the acute need for a place for caravans to rest their pack lizards sprouted the city of Olincrith. Built at the crossroads of four major tunnels - one to each primary compass direction - it's by far the largest trading hub in the Ilthir world, located squarely in the middle of the continent, just south of the Imperial capital of Annoria, tucked away somewhere under the Highland mountains. The terrain around the city is humble, with a few small waterfalls cascading down from above only to vanish once more amongst the rocks. A mushroom forest surrounds the city at a distance, but is nowhere near as lush and bright as most others.

What Olincrith lacks in unique distinction, it makes up for in its role as a mixing pot. Every traveler aiming to travel to the other major cities has to travel through Olincrith. Travelers from all major cities meet within this hub to peddle their wares, legal or otherwise. While many permanent structures exist, they are mainly owned by trading guilds, tavernkeepers or animal breeders. The majority of the dwellings are tents and other temporary accommodations, creating a powerful contrast with the ornate dwellings of rich merchant families. Most homes are single-storey buildings, leaving only rich merchant estates and the temple standing taller.

The average permanent resident of Olincrith is threatened by the looming presence of poverty, leaving the rich merchants with plenty of eager workers as their disposal. It's common practice for young Ilthir to save up working at the stables or trader's guilds before moving on to larger cities in search of better life. The city houses little to no nobility, but the wealthy merchants are more than happy to fill that void. Similarly, the Church's presence in the bustling trade hub is less than most other places - while temples do exists, they do not particularly stand out. The city's governance is tightly connected to the Guild of Merchants, and historically the family in its control has also been the one occupying the seat of Matron.

Common in the streets of Olincrith are pack beasts - large scorpions and lizards primarily, but also hooved creatures not too unalike surface oxen. For some odd reason, a species of subterranean moths sporting white wings with blue dots also make their home in the mushroom forests on the outskirts of Olincrith. Animal breeders have endless demand for their stock in the city, with all manners of travelers and caravans wishing to replace old or injured beasts of burden with young, healthy ones. The outskirts of the city is littered with farms. Food production however is nonexistent, beyond what is needed to feed the animals. Most residents purchase their food directly from the temporary stalls passing traders set up during their resting period within the city walls.

As expected from a trading hub, the slave trade is also alive and well within Olincrith. Every four months, a large slave market is hosted in the main market square. Slaves within Olincrith are mainly regarded as beasts of burden, and due to the constant inflow of new stock from traveling merchants, are often treated as disposable. The rate of violence towards slaves is higher than elsewhere, and largely ignored. Similarly, due to the poor wealth and education of the city's more permanent residents, the crime rate is noticeably higher than other regions. Pickpockets are a known nuisance to travelers.

Lands of Tyranny

Day 17 of The Centaur, Year 416