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Manzarraza was a city in the underworld of Kazrrad, in northwest aels. It was founded around at the 10.800 b.a.H, being a city of the Dungeandar drow. An old city, it took part of the War of the 13 Cities and the War of the Holy Spider, being the most powerful city during the Age of the Spider.

While later, the southern drow cities rised in power, while the northern cities depleted in fruitless wars against each others, Manzarraza remained as the most important Dungeandar drow city.

Geography[]

The city is located about 3.2 km under the Valley of Cairie, to the north of Huncle and to the south of the darvwen mines of Helmed.

The city was located in a single giant cave, with a lake on the center of it.

History[]

Manzaliel, a Priestess of Lolh, founded the city circa 10.800 b.a.H. Supposedly by the wishes of Lolh, she led seven drow families from Ched'Lolhtan to this location, to found a city for the glory of her goddess

Their goal was to escape from the constant cycle of violence and death that so plagued that city, being said that the Spider Goddess helped them directly in such journey, and after many perils -recorded in the sacred book of the city- the surviving drow took up residence in this cave, naming it after their leader.

The drow families, having no immediate external enemy, fell to attacking and undermining one another -- exactly what they had hoped to escape -- to the greater glory of their goddess, who accordin to her servants loved chaos.

The city's internal machinations continued unabated for millennia. The Houses that grow weak were destroyed, and newer Houses rose up to find Lolh's favor. The full history of each House would constitute a nearly endless logbook of treachery, spite, and unceasing ambition:

It will be only the rise of Llurth Negeél as an hegemonic drow power -a foreign enemy- that will somewhat achieve as effect some unity within Manzarraza, which joined at the 9.500 b.a.H the War of the 13 Cities against Llurth Negeél and their allies.

Aside of the War of the 13 Cities, often Manzarraza clashed with the dwarves of Helmed, and as well, against other Dungeandar drow cities.

With the fall of Llurth Negeél, Manzarraza and other Lolh worshipping drow cities will embark themselves in the War of the Holy Spider, and later will fight each other for the spoils of victory.

During the Age of the Spider, Manzarraza will be the strongest drow city, from around the 7.000 to the 4.000 b.a.H.

Demography[]

By the middle human Age, there were approximately 20,000 drow in the city, with 1,000 of them considered nobles of the 60-70 noble houses. Slavers, the population of non-drow slaves almost duplicated the free and slave drow population, living about 40.000 non-drow slaves in the city:

orcs, ogres, goblins, bugbears, minotaurs, trolls, kobolds and many others.

Economy[]

The city exported poisons, mushrooms, Kazaak and Dragonid mounts, spells, creations and mushroom wine. Other goods included body dyes, chains, ink from deep dragon scales, meat of Kazrrad game, herbal medicines, musical instruments, obsidian carvings (often used for sacrifices), perfumes,spiced sausages, stone sculptures, surgical services and spider silk textiles.

The city imported products from both the Surface and Kazrrad: mostly food, slaves and textiles, being provided much of these imports by other dungeandar drow cities.

Various currencies were accepted in Manzarraza. Coins came in many shapes, including round, square, triangular, ring-, and spider-shaped coins. The greatest dozen houses in Manzarraza minted the coins.

Government and Politics[]

The city had many different factions, or Houses, all of which vied for power. As it was a matriarchal society, however, only females truly held power. Officially, the city was under the rule of the Ruling Council of Eight, composed of the eight matron mothers of the most powerful houses.

Although drow culture was matriarchal, a few male drow in the city held some political power.

A separate council of mages dealt with affairs of the arcane — but as its members were all male, it is wholly within the grip of the matron mothers.

Military[]

The two dozen or so most powerful houses were able to muster an army, to defend the city at times of need. The city lacked it's own army, being this instead a collection of Matronal armies of the Houses.

Because of this, the Manzarraza armies where chaotic, unorganized and every warrior or unit fought individually, and while the Manzarrazan were proud of being cunning, they armies didn't acted with a general strategy, as often their generals had little more than a nominal power to suggest the matrons of the other armies how to act in the course of a battle or a campaign.

Culture[]

Food and Drink[]

Local food was primarly produced in and around a great underground lake, found in the middle of the cavern where the city was located. There they fished and raised fish in ponds, collecting and farming as well algae.

They had as well moss fields, giant mushrooms and fungus farms, and as well they raised as cattle some wild creatures of Kazrrad, dragonids and Kazaaks, and had some surface creatures -poorly- adapted to the underworld of Kazrrad, producing meat and cheese from them. The meat of slaves was as well in the Manzarrazan diet.

They prepared a kind of mushroom wine and beers, but where much more prefeered surface imports.

Religion[]

The worship of Lolh, was prevalent, and the worship of any other deity was forbidden. However, there were a number of secret worshippers and cults to other goddesses and gods.

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